Constitution

Bylaws

I.         Name

The official name of this organization is “UNC-CH Environmental Sciences and Engineering Student Organization.” More often, it is known by its abbreviation “ENVRSO”

II.         Affiliations

ENVRSO is not affiliated with any local, state, or national organizations.

III.         Purpose and Objective

ENVRSO was formed to facilitate community service, networking and social opportunities for students in the department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESE).  It was also created to be the official representative of ESE students in student government and within the department.

IV.         Membership and Participation

Membership is granted to all students of the department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering.

V.         Advisor

The advisor will be a faculty member of the department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering who is willing to advise the organization. He or she will primarily to serve as a liaison between faculty and students, and will provide guidance on service projects and operation of ENVRSO, as they see fit.

VI.         Meetings

Meetings will be held approximately once a month or as often as deemed necessary by the executive board. They will consist of an update on organization activities, discussion of service projects and social events, and decision making.  All decisions will be made by a simple majority. If there is considerable indecision or controversy, the decision will be made by the executive board by consensus.

VII.         Executive board

All officers are to be full-time, registered students of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

  1. President: The President is the key contact for the organization.  He or she will schedule, plan and direct monthly meetings.  Additional responsibilities include helping organize social events and outreach activities, speaking at ESE scheduled open house events, and acting as organization liaison to the Alumni Association as well as the SPH and UNC-CH Office of Student Affairs.  The President must apply for official UNC-CH student organization recognition by September 30th.  By May 1st, the President must hold a new officer orientation/transition meeting and transfer the University student organization primary contact, website, listserv, Dropbox, and any other ENVRSO accounts to the incoming President.
  2. Vice President: The Vice-President assists the President in all of his/her duties listed above.  The Vice-President directs meetings when the President cannot attend and assists the President as directed in monthly ENVRSO meeting planning/organization.
  3. Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for directing all ENVRSO funds.  He or she must successfully complete, prior to September 30th, the test to be a student organization certified Treasurer. He or she prepares budgets to be submitted to the Student Government. The Treasurer must be either a Masters or Doctoral student.
  4. Secretary/Webmaster: The Secretary/Webmaster is responsible for the updating and maintenance of the ENVRSO website, the ENVRSO listserv, and the minutes for all ENVRSO meetings. Those responsibilities include:
    • Website updates- The website (envrso.web.unc.edu ) should be updated regularly. Updating involves:
      • Adding new events
      • Adding new content as requested by the department
      • Adding new content as requested by ENVRSO officers
      • Adding other content that is appropriate to the mission of ENVRSO
      • Removing old content
    • Taking minutes- Meeting Minutes should be recorded for each monthly meeting, sent to the ENVRSO president,, and posted to the documents section of Dropbox or the Student Life page. In the event that the secretary/webmaster cannot take minutes, another officer can fill in and submit the minutes.
    • Managing the listserv-The ENVRSO listserv, envrso@listserv.unc.edu, should be maintained on a semester basis (or as needed) by:
      1. Removing graduated students
      2. Adding new students
  5. Social Chairs: The social chair will be responsible for organizing social and community outreach events during the academic year.
  6. Outreach Chair: The outreach chair is responsible for organizing outreach and service opportunities during the academic year.
  7. Undergraduate Representative: an ESE undergraduate student must fill this office.
  8. GPSF Senator: The Senator is responsible for attending a minimum number of GPSF Senate Meetings during the academic year as the official ESE Representative to the GPSF Senate.
  9. Faculty Representatives: A Masters and Doctoral student will serve as student representatives at ESE faculty meetings.

Positions left vacant after the regular May election may be filled by a majority vote of the executive board.

VIII.         Elections

All officer positions are elected, with terms lasting from the beginning of fall semester through the end of spring semester, or until the new officer transition meeting. Elections will be held prior to the School of Public Health student leaders transition meeting in April.  Nominations will be submitted to the current president for all positions.  Members are allowed to nominate themselves.  After the nomination process, the candidates will be sent out to the ENVRSO listserv, and elections will be held within two weeks.  Elections will consist of a meeting where all candidates who wish may speak to why they believe they would be successful at their position, and then anonymous voting will take place using paper and pen.

IX.         Funds

Funds will be allocated by a consensus of a meeting of the executive board consisting of at least one half of the entire board.

X.         Ratification

Bylaws will be approved by a consensus vote by the executive board.