CONSTITUTION OF THE

ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIOLOGY

SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

 

 

PREAMBLE

 

We, the students of Saint Louis University Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology, in order to affect and stimulate social, civic, academic, and moral unity between students and faculty, do hereby establish this organization and this constitution by which it shall be governed.

ARTICLE I

TITLE, HISTORY, AND EMBLEM

 

 

Section A – Title

 

The title of this organization shall be the Association of Criminal Justice and Sociology. The organization shall be designated by the letters ACJS.

 

 

Section B – History

 

The Association of Criminal Justice and Sociology was loosely established by a group of Criminal Justice and Sociology students interested in learning more about potential careers in the fields of Criminal Justice, Sociology, and Social Work. This Constitution formally establishes this organization in 1999 within the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology.

 

ARTICLE II

OFFICERS AND COUNCILS

 

 

SECTION A – TITLES

 

1. The officers shall consist of the President, Vice-President, and the

Secretary/Treasurer.

 

2. The Executive Council shall be composed of the officers and the Faculty Advisor.

 

3. The General Council shall be composed of the students of the Department of Criminal

Justice and Sociology.

 

 

SECTION B – DUTIES

 

1. The President shall:

 

a. schedule and preside over all regular, irregular, and Executive Council

meetings of the organization;

 

b. appoint all temporary and permanent committees and committee members;

 

c. prepare, with the assistance of the Executive Council, and agenda for all

regular, irregular, and Executive Council meetings;

 

d. have the power to appoint any temporary assistants, to conduct organizational

affairs, particularly in the temporary absence of any officer; and

 

e. in the event that any officer, with the exception of the President, shall find themselves unable to discharge the functions of their office by reason of academic policy, permanent absence from the college, etc… the President at the next regular business meeting, shall accept their resignation and call for a simple majority election by the General Council of a new officer to complete the unexpired term.

 

f. be a member of the Dean’s Student Advisory Committee of the College of Arts & Sciences.

 

2. The Vice-President shall:

 

a. function as the President in the temporary or permanent absence of the

President;

 

b. serve as the chairperson of all temporary committees;

 

c. aid and assist the President in the performance of his/her duties; and

 

d. shall immediately call for a simple majority election by the General Council

of a new Vice-President.

 

3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall:

 

a. keep and record the minutes of each regular, irregular, and Executive Council meetings;

 

b. function as the Constitutional Advisor, informing the General Council whenever business is not conducted in accordance with the Constitution of the

organization;

 

c. record the attendance at organizational functions of the General Council;

 

d. keep and record all Association deposits and expenditures; and

 

e. attend SGA meetings or select another ACJS representative to attend as

necessary.

 

 

SECTION C – ELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

1. Election of all officers shall be held within 30 days of the last day of finals of the

spring semester.

 

2. All officers shall be elected for a period of two semesters (fall – spring).

 

3. Newly elected officers shall be sworn into their respective offices by the retiring

President. They shall recite the following oath:

 

"I do solemnly swear to carry out the duties of my office

in the Association of Criminal Justice and Sociology, and

to abide by the Constitution and the bylaws of this organization."

 

4. No member may hold more than one office at one time.

 

 

SECTION D – DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

 

1. Meet regularly.

 

2. Approve expenditures.

 

3. Select committee chairman.

 

4. Coordinate organizational activities.

 

5. Maintain and develop student-faculty relations.

 

6. Recruit and/or respond to any invitation for membership of the Association of

Criminal Justice and Sociology into professional, career-orientated, or otherwise

honorary organizations outside of the Saint Louis University campus.

 

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

 

 

SECTION A – ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP

 

1. Eligibility prerequisities – each member shall:

 

a. be a male or female student in attendance at Saint Louis University, or

 

b. be a declared Criminal Justice or Sociology major, or

 

c. be enrolled in a Criminal Justice or Sociology course.

 

 

SECTION B – ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP

 

1. Alumni shall not have active vote or opinion.

 

2. Alumni shall be invited to all association activities.

 

 

SECTION C – TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

 

1. Active membership in the Association of Criminal Justice and Sociology shall cease

when:

 

a. A member graduates or honorably withdraws from the university without

re-establishing membership.

 

b. An honorary member ceases to be a member of the college faculty,

administration, or of the student body.

 

2. Once a membership has been terminated, a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the active membership must be obtained to re-instate the membership to pre-termination status.

ARTICLE IV

FINANCES

 

 

SECTION A – MEMBERSHIP DUES/FEES

 

1. No membership dues/fees will be incurred upon members of the Association of

Criminal Justice and Sociology; however, the Executive Council reserves the right to

change this policy at any time it deems necessary for proper functioning of the

Association.

 

2. If dues/fees are incurred upon members, any monies collected will be used to provide

services, recruit and/or book speakers, and to provide refreshments for members of

the Association.

 

 

SECTION B – FUNDRAISERS

 

1. All fundraisers will be held in accordance with current University policies concerning

the collection of money.

 

    1. All monies collected through fundraisers will be used to provide services, recruit

and/or book guest speakers, and to provide refreshments at Association activities for

members of the Association.

 

ARTICLE V

ADVISORS

 

 

SECTION A

 

The advisor of the Criminal Justice and Sociology shall be chosen by the Chairperson of the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology. The advisor shall be a permanent member of the Executive Council and shall advise the association officers, keeping all functions within the scope of current policies of Saint Louis University.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

COMMITTEES

 

 

SECTION A – PERMANENT COMMITTEES

 

1. Permanent committees shall be as follows:

 

a. Alumni Committee

 

b. Finance Committee

 

c. Sociological Affairs Committee

 

d. Criminal Justice Affairs Committee

 

e. Public Affairs Committee

 

f. New Membership Committee

 

2. The President shall appoint as many members to the committees as he/she deems

necessary for the functioning of each. These members may be re-appointed by a new

President as long as they remain active members.

 

 

SECTION B – DUTIES OF COMMITTEES

 

1. The Alumni Committee shall:

 

a. Notify alumni of association activities; and

 

b. List and track all association alumni.

 

2. The Finance Committee shall:

 

a. Handle the financing of all approved expenditures; and

 

b. Handle the planning and execution of Association fundraisers.

 

3. The Sociological Affairs Committee shall organize activities of specific interest

to students majoring in Sociology.

 

4. The Criminal Justice Affairs Committee shall organize activities of specific interest

to students majoring in Criminal Justice.

 

5. The Public Affairs Committee shall be responsible for publicizing all events either sponsored or co-sponsored by the Association of Criminal Justice and Sociology. This

committee may use resources including, but not limited to flyers, posters, signs, or newsletters.

 

6. The New Membership Committee shall be responsible for recruiting new members.

This committee may use resources including, but not limited to flyers, posters, signs, or newsletters.

 

7. All of the committees may combine their interests at any time in the interest of

providing the best services possible to the members of the Association.

 

 

SECTION C – TEMPORARY COMMITTEES

 

1. Temporary committees may be established by the President to accomplish non-

permanent projects.

 

2. Temporary committees will remain in effect so long as the project for which they

were established remains incomplete, or until the end of the appointing President’s term

of office, whichever comes first.

 

3. Temporary committees may be re-established by the new President.

 

ARTICLE VII

AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION

 

 

SECTION A – RIGHT OF AMENDMENT

 

1. Any active member may propose amendments to, or a total revision of this

constitution if they do so in writing and submits the same to the President.

 

2. The President must read any such proposal at the next regular business meeting

or the General Council.

 

 

SECTION B – AMENDING PROCEDURE

 

A proposed amendment to, or a total revision of this constitution may be effected if

two-thirds (2/3) of the General Council ratify such amendment or revision.