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Constitution of Texas Theme Park Engineering & Design
at the University of Texas at Austin


PREAMBLE
Texas Theme Park Engineering & Design (TxTPED) is focused on introducing students to the field of theme park engineering and engaging them in activities which involve hands-on educational experiences. Our goal is to help passionate engineers explore options within the themed entertainment industry and discover atypical career options within their degrees.​
ARTICLE I – UNIVERSITY COMPLIANCE

  1. This organization is a recognized student organization at The University of Texas at Austin and shall comply with all campus policies as set forth in the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities and Information on Students' Rights and Responsibilities.

ARTICLE II - PROHIBITION OF HAZING

  1. State law and Sec. 14-103(3) of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities and Information on Students' Rights and Responsibilities define hazing as any intentional, knowing or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in or maintaining membership in any organization whose members are or include students at an educational institution.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP 

  1. ​​​Membership Restriction: In accordance with Sec. 6-202(a)(2) and Sec. 6-302 of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities and Information on Students' Rights and Responsibilities, this organization restricts membership to students, faculty members, and staff members of the University.
  2. Membership Eligibility: In accordance with Sec. 6-202(a)(3) of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities and Information on Students' Rights and Responsibilities, this organization may not deny membership on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, except that a registered student organization created primarily for religious purposes may restrict the right to vote or hold office to persons who subscribe to the registered student organization’s statement of faith; and a registered student organization may restrict membership based on the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
  3. Membership Status: A student will be considered a member of TxTPED upon attending at least one meeting and paying the semester dues.
  4. Procedure for Member Removal: Membership may be revoked from an individual upon non-adherence to university guidelines (i.e. hazing, discrimination) and a unanimous vote from the officer team.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

  1. All Officers Must:
    1. Be paid members of TxTPED
    2. Attend all general and project meetings (pending extenuating circumstances), including setup and teardown times
    3. Attend all (usually bi-weekly) officer meetings to discuss what is going on and to plan for other activities
    4. Participate in any and all opportunities that could be beneficial to the chapter as a whole (recruiting, fundraisers, etc.)
    5. Assist the following year’s officer in their position by maintaining transition documents and making themselves available to give advice and answer questions to ensure the following year’s success
    6. Attend (at least partially) any fundraising, social, or outreach activities to the best of their abilities
    7. Organize details for their own events and record attendance for all events outside of general meetings and communicate attendance with Secretary
    8. Promote events to members by sending Instagram, Discord, Newsletter, and Hornslink updates
    9. Send newsletter updates to the Secretary by the deadline required
    10. Take photos of events that they run and upload them to the club drive, or delegate someone to do so
    11. Update the Officer Meeting documents and General Meeting slides by the deadlines required
    12. Keep their respective officer emails neat and in order
    13. Keep their respective club drive folders neat and in order
    14. Remain in communication with the officer team, checking Emails, Discord and/or Text Messages frequently
 
  1. Procedure for Officer Removal: Officer positions may be revoked from an individual upon non-adherence to university guidelines(i.e. hazing, discrimination) or three verbal warnings for not performing officer duties outlined in the bylaws and a unanimous vote from the rest of officer team. ​​
  • President
    1. Oversee and lead the general meetings
      1. Make the general meeting presentation outline
    2. Supervise all officers and do whatever is necessary to ensure the success of the organization
    3. Oversee and lead the officer meetings
      1. Organize the officer bi-weekly meetings, setting a time so that everyone can come
      2. Make an agenda for the officer meetings and distribute notes to all officers afterwards
    4. Book meeting room the first day reservations are made available
    5. Set up at least one tour throughout the semester, and assist transitioning president in finding potential tours for upcoming semester
    6. Attend the monthly President meetings with Engineering Student Life (ESL) 
    7. Monitor the TxTPED general email account.
    8. Update authorized officers each semester on Hornslink and ensure good standing with the university. Reapply for membership on Hornslink at the end of each school year.
    9. Send out an end-of-semester survey if necessary and complete the annual report by the required deadline through the Dean of Students. 
    10. Ensure that the culture within TxTPED is welcoming, vibrant, and inclusive.
    11. Assist officers with individual responsibilities as necessary, including helping External VP organize IAAPA, ASTM, TMU trips, and helping Treasurer procure funds from SEC or buy/sell chapter T-shirts and other paraphernalia
    12. Assist the Treasurer, and Project Chair in completing all administrative documents/forms such as food distribution, and safety training in compliance with the Office of Student Life and the Office of the Dean of Students
    13. Review and make any adjustments to the Constitution and/or By-Laws and refer those edits to the officers for approval once per school year
    14. Maintain a forward-looking vision for TxTPED with the help of the other officers. 
    15. Oversee semesterly officer nominations and elections as appropriate
    16. Must be a 2nd year TxTPED member or above
    17. Must have been a VP or Project Director previously

  • External Vice-President
    1. Create and mail out corporate packet for sponsors where appropriate.
    2. Communicate with industry professionals to set up presenters for each speaker meeting
    3. Help organize IAAPA, ASTM, TMU trips with President and Treasurer.
      1. Reach out to schools and departments of interested students in professional conferences/competitions for funding.
    4. Maintain all contact lists with relevant companies and individuals who are supportive of the chapter
    5. Manage the Alumni Network
    6. If opportunity arises, Attend and advertise at both fall and spring Engineering Career Expos to build new relationships with corporate partners or delegate to another officer
    7. Write and compose thank you letters to all companies and/or individuals who assist or contribute to our success in events or in general (including companies, professors, alumni, faculty/staff of the university)
    8. Update LinkedIn regularly and coordinate with Project Director for project-specific updates. Social Chair should also be added as an Admin
    9. Assists officers in coordinating their events with professionals
    10. Provide updates to the organization at large about industry events, internship postings, design competitions, and other professional development opportunities.
    11. Must be a 2nd year TxTPED member or above
    12. Must have been an officer previously


  • Internal Vice-President
    1. Responsible for attending monthly Cockrell Relations Chair meetings with Student Engineering Council (SEC)
    2. As Cockrell Relations Chair:
      1. Must be a student of the Cockrell School of Engineering
      2. Attend additional SEC events/planning/voting meetings as required
      3. Plan 1 event/social with another SEC organization per year
      4. Promote SEC and joint events to Cockrell School (if applicable) and TxTPED
      5. Get one engagement point to remain in good standing with SEC
    3. Coordinate all E-Week activities
      1. Plan and lead the TPED hosted event
      2. Promote E-Week activities and member participation in events and the scavenger hunt
    4. Complete any and all forms related to the checkout of any needed SEC equipment
    5. Plan non-speaker general meetings
      1. Coordinate with other officers to lead meetings
      2. Develop meeting activities and ensure all required supplies are secured
    6. Try and coordinate with other college theme park and UT organizations to have joint activities at least once per school year
    7. Will primarily manage the Discord server, working with other officers to maintain it
    8. Must be a 2nd year TxTPED member or above
    9. Must have been an officer previously
 
  • Project Chair
    1. The project director will be elected and serve as a TPED officer who will attend officer meetings. They must previously have been a TPED officer or project co-manager. They will be aided by two project co-managers who will apply and be selected by the project director.
      1. These co-managers must be paid members of TPED, but need not have been an officer previously. A current TPED officer may simultaneously be a project co-manager. These co-managers are not part of the officer team.
    2. The director will assess best times and plan weekly project work hours to ensure a successful project.
    3. Host weekly project meetings with an agenda and goals
    4. Have the final say in all project related decisions
    5. Serve as the general point of contact for all administrative matters relating to the project.
    6. Work with members and co-managers to find strengths and weaknesses and assign project duties as appropriate
      1. Work with the two project co-managers to divide up the project so that each of them oversees approximately half of the project sub-teams, paying attention to each of their individual skills (the two co-managers need not be a technical manager and a creative manager, but rather should be given oversight that reflects their skills)
      2. Delegate work appropriately to various groups and/or assemble committees
      3. Subdivide members into smaller groups if need be to emphasize certain strengths.
    7. Actively search for and procure new projects for the organization or new ways to improve former projects
    8. Work with Treasurer to set preliminary spending needs and procure/fundraise appropriations money as needed
    9. Help procure project supplies and work with Treasurer to provide receipts for reimbursements of purchased items
    10. Secure WCP Black Box reservations, supply rentals, workshop training, and other permissions for the project 
    11. Store and take charge of all project materials, or delegate someone to
    12. Bring project supplies to project meetings as needed
    13. Ensure documentation and/or long-term storage of project
 
  • Secretary
    1. Create a membership google document and monitor membership (coordinate with the Treasurer for dues)
    2. Create a separate form for prospective students interested in signing up for membership 
    3. Collect officer updates and prepare and send weekly newsletter
    4. Assist the Treasurer in collecting dues and distributing chapter paraphernalia
    5. Store and take charge of the general chapter t-shirts (bring to meetings) or delegate someone else to.
    6. Keep website and calendar up to date and take updated officer photos
    7. Help update the website to reflect the current project.
    8. Manage the membership point system
    9. Work with the President to keep all internal documents up to date and correct
 
  • Treasurer
    1. Host at least 1 fundraising event a semester.
    2. Create and maintain a semesterly budget for each officer position, allocating funds appropriately and working with all officers at the semester budget meeting to ensure funds are being dispersed appropriately.
    3. Keep close control over the project budget or allocate someone else to do this, ensuring that the project stays within budget and makes enough money to sustain TPED.
    4. Attempt to keep a resting balance of $1,000 across all accounts (with the help of other officers)
    5. Work with the External VP to provide an annual list of sponsors and amounts
      1. File and maintain all receipts of expenses and invoices to corporate sponsors
    6. Work with the president on applying for funding each semester
    7. Maintain accurate bookkeeping of our PayPal account, off-campus account, and on-campus account
      1. Supervise use of the PayPal account and off-campus bank account specifically
    8. Keep track of membership dues and work with Secretary to ensure all paid members have filled out membership form and vice versa
    9. Coordinate the ordering process of the general t-shirts and officer polos with the President
    10. Help organize IAAPA, ASTM, TMU trips with the President and External VP.
    11. Maintain accurate financial records that are updated continually such that at any given time, analysis can be made of our financial standing
    12. Reimburse members and/or officers for expenses in a timely manner
    13. Provide the Officer Team with a financial report every month or when asked
    14. Maintain the responsibility of financial aspects for any fundraiser
    15. Store and take charge of all fundraising materials (may be necessary to coordinate with the social chair). 
    16. Bring fundraising supplies to meetings as needed
 
  • Outreach Chair
    1. Communicate with schools and organizations to attend or create outreach opportunities
    2. Host and plan at least one outreach event in which members can volunteer to help or teach the community 
      1. These activities should promote member involvement in the community and/or the university
    3. Be aware and communicate with Cockrell School about any volunteer events they host, such as Longhorn Halloween, Girl Day and ExploreUT
    4. Provide the Treasurer with receipts for reimbursement and set preliminary spending needs
    5. Work with President to coordinate travel accommodations to/from outreach events
    6. Contact members in case of absence, keeping a record of members attending each Outreach event to provide to Secretary
    7. Work with the President to update the Official Inventory spreadsheet and ensure ESL Office is organized 
    8. Take responsibility for ALL tabling events, including for the semesterly project if there is no marketing lead.
    9. Bring outreach supplies to events when necessary including supplies from office
    10. Organize and be responsible for all recruitment activities, such as summer orientation recruitment and other UT student organization fairs
    11. Reach out to non-engineering majors and encourage them to be involved
    12. Work to advertise TPED at all orientation / beginning of semester organization fairs both in the Cockrell School and in the Fine Arts Department (where appropriate)
    13. Handle marketing for the project or find someone to place fully in control of marketing for the project.


    Social Chair
    1. Host and plan at least bi-weekly social outings throughout the semester
      1. Coordinate activities/food/logistics
    2. Provide the Treasurer with receipts for reimbursement and set preliminary spending needs
    3. Work with Treasurer to obtain appropriations money for events as needed
    4. Work with President to coordinate travel accommodations to/from social events 
    5. For paid socials requiring an RSVP, contact members in case of absence and keep a record of members attending each event to provide to Secretary
    6. Bring social supplies to events as needed
    7. Coordinate group social discounts
    8. Coordinate with Internal VP to plan a joint social with another SEC organization
    9. Plan an end of semester banquet/social gathering
    10. Keep club Instagram feed and stories, updated bi-weekly. (where appropriate)
    11. Have access to LinkedIn page
    12. Create digital flyers and social media graphics 
    13. Take pictures of meetings and socials for the website and social media accounts
Article V – MEETINGS
  1. Meetings will be held biweekly (exceptions for university breaks), through the last week of classes. Individuals must be a paid TxTPED member and have attended at least one meeting to vote in the semester elections. Elections will take place over the final two weeks of classes.

ARTICLE VI - UNIVERSITY ADVISOR
  1. In accordance with Sec. 6-101 (14) and Sec. 6-101(15) of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities and Information on Students' Rights and Responsibilities, this organization may have a University Advisor who is at least twenty-one years of age, is not enrolled as a student at the University, and serves as either:
    1. a part-time or full-time employee of the University.
    2. a representative of a national organization that is associated with the registered student organization.
    3. serves as either.
      1. a part-time or full-time employee of the University.
      2. a representative of a national organization that is associated with the registered student organization (registered student organizations only).
  2. University Advisor should support the current President through a meeting at the start of the semester.

ARTICLE VII – FINANCES
  1. Membership dues shall be determined annually for both year long and semester long memberships by the Treasurer. Dues shall be no more than $30 annually. 
  2. The Treasurer is responsible for collections of dues and reporting to the Secretary to record individuals who have paid.
  3. The Treasurer is responsible for managing the TxTPED budget and allocating semester spending. The Treasurer should also coordinate efforts to request funds and fundraising. 
  4. The Treasurer is responsible for holding a budgetary meeting at the beginning of each semester, gaining every officer’s approval for the allocation of funds throughout the organization. This includes arranging the funds to provide the next officer team enough money to operate and run projects and socials.

ARTICLE VIII – ELECTIONS
  1. Elections will take place over the final two weeks of classes. 
  2. Members will be notified twice of upcoming elections in the weekly newsletter.
  3. The current President will manage the election procedures and nomination process, unless another officer is not running and would volunteer to take over this responsibility. Individuals may nominate themselves or another member. 
  4. At least ten members must vote at elections and a simple majority vote is required to be elected for a position.
  5. Officers winning the election for multiple positions will be granted their position using a trickle-down system in the following order: President, External VP, Internal VP, Project Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Outreach Chair, Social Chair. The runner-up(s) for the lower position(s) will then be granted accordingly.

ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
  1. A section of the constitution may be amended by unanimous vote of the current or incoming officer team, depending on if the incoming team has already been elected, AND a majority vote of the members attending a Constitution Meeting.
  2. Amendments may be proposed by any paid member. 
  3. All amendments or changes to this constitution must be reflected in an updated constitution that must be submitted to Student Activities in the Office of the Dean of Students at 2609 University Ave., Suite 2.112 within 14 days of its approval.​