Constitution
Of
Healing Highlanders Student Association
Spring 2011
PREAMBLE
We, the members of Healing Highlanders at UCR, established to provide a comfortable and
safe environment for students supporting recovery and students who are in recovery, do
ordain and establish this constitution and subscribe to the regulations and policies of the
University.
ARTICLE I
NAME OF ORGANIZATION
The official name of this organization shall be the Healing Highlanders at University of
California, Riverside.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
The student organization, Healing Highlanders at UCR, is designed to provide a nurturing and
affirming environment in which recovering students and those supporting recovery from
addictive disorders can interact socially while pursuing academic, personal, and professional
goals for the purpose of enhancing quality of life as well as becoming of maximum service to the
collegiate, local, state, and national community.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP PRACTICE
Active membership of this student organization shall be chosen without discrimination on the
basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, color, disability, national origin, age, or marital
status, except in cases of fraternity and sorority organizations which are exempt by federal
law from Title IX Regulations concerning discrimination on the basis of sex. Active
membership should also be composed of at least 50% UCR Students (undergraduate or
graduate).
A. Eligibility for membership
A member shall be any student at UCR supporting the area of addiction/recovery from
addictive disorders.
B. Categories of membership
Voting members are those who have been active members for at least one year and have met
all the requirements set forth by the organization.
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ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
The Executive officers of Healing Highlanders at UCR shall be: President, Vice-President,
Treasurer, Secretary, and Parliamentarian. They must be active members in good academic
standing based on the General Catalog. Duties exclusive of these positions shall include but not
limited to 1) Organizational Documents 2) Creating Budgets 3) Handling of the organization’s
money 4) Direct communication with campus resources and faculty staff. Standing officers shall
be Fundraising Coordinator, Public Relations Officer, Webmaster, and Historian.
ARTICLE V
ELECTIONS
A. A list of qualified officers will be presented at a general meeting during the month of April,
but before the last meeting of the quarter. A vote by voting members will then be conducted
and the candidate with the majority of votes will be awarded the position.
B. Officers will be elected for one year terms (not to exceed two continuous terms in the same
position). Officers will begin term one week after election, but will transition into their
officer positions in May.
C. The President shall be chief executive officer of the organization.
D. Any officer can have his/her position revoked with due cause during the serving term based
on a majority vote of members in a business meeting.
E. The Vice-President shall be vested with full responsibilities upon the absence of the
President. He/she will also handle any administrative duties as assigned by the President.
F. All officers should abide by duties outlined for officers of the Healing Highlanders at UCR.
Individuals running for office should be familiar with all administrative duties upon running
for office.
G. Extra chairpersons may be appointed for special reasons and committees with a majority vote
from the executive officers.
H. All officers are subject to removal by majority vote of the executive officers if they miss
more than two duty related meetings without notifying the secretary or finding a proxy. If an
officer misses more than 3 excused absences the committee will hold a meeting to discuss
whether outside responsibilities are impeding on the members potential for service. Removal
of the officer requires a unanimous vote of the executive committee in good standing. If an
officer is removed, there will be another election held to fill the position.
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ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
A. The executive committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary,
and Parliamentarian. The above listing of officers is indicative of the hierarchy of
responsibilities within the organization.
President
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Vice President
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Overseeing all activities of the organization.
Delegating responsibilities to appropriate executive members.
Planning all meetings of Healing Highlanders officers.
Being available to the faculty advisor, all members, and officers.
Representing Healing Highlanders in a professional manner.
Assisting other campus resource centers and faculty staff when needed.
Oversee all activities of the organization in the absence of the President.
Work with the Treasurer to keep current membership lists.
Create new ideas on increasing membership.
Make reports of membership status in regular weekly meeting.
Create and coordinate all specially appointed committees.
Treasurer
1. Work with the President on withdrawals, deposits, and other financial matters.
2. Assist the Vice-President in collecting membership dues.
3. Work with the Fundraising Coordinator to arrange events for Healing
Highlanders activities.
4. Make weekly budget reports to officers at weekly meetings.
Secretary
1.
2.
3.
4.
Take the minutes at each officer meeting.
Present the minutes from the previous meeting.
Create a weekly agenda.
Responsible for meeting time and location notification to members.
Parliamentarian
1. Read and review Robert’s Rules of Order.
2. Conducts all meetings of Healing Highlanders.
3. Maintain general order in all meetings associated with Healing Highlanders.
4. Request reports from all officers, or heads of committees at weekly meetings
B. Standing committees shall be formed to help with operations in the student organization,
Healing Highlanders, and community service projects. These committees are Fundraising
Coordinator, Public Relations Officer, Historian, and Webmaster.
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Fund Raising Coordinator
1. Create fundraising ideas.
2. Oversee all fundraising activities.
3. Make weekly reports of fundraising activities in regular weekly meeting.
Public Relations Officer
1. In charge of getting space in the Highlander News.
2. In charge of presenting student organization in all University Activities (i.e.
Block Party, Highlander Orientation).
3. Anything to do with spreading the name of Healing Highlanders, its activities
and meeting times.
Historian
1. Take pictures at all events.
2. Organize the yearly scrap book.
3. Assist secretary with minutes.
Webmaster
1. Maintains and manages Facebook page for Healing Highlanders student
organization.
2. Assists Historian when taking pictures of all events.
3. Aids Public Relations Officer with promoting and spreading the name of
Healing Highlanders.
ARTICLES VII
MEETINGS
A. Officers meeting shall be held weekly as decided upon by the officers to discuss current
events/issues, fundraising ideas, progress of the organization, and service projects.
B. The executive officers' meeting shall be open to any member of the organization.
C. Regular meetings for members shall be held every week, except holidays and school breaks
unless specified otherwise.
D. Healing Highlanders student organization may hold planning meetings, yet no vote can be
cast without a quorum (of 51%) of executive officers.
E. It shall be the responsibility of the secretary to take meeting minutes and keep related records
of all meetings (including special and emergency meetings). Minutes will be read or
distributed at the beginning of the meeting that follows the meeting from which the minutes
were taken. Additions and corrections are to be made at this time and a final approval of the
minutes must be made.
F. Robert's Rules shall be used as a guideline by the Parliamentarian to run Healing Highlander
meetings. The Parliamentarian shall have the final say in all matters regarding the format and
order in the meeting.
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ARTICLE VIII
FINANCIAL RECORDS
A. The University shall have the right to audit the financial records of this organization. If dues
are collected, it should be stated; also the purpose for which the dues are levied.
B. If the organization will receive funding from Associated Student at UCR (ASUCR) or the
Graduate Student Association (GSA), the organization must comply with all funding policies
and procedures issued by the funding authority.
ARTICLE IX
ADVISORS
A. The advisor of the organization shall be selected and/or dismissed by a majority of the
executive officers at its own discretion.
B. Responsibilities of the advisor shall be assessed and disclosed by a majority of the executive
officers at its own discretion.
C. The advisor of the organization must confirm all official decisions of the organization.
D. Advisor must be faculty or staff at University of California, Riverside.
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
A. Proposing amendments
All amendments shall be in agreement with University regulations and policies and are not
approved until reviewed by a Student Life official. Organizations must notify their Organization
Advisor in Student Life once the new document has been uploaded into the system for review.
B. Provisions
Amendments to the constitution shall be approved by a 2/3 vote of the total membership eligible
to vote. A signed copy of the amendment(s) shall be filed at the Student Life office within one
week after adoption. All amendments shall be in agreement with University regulations and
policies and are not approved until reviewed by a Student Life official. The amendments shall
be filed with the Student Life office through the SOLAR system within one week of adoption.
Groups will notify their Organization Advisor in Student Life once the document has been
uploaded in the system so that it might be reviewed.
C. The by-laws may be amended at any general meeting or by the executive officers, provided a
quorum(of 51%) is present.
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