North African Student Association
Last active term
Club Name
The name of the club will be North African Student Association. We are not agent or representative of the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), and our views and actions in no way represent the WUSA.
Governance
The club will uphold the values, mission, and mandate of both the University of Waterloo (UW) and WUSA through following the directives outlined in the WUSA Clubs Manual, all WUSA By-Laws, Policies, and Procedures, as well as all policies and procedures outlined by the UW Secretariat. Furthermore, the club will abide by all laws of the Region of Waterloo, Province of Ontario, and Government of Canada. All club matters will ultimately be governed by the WUSA Clubs Manager.
Purpose
The purpose of the club is to gather University of Waterloo students, staff, faculty and members of the UW community at large to
The purpose of the North African Student Association (NASA) is to unite University of Waterloo students, staff, faculty, and the wider community in celebrating and showcasing North African cultures. By fostering community, facilitating educational initiatives, promoting cross-cultural dialogue, and contributing to campus diversity, NASA aims to make a positive impact on the University of Waterloo's cultural fabric and global perspective.
Club events, activities, and/or initatives will include
NASA's initiatives and events are designed to celebrate and showcase the rich tapestry of North African cultures. From dynamic cultural showcases featuring music, dance, art, and cuisine, to engaging educational workshops that explore the histories and customs of the region, NASA offers a diverse range of activities. While community outreach initiatives extend cultural experiences beyond the university. Collaborative events with other organizations promote cross-cultural dialogue. Signature events, including the annual North African Heritage Night, film screenings, food festivals, speaker series, cultural competitions, and charity and volunteer work, create a dynamic and inclusive atmosphere for NASA members.
Membership Structure
The club will be fully inclusive and welcoming to both its current and potential membership. New membership is welcome and accepted at any time during a club’s active term. Eligible club members may be current: WUSA Members, as outlined by the WUSA By-Laws; UW graduate students; UW staff or faculty; and/or members of the UW community at large, as defined in the Clubs Manual.
Only current UW students (graduate or undergraduate) may hold voting membership within the club. UW Staff, faculty, and members of the UW community at large may hold non-voting membership within the club. (If Applicable) UW undergrad students who are eligible to obtain voting membership in the club who do not wish to pay the club membership fee at the time of joining may hold non-voting membership within the club. Voting membership can be obtained for said members by paying the membership fee.
At least two thirds of the club's membership must be current UW students (graduate or undergraduate).
Membership Fee
Executive Officers
The majority of executives will be current UW students (graduate or undergraduate). The club president will be a current UW undergraduate student. All club executives will be elected, not hired or appointed. The term of office for all executive positions is one academic term, as outlined by the UW Registrar’s Office. All club decisions will be determined by executive vote, as no executive officer (not even the President) holds decision making power for the collective.
The President ensures that:
- The club operates according to the guidelines of its constitution and some agreed upon guidelines for running a meeting, such as Robert's Rules of Order;
- The club works towards its objectives as agreed upon by the membership; and
- Their successor is trained.
- Provide strong and effective leadership to the club members, guiding them toward the club's goals and objectives.
- Ensure the smooth operation of the club by overseeing its activities and events. This may involve coordinating with other club VP's and members.
- Preside over club meetings, setting agendas, maintaining order, and facilitating discussions.
- Ensuring the club and its members strictly adheres to the University and WUSA guidelines.
- Delegate tasks and responsibilities to other club officers and members as needed. Fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration.
The President is a signing authority.
The Vice President ensures that:
- Records of what the group has done are maintained, distributed, and are accessibile to all the members;
- Meeting minutes/notes are recorded and made available to all voting members;
- All club correspondence is monitored and brought to the attention of the appropriate person(s);
- Their successor is trained.
The Vice President is a signing authority.
The VP of FInance ensures that:
- The club's WUSA bank account and all financial transactions for the club are monitored and verified;
- All club revenues are collected, deposited into the club's WUSA bank account, and reconciled correctly and within a timely manner;
- Club cheque requests are submitted correctly and in a timely manner; and
- Their successor is trained.
The VP of FInance is a signing authority.
The VP of Events ensures that:
- Take the lead in planning and coordinating club events, such as meetings, workshops, seminars, social gatherings, and any other activities in line with the club's goals and objectives.
- Handle logistical aspects of events, including venue selection, date scheduling, equipment and resource coordination, and any necessary permits or reservations.
- Promoting diversity by creating events that are engaging for all cultures across North Africa. All members of countries included in the club as well as people new to the cutlure, should feel a sense of community and inclusion
- Ensures that the next VP of Events is trained.
The VP of Social Media and Marketing ensures that:
- Records and edits content for social media as well as utilizes stats from supporting Execs to increase reach
- Creates logos and posts
- Interacts with other clubs on socials and strategizes ways to increase reach across campus
- Ensures that the next VP of Social Media and Marketing is trained.
The VP of Outreach ensures that:
- Develop strategies to promote events/ NASA overall and increase attendance. Work with the club's marketing or publicity team to create promotional materials, social media campaigns, and other outreach efforts.
- Identify and establish partnerships or collaborations with other clubs that align with the club's goals.
- Develop strategies to engage with the local community or target audience, promoting the club's activities and mission
- Manage the club's public image and reputation. Develop and implement public relations strategies to enhance the club's visibility and positive perception.
- Make sure that all North African backgrounds feel thoroughly represented by engaging in research and porviding opportunity for discussion
- Ensures that the next VP of Outreach is trained.
It is important to assure that the person with the most information and/or knowledge in the club is not the full-time chairperson. Therefore, the club will occasionally rotate the role of chairperson among voting members.
Executive Support Structure
The Events Co-ordinator ensures that:
- Assists VP of events in taking the lead in planning and organizing events, including meetings, workshops, seminars, social gatherings, and any other activities according to the club's goals.
- Create detailed timelines and schedules for each event, outlining key milestones and deadlines. Ensure that all necessary preparations are completed on time.
- Manage the registration process for events, including handling RSVPs, issuing tickets if applicable, and coordinating check-in procedures on the day of the event.
- Manage the registration process for events, including handling RSVPs, and coordinating on the day of the event.
- Ensures that the next Events Co-ordinator is trained.
The First year rep ensures that:
- Act as a liaison between the first-year members and the rest of the club.
- Assist in welcoming and onboarding new members, especially first-year students, into the club.
- Encourage first-year members to attend club meetings and events.
- Serve as a resource for first-year members seeking information about club activities, policies, and opportunities.
- Ensures that the next First year rep is trained.
The Social media & Marketing coordinator ensures that:
- Supports VP of SM& Marketing in Create visually appealing and compelling content, including graphics, images, and videos, to share on social media.
- Develop and execute a social media strategy aligned with the club's goals. Manage and update social media accounts (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) with relevant and engaging content.
- Respond to comments, messages, and mentions on social media platforms. Foster engagement by asking questions, running polls, and encouraging user-generated content.
- Develop marketing campaigns to promote club events and activities through social media.
- Ensures that the next Social media & Marketing coordinator is trained.
The Outreach coordinator ensures that:
- Assist the VP of outreach with duties; Establish partnerships and collaborations with other clubs that align with the club's mission.
- Attend events, and meetings to network with individuals or groups relevant to the club's objectives.
- Develop and implement public relations strategies to enhance the club's visibility and positive perception.
- Implement initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion within the club's outreach efforts.
- Ensures that the next Outreach coordinator is trained.
Meetings
General Meetings
The club will hold bi-weekly general meetings. Quorum for general meetings will be 15 voting members of 20% of voting membership (whichever is more).
Executive Meetings
The club will hold weekly executive meetings. Quorum for executive meetings will be 2 executives or at least 51% of the executive body (whichever is more).
The first meetings (both general and executive) of the following term will be arranged by the outgoing executive. At said meetings, subsequent meeting dates and locations will be set. Meeting dates and times will be forwarded to voting members by:
- Phone
Emergency meetings can be called by an executive via:
- Phone
and must be sent to the appropriate members at least 48 hours prior to the meeting time.
ELECTION PROCESS
Elections shall take place at the end of each term for the following academic term. Only University of Waterloo students who are members of the club can vote. Club members must be notified, by email, two weeks in advance of the meeting where executive elections will take place. The term of office shall be for one term. An executive can only hold office (any position) for a total of up to three terms.
Nominations for executives can be made from any club member. The majority of executives must be undergraduate University of Waterloo students. The successful candidate will be the one with the most votes. In the case of a tie, a re-vote will take place until the tie is broken.
IMPEACHMENT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
A movement to impeach an executive officer may be made by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. When the motion is made the Clubs Manager will be informed. An emergency general meeting will be called as soon as is reasonably possible. No club funds will be spent until the issue is resolved.
At the impeachment meeting, the individual(s) who initiated the process will state their case. Afterwards, the officer(s) under impeachment will have an opportunity to defend their position(s) on the matter.
There will then be a question and answer period followed by the selection process for a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) who will oversee the voting process to ensure the decision is fair and democratic. Any executive officer who is neither the initiator nor subject of the impeachment may volunteer as CRO. If there is no such officer, then any voting member of the club present at the meeting may volunteer. If there are multiple volunteers, then the CRO will be selected based on a simple majority vote cast by secret ballot and tallied publically by the chairperson of the meeting. If there is no such volunteer for CRO, then the meeting will be at a standstill until either an eligible executive officer or voting member volunteers.
The vote will be by a “YES/NO” secret ballot, tallied publically by the CRO. If at least two thirds of the votes are for impeachment, then said officer will immediately be stripped of their position. The remaining executive may choose to call an immediate by-election to replace the newly vacant executive officer position.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A claim against any executive officer or club member regarding a potential conflict of interest can be made by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. If such a claim arises, then said individual(s) under suspicion have the opportunity to remove them self (or themselves) from said potential conflict without acknowledging intention of wrongdoing. In the event the claim is contested, then the Clubs Manager will be informed and an emergency executive meeting will be called to determine the validity of the claim. Executive officers who have a claim against them cannot vote to determine the validity of said claim. If executive quorum is not possible due to the removal of said vote(s), then an emergency general meeting will be called and the same proceedings described for impeachment will be used to determine the validity of the claim.
If the claim is validated and there is suspicion of intentional wrongdoing, an immediate impeachment proceeding may be called by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members, of whom are not named in the claim. If it is determined that a club member is involved in intentional wrongdoing, the impeachment proceeding will be called to determine said member’s club status.
AMENDMENTS
Constitutional amendments may be proposed by any executive officer or by petition of at least five voting members. The amendment will then be voted on by referendum. The voting procedure will be the same as for the impeachment process. If the vote passes, the amendment and the vote will be forwarded to the Clubs Manager for final approval. If the Clubs Manager approves, then the constitution will be amended and any changes will be inserted into the constitution.
A motion to officially close the club will follow the same procedure as a constitutional amendment. If such a motion passes, then the club will be purged from the clubs system.
AFFILIATIONS
No organization(s) is/are currently affiliated with this club.