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Vietnamese Student Association @ George Mason University


ARTICLE I. Name, Principles, and Purposes

Section 1. Name

  • The Vietnamese Student Association at George Mason University (GMU-VSA)

Section 2. Principles

  • Non-profit

Section 3. Purposes

  • Academic

    1. To encourage and assist the members and Vietnamese Community in academic matters.

  • Community

    1. To enhance the welfare of the Vietnamese Community.

  • Cultural

    1. To preserve and cultivate the Vietnamese culture.

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ARTICLE II. The Cabinet

Section 1. The Cabinet shall be composed of the Officers:

  1. The President

  2. The Internal Affairs Vice President

  3. The External Affairs Vice President

  4. The Secretary

  5. The Treasurer

  6. The Historian

  7. The Web Administrator

  8. The Publication Chairperson(s)

  9. The Publicity Chairperson(s)

  10. The Social Chairperson(s)

Section 2. Powers and Duties

  • 1.The President

    1. Acts as the official spokesperson of the GMU-VSA.

    2. Acts as the chairperson at all meetings of the cabinet.

    3. Acts as the coordinator and supervisor of all the activities of the GMU-VSA.

    4. Oversees the spending of the GMU-VSA.

    5. Organizes an election at the end of his/her term.

    6. Appoints a representative to participate in the activities of other organizations and associations.

    7. Shall have the power to veto any resolutions of the Cabinet. However, this veto can be overridden by three-fourths vote of the Officers of the Cabinet excluding the President.

  • The Internal Affairs Vice President

    1. Keeps a copy of all the records of the GMU-VSA.

    2. Represents the President in deciding matters within GMU-VSA in the case the President is absent or unable to fulfill his/her duties.

    3. Helps the President in planning, coordinating, and supervising all GMU-VSA activities.

  • The External Affairs Vice President

    1. Acts as a liaison between GMU-VSA and other organizations, associations and the community.

    2. Represents the President in deciding matters outside of GMU-VSA in the case the President is absent or unable to fulfill hi/her duties.

    3. Represents the GMU-VSA in the ISU and in the community.

  • The Secretary

    1. Records and prepares the minutes at each and every meeting of the GMU-VSA.

    2. Works with the Historian in keeping the records of the GMU-VSA.

    3. Works with the Publicity Chairperson(s) and Web Administrator in communicating with the GMU-VSA members concerning the Association’s activities.

  • The Treasurer

    1. In charge of bookkeeping and fund-raising for GMU-VSA.

    2. Shall have the power to approve expenses of not more than $20. Any expenditures greater than $20 must be approved by the President. Any expenditures exceeding $100 or 10% of the available funds of the GMU-VSA must be approved by both the Cabinet and the President.

  • The Historian

    1. Records the activities of the GMU-VSA.

    2. In charge of keeping the records of the GMU-VSA. This includes documents, photographs, computer files, etc.

  • The Web Administrator

    1. Maintains and updates the official Web site of GMU-VSA.

    2. Communicates electronically to members concerning matters of the GMU-VSA.

  • The Publication Chairperson(s)

    1. Collects, maintains, and distributes publications of the GMU-VSA.

    2. Publishes the official GMU-VSA newsletter.

  • The Publicity Chairperson(s)

    1. Designs, prints, and distributes announcements concerning the GMU-VSA and/or its activities.

  • The Social Chairperson(s)

    1. Plans and organizes social events as well as other recreational activities.

    2. Organizes the GMU-VSA sport events.

Section 3. Procedures for governing

  1. The Cabinet shall be convened at least five times per semester.

  2. At least two general meetings of all members of GMU-VSA shall be called per semester.

  3. All resolutions concerning GMU-VSA shall be passed by majority votes of the Cabinet Officers.

  4. Every Cabinet Officer shall be eligible to vote except the President. In the case of a tie, the President shall have the final say.

  5. All Chairpersons of the committees shall be responsible for the activities of their committees, except when the Cabinet intervenes.

  6. There shall be a change-over session for the outgoing Cabinet and the incoming Cabinet.

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ARTICLE III. Special Committees

Section 1. Procedures for establishment

  1. GMU-VSA member(s) wishing to form a Special Committee must first seek a Cabinet Officer for sponsorship.

  2. A charter outlining the purposes and powers of the Special Committee must be drafted by the sponsoring Cabinet Officer.

  3. The formation of a Special Committee requires two-thirds votes of approval by the Cabinet.

Section 2. Procedures for governing

  1. The Special Committee, acting within its approved charter, has the power to use the name of the GMU-VSA.

  2. The Special Committee shall be composed of GMU-VSA members.

  3. The sponsoring Cabinet Officer acts as the official liaison between the Special Committee and the Cabinet.

  4. The Cabinet has the power to dissolve a Special Committee by a simple majority vote.

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ARTICLE IV. Membership in the GMU-VSA

Section 1.

  1. Membership shall be opened to all GMU registered students, faculty, and staff without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, or disabilities. Furthermore, members will not engage in hazing as defined by Virginia State Law.

Section 2. Membership Requirements

  1. Official members

  2. A GMU registered student, faculty, or staff.

  3. Voluntary participation and payment of membership fees

  4. Following all the rules and regulations set forth by GMU-VSA.

  5. Honorary members

  6. An alumnus/alumna of George Mason University.

  7. Voluntary participation and payment of membership fees.

  8. Following all the rules and regulations set forth by GMU-VSA.

Section 3. Rights of Members

  • Official members

    1. The official members shall have the right to participate in all GMU-VSA activities, to nominate and elect Cabinet Officers, to run for a position in the Cabinet, and to attend Cabinet meetings.

    2. All activities of the official members concerning the principles and properties of GMU-VSA require the approval of the Cabinet.

  • Honorary members

    1. The honorary members shall have the right to participate in all GMU-VSA activities, to nominate and elect Cabinet Officers, and to attend Cabinet meetings. However, honorary members cannot run for a position in the Cabinet.

    2. All activities of the honorary members concerning the principles and properties of the GMU-VSA require the approval of the Cabinet.

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ARTICLE V. Nomination and Election

Section 1. Term of office

  1. The term of office for all Cabinet Officers shall be one fiscal year.

  2. Election for new Cabinet Officers shall be held no later than the fourteenth week of the semester; there are exceptions.

Section 2. Procedures for running for office and for appointments

  • The President and the two Vice Presidents

    1. The candidates for President and the two Vice Presidents are required to be official members of the GMU-VSA for at least one semester to the Election Day. In addition, the candidate for President is required to be a previous Cabinet Officer for at least one term.

    2. The candidates for President and the two Vice Presidents are required to run on the same ticket. In the case that a candidate for Vice President is unavailable, the candidate for President, once elected, shall have the power to appoint his/her Vice President(s) at a later time.

    3. All Chairperson of the committees are required to be official members of the GMU-VSA while holding office.

Section 3. Procedures for election

  1. The number of official GMU-VSA members present at the election must be twice the number of Cabinet Offices. If this number is not met, then another election shall be held within one week. If again this number is not met, then the President Pro Tempore has the authority to temporarily suspend GMU-VSA indefinitely until a general meeting can be held to resolve the issue.

  2. The election for all offices shall be done openly and properly.

  3. The election of the President shall be done by secret ballot.

  4. The election of the other offices can either be done by secret ballot or hand approval.

  5. The candidate for an office shall win the office if he/she receives more than half of the votes of the GMU-VSA members present at the election.

  6. In the case that not all of the Cabinet Offices are filled after the election, the President Elect has the power to appoint Cabinet Officers for these positions with the approval of the Cabinet.

  7. In the case that more than half the Cabinet is filled but the Presidency is not, the newly elected Cabinet Officers have the power to appoint a President. This appointment will be decided by a two-thirds majority vote of approval of the newly elected Cabinet Officers.

  8. In the case that less than or equal to half the Cabinet Offices are filled but the Presidency is not, the election is deemed void and the President Pro Tempore has the responsibility of calling a new election.

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ARTICLE VI. Procedures for Amendment, Removal of a Cabinet Officer, and Exclusion of Membership

Section 1. The following requirements have to be met in order to amend the Constitution:

  1. An approval by two-thirds votes of the Cabinet Officers.

  2. A general meeting with the attendance of the GMU-VSA members to amend the Constitution.

Section 2. The Amendment shall be passed if it receives two-thirds votes in favor by the GMU-VSA members present and if it is in compliance with SOAP regulations and policies.

  1. The Amendment must then be filed with the ISU President in the Soap Officel within one week of adoption.

  2. The Amendment shall be become effective the following semester after it is passed.

Section 3. A temporary resolution shall be passed by majority vote in the Cabinet except when this resolution is in conflict with items in ARTICLE I.

Section 4. A two-thirds votes of approval of all the GMU-VSA members at a general meeting are needed to remove a Cabinet Officer.

  • The Internal and External Affairs Vice Presidents together shall have the power to call such a meeting.

  • GMU-VSA members have the power to call such a meeting when:

    1. The Vice Presidents have refused

    2. The Cabinet has been given five school days prior notice.

Section 5. Procedures for succession.

  1. If the President cannot complete the full term of office then the Internal Affairs Vice President shall assume the office of Presidency.

  2. If the President and the Internal Affairs Vice President cannot complete their full terms of office then the External Affairs Vice-President shall assume the office of Presidency.

  3. If the President and the two Vice Presidents cannot complete their full terms of office then the Secretary shall call a general meeting to elect a new Cabinet

  4. If one of the two Vice Presidents or one of the chairpersons cannot complete his/her term of office then the President shall appoint a GMU-VSA member to fill the vacancy with the approval of the Cabinet.

  5. Each GMU-VSA member can only hold one office except when item 5.1 or 5.2 above applies.

Section 6. At least one-half votes in favor by all the GMU-VSA members present during a general meeting are need to exclude a member from further participation in the GMU-VSA.

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ARTICLE VII. The Properties of the GMU-VSA

Section 1. The properties of the GMU-VSA shall be composed of:

  1. Membership fee (if applicable).

  2. SFB fundings.

  3. All donations, either cash or goods, from other organizations or individuals.

  4. Money from fundraising events.

  5. All assets and documents (electronic or otherwise).

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ARTICLE VIII. Dissolution of the GMU-VSA

Section 1. The GMU-VSA shall be dissolved at the agreement of at least three fourths of the members present at a general meeting. In this case, all unspent SFB funds shall be returned to SFB. All remaining properties of the GMU-VSA shall be donated to George Mason University’s Student Activities.

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© VSA@GMU 2003 - 2004 email: vsa@gmu.edu