Seeds

S.E.E.D.S. Student Action Group (Constitution)
Stewardship, Education, Environment, Disenfranchised, Service

ARTICLE I – Identification

SEEDS student action group of Indiana Wesleyan University is a non-profit organization. The members refer to themselves as SEEDS (using the acronym formed from five core values of Stewardship, Education, Environment, Disenfranchised, and Service).


ARTICLE II – Purpose

Section 1. This organization is founded to heighten awareness on campus of environmental and social justice issues through positive activities (see Amendment B) that build community and impact culture.

Section 2. This organization shall work closely with residence life staff, student government staff and the IWU community to provide mission centered events that enhance life on campus.

Section 3. This organization represents students and staffs who desire to impact their world, local town and campus with principals that promote Stewardship in our lives as Christians.

Section 4. This organization shall not knowingly, as a group become involved in any activity that goes against the policies of the university, or against the spirit behind policies as outlined in the student handbook.

Section 5. This organization is principal focused, desires to educate not proselytize, and has at its heart a Student Development theoretical approach. We are about experiential learning and invite others to join us as we practice stewardship.

ARTICLE III – Membership

Membership in SEEDS is open to anyone, but is limited by our membership rites and seasons at the beginning of each semester. The membership rites consist of attending at least 5 meetings, contributing positively in meetings; attending at least one experiential based program and signing a covenant statement (see Amendment A). There are no tiers to membership, except that we will have a staff/faculty board, an executive committee and charter membership status as well.

ARTICLE IV – Staff/Faculty Board

Our goal is to always have several faculty and staff on our board. We desire to see IWU model a learning environment where faculty and staff learn alongside students while building community. We are excited about the academic mission of IWU and hope to enhance it. We are also excited about the Mentoring focus of the Residence Life Program and hope to enhance it by encouraging relationships that draw faculty, staff and students into closer community while practicing stewardship issues. Faculty and Staff who serve on our board can serve a ½, full or extended term (1/2 = semester only, full=1 school year, extended=decided upon by charter membership vote).

ARTICLE V – Executive Committee

The executive Committee shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Advisors who will meet frequently to discuss and evaluate the mission and goals of the organization.

Section 1. Executive Committee

The executive committee shall consist of four officers: a President, Vice-President, Treasurer/Secretary and Social Activities Coordinator. And one or more Advisors who shall be faculty or staff members employed at IWU.

Section 2. Duties of the Executive Committee Officers.

a. The duties of the President shall be to schedule meeting dates, preside at all the meetings, and to appoint committees and to ratify or approve all actions of the organization. The President shall be responsible to keep the organization within the boundaries of its constitution. The President must have a GPA of at least 2.50 and must not be on any academic or citizenship probation and must support the chapel program at IWU holding less than six skips per semester. The President must be a mentor on campus registered through Student Development’s mentoring program.

b. The duties of the Vice-President shall be to assume all of the duties of the President in the event that the President is absent or unable to perform his/her duties. The Vice-President must have a GPA of at least 2.50, must not be on academic or citizenship probation and must support the chapel program at IWU holding less than six skips per semester. The President must be a mentor on campus registered through Student Development’s mentoring program.

c. The duties of the Treasurer/Secretary are twofold: The duties as Treasurer shall be to keep an accurate record of the Residence Hall Association’s budget and expenses incurred including receipts. The duties as Secretary shall be to furnish minutes and information to the group as well as for the archives. The Secretary will furnish the minutes of the previous meeting to other members at each successive meeting. They will also make necessary payments to national organizations SEEDS affiliates with using account numbers provided. They will be responsible for communication to SGO/Student Development of changes to our constitution and practices and processes. The Secretary must have a GPA of at least 2.5, must not be on any academic or citizenship probation and must support the chapel program at IWU holding less than six skips per semester. The President must be a mentor on campus registered through Student Development’s mentoring program.

d. The duties of the Social Activities Officer are to schedule and facilitate calendar items, outreach opportunities and all experiential activities. They will coordinate the set-up and advertising of all on-campus and off-campus activities. They will also respond to the group’s email and update its web and print material.

ARTICLE V – Advisors

The advisor(s) will be currently employed IWU faculty or staff.

Section 1. The duties of the Advisor(s) are to attend the SEEDS meetings when necessary. He/She is in charge of handling the finances with the help of the Treasurer/Secretary. He/She also is to give support to the President and his/her staff.

ARTICLE VI – Meetings

Section 1. Meeting times and dates will be scheduled by the President. They shall be scheduled at the beginning of each semester.

Section 2. The President and Advisor(s) are authorized to call special meetings when needed.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month or more often if Advisor(s) deem necessary.

Section 4. The Advisor(s) is/are able to attend all meetings he/she feels necessary.

Section 5. The President must ask the advisor for any and all funds deemed necessary for the activities planned.

Section 6. SEEDS goal is to have one representative from each living area at each meeting. We may not attain this goal initially.

ARTICLE VII – Elections

The executive committee shall be appointed by the Advisor(s) and President. Advisors will be voted upon in open forum at any meeting needed. They will be elected by a 2/3 majority rule.

ARTICLE IX – Finances

Section 1. Funding for all SEEDS events must be approved by the Advisor(s).

Section 2. All receipts will be collected by the Treasurer and given to the Advisor to turn into the Student Development Office.

ARTICLE IX – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws and any special rules or order the organization may adopt. Deviation from practice of Rules formally is appropriate when needed at meetings.

ARTICLE X – Amendments

The constitution for the SEEDS Student Action Group may be amended, repealed, or suspended by a two-thirds majority vote of the active members. Ballots must be cast in the person.


We hereby certify that the foregoing constitution was adopted by the current membership at large by a two-thirds majority vote on October 8th, 2004.

Juli Neff & Katrina Korreckt
Co-Presidents 2004-2005

Jason Makowsky & Jill Gay, RD's
Advisor's 2004-2005

Amendment A – Covenant Statement

As a member of SEEDS I seek to live a life that reflects the principal of stewardship. I will attempt this by living in community with my fellow members of SEEDS learning how to care for the environment, its natural resources and my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit. I will attend meetings regularly and be a positive contributor. I will adhere to the outlines within its constitution and look for ways to grow in my walk with Christ as I mentor a student on campus. I believe that the principals of Stewardship, Environmental care, Education, caring for the Disenfranchised and Service to mankind are Kingdom principals and I seek to better model them.

Amendment B – Program Outline

SEEDS Student organization
09/14/04
Submitted by Jason Makowsky

Historical info:
SEEDS idea was created in the fall of 2001 by Paul Stonehouse, a resident director in Hodson Hall. Its original aim was to:

“…educate ourselves, create an awareness [within campus] and surrounding communities, initiate recycling programs/Christian stewardship, community outreach in accordance with campus mission statement – Christ centered, changing the world by developing students in character, scholarship, leadership. Including servant leadership and stewardship of resources [even financial], and to break down barriers – we are not lunatics.”[1]

While it originally yielded 12 members, it never saw the next fall semester. It was a valorous start that was quickly frowned upon by administration because it seemed to suggest IWU had real problems when it came to modeling SEEDS core values of stewardship, environmental policy and care for the disenfranchised.

It attempted to create a lasting organization, but was unable to convince the IWU public that they were “not lunatics.” And thus, build a strong member base. The following is a master plan aimed at resurrecting the organization, changing its objectives slightly and building an organization appealing to students and administration alike. It is also my gift to Paul Stonehouse, my mentor, who taught me through modeling, that the environment is our gift from God and our gift back to Him is how we treat it.

Proposal for Resurrecting SEEDS:

Action steps… (Fall semester of 2004)
1. Research regional college groups similar to SEEDS (field trip?)
2. Fill out paperwork to become a campus group
3. Pursue grant from SGO ($750) to begin SEEDS again
4. Write a constitution
5. Get faculty support (Goff, Drury, Swyers etc…)
6. Get outside organizational support (e.g. Target Earth)
7. Advertise initial student group by shoulder tapping more than advertising, and begin meeting weekly
8. Fulfill objectives through experiential education instead of counter-cultural initiatives (e.g. signs that produce guilt)
9. Build an awareness of our group through positive-partnering initiatives

The “How To” of the above action steps…

Research regional student organizations
I know of several regional chapters (and my list is several years old): Earth Keepers (Wheaton College), Environmental Stewardship Coalition (Calvin College), Butler has a chapter too. Our first goal will be to see what is working and what isn’t. It is also a chance for us to network and make our job easier. We don’t have to re-create the wheel. Once data is collected we can proceed with the next steps.

Fill out paperwork to become campus organization
This step is relatively simple and is hardly worth mentioning, but it is a step we need to attend to. This also includes writing a constitution and petitioning SGO for funds (if available). This step will also generate some buzz with administration wondering if we “are lunatics” and hope to proselytize them all into becoming converts to environmentalism, but we need to at least have our re-defined goals and mission written by this time so they will see we mean them no harm.

Get faculty support
If we ever hope to make it through that first crucial year we need to tie our initiative into the academic side of the institution. This is not only smart politically, but gives us lasting power if it’s seen as an academic initiative (maybe even granting credit to some for lab or practicum experience). I would recommend shoulder tapping several key faculty members that seem to align with our core values like the one’s mentioned above.

Get outside organizational support
While this isn’t mandatory it gives us national resources and chapter name recognition. The key Christian organization seems to be Target Earth, which we have contacted in the past. I would also recommend becoming members of several secular organizations too so we don’t just stay in the bubble.

Recruit Student Base
For our first semester I would recommend recruiting those we know align with our values as well as advertising canvas of interested students who we don’t know yet. We can start with a group as small as six, but 10 would be nice. After that we shouldn’t have a problem with members. I recommend stiff membership criteria so we can keep our values pure since we are a value driven organization.

Experiential Education vs. Proselytizing
This is a subtle difference, but people are not motivated by hate advertising such as catchy posters that convince one they are a rotten dirty consumer of raw materials and they are killing animals, groundwater and making the future bleak by how they waste. They are motivated to a group that has lots of fun, learns about conservation and social action through experiencing it first hand and enjoying each other’s community. This will be our stance and I believe it will attract so many students we will need to open another chapter by the fall of 2005. Below are some of the ways I hope to accomplish this:

þ Concert, co-sponsored by SAC by recognized artist who also models the values we dispense.
þ GeoCaching trip that teaches outdoor care as well as orienteering skills.
þ High Pointers trip discovering local State high points while learning about natural resources and visiting natural spots along the way.
þ Send student sponsor (through grants) to any Soul Search Adventure or Drury outdoor trip with specific goal of modeling SEEDS values to participants.
þ Become local chapter of Rails-to-Trails (Cardinal Greenway) resource center.
þ Co-Sponsor multiple departmental initiatives modeling service to faculty and staff. Clean-up after picnics, community walk day, etc…
þ Have a homeless awareness night where we sleep outdoors in boxes, while fasting and having worship/prayer services.
þ Vision cast how to reach campus in Spring with SEEDS values

Things to cover in a first meeting:
Introduction of idea, why, history
Prayer for what God’s heart is, readings, challenge
Call to action, build a strong foundation
Membership initiative
Fall goals, weekly meetings outline


[1] These notes are taken from the archived meeting minutes (02/05/01). Probably their second or third meeting. No other meeting notes exist.