Student Senate Statutes and Constitution

Student Senate Statutes and Constitution

2010-11

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey

Office of the Student Senate

G-201b, Ext. 4845

Student Senate Statutes

Mission Statement

The Student Senate is responsible for representing the student body and being the voice for the student body. In addition, the Senate is responsible for reviewing requests for allocations of funds from the college activity fee fund and for recommending to the Dean of Students such allocations.

Provide the means whereby the members of the student body may express themselves effectively in the programs that directly affect their intellectual, social and economic welfare. Promote active citizenship by developing and promoting student responsibility by providing practice in democratic living, and promote school spirit with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

ArticleI

Meeting Rules

The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall apply.

Article II

Attendance

Any member missing two meetings, full or committee, or two scheduled office hour periods; and any executive member missing two Executive Cabinet meetings in one academic year shall be placed on a five-week probation in which they cannot be late or absent for an additional meeting. Any absences must be reported to the committee chair 24 hours prior to the meeting except in emergencies, and will still count as an absence. The Vice President has the responsibility of notifying the violator(s) of their probation with a written notice within 7 days of the violation. Furthermore, the Executive Cabinet has the responsibility of monitoring the Vice President’s attendance. After the probation period is completed, one absence shall be removed from the senator's record. Upon the third absence, the individual shall be brought before the Executive Cabinet of the Student Senate at their next meeting. The Executive Cabinet will question the individual about his/her absence. The Executive Cabinet will decide, by majority, whether the issue of the individual's standing on the Student Senate shall be terminated. Upon termination, the next alternate shall be appointed to the vacant position. Members who expect to miss meetings are encouraged to contact the Student Senate Office.

Two latenesses to meetings, full, committee, or Executive Cabinet, or two early leaves or a combination of the two will be equivalent to a single absence, and said absence will be dealt with in the same fashion as any other absence.

Article III

Meeting Schedule

The Student Senate shall meet a minimum of twice in a full month during the academic year.

Article IV

Student Senate Conduct

The Student Senators the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey must conduct themselves in a manner that best characterizes the Student Senate and the college they represent. Senators will act in a manner of proper conduct, which includes but is not limited to proper ethical behavior and professionalism with the student body, faculty, administration and fellow Senators. The Student Senators are the representation of the student body and will to the best of their judgment and ability honor that representation. Proper conduct must be adhered to at all times during the Senator’s term in the Senate. Any Senator who violates this article will face proper disciplinary action from the Executive Cabinet. Any discrepancies between two fellow Senators will result in mediation with the Executive Cabinet.

Student Senate Constitution

Preamble

We, the students of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, in order to provide a representative form of government; to secure a focal point for student voice; to promote the social, academic, and physical welfare of the institution; to sustain communications between students, faculty, and administration; to develop the leaders and participants for the community and the state of New Jersey; do hereby ordain and establish this constitution.

This we do with the recognition that the President of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and the Board of Trustees have the ultimate responsibility for the total college program.

Article I

Purpose

Section1: Name

This organization shall be known as the Student Senate of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Section 2: Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to:

A. Provide the means whereby the members of the student body may express themselves effectively in the programs that directly affect their intellectual, social and economic welfare.

B. Promote active citizenship by developing and promoting student responsibility by providing practice in democratic living, and promote school spirit with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

C. Coordinate and regulate the activities of funded student organizations for the benefit of the entire educational community.

Section 3: Voting

All students duly registered and having paid the activity fee shall be eligible to vote in the generalelection.

Article II

Organization

Section 1: Legislative Powers

All legislative powers herein granted will be vested in the Student Senate.

Section 2: Composition

A. The Student Senate shall consist of one branch composed of twenty-seven students. The Senate shall be broken down into five committees.

B. The twenty-five students shall be chosen by a general election of eligible voters to take place in the spring. The twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh students shall be chosen in a general election of eligible voters to take place in the fall.

C. The Executive Cabinet will set the date of the spring election and establish the necessary rules governing that election at its first meeting in the spring semester.

D.The Executive Cabinet will set the date of the fall general election and establish the necessary rules governing that election at its first meeting in the fall.

E. All nominations for the position of Student Senate shall be made by petition bearing the names of seventy-five properly registered students.

F.Any member of the student body who wishes to run in the fall general election must be a member of one of the following groups of students:

1. A Freshman student or,

2.A Transfer student, Non-matriculated student or Graduate student who commenced their academic career at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey at the beginning of the semester during which the fall general election is to be held.

G.All Student Senators shall maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better by the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, while currently registered for and attending classes at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. All Student Senate candidates must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.

Section 3: Election Process

A. All candidates in the spring general election shall appear on a single ballot and those twenty-five receiving the most votes shall attain seats on the Student Senate. All candidates in the fall general election shall appear on a single ballot and those two receiving the most votes shall attain seats on the Student Senate.

B. In the event of a vacancy on the Student Senate, an alternate from one of the two alternate lists shall be chosen to fill that vacancy. There shall be one alternate list of candidates who appeared on the spring general election ballot but were not elected to the Student Senate. There will also be one alternate list of candidates who appeared on the fall general election ballot but were not elected to the Student Senate. The order of the names on the alternate lists shall be determined by the number of votes each alternate received in either the spring or fall general election, starting with the alternate who received the most votes and preceding to the alternate who received the least number of votes.

C. In the event of a vacancy on the Student Senate, the open seat shall be filled as follows:

1.If the open seat was originally held by a student who was elected to the Student Senate in the spring general election, then that seat shall be filled by a student on the alternate list generated following the spring general election, starting with the alternate who received the most votes and preceding to the alternate who received the fewest number of votes.

2.If the open seat was originally held by a student who was elected to the Student Senate in the fall general election, then that seat shall be filled by a student on the alternate list generated following the fall general election, starting with the alternate who received the most votes and preceding to the alternate who received the fewest number of votes.

D.In the event that a Student Senate seat filled by a student who was elected in the spring general election should become vacant and there are no more students on the alternate list generated following the spring general election, then that vacancy shall be filled by the next eligible student on the alternate list generated after the fall general election.

E.In the event that a Student Senate seat filled by a student who was elected in the fall general election should become vacant and there are no more students on the alternate list generated following the fall general election, then that vacancy shall be filled by the next eligible student on the alternate list generated after the spring general election.

F. The alternate shall fill out the term of his/her predecessor.

G.In the event that an individual decides to drop out of the election but receives votes during the election, the individual will be automatically placed at the bottom of the alternate list. Should there be more than one individual who has dropped out of the election and received votes, they will be placed at the bottom of the alternate list in descending order by the number of votes received.

F.In the event of a tie, the following criteria will be used:

1. Any ties involving an individual who has served on the senate previously, the person with previous senate experience will gain the benefit of the tie.

2. Ties involving

a) two or more students with senate experience will present their argument to the current members of the Student Senate. Then the Senate will cast their vote for the one they assume to be the most qualified.

b) two or more students with no previous senate experience will be decided by the incoming senate by secret ballot. Each prospective candidate will be given a chance to address the full senate by giving a speech as to why they should be moved up over their competitor(s). Should a student that is involved in a tiebreaker situation fail to show for the full senate meeting, he/she will automatically be dropped to the lowest position of the tie.

G. The Executive Cabinet shall address any grievances regarding a Student Senate-run election that must be addressed.

1. The Executive Cabinet will have the power to conduct a hearing, and make any of the following decisions:

a)Disqualify a candidate.

b)Disqualify an election/call for a re-election.

c) Prevent an election worker from receiving payment.

2. The Executive Cabinet must meet and give their decision before election results are publicly submitted.

Section 4: Joint Class Council

A. The Joint Class Council shall be granted four ex-officio seats on the Student Senate.

B. The Joint Class Council shall be comprised of the four class presidents.

C.Members of the Joint Class Council shall attend meetings of the Executive Cabinet at the request of the Student Senate President.

D.The Joint Class Council shall issue two oral reports per semester to the Student Senate.

Section 5: Terms of Office

A.All terms shall be one calendar year long except for the alternates, who shall serve out the term of their predecessor.

B.The term of the outgoing Student Senate President shall expire upon the election of the incoming Student Senate President.

Section 6: Terms of Session

The Senate shall begin its session on the day of the last meeting of the previous Senate’s term, and continue until the first meeting of the incoming Senate’s term.

Section 7: Transfer of Power

The incoming Senate will begin its session on the last day of the outgoing Senate.

Section 8: Resignation

A. A voluntary resignation of a student senator must be in written form and submitted to the President or Vice-President of the Student Senate. Thereafter, the procedures will be taken to install an alternate.

1. In the instance of verbal notification of resignation to the President, Vice-President, or their respective committee chairperson, the senator will have four days, following an unexcused absence of a full Senate meeting or committee meeting, to respond in writing his/her intent to remain on the Senate or relinquish the position. Failure to respond within this four-day period will automatically result in termination of the senator's position. Thereafter, the procedures will be taken to install an alternate.

Article III

Duties and Power

Section 1: Student Senate

The Student Senate, in accordance with this constitution, has the power to do the following:

A. Act as the final representative of the student body.

B. Appropriate all monies to the student organizations and activities in accordance with college policy.

C. Formulate and review budget policy as it applies to all organizations receiving money from the activity fee.

D. Confirm or reject, by majority vote, the appointments of the President of the Senate.

E. Upon receiving a petition containing the signatures of 10 percent of the student body, the Senate must submit to referendum the proposal stated on the petition.

F. Make all laws necessary, and proper, for the administration of elections of the Student Senate.

G. Withhold approval of all activities and functions of student-funded organizations.

H. Petition the President, by a 2/3 vote, to call a special meeting.

Section 2: President

The powers of the President shall be the following:

A. Preside over all full Senate meetings.

B. Preside over all committee meetings and task force meetings, as he/she sees fit.

C. Preside over the Executive Cabinet meetings.

D. Appoint, with the consent of the Senate, committee chairpersons and members.

E. Provide liaison between the students and the administration.

F. Attend all Board of Trustees meetings.

G. Prepare the agenda for the upcoming meeting, after consultation with the Executive Cabinet.

H. Call emergency meetings.

I. Create a task force for specific issues.

J. Vote only in the case of a tie.

K. Assign all bills to the respective committees.

L. Grant funds for unanticipated needs without the consent of the full senate. The funding cannot exceed $200 on any given allocation, and must have the consent of the advisor.

Section 3: Vice-President

The powers of the Vice-President shall be the following:

A. Assume the powers and duties of the President in his/her absence.

B. Serve as parliamentarian.

C. Sit on the Executive Cabinet.

D. Serve as an ex-officio (with vote) member of all committees.

E.Enforce the attendance policy by notifying violators of their probation status, and by notifying senators on probation to appear in front of the Executive Cabinet.

F.If the outgoing Student Senate President is a candidate for re-election then the outgoing Student Senate Vice President shall preside over the election of the incoming Student Senate President.

G.Shall be the chairperson of the Inter-club Council and report its activities to the Senate.

H.Shall be responsible for advocacy for higher education to our elected officials.

Section 4: Committee Chairperson

The powers of a Committee Chairperson shall be the following:

A. Preside over their respective committees.

B. Sit on the Executive Cabinet.

C. Submit, both oral and written, reports at full Senate meetings on the activities of their respective committees.

D. Be directly responsible for the actions of their committee to the Senate.

Section 5: Student Senators

A.Student Senators must serve on at least one standing committee of the Senate.

B.Student Senators must each schedule time to be in the Student Senate Office for at least one hour each week that the Senate is in session.

Section 6: Executive Cabinet

A. The Executive Cabinet shall be composed of the following:

1. The President.

1. The Vice-President.

3. The five committee chairpersons.

B. The duties of the Executive Cabinet shall be the following:

1. Serve as the consulting body to the President of the Senate.

2. Assist the President in establishing a total program for the Student Senate.

3. Coordinate the work of the Student Senate.

1. Mediate any discrepancies between two fellow Senators.

1. Coordinate the Distinguished Lecture Series.

6.Address any grievances regarding a Student Senate-run election that must be addressed.

Section 7: Committees

A. Academic Policies:

The Academic Policies Committee shall handle all issues dealing with the academic policies of the college as they pertain to the student body in their life at the college. The committee shall conduct an annual review of the StudentSenate Constitution and Statutes of the Student Senate and recommend modifications where necessary.

B. Finance:

The Finance Committee shall review all requests for money submitted to the Senate and submit a recommendation to the full Senate. The committee will determine the deadline for all request forms in the beginning of the semester. The committee shall make sure all requests are consistent with the past performance and constitutions of the submitting organization. The final word on money expenditures should lie with the Dean of Students.

C.Public Relations

The Public Relations Committee shall promote the agenda of the Student Senate through the various media outlets available. The committee shall be the liaison between the Stockton Community, Student Senate, and the public at large, and publish the Student Senate Newsletter, The Senate Informer. The committee should also organize, officiate, and regulate the elections, and handle any grievance brought against the Senate, or a member thereof, by any member of the student body.