The Association of International Students (AIS)

CONSTITUTION

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Association of International Students (AIS)

Article II – Purpose

The purposes of AIS are:

To provide activities and programs for international students and the university community at large which will contribute to their cultural, academic and social development.

To help promote a spirit of cooperation and friendship among international students and between international students and the rest of the campus community.

Article III – Membership

All international students at the University of Tulsa shall be considered active members of AIS. As such they may participate in any and all of the association’s activities and events. There are no membership dues assessed for such members.

Those in the university community who show interest in AIS and its ideals shall be deemed associate members. Such individuals will possess all the rights and privileges of active members, with the exception of the right to vote for officers. Voting privileges will be limited to international students.

Article IV – Officers

Officers of AIS shall be:  President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer

The duties of each officer are as follows: 

President – Presides over all meetings and provides general direction for AIS. President will also delegate duties to appropriate members of AIS as necessary.

Vice-President – Assists and advises president on all matters, carrying out duties of president when president is absent.

Article V – Meetings

The president of AIS will hold regularly scheduled meetings, such meetings occurring at least once every month. All officers will be expected to attend and actively participate in such meetings, and all meetings will be open to the general membership of AIS.

Meetings will be held in the ISS offices, and a separate space will be allocated for AIS to use for maintaining files, etc.

A representative of the International Students Services office will serve as advisor to AIS. It will be the advisor’s duty to attend meetings, advise as necessary, co-sign documents and requisitions when needed, and provide other logistical support when the need occurs.

Article VI – Elections

Each officer will be elected for a one-year term, each term consisting of a regular academic year.

Elections for the following year will be held every April, such dates set by the membership. Any enrolled international student is eligible to run for any office. Students wishing to run for office must complete an application designed for this purpose prior to the deadline for applying. No write-in nominations will be accepted.

Elections will be conducted by secret ballot and the results counted and verified by a second count. Results of the election will be announced the Monday following the elections. In the event that vacancies exist among office positions, the President will appoint individuals to fill such positions with the approval of the other officers.

   Reporting Requirements

At the beginning of each school year a designated officer will file an updated SAB registration form and submit it to SA. Any subsequent changes in officers will be reported on a timely basis to SA.

HISTORY

AIS History

Founded in 1974, the Association of International Students (AIS) currently has 487 active members from 71 countries. We provide a variety of programs, activities, and events on a bi-weekly basis to all international students, their families and friends, the TU campus and the Tulsa community at large. Our events are open to the whole campus--we have American students as AIS associate members and coordinators. We aid in facilitating the sharing of diverse cultures and experiences, while introducing American and international students to each other so that everyone can meet people from all those countries he/she always wanted to know more about and make friends for life. Through our various and well-attended activities, academic, pre-professional and professional, social, cultural, sport, community service etc. we hope to help educate the leaders of tomorrow's world today and to create a friendly environment and a support network for all students, while specifically welcoming and assisting international students and their families with their transition period, accommodation into the American culture, adjustment, and acculturation while attending the University of Tulsa (TU). We promote cultural awareness, understanding, recognition, and appreciation of diversity, harmony, amity, and tolerance while fostering camaraderie, friendship, goodwill, benevolence, cordial polemics, cooperation, and collaboration for the benefit of the whole TU campus and the Tulsa community at large. We present, represent, promote, and advocate the interests, ideas, and concerns of all AIS members before the TU administration and we serve as a liaison between administration and the student body.

LEADERSHIP

AIS Officers

List of Duties:

· All officers shall attend the AIS meetings and organize the AIS events in addition to attending most of the events.  All officers are also required to maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

I. President

· Decide on the meetings, their frequency, time, place, and call the meetings when needed.
· Preside at the meetings.
· Work as the liaison person to the International Student Services (ISS) Office.
· Delegate responsibility, duties, and tasks to the other AIS officers, coordinators and members.
· Be the AIS representative to university and community functions, excluding the FAC and the Senate meetings.
· Provide general direction to AIS.

II. Public Relations Vice President (General Secretary)

· Record minutes of all the proceedings of the Executive Committee and of the General Body meetings, both on hard copy and on the AIS web site.
· Maintain and preserve a record of all papers, documents, reports, records and properties concerning the activities of the AIS.
· Issue notice of the meetings. This is to be done at least four days prior to the meeting.
· Submit an annual report of the Association's activities to the AIS president and the AIS Advisor.

III. Finance Vice President (General Treasurer)

· Collect the dues of the AIS at the appropriate time.
· Keep a record of the Association's funds.
· Submit a full financial report to the AIS President at the final meeting of the AIS General Body.
· Submit the needed forms to Student Association (SA) for funds/sponsorship.
· Represent the AIS and its interests to FAC (together with the General Vice President)
· Provide oversight responsibility for all AIS finances.

IV. General Vice President (AIS Representative to Student Association)

· Be responsible for maintaining good public relations and together with the Public Relations Vice President needs prepare and write down the minutes of all the proceedings then download them onto the AIS web site.
· Be responsible for publicity and coverage for all the Association activities.
· Represent the Association to SA and Senate meetings and the FAC meetings.
· To preside over the coordinators' or the general AIS meetings when the president is absent.
· Assist the President on all matters, carrying out the President's duties when the President is absent.

AIS Officers

I.                    Current Officers

·        President: Joseph Ocheja

·        Vice President: Anton Skopich

·        Secretary: TBA

·        Treasurer: Mei Han

STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS