MNS Society's Constitution

The name of this organisation is the University of Waterloo – Materials and Nanosciences Society,referred to as the “MNS Society”. The MNS Society is self-governed and is responsible for reporting to the University of Waterloo Science Society and WUSA. It serves its members through democratic representation, and the Executive Team carries out its rules and policies.

SECTION 1 – Definitions:
General members of the MNS Society are undergraduate students who meet one of the following criteria:
   a. They are currently enrolled as full-time or part-time students at the University of Waterloo,
   b. They are currently on an international exchange or co-op

SECTION 2 – Rights and Privileges:
General members of the MNS Society have the right to:
   a. Run and hold any position on the MNS Society’s Executive Team; exceptions apply to the signing authorities stated in Article 4: Section 2 for the                                                signing authority positions
   b. Vote in general meetings and elections                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            c. Take part in all events and activities hosted by the Society.
   d. Use all facilities and resources provided by the Society.

The elected (core) executive positions of the Society shall be referred to as the “Signing Authorities", consisting of President, Vice President Internal and Vice President of Finance. The signing authorities are responsible for managing Society funds, overseeing Society affairs, and running both day-to-day operations and general meetings. Additionally responsible for representing and protecting the interests of the MNS Society’s general members. They must follow and enforce the Society’s rules and policies and ensure the Society continues to run smoothly.

SECTION 1 – Signing Officers:
The President, Vice President Internal and Vice President of Finance shall be the only authorized signing officers for the MNS Society. All cheques must be signed by two of the officers; an officer isn’t permitted to sign their own cheque.

SECTION 2 – Elections:
The elections for the signing authority positions (President, VPI, and VPF) are held by the Science Society (SciSoc) at the end of each term for the upcoming term.
   a. One member can run for multiple positions.
   b. Only the members enroled in the Materials and Nanosciences program are eligible to run and hold signing authority positions.
   c. If running as Co, both candidates must be enroled in the Materials and Nanosciences program.
   d. Presidential candidates must have served as an MNS Society executive for at least one term before being eligible to run and hold the title of President.
   e.If a Materials and Nanosciences student were to hold any of the signing authority positions for one of the other Science Society’s departmental clubs, they are eligible         to run for the presidential position.
   f. In the event that there are no eligible candidates, positions are open to all Science Society members.

If an elected signing authority is unable to begin their term, a general meeting shall be held to select a suitable replacement. The only exception is the role of President, which will be assumed by the Vice President Internal. If a signing authority resigns within the first month of their term, a by-election will be held following all standard election rules.

If the position becomes vacant after the first month but before the final month of the term, the other signing authorities may either appoint a replacement or divide the responsibilities of the role.

SECTION 3 – Roles and Responsibilities:
Hereby, the signing authorities are defined in voting order:
   a. The President shall:
       i. Be the chief executive of the MNS Society,
       ii. Oversee all MNS Society operations and maintain the Society’s office space,
       iii. Call executive meetings with at least 72 hours’ notice,
       iv. Manage relations between the Society and the academic program (i.e. acts as a liaison),
       v. Attend Science Society Board of Directors meetings; if unable to attend, appoint a representative (VPI or VPF).
       vi. Be present at the Budget meeting,
       vii. Support other signing authority members in their duties,
       viii. Manage public outreach and the MNS Society,
       ix. Manage MNS Society’s Waterloo email and Waterloo website,
       x. Organize general meetings and prepare all necessary materials,
       xi. Lead and moderate discussions during meetings,
       xii. Oversee the social media accounts of the Society,
       xiii. Provide oversight for all safety and planning laboratory events organized by the Society alongside the Lab Events Coordinator and MNS program advisor,
       xiv. Collaborate with the Lab Events Coordinator to develop procedures and maintain the existing ones,
       xv. Coordinate with the 2+1+1 & 2+2 Program coordinator for any matters related to MNS 2+1+1 and 2+2 students,
       xvi. Optional responsibility: Refer to Article 8.

   b. The Vice President Internal shall:
       i. Work with the executive team to provide opportunities for research, career development, mentorship and student support,
       ii. Work with the President to help manage public outreach and MNS Society events,
       iii. Manage “Events Spreadsheet” for the term,
       iv. Submit “Student Societies Event From” for all MNS Society events,
       v. In the event of the absence of the President, the Vice President Internal shall inherit the duties of the President during an executive meeting,
       vi. Oversee all MNS Society event operations alongside the President, maintain the Society’s office space,
       vii. Coordinate and assist the Social Media Coordinator(s) in any matter related to MNS advertisement,
       viii. Manage Canva Board for the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Physics building TVs,
       ix. Get MNS Society event advertisement (physical posters), signed by Science Society and place them around the science buildings alongside one other                                          executive member,

   c. The Vice President of Finance shall:
       i. Manage and keep records of all expenses,
       ii. Create and present a balanced budget at the start of the term, iii. Process cheque requests for purchases through the Science Society,
       iii. Communicate with financial officers of other societies, as well as the Vice President of Finance of SciSoc,
       iv. Present the budget at the Budget BOD meeting,
       v. Have the authority to call an emergency signing authority meeting with at least 24 hours’ notice to the other signing authorities.
       vi. Attend the Science Society Budgeting Meeting for the term.
       vii. Maintain the Society’s office space alongside the President and the Vice President Internal

The MNS Society’s executive members include the signing authorities (President, Vice President Internal and Vice President of Finance) and Vice President for Advocacy, Lab Events Coordinator, 2+1+1 & 2+2 Program Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator and First Year Representative.

SECTION 1 - Elections:
At the beginning of the term, the signing authorities (President, Vice President Internal and Vice President of Finance) are responsible for advertising any open executive positions.
   a. Students interested in an open position must self-nominate through an application form.
   b. If there are multiple applications for one position, the signing authorities will conduct interviews to select the most suitable candidate.

SECTION 2 – Roles and Responsibilities:
   a. The Vice President for Advocacy shall:
       i. The candidate VPA – Physics Undergraduate Representative (VPA – Physics) is encouraged to apply to serve as the Student Representative for the Department of               Physics and Astronomy after being selected for the position.
          1. The application process is as follows:
              a. Applications to become a Student Representative must be submitted directly to the Department of Physics & Astronomy Associate Chair and Department of                           Physics & Astronomy Undergraduate Advisor.    
          2. Responsibilities of a Representative:
              a. Hold weekly office hours in the Physics Tutorial Centre.
              b. Collaborate with other student representatives throughout the year to gather feedback from students in the program on courses, academic experiences, co-op                         opportunities, research involvement, and other relevant matters.
              c. Attend the Student Representative Introductory Event in the Fall term (October).
              d. Participate in several progress check-in meetings with the Department during the Fall/Winter terms to provide status updates.
              e. Report urgent student concerns directly to the Department of Physics & Astronomy Associate Chair and the Department of Physics & Astronomy Undergraduate                 Advisor as soon as possible. In the case of EDI-related  concerns (e.g., discrimination or harassment), report to the Physics & Astronomy EDI Committee Chair.                   f. At the end of the Winter term, prepare and submit a written summary of program strengths and areas for improvement to the Department of Physics &                                  Astronomy Undergraduate Advisor, who will present these findings to the Associate Chair, Undergraduate Studies, for review during the Spring term and with                      relevant department committees.

       ii. If the elected VPA – Physics Undergraduate Representative does not serve as a Student Representative for the Department, they shall support the Student                              Representatives in their efforts to liaise with students in the program and collect feedback.
       iii. In the case of an impeachment of a signing authority and/or multiple signing authorities, the VPA must carry the responsibility to lead the meeting and                                    impeachment process. For specifics refer to Article 10: Section 2

   b. The Lab Events Coordinator shall:
       i. Collaborate with the President and Program Advisor to develop new laboratory procedures.
       ii. Maintain and regularly update the SDS (Safety Data Sheet) folder and laboratory procedure documents.
       iii. Deliver a lab talk during laboratory events, which includes a brief overview of the procedure, safety precautions, and an introduction of the event supervisors.
       iv. Oversee and monitor the laboratory sign-up sheet.
       v. Send a reminder email to all participants one week before the event.
       vi. Oversee operations throughout the lab event,
       vii. Be appointed by the signing authorities.

   c. The 2+1+1 & 2+2 Program Coordinator shall:
       i. Be appointed by the current 2+1+1 & 2+2 Program Coordinator,
          1. If the position cannot be filled, the duties of the 2+1+1 & 2+2 Program Coordinator should be filled by the President
       ii. Be the representative of the International Students,
       iii. Assist the president with events for the international students and ensure their integration into both the Waterloo MNS community as well as the Waterloo Science              community
       iv. Act as a liaison between the 2+1+1 and 2+2 Student bodies and the MNS Society

   d. The Social Media Coordinator shall:
       i. Design and create promotional materials (i.e., posters, posts) for upcoming MNS Society events,
       ii. Share event advertisements on the MNS Society’s official social media platforms (i.e. Instagram, Discord, etc.),
       iii. Monitor and respond to direct messages on the Society’s social media accounts,
       iv. Ensure branding is consistent across all platforms and follows any applicable university or society guidelines

   e. The First Year Representative shall:
       i. Be the liaison between MNS Society executive members and the MNS first-year students,
       ii. Assist and collaborate with the President and Vice President Internal with first-year specific events,
       iii. Advertise the society's events to the first-year student body,

MNS Society meeting times and locations will be set at the beginning of each term. According to ARTICLE 4, SECTION 3, IX, the President will send a request for availability to all other executive members, and based on their responses, the final meeting dates and times will be determined.

All meetings must be held on campus; it can be moved to a remote meeting if there’s a university closure.

All meetings shall be open to MNS Society General members. However, if a member disrupts the orderly conduct of the meeting, the Vice President Internal may ask them to step out.

According to ARTICLE 4, SECTION 3, VICE PRESIDENT INTERNAL (V), in the event of the absence of the President, the Vice President Internal shall inherit the duties of the President during
a meeting.

The President and the Lab Events Coordinator are responsible for keeping lab procedures up to date and making any necessary revisions.

Lab events should be scheduled during the last full week of the term or within the final few days, depending on lab availability.

The chemical stock must be checked at the start of each term. If additional materials are needed, the MNS program advisor should be informed as soon as possible.

An informative email must be sent to all participants at least one week before the lab event. This email should include safety precautions, important reminders, and Safety Data Sheets (SDSs).

Any development of new lab procedures must be done in consultation with the MNS program advisor.

All lab event procedures must be written using the “MNS Society Lab Event” template.

All procedures developed are owned and copyrighted by the MNS Society. Executives who contribute to the development of these procedures shall be credited in the acknowledgements.

MNS 10 is a seminar course offered every fall that features talks and lab tours led by professors, graduate students, and alumni. It is jointly organised by the Departments of Chemistry and Physics & Astronomy.

Planning and organisation for MNS 10 take place during the spring term. While involvement is optional, the President may choose to participate in the planning of MNS 10. If they do, the following responsibilities apply:
   a. At the beginning of the spring term, the President shall contact the MNS program advisor to express interest in assisting with MNS 10 planning.
   b. The MNS Society should allocate a portion of the following term’s budget to cover expenses such as catering and other minor costs. The budget for MNS 10 must be             pre-approved through a Board of Directors motion during the spring    term.
   c. All other arrangements, including speaker coordination and event promotion, will be managed directly through the MNS program advisor.

The MNS Society shall launch merchandise once every academic year, featuring new designs.

The Executive Team shall collaborate on merchandise design, including colour, graphics, and the type of merchandise.

The President and Vice President Internal shall be responsible for inventory management, placing orders, and all necessary communications to ensure the timely release of the merchandise. They are also responsible for submitting the appropriate platform approval form and coordinating with the SciSoc Vice President of Retail.

The Vice President of Finance shall monitor revenue generated and expenses incurred from merchandise sales.

SECTION 1 – Voting Policy:
A quorum for the MNS Society votes requires at least one signing authority and at least 50% of the remaining executive members present, excluding the Vice President Internal. Voting outcomes must meet quorum and follow these definitions:
   a. A simple majority means more than half (51%) of all eligible votes,
   b. A supermajority means at least two-thirds (66%) of all eligible votes,

All matters or motions not constituting supermajority voting methods shall be decided by simple majority.

In all general meetings, the Vice President Internal must remain neutral during discussions and voting. They do not vote unless there is a tie, in which case they cast the deciding vote.

In the event of a tie decision between the signing authorities, the Vice President of Finance receives the tie breaking vote in all exclusively financial matters; in all other matters about the Society, the President holds the authority of the tie-breaking vote.

SECTION 2 – Terms of Office:
The term of office of any executive member begins at the start of the term in which they are elected
and ends at the conclusion of that same term.

SECTION 3 – Club Room:
The room code shall only be known by the Executive Members and must not be shared with others.

If it is found that the room code has been shared, the responsible Executive may be suspended for the remainder of the term.

A general member may enter the club room only if an Executive Member is present. No member shall be left alone in the room without Executive supervision.

The Science Society’s Code of Conduct (posted on the wall) must be followed at all times.

If a member violates the Code of Conduct, the Executive present shall issue a warning. If the behaviour persists, the individual shall be removed from the club room, and the Science Society shall be notified.

SECTION 4 – Social Media Platforms:
The MNS Society Executive Team reserves the right to monitor and manage the language, tone, and content shared on all official MNS Society social media platforms.

Any inappropriate, offensive, or disrespectful comments made on these platforms, whether by members or the public, will be addressed.

A warning will be issued to the individual responsible. If the behaviour continues or is severe in nature, the individual may be removed from the platform(s), and the Science Society shall be informed.

All posts made on official platforms must align with the values and code of conduct of both the MNS Society and the Science Society.

SECTION 5 – Campaigning Rules and Regulations:
Candidates are not permitted to use any department or faculty-affiliated platforms (e.g., tutorial centre Discord servers, faculty pages, SciSpace, lectures, etc.) to promote their campaign.

The official MNS Society social media platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,LinkedIn, Discord, etc.) may not be used to promote or endorse any candidate.

SECTION 6 – Articles of Impeachment of Executive Members:
Executive Members of the MNS Society may be subject to impeachment for any of the following
reasons:
   a. Gross misconduct or actions that bring disrepute to the Society,
   b. Failure to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of their position,
   c. Violation of the Society’s Constitution, bylaws, or policies,
   d. Misuse of Society funds, resources, or authority,
   e. Repeated unexcused absences from Executive meetings or Society events,

Initiation of Impeachment Proceedings:

Any member of the MNS Society (general members and the executive team) may submit a written petition for impeachment to the President (or Vice President Internal if the President is the subject of the petition). Alternatively, students can contact Science Society directly for the initiation of Impeachment.

The petition must include:

   a. The name of the Executive Member in question.
   b. A detailed description of the alleged grounds for impeachment.
   c. Signatures of at least 30 Materials and Nanosciences students in support of initiating proceedings.

Investigation and Notice:
   a. Upon receipt of a valid petition, the President (or signing authority) shall convene a special meeting of the signing authorities within seven (7) days to review the                   allegations.
       i. The signing authorities may choose to consult with the MNS program advisor and/or the Science Society Presidents,

   b. The Executive Member in question shall be provided with written notice of the allegations at least five (5) days before the meeting.
   c. The Executive Member shall have the opportunity to respond to the allegations in writing and/or in person.
   d. If the impeachment petition is filled for one of the signing authorities their position in this meeting will be replaced by the Vice President for Advocacy.
   e. If the petition includes more than one signing authority then the Vice President of Advocacy will lead the meeting with the remaining executive members. The result              and process proceeds as stated below.

Impeachment Vote:
After the outcome of the signing authority Meeting review and claims hold,
   a. An impeachment vote shall be held at a General Meeting.
   b. A quorum, as defined in this Constitution, must be present.
       i. Removal from office requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present.

   c. If an Executive Member is removed from office, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the succession or by-election procedures outlined in this constitution.

SECTION 7 – Departmental Funding:
The MNS Society is eligible to request departmental funding from the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The procedures for submitting funding requests to each department are outlined below:
   a. Department of Physics and Astronomy:
       i. Funding requests must be submitted through email to phyugrad@uwaterloo.ca. The email should include:
          1. A description of the proposed event, including the date, location, and purpose.
          2. A detailed budget breakdown for the event.
          3. Any additional support required from the department, such as space,equipment, safety measures, personnel, setup assistance, faculty/staff involvement, or                            promotional support.

Amendments to the MNS Society Constitution may be proposed and considered once per academic year. The academic year consists of only the fall and winter terms.

The Signing Authority Executive Members (President, Vice President Internal, and Vice President of Finance) shall be responsible for drafting proposed changes or amendments to the Constitution. Draft proposals shall be presented at a general executive meeting for initial discussion and approval.

Following initial Executive approval, a Town Hall meeting shall be held (preferably in MNS 10) to present the proposed amendments to the student body.

The Town Hall shall require the attendance of at least 25 Materials and Nanosciences (MNS) students to proceed.

At the conclusion of the Town Hall, a Form shall be distributed to all MNS students to vote on the proposed amendments.

Students may vote to approve or disapprove the changes. A simple majority vote in favour shall be required for the motion to pass.

If the motions pass, the amended Constitution shall be presented at the next Board of Directors meeting for final approval by the President.