INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP CONNECTION
Drafted on: March 4, 2006

Article One    NAME OF ORGANIZATION
·    The name of this organization shall be International Friendship Connection.

Article Two    PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
·    The purpose of International Friendship Connection is to provide American cultural assistance and opportunities for international students and scholars studying at George Mason University (GMU) and English Language Institute (ELI).
·    Goals of this organization include:
o    Capitalizing upon the opportunities for cultural interfacing provided by GMU’s diverse student body.
o    Ensuring international students’ time in the United States includes opportunities to experience aspects of American culture alongside Americans.
o    Promoting unity between ELI students, international GMU students, American GMU students, and American community members.
·    Objectives for achieving the above goals include:
o    English Corner: a general weekly meeting of American and international students.
o    Conversation Partners: individual international students meeting with individual Americans.
o    Special Events: monthly cultural outings.
o    American Welcome Dinners: American families inviting international students for dinner.
o    Further objectives may be developed as deemed necessary.     

Article Three    MEMBERSHIP
·    Membership in this organization will not be restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, sex or age.  
·    People qualified for membership include:
o    Americans who desire to build friendships with international students, exchange cultures, and/or provide assistance with English conversation practice.
o    Internationals who desire to build friendships with Americans, exchange cultures, and/or practice conversational English.
·    Active members shall be defined as those who attend 25% of English Corner meetings, have conversation partners, and/or attend at least two special events.
o    All active members must be currently enrolled GMU students with a minimum academic achievement of a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.
o    Only active members may vote, petition, or run for office. Active members are encouraged to join the planning meetings.
·    Associate members shall be defined as students studying at other local colleges and non-student American community members (including American families hosting welcome dinners, advisors from Bridges International as defined in Article IX, and advisors from local churches) who participate in at least one International Friendship Connection sponsored event annually.
o    Associate members may participate in all International Friendship Connection sponsored events, including planning meetings, but may not vote or run for office.  
·    Honorary participants shall be defined as family members and friends of international students who participate in at least one International Friendship Connection sponsored event annually.
o    Honorary participants may attend all sponsored events when invited by active or associate International Friendship Connection members.
o    Honorary participants may not vote, run for office, or participate in planning meetings.
·    Membership may be revoked if participants no longer fulfill membership requirements stated above.
·    Additionally, membership privileges may be revoked if International Friendship Connection officers unanimously determine that members’ behavior is in opposition to this organization’s purpose and goals.

Article Four    OFFICERS
·    President:
o    Schedules and facilitates planning meetings.
o    Oversees leadership of English Corner, Conversation Partners, Special Events, and American Welcome Dinners.
o    Facilitates elections and other matters that require voting.
o    President may carry out additional duties as needed.
·    Vice President:
o    Oversees weekly planning and implementation of English Corner.
o    Vice President may carry out additional duties as needed.
·    Treasurer:
o    Oversees finances.
o    Treasurer may carry out additional duties as needed.
·    Secretary:
o    Keeps minutes for planning meetings.
o    Keeps track of membership and contact information.
o    Facilitates communication with members.
o    Secretary may carry out additional duties as needed.
·    Special Events Coordinator:
o    Oversees planning and implementation of monthly special events.
o    Special Events Coordinator may carry out additional duties as necessary.
·    Conversation Partner Facilitator:
o    Oversees recruitment for American and international conversation partners.
o    Facilitates training for American conversation partners.
o    Conversation Partner Facilitator may carry out additional duties as necessary.
·    Minimum qualifications for officers include:
o    Minimum GPA of 2.0.
o    At least part-time enrollment at GMU.
o    Active International Friendship Connection membership.
o    Compliance with this organization’s purpose and goals.
o    Attendance at planning meetings three times per month.  
·    Officers must serve for at least one academic year.
·    There are no term limits as long as officers continue to meet the minimum qualifications.
·    Officers may be removed from their positions if they no longer fulfill the minimum qualifications or if they fail to adequately perform their duties as stated above.
o    If an active member/officer feels that an officer ought to be removed, (s)he must approach the President (unless the President is being considered for removal from office, in which case members/officers must approach the Vice President) with a petition including at least five other active members/officers signatures indicating their desire to remove the officer in question.
o    If the petition is valid, a majority of active membership must vote to remove the officer.  

ADVISOR
·    The primary advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff at George Mason University.
·    The advisor(s) shall be selected by International Friendship Connection officers, who will ask the prospective faculty member(s)/staff to assist them with understanding university policies as relate to the successful functioning of International Friendship Connection.
·    The advisor(s) may be removed from duties if he/she so desires or if International Friendship Connection officers unanimously determine that he/she is in opposition to this organization’s purpose and goals.
·    The advisor(s) may offer guidance and support for the organization, but MAY NOT have a vote.
·    In addition to the primary advisor(s), other advisors may include associate members from Bridges International as defined in Article IX or from local churches who likewise offer guidance and support, but MAY NOT have a vote.

Article Five     ELECTIONS
·    Elections will take place late in the spring semester (April or May) for the following academic year’s officers.
·    All active members may nominate prospective officers.
·    Nominations must occur at least two weeks prior to elections and shall be proposed at planning meetings.
·    After nomination, candidates will present their qualifications to the membership via email.
·    The faculty advisor will conduct the approval by election process through secret ballot (conducted at an end of year event or by email response).
·    Candidates must be approved by a majority of active membership in order to obtain leadership positions.
·    After elections, incoming officers shall shadow current officers during the remainder of the semester in order to learn their specific duties.

Article Six    MEETINGS
·    Planning meetings will be held weekly at a date and time to be determined by a majority vote of officers at the beginning of the semester.
o    All active members are welcome to attend planning meetings.
o    The President will preside at the planning meetings.
·    Additional meetings for conducting official business among active members, such as removing an officer or ratifying amendments, may be scheduled as needed.
o    The quorum for such meetings is 25% of the active membership plus two officers.
o    Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used to structure such meetings.
·    There is no mandatory attendance policy for any meeting. Active members, associate members, and honorary members are welcome to attend any International Friendship Connection event, as stipulated in the membership descriptions.

Article Seven    FINANCE
·    The existence, amount, and means of due collection shall be decided by a majority vote of the officers at the beginning of the academic school year.

Article Eight   AMENDMENTS
·    Any amendments to this constitution shall be proposed by officers and approved by a majority of active membership.
·    The office of Student Activities must review all amendments in the same manner as a completely new constitution.

Article Nine    DEFINITIONS
·    For purposes of International Friendship Connection membership, an American shall be defined as any resident of the United States who speaks English as a native language.
·    For purposes of International Friendship Connection membership, an international shall be defined as any person living in the United States who speaks English as a non-native language.
·    “Bridges International is a non-profit, Christian organization that exists to help serve and mobilize the international student population in the USA and abroad” (www.bridgesinternational.com).

Article Ten    RATIFICATION
·    This constitution will be available for active members to peruse before approval by the Council of Student Umbrellas and the Assistant Dean of University Life/Director of Student Activities. It shall be ratified by a ¾ vote of active membership.
·    This constitution shall become effective upon approval by a ¾ vote of the membership, the Council of Student Umbrellas and the Assistant Dean of University Life/Director of Student Activities.