SGA Constitution
Preamble
We, the students of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi,
will provide effective representation in all matters that directly affect the
state of student affairs using the most current edition of Robert’s Rules
of Order for parliamentary procedure while maintaining the highest ethical standards,
do hereby establish and adopt this constitution.
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1
This organization shall be known as the Student Government Association of Texas
A&M University-Corpus Christi.
SECTION 2
The Student Government Association shall be the only organization on the campus
of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi which exists to represent the student
body as granted through this constitution.
ARTICLE II: EXECUTIVE
BRANCH
SECTION 1
All executive powers shall be vested in the Executive Branch of the Student
Government Association.
SECTION 2
The Executive Branch shall consist of a Student Government President and a
Student Government Vice President who shall be elected by a majority vote of
the student body of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
SECTION 3
The duties and powers of the Student Government President shall include but
not be limited to:
- Administering the Oath of Office to all newly elected executive officers,
Senators, Committee Chairpersons or Co-Chairs, and to any appointed and approved
students filling any vacant positions with Student Government. The Student Government
Advisor, Vice President of Student Affairs, or the President of the University
shall administer the Oath of Office to the Student Government President and
Vice President.
- Jointly appointing, with the incumbent Chief Justice, and succeeding President,
the succeeding Chief Justice of the Student Government Judicial Branch. The
succeeding President, along with the newly appointed Chief Justice, shall jointly
appoint up to four associate justices, as required. All appointments shall require
the approval by a two-thirds vote by the Student Senate.
- Appointing a Public Relations Chairperson, preferably with a marketing/communications
background, Historian, special committees, and University committees. All appointments
shall require the approval by a two-thirds vote by the Student Senate.
- Appointing a treasurer, to serve as a liaison between the Student Affairs
Business Coordinator and the Executive Branch. The treasurer must have a minimum
60 completed hours at the time of appointment, preferably with finance or accounting
background, and two letters of recommendation from Texas A&M University-Corpus
Christi professors. The treasurer may not hold any other offices within the
Student Government Association during their term of office. The treasurer has
no voting power, and will have no influence on the budget.
- The Student Government President shall have authority to create and appoint
all necessary executive offices and committees, which will serve at the discretion
of the Student Government President. These offices and committees, including
but not limited to the Secretary, and Speaker of the Senate, are required to
maintain the office of student government, which shall require the approval
by a two-thirds vote by the Student Senate. All officers and committee chairpersons
are required to be present for a minimum of one hour per week during regular
business hours.
- Appointing a new Student Government Vice President or Chief Justice in the
event of resignation, removal from office, or incapacitation, which shall require
the approval by a two-thirds vote by the Student Senate.
- Calling special sessions of the Student Senate when needed, and to specify
the date, time, and location of such meeting within 48 hours of the day of the
meeting called. The Student Senate shall convene anytime during the fall, spring,
and summer I and summer II semesters or except during final exam weeks. Final
exam weeks are defined as the first day of finals, to the last day of finals,
not including days of the week before finals officially begin, or after finals
end. Special sessions may include conference calls. Appropriate votes are as
follows: Yay, Nay, or Blank (abstention).
- Presenting the State of Student Affairs address once the entire Student Senate
is elected and seated. This address shall also be presented to all campus newspapers
for campus-wide distribution.
- Briefing the incoming Student Government President-elect and the Student
Government Vice President-elect on all University affairs.
- Representing the student body on the Chancellor’s Student Advisory
Board.
- Representing the student body on the Student Service Fees Advisory Committee.
- Serving as the ceremonial representative of the student body. Events to
be attended include but are not to be limited to all events in which there
is an administrative invitation, such as a member of the Student Panel for
the Presidential Search Committee, Investiture ceremonies, the President Convocation,
the President’s Ball, Islander Tribute, Board Authorized Tuition Hearings.
Appropriate demeanor and etiquette must be demonstrated while serving as a
ceremonial representative, which will be determined by those administrative
officials who offered invitations. Reported discrepancies will be reviewed
by the Student Senate and any hearing for disciplinary actions will be brought
before the Judicial Board.
- Setting scheduled meetings at the beginning of each semester (within the
first two calendar weeks) and the end of each semester (within the last three
calendar weeks) with the University President and the University Provost. Setting
scheduled meetings with the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Dean of
Students on a monthly basis. Setting scheduled meetings with the Student Government
Advisor on a weekly basis. All meetings will be kept within the timelines stated
herein.
- Setting and keeping scheduled meetings throughout the calendar year with
the following University officials on an annual basis. Deans of Colleges, Vice
President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Finance and Administration,
Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Vice President for Planning and
Institutional Effectiveness, Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and
Research, Associate Vice President of Academics, Associate Vice President for
Enrollment Management, Bell Library Director, Health Center. Director, Athletics
Director, Speaker of Faculty Senate, Staff Advisory Council President. All meetings
will be kept within the timelines stated herein.
- Signing or vetoing any bill passed by the Student Senate. The President shall
be able to use line item veto. Should the President fail to action a bill within
ten working days of its receipt, the bill shall take effect without his/her
signature.
- The term of office for the Student Government President shall begin June
1st, and shall end May 31st of the following year. If the Student Government
President will be absent for a period of no less than two weeks and no more
than twelve weeks, the Student Government Vice President will become the Student
Government President Pro-tempore. A termination of duties date will be set at
the same meeting following the two/thirds approval by the Student Senate. Notification
of a desired leave of absence must be provided in advance whenever possible.
SECTION 4
The Student Government President cannot veto any constitutional amendment,
amendments to the by-laws, resolutions, or measures approved in initiatives and
general elections.
SECTION 5
The duties and powers of the Student Government Vice President shall include
but not be limited to:
- Succeeding the Student Government President in case of resignation, removal
from office or incapacitation. Incapacitation will be defined as follows: to
make legally ineligible; disqualify. If the Student Government President will
be absent for a period of no less than two weeks and no more than twelve weeks,
the Student Government Vice President will become the Student Government President
Pro-tempore.
- he Student Government Vice President has the duty of appointing the Chairpersons
for all standing committees in the Student Senate and any ad hoc committees
created in the Student Senate, which shall require the approval by a two-thirds
vote by the Student Senate.
- Assisting the Student Government President with his/her assigned duties.
- Presiding over meetings and serving as parliamentarian in the absence of
the Speaker of the Senate, whose duties are described in Article III, Section
5.
- Managing all operations of the Student Government Association as assigned
by the Student Government President.
- The term of office for the Student Government Vice President shall begin
June 1st, and shall end May 31st of the following year. If the Student Government
Vice President will be absent for a period of no less than two weeks and no
more than twelve weeks, a Student Government Vice President Pro-tempore will
be elected. In such case, an open nomination process followed by a two/thirds
Student Senate approval will choose the Student Government Vice President Pro-Tempore.
A termination of duties date will be set at the same meeting following the two/thirds
approval by the Student Senate. Notification of a desired leave of absence must
be provided in advance whenever possible.
SECTION 6
A draft of the Student Government Association budget for the upcoming semester
shall be prepared by the Student Government President and Vice President and
be presented to the Senate by the second meeting of the Student Government Association
and should be approved by the third meeting of the Student Government Association
of the respective semester. Throughout the year, any additional expenditures
exceeding 1.0 % of the accessible SGA budget at that exact date in time with
the current budget shall also be presented to the Senate for approval by simple
majority. All powers, including legislative and spending of any unused budget,
will be vested in the executive branch during the summer sessions.
SECTION 7
Any individual holding an office or an appointed position who graduates in
the Fall semester may retain all rights and privileges bestowed upon them through
the following Spring semester with the following conditions: If they are enrolled
during the following Spring semester or actively seeking enrollment for the following
Fall semester, as a graduate or post baccalaureate student, and if they are actively
seeking reelection in an office or if they are seeking other appointed positions
in the Student Government Association for the following Fall.
ARTICLE III: LEGISLATIVE
BRANCH
SECTION 1
All legislative powers shall be vested in the Student Government Association
Student Senate.
SECTION 2
The Student Senate shall be composed of members elected every year by the students
of every college, and the students of the freshman, sophomore, junior, senior
and graduate classes. At least two senators will be elected to represent students
in all colleges. In addition, one senator per 600 students will be elected for
the freshman, sophomore, junior, senior and graduate classes. At 601 another
senator will be included. All students are eligible to serve as a senator for
their class provided they fulfill Article VII, Section 2. All senators will have
full voting power.
SECTION 3
The duties and the powers of the Senate shall include but not be limited to:
- Enacting all measures necessary and proper for the general welfare of the
student body of in accordance with this constitution.
- Establishing by-laws, which are necessary for the proper functioning of the
Student Government Association and the Student Senate with a majority vote of
the membership.
- Calling a general referendum of the student body in order to consider proposed
legislation. The results of the general referendum shall be presented to the
Student Government President to be enacted.
- Confirming all individuals appointed to committees by the Student Government
President.
- Overriding the veto of the Student Government President by a two-thirds majority
vote of the membership present.
- Approving all appropriations requests made by the Legislative, Executive,
and Judicial Branch of the Student Government Association.
- Approving all Student Senate seats.
- Maintaining the office of student government. All Senators are required to
be present for a minimum of one hour per week during regular business hours.
SECTION 4
The Student Senate shall have the authority to create and appoint all Senate
offices and committees necessary to represent the student body. Before any such
appointment shall be made, the Student Senate shall confer first with the Executive
branch with their decision to create and appoint all Senate offices or committees.
In the event of any discord arising between the Executive branch and the Student
Senate, upon a favorable decision for the Senate by the Judicial Board, the Student
Senate, upon a two-thirds vote, will have the executive authority to create and
appoint any Senate offices or committees. If the executive branch is in absentia,
the Speaker of the Senate may administer the Oath of Office to any newly elected
Senate officers, Committee Chairpersons or Co-Chairs.
SECTION 5
A Speaker of the Senate shall be elected by the Senate within the first quarter
of every fall semester. Elections shall consist of an open nomination process,
and the Speaker shall be elected by a two thirds vote. In the event of resignation,
removal from office, or incapacitation, a new Speaker of the Senate shall be
elected by similar means. In the case that the newly elected individual was serving
as a Senator, he or she shall vacate any positions associated with Student Government,
and appropriate action shall be taken to fill any vacancies. The Speaker of the
Senate shall serve as parliamentarian for the Senate, and as such will be denied
the ability to cast a vote during Senatorial proceedings. The Speaker shall also
remain neutral while facilitating discussion. The duties and powers of the Speaker
of the Senate shall include but not be limited to:
- Preside at meetings and oversee parliamentary procedure as detailed by the
most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
- Serve as the liaison between the Student Senate and the Executive Branch
SECTION 6
Any senator who graduates in the Fall semester may retain all rights and privileges
bestowed upon them through the following Spring semester with the following conditions:
If they are enrolled during the following Spring semester or actively seeking
enrollment for the following Fall semester as a graduate or post baccalaureate
student, and if they are actively seeking reelection in an office or other appointed
positions in the Student Government Association for the following Fall.
