Student Senate Constitution

 

We, the students of Southwestern Christian University, in order to inspire Christian Fellowship, promote high academic standards, develop socially versatile students, and further the tradition of the school, do hereby establish and ordain this constitution.

 

Article I

 

Name

 

The organization established shall hereby be the Student Senate of Southwestern Christian University.

 

Article II

 

Authority and Purpose

 

Section I           It is recognized that legal responsibility for this institution rests upon the Southwestern Board of Regents and the President of the University; all authority concerning this institution resides in them. The Student Senate possesses only those powers delegated to it by the Board and the President of the University. It is understood, therefore, that all officers or its agencies are subject to review and change by the Board and the President of the University.

 

Section II         The purpose of the Student Senate shall be as follows:

           

A.     To encourage total student involvement in the life of the university.

B.     To promote communication among students, faculty, staff, and administration.

C.     To allow the students to fill a functional role in the continuing development of ideals and traditions of the school.

D.     To nurture appreciation in our academic community for the distinctive nature and mission of the institution.

 

Article III

 

Membership and Organization

 

            Section I           All students who are in good standing with the university, properly registered and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours at SCU shall be eligible to hold a seat on Student Senate.

           

            Section II         The powers of the Student Senate shall reside in the Student Senate and the Executive Council of the Student Senate.

 

Article IV

 

Officers

 

            Section I           The elected officers of the Student Senate shall be the President, Vice-President, Student Activity Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chaplain.

 

            Section II         The elected officers shall together comprise the Executive Council of the Student Senate.

 

            Section III        Election of Officers

                                   

A.     The elected officers of the Student Senate shall be elected for a term of office beginning each June first and ending the spring semester or on May thirty-first

B.     In the event that only one candidate is running for an office, that candidate must be confirmed by a simple majority vote of the student body. If confirmation fails, the Student Senate president or the appropriate officer, at the beginning of the school year, will nominate a person to fill the office(s). This nomination must be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.

 

            Section IV        No major officers shall hold any other office in any club or organization on campus chartered through Student Senate.

 

            Section V         Officers of the Student Senate should satisfy the following:

           

A.     President: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and at least a junior in class standing. Must have served one year on the Student Senate prior to running for this office.

B.     Vice-President: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and at least a junior in class standing. Must have served one year on the Student Senate prior to running for this office.

C.     Student Activities Director: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and be at least a sophomore in class standing.

D.     Secretary: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and be at least a sophomore in class standing.

E.      Treasurer: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and be at least a sophomore in class standing.

F.      Chaplain: Overall grade point average of 2.5 to be maintained during tenure and be at least a junior in class standing.

 

            Section VI        The duties and responsibilities of Student Senate

 

A.     President:

a.       To preside over all meetings of Student Senate

b.      To summon Student Senate into special session

c.       To serve as an official spokesperson and representative of the Student Senate.

d.      To serve as an ex-officio student member of all ad hoc committees.

e.       To inform and obtain approval from the Dean of Students and Dean of Academics concerning all Student Senate Activities.

f.        To take the initiative in proposing to the Student Senate ways and means of fulfilling its several functions.

g.       To perform any tasks or serve in any capacity as shall devolve upon him/her as chief officer of the Executive Council.

h.       To schedule and facilitate a planning retreat for the new school year.

 

B.     Vice-President:

a.       To assist the President in the execution of the President’s duties

b.      To perform the duties of the president should the President be removed from office, reign, or otherwise be unable to discharge them

c.       Chairperson of the disciplinary committee

d.      To assist with intercollegiate and co-curricular activities and maintain correspondence with these groups by presiding over meetings with the presidents of each group with the purpose of exchanging information to build cooperation between the various organizations and their activities along with that of Student Senate.

e.       To be in charge of all public relations of the Student Senate, i.e. announcement of all events concerning Student Senate unless otherwise instructed by the Dean of Student Development or by the Dean of Academics.

 

C.     Activities Director:

a.       To assist the President in the execution of the President’s duties.

b.      To perform the duties of the President should the President and the Vice-President be removed from office, resign or otherwise be unable to discharge them.

c.       To be in charge of all recreational activities for the Student Senate.

d.      To be at least a member of all committees that form out of Student Senate.

e.       To create educational activities for the university campus.

 

D.     Secretary/Treasurer

a.       To maintain all records and handle all correspondence of the Student Senate

b.      To keep the minutes of meetings of the Student Senate. The minutes reviewed by the Student Senate President, Dean of Student Development or Dean of Academics prior to distribution.

c.       To give minutes of each meeting to the Executive Council of Student Senate.

d.      To maintain record of attendance at meetings of the Senate and report to the President of the Senate any violations of such attendance requirements as established by the Senate.

e.       To enter dates as designated by the Senate for special activities and other events on the school calendar.

f.        To be a member of all committees that form out of Student Senate.

                                   

                                    E.         Treasurer:

a.       To obtain a budget at the beginning of each school year from the Business office and maintain it in conjunction with the Executive Council and Student Senate Sponsor

b.      To oversee all Student Senate monies.

c.       To report to the Executive Council at least once a month concerning those monies administered by him/her.

d.      To submit all financial records to be audited once a year.

 

G.     Chaplain:

a.       To oversee residence hall devotions.

b.      To provide class representatives with a schedule for hanging the flags.

c.       Offer the prayer at all Student Senate sessions.

d.      Promote and support the spiritual life program of the university.

 

            Section VIII     Failure to perform assigned duties

                                   

                                    If any member of Student Senate repeatedly fails, as defined by the executive council, to follow through on an assigned task he/she must meet with the executive council and the Student Senate sponsor for reprimanding.

 

            Section IX        The impeachment process

           

A.     Any member of Student Senate has the right to recommend to the Executive Council the impeachment of any other member of the Student Senate.

B.     In the event that the executive council receives a recommendation for impeachment and sees fit to take it to vote, the sponsor shall then bring to vote before the entire Student Senate. The entire Senate shall then vote by secret ballot.

C.     Impeachment will be made effective by a two-thirds majority vote.

D.     In the event of a tie, the Student Senate sponsor will break the tie.

 

            Section X         Secession of Office

                                   

A.     The Vice-President shall become the President upon the resignation or removal of the President

B.     The President shall at the next meeting of Student Senate offer the nomination of a person to fill the vacated office.

C.     The Student Senate shall approve or disapprove the e nomination by secret ballot.

D.     Should Student Senate not approve of the nomination, the President will continue to submit nominees until one is approved.

E.      The remaining offices shall continue their respective positions.

 

Article V

 

Establishing Student Senate

 

            Section I           The governing body of the Executive Council shall be the Student Senate

           

            Section II         The purpose of the Student Senate is to direct the efforts of the student leadership toward implementation of the goals of the Executive council

 

            Section III        The Student Senate shall consist of the Student Senate President, Vice-President, Student Activities Director, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chaplain; a faculty sponsor serving as an ex-officio, non-voting member; representative from each class; a representative from an orderly recognized student organization on campus, shall serve as voting members.

 

            Section IV        Qualifications for members of the Student Senate shall be

           

A.     Each class representative must

a.       Carry a minimum of 12 hours at SCU

b.      Be a member of his/her particular class

c.       Have achieved an overall GPA of 2.5, and maintain it throughout his/her tenure

 

B.     The President of any major club or organization chartered under the Student Senate shall have achieved an overall 2.5 GAP and maintain in through out his/her tenure.

 

            Section V         Duties of Class Representatives shall be

           

A.     To call and preside over class meetings

B.     Senior Class Representative: plan a class trip

C.     To keep the Student informed of all activities and concerns of the classes

 

            Section VI        The duty of the Off-Campus Representative shall be to inform each off-campus student of all activities throughout his/her tenure.

 

            Section VII       Members of the Student Senate shall be selected by September fifteenth of each year. The representative of any club or organization chartered after the selection deadline may be seated as ex-officion, voting member of the Student Senate.

 

            Section IX        Upon the resignation or removal from office of any representative, the class or organization shall be give the opportunity to nominate a representative. The nomination shall then be submitted and approved by a majority vote of Student Senate.

 

            Section X         Members of Student Senate are allotted five absences for meetings and activities. Upon the sixth absence the member will be brought before the Executive Council for reprimanding and probably removal from office. Out of common courtesy for the President, please notify either the President or Vice-President of absences one day prior to meetings or events.

 

            Section XI        The Student Senate shall be empowered to provide for the election of the Executive Council, members of the Student Senate, class representatives and Mister and Miss Southwestern. In addition, the Student Senate shall provide for the leadership nominations to be made by the student body.

 

            Section XII       Qualifications for Mister and Miss Southwestern Shall be as follows

           

A.     Must have completed one calendar year at SCU

B.     Must be a junior or senior in standing

C.     Must support the University and its functions

D.     Must have a GPA of at least 3.0

E.      Must epitomize scholarship, spirit, and service

F.      Must be actively involved in the spiritual life program

G.     Must be well-liked and received by the student body

H.     Must be enrolled in at least 12 hours at SCU

I.        Must not be on any probation (academic, disciplinary, or chapel) at time of nomination an awarding of title

J.       Must be approved by the Dean of Students, the Dean of Academics, and the Executive Council before being voted on by the student body, of those voting is required two-thirds majority vote.

 

Article VI

 

Amending the Constitution

 

            Section I           The Student Senate Constitution can be amended by the following procedure:

           

                                    Any change to the Constitution can be proposed by any member of the Student Senate. The proposed changes will be presented to the Senate and voted on in the same meeting. These changes must then pass by a majority vote of the Student Senate. If the change is approved, then the proposal must be posted for four days to be voted on the fourth day. The margin for victory for any proposal must obtain a two-thirds majority of those students casting a ballot.

                                    Student Senate should make every effort to inform the student body of the proposed amendment.

 

Article VII

 

Voting process within Student Senate

           

            Section I           The following process should be followed when general agenda items are presented at Student Senate meetings:

                                    The issue should be proposed and discussed. After discussion the president or presiding office should ask for a motion to accept the proposal. The proposal should be seconded, if not the proposal fails. If the proposal is seconded the Student Senate should vote yea or nay. The proposal must have a majority vote in order to pass. The Student Senate president or presiding office will only vote in the event of a tie.