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Constitution of the Finance Association at the University of Houston

Preamble

We, the officers/members of The Finance Association do hereby establish this Constitution in order that our purpose be realized to its fullest extent.

ARTICLE I - Name
The name of this organization shall be The Finance Association which will be used for all business conducted. 

ARTICLE II - Purpose
                  The Finance Association is established for the expressed purpose of developing leadership skills as well as assisting students in their desire to enhance their knowledge about the financial industry. Our main focus is to help each of our students/members perfect their professional and personal networking skills through company information sessions, workshops, finance competitions, and sporting events. By building corporate partnership within the Houston business community, our members have access to the knowledge, insight, and network they need to achieve personal and professional success.

ARTICLE III - Membership
            Active membership shall be limited to persons officially connected with the University of Houston as enrolled undergraduate or graduate students. In addition, the following requirements are necessary to constitute active membership.

1.       Payment in full of financial obligations as determined by the organization. Dues may be payable either by semester or by year.
2.       In order to be considered an active member, the member should have a minimum amount of points during a given semester, which shall be determined by the organization each semester.
3.       Active participation in all activities sponsored by The Finance Association unless the activity interferes with scholastic or financial constraints.
4.       The Finance Association openly admits students to its membership and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of the rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

ARTICLE IV - Suspension/Removal of Members
Section 1    Grounds for removal: Any member not fulfilling the requirements as outlined in this Constitution Article III or in the Bylaws of this organization to the satisfaction of the officers or voting membership or violating University of Houston policy or the Student Code of Conduct may be suspended or removed from membership. A simple majority vote of the officers shall be required for removal of any member.
Section 2    Notice of charges: The motion to remove a member from this organization must be presented in writing to the officers at least 2 weeks before the meeting at which the removal will be voted on.        
Section 3    Right to a fair hearing: The member subject to removal shall have the right to present his/her case to the officers at the meeting in which the voting for removal is to take place.
Section 4    Right to appeal: Appeals must be made within one week after the vote for removal has taken place.                                                                      
Section 5    Form of vote: All voting under this Article shall be done by secret ballot.

ARTICLE V - Officers
Section 1      Elected Officers: The officers of this organization will be:
A.        President
B.        Vice President
C.        Corporate Relations     
D.        Treasurer
E.         Alumni Relations
F.         Public Relations
G.        Secretary
H.        Operations
I.          Promotions
J.          Fundraiser
K.        Community Service
L.         Historian
M.        Competitions Coordinator
 
Section 2    Qualifications: A candidate for President, Vice President, Corporate Relations or Treasurer must be a previous or a current officer of The Finance Association. All other positions will be open to the members of The Finance Association given that they meet the requirements which shall be stated at the beginning of every semester. Corporate Relations, Treasurer, and Webmaster will also be interviewed for their positions by the previous officer.
Section 3    Term of office: An officer shall serve for one semester from his/her swearing-in, or until his/her successor is appointed or elected.
Section 4    Duties: The duties of the officers shall be as follows:

A.      President:
1.       Shall be the official spokesperson of the organization, representing the policies, views and opinions of the organization in its relations with the campus and community at large.
2.       Shall ensure that the organization is operating in conformity with the standards set forth by the University of Houston and Campus Activities Center.
3.       Shall preside at all meetings of the organization.
4.       Shall have the ability to sign checks from the official Finance Association checking account.
5.       Shall delegate responsibilities to all the officers at the beginning of each semester.
6.       Shall re-submit information about the organization to the Campus Activities Office each semester.
7.       Shall maintain communication with the organization adviser.
　
B.      Vice President:
1.       Shall assume the duties of the President during his/her absence.
2.       Shall be responsible for writing the Bylaws of this organization when considered necessary and for presenting them for approval to the officers.
3.       Shall preside over meetings in the absence of the President.
4.       Shall have the ability to sign checks from the official Finance Association checking account.
　
C.      Corporate Relations:
1.       Shall recruit companies to come out to our meetings and to sponsor the organization with donations.
2.       Shall put together a corporate package which will include a letter from the president, itinerary of events held throughout the semester, benefits of becoming a sponsor, page with different sponsorship levels, and small sample of our top resumes.
3.       Shall have to contact potential sponsors via e-mail and follow up with phone calls in order to try to get sponsorship. When you call, you will try to set up a ten minute appointment, in order to meet with them, at the meeting, you and the vice-president or president will meet with them show them a power point and try to obtain sponsorship.
4.       Shall be responsible for creating a resume book and sending it to corporate sponsors.
5.       Shall try to set up one or two corporate field trips for some of our members. Contact the companies and see if something is available.
 
D.      Treasurer:
1.       Shall handle all financial affairs and develop organization budget at the beginning of each semester.
2.       Shall report an accounting of revenues and expenses upon request.
3.       Shall maintain accurate record of organization transactions.
4.       Shall collect membership dues when necessary.
5.       Shall provide a list of paid members upon request.
6.       Shall have the ability to sign checks from the official Finance Association checking account.
7.       Shall keep track of expenditures on an excel spreadsheet.
8.       Shall check our monthly statements to make sure all expenses have been accounted for.
　
E.      Alumni Relations
1.       Shall host a networking event every 2nd Friday of each month throughout the semester.
2.       Shall create an alumni database by extracting old data from the computer.
3.       Shall call or e-mail these alumni to check up on them.
4.       Shall build unity amongst graduated alumni and current members.
5.       Shall set up a Alumni Team for the Softball Tournament (Fall)
6.       Shall be in charge of directing the Alumni Mentoring Program
6.       Shall be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester. So be prepared to manage and oversee this committee and have them help you in contacting Alumni.
　
F.      Public Relations:
1.       Shall help the organization execute certain events that help promote the Finance Association event throughout the college and the community.
2.       Shall be responsible for setting up the end of the year banquet. If you need any help, please feel free to contact the President or the Operations Officer, especially with any logistics problems you might have.
3.       Shall be responsible for setting up our socials after the meetings. Please collect business cards from the owners of these places so that we can pass them on to next semester’s public relations.
4.       Shall be responsible for the annual Bauer Charity Softball Tournament.
5.       Shall will be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester.  So be prepared to manage and oversee this committee and have them help with socials.
　
G.     Secretary:
1.       Shall create an updated database of all the members for the semester during and after rush week with the help of the Treasurer.
2.       Shall e-mail these members about any events or meetings that will take place. These e-mails are to be sent out three days before the event occurs.
3.       Shall keep track of all points during the semester and making sure that these points are updated within five days of the event. You will work with the Webmaster to make sure he/she places those points on the web. It is your responsibility to make sure those points are on the website within five days. The President will then follow up on the website to make sure this is done.
4.       Shall take the notes at the meeting. You must take note of everything that occurs at the Officer Meetings. These notes are then to be e-mailed by you to all the Officers on the following day of the meeting.
5.       Shall be in charge of executing is the Rush Week event along with the Operations Officer and Historian, which involves everything from printing flyers to sitting out at the tables and setting up the hours worked chart.
6.       Shall check The Finance Associations e-mail (uhfa@bauerfa.org) on a regular basis and respond to any emails in a timely manner.
　
H.      Operations:
1.       Shall be in charge of the logistics of every single event that we execute. Be prepared to work with just about every single officer who is putting on an event to see what needs to be done in terms of logistics.
2.       Shall be in charge of making sure that everything is prepared and ready to go for every meeting. You will keep track of these things by creating a checklist and checking things off.
3.       Shall be in charge of assisting in obtaining raffle prizes, event gifts, and food and drinks for the organization. If you need any help, please feel free to ask any of the other officers.
4.       Shall be in charge of executing Rush Week along with the Secretary and Historian, which involves everything from printing flyers to sitting out at the tables and setting up the hours worked chart
5.       Shall be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester. So be prepared to manage and oversee this committee and have them meet about 30 to 45 minutes before every meeting and some of the events.
　
I.         Promotions:
1.       Shall get the Finance Association’s name out in the college and the community through marketing efforts.
2.       Shall produce the FA newsletter for every meeting we have. It is a one page letter that serves the purpose of letting our members know what is going on within the organization.
3.       Shall be in charge of the marketing efforts of every major event we host.
4.       Shall be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester. Make good use of this committee as they can help you execute your work and save you time. One duty that you will put them in charge of is calling our members on a biweekly basis to inform them of our meetings. Calls are usually made on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Also, have them keep a written log, and make sure to have biweekly meetings with them to make sure they are doing their work.
　
J.       Fundraiser:
1.       Shall raise money for the organization, but more importantly to provide events for the members to participate in.
2.       Shall organize 2 to 5 Fundraising events. Some ideas include a Bake Sales, Basketball Tournament, etc.
3.       Shall be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester. So be prepared to manage and oversee this committee and have them assist you with all the fundraisers.
　
K.      Community Service:
1.       Shall promote the Finance Association in the community and organize events where members can give back to society.  This includes:
2.       Shall organize 2-5 Community Services.
3.       Shall be in charge of a committee of about 8-10 members this semester.  Be prepared to manage and have them assist you with all the community service events.
　
L.       Historian:
1.       Shall keep a visual record of everything that is executed during semester.
2.       Shall take pictures at every single event that goes on throughout the semester. This brings me to a very important point. In order to take pictures at every event, you must be present at every event, including socials (being sober is mandatory). However, we understand that this is very difficult to do, so if you cannot attend certain events, please feel free to find another officer that would be willing to help you take pictures at these events.
3.       Shall be in charge of creating the slideshow that is presented at the end of the semester. Expect to receive help from the public relations officer and the president.
4.       Shall create a written scrapbook of the semester. This scrapbook is used to market the Finance Association throughout rush week of the following semester.
5.       Shall be in charge of the weekly maintenance of the FA bulletin board by room 135MH. Many members come by that board seeking information on the organization, so it is imperative that you keep it updated with info.
6.       Shall create a CD scrapbook. This scrapbook will just be pictures from the entire semester burned onto a CD given to every active member at the end of the semester.
7.       Shall maintain the website (www.bauer.uh.edu/fa) and update it on a weekly basis.
8.       Shall work together with the secretary in order to have points up within five days of an event.
9.       Shall keep the calendar updated with all of the events of the semester.

Section 5    Replacement: In the event an elected officer is unable to fulfill his/her term of office, there will be a Special Election. Any active eligible member or officer can be nominated for a vacated officer position. In addition, the following rules will apply:
1.       If the President is removed, the Vice President will assume the office of the President.
2.       If the Vice-President is removed, the officers will appoint an acting Vice President until the Special Election is held and a candidate has been elected.
3.       All other positions will be filled by the Special Election.
4.       Treasurer, Corporate Relations, and Webmaster will be interviewed for their positions.

ARTICLE VI - Removal of Officers
Section 1    Grounds for removal: Any officer not fulfilling his/her duties as outlined in this Constitution Article 5, Section 4 or in the Bylaws of this organization to the satisfaction of the officers or voting membership or who has violated a University policy or the Student Code of Conduct, may be removed from office. A simple majority vote of the officers shall be required for removal of any officer.

Section 2    Notice of charges: The motion to remove an officer from his/her position must be presented in writing to the officers at least 2 weeks before the meeting at which the removal will be voted on.
Section 3    Right to a fair hearing: The officer subject to removal shall have the right to present his/her case to the officers at the meeting in which the voting for removal is to take place.    
Section 4    Right to appeal: Appeals must be made within one week after the vote for removal has taken place.
Section 5    Form of vote: All elections under this Article shall be done by secret ballot.

                      ARTICLE VII - Meetings                                 
Section 1    Frequency of professional meetings: Regular meetings are scheduled at least bi-weekly during the academic semester except when holidays, examination periods or other events make meetings impractical. Organization meeting day/time will be determined in the beginning of each semester by the officers.
Section 2    Officer meetings: The Officers shall meet weekly in addition to regular organization meetings.
Section 3    Emergency/Special meetings: Emergency/Special meetings can be called by any elected officer of the organization. All officers must be given a minimum of 48 hour notice prior to the Emergency/Special meeting time/day.

ARTICLE VIII - Elections
Section 1    Types of elections: General elections will be held to replace officers whose terms are due to expire. Special elections shall be held when an office is vacated in midterm. Only current officers will be able to vote for President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Corporate Relations which shall be held separately from the general elections. For all the other positions, the members will be able to cast their vote during the general elections.
Section 2    Time of elections: General elections shall be held towards the end of the semester during the last meeting and special elections shall be held as necessary.
Section 3    Form of vote: All voting shall be done by a secret ballot.
Section 4    Electoral Rules and Procedures:
1.       A current Officer(s) not running for any position will conduct the elections.
2.       Each candidate will be given the opportunity to make a speech on their qualifications for officer.
3.       President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Corporate Relations speeches are limited to 10 minutes.
4.       All other positions speeches are limited to 2 minutes.
5.       Once speeches are concluded for any given position, the candidates will field questions. Each candidate will answer the same questions. The candidates will field questions together in front of the assembly, and any member may ask questions.
6.       Election of officers will require a simple majority vote. If a candidate fails to receive a majority of votes, a run off election will be held within the top two candidates that received the most votes.
7.       In the event of a tie for President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Corporate Relations, the officers for the following semester will vote to break the tie.          

ARTICLE IX - Advisor
                  An individual employed on a full-time basis by the University of Houston will serve as advisor to this organization. The Advisor shall have no voting privileges.

ARTICLE X - Committees
Section 1    Standing committees shall be formed every semester. Each officer has the choice to make a committee that will enable him or her to delegate duties.
Section 2    These committees may include, but are not limited to the following:
A.      Alumni Relations Committee
B.      Public Relations Committee
C.      Operations Committee
D.     Promotions Committee
E.      Fund-Raising Committee
F.      Community Service Committee
G. Historian Committee

ARTICLE XI - Financial Support
The Finance Association will finance the activities it engages in by fund-raising projects, individual contributions, membership dues, and corporate sponsorships.

ARTICLE XII - Bylaws
Section 1    Provision for bylaws:
A.      This organization may approve bylaws for the specific operation of the organization.
B.      No bylaw shall be adopted that is contrary to the provisions of this Constitution.
Section 2    Vote Required:
A.      The organization may adopt, amend or rescind any bylaw by a simple majority vote of the officers.
B.      Any proposed bylaw must be publicized in writing to the officers at least one week prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted upon.

ARTICLE XIII - Amendments
Section 1    This constitution is binding to all officers/members of The Finance Association. But the constitution is not binding unto itself.
Section 2    Amendments to this constitution may be proposed in writing by any officer at least one week before it is to be voted on.
Section 3    Proposed amendments will become effective following approval of a simple majority vote of the officers. The amendment is immediately effective unless otherwise stated in the proposal.
Section 4    A copy of this constitution/bylaws and/or amendments to this constitution must be filed in the Campus Activities Office at the University of Houston.

ARTICLE XIV - Registration Renewal: The Finance Association will apply to the Campus Activities Office for registration every semester after the elections of the new officers.
1st Amendment           NOTWITHSTANDING, any member or officer judged to be in violation of the Bauer Code of Ethics might be subject to the bylaws of Article IV.

2nd Amendment           NOTWITHSTANDING, eligibility for Presidency requires at least one semester in held office of corporate relations, treasurer or vice president.  If there are no existing eligible candidates, the presidency may be contested by any officer of FA.

3rd Amendment           NOTWITHSTANDING, an officer of FA shall not concurrently hold another officer position in another organization at the Bauer College of Business.

4th Amendment           NOTWITHSTANDING, the current officers of spring 2008 enacted The Finance Association Alumni Board of Advisors in accordance to the above bylaws, for the purpose of building a sturdy communication line of recent to latter alumni.  Additions of persons to the FA Alumni Board of Advisors shall be determined by the majority vote of the current semesters officers.  Graduation status must be obtained by the Bauer College of Business prior to acceptance. 
            Duties of the FA Alumni Board include, but not limited to:
                       

5th Amendment – Creation of the Competitions Coordinator position.