Article I. Definition EsqChoir is a co-ed a cappella group open to all Seton Hall Law School students through audition. Article II. Officers Officer Positions & Responsibilities President The President directs rehearsals and auditions, makes executive decisions for the welfare of the group in all situations not decided democratically as set forth in this Constitution, and performs any organizational duties necessary for the smooth operation of EsqChoir. Vice President The Vice President performs the duties of the President when the President is unable, and aids the President in executive decision-making, such as the cancellation of rehearsal, rescheduling, or other decisions which affect the entirety of the group. Treasurer The Treasurer is responsible for submitting a budget to Seton Hall Law’s Student Body Association (“SBA”), keeping track of EsqChoir monies and reporting to the group as a whole on the group’s financial situation at the beginning and close of each semester. SBA Representative The SBA Representative is responsible for attending and representing EsqChoir at monthly SBA meetings, and reporting back to EsqChoir as to SBA proceedings. Electing Officers Officers are elected at the conclusion of each Academic Year for the duration of the following Academic Year, which begins after graduation. Elections are held by closed ballot; every active member votes, including graduating members, and each vote counts equally. Every officer position is up for re-election annually, but Members are not restricted from re-election by term limits. A Member may hold more than one officer position, provided that the offices of President and Vice-President are never held by the same Member simultaneously. Prior to an election, any Member may withdraw his/her name from consideration, or make his/her interest in a position known. Filling Vacated Officer Positions If an Officer position becomes available mid-semester or mid-year due to the resignation, removal, or leave of absence of an Officer, elections will be held in accordance to Article II, §B, above, at the first rehearsal after the position becomes available. Removing Officers Officers can be removed from their official duties via unanimous agreement by the remainder of the group, if he or she has failed to satisfy the requirements of their Office. This removal only removes them from their official position; removal from the group requires a separate unanimous vote, as set forth in Article III, § A(2). See Article II, § B(1): Filling Vacated Officer Positions. Article III. Members Member’s Position and Responsibilities Membership in EsqChoir implies a commitment both to the group as a whole and to each individual member. Each Member is expected to use their best efforts to participate fully in the musical aspect of the group, arrive in a timely manner to each rehearsal, and to notify the President of any intended absences as set forth below. EsqChoir shall be limited to no more than 15 Members. Missing Rehearsal If unable to attend a rehearsal, the Member is required to notify the President with as much advance notice as possible. Missing Internal Auditions If solo or any other auditions are scheduled for the upcoming rehearsal, and the Member notifies the President of their intended absence later than the end of the prior rehearsal, then the Member forfeits their right to audition for that solo or other similar audition. Grounds for Dismissal of a Member Missing Excessive Rehearsals Missing more than 4 (or 15 percent of) rehearsals in any one semester subjects the Member to a warning reprimand by the President. Missing 7 rehearsals (or more than 25 percent) may subject the Member to dismissal from the group after a unanimous vote by all other Members, for which the offending Member need not be present. Failure to Satisfy Minimum Musical Requirements A Member may be removed if it is determined by a majority of the remaining Members of EsqChoir that the Member is unable to meet the level of musicality demanded by the group. Musicality may be measured by such factors as ability to hold a part or maintain proper pitch, among other factors as Members may deem relevant. Leave of Absence Any Member may take a leave of absence from EsqChoir for one semester for any reason without penalty. Members taking a leave of absence are considered inactive members. A leave of absence beyond one semester, including non-consecutive semesters, will require the Member to re-audition for re-admittance to EsqChoir. Solos held by Members taking a leave of absence are to be re-auditioned and temporarily reassigned until the Member returns. Reassignment becomes permanent if the Member’s absence exceeds one semester. Article IV. Auditions Auditioning New Members Frequency of Auditions Auditions for new members should be held at the commencement of the Academic Year and the Spring Term. Eligibility Any member of Seton Hall Law School’s student body is eligible to audition. However, former Members who have been expelled for excessive absences may not re-audition for admittance for at least one full semester beyond the semester of their expulsion. Voting Members Every active member of EsqChoir participates in the audition process, and is present for each Potential Member’s audition. Graduates are not considered active members. The President, with the aid of the Vice President as desired, shall run the audition and explain the audition process to each Auditionee. Each Member of EsqChoir receives one vote, each of which counts equally. The President shall cast the deciding vote only if the Members are deadlocked and the vote for and against a Potential Member’s acceptance is a tie. Process Each Auditionee is auditioned individually in front of EsqChoir, without other Auditionees or Non-Members present, unless requested by the Auditionee for moral support. Each voting member should take notes on each Potential Member (“Auditionee”) regarding each of the four categories of their Audition. Audition Categories Each Auditionee must perform the four required categories of an audition. Scales Auditionees are required to sing scales to determine their singing range. After being given an example of a scale by the Member playing the accompanying instrument, and starting on a note comfortable for the Auditionee, the Auditionee shall sing scales as far up as possible until they are no longer comfortable, and then as far down. Members are encouraged to record the Auditionee’s range in their notes. There is no minimum range, but range may factor into a Potential Member’s versatility as a musician. Tonal Matching Tonal matching determines the Potential Member’s “ear;” their ability to match pitch vocally with a non-vocal pitch. Each Auditionee, while out of visual range of the keys of the accompanying instrument, shall hear and then sing back three different sequences of notes, of three, four, and five notes, respectively, of varying difficulty, and with neither all ascending nor all descending in pitch. An Auditionee may request to hear the note sequence more than once before singing without repercussions. The Auditionee may repeat singing the sequence at the Auditonee’s or a Member’s request. It is highly recommended that a Potential Member match tones perfectly, preferably on the first attempt. Percussion Vocal percussion is the least influential category of an Audition in determining whether to admit a Potential Member, if influential at all. The ability to percuss well is a perk, but not a mandatory ability. Members can be admitted solely on the basis of their percussive ability, on the grounds that they agree that their role is limited to percussion. Percussing Members' votes count equally in all respects with those of other Members. Solo Each Auditionee shall sing a portion of a musical piece of their choice, unaccompanied. The Auditionee should be assured that stopping the Auditionee prior to concluding the piece is merely an indication that the Members have heard enough to make a decision, not an indicator of the quality of the Auditionee’s voice. A starting note can be given upon request. The Auditionee should continue singing until they finish their piece, or until stopped by the President. Voting members are cautioned against accepting members who sing the Solo category admirably, but fail or have moderate difficulty with tonal matching. Failure of tonal matching implies an inability to hear the correct pitch, and will be a detriment to a Potential Member’s ability to learn parts in the future. Callbacks If requested by any of the Members and agreed upon by the group, a second round of auditions (callbacks) will be held for Potential Members who have made it past the first round of auditions. During callbacks, all Potential Members still being considered should be called back simultaneously to sing both with each other and with the group as a whole. Potential Members should be taught different parts on the "background" of a piece from EsqChoir’s repertoire, to assure Potential Members can hold their own part. Various blending exercises should be used to determine the compatibility of Potential Members’ voices with current Members' voices. Callbacks should continue until current Members have heard enough to reach a decision. Deliberation and final selection will occur after callbacks end and the Potential Members are dismissed. Duration of Membership A member, once admitted, is a member of the group until graduation, unless: otherwise removed for cause (see Article III, § D: Grounds For Dismissal of a Member) or he/she takes a leave of absence of more than one semester (see Article III, § E: Leave of Absence). Internal Auditions Each member should be given the opportunity to audition for each available Solo. Parts Requiring Auditions Solos and significant harmonies (“Solos”) require an audition by each Member of the group interested in the part. Each Member is strongly encouraged to audition for every Solo, unless range makes it impossible. Number of Solos Permitted There is no limit on the number of Solos able to be held by any one Member. However, the number of Solos already held by a particular Member can be considered when voting for Solos. Process Each Member will sing an identical portion of the Solo being auditioned, unless the Solo is clearly beyond their range. Members are strongly encouraged not to abstain from auditioning. Members will vote by closed ballot. Solo Ownership Once awarded to a Member, the Solo belongs to that Member until the Member graduates or is no longer with the group. Solos can be temporarily re-assigned for Members taking a leave of absence. (See Article III, § E: Leave of Absence) Article V. Voting All elections are held by closed ballot. Any Election (“Vote”) with a disparity of three or more votes between the Members with the highest and next highest number of votes will be automatically be awarded to the Member with the highest number of votes. Voting for Oneself There is no prohibition against voting for oneself in Officer Elections or Solo Auditions, although it is frowned upon if used with excessive frequency. Abstentions Abstentions from voting are strongly discouraged, and are only permitted when the Member abstaining is in the running. Electing Officers If There is a Tie Between Members With the Highest Votes The tied Members will exit the room, and the remaining Members will deliberate until a winner is chosen by a margin of at least two votes. If the Member with the next highest vote is only one vote away from the tied Members, that Member may also leave the room to be a candidate for deliberation. If There is a Disparity of One Vote Between Members With the Highest Votes If there is a disparity of only one vote between the member(s) with the highest number of votes and the member(s) with the next highest votes, the members will exit the room, and the remaining Members will deliberate until a winner is chosen by a margin of at least two votes. If There is a Disparity of Two Votes Between Members With the Highest Votes If there is a disparity of two votes between Members with the highest number of votes, the Members will exit the room, and the remaining Members will deliberate until a winner is chosen by a margin of at least three votes. Electing New Members New Members must receive 1) at least 75% of the active Members' votes, and 2) no Potential Member may have more than two votes against him/her. If no Potential Member meets these two criteria, then no New Members should be admitted. Voting on Internal Auditions If There is a Tie Between Members With the Highest Votes The Members with the highest votes will have a Sing-Off. If the Member with the next highest vote tally is only one vote away, that Member may also be included in the Sing-Off. Sing-Offs The Members with the highest number of votes will re-audition, and then exit the room. The remaining Members shall deliberate until an agreement is reached. The winner must be chosen by a margin of at least two votes. If There is a Disparity of One Vote Between Members With the Highest Votes If there is a disparity of only one vote between the member(s) with the highest number of votes and the member(s) with the next highest votes, a Sing-Off will be held between those members. (See Article IV, § E(1)(a): Sing-Offs) If There is a Disparity of Two Votes Between Members With the Highest Votes If there is a disparity of two votes between Members with the highest number of votes, a Sing-off will be held as long as the lower vote is three or more. (See Article V, § E(1)(a): Sing-Offs) Article VI. Amendments This Constitution can be amended only by the unanimous vote of all currently active members.