Student OrgsMuslim Students Association (MSA)

Article I – Section 1 – The name of this club or organization shall be Muslim Students Association. Article II – Purpose/Mission Statement Section 1 – The Muslim Student Association (MSA) provides Gustavus students with the opportunity to come together in a supportive Muslim environment and seeks to educate the Gustavus and St. Peter communities about Islam. All students and community members are welcome to MSA activities and events. Above all, we recognize that students are at varied levels in their own faith and we are welcoming to all, regardless of the extent of one's religious knowledge or determination Section 2 – Muslim Students Association shall abide by all Gustavus policies and procedures. Article III – Membership Section 1 – Any student, faculty and staff at Gustavus Adolphus College may become a member of Muslim Students Association. Section 2 -- Membership in this organization is open to all, irrespective of race, creed, color, gender, class, age, nation of origin, nationality, disability, marital status, religion, veteran status, or sexual orientation. Article IV – Officers/Executive Board Section 1 – The officers of this club or organization shall be: President, Historian, Secretary, DLC (Diversity Leadership Council) Rep, and Treasurer. President: General governance, oversees event coordination and speaker invitations, calls meetings, organizes the group. Historian: Creates and maintains website, takes pictures at events, updates Facebook group, makes posters, advertises events to campus community. Secretary: Email group about upcoming meetings and events, advertise events to campus community, takes minutes during meetings. DLC Rep: Attend regular DLC meetings and report back to group; also be aware of how to represent MSA at DLC. Treasurer: Manages and maintains group funding. Section 2 – Officers must have been a member of the organization for at least two months and show a sincere interest in promoting the group’s mission and endeavors. They must also be a full-time student and in in good standing. Officers are decided by a majority vote. Section 3 – Each position is year-long, and the officer has the ability to re-apply after his/her term. Term begins at the end of the spring semester. Section 4 – If an officer is not in good standing at Gustavus, is not abiding by the group’s guidelines, or is not fulfilling his/her duties, the officer can be removed by a majority vote or by the president of the organization. Section 5 – An agenda will be prepared before each meeting by the president. Meeting minutes will be recorded by the secretary after each meeting and shared with the group via email. Article V – Elections Section 1 – Election of officers shall be held in May. The president and advisor will oversee and announce elections. Elections will be announced two weeks prior via email and in the group meeting. Section 2 – If a vacancy opens, either another officer will carry out the duties, or if no officer can take them on, a vote will be held for a replacement officer. Section 3 – A secret ballot will be used for voting, and votes will be counted by president and advisor. Each member’s vote counts as one vote. To be a voting member, one must have attended at least 50% of MSA meetings and/or events. Article VI – Meetings Section 1 – Regular meetings of this club or organization shall be held weekly. The president and advisor have the authority to call a meeting, and the secretary has the responsibility of notifying members of the organization via email. Section 2 – Quorum shall consist of 70% voting members. Article VII– Advisors . Section 1 – The advisor will be someone who is affiliated with the Muslim Student Association and ideally would have some knowledge/background about Islam. Section 2 – 1. An advisor must be a full-time employee of Gustavus Adolphus College and not on sabbatical leave. If you are going to be gone for an extended period of time, it is your duty to assist your organization in finding a proxy. 2. The advisor should be aware of the organization’s meetings/events and should try to attend as often as is possible. If it is impossible to attend, the advisor should meet with the president to obtain a copy of the minutes of the meeting and follow-up. 3. The advisor should know who is on the executive board of the organization and meet with them on a regular basis to establish a meaningful working relationship. 4. The advisor should be available as a resource for the organization. 5. The advisor should have an updated list of all members and their contact information. 6. The advisor should receive and review the organization’s financial reports monthly. 7. The advisor should be knowledgeable of the organization’s purpose and constitution to help the members abide by it. 8. The advisor should help the members develop self-responsibility and self-discipline; allowing the students to use skills they are learning in classroom experiences in addition to learning from mistakes. 9. The advisor should introduce new ideas and suggestions for programs. 10. While the extent and nature of the advising role may vary, generally advisory duties include: • Consulting with student leaders on programs, activities and events • General oversight of the group’s budget and finances • Interpretation of College policies and procedures • Signature authority for College vehicle reservations and funds use As a college employee, the advisor has a responsibility to both the college and the organization. The advisor is expected to use his or her knowledge to inform the group and to discourage illegal, damaging or embarrassing behavior that would damage college facilities and/or the physical, financial, emotional reputation of the college. Such behavior could subject both the advisor and the College to civil liability. The advisor is duty-bound to report any such activities to the Student Activities Office. The presence and/or participation of a College advisor in no way relieves student organization members of their responsibility to abide by the law and expectations of the college, nor does the singular presence of the advisor constitute College approval of the event. Article VIII -- I Constitutional Amendments Section 1 – This constitution may be amended by a vote of 70% of voting members. Revisions may be proposed by voting members during weekly meetings and will be voted on the following week. Changes are effective immediately upon their passage. [Insert the number or proportion of the membership required to amend the constitutions. What is the process by which revisions may be proposed? A revised copy must be e-mailed to the Office of Student Activities. Article IX – Bylaws Section 1 – Anything that is said at meetings should remain private and not shared outside of the meeting space. The nature of meetings may be personal at times, and members should respect others’ privacy. Section 2 -- All members must be respectful of differences in religiosity and the diversity of identity and practice.