Constitution

Article I

Enactment of the Organization

Section 1. The name of the organization for students of Louisiana Tech with interests in investing, trading, portfolio management, and finance education shall be The Louisiana Tech Investment Society.

Article II

Organizational Purpose

Section 1. [1] This organizations purpose shall be To create and facilitate a network of students with interests in investing, trading, stock market research, portfolio management, financial engineering, and finance education,

[2] To promote greater awareness and education among Louisiana Tech students of the benefits of investing and building personal wealth,

[3] To educate Louisiana Tech students, regardless of major or prior experience, in investment and trading strategies of varying depths, interests, and inclinations,

[4] To connect Louisiana Tech students with faculty, alumni, and professionals with relevant experience in finance or finance education,

[5] To facilitate educational and competitive investment opportunities and simulations to allow members to gain resume-building experience.

Article III

Membership

Section 1. A member shall be defined as any individual who has signified their membership via a signature, maintained good standing with the University and the organization, and/or graduated in good standing with the University and/or the organization. Both current students and alumni may be members.

Section 2. [1] Active members currently enrolled in the university must meet certain qualifications to attain and maintain membership.

[2] Active members must have signified their membership by signature. For this purpose, a signature shall be any form of recognition of individual identity and consent of being recorded as a member, mutually acknowledged by the individual and the organizational leadership as binding in such manner.

[3] Active members shall maintain good academic and disciplinary standing with Louisiana Tech University, maintain good conduct according to this Constitution and Bylaws, and remain enrolled in the university.

[4] Voting members must be academic members, except in those instances where the organization allows for alumni to vote.

[5] Alumni members must have been an active member in at least one of the last two quarters attended at Louisiana Tech University before graduation, transfer, or withdrawal from the university.

[6] No individual shall be denied membership in The Investment Society on any grounds of identity, such as but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, creed, class, or citizenship.

Section 3. A non-compliant member can be removed from the roster by the Secretary with the advice and consent of the President and one other officer.

Section 4. Probation shall be administered to non-compliant members who the officers believe to be worthy of sanction but not of removal.

Article IV

Establishment of Offices

Section 1. [1] This Constitution shall enact the following four executive offices of the government of The Investment Society: The Presidency,

[2] The Vice Presidency,

[3] The Treasury,

[4] The Office of the Secretary,

Section 2. No office enumerated in this Constitution or added in subsequent amendments shall be occupied by an individual not an active member, in accordance with Article III.

Section 3. The Offices enumerated in this Constitution shall not be left vacant or removed without amendment to this Constitution.

Article V

Powers and Duties of Offices

Section 1. [1] The President of The Investment Society shall Be the chief executive officer of the organization.

[2] Schedule and call meetings,

[3] Preside over the meetings,

[4] Supervise all other officers,

[5] Create, supervise, and remove committees and positions within those committees for the purpose of carrying out specified delegated tasks and responsibilities,

[6] Calculate and institute, along with the Vice President, a quarterly quorum quotient,

[7] Ensure every active member completes the required hazing training and provide to the necessary school offices the certifications of completion for those students under the care of the organization,

[8] Address complaints which are unable to be adequately resolved by the Vice President.

Section 2. [1] The Vice President of The Investment Society shall Serve and conduct the duties of the Presidency when the President is unable to conduct them,

[2] Be second in the line of succession of the Presidency,

[3] Supervise committees appointed by the President and serve as potential tie-breaking vote in those committees,

[4] Participate in the calculation and institution, along with the President, of a quorum quotient each quarter

[5] Address complaints of any nature processed by the Secretary, unless they must be given to the President.

Section 3. [1] The Treasurer of The Investment Society shall Be the chief financial officer of the organization,

[2] Conduct all accounting, budgeting, and spending for the organization,

[3] Control the organizational bank account,

[4] Organize any fundraising activities and levy any fees,

[5] Be third in the line of succession of the Presidency.

[6] Every expenditure made by the Treasurer must be cosigned by another officer.

[7] The Treasurer may only budget or spend for those tasks, goals, activities, or initiatives which are approved by the officers of The Investment Society. The Treasurer may not make any unilateral decision with the power of the purse.

Section 4. [1] The Secretary of The Investment Society shall Serve in all administrative tasks of the organization,

[2] Take minutes for each meeting,

[3] Process disciplinary, procedural, and other complaints against any member or the organization,

[4] Keep records of membership, disciplinary infractions, and past minutes,

[5] Retrieve and keep minutes taken in committee meetings,

[6] Facilitate recruitment, marketing, and advertising,

[7] Support the President and Vice President in maintaining compliance to university policy and organizational bylaws by The Investment Society and its members.

Article VI

Establishment of Standing Committees

Section 1. [1] Standing and ad hoc committees may be created by the President or by Constitutional Amendment.

[2] The President shall appoint to the positions created within these committees with the approval of the executive officers.

Article VII

Elections, Qualifications, and Removal

Section 1. The Elections of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall take place in the Spring quarter after a full term of a school year, except in cases of a vacancy by officer resignation, graduation in Fall or Winter, or removal. The first elections for the executive offices shall be held in the Spring of 2022.

Section 2. [1] Elections, when circumstances permit, should be held during an in-person meeting scheduled for that purpose.

[2] For the elections of the four constitutional offices, a quorum must be present in order for a valid and binding result. A quorum quotient shall be determined at the start of each year and may be amended between quarters, as necessitated by changing roster size and participation rates.

[3] A majority of ballots, collected and counted anonymously by the officers will determine the winners of the office.

Section 3. [1] All executive officers must Be active members of The Investment Society,

[2] Have at least a 2.80 cumulative GPA before the election,

[3] Be intending to remain enrolled throughout their entire term.

[4] The President and Vice President must have been an active member, in accordance with Article III, of the organization for at least a year prior to the election date.

Section 4. [1] Pursuant to parliamentary and deliberative processes outlined by Robert’s Rules of Order, an officer may be disciplined or removed from office for behavior which “injure[s] the good name of the organization, disturb[s] its well-being, or hamper[s] it in its work" (644).

[2] Disciplinary or removal motions must abide by the processes given in the organizational bylaws.

[3] Officers may not be removed without a two-thirds majority, except in cases in which the university may remove the officer from the organization.

Article VII

Procedure of Meetings

Section 1. [1]. General body meetings shall be held on Mondays.

[2]. Notification of meetings shall be given to the active members of the Society at least a full day in advance.

Section 2. [1] General body meetings and any special meeting at which business may be conducted shall be administered under the procedures of Robert’s Rules of Order.

[2] A quorum must be present for business to be conducted.

Article VIII

Selection of the Faculty Advisor

Section 1. When the position of faculty advisor is vacant, the active members of the organization may submit suggestions to the officers, who will then contact those faculty members, in order of number of suggestions from the organizational body. If the faculty member accepts, they shall be appointed; if they deny the request, then the faculty member with the next highest number of suggestions shall be contacted.

Section 2. The faculty advisor shall exercise their role in accordance with the following university guidelines:

“The faculty advisor shall not exercise care, custody, and/or control over the

funds of the organization; however, it is within the guidelines and purview of

the faculty advisor to review, on a regular basis, any and all aspects of the

banking procedures/guidelines/activities of the organization (including, but not

limited to, cancelled checks, bank statements, check books) in order for the

organization to maintain its mission and purpose as an officially recognized

organization on the campus of Louisiana Tech University. It is also understood

that the organization’s bank account cannot use Louisiana Tech’s name, tax

identification number or logo in any form or fashion.”

Article IX

Codes of Conduct

Section 1. [1] All members must abide by the policies, rules, and regulations of the university.

[2] Hazing of any form shall not be tolerated by The Investment Society or its members. The following statement shall be upheld:

“Hazing, in any form, is strictly prohibited by Louisiana Tech University and will not be allowed by this organization or its individual members and we will educate our members on the definitions of hazing, the possible consequences for committing hazing, the laws regarding hazing, and the negative effects of hazing.”

Section 2. All members must abide by the Constitution and Bylaws of The Investment Society.

Section 3. Members who fail to uphold proper standards of conduct shall be dealt with accordingly, whether by discipline, censure, removal from office, or expulsion.

Article X

Method of Constitutional and Bylaw Amendment

Section 1. [1] A motion for amendment may be raised by any active member at any meeting at which business may be conducted. The motion must be accompanied by a draft text, in writing, of the proposed amendment.

[2] All amendments shall be approved by a two-thirds majority of active members present.

Section 2. Motions for the amendment of a bylaw will be automatically suspended until the next meeting, at which the procedures for amendment, as expressed in the organizational bylaws, shall be followed.

Section 3. [1] Motions for a constitutional amendment shall undergo a preliminary vote for consideration at the meeting in which it was raised. If a simple majority is not reached, the amendment shall not be considered.

[2] If a simple majority is reached, the constitutional amendment will be suspended until the next meeting, at which the procedures for constitutional amendment, as expressed in the organizational bylaws and the Constitution, shall be followed.

[3] All constitutional amendments passed must be appended to this Constitution, organized by their number.

[4] The original text of this Constitution shall not be deleted when rendered null and void or altered by an amendment. The amended text shall be placed in brackets, and at the end of the phrase a parenthetical reference to the amendment shall be added.

[5] No changes in the constitution will go into effect until approved by the Louisiana Tech Student Organizations Committee.