September 9, 2000

The Arroyo Vista Community Garden Club is established by the authority of the Chancellor and subscribes to the regulations and policies of the University of California, Irvine.

The club is established to oversee the use and management of the Arroyo Vista Community Garden. The goals of the club are to maintain and enhance the value of the community garden for present and future members, and to enhance the quality of student experience, by expanding opportunities for students to interact with faculty, staff, and community members in an informal setting.

The Arroyo Vista Community Garden was created to replace the Mesa Court Community Garden when that site was converted to additional student housing. The original purpose of the Mesa Court garden was to support the educational mission of the University, providing study plots for students in horticulture classes taught in the School of Biological Sciences. In1985, when some of the garden space was made available to faculty, staff, and community members, the role of the garden was enlarged to include support of the University's community service mission. The garden is a place where people with similar interests come together, and where the boundaries between faculty, staff, students, and community members disappear. For many community members, involvement with the garden is their most meaningful link to the University.

The Arroyo Vista Community Garden is a registered campus organization that exists at the discretion of the University under the auspices of the Dean of Students.

All gardeners who have been assigned a garden plot(s), have paid annual dues in full, have signed the membership agreement outlining responsibilities of gardeners, and are maintaining their garden in accordance with the agreement will be considered members in good standing. Members will be accepted without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or national origin. Officers of the club assign garden plots based on space available, and position on the waiting list. Students, faculty, and staff are given a priority status on the waiting list.

Membership status may be revoked by a majority vote of the officers of the club for failure to abide by the rules defined in the membership agreement or failure to pay dues.

The club will have a leadership committee of three officers to share responsibilities for managing the garden. They will be elected to a one-year term. The officers will include a president, vice president, and secretary/treasurer. All officers of the club must be affiliated with the University as a student, or a member of the faculty or staff.

The officers may accept volunteers and/or solicit the assistance of club members to serve on the committee in an advisory capacity as members-at-large. Any club member may serve as a member-at-large. The officers of the club may delegate responsibility for administrative tasks to members-at-large as necessary to ensure efficient management of the garden. The officers may also establish subcommittees as needed to work on special projects or handle ongoing administrative tasks.

The officers shall:

• Ensure that the annual loan payment to Housing Administration is made no later than June 30 of each year per the agreement between the Arroyo Vista Community Garden Club and UCI dated August 21, 2000. (see Appendix I)
• Ensure that garden plots are maintained in accordance with the membership agreement (see Appendix II).
• Ensure that garden plots are assigned in a fair manner.
• Revoke membership status of any club member who fails to abide by the terms of the membership agreement by majority vote of the elected officers.

The president and vice president shall:

• Assign garden plots.
• Maintain the waiting list.
• Maintain the list of current members.
• Conduct annual elections

The secretary/treasurer shall:

• Prepare correspondence.
• Keep meeting minutes.
• Collect and record dues.
• Maintain required records of expenditures.

The signature of two officers will be required to withdraw money from the club account. This authority may not be delegated to committee members that are not elected officers.

The Arroyo Vista Community Garden Club will assess annual membership dues for the purpose of repaying the garden construction loan (see Appendix I), for general maintenance of the garden and equipment, and to cover administrative costs such as printing and postage.

The dues will be no less than $40.00 per plot for faculty, staff, and community club members. In the first year of garden assignments, ten garden plots will be made available to students at the reduced rate of $25.00 per year. Student members, beyond the initial ten, will be required to pay the full club membership of $40.00 per year. In future years, a maximum of ten plots will be eligible for the discounted rate of $25.00 per year.

If the committee determines it is necessary to raise dues, it may hold a special meeting or conduct a special election to allow members to vote on the issue. Dues may be increased by a majority vote of the ballots cast by members in a special election or a majority of those present at a club meeting. Results of the vote will be posted on the garden shed.

Dues notices will be mailed to club members by March 15 of each year. Failure to pay dues by April 15 will be taken as evidence that the garden has been abandoned unless prior arrangements have been made. Dues are not refundable.

The officers of the club will reassign abandoned gardens. New garden assignments implemented between April 15 and October 15 will be assessed the full annual dues. New garden assignments made between October 16 and April 14 will be assessed one half of the annual dues.

The University shall have the right to audit the financial records of the club.

The club will have no regularly scheduled meetings. The committee may call a special meeting to solicit membership input or communicate important information regarding club operations.

The committee may sponsor special events such as guest speakers or club outings. All members in good standing shall be invited to such special events.

Elections will be held each year, concurrent with collection of annual dues. No later than February 15 of each year the committee will mail all members in good standing a notice soliciting nominations for elected positions. Any garden member in good standing who is affiliated with the university as a student, or is a member of the faculty or staff may be nominated or may self-nominate. No later than March 15 of each year, ballots will be mailed to the designated voting member for each plot. One vote may be cast per plot. Officers will be appointed by the majority vote of ballots received by April 15. New officers will assume their duties on May 1 of the election year.

An officer may be removed from office by a recall election. A recall election will be held as a special election if one-fourth of the members sign a petition calling for the recall of an officer.

A committee member-at-large may be removed from office by a majority vote of the elected officers.

This Constitution will take effect if a majority of those garden members present at the meeting held on September 9, 2000 approve it.

Concurrent with ratification of the Constitution, Bylaws 1 through 6 will be adopted. The club may adopt new bylaws following the procedure defined in Bylaw 1.

To amend this Constitution will require that one-fourth of the members in good standing sign a petition calling for a special election to vote on the proposed amendment. The Constitution will be amended if a majority of the garden members in good standing cast ballots in the special election, and the amendment is approved by two-thirds of the members voting. Provisions of this Constitution and Appendix I which govern repayment of the garden construction loan may not be amended, except with prior written approval of the University (Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Life and Auxiliary Services). All amendments shall be in compliance with University regulations and policies and shall be filed with the University through the Dean of Students.

Proposals to modify bylaws, delete bylaws, or add bylaws to the Constitution will be included on the annual election ballot mailed to all garden members in good standing. If the majority of members returning ballots approve the ballot measure, the bylaw change will be adopted effective May 1 of the election year.

To have proposed bylaws placed on the ballot, one or more members of the garden club shall draft the bylaw and mail one copy to the committee by February 1 of the election year. The garden member(s) proposing the bylaw must also post one copy on the garden shed no later than February 1 of the election year. Garden members may submit comments on the proposed bylaw to the committee by March 1. A summary of garden member's comments will be included with the ballot to be mailed on March 15 of the election year.

In the event of a vacancy in an elected office of the Arroyo Vista Community Garden Club, the two remaining elected officials shall determine whether they wish to call a special election or assume additional responsibilities until the annual elections are conducted. In the event that two of the three elected positions become vacant the club must hold a special election immediately.

For special elections to fill a vacancy in an elected position on the committee, a notice will be mailed to all members in good standing soliciting nominations with a two-week response limit. Within seven days of completion of the nomination process, special election ballots shall be mailed to all members in good standing with a two-week response limit. Ballots will be counted three days following the last day of the specified voting period, and the new officers will assume their roles immediately.

A special election will also be initiated immediately upon receipt of a valid petition for amendment of the Constitution signed by at least one-fourth of the garden members. Within 30 days of receipt of the petition, verification of the membership standing of those signing the petition shall be completed and special election ballots shall be mailed to all members in good standing. Members shall have 30 days to respond, and ballots will be counted three days following the last day of the specified voting period. If the majority of garden members return ballots, and two-thirds of the ballots returned support the proposed amendment, and Constitution will be amended and revised copies provided to members within 30 days.

1. Exceptions to the Rule on Abandonment

The officers of the club have authority to purchase goods and services necessary to maintain the garden. The committee encourages garden members to communicate regarding maintenance needs. With the approval of a majority of the committee, members will be reimbursed for purchases made on behalf of the club.

Our water is pure (not reclaimed) and is provided at no cost by the University. Careful use of water is very important. Water is to be used only when the gardener is in attendance, and it must be turned off when the gardener leaves the garden. If a hose is found running and the gardener is not present, the person observing the misuse of water shall turn it off. The gardener is encouraged to contact the committee notifying them of the garden number and the date of the misuse. The committee will issue a letter of warning to the gardener assigned to the plot for a first offense. Repeat offenses will result in loss of gardening privileges.

Actions such as theft of tools, equipment, produce, flowers, and vandalism or destruction of another gardener's garden/property will result in loss of gardening privileges and expulsion from the area. No gardener may enter another gardener's plot without permission. In cases of disputes over ownership of items, the parties must work through the committee, which will have final authority to settle the disputes. Disputes involving vandalism, theft or destruction of property may result in expulsion of one or both garden members.

University policy prohibits use of alcoholic beverages in the garden. Smoking is strongly discouraged. Tobacco mosaic virus is devastating to tomato plants in this area.