By-Laws for the Washington College of Law
Immigrants' Rights Coalition ("IRC")
ARTICLE I
Constitution
Section 1.01 Constitution.
The name and purpose of the organization shall be as set forth in the Constitution. These By-Laws, the powers of the organization, and all matters concerning the conduct and regulation of the affairs of the organization shall be subject to the provisions of the Constitution.
ARTICLE II
Purpose and Guidelines
Section 2.01 Objectives and Purpose
The IRC shall be organized and operated for the following purposes:
a. providing an organization for students interested in immigrant rights which promotes unity and cooperation;
b. taking an active role in the Washington D.C. community by providing legal, cultural, and linguistic assistance for immigrant communities;
c. providing a basis to advance and promote awareness of issues affecting immigrant communities;
d. promoting learning and knowledge by encouraging students to develop legal scholarship in areas of immigrant rights;
e. providing a communication network among students, faculty, lawyers, and the WCL community interested in immigrant rights issues;
f. Developing a cooperative, working relationship with other student organizations in the WCL community.
Section 2.02 Guiding Principles
In order to achieve its purposes, the IRC shall be operated according to the following guiding principles:
a. To work accountably with community organizations;
b. To work collectively to decide objectives and goals for programs and efforts;
c. To follow anti-racist, anti-sexist, and anti-heterosexist principles.
Section 2.03 Non-Discrimination
The Immigrants' Rights Coalition shall not discriminate on the basis of: ancestry, color, race, cultural or ethnic background, economic status, ideological, philosophical, or political beliefs or affiliations, marital or parental status, national or regional origin, physical disability, religion, or religious or denominational affiliation, gender or sexual orientation.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 3.01 Qualification
Membership shall be open to any person affiliated with the WCL community. There shall be one class of Members, which shall consist of individuals who subscribe to the purposes and goals of the organization.
Section 3.02 Resignation.
Any member may resign at any time by filing a letter of resignation with the Secretary.
Section 3.03 Removal.
Any member may be removed from the Membership for reasonable cause, as determined by the Co-Chairs in their sole discretion, upon an affirmative vote.
Section 3.04 Transfer of Membership.
Membership in the organization is not transferable or assignable.
ARTICLE IV
Meetings
Section 4.01 General Meetings
General Meetings shall be held for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by the By-Laws, may be called by the Co-Chairs or the Working Committee Chairs, and shall be called by the request of 20% of the Membership. Regular general meetings of the general membership shall be held at such date, time and place as may be determined by the Executive Officers.
Section 4.02 Executive Meetings
Executive meetings for the Executive Officers shall be held at such date, time and place as may be determined by the IRC Co-Chairs. Any Chair in good Working is entitled to vote at any meeting of the Executive Board. Whenever any action is to be taken by vote of the Executive Board, it shall, except as otherwise required by law or the Constitution, be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at the executive meeting. A quorum shall be required to take any action by majority vote.
Section 4.03 Working Committee Meetings
Each Working Committee Chair may call a meeting to be held at such time, date, and place as they determine.
Section 4.04 Quorum.
At any meeting of the Membership, a simple majority of the voting Members represented in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum. No vote shall be taken in the absence of a quorum.
Section 4.05 Proxies.
Every member or Executive Board Member who is entitled to vote at a meeting may authorize another eligible voter to act for him or her by written, dated, and signed proxy. No proxy shall be valid after 2 months from the date of its execution. Every proxy shall be revocable at the pleasure of the director executing it.
Section 4.06 Voting.
Any member in good Working is entitled to vote at any meeting of the general Membership. Whenever any action is to be taken by vote of the members, it shall, except as otherwise required by law or the Constitution, be authorized by a majority of the votes cast at the general meeting. A quorum shall be required to take any action by majority vote.
ARTICLE V
Offices
Section 5.01 Officers
The IRC shall be two Co-Chairs, Treasurer, and Working Committee Chairs.
Section 5.02 Election/Delegation Process
IRC officers shall be filled annually by the Membership. Vacancies may be filled or new working committees or offices filled at any meeting of the membership. Each Chair shall hold office until a successor is assigned.
The delegation process shall be conducted through a show of demonstrated interest in a project or issue, or in the alternative, through secret ballot. The Co-Chairs of the IRC will facilitate a voting process. Each chair will be filled in the spring semester for Working Committee Chairs and IRC Co-Chairs. Any open positions will be decided in the fall.
Section 5.03 Removal
Any officer assigned by the Membership may be removed, for cause only, by a three-fourths vote of the Membership.
Section 5.04 Resignation.
An Executive Officer may resign at any time by delivering written notice of his or her resignation to the Executive Board. The resignation shall take effect at the time of notice. The officer receiving the Executive Officer's resignation shall notify the organization's other Executive Officers of the resignation.
Section 5.05 Vacancies.
Any Executive Officer vacancy may be filled by the affirmative vote and appointment of a majority of the remaining members of the Executive Board. An Executive Officer, appointed by the remaining Executive Officers, to fill a vacancy, shall be appointed to hold office for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor in office.
Section 5.06 Compensation.
Executive Officers shall not receive any salary or compensation for their services to the organization.
Section 5.07 IRC Co-Chairs
The IRC shall have two Co-Chairs. The responsibilities of the Co-Chairs are to delegate responsibilities and communicate with IRC members and Working Committee chairpersons.
Section 5.08 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and responsibility for the IRC funds; maintain accurate records of all financial transactions; receive and give receipts for money due and payable to the IRC from any source whatsoever, and deposit all such moneys in the name of the IRC in such banks or other depositories in accordance with WCL Rules Regulations; and in general perform the duties incident to other office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned.
Section 5.09 Working Committees
The Coalition will composed of committees based on student interest, determined at the end of the spring semester each year.
The working committees are formed when three or more people want to work throughout the semester or year on one area of interest. At any time, the Coalition may form new working committees when interest among the Membership exists.
Each working committee shall have a chair or two co-chairs. They will be elected or decided by consensus. The chairs should show an interest in the topic and agree to work with committee members to plan and implement programs.
Each working committee will be responsible for the advertising and dissemination of information. Someone in the committee can be designated as the chairs of the publicity and communication working groups. Otherwise, the working group chair will be responsible for communication and publicity.
Section 6. Co-Sponsorship Request Policy
When the IRC or one of its committees receives a request from another student group or organization to co-sponsor an event, the process for approval of the co-sponsorship request shall be:
a. The request, along with a detailed description of the event, speakers and nature of the co-sponsorship, as well as a brief explanation of the benefits of IRC co-sponsorship, shall be sent via e-mail to the entire IRC Board at least five days in advance of the proposed event.
b. The nature of the co-sponsorship, and the IRC's participation in the event, will vary depending on the co-sponsorship request. The IRC's participation as a co-sponsor to an event should always reflect the principles embodied in the IRC Constitution and By-Laws.
c. Any comments or objections must be expressed in writing within 72 hours, and must be received by the entire IRC Board. Any member who wishes to remain anonymous may forward their comment to the IRC Co-Chairs, who will in turn forward the comments anonymously to the other Board members.
d. Any comments or objections should be raised in the spirit of the IRC mission, as incorporated in the Fifth provision of the IRC Constitution.
e. After 72 hours, the IRC Board members will have 24 hours to vote on co-sponsorship. All votes will be sent to and tallied by the IRC Co-Chairs. Final decision will be based on a simple majority of Board members.
f. Under circumstances requiring particular timeliness in responding to the co-sponsorship request, the IRC Co-Chairs may call for a vote before the end of the 3 days, so long as no IRC Board member objects to the early vote.
g. If no objections are raised within 72 hours, co-sponsorship will be approved.
h. In all cases, silence will be construed as acceptance.
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ARTICLE VI
Amendments
These By-Laws may be altered or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. Amendments to the Constitution shall be made by two-thirds vote of the Executive Board and the approval vote of a majority of the general membership that qualifies as a quorum.