Constitution

The Student Environmental Association at

The University of Michigan-Dearborn Constitution

Preamble

Whereas, we believe that a group of University students should organize for mutual benefit;

Whereas, we believe that education and environment are universal experiences which can be made accessible and appreciated by all members of our human community;

Whereas, we recognize that our actions can have profound impacts upon the social, economic, biotic and abiotic communities;

Whereas, we seek to make the social, economic, and ecological environment accessible and relevant to current and future students through quality events, academic inquiry, re-creational activities, stewardship, and civic engagement to ultimately cultivate a more vibrant, sustainable community on and around campus.

We hereby establish the Student Environmental Association (S.E.A.) at the Dearborn Campus of the University of Michigan and this constitution to aid in the governance of matters within our organization.

Article I. Organization Name

Section I.  The name of this organization shall be the Student Environmental Association at the University of Michigan – Dearborn.

Article II.  Purpose

Section I.  The purpose of the S.E.A. shall be to inform, educate, and empower students to acknowledge the greater community; engage their environment; develop a sense of wonder; and take informed, compassionate, sustainable action for social responsibility, economic prosperity, and ecological integrity.

Article III.  Membership

Section I.  Membership in the Student Environmental Association will be available to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age or sexual orientation.

Section II.  Membership shall be open to those persons of any academic concentration who sincerely express interest in nature and the environment.

 Section III.  A person shall become a voting member upon approval of the active body and/or officers after actively participating in no less than two meetings or events within a one month period.  Thereafter in order to retain the voting privilege a member must attend ½ of the meetings held to date from the time that they officially become a member. 

Section IV.  Under special circumstances, membership may include individuals external to the University of Michigan-Dearborn system, e.g. community members, alum, etc.  All principles of the preceding sections apply.

Article IV.  Affiliations and Societal/Network Memberships

Section I.  The S.E.A. may be affiliated with or member to other organizations as seen appropriate and beneficial to the good of the organization and its community.

As of summer 2010, The S.E.A. is member to:

The Mayor’s Environmental Commission for the City of Dearborn, The Engineering Society of Detroit Affiliate Council (as a student chapter), and The Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program (having merged with the Roots and Shoots Chapter at the University of Michigan-Dearborn).

Section II.  Appendix A of this document details current S.E.A. organizational affiliations.  The Secretary shall update this section annually.

Article V.  Officers

Section I.  The officers shall be members of the S.E.A. and shall be: President, vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. 

Section II.  Officers shall attend to both near and long term matters regarding organizational identity and activity.

Section III.  Other officers may be chosen if deemed necessary for betterment of the organization. 

Section IV.  Special Circumstances

In the event that certain official positions remain vacant after the completion of elections, the organization may adopt a planning committee form of governance in which the President and Vice-President become the only requisite positions.  The roles of the Secretary and Treasurer may be combined if seen appropriate for the betterment of the organization.

Section V.  The President

The President’s duties include being present at all appropriate meetings, to appoint all special committees, to be an ex-officio member of all committees. 

      Takes responsibility for supervising/overseeing the work of the other officers and ensuring that they function together as an effective team;

      Discerns and provides overall vision and sense of direction for the organization;

      Serves as a spokesperson/representative/external liaison for the organization;

      Schedules and runs officer and organization meetings;

      Serves as a role model for other officers and members.

The President shall not have a vote unless there is an even number of S.E.A. members voting.

Section VI.  The Vice President

The Vice-President shall act as assistant to the President.  In the event of the vacancy of the Presidency, for any reasons, the Vice-President shall succeed to the Presidency subject to the approval of a majority of the voting membership.  The Vice-President additionally:

      Supervises/oversees chair people and the work of all committees;

      Selects committee chairs;

      Delegates appropriate responsibilities to committee chairs;

      Actively keeps up-to-date on work of committees with committee chairs;

      Chairs occasional special committees or projects;

      "Assumes responsibility" during absence of president.

      Assumes leadership for specific roles and responsibilities as seen appropriate.

Section VII.  The Secretary

The Secretary shall keep all records, except the financial records, shall handle all organizational correspondence, and shall perform other such related duties as the President shall delegate.  The secretary also provides counsel to the President and Vice-President, having taken the minutes at each meeting. 

      Records and distributes all pertinent information to members, including meeting minutes, upcoming events and opportunities;

      Handles all organizational correspondence;

      Keeps accurate membership lists with names, addresses and phone numbers (including summer addresses);

      Maintains thorough organizational files and records.

Section VIII.  The Treasurer

The treasurer shall collect all funds and deposit them in an account on behalf of the S.E.A., making all necessary expenditures when authorized by a majority of the voting membership, shall keep a financial record, and shall perform such related duties as the President shall delegate.  The Treasurer shall be a responsible authority and implement for the purchasing of necessary officer and organizational supplies.

      Establishes annual budget for organization and ensures that it's followed;

      Reports regularly to organization officers and members the group's financial status;

      Manages day-to-day financial transactions;

      Records and pays bills/reimbursements

      Deposits/withdraws funds

      Records accrued interest

      Works closely with Student Organization Advisory Council (SOAC)

Section IX.  Past Presidents

Effective immediately upon the election of her or his successor, an outgoing S.E.A. President shall assume the ex officio office of Past President. The Past President shall:

      Serve until their resignation or the election of a new President, whose predecessor shall thus assume the office of Past President.

      Be available in a reasonable amount of time to share advice or past practices when called upon or when compelled by their own initiative to provide it.

      Assist, advise and transition the new Executive Board while respecting their authority as executives.

      Be included in emails to S.E.A. and its partners by S.E.A. leadership

      Be invited via email to attend S.E.A. meetings as a nonvoting participant with speaking rights.

      Serve as a goodwill ambassador of the S.E.A. at the formal request of the S.E.A. body

      Shall, at his or her discretion, remain in contact with the S.E.A. upon exiting the office of Past President and continue service

Article VI. Advisor(s)

Section I.  Roles and Responsibilities

The Advisor(s) shall provide feedback and aid in evaluating the Organization's activities and goals.  Advisors may provide support, resources, and guidance to the Organization. An Advisor may serve as a liaison between the Organization and other faculty, staff and administrators.

Article VII. Operations

Section I.  Elections

Officers shall be elected at the start of the fall semester of the Academic year.  Elections as necessary shall be held to fill vacancies caused by an officer leaving the S.E.A.  An officer’s term will last for one full Academic year (September to the next September) extraordinary circumstances notwithstanding.

Section II.  Presidential Candidacy

Candidates for the office of President shall have been a voting member of the S.E.A. for at least one semester preceding such candidacy.

Section III.  Candidacy for Treasurer

Candidates for the office of Treasurer shall be students of the University of Michigan at the time of their candidacy.

Section IV.  Ballot

All elected officers shall be chosen by secret ballot, nominations being made from voting members of the S.E.A. at a meeting at least one week prior to the elections, with nominations remaining open up to the time of elections.  The candidates receiving a majority of all votes shall be deemed to have been elected.

Section V.  All elected persons shall assume their function immediately upon election.

Section VI.  Re-elections will be held in September at the beginning of the Academic year.

Section VII.  All terms end on the September following the election of an officer.  This applies to all officers, even those who are elected in the middle of the school year (e.g. winter term).  An officer can be re-elected into the same position as long as another election takes place.

Article VIII.  Finances

Section I.  The S.E.A. may finance its activities through fundraising, co-sponsorship, grant applications, microloan initiatives, and other means as seen appropriate by the organization and the University of Michigan-Dearborn Student Activities Office.

Article IX.  Committees

Section I.  Committees may be formed as deemed necessary by the voting membership.

Article X.  Records

Section I.  The records of the S.E.A. shall consist of a minute’s book, membership records, financial records, a record of membership participation, documentation and historical binder, blog, website, as well as any other records as the membership deems necessary.

Article XI.  Amendments

Section I.  This constitution may be amended by a simple majority of the voting membership of the S.E.A.

Section II.  A notice of not less than two weeks must be given to all S.E.A. members before a vote on any proposed amendment may take place. 

Article XII.  Registration, Affiliate Society, & Accounts Renewal

The Secretary elect (or other appropriate officer) of the S.E.A. shall re-apply to the Student Activities Office for Recognized Student Organization or University Sponsored Organizational status on an annual basis following new officer elections.

The Secretary (or other technology officer such as a webmaster) shall update and/or renew the S.E.A. listserve, website(s), Engineering Society of Detroit Affiliate Council status, and other records on an annual basis as necessary.

Article XIII. Ethics & Responsibilities

Section I.  It is expected that all persons affiliated with The Student Environmental Association at The University of Michigan-Dearborn uphold the highest degree of ethics. All student-members are expected to abide by the rules and regulations stipulated under the University's Statement of Student Rights and Code of Student Conduct. If it is thought that any of these rules are unfair, members are expected to bring forth dissent in a peaceable and orderly manner. Any violation of those rules and regulations shall result in consequences leading to administrative action taken by the according University officials.

Section II. Publications

Since our activities may utilize various works and publications, all persons affiliated with The Student Environmental Association at The University of Michigan-Dearborn are expected to respect the intellectual property rights and other stipulations made for the use of that author(s)'s work(s) or publishing(s). Please refer to Section A;4 and A;5 of the Code of Student Conduct for further stipulations regarding this matter.

Section III. Open Content

In observance of social sustainability, events and appropriate educational resources are encouraged to be open and available to the public.

Appendix A:  Affiliations and Societal/Network Memberships

Section I.  Organizational affiliation status

As of summer 2010, The S.E.A. had affiliation with:

  The University of Michigan-Dearborn Environmental Interpretive Center, Evergreen Team at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, The Sierra Club Dearborn Cool Cities group, The Organization for Earth Studies at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, the Henry Ford Community College S.E.A., The Fordson High School Environmental Club, the University of Michigan Ann Arbor Student Sustainability Initiative, the Friends of the Rouge, The Dearborn/Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters, and the Lakeplains Cluster Stewardship Network.

Appendix B:  Resources and References

      Officer position descriptions, organizational guidelines, many useful guides for all organization leaders: http://studentorgs.umich.edu/leader/handouts

      2010 Proposed Student Association of Michigan Amendment “Subsection a” Article IV, Section 2, “Office of Past President” adopted

      University of New Mexico School of Law Black Law Students Association Constitution and Bylaws, referenced for advisory roles and financial amendments

      “Ethics & Responsibilities” from the University of Michigan-Dearborn Debate Team (now defunct) Constitution adopted