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Article 1: Name and Purpose
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Syracuse University Society for News Design (SU / SND).
Section 2. The purpose of this organization is to provide Syracuse University students, who are interested in news design, graphics and photography, the resources necessary to succeed in both an educational and a professional environment and to provide educational offerings for members. SU / SND members will utilize national SND members as speakers and provide workshops, judgings and field trips to improve members' job qualifications and education. This organization will also promote and foster a mutually beneficial relationship between students and professionals who are members of the Society for News Design.
Article II: Membership
Section 1. Membership to SU / SND is open to Syracuse University full-time students and faculty who are interested in news design. SU / SND does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnic origin, sex, age, political persuasion, sexual orientation, handicapped status or marital status. Only SU / SND students may be officers and / or voting members.
Section 2. Membership shall be maintained through a payment of dues upon joining the organization. They should be paid yearly upon joining.
Article III: Executive Committee
Section 1. The Executive Committee will consist of the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and faculty adviser.
Section 2. The Executive Committee has the power to establish special interest committees and appoint members to chair these committees.
Section 3. Any officer has the power to call a "special session" of all SU / SND executive members. Two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee is needed to call a regular meeting. The faculty adviser has the deciding vote to break a tie.
Article IV: Selection of Officers
Section 1. Elections for officers will be by secret ballot. Only the active members of SU / SND are allowed to vote for officers.
Section 2. President and Treasurer will be elected at the end of the Spring semester for the following academic year. Vice President and Secretary for each academic year will be elected in September or no later than the end of the annual SND judging in February if no candidates are available the Fall semester. Should SND's central office change its membership registration process or deadlines the election of officers may have to be changed to represent new deadlines. Should this happen the affiliate's adviser will have the authority to set the dates when officers need to be elected to fulfill the new requirements.
Article V: Terms of Office
Section 1. All terms of office will last one year starting when elected or at a date announced before the election(s). If an officer cannot finish his or her term of office because of graduating or leaving SU a special election may take place to replace his or her term.
Article VI: Vacancies of Office
Section 1. Should an officer's position become vacant during the academic year, a new officer will be elected to fill that position at the beginning of the following semester or as soon as reasonable as decided by the Executive Committee. Or, if needed, the Executive Committee may fill the position immediately by appointment. Such appointment will fill the position until elections can take place.
Article VII: Adviser
Section 1. At least one full-time faculty member shall serve as adviser to the members of the organization. This person must be a member in good standing with the Society for News Design and a member of the Newhouse School faculty. First choice will be presented to the Judging Director for The Best of Newspaper Design™ Competition and / or the teacher of the News Design class in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications if the same person assumes both positions. He or she may select an assistant at his or her discretion.
Article VIII: AmendmentsSection 1. Any amendments to the SU / SND Constitution will require a two-thirds vote of the members present during a regularly scheduled meeting, No amendment will be allowed to pass during a special meeting unless all members are given two days prior notice about the meeting.
SU / SND By-LawsArticle 1: Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall be responsible for working with the adviser to organize meetings and other events sponsored by SU / SND. The President shall oversee all meetings and events. The President may appoint other members to form committees to complete tasks needing completion. The President shall be responsible for completing necessary organizational paperwork, including membership rosters to be sent to the national SND office.
Section 2. The Vice President shall assist the President in completing the President's duties. The Vice President shall oversee all meetings and events in the event that the President cannot be present. The Vice President shall also be responsible for inviting professionals in news design to visit the campus to speak to the SU / SND affiliate. The Vice President shall also be responsible for making arrangements for these persons to visit the campus.
Section 3. The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting national SND dues from existing members and new members and getting these dues to the affiliate's adviser to send to the national SND headquarters after each membership drive or each member signup. The Treasurer shall be responsible for depositing such affiliate dues and / or monies raised through fund-raisers sponsored by SU / SND in an account specified for SU / SND. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for making sure all debts incurred by SU / SND have been paid through the affiliate's account if such an account exists. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for organizing all money-generating activities approved by the organization. The adviser, because of his or her responsibilities to the School and University, will have to approve all expenses to make sure funds are available before any member enters into any financial responsibility for the affiliate. Only the adviser may sign agreements or contracts for the affiliate.
Section 4. The Secretary shall be responsible for creating and posting signs notifying members of upcoming meetings or events. The Secretary shall also be responsible for sending e-mails to members regarding meetings and general announcements. The secretary shall also keep a log of minutes for each official meeting, noting group activities, items of discussion, members present and decisions made at the meeting. The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying members of SU / SND of any job or internship listing notifications sent to the affiliate by SND or posted on the SND job search Web site at: http://www.SND.org/
Section 5. The duties of members of SU / SND shall be to foster excellence in news design within the group as well as within others who are interested in pursuing careers in news design. This may be accomplished through topic discussions, guest speakers, workshops and seminars and other events that will promote a greater knowledge of all the aspects of the news design industry. Members shall be expected to attend as many meetings and events sponsored by the groups as possible. Members shall also be expected to carry out responsibilities assigned to them by the Executive Committee.
Updated 07/01/03
