The African Students' and Scholars Association (ASSA) is a social and service organization formed out of the initiative of four (4) graduate students to bring together the growing number of Graduate and Undergraduate Students from Africa at the University of Nevada, Reno. It was originally known as "The African Graduate Students' Association" (AGSA). However, since the association embraces all students from Africa as well as African Scholars,Peoples of African descent, Friends of Africa and the entire student body at the University of Nevada, Reno it was accepted at the first General Assembly meeting in the Fall of 2002 of the association that there should be a change of name to reflect the real status of the association.
ASSA is a recognized social and service organization at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). There are seven executive positions in the association. These are:
- The President
- The Vice-President
- The Secretary General
- The Treasurer
- The Recording Secretary
- The Publicity Secretary
- The Social Director
By our constitution, (see an online copy) PDF format or RTF or DOC format virtually every members is eligible to be elected into any of the executive positions given the conditions outlined in the constitution. There are constitutional amendments pending the approval of the general membership and all these will be posted online once they have been adopted by members.There are also various standing committees of which members not holding any executive are encouraged to be a part. There are two categories - the standing committees are those that are enshrined in the constitution and the adhoc committees, those that may be formed to serve a purpose and will cease to exist after the task has been completed. Those enshrined in the constitution are as follows (with their designated Chairpersons in parentheses):
- The Constitutional Committee (The Secretary General)
- The Budgetary Committee (The Treasurer)
- The Committee of Social Activities (The Social Director)
- The Educational Committees (Must be elected by General Members)
The present executive members were elected (click here for the names of the Executive members) during the second half of the Spring 2002 Semester and they took office at the beginning of the Fall 2002 Semester (see a copy of the constitution online).