Constitution of the Philippine United Students’ Organization
Preamble
We, the Philippine United Students’ Organization are determined, to
create a nontraditional and progressive Filipino students’ organization, to unify
and optimize our presence and efficiency in the Academe, to attain a socially,
intellectually, culturally integrated Filipino academic base that promotes Filipino
cultural awareness to all, harmonious interaction and co-partnership with any
other culture, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Article I
Name
Section 1:
The name of this organization shall be the Philippine United
Students’ Organization, hereafter referred to as P.U.S.O.
Article II
Purpose
Section 1:
With heart and complete dedication, we swear to enrich the Filipino
scholastic experience in Truckee Meadows Community College
(TMCC) by:
A. Inspiring oneness and good will amongst Filipinos;
B. Providing unparalleled service to the Filipino student population;
C. Securing their interests, continuously generating solutions to their
problems, and instituting general guardianship of their well being;
D. Manifesting the diverse Filipino cultural heritage;
E. Promoting multilateral, multicultural cooperation and
understanding with the various organizations and peoples in the
Community College;
F. Probing into the social, political, and economical issues that affect
the Filipino student, the Filipino Family, and Filipino Nationhood.
G. Establishing a Scholarship Program which strictly is intended to provide
financial reward to aspiring students in the Philippines, mostly of poverty
status, to further improve their quality of education, as well as to imbue
others to the same.
H. Committing to serve the Reno Community through means of
Community Service as well as promoting cultural awareness to the
community at large.
Article III
Membership and Fees
Section 1:
As long as a student is currently enrolled in at least one credit at
TMCC, membership shall be offered without exclusion or preference
to race, color, age, ideology, socio-economic status, gender, and
handicap.
Section 2: The membership fee shall be voted upon right after the yearly
election of officers. Payment can be made annually or semiannually depending upon the enrollment of the member, payable to
the elected treasurer.
Article IV
Committees
Section I:
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall have the following duties:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Represent the name, policies and interests of the organization and
its members, to various College and Non-College functions and
programs.
Advance the image and recognition of the organization on and off
campus.
Recruit new members.
Ensure unobstructed operations for all the other committees.
Revise the constitution.
Monitor the growth and stability of the organization.
Facilitate internal communication amongst members and
committees; and external communication with faculty, other
campus-based organizations, and school administration.
The Chairperson of Executive Committee is the President of P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A.
B.
C.
Supervise the affairs and performance of the executive committee.
Head and organize representation for the organization.
Promote the organization’s name and image.
D.
E.
F.
Section 2:
Assess the organization’s growth and performance.
Appoint a Co-chair who will assist in accomplishing the tasks of
the Executive committee.
Organize and conduct meetings, to ensure the success of the
Executive committee’s projects.
Activities Committee
The Activities Committee shall have the following duties:
A. Oversee the overall planning, funding, hosting, organization,
advertisement, and preparation of all P.U.S.O. activities and
events.
B. Submit an expenditures outline to the Finance Committee along
with other necessary financial recommendations for review.
The Chairperson of the Activities Committee is the Vice-President of
P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Section 3:
Oversee the overall progress of the Activities committee.
Create a P.U.S.O calendar of events.
Distribute work activities work among the P.U.S.O. members.
Construct reports of all P.U.S.O. events.
Appoint a Co-chair that will assist in accomplishing the tasks of the
Activities committee.
Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Activities committee’s projects.
Finance Committee
The finance committee shall have the following duties:
A. Receive, review and recommend requests for new and unbudgeted
items.
B. Suggest and identify potential sources of funds.
C. Assist the organization in the review and preparation of the
budgets.
D. Keep track of all expenditures in order to identify any emerging
problems.
E. Collect all dues, assessments, contributions, and donations.
E. Provide support to the other organization committees as requested.
The Chairperson of the Finance Committee is the Treasurer of P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A. Manage the general financial affairs of the organization.
B. Maintain financial records for the organization.
C. Monitor club expenses and budgetary allotments.
D. Review the organization’s financial statements and construct a
semi-annual financial report.
E. Provide safekeeping of the organization’s financial resources.
F. Appoint a Co-chair that will assist in accomplishing the tasks of the
Finance committee.
G. Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Finance committee’s projects.
Section 4:
Student Services Committee
The Student Services Committee shall have the following duties:
A. Provide assistance to members who have any inquiries or concerns
regarding admission stature to the college and records of their
academic profile.
B. Provide counseling to members who are in need of advice or have
any inquiries regarding classes, and/or majors during the summer,
fall, and spring semesters.
C. Provide assistance to members in need of help with their college
coursework.
D. Provide information to students with general inquiries regarding
The student organization and the college.
E. Issue weekly announcements to other members concerning
matters of importance to the organization, community, and the
world.
The Chairperson of the Student Services Committee is the Secretary of
P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A. Provide members with services that will benefit them as students
of the college.
B. Attend to inquiries, complaints, or concerns of members of the
organization.
C. Coordinate the service requests of all members with those who are
able to assist them.
D. Make certain that all members are notified and aware of
announcements, projects, and events of the organization
E. Notify other officers of any and all changes, concerns, or problems
within committee.
F. Appoint a Co-chair that will assist in accomplishing the tasks of the
Student Services committee.
G. Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Student Services committee’s projects
Section 5:
Creation of a Committee
An “Ad hoc” Committee can be created if a need for it arises. Like all
actions of the organization, a motion has to be passed to approve its
creation. Ad hoc committees have a definite purpose; its existence and
leadership have to be determined immediately after its creation.
Section 4:
Media and Promotions Committee
The Media and Promotions Committee shall have the following duties:
A.
B.
C.
C.
D.
Enact as a committee that would help with the marketing aspect of the
club.
Provide effective ways to advertise certain events, as well as activities of
the club through means of mixed media tools, such as flyers, posters and
brochures.
Must be able to seek other means to provide up to date information on the
website such application forms and scholarship forms, and
Provide assistance to members in need of help with their college
coursework.
Provide information to students with general inquiries regarding the
student organization and the college.
The Chairperson of the Media and Promotions Committee is the Historian
of P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A. Oversee the overall progress of the Media and Promotions Committee.
B. Create a promotional tool in order to advertise all clubs upcoming events
C. Distribute work activities such event decorations and website updates, among
the P.U.S.O. members.
D. Construct an effective way in promoting all P.U.S.O. events.
E. Appoint a Co-chair that will assist in accomplishing the tasks of the
Media committee.
F. Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Activities committee’s projects.
Section 2:
Scholarship Committee
The Scholarship Committee shall have the following duties:
A. Receive and review all incoming scholarship application forms;
preferably on a monthly basis.
B. Suggest and identify potential scholars while following strict application
or acceptance guidelines.
C. Keep track of all applications in order to identify any emerging
problems.
D. Able to communicate both in English and Tagalog, or perhaps, on rare
cases, a certain Filipino dialect, be it Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bisaya or
other existing dialects in the Philippines.
E. Provide support to the other organization committees as requested.
F. To be able to respond to any questions concerning the program and
most importantly, to provide accurate information, while maintaining sheer
conduct and ethics with the applicants.
The Chairperson of the Finance Committee is the Scholarship Coordinator
of P.U.S.O.
The Chairperson shall have the following duties:
A. Manage the general financial affairs as well as the advertising aspect of
the Scholarship Program “Edukasyon, Unang Hakbang sa Pagbabago”.
B. Maintain a consistent flow of communication amongst schools on
dfferent regions of the Philippines.
C. Oversee the overall progress of the Scholarship Committee..
D. Able to respond to the needs of members of the scholarship committee
E. Must be fluent in the Tagalog language as well as the English
language.
F. Review the organization’s statements and construct a
semi-annual Scholarship report.
G. Appoint a Co-chair that will assist in accomplishing the tasks of the
Scholarship Committee
H. Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Scholarship Program.
I.
Construct reports of all incoming and outgoing mail responses
(letters, emails, and etc.)
J. Organize and conduct meetings to ensure the success of the
Activities committee’s projects.
The Club Senator shall have the following duties:
A. The PUSO Club Senator must serve as a liason in abridging all of the
necessary information coming from ASTM as well as the entire TMCC
Community
B. Must attend the OSA meeting of the ASTM, which generally is conducted
on a monthly basis.
C. Must provide sheer and accurate information taken from the OSA
meetings, such as upcoming events coming from both the ASTM and
other neighboring clubs/organizations, in the PUSO General Assemblies.
D. Must be able to have strong public relation skills and must possess the
ability to provide information to all members concerning event in the
college.
E. Establish strong connections and ties by means of networking with other
organizations from different institutions
Article V
Election, Voting, and Qualification
Section 1:
Elections
A. Effective the following Fall Semester. Training shall start in the Summer.
B. All candidates shall only be allowed to campaign two weeks
before the election.
C. Candidacy should be filed a week before the campaign period.
A candidate can be self-nominated or constituent-nominated.
A candidate has the right to decline nomination. Candidate may accept/
Decline one week before.
D. Each candidate should meet the qualifications for membership
for the entirety of the their term. Any elected official who shall
fail to meet the qualifications shall automatically be disqualified.
E. Vacant positions shall be filled by appointment with two-thirds
approval from the general assembly.
F. In the event that a candidate shall run unopposed, the
candidate should at least come up with the support of two-thirds
of the voter population for that election.
G. To ensure voter anonymity and election transparency, voting
shall be done in ballots, to be planned and conducted by the
organization Officers. Voting will begin 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
election day. Winners shall be announced 9:00 p.m. on the
same day.
Section II:
A.
B.
C.
D.
Overall Qualifications of PUSO Officers
All aspiring officers must have a good and consistent record of attendance
and commitment to the club.
All officers must have paid the membership fees
Able to work with P.U.S.O. schedule
the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Scholarship Coordinator and the
Club Senator, must at least be able to speak and understand the mother
language, Tagalog, to a certain extent.
Article VI
Advisor
Section I:
The P.U.S.O. advisor shall fulfill the following duties:
A.
Make any recommendations to the P.U.S.O. with regards to
organization issues at all meetings.
B.
Oversee Election procedures of executive officers and to ensure
fair, impartial voting.
C.
Suggest and assist officers in the planning and implementation of
various programs and activities.
D. Make sure the organization abides to the relevant rules, policies,
and procedures as outlined by the ASTM.
E. Provide guidance, inspiration, and insight to the organization’s
leaders and members with regard to academics and community
service.
Section 2:
The P.U.S.O. Co- Advisor
A. The Co-Advisor in general, shall mandate the same privileges that the
advisor possesses abovementioned.
B. Moreover, the Co-advisor must take full responsibility of the advisor’s
duties especially in times of his or her absence, as well as serving as an
intermediate person
Article VII
Meetings, Procedures and Motions
Section 1:
Meetings
Each committee shall meet independently, depending upon their
objectives, projects and schedules. General Assemblies shall be
announced every time there is business that needs to be taken up
with the members.
Section 2:
Procedures
Every general assembly shall follow the Parliamentary Procedure
according to Robert’s Rules of Order. They are as follows:
1. Call to order.
2. Roll call of members present.
3. Reading of minutes of previous meeting.
4. Officers reports.
5. Committee reports.
6. Unfinished business.
7. New business.
8. Announcements.
9. Adjournment.
Section 3:
Motions
Every member has the right to express himself / herself to the general
assembly in the form of a motion. Motions are to be presented as
follows:
1. Make the motion.
2. Second the motion.
3. Debate the motion.
4. Vote on motion.
A. Distribution of votes on motions
President
Executive Electorate
Vice-President
Activities Electorate
Secretary
Student Services Electorate
Treasurer
Finance Electorate
2
1
2
1
2
1
2
_______
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A. The president has no vote on motions, but has the power to veto one.
B. Motions can be acted upon without particular attention to the
number of members present during the general assembly.
C. In order to grant or reject a motion a majority count of six votes
has to be garnered.
Article VII
Constitution Implementation and Amendments
Section 1:
Implementation
The constitution shall be implemented upon ratification of the
majority of the members of the organization.
Section 2:
Amendments
The constitution shall be amended by request of majority of the
members of the organization.
Ratified on:
Witnesses
Name Signature
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