AIARD Student Associations

The necessity of securing future members to continue the successes by the association and its members is a paramount goal for AIARD. To borrow a common phrase from most academic institutions, "the future to the United States is found in the students of our colleges and universities."

In addition, the need to internationalize and globalize our colleges and universities opens the door for AIARD to become an active part of the activities of these institutions in molding a generation of individuals that will direct the future of this country and the future of our development activities throughout the world. By establishing student organizations affiliated with AIARD the association will, in fact, guarantee its future as well as the future of international agriculture and rural development programs.

Establishing a Student Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (SAIARD) on a university or college campus will provide the following opportunities for student members of the chapters:

1. Those students participating in the association will acquire greater understanding of issues facing developing countries in international agriculture and rural development;
2. Students will become familiar with international agriculture priorities of their particular state;
3. Students will become familiar with their roles and responsibilities regarding policy making at the state and federal levels;
4. The students will have opportunities to participate in international exchange programs through other SAIARD chapters and in internships with development agencies;
5. Through participation in AIARD's annual meetings, students will have opportunities to meet with Congressional staffers, Congressmen; federal development agency personnel from the Department of State, United States Agency for International Development, and the Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA); World Bank personnel; private volunteer organization (PVO) and non-government organization (NGO) personnel.
6. Students will be provided opportunities to understand the U.S. and multi-lateral development industry.
7. Students will have access to the AIARD e-mail network, and,
8. Students will have the opportunity to become acquainted with faculty members involved in international development work.

Each college and university will designate specific procedures for establishing a student organization. The following procedures, however, provide guidelines for new chapters:

1. A faculty member who is currently a member in good standing of AIARD should be selected as advisor to the chapter;
2. A constitution must be written and submitted to the Rallying AIARD Membership (RAM) Committee for approval after the college or university approvals have been provided. Attached is a sample constitution with the suggested concepts;
3. Dues will be assessed on an individual basis at a yearly base rate of $15.00 per student member. Each chapter will be able to increase the base rate by up to $10.00 for use by the chapter. Each chapter will annually pay AIARD its membership dues and provide a list of paid members. The Secretary/Treasurers office of AIARD will provide membership cards for those paid members;
4. Each chapter will elect three officers -- a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer;
5. Each chapter will be notified of activities within AIARD through the faculty advisor, the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer;
6. Each chapter must retain active status by following the rules and regulations of the college or university to which it is affiliated. However, students interested in AIARD membership do not have to be affiliated with a chapter to enjoy the privileges of AIARD student membership.
7. Student chapters will have a total of three votes on issues affecting AIARD. These votes will be cast by the chapter officers (the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer) and should represent the chapter membership.