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{{Group|
| name = IF
| selective = No
| membership = ~10
| meeting-time = TBDTuesdays at 9 P. M.| meeting-place = PareskyJenness House, Morley Circle
| office = Chaplains' Office, Second Floor of Paresky
| contact-name = Rachel HaglerAndrew Best (ajb5), Khan Shairani (kas3)| contact-unix = rnh1
| wso-listserver =
| oit-listserver = IF-INTERFAITH-L
| website =
| established = Fall of 2009 by Mustafa Saadi '12 and Jennifer Monge '12
}}
InterFaith is a type of umbrella group that seeks to bring together and, hopefully, properly represent the religious groups on campus. As such, IF attempts to have a representative from every religious or religious/spirituality related group on its board each year. Together, this board hosts interfaith discussions open to the whole campus (often with food supplied), various events which brings in different speakers, and various service work around the Williamstown and North Adams areas. Likely to be a tradition, IF has also put on Interfaith Month, an entire month dedicated to speakers and events meant to educate the general campus about a certain aspect (such as the afterlife, et cæteraetc.) of all the many faiths on campus.
== History ==
InterFaith first came to others' attention in October of 2009 with an E-mail from [[Mustafa Saadi ]] '12 and [[Jennifer Monge ]] '12. Just half a year before this, during Winter Study, [[Williams Secular Community]] had been started and the Chaplains had been hosting interfaith discussions as well during the beginning of the Fall of 2009 as their usual Theology On Tap events. It's possible that these events may have spurred the feelings of need for an interfaith group on campus. Regardless, the below E-mail was sent to all known religious group affliates on campus:
:: Hi Everybody,
:: Hope you everyone is having a great start to the year.
:: I wanted to inform you all of a new group that will hopefully start and grow with the help of your respective organizations. We currently call ourselves IF. It stands for inter-faith. Get it? IF…interIF…inter-faith. If you don’t don't and have a better idea we are open to changing the name.
:: Our mission is to bring various faith groups (This ranges from Hinduism, to Christianity, to Atheism) together based on beliefs and practices that bring us closer to each other. And within this zone of recognized similarities we can discover ways in which we are different from each other. Moreover, and more importantly we really hope that inter-faith collaboration will further intra-faith goals. I am going to purposely leave the meaning of this vague in order to give us space to define it ourselves.
:: To implement our mission we are trying to set up an Inter-Faith council where each organization will send a representative. The specific details of the council can be worked on together. But this council’s council's would serve as a space for faith groups to come together and organize events that bring us together while at the same time further each group’s group's respective agenda. For example, this group will be in charge of organizing an InterFaith week.
:: With that said, we plan on holding our first meeting this Thursday in Paresky room 222 from 7-8pm. I will send out I would really appreciate if each group would be able to send one representative. Please email if you can make it, if you cannot make it but are interesting in participating in the future, or if you just simply do not want to make it.
:: Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or need further information.
:: My name is Mustafa Saadi[...…].
:: Hope to see some you this Thursday in Paresky,
The groups eventually met and InterFaith was formed.
==Current Constitution==The current constitution, as crafted and approved by the 2010-2011 IF board at the end of the 2011 Spring semester.===Preamble===:: We, the members of InterFaith, established to bring together the different religion/spiritual-related groups on campus, do ordain and establish this constitution and subscribe to the regulations and policies of Williams College. ===Article I - Name and Brief Description===:: InterFaith will also operate under the acronym IF.:: InterFaith brings together people of different religious backgrounds on campus so that they may interact with, empathize with, and understand each other. We regularly discuss religious issues in a safe space; we expect and respect differences of religion or opinion. We also coordinate activities with other religion/spiritual-related groups on campus. ===Article II - Purpose===:: InterFaith was formed to bring together the different religion/spiritual-related groups on campus so that they may interact with, empathize with, and reduce possible misunderstanding between one another. InterFaith seeks to help the campus engage both the broad public realm and community life by highlighting the very personal beliefs of the multitude of the campus and providing spaces for students to engage and embrace such beliefs. InterFaith also serves as a coalition of groups that can educate the remainder of the campus on the differences and similarities between the groups; through different meetings and events, IF will instigate discussions and learning experiences readily available for people who might not have encountered any or all other faiths on campus. Finally, InterFaith will serve as greater support for the religions/spiritual-related groups on campus, providing more student voice should the need arise. :: It is also the purpose of this organization to abide by the Code of Student Conduct and to uphold the educational mission of Williams College.===Article III - Affiliation===:: InterFaith is not affiliated with any local, state, or national organization. If members of InterFaith wish to formally affiliate IF with an organization, they must amend this Constitution.===Article IV - Membership===:: All Williams College students are eligible for membership. There are no restrictions on College students for admission. Membership is completely open to whoever would like to join. We do not anticipate a need for removal of members, but if such a situation arises, the IF officers will deal privately with the matter. To withdraw from IF, members may remove themselves from the InterFaith listserve and stop attending meetings. Only active members may vote or hold office. :: Williams College, in compliance with state and federal law, does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, or military service. Any member of the College community who on any of these grounds feels discriminated against by another member of the community should take action. ===Article V - Officers/Elections===:: The officers for IF are two Co-Chairs, one Treasurer, and one Secretary. At least two officers constitute an executive committee, and this group has the power to make decisions on behalf of the group, except in cases of a decision normally made by the vote of the officer and non-officer members of InterFaith. :: Members wishing to be elected as officers will submit self-nominations to the officers at a previously announced time in April or May. The names of the nominations will be made public to all members. If there is no contest for a position, there will be no vote held. If there is a contest for a position, all members may vote. The voting will be held at a previously announced IF meeting. The nominees will introduce themselves and may say a few words about why they wish to hold an officer position. The nominees will then leave the room, and the remaining members will vote. :: Officers serve a term of one year, after which they may re-nominate themselves and will go through the normal election process. In the event of an officer vacancy of more than one month, members will be allowed to submit self-nominations to the officers for the position. The officers will choose who will fill the vacancy. If the officers cannot come to a unanimous decision, a normal election will be held for that position only. :: If IF feels that an officer is not performing his or her duties, and after being made aware of this, that officer does not improve, the officer may be removed. To be removed, at least two other officers and five non-officer members will write a formal letter explaining the reasons for removal and citing this Constitution as their right to do so. After the removal of an officer, a full election will be held for that position as usual. ===Article VI - Advisor===:: There will be a Williams faculty/staff advisor for IF. The advisor will be chosen from within the Chaplain’s office by the officers at the end of each academic year, in May. If the officers cannot come to a unanimous decision, a full vote of the members will be taken. Advisors serve for one year. In the event of a vacancy greater than one month, another advisor will be chosen by the usual methods. :: This organization may select and secure an advisor from the active faculty or staff of Williams College and will register their name with Campus Life annually. The advisor will be informed of all meetings and activities of the organization and may call a special meeting of the organization to discuss concerns for the ongoing nature of the organization. ===Article VII - Meetings===:: IF will meet approximately twice per month, or as necessary, as decided by the officers. General consensus among the officers will decide meeting dates, and any officer may then call the meeting through the listserve.===Article VIII - Constitutional Amendments===:: Only officers may propose an amendment to this Constitution. Amendments will be proposed and discussed at a meeting. To pass, an amendment will need a 2/3 majority vote from the active membership in order to pass. Because the membership of IF is fluid, the 2/3 will be calculated from the total responses to the amendment, not the total number of members. That is, of the votes cast in regards to the amendment, 2/3 must be in support of the amendment in order for it to be passed. :: All amendments, additions, or deletions must be approved and filed with College Council.===Article IX - Funding===:: This student group agrees to abide by all funding bylaws set forth by the Williams College Council. This includes the process for applying for funding and the possible uses for CC funds by student organizations. A finance officer/treasurer will be responsible for budgeting the student organization’s funds in accordance with CC funding bylaws. The finance officer (and organization as whole) is responsible for all activities involving funding. In approving this constitution, this student group also acknowledges that it may fundraise of its own accord, but alumni solicitation must be coordinated through the Development Office.===Article X - Dissolution===:: Dissolution of IF will be decided by a majority vote of the members, unless at least two members wish to continue IF. If at least two members wish to continue IF, they may claim responsibility for the group. :: Any money that InterFaith has acquired prior to dissolution will be donated to the Williams College Council Projects Fund.===Article XI - Exigency===:: InterFaith also reserves the parliamentary authority to be used for points not covered in this Constitution. ==Past InterFaith Boards==2010-2011: Co-chairs [[Camille Chicklis]] and [[Jonathan Schmeling]] Secretary [[Rachel Hagler]] 2011-2012: Co-chairs [[Jonathan Schmeling]] and [[Andrew Best]] Secretary [[Chih McDermott]] 2012-2013: Co-chair [[Andrew Best]] Treasurer [[Khan Shairani]] == Groups Under Affiliated With InterFaith ==
While InterFaith seeks to involve all religious groups, not all groups sent representatives to join IF. Of the groups that did join:
:: The [[Muslim Student Union]] is the Islamic group '''February 18th''' – ''Matt Mascioli'', speaker from Williams Christian Fellowship:: He was on campus. All are welcome and meetings are every Friday staff with InterVarsity at 4 in the Muslim Prayer Room.Williams
:: The group was founded with '''February 22nd''' – ''Professor Colin Adams'', speaker from Williams Secular Community:: Professor in the purpose Mathematics department at Williams and recipient of bringing together students of Islamic heritage in friendship and brother/sisterhood while educating others about Islam.the Haimo Distinguished Teaching Award
:: The MSU has consistently held a Fast-a-thon during '''February 25th''' – ''Dr. Ahmed Kobeisy'', speaker from Muslim Student Union:: Director and Resident Scholar at the Islamic Learning Foundation; Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University and Hartford Seminary; Imam, chaplain, and counselor in the month of Ramadan Upstate NY area for various causes, as well as bringing different speakers to campus.the past several years
:: === '''March 2nd''' – ''Rabbi Jeff Goldwasser'', speaker from Williams Secular Community (WSC) ===College Jewish Association:: Rabbi of Congregation Beth Israel since 2000; active member of the Northern Berkshire Clergy Association; on the Ethics Committee of North Adams Regional Hospital and a corporator of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Foundation
:: [[Williams Secular Community]] was created as a means to fill '''March 7th''' – ''Interfaith Dinner'', organized by the gap among InterFaith group:: Taking place in the many religious groups Jewish Resource Center, RSVP to jrs5 or ms3 if you wish to attend
:: === '''March 9th''' – ''Father Gary Castor'', speaker from Williams Catholic ===:: Catholic Chaplain at Williams; wrote Mary, In Her Own Words: The Mother of God in Scripture in 2006; has been involved in a lot of spiritual work on campuses in the past