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Constitution
Students In Free Enterprise
R.H. Smith School of Business
University of Maryland

ARTICLE I. NAME

"The Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Team at the University of Maryland." The name of the organization shall be the Students In Free Enterprise-Team at the University of Maryland henceforth referred to as the SIFE-UM.
ARTICLE II. VISION

Helping people achieve their dreams through business education.

 

ARTICLE III. MISSION AND PHILOSOPHIES

Section 1.-Mission

Following the principles of the national SIFE organization, the mission of the SIFE-UM team will be to provide the University of Maryland students opportunities to make a difference and to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise.

Section 2. - Philosophies

Following the principles of the national SIFE organization.

a. Community Service Philosophy
"Give me a fish, I eat for a day; teach me to fish and I eat for a life-time"

b. Teaching Philosophy:
"Tell me and I will forget, show me and I might remember, involve me and I will learn."

c. Leadership Philosophy:
People support what they help create.

 

ARTICLE IV. PURPOSE

Section 1.

The purpose of the organization is to provide students with opportunities for personal, academic and professional development. Students will face a wide range of real world challenges from recruiting new members, to developing innovative educational programs, to using the mass media to publicize the team's efforts. Through this intense hands-on learning process students will develop teamwork, leadership and communication skills far beyond the classroom knowledge and experience.

Section 2.

In order to provide our members the opportunity to grow in their teamwork, leadership and communication skills, we will focus and maintain the following principles.
" Hold regular general meetings to plan projects
" Have professional speakers available for workshops and information sessions
" Give members the opportunity to be involved through our community and social activities

 

ARTICLE V. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.

Active membership shall be limited to persons officially connected with the R.H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland, as faculty, staff or registered students of both College Park and Shady Grove campuses. In addition, the following requirements are necessary to constitute active membership:
1. Active participation in all activities and events sponsored by the SIFE-UM unless the activity interferes with either scholastic or financial constraints.
2. Attendance and active participation in regular meetings.
3. Online registration with the National SIFE Organization.
4. Participation in SIFE competitions (in at least one of the following: preparation, development or presentation).

SIFE-UM openly admits students to its membership and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, martial status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of the rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
ARTICLE VI. OFFICERS

The following positions will be fulfilled by equal representatives of the Shady Grove and College Park campuses.

1. President:
An announced (to start up the organization) /elected President will preside over all meetings of the Students In Free Enterprise Team. The President will maintain the power to appoint all Ad Hoc committee chairpersons, shall present all motions to the body, and shall be present at 90% of all activities of the Students In Free Enterprise Team. The President will also need to work closely with the Project Leaders and Coordinator of Student Life at the Shady Grove Center to coordinate events.

2. Vice President:
The Students In Free Enterprise Team shall also elect/announce a Vice President. The duties of the Vice President shall be to preside at all meetings and functions the President cannot attend and assist the Secretary with the coordination and implementation of the annual election and is also in charge of reserving rooms for all general body meetings and special events. In addition, the Vice President will be responsible in presiding over any executive officer's position if that officer cannot maintain or fulfill their duties.

3. Treasurer:
Club members shall also elect/announce a Treasurer who will handle all dues and accounts, actively maintain and update the executive committee of the funds that have been used and what is still available. The Treasurer should also work closely with all of the committees to make sure that they stay within their budgets. In order to maintain the budget, the Treasurer should provide each executive officer and each committee chair with a monthly expense sheet and collect and record it at the end of the month and reimburse any out of pocket expenses incurred for that month.

4. Secretary:
Club members shall also elect a Secretary who will handle rule observances at stated meetings, protocol, minutes, organization records and the annual elections. The Secretary is also in charge of taking attendance of all members who are present at all SIFE-UM functions. In addition, the Secretary will also make all meeting notes available to the Executive Committee and all members.

5. Project Committee Leaders:
The role of Committee Leaders are to oversee and provide leadership and guidance to their outreach projects and serve as the liaison between their committee and the executive board and the SIFE-UM general body. The Project Leaders will work closely with the President.

6. Past-President: (ex-officio)
The Past-President shall attend as many meetings as possible and provide counsel to the current president during his/her first term in office; which will always be the spring semester. In addition, the Past President is charged with planning and implementing (with the help of the Faculty/Staff advisor) a transition meeting or retreat during winter break or the first week of the spring semester for the out-going and newly elected officers. The Past-President does not have voting privileges.

7. Sam Walton Fellow
The role and duties of the Sam Walton Fellow shall include attending general meetings, providing counsel to the organizations and assisting in the planning and implementation of projects, activities and events organized by the SIFE -UM team. . The advisor does not have voting privileges. The Sam Walton Fellow must attend the Regional Competition accompanying the SIFE - UM team.

8. Executive Committee:
All of the above mentioned officers would constitute the SIFE-UM Executive Committee. All, of the members of the committee, with the exception of the Faculty/Staff advisor and the Past-President will serve as voting members of the executive committee and the SIFE-UM.

It is also optional for both groups of the SIFE-Team to have Chairs of marketing, internal relations, and external relations at the discretion of the president. These chairs may be appointed by the president or elected in the general elections.
ARTICLE VII. OPERATIONS

1. Voting Eligibility

Those members meeting all requirements of active membership as set forth in Article IV will be granted voting privileges.

2. Election Process

a. In order to run for an Officer position a student must be a member of the SIFE-UM for a minimum of one semester and is an undergraduate.
b. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of eligible voting members of the SIFE-UM. All elections will be held on an annual basis.
c. There will be an open nomination period one week prior to the Election meeting. Nominations can also occur at the beginning of the Election meeting. All written nominations prior to the election meeting will be coordinated and collected by the Vice President.
d. Election meeting:

i. The President will open the floor for additional nominations. The nomination process must be closed and the movement seconded. The nominated parties are allowed to vote.
ii. All nominated parties will be listed on the board or newsprint for the entire voting population to see.
iii. All nominated parties will be given a maximum of four minutes to address the SIFE-UM members.
iv. All voting shall be done by secret ballot to be collected and tabulated by the Secretary, Faculty/Staff Advisor and one voting member of the SIFE-UM that is not running for a position, appointed by the outgoing President.
v. The out-going President will announce results of the election at the end of the special election meeting.

3. Removal from Office:

Any officer of the SIFE-UM in violation of the Organization's purpose or constitution may be removed from office by the following process:

a. A written request by at least three members, officers or members, of the Organization.
b. Written notification to the officer of the request, asking the officer to be present at the next meeting and prepared to speak.
c. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the general body of the Organization is necessary to remove the officer.

4. Vacancy:

If the Vice President can not handle more than his or her own duties as Vice President or is already presiding over another executive position stated in Article V, then any vacancy in an officer position due to stepping down, removal, early graduation, etc. will be filled via open nominations and appointment by the Executive Committee.

5. Meetings:

a. All general body meetings will occur on a regular basis at a time selected by the SIFE-UM. There will be at least 1 general body meeting with all members from both campuses every month.
b. Meetings will follow the procedures set forth below:

i. Attendance
ii. Report by the President
iii. Committee Reports (Standing then Ad Hoc)
iv. Vote on all committee motions and decisions
v. Any other business put forward by the members of the club
vi. Dismissal by the President

6. Project Committees

The Project Committees are responsible for the planning and implementation of many of the daily working of the Organization. All Standing Committee Chairs are elected.

All committees are in charge of their own publicity and event coordination once approved by the Executive Committee; including but not limited to advertising, flyers, emails, room reservations, event set-up, event clean-up and follow-up thank-you letters to invited guests.

Active members are encouraged to serve on at least one committee. The Project Committees are as follows:

a. Ethics Committee-purpose is to develop educational outreach projects that teach others the importance of practicing business in an ethically and socially responsible manner.
b. Fiscal Fitness Committee-purpose is to develop educational outreach projects that teach others the personal financial management skills necessary to achieve financial independence.
c. Entrepreneurship Committee-purpose is to develop educational outreach projects that teach others how entrepreneurs succeed.
d. Free Market Economics Committee-purpose is to develop educational outreach projects that teach others the principles of how free markets work in the global economy.

Ad Hoc committee

Ad Hoc committee is the result of a new situation. The Ad Hoc committee chair is appointed by the President for a term determined by the President. Ad Hoc committees can become Standing Committees if in operation for more than one-year and by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general body. If approved then there will be an amendment to the constitution.

8. Quorum
Accurate membership and attendance records are imperative to accurately calculate a quorum, two thirds (2/3) of the membership. A quorum is needed to:

a. Remove an officer
b. Amend the constitution.
If a quorum cannot be achieved in two meetings then the third meeting quorum will consist of the two-thirds of the members present at that meeting.

9. Regional Competition

Every year the SIFE-UM team will participate in the regional competition organized by the national SIFE Organization representing the R.H. Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland. All SIFE-UM members are allowed to attend this event, but only ACTIVE members (as determined by the presidents and vice-presidents and/or the majority of the entire team) will be able to have expenses covered and will be able to perform as speakers.
The SIFE-UM team will prepare a multimedia and a 20-minute long presentation that will portray the activities, projects and events organized and developed by the SIFE-UM team.

10. National Competition

If the SIFE-UM team is selected to advance to the National Competition organized by the National SIFE Organization, the SIFE-UM team must attend this event in Kansas City. Funding and participation for the national competition will be performed at the discretion of presidents and Sam Walton Fellow.


ARTICLE VIII. PROJECTS

As the core of the team's mission, educational outreach projects shall be developed throughout the year.

Section 1.
Projects developed by the SIFE-UM team should do one of two aspects:
a. Directly educate a particular group, or
b. Create a new learning experience for a specific audience (including SIFE-UM members).

Section 2.

Following the project guidelines of the National SIFE Organization, the SIFE-UM team will develop projects that teach one of the following:
a. How free markets work in the global economy.
b. How entrepreneurs succeed by identifying a market need and then profitably producing an marketing a product or service to fill that need.
c. The personal entrepreneurial, communications, technological and financial management skills needed to successfully compete.
d. The importance of practicing business in an ethical and socially responsible manner that supports the principles of a market economy.
ARTICLE IX. FINANCES

Activities requiring funds will be financed through fundraising events as well as funds supplied by the College and University.

1. The Treasurer will be responsible for maintaining a detailed record of the organization's financial activities, as well as the annual and semester budgets for everyone to see.
2. The SIFE-UM will need to coordinate and plan all events in advance and set a budget per event. Any event that requires funding from the Finance Committee in SUSA will require a proposal.
3. Distribution of Asset upon dissolution. At such time as the Accounting and Business Association may be dissolved, its assets shall revert to a Smith School scholarship fund to be determined by the active members of the chapter and approved by the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the time of dissolution.

 
ARTICLE X. . AMENDMENTS

The constitution is binding to all members of the SIFE-UM. But the constitution is not binding unto itself.

1. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed in writing by any voting member of the SIFE-UM at any meeting at which 2/3 of the voting members is present.
2. These amendments will be placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the executive committee.
3. The proposed amendment will be added to the agenda for the next general member meeting.
4. Proposed amendments will become effective following approval of two-thirds-majority vote of active members at the next meeting. If approved by the membership, the advisor (faculty/staff), and the office of the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs of the Robert H. Smith School of Business must also approve the amendment.
ARTICLE XI-RATIFICATION

The below signatures and date represent the ratification of the SIFE-UM constitution. Any amendments approved by the general body and/or executive committee in accordance with the above amendment policies requires another ratification of the constitution by the executive committee.