New Life Volunteering Society

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)

Chapter Constituion

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be New Life Volunteering Society (NLVS).

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization shall be to serve those in need of assistance with an ultimate goal of achieving peace, love, and happiness amongst the community at the local, regional, national, and global levels.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Section 1.  

Membership is limited to UIC students, faculty, and staff.

Section 2.  

All requirements must meet the Board of Trustee's policies regarding nondiscrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin.

Section 3.  Eligibility Requirements of New Members

Must attend ALL mandatory general body meetings, three volunteering events each semester and one fundraising activity each semester in addition to initial application and dues. The three short-term volunteering events are considered equivalent to participation in a long-term volunteer program such as Health Education, Tutoring, ESL tutoring, or general long-term volunteering through the NLVS coordinator. Membership only valid for one-year basis.

Section 4.  Expulsion of Members

Member will be removed from organization if interfering with the progress of the organization or harming another member in any way...AND a member may only be expelled from the organization if a majority of the membership votes for his/her expulsion.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1.  Officers

This organization shall have thirteen officers; these officers are President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, 2 Volunteer Coordinators, Director of Financial Operations, Internal Publicity, External Publicity, Health Education Chairperson, Tutoring Chairperson², Webmaster, and Freshman Representative. In a circumstance that 2 officers wish to serve as Co-Presidents instead of President and Vice-President, approval must be received from the National Coordinator.

Section 2.  Qualification of Officers

President/Vice-President - Should be able to take on many tasks at once and handle full responsibility for things. Must take on role of the leader and keep everybody on task. Creativity, motivation, and dedication are very necessary traits to have. Must demonstrate good leadership and lead by example. Needs to be able to work collaboratively and share control over board with other individuals.
Secretary - Dependable person who takes good notes and keeps good records of things. Will be able to report on any aspect of a member upon request whether it be attendance or performance.
Treasurer - Be able to count money and take care of financial transactions upon request whether it be with the administration, government, or a bank. Should also be helpful in finding ways to attain money. Be very specific about every little transaction and keep on top of everything.
Volunteer Coordinators - Must be able to communicate with community programmers to set-up activities for the organization. Must be good with coordinating people and leading programs.
Director of Financial Operations - Must be able to find opportunities to gain substantial sums of money. Should be aggressive to search for available opportunities to raise funds.
External Publicity Chair - Must have some experience or at least be willing to work with computers in order to network the organization. Have some experience with making flyers and communicating with press such as newspapers. An outgoing and persevering attitude is important when making and maintaining outside contacts.
Health Education/Tutoring/ESL Chairs – Must have strong organizational skills, be able to oversee and manage both the committees associated with the program and the volunteers. Must also be creative, have strong motivation, and an interest in the area in order to create an enthusiastic and successful program. Individuals holding these positions must have previously been a volunteer in the programs and be familiar with the operation.
Webmaster - Must be able to create and design web pages. Be able to update frequently and keep people informed of what is going on through computer technology.
Internal Publicity - Must have some experience or at least be willing to work with computers including updating both web pages and listservs. Have some experience with making flyers and communicating with press such as newspapers.
Freshman Representative - Must be excited and organized individual willing to make a difference and help out in any area that may need some help.

Section 3.  Terms Of Office

The term for office will be for one year. Elections will be held during the middle of April for the upcoming year. Officers begin their term from that time until the following April's election.

Section 4.  Duties of Offices

President/Vice-President - Must accept full responsibility for all matters pertaining to the chapter and be in charge of coming up with ideas for meetings and carrying them out. Keeps all board members on task at all times and always looking for ways to improve both the membership and number of volunteer opportunities. Must also keep in close contact with the national coordinator (monthly). Oversee all of the committees. Responsible for setting up rooms for meetings, reserving the room, and helping advertise for the club.
Secretary - Must keep records of all members and attendance at meetings along with helping put up signs and taking minutes at both officer and general meeting for record keeping. Must also distribute evaluation forms and collect them. Holds on to all membership applications and maintains updated membership listing. Distribution of contact information for all board members is also important.
Treasurer - Must take care of all financial matters relating to organization and helps Fundraising Chair to acquire funds. Provides weekly reports at meetings and promptly reimburses people. Control over petty cash, COF, and any external accounts. Must send portion of Fundraising to National Coordinator upon request.
Volunteering Coordinators - Must set up all of the volunteering events with the community by contacting the sites and visiting them well in advance.
---Short Term Event Coordinator – Must send LISTSERV emails 7 and 3 days before an event is scheduled. Must make sure all volunteers are called within two days prior to events to verify their attendance and set up transportation. Makes sure the event runs smoothly. Shall set up a sub-committee consisting of a few members in order to have some assistance.
---Long Term Event Coordinator - Sets up approximately 5 sites at beginning of each semester where NLVS members can choose to go volunteer on a weekly basis. Continues to look for more sites all year round and update members on new findings. Goes with volunteers on first visit to orient the volunteers with the site. Gets feedback every second week from all volunteers of each site as to how things are progressing.
Director of Financial Operations (Fundraising Chair) - Must acquire in whatever way seems best (yet ethical) in order to increase fund of the chapter. Sets up on-campus and off-campus fundraising activities. Makes sure all fundraising activities run smoothly. Shall have a sub-committee consisting of a few members in order to have some assistance.
Internal and External Public Relation Chairs - Responsible for putting an article in the newspaper once every month along with making sure flyers are posted for events at least five days prior to an event. Must make sure word of mouth spreads. Additionally, contact of corporate entities in order to get general sponsorship and support for specific events.
Health Education/Tutoring/ESL Chairs – Responsible for organizing volunteer efforts and defining a schedule for the semester. Additionally, must update the board as to the direction of the program and the performance of volunteers. The chair must also look to develop the program in new ways each semester (ie more members, new topic area).
Webmaster - Must update the website along with make sure listserv reminders are sent out for all events well in advance. Makes sure to be linked with national site.
Freshman Representative - Must help out all officers that need assistance in order to gain maximum experience. Emphasis on helping PR chair, Director of Financial Operations, and Volunteer Coordinator.

Section 5.  Leadership for Events

Each Officer will lead one volunteering event per semester. The leader (if not Volunteering Coordinator) must call the volunteers during the two days prior to an event to verify the each volunteer's attendance.

Section 6.  Expectation of Officers

Each Officer will be present at each executive board meeting. Punctuality – defined as no later than 10 minutes - to all meetings is also important. Only one absence will be permitted. Exceptions will be made for medical reasons/death/test during time of meeting. Otherwise, inability to follow this expectation will lead to a vote by the board for the removal of the officer.

Section 7.  Provisions for Removal of Officers

Anytime an officer does not perform his/her duties, there will be a vote by the board in which 2/3 of the officers vote for the removal of the reviewed officer will take him/her off the board. Decision can be overturned by 2/3 of membership voting otherwise.

ARTICLE V - MEMBERS

Section 1.  Benefits of Membersip

Members will be provided with transportation to all volunteering events and will receive discounts for all retreats/conferences and events that have a cost during the year.

Section 2.  Requirements of Members

To Maintain annual membership, member must attend three volunteering events, one fundraising activity, and ALL mandatory general body meetings per semester.

ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS

Section 1. Process  

Election of officers shall be held during April for the upcoming year as stated above. Election process can be changed at any point in time based on wishes of National Coordinator.

Section 2. Eligibility

One can only vote if he/she has fulfilled all requirements to be a member.

Section 3. Primary Board Positions  

President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer positions can only be filled by those who have served as an officer for at least one semester. Officers are only ones allowed to vote for primary board. If these positions are not filled, they become open to the general membership.

Section 4. Secondary Board Positions 

2 Volunteer Coordinators, Director of Financial Operations (Fundraising Chair), Internal and External Public Relations Chair, Health Education Chair, Tutoring Chair, and ESL Chair, Webmaster, and Freshman Representative positions can only be filled by general elections.

Section 5. Re-Election for Position 

If a Board Position becomes vacant, an officer from the Board can run for the position. 2/3 of the board must vote for the officer to take the new position making their old position vacant. If the position remains vacant, either the general membership can run for it, or the position may be removed for the remainder of the year by a ¾ vote by the board.

ARTICLE VII - MEETINGS

Section 1.  

General body meetings shall be held at least once every month. Officer meetings shall be held once a week at the time and day decided amongst the officers at the beginning of the semester.

Section 2.  

Special meeting may be called at any time by a board member with approval of the President.

ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

Section 1.  There will be at least two committees: Special Focus Committee and Public Relations Committee.

Special Focus Committee - Will focus on a particular theme of service each semester. Will recruit members to serve on committee. Will hold informational/statistical themed general body meeting at the beginning of the semester. Additionally, will find speakers for second general body meeting of each month. Will aid volunteer chair in setting-up activities pertaining to them.

Fundraising Committee – Composed of the Director of Financial Operations (fundraising chair), Treasurer, Secretary and general members. This committee must meet once a month in order to generate and follow through with new ideas for increasing the funds of the chapter. Will be organized by the director of financial operations.

Public Relations Committee - Will communicate with other organizations both on and off campus to recruit members. Will recruit members to serve on the committee. Will help form sense of community within NLVS. Build relationships with members and give reminders through phone calls. Committee shall reward members who make significant difference in community.

Section 2. A majority vote by the board can cause for the formation of more committees such as under the Volunteering Chair(s), Health Education Chair, Tutoring Chair and ESL Chair.

ARTICLE IX - ADVISORS

Section 1.  There will be two advisors for this organization. One shall be a full-time faculty or academic staff member at UIC. The other shall be the National Coordinator of New Life Volunteering Society.

ARTICLE X - DUES

Section 1.  To become a member at the national level, you must pay dues. To be part of the UIC chapter of NLVS, the dues are $5 to be a member. For returning members, dues are only $3 if all requirements met from previous semesters.

ARTICLE XI - HANDLING OF FUNDS

Section 1.  

The organization's on-campus C.O.F. account will be managed primarily by the Treasurer.

Section 2.  

The registration form will indicate to University staff which officers are authorized to sign what types of documents concerning funds.

Section 3.  

All money collected on campus, with the exception of dues, MUST BE DEPOSITED into the organization's C.O.F. account.

Section 4. 

Any other money collected may either be deposited into C.O.F. account or a bank account that has been set-up.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS & REVISIONS

Section 1. 

Amendment (additions) and Revisions (changes)
Constitution will be reviewed during the first and last week of every semester at which time all officers can vote to make amendments and/or revisions.

Section 2.  

3/4 of the officers must approve the changes for the change to be effective.

Section 3.  

President is responsible for initiating the creation and distribution of the new/changed document. The National Coordinator as well as Campus Programs staff should receive a copy of the revised document.

This constitution was written as printed above on April 16, 2001 by the Founder and National Coordinator of the New Life Volunteering Society, Mr. Vijay S. Khiani.

Edited Spring of 2006 by the 2005-2006 Board Members (3/18/2006)