General Rules

1. The Rules of Order of Scotch'n'Soda (Rules of Order) shall contain all rules relevant to the conduct of business of the Board of Directors (Board) and the responsibilities, powers, and rights of the Board.  The Rules of Order shall not contradict The Constitution of Scotch'n'Soda Theatre (Constitution) in any way, and no policy of Scotch'n'Soda shall contradict the Rules of Order.
   1. Official copies of the Constitution, Rules of Order, and Board Policy shall be maintained by the Vice President and stored in hard copy in the office and electronically on Scotch’n’Soda’s space on the Andrew File System (AFS).
      
      
2. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern Scotch'n'Soda in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they do not contradict the Constitution or the Rules of Order.
   1. A copy of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall be maintained by the Vice President and stored in hard copy in the office.
      
      
3. The Board shall create official policy and action through votes on motions.  Individuals eligible to vote may cast votes of YES or NO, or they may ABSTAIN from a vote.  Any eligible voter not casting a YES or NO vote shall be counted as an abstention.
   • A simple majority is any vote in which the number of YES votes is greater than the number of NO votes.
     
   • A two thirds (2/3) majority is any vote in which the number of YES votes is greater than or equal to 2/3 of the total number of eligible votes.
   • An unanimous vote is a vote in which all eligible votes are YES.
     
     
4. The Board shall conduct business through board meetings, though it may, by a simple majority, conduct additional business through other means.
   
   
5. In all decisions, the Board shall have a quorum before taking a vote. Quorum is defined as six (6) members of the Board being present, or as all eligible voters being present in cases in which fewer than six members of the Board are eligible to vote.
   
   
6. Amendments to the Rules of Order shallbe ratified by a 2/3 majority.
   
   
7. Policies not relating to the Rules of Order, but still relating to the membership and conduct of Scotch 'n' Soda, shall be ratified by a simple majority, unless otherwise stated by Board Policy, the Rules of Order, or the Constitution.
   
   1. At the beginning of the school year, the Board shall set policy considering production and troupe attendance requirments for the purpose of furthering Board involvment in the organization.
   2. If a Board member does not fulfill his or her requirments for more than one production or troupe, the Board shall call a closed meeting to discuss whether or not a motion to remove the Board member should be made.  In the event that it is the President who has failed to meet the requirements then the Vice-President shall preside over the meeting.
      
      
8. In matters requiring interpretation of current Board Policy, the Rules of Order, or the Constitution, the President shall make an initial ruling on interpretation. Any Board member or Auxiliary Board Member may appeal the President's ruling in favor of another interpretation.  An interpretation shall be used if passed by a simple majority vote.
   
   
9. A motion to close a meeting shall immediately limit the meeting to Board members.  The individual making the motion shall then state his or her reasons for doing so.  The Board may then continue the closed meeting by a simple majority.  Individuals other than Board members may be permitted to attend a closed meeting by a 2/3 majority.
   
   
10. All Board meetings shall be announced in a timely fashion before the meeting is called to order, and shall be open to the public unless closed.
    
    
11. During consideration of any matter, a motion to end debate shall be approved by a 2/3 majority.
    
    
12. During consideration of any matter, any Board member or Auxiliary Board Member may call for a preference vote.  The President shall then take a non-binding poll of all members voting on an issue.  Excessive calls for preference votes may be ruled out of order by the President.
    
    
13. A decision by the President to grant voting rights to an Auxiliary Board Member shall be approved by a simple majority.

Rules on Appointment and Vacancy

14. The Board consents to a Presidential appointment by a simple majority.
    
    
15. Individuals may be appointed to the Board to serve in an Acting capacity through appointment by the President with the consent of the Board.
    
    
16. The Board may nominate individuals to permanently fill a position by a simple majority.  These individuals will then stand for election as described by the Constitution at a General Meeting.

Rules on Productions

17. Individuals wishing to propose a script shall submit a copy of this script to the Board.  Individuals wishing to propose a show without a script shall submit a written proposal regarding the format of the show to the Board.  All submissions must be received prior to the deadline set by the Board.  The Board may pass policies further detailing the formats for these proposals.
    
    
18. After receiving the script or format proposal the Board shall call a meeting to determine whether the show is feasible based only on the script or format proposal.  The Board should consider whether the proposed show is feasible for production by Scotch‘n'Soda; whether the proposed show is appropriate for the Carnegie Mellon community, the Scotch’n’Soda membership, and the time slot for which it is proposed; and whether the resources exist for the show's production.  The script or format proposal shall be accepted by a 2/3 majority.
    
    
19. By the deadline set by the board, individuals wishing to direct an accepted script or format proposal shall submit a written proposal detailing the directing staff's artistic vision. 
    
    
20. After receiving the directing staff’s propsal, the Board shall call a meeting to evaluate the proposed show. The directing staff shall meet with the board detailing their concept for the proposed show.  The board may pass policies further detailing the proposal process.  When the discussion period has finished, the Board shall close the meeting limiting it to only individuals eligible to vote on the proposed show.  The Board may further discuss the proposed show and the directorial vision.  If no member of the directing staff of the proposed show has been on a directing staff or Artistic Director for Scotch’n’Soda previously, the directing staff shall be approved by an unanimous vote.  Otherwise, the directing staff shall be approved by a 2/3 majority.  The Board may elevate the standard for passage of this vote as detailed in Rule 24.  Approval of the directing staff represents approval of the show.
    
    
21. Individuals wishing to propose a troupe shall submit a document containing rules of operation for the troupe to the Board. This document shall be signed by at least five (5) members of Scotch'n'Soda who are not on the Board.
    
    
22. The Board shall consider the proposed rules of operation and shall approve them by a 2/3 majority.  Rules of operation shall include methods of selecting an Artistic Director and a Board Liaison, organization of the troupe, and purpose of the troupe.
    1. The Board shall be notified via e-mail or in writing of any amendments to the rules of operation of any active troupe.  Notification shall occur within one week of the change or by the next board meeting, whichever comes later.
       
       
23. Individuals wishing to propose a project shall sumbit a written proposal for the project to the Board.  The project shall be approved by a simple majority.
    
    
24. A motion to elevate the standard for passage of a vote for a propsed show, troupe, or projectshall be approved by a simple majority.  Elevating the standard for passage shall raise the required vote from a simple majority to a 2/3 majority or from a 2/3 majority to an unanimous vote.  If the standard for passage is elevated it cannot be reversed.
    1. A motion to elevate the standard for passage may come from the proposing individuals.
       
       
25. At the beginning of every proposal meeting, the Vice President shall clarify the Rules on Productions for all who are present at the meeting.
    
    

Rules of Policy and Conduct

26. An eligible voter who is not in attendance at a meeting shall ABSTAIN from all votes called, unless the voter has left written instructions with a Board member who will be present indicating his or her vote on a matter.
    1. If a Board member is ineligible to cast a vote, his or her vote shall not be counted.  The Board may pass policies further detailing eligability.
       
       
27. The Board shall approve the date for the election of the following year’s Board by a simple majority.  This date shall be approved no later than March 1.
    
    
28. The President may appoint non-returning members to function as election officials.
    
    
29. Grounds for the expulsion of a member of Scotch'n'Soda shall be egregious failure to fulfill accepted comittments to Scotch’n’Soda, or infractions of Carnegie Mellon Policy directly involving Scotch'n'Soda.
    
    
30. Prior to the discussion of any appointments, all Board members shall disclose any prior solicitation of individuals for these positions.
    
    
31. Any vote taken in an open meeting shall be recorded and made publicly available in the minutes indicating the number of YES and NO votes, and the number of abstentions.  The Board shall disclose any motion that passes in a closed meeting.  The Board may choose to disclose any other information about a closed meeting by a 2/3 majority.
    
    
32. The Board of Directors shall not use personal invective when discussing other members in a public forum.