Article I – Name

The name of this society shall be known as the University of Waterloo Spanish Society. It may also be referred to by its acronym SpanSoc.

Article II – Object

The purpose of this non-profit organization is the following:

• To officially represent all undergraduate Spanish students enrolled at the University of Waterloo in the Faculty of Arts.
• To achieve and promote interests of all members of the society.
• To encourage a social and academic support system among members.
• To maintain open lines of communication between undergrads, graduates, and faculty, as well as maintain communication between the Faculty of Arts and students.

Article III – Members

Section A – Membership

• A “member” of The Spanish Society will be any person who in the given term has paid the Arts Student Union (A.S.U.) fee and not requested a refund.
• ‘Associate members’ are students from another department, graduates, faculty, or staff-associate members are required to pay the equivalent amount of money as in the portion taken from the A.S.U. fee.

Section B – Privileges

Both full members and associate members are entitled to:

• Participate in a general meeting.
• Vote at any election.
• Nominate or second any candidate for any Spanish election.
• Propose or second any amendments to the Constitution.
• Participate in Society meetings provided the speaker recognizes them.
• The right to see any or all business and books of the Spanish Society in the presence of the officer in charge of said books, given seventy-two (72) hours prior to notice.
• To participate in any activities under control of the Spanish Society.

Article IV – Officers

Section A – Positions

The officers of the Spanish Society shall consist of the following positions:

1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Social Director

Section B – Duties and Powers of the Officers

President:

• To conduct the office in the best interest of the Spanish Society and be accessible to the members at regular and reasonable hours.
• Be the chief representative of the Spanish Society in dealings with all University departments, organizations and governing bodies and then report back to all executive members and/or the Spanish Society.
• Be responsible to the Spanish Society for the day to day operations of the Spanish Society and for the running of the office. Also responsible for the possession of the Spanish office keys.
• To call meetings both general and executive.
• To call meetings to order.
• Preside as speaker over all executive and general meetings.
• To recognize members who are entitled to the floor.
• To state and put to vote all questions that come before the body as motions or that otherwise arise in the course of the proceedings to announce the results of each vote.
• The president has the authority to remove a disruptive member from a meeting if he has consent of the rest of the executive and only after two warnings have been given.
• To respond to the inquiries of members relating to parliamentary procedure and respond to inquiries of members relating to factual information bearing on business of the Spanish Society.
• To authenticate by signature when necessary all acts including financials orders and proceedings of the Spanish Society. All cheque writing procedures will be double endorsed with the treasurer.
• Oversee and coordinate Club Days with FEDS Clubs Director.

Vice President:

• Conduct the office in the best interests of the Spanish Society and be accessible to the members at regular and reasonable hours. Holds responsibility for possession of Spanish office keys.
• Assume the powers and duties of the president in his absence.
• Be a member of any committee that may be struck to amend this Constitution and advise the Spanish Society on all constitutional matters.
• Conduct matters concerning upcoming or immediate elections with the president.
• Attend ASU meetings. A minimum of 3 meeting per term must be
  attended to receive our allotment.
• Liaise with Federation of Students as well as Arts Student Union
  with the coordination or planning of any events.

Secretary:

• Conduct the office in the best interests of the Spanish Society and be accessible to the members at regular and reasonable hours. Holds responsibility over possession of Spanish office keys.
• Be responsible for taking minutes at Spanish Society meetings and for making them available to any member upon request with twenty-four (24) hours advance notice.
• Be responsible for all correspondence of the Society.
• Be responsible for maintaining all files of the Spanish Society executive. A current list of recognized members shall be a part of these files.
• Take attendance at all general and emergency meetings.
• To call the meetings to order in the absence of the President and Vice President and preside until a higher ranking officer returns or until one is elected.
• Oversee maintenance of club e-mail.
• Oversee maintenance of club website.
• Create executive list including position, e-mail and phone numbers.

Treasurer:

• Conduct the office in the best interests of the Spanish Society and be accessible to the members at regular and reasonable hours. Holds responsibility over possession of Spanish office keys.
• Be responsible for all financial records, making sure that these records are kept in good order and that they may be examined and understood by any member with forty-eight (48) hours advance notice.
• Collect membership card fees (should you have membership cards).
• Create one budget per term (see Sample in package). This must be
  created to receive our allotment from the ASU.
• Collect money at all events in which money must be collected.
• Make weekly deposits of profits earned, and update the bankbook.
• Overall management of club funds. Make sure to always know how much
  the club has in the bank, what the club can afford, and advise on club
  expenses.

Social Director:

• Plan and coordinate Latin Night at the Bomber.
• Plan and coordinate dance lessons (see phone list for dance instructor).
• Plan and coordinate papusa Fridays at Mi Tienda Latina.
• Plan and coordinate transportation for any and all events.
• Design graphics for club posters.

Section C – Impeachment

An executive officer may be subject to impeachment by the following means:

• A two-thirds majority vote of the Spanish Society
• Another reason that is deemed relevant.

Article V – Elections

• The president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer shall be elected at large by the membership.
• Nominations will be brought forth annually in the month of March. The election shall be held in the third week of March. Nominations will be held only for two weeks.
• The current vice president will prepare voter lists.
• The elected officers will serve during two (2) consecutive terms starting the following September. If the elected executive do not plan to hold office during the summer term then the new executive may hold the office open.
• Polling stations will be set up at the Spanish Society office unless another place is deemed reasonable.
• Only full members may run in elections.
• If no nominations are submitted then interested members may assume executive positions and responsibilities divided among themselves.

Vice President’s Role in Elections

During an election the vice president will do as follows:

• Not vote except in case of a tie.
• Declare the candidates elected.
• Be responsible for the supervision of all election procedures and ballot counting for the Spanish Society.
• Advertise that nominations are open for the specified offices at least one week before the close of nominations. This shall be done via posters at A.S.U. in the PAS building and Imprint.
• Advertise the date for election and location of the polling stations at least one week before the date of the election.
• Publish and enforce the rules set out in the constitution and make sure that candidates are aware of them by the close of the nomination period.
• Judge the validity of all nominations and have the power to disqualify a nominee due to a faulty form, with the approval of the general body.

Article VI – Meetings

Section A

General body meetings will be held at least twice per semester unless otherwise ordered by Spanish Society executive.

Section B

The final meeting in March will be held in the final week of March to transfer power from the old executive to the new executive.

Section C

The president may call special meetings. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated with a phone call and at least 3 days notice given. In case of an emergency the president only has to give 24 hours notice.

Section D

Arts Student Union meetings are held every other week unless otherwise stated by the ASU.

Section E

Other forms of communication will exist through the use of the Internet. A web page is linked via the University of Waterloo Spanish department page.

Article VII

Section A

All students enrolled in the Faculty of Arts pay a term fee which is collected by the Federation of Students. The monies are given to the Arts Student Union and then allocated to the Spanish Society.

Section B

Any Spanish Society member wishing to revoke their fee receives a refund from the Arts Student Union. However in doing so they also revoke any privileges entitled to paying member of the Spanish Society.

Article VIII – Amendments of By-laws

• Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Spanish Society by a two-thirds vote provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at a regular meeting two weeks prior.
• An amendment must be motioned, seconded, and the rationale behind the amendment must be explained at the next Spanish Society meeting.
• The amendment will be posted on the Spanish Society door until the next general body meeting (3 weeks from original meeting) for viewing by the student population.
• The amendment will be reread, discussed, and voted upon at the next meeting.
• For the amendment to pass, it must receive a two-thirds majority vote.

This constitution was based on the Waterloo Association of Geography constitution (Summer of 1997).