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Mission Statement
The Campus Alliance de La Raza (CALR) is
part of a network of college student organizations that works closely with
The National Council de La Raza (NCLR) to increase youth leadership and
advance positive social change on University campuses, in Latino communities,
and throughout the United States. The CALR rests on two important
pillars: 1) Advocacy in Pursuit of the Advancement of the Latino Agenda
and 2) The Intellectual and Social Development of its Members.
Article I - Name
1. The name of the organization shall be The Campus Alliance de La Raza.
2. The appropriate abbreviation for the Campus Alliance de La Raza
is CALR.
Article II – Purposes
1. The Campus Alliance de La Raza will strive to increase youth leadership
at the West Chester University and advance positive social change on our
campus, in our communities, and throughout the United States.
2. The Campus Alliance de La Raza supports The National Council de
La Raza’s core principles, including:
a. Reducing Poverty and discrimination and increasing life
opportunities for Latinos in the United States
b. Empowering the Latino community, primarily through the establishment
and strengthening of community institutions such as community based non-profit
organizations.
c. Improving the Latino community's public image in the United States
3. The Campus Alliance de La Raza will work with student and community-based
organizations to satisfy Article II Section 1 of its Constitution.
4. The Campus Alliance de La Raza will support its members academically
by (including but not limited to):
a. Assisting to Secure Financial Aid & Scholarships
b. Assisting to Secure Research Assistantships/Internships
c. Providing Avenues For Its Members To Adequately Prepare for Professional/Graduate
School
d. Developing Relationships with Faculty and Staff
e. Authoring and Publishing Web Sites and Web Pages
f. Producing and Enhancing Resumes
5. The Campus Alliance de La Raza will work to promote the Latino Agenda,
and shall serve as a voice for Latinos at West Chester University.
Article III – Membership/Meetings
1. The Campus Alliance de La Raza shall be a student-run organization.
2. CALR shall operate on an “active membership policy”.
a. Active Member: An “Active Member” is defined as a
full time undergraduate student who attends at least 1/2 of the meetings
and/or official events sponsored by the CALR. Appropriate excuses
justifying absence can be submitted to the CALR Executive Board.
b. Associate Member: An “Associate Member” is defined as a full
time undergraduate student who attends at least 1/4 of the meetings and/or
official events sponsored by the CALR. Appropriate excuses justifying
absence can be submitted to the CALR Executive Board.
c. Un(a) Amigo/a de La Raza: A Friend of La Raza is defined
as 1) any individual who attends at least 1 meeting or 2) someone who believes
in the core principles of La Raza.
3. At least 1 meeting will be held each month; however, the Executive Board
may suspend meetings during the months hosting Final Exams.
4. The General Body will consist of all members. The Political
Body will consist of all voting members.
a. To be considered a voting member one must be a matriculated
full-time undergraduate student at West Chester University and have the
status of at least an Associate Member.
5. The Executive Board shall meet at least once before the beginning of
each semester to produce preliminary schedules and goals for the Campus
Alliance de La Raza with respect to the upcoming academic semester.
6. General Meetings will be open to all, and the times and locations
of the meetings are to be determined by the Executive Board.
Article IV – Affiliation With The NCLR
1. The Campus Alliance de La Raza will be formally affiliated with the
National Council de La Raza. Accordingly, the CALR shall:
a. Agree to participate in and support NCLR’s advocacy efforts
and initiatives where appropriate.
b. Agree to send at least 2 representatives to at least one NCLR-sponsored
event each year, including NCLR Annual Conference, Regional Congresos,
and other activities.
c. Conduct themselves within the general guidelines of legal and ethical
organizational behavior.
d. Support NCLR’s core principles stated in Article II, Section 2,
Part a-c of the CALR's Constitution.
e. Sign a brief Memo of Understanding (MOU), agreeing to be
a part of the alliance and defining the terms of membership.
f. Provide an updated mailing address, contact person, phone number,
and email address at least once a year to the DC Headquarters of the National
Council de La Raza.
Article V – The CALR Offices And Elections
1. The Executive Board will consist of the following:
a. President
b. Executive Vice President
c. Vice President of Finance
d. Vice President of Delegation & Latino Affairs
e. Vice President of Administration
f. The CALR Senator
2. The United Advisory Board will consist of the following
a. The Assistant(s) Vice President of Finance
b. The Assistant(s) Vice President of Delegation and Latino Affairs
c. The Assistant(s) Vice President of Administration
d. Any Delegates and/or Officers Approved By The President and Vice
President of Delegation and Latino Affairs
3. The Purpose of the Boards
a. Executive Board shall act as the governing body of The Campus
Alliance de La Raza.
b. The United Advisory Board shall only have Advisory Powers, unless
additional temporary powers are authorized by the Executive Board
4. Elections
a. Officers of the organization shall be elected at least six
weeks prior to the end of the academic year by a majority vote of voting
members.
b. Nominations for positions on the Executive Board shall be submitted
to the Vice President of Administration at least one week prior to elections.
c. Candidates may not run for more than three elected
positions. If a candidate elects to run for two or three positions, he/she
must notify the acting Executive Vice President of his/her preferences
prior to the election.
d. The Day Of The Election: The Vice President of Administration
shall announce the official nominations. At that time, contested candidates
will present their platform speeches. A question and answer period will
follow the platform speeches of the contested Executive Board nominees.
e. Voting will be conducted by silent ballot.
f. The President and Advisors will count the ballots to determine the
winners.
g. The Vice President of Administration will announce the Executive
Board Elect no sooner than 24 hours following the election
h. In the event that a voting member cannot be present: The Alliance
Member may choose to waive confidentiality by emailing his/her votes to
the acting Executive Board no later than 24 hours following the election.
i. In the event of a tie, the Executive Board shall intervene, vote,
and announce a winner. The President Shall Cast The Deciding Vote
In An Executive Board Tie.
5. Qualifications For Executive Board Positions
a. In Order To Qualify For The Executive Board, A Nominee Must:
i. Be an Active member of the Campus Alliance de La
Raza.
ii. Be enrolled as a full time undergraduate student at West Chester
University.
iii. Must be present on campus during the entire academic year of the
elected term or have an assistant willing, ready, and able, to act as an
Executive Board Members in one's absense.
iv. Maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.5 or above.
v. To Be Elected President, the nominee must have held a position on
the Executive Board for at least one academic year, or have held a position
on the United Advisory Board for at least two academic years. (Suspended
for first election)
vi. To Be Elected Executive Vice President, the nominee must have held
a position on the Executive or United Advisory Board for at least one year.
6. Terms Of Office
a. Elected officers shall take office on the first “Reading
Day” prior to Spring Final Examinations.
b. Officers hold their positions for one academic year.
Article VI - Duties of Officers
1. Each officer is expected to serve as a positive role model,
adhering to the ethical and moral obligations associated with his/her responsibilities
and privileges of serving as an officer. In addition, each officer
is required to abide by West Chester University's rules and procedures.
2. The duties of any Executive Board officer may be altered at the
discretion of the President and with majority approval of the Executive
Board.
3. All officers must attend the bi-weekly Executive Board meetings
and CALR events (reasonable absences will be excused), must fulfill their
official responsibilities, and prepare monthly reports to submit to the
Executive Vice President.
a. If an officer is unable to attend a meeting or event, he/she
must contact the President or Officer of Administration prior to the meeting
or event.
4. Officers are responsible for creating and eliminating appropriate positions
that are not listed in this Constitution.
a. Each Officer May Use His/Her Discretion To Create and Eliminate
Positions Within His/Her Respective Jurisdictions, Pending Approval From
The President
and Executive Vice President.
5. President: The President is responsible for:
a. Convening and presiding over all Campus Alliance de La Raza
meetings
b. Delegating authority to Executive Board members
c. Strictly upholding and adequately maintaining the organization's
purpose
d. Creating agendas for Executive Board meetings
e. Conducting all official CALR affairs
f. Representing the Campus Alliance de La Raza to outside organizations.
g. Developing a close relationship with officers of the DC Headquarters
of the National Council de La Raza.
h. Disseminating information received from the NCLR.
i. Approving Members (Nominated By The VP of Delegation and Latino
Affairs) to act as Delegates to National Conventions & Conferences.
May Exercise Veto Power, Overruling VPDLA Appointment.
j. Representing the CALR at the Student Advisory Council on Diversity
(meetings are held monthly)
6. Executive Vice President: The Executive Vice President is responsible
for:
a. Acting as President when the President is unavailable
b. Reviewing Delegate reports when and if they are submitted,
evaluating the work and efficiency of all subordinate officers and delegates
c. In the event that one of the other Executive Board officers is unable
to fulfill their duties, and that officer's assistant is unavailable, the
Executive Vice President is responsible for that office until the vacancy
is filled.
d. Representing the Campus Alliance de La Raza to outside organizations
e. Developing a close relationship with officers of the DC Headquarters
of the National Council de La Raza.
f. Developing and maintaining a strong relationship with the President
of the Campus Alliance.
g. Approving Members (Nominated By The VP of Delegation and Latino
Affairs) to act as Delegates to National Conventions & Conferences.
May Exercise Veto Power, Overruling VPDLA Appointment.
h. Representing the CALR at the Student Advisory Council on Diversity
(meetings are held monthly)
7. Vice President of Finance : He/she is responsible for:
a. Coordinating all money transactions of the CALR
b. Adhering to all fiscal policies and procedures established by West
Chester University’s Activities and Programs Office
c. Keeping an account of all receipts and expenditures
d. Allocating money
e. Informing officers of the quantity of funds available in the budget
f. Maintaining an updated balance sheet
8. The Assistant Vice President of Finance: The Assistant Vice President
of Finance is responsible for:
a. Appropriately assisting the Vice President of Finance in
any and all matters associated with Article VI, Section 7, Parts A-F.
b. Collecting dues and raising funds
c. Acting as Vice President of Finance When Vice President of Finance
in unavailable.
9. The Vice President of Administration : The Vice President
of Administration is responsible for:
a. Recording and maintaining records of the Campus Alliance
de La Raza’s meetings and events
b. Recording and submitting official minutes to the organization via
email
c. Recording attendance at all Meetings and Events
d. Monitoring The Campus Alliance de La Raza’s email account
e. Keeping a master e-Mail/address list of all members and alumni
f. Receiving all submitted nominations and motions to nominate, remove,
or commend an officer/member
g. Acting as the Custodian of all records
h. Updating the Campus Alliance de La Raza’s Constitution every year
i. Annually Re-Registering the CALR with West Chester University
j. Annually Re-Registering the CALR with The National Council de La
Raza
k. Appointing the CALR Historian(s), Public Relations Officer(s), Webmaster,
NCLR Representative
10. The Assistant Vice President of Administration: The Assistant
Vice President of Administration is responsible for:
a. Appropriately assisting the Officer of Administration in
any and all matters associated with Article VI, Section 9, Parts A-J.
b. Acting as Officer of Administration when he/she is unavailable.
11. Vice President of Delegation & Latino Affairs: The Vice
President of Delegation and Latino Affairs is responsible for:
a. Appointing delegates to respective community based and University
based organizations
b. Identifying conferences/seminars/meetings/conventions that the Campus
Alliance de La Raza may have an interest in attending
c. Maintaining contact with the National Council de La Raza and any
other community based Latino or Civil Rights Organizations he or she sees
fit
d. Developing a strong relationship with the President and Executive
Vice President
e. Appointing Delegates To Attend National/Local Conventions and Conferences
f. Collecting monthly reports to evaluate the work and efficiency of
all subordinate officers and delegates
g. Organizing the CALR Annual Retreat
12. The Assistant Vice President of Delegation and Latino Affairs:
The Assistant Vice President of Delegation and Latino Affairs is responsible
for:
a. Appropriately assisting the Vice President of Latino Affairs
in any and all matters associated with Article VI, Section 11, Parts A-G.
b. Acting as Vice President of Delegation and Latino Affairs when he/she
is unavailable.
13. The Senator of The Campus Alliance de La Raza: The Senator of
The Campus Alliance de La Raza is responsible for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance de La Raza in a positive
manner
b. Aggressively pursuing the CALR's Agenda within the Student Senate
c. Attending the majority of Senate meetings and hearings, while always
acting within the CALR's best interests
d. Reporting relevant information back to the Executive and United
Advisory Boards
e. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
f. Proposing, Developing, Supporting, and Voting on Legislation in
a manner that is not inconsistent with the goals or objectives of the Campus
Alliance de La Raza.
13a. The Junior Senator of the Campus Alliance de La Raza (Assistant):
The Junior Senator of The Campus Alliance de La Raza is responsible for:
a. Appropriately assisting The Senator of The Campus Alliance
de La Raza in any and all matters associated with Article VI Section 13,
Parts A-F
14. The Campus Alliance Delegate to LASO (Appointed Position) :
The Delegate is responsible for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and
expressing our will and desire to assist in the endeavors of the respective
organization.
b. Attending the majority of LASO meetings, and reporting relevant
information to the Campus Alliance de La Raza
c. Being an active participant in LASO events and co-sponsorships
d. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
e. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
15. The Campus Alliance Delegate To The Black Student Union (Appointed
Position): The Delegate is responsible for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and
expressing our will and desire to assist in the endeavors of the respective
organization
b. Attending the majority of BSU meetings, and reporting relevant information
to the Campus Alliance de La Raza
c. Being an active participant in BSU events and co-sponsorships
d. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
e. Responsible for familiarizing oneself with the state of The NAACP,
The National Urban League and any other organizations he or she sees fit.
f. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
18. The Campus Alliance Delegate To LGBTA (Appointed Position):
The Delegate is responsible for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and
expressing our will and desire to assist in the endeavors of the respective
organization.
b. Attending the majority of LGBTA meetings, and reporting relevant
information to the Campus Alliance de La Raza
c. Being an active participant in LGBTA events and co-sponsorships
d. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
e. Familiarizing oneself with any other organization he or she sees
fit
f. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
20. Historian (Appointed By The Vice President Of Administration):
The Historian is responsible for:
a. Maintaining a visual and written record in an organized
history book
b. Taking photographs of all La Raza events and providing them to the
Webmaster.
c. Being the primary custodian of all La Raza documents, including
past Executive Board and Community Meeting minutes, registration files,
and anything else the Vice President of Administration sees fit.
21. Webmaster: The Webmaster is responsible for:
a. Maintaining and updating the organization’s website
22. The Vice President of Philanthropic Endeavors: The Vice President
of Philanthropic Endeavors is responsible for:
a. Identifying and/or initiating philanthropic events that
are consistent with the ideals that are promoted by and associated with
The Campus Alliance de La Raza.
b. Developing a strong relationship with the President, Executive Vice
President, Vice President of Finance, and The Assistant Vice President
of Finance
23. The Assistant Vice President of Philanthropic Endeavors: The
Assistant Vice President of Philanthropic Endeavors is responsible for:
a. Appropriately assisting the Vice President of Philanthropic
Endeavors with any and all tasks associated with Article VI, Section 22,
Parts A-B of the CALR Constitution.
27. The CALR Delegate(s) To The College Democrats: (Appointed Position)
The CALR Delegate to the College Democrats is responsible for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and
expressing our will and desire to assist in the non-partisan
endeavors of the respective organization.
b. Attending the majority of The College Democrats' meetings, and reporting
relevant information to the Campus Alliance de La Raza
c. Being an active participant in The College Democrat's events and
co-sponsorships
d. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
e. Familiarizing oneself with any other organization he or she sees
fit
f. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
28. The CALR Delegate(s) To The College Republicans: (Appointed
Position) The CALR Delegate to the College Republicans is responsible
for:
a. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and
expressing our will and desire to assist in the non-partisan endeavors
of the respective organization.
b. Attending the majority of The College Republicans' meetings, and
reporting relevant information to the Campus Alliance de La Raza
c. Being an active participant in The College Republicans' events and
co-sponsorships
d. Developing relationships with key officers and appointees in the
respective organization
e. Familiarizing oneself with any other organization he or she sees
fit
f. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
30. The Public Relations Officer: The Public Relations Officer is
responsible for:
a. Creating a profile book of La Raza's public allies.
The book should include names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers
and any other contact information the Public Relations Officer sees fit.
Photographs of the individual would be appropriate as well as a listing
of their professional capacities, especially those that could possible
benefit La Raza.
b. Promoting La Raza events through the creation and distribution of
flyers, handbills, emails, and other media outlets.
c. Representing the Campus Alliance in a positive manner, and expressing
our will and desire to assist in the endeavors of other respective community
and university based organizations.
d. Playing an active role in promoting the Campus Alliance de La Raza
to the University and general public.
e. Being La Raza's primary liasion to the Review
f. Developing a close relationship with the Executive Board of the
Campus Alliance de La Raza.
38. The CALR Director of Programming:
(Elected
Position) The CALR Director of Programming is responsible for:
a. Planning and executing relevant empowerment
programs that are not outside of the CALR's mission.
b. Coordinating with other RSOs to develop and
co-sponsor programs not outside of the CALR's mission.
c. Closely Working In Concert With HOLA's Programming
Director, Ensuring There Are No Overlaps In Events And The Initiatives
Of The Two Organizations Compliment One Another - Must Have Strong Relationship
With, Or Be, HOLA's Programming Director.
41. The CALR Class Representative: The CALR Class Representatives
are responsible for:
a. Serve as the primary liaison between his/her specific class
and the CALR Executive Board
b. Representing the Campus Alliance de La Raza in a positive manner
c. Spreading positive images and messages associated with La Raza and
taking steps towards recruiting additional members
d. Developing a strong relationship with the Vice President of Delegation
and Latino Affairs
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Article VII – The Role of the Advisors
1. Acting as a mentor, the faculty advisor will serve as a liaison
between students and Administration when appropriate.
2. The Graduate and Faculty Advisors are welcome to any and all meetings
of the CALR.
3. The advisors may provide ideas and suggestions to promote the purposes/goals
of The Campus Alliance de La Raza.
4. The CALR Executive Advisors will consist of Ex-Executive Board members
who wish to still serve an influential role in La Raza. The Executive
Advisors will guide and assist the Executive Board members in their duties,
and the Advisors will have Executive Board voting rights for their tenure
at West Chester University.
Article VIII - Impeachment/Removal of Officer
1. Grounds For Impeachment: Any elected officer may be subject
to impeachment if she/he:
a. Does not perform the duties and responsibilities as stated
by the constitution.
b. Does not respect or honor the purposes and foundations of The Campus
Alliance de La Raza.
c. Is found guilty of a serious campus violation as defined by the
Office of Judicial Affairs.
d. Causes a significant fracture within the community that warrants
removal from office
2. Impeachment: The Procedures of Impeachment Are Articulated
Below:
a. Any five voting members, any three Executive Board Members,
or any one Executive Board Member plus the President of La Raza, may submit
a motion to the Executive Board and/or CALR Advisors to remove an officer.
b. The Motion will be voted on in the Executive Board. If it
passes with a majority vote, the Officer Shall Be Removed Immediately.
The Executive Vice President will assume the appropriate duties, and in
the event that he/she is unavailable, the President will appoint a new
officer with a 2/3 approval from the Executive Board.
3. Resignation
a. If for any reason, any officer must leave the organization,
then the Executive Board will appoint a member to the vacant position and
have their appointee approved by a majority vote from the Executive Board.
The exiting officer must submit a letter of resignation to the graduate
and faculty advisors, or submit their resignation to the President of La
Raza.
Article IX - Non-Discrimination Clause
The organization agrees to adhere to all policies and procedures of
the University and all local, state, and federal laws. Members will become
acquainted with policies and procedures in the Official student handbook
and other policies and procedures provided by the University. This organization
is a viable, functioning organization, composed of at least six full time
undergraduate students and we do not discriminate on the basis of race,
creed, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, veteran, handicap
status, or sexual orientation.
Article X - Amendments
1. Any voting member may propose an amendment in writing and submit
it to The Vice President of Administration.
2. The Vice President of Administration will submit the proposal to
the Executive Board, which will table the vote for the following meeting.
3. Amendments pass with 2/3 of the voting members’ approval.
4. The CALR By-Laws may be produced with the consent and approval
of 2/3 of the CALR voting body
Article XI - Quorum Specifications
1. A quorum for the CALR will be met with the presence of 50% of the
Executive Board.
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