Alliance for Social Justice

Below are historic versions of the Alliance bylaws.  At the bottom of this page is the pre-March 2012 bylaws.  Immediately below are the amendments that were made to the bylaws in March 2012.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO ALLIANCE BYLAWS

SUMMARY: The Alliance bylaws were written several years ago.  With several changes at the law school, specifically the creation of the Center for Law in Public Service (CLIPS), we decided to update the bylaws.  The goal of these amendments is to make the bylaws reflect the reality of what the Alliance does now, rather than what the Alliance wanted to do several years ago.  The main changes in these bylaws are:

Addition of an Assistant Chair position to provide greater continuity between years.

Elimination of GPILP’s appointment of two Council positions.  One of these positions is eliminated, and the other is appointed by CLIPS.

Streamlining the budget request process.  The proposed process gives each council member an actual veto (more power than the previous 2/3 vote) but creates a less cumbersome process to approve budget or funds requests.

Re-organization of major task obligations with Alliance Council positions.  The amendments organize the events that the Alliance has consistently done over the past several years to distribute the responsibility for the tasks among the Council members.

PROCESS:  The Alliance Council voted on the amendments on March 8th, 2012, to approve them (Yes=11, No=0, Not voting=2).  The amendments will be taken to the SBA Board for approval, on either March 19th or March 26th, 2012.

Please contact AllianceForSocialJustice [at] gmail.com with feedback or suggestions.

[Text in brackets below is included to explain the proposed change during this revision process, and is not an addition to the bylaws.]

BYLAWS for THE GONZAGA STUDENT ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

Table of Contents:

Article I: Name

Article II: Members

Article III: Mission and Purposes

Article IV: Appointment of GU Alliance Council Members

Article V: GU Alliance Council Duties

Article VI: Subcommittees

Article VII: Financial Matters

Article VIII: Bylaw Amendments

Article I: Name

This standing executive committee of the Gonzaga Student Bar Association (SBA) shall be called The GONZAGA STUDENT ALLIANCE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (“GU ALLIANCE”).

Article II: Members

There shall be threetwo classes of members for the GU ALLIANCE:

1)      GU ALLIANCE COUNCILORS acting as the official voting members of the ALLIANCE this SBA executive committee, with all the rights and responsibilities outlined in the SBA bylaws and the bylaws of this committee.

2)     ALLIANCE SUPPORTING MEMBERS are students who help organize ALLIANCE events, but are not COUNCIL MEMBERS.  SUPPORTING MEMBERS do not vote on the ALLIANCE COUNCIL, but may otherwise participate fully in the ALLIANCE, including in COUNCIL MEETINGS and on SUBCOMMITTEES.

32)      GU ALLIANCE STUDENT GROUPS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS: student organizations and academic programs that choose to identify as “GU ALLIANCE MEMBERS” and therefore commit to the overall purpose and mission of the GU ALLIANCE.

a.   ALLIANCE STUDENT GROUPS AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS have no outlined duties. They promote the ALLIANCE mission on their own accord and at the pleasure of their governing bodies.

Article III: Mission and Purposes

Mission:

The Gonzaga Student Alliance for Social Justice works to ensure that every Gonzaga Law student is familiar with, appreciates, and has an opportunity to participate in the work that is being done on behalf of low-income and under-represented clients by students, faculty, and community legal providers. The Alliance strives to connect public interest oriented students with each other and with the legal aid and legal services community, encouraging innovative and sustainable relationships between them. The Alliance also works to ensure that every all students understands the importance of public interest law, so that they might continue Gonzaga’s Jesuit mission for social justice throughout their legal careers.

Purposes:

I.      To represent GU students to the public interest and public service legal community by serving on related committees, boards, and projects, and by serving as a permanent GU entity responsible for mainlining relations with the public interest legal community.

II.      To maintain a current listing of public interest and public service efforts, events, and programs occurring at GU, by GU student clubs and organizations, by academic programs, and by GU faculty.

III.      To promote communication and collaboration between the above persons and groups by encouraging co-hosted events and assisting in event scheduling to avoid overlapping efforts by persons and groups who have shared interests.

IV.      To maintain a current listing of public interest and public service individuals and entities in the community, including: name, address, contact person, mission, a brief description of the populations they serve and the services they provide, a brief description of how law students have participated in their programs in the past, and their requirements for law student participation (training, orientation, knowledge, commitment, academic acumen, etc.).

V.      To promote communication and collaboration between GU student clubs and organizations, academic programs, and GU faculty with the above public service entities.

a.  GU Justice Workshop. To host an annual workshop and reception in cooperation with career services, inviting representatives from student organizations and programs and community legal providers to discuss new and innovative ways for law students and providers to work together, enhancing GU’s contribution to the legal aid and public service community while also encouraging learning opportunities for GU law students.

b.  To reach out to organizations who are not represented at the above workshop by meeting with those organizations who are willing, and discussing new and innovative ways for law students and providers to work together, enhancing GU’s contribution to the legal aid and public service community while also encouraging learning opportunities for GU law students.

VI.      To promote social justice as a viable and important component in legal education by:

a.  providing new students (1Ls) with opportunities to learn from other student mentors (2Ls and 3LsS) about their experiences in public interest and public service law, and

b.  to assist in presenting the GU ALLIANCE mission to new students during 1L orientation.

Article IV: Appointment of GU Alliance Council Members

1.  CHAIRPERSON [The SBA Bylaws use “Committee Chair” not “Chairperson.”]

a.  In accordance with the SBA bylaws on executive committees, a CHAIRPERSON will be appointed by the SBA President. The SBA President will take into consideration recommendations made by the standing ALLIANCE COUNCIL, but may appoint any student as the ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON.

b.  The ALLIANCE COUNCIL will submit at least one agreed recommendation for CHAIRPERSON to the newly elected SBA President on or before April 15^th. The SBA President will make the appointment of ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON on or before April 30^th of each calendar year.

2. ASSISTANT CHAIR

a. The ASSISTANT CHAIR is the individual who was the ALLIANCE CHAIR the previous year.  If this individual is no longer a student at the law school, then the SBA President may appoint any student as ASSISTANT CHAIR or leave the position vacant.  The SBA President should make this decision recognizing the purpose of the ASSISTANT CHAIR position is to provide continuity and institutional knowledge within the ALLIANCE.

32.  SBA COUNCILOR(S)

a.  In accordance with SBA bylaws on executive committees, the SBA President shall also appoint one (or two) of the SBA Board of Directors as a members of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL to ensure the SBA’s purposes and intentions are considered within the actions of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.  [This duty is deleted here because it was repeated in Article V.]

42.  ACCESS TO JUSTICE COUNCILOR, provided by GPILP

a.  The ACCESS TO JUSTICE COUNCILOR MEMBER shall be appointed by the Center for Law in Public Service (CLIPS), on or before April 30th.be elected to Board of Directors of the Gonzaga Public Interest Law Project (GPILP) each spring, on or before April 30^th of the calendar year.

4.  EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS COUNCILOR, provided by GPILP

a.  The EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS COUNCILOR shall be elected to the Board of Directors of GPILP each spring, on or before April 30^th of the calendar year. [In discussions with GPILP and CLIPS, we felt the Equal Justice Works conference was not a worthwhile experience to commit to on a yearly basis, and that the organizational overlap between GPILP and the Alliance was no longer necessary.  Thus, the Equal Justice Works Councilor is proposed to be eliminated, and the Access to Justice Councilor will be appointed by CLIPS.]

5.  THOMAS MORE COUNCILOR(S)

a.  One or tTwo THOMAS MORE COUNCILOR(S) shall be elected by the Thomas More Program each spring, on or before April 30^th of the calendar year.[i]

6.  CAREER SERVICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR, provided by Career Services

a.  The CAREER SERVICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR will be chosen through an election process approved by the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.  The PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR shall be elected by the COUNCIL on or before April 30th. shall be appointed by  Career Services each fall, on or before April 30th of the calendar year.

7.  UNIVERSITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE (CLINIC) COUNCILOR(S)

a.  The CLINIC COUNCILORS shall be chosen under the direction of a clinic professor at the beginning of fall and spring semester. The CLINIC COUNCILOR(S) will maintain this position for one year, and will continue to represent and report ALLIANCE business to the appropriate clinic professor regardless of his or hertheir current enrollment in the clinic credits.  The CLINIC COUNCILOR appointed in Fall Semester is the FALL-TO-SPRING CLINIC COUNCILOR, and the CLINIC COUNCILOR appointed in Spring Semester is the SPRING-TO-FALL CLINIC COUNCILOR.

8.  1L COUNCILOR

a.  The 1L COUNCILOR MEMBER will be chosen through an election process approved by the ALLIANCE COUNCIL. The 1L COUNCILOR shall be elected by the COUNCIL on or before October 15th of the calendar year.

9.  2L COUNCILOR

a.  The 2L COUNCILOR will be chosen through an election process approved by the ALLIANCE COUNCIL. The 2L COUNCILOR shall be elected by the COUNCIL on or before April 30th of the calendar year.

10.  3L COUNCILOR

a.  The 3L COUNCILOR will be chosen through and election process approved by the ALLIANCE COUNCIL. The 3L COUNCILOR shall be elected by the COUNCIL on or before April 30^th of the calendar year.

11.  Any delay or failure to appoint an ALLIANCE COUNCILORS shall not affect the overall purpose or powers of the GU ALLIANCE COUNCIL, and shall be remedied by the CHAIR at the earliest opportunity by reasonable means.

12.  ALLIANCE COUNCILORS are encouraged to maintain involvement with the ALLIANCE, as COUNCILORS or SUPPORTING MEMBERS, from year to year.  ALLIANCE COUNCILORS may choose to continue in their positions if they maintain the qualification for the position.  For example, an SBA COUNCILOR could continue on the ALLIANCE in the following year if the SBA COUNCILOR continued to be on the SBA Board of Directors.

13.  An ALLIANCE COUNCILOR, or SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER, may be removed from the COUNCIL or SUBCOMMITTEE by a 2/3 approval of the COUNCIL.  Removal of a COUNCILOR or SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER must be for-cause, provide reasonable notice to all involved, an opportunity for the COUNCILOR or SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER to be heard, and otherwise comply with reasonable due process standards.

Article V: GU Alliance Council Duties

1.  GU ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON

a.  The ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON shall preside over meetings of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.

b.  The ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON shall oversee and assist COUNCIL MEMBERS in their purposes and other actions performed in the interest of the GU ALLIANCE mission.

c.  The ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON shall create and maintain financial records and accountings as outlined in Article VII of this record.

d.  The ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON shall actively maintain and update a central communication system for the ALLIANCE COUNCIL, record, and calendar, such as a TWEN site.  [Calendar maintenance is done by Stephanie and Laurie, at http://www.law.gonzaga.edu/Calendar/default.asp, and includes a “Public Interest/Public Service” filter.]

2. ASSISTANT CHAIR

a. The ASSISTANT CHAIR shall assist the ALLIANCE COUNCIL in maintaining continuity and institutional knowledge from previous years.

32.  SBA COUNCIL MEMBER(S)

a.  The SBA COUNCILOR shall ensure the SBA’s purposes and intentions are considered within the actions of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.

b.  The SBA COUNCILOR shall also ensure that budget requests meet the requirements set out in Article VII of these ALLIANCE bylaws before they are presented to the SBA Board of Directors for approval under the governing guidelines and bylaws of the SBA.

c.  The SBA COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purpose and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL and shall promote collaboration and communication between GU student organizations.  The SBA COUNCILOR’S primary objective is to promote cooperation and solidarity between Gonzaga student groups and organizations.  This requires knowledge of student organizations, their purposes, and their activities.

d.  The SBA COUNCILOR shall work with the Center for Law in Public Service to maintain a current record of GU student organizations and academic programs that are public interest oriented or serve underprivileged or underrepresented persons in any capacity.

e.  The SBA COUNCILOR is also responsible for keeping the Alliance Council informed and in compliance with the SBA’s bylaws and mission.

43.  ACCESS TO JUSTICE (ATJ) COUNCILOR, provided by GPILP

a.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purposes and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL and will represent Gonzaga Law on the Law School Relations (LSR) Committee, hosted by the Access to Justice Council and the Washington Alliance for Equal Justice.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will attend LSR Committee meetings, keep records, and communicate the intentions of the LSR Committee to the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will appoint a law student delegate to the LSR Committee if the ATJ COUNCILOR is not able to represent.

b.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will attend the annual ATJ statewide conference, and coordinate with the Center for Law in Public Service to assist in arrangements for other GU students to also attend the annual ATJ statewide conference (June).

c.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will also represent the GU ALLIANCE COUNCIL in planning and organization of GPILP’s Public Interest Week. [Moved to Professional Development Councilor.]

c.  The ATJ COUNCILOR will assist the TM COUNCILORS and the Center for Law in Public Service with maintaining a current record of public interest and public service legal providers.  [Moved from Professional Development Councilor.]

45.  THOMAS MORE (TM) COUNCILOR(S)

a.  The Both TM COUNCILORS will assist generally in the purposes and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL and shall initiate and maintain communications with public interest and public service legal providers.

b.  TheBoth TM COUNCILORS will maintain a current record of legal providers, including contact information, a short statement of the providers mission and possible opportunities for students.  The TM COUNCILORS are responsible for reaching out to public interest providers on behalf of Gonzaga students, to cultivate public interest opportunities for students and alumni.

c.  The At least one TM COUNCILOR will sit on the Regional Planning Committee and will ensure that students are represented on other appropriate community councils and boards.  If no TM COUNCILOR is available to attend a Regional Planning Committee meeting, a TM COUNCILOR will appoint a law student delegate to attend.

d. One or both TM COUNCILORS will lead in the planning and organizing of the Annual GU Justice Workshop with community legal providers and interested students.  [Moved from Professional Development Councilor.]

5.  EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS (EJW) COUNCILOR, provided by GPILP

a.  The EJW COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purposes and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL and shall research, organize and disperse information regarding public interest fellowships and the fellowship process generally.

b.  The EJW COUNCILOR will also represent the GU ALLIANCE COUNCIL in planning and organization of GPILP’s Public Interest Week.

6.  UNIVERSITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE (CLINIC) STUDENT COUNCILOR(S)

a.  The CLINIC COUNCILORS will assist generally in the purpose and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.

b.  The SPRING-TO-FALL CLINIC COUNCILOR will organize Public Interest Week activities, through coordination with the Center for Professional Development, the Clinic, and other groups or departments.  [Moved from Equal Justice Works Councilor.]and will and encourage opportunities for 1L students to learn about and participate in public interest student organizations and community projects.

cb.  The FALL-TO-SPRING CLINIC COUNCILOR will attend and coordinate with the Center for Law in Public Service to assist with travel arrangements, including budget requests when necessary, for the GU Law School community to attend the Annual Goldmark Luncheon in Seattle (February).

7.  CAREER SERVICES STUDENT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR

a.  The CAREER SERVICES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purposes and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.

b.  The PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR will organize a Public Interest Legal Community Reception and Networking event (January or February).

lead in the planning and organization of the Annual GU Justice Workshop with community legal providers and interested students.[moved to TM Councilor]

b.  The CAREER SERVICES COUNCILOR will also assist the TM maintaining a current record of public interest and public service legal providers. [Moved duty to ATJ Councilor.]

8.  1L REPRESENTATIVE COUNCILOR

a.  The IL COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purposes and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL, primarily collaborating with the SBA COUNCILOR(S) and the ATJ COUNCILOR.  The 1L Councilor should, in particular, look for opportunities to inform 1L students about the Alliance as well as contributing ideas for the Alliance that may benefit 1Ls who are interested in public interest and public service.

b.  The 1L COUNCILOR shall record and keep minutes of ALLIANCE meetings.

c.  The 1L COUNCILOR shall be a member of the PBJ (Public Service Brown-Bag and Justice Forum) SUBCOMMITTEE.  The 1L COUNCILOR shall recruit one additional 1L for the PBJ SUBCOMMITTEE.

9.  2L REPRESENTATIVE COUNCILOR

a.  The 2L COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purpose and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL, primarily collaborating with the CLINIC COUNCILOR(S) and the EJW COUNCILOR.

b.  The 2L COUNCILOR will organize the ALLIANCE’S participation in the fall Club Fair.

10.  3L REPRESENTATIVE COUNCILOR

a.  The 3L COUNCILOR will assist generally in the purpose and mission of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL, primarily collaborating with the THOMAS MORE COUNCILOR(S) and the CAREER COUNCILOR.

b.  The 3L COUNCILOR will organize the All-School Community Service Day (April).

11.  Amendments or additions to the duties performed by each COUNCILOR may be approved by a majority of the ALLIANCE COUNCIL and recorded by the COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON.

Article VI: Subcommittees

1.  Any COUNCILOR, under the agreement of 2/3 or more of the ALLIANCE COUNCILORS, may create a SUBCOMMITTEEsubcommittees for any reason related to the purposes and mission of the GU ALLIANCE. Subcommittees shall be limited in duration and purpose. Subcommittee members SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS have no authority to vote for or against ALLIANCE COUNCIL decisions. Subcommittee members shall not substitute their judgment or performance for that of an GU ALLIANCE COUNCILOR.

Article VII: Financial Matters

1.  The ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON is responsible for establishing and maintaining accounting records for the GU ALLIANCE.

2.  All ALLIANCE COUNCILORS shall adhere to the mission and purposes outlined in the ALLIANCE bylaws, especially those promoting collaboration between student organizations, academic programs, and community legal providers; therefore funding for some events should occur collaboratively between participating entities, without financial support from the ALLIANCE COUNCIL.

3.  All ALLIANCE COUNCILORS shall communicate and cooperate with the Center for Law in Public Service faculty Public Interest Director and with Center for Professional Development Career Services in order promote financial contributions to GU ALLIANCE events by those entities when appropriate.

4.  Authority to submit budget requests to the SBA resides in the ALLIANCE CHAIRPERSON, the ASSISTANT CHAIR, the SBA COUNCILOR(S), the ATJ COUNCILOR, and the CAREER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCILOR. No budget request shall be submitted by any less than two of the authorized COUNCIL MEMBERS.

5.  Budget requests may shall NOT be submitted to the SBA only if unless:

a.  Tthe entire ALLIANCE COUNCIL has been presented provided with the details of the fundingbudget request at least 72 hours in advance of the SBA meeting at which the budget request will be presented and no ALLIANCE COUNCILOR objects to the budget request. has determined by a 2/3 majority vote that the request:

Objections to a budget request may be made if a COUNCILOR believes the request does not

i. furthers the mission of the GU ALLIANCE for SOCIAL JUSTICE,.

ii.  will benefit an event to be hosted by at least three ALLIANCE student organizations OR two ALLIANCE student organizations and one or more community public interest legal provider organizations,

iii.  is subsequent to funding requests submitted to the faculty Public Interest Director and/or the Career Services Office. [These requests are almost always fruitless because neither office has substantial unallocated funds.]

6.  Budget requests which meet the requirements set out in this section shall be submitted to the SBA according to the rules and regulations set out in the SBA Budget Request Guidelines and the SBA bylaws governing standing executive committees.

7.  All ALLIANCE COUNCILORS are authorized to make funds requests to the SBA as if requesting funds for a student club.  A Councilor submitting a funds request must

(a) receive approval from the ALLIANCE CHAIR for the request prior to submitting the request to the SBA, and

(b) notify the entire ALLIANCE COUNCIL, and not receive an objection,  through the process described in section 5 above.

Article VIII: Bylaw Amendments

1.  These Bylaws, may be amended with 2/3 approval of the ALLIANCE COUNCILORS MEMBERS and, if amending any part other than Section V: Council Duties, a majority approval by the SBA is required.

2.  If organizations or events referenced in the Bylaws change their names or meeting times, the Bylaws may be modified to reflect that change without requiring approval of the COUNCIL or SBA.