SJP Board Application 2013-2014

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2013-2014 STUDENTSFORJUSTICEIN PALESTINEBOARD APPLICATION

Thank you for your interest in applying for a board director position for Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA. As

a diverse group of students fighting for a peaceful and just end to the Palestine-Israel conflict, it is your responsibility

to put forth the effort to make this organization the most active and effective SJP possible. Take this application

process as time to assess what you know about SJP and what you have to offer as an SJP board director towards the

growth of our program. Only completed applications will be accepted. Applications are due by Monday, April 29,

2013 at 11:59 pm and must be emailed to [email protected].

SJP UCLA Mission Statement & Guiding Principles:

I. MISSION: Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) is a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, and community

members at the University of California, Los Angeles, organized on democratic principles to promote justice, humanrights, liberation, and self-determination for the Palestinian people. As an advocacy group, SJP believes that key

principles grounded in international law, human rights, and basic standards of justice, dictate concrete steps that will b

fundamental to a fair and lasting resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

II. GUIDING PRINCIPLES: As an advocacy group, SJP believes that key principles grounded in international law,

human rights, and basic standards of justice, dictate concrete steps that will be fundamental to a fair and lasting

resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Most important among those steps are:

An end to the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip.

An end to the blockade of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories.

The recognition of the Palestinian people as an independent and autonomous cultural group with unique

traditions, practices and ways of life. The establishment of either a fully independent and viable Palestinian state in the Occupied Palestinian

Territories, or of one secular, democratic state over all of modern-day Israel or Palestine.

An end to Israels system of apartheid in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, as well as its system of

discrimination against the Arab population within its own borders.

Withdrawal and end to the establishment of illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories.

A just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem; The Israeli State acknowledges the right of Palestinians to

return to their native land.

SJP deals with an extremely complex and controversial issue that never fails to stimulate discussion and interaction

amongst students and other student organizations dealing with similar issues. The main topic of discussion that arises

from SJP events is about the Palestine question. SJP strives to bring together students of different beliefs and

backgrounds to discuss their concerns on the topic in a safe environment. We not only want to educate others on this

issue, but also have them relate it to their own struggles.

As members of a student solidarity group, we defer to Palestinian civil society's leadership and requests regarding

international support. To that end, we have endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and the right

it is aimed at achieving. In addition to calling for economic and state pressure on Israel, the BDS guidelines also

define and clearly oppose normalization. As the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of

Israel describes it,

"...international supporters of BDS are asked to refrain from participating in any event that morally or

politically equates the oppressor and oppressed, and presents the relationship between Palestinians and Israeli

as symmetrical. Such an event should be boycotted because it normalizes Israels colonial domination over

Palestinians and ignores the power structures and relations embedded in the oppression."


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To that end, we as students in solidarity with Palestinians refrain from participating in projects that normalize the

occupation. Specifically, we will not participate in collaborative or dialogue projects unless they are "based on

unambiguous recognition of Palestinian rights and framed within the explicit context of opposition to occupation andother forms of Israeli oppression of the Palestinians."

III. GENERAL CODE: SJPs activities include educational events, film screenings, discussion forums, anddemonstrations meant to promote awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people and encourage activism in solidari

with their struggle. More broadly, SJP will work to link the pro-Palestine movement with other movements seeking

political, social, economic, or environmental justice in the Middle East and across the world. To this end, SJP may

elect to endorse the programs or activities of other organizations whose principles and objectives are consistent with i

own.

Just as SJP condemns the racism and discrimination underlying many of the policies of the state of Israel, SJP alsocategorically opposes any form of prejudice or discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual

orientation. At the same time, SJP rejects any attempts to equate principled criticism of Zionism, or of the character

and policies of Israel, with anti-Semitism. Furthermore, SJP condemns all acts of unlawful violence, or violence that

indiscriminately targets civilians or civilian infrastructure, committed by either side in the course of the conflict.

Ultimately, SJPs strength flows from the diversity of its membership, comprising individuals of varied racial and

ethnic backgrounds and political orientations, all united under these stated principles in the struggle for peace and

justice in Palestine.

Expectations of a Board member:

In order to qualify for a position as board member of SJP 2013-2014, you must be able to do the following:

Attend all weekly board meetings

Manage all General Body Meetings

Commit to all assigned roles and tasks

Attend all or most events that SJP puts on

Keep Active members updated on the current state of affairs with SJP

In cases of issues with a divisive nature, keep all information disclosed at the discretion of the Board.

Shall preserve the autonomy of the organization

Committee Descriptions:

Another growing aspect of the Students for Justice in Palestine, are our committees, which are headed by SJboard members. They are as followed:

1. Outreach Committee: As a member of the Outreach Committee, you would be responsible for assisting in

writing op-eds for the Daily Bruin, event advertisement, weekly tabling, newsletter design, and more.2. Student Liaison Committee: As a member of the Student Liaison Committee, you would go to other student

organizations to present on the crisis in Palestine and build alliances on campus.

3. BDS Committee: As a member of the BDS committee, you would assist in carrying out specified BDScampaign duties for the organization throughout the school year.

Note: Although SJP Board structure is subject to change next year, here are the positions and

descriptions of SJP 2012-2013 Board, so that youre familiar with current Board structure. Just to get an

idea of how tasks and work was split up during the past year.

SJP Board 2012-2013 POSITION DESCRIPTIONS


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President

The President is responsible for the direction of Students for Justice in Palestines goals. The President coordinates and overseesthe organizing for all events and programs. He or she is responsible for facilitating and guiding board and general body meetings.

Also, the President acts as a link to SoCal and National SJP list serves.

Vice PresidentThe Vice President, in the absence of the President, assumes all responsibilities of the President. In the presence of the President,

the Vice President works to assist the President in the coordination of programs, events and all matters of internal affairs within th

organization. The Vice President alsooversees the coordination of Student Liaison, Outreach, and BDS Committees

andcoordinates and organizes bi-weekly GBMs.

External Affairs DirectorThe External Affairs Director is responsible for overseeing the Student Liaison Committee. Other duties include: training membe

of the committee, preparing necessary educational materials and presentation visuals, and creating ties and forming coalitions wit

other student organizations on campus.

Outreach DirectorThe Outreach Director is responsible for overseeing the Outreach Committee. The Outreach Director is also responsible for

publicizing all SJP events to the campus and community. Tasks include: distributing flyers when event dates approach, placing ad

in the Daily Bruin and other student newsmagazines, sending SJP emails, updating the SJP website and Facebook page on a regulbasis, and maintaining the SJP email account. In addition, the Outreach Director must compose and send the SJP monthly

newsletter.

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) DirectorThe BDS Director is responsible for overseeing the BDS Committee. Other duties include: educating members and UCLA studen

about the BDS movement, researching how UCLA can take part of BDS movement, and executing a BDS campaign on campus.

Finance DirectorThe Finance Director is responsible for the financial functioning of SJP, including the base budget proposal as well as proposalsfor programs throughout the year. The Finance Director is also responsible for keeping a record of all financial transactions for

future reference i.e. for reimbursement purposes, etc.

Education and Resources DirectorThe Education and Resources Director organizes educational workshops, develops educational material for all workshops,

provides educational resources for board members, creates new and exciting ways to educate the general body during General

Body Meetings, keeps recorded timeline or SJP UCLA events throughout the year, and adds on to the SJP Resources Binder(s).

Programming DirectorThe Programming Director is responsible for event logistics including ordering food, booking projectors and other necessary

equipment required for SJP programming, in addition to booking travel accommodations and necessary rides for speakers.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Last Name First Name Middle Name

Major/Minor Year Transfer (Y/N)


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Phone Email

POSITION RANKING

Please rank the positions in the order that you seem most interested in or perhaps have the skill set for.

__ Outreach Director__ Finance Director

__ BDS Director

__ Programming Director

__ Education & Resources Director

__ External Affairs Director

SHORT RESPONSEPlease thoroughly answer the following questions with a minimum of 100 words.

1. What is your understanding of SJP and why are you interested in being on Board?

2. What improvements would you like to make to the position you have ranked number one?

3. How have you been involved in SJP? If you havent, please explain why.


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4. How can you contribute to developing SJP as a sustainable program that has much room for growth

and innovation? What new ideas or goals would you bring to help improve SJP?

5. What are your commitments for the upcoming academic year, 2013-2014, and how will you prioritiz

SJP?

6. Are you in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement? If not, pleaseexplain.

I certify, that all the information I have provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and that

this has been completed on my own.


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Signature Date

Documents

SJP Board Application 2013-2014