PODER LATINOS UNIDOS

State University at Buffalo
372 North Campus
Amherst, NY 14260
(716)645-3061

THE CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Section 1: The Executive Committee shall consist of the following members (Board
Members)
A. Officers and Staff
a. The President
b. Vice President
c. Treasurer
d. Office Manager
e. Activities Coordinator

ARTICLE II: POWERS

Section 1: The executive Committee shall have the power to recommend and initiate
legislation. Officers shall have the power to appoint staff.

ARTICLE III: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS AND STAFF

The officers (Board Members) shall be voting members of the Executive Committee.
Section 1: The Election of Officers
They shall be elected by the majority vote of the PODER members.
Section 2: The President
1. Shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee.
2. Shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee.
3. Shall be a representative of all meetings.
4. Shall be a representative to the Executive Committee to the University and
the community.
5. Is required to be in the office at least ten (10) hours per week (with a
minimum of one hour per day).
Vice President
1. Shall be in attendance of all meetings of the Executive Committee.
2. Shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee in case of
absence of the President.
3. Shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee.
4. Shall be a representative of the Executive Committee to the University and
the community in case of the absence of the President.
5. Is required to be in the office at least ten (10) hours per week (with a
minimum of one hour per day).
Treasurer
1. Shall be in attendance of all meetings of the Executive Committee.
2. Shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee.

 
  

3. The Treasurer shall collect all unitiation fees and assessments of members,
pay bills, sanctioned by said organization, keep an account of all receipts
and expenditures, and render a report of financial status at each monthly
meeting.
4. The Treasurer is not permitted to use any money with A WRITTEN
PROPOSAL approved by 3/5 of the Executive Committee, and 2/3 of the
STUDENT BODY
5. Is required to be in office at least ten (10) hours per week. No less than an
hour per day.
Activities Coordinator
1. Shall be a voting member of the Executive Committee.
2. Is required to be in the office at least ten (10) hours per week, and no less
than one hour per day.
3. Shall be in charge of all activities concerning the organization. He/She can
appoint an assistant.
4. He/She would be in charge of introducing incoming proposals to the
Executive Committee.
5. All funds appropriated for projects or programs, must be presented as a
WRITTEN PROPOSAL to be voted upon and APPROVED by 3/5 of the
Executive Board, and 2/3 of the STUDENT BODY, at the appropriate
meeting.
Office Manager
1. Shall be in charge of supplies and the keys to the office. Is in charge of all
clerical workers.

ARTICLE IV: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1: Meetings:
1. There shall be at least two meetings of the Executive Committee (Board
Members), each month.
2. Students must be notified of all meetings at least once a week in advance
(especially proposal meetings).
3. Meetings shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order.
4. Special meetings shall be called by the President by his own initiative, or
when petitioned by three (3) of the five (5) Executive Committee (Board
Members).
Section 2: Duties
A. The Executive Committee (Board Members) shall supervise the execution of
legislation except where the responsibility lies with other corporate parts.
B. Voting members of the Executive Committee shall appoint the staff.
Section 3: Members
A. Board Members of the Executive Committee are expected to attend all
meetings of the Executive Committee. Voting members (Board Members) of
the Executive Committee shall have one and only one vote.
B. No person shall hold more than one seat on the Executive Committee at any
one time.

 
  

Section 4: Replacement of the Executive Committee Members (Board Members)

A. In the event of the forfeiture of office, or resignation of the President, the
vacant office shall be filled temporarily by the Vice President, the vacant
office shall be filled permanently by the election to be no later than four (4)
weeks after the vacancy occurs.
B. In the event of the vacancy in any Executive Board seat (W.E.P) the President
will appoint a replacement with the approval of the members.

ARICLE V: RECALL OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Section 1: Officers
A. A petition of recall for officers shall be proposed by at least fifty (50)
members.
B. All petitions must make specific accusations against the officer or staff
member.
For the petition to be considered valid, the claim must fall within the
following categories:
1. The petition must specify its charges against the officer or staff
member.
2. The charge that an officer or staff member has failed to put sufficient
time into his job shall be considered a valid charge.
3. The charge that an officer or staff member has committed irresponsible
actions or misused his/her power shall be considered a valid charge.
C. The faculty advisors initiate an investigation to estabolish the validity of the
claims against the officers. He must submit his/her conclusion within two (2)
weeks of receipt of the petition.
D. A vote on removal will be taken at the meeting that the faculty advisors
present his/her conclusion. It would take 2/3 of the members present at the
meeting to remove the petitioned officer from office.

ARTICLE VI: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Active Membership
Shall be open to all full-time day or night students at SUNYUB who attend six
(6) PODER: Latinos Unidos meetings.
These requirements may be fulfilled as follows:
1. Each regularly scheduled meeting counts as one meeting.
Only those who are “active members” shall be allowed to vote in
PODER’s elections.
Section 2: Non-Active Membership
Shall be all persons who do not fall under ARTICLE OF MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
A. Voting
a. In order to vote in PODER’s general election each member mush
have attended at least six (6) scheduled meetings.

 
  

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS

Only those “active members” who have coordinated or co-coordinated a PODER event
and attended 90% of scheduled meetings shall be allowed to run for the Executive Board
of PODER.

Only members who have attended 55% of the scheduled meetings and assisted in three
events shall be able to run for a position on the Executive Board of PODER: Latinos
Unidos. (3/97)

2/3 of the membership present at the meeting must vote to pass on adding or amending an
amendment in order for that amendment to become part of the constitution. (3/20/2002)

Only members who have attended 80% of the scheduled meetings and attended and/or
assisted in three events shall be able to run for a position in the Executive Board of
PODER: Latinos Unidos
TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR THE NEXT ELECTIONS IN 2003