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Article I: About VSA

Section 1
The organization shall be recognized as the Vietnamese Student Association (also referred to as V.S.A.) of Iowa State University.

Section 2
The times, places and manners of meetings shall be decided by the Executive Board members of each school term. There is a minimum of 2 meetings per month during the school session.

Section 3
The Vietnamese Student Association at Iowa State does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. veteran.

Article II: The Purpose

Section 1
The Vietnamese Student Association establish this Constitution to introduce the Vietnamese culture through the following aspects:

  1. To build relations with multicultural organizations and other student groups at the Iowa State University.
  2. To welcome incoming Vietnamese students and other minority students and assist in their transition to the University.
  3. To provide opportunities for Vietnamese students to interact with each other and share their cultural experiences with the University and the community.
  4. To network with Vietnamese organizations at other institutions.

Article III: Membership

Section 1
The Vietnamese Student Association shall be composed of members who show an interest in the Vietnamese culture.

Section 2
Membership shall be open to all students, staff, or faculty in the Iowa State University community.

Section 3
Each member shall be required to pay membership dues every semester as determined by the Cabinet members.

Section 4
Each member shall be entitled to have one vote, but shall lose that voting privilege if he or she fails to attend two consecutive unexcused scheduled meetings.

Article IV : The Cabinet Members

Section 1
The Cabinet shall consist of the President(s), Vice-President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Culture & Historian Chair, Webmaster, Activities Coordinator, and ISC Representative.

Section 2
All officers serve for a term of one academic year. Each officer may run for re-election.

Section 3
Office vacancy may be filled by a temporarily designated member of the Vietnamese Student Association, nominated by the Cabinet. This temporarily designated appointee would serve in the vacant office until an election can be held for that particular office.

Section 4
Each officer shall attend all meetings. If an officer is unable to attend a scheduled meeting, he or she must notify the other officers immediately. Each officer may not miss more than two, consecutive meetings without an excuse deemed reasonable by two-thirds vote of the other officers.

Section 5
Each officer shall perform duties as specified in Sections 5-11, and other such duties as pertain to the office.

Section 6
The President(s) shall have the power:

  1. To serve as chief executive officer and supervise all VSA functions.
  2. To schedule meetings and preside at these meetings.
  3. To break tie votes.
  4. To appoint impromptu committees at his or her discretion for any activities.
  5. To maintain relations with Vietnamese organizations at other institutions.
  6. To recommend considerations of VSA activities as well as participation in campus-wide activities.
  7. To review the Government of the Student Body (GSB) budget proposal with the Treasurer and other officers if necessary.
  8. To appoint a new member to Cabinet in case of the removal of either one of the President(s), Vice-President(s), Secretary, Treasurer, Social Chair, ISC Representative, Sports Coordinator, Culture & Historian Chair, or Webmaster.
  9. To attend ISC/GSB meetings and represent VSA interests.
  10. To report VSA members of ISC/GSB activities.
  11. To organize social activities during each semester, and any extra-curricular activities.
  12. To supervise activities to welcome new VSA members.

Section 7
The Vice-President(s) shall have the power:

  1. To hold responsibilities within Section 6.5-6.12.
  2. To occupy an absence of the President(s).

Section 8
The Secretary shall have the power:

  1. To record the minutes of every meeting.
  2. To keep a record of attendance at each meeting.
  3. To contact and notify VSA members of all meetings and activities.
  4. To maintain and make available a directory that lists all VSA members.

Section 9
The Treasurer shall have the power:

  1. To maintain financial records of VSA transactions.
  2. To notify the President(s) of the VSA financial status upon request by the President(s) and Executive Board members.
  3. To collect dues and fees.
  4. To prepare the GSB budget proposal to be submitted at the time deemed necessary by the College regulations.
  5. To manage the VSA account at the Students Activities of Account and inform the President(s) of any transaction.

Section 10
The Culture & Historian Chair shall have the power:

  1. To document all VSA events through photographs and other media.
  2. To maintain the VSA scrapbook & magazine.
  3. To keep inventory of all supplies and decorations.

Section 11
The Webmaster shall have the power:

  1. To maintain the VSA webpage.
  2. To update the pictures, text, and calendar of the webpage.
  3. To maintain the VSA scrapbook & magazine.

Section 12
The Activities Coordinator shall have the power:

  1. To encourage healthy living for VSA members.
  2. To plan and coordinate extracurricular activities, performances, and tournaments amongst members and other university students.

Section 13
The International Students Council (ISC) Representative shall have the power:

  1. To attend mandatory ISC meetings.
  2. To inform VSA members of activities and events that pertain to cultural awareness.
  3. To makes connections with the Vietnamese Students Association and the International Students Council.

Section 14
No person except a VSA member may be eligible to the Executive Board positions.

Section 15
An officer shall be removed from the Executive Board members by a three-fourths vote of the active membership. The active membership shall be composed of members described in Article III, Section 4.

Article V: Elections

Section 1
The Board of Officers shall be elected at the next to the last meeting of the spring semester to a term of one year, and shall serve until their successors have been duly elected.

Section 2
Nominations for each office shall be announced at the next to the last meeting. Nominations may remain open until the day of elections.

Section 3
Each officer shall be nominated and elected in the order that they are listed in Article IV, Sections 5-11.

Section 4
A majority of the voting members must be present in order to hold an election. The President(s) shall have the power to arrange another meeting, if necessary, where there shall be a majority of voting members to hold elections.

Section 5
Elections shall be done by secret ballot or by show of hands.

Section 6
A candidate for an office must receive a majority vote in order to be elected. In the event that no candidate receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the candidate having the least number of votes shall be dropped and a second ballot shall be taken. The procedure shall be repeated if necessary until a candidate receives a majority vote.

Article VI: Dues

Section 1
Dues shall be determined by a majority vote of the Executive Board on a per semester basis.

Article VII: Amendments

Section 1
Any amendments to the Constitution shall be adopted by a majority vote. A written notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given at least two weeks prior to a meeting. All such amendments shall become effective immediately, pending approval by our Student Association.

Article VIII: Ratifications

The Constitution of the Vietnamese Student Association has been ratified by a majority vote of the VSA Executive Board on September 7th, 2006.