Constitution

Constitution

Preamble

In order to provide for the welfare of the student body in general, to develop and promote the principles of responsible citizenship, to establish an open channel of communication between the students, faculty, staff, and administration of Chabot College and other campuses and universities, and to effect active student participation. In the governance of Chabot College, the Chabot college student body hereby establishes this Constitution of the Associated Students of Chabot College under the authority of the Chabot- Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees.

Article 1-Name

The name of this organization shall be the Associated Students of Chabot College, hereafter referred to as ASCC.

Article 2- Membership

Any registered student of Chabot College shall be entitled to the rights and privileges, and help to the responsibilities, of membership in the ASCC.

Article 3- The Student Senate

The governing body of ASCC shall consist of one functional unit, named the Student Senate and hereafter referred to as the Senate.

The Senate shall provide the student body with a non-partisan entity to actively represent and pursue goals that would be of benefit to the student body in general.

The Senate shall be responsible for the provision of student representation to the various academic divisions and functional committees of Chabot College.

The Senate shall conduct all regularly scheduled meetings of the Senate in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

Section 1- Members of the Senate

A member of the Senate may be appointed at any time during the academic year.

Members of the Senate begin their term of office at 8:00 am. On the first day of regular instruction following the regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate in which their application was approved. Members of the Senate end their term of office at 5:00 pm on the last day of regular instruction for the academic year.

Each member of the Senate has one vote, with the sole exception of the chairman.

The chairman shall cast a vote if and only if the vote is decisive. No member of the Senate will have more than one vote.
Each member of the Senate shall be responsible for attending all regularly scheduled meetings for the division(s) and/or committee(s) to which that member has been assigned and report to the Senate during the regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate at least one week but not more than two weeks following said division/committee meeting.

Each member of the Senate shall maintain such academic standards as put forth by the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Board of Trustees.

Each member of the Senate shall maintain a minimum of five (5) scheduled office hours per week in direct pursuance of ASCC business.

Section 2 - The Inter-Club Council

The Senate can authorize the formation of an Inter-Club Council, hereafter referred to as ICC.

ICC shall provide mediation and communication between the various on-campus specific interest groups, by which these groups can cooperate and implement mutually beneficial projects and activities.

ICC shall be responsible for the provision and promotion of opportunities for students with common interest to meet, organize, and associate with one another in pursuit of common goals under established guidelines.

ICC shall operate under a separate constitution, to be approved via two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the standing membership of ICC and the Senate.

Section 3 - The Parliamentarian

The President shall appoint a member of the Senate to be Parliamentarian of the Senate via two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

The Parliamentarian shall act as chairman during regularly scheduled meetings of the Senate in the absence of the President and Vice President.

The Parliamentarian shall be intimately familiar with Roberts Rules of Order.

The Parliamentarian shall attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the Senate.

Section 4 - The Executive Council

The Senate shall organize an Executive Council whose members shall be elected via a plurality vote of ASCC membership.

The Executive Council shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Business Director, Marketing Director, Inter-Club Council Chairman, Public Relations Director, Technology Coordinator, and Legislative Director.

Each member of the Executive Council shall have one vote in regard to decision of the Executive Council.

All members of the Executive Council shall perform such additional duties as directed by the President.

Section 5 - Vacancy of Position

In the event of a vacancy of position on the Executive Council, the President shall make a public notice towards the submission of applications for the position during the next regularly scheduled meetings of the Senate.

All applications for the vacant positions that are submitted by the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate shall be accepted and taken under consideration by the President.

The President shall nominate an applicant for the vacant position at the regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate two (2) academic weeks following.

The nomination shall take effect immediately upon approval of the Senate via two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

Section 6 - Veto

In the event that cause for evocation of an action approved by the Senate presents itself before the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate, the President shall submit a written statement describing said cause for the record and veto said action at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate.

If there is sufficient evidence that the veto is unjustified, the Senate can override the veto decision with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

Section 7 - Misconduct of Senate Members

In the event that a member of the Senate is charged with dereliction of responsibility, unethical conduct, and/or malfeasance of funds, the matter shall be submitted immediately to the Judicial Review Committee and the President shall each submit a recommended course of action to the Senate at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

The recommendation of either the Judicial Review Committee or the President shall be considered by the Senate and put into effect immediately following a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senate.

Section 8 - Amendments

Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed either by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senate or by a petition signed by ten (10) percent of ASCC membership.

A special election must be held within fifteen (15) academic days after receipt of said petition or approval by the Senate.

Said petition shall contain the signature and school identification number of each ASCC member so recorded.

Amendments to the Constitution shall become effective upon acceptance by the board of Trustees.

Section 8.1 - Voting

At least two-thirds of the Senate must vote either in the affirmative or negative on the question of amending the Constitution in order for the amendment to be made.

Section 9 - By- Laws

The Senate reserves the right to create by-laws.

Approval of by-laws requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senate.

Section 10- Referendum

ASCC reserves the right to referendum. Any action of the Senate shall be subject to referendum by a petition signed by ten (10) percent of ASCC membership.

Referendum elections must be held within fifteen (15) academic days following submission of the petition unless the Senate acts in compliance with the referendum by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

If a referendum election is held, a majority of ballots cast shall be sufficient to enact the stated intention and petition.

All referendum petitions that are submitted shall contain the signature and school identification number of each ASCC member so recorded.

Article 5 - Accountability

All ASCC members including the Executive, Senate members, and representatives shall be accountability for the duties and responsibilities bestowed upon them by their position in the ASCC.

Section 1 - Recall

Recall shall be defined as the removal of an individual from an elected office by the electing body.

Each Senate member may be submitted to a recall election by a petition of one-tenth of the member of his or her district.

After this petition has been submitted to the Senate, the Senate must then have a vote in confidence within two weeks, excluding any absence or recess. A Senate member shall be recalled by a two-thirds vote, providing that the turnout in the recall election equals or exceeds the student population turnout in the first general election of the academic year.

A popularly elected office or office emeritus may be submitted to a recall election by a petition of one-tenth of the student body. After this petition has been submitted to the Senate, the campus must then have a vote of confidence, by ballot in said office within two weeks, excluding any absence or recess.

A popularly elected office shall be recalled by a two-thirds vote of the student body, provided that the turnout is equal to or greater than the turnout for the most recent presidential election. Internally elected offices shall be recalled by two-thirds vote of the elected body.

Section 2 - Expulsion

Expulsion by petition, as outlined in the bylaws, shall require two-thirds of the Senate. Expulsion for violation of attendance rules shall follow the procedures as outlined in the bylaws.