Team Constitution

Whereas Queen's VEX U Robotics Team ("the Team") is a ratified Design Team affiliated with the Engineering Society of Queen's University ("EngSoc") for the purpose of competing in the VEX U Robotics Competition, this document provides for the structure of the team and is the source of authority for all decision-making on the team.

Article I: Objectives

  1. The objectives of the Team are:
    1. To compete in the VEX U Robotics Competition on behalf of Queen's University.
    2. To provide Queen's University students with an extracurricular opportunity to learn and develop their skills in areas relevant to robotics through participation in the competition.
  2. The activities of the Team shall be carried on with no intention of personal financial gain; all profits, grants, fees, and accretions shall be used uniquely for carrying out the team's objectives.
  3. Notwithstanding s. 2, the ownership of intellectual property developed through team activities shall belong to those who developed it, except as otherwise determined in accordance with this document.

Article II: Affiliation with the Engineering Society

  1. As a ratified Design Team affiliated with EngSoc, the Team shall comply with the Constitution and By-Laws EngSoc and this document shall be subordinate to the same.

Article III: Board of Advisors

  1. There shall exist a Board of Advisors which is ultimately responsible for the team and has complete authority to make decisions on behalf of the team, subject to the provisions of this document and, in accordance with s. 4, the governing documents of EngSoc.
  2. The Board of Advisors shall consist of an arbitrary number of ordinary (voting) members and the following ex officio non-voting members:
    1. The Vice President (Student Affairs) of EngSoc;
    2. The Director of Design of EngSoc;
    3. The Faculty Advisor of the Team, appointed pursuant to s. 16; and
    4. Alumni Advisors of the Team, appointed pursuant to s. 17.
  3. The Board of Advisors may from time to time appoint new ordinary members to itself from among the general members of the Team.
    1. The Board of Advisors shall make an explicit effort to regularly find general members who have demonstrated trustworthiness and commitment to the Team's objectives and consider these members for appointment to the Board.
    2. Ordinary members of the Board of Advisors shall automatically be removed upon their graduation or withdrawal from Queen's University.
    3. No member may be assigned independent responsibility, managerial or otherwise, without being appointed to the Board of Advisors.
    4. The intent of these provisions is to ensure that membership of the Board is reflective of the current active membership of the team, under the principle that if a member can be trusted with authority to competently complete a project independently, then the team would benefit from including that member on the Board.
  4. The Board of Advisors may remove an ordinary member from itself, with the support of at least two-thirds of all ordinary members of the Board.
  5. Quorum for meetings of the board shall be one third of the ordinary members, rounded up, and all decisions shall be made by simple majority unless otherwise specified.
  6. Any member of the Team may attend meetings of the Board of Advisors and contribute to discussions.
    1. The Board of Advisors may enter a closed session in order to discuss sensitive matters, at its own discretion.
  7. Appendix A to this document shall provide the procedures for meetings of the Board of Advisors.
    1. In case of any conflict, this document shall take precedence over Appendix A.
  8. Schedule I to this document shall enumerate the members of the Board of Advisors.

Article IV: Executive Officers

  1. The Board of Advisors shall annually elect the President of the Team and oversee the appointment of a number of Vice Presidents of the Team, to collectively serve as the Team's Executive Officers.
  2. The Board shall provide a brief mandate letter for each Executive Officer which describes:
    1. The purpose and responsibilities of that Executive Officer; and
    2. The authority delegated to that Executive Officer.
  3. Schedule II to this document shall enumerate the Executive Officers of the Team, including titles and mandate letters.

Article V: Advisors

  1. The Team shall have a Faculty Advisor, who shall be a member of the Stephen J. R. Smith Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, and shall be chosen or replaced by the Board of Advisors, with the consent of the Vice President (Student Affairs) of EngSoc.
  2. The Team may have any number of Alumni Advisors, who shall be former members of the Team and may be appointed or removed by the Board of Advisors.

Article VI: Membership

  1. Any member of the Alma Mater Society of Queen's University ("the AMS"), the Society of Graduate and Professional Students of Queen's University ("the SGPS"), or any faculty society thereof, may sign up as a member of the Team by following a process set by the Board of Advisors.
    1. All sign-ups shall be accepted, subject to s. 19.
    2. There shall be no fee for joining the team.
    3. Notwithstanding s. 16.b, there may be a fee associated with travel on the team, subject to the direction of the Board of Advisors.
  2. The Board of Advisors may permanently remove any member of the Team for inappropriate behaviour, with the support of at least two-thirds of all ordinary members of the Board.

Article VII: Policies and Agreements

  1. Appendix B to this document shall contain the Team Policy Manual.
    1. The Policy Manual may create additional positions within the team and specify delegations of authority to them; anyone who holds such positions shall be a member of the Board of Advisors.
    2. The Policy Manual shall set out procedures and requirements for financial management of the Team.
    3. In case of any conflict, this document shall take precedence over Appendix B.
  2. The Team may create agreements and require members to sign in order to participate in Team projects, in order to safeguard the intellectual property of the Team, other members, and third parties.
    1. While these agreements may be updated from time to time, the Team recognizes that it cannot unilaterally change the legal obligations agreed to by members who have already signed an agreement.
    2. The procedures and requirements for the agreements shall be set out in the Policy Manual.

Article VIII: Working Groups

  1. The Board of Advisors may from time to time appoint Working Groups to fulfill particular responsibilities.
  2. Schedule III to this document shall enumerate the active Working Groups, including for each one:
    1. A description;
    2. The members and chair(s) of the working group; and
    3. The terms of reference of the working group, including its scope, timelines, and any delegated authority.

Article IX: Amendments

  1. This document may be amended by the Board of Advisors, with the consent of the Vice President (Student Affairs) of EngSoc and the support of at least two-thirds of all ordinary members of the board.
    1. Notice of a motion to amend this document must be given at the prior meeting of the Board of Advisors.
  2. The appendices to this document may be amended at any time by the Board of Advisors.
  3. The schedules to this document may be altered as a consequence of decisions taken by the Board of Advisors or delegated authorities, and shall be kept up to date by the President.