ASB Constitution

Approved by the ASB Planning Board on April 19, 2009.

ARTICLE I:  Name of Organization

The name of this organization shall be “Alternative Spring Break.”


ARTICLE II:  Affiliation

Alternative Spring Break (hereafter ASB) is a student-led program of the University YMCA and affiliated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (hereafter University). ASB is subject to University policies and regulations.


ARTICLE III:  Founding, Mission, & Objectives

Section 1:    Founding.

Maria Somma, the former Program Director of the University YMCA, and several university students started ASB in 1989 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.


Section 2:    Mission Statement.

ASB is a student run organization whose participants engage in social and environmental activism through direct service, a commitment to diversity, and life long learning initiated by community interactions and group reflections.


Section 3:    Objectives.

ASB has the following objectives:

  1. ASB will increase the social awareness of its participants by providing a forum for individuals to educate themselves about a wide range of social and environmental issues.
  2. ASB will provide direct and meaningful service in communities throughout the U.S., abroad, as well as in Champaign-Urbana.
  3. ASB values the many factors contributing to individual and group diversity and attempts to foster the appreciation of diversity amongst its participants and through its policies and programs.
  4. ASB participants will reflect individually and in groups in order to facilitate personal development and to synthesize the direct service and learning components of each trip.
  5. ASB will provide a safe environment in which its participants may engage in travel, discussion, and direct community service.
  6. ASB will provide a fun and engaging alternative to traditional break experiences.
  7. Through the fulfillment of the aforementioned objectives, ASB will foster active citizenship among participants that will translate into a lifetime of continual education, thoughtful reflection, and active community involvement.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

Section 1:    Organization.

Membership shall include all those participating in ASB service events, ASB trips and/or serving on the ASB Planning Board for the current academic year.”


Section 2:    ASB Planning Board.

All voting members of the ASB Planning Board must be registered UIUC students.  Planning Board membership shall be restricted to those holding officially appointed positions approved by a majority vote of the Planning Board.


ARTICLE V:  ASB Planning Board

Section 1:    Positions.

The ASB Planning Board will be comprised of the following positions:

  1. Co-Director (x2)
  2. Educational Outreach Chair (x2)
  3. External Relations Chair (x3)
  4. Internal Development Chair (x1)
  5. Multimedia Chair (x1)
  6. Organizational Fundraising Coordinator (x2)
  7. Site-Development Chair (x2)
  8. Site Facilitator Trainer (x3)
  9. Student Advisor (x0 or x1)
  10. Treasurer (x1)
  11. University YMCA staff person (x1)
  12. Any other members the Board wishes to appoint for the duration of its term in office.

Section 2:    Term.

The term of Planning Board members will begin at the New Board/Old Board transition retreat in April and run until the resolution of all summer trips the following academic year.  Planning Board vacancies shall be filled by majority vote of the Planning Board.  Responsibilities and voting rights remain with the outgoing planning board until the conclusion of summer trips.


Section 3:    Meetings.

The Planning Board will meet weekly during the fall and spring semesters and as needed during summer and winter break.  Robert’s Rules of Order will be used to govern meetings, except when these rules conflict with this constitution, in which case the constitution will take precedence.  The Planning Board may only make binding decisions when a quorum is present.  A “majority” vote is an affirmative vote by more than half of the Planning Board members at a meeting where a quorum is present.


Section 4:    Quorum.

Quorum as henceforth referred to in this constitution and bylaws is defined as when at least more than one-half of the Planning Board is present at a meeting [unless otherwise defined in this Constitution].


Section 5:    Voting.

The Planning Board may only make binding decisions when a quorum is present.  A “majority” vote is an affirmative vote by more than half of the Planning Board members at a meeting where a quorum is present.


Section 6:    Function.

The function of the Planning Board shall be to plan, develop, and help execute alternative break trips that uphold the mission and objectives of the organization.  Planning Board members are stewards of the organization and constitute its principal decision making body.


Section 7:    Committees.

The Planning Board will form committees so that all board members are involved in work outside the specific responsibilities of their position.  ASB will have two standing committees: the “week of” committee, and the new board selection committee.  Clarifications of committees not clearly defined in the constitution are explained in the Bylaws.  All committees may include non-board members except for the new board selection committee, which may include only current board members who are not reapplying or former board members.  The membership of the new board selection committee will be proposed by the co-chairs and approved by a majority of the planning board in February.  The selection committee must contain at least four and no more than six people.


Section 8:    Board Selection.

Candidates will be selected via an application and interview process with criteria determined by the new board selection committee.  A board-elect slate is presented to the current Planning Board.  To approve a board-elect slate two-thirds must be present and the slate must be approved by at least three-fourths of the members present.  If not approved, the selection committee will reconvene and produce a revised slate of candidates.


Section 9:    Adding/Dropping Planning Board Positions.

In order for any new Planning Board position to be established, such a position(s) must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the entire Planning Board. Conversely, in order for any Planning Board position(s) to be dropped, this decision must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the entire Planning Board.


ARTICLE VI:  DUE PROCESS

Section 1:    Removal of Planning Board members.

General failure to meet the responsibilities of Planning Board members or failure to meet the responsibilities of attending board meetings as provided by the by-laws will make that person subject to removal.  At no point in time may a board member be removed solely on the basis of a conflict with another board member. For removal to occur the person being removed must be notified at least a week prior to the vote and both the person subject to removal and the board member making the motion will give no more than a ten minute case as to the pending removal.  Board members may be removed from their position by a two-thirds vote of the Planning Board Members present at the meeting where there is quorum.


Section 2:    Removal of Site Facilitators.

A motion can be made by any board member to remove a site facilitator for failure to meet general expectations or responsibilities of a site facilitator as stated in the by-laws.  Any matter of site facilitator removal will be decided at a Planning Board meeting wherein both the person subject to removal and the board member making the motion will give no more than a five minute case as to the pending removal.  Site Facilitators may be removed from their position by a majority vote of the Planning Board Members present at the meeting where there is a quorum.


Section 3:    Site Facilitator Vacancies.

Vacancies will be filled by the site facilitator trainers through the selection process stated in Article VII, Section 2.


Section 4:    Removal of General Participant.

A participant’s failure to meet the participant expectations, as presented in the by-laws, makes them subject to removal by the site facilitators of their trip upon consultation with the site facilitator trainers and/or Co-Directors.  Participants who have been removed by the site facilitators have the right to appeal to the Planning Board.  Appeals will be heard during a weekly Planning Board meeting wherein the participant subject to removal and one of their site facilitators will make no more than a two minute case regarding their pending removal.  Participants may be removed from their trip by a majority vote of the Planning Board Members present at the meeting when there is quorum.  Appeals may be made only once.


Section 5:

Trip participants may recommend the removal of a site facilitator who does not meet the expectations as presented in the by-laws to a Planning Board member. The Planning Board member can then decide whether to bring the case to the board as presented in Article VI, Section 2.


Section 6:    Refunds.

Refunds of applicant deposits are not given for participants that are placed on trips for any reason.  A majority vote of the ASB Planning Board can overrule this rule on a case-by-case basis in the occurrence of illness, death, or other unforeseen circumstances.  


Section 7:    Dissolving of the organization.

Except as may be otherwise required by law, the organization may at any time dissolve by the affirmative vote of 2/3 of the entire ASB Planning Board provided that upon any dissolution of the organization its entire assets remaining after providing for the payment of its debts and obligations shall be transferred and contributed to the University YMCA or any other organization organized and operated exclusively for such educational or charitable purposes as qualify the organization for exemption from taxation under Section 501 (c) (3) or the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as now in force or hereafter amended.


ARTICLE VII:  Program

Section 1:    Program Structure – Main Components of the ASB Experience.

  1. Orientation
All ASB members are required to attend Orientation Night.  Orientation serves as the starting point of the general ASB program, providing a forum for trips to meet the Planning Board, meet each other, and learn more about ASB.

  1. All-Organization Fundraiser
All ASB members are encouraged to participate in a large ASB fundraiser, usually scheduled during the semester their trips leave.  No participant who does not attend the fundraiser will be required to pay the event admission fee.

  1. Weekly Meetings (Trip Participants)
Trip participants are required to attend weekly meetings beginning after notification of selection until their trips leave.  The meetings will be organized by Site Facilitators and are intended to initiate group unity and team building, address participants' fears, goals, and expectations, and provide a forum for pre-break education.

  1. Participation Limits
The number of participants able to participate in ASB shall be limited by the number of spaces available on each of the board-approved slate of trips.  At no time shall more than thirteen participants be placed on a trip.  The ASB Planning Board may place further restrictions on the maximum number of participant slots on a particular trip.

  1. Alternative Spring Break Trip
ASB trips occur during the University of Illinois academic breaks and send trip participants to sites around the country to participate in direct service, activism, and education.  Participants must abide by all ASB policies while on the trip.

  1. Reorientation
All ASB members are required to attend Reorientation Night held approximately one week after their trip returns.  Reorientation provides trips the opportunity to share their experiences and encourages ASB participants to continue making service a priority in their lives. Reorientation should also include educational aspects, discussed in the mission statement, by raising awareness of all the trip issues.

  1. Community Service
Each trip is required to engage in a pre-break service project to facilitate group development and education.  Additionally upon their return, each trip will complete a post-break service project in the Champaign-Urbana community to ensure that participants continue the critical thinking, reflection, and community involvement they had during their break.  Furthermore, individual volunteering is encouraged among all ASB participants.

  1. Coffee Talk
Each trip will be paired up with one to two other trips and will participate in a group discussion related to their issue(s).  The Educational Outreach Chairs will determine Pairings and at least one Planning Board Member will be present at each coffee talk.

 

Section 2:    General Participant Selection.

  1. Timeline
Applicants shall be notified of their participation no later than two weeks after applications are due.

  1. Selection Criteria
The ASB Planning Board shall determine the participant selection criteria. The ASB Planning Board must approve the criteria by a majority vote at a meeting where quorum is present.

  1. Diversity
In accordance with ASB’s educational mission, the program seeks to attract and engage diverse participants in its programming.  ASB values diversity in two ways:
  1. Individually—by placing participants that best grasp the social, cultural, and economic origins of their own world view or who are willing to explore their own sense of diversity
  2. In groups—by attempting to place applicants with diverse world views on each trip.  ASB defines ‘diverse world views’ as those most likely to stretch the comfort zones of other respective trip participants.

  1. Weekly Meetings (Site Facilitators)
Site Facilitators are required to attend weekly meetings usually beginning at placement and extending through Reorientation.  Meetings are organized by the Site Facilitator Trainers and are intended to prepare Site Facilitators for organizing trip meetings, communicating with sites, logistical information and planning for the trip, and serving as a forum for discussion and education.

  1. Drivers
Every ASB trip must have a minimum of two drivers per minivan.  If the drive of a trip will extend past 24 hours [one way] there must be at least one additional driver per minivan [three drivers per minivan].  Every ASB trip must have at least two drivers.

  1. Incomplete Applications
No participant shall be placed unless his or her application is entirely complete and the application fee has been paid.

  1. Unplaced Applicants
Unplaced applicants must be notified that ASB was unable to place them on any of their preferred trips.  They will be given the option to stay on a waiting list or have their cash or voided checks returned to them.  If they decide to stay on the wait list and are not placed on a trip they will have their cash or voided checks returned to them.  Under no circumstances shall the details of why an applicant was not placed be discussed with the applicant or anyone outside of the selection process.

  1. Post-Selection Participant Additions
After participant selection has been closed, additional persons may only be solicited to apply (and be placed on trips) when the ASB Planning Board has a majority vote to do so and only under one or more of the following circumstances:
  1. There are still remaining participant openings on the trips being sent
  2. Additional drivers are required to meet ASB driver guidelines
  3. The site location or issue was changed in a fundamental way
  4. A site facilitator for a trip must be replaced and no current trip participant is willing or able to fill the role
  5. ASB will be financially unable to support the trip without additional participants.

Section 3:    Site Facilitator Selection.

  1. Timeline

Site facilitator applications shall be due at least two days prior to general participant applications unless otherwise requested by the Site Facilitator Trainers.


  1. Selection Criteria

The Site Facilitator Trainers and/or the delegated interviewers shall determine the site facilitator selection criteria. They may elect to have additional support from the Planning Board as needed.


  1. Selection Process

All applicants wishing to become site facilitators must submit their application in by the stated deadline.  These applicants must sign up for interviews as part of the application process.  The same interviewers must interview all applicants.  Prior to each interview, the interviewee’s application must be read and evaluated by the interviewers.  Interviewees must be informed that it is generally harder to take into consideration ranked site preferences for site facilitators than it is for general participants.  Consideration should be given to an applicant’s preference for the role of site facilitator over trip rankings and vice versa.  Two site facilitators must be placed on every trip.


  1. Unplaced Applicants

Only after all placed applicants have accepted their site facilitator positions, unplaced applicants should be informed they were not selected and that their applications have been transferred to the general participant pool.


  1. Insufficient Applicants
In the event that the number or quality of applicants is insufficient to fill all site facilitator positions, all qualified applicants should be placed.  Subsequently, general participant applicants should be encouraged to apply for the remaining slots.  Under no circumstances shall unqualified applicants be placed as site facilitators.

ARTICLE VIII: Finances

Section 1:    Budget.

  1. The outgoing treasurer prepares a budget along with the incoming treasurer before August 1st.  The budget must be approved by a majority vote of the ASB Planning Board before September 30th.
  2. The fiscal year for ASB is from August 1st to July 31st.
  3. Spending outside of the budget must be approved by a majority vote of the ASB Planning Board.
  4. ASB will only approve balanced budgets.
  5. The budget must be annually reconciled by the outgoing treasurer before board transition and the numbers must be reflected in the annual report.

Section 2:    Participation Fee.

A participation fee for all ASB trips shall be established in the budget.  The fee entitles participants to adequate housing, food, and transportation for the duration of their trip.  The Internal Chair, with the approval of the Co-Directors and Treasurer, has the right to dismiss participants who do not pay their participation fee by the specified date, given that the participant(s) being dropped has previously been informed of this date. For approval, the Treasurer must propose their reasoning to the Planning Board and it must be approved by the majority of those present at a meeting where quorum is present.


Section 3:    Maria Somma Need-Based Scholarship.

ASB offers a limited amount of need-based scholarships to participants.  The Treasurer and the Internal development chair must review the applications confidentially. A set amount shall be put forth in each year’s budget for the scholarship.  Groups that fundraise over their $200 amount will have the extra money put into the Maria Somma Scholarship account, unless it is ruled otherwise.


Section 4:    Fundraising.

The Fundraising Coordinators and the Treasurer will develop a proposal for ASB fundraising goals.  These goals will be incorporated into the Budget and must be approved at the same meeting.


Section 5:    Treasurer Spending Policies.

The treasurer must have proper documentation before writing any checks. Proper documentation should be defined as either an invoice or a receipt. All checks written must be approved by one of the Co-Directors.


Article IX:  Constitutional Structure

This Constitution will provide framework for the principals and organization by which ASB shall function.   The Bylaws, a subsection of the Constitution, provide a more detailed description of organizational responsibilities and procedures.  All rules and policies will be in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws in word or spirit.


ARTICLE IX:  Amendments

Amendments to this constitution may be made only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the total voting membership of the ASB Planning Board.  Amendments to the Bylaws may be made only by an affirmative vote of a majority of the total voting membership of the ASB Planning Board.


ARTICLE X:  Ratification

This Constitution shall take effect on the date on which it is ratified by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the ASB Planning Board, thus superseding and replacing any and all other previous constitutions of this organization.