The Constitution of the Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance
Revised June 20, 2015

Name and Mission Statement

1. This organization will be referred to as the ‘Northwest Filipino American Student Alliance’ and/or ‘the Alliance’, hereafter abbreviated ‘NWFASA’.

1. NWFASA is a regional coalition that brings together various Filipino American student organizations at institutions of higher education, as well as the Filipino American community, across the Pacific Northwest. Established in 1995 as the Washington State Filipino American Student Alliance, it was renamed in 2003 to reflect incorporation of Filipino American student organizations in the state of Oregon.

1. The mission of NWFASA is to create a unifying environment of youth and student led and/or oriented organizations in the Pacific Northwest with an emphasis on Filipino and Filipino American culture, in which educational, political, cultural, and social advancement are promoted through various activities and events. NWFASA shall strive to foster a sense of community, provide opportunities to further self-awareness and cultural knowledge, as well as promote awareness and support the social welfare of the greater Filipino and Filipino American community.

Purpose

1. NWFASA shall strive for the advancement of the membership’s Filipino and Filipino American communities through education, unification, action, and empowerment.
   1. NWFASA shall further the membership’s education through self-identity, cultural, and socio-political awareness, as well as the history of Filipinos in the Pacific Northwest, the United States, and the Philippines.
   2. NWFASA shall further the membership’s unification of diverse perspectives utilizing effective communication, inter- organizational support, and networking principles.
   3. NWFASA shall take action through the membership’s collective voice and strength in unity.
   4. NWFASA shall further empower the membership by continuing to teach others, providing resources and networking opportunities, and supporting one another’s vision.

Membership Common Purpose

1. NWFASA shall be a coalition of student and/or youth organizations with vested interest in Filipino and Filipino American issues. A member organization’s constitution, including its mission, shall be in accord with this document and the existing member organizations’ constitutions. Existing member organizations shall determine whether or not an applying organization shares common purpose.

Member Organizations

1. Organizations within NWFASA are classified as one of the following:
   1. New Organization: During an organization’s first three months of official membership, it is considered a ‘new’ organization. A ‘new’ organization shall not have voting rights until it is considered an ‘active’ organization. A ‘new’ organization may participate in all NWFASA meetings, activities, functions, and events.
   2. Active Organization: A member organization shall be considered ‘active’ after attending its first three consecutive meetings from official membership. An ‘active’ organization shall have the right to vote. Member organizations must be present at NWFASA meetings to retain ‘active’ status.
   3. Inactive Organization: An absence is unexcused if there is no notification to the NWFASA Executive Board at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date. An organization shall be considered ‘inactive’ if it is absent at two or more consecutive NWFASA meetings. The NWFASA Executive Board shall notify an organization if it has one unexcused absence within 48 hours of the missed Alliance meeting.  An ‘inactive’ organization shall lose its right to vote at the subsequent two NWFASA meetings it attends. If an organization is absent and unexcused at three NWFASA meetings within the year, it shall lose its right to vote for the remainder of the year.
2. Regaining Active Status: An ‘inactive’ organization may become ‘active’ by attending two consecutive NWFASA meetings. The organization shall regain its right to vote for the third consecutive meeting it attends. If a member organization is inactive for six months or more, it must reapply to be considered for membership following the process of New Organization Registration under section III.e.
3. Voluntary Termination of Membership: A member organization may terminate membership with NWFASA through written notice to the NWFASA Executive Board. The effective date of termination shall be indicated by the organization. An organization that voluntarily terminates membership may participate in, but not be represented at, NWFASA activities or events. If a member organization voluntarily terminates membership, it may reapply after three months to be considered for membership.
4. Involuntary Termination of Membership: A member organization’s membership may be terminated involuntarily under the following circumstances:
   1. The member organization’s constitution is not in accord with the NWFASA constitution;
   2. The member organization does not share common purpose with NWFASA;
   3. The member organization partakes in activities endangering or damaging the principles of NWFASA.
      1. Membership considered for termination must be thoroughly discussed by member organizations and determined using the Normal Voting Process. The NWFASA Executive Board shall provide written notice to the member organization up for termination at least one week prior to the meeting at which voting will occur. The organization up for termination should make a substantial effort to attend the Alliance meeting at which the voting on their proposed termination shall occur. The effective date of termination shall be indicated through written notice by the NWFASA Executive Board to the offending organization. An organization with involuntarily terminated membership may not participate in NWFASA activities or events. If an organization’s membership is involuntarily terminated, it may reapply after six months to be considered for membership.

Duties

1. All member organizations must abide by the provisions of this constitution. This constitution must be reviewed yearly so that new Alliance Representatives shall be knowledgeable of their rights and responsibilities as a member organization. Any organization’s membership may be involuntarily terminated upon violating this constitution.
2. Phone and Video Conferencing: An ‘active’ member organization wishing to be present at a NWFASA meeting via phone or video conference must notify the NWFASA Executive Board at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date. An organization may not phone or video conference more than twice during the year. Exceptions shall be made on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the NWFASA Executive Board.
3. Normal Voting Process: Majority vote shall be the deciding factor of all items voted on by NWFASA member organizations. Only ‘active’ member organizations present at a NWFASA meeting shall have the right to vote on items presented during that meeting. An organization is present if it has physical representatives at the meeting, or has representatives participating via phone or video conference with notification to the Executive Board at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date. Information shall be provided to member organizations prior to voting, allowing sufficient time for thorough and objective discussion of the item at hand, at the discretion of the Executive Board. Discussion on an item may be tabled if less than two-thirds organizations are present at a meeting.  An item may be tabled for a maximum of two months, after which no action will be taken.
4. Membership Dues: Each member organization shall be required to pay the greater of the following:
   1. $1.00 per registered/paid member of the organization;
   2. $1.00 per registered Conference attendee of the organization, based on the previous NWFASA Conference.
      1. The Secretary of Finance and Fundraising shall collect dues annually in November. Membership dues are used to fund NWFASA activities and events, including, but not limited to, the Conference, Filipino Olympics, and the Summer Retreat.

Privileges

1. Voting Rights: An ‘active’ member organization present at a NWFASA meeting shall have the right to vote on items presented during that meeting. An organization is present if it has physical representatives at the meeting, or has representatives participating via phone or video conference with notification to the Executive Board at least 48 hours prior to the meeting date. Each NWFASA active member organization shall be entitled to only one vote.

1. Registration
   1. New Organization Registration: An organization must submit an application and a copy of its constitution to the NWFASA Executive Board to be considered for membership. The Executive Board shall review the application and constitution, and provide the documents to ‘active’ member organizations for review. The organization being considered for membership must be in attendance at the next consecutive NWFASA meeting, during which the applying organization’s membership shall be decided using the Normal Voting Process as outlined in section III.c.iii. The Executive Board shall inform the applying organization of its decision in writing within two weeks of the meeting. If the applying organization is denied membership, it may reapply after three months to be considered for membership. If the applying organization is approved for membership, it is considered a ‘new’ organization, effective from the date of notification. New organization membership fees dues shall be collected at the discretion of the Secretary of Finance and Fundraising.

NWFASA Executive Board Function and Purpose

1. The NWFASA Executive Board, hereafter referred to as the ‘Executive Board’, shall serve as the executive body of NWFASA.
2. The Executive Board shall implement the policies and principles of the NWFASA Constitution as well as manage the operations of NWFASA.
3. The Executive Board shall serve as a facilitating body to guide NWFASA activities, events, and discussions.
4. The Executive Board will hold Alliance representatives accountable to their duties and appoint special committees as necessary.
5. Members of the Executive Board shall not have voting rights.

Composition

1. The Executive Board shall be composed of:
   1. the Secretary General,
   2. the Secretary of Communications,
   3. the Secretary of Public Relations and Outreach, and
   4. the Secretary of Finance and Fundraising.
      1. All Executive Board members shall be elected by NWFASA member organizations using the Normal Voting Process as outlined in Section III.c.iii.

Eligibility

1. All candidates for the Executive Board must be an active member of an ‘active’ NWFASA member organization at the time of nomination and for the duration of their term.
2. All candidates for the Executive Board must have been an officer or leadership position for their respective organization in NWFASA for a single term.

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Secretary General
   1. The spokesperson of NWFASA. Will keep track of all member organizations to ensure that they are fulfilling their responsibilities to NWFASA. In the event the Secretary General is unable to facilitate an activity or event, another Executive Board member may fulfill his or her responsibilities.
2. Secretary of Communications
   1. Record and archive detailed meeting minutes and record attendance of member organizations at all NWFASA meetings.
   2. Distribute meeting minutes to member organizations after each meeting.
   3. Keep an updated event calendar available to Alliance members containing important dates, events, and activities from the Alliance and member organizations.
   4. Obtain contact information for representatives from all member organizations (name, position, phone number, email, website, etc.)
   5. Maintain the NWFASA listserv by adding, removing, and updating members’ email addresses.
   6. Take leadership in coordinating with the host organization the reservation of rooms and equipment necessary for NWFASA meetings.
3. Secretary of Public Relations and Outreach
   1. Maintain and update the NWFASA website and other social media outlets with a summary of the Alliance’s current business, upcoming meetings, activities, and events, as well as include pictures and/or other media informing the community of NWFASA activities and announcements.
   2. Outreach to inactive NWFASA member organizations and potential new member organizations by contacting representatives to inform them of upcoming NWFASA events, activities, and announcements and encouraging them to attend NWFASA meetings and events.
   3. Responsible for creating and maintaining public relationships with other Filipino American community organizations in the Pacific Northwest and with the general public.
   4. Promote NWFASA and its activities and events in community announcements and local media via fliers, press releases, etc.
   5. Outreach to other Filipino American community organizations for networking and community building purposes.
4. Secretary of Finance and Fundraising
   1. Maintain details of all financial transactions of NWFASA by keeping an accurate record of all money received and disbursed.
   2. Collect annual membership dues from each member organization for use for NWFASA events and activities. Provide advance notice of collection of dues to member organizations.
   3. Take charge, plan, and coordinate fundraising events with NWFASA member organizations in order to raise funds for NWFASA sponsored events.
   4. Distribute donation letters for all events.
   5. Research grant opportunities, scholarships, and sponsorships for NWFASA sponsored events.
   6. Must receive approval from the other Executive Board members before using and disbursing NWFASA funds.
5. Term
   1. The term of the Executive Board shall be one year (June to June of the subsequent year).
   2. Executive Board members may be elected for an additional term, for a maximum of two terms total.

NWFASA Advisory Board Purpose

1. The NWFASA Advisory Board (hereafter referred to as the ‘Advisory Board’) shall serve primarily as a consultative body to the Executive Board and as a general resource to NWFASA.
2. The Advisory Board shall assist the Executive Board with problems and/or issues that arise through the course of managing NWFASA operations.
3. Members of the Advisory Board are encouraged to attend NWFASA meetings and events and maintain an active presence among member organizations.
4. Members of the Advisory Board shall not have voting rights.

Composition

1. The Advisory Board shall consist of minimum of one volunteer and up to ten volunteers, with a target minimum of four volunteers, but not limited to, graduate students, alumni, professionals, and community members with the exception of undergraduate students.
2. Members of the Advisory Board shall be nominated and elected by NWFASA member organizations using the Normal Voting Process.

Eligibility

1. All candidates for the Advisory Board must have held leadership role in a student, community or professional organization(s) prior to their appointment.
2. All candidates for the Advisory Board must have attended at least a NWFASA meeting prior to their appointment.

Terms

1. The term of Advisory Board members shall be one year (June to June of the subsequent year).
2. Current Advisory Board members may be nominated for reelection.
3. Members of the Advisory Board may only serve for three consecutive terms at a time.  

Organizational Representative Purpose

1. The organizational representative is an appointed individual of a member organization of NWFASA that will serve as the intermediary bridge between NWFASA and the representative’s member organization.

Eligibility

1. The Organizational representative must be an active member of their organization they represent.

Duties

1. Must be present at the NWFASA Alliance meetings.
2. Relay information about the Alliance to their respective member organization.
3. Serve as a point of contact between their respective member organization and the rest of the Alliance.

NWFASA Issue-Based Projects and EventsThe annual NWFASA Conference (hereafter referred to as ‘the Conference’) shall serve as the main forum for networking and discussion of issues and concerns affecting the life, education, progress, and welfare of the NWFASA, Filipino, and Filipino American communities. The Conference shall aim to enrich participants with Filipino and Filipino American culture, history, and identity. The information presented at the Conference shall empower youth and students to become leaders in their own communities.

1. Bidding: Bids to host the Conference shall take place during the meeting following the debrief of the prior Conference. Organizations wishing to present a bid will present a detailed report, including plans for Conference venues, speakers, attendee capacity, budget, and fundraising.
2. Conference Host Selection Process: The Conference host organization shall be selected using the Normal Voting Process. NWFASA member organizations should base selection of a host organization on leadership capacity, level of commitment, and resource availability. An organization may not host the conference for two consecutive years. WHEREAS FASA sa UW proposes that for the year of 2016-2017 that the NWFASA host is referred only to the school that is housing the conference and that the planning and logistics of such conference is executed through a collaborative effort of the NWFASA Alliance Representative Board. The structure of such system can be found here. WHEREAS it currently states that:
3. Host Organization Financial Obligation: The organization hosting the Conference shall be primarily responsible for gathering funds upon accepting to host the Conference.  WHEREAS FASA sa UW propose that for the year 2016-2017 that the NWFASA Conference Host is not responsible for gathering funds upon accepting to host the Conference. In accordance with the stipulations outlined in the proposed structure the NWFASA Secretary of Finance in conjunction with the NWFASA Executive board will be in charge of accepting and managing the funds gathered by all of the NWFASA Organizations to be allocated solely to the production costs of 2017 NWFASA Conference. WHEREAS this amendment is specifically for the 2016-2017 NWFASA year and will no longer be in effect after June 2017 unless the NWFASA Representative Board votes to re-establish this conference structure. WHEREAS FASA sa UW as of November 19th 2016 is proposing to enact this new NWFASA Conference Structure effective immediately.

NWFASA Financial Obligation: Member organizations are obligated to make a donation toward the Conference through fundraising, materials, and/or allocated financial grants, scholarships, and sponsorships.

Resolutions

1. NWFASA shall be open to formal resolutions, proposed forms of action, and/or intentions in regards to the NWFASA mission toward the advancement of Filipino and Filipino American communities.
   1. Proposal: An ‘active’ member organization may propose a resolution to the NWFASA Executive Board, presenting sufficient information to justify advancement of the NWFASA mission. The Executive Board shall review and present the proposed resolution at the next consecutive NWFASA meeting.
   2. Voting Process: Proposals shall be voted on using the Normal Voting Process, after the issues involved are freely and thoroughly discussed.
   3. Resolution Adoption: If the resolution is adopted, NWFASA shall carry out the resolution under the leadership of the Executive Board.

Other Alliance Projects and Events

1. An ‘active’ member organization may propose an issue-based project or resolution to the Executive Board, including, but not limited to, public education forums, fundraisers, workshops, campaigns, etc. The Executive Board shall review and present the proposal at the next consecutive NWFASA meeting. The proposal shall be thoroughly discussed and voted upon at the NWFASA meeting using the Normal Voting Process. The Executive Board shall appoint committees as necessary to carry out the resolution, and will follow up to ensure implementation.

1. Constitutional Amendment
   1. An ‘active’ member organization may submit a proposal for a constitutional amendment to the Executive Board for review. The Executive Board shall review and present the proposed amendment during the next consecutive NWFASA meeting. All ‘active’ member organizations present must evaluate and discuss the proposed amendment before voting.

1. A proposed constitutional amendment shall be voted on by the ‘active’ member organizations present at the meeting using the Normal Voting Process.

Resignation and Impeachment In the event that a member of the Executive Board has determined they are unable to fulfill the duties of their position, they have the right to permanently relieve themselves from their position.

1. Resignation of Executive Board members must be in writing submitted two weeks prior to implementation.
2. The written statement will be distributed to the entire Alliance.
3. The resigning Executive Board member will continue the duties of the position till the time of official resignation.

Impeachment of members of the Executive Board may be done by:

1. Two different active NWFASA member organizations submitting an official statement each revealing their intent to impeach a member of the Executive Board.
2. A warning will be given to that Executive Board member to resolve the concern by the next Alliance meeting. If the original member(s) feels that officer is still failing to perform their duties after two weeks, it will be discussed at the next Alliance meeting with both the member(s) and the Advisory Board in attendance.
3. The Advisory Board will determine the validity of the claims brought forth. If it is determined that the claims are valid, notices will be sent to the entire Alliance before the next Alliance meeting.
4. If the claims are determined to be valid, the process towards impeachment will commence at the following Alliance meeting entailing a trial process which includes:
   1. A review of the impeachable offenses.
   2. Opening statements from both parties.
   3. Discussion and debate.
   4. Voting on impeachment.
      1. Impeachment will be successful if two-thirds of the active member organizations vote to impeach.

Questions/Comments/Concerns?
Contact nwfasa.info@gmail.com or nwfasa.constitutioncom@gmail.com