Article 1: Designation
This association shall be called SIAM, representing the Thai Students
Association of Carnegie Mellon University.
Article 2: Purpose
SIAM is established to:
1. Extend aid to incoming Thai students at Carnegie Mellon
2. Promote Thai culture to Carnegie Mellon and Pittsburgh community
3. Promote communication and learning between members
4. Establish connections with other Thai Students in the United States
5. Render assistance to Carnegie Mellon administration with regards to
Thai-related matters
Article 3: Membership
SIAM does not discriminate and is required to not discriminate
membership of the association based on gender, race, religion, or
ethnicity as stated in accordance
with the Statement of Assurance of the University. All SIAM Members are
obligated
to abide by the association’s Constitution.
Section 3.1: Member Eligibility
1. All students, staffs, and faculty members of Carnegie Mellon are
eligible to become a Member of SIAM
2. Non Carnegie Mellon affiliates are eligible to become a Member of
SIAM upon special approval of the Executive Committee
Section 3.2: Member Types
There are two types of SIAM Members:
1. Undergraduate Members including freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
of Carnegie Mellon
2. Graduate Members including Masters and PhDs, staffs, faculty members, and
non-Carnegie Mellon affiliates
Section 3.3: Member Rights
SIAM Members have the right to:
1. Nominate and vote for the association’s Executive Committee
2. Vote for association sponsored events and take part in them
3. Receive information regarding association’s events and calendar
4. Request the association’s financial reports at the end of each Executive
Committee term
Undergraduate Members have additional rights to:
1. Be elected to the Executive Committee
2. Be impeached from the Executive Committee
3. Deny a nomination for the Executive Committee position
Graduates, staffs, faculty members, and non-Carnegie Mellon affiliates have
additional rights to:
1. Advise Executive Committee on decisions that will affect the association
Section 3.4: Expiration
1. SIAM Membership shall expire upon the Member’s graduation from Carnegie
Mellon. However, undergraduate Member who continues graduate studies at Carnegie
Mellon may choose to remain a Member of the Association as a Graduate Member.
2. SIAM Member may exile him/herself from the association upon the end of each
University school year. This shall require a written notification from the Member
to the Executive Committee.
Section 3.5: Obligations
1. All SIAM Members are obligated to abide by the Association’s Constitution.
2. Members violating the Constitution, conducting destructive disturbances within
the Association, or behaving erroneously in the name of the Association shall
have the Membership rights revised or revoked by the Executive Committee.
Article 4: Executive Committee
Members of the Executive Committee are elected from Undergraduate Members nominated
by all Members of the Association. A General Election is conducted during the
spring semester of every academic year, at which the old Committee passes on
the Committee rights to the next elected Committee. The Executive Committee
comprises of the following positions:
1. The President
2. The Vice President
3. The Treasurer
4. The Secretary
The following positions are appointed by the Committee at any time during the
term:
1. The Intramural Sports Director
2. The Information Technology Director
3. The Public Relations Director
Section 4.1: Duties of the Elected Committee
Section 4.1.1 Duties of the President
1. The President is the chief executive officer of the association and is expected
to perform duties usually performed by the President of a Corporation.
2. The President must represent SIAM during any interaction with organizations
and parties external to SIAM.
3. The President must be present at all General Meetings, as well as oversee
that whether objectives of each General Meetings are met accordingly.
4. The President must be a signatory to all documents in the name of SIAM.
5. The President must approve of all Association sponsored activities and expenses
before such activities can take place or such expenses can incur.
Section 4.1.2 Duties of the Vice President
1. The Vice President is expected to perform duties of the President in case
of incapacity of the latter and is expected to automatically become President
should the current President be impeached from the position for any reason.
2. The Vice President must render assistance to the President, as well as other
Executive Committee members.
3. The Vice President must coordinate the internal affairs of the Association
and ensure the smooth running of SIAM at all meetings.
Section 4.1.3 Duties of the Treasurer
1. The Treasurer must manage the Funds and Accounts of SIAM.
2. The Treasurer must keep all written records of transaction made in the name
of the Association.
3. The Treasurer must revise and submit to the President for approval of any
expenditure to be incurred during the operation of the Association.
4. The Treasurer is responsible for all money collections for the Association.
5. The Treasurer must issue the Association's financial reports upon the request
of any Member, and at the end of the Committee term, pursuant to Article 3,
Section 3.3.
Section 4.1.4 Duties of the Secretary
1. The Secretary must take notes of all issues discussed in General Meetings
as well as all decisions reached in the meeting.
2. The Secretary must disseminate information pertaining to General Meetings
and all relevant decisions to all SIAM Members through electronic mail distribution
list and the Association's electronic bulletin board.
3. The Secretary must provide information for the Information Technology Director
to put up on the Association's web site.
4. The Secretary is responsible for the creation and updates of the Association's
Contact List -- that is, a list of all Members, with their phone numbers, affiliations,
e-mail addresses, and birth dates.
Section 4.2: Duties of the Appointed Committee
Section 4.2.1 Duties of the Intramural Sport Director (IMD)
1. The IMD must gather information regarding Intramural Sport events, including
sign-up dates, game dates, as well as rules and regulations for all sport events.
2. The IMD must make sure all players who signed up for the sport are present
on time on game day.
3. The IMD is responsible for reporting game results to the Intramural Sport
Office, as well as to SIAM Members.
Section 4.2.2 Duties of the Information Technology Director (ITD)
1. The ITD must update e-mail distribution list of the Association's Members
and alumni at least once at every beginning of fall semester.
2. The ITD is responsible for updating the Association's web site.
Section 4.2.3 Duties of the Public Relation Director (PRD)
1. The PRD is responsible for publicizing association sponsored events.
2. The PRD is responsible for coordinating with external organizations and parties
to ensure smooth running of Association sponsored events.
3. The PRD must discuss and determine jointly with the Treasurer and the President
the estimate cost of association sponsored activities, if any.
Article 5: Quorum
Section 5.1: Executive Committee Meeting
An Executive Committee meeting will qualify as such and any decision taken will
be legitimate, if and only if all of the four Elected Committee officers are
present. The presence of the appointed officers or other Members is not mandatory
and may be determined upon the Elected Committee's choice.
Section 5.2: General Meeting
1. A General Meeting will qualify as such and any decision taken will be legitimate,
if and only if:
2. At least two of the four Elected Committee officers are present.
3. At least 50% of the Undergraduate Members of the association are present.
4. At least 30% of the graduate, staffs, faculty members, and non-Carnegie Mellon
affiliate members are present.
Section 5.3: Class Meeting
A class meeting is a meeting where all members of the same incoming class (freshmen,
sophomores, juniors, and seniors) or the same graduate degree status (masters,
or PhDs) meet together to form unified decisions representative of their class.
A class meeting will qualify as such and any decision taken will be legitimate,
if and only if at least 80% of the members of that class are present. Members
of the Committee need not be present.
Article 6: General Election
A General Election will qualify as such and any election results and assumption
of office will be legitimate, if and only if:
1. At least 50% of all SIAM Members are present.
2. All Executive Committee members are present.
Section 6.1: Nomination
All SIAM members have the right to nominate Undergraduate Members of sophomore,
junior, and senior class for the Executive Committee under the following restrictions:
1. Members can nominate for President, Secretary, and Treasurer positions prior
to Election Day through the electronic bulletin board, as well as on Election
Day prior to the casting of the ballot.
2. Members can only nominate one person per position.
3. Member can nominate him/herself.
4. Members have the right to accept or decline the nomination prior to the casting
of the ballot without the provision of a reason.
Section 6.2: Election
The Election process must proceed as follows:
1. The Election must be chaired by selected Graduate Members present at the
Election.
2. The Election must be done by means of confidential ballot.
3. To ensure further confidentiality, all nominees must not be present in the
room at the time the ballot takes place, but must be present at the Election.
4. The Election proceeds in the following order: the President, the Vice President,
the Treasurer, and the Secretary.
5. All nominees for the President position whom are not elected automatically
become nominees for the Vice President position, unless otherwise declined by
the nominee as stated in Article 6, Section 6.
6. Members must be present at the Election to vote.
7. Members can be nominated for more than one position, but if elected, may
only choose one position.
8. If elected, nominees do not have the right to deny the position.
Section 6.3: Term
The Executive Committee holds position beginning the subsequent fall semester,
and continuing to the spring semester, totaling one full academic year. Officers
may continue to hold position throughout the next academic year if and only
if they are re-elected through the election process as described in Article
6.
Article 7: Impeachment
An Impeachment of any Elected Committee officers will qualify as such and any
impeachment result will be legitimate, if and only if reasons for impeachment
are approved by the remaining Executive Committee officers. Decisions are finalized
by means of confidential ballot according to majority of SIAM Members present
at Impeachment day.
Article 8: Amendment
SIAM Constitution shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee at the beginning
of the fall semester. Any revisions made by the Committee must be approved by
majority of the Graduate Members and must be acknowledged by the Undergraduate
Members.