Penn LALSA's Constitution
Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1: Name of the Organization
a. The organization shall be known as the Latino Law Students Association, hereinafter referred to as LALSA.
Section 2: Purpose and Goals of the Organization
a. The LALSA community strives to provide a nurturing and welcoming environment by promoting the academic, professional, cultural, and social interests of Latino law students at the University of Pennsylvania Law School (“Penn Law”). LALSA works to increase Latino presence at the University of Pennsylvania Law School by promoting the recruitment and enrollment of Latino students at Penn Law, the appointment of Latino faculty, and the invitation of Latino visiting professors. In the greater Latino community, LALSA facilitates involvement through pro bono work and participation with the Hispanic Bar Association.
Section 3: Non-Discrimination Policy
a. Membership and leadership shall be open to all Penn Law School students without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, handicap or disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, political affiliation, or the general exercise of a student’s right of free speech or association. This is in accordance with the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s policies.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Requirements for Membership
a. Membership shall be open to all Penn Law students.
b. ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: All students shall be considered ACTIVE MEMBERS if the following conditions are met: (i) They have attended at least one-third of either the Executive Board, General Body, or events meetings during the fall semester; AND (ii) They have attended at least one-third of either the Executive Board, General Body meetings, or events during the spring semester, prior to the election for chapter officers for the next academic year; AND (iii) They have paid their dues. Only ACTIVE MEMBERS, may vote in the LALSA Executive Board elections, unless the Board decides otherwise by a majority vote.
Section 2: Schedule of Dues
a. Dues will be assessed either on a yearly basis or on a total sum for more than one school year. Any member wishing to acquire a membership for more than one year after their first year of Law School will receive credit for their following year’s payment. Dues for any prospective member may be waived by the Treasurer upon petition and a showing of financial need. Such waivers shall only be granted for the concurrent academic year.
b. Dues shall be calculated yearly by the Treasurer, approved by the Executive Board, and officially announced to the membership by the Treasurer, or the Secretary no later than 21 days after the start of 2L and 3L classes.
c. The Treasurer is to keep electronic records of all dues that have been paid during the course of his or her tenure in office. The Treasurer is to provide that information to his or her successor.
Article III: Nominations and Elections of Officers
Section 1: Qualifications for Officers
a. All officers must be dues-paying members of LALSA and students in good standing at Penn Law. No LALSA member can hold more than one elected office within the organization at one time. However, an elected officer may simultaneously hold an appointed position.
b. The organization’s membership and leadership policy is in accordance with the Nondiscrimination Policy set forth in Article I Section 3 of this Charter.
Section 2: Management of Elections
a. The President, Vice President, and Secretary shall be charged with the management of new board elections. If the President, Vice President, or Secretary is simultaneously a candidate for office, she or he shall be excluded from the management of elections, and a non-running Board member will replace him or her.
Section 3: Nomination Procedure
a. For all elections except those of the 1L Representative, the nomination period shall be announced and begin no less than 14 days prior to the date of elections. For the 1L Representative election, the nomination period shall begin and be announced no less than 10 days prior to the date of the election.
b. Email nominations shall be sent to the President up until three days prior to the election. Nominations may be made on behalf of oneself, or for another. All nominations made for another require the President to confirm this nomination with the nominee. Only upon acceptance of the nomination and their candidacy statement will the individual become a candidate.
Section 4: Time of Elections
a. The Executive Board must decide the specific date for the elections and notify the membership of this date no less than 14 days prior to the date of elections.
b. Elections for 1L Representatives shall be held before October 30th of each year.
Section 5: Balloting Procedures
Dignity, fairness and efficiency shall be the governing criteria in the conduct of elections. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Ballots shall be collected and tabulated by the President, Vice President and Secretary, or other board members as designated in Article III, Section 2a. These members shall announce the results as soon as they have counted the ballots. However, the specific numerical results shall be kept secret.
Section 6: Voting and Run-off Elections
a. Eligibility: All ACTIVE LALSA members shall be entitled to vote.
b. Election and run-offs: A simple majority of the votes cast is required to elect. If no candidate achieves a majority, a run-off election shall be held between the candidates receiving the two highest vote totals. This process will continue until there is a majority winner. Blank votes will not count against a majority. Run-off elections for any office shall take place immediately after the initial balloting for the office and in the same manner as prescribed in Section 5 of this Article.
c. Proxy voting shall be allowed. Members wishing to vote by proxy must register their ballot with the current President or the Vice President in writing, in a signed, sealed envelope specifying the office and the person who is to receive the vote for that particular office. Such votes shall only count if the person named is a candidate for that office, i.e., general votes for an individual are not valid.
Section 7: Election Disputes and Appeals
a. All disputed elections, nominations, balloting and all matters pertaining to nominations and elections not covered by this Constitution shall be decided by the out-going Executive Board. All such disputes must be presented within THREE (3) days of the election. Any determination by the out-going Executive Board will be by majority vote of the out-going Executive Board members. If these deciding bodies cannot make a ruling, subsection (c) applies.
b. The complaining party shall have the right to meet with the deciding bodies prior to their making a ruling on the complaint.
c. Appeal- Appeals from the determination of the board shall be heard by the membership. The membership must be notified at least four (4) days prior to the meeting at which the appeal will be heard and the general meeting will be heard within five (5) days. At this meeting, the complaining party shall be given five minutes to explain the basis of the complaint. A question/answer period shall follow. A successful appeal requires a 2/3 vote of members present.
Article IV: Elected and Appointed Officers
Section 1: Board Members
a. The LALSA Board (“Board”) shall consist of Elected Board (“Elected Board”) members and Appointed Board (“Appointed Board”) members. The Board should meet twice a month but shall meet a minimum of four times per academic semester.
Section 2: Elected Officers
a. Elected Board – All officers listed in this Section are members of the Elected Board (“Elected Board”). The meetings are to be presided over by the President. The President may call a meeting of the Board. A member of the Board may also present a motion at a Board Meeting or via email to the Board calling for a Board meeting at a certain date. If said motion is adopted by a majority vote, then a meeting will be called. In the President’s absence, the Vice President will preside. Matters regarding minutes and agenda setting shall be left to the discretion of the Board. The Elected Board shall meet with the out-going board at least once after elections and before Spring semester ends.
b. President –The President shall represent LALSA at all official functions, call and preside over board and general meetings, determine the agenda, maintain a constant and continual relationship with law school administration and faculty and other Penn Law affinity organizations as well as other Latino organizations on the Penn campus, and exercise overall leadership. The President is responsible for ensuring that all board members are completing their duties, and will assist the Conference chairs is planning Penn LALSA’s Annual Conference. The president will also serve as a liaison between LALSA and law firms. The President shall also coordinate LALSA representation at the National Latino Law Student Association Conference.
c. Vice President – The Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of such chapter duties as may be requested by the President. The Vice President shall serve as a replacement for the President if and when the President is not able to serve in the position of President, draft letters and resolutions on behalf of LALSA. As a member of the Conference Committee, the Vice President will oversee Fundraising for LALSA’s Annual Conferences, drafting fundraising letters, and be the main contact person for Conference fundraising.
d. Treasurer – The Treasurer is responsible for setting, collecting and depositing all dues, and keeping a list of all dues-paying members; overseeing all fundraisers, including collection of the money raised, recording of the details of the event, and ensuring that all money is properly deposited; making all Council for Student Representatives budget requests and appeals in a timely manner; and, creating and disseminating monthly budget reports detailing all events and the amount allocated for each.
e. Secretary – The Secretary shall be the chief recorder and correspondent of the organization, keep a true and complete record of all minutes of LALSA meetings and other matters pertaining to the organization for future reference, dispatch notices of meetings, events, and opportunities to members, update and maintain a list of current and past LALSA membership, check the LALSA e-mail and respond to those e-mails when necessary, communicate with the webmaster to ensure that the LALSA website remains up to date with announcements and other relevant information, send out LALSA email newsletters, announcements, and other communications, and make room reservations for LALSA general body meetings.
f. LALSA Conference Chairperson – The LALSA Conference Chairperson shall work with the President to oversee the Conference Committee. The Conference Committee shall consist of two to four members, including the President, Vice President, and a Conference Committee Representative. The Chairperson is responsible for coordinating and delegating efforts to organize the LALSA conference. The committee shall meet at least once in the Spring semester after being elected, and within 14 days of the start of the Fall semester. The committee shall also meet regularly before the Conference.
Responsibilities of the committee include choosing a conference theme, securing a keynote speaker and panelists; soliciting corporate sponsorship for the conference; securing funding from the law school, alumni and other organizations; securing catering and other services necessary for the conference; publicizing the conference; administering the conference; and delegating tasks to other members of the executive board and volunteers. The Conference Chairperson shall include the Conference Committee Representative in the all Conference responsibilities.
Section 2: Appointed Officers
a. Appointed Officers will be appointed by the incoming Executive Board and outgoing Board before summer vacation. Appointment of 1L representative shall be governed by Article III, section 3a.
b. Conference Committee Representative: The Conference Committee Representative should be a 2L and shall work closely with the Conference Chairperson and with the Conference Committee.
c. Academic Chair- Academic Chair shall be responsible for planning and implementing educational programs and panels each semester. These programs may include, but are not limited to academic panels, exam writing sessions, sessions to prepare for the writing competition, and study breaks. The Academic Chair shall be responsible for planning and implementing LALSA programs for professional development and networking, shall communicate with other student groups at Penn Law about collaboration on relevant projects and programs, and shall maintain communication with the greater Latino graduate student network at Penn.
d. Mentor Liaison – The Mentor Liaison shall oversee the LALSA mentoring program between upperclassmen and 1Ls; the Mentor Liaison shall match 1Ls with upperclassmen and ensure that 2Ls and 3Ls remain in contact with their mentees. The Mentor Liaison shall serve as a liaison between LALSA and Law School’s admission office, assist in the increased recruitment and enrollment of Latino students, attend law school and graduate school forums throughout the region, meet with prospective students and admitted students when they visit the school, contact Latino students who have been admitted via phone, email, and regular mail, pair LALSA members up with admitted students during Admitted Students weekend, and help plan the LALSA portion of Admitted Students Weekend.
c. Alumni Chair – The Alumni Chair shall write and send a Fall and Spring alumni letter; coordinate with the Alumni Development Office.
d. Community Outreach Chair – The Community Outreach Chair is charged with organizing at least three events per year engaging the LALSA community with the greater Latino community; serving as a liaison between LALSA and public interest organizations.
e. Social Chair – The Social Chair is responsible for organizing and delegating tasks for FALSA and for La Gran Fiesta. The Social Chair is also responsible for organizing a minimum of two informal social events per semester for LALSA members; coordinating the LALSA 1L Orientation social event; and, offering support to the 1L Representative in planning their the spring semester event.
f. 1L Representative – The 1L Representative is to serve as a general representative for the 1L membership; disseminate information to 1Ls regarding LALSA; publicize LALSA events to the 1L class and; participate in planning at least one spring semester event.
g. 3L Representative- The 3L Representative is to serve as a general representative for the 3L membership; publicize LALSA events to the 3L class; coordinate sharing of class outlines from 2/3Ls to 1Ls; and help organize at least one event over the course of the academic year.
h. Webmaster and Historian- the Webmaster and Historian is charged with updating and maintaining the LALSA Website, including uploading photographs of recent events. This includes requesting material from all members. Webmaster and Historian is also responsible for updating the LALSA handbook throughout the school year.
Section 3: Removal of Officers
a. Inquiry of Officer
1) Upon request to the Secretary, or to the Vice President if the Secretary be the subject of the request, by any member outlining the reasons thereof, the Secretary may address a general letter of inquiry to any LALSA officer to determine the reason or reasons such officer has failed to properly perform the duties of his/her office. Such letter shall be delivered to the officer in question. Any response shall be circulated amongst members of the board.
2) Where the officer under inquiry makes no response to the initial letter, a second letter in writing shall be addressed to that officer and delivered in person giving notice of the specific charges of nonfeasance or malfeasance and giving an opportunity to answer these charges.
b. Removal of Officer
1) Upon the affirmative vote of a three-fifth majority of the current board, the Secretary, or Vice President if the Secretary be the subject of the removal, shall address a letter to such officer(s) advising them of their failure of performance of assumed and assigned duties, and notifying them of their removal from office. Any communications regarding a removal of any officer will be the responsibility of the Secretary, or Vice President.
2) Anyone removed under the provisions of this Article has the right to appeal to the general membership for reinstatement. Such appeal shall be conducted according to the following procedure:
A. Notice of desire to appeal must be given in writing to a member of the Executive Board no later than a week after removal.
B. When: Appeal shall take place at a special meeting within a week after notice of appeal.
C. Procedure: the appellant shall be granted ten minutes to explain the reasons for his/her removal. The Executive Board shall then appoint someone to explain the reasons for removal. This shall be followed by a period of questions and answers.
D. Reinstatement: Appellant shall be reinstated by a 2/3 vote. Such vote shall be by secret ballot counted by an ad-hoc committee that shall be composed of one representative from each class selected by consensus of those present. Such representatives cannot be members of the Executive Board. Only members of LALSA who have paid their dues as of the date of mailing of the second letter of inquiry shall be eligible to vote for the reinstatement.
Article V: Meetings
Section 1: Notice and Frequency
The Executive Board shall schedule a minimum of two general meetings each academic year, and shall provide all members notice of time and place for each meeting at least seven days prior to the event.
Section 2: Operation
Dignity, fairness and efficiency shall be the governing principles at all LALSA meetings. The President shall preside over all meetings. In the President’s absence, the Vice President shall preside.
Section 3: Record Keeping
The Secretary shall be responsible for disseminating the meeting agenda at each meeting. No later than ten days after the meeting, the Secretary shall also disseminate the meeting minutes to the membership, after their approval by the President.
Article VI: Financial Policies
Section 1: Reimbursement Policy
Reimbursements will only be given for expenses approved by the LALSA Executive Board prior to their occurrence. The total reimbursements for any given event cannot exceed the total allocated for the event, as stated in the monthly Treasurer Report. Any reimbursement above the allocated amount must be recommended by the Treasurer and approved by the Vice President.
a. Reimbursement through LALSA Cash-Box – To request a reimbursement through the LALSA Cash-Box, a member must fill out a LALSA Reimbursement Form and submit it along with a copy of the expense receipt(s) to the Treasurer.
1) If the request is approved, the member will be given the requested amount no later than 14 business days after such request is received by the Treasurer.
2) If a request is denied, the Treasurer must communicate their reasons in writing to the requesting member no later than 14 business days after such request. To contest this denial, the member may write an appeal – submitted to the Vice President and considered at the next Executive Board meeting, but no later than 30 days after the initial request was made. The decision by the Executive Board will be by a 2/3 majority, communicated in writing to the member, and is final.
Article VII: Adoption and Amendments of Constitution and Adoption of Resolutions
Section 1: Adoption and Effective Date of this Constitution
The Constitution shall be adopted by a 2/3 vote of board members and shall become effective immediately.
Section 2: Amendment of the Constitution
a. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Executive board in writing at least seven (7) school days prior to consideration by membership. The Executive Board then has the responsibility to distribute copies of the proposed amendments to the members at least four (4) school days before consideration. Notice of the date of consideration shall also be provided.
b. The sponsor(s) of the proposed amendment shall be given at least five minutes to address the members at the meeting, and opportunity shall be provided for questions and answers.
c. Voting: Proposed amendments are ratified by a 2/3 majority board vote in favor by the board members present at the meeting where the amendments are considered.
Section 3: Adoption of Resolutions
Resolutions as to the opinion or position of the Organization as to any issue of concern to its membership shall be adopted by a majority vote of those present at a board meeting and a majority of board members must be present.
Section 1: Name of the Organization
a. The organization shall be known as the Latino Law Students Association, hereinafter referred to as LALSA.
Section 2: Purpose and Goals of the Organization
a. The LALSA community strives to provide a nurturing and welcoming environment by promoting the academic, professional, cultural, and social interests of Latino law students at the University of Pennsylvania Law School (“Penn Law”). LALSA works to increase Latino presence at the University of Pennsylvania Law School by promoting the recruitment and enrollment of Latino students at Penn Law, the appointment of Latino faculty, and the invitation of Latino visiting professors. In the greater Latino community, LALSA facilitates involvement through pro bono work and participation with the Hispanic Bar Association.
Section 3: Non-Discrimination Policy
a. Membership and leadership shall be open to all Penn Law School students without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, handicap or disability, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, political affiliation, or the general exercise of a student’s right of free speech or association. This is in accordance with the University of Pennsylvania Law School’s policies.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Requirements for Membership
a. Membership shall be open to all Penn Law students.
b. ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP: All students shall be considered ACTIVE MEMBERS if the following conditions are met: (i) They have attended at least one-third of either the Executive Board, General Body, or events meetings during the fall semester; AND (ii) They have attended at least one-third of either the Executive Board, General Body meetings, or events during the spring semester, prior to the election for chapter officers for the next academic year; AND (iii) They have paid their dues. Only ACTIVE MEMBERS, may vote in the LALSA Executive Board elections, unless the Board decides otherwise by a majority vote.
Section 2: Schedule of Dues
a. Dues will be assessed either on a yearly basis or on a total sum for more than one school year. Any member wishing to acquire a membership for more than one year after their first year of Law School will receive credit for their following year’s payment. Dues for any prospective member may be waived by the Treasurer upon petition and a showing of financial need. Such waivers shall only be granted for the concurrent academic year.
b. Dues shall be calculated yearly by the Treasurer, approved by the Executive Board, and officially announced to the membership by the Treasurer, or the Secretary no later than 21 days after the start of 2L and 3L classes.
c. The Treasurer is to keep electronic records of all dues that have been paid during the course of his or her tenure in office. The Treasurer is to provide that information to his or her successor.
Article III: Nominations and Elections of Officers
Section 1: Qualifications for Officers
a. All officers must be dues-paying members of LALSA and students in good standing at Penn Law. No LALSA member can hold more than one elected office within the organization at one time. However, an elected officer may simultaneously hold an appointed position.
b. The organization’s membership and leadership policy is in accordance with the Nondiscrimination Policy set forth in Article I Section 3 of this Charter.
Section 2: Management of Elections
a. The President, Vice President, and Secretary shall be charged with the management of new board elections. If the President, Vice President, or Secretary is simultaneously a candidate for office, she or he shall be excluded from the management of elections, and a non-running Board member will replace him or her.
Section 3: Nomination Procedure
a. For all elections except those of the 1L Representative, the nomination period shall be announced and begin no less than 14 days prior to the date of elections. For the 1L Representative election, the nomination period shall begin and be announced no less than 10 days prior to the date of the election.
b. Email nominations shall be sent to the President up until three days prior to the election. Nominations may be made on behalf of oneself, or for another. All nominations made for another require the President to confirm this nomination with the nominee. Only upon acceptance of the nomination and their candidacy statement will the individual become a candidate.
Section 4: Time of Elections
a. The Executive Board must decide the specific date for the elections and notify the membership of this date no less than 14 days prior to the date of elections.
b. Elections for 1L Representatives shall be held before October 30th of each year.
Section 5: Balloting Procedures
Dignity, fairness and efficiency shall be the governing criteria in the conduct of elections. Voting shall be by secret ballot. Ballots shall be collected and tabulated by the President, Vice President and Secretary, or other board members as designated in Article III, Section 2a. These members shall announce the results as soon as they have counted the ballots. However, the specific numerical results shall be kept secret.
Section 6: Voting and Run-off Elections
a. Eligibility: All ACTIVE LALSA members shall be entitled to vote.
b. Election and run-offs: A simple majority of the votes cast is required to elect. If no candidate achieves a majority, a run-off election shall be held between the candidates receiving the two highest vote totals. This process will continue until there is a majority winner. Blank votes will not count against a majority. Run-off elections for any office shall take place immediately after the initial balloting for the office and in the same manner as prescribed in Section 5 of this Article.
c. Proxy voting shall be allowed. Members wishing to vote by proxy must register their ballot with the current President or the Vice President in writing, in a signed, sealed envelope specifying the office and the person who is to receive the vote for that particular office. Such votes shall only count if the person named is a candidate for that office, i.e., general votes for an individual are not valid.
Section 7: Election Disputes and Appeals
a. All disputed elections, nominations, balloting and all matters pertaining to nominations and elections not covered by this Constitution shall be decided by the out-going Executive Board. All such disputes must be presented within THREE (3) days of the election. Any determination by the out-going Executive Board will be by majority vote of the out-going Executive Board members. If these deciding bodies cannot make a ruling, subsection (c) applies.
b. The complaining party shall have the right to meet with the deciding bodies prior to their making a ruling on the complaint.
c. Appeal- Appeals from the determination of the board shall be heard by the membership. The membership must be notified at least four (4) days prior to the meeting at which the appeal will be heard and the general meeting will be heard within five (5) days. At this meeting, the complaining party shall be given five minutes to explain the basis of the complaint. A question/answer period shall follow. A successful appeal requires a 2/3 vote of members present.
Article IV: Elected and Appointed Officers
Section 1: Board Members
a. The LALSA Board (“Board”) shall consist of Elected Board (“Elected Board”) members and Appointed Board (“Appointed Board”) members. The Board should meet twice a month but shall meet a minimum of four times per academic semester.
Section 2: Elected Officers
a. Elected Board – All officers listed in this Section are members of the Elected Board (“Elected Board”). The meetings are to be presided over by the President. The President may call a meeting of the Board. A member of the Board may also present a motion at a Board Meeting or via email to the Board calling for a Board meeting at a certain date. If said motion is adopted by a majority vote, then a meeting will be called. In the President’s absence, the Vice President will preside. Matters regarding minutes and agenda setting shall be left to the discretion of the Board. The Elected Board shall meet with the out-going board at least once after elections and before Spring semester ends.
b. President –The President shall represent LALSA at all official functions, call and preside over board and general meetings, determine the agenda, maintain a constant and continual relationship with law school administration and faculty and other Penn Law affinity organizations as well as other Latino organizations on the Penn campus, and exercise overall leadership. The President is responsible for ensuring that all board members are completing their duties, and will assist the Conference chairs is planning Penn LALSA’s Annual Conference. The president will also serve as a liaison between LALSA and law firms. The President shall also coordinate LALSA representation at the National Latino Law Student Association Conference.
c. Vice President – The Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of such chapter duties as may be requested by the President. The Vice President shall serve as a replacement for the President if and when the President is not able to serve in the position of President, draft letters and resolutions on behalf of LALSA. As a member of the Conference Committee, the Vice President will oversee Fundraising for LALSA’s Annual Conferences, drafting fundraising letters, and be the main contact person for Conference fundraising.
d. Treasurer – The Treasurer is responsible for setting, collecting and depositing all dues, and keeping a list of all dues-paying members; overseeing all fundraisers, including collection of the money raised, recording of the details of the event, and ensuring that all money is properly deposited; making all Council for Student Representatives budget requests and appeals in a timely manner; and, creating and disseminating monthly budget reports detailing all events and the amount allocated for each.
e. Secretary – The Secretary shall be the chief recorder and correspondent of the organization, keep a true and complete record of all minutes of LALSA meetings and other matters pertaining to the organization for future reference, dispatch notices of meetings, events, and opportunities to members, update and maintain a list of current and past LALSA membership, check the LALSA e-mail and respond to those e-mails when necessary, communicate with the webmaster to ensure that the LALSA website remains up to date with announcements and other relevant information, send out LALSA email newsletters, announcements, and other communications, and make room reservations for LALSA general body meetings.
f. LALSA Conference Chairperson – The LALSA Conference Chairperson shall work with the President to oversee the Conference Committee. The Conference Committee shall consist of two to four members, including the President, Vice President, and a Conference Committee Representative. The Chairperson is responsible for coordinating and delegating efforts to organize the LALSA conference. The committee shall meet at least once in the Spring semester after being elected, and within 14 days of the start of the Fall semester. The committee shall also meet regularly before the Conference.
Responsibilities of the committee include choosing a conference theme, securing a keynote speaker and panelists; soliciting corporate sponsorship for the conference; securing funding from the law school, alumni and other organizations; securing catering and other services necessary for the conference; publicizing the conference; administering the conference; and delegating tasks to other members of the executive board and volunteers. The Conference Chairperson shall include the Conference Committee Representative in the all Conference responsibilities.
Section 2: Appointed Officers
a. Appointed Officers will be appointed by the incoming Executive Board and outgoing Board before summer vacation. Appointment of 1L representative shall be governed by Article III, section 3a.
b. Conference Committee Representative: The Conference Committee Representative should be a 2L and shall work closely with the Conference Chairperson and with the Conference Committee.
c. Academic Chair- Academic Chair shall be responsible for planning and implementing educational programs and panels each semester. These programs may include, but are not limited to academic panels, exam writing sessions, sessions to prepare for the writing competition, and study breaks. The Academic Chair shall be responsible for planning and implementing LALSA programs for professional development and networking, shall communicate with other student groups at Penn Law about collaboration on relevant projects and programs, and shall maintain communication with the greater Latino graduate student network at Penn.
d. Mentor Liaison – The Mentor Liaison shall oversee the LALSA mentoring program between upperclassmen and 1Ls; the Mentor Liaison shall match 1Ls with upperclassmen and ensure that 2Ls and 3Ls remain in contact with their mentees. The Mentor Liaison shall serve as a liaison between LALSA and Law School’s admission office, assist in the increased recruitment and enrollment of Latino students, attend law school and graduate school forums throughout the region, meet with prospective students and admitted students when they visit the school, contact Latino students who have been admitted via phone, email, and regular mail, pair LALSA members up with admitted students during Admitted Students weekend, and help plan the LALSA portion of Admitted Students Weekend.
c. Alumni Chair – The Alumni Chair shall write and send a Fall and Spring alumni letter; coordinate with the Alumni Development Office.
d. Community Outreach Chair – The Community Outreach Chair is charged with organizing at least three events per year engaging the LALSA community with the greater Latino community; serving as a liaison between LALSA and public interest organizations.
e. Social Chair – The Social Chair is responsible for organizing and delegating tasks for FALSA and for La Gran Fiesta. The Social Chair is also responsible for organizing a minimum of two informal social events per semester for LALSA members; coordinating the LALSA 1L Orientation social event; and, offering support to the 1L Representative in planning their the spring semester event.
f. 1L Representative – The 1L Representative is to serve as a general representative for the 1L membership; disseminate information to 1Ls regarding LALSA; publicize LALSA events to the 1L class and; participate in planning at least one spring semester event.
g. 3L Representative- The 3L Representative is to serve as a general representative for the 3L membership; publicize LALSA events to the 3L class; coordinate sharing of class outlines from 2/3Ls to 1Ls; and help organize at least one event over the course of the academic year.
h. Webmaster and Historian- the Webmaster and Historian is charged with updating and maintaining the LALSA Website, including uploading photographs of recent events. This includes requesting material from all members. Webmaster and Historian is also responsible for updating the LALSA handbook throughout the school year.
Section 3: Removal of Officers
a. Inquiry of Officer
1) Upon request to the Secretary, or to the Vice President if the Secretary be the subject of the request, by any member outlining the reasons thereof, the Secretary may address a general letter of inquiry to any LALSA officer to determine the reason or reasons such officer has failed to properly perform the duties of his/her office. Such letter shall be delivered to the officer in question. Any response shall be circulated amongst members of the board.
2) Where the officer under inquiry makes no response to the initial letter, a second letter in writing shall be addressed to that officer and delivered in person giving notice of the specific charges of nonfeasance or malfeasance and giving an opportunity to answer these charges.
b. Removal of Officer
1) Upon the affirmative vote of a three-fifth majority of the current board, the Secretary, or Vice President if the Secretary be the subject of the removal, shall address a letter to such officer(s) advising them of their failure of performance of assumed and assigned duties, and notifying them of their removal from office. Any communications regarding a removal of any officer will be the responsibility of the Secretary, or Vice President.
2) Anyone removed under the provisions of this Article has the right to appeal to the general membership for reinstatement. Such appeal shall be conducted according to the following procedure:
A. Notice of desire to appeal must be given in writing to a member of the Executive Board no later than a week after removal.
B. When: Appeal shall take place at a special meeting within a week after notice of appeal.
C. Procedure: the appellant shall be granted ten minutes to explain the reasons for his/her removal. The Executive Board shall then appoint someone to explain the reasons for removal. This shall be followed by a period of questions and answers.
D. Reinstatement: Appellant shall be reinstated by a 2/3 vote. Such vote shall be by secret ballot counted by an ad-hoc committee that shall be composed of one representative from each class selected by consensus of those present. Such representatives cannot be members of the Executive Board. Only members of LALSA who have paid their dues as of the date of mailing of the second letter of inquiry shall be eligible to vote for the reinstatement.
Article V: Meetings
Section 1: Notice and Frequency
The Executive Board shall schedule a minimum of two general meetings each academic year, and shall provide all members notice of time and place for each meeting at least seven days prior to the event.
Section 2: Operation
Dignity, fairness and efficiency shall be the governing principles at all LALSA meetings. The President shall preside over all meetings. In the President’s absence, the Vice President shall preside.
Section 3: Record Keeping
The Secretary shall be responsible for disseminating the meeting agenda at each meeting. No later than ten days after the meeting, the Secretary shall also disseminate the meeting minutes to the membership, after their approval by the President.
Article VI: Financial Policies
Section 1: Reimbursement Policy
Reimbursements will only be given for expenses approved by the LALSA Executive Board prior to their occurrence. The total reimbursements for any given event cannot exceed the total allocated for the event, as stated in the monthly Treasurer Report. Any reimbursement above the allocated amount must be recommended by the Treasurer and approved by the Vice President.
a. Reimbursement through LALSA Cash-Box – To request a reimbursement through the LALSA Cash-Box, a member must fill out a LALSA Reimbursement Form and submit it along with a copy of the expense receipt(s) to the Treasurer.
1) If the request is approved, the member will be given the requested amount no later than 14 business days after such request is received by the Treasurer.
2) If a request is denied, the Treasurer must communicate their reasons in writing to the requesting member no later than 14 business days after such request. To contest this denial, the member may write an appeal – submitted to the Vice President and considered at the next Executive Board meeting, but no later than 30 days after the initial request was made. The decision by the Executive Board will be by a 2/3 majority, communicated in writing to the member, and is final.
Article VII: Adoption and Amendments of Constitution and Adoption of Resolutions
Section 1: Adoption and Effective Date of this Constitution
The Constitution shall be adopted by a 2/3 vote of board members and shall become effective immediately.
Section 2: Amendment of the Constitution
a. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the Executive board in writing at least seven (7) school days prior to consideration by membership. The Executive Board then has the responsibility to distribute copies of the proposed amendments to the members at least four (4) school days before consideration. Notice of the date of consideration shall also be provided.
b. The sponsor(s) of the proposed amendment shall be given at least five minutes to address the members at the meeting, and opportunity shall be provided for questions and answers.
c. Voting: Proposed amendments are ratified by a 2/3 majority board vote in favor by the board members present at the meeting where the amendments are considered.
Section 3: Adoption of Resolutions
Resolutions as to the opinion or position of the Organization as to any issue of concern to its membership shall be adopted by a majority vote of those present at a board meeting and a majority of board members must be present.
Penn LALSA's Adopted Resolutions
Resolution 1.31.17: Process for Allocating Funds
All projects judged by the President of LALSA to be within LALSA's mission will be funded through the following process:
1) Pre-existing programs, broadly defined (including FALLSA, LGF, the annual brunch, the annual end-of-year dinner, potluck, etc.), will automatically be funded at whatever level the President, in consultation with other relevant Board members, deems appropriate.
2) New programs under $100 can receive approval for funding through unilateral action by the President.
3) New programs requesting budgets between $101 and $999 can receive approval for funding through documented approval from the President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Only the President need give affirmative consent, the Vice President and Treasurer may raise objections but are otherwise assumed to consent as long as they are informed of the expenditure.
4) New programs requesting budgets over $1000 require approval of a full vote by the Board, subject to the same conditions as a vote for a "resolution" under Article VII Section 3.
