CONSTITUTION OF

Muslim Students For DialogUE Club OF

University SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

ARTICLE I: NAME, PURPOSE, and PRINCIPLES

Section A. This organization shall be known as Muslim Students For Dialogue Club (hereafter known as MSD)

Section B. The Purpose of this organization shall be:

1. To convey Islamic view of life through dialogue and educational activities.

2. To provide an atmosphere of exchanging ideas between Islam and other beliefs.

Section C: The principles of this organization:

1. In the age of globalization coexistence of civilizations is possible only through dialogue.

2. The pillars of dialogue are love, tolerance, compassion and forgiving.

   1. Love is the essence of existence.

   2. Tolerance is our binding spirit.

   3. Compassion and forgiving are inclusive aspects of a harmonious society, in which individual will flourish, community will arise.

3. Diversity is our richness. Diversity without dialogue causes hostility, dialogue without diversity brings distortion.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Regardless of race, national origin, religion or sex, membership is open to anyone who is interested in dialogue activities.

Section 1. Voting members of this organization shall be those who are attending the U.S.C part-time or full-time.

Section 2. Non-voting members shall be:

A. Associate Member is any person in the community or a faculty/staff member who pays the annual fees.

 

B. Honorary Member is any individual, who is not a student at U.S.C., deemed as such by the Executive Committee, and they need not pay any fees.   

Section 3. Membership may be withdrawn for the following circumstances: 

A. If a member breaks the organizational rules, i.e., engaging in activities, which are in conflict with the purpose of the organization. 

 

B. If a member fails to pay dues.

In either of these cases, only the Executive committee can propose termination of the membership to the MSD Board. For this, a simple majority of the Executive committee is sufficient.

Section 4. Membership dues shall be $10.00 per semester.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The Executive Committee of this organization shall consist of  

President

Vice President

Publicity Director

Treasurer

Section 2. The general responsibilities of the Executive Committee, consisting of the four officers in Section 1, Article III, shall consist of 

A. Making decisions and following the courses of action necessary to further the goals of MSD.

B. To pursue all activities as decided by the MSD Body.

C. To appoint functional committees.

The duties of the Executive Committee members shall be      

A. President

  1. Provide direction and motivation to the MSD in the furtherance of its goals.

  2. To call meetings of the Executive Committee and the MSD Body.

  3. To preside over the Executive Committee and the MSD Body meetings.

  4. To follow activities and inform members.

  5. To represent the Club in all the university and social functions.

  6. To be responsible for all properties of MSD.

  7. To approve all spending and sign all checks.

  8. To appoint the Vice President as Deputy President in his/her absence.

  9. To appoint one of the Members as Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary, in their

      absence, resignation, death or inability to perform their duties.

 

B. Vice President                                          

 

1. To act in place of President in his/her absence, resignation, death or inability to

    perform his/her duties, after appointed by the President or the Executive Committee.

2. To assist the President in providing direction for the Association and the functional

    committees.

  

C. Publicity Director

 

1. To organize all activities related to publicity, such as advertisement, posters

    and flyers

2. To act as the webmaster for the organization

3. To inform members about upcoming meetings and activities.

 

D. Treasurer

 

1. To collect fees.

2. To keep books on finances.    

3. To inform the MSD Body on the budget.

4. To assist in the organization of fund-raising events and committees. 

Section 3. Only the voting members of this organization are eligible to run and hold an office.

Section 4. If an Executive Committee member misses three Executive Committee meetings in a row without an acceptable excuse, he or she will be considered as resigned.

An excuse should be given before the meeting in writing, and it should be approved by the President or the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The nomination and election of officers shall be conducted in the following manner:

Nomination procedures: Any voting member may be nominated. All nominations must be seconded.

 

Election procedures: There must be at least 50 (fifty) per cent quorum. The winner must have a simple majority of the votes to be elected to the Executive Committee. The election will be completed by a secret ballot and open tabulation.

 Section 6: The term of office shall be from September to August of each year.

Section 7: Vacancies occurring in any elective office shall be filled in the following manner.

1. In the case of Presidents resignation, death or inability to perform duties of the office, the Vice President shall be appointed for office of the President by the rest of the Executive Committee and there shall be an election for the office of Vice President, as described in Article III, Section 5.     

 

2. In the case of Publicity Directors, Treasurers or a Vice Presidents resignation, death or inability to perform his/her duties, one of the members will be appointed for the office by the President, and there shall be an election for the position of the Member.

 

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS

Section 1. Meetings shall be held at least once a month.

Section 2. Special meetings shall be called by either the Executive Committee, or the President.

ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES

Section 1. Functional committees shall be appointed by the Executive Committee, upon desired activities by the MSD Body. Membership in these committees will be on a voluntary basis. Each committee will have a coordinator approved by the Executive Committee and he/she will call meetings of their own committee as necessary, and report periodically to the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI: FACULTY/STAFF ADVISOR

Section 1. In the event that this organization chooses to sponsor an activity or event, the signature of a faculty or staff advisor will be required. This person shall be a full-time professional/ employee of the University.

ARTICLE VII: RESPONSIBILITIES

Section 1. MSD accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities which bear its name as official, and will adhere to all University and Student Activities regulations. All publicity for an event must bear the name of the sponsoring organization.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS            

Section 1. Amendments can be proposed by any voting member. Amendments to the Constitution require a fifty per cent quorum and a 2/3 vote to be passed.

ARTICLE IX: BY LAWS

Section 1. MSD can establish by laws. At least fifty per cent quorum is needed to establish by laws. Two-thirds vote is required to amend them. Any changes in either the Constitution or the by-laws will be reported to Campus Life office by the President.

ARTICLE X: HANDLING OF ORGANIZATION MONEY

Section 1. All money belonging to the MSD shall be deposited and disbursed through a bank account established by the organization. The name on the account will be the name of the organization, and the ID number will be the tax ID number of the organization in the bank records. The organization checks will be signed by only the President, or by the President and the Vice Presidents, or by the President and Treasurer.

ARTICLE XI: AFFILIATIONS

Section 1. This organization is a recognized student organization at the University of Southern California, but is not a part of the University itself.

Section 2. In all correspondence and business transactions, it may refer to itself as an organization at USC, but not as part of USC itself.

Section 3. MSD accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors.

Section 4. MSD agrees to abide by all pertinent USC policies and regulations. Where USC policies and regulations and those of MSD differ, the policies and regulations of USC will take precedence.

Section 5. This organization recognizes and understands that the University assumes no legal liability for the actions of the organization, and that the University is not providing blanket indemnification insurance coverage for any activities of the organization, unless those activities expressly benefit and further the goals of the University, and have received prior review, approval and consent of the Offices of Student Activities, Risk Management and/or General Counsel.