Our Constitution

Fordham Experimental Theatre Constitution

Article One: Name

The name of this organization is Fordham Experimental Theatre (FET) at Fordham University. 

Article Two: Purpose

The purposes of FET shall be to 

1) promote and produce experimental student-written and run shows 

2) to promote and aid the artistic visions of its members

3) to promote Theatre-related events at Fordham University within the limits of its available resources

FET will fulfill this mission by providing opportunities for members to pitch and direct their own shows, participate in one of our four umbrella groups (Standup Comedy, Sketch Comedy, Improv, Spoken Word Poetry), or join in at one of our open mic nights. 

Article Three: Membership

Section I

All undergraduate students of Fordham University, in good academic standing, are eligible for membership. Active membership in FET is defined as at least one of the following:

• Membership in an FET-Sponsored Umbrella Group (Standup, Sketch, Improv, Poetry) 

• Cast or Creative Team Participation in FET Slot Shows or Playwright Festivals

• Assisting with Tech for Umbrella Groups, Slot Shows, or Playwright Festival Performances

• Pitching an FET Slot Show or Playwright to the club at large

Once you are a member of FET, you can remain a member for your entire undergraduate tenure unless a member is impeached and removed following the FET Constitution.  you are found in violation of FET’s Constitution or the University Code of Conduct. All active members have voting privileges. 

Section II

Fordham Experimental Theatre affirms it will not restrict membership based upon nationality, race, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, mental and physical handicap, or veteran status. Fordham Experimental Theatre complies with the University's Hazing Policy and will not impose or participate in any form of hazing.

Article Four: Meetings

Section I 

Fordham Experimental Theatre shall host all-club meetings two times per semester while classes are in session during the academic school year. 

During meetings, Fordham Experimental Theatre will vote on upcoming shows, constitutional changes, and the executive board. We will also plan events like upcoming shows, and participate in activities planned by the club’s executive board. 

The President has the authority to convene additional meetings in preparation for an event of any type. The President has the sole authority to call meetings. In the case of a Presidential vacancy, the Co/Vice-President shall call meetings. The President shall alert all active members 48 hours before any meeting is called.

50% + 1 of active club members must be present at the meeting or vote with an absentee ballot for a decision to be made.

The minimum quorum to hold a club meeting is ¼ of active club members.

Article Five: Officers

Section I

Executive Board

• The Executive Board consists of the President, Co/Vice President, Treasurer, Scheduling Representative, Publicity Representative, and Tech Representative.

• All  Executive Board members are responsible for planning and enacting any events and projects that Fordham Experimental Theatre undertakes. The entire board is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the FET Prop Closet and Blackbox.

• The entire Executive Board must vote upon decisions it makes. In the case of a tie, the President has the tie-breaking vote. If the Co-Presidents are on opposite sides of a vote and there is a tie, the Treasurer has the tie-breaking vote. 

Section II

President

• Directs and calls meetings of Fordham Experimental Theatre.

• Point of contact between Fordham Experimental Theatre and other organizations and Fordham University. 

• Decides the agenda and purpose for each meeting.

• Ensures that planning and execution of club trips and events are done properly by the Executive Board.

• Able to delegate duties not specified by the constitution, but within the scope of the club, to members of the club.

• Communicates with members regarding meetings and events.

Co/Vice President

• Assumes the responsibilities of the President in his or her absence.

• Assists the President in any projects undertaken by the club, including planning for all-club meetings and shows.

• Keeps an active membership roster and checks all votes to ensure every vote belongs to an active club member.

• Take meeting notes.

• Sends club emails, such as show weekend reminders, to the club membership base. 

Treasurer

• Directs club fundraising efforts.

• Manages club budget and finances.

• Manages any bills the club receives.

• Coordinates with the Budget Committee to attain funding and coordinates with the Office for Student Involvement for planning and execution of club events.

• Submits Budget and Operations packets each semester online.

Scheduling Representative

• Organizes each semester’s calendar of show dates to avoid conflicting use of space in the Blackbox.

• Coordinates practice times, rehearsals, and audition dates for each Umbrella Group to avoid conflicting use of space in the Blackbox.

• Reserves rooms on campus for practice, rehearsals, and auditions if the Blackbox is already being used.

Publicity Representative

• Directs advertising of club events through social media outlets, flyers, and posters.

• Films and edits FET shows and distributes the recordings to club members to share with family and friends.

• This person may delegate advertisement responsibilities, such as the creation of flyer designs, to other willing active members.

Tech Representative

• Coordinates the technical aspects of club productions, including light, set, and sound design

• Works with the student director of slot shows to organize set builds and strikes and will help student directors find people to help with show tech 

• Has a working knowledge of the Blackbox’s light board, sound board, and set building tools. They are responsible for teaching new members and slot show technical directors how to use these tools. 

• This person may delegate their tech responsibilities to other willing active members. 

Article Six: Elections

Section 1

Nomination Process

• Nominations will be held at least two weeks in advance of the election.  Two ineligible Executive Board members and/or graduating seniors will verify the ballot of candidates.

• Any active club member of the club may nominate another eligible active club member to run in the election. The nominated active club member must accept the nomination by the other person in order to become an official candidate.

• Self-nomination is allowed.

• All nominations, including self-nominations, have to be seconded by another active member.

• All active club members in good academic standing that are not graduating seniors are eligible for nomination for Treasurer, Publicity Representative, Scheduling Representative, and Tech Representative. 

• All active club members in good academic standing that are not graduating seniors and who have served at least one year on the Executive Board are eligible for nomination for President and Co/Vice President. If nobody is eligible to run for President and Co/Vice President, anyone who has been an active club member for at least a year can be nominated.

• An election must occur at least once per academic year. 

Section II

Election Process

• Active members of the Fordham Experimental Theatre elect officers.

• 2/3 of active club members must vote in person at the election meeting or through absentee ballot in order for an officer to be elected.

• A majority, 50%+1, of the votes of the active members who are present during the election is required to assume an officer position. 

• In the event of a tie or no one receiving a majority vote, a recount of the vote ensues. 

• If there is still not an elected official after the vote tally has been recounted, another election for the position shall be held for the two candidates with the highest vote count. This potential second round of elections shall follow the same procedure as a normal election, when applicable. 

• Voting will take place during a general club meeting. Members will cast paper ballots. Members who are abroad or otherwise unable to attend will receive an absentee ballot the morning of the election that they must fill out two hours before the election at the general club meeting.

• New officers will take office prior to the submission of that semester’s Operations packet to United Student Government and the Office for Student Involvement.

• Two graduating seniors and/or ineligible board members of the club shall count the ballots. If none are available, the faculty advisor may assist. If the faculty advisor is not available, a member of the Operations Committee will be contacted to assist. 

• At least one officer must be a non-senior undergraduate.

Section III

Office Vacancy

• Vacancies in officer positions shall be filled by a special election.  

• If the Presidency is vacant, the Co/Vice President shall become President, and a special election for Co/Vice President will be held when a 2/3 quorum of active members is present and voting.  For all other vacancies on the Executive Board, a special election will take place to fill the vacancy.

• The date of the special election will be announced at least one week in advance of when it will occur. The election will take place within two weeks of the position becoming vacant.

• Special elections will follow the same procedure as regular elections.

Article Seven: Impeachments

An officer can be removed if he or she is found to be violating the constitution of Fordham Experimental Theatre or if the officer or member has been found responsible by the University for some violation (s) of the University Code of Conduct, University Regulations, and/or Residential Life Policies. Generally, and in order to protect student privacy and confidentiality, students who are not in good standing because of sanctions stemming from the University Code of Conduct or academic policies are required by a University administrator to remove themselves from these activities. This section of the constitution addresses impeachment and removal for other reasons. 

• The President will call and preside over meetings and proceedings preliminary to impeachment and removal to discuss any allegations. In all cases, the President and Co/Vice President will notify the USG Vice President for Operations, the appointed advisor, and the Assistant Dean for Student Involvement/Dean of Students of the impending proceedings. 

• If the President is brought up on impeachment charges that may lead to removal, the Co/Vice President will preside over the impeachment/removal proceedings

• Any active club member can bring forth a writ of impeachment.  They must present the case for impeachment in writing to the Executive Board.

• The President or Co/Vice President will call a general club meeting within one week of the writ of impeachment being presented to the Executive Board. 

• To begin the impeachment and removal process, a vote for impeachment will be taken by eligible voting members.

• 2/3 of voting members must be present for a vote to proceed.

• A majority, 50% + 1, of the voting members present must vote in favor of beginning the impeachment process.

• The officer subject to impeachment and removal will be allotted a maximum of 5 minutes to speak in defense. This meeting will be held within two weeks after the meeting where the vote to begin the process of impeachment and removal takes place. This second meeting must be scheduled when the officer in question can attend within a reasonable timetable.

• A quorum of 2/3 of active club members must be present to remove an officer once the process has started and the officer has been given an opportunity to address the club.

• 2/3 of active club members present at the second meeting must vote in favor of removing the officer in order for the officer to be removed. 

• The vote to begin impeachment proceedings and the vote on whether to remove the officer shall not take place on the same day.

• Officers or members may appeal the decision to remove them from a student organization or club to the USG Vice President of Operations.

Article Eight: Constitutional Amendments

• Any active member of Fordham Experimental Theatre can propose a constitutional amendment in writing during a club meeting. There will be a discussion period at this meeting of no longer than 30 minutes . 

• The vote on the amendment will take place at the meeting subsequent to the one at which it was presented.

• At least 2/3 of active club members must be present at the meeting in order to vote on the measure. 2/3 of those active members present at the meeting must vote in favor of the amendment for it to pass.

• Any and all changes must be approved first by the USG Operations Committee and then by the Assistant Dean for Student Involvement and the Dean of Students prior to adoption.

Article Nine: Acknowledgements

• Fordham Experimental Theatre realizes the responsibilities it assumes as set forth in its purpose and that it will abide by the Constitution on file with the United Student Government and the University policies and regulations as stated in the Student Handbook.

• The views of Fordham Experimental Theatre do not necessarily represent those of Fordham University.

• Fordham Experimental Theatre understands that in order to maintain active club status, a member of the Executive Board must complete the Operations Packet each semester, unless given an explicit exemption by the Office for Student Involvement.

• Fordham Experimental Theatre acknowledges that E-board member attendance at mandatory OSI student organization training is required to hold events on campus. 

Fordham Experimental Theatre Constitutional Amendments

Amendment One

A student director may not cast themselves unless the entire FET Board agrees that the casting will not be a detriment to the prestige of FET and also to the quality of the particular show.

Amendment Two

Professionalism is essential to the success of FET. Therefore, auditions should be as private and as practical as possible.

Amendment Three

In no way should this amendment restrict directors in their methods. It should only remind directors that the manner in which they conduct their auditions, particularly reflects upon the prestige of our great club – more than any other aspect of production. The excellent reputation of FET cannot afford to be blemished. Please be ethical and considerate of the students auditioning. Be aware of what you do. Above all, be aware.

Amendment Four

After any production, it is the responsibility of the participants of said production to return the Blackbox to its original state within 24 hours. That is, returning props, costumes, and set pieces to the prop closet in an organized manner, cleaning the area outside the Blackbox, and painting the Blackbox and flats black.

Amendment Five

In the interest of creating a safe and welcoming environment, Fordham Experimental Theatre reserves the right to remove any student from any production or umbrella group at any time if it is determined that they are creating an unsafe or uncomfortable working environment. Removal will be implemented with the consent of the Executive Board. These actions may occur prior to, and independently of, any action by the Office of Student Involvement (OSI), Fordham Public Safety, or Fordham University itself.

Amendment Six 

In the event, a FET member cannot attend voting, they may fill out an absentee ballot which should be sent to the FET Board electronically. The absentee vote counts the same as a regular vote, and therefore may only be submitted for one show out of the ones being pitched. The resulting absentee ballot will be added to the regular vote count in order to reach a decision on which show wins. Votes must be submitted before the regular voting procedure starts in order to be counted. The Executive Board is not allowed to discuss how many absentee votes are in a specific vote or share how members voted with anyone besides other members of the Executive Board.

Fordham Experimental Theater Constitutional Ratification

The original constitution was written by Chris Kuser and completed on October 9th, 1987. This constitution was ratified on October 20, 1987 by 18 persons: Chris Roach (FC ‘89), Laura Byrne (FC ’88), Denis Murphy (FC ‘89), Brenda Murphy (FC ’89), Michael O’Neill (FC ’90), Thomas Roddy (FC ’88), Chris Kuser (FC ’90), Carolyn Cleary (FC ’88), Yon Elvira (FC ’88), Sarah Eckel (FC ’88), Dierdre Gallagher (FC ’88), Tony DeCarlo (FC ’90), Abby Rafael (CBA ’90), Michael Occuzio (FC ’90), Dorina Dillulo (CBA ’89), Al Barillaro (FC ’90) and Steve Koeller (CBA ’90)

Fordham Experimental Theater Constitution Additional Notes

The above constitution reflects the most recent formatting guidelines proposed by the Fordham Office of Student Involvement in Fall of 2024. These guidelines required that Fordham Experimental Theater remove two articles and the author's note attached to the original constitution for formatting consistency. While these articles and the author's note are no longer in the official Fordham Experimental Theater constitution, they are listed below because they reflect FET's traditions and values.

Original Article Eight: Productions

Section I

The Board as a whole and the individual members of the board are responsible for ensuring that FET shall sponsor and perform, at the absolute least, one production per semester and will sponsor and perform as many as the board deems appropriate or able to be done and will maintain an “experimental” nature in all productions. This constitution does not seek to define “experimental” but leaves that to the interpretation of the council on a show-by-show basis.

Section II

Productions will be chosen through a proposal process, which is to be sufficiently publicized by the board. Members will complete a proposal form for whichever show it is they desire to see performed. Such a form will be provided upon request. Any late submissions will not be considered. Finding a director for the chosen show will be the responsibility of the board. Those who propose shows are not obligated to direct but are encouraged to do so and will take precedence over any other members. The director is allowed to appoint anyone they chose to any position they feel is necessary. Ultimate responsibility for any given production lies with its director. The Executive Board will select several proposals to be voted on by the club at large.

Section III

At a meeting which will occur during the rehearsal process of the previous show, each person chosen by the board to propose a show, whether it is a musical or straight play, will have a maximum of seven minutes to accurately and verbally describe the various aspects of the show to the club at large. They must provide at least a description of the plot, how many male and female roles there are, a vision for the set, and how the show will fit Fordham Experimental Theatre’s experimental vision. After each person has proposed their show, the Board will then open the floor to the rest of the club for questions about each show. Members of FET present at the election will receive a vote, while members of the board and those who proposed the show do not receive a vote. After voting, a representative from the board will stay in the Blackbox to ensure that voters have not left until results have been announced. In the event of a tie, the Board will hold a recount. If there is still a tie, the board will hold a runoff election between the top two shows receiving votes. In the event of a tie after said runoff, the Board will hold a recount. If there is still a tie, the Board will then vote to break the tie to ensure a winner.

Section IV

The responsibility of publicity falls on the Board. Board members will be responsible for acquiring any publicity materials necessary. Those involved with the show will be responsible for the distribution of publicity.

Original Article Nine: Sub-Groups

• FET will support any and all sub-divisions of the group that the board deems conducive to the club’s overall values and mission of producing experimental work. An official proposal must be made to the Board in order to be considered. This proposal must receive unanimous Board approval in order to be made an official sub-group. Once a sub-group is approved they will receive full support from FET and will be considered part of the club.

• Members of these groups will be permitted to vote at elections and will be considered club members. Any and all matters pertaining to a sub-group will be the responsibility of the acting group supervisor. Each group will set the terms of its leadership to best fit the group’s needs. However, the FET Board retains ultimate decision power regarding performance, rehearsal, and production scheduling so as to avoid conflicts.

Original Author's Note

 In short, FET should be open to anyone and everyone whose interest in the success of FET has been confirmed by his or her actions and efforts with regard to a club production. Because there are no small parts in theatre, any productive involvement of any kind deems a student eligible for membership.