Texas Tech University Chapter
Our Bylaws
Here's how we govern the STC together;
Active members shall be students interested in technical communication enrolled at Texas Tech University (TTU) and shall have paid the required the Society for Technical Communication (STC) dues. Active members are eligible to hold officer positions and vote on chapter business.
Associate members shall be faculty, staff, alumni, or community members who are interested in technical communication. They shall not be eligible to hold office, except for the position of faculty sponsor, nor to vote on chapter business.
Although active membership in the chapter does not require a student to be a member of STC, it is encouraged. All officers must be due-paying members of STC.
Section 4
Section 3
Section 2
Section 1
All members of the chapter may resign from membership in the organization at any time.
Any member reserves the right to appeal a ruling of removal.
Any member of the chapter may be removed at the written request of an active member and two-thirds vote from the active membership. A member may be removed for failure to uphold the mission statement, code of ethics, and student conduct agreement of Texas Tech University and the Society for Technical Communication.
Section 5
Section 6
Membership
Section 1
The President
The chapter president shall:
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Preside over regular meetings of the chapter, Executive Committee meetings, and special meetings,
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Issue the call for nominations, announces elections procedures, and preside over the annual elections,
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Review the constitution with the Executive Committee once a year and appoints a temporary committee for constitutional revision when the Executive Committee agrees that this document needs updating,
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Maintain a document/s of procedures of and reports on major Society events, and reviews these materials with the next president and at Maynar,
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Suggest schedules for ongoing chapter programs,
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Appoint special assistants or committees for specific tasks not easily managed by standing committees if appropriate,
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Monitor the chapter’s financial situation with the Treasurer,
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Re-register the chapter with the University each spring,
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Apply for community achievement awards.
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Update STC on election results each spring.
Section 2
The Vice President
The chapter vice president shall:
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Act as second in command and maintain a special awareness of all chapter operations,
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Confer frequently with the chapter President–not only to advise and assist, but also to gain knowledge that could prove useful if the Vice President were to run for and be elected president later,
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Chair the Program Committee,
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Deliver the state of chapter to Maynar attendees,
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Serve as the SORC/Org Representative if applicable,
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Assume the duties of chapter President when the President is unavailable,
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Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the President.
Duties of Officers
The Secretary
Section 3
The chapter secretary shall:
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Take minutes at Executive Committee and chapter meetings, or arranges to have a substitute do so,
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Advertise meetings and events to members and other interested parties, obtaining the SGA stamp for legal posting when needed,
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Prepare and distribute copies of meeting minutes to officers, committee chairs, and the faculty advisor by posting them to the website or filing them electronically where all Executive Committee members have access,
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Prepare correspondence related to chapter business at the direction of the President,
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Arrange for a log sheet at each meeting to record names, membership status, phone numbers, and email addresses,
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Review the email list after each meeting to be sure all interested people are receiving notices,
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Maintain a membership list and review the STC membership list,
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Chair the Publicity Committee.
The Treasurer
Section 4
The chapter treasurer shall:
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Establish and maintain a checking account for current operations,
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Promptly deposit chapter funds and pays invoices,
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Prepare a regular report of chapter income and expenditures for review by the chapter President,
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Prepare an annual budget,
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Develop a detailed yearly financial report,
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Prepare the 990-N tax postcard,
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Annually submit the SGA funding request if applicable.
Officer Election, Removal, and Replacement Process
Section 1
Overview
All officer positions are available for election each academic year. Each term begins on the first day of the Texas Tech University fall semester in August of the election year and terminates on the last day of the Texas Tech University summer II semester in July of the following year.
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Officers may serve as either onsite or online students.
Members may nominate themselves or other members for any officer position via email to the President during the first full week of April.
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If nominees accept the nomination, they shall submit a 150-word statement of interest and description of qualifications within 7 business days.
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After all nominees have submitted statements of intent, the ballot will be released to the active membership directory for review.
Nomination
Prerequisites
Section 2
Section 4
Elections shall occur during the final full week in April in order that winners may be announced at the final meeting of the Texas Tech University spring semester.
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The President may choose to offer a paper or digital voting ballot before the first full week of April. All votes counted toward the election shall be collected in one medium and not both.
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In the event that the results are unsatisfactory, incomplete, or there is a tie, the President may call for an additional election in the medium of the President’s preference.
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Paper Voting
Paper ballots shall be distributed and collected at the April meeting and will be counted by the Executive Committee after the meeting.
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Digital Voting
If the President chooses to hold the election digitally, all active chapter members registered with STC will receive an email from the current President with a link to the election ballot. The President may choose to allow electronic voting during the April meeting in place of paper ballots. Votes will be will be counted by the Executive Committee after the meeting.
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The electronic ballot shall be created using Office 365 Forms to ensure the ballot may only be submitted by TTU students once per ballot since Office 365 Forms allows the creator to require each voter to sign into their account to access the form. This shall ensure each voter is both an active member and has only voted once.
Voting Process
Nomination Process
Section 3
Executive Committee members shall be students enrolled at Texas Tech University, shall have paid the required STC dues, and shall be elected by a majority vote of active members.
If a student interested in becoming an officer is not a member of STC, that student may run for a position but will only be appointed after STC chapter membership is confirmed.
Announcement Process
Section 5
The President will orally announce the winners at the final meeting of the Texas Tech University spring semester before the Secretary announces the winners to the website and other social media.
An Executive Committee member may be removed from the position for failure to uphold the mission statement, code of ethics, and student conduct agreement of Texas Tech University and the Society for Technical Communication. A written request by an active member and two-thirds vote from the active membership is required to remove an officer.
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Resigning Executive Committee members must inform the rest of the Executive
Committee of their intent to resign in writing two week prior to resignation so interim positions may be filled.
Removal & Resignation
Section 6
Should an Executive Committee position become vacant during the academic school year, the remaining Executive Committee may fill the position by appointment.
Nominations for a vacant position may be accepted for a position immediately following the two-week notice of a resigning committee member.
Officer Replacement Process
Section 7
Financial Procedures
Section 1
Annual fees shall be collected by the Society for Technical Communication for all active members. No fees will be collected by the Student Chapter.
The Treasurer shall coordinate with the Faculty Sponsor and President to delivery budget reports, to file an annual budget with STC, approve refund requests, and submit all appropriate tax documents.
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For purchases made with intent for a refund. See below;
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All purchases made on behalf of the Texas Tech University student chapter of the Society for Technical Communication must receive initial spending approval from the Executive Board one week or more than one week prior to the purchase.
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Members have one week from the date of purchase to submit a refund request form and receipt to the current treasurer for approval.
- All approved forms will be submitted to the Chapter advisor who will arrange for the reimbursement.
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For members:
The process for submitting a refund request shall be:
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Download the “Refund Request” form from the Chapter’s Google Drive “Forms folder,” the website or email the Treasurer for a blank form.
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Fill out the PDF form within 1 week of purchase date
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Mail the form to the current Chapter president or email it to texastechstc@gmail.com with a receipt attached in the email or include in the document.
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Allow up to two weeks for reimbursement before contacting the chapter President or Treasurer.
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For the Treasurer:
The process for approving or disapproving a refund request shall be:
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Check the STC TTU Gmail account weekly for new requests
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Cross-check that the receipt and the date the form was submitted is within 1 week.
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Confirm the purchase is approved and accurate by electronically signing the PDF.
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Email the form to the Chapter Advisor within 3 business days.​
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If the form is incorrect, email the requester with directions to properly complete the form within 3 business days.
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If the purchase is not approved, reply with an email explaining why and direct them to the president for further questions.
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Approved purchases shall be requested at an executive board meeting 1 week before intended purchase. Requests to be included on the agenda can be made by emailing texastechstc@gmail.com. Appropriate purchases include items for food/food service, professional development, gratitude, and incentives deemed important or necessary by the executive board and advisor.
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Denied purchases are ones that are not previously approved, cost a significant amount more than requested, purchased alcohol, or for other reasons that may be considered inappropriate by TTU and STC.
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Section 2
Parliamentary Authority
Section 1
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws or special rules of order the society may adopt.
Amendments
Amendments shall be submitted in written form to the Executive Committee. The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the chapter by a two-thirds vote of members present, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing (hard copy, email, or web copy) at the previous meeting.
Section 1
Bylaws Approved February 4, 2018