CONSTITUTION of the
MID-ATLANTIC BLACK LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
ARTICLE I – NAME The name of this association is the Mid-Atlantic Black Law Students Association, (“MABLSA”) a duly registered regional organization under the National Black Law Students Association (“NBLSA”). ARTICLE II – PURPOSE The purpose of MABLSA is to utilize the collective resources of the member sub-regions and chapters to: (a) Articulate and promote the educational, professional, political, and social needs and goals of Black law students; (b) Foster and encourage professional competence; (c) Improve the relationship between Black law students, Black attorneys, and the American legal structure; (d) Instill in the Black attorney and law student a greater awareness and commitment to the needs of the Black community; (e) Influence the legal community by bringing about meaningful legal and political change that addresses the needs and concerns of the Black community; (f) Adopt and implement policies of economic independence; (g) Encourage Black law students to pursue careers in the judiciary; and (h) Do all things necessary and appropriate to accomplish these purposes. ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP Section 1: Membership by Geographic Location (a) Membership shall consist of law students in the Mid-Atlantic Region: Virginia, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Southern New Jersey. (b) A chapter shall be eligible for membership within a sub-region of MABLSA according to the location of the school as follows: 1) Greater Philadelphia Sub-Region: Temple University School of Law, University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Villanova University School of Law, Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, Widener University School 1
of Law-Wilmington, and Drexel University School of Law; 2) Maryland-D.C. Sub-Region: University of Baltimore School of Law, University of Maryland School of Law, American University College of Law, Catholic University of America Law School, District of Columbia School of Law, George Washington University Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Howard University School of Law, and George Mason University School of Law; 3) Virginia Sub-Region: College of William and Mary School of Law, Regent University School of Law, University of Richmond School of Law, University of Virginia School of Law, Washington and Lee University School of Law and Appalachian School of Law; 4) Pennsylvania-West Virginia Sub-Region: University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Duquesne University School of Law, Widener University School of Law-Harrisburg, Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law, and University of West Virginia School of Law. Section 2: Classification of Membership (a) Chapter Membership: Chapter membership shall consist of: 1) Any American law school whose petition is approved by the National Executive Board for admittance with due regard to Article III, Section 1(a), or 2) Any law student in the same locale whose petition is approved by the National Executive Board for admittance. (b) Active Membership: Active membership in MABLSA consists of all chapters that have: 1) Members who have fulfilled individual member financial obligations for that fiscal year; and 2) Submitted the necessary paperwork to determine the number of affiliated members in the chapter. c) College Student Division: (“CSD”) shall consist of a Pre-law student sub-section serving solely as a liaison program between the prospective law students and active MABLSA members in good standing. Section 3: Non-Discrimination Clause MABLSA will not discriminate against an individual or group on the basis of sex, race, religion, ethnic group, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or country of abode. Section 4: Rights of Membership Only law students in active chapters shall have the right to serve as a delegate, hold regional office and compete in all MABLSA sponsored competitions, and shall generally be entitled to all the rights and privileges of MABLSA/NBLSA as defined herein. ARTICLE IV – ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL OFFICERS
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Section 1: Eligibility Only members of active chapters in the MABLSA geographic region, as outlined in Article 3, Section 1(a) and (b) are eligible to hold a regional elected or appointed position within the region. Section 2: Composition There will be a Mid-Atlantic Regional Board that will consist of the following: Regional Chair, Regional Vice-Chair, Regional Secretary, Regional Treasurer, Regional Director of Programming, Regional Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, Regional Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, Regional Director of Community Service, Attorney General, Philadelphia Metro Sub-regional Director, Pennsylvania and West Virginia Sub-regional Director, Virginia Sub-regional Director, Maryland and D.C. Sub-regional Director, Regional Parliamentarian and any Appointed Officers. Section 3: Performance These officers must perform duties prescribed by the Regional Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by MABLSA. Section 4: Powers of the MABLSA Regional Board The MABLSA Regional Executive Board will have the power to: (a) Administer any and all programs, business projects, and matters pertaining to or concerning MABLSA in accordance with the NBLSA Constitution, (b) Determine all questions of policy and procedure pertaining to or concerning MABLSA, (c) Be subject to the orders of the membership; none of its acts can conflict with decisions made by the vote of the general assembly or the goals and objectives of MABLSA, (d) Make recommendations to the General Membership about matters pertaining to or concerning MABLSA, (e) Create staff positions and committees as necessary to carry out the business of MABLSA in accordance with the NBLSA Constitution, (f) Make decisions at a duly called meeting at which there is quorum, (g) Discipline any officer pursuant to Article XII of this Constitution, (h) Set the date, location, and agenda of the annual MABLSA Regional Convention, and (i) Coordinate all nationally mandated activities on the regional level. Section 5: Board Approval The MABLSA Regional Executive Board defines Board approval as an affirmative, simple majority vote. Section 6: Succession of Officers (a) If the Regional Chair is unable to complete a term of office, the Regional Vice-
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Chair will automatically become Regional Chair for the remainder of the term. If the Regional Vice-Chair is unable to fulfill this duty, an acting Chair will be elected by simple majority vote of the Regional Executive Board. (b) If any other Regional Officer is unable to complete a term of office the Regional Chair will appoint a replacement with the approval of the Regional Executive Board, to serve the remainder of the term. Section 7: Elected Positions The Regional Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, Director of Community Service, Director of Programming, the Regional Parliamentarian, Attorney General, and the Sub-regional Directors shall be elected by a majority of the voting delegates at the Regional Convention. Section 8: Appointed Positions (a) The Regional Director of Communications, Regional Director of Corporate Relations, Regional Director of Membership and Education, Regional Convention Coordinator, Job Fair Coordinator, and College Student Division Director, shall be appointed by the Regional Chair Subject to Board Approval. (b) Appointed officers are terminable at-will by the Regional Chair subject to board approval. Section 9: Terms of Office The Regional officers of MABLSA will hold office for a term of one (1) year to begin on May 1st and end on April 30th of the following year. Section 10: Fiduciary Duty All Regional officers retain a fiduciary duty to the Constitution and Bylaws of MABLSA and then to the membership thereof. This includes but does not limit their individual obligations to active attendance and participation in MABLSA activities and willing and uncompelled fulfillment of prescribed and other reasonable duties.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS Section 1: Regional Executive Board Meetings (a) In addition to the Regional Convention, as outlined in Article V, Section 2, the Regional Executive Board must conduct a minimum of four (4) in-person annual business meetings within any term of office. (b) Officers are required to attend every Regional Executive Board meeting. Officers who do not attend must show good cause for their absence. Good cause will be determined by a simple majority vote of the Regional Executive Board. (c) Minutes of the meetings of the Regional Executive Board must be made available, 4
upon request, to any Region, local chapter, or individual MABLSA member. Section 2: Regional Convention (a) The Regional Executive Board shall convene a meeting each winter, which shall be known as the Mid-Atlantic Regional Black Law Students Association Regional Convention (“MABLSA Regional Convention”). (b) Each chapter in attendance at the MABLSA Regional Convention must register and remit registration fees for each chapter delegate attending the MABLSA Regional Convention. The amount of the registration fee and the rules governing payment are to be submitted by the MABLSA Regional Convention Coordinator and proposed to the Regional Executive Board for approval.
ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES Section 1: Standing Committees The Standing Committees of MABLSA are: (a) Constitution and Bylaws Committee (b) Convention Committee (c) Membership Committee (d) Elections Committee (e) Grievance Committee (f) College Student Division Committee (g) Finance Committee Section 2: Establishment of Committees The Regional Chair, upon approval by the Regional Executive Board, can create any other committee necessary for the execution of MABLSA’s objectives. ARTICLE VII – COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL CONSTITUTION MABLSA executive board will serve as a liaison between its chapters and the National Executive Board and must carry out the objectives of NBLSA. (b) The duties of Regional officers must be parallel to their National counterparts. (c) Regional officers and their duties will be defined in accordance with the rules and regulations of MABLSA as defined in the MABLSA Bylaws. The duties of Regional officers must be reasonably parallel to their National counterparts. (a)
ARTICLE VIII – FINANCIAL AFFAIRS Section 1 5
To constitute active membership, as stated in Article III, Section 2(A)(1) of this Constitution, each chapter must remit payment of dues to the National Treasurer. Section 2: Dues Each individual BLSA member must pay dues pursuant to Article VIII, Section 1 of this Constitution. The National Board will: (a) determine the amount of Regional dues, (b) set a uniform Regional dues structure applicable to every Region, (c) remit a check to every Region for the portion of the dues that Nationals has collected once every two weeks. The National Treasurer will be relieved of this duty as of the last week in November. The National Treasurer will resume this biweekly payment schedule during the first week in January, and (d) submit a list of new members that have paid their dues upon request by a Regional officer. Section 3: Charter Fee There must be a charter fee paid to MABLSA at the time of the charter application. The procedure for chartering chapters is as follows: (a) Upon request, the Regional Executive Board must send a copy of the MABLSA Constitution and Bylaws, along with a charter application, to the prospective chapter. (b) Upon receipt of a completed and signed charter application, the application must be approved pursuant to Article III, Section 2(B) of this Constitution. (c) Upon approval, the Regional Executive Board, through an approved representative, will issue a Certificate of Charter. Section 4: Competitions Entry Fee Each active chapter competing in a MABLSA competition must pay an entry free for its participation in said competition. The Regional Treasurer may remit up to fifty percent (50%) of the competitions entry fees collected from each Chapter for the costs of administration of the Regional competitions. Section 5: Final Report A final full disclosure of all funds received and disbursed within any given fiscal year, including those received and disbursed at the MABLSA Regional Convention, must be disseminated by the Regional Executive Board to all chapters prior to the first regularly scheduled Regional Executive Board meeting of the newly elected officers. Section 6: Financial Report The Regional Executive Board must make a financial report of money in the MABLSA Regional Treasury to the General Assembly at the MABLSA Regional Convention. The financial records of MABLSA must be submitted annually to a certified public accountant for audit immediately after the first regularly scheduled Regional Executive Board meeting. This inspection report shall be completed within the first sixty (60) days of the new fiscal year. 6
ARTICLE IX – FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of MABLSA is to extend from May 1st of the present year to April 30th of the following year. ARTICLE X – VOTING, ELECTIONS, AND APPOINTMENT Section 1: Elections for MABLSA Regional Board Positions (a) Elected Officers 1. The following officers shall be elected by a majority of the voting delegates at the Regional Convention: the Regional Chair, Regional Vice-Chair, Regional Secretary, Regional Treasurer, Regional Director of the Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, Regional Director of the Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, Regional Director of Community Service, Attorney General, four (4) Sub-Regional Directors, and Regional Parliamentarian. (b) Appointed Officers 1. The following officers will be appointed by the Regional Chair, subject to board approval: the Regional Director of Communications, Regional Director of Corporate Relations, Regional Director of Membership and Education, Regional Convention Coordinator, Job Fair Coordinator, College Student Division Director, and the Regional Academic Retreat Coordinator. Section 2: Delegate Apportionment to Local Chapters Each chapter should be represented at the Regional and National Conventions in accordance with the number of members in the chapter. Under no circumstances will a chapter’s number of votes be less than one (1) or more than five (5). A chapter’s votes are determined as follows: (a) Chapters with ten (10) members or less will have one (1) vote; (b) Chapters with more than ten (10), but less than twenty-five (25) members will have two (2) votes; (c) Chapters with twenty-five (25), but less than fifty (50) members will have three (3) votes; (d) Chapters with fifty (50), but less than seventy-five (75) members will have four (4) votes; (e) Chapters with seventy-five (75) or more members will have five (5) votes. Section 2: Voting by Proxy Each chapter giving its proxy must comply with the following provisions: (a) The chapter must be in good financial standing with MABLSA. (b) The chapter must be registered for the MABLSA Regional Convention.
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The chapter must present a written proxy, prior to the day of elections, to be certified by the MABLSA Regional Recording Secretary. (d) Chapters may certify a proxy for no more than two (2) other chapters, which are registered and not present. Chapters may not certify proxy for schools outside their sub-region. (c)
ARTICLE XI – DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS Section 1: Jurisdiction MABLSA is empowered to make and enforce its own rules and to require that its members and officers refrain from conduct injurious to MABLSA or its purposes. The Board will have the power to censure its members, staff persons and committee members. Enforcement of any disciplinary action is pursuant to Article VII, of this Constitution. Section 2: Regional Executive Board Member Removal (a) A Regional Executive Board member may be expelled, suspended, or otherwise removed from office after due process in accordance with the provisions of the Bylaws by an affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds (2/3) of the Regional Executive Board. The Presiding officer at the meeting will require a secret ballot vote for any proposed adverse action. (b) Notice of expulsion, suspension, or removal will be given to the Board member in writing. Any officer initiating such an action or the object of such an action must make a presentation verbally or in writing on his or her behalf and/or to select an advocate and witnesses. (c) Any officer may resign at any time. Resignation must be submitted by the resigning officer in writing and given to the Regional Chair. The Regional Executive Board must send a written confirmation of the resignation to the resigning officer. (d) The Board shall report all disciplinary measures to the General Assembly at the Regional Assembly; disciplinary measures are subject to review by the General Assembly. ARTICLE XII – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern MABLSA in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and Bylaws and any special rules of order the Association may adopt. ARTICLE XIII – MANDATORY PROJECTS The following projects are mandatory: (a) The Annual Regional Frederick Douglass Moot Court Competition, 8
(b) (c) (d) (e) (f)
The Annual Regional Thurgood Marshall Mock Trial Competition, The Annual MABLSA Regional Convention, The Annual Regional Convention Community Service Project, The Annual MABLSA Regional Academic Retreat or each sub-region must host an individual academic retreat for its chapters, and The Annual Leadership Retreat in conjunction with the MABLSA Regional Job Fair. ARTICLE XIV – BYLAWS
Section 1: Passage of Bylaws The Bylaws of MABLSA must be approved by: (a) Simple majority vote of the delegates attending the Plenary Sessions at the Annual MABLSA Regional Convention; or, (b) in extenuating circumstances, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Regional Executive Board, subject to review by the active membership of MABLSA. The Regional Executive Board must publicize the need to make the change and create an amendment to the Bylaws prior to acting; results of the Board’s actions must be publicized. Section 2: Non-Substantive and Grammatical Amendments The Regional Executive Board has the authority to make grammatical, non-substantive changes to the MABLSA Constitution and Bylaws. ARTICLE XV – AMENDMENTS Section 1: Adoption The Constitution of MABLSA must be adopted by a simple majority vote of the General Assembly at the MABLSA Regional Convention. Section 2: Amendment Proposal Amendments to these Constitution and/or Bylaws may be proposed by: a) a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Regional Executive Board; or b) a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Regional Constitution and Bylaws Committee; or c) a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates at a Regional Convention. Section 3: Format of Proposed Amendments Proposed amendments must be submitted in written form to the Regional Constitution and Bylaws Committee who will then present the proposed amendments to the Regional Executive Board for review. The proposal must be clearly stated and justified. Section 4: Passage of Amendments Constitutional amendments must be passed at the Annual MABLSA Regional 9
Convention Plenary Session(s) upon receiving a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the General Assembly. ARTICLE XVI – RATIFICATION Unless an alternative date is specified therein, the Constitution, Bylaws, and any passed amendments of MABLSA become effective immediately upon ratification. Ratification will occur upon two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the delegates present or by proxy at the Annual MABLSA Regional Convention.
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