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CONSTITUTION2018-2019

The following is here to exact the constitution governing the internal and external operations of the Ryerson Muslim Students’ Association and should therefore be the platform on which all

RMSA board members operate on.

________________________________________________________________________RMSA Board of 19 21/09/2018RMSA BOARD Page 1 of 19 26/04/201

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A – FUNDAMENTALS A.1 DEFINITION

A.2 GOALS

A.3 VISION

A.4 MISSION

A.5 MEMBERSHIP

SECTION B – STUDENT SERVICES B.1 TYPES OF SERVICES

B.2 EVENTS

B.3 RMSA OFFICE

SECTION C – MANAGEMENT TEAM C.1 ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

C.2 REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

C.3 RMSA MEETINGS

SECTION D – EXTERNAL RELATIONS D.1 DISCLAIMER

D.2 SOCIAL RELATIONS

D.3 EXTERNAL MUSLIM STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATIONS

SECTION E – ELECTIONS E.1 ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

E.2 ELECTIONS PROCEDURE

SECTION F – POLICIES F.1 THE BILL OF COMMERCE

F.2 CODE OF HONOUR

SECTION G – LEGAL AGREEMENTG.1 SIGN-OFF________________________________________________________________________RMSA Board of 19 21/09/2018RMSA BOARD Page 2 of 19 26/04/201

SECTION A – FUNDAMENTALS

A.1 DEFINITION

The RMSA (Ryerson Muslim Students’ Association) is a recognized student group which is an extension of the Ryerson Students’ Union Services. Its purpose is to serve as a representative body of Muslims on campus and to provide its members with all necessary services on the religious, academic, professional and social levels. The RMSA strives to be a leader in its various involvements on campus in spreading awareness, love and respect.

A.2 GOALS

The goals of the RMSA are:

1. To serve as the representative voice of Muslims at Ryerson University.

2. To accommodate the religious, professional, academic and social needs of its members.

3. To build a cohesive and unified community of Muslims on campus.

4. To provide opportunities for leadership and personal growth to its members.

5. To promote peace and respect between its members and the community.

6. To be a role model in community involvement at Ryerson University.

A.3 VISION

Service: An institution in which members can foster their spiritual, intellectual and social development.

Community: To maintain an accommodating environment that caters to the needs of Muslim students. To maintain consistent relationships within the Ryerson University community through mutual respect and to act as an organization which represents a unified Muslim body on campus.

Education: To serve the Ryerson community with religious, professional and academic needs.

Excellence: Perform MSA duties with the utmost Ihsan, which is to strive and reach the best standards of performance in any circumstances or situations.


A.4 MISSION

To create an inclusive environment that engages all Muslims to foster a friendly, welcoming community that supports each other in achieving their personal professional and spiritual goals.

A.5 MEMBERSHIP

RMSA membership will be open to all. However, all members must abide by the rules set by the RMSA Executive and its constitution. Rules are subject to change if necessary by the RMSA Executives.

SECTION B – STUDENT SERVICES ________________________________________________________________________RMSA Board of 19 21/09/2018RMSA BOARD Page 4 of 19 26/04/201

B.1 TYPES OF SERVICES This section offers the methodology of providing the RMSA services. These services fall into 3 categories:

1) Religious

2) Academic

3) Social

1) Religious services are (but not limited to):

a. Daily prayer space

b. Friday prayer space

c. Ramadan Iftar

d. Educational Lectures

2) Academic services are (but not limited to):

a. Website links to academic Ryerson services

b. Professional development, leadership lectures, and career workshops

c. Academic mentorship and guidance

3) Social services are (but not limited to):

a. Brothers/Sisters’ social get together

b. Sports & intramurals

c. Trips

d. Competitions

B.2 EVENTS


The RMSA will be host to a variety of events, which fall in 3 categories: 1) Recurring, 2) Innovative, 3) Reactive/Proactive.

1) Recurring Events are events that run on a yearly basis and ones that the general body could expect.

These Recurring Events include:

● Iftar

● Eid Prayers

● Orientation (Frosh Week)

● Welcome (Marhaba) Dinner

● Charity Week

● Black History Month

● Islamic Awareness Week

● Farewell Dinner

2) Innovative Events are events that invite creativity and are left to the dynamic nature of the environment surrounding us. These events could be in the form of lectures, workshops, booths, or trips.

3) Reactive/Proactive Events are events occurring for the purposes of addressing a prior event in our community.

B.3 RMSA OFFICE

● The RMSA must have at least 1 hour of service dedicated to its members in the designated RMSA Office location on a daily basis. The details are to be communicated on the RMSA page..

● The management of this office must be maintained and looked after by the Vice President of Operations and subsequently the rest of the team.

● Board members may use the office to store personal items as long as they pick it up before the end of the day. If they need to use it for more than a day, they need to take permission from either the Vice President of Operations or the President.

● Subcommittee members are allowed in the office with an executive or director present.


● The office is to be kept organized and clean at all times or consequences will be given.

● If a brother and sister are in the office, the door must remain open.

● The passcode for the office is only exclusive to the RMSA board members. If the code is leaked, it shall be changed and the person responsible shall be held accountable by the Vice President of Operations.


SECTION C – MANAGEMENT TEAM C.1 ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

The RMSA Team consists of two committees:1) Executive Committee2) Board of Directors

1.1) Executive Committee The role of this committee is to set direction and make strategic decisions in line with the constitution set forth and the annual plans drafted by all members in the executive council. By definition, this group must be small, focused, and decisive. The committee is composed of:

1. President2. Vice President of Brothers3. VIce President of Sisters4. Vice President of Operations5. Vice President of Finance6. Vice President of Marketing7. Vice President of External Affairs

President ● The general management of all the activities of the RMSA; ● Being the public face for the RMSA and acting as the representative of the

RMSA Executive; ● Presiding over meetings of the Executive Team; ● Administering the overall strategic development of the RMSA; ● Ensuring that its activities remain within the boundaries of Islam.

Vice President of Brothers ● Assisting the President in accomplishing the purpose of the RMSA; ● Overseeing and coordinating the work and activities of the RMSA; ● Fostering a spirit of Brotherhood within the General Body and actively

communicating with them;● Communicate issues facing the brotherhood at Ryerson with the Executive team;● Assisting in implementing RMSA policies.

Vice President of Sisters ● Assisting the President in accomplishing the purpose of the RMSA; ● Overseeing and coordinating the work and activities of the RMSA; ● Fostering a spirit of Sisterhood within the General Body and actively

communicate with them;● Communicate issues facing the brotherhood at Ryerson with the Executive team;● Assisting in implementing RMSA policies.


Vice President of Operations● Calling meetings of the Executive Committee; ● Preparing and circulating the minutes of all Executive and General Body

meetings; ● Preparing the agenda for the Executive Committee and General Body meetings

and notifying the members of it; ● Booking facilities for RMSA meetings and events; ● Maintaining the list of members of the RMSA; ● Performing general administrative duties of the RMSA Office.

Vice President of Finance● Maintaining the record of all the financial transactions of the RMSA; ● Systematic bookkeeping for the RMSA; ● Collecting and depositing of all funds on behalf of RMSA; ● Preparing the semester budget of the MSA for the upcoming year in consultation

with the Executive Team; ● Presenting before the Executive Committee bi-monthly reports on the status of

the financial affairs of the RMSA; ● Managing RMSA finances and fundraising initiatives; ● Approving and reimbursing properly documented expenses.

Vice President of External Affairs● Liaising with external speakers, organizations, student groups, media, and

University administration;● Maintaining relationship with past sponsors and alumni;● Approving all press releases and advertisements; ● Work with VP of Marketing or other members to respond and leverage external

inquiries.

Vice President Marketing● Develop key strategies to market RMSA as a student group ● Maintain publicity with members via social media ● Construct effective marketing techniques for successful outreach ● Micro-manage a team of individuals dedicated to marketing and related duties● Supervising web development.

1.2) Board of Directors The Board of Directors reports to the executive team.

Directors

Community/Charity Director ● Organize events and initiatives related to creating change in the community (e.g.

Charity Week)● Responsible for raising awareness on social justice and equity on a local and

global scale


● Develop volunteer opportunities for students to become directly involved in charitable causes

Orphan Sponsorship Program Lead● Lead the 30 for 30 Orphan Sponsorship Program (OSP)● Liaise with the RMSA as the point of contact for the Orphan Sponsorship

Program● Lead a team of hired executives to execute the program

Social Events Director (Brothers/Sisters) ● Plan and organize unique events throughout the year that cater to the various

needs of students ● Strive to create a welcoming and inclusive environment in the RMSA ● Ensure the smooth running and overall hospitality during events ● Communicate event content to the Marketing team

Student Life Director ● Develop and manage health and fitness groups within the RMSA ● Organize and oversee counselling sessions available to Muslim youth on campus ● Manage a unique mentorship program available for lower year students ● Ensure that overall day to day needs of Muslim students are being met on

campus through the RMSA ● Connect with academic services and course unions to gather academic

information to inform our populus

Professional Development Director ● Develop unique career related mentorship programs ● Organize workshops and professional panels for students to gain soft skills and

create valuable connections ● First point-of-contact for career-related inquiries

Religious Services Director● Responsible for organizing weekly Juma’ah prayers and khateebs ● Oversee the conditions of the multifaith prayer rooms ● Ensure that students are able to perform religious obligations with optimal ease ● Seek new opportunities to accommodate students with religious obligations

including, but not limited to, daily prayers

Islamic Education Director


● Organize both introductory and advanced level educational classes through internal and external groups/leaders

● Develop dawa’ah activities throughout campus (e.g. Islam Awareness Week) ● Organize weekly Halaqas, Qur’an classes, Tafseer sessions etc. ● Ensure that the Islamic academia needs of students are being met

Volunteer Coordinator ● Coordinate with other directors to provide volunteers to assist with events,

tabling, etc. ● Maintain communication with volunteers throughout the year on a regular basis● Overlook Street Team

MARKETING SUBCOMMITTEE

● Social Media Associate

● Graphic Designer

● Photographer

● Webmaster /Videographer

SUB-COMMITTEESEach Director is recommended to have a subcommittee that will help execute events and initiatives. This is imperative with not only creating successful events but letting more community members being a part of the team.

SENIOR ADVISORS

Senior Advisors will be selected by the outgoing executive committee and should consist of at least 2 advisors who are no longer returning to the board for the coming term.

● In case of a disagreement between the Executive; Senior Advisor retain the power to veto a presidential decision if 2/3 of the RMSA Executive reaches consensus.

● Senior Advisors must be available for consultation with the RMSA on a regular and consistent basis.

Executive-Director Assignment

Each executive will be responsible for overlooking a director. After the directors have been selected, the executives will decide amongst themselves which directors they will overlook and they shall pick them according to the following criteria in order:

● If the executive has held the director’s position before, they shall be given priority to overlook the upcoming director for that position.


● If the executive has worked with the director before then they shall be given priority to overlook that director.

● If an executive’s position strongly correlates with that of a director’s (which shall be determined by the President) then that executive shall be given priority to overlook the director.

● Executives may discuss amongst themselves to exchange the directors they are handling as long as it is before July 1st.

Each executive shall not overlook more than two directors at a time. The Executive's responsibilities towards the directors will be as follows:

● Meet on a regular basis determined by the pair. ● Executive responsible to relay back updates from the director to the executives

and to the director from the executives.● Executive responsible for clarifying the role of the director and clearing any

doubts or questions the director may have.● Executive responsible for providing the director with necessary aids/tools, for eg.

external contacts that may assist the director with their event.● Executive responsible to pass on all necessary documents and important

information to the directors from their predecessors.

1.3) The Muslim Chaplaincy at Ryerson

The RMSA gives the Muslim Chaplaincy at Ryerson the permission to be consulted on issues of equity that arise. The RMSA acknowledges that the Muslim Chaplaincy at Ryerson has the qualifications to approach the situation in a proactive, therapeutic manner, that will ensure just and impartial outcomes. The RMSA has the authority to facilitate discussion between the community and the Chaplaincy, should the need arise.

Any final decision made with regards to any equity issues that arise shall be a shared responsibility between the RMSA Executive team and the Muslim Chaplaincy at Ryerson.

C.2 REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

Board members other than the President may be removed from office for:

● Committing a serious violation of the Constitution; ● Failing to fulfill the duties of office; ● Failing to attend three meetings without being excused.

If any of the above conditions occur without being excused by the President and/or Vice President of Operations, he/she shall be asked to give an explanation for his/her behaviour to the President. If the President does not find the explanation to be satisfactory, the President shall recommend a vote of the RMSA Executive to dismiss the member. A vote to dismiss a member requires a 2/3 majority vote of the RMSA


Executives. In the event that the President is the one committing the violation, the Vice President of Operations shall be the recipient of excuse and the one who decides the course of action.

A President who misses three meetings without notice, or fulfills any of the reasons for removal from office, may be removed through a 2/3 majority vote of the RMSA Executive.

A member of the RMSA Board wishing to resign from office shall present the reasons for resignation in writing to their respective executive. If possible, they must give at least two weeks notice of their intentions. They must also attempt to fill the position prior to leaving the team.

If no candidate can be found to fill the vacant position or if the resignation or removal of office occurs, the RMSA Executive on a 2/3 majority vote shall appoint another member of the RMSA or community to fill the vacated role.

The general members shall be informed of any changes in office of the members of the RMSA Board.

C.3 RMSA MEETINGS

The decision on all matters presented to the executive team shall at first be attempted to be reached through consultation, with the aim of attaining consensus. If the issue at hand appears to be unresolvable via consensus, the President can end the discussion and seek permission to resort to a vote. At least two thirds of the committee must be in favour of terminating discussion and passing decision for it to be counted as a majority vote. If less than two-thirds of the board members are in favour of moving to a vote, attempt to attain consensus resumes. If at least two-thirds of the committee is in favour of moving to a vote, the issue at hand will be resolved via a simple majority vote and the decision will come to pass. If the vote results in a tie, attempt to attain consensus will resume.

RMSA Board members shall be deemed present if able to participate in discussions in the meeting.

RMSA will have a full board meeting once a month with weekly executive meetings being held. It is mandatory for all directors to attend monthly meetings.

The President may call emergency meetings in addition to the regular meetings, when considered necessary.


SECTION D – EXTERNAL RELATIONS

D.1 DISCLAIMER

Under no circumstances and/or cases, is this constitution to be a source of misuse, and misinterpretation. This constitution is to be used during the year of 2018-2019, and is to be applied in all occasions or discussions regarding any relations external to the RMSA Board.

D.2 SOCIAL RELATIONS

The RMSA will NOT be involved in any event which involves clubbing, drinking or social events trespassing the boundaries of Islam as agreed upon by the RMSA Executives. In general, the RMSA is geared towards joint events which can benefit its members, the Ryerson community, or has a humanitarian cause, which fall within the boundaries of Islam.

The RMSA welcomes joint events with culture based groups if seen beneficial to its members and fall within the boundaries of Islam.

D.3 EXTERNAL MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS

Relations with other MSAs are important to broaden the brotherhood and sisterhood across different universities. In addition, joint events provide many learning opportunities for all students and thus are highly encouraged.

D.4 EXTERNAL CONTACTS

In the case of collaborations with any external parties in any of the activities held by the RMSA, the contact information of the representatives of those external parties shall be given to the Vice President of External Relations in order for him/her to create a list of contacts to facilitate future collaborations.


SECTION E – RECRUITMENT E.1 RECRUITMENT COMMITTEE

Recruitment of new Executives shall be conducted by a Recruitment Committee appointed by the Executive Team (minus individuals who are running themselves).

The Recruitment Committee must be chosen at least 2 (two) weeks prior to the date of the application release. An odd number of individuals must be selected; minimum of 3 people and maximum of 7.

The Committee may not include any members wishing to be nominated themselves to run for the election.

The Committee will be made up of current RMSA Executive members who no longer are returning to the team for the coming term and individuals whom have never been on the board. The RMSA Board will request the assistance of the Advisory Committee to assist in the recruitment process, given that the RMSA Board members in the Elections Committee must outnumber those from the Advisory Committee.

A minimum of 1 Advisor, 1 non-returning MSA member whom has experience with student groups and/or running an election shall be on the Election Committee.

A candidate may apply for only one position on the Executive Team. A candidate applying for President must have been a member of the Board at least once during the previous academic years, unless there is no other candidate who is applying for that position, then it is open to the entire community.

The Recruitment Committee may censure publicly or disqualify any candidate who violates the Constitution or the rules of the recrutiment process.

The newly elected executives shall assume the charge of the RMSA on May 1st following the election and end their term on the following April 30th.

E.2 RECRUITMENT PROCESS


1. March 1st will be the official start of the recruitment process.

2. The closest Friday before/after March 1st – the MSA will announce the start of the recruitment process and send out an email to the general body with the application forms attached.

3. The deadline for all applications will be on the following Friday at midnight.

4. The recruitment committee will review the applications individually.

5. The committee will set interview dates for the finalized list of candidates. a. The interview will entail a series of questions that reveal the qualifications

of the candidate, discusses their vision for the RMSA, and ensures that they are aware of the responsibilities of the applied role.

b. The interview will be conducted by the full recruitment committee. c. Candidates who fail to show up to their interview without notice will be

immediately disqualified.

6. The committee will hold a discussion meeting to create a list of final candidates with assigned positions.

7. The chosen list of candidates will be sent an email offering them their assigned positions. They must confirm acceptance of the position via email within 24 hours.

8. The finalized Executive team will be announced to the General Body during the final week of March.

SECTION F – POLICIES


F.1 THE BILL OF COMMERCE

● The Vice President of Finance has the responsibility to carry out their position in the most ethical and financially sound strategy possible. Specifically stating that s/he is directly responsible for the fluctuations of MSA money and the maintenance of its stability throughout the year, entailing that any drastic changes in the balance or financial matters in the MSA must be reported to the board immediately. The person taking on this commitment is solemnly swearing that they will put forth the best ethical judgment and most intelligent decisions towards handling the MSA finance account.

● The Muslim Students’ Association is proud to stand behind the legacy of the prophet (PBUH) and the word of Allah, this backbone has taught us to obey the law whether it is religious, civil, and/or societal. Because of this, the MSA has formally banned the possession of MSA money to be held by one individual in personal possession. This section follows the strict guidelines enforced by RSU and must be adhered to.

● Any Board member wishing to hold an event (carrying a budget) will present a budget sheet to the Vice President of Finance. This budget is a written contract between the ‘presenting’ party and the director of finance. The absolute adherence to this contract is expected as Allah (SWT) stated in chapter 5 “Surat al-Maidah”, verse number 1. Maintaining the contractual balance is very important, which is why the MSA will only cover 30% of the overdraft amount in any given event for every budget. The remaining 70% in overdraft must be covered by committee members, regardless of the amount.

● The financial books must be ready of an ad-hoc basis throughout the year. ● Any financial requests have to be passed through to the director of finance

before being presented to the board for a vote. This requirement benefits the MSA due to the knowledge and ability to assess financial situations by the director of finance, which must be used to gain a more conductive budget that can be passed immediately based on the monetary strength of the MSA.

● RMSA finances are prohibited from being spent in order to cover luxuries for the RMSA board. Such luxuries include (but are not limited to): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, Drinks, and Personal Items. A violation of this rule will act as an immediate resignation (and suspension) of the acting director of finance for the duration of 1 year – effective immediately.

● Upon the transfer of positions from one finance executive to the next, at least one witnesses from the former board, one witness from the incoming board, and one member of the Advisory committee must be present to witness the exchange of duties and documents. Anything less will be an insufficient means of exchange, and will be subject to invalidity.

F.2 CODE OF HONOUR


The MSA will continually operate on the proper Islamic Etiquette and RSU policies dealing with our interactions with one-another. Main Islamic Codes to be observed by all members:

1) Unity (Reconciliation) Refer to chapter 49 verse 10 in the Noble Qur’an

2) Teamwork Refer to chapter 5 verse 2 in the Noble Qur’an

3, 4) Trust / Justice Refer to chapter 4 verse 58 in the Noble Qur’an

5, 6) Hard Work / Accountability Refer to chapter 9 verse 105 in the Noble Qur’an

7) Integrity Refer to chapter 61 verse 3 in the Noble Qur’an

8, 9) Order / Obedience to Authority Refer to chapter 4 verse 59 in the Noble Qur’an

10, 11) Synergy / Tolerance (Patience) Refer to chapter 8 verse 46 in the Noble Qur’an

12) Respect Refer to chapter 49 verse 11 in the Noble Qur’an

13) Manners Refer to chapter 49 verse 12 in the Noble Qur’an

14) Humbleness Refer to chapter 17 verse 37 in the Noble Qur’an

15, 16, 17) Compassion / Consultation / Trust in Allah The Almighty (Faith) Refer to chapter 3 verse 159 in the Noble Qur’an

SECTION G – LEGAL AGREEMENT G.1 SIGN-OFF


We (the undersigned) hereby agree to the rules, policies and procedures set out in this constitution and sign in full and comprehensive agreement to its laws and guidelines.

_____________________ __________________ ________________President Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of Brothers Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of Sisters Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of Operations Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of Finance Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of External Relations Signature Date

_____________________ __________________ ________________VP of Marketing Signature Date


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