Constitution

ARTICLE I. NAME

Section 1. The name of this club or organization shall be the Urban Planning Association (UPA), “the Association” hereafter in this Constitution.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE / MISSION STATEMENT

Section 1. The purpose of the Urban Planning Association shall be to create opportunities for students in the Master of City Planning, Master of Urban Affairs, and Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs programs to get to know each other and explore their chosen career path. We take our love of all things urban out of the classroom and into casual conversation, the field, and beyond. The Association shall be also committed to host cross-cultural, social, service, learning, and networking events meant to bolster the sense of community within the programs, and to further student interests into the various fields of urban affairs and planning.

Section 2. The Association, its members, officers, and advisors shall abide by all university policies and procedures, including the Student Activities Handbook.

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The Association offers three levels of membership.
A. Student Membership. To be eligible for Student Membership, members must be matriculated Boston University students in the following programs: Master of City Planning, Master of Urban Affairs, Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs. Members must be in good academic standing.
B. Alumni Membership. To be eligible for Alumni Membership, members must have successfully graduated from BU with one of the following degrees: Master of City Planning, Master of Urban Affairs, Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs.
C. Associate Membership. Associate Membership is open to all students, staff, and faculty of the Boston University community, the Boston Consortium for Higher Education, and the local community (at the leadership’s discretion) that have a demonstrable interest in urban affairs and planning.

Section 2. Membership in the Association is open to all meeting the above criteria, irrespective of race, creed, color, gender, class, age, nation of origin, nationality, disability, marital status, religion, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE BOARD / OFFICERS

Section 1. All members of the Association’s Student Executive Board (SEB) will serve as liaisons to the Department of Applied Social Sciences and the City Planning and Urban Affairs Programs, and assist their senior faculty members as needed. The respective responsibilities of the board members shall be as follows:

A. President
• Presides over meetings of the organization
• Maintains contact with affiliated university department
• Maintains contact with organization adviser
• Provides encouragement and motivation to fellow officers and organization members
• Remains fair and impartial during organization decision-making processes
• Represents the organization to the University
• Serves as a spokesperson for the organization
• Represents the organization at official functions

B. Vice President
• Assumes the duties of the President in his or her absence
• Facilitates election of officers
• Serves as parliamentarian
• Provides encouragement and motivation to fellow officers and organization members
• Remains fair and impartial during organizational decision-making processes
• Serves as a liaison with BU Career Services
• Serves as a spokesperson for the organization
• Performs other duties as directed by the President

C. Public Affairs Officer

• Leads the creation of a communications plan including strategy, goals, budget and tactics
• Executes strategies to create and uphold a positive public image for the UPA and its stakeholders
• Generates networking opportunities by working and forming relationships with various members of the media, private sector, academia, government, and general public 
• Proposes and organizes academic, social and technical events that benefit the BUCPUA community 
• Works with the Marketing and Communications Officer to increase the visibility of the UPA to the public using different communication channels
• Ensures that the communication strategy is consistent with the organization’s mission and strategic vision
• Leads the creation of content for press releases, byline articles and keynote presentations
• Evaluates opportunities for partnerships and sponsorships on an ongoing basis
• Maintains a keen understanding of industry trends affecting stakeholders and makes appropriate recommendations regarding the communication strategy around them 

D. Secretary

• Prepares an agenda with the President for all meetings
• Records and distributes minutes of each meeting of the organization
• Ensures leadership is adhering to the Association’s Constitution
• Reserves appropriate facilities and equipment for organization activities
• Keeps a list of all members of the organization, including alumni, and their contact information
• Keeps a record of all activities of the organization, and ensures a seamless transition of record-keeping responsibilities to the succeeding Secretary
• Distributes invitations and administers surveys as needed
• Serves as a liaison for community service
• Performs other duties as directed by the President

E. Treasurer
• Manages all financial aspects of the organization, and ensures a seamless transition of record-keeping responsibilities to the succeeding Treasurer
• Pays organization bills
• Prepares an annual budget proposal for leadership approval
• Facilitates reimbursements
• Performs other duties as directed by the President

F. Marketing & Communications Officer
• Creates an annual marketing plan
• Manages email, social media, website, and newsletters
• Coordinates the executive board / officer transitions
• Prepares organization’s calendar of events
• Serves as a liaison between MET Marketing to manage BU website
• Informs members of upcoming elections and candidates
• Keeps the organization informed of both organization and university business
• Maintain creative system of gathering and analyzing member feedback
• Serves as a liaison with BU Today and other educational newsletters and newspapers

G. International Affairs Officer
• Serves as a liaison for all international students
• Is intimately familiar with paperwork, processes, and timelines specific to international students
• Is intimately familiar with the job application process in the U.S.
• Serves as a liaison between the ISSO and international students in the program

Section 2. Officers can be either full-time or part-time students, but they must be matriculated graduate degree candidates for either the Master of City Planning or Master of Urban Affairs.

Section 3. Once elected, officers will hold their position until they graduate or voluntarily give up their seat on the SEB. Outgoing officers will remain in their office until a handover can be conducted with their successor, at which time their terms will expire. In the event that an officer must voluntarily give up their seat on the SEB for any reason ahead of schedule, the President will identify another officer as the interim to manage the outgoing officer’s duties until the next elections cycle.

Section 4. An officer may be removed for cause upon the vote of the majority of the members of the SEB. Some of the reasons to remove an SEB officer are: continuously missing or being late to official SEB meetings without a valid reason, disrespecting other SEB officers’ opinions, violating SEB agreements, and incessantly failing to comply with the duties, tasks, and responsibilities that being an SEB officer entails.

Section 5. Each member of the SEB will keep and maintain their respective Continuity Book, maintaining the relevant records, rosters, tips, and information to help orient their successor to the role.

Section 6. Several reports will be distributed to members throughout the academic year. All publications will be uploaded to the Association’s website.

A. Semester Letter – Farewells outgoing officers, introduces new officers, summarizes the Association’s business (including the Budget Statement), and discusses upcoming events; distributed at the beginning of each semester – September, January, June.

B. Semester Budget Statement – Provides details behind the Association’s budget and initiatives, and is based on information gathered from officers and committees.

C. Monthly Newsletters – Announces upcoming events, solicits feedback via polls/surveys, includes job/internship offers, and lists reminders for upcoming events.

D. Welcome Letter – Introduces and explains the Association to newly admitted students in the Master of City Planning, Master of Urban Affairs, and Bachelor of Science in Urban Affairs programs; distributed at the beginning of each semester – September, January, and June – as needed.

ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS

Section 1. Upcoming vacancies must be identified at the start of each semester to provide ample time for prospective candidates to decide if they want to apply for a seat and outgoing officers to update their Continuity Book. Following this, the leadership shall prepare an announcement to inform members of vacancies and their associated responsibilities, and then ask prospective candidates to identify themselves.

Section 2. Under the condition that no candidate wins, members of the SEB will make a decision based on an assessment of candidate qualifications. Also, in the event that no one is willing to apply for a vacancy, the SEB will ask for volunteers and/or modify the duties of current board members to account for the unfilled position.

ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS

Section 1. The Association will hold SEB meetings on the first Friday of each month. Informal meetings vis-a-vis, via email correspondence, or through virtual platforms will occur as needed. Each member of the SEB and the Faculty Adviser has authority to call meetings. The individual calling the meeting shall notify each member expected to attend the meeting via email at least four days prior to the meeting date. This way the member that is seeking the meeting can provide details about the purpose of the meeting. Otherwise, the Secretary shall email regular meeting notifications as reminders to each member.

Section 2. Quorum shall consist of at least 3 of the 6 voting members.

ARTICLE VII. ADVISERS

Section 1. At least one full-time or exempt Boston University faculty or staff must advise the Association. Therefore, the faculty coordinator for the City Planning and Urban Affairs programs will serve as the official adviser to the Association. In the event of a transition between faculty coordinators, the Chair of the Department of Applied Social Sciences at Metropolitan College will serve as the adviser to the Association.

Section 2. The faculty coordinator for the Association shall be responsible for the following:
• Advise the SEB as required in all Association affairs in which s/he may have experience or expertise, upon request of the board
• Provide suggestions pertaining to budgetary allocations, fund-raising and general Association activities, such as professional and social networking, alumni outreach, event planning, advertising and branding, and community and professional outreach and academic learning activities. However, such suggestions are not binding at any time
• Attend at least one meeting of the Association’s members per semester
• Help to arbitrate disputes in the Association if called upon by the SEB to do so
• Promote and encourage the growth and well being of the Association’s members at all times