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Cornell Outing Club By-laws

Amended: 26 Nov 2004

Article I - Membership : (25 April 1995)

Section A

For the purpose of membership records, semesters shall be defined as follows:

1. Fall: August 1 to January 31
2. Spring: January 1 to May 31
3. Summer: May 1 to August 31

A year shall consist of three consecutive semesters.

Section B

Membership fees shall be seven dollars per semester or fourteen dollars per year for Cornell undergraduate students and ten dollars per semester or twenty dollars per year for others.

Article II - Approval of Decisions of the Executive Committee

Policy decisions of the Executive Committee must be announced at a general meeting and stated in the minutes of that meeting. The policy shall go into effect as of the next general meeting provided no objections are submitted to the Advisory Board. A petition, if signed by at least three members, shall constitute a complaint. If an objection is presented, the Executive Committee may then either withdraw the proposed policy, or it shall be voted on by the membership at the next general meeting.

The secretary shall keep a record of policies set by the Executive Committee and post it in a publicly accessible location.

Article III - Activity Committees: (25 April 1995)

The following shall be the Activity Committees of the Cornell Outing Club:

1. Backpacking - which shall include day-hiking and general camping activities
2. Biking - which shall include road and mountain biking and unicycling
3. Boating - which shall include canoeing and kayaking
4. Caving
5. Climbing - which shall include rock, ice, and tree climbing
6. Snow Sports - which shall include skiing, snow shoeing and winter hiking
7. Gorge Clean-up - whose chair shall be the club liaison to the Cornell Plantations
8. Education - which shall include weekly programs
9. Library - which shall oversee the club library and maintain records of club trips

Article IV - Trip Safety Policy

In the event that a complaint is brought forth by a member about a lapse of safety which occurred on a trip in which they participated, these procedures shall be followed.

Section A

A complaint may be presented by any member of a trip to any member of the Advisory Board, especially the Advisor. A complaint should be presented within a month of the trip's completion.

Section B

Upon receipt of a complaint, a member of the Advisory Board must inform all other members of the Advisory Board of the complaint. Within a week of the original reception of the complaint, the Advisory Board must make a reasonable effort to inform the complainant and all other members of the trip about the complaint and begin scheduling a hearing.

Section C

A hearing shall occur within a month of the receipt of the complaint, and shall be scheduled as conveniently as possible for as many members of the trip as possible. The hearing shall be open or closed to the general membership as desired by the complainant. At least half of the members of the Advisory Board must attend the hearing, including the Chairperson or acting Chairperson of the relevant activity.

Section D

A final decision shall be made by the Advisory Board at the end of the hearing. Decisions may be anything within the powers granted members of the Advisory Board by the constitution, the by-laws, or the record of Executive Committee decisions. The complaint and the decision shall also be announced at the next general meeting.

Article V - Equipment Policy

Section A

Members may check out gear for club trips.

Section B

Each activity Chairperson may restrict the use of equipment within their area due to safety concerns.

Section C

Gear should be returned in a timely manner

Section D

If equipment is damaged or lost during reasonable use of said gear, the trip leader shall report said damage or loss to the relevant Chairperson and certify that it occurred during reasonable use of the equipment. If the damager or loss occurred during improper use of the equipment, the person or persons responsible may be held financially accountable.