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Article 1: Name

The name of this organization shall be “Concordia University Armenian Students’ Association”. Hereinafter referred to as the ASA.


Article 2: Nature

The ASA is nondenominational, nonsectarian, and not bound to any political organization or doctrine.

Article 3: Objectives

A	To strengthen the relations between Armenian students of Concordia University.
B	To provide aid to Armenian students registered at Concordia University.
C	To present the Armenian culture and heritage.
D	To strive for the preservation of the Armenian culture through the establishment of educational courses and otherwise.
E	To educate its members in University life and Armenian affairs.
F	To be the communication link between the Armenian community and Concordia University.

Article 4: Membership
 

A	Regular Membership All Armenian students or students of Armenian origin registered at Concordia University automatically become regular members of the ASA.
B	Association Members All students other than regular members, registered at Concordia university are eligible to become associate members and enjoy all privileges, rights, and duties except for the right to elect or be elected in the executive body, the auditing committee, or the academic semesters.
C	The membership of the association shall be valid until and reviewed at the end of the academic year (i.e. end of the winter semester). Additions to the membership list shall be done at the beginning of the academic semester.

Article 5: International Organization
 

A		The Executive Body
	I.	The association shall be administered and governed by an executive body elected according to article 6.
	II.	Executive officers shall serve for one year. They may be reelected.
	III.	Once elected, the executive officers shall divide among themselves the executive offices according to provision I.
	IV.	The executive body is responsible for:
		1.	The day-to-day administration of the affairs of the association.
		2.	The representation of the interests of its members in University bodies and external organizations.
		3.	The Acceptance of associate members provided that it is approved by the members at a membership meeting.
		4.	The preparation of the tentative and final budgets of the ASA.
		5.	The orderly maintenance of the archives and files of the ASA, including but not limited to the minutes of all meetings, the financial books, annual reports, and membership lists.
		6.	The initiation of activities and events to further the objectives of the ASA.
		7.	Taking disciplinary measures against members as outlined in article 0-4.
		8.	Speaking on behalf of the association.
		9.	Presenting a general and financial annual report to the general assembly.
		10.	All other areas mentioned in the constitution and by-laws if the association.
	V.	The executive body may form ad-hoc committees to aid it in the organization and the implementation activities or events.
	VI.	The executive offices should at least include the offices of president, secretary, and treasurer.
	VII.	No executive officer of the association shall be financially compensated for his regular duties there shall be no honorariums.

 

B

The Auditing Committee An auditing committee elected at the general assembly shall periodically audit the finances of the association as recorded by the executive body for the incoming year. The auditing should be done three times a year and a report be labeled by the committee at the next general assembly.

Article 6: Election
 

A		Executive Body
	I.	Elections for the executive body shall be held through secret ballot at polling booths during two consecutive working days and not later than the last Thursday of March of each year candidates for elective office can not sit on the elections committee.
	II.	The elections should be conducted by an elections committee composed of three regular members elected at the general assembly.
	III.	The term of the executive body starts from April of a given year and ends by almost the first week of April of the following year.
	IV.	Should a vacancy occur in the executive body, by-elections should be held at membership meetings. The by-election is valid if at least 15% of the regular members of the association are present and voting.
	V.	The annual elections are valid if at least 15% of the regular members cast ballots.
	VI.	For annual elections and by-elections the candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared winners by the elections committee.
	VII.	All incumbent members of the executive body shall be automatically disqualified from being eligible for reelection if the incumbent executive body does not produce a general and financial report at the general assembly.
	VIII.	The electoral policy as set in provision shall supplement the article 6.

 

B

Other committees and Representatives All other elections shall be held during membership meeting or general assemblies se forth in the constitution and by-laws if at least 15% of the regular members are present and voting.

Article 7: Meetings
 

A		The association shall have the following meetings
	I.	General Assembly
	II.	Membership Meeting
	III.	Executive Meeting

 

B		Notice for Meetings
	I.	Notice for the general assembly and membership meeting should be given at least one week prior to the date of such meeting.
	II.	All meetings are called by the executive body and notices posted at least on the ASA office door and in a University newspaper.
	III.	Should for any reason, the executive body delay or fail calling meeting, a petition signed by at least 10 members should oblige the President, or another executive officer in his/her absence to call a meeting.
	IV.	The executive body can call special or emergency meetings the members are entitled to the same right as outlines in article 7.8-IV.

 

C		Quorum
		The quorum for membership meetings and the general assembly except for election purposes should be 1 more than 10% of total membership. The quorum for executive meetings is 1 more than 50% of elected executive officers.

 

D		Decision Making
		Except otherwise noted in this constitution and by-laws, all decisions are taken and motions carried by a simple majority (one more than half the members voting in the affirmative, excluding blank votes and abstentions).

 

E		General Assembly
	I.	The general assembly is convened at the end of the term of the executive body preceding new annual elections, and at most by the end of the 2nd week of March of each year.
	II.	The general assembly shall
		1.	Hear and review the annual reports of the executive body.
		2.	Evaluate the performance of the executive body after hearing the executive and auditing reports.
		3.	Set the policies for the association for the incoming year.
		4.	Elect the auditing and elections committee.
		5.	Decide the dates of executive elections.
		6.	Set the number of elective offices or positions open according to provision 2-A.
		7.	Enact if suggested amendments to the constitution or by-laws according to article 10-A and 10-B.
		8.	Hear and decide on the appeal of expelled members its decision is final and binding on the ASA.

 

F		Membership Meeting
	I.	A membership meeting should be called at east once a month except for the months of December, and April, to August inclusive.
	II.	The membership Meeting
		1.	Hears reports of the executive body.
		2.	Decides on motions submitted by members.
		3.	Gives suggestions to the executive body.
		4.	May overturn the decision of the executive body if at least 15% of regular members are present and voting, by a 2/3 majority of all members present.

 

G		Executive Meeting
	I.	Executive meetings should be held at least once every two weeks and more frequently if necessary.
	II.	The executive meetings should be the forum for discussion and decisions regarding the mandate of the executive body according to articles 5.A- IV.

Article 8: Recognition

The ASA is to be recognized and partially or fully financed by a recognized authority in the University.

Article 9: Disciplinary Measures
 

A		Expulsion
		Should the executive body have a reason to believe that a member is in direct and serious contradiction to the spirit of this constitution and by-laws and the articles and provisions, or is proved to be guilty of conduct detrimental to the association. The executive body can expel a member by a decision made by a ¾ majority of the executive body. The expelled member can appeal to the general assembly according to article 7.E.11-8

 

B		Impeachment
	I.	Executive officer
		1.	Any executive officer can be impeached if a petition of at least 10 regular members is initiated. A special membership meeting shall be called to discuss and finalize the impeachment process.
		2.	An executive officer is considered impeached if at least 15% of regular members are present and voting at the special membership meeting and the decision is taken by 2/3 of regular members attending.
		3.	The impeached executive officer can never be reelected in the executive body, in the auditing committee, and the elections committee.
		4.	Should the motion of impeachment fail to carry at the special membership meeting, the question can not be reintroduced unless new evidence of misconduct, incompetence, or gross negligence is discovered.
	II.	Committee members or representatives
		The same guidelines as in article 9.B-1 apply except for 9.B-1.2 which should be replaced as follows:
			A committee member or representative is considered impeached if at least 10% of regular members are present and voting at the special membership meeting and the decision is taken by a simple majority.

Article 10: Amending procedures
 

A		Constitution
		1.	Proposals for the amendment of the constitution should be proposed and discussed at the general assembly.
		2.	An amendment is considered to be passed if during a special referendum 20% of regular members cast their secret ballots and 2/3 of the total ballots cast are in favor of the amendment.
		3.	The referendum should be carried out in two consecutive working days.
B		By-Laws
		1.	Proposals for the amendment of the By-Laws should be proposed and discussed at the general assembly where 15% of regular members are present and voting.
		2.	The amendment is considered passed if 2/3 of the votes of regular members are in favor of the amendment.
		3.	Should the organizations mentioned in provision cease to exist, the executive body is empowered to delete the appropriate sections in provision and related provisions only.

 

	Provision 1: Executive Officers
A	President
B	Vice President
C	Secretary
D	Treasurer
E	Accountant
F	Archivist
G	External Affairs Director
H	Public Relations and Publicity Director

 

		Notes:
	I.	The president shall not assume the added offices of Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer.
	II.	The offices of the Secretary and the Treasurer cannot be entrusted in the same officer.
	III.	The executive body can divide amongst its officers further responsibilities that add to, but not modify or suppress those outlined in provision 1.
	IV.	The chain of authority shall be as follows:
		•	President
		•	Vice President
		•	Secretary
		•	Treasurer
		•	External Affairs Director
		•	Accountant
		•	Public Relations and Publicity Director
		•	Archivist

 

	Provision 2: Electoral Policies
A		Executive Body
	I.	The executive body shall be composed of 3, 5, 7, or 9 members. The number of executive offices shall be decided at each general assembly.
	II.	All candidates for executive offices shall fill out a form prepared by the elections committee. Each candidate should be nominated by at least three regular members.
	III.	The campaign for the election starts immediately after the general assembly and ceases when the polling booths are opened for the vote.
	IV.	A candidate can be disqualified by the elections committee if and only if he/she has been witnessed and reported to the elections committee by three regular members while:
		1.	Campaigning on the days of election after the polling booths are opened to vote.
		2.	Intentionally distorting the campaign materials of another candidate.
	V.	The counting of ballots are supervised by the elections committee in the presence of the incumbent President, or his delegate and candidate that wishes to be present.
	VI.	In the case of a tie, candidates receiving the last equal votes run for a special election to be held not later than five days after the annual elections. Details of such a special election are decided by the elections committee.
	VII.	The elections committee shall issue a report at the end of the elections publicizing the names of the winners, reporting the procedure of the elections and making suggestions, if any, for the incoming year.
	VIII.	The chairman of the general assembly calls the first executive meeting, and presides at the meeting until a President has been elected by a simple majority of the executive body. The chairman shall not have voting power during the meeting.

 

B	Other Committees are Representatives
	All elections of committee members are representatives shall be supervised during meetings by the presiding officer and the Secretary, and carried out in accordance with relevant articles and provisions.

 

	Provision 3: Conduct of Meetings
A		Presiding Officer and Secretary
	I.	The President of the ASA shall preside all meeting of the association except the general assembly.
	II.	The recording secretary of the ASA shall take the minutes of executive and membership meetings and keep all minutes and reports.
	III.	The general assembly shall elect a chairman and a recording secretary. Officers of the incumbent executive body shall not assume these functions.
B		Decision Process
	I.	A motion can be studied at the meeting if it is proposed by a member and seconded by another member.
	II.	A motion may be amended if the proposer and the seconder of the motion are in agreement, or only after the original motion is not carried.
	III.	All motions, except as noted in some articles and provisions, are carried if the number of affirmative votes is more than half the total number of votes cast minus blank votes and abstentions.
	IV.	Once a motion is on the table, no other motions can be studied until the motion in question has been voted on.
	V.	Opening of a passed motion for re-discussion can only be done by the consent of 2/3 of members present.
	VI.	A declaration by the presiding officer to the effect that a motion has been carried or refused is considered final unless a recount or revote is demanded.
	VII.	During recount no voter may change his/her vote.
	VIII.	During a revote all voters are free to change their votes.
	IX.	The decision of the presiding officer can be reversed by a 2/3 majority of members casting affirmative or negative votes.
C		Reference
		In cases other than the ones mentioned in the constitution and by-laws, Robert’s rule of parliamentary procedures should be used as final reference.

 

	Provision 4: Affiliation
A		The ASA is a member of the Concordia University International Ethnic Association Council.
B		The ASA is a member of the Federation of Armenian Students’ Association of Quebec.