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Article II: Membership and Partnership

II.1: Membership

II.1.a: Requirements for membership and active membership

All currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, faculty or staff members employed by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology shall be eligible for membership. In addition, any student must do all of the following to become an active member:

  • Join the MakerLab Discord server and the MakerLab CampusGroups group.
  • Log at least 5 hours in the Lab or at MakerLab events or at officer meetings within each academic year.
  • Take the “Intro to the MakerLab” class or the “Intro to MakerLab Refresher” class every school year.

II.1.b: Benefits of membership

Members of MakerLab receive the following benefits:

  • Use of MakerLab tools and equipment they have been trained on.
  • Ability to vote in meetings held by the organization.
  • Eligibility to receive MakerLab marketing apparel.
  • Priority to go on trips or tours organized by MakerLab.
  • Reasonable use of expendable MakerLab stock materials and components.
  • Ability to request the purchase of stock materials, equipment, and components to aid in projects.

II.1.c: Removal of membership

II.1.c.1: Grounds

The revocation of membership should be considered an extreme remedy and used only sparingly. Membership may be removed for the following reasons:

  • Repeated interference with the mission and purpose of the organization.
  • Violation of the constitution and bylaws of the organization.
  • Blatant disregard for the safety rules, including taking clearly hazardous actions that are not explicitly prohibited.
  • Violation of life critical safety procedures. This includes reckless use of compressed air or flammable materials.

II.1.c.2: Procedure

To revoke the membership of an individual the following procedure will be followed:

  • A club member must request a public hearing and present evidence of why the individual’s membership should be revoked.
  • The individual in question may argue a defense and present counter evidence at the hearing or may request a separate hearing to allow time to prepare a defense.
  • The officers will discuss and weigh the evidence. If the officers find the evidence against the individual strong enough, they may revoke membership with a ⅔rds majority vote.
  • After the officers revoke membership, the President shall inform BIC leadership about the revocation of membership and provide any evidence collected in the public hearing process.

II.1.c.3: Alternative Procedure

The faculty advisors may unanimously decide to revoke membership. In this situation a public hearing is not required if it would violate institute policy or is determined to be inappropriate by the faculty advisors.

II.2: Partnership

II.2.a: Eligibility

Any student organization recognized by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology may become a partner with MakerLab if they meet the following criteria:

  • Have a mission that is aligned with or complementary to MakerLab’s.
  • Are in good standing with the Institute and the Innovation Centers.
  • Are willing to follow the partnership agreement when it is finalized.

II.2.b: Procedure to establish club partnership

  • A representative of the potential partner club will contact the MakerLab President.
  • If the President agrees that partnership would be mutually beneficial, representatives of the club will meet with the MakerLab officers.
  • Before the meeting it is strongly suggested that the MakerLab President and potential partner club draft a simple partnership agreement that includes details on the goals of the partnership, details of tool use, and the terms of using MakerLab material. A sample partnership agreement is included in Appendix A.
  • During this meeting the details of the partnership agreement will be discussed, an official partnership agreement drafted, and a vote taken.
  • If a majority of the other MakerLab officers, along with President, vote in favor of the agreement the partnership becomes official as outlined in the partnership agreement.

II.2.c: Benefits of partnership

Besides the specific benefits outlined in the partnership agreement, all partner organizations receive the following benefits:

  • Ability to submit suggestions regarding the tools and materials MakerLab purchases.
  • Use of the MakerLab logo when referencing partnership in promotional material.
  • Partner organization members who have completed the proper training shall be considered MakerLab members for the purpose of this constitution and are held to the same high standards as them.

II.2.d: Removal of partnership

II.2.d.1: Grounds

Any of the following are grounds for removal of partnership:

  • A change in the partner organization such that its values no longer align with those of MakerLab.
  • Failure to instruct and/or reprimand their members acting as a member of the partner club in following MakerLab safety practices.
  • Repeated failure to follow partnership agreement, especially regarding tool and material use.

II.2.d.2: Procedure

The procedure to remove a partnership is like that of removing a member.

  • An officer must request a hearing and present evidence of why the organization’s partnership should be revoked.
  • The organization may appoint one or more representatives to present a defense of the organization and the partnership agreement.
  • The officers will discuss and weigh the evidence. If a ⅔ majority of the officers find the evidence against the organization strong enough, they may revoke the partnership.