Constitution of the Penn State Model Railroad Club
Established March 23, 1955
Last amended November 13th, 2023
Article I – Name and Affiliation
i. Name
a. The official name of this organization shall be the Model Railroad Club at Penn State.
ii. Affiliation
b. The Model Railroad Club at Penn State is not affiliated with any national organization, it is local to the University Park Campus.
Article II – Mission Statement
i. The Penn State Model Railroad Club, founded in 1955, is centered around building and operating model railroads in different scales. We invite everyone, experienced or not, to join us and learn about the history of railroads and the roles they play in society, along with benchwork, electrical engineering, landscaping, diorama building, and much more. The hobby of model railroading revolves around so much more than trains, this niche hobby truly has something for everyone.
Article III – Membership
i. Membership is open to any Penn State student from any campus, along with faculty members and alumni in different classifications of membership.
a. Active Membership is open to all currently registered Undergraduate and currently-registered Graduate Students of the University. Upon payment of dues, active members will be awarded voting rights. Active Members who are also registered full-time as students at the University have the ability to be appointed a committee chair, and to be elected to an office.
b. Faculty/Staff Membership is open to all Faculty and Staff members of the University. Faculty/Staff members may, upon payment of dues, be appointed to a committee chair, but may not be elected to an office or vote.
c. Alumni Membership is open to Regular Members who, upon graduating from the University, may request that they be made Alumni members. Alumni Members shall not be required to pay any dues. Alumni members may not vote, hold office, or have card access to the layout.
ii. Officers of the club must be diligent about maintaining a current membership list on OrgCentral, with no less than 10 members ever present.
iii. Only University Park student members are eligible to hold officer positions, solicit funds, and vote. Faculty/Staff or Alumni are not permitted to make decisions on behalf of the organization, solicit funds, or vote.
iv. RSOs, following the University’s Non-Discrimination Policy will not discriminate membership based on any protected class outlined at PSU Policy AD91
v. New Members and Recruitment
a. All new members will be given full disclosure during recruitment, including but not limited to:
i. New Membership Manual (if applicable)
ii. Schedule of New Member Events and Activities (if applicable)
iii. A list of responsibilities
iv. A copy of the University Hazing policy, prescribed by Policies and Rules for Student Organizations
b. All members reserve the right to refrain from participating in any activities without consequence, based upon personal/religious beliefs, personal values, or moral reserve as defined by the member.
c. All interaction/activity between members and/or new members will be limited to guidelines stated by university policy, as well as local, state, and federal laws.
vi. Non-Hazing Compliance Statement
a. The Model Railroad Club at Penn State and The Pennsylvania State University does not tolerate hazing. Hazing is prohibited for any University recognized or sanctioned organization, student, or other person associated with an organization operating under the sanction of or recognized by the University.
b. Organizations or individuals found responsible for hazing under this Policy, whether occurring on or off campus, will be subject to disciplinary action by the University, and may also face criminal charges under state law, including The Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, 18. Pa. C.S. § 2801, et seq.
c. Annually, The Model Railroad Club at Penn State will share the University Hazing Policy with the entire membership, prescribed by Policies and Rules for Student Organizations.
vii. Membership Conduct
a. In the case of violations of constitution policies and/or a conflict between members, the officer team will work outside of RSO meetings to find an appropriate resolution.
i. If an officer is involved in such dispute, the club advisor will be called to stand in their place for the discussion.
ii. All involved parties will be given an opportunity to speak and share perspective.
iii. The officer team, with assistance from the advisor, will work out what is believed to be the best resolution.
b. Membership may be removed if a member is found to violate any proceedings or fails to meet membership criteria outlined above
c. If a member is at-risk of removal, the President will have a meeting with the Member to let them know of their at-risk status prior to removal and outline immediate and sustainable changes that must occur to maintain membership.
d. If a member fails to make the necessary changes, the executive board will vote on removal and the outcome will be shared with the member in question
e. The officers shall take reasonable steps to maintain the confidentiality of non-public information shared by members in dispute resolution processes and membership removal proceedings. If an individual is removed from membership, the officers may advise the general membership that the individual is no longer a member of the organization
f. Officer removal/replacement is outlined in the Officers section
Article IV – Officers
i. Executive Officers
a. PRESIDENT
i. Presides over all executive and membership meetings
ii. Always represent Model Railroad Club at Penn State and all members in the best way possible
iii. President is responsible for overseeing meetings and club functions and facilitating club directives and projects.
iv. The president, in conjunction with the Event Planner, will work to plan club functions including open houses, display events, and group outings.
b. EVENT PLANNER / VICE-PRESIDENT
i. Create and manage events on behalf of the organization
ii. Works with staff and the university in the planning of events
iii. Serves as a resource within the organization regarding event planning and marketing
iv. Reserves rooms and spaces for club functions
v. Maintains contact with outside organizations for outings and events
vi. Handles the internal functions of the organization
vii. Assists the President in fulfilling the goals of the organization
c. TREASURER
i. Keep financial records updated and accurate
ii. Balance Model Railroad Club at Penn State’s financial transactions and all accounts with Penn State Associated Student Activities (ASA account)
iii. Apply for grants through the University Park Allocation Committee to assist in club pursuits
iv. Oversee collection of dues and donations from club and community members
d. SECRETARY
i. Keep accurate history and records of the Model Railroad Club at Penn State activities and meetings
ii. Write and distribute meeting minutes for each executive board and general body meeting utilizing OrgCentral tools for attendance and documents
iii. Maintain lines of communication for club members and officers.
ii. Appointed Positions
a. Should a new leadership role be defined, the officer team can come to a consensus to form an appointed position with certain leadership roles, and nominate an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty member for such position.
b. Appointed positions last the same duration as officer roles and can be revoked at any time should the appointed member not fulfill their duties.
iii. Election of Officers
a. Term of Office
i. Each Executive Officer position shall be elected once every academic year in the Spring Semester
ii. The incoming officers shall serve from the Fall to Spring Semester of the following academic year
iv. Election Procedure
a. Elections shall be conducted in person at the business meeting hosted at the end of the semester.
b. A neutral party as defined below must conduct the election. If none are present the election will be postponed.
1. Graduating officer
2. Advisor
3. Alumni member
iii. Candidates are given an opportunity to speak before voting
iv. After speeches have been made, the ruling body of the club will vote on officers. The candidate with the majority of votes will be elected.
1. If there is a tie, a run-off will be held among the outgoing officers to break the tie.
v. Officer Removal
a. If an officer is at-risk of removal for violating organizational policies or culture, or a failure to complete their duties, the President and Advisor will have a meeting with the Officer to let them know of their at-risk status prior to removal and outline immediate and sustainable changes that must occur to maintain an officer position. If the President is the officer at-risk of removal, the next highest-ranking officer and advisor will meet with the President.
b. If the changes are not met or sustained and an officer needs to be removed, the Executive Leadership/Membership must have a discussion and vote
c. The highest-ranking officer and advisor will notify the officer immediately
vi. Officer Replacement
a. If an officer needs to step down, or has been removed outside of regular election time, the Model Railroad Club at Penn State Executive Board will appoint a replacement officer / Will hold an election to replace the officer
Article V – Operating Procedure
i. Meetings
a. A meeting of the Model Railroad Club at Penn State shall be conducted twice a week for the duration of the Spring and Fall semesters.
b. Members will be notified by the club’s communication channels
c. Attendance is not required at any meetings
d. Meetings will not be conducted unless at least one officer is present
ii. Decision-Making Process
a. The Executive Board shall put-to-vote any decisions being made concerning the general membership of the Model Railroad Club at Penn State to the
membership / executive leaders.
b. A Majority vote of all officers present constitutes a passing vote
iii. Amending the Constitution and Bylaws
a. Amendments to this document may be made at any time by a simple majority of the officer team
b. The constitution will be reviewed every semester at the business meeting
c. Amendments must pass an affirmative vote following the Decision-Making process above and be presented to the entire membership
d. All amendments must be submitted and approved by the Student Leadership & Involvement Office as an updated constitution to ensure compliance with
university regulations
e. Constitution Renewals are due to the Student Leadership & Involvement Office every 2 years but may be submitted sooner. Student Leadership & Involvement will contact RSO leadership at the time of renewal
Article VI – Advisors
i. Requirements of the Faculty/Staff Advisor
a. The advisor must be a full-time faculty/staff member on the University Park Campus, selected by the Executive Board
b. If our organization has a Co-Advisor, that advisor may be a University ParkCampus faculty/staff member, or a current Graduate Assistant (GA) or GraduateTeaching Assistant (TA), or a Non-PSU community member affiliated with your organization
c. Co-Advisors are not required
ii. Duties of the Faculty/Staff Advisor
a. The advisor shall be available to mentor the students in the general membership and assist them with procedures when necessary
b. Advisors/Co-Advisors do not have voting rights
c. Advisors/Co-Advisors may not conduct business on behalf of the organization
Article VII – Financial Statement
i. Finances
a. All organizational funds will be deposited and handled exclusively through the Associated Student Activities (ASA) office in HUB 240, with the exception of
tax-exempt donations which are to be handled through the Office of University Development (OUD)
b. The RSO will not have an off-campus bank account
ii. Funding
a. The dues for members of the Model Railroad Club at Penn State shall be $15 per semester to be collected by the Treasurer a month after the start of each semester.
b. The Model Railroad Club at Penn State will be diligent in submitting for UPAC (University Park Allocation Committee) funding for travel, programs, and equipment grants.
Article VIII – Enabling Clause
i. This Constitution was reviewed and ratified by the Executive Board on November 13th 2023, at a regular body meeting
ii. The entire membership and Executive Board have reviewed and agree to ratify this document.
Drafted 10 January 1988
Final approval by Membership given on 22 April 1988 Re-approved Fall, 1993
Final approval of amendments given on 9 February 1995 Re-drafted Fall, 2005.
Final approval of amendments given on 7 December 2005
Re-drafted Winter, 2012
Final approval of amendments given on February 13 2012.
Re-drafted Fall 2022.
Re-drafted Fall 2023.
Previously issued documents void
Previously issued documents void.