It shall be the purpose of AISA of CSUN to provide an opportunity for members to work together, to actively promote the academic success of the memberships, to instill cultural pride within the membership and American Indian cultural awareness on the campus and throughout the community. AISA shall strive to stimulate the membership to their responsibilities as leaders in their community and actively support American Indian individuals and/or groups in the global Indian community. AISA will actively seek to increase the number of American Indian students at CSUN, and encourage all students to become AISA members.

ARTICLE I

Name

This organization shall be called "The American Indian Student Association of California State University Northridge." This organization will hereinafter be referred to as AISA.

ARTICLE II

Membership

1. Anyone fulfilling the requirements of the Accounting and Registrar's office, and fulfilling the membership requirements of the organization may be a member.
2. Membership shall be open to all CSUN students.
3. No person will be denied membership on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex or handicap.
4. Membership shall be designated as: Active, Associate, Honorary, Alumni, AISA Alumni, New member, and Support.
5. Candidates; only Active can hold office and be a candidate for office; voting privileges should be restricted to CSUN student membership.

ARTICLE III

Officer and Advisors

1. AISA officers should consist of an odd number of Council Members.
2. All officers should have been AISA Active members for at least one semester.
3. All officers must be CSUN students.
4. All officers should serve for one year, except if re-elected.
5. Should a vacancy in any office occur, it shall be filled by a Special Election.
6. The Executive Board shall include all Council Members.
7. AISA will have one advisor. More than one Co-Advisors may also be used.

ARTICLE IV

Elections

1. The elections shall be held the first week of February.
2. Active, Honorary, Associate, and AISA Alumni may nominate candidates during nomination meeting prior to the election.
3. Voting will be done by ballot box.
4. Candidates receiving a majority (50% + 1 vote) will be declared the winner.
5. Special Elections will be conducted by the Council Members; a Council Member selected by a majority plus one (1) will be designated to run the election. Hand voting or ballot box will be used as determined by the Council.
6. In the event of a run-off, the two candidates receiving the highest votes will be voted on by special election; should a tie occur ties will be broken by the vote of the Executive Committee.
7. A petition of 1/3 or the total number of members shall be cause for a vote to approve a recall election. The offense must be in writing and submitted by a member. The recall petition must be approved by 4/5 of the active members present at the meeting in which the recall is to be voted on. The person being recalled must be presented with the recall notice, including the offense(s) and the submitting member(s), in person or by mail. The officer will be allowed to address the charges at the next meeting after receipt of recall notice.

ARTICLE V

Meetings

1. The time, date and place of regular meetings shall be determined by the majority of the membership at the first regular meeting of the term.
2. Regular meetings will be held weekly throughout the academic year.
3. Special meetings can be called by: any two officers or 25% of the Active members.
4. A quorum shall consist of 25% of the Active AISA members.
5. AISA meetings will use Robert's Rules of Order only if so designated by the Council Members organizing said meeting.

ARTICLE VI

Finances

1. There will be one standing Committee; The Budget Committee.
2. The Budget Committee will consist of the designated Treasurer, any number of Council Members set by the Council, and any AISA member(s).
3. The Budget Committee will operate during November and will write out AISA's next year A.S. budget.
4. The Budget will be approved by a simple majority at the first meeting in December.

ARTICLE VII

Amendments

1. Proposed constitutional amendments or changes shall be presented to the organization in writing one meeting before it may be voted on.
2. Approval by 2/3 of the voting members present at a regular meeting shall pass a proposed change. The change shall be put into effect immediately unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment.
3. A copy of any alteration to this document must be filed in the Campus Activities Office at CSUN.
4. This constitution shall become the official governing document of the organization, upon ratification by a 2/3 majority vote of the membership, and approval and acceptance by the Office of Campus Activities and the Associated Students, Inc.

BYLAW 1

Membership

1. An "ACTIVE" member of AISA is one who has attended 4 meetings during the semester.

2. An "INACTIVE" member is one who does not meet the consecutive meetings requirement of ACTIVE members.
3. An "ASSOCIATE" member is Faculty, Staff or employees of CSUN, or interested community members.
4. An "HONORARY" member is one who has been an outstanding service to AISA or the Indian community.
5. A "FORMER AISA" member is a non-graduated former member.
6. An "ALUMNI" member is a CSUN graduate.
7. An "AISA ALUMNI" member is an AISA graduate.
8. A "NEW MEMBER" is one who has expressed interest but has not accrued the meetings requirement of ACTIVE members.

BYLAW 2

1. The officers must carry six (6) units at CSUN and be in good academic standing.
2. An ACTIVE member can hold any office any number of times.

BYLAW 3

1. AISA shall have at least one faculty advisor.
2. The advisor will council members with personal and academic questions.
3. The advisor will be able to sign expenditures of Associated Student Funds.
4. The advisor not have access to AISA general funds.
5. The advisor will not attend all regular and special meetings.
6. The advisor will not have a vote at the meetings.
7. The advisor will not constitute a member of the quorum.
8. The advisor must help plan and must participate in AISA functions.
9. The advisor may be asked for advice before a motion is voted on.
10. The advisor may be asked advice before a motion is voted on.
11. The advisor will set up regular hors to talk to members.
12. The advisor will help count the election ballots.
13. The advisor will be approved by AISA's officers.
14. The Co-advisor will perform the above duties when the advisor is absent or at the request of the advisor.

BYLAW 4

Voting

1. All ACTIVE members will be eligible to vote at meetings and Officers' elections.
2. Any ACTIVE member may give her or his vote in proxy to another ACTIVE member to vote with at a meeting only for a particular motion.
3. The proxy vote must show in writing from whom, given to whom, for what.
4. Voting can be done in written roll call, hands, or verbal.

BYLAW 5

Removal of Officers, Advisor, Co-Advisor

1. The officers of AISA, the Advisor, and Co-Advisor shall be subject to removal from office if they do not fulfill the responsibilities of the office as stated in the Articles, Bylaws, and amendments.
2. A recall petition in writing must include all points in question.
3. The recall petition must be approved by 4/5 of the ACTIVE members present at the meeting in which the recall is voted on.
4. The recall notice must be presented or mailed to the person being recalled.
5. The officer, advisor or co-advisor has until the next regularly scheduled meeting to present her or his answers to the charges.
6. Officers not being recalled will vote after conferring with the recalled person presenting her or his case.
7. Recall will require a vote of 50% + 1 of the officers not being recalled.
8. An advisor or, in the event of recall of the advisor, a co-advisor will count the ballots with one non-recalled officer.
9. The advisor or, in the event of recall of the advisor, a co-advisor will notify the officers of the recall results.
10. In case the Council Member(s) is removed or resigns from office, a special election will be called within seven (7) days.

BYLAW 6

Powers and Duties of the Council Members

1. The Council Member(s) will have access to AISA general and Associated Student funds.
2. The Council Member(s) will plan and attend 80% of AISA functions and meetings.
3. A simple majority (50% plus 1) Council Member(s) in attendance during a regularly scheduled meeting or special meeting will fill any vacancies and establish any needed committees.
4. The Council Member(s) will appoint all chair people of committees.
5. The Council Member(s) are entitled to vote. The Council Member(s) should strive to put five (5) hours a week in the AISA office.
6. The Council Member(s) will attend to all February Election details.
7. The Council Member(s) will present the AISA budget to Associated Students of, if unable to attend, may elect another officer to do so.
8. Additional Council Member(s) may be added as suitable candidates and the need arises. The number may be changed during a Special Election as per rules set for Special Elections.
9. Council Member(s) may be designated to fill leadership roles for designated functions as needs arise. This designation may be made by a simple majority of Council Members present during a regular meeting.

BYLAW 7

Powers and Duties of Members

2. Active members can vote at meetings and for officers, advisors, associate and honorary members.
3. Active members may sit on the Budget Committee and vote for proposed budgets.
4. Active members can vote on AISA general and Associated Student fund expenditures.
5. Active members may run for AISA office.
6. All Active members should put in one hour per week in the AISA office.

BYLAW 8

Special Elections

1. Special Elections may be called at any point during the year.

2. The election must be posted one week prior the election.

END