Constitution
CONTENTS
Article I: Name, Logo, and Organizational Structure
Article II: Declaration of Principles, Objectives, and Nature
Article III: Membership
Article IV: Meetings
Article V: Editorial Board
Article VI: Executive Editors
Article VII: Deliberating Staff Editors
Article VIII: Organizational Staff Editors
Article IX: Deliberating Staffs
Article X: Organizational Staffs
Article XI: Impeachment of Editorial Board Members
Article XII: Resignation and Leave of Members
Article XIII: Amendments to the Constitution
Article XIV: Change of the Constitution
Article XV: Enabling Provisions
ARTICLE I: NAME, LOGO, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Section 1. Name
The Publication and Organization established under this Constitution shall be known as Heights, the official literary and artistic Publication and Organization of the Ateneo De Manila University. In this Constitution, Heights may be referred to as The Organization, The Publication, or The Publication and Organization.
Section 2. Logo
The official logo of the Organization shall be the chair and shall appear in all official documents of the Publication and Organization. The chair shall have a distinct crack on the upper right portion of the top rail as viewed from the front and shall stand for the members’ and the alumnus’ constant pursuit of excellence. This logo shall not be tampered with on all official documents.
Section 3. Organizational Structure
Heights shall be composed of the Deliberating and Organizational staffs. The Publication and Organization shall be guided by the Editorial Board, whose term shall last for one academic year.
ARTICLE II: DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES, OBJECTIVES, AND NATURE
The Publication and Organization shall abide by the following principles and objectives:
Section 1. Heights, as the official literary and artistic Publication and Organization of the University, aims to showcase the best literary and artistic works of students, faculty, alumni, professionals, staff, and former members of the Ateneo De Manila University. The Publication will do so by accepting contributions, soliciting works, sponsoring literary and artistic initiatives, or by any other means deemed essential and appropriate by the Editorial Board.
Section 2. The Organization shall seek to discover new and fledgling talent, and shall expose them to the Philippine literary and artistic community. The Organization shall seek opportunities for new writers and artists to grow in their craft for the duration of their stay in the Loyola Schools.
Section 3. The Publication shall select and publish works based on literary and artistic excellence in a responsible and critical manner. The Publication shall be protected by the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 of the Republic of the Philippines (Republic Act No. 7079).
Section 4. The Organization, with the assistance and cooperation of the School of Humanities and other artistic organizations in and around the Ateneo de Manila community, shall work to encourage the literary and artistic practices.
Section 5. The Publication and Organization is made existent through the students’ publications fund, which is derived from the tuition fees of the Loyola Schools students. Thus, the Publication and Organization will not charge the student or the public any additional fees for Heights issues under any circumstances.
Section 6. The Publication shall print at least one regular folio per semester excluding the summer term, and one seniors’ folio per year. The publication of special folios or issues for project-specific, commemorative, or other special reasons shall be left to the discretion of the current Editorial Board.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership to the Organization shall be limited to Loyola Schools students of the Ateneo De Manila University. The application and retention processes per staff shall be determined by the respective Staff Editors. Members of the Organization shall be called “Heightsers”.
Section 2. A Heightser is expected to participate actively in the activities of his/her staff, fulfill his/her roles and responsibilities in accordance with those of the said staff as detailed in Articles IX and X, and perform any additional tasks or responsibilities assigned to him/her by the staff editors, provided that these do not jeopardize his standing as a student in the Loyola Schools or otherwise conflict with the aims of the Publication and Organization, the Code of Discipline of the University, and the law.
Section 3. A Heightser shall not be limited to a single staff. A member shall be allowed to participate in the activities and projects of other staffs. A member may also join other staffs provided that he or she sufficiently and actively fulfills the requirements of the said staffs.
Section 4. A Heightser shall have the right to free expression, to inquiry, to choice, and to due process.
Section 5. Heightsers shall hereafter be classed as Probationary, Active, and Senior.
A. All new members of the Organization are considered Probationary members. They shall be granted full membership status according to the application and retention processes of their respective staffs.
B. All members who have duly fulfilled and continue to fulfill the prescribed requirements of their respective staffs are considered Active members.
C. All graduating active members of the Organization are considered Senior members. Should they become members of the Editorial Board selection committee, they shall be addressed as Senior Editors.
ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS
Section 1. General Assembly
One (1) General Assembly shall be held every regular semester and shall be organized by the Editorial Board. Special General Assemblies may be determined, organized, and facilitated by the Editorial Board.
Section 2. Editorial Board Meetings
All Editorial Board meetings shall be determined, organized, and facilitated by the Executive Editors. Special Editorial Board meetings may be determined, organized, and facilitated by members of the Editorial Board.
Section 3. Deliberations and Submitted Works
The Deliberating Staffs shall conduct deliberations on works submitted by students, faculty, alumni, professionals, staff, and former members of the Ateneo de Manila University community. Works that are accepted during the deliberation process are to be published in regular and/or special folios except in cases where such works are raised to the Editorial Board. In these cases, the Editorial Board shall serve as the deliberating body. In exceptional circumstances, works from persons outside the community may also be deliberated and/or published by the Publication. The Deliberating Staff Editors shall have the exclusive power to schedule, organize and chair these deliberations.
Section 4. Seminars
The Editorial Board shall convene in a planning and evaluation seminar, which shall be conducted prior to the start of each regular semester. At the end of the academic year, the outgoing and incoming Editorial Boards shall convene in a transition seminar.
ARTICLE V. EDITORIAL BOARD
Section 1. Composition of the Editorial Board
The Editorial Board shall be composed of the Executive Editors, the Deliberating Staff Editors, the Associate Deliberating Staff Editors, the Organizational Staff Editors, and the Associate Organizational Editors.
Section 2. Powers and Responsibilities of the Editorial Board
A. The Editorial Board shall be the sole policy-making, administrative, and representative body of Heights.
B. The Editorial Board shall be held responsible for the contents and acts of Heights.
C. The Editorial Board shall provide procedures and regulations for all Heights members.
D. The Editorial Board shall approve the budgeting and disbursement of Heights funds. The Editorial Board may also undertake action to generate funds for any Heights endeavor provided that these do not entail the charging of additional fees for issues.
E. The Members of the Editorial Board shall be jointly held liable for any mistakes, misquotations, and improper attributions appearing in the Heights issue.
F. The Editorial Board shall choose the Organization’s Head Moderator and Staff Moderators for the academic year and thus shall notify the Loyola Schools administration regarding the selection.
G. The Editorial Board shall be the final deliberating and selection body for all works to be published.
H. The Editorial Board shall determine the criteria and eligibility of contributions and shall have the right to solicit works to enrich the content of the folio.
I. The Editorial Board shall make known its policies to all Heights members in a clear and effective manner. However, the Editorial Board reserves the right to deem any information confidential.
J. The Editorial Board shall have the authority to nominate and appoint members into the Editorial Board in the event that the outgoing Senior Editors have failed to name a qualified editor for an Editorial Board position. Vacant positions must be filled not later than thirty (30) days upon release of the Editorial Board Race results.
K. The Editorial Board shall have the power to delegate tasks to members of the Organization.
L. The Editorial Board shall have the power to propose amendments to the Constitution.
Section 3. Qualifications for Candidacy for Office
The Qualifications for Candidacy for Office reflect the Order of Precedence in the Editorial Board:
A. The Editor-in-Chief and the Associate Editor must have the following qualifications:
1. The candidate must at least be an incoming junior with a cumulative QPI of 2.50.
2. The candidate must not be a succeeding officer of any accredited organization in the Loyola Schools.
3. The candidate must have at least two (2) year’s experience with Heights.
B. The Managing Editors must have the following qualifications:
1. The candidate must at least be an incoming junior with a cumulative QPI of 2.50.
2. The candidate must not be a succeeding officer of any accredited organization in the Loyola Schools.
3. The candidate must have at least one (1) year’s experience with Heights.
C. The Deliberating Staff Editors, the Associate Deliberating Staff Editors, the Organizational Staff Editors, and the Associate Organizational Editors must have the following qualifications:
1. The candidate must at least be an incoming sophomore with a cumulative QPI of 2.50.
2. The candidate must have at least one (1) year’s experience with Heights.
Section 4. Selection of the Editorial Board members
A. Nominations for the Editorial Board positions shall be open to the whole membership of the Organization.
B. All nominees to the Editorial Board positions must undergo the screening procedures prescribed by the Senior Editors.
C. All members of the incoming Editorial Board shall be appointed by the Senior Editors based on the results of the screening and in accordance with the criteria set by the Senior Editors.
ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE EDITORS
Section 1. Nature
There shall be four Executive Editors: the Editor-in-Chief, the Associate Editor, the Managing Editor for Finance, and the Managing Editor for Communications.
Section 2. Collective Powers and Responsibilities
A. The Executive Editors shall be responsible for the general decisions, activities, and concerns affecting the whole Publication and Organization.
B. The Executive Editors shall have the power to question, clarify, justify, or veto all decisions made by each of the respective Editorial Board members, such as in deliberations, member formation, transactions, layout, press contacts, and other organizational concerns.
Section 3. Executive Decision/Veto
A. The executive decision/veto shall be the result of the exclusive meeting of the Executive Editors and shall be understood as the unanimous decision/ veto of the Executive Editors.
B. An executive decision shall be valid on concerns where the Collective Powers and Responsibilities of the Executive Editors (Section 2, Article VI) apply. The executive decision/ veto shall be suspended in cases prescribed herein.
Section 4. The Editor-In-Chief
A. He/she shall be the Chairman of the Editorial Board and of the Publication and Organization. He/she shall only vote in cases of deadlock in order to arrive at a final decision.
B. He/she shall present the production schedule at the start of the academic year for Editorial Board approval and, with the Managing Editor for Finance, shall present the budget proposal to the Loyola Schools administration.
C. He/she shall be held responsible for the final editing of the issue. He/she shall be held responsible for each stage of the production process.
D. He/she shall be accountable to the administration of the Loyola Schools for the budget and affairs of the Publication and Organization.
E. He/she shall be responsible for calling the planning and/or evaluation seminars of the Editorial Board. He/she shall be responsible for calling all Editorial Board meetings, regular assemblies, and emergency meetings.
F. In consultation with the Executive Editors, he/she shall reserve the right to participate in any activity concerning directly or indirectly the Publication and Organization.
G. He/she shall be the prime link of the Organization to the other organizations and offices within and outside the Loyola Schools.
H. He/she shall have the power to delegate the responsibilities of the Editorial Board members.
I. He/she shall write the editorial for each issue and shall have the power to delegate the task.
Section 5. The Associate Editor
A. He/she shall be the Vice-Chairman of the Editorial Board and of the Publication and Organization and shall assist the Editor-in-Chief in the performance of the latter’s duties.
B. He/she shall be responsible for and have authority over the Deliberating Staffs and their activities. He/she shall ensure that all of the Deliberating Staffs follow internal procedures, and shall settle inconsistencies amongst the Deliberating Staffs.
C. He/she shall assist the Editor-in-Chief in overseeing all aspects of production. Consequently, he/she shall be held responsible for each stage of the production process. He/she shall be responsible for secondary editing of the issue.
D. He/she shall take the role of Workshop Director for the year’s Ateneo Heights Writers Workshop.
1. After consulting with the Editor-in-Chief, the Workshop Director shall create a Workshop Committee.
2. In the event that the Associate Editor is unable to fulfill or assume his role as Workshop Director, the Editor-in-Chief may appoint another Editorial Board member to the position of Workshop Director, or assume the responsibility himself/herself.
E. He/she shall oversee the proper directorship of the Ateneo Heights Artists Workshop by the Art Staff Editors.
F. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging his duties.
Section 6. The Managing Editor for Finance
A. He/she shall be the Finance Officer of the Publication and Organization.
B. Together with the Managing Editor for Communications, the Managing Editor for Finance shall be responsible for Organization-wide formation activities and community building activities (general assemblies, etc) and shall be responsible for and have authority over the Organizational Staffs and their activities.
C. He/she shall prepare, organize, and report all financial matters of the Publication and Organization to the Ateneo de Manila community. Along with the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing Editor for Finance shall be held accountable for financial matters of the Publication and Organization.
D. He/she shall sign, record, and protect all receipts, invoices, and necessary financial documents, shall handle the purchasing order of the Publication and Organization, and shall directly and officially transact on behalf of the Publication and Organization. He/she shall collect all unsettled payments and liabilities of/for the Organization.
E. He/she shall prepare a semestral financial report, which is available upon request to all Heights members.
F. He/she shall constantly inform the Editorial Board regarding the financial state of the Publication and Organization and shall have the right to question and veto budget proposals and expenditures.
G. He/she shall write all the Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) between the Organization and the business partner/s.
H. He/she shall see that all financial obligations of the Publication and Organization are settled.
I. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Managing Editor for Communications whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging his duties.
Section 7. The Managing Editor for Communications
A. He/she shall be the Secretary-General and the Public Relations Officer of the Publication and Organization.
B. Together with the Managing Editor for Finance, the Managing Editor for Communications shall be responsible for Organization-wide formation activities and community building activities (general assemblies, etc) and shall be responsible, and therefore have authority, over the Organizational Staff Editors and the Production Managers, and their activities.
C. He/she shall record, keep, and disseminate the minutes of the meetings and all pertinent and operational documents (e.g. Codes of Internal Procedure) and templates (e.g. minutes of staff deliberations, evaluation forms, etc). He/she shall record, update, and disseminate the contact information and class schedules of the members of the Editorial Board.
D. He/she shall record, update, and disseminate the calendar of activities and the production schedules.
E. He/she shall be responsible for the content of the bulletin board/s and of all online accounts of the Publication and Organization.
F. He/she shall submit and keep a record of all Editorial Board members who may obtain the keys of the publication room from the Loyola Schools administration.
G. He/she shall notify the Editorial Board about reservations for meetings to be conducted in the publication room and shall keep an inventory of physical properties of the Organization.
H. He/she shall be in charge in archiving all issues of the Publication and shall collect and keep all contact information of the alumni of the Organization, and shall be responsible for the distribution of Heights copies to the Loyola Schools community.
I. He/she shall write all the Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) between the Organization and the other organizations and offices within and outside the Loyola Schools, and shall ensure the success of the collaboration.
J. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Managing Editor for Finance whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging his duties.
ARTICLE VII: DELIBERATING STAFF EDITORS
Section 1. Nature
Each Deliberating Staff shall be headed by a Deliberating Staff Editor and an Associate Deliberating Staff Editor.
Section 2. Powers and Responsibilities of a Deliberating Staff Editor
A. He/she shall represent the staff in all Editorial Board meetings.
B. He/she shall be responsible to the Editorial Board regarding the choice of works for the issue.
C. He/she shall act as facilitator in all staff meetings and deliberation sessions.
D. In consultation with the Associate Deliberating Staff Editor, the Deliberating Staff Editor shall schedule all staff meetings and prepare their final agenda.
E. In consultation with the Associate Deliberating Staff Editor, the Deliberating Staff Editor shall formulate a Code of Internal Procedures for the staff. He/she may also choose to revise or reprocess the Code of Internal Procedures from past Deliberating Staff Editors, with the approval of the Executive Editors.
F. He/she shall also be responsible for screening applicants for his/her staff and selecting all those eligible for membership
G. He/she shall also be responsible for actively searching for new contributions and potential new members for the organization.
H. He/she shall have the power to delegate and assign tasks within the staff.
Section 3. Powers and Responsibilities of an Associate Deliberating Staff Editor
A. He/she shall assist the Deliberating Staff Editor in the performance of the latter’s duties as outlined in Section 2.
B. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Deliberating Staff Editor whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging the latter’s duties.
ARTICLE VIII: ORGANIZATIONAL STAFF EDITORS
Section 1. Nature
There shall be four Organizational Staff Editors: one Editor and one Associate Editor for the Design staff, and a manager and an associate manager for the Production Staff.
Section 2. Powers and Responsibilities of the Design Editor
A. He/she shall represent the staff in all Editorial Board meetings.
B. He/she shall be responsible to the Editorial Board regarding the decisions and acts of the staff.
C. He/she shall act as facilitator in all staff meetings.
D. In consultation with the Associate Design Editor, the Design Editor shall schedule all staff meetings and prepare their final agenda.
E. In consultation with the Associate Design Editor, the Design Editor shall formulate a Code of Internal Procedures for the staff. He/she may also choose to revise or reprocess the Code of Internal Procedures from past Design Staff Editors, with the approval of the Executive Editors.
F. He/she shall also be responsible for screening applicants for his/her staff and selecting all those eligible for membership
G. He/she shall have the power to delegate and assign tasks within the staff.
H. He/she shall supervise the laying out of the issue and shall be held responsible to the Editorial Board regarding the layout of the issue. He/she shall supervise production of the issue at the press with the final approval of the Editor-in-Chief.
I. He/she shall supervise the content, operation, and design of the website of the Publication.
J. In collaboration with the other organizational staff editors he/she shall oversee the conceptualization of the promotions strategy for all Heights events and the implementation thereof.
Section 3. Powers and Responsibilities of the Associate Design Editor
A. He/she shall assist the Design Editor in the performance of the latter’s duties as outlined in Section 2.
B. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Design Editor whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging the latter’s duties.
Section 4. Powers and Responsibilities of the Production Staff Manager
A. He/she shall represent the staff in all Editorial Board meetings.
B. He/she shall be responsible to the Editorial Board regarding the decisions and acts of the staff.
C. He/she shall act as facilitator in all staff meetings.
D. He/she shall schedule all staff meetings and prepare their final agenda.
E. He/she shall formulate a Code of Internal Procedures for the staff. He/she may also choose to revise or reprocess the Code of Internal Procedures from past Production Staff Managers, with the approval of the Executive Editors.
F. He/she shall also be responsible for screening applicants for his/her staff and selecting all those eligible for membership.
G. He/she shall have the power to delegate and assign tasks within the staff.
H. He/she shall oversee the Production Staff in the planning and production of all organization wide events, and shall be held responsible to the Editorial Board for the proceedings of these events.
I. He/she shall oversee the proper and successful execution of the events of the Organization.
J. In collaboration with the other organizational staff editors he/she shall oversee the conceptualization of the promotions strategy for all Heights events and the implementation thereof.
Section 5. Powers and Responsibilities of the Associate Production Staff Manager
A. He/she shall assist the Production Staff Manager in the performance of the latter’s duties as outlined in Section 2.
B. He/she shall take over all powers and responsibilities of the Production Staff Manager whenever the latter is absent, indisposed, or otherwise incapable of discharging the latter’s duties.
ARTICLE IX: DELIBERATING STAFFS
Section 1. Nature
There shall be three Deliberation Staffs: the Filipino staff, the English staff, and the Art Staff.
Section 2. Powers and Responsibilities
A. The English and Filipino staffs shall be the main deliberating body on all literary works submitted and solicited for publication.
B. The Art staff shall be the main deliberating body on all artistic works submitted and solicited for publication. The Art Editors shall direct the Ateneo Heights Artists Workshop, under the supervision of the Associate Editor.
C. The English, Filipino, and Art staffs shall submit to the Editorial Board, through their respective Deliberating Staff Editors, a list of works accepted at the staff level.
D. The staffs shall abide by the Code of Internal Procedures set by their respective Deliberating Staff Editors and by the Editorial Board. Failure to do so shall be grounds for the expulsion of any staffer from the staff.
E. The Editorial Board reserves the rights to reprimand, suspend, warn, or expel any staff member after giving him/her due process.
Section 3. Raise to the Editorial Board
A. A deliberated work shall be raised to the Editorial Board, following the petition of any member of the staff. The petition should be made immediately after a staff decision is passed during the relevant deliberation session. The petition shall suspend the staff decision.
B. The Deliberating Staff Editors shall note the petition and shall present the said work to the Editorial Board for deliberations.
C. The Editorial Board deliberations shall be facilitated by the Associate Editor and/or the Editor-In-Chief.
D. The decision of the Editorial Board regarding the work shall be final and shall overrule the staff decision.
ARTICLE X: ORGANIZATIONAL STAFFS
Section 1. Nature
There shall be two Organizational Staffs: a Design Staff and a Production Staff.
Section 2. Powers and Responsibilities of the Design Staff
A. The Design Staff shall be responsible for the layout and design of the folio, and for the creation and production of promotional and other related materials of the Publication and Organization. In conjunction with the Production Staff, the Design Staff is also responsible for the dissemination of promotional materials.
B. The Design Staff shall manage and develop the website of the Publication and Organization.
C. The Design Staff shall submit to the Editorial Board, through their respective Organizational Staff Editors, samples of the layout and other staff decisions. It shall be made known, however, that staff decisions can be overturned by Editorial Board decisions.
D. The Design Staff shall abide by the Code of Internal Procedures set by their respective Organizational Staff Editors and by the Editorial Board. Failure to do so shall be grounds for the expulsion of any staffer from the staff.
E. The Editorial Board reserves the rights to reprimand, suspend, warn, or expel any staff member after giving him/her due process.
Section 3. Powers and Responsibilities of the Production Staff
A. The Production Staff shall be responsible for the planning, production, organization and manpower during Heights events. It shall be held responsible for the proceedings of these events. In conjunction with the Design Staff, the Production Staff is also responsible for the dissemination of promotional materials.
B. The Production Staff shall submit to the Editorial Board, through their respective Organizational Staff Editors, a list of plans and developments for their activities and events done at the staff level. It shall be made known, however, that staff decisions can be overturned by Editorial Board decisions.
C. The Production Staff shall abide by the Code of Internal Procedures set by their Production Staff Managers and by the Editorial Board. Failure to do so shall be grounds for the expulsion of any staffer from the staff.
D. The Editorial Board reserves the rights to reprimand, suspend, warn, or expel any staff member after giving him/her due process.
ARTICLE XI: IMPEACHMENT OF EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Section 1. Nature
The impeachment of any Heights Editorial Board member may be petitioned to the Board by any member of the staffs or the Editorial Board through a letter of impeachment formally written by the complainant and signed by at least two witnesses.
Section 2. Grounds for Impeachment
The following are the Grounds of Impeachment:
1. Gross dishonesty and fraud;
2. Non-fulfillment of duties and responsibilities, thereby jeopardizing the interests of the Publication and the Organization;
3. Behavior unbecoming of an Editorial Board member, such as the harassment of staffers or fellow Editorial Board members, exceeding the period of leave of absence, or any serious violations of the Code of Discipline of the Loyola Schools.
Section 3. Procedure for Impeachment
A. The Editorial Board shall deliberate on the candidate for impeachment, after discussions with the candidate and after consultations with all involved parties and the respective staff moderators.
B. The impeachment of any Heights Editorial Board member requires a ½ plus 1 vote from all the current members of the Editorial Board. The power of Executive Decision shall have no effect and shall take no precedence in this case.
C. Proceedings of the Impeachment shall be made available to the Organization.
Section 4. Sanctions for Impeachment
The sanctions for impeachment are as follows:
A. Suspension of all powers and responsibilities of the impeached;
B. Public reprimand and disavowal of editorial title and rights through the release of a memorandum signed by the Editorial Board members, which shall be published in the Loyola Schools Bulletin Board, the School of Humanities Bulletin Board, the Heights Bulletin Board and Website, and the official school organ.
C. The impeached shall continue to be a member of the Organization and Staff he/she is currently under, and will continue to enjoy all the rights, privileges and responsibilities as provided for in the Articles of Membership (Article III) unless otherwise specified.
Section 5. Aftermath of Impeachment
The Editorial Board shall have the sole discretion to appoint an officer-in-charge who will take over the powers and responsibilities of the impeached consistent with the provisions in Article XII, Sections 3 and 4 below.
ARTICLE XII: RESIGNATION AND LEAVE OF ABSENCE OF MEMBERS
Section 1. General Mechanics
A. Persons who wish to resign or to take a leave of absence from the Publication and Organization should present a letter of intention to the respective Editorial Board and, as necessary, to the Loyola Schools authorities.
B. Each member of the Organization is entitled to one (1) leave of absence for the duration of the school year. Under no circumstances shall the period of a leave of absence exceed one (1) regular semester.
C. Any appointments made in cases of resignation are effective only for the remaining duration of the school year in question. Any appointments made in cases of leave of absence are effective only for the period of the leave.
Section 2. Mechanics for Staffers
A. The resignation and leave of absence of any Heights staffer requires the approval of their respective editors and must be noted by the Staff Moderator and Executive Editors.
B. In cases of resignation, the member in question shall be stripped of all the rights, responsibilities and privileges as detailed in the Articles of Membership. (Article III)
C. In cases of leave of absence, the duration of the leave shall be agreed upon by the member in question and his/her respective editors. During this period, the member in question is not expected to perform according to his role and responsibilities as detailed in Article III.
D. Should the member exceed the period of his/her leave of absence, his/her respective editors have the prerogative to formally terminate his/her membership to the Organization, with the approval of the Executive Editors.
Section 3. Mechanics for Editorial Board Members
A. The resignation and leave of any Heights Editorial Board member requires the approval of the Editor-in-Chief and must be noted by the Editorial Board.
B. In cases of resignation, the member in question shall be stripped of all the rights, responsibilities and privileges of his/her position as provided by the Constitution, and shall no longer be considered a member of the Editorial Board. However, he/she shall continue to be a member of the Organization pursuant to the Articles of Membership. (Article III)
C. In cases of leave of absence, the duration of the leave shall be agreed upon by the member in question and the Executive Editors. During this period, the member in question is not expected to perform according to his role and responsibilities as detailed in Articles V-VIII.
D. Should the member exceed the period of his/her leave of absence, the Editorial Board has the right to subject the member to the impeachment process pursuant to the Articles of Impeachment. (Article XII)
E. In cases of the resignation or leave of absence of any of the Staff Editors, the Associate Staff Editor assumes his/her roles, powers and responsibilities pursuant to Articles VII and VIII.
F. In cases of resignation where a Staff is deprived of Staff Editors, the Executive Editors shall have the power to appoint an officer-in-charge as Acting Staff Editor. The Acting Staff Editor will take over the roles, functions and responsibilities of the Staff Editor in question. These appointments must be made, as much as possible, in consultation with the Staff Moderator in question and the staff itself. The appointment must be ratified by all remaining members of the Editorial Board.
G. In cases of the resignation of any of the Executive Editors apart from the Editor-in-Chief, the Editorial Board shall have the right to appoint any of its current members as Acting Executive Editor. Acting Executive Editors shall have all the roles, functions and responsibilities assigned to them pursuant to the provisions of Article VI, and must be qualified for their respective positions pursuant to the provisions of candidacy. (Article V, Section 3) The appointment must be sanctioned by the Head Moderator and ratified by all remaining members of the Editorial Board. Otherwise, the responsibilities of the position in question shall be assumed by the Editor-in-Chief or any of the Executive Editors upon agreement amongst themselves, unless otherwise specified by provisions in Article VI.
H. The resignation or leave of absence, as well as any appointments made, shall be made public to all members of the Organization and the Ateneo community, through the release of a memorandum signed by the Editorial Board members, which shall be published in the Loyola Schools Bulletin Board, the School of Humanities Bulletin Board, the Heights Bulletin Board and Website, and the official school organ.
Section 4. Mechanics for the Editor-in-Chief
A. The resignation and leave of the Editor-in-Chief requires the approval of the Head Moderator and the Executive Editors and must be noted by the Editorial Board and by the concerned Loyola Schools offices.
B. In case of resignation, the Editor-in-Chief shall be stripped of all the rights, responsibilities, and privileges of his/her position as provided by the Constitution, and shall no longer be considered a member of the Editorial Board. However, he/she shall continue to be a member of the Organization pursuant to the Articles of Membership. (Article III)
C. In case of resignation, the Associate Editor shall vacate his/her position and assume the editorship of Heights as Acting Editor-in-Chief pursuant to Article VI Section 5F with the approval of the Head Moderator. This must also be noted by the concerned Loyola Schools offices.
D. In case of the resignation of the Editor-in-Chief where the Associate Editor is unable to fulfill his responsibilities, the Editorial Board shall have the power to appoint either of its Managing Editors as Acting Editor-in-Chief. The appointed Managing Editor then vacates his position, which may be filled pursuant to the provisions set forth in Section 3 of this Article. The appointment of the Acting Editor-in-Chief must be sanctioned by the Head Moderator and ratified by all remaining members of the Editorial Board. These must also be noted by the concerned Loyola Schools offices.
E. In cases of leave of absence, the duration of the leave shall be agreed upon by the Editor-in-Chief and all the members of the Editorial Board. During this period, the Associate Editor shall assume his/her responsibilities as Acting Editor-in-Chief pursuant to Article VI Section 5F with the approval of the Head Moderator. This must also be noted by the concerned Loyola Schools offices.
F. Should the Editor-in-Chief exceed the period of his/her leave of absence, the Editorial Board has the right to subject him/her to the impeachment process pursuant to the Articles of Impeachment. (Article XII).
G. The resignation or leave of absence, as well as any appointments made, shall be made public to all members of the Organization and the Ateneo community, through the release of a memorandum signed by the Editorial Board members, which shall be published in the Loyola Schools Bulletin Board, the School of Humanities Bulletin Board, the Heights Bulletin Board and Website, and the official school organ.
ARTICLE XIII: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1. Amendment/s to this Constitution may be proposed by any member of the Editorial Board.
Section 2. The complete attendance of Editorial Board members shall be required before action can be undertaken by the Editorial Board on any proposal to amend this Constitution.
Section 3. The unanimous vote of the Editorial Board is necessary to pass the amendment/s for ratification.
Section 4. Amendments become effective only after ratification by a vote of 2/3 of all Active and Senior members of the Organization.
Section 5. Amendment/s to the Constitution shall be made public and shall be attached to all copies of this Constitution.
ARTICLE XIV: CHANGE OF THE CONSTITUTION
Section 1. Procedures and Mechanics for the vote to change the Constitution
The following shall be undertaken by the Editorial Board before voting to change the Constitution:
1. A motion to change this Constitution shall be proposed by any member of the Editorial Board.
2. A review of this Constitution and its attached Amendments shall be undertaken by the Editorial Board, under the supervision of the Editor-in-Chief and the respective Staff Moderators.
3. The Editor-in-Chief shall write the reasons to change the Constitution and shall cite particular accounts, under each reason, to support the motion to change the Constitution.
4. A quorum of Editorial Board members (2/3) shall be required before further action can be undertaken by the Editorial Board on any proposal to change this Constitution.
5. The majority vote of the quorum is necessary to confirm the vote to change the Constitution.
6. The power of Executive Decision shall have no effect and shall take no precedence.
7. A Constitutional Commission of seven (7) members shall be created to review the proposal to change the Constitution.
Section 2. The Constitutional Commission shall be chaired by the Editor-in-Chief and shall be composed of the following: one representative from the Editorial Board and one representative from each of the five staffs of the Organization. Nomination to the Constitutional Commission shall be open to non-Editorial Board members. The members of the Constitutional Commission shall be confirmed by the Executive Editors, following the recommendations of the respective Staff Editors.
Section 3. The Constitutional Commission will draft and enact its own procedures for changing the Constitution and shall set the schedule for reviewing and writing the new Constitution. They shall notify the Editorial Board and the moderators regarding the status of the new Constitution.
Section 4. Ratification and Enabling Provisions
The new Constitution and its Enabling Provisions shall be recommended by the Constitutional Commission for ratification by the outgoing and incoming Editorial Boards.
Section 5. The new Constitution shall take effect in the following academic year.
Article XV: Enabling Provisions
Section 1. This Constitution shall become effective after ratification by the Heights membership represented by the Editorial Board.
Section 2. Upon ratification, this Constitution shall supersede all previous Heights Constitutions and guidelines.
Section 3. This Constitution shall not be amendable and changeable for three years from the year of ratification.
*APPROVED, this 2nd day of March, 2012, in Quezon City, Metro Manila. We, the undersigned members of the outgoing and incoming Editorial Boards and of the Constitutional Commission, hereby certify that the majority of all members of the Organization by its affirmative vote have adopted this Constitution.
John Alexis B. Balaguer, outgoing Art Editor
Natasha Marie T. Basul, Constitutional Commission member
Carmela Monica L. Bautista, outgoing Production Staff Manager and incoming Managing Editor for Finance
Juan Viktor A. Calanoc, outgoing Associate Art Editor
Nicko R. Caluya, outgoing Managing Editor and incoming Editor-in-Chief
Deirdre Patricia Z. Camba, outgoing English Editor and incoming Managing Editor for Communications
Isabela Kristiana E. Cuerva, incoming Associate English Editor
Sara Nicole C. Erasmo, outgoing Associate Design Editor and incoming Design Editor
Audrey Mae T. Ferriol, incoming Production Staff Manager
Alfred Benedict C. Marasigan, outgoing Design Editor and incoming Editor-At-Large
Nicole P. Maguyon, incoming Associate Art Editor
Deo Charis I. Mostrales, Constitutional Commission member
Meagan Dominique R. Ong, incoming Associate Design Editor
Sharmaine Dianne G. Ramirez, Constitutional Commission member
Therese Nicole M. Reyes, incoming Art Editor
Jan Eli G. Padilla, Constitutional Commission member
Jeroshelle V. Santos, incoming Filipino Editor
Patricia Anne S. Santos, incoming Associate Production Staff Manager
Leon Cedric C. Tan, incoming English Editor
Eugene D. Tuazon, Constitutional Commission member
WITNESSED, this 2nd day of March, 2012, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, by the authors of this Constitution:
Joseph Immanuel G. Casimiro, outgoing Editor-in-Chief and Chairman of the Constitutional Commission
Enrique Jaime S. Soriano, outgoing Associate Editor and Vice-Chairman of the Constitutional Commission