Our Consitution

Preamble

We, the Black Students of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, having found the Rensselaer community unresponsive to the needs of minorities, do hereby establish the Black Students Alliance, hereinafter referred to as the Allliance.

Article I - Purpose

The Alliance shall exist to allow the participation of all people in the promotion of black cultural, intellectual, and social interests at RPI and in the surrounding community. Above all the alliance shall serve:

  • To uplift the conscious awareness of the Black Student politically, socially, and intellectually.
  • To champion and ensure the rights of Black students and out community
  • To be a guiding and uniting force for the Black Student on campus and the surrounding community.

This canon shall be met by providing for cultural, political, and intellectual weapons, in the form of programs and events for the Black Student at Rensselaer and the surrounding community. This canon shall be the basic set of rules and principles by which the Alliance shall govern itself.

Article II - Membership

Section I

Membership shall be open to all members of the Rensselaer Union and other interesed persons. The classifications of members shall be:

  • Student members - Undergraduate and Graduate students at RPI who have paid dues as required.
  • Non-student members - All other interested persons who have met all standards set by the Executive Board and have paid dues as required.
  • Honorary members - persons elected by 2/3 vote of the Executive Board.
  • Active student members - Undergraduate and Graduate students at RPI that attend 3/4 of the general meetings. The final discretion will be left to the Executive Board, which shall base their decision upon committee involvement and participation of events.

Section II

Student membership shall begin at the request of the individual with payment of dues and shall terminate at either the request of the individual with payment of dues and shall terminate either at the request of the individual or upon the time which payment of dues becomes overdue. The standards for non-student and honorary members will be set by the Executive Board. Membership shall nominally last for one semester or for one yearm except in the case of honorary members, whose membership shall exist permanently.

Section III

All members shall be guaranteed the privilege of voting with the exception of non-student and honorary members, who shall be restricted from voting for constitutional amendments and elected officials.

Section IV

No more than ten (10) persons may initiate membership into the Alliance at one general membership meeting. This resriction maay be waived by a mjority vote of the members present.

Section V

Any member, with the exception of officers and representatives, may be denied membership privileges except for voting by a 2/3 vote of the entire membership at a general membership for just cause. Officers and representatives must be impeached and thenr emoved from office before they may be denied Alliance privileges.

Article III -Organization

Section I

The Black Students Alliance shall consist of the general membership, the Executive Board (composed of elected officers and representatives), and those legally created committees, both standing and temporary.

Section II

The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Historian, Parliamentarian, Black Cultural Center Facilitites Coordinator, and one Class Council representative.

Section III

The Exective Board shall:

  • Be the cheif policy-making body of the Alliance and debate and decide issues in lieu of the general membership. Any decision by the Executive Board may be overturned by a majority vote of the general membership.
  • Establish committees as the Executive Board deems necessary and appoint their respective chair-persons.
  • Honorary members - persons elected by 2/3 vote of the Executive Board.
  • Active student members - Undergraduate and Graduate students at RPI that attend 3/4 of the general meetings. The final discretion will be left to the Executive Board, which shall base their decision upon committee involvement and participation of events.

Section IV

All powers of the Alliance shall ultumately reside with the general membership.

Section V

Any member, with the exception of officers and representatives, may be denied membership privileges except for voting by a 2/3 vote of the entire membership at a general membership for just cause. Officers and representatives must be impeached and thenr emoved from office before they may be denied Alliance privileges.

Article IV - Officers and Representatives

Section I

The elected officers of the Black Students Alliance shall be the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Historian, Parliamentarian, and Class Representatives. The Black Cultural Center Facilitites Coordinator and UPAC-BSA chairperson shall have appointed positions on the Board. The duties and responsibilities of the officers of the Alliance shall include but not be limited to the following:

Section II

The President shall:

  • Preside over all generala membership meetings
  • Sign all documents and financial statements not otherwise delegated
  • Act as chief spokesperson for the Alliance
  • Have the authority to make executive decisions involving the entire organization in extreme emergencies. Extreme emergency shall be defined as any circumstances requiring immediate action when neither the general membership nor the Executive Board can be convened for a decision.
  • Make all appointments with exception of standing committee chairpersons
  • Have the ultimate responsibility of seeing that the goals and purpose of the organization are carried out
  • Assume duties and responsibilities of the Treasurer in his/her abscence

Section III

The Vice-President shall:

  • Chair all Executive Board meetings.
  • Coordinate the work of all committees for the Executive Board.
  • Assume the responsibilities of the President in the event of his/her absence.

Section IV

The Treasurer shall:

  • Maintain accurate recoeds of all money pertaining to the Alliance.
  • Keep all Executive board informed of all financial policies of the Union
  • Report on the financial situation as required by the Executive Board or general membership.
  • Disburse and collect all funds.
  • Assume the responsibilities of the facilities coordinator in the event of his/her abscence

Section V

The Secretary shall:

  • Keep the mintues of the general membership meetings.
  • Keep the minutes of the Exective Board meetings, unless that responsibility is otherwise delegated by the Executive Board.
  • Assist the President in carrying on all official correspondence of the Alliance
  • Maintain open records of all minutes, documents, reports, and correspondence
  • Assume the responsibilities of the Vice-President in the event of his/her absence

Section 6

The Black Cultural Center Facilities Coordinator shall:

  • Develop and maintain the policies of the Executive Board with respect to the use of all Alliance facilities and equipment.
  • Coordinate and schedule all facility and equipment use
  • Assist the President in carrying on all official correspondence of the Alliance.
  • Maintain a record of all use of facilities and equipment.
  • Maintain a record of the policies regarding such use.

Section 7

The Historian shall:

  • Keep an active log and update it with past logs.
  • Assume the responsibilities of the Secretary in the event of his/her absence
  • Upkeep the Black Cultural Center Library.

Section 8

The Parliamentarian shall:

  • Maintain order at general membership and Exective Board meetings.
  • Administer Robert's rules of order when necessary.
  • Enforce the Constitution.

Section 9

The duties of representatives shall include, but not be limited to, meeting with their constituents in order to ascertain interests and concens of the general membership on behalf of the Executive Board. Representatives shall keep members informed of all activities of the Alliance.

Article V - Removal from Office

Section I

The decision to impeach officers or class representatives maybe made by a petition signed by a simple majority of his/her constituency or by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board Removal from office notice ~ vote of the general membership at the end of trial requires held at a general membership meeting. The Vice-President shall preside over the trial proceedings of the President The President shall preside overall others.

Section II

Vacancy in any office or representative position shall be filled by elections held at the next scheduled general membership meeting or at the soonest possible convenience.

Article VI - Elections

Section I

In order to run for office or representative position, the candidate must have been an active member of the Alliance, have dues paid in full, and must not be on academic probation. Graduaate and undercalssman representatives, however , need not be members at time of their nomination.

Section II

Nominations and general elections shall take place at general membership meetings. Nominations may be made and seconded from the floor by any member, including non-students and honoraries.

Section III

The term of office shall be one year beginning within one week of general elections. The term shall end with designation or removal, or with election of a new officer at the end of the term.

Section IV

Nominations and elections shall be in the last half of the spring semester, except for freshman representatives whose elections shall be held sometime within the first half of the fall semester. The Executive Board shall supervise and set the time and place for nominations and elections.

Section V

Elections shall be by a simple ajority of those voting. In the event of a tie a re-vote will take place on a date set by the Executive Board

Section VI

Voting for officers and representatives shall be restricted to active student members.

Section VII

No individual may hold more than one elected position. An individual may run for more than one position, but for no more than two positions.

Article VII - Meetings

Section I

The Alliance shall have at least four general membership meetings each semester. Quorum for the general membership meeints and Exeutive Board meetings shall be a simple majority of the total membership.

Article VIII - Financial

Section I

The dues schedule and the amount levied shall be determined by the Executive Board with the minimum amount set by the Executive Board of the Union.

Article IX - Committees

Section I

Standing committees may be created by the Exective Board of by the general membership. The Executive Board shall define the domain of committee affairs and the duties and powers of all committees. The Executive Board shall appoint chairpersons and set all rules of regulations for committee operations.

Section II

Temporary committees may eb created by the Executive Board and the general membership. The chairpersons shall be appointed by the Executive Board.

Section III

All committees shall keep the Vice-Presient regularly informed of all their activities.

Article X - Approval and Amendments

Section I

Approval of this constitution shall require adoption by a 2/3 vpte of the general membership at two seperate meetings. Amendments shall be presented for approval by the Executive Board of the Union.

Section II

Before amendments to this constitution may become effective, they must be submitted in writing to the President. and either 1) passed by a majority vote of the Executive Board and approved by a 2/3 vote of the total membership or 2) be approved by a 2/3 vote of the general membeshsip at two separate meetings. Amendments shall be represented for approval by the Executive Board of the Union.

Amendment I

The office, Chairman, Co-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, and Parliamentarian, serving during 1976-1977 prior to the adoption of this Constitution, shall take on the respective duties of President, Vice-President, Treasurer,Secretary, and Facilities Coordinator once this amendment is passed. The same shall apply to the 1976-77 membership and representatives.

Amendment II

TThe positions of class representatives will hereby be excluded from the Executive Board and will form a separate Class Council. This Council shall consist of two representatives from each undergraduate class, and the will elect one elect to serve on the Executive Board.

Contact The Black Students' Alliance at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Address: 110 8th Street, Troy NY 12180

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Email: rpibsapresident@gmail.com