The name of this Assembly shall be the Seattle University School of Law Dispute Resolution Board (hereinafter referred to as “DR”, “DR Board”, or the “Board”).
2.1 Mission. The mission of the Board is to attract a diverse body of Board members, foster an inclusive environment for Board members and Seattle University School of Law students, increase awareness about dispute resolution processes, and promote the development of dispute resolution skills within the law school community.
2.2 Board Goals. In furtherance of these goals, the Board shall strive to:
a. Foster an inclusive, anti-racist community for Board members and Seattle University students. The Board does not tolerate any form of discrimination or hate speech;
b. Administer In-House Competitions in Arbitration, Negotiation, Client Counseling, Mediation, and the First Year Law Student Competition ("1L Competition");
c. Send well-prepared, qualifying teams from In-House competitions to ABA Regionals and ABA Nationals competitions; and
d. Organize panels, workshops, and activities relating to various areas of dispute resolution within the legal community that advance the mission of the Board.
2.3 Membership and Voting Rights. Each year the Board shall admit a maximum of (1) 16 new members or; (2) enough new members to replace the previous year’s graduating class, whichever is greater. These members shall be collectively referred to as the "Board Members." Only Board Members shall be allowed to vote in Board proceedings.
3.1 Membership Selection Timing. The Board will conduct two membership drives per academic year: one during the fall semester (the "Fall Membership Drive") and one during the spring semester (the "Spring Membership Drive").
3.2 Eligible Applicants.
a) Full-Time Students. A full-time student applying to join the Board during the Fall Semester Membership Drive shall be eligible for membership only if the student is enrolled in their first (1L) or second (2L) year of law school. A student applying to join the Board during the Spring Semester Membership Drive shall be eligible for membership only if the student is enrolled in their 1L year of law school.
b) Flex JD or Joint-Degree Students. A part-time student (a "Flex JD Student") or a joint-degree student applying to join the Board during the Fall Semester Membership Drive shall be eligible for membership only if the student has at least three (3) semesters of law school remaining before their graduation, excluding the current fall semester and any summer semesters remaining. An Evening Student or a joint-degree student applying to join the Board during the Spring Semester Membership Drive shall be eligible for membership only if the student has at least three (3) semesters of law school remaining before their graduation, excluding the current spring semester and any summer semesters remaining. A Global Accelerated JD student applying to join the Board must have two (2) semesters of law school remaining before their graduation. LLM students applying to the Board will be eligible for membership if they have at least two semesters remaining before graduation
3.3 Membership Application Process.
(a) General Application. Each prospective candidate shall submit a cover letter, résumé, and completed application to the Board's Membership Chair. These documents shall be submitted online and shall be initially received and reviewed only by the Membership Chair. All personal information, including but not limited to the prospective candidate's name, address, phone number, and other explicitly identifying information, shall be removed from each prospective candidate's application prior to distributing applications to the Board for scoring to ensure that each application is graded anonymously. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Membership Chair shall verify that each prospective candidate’s application materials meet all requirements designated in the application instructions, including but not limited to a reasonable level of professionalism. Each prospective candidate’s application that meets the application requirements shall be deemed eligible. The Membership Chair shall give each Board Member the following: (1) a candidate scoring sheet and (2) a candidate scoring criteria. Each Board Member shall review and score each candidate's:
a. Anonymous cover letter,
b. résumé,
c. application based on the candidate scoring criteria, and
d. record the scores on the candidate scoring sheet.
Each Board Member shall give the candidate scoring sheet to the Membership Chair by the scoring deadline (as to be determined by the Membership Chair). Any Board Member’s failure to complete membership scoring by the deadline could result in disciplinary action in accordance with these bylaws, including but not limited to receiving a formal reprimand.
(b) Application Interviews. After the Membership Chair compiles the initial application scores from all Board Members, the Membership Chair shall have the discretion to offer interviews to any candidates who received scores greater than forty percent (40%) of the points available on the application. The Membership Chair must be present during all interviews. The Membership Chair shall be accompanied by at least three (3) other Board Members for each interview. If an interviewing Board Member has an emergency and cannot attend an interview, the interview may be conducted by the Membership Chair and two (2) other Board Members. In lieu of the Membership Chair’s attendance at an interview due to an emergency, at least one (1) Executive Board Member shall be accompanied by at least three (3) other Board Members for the interview. Board Members shall not participate in interviews of personal friends. Each Board Member shall make the decision if they should abstain from an interview based on their personal relationship with the candidate. The Vice President or President must be present in at least half of the interviews.
(c) Final Scoring. The scores for the application and interview of each candidate will be averaged by the Membership Chair, President, and Office Manager (collectively, the “Membership Committee”). If a 2L is not acting as the current Office Manager, the President shall select a 2L Executive Board Member to participate on the Membership Committee. The application score shall be worth forty percent (40%), and the interview score shall be worth sixty percent (60%) of the candidate’s total score. To be considered for Board membership, the candidate’s overall score must be greater than half of the total possible points (e.g., if the highest possible score is one hundred (100), only applicants who have scores greater than fifty (50) shall be considered for membership).
(d) Membership Selection. After the interviewing and scoring process is complete, the Membership Chair, with the advice of the Membership Committee, shall determine which candidates will be offered membership. The Membership Chair shall then send written notifications to candidates being offered membership. The Membership Chair shall determine the timeline for candidates to accept their membership offer. The Membership Chair will also send written notifications to candidates who are not being offered membership.
(e) Application Review. All candidates may have the opportunity to discuss their application and/or interview with the Membership Chair, provided they request to do so in a timely manner. Furthermore, the Membership Chair, with the advice of the Executive Board, is permitted to contact any prospective candidates who are not offered membership to the Board to discuss concerns and/or advice regarding the prospective candidate’s application, including but not limited to, professional etiquette and application material formatting, etc.
4.1 General Attendance. All Board Members are required to attend all Mandatory Events (as defined below).
4.2 Notice of Absence Policy.
a) At the first general meeting of each semester, the Vice President shall inform the Board of the absence and attendance policies stated within these bylaws.
b) The Vice President shall also provide a copy of the absence and attendance policies contained herein to all Board Members upon accepting membership to the Board.
4.3 Participation in the Administration of Competitions. All Board Members are required to participate in the administration of all Board competitions (including In-House Competitions and Regional Competitions). Participation in the administration of any of the foregoing competitions is excused under the following circumstances: (1) the Board Member is allowed to compete pursuant to Section 4.3(a) below; or (2) the Board Member’s absence is excused by the In-House Competitions Chair(s) and the Vice President.
a) Requirements for Member-Competitors to Voluntarily Compete in In-House Competitions. 2L and third-year ("3L") Board Members may compete in the In-House Client Counseling, Negotiation, Mediation, and Arbitration competitions provided that such Board Members satisfy the following criteria. 1L Board Members may compete in the In-House Competitions open to 1Ls. Before any Board Member will be allowed to compete in any In-House Competition, the Board Member must notify the In-House Competitions Chair(s) and the Vice President prior to the competition registration deadline regarding their intention to compete in the competition. Additionally, for a Board Member to compete in any In-House Competition, a sufficient number of non-competing Board Members must be available to carry out the administration of the In-House Competition responsibilities. If there are an insufficient number of Board Members to carry out the administration of the competition, teams including Board Members may be required to withdraw from the competition to assist with running the competition. Such identification of the team that will withdraw shall be determined on a volunteer basis, and if required, the team(s) with the latest registration date(s) shall be automatically withdrawn from the competition by the In-House Competitions Chair(s).
If a competition requires an even number of teams and there is an insufficient number of teams signed up to compete by the competition registration deadline, The In-House Competitions Chair(s) may select Board Members to participate in the competition. In the event the DR Board 1L Competition has an insufficient number of teams, The In-House Competitions Chair(s) may select any remaining 1L members not intending to compete to participate in the competition, and this participation will not preclude those 1L members from competing in the 1L Moot Court Competition if desired.
b) Competition Requirement. A Board member shall compete in at least one of the competitions listed in Article 2 Section 2.2(b) of the Bylaws during the Board member’s time in law school. A Board member may fulfill this requirement before or after joining the Board. The Executive Board may grant an exemption to this requirement.
c) Restrictions on Member Competitors. To ensure that no conflict of interest arises, Board Members who have received approval to compete in any In-House Competition may assist in preparation for the competition except that (1) no member-competitor may procure, prepare, or otherwise come in contact with the fact patterns of the particular competition and (2) no member-competitor may improperly enter the judges’ room or judging area on the day of the competition.
4.4 Committee Participation. Board Members who are full-time students may participate on two (2) Board committees. Board Members who are Evening Students and/or joint degree students may participate on one (1) Board committee. Board Members in their first semester on the Board must participate on at least one (1) Board committee. All Board Members may join additional committees at the Board Member’s discretion.
4.5 Board Hours. Board Hours include but are not limited to, tabling, conducting membership interviews, making classroom announcements, or any other activities the Executive Board provides for Board Hours. Board Members who are full-time students must complete at least ten (10) Board Hours (as defined below) per semester. Board Members who are Flex JD and/or joint degree students must complete at least five (5) Board Hours per semester. New Members shall not be required to complete Board Hours during their first semester of membership on the Board; however, they are encouraged to complete Board Hours as available and are required to follow the Board Hours requirements outlined herein during every full semester thereafter.
4.6 Professionalism. Board Members shall be required to review all emails in a timely manner and promptly respond to all emails requiring Board Member responses. For clarification, a timely response shall mean within 24 business hours of receipt of the email. Board Members shall notify the Vice Presidents of the Board Member’s committees and the President of any extended periods of time while they will be unable to receive emails.
4.7 Mandatory Events; General.
a) Mandatory Events include, but are not limited to, Executive Board meetings (for Executive Board Members), General Board Meetings, In-House Competitions, Seattle University-Hosted Regional Competitions, Community Development Events, Board Hosted Events, Trainings, and any other events the Executive Board deems to be mandatory (collectively "Mandatory Events"). Attendance at Membership Open Houses and Membership Information Sessions shall be mandatory for Executive Board members. Attendance at Membership Open Houses shall be mandatory for general Board Members.
b) Mandatory Events are limited to four (4) events per semester, not including any Board-hosted competitions and general meetings.
c) Mandatory Events shall be determined by the Executive Board, and any questions concerning whether an event is mandatory (outside those listed above) should be referred to the Executive Vice President.
4.8 Notice of Mandatory Events.
a) All Board Members are entitled to effective notice of Mandatory Events. For notice to be effective, Board Members must receive notice of the time and place of the Mandatory Event at least seven (7) days in advance of the Mandatory Event. For purposes of this section, the President is deemed to have notified Board Members of general Board Meetings upon distribution of all meeting dates at the beginning of each semester.
b) For committee-specific meetings and assignments, the administrator or leader of the committee shall provide notice within the guidelines listed above.
c) Board Members not given effective notice of a Mandatory Event are excused in the event of an absence. A Board Member not given effective notice shall promptly bring this to the attention of the Executive Vice President. Final determination of whether notice was effectively given shall be decided by the Executive Board.
4.9 Excused Absences from Mandatory Events. It is the responsibility of a Board Member to receive approval from the Vice President for any excused absences from a Mandatory Event. Excused absences do not invoke administrative action and include the following:
a) Any obligation for which a Board Member is being paid or receiving credit (48-hour prior notice required);
b) Illness or emergency (notice must be given as soon as reasonably possible); or
c) Other compelling reasons* at the discretion of the Executive Board (notice must be given as soon as reasonably possible).
*School, work, and studying shall not be valid reasons for an excused absence. However, the President or Vice President may excuse a Board member from a meeting or Mandatory Event for school, work, or obligations if the Board Member requests such accommodation a week before the relevant event and provides a compelling reason for their absence.
Board recognizes that Flex JD students and other Board Members may face recurring work, travel, and caregiving obligations. School, work, and studying do not automatically excuse absences. However, the President or Executive Vice President may approve accommodations or alternative participation arrangements when requested in advance and where doing so remains consistent with Board needs and equitable participation.
4.10 Unexcused Absences from Mandatory Events.
a) A Board Member is not allowed any unexcused absences for Mandatory Events without appropriate administrative response (see Section 4.10(b) below).
b) The Vice President will have a documented conversation with a Board Member who accrues two (2) unexcused absences per semester from Mandatory Events. If a Board member accrues four (4) unexcused absences per semester from Mandatory Events, the Vice President will issue a formal, written reprimand. A Board Member who continues to have unexcused absences from Mandatory Events after a formal reprimand will lose their privilege in obtaining a graduation cord and may be recommended for removal from the Board by the Executive Vice President. Removal shall follow the process outlined in Section 4.12 and Section 4.13.
c) Further unexcused absences from any Mandatory Event may reinitiate the removal process.
4.11 Resignation of Membership.
a) A Board Member may resign for any reason. Any Board Member who wishes to withdraw from membership shall notify the President and the Vice President in writing as soon as reasonably possible. Executive Board members may not resign their position within the final three months of the academic semester, except in cases of emergency or with the approval of a two-thirds vote of the remaining Executive Board.
b) Once a Board Member has resigned, the Board Member shall no longer be subject to any of the benefits or requirements of Board membership. Such benefits and duties include, but are not limited to, the Board Member duties and policies contained herein, as well as access to the Board room.
c) Furthermore, once a Board Member resigns, the Board Member shall not publicly portray or otherwise represent themselves as a current Board Member. If a former Board Member is found to promote themselves as a current Board Member, the President, and Vice President shall request that the former Board Member immediately cease such actions. The President and Vice President shall continue to communicate with the former Board Member as required and shall be entitled to contact school administration if required. Such prohibited promotion shall include, but not be limited to, identifying as a current Board Member in the individual’s e-mail signature or résumé or by wearing any Board-issued clothing (such as t-shirts and sweatshirts).
4.12 Member Removal; General. A Board Member may be removed from office or the Board for non-compliance by a majority vote of the Executive Board. Non-compliance is defined as, but not limited to, the following:
a) Misconduct, including, but not limited to, conduct having a negative impact on the Board or conduct that is contrary to the mission goals of the Board as outlined in Sections 2.1 and 2.2;
b) Failure to abide by the University’s Code of Conduct and Student Handbook;
c) Failure to attend regularly scheduled meetings or other Mandatory Events without prior notification; and
d) Failure to fulfill and/or comply with duties and/or policies promulgated in these bylaws.
4.13 Member Removal; Procedure.
a) Initial Proceedings. In the event that a Board Member’s conduct might qualify as grounds for removal, the Board Member’s misconduct shall be reported to the President. The President shall discretely and professionally ascertain the merits of the alleged non-compliance/misconduct and may include the \Vice President in such inquiry. The Board Member shall then be notified of the non-compliance/misconduct and be required to meet with the President and the Vice President to discuss the incident and circumstances surrounding the report. If the non-compliance/misconduct involves either the President and/or the Vice President, the Membership Chair may be asked to participate in this process.
b) Non-Compliance Review Panel. If the President and Vice President decide that the report of misconduct is meritorious, and assuming that the Board Member wishes to retain their membership on the Board, the President shall convene a "Non-Compliance Review Panel." The Non-Compliance Review Panel shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, and three (3) Board Members (preferably Executive Board Members) who are removed from the incident and are not close, personal friends of the non-compliant Board Member. The Non-Compliance Review Panel, through the President, shall invite the Board Member to meet with the Non-Compliance Review Panel and provide an explanation for the Board Member’s non-compliance as soon as mutually convenient for all parties. If the Board Member is unavailable to attend an in-person meeting, this meeting may be virtual. The Board Member may also choose to submit a written explanation for the Board Member’s non-compliance. Such written explanation should be submitted as soon as reasonably possible but no later than one week after notice of non-compliance. The Non-Compliance Review Panel must make one of the following determinations: (1) accept the Board Member’s explanation for non-compliance and permit the Board Member to retain their membership on the Board; or (2) reject the Board Member’s explanation for non-compliance and immediately make a recommendation to the Entire Executive Board, based on the Non-Compliance Review Panel’s findings, that the Board Member’s membership on the Board be revoked, at which point the Executive Board will vote on whether to revoke membership. The Board Member must be notified within twenty-four (24) hours of the Non-Compliance Review Panel’s decision. If the Board Member wishes to request reconsideration, they must do so within three (3) calendar days following notification of the Non-Compliance Review Panel’s decision.
c) Reconsideration of Non-Compliance Review Panel’s Determination. If the non-compliant Board Member has requested reconsideration:
1) The Board Member may request a special hearing in front of the Executive Board. The hearing will take place in person at the next scheduled Executive Board meeting. Immediately after the hearing, the Executive Board must vote on whether to accept the explanation provided by the Board Member. The Board Member shall not be present for the vote. The Board Member shall be notified of the Executive Board’s decision within twenty-four (24) hours of the special hearing; or
2) The Board Member may submit a letter of explanation in lieu of a special hearing, which shall be submitted to the Executive Board prior to the next scheduled Executive Board meeting. The Executive Board shall review the Board Member’s letter of explanation at the next scheduled Executive Board meeting (the President shall distribute the letter to Executive Board Members upon receipt of the letter of explanation, and the President shall read aloud the letter of explanation at the next, in-person Executive Board meeting). Immediately after the letter of explanation is reviewed and heard by all Executive Board Members, the Executive Board must vote on whether to accept the explanation provided by the Board Member. The Board Member shall not be present for the vote. The Board Member shall be notified of the Executive Board’s decision within twenty-four (24) hours of the vote being taken.
The faculty advisor shall be sent written notification of the Executive Board’s decision. If the Board Member requests a special hearing before the entire Board, the meeting of the Board shall be no later than two (2) weeks after the date the Non-Compliance Review Panel’s decision is made. In no event shall the Board Member be denied their right to comment before the entire Executive Board if the Board Member so requests.
d) Procedures for the Special Hearing. If requested by the non-compliant Board Member, the procedures for the special hearing are as follows:
1) At least fifty-one percent (51%) of the entire Executive Board must be present for the Board Member’s removal to be discussed.
2) The Board Member will be given an opportunity to present their explanation for non-compliance and their argument to retain membership on the Board.
3) The Non-Compliance Review Panel will be given an opportunity to present the Executive Board’s reasoning for revoking the Board Member’s membership.
4) If the Board Member fails to appear at this special hearing, such failure shall be deemed appropriate to justify removing the Board Member from the Board.
5) General discussion and questions will be allowed after the presentations of the Board Member and the Executive Board.
6) After the presentations, general discussion, and questions, a vote for removal will be taken. One hundred percent (100%) of the Executive Board represented will vote. The Board Member shall not be present for the vote.
7) If fifty-one percent (51%) of the represented Executive Board votes to remove the member in question, the removal will be effective immediately. Conversely, if fifty percent (50%) or more of the represented Executive Board votes against removal, the Board Member shall not be discharged.
5.1 Executive Board Positions. The Board shall be headed by an Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consist of the following officers:
a) A President;
b) A Vice President;
c) A Membership Chair
d) An In-House Competitions Chair (or In-House Competitions Co-Chairs);
e) A Regional Competitions Chair;
f) A Community Development Chair;
g) A Communications Chair;
h) A Judge Recruitment Chair; and
i) A Finance Chair.
5.2 Other Board Positions. The Board shall also have an Office Manager, and a Social Chair. These positions will be appointed by the Executive Board Members stated below. The President will appoint the Office Manager. Membership Chair will appoint the Social Chair. A letter of intent (LOI) must be submitted to the incoming President and Membership Chair. Furthermore, these positions shall be non-voting for the purpose of Executive Board votes.
5.3 Duties. All Executive Board officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws.
5.4 Election of Officers.
a) Officers shall be elected by the third week of April. Outgoing officers shall determine the most effective way to preserve the institutional knowledge of their positions and shall provide an orientation in some capacity to incoming officers to inform them about the duties, relevant procedures, etc., of the position.
b) The election of officers shall be administered by the outgoing President and shall be by secret ballot. A simple plurality of the Board is required to elect officers. In the event of a tie, the President may break the tie or allow two people share the position.
c) Candidates for an Executive Board officer position must make the Board aware of their intentions by submitting a letter of intent to the President at least one week prior to the Board vote. Such letter should state the candidates’ intentions regarding employment, law school activities, and other responsibilities during their potential term of office.
5.5 Executive Officer Transitions. Incoming officers shall meet as soon as reasonably possible with their outgoing counterpart in order to receive training and transitional information as stated in Section 5.4(a). Incoming officers should use their best efforts to set the Annual Calendar for the upcoming year during the summer semester. Any necessary room reservations should be coordinated with the administration at this time. Additionally, the incoming officers may provide the Moot Court Board with the calendar once it is set to encourage cooperation between boards.
6.1 The President. The President shall preside over all meetings and oversee all projects of the Board. Furthermore, the office of President shall be held by a 3L Board member. Official duties of the President include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Call and head all board meetings;
b) Post the agenda for the meetings and provide it to Communications Chair to be included with the minutes to be distributed to all members;
c) Act as the official Board representative at all University and community functions involving the Board;
d) Cast a tie-break vote on all Board issues;
e) Vote in elections;
f) Delegate tasks of any Executive Board member who should become unable to fulfill their duties during the course of their role on the Executive Board;
g) Serve as the point of contact between the Board, ABA, and the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) except regarding the competitions, at which point In-House Competitions Chair and Regional Competitions Chair shall act as the contacts;
h) Maintain and develop relationships between the Board and the WSBA DR Section and local DR community;
i) Maintain and develop relationships between the Board and the law school administration and faculty;
j) Execute annual calendar Board events; and
k) Appoint an office manager to maintain the Board room and order supplies as necessary. If asked by an Office Manager applicant, the President shall detail the decision-making that led to the appointment.
6.2 The Vice President. The Vice President is second-in-charge of the Board and shall be included by the President in all important correspondence and important decision-making events. They assume the duties of the President in the event that the President is unable to fulfill their duties. The office of the Vice President shall be held by a 3L Board member. Official duties of the Vice President include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Assist with all administrative duties;
b) Participate on any ad-hoc committees that are created;
c) Enforce Board obligations, including board hours, Mandatory Event attendance, and competition attendance.
d) Record minutes at all Executive Board Meetings. In the event that the Vice President is unavailable for an Executive Board Meeting, the Vice President shall delegate this duty to an available Executive Board Member.
6.3Membership Chair. The office of Membership Chair shall be held by a 3L Board member. Official duties of Membership Chair include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Organize the Fall Semester Membership Drive and the Spring Semester Membership Drive;
b) Organize and oversee a membership committee that solicits applications for Membership in the Fall and Spring semesters and publicizes the Membership Drives;
c) Participate in all interviews of prospective new members;
d) Organize the Board’s annual picture in the spring; and
e) Appoint a Social Chair(s) or act in the role of Social Chair to organize one or more social functions each semester for Board members. At minimum, the Social Chair is responsible for organizing the New Member Social to follow each Membership Drive. If Membership Chair appoints a Social Chair, Membership Chair shall detail the decision-making that led to the appointment of any Social Chair applicant seeking information.
f) Organize an Open House event before each Membership Drive in coordination with the Social Chair
6.4 In-House Competitions Chair. The In-House Competitions Chair shall be in charge of administering all In-House Competitions. Should the elected In-House Competitions Chair need a Co-Chair they may reach out to the General Board Members announcing an opening of the position before the school year in which they are serving commences. Interested students must send a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the newly elected In-House Competition Chair. The appointed In-House Co-Chair must be chosen before the new school year commences. Should there be two In-House Competition Chairs, the following responsibilities are to be split evenly. The duties of the In-House Competitions Chair (or In-House Competitions Co-Chairs) include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Act as the Board contact for competitors;
b) Delegate Board Members jobs for the Arbitration, Negotiation, Client Counseling, Meditation, and 1L In-House Competitions;
c) Provide guidance and ensure that the tasks for competitions are proceeding appropriately as described on the Board Canvas site and otherwise established by prior In-House Competitions Chair;
d) Coordinate with Judge Recruitment Chair to send all competition packets and other communications to judges;
e) Coordinate with Judge Recruitment Chair to submit all required documentation to the administration for CLE approval;
f) Coordinate with Communication Chair to advertise competitions; and
g) Coordinate with administration to meet any facility, administrative, or other needs for administering competitions.
6.5 Regional Competitions. Regional Competitions shall be in charge of administering all regional competitions and is responsible for all communications between competitors and the Board regarding all aspects of the Regional competitions. Official duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
I. Generally
a) Act as the Board contact to the ABA for the Regional competitions;
b) Forward competition entries to the sponsor of the Regional competitions;
c) Procure signed Agreements or a written/email acknowledgment to compete from qualifying In–House Competition winners who would like to participate in the Regional competitions;
d) Forward problem packets and communications from the Faculty Advisor and the ABA to the Coaches and Regional Competitors;
e) Act as coordinator to facilitate the responsibilities of hosting a Regional competition in years the ABA selects Seattle University as the Regional Host; and &
f) Act as coordinator between the travel office, administration, Faculty Advisor, Coaches, and competitors to facilitate travel to and from regional competition that are not hosted by Seattle University School of Law.
II. If selected to or Electing to Host a Regional Competition
In years where Seattle University is responsible to host or elects to host an ABA Regional Competition, the VP of Regional Competitions may:
a) After consultation with the Executive Board, select a weekend to host the regional competition.
b) Appoint a Deputy Regional Competitions Chairperson who has the responsibility to work as the “right hand” person to the VP of Regional Competitions, responsible for:
a. Helping to recruit, welcome, and orient judges to regional competitions at Seattle University;
b. If necessary, coordinating food and catering arrangements on the day of the competition;
c. Assisting in administering the competition packet to teams and judges;
d. Assisting in collecting and organizing team scores after each round;
e. Assisting in calculating and checking team scores at the conclusion of rounds and finals; and
f. Acting as point person for teams on the day of to assist in answering questions.
c) Designate the Regional Competition as a Mandatory Event and assign members of the Board to room monitor for one round. At the discretion of the Regional Competitions Chair, each room will need up to two monitors. Monitor slots will be filled in the following order:
1. A volunteer sign-up list will be distributed as soon as possible once a regional competition has been confirmed.
2. Between two weeks and ten days from the regional competition, a random name lottery will take place, assigning the names of non-volunteered board members to an open room monitor slot.
6.6Community Development Chair. The Community Development Chair shall be responsible for community outreach, professional development, and event coordination. Official duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Work with other student organizations to expose students to dispute resolution practices in various fields of law;
b) Organize any dispute resolution trainings or presentations held by the Board;
c) Coordinate planning of the End of Year Celebration event;
d) Work with the Dean’s office, Center for Professional Development, and Faculty to expand opportunities for students to learn about and get involved in dispute resolution; and
e) The Community Development Chair will notify the Faculty Advisor of all upcoming programming and shall confer with them regarding administrative policies.
6.7 Communications. The Communications Chair shall be in charge of maintaining all Board records. Official duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Draft all correspondence on behalf of the Board;
b) Communicate with Seattle University’s IT Department for maintenance of board room equipment, the Board website, and changes to the e-mail distribution lists; and
c) Advertise all Board competitions via email, LinkedIn, Instagram, posters, and other means to the Seattle University School of Law community.
d) Ensure that major Board announcements, competition information, and engagement opportunities are distributed in formats accessible to Flex JD and remote students, including timely email communications and written materials that can be accessed asynchronously.
6.8 Judge Recruitment Chair. The Judge Recruitment Chair shall be in charge of maintaining the judge database and recruiting assistance for competitions. Official duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Maintain the Judge database for In-House Competitions and lead judge recruitment for each competition;
b) Communicate with all volunteer Judges regarding competition;
c) Maintain and develop relationships with attorneys in the Seattle community; and
d) Consistently and regularly assess Judge recruitment efforts and messaging for effectiveness.
6.9Finance Chair. The Finance Chair shall be in charge of administering Board funds. Official duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Prepare an Annual Budget by the end of September, unless otherwise notified by the Business Office;
b) Consult with the faculty advisor as necessary;
c) Ensure receipt of budget updates from the Business Office as they become available;
d) Oversee the payment of the Board’s debts;
e) Ensure adherence to school policies regarding expenditures;
f) Consult with the Business Office regularly to maintain up-to-date records of all such policies;
g) Maintain an accurate account of the distribution of funds;
h) Report the financial position of the Board as requested; and
i) Meet with each Executive Officer at the beginning of the term to discuss their budget.
7.1 The Executive Board shall meet every month either in person or virtually when school is in session.
7.2 Special meetings may be called by the President with at least forty-eight (48) hours’ notice to all Executive Board officers. Regular attendance requirements will apply to special meetings. Emergency meetings may be called by the President with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to all Executive Board officers, given that such reason for said emergency meeting is reasonably time sensitive and/or severe that immediate action is required. Regular attendance requirements will not apply to emergency meetings.
7.3 Meetings may be scheduled by any two (2) executive officers upon notice to the President.
7.4 Executive Board officers unable to attend a meeting shall give notice at least one (1) day in advance of the meeting to the President.
7.5 A quorum shall consist of a simple majority (50% + 1) of the Executive Board officers. A proxy shall be counted in the determination of a quorum. Only general proxies that apply to any vote shall be considered valid. There must be a quorum for the Executive Board to call and take a vote.
8.1 These bylaws shall be amended only upon approval of at least two-thirds of the Board.
8.2 The bylaws shall be reviewed at least every two (2) years to determine if revision or updating is required. If the Board determines that there is a need to amend the bylaws, an ad hoc committee shall be headed by the Executive Vice President and composed of at least two (2) other members to draft the proposed amendment(s).
8.3 A copy of the proposed amendment(s) shall be distributed to all Board members one week in advance of voting on the proposed change(s).
9.1 A Faculty Advisor may be recommended by each Board to the Dean for a term coinciding with that of the Board. If not, the current Faculty Advisor shall be maintained.
9.2 The Faculty Advisor shall be invited to be present at every meeting.
9.3 The Faculty Advisor shall advise the Board and assist the Coaches with coaching and training the Seattle University Regional Teams.
Committees not already mentioned above under an Executive Board Officer may be formed on an ad-hoc basis by any Executive Board member.
10.1 General Meetings.
a) Each month, two (2) mandatory General Board Meetings shall be held. Board Members are required to attend one (1) of the General Board Meetings unless previously excused by the President or Executive Vice President, for one of the permitted reasons stated above.
b) Board Members unable to attend a general meeting shall give notice at least one (1) day in advance of the meeting to the President and Executive Vice President, or by such deadline the President states when notifying members of General Board Meeting dates.
c) In the event of a meeting item that will require a vote by Board Members, such Board Members shall be notified at least one (1) day in advance that such voting shall take place at the designated meeting(s).
10.2 All Board Members shall read these bylaws and agree to abide by them.
10.3 The Board reserves the right to impose sanctions upon any competitor in violation of In-House competition rules, including, but not limited to, withdrawal from a competition after the mandatory drop deadline as established by In-House Competitions Chair(s). Sanctions include, but are not limited to, suspension of participation from future competitions and, if necessary, reporting the misconduct to the law school administration. Any decision regarding disciplinary sanctions will be made in consultation with the President, Vice President, In-House Competitions Chair(s), and the Faculty Advisor.
10.4 Any member who requires a new nametag due to loss or damage will be required to pay for the replacement cost.
The Dispute Resolution Board welcomes comments, questions, concerns, and feedback. Please don't hesitate to contact us by any of the following means.
Dispute Resolution Board
901 12th Avenue
Sullivan Hall 108
Seattle, WA 98122-1090
206-398-4166
dr_board@seattleu.edu
Mia Morales
President
mmorales7@seattleu.edu