Constitution of the “TELECOMMUNICATIONS STUDENTS AND ALUMNI NETWORK”
University Of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

Article I : NAME

The name of the organization will be the Telecommunications Students and Alumni Network, henceforth referred to as the TSAN.

Article II : PURPOSE

A. The purpose of the TSAN is to foster an environment leading to a high-quality educational experience of the telecommunications graduate students. The TSAN provides a mode of communication between students, between the students and the ENTS program, between students and alumni of the ENTS program, and the industry.

B. The TSAN shall make recommendations to the director and assistant director of the ENTS program and to other relevant parties for action on matters concerning graduate students.

C. The TSAN does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of the exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

Article III : MEMBERSHIP

Active membership of the TSAN will consist of all full and part-time telecommunications graduate students enrolled in the Master’s program in Telecommunications at the University of Maryland, College Park campus. Alumni of the University of Maryland’s ENTS program can participate as Associate Members of the TSAN.

Article IV : EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

A. The board of the TSAN will consist of all elected and appointed officers.

B. The elected officers of the board will be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Director of Student Affairs, and Director of Public Relations.

C. The appointed officer of the board will be the Director of Industry Affairs and Honorary Advisor to the Board.

D. Election of Officers:

i. The election of officers shall take place in a general election each April. All Active Members shall be eligible to vote in this election. These votes will be read and tabulated by the incumbent secretary. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the submitted ballots.
ii. Any graduate student of the ENTS program may run for office, unless the student occupies another position on the TSAN board, and can run for only one position on the board. An Active Member may volunteer his/her own nomination or be nominated by another member. Nominations must be submitted and seconded 24 hours prior to the scheduled TSAN election meeting. The elected officers will serve as representatives of the TSAN membership body.
iii. Associate Members do not retain voting privileges.

E. Appointment of Officers:
i. The Director of Industry Affairs shall be appointed by the elected members of the board, and is not required to be confirmed by the membership.
ii. The Honorary Advisor to the Board shall be an ENTS alumnus selected by the incumbent Board.

F. Duties of the Officers: The duties of the elected and appointed officers shall be as outlined in the TSAN bylaws.

G. Meetings of the Board:

i. Quorum at board meetings will be set at 3..
ii. Meetings can be closed as decided by the board.
iii. Absentee votes are permitted, so long as the absent board member provides written/e-mail authorization to the proxy, who must be a sitting board member.
iv. Any board member can call a board meeting.
v. In the event of a deadlock in voting, the issue will be tabled at the next general body meeting at which the issue may be voted on by the TSAN membership present.

H. Removal of Officers: If an officer is not performing his or her duties as indicated in the TSAN bylaws, then he/she may be removed from office by a simple majority vote of those present.

I. Replacement of Officers: If an officer cannot complete his or her term for any reason the vacant office will be filled by Presidential appointment with the advice and consent of the majority of the board voting.

J. In the event that the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason, it will be filled by the following order of succession, until the position is filled as decided by the majority of the TSAN membership, which shall be done no later than four (4) weeks after the position becomes vacant, unless voted for otherwise by a simple majority of the TSAN membership.
1. Vice-President
2. Secretary
3. Director, Student Affairs
4. Director, Public Relations

Article V : GENERAL MEETINGS

A. Calling of General Meetings: The TSAN shall meet as needed by suggestion of the members, subject to approval by the board.

B. Presiding Officer:
i. Meetings will be presided by the President.
ii. In the event that the President is unable to preside, the the presiding officer will be as specified by the line of succession in Article IV Section J.

C. Minutes:
i. Minutes of meetings will be made available on the TSAN website within 5 working days of the meeting, when a secure means of logging in is set up for members of the TSAN.
ii. Members requiring a copy of the minutes of any meeting may do so by requesting the Secretary of the TSAN.

Article VI : COMMITTEES AND STANDING GROUPS

The TSAN shall form such standing groups and ad hoc groups as it deems necessary. Each standing group shall generally consist of not less than two members. Associate Members may serve as group members. Each group/committee shall elect a chair.

Article VII : AMENDMENTS

A. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to the TSAN board.
B. Within 7 working days after an amendment is received by the TSAN board, a General Meeting of the TSAN will be called by the President.
C. A simple majority of those present and voting will be required to adopt the proposed amendment.

Bylaws of TSAN

Job Descriptions of the officers of the TSAN are as follows:

A. President:
I. Oversee the general functioning of the TSAN.
II. Serve as a TSAN representative on the GSG assembly.
III. Chair all board/general meetings.

B. Vice President:
I. Oversee the functioning of the various directors and their committees.
II. Submit overall reports in the areas of industry affairs, student affairs and public relations.
III. Ensure that individual departmental reports are submitted at board/general meetings.
IV. Serve as President pro tem, if, for any reason, the office becomes vacant, or when requested to serve in the President's absence.

C. Secretary:
I. Maintain minutes of all meetings.
II. Maintain all records relevant to the TSAN.
III. Be responsible for all meetings of the TSAN.
IV. Be responsible for sending out messages to students/alumni, in conjunction with the Director, Public Relations.
V. Be the keeper of the TSAN constitution and mediate/modify (with the board's approval) any issues with it.
VI. Maintain the TSAN website, in conjunction with the Director, Public Relations.

D. Director, Industry Affairs:
I. Submit regular reports at all meetings (board/general) unless instructed by the board otherwise.
II. Is responsible for all links to the Industries relevant to the students of the ENTS program.
III. Organize regular events to keep the students in touch with the industry.
IV. Work with the Director, Public Relations to publicize the ENTS program to the industry.
V. Form a committee to assist in fulfilling the duties laid out.
VI. Be in regular touch with the Vice-President, especially to discuss the reports to be tabled.

E. Director, Student Affairs:
I. Submit regular reports at all meetings (board/general) unless instructed by the board otherwise.
II. Meet regularly with the ENTS program office to sort out student concerns and issues.
III. Deal with the "tuition remission" issue.
IV. Form a committee to assist in fulfilling the duties laid out.
V. Be in regular touch with the Vice-President, especially to discuss the reports to be tabled.

F. Director, Public Relations:
I. Submit regular reports at all meetings (board/general) unless instructed by the board otherwise.
II. Publicize the events/news of the TSAN to all students and alumni.
III. Maintain the TSAN mailing lists and website.
IV. Work with the Director, Industry Affairs to publicize the program to the industry.
V. Form a committee to assist in fulfilling the duties laid out.
VI. Be in regular touch with the Vice-President, especially to discuss the reports to be tabled.

G. Honorary Advisor to the Board:
i. To act as a window to the industry and other alumni.
ii. To inform the Board of any industry developments those seem relevant to the Program.
iii. General advising.