CONSTITUTION and BYLAWS

 

 

Article I. NAME:  El Centro College Student Government Association

 

 

Article II. PURPOSE:  We the students of the El Centro College recognize the right of the Student Government Association to pursue its purpose of promoting the general welfare of the students in democratic fashion, to represent students in college committees, to provide means for responsible and effective student participation in decision-making processes of the College, to participate in budgeting of student activity funds, and to encourage a rational discourse as a responsible means to initiate constructive change, to provide a forum for the expression of student views and interests, to maintain academic freedom and academic responsibility, to improve student cultural, social and physical welfare, and promote national and international understanding and fraternity at the student level.

 

 

Article III. ORGANIZATION

Section 3.01 The Association will be composed of an Assembly chaired by officers elected by the entire student body. 

Section 3.02 The elected officers will constitute an Executive Committee which may be augmented by committee chairs. 

Section 3.03 The Executive Committee may select a Cabinet from among candidates for office that were not elected, current Committee chairs, and those students who have shown an exemplary degree of commitment to Association activities.  The Cabinet will consist of at least three and not more than ten members.

Section 3.04 Committees of the Association will be appointed by the Executive Committee and may be chaired by students chosen from the student body at large.

Section 3.05 Elected officers will consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 3.06 Other officers of the Assembly such as Sergeant-at-arms, Historian or Parliamentarian may be appointed by the Executive Committee.

 

 

Article IV. QUALIFICATIONS FOR OFFICERS

Section 4.01 Elected officers must have graduated from high school or GED equivalent.

Section 4.02 Elected officers must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 as verified by the El Centro Registrar’s Office.

Section 4.03 Elected officers must have completed at least one semester at El Centro College, whether as college credit or dual credit, not including Wintermester, Maymester or Summer semester.

Section 4.04 Elected officers must not hold office in any club or organization at any institution.

Section 4.05 Elected officers must carry a course load that is at least 6 semester hours and not more than 13 semester hours.

Section 4.06 Cabinet members must meet the same qualifications as Assembly Representatives.

 

 

Article V. BASIS OF REPRESENTATION IN THE ASSEMBLY

Section 5.01 Selected clubs and organizations will be entitled to a primary and an alternate representative each.  Each club or organization may have one vote in the Assembly.   Clubs and organizations must forward a letter signed by an officer to the Secretary of the Association designating the representatives from the unit.

Section 5.02 Selected curricular programs not represented by clubs or organizations may elect a minimum of one representative and, if that constituency comprises more than 500 students, two representatives.  Curricula coordinators will designate their representatives by email or memo sent to the Secretary of the Association.

Section 5.03 Selection of clubs, organizations and curricular units that will be represented will be made by the Executive Committee meeting with two faculty advisors. 

Section 5.04 There will be a number of At-Large representatives which will be determined by dividing 60 percent of the Fall FTE (Full-Time Equivalent) for credit and non-credit students by 500. 

Section 5.05 Two representatives may be elected by individually enrolled El Centro College students from each of the other campuses of the College, including Bill J. Priest, West Dallas and the UCD.

Section 5.06 Middle College may have two voting representatives.  President of the Ambassadors must forward a letter certifying the duly elected or appointed representatives.  Ideally one representative should represent lower division (high school) students and one should represent upper division (dual-credit) students.

 

 

Article VI. QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY

Section 6.01 Members of the Assembly must be carrying at least fifty percent of their course load at El Centro.

Section 6.02 Members of the Assembly must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 as verified by the El Centro Registrar’s Office.

Section 6.03 Members of the Assembly must have completed at least one semester at El Centro College, whether as college credit or dual credit, not including wintermester, maymester or summer semester.

Section 6.04 Members of the Assembly must not hold office as president or vice-president in any club or organization at any institution.

Section 6.05 Members of the Assembly must carry a course load that is at least 6 semester hours and not more than 13 semester hours, with the exception of Middle College Representatives.

 

 

Article VII. BASIS OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE STUDENT BODY

Section 7.01 Students are defined as students currently enrolled in courses at El Centro College.

 

 

Article VIII. TERM OF OFFICE

Section 8.01 Officers shall be elected for a term of one year. 

Section 8.02 Cabinet members shall be appointed for a term of one year.

Section 8.03 No individual may be elected to serve more than two years (four long semesters).  

Section 8.04 Terms commence at the beginning of Fall semester.

 

 

Article IX. ELECTION PROCEDURES

Section 9.01 Elections will be held at midyear (April) for officers and assembly representatives.

Section 9.02 Officers and representatives elected in April will be sworn in and take office during the first week of classes in the Fall semester.

Section 9.03 An SGA retreat will be held the last Saturday in March to orient potential candidates for office. 

Section 9.04 Candidates for office will be invited to register their candidacies through the SGA or SPAR Office prior to the first Monday in April.  Campaigning for office will take place during the second week in April. 

Section 9.05 Elections will be held beginning the last Wednesday in April and running through the following Sunday.  Elections may be held via an online system providing there are reasonable safeguards to insure an accurate poll. 

Section 9.06 Officers will elected by a plurality of votes. 

Section 9.07 The At-large Assembly representatives elected will be those candidates receiving the most votes. 

 

 

Article X. RESPONSIBILITIES 

Section 10.01 The President will:

(a) Represent the Association in the College Planning Council and at District-level student organization meetings,

(b) Set the agenda and lead meetings,

(c) Co-sign with the Treasurer any checks drawn on funds of the Association,

(d) Convene and chair Executive Committee meetings. 

Section 10.02 The Vice-President will:

(a) Serve in the absence of the President,

(b) Serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Committees,

(c) Serve as Parliamentarian when there is no Parliamentarian available. 

Section 10.03 The Secretary will: 

(a) Record attendance and minutes of meetings and distribute them, 

(b) File minutes and other Association documents in the Association or SPAR Office,

(c) Maintain the roll of Assembly representatives,

(d) Prepare the agenda and notify members of meetings in a timely manner,

(e) Serve as Historian when there is no Historian in office,

(f) Serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee for Communications and Public Relations. 

Section 10.04 The Treasurer will: 

(a) Track and maintain accounts for funds that come into the possession of the Association, 

(b) Report financial status annually to the Association at the Spring retreat,

(c) Track and report to the Assembly annually funds that are dispersed from the College to student organizations,

(d) Chair ad-hoc fundraising committees,

(e) Serve as Association representative at SPAR meetings. 

(f) Insure that purchases for amounts greater than $500.00 are processed in accordance with District purchasing procedures. 

Section 10.05 Cabinet Members may: 

(a) Serve as alternates for officers to represent the Association at social functions and College events, 

(b) Attend Executive Committee meetings as non-voting members,

(c) Serve in appointed offices or as committee members.

Section 10.06 Members of College Committees

(a) Students may serve on official College committees upon nomination by the Committee on Committees and approval of the Executive Committee.

(b) Students serving on College committees must attend all meetings of the Assembly.

 

 

Article XI. VACANCIES

Section 11.01 Vacancies among the elected officers will be filled through advancement through the order of succession: President, Vice-President, and Secretary.  The Treasurer will not advance since doing so may cause reorganization of accounts and procedures.

Section 11.02 The office of Secretary will be filled by vote of the Executive Committee meeting with one Faculty Adviser and drawn from the membership of the Assembly or from the Cabinet.  Those selected as Secretary must relinquish the chair of any Association Committees.

Section 11.03 At-Large and Curricula Assembly representatives will be replaced by vote of the Executive Committee and with advice of the academic advisor for the academic division affected.

Section 11.04 Club and Organization Assembly representatives will be replaced by their respective organizations.

 

 

Article XII. MECHANISM FOR IMPEACHMENT OF ELECTED OFFICERS

Section 12.01 An impeachment may be initiated by:

(a) petition of fifteen percent of Assembly representatives and one elected officer, or

(b) a motion passed by the Assembly. 

Section 12.02 The defendant will be notified in person by a designated member of the Assembly that an impeachment process has been initiated. 

Section 12.03 Within seven working days from the date of notification of the defendant and in not less than five working days the Assembly will convene to consider the case for impeachment. 

(a) The meeting will be chaired by the elected officer highest in the order of succession who is not the subject of the proceedings.

(b) Deliberation will proceed with presentation of the negative case by the chair and the defense by the defendant or another student chosen by the defendant to represent them. 

(c) The defendant will be excused at the close of presentations, a vote to resolve a verdict will be taken, and the defendant will be notified of the outcome by certified letter. 

 

 

Article XIII. REMOVAL OF ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES FROM OFFICE 

Section 13.01 Failure to contact an officer prior to a scheduled or called meeting of the Assembly shall result in an unexcused absence. 

Section 13.02 Two or more unexcused absences within one academic year will serve as valid ground for removal from office. 

Section 13.03 Representatives may be removed from service by a unanimous vote of the Assembly after prior notification of the Representative and appropriate discussion.

 

 

Article XIV. STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 14.01 There shall be the following standing committees:

(a) Elections and Nominations: Responsible for insuring advertising of elections and election registration; composing ballots; and recruiting polling staff.

(b) Appropriations and Budget: Responsible for working with College staff to ascertain distribution of funds available to support student activities.  The Treasurer shall chair this committee.

(c) Communications and Public Relations: Responsible for written correspondence and press releases pertaining to the business of the Association.

(d) Committee on Committees:  Responsible for recommending appointments to standing and Ad Hoc committees and to College committees.  The Committee will also recommend to the Executive Committee the Clubs and Organizations that should be represented in the Assembly.

 

 

Article XV. MEETINGS

Section 15.01 A schedule of Assembly and Executive Committee Meetings must be formulated by the Executive Committee within the first two weeks of each long semester.  Notice of meetings must be posted publicly in the College. 

Section 15.02 Ad Hoc meetings may be called by the Executive Committee with at least 48 hours prior notice to members.

Section 15.03 A quorum for a meeting of the Assembly shall be one half of the voting members, including proxies, plus one elected officer and one advisor.  Proxies designate another person to vote in lieu of a member’s attendance. 

Section 15.04 Absences are not excused unless a message citing the reason for absence is sent in writing or via email to the Association. 

Section 15.05 A quorum for a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be three members.  Proxies may not be used to meet this quorum; however the meeting may be conducted via email or other electronic medium.

Section 15.06 Proxies for all meetings may be accepted for voting provided they are transmitted in writing with signature or via email to the official El Centro email address of the Association.  Proxies must be received at least 24 hours prior to the meeting.

 

 

Article XVI. AMENDMENT

Section 16.01 This document may be amended by:

(a) a vote of the student body when the Assembly has voted to place an amendment on the ballot at a regular election. 

(b) a vote of the student body at a regular election when a petition by initiated by one Assembly member and five current students obtain 150 signatures of currently active El Centro students within ten days of initiation.  Petitions must include the student number for each signatory.

 

Article XVII. The Association endorses the following student bill of rights: 

1. Every student has the right to freely propose and pursue ideas, including but not limited to peaceful assembly, petitions, and protests of grievances.

2. The student body shall have the right to participate in an open forum at least once a semester in which any and all issues can be brought to the Student Government’s attention.

3. Every student shall be treated in a respectful manner in any and all communications with college faculty and staff.

4. Students have the right to expect unambiguous and swift processes in regards to all offices of El Centro College.

5. Requests, questions, and trepidations of students shall be addressed within a timely fashion by the concerned and appropriate college faculty and staff.

6. Each student at El Centro College has the right to receive thorough and accurate advising in matters of their educational options.

7. El Centro College shall strive to provide a safe campus and community for all students, especially in regards to campus security.

8. The student body has the right to expect healthy options in the matter of food and nutrition.

9. El Centro College shall make every effort to provide students with direct access to adequate and up-to-date resource materials for their educational needs, including but not limited to books, periodicals, and technology.

10. All students are granted the right to participate in any club or organization, as well as campus activities, without regard towards ethnicity, creed, ability, age, and/or sexual orientation.

11. Students have the right to organize and serve on the Student Government Association, which will work closely with El Centro College in an effort to assure the included rights will not be overlooked.

It must be noted that future situations cannot possibly be foreseen and the above listing of rights is not comprehensive.  In addition, it is here chronicled that students must do their part to guarantee their rights are granted during interactions with any and all members of the El Centro College community. 

 

Ratified by vote of the Advisory Board on this date: ____/____/________

 

Attested to by the elected Officers of the Association:

__________________________________ President

__________________________________ President

__________________________________ Vice-President

__________________________________ Secretary

__________________________________ Treasurer

 

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