Bauer MBA Society Bylaws

Ratified:  May 21, 2003

Last Amended: Dec 29, 2021

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A. Membership Dues

  1. Membership dues for a Lifetime Membership shall be $110.
  2. All officers and committee chairs are subject to membership dues.
  3. Honorary membership may be given if approved by 100% of current officers. All honorary memberships shall be disclosed to the members of the organization.

B. Officers and Appointments

  1. Requirements to Run for Executive Board
    1. A member who runs for the President or Executive Vice President positions must have previously served on the BMBAS Executive Board as a vice president or club leader, or have served as a director, or active committee member.
    2. The candidate must have attended at least 50% of Bauer MBA Society events, including but not limited to general body meetings, networking socials, company visits, etc.
    3. The candidate must be a paid Bauer MBA Society member.
    4. The candidate must nominate himself/herself or be nominated by a current officer, faculty or staff advisor, or member. These candidates can be nominated for a maximum of two (2) positions.
    5. The nomination would involve the submission of a nomination form or letter to the current Executive Board.
  2. Selection Process
    1. The nomination process shall be advertised at least one week before nominations are accepted.
    2. Candidates will be given no more than one week to submit their nomination form or letter for the Executive Board positions.
    3. The selection for Executive Board positions will be conducted by the current Executive Board.
    4. This process might involve an interview and screening of the candidates who are being considered.
    5. The new Executive Board shall be presented to the membership for endorsement at a general body meeting before the last class day of the semester.
    6. It is the responsibility of the incumbent officers to ensure a smooth transition. A joint officers’ meeting (incumbent officers and new officers) will be held in late April (before the final exam period commences) or in mid May (after the final exam period ends). Alternatively, if the transition period happens after the fall semester, a joint officers’ meeting will be held any time in December or January, prior to the start of the spring semester.
    7. Upon completion of the officer’s term, he/she will serve as an advisor to the new officer for the month following elections.
    8. The term for officers elected in April shall be an entire academic year, beginning at the start of summer semester through the end of the following spring semester. The term for officers elected in December shall be an entire academic year, beginning at the start of the winter semester through the end of the following fall semester.

C. Duties of Officers and Committees

    1. Officers and committee members must attend the Student Organization Orientation. Information on orientation sessions is provided by the Center for Student Involvement at the University of Houston and can be found at www.uh.edu/csi.
    2. All officers and committee members shall act as active recruiters for the Bauer MBA Society, including attendance at recruiting events and representing the organization within their cohorts.
    3. All officers and committee members are expected to attend Bauer MBA Society events, including but not limited to general body meetings, networking socials, company visits, etc.
    4. Each Vice President shall establish a committee for his/her corresponding area. These include:
      • Marketing committee
      • Finance committee
      • Events committee
      • Mentorship committee
      • Service committee.
      • Committee members and roles shall be determined by the Vice President leading the committee. For example – the Marketing Committee may include the following: promotions chair, communications chair, and IT chair.
    5. Committee membership is open to BMBAS members who volunteer; members will be appointed to a specific task and position by the Vice President of that committee.
    6. Committee members must commit to serve for a minimum of one semester.
    7. Each committee shall be responsible for developing and presenting suitable programs and activities for the organization.
    8. The Vice President of each committee shall call committee meetings when appropriate, and present an agenda for discussion. Committees may meet as often as necessary, to be determined by the Vice President of each committee. Committees that do not require regular meetings shall meet at least once per semester to discuss committee membership, potential agendas and potential activities.
    9. The Vice President of each committee will preside over his/her own committee meetings. In the temporary absence of the Vice President, the Director shall be appointed by the Vice President to preside, provided the current officers are promptly notified of this change and the exact duration of the appointment is specified.
    10. The Vice President of each committee will make sure that committee meetings are advertised at least one week in advance. Notice of meetings shall include date, time, location, and contact information.
    11. The Vice President of each committee will keep committee members informed of all relevant committee business between meetings.
    12. The Vice President of each committee shall keep the President and Executive Vice President apprised of their activities and decisions. All committee decisions and actions are subject to review by officers.
    13. Below are duties and responsibilities of each officer:

      PRESIDENT:

      1. The President is responsible for all executive decisions regarding the Bauer MBA Society.
      2. The President shall act as a facilitator of the Bauer MBA Society, ensuring that all functions and events are running properly, and committee responsibilities and organizational goals are being met.
      3. The President shall call officer and general body meetings when appropriate, and present an agenda for discussion.
      4. The President shall make sure officer and general body meetings are advertised at least one week in advance. Notices of meetings shall include date, time, location, and contact information.
      5. As stated in the Constitution, the President shall preside over all Bauer MBA Society officer and general body meetings. In the event that the President is unable to preside over a meeting, the Executive Vice President shall preside. Should the President and Executive Vice President not be able to preside, then one of the other Vice Presidents shall preside.
      6. The President shall keep the faculty or staff advisor apprised of the Bauer MBA Society’s activities and decisions.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT:

      1. The Executive Vice President shall assist the President in executing any and all activities associated with the Bauer MBA Society.
      2. In the absence of the President, the Executive Vice President shall represent the Bauer MBA Society as the acting President.
      3. The Executive Vice President shall work closely with the President to ensure that all officers meet organizational goals.
      4. The Executive Vice President shall run elections in fall and spring.
      5. The Executive Vice President acts as a liaison between Bauer MBA Society and external organizations to coordinate events including, but not limited to, company visits and guest speaking engagements.
      6. The Executive Vice President, in conjunction with the President, shall ensure the clubs within the Bauer MBA Society follow the standards outlined by the Bauer MBA Society bylaws.
      7. The Executive Vice President shall temporarily perform the duties of any position that remains unfilled after the spring or fall elections.

VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING:

      1. The Vice President of Marketing is responsible for creating positive and valuable awareness for the Bauer MBA Society brand among MBA students, alumni, staff, faculty, and the Houston community.
      2. The Vice President of Marketing promotes and communicates Bauer MBA Society news and events across various marketing platforms including, but not limited to, emails, newsletters, the Bauer MBA Society website, Bauer MBA Society Facebook fan page, plasma screen advertisements, printed flyers, recruitment collateral, and presentations.
      3. The Vice President of Marketing is responsible for developing and maintaining integrity of the Bauer MBA Society brand by ensuring consistency in overall look and messaging across all marketing platforms as stated above.

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE:

      1. The Vice President of Finance shall keep an accurate record of Bauer MBA Society assets, liabilities, and operating cash flow to prepare and preserve such records for presentation and inspection.
      2. The Vice President of Finance will oversee use of cash for organizational events; however, all funding requests must also be approved by the President of the Bauer MBA Society.
      3. The Vice President of Finance shall maintain the organization’s PayPal and other payment accounts – including, but not limited to, new member registrations, store inventory levels, and “order shipping” notifications.
      4. The Vice President of Finance shall process officer reimbursement forms and payments.
      5. The Vice President of Finance shall engage and maintain companies’ corporate sponsorships.
      6. The Vice President of Finance shall ensure the Finance Committee engages in fundraising efforts to raise money for the organization.

VICE PRESIDENT OF EVENTS:

      1. The Vice President of Events’ main responsibilities consist of overseeing coordination and execution of all Bauer MBA Society events including meetings, professional development events, mentorship events, club events, and networking/social events.
      2. The Vice President of Events is responsible for general body meeting and event logistics, including but not limited to, arranging locations, scheduling times, setting up room and table-top displays, coordinating member sign-in, and providing name tags when deemed appropriate.
      3. The Vice President of Events shall coordinate communication of events between Bauer MBA Society and the clubs within the Bauer MBA Society.
      4. The Vice President of Events shall ensure that all events are promoted by maintaining proper and timely communication with the Vice President of Marketing.
      5. The Vice President of Events shall plan and execute all networking events, upon approval of the Executive Board.

VICE PRESIDENT OF SERVICE & COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

      1. The Vice President of Service’s primary responsibility is to provide opportunities for MBA students to participate in community service and philanthropic events/activities on campus and in the Houston community. BMBAS members shall be encouraged to participate in such activities in order to cultivate servant leadership, and to capitalize on the networking afforded by working side by side with volunteers from other corporations and organizations.
      2. In conjunction with the Vice President of Marketing, the Vice President of Service shall promote and encourage the BMBAS membership to give back to the community and the university through involvement in philanthropic events/activities on campus and in the greater Houston area.
      3. The Vice President of Service shall plan and implement community service and philanthropic events/activities on campus and in the Houston community, and consult with the Vice President of Events as necessary.
      4. The Vice President of Service shall work with the Bauer College Alumni Association to coordinate participation of the BMBAS membership in community service events sponsored by BCAA.

VICE PRESIDENT OF MENTORSHIP:

      1. The main responsibility of the Vice President of Mentorship is the execution of the Bauer MBA Society Mentorship Program.
      2. The Vice President of Mentorship will work to identify and recruit Bauer alumni and other qualified professionals to participate as mentors to current students.
      3. The Vice President of Mentorship, in conjunction with the mentorship committee, shall conduct the mentee application and selection process.
      4. The Vice President of Mentorship shall work with his/her mentorship committee to match mentors with members and ensure that the program runs smoothly throughout the academic year.
      5. The Vice President of Mentorship shall be responsible for planning and coordinating mentorship program events.

CLUB LEADERS:

      1. A Club Leader shall be a paid member and follow the guidelines and standards of the Bauer MBA Society.
      2. Club Leaders shall be elected by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
      3. Club leaders shall attend all BMBAS Executive Board meetings and keep the Executive board apprised of their activities and decisions. If the club leader is unable to attend, he/she should send a representative
      4. Guidelines and structure for a Bauer MBA Society club to follow are stated below:
        1. A club is required to provide a leadership structure consisting of two (2) people.
        2. The club shall maintain active membership.
        3. The club shall be in regular communication with the Executive Board.
        4. Clubs must host at least one professional event per month (3 professional events per semester). Professional events include, but are not limited to company visits, guest speaking engagements, panel discussions, competitions judged by executives, educational events, etc.
        5. See appendix for additional club guidelines.
      5. Change or Removal of Officers or Committee Chairs
        1. In the event that the President is unable to complete his/her term in office, the Executive Vice President shall assume the duties of the president until the next election
        2. In the event that any other officer position is left vacant, the President shall nominate a new officer to complete the term of office. The nominee must be approved by a majority vote of the current Executive Board.
        3. Grounds for loss or removal of officer or committee member status:
          1. Resignation.
          2. Withdrawal from the graduate-level business program at the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston.
          3. Misconduct in office or conduct bringing discredit, dishonor, or disrepute and/or any undesirable reflection upon the name and integrity of the organization.
          4. Inactivity. At the beginning of the each semester, officers who have been deemed consistently inactive may be removed. An officer is considered consistently inactive if he/she attends less than 50% of the meetings and events without explanation.
        4. A written petition for removal of an officer or committee member is required and must meet the following conditions:
          1. The petition must be submitted to the President (or the Executive Vice President, if it is the President who is in question).
          2. The petition must include the signature of at least 10 members.
          3. The petition must state the reason for the request for removal of an officer or committee member.
        5. The President (or Executive Vice President, if it is the President who is in question) must solicit relevant evidence from all parties concerned and call an officers meeting within 15 days of the receipt of the petition. The officer or committee may be removed from official officer or committee member status upon recommendation of the President (or Executive Vice President, if the President is in question) and confirmation by a majority of the current officers.
        6. In the event that there are officer changes during the registration term, a change form must be completed and submitted to the Center for Student Involvement at the University of Houston. The form requires the signatures of both the incoming and outgoing officer(s). The change form can be found at www.uh.edu/csi
      6. Committee Membership
        1. Membership of committees is open to all Bauer MBA Society members.
        2. Members shall volunteer to be part of a committee, and shall be appointed into a specific task and position by the vice president of that committee.
        3. Committee members who have been deemed consistently inactive may be removed from official committee membership status upon recommendation of the vice president of the committee. A member is considered consistently inactive if he/she attends less than 50% of the committee meetings and events without explanation.
      7. Financial Procedures
        1. Handling of Cash:
          • Access to the Bauer MBA Society bank accounts shall be given to the President, Executive Vice President, and Vice President of Finance.
          • All cash, property, and assets shall only be used for Bauer MBA Society matters. Under no circumstance shall any funds be distributed to any officer, faculty or staff advisor, committee member, or student, for personal matters.
          • The Vice President of Finance shall regularly maintain cash flows and monitor bank statements to ensure the Bauer MBA Society account never has insufficient funds.
          • The Finance committee shall create a budget for the Bauer MBA Society each year, which must be approved by the President and Executive Vice President.
        2. Reimbursement Process:
          • In the event that an officer or member requires reimbursement for expenditures made on behalf of the Bauer MBA Society , the appropriate forms shall be completed and submitted to the Vice President of Finance immediately with receipts attached.
          • Reimbursement shall be completed by the Vice President of Finance within two (2) weeks of submission of the paperwork required for reimbursement.
        3. Fund Request for Officers and Club Leaders:
          1. Officers or Club Leaders who need additional funding for special occasions shall complete a fund request form at least two (2) weeks prior to when the funds are needed.
          2. Funds must be approved by both the finance committee and two thirds of the Executive Board.
          3. The Board’s decision regarding fund requests shall be disclosed within one (1) week of receipt of the written request.
      8. Technology
        1. The website for Bauer MBA Society shall be www.bmbas.org.
        2. All officers shall use designated Bauer MBA Society email accounts for BMBAS related correspondence during their time in office and must ensure that all correspondence via BMBAS email accounts are kept professional.
        3. Membership payments and applications shall be collected via Pay Pal(?) on the Bauer MBA Society website.
      9. Anti-Hazing Clause

        This organization will not initiate, participate in, or be witness to any act that inflicts or intends to inflict physical or mental harm or discomfort or which may demean, disgrace, or degrade any person, regardless of location, intent, or consent of participant(s).

      10. Non-Discrimination Clause

As a Registered Student Organization at the University of Houston we adhere to the University of Houston’s Non-Discrimination Policy. The University of Houston is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution. The university provides equal treatment and opportunity to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status except where such distinction is required by law. Additionally, the System prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.