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BY-LAWS

WOMEN OF COLOR CAUCUS

Article I: Purpose

The Women of Color Caucus of the United States Student Association shall recruit and represent
Women of Color across the nation, and it will advocate a multitude of issues pertinent to the
intersecting identities of its members. The Women of Color Caucus shall respectfully publicize
and critique issues relevant to ability status, age, economic class, ethnicity, gender, geographical
location, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc. to the Board of Directors and membership of the
United States Student Association. Therefore, this Caucus within the United States Student
Association will serve as an advocate for Women of Color, a community with a diverse array of
identities and backgrounds, whose issues are also relevant to the United States Student
Association membership at-large.

Article I I: Wo men o f Color C auc us Me mber s hip

Section 1- Caucus Membership: Membership shall be comprised of and broadened to those

students within the United States who identify as a Woman of Color. Therefore, membership is
not limited to member educational institutions within the United States Student Association;
membership is determined by identification with the Women of Color community and not
curtailed by identification with the United States Student Association. This condition is to recruit
fellow Women of Color whose institutions are not yet members of the United States Student
Association.

Section 2- Membership at Congress: At Congress, membership shall be defined as those

students attending both meetings of the Women of Color Caucus. Students attending both
Caucus meetings will have voting power to elect the new Chair and Vice Chair. In addition,
those students with voting power will choose the Action Agenda items and Administrative
Resolutions that the Caucus will sponsor, in accordance with the USSA by-laws.

Article III: Women of Color Caucus Leadership

Section 1- Election of Leadership: The leadership of the Caucus shall include a Chair and Vice
Chair elected at USSA's Annual National Student Congress, in accordance with the USSA by-
laws. The members of the caucus who have attended both meetings of the region during the
National Student Congress will have voting power to elect the Chair.

Section 2- Leadership Roles and Responsibilities: The Chair shall represent Women of Color
on USSA's Board of Directors. The Chair will be accountable for carrying out her duties as a
Board Member, in accordance with USSA's Constitution and by-laws.

It shall also be the responsibility of the Chair and Vice Chair to maintain constant
communication with the Women of Color Community. For the 2010-2011 academic year, the
Chair and Vice Chair will successfully work in conjunction with the National Women’s Student
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BY-LAWS
Coalition Chair and Vice Chair to execute the Administrative Resolution pertaining to Women’s
Centers and Rape Prevention Centers on membership campuses. In addition, the Action Agenda
items will be the Chair and Vice Chair’s utmost priorities. The Women of Color Caucus will
build coalitions with other Regions, Affiliates, and Caucuses to ensure the passage of the
DREAM Act and the Local Jobs for America Act.

Section 3- Vacancies: In the event that the elected Chair can no longer fulfill the duties required
of her position, applications will be circulated to Women within the Caucus belonging to
membership institutions. Applicants who have attended the preceding National Student Congress
shall take priority. The newly appointed Chair must seek final approval of the majority of the
Board of Directors.

Section 4- Leadership Transition: It shall be the responsibility of the outgoing Chair to provide
the incoming Chair with a transitional report on their work throughout the year. This report
should also contain the contact information of student leaders with whom the outgoing Chair
worked throughout the year, as well as information on their experiences as chair,including
successful and unsuccessful campaigns. This report will be provided regardless of the attendance
of the outgoing Chair at the Annual National Student Congress, at which the incoming Chair is
elected.

The outgoing Chair shall present the report to the incoming Chair by the close of Congress with
the exception of the Congress at which these bylaws are enacted. For the year the by-laws are
enacted, the outgoing Chair will have two weeks from the close of Congress to present the report
to the incoming Chair.

Article IV: Meetings of the Membership

Section 1- Meetings: The membership will officially meet twice throughout the year and must
take place during the National Student Congress and the National Student Legislative
Conference.

Section 2- Caucus Communications: Caucus leadership will stay in contact with caucus
membership throughout the course of year to update the membership on the progress of USSA
campaigns and the region. This contact may be in the form most preferred by the Chair,
including but not limited to: Facebook, e-mail, or phone. Caucus leadership shall communicate
with the rest of the membership at least once a week via the internet.

Section 3- Caucus Outreach: Caucus leadership will be responsible for communicating with
caucus membership, and to reach out leaders on campuses throughout the United States. Caucus
leadership will focus on outreach as a means of retention and recruitment.

Article V: Ame ndme nts and Approv al o f By-Laws

Section 1- Approving By-Laws: The by-laws of the Women of Color Caucus shall be approved
by a majority vote of the membership survey over the semester during the first meeting of the
region at the National Student Congress.
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Section 2- Amending the By-Laws: Any voting member attending the National Student
Congress can make amendments to the by-laws during the first meeting of the region at
Congress. Amendments to the by-laws must be approved by a majority vote of the membership.
Amendments approved at the National Student Congress will take effect once the chair submits
the final version of the by-laws to the Chair of the Board within two weeks of the close of
Congress.

Amendments may be recommended to the Women of Color Caucus Chair and Vice Chair
throughout the year. Amendments will be discussed during the 64th Annual National Student
Congress, and they will take effect upon the majority approval of the Women of Color Caucus
membership.