Honors Student Association

Constitution

Article I: Name and Purpose

Name: Honors Student Association (HSA)

Purpose: To further students within the Honors Program in their goals of the exchange of ideas, the enrichment of educational and cultural experiences, and leadership in public and community service.

Article II: Membership

Qualifications: Students who meet the criteria set forth by the Honors Program and are actively participating in it will be granted admission into the Honors Student Association:

--3.25 cumulative GPA

--Active enrollment in Honors classes (at least one per academic year)

Class of Membership: Full membership in the organization is achieved by joining the Honors Program and enrolling in Honors classes.

Method for Admission: After admissions screening, entering students are invited to join by completing a personal statement/essay. Current Longwood students may join by achieving a 3.25 cumulative GPA and presenting a plan for completion of program course requirements.

Dues: None required.

Dropping Membership: All benefits of membership will be revoked in the event that a student voluntarily withdraws from the program or is asked to leave the program for failure to maintain the required GPA or by failing to complete Honors course work. Students who are on disciplinary probation are also dropped from the rolls.

Article III: Officers and the Executive Board

Officers: President

Vice-President

Secretary

Treasurer

Communications Liaison

Qualifications: Executive Board members must be active members of the Honors Program. Officers are elected by the membership of the Honors Student Advisory Board, an eight-member board elected to one-year terms by the Honors students in their respective graduating classes. All eight members of the HSAB will be members of the Executive Board.

Duties:

--President: The President will preside over meetings, open and close all sessions, initialize any voting within meetings, and offer assistance to the membership whenever needed.

--Vice-President: The VP will preside over any meeting in the absence of the President, and assume all other duties of the President whenever the President is unable to do so. The VP will also be in charge of programs and membership development.

--Secretary: The Secretary will document and maintain the minutes of each meeting.

--Treasurer: The Treasurer will maintain the financial records of the organization and manage funds in the organizational budget as approved by the Board.

--Communications Liaison: The CL will fulfill the communications needs of the organization by way of e-mail, letters, telephone, etc., to insure effective communication between the membership and the Board, and the organization and outside entities (e.g., Student Affairs, Honors organizations at other institutions, etc.).

Term: Officers will be elected for one calendar year. Elections will take place in December, and the term will begin in January.

Method for Filling Vacancies: If for any reason an officer is unable to fulfill his/her duties, the HSA reserves the right to appoint positions-elect or to hold an immediate mini-election.

Impeachment: If for any reason the members of the organization feel that an officer is not fulfilling his/her duties, that officer must be contacted as well as the faculty advisor. The Executive Board will meet to consider the case at which the officer in question may make an appeal. If the officer involved is found wanting by five of the remaining seven members, he or she will be removed from office following the meeting.

Executive Board: The officers and other members of the Executive Board will act as representatives of the Honors students. They will discuss and make recommendations on all proposals set forth to the organization.

Standing Committees: The Executive Board reserves the right to appoint committees for special needs as they may arise, e.g. nominating committee, budget committee, etc.

Operational Procedure:

--Hear proposals from individual students and student groups seeking support from the HSA

--Discuss proposals

--Appoint members to represent the organization at given events

Article IV: Meetings

Meeting Times:

Time: TBA

Location: Honors Lounge (third floor ARC)

Number: As needed, but at least twice per semester

Realistic Quorum: Six of the eight members must be present, including at least one member from each graduating class, to conduct business.

All members will be notified of meeting dates at least two full working days before said meeting is to take place.

Article V: Amendments

The members of the organization reserve the right to make any amendments to the constitution they may deem necessary.