|
| |
|
Constitution |
|
|
Adopted on: 09/2004
Most recent revision on: 05/2007
ARTICLE I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Management Information Systems Graduate Association. The organization is a student organization at The University of Arizona.
Alternate names:
The organization may be addressed by the following names in public relations documents, fliers, etc.
- MISGA
- MIS Graduate Association
ARTICLE II – Objectives
MISGA’s objectives are:
- To create a strong professional and social network among MS MIS students, faculty, and alumni.
- To help MS MIS students become refined Technology Professionals by providing services of value to them such as:
- Affiliation with a Professional Organization (MISGA)
- Social & Networking opportunities with students, faculty, alumni, and corporate partners.
- Educational and informational seminars to enhance the student experience for MIS Masters students.
- Assist them in their career development by conduction professional lectures, seminars and workshops.
- To represent MIS Masters students’ needs in regard to the MIS department.
- To represent student needs in regard to the Eller Graduate School.
- To provide MIS Masters students with opportunities to enhance their co-curricular skills and assist them in their career development by conducting lectures, workshops and other professional activities.
- To coordinate with other student organizations in the University of Arizona in general and the Eller College of Management in specific, in order to provide better services to the MIS Masters students.
- To maintain cordial relations with alumni and past MISGA board members.
ARTICLE III- Membership and Member-related issues
Section 1: Members
- Only current MIS Masters student may apply for and hold MISGA board positions.
- Non-students may act as associate members but may not hold office.
- All current MS/MIS students at the University of Arizona are automatically registered as members.
- Any student at The University of Arizona is eligible to be an active member. However, any non-MIS student who wishes to become a member of the society must pay a membership fee and agree to the rules and regulations of the MIS Graduate association as well as the MIS department. The exact amount for the membership fee may vary.
- All members shall have equal rights and privileges.
Section 2: Application
All individuals interested in becoming a member shall turn in the official MISGA application.
Section 3: Suspension or Expulsion
Applications shall be rejected for failure to comply with association bylaws, rules, regulations, customs, or any University rule or regulation.
The officers, by a majority vote with the faculty advisor, shall have the power to suspend or expel any member for conduct considered contrary to the best interest of MISGA. If such a vote is to be taken, the member in question shall be given an informal hearing, after which the vote shall be taken.
Any member who has been suspended must complete another application, at any time after the suspension has expired, to be affiliated with MISGA.
Section 4: Meetings
- General meetings shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the officers. Current members of MISGA shall vote on meeting time. Voting may be conducted at a meeting or by online poll.
- Special meetings may be called by the president, by any other three officers, or by written request of 10% of the active members.
- All meeting notices shall be posted in prominent places. This includes the MISGA website.
- Meetings will be open to all MISGA active and associate members, faculty, and Student Programs representatives. Meeting notices shall be posted on the MISGA website and be sent out through the MISGA newsletter.
ARTICLE IV- Officer Elections
a) The MISGA Executive Board, comprised of the Chairman and Executive Directors, shall be selected through an election during the first week of December.
b) Current MS/MIS students shall be notified of the opportunity to run for office at least two weeks prior to the elections.
c) Only active members may participate in election of Executive Board members.
d) Transfer of power from the old to new administration shall occur during the remaining weeks in December.
e) In the event that a board member graduates from the program at the end of ether the Spring or the Summer semester, the President will appoint an ‘interim’ member to the board. This selection must be approved by the MISGA Faculty Liaison and the Assistant Department Head of the MIS department.
ACTICLE V – Funding
- Membership in MISGA is funded from “student activity fees” charged to all students at the time of application to the MIS program.
- The MIS Graduate Association will have full rights to raise money by other legal means such as sponsorships, raffles, promotional events, food stalls etc.
- Fees for members who are not graduate students in MIS will be determined at the beginning of each fall semester by the officers.
ARTICLE VI – Financial Procedures
The President and the Director of Finance (DOF) shall be co-signers of the MISGA bank account. The DOF shall be responsible for collecting club funds each semester from the MIS Department.
AUDITING
At the end of fall semester the MISGA President and the DOF will go over the expenditures for the fall semester. The resulting report will be signed by both indicating approval of the report. The same activity will occur in April of the spring semester. The DOF will then go over the report with the incoming MISGA officers, who will sign off on the report indicating they know what the balance in the account is at that point, and what the charges incurred by the previous administration were.
REPORTING
The reports mentioned in the Auditing section will be kept in the notebook, and copies will be provided to the MISGA faculty advisor within a week after the reports are completed.
REIMBURSEMENT
Receipts for all purchases will be kept in the treasurer notebook. Students and MISGA officers that pay out of pocket for MISGA expenses will be reimbursed by the MISGA Vice-President/Treasurer on MISGA checks. Receipts for expenses must be provided to the treasurer upon reimbursement. People planning to make purchases for MISGA and expecting to be reimbursed are expected to clear it with the Vice-President/Treasurer first. A reimbursement form will be filled out by the Vice-President/Treasurer documenting the transaction, signed by both the person who asks for reimbursement and the Vice-President/Treasurer, and kept in the Vice-President/Treasurer notebook. For expenditures greater than $200, a person must secure signatures from the President and Vice-President/Treasurer on a reimbursement form prior to the purchase, and sign the reimbursement themselves after being reimbursed.
PAYMENT
Payments to MISGA should be made with personal checks, made out to “MISGA”.
ARTICLE VII – Not-for-profit statement
The MIS Graduate Association is a not-for-profit organization
ARTICLE VIII- Statement of non-discrimination
The organization shall not discriminate on the basis of age color ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability or handicap, race, religion, sexual orientation, Vietnam Era veteran status. This policy will include, but is not limited to recruiting, membership, organization activities or opportunities to hold office.
ACTICLE IX – Statement of Non-Hazing
The MIS Graduate Association complies with all State and Federal laws and Hamilton College policies on hazing. This organization recognizes hazing to be any action taken or situation created to inflict physical or mental discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule upon an individual or group. Further, the members of this organization understand that any individual or group found responsible for hazing will be subject to disciplinary action, which may result in probation, suspension, or revocation of College recognition.
ARTICLE X – Statement of compliance with Campus Regulations.
This organization shall comply with all University and campus policies and regulations and local, state, and federal laws.
ARTICLE XI – Premature end of a board position
Section 1: Stepping down from an officer position
a) A board member may wish to step down from his position. In such a case, he must submit a written petition to the Chairman and the faculty liaison at least 2 weeks prior to the proposed last date as officer.
b) The chairman must initiate a discussion during the board meeting and the officer must present the reasons for such a move to the board. If the reasons are accepted by a 2/3rd majority of the Board, the position will be declared open.
c) The MISGA board must vote to decide on whether the position must be filled immediately or left vacant until the next elections. If a decision is made to fill the position, all MIS Masters students must be given a chance to apply and a period of 2 weeks must be provided to students for candidate applications to fill the vacancy.
d) The Chairman must will work with the faculty liaison to select the new Board member.
e) The board member stepping down must serve the board during the two weeks, while the new officer selection process takes place. However, if the selection process takes more than 2 weeks, the officer stepping down is free to do so.
Section 2: Removing an officer from the board
a) Any officer may be removed from office by a vote of 2/3 of the MS/MIS students.
b) A recall shall be initiated by the presentation by any current MS/MIS student of a list of at least 10% of the MS/MIS students supporting a recall vote to the faculty advisor. All current officers shall be immediately notified by the faculty advisor of the petition.
c) Proponents of the recall and the officer will be given equal time to address students in an open meeting if requested by either party, and equal space on the MISGA website to defend their positions.
d) One week after the turn in of the petition, the vote shall take place, the results of the vote taking effect immediately.
ARTICLE XII – Executive Board communication
a) Board members may conduct MISGA business in board meetings called as necessary. All board members must be present at meetings, or given an opportunity to vote on issues brought up in the meeting before decisions may take affect. Board members may choose to waive their vote. In the case of a tie, the vote cast by the president shall count as a tie breaking vote.
b) Any board member may call a vote on any issue. Each board member may take up to 10 minutes to state their position. After all members that want to have stated their position, a vote will be taken, the majority position winning the vote.
c) Board meeting minutes shall be made available to all MISGA members, via the MISGA website at http://www.uamisga.org
d) Executive Board members must comply with the MISGA constitution’s statement of non-hazing, detailed in Article IX. Any cases of violation to these rules or misconduct in such as disrespectful behavior, verbal abuse in person, or electronically (phone, email, Instant messages, etc.) must be brought to the notice of the Chairman at the earliest, in the form of a written description of the misconduct. In the event that approaching the chairman in is found inappropriate, the vice-chairman or the faculty liaison may be contacted.
ARTICLE XIII - Description of Board Positions
There shall be six board positions in the association.
MISGA President
The responsibilities of the MISGA chair are the following:
1. Manage the executive Board, making sure communication is regular, clear, and consistent.
2. Help to make sure each group of officers has the resources necessary to perform their duties.
3. Maintain regular bi-weekly communication with the Department and faculty via regular written and verbal communication with faculty and engage faculty in active participation in MISGA events.
4. Align MISGA goals with the department goals (via regular meetings with the faculty liaison and the department head).
5. Direct the MISGA Executive Board toward the achievement of its goals.
6. Prepare for and run the MISGA general elections.
7. Serve as a point of contact between the MIS department and the other departments on campus, including the dean’s office and the MBA program.
Director of Administration
The Administrative Chair is responsible for maintaining procedural order over the activities of the group. Specifically, they shall take minutes at the board meetings, officially count and record votes, post meeting minutes on the MISGA website, maintain a calendar of MISGA events, coordinate MISGA communication with students, keep relevant University paperwork current, and track the compliance of the board with the MISGA constitution.
Other specific responsibilities include the following:
1. Meet deadlines for making sure that MISGA is registered with ASUA, Center for Student Involvement and Leadership, and the Eller Graduate Student Council each semester.
2. Create clear 5 to-10 page documentation packets for each MISGA officer to aid him/her in performing his/her duties. Rough drafts are to be reviewed by the MISGA board. Contents are to include main responsibilities, important dates, important contacts, etc.
3. Create documentation for every routine or repeatable task performed by MISGA officers prior to an event, and update as necessary after the event.
4. Publish MISGA meeting minutes in an easily accessible section of the web site within 3 days of each MISGA meeting.
5. Document a list of important MISGA contacts within the University. This is to be updated every semester by the Director of Finance and Administration and the Chair.
6. Make sure that all meeting rooms necessary for events are booked.
7. Create a point system policy for the members and keep track of it, as well as take attendance at the meetings and events.
Director of Technology
The MISGA director of technology works to use technology to increase the effectiveness of MISGA communications. This officer oversees web development efforts in coordinating work between MISGA, the students, and the departmental website/web administrator.
Specific Responsibilities include:
1. Administer MISGA website
a. Maintain MISGA domain names.
b. Maintain MISGA emails.
c. Develop new website features as identified by the board.
d. Support Board members with technology needs.
2. Help the Masters community improve their technical skills by assisting the Director of Career strategies in organizing technical workshops.
Technical Development Director
The Technical Development Director serves to further the growth of MISGA’s website and new Content Management System. This officer acts as the associate of Director of Technology and helps on updating the website as well as any technical needs for the organization.
Specific Responsibilities include:
1. Working as primary web designer to update the website regularly and post news, event schedules, pictures, job opportunities and any board members’ requests.
2. Makes sure there is efficient communication to the members through the website’s newsletter, forum and listserv.
3. Provides support to set up technology equipment on events for digital presentation, etc.
4. Acts as the photographer for taking pictures at events and uploads to the website.
5. Organizes the annual MIS Tech Competition.
Director of Career Strategies
The Director of Career Strategies serves to further the growth of the students as future professionals in the information sciences. The Director of Career Strategies has two primary responsibilities: coordination of professional development activities on behalf of the students (such as brown bag lunch events and information sessions, and guest speakers), and facilitating communication between the Office of Career Development and the student body.
Specific responsibilities include:
1. Working as a liaison to the Office of Career Development to apprise MISGA members of career opportunities.
2. Develop and maintain a ‘Careers’ section of the MISGA website.
3. Organize events such as speaker events and workshops for MS/MIS students and coordinate speakers, lectures, and brown bags by getting speakers to discuss aspects of the MIS industry.
4. Coordinate with MISA for organizing joint events.
5. Maintain a cordial relationship with both the Career Services and the Eller Office of Career Development and spread awareness and encourage MS/MIS students to participate in their programs and events.
Director of Social Relations
The Social Chair shall be responsible for planning social events to encourage the development of friendships and professional contacts between and beyond the MIS student community, as well as provide opportunities for relaxation, exercise and enjoyment.
Specific responsibilities of the Social Chair include the following:
1. Implement 2-4 social activities a semester, as well as any community involvement.
2. Create program calendar at least a month after the start of every semester (with tentative dates).
3. Provide weekly updates during Board Meetings.
4. Compile a report of all social activities at the end of every semester.
5. Maintain database of all merchants used and their rates.
6. Working to increase the involvement of alumni in the MIS graduate program.
7. Maintaining alumni databases and send out a bi-annual alumni newsletter.
8. Organize two corporate relations events per semester (field trips, company presentations, etc)
Director of Finance
The Financial Chair shall be responsible for the bank account and all financial and accounting documents, as well as manage payments and expenditures of the association. The Director of Finance shall also act as the treasurer of the club collecting funds and providing opportunities for funding.
Specific responsibilities for the Financial Chair include the following:
1. Collecting club funds each semester from the MIS Department
2. Keep track and document all the expenditures of the association, auditing and generate financial reports.
3. Manage all the receipts and reimbursements as necessary.
4. Make payments when necessary as approved by the president.
5. Estimate costs and expenditures for the events and projects.
6. Apply for funds as necessary for specific events and activities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
