Article I

Name

The name of the organization shall be el Grupo Quisqueyano, otherwise known as GQ.

Article II

Preamble

We the members of the Columbia & Barnard community feel that the time has come for the creation of an organization dedicated to the advancement of students of Dominican heritage on campus. We thus establish el Grupo Quisqueyano de Columbia University (here after known as GQ) to provide for the needs of Dominican students on campus. To do this, the organization shall

1. Promote the Dominican culture and heritage @ Columbia & Barnard.
2. Advocate and encourage unity amongst Dominicans in and around campus.
3. quip its members with the necessary support and services to be successful at Columbia and beyond.

Article III

Membership

1. Membership is open to all Columbia University students who identify with the Dominican experience, and who are willing to participate and contribute to the enhancement and achievement of the group's goals.
2. The voting membership of GQ will be comprised of all undergraduates who:

1. Are registered in Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of Engineering, and the School of General Studies. Graduate students may only obtain non-voting membership.
2. Have attend at least three general body meetings.

1. Only voting members will be entitled to hold offices in GQ.

1. All officers must be undergraduates registered in Columbia College, Barnard College, the School of Engineering, and the School of General Studies, and must have successfully completed one term of courses prior to assuming an office.
2. All officers must attend all board and general body meetings.

Article IV

Officers

The officers of GQ shall be: President, Vice-President, Director of Communications & Public Relations, Director of Finance, Director of !Avance!, Director of',Y Que?, and United Students of Color Council Representative. The duties of the officers shall be, but are not limited to, the following:

1. President:

1. (S)He will be the spokesperson for GQ in any and all university related affairs.
2. The President will preside over all board and general body meetings.
3. The President must also draw up the agenda for each board and general body meeting.
4. The President is empowered to sign all notes, warrants, and other orders for payment of monies drawn by the Director of Finance.
5. (S)He is responsible for answering any questions concerning the rules, bylaws, and Constitution of GQ. 6. The President also has the role of advisor to every position.

(B) Vice-President:

1. (S)He will be the spokesperson for GQ in any and all university related affairs.
2. The Vice-President is responsible for drafting new legislation when deemed necessary by the board or general body.
3. The Vice-President is empowered to sign all notes, warrants, and other orders for payment of monies drawn by the Director of Finance.
4. (S)He is responsible for answering any questions concerning the rules, by laws, and Constitution of GQ.
5. (S)He is also responsible for assisting the President in supervising all positions.
6. (S)He is also liaison to all off campus Latino, specifically Dominican, organizations.
7. (S)He is required to assume the responsibilities of the President during a period of absence until the vacant office is filled by another GQ member.

(C) Director of Communications & Public Relations:

1. (S)He shall prepare an address and phone listing of all GQ members.

2. (S)He shall forward phone messages to the GQ membership and the Directors of Communications & Public Relations of all other students of color organizations on and off campus about future events, meetings, etc.

3. (S)He is also responsible for promoting events, meetings, etc.

4. (S)He is responsible for the taking of minutes at all meetings held within the organization. Also responsible for insuring bi-monthly progress reports from each committee chairperson.

5. (S)He is also responsible for keeping and updating the entire history of GQ.

6. (S)He must maintain a list of attendance of all board and general body meetings.

(D) Director of Finance: 1. The Director of Finance shall have the care, custody, and responsibility of all funds and securities of GQ. (S)He shall keep just and accurate records of cash, checks, and other financial material, showing detailed accounts of all transactions.

2. (S)He shall deposit the credit of GQ and all monies belonging to GQ. Such deposits are to be made in depositories as shall be designated from time to time by the GQ membership.

3. (S)He shall require periodic, independent audits and must report the results to the board. In addition, (s)he must render a statement of the condition of the funds of GQ at the beginning of all board meetings and at such other times as . shall be required.

4. The Director of Finance assures that GQ financial records are open at all times to the full examination of GQ members and auditors.

5. The Director of Finance must also assist in the financing of Y Que?.

6. (S)He will seek corporate sponsorship.

(E) Director of !Avance!: 1. Represents GQ at the University admissions office in hopes of encouraging minority students to apply to post secondary institutions. 2. (S)He will monitor the percentage of Dominican students accepted and retained into the university on a yearly basis. 3. (S)He will seek or supply senior readers. 4. (S)He will assist in Students of Color Weekends.

(F) Director of',Y Que?:

5. (S)He will hold telethons for potential Columbia University students. 6. (S)He will also inform the Director of Communications & Public Relations as well as the general body of all scholarships, internships, post graduate employment recruitment activities on and off campus (s)he comes across. 7. (S)He will inform the Director of Communications & Public Relations as well as the general body of all of her/his activities regarding their responsibilities.

1. (S)He will form and head the editing group of 6Y Que?. 6Y Que? is a Spanish-English literary journal which will published at least once

every semester.

2. (S)He will collect all literary material for 6Y Que? from Columbia University affiliates and those non-affiliates. Note, the majority of material in 6Y Que? must be from Columbia University affiliates.

3. (S)He will also be responsible for any fundraising for the journal.

(G) United Students of Color Council Representative:

1. (S)He must attend all United Students of Color Council (USCC) meetings.

2. (S)He must inform all GQ members of USCC activities.

3. (S)He must also promote GO in USCC meetings.

(H) Ad-hoc offices will be created when deemed necessary by the GQ board and/or general body.

Article V

Procedural Operations

(A) General body meetings will be held every Tuesday. The purpose of these meetings is to have discussions, and inform the general membership of upcoming events, forums, and guest speakers.

(B) Board meetings will be held every Thursday. Progress reports will be prepared for every board meeting. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss future topics for discussion at future general body meetings, create new events, forums, and guest speakers, inform board of present projects.

(C) Special meetings may be held when ever deemed necessary by board members with the approval of the President.

(D) At all meetings of GQ at which a vote occurs, each voting member has only one vote, and the majority of the vote rules.

(E) The election of all officers will take place at a meeting called for that purpose on a date no later than the first week in December. The general body membership will decide whether elections will be either anonymous or public. All Nominees must be present on both nomination and election day. If a nominee can not be present on either or both days (s)he must submit a formal, written statement to the officers of the present board. In the statement, (s)he must state why (s)he will not be present. The statement can also include, any and all nominations or votes for candidates, and acceptance or rejection of any and all nominations or election to positions. (S)He cannot decline a nomination if (s)he has already accepted the nomination.

Nomination procedure is as follows:

1. Nominations will be held a week before elections.

2. No non-voting members, or graduating seniors can nominate candidates for a position or be nominated for a position themselves.

3. All nominations can only be made either in person or by letter.

4. Director of Communications and Public Relations must make a list of all nominated candidates and forward their names via phone to the membership.

Campaigning procedure is as follows:

1. Campaigning cannot start until the membership is notified by the Director of Communications and Public Relations by phone of all the candidates running for positions on the board.

2. No personal attacks, or character assassinations are permitted -,

3. Voting can only be made either in person or by letter.

A full term shall run from the first day of Spring semester classes until the last day of Fall semester classes.

(F) In case of dismissal, resignation, etc., the GQ board may appoint temporary officers until such time that a special election may be held, such an election may be waived at the discretion of the GO board.

(G) The impeachment of ricers shall be for the following reasons: 1. Inability to perform in the best interest of GO. 2. Activity unbecoming a leader, which are as follows: (a) Embezzlement of funds (b) Nomination campaigning, and election tampering. (c) Any discriminatory practices. 3. Inability to attend scheduled meetings.

(H) Impeachment/Dismissal Procedures are as follow:

1. Formal, type written charge(s) must be presented to the GQ board, and then to the general body.

2. The GO USO representative must be notified upon receipt of any formal, type written

impeachment/dismissal charges in a timely fashion.

3. A hearing will then be called two weeks after the charges have been presented. An individual acceptable to both the accuser and the defendant will be selected as a mediator for the hearing. The accused will have the right to face his/her accuser and defend him/her self against the charges leveled at him/her. Both parties have the right to bring witnesses to testify on their behalf.

4. At the conclusion of the hearing, the general body renders a decision on the retention or dismissal of the officer by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

Article VI

General Body Powers

The general body may at any time or in any situation revoke, repeal, or other wise reject or overrule any decision act of the GQ board or in any of its officers by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the voting membership of GQ.

Article VII

Amendments

The constitution may be altered, amended, repealed, or otherwise changed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote at the meeting following the proposed change, or, if necessary, at a special meeting called for such a purpose.

Article VIII

Discrimination

GQ will not cater to any particular religious denomination. GQ does not and will not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation.