We are an organization that strives to be a home away from home for over 1,000 international students at OSU. ISOSU aims to promote international and multicultural students by serving as an outlet to voice their opinions and views. We strive to bring awareness of international culture and issues to the forefront of the community through involvement. We organize various cultural events on Campus and bring people from all over the world together in an effort to educate students and the community about international issues.
Our affiliate organizations include African Student Association, Association of Latin American Students, Cambodian Student's Association, European Student's Association, Chinese Student's Association, Hong Kong Student's Association, Isang Bansang Pilipino, Indian Student's Association, Japanese Student's Association, Korean Student's Association, Hmong Student's Association, Saudi Arabian Student's Association, Thai Student's Association, Taiwanese Student's Association, and Vietnamese Student's Association.
Constitution
Constitution of The International Students of Oregon State University
(Under revision)
ARTICLE I. TITLE
The name of this organization, hereby enacted and commissions for all purposes as intended shall be International Students of Oregon State University, referred to as ISOSU.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
ISOSU is a student-operated organization that strives to be a “home away from home” to international students, as well as promote a better understanding of other cultures among Oregon State University students and the community. ISOSU seeks to support the following:
1) To make the experience at OSU for international students as positive as possible.
2) To promote leadership among international students so that they may effectively fulfill the vital role that they play in the community.
3) To serve as a liaison between Oregon State University and international students as critical news and information regarding international concerns are communicated to the community.
4) To assist international students in finding resources for academic, housing, social, financial, and career needs.
5) To provide a social environment for international students to meet, interact, and learn from one another.
6) To create and support a diverse community of understanding and celebration of the world’s rich cultures.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Affiliates: All Oregon State University Recognized Student Groups that identify themselves as international student organizations or associations can request membership in ISOSU.
Section 2 – Membership Approval: Approval for membership as an ISOSU affiliate requires a simple majority vote of the ISOSU Leadership Council.
Section 3 - Inclusion: Membership and participation shall be considered with regard to the Oregon State University policy on discrimination dated October 1995 as:
“In accordance with federal and state laws, Oregon State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status. In addition, the University prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”
ISOSU shall enact an event, amendment, or statute only in support of this statement, and likewise shall enact no event, amendment, or Statutes in opposition.
ARTICLE IV. ORGANIZATION AND AFFILIATION
The organization of ISOSU shall remain subject to Federal, State and local laws, and the policies and procedures set forth by Oregon State University for the operation and maintenance of a recognized student organization, and entitled to all of the privileges and responsibilities therein provided.
Section 1 The ISOSU shall be governed by the ISOSU Leadership Council.
Section 2 The ISOSU Leadership Council shall consist of no more than one representative from each international student organization electing to participate in ISOSU as an affiliate.
Section 3 Each Leadership representative will hold one, equally weighted vote in all matters.
Section 4 The ISOSU Leadership Council Chair is the executive officer of the Leadership Council.
The ISOSU Leadership Council Vice-Chair fulfills the authority of the executive officer in such situations where the Chair is unable to fulfill their obligations. The ISOSU Leadership Council Secretary serves as the administrative support person for the Leadership Council during meetings, and fulfills the authority of the executive officer in such situations where the Chair and Vice-Chair are unable to fulfill their obligations.
Section 5
The ISOSU Executive Staff will be qualified as ex-officio members only of the Leadership Council, except in the case specifically of changes to the ISOSU Statutes, in which case ISOSU Executive Staff are voting members of the Leadership Council, who will hold one equally weighted vote.
Section 6
The ISOSU Leadership Council shall hold itself responsible for the direction of all ISOSU Officers, Executive Staff, financial matters, activities, events, and any such task or endeavor pursued under its auspices.
Section 7
The ISOSU Leadership Council shall hold authority and direction over all subordinate ISOSU committees.
Section 8
Votes by proxy are allowed.
ARTICLE V. STATUTES
The Statutes of the Constitution of the International Students of Oregon State University shall be the operational policies and procedures designed to execute the provisions of the ISOSU Constitution. The Statutes will support and advise the ISOSU Leadership Council and Executive Staff as outlines for the operation and maintenance of the ISOSU.
ARTICLE VI. ACTIVITIES
All activities of the ISOSU, including financial matters, events, and any such task or endeavor pursued under its auspices must support the Oregon State University policy on discrimination as outlined in Article III. All activities shall be therefore open to the public and shall at all times follow the same restrictions and guidelines as provided by Federal, State and local laws, and the policies and procedures set forth by Oregon State University for the operation and maintenance of a recognized student organization, and entitled to all of the privileges and responsibilities therein provided.
ARTICLE VII. HIRING AND QUALIFICATION OF COUNCIL AND OFFICERS
The ISOSU Leadership Council Chair, Officers, and Executive Staff shall coordinate the advertising for, and hiring of the succeeding academic year’s new Executive Staff during Spring term. The hiring and transition of the Executive Staff shall be completed according to the Statutes of the ISOSU.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS, REVISIONS, AND UPDATES
Section 1
Amendments to this Constitution shall be passed only by a three-fourths majority vote by the ISOSU Leadership Council.
Section 2
Revisions to this Constitution shall be passed only by a two-thirds majority vote by the ISOSU Leadership Council.
Section 3
Updates to this Constitution can be made to reflect changes in Federal, State, and Local laws, and to reflect changes to Student Incidental Fee processes, Student Involvement, and Oregon State University guidelines as they regard recognized student organizations without a vote of the ISOSU Leadership Council. It is provided, however, that a member of the ISOSU Leadership Council may challenge an update and motion for a vote to support or reject the update is allowed.
ARTICLE IX. OFFICERS, EXECUTIVE STAFF, RANK, AND JURISDICTION
Section 1
The ISOSU shall execute its goals and purposes through the support of Executive Officers of the ISOSU Leadership Council who are therefore responsible for the function and coordination of the ISOSU Executive Staff.
Section 2
The Executive Officers of the ISOSU Leadership Council, according to the rank shall be:
1) Chair(s) of the ISOSU Leadership Council – Hired, compensated according to annual budgeting guidelines. Obligated to supervisory and administrative roles.
2) Vice-Chair of the Leadership Council – Nominated from the Council, voluntary and not compensated. No supervisory role.
3) Secretary of the Leadership Council. – Nominated from the Council, voluntary and not compensated. Leadership Council administrative roles only. No supervisory role.
Section 3
The ISOSU Executive Staff members will be those positions listed and structured in the ISOSU Statutes, and compensated according to annual administrative budgeting guidelines.
STATUTES OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OF OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Section I. Executive Officers and Staff
The ISOSU Officers and Executive staff shall be the following:
a) The ISOSU Leadership Council Chair – Officer
b) The ISOSU Leadership Council Vice-Chair – Officer
c) The ISOSU Leadership Council Secretary – Officer
d) The ISOSU Office Manager - Officer
e) The ISOSU Finance Director - Officer
f) The ISOSU Community Relations Director – Executive Staff
g) The ISOSU Event Coordinator – Executive Staff
h) The ISOSU Social Chair – Executive Staff
Section II. Duties of Executive Officers and Staff
The duties of the ISOSU Executive Officers and Staff shall be the following:
a) The ISOSU Leadership Council Chair
1) Support, advise, and coordinate the Executive Staff.
2) Act as a liaison between the ISOSU Leadership Council and the Executive Staff.
3) Coordinate and preside over ISOSU Leadership Council meetings.
4) Schedule, and coordinate one meeting between the ISOSU Leadership Council and Executive Staff per month.
5) Assist the ISOSU Finance Director, and Executive Staff during the budgeting process.
b) The ISOSU Leadership Council Vice-Chair
1) Assist the Council Chair in the direction of the ISOSU Leadership Council
2) Serve as the chair of the Council in the absence of the Leadership
Council Chair
c) The ISOSU Leadership Council Secretary
1) Scheduling, recording, and reporting the agenda and minutes of the ISOSU Leadership Council
2) Serve as the chair of the council in the absence of the ISOSU
Leadership Council Chair and Vice-Chair
d) Office Manager
1) Will oversee the daily operation of the ISOSU offices.
2) Coordinate the schedules of ISOSU office staff, weekday hours 10am-4pm
3) Train staff on proper use of equipment and resources
4) Maintain supplies and Inventory
5) Maintain records and files
6) Maintain a Current World Issues file
7) Manage and submit payroll
8) Generate purchase requests when needed
9) Manage listserv activity
10) Support other Executive Staff as needed
e) Finance Director
1) Will direct a committee that is responsible for funding ISOSU and leadership programming.
2) Maintain ISOSU records for budgeting purposes
3) Prepare monthly reports on the status of the budget.
4) Provide training for the Office Manager and the Even Coordinator on the system for using purchase requests.
5) Compile a budget proposal presentation according to the schedule outlined in the Executive Calendar of these Statutes.
6) Support Executive Staff as needed.
7) Attend affiliate meetings as needed.
f) Community Relations
1) Provide outreach to OSU and the Corvallis Community by participating in the ASOSU Senate, community organization meetings, Leadership meetings, campus committees, etc. in order to communicate and gather information on current events, programs, and goals.
2) Support Executive Staff as needed.
3) Attend Leadership meetings as needed.
g) Event Coordinator
1) Organize a committee of ISOSU members to plan and host a large-scale program/event once per term.
2) Submit budgets to the ISOSU Finance Committee for all three programs/events.
3) Support Executive Staff as needed.
4) Attend Leadership meetings as needed.
h) Social Chair
1) Organize opportunities for monthly social interaction for ISOSU.
2) Submit budgets to the Finance Director for social events.
3) Support Executive Staff as needed.
4) Attend Leadership meetings as needed.
i) Publications/Web Specialist
1) Create promotional materials, brochures, advertisements, and media.
2) Develop an ISOSU newsletter.
3) Maintain the ISOSU website, and post current information and updates as needed.
4) Assist affiliates with advertising and some media needs.
5) Support Executive Staff as needed.
6) Attend Leadership meetings as needed.
Section IV. Diversity Representation
ISOSU Diversity Representation will regard the following:
a) All Oregon State University international students shall be members of ISOSU. Membership and participation shall recognize the Oregon State University policy on discrimination dated October 1995 as:
“In accordance with federal and state laws, Oregon State University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status. In addition, the University prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”
b) ISOSU shall enact an event, amendment, or statute only in support of this statement, and likewise shall enact no event, amendment, or Statutes in opposition.
c) All hired employees, interns, volunteers, or members shall be eligible to participate in, and hold positions within ISOSU as they meet the requirements for eligibility as prescribed by Student Involvement and OSU academic regulations.
d) The ISOSU Leadership Council and Executive Staff are advised to seek out a diverse pool of candidates, interns, volunteers, and members at all times such that the richness and opportunities for education and growth of the organization and its individual members is a definite priority.
Section V. Removal of Executive Officers and Executive Staff
a) All ISOSU Officers and Executive Staff are subject to removal from their positions in such cases where they have not met the minimum academic requirements for eligibility as prescribed by Student Involvement and OSU academic regulations, to be addressed by a representative of Student Involvement and the ISOSU advisor.
b) ISOSU Officers who do not comply with the ISOSU Constitution and Statutes, or who do not fulfill the obligations of their title and position are subject to removal through the following procedures.
1) ISOSU Leadership Council members or at-large students may submit a list of grievances to the ISOSU advisor and a representative of the Student Involvement staff. This list must include descriptions of job performance, and failure to comply with the requirements of the position.
2) The ISOSU advisor, or if necessary the available Student Involvement staff member, will review the grievances and offer a mediation between the ISOSU Officer and ISOSU Leadership Council
3) If mediation is successful, the terms of an agreement reached in that mediation will stand.
4) If mediation is unsuccessful, the ISOSU Leadership Council must then vote by three-fourths majority on making a resolution that the Officer should be:
a) removed from their position
b) maintained as an employee
c) maintained as an employee subject to provisional requirements that the ISOSU Leadership Council specifies and agreed upon by the ISOSU advisor.
c) ISOSU Staff members who do not comply with the ISOSU Constitution and Statutes, or who do not fulfill the obligations of their title and position are subject to removal through the following procedures.
1) The Leadership Council Chair must submit a list of grievances to the ISOSU advisor, and a representative of the Student Involvement staff. This list must include descriptions of job performance, and failure to comply with the requirements of the position.
2) The ISOSU Advisor, or if necessary the available Student Involvement representative will review the grievances and acknowledge them as a notice that the staff member has been placed on probation.
3) The staff member will be given a minimum two-week probationary period, during which time they must comply with the requirements of the probation- to be assigned by the Leadership Council Chair. The probationary period is concluded at the Leadership Council Chair’s discretion.
4) If the terms of the probation are not met, the Leadership Council Chair may submit a final list of grievances to the ISOS advisor, or if necessary a Student Involvement representatives
5) The ISOSU Advisor, or if necessary the available Student Involvement representative, will review the grievances and acknowledge them as termination of the staff member’s employment with ISOSU
Section VI. Terms of Employment
a) ISOSU Staff and Executive officers will begin their regular academic year appointment no later than one week prior to the first day of classes for Fall term.
b) ISOSU Staff and Executive officers will officially vacate their positions no later than the last day of the June pay period.
Section VII. Meetings
a) ISOSU staff and Leadership Council meetings will be scheduled regularly as determined by the Leadership Council Chair and Leadership Council.
b) ISOSU general meetings will be open to the public.
c) Meeting minutes will be recorded and retained on file at ISOSU for a minimum of four years.
Section VIII. Committees
a) The ISOSU Finance Committee
1) The ISOSU Finance Committee will distribute program funding to ISOSU Affiliates
2) The ISOSU Finance Committee will operate to distribute funds to ISOSU Affiliates only as an allocated funding structure for programming has been provided through the Educational Activities Committee. Should the allocated funding structure be discontinued for any reason, the ISOSU Finance Committee will cease to operate, and funding requests will follow the model set forth by the Educational Activities Committee.
3) To be considered for funding through the ISOSU Finance Committee, an affiliate must fulfill the following:
a) Participate, and have representation at ISOSU Council and Committee meetings
b) Leadership organization treasurer and/or president, or a designated proxy, must attend and participate in all Finance Committee meetings
c) Affiliates must participate in the planning and implementation of ISOSU events
a) Affiliates must provide partnership to one other Affiliate, and assist them with at least one event per academic year
b) Submit the appropriate funding proposals/requests as required by the ISOSU Finance Manual
c) Assist current ISOSU officers and staff in hiring of succeeding ISOSU Officers and Staff
b) The ISOSU Event Committee
1) This committee will operate at the direction of the ISOSU Event Coordinator.
2) The committee will be composed of individuals responsible for programming, food, decorating, advertising, etc. These individuals will work in conjunction with the ISOSU Executive Staff as needed.
3) This committee will support, and request support from the ISOSU Executive Staff as needed.
Section IX. Proxy
a) Votes by proxy are allowed with written consent, and/or verbal consent to the Leadership Council Chair
b) Votes by proxy are not allowed for Amendments and Revisions to the Constitution and Statutes
c) Votes by proxy are not allowed for removal of officers and staff
Section X. Advisor
a) The ISOSU officers and staff members will be responsible for selecting the advisor to ISOSU
b) The ISOSU advisor can be changed only once per year, if necessary
Section XI. Hiring Procedures
a) Hiring
1) All open, compensated positions within ISOSU must be filled using an ISOSU hiring committee
2) Hiring conducted in the spring for summer staff and/or the succeeding year’s staff will be coordinated by a committee of the following:
a) Leadership Council Chair
b) ISOSU Office Manager
c) ISOSU Finance Director
d) The ISOSU employee currently holding the position to be filled.
e) 1 representative from the Leadership Council.
f) Other current ISOSU staff members may participate in this hiring committee only at the request of the Leadership Council.
3) Hiring conducted during the academic year (Fall-Spring) due to vacancies will be coordinated by a committee of the following:
a) Leadership Council Chair
b) ISOSU Office Manager
c) ISOSU Finance Director
d) 2 representatives from the Leadership Council
e) Other current ISOSU staff members may participate in this hiring committee only at the request of the Leadership Council.
4) Extension of hiring dates due to scheduling conflicts, an unsatisfactory candidate pool, or other unavoidable delays require the ISOSU staff to re-advertise the extension a minimum of one week on the ISOSU website, if not in other publications as well.
b) Position Openings
For open positions, position descriptions are to be made available to the public upon request. They must include required time commitment, compensation rate and/or stipend information, dates of employment, general outline of duties, and an overview of the application and hiring process.
c) Advertising
1) All ISOSU hired and compensated positions must be advertised to the campus and public for no less than one week before any candidate elimination and selection processes can be implemented.
2) Advertised position openings must contain the following within the advertisement:
a) Position title
b) Dates the position is open for applications to be submitted
c) Required time commitment
d) Compensation rate/stipend amount
e) Dates of employment
f) Contact information for applicants to request additional information from ISOSU
Section XII. Executive Calendar
a) Budgeting
1) Begin budget proposal no later than the last week in November.
2) By the 3rd week of February, have scheduled a budget proposal presentation with the Educational Activities Committee, to be presented no later than the last week of March - if scheduling with Educational Activities permits. The next, earliest available date is preferred.
3) Finalize budget proposal no later than two weeks prior to the scheduled presentation to Educational Activities.
4) Present budget proposal to Educational Activities
b) Hiring
1) Hiring for the succeeding Summer term and academic year must commence no later than May 1
2) Hiring for positions that are vacated during an employee’s regular term of employment must commence no later than two weeks after the position is vacated.
3) In cases where university breaks (Winter break, Spring Break, etc.), and/or ISOSU operational conflicts prevent hiring procedures from occurring normally, hiring procedures must commence on the next earliest date of university and ISOSU operation.
Section XIII. Amendments to, and Revisions of Statutes
a) Throughout the duration of ISOSU operations (Summer-Spring), the Executive Staff and Leadership Council members are to remain aware of possible modifications to these Statutes that will further assist the ISOSU in maintaining it’s purpose.
b) During Spring term, members of the ISOSU Leadership Council and Executive Staff members may sponsor changes to the Statutes.
c) Proposed changes to the Statutes may be presented to the Leadership Council no later than the seventh week of Spring Term.
d) The Leadership Council will hear the proposed changes, and then will consider the proposed changes until the following Council meeting, at which time they are required to vote on the proposed changes
e) If approved, the updates to the Statutes must be completed prior to the end of spring term.
f) Changes to the Statutes will take effect in the summer term immediately succeeding the spring term in which they were approved.
