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CONSTITUTION (Bylaws)

The Iranian Students’ Association of the University of Alberta
(ISAUA)

Updated: January 18, 2017

Contents:

Part 1- Name & Purpose

Part 2- Membership

Part 3- Council

Part 4- Executive Committee

Part 5- Group Representatives

Part 6- Meetings

Part 7- Election of Executives

Part 8- Appointment of the Representatives

Part 9 – Finances

Part 10 – Dissolution

Part 11- Office

Part 12- Logo

Part 13-quorum

Part 14- Amendments to the Bylaw

Part 1- Name & Purpose

  1. The name of this student group is “Iranian Students’ Association of University of Alberta”, and it may also be referred to as “ISAUA”. ISAUA is a non-profitable, non-political student group. It operates at the University of Alberta, subject to University of Alberta policies and procedures. ISAUA will also comply with all local, provincial, and federal laws and procedures.
  2. The main purpose of ISAUA is to gather together all Iranian students who enjoy sharing the Iranian culture and heritage. Non-Iranians are welcome, too.
  3. This group is formed to provide a base where Iranian students can meet, socialize, and do cultural activities together in a peaceful, relaxed atmosphere.
  4. Every practice that, to the discretion of the board of executives, brings segregation and disunity should be avoided.
  5. English is the only communication language of the ISAUA.
    1. The English version of the bylaws are the true interpretation and all versions are to be used for reference only.
  6. Any communication and advertisement done by ISAUA are in English by default; any translation should be considered as a privilege to the community members.

Part 2- Membership

Any person, whether Iranian or not, who is interested in the purpose and activities of ISAUA is eligible for membership, provided that (a) the membership fee is paid, and (b) ISAUA’s as well as the University of Alberta requirements for student groups are met.

There are 4 classes of membership:

  1. Executives: Members who were elected as the officers of the group by other members and will be officially responsible to manage the group financial affairs and activities. They MUST be a current student of the University of Alberta during the tenure or at least at the time of elections. Executives are exempted from paying the membership fee. They also make all decisions about and are responsible for the operational matters of the group.
  2. VIP: The former executive committee members and the funders of the group automatically receive permanent VIP membership status. These individuals are also exempted from paying the annual membership fee.
  3. Representatives: representatives are the volunteers who chair each of the subgroups of ISAUA such as Literature group, music group, sport group, etc. These individuals are exempted from paying the membership fee during their tenure. They will be assigned by the VP internal and will coordinate the activities related to their group
  4. General members: The rest of the members are general members who become a member by paying the annual membership fee. 2/3 of the general members must be students of the University of Alberta. General members have the right to vote and elect the executive members, participate in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and vote for changes to the constitution. General members who are students of the University of Alberta can nominate themselves as candidates for the executive committee elections.
  5. The non-refundable annual membership fee is announced by executive committee at the beginning of the association year. This fee can be waived in special cases if the board decides so. This may apply, for instance, to those whose contribution has remarkably helped ISAUA function better.
  6. “2/3 of all members must be students at the University of Alberta”.
  7. General and Executive classes of Membership are valid for one year. All members are required to renew their memberships every year.
  8. The executive committee preserves the right to cancel any membership in the case of the member’s offending and unacceptable behaviour. In such case the membership fee will not be refunded. The case will be studied and discussed among the executive committee members.
    1. The accused person may decide whether to defend him/herself in front of the Council Members or only before the Executive Members.

Part 3- Council

  1. The Council of ISAUA consists of the ISAUA executives, and the group representatives (Reps).
  2. The Council shall:
    1. Help in operating the general affairs of ISAUA.
    2. Attend all Council meetings and the General meeting.
    3. Volunteer for the office hours, if applicable.
    4. The task descriptions of the Executives and Reps are found in Part 4 and Part 5 of this constitution, respectively.

Part 4- Executive Committee

  1. The Executives, who are currently students at the University of Alberta, are elected by the ISAUA members in an annual meeting, and the Executive Committee is formed of at least three and at most seven members, namely President, VP External (2 executives), VP Internal/Programming, VP Operations (2 executives), and VP Finance.
  2. All the Executives possess equal rights and voting power.
  3. Only current students of the University of Alberta can be nominated for the Executive Committee including the President position provided that at least two members of ISAUA approve/nominate him or her.
  4. All Executives should:
    1. Attend all meetings of ISAUA, such as Executive, Council, and General Meetings.
    2. Operate the general affairs of ISAUA.
    3. Volunteer for the office hours, if applicable.
    4. Help arrange and run the events held by ISAUA.
  1. President shall:
    1. Coordinate and supervise the Executive Committee in achieving ISAUA’s goals.
    2. Call and chair Executive meetings and prepare agendas for such meetings.
    3. Promote and represent ISAUA and act as an ISAUA liaison to the SU, GSA and other groups/clubs/communities in coordination with VP External.
    4. Co-sign all ISAUA cheques.
    5. Retain the ability to delegate responsibilities to other Executive members within reasonable limits.
    6. Be responsible for any duty not specifically assigned to another Executive member and has the ability to assign these responsibilities to other executives.
    7. Moderates communication among the executives.
    8. Gain veto power in the case of a tie breaker.
    9. To prepare the Annual Report where the Financial Report section is prepared by the VP Finance.
  1. VP Externals shall:
    1. Promote and represent ISAUA and act as an ISAUA liaison to the SU and GSA in coordination with the President.
    2. Promote and represent ISAUA and act as ISAUA liaisons to outside organizations, associations, clubs, and groups, except for those specifically named as the responsibilities of other Executive members, in coordination with the President.
    3. Take over the responsibilities of the President in the absence of President.
    4. Be responsible for dealing with all legal matters regarding ISAUA registration, and sponsored events.
    5. Act as financial recourse managers by introducing financial sources to ISAUA to cover the costs in accordance with VP Finance.
    6. Obtain permits, licenses, insurance, and any other required documentation and approval for ISAUA functions.
    7. Fill out application forms for grants and scholarships available to group inside and outside of the university in coordination with VP finance.
  1. VP Internal/Programming shall:
    1. Be responsible for organization and coordination of volunteers for all ISAUA events and activities.
    2. Publicize social media posts and notices for ISAUA events and otherwise ensure that a reasonable effort is taken to notify all ISAUA members of any upcoming events in a timely fashion in accordance with the President.
    3. Notify the Council and any guests of all Council meetings in a timely fashion.
      1. Council includes group executives and the group representatives.
    4. Oversee distribution of signs, notices, and other materials.
    5. Be responsible for keeping in contact with all the members by e-mail, mail, and other social media accounts.
      1. Be responsible to forward the external communication to VP External and President.
    6. Train and oversee ISAUA volunteers and Council
    7. Be responsible for all sub-committee programming and supervising.
    8. Moderate communication on Social Media by being able to:
      1. Remove unrelated posts and people who violate the rules (with a warning prior to the removal).
      2. Remove advertisements posted by the ISAUA group that are no longer relevant.
  1. VP Operations shall:
    1. Ensure all ISAUA supplies are sufficiently stocked to maintain regular operations and purchase new supplies as required.
    2. Oversee proper maintenance of the ISAUA’s equipment.
    3. Be responsible for organizing ISAUA office hours by appointment and assigning office hour shifts in a fair and timely fashion.
    4. Maintain an acceptable filing system of all ISAUA documents.
      1. Take and compile appropriate pictures, videos, and documentations from different events in accordance with the VP Internals.
      2. Appropriate pictures and videos include ones that were taken by permission or ones that do not show anyone’s face.
    5. Create flyers, posters, signs, etc. for an occasion if needed.
    6. Be responsible for the ISAUA mailbox and locker if applicable.
    7. Act as the ISAUA website manager or appoint (an ISAUA website manager) one as approved by the Executives.
    8. Be responsible for member registrations and printing of the membership cards.
    9. Record, prepare, and distribute or post all Executive and Council meeting minutes.
    10. Book places for all meetings and events in a timely fashion.
    11. Organize and run ISAUA public events, such as the one during the Week of Welcome in September of each year.
    12. Find and prepare equipment necessary to run events prior to their start including, but not limited to, the sound, light, and DJ system.
    13. Find volunteers that are required to run a specific event in accordance to the President. Examples include getting a DJ, photographer, etc.
  1. VP Finance shall:
    1. Prepare and monitor the ISAUA budget.
    2. Be responsible for, take care of, and keep a good record of all financial works and transactions, including but not restricted to payments, reimbursements, tax reports, and banking.
    3. Be responsible for ISAUA revenue and expenditures and maintaining detailed records of all such transactions.
    4. Co-sign all ISAUA cheques.
    5. Notify the Executive committee of budget progress through monthly financial statements accompanied by receipts.
    6. Submit a financial report at the ISAUA Annual General Meeting.
    7. Apply for any grants or scholarships as required by ISAUA in coordination with the VP Externals.
    8. Prepare floats for all ISAUA events and for the office hours.
    9. Reconcile the ISAUA cheque book with all withdrawals and deposits and with bank statements.
    10. Be present at all ISAUA events that involve money and take care of the transactions there.
    11. Is responsible for creating and presenting the upcoming fiscal year’s budget in the first month after the election. The budget will require 2/3 of the Executive Committee’s votes. Also, the VP Finance is responsible to update the “balance sheet” and report it to the Executive Members at least once a month. (as per Finances part of this bylaw)

Interpellation

Interpellation is the procedure of asking an official to explain an act or policy, sometimes leading to a vote of confidence or a change of the official.

The interpellation request may be discussed by at least 2 executive members because of concerns about an executive’s behavior or competence for his/her role. The request may be argued confidentially with the president, and the reasons must be given to him/her written or via email. If the president him/herself is under the interpellation, the request may be represented to the External VP. The president raises the request in the board of executive meeting.

The Internal VP is in charge of summoning for the Council Meeting, and the interpellation request will be presented to the Council Meeting members, including the person who will be interpellated, at least 3 days before the meeting day. The president is the director and the Internal VP is the secretary of the meeting. The director is in charge of establishing order and supervising the process of interpellation. The secretary writes the record during the meeting. In the beginning of the meeting, the interpellation may be read by the director. Then, the person under the interpellation may defend him/herself. The Council Members may present their own questions (max. 2 questions for each member). Members can transfer their rights of inquiring to the other members. After all questions being asked, the person under the interpellation may defend him/herself for the last time. Then, s/he must leave the meeting, in the absence of whom the other members vote. The votes must be confidential, anonymous and in written form. If the person under the interpellation could not receive %50 or more of the votes, s/he would be disqualified for the position; and according to the Board Executives, another election might take place, or there would be rearrangement inside the group.

Part 5- Group Representatives (Reps)

  1. Any group can be formed providing:
  2. There is a need for it.
  3. Formation of a group is proposed and approved by executive committee.
  4. Representative (Rep) is nominated and elected for the group by executive committee.
  5. Some of these positions could be:
  6. Movie Rep
  7. Sport Rep
  8. Music Rep
  9. Art Rep
  10. Reps should:
    1. Organize and run all the activities of their groups.
    2. Publicize their events/activities and keep a good connection with their audience.
    3. Give a report of their activities upon request of executive committee.
    4. Be in contact with one executive member chosen by the board. That person keeps the executive committee informed of all the activities and needs of the group.

Part 6- Meetings

  1. There will be four different types of meetings: Executive, Council, Annual
  2. General, and Special meetings.
  3. Executive meeting:
    1. As often as required but at least once a month.
    2. All Executives should attend.
    3. The meetings are called and chaired by the President.
    4. This is only open to the Executive members and those whom the Executive committee deems required.
  1. Council meeting:
    1. As often as required.
    2. All the Council members should attend.
    3. The meetings are called and chaired by President.
    4. This is only open to the Council members and those whom the Council deems required.
  1. Annual General Meeting (AGM):
    1. Must be held in October of each year prior to the election.
    2. All the Council members should attend.
    3. The meeting is called and chaired by the President.
    4. This is open to all ISAUA members and those whom the ISAUA deems required.
  1. Special meeting:
    1. Can be held when a minimum of 2 Executives or 10 members of ISAUA ask for it.
    2. All the Executive members should attend.
    3. The President or the one he/she appoints chairs the meeting.
    4. This is open only to those whom the Executive committee deems required.

Part 7- Election of Executives

  1. The election of the Executives should be held “prior to September 15 of each year in order to ensure a smooth internal transition of officers, as well as allowing time to register new officers with the Office of Students’ Groups”. The exact date to be determined by the outgoing Executive.
  2. Council shall elect a Returning Officer no less than one (1) month before the election is to be held. The Returning Officer must be a member of ISAUA, and must not be running for an Executive position
  3. All elections and referenda shall be the responsibility of the Returning Officer.
  4. All ISAUA members must be provided with notice of an election no less than fifteen (15) days before the election date.
  5. Nominations for an election office must be received by the Returning Officer no less than seven (7) days before the election.
  6. All candidates must be members of ISAUA. Should any candidate or current Executive member lose membership in ISAUA, he or she must withdraw from the election or resign from the Executive Committee.
  7. All candidates shall be introduced at the Annual General Meeting preceding the election and each shall retain the right to speak on his or her behalf at the AGM.
  8. Election must be conducted by secret ballot and counted according to the Single. A member is not allowed to vote for a race in which they themselves are campaigning.
  9. A candidate must receive a simple majority (50% or 50% with one additional vote) to be elected. If an unopposed candidate does not receive a simple majority, that position is considered vacant.
  10. The Returning Officer shall cast a vote in a sealed, separate envelope for each position prior to general voting.
  11. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates vying for an Executive position, or a candidate receiving equal number of Yes and No votes (uncontested positions), Returning Officer’s vote for that position should be opened.
  12. Should an executive position not be filled or become vacant partway through the year, the President will, with 2/3 executive support, appoint a member to that position.
  13. All ballot papers from the election and/or referendum must be kept by the Returning Officer for one week. A candidate or General Member may appeal election results within one week of the election. If no challenge for recount is made to the Returning Officer in that time, the ballot papers must be disposed.
  14. The newly elected Executive Committee shall have a transitional training period under the supervision of the current Executive until the end of October following the election.
  15. The Executive Committee shall serve a term of one (1) year, starting November 1st and ending October 31th.
  16. Twenty members of the Association may call a Vote of No Confidence and force the Executive Committee to resign. Upon receipt of request of twenty members of the Association, the Executive Committee shall introduce an Election Officer and hold a General Meeting in two weeks to address the questions of the opposing twenty members. At least 50% of ISAUA members have to be present in this meeting. At the end of the meeting, an election will be held under supervision of the Election Officer, and if the Committee did not receive the majority of vote (i.e., fifty percent plus one), the Committee will have to resign.
  17. Members shall call for Vote of No Confidence for no more than twice in each office term (i.e., period of one year, November to October).
  18. Upon resignation, the Committee shall hold a By-election in two weeks.
  19. The removed Executives may nominate themselves for the By-election.
  20. The rules of annual Executive Committee Elections govern By-elections.

Part 8- Appointment of the Representatives

  1. All Representatives (Reps) will be selected by the Executive Committee.
  2. All ISAUA members must be provided with notice of vacant Rep positions preferably fifteen (15) days, but no less than seven (7) days, before the selection process.
  3. Applications or nominations for Rep positions must be returned by the VP Operation no less than one (1) day before the selection process.
  4. In case an interview with an applicant is required, the applicant must be notified of the date and time of the interview appropriately.
  5. All applicants must be members of ISAUA. Should any applicant or current Council member lose membership in ISAUA, he or she must withdraw the application or resign from the Council.

Part 9- Finances

  1. The ISAUA’s fiscal year runs from October 16 to October 15.
  2. The VP Finance will be responsible to make deposits when and if an amount greater than $500 has accumulated in the cash box.
  3. Bank statements and other financial documents are to be kept in a secure location (scanned and kept electronically, preferably online) for ten (10) years.
  4. The VP Finance is responsible for creating and presenting the upcoming fiscal year’s budget in the first month after the election. The budget will require a 2/3 votes of the Executive Committee to pass. Also VP Finance is responsible to update the “balance sheet” and report it to the Executive Members at least once a month.
  5. The VP Finance and President must approve all expenses under ISAUA’s name prior to any funds changing hands.
  6. Members may be reimbursed for approved expenses by cheque/cash/electronically as long as their reimbursement requests are made, with original receipts, within two weeks after the transaction, unless otherwise expressed at the time of purchase.
  7. ISAUA shall never have a credit card or a withdrawal-enabled debit card.

Part 10- Dissolution

ISAUA may be dissolved by a 2/3 majority vote at a Special General Meeting convened for the purpose of which 90 days’ notice must have been given in writing to all members. The group is automatically dissolved upon membership dropping below 10 members. Upon dissolution, the Executive Committee is responsible for ensuring that any remaining financial resources are donated to IHSE (Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton) or any other Iranian not-for-profit organization, and the bank account is closed down. Any resources or group assets will be donated to IHSE (Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton) or any other Iranian not-for-profit organization where appropriate but will not be distributed to individual members.

Part 11- Office

  1. If possible, ISAUA shall maintain an office in the Student Union Building (SUB). Its purpose is to provide the ISAUA Council with office space, and all ISAUA members with a place to go to meet the council, obtain information, submit membership forms, make payments, purchase tickets for the events, sign out movies, etc.
  2. Application for office space should be made every year with the Students’ Union.
  3. The office shall be open to all ISAUA members on a regular basis, with specific hours of operation as determined by the ISAUA Council.
  4. The VP-Operations shall be responsible for proper maintenance of the office and the equipment within.
  5. The VP-Operations, or whoever is given this responsibility, shall coordinate ISAUA office hours, to be staffed by members of the Council (i.e., the Execs and the Reps), and other volunteers (if required).
  6. The three keys to the office should be kept as follows: the President is responsible for and keeps one key, the VP-Operations is responsible for and keeps one key, and the last key is kept within the access of other members of the Council in a suitable way.

Part 12- Logo

  1. The logo is to be used on the ISAUA web site, newsletters, official correspondences, tickets, flyers and all other items that represent our association.
  2. The ISAUA logo is:

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Part 13-Quorum
69. In the election of executive members at least 20% of ISAUA members have to be present.
70. For making a decision in the executive meeting/council meeting at least 50 %
of executive members/council members have to be present.

Part 14- Amendments to the Constitution
71. This constitution can be amended and altered by a special resolution passed by the majority of the not less than two thirds of the council.
72. Amendments can be proposed by ISAUA members who have valid membership. The minimum number of members supporting an amendment is 10% of members registered at ISAUA at the time of submission of the request.
73. Request for amendment should be submitted in written signed by all of the proposers.
74. If number of the signee exceeds 40% of the total members of ISAUA, The dissection about the amendment must be made by ISAUA member in a meeting called by VP internal and directed by the officer. In this meeting at least 50 % of ISAUA members have to be present. Invitation to the meeting along with a copy of amendment must be email to members at exactly 1 week before the meeting. Minimum 50% of the votes must be attained to pass the amendment.
75. This Constitution was prepared based on the needs of ISAUA. However, Constitutions of the Students’ Association of North Garneau and the Iranian Heritage Society of Edmonton were used as initial references.

The End

History:

2017

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2017

2015

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2015

2014

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2014

2011

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2011

2008

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2008

2003

ISAUA Constitution (Bylaws) 2003

5/5 - (9 votes)