RHA Constitution

Residence Hall Association Constitution Academic Year of 2016 & 2017

ARTICLE I. NAME AND PURPOSE Section 1.

Name: The name of this organization established by this constitution shall be Residence Hall Association (RHA).

Section 2.

Purpose: RHA is a student-­‐‑run organization which represents and protects the views, concerns, and rights of the residential community, and strives to improve the quality of life on campus. RHA shall provide opportunities and resources for student programming and leadership training while fostering communication between the University of South Dakota (USD) Residence Halls and Student Services/University Housing.

Section 3.

Affiliations: This organization shall be affiliated with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) and the Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (MACURH). The rules and regulations of the MACURH constitution shall be followed when consistent with the rules and regulations of the USD. When inconsistencies are present, this organization shall adhere to the rules and regulations of USD.

ARTICLE II. NON-­‐‑DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT Section 1.

Non-­‐‑discrimination Statement: No student is to be excluded from membership or participation on the basis of his or her race, color, genetic information, creed, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran’s status, marital status, political affiliation or physical, mental or medical disability unrelated to the Purpose of the organization, or, unless exempt under Title IX, gender.

Note: The Non-­‐‑discrimination Statement refers to members (and/or officers) of the organization. Discriminatory behavior regarding organizational activities of the actions of members is a violation of University Policy and may be addressed

by USD as appropriate.

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ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP Section 1.

Requirements for Membership for General Assembly: Membership in this organization consists of all registered USD students who are currently living in a residence hall owned and/or operated by University Housing.

A. Anyone may become a member who: a. Is a student at USD and who lives in a residence hall owned and/or operated by University Housing b. Is a Student Services/University Housing staff member at USD c. Maintains an accumulative GPA of 2.0 or above.

B. Attendance Requirements: a. Members must stay until the meeting is adjourned. Academic responsibility shall be the only exception to this requirement. b. In the absence of the official voting representative, a proxy from the hall in question may be selected to temporarily act as the official voting representative, as identified by the Liaison. c. For Complex Council members, two unexcused absences per academic

school year at RHA General Assembly meetings without a valid proxy shall result in termination of that hall’s privileges to vote on any RHA business as well as the ability to request funds. i. After attendance at two consecutive General Assembly meetings by a Senator or valid proxy, voting privilege and the ability to request funds will be restored. d. For Executive Board members, two unexcused absences per academic school year at RHA General Assembly meetings or assigned committee meetings without a valid proxy shall result in termination of that member’s privileges to vote on any RHA business. i. After attendance at three consecutive General Assembly meetings or assigned committee meetings by the Executive Board member or valid proxy, one unexcused absence will be removed.

C. No academic credit shall be offered for participation and/or membership in this organization.

Section 2.

Removal of General Assembly Members: A. Grounds for removal of members may include: a. Violation of University policy 2

b. Violation of the Board of Regents Code of Student Conduct c. Violation of attendance policy as stated in Section 1, Letter C d. Violation of the Community Living Policies set by University Housing e. Violation of grade point average standard set in Article III, Section 1.A.c i. Grade point averages will be checked by the RHA Advisor(s) every semester B. A member may be removed by the following process: a. A petition to remove the member should be submitted to the President. Such a petition must contain the signatures of at least 50 percent of the voting members. When such a petition is received, the President shall call a meeting of the organization to decide upon removal. b. The grounds for removal are to be presented by the President at a regular or special meeting of the organization. c. The member in question shall be provided an opportunity to present a defense either in person or in writing at the time of the aforementioned meeting. d. Voting is not to occur until after a presentation of the grounds and defense has been made. In order for a vote for removal to take place, at least a 2/3 majority vote of the RHA Executive Board is required for removal.

Section 3.

Appeal of Removal of Members: A. Members may appeal their removal, but the appeal must be made within one week of the vote for removal to the Residence Hall Association Advisor(s).

B. Decision regarding the appeal of the member removal will be determined by RHA Advisors or the Assistant Director of University Housing.

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS Section 1.

Elected Officers:

The officers of this organization will be:

A. B. C. D. E. F.

President Vice President Business Manager Programming Manager Marketing Manager/Student Government Association Liaison National Communications Chair 3

Section 2.

Qualifications for Holding Office: In order to be eligible to hold an office in this organization, the following qualifications must be met:

A. The candidate must be a student member of the organization.

B. The candidate must have lived in the residence halls for one semester prior to

them holding an Executive Board position. They must also be living in the residence halls for the duration of their entire term.

C. The candidate must be in good academic standing with the University.

D. The candidate must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. a. Grade point averages will be checked by the RHA Advisor(s) every semester Section 3.

Elections: A. The officers of the organization shall be elected for a term of one full academic year.

B. There will be a restriction of two consecutive terms of office which may be held by an individual. a. The candidate must be re-­‐‑elected to maintain their position for a consecutive term.

C. Any voting member of the RHA General Assembly may nominate a resident for an elected office position. Nominees must turn in a completed petition by the first week in April to be on the ballot.

D. Election to office will be by simple majority of the entire campus population living in residence halls and/or operated by University Housing.

E. Elections will be held no later than the second week of April.

F. All other officer transitions will occur at least one week before USD’s Celebration of University Leadership. The newly elected officer’s term shall begin at the Celebration of University Leadership.

Section 4.

Duties of the Officers: A. The President shall be the principal executive officer and shall have the following duties: a. To preside at all meetings of the organization b. To call special meetings of the organization when required c. To submit updated contact information to the Student Government Association d. To schedule all activities of the organization, and to obtain appropriate facilities for these activities e. To prepare and file any report required by the University 4

f.

To appoint committee chair people subject to the approval of the Executive Committee g. To prepare and maintain a manual/binder related to the office and to review all materials in the transitions of the incoming President prior to giving up the office h. Shall attend the MACURH and No Frills annual conferences and the President of the following fall shall attend the NACURH conference if a delegate is sent i. Participate on the MACURH President’s thread/chat during all assigned dates from the RCC of technology, as deemed necessary by the RHA Advisor(s) j. Organize and prepare for spring officer training and transitions k. To be the liaison to other organizations and attempt to collaborate with them regarding: programming, grants, student voice, etc., as designated by the General Assembly l. Shall attend at least one Complex Council meeting per Complex Council per semester B. The Vice President shall have the following duties: a. To assume the duties of the President (until a special election can be held) in the event of a vacancy in the office b. Shall be in charge of the official RHA email account, informing Executive Board Officers of any emails or notifications pertinent to their positions c. To plan the officers’ orientation and organization retreats/training d. To perform other duties as assigned by the President or as specified by the RHA Advisor(s) e. To prepare and maintain a manual/binder related to the office and to review all materials in the transition of the incoming Vice President prior to giving up the office f. Work with Advisor(s) to focus on member retention and recruitment for new Executive Board and General Assembly members g. Shall research how other schools handle issues being discussed at RHA through the use of the official RHA email account h. Attend the MACURH annual conference and/or No Frills annual conference, as deemed necessary by the RHA Advisor(s) in which case another Executive Board officer cannot attend C. The Business Manager shall have the following duties: a. To keep a record of all members of the organization b. To keep a record of all activities of the organization c. To keep and distribute minutes of each meeting of the organization 5

d. e. f. g. h. i. j.

To notify all members of extraneous meetings Coordinates all internal RHA events To perform other duties as assigned by the President or Advisor(s) To keep all financial records of the organization To prepare and submit financial reports to the members To prepare the annual budget and all budget requests for funds To become familiar with University accounting procedures and policies k. To prepare and maintain a manual/binder related other offices and to review all materials in the transition of the incoming Secretary/Treasurer prior to giving up the office l. Attend the MACURH annual conference D. The Programming Manager shall have the following duties: a. Be in charge of the general programs of RHA, including but not limited to monthly programs b. Maintain communication between organizations for events c. Sponsor all RHA programs d. Shall serve as the RHA liaison to Dakota Days programming as necessary e. Work closely with Marketing Manager f. Use the programmers thread on the NACURH forum, as deemed necessary by the RHA Advisor(s) g. Attend the MACURH annual conference E. The Marketing Manager/Student Government Association Liaison shall have the following duties: a. Coordinate publicity for RHA and its committees b. Act as a historian and compile all RHA publications, advertisements, etc. into an RHA scrapbook or yearly compilation c. Work closely with the Program Manager d. Duties assigned by the President or Advisor(s) e. Be responsible for the coordination of the maintenance of the RHA bulletin boards in the residence halls f. Responsible for the recruitment of new members alongside the Executive Board Vice President g. Responsible for updating and maintaining any website or social media for RHA h. Works closely with RHA Advisor(s) to coordinate apparel for the RHA Executive Board and General Assembly i. Serve as the liaison to the Student Government Association (SGA)

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j.

Attend all SGA meetings and fulfill other responsibilities as defined

by SGA (this includes but is not limited to senate meetings and student and Internal Affairs Committee Meetings) k. Submit legislation on behalf of RHA that will benefit residents l. Prepare the SGA Liaison elect for the office of SGA Liaison’s responsibilities and duties m. In the absence of the official voting representative, in which case that the liaison cannot be present, a proxy from the RHA Executive Board may be selected to temporarily act as the official voting representative, as identified by the Liaison n. Attend the MACURH annual conference F. National Communications Chair a. In charge of research, compiling, and submitting the MACURH affiliation paperwork prior to the 15th of October of every year b. Shall be in charge of delegations to all residence hall government conferences (MACURH, NACURH, and No Frills) c. Shall research how other schools handle issues being discussed at RHA d. Attend the MACURH and No Frills annual conferences e. Any duties as assigned in accordance with MACURH and NACURH, Inc. f. Shall participate in all MACURH chats/forums as assigned by the regional coordinator and deemed necessary by the RHA Advisor(s) g. Work in conjunction with the National Communications Chair-­‐‑In Training, in which case that one has been elected/appointed to the Executive Board, to train and prepare them for the following academic year to serve as the National Communications Chair Section 5.

Vacancy of an Office: A. In the event of a vacancy in an office other than the President before the expiration of a full term, a special election shall be called by the President within two weeks to fill the vacancy B. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President before the expiration of a full term, the Vice President shall ascend to the office of the President until a special election can be held

Section 6.

Removal of Officers: A. Grounds for removal of an officer may include: a. Violation of University policy b. Violation of the Board of Regents Code of Student Conduct 7

c. Violation of the Community Living Policies set by University Housing d. Failure to perform the duties of the office as set forth in the constitution of the organization e. Failure to uphold the provision of this constitution f. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA as stated in the position being held i. Grade point averages will be checked by the RHA Advisor(s) every semester B. An officer may be removed by the following process: a. A petition to remove the officer(s) should be submitted in writing to an officer of the RHA Executive Board. Such a petition must contain the signatures of at least 50 percent of the voting members of the organization. When such a petition is received, the President, or if the President is the subject or one of the subjects of the petition, the next highest ranking officer not targeted in the petition shall call a meeting of the organization to decide upon removal. b. The grounds for removal are to be presented by the officer in charge at a regular or special meeting of the organization, whichever occurs first. c. The officer(s) under review shall be provided an opportunity to present a defense either in person or in writing. d. Voting is not to occur until after a presentation of the grounds and defense have been made. In order for a vote for removal to take place, at least a 2/3 majority of the voting membership must attend the meeting, and a 2/3 majority vote of the voting members present at the regular or special meeting is required for removal.

Section 7.

Appeal of Removal of Office: A. Officers may appeal their removal, but the appeal must be made within one week of the vote for removal to the Residence Hall Association Advisor(s).

B. Decision regarding the appeal of the member removal will be determined by RHA Advisors or the Assistant Director of University Housing.

Section 8.

Changes in Officers: All changes in officers shall be submitted to USD’s Student Government Association within two weeks of such a change.

ARTICLE V. ADVISOR(S) Section 1.

Advisor Selection: 8

A. The Advisor(s) to this organization must be a member of the University Student Services/Housing Staff.

B. The organization Advisor(s) shall be appointed by the Assistant Director for University Housing.

Section 2.

Role of the Advisor(s): A. The Advisor(s) must sign all financial transactions of the organization.

B. The Advisor(s) shall assist the officers and the members in accomplishing the purpose of this organization.

C. The Advisor(s) shall regularly review the financial records of the organization and forward mailings to the appropriate officers.

D. The Advisor(s) shall hold final power to veto any decisions or voting made by the RHA Executive Board and/or General Assembly.

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS Section 1.

Meetings: A. Business meetings of the organization may be called by the President regularly during the academic year.

B. Non-­‐‑business meetings for the purpose of instruction, practice, or other activities, shall be held upon one week notice to the other members.

Section 2.

Special Meetings: A. Special meetings may be called by the President upon one week notice to the members.

B. The President shall call a special meeting when requested by 25 percent of the voting members, or in cases as outline in: a. Article III, Section 2.B b. Article III, Section 3 c. Article IV, Section 6.B d. Article IV, Section 7

Section 3.

Quorum: A. A quorum at business meetings shall consist of a simple majority of the voting membership. a. Voting members shall consist of: i. No more than three Liaisons from Richardson/Olson ii. No more than three Liaisons from Beede/Mickelson iii. No more than three Liaisons from Burgess/Norton iv. No more than three Liaisons from Coyote Village v. One Liaison from Brookman Hall 9

vi. One Liaison from McFadden Hall vii. All elected officers with the exception of the President. No elected officer may represent their own hall. viii. The President will only vote in the event of a tie. * see Article IV for information regarding elected officers.

B. A quorum is not required to hold non-­‐‑business meetings (such as instruction, classes, or other activities).

Section 4.

Parliamentary Authority: The Parliamentary Authority for the organization shall be Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

ARTICLE VII.EXECUTIVE BOARD Section 1.

Responsibility: Management of this organization shall be vested in an Executive Board responsible to the entire membership to uphold this constitution.

Section 2.

Membership: Membership shall consist of the President, Vice President, Business Manager, Programming Manager, Marketing Manager/Student Government Association Liaison, National Communications Chair, and the Advisor(s).

Section 3.

Meetings: The Executive Board shall meet every other week, alternating with General Assembly meetings to organize and plan future activities and agenda items for meetings.

ARTICLE IX. FINANCIAL STRUCTURE Section 1.

University Account: A. All funds from University sources must be deposited and maintained in a USD account.

B. All USD accounting policies and procedures must be followed.

C. The Advisor(s) of the organization must sign all financial transactions of the organization.

D. Financial records may be available for audit by the regional/national organization or University.

ARTICLE XI. AMENDMENTS 10

Section 1.

Ratification: A. A proposed amendment to this constitution shall be presented to the members at least two meetings prior to the meeting at which the vote shall be held.

B. Ratification of an amendment to this constitution shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the voting members present at a regularly scheduled business meeting of the organization and all amendments to this constitution shall be approved by the Advisor(s) and Assistant Director of Student Services/University Housing before they take effect.

This constitution was approved by the organization’s members on _________________________.

____________________________________ President

____________________________________ Officer

____________________________________ Officer

____________________________________ Advisor

____________________________________

______________________________________ Officer

______________________________________ Officer

_______________________________________ Officer

_______________________________________ Advisor

Assistant Director of University Housing

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