Preamble
African students, wherever they are, are part of the promise of the future of Africa. Therefore, in their academic sojourn in Pittsburgh, they need to receive intellectual and moral support from other Africans thus enabling all to grow strong and focused for their own good and the good of their communities.
We, African students in Pittsburgh, therefore resolve to form the African Students Organization (ASO), with this as its mission.
1). Name of the Organization
The name of the organization shall be the African Students Organization, hereinafter referred to as the organization.
2). Aims and Objectives
i) To create and maintain a cohesive African Community in Pittsburgh.
ii) To provide the structures for mutual support, co-operation and development.
iii) To provide a means for engaging each other socially and intellectually.
iv) To strive for an understanding of the dynamics of African societies, and to share our understanding with the broader community.
v) To organize various forums to share information about, and develop an understanding of the economic, social and political development needs of Africa in particular, and of the world at large.
3). Membership
Membership is open to all currently enrolled students, and the faculty and staff of the University of Pittsburgh; as well as students currently enrolled in universities and colleges in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Student membership will at all times comprise at least 75% of the membership. No hazing or discrimination will be used as a condition of membership in the organization.
4. Membership will be divided into three categories, namely:
i) Full Membership: All students of the University of Pittsburgh will be eligible for full membership, which entitles them to participation in all of the activities of the organization, at all levels; and:
ii) Associate Membership: This will be extended to all faculty and staff of the University of Pittsburgh, as well as African students from other universities and colleges in the Greater Pittsburgh area. They have the same rights and privileges of Full Members, and can serve as executive officers of the organization, with limited signing authority.
iii) Affiliate Membership: The spouses and children of all members will be eligible for affiliate membership. They have the rights and privileges of Associate members but cannot participate in any decision-making processes of the organization.
5). Officers
i) The Executive Committee (ExCo) will be composed of a President, Vice President, General Secretary, Business Manager, Publicity Officer. All executive members are to be elected in the Annual General Meeting. This appointment has to be ratified by a General Meeting. All members of the Executive Committee are accountable to the General Membership, and subject to recall. A petition supported by 15% of voting members constitutes inclusion of a recall motion on the agenda of the next General Body Meeting.
ii) President: The President will preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee and the General Membership, and will preserve order and regulate debate according to parliamentary procedure. S/he will oversee and coordinate the activities of the organization, and will also be an ex-officio member of all committees, excluding instances where a committee is reviewing the presidency.
iii) Vice President: The Vice President will assist the President in the task of overseeing and coordinating the program and activities of the organization. S/he will stand in for the President in her/his absence. S/he will, in close collaboration with the President, and wherever possible, the entire Executive Committee, develop the agenda of each meeting.
iv) General Secretary: The General Secretary will attend all the meetings of the Executive Committee and of the General Membership, and act as clerk thereof, and record the minutes of all its transactions in a book to be kept for that purpose. S/he will give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Board and General Membership. S/he will ensure that all received correspondence is timeously tabled, and then stored, and that all mandated correspondence is sent, and copies kept. S/he will keep and make available whenever required, all of the records of the organization.
v) Business Officer: The Business Officer will keep account of all the organization's funds and securities. S/he will keep, or cause to be kept full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the organization. S/he will disburse the funds of the organization as mandated by the General Membership or the Executive Committee. Further, the Business Manager will give an accurate account of all her/his transactions as Business Manager and of the financial condition of the organization, whenever required to do so by the General Membership, or any member of the Executive Committee.
vi) Publicity Officer: The Publicity Officer will coordinate, maintain and extend, if possible and necessary, the radio program on WPTS. S/he will also coordinate the publicizing of all the events of the organization.
vii) Representatives (2): The representatives will assist the Publicity Officer in the publicizing of the events of the organization.
viii) The Executive Committee has the power, subject to ratification by the General Membership to appoint additional officers to the Executive Committee if the situation requires it.
ix) If any office becomes vacant for any reason, and the General Membership does not choose a successor at the first Membership meeting thereafter, the Executive Committee is empowered to appoint a successor, subject to ratification by the General Membership.
x) The duties vested in the Executive Committee and the officers of the organization include, but are not limited to the following:
(a) Planning projects, programs and activities of the organization.
(b) Raising funds through direct solicitation of university, businesses and private individuals, as well as through grants which may be provided by various institutions, and government agencies and embassies.
(c) Publicizing the organizations' activities.
(d) Developing ways of attracting membership.
(e) Maintaining close liaison with the leadership of sponsoring organizations.
6). Meetings
i) Annual General Meeting (AGM)
(a) The AGM will be held in February of every year, and will be considered the end and beginning of the fiscal year.
b) The agenda for this meeting will include, but not be limited to: (i) Report by the President on the activities of the organization in her/his term, and a vision for the organization;
(ii) Report by the General Secretary on the state of the organization;
(iii) Financial report, audited by an independent auditor, approved by the Executive Committee, summarizing the fiscal state of the organization as of the end of the previous fiscal year;
(iv) Amendments to and ratification of the constitution; and
(v) Election of officers by majority rule.
(c) Written notice of this meeting will be given to all members at least fourteen (14) days prior to the day of the meeting.
(d) A simple majority of voting members and all members with voting power present constitute a quorum. A simple majority passes a motion.
(e) Notice of amendments to the constitution should be received by the General Secretary at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the meeting.
ii) General Meeting (GM)
The membership will meet quarterly with the Executive Committee to receive program reports and discuss the overall plans and programs of the organization.
iii) Executive Meeting
(a) The Executive Committee will meet at least once a month. The President, and in her/his absence, the General Secretary, will preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee.
(b) Special meetings of the board may be called by the President, or by any three of the Executive Committee members.
(c) Written notice of every meeting will be given at least five (5) days prior to the day of the meeting.
(d) A simple majority of the total number of Executive Committee members will constitute a quorum.
7). Finances
i) Sources of Revenue
(a) Membership fees, to be determined by the AGM, or the first Executive Committee thereafter.
(b) Funding from the University of Pittsburgh, and other universities and colleges in Pittsburgh.
(c) Donations from embassies, government agencies and other organizations.
(d) Fund raising activities.
ii) Checks and Balances
(a) The Executive Committee will issue the guidelines for the use and disbursement of the money of the organization.
(b) An independent auditor will be approved by the Executive Committee at the end of the fiscal year to audit the accounts, and provide a report to the AGM
(c) All cheques issued by the organization will be counter signed by at least one person on the Executive Committee.
(d) The entire Executive Committee will have to be notified at least 48 hours ahead of time before money is withdrawn from the organization's account.
8). Committees
(i) Committees will be formed by the Executive Committee, subject to ratification by the General Membership, as the need arises.
(ii) The structure and modus operandi of each committee will be determined by the need.
9. Amendments
i) Amendments to this constitution can be made only at the AGM or at a specially convened general body meeting.
ii) The constitution can be amended by 2/3 majority of the voting members present at the AGM or at the specially convened general meeting.
iii) The special general meeting has to be convened by at least 2/3 of the members of the Executive Committee and at least 2/3 of the voting members of the organization have to be present.