Constitution
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
SCHOOL OF LAW
JEWISH LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
CHARTER,
CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS
Article I: Description and Purpose
The University of Richmond, School of Law, Jewish Law Students Association (JLSA) is an organization of University of Richmond students, staff, and faculty advisors who share an interest in Jewish legal issues, socio-political concerns and in meeting the needs and interests of Jewish law students at University of Richmond. The Jewish Law Students Association strives to enhance the law school experience of its Members by providing programs of social, professional, and Jewish dimensions. The JLSA shall achieve its mission by means including, but not limited to:
A. Presentations, including lectures, on Jewish legal issues, by distinguished individuals from the School of Law, University of Richmond, or other relevant academic, government, or professional institutions;
B. Sponsorship of social gatherings with Members and other relevant groups and/or individuals;
C. Sponsorship of community service programs for the benefit of University of Richmond, the School of Law, the Richmond community, and Jewish organizations;
D. Coordination of traditional Jewish activities;
E. Communication and participation with relevant University and non-University organizations, including but not limited to the National Jewish Law Students Association, the Jewish law reviews, the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, and University of Richmond and School of Law student groups and student government associations; and
F. Disseminating information to, and, to the extent deemed possible, sponsoring attendance for, Members regarding conferences and educational opportunities relevant to Jewish legal issues.
Article II: Membership
Membership in the JLSA is open to all students who embrace the purposes of the association and who pay the yearly dues, if required. Whether or not dues are required for a given academic year will be determined by a majority of JLSA Officers at the start of an academic year. The Jewish Law Students Association is open to all interested University of Richmond students, regardless of religious or political affiliation.
Article III: Officers and Elections
A. There will be between one and eight JLSA Officers. The number of Officers for a given academic year will be determined by a majority vote of voting Members in the final General Meeting of the preceding academic year. The time and place of the final General Meeting shall be diligently published to all School of Law students. Members unable to attend the final General Meeting may participate via electronic mail or any other reasonable means. The voting procedures, as follows, shall be made known to all participating Members.
B. Voting shall be by secret ballot, or by any other reasonable means, including oral or electronic means. Reasonable means of voting will be decided upon by a majority of Officers who are also not candidates.
C. Candidates for all Officer positions must be JLSA Members in good standing as per Article II. Candidates are encouraged to campaign in any manner they wish prior to the election. However, no personal attacks will be tolerated against any opponents and such conduct will strike the candidate's name from the election roster.
D. Participating Members shall first vote on the number of Officers to be elected for the following academic year. A majority of Member votes will determine the number of officers.This number may be changed by an additional majority vote by participating Members prior to the close of the final General Meeting.
E. Participating Members shall then vote for candidates for Officers, with each Member able to cast one vote for each Officer position. The candidate with the most votes will become President.Remaining Officer positions will be filled in accordance with the subsequent highest vote counts, until the number of positions previously decided upon are filled. In the event that the position of President or the last position to be filled contains two or more equal vote counts for given candidates, run-off elections may be held.
F. The President and Officers will decide on the titles, duties, and responsibilities of the Officers. In the absence of agreement, the candidate with the second-highest vote count will be entitled Vice-President, the candidate with the third-highest vote count will be entitled Treasurer, the candidate with the fourth-highest vote count will be entitled Secretary, and other remaining Officers will be entitled Executive Board Members.
G. Under all circumstances, the President will be responsible for:
1) Maintaining all official communication with University of Richmond, School of Law and Student Bar Association officials;
2) Ensuring proper organizational chartering, financing, and provision of programming in accordance with University of Richmond, College of Law and Student Bar Association procedures;
3)Providing no less than two viable programs of any kind to benefit the Jewish Law Students of University of Richmond, and one viable program to benefit the greater law school, university, or civic community per academic year; and
4)Securing or maintaining at least one faculty advisor and maintaining communication with any and all advisors.
H. The President and Officers, upon agreement, may choose to entitle Officers in accordance with their agreement. Duties including, but not limited to, those listed below under Article III (I) through Article III (M) MUST be delegated to various Officers upon agreement.
I. In the absence of Officer agreement on Officer titles and responsibilities, the President, in addition to those non-delegable duties listed under Article III(G), shall:
1)Set the time, date, and agenda of both General and Officer meetings and preside over them;
2)Distribute information to School of Law students about the JLSA by way of electronic mail, brochures, flyers, attendance at School of Law sponsored events including new student Orientation, and all other reasonable means; and
3)Correspond with all other relevant student and professional groups, including but not limited to, Hillel, the Israeli Consulate, the Jewish Federation, the National Jewish Law Students Association, other local or regional Jewish Law Student Associations, and other law student groups.
J. In the absence of Officer agreement on Officer titles and responsibilities, the Vice-President shall:
1)Perform all duties of the President upon absence of the President;
2)Assist the President on all matters and undertake any and all additional responsibilities delegated to him or her by the President; and
3)Establish and coordinate committees for events and programming. Committee Membership will be open to all Officers and Members, provided that at least one Officer serves as Chair of each committee, as determined by a majority vote of Committee Members.
K. In the absence of Officer agreement on Officer titles and responsibilities, the Treasurer shall:
1) Handle all JLSA financial matters, including budgeting, funding, reimbursements, and auditing;
2)Prepare budget requests as per Student Bar Association requirements; and
3)Maintain a detailed record of all J.L.S.A. expenditures and income.
L. In the absence of Officer agreement on Officer titles and responsibilities, the Secretary shall:
1)Take minutes at all Association meetings and make them available to all Members by the use of all reasonable means;
2)Create and disseminate information on upcoming JLSA programs by use of all reasonable means;
3)Maintain the JLSA Web site, list serve and e-mail account;
4)Maintain a library of local Jewish resources;
5)Maintain a complete record of JLSA programming in a duly-labeled annal, to be stored with other historical JLSA materials; and
6)Prepare and update membership lists and records.
M. In the absence of Officer agreement on Officer titles and responsibilities, Executive Board Members shall:
1)Work within at least one event and/or programming committee;
2)Assist other Officers with any duties as able and necessary.
Article IV: Removal of Officers
A. Officers may be removed for good cause, including but not limited to, neglect of their responsibilities and duties as spelled out in this charter or by two-thirds vote of Association members present at a general meeting.
B. If an Association officer is removed or vacates his or her office for any reason, an election shall be held at the next general meeting of the Association to replace the officer with the exception of the President who is replaced by the Vice-President, and a new Vice-President is elected.
Article V: Amendments
This document may be amended at any General Meeting of the JLSA by a two-thirds majority vote of Members present. No amendment will be made when the previously-listed standards for publication of the relevant General Meeting have not been met. All efforts must be made to include all Members, by any reasonable means, in the General Meeting wherein amendments to this document are sought.