PakSA CONSTITUTION

Name

PAKISTAN STUDENTS ASSOCIATION, abbreviated PakSA.

Purpose

• To disseminate information about Pakistan, to familiarize the MSU community with Pakistani culture, folk art, its people, to forge a common bond of unity among Pakistani Students at MSU, and to facilitate US-Pakistani student interaction for better understanding and friendship.
• Specific goals include, as above, facilitating transition of Pakistani students to the MSU scene and to promote the Student Union both in letter and spirit, and strives to promote better understanding amongst the Pakistani-MSU community.

• Affirmative action and Hazing
• It is the policy of the PakSA to provide to the maximum extent feasible, equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual preference, or handicap for all aspects of PakSA activities.
• Reckless or intentional endangerment to health or forced consumption of liquor for purposes of initiation or affiliation with PakSA is strictly prohibited.
• Types of Memberships:
• Regular Members.
• All currently registered MSU students who have currently paid their membership dues and their spouses shall be defined as Regular Members, and are eligible for regular membership.
• Regular members shall be full voting members.
• Associate Members.
• All MSU faculty, staff and alumni ( and their spouses) shall be eligible for Associate Membership.
• Associate Members may participate in PakSA activities, however, they may not vote, run for office or be regular committee chairpersons (except with special PakSA Executive Body and Union E-Board approval). Their per-person subsidy will be less that a regular member.
• Volunteer Members
• Volunteer members shall be those who are not eligible to be regular or associate members, because they are not affiliated with PakSA or MSU, but whose talents, skills, knowledge or leadership will assist the association in fulfilling its purpose.
• Volunteer members status must be approved by the association for each volunteer member on an annual basis, and such membership shall not exceed 5% of club membership without the annual approval of the Union Executive Board.
• Volunteer members may participate in PakSA activities. However they may not vote, hold office or be regular committee chairpersons (except with special PakSA E-Body and Union E-Board approval). Their per-person subsidy will be less than a regular member.
• Other Requirements:
• All PakSA members must adhere to all PakSA guidelines, and are subject to all PakSA and MSU standards and disciplinary procedures
• When PakSA represents MSU by engaging in competitive events with other schools or organizations, only regular PakSA members may compete on behalf of PakSA ( except with special PakSA E-Body and Union E-Board approval).
• Membership List and Communication:
• An accurate membership list must be maintained and kept on file in the PakSA office and in the Union administration office.

PakSA will have the following Elected Officers:

• The President will represent PakSA in all activities and the Vice - President will organize all meetings and functions; therefore, in order to be able to effectively represent Pakistani Culture, the President and the Vice - President must both be of Pakistani national origin. If a person of non-Pakistani origin wishes to run for either President or Vice - President, he/she may do so if they first obtain the unanimous approval of the existing E-Body.
• All elected officers shall hold their respective offices for one calendar year, starting from the date of elections. Elections are to be held no late than October of that term.
• Appointed Offices : The E - Body ( consisting of the three elected officers) shall periodically appoint committees for special tasks as may be deemed appropriate. The committee chairpersons shall be regular members except as detailed above.

The President has one vote in the E -Body decisions. The President chairs the E- Body and general meetings. He/she shall be responsible for the general well-being of PakSA, and shall be the sole person to have veto power on the E- Body decisions and proceedings. He/she may, with due consultation with the E - Body, appoint committees, its chairpersons, and also approve operating and special budgets, however, the President cannot appoint a committee chairperson without the consent of the Vice - President.

• The Vice - President shall have two votes in E - Body decisions. He/she shall be responsible for calling meetings, taking the minutes, and keeping order at E - Body proceedings.
• The Treasurer shall have one vote in the E - Body decisions. The treasurer shall be responsible for presenting all PakSA budgets and keeping an accurate amount of expenses. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for collecting membership dues. In the event any member fails to remit his/her dues, the treasurer may ask the E - Body to revoke/suspend such a person's membership.
• In order to be elected to office, a candidate must obtain a simple majority of the votes cast at a business meeting at which quorum is reached. In case of resignation, fresh elections shall be called in the prescribed manner for the vacant office.
• Notice of the elections must be given to the members at least ten days prior to the election date ( to be fixed by the E - Body through a circular to all members).
• A current officers' list, including names, addresses and phone numbers shall be maintained in the PakSA office and in the Union administration office within one week of elections or appointments.

The Vice - President shall propose policies and standing rules ( excepting financial policy which shall be proposed jointly with the Treasurer), which shall then be debated and passed/rejected by simple majority of the E - Body.

• In the event the President vetoes a proposal, that proposal shall then be voted on by the general membership at the next business meeting where a quorum is reached ( provided a majority of the E - Body wishes to have voting in this manner).
• Quorum for E - Body is defined as the presence of at least two officers of the PakSA E - Body.
• Quorum for general business meetings will be at least 50% of the voting membership.
• Additionally, any E - Body member can put forward a proposal provided it is supported by at least one regular member.
• A majority vote by the general membership at a business meeting can override all E - Body decisions.
• A general meeting of the E - Body can be called by any E - Body member. Meetings can also be called by the general membership if 25% summon it.

Any PakSA member can be suspended if:

• He/she does not pay the membership dues as decided upon by the E - Body.
• He/she violates any MSU/PakSA regulations.
• A no-confidence motion is passed against any E - Body member at a business meeting by two-thirds of the total regular membership. Fresh elections for that office (s) shall be called in the prescribed manner, while the vacant position shall be filled as described above.
• Any suspended member has the right to appeal to the Union Judicial Board.

At least one business meeting shall be called every academic term, spring and fall.

• E - Body meetings shall be called as many times as appropriate.

Notice of all meetings shall be given at least one week in advance, and the agenda shall be prepared by the Vice - President.

• E - Body meetings are open to all.

All committees shall be appointed and given duties by the E - Body, whose actions shall be subject to E - Body and membership review at a subsequent meeting.

PakSA shall set the minimum level of dues for each class of membership. If PakSA is funded by the MSU Union then the minimum level of dues will be subject to a minimal level set by the Union E - Board.

• Fiscal policy is subject to Union guidelines.
• The Treasurer is empowered to present the budgets at various meetings, to collect dues and revise projections on a need basis, all actions being subject to review by the E - Body.