Constitution of the Thai Students Association
of the University of Pennsylvania
I.
Name
The name of this organization shall be the Thai Students Association (TSA) of the
University of Pennsylvania.
II.
Purpose
The purpose of TSA shall be to:
1. Promote international understanding of the Thai heritage and friendship
with Thai people through intellectual, cultural, and social activities among
members and the university community.
2. Build a close-knit community for Thai students and others who are
interested in Thai culture.
3. Establish a strong alumni network that would provide mentorship for
current and prospective Thai students at the university.
4. Improve the welfare of Thailand by organizing and supporting service
projects.
III.
Membership/Membership Fee
There shall be two (2) classes of membership:
Active members are defined as students, faculty, and staff currently
employed by the university whose names are registered with the club.
Active members whose names are registered with the club thirty (30) days
prior to any meeting shall be considered as voting members.
Associate members are defined as people who are affiliated with the
active members of the club (i.e. immediate family members and alumni).
To retain membership, each member must attend at least one club meeting per
semester.
All active members must pay membership fees (if any) each academic year as
specified by the Executive Board. In case of persons who cannot afford to pay the
membership fee, he or she may submit a request for exemption to the treasurer;
such decision will then be made at the Executive Board Meeting.
IV.
Meetings
General Body Meeting shall be any meeting except for the Electoral Meeting. It
shall be scheduled at least once per semester. It may be called by the Executive
Board. All members must be given a minimum of forty-eight (48) hours notice
prior to the meeting time. Should there be an issue that requires members to vote
on, each voting member present shall have one (1) vote.
Electoral Meeting shall be held for the purpose of the election of Executive
Board members. It shall be scheduled at least once a year, the first being held no
later than the first two (2) weeks of the spring semester. It shall be called by the
President or the Executive Board. All members must be given a minimum of
fifteen (15) days notice prior to the meeting time. At least fifty (50) percent of
voting members or twenty (20) voting members, whichever is less, must be
present in order for the election to occur.
Executive Board Meeting shall be held on a regular basis, as deemed appropriate
by the Executive Board. The minutes of the meeting shall be made available to all
TSA members.
All meetings are open to all university students, faculty, and staff.
V.
Elections
The Executive Board shall appoint a moderator who does not have any conflict of
interest to preside over the Electoral Meeting. The appointed person shall act in
accordance with the following procedure:
1. Nomination
The nomination of Executive Board candidates may occur prior to or
during the Electoral Meeting.
2. Candidate’s speech
Candidates shall make a short speech stating his/her intention to run
for the position.
3. Deliberation
The deliberation shall be a thorough discussion about the candidate(s)’
eligibility for that particular position. The content of the deliberation
shall not be discussed and/or disclosed to anyone after the voting for
that position ends. The candidates shall not be present during the
deliberation.
4. Voting
Each voting member present at the electoral meeting shall have one (1)
vote for each position. The candidates shall not be present during the
voting. Proxy-voting is not allowed2.
Any two (2) Executive Board members who are not running for the particular
position in the election shall count the votes for that position. Under no
circumstance shall the number of votes be disclosed.
For any position, the person who receives at least two thirds (2/3) of the votes
wins. In the case that a two-third (2/3) consensus cannot be reached, another
round of questioning and deliberation shall take place. In the second round of
voting, the person who receives the highest number of votes wins.
The legitimacy of the newly elected officers will begin fifteen (15) days after the
Electoral Meeting, intended for the purpose of transition between the new and old
Executive Boards.
VI.
Executive Board Members and Duties
The Executive Board members of TSA shall be the President, Vice-president (VP)
Internal, Vice-president (VP) External, Treasurer, and Community Service Chair.
The President shall formulate goals for TSA and lead the Executive Board to
fulfill them. He/She shall represent the Thai student body to external groups and
the school’s administration. He/She shall serve as the primary liaison for the
Alumni Network.
The VP Internal shall organize events for the members of the club. He/She shall
update members of TSA with current and upcoming agendas set by the Executive
Board. He/She shall be responsible for recording the minutes for all meetings and
make them available to the club.
The VP External shall be responsible for publicizing TSA and its events to the
university community. He/She shall work with representatives of other on-campus
groups to coordinate any collaborative effort. He/She shall represent TSA in the
Asian Pacific Student Coalition (APSC).
The Treasurer shall handle all financial affairs and budgeting for TSA,
maintaining all necessary accounting records. He/She shall maintain bank
account(s) on behalf of the organization, and be in charge of any disbursement
and reimbursement. He/She shall attend Student Activities Council (SAC)
meetings. He/She shall be responsible for seeking out sources of funding.
The Community Service Chair shall lead the Community Service committee to
organize an annual service project in Thailand. He/She shall work with non-profit
organizations in Thailand to see how TSA can help them accomplish their
mission. He/She shall provide information and resources for groups and
individuals who are interested in community service in Thailand.
VII.
Removal and/or Replacement of Executive Board Member
In the event that an Executive Board member is unable to continue serving in
his/her position, the remaining Executive Board shall appoint an interim
Executive Board member to fulfill such Executive Board member’s duties.
At least one-third (1/3) of voting members or twenty (20) voting members or
seventy-five (75) percent of the Executive Board members, may call for a General
Body Meeting to discuss the prospect of the removal of any Executive Board
member.
For the removal of an Executive Board member, at least two-thirds (2/3) of the
voting members present must approve of such removal.
The term of the interim Board member is equal to the remaining term of the
Board member he/she replaces.
VIII. Constitution Amendment
Regarding the constitution, at least fifty (50) percent of voting members or twenty
(20) voting members or seventy-five (75) percent of the Executive Board
members is required to call for the meeting where the amendment will be
considered. The proposed amendments must be made available to all voting
members at least seven (7) days in advance. To amend the constitution, at least
seventy-five (75) percent of voting members present must agree on the
amendment.
Amendment 1
Due to structural reformation of the club, a co-presidency shall exist for the calendar year
2010.
2Amendment
2
Proxy-voting is not allowed.