ARTICLE I.

Name

Students Improving State University—SISU

ARTICLE II.

Object

The objective of SISU is to familiarize members with parliamentary procedure and to improve conditions in the community and at San Diego State University. This objective may be widely interpreted by members to include discussion, resolutions and action regarding any state, community, national or international social and political matters. SISU may elect to conduct community service projects, endorse political actions, outside events, etc.

ARTICLE III.

Members

Section 1. Membership of SISU shall be limited to persons enrolled in Communication 391 plus the Captain and Otto.

Section 2. All members are required to pay a membership fee of $25.00. All fees shall be collected by the midterm . Up to a $1.00 fine shall be charged for each meeting after the deadline that fees are not collected. These dues shall be payable to the elected Treasurer and will be deposited in a General Fund.

Section 3. Members who fail to meet designated responsibilities shall be fined up to $1.00 or they may bring a can of non-perishable food the next class meeting. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to, distributing copies of the minutes to all members, presenting committee reports, and presenting an inspirational speech. Along with the inspirational speech, members must present a written quote to put in the archives book for the end of the semester.

Article IV.

Officers

Section 1. The officers of this society shall include a chair pro tem, a secretary pro tem, a parliamentarian pro tem, and a Treasurer.

A. The chair pro tem must have a list of all standing and special committees and other appropriate materials (Robert’s Rules, p. 442).

Section 2. At each SISU meeting these officers will be appointed, with the exception of the Treasurer, who is elected and serves continuously as the equivalent of a committee responsibility.

Section 3. The Treasurer shall serve a full semester term.

A. At the beginning the first meeting of a session, the Treasurer shall provide a weekly statement of the current account balance of the treasury and funds expended. In addition, the Treasurer:

1. Will collect a total of 25 dollars from each active member of SISU.

2. Shall make available the current status of members’ dues and contributions of cans of food.

3. Shall provide prompt reimbursement for expenditures incurred by members, usually at the time of the next regular SISU session following request for reimbursement for expenditure.

A. If the Treasurer is not functioning adequately in his/her responsibilities, s/he can be impeached by a 2/3 vote of those cast, and a new treasurer will be selected.

ARTICLE V

Meetings

Section 1. The regular, weekly sessions of SISU shall begin precisely at 6:00PM on Wednesdays, unless otherwise announced. Generally, there shall be two meetings in each session.

A. If a member of SISU is more than 3 minutes late arriving for a Sp. C. 391 class or in returning from a class break, s/he must perform a 1-minute speech, song, or dance as decided by the individual. The "entertainment" will begin at the moment of disruption. If a member is absent from any portion of a SISU meeting, s/he is similarly responsible for "entertainment" at the next meeting at which s/he is present. If s/he does not provide satisfactory "entertainment", s/he will be fined $3.00 ("satisfactory" will be determined by an informal vote of the class and a majority will determine if the satisfactory criteria has been met).

Section 2. A meeting of SISU must be convened for at least 40 minutes and cannot be adjourned prior to expiration of 40 minutes except by a unanimous vote of all those present.

Section 3. All main motions and amendments to main motions must be submitted in writing to the secretary pro tem before a vote is taken.

Section 4. Decorum

(A) Excessively causal conduct during SISU meetings is strongly discouraged, and the chair pro tem is empowered to impose a fine of up to $1.00 for a violation. The chair will determine what is considered to be excessive causal conduct pro tem.

(B) The chair pro tem is empowered to impose a fine of up to $1.00, or punishment deemed appropriate by the presiding chair pro tem, on any member(s) contributing to excessive oral disruption of SISU meetings and is encouraged to first provide a verbal warning before imposing such a fine.

5. The Order of Business shall be as follows:

(1) Call to order by chair pro tem

(2) Inspirational SISU presentation. A presentation shall start at the beginning of each meeting. The Inspirational Presenter to the first meeting of each session shall be the parliamentarian pro tem from the first meeting of the previous session. Except in rare circumstances, the Inspirational Presenter for the second meeting of each session shall be the parliamentarian pro tem from the second meeting of the previous session. The 1-3 minute presentation shall be about a recent inspirational experience in the presenter's life, and will include a written quote that will be placed into the archives at the end of the semester.

(3) Reading of the minutes and their approval. Except for the final SISU session, the secretary pro tem of the equivalent previous SISU session shall provide neatly typed copies of the minutes for all members. (The secretary of the first SISU meeting provides minutes for the first meeting of the next SISU session; The secretary of the second SISU meeting provides minutes for the second meeting for the next SISU session. This procedure may need to be modified if a SISU meeting is canceled. Often, during the first meeting of a session, it will be necessary for the secretary of the second meeting of the previous session to be prepared to present information from his/hers minutes even though these minutes have not been officially approved.)

(4) Treasurer's report

(5) Standing committee reports and other committee reports. The chair pro tem of the first SISU meeting in a SISU session should ask for committee reports from only half of the committees. Other committees should report during the second SISU meeting in a SISU session.

(6) Unfinished business

(7) New business

(8) Passing of the Gavel (optional): The chair pro tem should use his/her discretion in deciding if SISU meeting time is best used by "Passing the Gavel" among SISU members meat the end of a meeting; the purpose of "Passing the Gavel" would be to encourage individual members to provide oral comments that would promote good will and group tranquility.

(9) Adjournment and announcements. The chair pro tem shall provide an opportunity for questions and announcements before declaring the meeting adjourned.

ARTICLE VI
Committees

Section 1. Because the effective functioning of committees is integral to the goal of SISU, committee chairs are responsible for regularly held meetings of the committees and for continuing consideration of matters to be brought before SISU. Each SISU member shall serve on at least on consistently achieving committee during the semester (or as Treasurer).

Section 2. If any committee chair is not functioning adequately in their responsibilities, s/he can be impeached by SISU with a 2/3 vote of those cast, and a new committee chair will be selected.