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ARTICLE I NAME 

 

Section 1 The name of this organization shall be the Real Estate Society of San Diego State University.

 

 

ARTICE II PURPOSE

 

Section 1 The purpose of this Society is to thoroughly prepare our members for a rewarding career within the myriad of opportunities presented by the real estate industry by facilitating learning, scholarship, networking, experience-building, and internship opportunities and by connecting our members with our professional partners and sponsors.  

 

ARTICLE III AUTHORITY

 

Section 1 This organization is a recognized student organization at San Diego State University and adheres to all campus policies, including those set forth in the SDSU Student Organization Handbook.

 

Section 2 The Society may establish Standing Rules to govern administrative and procedural matters (such as time and location of meetings, etc.).  Standing Rules shall not conflict with these bylaws. Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, or temporarily suspended by a majority vote present at a Society meeting where a quorum is present (advance notice is not required).

 

ARTICLE IV OPEN MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT

 

Section 1 Participation and membership in the organization shall be open to those enrolled at San Diego State University.

 

Section 2 This organization shall have associated members who are non-CSU students or who do not meet the above criteria.  Associated members shall have all membership privileges except for the right to vote or hold office. By California State University policy, no more than 20 percent of the membership shall be individuals who are not CSU students (e.g., community members, students at other colleges, etc.) unless in cases where an educational need is met, the vice president for students affairs or designee may waive the membership provisions for student organizations.
 

Section 3 Eligibility for membership or appointed or elected student officer positions may not be limited on the basis of race or ethnicity (including color and ancestry), religion (or religious creed), nationality, citizenship, age, medical condition, genetic information, gender (or sex), gender identity (including transgender), gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran or military status, or disability. The organization shall have no rules or policies that discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity (including color and ancestry), religion (or religious creed), nationality, citizenship, age, medical condition, genetic information, gender (or sex), gender identity (including transgender), gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran or military status, or disability.

 

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ARTICLE V OFFICERS

 

Section 1 The officers and official bodies of the Society shall be the office of the President, the office of the Vice President, the office of the Finance Director (Treasurer), and the Cabinet of Executive Directors.  These officers may have the authority to vote at Executive Board meetings; such votes will be held to conduct the business of the Society; members do not have voting authority at the Executive Board meetings.

 

Section 2 Powers and Duties of Officers:

 

a. The President shall serve as the chief executive officer of the Society, shall preside at all Society meetings and shall prepare the agenda for meetings. The President shall be the official spokesperson of the Society, representing the policies, views, and opinions of the Society in its relations with the campus and community at large. The President shall appoint all committees and committee chairs and serve as an ex officio member of all committees.  The President shall have such further powers and duties as may be prescribed by the organization.  The President shall have no vote unless there is a tie, in which case the President will cast the deciding vote. 

 

b. The Vice President shall preside at Society meetings and events in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall assist with or perform all legal duties assigned by the President.  The Vice President shall assume the office of President if the office becomes vacant.  The Vice President shall have such further powers and duties as may be prescribed by the organization.  The Vice President shall have one vote and equal decision-making authority on all items decided by vote.

 

c. The Finance Director (Acting Treasurer) shall handle all financial affairs and budgeting of the Society, maintain all necessary accounting records, and prepare monthly financial reports for the membership. Said records shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The Finance Director shall collect and deposit all dues and fees. The Finance Director shall maintain bank accounts in the Society’s name, requiring signatures of both the Finance Director and President for authorized disbursements.  The Finance Director shall take minutes at all Society meetings, keep these on file, and submit copies to Society members when requested.  The Finance Director shall have one vote and equal decision-making authority on all items decided by vote.

 

1. The Cabinet of Executive Directors shall be assembled to execute the Society’s goals, objectives, and mission statement.  Each Executive Director shall specialize in one of the Society’s functions and shall have one vote and equal decision-making authority on all items decided by vote.  The Cabinet of Executive Directors shall include: 

 

1. The Professional Development Director shall be responsible for creating and implementing career-oriented programs to develop and enhance the professional skills of the Society’s members.  This position is available for one qualified individual. 

2. The Programs Director(s) shall be responsible for planning and executing the Society’s educational activities, lectures, and events to provide its members with interesting and beneficial learning experiences.  This position is available for two qualified individuals.   

3. The Membership Director(s) shall be responsible for recruiting new members, maintaining good relations with existing members, and creating a sociable and relationship-oriented environment for all of the Society’s members.  This position is available for two qualified individuals. 

4. The Marketing Director(s) shall be responsible for fostering the culture and identity of the Society and for creating and executing all of the Society’s marketing activities and media procurements.  This position is available for up to two qualified individuals.

5. The Content Manager will be responsible for videography and creating video content. He/She will be expected to attend every event to collect content and send to our Marketing Directors.

6. The Sponsorship Director(s) shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining good relations with all of the Society’s stakeholders including the local real estate industry, other academic real estate programs, and the greater San Diego community at large to obtain sponsorship funds for the Society.  This position is available for up to two qualified individuals.  

     

 

Section 3 Qualifications necessary to hold office in this Society are as follows:

California State University policies require that to be eligible for office, candidates must be in good standing and enrolled students at San Diego State University. Additionally, in the semester prior to the elections, candidates must have attended at least half of the Society’s events and have attended at least three Executive Board meetings.

California State University and San Diego State University policies require that the President and Treasurer must be matriculated at a CSU campus maintaining a minimum on campus term and cumulative 2.0 grade point average (GPA), are in good standing, and must not be on academic, disciplinary or administrative probation. The President and Treasurer must be enrolled in at least six units each semester while holding office. Graduate and credential officers must earn 3 semester units per term while holding office. Undergraduate students are allowed to earn a maximum of 150 semester units or 125 percent of the  units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. Graduate and credential students are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate or credential objective, whichever is greater. Students holding more than this number of units will no longer be eligible. 

 

No member may serve more than two (2) consecutive semesters in the same office.

 

ARTICLE VI SELECTION OF OFFICERS

 

Section 1 The officers, as prescribed in Article V, are elected annually.  Elections are held in the middle of the spring semester and shall take place at a special Society meeting at which a quorum is present. At least two weeks’ notice shall be provided for any meeting at which an election is to be held.

 

Section 2 Nominations for officers shall be made in the regular meeting prior to the election. Nominations may also be made from the floor immediately prior to the election for each office. Members may nominate themselves for an office.

 

Section 3 The officers shall be elected in this order: President, Vice President, Finance Director, Programs Director(s), Sponsorship Director(s), Professional Development Director, Marketing Director(s), Membership Director(s). 

 

Section 4 In order to be nominated for the positions of President and Vice President, an individual must have at least one year of previous Executive Board experience. All other positions shall be open to anyone who is interested.

 

Section 5 Officers shall be elected by majority vote.  The voting body at the elections shall include every member of the sitting Executive Board and any general members who wish to participate.  In order to vote a member must have fulfilled the criteria for membership set forth in Article IV, Section 1.  The Executive Board shall vote in the elections according to their voting authority as prescribed in Article V, Section 2  

 

Section 6 If no candidate receives a majority vote, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In the event of a tie, there shall be a revote. If the result of the revote is still a tie, the sitting President shall cast the deciding vote. 

 

Section 7 Votes shall be cast by secret ballot after thorough discussion of the candidates; however, when there is only one candidate for an office, a motion may be made to elect the candidate by acclamation.

 

Section 8 Officers shall assume office at the end of the spring semester in which they were elected and shall serve for the following fall semester and spring semester.

 

Section 9 Officers may be recalled from office for cause. To initiate a recall election, a petition signed by one-half of the Executive Board must be submitted at a regular meeting and a recall vote shall be taken at the next regular meeting. The officer subject to recall shall be given written notice of the recall at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at which the recall vote will be held and shall be given an opportunity to provide a defense. A two-thirds vote is required to remove an officer.

 

Section 10 If the position of President becomes vacant as the result of resignation, ineligibility or recall, the Vice President shall assume the office of President.  Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled by an election held at the next regular meeting where the vacancy was announced. Nominations may be made at the meeting where the vacancy is announced, and nominations may also be made from the floor at the time of the election. The President may appoint an interim officer to fill the vacancy until the election is held. 

 

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS

 

Section 1 The Society will hold regular meetings with its members which shall be scheduled biweekly during the academic year. 

 

Section 2 Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Board. All members must be given a minimum of 48 hours notice prior to the meeting time.

 

ARTICLE VIII ADVISOR(S)

 

Section 1 The organization shall appoint an individual employed as a faculty or staff member who is an employee of San Diego State University. The advisor shall fulfill the responsibilities specified in the SDSU Student Organizations Handbook. Advisors shall serve on an academic year basis or until their successor has been selected.

 

Section 2 The Society may also appoint a community advisor. This individual must either be an alumnus of the Society or a current professional in the real estate industry with in depth and prior knowledge of the Society and its operations. 

 

ARTICLE IX EXECUTIVE BOARD

 

Section 1 The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers, with voting rights as prescribed in Article V, Section 2, and the Society’s advisor(s), serving as non-voting member(s).

 

Section 2 The Executive Board shall meet weekly during the academic year. Special meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Executive Board. All members must be given 24 hours notice of the meeting.  A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Executive Board members.

 

Section 3 When necessary, Executive Board business can be conducted via email or via online meetings.

 

Section 4 The Executive Board shall have the authority to execute the affairs of the Society.  All decisions affecting the operations of the Society or its members shall be decided by a two-thirds vote.  In order for a vote to be brought before the Executive Board, a formal motion must be made at an Executive Board meeting or a meeting of the members by an elected officer or member; the motion must then be seconded by an elected officer or member.  If the motion is made at a meeting of the members, the vote shall be conducted at the next regularly scheduled Executive Board meeting.  If the motion was made or seconded by a member, that/those member(s) shall be allowed to be present at the vote but shall have no vote.  The President and the advisor(s) shall have no vote on such motions.  

 

Section 5 If a vote results in a tie, ten (10) minutes of extra discussion time shall be apportioned evenly by the President between the opposing interests. The President may also take two (2) minutes to communicate the position of the office of the President.  At the conclusion of the extra discussion time, another vote shall be held.  If the result of the second vote is a tie, the President shall have the authority to table the motion or cast the deciding vote.   

 

Section 6 Except when it is too late to do so (such as when a contract has been executed), any actions taken by the Executive Board may be rescinded by the membership.  To rescind an action of the Executive Board, the members must present to the Executive Board a petition signed by one-third of the members which will initiate a member vote on the issue.  Once the petition is received, the vote will be scheduled for the next regularly scheduled member meeting or in 72 hours, whichever provides more time.  If a majority of the members vote to rescind the action of the Executive Board, it shall be rescinded.     

 

ARTICLE X STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES

 

Section 1 The Society shall establish committees to plan for and carry out special projects or events of the Society.  Such committees and the responsibilities of those committees shall be established by and committee members shall be appointed by the Executive Board.   

 

Section 2 The committees, committee chair(s), and committee members may consist of elected officers, members, or a combination of the two. 

 

Section 3 The President shall have the authority to establish ad hoc committees as may be necessary from time to time to carry out the work of the Society.

 

Section 4 The President shall appoint the executive directors and members of all committees subject to ratification of by the Executive Board.

 

ARTICLE XI FINANCES

 

Section 1 Membership dues shall be forty dollars ($40) for one semester and sixty dollars ($60) for one year.  

 

Section 2 Dues shall be paid by the fourth week of the semester.  

 

Section 3 The Society has the ability to assess the membership for special purposes. Assessments shall be determined by a quorum of the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.

 

Section 4 Members who have not paid their dues or special assessments by the due date shall be considered as not being in good standing and shall lose all membership privileges until the dues are paid.

 

Section 5 Society funds shall not be used to purchase or reimburse members for alcoholic beverages.

 

ARTICE XII DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS

 

Section 1 When a member believes that another member has engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the Society, a written charge may be filed with the Executive Board or the Society Advisor(s). The Executive Board shall review the charges and may conduct a preliminary investigation if deemed appropriate. If the preliminary investigation concludes that misconduct appears to have occurred, the Executive Board shall conduct a hearing on the matter. The member alleged to have engaged in the misconduct shall be given at least 72 hours notice of the hearing and be given an opportunity to present a defense. By a majority vote, the Executive Board shall determine whether misconduct occurred. If it determines that misconduct did occur, the Executive Board shall prepare a report to the membership of its findings and recommended sanctions, which may include expulsion, suspension, or lesser sanction(s) including, but not limited to, a reprimand, removal from office, a fine or corrective remedies.

 

Section 2 The membership shall review the hearing report in executive session, and the member accused of misconduct shall have an opportunity to rebut the information in the report. After providing a statement to the membership, the member accused of misconduct shall leave the room for the remainder of the deliberations.

 

Section 3 The membership shall vote first on whether the member has engaged in misconduct.  If by a two-thirds vote, the membership determines that misconduct has occurred, the membership shall then by a two-thirds vote, determine appropriate sanction(s). The accused member shall be immediately notified of the outcome.

 

Section 4 By a two-thirds vote, the membership may reinstate a member who has been suspended or expelled.

 

ARTICLE XIII AMENDMENTS

 

Section 1 Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be presented to the Executive Board, in writing, one meeting prior to the meeting where the amendment will be voted upon. The Executive Board shall review and make recommendations on all bylaw revisions.
 

Section 2 Bylaw amendments require a two-thirds vote by the Executive Board to be implemented.  The amendment shall be effective immediately unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment.

 

Section 3 A copy of any amendments to these bylaws must be submitted to the Student Life & Leadership Office at San Diego State University within two weeks after adoption.

 

These bylaws were adopted on May 5, 2012 and most recently revised on July 14, 2022.