Campus Ministry Council Constitution
Preamble
The Campus Ministry Council (CMC) at Southern Methodist University functions under the auspices of the Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life. Whereas each endorsed ministry organization has its own aims and activities, the CMC, as a body of representatives of those organizations, is charged with maintaining an orderly system of programs, in keeping with university policies, and it welcomes commitment to advancing core religious priorities. Working together in a spirit of good will, the CMC serves as an extension of the Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life to: (1) promote the development of worshiping communities, (2) collaborate wherever possible on projects of mutual concern, and (3) communicate the vision of faith as a central, integral and integrative feature of human life. In order to accomplish the foregoing aims, this Constitution establishes essential structures for the CMC.
CAMPUS MINISTRY COUNCIL
CONSTITUTION
Article I – Purpose
The Southern Methodist University Campus Ministry Council is the coordinating
body for religious groups designated, credentialed, and supervised by the
Vice-President of Student Affairs Office of the Chaplain and Religious Life.
The Campus Ministry Council addresses issues that impact the religious,
spiritual, and moral life of the university community through leadership
development and educational enrichment.
The purpose of the Campus Ministry Council is to facilitate communication and
collaboration among member religious life organizations and the Office of the
Chaplain and Religious Life.
Article II – Governance
A. Membership – The Campus Ministry Council consists of credentialed (see
Policies) campus ministers and recognized student representatives of all
approved religious life groups, religions and denominations.
B. Voting – Each religious organization recognized by the Campus Ministry
Council is entitled to one vote.
C. Quorum – A quorum shall be those members present at any duly called meeting.
A duly-called meeting is defined as a regularly scheduled monthly meeting or a
special meeting whereby members have been notified one week in advance as to the
meeting’s time and purpose.
D. Governance - Two convenors, appointed by the Coordinator of Religious Life,
will facilitate Campus Ministry Council meetings and serve in an advisory
capacity to the Office of the Chaplain.
III – Amendments
Amendments to this constitution may be considered at any stated or called
meeting of CMC, provided that two (2) weeks prior notice is given to CMC members
that amendments will be considered and that copies of the proposed changes be
included with the notice. Amendments must pass by a two-thirds majority of those
present and voting.
Adopted October 26, 1978
Amended May 2, 1985
Amended April 2, 1992
Revised May 1, 2001
Revised November 2009
Supplement to the Constitution of the
Campus Ministry Council
The Student Code of Southern Methodist University provides, in Article III,
Section C-3:
Religious organizations wishing to be chartered must have a written
recommendation from the Campus Ministry Council (CMC) before appearing before
the Organizations Committee. Generally, CMC convenes only one meeting per month.
In order to be chartered, new religious organizations must be willing to
participate as a member of the CMC. (Participation is defined as attending
monthly CMC meetings.)
POLICIES
Values
Each campus minister, student representative, and his or her appointing
agency shall:
A. Recognize the pluralism and religious diversity and respect the integrity of
other religious life groups and refrain from targeting and recruiting members
from them.
B. Adhere to “truth in advertising” – any programming by a religious life group
shall reflect the name of the group on all materials.
C. Support, where possible, common goals of the council, the Office of the
Chaplain and the University.
D. Promote the development of worshiping communities and, where and when
possible, conceive and carry out their separate and/or corporate activities in
an ecumenical spirit;
E. Discuss matters put before the council in a civil and professional way.
Admitting New Religious Organizations
The following criteria govern the consideration for membership in Campus
Ministry Council:
A. The applying group must be associated with an historically identifiable
religious group
B. The applying group must have completed the application process with the
Office of the Chaplain.
C. The group must be distinct in its organizational identity and non-duplicative
of other organizations already serving students at SMU.
Criteria, Accountability and Procedures
Accountability – The individual members of CMC are to be accountable to:
A. Legitimate authorities of their own denomination or religious group.
B. Southern Methodist University through the Offices of the Chaplain and
Religious Life.
C. The Campus Ministry Council will have the authority to censure its own
individual members (by a vote of two-thirds majority) and to communicate that
censure to the Chaplain to the University.
D. Any organization that misses 2 meetings of CMC in one academic year will lose
recognized status with Student Senate and Office of the Chaplain and Religious
Life.