The Hungarian Student, 1957 (1. évfolyam, 2-8. szám)
1957 / 5-6. szám
14 The Hungarian Student CONSTITUTION Association of Hungarian Students in the United States I. The name and insignia of the Association 1. The official name of th3 Association: ASSOCIATION OF HUNGARIAN STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AMERIKAI MAGYAR EGYETEMISTÁK SZÖVETSÉGE 2. The Association of Hungarian Students in the United States (from hereon refer.ed to as the Association) has as its insignia a globe with black lines on a white background encircled on top with red and green and on the bottom with a black ribbon. In the area surrounded by the ribbon ths letters “AHSUS” appear in black. This insignia was adapted from the insignia of the world wide Association of Hungarian Students who fled to the West. Each national association uses the appropriate abbreviation respective to the country in which it is domiciled. 3. The Association uses the red, white and green flag with the Kossuth shield and two black streamers attached to the flag pole. 4. All members of the Association receive a membership card after they have filled out an application for entry and upon admission to membership. The membership card must be signed by the holder. II. The purpose of the Association and its tasks 1. The purpose of the Association is to organize, unify, represent and defend the interests of all young persons Hungarian or of Hungarian descent who are engaged, or intend to engage, in university studies, and who hold a high school degree. (A Hungarian youth who is registered as a student in any institution of higher learning.) The Association was motivated in selecting its purpose by the idea that through fostering the national consciousness and professional calling in Hungarian students in America eventually these students will be able to return to a liberated Hungaiy as trained and Western educated and oriented specialists. 2. The Association is not a political organization but in its activities it bases itself on the idea of Hungarian independence; it guards and fosters the spirit of the national revolution and war of independence of October, 1956; it adheres to the ideological aims of the revolution and struggles to achieve Hungarian neutrality. The Association, an organization composed of the youth of an independent and neutral nation, wishes to establish friendly relations with student organizations of any country in the world which does not engage in any action or propaganda contrary to the principles of the Association as s t down in its Constitution. 3. The Association considers its objective to be: To assist the members in their education in the interest of the above goals; To seek and to acquire all opportunities for facilitating their education, in as much as acceptance of these do not result in thj surrender of the Association’s aims; To take part in the development of its members; To aid them in nurturing Magyar self-assurance and culture; To ease the members’ problems of adjustment to their present circumstances in American life. 4. The Association considers as its assignment the representation of the students in all outside interests and organizations. 5. The Association l-ecognizes and takes upon itself the mission imposed on it as a result of the problems following the October 23, 1956 Hungarian Revolution and Freedom Fight. In the United States the Association represents the entire Hungarian student body and is the spokesman of those still living in Hungary where they have been stripped of their rights. Its function is conducted in such spirit that it will enable each member to realize this goal: that each Hungarian youth be a representative of his native land in the United States. 6. The Association can make its objîctives a reality only if the Hungarians living in United States territory will accept the responsibility of participation in the functioning organizations for immigrants, the kind of participation which the Hungarian university youth assumed in history and during the National Revolution and Freedom Fight. Thus the Hungarian immigrants living in the United States can aid the work of the Association by striving to fulfill the aims of the bylaws. In so doing they will achieve these ideals, subsequently creating complete Hungarian unity. III. Membership 1. Membership in the Association is open to all students of Hungarian origin who are registered in an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States and its territories. 2. Membership in the Association may be obtained by any eligible student who accepts the principles of the Association, upon recommendation of the local organization, by applying in writing for membership to the national central office of the Association and signifying by his signature his willingness to abide by the Constitution of the Association. Membership becomes effective upon the applicant’s receipt of notice that his application has been accepted. 3. Every member has the right to receive the benefit of the aids, supports and facilities of the Association; to participate in the activities of the national and local organizations; to vote and hold office; and to make proposals and exercise criticism. 4. Every member of the Association has the duty to participate in the activities of the Association; to represent the Hungarian People with proper behavior; and to lend moral and material support to the Association according to his best ability. 5. Any person or organization wishing to support the Association in the realization of its goals and purposes may become a “supporting member.” 6. Membership in the Association shall be terminated by the member’s resignation in writing; or by his expulsion from the Association; or by his final departure from the territory of the United States. 7. The membership of the Association shall be dissolved in case of dissolution of the organization. 8. A member may be expelled by a twothirds vote of the Supervisory Committee, for good cause, after he has been notified of the charges against him and has been given opportunity to be heard by the Committee. The Supervisory Committee shall in evei y case make a full and public report of the reasons for its action, and to this report the statement of a dissenting minority, if any, shall be appended. From such a decision the expelled member shall have the right of personal appeal to the succeeding Congress; during such interim period the member in question shall be considered as a suspended member. 9. Cause for expulsion may be the violation of the honor of the Hungarian name; a serious and intentional breach of the Constitution of the Association; or having obtained membership on the basis of false data.
