ARTICLE I: Purpose
The Student Government Association, through the Student Government Association Executive Council and Student Senate, represents and serves the student body by working toward the betterment of the college, providing leadership training, taking part in community projects, and other activities which promote a sense of unity and school spirit.
ARTICLE II: Student Government Association Executive Council
The Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Council shall consist of the following: President, Vice President & Senator for each Jefferson State Community College campus, Senator-at-large, Secretary, Director of Activities, and Director of Communications. The SGA Executive Council shall:
Meet in the summer to plan the SGA agenda for the upcoming academic year.
Enact the approved SGA agenda.
Implement legislation approved by the Student Senate.
Perform the duties of the Student Senate when that body is not in session.
Ensure the proper implementation of all aspects of the SGA Constitution and By-laws.
SECTION I: Qualifications
Each member of the SGA Executive Council must be a currently enrolled student who will be enrolled at Jefferson State Community College in the academic year following the election. A student does not have to be a member of the Student Senate to run for SGA Executive Council.
PART A – Each SGA Vice President & campus Senator shall be a student enrolled primarily at the campus for which he/she is running for office. If a student is enrolled equally at more than one campus, he/she may run as Vice President for only one of those locations.
PART B – All members of the SGA Executive Council not mentioned in PART A may be students from any Jefferson State Community College campus.
PART C – Members of the SGA Executive Council must possess and maintain a minimum 2.6 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Failure to maintain this grade point average will result in the member being removed from his/her office.
Part D – A student may serve only two terms on the SGA Executive Council.
SECTION II: Elections
Elections for SGA Executive Council may be held each spring. Elections will only be held for contested positions. All currently enrolled Jefferson State Community College students may vote for members of the SGA Executive Council except campus officers (see SECTION II, PART A). In the event that an election is needed, the Student Elections Committee will determine the date of the election and notify the student body. The elections must be concluded, and the SGA Executive Council must be seated by June.
PART A – A Vice President & Senator will be chosen for each individual campus. Students may vote for the Vice President & Senator at the campus they primarily attend. If a student attends multiple campuses equally, the student must choose only one location to cast his/her vote.
SECTION III: Term
Each member of the SGA Executive Council shall serve for one calendar-year term beginning in June. The beginning date of a term shall be determined by the date of the election as decided by the Student Elections Committee. Members of the SGA Executive Council may run for re-election as long as they meet the qualifications listed in Article II, Section I of the by-laws. A calendar-year term ends following the induction of the new officers.
SECTION IV: Meetings
· The SGA Executive Council shall meet at least once a month. This meeting of the SGA Executive Council shall be in addition to any meeting of the Student Senate.
· The SGA Advisor, in consultation with the members of the SGA Executive Council, shall determine the date, time, and location of each meeting of the Executive Council.
· The SGA Secretary shall provide two weeks’ notice to members of the SGA Executive Council and the SGA Advisor of each meeting.
· The SGA Advisor may be present at the SGA Executive Council meetings to offer advice and assistance as needed.
PART A – The SGA President may call additional meetings of the SGA Executive Council as is necessary. The SGA Secretary shall provide at least one week’s notice to the SGA Executive Council and the SGA Advisor of these meetings.
PART B – The SGA Executive Council may call additional meetings without the SGA President’s approval when a majority of the SGA Executive Council members petitions for a meeting. The SGA Secretary shall provide at least one week’s notice to the SGA Executive Council and the SGA Advisor of these meetings.
PART C – A quorum for the SGA Executive Council shall be when three-fourths of the members are present at any SGA Executive Council meeting.
PART D – Failure of any member of the SGA Executive Council to attend three meetings will be grounds for impeachment.
PART E – In addition to SGA Executive Council meetings, each member is expected to attend SGA activities and relevant committee meetings. Failure to do so will be grounds for impeachment.
SECTION V: Scholarship
Each member of the SGA Executive Council shall receive a scholarship to waive tuition & mandatory fees for each semester of his/her term in office, provided the member meets the requirements for holding said office and provided sufficient funds have been appropriated for such scholarships.
SECTION VI: President
The SGA President shall act as the chief representative of the student body and the Student Government Association. The SGA President shall do the following:
· Call for and preside over all meetings of the SGA Executive Council.
· Serve on SGA Committees as required.
· Serve on Jefferson State Community College campus committees as outlined in the Student Handbook and the Faculty and Staff Handbook.
· Establish a pool of eight students to serve on the Academic Honesty Committee, providing the names of these students to the SGA Advisor by October (Guidelines for membership in this pool are outlined in the Student Handbook).
· When called upon, appoint a student at large who is not a member of the SGA to represent the student body on the Code of Student Conduct Committee.
· Form presidential committees as needed.
· Appoint a replacement for any member of the SGA, excluding the SGA President, who vacates his/her office either voluntarily or involuntarily.
· Meet with the SGA advisor regularly.
PART A – The SGA President may be present but may not participate in meetings of the Student Senate. The SGA President may not speak on any proposals or take part in any debates within the Student Senate.
PART B – If the office of SGA President should become vacant, the members of the SGA Executive Council shall elect from among the Vice Presidents a new SGA President who will serve out the remainder of the term. The newly appointed SGA President shall appoint a replacement for any Vice President position that becomes vacant.
SECTION VII: Vice Presidents
The SGA Vice Presidents will assist the SGA President in representing the student body and the Student Government Association. Each SGA Vice President shall do the following:
· Call for and preside over meetings of the Student Senate at his/her campus. While acting as Speaker of the Senate, the Vice President may not vote on any issue before the Student Senate except to break a tie.
· Represent the SGA at his/her individual campus as required.
· Represent SGA at New Student Orientation at his/her campus.
· Manage the SGA office and any SGA volunteers at his/her respective campus.
· Represent his/her campus on the SGA Executive Council.
· Assist Enrollment Services at his/her campus.
· Plan campus-specific events in conjunction with the Director of Activities.
· Assist the Director of Communications with securing meeting locations for the SGA Executive Council and Student Senate at each campus.
· Assist the Director of Communications with communication to the student body at each campus.
· Serve on SGA Committees as required. Form Student Senate Committees as needed.
· Serve on Jefferson State Community College committee as appointed by the SGA President.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
PART A – If the SGA President is not able to attend a meeting of the SGA Executive Council, he/she must appoint one of the SGA Vice Presidents to preside over the meeting. If the SGA President does not designate a Vice President to preside over the meeting, the SGA Advisor will make the appointment.
SECTION VIII: Secretary
The SGA Secretary will do the following:
· Keep minutes of all meetings of the SGA Executive Council, Student Senate, and SGA Committees. If the SGA Secretary is unable to attend a meeting, he/she will designate another person who will be present to keep minutes.
· Distribute minutes of each meeting in a timely manner.
· Assist the Director of Communications with distributing information relevant to SGA.
· Serve on SGA Committees as required.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
SECTION IX: Director of Activities
The SGA Director of Activities shall coordinate all SGA activities and assist the SGA Advisor as a liaison between SGA and student organizations. The SGA Director of Activities will do the following:
· Coordinate voting on applications for SGA recognition by proposed organizations.
· Assist the SGA Advisor with collecting annual renewal applications for SGA-recognized student organizations.
· Propose to the SGA Executive Council the dissolution of any SGA-recognized campus organization or activity in violation of Article III, Section IV of the by-laws.
· Assist the SGA Advisor with organizing “Find Your Place Days” at the beginning of the Fall term.
· Propose ideas for college-wide activities.
· Work with student organizations to plan and promote events.
· Serve on SGA Committees as required.
· Meet with the SGA Advisor regularly.
· Form Student Activities Committees as needed.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
SECTION X: Director of Communications
The SGA Director of Communications shall coordinate between the SGA and the Jefferson State Community College community. The SGA Director of Communications will do the following:
· Work with the Jefferson State Community College webmaster to maintain the SGA website.
· Propose means for improving communication between the college and the student body.
· Act as editor of the SGA student newsletter.
· Assist the SGA Secretary with publishing minutes from each SGA meeting.
· Assist the SGA Director of Activities with promoting events and activities.
· Assist the Vice Presidents with campus-specific communications.
· Serve on SGA Committees as required.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
ARTICLE III: Student Senate
The Student Senate shall consist of representatives from each sanctioned student organization and executive senators who will act as the voice of the students of Jefferson State Community College. The Student Senate shall have the following duties and powers:
· Originate, debate, and vote on legislation put before the Senate.
· Address issues and concerns raised by the student body.
· Meet with members of the faculty, staff, and administration to address student concerns as needed.
· Confirm appointments made by the SGA President and Speaker of the Student Senate.
· Vote on applications for SGA recognition from potential and current student campus organizations and activity groups(when the Student Senate is not in session, the SGA Executive Council shall fill this role).
· Vote on bills of impeachment, when warranted, against a member of the SGA Executive Council or Student Senate. A two-thirds vote of the Student Senate in whole is required for impeachment.
· Assume all other powers of the legislative or judicial branch which are not elsewhere prescribed in the SGA Constitution or by-laws.
SECTION I: Qualifications
All currently enrolled students of Jefferson State Community College are eligible to run for Senate positions. A Senator must plan to be a student at Jefferson State Community College for the entire academic year in which he or she is running for Student Senate. A Representative may be appointed by an organization for any length of time.
PART A – Each member of the Student Senate, must possess and maintain a 2.6 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Failure to maintain this grade point average will result in the member being removed from the Student Senate.
PART B – Each member must be a representative from a student organization or the Executive Council.
SECTION II: Elections
Student Senate elections will follow the procedures outlined in Article II Section II.
PART A – Each campus will elect its own senator. Each student organization will elect its own representative.
PART B – A candidate for Senate must be a student primarily enrolled at the campus where he/she is running for office. If a student is enrolled equally at multiple campuses and/s, he/she must choose ONE location to represent as Senator.
PART C – If the Senate seat is not filled through an election, the SGA Vice President for that campus shall recommend to the SGA Executive Council a student to fill the empty seat. The recommended student must meet the qualifications outlined in Article III, Section I. The SGA Executive Council shall vote on the recommendation. A majority vote of members of the Executive Council shall be required to approve the recommendation.
SECTION III: Senators
Each campus shall have one senator.
In the event of voluntary or involuntary removal from the Senate, a Senate seat may be filled by a student appointed by the SGA Vice President for the campus of the vacant seat. The student must meet the requirements listed in Article III, Section I. The appointed student shall act as a member of the Student Senate with all the duties and privileges of that position.
SECTION IV: Representatives
Each student organization shall send a representative to each meeting of the Student Senate. Any organization that does not send a representative to three consecutive meetings shall have its recognition suspended.
SECTION V: Speaker of the Student Senate
An SGA Vice President shall act as Speaker of the Student Senate at his/her campus. Acting as Speaker of the Student Senate, he/she shall do the following:
· Preside over all meetings of the Student Senate. The Speaker of the Student Senate may not vote on any item brought before the Senate except to break a tie.
· Act as a liaison between the Student Senate and the SGA Executive Council.
· In conjunction with the SGA Executive Council, plan the agenda for the Student Senate for the academic year.
· Plan the agenda for each meeting of the Student Senate.
· Create and appoint members to Student Senate committees.
PART A – In the event of voluntary or involuntary removal from office, the SGA President shall appoint a new Vice President who shall become Speaker. The appointed Vice President must meet the criteria outlined in Article II, Section II.
SECTION VI: Meetings
The Student Senate shall meet at least once a semester as outlined in the SGA Constitution. The Speaker/s of the Student Senate, in consultation with the other members of the Student Senate, shall determine the date, time, and location of each meeting. The SGA Secretary shall provide at least two weeks’ notice to members of the Student Senate and the SGA Advisor of each meeting. The SGA Advisor may be present at the Student Senate meetings to offer advice and assistance as needed. College administrators may also call meetings of the Student Senate.
PART A – The first Student Senate meeting must occur no later than October 31. The final Student Senate meeting shall occur no later than April 30.
PART B – The Speaker of the Student Senate may call additional meetings of the Student Senate as necessary. The SGA Secretary shall provide at least one week’s notice to members of the Student Senate and the SGA Advisor of these meetings.
PART C – The Student Senate may call additional meetings without the Speaker of the Student Senate’s approval when a majority of the Student Senate members petitions for a meeting. The SGA Secretary shall provide at least one week’s notice to members of the Student Senate and the SGA Advisor of these meetings.
PART D – Each member of the Student Senate is expected to be represented at each meeting. Failure to attend three consecutive meetings will be grounds for termination of that organization’s seat on the Student Senate. (See Article III, Section IV.)
PART E – In addition to regular Student Senate meetings, each member is expected to attend SGA activities and relevant committee meetings. Failure to do so will be grounds for termination of that organization’s seat on the Student Senate.
ARTICLE IV: Committees
The Student Government Association shall have committees to assist with specific areas of SGA as needed.
SECTION I: Student Elections Committee
When needed, the Student Elections Committee shall oversee the election of the SGA Executive Council. The Student Elections Committee shall do the following:
· Work with the SGA Advisor to ensure fair and impartial elections.
· Enact rules governing each election and ensure that such rules are followed.
· Collect applications from candidates.
· Set election dates.
· Approve campaign materials.
· Ensure that all rules for campaigning are followed.
· Verify and publicize election results.
· Hear and decide all complaints filed regarding SGA elections.
PART A – The SGA Advisor shall appoint students to the Student Elections Committee. No member of the Student Elections Committee shall run in the election it is overseeing. The SGA Advisor may appoint one of the members to be the chair of the committee. If no chair is appointed, the SGA Advisor shall act as chair.
PART B – The Student Elections Committee shall serve for the duration of the election for which it is formed. Once all votes have been tallied and all complaints about the election have been decided, the committee is officially disbanded.
PART C – Any complaints about an election must be submitted to the Student Elections Committee chair in writing within five college working days after the publication of the election results. Complaints must be decided upon within five college working days of receipt by the committee. Appeals of the decision of the committee will be heard by the SGA Advisor whose decision is final.
SECTION II: Student Senate Committees
The Speaker of the Student Senate may form committees as he/she deems necessary. The Speaker shall appoint members to such committees from among the student body of the campus. The Speaker must define the purpose of the committee and set the rules governing the committee. No committee may sit beyond the last meeting of the Student Senate for the academic year in which the committee was formed.
PART A – If the Speaker vacates his/her office, the committees the Speaker formed are disbanded.
PART B – Student Senate Committees may not usurp any authority given to the Student Senate in the Constitution and By-laws.
SECTION III: Student Activities Committees
The SGA Director of Activities may form committees as he/she deems necessary. These committees shall assist with planning and implementing SGA activities. The SGA Director of Activities shall appoint members to such committees from among the student body of Jefferson State Community College. The SGA Director of Activities must define the purpose of the committee and set the rules governing the committee. No committee may sit beyond the last meeting of the SGA Executive Council for the term in which the committee was formed.
PART A – If the SGA Director of Activities vacates his/her office, the committees the SGA Director of Activities formed are disbanded unless the SGA Advisor deems the committee necessary. If a committee is not disbanded, the SGA Advisor shall appoint a chair of the committee until a new SGA Director of Activities is appointed.
PART B – A Student Activities Committee may become an SGA-recognized campus organization or activity group if said committee goes through the proper procedure for recognition. No group may be both a Student Activities Committee and a campus organization or activity group.
SECTION IV: President Committees
The SGA President may form committees as he/she deems necessary. The SGA President shall appoint members to such committees from among the student body of Jefferson State Community College. The SGA President must define the purpose of the committee and set the rules governing the committee. No committee may sit beyond the last meeting of the SGA Executive Council for the term in which the committee was formed.
PART A – If the SGA President vacates his/her office, the committees the SGA President formed are disbanded.
ARTICLE V: Changes to the By-laws
Any changes to the by-laws must originate in the Student Senate and must be approved by a two-thirds vote of all voting members of the Student Senate.
