PREAMBLE
We, the Party of the Left, are a community devoted to political discourse. As such, we seek both to develop our Members as people and leaders, and to develop a new vision of the American Left. Our means are spirited discussion and formal debate of the politics, policies, and philosophies that divide our community. We value intellectual integrity: the willingness to examine one’s innermost beliefs in a manner that is both honest and rigorous. Internally, we compete to present compelling visions of the Left. Externally, we test our ideas and abilities against our ideological opponents. We seek to bring discourse to the outside world, and the outside world to discourse. Together, we strive to advance the Party, the Yale Political Union, and the Left.
ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership in the Party of the Left is for life.
Section 2: Members are entitled to vote at all Debates and Caucuses, unless otherwise specified.
Section 3: Students and alumni of Yale University are eligible to become Members of the Party, after being nominated for Membership by a Nominating Caucus.
Section 4: Membership status may only be conferred by an Induction Caucus.
Section 5: Membership status may only be revoked by an Expulsion Caucus.
Section 6: Any Member may resign, with immediate effect, by writing a letter of resignation in the Member’s own hand and delivering it in person or by United States Mail to the Chair.
Section 7: All individuals participating in the ratification of this Constitution are founding Members.
Section 8: All undergraduate Members should make a good faith effort to qualify as voting Members of the Yale Political Union.
ARTICLE II: OFFICERS
Section 1: Any undergraduate Member shall be eligible to hold Party office.
Section 2: The elected officers of the Party shall be the Chair, Vice of the Left, and Chief of Staff.
Section 3: Elected officers shall be elected at an Election Caucus, and shall serve until their successors are elected at the next Election Caucus, unless otherwise specified.
Section 4: If the Chair resigns or is impeached, the Vice shall become Chair. If the Chair is incapacitated or faces impeachment charges, the Vice shall temporarily act as Chair.
Section 5: If the above disqualifications apply to the Vice or Chief of Staff, his or her successor shall be selected by the Chair, with the advice and consent of the Advisory Board.
Section 6: The appointed officers of the Party shall be the General Secretary, the
Treasurer, and others as necessary.
Section 7: Appointed officers shall be appointed by the Chair, with the advice and consent of the Advisory Board, and shall serve at the discretion of the Chair.
ARTICLE III: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1: The Chair shall be the leader of the Party of the Left, and is charged with representing the Party in all external and official matters. All officers of the Party are accountable to the Chair.
Section 2: The Vice of the Left shall promote the intellectual growth of the Party and of its Members, and shall assist the Chair at the Chair’s discretion.
Section 3: The Chief of Staff shall encourage attendance and participation at all Party and Union events, as well as lead recruitment efforts for new Members.
Section 4: The General Secretary shall chronicle the life of the Party of the Left.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall oversee the finances of the Party, as required by Yale University.
Section 6: Additional duties may be added to each office at the discretion of the Chair.
ARTICLE IV: ADVISORY BOARD
Section 1: The Chair shall call meetings of the Advisory Board, which shall provide advice and consent by majority vote.
Section 2: The Advisory Board shall consist of the elected officers of the Party, Sometime Chairs, Members who are elected officers of the Yale Political Union, and the General Secretary.
Section 3: Other Members may participate in the Advisory Board without formal vote, unless the Chair calls a closed meeting.
ARTICLE V: DEBATES
Section 1: The Chair shall call Debates of the Party of the Left.
Section 2: Robert’s Rules of Order, as understood within Party tradition, shall be the parliamentary authority for settling disputes in the Debates and Caucuses of the Party, except in cases provided for in this Constitution.
Section 3: Speeches and questions on the floor shall not be censored on account of ideological content.
ARTICLE VI: SEMESTERLY CAUCUSES
Section 1: The Chair, with the advice and consent of the Advisory Board, shall call Nominating, Induction and Election Caucuses. No such Caucus shall convene with less than seventy-two hours’ notice to the undergraduate Membership, nor shall it begin to conduct business unless one fourth of the undergraduate Membership is present. Section 2: A Nominating Caucus shall be called at least once per semester. The motion to nominate to Membership shall require a two-thirds majority of undergraduate Members present.
Section 3: An Induction Caucus shall be called at least once per semester. The motion to induct to Membership shall require a majority of undergraduate Members present.
Section 4: An Election Caucus shall be called at least once per semester. Each officer shall be elected by a majority of undergraduate Members present. If no candidate obtains a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall be withdrawn from contention, and successive runoff votes shall occur.
ARTICLE VII: EXTRAORDINARY CAUCUSES
Section 1: The Chair, with the advice and consent of the Advisory Board, must call a Constitutional, Impeachment or Expulsion Caucus upon receipt of proposed amendments or charges signed by a majority of undergraduate Members.
Section 2: No such Caucus shall convene with less than seven days’ notice, nor shall it begin to conduct business unless a majority of the undergraduate Membership is present. Notice shall include making the proposed amendments or charges available to the undergraduate Membership, as well as making a good-faith effort to provide the same to the entire Membership.
Section 3: A Constitutional Caucus shall not amend a proposed amendment, except by unanimous consent. The motion to amend the Constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of Members present.
Section 4: An Impeachment Caucus shall provide the accused officer with a full opportunity to defend herself. The motion to impeach an officer shall require a three-fourths majority of Members present.
Section 5: An Expulsion Caucus shall provide the accused Member with a full opportunity to defend himself. The motion to expel a Member shall require a four-fifths majority of Members present.
ARTICLE VIII: FUNDS
Section 1: Funds of the Party of the Left shall be used to publicize the events of the Party, as well as to provide for incidentals at such events.
Section 2: No dues shall be assessed by the Party.
Section 3: In the event of the dissolution of the Party of the Left, all Party funds shall be transferred to the Liberal Party.