Eastern Oklahoma State College, Current Students, Student Senate Constitution and Bylaws

Student Senate Constitution and Bylaws

A Student Senate:

The legislative function of the student body is vested in the STUDENT SENATE. Student activities are coordinated by committees that have been created by the senate for this purpose.

The philosophy of the organization is based upon the cooperation and mutual concern for the welfare of the entire campus community. Through the Student Senate, students can make known their opinions, elect officers to represent them, and lay groundwork for present and future citizenship. Meetings of the senate are open to all interested students and the public.

Student Senate Constitution of Eastern Oklahoma State College

(Currently effective, subject to revision by the Student Senate)

Preamble:

We the students of Eastern Oklahoma State College, acting within the authority granted in the “Statement of Policies for Administration of Student Organizations” do hereby establish this Constitution which shall provide the framework for the organization, membership, and function of the student government.

Article I – Organization and Purpose

Section 1: The purpose of the Student Senate shall be an organization of students duly elected in accordance with the provision of this Constitution.

Section 2: The purpose of the Student Senate shall be to function as the representative body for all students to:

Make recommendations concerning student welfare to those persons responsible for the administration of college policies.
Provide leadership for all meetings of the student body.
Assist the Dean of Students in directing and in coordinating student activities.
Perform service functions as follows

a.     Promote positive college public relations
b.     Encourage desirable student leadership
c.     Develop institutional morals and attitudes
d.     Encourage cooperation between students, faculty, and administration
e.     Make studies of student life and recommend methods of improvement, when desirable.

Article II – Membership

Section 1: The membership of the Student Senate shall consist of the elected officers, to be elected by the student body in a general election, during the spring semester, and elected representatives of the major student groups which compose the student body, to be elected as set forth in the Constitution

Section 2: Those student organizations which fulfill the qualifications set forth by the Student Senate shall be represented by one student senator to be elected by the members of the organization.

Clause 1: Organizations having thirty (30) members shall be represented by two student senators and for every twenty (20) members there above shall constitute one extra student senator.

0-29 equals 1 Student Senator

30-49 equals 2 Student Senators

50-69 equals 3 Student Senators

70-89 equals 4 Student Senators

Section 3: Each elected senator must present a certificate of election to the secretary before he/she may be officially seated. The certificate must be signed by the President or the Executive Officer and the Sponsor of the organization. Clubs qualifying for more than one senator must submit a list of membership.

Section 4: The senator of the Student Senate shall be elected during the first month of the semester in which their term of office occurs.

Section 5: The term of each student senator shall be one (1) academic year (two semesters) with the provision that any organization desiring to select a different student senator may do so in case of their senator’s absence or withdrawal.

Section 6: A majority of the total membership of the senate shall constitute a quorum.

Section 7: A person may represent only one club.

Article III – Elections and Qualifications of Officers & Senators

Section 1: To be eligible for the office of the President, Vice President, Secretary, or Treasurer, or Steering Committee a candidate must be currently enrolled with a minimum of twelve (12) credit hours with an accumulated grade point average of a ”C” or better, up to and including mid-term of the current semester in which the election is held. Anyone on Academic Probation within one semester prior to the election is not eligible for any of the elected officers. All officers and Senators must, during their terms in office, maintain a cumulative grade point average of a “C” or better.

Section 2:

A. All students filing to run for a Student Senate office must submit an application and be approved by the review board before his/her name can be added to the Ballot. The application must be turned in by the deadline specified.

B. Any student placed on Conduct Probation (with exception noted below) during their freshman or sophomore year at Eastern is NOT ELIGIBLE to file for any Student Senate Office.

EXCEPTION: Unauthorized presence in a residence hall (for the opposite sex) who is not checked in with dorm personnel.

C. Any student who has received disciplinary action for the following offenses is NOT ELIGIBLE to file for any Student Senate Office:

Intentional damage to College property.
Theft of personal or College property.
Possession or use of illegal drugs

D. Any student who has received disciplinary action for the following offenses is NOT ELIGIBLE to file for any Student Senate Office:

Fighting
Excessive abuse of alcohol
Abusive language toward a College employee

Section 3: Candidates for Office of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer must be nominated by a petition signed by twenty-five (25) students prior to the close of the filing period.

Section 4: Senators and officers must attend Senate meetings regularly with not more than one (1) unexcused absence per semester. The Secretary shall have authority to keep a record of attendance and the President shall have the authority to grant the excuse. A representative from your club must be present for an excused absence to be granted. More than one (1) unexcused absence creates cause for removal.

Section 5: Upon verification of a Senator’s one (1) unexcused absence during the semester, the secretary must notify the Senator’s club or organization of the Senator’s absence. The club may then replace the Senator or insure his attendance at the next regularly called Senate meeting, without any penalty. If, after club notification, the Senator misses one (1) more regularly called Senate meeting without excuse, then the Senator shall be automatically removed from the Senate for the remainder of that semester. The Senator’s club cannot then be represented in the Senate nor be considered “a club in good standing” any sooner than the following semester. The same conditions apply to attendance at committee meetings except that two (2) unexcused absences result in dismissal from the Senate.

Section 6: Any officer or Senator may be impeached for cause by a two-third (2/3) vote of the Senate membership. Any officer or member so impeached is entitled to trial before the Executive Committee of the Senate. The Dean of Students shall serve as trial judge. If convicted, the accused shall be removed from the Senate. With the impeachment of an officer or senator, a club cannot be represented until the following semester.

Clause 1: The cause for impeachment shall be defined as violations by the officers and/or senators of their duties as designated in Article IV.

Section 7: A student with less than thirty (30) credit hours shall be considered a freshman. A student with thirty (30) more credit hours shall be considered a sophomore.

Section 8: The election of officers shall be held during the month of April. The election shall be conducted by a committee composed of three (3) Student Senate members and two (2) faculty members. The committee membership shall be appointed by the Dean of Students. There will be no soliciting of votes within 100 feet of the polls on Election Day.

Section 9: The officers shall assume their duties of May 1 of the year in which they are elected.

Section 10: If the Office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President shall take his place for the remainder of his/her term. Any vacancy in the Office of the Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer shall be filled by an appointee agreed upon by a Student Senate sponsor, the Dean of Students and the current Senate Officers.

Article IV – Duties of Officers and Senate
Section 1: The duties of the President of the Student Senate shall be:

To preside at all meetings of the Student Senate and Student body.
To call special meetings of the Student Senate and the Student body.
To appoint the membership of all Student Senate Committees.
To vote on any question from the Student Senate in case of a tie.
To require written reports of all officers and committees.
To countersign all disbursement orders issued by the Senate Treasurer reports.
To submit a written report of Senate activities at the end of each semester.
To represent the Student Senate before any official faculty group when requested.
To serve as ex-officio member of all Student Senate Committees.
To provide leadership in executing any service function of the Student Senate.
To represent all students before the Senate to the best interest of the students and the College.
To make appointments to any position created by the Student Senate subject to Senate confirmation.
To make recommendations for legislation to the Student Senate. This shall occur at the beginning of each academic session and at any other time deemed necessary by the President.

Section 2: The duties of the Vice President shall be:

To perform all the duties of the President in his absence.
To represent all students before the Senate to the best interest of the students and the College at all times.
To serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
To be Executive Coordinator of all committees.
To vote on any measure before the Student Senate as a delegated power of the constitution.

Section 3: The duties of the Secretary shall be:

To keep a record of all Student Senate proceedings and attendance.
To notify organizations whose senators are delinquent in attendance.
To serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
To send notices, bulletins, etc., to the advisors, respective Deans, President of the College, and to all other parties necessary.
To vote on measure before the Student Senate as a delegated power of the constitution. A cumulative roll call and voting record for each representative per semester shall be kept by the Secretary.

Section 4: The duties of the Treasurer shall be:

To receive and properly care for in accordance with College policy all monies or other property of the Student Senate.
To maintain accurate records of all receipts and expenditures.
To issue and sign all disbursement orders for expenditures of Senate monies.
To represent all students before the Senate to the best interest of the Students and the College.

Article VII – Authority to Finance Student Social Activities

The Student Government Association of Eastern Oklahoma State College hereby grants to its representative body, the Student Senate, the power to enact legislation necessary to finance a social and recreational program for the students using the designated club funds. Such funds will be held in a custodial account by the Business Office.

Article VIII – Student Organization

Section 1: The term “Student Organization” shall apply to all organized groups, which conform to the qualifications of the Senate and meet the approval of the Dean of Students.

Section 2: Only those organizations that increase and stimulate the Student’s knowledge and interest in his/her curricular field; promote a feeling of fellowship among students with similar interests; sponsor educational and recreational activities, and instill in the minds of the student body a feeling of unity and loyalty toward the College shall be recognized. In addition, any organization so recognized must meet the following requirements:

Select a faculty member or college administrator sponsor.
Hold a minimum of one (1) meeting monthly.
Submit a monthly report of the organization’s activities to the Secretary of the Senate of the organization’s activities.
Participate in college projects upon invitation of the Student Senate.
Curricular clubs must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
All student clubs must be approved by the Dean of Students.

Section 3: A student organization shall file a petition for membership to the Student Senate for approval accompanied by a copy of the organization’s constitution. The Senate shall act on the petition within seven (7) days after receipt. Once approved, the organization retains this approval unless revoked.

Section 4: The Student Senate shall revoke approval of any organization which fails to maintain the qualifications herein listed.

Article IX – Ratification and Amendment

Section 1: This constitution shall become effective when ratified by a majority vote of the Student Senate membership and approved by the Dean of Students. A majority vote shall be construed as a majority of the votes cast.

Section 2: This constitution, when effective, shall supersede all other constitutions of the Student Senate of Eastern Oklahoma State College.

Section 3: This constitution may be amended by the following procedure:

A written statement of the proposed amendment bearing the signatures of the authors for revisions to the Student Senate Constitution and Policies shall be submitted to the Senate for approval.
The proposed amendment must be ratified by a 2/3 vote of the Student Senate and approved by the Senate advisor.

Section 4: As necessary, at least every two (2) years, the President of the Senate shall have the Constitution and Policy committee propose revisions to the Constitution. Acceptance of revisions will be by a 2/3 vote of the Senate.

Article X – Parliamentary Authority

Section 1: The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall control the Senate in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the constitution and bylaws of the Senate.

Section 2: Each Senator shall be given a basic guide to Parliamentary procedure to enable effective in transacting business in more basic and effective manner.