Constitution of the Minority Law Students Association (M.L.S.A.)
Of The Dickinson School of Law

ARTICLE I
Name

This organization shall be known as the MINORITY LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION of The Dickinson School of Law (M.L.S.A.).

ARTICLE II
Purpose

The purpose of M.L.S.A. shall be to utilize the collective resources of the members to:
articulate and promote the professional needs and goals of minority law students;
foster and encourage professional competence;
focus upon the relationship of the minority law student and the minority attorney to the American and International legal structure;
instill in the minority law student and the minority attorney a greater awareness and commitment to the needs of the minority community;
influence the legal community to bring about meaningful change to meet the needs of the minority community; and
do all things necessary and appropriate to accomplish these purposes.

ARTICLE III
Members

Section 1

Eligibility for Membership:
Membership in M.L.S.A. shall be open to all matriculated students at The Dickinson School of Law.

   Section 2

Classification of Membership:

1. Active membership of M.L.S.A. shall consist of all members that have fulfilled the payment of his or her dues obligations, as defined in ARTICLE VIII, Section 1, for the academic year, which entitles them to all rights and privileges of M.L.S.A. as defined herein.
2. Inactive membership shall consist of anyone that does not fulfill the requirement of Article III, Section 2(A) of this Constitution, and that
   1.   is a minority law student, or
   2.   has expressed an interest in M.L.S.A. by
      1.   attending at least one meeting, or
      2.   a written request to be put on the roster.
3. Unless otherwise specified, all reference to "members" in this constitution shall include both inactive and active members.

  Section 3

Rights of Membership:
Only active members of M.L.S.A. shall have the right to vote, the right to run for and hold elective office, or the right to represent M.L.S.A. in an official capacity. Only the treasurer has the right to represent M.L.S.A. in an official capacity for financial expenditures.

  Section 4

Duties of Membership:

1. Regular participation in the activities of M.L.S.A. is incumbent upon each member.
2. The amount of dues required of each member and the rule governing payment are to be determined by Article VIII, Section 1.

 ARTICLE IV
Officers

  Section 1

Eligibility of Officers:
To hold an office in M.L.S.A., a person must be an active member of the group for the entire term.

Classification of Officers:
The officers of M.L.S.A. shall be one president, one vice president, one secretary, and one treasurer. The secretary and treasurer positions may be held in a single combined position, if membership so requires.

Election of Officers:
The president, vice president, secretary and treasurer shall be elected by a majority of the active members at a scheduled meeting. The nomination and election processes shall be executed pursuant to ARTICLE V.

Terms of Office:
The officers shall hold office for a term of one year. A term shall commence on the first day of May, in the Spring Semester, and shall terminate on the last day of April in the following year.

Resignation of Office:
Any officer may resign from office. The officer must present to the officers and members a written and oral resignation. The oral resignation must occur at a scheduled meeting.

  Section 2

Duties of Officers:

1. General: The Board, as defined in ARTICLE IV, Section 3, is responsible for the implementation of the goals and event of M.L.S.A. Each member of the Board shall share with the membership of M.L.S.A. any announcements, scholarships, events, training programs, etc. of which he or she has been advised which are pertinent to the goals and activities of M.L.S.A. No member of the board shall expend any funds under the auspices of M.L.S.A. without first announcing the expenditure to the members and obtaining approval of the members.
2. President: The President shall call and hold regular meetings with the Board and the membership, pursuant to ARTICLE VII. The President shall advise the Secretary of the general agenda for the meetings. The President shall conduct and lead the meetings. The President shall attend the weekly Student Bar Association (S.B.A.) meetings, although this duty may be delegated to active members where appropriate. The President shall consult and seek the advice and suggestions of the Board. The President shall hold committee oversight duties as defined in ARTICLE IV, Section 2(F). The President may delegate duties to other officers or committee chairpersons. The President is ultimately held responsible for any action taken on behalf of M.L.S.A.
3. Vice President: The Vice President (VP) shall perform the duties or activities that the President is unable to perform. The VP shall assist the President in all matters. The VP shall hold committee oversight duties as defined in ARTICLE IV, Section 2(F).
4. Secretary: The Secretary shall reserve rooms for and post notices of all meetings one week in advance. Whenever possible, these notices should include a general agenda. The Secretary shall produce written minutes of the meetings to be distributed to the members within one week of each meeting and to be posted on the S.B.A. board. The Treasurer's report, as described in ARTICLE VI, Section 2(E), shall be attached to the minutes. The minutes shall be placed in a 3-ring binder. The purpose is to provide upon request an orderly and concise presentation of event that transpired in the meetings to anyone that inquires, and to provide a resource for future officers. The secretary shall prepare election ballots. This duty shall be delegated, preferably to another Board member, if the Secretary is running for office.
5. Treasurer: The treasurer shall formulate a budget. The Treasurer should have a list of expenditures and a balance of the account to present at every meeting. A corresponding written report shall be provided to the Secretary and attached to the official minutes as described in ARTICLE IV, Section 2(D). The Treasurer shall present requests for funding to the S.B.A. The Treasurer shall work closely with committee chairs on budgetary matters. The Treasurer shall sign every receipt before it is submitted for reimbursement.
6. Oversight Duties: The President and VP shall be assigned oversight responsibility for the work of each committee as these committees are defined in ARTICLE VI. Where there is a conflict of interest, these duties may be exchanged or delegated.
   1. The President shall be assigned to the following standing committees: Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance, Constitution Committee, Grievance Committee.
   2. The VP shall be assigned to the following standing committees: Community Service Committee, Disciplinary Committee.
   3. Oversight responsibility for special committees shall be assigned by the Board upon creation of such committee

Section 3

Composition of the Board:
The officers of M.L.S.A. shall be designated as the Board and shall be composed of the following members: the President, VP, Secretary, and Treasurer.

  Section 4

Powers and Duties of the Board:
The Board shall have a general power to administer any and all programs, business projects, and matters pertaining to or concerning M.L.S.A., including

1. The power to create such committees as it deems necessary to carry out the business of M.L.S.A.
2. Any decision of the Board shall be made at a duly called meeting at which there are at least three officers.
3. A Board member may be removed from office for failure to carry out any of the duties and goals of M.L.S.A., as defined herein, by active members of M.L.S.A. through majority vote. The removal from office shall be accomplished pursuant to the rules of the Disciplinary Committee.

 ARTICLE V
Nomination and Election Process

  Section 1

General:
Pursuant to ARTICLE IV, Section 1, nomination and election meetings shall be scheduled so that the new officers can begin their terms by May 1. Election results shall be announced by placing a note in the box of all members.

  Section 2

Nomination Process:

1. Candidates shall be nominated at a meeting called by the President and specifically scheduled for this purpose. This may be a regular meeting.
2. Notification of the nomination meeting shall occur at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting. Notice shall be placed in the boxes of each active member.
3. Candidates shall be nominated from the floor at the meeting. A candidate may self-nominate.

  Section 3

Election Process:

1. Officers shall be elected at a meeting called by the President and specifically scheduled for this purpose. This may be a regular meeting.
2. Notification of the election meeting shall be given one (1) week in advance. This notification shall include the slate of candidates. Notice shall be placed in the boxes of each active member.
3. At the election meeting, each candidate shall present a platform, stating what he or she intends to do for the upcoming year (goals, fund raising, events, etc.).
4. The prepared ballots shall be distributed in accordance with ARTICLE IV, Section 2(D).
5. For a candidate to be elected as an officer, he or she must receive a simple majority of the vote.

  ARTICLE VI
Committees

Section 1

Standing Committees and Special Committees:

1. The Standing Committees of M.L.S.A. and their purposes shall be:
   1. Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance - to invite the DSL community to join in recognizing the achievements of marginalized persons, and to participate in the Carlisle community's observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
   2. Community Service Committee - to provide an opportunity for members of M.L.S.A. to serve in the local community by consulting with community service leaders on their needs and then helping to fill some of those needs. This may be in conjunction with the S.B.A. or another DSL student organization.
   3. Constitution Committee - to monitor the needs of M.L.S.A. and confirm that the Constitution is appropriate to those needs, as well as to ensure that the Constitution is being appropriately adhered to.
   4. Grievances Committee - to hear grievances from M.L.S.A. members as related to the general policies and activities of M.L.S.A.
   5. Disciplinary Committee - to protect against conduct that is injurious to M.L.S.A. or it purposes, by censuring the members and/or Board.
2. Special committees shall be created as from time to time deemed necessary and appropriate to carry on the work of M.L.S.A. Regularly formed Special Committees of M.L.S.A. should include:
   1. M.L.S.A. Tutorial Program Committee (Fall Semester).
   2. Minority Alumni Weekend Committee.
   3. Speaker Committee.
   4. Multicultural Day (in conjunction with Earth Day, sponsored by the DSL Environmental Law Society).
3. The membership of the committees shall be on a volunteer basis. Both active and inactive members of M.L.S.A., as defined in ARTICLE III, Section 2, may volunteer to serve on a committee.
4. Chairpersons of all standing and special committees shall be active members, as defined in ARTICLE III, Section 2. Chairs shall be chosen by the committee members.
5. The President is an ex officio member of all committees and shall be advised of any committee meetings. The VP shall be advised of any committee meetings for which he or she has oversight responsibility.
6. Committees shall be formed and organized no later than the first four weeks of the fall semester, except for those Special Committees which are formed on an as needed basis.

Section 2

Report of the Committees:

1. Chairpersons of the committees have the responsibility to report the events of those committees to the general membership at the scheduled M.L.S.A. meetings.
2. At the time the new officers are elected, the new secretary shall collect committee reports from the chairpersons and place them in a 3-ring binder.
3. Committee work product, such as notes, phone numbers, contacts, costs, etc., shall be saved in a committee file folder during the year and turned over by the chairperson to the new secretary. The purpose is for next year's committee chairs to have a ready reference and to avoid duplication of effort.

  ARTICLE VII
Meetings

Section 1

The Board Meeting:
The Board shall meet once every two weeks to maintain organization and communication of the events affecting M.L.S.A. Preparation for the general membership meetings shall occur during these meetings.

  Section 2

The General Membership Meeting:
At the beginning of each semester or a time shortly thereafter, the members shall select a time, convenient to the majority to schedule each subsequent M.L.S.A. meeting of the semester. Meetings should take place on a bi-weekly basis or more often if deemed necessary.

  Section 3

Parliamentary Authority:
M.L.S.A. shall establish its rules of order through the adoption of some parliamentary authority. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the adopted rules.

 

  ARTICLE VIII
Financial Affairs

  Section 1

Dues:
All members shall pay dues pursuant to Article III, Section 4(A) of the Constitution. Members shall be notified of the amount and deadlines by the fourth (4th) week of the fall semester, as determined by the current Board for the current academic year.

Exception to Payment of Dues:
In the event that a member is unable to meet the dues requirement, due to extenuating circumstances, that member may petition the Board for waiver of dues payment. The member shall submit a written explanation and a proposal for waiver of said dues, to a Board member, who shall then evaluate the merits of the proposal and present a report at the following board meeting. At that meeting, the Board shall determine whether to accept or reject the member's petition. Pending the decision, the member shall have active status. Waiver will satisfy dues payment for that semester.

  Section 2

Fiscal Year:
The fiscal year shall begin at the date set by the S.B.A. to open and disclose each organization's budget and shall end on the date that the S.B.A. closes each organization's budget. All payments/disbursements shall be approved and signed by the Treasurer of M.L.S.A.

 ARTICLE IX
Voting

  Section 1

Subject Matter Jurisdiction:
ARTICLE IX rules are applicable when the members must vote on any subject matter.

  Section 2

Apportionment:
Each member shall represent himself or herself at the meeting and shall have one vote.

  Section 3

Proxy:
Any member who is not able to attend the meeting and who desires to vote by proxy must present a written proxy to the Secretary on or before the day of the scheduled meeting.

  ARTICLE X
Amendments

1. Amendments to the Constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a scheduled meeting. Notification of this meeting must be given to all members at least two (2) weeks in advance of the vote.
2. The Constitution of M.L.S.A. or any amendment thereof shall become effective immediately upon ratification, except where an alternative date is specified therein.