EASSA

Constitution of the East Asian Studies Students' Association of McGill University

as ratified by Council, February 2014
 

​Title I — The Association

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1. Name

1.1 The association shall be known as the East Asian Studies Students' Association, or

by its acronym of EASSA.

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2. Aim

2.1 The aims of the EASSA shall be:

2.1.1 To represent all students in the department of East Asian Studies of McGill

  University and to promote their welfare and interests.

2.1.2 To provide activities and services to enhance the educational, cultural,

   environmental, and social aspects of the lives of its members.

2.2 The EASSA shall be recognized by its members, the Arts Undergraduate Society, the

Students’ Society of McGill University, the department of East Asian Studies and the Faculty of Arts as representative of all undergraduate students registered in the department of East Asian Studies of McGill Un

iversity.

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3. Membership

3.1 The membership of the EASSA shall include all undergraduate students currently

registered at McGill University in any of the major, double major, honours, joint honours, and minor programs of the department of East Asian Studies. This membership shall be accorded “Member” status.

3.2 Membership in the EASSA confers the right to participate in all activities organized

by the EASSA as well as the right to attend Council meetings and to exercise full speaking rights during all in-camera sessions, when in attendance.

3.2.1 The right of Members to attend meetings is subject to Section 5.4 (exclusion

  during closed meetings).

3.3 Non-members of the EASSA shall be known as “Observers”.

3.3.1 Observers may attend a meeting of Council with the assent of one member

  of Council (as defined in Title II, Section 4.2).

3.3.2 Observers shall have full speaking rights at all in-camera Council meetings

  (exclusion during closed meetings).

3.3.2.1 At any one meeting, the speaking rights of an Observer may be

     revoked by a three-quarters majority vote of Council members in

     attendance.

3.3.3 Rights of observers are subject to section 5.4 (closed meetings).

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Title II — Organization

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4. The Council

4.1 The governing body of the EASSA shall be known as the Council and as such shall:

4.1.1 Recognize the supremacy of this constitution and be bound by it.

4.1.2 Be empowered to make all decisions and take action on behalf of the EASSA.

4.1.3 Establish new Mandates of Council (tasks) to be led by individual Executives

  (as defined in Title II, Section 6).

4.2 The Council shall consist of:

4.2.1 The members of the Executive, defined as the then-current, non-vacant

  positions listed under sections 6.4 and 6.7.

4.2.2 The Councillors, a status being extended to Members described in Title II,

  Section 4.5.

4.3 Each Member of Council has full speaking rights and may exercise one vote in

decisions of Council.

4.4 Each Member of Council must remain a member of the EASSA throughout their

mandate, unless removal is required as described in Title IV.

4.5 Attendance at two meetings of Council by an EASSA Member shall be sufficient for

said Member to trigger a vote at the start of the second such meeting with the intent of extending Councillor status to said Member.

4.5.1 Councillor status shall be granted by majority vote of the Executive.
4.5.2 The new Councillor may from that point exercise a vote on decisions of

  Council.

4.5.3 Councillors shall be given the title of representative of their class year (e.g.

  “U1 Representative”).

4.5.4 The number of possible Councillors is unlimited.

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5. Meetings of Council

5.1 Quorum for a meeting of Council shall be at two-thirds of the members of the

Executive.

5.2 Council shall hold regular meetings at least once per month when classes are in

session during the Fall and Winter semesters.

5.3 Notice of all meetings shall be given to the EASSA membership in general and

members of Council in particular at least three days in advance.

5.3.1 In pressing and substantial cases, the Executive may decide to hold a

  meeting of Council as soon as possible. Such a meeting shall be called an     “emergency session”.

5.4 The Council may, when it deems necessary, conduct a “closed meeting” wherein

non-Council members may be excluded, individually or collectively, from attendance.

5.4.1 A decision to exclude Members will require a two-thirds majority vote of the

  Executive.

5.4.2 Minutes of such a meeting must be made available in such a situation

  within two months of the date of the closed meeting.

5.4.3 A closed meeting must be followed by a non-closed meeting to be

  held within 1 week following the date of the closed meeting.

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6. The Executive

6.1 There shall be a special committee of Council called the Executive, which shall

govern the EASSA between meetings of Council in a manner consistent with policies set out by Council.

6.2 The Executive shall be a non-hierarchical body, with all members of the Executive

equal to each other.

6.3 No Member may occupy two Executive positions at any one time (unless the office

of President has become vacated as described in Title II, Section 6.5.1).

6.4 The Executive, which shall be elected yearly in the manner described under Title

III, must at least be composed of:

6.4.1 The President
6.4.2 The Vice-President of Finance
6.4.3 The Vice-President of External Affairs

6.5 Should the office of President become vacant, the title of Acting President and the

duties of the President shall be granted to the Vice-President of External Affairs. If this position is also vacant, it shall pass to the Vice-President of Finance.

6.5.1 The title of Acting President may be held concurrently with any Executive

  position.

6.6 If the position of Vice-President of Finance or that of Vice-President of External

Affairs becomes vacant, it shall be filled by another member of the Executive.

6.6.1 The newly appointed Executive must give up the title, but only if it is in the

  best interests of the EASSA, not the duties, of their previous position.

6.6.2 If multiple Executives wish to assume the same position, said position will be

  filled by means of a majority vote of Executive members present at the

  meeting in which the assumption of the position is being discussed.

6.6.2.1 In the case of a vote involving more than two candidates for the same

     position, the candidate receiving the fewest votes will be rejected

     and a new vote will occur immediately with the remaining Executives

     until only two candidates remain.
6.6.2.2 In the case of a tie in a vote involving only two candidates, a

     coin-flip will decide the winner.

6.6.2.2.1 The coin shall be tossed up into the air and shall fall to the

 ground.

6.6.2.2.2 It must be called before the toss.
6.6.2.2.3 Either candidate has the option of declaring “best two out of

 three” while the coin is in the air. The flip will then be decided

 in this manner.

6.7 Other Executive positions that must be included in EASSA elections as described under Title III are:

6.7.1 The Vice-President of Events
6.7.2 The Vice-President of Internal Affairs
6.7.3 The Vice-President of Academic Affairs
6.7.4 The Vice-President of Communications
6.7.5 The Vice-President of Fundraising

6.8 If no Member stands for election in any one of the positions in Title II, Section 6.7,

the position in question shall be declared vacant and its attendant duties divided up amongst the non-vacant Executive as is deemed beneficial to the EASSA.

6.9 If at any point, a Councillor exists and any positions indicated in Title II, Section

6.7 are vacant, a Councillor may assume any one of these positions by declaring an

intention to do so at a meeting of Council.

6.9.1 If multiple Councillors wish to assume the same position, the procedure for

  selection shall follow those outlined in Title II, Section 6.6.2.2.

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7. Powers and Duties of the Executive

7.1 All members of the Executive shall:

7.1.1 Submit to the greater authority of Council and execute its decisions even if

  they conflict with the Executive's views on matters within his or her

  jurisdiction.

7.1.2 Submit any actions taken or decisions made between meetings of Council to

  be ratified at the following meeting of Council.

7.1.3 Be held accountable for the successes and failures in their Mandates of

  Council, and be commended or censured by Council as such.

7.1.4 Be responsible for the keeping of adequate records of their actions in order

  to ensure a smooth transition from one year to the next.

7.1.5 Commit to ensuring an equitable and reasonable distribution of work among

  the Executive.

7.1.6 Miss no more than two meetings of Council per semester.

7.1.6.1 Should an Executive miss more than two meetings of Council per

     semester, Council must take steps to investigate and if necessary strip

     the Executive of their position by the means described in Title IV of

     this constitution.

7.2 The President shall:

7.2.1 Coordinate and supervise the affairs of the EASSA.
7.2.2 Ensure that EASSA Members are well served by the EASSA.
7.2.3 Call and preside over meetings of Council.

7.2.3.1 Should the President be unable to attend a meeting of Council, the

     Vice-President of Internal Affairs shall call and preside over the

     meeting. If the Vice-President of Internal Affairs position is vacant,

     the President shall designate a replacement from within the Executive

     to call and preside over the meeting.

7.2.4 Monitor progress in all policy and project areas in a consistent but non

  intrusive manner, and report any concerns to Council.

7.2.5 Be the official spokesperson for the EASSA in a manner consistent with the

  policies set up by Council.

7.2.6 Co-ordinate with other departmental-, faculty-, or university-level student

  societies to lobby for changes that advance the interests of EASSA members

  and to organize events of common interest.

7.2.7 Attend departmental meetings as the undergraduate representative where

  he or she shall:

7.2.7.1 Be the official spokesperson for the EASSA in a manner consistent with

     the policies set up by Council.

7.2.7.2 Take account of the proceedings and report back on them at the next

     meeting of Council.

7.2.7.3 If the President is unable to attend a departmental meeting, the Vice

     President of Academic Affairs shall attend in his stead. If the latter

     position is vacant, the President shall designate a suitable

     replacement from within the Executive..

7.3 The Vice-President of Finance shall:

7.3.1 Advise Council on all financial matters of the EASSA.
7.3.2 Prepare, present to Council for ratification, and administer the budget of

  the EASSA.

7.3.3 Prepare and administer the budget of “Orientations”, the McGill student

  journal of East Asian Studies, if this concurs with the wishes of the editorial

  board of said publication.

7.3.4 Keep proper accounts and records of the financial dealings of the EASSA.

7.3.5 Within the realm of possibility, be consulted before any purchase made on

  behalf of the EASSA.

7.3.6 Be signatory for all transactions and financial matters.

7.3.7 Ensure the prompt repayment of expenses he or she deems advantageous for

  the goals of the EASSA.

7.3.8 Retain the right to refuse to refund, either in full or in part, any Executive's

  expenses if the Vice-President of Finance believes them to have been

  excessive or superfluous.

7.3.8.1 This decision must be explained at the next meeting of Council, where

     it will be put to a majority vote of the Council.

7.4 The Vice-President of External Affairs shall:

7.4.1 Attend Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) council meetings, and not be

  absent at more than two such meetings per semester.

7.4.2 Be responsible for representing the interests of the EASSA at said council

  meetings.

7.4.3 Report back to EASSA Council about the activities of the AUS.

7.4.4 Serve as the EASSA representative and as such will act as the liaison with the

  AUS.

7.4.5 Seek, if possible, opportunities to expand the scope of the EASSA to include

  Qinternational institutes and programs.

7.5 The Vice-President of Events shall:

7.5.1 Organize all events to be hosted by the EASSA.
7.5.2 Be responsible for efforts to promote EASSA events and fundraisers.
7.5.3 Organize and carry out all promotional activities on behalf of Orientations,

  provided this concurs with the wishes of the editorial board of said

  publication.

7.6 The Vice-President of Internal Affairs shall:

7.6.1 Assist the President in coordinating and supervising the affairs of the EASSA

  and its Council.

7.6.2 Be responsible for taking minutes during Council meetings.

7.6.3 Be responsible for forwarding these minutes to all Executive members, all

  Councillors, and all others who wish to receive them.

7.6.4 Ensure the minutes are accurate, but make for at least a somewhat

  entertaining read.

7.6.5 Be responsible for finding a replacement minute-taker should the Vice

  President of Internal Affairs not be able to attend a meeting for any reason      or if he or she is presiding over the meeting.

7.6.6 Manage internal communications (e.g. if an Executive is absent from a

  Council meeting, the Vice-President of Internal Affairs shall send the

  Executive an e-mail to tell him or her what transpired, and what is needed

  of them).

7.6.7 If at all possible, make an honest attempt to mediate any petty squabbles

  that may arise between members of Council.

7.7 The Vice-President of Academic Affairs shall:

7.7.1 Promote the academic interests of members of the EASSA to all relevant

  organizations and faculty (e.g. course changes).

7.7.2 Make attempts deemed necessary by Council to gauge these academic

  interests (e.g. by means of meetings, surveys, etc.)

7.7.3 Act as a peer academic advisor to Members and potential Members.

7.7.4 Create programs, as deemed necessary by Council, to enrich the academic

  life of EASSA Members (e.g. tutoring).

7.7.5 Co-supervise the affairs and needs of Orientations with the Vice-President of

  Communications.

7.8 The Vice-President of Communications shall:

7.8.1 Draw up a listserv in his or her native language (either English or French),

  with a translation in the other, and send it to all EASSA members.

7.8.1.1 If he or she is not comfortable writing in both languages, a second

     Vice-President of Communications may be appointed by majority vote

     amongst the Councillors by the Executive to serve primarily as the

     translator. Until such time as a second Vice-President of

     Communications is appointed, the listserv may be sent out in English

     only.

7.8.1.1.1 If the incumbent is uncomfortable writing in English, the

 listserv shall be sent out by the Vice-President of Internal

 Affairs or any capable Executive.

7.8.1.2 The listserv shall be sent out within one week of every meeting of

     Council, unless a majority vote of the Executive decides that this

     would not be in the best interests of the EASSA (reasons may include,

     but are not limited to, lack of items for inclusion).

7.8.2 Take note at all Council meetings of what items are to be included on the

  listserv, then include them.

7.8.3 Manage the Internet presence of the EASSA, including, but not limited to, its

  website, blog and e-mail account.

7.8.4 Reply promptly to all messages, electronic and otherwise, directed to the

  EASSA.

7.8.5 Coordinate the dissemination of information to various classes via

  consultation with the year representatives/Councillors and/or any Members

  and Observers.

7.8.6 Co-supervise the affairs and needs of Orientations with the Vice-President of

  Academic Affairs.

7.9 The Vice-President of Fundraising shall:

7.9.1 Organize all fundraising activities on behalf of the EASSA.
7.9.2 Organize and carry out all fundraising activities on behalf of Orientations,

  provided this concurs with the wishes of the editorial board of said

  publication.

7.10 Any other duties that may arise in the course of the year shall be divided up

 amongst the Executive as is deemed beneficial to the Association.

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Title III — Elections

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8. Definitions

8.1 “Working days” shall refer to any scheduled day of classes as defined by McGill

University.

8.2 “Unsolicited e-mails” shall refer to e-mails received by an individual, who does not

normally receive e-mail correspondences from the sender.

9. Time Period

9.1 EASSA elections must be completed no later than the final week of the Winter

Semester.

10. Location

10.1 If ballots are to be submitted by paper (i.e. not electronically), polling shall take

place either in the AUS Lounge or the EASSA Lounge.

10.1.1 If either of the above mentioned locations are not available, any other

    room arrangements must be discussed, voted on and ratified by Council by

    the second Friday of March.

11. Nominations

11.1 Nominating period must be a minimum of five working days.
11.2 The call for nominations must be publicized in a reasonable manner including, but

 not limited to:

11.2.1 The EASSA listserv.

11.2.2 A minimum of five posters must be posted indoors on McGill campus, at

    least two of which must be in the East Asian Studies building.

11.3 The call for nominations must provide guidelines for nomination requirements.
11.4 All members of the EASSA are eligible to run for an elected position.

11.4.1 To facilitate an orderly transition, nominations for the position of

    President, shall, be limited to current or previous Council members.

11.4.2 If no candidate fulfils the suggestions above, then interested candidates

    must have the approval of the outgoing President in order to be

    considered.

11.5 If no student presents his or herself for candidacy of any Executive position, then

 it shall be left vacant, unless a reasonable alternative presents itself.

11.6 Each candidate shall be eligible to run for only one position per election period.

 

12. Campaign Period

12.1 The campaign period shall last a minimum of five working days, and shall be

 immediately followed by the polling period.

12.2 No campaign material may be slanderous, libelous, and/or discriminatory towards

 another candidate and/or his or her position(s), nor may campaign material be

 degrading to any person, organization or department of McGill University or to

 any group in any way, to be judged by a reasonable standard.

12.3 No candidate shall spend more than five Canadian dollars on campaign materials.

12.4 No candidate shall send unsolicited e-mails or messages of any kind by any

 electronic medium.

12.5 The outgoing EASSA executive, with the exception of those seeking re-election,

 shall remain neutral in the campaign.

12.6 No candidate shall exchange food, materials or gifts as a means to solicit votes.

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13. Polling Period

13.1 All polling must be anonymous.
13.2 The polling period shall last for a minimum of two working days.
13.3 All members of the EASSA may cast only one ballot. 13.4.

13.4 Voting by proxy is prohibited.
13.5 The counting of ballots must be completed within twenty-four hours of the

 completion of polling and the results are to be announced over the EASSA listserv.

13.6 Paper ballots shall be stored for one week in the AUS office.

13.6.1 After one week, unless there are disputes, the ballots shall be destroyed.
13.6.2 Should a dispute occur, ballots shall be destroyed one week afier the

    dispute is settled.

13.7 All outgoing Executives shall coordinate and administer the elections period, with

 validation being conferred by the AUS Chief Returning Officer (CRO).

 

14. Contingencies, Recounts and Disputes

14.1 All disputes regarding these by-laws or election procedures shall be settled by the

 AUS CRO.

14.2 Candidates who wish to contest an election must do so within one week and a

 recount is subject to the discretion of the AUS CRO.

14.3 In the event of a tie, a recount shall occur. If the recount does not break the tie,

 then an offer of joint occupancy of the position shall be offered. If this is not

 acceptable then the two candidates shall flip a coin, a game which shall be

 presided over by the AUS CRO and the outgoing EASSA President.

14.3.1 The coin shall be tossed up into the air and shall fall to the ground.
14.3.2 It must be called before the toss.
14.3.3 Either candidate has the option of declaring “best two out of three” while

    the coin is in the air. The decision will then be decided in this manner.

14.4 In the event a candidate running against at least one other candidate wins the

 majority vote for that position, this individual has the option of extending to the

 runner-up candidate an offer of joint occupancy of the position.

14.4.1 This decision must be declared by the winner in written form to the AUS

    CRO within 24 hours of the election results being announced. The runner

    up must affirm this announcement with a written statement and signature,

    sent to the AUS CRO.

14.4.2 This offer can only be extended by the winner of a position to the

    candidate with the second-most vote count of that same position.

 

15. Period of Service

15.1 The newly elected members of the Executive shall come into office on May 1 of

 the year in which they were elected and shall leave office on April 30 of the

 following calendar year.

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Title IV — Removal from Office

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16. Removal

16.1 A member of the EASSA Council shall only be removed in extreme circumstances,

 such as impropriety, delinquency of duties or misappropriation of funds.

16.2 Assent to a motion to remove a member of EASSA Council shall require a vote cast

 in agreement at a Council meeting by three-quarters of the “full Executive,” that

 is, this ratio shall also include Executives not present at the meeting.

16.2.1 Should the motion pass, the decision for removal must be immediately communicated to the removed member and the AUS CRO.

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Title V — The Constitution

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17. Superseding Clause

17.1 This constitution repeals and supersedes all previous constitutions of the EASSA.

 

18. Amendments

18.1 Amendments may be proposed piecemeal by individual members of Council.

18.2 Assent to a motion to amend the Constitution of the EASSA shall require a vote

 cast in agreement at a Council meeting by three-quarters of the full Executive (as

 defined in Title IV, Section 16.2).

18.2.1 If assent is granted, the amendment must be forwarded to the AUS

 

19. Review

19.1 This Constitution shall be read by all members of Council before the first Council

 meeting of every school year.

19.1.1 If a Council member joins Council mid-mandate, it shall be read by him or

her within one week of joining.