PREAMBLE
Having opinions to be represented, rights to be protected and needs to
be administered, we, the members of the Associated Students of Humboldt
State University, at Arcata, California, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
ARTICLE I. Name, Membership
- Name: The name of this corporation shall be the Associated
Students of Humboldt State University, hereinafter referred to as the
"Association."
- Membership: Any person duly registered as a student of Humboldt
State University, and who has paid the required membership fee shall
be a member of the Association.
ARTICLE II. Officers
- Definition of the Term "Officer": An officershall be any office
holder elected by the Association membership and/or approved by the
Associated Students Council, hereinafter referred to as the A.S. Council.
- Officer Liability: Any officer of the Association who violates
the Association Constitution or Code may, after due process, be subject
to one of the following sanctions:
- Censure: A verbal warning/reprimand expressing disapproval
of the actions of the officer concerned.
- Probation: Placing the officer in question under the scrutiny
of the A.S. Council and warning the officer that further misconduct
may result in suspension or removal. The officer will retain his/her
voting and participation rights. The term of probation to be set by
the A.S. Council in each particular case.
- Suspension: Removal from office for a period of time to
be set in each case.
- Expulsion: Permanent removal from office.
- Vacancies and Succession
- Should a vacancy occur in any elected office other than the Presidency,
the President shall appoint, with the approval of the A.S. Council.
All approved appointments shall terminate at the end of the vacant
seat's term.
- Should a vacancy occur in the Presidency, the Administrative Vice
President shall succeed to the office. Should the Presidency and the
Administrative Vice Presidency be simultaneously vacant, the Legislative
Vice President shall appoint replacements to assume the duties of
those offices. These appointments shall be approved by the A.S. Council.
ARTICLE III. Executive
A. President
- The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association
elected by the Association membership.
- Powers and Duties of the President:
- Serves as the official representative of the Association.
- May propose legislation to the A.S. Council.
- Chairs the Executive Committee.
- May line-item veto Associated Students Budget and Code legislation.
- Makes appointments to committees and boards for the Association,
unless otherwise specified by this constitution.
- Term of Office: The President shall be elected during the
Spring Semester, shall assume office at the last A.S. Council meeting
of the Academic year at Agenda Item "New Business," and shall serve
until the last A.S. Council meeting of the following year.
B. Legislative Vice President
- The Legislative Vice President shall be the chief legislative assistant
to the President.
- Duties of the Legislative Vice President:
- The Legislative Vice President shall chair the A.S. Council and
may vote when it will effect the outcome.
- The Legislative Vice President shall be responsible to receive information
from Associated Students committee appointments.
- The Legislative Vice President shall be responsible for the maintenance
of and adherence to the Associated Students Code.
- The Legislative Vice President shall sit on the Executive Committee.
- Administrative Vice President
- The Administrative Vice President shall be the chief administrative
assistant to the President.
- Duties of the Administrative Vice President:
- The Administrative Vice President shall chair the Board of Finance.
- The Administrative Vice President shall be the chief fiscal advisor
to the President and the A.S. Council.
- The Administrative Vice President shall assume the duties of the
President during the latter's absence.
- The Administrative Vice President shall sit on the Executive Committee.
- Student Affairs Vice President
- The Student Affairs Vice President shall be the chief advisor on
student affairs to the President.
- Duties of the Student Affairs Vice President:
- The Student Affairs Vice President shall chair the Associated Students
Student Affairs Committee.
- The Student Affairs Vice President shall sit on the University Center
Board of Directors.
- The Student Affairs Vice President shall sit on the Student Affairs
Directors Committee.
- The Student Affairs Vice President shall sit on the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV. Associated Students Council
- The Associated Students Council (A.S. Council) shall be the legislative
branch of the Association elected by the Association membership.
- Membership: Membership in the A.S. Council shall consist of
college-specific representatives, and one undeclared student representative,
one interdisciplinary studies (special major) representative, and one
graduate student representative.
Membership shall also include one Residence Hall Association (RHA) representative
elected in the Spring RHA elections and seated by AS Council by a two-thirds
majority.
C. Powers and Duties of the Associated Students Council:
- To formulate the Association's Rules, Regulations and Policies,
as detailed in the Associated Students Code and other policy papers.
- To make appropriations from the treasury of the Association.
- To establish the amount of the Association's membership fee with
the approval of its membership voting on this issue in an election.
- To impeach any officer of the Association.
- To override the President's veto by a two-thirds (2/3) vote.
- To call special elections.
- To place legislative initiatives on the ballot by majority vote.
- To elect a Vice Chair from its membership.
- To maintain written records of the A.S. Council proceedings which
shall be posted for the benefit of the members of the Association.
- To promote the use and development of programs funded by the Association.
- To monitor and evaluate budgets of and services offered by the organizations
funded by the Association.
- To approve Executive appointments by a 2/3 vote.
- To create committees and ad-hoc committees, and to empower those
committees to accomplish goals set by the Council.
D. Chair of the Associated Students Council
- The presiding officer of the A.S. Council shall be the Legislative
Vice President.
- Powers and Duties of the Chair:
- May vote on questions when such a vote will affect the outcome.
- Appoints members to the committees of the, Council as may be necessary
for the proper conduct of its affairs, with the consent of the A.S.
Council by a 2/3 vote.
- Nominates 2 members of the Council to be seated on the Associated
Students Board of Finance.
- Calls and presides at meetings of the A.S. Council.
ARTICLE V. Budget
A. Board of Finance
- The sole responsibility for presenting the A.S. Council with a preliminary
budget shall reside with the Board of Finance.
- Membership: The Board of Finance shall consist of the Administrative
Vice President, who shall act as the presiding officer; the President
of the Association; a member of the Association, appointed by the
President; two members of the A.S. Council, appointed by the Legislative
Vice President; and the General Manager of the Association (non-voting).
- Procedure in the Formulation of the Budget:
- The Board of Finance shall require each director to submit a budget
request.
- The Board of Finance shall hold public hearings of programs identified
by the Board of Finance. The director or sponsor shall be notified
of the date, time, and place of said hearing.
- The Board of Finance shall submit a preliminary budget to the A.S.
Council at least one month prior to the last regularly scheduled A.S.
Council meeting of the academic year.
- The A.S. Council shall approve a final budget no later than the
next to last regularly scheduled meeting of the academic year.
- The Associated Students President then reviews the budget and may
exercise line-item veto authority.
- The A.S. Council has an opportunity to override vetoes with a two-thirds
majority.
- The final budget shall be submitted to the President of the University
for review.
ARTICLE VI. Association Employees
A. General Manager
- The Association will arrange for the services of a General Manager
who will be responsible to the Associated Students President for the
daily operations of the Association.
- Contracts: All contracts entered into between the Association
and any firm, organization, or person shall be signed by the General
Manager, and the director, sponsor, or manager of the activity which
is the subject matter of the contract.
- The General Manger shall be responsible for the Association's activities
during the summer recess. Any monetary or policy decisions that greatly
affect the Association may necessitate consultation with the Associated
Students Executive Committee.
- Others: The Association may employ such persons as are deemed
necessary for the conduct of the Association's affairs.
ARTICLE VII. Elections
- There shall be one regular Association elections during the academic
year.
- Elections Commission: An Elections Commission shall be appointed
to ensure elections conducted by the Association are fair and are operated
within the rules established by the A.S. Council, as detailed in the
Associated Students Code. Three members of the Commission shall be appointed
by the Associated Students President and two members shall be appointed
by the Legislative Vice President.
- Elections Procedures:
- Nominations: Executive Officers shall be nominated by petitions
signed by one-hundred and fifty (150) members of the Association.
A.S. college-specific representatives shall be nominated by petitions
signed by fifty (50) members of the Association within the college
he/she is representing. A.S. Interdisciplinary Studies (Special Major)
representatives shall be nominated by petitions signed by 10 members
of the Association who are Interdisciplinary Studies majors. Graduate
Student representatives shall be nominated by petitions signed by
twenty (20) members of the Association who are Graduate Students.
Petitions for nomination shall be filed with the Elections Commission
not less than fourteen (14) calendar days not more than forty-two
(42) calendar days prior to the regular election; the Elections Commission
has three (3) school days to rule on the eligibility of a candidate
after filing; and public notice to the effect that nominations are
in order shall be posted on official bulletin boards and shall be
published in the school newspaper at least forty-two (42) days prior
to the election by the Elections Commission.
- Each member of the Association shall vote for no more than one candidate
for each office.
- No member of the Association shall vote for a candidate for representative
of a college other than the college in which that member of the Association
is enrolled. In the case of persons with more than one major, the
person shall have the right to choose from amongst colleges in which
that person is enrolled to vote for a college representative candidate.
Students with undeclared majors shall vote for the undeclared student
representative.
- There shall be two (2) poll workers, appointed by the Elections
Commission, at each voting station during the elections.
- Council Representatives shall be elected on a plurality basis. Executive
Officers must receive a majority of the ballots cast for that office.
In the advent of a tie or if a candidate for Executive Office fails
to receive the required majority, a run-off election shall be held
for the two candidates with the highest vote total.
- Run-off elections shall be held within five (5) school days after
the regular election.
- Initiative and Recall
- Initiative: As outlined under the powers and duties of the
Executive Committee and A.S. Council, the A.S. Council can initiate
measures for the ballot. The Association membership shall also have
the power to initiate legislation by means of a written petition,
which has been signed by ten percent (10%) of the current members
of the Association. Signatures will be verified by the Elections Commission.
The Elections Commission shall render a decision in writing within
five school days after a petition has been filed. When such petition
is certified as legal, the A. S. Council shall call a special election
within fifteen (15) school days after the date such petition was filed.
For passage, the legislation must receive a majority of those voting
on the issue. Any initiative passed shall override any legislative
acts or appropriations.
- Recall: Any elected officer or representative of the Association
may be subject to recall by a petition containing a specific statement
of the reasons for the proposed removal. Such petition must be signed
by at least ten (10%) percent of the membership of the Association
which that officer represents, and then presented to the Elections
Commission.
The Elections Commission shall render a decision in writing within five
(5) school days. When such petition is certified as legal by the Elections
Commission, it shall be presented to the A.S. Council which shall call a
special election within fifteen (15) school days after the date such petition
was filed. The person(s) subject to recall may request the President to
call a special meeting, in compliance with Open Meeting Law, of the Association
within five (5) days of the presentation of the petition. At said meeting,
the officer shall be allowed to speak in his/her own defense. If two-thirds
(2/3) votes are cast for recall, the officer shall be removed from office.
ARTICLE VIII. Enabling and Amendments
- Enabling: This Constitution shall become the official governing
document of the Association upon ratification by two-thirds (2/3) majority
of the Association voting on the issue.
- Amendments: There shall be two methods of proposing an amendment
to this constitution.
- Submission of a petition signed by ten (10) percent of the Association
membership to the A.S. Council. Once validated by the Elections Commission,
the Elections Commissions will place an amendment before the members.
All proposed amendments shall be made public at least fifteen (15)
school days before the election. Amendments must then be approved
by two-thirds (2/3) of the total votes cast on this issue at any special
or regular election held during the Fall or Spring semesters. Ratified
amendments shall be incorporated herein.
- Proposed amendments may be adopted by an affirmative vote of at
least two-thirds (2/3) of A.S. Council. A vote of A.S. Council will
amend the constitution, except as noted below.
- Any provision recommending a change in the fee.
- Any provision altering the term of an executive officer or council
member.
- Any provision altering membership.
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