ARTICLE I

The name of this organization shall be the Chicano Caucus of Columbia University.

ARTICLE II, GOALS

The goals of this organization shall be:

• To provide its members with a Chicano environment that will help them to fulfill their educational goals, to promote their cultural consciousness, and to help them become active in serving the needs of their community.
• To inform Chicanos from every region of the United States about higher educational opportunities. with particular emphasis on the strengths and weaknesses of an education at Columbia, and at other east coast universities, encouraging them to apply, and assisting them in the application process.
• To initiate and participate in activities which will foster intergroup relations, interaction among the Chicano Caucus, the Columbia Community, and the east coast Chicano Community.
• To contribute through our active participation to the general well-being of Latinos, and towards the proper resolution of the problems facing these analogous peoples.

ARTICLE III, MEMBERSHIP

Sec.. 1.

Membership is open to anyone who agrees to work to fulfill the goals of the Chicano Caucus and signs the constitution at any general membership meeting.

Sec. 2.

Final authority for any actions taken on behalf of the Chicano Caucus shall be vested in the general membership. Each member is accorded one vote. A simple majority of those members present will pass on all issues and questions brought to a vote, except amendments to the constitution, elections, and where otherwise stated.

Sec. 3.

Amendments to the Constitution, elections and any other issues not covered under Section 2 will require a simple majority of the quorum and a two week waiting period before voting on said issue.

'2/3 of the general membership shall constitute a quorum. Each member is accorded one vote.

Sec. 4.

The general membership may delegate to the governing board, and all other branches under it, the authority to take actions necessary to fulfill the goals.

Sec. 5.

Membership may be withdrawn by revocation or resignation.

ARTICLE IV, GOVERNING BOARD

Sec. 1.

The Governing Board is the visual representation of the Chicano Caucus of Columbia University. The Governing Board is elected by the general membership to serve the general membership. In the event of a crisis situation the Governing Board has the authority to make an immediate decision but must inform the membership of their actions at the next meeting of the general membership. The general membership has the authority to either accept or reject the actions or decisions of the Governing Board. In the event that the general membership does not agree with the decisions or actions of the Governing Board the Governing Board must rectify their decision or action accordingly.

Sec. 2.

The Governing Board shall include a Chair, a Vice Chair, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Political Chair. All other positions named in the Constitution are key to the organization but are not part of the Governing Board.

Sec. 3.

It shall be the duty of the Chair to moderate all meetings, to promote the Chicano/a Community at Columbia University and in the U.S., to act as the spokesperson for the organization at all campus and community events and to submit weekly reports of activities and progress.

Sec. 4.

It shall be the duty of the Vice Chair to serves as the Chicano Caucus representative to the East Coast Chicano Student Forum (ECCSF), to assist the chair, to assume all duties of the Chair when necessary and to submit weekly reports of activities and progress.

Sec. 5.

It shall be the duty of the Secretary to contact the general membership and inform them of all meetings, to record the minutes of all meetings, to provide an agenda for each meeting, and to submit a weekly report of all activities and progress. Anyone wishing to be on the agenda must contact the Secretary on the Tuesday before the Thursday meeting.

Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep an accurate record of ALL Chicano Caucus transactions, to submit a weekly report of ALL these transactions, to be the single individual that signs ALL Caucus expenditures that have been approved of by the general membership, and to serve as the Chicano Caucus representative to Polity. .

Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the Financial Adviser to search for and solicit additional resources and establish permanent ties with outside organizations, to work closely with the Educational Opportunity and Support Chair in order to solicit financial support from Alumni and to submit weekly reports on activities and progress.

Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the Political Chair to inform and educate the Chicano Caucus on both history and issues that currently face Chicanos/as, to serve as the Chicano Caucus parliamentarian, to serve as the Chicano Caucus representative to the United Minorities Board submit weekly reports on activities and progress.

Sec.. 9.

It shall be the duty of the Education Opportunity and Support Adviser to: collect and distribute information regarding scholarships, summer internships, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, post graduate study: to serve as an intermediary between the Chicano Caucus and the Latin American Studies Department; to compile a list and formulate a directory of ALL Chicano/a Alumni, and to submit weekly reports on activities and progress.

Sec. 10.

It shall be the duty of the Newsletter staff to compile and assemble all submissions and programming information to be included in each issue of the Newsletter. The Newsletter staff will consist of three individuals: Editor-in-Chief and two assistant editors.

Sec. 11.

It shall be the duty or the Historian to be a form or visual liaison through historical material between the present and future Chicano Caucus members by creating an album that includes newspaper articles, flyers, pictures and summaries of each Chicano Caucus event.

Sec.. 12

In addition to the outlined duties, all aforementioned positions are responsible for compiling and publishing an. annual report. This annual report will be used not only to inform others of our activities and serve as archival information but also to aid in soliciting funds from outside sources.

ARTICLE V, TERMS OF OFFICE

The terms of office of each Governing Board member shall run from the end of the last general membership meeting of the fall semester until the election of the new Governing Board members.

ARTICLE VI, ACCOUNTABILITY OF FUNDS

No expenditures of general funds shall be authorized except on the approval of the general membership.

ARTICLE VII, AMENDMENTS

Proposals for amendments to the constitution may be made by any member of the Chicano Caucus. Proposed amendments must be reviewed by the general membership at least two weeks prior to their adoption. Ratification of the amendments will be conducted at any general membership meeting. Passage of amendments to the constitution or bylaws will require two-thirds of the general membership (see Article III Sec.. 3.).

ARTICLE VIII, ADOPTION OF THE CONSTITUTION

All members of the Chicano Caucus, may cast a ratification ballot. Ratification will require a yes vote by the majority or those present (see Article III Sec.. 3.).