Members
University of North Dakota Student Government
Multicultural Awareness Committee
Constitution
Article I. Authorization
Section 1. The Multicultural Awareness Committee was designated in September 1987 by Student Government as the authorized student funding and programming body for the purpose of providing multicultural programming which will supplement the formal educational experience of all students at the University of North Dakota.
Section 2. The Multicultural Awareness Committee, hereinafter referred to as MAC, shall be constituted under the authority of Student Senate.
Article II. Purpose and Vision
Section 1. As the authorized student funding and programming body for multicultural events/programs, MAC shall strive to increase awareness and understanding concerning the cultures of the world, especially those of the community and of the University of North Dakota.
Section 2. Specific goals shall be:
A. To increase awareness by funding student organizations, MAC shall provide opportunities for active involvement in multicultural issues and concerns related to the University community, and the community at large.
B. To provide programs which educate across cultural lines, both internally and externally; that is, to educate the people involved with the Committee process, as well as to educate the community at large.
C. To gather information regarding other universities’ multicultural programs, policies, and educational endeavors; this may include travel to regional or national conferences.
D. To provide supportive funding for multicultural activities of all student organizations, especially those with a relevant multicultural vision or purpose in their constitutions.
E. To work without regard to race, religion, age, creed, color, sex, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, gender identity, marital status, veterans’ status, political belief or affiliation, or membership/non-membership in any organization.
Article III. Jurisdiction
Section 1. All recognized student organizations which submit requests for funding to MAC must agree to give MAC access to their full budget, to include MAC and non-MAC funds, as well as all financial operations of said organizations.
Section 2. MAC shall exercise financial oversight over each recognized student organization receiving funds from MAC. This oversight only applies to the funds allocated by MAC.
Section 3. MAC will continue to have access to the recognized student organizations’ budgets and financial operations until all MAC allocated funds have been accounted for.
Section 4. All recognized student organization funds shall be deposited with the University of North Dakota Accounting Office. MAC reserves the right to freeze or withdraw its appropriated funds at any time with written notification to the respective organization and advisor within forty-eight (48) hours, if the organization is not in compliance of all requirements stated in the MAC Constitution for the receipt of funds.
Section 5. Recognized student organizations placed under probation by the Student Policy Committee may have action taken against them by MAC until probation conditions are met. The action taken by MAC includes but is not limited to:
A. Refusal of consideration for further MAC funding
B. Freezing of MAC funds allocated
C. Recall of MAC funds allocated
Article IV. Internal Organization
Section 1. MAC shall be composed of fourteen (14) members, including twelve (12) voting members, a non-voting advisor, and a non-voting treasurer. All eligible student members shall be automatically renewed for a one (1) year term, (after the names have been submitted to the student body president and approved by Student Senate) beginning April 1. Voting members of MAC may serve no more than three one year terms (See Art II. A. 7. of the Student Government Bylaws). Members of MAC may not vote or give other members proxy to vote on motions which pertain to groups with which they are affiliated as members or advisors. MAC membership shall consist of the following:
A. Nine (9) voting student members, one of whom shall be elected chair by the Committee. The chair shall vote only in case of a tie.
B. Vice President of Student and Outreach Services or his/her officially appointed representative, ex-officio, voting member.
C. One (1) voting faculty member to be appointed by MAC and approved by the University Senate.
D. One (1) Student Senate designated representative, ex-officio, voting member.
E. An advisor(s), a member of the Memorial Union Professional staff, ex-officio, non-voting.
F. Student Body Treasurer, ex-officio, non voting member.
Section 2. If at any time MAC membership falls below that which is necessary to make quorum, MAC will go through appointment procedures outlined in Article IV of the UND Student Government Bylaws to create a Multicultural Awareness Board. This Board shall retain all authority of MAC until adequate membership is restored. Board membership shall be:
A. One (1) voting student representative from each recognized student organization whose primary purpose, as stated in their constitution, is a reflection of their culture, and have a history of non-discrimination based on the populations protected under the Student Government non-discrimination clause (historically underrepresented populations/groups). Each student representative will be chosen by whatever method their respective organizations deems appropriate.
B. One (1) voting faculty member who displays interest in multicultural issues, appointed by the University Senate.
C. One (1) voting student-at-large who displays interest in multicultural issues, appointed by the Student Body President.
D. One (1) voting Student Senate Liaison, appointed by the Student Senate.
Section 3. In accordance with the Student Government Bylaws, all student members of MAC and the Board of Representatives must be students in good standing at the University of North Dakota. If a member is no longer in good standing, that member will lose membership and may not reapply until the following semester. A person is defined as a student in good standing when he/she meets the following criteria:
A. Currently enrolled and registered for at least one (1) course per semester at the University of North Dakota;
B. Not on academic probation;
C. Not on conduct probation.
Section 4. Committee Positions
A. The chairperson of MAC shall be elected from among the nine (9) student members, following their installation as members of the Committee and during the first scheduled meeting of April. A simple majority vote of a quorum of the voting membership shall be required for the election for the chairperson. The duties of the chairperson shall be:
1. Preside over all meetings of the Committee.
2. Meet regularly with the Advisor of MAC.
3. Prepare the agenda for all meetings.
4. Keep a complete file of meeting minutes.
5. Carry out all executive business.
6. Oversee the maintenance of records to insure consistency and accuracy.
7. Appoint committees and subcommittees as necessary.
8. Act as the official spokesperson for the Committee.
9. Perform all duties of the MAC chair until such time as a new chairperson has been elected.
B. The Vice Chair of MAC shall be elected from among the nine (9) student members following their installation as members of the Committee and during the first scheduled meeting of April. A simple majority vote of a quorum of the voting membership shall be required for the election of the Vice Chair. The duties of the Vice Chair shall be:
1. To act as Chair in the Chair’s absence.
2. To assist the Chair in performing the Chair’s duties.
3. To coordinate the liaison program.
4. To provide training to Organization Liaisons.
5. Ensure that all current forms are available on the website.
6. Make known the availability of MAC support to all student organizations on a continuous basis.
C. The MAC shall be divided into two teams, the Promotions Team and the Programming Team.
1. Promotions Team
a. The advertising team shall consist of three (3) committee members, one of which shall be elected as the Promotions Coordinator by a simple majority vote of those committee members present and voting at the time of the election.
b. Duties of the Promotions Team shall include:
i. To perform publicity and public relations work in order to publicize MAC events and the image of MAC to the University and Community, including the purchase of MAC promotional items. All publicity and proposed promotional items shall be presented to the committee for a vote before action is taken.
ii. To ensure that MAC is credited as a sponsor for events funded through the MAC. Credit shall be through the statement “Cosponsored by the Multicultural Awareness Committee, a Division of Student Government,” placed on all preapproved advertisements, posted at the event, and read aloud before the performance.
c. The duties of the Promotions Coordinator shall include:
i. Coordinate the activities of the Promotions Team.
ii. Report on the activities of the Promotions Team to the Committee.
iii. Ensure that all work of the Promotions Team is completed in a timely matter.
iv. Responsible for communicating current information on the Committee and its programs to the Student Government Webmaster.
2. Programming Team
a. The programming team shall consist of four (4) committee members, one of which shall be elected as the Programming Coordinator and one of which shall be elected as the Conference Coordinator, both of which shall be elected by a simple majority vote of those committee members present and voting at the time of the election.
b. Duties of the Programming Team shall include:
i. To research various programs which may serve as an educating tool across cultural lines, to present the committee with their options, and to coordinate all MAC programs or events.
c. Duties of the Programming Coordinator shall include:
i. Coordinate all activities of the Programming Team.
ii. Report on the activities of the Programming Team to the Committee.
iii. Ensure that all work of the Programming Team is completed in a timely matter.
d. Duties of the Conference Coordinator include:
i. To research various conferences across the nation that deal with multicultural issues and present the committee with their options.
ii. To help members who will attend the conferences.
iii. To see to all registration processes.
D. Any of the officers or coordinators of MAC may be removed from office at a regular or special meeting by the vote of two-thirds of all members. However, such action may not be taken until the member cited for removal is given adequate notice of the citation and a fair and proper hearing before MAC. Reasons for removing an officer or coordinator include:
1. Failure to fulfill the expectations of position as established in the MAC Constitution.
2. Not acting in the best interest of the MAC.
E. Organization Liaisons: Any member of the MAC may serve as a liaison to student organizations. All recognized student organizations submitting a preliminary budget request to MAC will be assigned a student liaison by the Vice Chair. This liaison cannot be a member of the student organization to which he/she is assigned. Recognized student organization desiring a student liaison from MAC may make a request to any MAC member and be assigned one. The duties of the liaisons shall be:
1. To make initial contact with the organization within three days after the first meeting after the funding request from the organization has been received.
2. To meet with the organization to review their requests before they attend the MAC meeting.
3. To become familiar with events sponsored by organizations and with their special needs.
4. To help organizations understand MAC guidelines and to help them anticipate questions that may be asked by MAC.
5. To help organizations with follow up procedures, including MAC program reports.
Section 5. Operations of MAC shall follow these guidelines:
A. Meetings
1. MAC shall meet weekly during the school year at a regular time and designated place.
2. In accordance with North Dakota State Law, all meetings are open to the public and an agenda must be posted 48 hours prior to the meeting.
3. Special meetings may be called by the chair or at the request of any three (3) members.
4. An official Student Government recording secretary must be present and quorum obtained before any official business can be conducted.
B. Guidelines, Policies, Procedures- MAC’s Constitution shall serve as the official document by which MAC shall function and make all decisions. The Constitution should be reviewed during the spring semester and approved for use beginning with any decisions made for the following fiscal year. In accordance with the Student Government Bylaws, proposed changes must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Committee and in turn be approved by a vote of the Student Senate. All revisions and amendments to the Constitution are to appear with note of the date of their final approval.
C. Minutes - Meeting minutes shall be prepared and distributed by the Student Government administrative assistants. A complete file of the minutes shall be maintained by the Chairperson and the Student Government administrative assistants.
D. Procedure - In accordance with the Student Government Bylaws, the Sturgis Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall serve as a guide for the committee business.
E. Attendance:
1. Attendance at all meetings of the Committee shall be expected of all members.
2. A written or oral notification of an anticipated absence is required in advance of any regular meeting. This notice is given to the chair or the Student Government Secretary.
3. Student members missing three (3) meetings during any one semester may be considered for dismissal from the Committee. A two-thirds majority vote of the Committee membership, excluding the member up for dismissal, is required for dismissal of a student member.
4. Faculty members who miss more than three (3) unexcused meetings during one semester may be asked to resign from the Committee. Following two (2) subsequent absences within the given semester, the University Senate shall be notified.
5. Staff members who miss more than three (3) unexcused meetings during one semester may be asked to resign from the Committee. Following two (2) subsequent absences within the given semester, the Vice President for Student and Outreach Services shall be notified.
F. Quorum - A simple majority of current total voting membership present shall constitute a quorum. At no time shall acceptable quorum drop below 5 voting members. Voting shall be by voice unless any member of the Committee requests a written ballot.
G. Appeals - An organization may appeal a MAC decision in the following manner:
1. An organization dissatisfied with a MAC decision must first, upon submitting a written appeal, return to the next regular meeting of MAC for reconsideration of the matter in question. If again, dissatisfied with MAC’s decision, they may make, within ten (10) school days, a written appeal to the Student Body President.
2. The President shall assemble and chair an Appeals Board comprised of himself/herself, the MAC Chair, and five (5) Student Senators. The Appeals Board shall hear the matter in question and make a recommendation to Student Senate.
3. The Student Senate shall then consider the appeal at their next regularly scheduled meeting. The recommendation of the Senate shall be final, subject to usual guidelines dealing with Constitutional matters being passed on to the Judicial Branch.
H. Removal of Members
1. Procedures for removal of MAC members shall follow procedures established by Student Government. A review of the actions of any MAC member shall be taken at the request of a majority of committee members of the MAC or at the request of Student Senate.
2. Grounds for removal of committee members shall be:
a. Failure to fulfill the expectations of membership as established in the MAC Constitution.
b. Misappropriation or misuse of student funds.
c. Absences for three (3) committee meetings during a semester.
d. Violation of the MAC Constitution or Bylaws, the Student Government Constitution or Bylaws, or the UND Code of Student Life.
e. Failure to meet the qualifications for membership established in Article IV, Section 3 of the MAC Constitution.
Section 6. Budget Preparation
A. MAC, based on projections into the next year, shall make appropriate adjustments to the previous year’s budget and submit a total budget request for MAC to the Presidential Finance Committee.
B. The fiscal budget for MAC shall be determined by the Presidential Finance Committee and approved by the Student Senate.
C. If the Student Senate makes changes to MAC’s total request, MAC will review all individual organizations’ budget requests which received MAC funding in the current fiscal year and will work with the Student Body Treasurer to make adjustments as necessary.
Section 7. Funding Allocation Guidelines – Upon receipt of Student Senate approved budget for the upcoming fiscal year, MAC will vote on the division of funds from Senate for the following: MAC Programming and Student Organizations Transfers Out
A. MAC Programming – All events organized by MAC shall be funded from the MAC Programming budget.
B. Student Organizations Transfers Out – Any budget request from a student organization may be funded up to 10% of the original budget of the Programming/Transfers Out Line Item as allocated to MAC by Presidential Finance for the fiscal year.
C. MAC shall fund up to 75% of any eligible line item of the program budget. Ineligible line items are outlined in Article VI Section 4.I.
D. MAC shall operate under the first come first served policy, but is not required to fun any event if the committee deems the event is not appropriate for MAC funding.
Article V. Financial Procedures and Obligations of Organizations
Section 1. The following procedures are required of student organizations receiving monies from MAC. These procedures are necessary to insure consistency among student accounts.
A. Ordered Financial Books - Any organization requesting MAC funds must have its financial books updated and in order. If this requirement is not met, the organization’s request will not be considered. Financial books of organizations are subject to review by the Student Body Treasurer and MAC at any time, and must be returned to the Coordinator of Student Organizations at the end of spring semester for an annual audit.
B. Signature Cards - Each organization must have a current signature card on file in the University of North Dakota Accounting Office. The card must contain the name of the organization, the account number, the signatures of the faculty advisor, and the signature of the president and the treasurer.
C. Proof of Proper Expenditure - Funds are to be spent according to requests approved by MAC. MAC discourages the practice of an organization reimbursing individuals in the organization for expenditures. The policy strives to insure proper documentation of expenditures.
D. Compliance with Accounting Office Policies - When withdrawing money, the representative must present a properly signed Request of Payment Form and a receipt to the Accounting Office. The request must be signed by either the president or treasurer of the organization and the faculty advisor. (Refer to the Student Organization Accounting Manual for more complete information).
E. Expenditure Receipts - When a representative withdraws money, supporting evidence or proof of the obligation (invoices, signed receipts) must be presented with the Request for Payment Form. If an invoice or signed receipt is not available, a signed itemized statement by either the president or treasurer and the advisor or Coordinator of Student Organizations attesting to the obligation must be attached to the Request for Payment Form. If individuals charge items or bring any financial obligation to an organization, the individual’s signature and a description of expenditures is required on the receipt.
F. Balanced Accounts - Any accounts which are overdrawn will be frozen automatically by the Accounting Office and reviewed by Student Body Treasurer and MAC.
Section 2. If there is evidence of misuse of MAC allocated funds the organization is subject to one or more of the following actions:
A. Reprimand and/or written warning.
B. Freezing of funds.
C. Recall of funds.
D. In extreme cases, MAC may recommend that the organization’s constitution be revoked, or temporarily suspend the student organization’s privileges until the said organization is in good standing.
Section 3. Unauthorized expenditures of MAC funds or overdrafts on MAC accounts incurred by organizations and/or individuals shall be the sole responsibility of those persons incurring the debt.
Article VI. Bylaws
Section 1. Provision for Bylaws
A. The MAC may approve Bylaws for the specific operation of this organization.
B. No Bylaw shall be adopted that is in the contrary to the provisions of this Constitution or the Student Government Constitution.
Section 2. Amendments to the Bylaws
A. Any changes must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the MAC.
B. The approved changes are reviewed by the Judicial Committee who will make a recommendation to the Student Senate.
C. Consent of the Student Senate is needed for final approval.
Section 3. Suspension of the Bylaws
A. With a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those members present and voting, the MAC can suspend any provision of the MAC Bylaws.
B. Any motion to suspend the MAC Bylaws must sit before the committee for a week before the vote occurs.
|
