CONSTITUTION OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN CODERS
ADOPTED AUGUST 2014
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the League of Women Coders (LWC).
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization is to promote interest and retention among women studying Computer Science.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERS
Section 1. Persons interested in becoming members may join after attending two consecutive meetings and paying the required dues. No formal application or interview is required.
Section 2. Active members shall be enrolled students at The University of Alabama. Associate members shall be faculty or staff interested in increasing the number of women in computing fields.
Section 3. The number of active members in the organization must be one more than 50% of the total number of members. Associate members are not eligible to hold office or vote.
Section 4. Annual dues of $10.00 shall be paid by September 30 of each year, after which a member will be dropped for nonpayment of dues.
Section 5. In order to maintain active membership status, a member must attend at least 3 meetings per semester. No member will be expelled from the organization unless he/she is counterproductive to the goals of the organization. Non-active members will not be eligible to vote or hold office.
Section 6. Membership in the League of Women Coders shall be open to all students of the University of Alabama, without regard to race, religion, sex, disability, national origin, color, age, disability, gender identity or expression, sexual identity, or veteran status except in cases of designated fraternal organizations exempted by federal law from Title IX regulations concerning discrimination on the basis of sex.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICE
Section 1. The officers of the association shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall comprise the executive committee.
Section 2. Officers shall be elected at the last meeting of the Spring semester each year from the pool of nominations. Active members seeking office may be nominated by other members or by themselves.
Section 3. Elections shall be by secret ballot. Candidates receiving one vote more than 50% of the total number of votes cast shall be named to their respective offices.
Section 4. Officers shall be elected to serve for one year, beginning at the close of the meeting at which they are elected. Vacancies in offices shall be filled by nomination and voting by a quorum of active members.
Section 5. The President is responsible for running meetings and reaching out to potential speakers at meetings.
Section 6. The Vice President is responsible for serving as a backup to the President as well as organizing the logistics of meetings.
Section 7. The Secretary is responsible for communicating information to the members and recording the minutes of the meetings as well as working with the Treasurer to ensure shirt and/or food orders are placed in a timely fashion.
Section 8. The Treasurer is responsible for all financial aspects of the organization particularly collecting dues, distributing t-shirts, fundraising, and handling the bank account.
ARTICLE V
MEETINGS
Section 1. The regular meetings of the organization shall be held on the second Thursday and the fourth Monday of each month from August (fourth Monday) to April unless otherwise ordered by the organization or by the Executive Committee.
Section 2. The regular meeting on the fourth Monday in August shall be known as the annual meeting and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving reports from officers and committees, and for any other business that may arise.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the President or by the Executive Committee and shall be called upon the written request of 10 members of the association. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the notice, and three days’ notice shall be given except in cases of emergencies.
Section 4. 50% of the active members shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VI
RELATIONSHIP
The League of Women Coders shall build a relationship with the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) in the form of becoming an Academic Alliance member of NCWIT. NCWIT's by-laws are attached to this constitution.
ARTICLE VII
FINANCES
In the event that the organization, LWC, becomes defunct or is terminated, all funds held in the LWC account at the Alabama Credit Union shall be donated in full to the University of Alabama Student Organization Scholarship Fund and the account officially closed.
ARTICLE VIII
COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall include the officers of the organization. They shall supervise affairs of the association between its business meetings, make recommendations to the association, and perform other duties as specified in these by-laws. The Executive committee shall be subject to the orders of the association, and none of its acts shall conflict with actions taken by the organization.
Section 2. Other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the President as the organization or the Executive Committee deem necessary to carry on the work of the organization.
ARTICLE IX
ADVISOR
One advisor shall be selected each year on a volunteer-basis. Responsibilities shall be those assigned by The University of Alabama Student Handbook and shall include:
- Overseeing all financial transactions and receiving all bank statements
- Ensuring that officers have a minimum cumulative 2.00 grade-point average and 3.00 grade point average for graduate students and that primary officers are currently enrolled University of Alabama students
- Providing consultation concerning membership selection procedures and responsibilities, conducting an initial overview of membership outcomes, and reviewing profiles of newly selected members;
- Reviewing and signing organizational registration documents and Annual Reports;
- Performing other duties deemed appropriate by the organization and outlined in the organizational constitution and by-laws.
ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current addition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws and special rules of order the organization may adopt.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
This constitution may be amended at any regular meeting of the organization by two-thirds vote, provided the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.
ARTICLE XII
BY-LAWS
By-laws to this constitution may be added at any regular meeting of the organization by two-thirds vote, provided the by-laws have been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.