CONSTITUTION OF THE
MUSLIM STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION
OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
By the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All the praise is due to Allah, the creator of man kind, the jin,
the earth, the heavens, and what in between. May Allah's peace an
blessing be upon HIS Prophet and final Messenger Muhammad, his
family, and followers till the day of Judgment.
ARTICLE I. Name of Organization
We, the Muslims of George Mason University, have agreed to and
have adopted the present constitution and do hereby establish an
organization to be known as The Muslim Students' Association (MSA)
of George Mason University.
ARTICLE II. Purpose
Section 1.
The aim and purpose of the Association is to serve the best
interest of Islam and the Muslims of George Mason University.
Towards this end, the Association shall:
1. Promote the acceptance and adherence to Islamic
morals, the Quran and the Sunnah.
2. Promote unity and joint action among the
Muslims on Campus.
3. Conduct religious, charitable, educational,
cultural and service activities according to Islamic tradition.
4. Arrange and hold congregational prayer and
Islamic religious festivals at appropriate times.
5. Promote healthy relations among Muslims and
non-Muslims according to the guidelines of Islam.
6. Endeavor to make Islamic teachings known to
interested non-Muslims
Section 2.
The Association shall be a non-profit, non-political
organization, and the fundamental purpose of the Association shall
be to encourage and to enable Muslims with the basic knowledge and
competence in Islam to contribute individually and collectively
toward meeting community needs in conformity with generally and
historically accepted Islamic doctrines and belief. It shall also be
the purpose of the Association to avoid any wrong practices in Islam
and to create a feeling of brotherhood among the Muslims.
ARTICLE III. Membership
Section 1.
Membership in this organization will not be restricted on the
basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual
orientation, veteran status, sex or age.
Section 2.
The membership of the MSA of GMU is open to anyone interested in
becoming a member and who abides by this Association's Constitution
and follows the regulations contained within it. Upon accepting
membership, the new member should also do his/her best to advance
the Association's intended purposes as mentioned in Article II,
Section 1.
Section 3.
The membership of the GMU MSA will consist of Active,
Regular, Associate, and Honorary Membership.
A. Active Member shall be any Muslim who registers
on the GMU MSA email listserve as well as:
• Participates in at least 4 MSA events
throughout the course of the year in an organizational capacity
(setup, cleanup, serving food, etc.). Active members must be
identified by current executive committee members for their
involvement and activism.
• Holds a GPA of at least 2.5
• Upholds a certain threshold of conduct befitting
a Muslim.
B. Regular Member shall be any Muslim who has registered
on the GMU MSA email listserve with a minimum academic achievement
record defined as a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
C. Associate Member shall be any non-Muslim desiring
membership with a minimum academic achievement record defined as a
cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0. Membership shall be
obtained by registering on the GMU MSA email istserve.
D. Honorary Membership shall be granted to all Alumni who
had a history of activism in the organization. Honorary Membership
can only be assigned by executive committee approval and shall be
initiated after a request for Honorary Membership by the alum.
Section 4.
The rights and privileges enjoyed by the various categories of
membership have been outlined as follows:
A. Active Membership
1. May vote on matters (official or not) including
elections, amendments and other motions brought forth in general
body meetings.
2. Can serve as committee heads pending executive
committee approval.
3. Can serve as officials on the executive
committee and run for office.
B. Regular Membership
1. May vote on matters (official or not) including
elections, amendments and other motions brought forth in general
body meetings.
2. Can serve as committee heads pending executive
committee approval.
C. Associate Membership
1. Will be entitled to all the privileges enjoyed
by the Regular Members of the organization. However, Associate
members will not be voting members for elections or amendments and
the Executive committee of the MSA will only comprise of the Active
members of the Association.
D. Honorary Membership
1. Shall enjoy all the privileges and rights that
they possessed during their tenure as a registered student,
corresponding to their prior membership status.
Section 5.
Membership may be terminated upon decision of the Executive
Committee for any actions which violate the regulations and by-laws
set forth by the Executive Committee concerning MSA member conduct.
ARTICLE IV. Officers and Faculty/Staff Advisor
Section 1. POSITIONS
A. the Executive Committee (officers) of this organization shall
be:
1. President
2. Brothers' Vice President
3. Sisters' Vice President
4. General Secretary
5. Finance Secretary (Treasurer)
6. Sisters' Coordinator
7. Brothers' Coordinator
8. Public Relations
B. All the officers shall be elected for their respective offices
and shall hold these positions for a full one-year term.
C. All the officers are responsible for upholding Islamic
conduct and refraining from publicly committing major sins in Islam.
D. All officers are required to have basic knowledge on
Islam.
E. Only Active Members are eligible for positions on the
Executive Committee. For a full discussion concerning the
requirements of Active Membership, refer to Article III, Section 3.
Two nominations by officers or members are required for acceptance
on the ballot.
Section 2. POWERS
The powers of the executive committee have been outlined as
follows:
1. The membership of a meeting
(officers/cabinet) shall have the power to:
a. Determine organizational policies and initiate
programs.
b. Develop and adopt well being of the
organization, provided that they do not conflict with the elements
and spirit of this constitution and The Religious Umbrella By-Laws.
2. The President shall be responsible for:
a. The general management of all the activities of
the Association.
b. Directing and coordinating all the activities
so as to achieve the purpose of the Association.
c. Delegate any authority to any of the officers
as needed.
d. Calling and presiding over meetings of the
Executive Committee and the General body.
e. Finalizing the agenda for the Executive
Committee and General Body meetings and notifying the members of the
Executive Committee and the General Body, respectively, of it.
f. Forming various Ad Hoc Committees with the
approval of the Executive Committee.
g. Controlling the spending of major funds as
defined in Section 6C of this Article.
h. Presenting reports on the state of the Association to the annual meeting.
i. Being the spokesman, representative and
correspondent for the Association in external activities.
j. Establishing an efficient link between the
Association and the MSAs of the US and Canada by his active involvement.
k. Training the new President once elected and
handing over the responsibilities.
3. The Brothers' Vice-President shall be
responsible for:
a. Assisting the President in accomplishing the
purpose of the Association
b. Temporarily assuming the functions of the
President when requested as such by the president, or if the
President is incapacitated, or in the absence of the President. In
the later case, the Brothers' Vice President shall assume Presidency
for the remaining period of the President's term.
c. Maintaining a list of the members with their
names, email addresses and updating the list at least once in a
period of three months.
d. Sending the weekly email as needed.
e. Work closely with the brothers' coordinator and
help him to build the unity among the brothers.
f. Training the new Brothers' Vice-President once
elected and handing over the responsibilities.
4. The Sisters' Vice-President shall be
responsible for:
a. Assisting the President in accomplishing the
goals and aim of the Association
b. Temporarily assuming the functions of the
President when requested as such by the president.
c. Work closely with the sisters' coordinator and
help her to build the unity among the sisters.
d. Training the new Sisters' Vice-President once
elected and handing over the responsibilities.
5. The General Secretary shall be responsible
for:
a. Reporting the important events and activities
of the Association to the MSA headquarters, periodically.
b. Preparing, circulating within a two-week period
and maintaining the minutes of all the Executive and General Body
meetings.
c. Compiling the agenda for the Executive
Committee and General Body meetings and notifying the members of the
Executive Committee and the General Body, respectively, of it.
d. Maintaining the list of the members and the
volunteers for various functions of the Association.
e. Directing and supervising the activities of the
various committees.
f. Presiding over the Executive committee meetings
when both the President and Vice Presidents are absent.
g. Presenting at the beginning of every Executive
Committee and General body meeting the minutes of the previous
meeting for the approval of the Executive Committee/General Body.
h. Maintaining a list of members eligible to vote
in the election. This list shall be prepared at least ten days
before and at most two weeks before the day of the elections.
i. Training the new General Secretary once elected
and handing over the responsibilities
6. The Finance Secretary (Treasure) shall be
responsible for:
a. Maintaining the record of all the financial
transactions of the Association. He/she shall be responsible for
systematic up-keep and writing reimbursements, receipts, banking
reconciliation and showing of increase of funds in statements to be
made public.
b. Controlling minor funds and expenses of the
Association. A minor expenditure is one requiring the use of less
than fifty dollars ($50). Any minor funds should be spend with the
finance secretary's discretion and is ubject to review by the
President.
c. Controlling any major expenditure with the written agreement of the President. Any expense requiring the amount of fifty dollars or greater is defined as major expenditures. The signature of the President or the Vice President on the check signifies his agreement with the expenditure. All spending is subject to review by the Cabinet and any mismanagement of funds is punishable by the removal of the persons involved
d. Collecting and depositing all the funds received on behalf of the Association, and countersigning all the withdrawal checks on behalf of the Association in accordance with the majority of the Executive Committee
e. Preparing, on being elected, the annual budget of the Association for the fiscal year in consultation with the newly elected Executive Committee and resenting the same before the Annual General Body meeting
f. Presenting before the Executive committee a
quarterly report on the status of the Association financial affairs,
including anonymous donations and total donations received by the
Association
g. Training the new Finance Secretary once elected
and handing over the responsibilities
7. The Brothers' Coordinator shall be
responsible for:
a. Acting as a liaison between the Cabinet and the
male members of the Association
b. Looking after specific needs, if any, of the
male members (brothers) of the Association on various occasions such
as conventions, and other (religious, social) gatherings
c. Plan & organize events for the brothers.
d. Training the new Brothers' Coordinator once
elected and handing over the responsibilities.
8. The Sisters' Coordinator shall be
responsible for:
a. Acting as a liaison between the Cabinet and the
female members of the Association
b. Looking after specific needs, if any, of the
female members (sisters) of the Association on various occasions
such as conventions, and other (religious, social) gatherings
c. Plan & organize events for the sisters.
d. Training the new Sisters' Coordinator once
elected and handing over the responsibilities.
9. The Public Relations (PR) shall be
responsible for:
a. Preparing flyers, bulletins, and newsletters of
the Association and presenting the same before the Cabinet for their
review.
b. Circulating the Association's publications with
the help of the campus representatives, if any
c. Editing and publishing literature as well as drafting on behalf of the Association and then presenting the same before the Cabinet for their view
d. Maintaining the list of the members,
volunteers, and speakers for various functions of the Association
e. Keeping the Association recognized by George Mason University and the Religious Clubs Umbrella
f. Training the new PR once elected and handing over the responsibilities
11. Decision on matters (that are not within the
responsibilities of a specific officer) shall be taken by the
president after consulting with the Cabinet members as called by
Shari'ah. However, two-thirds majority of the members present, not
counting the President or the member presiding in his absence, shall
override any presidential decision. The President, or the member
presiding in his absence, shall not vote in any election nor shall
his vote be counted. The members not attending the meeting shall not
able to vote on any issue.
Section 3. IMPEACHMENT
1. If any elected or appointed member has been
found to violate any one of the following principles, he/she will be
subject to impeachment by the executive committee:
i. Any Islamic Principle or Law that deems them
unworthy to serve as a leader and/or representing the MSA in a
fashion that is uncharacteristic of the General Body and Islamic
Principles.
ii. Having missed an excessive number of meetings
such that the Executive Board deems them unable to carry out the
function of their position.
iii. Excessive lateness (8 or more meetings) at
Executive Board Meetings without a legitimate excuse.
iv. Having abused funding privileges.
v. Not fulfilling the duties and responsibilities
of their office as outlined in the MSA constitution.
2. The procedure for impeachment is outlined as
follows:
i. Every attempt must be made to correct and
rectify the existing problem. Impeachment shall be employed only as
a last resort.
ii. The details of the process and conditions that
the impeached member violated shall remain confidential and shall
not be disclosed to anyone outside of the executive committee. This
is to uphold and maintain the dignity of the individual as well as
that of the MSA.
iii. The individual shall be provided an
opportunity to defend themselves against the alleged charges. The
individual also has the right to resign at any point during this
process.
iv. The individual shall not be present during the
final decision.
v. 6 out of the 7 remaining members must decide to
impeach the individual in order for it to be carried out.
Section 4. ADVISORS
Primary Advisor
i. The primary advisor shall be a member of the
faculty or staff at George Mason University.
ii. The primary advisors role shall be that of a
consultant in regards to all affairs administrative. He/she shall
provide guidance and support for the organization but shall not have
a vote.
iii. The advisor shall be selected by the entire
cabinet by way of a consensus vote.
iv. The advisor shall be removed from their duties
should the executive committee feel the need for change. Specifics
reasons for removal do not have to be disclosed. There must be a
consensus vote for removal of the primary advisor.
Secondary Advisor
i. The secondary advisor shall be any individual
with religious knowledge as recognized by the executive committee.
ii. He/she shall serve as a religious consultant
to the MSA and shall assist in guiding them to the principles of
Islam.
iii. The secondary advisor shall not hold any
official standing within the school and will only be utilized within
the board itself.
iv. The secondary advisor shall be chosen and
removed a majority (50%) vote. The reasons for removal do not have
to be disclosed.
v. The secondary advisor can serve as a
representative for the MSA in official matters when agreed upon by
the executive committee.
ARTICLE V. Elections
Section 1.
The electoral process shall commence at a minimum two weeks prior
to the start of final exams of the Spring Semester.
Section 2.
All nominees for the officers' positions must abide by the
Islamic conduct and Dress Code at the time of nomination and while
assuming a position. Brothers' positions must be filled by
Male officers and sisters' positions must be filled by female
officers.
Section 3.
Nominations shall be accepted over a two week span after the
executive committee has sent out an email informing the membership
of elections. Members are allowed to submit a nomination and can
only nominate one individual for each position. The nominee must be
an Active Member as defined in Article III, Section 3.
Section 4.
Nominations shall only be accepted via email. The verification of
membership status for the nominee and the nominator shall be done by
the executive committee. The nominee shall only be allowed to run
for one position if nominated for more than one position. A
Section 5.
If current officer has been nominated, He/She may NOT vote for
him/herself to validate screening process for elections.
Section 6.
The executive committee must request the secondary advisor and
one more member of the Muslim community (non-student as selected by
the secondary advisor) to supervise the elections. The executive
committee members shall not be involved with the elections and can
not serve as supervisors.
Section 7.
There shall be a minimum of one election day. The membership
shall be given a minimum of two weeks notice concerning election day
and no new membership can be registered for at this point. Elections
shall be conducted by standard secret balloting.
Section 8.
The executive committee must take the necessary measures to
ensure the election process is fairly done. In the event of
suspected wrongdoing, the election results shall be invalidated and
the secondary advisor shall assign a new election day. Should
wrongdoing take place by nominees, he/she shall be disqualified from
candidacy.
Section 9.
In the event of a tie, the victor shall be decided by the newly
elected officers. These officers must agree on a consensus vote for
the nominee under dispute if this does not occur, the decision will
be made by the previous Executive committee.
Section 10.
The transition and training process shall be determined by the
current executive committee for the upcoming committee. The upcoming
executive committee members must be present during the training
sessions.
ARTICLE VI. Meetings
Section 1.
The Association shall have its General body meeting no later than
the first month of the fall semester. Any other General Body Meeting
may be held during the year as needed.
Section 2.
Oral, written or printed notice of a meeting shall be emailed to
all the members of the
Section 3.
An emergency meeting of the Cabinet may be called by a petition
signed by ten or ten
Section 4.
The Cabinet shall meet at least once every month at such a time
and place as is most convenient and suitable to most of the cabinet
members (officers).
Section 5.
The President may call Cabinet meetings in addition to the
regular monthly meeting
Section 6.
The general concerns of the members should be discussed in the
General Body meeting. It is the responsibility of the members who
have raised the concerns to attend the General
ARTICLE VII. Finances
The MSA has no set dues.
ARTICLE VIII. Amendments
Section 1.
For members to propose any changes in the constitution, they must
submit a written petition with at least 45% of the MSA members'
signatures. Executive Committee can propose changes for the
constitution without petition at the General Body meeting and must
post two weeks prior to consideration.
Section 2.
A two-thirds favorable vote of those members of the organization
present at a regular
Section 3.
The Office of Student Activities must review all amendments in
the same manner as a completely new constitution.
ARTICLE IX. Constitution Ratification and Enforcement
Section 1.
The constitution shall be ratified by a simple majority of the
executive committee.
Section 2.
This constitution shall become effective upon approval by a ¾
vote of the membership, the Council of Student Umbrellas and the
Director of Student Activities.
Section 3.
Registration with the George Mason University religious umbrella, opening the accounts and implementation of other
matters as required by the constitution, shall be accomplished
within three months after the constitution has been adopted.
January 8, 2007
Contact:
mailto:gmumsa(AT)googlegroups.com ♦
http://www3.gmu.edu/org/msa