PREAMBLE
States the purposes and goals of the group. Includes organization's intent to support the mission and purpose of Wake Forest University, as found in the Student Handbook.

ARTICLE I: NAME
States the name of the organization, and any national affiliation.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP
States the requirements and qualifications for membership. Active membership in a student organization registered by Wake Forest University must be limited to persons officially connected with the University or to spouses of such persons. Any size limitations should be indicated. In accordance with the University's official statement of purpose, membership requirements may not be discriminatory in nature, and the group must indicate as such in this article. An acceptable statement may have the following form: "Membership is open to all Wake Forest students in accordance with the University's non-discrimination policy stated in the Wake Forest student handbook." Equivalently, this statement may be given in the form "Membership shall be without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, veteran status, handicapped status, disability, or sexual orientation."

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS
Contains the list of officers, qualifications for office, method and time of election, and their term of office.

ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
States the composition of the Executive Committee, Board, or Council, method of selection, and term of office. Provision for vacancies of offices or other Executive positions may be included in a section under this article.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS
Sates the regular meeting schedule and provisions for calling special meetings. If meetings cannot be held regularly, authority to call meetings may be stated here.

ARTICLE VI: FINANCES
States that the organization's funds will be handled in a responsible manner. Makes provision for membership dues (if no by-laws) and states procedure for organization of funds.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENT
States the procedures for amending the constitution. (Amendments must have the approval of the Student Life Committee. This procedure requires previous notification, and a predetermined affirmative vote of those present and voting for its adoption. i.e. 1/2, 2/3, 3/4. The constitution should be relatively difficult to amend in order to provide stability. Dates of revisions through amendment should be indicated in the section amended.)

ARTICLE VIII: FACULTY ADVISOR
Indicates the procedure for naming an advisor. (All student organizations must have one.)

ARTICLE IX: RATIFICATION
States the procedures for the constitution's approval. (Must have the approval of the Student Government Appropriations and Charter Committee, Student Government Legislature, Student Life Committee, and the Faculty.)

Common By-Laws

Sections of the by-laws deal with the following:

1. Detailed material concerning members. That is, rights, duties, resignation and expulsion procedures.
2. Provision for initiation fee, if any. Dues and assessments should be covered here, and details regarding delinquencies.
3. Details of the date and method of electing officers and duties of the officers.
4. Duties, authority, and the responsibilities of an executive committee.
5. Names of the standing committees and the method of choosing chairperson and committee members. Duties of the committees should also be stated.
6. Provision for some accepted rules of order or parliamentary manual such as Robert's Rules of Order Revised.
7. The number constituting a quorum.
8. Provision for honorary members or honorary officers, if the group so desires.
9. A method to amend the by-laws, usually a majority vote, must have the approval of the Student Life Committee and of the faculty. Amending the constitution should not be too simple a process for the sake of stability; it should be possible to amend the by-laws with greater ease. Must have the approval of the Student Life Committee of the faculty. The constitution should always carry the date it was last revised.
10. Definition of majority: more than one-half of total membership, or legal votes cast, of those present.