GOVERNANCE
How the chapter runs.
A written constitution, a nine-officer executive board, and a faculty advisor — the structure that keeps the familia going year after year.
THE CHARTER
What the constitution covers.
Nine articles govern everything the chapter does. The digest below summarizes each — the full text is a one-click download.
- I
Name
Establishes the organization as the Boston University Student Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers — SHPE-BostonU.
- II
Aim & Purpose
Commits the chapter to SHPE's five pillars and to empowering Hispanics in STEM — while staying open to every student, regardless of background or major.
- III
Membership
Membership is equally available to all undergraduate fee-paying students, with no discrimination of any kind under Boston University policy.
- IV
Officers
Defines a nine-officer executive board, optional underclassmen and upperclassmen representatives, and a four-officer fallback structure for lean years.
- V
Officer Responsibilities
Spells out every seat's duties — from the President's national reporting to the Treasurer's sole signature on chapter funds.
- VI–VII
Elections & Voting
Annual elections arranged by the President: plurality wins, a majority of official members must be present, and every official member gets a vote.
- VIII
Meetings
Guarantees at least five general meetings each semester, with the executive board meeting weekly and special meetings at the President's call.
- IX
Amendments
The constitution amends by a two-thirds vote of members present — proposed at least one publicized meeting in advance, then ratified through BU's Student Activities Office.
THE STRUCTURE
Nine seats, one board.
Article IV defines the executive board; Article V gives every seat a job description.
President
Executive officer — presides over meetings, appoints committees, arranges elections, and reports to SHPE national.
VP of University Affairs
Liaison to BU — student groups, the College of Engineering, and campus partners like the Howard Thurman Center.
VP of Corporate Affairs
Runs company networking events and alumni nights, and sends the corporate sponsorship packet each semester.
VP of Community Outreach
Owns volunteer events, Noches de Ciencias, SHPE Jr., and the chapter's ties to SHPE national and regional.
Treasurer
Sole signatory on chapter funds — budgets, financial records, and funding requests to BU's Allocation Board.
Secretary
Record-keeper — minutes, the member roster, room scheduling, and the chapter calendar.
Public Relations Chair
Directs marketing, social media, and announcements to members.
Campus Fundraising Chair
Creates, directs, and executes the chapter's fundraisers.
Webmaster
Keeps the website, LinkedIn, and the board's project tracker current.
The board may also seat Underclassmen and Upperclassmen Representatives, who promote membership in their class years and lead the general-body committees. Meet the current board.
THE PROCESS
Elections, meetings, amendments.
Held annually by the Student Activities Office deadline. Plurality wins, and every official member casts a ballot.
At least five general meetings a semester — the executive board meets weekly.
Two-thirds of members present, proposed a meeting in advance, ratified through BU SAO.
FACULTY ADVISOR
Enrique Gutierrez-Wing, Ph.D.
Master Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering
Boston University College of Engineering
Dr. Gutierrez-Wing has taught Electromechanical Design (ME 360) at BU for over a decade, earned the department's 2025 Award for Teaching Excellence, and researches vibration dynamics and active vibration control. As faculty advisor he provides academic oversight and institutional support, bridging the student experience with the goals of SHPE's national mission.
- Academic oversight of chapter programming
- Institutional support inside the College of Engineering
- A standing bridge to SHPE's national mission
About · Governance
How the chapter runs.
A written constitution, a nine-officer executive board, and a faculty advisor — the structure that keeps the familia going year after year.
What the constitution covers.
Nine articles govern everything the chapter does — digested below, downloadable in full.
Art. I
Name
Establishes the organization as the Boston University Student Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers — SHPE-BostonU.
Art. II
Aim & Purpose
Commits the chapter to SHPE's five pillars and to empowering Hispanics in STEM — while staying open to every student, regardless of background or major.
Art. III
Membership
Membership is equally available to all undergraduate fee-paying students, with no discrimination of any kind under Boston University policy.
Art. IV
Officers
Defines a nine-officer executive board, optional underclassmen and upperclassmen representatives, and a four-officer fallback structure for lean years.
Art. V
Officer Responsibilities
Spells out every seat's duties — from the President's national reporting to the Treasurer's sole signature on chapter funds.
Art. VI–VII
Elections & Voting
Annual elections arranged by the President: plurality wins, a majority of official members must be present, and every official member gets a vote.
Art. VIII
Meetings
Guarantees at least five general meetings each semester, with the executive board meeting weekly and special meetings at the President's call.
Art. IX
Amendments
The constitution amends by a two-thirds vote of members present — proposed at least one publicized meeting in advance, then ratified through BU's Student Activities Office.
Nine seats, one board.
Article IV defines the executive board; Article V gives every seat a job description.
01
President
Executive officer — presides over meetings, appoints committees, arranges elections, and reports to SHPE national.
02
VP of University Affairs
Liaison to BU — student groups, the College of Engineering, and campus partners like the Howard Thurman Center.
03
VP of Corporate Affairs
Runs company networking events and alumni nights, and sends the corporate sponsorship packet each semester.
04
VP of Community Outreach
Owns volunteer events, Noches de Ciencias, SHPE Jr., and the chapter's ties to SHPE national and regional.
05
Treasurer
Sole signatory on chapter funds — budgets, financial records, and funding requests to BU's Allocation Board.
06
Secretary
Record-keeper — minutes, the member roster, room scheduling, and the chapter calendar.
07
Public Relations Chair
Directs marketing, social media, and announcements to members.
08
Campus Fundraising Chair
Creates, directs, and executes the chapter's fundraisers.
09
Webmaster
Keeps the website, LinkedIn, and the board's project tracker current.
The board may also seat Underclassmen and Upperclassmen Representatives, who promote membership in their class years and lead the general-body committees. Meet the current board.
Elections, meetings, amendments.
The rules that keep the chapter accountable to its members.
Elections
Held annually by the Student Activities Office deadline. Plurality wins, and every official member casts a ballot.
Meetings
At least five general meetings a semester — the executive board meets weekly.
Amendments
Two-thirds of members present, proposed a meeting in advance, ratified through BU SAO.
Enrique Gutierrez-Wing, Ph.D.
Master Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering
Boston University College of Engineering
Dr. Gutierrez-Wing has taught Electromechanical Design (ME 360) at BU for over a decade, earned the department's 2025 Award for Teaching Excellence, and researches vibration dynamics and active vibration control. As faculty advisor he provides academic oversight and institutional support, bridging the student experience with the goals of SHPE's national mission.
- Academic oversight of chapter programming
- Institutional support inside the College of Engineering
- A standing bridge to SHPE's national mission
Structure is just the scaffolding.
The constitution keeps the chapter running — the people make it familia. See who holds the seats this term.