ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1.                  Membership in the Asian American Law Student Association shall be open to all students, faculty, and alumni of the Stetson University College of Law who are interested in Asian issues, issues deriving from legal practice with Asia, and/or the advancement of the Asian communities.

SECTION 2.                  Each member who has paid his/her dues shall have one (1) vote.  The membership dues for each term shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per year and shall remain in effect until changed by a general vote of the Association.  The procedure for voting shall be as prescribed in Article IV, section 4.   Any student members who fail to pay dues shall not participate in the activities of the Asian American Law Student Association.  It shall be the discretion of a majority of the officers to waive or defer a member’s outstanding dues. 

ARTICLE IV

 MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERS

POWERS.                    All powers not specifically delegated to officers and members reside in the General Membership of APALSA. Where an issue affects a member's rights or privileges, such issue shall be submitted to the General Membership for resolution. Where an issue affects the policy of APALSA, such issue shall be submitted to the General Membership for discussion and resolution. All other issues decided by the Executive Committee or by any individual officer or member shall be subject to recall by the General Membership through the decision procedure specified in Section 2(c) of this Article.

DUTIES.                        Incumbent upon every member is a general duty of attendance and participation at meetings.  All members shall be expected to attend at least two (2) General Meetings and shall forfeit their voting rights if not followed.  Request for excuses must be submitted in writing to the officers in a timely fashion.  The final determination of all members’ absences rest exclusively with the officers. 

NOTICE.                       Notice of each meeting shall be delivered to each member of the Asian-Pacific American Law Student Association in their mailbox, or notices of the meeting will be posted on the public bulletin boards, or communicated by email to the general student body.

RULES OF ORDER.      Each meeting shall be conducted pursuant to the Roberts Rules of Order.  In case of conflict with the Asian American Law Student Association’s by-laws and the Roberts Rules of Order, the Asian American Law Student Association shall control.

ASSEMBLING.         (1) Each regular and special meeting of the General Membership for the transaction of proper business shall be held at such date, time, and place as may be designated by the President.  Once established, the time, date, and place for the meetings shall be e-mailed and/or posted no later than five  school days prior to the meeting.

(2) The first General Meeting shall be held within two weeks (2) after the first day of each semester. 

(3) Any member present at any given meeting may propose topics for discussion and resolution by the General Membership.

(4) To conduct business at meetings a quorum must be present.  A quorum shall consist of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the members.

ARTICLE V

 VOTING

SECTION 1.                  An officer is elected by the majority vote. 

SECTION 2.                  In a General Meeting, in which there is a quorum participating, the vote of the majority of those participating shall be sufficient to decide those issues that cannot be resolved by consensus.  In the event of a tied vote, the vote of the presiding officer shall be discounted to create a majority vote. 

ARTICLE VI

EXECUTIVE BOARD

SECTION 1.  OFFICERS.   

The officers of the AALSA shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer.

QUALIFICATIONS.         The officers of the AALSA shall be student members of the AALSA of Stetson University College of Law.

ELECTIONS.                 Elections shall be conducted by no later than two (2) nor earlier than four (4) weeks before the end of the spring semester. 

TERM.                          Each term consists of one academic year, which starts from the summer semester to the following spring semester.  The officers shall be elected at the end of each spring semester.  No officer shall serve more than two academic years.

DUTIES.                    

President :

                                                (1) Qualification

(a)    shall, by the semester that begins the term to which the President is elected, have satisfied two semester sessions as a resident student as defined in the Stetson University College of Law Official Bulletin;

(b)   shall be a member of the Association having attained a 2.0 overall grade point average and not be on probation at the time of taking office;

(c)    shall, at the time of assuming the office of the President, be expected to graduate from law school at a date no earlier than that which will permit the President to serve for the full term of office. 

(2) Duties

(a)    shall have general supervisory power over the activities and business of AALSA; shall chair the meetings of the Executive Board and the meetings of the General Membership;

(b)   by virtue of the office, shall have the powers and responsibilities to represent AALSA when and where the need arises and in doing so shall promote the goals, needs, and interests of the members of AALSA; 

(c)    shall be responsible for the agenda of the General Meetings;

(d)   shall be a chapter liason to the Regional and National Officers of the National Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (NAPALSA).

Vice-President :

(1)   Qualification

(a)    shall have satisfied one semester session as a resident student as defined in the Stetson University College of Law Official Bulletin;

(b)   shall be a member of the Association having attained a 2.0 overall grade point average and not be on probation at the time of taking office;

(c)    shall, at the time of assuming office of the Vice-President, be expected to graduate from law school at a date no earlier than that which will permit the Vice-President to serve for the full term of office. 

(2)   Duties

(a)    shall serve as the acting president of the Association in the absence of the President of the Association. 

(b)   shall serve in close cooperation with the President in the administration of the Association as assigned by the President. 

(c)    shall have responsibility and powers to provide academic support programs for AALSA which include, but are not limited to, AALSA's mentor/mentee program and the inviting of speakers of interest to Stetson University College of Law.

Secretary :

(1)   Qualification

(a)    shall have satisfied one semester session as a resident student as defined in the Stetson University College of Law Official Bulletin;

(b)   shall be a member of the Association having attained a 2.0 overall grade point average and not be on probation at the time of taking office;

(c)    shall, at the time of assuming office of Secretary, be expected to graduate from law school at a date no earlier than that which will permit the Secretary to serve for the full term of office.

(2)   Duties

(a)    shall be responsible for the communication of information within AALSA; shall have the powers and responsibilities of assuring that all AALSA members are aware of all the business and activities of AALSA.

(b)   shall record the minutes of all the Executive meetings and General meetings of the Association and shall maintain and archive the records of the minutes;

(c)    shall record attendance at the meetings;

(d)   shall e-mail a copy of the minutes of the general meetings to the members within forty-eight (48) hours;

(e)    shall maintain a record of all official correspondance;

(f)     shall maintain a permanent file of all records;

(g)    shall, whenever appropriate or whenever requested by the Executive Board, produce a newsletter detailing the business and activities of AALSA and distribute that newsletter to the General Membership and all others specified by the Executive Board;

(h)    shall keep a typed original copy of the minutes on file in the file cabinet space located in the Student Bar Association Office;

(i)      shall also maintain a typed mailing list with names, addresses, and phone numbers of every member and alumni of AALSA, which shall be distributed to each member.        

Treasurer :

(1) Qualification

(a)    shall have satisfied one semester session as a resident student as defined in the Stetson University College of Law Official Bulletin;

(b)   shall be a member of the Association having attained a 2.0 overall grade point average and not be on probation at the time of taking office;

(c)    shall, at the time of assuming office of Treasurer, be expected to graduate from law school at a date no earlier than that which will permit the Treasurer to serve for the full term of office.    

(2)  Duties

(a)    shall maintain a ledger which shall indicate all income and expenditures of the AALSA.  The ledger shall be made open to any member of the AALSA or any officer of the Student Bar Association; 

(b)   shall create and maintain a checking account in the name of the AALSA, where income is deposited; 

(c)    shall collect all monies due and owing to the AALSA;

(d)   shall disburse all authorized expenses;

(e)    shall keep a permanent set of books of account for the financial business of the AALSA;

(f)     shall draft the coming-year budget proposal;

(g)    shall present monthly to the general meeting a written report detailing income, expenditures, and current balance.  After review and approval by the officers, the report shall be e-mailed.           

(h)    shall attend all budget hearings of the Student Bar Association.

SECTION 2.  EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS.

(1)   Officers shall attend all meetings, official and special, of the Executive Board and General Meetings.  More than three (3) unexcused abscences will result in a possible recall as designated under Article VII.   

(2)   Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be conducted weekly prior to the General Meetings and specially called meetings may be convened when called by the President or a majority of the Officers. 

(3)   Minutes of meetings of the Executive Board shall be recorded by the Secretary and shall be available to the General Membership upon demand.

(4)   In preperation of the agenda for the General Meeting, all committee reports and business to be brought before the General Membership shall be reviewed and approved by majority vote of the Executive Board at the Executive Board Meeting prior to the General Meeting. 

(5)   The Executive Board shall prepare an agenda for the General Meetings.   

ARTICLE VII

RECALL OF ELECTED OFFICERS

SECTION 1.                  Any officer or any other person serving in an official capacity of the AALSA, shall be subject to recall by the members of the AALSA who would be eligible to elect the person at the time of the recall. 

SECTION 2.                  Upon seventy-five percent vote of all the members, a special referendum shall be called for the purpose of voting on the recall question.  Proper notice of the proposed action must be given at the general meeting or through e-mail.    

SECTION 3.                  The ballot for the recall election shall read as follows:  Should (state the name of the officer) who presently serves as (state the position held) be retained in that position?  Yes – No.  There must be a quorum present, which quorum shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of all dues-paying members, upon a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those present. 

ARTICLE VIII

FILLING VACANCIES

SECTION 1.                  In case any officer shall become temporarily unable to serve the Executive Board shall collectively assume the powers and responsibilities of the absent officer. 

SECTION 2.                  In case any officer shall become permanently unable to serve, a special election shall be held for the purpose of choosing a person to serve during the remainder of the term. 

SECTION 3.  Special Elections shall be held within two (2) weeks after vacancies. 

ARTICLE IX

COMMITTEES

It shall be designated by the members of the association on a need basis to create committees and to elect committee chairpersons for each committee. 

ARTICLE X

AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

This Constitution may be added to, amended, or repealed as prescribed below:   

Any dues-paying member shall be able to propose amendments to these By-Laws.  Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Officers. 

Proper notice of the amendment must be given at the prior general meeting or through e-mail two weeks prior to the vote of the general membership.  The proposed amendment shall also be e-mailed to the members two weeks prior to the vote of the general membership. 

At the meeting of the General Membership, at which a quorum is present, which quorum shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of all dues-paying members, upon a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those present, provided the proposed action is defined in the notice of such meeting. Such notice shall be given at the previous meeting. 

Unless otherwise specified in a proposed and subsequently approved amendment, the effective date shall be the first day of the semester following the adoption of the amendment. 

ARTICLE XI

 EFFECTIVE DATE

This Constitution shall become effective on the first day of the Fall Term of the year 2004.  All previous constitutions and amendments are hereby repealed.