Gainesville Romanian Student Association
-Constitution-Article I - Article II - Article III - Article IV - Article V - Article VI - Article VII - Article VIII - Article IX
The name of the organization shall be the Gainesville Romanian Student Association, a registered University of Florida "international organization" hereinafter referred as RSA.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE AND ACTIVITIES
Section 1
Purpose. The purpose of RSA is six-fold:
- to create for its members a good academic environment;
- to promote the values of Romanian culture;
- to contribute to the integration in the UF community of the new Romanian students;
- to represent the community of Romanian students in relation with International Student Office, Student Government, Division of Student Affairs, Office of Student Activities and other administration boards of UF or other programs;
- to organize sport activities;
- to represent the community of Romanian Students at UF in relationship with other Romanian student organization from other universities.
Section 2
Activities. RSA shall sponsor all activities, social and cultural in nature, consistent with section one of this article.
Section 1
Membership. Any UF student, faculty or staff, or spouse of the above who expresses his/her interest in becoming a member of RSA by filling in an application shall become member of the association.
RSA will not discriminate against a member based on race, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, veteran status or sexual preference.
Section 2
Voting Members. Any UF student member of RSA is a Voting Member.
Section 3
Associate Member: Any UF faculty, staff, spouses of the above or UF student spouses may join RSA.
Associate Members do not vote or hold office.
Section 4:
Honorary Member: The Executive Board may award the title of honorary member to a distinguished member of UF community, or to a non-UF person whose achievements serve the principles of organization. Honorary members do not vote or hold office.
Section 5:
Joining RSA: Any person who expresses his/her interest in becoming a member of RSA by filling in an application shall become member of the association. The applications might be filled in at any time during the year and the RSA Secretary is in charge with collecting them. The membership must be formally approved by the Executive Board at the next executive meeting.
Section 6:
Freedom of disassociation: RSA members are free to disassociate at any given time without fear of harassment or retribution. The member should provide to the RSA Secretary a written notice of the disassociation decision.
Section 7:
Membership Term. RSA general membership is annual, and it is renewed automatically until a member decides to dissociate.
ARTICLE IV - EXECUTIVE BOARD AND COMMITTEES
Section 1
Executive Board . The Executive Board is constituted of the elected offices of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. The Executive Board shall establish policies for RSA operation in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution. The decisions of the Executive Board will be taken by a simple majority; in case of a tie, the Faculty Advisor will be consulted.
Section 2
Officer Eligibility Criteria. Only an RSA voting member is eligible to be an officer provided that the individual student meets the requirements specified in the Handbook for Student Organizations. A member of the organization can have at most one position in the Executive Board.
Section 3
Terms The terms of the elected officers, President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be one year, from May until April of the coming year. No member shall occupy the office of President for more than two consecutive years.
Section 4
Responsibilities. The duties of the officers are itemized as follows.
President:
a. Shall serve as the official representative of RSA as needed.
b. Shall be responsible for all public relations of the RSA.
c. Shall preside at all RSA executive and general meetings.
d. Shall coordinate all RSA activities.
e. Shall appoint committees for approval of Executive Board and/or members.
f. Shall be responsible for all correspondence (including the one with prospective UF students) and authenticate by his/her signature--when necessary--all documents.
Vice-President:
a. Shall, in the absence of the president, have all the president's authority and responsibilities.
b. Shall assist the president in the management of the organization.
c. Shall give notice of all RSA meetings.
d. Shall be responsible for all space bookings and equipment rental for RSA activities.
Treasurer:
a. Shall keep all financial records of the organization and receive all money due to RSA.
b. Shall report financial status of the organization to the Executive Board.
c. Shall present a budget report to the general membership each semester.
d. Shall make all financial records available upon written request to the general members.
e. Shall organize the Spring meeting for the election of a new Executive Board.
Secretary:
a. Shall be responsible for taking and maintaining a record of the minutes of the Executive Board meetings and the general RSA meetings.
b. Shall maintain a current membership list and a file of the application/renewal/resignation forms.
c. Shall maintain the RSA web-page and e-mail list.
Section 5
Vacancies. If the president is unable to complete his/her term, the vice-president shall take his/her place. If the vice-president is unable to complete his/her term, a member from the Executive Board shall be appointed by the rest of the Board to his/her position. All other vacancies in the Executive Board shall be open for a vote at a general meeting.
Section 6
Removal. An officer may be removed if the he/she neglects to perform his/her responsibilities as stated in this constitution, by the simple majority vote of the quorum at a regular meeting.
Section 7
Committees. Committees shall be created or dissolved as deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
Section 1
The faculty Advisor shall serve as a consultant to the Executive Board and the association in general. In addition, he/she shall serve as a liaison between RSA and UF administration. She/he shall be appointed by the Executive Board of Directors at the end of the Spring semester. The advisor's term shall be from May until April of the next academic year.
ARTICLE VI - NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
Section 1
Nominations. Shall be taken from the general membership in the Spring semester, one meeting prior to the election meeting.
Section 2
Elections. Shall be held during April. Elections shall be carried out in a meeting by secret ballot with no fewer than 30% of the voting members present. Advanced notice of elections shall be given to the voting members at least two weeks prior to the nominations unless it is an emergency election.
There shall be no absentee voting.
ARTICLE VII - OPERATING PROCEDURES
Section 1
General Meetings At least two general meetings per term shall be held. The Executive Board may schedule additional general meetings as needed.
Section 2
Executive Meetings: The elected officers shall meet in executive meetings at least twice a semester. An executive meeting can be held if at least three officers are present.
ARTICLE VIII - FEES, DUES AND FINANCE
Section 1
Fees. The participation in RSA is free for all the members.
Section 2
Finance. Financing of the objectives of the Club may be obtained through Student Government, fund-raising events and donations.
Section 3
Expenditure of funds. The executive Board shall approve the expenditure of all funds. The Treasurer will observe the decisions of the Executive Board in administrating RSA funds and accounts.
Section 1
This constitution may be amended after a committee of interested members has drafted the desired revisions. These revisions shall be presented to the general membership, at which time it will take at least a two-thirds majority of the voting members to approve the amendment.
THE ROMANIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION AGREES TO ADHERE TO THE STUDENT GUIDE AND OTHER LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AND ITS STUDENTS. HAZING BY RSA MEMBERS IS ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED.