Name of Organization {#name-of-organization}

The Chicago Python User Group, AKA “ChiPy”.

Vision {#vision}

Chicago Python Users comprise the core of a healthy, world-wide Python developer community.

Mission {#mission}

To promote, grow, and support engaged Python users of all levels through inclusive, community-driven events and resources in Chicago.

Values {#values}

• Openness
• Inclusiveness
• Shared Learning
• Technical Mastery
• Volunteerism
• Self-Motivation
• Open Source Development

Membership {#membership}

Eligibility to be a Member {#eligibility-to-be-a-member}

A Member is defined as anyone who attends at least one ChiPy meeting a year, or who is an Organizer or Board member. Membership may be revoked for violations of ChiPy's Code of Conduct.

Note that currently ChiPy membership confers no status or powers.

Eligibility to be an Organizer {#eligibility-to-be-an-organizer}

An Organizer is defined by the Board in the List of Organizers. Qualifications to be considered an Organizer are being a member and having been a volunteer in hosting/producing a ChiPy event or offering, outside of in a paid capacity, in the prior 12 months. Additionally, “Outstanding/significant contributors” may be awarded Organizer status. Organizer nominations or removals must be put forward by an existing Organizer or Board member and ratified by Board vote.

List of Organizers {#list-of-organizers}

The List of Organizers is maintained by the Secretary and available to the public. It must contain at least the name, email (redacted from public view), offering, and last activity date for each Organizer. Especially important is the email, which will be used for notifications related to voting.

Ratification of the List of Organizers is conducted via Board votes, which shall occur at the first regular meeting in March, June, September, and December. In the event that a ratification vote is missed, the previously ratified list remains in effect, subject to volunteer date rolloffs, until the vote can be made up at the next meeting.

Board {#board}

General Powers {#general-powers}

The scope of the Board’s powers are limited to those needed to keep ChiPy solvent, set the vision/mission/values, and steer people/resources to achieve both of those prior objectives.These are the people who will be “kept up at night” about organization-level decisions. Board members have fiduciary responsibility for ChiPy. Full powers are laid out across the by-laws, but two critical powers include the power to update these by-laws as well as host elections for Board members.

Composition {#composition}

The Board is made up of seven people (including the chair).

Position Terms {#position-terms}

Board Members are appointed by election to terms of two years, with an effort toward having half the board seats up for election at any point in time. There is no lifetime limit for the number of years a Board member may serve.

Removal {#removal}

A Board member can be removed by a majority vote of the other Board members.

Board members will automatically be removed if they miss 65% of all regularly scheduled board meetings during a term (given an 8 month window), unless there is a majority vote to the contrary. Special meetings of the Board and scheduled meetings that do not meet Quorum do not count against absences. Such a vote to override automatic explulsion would last for up to one-quarter before it would need to be renewed; overrides can be undone at any time by a subsequent majority vote.

Vacancy Filling {#vacancy-filling}

Any vacancy on the Board shall be filled without undue delay by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board at a regular meeting. The new Board member will serve the remainder of the previous Board member’s term. Vacancies may be filled by Board vote.

Board Officers {#board-officers}

There are three officer positions, with the role’s responsibilities as described below.

• Chair: The Chair is responsible for presiding over all Board meetings, including setting the agenda for such meetings in advance and breaking any vote ties, if necessary. The Chair also acts as ChiPy’s figurehead for the purposes of signatures and media/political representation.
• Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for financial management and/or oversight, including such basic tasks as selecting a bank, reconciling bank statements, and managing cash flow. The Treasurer should be knowledgeable about who has access to the organization’s funds and any outstanding bills or debts owed. The Treasurer should create and maintain systems for ensuring the organization’s ongoing solvency and oversee the development of the organization’s financial policies. Helpful policies to consider include check signing authority, expense reimbursement, and credit card usage. The Treasurer is also responsible for preparing budgets, financial reports, and any required tax/financial forms required to be filed.
• Secretary: The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Board and any designated committees, and act as a clerk thereof. In the event that the Secretary can’t attend a meeting, they are solely responsible for finding a temporary replacement from within the Board. The Secretary’s duties shall consist of: * Recording meeting minutes of all proceedings as well as any votes in a designated place for such purpose, and which is available to all Board members. * Making arrangements for all meetings, including advance dissemination of associated materials, along with the President. * External correspondence of information as requested by the Board and/or Chair within the normal scope of business.

In the event that the Chair becomes incapacitated, the Treasurer automatically assumes the role of interim President. If the Treasurer becomes incapacitated the Secretary automatically assumes the role of interim Secretary or interim President(in the event of both being unavailable).

Officer Elections {#officer-elections}

Regular officer elections will occur annually at the first regular meeting following the results of elections to the Board. Should a vacancy of an officer position occur outside of this schedule, vacant officer positions will be voted on at the next regular meeting following the vacancy. In all cases, officers may be nominated (including self-nomination) by any member of the Board. Officers are determined by a majority vote.

In the event of a Vacancy or other interim position, the Board should re-elect any vacancies until the all officer positions are filled . Any board member may run for any vacancy in any Officer Election. If an existing Officer on the board wishes to run for a vacant position and wins, then their position will become available for a subsequent Officer Election decision.

Committees {#committees}

The board may create committees as needed, such as sponsorship, code of conduct, technology, public relations, data collection, etc. The board appoints committee chairs annually by majority. Current committees:

• Code of Conduct. This committee is responsible for recommended changes to the ChiPy code of conduct, as well as investigating any code of conduct violation complaints from members.
• Sponsorship. This committee is responsible for fundraising for ChiPy, seeking both in-kind sponsorships (space, food, technology) and financial sponsorships.
• Technology. This committee is responsible for recommending, maintaining, and developing technologies used by ChiPy for its operations. Any changes to existing technologies still need to be proposed to the Board for majority approval, and every Board member should have access to every system, at all times.

Confidentiality {#confidentiality}

Board Members shall not discuss or disclose information about the organization or its activities to any person or entity unless such information is required by law, the information is already a matter of public knowledge, such person or entity has a need to know, or the disclosure of such information is in furtherance of the organization’s purposes, or can reasonably be expected to benefit the organization. Board members shall use discretion and good business judgment in discussing the affairs of the organization with third parties.

Each Board member shall execute a confidentiality agreement consistent herewith upon being voted onto and accepting appointment to the Board. Violation of this agreement is grounds for immediate removal from the Board as well as potential legal action, should such be warranted.

Meetings {#meetings}

Regular meetings are held no less than once a month in a manner that supports remote participation. Board meetings are called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board no less than 36 hours in advance of the meeting time.

Quorum {#quorum}

The presence of a majority of current members of the Board shall be necessary at any meeting to constitute a quorum to transact business, but a lesser number shall have power to adjourn to a specified later date without notice. The act of a majority of the members of the Board present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, unless the act of a greater number is required by law or by these by-laws. For example, if four of seven board members are present, quorum is met. If three of those four present Board members agree on a vote, the vote passes.

Parliamentary Procedure {#parliamentary-procedure}

Robert’s Rules unless specified otherwise in the Bylaws.

Elections of the ChiPy Board {#elections-of-the-chipy-board}

Frequency/Scope {#frequency-scope}

Elections occur every calendar year, per the Schedule, to fill approximately half of the Board seats available. This frequency helps support healthy turnover, while not diminishing the Board’s knowledge base.

Elections are for Board membership, not Officer positions, which are internally voted on by the Board.

Nomination {#nomination}

Any Organizer or Board member may submit a name for nomination to the Board. Nominations will be made via the Voting Platform.

Requirements {#requirements}

In order to be on the ballot, a nominee must:

1. live at least part of the year in the greater Chicagoland area,
2. be able to attend events,
3. have attended at least two events in the last 12 months, and
4. be a member.

Note: Board Members do NOT have to be day-to-day organizers. They are, however, responsible for overseeing organizers (making sure they are enabled for success not micromanaging).

Voting {#voting}

Voting is open to all Organizers and Board members. Aspirationally, we’d like to open up voting to all Members.

Voting will occur via a third-party voting platform. The voting system used is multi-winner run-off.

Schedule {#schedule}

One month prior to the start of elections, the names of the Board Members not subject to election and the number of positions available on the Board in the coming election will be made publicly available. This communication will also include the list of voters who can cast ballots or Nominate candidates to the Board.

**First regular Board meeting in January: **Last voter list ratification before elections.

**January 15th: **Call for Board nominations made via email to Organizers and Board members. The email will include a description of nomination requirements, a Board member’s role, and instructions on how to cast a nomination.

February 7th: Advance notice of the:

1. names of the Board Members not subject to election,
2. the number of positions available on the Board in the coming election,
3. the names of the nominees,
4. the date range to cast ballots, and
5. how to cast ballots

will be made available to eligible voters via email.

February 14th: Voting opens. Email reminders about voting will be sent to eligible voters.

**February 28th: **Voting closes.

**March 2nd: **Results announced via email.

March main meeting: Election process and results announced.

First regular board meeting after results announced: New board terms take effect.

Amending the Bylaws {#amending-the-bylaws}

The Board Members may amend these Bylaws by a majority vote at a meeting of the board. Written notice setting forth the proposed amendment or summary of the changes to be affected thereby shall be given to each Board Member within the time and manner provided for the giving of notice of meetings of the Board.