The name of this organization shall be the George Mason University French Club, hereafter referred to as the French Club.

The purpose of the French Club shall be to promote Francophone culture to the George Mason University community of students and faculty and promote unity and fraternity among its members through the organization of various cultural, intellectual, academic, and social activities. The French Club shall provide for its members opportunities to practice their skills and expand their knowledge of the French language.

Membership shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, sex, or age. Membership shall be open to all currently enrolled George Mason University students interested in French culture and language having a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Membership shall be bestowed upon the candidate upon the submission and review of an application created by French Club's officers, providing basic information about the student, including his/her name, class standing, major(s), minor(s), and French classes taken. Active membership shall be maintained by attendance to at least two of the four general meetings held per semester and current enrollment at George Mason University with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Active members shall have the power to vote on official matters of the French Club, including amendments, elections, and other motions brought forth in meetings, as well as make suggestions for events and policies in accordance with the spirit of the Club.

Membership may be revoked at the discretion of the French Club's officers and faculty advisor. Moreover, a member's status may be deemed inactive if he/she fails to meet the above state requirements regarding his/her cumulative GPA and general meeting attendance, at which point he/she loses the above stated powers and rights.

Section 1. The elected officers shall be the following:

Administrative Officer (or President)

The responsibilities of this officer shall include overlooking the activities of other officers, offering suggestions and contributing to the efforts of each in any way he/she sees appropriate, as well as calling and chairing general and special meetings and organizing and supervising officer elections in April.

Financial Officer (or Treasurer)

The responsibilities of this officer shall include keeping records with respect to any funds that come in to or go out of the French Club, developing budgets, managing receipts, and generally keeping track of the Club’s finances, as well as acting as a liaison between the Club and the Student Funding Board (SFB).

Operations and Analytics Officer (or Secretary)

The responsibilities of this officer shall include keeping accurate records of meetings and other correspondence, and keeping copies of all administrative and official forms. Responsibilities shall also include collecting, organizing, and continually updating information on active members and officers.

Activities Coordination Officer

The responsibilities of this officer shall be coming up with and planning out activities of a cultural, intellectual, academic, and social nature for the members of the French Club. Such activities might include field trips to art exhibits at local venues, trips to Francophone cinemas, French conversation tables, and tutoring services for French language students.

Communications and Public Relations Officer

The responsibilities of this officer shall include promoting the French Club and its events to students and faculty, which might be accomplished by creating and posting flyers in the language department or other locations known to be frequented by students and faculty, and maintaining relations with other George Mason University foreign language organizations.

Technical Officer (or Webmaster)

The responsibilities of the Technical Officer shall include creating and maintaining the French Club’s website, where information about the Club shall be made readily available to interested students. Such information might include local cultural and social events, meeting minutes, a list of officers, a list of members, and French classes offered at George Mason University.

Section 2. Officer candidacy shall be open to all active members of the French Club. Candidates shall have attended at least four of the eight general meetings held during the two-semester period between elections, that is, two of the four general meetings held during the semester following the previous election and two of the four general meetings held during the semester preceding the next election.

Section 3. An officer's term shall last the two-semester period between elections, from the day of his/her election until the day of the election of the new officer.

Section 4. An officer may be removed from his/her duties if he/she fails to carry out the responsibilities stated above and shows a lack of regard for the French Club and its members, as determined by the Club's other officers and faculty advisor. At the discretion of the other officers and at the request of the officer in question, a vote of the active membership may be called to remove him/her. If a vote is indeed called, a one-third favorable vote shall be required to remove an officer after the other officers present their case against the officer in question and the officer in question explains him/herself.

Section 5. The primary advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff at George Mason University. The primary advisor must also be a professor of the French language. The Club’s officers shall select the Club’s advisor, whose purpose shall be to offer guidance and support to the French Club and its members but may not vote on the Club’s matters.

Section 1. Election of the French Club's leadership shall take place at the third general meeting of the Spring semester in April.

Section 2. Nominations may be submitted at any of the two general meetings during the Spring semester preceding the third meeting during which the elections are to be held.

Section 3. Prior to the elections, each candidate shall have two to three minutes to present their qualifications.

Section 4. Elections of officers shall take place by secret ballot, and the votes shall be tallied by a group of active members of the French Club selected randomly through a lottery system.

Section 5. In the event of a tie, the Club's current officers shall consult amongst each other and vote amongst themselves in order to pick an officer.

Section 6. Following the election of the French Club's new officers, the Club's old officers shall carry out their duties during the period between the end of the third general meeting and the end of the Spring semester, which will constitute a short shadow period during which old officers will familiarize new officers with operating and administrative procedures, as well as necessary paperwork.

Section 1. General meetings of the French Club shall be scheduled once a month at the discretion of the Club's officers.

Section 2. General meetings of the Club shall be presided by at least two officers, one of which must be the Administrative Officer.

Section 3. The Club's leadership shall hold officer meetings prior to each general meeting, if needed at the discretion of the Administrative Officer or at the request of another officer, to discuss official matters and events to be mentioned at the upcoming general meeting.

Section 4. Attendance to at least two of the four general meetings held per semester is required for active membership and officer candidacy (see Article III on active membership and Article IV, Section 2 on officer candidacy).

Section 5. The quorum shall constitute at least two-thirds of the French Club's active membership and three of the six Club officers.

Section 6. Special meetings, other than general meetings and officer meetings, may be called, at the discretion of the Administrative Officer or at the request of another officer.

Section 7. Parliamentary procedures shall be dictated according to Robert's Rules of Order.

Dues shall not be required for active membership in the French Club.

Section 1. Proposal to amend the Club's Constitution shall be announced at a general meeting and posted two weeks prior to consideration.

Section 2. A two-thirds favorable vote of the French Club's active membership present at a regular meeting shall be required for the ratification of an amendment.

Section 3. The Office of Student Activities must review all amendments in the same manner as a completely new constitution.

The Constitution of the French Club shall become effective upon approval by a three-fourths favorable vote of the active membership, the Council of Student Umbrellas, and the Director of Student Activities.