Student Government Association Constitution

Adopted by Student Vote 9/27/16

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the campus organization governing student activities and representing the students in college affairs. SGA members are elected by the student body. The East Georgia State College Student Government Association acts as the voice of the student body, and student issues and concerns should be brought to the attention of the SGA membership. SGA provides a means of expressing students’ needs and ideas, in order to encourage self -respect, self -esteem, and individual responsibility. SGA strives to have a closer understanding between the student body and the administration and faculty of East Georgia State College.

Student Government Association Constitution

Preamble

We, the students of East Georgia State College, in order to establish an effective student government, to provide the students with a means to express their needs and ideas, to encourage self-respect, self-esteem and individual responsibility, and to strive toward an even closer understanding between the student body and the administration and faculty of the college, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution of the Student Government Association of East Georgia State College.

Article I - Name, General Organization, and Authority

Section 1. Name - This organization will be named the Student Government Association of East Georgia State College, hereinafter referred to as the SGA.

Section 2. General Organization - Each extended East Georgia State College campus will have its own SGA consisting of a Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer, and a pre-determined number of Senators. All SGA units will be governed by and report to one President, and this President must be a full time student at the Swainsboro campus. Each SGA will perform functions and duties as related to the specific campus it represents. Each SGA unit will consist of two (2) departments, the legislative department and the executive department.

Section 3. Authority - The authority held by the SGA is that which has been delegated by the President of the college through the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Article II – Legislative

Section 1. Powers - All legislative powers will be vested in the Senates of each SGA unit. The Senate will exercise the following duties:

1. 1. 1. 1. To be a legislative body chosen through popular elections by the campus-specific student body of East Georgia State College.
         2. To serve as a liaison between the student body and the faculty and administration of this college.
         3. To make recommendations of approval or disapproval for all new clubs and organizations on campus.
         4. To make recommendations to the Vice President for Student Affairs concerning the allocation of Student Services (Agency) funds to student clubs and organizations.
         5. To require at its discretion financial reports from student clubs and organizations receiving appropriations from the Student Services (Agency) budget.
         6. To make recommendations to the Vice President for Student Affairs concerning changes in college rules governing the conduct of students.
         7. To assist in planning and conducting the orientations of incoming students.
         8. To assist in the planning, implementation, and execution of campus-sponsored events, activities, and programming.
         9. To enact legislation regulating SGA elections.
         10. To execute any powers not specifically delegated herein but which, subject to the limitations of Article I - Section 3, may be undertaken in the interest of the student body and for the advancement or improvement of the college.
         11. To promote the general welfare of the student and institution.
         12. To serve as appointed student representatives on various campus committees, with mandatory standing appointments to the Judicial Hearing Panel. The Director of Student Conduct will work with the SGA Advisor to schedule Judicial Hearings and determine which Senators will need to be present at each. All Senators and Officers will be required to attend all mandatory trainings associated with being a member of the Judicial Hearing Panel.

Section 2. Membership – The Swainsboro Senate will consist of six (6) Senators, and extended campuses’ senates will consist of four (4) Senators at each extended campus.

Section 3. Grade Point Average and Student Standing Requirements - All Senators must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 to hold office and be enrolled in twelve (12) or more semester hours during time in office, at least nine (9) of which must be associated with the campus the Senator represents. The status of academic or disciplinary warning or probation disqualifies an officeholder from office. Additionally, any Senator found responsible for a Student Conduct Code violation will also be disqualified from office.

Section 4. Representation – On the Swainsboro Campus, there will be two (2) Freshman Senators (0- 24 completed hours by beginning of term of office), two (2) Sophomore Senators (25+ completed hours by beginning of term of office and NOT enrolled in an EGSC Bachelor’s Degree program), and two (2) Upperclassmen Senators (49+ completed hours by beginning of term of office AND enrolled in an EGSC Bachelor’s Degree program). Extended campus’ Senates will consist of two (2) Freshman Senators (0-24 completed hours by beginning of term of office) and two (2) Sophomore Senators (25+ completed hours by beginning of term of office).

Section 5. Presiding Officer - The Vice-President of each SGA unit will serve as Chair of the unit’s Senate, but will have no vote unless the Senate is equally divided.

Section 6. Voting within the Senate - Each member of the Senate will have one (1) vote. A majority vote, a quorum being present, will be required to pass all legislation, recommendations, and resolutions, except where otherwise stipulated in this constitution. On the Swainsboro campus, a quorum will be defined as four (4) members: one (1) Senator from each representative category and the Secretary/Treasurer. On extended campuses, a quorum will be defined as three (3) members: one (1) Senator from each representative category and the Secretary/Treasurer.

Section 7. Vacancies - In the event a Senate seat becomes vacant, a special election will be called by the President of the SGA within twenty (20) days to fill the vacant seat.

Section 8. Impeachment and Dismissal of the President, Vice-President, or Secretary-Treasurer - When an officer of the executive branch fails to exercise the duties required of him by his office, the Senate may as a last resort bring charges of dereliction of duty against him by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The officer against whom the charges are made will have an opportunity to defend themselves before the Senate. A unanimous vote will be required to divest said officer of his office. The replacement process will be that specified in Article III - Section 4.

Article III – Executive

Section 1. Powers - The executive power will be vested in the President of the SGA. The President of the SGA will serve the following functions:

1. 1. 1. 1. The President will represent the student body as a whole at all official school functions.
         2. The President will be the administrative head of all SGA units (Swainsboro campus and extended campuses). The President is expected to maintain oversight of and communication with all extended campus SGA units, and will be responsible for being fully informed and updated on matters discussed in meetings of all SGA units.
         3. The President will have the power to veto any act of the Senate. The President’s veto may be overridden by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senate.
         4. The President will appoint student members of the Election committee with the consent of two thirds (2/3) of the Senate.
         5. The President will, from time to time (at least twice during the year), give information concerning the state of the SGA in the Senate.
         6. The President will work with the SGA Advisor to create agendas for each Swainsboro campus meeting at least one week prior to meeting, and will distribute the agendas to SGA Officers and Senators at least 2 days prior to meeting.
         7. The President will be responsible for leading each Swainsboro Campus SGA meeting.
         8. The President will call, plan, and lead one meeting per month of all SGA Officers. This meeting is mandatory for all Officers and can be open to the public.
         9. The President is responsible for calling and planning unscheduled meetings when necessary. These meetings may be campus-specific, and will be mandatory for all members of the applicable SGA. These meetings will not be open to the public.
         10. The President will be ineligible to serve in any other major elective or appointive post at East Georgia State College during his/her term of office.
         11. The President will serve as a member of standing committees as appointed by administration.
         12. The President will be the only authorized SGA representative to the Student Advisory Council of the University System of Georgia.

Section 2. Vice-President – The Swainsboro campus Vice President will serve the same duties and powers as the President, should the President be unable to discharge his or her duties or should the office of President become vacant. The Vice-President of each extended campus SGA will be the primary figure and administrative head for his or her specific campus SGA. The extended campus Vice-President will work with the SGA Advisor to create agendas for his or her unit’s meetings, and will distribute the agendas to his or her unit’s Officers and Senators at least 2 days prior to meeting. Extended campus Vice Presidents will be responsible for leading each meeting, unless the President is present. The Vice President will serve as a member of standing committees as appointed by administration.

Section 3. Secretary-Treasurer - The Secretary-Treasurer of each SGA unit will maintain a general surveillance of allocations made to various organizations and activities for the purpose of keeping them informed and within their budgets and will provide periodic reports on the status of appropriated monies. All minutes of SGA meetings will be recorded by each unit’s Secretary-Treasurer, and typed copies of the minutes should be distributed to the SGA Advisor and members of each unit no more than two days after the meeting. Minutes of each extended campus unit meetings must also be sent to the President within the same time frame. Each Secretary-Treasurer will be responsible for updating the SGA D2L page as needed. The Secretary-Treasurer is the only voting officer. The Secretary-Treasurer will serve as a member of standing committees as appointed by administration.

Section 4. Vacancies - In case of vacancy in the office of the President of the SGA, the Swainsboro Campus Vice President will assume the office and call a special election for Swainsboro Campus Vice President within twenty (20) days. In the case of a vacancy in either the office of Vice President or Secretary-Treasurer of Swainsboro Campus or an extended campus unit, the President will call a special election within twenty (20) days to fill the appropriate office.

Article IV - Elections

Section 1. Senate - Election to fill Senate positions will be held during the fall semester of each academic year.

1. 1. 1. 1. Senator positions on all campuses will be elected the 2nd Tuesday of September. Elections will be campus-specific in terms of voting AND candidate eligibility.
         2. Candidates will be elected at large from the student body of each individual campus, and must meet the criteria set forth in Article II, Sections 3 and 4 of the SGA Constitution. The two students in each Senator category receiving the highest number of votes in the general elections will be elected to fill the Senator positions.
         3. All Senators will assume office immediately upon their certification by the Elections Committee. All terms of office will be served concurrently during the academic year.
         4. The Elections Committee will have the final authority to determine a candidate’s category.

Section 2. President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer - The President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer will be elected in a general election to be held during the spring semester of each academic year.

1. 1. 1. 1. Candidates for President, Vice-President, and Secretary-Treasurer must have a minimum of 24 semester hours of credit and a 2.5 grade point average, and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours at EGSC, at least 9 of which must be from the campus he or she represents. All officers must also plan to be enrolled full time at EGSC for the Fall and Spring semesters following their election. The status of academic or disciplinary warning or probation disqualifies an officeholder from office. Additionally, any officeholder found responsible for a Student Conduct Code violation will also be disqualified from office.
         2. The President must be elected by a majority of the students voting on ALL campuses.
         3. The Vice-Presidents and Secretary-Treasurers must be elected by a majority of the students voting in each campus-specific election. In any race for executive office in which none of the candidates receives a majority of the vote, the President of the SGA will call a run-off election within ten (10) days between the top two (2) candidates in the particular race or races.
         4. All enrolled students are eligible to vote for President. Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer elections are campus-specific.
         5. The President-elect, Vice-President-elect, and Secretary-Treasurer-elect will take office immediately upon election and serve in their respective capacities through the next academic year.

Section 3. Petitions for Candidacy - All candidates for President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Senate must turn in to the Elections Committee a petition containing the signatures of at least ten percent (10%) of the students enrolled at the East Georgia State College campus he or she wishes to represent.

Section 4. Additional Requirements – In addition to the criteria and requirements previously set forth in the Constitution, an additional requirement of all candidates will be that if elected they will be able to attend scheduled meetings of the SGA on a regular basis. Also, once elected, Senators and Officers will be required to assist with the planning, implementation, and execution of a variety of campus-sponsored events, activities, and programming.

In the event an executive officer or senator fails to attend SGA meetings regularly, the senate may bring charges of dereliction of duties by a simple majority vote. Replacement will be appointed on a temporary basis by the senate.

Article V – Amendments and Ratification

The Senate, in session, and a quorum being present, may propose amendments to this constitution by a majority affirmative vote. A proposed amendment may be ratified in a special election held one week after said Senate action by a fifty-one percent (51%) affirmative vote of the students who participate in the election.

In the event the SGA Constitution must be amended prior to the election of officers, the SGA advisor may appoint a minimum of two students from each campus to serve as an advisory group for the purpose of proposing amendments. The advisory group will meet and propose amendments to the Constitution. The SGA advisor will memorialize the proposal and the proposed amendments will be presented for student vote in a special election. A fifty one percent (51%) affirmative vote of students who participate in the election is required to ratify the amendments.

Section 1. Meetings –

1. 1. 1. 1. SGA units are expected to meet a minimum of 2 times per month, resulting in a minimum of 8 meetings per Fall and Spring semesters, on their respective campuses. The frequency, times, and locations of regularly scheduled SGA meetings will be determined by each SGA unit immediately following Senate elections.
         2. All regularly scheduled SGA unit meetings are open to the public and must be advertised as such.
         3. Officers from all SGA units must attend one joint monthly meeting, which will be facilitated by the President. This meeting is mandatory for all Officers and is open to the public.
         4. The President reserves the right to call meetings as he or she deems necessary. These meetings are mandatory for all applicable Senators and Officers, and are not open to the public.
         5. Any Senator or Officer who accumulates more than two (2) absences from meetings in one semester may be at risk for probation, suspension, or expulsion from SGA. Consequences will be handled on a case by case basis, and will be at the final discretion of the SGA President.
         6. SGA meetings will be conducted in accordance with parliamentary procedure using Roberts Rules of Order.