Bylaws of the Husky Veteran Association

ARTICLE I

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Eligibility. Membership shall fall into the following three categories:

1.1 Active. Any student enrolled in at least one credit with the Houston Christian University who is a veteran, reservist, National Guard, or active duty service member.

1.2 Alumni. Any former student who has graduated from Houston Christian University who is a veteran, reservist, National Guard, or active duty service member may be an Alumni member.

1.3 Honorary. Any member that does not fall into the above two categories, to include but not limited to, faculty/staff, members enrolled with a Texas State institution of higher education, organizations, societies, general public, etc.

1.4 Discharge. Any member that has been HONORABLY DISCHARGED from the Armed Forces or Reserve Components.

Section 2. Husky Veterans Association is committed to the elimination of discrimination based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, physical ability, and cultural and religious backgrounds.

Section 3. Application. All perspective members must fill out an application and are subject to review at the discretion of the Membership Committee. All information is private and will not be distributed to outside resources. Information remains open to committee(s) and the Officers of the association.

3.1 Membership­Fees. First semester for new members will be free. Following semesters will be $10 a semester.
*Dues may vary per semester depending on number of members and events planned for the current semester. Donations are accepted from non­active members.

3.2 GPA Requirements. The GPA requirement for all Active members will be 2.5 or above. For Honorary members, 2.5 or above. Alumni have presumably graduated and therefore do not have to meet a GPA requirement. Any members that fall below the minimum GPA will be put on a probationary period until the time in which they raise the GPA. Additional services will be offered to help the member with academic excellence.

ARTICLE II

MEETINGS

Section 1. Weekly Meeting. The weekly meetings will announced by the President prior to the start of each semester.

Section 2. Bi­Annual Meeting. Annual meetings of the Husky Veterans Association (HVA) shall be held at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester.

Section 3. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Husky Veterans Association, for any purpose or purposes, unless otherwise prescribed by statute or by the Constitution, may be called by elected officers. These meetings may be teleconferenced or done online.

Section 4. Place of Meetings. All annual meetings of the Husky Veterans Association shall be held at a facility located on Houston Christian University or such place designated by the President. Special meetings of the Husky Veterans Association may be held at such time and place within a designated facility at HCU or designated area approved by the President. All meetings shall be stated in the Notice of Meeting, or in a duly executive Waiver of Notice thereof. All Notices of the Meeting shall be sent to all members of SVO with agenda topics, time, and place of said meeting either by email or hardcopy; notice shall be provided a minimum of 1 day before said meeting. Business transacted at any meeting of student veterans shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

Section 5. Voting. Each student veteran on record with an Active status membership is entitled to (1) vote in the election process.

5.1 Non­voters. Alumni and Honorary status membership will not be allowed to participate in voting. All opinions and comments may be discussed before voting.

Section 6. Quorum . The minimum number of officers needed to conduct business at a Board meeting shall be the number of active officers provided notice of the meeting was sent out according to these by laws, or unless given a valid reason (valid reason is discussed and judged by the President and Vice President)

ARTICLES III

ELECTIONS

Section 1. Elected Officers. The elected Officers shall be named and designated in the following chapter meeting after elections.

Section 2. Eligibility. To be eligible for office, candidates must be enrolled in at least six (6) credits with Houston Christian University and be an Active member. Candidates must be able to perform all duties required of them as stated in the Constitution and Bylaws. Candidates must provide proof of honorable discharge (veteran status).

Section 3. Nominations. Members must indicate in writing with proof of above eligibility’s to the Executive Board. Candidates who do not meet the above requirements will not be eligible for office. Deadline date will be set well in advance for all members.

Section 4. Elections. Elections shall occur in May. All eligible nominations will be passed down from the Executive Board to the President. The President will send out Notice of Meeting 15 days in advance of election with the list of candidates with
the position he/she is running for.

Section 5. Term. The term of office shall be 12 months, for the President, beginning in August. The term for all other officer positions/Executive Board members will be (1) semester, unless removed and replaced.

Section 6. Vacancies. Vacancies will be appointed by the Executive Board .This does not apply to the position of the President; the President must be elected.

Section 7. Removal. Officers can be removed from office by completion of their term or unanimous decision by standing Officers.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICIAL POSITIONS

Section 1.The elected, official position of officers shall be:

1.1 President – Policy, Career Services and Disability Services

The President is the most senior leader in a Chapter and holds overall accountability for all aspects of the organization’s operations, finances, development, recruitment, and engagement with National Headquarters and external parties. The President is the primary student contact for the student organization and the “external spokesperson” of the group who regularly interacts with other student organizations and University officials. They are the liaison between the student organization and the advisor and other University or community contacts. The duties for this position should be tailored as the student organization deems necessary. The responsibilities of the president include, but are not limited to:

• Overall accountability and ownership of the creation of the Chapter strategic plan and the success of the Chapter.
• Direct overall Chapter operations in accordance with governing documents, delegate appropriate responsibilities to Chapter Leaders as needed, and oversee the execution of the strategic plan.
• Represent and promote the Chapter at events on campus and in the community.
• Serve as the primary point of contact between the Chapter and National Headquarters, school administration, student government, other student organizations, and community entities.
• Conduct general body and leadership meetings.

1.2 Vice President of Programs and Member Development

The Vice President of Programs and Member Development is responsible for all facets of Chapter programming and ensuring all Chapter Members have a clear path toward Chapter Leader and/or liaison positions, if desired. This person manages the “so what” of the organization, and so is often considered the “second in command.” They should create events and services in alignment with the Chapter mission and that appeal to Chapter Members. This may require polling or a survey at the beginning of every term or year in order to understand fully the wants and needs of the Chapter. The Vice President of Programs and Member Development will work closely and collaborate fully with each of the other Chapter Officers in order to do their job. The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Use the strategic plan to set goals for programming and member development goals.
• Build and execute the programming calendar in coordination with other important calendars (i.e., university’s calendar, community calendar, holidays, etc.).
• Work with the Vice President of Communications and Marketing to ensure each event on the calendar is adequately publicized.
• Delegate event preparation responsibilities to Chapter Members based on individual skillsets.
• Track and report attendance outcomes for all events and lead the after-action review to discuss ways to improve the event.
• Track and report on the impacts from programming (i.e., graduation rates, engagement, Chapter status).
• Assess the skill level of Chapter Members and advise them on ways they can support the Chapter and assume leadership positions in the Chapter.
• Advise and encourage Chapter Members on professional development opportunities such as the LinkedIn Professional Development Community, the SVA Regional Summits, and the SVA Leadership Institute.
• Serve as the official second-in-charge of the Chapter in the event the President is unable to fulfill their responsibilities.

1.3 Vice President of Finance

The Vice President of Finance is responsible for managing all incoming and outgoing Chapter funds. They should be fiscally minded, detail-oriented, and very responsible. This person will hold the financial keys to the Chapter. Oftentimes, universities will require specific training for the student responsible for the finances of a student organization. Chapter Presidents and those intended to take on this role should check with the University for guidelines on banking, training, and other requirements. The Vice President of Finance will also work closely with the other vice presidents to provide and receive funding for all operations of the Chapter. The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Use the strategic plan to set an operations budget, and guide financial planning and decision making.
• Establish, improve, and/or maintain best practices for sound financial management.
• Manage the Chapter budget and prepare detailed financial reports for the Chapter president, Chapter Advisor and the college or university, if required.
• Identify the most affordable vendors and seek additional ways to save money for the Chapter.
• Create and/or manage a record keeping system for the filing of receipts, bills, invoices, and financial reports.
• Work closely with the Vice President of Fundraising to identify potential funding sources including institutional funding, grant funding, and private donors.
• Ensure the Chapter complies with all financial regulations set by the college or university.

1.4 Vice President of Recruitment and Member Engagement

The Vice President of Recruitment and Engagement is responsible for recruiting Chapter Members and encouraging their engagement in all Chapter events, meetings, community outreach, and other Chapter initiatives. They are essential to the survival of a Chapter. With their primary responsibilities focused on coordinating the recruitment efforts of the chapter, they can have a significant impact on an organization’s future. The responsibilities of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Use the strategic plan to set recruitment and attendance goals to guide engagement objectives and strategies.
• Work with the Vice President of Programs and Member Development to develop programming that encourages an active and engaged membership, and that are aimed attracting, selecting, identifying, and recruiting new members.
• Work with the Vice President of Communications and Marketing to represent and promote the Chapter and recruit new members.
• Work with the leadership team in creating, developing, and reviewing membership guidelines and requirements.
• Maintain relationships with the office of admissions, Dean of Students, the School Certifying Official (SCO) to welcome incoming student veterans and military-connected students.

1.5 Vice President of Fundraising

The Vice President of Fundraising is responsible for establishing and cultivating relationships with potential donors, raising funds for the Chapter, and assisting the Vice President of Finance in accounting for donations and income. This person should be familiar with the school’s rules and regulations on fundraising and explore innovative methods with which to solicit and process donations, in accordance with university policy. The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Use the strategic plan to set a fundraising goal.
• Establish, improve, and/or maintain best practices for relationship building with donors and potential donors.
• Identify potential funding sources including institutional funding, grant funding, and private donors.
• Ensure the Chapter complies with all donation regulations set by the college or university.

1.6 Vice President of Communications and Marketing

The Vice President of Communications and Marketing is responsible for all internal and external communications of the Chapter as well as promoting Chapter events to student veterans, their families, allies, and the greater campus community. The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Use the strategic plan to create a communications and social media strategy.
• Maintain communication with National Headquarters and ensure Chapter information is updated every semester.
• Manage and update all social media accounts and the Chapter website (as applicable).
• Take pictures during events and collect pictures taken by Chapter Members.
• Maintain an accurate distribution/contact list of all Chapter Members, family members, allies, partners, vendors, and all other important parties.
• Maintain meeting minutes and distribute to Chapter Leaders and/or members.
• Manage all outwardly facing communications including event promotion and press releases.
• Create a newsletter or publication that highlights Chapter events, accomplishments, and milestones to circulate around campus and throughout the SVA network.

1.7 Chaplain 

The Chaplain of the chapter should serve as its spiritual and moral leader. Also, he leads the chapter in prayer during meetings.

1.8 Executive Directors shall be appointed to their positions by an mutual agreement from both the President and Vice President. Executive directors make up the members of the Executive Board. The number of Executive Directors corresponds with the number of

branches representing the five (5) uniform services. The Executive Director will act as a sponsor to all Active members and incoming Active members.

Executive Director (Army)

Executive Director (Marines)

Executive Director (Navy)

Executive Director (Air force)

Executive Director (Coast Guard)

Executive Director (Honorary/Alumni)

It is recommended that the board be as diverse as possible with respect to military branch representation. It is also recommended that one member be a graduate student in order to adequately represent our Student Veteran population.

ARTICLE V

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Board of Directors All officers on the board shall decide the direction and operation of the Husky Veterans Association. Each officer is allotted one (1) vote and the majority vote shall prevail on items. In the event an officer abstains to vote and there is a tie, the items shall be presented to the membership at the next meeting. The voting membership shall decide on the item; a 2/3 vote is needed to see the item passed. The President and Vice ­Presidents essentially act as the “face” of the association, but the extent of their power does not supersede any other member of the board.

Section 2. Amendments by Members. The Constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the members present at one regular scheduled meetings, provided notice of intention to amend shall have been contained in the Notice of the Meeting.

ARTICLE VI

DISSOLUTION

Section 1. Upon dissolution of the association, all assets shall be used exclusively for charitable purposes. Funds donated by outside sources will be returned first and foremost. Any funds that exist thereafter shall be first used for scholarships to students within the Husky Veterans Association. If this is not attainable, funds may be donated to the

Houston Christian University or Student Veterans of America, an IRS recognized non profit association.