Constitution

Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) Constitution

Purpose: To provide social interaction among all students at Rice, to serve as a contact for an intercollegiate information network, to connect Rice students with the Vietnamese community, and to increase awareness of the Vietnamese presence on campus.

Requirements for Membership: Membership is open to any currently enrolled Rice student who has contributed the specified amount of dues for the given year. This organization shall not engage in any form of hazing, as defined by the Code of Student Conduct and any other applicable Rice University rules and regulations. This organization shall not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status.

Election/Appointment of Officers: The cabinet shall be elected through popular vote of the members in a general election. The general election shall be conducted by voting all offices at once on a single ballot. In order to run, a candidate must be a current member who has participated in at least three VSA events in the past academic year (meetings, outings, other events). If there is a tie after the first round of elections and there are more than two candidates, then there will be a run-off with only the two as candidates. If there is still a tie or there are only two candidates and they tie, then the officers will vote on the two. If there is an even number of officers and there is a tie among the officers, then the president(s) will have final say over the result.

Rights and Responsibilities of the Officers: Officer meetings will be held twice monthly, and all officers must attend every meeting, except under extenuating circumstances. Participation in organization activities and events are strongly encouraged. Each officer shall have one vote, with the President(s) acting as tie-breakers when necessary.

The Cabinet will include:

President(s): The President shall be responsible for conducting meetings and handling general administrative duties. Representing the face of the organization, the President(s) must act in a professional manner, always being mindful that decisions should be based primarily upon the interests of the organization. The President will delegate duties to officers and fill in as needed. Each President must be a former officer of the organization.

External Vice President: The External Vice President shall be responsible for co-conducting meetings with the assistance of the Internal Vice President in the absence of the President(s). The External Vice President shall also be responsible for organizing events and/or facilitating relationships with other VSA chapters and organizations in the Vietnamese community. They will also be in charge of the VSA alumni network: collect emails of alumni who would like to keep in contact with VSA, organize this network, and be the liaison to RUCAA (Rice University Community of Asian Alumni.) An ancillary duty includes informing members of opportunities, internships, scholarships, and leadership conferences.

Internal Vice President: The Internal Vice President shall be responsible for co-conducting meetings with the assistance of the External Vice President in the absence of the President(s). The Internal Vice President shall also be responsible for organizing events and facilitating relationships with other Rice University organizations. During the fall, the Internal Vice President is responsible for organizing Rice University’s annual College Leadership Workshop. Other specific duties may include the VSA’s participation in the Lunar New Year festival and representing the VSA’s voice in academics at Rice. The Internal Vice President must be a former officer of the organization and must have volunteered at the College Leadership Workshop at least once.

Events Coordinator: The Events Coordinator shall be responsible for overseeing the logistics of organization events and publicizing these events. The Events Coordinator shall also be responsible for planning outings, study breaks, and other social activities, often in collaboration with other officers. Specific duties may include making room reservations on campus, making restaurant reservations for social outings, recording the logistics of events so that they may be referenced for future planning, and utilizing the organization’s Facebook group to publicize events. In addition, the Events Coordinator will act as the secondary coordinator in the planning and execution of the College Leadership Workshop, taking on roles as both the Internal Vice-President and Events Coordinator deem appropriate.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for monitoring the expenditures of the organization and the delegation of funds. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for working with the President(s) to draw the organization budget at the beginning of each semester. Specific duties of the Treasurer include managing club funds through the BANNER system, applying for grants (including the President’s Programming Fund, Student Activities Fund, and Community Service Grant), collecting membership dues, keeping an updated list of paid members, and coordinating fundraisers for the organization.

Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a current directory of people on the organization mailing list (adding/removing email addresses and sending messages). The Secretary shall also be responsible for taking attendance at organization events and writing officer-meeting minutes, which shall be stored with official records. The secretary will also be responsible for publicizing and marketing VSA events and opportunities by distributing flyers to colleges, e-mailing to college list-servs, and utilizing social networking media. The Secretary will also work alongside the Historian/Webmaster to create a newsletter every semester.

Historian/Webmaster: The Historian/Webmaster shall be responsible for maintaining the organization website and taking pictures at organization events. Specific duties include updating information of organization events in a timely manner, promptly posting officer-meeting minutes on the website, and publishing and compiling the organization’s institutional history for the academic year. The Historian/Webmaster will also work alongside the Secretary to create a newsletter every semester.

Funds: The allocation of funds requires the signatures of the Treasurer and either the President(s), Internal Vice President, or External Vice President.

Sponsor: Selection of a sponsor is contingent upon consensus of the cabinet.

Primacy of the Student Association: This organization shall recognize the primacy of the Student Association Executive Committee, the Student Senate, and ultimately, the Student Association. This organization shall adhere to the Constitution of the Student Association and any associated rules and regulations. The constitution and bylaws of this organization shall be subordinate to the Constitution of the Student Association.

Amendments to the Constitution: 

• • Approval by Membership. Proposed amendments to this constitution may be approved by the membership only by a three-fourths vote of voting members present with at least one week’s prior notice. 
  • Approval by Student Association Parliamentarian. Amendments approved by the membership shall be submitted to the Student Association Parliamentarian. Amendments may not take effect until they are approved by the Parliamentarian or the Student Senate in accordance with the Constitution of the Student Association. The Date of Last Revision on the title page of this constitution shall be updated to reflect the date of approval by the Parliamentarian or Senate.

 

Last Updated: 05/07/2020