Groups must write new constitutions per rules

There are over 100 new constitutions on campus this fall. Not the kind our forefathers wrote, but the kind our fellow students write. \nStudent organizations filing with the Student Activities Office were required to create a new constitution when they returned to school this fall. \nOver the summer, the SAO decided that new constitutions are required for all organizations in order to increase equality among the student groups, according to Rebecca Stone, graduate assistant for Leadership and Student Organizations.\nStone said it was in the best interest of the SAO and the organizations to require constitutions. She said it provides a standard for groups to live up to and increases organization within the office.\nPreviously, constitutions were only required of groups that desired a card that allows student groups to purchase necessary items for their organization and be reimbursed. Groups not in need of a card simply filled out an orange card with their organization's name, their leaders' names and the purpose of their organization. \nUnder the new rules, all groups must turn in a constitution, although the orange cards are still being used.\nThe new constitutions are designed to be user-friendly, so nothing is vague or left up to guesswork, Stone said. Changes to the content of the constitutions include requiring a new section banning hazing, a section requiring compliance with University policies and a section banning discrimination in membership.\nOver 100 student groups have turned in constitutions so far, and the overall response has been "wonderful," Stone said.\nYoga Prakasa, vice president of the Muslim Student Union, said he was instrumental in the drafting of his group's constitution. \n"So far the process has been good," Prakasa said. "It pushed us to take a new look and make revisions to our constitution."\nStone said there are a few exceptions to the new rules. \nReligious groups do not need to write a new constitution if their national constitution forbids writing a local one. Greek organizations, as long as their records are up to date with the Panhellenic Association or the Interfraternity Council, do not need to file constitutions either. The same goes for club sports, as long as their records are up to date with the Division of Recreational Sports.\n-- Contact staff writer Kelsey Flora at kflora@indiana.edu.