Constitution (or Bylaws) of REFORMA San Jose State University iSchool Student and Alumni Group

September 13, 2020 (amended December 2, 2020)

Article I – Name

The name of the Group is REFORMA San José State University (SJSU) School of Information (iSchool) Student & Alumni Group (“the Group”).

Article II – Purpose

The Group is organized to operate exclusively for educational purposes. In particular, the purposes of the Group are to:

unite SJSU iSchool students, alumni, and librarians interested in working with the Spanish speaking,
promote issues concerning educational materials and library programs available to serve the Spanish speaking,
promote the development of Spanish-language and Latinx library collections,
collect and disseminate information about and for the benefit of the Spanish speaking,
help recruit prospective bilingual and bicultural students to the library profession, and
engage in any other educational activities.

Mission

REFORMA San José State University (SJSU) School of Information (iSchool) Student & Alumni Group will create opportunities for engagement with REFORMA National, and REFORMA Chapters, and plan activities that offer professional development and networking. We support students and alumni to become culturally competent professionals in the communities they serve.

Vision

REFORMA San José State University (SJSU) School of Information (iSchool) Student & Alumni Group will seek to provide engaging opportunities to current iSchool students and alumni interested in advancing library services for Spanish-speaking and Latinx communities. Based on the foundation from REFORMA National, the group will create and sustain a community that values learning experiences, collaboration and networking, sharing of informational resources and mutual encouragement.

Values

Create a welcoming and inclusive environment
Advocate the needs and interests of multicultural iSchool students and alumni
Develop communication and collaboration between members and other SJSU iSchool student organizations
Establish a community for student and alumni learning and development
Identify resources, toolkits, workshops, and conferences in order to serve Spanish-speaking and Latinx communities
Engage with REFORMA National and REFORMA Chapters for professional networking and collaborations

Article III – Affiliation

The Group, which is an affiliate of REFORMA: The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking.

Article IV – Membership

Members, appointed, or elected student officer positions of the Group must be San José State University School of Information students or alumni and be current members of REFORMA National.

Members of the Group must attend a minimum of one REFORMA meeting or event per semester.

Membership in the Group shall not be restricted on the basis of age, race or ethnicity, (including color and ancestry), religion (or religious creed), nationality, citizenship, age, medical condition, genetic information, gender (or sex), gender identity (including transgender), gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran or military status, or disability. Section 41500 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulation

Members, appointed, or elected student officer’s membership or position may be terminated or withdrawn if any member, appointed, or elected student officer is in violation of Section 41500 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulation and/or the Group’s bylaws.

The Group’s members, appointed, or elected student officers will comply with the Title 5, Section 41301, Standards for Student Conduct and the Recognized Student Organization Code of Conduct and all student policies of SJSU.

Removal of Member

Any member may be removed or suspended from their position by a two-thirds vote of the Group’s officers. A letter will be sent to the member being removed by the President of the Group notifying them of their removal from the Group. The decision to remove the member made by the Group will be final. Members of the organization will be notified of the removal.

Article V – Officers

The officers of the Group shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary/Treasurer, Blog Editor, two Alumni Liaisons, two Marketing and Social Media Liaisons, Membership Coordinator, and a Webmaster. Additional officer positions may be added as needed and approved by the Executive Committee.

Officers of the Group must be matriculated and enrolled at San José State University and maintain a minimum overall 2.0 grade point average per term with the exception of the Alumni Liaison (who is a graduate of the San José State University School of Information). The student must be in good standing during the term of office. Graduate students must be currently enrolled while holding office. Graduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater. (Chancellor’s Executive Order 1068)

Elections

Officers of the Group must be San José State University School of Information students with the exception of the Alumni position. The officer selection process will happen in the spring semester unless special elections are required to fill a vacant position at another time throughout the year (i.e., due to student officer graduating). Officer elections must be conducted through a vote by members of the Group. Voting will be conducted online through ballots. The candidate with the largest number of votes will be appointed to the officer position. In the case of a tie, the current Vice President will serve as the tie-breaker; if the position of Vice President is not filled at the time of the vote or if the Vice President is not present at the time of the vote, then the President will serve as the tie-breaker. The winner or winners of the election will be announced to the Group within one week of the vote. Student Chapter Offices will serve for one year. Officers can serve a total of two terms in the same office.

Removal of Officer

Any officer may be removed or suspended from their position by a two-thirds vote of the Group’s officers. A letter will be sent to the officer being removed by the President of the Group notifying them of their removal from the Group. If the President is the officer being removed, the Vice President or Faculty Advisor will send the notification letter. The decision to remove the officer made by the Group will be final. Members of the organization will be notified of the removal. A vacancy shall be filled by the candidate who had the second majority of votes in the election for that academic year.

Resignation of Officer

An officer may resign from office. The officer must submit a written letter of resignation to the Group. The letter must be submitted at least one week in advance. The resignation will come into effect after members of the Group have reviewed and approved the decision at a regular meeting. Members of the organization will be notified of the resignation. A vacancy shall be filled by the candidate who had the second majority of votes in the election for that academic year.

Duties and Responsibilities

The President is responsible for:

leading and facilitating meetings of the Group,
maintaining an open line of communication between the Group and the Faculty Advisor,
establishing and maintaining relationships between the Group and affiliated organizations (e.g. the San José State University (“the University”) and other student organizations), ensuring the Group operates following the REFORMA Bylaws,
coordinating officer transitions, and ensuring that the Group functions suitably if other officer positions are not filled.

The Vice President is responsible for:

assuming the President’s duties when the President is absent,
reviewing and updating the REFORMA Bylaws as needed,
supporting other officers in their duties as needed, and
offering a tie-breaking verdict when decisions are at an impasse. [Note this position will have limited responsibilities; the Vice President will be responsible for any Treasurer requirements if there is a vacancy in that position]

The Secretary is responsible for:

keeping a record of the activities of the Group, keeping a record of the current members of the Group,
keeping attendance at meetings, preparing meeting agendas,
taking notes at meetings and making them available to the committee,
responsible for contacting appropriate iSchool departments to promote events, activities, and planned programs,
preparing and submitting reports as required, and
all official correspondence of the Group.

The Treasurer is responsible for:

in case of a vacancy, this position shall be filled by the vice president or secretary
paying the bills and fees accrued by the Group,
preparing and executing an annual budget for the Group, and
responsible for processing and managing funds of the Group
coordinating the submission of grant proposals and applications. [Note this position will have limited responsibilities]

The Marketing & Social Media Liaison is responsible for:

the social media presence and communication of the Group, managing advertising and public relations,
recruiting new members to the Group, and
adhering to all iSchool Server Use Agreement, and
responds to questions and comments connected with the social media accounts in a timely manner.

The Webmaster is responsible for:

developing and managing the website/blog,
updates calendar of events on the website,
working in conjunction with the Marketing & Social Media Liaison to ensure consistent messaging, and adhering to all iSchool Server Use Agreement.

The Alumni Liaison is responsible for:

establishing and maintaining relationships between the Group and SJSU iSchool REFORMA alumni,
assists with programming that will benefit students and alumni,
recruiting alumni to the Group.

The Blog Editor is responsible for:

Develops and manages the blog, including seeking new blog posts & reviewing submissions
Responsible for corresponding and answering questions for blog submissions and posting new blog posts to the website
Working in conjunction with the Webmaster and the Marketing & Social Media Liaison to ensure consistent messaging and engage in promoting the blog
The blog editor will also adhere to the iSchool Server Use Agreement

The Membership Coordinator is responsible for:

Planning and coordinating recruitment of new members including nominations, election processes, and announcements
Develops strategies to recruit and orient new members
Maintains membership information and data; updating member lists, and responsible for providing membership reports to the board as needed
Contact for questions regarding membership; replies to all inquiries about membership; will work closely with the Secretary on communications
Additional duties as assigned, but with the focus on membership.

Article VI – Meetings

Members of the Group must be San José State University School of Information students or alumni and be current members of REFORMA National. Members of the Group must attend a minimum of one REFORMA meeting or event per semester.

Article VII – Advisor

The Group must have a faculty advisor. Advisors must:

Hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
Cannot be an employee of an SJSU auxiliary department (e.g., Associated Students, Spartan Shops, Student Union).
Advisors must be verified by Student Involvement.
Provide continuity from year to year.
Advisor may only advise up to two (2) recognized student organizations at one time.
Be present. An advisor is often necessary in order to reserve certain university facilities, as well as utilize other University resources (per CSU Executive Order 1068).

Article VIII – Amendments

The bylaws may be subject to amendment. Any amendment must be presented to the Group, and only effective upon review and approval with a vote of two-thirds majority among the officers. Members of the Group will be notified of the adopted bylaws.