Constitution

Mission Statement: “To create a social environment in which Filipino culture is advocated, discussed, and
celebrated.”

Article I - Membership
- The Philippine United Students Organization is open to all undergraduates that attend SUNY at Stony
Brook that pay the undergraduate student activity fee.
- This organization fully endorses the principle of equal opportunity and believes every member will have
the same equal protection of the laws as guaranteed by the United States Constitution.
- This club does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, creed, sexual preference, and ethnic or
national origin. Also, this club fully abides by the office of Civil Rights’ Affirmative Action/Equal
Opportunity Guidelines.
- The members can openly criticize the maintenance and proceedings of the organization at the general
meetings. Time will be allotted at the end of every meeting to offer comments, suggestions, and
criticisms. The club will function toward the representation of its members.

Article 2 - Nominations for Office

- All nominations must be motioned twice and accepted by the nominee in order to be a candidate for
office.
- All members have the right to nominate candidates for the offices of President, Vice President,
Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Chair, District III Representatives, Events Coordinators, Historian,
Editor, Cultural Chair, Ballroom Chair, and Modern Chair.
- All freshman members have the right to nominate a candidate for freshman representative.
- All members of the Philippine United Students Organization are allowed to be nominated for office in
exception to the presidential position. Candidates for presidential position must have at least one year
experience on PUSO e-board. If no other person wants to be president, the general body will vote.
- Nominations will be accepted or held one week, or one general meeting, before elections.

Article 3 - Elections
- All elections will be held before the end of spring semester.
- Nominees for office will present a speech discussing their qualifications and understanding of the
position. Speeches should not exceed two minutes; nominees are given a thirty second warning.
- After all speeches have been made for the given position, the general body will engage in a question and
answer portion where all candidates are present. The question and answer portion shall not exceed 4
minutes or 4 questions, with priority given to the current executive board position holder.
- A discussion amongst the general body will follow the question and answer portion. No candidates for
the specific position shall be present. The discussion shall not exceed 5 minutes.
- The President will conduct the elections. The Secretary will count all ballots under the supervision of the
Vice President and Treasurer. In cases where the officers are in the elections, the Judiciary will count the
ballots.
- All votes will be by secret ballots. The name of the candidate must be written in the ballot. Only one
name per office will be accepted as a valid ballot except for the positions of District III Representatives
and Event Coordinators in which two (2) ballots will be accepted.
- If a candidate runs opposed, he or she must attain half of the voting members plus one (50% +1) of the
votes to be elected.
- In the case that half of the body or more abstains, the position will be reopened for nomination.
Previous candidate is still eligible.
-In an event of a tie, an additional intensive question and answer session will be held. Then, the general
body will again vote.
- If the race is with three or more candidates, the candidate with the most votes will be the winner. In
cases where the ballots are tied for first place, the top two candidates will run again, eliminating the other
contenders. The race will then follow the rules above for a two-person race.
- Candidates running for dance chairs have the opportunity to run for a second executive board position,
with the exception of the top 4 positions.
- Only members who have attended at least six (6) general meetings with the current academic year of
election are allowed to vote for the presidential position.

Article 4 - Terms of Vacancy

- Officers elected at the end of the spring semester will begin their term at the start of the following fall
semester and last until the end of the spring semester.
- If an officer resigns before or the beginning of the fall semester, e-board nominates candidates as well as
votes. If there is more than one candidate, an e-board election will take place.
- The members can decide to:
1) Have a line of succession as the following: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Event
Coordinators, Public Relation Chair, District III Representatives, Historian, Editor, Freshmen
Representative and Dance Chairs and fill in vacancy.
- OR -
2) Have an election for office following the rules in Articles 2 and 3.

Article 5 - Duties of President

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Presidential Duties:
- to provide leadership in organizing all events of the club.
- to be aware of any member’s opinion and will respond to their input.
- to call for general body meetings unless disapproved unanimously by the other members of e-board.
- to conduct the elections and general meetings with the aid of the other officers.
- to close the meeting unless disapproved by an officer or by four (4) or more members.
- to assist other officers in their duties whenever requested.
- to call for an officer meeting and be responsible for its room assignment.
- to appoint Judiciary unless unanimously disapproved by the officers.
- to be open to constructive criticism and advice from any officer and member.
- to be the official representative of PUSO.

Article 6 - Duties of Vice President

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Student Organization and its members.
Vice President Duties:
- to be responsible for the coordination of the club.
- to have the capacity to call for a general meeting unless unanimously disapproved by the President,
Secretary, Treasurer, Public Relations Chair, and District III Representatives.
- to assume Presidential duties when requested and approved by the President.
- to aid the President in conducting a general meeting.
- to assist, criticize, and advise the President.
- to assist other officers in their duties whenever requested.
- to oversee affairs of all officers and ensure fulfillment of their respective responsibilities.
- to have the capacity to call for an executive board meeting unless unanimously disapproved by the rest
of e-board.
- to be open to criticism and advice from any officer and member.
- to assist in supervising the ballot counting done by the Secretary unless he or she is a candidate for
election.
- to appoint Judiciary unless unanimously disapproved by the officers.

Article 7 - Duties of the Secretary

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Secretary Duties:
- to keep minutes of every meeting.
- to keep copies of all flyers, ads and any other documentation.
- to call for an executive board meeting unless unanimously disapproved by the rest of the e-board
- to aid the President in conducting a general meeting.
- to count the ballots in elections.
- to advise the President and Vice President.
- to be open to criticism and advice from any officer and member.

Article 8 - Duties of the Treasurer

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Treasurer Duties:
- to be responsible for attending Undergraduate Student Government (USG) hearings and meetings about
funding and obtaining a budget.
- to keep copies of receipts and transfers of money.
- to obtain change for any event.
- to keep records of all approved reimbursements made to all officers and members.
- to bring to the President’s attention any financial problems.
- to present an update of the budget at every general meeting or upon request by any officer.
- to aid the President in conducting a general meeting.
- to call an executive board meeting unless unanimously disapproved by the rest of the e-board
- to give advice to the President and Vice President.
- to process, pick up, and return checks.

Article 9 - Duties of the Public Relations Chair

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Public Relations Chair Duties:
- to operate Social Networking Website announcements and manage the PUSO e-mail account in
conjunction with the Editor
- to keep all members informed, concerning PUSO events, news and meetings.
- to keep relations with outside organizations within the Stony Brook University and the general public.

Article 10 - Duties of the District III Representatives

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organizations and its members.
District III Representatives Duties:
- to gather all information regarding Filipino Intercollegiate Network Dialogue (FIND) Conference and
Dialogue.
- to serve as PUSO’s liaison to all FIND events and meetings.
- to attend all District III meetings.

Article 11 - Duties and Description of the Events Coordinators

- They will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Events Coordinators Duties:
- to Block Book for the general body meeting room every semester.
- to reserve all spaces for events (i.e. fundraisers, culturals, PUSOfest).
- to contact all guest speakers and performers for events.
- to keep contact with Program Advisor.
- to aid officers in event preparations.

Article 12 - Duties and Description of the Editor

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Webmaster Duties:
- to maintain a formal webpage suitable for concepts concerning the Philippine United Students
Organization and its interests.
- to update the members as often as necessary or as requested by the general body.
- to create graphics for all PUSO events and activities, including but not limited to: apparel, posters,
Social Networking Website graphics, etc.
- to operate Social Networking Website announcements and to manage the PUSO e-mail account in
conjunction with Public Relations Chair.
-to keep copies of all flyers, ads, and any other documentation.

Article 13 - Duties and Description of the Judiciary Advisor

- Up to three former officers can serve as Judiciary member to the President.
- The Judiciaries can be appointed by the President and the Vice President to assist in their duties when no
past officer is available.
- The members via petition can request the Judiciaries. The petition must state the purpose of the
Judiciary members to a specific problem and must be signed by at least ten (10) members. The petition
can be presented during a general meeting or to any officer.
- The Judiciary has no power to disapprove or object any motions proposed by an officer. They can only
advise against a motion.
Judiciary Duties:
- to assist the President and the Vice President duties.
- to advise any officer of any procedure or any problems within the organization.
- to attend an executive board meeting whenever requested.

Article 14 - Duties and Description of Historian

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Historian Duties:
- to photograph and record all PUSO events and performances
- to maintain relationships with PUSO alumni.
-he or she must prepare the formal portfolio for budget hearings at the end of the spring semester.

Article 15 - Impeachment and Removal of Elected Officers

- Any impeachment must be presented to the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Judiciary Board.

Article 16 - General Meetings

- The President will conduct all general meetings with the aid of other officers.
General Meetings -will be held every week during the fall and spring semesters.
-are not dependent upon room reservations and can be held anywhere.
Article 17 - Quorum (The minimum number of members of an eboard meeting that
must be present to make a meeting valid.)
- Quorum is held when at least half (1/2) plus one of attending members are present including the
officers, judiciary, and chairpersons.
- For elections, quorum should have at least half (1/2) plus one members present.
- Executive board meetings will be closed and only the executive board must be present. Prospective e-
board members can be invited to attend. An officer meeting should take place before any general
meeting. Quorum for an officer meeting should have at least six (6) members present.
- All e-board members are expected to attend all e-board and general body meetings unless given an
excuse to the President 24 hours prior to the meeting.

Article 18 - Amendments
- Amendments can be proposed by an officer or through a petition by a member. After the officers
approve it unanimously, it will be presented to the members at the general meeting. An election will be
held to pass the ratification.

Article 19 - Contract Clause

- As members of our organization, we fully understand that we are not authorized to enter into any
contractual agreements. We are a club/organization that is part of the Undergraduate Student
Government (USG) and therefore the USG’s designees (President and Treasurer) are authorized to sign
and execute contracts.

Article 20 – Disillusion Clause

- Should our organization disintegrate to a non-functioning student activities club, all remaining, unspent
money in the organization budget shall go back to the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

Article 21 – Dance Chairs

- He or she will devote his or her time and effort to the interests and objectives of the Philippine United
Students Organization and its members.
Dance Chairperson Duties:
- to provide leadership in organizing practices and performances.
- to be aware of any member’s opinion and will respond to their input.
- to call for practices and performances unless disapproved unanimously by the other members of e-
board.
- Ensure that practices do not exceed 3 hours in a 24 hour time period
- be responsible for its practice room assignment.
- to be open to constructive criticism and advice from any officer and member.

Article 22 – Performance request

All performance requests that are asked upon members on behalf of PUSO by dance chairs, the party
must obtain half of the voting eboard members plus one (50% +1) of the votes to be allowed to do so.
Two Thirds of the Dance Team Members invited to the performance can appeal to eboard member. Half
of the voting eboard members plus one (50% +1) of the votes to be allowed to do so

Article 23 - Duties of the Freshman Representative

- To create a friendly environment for the freshmen
- To aid the rest of eboard

Article 24 - PUSO Events

- For all events that bring in revenue, the club will donate profits to a charity advocating for Filipino
culture
- Depending on the theme of the event, there will be suggested donations (monetary or not)