Bylaws
Nontraditional Student
Organization
Northeastern
Original version as approved
June 2004
Article I. Name and Purpose
Section 1.1. Name. The name of
this organization shall be Nontraditional Student Organization. The official acronym shall be NoTSO.
Section 1.2. Logo. The official
organization logo shall be the acronym of the organization in the shape of a
rectangle. The full name of the
organization shall be written in full above and below the acronym in two
horizontal bars; the bar above the acronym shall consist of the word
“Nontraditional,” and the bar below the acronym shall consist of the words
“Student Organization.” Screen bean
graphics shall also be an official element of the official NoTSO
logo. The screen bean graphics shall be
used in the logo to promote visual recognition of this organization whenever
and however appropriate as decided by the Director of Public Relations. The screen bean graphics may be removed,
leaving only the acronym and the two horizontal bars of text if the Director of
Public Relations concludes that the screen bean graphics will be distorted or
cause confusion with the lettering. Use
of any logo other than as described above must be approved by majority vote at
a regular meeting.
Article II. Purpose of Organization
Section 2.1. Purpose of Organization.
The
objectives of this organization shall be as follows:
A. To promote interest and awareness
of this constituency as a legitimate student body with special needs that are
significantly different from the traditional students attending NSU, and to
provide education to the membership and community at large about nontraditional
students’ needs and goals. Additionally,
NoTSO will work toward an active and integrated
membership responsive to the needs of older, nontraditional and returning NSU
students. NoTSO
will facilitate networking of campus organizations for mutual problem solving
and a sense of community.
B. To provide fellowship among
students and faculty.
C. To represent student needs
and wants in regard to informing the membership and campus community at large
on legislation, activities and issues relating to the health and well-being of the
membership. NoTSO
will also
provide social and educational activities geared toward this membership’s
tastes and interests.
D. To provide a forum for the
presentation of innovative ideas to the benefit of the NSU community.
Article III. Membership
Section 3.1. Membership Qualifications.
Persons who are nontraditional students as defined by the University are
eligible to apply for membership. Those
persons who share an interest with nontraditional students, but are not
nontraditional students themselves, may apply for associate membership.
Section 3.2. Classes of
Membership.
NoTSO will recognize the following classes of members:
A. Regular members. Regular members shall be
nontraditional students, as defined by NSU, who have turned in a membership
application and whose dues are not delinquent.
Regular members shall submit a completed Membership Application, as
stated in section 3.4. They shall have
all rights of membership.
B. Associate members. Any NoTSO
member who is not a regular member is an associate member. Associate members may participate in all
activities of the organization except for those events that are voted at a
regular meeting to be for Regular Members only.
Associate members may attend meetings as observers. They shall not vote at meetings, nor shall
they vote in elections. Associate
members shall submit a completed Membership Application, as stated in section
3.4. Nontraditional students shall not be
associate members.
Section 3.3. Dues.
The
dues shall be as follows:
A. Regular members. Dues shall be $10 per
semester, payable on the third Thursday of the second month of each semester.
B. Associate members. Dues shall not be paid by
associate members. However, associate
members may contribute financially for individual events or activities of this
organization.
Section 3.4. Application for Membership.
Membership Application forms shall be provided by the Secretary to
prospective members. An electronic
version of the bylaws shall be provided to prospective members before a
Membership Application shall be accepted.
A printed version of the bylaws may be provided instead of an electronic
version.
Article IV. Officers
Section 4.1. Officers.
The elected officers of NoTSO
shall be a president, an executive vice-president, vice-president, a secretary,
a treasurer, and a sergeant-at-arms.
Elected officials shall be nontraditional students only. They shall be regular members in good
standing. In semesters with low
membership, the Executive VP and VP positions may be combined, and the
secretary and treasurer positions may be combined.
Section 4.2. Duties of Officers.
A.
President. The President shall:
1.
serve as chairman at meetings.
2.
serve as ex officio member of all committees
except the elections committee.
3.
attend all meetings of the Northeastern Student
Government Association (NSGA). The
president may delegate this responsibility to a regular member of this
organization.
4.
represent the organization.
5.
perform other duties appropriate to the office.
B. Executive Vice-President. The
Executive VP shall:
1. assume the duties of the president
in the absence of the president.
2. serve as assistant to the
president in his efforts for the good of the organization.
3. perform other duties appropriate to
the office.
4. assume the office of president if
that office is vacated for any reason.
C. Vice-President. The VP shall:
1.
support the president in his duties.
2.
perform other duties appropriate to the office.
3. assume the office of Executive VP if that office is vacated for any reason.
D. Secretary. The Secretary shall:
1.
keep accurate minutes of the organization’s
meetings.
2.
be responsible for sending notices of meetings.
3.
conduct correspondence for the organization.
4.
maintain archival records of all minutes, agendas,
correspondence, and similar documents of this organization.
5.
perform other duties appropriate to the office.
E. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:
1.
be responsible for the checking and/or savings account
for this organization.
2.
collect dues and process them properly.
3.
conduct correspondence for the organization, in
relation to financial matters.
4.
keep accurate and current records of monies
received and expended by this organization.
5.
work with an appointed auditor during spring
semester to complete an audit and an annual financial report to be given at the
annual meeting.
6.
perform other duties appropriate to the office.
F. Sergeant-at-Arms. The Sergeant-at-Arms shall:
1.
distribute the minutes at the
beginning of each meeting.
2.
distribute any documentation or items
that pertain to reports, motions or other business during meetings.
3.
assist the president in maintaining order during
meetings, and in restoring order when a meeting becomes non-productive.
Section 4.3. Election of Officers.
All officers shall be elected by ballot at the
annual meeting each year. They shall
take office following the adjournment of the meeting at which they are
elected. Elected officers shall serve a
term of two semesters or until their successors are elected. No member shall serve more than two
consecutive semesters in the same office.
If an Executive VP or VP assumes office for the officer above him, that
semester shall not be considered in relation to this section. A majority vote shall elect.
Section 4.4. Vacancies in Office.
Except for the office of President and Executive VP,
vacancies in office shall be filled by the Executive Board for the remainder of
the respective terms.
Article V. Meetings
Section 5.1. Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings shall be held on the second
Thursday of each month, September through April, except December. All votes that affect the organization as a
whole shall be held during a regular meeting.
Section 5.2. Weekly Meetings.
Weekly meetings may be held any Thursday not already
defined as a regular meeting date during the fall and spring semesters.
Section 5.3. Annual Meeting.
The regular meeting in April shall be known as the
Annual Meeting, which will be held for the purpose of election of officers, acceptance
of faculty sponsors, receiving annual reports of officers, the executive board
and committees, and for other business that shall be deemed relevant at an
annual meeting.
Section 5.4. Special Meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the executive
board for the purpose of conducting business that is not appropriate to conduct
in the same meeting at which it is brought forth. Notice of such meetings shall be given at
least 14 days prior to the date of the meeting.
Notice shall include the specific business to be conducted at the
meeting. Special meetings may be held in
lieu of regular meetings. Special
meetings shall only be held in fall or spring semesters.
Section 5.5. Summer Meetings.
Summer meetings may be held for the purpose of
planning and hosting events, appointing delegates to conventions, and preparing
for the coming fall semester. Special
meetings may be held in the summer of 2004, as an exception to section 5.4, to
accommodate for the organizational tasks required to found the organization.
Section 5.6. Executive Board Meetings.
Executive Board Meetings may be held as needed, at a
time and place determined by the president.
Executive Board Meetings shall be closed to anyone who is not
specifically on this board.
Section 5.7. Quorum.
A. Regular Meetings. The quorum for regular meetings
and special meetings shall be determined by vote at the beginning of each
semester.
B. Executive Board Meetings. The quorum
for executive board meetings shall be a majority of those members that make up
the executive board that semester.
Article VI. Executive Board
Section 6.1. Composition. The executive board shall consist of the
elected officers, two faculty sponsors and the appointed committee chairs of
this organization.
Section 6.2. Responsibilities. The
executive board shall be responsible for the management and administration of
the organization in all respects and for all purposes. The executive board shall have the power to
conduct the business of the organization between meetings.
Article VII. Committees
Section 7.1. Standing Committees.
The
standing committees shall be:
A. Public Relations Committee. The public
relations committee shall encourage new membership and devise means of
retaining current members. The Public
Relations Committee shall work closely with the Events Committee and the
Executive Board to promote a positive image of NoTSO
to the campus community and the general public.
B. Events Committee. The Events Committee shall
research and suggest possible events by making motions at meetings. If said motions are adopted, the social
events committee shall be responsible for planning and hosting the event.
Section 7.2. Temporary Committees.
Temporary committee chairs and members may be
appointed by the president, subject to the approval of the executive board.
Section 7.3. Elections Committee.
The elections committee shall be a temporary
committee that will exist for the sole purpose of nominating and electing new
officers. This committee shall disband
immediately upon election of officers for the year.
Article VIII. Parliamentary Authority
Section 8.1. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases in
which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these
bylaws and any special rules or orders the organization may adopt.
Article IX. Amendment of Bylaws
Section 9.1. Amendments. These bylaws may be amended or revised by a
two-thirds vote at any special meeting.
Article
X. Statement of Non-Discrimination
Section 10.1.
This organization shall not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, national
origin, disability, and status as a Vietnam Era or disabled Veteran. This policy will include but is not limited
to recruiting, membership, organization activities or opportunities to hold
office.
Article
XI. Statement of Non-Hazing
Section 11.1.
This organization will not conspire to engage in
hazing, participate in hazing, or commit an act that causes or is likely to
cause bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace
resulting in physical or mental harm to any fellow student or person attending
this institution.
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