LA RAZA LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
THE LAW CENTER

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section A: Name
Part 1.The official name for this organization is LA RAZA LAW STUDENT ASSOCIATION, or LA RAZA for short.

Part 2.This organization will use this name in all publicity materials and correspondence.

Section B: Purpose
Part 1.The purpose of this organization is to create a positive and encouraging environment to prospective USC Law School candidates and currently enrolled USC La Raza Law Students. La Raza shall explore and promote academic, career, and social issues relating to the practice of law and the Law Center. La Raza will encourage the interpersonal aspects of law school and the law field through social events that promote networking opportunities within and beyond the Law Center.

Part 2.All activities of this organization must be directed toward this purpose

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section A: Requirements
Part 1. All currently enrolled USC Law School students are eligible to be voting members.

Part 2.All other USC students and USC staff, faculty, alumni and alumnae are eligible to be non-voting members.

Part 3.All members are required to demonstrate support for the purpose of this organization.

Part 4.Membership decision will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion or creed, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

Section B: Rights
Part 1.All members are eligible to attend all meetings and events of this organization. Part 2.If a fee is charged to attend a particular event, the membership will establish the fee scale for voting members, non-voting members and others, as appropriate.

Section C: Withdrawal of Membership
Part 1.Members may have their membership withdrawn for failure to adhere to the requirements for membership as stated above.

Part 2.A simple majority vote of the quorum of the membership at a regular or special meeting shall be sufficient to withdraw membership.

Part 3.Members to be voted upon in this regard will be notified of the intention to do so in writing at least one week prior to the meeting at which the vote will be taken.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

Section A: Officer Titles
President/Academic Committee Head
Vice-President/Program Committee Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
SBA Representative
Third Year Representative

Section B: Duties
N.B.: The duties listed below are not meant to be exhaustive. There should be cooperation between the officers.

Part 1.The PRESIDENT will chair all La Raza meetings and will call special meetings as needed. The President will vote on La Raza matters only in case of a tie. The President will be the Academic Committee head. As Academic Committee Head, the President is responsible for efficiently collecting and distributing outlines before the fifth week of classes in fall and spring semesters and for coordinating speakers on test taking skills and outlining.

Part 2.The VICE PRESIDENT shall chair any ad hoc committees or task forces of the organization. The vice president will be the Program Committee Chair. The vice President as Program Committee chair will direct the planning of La Raza's educational and social programs, including the Fall Semester Judges' Cocktail Night, the Spring Semester Latino Lawyers Night, and the Mentor-Mentee program. The vice President also serves as liaison to other Los Angeles Latino law school student associations, including La Raza Bar Reviews.

Part 3.The SECRETARY will take, record and file meeting minutes; and produce all official correspondence for the organization, The Secretary/Treasurer will upkeep the main bulletin board, inform members of upcoming meetings, post announcements in the Advance Sheet, check the La Raza mailbox on a daily basis, file career opportunities in the career services binder, and conduct spring semester elections. The Secretary/Treasurer will be in charge of office key distribution at the beginning of the year and collection at the end of the year.

Part 4.The TREASURER shall maintain records and make monthly reports regarding the financial transactions of La Raza. The Treasurer, with the help of all La Raza officers and members, shall plan and conduct fund raising activities. Fundraising should occur at least once a semester. The Treasurer shall also be in charge of producing the annual La Raza T-Shirt. The Treasurer and the Third Year Representative shall coordinate special graduation arrangements, such as honorary diplomas and annual year-end dinner for graduates and their families.

Part 5.The Student Bar Association Representative will attend ALL general SBA meetings and represent La Raza interests. The SBA Rep will make an oral report at each La Raza meetings as to the items of interest discussed in the SBA meetings. The SBA Rep should preferably be a second-year.

Part 6.The Third Year Representative will attend all La Raza meetings and will serve as student advisor to La Raza officers. The 3L Rep will report on La Raza activities to third years and encourage their participation in La Raza activities. The Treasurer and the Third Year Representative shall coordinate special graduation arrangements, such as honorary diplomas and annual year-end dinner for graduates and their families. The Third Year Representative will also serve as alumni liaison for its class year.

Section C. Requirement for Running and Holding Office
Part 1.All officers and candidates for office must be currently enrolled USC students.

Part 2.All officers must be voting members of La Raza.

Section D. Nominations and Elections
Part 1.Nominations for all offices will be taken from the floor of the third-to-last regular meeting of the spring semester each year.

Part 2.Any member may nominate any other member, including herself or himself.

Part 3.Elections will be held at the second-to-last meeting of the spring semester.

Part 4.Nominations may also be made during the election meeting itself, prior to the closing of nominations and taking the vote.

Part 5.A simple majority vote of the quorum present at that meeting will be sufficient to elect an officer. If there are more than two candidates and no candidate receives a majority, there will be a run-off vote between the top two vote recipients in the general voting.

Section E. Removal from Office
Part 1.Officers may be removed from office for failure to perform duties or for violations of the membership clause.

Part 2.Officers to be voted upon in this regard will be notified of the intention to do so in writing at least one week prior to the meeting at which the vote will be taken.

Part 3.A two-thirds majority of quorum present at a regularly scheduled meeting shall be sufficient for removal from office.

Section F. Terms of Office and Vacancies
Part 1.The term of office shall be from the last meeting of each spring semester until the end of the second-to-last meeting of the subsequent spring semester.

Part 2.Should a vacancy in office occur, there will be another nomination procedure and election for the vacant office, during La Raza's next regular meeting.

ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS

Section A. Meeting Times
Part 1. Regular meetings will be held the first and third Thursdays of every month.

Section B. Special Meetings
Part 1.Special meetings may be called by any combination of three of the officers. Notice of special meetings must be communicated to all members at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.

Section C. Attendance
Part 1.To conduct business at any meeting, one-quarter of the entire voting membership must be present to form quorum.

Section D. Executive Board Meetings
Part 1.Board Meeting shall take place once a month. The third year advisor and faculty advisor shall also attend such meetings.

ARTICLE V: COMMITTEE

Section A. Academic Committee
Part 1.The Academic Committee is one of two standing La Raza committees, whose purpose is to plan academic events and programs for the benefit of all La Raza members, but most importantly for the benefit of the first-year membership. The head of the Academic Committee is the La Raza president.

Part 2.All decisions of the Academic Committee involving committing organization funds in amounts greater than $75.00 will require the approval of the majority of those members present at the regular or special La Raza meeting. Similar decisions, but for less than $75.00 may be approved by the Program Chair with consent from all officers.

Part 3.All La Raza officers are automatically part of the Academic Committee. The President is responsible for efficiently collecting and distributing outlines before the fifth week of classes in fall and spring semesters and for coordinating outlining and test taking skills workshops. The rest of La Raza's officers are to help the President.

Section B. Program Committee
Part 1.The Program Committee is one of two standing La Raza committees, whose purpose is to plan events and programs for the organization.

Part 2.All decisions of the Program Committee involving committing organization funds in amounts greater than $75.00 will require the approval of the majority of those members present at the regular or special of La Raza. Similar decisions, but for less than $75.00 may be approved by the Program Chair with consent from all officers.

Section C. Other committees
Part 1.Other committees may be appointed by a majority vote of the members at a regular La Raza meeting.

Part 2.In appointing such committees, La Raza members must specify the purpose and chair and co-chair of that committee, and establish its duration.

ARTICLE VI: AFFILIATIONS

Section A. USC
Part 1.La Raza Law Student Organization is a recognized student organization at the University of Southern California, but is not part of the University itself.

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

Part 3.La Raza accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors.

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

Part 5.This organization recognizes and understands that USC assumes legal liability for the actions of La Raza, and that USC is not providing blanket indemnification insurance coverage for any La Raza activities, 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.

ARTICLE VII: FACULTY/STAFF ADVISOR

Section A. Advisor Requirements
Part 1.As a recognized student organization at the University of Southern California. La Raza is required to have an official advisor from the USC faculty and staff.

Part 2.Other persons may serve as special advisors as needed.

Section B. Duties
Part 1.The advisor must sign the recognition application each year, or whenever officer information changes or amendments are made to the constitution.

Part 2.Officers should meet with the advisor five times per semester.

Part 3.An advisor, unless she or he is also a regular voting member, may not vote in La Raza matters, hold office or unduly influence decisions of the student organization.

ARTICLE VIII: BY-LAWS AND AMENDMENTS

Section A. By-Laws
Part 1.By-laws can be added to this constitution by a simple majority vote of the entire membership at a regulate meeting of La Raza.

Part 2.This constitution takes precedence over any and all by-laws.

Section B. Amendments
Part 1.This constitution can be amended by a two-thirds vote of the entire membership at a regular La Raza meeting.

Part 2.Notification of such a motion must be made to members at least one meeting in advance of the one in which the actual vote is taken. La Raza Constitution

Please send comments and suggestions to Catherine Allen Catherine Allen catheria@scf.usc.edu