Environmental Science
Student Union

Constitution

  1. Name
    • The name of the organization shall be the Environmental Science Student Union.
  2. Objectives
    • To provide a framework for communication between Environmental Science students;
    • to organize campus events, and to undertake projects and activities of interest to Environmental Science students; and
    • to increase the profile and accessibility of the Environmental Science programs.
  3. Membership
    • Automatic membership in the Environmental Science Student Union shall be extended to
    • all students in the Environmental Science undergraduate program, and
    • students enrolled in Environmental Planning/Environmental Science courses, including but not limited to REM 100 and EVSC 200.
  4. Executive Committee
    • The Executive shall consist of:
    • The Chairperson
    • The Student Society Forum Representative
    • The Secretary/Treasurer
    • The Webmaster
    • The Public Relations Officer
    • The Social Coordinator
    • Two Departmental Representatives
  5. Meetings
    • There shall be two regular general meetings per semester.
    • No less than one week in advance, notice of General Meetings shall consist of:
    • at least four signs posted near related Departments,
    • email to the envsc-students mail list,
    • posting on my.sfu.ca, and
    • announcements in related classes
    • A Meeting shall be called by the Executive, or by any member of the Union, upon receipt of a petition containing the names of 5 members of the Union. In the later case, the meeting shall be called within two weeks.
    • Quorum for a general meeting shall be 5 members of the Environmental Science Student Union. Proxy votes are not allowed.
    • If at any time no member of the Executive is able or willing to call a general meeting at the request of the membership, any member may do so providing:
    • proper notice is given, and
    • the Student Union Fieldworker is informed of the particulars.
  6. Officers
    • There shall be the following officers of the Union:
      Chairperson
    • The powers and duties of the chairperson shall be:
    • To prepare agendas, chair meetings, and coordinate activities of the Association, and
    • to ensure that the requirements of the Constitution and the decisions of the Union are carried out.
      Signing Officers
    • There shall be two signing officers who shall have the power to sign cheques for authorized expenditures.
      Secretary/Treasurer
    • The duties of secretary shall be:
    • taking minutes at Student Union meetings, and
    • keeping financial records and performing financial transactions for the Union.
      Webmaster
    • The duties of Webmaster shall be:
    • maintaining the student union website, http://www.sfu.ca/~evscsu, including
    • posting meeting minutes on-line
    • posting student union announcements to the maillist, my.sfu.ca and website, and
    • managing the student union maillist, envsc-students@sfu.ca.
      Public Relations Officer
    • The duties of Public Relations Officer shall be:
    • design and distribution of posters,
    • coordinating in-class announcements, and
    • promotion of all club events.
      Social Coordinator
    • The duties of the Social Coordinator shall be:
    • promotion of all union social events in conjunction with the Public Relations Officer, and
    • plan and coordinate all union social events (pub nights, semester end socials etc.) including being responsible for obtaining all required permits and licenses. In this regard the union agrees to provide funding, if necessary, so that the Social Coordinator can obtain their “serving it right” license.
  7. Elections
    • Terms of office shall be one year. Candidate must commit to a minimum of 2 semesters in office to be eligible to run for office.
    • Elections shall take place at the first general meeting of the fall semester. The notice of the meeting shall contain notice of the elections. Nominations are open until the election is conducted.
    • Any member of the Environmental Science Student Union is eligible for any position.
    • Voting shall be by secret ballot, with the person receiving the majority vote elected.
    • In the event that a vacancy occurs the on the Executive committee, an election shall take place at the next general meeting. Notice of this meeting shall include notice of the election.
    • The members may recall any person elected to represent them by a 2/3rds vote of the members present at a quorate meeting called for this purpose. Notice of the meeting must contain the purpose.
  8. Amendments
    • This Constitution may be amended by the membership of the Environmental Science Student Union by a 2/3rds majority of those present and voting at the a quorate meeting called for the purpose.
    • Except that Section 9, Dissolution, shall not be amended.
    • Such amendment shall not be effective unless ratified by the Simon Fraser Student Society.
  9. Dissolution
    • In the event that the members decide to dissolve the Environmental Science Student Union or in the event that the Environmental Science Student Union becomes inactive, all assets of the Environmental Science Student Union become the property of the Simon Fraser Student Society, to be held in trust for a minimum period of two years.
    • If, during this period the Environmental Science Student Union becomes active again, the trust shall be dissolved and all assets shall become property of the Environmental Science Student Union.
    • After two years, if the trust has not been dissolved, the Simon Fraser Student Society may dispose of the assets as it sees fit.
    • For the purpose of this article the Environmental Science Student Union shall have become inactive if, for two consecutive semesters, the membership does not hold the minimum number of quorate meetings as required by this constitution.
    • This article shall not be altered except with the prior written consent of the Simon Fraser Student Society.

Updated: March 13, 2009

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