Preamble
The students of Washington University School of Law hereby establish the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA) in order to provide a voice for the Asian American students at Washington University School of Law, and ensure the fair representation of Asian American needs in the academic, professional, and social aspects of the school and legal community.
Article I. Name of the Organization
The name of this organization shall be the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA).
Article II. Purpose of the Organization
The purpose of the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association shall be:
First, to address the needs and concerns of Asian American law students within the LawSchool community through goals including but not limited to:
• Recruitment and retention of Asian American law students;
• Assisting Asian American law students in achieving their academic and professional goals;
• Fostering a sense of community within APALSA.
Second, to work with Asian American communities, both locally and nationally, toward the realization of common goals by:
• Providing APALSA members with access and opportunities for involvement within these communities;
• Serving as a source of information for Asian American community organizations.
Third, to educate, inform, and work with the Law School community concerning issues of interest to and/or affecting those identifying with the Asian American community.
Article III. Definition of Membership
Clause 1. All Washington University law students identifying with the Asian American classification and showing a genuine interest in the purpose of the organization shall be considered a “general member” of APALSA, without voting rights.
Clause 2. In addition, any Washington University law students paying dues of a predetermined value shall be considered a “dues-paying member” of APALSA, with voting rights.
Clause 3. APALSA shall not exclude any individual from its general membership or its functions on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, or disability.
Clause 4. In the event there is a dispute regarding membership status, such dispute shall be resolved by a majority vote of the APALSA Executive Board.
Article IV. General Membership
Section 1. Purpose of Organizational Meetings
Clause 1. Organizational Meetings shall generally be for the purpose of sharing individual reports, ongoing projects, and presenting issues for general discussion.
Clause 2. Executive Board members may elicit help on projects, as well as discussion and constructive criticism, from the general membership in attendance.
Clause 3. General announcements may also be made during Organizational Meetings.
Section 2. General Membership Voting Procedures
Clause 1. Only APALSA members as defined by Article III are entitled to vote.
Clause 2. "Referendum" - In order to be considered for a vote by the general membership, a motion/referendum on any subject matter requires either 1) a request by at least 10% of all APALSA members for a general membership vote, or 2) a majority vote of the Executive Board requesting a general membership vote. Proof of a valid request by the membership shall be in the form of a written petition to the Executive Board, formatted to include the printed name, signature, phone number, and student identification number of each signing member.
Clause 3. The Executive Board will decide by a majority vote as to whether a motion/referendum will be governed by Clause 6 or Clause 7 of this Section 2.
Clause 4. In order to be considered for a vote by the general membership, notice of the issue to be decided shall be provided to the general membership for no less than three academic days prior to the vote.
Clause 5. A quorum shall be required in order for a general membership vote to determine official action by APALSA. A quorum shall be 30% of all APALSA members.
Clause 6. All official statements or positions adopted in the name of APALSA shall receive a 2/3 majority vote of the quorum for approval.
Clause 7. All other issues to be decided by the general membership under this section shall receive a majority vote of the quorum for approval.
Clause 8. The procedure for all general membership votes shall be by secret ballot through the use of the APALSA mailbox.
Clause 9. The period for returning ballots shall be no less than five academic days.
Article V. Executive Board
Section 1. The purpose of the Executive Board shall be to serve as the administrative body for the organization.
Section 2. The Executive Board is responsible for the administrative details required for the running of the association.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall consist of only the following six positions, each position to be filled by two “dues-paying members” at most:
Clause 1. President. The responsibilities of the President shall include, but are not limited to, overseeing the activities of the Executive Board officers; facilitating communications among the general membership and the Executive Board; chairing Executive Board and general membership meetings; serving as the official representative of the association; serving as a liaison between the former APALSA members and current APALSA members; advising the Executive Board as to APALSA history and law school precedents; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Clause 2. Executive Vice-President. The responsibilities of the Executive Vice-President shall include, but are not limited to, providing assistance to the President; conducting all elections; assuming the duties of the President if the President is unable to fulfill those duties; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Clause 3. Vice-President of Finance. The responsibilities of the Vice President of Finance shall include, but are not limited to, maintaining the official membership list of APALSA, including general members and “dues-paying members”; maintaining the finances of APALSA; submitting, defending, and appealing the APALSA budget through the procedures prescribed by the Student Bar Association; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Clause 3. Vice-President of Administration. The responsibilities of the Vice President of Administration shall include, but are not limited to, recording minutes at all Executive Board and Organizational Meetings; conducting all voting among the membership, when and if the need arises, according to Article IV; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Clause 3. Vice-President of Operations. The responsibilities of the Vice-President of Operations shall include, but are not limited to, coordinating or assigning coordination tasks regarding logistics for events, meetings, and/or other projects attached to APALSA; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Clause 4. First-Year Representative. The responsibilities of the First-Year Representative include, but are not limited to, serving as a liaison between the Executive Board and the first-year class; representing the concerns of the first-year class within the Executive Board; and acting in collaboration with the Executive Board wherever needed.
Section 5. Voting Procedures Within Executive Board
Clause 1. Each Executive Board member is entitled to one vote only.
Clause 2. In order to be considered for action by the Executive Board, a motion shall be raised and seconded by another Executive Board member.
Clause 3. Voting by a show of hands shall be the method of issue resolution upon a motion of the Executive Board seconded from the floor. Three votes shall be sufficient for approval of a motion unless otherwise specified in this Constitution.
Clause 4. No action may be taken by the Executive Board unless quorum is met. A quorum shall be four members of the Executive Board.
Article VII. Election of Executive Board Members.
Section 1. Any individual who wishes to run for an Executive Board position shall be a “dues-paying member” of the association as defined by Article III at the time of nominations.
Section 2. Informal nominations shall be made by notifying a current Executive Board member.
Section 3. All persons receiving at least one nomination shall be placed on the general election ballot pending the candidates’ approval.
Section 4. Voting shall be by a secret ballot at a designated organizational meeting, and/or through the organization’s mailbox.
Section 5. In order to be elected as a member of the Executive Board, a quorum shall be reached for the particular position, and a candidate shall receive a majority of the votes cast for that position. In the event that no person receives a majority of the votes, a run-off election shall be held between the candidates with the largest and the second largest number of votes.
Section 6. Elections for the Executive Board, with the exception of the First-Year Representative, shall be held in the last month of classes, with new officers assuming their positions in the new school year.
Section 7. Elections for the First-Year Representative, and other Executive Board positions not filled during the spring, shall be held, no later than the first month of classes in the fall.
Section 8. Executive Board positions without candidates after the fall election may be filled through a special election or may be appointed by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Article VIII. Recall
Section 1. All elected officers are subject to recall by the General Membership. Any elected officer who is recalled shall be removed from office.
Section 2. To bring any recall proposal to a vote of the General Membership by secret ballot, a recall proposal shall be signed by a majority of the members, formatted to include the printed name, signature, phone number, and student identification number of each signing member.
Section 3. The Vice-President of Administration, acting in capacity as a voting official, shall be responsible for confirming any recall proposal, scheduling a hearing and administering the voting procedure. An exception shall be made if the Vice-President of Administration is the elected officer named in a recall proposal. The Executive Vice-President shall assume the duties of the Vice-President of Administration in those proceedings.
Section 4. An official notification of a confirmed recall proposal shall be made to the elected officer and the General Membership no less than five academic days prior to the hearing. A hearing shall be held no less than three academic days before voting.
Section 5. Voting shall be by secret ballot through the use of the organization’s mailbox. The period for voting shall be no less than five academic days.
Section 6. Recall will only be implemented by a two-thirds vote of quorum of the General Membership.
Article IX. Amendment Process
Section 1. Amendment proposals to this Constitution shall be submitted to the Vice-President of Administration, and shall be signed by 10% of all APALSA members, formatted to included the printed name, signature, phone number, and student identification number of each signing member.
Section 2. An official notification of a proposed Amendment shall be made to the General Membership no less than five academic days prior to a hearing.
Section 3. A hearing on any properly submitted proposed Amendment shall be held no less than three academic days before voting.
Section 4. Voting shall be by a secret ballot through the use of the organization’s mailbox. The period for voting shall be no less than five academic days.
Section 5. Amendments to this Constitution shall pass by a two-thirds vote of quorum of the General Membership.
(Drafted April 14, 2008; Modeled after the Constitution of NYU-APALSA)
MS Word format available below.
apalsaconstitution.doc |