Valencia Community College
Winter Park Campus

Student Government Association Constitution

PREAMBLE
We, the students of Valencia Community College Winter Park Campus, in order to form an organized representative association, encourage participation in the democratic process, uphold the rights of students, develop high standards of honor and civic responsibility, and promote cooperation between the student body, the faculty, and the administration, do hereby establish this Constitution.

ARTICLE ONE - NAME
The name of the herein-established organization shall be the Student Government Association of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus. It shall henceforth be referred to as the SGA.

The first SGA was established and chartered at Valencia in 1967 and is the sole official elected representative of the student body in connection with matters related to the college administration.

ARTICLE TWO - MEMBERSHIP
All students enrolled on the Winter Park Campus shall be members of the SGA. The elected representatives, whose duties and responsibilities are defined in this Constitution, will conduct all official business of the SGA.

ARTICLE THREE - PURPOSE
The SGA exists to perform the following functions in an unbiased manner:

• To promote the knowledge of and respect for a free and democratic society
• To represent the students of the Winter Park Campus in community service and involvement
• To act as a liaison between the students and administration, faculty and staff of Valencia
• To provide a voice for student issues and concerns
• To offer practical services to the student body
• To promote student activities and student involvement
  

ARTICLE FOUR - AUTHORITY

Section I - General Authority

Student Government Associations in the state of Florida are authorized by the Florida Community College Activities Association (FCCAA) which comes under the authority of the State Board of Community Colleges. The State Board of Community Colleges is responsible to the Florida Cabinet and the Commissioner of Education. The Florida Cabinet and the Commissioner of Education are empowered by the Florida State Legislature.

Section II - Specific Authority

The SGA is recognized as the official student organization at Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus by the College Board of Trustees and the Winter Park Campus Administration. The Valencia SGA is a member of Florida Junior/Community College Student Government Association (FJCCSGA) and is a member of District II of the four FJCCSGA statewide districts.

Section III - Operating Authority

The SGA Executive Board is the elected representation of the students of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus and is bound by this Constitution, which has been duly ratified by the student body, and the rules and regulations of the College. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern any matter not superseded by this Constitution.

ARTICLE FIVE - LEADERSHIP

Section I - Leadership

The official leadership of the SGA shall consist of the student leaders called Officers and Senators. These leaders are herein authorized to conduct the business of the SGA. The SGA form a Board which may act on behalf of SGA in accordance with this Constitution. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer make up the Executive Board which, with the input of the SGA Advisor, directs all SGA business.

Section II - Officers

The Officers of the SGA Board shall consist of the following:

President

Vice-President

Secretary

Treasurer

Historian

Senator for Campus Relations

Senator for Community Relations

Senator for Evening / Weekend Services

Senator for Informational Services

Senator for Involvement and Programming

Special Liaisons as appointed by the Executive Board.*

*Positions will be filled on an as-needed basis.

Section III - Duties

General duties of SGA members:

1. The SGA members shall represent Valencia, the student body, and the SGA in an appropriate manner.
2. The SGA members shall act in accordance with this Constitution and in the best interests of the student body and Valencia Community College.
3. The SGA members shall see that the student body is properly represented by staying informed of their needs, wishes, and concerns.
4. The SGA members shall actively participate in all SGA activities with a positive attitude.
5. The SGA members shall carry out all prescribed and assigned duties and responsibilities.
   

General duties of the Executive Board:

1. The Executive Board shall represent the SGA at official college functions.
2. The Executive Board shall act a liaison between the students and the administration, faculty, and staff of Valencia.
3. The Executive Board shall be responsible for organizing, educating and preparing reports for SGA on an as needed basis.
4. The Executive Board shall rule on the validity of all removal from office petitions. If a petition is ruled valid, it shall be brought before the Executive Board at the next meeting for a vote.
5. The Executive Board shall develop and recommend the annual SGA budget, which shall be submitted to the Student Development Center for approval.
6. The Executive Board shall carry out decisions and conduct the general business of the SGA.
7. The Executive Board shall approve all Committee assignments and other appointments made by the President.
8. The Executive Board shall spend allocated money on behalf of the SGA with proper approval from the Student Government Advisor.
   
9. The Executive Board shall ensure that a monthly meeting is attended by the President or President appointed delegate to discuss issues and activities pertaining to the entire Valencia Community College. The formulation and attendance at this meeting should be discussed and maintained by the Presidents and/or delegates from the individual Valencia campuses.

Specific Duties of the Officers

• President:
  The President shall be the official spokesperson for the SGA. The President shall act as the primary liaison between the student body and the administration, faculty, and staff of the college.
  The President shall take responsibility to see that the Executive Board properly represents the wishes and concerns of the student body and that the SGA operates in accordance with this Constitution and the college policies.
  The President shall carry out all duties and responsibilities assigned in this Constitution; the President has all Executive power not restricted by this Constitution or denied to him/her by college policies.
  The President shall call and preside over all regular and special meetings of the E-Board and SGA.
  The President shall assign SGA members to Committees with the approval of the Officers. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all SGA Committees. The President shall chair the Executive Committee.
  The President shall delegate duties and responsibilities within the purposes of the SGA.
  The President shall participate in the student activity college-wide budget process.
  The President shall participate in the SGA budget process.
• Vice-President:
  The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his/her duties and to carry out all duties assigned to him/her by the President.
  b. The Vice-President shall coordinate all aspects of new student club and organization recognition by the SGA. The Vice-President shall serve as the SGA Liaison to Winter Park Campus clubs and organizations by acting as chair of the InterClub Council (ICC).
  The Vice-President shall assume presidential duties upon the President's absence.
  If the President should relinquish his/her office, the Vice-President shall become President. When the Vice-President assumes the role of President, he/she shall have the option of appointing new Vice-President with the approval of the Officers and a majority vote of the Board or by holding a special election.
• Secretary:The Secretary shall assist the President in the performance of his/her duties.
  The Secretary will record, maintain, and distribute all minutes and acts of the SGA during all meetings.
  The Secretary shall maintain an accurate and official record of all SGA activities including communications, actions, meeting minutes, and correspondence.
  The Secretary shall take attendance at all meetings and maintain attendance records.
• Treasurer:The Treasurer shall assist the President in the performance of his/her duties.
  b. The Treasurer will keep an accurate record of all SGA funds and expenditures and make reports available during all meetings.
  The Treasurer will submit requests for requisitions and seek advisor approval to expend SGA funds.
  The Treasurer will oversee any SGA fundraising activities.
  The Treasurer shall prepare the annual SGA budget, recommended by the Executive Board, for submission to and approval by the Student Development Center.
• Historian:The Historian will maintain an accurate history of all SGA business, activities and membership rosters for each year of the organization’s existence.
  The Historian will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of the SGA scrapbooks (portfolios).
• Duties of the Senators:
  The Senators shall strive to properly represent the student body of the Winter Park Campus by making responsible and informed decisions.
  The Senators shall serve on one (1) or more Committees representing an area of student interest.
  The Senators shall perform all tasks that shall be duly given to them by the E-Board.
  The following are standing Senator positions in SGA:
  Senator for Campus Relations shall assist in the development, supervision and evaluation of interaction between students, administrators, staff and faculty. This Senator shall chair the Campus Relations Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
  Senator for Community Relations shall assist in the development, supervision and evaluation of all involvement in the greater community, particularly service activities. This Senator shall chair the Community Relations Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
  Senator for Informational Services shall assist in the development, supervision and coordination of dissemination of information relative to student government to the administration, faculty, staff, and student body of the Winter Park Campus and to other interested parties. This Senator shall chair the Informational Services Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
  Senator for Evening/Weekend Services shall assist in the development, supervision and evaluation of evening or weekend events and instructional programs. This Senator shall chair the Evening/Weekend Services Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
  Senator for Involvement and Programming shall assist in the development, supervision and evaluation of cultural programming and other student activities. This representative shall chair the Student Involvement Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
• Special Liaisons shall bring the views and needs of their representative groups to the Executive Board and coordinate activities between those groups and the SGA. Liaisons will be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
  

Committees

Committees are the primary method for conducting the work of the SGA. It is the responsibility of the SGA Officers to determine standing and ad hoc Committees. The duties and responsibilities of Committees shall be defined by the SGA Officers except when the duties are dictated by this Constitution.

Committee Chairpersons shall be appointed by the SGA President with the approval of the Executive Board.

All Committee Chairpersons shall generally be members of the Board, but Committee members may be chosen from the student body at large. Committee Chairpersons are responsible for selecting Committee members with the approval of the SGA Executive Board.

All approved members of any SGA Committee shall be referred to as Representatives; Representatives are not members of the SGA Board.

Duties of all Committees, not included in this Constitution, shall be determined by the SGA Officers.

The following are standing Committees in SGA:

Evening/Weekend Services Committee - This Committee provides a voice for the needs of evening/weekend students. Committee members strive to give these students an opportunity to participate in student government as well as a place to express their concerns. Committee activities include student advocacy and safety/security issues.

Informational Services Committee - This Committee promotes the activities of the SGA and functions as the public relations staff for the organization. It is primarily responsible for recruitment of new members and to publicize the activities of SGA. Committee activities include writing news briefs, designing public relations materials, and planning promotional campaigns.

Campus Relations Committee - This Committee functions as a co-partner in the learning mission of the college. Its function is to advocate for open and effective communication of concerns between the students, administrators, staff and faculty. Representatives refer students to appropriate campus and collegewide departments and make them aware of student support services (labs, TRC, honors, etc.). It also supports an atmosphere that fosters student success. Committee activities include the Academic Excellence Awards, appointments to college committees, and Wellness Week.

Executive Committee - This Committee identifies and advocates educational issues of FJCCSGA. It works with Valencia and FJCCSGA to coordinate "grass roots" lobbying campaigns at the local level. Committee activities include voter registration drives, lobbying efforts, and legal and operational issues. This Committee shall consist of the Executive Board (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer).

Student Involvement Committee - This Committee sponsors campus life programming at the Winter Park Campus. It coordinates entertainment and other student activity programs with the Student Development Center. Committee activities include planning and implementing the yearly event calendar, special events such as Matador Day, cultural events and theme weeks, games, tournaments, and contests.

Councils

Councils may be established by the SGA as warranted by needs of the Winter Park student body.

SGA Advisor

The SGA Advisor shall serve as an ex-officio member of the SGA.The Advisor shall work with the Treasurer to maintain an accurate accounting of the SGA budget and authorize all expenditures drawn from the college budget.
The main role of the Advisor shall be to oversee the activities of the SGA and to guide and educate the SGA members as to their duties and responsibilities. The members of the Executive Board should respect the SGA Advisor and strive to work in harmony with him/her.
The SGA Advisor shall be responsible for executing a grade check on all candidates for student government positions. He/she will advise the General Elections Committee of the results.
At the end of each session, the SGA Advisor shall be responsible for executing a grade check on all appointed and elected members of Student Government. He/she will advise the Student Government of the results.
The SGA Advisor will have the authority to remove members of the SGA who do not qualify before or during their term of office.

Oath of Office

All Board members shall take an oath of office before assuming their respective positions.
The oath shall be “I, state your name, do solemnly swear and affirm to carry out my duties as, name of position, as stated in the Valencia Community College Winter Park Campus Student Government Association Constitution and will uphold this constitution and its by-laws to the best of my abilities.”
New Board members, elected or appointed, will be sworn in by the SGA Advisor. This privilege may be delegated when the circumstance warrants it, such as the availability of a Valencia dignitary.

ARTICLE SIX - QUALIFICATIONS, TERM OF OFFICE, AND ELECTIONS

Section I - Qualifications for members of the SGA Board

A member of the Board must be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours at the Winter Park Campus and maintain at least six (6) credit hours at the Winter Park Campus during the term of office. Exceptions can be made (scheduling problems) and shall be the responsibility of the SGA Executive Board, with consultation by Advisor.

A member of the Board must have at the time of election or appointment and maintain during the term of office a 2.5 Grade Point Average or better.

A member of the Board must agree to abide by the rules set forth in this Constitution to be acknowledged in the oath of office.

Section II - Terms of Office

The term of office of the SGA Board shall begin on May 1 of each year and end on April 30. All Officers and Senators are required to serve a transition period between the time of their elections and the start of their term of office. This transition period is designed to acquaint them with their duties and to familiarize them with SGA procedures. Attendance at all SGA meetings and training sessions is mandatory.

Vacancies that occur within the SGA Board shall be filled by special election or by appointment of the SGA President with the approval of the Executive Board with a two-thirds (2/3) vote. Any qualified student may fill the position of a Board member. Vacancies should be filled within two weeks of their occurrence.

Section III - General Elections of Executive Board Members

A special General Elections Committee shall be chosen each year to supervise the election of Officers. The Committee shall consist of four (4) members: the President, Vice-President, and two non-returning students. In the event that the President and/or Vice President are running for re-election, their positions on the Committee shall be filled by non-returning students. The Committee shall have sole authority to conduct the general elections and settle issues not addressed in this Constitution. No one running for SGA office may serve on the Committee. The Committee shall be chaired by the SGA Advisor.

SGA general elections shall be held during each year between the 1st week of March and the 1st week of April. The exact dates and times shall be set by the General Elections Committee with consideration given to recommendations made by the Executive Board.

All SGA general elections shall be by secret ballot and shall be determined by a plurality of all votes cast by the student body of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus.

Anyone running for election must meet all qualifications for office, submit an official application with a petition signed by a minimum of twenty (20) students supporting his/her candidacy, and adhere to all election rules. It is the responsibility of the SGA Advisor(s) to verify the qualifications of all candidates.

The SGA President with the approval of the Executive Board may call special elections. Vacancies may also be filled by appointment by the President with the approval of the Executive Board with a two-thirds (2/3) vote.

Senators shall be appointed by a Selection Committee consisting of the newly-elected Executive Board (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer) and Advisor. Candidates for Senator positions must meet all qualifications for office, submit an official application and complete an interview. It is the responsibility of the SGA Advisor(s) to determine the qualifications of all candidates.

Special Liaisons shall be appointed by the Executive Board.

Section IV - Special Elections of Officers and Senators

All SGA special elections shall be by secret ballot and shall be determined by a majority (50% + 1) of all votes cast by the Board members present.

If there are more than two candidates running for the same position and no majority was reached on the first vote, then a run-off vote will be taken from the Board to decide the winner between the two leading candidates.

ARTICLE SEVEN - MEETINGS

Section I - Meetings

The SGA Board must meet at least twice per month during Terms 1 and 2 (Fall and Spring semesters) of the academic year, one of which shall be a public meeting.

The President is responsible for calling and scheduling all meetings in accordance with the rules of this Constitution and with the approval of the SGA Board. He/she may call a special meeting when it is deemed necessary. All regular meetings must be scheduled at least seven (7) days in advance and all members must be properly notified. Special meetings may be called with only 24 hours notice. This requirement may be waived in extreme emergencies. In such cases all votes must be by a majority of the entire Board.

All SGA Board meetings shall be conducted in accordance with this Constitution. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern instances not stipulated in this Constitution.

A General Session Meeting shall consist of a meeting of the SGA Board, Advisor(s), its membership (student body), and guests to keep the membership informed of the activities of the Board. There shall be at least two General Session meetings during an academic year (one in Term 1 and one in Term 2).

Section II - Quorum

A quorum at regular meetings shall consist of a majority (50% + 1) of the voting members of the SGA Board unless otherwise stated.

A quorum at Executive Committee meetings shall consist of a majority (50% + 1) of the SGA Executive Board unless otherwise stated.

Section III - Voting

All SGA Board decisions shall be by a majority (50% + 1) vote of those Board members present and voting unless otherwise required.

All other SGA decisions shall be by a majority (50% + 1) vote of those Board members present and voting unless otherwise required.

The SGA President shall not vote as an Officer unless the Board is evenly divided or a vote larger than a majority is required.

Special Liaisons shall be non-voting members of the Board.

Any member of the Board on any official vote may request a secret ballot.

Section IV - Attendance

Board meetings

All SGA Board meetings are mandatory; it is the responsibility of all SGA Board members to attend. Exceptions can only be made in extreme circumstances and with the unanimous approval of the Executive Board and Advisor.

If an SGA Board member is unable to attend a meeting, it is his/her responsibility to obtain the minutes of the meeting and any other related materials.

A Board member of the SGA is permitted a total of two (2) non-proxied absences during his/her regular required term of office (Terms 1 and 2).

After a Board member has been absent without proxy, the Secretary shall send a letter of warning to the Board member in question. This letter will be sent before the next meeting.

During the meeting of the second, non-proxied absence of any Board member, the member in question will no longer hold that office. This position may now be filled during the same meeting.

Section V - Proxy

Board meetings

A proxy will be considered attendance at an SGA meeting.

The proxy must be written, signed, and given to a voting member of the Board.

The proxy will allow the voting member of the Board who holds the proxy to vote for the absent voting member of the Board on all votes except for any elections.

The proxy must be shown to the Board before or during roll call of the meeting in which the proxy is to be used.

Each Board member will be allowed a total of three (3) proxies for his/her term of office.

ARTICLE EIGHT - REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

Section I - Removal from Office

A. SGA Board members may be removed from office for absenteeism following the procedure stated in the attendance section of this Constitution (Article Seven, Section IV).

SGA Board members may be removed from office for the nonperformance of duties, lack of participation, actions that are detrimental to SGA and/or the college, and any other offense that clearly violates the proper purposes of the SGA.

Members shall be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the SGA Board. If a member feels his removal from office is not warranted, he/she may appeal to the SGA in writing within ten days and a Review Committee will be convened. A Review Committee must be commissioned within two weeks from the time the written appeal is received by the Executive Board.

It will be the responsibility of the SGA Board to bring a removal petition to the Executive Board for a vote. A petition signed by at least three (3) members of the SGA Board, or twenty-five (25) members of the student body will be sufficient to bring the issue to a vote. The petition must come before the Executive Board at the next regular meeting.

A removal petition must include the following: the name of the person subject to removal, his/her office, a clear statement of the offense, and the proper number of signatures with Valencia Identification (VID) numbers in support of the petition.

Section II - Review Committee

Review Committee shall be constituted to hear appeals in cases involving removal from office.

The Review Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Three (3) members shall be selected from among student leaders and two (2) members shall be selected from the Winter Park Campus faculty and staff. The Winter Park Campus Student Development Center shall recommend the list of student leaders. The list of students and faculty members will then be narrowed to those who are willing to serve on the Review Committee. The Review Committee will be selected at random by the SGA Advisor and the Winter Park Campus Provost.

When the Review Committee has been selected, a hearing will take place.

The SGA Advisor shall serve as facilitator for the review process. The facilitator will read the charges from the petition. The facilitator will also provide information requested by the Review Committee. The named SGA member shall have the opportunity to answer the charges.

The Review Committee will decide if the removal charges are valid, within two (2) school days it will notify the named SGA Officer of his/her removal of office.

If the Review Committee decides the removal charges are invalid, within two (2) school days it will notify the named SGA Officer.

Each Committee member shall have one vote; a majority vote of the Committee shall determine the outcome.

The official named in the petition shall have five (5) school days to appeal the decision of the Winter Park Review Committee to the Student Development Committee.

ARTICLE NINE - SGA CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT PROCESS

Section I - Amendments

Any SGA Board member may propose amendments to the Constitution at a regular SGA meeting. To be accepted as a proposed amendment, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Board.

The student body of Valencia, Winter Park Campus may propose amendments to the Constitution when supported by a petition signed by fifty (50) students including VID information who are enrolled at Winter Park Campus during the Term in which the amendment is proposed. To be accepted as a proposed amendment, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the SGA Board.

Section II - Revisions

The SGA President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint a Committee to review this Constitution annually and to suggest revisions.

To be accepted as a proposed revision, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE TEN - RATIFICATION

Section I - Ratification

Upon two-thirds (2/3) approval by the SGA, the proposed revisions and/or amendments shall be forwarded to the administration of the college.

The Provost of the Winter Park Campus shall approve the proposed revisions of the Constitution to ensure that they comply with the college regulations before they are voted on by the student body.

After the proposed revisions and/or amendments are approved by the Provost, they shall be presented to the student body for ratification.

Ratification of a constitutional revision and/or amendments shall be by majority approval of the students voting on the revision. Such ratification may take place at the same time as the regular SGA elections or at a special vote called by the Student Government Association.

ARTICLE ELEVEN - IMPLEMENTATION

Upon ratification of this Constitution as stated in Article Ten, the document will immediately become effective as the Constitution of the Student Government Association of Valencia Community College Winter Park Campus, superseding the Constitution presently in effect.

ARTICLE TWELVE - HAZING

Valencia Community College District Board of Trustees Policy and Procedure

Section I - Policy and Procedure Number: 6Hx28:10-07

All student organizations, their Officers or members are expressly forbidden to engage in any kind of hazing as defined in Policy 6Hx28:10-17 and such organizations and individuals violating the policy shall be subject to the penalties set forth therein. All student organizations shall include the policy in its entirety in their By-Laws.

Section II - Policy and Procedure Number: 6Hx28:10-17

Hazing is prohibited at Valencia Community College pursuant to Section 240.326, Florida Statutes.

Hazing is Defined in Section 240.326(1), Florida Statutes, as follows:

“(1) As used in this section, ‘hazing’ means any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating under the sanction of a community college, hereinafter referred to as “community college organization.” Such term includes, but is not limited to, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping; beating; branding; forced calisthenics; exposure to the elements; forced consumption of any food, liquor, drug, or other substance; or any other forced physical activity which could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual, and also includes any activity which would subject the individual to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, embarrassment, or other forced activity which could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual. For purposes of this section, any activity as described above upon which the initiation or admission into or affiliation with a community college organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be a ‘forced’ activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity notwithstanding.”

ARTICLE THIRTEEN - CONSTITUTIONS AND BY-LAWS

Any group wishing to form a club, organization, or association officially recognized at Valencia Winter Park Campus must be in tentative recognition before requesting SGA approval. Once tentative status has been established, this group shall submit a completed “How To Form a Club” packet and a copy of their proposed Constitution and/or by-laws to the SGA for approval. Approval shall be granted by a simple majority vote of the SGA Board. Upon approval, the group will be granted full recognition from the SGA. No group will be officially recognized without the approval of the SGA.