BCSSA Mission
Berkeley Chinese Students and Scholars Association (BCSSA) is an on campus student organization registered at the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC). It is a non-profit and non-political organization dedicated to the goal of promoting social, intellectual and cultural activities for Chinese students and scholars at UC Berkeley and other people interested in the Berkeley and the bay area community.
BCSSA is run by a volunteer committee elected twice a year by its active members. BCSSA organizes programs and activities to address concerns of its members, to provide service for its members, to enrich campus life of its members, and to help its members communicate with the Chinese consulate, news media and other groups.
BCSSA Bylaws
Article I - Name
1.1. The full name of the association shall be "Berkeley Chinese Students and Scholars Association", abbreviated as "BCSSA".
Article II - Purpose
The purposes of BCSSA include but are not limited to:
2.1. To serve as a representative organization of Chinese students and scholars at UC Berkeley;
2.2. .To promote cultural, social and academic communications among Chinese students and scholars in the Berkeley region;
2.3. .To develop friendship and to facilitate cultural exchange of its members and other communities in the Greater Bay Area.
Article III - Membership
3.1. Membership is open to any Chinese students/scholars and his/her spouses in the Berkeley region. It is also open to people who are not Chinese but are interested in China. Only currently registered UC Berkeley students, faculty and staff may be active members. Only active members may vote or hold office. Written request of 15 or more active members is required for the BCSSA president and Committee to call for an emergency meeting.
3.2. To facilitate communication among the members of BCSSA and to make BCSSA’s service efficient, the BCSSA committee is responsible for helping new members to register and for encouraging old members to update their information.
We will not restrict membership based upon race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical and mental disability, medical condition ancestry,, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or status as a covered veteran.
Article IV – Officers/Elections
4.1. Daily operation of BCSSA is conducted by an executive committee. The committee shall consist of a President, one or more Vice Presidents including an Executive Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and at least five additional committee members. The President shall be directly elected by the active members of BCSSA in June and December of each year. Other committee members shall be appointed by the President. Vice Presidents shall be elected by at least 2/3 committee members. Executive Vice President will automatically become one of the presidential candidates for the next half-a-year.
4.2. To ensure a smooth transition the incoming committee shall work with the outgoing committee for at least four weeks before they actually take over. During the four weeks the outgoing committee shall summarize its activities in the past year and the new committee shall make proposal for the new year. The outgoing committee has responsibility to help new committee in every aspect related to the daily operation of BCSSA, including but not limited to network, finance, working experience, and ongoing projects. Outgoing committee members will automatically become honorary committee members, for half a year, if not involved in the incoming committees.
4.3. The maximum time that an individual can serve as President of BCSSA is one year. The President of BCSSA shall also be the board director of Berkeley Chinese Alumni International Association (BCAIA), a chartered club of the California Alumni Association. It is the responsibility of the President to interact with BCAIA and to promote BCAIA programs that will benefit members of BCSSA.
4.4 The Treasurer shall keep an accurate financial record for BCSSA. The Treasurer shall be the primary signatory for all of BCSSA’s expenses. The President may serve as signatory in the absence of the Treasurer.
Article V –Meetings
5.1. Regular Committee Meetings.The Executive Committee shall hold regular meetings at least twice every half-year period to discuss operations of BCSSA. The Secretary shall make detailed minutes of the meetings.
5.2. Special Committee Meetings. The President may call for a special meeting if he or she thinks it is necessary. Three or more committee members or fifteen or more active BCSSA members may request the President or Executive Vice President to call for a special meeting. Current committee members and honorary committee members can sit and vote equally in the special committee meeting.
Article VI- Events
BCSSA shall organize regular events aimed to advocate Chinese culture, to provide friendly social environment, to address practical concerns of its members, and to promote communication between BCSSA members and the Chinese consulate, news media and other student and social groups.
Article VII - Amendments
7.1. This Bylaws may be amended if requested by at least fifteen percent (15%) of the registered active members or if requested by a simple majority of the executive committee. Amendments shall not be effective unless approved by two thirds (2/3) of the active members present on the member meeting convened for that purpose. Proposals for the amendments must reach the President at least one month before the voting takes place.
7.2. All amendments must be filed with the ASUC Office of Student Affairs, 400 Eshleman Hall, within one week of adoption.
Article VIII- Dissolution
BCSSA shall be dissolved if the number of active members falls below 25 or if seventy five percent (75%)of the active members vote to dissolve it at a member meeting convened for that purpose. Upon dissolution, all unspent ASUC funds shall remain the property of ASUC, all Graduate Assembly funds shall remain the property of the Graduate Assembly. Remaining privately-obtained funds may be donated to another non-profit organization with prior approval of the ASUC Senate Finance Committee.
Article IV
9.1.BCSSA members should accept BCSSA's bylaw.
9.2.BCSSA shall adopt the Robert's Rules of Order, latest edition for anything not covered by the Bylaws
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