 Student Association
Constitution and Bylaws
Texas A&M University
Article I
Name
Section I. The name of this association shall be AgForLife Student Association (AFLSA).
Section II. The slogan shall be “Diverse Opportunities for Diverse People”.
Article II
Purpose & Goals
Section I. The purpose of the association shall be to promote diverse opportunities in agriculture, food and life sciences with an emphasis on underrepresented groups.
Section II. To provide leadership and promote academic excellence and achievements in the field of agriculture and life sciences in preparation for a successful career.
GOALS: The AgForLife Student Association will accomplish its purpose by:
- Providing seminars, workshops, and conferences to enhance awareness within the industry.
- Providing mentors to facilitate open communication among its active members.
- Providing access to industry representatives through networking.
- Providing interaction to assist in the social development of our members.
- Providing opportunities for members to be actively engaged in community service.
- Providing access to interact with College and University administration, faculty and staff.
- Providing agricultural awareness through different outreach and educational means.
Article III
Membership
Section I. Membership for this association is open and continuous throughout the academic year.
Section II. Class of Members -- Membership shall be designated as (a) Undergraduate Student Member (b) Graduate Student Member, and (c) Honorary Member.
- Undergraduate Student Member -- any person who is enrolled at Texas A&M University that leads to the award of a baccalaureate degree.
- Graduate Student Member -- any person who is enrolled at Texas A&M University that leads to the award of a post baccalaureate professional or graduate degree.
- Honorary Member -- a recognition which can be conferred by the association upon any individual who has made significant contributions toward the promotion and improvement of the AgForLife Student Association who is not a paid member in the association. An Honorary member may have access and benefit from association privileges but no voting privileges.
- Selection of Honorary Member - Upon the signed recommendation of a member in good standing, seconded by another such member, and by a three-fourths vote by secret ballot at a special meeting to be held annually, honorary membership can be conferred upon any individual who shall have rendered notable service as described above.
- The recognition of an Honorary member shall be a lifetime appointment.
Section III. Qualifications or Eligibility for Membership
All students of Texas A&M University are eligible for membership in the AgForLife Student Association, regardless of race, creed, color, sex, national origin or disabilities.
Section IV. Criteria for Active Membership
To be considered an active member, the following criteria must be met:
- a member must pay the required dues, and
- a member must serve/participate in a minimum of one committee.
Section V. Privileges of Active Members
Active members shall be eligible to:
- Hold an elected office.
- Vote in all elections and any proposed amendments.
- Discuss and vote on any issues presented to the membership.
- Participate in any activities and serve on committees.
- Participate in the point system reward program.
Section VI. Required Fees & Dues
The dues of this association shall be set by the Executive Committee. Dues for the entire academic year will cover from September 1 to August 31.
Section VII. Procedures for General Membership Removal or Dismissal
Any member who is not abiding by the Texas A&M University Aggie Honor Code or acts in a manner deemed unfit by the Advisors, Officers, or General Body (i.e. disrespect, loss of ethical character) may be subject to removal. Said person shall be given a written notice of their violation(s) and extended the right to a hearing by the Executive Committee. Removal is subject to a two-thirds vote by the membership and may be at the Advisors' discretion. Member dues are forfeited when a member is removed or dismissed and the participation point system reward program is voided.
Article IV
Officers
Section I. Requirements and Qualifications of Elected Officers
The officers of this organization must meet the following requirements:
- Have a minimum grade point ratio (GPR) as stated below and meet that minimum GPR in the semester immediately prior to the election/appointment, the semester of election/appointment and semesters during the term of office.
- For undergraduate students, have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point ratio at the time of their election and a minimum 2.00 semester grade point ratio for the preceding regular semester or the two preceding Summer terms at the time of election and during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (half-time credits) must have been taken for the semester under consideration. In one limited circumstance, summer semester hours may be applied to this provision. In order for summer coursework to qualify toward a grade point ratio prior to election/appointment, at least six credit hours must have been taken during the course of either the fall or two summer session(s) (a), (b), and (c).
- For graduate level students the minimum GPR is a 3.25 cumulative grade point ratio at the time of election and a minimum 3.00 semester grade point ratio for the preceding regular semester or the two preceding Summer terms at the time of election and during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least four hours (half-time credits) must have been taken for the semester under consideration. In one limited circumstance, summer semester hours may be applied to this provision. In order for summer coursework to qualify toward a grade point ratio prior to election/appointment, at least four credit hours must have been taken during the course of either the full or two summer session(s) unless fewer credits are required as they complete the final stages of their degree.
- Be in good standing with the university and enrolled:
- At least half time (six or more credit hours), if an undergraduate student (unless fewer credits are required to graduate in the spring and fall semesters) during the term of office, and
- At least half time (four or more credits), if a graduate level student (unless fewer credits are required in the final stages of their degree as defined by the Continuous Registration Requirement) during their term of office.
- Participation in meetings and functions is mandatory unless valid excuses are presented.
Excuses must be reported to the President and/or Advisor(s) and are subject to discretion. After the third unexcused absence, the officer will be subject to removal from office by the organization and/or the organization's Official University advisor should the student fail to maintain the requirements as prescribed herein.
- Should the student fail to maintain the requirements as prescribed in (a), (b), and (c) he/she will be deemed ineligible to hold an office.
Section II. Executive Officer Team and Duties
President - Shall preside over all meetings, appoint all committees as prescribed in this Constitution, be the official spokesperson for the organization, call and arrange the places for all special and regular meetings and is an ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall Chair the Executive Committee.
Vice President of Communications - Shall be responsible for informing members of activities of the committees, in charge of taking pictures during association events and activities, and be responsible for a monthly newsletter. The officer shall maintain individual member activities, events and accomplishments for the Congratulatory page on the website. The Vice President of Communications shall co-chair the Membership and Public Relations Committee.
Vice President of Records - Shall keep the minutes of all meetings, keep attendance and membership rosters and prepare an agenda for each meeting. The Vice President of Records shall also collect and maintain historical documents related to the association and keep a current journal of all chapter activities. This office shall also co-chair the Membership and Public Relations Committee.
Vice President of Finance - Shall keep the financial records of the organization, file all necessary funding applications, be responsible for collecting and recording financial transactions of the organization, and make reports at officer and general meetings. The officer shall advise the association regarding the Student Organization Finance Center rules and regulations. This individual shall also Chair the Fundraising Committee.
Vice President of External Affairs - Shall assume the duties of the President if the office becomes vacant before the end of the term or if the President is unable to conduct a meeting, should serve as liaison to companies and industry for the student association, and be responsible for registering the organization with the Office of Student Activities. This individual shall Chair the Career Development Committee.
Vice President of Agricultural Awareness - Shall be responsible to promote the awareness of agriculture to help educate the general public about the various opportunities related to, but not limited to, occupational and career opportunities in agriculture, food and life sciences. This individual shall Chair the Outreach Committee.
Section III. Election Process
- The elected officers of the AgForLife Student Association shall be those of President, Vice-President of Finance, Vice-President of Records, Vice-President of Communication, and Vice President of External Affairs, and Vice President for Agricultural Awareness. The holders of these offices shall perform the duties as prescribed by Article VI of this Constitution.
- Date for Elections - Elections shall be conducted at least two weeks prior to the last regular meeting of the academic school year.
- Election Procedures and Length of Term - Officers are elected through a secret ballot by a majority vote of the members in attendance. The officers shall be elected to serve for a term of one academic year. New officers shall assume their duties at the close of the last regular meeting of the academic year.
- Limitation of Officer Terms - No member shall hold more than one elected office simultaneously and no member shall be allowed to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Section IV. Removal Procedures for Officers
Procedures for Removal/ Dismissal - Officer shall be given a written notice of their violation(s) and extended the right to a hearing. Removal is subject to a two-thirds vote by the membership and may be at the Advisors' discretion.
Article V
Advisors
Section I. Number of Advisors
There shall be a maximum of three College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty/staff members who are willing to serve as Advisors. One will serve as the primary advisor and the others as the secondary advisors. Advisors shall be non-voting members of the organization.
Section II. Expectations
Advisors must attend general and executive meetings.
- Advisors must inform the group of their bylaws, codes, and standing rules.
- Advisors should explain university policy when relevant to the discussion.
- Advisors must check all official correspondence prior to being sent and receive a copy of all official correspondence.
- The primary advisor must keep the official files of the organization.
Article VI
Meetings
Section I. Meeting Times
- General meetings shall be conducted bimonthly during the Fall and Spring semesters, unless otherwise ordered by the membership or the Executive Committee.
- Officer meetings shall be conducted bimonthly during the Fall and Spring semesters, unless otherwise ordered by an Executive Committee Member or Co-Chair of any committee with approval by an advisor.
Section II. Agenda
- The agenda for each general meeting shall be prepared by the Vice President of Records after consultation with the executive committee.
- The agenda for each executive committee meeting shall be prepared by the President.
Section III. Meeting Notification
- All members shall be notified of a forthcoming general meeting at a minimum of seven days prior to the scheduled time.
- In case of emergency sessions one day notice shall be given.
Section IV. Emergency Meetings
A request for an emergency session of the organization may be made by any active member through an executive officer or advisor approval.
Section V. Quorum
Any number of active members at a regularly scheduled meeting of the organization shall constitute a quorum for conducting meetings and business matters.
Section VI. Voting
- Methods of voting shall be as outlined in the adopted Parliamentary Authority.
- Voting by proxy requires a 24-hour written notice to the Vice President of External Affairs.
Article VII
Finances
Section I. Financial Transactions
- All monies belonging to the organization shall be deposited and disbursed through a bank account established for the organization at the Student Organization Finance Center and/or the Fiscal Office.
- All funds must be deposited within 24 hours after collection.
- At least one advisor to the organization must approve and sign each financial transaction before payment.
Article VIII
Committees
Section I. Executive Committee
The elected officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. This committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the association between its regular business meetings. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the general body. It shall not be in conflict with the rules or regulations of the organization. The Executive Committee, in consultation with the Fund-raising Committee, shall be responsible for presenting a proposed budget and schedule of activities for the upcoming year to the membership by the second general meeting in the Fall semester. The President shall serve as the chairperson.
Section II. Fund-raising Committee
It shall be the duty of this committee to develop a budget in consultation with the chairpersons of each committee, and to plan and implement any fund-raising activities. The committee is chaired by the Vice President of Finance.
Section III. Career Development Committee
This committee invites guest speakers, welcomes guests and plans and implements career enhancement activities for the organization. This committee is chaired by the Vice President of External Affairs.
Section IV. Membership and Public Relations Committee
This committee shall be responsible for the recruitment and retention of members, keep an updated roster of members and review and approve candidates for honorary membership. This committee is also responsible for social events and activities. This committee is co-chaired by the Vice President of Records and Vice President of Communications
Section V. Outreach Committee
This committee shall be responsible to coordinate outreach efforts and promote agricultural awareness to the general public at large and to school-age children. This committee is chaired by the Vice President of Agricultural Awareness.
Article IX
Parliamentary Authority
Section I. Robert's Rules of Order
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern this organization in all cases for which they are applicable and in cases where this constitution and any special rules adopted by this organization are inconsistent.
Section II. Extent of Jurisdiction
The orders of this organization shall be subject to and not conflict with the AgForLife Student Association or the rules and regulations governing student organizations at Texas A&M University, as set forth by Texas A&M University Student Activities.
Section III. Voting
Each active, dues-paid member of the chapter is eligible to vote and is entitled to one vote on any matter of business before the chapter in an official meeting. Chapter advisors are non-voting members of the chapter.
Article X
Amendments of Bylaws
Section I. Amendments
This constitution may be amended at any time by a two-thirds majority vote of the active membership present, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to each active member at least one week prior to its consideration, and is subject to approval by the Director of Student Activities.
Section II. Revision
This document must be reviewed every year and be resubmitted to the Student Activities Office before the beginning of the Fall Semester of that academic year.
Section III. Amendment Rules and Regulations
No amendments shall be in conflict with the rules, regulations and guidelines established by Texas A&M University or the AgForLife Student Association.
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