The LAA Constitution and Bylaws are also available for you to download in PDF format.
A.1 Requirements
A.1.1 Any individual interested in LAA may become a general member, subject to the following conditions:
1. That s/he be registered as a student of Laurentian University;
2. That s/he pay the prescribed fee known as the “Laurentian Accounting Association Fee”, the amount of which shall be determined at a LAA general assembly, no later than February 28th of every calendar year;
3. That s/he be enrolled in an accounting course, and/or:
4. That s/he be pursuing accounting or finance as a career choice.
A.2 Rights and Responsibilities
A.2.1 Members of LAA are expected to:
1. Conduct themselves in a professional manner and to treat others in a professional manner;
2. Adhere to all university policies, local ordinances, provincial and federal laws while in attendance of all LAA functions.
A.3 Expulsion
A.3.1 Members may be expelled from LAA under the following conditions:
1. S/he has violated Laurentian University policies.
A.4 Remuneration
A.4.1 No executive or general member shall be remunerated for his or her services. Participation in LAA is strictly on a voluntary basis.
Bylaw B: Membership Dues
B.1 LAA Fee
B.1.1 The Laurentian Accounting Association fee for the 2009/2010 school year shall be set at the amount of $10.00.
B.2 Payment of LAA Fee
B.2.1 The fee, as prescribed in section B.1.1, will be due to LAA within 30 days of the submission of the LAA membership form to the Treasurer. The fee may be paid by either cash or a cheque made payable to “Laurentian Accounting Association”.
Bylaw C: Executive Committee
C.1 Responsibilities of each Executive
C.1.1 The President shall:
1. Preside over all assemblies of the executive committee as well as the general assemblies;
2. Schedule, and set the agenda for each assembly. S/he must provide the agenda to the secretary for distribution at least one (1) week prior to the assembly;
3. Appoint ad hoc committees as necessary, or by majority vote;
4. Have signing authority over LAA funds with the Treasurer;
5. Be the spokesperson and represent LAA in dealing with other student bodies or other organizations within the University;
6. Supervise and/or assist in the organization of all LAA events and functions;
a. Schedule guest speakers for LAA assemblies and events;
b. Prepare and sign a reminder letter for all guest speakers;
c. Prepare and sign a thank-you letter for all guest speakers.7. Train the incoming President for the following year;
8. Perform all other duties normally assumed by this position.
C.1.2 The Vice-President shall:
1. Act on behalf of the President in matters concerning LAA, should the President be unavailable;
2. Assume the position of President on a temporary basis should that position become vacant;
3. Supervise and serve on event committees comprised of the general membership:
a. Prepare and distribute committee sign-up sheets for each event, as necessary;
b. Assign a coordinator to each committee;
c. Maintain a list of members who participate in committee activities.4. Recommend general members who have shown an outstanding commitment to LAA throughout the year to the executive committee for a LAA award.
5. Train the incoming Vice-President for the following year;
6. Perform all other duties normally assumed by this position or delegated to by the President.
C.1.2 The Treasurer shall:
1. Collect and disburse all funds due to and from LAA;
2. Deposit such funds in the name of LAA in the bank account designated by the executive;
3. Reasonably ensure that the affairs of LAA are conducted in a fiscally responsible manner;
4. Report LAA’s financial position to the executive committee at each executive assembly or upon request;
5. Maintain a:
a. Receipt book and chequebook;
b. Membership list identifying all LAA members and their fees status, updated monthly;
c. Sponsorship listing, including all relevant details (contacts, amounts, etc.)6. Train the incoming Treasurer for the following year;
7. Perform all other duties normally assumed by this position or delegated to by the President.
C.1.3 The Secretary shall:
1. Record the minutes of all executive and general assemblies
a. Ensure the minutes are typewritten, properly dated, and distributed to the relevant members one (1) week prior to the next scheduled assembly, along with the agenda as set by the President.
2. Preserve the records of the association, including the constitution and bylaws, the membership list as prepared by the treasurer, and all past minutes and other documents arising from the affairs of the association;
3. Prepare and distribute:
a. LAA event memos to faculty for announcement in class;
b. Sign in sheets for members, business professionals, and faculty for all LAA events.4. Order office supplies on behalf of the association, as necessary;
5. Train the incoming Secretary for the following year;
6. Perform all other duties normally assumed by this position or delegated to by the President.
C.1.4 The Public Relations Officer shall:
1. Act as the student representative, reporting issues to the executive committee;
2. Act as a liaison between LAA and the business community in conjunction with the President;
3. Procure thank you gifts for guest speakers, as approved by the President and Treasurer;
4. Be responsible for:
a. Posting and distributing all LAA flyers and brochures;
b. Taking photographs at all LAA events.5. Train the incoming Public Relations Officer for the following year;
6. Perform all other duties normally assumed by this position or delegated to by the President.
D.1 Faculty Advisor Responsibilities
D.1.1 The faculty advisor shall be responsible for providing information, advice, and assistance to the executive committee.
Bylaw E: Elections
E.1 Electoral Dates Relevant to the 2010/2011 School Year
E.1.1 The nomination deadline for the executive positions, assuming power for the 2010/2011 school year, shall be February 4, 2010 at 4:00 p.m.
E.1.2 The election period for the executive positions assuming power for the 2010/2011 school year shall be from February 14 to 20, 2010. During this time, general members are entitled to cast one (1) vote by secret ballot.
E.2 Electoral Tie Procedure
E.2.1 In the event of a tie, the executives will each cast a secret ballot vote and the tie will be broken upon the counting of the votes.
Bylaw F: Parliamentary Authority
F.1 Parliamentary Authority
F.1.1 The executive assemblies shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order.
G: Assemblies
G.1 Executive Assembly Procedures
G.1.1 Attendance at the executive assemblies shall be limited to executive members and faculty advisors.
G.1.2 Formal notice of assemblies shall be given one (1) week prior to the scheduled date.
G.1.3 A general member may raise concerns to an executive at any time, and the executive must then bring the issue before the executive committee.
G.1.4 During the 2009/2010 school year, the executive committee will assemble at least once per month to discuss the operations of LAA.
G.2 General Assembly Procedures
G.2.1 Attendance at the general assemblies shall not be limited—any individual who is associated with LAA may attend.
Bylaw H: Records & Publishing
H.1 Availability of Financial Records
H.1.1 The financial records of LAA shall be made available to a sponsor at any time.
H.1.2 The financial records of LAA may be made available to a general member upon request made to any executive. The reason for the request should be clearly noted.
Bylaw I: Expenditures
I.1 Procedures for LAA Expenditures
I.1.1 The Treasurer has responsibility for collecting and disbursing funds related to LAA activities.
I.1.2 All expenditures of or in excess of $50.00 must be approved by the executive committee and a cheque signed by the President and Treasurer must be issued before procurement or payment.
I.1.3 Executives may procure items or make payments under $50.00 relating to their LAA duties using their own funds; however, it is understood that the executive must then submit an expense reimbursement request to the President and Treasurer for approval before reimbursement from LAA funds will occur.
I.1.4 In the event that the expense reimbursement request is denied because it is found to be unrelated to the executive’s duties and outside his or her actual authority, it is understood that the executive then assumes full responsibility for the denied expenses indicated on the reimbursement request.
Bylaw J: Amendments
J.1 Amendments to the Bylaws
J.1.1 The bylaws may be amended at any time, provided that the proposed revisions have been reviewed and agreed upon by each executive officer. The revised document must then be signed by the President and Secretary and adopted at an executive assembly before it will be considered official.
J.1.2 The most current revision must be made publicly available to LAA members at all times.
