The Constitution of
THE UNIVERSITY of TOLEDO
Catholic Student Association
October 17, 2002
Table of Contents
Constitutional Articles and
Arrangement
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The Constitution of The
University of Toledo Catholic Student Association |
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Mission and Vision
Statements |
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Title, Affiliation, and
Graphic Representations of the Student Organization |
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Title of Organization |
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Motto of The Catholic
Student Association |
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Logo of The Catholic
Student Association |
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Official Seal of The
Catholic Student Association |
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The Newman Board |
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Organizational Leadership |
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General Responsibilities
of All Newman Board Members |
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Responsibilities of
Individual Core Board Positions |
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Responsibilities of Executive
Board Members |
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Meetings |
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Procedures for Release
and Replacement of Newman Board Members |
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Grounds for Release |
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Procedure of Response |
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Procedures for Core Board
Release and Replacement |
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Procedures for Executive
Board Release and Replacement |
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Membership and Dues |
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Membership |
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Dues |
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Election Procedure |
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Eligibility and
Application for Newman Board Candidacy |
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The Election of The Core
Board |
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The Election of The
Executive Board |
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Questions of Procedure |
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Constitutional Amendments |
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Process for Amending The
Constitution of The Catholic Student Association |
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Introduction
The Constitution of The
University of ToledoÕs Catholic Student Association
The purpose of this
Constitution is to provide a guideline for the structure and operation of the
Catholic Student Association (CSA). It is a legal document to be used as a
working resource for the organization. As a dynamic organization, CSA is
responsive to the changing needs of the organization and its leadership
Article I
Mission and Vision Statements
Section
1.
Mission and Vision Statements
Mission Statement
The Catholic Student Association, a student organization
comprised of men and women who are pursuing their intellectual growth at The
University of Toledo (UT), embraces the mission of Corpus Christi University
Parish (CCUP) and the universal Church by serving the UT community as a sign of
the presence of Jesus Christ within our campus community. With
inspiration from the Word of God found in Sacred Scripture, and guidance from
the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, CSA exists to serve UT students,
faculty, and staff as a positive force grounded in the Gospel values which
guide our ministry.
Vision Statement
The Catholic
Student Association works to provide service to the Church and University by
reaching out to all Catholic students, as well as those of other faith
traditions at The University of Toledo in a full-hearted attempt to promote
intellectual, moral, social, and spiritual growth in order to assist in the
emergence of well-rounded individuals who are well-prepared to work for justice
and peace, and offer effective leadership in the Church and society.
Article II
Title, Affiliation, and
Graphic Representations of Student Organization
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Section 1. |
Title of Organization The name of this organization is
ÒThe University of Toledo Catholic Student Association,Ó which can be
shortened to ÒCatholic Student AssociationÓ and abbreviated as ÒCSA.Ó
CSA was founded at UT as Newman Club in 1939. The name ÒNewmanÓ comes
from John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801-1890), a scholar, gentleman, minister,
and spokesperson for the Church of England, leader of the second Reformation,
convert to Catholicism, and member of the College of Cardinals of the Roman
Catholic Church.
In the United States, the name ÒNewmanÓ is often associated with a Catholic
student group or center on the campus of a college or university. In
the fall of 1999, the name Newman Club was officially changed to The
University of Toledo Catholic Student Association. CSA continues the
tradition of Catholic campus ministry at UT. The Newman Board, the
leadership of the Catholic Student Association, keeps the spirit of John
Henry Newman and his teachings alive.
The University of Toledo Catholic Student Association is affiliated with
Corpus Christi University Parish, the Catholic parish at The University of
Toledo. |
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Motto of The Catholic Student Association The CSA motto is adopted from that of John Henry Cardinal Newman. The Latin phrase, ÒCor ad Cor Loquitur,Ó translated into English, means, ÒHeart Speaks to Heart.Ó |
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Logo of The Catholic Student Association The logo of CSA
consists of a Celtic cross. The words ÒCatholic Student AssociationÓ or
the letters ÒCSAÓ may accompany the cross as well. The logo is pictured in Figure 1. |
Figure 1 |
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Official Seal of The Catholic Student Association The seal of CSA
is adopted from the official emblem of the Newman Apostolate and is based on
Cardinal NewmanÕs heraldic shield. The emblem is a seal of seven sides,
which circumscribes the shield taken from the coat of arms of John Henry
Cardinal Newman, with its three hearts, two divided from the third by a wavy
line. A band, inscribed by NewmanÕs motto, ÒCor ad Cor Loquitur,Ó and
three pearls Ð so placed as to appear beneath the shield Ð encircles the coat
of arms. Radiating from the band to each point of the seal are the
seven large heraldic Òshafts of light.Ó Within each segment formed by
the extended rays are seven small shafts of light. The seal is
pictured in Figure 2. |
Figure 2 |
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Article III
The Newman Board
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Section 1. |
Organizational
Leadership The Newman Board The Catholic Student
Association is guided by the Newman Board. The Newman Board consists of
the elected Core Board, and the appointed Executive Board. The Core Board The Core Board is
directly elected by the eligible voters (refer to Article V) of CSA, and
consists of the president, vice president of committees, vice president for
outreach, treasurer, secretary, and publicity director. The Core Board is
charged with the responsibility of setting and executing the direction of CSA
in correlation with the mission and vision of our organization. The Executive Board The Executive Board is
appointed by the Core Board-Elect, current president, and CSA
advisor(s). This Board consists of the chairs of the Education,
Religious, Social, and Sojourner Committees. The members of the
Executive Board guide their respective committees. It is essential that
the Executive Board share a common vision with the Core Board. The Staff of Corpus Christi University Parish n accordance with our
affiliation with CCUP, the Newman Board relies on our advisor(s) and the rest
of the pastoral staff to guide our campus ministry. |
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General Responsibilities of All Newman Board Members Expectations of Newman Board
Members 1.
Each Newman Board
member is expected to attend all Newman Board meetings. Core Board
members are also expected to attend all Core Board meetings. 2.
Each Newman Board
member is expected to attend all general meetings. 3.
Each Newman Board
member is expected to attend a summer retreat and planning session. 4.
Each Newman Board member will inform
the president and/or the advisor(s) if unable to attend one of the above. If any member of Newman Board fails to fulfill their duties and
responsibilities, they will be addressed on an individual basis by the vice
president of committees, often with the advice of one or more Core Board
members and/or the advisor(s). |
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Responsibilities
of Individual Core Board Members The
President 1.
Regulates
nominations, elections, and appointments. 2.
Presides at all
meetings and creates an agenda for each of these meetings. 3.
With the Newman
Board, plans the dates and locations of general meetings, Newman Board
meetings, and other meetings of necessity. 4.
Responds to
questions that demand immediate action. 5.
Supervises the
work of other officers. 6.
Writes a Ôletter
from the presidentÕ article for the CSA newsletter. 7.
Shall appoint
(with the approval of other officers) members to standing committees and ad
hoc committees, which shall operate under the supervision of the vice
president of committees. 8.
At the close of
office, must submit a complete statement of the official accomplishments of
the community during said term and suggestions for improvement in the future. 9.
Works closely
with the advisor(s) to coordinate activities and promote programs sponsored
by CCUP. 10.
Promotes and
facilitates the yearly vision of the Newman Board. 11.
Disperses UT
communications. The Vice President of Committees 1.
Assists the
president with mandated duties and assumes those duties in the presidentÕs
absence. 2.
Attends all
meetings. 3.
Coordinates
events/special events, delegating as necessary. 4.
Advises the committees
and assists co-chairs. 5.
Serves as a
communications liaison between members, the Executive Board, and the Core
Board. 6.
With the
presidentÕs assistance, brings conflicts and misunderstandings to the
attention of the advisor(s) and/or community, and assists with the resolution
of such conflicts. 7.
Maintains a
record of events and Newman Board members during said term for historical
documentation and reference. The Vice President for Outreach 1.
Coordinates an
intense outreach campaign to welcome students to campus. This initial
fall CSA outreach campaign is designed with the guidance and suggestions of
the CCUP staff. 2.
Supervises the
outreach campaign throughout the academic year by coordinating and executing
outreach events throughout fall and spring semesters, as well as working with
members of the Executive Board to promote their committee events to the
campus community. 3.
Serves as CSAÕs
inter-organizational outreach coordinator by promoting CSA events throughout
the entire campus community and inviting other student organizations to
participation in CSA events. The Treasurer 1.
Keeps account of
all money. 2.
Pays legally
contracted community debts. 3.
Keeps account of
all money and provides a financial report to the Newman Board at the
beginning and end of each semester; also presents a financial report to the
entire membership once a year. 4.
Raises funds. 5.
Disperses funds
equitably to various committees as necessary. 6.
Disperses
financial contributions to other charitable causes. 7.
Creates a Finance
Committee to assist with the above responsibilities. The
Secretary 1.
Records minutes
at each Core and Newman Board meeting; maintains a file and makes it
available to the community. 2.
Produces a
calendar of events during the semester and posts it in the CSA office and the
Newman Room. 3.
Produces agendas
and response sheets for each general meeting; tallies and records results. 4.
Maintains an
ongoing list of ÒactiveÓ members of CSA who attend events and meetings; uses
the list of sign-in sheets/contact information to ensure members are called
before general meetings. 5.
Assists publicity
in creating calendars, mailings, newsletters, etc. The
Publicity Director
1.
Publicizes
general meetings and other major events sponsored by CSA.
2.
Coordinates
newsletter publications, scrapbook, and general mailings for the year.
3.
Assists Corpus
Christi in publicizing events on campus when needed.
4.
Maintains the web
site and an updated online calendar.
5.
Publicizes CSA
events through email, etc., using the student database.
6.
Oversees the
documentation of CSA events through various forms of visual media.
7.
Creates a
Publicity Committee to assist with the above responsibilities. |
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Responsibilities
of Executive Board Members There are six standing CSA committees: education, finance,
publicity, religious, social, and sojourners. They are led by co-chairs
with the exception of finance and publicity, which are chaired by Core Board
members. The responsibilities of committee chairs are detailed below. Religious Co-Chairs Their committee assists in the planning of semester retreats and
the annual Pre-Christmas Candlelight Mass, offers opportunities for spiritual
growth in the form of leadership on retreat teams, coordinates individual and
group prayer, and promotes interfaith dialogue. Sojourners
Co-Chairs Their committee focuses its attention on the special social
justice issues facing our campus, city, state, and world in order to heighten
student awareness of these important concerns and stimulate them into
action. Special projects include Pizza for the Poor, Campus HEAT, and
an annual alternative spring break trip. Social
Co-Chairs Their committee plans and carries out a variety of social
activities such as dances, parties, trips, hayrides, and smaller weekend
activities. The committee should provide events that meet the needs of
members as well as initiating events open to other organizations and their
membership. Education Co-Chairs Their committee sponsors and promotes several lectures and
discussions each semester, as well as educational field trips, all aimed at
enhancing the intellectual and cultural growth of every student. This
committee also promotes events and programs sponsored by CCUP throughout the
year, such as the biannual lecture series. |
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Meetings There are several types of meetings in CSA: Core Board,
Newman Board, General, and Committee. Core Board The Core Board gathers on a regular basis to determine the
direction the Newman Board will take for the upcoming semester. Newman Board The Newman Board meetings are held prior to the General Meetings,
and on an as needed basis to implement the General Meetings and attend to the
daily business of the CSA. They are attended by the Executive Board and the Core Board. General General Meetings are open to everyone. The purpose of
the General Meeting is to inform members of upcoming events and to build
community. Frequency of the meetings is to be determined by the
Newman Board. Committee Committee meetings and content are at the discretion of the
co-chairs. The meetings provide the opportunity for the CSA
community to plan and implement events and activities. |
Article IV
Procedures for Release and
Replacement of Newman Board Members
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Section 1. |
Grounds for Release Extenuating circumstances may require the release of a Newman
Board member from the responsibilities of the elected position before the
full execution of the term of office. The conditions that will merit a
release from responsibilities will be determined on an individual basis at
the discretion of the advisor in consultation with the Core Board when a
Newman Board memberÕs inability to execute constitutionally mandated
responsibilities becomes obvious, or if members of the Newman Board are found
in gross violation of important University policies. It is also possible
that a Newman Board member may feel it necessary to remove oneself from oneÕs
responsibilities before the completion of the term of office. |
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Procedure of Response If a member of the Newman Board fails to execute constitutionally
mandated responsibilities, is found in gross violation of important
University policies, or voluntarily resigns, the advisor will convene the
Core Board for a meeting to determine a response appropriate to the action or
inaction of the Core Board member in mention. |
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Procedures for Core Board Release and Replacement In the event that the president is released from office before the
completion of the term of office, the vice-president of committees will
assume all presidential responsibilities. If the vice-president of
committees is unwilling to accept the office of president, the position will
pass to vice-president for outreach, then to the treasurer, secretary, and
publicity director until a current Core Board member accepts the
position. The vacancy of the Core Board member who fulfills the current
presidential term will be filled via a special election to be conducted at
the next scheduled general meeting. In the event that each member of
the Core Board refuses to execute the remainder of the presidential term, the
Newman Board will be convened by the advisor to conduct nominations and an
election that will select a member of the Newman Board to fulfill the
remainder of the presidential term. In the event that a member of the Core Board other than the president
is released, the vacated position will be filled via a special election to be
conducted at the next scheduled general meeting. |
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Procedures for Executive Board Release and Replacement In the event that a member of the Executive Board is released from
responsibilities before the completion of the term of office, the Core Board
will consult with the remaining chairperson(s) of the committee in mention to
surface recommendations of active committee members who could successfully
assist the committee chairperson(s) in executing the vacated chairpersonÕs
term of office. Following discussion with the remaining committee
chairperson(s), the Core Board in conjunction with the advisor will
officially appoint an active member of the committee in concern to fulfill
the vacated term of office on the Executive Board. |
Membership and Dues
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Section 1. |
Membership Regular membership is open to all students enrolled at The
University of Toledo. Catholic students, however, are automatically
considered members. Active members are defined as any regular members
who have attended at least two general meetings and two other events
throughout the academic year. Students who are absent for a semester
due to varying circumstances must attend at least one general meeting and two
other events during the semester they are present in order to be considered
active members. We, The University of Toledo Catholic Student Association, will
not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national
origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or presence of a disability All former members of the Catholic Student Association and Newman
Club are entitled to alumni membership. The Core Board will take
responsibility for maintaining contact with alumni. |
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Dues and Voting Eligibility There are no dues requirements for any level of membership, but
voting eligibility is restricted to active members, as defined above. |
Election Procedure
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Section 1. |
Eligibility and Application for Newman Board Candidacy Applications for the Newman Board will be due by a date determined
by the Core Board. The president and advisor(s) will review the
applications following submission, and will compile a slate of eligible
candidates for Core Board offices from the applications. Those applying
for Core Board who are also considering Executive Board positions are to
submit both applications by the promulgated deadline. All active members are eligible for candidacy for election or
appointment to the Newman Board, with the exception Post-Secondary Enrollment
Options Program (PSEOP) students. The terms of office are for one year,
and current officers are eligible for re-election. All candidates for
any elected office must, at the time of the election, be enrolled as a full
time student and must have a minimum accumulative academic standing of
2.25. Candidates for president must have completed at least three
successful academic terms at UT, and candidates for other offices must have
completed at least one successful academic term at UT. In addition,
presidential candidates must have already served as a member of the Newman
Board to be eligible for election to the office of president.
Individuals applying for Core Board must be available for the full duration
of the academic year. Applicants who will be absent for one semester of
the academic year due to varying circumstances are eligible for application
to the Executive Board, but are ineligible for a Core Board position. |
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The Election of The Core Board At the following general meeting, the official slate of Core Board
candidates will be presented. All candidates for Core Board offices
will present their platform, either orally, in writing, or both, to CSAÕs
membership. Opportunities for questions, affirmations, and concerns
will be available. The time frame will be determined by the current
Core Board. The election of Core Board officers will then take place by secret
ballot. A candidate will be elected when a simple majority vote of
active members present is received. In the absence of candidates for a
particular Core Board position, nominations will be accepted at the time of
the elections. Absentee candidates are eligible, but absentee voters
are not. Core Board candidates who are not elected to the position of their
first choice have the option of pursuing another Core Board position.
Candidates who unsuccessfully seek a Core Board position may also seek an
appointment to the Executive Board pending the submission of their intent by
the designated deadline. The president will preside over these election proceedings, or
appoint another member of Core Board to preside. |
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The Election of The Executive Board A Selection Committee, consisting of the Core Board-Elect, the
current president, and the advisor(s), will appoint Executive Board members
at a special closed-door meeting. A candidate is selected by the
consensus of the Selection Committee. In the case of a lack of enough
candidates to fill all positions, the Selection Committee will decide at that
time how the remaining positions will be filled. The president-elect
will preside over these proceedings, or appoint another Selection Committee
member to preside. |
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Questions of Procedure Any questions regarding the procedures for nomination, election,
and appointment will be decided by the current president with the advice of
the Newman Board. |
Constitutional Amendments