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Constitution

Article I: Name & Mission 

A: Name - Asian Pre-Law Association (APLA)  

B: Mission - Provide an inclusive and supportive community for Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and anyone interested in AAPI issues or AAPI/International Law.

  1. Provide a space/community for AAPI to discuss unique issues and stigmas facing AAPI in the law, and/or AAPI/Law. 

  2. Support AAPI throughout the law school application process and/or pursual of a career in law/politics through resources and workshops, particularly Asian-Interest Law

  3. Address factors contributing to the lack of AAPI in law and policy-related professions

Article II: Membership

A: Eligibility - Membership is open to all currently enrolled students at UIUC that pass a short behavioral interview with a member of the executive board. 

B: Participation - Every member is expected to attend 1 meeting per month.

C: Membership Benefits - Members of APLA will have the following benefits within the organization: 

  1. Access to AAPI-Interest Networking Events & Workshops

  2. Ability to travel with RSO 

  3. Free admissions to RSO Events 

  4. Access to APLA Alumni 

  5. Ability to Vote within the Organization 

D: Violation Procedures - Members can be removed from the organization by a majority (â…—) vote by the executive board if they violate University of Illinois Student Codes, Federal/State Law, and/or if their actions pose a physical or mental risk to members or property of the organization or the reputation of the organization. If an officer is the offending party, they can be removed from the organization and/or their position by majority vote of the membership. 

Article III: Officers

A: Officers - The Officers of APLA shall be a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, & Social Chair. At least one of the officers (if possible) should be an international student. 

B: Eligibility - Officers must fulfill the following requirements: 

  1. Member for at least a year

  2. Commit to a 1-year term

  3. Students at the University of Illinois

C: Election - Officers will be elected at the end of the spring semester by majority vote from members of the organization. 

  1. If there is a tie, a re-vote will be held as soon as possible. 

  2. If a vacancy occurs, an election will be held as soon as possible to fill the vacancy. 

    1. Until this election, the President can oversee the vacated officer’s duties. 

    2. The Executive Board may also nominate an interim officer to fill the vacancy.

D: Term - The officers shall serve for one academic year. 

E: Meetings - The officers must meet, at a minimum, once every 2 months.

  1. At the beginning of the academic year, a pre-year meeting must be held where the following issues are discussed:

    1. Annual Budget

    2. Yearly Agenda

      1. Social Schedule

      2. Meetings & Workshops

    3. Recruitment

    4. Constitution & Possible Amendments 

Article IV: Duties of Officers

 A: President

  1. Oversee & Coordinate all APLA Meetings & Responsibilities 

  2. Create Agenda for Meetings 

  3. Represent the Organization at all Quad Day, RSO Fairs, Pre-Law Events, etc. 

  4. Support all APLA members 

  5. Assist other members of the executive board as needed

B: Vice President

  1. Assist the president

  2. Enforce organization guidelines 

  3. Primarily responsible for recruitment interviews 

  4. Assist other members of the executive board as needed

  5. Spearhead outreach to AAPI-Interest Speakers

  6. Assist other members of the executive board as needed 

C: Secretary

  1. The Secretary maintains a record of all Organization members including alumni, together with their current contact information, and dispatches notices of meetings to members as appropriate

  2. Act as main point of contact for the organization 

  3. Manage the Google Drive, Email, Website, and any other digital tools the organization uses

  4. Responsible for member outreach 

  5. Assist other members of the executive board as needed

D: Treasurer

  1. Stay aware of funding cycles, and apply to funding on behalf of the organization  

  2. Document and make accessible all financial transactions

  3. Manage financial reports and bank statements

  4. Communicate organization’s financial standing to the Executive Board 

  5. Oversee and ensure the adherence to the pre-set budget agreed by the Executive Board

  6. Assist other members of the executive board as needed

  7. Lead fundraising efforts

E: Social Chair:

  1. Promote APLA to increase knowledge and visibility

  2. Serve as the Social Media Administrator for APLA (Facebook and Instagram)    

  3.  Use creative ways to spread the word about APLA (Quad day, Posters to hang around the school

  4.  Represent the Organization: Participate in Quad Day, RSO Fairs and other events to represent APLA

  5. Uphold and keep abreast on the Policies & Procedures of APLA

  6. Responsible for social events 

  7. Responsible for coordinating funding with treasurer for social events 

  8. Responsible for organizing social events to promote growth of relationships within APLA

  9. Responsible for preserving the safety of all members participating in social events (allergies, health-related guidelines, physical safety) 

  10. Assist other members of the executive board as needed

Article V: APLA Meetings

A: Meeting types. APLA will host two types of meetings:​

  1. Workshops/Speakers - Host AAPI-Interest Speakers, workshops on networking, LSAT/ESL, etc. 

  2. Cultural/Social Events - Host joint events with other Asian cultural organizations

B: Meeting Standards

  1. Meetings must be attended by a majority of the membership (over 50%) in order to qualify as an official meeting.

 Article VI: Establishing Chapters

A: Outreach 

  1. Reach out to other University of Illinois, Midwest-Area, or other organizations that have an Interest in establishing an APLA Chapter

B: Collaboration 

  1. Collaborate with other universities to create AAPI-Interest events and initiatives

Article VII: University Compliance

A: Title IX Compliance: The APLA will comply with Title IX mandates regarding membership selection ensuring that discrimination does not occur. The University of Illinois nondiscrimination policy can be found here.

B: Clery Act Compliance: The APLA will comply with the Clery Act and report all crimes that are witnessed, on or off campus, to the University of Illinois Police Department.

C: Anti-Hazing Statement: The APLA understands that the University defines Hazing as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of any person OR that defaces, destroys, or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in, any group or organization.​ The APLA will not participate in, sponsor, or condone any acts of hazing.

D: Foreign Influence Compliance: The APLA will comply with all local, state, and federal laws regarding foreign influence via financial or general support.

Article VIII: Amendments

A: Amendment - This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote (a quorum) of the board. 

B: Notice - All members shall receive advance notice of the proposed amendment at least five (5) days before the meeting.

Article IX: Inaugural Year & Founders

For the first year the organization is active, the executive board’s responsibilities and scope of power over internal/external affairs will be more flexible to reflect its status as a new organization.

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