Sudanese American Community Development Organization. The Constitution 1

Transcription

1 Sudanese American Community Development Organization The Constitution 1 ARTICLE I: NAME AND DEFINITIONS SECTION 1: NAME SECTION 2: DEFINITIONS This organization shall be called the Sudanese American Community Development Organization, a non-profit entity hereafter referred to by the acronym SACDO The General Assembly of SACDO: is the inclusive body of all members; therefore, every member of the organization is a member of the General Assembly. The local chapters: SACDO is comprised of local chapters that serve their respective cities. Chapters are subject to the Articles and Sections of this constitution. The Chapter's Conference is the local body consisting of all members of the chapter who are in good standing. The Executive Committee is the governing body of SACDO, and is elected according to the rules and regulations of this constitution. The Chapter's Committee is a committee elected by the Chapter's Conference to carry out the objectives of this constitution at the local city level. ARTICLE II: PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES SECTION 3: OBJECTIVES a) To create conditions that support and promote togetherness, education and social services for individuals of Sudanese heritage in the State of Ohio, through public awareness, community mobilization, skill building and other services. b) To conduct activities to achieve educational and charitable objectives within the community c) To raise and develop economic and business entrepreneurial skills of underprivileged individuals d) To provide needed services of health, social, and recreational for women and children. 1 This Constitution was amended and ratified by the General Assembly in its meeting in Columbus Ohio on.. 1

2 e) To communicate aspects of the Sudanese cultural heritage to groups of different national origins in the United States, and to continue efforts toward creating an environment that encourages Sudanese children to learn about Sudanese cultures and heritage. f) To form strong relationships with other Sudanese associations and like groups by advancing social, educational and sports programs within and between associations. g) To create a special fund to aid members in emergencies. The fund shall acquire sums through members' monthly or periodic subscriptions. h) To plan for-and embark on- the creation of an association uniting all Sudanese organizations in the United States ARTICLE III SPECIAL RULES AND DISCLAIMERS SECTION 4: SPECIAL RULE SECTION 5: DISCLAIMER Political activity is strictly prohibited under the SACDO umbrella. Membership in SACDO or any of its chapters or activities shall not be restricted by reason of age, citizenship, color, disability, gender, race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era. ARTICLE IV MEMBERSHIP SECTION 6: TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP (A) All Sudanese and Sudanese Americans and their families are eligible for regular membership if they live in Ohio, have the desire to join SACDO and believe in its aims and purpose. (B) Honorary membership can be extended to any person who believes in SACDO, its aims and purpose, after being nominated by an active member. (C) Associate membership can be extended to any Sudanese who does not satisfy the full membership requirements. (Shall have all the rights except nomination for a position in a committee, and is to perform all the duties of a member) SECTION 7: APPLICATION FOR MEMBRESHIP (A) Applications for membership are to be accepted every three months; (During the months of March, June, September, and December.) (B) The Application fee is a non-refundable $10.00 (Ten U.S. Dollars) (C) Membership dues are $60.00 (Sixty Dollars) per annum, payable as 2

3 $15.00 (Fifteen Dollars) every three months; OR Fifty Dollars if paid in advance. (D) Youth dues are $28.00 (Twenty Eight Dollars) a year, payable as $7.00 (Seven Dollars) every three months; OR Twenty Five Dollars if paid in advance SECTION 8: LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP (A) Membership is lost if a resignation is tendered in writing. (B) Membership can be revoked by two-thirds of the General Assembly in a meeting that has legal quorum. (C) Membership is lost if the member is absent from Ohio for a year or more, or if his/her regular membership is substituted for an associate membership. (D)Membership is lost if the member fails to pay the membership dues by the 30 th 60 th day after the due date. (E) A member who lost his/her membership for non-payment of dues can be re-instated if he/she pays all dues in addition to new application fees. ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES SECTION 9: THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE The Executive Committee consists of elected members for the purpose of running SACDO's affairs. This committee shall be comprised of the following: (A) Three at large members to be elected directly by the General Assembly for the posts of President, Secretary General, and Treasurer of SACDO. No single Chapter shall be represented by all three officers. (B) The Coordinator of each chapter as an ex officio member in the Executive Committee. (C) Members of the Committee are to be elected directly in a General Assembly that has legal quorum. (D) The Committee can adopt any rules and regulations for its operation; however, those rules and regulations can not supersede the constitution. (E) The Committee shall meet at least once every two months. Three? 3

4 SECTION10: DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 1- President of the Executive Committee: a) Is to be responsible to the General Assembly for the Committee's performance. b) Presides over the General Assembly and the Executive Committee's meetings, and represents SACDO inside and outside Ohio. b) Is to be responsible for all official communication with government entities and other associations. c) Is directly responsible for all the activities of SACDO as expounded in the Constitution. d) Prepare periodic reports, in addition to the annual financial report as set by the Committee. 2- The General Secretary shall: a) Keep the minutes of all meetings, and safe-keep and file all of SACDO's documents and property. b) Record all resolutions, decisions and declarations made by the Executive Committee or the General Assembly. c) Set up a data bank that holds all the membership information, in addition to general information about Sudan. d) Is the official spokesperson for SACDO. Acts as a parliamentarian for SACDO in all matters regarding procedure and interpretation of the constitution, including but not limited to seeking legal or expert advice. 3- The Treasurer is in charge of the financial affairs of SACDO. The Treasurer is to: a) Control and document the flow of SACDO's monies; The Treasure is to keep all the financial documents. b) Follow up on collection of dues, past due amounts and submitting recommendations to the President. c) Collect dues from members, and shall keep a checking account in a bank in Columbus, Ohio. The account shall be a joint account in the names of the President and the Treasurer. The account shall not have an Electronic Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) banking card. 4

5 4. Other Offices of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall set up other offices including but not limited to Community outreach and fund-raising, Chapter relations, communications, and liaison, Publications, and public relations. The Executive Committee shall assign its members to the offices that it creates. SECTION 10: CHAPTERS' COMMITTEES Each Chapter's Committee shall be elected in the Chapters Conference. The Chapter's Committee shall be comprised of the following: a) A directly elected Coordinator who heads the Chapter's Committee. b) A number of members that does not exceed 5 (five) for the following offices: Secretary, Family and education, sports, social secretary and treasurer. c) The Chapter's Committee may combine two or more offices under one secretariat and shall assign its members to the various offices. SECTION 11: DUTIES OF THE CHAPTER'S COMMITTEE a) The Coordinator shall preside over the Chapter Committee's meetings and is responsible for its overall performance. b) The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, and safe-keep and file all the Chapter's documents and property. c) The Social affairs office is responsible for all social activities of the Chapter, and shall work with SACDO's Treasurer in the field of fund raising for the Chapter, within the limits set forth in Article VIII, Section 16. d) The Sports office is responsible for sports activities, and shall be responsible for planning and executing sport activities for all members, with special attention to women and children. e) The Education and Family Affairs office is responsible for all family and activities within the Chapter in addition to the weekend school (if any). The Secretary shall act as the link between the Chapter's committee and the school. The Secretary shall cooperate with the Social affairs office in the fields of language training, welcoming new families into the community, recognition of exceptional students, fund-raisers, and community workers. f) Any other offices that the Chapter's committee deems necessary for its 5

6 operation. ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS SECTION 12: MEETINGS a) Call for a General Assembly shall be in writing. A two weeks advance notice is required for routine meetings and a one week advance notice is needed for extraordinary meetings. b) The presence of more than one-half of the members in good standing is needed for a General Assembly to have legal quorum. The Executive Committee can call for a subsequent meeting in writing within a month, and that meeting will have quorum with any number of members in good standing. c) Regular meetings of all committees shall be legal if more than half the members are attending. c) A no confidence motion against the Executive committee can pass in the General Assembly only if two-thirds of the members vote for it. d) All the rules under Article VI, section 12 apply to the Chapters' Committees mutatis mutandis. e) The Executive committee can hold its meetings via teleconferencing or videoconferencing. The chapters committees, however, may not use distance conferencing. f) All decisions of the committees shall be decided by a simple majority. The president (alternatively, the coordinator) has the deciding vote. SECTION 13: ELECTIONS a) The General assembly shall elect the at large members, each to his/her post in a general meeting that has legal quorum. Elections shall be conducted through written secret ballots. b) In the event that more than two members of the Executive committee or a chapter s committee resign, new elections shall be held. Article VIII Financial Affairs 6

7 Section 14: Sources of Income a) Membership dues. b) Legal donations that conform to Ohio s laws and regulations. c) Fund raising under the guidance of the Treasurer. d) Application fees for new membership. Section 15: Expenditures e) Investment of SACDO s assets. a) The Committee can authorize expenses for its meetings and the General Assembly b) Expenditure within the scope of fund raising. c) In the case of death of a member or one of his/ her relatives of the first degree, the Committee shall oversee the efforts to assist in burial expenses or transporting the remains. d) If a member experiences a disability that prevented him/ her from employment for a period of more than a month, the Committee shall oversee the efforts to collect donations from member to pay the member's rent for a period not to exceed six months, according to the Committee's evaluation of the case. Section 16: Division of Funds e) If a member is arrested, the Committee shall oversee the collection of donations from member and spend it according to its evaluation of the case. f) The Treasurer shall have the primary signature on all checks drawn on the SACDO's main account. The secondary signature can be that of the President or the Secretary. Two signatures are mandatory. a) The proceeds from all fund raising and donations shall be divided between SACDO and the local chapters at the ratio of 20% to 80% respectively. Each chapter s share shall be proportional to the relative size of its membership in SACDO. b) Application fees for new memberships shall belong to SACDO c) Regular dues shall be divided as $50.00 (Fifty Dollars) for the chapter and $10.00 (Ten Dollars) for SACDO. Youth dues are divided as $23.00 (Twenty Three Dollars) for the chapter and $5.00 (Five Dollars) for 7

8 SACDO. d) Local chapters shall not engage in any fund-raising except for activities within the membership base. e) Local chapters shall not operate financially or otherwise in a manner that is independent of SACDO. 8