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  MASA Constitution

• Article I: Purpose

• Article II: Membership

• Article III: Eligibility for Membership

• Article IV: New Member Selection

• Article V: Officers

• Article VI: Committees

• Article VII: Meeting

• Article VIII: Amendments

Article I: Purpose

The purpose of Men Against Sexual Assault is to raise awareness of issues of sexual assault. We aim to accomplish this through education with a special emphasis placed on male responsibility. This is done with the intent of preventing all types of sexual assault.

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Article II: Membership

1. MASA chooses its members on the basis of a demonstrated interest in the issues that MASA addresses. Members must also uphold the values that MASA promotes with regards to these issues.

2. MASA members must continue to demonstrate an interest in the issues that MASA addresses through consistent attendance at meetings and regular participation in MASA projects.

3. MASA strives to maintain membership that is representative of the diverse student body at the University of Texas.

4. MASA does not tolerate hazing of any kind. Members who haze may be dismissed by a majority vote of the MASA officers.

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Article III: Eligibility for Membership

1. Prospective members must be University of Texas students.

2. MASA does not require a minimum GPA.

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Article IV: New Member Selection

1. Selection of new members will take place during the first and third months of the fall and spring semesters (i.e. quarterly).

2. All applicants are required to submit a written application including a statement of interest in the issues that MASA addresses.

3. All applicants are reviewed by a selection committee consisting of the Vice President of Membership, the President, one other MASA officer, two MASA general members. The Vice President of Membership presides over this committee.

4. Applicants are reviewed in accordance with the selection procedure as outlined in the MASA by-laws.

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Article V: Officers

1. MASA has the following officers: President, Vice President of Education, Vice President of Campus and Community Involvement, Vice President of Public Relations, Vice President of Funds, Vice President of Membership, Historian, Political Officer, representatives.

   1. President: Presides over all general and officer meetings, appoints ad hoc committees and officers as he deems necessary, and coordinates and oversees all officers and committees.

   2. Vice President of Education: Coordinates and oversees the education initiatives.

   3. Vice President of Campus and Community Involvement: Coordinates and oversees MASA's involvement with other campus and community organizations that share MASA's goals.

   4. Vice President of Public Relations: Coordinates and oversees the public relations initiatives.

   5. Vice President of Funds: Coordinates and oversees the funds initiatives. This includes (but is not limited to) the collection of membership dues and the maintenance of accurate records of all organizational funds and financial transactions in accordance with University of Texas regulations.

   6. Vice President of Membership: Keeps record of current and past MASA membership, keeps minutes at meetings, makes sure that members are active and continuing to show an interest in furthering MASA objectives, coordinates and oversees new membership and ad hoc membership committee, and orientates new members.

   7. Historian: an ad hoc officer appointed by the president to keep records of MASA accomplishments. Will be responsible for compiling a scrapbook for UT Swing Out competition and other such competitions or events.

   8. Political Officer: an ad hoc officer appointed by the president to pay attention to current events and be aware of state, city, campus and any other relevant referendums dealing with issues of sexual assault. When required, the political officer will coordinate and oversee the ad hoc political committee.

   9. Representatives: This constitution provides for an unlimited number of representatives. Appointed by the President, representatives will essentially serve as liaisons between MASA and non-MASA campus and community committees. For example, one representative will regularly attend the meetings of the Relationship Violence and Sexual Assault Committee meetings. Representatives will come to officer meetings and relay the contents of the meetings which they have attended. Likewise, they will be responsible for representing MASA's purposes and initiatives at the meetings that they attend.

2. Elected officers serve one-year terms and may be re-elected.

3. Non-elected officers (appointed officers, including ad hoc officers and representatives) will serve a minimum of one semester and may be reappointed.

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Article VI: Committees

1. All committees are ad hoc committees.

2. MASA provides for the following committees: Education, Campus and Community
   Involvement, Public Relations, Funds, Membership, Political.

   1. Education: Seeks out groups to educate on the issues of sexual assault (educating with a special emphasis on male responsibility), then educates these groups on such issues. Organizes and runs forums and/or guest speakers for the education of the public. Takes pro-active steps to develop other educational agendas and projects.

   2. Campus and Community Involvement: Seeks out campus and community projects to be involved in which further MASA's purpose. This includes (but is not limited to) other student group's projects or events, working with the rape crisis center, and working with other such organizations.

   3. Public Relations: Publicizes MASA, MASA's projects and events, and MASA's cause as dictated in the purpose statement. Designs and prints advertisements in the Daily Texan and/or other local newspapers or publications. Designs, has manufactured, and organizes distribution of an annual bumper sticker and button. Designs, creates, and maintains a web page. Creates and distributes flyers, posters, and banners for publicizing MASA projects and events. Organizes events with other groups. Enters MASA in competitions such as Swing Out, Texas Revue, and Intramural sports to gain publicity for MASA and its cause. Seeks other methods of publicity for MASA and its cause.

   4. Funds: Organizes an annual fund-raiser benefitting the rape crisis center (or another charity that deals with issues of sexual assault), MASA, and/or other student groups focused on issues of sexual assault. May organize and participate in other MASA fund-raising activities.

   5. Membership: Actively recruits prospective members and is involved in the selection process of prospective members.

   6. Political: May engage in any or all of the following to further a political cause in line with MASA's purpose statement: rallies, protests, letter-writing campaigns, phone campaigns, e-mail campaigns, Firing Line campaigns, meetings with faculty members, meetings with Student Government, any other activity deemed appropriate by the MASA members (including officers) and following the rules and regulations of the University of Texas at Austin.

3. All general members may sign up for a committee.

4. Committees are assembled from the general assembly members when the committee is formed (i.e. as the need arises).

5. Members of committees must participate in their committee's designated activities, but are allowed (in fact encouraged) to participate in general activities and/or other committee's activities as well.

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Article VII: Meeting

1. MASA meets regularly, preferably once a week.

2. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the officers

Article VIII: Amendments

1. A two-thirds majority vote is required to amend the constitution.  A simple majority is required to amend the by-laws.

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