The following version of the GCC Constitution was approved for all chapters by the administration of Game Changerss. This is the most recent edition for use by chapters.
Advisers can get additional information and guidance by reviewing the GCC Handbook.
Article I: Name and Purpose Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Game Changers Chapters (GCC). Section 2. - The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for academics, to set an example through community service, to promote and develope leadership, and to provide mentorship for students of secondary schools. Section 3. - GCC is a program of Game Changers Leadership & Mentorship Initiative (GCLMI), 125 W. Market St., Warren, Ohio 44481, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Article II: The GCLMI Student Leadership Advisory Committee Section 1. - The control of this organization shall be vested in the GCLMI Administrators. Section 2. - There shall be an advisory committee to advise the GCLMI staff and Administrators regarding GCC and its policies and procedures. Section 3. - The Student Leadership Advisory Committee (TSLAC) shall consist of members appointed by the vote of their peers and of adminstrators and advisors, as follows: - at least 2 members from each school officers club - officers voted on by TSLAC members and staff - 3 chapter advisers from the schools (ex. principal, counsler, teacher) Section 4. - Members shall be appointed for a term of no more than one year.
Article III: GCC Organizations
Article IV: Local Chapters Section 1. - Any secondary public school is eligible to establish a new chapter. Nonpublic secondary schools accredited or approved by state departments of education or by accrediting agencies approved by Game Changers are eligible to apply for a chapter. Each school shall have its own chapter except in cases where a school’s size precludes the formation of a full Faculty Council. In such cases, a chapter can be shared as long as all other constitutional requirements can be met. Section 2. - Each school with a chapter shall pay an annual affiliation fee approved by Game Changers. Section 3. - The annual individual member dues paid to a chapter or state affiliate, if any, shall not exceed 35 dollars inclusively, per student. The exact amount shall be determined by the executive committee of the chapter and shall be subject to the approval of the chapter membership. *Chapters shall have the right to fundraise in order to defray the cost of any additional expenses i.e. such as team builders, service projects, or exposure trips. Section 4. - Duly chartered local chapters shall conform to this Constitution as set forth by Game Changers. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the charter.
Article V: The Principal Section 1. - The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter. Section 2. - The principal shall annually appoint a member of the faculty as chapter adviser, who may serve consecutive terms. Co-advisers may be appointed where necessary. Section 3. - The principal shall annually appoint a Faculty Council composed of three members of the school’s faculty who may serve consecutive terms. Section 4. - The principal shall receive appeals in cases of nonselection of candidates, and the disciplining or dismissal of members.
Article VI: The Chapter Adviser Section 1. - The chapter adviser shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, and community. Section 2. - The chapter adviser shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions. The chapter adviser shall complete the annual survey and submit it to Game Changers. Section 3. - The chapter adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with Chapter standards and obligations. Section 4. - The chapter adviser shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties. Section 5. - The chapter adviser shall be an member of the School Faculty and shall facilitate all meetings of the council. Section 6. - The chapter adviser shall be a member of the faculty, appointed annually by the principal, and may serve consecutive terms.
Article VII: Faculty Council Section 1. - The Faculty Council shall consist of 3 voting faculty members appointed annually by the principal. Section 2. - The term of the Faculty Council shall be one year. Members may be appointed to consecutive terms. Section 3. - The Faculty Council shall meet at least once a year to review the procedures of the chapter, select members, and to consider nonselection, dismissal, other disciplinary actions, and warning cases. Section 4. - The Faculty Council will develop and revise, when necessary, all chapter procedures for selection, discipline, and dismissal of members, all of which must remain in compliance with this Constitution and GC policies.
Article VIII: Membership Section 1. - Membership in the local chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on out- standing scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities. Section 2. - Membership shall be known as active, honorary, and alumni. Active members shall become alumni members at graduation. Alumni members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs. Section 3. - Members of the Faculty Council shall support the school leader in creating and sustaining a school environment in which each student is known, accepted and valued, trusted and respected, cared for and encouraged to be an active and responsible member of the school community. As such, the Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to students who warrant special consideration—including those who receive accommodations for a disability, or foreign exchange students—in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the Game Changers Chapters. The Faculty Council might also award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, GCC advisers, or other adults. Honorary membership grants to the recipient all of the privileges of membership without the obligations associated with active member status. Section 4. - Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony. Section 5. - All members who are seniors in good standing are eligible to apply and compete in the Game Changers Chapters Scholarship program. Section 6. - An GCC member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the principal or chapter adviser to the new school adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school’s chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter’s standards within one semester in order to retain membership. Section 7. - Members who are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
Article IX: Selection of Members Section 1. - To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a member of those classes (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws. Candidates must have been in attendance at the school the equivalent of one semester, and must be an athlete for a school represented sport. Section 2. - The minimum standard for selection shall be a cumulative scholastic average of a minimum of at least a 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or the school principal may set a higher GPA requirement for membership. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character. Section 3. - The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Faculty Council. Prior to notification of any candidates, the chapter adviser shall review with the principal the results of the Faculty Council’s deliberations. Section 4. - A description of the selection procedure shall be published in an official school publication that is widely available in a timely fashion to all students and parents of the school. The selection procedure shall be determined by the Faculty Council and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of GCC Section 5. - Game Changers may review the judgment of the Faculty Council regarding selection of individual members to local chapters.
Article X: Discipline and Dismissal Section 1. - The Faculty Council, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Game Changers Chapters, shall determine the procedure for dismissal. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available to interested parties. Section 2. - Members who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not have to be warned. Section 3. - The Faculty Council shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings. Section 4. - In all cases of pending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. (Note: This hearing is required and is considered “due process” for all members.) Section 5. - For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty Council is required. Section 6. - A member who has been dismissed may appeal the decision of the Faculty Council to the principal and thereafter under the same rules for disciplinary appeals in the school district. Section 7. - Game Changers shall hear no appeals in dismissal cases. (Note: Refer to Article VIII, Section 7 regarding the permanent consequences for members when dismissed.) Note. To maintain compliance, all local procedures must conform to the full provisions of this article. Faculty Councils can consider disciplinary actions that are less severe than dismissal if circumstances warrant.
Article XI: Chapter Officers Section 1. - The officers of the chapter, their duties, and the method of their election shall be determined by the members of the chapter, approved by the Faculty Council and the principal, and described in the chapter bylaws. Section 2. - New officers shall be installed at a special ceremony. (See sample officer installation ceremony in Chapter 3.)
Article XII: Executive Committee Section 1. - The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter adviser. Section 2. - The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its business meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership. Section 3. - The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations. Note: This section is generally viewed to include chapter activities except those with regards to the selection, discipline, and dismissal of members which are the sole domain of the chapter’s Faculty Council per the provisions of Article VII, Section 4.
Article XIII: Meetings Section 1. - Each chapter shall have regular meetings during the school year on days designated by the executive committee and in accordance with school policy and regulations. Section 2. - The regularity of the meetings (i.e., weekly, monthly, bimonthly, etc.) shall be designated in the chapter bylaws. Section 3. - The chapter president or other designated student leader may call special meetings approved by the executive committee. Section 4. - Chapters shall conduct meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised in all points not expressly provided for in this Constitution or the chapter bylaws.
Article XIV: Activities Section 1. - Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each month. Section 2. - All members shall regularly participate in these projects. Section 3. - These projects shall have the following characteristics: Fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of the administration and the faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; be well planned, organized, and executed. Section 4. - Each member shall have the responsibility for choosing and participating in an individual service project that reflects his or her particular talents and interests. This is in addition to the chapter projects to which all members contribute. Section 5. - Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive manner, in public and on social media. Section 6. - Game Changers Head Office will furnish a monthly theme to do a service project for. This will ensure continuity across all chapters impact throughout the US. i.e - October National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, January National Mentoring Month, etc.
Article XV: Official Insingia Section 1. - This organization shall have an official emblem. The emblem shall be uniform and its distribution and rules for its use shall be determined by Game Changers. Section 2. - Each active, honorary, or alumni member in good standing with the chapter shall be entitled to wear this emblem. Section 3. - Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall return the emblem to the chapter adviser. Section 4. - All insignia must be procured and/or approved by Game Changers Head Administration, 125 W. Market St., Warren, Ohio 44481. All insignia are registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and may not be copied by anyone without written permission of Game Changers Admin. Section 5. - School Personalized insignia will be allowed provided that the school logo be in circle form and fit into the middle of Game CHangers logo while the words “Game Changers” remain in position. This must be approved through the Game Changers Office. Section 6. - The motto of the Game Changers Chapters shall be "Redefining the student athlete." Section 7. - The official colors of the Game Changers Chapters shall be blue, black, and silver. Section 8. - An alumni member may purchase a replacement for a lost emblem by verifying membership to the corperate office.
Article XVI: Chapter Bylaws Section 1. - Each chapter shall write bylaws to amplify sections of this Constitution and to clarify operating procedures of the chapter. Bylaws will be reviewed,but do not need the approval of Game Changers but must be consistent with this Constitution. Section 2. - The chapter bylaws shall contain information concerning the election and duties of officers, the schedule of meetings, member obligations, dues, and the like. (Note: See Chapter 3 and the adviser section for additional information regarding the appropriate content of chapter bylaws.) Note: template for creating chapter bylaws can be found on the Start A Chapter page
Article XVII: Media and Photo Release Policy *PARENT OR GUARDIAN MUST CONSENT TO THE STUDENT’S PARTICIPATION FOR INDIVIDUALS UNDER THE AGE OF 18. I grant to Game Changers and its representatives and employees the right to take photographs of me and my property in connection with the Game Changers Chapters. I authorize Game Changers, its assigns and transferees to copyright, use and publish the same in print and/or electronically. I agree that Game Changers may use such photographs of me with or without my name and for any lawful purpose, including for example such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising, and Web content. By proceeding with the use of any photograph containing the Game Changers logo and/or name, you hereby agree that such usage must be confirmed with the corporate office. Furthermore, any such usage must include proper tagging and credit in all social media posts. All and any posts with unacceptable behavior or inappropriate content containing the Game Changers logo and/or name, being displayed that shines a bad or negative light on the organization, will be reported, and legal action may be taken if necessary.
Article XVIII: Amendments This Constitution may be amended by Game Changers based on the recommendations of the different chapters and approved by Game Changers administration.