About VSA

VSA is a group of mainly Rice undergraduate students dedicated to the promotion and teaching of the Vietnamese culture. Throughout the year, we are involved in several community projects, such as the annual College Leadership Workshop (CLW) in the fall and the Cultural Showcase in the spring. In addition to several volunteer opportunities, we also plan to have informal gatherings, such as restaurant trips and study breaks to build friendship among students, faculty, and staff and to learn about Vietnamese history, language, music, and food.

VSA Constitution

Download the constitution here.

Purpose:
To provide social interaction among all students at Rice, to serve as a contact for an intercollegiate information network, to connect Rice students with the Vietnamese community, and to increase awareness of the Vietnamese presence on campus.

Requirements for Membership:
Membership is open to any currently enrolled Rice student who has contributed the specified amount of dues for the given year.

Election/Appointment of Officers:
The cabinet shall be elected through popular vote of the members in a general election. In order to run, a candidate must be a current member who has participated in at least three VSA events in the past academic year (meetings, outings, other events). If there is a tie after the first round of elections and there are more than two candidates, then there will be a run-off with only the two as candidates. If there is still a tie or there are only two candidates and they tie, then the officers will vote on the two. If there is an even number of officers and there is a tie among the officers, then the president(s) will have final say over the result.

Rights and Responsibilities of the Officers:
Officer Meetings will be held twice monthly, except under extenuating circumstances. All officers must attend every meeting, except under extenuating circumstances. Participation in organization activities and events are strongly encouraged. Each officer shall have one vote, with the President(s) acting as tie-breakers when necessary.

The Cabinet will include:

  • President(s):
    The President shall be responsible for conducting meetings and handling general administrative duties. Representing the face of the organization, the President(s) must act in a professional manner, always being mindful that decisions should be based primarily upon the interests of the organization. The President will delegate duties to officers and fill in as needed. Each President must be a former officer of the organization.

  • External Vice President:
    The External Vice President shall be responsible for co-conducting meetings with the assistance of the Internal Vice President in the absence of the President(s). The External Vice President shall also be responsible for organizing events and/or facilitating relationships with other VSA chapters and organizations in the Vietnamese community. An ancillary duty includes informing members of opportunities, internships, scholarships, and leadership conferences.

  • Internal Vice-President:
    The Internal Vice President shall be responsible for co-conducting meetings with the assistance of the External Vice President in the absence of the President(s). The Internal Vice President shall also be responsible for organizing events and facilitating relationships with other Rice University organizations. Specific duties may include coordinating Rice University's College Leadership Workshop, the VSA's participation in the Lunar New Year festival, and representing the VSA's voice in academics at Rice. Additionally, the IVP will plan outings, study breaks, and other social activities. An ancillary includes contacting and inviting alumni to events.

  • Treasurer:
    The Treasurer shall be responsible for monitoring the expenditures of the organization and the delegation of funds. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for working with the President(s) to draw the organization budget at the beginning of each semester. Specific duties of the Treasurer include managing club funds through the BANNER system, applying for grants (including the President's Programming Fund, Student Activities Fund, and Community Service Grant), collecting membership dues, keeping an updated list of paid members, and coordinating fundraisers for the organization.

  • Secretary:
    The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a current directory of people on the organization mailing list (adding/removing email addresses and sending messages). The Secretary shall also be responsible for taking attendance at organization events and writing officer-meeting minutes, which shall be stored with official records. The secretary will also be responsible for publicizing and marketing VSA events and opportunities by distributing flyers to colleges, e-mailing to college list-servs, and utilizing social networking media.

  • Webmaster:
    The Webmaster shall be responsible for maintaining the organization website and taking pictures at organization events. Specific duties include updating information of organization events in a timely manner, promptly posting officer-meeting minutes on the website, and publishing and compiling the organization's institutional history for the academic year.

Funds:
The allocation of funds requires the signatures of the Treasurer and either the President(s), Internal Vice President, or External Vice President.

Sponsor:
Selection of a sponsor is contingent upon consensus of the cabinet.

Amendments to the Constitution:
Amendments to the constitution must be approved by a majority of the officers.