HSU Constitution and By-Laws

Constitution

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Latinos Unidos (USI's Hispanic Student Union).

Mission

It is the mission of Latinos Unidos to promote the recognition and involvement of Hispanic students at the University of Southern Indiana. The LU intends to create a strong voice on campus to make an impact on the decisions regarding students at USI. The LU shall also encourage academic achievement and personal development in leadership, time management, organizational and communication skills among its membership. In addition, the LU will promote both academic and extra-curricular programs to enhance and increase the knowledge and appreciation of cultural diversity.

Membership

• All members and potential members of LU must be enrolled at USI.
• Dues must be paid in full year by September in the Spring or February in the Fall, thus giving LU members all voting rights and privileges.
• All LU members must serve on at least one committee.
• Names for membership must be submitted during "intake" periods twice a year the first two weeks of fall and spring semesters.
• Members must show interest, commitment and loyalty to LU and its mission.
• All members must maintain a good attendance record.
• The advisor should be a staff member who demonstrates an interest in promoting LU and its endeavors; he or she will be responsible for involving LU in the total spectrum of life on campus and in community affairs and for enhancing the awareness of cultural diversity.

Officers

President
Treasurer
Vice President of Membership Development
Historian
Secretary
Parliamentarian

Meetings

Regular meetings will be held on the first and fourth Wednesday of each month during the Academic Year in UC 205 at 4:00 p.m. No meetings will occur during nonclass days or days the University is closed. Special call meetings will be arranged as necessary and announced by the president. A change of meeting room or location is handled solely by Scheduling Services. All meetings must be held on campus in a campus building, which excludes student apartments and recreation rooms.

Amendments

The Constitution may be amended at the annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of those eligible to vote. However, the proposed amendment must be submitted in writing at a previous meeting. Note: Before an amendment or a clause can be included or discussed at a regular or special call meeting, all members must be in good financial standing.

By-Laws

Duties of the Officers

A. President

• Preside at and attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.
• Act as a leader and spokesperson for the LU.
• Chair all regular, executive council, and special call meetings.
  • Chair Fundraising Committee.
• Review all committee programming and assist all standing Committees.
• Serve on appropriate University Committees as they relate to the LU.
• Submit a word-processed agenda for regularly scheduled meetings to the advisor the Thursday prior to meetings.

B. Vice President of Membership Development

• Chair Membership Committee.
• Chair Membership Development Committee.
• Oversee Phone-a-thon Recruitment.
• Ensure that Membership Development Committee conducts a minimum of two programs per month.
• Preside at all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events in the president's absence.
• Assist the president in all meetings, functions, activities, and events.
• Attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.

C. Secretary

• Record minutes at meetings.
• Prepare a typewritten agenda for all LU meetings.
• Maintain a file(s) of minutes, documentation, announcements, special notices, and correspondence in the office space assigned to the LU.
• Maintain up-to-date membership roster.
• Keep files for a minimum of two (2) academic years in an area that allows quick and easy access.
• Attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.

D. Treasurer

• Chair Finance Committee.
• Collect, record, and receipt dues from all LU members.
• Receive, record, and disburse monies for the LU.
• Maintain knowledge about the LU's finances and reply to questioning from the members and executive council.
• Give an extended financial report of all transactions on the third meeting of each month.
• Provide each LU executive council member with a copy of the financial report.
• Attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.

All monies are channeled through the treasurer, to be officially transacted and immediately transferred into the LU account within 24 hours or the next business day following any activity, event, etc. The treasurer is responsible for all monetary transactions, recordings, and should maintain all receipts for a minimum of two (2) academic years. In addition, the treasurer must meet with the executive council to discuss any withdrawals from the LU account and/or any transactions that may affect the LU account. It is customary that the LU operate out of its treasury for some of its functions and co-sponsorships in conjunction with the Multicultural Center.

Note: Permanent copies must be made before any receipts and/or transactions can be discarded. These copies should be kept in the LU files for the duration of the term as specified in the constitution and by-laws.

E.  Historian

• Photograph all LU functions, activities, and events.
• Maintain a photo album of LU functions for each academic year.
• Chair Publicity Committee.
• Assist in the development of publications that promote the LU and its mission.
• Ensure all publications, including website, are approved by advisor and News and Information Services.
• Attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.

F.  Parliamentarian

• Enforce rules and regulations in form and content.
• Preserve order and execute commands given by the president, vice president or whoever is presiding.
• Enforce the judgment or command of the person in authority.
• Have possession of the Robert's Rules of Order and make it accessible to any member upon request.
• Attend all LU meetings, functions, activities, and events.

Executive Council

The Executive Council is made up of the advisor(s) and the following officers:  president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, historian and parliamentarian. The executive council will meet on a monthly basis to report on the status of committees and their activities, to discuss upcoming events, and to curtail potential problems. Officers shall be elected and voted on by the membership.  Election of officers will be held the third week of April. Any LU member interested in fulfilling the offices of president and/or vice president must maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average. All remaining officers must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. These students must also provide proof of their GPA on a cumulative basis to the LU advisor(s) or the Multicultural Center Office.  Each officer shall hold an office for a one-year term.

Vacancies, resignations, and removal procedures for elected officers

In case a vacancy or resignation occurs in the office of president, the vice president shall fill this vacancy until the next election is held.  In the event of subsequent vacancies in the office of president, the order of succession shall be vice president, secretary, and then treasurer.

In the case of the resignation of a LU officer, that officer must willingly submit a typewritten letter of resignation to the executive council two weeks prior to a regularly scheduled meeting.  The council will, in turn, carry out all proper procedures by a majority vote of the executive council, eligible members, or by a quorum of 12 active members.

Any officer or member of the executive council may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the executive board or by a majority of eligible members in good standing at a special call meeting for this purpose.

Membership Qualifications

All students considering membership in the LU must meet the following criteria:

• Paid-in-full dues.
• Regular attendance.
• Participation and work on one committee.
• Cooperation with fellow members and the executive council.

Failure to maintain any of the above regulations will breach the opportunity to occupy a seat and have access to all voting rights and privileges.

Dues

LU members are taxed in the amount of $20 for membership dues for the academic year. Exceptions to this must be approved by the LU advisor who is then responsible for notifying the Treasurer.

Fundraisers

LU members will have and participate in a minimum of four to six fundraisers per academic year. Moreover, LU members will have and participate in a minimum of two to three fundraisers per semester. All purchases acquired by the LU for the purpose of fundraising must be sold and/or purchased by LU members prior to the next academic semester (excluding all summer terms).

Quorum/Voting

Twelve (12) active members shall constitute a quorum. An active member is one who is in good financial standing and attends regularly scheduled meetings throughout the academic year, exercises all voting rights and privileges, shows interest, commitment, and loyalty to the organization.

Committees

All committees are distinguished by their powers and duties, which are outlined below.

Standing committees and their responsibilities:

Membership - to encourage and to lend assistance to the recruitment of new members and to LU's efforts to improve the participation and attainment of Hispanic students enrolled at the University; to make students aware of and to invite students to LU meetings, activities, and events via Phone-a-thon Recruitments

Membership Development - to develop and to present programs that encourage academic achievement, personal development, and cultural appreciation among its membership; to assist with the planning of special events/activities to observe various holidays; to assist with collaborative efforts between community and volunteer agencies for community service projects

Finance - to construct an annual LU budget; to monitor expenditures; to identify sources of revenue to support LU programs, functions, activities and events; and to assist in the planning fundraisers to maintain a balance

Fundraising - to build and to increase the LU treasury and to maintain a good cash flow in the LU account

Publicity - to develop and to distribute publications that promote the LU and its mission as a means of gaining public attention and support for the organization; to develop an informative website on the LU and its membership; to submit LU information to the Multicultural Center Administrative Assistant, to News and Information Services and to other USI publications as a means of gaining additional publicity

Note: The following may approve additional committees:

• Advisor(s).
• Executive Council.
• LU membership.

Parliamentary Procedures

The LU shall determine its rules and proceedings.  The recorded minutes of organized procedures and policies shall stand as precedent policy.  The parliamentary authority shall be Robert's Rules of Order and carried out by the parliamentarian.