MIT MAES Constitution

You can find the most up to date MIT Chapter Constitution below. You can access particular sections of the Constitution through these quick links:

Article I
Name of Organization

Article II
Purpose/Objective

Article III
Association
Section 1-Affiliation
Section 2-Non Discrimination

Article IV
Membership

Article V
Officers/Executive Board
Section 1-Officers
Section 2-Officer's Responsibilities
Section 3-Planning Committees

Article VI Elections/Voting
Section 1-Nominations
Section 2-Voting
Section 3-Transition Period
Section 4-Officers First Day of Term

Article VII
Meetings
Section 1-Definition of Quorum
Section 2-General Meetings
Section 3-Executive Board Meetings

Article VIII
Resignations and Impeachments
Section 1-Resignations
Section 2-Impeachments

Article IX
Amendments to Bylaws

Article I: Name Of Organization

MIT Chapter of the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists

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Article II: Purpose/Objective

The purpose of this student chapter is to:

  1. Increase the number of minority engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  2. Promote the advancement of minority engineers and scientists in employment and education.
  3. Improve the retention of minority students enrolled in engineering and science.
  4. Provide a forum for the exchange of information pertinent for minority engineering/science students enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  5. Develop a working network with area schools to encourage minority students to enter the engineering and science fields.
  6. Promote professional advancement for minority engineers and scientists by fostering cooperation among industry, government, and the academic and professional communities to improve educational and employment opportunities.
  7. Provide counseling and financial assistance to minority students in engineering and science.

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Article III: Association
    Section 1: Affiliation

    The Massachusetts Institute of Technology MAES student chapter will be an affiliated chapter to the Society of the Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES).  This organization possesses the right to adopt its own rules and procedures within the framework of MAES rules and regulations and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's rules and regulations.  This chapter is under the MAES Region 5.

    As a student chapter at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MAES will abide by the rules and regulations of the Association of Student Activities (ASA).

    Section 2: Non-Discrimination

    No person shall be denied membership in this organization because of race, color, sex, handicap, nationality, religious affiliation or belief, etc... even though the name (Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists) was chosen.

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Article IV: Membership

Members shall be students enrolled full or part-time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Members should have as their goal a career in the sciences or engineering fields considered appropriate by the membership.  To be in good standing and retain all the rights and privileges of membership a member must attend at least fifty percent of the organization's meetings and/or activities during the semester.

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Article V: Officers and Event Planning Committees
    Section 1: Officers

    Officers shall consist of a President, Vice President, Vice President of Internal Relations, Vice President of External Relations, Vice President of Educational Outreach, Vice President of Marketing, Secretary, and Treasurer.  The term of office is one full year.

    Section 2: Duties

    President - shall preside over general, emergency, and officer meetings. The president shall assist the officers in developing the leadership qualities of membership as well as encourage other board members to preside over future meetings. The president will oversee all group activities, including Science Extravaganza and all other major events. Moreover, the president is the official representative of MIT MAES and responsible for attending all meetings in which MIT MAES is a part of, e.g. OMESAC, Latino Leaders, etc. This also includes being the direct contact with MAES National, MAES-Boston Professional Chapter, MIT faculty advisor, and professional advisor.

    Vice President of Internal Relations (VPIR) - shall be in charge of communicating with offices and departments on campus. This includes reserving rooms/spaces on campus for any event hosted by MIT MAES as well as securing on campus funding from academic departments and MIT offices. Moreover, the VPIR shall be in charge of communication between MIT MAES and other student groups at MIT, including but not limited to SHPE, NSBE, SWE, AISES, and LCC groups. The VPIR will assume the responsibilities of the president in case of absence.

    Vice President of External Relations (VPER) - shall establish relationships and be the spokesperson between MIT MAES and corporations and other entities outside of MIT, as well as actively explore funding opportunities outside of MIT. This entails networking and partnering with companies, coordinating events with corporations, and being the direct contact for prospective Diversity Career Fair participants. The VPER shall also be responsible for communicating with other SHPE, MAES, and SACNAS groups outside of MIT. Moreover, the VPER will communicate extensively with the Region IV Student Vice President.

    Vice President of Educational Outreach (VPEO) - shall develop an outreach curriculum for Science Extravaganza and serve as the direct contact between MAES and prospective participants of Science Extravaganza and other educational outreach events. The VPEO will be in charge of the MIT MAES scholarship fund and will lead the selection process for its recipients. The VPEO shall also develop a sustainable outreach program if MIT MAES decides to create one as well as lead the Science Extravaganza Planning Committee.


    Vice President of Marketing (VPM) - shall be in charge of all social media. This includes social networking sites, event flyers, announcement emails, banners, pamphlets, MAES apparel, etc. The VPM will maintain the chapter website and update it on a regular basis with important and relevant information. The VPM will work closely with the VPIR and the VPER in order to publicize events both on and off campus as well as aid them in promoting the organization effectively. Moreover, the VPM will keep an updated inventory of all banners, apparel, posters, and easels that constitute capital investments of MIT MAES.

    Treasurer - shall monitor the finances of the organization, pay bills, report on the state of each account upon request by any chapter officer or advisor, take in estimated budgets from committees, give receipts for moneys due in the name of the organization and file an end-of-year report to the MAES National Board of Directors. The treasurer will also be in charge of collecting membership dues and keeping track of any other sources of revenue that the organization receives such as MAES apparel sales, fundraisers, etc.

    Secretary - shall keep the minutes, type up the agendas of all meetings and keep track of member attendance. The secretary has the sole responsibility of having the club letterhead of the student chapter. The secretary will also keep an updated online database of all documents pertaining to chapter operations, including general body minutes and slides, executive board meeting minutes, proposals, etc.

    Section 3: Planning Committees

    Diversity Career Fair Planning Committee (DCFPC) - DCFPC will consist of five people total: three board members and two general members. The VPER will serve as head of the committee. The DCFPC will take care of all the logistics concerning the Diversity Career Fair: space reservations for the event as well as space layout, securing volunteers to set up and clean up for the event, collect resumes for a career fair resume book, following up with companies that have been contacted by the VPER with event details, working closely with the MIT Career Development Center for follow up interviews, and coordinating information sessions with companies that request them.

    Concerning more broad matters such as publicizing for the event, the DCFPC will delegate such tasks to the respective MAES board members. After the event, the DCFPC will write a report on the outcome of the event - this includes a version to be distributed to companies that participated and a version that will be used as a transition tool for future committees.

    Science Extravaganza Planning Committee (SEPC) - SEPC will consist of six people total: three board members and three general members. The VPEO will serve as head of the committee. The SEPC will take care of all the logistics concerning the Science Extravaganza: contacting labs and securing their participation, space reservations for the event as well as space layout, securing buses for student transportation, securing volunteer participation and providing volunteer training, making the event schedule, and ordering workshop materials. The SEPC will also need to create a budget for the event and get it confirmed by the treasurer before purchasing anything.

    Concerning more broad matters such as funding for the event, the SEPC will delegate such tasks to the respective MAES board members. After the event, the SEPC will keep an updated inventory of leftover workshop materials and write a report on the outcome of the event - this includes a version to be distributed to labs and offices and a version that will be used as a transition tool for future committees.

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Article VI: Elections/Voting
    Section 1: Nominations

    Nominations are to be made in a general meeting held two weeks before the university's club coordination council's deadline for submitting annual reports.

    Only members as defined in Article IV may accept a nomination.

    Candidates may be nominated for more than one office but only as either position is filled.

    Section 2: Voting

    Voting shall occur in subsequent steps with nominations in the following order: President, Vice President, Secretary, Regional Committee Representative and Treasurer.

    Only members in good standing, as defined previously, are eligible to vote.

    Voting shall be by secret ballot whose tallying is conducted in the absence of the said candidates.

    In the event that there is not a majority vote, the top two vote receivers will hold a run-off election.

    Members of the executive board may vote for all elections but on the occasion of a tie, only the executive board will break the tie.

    Officers may be re-elected.

    In the event that an officer is re-nominated, the said officer may not vote in breaking a tie for the position he/she is vying for.

    Section 3: Training

    The newly elected officers shall undergo a transitional period in which the old officers shall introduce the new officers to the responsibilities and duties to the respective offices.

    Section 4: Term

    The newly elected officers shall begin their term on the last day of the academic year.

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Article VII: Meetings
    Section 1: Definition of Quorum

    A quorum shall consist of fifty percent of all members and a majority of the executive officers.

    Section 2: General Meetings

    General meetings shall be called by the executive board, whereas a minimum of five meetings shall be held every academic semester.

    Section 3: Executive Board Meetings

    Executive board members shall hold weekly meetings with a majority of the officers present.

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Article VIII: Resignations and Impeachments
    Section 1: Resignations

    A letter of resignation shall be submitted to the President or Vice President by any person willing to resign from office at least a week before the next chapter meeting.

    During a meeting when a resignation is presented, nominations will be taken to fill the office and voting procedures will be conducted as stated in Article VI.

    Section 2: Impeachments

    When any member feels that an officer is not fulfilling his/her duties, he/she may call upon the rest of the officers to call a special meeting within the next week to discuss/resolve the matter.

    During the impeachment proceedings the case will be presented. The officer under investigation will be given the opportunity to present his/her defense before the general vote.

    A two-thirds vote, excluding the investigated officer, is needed for the impeachment to be carried out.

    In the event the impeachment is carried out, a new candidate will be nominated and elected as described under Article VI.

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Article IX: Amendments to Bylaws

Proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the membership at a general meeting. A favorable vote of two-thirds of the members on the issue is required for amendment passage. The amendment shall be submitted to the MAES National Board, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chapter for approval.

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