AFRICAN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION

 

PREAMBLE

We, the African students and interested parties at the University of South Florida, have established the African Students Association, realizing the need to promote awareness of African issues within the University community and surrounding communities, hereby adopt this constitution as the fundamental law of this Association.

ARTICLE I: Name

There shall be an association called African Students Association (ASA) at the University of South Florida.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE

The purpose of ASA is to express African students interests, promote activities to develop an awareness of the social, cultural values of Africans with the view to contributing to the development of USF and its immediate community. The purpose of ASA is to promote activities which will help develop unity amongst African students as well as create a social network support system which will aid them in expressing their interests in the contexts of the university and its immediate community.

ARTICLE III-- OBJECTIVES

The objectives of ASA shall include but are not limited to the following:

-         To promote unity and support among African students

-         To encourage understanding between African students and others students on campus

-         To represent students at the faculty, campus and community level

-         To promote student interests through cooperation between students, faculties and school administration.

-         To promote students rights, academic freedom and responsibilities

-         To provide students with a means through which their concerns and ideas can be communicated

-         To act as a liaison between the African community and the University of South Florida

-         To promote awareness about Africa on campus and its immediate community

ARTICLE IV-- MEMBERSHIP

 

The categories of membership are:

Section 1. Active Members

  1. Active membership shall be open to all USF students genuinely interested in the objectives of this organization.
  2. An active member shall have the privilege of voting, being elected to office and participating in all functions of the organization.
  3. An active membership continues until either the individual graduates or has been removed by the organization.

Section 2. Associate Members

A.     Associate membership shall be open to all non-USF-students who are genuinely interested in the objectives of ASA.

B.     Associate members shall have the privilege of participating in all functions of ASA, but cannot vote or hold office.

C.     Associate membership continues until either the individual withdrawals or has been removed by the organization.

Section3. Duties

The duties of the members of ASA shall include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Attending meetings regularly.
  2. Participating in functions sponsored by the organization on campus and in the community.

 

Section4.  Dues/Fees

No dues, fees, assessments, or other charges are levied for membership into the ASA or into the National Headquarters membership.

 

Section5.  Membership Removal Clause

If any member fails to uphold his/her duties or responsibilities, he/she can be removed from his/her post by 2/3's vote of the active, voting members.

ARTICLE V -- ELECTION TO OFFICE

 

Section 1. Eligibility for Office
Any person who has been an active member, in good standing, for at least one full semester shall be eligible to hold any office.

Section 2. Terms of Office
All officers shall serve their term from August to May. Should a vacancy occur in an office, the Executive Board shall appoint a member to fill the vacancy until an election can be held. The election must be within one month of the occurrence of the vacancy or no later than the next election cycle. Should the President's office become vacant, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President until an election can be held within a month.

Section 3. Election to Office

A.     Officers shall be elected annually. The elections shall be held prior to or by the last month of the spring semester.

B.     Nominations for each office shall be made from the floor by any active member. Members need not be present at the meeting to be nominated.  If appointed by the Executive Board, a Nominations Committee may compose an initial slate of nominees from the roster of active members in good standing for presentation to the General Assembly. Then, additional nominations can then be made from the floor.

C.     Voting shall be by secret ballot and a majority shall elect. If on the first ballot, no nominee receives a majority of the votes cast for the office, the person receiving the least number of votes shall be eliminated and a run-off election shall be rescheduled, within two weeks, for the two top candidates.

 

Section 4. Removal of Officers.
By way of motion, any Executive member may recommend the removal or recall of any ASA officer who fails to adequately perform the duties of his/her office. A two-thirds majority vote shall be required to remove an officer. Upon removal, the officer shall become a regular active member with all privileges thereof.

  1. All officers must attend all meetings (Executive Board and General) and events of the organization without fail.  All officers must be present at the beginning of all ASA meetings and events (officers must be early to all meetings and events).  Officers must inform the President of an absence or tardy prior to a meeting or event.
  2. An officer may be recommended for removal for unexcused absences or tardiness:

1. Two (2) consecutive absences from General and Executive Board meetings and per semester.
2. Three (3) absences from General and Executive Board meetings per semester.
3. Four (4) tardiness from General and Executive Board meetings per semester.

 

 

  C.    An officer may be recommended for removal from office for:

1. Failure to fulfill Constitutional duties.
2. Failure to coordinate a designated event.

3. Failure to uphold to the objectives of the organization.

4. Failure to comply with university policies.

 

Article VI:  Executive Board

Section1. Officers

A.     The Officers of ASA shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of Activities, Fundraising Chair and Webmaster; they shall comprise the Executive Board.

B.     The Executive Board shall meet as deemed necessary during the academic year.

Additional officers may be created to service the organization. The duties and titles of theses officers will be created and established in the organization by laws.

Section 2. General duties and powers of the Executive officers

    1. All members holding position as executive officers hall have one vote at all ASA general meetings and executive meetings
    2. All executive officers shall be responsible for ensuring the development and formulation of ASA policies.
    3. All executive officers shall attend all general meetings and executive meetings of ASA
    4. All executive officers are responsible for maintaining and passing on to incoming ASA member relevant positional information and reports

Section3. Specific powers and duties of the Executive Officers

A.     The President shall

1.      Be the official spokesperson for ASA.

2.      Be responsible for ensuring the development and formulation of ASA policies.

3.      Chair all general and executive ASA meetings

4.      Be responsible for ensuring the availability of all ASA services to all members of ASA.

5.      Be responsible for ensuring that all ASA members perform their duties as directed in this constitution.

6.      Have signing authority on all ASA accounts in the absence of or vacancy of the Treasurer.

7.      Have the power of Executive veto over all actions of the Executive Board.

 

B.     The Vice President shall:

1        In the absence of the President, perform all the duties of the President until he/she is able to return, or a by election is held.

2        Serve with the President as the official representative of the students when more than one is required.

 

C.     The Treasurer shall:

1        Be responsible for the administering and accounting of all ASA funds.

2        Have signing authority on all ASA accounts.

3        Administer payment of all expenses incurred by ASA or its activities within two (2) weeks of any request from any ASA member.

4        Report at Executive meetings the ASA financial status.

5        Ensure that all ASA financial activities comply with the approved ASA budget.

6        Prepare an expected/actual budget at the beginning and end of each academic year for events.

7        Be responsible for passing on all financial information, statements and reports onto the incoming Treasurer.

      D. The Secretary shall:

1        Record the minutes of all ASA meetings and decisions taken by the Executive and have them available to ASA members.

2        Maintain a current list of telephone numbers and e-mail addresses for all ASA members.

3        Be responsible for the successful chairing of General and Executive meetings.

4        Be the link between ASA members and Executive Board.

5        Be responsible for the ASA's correspondences.

 

    1. The Director of Activities:

1        Be responsible for organizing social events during the academic year.

2        Ensure that all events are advertised to all members in advance.

3        Promote involvement of the student body at planned events.

4        Prepare a tentative schedule at the beginning of each academic year of proposed events.

5        Be responsible for making flyers, posters, room reservation etc

6        Be the link between the USF community and the ASA.

 F.   Fundraising Chair:

1        Work with the treasurer to prepare event/annual budgets, to be presented to the Executive Board for approval;

2        Find funding sources to cover the budget(s).

3        Work on activities that could raise funds for the organization.

4        Be the link between the Tampa Bay community and ASA

             G.  Webmaster:

1.      Shall be in charge of the Association's Webpage.

2.      Shall make sure that the Webpage is updated regularly and information is posted in a timely fashion.

             H.  ASA Representatives Shall:

                              1.  Represent the students and members of ASA at all ASA council meetings.

                              2.  Report to the ASA information and decisions from the ASA council meetings.

Article VII: Meetings

Section1. Scheduling

A.     Executive Meetings will be held every week.

B.     Additional Executive meetings may be called by any Executive Officer.

C.     General Meetings will be held every week.

Section2. Attendance

A.     It is mandatory that all members of the Executive attend all meetings.

B.     The Secretary, in the official ASA meeting minutes, shall record the attendance or absence of any Executive member.

C.     General Meetings shall be open to all ASA members

D.     The Secretary shall record the attendance at all meetings in the official ASA meeting minutes.

E.      Quorum for Executive ASA meetings shall be 75% of the Executive members

F.      Quorum for General meetings shall be one-third of all Executive Officers, and members of ASA.

Section3. Voting

A.     All Executive and Active members are entitled to one vote.

B.     Simple majority (51%) shall determine all regular votes.

 

Section4. Minutes

Copies of all approved meeting minutes shall be made available to the students, the faculty, or the University upon request.

Article VII: Rules of order

 

Meetings shall be run according to Robert's Rules of Order

 

Article IX: Amendment

 

ASA shall operate in accordance to all University, Student Government, and Student Activities provisions. Any amendment or bylaw changes regarding ASA shall be passed by a quorum vote (50+1), and will be considered pending until presented to and review by Students Activities.

 

Article X: Anti-Hazing Clause

 

This organization prohibits its members, both individually and collectively from committing any acts of hazing as defined herein:

 

"Hazing" means any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with this organization. Such term shall include, but not be limited to, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the elements, forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance, or any other physical activity which could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, forced exclusion from social contact, forced conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity which adversely affects the mental health or dignity of the individual. For the purpose of this section, any activity as described above upon which the initiation or admission into or affiliation with this organization is directly or indirectly a condition shall be presumed to be a "forced activity", the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding. 

 

Article XI: Organization Agreement

 

Organization agrees to abide by Florida State Statute #240.262 regarding hazing. Furthermore, agrees to abide by all Student Activities policies as outlined in the student handbook, to check the organizations mailbox regularly, to communicate via e-mail upon request, and to update the organizations records (Officer Listings Form) whenever there is a change