Foothill ACM Club
Ellen Wongso
Dear Foothill ACM members,
Recently, we have been facing internal issues in our club. I would like to address all of these problems here and explain to you the solution that we have come up with. Today, April 19th 2010, at 1pm, some of our officers met up in the Student Government office to discuss about the problems that we are having with our Dean of Student Affairs and Activities. Pat Highland guided us and suggested some solutions to our problems. This email is not intended to hurt anyone’s feeling but it is to clarify things so that we would not face this problem again in the future. But before that, I would like to thank everyone who has been supportive of this club and who has contributed so much to this club. I would especially like to thank Randal for setting up this club.
However, there are some issues that we have to settle. There are some rules that we have to follow, and which cannot be dismissed or ignored. These rules are as follows:
· A complete and organized committee is necessary.
o Foothill ACM Club has to have a complete club committee.
o Currently, Foothill ACM Club has a Chair, a Co-chair, a Treasurer and a Webmaster. A secretary and a marketer are needed. If anyone is interested, please contact me.
o It is the responsibility of all officers to know their duties. It is not valid to say that since officers share the workload, individual positions are not important. Officers have their own unique responsibilities. Officers are obligated to fulfill their responsibilities to the best of their abilities. In this way, Foothill ACM Club can be an organized and efficient club.
· ACM chapter membership should not be mandatory
o It should not be mandatory for members and officers to become an ACM chapter member. Although this club may not be chartered officially, it’s okay because we are officially a Foothill College club.
o Members are encouraged to become ACM chapter members though this is not mandatory.
· The status of a member of the Foothill ACM Club may not be changed except by a majority vote of the entire committee.
· No decision may be made alone but only through voting.
o All decisions have to be approved by all the members through voting. One person’s decision to do anything is not valid. We live in a democratic country and we have to do things democratically.
· There can be no informal or undisclosed meetings between members.
o It is unlawful to have a separate discussion thread online for the officers without the knowledge and approval of the advisor and members (Brown Act, California State Legislature 1953). Thus, the Foothill ACM officers Google group will be discontinued as of this day.
· Foothill ACM Club must abide by all rules and regulations as set by the Foothill College Board of Activities, including but limited to the submission of all necessary documents.
o As we are a Foothill College club and we are funded by Foothill College, we have to obey all the rules that they have in order to get funds from them. There is no reason for them to reject our requests for funds if we follow their rules and regulations.
o All the paper work should be submitted on time and the OBD person should be responsible for gathering all the paper work needed because he/she knows the best about all the needed paper work.
o NO HANDWRITTEN minutes are accepted. All minutes have to be typed in the proper format and properly revised before submission to the OBD.
o Every event should have its individual event petition. Events should not be combined into one event petition form before all the events are confirmed.
· Clubs must have regular, official meetings.
o Foothill ACM Club should have a regular meeting at least once every month to discuss about any problems or events. It is not efficient to hold meetings before events because these meetings are inevitably hurried and do not provide a conducive environment for productive discussions.
o No decisions can be made online. Motions can only be passed during official meetings that are documented by proper minutes.
o Official meeting is only when official advisor is presence.
· The presence of the official advisor is necessary at all events and meetings.
o An official advisor must be present during any official events or meetings held in Foothill Campus.
o We should ALWAYS check with advisor before deciding on any dates for meetings or events.
· A proper club meeting venue is required.
o The Student Lounge cannot be booked for regular meeting because it is a function room that is meant to be shared with the rest of the school. Thus, our official meeting room will henceforth be 4202.
Some of us have been following the rules and some have not. We are a Foothill College student club; we have to follow all the rules set by the Foothill College Student Activities Board in order to still exist in Foothill. Like how the saying goes, “When in Rome, Do what the Romans do.” I hope that I have not offended anyone. I want this club to continue existing and to be successful, ultimately benefiting the students of Foothill College. The rules are very straightforward and we have to follow them. If you choose not to follow the stated rules, then perhaps the Foothill ACM Club is not the best club for you.
We will have a meeting on next Tuesday, April 27th 2010, in room 4202 to discuss further about these problems. If you are unable to attend but you are interested in being a part of the discussions, please let me know and I’ll send you the minutes. All officers have to go to the meeting. It is MANDATORY. If you can’t make it, please let me know and we will arrange something.
Also, it is club day tomorrow from 12-1pm at Campus centre/ Dining hall. Please come by and check us out!
Thank you very much for your patience and attention. Hope to meet you soon.
Yours Sincerely,
Ellen Wongso
Foothill ACM Chair