BYLAWS OF THE VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Fourth Revision 

Article I - Name

Section 1

The name of this organization will be: Council of International Student Organizations, herein referred to after as CISO.

Article II - Objectives

Section 1

The objectives of CISO shall be:

1) To represent and promote the international student organizations and their interests both individually and collectively.

2) To serve as a liaison between the international student organizations and the university administration, campus organizations, and the wider university and Blacksburg community.

3) To provide a forum for exchange of ideas and dissemination of information.

4) To coordinate joint activities of the international community.

5) To support the integration of international students within the university community.

Article III - Membership

Section 1

Membership and participation in CISO shall be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, ethnic group, or national origin.

Section 2

Membership in the CISO will comprise of Full and Affiliate members.

Full Membership

• ?         shall be offered to Registered International Student Organizations alone. (International Student organization is understood as one where the majority of the members are international students and hold either a F1 or J1 visa.
• ?         shall be granted membership into CISO upon receiving two-thirds majority vote from the present membership.
• ?         shall have an international cultural mission.
• ?         shall have full voting powers in CISO affairs and International Week affairs.
• ?         International Student Organizations wishing to become full members need to register with the executive board of CISO directly, at no cost to the International Student Organization. Reregistration at the beginning of each new academic year.

Affiliate Membership

• ?         shall be open to other registered International Student Organizations of Virginia Tech, showing or sharing common interests in International issues, whose purpose is to promote cultural, educational and social exchange.
• ?         shall be granted membership into CISO upon receiving two-thirds majority vote form the present membership.
• ?         have voting power in matters of the International Street Fair given a club?s active participation within the International Street Fair, but do not have voting powers within other events of the International Week as a whole.
• ?         All other International Student Organizations wishing to be affiliate members to CISO shall also register their affiliation with the executive board of CISO. Reregistration is necessary at the beginning of each academic year.

Section 3

Two consecutive absentees from CISO General Meetings by a member organization shall result in a

membership review by the general body. Membership of delinquent organizations may be terminated upon

receiving two-thirds majority vote of the present membership.

Article IV - Offices

Section 1

The officers of CISO shall be:

1. President

2. Vice-President

3. Secretary

4. Treasurer

5. Public Relations Officer

6. Member-At-Large

These officers shall perform their duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentarian authority adopted by CISO.

Section 2

A quorum of two-thirds of the present member organizations shall be necessary to hold the elections.

Officers of CISO shall be elected by a plurality of votes. Each member organization shall have one vote. A of two different organizations may only vote once. He/She will have to decide which organization he/she represents. The present CISO Executive Board will have no voting rights for next CISO elections. If no more than one candidate is nominated for each office or for each position on the Executive Board, election may be by acclamation.

Section 3

Any student, graduate or undergraduate, holding a foreign student visa (F1 or J1), may pursue an office in CISO. Nominations and election dates must be publicized campus wide. Only students shall become officers of CISO.

Section 4

The newly elected Executive Board shall take office and assume responsibility on the day after the election meeting (or on such other date, no later than July 1, as the Council may determine) and shall serve until their successors are properly installed in office.

Section 5

No member organization shall have more than one person on the Executive Board.

Section 6

Should a vacancy occur in the office of the President, the unexpired term shall be filled by the Vice-President.

Section 7

Should a vacancy occur in the any other elected position(s), the unexpired term(s) shall be filled by selection of the general body.

Section 8

Should a resignation occur in any elected position, two weeks notice with a letter of resignation should be submitted.

Duties of Officers:

Clause I - President

a) ?? Shall preside over all meetings, execute all laws, call special meetings, appoint all committees not otherwise provided for with consent of the general body.

b) ?? Shall act as spokesperson for CISO outside of meetings.

c) ??? Shall appoint representatives to committees and other such bodies responsible for any functions normal of the presiding officer.

d)??? Shall act as a chairperson for the Executive Board.

e) ??? Shall be responsible for approval of all disbursement of funds of CISO with the consent of the general body.

Clause II-Vice-President

a) ?? Shall perform the functions of the President whenever he/she is absent or unable to perform.

b) ?? Shall serve as Chair for International Week.

c) ??? Shall serve as the Chair of the Cultural Expose.

Clause III- Secretary

a) ?? Shall record minutes of all meetings and send those to all present member organizations within a week following the meetings.

b) ?? Shall keep a permanent record of all meetings and bring these records to all CISO meetings.

c) ??? Shall record all committees? decisions.

d) ?? Shall conduct all official correspondence for CISO and maintain a permanent record of such correspondence.

Clause IV- Treasurer

a) ?? Shall receive and disburse all money on behalf of CISO under the direction of the Executive Board.

b) ?? Shall record the acceptance of all money in a permanent running account according to the policies of the uniform accounting system of VPI&SU.

c) ??? Shall submit a written report of all expenditures, deposits, and balances of CISO to be inserted into the minutes of all regular meetings.

d)??? Shall have all checks and other instruments for the payments of money drawn in the name of CISO and signed by both the President and the Treasurer.

e)???? Shall submit a type written semester report of receipts and expenditures to all member organizations.

Clause V- Public Relations Officer

a) ?? Shall promote CISO activities.

b) ?? Shall be Chair of the Publicity Committee for International Week.

c) ??? Shall be responsible for advertising for and increasing the visibility of CISO on campus through available media.

Clause VI- Member-at-Large

a) ?? Shall serve as liaison between CISO and all University and Student Forums to which CISO is granted membership.

b) ?? Shall represent and defend the interests of all International Students in these Forums.

Clause VII- Faculty Advisor

a) ?? Shall serve as an advisor and a resource person in the implementation of CISO actions.

b) ?? Shall be a member of the VPI&SU faculty or administrative staff.

c) ??? Shall be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the general body.

d) ?? Shall not have a vote during CISO meetings nor during CISO elections.

Article V - Meetings

Section 1

General CISO Meetings will be held on specific days announced. All meetings must be announced at least one week (seven work days) prior to the meeting, and must include a time and date for the meeting to come together.

Section 2

The chairperson of those committees shall determine the time and place for committee meetings.

Section 3

The time and place for special meetings, reading of the constitution, review of parliamentary procedures, and expenditure reviews may be decided upon the Executive board.

Section 4

The election of officers for each year will take place at a CISO General Meeting in the spring of the preceding academic year.

Section 5

CISO General Meetings shall be open to the public.

Article VI - Executive Board

Section 1

The officers of CISO shall constitute the Executive Board.

Section 2 ?

The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of CISO between CISO General Meetings, establish the hour and locale of meetings, make recommendations to the general body, and shall perform such other duties as are specified by these bylaws. The board shall be held accountable to the general body as a whole, and none of its actions shall conflict with the objectives of CISO.

Article VII - Committees

Section 1

The founding of committees for various purposes such as issues concerning the International Week, the

Cultural Expose, or other shall be made by the Chairperson for the respective event or the person in charge of the issue.

Section 2

International Week Committees:

a) ?? shall organize and promote events for the international week;

b) ?? shall receive an appointed chair by the chairperson of the International Week and is subject to approval of the majority of members in attendance;

c) ??? Committee members are appointed by the chairperson of the respective committee.

d) ?? All full members of CISO may participate in the planning and execution of events of the International Week.

e)???? Affiliate members to CISO are allowed to participate in the International Street Fair of the International Week, have a one-vote capacity to all matters pertaining to the International Street Fair alone, but do not have a vote in any matter pertaining to other events of the International Week.

f) ??? The CISO executive board reserves the right to make out additional invitations to other organizations to participate in the International Street Fair.

Article VIII - Amendment Procedure

Section 1

A quorum of two-thirds of present member organizations shall be necessary to amend the constitution. Each amendment shall be ratified after receiving a two-thirds majority vote by the total present member organization.

Article IX - Parliamentary Procedures

Section 1

The parliamentary authority adopted by CISO shall be Robert?s Rule of Order Newly Revised.