ARTICLE I

Name of Organization

The name of this organization shall be known as the Antelope Valley College Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Club (AVC STEM Club).

ARTICLE II

Purpose of this Organization

The purpose of the AVC STEM Club is to facilitate the interest, education, and networking ability of STEM majors at Antelope Valley College; to increase the social support within and visibility of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and to advocate for STEM programs at AVC.

ARTICLE III

Membership

1. Membership of this club shall consist only of students enrolled at Antelope Valley College.

2. Each member of the STEM Club shall attend at least 50% of the club's regularly scheduled meetings (either in person or by video/teleconference determined by the Executive Board if needed) every semester. Absence from a regularly scheduled meeting may be made up by attending and participating in an authorized community event or meeting. The event must be STEM related, and preferably club-sponsored.

3. All persons holding office positions must maintain Good Academic Standing as defined by Antelope Valley College.

4. Membership will automatically terminate upon (a) failure to adhere to the Antelope Valley College moral code, (b) failure to meet attendance requirements, unless excused by the Executive Board for sufficient reason, or (c) termination of the club.

5. Membership may be terminated upon (a) failure to meet qualifications for membership, or (b) for cause, as determined by a club vote of not less than 2/3 of all the members in good standing.

ARTICLE IV

Meetings

1. The club shall meet not less than twice per month at a time and place suited to the convenience of the members.

2. Meetings of the club may be canceled during holiday or vacation periods at the discretion of members.

3. Attendance requirements may be lifted during holiday or vacation periods without canceling meetings for students who wish to keep meetings during these times.

4. The Executive Board may cancel a meeting if it falls on a holiday, in case of the death of a club member, an epidemic, a disaster affecting the entire community, or an armed conflict in the community that endangers the lives of the club members.

5. The Executive Board may cancel not more than four regular meetings in a year for causes not otherwise specified herein provided that the club does not fail to meet for more than three consecutive meetings.

6. General Club meetings will count as 0.5 hours towards your total hours for the AVC STEM Club cords .

7. Executive Power Act: Allows the executive board in time of breaks such as (Intersession & Summer) to meet & carry out decisions deemed necessary by the executive board.

ARTICLE V

Officers and Committee Chairs

1. The officers of this club shall consist of: President, Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, ICC (Inter Club Council) Representative, Public Relations Officer, Historian, Webmaster, and additional officers to be appointed as needed.

2. The governing body of this club shall be the Executive Board consisting of the President, Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and additional officers to be determined by this club. All decisions, policies, and actions of the Executive Board and the club shall be subject to the provisions of this constitution.

3. All officers are to be selected from among members in Good Academic Standing.

4. Election of the Executive Board, all Officers, and Committee Chairs shall be held annually on a club meeting date established by President and in the absence of

the President by the Executive Vice President. This club meeting election date shall be no earlier than the 8th week and no later than the 15th week of the Spring Semester by a majority vote of all STEM Club members present.

5. The term for the newly elected officers shall begin following the adjournment of the last official meeting of the Spring semester.

6. The term of office for the newly elected officers shall be one year. No provisions shall be made for a term of office shorter than one year.

7. All incoming club officers and committee chairs shall be provided with leadership training. This may include video tutorials that can be checked out at the Student Services Office, any Online Tutorials made by the club or past officers, and one-on-one training.

8. Special Election Provision: If any officer cannot fulfill their one-year term commitment and there are extenuating circumstances when the reasonable assumption of the succession of leadership in the club’s officer positions cannot be duly assumed by the next officer in the leadership chain of succession, then a special “pro tem” election shall be held for said position(s). The term of the special “pro tem” elected position(s) shall be fulfilled for the remainder of the existing election term.

ARTICLE VI

Officers’ Duties and Responsibilities

1. THE PRESIDENT

● The President shall preside at all regular meetings and officers meetings,

● Shall call special meetings when it is deemed necessary or desirable,

● Shall perform all other duties pertaining to the office,

● Shall be in charge of attending official ICC meetings, if the representatives in place before them (ICC Representative, Vice President) cannot attend said meeting,

● The President shall step down from the position if unable to fulfill the duties as President, and the members shall nominate and elect a new Executive Vice President to fill the term for the current Executive Vice-President, who shall continue as President to the end of the unexpired term.

2. THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

● The Executive Vice-President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President,

● Shall develop a calendar of events that provides a balanced program of social enrichment, fund-raising events, and cultural activities,

● Shall be in charge of attending official ICC meetings, if the representatives in place before them (ICC Representative) cannot attend said meeting,

● Shall poll the membership at the end of each semester to solicit additional program suggestions for the next semester,

● Shall form Sub-Committees as deemed necessary to ensure the success of the scheduled events.

○ i. A Sub-Committee shall consist of an appropriate number of persons who shall plan, organize, promote, and oversee the event.

● The Executive Vice President shall work collaboratively with the ICC Representative ensuring STEM Club has received approval for activities at least three weeks prior to the event date,

● Shall perform such other duties as requested by the President; and in the event that a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the Executive Vice-President shall assume the Office of the President for the remainder of the unexpired term.

3. THE SECRETARY

● The Secretary shall record the minutes of the meetings,

● Shall report the minutes of the previous meeting to the members,

● Following the weekly approval of minutes, the Secretary shall obtain the necessary signatures and shall turn in signed copies of approved meeting minutes to the Associated Student Organization,

● Shall retain a copy of stamped and signed meeting minutes in an organized file which shall be presented to the Executive Board, Advisors, and/or the Associated Student Organization upon request,

● Shall keep a copy of the Constitution/Bylaws,

● Shall keep an active role of the Membership attendance at meetings,

● Shall email typed copies of the minutes to all members at least three days before the following meeting,

● Shall keep an email directory of attending members,

● Shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President and Executive Vice President as long as a quorum is present. Quorum for the club shall be the presence of at least one Executive Board officer, two additional officers, a majority of the club members, and at least one advisor.

4. THE TREASURER

● The Treasurer shall keep a record of all financial accounts,

● Shall coordinate the club’s treasury activities with the ASO bookkeeper to obtain and maintain a complete record of financial activities of the club,

● Shall report the financial status of the club at each meeting,

● Shall receive all monies and record the name and amount in a ledger that shall be surrender at the end of their term or upon request by the President and/or Advisor,

● Shall be responsible for a receipt book, which shall be used to keep track of any monies leaving or entering the STEM Club funds,

● Any money that needs to leave STEM Club funds shall be cleared through the Treasurer.

5. THE INTER CLUB COUNCIL (ICC) REPRESENTATIVE

● The ICC Representative shall work closely with the President, Executive Vice President, and/or Advisor,

● Shall be required to attend ICC Meetings; and shall be responsible for training the Executive Vice President and/or Public Relations Officer to attend meetings and function as their proxy,

● Shall make available all minutes of ICC Meetings to the club’s general membership,

● Shall report areas of interest to the members at the next regular club meeting after each ICC meeting,

● Shall be cognizant of all Antelope Valley College timelines for an on-campus event,

● Shall prepare all required campus documents for an on-campus event at least two weeks prior to the event,

● Shall hand all necessary paperwork to an Advisor for signature at least two weeks prior to the event,

● Shall submit all necessary paperwork to the Inter Club Council for the approval of all applicable activities of the club at least one week prior to the event.

6. THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

● The Public Relations Officer is responsible for school and community advertisement,

● Shall work collaboratively with the Executive Vice-President/ICC Representative in all school and community related functions,

● Shall be cognizant of all Antelope Valley College timelines for an on-campus event

● Shall make and present fliers to the President, Advisor, and Student Life Office for approval at least three weeks prior to an event,

● Shall post all fliers around approved campus bulletin boards, classrooms, the Antelope Valley College Website, and the club’s Facebook Page at least two weeks prior to an event,

● Shall provide images and fliers to the Webmaster in digital format at least three weeks prior to an event, and/or within two weeks of an approved logo change,

● Shall be responsible for decorating, displaying, and promoting STEM Club in the display case located in the bookstore hallway (pending ICC approval),

● Shall write all special and official invitations,

● Shall ensure that all materials produced and distributed are neat, legible, grammatically correct, and spell checked,

● Shall be responsible for assuming the responsibilities of the ICC Representative in the event that a vacancy occurs for the ICC, and the Public Relations Officer shall assume the ICC Representative position for the remainder of the unexpired term.

7. THE HISTORIAN

● The Historian shall be required to attend 90% of all activities and events,

● Shall take and post photos on the current website and social media, in harmony with the Webmaster, within one week following each event,

● Upon request shall present photos taken at club events to the President and/or Advisor,

● Shall create a slideshow of photos to be viewed at the end of each Fall and Spring semester,

● Shall be responsible for acquiring verbal or written consent for photographs/videos as needed,

● Shall only post photos that are in compliance with the Antelope Valley College Student Code of Conduct located at

www.avc.edu/information/policies/studentcode.html

8. THE WEBMASTER

● The Webmaster shall manage and maintain all virtual websites including the Antelope Valley College website, Facebook pages, blogs, and additional websites pertaining to the club,

● Shall maintain a close working relationship with the Secretary, Historian, and Public Relations Officer,

● Shall maintain weekly updates of all club events,

● Shall have club minutes available online no later than seven days after the meeting minutes have been approved,

● Shall post photos to the website and social media, in harmony with the Historian,

● Shall post information when the President, any Officer, or Advisor asks,

● Shall let the President know when any issues arise with the web domains,

● Shall have a working knowledge of web-standards and design, or is actively working to acquire this knowledge.

9. THE GROUP CHAIRS

Any STEM Club member may volunteer to start a new group with approval by a quorum of active club members at a regular meeting,

● Existing group chairs may be replaced by annual elections, or when the group chair steps down, or is otherwise unable to lead the group.

● Group chairs will bear the title "Vice-President" of the said group.

● Group chairs are responsible for

i. Planning and directing group meetings as needed.

ii. Directing the planning and organization of group events.

iii. Working closely with the Executive Vice-President to ensure the events are carried out as planned.

iv. Ensuring that all receipts for transactions related to an event are turned into the Treasurer within three weeks of said event.

10. REMOVAL OF OFFICERS AND “PRO TEM” APPOINTMENTS

● If at any time an officer(s) cannot fulfill their respective duties, the President or President “pro tem” shall appoint an interim replacement until Members vote for a“pro tem” replacement to fill the unexpired term of the officer being replaced.

● If the President cannot fulfill the duties of their office, the Executive Vice President shall complete the term and a new Executive Vice-President shall be elected.

● An officer may be asked to resign by the Executive Board for the following violations:

i. Missing three regular meetings, without arranging for a proxy.

ii. Failing to represent the STEM Club with high honorable standards. iii. Failing to uphold the Constitution and Bylaws of the STEM Club.

iv. For becoming a non-student.

● The procedure for removal of an officer is as follows:

i. Within one week of violation, a written notice will be provided from the Executive Board that the officer is eligible for termination.

ii. The officer has one week to respond to the notice with either a letter of resignation or letter of appeal to remain instated.

iii. The Executive Board will arrange a meeting with the officer. Failure to attend a scheduled meeting will result in immediate termination.

iv. In the event that the Executive Board agrees to retain the officer, the Executive Board shall provide terms for remaining in office. If said terms are violated, the officer will be terminated immediately.

v. Any officer that feels they have been unjustly terminated may appeal to an Advisor and/or the Associated Student Organization.

ARTICLE VII

Activities and Projects

This club shall undertake at least two major projects annually; one to serve the community and the other to promote awareness, understanding, and new membership. Each project shall involve all or most members of the club.

1. FUNDRAISING

● General Fundraisers will be held for the benefit of the STEM club as a whole.

● Distribution of funds generated by general fundraisers will be decided by majority vote at regular STEM Club meetings.

● Fundraisers for specific projects will be coordinated and planned by the Long Term or Short-Term group or committee chair overseeing the project.

● Funds generated for a specific project are reserved for that project except in the case that the project has not been completed within two regular semesters after the fundraiser has been held.

2. DONATIONS AND GRANTS

● Donations and/or grants to the STEM club will be deposited in the general account, and dispersed for projects by majority vote except where the donation or grant was given to fund a specific project.

● Donations and/or grants for individual projects are reserved for that project's use only, and if the project is not carried out, will be returned to the agency/benefactor.

3. PROJECTS

● Each long-term group is responsible for organizing a minimum of one activity per semester, designed for open participation by the student body.

● The STEM Club may organize additional activities for either open participation or Club members’ enjoyment/enrichment.

● All general projects and group projects must be approved by the majority vote at regular STEM Club meetings.

ARTICLE VIII

Groups

LONG-TERM GROUPS

● Groups may be formed by active club members, with a majority vote of all STEM Club members present,

● Group Chair shall be called "Vice President of (group name)",

● Group Chair may appoint assistant Vice Presidents as needed,

● Group Chair must attend 50% of STEM club meetings and participate in at least one general STEM club fundraiser per semester,

● Group Chair positions shall be voted in accordance with Article V.

● Groups may organize and hold fundraisers for specific projects or activities. Participation in these fundraisers does not replace the participation requirement for general fundraisers.

● Groups may request STEM club funds for the purpose of their projects. Requests will be granted with a majority vote of all STEM Club members present.

2. SHORT-TERM GROUPS

● The president, with the approval of the Executive Board, may appoint special short-term groups as deemed necessary, citing their duties at the time of appointment. All such special groups shall lapse upon the completion of their duties, upon discharge by the appointing president, or with the end of the appointing president’s term of office, whichever occurs first.

● Groups may only be appointed for specific projects or duties not already under the jurisdiction of existing committees.

ARTICLE IX

Graduation Regalia

AVC STEM Club graduating members have the opportunity to be recognized and receive unique regalia(cords) that identify their club and leadership involvement. Regalia worn at commencement is a privilege afforded to those students who have met a distinct academic and leadership expectation.

STEM Club Regalia Recipient Criteria

STEM Club members receiving the regalia must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a current and active member of STEM club

2. Be in good standing with the AVC STEM club and Antelope Valley College

3. Must have a 2.0 GPA or higher

4. Have (a) held a formal leadership position (officer or committee chair) within STEM Club or (b) have met the following volunteer criteria set forth by the AVC STEM Club Constitution

Volunteer Criteria

To meet section 4.b of the STEM Club Regalia Recipient Criteria, club members must volunteer a minimum of 20 hours within AVC STEM Club and at least one of its committees. Of those 20 hours, the following criteria must be met:

1. A minimum of 10 volunteer hours must take place within the AVC STEM club, which includes, but is not limited to: attending regularly scheduled club meetings (refer to Article IV.6), events put on by AVC STEM Club, and any events/activities approved by the AVC STEM Executive Board for volunteer hours.

2. A minimum of 10 volunteer hours must take place within any of AVC STEM club’s committees, which includes, but is not limited to: attending regularly scheduled committee meetings, activities/projects done within a committee, and any event approved by said committee chair for volunteer hours.

ARTICLE X

Acceptance of Constitution and Bylaws

Every member of the club, by acceptance of membership, thereby accepts the principles of the Antelope Valley College STEM Club as expressed in its purpose and goals and agrees to comply with the Constitution and Bylaws of this club, and on these conditions alone is entitled to the privileges of the club. No member shall be absolved from the observance of the Constitution and Bylaws on the plea that a copy of them has not been received.

ARTICLE XI

STEM Club Emblem

The STEM Club emblem shall be preserved for the exclusive use and benefit of the STEM Club members. Each member of this club shall be entitled to wear or otherwise display the STEM Club emblem in a dignified and appropriate manner during the period of membership. Such entitlement shall be relinquished upon termination of membership or termination of this club.

ARTICLE XII

Administration

The Constitution may be amended only if approved by the current advisors and 3⁄4 vote of all club members.