Columbia University STRIVE Mission Statement

To give children with Sickle Cell Disease the tools and support they need to achieve success in school and in their social lives, while also teaching them how to manage their disease, how to advocate for themselves to fulfill their unique needs, and about the biology of their disease.

Columbia University STRIVE Constitution

Article I—Name:

The name of this club shall be Columbia University STRIVE.

Nationally, STRIVE is an acronym meaning Sickle Cell Teens Raising Awareness, Initiating Change, Voicing Opinions, and Empowering Themselves.

Article II—Purpose:

Columbia University STRIVE’s goal is to act as an afterschool intervention to provide low-income teens that have Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) with the mentoring, peer support, academic assistance, and disease management education they need to manage their condition effectively and realize their full potential. Columbia University STRIVE aims to empower teens who attend its programs to become independent and to advocate effectively for themselves as well as for their illness. In order to reach its goals, volunteers in Columbia University STRIVE provide participants with the following:
1. Peer support and one-on-one mentoring to build self-confidence and reduce the social isolation experienced by many teens with SCD
2. Self-advocacy to empower teens living with SCD to take charge of their own health and well-being
3. Disease management education to improve health outcomes and facilitate the transition to adult care and independent living
4. Academic support to address academic difficulties teens with SCD face because of their extended hospitalizations.

Article 3—Field of Membership:

Membership in Columbia University STRIVE is open to all current Columbia University undergraduate students in Columbia College, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, General Studies, and Barnard College.

Article 4—Structure:

Columbia University STRIVE is one of five STRIVE sites, all of which are located in the United States. STRIVE is part of Next Step, a non-profit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Next Step offers Columbia University STRIVE support, including funding; training; a curriculum; and help with communication between volunteers, clinical partners, and participants’ families to make sure the program responds to the distinctive academic, social, and medical needs of each participant. Columbia University STRIVE has clinical partners who help recruit participants. Columbia University STRIVE volunteers recruit additional volunteers.

Columbia University STRIVE has two Program Coordinators who are responsible for the overall success of the STRIVE program as well as smaller projects within the STRIVE program. The Program Coordinators are appointed by the previous Program Coordinators and staff from Next Step.

STRIVE officers other than the Program Coordinators are elected according to the following procedure. Any active STRIVE volunteer may nominate another active STRIVE volunteer for an officer role beginning at least one week prior to elections. A volunteer who has been nominated for an officer role must notify the Executive Board (defined below) of whether (s)he accepts his or her nomination prior to the start of elections. During elections all candidates for a given officer role are required to make a speech. While a candidate for a given role is delivering his or her speech all other candidates for that position must not be present. Once all candidates for a given position have delivered their speeches they must all leave the room to allow the rest of the active STRIVE volunteers present to deliberate. At the end of deliberation all active volunteers who were present for all candidates’ speeches vote by secret ballot for their desired candidate(s). Candidates are then called back into the room and the winner of the election is announced. Any candidate who did not win the election may enter an election for any position that is elected later and may continue to do so until (s)he wins an election; however a candidate may only deliver a speech during the first election in which (s)he participates.

The STRIVE Executive Board consists of the Program Coordinators, the Treasurer and the Tutoring Coordinator.

Elected STRIVE officer positions are listed below in the order in which elections are to take place along with their responsibilities and other relevant information:

1. Treasurer:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of three minutes
b. Member of the STRIVE Executive Board
c. Collect and submit volunteer reimbursements
d. Create a budget for all expenses
i. Track all expenditures
e. Advise Program Coordinators and volunteers about available funds and where they can come from (Student Governing Board, Next Step, etc.)
f. Participate in all required training
g. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

2. Tutoring Coordinator:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of three minutes
b. Member of the STRIVE Executive Board
c. Plan and execute tutoring for mentees outside the standard program
i. Tutoring sessions must have at least two mentors and two mentees
ii. If both males and females are present at a tutoring session there must be at least two males and two females
d. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

3. Advocacy & Community Liaison:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Coordinate an advocacy project
c. Establish connections with community and advocacy groups in the area
d. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

4. Campus Events and Fundraising Coordinator:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Create awareness in the Columbia community about Sickle Cell Anemia and STRIVE
c. Execute fundraising for STRIVE and organizations that support individuals with Sickle Cell Anemia (research, clinical care, advocacy, etc.)
d. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

5. Recruitment and Campus Relations Coordinators (x2):
a. Two volunteers fill this position together
b. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
c. Recruit new volunteers
i. Update and distribute applications for new volunteers
ii. Schedule and execute new volunteer interviews
d. Market to make STRIVE known in the Columbia community
e. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

6. Mentor-Teacher Relations Coordinator:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Maintain communication with mentees’ school teachers
i. Record information obtained from teachers in a way that allows tracking mentees’ progress over multiple years
c. Provide mentors with periodic updates on their mentees
d. Advise Program Coordinators on ways to improve STRIVE
e. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

7. College Advising:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Provide mentees with suggestions and resources for college preparation
i. Develop and maintain a standard set of resources for each grade in high school
ii. Ensure mentees meet deadlines involved in college application process
c. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

8. Field Trip and Special Event Coordinator:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Plan field trips
c. Plan special events
d. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

9. Webmaster:
a. May give a speech during elections lasting a maximum of two minutes
b. Keep the STRIVE website up-to-date
i. Calendar must show all STRIVE events
c. Perform all duties assigned by the Program Coordinators

If any officer positions are unfilled, the Program Coordinators must take on the missing officers’ responsibilities.

Article 5—Meetings

A program with participants is to be held a minimum of once per week. At no time during the program may any participant be left alone or only with people who are not Columbia University STRIVE volunteers.

Meetings of Columbia University STRIVE volunteers, called Reflection Sessions, are to be held weekly.

The Program Coordinators decide the time and location of meetings, may call additional meetings, and may cancel meetings. Meetings are to be canceled only if there is a legitimate reason to do so.

Article 6—Funds:

The Program Coordinators and Treasurer hold primary responsibility for handling all funds allocated to Columbia University STRIVE, but may grant specific responsibilities to any current volunteer at any time. Funds granted to STRIVE by another organization (i.e. Next Step, Student Governing Board, etc.) must be handled in accordance with that organization’s requirements.

Article 7—Amendments:

Amendments may only be added to the Columbia University STRIVE Constitution if at least two thirds of active Columbia University STRIVE volunteers vote in favor of the amendment.