By-laws
The goals that we have set forth for Silver Circle are as follows:
A. To foster a healthy spiritual community of people on different Pagan paths.
B. To educate the University, the local community, and others about pagans and paganism while helping to push out and diminish common stereotypes.
C. To provide a meeting ground for pagans and those interested in pagan beliefs and practices, to share ideas, experiences and to learn what the pagan religions truly are.
D. To provide safe and private places to conduct spiritual ceremonies and rituals and learning opportunities.
E. To promote understanding, acceptance, and tolerance of ALL spiritual paths, even those that do not agree with ours.
F. To provide a place where pagans of all paths can learn, teach, and grow spiritually without being coerced along a path that is not their own.
It is our ultimate goal as a group to teach those who want to learn, listen to those who want to speak and answer questions whenever we have the appropriate answer.
The constitution that we have set forth for Silver Circle is as follows:
I. Definitions
a. “The group” from hereforth refers to the set of persons including active members, new members, and officers of Silver Circle.
b. “The officers” from hereforth refers to the four (4) elected (2 Co-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer) and other appointed officers of Silver Circle.
c. “The organization” from hereforth refers to Silver Circle as an organization recognized by the Pennsylvania State University and the State College/Centre County community.
d. “The University” from hereforth refers to The Pennsylvania State University and the students, faculty, and staff thereof.
e. “New member” from hereforth refers to any person who has not yet met the requirements to become a full active member of Silver Circle.
f. “Active member” from hereforth refers to any person that has met the requirements to become a full active member of Silver Circle.
g. “Quorum” from hereforth refers to at least one half of the active membership, excluding alumni members, and 2 elected officers.
II. Goals of Silver Circle are as such:
a. To foster a healthy spiritual community.
b. To educate the University and the local community about pagans and paganism.
c. To provide a meeting ground for pagans and those interested in pagan beliefs and practices.
d. To provide safe and private places to conduct spiritual ceremonies and rituals.
e. To promote understanding, acceptance, and tolerance of ALL spiritual paths.
f. To provide a place where pagans of all paths can learn, teach, and grow spiritually without being coerced along a path that is not their own.
III. Guidelines for Meetings are as such:
a. General Meetings for Silver Circle will be held weekly at a time and place to be determined at the start of every semester.
b. Officer Meetings will be held weekly in the Silver Circle office at a time to be determined at the start of every semester. These meetings are mandatory for all officers. At these meetings the following will be discussed:i. Agendas for upcoming General Meetings.
ii. Social topics for upcoming General Meetings.
iii. Other topics of concern to the officer corps.c. At one Officer Meeting per semester, at a date to be determined by the officers, time will be taken to review and discuss these by-laws. These will be referred to hereafter as Review Meetings.
d. The agenda for General Meetings will be as follows:i. Officer Reports: The officers will report on their actions pertaining to Silver Circle and the status of their responsibilities.
ii. Committee/Workshop Reports: The Chair of each committee, or organizer of each workshop, will report the activities, progress, and success of their meetings. Mention will also be made by officers regarding upcoming workshops or committees needed.
iii. Official Business: Anyone with news or announcements relating to official Silver Circle functions may request the floor and present it at this time.
iv. Unofficial Business: Issues not directly related to official Silver Circle functions may be presented at this time.
v. Social Topic: A topic either chosen in advance by the group or during the meeting will be discussed by the group until such time as the meeting is declared “degenerate.”
vi. “Degeneration”: The meeting will be declared “degenerate” once the officers believe that the discussion has become chaotic and disorganized. Once this is declared, the meeting is over.e. These rules of order will be observed during General Meetings:
i. During any general meeting a Co-President or the Sergeant at Arms will act as a Pointer, making sure everyone has a chance to speak on a given issue.
ii. When members desire to be heard, they may indicate this and the Pointer will direct them to speak at the appropriate time.f. Issues to be voted upon by the group may be voted upon during the same meeting at which they are discussed unless they involve amendments to the by-laws or the election/removal of officers. Such matters will be voted on no earlier than the next general meeting after they are proposed.
Silver Circle will not tolerate any harassment of any type during meetings. Violators will be asked to leave the meeting.
IV. Membership
a. To become/remain an active member a person must:
i. Pay the semester dues, amount to be determined by the officers at the recommendation of the Treasurer each semester. These can be set to $0, and the revenue will go into the Unrestricted funds.(This may be waived on a case-by-case basis due to personal hardship or other extenuating circumstances by the officers.).
1. Dues for non-students will be more than the dues set for students, since Student Activity Fee money is used by the group for many functions.
ii. Attend at least four (4) General Meetings per semester. Attendance at a non-meeting Silver Circle function may be used to substitute for one of these meetings. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the officers.
b. A New Member of the Organization will be considered an Active Member when:
i. They have attended their fourth meeting.
ii. They have paid their semester dues.c. Privileges reserved for Active Student Members include:
i. Full participation in decisions made by the group. Ergo, only Active Members may vote.
ii. Eligibility to hold office in the organization. (Full-Time students only)
iii. Access to the organization’s membership list.
iv. Access to the private email listerv
v. The right to move for a general vote on any issue.
vi. Ability to check out materials from the Silver Circle Library.
vii. Full participation in all events, workshops, and rituals.d. Privileges granted to Active Non-Student Members include:
i. Access to the private email listserv.
ii. Ability to check out materials from the Silver Circle Library.
iii. Full participation in all events, workshops, and rituals.e. Privileges granted to all participants in the Organization include:
i. Use of books and other materials owned by the organization, however only Active Members may remove these things from the office for any reason.
ii. Eligibility to debate issues and serve on Committees.
iii. Access to information shared by the group regarding the community and other events of interest.
iv. The right to participate in, and vote on, some of the organization’s events including social, educational, and other open activities, or events NOT supported by Silver Circle’s treasury.
v. Eligibility to receive the public email newsletter.
vi. Receiving the support and assistance of the other members of the organization.
V. Officers and their Duties
a. Election of Officers
i. Elections will take place every spring semester with no less than four (4) weeks remaining of classes.
ii. The election process will be as follows:1. Nominations are taken at a General Meeting and remain open through the listserv until the next General Meeting. Nominations must be made and seconded by Active Members. Candidates may not nominate themselves.
2. At the meeting following nominations all candidates for officer positions will be given a chance to speak and answer questions from the group.
3. Elections will take place by secret ballot at the next General Meeting, with a simple majority deciding each vote.iii. Officer candidates must meet the following qualifications:
1. Full-time student at Penn State.
2. Minimum of one (1) semester of active membership in Silver Circle.
3. Candidates must know they will be able to serve their office for the entire academic year.b. Silver Circle has four (4) elected officer positions:
i. 2 Co-Presidents. Duties include:
1. Preparing agendas for the General and Officer Meetings
2. Keeping the General Meetings on task.
3. Coordinating Community Service efforts.
4. Appointing additional officers (to be approved by all elected officers)
5. Controling the operation of the public and members only email listservs.
6. Handle contact with individuals outside the University (guest lecturers, etc).ii. The Secretary. Duties include:
1. Taking minutes of the General and Officer Meetings.
2. Keeping a record of attendance for the General Meetings.
3. Placing hard copies of both of these into the appropriate folders in the Silver Circle office.
4. Organizing the designing and distribution of Fliersiii. The Treasurer. Duties include:
1. Appropriation of funds for Silver Circle events as needed including, but not limited to, arrangement of purchase orders, reimbursements, and collection of dues.
2. Keeping track of the organization’s account balances in a professional manner (i.e.: the Official Ledger) and reporting this information weekly at the General Meeting.
3. Coordinating fundraising efforts.c. Silver Circle may also have any or all of the following appointed positions:
i. The Sergeant at Arms. Duties include:
1. Assisting the Co-Presidents in keeping the meeting orderly.
2. Asking disruptive attendees to leave at the direction of the elected officers, calling security if it becomes necessary.ii. The Media Specialist Duties include:
1. Maintaining of the Silver Circle website.
2. Maintaining the Silver Circle’s computer in the office.iii. Historian. Duties include:
1. Collecting and cataloguing the minutes, attendance, events, and rituals at the end of each year.
2. Putting these records in an organized fashion into a binder, which will be kept in the office for reference for a period of ten (10) years.
3. Organizing and cataloguing the reference materials in the SC office, including the operation of the Silver Circle library.
4. Keep a scrapbook of pictures and stories from Silver Circle events, making sure to abide by the rules laid out in article XII.d. Holders of elected or appointed officer positions must attend ¾ of the Organization’s meetings. Attendance at non-meeting events is not mandatory, but highly recommended.
e. The officers are considered to have given their express consent to be publically known as Silver Circle members. ONLY the identities of these persons may be made freely available to the public.
f. Removal/Replacement of Officers:i. Any officer may resign their post for any reason, in which case a new election must be held.
1. Officers must give 2 weeks or more notice before their resignation becomes effective.
2. The election may be held no less than 2 weeks after the meeting in which the resignation is announced, in which time nominees may come forwardA. Current officers MAY NOT be nominated to replace a departing officer
B. Persons MAY NOT nominate themselves in the case of such an election.3. The person elected to replace the departing officer will serve only the remainder of the incomplete term, but may stand for re-election at the end of the year.
ii. Officers may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote at a General Meeting.
1. This vote MUST be proposed and seconded by an active member.
2. The vote may take place at the same meeting in which the motion has been made and seconded.
3. If the vote carries the officer is removed from office immediately, nominations are taken for replacements, and a new election must be held within one (1) week to replace the officer, in which time the office remains vacant.
VI. Committees
a. The Officers shall appoint the creation of committees to serve various functions throughout the semester.
i. Each of these committees must contain at least two (2) active members.
ii. A committee may, but is not required to, choose a chair. No person may chair more than one committee, and the chair must be an Active Member.
iii. Committees will be required to develop a short purpose statement to state what the committee intends to accomplish.
iv. All committees are created at the behest of the officers as the need arises. There shall be no standing committees.
v. Committees must keep records of their meetings and report on their progress at the general meetings.b. Major Events
i. All major events (Witches Ball, Spring Faire, etc.) must be run and organized by a committee specifically created for that purpose.
VII. Crisis Committee
a. The Crisis Committee, hereafter referred to as the CC, will be formed and meet at times of organizational crisis.
b. Formation of the CC:i. A general meeting will be called.
ii. The CC will consist of six (6) to twelve (12) people chosen through the election process in the proceeding section
iii. Election of CC members:1. The Silver Circle general membership will be divided into affinity groups
2. There should be one affinity group for each viewpoint on the crisis issue.
3. Each group will elect representatives to the CC such that each group has equal representation in the CC.c. Responsibilities of the CC
i. Responsibly and neutrally represent the views of each affinity group.
ii. Work toward a solution to the crisis that will be most beneficial to Silver Circle.d. Procedures of CC meetings
i. The committee must make use of a Pointer in discussions, preferably a CC Chairperson that will be chosen by the officers.
ii. Any decision made by the CC must pass a unanimous vote (allowing for abstentions) within the CC and a general vote during the following General Meeting.
iii. Only committee members may attend the meetings.
iv. Detailed minutes of the CC meetings must be taken and provided to the officers to be included in part in the minutes of the next General Meeting.
v. Decisions made by the CC must be implemented immediately upon passing the general vote.
vi. During CC meetings and relating to business within the CC, officerships are considered irrelevant.
VIII. Voting Procedures
a. General Votes
i. General votes are conducted at the General Meetings and may be done if and only if a quorum exists.
ii. General Votes are taken by show of hands or secret ballot, and a simple majority decides.b. Special Votes
i. Votes concerning the election or removal of officers, amending of the By-Laws, and other important issues must first be motioned and seconded by an Active Member, and then voted on no sooner than the next General Meeting after the motion (special exception to this general rule are mentioned elsewhere in these By-Laws).
ii. Votes contained within the preceding section MUST be conducted by secret ballot to be counted by an officer that elects not to vote.
iii. Officers ARE NOT permitted to participate in votes to remove or replace current officers.
IX. Guidelines for Relations with Media and Other Non-Members
a. The membership list of the Organization is CONFIDENTIAL. NO EXCEPTIONS. Officer names are made a matter of public record, and as such officer candidates must consent to their name being used publicly in relation to the Organization.
b. The Organization WILL NOT tolerate ANY negative or attacking communications directed at other individuals or groups.
c. Before inviting someone to become a member of the Organization, or giving information about the Organization to outsiders, a member should use his or her discretion to insure that the interests of those people are not contrary to the goals of the Organization
d. Rituals and celebrations performed by individuals are private, and thus may be conducted however the individual desires. Public rituals are official Silver Circle functions, and thus must take into account the eclectic nature of the Organization and University Policy.
e. When speaking to others in an official capacity about the subject of paganism, the following beliefs should be emphasized:i. Nature is a physical manifestation of Deity.
ii. Harm none, including others, nature, and the self.
iii. There are multiple paths to Deity thus:1. Every religion serves its followers well and is correct for them.
2. We do not try to convert members of other religions or paths.f. When speaking to others in an official capacity about Magick, the following beliefs must be emphasized:
i. Harm none, including others, nature, and the self.
ii. The Organization promotes only the positive uses of magick
X. Use of the Organization’s Name
a. Before the name of Silver Circle is associated with ANY project, activity, or statement to the media, that use of the Organization’s name must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the group.
XI. Approval and Amendment of the By-Laws
a. The By-Laws may be amended by the Officers during the semesterly Review Meetings. The occurrence of one of these meetings MUST be announced to the group at the General Meeting beforehand so the group may make suggestions to the Officers.
b. Any amendment to the By-Laws must be approved by a General Vote during a general meeting.
XII. Member Sanctuary Rights and Public Distribution of Information from Silver Circle Functions
a. In order to ensure the sanctuary and safety of individual members of the Organization NO recording in ANY format intended for public distribution may take place at any Silver Circle General Meeting, committee meeting, or Silver Circle event without unanimous consent of the group present.
b. Recording of any format for public distribution is ONLY permissible at a place and time set for the express purpose of that recording.
c. The release of recordings (of any type) of the personal experiences of an individual group member without the express permission of that member is not permitted. The telling of a personal experience during a Silver Circle event DOES NOT constitute permission to record or distribute that information.
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