Anoka-Ramsey Community College Student Senate Constitution

Student Government Constitution-Cambridge Campus

Preamble

The Student Government of the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College (herein ARCC-CC) will work to ensure accessible, quality and affordable higher education while providing students with representation, leadership development and communication within the campus, the college, and the surrounding community.

Article I. Name of the Government

The name of this organization shall be Anoka-Ramsey Community College - Cambridge Campus Student Government (herein Government).

Article II. Purpose of the Government

The purpose of the Government shall be to represent the student body to the college and the community, to recommend the chartering of students clubs and organizations for approval by the College President and to serve as the liaison to the administration, faculty and staff in any matter of concern to the student body.

Article III. Organization of the Government

Section 1. Any member of the student body in compliance with the membership rules may apply to join the Government.

Section 2. Any three members of the executive board, acting together, shall have the same authority as the president to express the opinion of the Government.

Section 3. Government shall have officers who will be elected annually by members.

Section 4. Government shall have an advisor approved by the College President after consultation with the Government.

Section 5. Government shall be associated with the Minnesota State College Student Association, herein MSCSA, in accordance with the MSCSA constitution.

Article IV. Membership

Section 1. Types of membership

A. Executive Board Member

An Executive Board consists of the President, Vice President, Communications Coordinator, Secretary and Treasurer. Executive Board Members have no voting privileges.

B. Senators

Attend regularly scheduled meetings and have voting privileges.

C. Senators-at-Large

Senators-at-Large may be elected when there is a member or prospective member who, for whatever reason cannot attend the regularly scheduled Government meetings. Senators-at-Large have no voting privileges and may not hold office.

Section 2. Eligibility for Membership

To be a member of the Government, students must:

Submit a Student Government application form including a signed waiver granting permission for the Government Advisor to verify his/her credit load/GPA.
Attend two consecutive Government meetings.
Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher.
Register and maintain status of no less than one (1) credit per semester.

Section 3. Minnesota State College Student Association Executive Board Members

Any student that is a member of the Executive Board of the Minnesota State College Student Association is an ex-officio member of the Government.

Article V. Duties of Officers

Section 1. President

Chair Government meetings.
Chair the Executive Board meetings.
Co-Chair Student Life Committee.
Represent the student body on the College Advisory Committee.
Represent Anoka-Ramsey Community College-Cambridge Campus (ARCC-CC) at all MSCSA functions.
Call special Government meetings.
Appoint senators to complete duties during temporary vacancies.
Have knowledge of the ARCC-CC Student Government Constitution.
Have knowledge of the MSCSA governing documents.
Run all meetings in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
Charge committees with tasks as deemed necessary by the Government.
Sign all requisitions along with the treasurer.
Serve at least four (4) office hours per week.
Other duties as directed.

Section 2. Vice President

Assume the Presidency in the absence of the President.
Count the ballots of all General Elections, along with the advisor.
Coordinate for Government, all of the committees that a member of the student body/Government sits on.
Chair Platform committee.
Chair Constitution committee.
Chair the Charter committee.
Serve at least four (4) office hours per week.
Knowledge of the ARCC-CC Student Government Constitution.
Other duties as directed.

Section 3. Communications Coordinator

Be responsible for all publicity for the Government and the Government activities or events.
Chair monthly meetings with all active clubs, the purpose, of which, is to keep all clubs informed of activities of the other clubs.
Serve as the official parliamentarian for all Government meetings.
Other duties as directed.

Section 4. Secretary

Take minutes for all Government meetings.
Prepare the agenda for Government meetings and post the agenda to all Senators-at-Large at least 24 hrs before the scheduled meeting time.
Post a written copy of the minutes on the Student Life bulletin board the day of the meeting in which they are approved.
Keep a written record of attendance and roll call at all Government meetings.
Take roll call votes.
Be responsible for typing all official ARCC-CC Government documents.
Add all amendments to the constitution and the By-Laws passed by the Government.
Be responsible for maintaining the filing system of the Government offices.
Shall coordinate all office hours.
Keep and update a roster of Government members and their contact information.
Serve at least two (2) office hours per week.
Other duties as directed.

Section 6. Treasurer

Be responsible for the budget and reporting it at all Government meetings.
Assist the Student Life Committee with budget proposals.
Prepare budget requests.
Sign all requisition forms with the President.
Work with the President, to make the following year's budget request for the Government to present to the Student Life Committee during spring semester.
Other duties as directed.

Article VI. Elections

Section 1. Any individual governing member may hold only one office at anytime.

Section 2. Nominations and elections for all cabinet positions, excluding the President and the Vice President, shall take place in one meeting except in cases of removal or dismissal.

Section 3. Nominations for the officers of Government shall consist of any number of Government members.

The President shall be elected at a time specified by the Government in the spring semester. Candidates for the Presidency and Vice Presidency must run together on the same ballot that will be presented to the student body. Both candidates must submit a letter of intent to the current Government stating their name, the position they are seeking, why they think that they are qualified for the position, and what qualities they bring to the Government.
For elections of the President and Vice President, a simple majority wins the election.
"No confidence" and "Abstain" must both be offered as choices on any ballot.

Section 4. Following nominations of cabinet offices excluding the President and Vice President, the government may permit the candidates to orally introduce themselves, state their qualifications, and other data pertinent to their election.

Section 5. An election committee consisting of the Vice President and the Senate Advisor shall run elections, and hear any complaints about unfairness in any aspect of the elections.

Section 6. An election by secret ballot will be held for the cabinet offices excluding the offices of President and Vice President. "No Confidence" and "Abstain" must both be offered as choices on the ballots. A candidate wins by receiving a two-thirds (2/3) majority. If no single candidate receives a two-thirds majority, the candidate or candidates receiving the lowest total of the votes (and those with no votes) will be dropped from the ballot. Once there are only two (2) candidates left on the ballots, a simple majority can with the election.

Section 7. The Government Advisor and the current Vice President shall be responsible for tabulation of the ballots in all elections. If the Government Advisor is not available, the president shall appoint a person to assist with the tabulation of the ballots. Immediately upon tabulation, the Vice President shall notify the Government, and subsequently the student body, faculty and administration of the election outcome.

Article VII. Discipline

Section 1. The Government may reprimand, discipline or remove a governing member for failing to meet membership qualifications, for behaving in a manner deemed unfit by the Government, or for failing to perform member responsibilities.

Article VIII. Committees

Section 1. Government has to elect any student to any standing or ad-hoc committee with joint student/faculty and/or administration membership of the college.

Section 2. Any committee may contain Senators-at-Large; the same committee attendance rules apply to Senators-at-Large as to full Senators.

Section 3. Standing committee are committees that have indefinite terms and need to be maintained yearly.

Charter committee, chaired by the Vice President, must meet at least one a year to consider the campus charters and constitution, update, change, or amend them to better serve the student body.
Constitution Committee, Chaired by the Vice President, must meet at least once a year, to review and look at possible changes to the Government's Constitution.
Platform committee, chaired by the Vice President, must meet at least once a year to review and look at possible changes to the Government's Platform document
Student Life committee, co-chaired by the President and the Director of Student Life, must hold monthly meetings to recommend a budget for the student life funds.
Executive Board committee, chaired by the President, must meet once a month. They may recommend actions for the Government, but may not authorize the expenditure of money, or make decisions for the Government as a whole.

Section 4. Ad Hoc committees may be formed by the President or by the majority vote of the Government. Members are appointed by the President or by majority vote of the Government. Each ad Hoc committee is disbanded at a date set by the Government.

Section 5. All committees must give an oral report at each regularly scheduled meeting. The President may require a written report one week in advance. Written reports shall include, but not limited to: place, dates of meetings, members, visitors in attendance, and a brief summary of each meeting.

Article IX. Clubs and Organizations

Section 1. Any group of students wishing to form a campus club or organization must secure approval from Government before that organization or club can be recognized as an official club of the college. To secure approval for a new club, the following requirements must be met.

Have a purpose for the club that will benefit students in some manner.
Secure and advisor, approved by the appropriate campus dean/administrator.
Submit a proposed, written constitution or charter to the Government.
If the club is affiliated with a state or national organization, the terms of the affiliation must be filed with and approved by the Government followed by approval from the appropriate campus dean/administrator.
The group, club, and/or organization must have four (4) active members at all times; each member must be registered with the Government and be a registered student of the Campus with at least one (1) credit.
A pre-term calendar of events and financial/budget statement must also be presented to the Government.

Section 2. Each group, club and/or organization must have one representative who will meet with the Student Life Committee to discuss up-coming events or other pertinent business.

Section 3. One representative of each club/group/organization that receives student life funds, should try to attend one Student Government meeting a month.

Section 4. Revising old charters. Each group, club, and or/organization shall submit updated charters/constitutions to be approved according to the same Government requirements in the fall of each year.

Section 5. The Government may suspend or place on probation clubs or organizations that are determined, by means of hearing, to be in violation of the Government rules or of their charter. In extreme cases, the charters may be revoked and by two-thirds (2/3) vote upon recommendation of the hearing board.

Section 6. The Government shall have the privilege of calling the presiding officers of each of the student groups, clubs, and/or organizations for consultation when considering matters of vital concern to these organizations.

Section 7. The Government shall have the rights to records, and activities of all groups, clubs, and/or organizations in order to review the operation and determine that they are operating within their stated purpose and budget.

Section 8. All clubs are entitled to a hearing prior to the revocation of its charter.

Article X Amendment, suspension, or ratification of this document

Section 1. This document may be amended by two-thirds vote of the Government.

Any senator may submit a proposed amendment.
Any student may submit a proposed amendment to the Government, if a petition supporting the amendment that has at least five percent (5%) of the student body as signatories accompanies it.
A proposed amendment must be submitted at least one meeting prior to the vote on the amendment.

Section 2. This document may be suspended, as a whole or in part, temporarily, by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Government.

Section 3. Following the adoption of this document, and any subsequent amendments, copies shall be posted throughout the campus. If within five (5) school days, a petition of disapproval containing five percent (5%) of the student body is not filed, this document shall stand as the adopted Articles of the Senate.

Section 4. Amendments may be made at anytime upon approval of two-thirds (2/3) majority vote to open the constitution to the amendment.

Section 5. The constitution shall be approved at least once a year by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Government upon review of recommendations made by the Constitution committee.