Constitution
Texas Woman’s University Student Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Article I - - Name
Section 1
The name of this association shall be the Student Association for Marriage and Family Therapy of Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, and hereafter referred to as TWU-SAMFT.
Article II - - Purpose
Section 1
The purpose of this organization is to increase the awareness of the student members about state and national Marriage and Family Therapy Resources. Further, this organization will assist the faculty in promotion of resources for and awareness of the TWU Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, serve as an information and resource base for its current membership and alumnae, and encourage professional interaction between students and area professionals, thereby strengthening the bridge between one’s academic years and "professional life." A primary of this organization will be to promote community awareness of the services provided by the TWU Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic.
Article III - - Membership
Section 1
Voting membership of this organization is open to any full or part-time graduate student at Texas Woman’s University who has been accepted in the Marriage and Family Therapy Program. Non-voting membership is open to any full or part-time student at Texas Woman’s University as an undergraduate or graduate student who has the desire to work toward the purposes of this association.
Section 2
Members of the Faculty of the Texas Woman’s University shall be advisory members of this association. Advisory members shall assist and address the Executive Committee.
Section 3
The dues of all members shall be regulated as deemed feasible by the Executive Committee and shall be voted on by a majority of the members at the general assembly meeting. Payment of dues must be made by the second general assembly meeting which the student attends. Membership shall be open throughout the school year.
Article IV - - Officers
Section 1
The officers of the association (hereafter known as the executive Committee) shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Newsletter Editor/Historian.
Section 2
Officers shall be elected in April of each year. Those students elected shall take over the duties of their respective offices at the beginning of the following Fall summer semester and serve for one academic year.
Article V - - Meetings
Section 1
General assembly membership meetings shall be held monthly or electronically by members of the association. A schedule of meetings will be distributed at the first general assembly meeting of the semester.
Section 2
Executive Committee meetings shall be held as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee members through a majority vote. These meetings are open to all members and advisors.
Section 3
Special general assembly meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee by majority vote. Members must be given one (1) weeks notice.
Article VI - - Amendments
Section 1
Proposals for amendments to the Constitution must be submitted in writing (or electronically) to the Executive Committee a minimum of seven (7) days prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered. Proposals for amendments to the Constitution and/or By-laws shall be submitted with the provision that the amendments have first been reviewed by the Faculty Advisors.
Section 2
Amendments to the Constitution and/or By-laws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all voting members present at the meeting.
Article VII - - Rules and Regulations
Section 1
This association shall function in accordance with all University rules.
By-Laws
Article I - - Officers
Section 1
The qualifications of officers shall be:
1) Graduate students in good standing who have been accepted into the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Texas Woman’s University.
2)
A dues paying member.
Section 2
Basic duties of the officers shall include but are not limited to the following:
- President – shall preside at all general assembly meetings of this association and at all meetings of the Executive Committee. The President of the Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of this association. The President shall call all meetings of the general assembly and of the Executive Committee and shall have the power to appoint any committee necessary for the function of this association. The President shall have full authority to fill all coordinator vacancies on standing committees, as well as any vacancy on the Executive Committee due to resignation of an officer. The President shall be the Ex-Officio member of all committees of the association. The President shall also be responsible for appoint the Fiscal Committee, which will review the Treasurer’s report and all financial records of the association at the end of each semester. The Fiscal Committee shall consist of one (1) faculty advisor and (2) voting members in good standing.
- Vice President – Shall assume all duties of the President in case of the President’s absence or inability to fulfill his/her duties. The vice-president shall have general supervision of all committees and shall coordinate projects of the association. The vice-president will assist the President as designated by the President.
- Secretary – Shall keep accurate and on-file proceedings of the meetings of this association and of the Executive Committee, perform and file all correspondence of this association, read all correspondence of this association and provide such other services as may be required to insure the successful operation of this association, including publication of upcoming meetings of the General Assembly and of the Executive Committee.
- Treasurer – Shall prepare a semester budget for the approval of the executive committee and general assembly meeting by a majority vote. The treasurer shall have charge of the funds of the association, shall keep an itemized statement of the money received directly from the members and from all fund-raising activities, as well as of all expenditures. The treasurer shall be responsible for the checking account of the association. The treasurer shall submit a final written financial report to the Fiscal Committee at the end of each semester, a copy of which shall be available for the perusal of members.
- Newsletter Editor/Historian – Shall develop a quarterly newsletter to be distributed to the members informing them of the activities, etc. of the association, and shall keep copies of these newsletters and any other pertinent information in a scrapbook to maintain a historical record of the association’s activities, etc. The secretary shall assist the editor/historian with any mailings required for the newsletter, etc.
Section 2
Officers may be removed because of negligence to uphold the Constitution and/or By-Laws or any action deemed inappropriate for an Executive Officer. A request for removal shall be submitted to the Faculty Advisors five (5) days in advance of the Executive Committee meeting where the action takes place. It shall be voted on by all officers or by two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members. A replacement shall be appointed by the President to serve the remainder of the officer’s term and shall be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the voting members.
Section 3
If the office of the President shall become vacant during the school year, the Vice-President shall proceed to the presidency and a new Vice-President shall be elected in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws of this association.
Article II - - Standing Committees
Section 1
The Standing Committees shall be composed of members of this association who wish to volunteer. The President shall establish Standing Committees as may be required to further the work of this association.
Section 2
Each Standing Committee shall have a coordinator, who volunteers or is appointed by the President as deemed necessary. They shall be responsible to the Vice-President, with the exception of the Fiscal Committee.
Section 3
The coordinator of the Standing Committee shall submit a written monthly report or electronic to the Vice-President and copies to the Executive Committee and Faculty Advisors regarding the committee’s monthly goals, activities, progress, and long-range goals. A written list of meetings, members present, dates of meetings, and a record of all meeting transactions shall be submitted to the Vice-President. All activities of Standing Committees shall first be cleared through the Faculty Advisors and the President, followed by ratification by a majority vote of the members.
Section 4
There shall be the following Standing Committees composed of members of this association. Their basic duties shall include, but are not limited to the following:
FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE – Shall investigate and secure available resources and activities for raising funds for this association.
FISCAL COMMITTEE – As stated in Article I, Section 2 of the By-Laws of this association, this committee shall review the Treasurer’s report and all financial records of the association at the end of each semester. The Fiscal Committee shall consist of one (1) faculty advisor and two (2) voting members in good standing who shall be appointed by the President.
Article III - - Order of Business
Section 1
The order of business for meetings of the general assembly shall be as follows:
- Call to order
- Reading and approval of minutes
- Reports of Officers and Standing Committees
- Reports of Special Committees
- Unfinished business
- New Business
- Announcements and Adjournment
Article IV - - Quorum
Section 1
Seventy-five (75%) ???? of the voting members must be present to constitute a quorum for both general assembly meetings and special meetings.
Article V - - Ratification
Section 1
The ratification by three-fourths (3/4) of the members of this association shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution and its By-Laws.
|
