NORTHEAST BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
2011 NEBLSA Convention Election Rules and Procedures Packet
TABLE OF CONTENTS ELECTION RULES AND PROCEDURES POSITIONS ELIGIBLE FOR ELECTION......................................................................................................3 CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................3 CAMPAIGNING..............................................................................................................................................4 ENFORCEMENT OF ELECTION RULES AND PROCEDURES................................................................5 ELECTION SPEECHES..................................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER DELEGATE VOTING .................................................................................................................6 BALLOT COUNT............................................................................................................................................6 ANNOUNCEMENT OF 2011-2012 REGIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD ...................................................6 BALLOT INSPECTION .................................................................................................................................6 ELECTIONS PROCEDURE CALENDAR ....................................................................................................7 APPOINTED POSITION INFORMATION SESSION...................................................................................7 REGIONAL OFFICER APPLICATION NEBLSA OFFICER APPLICATION .............................................................................................................8 NEBLSA CANDIDACY STATEMENT ........................................................................................................9 DESCRIPTION OF ELECTED OFFICERS .................................................................................................11
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ELECTIONS RULES AND PROCEDURES I.
POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR ELECTION
Any member of a 2010-2011 active NEBLSA chapter may run for office. The following NEBLSA positions are eligible for election: Regional Chair Regional Vice Chair Regional Secretary Regional Treasurer Regional Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition Regional Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition Regional Director of Community Service Regional Director of Programming Attorney General Combined Northern New England Sub-Regional Director Connecticut Sub-Regional Director New York Metro Sub-Regional Director Upstate Sub-Regional Director II. CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS Any member of an active chapter* who completes and returns the Officer Application prior to the stated deadline will be qualified as a candidate for NEBLSA office. All materials must be submitted to the NEBLSA Vice-Chair at NEBLSA.VICECHAIR@GMAIL.COM by 11:59pm Sunday, January 23, 2011. Nominations from the Floor (Members who do not submit the required materials by the deadline.)
Any registered delegate may nominate an active member at the Regional Convention for a Regional officer position only if there are no more than one candidate running for that position at the opening of the Regional Convention. The officer presiding over plenary will determine the exact time when such nominations would be appropriate. To make the nomination, the Chapter’s Delegate need only rise and state “I nominate _________________ for the position of ______________.” No second is required. Chapters are only permitted to nominate one person for each officer position. In the event, that a candidate is nominated from the floor, the candidate must accept the nomination and complete the Officer Application within 24 hours of accepting nomination.
* An
active chapter is a chapter who has paid membership dues and has uploaded a membership roster to the NBLSA Membership database. In order to be considered a member of a chapter, your name must be included in the chapter’s membership roster.
Final Certification Requirements - all candidates must meet the following to run for and be elected to
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office: Mandatory Candidate’s Meeting: o All pre-qualified candidates for office are required to attend a mandatory candidates’ meeting to be held at the 2011 Regional Convention at 3:00pm on Thursday, January 27, 2011. o Candidates nominated from the floor are required to attend a mandatory floor candidates’ meeting, to be announced during plenary. Post-Election Meeting Any candidate who wins election to a NEBLSA Regional Office is REQUIRED to attend the Transitional Meeting on Sunday, January 30, 2011 from 11am – 12pm. This meeting is mandatory so please make your travel arrangements accordingly. Important Considerations
No individual who has been elected to a regional position will be permitted to campaign for a National Executive position.
Serving on the NEBLSA Regional Executive Board is a commitment that requires travelling to at least 4 designated meetings during one’s term and considerable extracurricular work. Please take this into consideration when determining whether you will run for office.
Travel expenses are not reimbursed or paid for by NEBLSA and therefore, you should consider your financial resources before running for a position.
III.
CAMPAIGNING
Demeanor Prior to Commencement of Convention Campaign Meeting Candidates ARE permitted to verbally announce their intent to run for office prior to the candidate’s meeting with any NBLSA member in any region. Only the candidate may endorse himself or herself prior to the candidate’s meeting.
here shall be no chapter endorsements prior to the Regional Convention. No candidate for NEBLSA Regional Office shall, before the mandatory candidates’ meeting on January 27, 2011, disseminate printed material. After a Candidate has received notification from the 2011 election committee that his or her application has been accepted, he or she may use Myspace, Facebook, You-Tube, Twitter, a blog, website, or any other electronic method to advertise his or her candidacy. Candidates may not post pictures of themselves with any members of the Regional Executive Board or the National Executive Board unless the candidate served on the Regional or National
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Board. Campaign Material Approval
All candidates for Regional office must submit to the elections committee copies of all campaign materials and correspondence at the relevant mandatory candidates meeting for approval.
If the candidate is in doubt as to whether the communication is in violation of these rules, he/she may request pre-approval by the Committee before incurring an expense for printing the communication. Candidates may not use any Regional or National Listserv and may not post any campaign material to the NBLSA regional, national or local chapter Facebook group. Local chapters may not publicly endorse a candidate prior to the Regional Convention. Local chapters may endorse candidates after the commencement of the Regional Convention. Current National and Regional Board members as well as Regional-Elect Board members are prohibited from endorsing any candidate for Regional office.
Demeanor after Commencement of Official Campaigning Candidates are permitted to wear and distribute campaign materials (flyers, buttons, etc.) to attendees at the Convention. No campaigning may occur inside of plenary. As such, no delegate is allowed to wear or prominently display any campaign materials within 30 feet of or inside of the room where plenary sessions will be held. No candidate shall engage in an unfair campaign practice, including but not limited to infraction or contempt of any campaign rule; libeling or slandering another candidate and/or maliciously disrupting another campaign. Each candidate is responsible for activity that another undertakes on his or her behalf, as if the candidate is undertaking the activity himself or herself, unless the candidate sincerely and affirmatively discourages such activity. Termination of campaigning All campaign materials and solicitation of votes must be taken down and cease ONE HOUR prior to the beginning of the Candidate’s Speeches on Saturday, January 29, 2011.
IV. ENFORCEMENT OF ELECTIONS RULES PROCEDURES Any person registered for the convention may file a complaint with any elections committee member for violation of elections rules and procedures.
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These rules will be enforced and violations will be investigated by the Elections Committee. If any violation is found to have merit, then the offending candidate will be disqualified immediately. The rules will be enforced in an effort to achieve adherence to the goals and principles of NEBLSA and NBLSA. The elections committee reserves the right to amend or add to the election procedures at any time before the Regional Convention not withstanding those specific procedures set out in the National Constitution and Bylaws.
V. ELECTION SPEECHES All candidates for office are required to give a speech and stand for questions during the Plenary Elections session. The order and time limits of Candidate Speeches and Questions and Answers will be determined after the Mandatory Candidates Meeting(s) but prior to the pre-election meeting in order to best accommodate the needs of all candidates. VI. DELEGATE VOTING PROCEDURES Chapters in attendance Any active chapter with a registered delegate for the Regional Convention who attends at least seventy-five (75) percent of the plenary sessions during the 2011 Regional Convention is entitled to participate in the election of 2011-2012 NEBLSA Regional Officers. All delegates will receive their chapter ballot and all relevant proxy ballots prior to the commencement of candidate speeches. VII. BALLOT COUNT
The election of officers will utilize a secret ballot voting method.
The candidate that receives the largest percentage of votes for the position will be declared the winner of the position.
If a candidate is unopposed, he or she must receive a majority of the votes in order to be declared the winner of the position.
VIII. ANNOUNCEMENT OF 2011-2012 NEBLSA ELECTED OFFICIALS
IX.
All candidates who have won offices sought will be announced during the 2011 NEBLSA Regional Awards Banquet to be held on January 29, 2011 at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, CT. INSPECTION OF BALLOTS A candidate has a right to inspect all of the physical ballots submitted for the position to which he was a candidate, before the close of the Regional Convention.
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X.
ELECTION PROCEDURES CALENDAR
ELECTION PROCEDURES CALENDAR** Deadline for candidates to submit Officer Application
Sunday, January 23, 2011, at 11:59pm EST
Mandatory Candidates Meeting
Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 3:00pm EST
Mandatory Candidates Meeting (Floor nominees)
TBD
Deadline for floor-nominated candidates to submit Officer Application
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 12:00 pm EST
Candidates Speeches, Q&A and Voting
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 3:30 pm EST
NEBLSA Transition Meeting
Sunday, January 30, 2011, at 11:00 am EST
**The Election Committee reserves the right to extend or alter the dates and times above if deemed necessary.
XI.
APPOINTED POSITION INFORMATION SESSION
All persons interested in being appointed to the following positions by the 2011-2012 Board should attend an information session on Sunday, January 30, 2011 from 11 am-12 pm during the NEBLSA Transition Meeting. a) Regional Parliamentarian; b) Regional Convention Coordinator; c) Regional Job Fair Coordinator; d) Regional Executive Director; e) Regional Director of Membership; f) Regional Director of the College Student Division g) Regional Director of Corporate Relations; and h) Regional Historian
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Northeast Black Law Students Association 2011-2012 Officer Application Please return this application to NEBLSA.VICECHAIR@GMAIL.COM no later than Sunday, January 23, 2011 at 8 pm EST. Name: _________________________________________________________________ Office(s) Sought:_________________________________________________________ Street Address:__________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip:__________________________________________________________ Phone number: (
)
Alternate Number: (
)
Law School:_____________________________________________________________ Registrar’s Name & Number:______________________________________________ Chapter President:_______________________________________________________ Email Address:__________________________________________________________ Law School Classification:_________________________________________________
*************************************************************************** List NBLSA Office(s) held on a local, regional, or national level:________________________ List membership(s) in and office(s) held with other organizations:_______________________
I have read and agree to comply with the Election Policies and Procedures. I understand that I must attend the final plenary session and participate fully in the Candidates Speeches. I acknowledge that my failure to comply with any of the aforementioned obligations may result in my disqualification. Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ______________________
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Northeast Black Law Students Association 2011-2012 Candidacy Statement Please return this application to the Vice-Chair no later than the end of the Mandatory Candidates Meeting. Name: _________________________________________________________________ Office(s) Sought:_________________________________________________________ Street Address:__________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip:__________________________________________________________ Phone number: (
)
Alternate Number: (
)
E-mail Address:__________________________________________________________ Law School:______________________________________________________________ Registrar’s Name & Number:_______________________________________________ Chapter President:________________________________________________________ Law School Classification:_________________________________________________
Part I Statement of Fiduciary Duty of Regional Executive Board Members of NEBLSA: Regional Executive Board (REB) Members agree to be governed by the Constitution and Bylaws of the Northeast Black Law Students Association (NEBLSA). Each REB Member shall act in the best interest of NEBLSA at all times and disclose any information that may be harmful to NEBLSA. I have read and agree to comply with the Statement of Fiduciary Duty of Regional Executive Board Members of NEBLSA. Signature: ____________________________________ Date: ______________
Part II Duties as a NEBLSA Officer I understand that as a Regional Executive Board Member, I will be responsible for attending all meetings either on my own or through financial assistance from my law school. I also understand that if I am elected
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to the offices of Regional Chair or Vice Chair, that I have obligations to attend certain meetings of the Northeast Black Law Students Association Executive Board and/or its committee. Finally, I understand that I may be asked to perform duties other than those of my position in order to further the mission and goals of NEBLSA. Signature: ____________________________________ Date: _____________
Part III Election Policy I understand that I must attend the final plenary session and participate fully in Candidate Speeches. I acknowledge that my failure to comply with any of the aforementioned obligations may result in my disqualification. Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Please E-Mail neblsa.vicechair@gmail.com if you have any questions.
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Description of Elected Officers DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Regional Chair The duties of the Regional Chair shall consist as follows: A. Embody the spirit and principles of NEBLSA as the chief public representative and ceremonial figurehead of NEBLSA. B. The executive power of NEBLSA shall be vested in the Regional Chair and is exercisable by the Regional Vice Chair-President as the Regional Chair’s representative, and this executive power extends to the execution and maintenance of all governing documents and legislation adopted by NEBLSA as expressed through the acts of the Chamber of Delegates and the Regional Directors. C. Serve as presiding officer of the Regional Executive Board, the Supreme Council, and the Department of the Chair. D. Set administrative procedures on the Regional Board for the efficient operation of NEBLSA. E. Develop measured and identifiable goals for NEBLSA, which are to be implemented by the appropriate members of the Regional Board, as reflected in the Manifesto of NEBLSA. F. Serve as an ex-officio member of all divisions and committees of NEBLSA. G. Appoint the Chief of each division and organize and create new Divisions as deemed necessary for the efficient operations of NEBLSA H. Ensure Regional compliance with the initiatives and the governing documents from NBLSA by serving as chief liaison between the National Executive Board and NEBLSA. I. Attend National Executive Board meetings and represent the interests of NEBLSA as reflected in legislation adopted by the Chamber of Delegates or the Regional Directors. J. Present reciprocity agreements for NEBLSA with other Regions or with NBLSA to the Regional Directors for approval. K. Sign all legislation passed by the Chamber of Delegates. L. Serve as a joint signatory with the Regional Treasurer on all checks and financial accounts of NEBLSA M. Prepare and submit a budget for NEBLSA to Regional Directors for approval. N. Compile and set a deadline for the Transitional Document that shall contain pertinent information by each officer in the current administration to the same officer in the subsequent administration.
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Regional Vice Chair The duties of Regional Vice Chair-President shall consist as follows: A. Act as the chief executive official over the general operations of NEBLSA. B. Serve as presiding officer of the Chamber of Delegates and the Regional Directors to the extent that the Vice Chair-President shall vote only in the event of a tie, unless expressly prohibited from doing so by a provision in the governing documents of NEBLSA. C. Serve as presiding officer of the Department of the President. D. Serve as ex-officio member of all divisions and committees of NEBLSA. E. Appoint committee chairpersons and organize affiliated members onto Regional Committees. F. Create special committees whenever deemed necessary for the efficient operations of NEBLSA. G. Sign all legislation passed by the Regional Directors and any Regional committee. Regional Directors A. The duties of the Regional Directors, shall consist as follows: 1. Serve as presiding officers of the Conclaves of their respective Sub-Region. 2. Maintain communications with the affiliated local Chapters and members within their respective sub-region. 3. Ensure the implementation of Regional and National initiatives on the local level. 4. Bring issues of a local concern to NEBLSA for resolution. 5. Host at least one meeting with the Conclave of their respective Sub-Region, per academic semester. 6. Sign all legislation adopted by their respective Conclaves. 7. Serve as members of the Department of the Chair when not acting in their capacity as Regional Directors. Job Fair Coordinator A. The duties of the Job Fair Coordinator shall consist as follows: 1. Coordinate a Regional job fair (or several job fairs) to the Active Members of NEBLSA. 2. Serve as a member in the Department of the President. B. The Job Fair Coordinator shall be a permissive officer position; consequently, the Regional Vice-Chair President has discretion on whether or not to utilize the position. C. Unless provided otherwise by the Regional Vice Chair-President, the term of the Job Fair Coordinator shall terminate at the end of the job fair(s). This rule shall be an exception to the general rule on the term of office for officers as prescribed in Article IV, Section 2 of this document. Regional Convention Coordinator The duties of the Regional Convention Coordinator shall consist as follows: A. Serve as Chair of the Convention Committee. 12
B. Make all local arrangements for hosting a regional convention as instructed by the Regional Vice Chair-President. C. Serve as a member of the Department of the President. Corporate Relations A. The duties of the Fundraising Coordinator shall consist as follows: 1. Oversee all fundraising efforts of NEBLSA. 2. Seek donations on behalf of NEBLSA to the extent that the Fundraising Coordinator shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that persons or companies sought for donations are not an existing major financial contributor to an Active Chapter of NEBLSA. 3. Assist the Regional Convention Coordinator in seeking sponsors for activities at a regional convention and the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Journal in seeking sponsors for the Law Journal. 4. Assist the National counterpart, the National Director of Corporate Relations, in his or her duties. 5. Serve as a member of the Department of the President. B. For purposes of Article II of the Uniform Governing Articles of NEBLSA, the Fundraising Coordinator shall be synonymous with the Regional Corporate Relations Director. Community Service Coordinator A. The duties of the Community Service Coordinator shall consist as follows: 1. Develop and implement community service projects throughout NEBLSA consistent with National and Regional initiatives. 2. Coordinate the community service project to be held at one regional convention. 3. Assist the National counterpart, the National Director of Community Service, in his or her duties. 4. Serve as a member of the Department of the President. B. For purposes of Article III of the Uniform Governing Articles of NEBLSA, the Community Service Coordinator shall by synonymous with the Regional Community Service Director. Regional Treasurer A. The duties of the Regional Treasurer shall consist as follows: 1. Receive all monies and account for all funds of NEBLSA. 2. Serve as Chief of the Finance Division. 3. Become and remain bonded for the duration of his or her term. 4. Serve as a member of the Department of the Chair. B. Upon adoption of the budget by the Chair, the Regional Treasurer shall be authorized to make disbursements up to the total amount shown approved in the budget and upon the order of the Regional Chair and presiding officer of an entity of a Region under whose direction a particular budget item is administered. Supervisor of Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition A. The duties of the Supervisor of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition shall consist as follows: 13
1. Supervise and coordinate the mock trial competition for NEBLSA. 2. Perform other duties as assigned by the National Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. 3. Serve as a member of the Department of the Chair. B. For purposes of Article III of the Uniform Governing Articles of NEBLSA, the Supervisor of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition shall be synonymous with the Regional Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition. Supervisor of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition A. The duties of the Supervisor of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition shall consist as follows: 1. Supervise and coordinate the moot court competition for NEBLSA. 2. Perform other duties as assigned by the National Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition. 3. Serve as a member of the Department of the Chair. B. For purposes of Article III of the Uniform Governing Articles of NEBLSA, the Supervisor of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition shall be synonymous with the Regional Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition. Regional Secretary The duties of the Regional Secretary shall consist as follows: A. Serve as the chief information officer of NEBLSA. B. Transcribe (or ensure the transcription of) accurate minutes of the meetings of the Regional Board, Executive Council, Chamber of Delegates, Conclaves, Committees, conference calls, and any other meeting assigned by the Regional Vice-Chair President through the use of audio or video technology, or both, and timely distribute or make available these minutes to the officers, affiliated Active Chapters and Active Members of NEBLSA before filing such minutes in the archives of NEBLSA. C. Maintain an updated contact list of officers of NEBLSA, officers of the Active Chapters in NEBLSA, and Active Members in NEBLSA. D. Compile, distribute, and make available a calendar of all of the anticipated events and programming of NEBLSA. E. Maintain NEBLSA’s official membership roll and to call the roll when required. F. Notify officers, committee and division members, and delegates of their election or appointment, to furnish any entity of NEBLSA with whatever documents are required for the performance of their duties, and to have on hand at each meeting a list of all existing members on any Committee or Division. G. Have a copy of the governing documents and minutes of NEBLSA available at every meeting of any entity of NEBLSA, particularly meetings of the Regional Board and the Chamber of Delegates. 14
H. Send out to the membership a notice of each meeting, known as the call of the meeting, and to conduct the general correspondence of the organization to the extent that distributing such correspondence has not been previously assigned to another officer. I. Assist the Lord Historian in his or her duties. J. Assist the National counterpart, the National Secretary, in his or her duties. Lord Parliamentarian A. The duties of the Lord Parliamentarian shall consist as follows: 1. Serve as a definitive source to NEBLSA of the proper protocol and practices of parliamentary authority adopted by NEBLSA. 2. Initially decide all questions of interpretation and construction of the parliamentary authority adopted by NEBLSA, subject only to the decision of the Tribunal. 3. Ensure that each officer, Active Chapter, and Active Member of NEBLSA receive a copy, or one is made available to them, of the governing documents and procedural rules of NEBLSA. 4. Serve as an ex-officio member of all Committees and Divisions of NEBLSA. 5. Serve as a member of the Tribunal. B. Except as provided in Subsection C of this Section, in order to maintain his or her impartiality, the Lord Parliamentarian shall not, before the Chamber of Delegates, make a motion, participate in debate, or vote on any question that comes before it, except in the case of a ballot vote. The Lord Parliamentarian shall not be allowed to temporarily relinquish his or her position in order to exercise the proscribed rights outlined in this Subsection. C. In general, the Lord Parliamentarian shall not preside over any meeting of the Chamber of Delegates because such an arrangement would go against traditional parliamentary practices on the impartiality of the parliamentarian. However, the Chamber, upon passage of a two-thirds vote, may elect the Lord Parliamentarian to preside over the Chamber of Delegates when warranted by the circumstances notwithstanding the fact that such an election may be inconsistent with the line of succession for the presiding officer of the Chamber of Delegates as prescribed in this document. Lord Historian A. The duties of the Lord Historian shall consist as follows: 1. Serve as a member of the Tribunal. 2. Prepare a narrative account of NEBLSA’s activities during his or her term of office which shall become a permanent part of NEBLSA’s official history. 3. Serve as custodian of the collection of documents, books, or other written or printed matter, has custody of these items,—or at least designates a centralized location for the custody of these items--and control over the access of such items to officers, Active Chapters and Active Members of NEBLSA. 4. Compile a bound book that shall contain the pertinent information produced by both NEBLSA and its affiliated Active Chapters within a given year. “Pertinent information” shall include: a. Minutes from meetings of all entities of executive board meeting of the Active Chapters. b. Special rules, if any, adopted or rejected by the any entity of NEBLSA. 15
c. Resolutions adopted or rejected by the legislative bodies of NEBLSA. d. Decisions, judgments, and interpretations made by the Lord Parliamentarian and Tribunal. e. Information on any special projects and initiatives of NEBLSA, f. A list of officials in NEBLSA and in the Active Chapters of NEBLSA. g. A list of all persons serving on any entity of NEBLSA. h. A list of the membership statuses of all the affiliated Chapters of NEBLSA. i. A list of the membership dues rates of NEBLSA on affiliated local Chapters and of the Active Chapters on their affiliated local members. j. All documents relating to the election of officers of NEBLSA, including but not limited to, a list of the candidates running for an elected officer position, in addition to their respective platforms, voting results of the officer elections, and a list of those Active Chapters that voted in the officer elections. k. All of the governing documents of NEBLSA and its affiliated Active Chapters. l. The Accountability Report, Manifesto, the Minority Report, and all issues of the law journal. m. Any other information determined to be pertinent by the Lord Historian or by a motion of the Chamber of Delegates n. Appoint an Assistant to compile a visual history of NEBLSA as reflected in a scrapbook. Attorney General of the Regional Board A. The duties of the Attorney General shall consist as follows: 1. Serve as a chief advocate for the rights of the Regional Board before the Tribunal by preparing memoranda and making arguments on issues of interest to the Regional Board on his or her own accord or at the instruction of the Tribunal or Regional Chair. 2. Ensure the compliance of affiliated local Chapters and members of the objectives, initiatives, and governing documents of NEBLSA. 3. Research and inform the members of NEBLSA of current legal issues of interest to the goals, missions, and initiatives of NEBLSA. 4. Research and develop policies to effectuate change at the law schools and state governmental institutions of the affiliated Chapters of NEBLSA insofar as such policies are consistent with the objectives of NEBLSA, legislation or resolutions of the Chamber of Delegates or the Regional Chair. 5. Prepare an article in NEBLSA’s law journal. 6. Assist the Regional Directors in hosting networking opportunities for members of NEBLSA with prominent government officials or civil rights activists within the respective Sub-Region. 7. Serve as an ex-officio member to all executive and legislative entities of NEBLSA. 8. Serve as a member of the Department of the Chair. B. For the purposes of Article III of the Uniform Governing Articles of NEBLSA, the Attorney General shall be synonymous with the Attorney General Position.
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