About MESSA

MESSA aims to enrich the study of the Middle East at the University of Chicago by organizing programming that provides students with a variety of outlets to explore the region. The organization seeks to build strong new leadership, so if you are interested in joining the MESSA board, see below!

ORGANIZATION DOCUMENTS

MESSA Constitution

The constitution for the organization including its mission and structure can be found here:

MESSA Constitution

Board Meeting Minutes

MESSA Board Meeting minutes can be found here:

MESSA Board Meeting Minutes

Minutes are updated on a weekly basis.

Blueprint

Visit our page on UChicago’s Blueprint.

MESSA Board Positions

Learn about the roles and responsibilities of each of our board positions!

President

The President serves as the head of the student organization and advocates for the CMES student body in various capacities.

Vice President

The Vice President shares duties with the President and must be prepared to represent any other member of MESSA should they not be able to attend meetings. The Vice President must also be flexible in taking charge of tasks or projects that do not fit within the outlined responsibilities of the other six positions.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for securing the space for executive board meetings and other MESSA events, for taking and distributing minutes, and for supporting all initiatives undertaken by the other positions. In particular, the Secretary should be ready and willing to support the Social Media Director’s website management.

Treasurer

The Treasurer’s most important responsibility is submitting the Annual Allocation in March/April. The Treasurer manages the budget by signing off on expenses and depositing money into the MESSA account. The Treasurer also helps to organize the annual MEHAT lamb roast.

Humanities Chair

The Humanities Chair is responsible for preparing the quarterly budget and attending the quarterly Humanities meetings, where they act as a liaison between MESSA and HDGSC (Humanities Division Graduate Student Council). The Humanities Chair helps plan and coordinate events using Humanities Division budget funds.

Social Sciences Chair

The Social Sciences Chair is responsible for handling all requests for funding through the Social Sciences Division. Their major project is the end-of-the-year celebration.

Social Media Director

The Social Media Director is responsible for updating and running MESSA’s social media, including the website and Facebook page and any other platforms established by the executive board. They are also responsible for advertising MESSA’s activities.