Bylaws as of July 2008.
Job descriptions/duties/responsibilities
Community Coordinator (for Brightmoor Team and Southwest Team)
The Community Coordinator (CC) is the vital link between The DP and the community. The CC is partnered with one or more community organizations in Northwest and Southwest Detroit. A CC works closely with one (or more) community organizations, communicating regularly and building strong relationships with the organizations. The CCs sets up all weekly and one-time projects through these organizations and ensures that the projects run smoothly by taking care of all details involved. They also act as site leaders at projects. In addition to setting up projects throughout the year, the CC coordinates a project for DP Day through their partner organization. Finally, CCs work closely as a group to promote collaboration among the organizations and to plan joint projects.
Community Coordinator (School Programs Team)
This coordinator’s responsibilities include working closely with school administrators and teachers to develop programs that cater to the school’s needs. Coordinators will work to develop after-school and/or in-school programs that supplement the curriculum. Coordinators will be responsible for running weekly projects at the school. Coordinators will also be responsible for educating volunteers about the school, the programs, how to work responsibly with children, etc. Additionally, coordinators are encouraged to plan one-time projects, such as school clean-ups, visits to campus, etc. At the end of the year, coordinators will be responsible for planning projects at their schools for DP Day.
Public Relations Coordinator (External Team)
This coordinator serves as a link to the campus/community by overseeing all external public relations efforts, including recruitment of volunteers (through student groups, Diag Days, residence halls, etc.), publicity on campus (such as Festifall, Diag boards/flyering, etc.), and publicity in the media. This person recruits volunteers for ongoing projects, throughout the year as well as for DP Day. These team members work to get the word out to campus and Detroit community members about the work of the DP.
Publications Coordinator (External Team)
The Publications Coordinator publishes 3-4 fun and informative newsletters per semester. These will be distributed to U of M student volunteers, community members, and others associated with DP (both via email and/or the webpage, and some printed publication). This person should utilize other Planning Team ideas and information to create a comprehensive newsletter. S/he may also work with the public relations coordinator to develop an informative brochure or information sheet/packet.
Webmaster (External Team)
The Webmaster is responsible for developing, designing, and maintaining all aspects of the complex DP web site. This includes setting up and maintaining any outside resources that are utilized as well as U of M resources; such as an outside server, domain names, and Public IFS space. Throughout the year, the webmaster will be responsible for updating and maintaining the web page and any accounts as needed, and constantly improving the layout and design using suggestions from the Planning Team.
Volunteer Relations Coordinator (External Team)
This coordinator oversees the organization of, and communication with, all volunteers throughout the year. This role includes organizing volunteers and site leaders as projects arise
and for DP Day, coordinating communication through emails, mailings, meetings, etc., compiling evaluations, placing volunteers into project sites, and overseeing any other volunteer services. These people communicate very closely with those setting up projects (Community Coordinators), and must constantly be looking for ways, in all realms of volunteer relations, to improve the volunteer experience. This role is especially important around DP Day, as these people serve as the main link to general volunteers, and also maintain and update the volunteer database constantly. This person will also be the sole email contact for thedp@umich.edu.
Administrative Coordinator (External Team)
This person is responsible for any administrative tasks that benefit the Planning Team. The Administrative Coordinator is responsible for all aspects of transportation for The DP, which includes (but is not limited to) vehicle reservations, transportation communication, and maintaining a strong relationship with the Ginsberg Center. S/he is also responsible for recording accurate minutes at all Directors meetings and Planning Team meetings. This person also keeps the DP office in order and manages phone messages, mail, and replenishing basic supplies (including snacks for weekly projects).
Campus Funding Coordinator (Finance Team)
This person is in charge of any tasks that relate to DP requests for funding that exist at the University of Michigan, including student government funding (MSA, CSC, LSASG, RSG, etc) as well as other University grants and funding opportunities such as Hall Council support. S/he is responsible for obtaining application forms, turning them in complete and on time, and following up in any way that is needed.
Corporate /Grant Coordinator (Finance Team)
This coordinator is responsible for building relationships with past corporate clients as well as developing new contacts. Responsibilities include setting up meetings with possible donors, researching grants, completing grant applications, and following up in any way that is needed.
Fundraising Coordinator (Finance Team)
This individual is responsible for soliciting and obtaining any outside donations, which may include financial donations from local businesses. This person is responsible for fundraising events, which can include (but are not limited to) dinner nights, clean ups, bake sales, etc.
Logistics Coordinator (Major Events Team)
This person is in charge of all logistics for DP Day and any other large-scale service event throughout the year. This person is in charge of coordinating: equipment for
sound/stage at all locations, port-o-johns, first aid, permits for parks or other community/city property, schedules for the day, food distribution and many other small details of projects. The Logistics Coordinator makes sure that all behind-the-scenes details are taken care of so that DP Day and other large events run smoothly.
Supplies Coordinator (Major Events Team)
The Supplies Coordinator takes care of any supply needs as they arise. These duties could include: maintaining inventory of all work supplies, coordinating checkout/usage of these throughout the year, and storage of these supplies. This person also oversees all the supplies for DP Day, including managing supply needs (and being aware of what DP already has), distribution of supplies on the day, and collection/inventory after the event.
Site Leader Relations Coordinator (Major Events Team)
This person oversees the organization of, and communication with, all site leaders. This role includes evaluating site leaders from previous years, organizing site leaders into sites as projects arise and for DP Day, and coordinating all site leaders. This includes communication through
emails, mailings, meetings, etc., compiling evaluations, and planning/running Site Leader Training sessions (with Community Coordinators and Directors). This person will communicate very closely with those setting up projects (Community Coordinators), and must constantly be looking for ways to improve the site leader experience. This role is especially important around DP Day. This person is the main link between site leaders and the Planning Team.
Internal Education Coordinator (Education Team)
This coordinator oversees all activities pertaining to the education of volunteers and the greater U of M community about issues relating to: service learning, the organizations with which DP is affiliated, the city of Detroit, and urban areas in general.. S/he is responsible for bringing a greater level of understanding to volunteers through education and reflection activities throughout the year and for DP Day.
Coalition Coordinator (Education Team)
This person is responsible for building and maintaining a coalition of other student organizations, which focuses on Detroit as a means to integrate and collaborate. Main responsibilities include communicating with coalition representatives from each committed organization, conducting monthly meetings, and generating ideas about the structure, purpose, and plans for the coalition.
Education Event Coordinator (Education Team)
This person is responsible for collaborating with organizations, speakers, and DP members to put together impacting, informative, and creative events focused on issues on (but not limited to) pertinent to Detroit, service-learning, organizations the DP works with, and urban areas in general. The Education Coordinator is responsible for organizing meetings or forums around these issues, inviting speakers to campus, as well as hosting educational events on or off campus.
Money:
Budgets
At the beginning of each semester, the Finance Director is to meet with each Director to construct a thoughtful budget that clearly describes the expenses for that team. The Finance Director will then create a DP budget encompassing all teams, including general expenses that are to be used for funding purposes. It is off of this budget that the DP will base its spending.
Salaries
All positions on the DP Planning Team are unpaid.
Co-Sponsorship
The DP is sponsored by the Political Science Department at the University of Michigan. There are no dues for this sponsorship.
Contracts
All contracts are treated on a case-by-case basis.
Revenues
The DP is a non-profit organization that uses all revenues from fundraising events to support each team’s expenses for the academic year. Any carry-over funds will be used for the following year’s budget.
Community Organizations:
The DP is partnered with the following community organizations. The DP is not limited to working with only these organizations. To add an organization to the list of partner organizations, a formal discussion, and vote, must be conducted by the Directors.
- Alternatives for Girls
- Brightmoor Community Center
- Burt Elementary School
- Casa Maria Community Center
- Cesar Chavez Middle School
- Freedom House
- Gompers Elementary School
- Grandmont/Rosedale Development Corporation
- The Greening of Detroit
- Harding Elementary School
- Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LASED)
- Matrix Theatre Company
- Mercy Education Project
- Motor City Blight Busters
- Murphy Middle School
- Neinas Elementary School
- Northwest Detroit Neighborhood Development (NDND)
- Rosedale Park/Northwest Detroit Co-Op Pre-School
- Trinity Mount Vernon Church
- Vetal Elementary School
- Webster Elementary School
- Wellspring Center
- West Outer Drive United Methodist Church
Meetings:
Agendas are to be compiled by the Executive Director. If a Planning Team member wishes to address a topic at a meeting, he/she should e-mail the Executive Director at least 12 hours prior to the meeting. The Executive Director will e-mail the agenda to the others director at least 5 hours before the meeting. The Executive Director will facilitate meetings. Attendance is mandatory. If a Planning Team member cannot attend a meeting, he/she must inform his/her team director. If a Planning Team member misses more than 2 meetings and his/her team director feels that this person is not contributing to the success of The DP, the team director will address the matter with this Planning Team member and also with the other directors. If the consensus among the directors is that this person is not fulfilling his/her duties as a Planning Team member (not necessarily limited to lack of attendance at meetings, but including general participation in the organization), then that director has the right to ask that individual to leave the team. Meetings are to be held on Wednesday nights at 8:30 pm. The location changes weekly but will be sent out in e-mail at least 24 hours before the meeting. Meetings last no more than 1.5 hours.
Special meetings:
Throughout the year, there will be various special meetings for members of the Directors Team and members of the Planning Team. The directors will have an extended meeting (retreat) at the very beginning of fall semester and the winter semester (ideally, before the semester begins but if not, within the first 3 weeks of school). At this meeting, they will plan for the year and set goals for the team.
They will also plan the Planning Team retreat, which is held at the beginning of the semester (as early as possible, within the first 6 weeks). Traditionally, it is held at the Motor City Blight Busters center in Detroit, but that location is subject to change. It is an overnight retreat where the team will set goals for the year, get to know each other, and exchange ideas to create programs for the upcoming year.
Throughout the year, individual teams may have special, mandatory meetings before one-time events related to their teams. These individual team meetings will be held at the discretion of the team director.
All members of the Planning Team are expected to take active participation and attend the Food & Clothing Drive.
There is a mandatory Planning Team meeting the night before DP Day as well. At this meeting, Planning Team members will finalize logistics for DP Day.
At the end of the year (in April, after DP Day), once new directors are selected, both the old and new directors will meet for a transitional meeting.
Transitions:
Each member of the Directors Team is required to keep correct and complete records of all activities of his/her team. At the end of the year, each director is required to have a formal transition meeting with his/her new incoming director. During this meeting, they will talk about roles, responsibilities, and contact information of any members of the Detroit and Ann Arbor community that are important to the role of that director.
Hearings and appeals/judicial procedures:
The team of directors will process all grievances during their weekly team meetings. Any Planning Team member (including directors) can submit a grievance to be reviewed. Mediation is discussed amongst the directors who did not submit the grievance and the Executive Director mediates the procedure, Hearings are to be heard on a first-come first-serve basis, and processed every week. Hearings are scheduled when necessary. Typical hearings will include the Directors Team. Whether or not the person issuing the grievance will be allowed to attend the hearing will be determined by the Executive Director. There are no punishments for requesting a hearing.
Voting:
All content in The DP bylaws must be voted on by the Directors Team. All members of the Directors Team must be present to vote on any amendments or changes. During a directors’ vote, the majority rules. In case of a tie, the tie-breaking vote will be given to the Executive Director.
Ratification and amendment procedures:
To make an amendment to the bylaws of The DP, one must be an active member of The DP Directors Team
- To make an amendment, one must draft a written outline of the amendment and bring it to the Directors Team meeting to discuss.
- The amendment will be discussed and voted on by the Directors Team. All members of the Directors Team must be present to conduct a vote on an amendment.
- The ratification of an amendment to the bylaws of The DP requires a majority vote from the Directors Team.
- When the amendment is approved, the Directors Team must make a formal announcement at the following Planning Team meeting.
Ratification:
The Detroit Partnership Constitution and Bylaws were ratified by The Detroit Partnership Planning Team with a 2/3 majority. As of December 7th, 2005 and thereafter, The Detroit Partnership Constitution and Bylaws are implemented into the structure and procedures of The DP.
