THE HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENT ASSOCIATION

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON CHAPTER

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preamble

Article I:  Name

Article II:  Purpose

Article III:  Non-discrimination Policy and Membership

Article IV:  Officers

Article V:  Legislative Regulations

Article VI:  Legislative Powers

Article VII:  Meetings

Article VIII:  Elections

Article IX:  Advisors

Article X:  Membership Dues

Article XI:  By-Laws

Article XII:  Method to Amend the Constitution

Article XIII:  Rules of Order

PREAMBLE

Whereas, there exists a need for the unity and augmentation to facilitate the advancement of Hispanic business students, and that there exists no targeted organizational vehicle through which such advancement can be attained; therefore, be it resolved, that the Hispanic Business Student Association (H.B.S.A) is established and shall function as that vehicle which will promote the interest and advancement of Hispanic business students.

ARTICLE I:         NAME

SECTION 1               The name of the organization shall be the Hispanic Business Student Association (HBSA) - University of Houston Chapter.

ARTICLE II:     PURPOSE  

SECTION 1               Voice the concerns of Hispanic business students and alumni at the University of Houston.

SECTION 2               Promote business leadership skills and entrepreneurism among Hispanics.

SECTION 3               Enhance the visibility and make Hispanic students aware of successful Hispanic professionals within the local business community.

SECTION 4               Promote academic excellence and increase the enrollment of Hispanics in institutions of higher education.

SECTION 5               Provide networking and career opportunities for Hispanic students and alumni from the University of Houston.

SECTION 6               Assist organizations in recruiting, professionally developing, and promoting Hispanic professionals.

ARTICLE III:   NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

AND MEMBERSHIP  

SECTION 1               The Organization and its members shall not discriminate against any individual(s) for reasons of race, color, creed, religion, sexual origin, sexual preference, marital status, political views, age, physical or mental disability or military veteran status. Any interested individual may become a member of HBSA.

SECTION 2               There shall be one type of membership for this organization:  paid member.

•a.       Membership Dues

•i.        Shall be determined by the Executive Board each semester

SECTION 3               Membership is limited to regularly enrolled students at the University of Houston - Main Campus.

SECTION 4               Only currently enrolled University of Houston student members will possess voting rights. Faculty, alumni, and professionals are encouraged to participate as non-voting associate or honorary members.

•a.       Alumni Members

•i.        Alumni members shall be former members who have received their prospective degree(s), and/or are no longer attending an institution of higher education.

•ii.      If an active member transfers to graduate school, that member can elect to either remain an active member or become an alumnus.

SECTION 5               Any member may be suspended or expelled from the organization for conduct obviously contrary to the Constitution of the organization or for conduct which grossly impairs the rights of the members to enjoy the benefits of the organization. The alleged offense must be in writing and submitted by an officer or member. After the alleged offense has been submitted to the organization, the accused member shall have a right to a hearing before the organization at a regular meeting and may be suspended or expelled only upon the affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present.  The accused member has the right to appeal an adverse decision at a regular meeting, and the accused member shall be reinstated unless the suspension or expulsion is again approved by three-fourths vote.

ARTICLE IV:  OFFICERS

SECTION 1               The elected officers of the organization shall be the President, Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Relations Director, Membership Director, Fundraiser Director, Community Relations Director, Alumni Relations Director, and Corresponding Secretary.

SECTION 2               POWERS AND DUTIES

•a.       The President of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: Chair regular and executive meetings of this organization, coordinate activities between members of this organization and interest groups, shall fill all vacancies on the Executive Board by appointment and with the confirmation of the Executive Board, appoint the National Hispanic Business Association (NHBA) Representative and Managing Director with the approval of the Executive Board, and co-sign HBSA transactions.

•b.      The Vice-President of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, assume the responsibilities of the President in case of his or her absence, enforce the observance of the constitution in all functions of this organization, shall coordinate all the activities of all the committees and ensure that they are functioning properly, perform other functions as directed by the President and deemed necessary and proper by the organization at-large, and co-sign organizational transactions.

•c.       The Chief Financial Officer of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for overseeing and managing all of this organization's monetary and financial transactions, maintain this organization's 501(c)(3) status, draft an overall budget with assistance from the Executive Board, which can be shown to members upon request, be responsible for all budget expenditures, be responsible for the presentation of the financial report at every Executive Board meeting (this report shall be distributed to all Executive Board members who are in attendance), and co-sign HBSA transactions.

•d.      The Managing Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, manage the organizational budget for scholarships, oversee that scholarship are fairly and impartially awarded to members, be responsible for the supervision and coordination of the Future Leaders Development Program, organize and oversee HBSA's intramural teams, and understand that he or she serves at the pleasure of the President and the Executive Board.

•e.       The Corporate Relations Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall:  attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for maintaining the relationship between HBSA and its corporate partners, be responsible for seeking out and establishing relationships with new prospective or former corporate partners, coordinate guest speakers for general meetings and workshops with the approval of the Executive Board, and shall ensure that information about internships, jobs, and scholarship are available and distributed to all members.

•f.       The Membership Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall:  attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for researching new markets from which to draw students and strategies to reach them, coordinate materials and exhibit booths for recruitment at on and off campus event, be responsible for maintaining the directory of all members of this organization, and shall be responsible for planning and organizing membership oriented events.

•g.      The Fundraising Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall:  attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for all fundraising events (at least four different events per semester or as agreed upon by the Executive Board), and develop new fundraising initiatives and events.

•h.      The National Hispanic Business Association Representative of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall:  attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for being the liaison between HBSA and NHBA, ensure that the interests and concerns of this organization are voiced at a national level, draft an overall budget for NHBA's annual conference with the assistance of the Executive Board, and shall understand that he or she serves at the pleasure of the President and the Executive Board.

•i.        The Community Relations Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for organizing and coordinating all of HBSA's community service events and initiatives, be the liaison to community organizations for HBSA, be responsible for attending community organizational meetings, be responsible for keeping HBSA informed about the activities of community organizations, and shall be responsible for keeping community organizations informed about the community oriented activities of HBSA.

•j.        The Alumni Relations Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall:  attend general and executive meetings, maintain a directory of the alumni members of this organization, be responsible for informing alumni about all of this organization's events and activities, oversee HBSA mentorship program, and shall promote and seek support from HBSA alumni for all of this organization's events and initiatives.

•k.      The Public Relations Director of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, be responsible for the establishment and implementation of media marketing and promotional planning for all HBSA events and programs, be responsible for the preparation of camera-ready materials, send out mailings, develop and manage the overall marketing, be the liaison to on and off campus media representatives for HBSA, be responsible for contacting the media (newspaper, radio, television) through press releases and public service announcements on up-coming events, organize and coordinate all of the organization's social events, and develop or design promotional material items for HBSA and assist in promotion of the organization.

•l.        The Corresponding Secretary of the Hispanic Business Student Association shall: attend general and executive meetings, keep records of Executive Board meetings, keep public records of all the correspondence of this organization, maintain the organization's website on a regular basis, and shall be responsible for all historical records pertaining to this organization through the means of photos and newspaper clippings.

SECTION 3               QUALIFICATIONS NECESSARY TO HOLD OFFICE IN THIS ORGANIZATION

•a.       Must be a current member of this organization and considered active (as defined by the Executive Board) at the time of elections.

•b.      Must have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average in the previous semester.        

SECTION 4               OFFICER REGULATIONS

•a.       The term of elected officers shall be one semester

•b.      The term of the National Hispanic Business Association Representative and the Managing Director shall be two semesters respectively.

•c.        The President shall have a vote only in the event of a tie.

•d.      No person shall hold more than one executive position in this organization simultaneously.

•e.       A vacancy of any executive office shall be filled by the appointment of the President and the confirmation of the Executive Board. 

•f.       In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Presidency, the office shall be temporarily filled by the Vice-President until a new President is elected.

SECTION 5               REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

•a.       Any officer may be removed from office for any of the following reasons:

•a.       Non-performance of duties, including unexcused absences for more than two meetings of the Executive Board.

•b.      Conduct unbecoming of an officer of this organization 

SECTION 6               RECALL ELECTIONS AND IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURES

•a.       Petition by three-fourths of the total number of members shall be cause for recall election. The offense must be in writing and submitted by a member. After the offense has been submitted to the organization, the accused officer shall have at least 48 hours before the hearing. A recall election shall be held at the next regular business meeting after the presentation of the recall petition and shall be conducted as a special election. Recall will require a favorable vote of three-fourths of the voting membership in attendance.

•b.      Petition by one-half of the Executive Board shall be cause for the consideration of impeachment of an officer.  The offense must be in writing and submitted to the President (or Vice-President if the President is the officer in question).  After the offense has been submitted to the Executive Board, the accused officers shall have at least 48 hours before his or her hearing in front of the Executive Board.   Avoidance of impeachment for the officer in question will only occur if three-fourths of the Executive Board votes against the procedure.

SECTION 7               In the event that an elected officer is unable to fulfill his or her term of office, there shall be either a special election to fill the vacancy or an appointment by the President. Any eligible member, including those already holding office, may be nominated for a vacant office.

ARTICLE V:     LEGISLATIVE REGULATIONS

a. The organization shall conduct all meetings in a formal business manner (i.e. Roberts Rule of Order).

b. The organization shall be bound by these by-laws in this constitution at all times.

c. The organization shall keep a journal of its proceedings which shall be made available for inspection by any member of the organization within reasonable time.

•i.        The Executive Board shall also keep a journal of it proceedings which shall be made available for inspection by any member of HBSA within reasonable time.

d. A quorum shall be defined as 50% + 1 of the membership.

e. An Executive Board member shall not have five combined unexcused absences from either a general or executive meeting per semester.

•i.         In an event of such action from an executive office, the officer shall be replaced.

ARTICLE VI:    LEGISLATIVE POWERS

a. The Executive Board is responsible for making an semi-annual academic budget.

b. The President shall appoint the National Hispanic Business Association Representative and the Managing Director with the approval of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII:  MEETINGS

SECTION 1               Regular meetings shall be scheduled at least once a month unless otherwise specified.

SECTION 3               Special meetings may be called by any elected officer (i.e., Chief Financial Officer, Fundraising Director, etc.) or by a simple majority of voting members. All members must be given a minimum of 72 hours notice, weekends and holidays excluded, prior to the meeting time.

ARTICLE VIII: ELECTIONS

SECTION 1               Officers are elected each Spring and Fall semester. Elections are held at the end of the Spring and Fall semester and shall take place at a regularly scheduled meeting of the organization at which at least one-third of the membership is present (Absentee voting will not be permitted).

SECTION 2               At least one week's notice shall be provided for any meeting at which an election is to be held.

SECTION 3               ELECTION CODE 

a. No person shall seek an Executive Board position without having fulfilled the following criteria for each position:

i. Candidates for President and Vice-President must have prior officer experience with HBSA and be an active member (as defined by the Executive Board at the time of elections) during the semester in which elections are to be held.

ii. Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Relations Director, Membership Director, Fundraising Director, Community Relations Director, Alumni Relations Director, Public Relations Director, and Corresponding Secretary must have been an active member (as defined by the Executive Board at the time of elections) during the semester in which the elections are to be held.

SECTION 4               NOMINATIONS

a. The Executive Board shall determine the date that nominations for the Executive Board will be allowed no later than the second general meeting.

b. Candidates may be nominated for an Executive Board position by any HBSA member or by self-nomination. The potential candidates must have knowledge of their nomination. To be an official candidate the nominee must accept. In the event the nominee is not present to accept the nomination on the day of elections a written or verbal consent must

SECTION 5               The President shall be in charge of organizing and overseeing elections and the vote count unless he or she is also running for office.  

•c.       In the event that the President is running for office, he or she shall forgo election authority to the Vice-President.

•d.      In the event that the Vice-President is running for office, he or she shall forgo election authority to either the Managing Director or Chief Financial Officer.

•e.       In the event that both the Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer are running for office, they shall forgo election authority to an Executive Board member that is not running for an HBSA officer position.

•a.       The officer given election authority will confirm his or her vote count with another Executive Board member (the Executive Board member cannot be running for an HBSA officer position). 

•f.       The final vote count shall be made available to any member after the completion of elections within a reasonable amount of time upon request.

ARTICLE IX:    ADVISORS

SECTION 1               An individual employed on a more than half-time basis by the University of Houston will serve as advisor to this organization as required by University of Houston and C.T. Bauer College of Business guidelines.

ARTICLE X:     MEMBERSHIP DUES

SECTION 1               The Executive Board shall decide the amount to be charged for membership dues at the beginning of each semester.

ARTICLE XI:    BY - LAWS

SECTION 1               HBSA shall remain nonpolitical within the University of Houston and local community but reserves the right to intervene on issues concerning the University of Houston campus (i.e., Discrimination).

ARTICLE XII:  METHOD TO AMEND THE CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1               Proposed constitutional amendments or changes shall be presented to the organization, in writing, one meeting before it may be voted on.

SECTION 2               Approval by two-thirds of the voting members present at a regular meeting shall pass a proposed change. The change shall be put into effect immediately.

SECTION 3               A copy of the updated HBSA Constitution must be immediately filed with both Campus Activities at the University of Houston and the C.T. Bauer College of Business.

ARTICLE XIII: RULES OF ORDER

SECTION 1               The Hispanic Business Student Association accepts "Robert's Rules of Order" as its rules of order.

SECTION 2               Any issue not directly spoken to in this document will be resolved by referring to the Rules of Order.