Constitution

Constitution of the
William Mitchell College of Law
Asian Pacific American Law Student Association

Article I: Purpose

The Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (“APALSA”) of William Mitchell College of Law (“WMCL”) is organized for the following purposes:

§ 1. Provide personal, academic, and professional support for the members of APALSA; to aid WMCL in creating and promoting a healthy and prosperous environment for the study of law and the personal development of its Law Students.

§ 2. Articulate and promote the needs and goals of Asian American students enrolled at WMCL; to foster and encourage an attitude of professional excellence; to focus upon the relationship of Asian American Law Students to their respective communities and to the Legal System of the United States of America.

§ 3. Aid, support, and assist in the recruitment of prospective Asian American students and to promote minority representation within WMCL.

Article II: Membership

Membership in APALSA shall be open to all WMCL students and shall not be restricted on the basis of gender, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, political or social membership, medical condition or family status.

All eligible members of APALSA shall be included in the General Membership and shall enjoy the powers, privileges, and responsibilities provided in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Article III: Officers, Executive Committee and Faculty Advisor

§ 1. APALSA shall be comprised of the following Officers:
A. President
B. Vice President
C. Secretary
D. Treasurer

§ 2. The officers of §1 shall comprise the Executive Committee.

§ 3. The Faculty Advisors shall be members of the WMCL faculty.

Article IV: Governance and Duties

§1. The Membership shall have the power to:
Establish the organization’s policies and programs by a simple majority of votes cast upon proposal submitted to the officers of the organization one week prior to a regular or special meeting.

Suggest and adopt additional Bylaws deemed beneficial to the organization’s purpose, provided that they do not conflict with any policies of WMCL.

§ 2. The duties of the Executive Committee:

The activities and affairs of the organization shall be managed by or under the direction of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall approve all APALSA activities and sponsorships. The Executive Committee is responsible for the internal administration and external relations of APALSA. The Executive Committee shall consist of the named offices in the by-laws as well as any other positions that may be created by act of the Executive Committee for fulfilling the purposes of the organization.

§ 3. The duties of the President:

The President shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration of APALSA, including: leading Executive Committee meetings, general membership meetings and all APALSA events. The President is responsible for acting as representative of APALSA in dealing with the Law School, other student organizations, and all other outside organizations. The President will, at the beginning of his term, communicate his goals and vision for the academic school year; and at the end of his term, will provide an annual report describing all events and activities (including a financial report) executed during his term.

§ 4. The duties of the Vice President:

The Vice President shall be responsible for fulfilling the responsibilities of the President in those instances where the President is unable to serve or is removed from office. The Vice President shall be responsible for coordinating the annual APALSA dinner banquet, held every Fall Semester.

§ 5. The duties of the Secretary:

The Secretary is responsible for keeping minutes during Executive Committee and general member meetings and is also in charge of submitting notices on The Docket. The Secretary shall maintain the APALSA member list at the start of each semester, and will be responsible for all communications to the members.

§ 6. The duties of the Treasurer:

The Treasurer is in charge of the APALSA accounts and is the liaison with SBA, and other administrative agencies regarding monetary matters. The Treasurer is responsible for collecting any charged dues, keeping track of the accounts, and coordinates the dispensing of money with the SBA Treasurer. The Treasurer will assist the President in preparing the annual report.

§ 7. The Faculty Advisors shall perform all duties required by WMCL regarding faculty representation of a student organization.

Article V: Meetings

§ 1. A regular member meeting shall be held at least once a semester after notice to members.

§ 2. Special meetings may be called when deemed necessary by a member of the Executive Committee.

Article VI: Bylaws

Bylaws shall be established by the organization to facilitate the purposes of the organization as provided in this Constitution.

Article VII: Honor Code

The provisions of the Honor Code of WMCL and all applicable sections of the Student Handbook shall apply to all endeavors and activities of the organization and its members.

Article VIII: Ratification and Amendments

§ 1. Proposals for amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws shall be submitted to the Executive Committee one week prior to a regular meeting and will be announced at the subsequent meeting.

§ 2. Voting on amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws shall take place through a generally acceptable form of electronic voting mechanism or other fair and reliable means. All members shall be given a reasonable opportunity to vote.

§ 3. A two-thirds (2/3) of members’ votes cast in favor of approval is required in order to ratify and adopt the initial Constitution and Bylaws.

§ 4. A simple majority approval of members’ votes cast in favor of amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws is required.

§ 5. Initial ratification or any subsequent amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws shall also require approval by two-thirds (2/3) approval by the Executive Committee.