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ABOUT US

Executive Board

GOALS & BYLAWS

GOALS:

To provide personal, academic, and professional support for the members of LALSA
To aid Boston College Law School in creating and promoting a healthy and prosperous environment for the study of law and the personal development of all law students.
To articulate and promote the needs and goals of Latino and Latina students in Boston College Law School
To foster and encourage an attitude of professional excellence; to focus upon the relationship of Latino and Latina Law Students to their respective communities and to the Legal System of the United States of America
To share the culture of Latino and Latina students with the Boston College Law School community at large and to assist in the professional, educational, intellectual, and emotional development of Latino and Latina members.
To aid, support, and assist in the recruitment of prospective Latino and Latina students and to assist in their admission to Boston College Law School.

BYLAWS:

ARTICLE I: NAME, PURPOSE, AND MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Name. The name of the organization shall be the Latin American Law Student Association (LALSA).

Section 2. Purpose. The purpose of LALSA is:

To provide personal, academic, and professional support for the members of LALSA; to aid Boston College Law School in creating and promoting a healthy and prosperous environment for the study of law and the personal development of all law students.
To articulate and promote the needs and goals of Latino and Latina students in Boston College Law School; to foster and encourage an attitude of professional excellence; to focus upon the relationship of Latino and Latina Law Students to their respective communities and to the Legal System of the United States of America; to share the culture of Latino and Latina students with the Boston College Law School community at large; to assist in the professional, educational, intellectual, and emotional development of Latino and Latina members.
To aid, support, and assist in the recruitment of prospective Latino and Latina students and to assist in their admission to Boston College Law School.

Section 3. Eligibility and Membership

Eligibility. All Boston College Law Students who are interested in learning about the issues affecting Latinos in the United States, in Latin American and in the Caribbean, issues deriving from legal practice with the United States, and/or the advancement of the Latino communities are eligible for membership in LALSA.
Membership. All Law Students who qualify under this section and who have demonstrated an interest in LALSA shall be included in the General Membership and enjoy the powers, privileges, and responsibilities provided in Article V of these By-Laws.

ARTICLE II: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Composition. The LALSA Executive Board shall be composed of six (6) officers: the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Alumni Liaison, and Community Service/Social Activities Officer.

Section 2. Powers of Appointment.

The Executive Board shall have the power to create such committees as it deems necessary to carry out the business of the LALSA. Such committees shall be chaired by a person selected by any LALSA Officer and approved by general consensus of the Executive Board. Such committees shall be accountable to the Executive Board and the General Membership.
The Executive Board shall have the power to appoint individual members of LALSA to represent LALSA and LALSA's interests when and where necessary. Such LALSA representatives shall be accountable to the Executive Board and the General Membership.

Section 3. Powers of Administration. The Executive Board shall have the power to administer any and all programs, business, projects, and matters pertaining to or concerning LALSA. The Executive Board shall be accountable to the General Membership in the exercise of these powers.

Section 4. Decision Making Powers. Each member of the Executive Board shall
have the power to make immediate decisions pertaining to the business of LALSA, subject to final approval of the remainder of the Board. The Executive Board shall be accountable to the General Membership in the exercise of these powers.

Section 5. Structure.

Any decision of the Executive Board shall be made only at a meeting, called by a member of the Executive Board, at which a quorum is present, which quorum shall consist of at least four Officers.
In any meeting of the Executive Board in which there is a quorum participating, the vote of the majority of those participating shall be sufficient to decide those issues which cannot be resolved by consensus. In the event of a tied vote, the vote of the presiding officer shall be discounted to create a majority vote.

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

Section 1. General. During their terms in office, the Officers of LALSA shall be students who are candidates for degrees at Boston College Law School. Officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Service/Social Activities Officer and Alumni Liaison. The regular term of office shall be one (1) year, and no person may hold more than one office at the same time, nor may one office be occupied by more than one person.

Section 2. The President. The President of LALSA shall have general supervisory power over the activities and business of LALSA. The President shall chair the meetings of the Executive Board and the meetings of the General Membership. The President shall have the power and responsibility to represent LALSA when and where the need arises and in doing so shall promote the goals, needs, and interests of the members of LALSA.

Section 3. The Vice-President. The Vice-President shall have the power and responsibility of ensuring the smooth and efficient internal operation of LALSA. The Vice-President shall have responsibility and powers to provide academic support programs for LALSA which include, but are not limited to, LALSA's mentor/mentee program and the inviting of speakers of interest to Boston College Law School. The Vice-President shall have the power and responsibility of the President in the President's absence.

Section 4. The Secretary. The Secretary of LALSA shall be responsible for the communication of information within LALSA. The Secretary shall have the powers and responsibilities of assuring that all LALSA members are aware of all the business and activities of LALSA. The Secretary shall be responsible for the maintenance and distribution of minutes for all meetings of the Executive Board and of the General Membership. The Secretary shall, whenever appropriate or whenever requested by the Executive Board, produce a newsletter detailing the business and activities of LALSA and distribute that newsletter to the General Membership and all others specified by the Executive Board.

Section 5. The Treasurer. The Treasurer of LALSA shall have custody and control of the financial assets of LALSA and shall see that they are deposited in a financial institution approved by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall assure that entries are regularly made in the financial records and keep full and accurate account of all monies received and disbursed by LALSA. The Treasurer shall make regular financial reports to the Executive Board and the General Membership.

Section 6. The Community Services/Social Activities Officer. The Community Services/Social Activities Officer shall be in charge of coordinating both community service and social activities (ex. potluck, Salsa dance, phone-a-thon, participating in recruitment programs organized by Admissions Office) for members of LALSA throughout the year.

Section 7. The Alumni Liaison. The Alumni liaison of LALSA shall have the powers and responsibilities of creating and maintaining a professional informational network between present LALSA members and LALSA members that have graduated from Boston College Law School. The Alumni Liaison shall have the power and responsibility of forming a working committee to create and maintain this professional informational network. The Alumni Liaison shall make regular reports to the Executive Board and General Membership concerning this network.

Section 8. Election of Officers and Performance of Duties

The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Community Service/Social Activities, and Alumni Liaison, for any given year, shall be chosen in an election held during the Spring term of the previous school year.
In case any officer shall become temporarily unable to serve, the Executive Board shall collectively assume the powers and responsibilities of the absent officer.
In case any officer shall become permanently unable to serve, a special election shall be held for the purpose of choosing a person to serve during the remainder of the un-expired term.

ARTICLE IV: AMENDMENTS

Section 1. These By-Laws may be added to, amended, or repealed at any meeting of the General Membership at which a quorum is present, which quorum shall consist of two-thirds (2/3) of all dues-paying members, upon a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those present, provided the proposed action is defined in the notice of such meeting. Such notice shall be given at the previous meeting.

Section 2. Any dues-paying member shall be able to propose amendments to these By-Laws.

ART1CLE V: GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Powers. All powers not specifically delegated to officers and members reside in the General Membership of LALSA. Where an issue affects a member's rights or privileges, such issue shall be submitted to the General Membership for resolution. Where an issue affects the policy of LALSA, such issue shall be submitted to the General Membership for discussion and resolution. All other issues decided by the Executive Committee or by any individual officer or member shall be subject to recall by the General Membership through the decision procedure specified in Section 2(c) of this Article.

Section 2. Meetings.

Each regular and special meeting of the General Membership for the transaction of proper business shall be held at such date, time, and place as may be designated by the Executive Board. Incumbent upon every member is a general duty of attendance and participation at meetings.
Any member present at any given meeting may propose topics for discussion and resolution by the General Membership.
Decisions of the General Membership shall be made by a general consensus or simple majority vote, unless otherwise specified, by all members in attendance at any given meeting.

Section 3. Dues. Dues may be assessed by each successive Executive Board, subject to the approval of the General Membership.