RESIDENT ASSISTANT COUNCIL CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE We, the Resident Assistants of Appalachian State University, in seeking the preservation of our vocal liberties and the better government of our occupational existence both for our contemporaries and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution. ARTICLE I DECLARATIVE Section 1. Purpose The purpose of the Resident Assistant Council (RAC) is to provide both a forum for Resident Assistants (RAs) and provide input and feedback to University Housing regarding issues related to the RA position and residential living. University Housing Staff will ask for input and feedback from the RAC in areas such as, but not limited to, RA training, manual, selection, and recognition. The RAC shall make recommendations to University Housing Leadership as appropriate. Sec. 2. Mission Statement We represent the voice of the RAs constantly striving to uphold and maintain open communication between the RAs and the administration within University Housing. With the guidance of our advisors we shall continue to improve the quality of the RA position each year. Sec. 3. Duties of RAC RAC seeks to address and serve a variety of needs of the RA community at Appalachian State University (ASU), which is subject to but not limited by: (1) Official liaison for RAs by which they can collectively voice an opinion, concern, or issue to University Housing or any other organizational body on campus or in the community; (2) Forum for RAs to discuss issues relevant to them; (3) Sense of unity between staffs and RAs; (4) Serve the social needs of RAs by planning events and creating an atmosphere that is nurturing to all RAs; (5) Mentoring/resource group for new RAs; (6) Promote the RA position on campus; (7) Document its activities in writing and with pictures and provide this information for end of the year banquets; (8) Act as a network between all current RAs and connect them with other resources as necessary.
ARTICLE II LEGISLATIVE Section 1. Membership. Eligible members of RAC (RAC) shall be undergraduate students attending ASU that attend the RAC Regular Sessions. Sec. 2. Legislative power. The legislative power of the RAC shall be vested in the Voting Members. Sec. 3. Voting Members. The Voting Members (VMs) shall be appointed from recognized residence halls of ASU. The General Body, at the first regular session of convening after the beginning of the academic year, shall establish the recognized residence halls and the respective VMs, subject to the following requirements: (1) A VM shall represent a single residence hall in which a VM is a RA as appointed by ASU; (2) Each VM shall report their intentions of becoming a VM to their respective RA hall staffs; (3) Each residence hall staff may use any reasonable procedure for appointing or electing their VM as decided by the direct supervisor for said staff; (4) Alternatively, all Executive Members are VMs upon taking office. Sec. 4. Non-Voting Members. Non-Voting Members shall not vote or discuss during voting procedure. Sec. 5. Term of office. The term of office of VMs shall commence on the first day of appointment or election by each recognized residence hall. Sec. 6. Vacancies. Any residence hall with no VM by reason of death, resignation, or other cause shall be filled in manner prescribed by law. Sec. 7. Sessions. The General Body shall meet under any orderly fashion as prescribed by the Vice- President of Policy. If an orderly rule of order cannot be maintained, then Resident Assistant Council shall be run according to current Robert s Rules of Order. Both means of order shall meet when quorum is met as either: (1) Regular Sessions. The General Body shall meet in regular session 2011 and every year thereafter on the day and time determined by the President of RAC every other week. (2) Extra sessions on legislative call. The President shall convene the General Body in extra session by proclamation upon receipt by the President of the General Body of written requests there-of signed by three-fifths of all the VMs of RAC.
Sec. 8. Records. RAC shall keep a record of its proceedings and attendance, which shall be made public immediately after the adjournment of the General Body. Sec. 9. Protests. Any VM of RAC may dissent from and protest against any act or resolve which he may think injurious to the public or to any individual, and have the reasons of his dissent entered on the record. Sec. 10. Voting Procedure. Voting Procedure shall occur only in General Body Sessions moderated by the acting Vice-President of Policy. As acts in question by the General Body arise the VM who desires to make a motion shall be subject to orally ask for one of the following: (1) Vote by show of hands. The motion requires a second motion by another VM. All VMs in favor of an act in question raise their hands, are counted, and the number counted shall be placed in the record. A number of hands that is 50% plus 1 or more of the VMs present then the act in question shall pass. (2) Written Vote. The motion requires a second motion by another Voting Member. All VMs write yea in favor of act in question or nay in favor of dismissing the act in question. The number of yeas and nays shall be placed in the record. A number of yeas that is 50% plus 1 or more of the VMs present then the act in question shall pass. (3) Unanimous Consent. With any dissent the motion fails. Without any dissent the act in question shall pass. Sec. 11. Powers of the General Body Each Member shall: (1) Sit and Discuss in sessions of the General Body matters concerning RAs; (2) Prepare bills to be enacted into policy that follow RAC s purpose; (3) Prepare and inform about programs and activities that better the lives of RAs. (4) Report RAC public matters to their represented residence halls, if applicable. Sec. 12. Acts in question, authority, and quorum. All actions made publicly by the RAC are acts in question subject to voting procedure in manner prescribed by law, policies and procedures of ASU and any governing body. An act in question concerning a bill shall follow the format and procedure as designed by the VP of Policy. No act in question shall be voted on without quorum. Quorum shall be met when there is 50% plus one of the total VMs present and an executive officer to preside over the meeting. Sec. 13. Committees. The RAC shall be composed of committees designed to facilitate the actions and activities as described in the membership responsibilities section when needed. Such committees may be created to service the organization. The duties and related titles of these committees shall be created and established as an act in question.
ARTICLE III EXECUTIVE Section 1. Executive power. The executive power of the RAC shall be vested in the executive officers. Sec. 2. Executive officers and duties. The presiding officer, as a VM, shall only vote in the case of a tie. Executive officers shall act as follows: (1) President. The President must have served for at least one semester with RAC unless a person to fit this qualification is not nominated. Their duties shall be to preside over meetings, set the agenda for meetings, co-signer of checks, oversee organizational functions, and act as the primary University liaison. (2) Vice-President (VP) of Policy. The VP of Policy shall assist the President in RAC efforts relating to policies and bill proposals thereof. They shall act as the Residence Hall Association, National Residence Hall Honorary, and Student Government Association liaison. As liaison they shall relay relevant information between RAC and said student organizations as needed. They shall act as lead moderator for all votes in regards to acts in question as well as act as Sergeant-at-arms and maintain order. In the absence of the President the VP of Policy shall preside over the regular meetings of RAC. (3) VP of Special Events: The VP of Special Events shall assist the President in RAC efforts relating to programming, advertising, and related proposals. They shall be the direct correspondence for all programming committees. They shall create a master list of selected programs on campus to be added to the RAC website. In the absence of the President and VP of Policy, the VP of Programming shall preside over the regular meetings of RAC. (4) VP of Administration: shall record, keep, make available copies of the meeting minutes, be a co-signer of checks, and dispatch correspondence as directed by the President. They shall also keep record of all monies used by RAC, assist in the purchase of materials used in RAC sponsored events, and help the VP of special events in presenting proposals to the Department of University Housing. (5) VP of Communications: They shall be in charge of the photographing and documentation of RAC events. They shall also make this material available to necessary parties and serve as lead moderator for internet communication including the RAC website. They shall update the RAC website. (6) Other Officers: Additional officers may be created to service the organization. The duties and related titles of these offices shall be created and established as an act in question by the General Body. Sec. 3. Election or Appointment The VMs of RA Council shall elect all executive officers. When an election is not possible, the Official Advisor shall make temporary appointments of any executive officers until elections can take place. Election by the General Body of RAC shall be subject to the following requirements:
(1) Election day shall take place the last General Body session before Spring RA Orientation unless voted and passed to take place on any previous General Body session up to two weeks prior to the set election day; (2) Nominations shall take place on election day during the General Body session; (3) Nominations shall be made by any member of RAC; (4) Nominees shall be RAs; (5) All nominees shall be given up to two minutes to speak before RAC as a candidate on Election Day to be used at the nominee s discretion; (6) Elections shall be treated as an act in question. Sec. 4. Executive Meetings. The Executive Meetings shall meet within the week prior to each General Body Regular Session. The President of RAC shall decide the day and time of the Executive Meetings. The Executive Meetings shall be collaboration of executive officers in effort to fulfill their roles as well as progress toward the purpose of RAC. Sec. 5. Executive packets. Each executive officer shall present to the executive officer that takes their place with an executive packet containing all pertinent information regarding that executive officer s position. The executive packets shall be passed on at any appropriate ceremony. If there is no appropriate ceremony the executive packet is to be left in the care of the Official Advisor who shall present it to the appropriate executive officer as soon as possible. Sec. 6. Vacancies. Every vacancy occurring in the membership of executive officers by reason of death, resignation, or other cause shall be filled in manner prescribed by law ignoring any dates of nomination or election. ARTICLE IV MISCELLANEOUS Section 1. Ratification, Amendments, and revisions. RAC shall pass any act of question that calls for ratification, amendment, or revision of this Constitution by a unanimous consent of the present RAs in the General Body. Thus, the membership must vote on passage of this constitution and a reference to this vote and the method used for the passage must be included with this constitution. Sec. 2. Official Advisor. The Official Advisor shall be responsible for advocating the concerns and decisions amongst the Central Staff of University Housing. The Official Advisor shall be responsible for: meeting at no less than twice a month with the executive board in regards to their operations and activities, providing an updated contact list for all University Housing staff to the President, communicating RAC concerns to other university departments on-campus at the request of the RAC, presiding over the selection of the Graduate Assistant Advisor, and serving as the ultimate authority on any decisions made by RAC.
Sec. 3. Graduate Assistant Advisor. Appointment and duties of the Graduate Assistant Advisor shall be set by the Official Advisor. Wherein, this constitution was initiated by unanimous consent, in form of on: President Signature Advisor s Signature Date