Constitution of the United Vietnamese Student Associations of Northern California.
Completely ratified September 28, 2008.

Preamble

Since the Vietnamese peoples have first set foot upon America after April 30, 1975, students have been at the forefront of learning the new traditions, laws, customs, and cultures of their new home. With the knowledge acquired through their schooling, they have struggled to integrate their Vietnamese community with the rest of society, at the same time preserving the value of their own Heritage. This commitment to Academia, Civic Duty, and the Humanities has produced a group of leaders who have built alliances to effect great change within their communities.

But through the course of student history of more than 30 years in Northern California, these alliances and leadership groups have fallen, no longer fulfilling the purpose for which they were conceived. It is a fact that they share a common Vision, but that they also share a common defect: a lack of foresight or capacity to cultivate new leaders necessary to maintain their organizations. Consequently, the Torch of Leadership has failed to pass on to succeeding generations, who now are facing the difficult challenge of retaining knowledge of their Heritage.

We, the students of a new generation of Vietnamese Americans, do hereby establish this Constitution with a renewed commitment to the Vision held by the student leaders before us, while adding to our History, along with the wisdom held by our Brothers and Sisters across the nation and globe, in providing important insights for the prevention of practices that give way to the collapse of leadership development in the course of preserving our Vietnamese Heritage. Like the immortal Phoenix, we shall reignite the Torch of Leadership by recognizing our ancestral organizations and appreciating the philosophies described within their charters:

1. Union of Vietnamese Student Associations of Northern California (UVSA); 1985–1995
2. Light Up Our Faith Vietnamese-American Youth Network of Northern California (MLNT); 1999
3. Vietnamese American Youth for the Future (VAYF); 1999–2001
4. Vietnamese Student Association Link (VSAL); 1999–2004
5. Vietnamese Student Association Union of Sacramento (VSAU); 2003–2006
6. Vietnamese-American Public Research Institute (VAPRI); 2003–2006

Article I. Name

The name of the organization shall be:

1. United Vietnamese Student Associations of Northern California; hereinafter referred to as UVSA.
2. Tổng Hội Sinh Viên Việt Nam miền Bắc California; hereinafter referred to as THSV.

Article II. Mission Statement

The United Vietnamese Student Associations of Northern California (UVSA) is a non-profit, non-partisan, community-based organization founded in 2002 as a means for youth to organize socially and civically in Northern California. Committed to cultural awareness, educating youth, and community service, UVSA is composed of volunteers—including young professionals, college students, and high school students—to help youth develop a sense of their Vietnamese heritage and identity.

Our organizational goals include:

1. Uniting students from different colleges and high schools to build solidarity in Vietnamese youth culture locally, nationally, and internationally;
2. Representing the diverse and dynamic Vietnamese youth population by encouraging interaction, participation, and activism in the Vietnamese American and mainstream communities;
3. Promoting public awareness of the Vietnamese culture, language, and history to encourage the growth of individuals and to bridge communities; and
4. Encouraging the growth of leadership and teamwork with a commitment to community service.

Article III. Membership Affiliation

UVSA shall operate through its affiliate organizations, with no actual membership of its own. UVSA shall have staff, as defined in Articles IV and V.

Article IV. Offices

Section I. Board of Advisors

1. The Board of Advisors shall consist of prominent individuals in the community, former Executive Board members, and supporters.
2. The number of advisors shall be determined by the Executive Board, although there shall be no more than five (5) advisors.
3. Advisors shall be instated by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the Executive Board.
4. Terms shall be two (2) years in length, and no advisor shall serve for more than two (2) terms
5. The beginning of the term for the Board of Advisors shall be offset from the beginning of the term for the Executive Board by one year such that they alternate each other.

Section II. Executive Board

1. The Executive Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, shall consist of five officers elected by members of the Executive Board, Intercollegiate Council, and the General Staff.
• President
• External Vice President
• Internal Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
2. Terms shall be two years in length.
3. Members of the Executive Board shall be no younger than twenty-one (21) and no older than twenty-eight (28) years of age at the beginning of their term.
   

Section III. Intercollegiate Council

1. The Intercollegiate Council, hereinafter referred to as the ICC, shall consist of student representatives from the different colleges and universities, which in turn will determine the school’s membership within UVSA.
2. ICC representatives shall be chosen every year by the electors of their respective organizations.
3. The times, places and manner of holding elections of ICC representatives shall be prescribed in each member school according to the bylaws thereof.
4. Terms for the ICC shall start on July 1 and end on June 30th of the following year.

Section IV. General Staff

1. The General Staff shall consist of youth appointed by the Executive Board or the ICC.
2. General Staff shall be instated by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board, or a simple majority of the ICC.
3. Terms shall run concurrently with the terms of the Executive Board, or for the duration of a specific committee to which the staff member has been assigned.

Article V. Duties and Powers

Section I. Board of Advisors

The Board of Advisors has the principal responsibility for the fulfillment of the organization’s mission and ensuring that the Executive Board is accountable for its operations. It is in charge of providing adequate supervision and support to the Executive Board in establishing a clear organizational mission and overseeing the implementation process. The Board of Advisors shall be responsible for:

1. Sustaining the organization’s mission and enhancing its public image;
2. Clarifying, interpreting, and explaining the constitution and its bylaws;
3. Providing ongoing support and guidance for the Executive Board, and providing leads to financial, cultural, educational, and community resources;
4. Developing the leadership skills of the Executive Board; and
5. Assessing the performance of the organization.

The Board of Advisors shall also have the power to serve as Court of Appeals to settle internal disputes.

Section II. Executive Board

The Board provides governance to the organization and represents the organization in the community. The Executive Board shall be responsible for:

1. Approving the organization’s philosophy and review the staff’s performance in achieving it;
2. Reviewing and approving the organization’s bylaws on positions and processes within the organization, as well as plans for funding its programs and activities;
3. Reviewing the achievements of the organization and comparing them with the philosophy of the organization as well as the needs of its member schools;
4. Assuring that the organization has sufficient man power, financial and material resources to meet the requirements of UVSA’s long-term goals;
5. Being present at least ninety percent (90%) of Executive Board meetings, general meetings and events hosted by the organization; and
6. Overseeing the daily operations of the organization.
7. Be represented at a minimum of one event per affiliated VSA throughout the term year, excluding the uNAVSA Council Representative.

The Board shall have the powers to:

1. Elect, appoint, monitor, advise, support, reward, and when necessary, change management within the General Staff;
2. Appoint members to an Election Committee to oversee proper election procedures;
3. Vote at meetings on important issues affecting all members of the organization; and
4. Initiate the process of impeaching a Board member for improper conduct or criminal activity.

Section III. Specific Executive Officer Duties

President

1. Maintain general active management of the business of the organization.
2. Ensure the effective action of the Executive Board in governing and supporting the organization, and oversees Executive Board affairs.
3. Act as the representative of the entire organization.
4. Speak to the media and the community on behalf of the organization.
5. Recommend committees to be established. Ensure that each committee has a chairperson, and maintain communication with the chairperson to ensure that their work is executed.
6. Ensure that board matters are handled properly, including preparation of meeting materials, functionality of committees, and recruitment and orientation of new Board of Advisor members.

Internal Vice President

1. Act as the President in the absence of the President.
2. Assist the President on the above or other specified duties.
3. Manage all intra-organizational issues and operations, such as roles and responsibilities of Executive Board members.
4. Serve as Chairperson of the ICC and oversee all ICC activities, including arranging and preparing all ICC meeting.

External Vice President

1. Act as the President in his or her absence.
2. Assist the President on the above or other specified duties.
3. Act as the official liaison of the organization to the community.
4. Oversee community service projects.
5. Be in charge of all public relation issues.
6. Keep the Executive Board and Intercollegiate Council up to date on the needs of the local Vietnamese Community.

Secretary

1. Act as the President in the absence of the President, Internal Vice-President, and External Vice-President.
2. Prepare the agenda for every Executive Board meeting.
3. Keep minutes of all official Executive Board and Intercollegiate Council meetings, distribute minutes promptly following each meeting, and provide minutes when necessary.
4. In the event that the Secretary cannot attend either a meeting of the Executive Board or the Intercollegiate Council, he or she is still responsible for ensuring the recording and the proper reporting of the minutes.
5. Shall submit to the Executive Board and the Intercollegiate Council any communications which shall be addressed to him/her as Secretary of the organization.
6. File any certificates required by any statute, federal or state.
7. Be the official custodian of the records and seal of this organization.

Treasurer

1. Act as the President in the absence of the President, Internal Vice-President, and External Vice-President.
2. Manage the board’s review of and action relating to its financial responsibilities.
3. Ensure timely processing of financial statements with appropriate governmental bodies, including working with third-party resources (i.e., accountants and lawyers).
4. Processes all financial transactions, including deposits, withdrawals, and reimbursements.
5. Maintain records of all transactions.
6. Must be one of the officers who shall sign checks or drafts of the organization. No special fund may be set aside that shall make it unnecessary for the Treasurer to sign the checks issued upon it.
7. Prepare and submit financial reports on a basis determined by the Executive Board for their review.
8. Recommend candidates to serve as the Fundraising Director, who must be confirmed by the Intercollegiate Council and work under the Treasurer.

uNAVSA Council Representative

1. Planning intra-regional activities and events.
2. Assessing and monitoring the needs of the schools and youth organizations within each region.
3. Disseminating information from uNAVSA’s Executive Board to member organizations within each region.
4. The CoRR shall convene every year for voting on general matters.
5. The CoRR shall convene every two years to elect a new Executive Board.
6. The CoRR shall have the sole power of impeachment of the Executive Board, with a three-fourths majority required to remove any officer from the Executive Board.
7. The Representative shall be responsible for the success of the Collective Philanthropy Project in the jurisdiction of Northern California.
8. The Representative must attend at least one event per affiliated VSA throughout his or her term.
9. This position can be concurrently occupied by a maximum of two (2) people.

Section IV. Intercollegiate Council

The Intercollegiate Council is responsible for the planning of intercollegiate activities, providing its members the opportunity to network with members of other schools, and ensuring that their organization is informed of and involved with UVSA activities and events. The ICC shall be responsible for:

1. Supporting the mission and activities of UVSA;
2. Assisting with the overall direction and goals of UVSA;
3. Maintaining thorough communicative links among the member schools of UVSA and its associates;
4. Being present at least ninety percent (90%) of the ICC meetings; and
5. Coordinating and overseeing intercollegiate activities.

The ICC shall have the powers to:

1. Appoint ICC coordinators to carry out intercollegiate programming;
2. Regulate the membership process for schools applying to become a member of UVSA;
3. Vote at meetings on important issues affecting all members of the organization, in which every school shall have an equal number of votes; and
4. Nominate and elect members of the Executive Board; and Initiate the process of impeaching a Board member or ICC representative for improper conduct or criminal activity.

Section V. General Staff

The General Staff is the executive body that coordinates various community groups or directs a program or project. The General Staff shall be responsible for:

1. Reporting directly to the Executive Board, the ICC, or both, depending on appointment and charter, including important developments within their assigned roles;
2. Supporting the mission and activities of UVSA;
3. Assisting with the overall direction and goals of the organization;
4. Assisting in the formulation, communication, implementation and evaluation of policies, practices and activities;
5. Maintaining thorough communicative links between community organizations and UVSA; and
6. Collecting informational resources relevant to their assigned roles to be made available to other General Staff members, the Executive Board, and the member schools.

The General Staff shall have the powers to:

1. Nominate candidates to become part of the General Staff; and
2. Initiate the process of impeaching a Board member for improper conduct or criminal activity.

Article VI. Impeachment

1. Impeachment of an elected Executive Board member requires a passage of two-thirds (⅔) majority vote within each of the offices of the Executive Board and the Intercollegiate Council.
2. Expulsion of an ICC representative require a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the ICC, and is to be facilitated by the Internal Vice President.

Article VII. Resignation & Replacement

1. Should the President resign, the ICC shall select from the remaining External Vice President or Internal Vice President to succeed as the President to serve the remainder of the term.

Article VIII. Meetings

1. Meetings shall be held at the main headquarters, or at any time and place designated by the Members of an Office with advance notice.
2. Meetings shall be no fewer than once every month.

Article IX. Quorum

Quorum shall be two-thirds (⅔) of the Executive Board, and two-thirds (⅔) of the ICC.

Article X. Legislative Decisions

1. Legislative Decisions require a passage of two-thirds (⅔) majority vote within the Intercollegiate Council.
2. Legislative Decisions may be vetoed by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote within the Executive Board.
3. Each affiliate may have up to two (2) representatives, but no affiliate shall have more than one (1) vote within the ICC.
4. Individuals may represent only one organization or role when voting on Legislative Decisions.
5. There must be a quorum for the Executive Board and for the Intercollegiate Council present at the meetings for Decisions to be official.

Article XI. Bylaws

1. The provisions of the Constitution shall be carried out in accordance with the current Bylaws of UVSA.
2. Amendments require a passage of a simple majority vote within the combined offices of the Executive Board and the Intercollegiate Council.
3. There must be a quorum present for the Executive Board and for the Intercollegiate Council to make amendments to the Bylaws.

Article XII. Amendments

1. Amendments to the Constitution can be initiated by the same mechanism used to make Legislative Decisions.
2. All offices and their constituents shall be informed in advance of meetings designated for the purpose of making amendments.

Article XIII. Elections

1. The ICC shall have the power to appoint an Elections Committee to carry out elections for new Executive Board members.
2. The Elections Committee shall consist of, at minimum, at least one (1) Executive Board member, and two (2) ICC representatives. Members to this committee shall be disqualified from candidacy in the elections.
3. The terms for office shall begin of July 1 of the election year, and end on June 30th on the last year of the term.
4. Elections for the External Vice-President and the Treasurer shall be held on years alternating from those of other board members.
5. Elections shall be held the second Saturday in June.
6. The nomination process must be closed at least seven (7) days prior to the election date.  The nomination process may begin at the discretion of the Intercollegiate Council.

Article XIV. Dissolution

1. Dissolution of UVSA for any cause may be initiated by the same mechanism used for amending the Constitution, with the exception that it must be a unanimous vote by both the Executive Board and the Intercollegiate Council.
2. All funds or other assets of UVSA, including any rights to funds, present or future, contingent or actual, shall be irrevocably assigned and transferred to any successor organization, which has among its principal purposes the development of Vietnamese youth leadership, and has qualified as an exempt organization under Section 501 of the 1954 Internal Revenue Code, or any amendments thereto.
3. The selection of the successor organization shall be approved by a two-thirds (⅔) majority vote of the Executive Board and be named in the Board’s minutes and its Articles of Dissolution, but need not be named in the motion or petition for dissolution.

Article XV. Ratification

Section I. Member Organizations

The organizations that must consider ratification of this document are those currently affiliated with UVSA at the time of its ratification on August 28th, 2008.

1. The Vietnamese Student Association at the University of California, Davis (UCD VSA)
2. The Vietnamese Student Association of San Jose State University (SJSU VSA)
3. The Vietnamese Student Association at De Anza Community College (DAC VSA)
4. The Vietnamese Student Association at the University of the Pacific (UOP VSA)
5. The Vietnamese Student Association at the University of California, Berkeley (CAL VSA)
6. The Vietnamese Student Association at the California State University in the East Bay (CSUEB VSA)
7. The Vietnamese Student Association at San Francisco State University (SFSU VSA)

Section II. Process

1. Each organization must approve the document by at least seventy-five percent of their officers.
2. This document shall be considered ratified once six (6) of the member organizations approve it.

Article XVI. Signatories

The approval of the member organizations shall be represented by the signature of their current respective ICC representatives of the time of signing.

• Nam Nguyen, CAL VSA
• Thao Nguyen, CSUEB VSA
• Ngan Ha, CSUEB VSA
• Tri Nguyen, DAC VSA
• Leo Nguyen, SJSU VSA
• Christina Kao, SFSU VSA
• Tai Phan, SFSU VSA
• Michael Nguyen, UCD VSA
• Christian Ngo, UOP VSA
  

This approval was witnessed and verified by the active Executive Board of UVSA 2008–2009.

• Tam Phan, President
• Tu-Anh Thi Dang, Internal Vice President
• Cong Thanh Nguyen, External Vice President
• Jessica Do, Secretary
• Seng So, uNAVSA Council of Regional Representative
• Tam Do, uNAVSA Council of Regional Representative

This Constitution is hereby ratified and shall be the governing document for the United Vietnamese Student Associations of Northern California.