Description:Student Government Association of Bakersfield College
Student Senate
CONSTITUTION
Preamble
We, the students of Bakersfield College, in order to form a representative student government for the purpose of self-governance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
ARTICLE I
Name
Section 1. This organization shall be known as the Student Government Association of Bakersfield College, herein referred to as the "Association."
Section 2. The governing body of the Association shall be the Student Senate, herein referred to as the "Senate."
ARTICLE II
Objectives
The objectives of the Senate shall be:
1) To ensure effective student representation in the District and College shared governance process,
2) To further cooperation and communication between students, faculty, classified staff, administration, and the community,
3) To oversee the activities of student clubs and organizations.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1. Members
The Association shall consist of all currently enrolled students at Bakersfield College.
Section 2. Rights and Privileges
All members of the Association are entitled to the following:
1) The right to vote in all student elections authorized by the Senate,
2) The right, if eligible, to hold office as provided in this Constitution,
3) Admission to all chartered clubs and all authorized social and other activities,
4) Eligibility to apply for appropriate scholarships.
Section 3. Advisor
The advisor to the Association, as appointed by the College President, shall not be a member of any Association body and shall act in an advisory capacity without vote.
Section 4. Honorary Advisors
The Senate may appoint honorary advisors from among College alumni, staff, or other community members. The procedures for appointing honorary advisors shall be outlined in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 1. Officers
The Senate Officers shall be the Representatives and Commissioners-at-Large.
Section 2. Executive Officers
The Senate Executive Officers shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Legislative Liaison, General Counsel, and Activities Liaison.
Section 3. Eligibility
In order to qualify for office, a student must meet the minimum eligibility requirements as specified by the California Education Code and the District Board Policy Manual.
Section 4. Elections
Procedures for elections in accordance with this Constitution shall be provided for in the By-Laws under the Election Code. All counting of election returns shall be open to the public. Elections shall be by secret ballot. A majority of the legal votes cast by those present and voting is necessary for election to office.
Section 5. Terms of Office
The terms of all elected officers shall begin on June 1 and end May 31 of the following year. No person may run for more than one office. No person may hold more than one office simultaneously. No person may hold the same office for more than four consecutive semesters. Appointed officers must run for office at the next scheduled election.
ARTICLE V
Student Senate
Section 1. Powers
The Senate shall be vested with all legislative, executive, and administrative powers as specified in this Constitution and the By-Laws. The Senate shall have the authority to override a Presidential veto by a two-thirds affirmative vote of members present and voting. The Senate shall advocate student rights and empowerment through legislation and representation.
Section 2. Composition
The Senate shall be composed of Representatives and Executive Officers, as listed with their powers below. There shall be one Representative for every one thousand enrolled students. Commissioners-at-Large shall be appointed as needed.
a. President
The President:
1) Shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Association,
2) Shall chair the Executive Council,
3) Shall chair the Student Center Fee Advisory Committee,
4) Shall have the authority to call a meeting of any Association body,
5) Shall appoint student members to all College and District committees with the approval of the Senate,
6) May serve as an ex-officio member of all standing committees,
7) Shall have the authority to veto Senate legislation,
8) Shall have the authority to fill vacancies with the approval of the Senate,
9) Shall have the authority to make agreements or enter contracts with the approval of the Senate,
10) Shall have the authority to appoint Commissioners-at-Large with the approval of the Senate,
11) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
b. Vice President
The Vice President:
1) Shall be the Chief Operating Officer of the Association,
2) Shall be the presiding officer of the Senate and a voting member of its Executive Council,
3) Shall be a voting member of the Student Center Fee Advisory Committee,
4) May serve as an ex-officio member of all standing committees,
5) Shall assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President and shall succeed to that office upon vacancy,
6) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
c. Treasurer
The Treasurer:
1) Shall be the Chief Financial Officer of the Association,
2) Shall chair the Finance Committee,
3) Shall be a voting member of the Student Center Fee Advisory Committee,
4) Shall be a voting member of the Senate and its Executive Council,
5) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
d. Secretary
The Secretary:
1) Shall be the Chief Communications Officer of the Association,
2) Shall chair the Communications Committee,
3) Shall be a voting member of the Senate and its Executive Council,
4) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
e. Legislative Liaison
The Legislative Liaison:
1) Shall chair the Legislative Affairs Committee,
2) Shall be a voting member of the Senate and its Executive Council,
3) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
f. General Counsel
The General Counsel:
1) Shall be the Chief Legal Officer of the Association,
2) Shall be a voting member of the Legislative Affairs Committee,
3) Shall be a voting member of the Senate and its Executive Council,
4) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
g. Activities Liaison
The Activities Liaison:
1) Shall be the presiding officer of the Activities Board,
2) Shall be a voting member of the Senate and its Executive Council,
3) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
h. Representatives
Representatives:
1) Shall be voting members of the Senate,
2) Shall be voting members of those committees to which they are assigned,
3) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
i. Commissioners-at-Large
Commissioners-at-Large:
1) Shall be voting members of those committees to which they are assigned,
2) Shall perform all other duties as outlined in this Constitution, the By-Laws, and in the adopted parliamentary authority.
ARTICLE VI
Executive Council
The Executive Council shall consist of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Legislative Liaison, General Counsel, and Activities Liaison. The Executive Council shall conduct the affairs of the Senate when that body is unable to meet and shall act for the Senate between regular meetings. The Executive Council has only those powers that the Senate grants. The Senate may be as restrictive or as liberal as is needed in the granting of powers to the Executive Council.
ARTICLE VII
Committees
The standing committees of the Senate shall be the Finance Committee, Communications Committee, and Legislative Affairs Committee. Additional standing committees may be added by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Senate membership present and voting. The duties and manner of selection for each standing committee shall be outlined in the By-Laws. The President or Vice President may create special committees as needed.
ARTICLE VIII
Student Clubs and Organizations
Section 1. The Senate shall have the authority to approve or deny the charter of any proposed student club or organization.
Section 2. All student clubs and organizations must be re-chartered every two years to remain active. Procedures for re-chartering student clubs and organizations shall be outlined in the By-Laws.
Section 3. The Senate may revoke the charter of any student club or organization with a two-thirds affirmative vote of members present and voting.
Section 4. All student clubs and organizations shall fall under the direct authority of the Activities Board. The duties and manner of selection for the Activities Board shall be outlined in the By-Laws.
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
The adopted parliamentary authority is Robert's Rules of Order: Simplified and Applied. The current edition shall always be used. The Constitution always supercedes the parliamentary authority in cases where a conflict occurs.
ARTICLE X
Impeachment and Resignation
Section 1. Any three officers can recommend the censure or impeachment of another officer. Procedures for censure and impeachment shall be outlined in the By-Laws under the Internal Affairs Code. Impeachment shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Senate membership present and voting.
Section 2. Any officer can resign their office given appropriate notice. Resignations shall be submitted to the President and announced at the next scheduled Senate meeting.
ARTICLE XI
Initiative, Referendum, and Recall
Section 1. The members of the Association shall have the right to initiative, referendum, and recall.
Section 2. Petitions shall require the signatures and student identification numbers of ten percent of the membership of the Association.
Section 3. Every petition must bear the exact wording of the action proposed. The petitions will be collected and certified by the General Counsel in conjunction with the Student Activities office. Petitions will be delivered to the Senate by the General Counsel. An election must be held within ten school days after the petitions have been received by the Senate. The proposed action shall be posted for no less than five school days.
Section 4. Initiative and referendum: An affirmative vote of a majority of members present and voting is necessary to approve the proposed action.
Section 5. Recall: An affirmative vote of sixty percent of members present and voting is necessary to approve the proposed action.
ARTICLE XII
Ratification
This Constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the ballots cast in an election. Ratification of this Constitution shall make all previous Constitutions null and void. Upon ratification, this Constitution will take effect on June 1, 2004.
ARTICLE XIII
Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed to the Senate which, upon a two-thirds affirmative vote of members present and voting, shall submit the proposed amendment to the Association for a ratification vote.
Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution shall also be placed before the Association for a ratification vote if a proposed amendment is submitted to the Senate endorsed with the signatures and student identification numbers of fifteen percent of the membership of the Association. The same procedures are to be followed as in ARTICLE XI, Section 3 of this Constitution.
Section 3. Ratification of a proposed Constitutional amendment shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the membership present and voting.
ARTICLE XIV
Meetings
Meeting times and dates will be set by resolution. All meetings are to be governed according to the Ralph M. Brown Act. Special and emergency meetings can be called in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act.
Information Courtesy of BC SGA Website