Information Technology Society
El Centro College
Information Technology and Systems Support Division
801 Main Street, Dallas, Texas 75202
CONSTITUTION 11 Dec 1988 (as amended)
Amended: 10 October 2007
PREAMBLE
The El Centro Information Technology Society as established to encourage the interests of El Centro Students in the growing field of computer information systems and computer applications.
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the El Centro Information Technology Society, hereafter referred to as the society.
ARITCLE II – PURPOSE
The purposes of the society include:
A. To develop a better understanding of the nature and functions of computer information systems.
B. To promote sound general principles in computer information systems and to study technical methods with a view to their improvement.
C. To study equipment related to computer information systems.
D. To disseminate generally, by all appropriate means, all fundamental sound computer information system principles and methods.
E. To supply to its members information of the most current methods, and assist them in solving their individual problems.
F. To foster among students a better understanding of the vital business role of computer information systems, the proper relationship of computer information systems to management and the necessity for a professional attitude among computer information professionals in their approach to understanding and application of the principles underlying the science and application of computer information systems.
ARTICLE III – ORGANIZATION
Section 1: Official Status of the society
The society is a student organization of the students, faculty, and staff of El Centro College. El Centro College (hereafter referred to as the college) is one college of the seven college Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD).
The society is connected to the Information Technology and Systems Support Division of the college (hereafter referred to as the division) for faculty and administrative support.
The society is affiliated with the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP) and the Dallas Chapter of the AITP as an AITP student organization.
Section 2: Society Organization
A. The society is organized under the DCCCD rules for student club organization and conduct, and under the college policies for student club organization and conduct.
B. The society is further organized and managed under the guidelines established by the AITP for AITP Student Chapter organizations. AITP affiliation will be maintained at the pleasure of the AITP headquarters and of the Dallas Chapter of the AITP.
C. The society is organized for students and all decisions and activities are made and managed by the student members of the club. The primary Faculty Advisor (hereafter called the advisor) has override authority that may be exercised at any time the college administration, division Dean, advisor, or an appropriate AITP official believes it is necessary.
D. The society is not organized for pecuniary benefit and shall not make or declare dividends. The society is not an agent or representative of the DCCCD, the college, the division, or the AITP. The society membership is responsible for its own actions, conduct, and liabilities.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: General
Membership in the society shall consist of Faculty Advisors, an AITP Coordinator, Student Members, and Associate Members. Application procedures for Student Membership and Associate Membership will be spelled out in the By-Laws.
Section 2: Faculty Advisor
The division Dean will appoint one primary Faculty Advisor and may appoint one or more Secondary Advisors (hereafter referred to individually or collectively as the advisor). The primary Faculty Advisor shall be a full time faculty member of the college, usually teaching Computer Information Systems subjects. Secondary advisors will be full time faculty or administrators of the college.
Section 3: AITP Coordinator
The Dallas Chapter of the AITP shall provide one of its members to serve as a Student Chapter Coordinator (hereafter referred to as the coordinator). The coordinator will serve as an ex-official member of the society and is invited to all society meetings and functions. The coordinator will serve as the official link to the Dallas Chapter and to the AITP headquarters.
Section 4: Student Membership
Any student of the college (not on academic or social probation) may become a Student Member of the society upon membership application approval and payment of the society dues. Any Student Member may also become a DOMA Student Member upon membership application approval and payment of the AITP membership dues.
Membership will automatically change from Student Membership to Associate Membership if the person is no longer eligible for Student Membership but has paid the society dues. Students who do not enroll in Summer semesters do not lose Student Membership designation. AITP Student Membership stops if the person is no longer eligible for AITP Student Membership.
Section 5: Associate Membership
Any person associated with the college (faculty, staff, etc.) may become as Associate Member of the society upon membership application approval and payment of the society dues.
Associate Members can not become AITP Student Members but may become regular AITP Members of any regular (non student) AITP Chapter upon AITP membership application approval and payment of AITP regular membership dues. Regular AITP applications and dues follow the regular AITP chapter membership procedures and do not come to the society.
Section 6: Membership Term
Advisors shall serve until they resign, are replaced, or are no longer employed by the college. The AITP Coordinator shall serve at the discretion and for the duration that the Dallas Chapter of the AITP designates.
Student Membership and Associate Membership begins on the date the application is signed by a society officer and ends at the end of the last day of the Second Summer Semester of the college year that the dues were paid for. Membership can be extended each year by filling a new membership application and paying the dues for that year.
AITP Student Membership begins on the date it is approved at AITP headquarters and ends 12 months later unless the person no longer qualifies for AITP Student Membership./
Section 6: Membership Benefits
Membership Benefits, Duties, Responsibilities, and Termination of membership are spelled out in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE V – GOVERNING BODY
Section 1: General
The Board of Directors (hereafter called the board) is the governing body of the society. The board is composed of the society offers, the chairperson of the standing committees, and the advisor. The board may ask the membership to comment on or vote on any topic or issue.
Section 2: Officers
The society Officers shall consist of a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Collectively they are called the officers. Election of officers, the term of office, officer duties, and filling of officer vacancies is spelled out in the By-Laws.
Section 3: Committees
The following Standing Committees will be established each college year; Activities Committee, Finance Committee, Membership Committee, Publicity Committee, and Service Committee. The officers can create other committees as needed. Procedures and makeup of the committees is spelled out in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS
Section 1: Business Meeting
There shall be one business meeting of the general membership of the society each month during the Fall and the Spring college semesters. The meeting time, date, and place are established in the By-Laws. Officer elections, amendments to the Constitution, amendments to the By-Laws, and other official society business shall be conducted only at the regular monthly business meeting.
Section 2: Board of Directors Meeting
There shall be at least one Board of Directors Meeting each month at a time other than the general membership business meeting. The Board of Directors Meeting is further explained in the By-Laws.
Section 3: Other Meetings
The society may sponsor special events, hold programming contests, visit outside companies and computer facilities, attend or hold seminars, and have many other kinds of special meetings in addition to the business meetings both in the college and off college campus.
Section 4: Quorum
For a society meeting to be considered official a quorum must be present. A quorum shall exist when the advisor, two society officers, and two or more other Student Members are present. In the absence of society officers, when the advisor and 1/3 of the Student Members are present a quorum will exist. In the absence of the Advisor, a quorum will also exist, when three society officers and three or more other Student Members are present.
A quorum for a board of directors meeting exists when the advisor and three directors are present. At least two of the directors must be officerss. In the absence of the advisor, five directors with at least three of them being officers would also constitute a quorum.
Section 5: Rules of Order
“Robert’s Rules of Order Revised” shall be used as a guide in managing all society meetings. In no case will Robert’s rules be allowed to get in the way of the accomplishment of society business. The presiding officer can deviate from Robert’s rules as necessary when necessary.
ARTICLE VII – BY-LAWS
The society will set-up and maintain a set of By-Laws that establish the day to day operations of the society.
ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
Section 1: General
The advisor or any student member may propose amendments to the Constitution. Proposed amendments will be submitted in written form directly to the society secretary.
Section 2: Amendment Review
The secretary will present the proposed amendment to the board of directors at the next board meeting. The board will review the proposed amendment and may appoint one or more members to investigate the proposal and prepare the amendment in the proper form for consideration by the membership.
The amendment will be submitted to the advisor to determine the legality of the amendment within the DCCCD, college, division, and AITP structure. A majority vote of the directors present is required before the amendment can be submitted to the membership for approval.
Section 3: Amendment Adoption
If constitutional amendments are to be voted on at the next general membership meeting, then the board must attempt to notify all Student Members of the proposed amendments at lease one week before that meeting.
Adequate time for discussion about the proposed amendments must be allowed for in the meeting before a vote is taken. A meeting quorum must exist and the amendment must pass with a ¾ majority vote of the student members present to be binding.
A copy of the amendment or a revised copy of the Constitution must be provided to the college Student Programs and Resources (SPAR).