What is this?

If you're reading this, it's most likely you are a current, or soon-to-be, member of the Executive Board (hereby referred to as the E-Board) for the Open Source Club at the Ohio State University. What an honor!

Acknowledging Past Leadership

The Open Source Club has had an extensive role in OSU's tech-related student life, with a history going back to before the turn of the millenia. Here, we would like to acknowledge the past leadership that has enabled our capacity to exercise our passion for open source. For transparency, we include direct links to the constitutions in use for each academic year.

Autumn 2024 - Spring 2025 (Constitution)

• President: Marcial Machado
• Vice President: Lizzy Vologzhanin
• Treasurer: Robert Kabelitz
• Software Development Lead: Lance Borden
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris

Autumn 2023 - Spring 2024 (Constitution)

• President: Adrian Vovk
• Vice President: Dominik Winecki
• Treasurer: Kyle Rosenberg
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris

Autumn 2022 - Spring 2023 (Constitution)

• President: Dominik Winecki
• Vice President: Adrian Vovk
• Treasurer: Kyle Rosenberg
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris

Autumn 2021 - Spring 2022 (Constitution)

• President: Dominik Winecki
• Vice President: Adrian Vovk
• Treasurer: Kyle Rosenberg
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris

Autumn 2020 - Spring 2021 (Constitution)

• President: Tom Casavant
• Vice President: Dominik Winecki
• Treasurer: Joshua Kingsbury
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2019 - Spring 2020 (Constitution)

• President: Tom Casavant
• Vice President: Shaffan Mustafa
• Treasurer: Joshua Kingsbury
• System Administrator: Dominik Winecki
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2018 - Spring 2019 (Constitution)

• President: Jack Moore
• Vice President: John Markiewicz
• Treasurer: Christopher Davis (2018), Tom Casavant (2019)
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2017 - Spring 2018 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Ted Li (2017), Tommy Delgado (2018 as "President")
• Vice President: Andrew Cziryak (2017), John Markiewicz (2018)
• Treasurer: Jack Moore
• System Administrator (2017 only): John Markiewicz
• Librarian (2018 only): Andrew Cziryak
• PR Officer: Tommy Delgado (2017), Chris Davis (2018)
• Advisor: Jeremy Morris
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2016 - Spring 2017 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Brandon Moore
• Vice President: Alex Fuhr
• Treasurer: Jack Moore
• System Administrator: John Markiewicz
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2015 - Spring 2016 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Eli Gladman
• Vice President: Alex Krieger, later Interim President
• Interim Vice President: Nikit Malkan
• Treasurer: Brandon Dahl
• System Administrator: Will Osler
• Librarian: Brandon Moore
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2015 - Spring 2016 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Eli Gladman
• Vice President: Alex Krieger, later Interim President
• Interim Vice President: Nikit Malkan
• Treasurer: Brandon Dahl
• System Administrator: Will Osler
• Librarian: Brandon Moore
• Advisor: Matt Black

Autumn 2014 - Spring 2015 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Chris Wallace
• Vice President: George Kvaratkshelia
• Treasurer: Nikit Malkan
• System Administrator: Will Osler
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2013 - Spring 2014 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Chris Wallace
• Vice President: Brandon Rogers
• Treasurer: Maxim Kim
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2012 - Spring 2013 (Constitution)

• President: Paul Schwendenman
• Vice President: Brad Hollander, later Interim President
• Interim Vice President: Edward Powell
• Treasurer: Chris Wallace
• Webmaster/Sysadmin: Brian Swaney
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2011 - Spring 2012 (Constitution)

• President: Daniel Thau
• Vice President: Paul Schwendenman
• Treasurer: Joel Friedly
• Webmaster/Sysadmin: Brian Swaney
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2010 - Spring 2011 (Constitution)

• President: Matt Meinwald
• Vice President: Daniel Thau
• Treasurer: Paul Schwendenman
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2009 - Spring 2010 (Constitution)

• President: Alek Rollyson
• Vice President: Matt Meinwald
• Treasurer: Dan Zeleznikar
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2008 - Spring 2009 (Constitution)

• President: Aaron Joseph
• Vice President: Alex Lingo
• Treasurer: Silas Baronda
• E-Council Rep: Peter Dietz
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2007 - Spring 2008 (Constitution)

• President: Peter Dietz
• Vice President: Brian Swaney
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2006 - Spring 2007 (Constitution)

• President: Alex Lingo
• Vice President: Peter Dietz
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2005 - Spring 2006 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Jim Dinan
• Secretary: Andrew Lathrop
• Treasurer: Alex Lingo
• Technology Coordinator: Karen Manukyan
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2004 - Spring 2005 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Chris Anderson
• Vice President: Ted Han
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2003 - Spring 2004 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Nicholas Hurley
• Vice President: Michael Bernstein
• Treasurer: Anna Potoczny
• Secretary: Colin Walters
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2002 - Spring 2003 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Nicholas Hurley
• Vice President: Michael Bernstein
• Treasurer: Anna Potoczny
• Secretary: Colin Walters
• Advisor: Shaun Rowland

Autumn 2001 - Spring 2002 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Isaac Jones
• Vice President: Mike Benedict
• Treasurer: Colin Walters
• Secretary: Nicholas Hurley
• Advisor: Matt Curtin

Autumn 2000 - Spring 2001 (Constitution)

• Benevolent Dictator: Isaac Jones
• Vice President: Mike Benedict
• Treasurer: Colin Walters
• Web Master: Tom Rosati
• Advisor: Matt Curtin

Autumn 1999 - Spring 2000 (Constitution unavailable)

• Benevolent Dictator: Isaac Jones
• Vice President: Mike Benedict
• Treasurer: Colin Walters
• Web Master: Tom Rosati
• Advisor: Matt Curtin

Preamble

The Open Source Club at The Ohio State University has had an extensive role in OSU's tech-related student life, from sprouting into other clubs and events, to encouraging students and alumni alike to become a part of the open source community.

The current leadership of this organization would like to extend gratitude to former members and staff; open source has had a rich history, both in and out of OSU's campus, and it is with the support of those who have come before us that we are able to exercise this passion so freely.

A detailed record of past leadership for the Open Source Club at the Ohio State University is included in the complete legislature for the organization.

The following are direct links to the different ways in which this constitution can be read:

• mdBook (through your browser)
• PDF (In the link provided to the right of "Constitution")

Revised: (NOT YET VALID). Past constitutions are available on The Office of Student Life page for the Open Source Club.

This constitution is licensed as CreativeCommons Attribution ShareAlike. You are free to use it to create your own constitutions, both in format and in file, so long as you provide credit to the Open Source Club at the Ohio State University for creating the original template and content, and allow other individuals to do the same with whatever derivative constitution you create.

Article I: Definition

Article I of the Constitution for the Open Source Club at the Ohio State University specifies the definition of the club, or, how the club ought to be referred to as, and the nature of the club and its establishment.

Article I: Definition

Section I: Name

The name of this student organization is to be "The Open Source Club at The Ohio State University." ("The Open Source Club", "OSC", "th(e/is) organization", "th(e/is) student organization")

The following are appropriate shorthands that may be used throughout organization legislature or in general reference to the club:

• The Open Source Club at OSU
• OSC at OSU
• OSC@tOSU

Article I: Definition

Section II: Purpose

This student organization will dedicate itself to helping promote, propogate, and standardize the open source paradigm of technology development and use, both in software, and in other works to which the open source paradigm is applicable and societally beneficial.

The organization will strive to excel in these three vectors by:

1. Introducing the open source model of development to OSU students and the larger OSU/Columbus community;
2. Showcasing projects developed under an open source development model (programs, games, websites, arts, etc.);
3. Fostering interest in the open source community, and providing ways for members to involve themselves in it (meetings, talks, workshops, etc.);
4. Creating a space in which members can engage in constructive discourse on the topics surrounding open source;
5. Raising awareness of the value the open source paradigm can provide to students, members of our communities, and society at large;
6. Inspire members to think critically about the technology they use, the way that technology interfaces and affects their lives, and the ways in which we can reclaim our agency and foster solidarity in our communities through a more sustainable relationship with technology and a more democratic paradigm of technology in our societies.

Article I: Definition

Section III: Non-Discrimination Policy

This organization does not discriminate on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other bases under the law, in its activities, programs, admission, and employment.

In addition, this organization does not discriminate on the basis of academic standing, program affiliation, nor personal political affiliation.

Finally, it is this organization's policy that these statements and policies extend to - and will be required of - all individuals who choose to associate with this organization; student, faculty, or otherwise.

Article II: Membership

In the pursuit of our stated purpose, membership in this student organization is extended to all members of the OSU and Columbus community who wish to involve themselves - and learn how to benefit from - open source. No fees or dues will ever be collected from any member of the community wishing to involve themselves in the Open Source Club.

Recognizing the breadth of our potential member pool, we define the two types of members as active and passive, and elaborate on the priviledges afforded to each.

Article II: Membership

Section I: Active Membership

Active membership is awarded to any and all currently-enrolled students of the Ohio State University, part- or full-time, who are in good standing with the organization, and who display activity within the organization to a recognizable degree. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Those who attend two or more in-person meetings in a semester
• Those who are active in existing social groups (Discord, Revolt, Matrix, etc.)
  • "Active" is loosely defined as contributing enough to online discussion so as to easily be precisely identified and recalled by members during in-person meetings, be it by username or reference to discussions of which the member in question was a part. A more precise definition is left to current officership discretion.
• Other examples left to the officers' discretion.

Active membership affords members the privelege of continuing to participate in digital social groups; being allowed to attend meetings and, to the discretion of associated organizations, meeting collaborations.

Active membership additionally affords members the privilege of being able to run for, and hold, executive officer positions; being able to vote for candidates for executive roles; being able to participate in votes for the removal of an executive officer.

Article II: Membership

Section II: Passive Membership

Passive membership is awarded to any and all individuals who are in good standing with the organization, and who display interest in the organization to a recognizable degree. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Those who subscribe to any existing mailing lists.
• Those who interact with any existing social media accounts.
• Those who are members of any existing social groups (Discord, Revolt, Matrix, etc.)
• Those who have expressed explicit interest in the club, but are unable to consistently interface with it due to personal constraints.
• Other examples left to the officers' discretion.

Passive membership affords members the privelege of continuing to participate in digital social groups; being allowed to attend meetings and, to the discretion of associated organizations, meeting collaborations.

Article III: Procedures for Removing Members and Executive Officers

It may be the case that a member of the organization, be they passive, active, or an executive officer, has their behavior deemed incongruent with the stated goals of the organization, in violation of the Ohio State University Standards, the Student Code of Conduct, and/or the Non-Discrimination Policy as expressed in Article I, Section III, or otherwise deemed unacceptable by the expectations of this organizations and its membership. For these regrettable cases, and in the interest of fostering a productive, accessible, and equitable community for the OSU community at large, a procedure for removing the offending organization member is defined.

In calculating a non-unanimities (i.e. majorities or pluralities), abstentions from active members are ignored. In calculating a unanimity, abstentions are equivalent to nays.

Members removed from the organization through the procedures forthcoming lose their status of good standing for two academic years.

Article III: Procedures for Removing Members and Executive Officers

Section I: The Removal of a Non-Officer

Non-officer members being considered for removal will be notified of this consideration, whereafter a one-week voting period open to active members, passive members, and officers will commence. The removal will be successful if:

• A unanimous decision to remove is made among the officers.
• A simple majority decision to remove is made among passive and active members, separately.

Article III: Procedures for Removing Members and Executive Officers

Section II: The Removal of an Officer

Officer members being considered for removal will be notified of this consideration, whereafter a two-week voting period open to active members will commence. The removal will be successful if:

• A 2/3 majority decision to remove is made among active members.

Article IV: Executive Officership

In the pursuit of effective organization management, a structure of executive officership is designed for active members of the organization to play a role in maintaining the community and longevity thereof.

Article IV: Executive Officership

Section I: Titles and Responsibilities

Any role not marked with an *asterisk is considered supplementary, and its being unfulfilled during an academic term is acceptable. In such an event, the available executive officership will take on the stated responsibilities at their discretion. As a default, any role not fulfilled will have their associated responsibilities taken on by the President and Vice President as appropriate.

All Executive roles will have alternative titles that are to be recognized by past leadership and advisors as valid. They exist so as to allow flexibility in how members of the Executive Board of OSC represent their Officership to others, be that in professional documents, in communicating with non-OSC parties, or otherwise.

• *President: The President is the primary leader of the executive board, and oversees the large-scale success of the organization.
  • The following is a non-exhaustive list of the expected responsibilities of the President of Open Source Club:
    • Deciding meeting times and topics;
    • Maintaining appropriate and welcoming behavior in OSC spaces (in-person, digital, and otherwise);
    • Establishing and/or disestablishing social media accounts and virtual social groups;
    • Representing OSC in matters with non-OSC parties;
    • Ensuring detailed records and recommendations of OSC procedure are maintained;
    • Deciding upon, and executing, stated
    • Ensuring all training and documents are completed and filled by all members of the Executive Board by time frames placed by the Office of Student of the Ohio State University;
    • Providing a model for what an effective, inclusive, and mindful member of OSC ought to behave like;
    • Being mindful of the assets and events presently and in the future under OSC's purview.
  • Acceptable alternative titles:
    • Benevolent Dictator
    • Organization Lead
    • Primary Czar
• Vice President: The Vice President is the secondary leader of the executive board, and ought to support the President in their responsibilities as both parties see fit and appropriate.
  • The following is a non-exhaustive list of the expected responsibilities of the Vice President of Open Source Club:
    • Assisting the President in their responsibilities where the President feels they require assistance;
    • Maintaining communications with non-OSC parties as deemed appropriate;
    • Raising awareness and interest in OSC as deemed appropriate.
  • Acceptable alternative titles:
    • Supporting Organization Lead
    • Secondary Czar
• *Treasurer: The Treasurer is the Executive Officer tasked with overseeing and managing existing financial assets belonging to OSC, as well as in ensuring that OSC is maintaining sustainable pecuniary practices. They are expected to maintain detailed records of all assets belonging to OSC, as well as a detailed history of pecuniary transactions.
  • The following is a non-exhaustive list of the expected responsibilities of the Treasurer of the Open Source Club:
    • Maintaining detailed records of transactions involving OSC in all matters that would affect the financial state of the organization;
    • Maintaining up-to-date records on the digital and physical assets belonging to OSC;
    • Preparing end-of-semester financial statements for OSC;
    • Ensuring all members of OSC who, in immediate lack of access to OSC funds, used "out-of-pocket" funds for direct OSC matters are appropriately reimbursed, and that such reimbursements are effectively recorded in financial documentation.
  • Acceptable alternative titles:
    • Financial Lead
    • Financial Czar
    • Vice President of Finance
• Director of Software Project Development: The Director of Software Project Development is the Executive Officer tasked with fostering an inter-supportive community of software and/or hardware developers where members can improve their skills in making technical contributions to open source and developing their own open source projects, as well as find a community of like-minded developers to help one another become more involved in the technical side of the open source community at large.
  • The following is a non-exhaustive list of the expected responsibilities of the Director of Software Project Development of the Open Source club:
    • Independently leading meetings and, optionally, a dedicated development subteam of OSC focused on software development within the larger open source community;
    • Act as a central hub for information regarding involving oneself with open source development for members.
  • Acceptable alternative titles:
    • Technical Development Czar
    • Software Development Czar
    • Development Czar
    • Vice President of (Software) Development
    • Secretary of (Software) Development

It is important to recognize that any given incarnation of OSC leadership may feel that some of these responsibilities are better handled by members of the Executive board different from the one to whom they are described to belong in this Section. As a rule of thumb, shifting of responsibilities is acceptable so long as the stated general-purpose role of the officer(s) in question is neither infringed upon nor ignored, and so long as all officers in their roles feel they have a set of responsibilities representative of the workload suggested by the responsibilities provided herein.

Article IV: Executive Officership

Section II: Voting and Tenure

Elections are to be held annually as per the procedures provided herein.

All voting procedures occur within a time frame defined by the first weekend after the last day of proper classes (i.e. not finals). For brevity, we refer to this weekend as the Post-class Weekend. All events and time periods that are defined to start some "weeks" before this Weekend are implied to have thresholds at Sunday, 11:59 PM.

Chapter I: Time Alotted to Self-Nomination and Voting

7 weeks exactly before the Post-class Weekend, a three-week period of self-nomination will open. No less than one week before this period, current Executive leadership will have notified active members at large of the upcoming self-nomination period. Current Executive leadership is to prepare a manner in which members can self-nominate for all Executive roles and potential new ones, should they feel that there is a set of responsibilities warranting their own dedicated role, and that they are qualified to fulfill them. The creation of this new role is left to current Officer discretion as established in Section III of this article. Whatever manner of self-nomination is selected must also include a way for self-nominees to justify their candidacy for the role (be it past experience, relevant skills, etc.) so that voters are better prepared to gauge the available candidates. An active member is permitted to self-nominate for more than one Executive position, but is only permitted to hold one Executive position during their tenure. Candidates are to disclose Executive position preference as a part of their self-nomination. Self-nomination is to close 4 weeks before the Post-class Weekend.

As soon as active members are notified of the candidates, candidates are free to campaign for their positions, so long as their campaigning is congruent with the expected behaviors of an OSC member in good standing. 3 weeks before the Post-class Weekend, a three-week period of voting will open that ends on the threshold of the Post-class Weekend.

No later than 2 weeks after the Post-class Weekend, current Executive leadership is to announce the results of the election.

Chapter II: Precise Voting and Vote-Counting Procedure

When the voting time period has opened, voting is to be completed using rank-choice for each Executive role. All candidates for a given role are to be listed, and voters are to list them in order of preference.

In counting these votes, the first candidate to reach 50% first-rank approval is awarded the position. If no candidate receives 50% first-rank approval, the candidate with the least first-rank approvals is eliminated from the count, and the votes allotted to them are divided among the next-highest-ranked candidate for each voter. First-rank approval is recalculated in this manner until a candidate receives 50% of the votes.

If a single candidate is awarded multiple Executive positions, their highest-preferred role is awarded to them. For the role(s) they were not awarded, the votes are recounted with all candidates back in the pool, but with the candidate in question removed. The winner of the role is decided by the preceding process once again.

This process is to repeat itself until all candidate-available roles are filled by unique candidates.

Chapter III: Tenure

The winning candidates are appointed to their roles on the first day of the August immediately succeeding the election period. Current Executive leadership is expected to facilitate the adoption of Executive responsibilities justly and amicably during the period in which the new Executive leaders have been announced but not yet appointed. These candidates hold their roles until the candidates awarded Executive positions in the next annual election cycle are appointed. That is, Executive officership is granted for one year, from August 1st to August 1st.

Members of OSC are permitted to run for Executive Officership so long as they meet the requirements of an active member as provided in [Article II, Section I.](/constitution/article2/section1.html]

Article IV: Executive Officership

Section III: Modifying Officer Positions

As expressed in Section I of this Article, this organization must always have unique individuals fulfilling the following roles:

• President
• Treasurer

In the case of substantial changes to organization membership, current Officers may deem it reasonable to create new Officer positions, or eliminate existing ones. When this occurs is left entirely to Officer discretion, with the details surrounding procedure of accepting changes to Executive Officership being left to current Executive Officers upon which to decide.

In the event of an added role, the role in question is to be logged in the Office of Student Life portal as a "Secretary." The precise name is left to current Executive Officership to decide upon, and is to be entered in the field designated "Other Title." The only exception to this rule is for the additional role of Vice President, which should be labeled in the system as such. Historically, the naming convention has been as follows, where one is selected as the "primary" title, and others are usable by members who hold the role, as expressed in Article IV, Section I:

• Director of [RESPONSIBILITY]
• Vice President of [RESPONSIBILITY]
• [RESPONSIBILITY] Lead
• [RESPONSIBILITY] Czar
• Secretary of [RESPONSIBILITY]

These are suggestions, and they can be eschewed in favor of a title agreed upon by current Executive Officership, including the active member who would be adopting the role. Any changes made to Executive Officership must be made public to membership prior to the role changes taking effect.

Article V: Advisor Selection

Advisors of student organizations must be full-time members of the University faculty or Administrative & Professional staff. Advisors are expected to approve any changes made to the Constitution, Goals, or other legislature of the organization. They are additionally expected to approve programming and meeting decisions, as well as budgeting decisions. Advisors are expected to meet with the officers of the organization at least once per term.

Finally, advisors are encouraged to meet with the officers on a more regular basis, such as once per month, as well as give general opinions and advice pertaining to the success of the organization.

Article VI: Organization Meetings

While meeting attendance is not explicitly required to be a member of this organization (excepting active membership), it is highly encouraged. In-person meetings shall occur no less than two times in a semester, pending extenuating public health considerations, individual, communal, municipal, or otherwise.

It is a stated goal of the OSC to perform collaborative meetings with other organizations. Whether and which of these meetings are considered official OSC meetings is left to the discretion of the current officers.

Article VII: Management of Organization Assets

Whether they be in active us or not, all assets currently belonging to the Open Source Club must be kept recorded as such by the Treasurer, as stated in their responsibilities in Article IV, Section I. It is left to current Executive Officership how and whether these assets are utilized, but it is paramount that their existence be made clear for future Executive Officers.

Article VII: Management of Organization Assets

Section I: Physical Assets

All physical assets are to be stored and cared for in a location agreed upon by the current officers.

Article VII: Management of Organization Assets

Section II: Digital Assets

In addition to other assets that are typically held by OSU organizations, the Open Source Club will also manage a GitHub organization.

At any given time, the only individuals who are permitted write access to the GitHub organization and all repositories over which it presides are the three primary officers labeled in Article IV Section III, the faculty advisor(s) of the organization, and any other additional officers whose explicitly-named duties in this constitution include the management of this organization's digital assets. It is the responsibility of those aforementioned to ensure that, when the individuals taking on these roles are changed, permissions are revoked and granted properly within one month of the decision for these roles to be changed.

Non-write access is left to the current officers' discretion.

Article VIII: Methods of Amending this Constitution

Proposed amendments shall be presented to the other officers and then discussed among them. If a majority of officers approve of the amendment, it can be made to the constitution.

Article IX: Methods of Dissolving this Organization

For this organization to dissolve, a unanimous vote among the officers to do so shall take place. Should any assets and/or debt exist, the advisers shall see fit to dispose of it.

The General Executive Brief

The President's Executive Brief