From the Ashes- A New Constitution

Here's a draft of the new constitution to reinstate our status as an actual Ball State organization. Take a bit of time to look at it and make a comment. I'm going to complete our application by the end of this semester.

Constitution of Gamma Delta Pi (GDP), Ball State University's Economics Club

Article I. Name- The name of this organization shall be Gamma Delta Pi (also recognized as "GDP"), Ball State University's Economics Club.

Article II. Purpose- The purpose of this organization is to celebrate and proliferate understanding and appreciation for the field of economics. In this way, economics will be explored as a framework to look at a vast variety of subjects and every day life.

Article III. Membership

Section 1- Eligibility- Membership shall be limited to Ball State University faculty, staff, and student currently enrolled at the University. There shall be no limitation to the size of the organization. Members are eligible to join the organization at any time during the academic year. Members shall have an interest in the field of economics and respect for its continuing contributions to society. Members are eligible to vote at meetings. Alumni of the organization may advise current group members.

Section 2- Membership Responsibilities and Dues- Membership for GDP shall be free of charge. However, specialized events may require funds for participation. Members are encouraged to participate in community outreach (bringing in interested people to the organization), as well as engaging in the organization's discussions- both at meetings and online platforms.

Section 3- Non-discrimination Policy- Membership in Gamma Delta Pi will not be restricted on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, collegiate field of study (major), status as a Vietnam Era Veteran, or sexual orientation or practice.

Article IV- Officers/ Advisor

Section 1- Elected officers- Elected officers of GDP shall be the President as well as other offices deemed necessary by its members. The terms of office shall last one academic year, beginning in the fall. Officers shall be elected by majority vote of members. A quorum of 3/4 of the members shall be in attendance to conduct elections.

Section 2- Officer Duties- The President of GDP shall be responsible for the overall operations of the Economics Club. The President shall serve as a liason between GDP and Ball State University. In addition, the President shall take it upon her or his self to encourage participation in the organization as well as generating interest in economics in the Ball State community. Also, the President shall serve the members of the organization by conducting meetings and taking into consideration the interests of the members of GDP. This also includes upkeep of membership communication through emails as well as web-log (blog) based communications, as well as meeting regularly with GDP's faculty advisor. The President may instate other officers and responsibilities deemed necessary, to those members interested in the operations of GDP. If an officer is not considered to be fulfilling these obligations, members may ask such officers to resign based on a quorum of 3/4 of the membership as well as 2/3 of a majority vote.

Section 3- Faculty Advisor- The Faculty Advisor shall inform officers and members on topics, rules, and regulations about the club, as well as other issues that need clarification. These duties also include educational contributions to GDP, as well as continuing the tradition of GDP by inspiring potential members to join the organization. The Faculty Advisor is also the liaison to the Office of Student Life.

Article V- Executive Board and Committees- Officers as well as the Faculty advisor shall comprise the Executive Committee. Members of GDP are also encouraged to partake in the organization's decisions.

Article VI- Meetings- The regular meeting time for GDP shall be once a week . A quorum of 3/4's of members must be present to conduct organizational business. Voting is won based upon a majority vote for standard organizational matters. An Officer or Faculty advisor must be present to conduct a meeting. Special meetings may also take place as deemed acceptable by members.

Article VII- Parliamentary Authority- The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern Gamma Delta Pi, Ball State University's Economic Club.

Article VIII- Amendments- A quorum of 3/4 of GDP membership must be in attendance in order to conduct a vote. A 3/4's majority vote is required for the constitution to be amended. The proposed amendment must be announced at the meeting preceding the voting meeting. Amendments added to the constitution shall include the date of the addition in parenthesis in the constitution. The constitution shall include the date that it was last revised.

Economics of Fisheries

Another way to make use of this forum is to allow for more people to read your work. I strongly encourage this, as well as any feedback from the audience. So without further adieu, here's an essay I wrote for my Econ Law class- on the topic of private property rights for fisheries. Download "The Last Fish In The Sea" here.