SGA - By-Laws

Constitution and By-Laws of The Student Government Association

Preamble

We, the students of Itawamba Community College, in order to form a more democratic, efficient, and responsible student government, to represent, lead, and unify the student body, to decide and act for the students upon any matter involving the students' interests, do hereby establish the Student Government Association of Itawamba Community College and adopt this constitution.

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Student Government Association of Itawamba Community College.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to serve as the supreme student instrument for effecting the fulfillment of the objectives of the preamble of this constitution, to encourage enthusiastic, wholesome school spirit, to provide appropriate machinery for student self-government, to establish, maintain, and support the highest standards of ethical conduct and individual integrity among the students, to provide for the fullest cooperation with the community, to support the aims, traditions, and purposes of the Association, and to aid the college in its large purposes of education.

ARTICLE III

Membership of the Community College Student Association

All duty registered students of Itawamba Community College, carrying a load of 12 semester hours or more or 30 clock hours weekly shall be members of the Student Association.

ARTICLE IV

Voting

1. All members of the Student Association shall be eligible to vote in the general or special elections of this Association, subject to such restrictions as are included in Article V. All campus elections will be held by secret ballot. The ballots will not be signed.

ARTICLE V

Officers, Duties, and Qualifications

Section 1. Qualifications

The qualifications necessary for nomination as candidate for officers
of this student body shall be:

1. A 2.00 average in academic work.
2. A record of interest and activity in student life and organizations
3. Of unquestionable character.
4. A reputation for coordinating ability and leadership.

Section 2. Officers

The officers of the Student Association shall be a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer.

1. President
a. The president of the Association shall be elected by the entire student
body in the general election each April.
b. Nominations for president of the Association shall be made by petition
signed by fifteen students. These petitions must be turned in to the
Coordinator of Student Services by 4:00 p.m. one week before the
general election.
c. The candidate with the majority of votes cast will be declared president
of the student body and Association.
d. The term of office for the president of the student body will be for one
year from the date of the election.
e. vacancy in the office of president shall be filled immediately by the
vice-president for the remainder of the term of that office, provided
such time not exceed four months. A special election shall be called
in the same manner as the regular elections. The vice-president may
be a candidate.
f. The president of the Association may be removed by a two- thirds vote
of the entire Association. During the consideration of such removal, the
vice-president will automatically preside. Justified cause of removal
shall be as described in Article V,
Section 3.
g. The duties of the president shall be:
(1) Preside at all meetings of the Association.
(2) Represent all students of Itawamba Community
College, Tupelo Campus.
(3) Be familiar with parliamentary procedure and order of
business.
(4) Enforce the constitution.
(5) Appoint committees.
(6) Serve as member of the Itawamba Community College
Advisory Council and Institutional Standing Committee
at Tupelo Campus.

2. Vice-President
a. Shall be elected in the same manner as the president.
b. The term of office of the vice-president shall be a term of one year
from the date of election.
c. In the event of a vacancy in this office, it shall be filled by one of the
Representatives on the Association elected by the Association.
d. The vice-president may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the total
membership of the Association for the same reasons stated for
removal of the president in Article V, Section 3.
e. The duties of the vice-president shall be:
(1) To preside over meetings in the absence of the president.
(2) To be responsible for Special Committees as appointed by president.
(3) To make a thorough study of the constitution and by-laws of the
Association and to act as parliamentarian for the Association.
(4) To assist in the coordination of activities between the two campuses.

3. Secretary
a. The secretary of the Association shall be elected in the same manner as
the president.
b. In the event of a vacancy in this office, the position will be filled by another
member of the Association elected by the same procedures as for the
vice-president.
c. The secretary may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the total
membership of the Association as provided in Article V, Section 3.
d. The duties of the secretary shall be:
(1) To keep full minutes of the meetings of the Association.
(2) To cooperate with the Coordinator of Student Services, who will keep
the permanent records of the Association, in supplying him with the
necessary records.
(3) In cooperation with the Coordinator of Student Services, handle all the
official correspondence of the Association.

4. Treasurer
a. The treasurer shall be elected in the same manner as the president.
b. The duties of the treasurer shall be:
(1) To cooperate with College officials in preparing a budget for the
entire student body.
(2) To keep an accurate account of the receipts and expenditures of
Association funds.
(3) To sign, with the faculty advisor of the finance committee, all vouchers
for the withdrawal of funds from the Association account.
(4) To act as chairman of the finance committee.
(5) To deposit all Association funds in account to be kept with the
Business Manager of Itawamba Community College.
(6) To make a financial report to the Association at least once each
semester.
c. The treasurer shall be removed by a two-thirds vote of the total
membership of the Association as provided in Article V, Section 3.

Section 3. Removal from Office

1. An officer of the Association and/or any member of the Association may be
removed by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Association for
any of the following reasons:
a. Violation of or disregard for, in word or spirit, any part of this constitution
or its by-laws;
b. Having more than two inexcusable absences from meetings of the
Association in the year;
c. A decision of guilty of violation of the Honor Code by the Association; or
d. A failure to maintain the standards of conduct becoming to a student of
Itawamba Community College.

ARTICLE VI

Authority of the Association

House Bill 541

Section 1. Power of Trustees

a. The duties of the trustees shall be the general government of the junior
college and directive of the administration thereof. Subject to the provisions
of this act, they shall have full power to do all things necessary to the
successful operation of the college.

Section 2. Power of President of College

1. The President shall have authority, subject to the provisions of this act and to
the trustees, to arrange and specify courses of study, fix schedules, to
establish and enforce rules and discipline for the government of teachers and
students, and the President shall be general custodian of the property of
the institution.

ARTICLE VII

The Association

Section 1. Officers of Association

1. The Association shall be composed of the officers of the Student Association,
two representatives from the freshman class, two representatives from the
sophomore class, one representative from each supporting county, and one
black representative to be elected at-large.

Section 2. Duties and Responsibilities

1. The duties and responsibilities of the Association shall be:
a. To act for the students in all affairs concerning men and women students
except as specifically limited in this constitution.
b. To act as an advisory group to student organizations and the
administration in all matters of student affairs.
c. To investigate over-all student organizations other than the Student
Association.
d. To recommend the granting or the revocation of any and all charters to
student organizations.
e. It is recognized that the Board of Trustees, the President, and the
Administration of the college shall have the final authority of making
regulations concerning conduct and activity of the students.

Section 3. Grade Requirements

1. All members must have and maintain a 2.00 average to serve in the capacity
of their office for the entire tenure of their office.

Section 4. Elections

1. Nominations for members for the Association must be made by petition
and signed by fifteen students of the group from which the candidates
are to be elected. Those petitions must be turned in to the coordinator
of Student Services by 4:00 p.m. one week before the general election.
2. All members of the Association shall be elected in a general election
at the same time as for the officers of the Association.
3. All candidates will be voted upon by members of their class or
representatives group, with the exception of the president, vice-president,
secretary, treasurer, and black representative.
4. The preferential system of voting shall be used when there are three or
more candidates for an office as set forth in the by-laws.

Section 5. Assuming Office

1. Each member shall assume the duties of his office at the first meeting of
the Association following the election and will serve for one year from that
date.

Section 6. Meetings

1. The Association shall hold meetings during the activity periods as
designated by the Administration of Community College, Tupelo Campus.
2. All meetings of the Association shall be open to any member of the
Student Association except those which by majority vote of the Association
are declared to be executive session.
3. The president may call special meetings at the president's discretion and
will see to it that all members are given adequate notice of such meetings.

Section 7. Quorum

1. Two-thirds of the entire Association membership shall constitute a quorum.

Section 8. Voting

1. All members of the Association shall have one vote. The president is
required to vote in case of a tie and shall vote only in such case.
(Faculty advisors shall have no vote.)

Section 9. Advisors

1. The Association shall have two faculty advisors, one of which shall be
the Director of Student Services. The other faculty member shall be
selected at the first meeting of the Director of Student Services
and the Association in October by the Association.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

1. The amendments to this constitution may be proposed by the
Student Association. It shall be considered for two months.
In order that the amendment be adopted, it shall be presented
to the student body and at least two-thirds of the said student
body shall vote in the affirmative.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
AND BY-LAWS

Amendment 1

In the event of a vacancy in any representative office, petitions signed
by fifteen (15) student constituents may be submitted to the officers of the association. In cases where only petition is submitted for a given office, the candidate may be elected by a two-thirds majority vote of the Association.

Dr. David C. Cole, President Lookup Faculty and Staff Online
Fulton Campus Itawamba Community College 602 West Hill Street Fulton, Mississippi 38843 Phone: 662.862.8000	Tupelo Campus Itawamba Community College 2176 S. Eason Blvd. Tupelo, Mississippi 38804 Phone: 662.620.5000	Belden Center Itawamba Community College 3200 Adams Farm Road Belden, Mississippi 38826 Phone: 662.620.5000

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