CASTLETON STATE COLLEGE
STUDENT ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
RATIFIED, SPRING 1980
AMENDED, FEBRUARY 1997 & 2000
ARTICLE I. NAME
Section 1. Name
A. The name of this organization shall be Castleton State College Student Association.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
Section 1. Purpose
A. The purpose of the Student Association shall be to promote the educational and
general welfare of the students of Castleton State College; to anticipate and
stimulate the interests of students through a self-governing structure; to speak on
behalf of students; to present students' opinions and to formulate with the faculty and
administration policies and procedures concerning college l life. All parts of the
Student Association shall serve all students equally regardless of sex, age, color or
creed.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. General Membership
A. All matriculated students registered at Castleton State College for eight (8) or more credits are members of the Student Association with all rights and privileges and responsibilities in any activity to which the authority of this constitution extends.
Section 2. Dues
A. All members of the Student Association will be assessed a Student Activity fee. This fee will not exceed the maximum set by the Vermont State College Board of Trustees. The fee will be set for an academic year on or before the last Senate meeting of the preceding year.
ARTICLE IV. STRUCTURE OF THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Structure
A. The Executive Branch
 1. President
2. Executive Board
3. Committees which aid in the Executive function
B. Legislative Branch
1. Student Senate
2. Committees which aid in the Legislative function
3. Student forum
C. Judicial Branch
1. College Court
2. Committees which aid in the Judicial function
ARTICLE V. QUALIFICATION FOR HOLDING OFFICE, TERMS OF OFFICE,
VACANCIES IN OFFICE
Section 1. Qualification for Holding Office
A. Members of the Executive Board, Student Senate and College Court must be students at
Castleton State College and general members as described in Article III.
B. Members holding office shall be students in good academic standing as defined by the college.
C. Members of the Executive Board and College Court must have completed
at least twenty-seven (27) academic credit hours at the time of their candidacy and must have completed at least one semester as a full time student at this campus.
Section 2. Terms of Office
A. The term of office of the Executive Board and Senate shall begin on the second business day of March and end on the first business day of March the following year except for class officers whose term begins September 30.
Section 3. Vacancies in Office
A. Vacancies in office shall be filled for the remainder of the term as herein described.
In case of resignation, impeachment or incapacity vacancies are to be filled in the
following way:
1. A vacancy in the Office of Student Association President shall be filled by the
Executive Vice President immediately upon occurrence of such.
2. Any other vacancy in the Executive Board shall be filled by the temporary appointment by the Student Association President with Senate approval until a special election can be arranged.
3. A vacancy on the Student Senate shall be filled for the remainder of the term through appointment by the Student Association President, and subject to 2/3 approval of the Executive Board and the Senate. The President must present his/her nomination for vacancy within three (3) regularly scheduled Student Senate meetings of determination of the vacancy. The nominee for the position shall be present at the Senate meeting at the time of presentation of nomination with a petition signed by twenty-five (25) Student Association
members.
4. If the nominee is rejected, the confirmation procedures shall be reintroduced
as prescribed above. If 1/3 of the Senate positions become vacant simultaneously, then a special election shall be held for those positions within
three (3) weeks.
5. Any vacancy on the College Court shall be filled by an individual appointed by
the Student Association President with the approval of the Senate in accordance with Article VIII, Section 2-part C.
ARTICLE VI. EXECUTIVE BRANCH, MEMBERSHIP, DUTIES, POWERS, MEETINGS.
Section 1. The Executive Board
A. The Executive Board of the Student Association shall be composed of President, Executive
Vice-President, Vice-President of Academics, Vice-President of Activities, Treasurer, and
Secretary.
Section 2. Membership, Duties and Powers
A. President
1. Shall be the official spokesperson of the Student Association.
2. Shall call and preside over the meetings of the Executive Board.
3. May veto Student Senate legislation prior to the next regularly scheduled Senate meeting after passage of that legislation. The veto must be submitted in writing and must include specific justification and recommendations. The Student Senate has the power to override the veto by 2/3 vote of those present an and voting, within three (3) regularly scheduled meetings since receiving the veto, otherwise the veto remains in effect.
B. Executive Vice-President
1. Shall become President upon the resignation, impeachment, or incapacity of the President.
2. Shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or inability of the President.
3. Shall call and preside over meetings of the Student Senate.
4. Shall call a meeting of the Student Forum in accordance with Article VII, Section 2.
C. Vice-President for Academics
1. Shall be the officer responsible for the coordination of academic programs and affairs offered to the membership of the Student Association.
2. Shall act as an ombudsman between the student body and administration's academic policy makers.
D. Vice-President for Activities
1. Shall be the officer responsible for the implementation and coordination of social, cultural, and recreational programs to be sponsored by the Student Association.
E. Treasurer
1. Shall be the financial officer of the Student Association and administer the financial affairs of the Student Association.
2. Shall oversee income and expenses of all organizations to which the Student Association allocates Student Activity fees.
3. Shall be chairperson of Finance Board.
F. Secretary
1. Maintain all necessary correspondence and records of Association activities.
2. Shall be chairperson of Personnel Committee.
Section 3. General Duties and Powers of the Executive Branch
A. Shall create committees with Student Senate approval to aid in the Executive Board
function.
B. Shall appoint individuals to aid in the administrative functions of the Student Association.
C. Shall review the budget and present it to the Senate for approval.
D. Shall enforce all statutes of the legislative branch and all rulings of the judicial branch.
E. Shall recommend other needed legislation to the legislative branch.
F. Shall submit a written report to the Student Senate at each regularly scheduled
Student Senate meeting.
Section 4. Meetings
A. The Executive Board shall hold a meeting once every week that the College is in
session at a regularly scheduled time and place.
B. Special meetings may be called by the Student Association President or by request of a majority of members of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, MEMBERSHIP, DUTIES, POWERS, MEETINGS
Section 1. The Student Senate
A. The Student Senate shall be composed of the Executive Vice-President of the Student
Association and fifteen (15) Senators elected at large.
B. Voting Privileges
1. The Executive Vice-President of the Student Association who shall vote only
in case of a tie.
2. The Student Senators with one vote per Senator.
C. Officers
1. The Executive Vice-President of the Student Association shall be
the Chairperson of the Student Senate.
2. A Parliamentarian (non-voting) nominated by Senate members and approved by the Student Senate, whose duties and powers shall be those normally associated with the office.
3. In September of each year a Senator shall be elected Senator Pro- Tem by the Student Senate, to act as Chairperson in the absence of the Executive Vice-President.
4. A Secretary (non-voting) who shall be appointed by the Executive Vice-President with the approval of the Student Senate.
D. Meetings
1. Meetings shall be held once every week that the College is in session at a regularly announced time and place.
2. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Vice-President or by a majority of the Student Senate.
3. A quorum is needed to conduct all business.
4. A quorum will consist of a majority of the voting members of the Student Senate.
E. Powers and Duties
1. To initiate and act upon legislation for the general welfare of the membership of the Student Association.
2. To investigate and act upon all policies and procedures which effect the membership of the Student Association.
3. To act upon proposed legislation of all committees under the jurisdiction of the Student Association.
4. To establish committees which will aid in the legislative process.
5. To establish a Student Activity Fee which will be collected by an agent appointed by the Chief Administration Officer of the College or his designee.
6. To determine the total dollar allocation for all Student Association funded organizations.
7. To approve all committees created by the Executive Board.
8. To confirm the existence of all Student Association organizations.
Section 2. Student Forum
A. The membership of the Student Forum shall be as follows: Any member in the Student Association as described in Article III.
B. The duties of the Student Forum shall be to make recommendations on all matters related to the Student Association.
C. A meeting of the Student Forum may be called by the Executive Vice-President or by a petition of five (5) percent of the members of the Student Association as described in Article III.
D. All meetings of the Student Forum shall be chaired by the Student Association President.
ARTICLE VIII. JUDICIAL BRANCH, MEMBERSHIP, OFFICERS, MEETINGS, POWERS, AND DUTIES
Section 1. The College Court
A. The College Court shall be composed of one (1) Chief Justice, two (2) Associate Justices and twelve (12) Justices.
Section 2. Membership and Officers
A. No justice may hold an office in the Executive or Legislative Branch of the Student
Association.
B. The Student Association President shall nominate a Chief Justice with the approval of 2/3 vote of the Executive Board to the Senate Judiciary Committee which makes a recommendation to the Senate. The Senate shall appoint a Chief Justice by a 2/3 vote of the Senate present and voting.
C. The Student Association President shall nominate twelve (12) Justices with the approval of 2/3 vote of the Executive Board to the Senate Judiciary Committee which makes a recommendation to the Senate. The Senate shall appoint all Justices by a 2/3 vote of the Senate present and voting, each Justice to be confirmed individually.
D. The Chief Justice shall appoint a Court Clerk who shall be a non-voting member whose duties are to keep complete and accurate records of all meetings of the College Court and cases before it.
E. The term of office for the College Court shall begin on the first day of April and run until
March 31.
F. If a College Court member wishes to continue onto a next term, he/she are required to submit in writing, a letter of intent to the President of the Student Association near the time of the completion of the preceding term.
Section 3. Meetings
A. Meetings shall be held once every two weeks that the College is in session at a regularly announced time and place.
B. A business meeting of the College Court can be called by either the Chief Justice or a majority of the Justices of the College Court.
C. All official actions of the College Court with regards to Student Association legislation shall become a matter of public record.
D. A quorum of the Court is necessary to conduct all official business. A quorum shall consist of 3/4 of the Justices of the Court.
Section 4. General Powers and Duties of the College Court
A. Questions of disagreement as to constitutionality, legality, jurisdiction or non-performance of the Constitutional or statutory mandate must be referred to the Court upon receipt of any written request for a ruling of the Court. Reasons for decisions must be rendered in writing directly to the person(s) requesting the ruling.
B. Members of the College Court shall serve on disciplinary panels as requested by the
Dean of the College or his/her designee.
C. The College Court shall review all Student Association legislation to verify its legality and constitutionality.
D. The College Court shall establish committees to aid in the judicial process.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENT, ELECTIONS, REFERENDA
Section 1. Referenda and Elections
A. All Referenda and Elections shall be conducted by an Independent Board of Elections.
B. The Board of Elections shall be composed of two (2) members of the College Court and three (3) non-office holding members of the Student Association appointed by the President in the first month of his/her office, and confirmed by 2/3 of the Senate present and voting. The Board of Elections shall insure that all elections are conducted fairly.
C. The Student Senate by a majority vote may hold a referendum to satisfy any question or issue brought before it.
D. A Student Referendum may be called by a petition of ten (10) percent of the members of the Student Association.
E. All elections and referenda shall be conducted in accordance with established Student Association election policies and procedures.
Section 2. Elections
A. Elections for the Executive and Legislative Branches shall be held no later than February 15.
B. Elections for class officers shall be held prior to September 30.
Section 3. Amendments
A. Student Senate Initiative
1. Amendments to the Constitution of the Student Association of Castleton State College must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the Student Senate present and voting.
2. If passed by the Student Senate, the amendment must be approved by the membership in a referendum.
B. Student Initiative
1. A petition for amendment, if signed by ten (10) percent of the general membership, shall be presented to the Student Senate.
2. Student Senate must approve by a 2/3 majority vote.
3. Senate must submit the proposed amendment to the membership for approval in a referendum.
C. Amendments to the Constitution of the Student Association of Castleton State College must be approved in a referendum with at least fifteen (15) percent of the general membership voting.
ARTICLE X. RULES FOR ORDER
Section 1.
A. The most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall provide the guidelines for
meetings in all branches of the Student Association except Judicial Branch.
Section 2. By Laws
A. All branches of government of the Student Association of Castleton State College
shall retain the right to establish by-laws regarding their internal operation in accordance with the Constitution and legislation of the Student Senate.
ARTICLE XI. IMPEACHMENT
Section 1. Elected members of the Executive, Legislative Branches, and members of the Judicial Branch.
A. Charges of impeachment may be brought by any member of the Student Association with a petition signed by at least 25 percent of the membership of the Student Association against any elected member of the Executive or Legislative branch of malfeasance, misfeasance or non-feasance in the office.
B. This petition must then be presented to the College Court for validation.
C. Upon validation of the petition, trial proceedings shall be set by the College Court and trial shall be held no later than ten (10) class days from the day the College Court validated the petition.
D. If found guilty, the defendant shall forfeit his/her office for the remainder of the term of
that office.
E. The Student Senate may file with the College Court for impeachment of one of its members or an elected official of the Executive Branch by a 3/4 vote of the Student Senate in accordance with B and C of Section 1, Article XI.
ARTICLE XII. RATIFICATION
Section 1. Ratification
A. This Constitution shall become effective on the first business day following its adoption by the membership in a referendum. To be valid, at least 10 percent of the Student Association membership must participate in this referendum.
B. The voting on this Constitution shall be conducted by the College Court.
Section 2. Enabling
A. To expedite the introduction of this Constitution, this clause shall enable elections for
Student Association officers for the 1980-1981 academic year to be held on February 27, 28, 29 by the present members of the Student Association Court under their guidelines and elected officers shall assume office on March 7, under this Constitution.
B. To expedite the introduction of the new Constitution this clause shall enable all
legislation passed by January 30 1980 to remain in force until May 1980.
Section 3. Elimination of Ratification Clause.
A. As of May 12, 1980 Article XII shall be null and void.
Article XIII. DISSOLUTION CLAUSE
A. In the event that the Student Association dissolves, the balance of its total financial
and material resources shall be placed in an independent escrow savings account compounding its interest, until such time as the Student Association is re-established. |
