Article I. Name

The name of this student organization shall be the Non-Traditional Student Organization.

Article II. Purpose and Goals

Section I. Purpose

The purpose shall be to provide support, friendship, and guidance to non-traditional students at SHSU while encouraging them to become active in academic, social, and recreational opportunities on campus.

Section II. Goals

The major goals shall be to (1) rejuvenate the non-traditional student population, (2) provide better education and support services to non-traditional students, (3) maintain a database to support advocacy efforts for non-traditional students, (4) encourage research about non-traditional students at SHSU, (5) create a better connection with the student senate, so that non-traditional students will have a bigger voice, (6) educate professors about the non-traditional population on campus, and (7) connect with other non-traditional associations.

Article III. Membership

Section I. Eligibility

Any member of the student body who is over 25 years old, a parent, married, been out of school for years or just does not fit in with younger students may apply for membership.

Section II. Selection Process

Non-traditional students who are interested in joining the organization may join at any time during the semester. The only requirement is that the student meets the eligibility criteria.

Section III. Attendance

Attendance is only mandatory for office holders. However, up to 2 excused absences from office holders will be accepted per semester when prior notification is given and proxies are provided.

Section IV. Removal Procedures

Any member or officer having two unexcused absences a semester shall be subject to removal from the organization. A quorum of 50% + 1 must be present at the meeting and a 2/3 vote must be obtained in order to remove an individual.

Article IV. Officers

Section I. Requirements for Officers.

All undergraduate student leaders must be students at SHSU and meet and maintain a 2.00 grade point average. All graduate student leaders must be students at SHSU and meet and maintain a 3.00 grade point average. Any student leader may be subject to removal from office by the organization and/or the organization’s advisor should the student leader fail to maintain the requirements as prescribed or the duties of office.

Section II. Officers and Duties

President - In charge of communications, coordinates meeting times, prepares official paperwork and keeps deadlines, mediates meetings and keeps group focused and on track, works with group to create goals for the coming year, makes sure group works within the confines of the mission statement, appoints representatives to additional committees as needed, keeps in contact with other non-traditional organizations across the country through ANTSHE listserv or other means, works with the SGA (student senate) and other offices on campus to obtain funding.

Vice President - In charge of membership and organization programming and advertising, works to inform the campus community about non-traditional students the Non-Traditional Student Organization and the services we provide, assists president with committees, works with business manager on yearly organization budget and programming funding, and responsible for making sure event log is kept up to date.

Business Manager – Non-Traditional Student Organization representative to student government meetings, is responsible for finding a suitable proxy when needed, responsible for presenting NTSO concept and budget at necessary meetings, tracks organization spending, assists with programming budgets, orders all supplies for organization.

Secretary - Takes meeting minutes, maintains listserv and web site, assists in poster design and generation for events, responsible for printing out fliers and ordering additional business cards, tracks office supplies and requests new ones when needed, creates correspondence (thank you letters etc), puts together mailings at the beginning of each semester for new students, requests mailing labels from registrar’s office for mailings, makes sure fliers are posted appropriately, manages fundraising events and makes sure all of the rules are being followed for the organization to maintain funding as approved.

Section III. Election Process

Elections shall be held at the first regular meeting during the month of April, or as close to that date as possible; a quorum must be present and a simple majority vote will win. Newly elected officers shall assume responsibility at the following meeting.

Section IV. Removal of an Officer

Refer to Article III, Section IV. Another election to fill the vacancy will be held immediately.

Article V. Meetings

Section I. Regular Meetings.

The meeting time will vary based on a vote conducted at the first Non-Traditional Student Organization meeting of each new semester.

Section II. Quorum

A quorum shall consist of 50% + 1 of the membership and must be present to conduct official business.

Article VI. Finances

Section I. Dues

Dues shall be determined per academic year and will be collected from all members of this organization.

Section II. Banking

All moneys belonging to this organization shall be deposited and disbursed through a bank account established for this organization. All funds must be deposited within 24 hours after collection. The advisor to this organization must approve and sign each expenditure before payment.

Article VII. Advisor

The organization will have a full-time SHSU faculty or staff member serving as an advisor at all times.

Article VII. Amendments and Revision

This constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the active membership; all changes will be submitted to the Office of Student Activities, LSC 328.

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