Officers

Dr. John Usher - Faculty Advisor -
(662)325-7624

Ross McCool - President
(662)812-3480

Chris Ellzey - Vice President
(662)312-1137

Tony Arick - Secretary/Treasurer
(662)312-4601

Constitution

January, 1999

  1. Name
    1. The name of this organization shall be the University Aikido Club.
  2. Purpose
    1. This organization shall promote the study and practice of Karl Geis Ryu Aikido for the benefit of students, staff, and faculty at Mississippi State University (MSU).
    2. This organization shall promote professionalism among practicing aikidoka at MSU.
  3. Location
    1. The location of this organization shall be Mississippi State University.
    2. If, at any time, this organization is no longer able to maintain operations on the grounds of Mississippi State University, the operations of this organization shall be suspended until such time as this organization is again able to maintain operations on the grounds of Mississippi State University.
  4. Membership
    1. Membership privileges shall be assigned by classification.
      1. Active or full membership shall be composed entirely of faculty, students, and staff of Mississippi State University. Active members shall be afforded all rights and privileges.
      2. Inactive membership shall be composed of students, staff, faculty, and alumni who have held full membership privileges. Inactive members shall not be allowed to vote or hold office.
      3. Honorary membership shall be composed of any individuals deemed worthy of the award, as determined by unanimous vote of the executive board. Honorary members shall not be allowed to vote or hold office.
    2. Qualifications for Membership
      1. Any student, faculty, or staff member of Mississippi State University who is interested in the study and promotion of ethical martial arts training shall be eligible for membership.
      2. Individuals must be in good financial standing with the University Aikido Club to maintain membership.
      3. Individuals must be in sufficient mental and physical condition to ensure the safety of the individual and other club members while participating in club activities.
    3. Revocation of Membership
      1. Any member, officer, instructor or advisor of this organization who fails to adhere to the terms of this constitution and its by-laws may be suspended or expelled by a two-thirds majority of members voting in person or by prior proxy.
      2. Any member, officer, instructor or advisor of this organization who fails to maintain and adhere to the ethics and code of behavior incumbent upon any student of the martial arts may be suspended or expelled by a two-thirds majority vote of active members voting in person or by prior proxy.
      3. Suspended members will not be allowed to participate in any club activities or to hold any club office.
  5. Government
    1. This organization shall be governed by its constitution and by-laws.
    2. All executive powers of the University Aikido Club shall be vested in an Executive Board comprised of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary/Treasurer, and a Faculty Advisor.
      1. These officers shall be elected at the beginning of each fall semester and shall serve for a term of one year.
      2. The election of officers shall occur in a manner consistent with that prescribed by the by-laws of this organization.
      3. Officers in good standing shall be eligible for re-election without limit.
      4. Only active members of the club shall be eligible for election to an executive office.
      5. Only a faculty or staff member of Mississippi State University shall be eligible for election to the office of Faculty Advisor.
    3. Duties and Powers of the Officers
      1. President
        1. The president will preside over all meetings and club functions.
        2. The president will establish executive committees, prescribe their purpose, and vest in them any portion of the presidential powers.
        3. The president will initiate all club activities and functions, either directly or through an appointed committee.
      2. Vice-President
        1. The vice-president will assist the president in the execution of the duties of the presidential office.
        2. The vice-president will assume the duties of the president in the event of the presidential resignation, removal, or absence from office.
        3. The vice-president will preside over all committees.
      3. Secretary/Treasurer
        1. The secretary/treasurer will take and preserve accurate minutes of all meetings.
        2. The secretary/treasurer will conduct all correspondence and handle club announcements.
        3. The secretary/treasurer will maintain accurate financial records.
        4. The secretary/treasurer will transact all monetary exchanges concerning the club, including the collection of dues.
        5. The secretary/treasurer will prepare an annual budget.
        6. The secretary/treasurer will maintain accurate membership records.
        7. The secretary/treasurer will file a list of instructors and officers with the Office of Student Life annually.
      4. Faculty Advisor
        1. The faculty advisor will provide advice concerning the execution of all club offices.
        2. The faculty advisor will maintain an active knowledge of all university rules and regulations affecting the organization or operation of the club.
        3. The faculty advisor shall assume any other duties and responsibilities required of the office by the Office of Student Life.
    4. Duties and Powers of the Executive Board
      1. At no time shall any member of the executive board exercise his/her powers and privileges in order to secure personal gain or to prevent personal loss at the expense of the welfare of the club, its membership, or any individual member.
      2. The executive board shall make all business decisions concerning the club by means of a majority vote of the executive officers voting in person or by prior proxy.
    5. Removal of an Officer from Office
      1. An officer may, at any time, remove himself/herself from office.
      2. An officer found to be in violation of this constitution or its by-laws shall be removed from office.
  6. Meetings
    1. Meetings shall be conducted according to the procedures set forth in the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order in all aspects unless otherwise stated in this constitution or its bylaws.
    2. Any member of the executive board shall be able to call a meeting.
    3. Once called, meetings shall be scheduled and convened in a timely manner.
    4. The membership shall be afforded adequate and timely notification of all scheduled meetings.
  7. Amending Procedure
    1. Amendments to this constitution shall be proposed in writing to the president at any time during the fall or spring semester.
    2. The president shall call a meeting to present the proposed amendments to the membership.
    3. After presenting the proposed amendments to the membership, the president shall call a second meeting to ratify the proposed amendments.
      1. Ratification of proposed amendments shall be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of active members voting in person or by prior proxy.
  8. Revising Procedure
    1. Revision of this constitution shall be proposed in writing to the president at any time during the first two weeks of the fall or spring semester.
    2. The president shall call a meeting to present the proposal for revision to the membership.
      1. A revision shall be undertaken only if it is deemed necessary by a majority of the active membership voting in person at this meeting or by prior proxy.
    3. A Revision Committee appointed by the executive board shall undertake the writing of the revision.
      1. Four active members shall be appointed to the committee by a majority vote of the executive board.
      2. The vice-president shall also serve on the committee as Chairman of the Revision Committee.
    4. Approval of the new revision shall be determined at a meeting called by the president to present the proposed revision to the membership.
      1. A copy of the proposed revision shall be made available to any active member requesting it at least one week prior to the meeting.
      2. A revision of this constitution shall be approved for adoption by a two-thirds majority of active members voting in person or by prior proxy.
  9. Non-Discrimination
    1. The University Aikido Club does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, or sex.
    2. The University Aikido Club does not discriminate on the basis of handicap or physical condition except where said handicap or condition presents a significant threat to the safety of one or more participants in club activities.

By-Laws

January, 1999

  1. Meetings
    1. The following procedure shall be employed when calling meetings.
      1. The officer calling the meeting will notify the secretary/treasurer of the need and purpose for a meeting.
      2. The secretary/treasurer will schedule the meeting within two weeks of notification.
      3. The secretary/treasurer will inform the membership of time, place, and nature of the meeting.
        1. The secretary/treasurer will notify the membership no later than one week prior to the meeting.
        2. The secretary/treasurer will notify the membership by either oral or written notice.
    2. The president shall call a general business meeting each fall and spring semester.
      1. This meeting should be called during the first week of the semester and scheduled for no later than the third week of the semester.
  2. Finances
    1. Club funds shall be kept in an account under the name "University Aikido Club" at a federally recognized and insured financial institution.
    2. All financial transactions concerning the club shall be approved by the executive board.
    3. All financial transactions concerning the club shall be executed by the secretary/treasurer as directed by the executive board and in a timely manner.
    4. Dues
      1. The amount of the dues shall be established by a majority vote of the executive board members voting in person or by prior proxy.
      2. Dues shall be payable at the beginning of each school term.
      3. Payment of dues will be required for full membership in the University Aikido Club.
      4. Payment of dues to the University Aikido Club shall in no way obligate the club to pay an individual’s membership or rank fees to any national or international organization in which the individual seeks rank. Any fees levied against club members by national or international organizations to which they belong are the sole responsibility of the club member in question.
      5. Any member that is suspended or expelled from the club shall forfeit his/her dues to the club.
    5. Budget
      1. The secretary/treasurer will prepare and present a proposed annual budget at a business meeting called within the first two weeks of the fall semester. Should this budget not meet approval, as established in these by-laws, the secretary/treasurer will continually revise the budget and resubmit it for approval until such time as an approved budget is adopted or two calendar months have passed since the beginning of the fall semester.
      2. If no approved budget has been adopted within the first two months of the fall semester, a Budget Committee shall undertake the preparation of the annual budget for approval and subsequent adoption by the executive board.
        1. Four active members shall be appointed to the committee by a majority vote of the executive board.
        2. The vice-president shall also serve on the committee as Chair of the Budget Committee.
      3. A proposed budget will gain approval by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Once approved, the budget will be adopted, and any spending outside the adopted budget shall only be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
    6. Expenditures
      1. Club funds may be spent to support normal club activities such as purchase of supplies and instructional materials.
      2. Club funds may be spent to pay normal operating expenses incurred through the use of facilities or materials.
      3. Club funds may be spent in sponsorship of recognized instructors for special courses or clinics if and only if the knowledge gained by the instructor would benefit the entire active membership of the club.
      4. Club funds may be spent to provide seminars or clinics by guest instructors.
      5. Club funds may be spent to help offset any expenses incurred by recognized instructors which arise as a sole result of their activities as instructors for the club.
      6. Club funds may never be spent solely for the personal gain of any individual or small group of individuals belonging to the club.
      7. Any expenditure other than those specifically outlined in these by-laws shall be put before the active membership for approval prior to disbursement.
        1. A proposed expenditure shall be presented for approval either at the next scheduled meeting or at a meeting called specifically for that purpose.
        2. A proposed expenditure shall be approved by a majority of active members voting in person or by prior proxy.
      8. The secretary/treasurer shall report, in writing, any club expenditures for the current academic semester at the end of each fall, spring, and ten-week summer semester.
  3. Election of Officers
    1. Officers shall be nominated by the active club membership during the first two weeks of each fall semester.
    2. The nominations will be brought before the mandatory business meeting called by the president during the first week of the fall semester. At such time and place, the nominations for officers will be ratified by a majority vote of active members voting in person or by prior proxy.
    3. The standing president or faculty advisor shall preside over the election of new officers.
  4. Removal of an Officer from Office
    1. If an officer is removed from office or voluntarily removes himself/herself from office, an interim replacement shall be appointed by a majority vote of the remaining members of the executive board.
    2. If, at any time, an active member suspects an officer of being in violation of this constitution or its by-laws, that active member (hereafter referred to as the petitioner) may petition the executive board in writing for an investigation of the suspected offense.
      1. The petitioner shall distribute copies of the written petition to every member of the executive board.
      2. Upon receiving a petition for investigation, every member of the executive board shall call for a business meeting for the purpose of resolving the petition unless a meeting for this express purpose has already been called.
        1. Four active members shall be appointed by a majority vote of the executive board to serve on a Committee for Investigation.
        2. A fifth active member shall be appointed by the petitioner and shall serve as Chairman of the Committee for Investigation.
        3. This committee shall investigate the suspected offense and report its findings in writing to the executive board within 30 days of appointment.
    3. After the investigation into the suspected offense, the accused officer may be acquitted by a unanimous vote of the executive board.
    4. If the accused officer is not acquitted, the accused officer shall be found guilty and removed from office by a two-thirds majority vote of active members voting in person or by prior proxy at a business meeting called by the Chairman of the Committee for Investigation.
      1. The report of the Committee for Investigation shall be made available to all active members at least one week prior to this business meeting.
  5. Removal of the Entire Executive Board from Office
    1. The entire Executive Board shall be removed from their respective offices by the presentation of a written petition bearing the legitimate signatures of two-thirds of the active membership to the Dean of Student Life.
    2. If necessary, an interim set of officers shall be appointed from the petitioners by the Dean of Student Life. These interim officers shall form the interim executive board.
  6. Instructors
    1. The executive board shall approve all recognized instructors annually by a majority vote at the mandatory business meeting called by the president during the first week of the fall semester.
    2. If requested, club instructors will be expected to provide evidence of adherence to at least one of the following requirements:
      1. A club instructor must hold a documented black belt or black belt candidacy rank in a national or international martial arts organization. The club instructor must be a member in good standing with the governing body of the martial arts organization. Further, the club instructor must be able to provide written authorization from the governing body of a national or international martial arts organization that will permit the instructor to both train students and confer rank on his/her students.
      2. A club instructor must possess a relevant and recognized instructor status in a national or international martial arts association.
      3. In the absence of any qualified black belt instructors within the University Aikido Club, an otherwise unqualified club instructor can obtain limited authorization to teach and confer rank from the governing body of the national or international organization of which he/she is a member.
  7. Liability
    1. All members of the University Aikido Club shall sign a waiver of liability and an agreement to participate before being permitted to participate in any club activity. The signed waivers and agreements shall be kept on file with the secretary/treasurer.

Content

Class Schedule

Location - Studio B
Sanderson Center, MSU

Date/Time -

 5:005:306:006:307:007:30
M            
T            
W            
Th            
F            
 
Beginner Class  
Advanced Class  
Judo/Jyodo