CONSTITUTION OF THE LINGUISTICS STUDENTS ORGANIZATION
OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Section 1. The name of this organization is the Linguistics Students Organization (hereinafter the “LSO”).
Section 2. The purpose of the LSO is to promote interest in and communication about linguistics and related fields. It aims to foster cohesiveness in the greater linguistics community by providing opportunities for academic, social, and professional development and interaction.
Section 1. LSO membership is open to all Michigan State University students. The LSO will not discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight. Only MSU students may be officers and/or voting members.
Section 2. Membership shall be open to students upon payment of dues to be determined by the executive committee (based on membership for one academic year). Such persons shall have voting rights within the LSO and shall receive notification of all LSO activities. Such persons shall also be eligible to receive reduced rates on any LSO sales or publications, where such rates are available, and any other such benefits that the LSO is able to provide. A person remains in good standing by obeying the rules of the group written in the constitution.
Section 1. The elected Executive Officers of the LSO are the Co-Chairs, Treasurer, and Student-Faculty Liaison. The appointed officers of the LSO are the Scribe, Webmaster, the Alumni Contact Coordinator, and representatives to the Council of Graduate Students (COGS), Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC), Department Graduate Committee (DGC), and the Graduate Employees Union (GEU). All officers shall serve for a period of one (1) calendar year, which shall begin immediately following the regular annual election.
Section 2. Elections are to take place at a meeting after April 1 and no later than April 15. The current Co-chairs shall, at the time at which an election is to take place, appoint a member of the LSO as Supervisor of Elections. Any voting member present at meeting in which elections take place may make nominations. Attending voting members may nominate themselves for any office in which nominations are open. A nominee must currently be a full-time student in good standing with the University and must plan to be a full-time student during the prospective term (excluding summer sessions). A person must be present to accept or decline the nomination at the time that such nomination is made. Each nominee is to speak on their own behalf for the respective Office for which they are nominated, and shall then be interviewed by the attending members.
The order of elections shall be as follows: Co-Chair (1), Co-Chair (2), Treasurer, and Student-Faculty Liaison. All voting members may vote and such voting shall be by secret ballot. The ballots are to be collected and tallied by the Supervisor of Elections. The nominee with a simple majority vote shall be declared the winner. If no nominee receives a majority of the votes, there must be a run-off between the two nominees that received the two highest vote totals. In the event of a tie between nominees, another vote shall be taken. If the tie should persist, voting shall repeat until a winner is decided. If there is only one nominee for a respective office that nominee must receive a vote of confidence. Each voting member must record either a “yea” or a “nay” on their ballot. In order to take office, such nominee must receive more “yea” votes than “nay” votes. The Supervisor of Elections shall decide the intent of any ballot that does not contain either a “yay” or a “nay”. Once a winner has been decided, the Supervisor of Elections shall announce the winner. Any nominee who does not win may run for another Office. Issues pertaining to Election Procedure not addressed by this Constitution shall be left to the discretion of the Supervisor of Elections.
Following the election of the Co-Chairs, Treasurer, and Student-Faculty Liaison, the newly elected Co-Chairs will appoint other Executive Committee officers as soon possible.
Section 3.0 Duties of the officers:
Section 3.1 Co-Chairs: By virtue of the respective Office, the Co-Chairs are ultimately responsible for all actions of the LSO. The Co-Chairs oversee the activities of the LSO and work together with the Director of Graduate Students (DOGS) to coordinate joint projects and discuss any student matters. The Co-chairs are responsible for assigning student mentors for incoming students, discussing any problems with students and advising students as to the options for resolving problems.
Section 3.2 Treasurer: The treasurer is responsible for collecting membership dues, maintaining the LSO account and for any fundraising activities.
Section 3.3 Student-Faculty Liaison: This student representative is expected to send a summary of relevant issues discussed in the faculty meetings to all students. The faculty generally meets several times per semester.
Section 3.4 Scribe: This student representative is expected to send a summary of relevant issues discussed in the LSO meetings to all students.
Section 3.5 Webmaster: The webmaster updates the LSO website with events, meeting times, colloquia dates, and student profiles.
Section 3.6 Representative to COGS: COGS meetings are held about once a month. Dinner is provided. The student representative represents the entire department and is expected to send a summary of the relevant issues discussed in the meeting to all students.
Section 3.7 Representative to DAC: DAC meetings are currently being held once every 2 weeks. The student representative represents the entire department and is expected to send a summary of the relevant issues discussed in the meeting to all students.
Section 3.8 Representative to DGC: The DGC meets approximately one time per semester. The student representative represents the entire department and is expected to send a summary of the relevant issues discussed in the meeting to all students.
Section 3.9 Representative (Steward) to the Graduate Employees Union (GEU)
This person keeps us up-to-date on the goings-on of the GEU. The student representative is expected to send a summary of the relevant issues discussed in GEU meetings to all students.
Section 4.0 Impeachment shall be the method of last resort for correcting improper actions by officers or committee chairs. Any action that is in conflict with the Constitution or By-Laws of the Linguistics Students Organization shall be an impeachable offense. Specific instances include:
· Actions which are in conflict with objectives of the Linguistics Students Organization found in Article I of this Constitution of the LSO.
· Failure of an officer to successfully complete assigned duties found in Article III, Section 3 of this Constitution of the LSO
· Failure to perform in accordance with an instruction of the LSO or Michigan State University
Letters of reprimand, informal counseling with the DOGS, and other procedures approved by the Executive Committee may be used in lieu of impeachment as sanctions for committing an impeachable offense. Such sanctions can be imposed by a majority vote in the affirmative of the Executive Committee. The procedure to impeach an elected officer shall be the same as to pass a constitutional amendment. An elected officer may be impeached at any LSO meeting upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the attending members present, provided that the proposed impeachment shall have been read during at least one (1) preceding membership meeting of the LSO. All proposed impeachments must receive the consideration of the Executive Committee before being presented to the LSO. All members must be notified of the vote no later than seven (7) days prior to the day on which the voting shall occur.
Section 1. The Executive Committee may schedule regular open meetings of the LSO as they see fit. Announcement of these meetings shall be made by email to all members at least three (3) days prior to the time of the meeting. At all open meetings, a quorum shall be a number equal to the number of members of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. In case of question concerning the proper conduct of meetings, Roberts Rules of Order (revised) shall be adhered to. A simple majority shall decide questions at meetings, except in the case of Constitutional Amendments.
Section 3. The Executive Committee composed of all elected and appointed officers. The Executive Committee is the governing body of the LSO and is responsible for all decisions concerning budget and policy by a majority vote. The Executive Committee is responsible for forming all other committees.
The Coffee Committee is composed of at least two members of the LSO. The coffee committee sets the dates and publicizes the coffee hours, makes the coffee, and coordinates a schedule of members to host coffee hours throughout each semester.
The Colloquia Committee is composed of at least two members of the LSO. The Colloquium Committee is responsible for organizing the weekly colloquium series together with the faculty advisor. The committee invites and schedules speakers, sends out announcements about colloquia, coordinates dinner for outside speakers, and prepares the receptions.
The Social Committee shall organize activities conducive to attaining a social environment appropriate for the goals of the LSO. These activities include (but are not limited to) helping organize the fall potluck and spring picnic.
The T-shirt Committee is responsible for designing, collecting money, and ordering t-shirts to be sold each spring.
Section 1. All voting members may propose amendments to the Constitution of the Linguistics Students Organization at any business meeting of the LSO.
Section 2. All proposed amendments must receive the consideration and approval by majority vote of the Executive Committee before being presented to the LSO for voting. Further, a copy of the existing and proposed amendments must be made available to the LSO at the meeting at which the proposed amendment is being announced. All members must be notified of the vote at least seven (7) days prior to the day on which the voting shall occur.
Section 3. Amendments are approved upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the attending members.
This Constitution is the governing document of the LSO. Any statement, in part or whole, in any document authored by the LSO or Executive Committee found to be in conflict with this Constitution shall be deemed null and void, and this Constitution shall prevail. Any portion of this Constitution that is found to be in conflict with regulations of Michigan State University shall be deemed null and void. This Constitution shall be deemed in full force and effect as of September 22, 2005.