As a Columbia University based chapter, the Asian American Society of Engineers does hereby stand dedicated to the development and cultivation, of Asian and other ethnic minority participation in the field of engineering and science technology. We stand firm on serving the community both inside and outside the university in order to unite all minority engineers as one. We desire to strengthen the relationship between the Asian community and the professional industry. Members are encouraged to join and participate in other professional societies. This society is firmly established in its endeavors to benefit the students.

This organization is hereby titled The Asian American Society of Engineers, Columbia University; -a non-profit student organization regarded as the founding chapter for future endeavors and development; hereafter referred to as the Society.

The purposes of the society shall be defined as follows.

The objectives of the Society are to strive to increase the number of students in engineering at the undergraduate and graduate levels at Columbia University; to be an agency to provide support services for increasing minority enrollment in engineering and science technology at' Columbia University.

We wish to spark student interest in engineering and science technology and to promote the interests of engineering students university wide at Columbia University.

The Society wishes to further promote minority involvement in the professional industry.

The Society wishes to implement programs to improve the education and quality of minority engineers entering the professional industry.

Furthermore, the Society shall provide support to voice the role and position of Asian engineers and other ethnic minorities in society and their position in the professional industry.

Membership and participation shall be free from any discrimination on the basis of sex, creed, religion, age, ethnic or national origin.

Membership in the chapter shall be defined as member, honorary member, affiliate member, officer and executive officer.

Members shall be defined as follows:

Members of the Society shall be any student enrolled in an engineering and or engineering technology/physical sciences related undergraduate program of studies at Columbia University.

Members of the Society shall be any graduate student who has received a degree in an engineering or engineering technology/physical sciences undergraduate program of studies.

Honorary members shall be any individual who does not fulfill the requirements of Section IIIai but whose support of the objectives of the society merits them special recognition.

Affiliate members shall be individuals mostly used for recruiting purposes. Such individuals are may defined as students not attending Columbia University but fulfill the requirements of Section IIIai or IIIai-b. The Recruitment Chair must appoint acting affiliate members.

Officers are those individuals who hold positions as Chairs of the Committees.

Executive officers are those individuals who hold position on the executive board.

Section IV

(AFFILIATION) The Society will be a founding organization at Columbia University to act as a foundation for future endeavors of new chapters on other university campuses. In establishing itself as a professional organization, the Society shall adopt its own policies and procedures provided they are within the framework of the rules and regulations of Columbia University.

ARTICLE IV-ADMINISTRATION

The administration of the Society shall be structured as two distinct boards: the Executive Board; and the Board of Committees. The Executive board shall oversee all actions of the Committee Chairs and their boards.

The Executive board shall consist of five positions:

(i) President

(ii) Internal Vice-President

(iii) External Vice-President

(iv) Secretary

(v) Treasurer

The Board of Committees shall consist of the following Chairs:

(i) Academic

(ii) Communications

(iii) Personnel

(iv) Planning

(v) Public Relations

(vi) Recruitment

(vii) Social

Each of the officers in the Society shall remain in office for one term which shall be defined as one academic school year. Each officer cannot hold office for more than two terms. Should problems arise with an officer to cause impeachment, the Executive Board will review the case; and if required, a new officer will be elected at the discretion of the Society.

ARTICLE V- DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Executive officers and officers shall be responsible in the following ways:

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

PRESIDENT: The President shall represent the Society and be responsible for all affairs concerning the Society. The President shall conduct full authority over the administration, business and operation of the society. The President will work with the members of the Executive board as well as each of the Committee Chairs to establish the policies of the society and the processing of each function under the domain of the society. The president shall act as a liaison to the Student Engineering Council.

INTERNAL VICE-PRESIDENT: The Internal Vice-President shall assist the President in all matters concerning the internal affairs of the Society and reside in absence of the President, but will not act as a liaison to any events. Furthermore, the Internal VicePresident shall carry out the responsibilities of maintaining and supplying the Treasurer with the record of affairs requiring the usage of funds from the Society's treasury. The Internal VicePresident will conduct these activities in accordance with the treasurer. The Internal Vice-President will also oversee the affairs of the Communications and Personnel Committees.

EXTERNAL VICE-PRESIDENT: The External Vice-President shall assist the President in all matters concerning the external affairs of the Society and shall oversee the Public Relations, Recruitment and Social Committees. In addition, if required, the External Vice-President shall act as a liaison in lieu of the President to the Student Engineering Council. The External Vice-President shall advise the President in determining the objectives of the Society and coordinate activities with the Planning committees.

SECRETARY: The Secretary shall assist the Executive Board by serving all notices required by law or the By-laws of the Society. The Secretary shall keep records of the Executive Board and General Meetings. A record of the activities of the Society and the processing of the Society's mail shall be conducted by the Secretary. All documents, certificates, except those pertaining to financial affairs, will be authorized and signed by the Secretary. The Secretary will oversee the Academic Committee.

TREASURER: The Treasurer shall be in charge of determining an annual budget and carry out the responsibilities of maintaining the Society's account and budget. The Treasurer shall be in charge of the treasury, budget and the identification of sources of funds and contributions to the Society. The Treasurer shall work in accordance with the Internal Vice-President.

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

ACADEMIC: Responsible for implementing programs to increase the academic performance of the society and for maintaining the academic files of the general membership.

COMMUNICATIONS: Responsible for designing and implementing an effective internal system of communication and an external information exchange with other organizations of the Columbia University Affiliation.

PERSONNEL: Shall be responsible for keeping the records of General membership, general meeting attendance, a freshmen directory and upperclassmen directory.

PLANNING: Responsible for setting agendas for general meetings and future endeavors of the Society. Will set forth the requirements and the objectives of these future goals but will not authorize them. Should additional necessary assistance be deemed, the Planning committee has the authority to draft such assistance from the other Committees.

PUBLIC RELATIONS: Shall be responsible for implementing, maintaining, and distributing organization newsletter. Will work in Coalition with Social committee to promote the Society's image.

RECRUITMENT: Shall advise, administer and be responsible for implementing programs to increase minority enrollment in the Society and in engineering and science technology at Columbia University, School of Engineering and Applied Science.

SOCIAL: Responsible for defining and executing Society's social functions. Will work in coalition with the Public Relations Committee to promote the image of the Asian American Society of Engineers.

Nominations will be decided by regular members for other regular members and need not be seconded. Nominations shall be announced no earlier than three weeks before elections and no later than seven days prior to the official day of elections. These nominations will be officially recorded at the last general meeting prior to the elections. Nominations shall be for the following offices:

Executive Positions: PRESIDENT; INTERNAL VICE-PRESIDENT; EXTERNAL VICE-PRESIDENT; SECRETARY; and TREASURER;

Committee Chairs: ACADEMIC; COMMUNICATIONS; PERSONNEL; PLANNING; PUBLIC RELATIONS; RECRUITMENT; and SOCIAL.

Elections shall be structured with the following guidelines. Attendance of at least the same as that of a general meeting is required; all members of the Executive board and the board of committees must also be present. All regular members shall be entitled to one vote for each position in office and elections shall be held by secret ballot. In the time of elections, the President shall vote on general issues only to break a deadlock. Each nominee will state what position they seek and his/her respective platform. After the Executive Board reviews each platform, ballots will be distributed and then collected. The Executive Board will tally the votes and announce the new positions. All declarations of winners of the new positions are final. Any complaints found in the elections of the newly elected officers must be submitted in writing and brought to the attention of the previous Executive board.

There shall be a general meeting held monthly during the semester. If deemed necessary by the Executive Board, there may be additional meetings scheduled.

There shall be annual membership fees due by each member. These annual membership fees shall be reviewed and determined annually by the Executive Board.

The Constitution of the Asian American Society of Engineers is subject to ratification annually. Requests for amendments or modifications between ratification will be noted, reviewed and decided upon for submission to be voted upon by the Planning Committee and the Executive Board. Each request should be handed in writing to the Planning Committee Chair. Such requests will then be decided upon by a two-thirds vote of the regular members. If passed, the changes will be put into effect the following academic year.

First Amendment

I. The Board

The board consists of president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, public relations, five board members, a newsletter editor and various committee members. Each officer performs his/her duties described in Article II of the Constitution. The responsibilities of the public relations, five board members and committee members are listed below.

a. Public Relation

Public Relation will act as a representative to other organizations. He/She should maintain contact with the media and serves as the official spokesperson of the organization. PR is also in charge of compiling and updating of the Asian Alumni Directory and organizing events with the Asian alumni. PR will be the person in charge of setting up and recruiting members during the Student Activities Day.

b. Board Members

There are five board members. Each has one vote in passing resolutions. The main task of each board member is to facilitate of ficers in fulfilling their duties, which is assigned according to the needs of the organization.

c. Committee Members

There is no limit on the number of the committee members. They are allowed to attend board meetings but have no voting power. Committee members should help to perform the basic operations of the organization. Unlike the officers and the board members, committee members are appointed by the board. Committee members will be appointed by the new board in the beginning of each school year.

d. Newsletter Editor

Newsletter editor will be responsible for the organization's publication. He/She will have one vote in passing resolutions.

II. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF AN OFFICER or A BOARD MEMBER

a. Resignation

At any time. a member of the board wishing to withdraw from the board may do so by submitting to the board a letter of resignation stating the reasons.

b. Removal

At any time, a member of the board can request to remove any other member or members on the board by submitting a recommendation to the board. The removal will be enacted if the recommendation is passed by a vote of two-thirds of the board. The removed member or members of the board will receive a letter of removal notice from the board.

III. NEW OFFICERS' ELECTION AND TRANSFER OF POWER

a. Election

The election should be held on the last week of February. The election should be held in close ballots format. The president and one other board member, who is not running for any position, will be in charge of the election.

b. Transfer of Power

The new board should take over the operation of the organization on the first day of April. During the transition period, both the old board and the new board have equal power, every person will still have one vote in passing resolutions. After the transfer of power, the old board will act as an advisory role and have no voting power.