revision vii

8/3/2019 Revision VII

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Article I: Name & Logo Section 1.Name

This organization recognized before this Constitution shall be known as the Ateneo Student Catholic Action, abbreviated asAtSCA.

Section 2. LogoThe fundamental structure of the logo of AtSCA is a cross that is centered on flames with a vertical shift in the colorationfrom yellow (top) to orange (bottom). This symbolizes the passion that the men and women of this organization possessstemming for our Christ-centeredness.

The design may vary but must retain its fundamental structure.

Article II: Vision & Mission

Section 1.Vision

The Ateneo Student Catholic Action is a student organization that hopes to direct the growth of its members towardsservice for others based on their Christian faith and ideals, on their Filipino spirit, and on the pursuit of truth through liberaleducation.

Section 2.MissionTo form responsive and Christ-centered individuals possessing leadership qualities whose actions are grounded on a holisticdevelopment in terms of spiritual formation, and integration with the poor.

Article III: Pillars of Formation

The goals of the Ateneo Student Catholic Action (AtSCA) may be realized by the following programs:

Section 1. Ignatian Spirituality

The Spiritual Formation of AtSCA is the key ingredient that grounds AtSCAns in all its activities and endeavors. It intendsto come up with suitable activities for the formation of members in their personal knowledge and love for Jesus Christtoward faithful discipleship. It also seeks to enhance the members experience of God through meaningful and personalencounters. Additionally, it aims to put prayer as the backbone of every activity and give fire and vigor to these activities.

AtSCA has believed deeply in the grace and has always had faith in the sustenance that comes with faith. In AtSCA, thespirituality that is taught is practiced as well. Thus, the prayer points and discussions find its application in the community

work and social awareness aspects of the organization.

Section 2. Social AwarenessThe social awareness pillar of formation entails widening and deepening the members' awareness of social realities in thecountry and providing impetus and inspiration for social involvement. This aspect of formation has a firm rootedness inprayer, apostolate work, and Filipino and Christian values that serve to be the basis and foundation of discerned action. Thisis because a Christian's faith and life of worship is expressed by sharing oneself to others, especially to the marginalized

poor. This also involves establishing social action and love of country as integral parts of being a good Filipino Christian,ultimately making them Lux in Domino who will share this faith that does justice.


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Section 3.Community ApostolateAtSCA originated from the early discussions of Liberation Theology, which remains to be the very core of the apostolate ofAtSCA - a search to understand the situation of poverty and injustice in our country in solidarity with the poor through thelight of our Christian faith. AtSCA members regularly visit urban poor communities as their apostolate that seeks to create aformative impact on the members of the organization.

The apostolate formation is two-fold: the structured and the unstructured. The structured work of the organization containsprojects and activities that would seek to provide more concrete responses to the needs of the community. Theunstructured work is the "babad". This is the time when they meet and get to know the people in the community on a morepersonal basis. These two are pursued with the following objectives: (1) to have a deeper understanding of the situation ofthe marginalized in the community; (2) for each AtSCAn to be enlightened of the significance of being and relating with themarginalized; and (3) to identify and concretize what response AtSCA will undertake given the understanding of thecommunity. Combined with prayer and a deep sense of social awareness, the apostolate formation achieves a balanced andtotal formation of the members.

INTEGRATIONSection 4. Education Program

The education program seeks to synthesize an AtSCAns varying experiences in the organizations three pillars of formation.It seeks to provide a framework where a members experiences in prayer, apostolate work, and social awareness activitiescan fall into place. The program is composed of the education flow, education sessions, exposure trips, and other venues in

which the integration of the three pillars is being upheld.

Article IV: Structure

Section 1. The Executive Board (EB) of the AtSCA includes the following officers: the President, the MembershipCoordinator, the Community Apostolate Coordinator, the Education Officer, the Social Awareness Officer, the Secretary-

General, the Communications Officer, the Finance Officer, the Spirituality Officer, and the Cell Leaders. Collectively, theyact as the coordinating body with the task of overseeing all organizational activities. They are advised and given spiritualguidance by both the Spiritual and Business moderators.

The EB is divided into two: the Coordinating Officers and the Cell Officers. The Coordinating Officers consist of thePresident and the Coordinators and act as guides to the Cell Officers and helps coordinate all AtSCA-wide activities. TheCell Officers consist of the Cell Leaders, and the Committee Heads that act also as the Assistant Cell Leader to theircorresponding cell. Their role is to be the direct formators of the members and is responsible for both cell-wide and otherorganization-wide activities.

The President, together with the graduating officers of the Executive Board, decide the maximum number of incomingofficers right after the filing of candidacy of the members.Note: For times when there are four communities, the most ideal number of the Executive Board is thirteen: four CellLeaders, four Committee Heads, and five Coordinating Officers.

In the event that there are less than the maximum number of candidates that have reached the quorum vote, some positionsmay merge and one position among the Coordinating Officers may transfer to the Cell Officers with the exception of thePresident, Community Apostolate Coordinator and Membership Coordinator.

The EB reserves the right to create positions it deems fit, following the provisions stated in the Code of Internal Procedures(CIP).


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Section 2. The President and the other graduating officers will propose alternative structures to be deliberated upon anddecided by majority vote of the incoming executive board. The structure will follow the format presented below:

Section 3. With the exception of the Coordinating Officers, AtSCA members are divided into cells, which are groupsnamed after the respective community apostolate to which they are assigned. Each cell has regular prayer sessions,community work, and other cell activities. Each cell has a minimum of eight (8) members and is recommended to have atmost twenty (20) members. However, in the event of a planned expansion, the number of members is left to the discretionof the executive board. A cell leader and an assistant cell leader, under the guidance of a cell adviser, head every cell.

Section4. AtSCAns are also divided into committees headed by committee heads and deputies. Each committee must havethe minimum of eight members. The committee head also functions as the assistant cell leader of his/her respective cell.

With the exception of the President, the Coordinating Officers also function as committee heads without the role of beingan assistant cell leader.

Article V: Membership

Section 1.Recruitment(a) The recruitment of new members aims to ensure the continuity of AtSCA. It is hoped that the most qualified

applicants are chosen to carry on the AtSCA ministry.(b) The procedure for recruitment involves filling out an application form, an interview by two EB members (or in

case when EB members are unavailable, by one EB and one inducted member) where they explain the ThreePillars of Formation, the different committees and committee projects, and the submission of an essay. The EBthen convenes to deliberate on the choice of new members from the current batch of applicants and drafts theminto particular cells.

(c) The application form should include, but is not limited, to the following:a.

Nameb. Nickname

c. Signatured. Year and Coursee. ID Numberf. Genderg. Address (Provincial and Metro Manila)h. Contact details (email address and contact number)i. Birthdayj. Previous Schoolk. Skills and talentsl. Other co-curricular and extra-curricular activities (high school and college)

(d) The Interview may vary depending on the needs and discretion of the current EB, but should include thefollowing:

a. Reason for joining AtSCAb. Views and experience regarding the Three Pillars of Formationc. Organization and Community

President Spiritual ModeratorBusiness Moderator

Coordinators

Cell Leaders Committee Heads &Asst. Cell Leaders

Cell Advisers

Members


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d. Personal Concernse. Parents/Family: Will you be allowed to join AtSCA?f. Interviewer may also ask other questions he/she thinks will be necessary.

(e) The application essay, which answers a question to be decided on by the EB of that year, serves as the finalaffirmation of the applicant's willingness to pursue his/her application. It also provides an additional basis by

which the qualifications of the candidate can be evaluated.(f) The selection of new members is based on the following criteria:

a. He/she should have leadership qualities and ideals of service.b. It is desirable that he/she has a certain amount of exposure. His/her outlook on his/her experiences

should be the same as that of AtSCA or at least open to development.c. He/she should be willing to help AtSCA with its activities.d. Other elements in the criteria may be changed as the EB sees fit.e. Recruitment is usually done at the start of the school year.

(g) The Executive Board will then deliberate upon members. The process is grounded on prayer and discernment, andthat the choice of new members is the balance between efficient and effective running of the organization,however, constrained or limited, and the generous accommodation of Ateneans who will most need the kind offormation enabled by the organization.

Section 2. Upon acceptance into the organization, a member has the following responsibilities:(a) To fulfill the requirements of the three pillars of formation and the education program.(b) To attend and participate in cell meetings, cell activities, community building activities and other general activities.(c) To actively promote to the larger community the AtSCA advocacy.(d) To be aware of and abide by the rules of the Constitution.(e) To have an Individual Consultation (IC) with an inducted member once per semester.

All these responsibilities are meant towards discerning the possibility of induction.

Section 3. Regular Member Status. Once an applicant is accepted into the organization, he/she is granted regular memberstatus. Within the duration of six months of regular membership, he/she is expected to discern for induction. A membersregular status may be deliberated on if (a) after a year, he/she fails to fulfill his/her responsibilities to the organization, or (b)after two years, he/she is still not inducted.

Section 3.Leave of Absence (LOA). A leave of absence is taken only for extreme cases (e.g. serious illness, difficulty withacademics, Junior Term Abroad). If for some reason, a member decides to take a leave of absence, he/she is required tosubmit a formal appeal to the EB through his/her respective cell leader. The EB then discusses and recommends the

validity of the LOA request. When an EB member is granted a leave of absence, he/she should recommend a qualifiedmember to fill in for the vacated position until such time when the EB member is ready to carry on with his/herobligations. A leave of absence may not exceed a total of two (2) semesters, after which he/she will be subject todeliberation.

Section 4. Probationary Status. The probationary status is given to a non-inducted member when he/she does not fulfillhis/her duties as a member. This status is given for border-line dismissal cases. When a member is placed under probation,he/she will be informed that he/she is required to participate in the different organizational activities such as PrayerSessions, Community Tutorials and different Social Awareness activities and that he/she will be evaluated using a criteriabased on his/her participation during the succeeding formation seminar. The probationary status will only be lifted whenthe EB finds an improvement in the members performance from the previous formation seminar. In the event that themember is found to be delinquent in fulfilling his/her responsibilities as a regular member, he/she is given a probationarystatus. Otherwise, the regular membership is maintained.

Section 5. Induction. The induction status is granted to members who have fulfilled qualifications stipulated at Article VII,Section 2.

Section 6.Dismissal.

(a) Deliberation for non-inducted members is done on a yearly basis. If a cell leader recommends the dismissal of oneof his/her members, the EB deliberates on the case. The regular status lasts for two years after the member'sadmission. If for some reason, a member is still not inducted after that period, the EB automatically conducts adeliberation on the case based on:


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a. Failure to fulfill duties and responsibilitiesb. Consultation with the cell leadersc. Consultation with the adviser/sd. Recommendation of the cell leader and assistant cell leader

Article VI: Rights of Members

Section 1. A member has the following rights:(a) To express his/her opinion and direct his/her suggestions to the executive board during the regular executive

board meetings(b) To free speech(c) To request for subsidies for activities, the approval of which is subject to budget constraints.(d) To know the proceedings/minutes of the EB meetings and any cell meeting except those considered as internal

deliberations (i.e. member, officer deliberations) where the right to know the results of the deliberations excludingthe discussion is reserved

(e) To be accommodated for individual consultations by inducted membersSection 2. An inducted member has the following additional rights:

(a) To vote during the Executive Board elections(b) To vote on Constitutional Amendments(c) To run for office(d) To give individual consultations to the organizations members

Section 3. A member of the executive board has the following additional rights:(a) To conduct and participate in internal deliberations, except in cases where the Executive Board member is in a

state that is deemed harmful to him/her and the other Executive Board members.(b) To vote in internal deliberations(c) To secrecy regarding proceedings of the internal deliberations

Article VII: Induction

Section 1. The induction is a ceremonial and official actualization of membership within a Eucharistic celebration thatformally signifies commitment to and through God made in the presence and with the support of the AtSCA community. Itis an affirmation of a prior orientation to the ideals of authentic Filipino Christianity: love of God and neighbor through adeep and meaningful prayer life, service for others, and a responsive pursuit of truth in societal realities. It is also a promiseto a future orientation: a commitment to come to an even closer relationship with God, to continue responsively discerningHis will and to pursue always a greater service for others.

Section 2. For a member to become an inducted member of AtSCA, he/she must be a member for at least six (6) months,

during which he/she is expected to fulfill his/her responsibilities to the organization, and in addition:(a) Highly encouraged to attend the Induction Discernment Talk;(b) Have ICs and encourage having consultations with the Executive Board and cell advisers;(c) Consultation with committee heads

Section 3.A deliberation process, which is grounded prayer and discernment, will be done so by the EB to the candidatesbased on:

(a) Individual consultation with the candidate(b) Consultation with the cell adviser/s(c) Recommendation of the cell leader(d) Recommendation of the assistant cell leader(e) Consultation with Committee Officer

Section 3. An inducted member has the following responsibilities:(a) To vote during the Executive Board elections(b) To vote on Constitutional Amendments(c) To participate in any major deliberations where inducted members are called to participate


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(d) To assist the EB in facilitating the formation of members.Section 4. In the event that the inducted member fails to fulfill certain responsibilities, he/she will be relieved temporarilyof his/her privileges (Article Section 3), after being deliberated upon by the Executive Board during the Midyear or Year-end Membership Deliberations.

Article VIII: Executive Board

Section 1. A member of the executive board has the following qualities:(a) Foster a spirit of prayer(b) Fosters a spirit of true discernment(c) Exercises servant-leadership

Additionally, a member of the EB has the following technical responsibilities:(d) To conduct and participate in internal deliberations, except in cases where the Executive Board member is in astate that is deemed harmful to him/her and the other Executive Board members (e.g. serious health concerns,natural disasters, fortuitous events, etc.)

(e) To vote in internal deliberations(f) To maintain secrecy regarding proceedings of the internal deliberations(g) To appoint members of committees

The specific functions of the officers are as follows:

Section 2. The President.(a) Acts as overall coordinator of all AtSCA activities(b) Officially represents the organization (or may delegate responsibility of representing the organization to a current

organization member)(c) Presides over Executive Board meetings(d) Attends the activities and meetings of the different cells by rotation

Section 3. The Membership Coordinator.(a) Oversees all membership matters

a. Serves as the point person for the recruitment procedureb. Monitors and evaluates, together with the cell leaders, the formation of each memberc. Heads the formal induction procedure of the organization

(b) Heads the membership committee(c) Attends the activities and meetings of the different cells by rotation

Section 3.The Community Apostolate Coordinator.(a) Coordinates the apostolate work of the different communities with which the organization is involved(b) Serves as the intermediary between the organizations community and other external organizations (i.e., Parish,

Non-Government Organizations, etc.)(c) Compiles, updates, and archives the community apostolate files(d) Heads the community apostolate committee(e) Attends the activities and meetings of the different cells by rotation

Section 4. The Education Officer.(a) Designs the education program in coordination with the moderators of the organization.

a. Constructs the official education flow, which will serve as a prayer companion for the weekly prayersessions

b. Provides supplementary articles when deemed necessaryc. Heads the education committee by coordinating the different talks and colloquia pertaining to the

education program with the committee members

(b) Attends the activities and meeting of his/her respective cellSection 5. The Social Awareness Officer

(a) Creates opportunities for members to reflect on and deepen their knowledge on social realities


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(b) Primary spokesperson of the organization for social advocacies.(c) Takes charge in the dissemination of information pertaining to current events.(d) Act as the intermediary of the organization to the Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayanand other external organizations.(e) Heads the Social Awareness Committee.(f) Attends the activities and meeting of his/her respective cell.

Section 6. The Secretary-General.(a) Keeps and organizes all the minutes, records and files of the Executive Board, the different cells, as well as data

from general assemblies, seminars and other related activities.(b) Responsible for maintaining all organization databases and the system for documentations and evaluations.(c) Supervises all rules and systems implemented by the organization.(d) Attends the activities and meetings of his/her respective cell.

Section 7. Communications Officer.

(a) In-charge of communication, inside and outside the organization.(b) Responsible for disseminating information, promotional materials and newsletters pertaining to the different

activities of the organization.(c) Maintains the organization online accounts.(d) Heads the Communications Committee(e) Attends the activities and meeting of his/her respective cell

Section 7. The Finance Officer.(a) Serves as the intermediary between the Office of Student Activities and the organization regarding funds

a. Takes charge of the disbursement of fundsb. Prepares the semester budget (projected expenses) and financial reportsc. Archives the financial documents of the organization

(b) Takes charge of the organizations fundsa. Coordinates with the cell leaders regarding cell fundsb. Coordinates with the other committee heads in organizing fund-raising activities (i.e., concerts, food sales,

etc.)(c) Heads the Finance Committee

a. Coordinates with its committee members by forming a think-tank which will concern itself withaccumulating funds for the organization

(d) Attends the activities and meeting of his/her respective cellSection 8. Spirituality Officer.

(a) Promotes the spiritual formation of the members of the organization according to the following themes:a. The centrality of the Eucharist in the Christian Lifeb. The rootedness in Ignatian Spiritualityc. The pursuit of justice as integral to the Christian vocationd. Solidarity with marginalized in the light of Christs ministry(b) Acts as an intermediary between Campus Ministry Office and the Society of Jesus

(c) Attends the activities and meeting of his/her respective cellSection 9. The Cell Leaders.

(a) Oversees the formation of his or her respective constituents in the cell(b) Acts as the intermediary between the Executive Board and the cell members(c) Establishes and maintains the link between the community apostolate and the cell members throughout the year(d) Presides over the cell meetings and other related activities(e) Updates the Community Apostolate Coordinator regarding their respective communities(f) Updates the Membership Coordinator regarding their respective members(g) Informs and reminds his or her members of the retention guidelines of the organization(h) Facilitates regular prayer sessions(i)

To be available for Individual Consultations (IC) when deemed necessary(j) Represents his or her members during deliberations


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For responsibilities and functions pertaining to meetings and other related activities, please refer to the Code of InternalProcedures

Article IX: Committees

Each committee is composed of a committee head, an associate and representatives from each cell who will carry out theduties of that committee. Officers and committees may devolve functions as necessary and as seen fit. Ad hoc committeesmay be organized by the EB as seen fit (e.g. Calendaring Committee).

Section 1.Communications Committee(a) Is headed by the Communications Officer(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells.(c) Aids the Communications Officer in his/her duties and responsibilities(d) Is in-charge of the AtSCA Kit, TalaAtSCAhan Issues, AtSCA Directory and promotional materials.

Section 2. Spirituality Committee.(a) Is headed by the Spirituality Officer(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells(c) Assists the Spirituality Officer in his/her duties and responsibilities(d) Is in charge of Orientation Seminar Mass, Prayer Day, Ignatian Silent Retreat, Community Mass and Caroling.

Section 3. Education Committee.(a) Is headed by the Education Officer(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells(c) Aids the Education Officer in his/her duties and responsibilities.(d) Is in charge of the Ed Flow, Education Sessions and Exposure Trips

Section 4. Membership Committee.(a) Is headed by the Membership Coordinator(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells(c) Aids the Membership Coordinator in his/her duties and responsibilities.(d) Is in charge of Recruitment Week and aids in non-confidential aspects of Induction and Leadership Discernment,

General Assemblies, Orientation Seminar, Tambay Week, AtSCA night and Christmas Party.

Section 5.Community Apostolate Committee.(a) Is headed by the Community Apostolate Coordinator(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells(c) Aids the Community Apostolate Coordinator in his/her duties and responsibilities.(d) Is in charge of Community Orientation, Community Overnight and Personality Enhancement Program

Section 6. Finance Committee.(a) Is headed by the Finance Officer(b) Is composed of the representatives from the different cells(c) Aids the Finance Officer in his/her duties and responsibilities(d) Is in-charge of fund-raising activities

Section 7.Social Awareness Committee.(a) Is headed by the Social Awareness Officer(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells(c) Aids the Social Awareness Officer in his/her duties and responsibilities(d) Is in charge of Usapang Bayan, National Situationer, State of the Poor Address, Exposure Trip and other un-

calendared activities

Section 8.Ad Hoc Committee. Depending on the prerogative of the Executive Board, an Ad Hoc Committee may be formed with the followingresponsibilities:

(a) Is headed by an Executive Board member under the supervision of the President


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(b) Is composed of representatives from the different cells and committees which are deliberated upon by theExecutive Board

(c) Aids the supervising officer with his/her duties and responsibilitiesArticle X: Committee Associates

Section 1. An associate is a member that is not part of the Executive Board with the additional responsibilities to thosestated in Article IX:

(a) To assist in the planning and execution of committee activities(b) To fulfill the specific committee responsibilities given by the committee head of a particular school year.

Section 2. Before deliberations. The Executive Board must accomplish the following:(a) Set final dates for the deadline of the application forms and interview(b) Present and assess the qualities and roles needed for each committee and incorporate these to the interview

questions and application form(c) Send out promotions for the application(d) Check, review and discern on submitted application forms as soon as possible(e) The committee head will interview applicants with another Executive Board member to handle note-taking.(f) In the event that the applicant is not physically present, the committee head may utilize other means of

communication.

During deliberations.A quorum (2/3+1 of the total number of the EB) must be physically present. The following flow will befollowed:

(a) The Committee Head will present the list of applicants alphabeticallyand ranking them(b) The committee head will also present the reason for the order.(c) Deliberations will take place(d) The person ranked highest after deliberations will be the chosen by the committee head as the associate.

Section 3. The associate is chosen at the start of the year for a one-semester term and will be evaluated during the Mid-Semester Associate Deliberations. The committee head is given the power to choose whether or not to retain the associate.In the event that the associate chooses not to continue his/her term for the next semester, an associate application period

will commence immediately after the Mid-Semester Evaluation Seminar.

Article XI: The Moderators

Section 1.The Moderator/s should have the following qualifications:(a) He/she should be a person of prayer, able to give spiritual guidance to the Executive Board.(b) He/she should be a socially concerned person who can communicate these concerns to members.(c) He/she should be familiar with the Church's social teachings and other pertinent works, and should be able to

communicate these works' messages to the Executive Board.(d) He/she should be a person whose lifestyle, personal qualities, Christian faith, and intelligence will enable him/her

to be a significant influence in the lives of the Executive Board.(e) It is highly recommended that he/she be a college faculty member, faculty member of the LST, or a graduate

student of the Ateneo. He/she should be readily available for consultation, on any topic of concern, to themembers.

(f) He/she should be a Roman Catholic(g) If a former AtSCAn should wish to be moderator, at least 5 years should have passed after his graduation.

Section 2.The moderator has the following duties:(a) He/she should attend prayer meetings. He/she is also encouraged to attend other Executive Board meetings, and

other organizational activities.(b) He/she should visit all the apostolate communities, with the respective cell, at least once a semester.(c)

He/she should be available for consultation with the Executive Board and cell members.(d) Contributes an evaluation of the Executive Board after the end of every semester

(e) Signs official organization documents(f) Act as the de facto adult supervisor


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In addition to the general functions, each moderator has a specific duty:(g) The Spiritual Moderator acts as the official facilitator of Executive Board prayer sessions and recollections and as

the spiritual guide of the Executive Board.(h) The Business Moderator acts as the primary signatory of official documents and supervises business meetings of

the Executive Board.

Section 3.The process in choosing a moderator includes the following:(a) For the Spiritual Moderator, a Jesuit is preferred and is chosen by requesting from the Director of the Loyola

House of Studies.(b) For the Business Moderator, a member of the Executive Board nominates a candidate that meets the qualifications

in Article XI, Section 1. The Executive Board then deliberates on the candidate and proceeds to a quorum vote.

Section 4. In the event that there are an insufficient number of moderators, the remaining moderator may take up the

remaining duties of the other moderator. In the event that no moderator is available, the EB must then convene a specialmeeting in order to address the issue, only after due consultation with concerned offices.

Article XII: The Cell Advisers

Section 1. His/her qualifications, duties and relevant provisions are the same as those of the moderators except that he/sheis assigned to a particular cell. However, it is necessary that he/she be a college faculty member, a faculty member of theLoyola School of Theology, or a graduate student of the Ateneo and that he/she be around the campus and available mostof his/her time.

Article XIII: Election of Officers

Section 1.The Commission on Elections. The Commission on Elections is composed of at least three appointees who aregraduating inducted members, appointed by the outgoing Membership Coordinator. In the event that the appointee is anon-senior, he/she should not be a candidate. One of the appointees is chosen to be the Chief Commissioner, as specifiedby the Membership Coordinator. He or she will organize and execute the whole electoral procedure, with due consultation

with the membership coordinator.

In the event that there are less than three appointees, the Membership Coordinator may serve as part of the ElectoralCommittee as long as he/she is not running. The moderators may also assume the responsibilities of the commissionmember.

Section 2. Candidates should:(a) Be non-graduating inducted members of the organization(b) Have fulfilled the minimum specifications of a candidate as stated in the Code of Internal Procedures

Section 3. Only inducted members of the Ateneo Student Catholic Action enrolled during the school year of the electionsare qualified to vote.

Section 4.The electoral procedure is as follows:

(a) The chief commissioner should review the electoral procedure(b) The chief commissioner will henceforth brief the commission of the procedure(c) The commission shall set the deadlines for the filing of candidacy, withdrawal of candidacy, voting, and counting

of votes(d) Prepare the list of candidates and the list of qualified voters(e) Prepare and distribute the ballots(f) Count and tally the votes(g) Proclaims the incoming executive board and disseminate the aforementioned information through all the relevant

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Section 5: Special Cases.(a) In the event that there are an insufficient number of candidates (number of positions greater than the number of

inducted members), the outgoing executive board, along with the organizations moderator/s, shall convene for anemergency meeting where they will discuss alternative structures of the incoming executive board.

(b) In the event that more than half of the number of available seats do not reach quorum, a run-off election shall beheld, headed by the chief commissioner.

(c) In the event that the commission on elections fails to fulfill their responsibilities, the membership coordinator orthe president shall have emergency powers and take on the role of the commission

(d) In the event of dishonesty pertaining to the electoral process, the party involved will immediately vacate his or herresponsibilities and submit him/herself to disciplinary action by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs

In all cases, refer to the Code of Internal Procedures for the more specific guidelines .

Article XIV: Executive Board Meetings and Deliberations

Section 1.ExecutiveBoard MeetingsExecutive Board Meetings are regular assemblies of the Executive Board in order to discuss relevant activities, projects andevents of the organization. EB Meetings have the following qualification:

(a) They must be done at the minimum of two per month.(b) A quorum of 2/3 + 1 members of the EB should be present in all meetings; otherwise, the meeting shall be

postponed. In the event that the President is not available, the Membership Coordinator assumes the responsibilityto preside. In cases when both President and the Membership Coordinator are not present, the meeting shall bepostponed.

(c) In cases when an Executive Board member poses a risk to the welfare of the rest of the Executive Board (e.g.health, conflicts, etc.), he/she should not be allowed to participate in the particular EB meeting.

(d) The EB members are required to attend the scheduled meetings. Occurrences of special cases such as, but notlimited to, health problems, important family affairs, heavy academic workload, fortuitous situations, are validexcuses for absence.

Section 2. DeliberationsThe Executive Board discusses membership matters during deliberations, which are done in the context of prayer anddiscernment. The discussions and decisions formulated are sensitive of nature and must be done so in balancing thetechnicalities with the individuals welfare, the other members and the AtSCA community in general.

It may include but are not limited to Membership Status, Induction, Appeals, Associate and Executive Board Deliberations.For a deliberation to be considered valid, 2/3 + 1 of the EB must be physically present.

(a) Membership Status Deliberations are conducted after the first semester (during the Mid-Year Planning andEvaluation Seminar), and at the end of the year (during the Evaluation Seminar).

a. For Mid-Year membership deliberations, only recommended by the cell leaders may be brought up fordeliberations.

b. For End of the Year membership deliberations, members recommended by the cell leaders may bebrought up for deliberations. It is also on the End of Year deliberations that those subject to automaticdeliberations (non-inducted for 2 years, as provided in Article V, Section 3 ), will be discussed.

c. For both deliberations, cases of probation from previous deliberations should be brought up and settled.(b) Induction Deliberations are conducted during Induction Season after the deadline of all Induction requirements,

e.g. Induction essay, interview, etc.(c) Appeals Deliberation occurs for:

a. Applicants who were not accepted initially into the organization during the Application Deliberationsb. Those that were granted a dismissal status during the Membership Deliberationsc. Those who were not accepted for Induction during the Induction Deliberations

(e) Associate Deliberations occur at the start of the year when the committee heads screen the associate applicants forthe time period specified by the EB of that year.

(f) Executive Board Deliberations occur after the election process where the newly elected officers choose amongthemselves the positions for that year.


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With the exception of the Associate and Executive Board Deliberations, which are facilitated by the President, theMembership Coordinator facilitates all deliberations. In the event that the Membership Coordinator is absent, the President

will assume the role. In the absence of both, the deliberations will not push through.

Article XV: Amendments

Section 1. The AtSCA Constitution may be amended. Any member may present a definite proposal to the executive board.The executive board may also submit a proposal. After due deliberation, it will be presented to the general membership forcomments. The executive board will henceforth determine the timeframe for discussing the proposal. These discussions willbe open to the inducted members. After all objections have been settled within the given time, voting for ratification willthen be open to the inducted community.

Section 2. A two-thirds (2/3)+1 vote majority of the inducted membership is required to ratify the constitution.

(Amendments were made on provisions regarding the structure of the organization and the qualifications of the moderatorin February 1985 and March 1988 respectively. In February 1992 and July 1994, further amendments were made. In May1996, amendments were made on the provisions regarding the structure of the organization, functions of the officers,election of officers, membership, and special committees. In January 2006, the person-in-charge of social awareness wasgiven a position, and additional responsibilities and rights of the members were added.)

Section 3. This Constitution is deemed effective and unchangeable for duration of three years and cannot be amendedbefore February 2015.

Article XV: Effectivity

This constitution was ratified upon two-thirds (2/3)+1 majority vote of the inducted membership in February 2012.

revision vii

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