Constitution
August 25, 2001
Bylaws of CSULA Student Chapter of the
 Association For Computing Machinery

The actions and opinions of this organization do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, or administration of California State University, Los Angeles.

Article I - Name

1.  This organization shall be called CSULA Student Chapter of the Association For Computing Machinery; the association is also referred to as CSULA ACM.

Article II - Purpose

1. The chapter is organized and will be operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes and, in furtherance thereof, specific purposes of this organization shall be:

A.      To promote an increased knowledge of the science, design, development, construction, language, and applications of modern computing machinery;

B.      To promote a greater interest in computing machinery and its applications.

C.      To provide a means of communication between persons having interest in computing machinery.

D.      To provide a collective effort among the computer machinery students in marketing their skills to the vast and high-paying computing job industry.

Article III – Membership

1.       This student organization or its membership may not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, color, disability, national origin, age, or marital status.  All students of California State University, Los Angeles shall be eligible for membership.

2.       Regular voting membership in this student organization shall be open to all currently enrolled and continuing students of California State University, Los Angeles upon request and payment of dues. 

3.       A member of the faculty, staff, and alumni of Cal State L.A., as well as non-students may be considered for non-voting membership in this organization.  Membership is determined as follows:

A.      A member in good standing of this organization, who is not a full or part-time student at Cal State L.A., may upon request and payment of dues become a voting member of this chapter, provided that the number of such non-student voting members shall not exceed one-fifth of the entire voting membership of this chapter.

B.      A full or part-time at Cal State L.A. who is not a member in good standing of the ACM, may upon request and payment of dues become a non-voting affiliate member of this chapter.  No such person may be a non-voting affiliate member for more than one year.

C.      A member of the faculty, staff or administration of Cal State L.A. or an official employee of the associated students of Cal State L.A.  who is not a member in good standing of the ACM, may upon request and payment of dues become a non-voting affiliate member of this chapter.  No such person may be a non-voting affiliate member for more than one year.

D.      A member of the Cal State L.A. community who is not a member in good standing of the ACM, may upon request and payment of a fee that is at least equal to the voting member dues, receive the chapter meeting notices and attend non-business meetings of this chapter.

4.       All members must contribute a minimum of service hours as specified by the officers per quarter to this chapter in order to be considered an active member of this organization.  Service hours can be earned by attending meetings, workshops, fundraising events, and other activities organized in accordance with membership interests and the aims of this chapter as set forth in Article II.

Article IV – Elections

1.       Elections shall take place twice a year and they will be held at the next to last meeting of the fall and spring quarter each year.

2.       Officers of this organization shall be elected by (51%) of the regular student membership of the organization present in the meeting for voting.

3.       The appointed chair may appoint vice chairs for unfilled positions.

4.       A copy of the minutes of the meeting that documents the results by actual count shall be placed on file with the Center for Student Development and Programs.  An officer of the organization shall sign the minutes.

Article V - Officers

1.       The officers of this chapter shall be a chair, and vice chairs.  Only currently enrolled or continuing students in good standing at California State University, Los Angeles may serve as officers of this organization and CSULA ACM.

2.       The chair shall preside at all meetings of this chapter. The chair shall represent this chapter at all meetings with the ACM regional representative.

3.       The chair shall keep records of ACM members.

4.       The officers of this chapter shall not miss more than 50% of the meeting dates during each active quarter unless it is an emergency.

5.       The duties of keeping minutes of all chapter meetings and reporting any proposed changes in the chapter’s bylaws to the adequate departments shall be relegated to one of the vice-chair.  A copy of the meeting minutes shall be submitted to at least one other vice-chair for review and sent to all members.

6.       The duties of the treasurer shall be relegated to one of the vice-chairs.  The vice chair will collect dues, prepare proposed quarterly budgets and maintain financial and membership records.

7.       An officer of this chapter must also be a currently enrolled or continuing student at CSULA with a cumulative CSULA GPA of 2.5 or above.

8.       The position of chair shall be democratically voted among members of this organization.

9.       Any student who meets the qualifications of a vice-chair can be nominated to the position of vice-chair upon request during any CSULA ACM held meetings.

10.   The position of vice chair shall be determined by the following criteria:

A.      The student must be a full-time or part-time student currently enrolled or continuing at CSULA with a cumulative CSULA GPA of 2.5 or above.

B.      The student can be any major in Cal State L.A.

C.      With recommendation of three vice chairs, and/or
faculty advisor

11.   The officers shall be elected in the fall and spring quarter of each year.  They shall take office immediately after the election meeting and serve until their successor takes office at the end of the next election meeting.  A majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to elect to any office.

12.   Vacancies in any office other than chair caused by resignation, removal or disability shall be filled by majority vote.  If the office of chair is vacated, one of the vice chairs shall immediately assume that office given the majority votes of the regular student membership of the organization present in the meeting.

Article VI – Committees

1.       Each of the vice chairs will be responsible for at least one of the following standing committees:

A.      Activity Committee will organize periodic social events in order to improve communication between the members; and shall organize periodic computing contest to encourage academic excellence in the members.  Furthermore, this committee shall also plan methods of contributing to the assets of CSULA ACM, funds acquired will be handled and accounted for by one of the designated vice chairs.

B.      Tutorial Committee will organize the availability of tutors for students in need.

C.      Recruiting Committee, which shall plan and arrange meetings of the chapter in accordance with membership interests and the aims of this chapter as set forth in Article II; shall prepare a calendar of regular scheduled meetings each quarter; shall hold membership drives at least once every quarter and send out notifications of events/activity updates for each quarter.

D.      WebTeam Committee shall update the organization’s Web Site with meeting updates and provide useful resources to members; and shall hold training sessions for members who want to contribute to the organization’s Web Site.

E.      Industry Relations Committee will organize at least 2 information or recruiting sessions with industries that promote the membership interests and aims of this chapter as set forth in Article II; and shall give event notifications to members.

 

Article VII - Meetings

1.       Regular meetings shall be held at least 12 meetings during the school year, excluding quarter breaks and final exam weeks.

2.       Meetings shall be held on campus unless a majority of the regular members vote to change the location.  A vote to change meetings to an off campus location must be recorded in the minutes of a regular meeting, and a copy of those minutes shall be placed on file with the Center for Student Development and Programs.  An officer of the organization shall sign the minutes.

3.       Emergency meetings may be called by the chair as needed.

4.       Meetings shall be held as planned by the vice-chairs.

A.      This chapter may hold meetings only in places that are open to all members of the association for computing machinery. 

5.       The vote meetings shall be held during the fall and spring quarter of every year.

A.      Following the report of the nominating committee, additional nomination may be made from the floor by any voting member. 

B.      After the nominations are closed, the voting members present shall vote.

C.      A majority of the votes cast for any office is necessary for election to that office.

D.      A copy of the minutes of the meeting that documents the results by actual count shall be placed on file with the Center for Student Development and Programs.  An officer of the organization shall sign the minutes.

Article VIII - Advisor

1.       The advisor must be a faculty or staff member at Cal State L.A. 

2.       The Faculty sponsor shall be nominated by the vice chairs immediately following the Spring election meeting of each year.  The faculty sponsor shall be appointed Chapter Sponsor by the chair of ACM to serve until a successor is appointed.

3.       The faculty sponsor shall be generally responsible for the advisement of this chapter.

A.      Help provide continuity from year to year as student leadership and personnel change.

B.      Promote good student-faculty relationships.

C.      Help maintain university standards in all activities of the organization;

D.      Exercise financial supervision if necessary by 

(1)     Promoting prompt payment of bills and collection of dues, and

(2)     Overseeing the settlement of all accounts in the event of dissolution of this chapter; and

(3)     Shall not be a signatory on any ACM financial accounts.

E.      Represent the student chapter interests to the faculty and the administration.

4.       The faculty advisor should be a member in good standing of the ACM.

5.       The faculty advisors shall attend at least one meeting hosted by this chapter per quarter.

Article X - Disbursements And Dues

1.       Disbursements from the treasury for chapter expenditures shall be made under authorization of all vice chairs and be included in the minutes of that meeting.

2.       Annual dues shall be established upon recommendation of the sponsoring faculty and approved by a majority vote among the vice chairs at any chapter meeting.

Article XI – Amendments

1.       Amendments to these bylaws shall be made in the following manner.
 

A.      The proposed amendment shall be read at a regularly announced chapter meeting.

B.      This constitution and by-laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the entire voting student membership.  A copy of the minutes of the meeting that documents the approval of the changes in the constitution or by-laws or organization name shall be placed on file with the Center for Student Development and Programs.  An officer of the organization shall sign the minutes.

2.   Rulings on any point of procedure not include in these by-laws shall be made by the chair in consultation with the faculty sponsor.

3.       The actions and opinions of this organization do not necessarily reflect those of the students, faculty, or administration of California State University, Los Angeles.