The Constitution of the Singapore Students' Association at Carnegie Mellon University

History:

1st Edition: Prepared by Yik Lin, Khoo (6 Apr 1998)

2nd Edition: Prepared by Mark Sin (24 Feb 1999)

3rd Edition: Prepared by Mark Sin (5 Mar 1999)

Ratified at 2nd General Meeting, (12 Mar 1999)

4th Edition: Prepared by Hui Min Chong (11 September 2001)

Ratified at General Meeting, (14 September 2001)

5th Edition: Prepared by Zhi Jian, Lim (22 November 2003)

Ratified at General Meeting, (22 November 2003)

ARTICLE I DESIGNATION

This Association shall be called "The Singapore Students' Association at Carnegie Mellon" (herein after termed "the SSA").

ARTICLE II AIMS

It shall be the aims of the SSA to

a) foster an understanding of the culture of Singapore among the students of Carnegie Mellon University (herein after termed "CMU");

b) promote communication among Members of the SSA;

c) extend aid to any incoming students from Singapore;

& d) render assistance to the CMU administration with regard to Singapore-related matters.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

Section A Categories

There shall be two categories of membership in the SSA, namely

a) Ordinary Members: All students, faculty and staff of CMU are eligible to become Ordinary Members of the SSA;

& b) Affiliated Members: All spouses of Ordinary Members and students of the University of Pittsburgh (herein after termed "UPitt") and Duquesne University (herein after termed "Duquesne") and their spouses are eligible to become Affiliated Members of the SSA.

The SSA does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate, pursuant to CMU's policy of non-discrimination and in accordance with the Statement of Assurance of the University.

Section B Rights

Ordinary Members shall have the Rights to vote, to nominate other Ordinary Members to the Executive Committee during the General Election, to be elected to the Executive Committee and to take part in any of the activities organized by the SSA. In addition, Ordinary Members shall have the Right to examine, upon request, the financial records of the SSA of the past five (5) years.

Affiliated Members shall have the Right to take part in any of the activities organized by the SSA,and receive the same privileges as Ordinary Members, if any.

Affiliated Members do not have the Rights to vote, to nominate nor to be elected to the Executive Committee. Further, they shall not have the Right to be involved in the duties of the Executive Committee.

Section C Obligations

All Members shall abide by the Constitution of the SSA as stated herein. They shall be encouraged to take part in all the activities organized by the SSA.

Section D Expiration

Upon a Member's Graduation from or leaving of his or her respective University, membership shall automatically expire. Membership of their spouses, if any, shall also expire.

ARTICLE IV EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee (herein after termed "the Exco") shall be elected into office during the General Election. It shall be composed of the following positions

a) the President;

b) the Secretary;

c) the Treasurer;

d) the Activities Manager;

e) the Information Technology Manager;

f) the Public Relations Manager;

& g) the Graduapte Student's Representative (GSR).

Members of the Exco retain their classification as Ordinary Members of the SSA and are entitled to the same Rights, Obligations and Penalties.

Members of former Exco shall attend meetings of the current Exco upon request from the current Exco within 2 months of the Handing Over of office.

Note that there are special issues pertaining to the post of the Graduate Student Representative. Refer to Section H for more details.

Section A Duties of the President

The President of the SSA shall

a) head the Exco;

b) represent the SSA during any interaction with Organizations and Parties external to the SSA;

c) chair at all General Meetings (herein after termed "GM");

d) be a signatory in all documents to Organizations and Parties external to the SSA;

& e) approve of all expenditures incurred during the operation of the SSA.

Section B Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary of the SSA shall

a) take the Minutes of all Exco meetings and GMs;

b) disseminate Information regarding the Decisions made by the Exco;

c) coordinate the maintenance and administration of the SSA electronic bulletin board.

d) maintain and keep all Correspondences of the SSA with Organizations and Parties external to the SSA and all Minutes of all Exco meetings and GMs;

& e) organize Exco meetings.

Section C Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer of the SSA shall

a) manage the Funds and Accounts of the SSA;

b) submit to the President for approval, all expenditures to be incurred during the operation of the SSA;

c) determine, jointly with the Activities Manager, the fees to be charged for any Activities organized by the SSA, if any;

d) collect the monies, if any, due to the SSA from Members and Organizations and Parties external to the SSA;

e) issue a bi-annual financial statement regarding the Financial Expenditures and Revenues of the SSA;

& f) be able to produce on Demand the current financial status of the SSA, pursuant to Article III Section B.

Section D Duties of the Activities Manager

The Activities Manager of the SSA shall

a) organize and schedule any Activities held by the SSA, with the exception of Meetings;

b) publicize information regarding Activities to be held by the SSA

c) determine, jointly with the Treasurer, the fees to be charged for any Activities organized by the SSA, if any;

& d) coordinate the provision of assistance to incoming students from Singapore, pursuant to Article II.

Section E Duties of the Information Technology Manager

The Information Technology Manager of the SSA shall

a) coordinate the maintenance, development and update of the SSA website;

b) coordinate the maintenance and administration of the SSA electronic bulletin board;

& c) assist the Secretary with the dissemination of information regarding the Decisions made by the Exco and assist the Activities Manager to publicize information regarding Activities to be held by the SSA.

Section F Duties of the Public Relations Manager

The Public Relations Manager of the SSA shall

a) Plan and organize publicity exercises to increase overall campus awareness of SSA;

b) Coordinate with the Activities manager to publicize information regarding activities to be held by the SSA;

c) Establish and maintain cordial and fruitful relations with other student organizations;

d) Advise and coordinate inter-organizational activities that involve the SSA and any other student organizations;

e) Issue all responses from any form of public media (if required or requested) that mbodies the representation of the opinion of the SSA;

& f) Upkeep and build upon the good reputation of the SSA.

Section G Duties of the Graduate Student Representative

The Graduate Student's Representative of the SSA shall

a) Serve as the communication link between the SSA committee and the graduate student members in SSA;

b) Represent the general opinion of the graduate members during ex-co meetings;

c) Provide feedback and suggestions as to how SSA can better serve the interests of the graduate members;

d) Voice out any other compelling concerns or issues that the graduate members have;

& e) Promote and facilitate graduate-undergraduate interaction.

Section H Special issues pertaining to the post of the Graduate Student's Representative.

Once the GSR is elected, he/she is still eligible for nomination and election into other positions in the Executive Committee.

Should he/she be elected into another position in the exco, all duties of the GSR will be executed in tandem with the list of duties of the other exco position.

The nomination and election of the Graduate Student Representative will also follow a different procedure from the routine. Refer to Article VII for more details on the necessary procedures.

ARTICLE V APPOINTED COMMITTEES

Section A Appointment

Each Appointed Committee is to be headed by an Exco member.

All ordinary members are eligible to be in the Appointed Committees and

a) shall be appointed through the unanimous consensus of all Members of the Exco;

& b) may decline the appointment without provision of a reason.

Section B Categories

There shall be two categories of Appointed Committees in the SSA, namely

a) Appointed Committees (herein after termed the Apco): The Apco is to be formed before the 1st General Meeting and members of the Apco are to be introduced by the Exco during the mandatory General Meeting.

b) Ad Hoc Appointed Committees (herein after termed Ahaco): The Ahaco is to be formed as required for any event organized by the SSA. The Ahaco shall be disassembled after the event.

Section C Duties of the Appointed Committee

The Appointed Committee shall

a) assist the Exco and work within the context of the purpose for which it is formed;

b) attend meetings upon request;

& c) be involved in the planning and execution of tasks set forth by the head of their respective committee.

ARTICLE VI QUORUM

Section A Executive Committee Meeting

An Exco Meeting will qualify as such and any Decisions taken will be legitimate, if and only if

a) at least 80% of the Members of the Exco are present;

& b) the President or Vice-President is present.

Section B General Meeting

A GM will be held at least once every Year, at most four weeks after the General Election.

A GM will qualify as such and any Decisions taken will be legitimate, if and only if

a) at least one-third of the Ordinary Members of the SSA, including the Exco, are present;

& b) at least 50% of the Members of the Exco are present.

The GM shall be chaired by the President.

Section C General Election

A General Election will qualify as such and any Election Result and Assumption of Office will be legitimate, if and only if

a) at least one-third of the Ordinary Members of the SSA, excluding the Exco, are present;

& b) all of the Members of the Exco are present.

Section D Extraordinary General Meeting

A Extraordinary General Meeting (herein after termed "EGM") will qualify as such and any Decisions taken will be legitimate, if and only if

a) requested by at least one-third of the Ordinary Members of the SSA, excluding the Exco;

& b) at least one-third of the Ordinary Members of the SSA, including the Exco, are present.

The EGM must be

a) held within two weeks of the above stated request;

& b) attended by at least 80% of the Exco.

For all other purposes, an EGM will be conducted as a GM and are subject to the same conditions and accorded the same powers.

ARTICLE VII GENERAL ELECTION

A General Election shall be held exactly once every Year and within four weeks from the start of Spring Semester.

Section A Nominations

Members who accept a Nomination, shall be termed a "Nominee" herein after.

Nomination of Members to any post in the Exco except for the position of the Graduate Student's Representative

a) shall begin at least two weeks before the date of the General Election;

b) shall end immediately prior to the casting of the ballot for the respective post during the General Election;

c) is open to all Ordinary Members, but not to any Affiliated Members;

d) may be a Self-Nomination;

e) must be seconded by another Ordinary Member;

& f) may be declined by the Nominee without the provision of a reason.

For the position of Graduate Student's Representative, here are the necessary procedures.

Nomination of the Graduate Student's Representative

a) shall begin in at least 2 weeks before the date of the General Election;

b) is only open only to graduate students;

c) may be a self nomination;

d) must be seconded by another Ordinary member who is a graduate student.

& e) may be declined by the Nominee without the provision of a reason;

Section B Elections (excluding the position of the GSR)

The Chair of the Election shall be the first eligible candidate in the following order

a) the Out-Going Secretary;

b) the Out-Going Treasurer;

& c) Appointed by unanimous consensus of the Exco.

The Chair shall not be a Nominee.

The Election Process shall be

a) done by the means of a confidential ballot;

& b) open to all Ordinary Members, including the Nominees, for any and all posts.

A Nominee is elected to office if

a) voted for by a simple majority of the attending Ordinary Members of the General Election (herein after termed "attendees");

b) at least 80% of the attendees have cast a valid vote, failing which a re-nomination and a re-vote is in order;

& c) there are no ties in the majority, failing which a re-vote is in order.

Section C Election of the Graduate Student's Representative (GSR)

a) The election of the GSR will be completed before the event of the General Elections;

b) Voting will be done via email;

c) The election officer will announce the due date and time for the email vote which must be before the event of the General Elections;

& d) All other principles not mentioned here will thereby be anteceded by Section B.

In the case of only one Nominee for a post:

a) a Vote of Confidence by a simple majority is required;

b) in the event of not having a simple majority, nominations will be re-opened;

c) nominations for the post will be opened for at most one week, after which if there is still no nomination, the seat will be vacant and the In-Coming Exco shall take over the responsibilities of the position.

The following Nominees shall be eligible to be elected into office:

a) Nominees who are physically present;

& b) Nominees who are absent, and who have prepared a written speech, to be read by the Election Chair.

A Nominee can be elected to at most two posts and there must be at least four different Members elected to the In-Coming Exco, failing which a re-nomination and a re-vote is in order.

The Assumption of Office for all posts shall take effect two weeks following the close of the General Election.

The Handing Over from the Out-Going Exco to the In-Coming Exco shall be completed two weeks from the close of the General Election.

ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS

The Constitution shall be reviewed after the close of each General Election and before the mandatory GM.

All Amendments to the Constitution must be approved by a simple majority vote during a GM. As such, a GM must be called to approve any Amendment to the Constitution as and when such Amendments arise.

ARTICLE IX PENALTY

An Ordinary or Affiliated Member of the SSA shall be expelled

a) if he or she does not abide by the Constitution of the SSA;

& b) through the unanimous consensus of all Members of the Exco.

A Member of the Exco who is investigated under this Article shall be suspended from duties of the Exco and as such will not be able to vote on his or her own expulsion.

ARTICLE X RESIGNATION

In the case where any Exco Member is unable to continue duty, an interim may be appointed by the rest of the Exco.