Bakersfield College/Bakersfield (BC) - SGA By-Laws

Description:Bylaws of Bakersfield College Student Government Association

Section I: Transaction of Business and Meetings
Section II: Responsibilities of Officers
Section III: The Executive Council and Senate Officers
Section IV: The Senate
Section V: Student Clubs and Organizations
Section VI: The Activities Board
Section VII: Financial Code
Section VIII: Judicial Code
Section IX: Publicity Code
Section X: Elections Code
Section XI: Shared Governance
Section XII: Discipline & Impeachment

Transaction of Business and Meetings

Association shall conduct all official business, but is not limited to, in the student government office located in the Campus Center of the Main Campus. Under special circumstances meetings may be held in another location if prior notice is given.
Meetings:
1. No Association Senate meetings shall be held the first week of school or during the final exam period.
2. All official business meetings must be conducted in the presence of the college or SGA appointed Advisor.
3. Public notice of Regular Meetings shall be posted 72 hours in advance (per Brown Act).
4. A quorum must be present at all regular and special meetings for the official transaction of business. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the Senate.
5. All meetings shall be open to members of the Association & the general public.
6. Senate officers must be present in order to vote. Absentee voting shall not be allowed.

Responsibilities of Officers

All members of the Association shall be required to attend meetings of their particular branch of the Association. If a representative has more than two (2) unexcused absences from official senate meetings in a single semester, he/she shall be dismissed from the Association, & cannot re-join until the following academic year. A dismissed representative can still serve on committees as a student at large with the approval of the senate. If a representative misses five (5) meetings & less than three (3) have been unexcused, they can be recommended for disciplinary action by the General Counsel, which may lead to dismissal from office.
1. All elected & appointed officers are required to take the following oath: "I (Name), do solemnly swear to discharge the duties of the office of (Office Name) faithfully & diligently & to uphold the constitution of the Student Government Association to the utmost of my ability."
2. Any member dismissed from the association may not run or hold an Executive Board position until serving as a Senator in good standing for a minimum of one (1) semester. Must be in accordance with by-law's section Responsibilities of Officers, Point I.
Outgoing student government officers shall engage in an active transition & training period with the incoming officers during the months of April through June.
Vacancies & Resignations:
1. Resignations shall be made in writing to the Secretary of the Association, who shall then read the resignation at the next Executive Council & Senate meetings.
2. Vacancies shall be addressed to the Association President.
Excused/Unexcused Absences:
1. Excused absences have to be submitted via oral or written report to the Secretary & Vice President of the Association at least one day before a scheduled meeting. Any absences not done in such a fashion will be unexcused.

The Executive Council and Senate Officers

The Executive Council shall review & approve the annual budget for the Association before it is presented to the senate for approval & the KCCD Board of Trustees.
1. The Executive council shall receive & review recommendations for all program proposals, fundraising activities, & other funding requests processed by the Finance Committee & approve or disapprove requests or direct the committee to develop & submit modified recommendations.
2. The Executive council shall actively pursue the interests of shared governance by communicating the Association's agenda & the needs of Association members with college faculty.
3. All executive council members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses relating to Association business (per KCCD Board policy).
4. All club E-Council members are required to purchase a Discount Sticker.
5. The E-Council shall be vested with the full powers of the Senate during Summer semesters in which the Association has less than five (5) Representatives.
6. The Executive Board shall be permitted to conduct business during summer vacation and any breaks in school exceeding three (3) days, not including weekends.
The Executive council shall receive written or oral reports from all Association committees.
President
1. An Administrative Assistant may be appointed by the President to help carry out the administrative responsibilities of that office.
2. The President is required to attend all Senate meetings, but is not permitted to vote.
3. The President shall become the Association's financial representative when the office of Treasurer is vacant or the Treasurer is unavailable.
4. The President may appoint representatives to an Association or Bakersfield College standing committee as outlined in section 3.10.2.1.1
5. Special meetings may be called by the Association President or by petition of a 2/3 majority of the Association Senate with twenty-four (24) hours' notice.
6. The President may create a special committee by signing an Executive Order which details the purpose of the Special Committee.
7. The President shall set the agenda for and manage all affairs of the Executive Council.
8. The President shall spend at least fifteen (15) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Vice President
1. The Vice President shall oversee the day to day activities of the Association & shall report to both the Association President & Advisor. Additionally, the Vice President shall assist all committees & members of the Senate in any Association affairs
2. The Vice President shall work to enhance the relationship between the SGA, students, & faculty by ensuring that the Association's agenda will work toward the goal of shared governance.
3. The Vice President shall set the agenda for, & manage, the affairs of the Senate.
4. The Vice President is permitted to vote in an official Senate meeting only in the case of a tie when the vote requires a simple majority to pass.
5. The Vice President shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Activities Liaison
1. The Activities Liaison shall be responsible for coordinating, managing, & recording all student activities sponsored by the Association. He/She shall work to further student involvement in campus & community activities.
2. The Activities Liaison shall set the agenda for, & manage, the affairs of the Activities Board, & is responsible for holding regular meetings of the Activities Board.
3. The Activities Liaison shall have no Activities Board vote except to break a tie.
4. The Activities Liaison shall be required to maintain a master calendar of all SGA & club events
5. The Activities Liaison shall chair all other committees formed by the Activities Board.
6. The Activities Liaison shall coordinate the formation of new clubs & maintain active club officer rosters.
7. The Activities Liaison shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Treasurer
1. The Treasurer shall be responsible for depositing, supervising, & reporting to the Executive Council & Student Senate the expenditures of the Association's funds. He/She shall be the custodian of all Association funds.
2. The Treasurer shall set the agenda for, & manage, the affairs of the Association Finance Committee. The Treasurer shall call regular meetings (at least bi-monthly) of the Finance Committee.
3. The Treasurer shall keep full & accurate records of all Association finances.
4. The Treasurer shall submit a budget for the following year to the Executive Board for approval no later than the first Executive Board meeting in April.
5. The Treasurer shall be familiar with the programming used to keep Association finances & be in continuous communication with the director of business services.
6. The Treasurer shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Secretary
1. The Secretary shall be responsible for coordinating, managing, and maintaining all records & public relations material generated by the Association. The Secretary shall work to establish proper & responsible record keeping & public relations procedures, & provide general office support to the Association.
2. The Secretary shall maintain a record book(s) in which the by-laws, special rules of order, standing rules, & minutes are entered, with any amendments to these documents properly recorded, & have the current record book(s) on hand at every meeting.
3. The Secretary is required to maintain the records of all Association proceedings, committee reports, & official membership roll. The Secretary shall call the roll when it is required.
4. The Secretary shall bring to the attention of the General Counsel any excessive absences at which point the General Counsel shall recommend disciplinary action to the Senate should such an action be appropriate.
5. The Secretary shall provide a roster of all officers & committee members at the beginning of each semester & provide updated lists as changes are made.
6. The Secretary is responsible for producing a regular Association newsletter as determined by the Executive Council.
7. The Secretary, working with the Communications Committee, shall liaison with the Bakersfield College Director of Public Information & Publications. This group will be in charge of all Association publicity including posters, radio & television advertisements, pamphlets, etc. for Association events both on & off campus.
8. The Secretary shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Legislative Liaison
1. The Legislative Liaison shall attend KCCD Trustee meetings & report back to the Executive Council & Senate. The Legislative Liaison shall advocate student needs to the Board of Trustees via the Student Trustee.
2. The Legislative Liaison shall be the primary Association representative for Region V of SSCCC, & is required to attend all meetings. Should the Legislative Liaison be unable to attend a meeting, another individual may be nominated by the Legislative Liaison to attend the meeting.
3. The Legislative Liaison shall set the agenda for, and manage, the affairs of the Legislative Affairs Committee.
4. The Legislative Liaison shall act as a liaison to the community, county, state & federal legislative agencies & advocate student needs to these agencies. Also, the Legislative Liaison shall keep the Student Senate informed of any local, state, or national legislation affecting the community colleges and/or students directly.
5. The Legislative Liaison shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
General Counsel
1. The General Counsel shall be responsible for coordinating, managing, & recording all matters regarding justice & legality. The General Counsel shall work to establish proper, responsible, efficient, & effective methods of administering justice.
2. The General Counsel shall enforce & uphold the Association Constitution, its by-laws & procedures without exception.
3. The General Counsel shall oversee and is responsible for all logistics regarding student body elections.
4. The General Counsel shall review any Bill being proposed to the Senate in order to ensure the bill's coherence with the constitution & the by-laws.
5. The General Counsel shall preside over all grievance & impeachment proceedings. Should the General Counsel have a conflict of interest, a random executive board member shall be chosen to preside over the proceedings.
6. The General Counsel shall spend at least twelve (12) hours per week at his/her duties & be remunerated for up to nineteen (19) hours per week at a rate not to exceed the minimum wage of the state of California.
Representatives
1. Representatives are required to actively pursue the interests of the Association members & act in accordance with the SGA constitution & its by-laws.
2. Representatives are required to attend all Senate meetings & are required to be a member of at least, but not limited to, one committee.
  1. Any representative not in a committee after the third official meeting of the Senate shall be appointed to a committee by the SGA President.
  2. Should all committees be full, a representative can be appointed to attend a Bakersfield College Standing Committee & shall give a detailed report to the Senate after each committee meeting.
  3. All representatives, regardless of committee membership, are encouraged to represent the Association by attending at least one Bakersfield College Standing Committee.
3. Representatives shall submit a written report to the Vice President & Secretary of the Association detailing all activities with regards to the Senate before each senate meeting. Should a representative be unable to submit a written report, an oral one may be given at the discretion of the Vice President.
Commissioners at Large
1. Commissioners at large may be appointed to serve on one ore more committee(s). Commissioners at large are not permitted to vote in any official Senate meetings, but are strongly encouraged to attend.
2. Commissioners at large shall serve for one academic year or until they are done with their committee(s).
3. Commissioners at large shall submit a written report to the Secretary & Vice President of the Association detailing all activities with regards to their committee before each Senate meeting.
KCCD Student Trustee
1. Section 72023.5 of the Education Code provides for a student to be a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees.
2. When a Bakersfield College student is selected to serve, in addition to being a resident of the district, they shall be enrolled at BC & shall be under the recall by the students enrolled in the community colleges of the district in accordance with procedures prescribed by the governing board. A student member shall be required throughout the term of his/her appointment to be enrolled in at least five (5) units & shall meet & maintain the minimum standards of scholarship for community college students prescribed by the community college district. It is desired they have knowledge of college governance, the community college environment & parliamentary procedures; a willingness to work with students having a wide range of skills, motivation & academic or vocational goals; & an ability to communicate well, both orally & in writing, & to work effectively with others.
3. A non-voting student member shall be seated with the members of the board & shall be recognized as a full member of the board at the meetings, including receiving all materials presented to the board members & participating in the questioning of witnesses & the discussion of issues.
  1. The non-voting student member shall not be included in determining the vote required to carry any measure before the board.
  2. The non-voting student member shall not be liable for any acts of the governing board.
  3. The student member may make & second motions at the discretion of the Board; attend closed sessions, other than closed sessions on personnel or collective bargaining matters, at the discretion of the Board & receive compensation at the discretion of the Board.
4. One (1) student will serve as the member of the KCCD Board of Trustees. Membership will be rotated annually, with the rotation starting over after the cycle has been completed, as follows: June 1, 2005 - May 31, 2006 at Bakersfield College; June 1, 2006 - May 31, 2007 at Cerro Coso College; June 1, 2007 - May 31, 2008 at Porterville College.
5. Student Board members shall be selected during April & commence the term of office at the first (1st) KCCD Board of Trustees Meeting in June. Applicants meeting the required qualifications who have submitted all required application documents on or before the deadline will be guaranteed interviews by the Student Trustee Selection Committee which is the Executive Council, a Representative, & Dean of Students.
6. Should the student board member resign or be ineligible for office prior to the expiration of the term of office, the Association President shall select a replacement.
7. In the event the Association does not select a student trustee, the next college in alphabetical order will be asked to provide a student board member & the annual rotation will continue.
8. The Student Trustee shall attend all meetings of the Board of Trustees. They shall maintain awareness of college programs, procedures & policies & meet regularly with the College President

The Senate

Members of the Senate shall work to sponsor & establish proper, effective, and responsible legislation to the betterment of the student experience at Bakersfield College.
1. The Senate shall pass no ex post facto codes, regulations, statutes or by-laws.
2. All legislation that initiates from the Senate shall go through the Legislative Liaison & General Counsel for prior approval before being sent to the President for approval before it becomes law. If the President approves, the law shall be signed; but if not, the President shall veto the Legislation & return it to the Senate with written objections for consideration.
3. Types of Senate Legislation: There are three (3) types of Senate legislation: Bills, Resolutions & Recommendations. Any legislation directed to the Senate from the Executive Board shall be brought to the floor as a Joint Bill, Resolution or Recommendation. For any Legislation to be passed in the Senate a quorum must be established.
4. Bills. Bills deal with the Constitution (Legal Code) or by-laws of the Association. Senate approval of a bill must be by a two-thirds (2/3) majority.
  1. The maker of a bill shall be present when the bill is being considered & shall be responsible for the facts presented in the bill.
  2. All bills requiring financial backing will not be subject to immediate consideration unless previous authorization has been received from the Treasurer or two-thirds (2/3) of the Senate declare the authorization to be of an urgent & immediate need.
5. Resolutions: Resolutions deal with legislation for the general welfare of the Student Body, & do not conflict with the Constitution of the Association or any of its By-Laws, nor in conflict with College policy or regulations, District policy or regulation, nor State or Federal law or regulations.
6. Recommendations: Recommendations deal with powers not vested within any department of the Association, but with a means of bringing to the attention of the college, district, community, state, & federal personnel certain desired actions of the Association. Such recommendations shall be directed to the Faculty Advisor or the appropriate designee. The Advisor shall be responsible for informing the Senate of the status of that recommendation's implementation. Such legislation shall have the full force of the SGA.
7. Motions: A motion is a formal proposal by a member, in a meeting, that the assembly takes certain action. No motion shall be entertained if it conflicts with the Association Constitution or its by-laws, or conflicts with college policy or regulation, nor District policy or regulation, nor State or Federal law or regulations, or the adopted parliamentary authority.
8. Amendments: Amendments deal with the constitution of the Association or any of its established by-laws. Amendments to the by-laws require a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote. The Procedures for a constitutional amendment are to be followed as in ARTICLE XI, Section 3 of the Association Constitution.
9. By-Laws: The Senate shall have the authority to determine rules & regulations, which shall be, called by-laws. A by-law shall be considered as a definite part of the constitution & carry the full weight of legal & regulatory power.
Senate & Association Committees
1. An Executive Board officer or the Association President's designee shall chair each Association standing & ad hoc committees.
  1. The chair of the committee will call meetings as needed & on a timely basis in order to achieve the work assigned to that committee. Committee meetings will be posted one (1) week in advance of regular meetings & any special or emergency meetings will be posted as per the Brown Act.
  2. The chair or a designated member of a committee will submit a report from the committee to the Secretary of the Association, & deliver an oral report to the Senate.
2. Term of office of committee members will be one academic year with the possibility of re-appointment.
3. Association Standing Committees
  1. Communications Committee
    1. The members of the Communications Committee shall be: Secretary (chairman), no more than three (3) senators, & no more than two (2) commissioners at large. Additional members may be added should the need arise at the discretion of the chair.
    2. The communications committee's responsible for communicating the Association's agenda & ensuring that all publicity is in accordance with regulations. The committee shall coordinate the communications within the Association, i.e., between different committees, as well as between the Association, students, & faculty.
    3. All press releases & public for the SGA must first go through the communications committee.
    4. The committee chair shall determine meeting dates & times of the Communications committee.
  2. Legislative Affairs Committee
    1. The members of the Legislative affairs Committee shall be: Legislative Liaison (chairman), General Counsel (co-chairman), & at least two (2) Representatives. Additional members may be added should the need arise at the discretion of the chair.
    2. The Legislative Affairs Committee shall review all campus, district, local, state, & federal legislation or policies that impact college students directly, & sponsor legislation that advocates student's rights. The Legislative Affairs Committee shall advise the President, Executive Board & Senate on Association legislation.
    3. The Legislative Affairs committee shall be responsible for maintaining student awareness & empowerment through various media.
    4. The committee chair shall determine meeting dates & times of the Legislative Affairs committee
  3. Finance Committee
    1. The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer (chair), no more than two (2) representatives, & no more than two (2) students-at-large. Additional members may be added should the need arise at the discretion of the chair.
    2. The Finance Committee shall review Association expenditures, research fund disposition, & research income possibilities. The committee shall supervise the preparation of the Association Budget, act in an advisory capacity regarding the management of student body organization funds.
    3. The Finance Committee shall meet a minimum of twice each month or as often as needed.
    4. The committee chair shall determine meeting dates & times of the Finance Committee
  4. Grievances
    1. If there is any grievance dealing with the Senate, a committee shall be formed to investigate the matter.
      1. The committee shall consist of no more than four (4) randomly chosen Representatives and/or Commissioners-at-large to be chosen at the next E-council meeting after the grievance is filed. The General Counsel shall chair the committee.
      2. If the General Counsel has a conflict of interest in the case, then the chair shall be randomly selected from the e-board members when the senators & commissioners at large are chosen. The committee shall follow the guidelines as outlined under "Discipline And Impeachment."
      3. All Grievance committee meeting will have minutes taken by a member other than the chair or by the SGA Secretary.
Standing Committee of Bakersfield College
1. Standing Committees are the major college committees established to deliberate & make policy recommendations in their assigned area of interest or concern. The recommendations are forwarded to the College Administrative Cabinet or college president for action. College-wide committees typically are made up of faculty, administrators & representatives of classified staff & the associated student body.
2. The Standing Committees shall meet at the discretion of the Chair of each committee.
  1. A committee member is expected to submit a written report at the next Executive Board meeting & an oral report at the next Senate meeting or when the report is asked for.
  2. Committee members shall act as an agent of the Association in the ongoing activities of the committee & vote in accordance with established Association policy & direction of the Association.
  3. A committee member may be removed from a committee by a 2/3-majority vote of the Senate.

Student Clubs and Organizations

All Clubs & Organizations have the responsibility to ensure that their activities are in accordance with federal, state, college & local laws & regulations & that membership & organizational materials do not discriminate upon the basis of religion, sex, race, color, or national origin.
All clubs & organizations will keep a current Constitution & By-laws on file in the Student Activities office.
1. Records & minutes of all club meetings shall be available to the SGA.
Active clubs shall be defined as a Club that attends mandatory Activities Board meetings and holds regular meetings (at least twice per month)
1. Membership in all chartered Clubs will be made up of enrolled students of Bakersfield College.
2. No student on academic probation or disciplinary probation shall be eligible to hold an Executive Office in any club. Officers must carry a minimum of six (6) units to hold any elected or appointed office in an approved club.
3. Each club shall have at least one (1) college-wide project per semester.
Any Club or Organization may require its members to pay dues or assessments. Such funds are to be collected & credited to the account of the organization by which they are collected. Funds are to be deposited in the Bakersfield College Business Services Office & may be withdrawn only upon the written approval of the club Treasurer or other authorized club officer of the organization & the Advisor.
1. No dues are to be levied or money collected by any club or student organization without first securing permission from the College President or designated representative.
2. The SGA has the authority to freeze the account of a club deemed inactive. The funds will be distributed to the Activities Board if the club remains inactive for a period of one (1) year.
All off-campus organizations & their on-campus functions come under the jurisdiction of the Association Senate. The Association Senate shall regulate the use of college materials, facilities, name or funds by said organizations. (KCCD Board Policy Manual; Section 4F4).
Each club is required to have an Advisor. The Advisor shall act as a resource for the organization, & must be certificated Faculty, Administrators, or designated & approved by the College President. Classified employees may serve as Co-Advisors but must be approved by the faculty advisor.
1. Each club must provide a statement of primary purpose that does not duplicate that of any other active Bakersfield College Club Organization.
2. Each club must provide a list of active members to the student Activities office & the Activities Liaison.
In order to become an official club at Bakersfield College, the club must submit a current list of members, certified Advisor & a Club Constitution to the Student Activities Office.
1. The constitution shall be submitted to the General Counsel & President, & shall then be submitted to the Association Senate for ratification. A simple majority vote for approval, by the Senate, shall constitute official chartered status.
The Association Senate may suspend for a definite period of time the charter of any club that is inactive or guilty of other violations outlined in this section.
1. Suspension of a club charter shall mean that the club is inactive for the duration of the suspension & may not meet or vote in the Activities Board meetings.
2. No suspension may be for a period of time longer than one Academic Year.
3. The Club will automatically be reinstated at the expiration of the suspension.
4. The General Counsel may recommend that the Senate revoke a club charter; charter revocation would mean that the club no longer exists. The following shall be sufficient cause to recommend revocation of a charter:
  1. Continued refusal of the club to abide by SGA or College regulations
  2. Non-functioning of the club
  3. Continued non-attendance at the Activities Board meetings
A club whose charter has been revoked may apply for membership in the inter-club council the following Academic Year by fulfilling the requirements established for the admission of a new club for membership.
Clubs may use the name of the College in conjunction with activities directly related to the purposes of the organization as long as the activity does not violate other policies & procedures established by the Board of Trustees.

The Activities Board

The Activities Board shall be responsible for actin

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