November 3, 2003

Date: January 23, 1984
Introduced by: Michael P. Rupen (Philanthropic Society--Orange County)
Reported: Favorable (Constitution Committee)
Action: Accepted as General Statute, Spring 1984
Action: Amended to increase dues to $20 (Fall 1988)
Action: Amended to increase dues to $25 and to provide for suspension of dues, 2/26/90
Action: Amended to increase dues to $30 (April 1995)

An Act to Establish Dues for Active Membership
[G-1-189-A]

WHEREAS Article VI, Section 2 of the Constitution requires that the Societies pass a general motion to establish dues for active members;

AND WHEREAS the current de facto amount of dues is $10;

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I. Dues for Active Membership
Section A. Dues for active membership shall be $30 per session. New members admitted after the beginning of the semesters shall pay their dues on a pro rata basis.
Section B. The Clerk, in recognition of the large amount of work required of him or her outside the meetings of the societies, shall not be required to pay dues.
Section C. In the event that a member of the Societies is unable to pay his dues, he may petition the Societies to suspend their requirement to pay dues for that session for a definite or indefinite period of time, and the Societies may grant the petition by a majority vote. If the member wishes to present evidence in support of his petition in confidence, he may request an executive session to present his petition, or he may ask the Executive Committee to hear that evidence in closed session and report to the Societies on its merits.
Section D. Should a suspension be granted, that member will suffer no penalty, particularly the loss of his vote, or non-payment of dues the term of the suspension. However, that member shall still owe the full amount of his dues and, in asking for a suspension, must solemnly pledge to pay them if and as funds become available to him. It is also expected that members will exhaust all reasonable alternatives before asking for waiver or suspension. While the principles of the Societies forbid them to deny members the ability to vote purely on the basis of financial need, they also forbid members to take improper advantage of that fact.
Section E. Where Members can pay their dues by obtaining loans from the Dues Assistance Endowment Fund or similar sources, they shall do so in lieu of asking for suspension. Should a member who paid his dues in this manner be unable to repay the loan when its term expires, the Treasurer will then refund whatever portion of this dues is necessary to repay the loan, again exposing that member to the penalties for the non-payment of dues. A member who expects this to happen may request suspension of his dues no more than two regular meetings in advance of the end of the term of the loan.

Date: April 24, 1989

Introduced by: John Jaynes (Phi)
Reported: For Debate
Action: Passed as amended, April 24
Action: Extended to General Statute, April 24

A Resolution to Establish the White and Blue
[G-2-194-A]

WHEREAS there has been renewed interest in a monthly publication with the Societies;

WHEREAS the Societies once published a newspaper The White and Blue,

AND WHEREAS the production and distribution of a monthly magazine would be of great benefit to the Societies;

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I.
A committee shall be formed each session to oversee the publication of the magazine, to be known as The White and Blue. The chairman shall be appointed by the President. The chairman shall also serve as editor of The White and Blue.

Article II.
The committee may solicit and collect funds for the operation of the magazine. These shall be deposited immediately to the treasury of the Societies.

Article III.
Any funds raised by the committee may be spent towards the operation of the magazine, by a simple majority vote of the Societies in advance of each issue. If the committee wishes to spend funds raised by the Societies toward the operation of the magazine, the Finance Committee must consider the motion before the vote of the Societies if more than $25 of the Societies' money is to be spent.

Date: November 6, 1989
Introduced by: Executive Committee (Meeting of November 2, 1989)
Reported: Favorably
Action: Passed, November 6
Action: Extended to General Statute, December 4, 1989

An Act to Allow Business During Officer and Committee Reports
[G-195-4]

NOW BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILNATHROPIC SOCIETIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I.
It shall be in order for officers and committee chairmen to move the adoption of items of business contained in their reports, and for debate and voting to follow as usual, during the reports of officers and committees. Only those items of business reported out of a committee, or introduced by an officer in his official capacity, shall be considered, all other items being taken up during old or new business.

Date: November 6, 1989
Introduced by: Executive Committee (Meeting of November 2, 1989)
Reported: Favorably
Action: Passed as amended, November 6
Action: Extended to General Statute, December 4, 1989
Action: Amended (B2-205-1, 7 February 2000)

An Act to Establish Time Limits on Programs, Speeches During Regular
Debates, and Papers, Petitions, Memorials, and Addresses
[G-1-195-3]

WHEREAS recent meetings have been of exceedingly great length;
WHEREAS is often has been the case that members have refrained from speaking due to the length of the program and of individual speeches within it;
AND
WHEREAS all members should be assured a fair chance to speak;

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I.
The duration of the program section of a meeting may not exceed one hour. There shall be an announcement given at forty-five minutes that the program must end in fifteen minutes, so that the speakers and/or the chairman of the Programs Committee may bring the program to a close. The one hour limit shall be considered to begin at the time the program is introduced, and when it has expired the Societies shall move immediately to the next item in the order of business. This limit may be suspended for a particular meeting by a majority vote, either in advance or as the time limit expires.
Article II.
For regular debates, unless otherwise specified, the following time limits shall apply to individual speeches:
i. For primary speakers, six (6) minutes with an additional two (2) minutes of queries.
ii. For secondary speakers, five (5) minutes with an additional two (2) minutes of queries.
iii. For speakers from the floor, four (4) minutes with an additional two (2) minutes of queries.
Any or all of these limits may be extended for individual speeches, or for the entire program, by a majority vote. It is strongly suggested that all due courtesy be extended to guests in enforcing this provision.
Article III.
All speeches and other presentations during Papers, Petitions, Memorials, and Addresses, except for memorials, shall be limited to a duration of five minutes, unless the Societies waive the limit by a majority vote. It is strongly suggested that due courtesy be extended to guests and petitioners in enforcing this provision.
Article IV.
The Critic shall be charged with the enforcement of these time limits and with keeping speakers well informed of the time left to them. He may appoint a Time Clerk if necessary to assist him in this task. Speakers shall be given notice of the time remaining to the nearest minutes, or as the Critic, the Time Clerk, the Chairman of the Programs Committee, and the individual speakers jointly determine.

Date: 7 February 2000
Introduced by: Senator Blate, Philanthropic Society and Constitution Committee (7 February 2000)
Reported: Favorable by Constitution Committee (6 February 2000)
Action: Approved by the Joint Senate (7 February 2000)

Action: Amended to explicitly state Societal debate positions (15 December 2006)

Action: Extended to General Statute, Whenever the heck we get around to it

AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE CENTENNIAL AND BICENTENNIAL DEBATES
G2-205-2

WHEREAS the Centennial and Bicentennial debates have become well-established traditions of the Societies;

WHEREAS it is in the best interest of the Societies to continue these debates;

AND WHEREAS the nature and format of these debates have not been formally codified in the governing documents of the Societies,

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

ARTICLE I. Time and Content

Section A. Time

1. Every Fall semester, the Societies shall engage in, as the program during a regular meeting, a Centennial Debate, as described in this Act.

2. Every Spring semester, the Societies shall engage in, as the program during a regular meeting, a Bicentennial Debate, as described in this Act.

Section B. Content

1. The resolution for the Centennial Debate shall be a resolution debated by either or both of the Societies during the year one century (100 years) prior to the current year.

2. The resolution for the Bicentennial Debate shall be a resolution debated by either or both of the Societies during the year two centuries (200 years) prior to the current year.

ARTICLE II. Execution

Section A. Duties of the Historian:

1. The Joint Senate Historian shall be responsible for searching for appropriate resolutions for these Debates.

2. By the fifth (5th) meeting of each session, the Joint Senate Historian shall compile a list of suitable resolutions for the debate in question which shall be presented to the Societies at a regular meeting. At the time of his report, the Societies shall select one of the proposed resolutions by a majority vote.

Section B. Duties of the Individual Societies:

1. After the Societies have selected a topic for the Centennial or Bicentennial Debate, as appropriate, the individual societies shall each select a Primary and a Secondary speaker to speak in the debate.

2. The presidents of the respective societies shall report their society's Primary and Secondary speakers to the Societies.

ARTICLE III. Format:

Section A. Selection of sides:

1. The Dialectic Society shall speak in the affirmative and the Philanthropic Society shall speak in the negative in the Centennial Debate resolution, reversing sides for the Bicentennial Debate.

Section B. Format of the debate and time limits:

1. The format of the Centennial and Bicentennial Debates and the time limits for speakers shall be as follows, alternating between affirmative and negative:

i. Primary speeches, seven (7) minutes each
ii. Secondary speeches, five (5) minutes each
iii. Rebuttal speeches, given by the primary speakers, three (3) minutes each

2. Any or all of these time limits may be extended or shortened by a majority vote, but only before the program is underway.

3. Queries and/or floor speeches are not allowed during Centennial or Bicentennial Debates.

Section C. Voting:

1. At the conclusion of the Centennial or Bicentennial Debate, the Societies shall take two votes. These votes shall be by secret ballot.

2. The first vote shall be with regard to accepting or rejecting the resolution.

3. The second vote shall be with regard to which Society gave the better presentation of their arguments.

4. The results of both votes shall be announced together.

Date: 21 February 2000
Introduced by Senator Brad Timmers, Dialectic Society
Reported: Favorable (Constitution Committee, 24 February 2000)

Action: Extended to General Statute, at our earliest convenience.

AN ACT TO REGULATE THE CIRCULATION OF
KEYS TO NEW WEST HALL

B2-205-3

WHEREAS the Joint Senate should be accountable for its members' keys to New West Hall;

WHEREAS graduating seniors who will not return as active senators have no further use for these keys, while at the same time there have been shortages of these keys for the active student members;

AND

WHEREAS the Statistics Department has voiced concerns over the safety and accountability of the Societies in maintaining these keys;

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

ARTICLE I.

Section A. The Joint Senate President's Maintenance of a Pool of Keys

1. The Joint Senate President, or a deputy he shall select for this task, shall be responsible for distributing keys to newly-inducted senators and maintaining a list of those senators who have keys.

2. The Joint Senate President shall be responsible for collecting keys from senators leaving the Societies.

Section B. The Duties of all Senators

1. Any senator expelled from the Societies, or choosing to resign, shall be required to surrender his key.

2. Any senator who graduates from the Societies and does not plan to stay active in the Societies shall be required to return his key to the Joint Senate President at or before the Graduation Meeting, in order to receive his diploma.

3. Any graduating senator who can, in good faith, attest that he will continue, after graduation, to be an active senator of the Societies, may keep his key until such time as he decides to leave the Societies, at which time he shall be required to give back his key to the Joint Senate President.

ARTICLE II.

This Act shall be effective immediately.

Date: September 8, 2003

Introduced by: Senators Grondin, Iredale, and Dozier

Action: adopted as amended, September 8, 2003

Action: Extended to General Statute, Whenever the heck we get around to it

An Act to Regulate Petitioning and Sponsorship

G2-209-1

WHEREAS many of the Societies' expectations regarding the petitioning process have been established by tradition but not by legislation; and

WHEREAS disagreement over the exact nature of such expectations may become detrimental to the Societies and to all involved in the petitioning process;

THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I. Responsibilities of the Petitioner

Section A. Guide to Petitioning

The petitioner shall read the unofficial “Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies Guide to Petitioning and Sponsorship”.

Section B. Attendance

The petitioner shall attend at least three (3) meetings, including his petitioning meeting and the meeting immediately prior to it, within the six (6) weeks prior to, and inclusive of, his petition. He shall be present for the entirety of at least one (1) of these meetings.

Section C. Speech prior to Petitioning

The petitioner shall speak on at least two occasions before, and not inclusive of, his petitioning speech. One of these occasions shall be in debate during the meeting’s program.

Section D. Sponsorship

The petitioner shall meet with his sponsor at least three (3) days prior to his petition. At this meeting, he shall discuss the topic of his petitioning speech with his sponsor and provide his sponsor with the information listed in Article II, Section E of this Statute.

Section E. Petitioning Speech

The petitioner shall present a well-stated and clear thesis, and an argument for this thesis, at his petition. The petitioner shall be knowledgeable on his topic and have done any necessary research.

Article II. Responsibilities of the Sponsor

Section A. Guide to Petitioning

The sponsor shall read the unofficial “Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies Guide to Petitioning and Sponsorship”.

Section B. Previous Petitioning Executive Sessions

The sponsor shall have seen at least two (2) executive sessions during which the Societies shall have considered a petition before he shall agree to sponsor a petitioner.

Section C. Notice of Petitioning to the Body

The sponsor shall inform the body of his petitioner’s upcoming petition at least one (1) week in advance of the meeting of the petition. This requirement may be waived by a two-thirds vote at the time of the petition.

Section D. Informing of the Petitioner

The sponsor shall inform his petitioner of all the requirements, explicit or implicit, that the Societies place on petitioners. Failure on the part of the sponsor to do so shall not constitute grounds for automatic admission or rejection of a petitioner.

Section E. Presentation to the Body

The sponsor shall present the following information regarding the petitioner during the executive session following the petition:

local address;

hometown;

high school(s);

year and major;

high-school and college activities, especially those related to debate and literature;

hobbies;

previous speech or debate experience, if any;

why he is petitioning;

what he can offer the Societies;

and what he plans to gain from the societies.

In addition, the sponsor shall be prepared to present the following information, if asked:

how many Joint Senate meetings the petitioner has attended;

which debate(s) the petitioner has spoken in;

which PPMAs the petitioner has given, if any;

and extent of the petitioner's social interactions with current Senators.

Article III. Responsibilities of the Body

Section A. Questions during Petitioning

Senators shall question the petitioner in a dignified manner. All such questions shall be intended to ascertain a petitioner’s argumentation skills, creativity, knowledge of the Societies and their history, motives for petitioning, or other characteristics that Senators deem appropriate for determining his qualifications. Senators shall not ask frivolous questions or questions intended only to cause the body to laugh.

An Act to Promote Adequate Notice for Meetings
of the Joint Senate of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies
and their Constituent Committees
[G-2-205-4]

WHEREAS many sections of the Joint Senate Constitution and By-Laws
require special meetings of the Joint Senate and its committees to be called
promptly for the conduct of business,
WHEREAS Senators should have adequate and reasonable notice prior to
meetings of the Joint Senate and its committees to ensure proper
representation of ideals and the integrity of the institutions, and
WHEREAS unreasonable notice has led to attempted misconduct and abuses in
the past years of the Joint Senate,

THEREFORE LET IT BE ENACTED BY THE JOINT SENATE OF THE DIALECTIC AND PHILANTHROPIC SOCIETIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL THAT:

Article I. Proper Notice
Section A. Notification of all meetings of the Joint Senate of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies and any constituent committees shall provide Senators with at least twenty-four hours notice prior to the beginning of the meeting.
Section B. Method and Means. Only vocal or written notification to each individual shall be the proper means of communication to satisfy the requirements of this article.
1) Vocal notification consists of verbal announcement at a regular meeting of the Societies, direct personal oral communication or by means of telephone at least twenty-four hours in advance. When necessary, verbal communication by an answering machine or voice mail shall be appropriate if the person receiving the message has given their express consent to notification in this manner.
2) Written notification consists of a letter sent ninety-six hours before the meeting by United States mail or other common carrier service.
3) Electronic mail requesting a return confirmation shall be considered proper written notification so long as the initial communication is sent forty-eight hours or two business days (whichever is longer) prior to the meeting. In addition, communication in this manner shall be appropriate if the person receiving the message has given their express consent to this type of notification.

Article II. Recourse and Review for Improper Notice
Section A. Senators who feel that they have not received adequate notice of a meeting shall appeal to the President of the Joint Senate, their Society President, or to a meeting of the Executive Committee.
Section B. If notice to all members comprising the committee or committee of the whole is not properly given in accordance with the provisions of this statue, the meeting and all business conducted by it shall be disqualified by the dual declaration of the President and President Pro Tempore of the Joint Senate or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Section C. A three-quarters vote of the active membership of the Joint Senate may declare the meeting valid at their next regular meeting.