Student Government » Student Congress By-Laws

Auburn High School Student Congress Constitution

Preface

Mission Statement

The Auburn High School (AHS) Student Congress is a body of students that encourages leadership, recognizes student achievement, enhances campus-community relations, assists other AHS organizations, and acts as a liaison between students and the Administration.

Student Honor Pledge

I will demonstrate ownership of my actions and their effects.

I will respect others for their differences.

I will work toward the welfare of others.

I will include others as we work toward our goal.

I will utilize my constructive criticism to further the Student Congress and its activities.

I will voice my opinion, even when it is unpopular.

I will make every effort to remain involved with Student Congress and its activities.

I will uphold the ideals and integrity of AHS and the Student Congress.

By-Laws

Introduction

These by-laws are intended to guide the conduct of the AHS Student Congress. Following are the provisions that govern the various members of Student Congress as well as anyone participating with the organization. Together these by-laws constitute the AHS Student Congress.

Article One: Name

This organization shall be known as Auburn High School Student Congress.

Article Two: Membership Duties

The Student Congress shall be made up of the Executive Committee, General Members, and Special Delegations.

Section One: Duties of Student Congress as a Whole

The Student Congress will act as an election coordinator, administration advisor, event staffer, and spirit builder. All members must meet the guidelines for extracurricular participation as outlined in the Auburn High School Handbook. Elected Executive Committee members are expected to fulfill any duties associated with their position until their elected successors take office at the beginning of the school year.

Section Two: Election of Executive Committee Members

The members of the Executive Committee are elected positions. The Executive Committee is selected via a general vote of all students currently enrolled at Auburn High School.

Those students interested in running for a position on the Executive Committee must attend an announced meeting which will be held before the elections, during which they will be informed of the duties of the positions. After elections, will be held no earlier than 4^th quarter and no later than the end of the school year, information for the next year (including homecoming information, procedures of Student Congress activities etc) will be presented to the newly selected members. These informational meetings may take place at the end of the school year or in the summer with both the previous Executive Committee members and the newly elected members present.

When a member is elected he/she will be required to take and uphold the Student Congress Honor Pledge.

Section Three: The Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall be made up of:

• A. President

The President shall preside over the Student Congress meetings; set the Executive Committee agenda; ensure the execution of the By-Laws; call meetings of Student Congress to order; name recommendations for chairs of committees; vote on matters only in the case of a tie; name recommendations for vacant positions; and issue the Student Congress Honor Pledge.

• B. Vice President

The Vice President shall aid the President in their duties, step in as President in his/her absence, count and announce the voting results at meetings, coordinate Student Congress support of extracurricular activities, coordinate special events, and plan Homecoming. The President, with the approval of the advisor, may assign the Vice President other duties.

• C. 2^nd Vice President

The 2^nd Vice President shall act upon all appropriations and expenditures as approved by the congress, prepare and maintain a budget maintain an up to date record of transactions, report on all financial matters at Student Congress meetings, direct and oversee fund raising, and coordinate with event chairs as needed. The President, with the approval of the advisor, may assign the 2^nd Vice President other duties.

• D. 3^rd Vice President

The 3^rd Vice President shall prepare all copies of all handouts and general reports, take attendance and record the minutes, post minutes on the Student Congress bulletin board within five school days of a meeting, keep records of all Student Congress sponsored events, notify members if they have unexcused absences, keep the front sign up to date, and coordinate with the manager of the Auburn web site to make sure it is up to date. The President, with the approval of the advisor, may assign the 3^rd Vice President other duties.

The Executive Committee as a whole shall serve in a case of disciplinary review, and, upon the end of their term in office, shall ensure that their elected successors are familiar with the duties, procedures, and responsibilities associated with their respective titles.

Section Four: General Members

General members of Student Congress consist of any currently enrolled student at Auburn High School.

Section Five: Special Delegations

Special Delegations are allowed to make statements and requests at the general Student Congress meetings. They are not allowed to vote, they must notify an Executive Committee member of their intentions and get the sponsorship in order to speak at a meeting. These delegations can be made up of any group or person that seeks to be heard on any issue.

Article Three: Meetings

Section One: General Meeting Procedure

All meetings shall follow Roberts' Rules of Order, and a copy of the rules shall be kept on file.

• 1. At the start of a general meeting, the President will call the meeting to order and the minutes from the previous meeting shall be read and ratified.
• 2. All recommendations passed by the Executive Committee are to be brought up, discussed and ratified by a vote.
• 3. Votes are to be cast by hand or verbal affirmation and totaled by the Vice President. Any votes may be requested to be taken on paper ballots. In this case, all paper ballots are recorded, totaled and announced by the Vice President. A simple majority passes all votes, with the exception of amending or accepting a new constitution, which requires a ¾ majority.
• 4. After voting on Executive Committee recommendations, all reports from committees and the 2^nd and 3^rd Vice Presidents are heard.
• 5. Any remaining new business is brought up.
• 6. Proposals from General Members and/or Special Delegations are heard. These can take the form of a request form to a committee, a vote on the proposal, a hearing for a delegation, recommendation for disciplinary action, amendments to the constitution, etc.
• 7. After this, the next meeting is scheduled and the President calls the current meeting to an end.

Section Two: Executive Meeting Procedure

Executive meetings are conducted using the same procedures as a general meeting except that they do not include General Members or Special Delegations. They are primarily for setting agendas, creating proposals, forming new committees, filling vacancies, and other organizational purposes. These meetings are typically held outside of the school day.

Section Three: Meeting Schedule

General Congress meetings are to take place after school. Executive meetings will typically occur after school, except in the case of special event planning. In these cases, administrative approval is required to schedule such meetings. All meeting times are to be posted on the Student Congress bulletin board and the Auburn web site.

Section Four: Committees

Any voting members of Student Congress can recommend the formation of a committee. The committee type (standing or temporary), purpose, and size are to be in the recommendation and then it goes to a vote. If the motion to create the committee passes, the President has the authority to name the chair. The chair of the committee can then recruit their membership. This committee shall report at each General (and Executive meeting, if required) meeting until its tenure has elapsed. The President has the right to create committees without the approval from the rest of the Executive Committee or a vote.

Section Five: Amending/Creating a Constitutional Item

If an amendment to the Constitution is presented to the general body it must be given time for debate and then be passed with at least a ¾ majority.

Section Six: Advisor/Administration Veto

The Advisor has the right to veto all decisions made by the Student Congress. Before such an action is taken, every effort will be made to satisfy Administrative concerns. A veto should be presented to Student Congress with a written explanation.

Article Four: Discipline and Replacement

Section One: The Process of Review

If a member of Student Congress fails to maintain the academic standards necessary for extracurricular activities, fails to perform their duties, or is suspended or expelled from Auburn High School they can be put up for a review.

For a review in the Executive Committee, the member in question and the Student Congress advisor must be informed and given reasonable opportunity to be present at a specified date all can attend. An administration representative may also be present if they chose.

• 1. The Student Congress Advisor will present the reason for disciplinary action
• 2. The member in question is given time to explain their side of the incident.
• 3. A private deliberation is held in which a majority of the panel is present (members of the Executive Committee) and can make a recommendation for probation, a warning, dismissal, or no action.
• 4. A written decision is issued to the member within three days of the review.

If the review is issued toward a member of the Executive Committee, the accused is not given a vote on the matter nor are they to be given any undue consideration.

The parties that will hear the review are the Executive Committee and the Advisor. The Advisor does not vote on the issue, but may make a recommendation to the voting parties.

All votes in the matter are equal; a ¾ majority is required to come to any decision.

If a member is removed from Student Congress, they are not eligible for elected positions in the Congress for a period of one semester or 12 calendar weeks, whichever is longer.

Section Two: Warning

A warning is simply a written reprimand for actions following a review.

Section Three: Probation

If a member is placed on probation, they are expected to perform all typical duties but lose voting privileges. The period of this probation is determined at the time of the review and is issued in the written decision.

Section Four: Replacement of Membership

If a vacancy occurs on the Executive Committee, the President makes a recommendation for a replacement and the Executive Committee votes on it through a simple majority. If it is not passed, alternatives are selected until a candidate receives the majority of the votes.

If the vacancy is the Presidential seat, the Vice-President takes this position. If the Vice-President is unable to take the position, the Executive Committee and Advisor chose potential candidates, review their qualifications, and then a vote is taken by the Executive Committee through a simple majority.

Section Five: Appeals

Any voting member who has been through the review process and disagrees with the decision may appeal to the Principal and Advisor for a final review, if the request is made within two school weeks of the release of the initial decision.