BY-LAWS OF APSU STUDENT VETERANS ORGANIZATION Austin Peay State University Clarksville, Tennessee ARTICLE I Membership

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1 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-1 BY-LAWS OF APSU STUDENT VETERANS ORGANIZATION Austin Peay State University Clarksville, Tennessee ARTICLE I Membership Section 1 To become a member of, an applicant must be a student, or faculty and or employee of Austin Peay State University. Affiliates may apply for conditional membership with the approval of the Executive Board. All members and affiliates must meet the criteria set forth in Article III, Sections 1 thru 4 of the Constitution. Section 2. To become a member one must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 and have paid his or her dues as prescribed in Article VI of the By-Laws. Section 3. The Veterans Honor Society is a group established to honor and recognize achievements, award scholarships within the membership at Austin Peay State University. Section 4. All registered members of the Student Veterans Organization are also members of Student Veterans of America. ARTICLE II Vacancies Section 1. A vacancy in the Office of the President shall be filled by the Main Campus Vice- President. All others shall be filled by election of the Executive Committee. Section 2. An Officer at Large and Vice President may be appointed by the President if a vacancy occurs during the elected term. ARTICLE III Committees Section 1. The Executive Committee of shall consist of elected Officers, Officers at Large, President Emeritus and the Faculty/staff advisor. Section 2. Committees will be comprised of one (1) Chairperson or two (2) Co-Chairs and at least two (2) committee Chairpersons will be appointed by the President.

2 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-2 Section 3. Fundraising Committee: a) Chairperson must be a Veteran and a registered member of the organization. b) Responsible for planning 1 fundraiser per semester (Fall and Spring only). c) Planning must be submitted for review by the Executive Committee no later than 2 weeks after the beginning of semester in which the fundraising will occur. d) Plans must include but are not limited to the date, time, location, estimated cost, and estimated profit. Section 4. Veterans Honor Society and Scholarship Committee: a) Chairperson must be a Veteran and a registered member. b) Responsible for coordinating with the Fundraising Committee to ensure adequate funding for the LT Richard Torres and other delegated scholarships. c) Receive competitive applications for scholarship and select recipient. d) Plan an appropriate event for the awarding of the scholarship. Section 5. Membership/Planning Committee (to be appointed by the Executive Committee): a) Chairperson must be a Veteran and a registered member. b) Responsible for planning and implementing all APSU Student Veterans membership functions (Ex: Fall Recruiting, Spring Recruiting, Events, Campus Projects ) c) Recognition Ceremonies and a minimum of 1 other function must be planned per semester. d) Planning must be submitted for review by the Executive Committee no later than 2 weeks after the beginning of semester in which the functions will occur. e) Plans must include but are not limited to the date, time, location, and estimated cost. ARTICLE IV Officer Installation Officers shall be installed during the Recognition Ceremony in the semester previous to the term for which they have been elected to serve. a) The installation will be conducted by the Advisor. b) The Oath of Office will be administered as follows: Advisor: Raise you right hand and repeat after me: Officer: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of (office elected to) of, and will

3 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-3 to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitutions of and the United States. I further vow to uphold the highest level of integrity, citizenship, academic excellence, and the values held by and all veterans. ARTICLE V Attendance Section 1. Any member of the organization who accumulates three (3) unexcused absences from meetings shall be subject to dismissal upon recommendation of the Executive Committee. Section 2. Members must attend a minimum of two (2) events per semester. Failure to do so will result in withholding their membership certificate and will be counted as unexcused absences for each missed function. ARTICLE VI Funds Section 1. Dues will be collected annually by the treasurer from all the active members. Section 2. The following is a list of fees: a) (Member at Large) Registered Member - $25 (Student, Veteran, Military Personnel, ROTC and their dependants) b) Alumni Member - $25 c) Honorary Member - $0 d) Conditional Affiliate Membership (from $0 - $100) per semester. Conferred upon the Executive Board recommendation for conditional membership. *$15 of this fee goes to the 1Lt Richard Torres Scholarship Fund Section 3. All Funds will be disbursed through the Austin Peay State University Business Office in accordance with university policy. ARTICLE VII Procedures Section 1. shall function in accordance with ROBERT S RULES OF ORDER. Section 2. The order of business of all meetings shall be: a) Call to order

4 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-4 b) Pledge of Allegiance c) Roll call d) Approval of minutes e) Executive Committee reports f) Program Committee reports g) Old business h) New business i) Announcements j) Adjournment ARTICLE VIII Amendments Section 1. The By-Laws are binding to all members of. Section 2. Amendments of these By-Laws may be proposed in writing by any active member of offered to the Executive Board for adjudication at any regular meeting at which two-thirds (2/3) of the active school chapter members that are present. Section 3. If approved by the Executive Board; Proposed amendments will become effective following a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote of the active members that are present at the meeting. ARTICLE IX Ratification We, the undersigned Executive Board, after a threefourths affirmative vote of those members present, do hereby agree to follow the guidelines of these By-Laws. President Officer at Large Vice President Secretary Treasurer Faculty Advisor Member at Large

5 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-5 CONSTITUTION OF APSU STUDENT VETERANS ORGANIZATION Austin Peay State University Clarksville, Tennessee PREAMBLE We, the members of, fully realize our purpose and do hereby adopt and establish this constitution as the guiding instrument of our organization. ARTICLE 1 The name of this organization shall be ARTICLE II Purpose The purpose of shall be to: 1) Assist veterans transitioning from military to college lifestyle. 2) Aid veterans in achieving academic pursuits. 3) Foster a sense of belonging among veterans at Austin Peay State University. 4) Recognize outstanding achievements of veterans and their family members. 5) Encourage groups and individuals to promote veterans achievements. 6) Support and uphold veteran issues. ARTICLE III Membership Section 1. Membership is open to all students, faculty, and or employees of Austin Peay State University. Any organization that wishes to affiliate with the Student Veterans Organization must apply for conditional membership with the Executive Board of the APSU Student Veterans Organization. Students enrolled in the spring semester under the above conditions who have preregistered for the fall semester, as well as students enrolled in summer classes, are eligible for summer membership. will not deny membership to any person on the basis of age, sex, religion, handicap, national origin, or sexual orientation. Section 2. All registered members (Members at Large) with the APSU Student Veterans Organization at Austin Peay State University shall have voting rights.

6 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-6 Section 3. Registered members (Members at Large) are those members who are at least part time students with a minimum of 6 credit hours at Austin Peay State University and must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0. All eligible Austin Peay State University students shall be given the opportunity to be considered for membership under the following conditions: A. The registered member candidate must be an honorably discharged veteran or active duty member of a U.S. Armed Service, and or a spouse or dependant thereof who is also at least a part-time student as defined in Section 3. For the purposes of this constitution, U.S. Reserve Forces/ROTC, State National Guard, U.S. Army U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Marine Corps shall be considered to constitute the U.S. Armed Services. B. Charter members: Are student members to whom the charter of the chapter was granted; that are currently attending Austin Peay State University in a Undergraduate or Graduate Program. C. Student members: All members of the chapter approved as undergraduate or as graduate students that are not affiliated with the Armed Services of the United States in any way. But are committed to an active volunteer role in the APSU Student Veterans Organization. D. Affiliate members: Non-voting members of the chapter who have petitioned to become and have been accepted as conditional members of the APSU Student Veterans Organization Chapter; the candidate is representing an outside organization not directly affiliated with the Austin Peay State University in the general rules of membership category. As an affiliate, conditional membership must be approved by the Executive Board. E. Alumni members: Must be a graduate of Austin Peay State University, this is offered in recognition of achievements after graduation and must be approved by the Student Veterans Organization Executive Board. F. Honorary members: Must be a non-graduate of Austin Peay State University chosen on an annual basis by the Executive Board in recognition for their volunteer service to the community with a focus of improving the quality of service to veterans and military personnel in their community. G. A minimum of 90% of the active membership must consist of Austin Peay State University students, faculty and administrative staff. H. Members at Large (registered members): all members of the chapter elected as undergraduate or as graduate students. I. Member candidates are registered with the that have not yet been confirmed as certified members of the organization. Section 4. Non-registered members are all those who do not meet the registered member criteria.

7 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-7 ARTICLE IV Officers Section 1. The officers of shall be elected from registered members. Section 2. The elected officers of shall consist of an Ex- Officio - President, Vice President, Vice President of Operations (as applicable), Secretary, and Treasurer and President Emeritus (Past President). Veteran status is required to hold the offices of President and Vice President. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined but not recommended. Section 3 Elections and Duties: A. All officers shall be elected at the annual meeting, and shall serve one-year terms. B. All officers shall be elected by a majority of the votes cast. Only active Members at Large resident members shall be allowed to vote. If no candidate for an office receives a majority of the votes cast, then only the top two candidates will be placed on a second ballot for that office until a majority is reached. C. A majority vote consists of at least 51% of votes cast from active members present at the meeting. D. All elections shall be conducted by secret ballot. A nominating committee appointed by the President shall tabulate the ballots. E. All officers shall be ineligible for election to more than two consecutive terms in the same office. F. Duties of elected officers shall include but are not limited to: 1. President: a. To call and reside over all the meetings of the general assembly and executive board. b. To appoint the chairman of all standing committees. c. To represent the organization as an official body at Austin Peay State University when called upon. d. To perform all other usual duties of the office. 2. Vice-president: a. To assume the duties of the president in the event of their absence. b. To head any committees as outlined in the by-laws and to serve as an exofficio member of committees. c. To plan recruiting functions for the enrollment of new members. d. To prepare recruiting and enrollment materials (fliers, posters, brochures, and enrollment forms).

8 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-8 e. Will conduct membership audits at the request of the Executive Committee and remove current members that do not qualify for membership under Article III, Sections Vice-president of Operations: a. To serve as an ex-officio member of committees. b. To plan recruiting functions for the enrollment of new members from the Main and Fort Campbell campus. c. To prepare recruiting and enrollment material (fliers, posters, brochures, and enrollments forms) for both campuses. d. To engage the Program Chairman and Committee in activities that, benefit the organization. e. Will conduct membership audits at the request of the Executive Committee and remove current members that do not qualify for membership under Article III, Sections Officer at Large (appointed by President): a. To serve as an ex-officio member of committees. b. To assist Vice-Presidents in planning recruiting functions for the enrollment of new members from Fort Campbell campus and Main Campus. c. To assist Vice-Presidents in preparing recruiting and enrollment materials (fliers, posters, brochures, and enrollment forms) for Fort Campbell campus and Main Campus. d. To assist the VP in conducting membership audits at the request of the Executive Committee and remove current members that do not qualify for membership under Article III, Sections Secretary: a. To keep minutes of the meetings, to take roll and mark absentees, and to read minutes of previous meetings. b. To maintain a list of all officers, board members, and membership lists. c. To notify all members of meetings and to conduct correspondences as directed. d. To maintain a historical journal of significant events pertaining to the organization. e. To control and maintain any pictures of significant events pertaining to the organization. 5. Treasurer: a. To receive and disperse all money of the organization. b. To maintain records of all deposits of funds.

9 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-9 c. To authorize, with the approval of the president and advisor, all payments for program reimbursements, concessions, membership, scholarship and petty cash disbursements. d. To prepare and present a report on the financial status of the organization once each month as adjudicated upon the approval of the Executive Board. Section 4. An Executive Board shall be composed of the President, Vice President and or an Officer at Large, the elected officers, and two additional members appointed by the current President. The appointed member must be from among the resident membership of the chapter. The Executive Board shall have the authority to conduct the affairs of the chapter between meetings, subject to instructions of the chapter and as specifically provided in this constitution. Section 5. The Committee on Membership shall be composed of 3 resident members, at least 1 of whom shall be members of the Executive Board. The President shall appoint members of the committee for a term of one year. The Membership Committee shall be responsible for the consideration of persons proposed for election to all categories of membership. Section 6. The chapter President shall appoint annually a Nominating Committee which shall present to all resident members, at least one week before the annual meeting, nominations for officers for the ensuing year. Other nominations may be made from the floor. Section 7. At the pleasure of the chapter President he shall appoint annually an auditing committee comprised of three members, who are officers and members at large of the organization to review the accounts of the Treasurer and report at the annual meeting. Section 8. Special committees may be appointed, as needed by the President or the Executive Board. Section 9. The Faculty/Staff Advisor to shall be appointed by the Executive Board of the University at the pleasure of its President and or the subordinate thereof. The faculty/staff Advisor must be selected from full-time faculty or administration members at the University. The Advisor shall serve as a liaison with the University, and help in the transition period between officers. The Advisor will be invited to and notified of all meetings and activities. ARTICLE V Dues and Finances Section 1. The local and national chapters of may access fees for privileges and services. These fees are outlined in ARTICLE VI of the By-Laws.

10 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-10 ARTICLE VI Meetings Sections 1. Officers shall make arrangements for the annual meeting and for other regular meetings. A minimum of two meetings shall be held each semester. Section 2. The basic agenda at regular meetings shall follow: A. Call to order B. Pledge of Allegiance C. Roll Call D. Approval of minutes E. Executive Committee report F. Program Committee reports G. Old business H. New business I. Announcements J. Adjournment Section 3. Action on any business, old or new, requires a quorum of one-half of the active membership present of. Section 4. Any vote shall be by secret ballot if requested by one or more of the members present. Section 5. Members of other chapters, chapter members who do not qualify as a member at large (resident member) as defined in Article III, section 3 and all other guests may be invited to any meeting but will not participate in the transaction of any business. ARTICLE VII Removal from Office Section 1. An officer whose dereliction of duty adversely affects the operations of the organization shall be subject to disciplinary action or removal from office. Section 2. A written request stating the reasons for dismissal and signed by at least three (3) active members of the organization must be submitted to the APSU Student Veterans Organization faculty advisor. The stated event or disagreement must be adjudicated through a personal meeting with the faculty advisor and all parties involved in making the complaint. If the faculty advisor decides that the complaint is valid and warrants further action leading to dismissal, then proceed to Section 3. The faculty advisor has the authority to terminate all proceedings at anytime during this process.

11 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-11 Section 3. By the next regularly scheduled meeting, written notification of the request and the reasons for dismissal must have been given to the offending officer, who should come to that regular meeting prepared to speak. Section 4. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of all active school chapter members is required to remove the officer from school chapter office. Section 5. A schedule of regular meetings and times will be published and forwarded to all members by the Secretary at the beginning of each semester. ARTICLE VIII Constitutional Amendments Section 1. The Constitution is binding to all members of. Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in writing by any active member of offered to the Executive Board for adjudication at any regular meeting at which two-thirds (2/3) of the active school chapter members are present. Section 3. If approved by the Executive Board; Proposed amendments will become effective following a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote of the active members present at the meeting.

12 By-Laws and Constitution Documents-12 ARTICLE IX Ratification We, the undersigned Officers of Austin Peay State University Executive Board, after a three-fourths affirmative vote of those members present, do hereby agree to follow the guidelines of this Constitution. President Officer at Large Vice President Secretary Treasurer Officer at Large Faculty Advisor Member at Large