Chicano and Latino Engineers Scientists Society
Visit our website:
http://caless.engineering.ucdavis.edu/
Goals
Provide academic and moral support for our members.
We achieve this through many social activities, arranging study groups, and providing exam files for different science and engineering courses. Having a couple of friends that are going through the same experience really helps.
Establish and Promote an industry network.
CALESS is the perfect means to establish connections with industry. This often leads to internships, co-ops, and permanent employment with high-tech corporations such as Hewlett-Packard, Dow Chemical and IBM.
Establish and promote a scholarship network.
Members of CALESS are given up-to-date information on many scholarships for engineering, science, and Chicano/Latino students. There are also scholarships given by the organization to members based on merit and financial need.
Establish outreach and enrichment programs for the community.
This encompasses tutoring, mentoring and recruitment of high school students for the benefit of advancing Chicano/Latinos to higher education.
Leadership and personal development.
Members can develop leadership skills by getting involved in one of the many committees under CALESS. Industry is looking for leaders that have strong communication and personal skills. CALESS helps you develop those skills.
Enhance member's transition into Corporate America.
CALESS can ease the transition into professional careers by attending SHPE & MAES regional and national conferences, workshops, and retreats.
Encourage members to pursue graduate study.
We keep close connections with the Minority Opportunities for Research in Engineering and Graduate Studies to explore opportunities for our members to attend graduate school.
Constitution
Name Article I - The name of the organization shall be the Chicano and Latino Engineers and Scientists Society (CALESS).
Affiliations Article II - CALESS shall be a student chapter of the society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) and registered student organization of the University Of California, Davis. CALESS shall abide by its own by-laws and by the regulations at UC Davis.
Purpose Article III - To give members cultural, academic and social support. Provide incentives to Chicano and Latino students who enter the field of Engineering and Science.
Objective Article IV - The objective of CALESS shall be to: a) Provide support to our members through social gatherings. b) Establish scholarship(s) for members who strive to further the objective. c) Help members obtain summer and permanent employment. d) Provide study sessions for our members. e) Tutor high school students for the benefit of advancing Chicano and Latinos to higher education. f) Recruit potential Chicano and Latino high school students into the fields of Engineering and Science. g) Interact with other school chapters so as to achieve unity and retention of Chicano and Latinos in Engineering and Science at Davis and other chapters.
Membership Article V - Members shall not be restricted on the basis of race, age, religion, sex, disability, or ethnicity. Membership shall consist of registered students, faculty and staff. CALESS shall have two forms of membership: 1) Regular membership 2) Associate membership Section 1: Regular members shall consist of UC Davis students enrolled in engineering or the natural sciences. Section 2: Associate members shall consist of UC Davis students who are not in the above stated disciplines, or are faculty and staff.
Powers of Officers and Non Officers Article VI - The affairs of CALESS shall be governed by the active members in the following way: Section 1: The authority of CALESS shall reside in the general membership. Each member shall have the privilege of casting one vote in the election of officers and in all business pertaining to the affairs of the organization. Section2: Between meetings of the general membership, the authority shall reside within those officers present at the officers’ meetings.
Order of Succession Article VII - In the absence of the Co- Presidents, the Order of Succession shall be enacted as described in the Officers Responsibilities.
Impeachment of Officers Article VIII - The impeachment of an officer shall proceed as follows: a) Process may be enacted to activities of an officer which are against CALESS’s purpose, objectives, and whose duties are not being completed. b) The process shall begin via petition of at least one-third of the members. c) The petition will be presented to the officers five days prior to a general meeting in order for the officers to present it at the next meeting. d) The active membership must make a decision within two weeks of notification with a two-thirds vote of those present. e) The impeached officer will be unable to run for office until the next academic year.
Termination of Membership Article IX - Active membership can be terminated in CALESS by expulsions provided in this constitution. Active membership can be withdrawn or refused by a majority vote of the general membership for the following reasons: Section 1: Participation in activities that are detrimental to the functioning goals of CALESS. Section 2: Any active member may withdraw their membership at any time voluntarily. Section 3: Membership shall be withdrawn when the student ceases to attend the University of California, Davis. Section 4: After active membership from CALESS has been withdrawn, outstanding debts owed to CALESS must be repaid within 30 days of the withdrawn date.
Vacancies Article X - A vacancy in any office shall be filled by appointment by the Co-Presidents and approve by a majority vote of the general members.
Officer Responsibilities Article XI - The duties of the Officers shall be the following: Co- President: 1) Main contact for CALESS 2) Run officers and general meetings 3) Oversee all activities Vice-President: 1) Keep track of company booklets and recruiting material 2) Update the club on job opportunities and scholarships 3) Keep a list of all appropriate scholarships 4) Run meetings when Co-Presidents are not present 5) Update members on MEP events 6) PAGESS coordinator 7) Presidents’ successor Secretary: 1) Take minutes at the officer’s and general meetings 2) In charge of writing and printing agendas 3) In charge of member database 4) Write short reports on CALESS activities for proposals 5) In charge of mailing (maps, invitations, etc) 6) Responsible for writing and sending out thank you letters to company representatives that sponsor our meetings. 7) Vice-President’s successor Treasurer: 1) Keep track of accounts 2) Give financial reports at every officer’s meeting and once a quarter at the general meetings 3) In charge of writing any needed proposals 4) In charge of ACE proposals (this includes mid-year and end of the year proposals) 5) In charge of forming a committee to raise funds for CALESS 6) Secretary’s Successor Historian: 1) Take pictures of all events 2) Update Alumni databases 3) Keep up relations with alumni 4) Write articles on CALESS’s history 5) Treasurer’s successor Public Relations: 1) Engineering Joint Council Liaison 2) Attend all joint meetings with other ethnic organizations 3) Update the officers an members events taking place within other organizations that pertain to CALESS 4) Historian’s Successor Outreach Coordinator: 1) Coordinate high school presentations 2) Organize tutoring sessions 3) PACESS coordinator 4) Public Relations’ successor Publicity: 1) Responsible for advertising general meetings 2) In charge of advertising CALESS events 3) In charge of posting posters, fliers, etc 4) In charge of forming a publicity committee 5) Outreach Coordinator’s successor Special Events Coordinator: 1) In charge of organizing and singing up any IM teams 2) In charge of organizing all of CALESS’s campus events 3) In charge of forming a special events committee 4) Publicity’s successor SHPE Liaison: 1) Attend local SHPE professional chapter meetings 2) Attend and take minutes at SHPE conferences 3) Update officers on SHPE events 4) Responsible for coordinating NTCC activities 5) Special Events Coordinator’s successor MAES Liaison: 1) Attend local MAES professional chapter meetings 2) Attend and take minutes at MAES conferences 3) Update officers on MAES events 4) Responsible for coordinating MAES Symposium activities 5) SHPE Liaison’s successor Banquet Chair: 1) Work closely with MEP and other participating parties for annual banquet 2) In charge of writing letters of invitations to affiliates of CALESS 3) Responsible for all arrangement for the banquet 4) Responsible for organizing a banquet committee 5) MAES Liaison’s successor Communications: 1) Office will be shared by two individuals 2) Provide technical support to members 3) Assist secretary with database 4) Maintain web page, email, and newsgroup 5) Banquet Chair’s successor
Committees Article XII - All committees standing and/or added shall be established by the officers. Approval for establishing and terminating the committees shall be made by a majority vote of officers.
Meetings Article XIII - The general and officer meetings shall be headed by the Co-Presidents. If the Co-Presidents are unable to attend, the Order of Succession shall be enacted.
Elections Article XIV - The term of an officer begins and ends on the last Monday of June. The elections of new officers shall begin in April with nominations from the general membership. All nominated officers are elected by a majority vote of the general membership.
Amendments Article XV - Proposed amendments must be announced during a general meeting. Amendments shall be ratified by a majority vote by all members present at the meeting at least two weeks after the proposed amendment.
