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The Constitution of The Mermaid Players

In Company Assembled April 18, 1997
And Revised In Company Assembled, December 3, 2005

Article I

The name of the organization shall be The Mermaid Players of Dickinson College, whose purpose it shall be to provide and promote experiences in theatre.

Article II

Induction into The Mermaid Players shall require a total of 60 points of participation towards Mainstage and Off-Main productions.

  1. Mainstage productions shall be those plays jointly selected by The Mermaid Players and the Department of Theatre and Dance.
  2. Off-Main productions shall be independently selected shows approved by the Faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance.
  3. Points toward Mermaid Players Membership shall be credited as follows:
    1. Points shall be logged for any production related work and work in the shops.
    2. Points can be accumulated towards initial membership over the course of one's tenure at Dickinson College.  
    3. Points for show involvement (both Mainstage and Off-Mainstage) shall be designated as follows:
      • Director—25 points
      • Designer—25 points
      • Stage Manager—25 points
      • Assistant Director—20 points
      • Assistant Designer—20 points
      • Assistant Stage Manager—20 points
      • Other Tech Positions—15 points
      • Acting—10 points
    4. Other miscellaneous tasks (i.e. box office worker, usher, shop hours, etc.) are granted one point per hour of work.
    5. Hours that are done as a project for class (i.e. directing a freshman play) or paid positions do not count toward MP hours.
    6. Members of the Executive Board cannot count specific Executive Board duties as hours (i.e. meetings).
    7.  Hours completed may only count toward one organization (i.e. hours can only count for Mermaid Players or Dance Theatre Group, not both).
    8.  All hours must be verified by a faculty member, a member of the Executive Board, or shop assistant.
  4. Membership status shall be attained upon the completion of 60 verified points, at which point a member is considered "pinned". The ceremonial recognition of new Mermaid Players will occur at the end of the year banquet.
  5. After being pinned, a Mermaid Player must complete 30 points of production work, no more than 15 points acting, to maintain active Mermaid Player status. Failure to complete this requirement by the close of the Mainstage Season shall result in the suspension of all Mermaid Players privileges. Privileges shall be reinstated upon completion of 30 points of production work (no more than 15 acting points) in a subsequent production year. A production year shall be defined as the period of time between the close of one Mainstage Season and the close of the following Mainstage Season.
  6. Mermaid Players off-campus for one semester shall be required to get 12.5 points.
  7. In order to receive an invitation to W(h)ine and Cheeses, 5 shop points must be completed by all perspective and pinned MPs.  "Shop" is defined as work in the scene shop, costume shop, Cube cleanup or strike.
  8. In order to receive an invitation to the end of the year banquet, the point requirements previously outlined for prospective and pinned Mermaid Players must be fulfilled.  In specific circumstances (i.e. sickness, late enrollment, or a situation preventing an individual completing their point requirement) the executive board can make exceptions and extend an invitation to a specific individual.
  9. The Executive Board shall decide on any questions concerning membership and credited hours in The Mermaid Players.

Article III

Affairs of the organization shall be conducted by the Executive Board.

  1. The Executive Board shall consist of one President and four representatives elected by The Mermaid Players.  The Executive Board is elected for one term, beginning at the start of an academic year and ending with the close of that academic year.
  2. The President of the Board shall be responsible for conducting all meetings held under the auspices of The Mermaid Players.
  3. Under supervision of the President, the Board shall fulfill the duties of correspondence, finances, archives and membership.
  4. If a vacancy in the position of Chairperson occurs, a new Chairperson shall be elected from within the existing executive Board by the pinned Mermaid Players. A new 5th member shall be elected after electing a new President according tot what is outlined in #5.
  5. If a vacancy on The Executive Board occurs, the position shall be filled by a special election of the pinned Mermaid Players at a general meeting.
  6. The Board shall be responsible for overseeing all special committees, specific concerns and projects.
  7. The Faculty Advisor of The Mermaid Players shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Article IV

The Mermaid Players shall elect an ad hoc Play Selection Committee to research and recommend plays for the upcoming Mainstage Season.

  1. This committee shall be composed of two Mermaid Players from each class to be elected.  The Executive Board shall also sit on this committee.
  2. The plays selected for performance shall be mutually agreed upon by the Play Selection  Committee and the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Article V

A minimum of three General Meetings per Academic Year shall be called by the President: one at the beginning of the fall semester, one at the end of the fall semester and one at the end of the spring semester prior to the banquet.

  1. The Mermaid Players shall be notified by the Executive Board at least two weeks in advance of the time, place and agenda of a meeting.
  2. The Chairperson may call special meetings at the discretion of The Executive Board

Article VI

Rules of procedure and mechanics may be proposed by any Mermaid Player, and shall be enacted by a majority vote at a meeting of The Mermaid Players. Concerning all questions of procedure and conduct, The Mermaid Players shall accept rulings given in Robert's Rules of Order, subject to the discretion of the Chairperson.

Article VII

Elections for the Executive Board shall be held following the close of the Mainstage Season.

  1. Nominations may be made in two ways:
    1. Willing pinned Mermaid Players must self-nominate themselves and filed their nomination with the executive Board one week prior to the general meeting.  Nominations must be filed with a very brief statement detailing qualifications for the position.  Statements will be read at the general meeting by the executive board.
    2. Abroad pinned Mermaid Players can vote via email.  Email notification of coming nominations must be sent by the Executive Board to those abroad two weeks in advance of the meeting.  24 hours after nominations are due an email must be sent to abroad pinned Mermaid Players with nominees and their statements of qualifications.  At that time abroad pinned Mermaid Players must reply with their votes 24 hours prior to the general meeting.  
  2. Each Mermaid Player present shall vote for five separate nominees.  The five nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall sit on the Executive Board.
  3. Following the first vote, another vote will be taken for President.  The President will be selected from the 5 newly elected executive board members.
  4. A tied vote, which places more than five persons on the Board, shall be put before the Mermaid Players for a re-vote.
  5. Votes should be counted by graduating members of the Executive Board.  In the event that no members are graduating, the President should count the votes.
  6. The newly elected Executive Board shall be instated at the end of the academic year in which they were elected.

Article VIII

Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by a group of not less than four Mermaid Players. Such proposals must be submitted in writing, together with the names of the sponsors, to the Executive Board, and shall be brought to the floor for vote at a meeting publicized at least two weeks in advance. A written copy of the amendment proposed and a notification of the date on which the amendment shad be considered shall be posted. Enactment of the amendment shall require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of all The Mermaid Players, not including the Chairperson.

Article IX

The Constitution must be ratified by two-thirds of The Mermaid Players. The Executive Board shall be elected under the guidelines of the new Constitution. The Constitution shall be in effect upon the start of a new semester.

The Members of the Mermaid Players Constitution Revision Committee (2005):

Andrea Schwartz, President of the Mermaid Players

Sara Bookin-Weiner, Andrea Herbert, Kimberly Kalish, Gayle Lebowitz,
Michael McElroy, Patrick McMurphy, Caitlin Rice, Lacey Smith, Joseph Ziarko

The Members of The Mermaid Players Constitutional Committee (1997):

Tara Flynn, Chairperson of the Mermaid Players

Kristen A. Chirillo, David McCallum, John McCullough,
Jeff Peck, Benjamin Ryan, Jennifer Thornton, and Peter Williams