No Frontiers is a leftist student group that believes in equality, secularism, and freedom. The group was formed in 1997 in the American University of Beirut. Out of its belief in Democracy, the group follows an internal structure that combines two main necessities: That of Democracy and the involvement of all in decisions, and that of organization and coordination and the ability to take quick decisions.
NF structure is based on committees to cover all aspects of the groups’ work: political, cultural, student-oriented and internal coordination
Eligibility
Students registered at the American University of Beirut who agree with the Group’s statement of principles and are not affiliated with other political organizations present on campus are eligible to be members.
Registered AUB students and former Group members who support the Group’s policies and activities are eligible to be associate members. Associate members do not have voting rights; they can participate in the Group’s meetings and activities and are given access to its discussion group.Dues
Monthly dues for members are set to 5000LBP, that can be paid on a yearly basis (60000LBP).Members should fulfill their payment before the 5th of each month (except for new comers).
Members’ Rights
1. Members agree or refuse the yearly plan proposed, after discussion in the group, by the Administrative Committee, with a simple majority (1/2 + 1).
2. Members give their feedback to the Committees and can vote on critical issues.
3. 1/5 of the members can call for a meeting regardless of the schedule set by the Administrative Committee.
4. Members can ask for the re-election of any committee by simple majority (1/2 + 1).
5. Members can change the bylaws of the group by 2/3 of the active voting members present in a formal legitimate meeting (where chorum is reached)..
6. During the meeting, any comrade causing chaos, disrespecting turns, will get three warnings by the chairperson, who can then open the floor for expelling him. If 1/3 of the votes is in favor the member would be expelled.
7. When a member is nominated for a committee s/he has to introduce her/himself and the members can interrogate her/him.
8. With the exception of the Syndic Committee a member cannot be in two committees simultaneously.
Voting members
Voting members are the members who:
- Paid their dues
- Attended one of the last two NF meetings
- Attended one of the last three cultural meetingsAdmission
Students interested in joining the Group must participate in at least two activities undertaken by the Group and get the support of two members or associate members. 1. The name of the potential member is proposed by any member to the Administrative Committee.
2. The Administrative Committee will meet with her/him or send a delegate to give an overview about the group and to know the potential member better.
3. The Administrative Committee will propose the name to the group.
4. Votes to grant membership or associate membership status require the approval of a 2/3 majority of the present voting members.
Loss of membership
Members and associate members deemed to have worked against the interest of the Group may be banned by a two-thirds majority of the Group membership. The concerned individuals must be given the opportunity to defend themselves in at least one meeting held specifically for that purpose.
PC is composed of three Members.
Two of the three members are elected a week after the student VP elections for one whole year.
The third member is elected in the first week of April also for a whole year.
Two of those members are elected by the group to be part of the Administrative Committee.
Tasks:
1. The committee presents the groups’ opinion to other political parties and groups 2. The committee coordinates work with the Independent Leftist Groups
3. The committee takes the role of a press-officer when it comes to dealing with the media
4. Provides the members with an update of the group's political paper each year if necessary
The PC only represents the group and cannot take quick decisions on its own.
CC is composed of three members.
The life-time of the CC is one whole year.
CC is elected after the student VP elections.
One member of the CC is nominated by the committee or elected by the group members to be part of the Administrative Committee.
Tasks:
1. A week after being elected, the CC has to hand in a list of the subjects to be discussed to the Administrative Committee.
2. To do this, CC has to study the groups cultural deficiencies.
3. CC will prepare the cultural meetings agendas.
4. CC must present readings in its call for cultural meetings.
5. CC would keep record of all those present in the cultursl meetings.
Members of the SC are the elected members in the American University of Beirut students’ elections; in addition to a representative from each of the student organizations.
One member of this committee is nominated by the committee or elected by the group members to be part of the Administrative Committee.
Tasks:
1. To coordinate work among the student representative committees, and with the linked clubs.
2. To get the maximum number of members involved in student-life.
3. After one week of being elected, the SC has to hand in a list of the projects that will be done during the year to the Administrative Committee
IC is composed of three members: Secretary, Treasurer, and Chairperson.
The life-time of the IC is one whole year.
IC is elected after the student VP elections.
The Treasurer is a member of the Administrative Committee.
The committee’s main task is to coordinate among members of the group.
The Secretary:
Takes meetings’ minutes and sorts them in the archive.
Must call for meetings but cannot set meetings by him/herself.
Must be always ready to resolve conflicts in the group having to do with previous meetings decisions.
Must take care of the communication issues such as the mailing group.
The Treasurer collects contributions from members and must suggest fund raising projects to the Administrative Committee.
The Chairperson begins, directs and ends the meetings, and gives turns to the members. If he/she wants to get be actively part of the discussion, he/she will have to assign someone to direct the meeting at his/her place.
Any crucial document should be made available to the whole committee.
AC is composed of 5 voting members, and one ex-officio.
The life-time of the AC is one whole year.
AC is formed/elected after the student VP elections.
To be a members of the AC one should have spent more than one year in No Frontiers.
No member is allowed to run for the elections of the AC two consecutive times.
Structure:
- Two members from the PC.
- One elected member from the CC.
- One elected member from the SC.
- One Ex-officio from the previous AC that should transfer his experience to the new AC but is not allowed to vote.
Tasks:
1. To coordinate among all committees.
2. To organize the yearly and occasional schedules, based on the subjects and projects lists of all committees.
3. To prepare a yearly plan to be voted upon in the group that covers all aspects of the groups work: Political, cultural, student-oriented, internal, and recruitment. This plan is written based on the following:
a. The previous AC advises.
b. The groups feedback and brain-storming.
c. The yearly plan of all committees.
d. The AC opinion.
4. To ensure the execution of the yearly plan by all committees and members.
5. To prepare a written report every month that contains a summary of the month group work in all its aspects. The group may thus evaluate the committee each month, and may vote for the re-elections of any committee.
6. To prepare a yearly report of the group work on the yearly evaluation at the end of its life-time.
7. During the student elections, the AC will take the role of an electoral committee and will manage and direct the group according to the group’s guidelines until VP elections.
Urgent Decision Committee (UDC)
UDC is composed of seven members.
UDC's only purpose is to take urgent decisions and actions that can in no way be postponed to the next scheduled meeting.
Urgent decisions are accepted by simple majority (1/2 + 1) of the UDC.
Structure:
- 3 PC members
- The secretary
- The treasurer
- The SC elected member for AC
- The CC elected member for AC
The group members can withdraw confidence from any committee by simple majority.
If the AC falls, the group will only fill the gaps in the committees and not re-elect all of them.