Native American Enlightenment Association Constitution
Revised March 2010
Article 1.
Section 1. Membership Requirements
1. General Membership
The membership of the Native American
Enlightenment Association shall consist of all
persons who apply and who are registered
Willamette students.
2. Honorary Membership
Honorary Members include and are not limited
to graduated or prior students, staff,
faculty, and interested parties with close
relations to a participating member, staff or
faculty member.
Section 2. Membership Roll
The elected Secretary and President both,
shall prepare and keep a current and correct
list of all persons who are members.
Section 3. Loss of Membership.
A member can lose membership if and only if
the opposing members call such a meeting upon
its own motion to present a verified petition
signed by one-third of all members whereupon
we will have a vote. Votes shall be decided by
majority votes.
Article 2. Council
Section 1. Membership
1. Minutes
Written records (hereafter referred to as
Minutes) will be kept of the meeting
proceedings. Such records shall be open for
inspection by all members and the elected
Secretary will keep a log of all the Minutes
for the year. Minutes will be kept for a year
after they are recorded.
2. Procedures
All questions of procedure shall be decided by
motion duly passes, or by the ruling of the
elected President if not objection is heard.
3.
Consecutive Officership
Officers may be re-elected as many times as
nominated and voted into office. There is no
restriction on how many times.
Section 2. Office Positions
1.
President
Official Spokesperson for the Association
Regulate Meetings
Provide references and advice to members
Keep detailed records of agendas, attendance
and membership
Facilitate events, lectures, etc.
2. Vice President
Assume duties of the president in her or his
absence
3. Secretary
Record Minutes and all information discussed
in the meetings
Keep accurate files of attendance and Minutes
Keep accurate role of membership
Keep all records for no less than one year and
up to three years
4.
Treasurer
Keep up Financial Records (up to 3 years)
Direct all Financial Transactions
Article 3. Vacancies
Section 1. Missing meetings
In the event that an official fails to attend
three consecutive regular meetings, unless his
or her written or understood excuse is
accepted by the majority vote of other
members, that position shall be declared
vacant.
Section 2. Acceptable excuses – voting unnecessary
In the event that an officer is able to
fulfill her or his duties but cannot attend a
majority of meetings based on a class, sports,
or like interference, the elected President
has the authority to decide if the officer is
excused without voting necessary.
Section 3. Cannot Fulfill duties
If an officer does so choose, she or he may
step down from her or his position as officer.
This will enact a Special Vote for an interim
officer until the completion of the term. At
the beginning of the next term the interim
officer can be voted to retain the office.
Section 4. Vote of No Confidence
If an officer appears incapable of doing her
or his duties, it is the right of the members
to enact a Vote of No Confidence. They must
bring evidence of a petition with at least
one-third of members having signed it, as well
as a list of grievances. This matter will then
be put to vote. If a majority votes No
Confidence, there will be a special vote to
fill the vacancy. In the case of a president,
the vice president will take the president’s
role.
Article 4. Proposals
Section 1. Order
Proposals shall be presented to the president
before a meeting to retain order on the
agenda. Any proposals not presented before the
meeting may or may not be included at the end
of a meeting.
Section 2. Debate
All proposals are subject to debate.
Article 5. Voting
Section 1. General Voting
All items requesting a vote must be suggested
then seconded. After a motion is seconded, it
goes to vote. The majority wins.
Section 2. Standard Officer Elections
These occur at the end of a given school year
to select the officer for the next year. Any
member can run for officer. Officers must be
nominated, and the nomination must be
seconded. After a nomination has been seconded
the nomination is put up to vote.
Section 3. Special elections
1. Interim Officer Elections
Special Elections can be put into effect if an
officer steps down or there is a Vote of No
Confidence resulting in expulsion from office.
They must follow the same rules of a regular
officer election, and may be put into effect
at any time. The interim officer will remain
officer until the next term when they must
then run for office.
2. Mid-year elections
These occur after a Step Down of Vote of No
Confidence. They occur at the beginning of
Spring term to install the officers for the
last half of the year.
This constitution was modeled after the constitutions of
Willamette’s Performance Cars and the Constitution of the
Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw
Indians of Oregon.
The interests of students at Willamette brought about the
creation of this organization. Its purpose is to enlighten
its members to the cultural diversity of the Native
American people. This association will help Native
Americans to identify with an organization on campus and
allow other students of different origins to be enlightened
by the activities, debates and lectures this association
may offer. This association is open to all and doesn’t
discriminate on race, religion, orientation or creed. Our
objective is to bring cultural diversity to the campus,
and, the Pride of the past to the reality of the future.
This constitution has been revised, edited, and by majority
voted into being the official constitution of the Native
American Enlightenment Association on the 11th of March
2010.