Constitution

The African and Caribbean students at Mount Holyoke College formed MHACASA in recognition of the need for co-operation, and cohesion among Africans and Caribbeans, have decided to form an Association; we have agreed to the present constitution.

Jump to Article: I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII

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ARTICLE I: ESTABLISHMENT

The Association shall be known as the MOUNT HOLYOKE AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION (henceforth MHACASA).

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ARTICLE II: PURPOSES

MHACASA shall have the following purposes:
• To be a support group for African and Caribbean Students in the Mount Holyoke College Community
• To sponsor activities that will bring African and Caribbean Culture to the Mount Holyoke College Community.
• To inform the Mount Holyoke College Community about Africa and the Caribbean and to provide awareness of current and pertinent issues concerning Africa and the Caribbean.
• To cooperate with other Student Associations at Mount Holyoke College, and elsewhere, when appropriate.
• To form a network with African and Caribbean Alumnae of Mount Holyoke College.
• To aid in the recruitment of African and Caribbean students from Africa, The Caribbean, and the African and Caribbean Diaspora.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

• All students from Continental African Nations, Madagascar, other Islands surrounding Africa and The Caribbean nations shall be eligible for membership.
• Any faculty or staff who is of African and/or Caribbean descent can be a non-voting member of MHACASA.
• Any Mount Holyoke Student not from a Continental African nation or islands surrounding Africa; any student not from the Caribbean Nations; any students with no parentage from the above-mentioned regions shall not be eligible for membership in MHACASA.
• Members of the Mount Holyoke College Community of African and Caribbean parentage.
• Considering all aspects of the question of apartheid and racial discrimination, all students who subscribe to, and/or abet apartheid and all forms of racial discrimination, shall be excluded from membership.
• An active member of MHACASA is one who has attended at least one-third of the total number of meetings.
• Only active members can vote.
• To be active one must attend participate in at least one non-meeting event per semester
• Having lived six or more years in a country (must have an invested interest in bettering the group

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS

The Executive Body of MHACASA should consist of two Co-Chairs (African and Caribbean), one Secretary-General, Treasurer, two Intercollegiate Representatives, two Social Chairs (African and Caribbean), two Student Government Association Representatives, one ALANA Recruitment Officer, and one Web-mistress.

1. The Co-Chairs, one of African descent and one of Caribbean descent, shall:
• Oversee the duties of the Executive body.
• Preside over all general, executive, and emergency meetings.
• Act as official liaison between the Mount Holyoke College administration and MHACASA.
• The role of the liaison between MHACASA and the Association of Pan-African Unity shall be included under the duties of the Co-Chairs.

2. The Secretary-General shall:
• Record proceedings at all general, executive, and emergency meetings.
• Inform members of all MHACASA activities.
• Manage the MHACASA office and thus be responsible for its maintenance.
• Attendance sheet should be collected at the end of every general and board meeting
• Will post general and board meeting minutes

3. The Treasurer shall:
• Handle all business and monetary transactions in the best interest of the organization and with the consent of the organization.
• Record all business transactions and record the financial status of the organization to the members at the end of each month.

4. The Intercollegiate Representatives shall:
• Maintain all possible lines of communication with other colleges within and beyond the Five College area.
• Report to MHACASA on on-going activities in the Five College area and beyond.
• Publicize events sponsored by MHACASA.
• Must maintain lines of communication with the Social Chairs.

6. The Social Chairs shall:
• Plan activities such as social and cultural events.
• Assist in the planning of at least two major annual events.
• Head the planning of ad hoc social committees.
• There shall be two students in the position of Social Chairs, one of African descent and one of Caribbean descent. The students in this position shall have the tasks of Social chair equally between themselves in a way that will benefit members of the Association.
• Must maintain lines of communication with the Five College / Intercollegiate Representatives.
• Must plan two non-party events.

7. The SGA Representative(s) shall:
• Be obliged to attend all SGA meetings.
• Be the official representative of the organization to SGA.
• Act as a liaison for the organization and the SGA.
• Report to the organization matters discussed at SGA meetings.
• One shall be of African decent and the other of Caribbean decent.

8. The ALANA Rep:
• Plan the recruitment of African and Caribbean students by working closely with the Admissions Office.
• Serve as ALANA Recruitment Committee representative for MHACASA.
• Coordinate the recognition, acknowledgment, and organization of new African and Caribbean students.
• Maintain a network with African and Caribbean Alumnae.
• After students are accepted, make phone call to welcome them. (writing to the prospective students can be an org event)
• Help the org to spread the word about MHC in our respective regions

10. The Web Historian shall:
• Be Responsible for gathering memorabilia of the Association’s activities including but not limited to photographs, news article, recognition certificates etc.
• Must attend all organization meetings, events, and update website with all necessary present information.
• Establish and maintain MHACASA archives.

1. There shall be a MHACASA member representative on the committee for the triennial Black Alumnae Conference. While this position is not necessarily on the executive board, the student filling it may be a member of the Executive Board; she must be responsible for reporting to the Executive Board the activities and planning of the black alumnae conference.

3. MHACASA Dance Troop:
a) Dance Troop Coordinators
b) Dance Troop Membership
4. House Coordinator Must be a
a. member of either APAU or MHACASA. It is recommended, but not required,
that she be a member of both organizations.
b. HER DUTIES ARE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
1) ensuring that both APAU and MHACASA are EQUALLY represented in her calendar planning

2) ensuring that no biases are created or formed in favor of any particular group.

3) KEEPING CLOSE CONTACT AND OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH THE CO-CHAIRS AND/OR SOCIAL CHAIRS OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS.
c. If the house coordinator is not a member of both organizations, then
1) SHE MUST MEET WITH THE CO-CHAIRS AND/OR SOCIAL CHAIRS OF THE ORGANIZATION SHE IS NOT A MEMBER OF ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS, BEST ACCOMPLISHED BY ATTENDING THE BOARD MEETINGS. This will ensure that she has a working understanding of both APAU and MHACASA.

• The Election of new officers to the Executive Body shall take place at the end of the spring term.
• The voting procedures shall be determined by the current Board depending on the nature of the issue(s) to be voted on.
• For a vote to be taken, a quorum must be present when an issue is presented. A quorum is constituted by one-third of the total active membership of MHACASA.

This constitution may be amended or revised if any member makes a written request to the Co-Chairs to that effect; provided, however, that members have been duly notified and a period of one month has elapsed before the proposed amendment shall be put to vote. Such an amendment shall not be effective unless approved by at least two-thirds of all active members.