University of Pennsylvania

Article I: Name

This student-initiated group shall be named Penn Q&A, an abbreviation for Penn Queer and Asian. This abbreviation will be used to refer to the organization for the remainder of the constitution.

Article II: Statement of Purpose

Penn Q&A is dedicated to providing a safe space for support and empowerment to meet the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and allied individuals interested in addressing issues of the queer Asian community.

Article III: Membership

Membership is open to all members of the University of Pennsylvania and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, handicaps, status as a veteran, or national and ethnic origin. An individual who participates in a Penn Q&A event during the calendar will be considered a member of the group.

Article IV: Board Composition

The Executive Board of Penn Q&A consists of a President, Chairs of External Affairs (2), Chair of Internal Affairs, Financial Chair, Communications Chair, Freshman Liaison, and General Board Member(s). Each board member, except for Freshman Liaison, will serve one calendar year and be chosen by the procedures outlined in Article VI. Freshman Liaison will serve for the first semester of their freshman year.

Article V: Board Responsibilities

All Board Members shall:

• Develop new social events for Penn Q&A members.
• Correspond with constituents and leaders of other student or university organizations.
• Meet at biweekly board meetings to plan events.
• Perform other responsibilities as needed.

The President shall:

• Preside over all meetings.
• Have the duties and powers commonly incident to this office in addition to those duties and powers the members may designate.
• Attend any umbrella group meetings that Penn Q&A may be a part of, either now or in the future.

The Chairs of External Affairs (2) shall:

• Represent Penn Q&A in associated student organizations, including but not limited to Asian Pacific Student Coalition (APSC), Queer People of Color (QPOC), and Lambda Alliance (LA).
• Coordinate and plan external events with other student and community organizations so as to increase Penn Q&A awareness in the Penn and Philadelphia communities.

The Chair of Internal Affairs shall:

• Serve as a liaison between the Executive Board and all other members of Penn Q&A.
• Organize the logistics of social events and be in charge of sign-in sheets to determine the good standing of members.

The Financial Chair shall:

• Budget funds and balance all financial accounts continuously.
• Provide a full and accurate report of all purchases and disbursements.
• Attend meetings for all relevant funding organizations and organize funding applications.

The Communications Chair shall:

• Maintain and update the listserv and other social media as necessary.
• Maintain and update the Penn Q&A website.
• Record meeting minutes during Executive Board meetings and share these minutes with other board members.
• Ensure the privacy and confidentiality of members with regards to the listserv, email correspondence, and social media.

The Freshman Liaison shall:

• Perform freshman outreach to integrate new students into Penn Q&A.
• Gain experience as a member of the board.

Article VI: Election Procedure

Executive board members shall be elected during the end of each calendar year and will hold their positions for the next calendar year. Any member may run for the executive board provided that they are in good standing. Members of Penn Q&A will be considered in “good standing” if they have attended at least two events in the current semester. Seniors are not eligible to run for any position. Candidates will submit applications and be interviewed by the existing board. The current board will then evaluate the candidates and select the new executive board. Current board members running again will not be involved in deciding their appointment or lack thereof.

The President will be elected by all members in a general election at the end of each calendar year and will hold the position for the next calendar year. Only existing board members who have served for at least two semesters may run for President. Any member of Penn Q&A in good standing will be eligible to vote and a simple majority is required for a candidate to become President. In the case that no candidate obtains a majority of the vote, run-off elections will be held until the President is elected.

Elections for empty board positions and Freshman Liaison will be held at the start of each semester as necessary.

Article VII: Amendment Procedure

An amendment shall be brought before the group by any board member to be voted on during executive board meetings. A supermajority vote of the entire board is required for any amendments to take effect, regardless of attendance at the vote. Any chair will then take the responsibility of amending the Constitution and obtaining the approval of the executive board.

Amended on October 6, 2016