LACC Constitution

We, the members of the Liberal Arts Constituency Council, in order to promote and encourage interest in the Liberal Arts, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the government of our Council.

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Article I - Purpose

The purpose of the Liberal Arts Constituency Council is to promote and encourage participation in the Liberal Arts at the University of Texas at Arlington and the surrounding community. Each semester, the Council shall set a multitude of goals in order to achieve said purpose. These goals shall be fulfilled to the best of the members' ability.

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Article II - Membership

Section A - Eligibility

To be eligible for membership a person must be currently enrolled as a student in the University of Texas at Arlington and a Liberal Arts major, with a minimum GPA of 2.0, or a Liberal Arts faculty member.

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Section B - Voting Memberships

1. Organizational Representatives: Each professional academic club in the College of Liberal Arts, recognized by the UTA Student Organizations Office, may send two eligible students as representatives who will be voting members of LACC after submitting (Form A) to an LACC officer and after attending two LACC meetings. These individuals are eligible to represent the official positions of said organization.

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2. Departmental Representatives: Two eligible student from each academic department in the College of Liberal Arts can be recognized as voting members on written recommendation from an LACC officer and after attending two LACC meetings. The LACC executive committee may directly appoint at most two voting members to the LACC if the chair of their department submits a recommendation saying that he or she would like said person(s) to represent that department's interests in LACC business. Acceptance into the council will be complete after submission of the appropriate forms (Form B).

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3. At Large: Up to two other eligible students from each department in Liberal Arts and from 'undeclared Liberal Arts Majors' who wish to participate in LACC may become voting members after attending two LACC meetings and turning in an application for voting membership (Form C) to any LACC officer.

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4. One person can not represent 1, 2, and 3 during the same year.

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Section C

Voting membership positions will be filled on a 'first come, first serve' basis, subject to approval of the LACC executive (officers).

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Section D - Non-voting Membership

All Liberal Arts students are welcome to attend and participate in LACC meetings as non-voting members.

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Article III - Loss of Voting Privilege

Members are strongly encouraged to attend all regular meetings. After three absences in one semester, the privilege of voting will be withdrawn at the discretion of the executive and that member must re-apply following the procedures outlined above.

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Article IV - Officers

Section A - Officers

1. The Officers in LACC will include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Their duties are outlined in the bylaws. Together, these officers will constitute the LACC executive committee.

2. The LACC executive committee may decide to create new executive positions as they become necessary for the efficient functioning of the organization.

3. The term of office for all officers is one year.

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Section B - Selection of Officers

Selection of officers will be by election, after nomination by an LACC member. The candidate for each office receiving the majority of votes cast by voting members will fill that office. The election will occur at a specially announced, regularly scheduled meeting in April. The election will be conducted by secret ballot, counted by the faculty advisor or other designated person acceptable to the membership. Students who accept nomination must be reasonably certain that they will be returning to UTA for the next academic year.

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Section C - Removal of Officers

Officers are strongly encouraged to attend meetings. After three absences in one semester, voting members have the option of replacing them at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

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Section D - Filling Vacancies

Vacancies for office during the academic year will be filled by nominations made at a regularly scheduled meeting, followed by a vote taken at the next regularly scheduled meeting. The candidate receiving a majority of votes cast by voting members will be elected.

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Article V - Expulsion and Resignation

Section A - Expulsion

Officers and/or voting members may be removed from office and membership for misconduct by a three-quarter vote of the voting members present at a regularly scheduled meeting during which the specific complaints will be presented in writing and discussed prior to voting. The person against whom such complaints are being made will be given at least one week advance notice of the meeting and a copy of the written complaint.

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Section B - Resignation

Officers and/or members may also resign from their position in LACC if they no longer wish to serve. Outside of unexpected personal crises, advance notice of at least three weeks should be given to the faculty advisor and a continuing officer.

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Article VI - Meetings

Section A - Regularly Scheduled Meetings

1. Bimonthly meetings will be scheduled by the executive pending approval of the University advisor. The executive committee will post meeting dates and times. The executive will ensure that all possible effort is made to contact each department and area of study within the College of Liberal Arts.

2. The executive committee sets the days on which regular meetings are to be held.

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Section B - Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the President of Vice President for pressing business that cannot wait until the next regularly scheduled meeting. Notice must be posted at least three days in advance in the LACC display case in University Hall. Additionally, a reasonable effort must be made to contact all active members.

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Section C - Quorum

With the exceptions noted in Section D below and Article VII, to conduct official business, there must be present at a regularly scheduled or special meeting the following:
1. At least two officers, and
2. At least half of the number of voting members present at the last regular meeting.

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Section D - Treasury

Decisions concerning the expenditure of LACC funds in amount greater than $100 will be made only at meetings at which the President or Treasurer is present and must be voted in by 51 percent or more of the active voting membership as defined in the LACC bylaws.

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Article VII - Constitutional Revisions and Amendments

This Constitution and its bylaws may be revised or amended by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a specially announced, regularly scheduled meeting only after proposed revisions or amendments have been presented at a regular meeting to the voting membership two weeks in advance and openly discussed at the meeting before the vote is taken.

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Article VIII - Rules and Regulations

Section A

LACC will function in accordance with all University of Texas at Arlington rules.

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Section B

This Constitution, having been adopted, shall be binding on all LACC members until changed, following the procedure outlined above.

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Section C

LACC members will also be governed by the attached bylaws until changed following the procedure outlined above.

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LIBERAL ARTS CONSTITUENCY COUNCIL (LACC) BYLAWS

I. Meetings

A. Bimonthly meetings will be scheduled by the executive body pending the approval of the University Advisor.

B. Robert's Rules of Order, revised will be the official rules of order for conduct of meetings. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the President.

C. An agenda may be posted in the LACC display case in University Hall one week prior to each regularly scheduled meeting.

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II. Duties of Officers

A. President

1. Sets the agenda
2. Runs the meetings
3. Oversees all LACC activities
4. Sits on the President's Student Advisory Council and Student Fee Oversight Committee unless arrangements are made for another representative.
5. Appoints representatives to: University Center Advisory Committee, Student Publication Advisory Committee, Student Affairs Advisory Committee.
6. Oversees the Policy, Rules, and Student Affairs Committee.

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B. Vice President

1. Assumes presidential duties in absence of President
2. Chairpersons of all ad hoc committees report to Vice President
3. Oversees the Programming and Public Relations Committees

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C. Secretary

1. Takes attendance
2. Maintains records of voting membership
3. Takes, keeps, turns in, reports, and reads minutes
4. Updates address and phone lists
5. Oversees the Newsletter Committee

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D. Treasurer

1. Responsible for all LACC monies spent
2. Keeps budget
3. Reports on expenditures
4. Oversees the Liberal Arts Week Committee

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III. Standing Committees

A. Established Committees

1. Newsletter: To facilitate communication among students in the College of Liberal Arts, a newsletter will be published by a committee including an editor-in-chief, consulting editor, production editor, and necessary assistants.
2. Liberal Arts Week: This committee will solicit ideas and organize activities for Liberal Arts Week.
3. Programming: This committee will organize the Golladay Award, Dean's Receptions, and other social functions.
4. Public Relations: This committee will post flyers and make notice of LACC activities.
5. Policy, Rules, and Student Affairs: This committee will help in researching and drafting resolutions that will be taken to Student Congress.

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B. New standing committees and ad hoc committees may be created by the executive members as needed.

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IV. Clarification of Membership Categories

A. Departments in the College of Liberal Arts, as of 2000-2001: Art & Art History, Communication, Classical Studies, Criminology & Criminal Justice, English, Foreign Languages, Interdisciplinary Studies, History, Linguistics, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology & Anthropology, and Theater Arts.

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B. Total voting membership positions

1. 30 Departmental appointees (15 departments, 2 each)
2. Two Organizational Representatives from each organization within the Liberal Arts College that is recognized by UTA.
3. 32 at large representatives (2 each department and 2 undeclared)

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C. 'Active Voting Membership' is defined on a bimonthly basis as follows:

1. At the first meeting of the academic year in September, all returning active members from the previous year who are in attendance.
2. Attendance and voting privileges shall continue over winter and summer breaks.
3. The Secretary will keep track of voting membership and report current membership at the first regularly scheduled meeting in September.

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V. Bake Sales in University Hall

A. As of 10/98, the LACC shall have control over the rules and scheduling of bake sales in University Hall.

B. Any changes in Bake Sale policy must be presented to the office of Student Governance for approval and LACC must abide by rules prescribed by that office.

C. The Bake Sales shall fall under the control of the Programming Committee and will therefore be subject to the Vice President's leadership.

D. Organizations will have the opportunity to choose the week of their Bake Sales at the final meeting of each semester. Bake Sale weeks will be chosen by organizations based on the procedures approved by Student Governance.

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VI. The Golladay Award and Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Awards

A. The LACC will poll the same sample of students polled by the Dean's Office for nominees for the Academy, Chancellor's Piper, and Provost Awards. The polling sample will include students from all departments within the College of Liberal Arts.

B. The Golladay Award will only be awarded to a tenured or tenure-track professor. Every effort will be made to list all tenure tracked professors and a write in space will be provided.

C. The LACC will also poll for the Outstanding Adjunct Teaching Award in the same manner designated for the Golladay Award. Every effort will be made to list all adjunct instructors and a write in space will be provided.

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VII. Liberal Arts Constituency Scholarship

A. Criteria

1. All applicants must be registered as a Junior or a Senior by the application date.
2. Must be enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Texas at Arlington.
3. Must possess and maintain a 3.0 GPA.
4. Must be majoring in the College of Liberal Arts.
5. Annual expected family contribution must not exceed $5,000.

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B. Scholarship Account

1. It is the responsibility of the LACC to create and maintain a seperate account in order to hold funds raised for the scholarship.
2. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to keep the members of the council informed on the status of the account.

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C. LACC Scholarship Committee

1. All executive members will hold seats on the committee.
2. Other members may include Liberal Arts faculty, Staff, Student Congress, & administrators.
3. Membership on the Committee is held at the discretion of the executive & may be revoked by the motion of any officer.
4. The committee will establish the procedure for establishing the recipient/recipients of the scholarship

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D. The Scholarship Committee can not discriminate on the basis of age, color, ethnic background, field of study, gender, mental disability, national origin, physical handicap, race, religion, sexual orientation, sexual preference, or veteran status.

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E. At the first meeting of each semester, the executive will vote to continue or suspend the scholarship for the period of one year. The vote will take place in the presence of the general voting body of the Council.

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