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12.2 CUNY Law School Association Bylaws

ARTICLE I. NAME AND PURPOSES

Section 1. Name

The organization’s official name shall be the City University of New York School of Law Association; its short name shall be the CUNY School of Law Association, and, hereinafter in these Bylaws, it shall be called the “Association.”

Section 2. Purposes

The Association shall have responsibility for the supervision and review over Law School student activity fee- supported budgets and for the oversight, supervision, and review over Law School College Association service. The Association shall operate in the manner prescribed by the Board of Trustees of the City University as stated in the Board of Trustees Bylaws, resolutions, and the City University Fiscal Handbook for the Control and Accountability of Student Activity Fees, and policies, regulations, and orders of the College.

The purposes of this Association are educational within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations and within this meaning it is the purpose of the Association to carry out the activities listed below, in order to promote and cultivate student activities and the quality of education for the students at the City University of New York School of Law:

a. To fund programs of the student body at the Law School which are of an educational, recreational, social, or cultural nature and for expenses incidental to the administration of these programs.

b. To operate and/or fund the cafeteria, and other college association services, which serve the needs of the students and/or other members of the Law School community.

c. To hold and administer real and personal property, in connection with carrying out its purposes.

d. In aid of the foregoing purposes, the Association shall have the power to do everything and anything reasonably and lawfully necessary, proper, suitable, or convenient for the achievement of the purposes above stated, or for any of them, or for the furtherance of the said purposes.

ARTICLE II. OFFICES

Section 1. Principal Office

The principal office and central depository of the Association shall be the Business Office of the Law School located at 2 Court Square, Long Island City, New York 11101.

Section 2. Additional Offices

The Association may also have offices and places of business at such other places, within or without the State of New York, as the members may from time to time determine.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Law School Association

The Association shall consist of thirteen (13) members as follows:

a. The Dean as chair or her/his designee.

b. The Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.

c. The Associate Dean of Administration.

d. The Assistant Dean of Students.

e. Three faculty members appointed by the Dean from a panel of six (6) faculty members elected by the Law School Faculty. The Dean shall fill any vacancies that may occur during the year from the remaining members of the panel.

  1. Two second-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of the spring semester for a one-year term of office that begins on July 1.

  2. Two third-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of the spring semester for a one-year term of office that begins on July 1.

  3. Two first-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of September for a one-year term of office that begins on October 1.

  4. The Association shall fill, for their unexpired term, from the appropriate class, any vacant student seat(s) that may occur during the year.

Section 2. The Association Budget Committee

The Budget Committee members shall be Association members. It shall elect its own Chair and be composed of:

a. The Assistant Dean of Students.

b. Two second-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of the spring semester for a one-year term of office that begins on July 1.

c. Two third-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of the spring semester for a one-year term of office that begins on July 1.

d. Two first-year students elected at-large by the student body before the end of September for a one-year term of office that begins on October 1.

ARTICLE IV. POWERS AND EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES

Section 1. Powers

a. The Association shall review student activity fee allocations and expenditures recommended by the Budget Committee to ensure conformance with the expenditure categories listed in Section 2 of this Article. The Association shall disapprove any allocation or expenditure it finds does not so conform, or is inappropriate, improper, or inequitable. Where the Association disapproves any budget or portions of a budget, the entire budget shall be returned to the Budget Committee with the specific concerns of the Association noted for further deliberation by the Budget Committee and subsequent re-submission to the Association. If the budget is not approved within 30 days, those portions of the budget voted upon and approved by the Association will be allocated. The remainder shall be held until the Association and the Budget Committee agree.

b. The Association shall review, amend, or approve all budgets of College Association services funds and all contracts for college association services prior to expenditure or execution.

c. The Budget Committee shall be empowered to receive and review student activity fee budget requests and to develop and allocate a budget subject to the review of the Association.

Section 2. Expenditure Categories

Student activity fee funds shall be allocated and expended only for the following purposes:

a. Extracurricular educational programs;

b. Cultural and social activities;

c. Recreational and athletic programs;

d. Student government;

e. Publications and other media;

f. Assistance to registered student organizations;

g. Community service programs;

f. Enhancement of the Law School and University environment;

i. Transportation, administration, and insurance related to the implementation of these activities;

j. Student services to supplement or add to those provided by the University; and

k. Stipends to student leaders.

Section 3. Parliamentary Authority

The Association and its Budget Committee shall use Robert’s Rules of Order, latest edition, as their parliamentary authority.

ARTICLE V. BUDGET PROCEDURE

Section 1. Public Notice

At least two weeks before budget requests are due, the Budget Committee shall distribute public notice to each organization and all students regarding the timetable and procedure to be followed to request funds. The notice shall contain:

aThe budget period;

b. Date by which budget requests must be submitted;

c. The place to submit budget requests;

d. Dates of public hearings to be held; and

e. A budget request form listing the names of budget line items which those requesting funds must use.

Section 2. Proposed Budgets

Each organization or individual seeking funds must submit a written budget proposal to the Budget Committee, within the time prescribed, that contains the following information:

a. Name of organization or individual requesting funds;

b. Name(s) of officer(s) authorized to sign for expenditures;

c. Size of membership;

d. Purposes of the organization and program(s) for which funds are requested;

e. Other anticipated funding sources; and

f. Requested budget allocations by line item in the form required by the Budget Committee.

Section 3. Budget Hearings

The Budget Committee shall hold public hearings to review all budget requests at the time, place, and date announced under Section 1 (d) of this Article.

Section 4. Tentative Allocations

After the budget hearings have been held, the Budget Committee shall decide tentative allocations for each request and shall notify each organization or individual of its tentative decision. Each organization or individual shall be required to submit a revised budget on a line-by-line basis, totaling no more than the tentative allocation, for final review by the Budget Committee.

Section 5. Final Budget

The Budget Committee shall review the line-by-line revised budget and either amend or approve it. It shall recommend its final budget to the Association for review as specified under Section 1 of Article IV.

Section 6. Modification of Final Budget

During the period for which the budget is approved, should it be necessary to modify the final approved budget, adjustments may only be recommended by the Budget Committee for approval by the Association before any changes are authorized; except that the Association shall permit administrative authorization of discretionary transfers between budget lines within the total budget of up to fifteen (15) percent of the total budget, upon the approval of any of the ex-officio members of the Association.

ARTICLE VI. APPROVAL AND AMENDMENT

Section 1. Approval

These Bylaws shall be considered approved upon review of the Board’s General Counsel and upon adoption by the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York.

Section 2. Amendment

a. The membership of the Association shall have the right to recommend to the Dean amendments to these Bylaws.

b. The Dean shall have the right to recommend to the Board of Trustees amendments to these Bylaws.

c. Bylaw amendments shall be considered approved upon review by the Board, General Counsel, and upon adoption by the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York.

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