Latino Caucus Bylaws

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CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE  I

 Name

The name of the organization shall be the "Latino Caucus in Political Science," also known as and hereafter referred to as the Latino Caucus or the Caucus.

 ARTICLE  II

Purposes

The purpose of the Latino Caucus shall be:    

A.     To establish and maintain professional, social and academic support for Latino/a political scientists.

B.     To afford members opportunities for presentation and discussion of topics associated with the study of Latino politics.

C. To encourage the recruitment, retention and promotion of Latinos/as in political science.

D. To obtain the interest and cooperation of departments of political science, the American Political Science Association (APSA), and regional political science associations.

 ARTICLE III

 Membership

Section 1.  All Latino/a persons connected with the discipline of political science and others directly interested in the purposes of the Latino Caucus shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2.  Membership shall begin with the payment of dues.

a.      Membership shall begin with the receipt of dues at the annual business meeting of the Latino Caucus held in conjunction with the annual conference of APSA and extend for one year (twelve months), or

b. Membership shall begin with the receipt of dues at the annual workshop on Latino Scholarship held in conjunction with the annual conference of Western Political science Association and extend for one year (twelve months).

Section 3.  Classification of membership:

                   a.   Active - for those members who comply with Section 2.

b.      Students - for those members who are enrolled as full time students in graduate and undergraduate programs of political science and who are otherwise not employed full time in other professions.

           

ARTICLE  IV

Officers and Executive Board

Section 1.  Only members who are active in the work of the Latino Caucus shall be eligible to hold office or be a representative of the Executive Board.

Section 2.  The officers of the Latino Caucus shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer and Recording Secretary.

Section 3.  The Executive Board shall be composed of the officers of the Caucus, the immediate past president of the Caucus and the respective Chairs of the Latino Status Committees for the APSA and the Western Political Science Association (WPSA).

Section 4. Caucus Officers shall be elected for one (1) year at the annual business meeting of the Association. The new officers shall assume their duties September 1 following their election. The term of office shall run to the following August 31.

Section 5. The presence of a majority of the Executive Board shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

 

ARTICLE  V

Meetings

Section 1. Two annual meetings of the Latino Caucus shall be held in conjunction with the annual conferences of APSA and WPSA and other meetings as they shall be deemed advisable.

Section 2. The APSA Caucus business meeting shall be for the election of officers, the submitting of yearly reports and transactions of other business common to such a meeting.

Section 3.  The WPSA Caucus workshop meeting shall be for the discussion of issues relevant to the Caucus and special action tasks.

Section 4. Special meetings may be called by the President at the discretion of the Executive Board.

  

ARTICLE VI

Amendments

This constitution may be revised or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at the annual business meeting,  provided all proposed amendments are in the hands of the recording secretary sixty (60) days previous to the date set for the annual meeting and,  provided the secretary in turn shall post electronic copies on Latino-C and RacePol at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting.

 

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE  I

Executive Board and Duties

A. Composition

                 The Executive Board composition shall be in compliance with Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution.

B. Duties

                 The Executive Board shall constitute the administrative body of the Latino Caucus and among its duties shall plan, formulate and recommend for the approval of the membership basic policies and programs which will further the objectives of the organization.  It shall appoint all members to committees not otherwise provided for in the by-laws, and shall be responsible for Caucus publicity. In the event of a vacancy in any office of the Caucus other than expiration of a term, the Executive Board shall fill said office by appointment until the next annual meeting of the Caucus.  It shall have the power to expend funds of the Caucus in keeping with the needs and purposes of the organization.  It shall appoint additional committees as the need arises.

  

ARTICLE II

  Officers and Duties

A. Officers

               The officers of the Association shall be President, Vice-President, Treasurer and

                Recording Secretary.

B.     Duties and Officers

Section 1. The duties of the President shall be to preside at all meetings of the Latino Caucus and of the Executive Board and to perform the duties usually devolving upon the presiding officer.

Among such duties, she/he shall be empowered to appoint to the Executive Board the representatives mentioned in Article IV, Section 3, of the constitution.  She/he shall nominate the chairpersons of all committees, said persons to hold office after a majority vote of confirmation by the Executive Board.  She/he shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. She/he shall see that the Executive Board and membership is kept fully informed on the conditions of the Caucus and on all other important factors influencing them.  She/He shall submit bi-annual reports to the Caucus membership.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President. It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to oversee the planning and organization of Latino Caucus panels and activities at the APSA and WPSA meetings.

Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a full and accurate record of the proceedings of all the activities of the Caucus, shall prepare and provide file copies of minutes of all Executive Board and Committee meetings to membership, and shall conduct correspondence and fulfill such other duties as the Executive Board shall specify.

Section 4. The Treasurer will assume responsibility for all Latino Caucus financial records and other duties of a treasurer, including the collection of annual dues, and fulfill such other duties as the Executive Board shall specify.

 ARTICLE IV

Election of Officers

Section 1. Only members who are active in the work of the Association shall be eligible to hold office or to be a representative on the Executive Board.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall file with the Recording Secretary, not later than one (1) month before the annual business meeting, a list of recommended officers for the next year, consisting of one (1) candidate to each office. The Recording Secretary shall post a copy of the slate of candidates on Latino-C and RacePol not later than two weeks before the annual business meeting. However, the right of any member to make nominations from the floor is in no way abridged.

ARTICLE V

Standing Committees and Duties

A. Constitution and By-Laws Committee

                This committee shall review, edit, and make recommendations concerning the Constitution and By-Laws.

B. Nominating Committee

                This committee shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the President. The Chair- person is to be the immediate past Caucus president with the remaining members being representatives from each of the standing committees. The committee shall supervise and conduct the general election of officers at the annual business meeting. The committee will submit the slate of recommended officers for the next year no later than one (1) month prior to the annual business meeting.  The committee also will advise the President in the nomination of Caucus members for committees and leadership positions in APSA and regional political science associations.

C.     Program Committee

                This committee shall be composed of members appointed by the President, in consultation with the Vice President. It shall work with the Vice President to organize and carry out the plans for the annual meetings, including panels, receptions and other special events.

 

D. Outreach/Recruitment Committee

                This committee shall organize and promote activities that advance the recruitment and retention of Latino/a students to the discipline of political science and other related disciplines.

 

E. Membership Committee

                This committee will work to promote and stimulate membership in the Latino Caucus and maintain records of membership including contact information and attendance at meetings.  It shall submit a report at the annual business meeting.

 

F.  Fundraising/Development Committee

                This committee will undertake activities designed to increase financial support for the Fund for Latino Scholarship and the Latino Caucus.  It shall assist and advise the APSA Latino Fund Committee that is responsible for determining Latino Fund recipients.

ARTICLE VI

 Dues

Section 1.  The fee for Latino Caucus membership shall be per annual according to the following dues structure and rates:

                          a.  Tenured faculty or professional: 15.00

                          b.  Non-tenured faculty: $10.00

                           c.   Student: $ 5.00 

  ARTICLE VII

Voting

Vote of the majority of the members present at Latino Caucus meeting shall be sufficient to carry on the business of the organization with the exception of proposed amendment to the Constitution and By-laws, which matters are provided for else where in this Constitution.

ARTICLE  VIII

  Amendment

These by-laws may be revised or amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at the annual business meeting,  provided all proposed amendments are in the hands of the recording secretary sixty (60) days previous to the date set for the annual meeting and,  provided the secretary in turn shall post electronic copies on Latino-C and RacePol at least thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting.

 ARTICLE IX

Parliamentary Authority

Robert's Rules of Order will govern any provisions not covered by the By-laws of the Association.