Constitution

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PREAMBLE 

WE, the members of the student body of Southwestern College, in order to form an effective system of Student Government, representative and responsible to ourselves; to clearly define the powers and duties of the students; to secure for the students experience in leadership and self-government; to establish an organizational framework through which the concerns and needs of the student body can be heard and supported; do hereby ordain and establish, in coordination with Student Organizations, the Faculty, Staff and the Board of Trustees, this Constitution for the Student Government Association of Southwestern College. 

ARTICLE I: NAME 

The name of this organization shall be the Student Government Association, but shall also be commonly known by its acronym, SGA. 

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP 

Section A: All undergraduate and graduate students of Southwestern College have the ability to participate in the proceedings of SGA. All undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to vote in general and special elections; including, but not limited to: election of student senators and ratification of constitutional amendments.  

Section B: All elected or appointed senators are eligible to create, discuss, and vote on legislation.  

ARTICLE III: PURPOSES 

The purposes of the Student Government Association shall be to: 

ARTICLE IV: JURISDICTION 

This constitution and its by-laws apply to all students enrolled at Southwestern College. They serve as the highest governing authority for all non-academic student matters, overriding any conflicting rule established by any organization.  

ARTICLE V: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH 

Section A: Composition 

The Executive Branch of the Student Government Association shall be vested in an Executive Committee composed of the President, the Vice President, the Vice President of Finance, the Vice President of Communication, the Vice President of Student Concerns, and the Vice President of Organizations. The officers of SGA shall be awarded management grant each semester from the college to be determined by the Campus Life Director. 

Section B: Qualifications 

1. The SGA President and SGA Vice President must:  

2. The VP of Communications, VP of Finance, VP of Student Concerns, and the VP of Student Organizations:  

Section C: Duties and Responsibilities 

1. The duties and responsibilities of the SGA President shall be to:  

2. The duties and responsibilities of the SGA Vice President shall be to:  

3. The duties and responsibilities of the Vice President of Communications shall be to:  

4. The duties and responsibilities of the Vice President of Finance shall be to:  

5. The duties and responsibilities of the Vice President of Student Organizations shall be to: 

6. The duties and responsibilities of the Vice President of Student Concerns shall be to:  

7. The duties and responsibilities of the entire Executive Committee are: 

Section D: The executive officers shall maintain, in good conduct, their respective offices for a term of one year from the date of their inauguration in the spring of the year of their election, until the succession of new officers in the spring of the following year.  

ARTICLE VI: THE STUDENT SENATE 

Section A: The Student Senate shall be the legislative branch of the Student Government Association. 

Section B: The membership of the Student Senate shall be composed of the following members: 

Section C: The duties of the Student Senate shall be to: 

Section D: The qualifications for Senators are defined as follows: 

Section E: The senators shall maintain good conduct for the duration of their respective office.  The committed time for a senator is one (1) academic school year.  

Section G: Committees or components can be formed or abolished by the Senate by two-thirds (2/3) vote or by Presidential mandate. Student Foundations is exempt from this provision. The committees established under this constitution are Organizations, Student Concerns, Elections and Constitutional Amendments. The compilation and duties of committees shall be outlined in the SGA By-Laws. Other committees may be established when deemed necessary. 

Section H: A Senator shall receive immunity for what he/she says on the floor of the Senate and shall lose this right when such comments are deemed obscene, vulgar, and/or libelous or that violate established college regulations such as, but not limited to the current policies on sexual and racial harassment. 

ARTICLE VII: STUDENT FOUNDATION ASSOCIATION 

Section A: Student Foundation (STUFU) is a coordinate component of the Student Government Association. The objective of the organization is to coordinate, initiate, and administer activities involving the educational, recreational, and social interests of the college community. 

Section B: President of STUFU shall serve as a voting member of the Student Government. 

ARTICLE VIII: INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM 

Section A: The student body shall have the power to initiate and act within the power of the Student Senate and to call for a ballot on any act of the Senate, provided that ten percent (10%) of the student body signs a petition calling for a referendum. 

Section B: The SGA President and/or Vice President may for misconduct, violation, or disregard of any part of this Constitution be removed from office. Petitions for a recall ballot may be called for providing that ten percent (10%) of the student body signs such a petition. If the petition is approved, the officers may be removed with a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast in a general recall election. 

Section C: Appointed officers may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senate, upon recommendation of the President. 

ARTICLE IX: IMPEACHMENT 

Section A: Any elected SGA Executive Officer, class president, senator, or appointed official may be impeached for reasons of negligence or dereliction of duties. 

Section B: Impeachment proceedings shall be initiated by the Student Senate or any member. A two-thirds (2/3) vote shall be required to recommend impeachment. 

Section C: Upon adoption of a resolution of impeachment, the following shall occur: 

Section D: The decision of the Student Senate is final. Any applicable stipend shall be prorated according to the date of the removal from office with the remaining balance being returned to the college. 

ARTICLE X: ADVISOR 

Section A: The Advisor for the Student Government Association shall be the Director or Assistant Director of Campus Life or any designee if those positions are unfilled. 

Section B: The SGA Advisor shall be the authority on questions regarding parliamentary procedure according to Robert’s Rules of Order. 

ARTICLE XI: BY-LAWS 

Section A: This constitution shall have by-laws drafted to serve as an extension in detail of the laws as stated in the constitution and certain operating rules and procedures of the Student Government Association. 

ARTICLE XII: ADMENDMENTS 

Section A: An amendment to the Constitution may originate in the Senate by a majority vote or in the student body by the process described in Article IX of this Constitution. Any amendment shall be published in a campus wide newsletter or other college bulletins one week before the amendment(s) is/are to be voted on by the student body.  

Section B: In order for an amendment to be ratified, the measure must pass by at least two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the students voting on the measure. Any amendment ratified will take effect upon passage. 

ARTICLE XIII: RATIFICATION 

This Constitution shall be considered ratified by the student body when passed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those students voting. This constitution shall take effect upon passages, and upon taking effect will supersede all previous constitutions. Previous governing documents will be declared null and void. This Constitution shall become the instrument of Student Government at Southwestern College. 

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BY-LAWS 

ARTICLE I—COMMITTEES 

Section A.

The committees established under the SGA Constitution are Constitutional Amendments and Elections, Student Concerns, and Organizations. The student senators shall be members of a committee. The committees should have equal representation of student senators. No more than half of the committee can be made up of senators from the same organization.

Section B. 
 
Constitutional Amendments and Elections Committee.

 1. Members of the committee:

 a. Chair appointed is the Vice President 

 b. Positions filled by volunteers from the student senate or by appointment of the Executive Committee 

2. Duties of the committee:

a. Creation and recommendation of Constitutional Amendments

b. Supervise and coordinate all student body elections and referendums; including, but not limited to: fall and spring elections, any run-off or recall elections, and any special election or referendum called for by the senate or ten percent (10%) of the student body during their tenure on the committee.

Section C.

Student Concerns Committee.

1.  Members of the committee:

a. Chair appointed is the Vice President of Student Concerns

b. Positions filled by volunteers from the student senate or by appointment of the Executive Committee

2. Duties of the committee:

a. Assess the academic/social/economic needs of the student body.

b. Propose recommended changes to the student senate for appropriate action.

c. Assess the needs of the campus regarding campus-wide concerns.

d. Assist at Student Concern meetings, forums, events, ect.

Section E.

Organization Committee.

1. Members of the committee:

a. Chair appointed is the Vice President of Student Organizations

b. Positions filled by volunteers from the student senate or by appointment of the Executive Committee 

2. Duties of the committee:

a. Coordinate campus events (e.g. organizational fundraisers, RSO events and meetings and SGA sponsored activities) 

b. Assist student organizations in writing legislation and resolutions for planned programs or travel expenses.

c. Assist student organizations in writing legislation for planned fundraising activities and resolutions.

Section F. 
 
All committee chairs will report on the affairs of their respective committees to the student senate at the request of the SGA Executive Committee. 

ARTICLE II—ELECTIONS PROCEDURE 

Section A.

1. Nominations for Executive Branch shall be hired and SGA President and SGA Vice President shall be electoral and interviewed.

a. Any full-time undergraduate student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 shall be eligible for election upon submission and certification of an official petition to the election committee.

b. The petition shall be submitted to the election commission at least one week prior to the election of these officers. The petition shall include the name of the person running for office, office for which the person is a candidate, cumulative GPA, and one-hundred (100) different signatures, without and repeat or infringement of signatures, of full-time Southwestern College students.  Elections will be held during the spring semester each year for the Executive Branch. Elections for the Senate will be held in the fall semester of each new school year.

2. Elected senators

a. Any full-time undergraduate student with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 shall be eligible for election as a student senator upon submittal and certification of an official petition to the election committee.

b. The petitions shall be submitted to the election commission at least one week prior to the election of senators. The petition shall include the name of the person running for office, type of senator, and cumulative GPA. Petitions must include 50 signatures.

3. Class Presidents

a. Each class (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior class) shall have a president elected by the members of their respective class, according to the current SC undergraduate catalog:

1. Freshman: 1-24 hours completed, and consideration of matriculation year
2. Sophomore: 25-49 hours completed, and consideration of matriculation year
3. Junior: 50-84 hours completed, and consideration of matriculation year
4. Senior: 85+ hours completed, and consideration of matriculation year

b. Any full-time undergraduate student with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 shall be eligible for the office of class president upon submission and certification of an official petition to the election committee.

c. The petition shall be submitted to the election committee at least one week prior to the election of these officers. The petition shall include the name of the person running for office, potential office, and cumulative GPA. The petition must be signed by 35 different members of the represented class.

d. Duties of the class president:

1. Represent the interest of the elected class in meetings of the student senate.
2. When necessary, call and preside over class meetings.
3. Coordinate and organize class activities and hold one class event each semester.
4. Senior class president shall:
   a. Assist the faculty and administration in the preparation of baccalaureate and commencement activities.
   b. Work with the class in the selection of announcements
   c. Chair the Class Gift Selection Committee, whom will appoint one senior (credit based) member from each division: Business Administration, Communication/Computer Science, Social Science, Education and Natural Science/Mathematics.

4. Each full-time student may sign only one petition per office.

5. Certification of Petitions

a. The Constitutional Amendments and Elections Committee shall have the sole power to certify petitions.

b. Criteria for certification shall include:

1. Proper grade point average.
2. Adequate number of signatures.
3. The candidate in question shall be running for only one Student Government Association or one Student Activities office at any one time.

 c. Anyone submitting a petition with an error(s) shall be informed so within twenty-four (24) hours of discovering the error(s), and shall be given forty-eight (48) hours to correct any mistakes and to resubmit the petition.

Section B. 
 
Student Senate Representation

1. The student senate will consist of the following members:

a. Five (5) senators based on academic division.

b. One (1) graduate senator

c. Three (3) at-large senators

d. Four (4) class presidents

e. Six (6) Members of the SGA Executive Committee

f. Student Foundation President

g. Director of Campus Life

2. Academic representation

a. The Elections committee will follow the procedures in the Elections Handbook obtained from the Campus Life Office.

b. The Senate shall be composed of one senator from the following categories:

Natural Science/Mathematics, Business Administration, Communications/Computer Science, Social Science, Education in addition to the four class presidents, an additional three (3) at-large senators, four (4) activity representatives and the StuFu President. 

Section C. 
 
The Student Government Association shall hold elections in the spring of each academic year to elect Executive officers. The Student Government Association shall also hold a fall election to elect class presidents (for freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes) and student senators. Elections shall be conducted within the following guidelines:

1. The spring election for executive branch is to be held at least five (5) weeks prior to the end of the spring semester. The exact date will be proposed each year by the election committee. The fall election is to be held within three (3) weeks after the first day of class for the fall semester. The exact date will be proposed each year by the election committee. If the election commission finds it necessary to disqualify the election because of irregularity, the subsequent election shall be held within six (6) academic days after the preceding election.

2. A run-off election for either the spring election or the fall election, if needed, shall be held exactly one week after the respective election. Any subsequent run-off will be held exactly one week after the preceding run-off.

Section D.

All Student Government Association elections and run-off elections shall be conducted according to the following procedures:

1. Voting rights are determined by the consideration of matriculation year and the current SC undergraduate catalog:

1. Freshman: 1-24 hours completed
2. Sophomore: 25-49 hours completed
3. Junior: 50-84 hours completed
4. Senior: 85+ hours completed

2. If there is a discrepancy of voting procedures, disclosure to the Executive Committee of an individual’s vote will result in a cancellation of that vote.

3. Any SGA election shall be announced not less than ten (10) academic days prior to the first day of the election. The Election Chair shall be responsible for publicizing the date of the elections.

4. Students wishing to run for an elective office may obtain a petition and copies of office qualifications from the SGA office or the SGA election committee. Petitions for office will be accepted no later than one week prior to the first day of the election. Petitions must be submitted to the election commissioner.

5. The election committee shall ensure that each petitioner’s qualifications are verified by the office of academic records. Each petitioner must sign a statement permitting the director of academic records to verify their qualification for office.

6. No candidate may run for more than one elected SGA office in the same election.

7. All SGA elections are posted online and announced through the JinxTale.

8. If a candidate wishes to protest the election results on a procedural irregularity, they may submit a written protest to the Campus Life Director. All protest must be received within one hour of the closing of the polls.

9. The Campus Life Director must verify the election and address any protests within 24 hours following the election. Election results and any irregularities must be reported to the SGA President within 24 hours following the closing of the polls by the Election Committee Chair.

10. In the event that the person with the highest number of votes is tied with another candidate, then those two candidates will be placed in a run-off election to be held within a week of the previous election.

11. A write-in candidate will be eligible if the candidate meets the qualifications for that particular office and receives at least five write-in votes for the same office. The eligibility of a write-in candidate shall be examined by the election commission after such a candidate is duly elected. In the event that an elected write-in candidate is found to be ineligible for the office, the runner-up for that office shall fill the vacancy. If the runner-up is also a write-in candidate, the above procedure will again be followed.

12. The results of any election are open to public inspection, and shall be coordinated through the office of the Campus Life Director and/or any designee.

13. The official results of any SGA election shall be announced no later than 9:00 a.m. on the second academic day following the election. Written results shall be posted across campus and on the Jinx Tale and given to the Vice President of Communications by the Election Committee Chair. 

14. The official results of any SGA election shall be retained in the Campus Life Office for a period of ten (10) academic days following the closing of the polls. Any candidate desiring a recount may request the recount within three (3) academic days following the election. If a candidate desires to challenge an election, they must notify the election committee chair within three (3) academic days following the election. The Election Committee Chair shall hold a hearing to determine the validity of the challenge within 24 hours following the notification of intent to challenge. Presentation of evidence of contested elections will then be sent to the student supreme court for a final determination.

15. No person shall be elected to more than one SGA office. A candidate, once elected to an SGA office, must agree to relinquish and not accept any conflicting responsibility.

16. The election commission will have the responsibility to ensure that no campaigning shall take place within thirty-five (35) feet of the polls. No campaign matter of any type shall be permitted within fifty (50) feet of the polls. Election committee members will remove and dispose of any printed campaign material in violation of this rule. Election commission members will ask that individuals not verbally campaign within thirty-five (35) feet of the polls. 

ARTICLE III—INAUGURATION

Section A.

The Vice President of Student Concerns shall administer the oath of office to the SGA President and SGA Vice President within one week following their election in the spring preferably at a session of the Student Senate. The Vice President of Student Concerns shall administer the oath of office to all class presidents and senators in the fall at the first meeting of the student senate. All appointees to these offices shall be administered the oath of office as soon as possible following their confirmation by the student senate.

Section B.

The oath of office is as follows: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office to which I am elected (appointed) and uphold the Constitution of the Student Government Association of Southwestern College.”

ARTICLE IV—VOTING PRIVILEGES

Each authorized member of the Student Senate, as stated in Article VI of the SGA Constitution, shall be entitled to one (1) vote on any action proposed by the Student Senate, except the SGA Vice President who in the capacity as President of the senate shall vote only in case of a tie. 

ARTICLE V—QUORUM

Section A.

All class presidents and senators may not be absent from more than four regularly scheduled sessions of the senate. Absences will be excused only by the executive committee. If they accrue additional absences, the senate will be required to vote on whether to censure the senator. If the senator misses more than eight sessions, the senate shall be required to begin impeachment proceedings.

Section B.

Prior to freshman class elections, a quorum will consist of at least forty percent (40%) representation of the total number of senators and executive officers represented in the spring semester of that same year. Following freshman class elections, a quorum will consist of fifty-one percent (51%) of the total number of senators, class presidents, and executive officers.

Section C.

The President of Student Government Association will make the final determination of whether a quorum is present.

ARTICLE VI—BILL BOOK

In accordance with Article V of the Constitution, the SGA Executive Officers shall compile and maintain, separate from the minutes, a written record of all legislation enacted during their term of office. These yearly records shall be maintained indefinitely by the SGA Executive Committee. 

ARTICLE VII—STIPEND PRORATION

In accordance with Article V (Executive Branch) and Article X (Impeachment) of the SGA Constitution, Executive Officers receiving a stipend shall be required to return to the Student Government Association any remaining balance upon vacancy of the position, prorated from the date of vacancy. Any officer appointed to fill a vacancy due to impeachment or other circumstances, shall receive the remaining balance.

ARTICLE VIII—RECOGNITION OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND WITHDRAWAL OF RECOGNITION

Section A.

Any student organization, in order to receive SGA funds or participate in fundraising at Southwestern College, must be given official campus recognition. The following procedures must be followed to obtain proper recognition:

To receive SGA funds as a Registered Student Organization: 

1. Obtain an “Application for Recognition” form from the Campus Life office.
2. Submit or draft a constitution. This document should state the name, purpose, criteria for membership, offices, functions, and rules of the organization.
3. Receive approval from the appropriate divisional chair if the proposed organization is an academic departmental organization.
4. Submit the completed “Application for Recognition”, "Hazing Agreement", and "Approval Request". 
5. Have the advisor and one representative of each organization attend the semester RSO meeting. There are two (2) heal each academic year.
6. Have a representative from each organization attended at least one senate meeting.

Section B.

The Campus Life Office will present the information supplied by the organization to the Student Government Association Senate for approval.

Section C.

SGA will recognize active organizations upon annual renewal of the organization application.

Section D.

At the beginning of each semester, each organization must submit a list of officers and a copy of its current and updated Constitution and By-Laws to the Campus Life Office. It is the responsibility of each organization to ensure that any changes in information submitted to the Campus Life Office are reported when they occur. Failure to provide the information listed may result in the organization’s loss of recognition.

Section E.

The Student Government Association reserves the right to review, at any time, the constitution and minutes of any recognized student organization for compliance with SGA rules and regulations.

Section F.

To hold a fundraising event as a Registered Student Organization:

1. Fill out he "Event Approval Form" on the SGA website, under Student Organizations.
2. Advisor and Campus Life Director fill out he "Approval Request" on the SGA Website
3. Organization will receive official approval from SGA and the Campus Life Director. Approval will include an email from the SGA website with the attached documents (3) that have been passed and signed by SGA and the Campus Life Director.
4. After fundraiser, fill out the "Student Organization Fundraising Report Form" and turn in all cash/checks into the Campus Life Office. The Campus Life Director will write a receipt to the organization, the business, and SGA. The Campus Life Director will immediately take the funds to the business office to ensure that it is place in the correct organization student account. 

Section G.

The Director of Campus Life and/or the student senate reserves the right to revoke the privileges or status of any recognized student organization for non-compliance of SGA rules and campus policies and regulations.

ARTICLE IX—AGENDA INPUT

Deadline for submitting an item for senate agenda consideration shall be one (1) calendar days prior to the scheduled meeting. The agenda item must be in writing and presented to any member of the executive committee.

ARTICLE X—ARCHIVES

In compliance with Article V, Section C (Duties and Responsibilities) of the SGA constitution, records will be maintained by the Student Government Association. The official archives shall be kept on a Google Drive, with backup files and paper documents. A printed copy of the Constitution and By-Laws will be made each time a change is ratified. The current version of these documents will be open for public inspection any time during regular office hours in the Student Life Office and on the SGA website, found at http://www.sckans.edu/sga.

ARTICLE XI—AMENDING THE BY-LAWS

Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed by any member of the student senate or by a petition signed by not less than ten percent (10%) of the student body of Southwestern College. A proposed amendment shall be effective when ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of those senate members present. Proposed amendments must be presented for inspection by the student senate at least one regular meeting prior to the final vote on the amendment.

ARTICLE XII—VETO

In order to Veto a bill, resolution, or other written document passed by the majority of the Student Senate, the President of the Student Government Association needs to take the following action:

1. The President of the Student Government Association needs to write a written document to the organization effected by the decision explaining reasoning of the Veto.  This can include not signing the passed document by letting it sit for six (6) school days after the involved parties are informed.

2. The Student Senate may override the Veto by passing the recognition of the overriding of the Veto during a Senate meeting with a two-thirds (2/3) vote or by letting the Veto follow through and re-writing the document completely with new wording and allocations suggestions (this would have to be clarified with the Campus Life Director).

3. The Student Government Parliamentarian should be available to answer any questions or concerns according to the Robert’s Rules of Order procedure.