Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Trans and Straight Ally Students

Mission Statement

In light of changes in the way the MSU LBGT community is structured on campus, the vision for the Alliance was revised in Spring, 2003 to better reflect our true role and functions.

The Alliance has been a registered student organization for over 30 years. We are governed by the Associated Students of MSU (ASMSU) and funded by ASMSU tax dollars. We have seats on Academic Assembly, Student Assembly, the Residence Halls Association, and Programming Board.

Constitution

Revised Spring, 2003.

Article I: ASMSU.

This constitution and its bylaws are subordinate to the constitution of the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) and to the code of operations of the ASMSU Programming Board.

Article II: The Alliance.

This organization shall be known as the Alliance of Lesbian-Bi[1]-Gay and Transgender Students of Michigan State University.

Article III: Purpose.

The purpose of the Alliance is to provide a safe and healthy environment to  advocate for change, equality and inclusion for the MSU community. To accomplish this purpose, the Alliance shall support and network with other LBGT, racial and ethnic, and progressive groups, as well as provide educational programs to the MSU community. It will also establish and approve supportive policies and resolutions to effectively advocate change in the MSU community.

Article IV: Membership.

The official membership of the Alliance will consist of all interested members of the Michigan State, East Lansing and Lansing communities. Voting privileges in the Alliance are reserved for members of the Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU), as defined in the ASMSU Constitution.

Article V: Organization of the Alliance.

Section A: Board of Directors. There will be a Board of Directors for the Alliance. All Directors must be undergraduate students at MSU and must be elected as outlined in the Bylaws. Directors are elected to a term of one school year. There may be no fewer than three and no more than seven persons on the Board of Directors at any one time during a given term.

Section B: Other Offices. Other offices and committees shall be appointed or created at the discretion of the Board of Directors and approved by Alliance members.

Section C: Representatives. Representatives to the ASMSU Student Assembly, the ASMSU Academic Assembly, and the ASMSU Programming Board shall either be selected from the Board of Directors or appointed from the membership of the Alliance, subject to member approval.

Article VI: Advisors.

Section A: Programming Board Advisor(s). The ASMSU Programming Board Advisor(s) shall advise the Alliance and have the right to attend all business meetings.

Section B: Representative(s) from LBGT Concerns. Representative(s) from LBGT Concerns shall serve as the advisor(s) to the Alliance and have the right to attend all business meetings.

Section C: Other Advisors. The Alliance may adopt other advisors by action of the Board of Directors and with the approval of Alliance members. These additional advisors shall have the right to attend all business meetings.

Section D: Communication. The advisor(s) must be informed of the time and place of all future business meetings, the results of all past business meetings, and shall be updated regularly as to Alliance business.

Article VII: Amendments.

Section A: Proposal of Amendments. Amendments to this Constitution and its Bylaws may be proposed by the presentation of such at any business meeting. Proposed amendments must be presented in written form.

Section B: Handling of Amendments. Amendments will be introduced and considered as follows:

1. First Reading: at a business meeting no less than one week before the voting date.
2. Second Reading: at an Alliance meeting or program open to the general public; afterwards the amendment must be posted in the Alliance office with the date of the reading and the scheduled voting date.
3. Third Reading: at a business meeting of the Alliance, which must be open to all members of the Alliance, after which a vote will be taken.

Section C: Passage of Amendments. An amendment passes if it receives at least a seventy-five percent (75%) majority vote of the members present at the business meeting.

Article VIII

The Alliance, from time to time, may officially affiliate itself with certain campus and off-campus groups. Such affiliation may not violate any portion of the Alliance Constitution or its Bylaws. The format of this affiliation will be decided by the Board of Directors, with the advise of Alliance members.

Article IX

The Alliance shall not discriminate based on any reason.

Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay and Transgender Students Bylaws

Revised Spring, 2003

1.0 Eligibility Requirements for Board Members

1. 1.1 Must be enrolled at MSU as an undergraduate at the time of nomination.
2. 1.2 Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

2.0 Election Procedures

1. 2.1 The following procedures will take place no later than the tenth (10th) week of Spring Semester.
2. 2.2 A nomination must be submitted to the Board of Directors, or to the individual designated to run the election process, by the time and date set for the end of the nomination process. The nomination period shall be no fewer than ten (10) weekdays in length, and must conform to all the Affirmative Action procedures of ASMSU.
3. 2.3 At the next business meeting following the end of the nomination period, the election shall be held.
4. 2.4 Elections shall occur with a prescribed order at every regular election. The Chairperson shall be elected, followed by the Internal Vice Chairperson, followed by the External Vice Chairperson, followed by the Events Coordinator, followed by the Treasurer, followed by the Public Relations Coordinator, followed by the Office Manager.
5. 2.5 Each candidate present will be given between three and five minutes to address the membership, following by a questioning period until all candidates for each position have presented. This is followed by a general discussion amongst all members as to the qualities of the candidates based upon the issues addressed in the candidates' speeches and questioning periods. Ballots will be distributed to all eligible voters and the candidates who receive a plurality of the vote will assume the positions for which they were running.
6. 2.6 Candidates are required to be at the election in order to be elected, unless a vote to waive requirement of their presence is passed by all Board members.
7. 2.7 Members who wish to vote in absentia may do so by means of a sealed envelope containing their vote. This envelope must be given to a member of the Board of Directors, or to the individual designated to run the election process, before the business meeting at which the voting is to occur. The envelope may not be opened before all other votes are collected.
8. 2.8 Votes will also be accepted through the Alliance e-mail account.
9. 2.9 Incumbent board members must be re-elected each year.
10. 2.10 After the election, newly elected board members will receive training by the outgoing board members before the end of Spring Semester.

3.0 Business Meetings

1. 3.1 The Alliance will hold business meetings no fewer than every two (2) weeks during Fall and Spring semesters.
2. 3.2 Summer business meetings will be scheduled at the discretion of the Board of Directors.
3. 3.3 A special meeting may be called by any Board member, with at least three (3) working days notice, by posting an announcement in the Alliance office and/or on Triangle.
4. 3.4 The meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson-Select (see 6.5.1).
5. 3.5 Quorum shall consist of no fewer than two (2) regular Alliance members and three (3) Board member.

4.0 Grievance Procedures

1. 4.1 Personal grievances may be submitted in writing or in person to one of the members of the Board. The person handling the grievance will be responsible for contacting all parties involved and finding a mutually agreed upon mediator. The person handling the grievance shall mediate if no one else is found or agreed upon.
2. 4.2 The Board of Directors shall review the decisions of the mediator and implement them in accordance with the procedures of the Alliance as laid out in the Constitution and the Bylaws.

5.0 Impeachment Procedures

1. 5.1 Grounds for impeachment shall be as follows
   1. 5.1.1 Violating the Constitution or the Bylaws
   2. 5.1.2 Misuse of the organization's resources
   3. 5.1.3 Misrepresentation of the organization
   4. 5.1.4 As a result of the grievance process
2. 5.2 Written notice of the reasons for impeachment must be submitted by someone for the impeachment process to begin.
3. 5.3 One copy of this justification shall be given to the impeached and one shall be posted in the Alliance office.
4. 5.4 The Board of Directors shall designate one of the upcoming business meetings, at which the members shall consider the impeachment question. This meeting must be held within four (4) weeks of the impeachment process.
5. 5.5 The meeting shall be conducted as follows: the individuals involved shall each have a reasonable amount of time to present their respective cases. The members present at the business meeting shall have the right to question all parties involved. A vote will then be taken, excluding those involved in the impeachment. A three-fourths (75%) majority vote is required to impeach.
6. 5.6 After impeachment has taken place, a second vote of at least three-fourths (75%) majority vote is required to remove the impeachee from office. This vote may take place at the same meeting at which the impeachment took place.
7. 5.7 The parties involved in the impeachment shall have the right to appeal the decision of the business meeting in accordance with ASMSU procedure.

6.0 Duties of the Board of Directors

1. 6.1 Must hold a minimum of one (1) office hour each week at posted pre-scheduled and consistent time, unless otherwise stated in job position.
2. 6.2 Responsible for reviewing, approving and implementing the internal procedures and policies for the Alliance.
3. 6.3 Responsible for attending and participating in co-director and general assembly meetings, as well as Alliance sponsored events.
4. 6.4 Responsible for organizing campus LBGT related events.
5. 6.5 The Board of Directors shall be elected into the following positions:
   1. 6.5.1 Chairperson
      • Facilitate meetings
      • Prepare an agenda
      • Be the organization spokesperson
      • Representative coordinator
      • Have secondary signatory power
      • Have an active role in academic government
      • Ensure the Alliance follows ASMSU and University guidelines
      • Delegate all unfilled responsibilities due to unfilled codirector position
   2. 6.5.2 Internal Vice Chairperson
      • Panel coordinator
      • Maintain the constitution along with Treasurer
      • Facilitate intragroup communication and enforce the internal procedures and policies for the Alliance
   3. 6.5.3 External Vice Chairperson
      • Caucus Representative
      • CORES/COPS outreach head
      • LBGT Leadership representative
   4. 6.5.4 Office Manager
      • Coordinates office staff hours
      • Keeps office computer happy
      • Office maintenance
      • Have at least five posted office hours
      • Maintain the library
      • Be the historian
      • Take minutes at business meetings
   5. 6.5.5 Events Coordinator
      • Serves as National Coming Out Days committee head
      • Serves as Pride Week committee head
      • Serves as the committee head for any other special events the Alliance may hold
   6. 6.5.6 Public Relations Coordinator
      • Maintain website
      • Handle and direct all incoming/outgoing emails
      • Create flyers for events and other relevant topics
      • Primary media contact
      • Create press releases for relevant events
      • Promote organization through resource creation for outreach purposes
   7. 6.5.7 Treasurer
      • Must keep a financial record and be able to present a report when necessary
      • Be the ASMSU programming board representative
      • Present a yearly operating budget
      • Have primary signatory power
      • Maintain the constitution along with Internal Vice Chairperson

7.0 Other Offices

The following offices may be held by any Alliance member, including Co-Directors, at the discretion of the codirectors.

1. 7.1 Academic Assembly Representative
   • Serves the Alliance and ASMSU as the voting representative for LBGT concerns on the Academic Assembly
   • Attends regular Academic Assembly meetings
   • Attends Alliance general business meetings
   • Must fulfill ASMSU requirements for sitting on the Academic Assembly
2. 7.2 Student Assembly Representative
   • Serves the Alliance and ASMSU as the voting representative for LBGT concerns on the Student Assembly
   • Attends regular Student Assembly meetings
   • Attends Alliance general business meetings
   • Must fulfill ASMSU requirements for sitting on the Student Assembly
3. 7.3 Residence Hall Association Representative
   • Serves the Alliance and RHA as the voting representative for LBGT concerns on the RHA General Assembly
   • Attends regular RHA General Assembly meetings
   • Attends Alliance general business meetings
   • Must fulfill RHA requirements for sitting on the RHA General Assembly
4. 7.4 Advisory Committee Representatives
   • Serves the Alliance and the various advisory committees as a voting representative for LBGT concerns at all committee meetings.
   • Attends regular advisory committee meetings
   • Attends Alliance general business meetings
   • Must fulfill the specific advisory committee requirements