Constitution

of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Preamble We, the Students of Georgia Highlands College (hereinafter referred to as the College), do hereby ordain and establish this Constitution of the Student Body of the College in order to uphold the ideals of responsible citizenship of this campus, to foster leadership, to facilitate better communication between students and administration and faculty, and to maintain an enhanced atmosphere of learning. This Constitution will also recognize that Students may become very involved in the efforts of individuals and organizations to improve physical and social conditions of the College, to increase effectiveness of the learning processes and the development of maturity, and to create opportunities for self-governance characterized by orderly procedures and mature judgment. This Constitution also assumes the power and responsibility of self-governance delegated to us by the President of the College and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Article I Membership Section 1. Composition Membership in the Student Body shall be composed of all officially registered and enrolled students at the College. Section 2. Privileges Any officially registered and enrolled student shall be entitled to vote in student elections and to make nominations for said elections. Article II Organization Section 1. Name of Organization The governing student organization for the College shall be known as the Student Government Association, hereafter referred to as the SGA. The duties and functions of this Organization are such as are herein conferred upon it. Section 2. Membership Paragraph A. The SGA shall consist of all designated student leaders (Presidents) of all registered student organizations (RSO) (or their designated representative), Coordinators of Student Life for each GHC location, the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs (or a designated Student Affairs representative), the Vice President of Finance (or a designated representative from Accounting Services) and one faculty member per GHC location as nominated by the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Paragraph B. Voting Rights for SGA members will be established by the criteria that determines at how many GHC locations a RSO maintains activity found in Article X. Section 3. SGA Officers Paragraph A. The Chairperson of the SGA will be nominated and chosen from the student members of SGA. The Chairperson will be a non-voting member except as a tiebreaker, and shall resign his/her representation of a RSO to serve as an unbiased member of the SGA. Paragraph B. The Secretary of the SGA will be nominated and chosen from the student members of the SGA. The Secretary shall retain all regular voting rights and will not be required to resign his/her representation of an RSO Paragraph C. Associate Chairs shall be selected for each GHC location that is not the home of the Chairperson. The duty of the Associate Chair will be to represent the interests of his/her GHC location during SGA meetings, and to fill in as needed for the SGA Chairperson. Associate Chairs shall retain all regular voting rights and will not be required to resign his/her representation of an RSO, unless they are fulfilling the duties of the Chairperson. Section 3. Ultimate Authority The President of the College shall have ultimate discretion in approving any decisions or recommendations made by the SGA. Article III Duties and Functions of the Student Government Association Section 1. Purpose Paragraph A. The Primary purpose of the SGA shall be to help formulate just and proper regulation pertaining to student government and to assist those persons designated to enforce the regulations. Paragraph B. The SGA shall promote campus activities and events in a manner that will result in the greatest possible advantage and satisfaction to each student as both an individual and as a part of the Student Body as a whole; and to promote the College as a leading institution of the community. Section 2. Meetings Paragraph A. The SGA shall meet at least once a month during each academic term, or at the call of the Chair or any Coordinator of Student Life. Paragraph B. The quorum necessary for business shall consist of a majority of the membership present at the current meeting. Paragraph C. Monthly meetings during the summer term shall be waived as needed or ordered by the Chair or any Coordinator of Student Life. 2

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Section 3. Functions The SGA shall specifically have these major functions: 1. To accept and discuss matters of interest and concern presented to it from the Student Body and by various registered student organizations, and to present proposals subject to the approval of the President and Faculty of the College. 2. To determine the budget for the Office of Student Life using the student activity fees, and submit this budget for the approval of the President of the College. 3. To recommend recognition of new student organizations for the College campus(es) subject to the approval of the Student Affairs Committee, Faculty, and President of the College. 4. To establish policy relative to student activities, subject to approval of the President and Faculty of the College. 5. To adjudicate traffic appeals. Article IV Student Membership in the Student Government Association Student representation and membership in the SGA shall consist of all Presidents (or designee) of all registered student organizations of the College. Section 1. Student Representation Membership Paragraph A. Membership on the SGA will consist of all current registered student organization presidents from all GHC locations. Paragraph B. For students interested in participating in student government and are not a president (or designee) of a RSO, Student-At-Large positions will be available. Two student-at-large positions will be reserved for each GHC location. Students interested in applying for the At-Large positions must complete an application and interview process through the Office of Student Life at his/her respective location. The Student-At-Large positions will have all the rights and responsibilities placed with the other members of the Student Government Association. Paragraph C. If for any reason the RSO president is not able to serve, the president may designate another club member to serve in his/her place. The replacement representative will not have the power to vote unless he/she is the permanent designee. Paragraph D. The RSO representative (President or designee) must be consistent throughout the school year, and will be determined by the first SGA meeting of each semester.

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Paragraph E. Each RSO president, and only its president, will have one (1) vote. If the RSO president wishes to abdicate his/her voting privileges to a permanent designee, it may be done. Paragraph F. The term of service will be from July 1 to June 30. Paragraph G. The combined SGA members shall have the power to remove a member of the Student Government Association by unanimous consent of the remaining members of the SGA for just cause through appropriate due process. Article V Qualifications for Student Membership on the SGA Section 1. Each student member shall comply with the qualifications herein stated: Paragraph A. All candidates must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 for work attempted at the College and must be free of judicial probation. Exceptions to this rule are first time freshman students who have not yet earned a GPA at the College, in which case the final high school cumulative GPA will be considered. Paragraph B. All members must be currently enrolled students at the College during their term in office. Paragraph C. Each member must carry a minimum of six (6) credit semester hours during each academic semester during his or her term of office. Paragraph D. At any time should the cumulative GPA drop below a 2.25, the member shall be placed on academic probation for one semester. Probation is only allowed one semester during the members term of office. The cumulative GPA must reach or exceed 2.25 by the following term or the member shall be removed from office at the beginning of the subsequent semester. Members on probation will have full duties and privileges of the office. Paragraph E. If a SGA representative is placed on judicial probation during his/her term the representative shall be removed from office, and a new representative for that RSO shall be named. Paragraph F. Summer semester enrollment is optional, however members should be willing to participate in any summer training sessions or leadership retreats. Article VI Registered Student Organizations Section 1. Application to Form All students have the privilege to organize and register student organizations through the Office of Student Life. An application that states the intent to form must be completed as specified in the College Student Handbook.

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Section 2. Approval The completed New Organization Application will be submitted to the Coordinator of Student Life at the respective GHC location. The Coordinator of Student Life will present the documents to the SGA for review and approval. Following SGA approval, the application is forwarded to the Student Affairs Committee for review. The Student Affairs Committee shall review the information and submit it for consideration to the Faculty of the College. Following the vote of the Faculty, the Student Affairs Committee will present their decision with a written rational as to why the group is approved or denied. This recommendation will then be sent to the President of the College for final approval. Section 3. Membership No approved RSO can discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or other protected classes. Any currently enrolled student at the College is eligible to join a club or organization; however, individual groups may specify criteria and/or requirements that must be met. Paragraph A. RSO officers must have and maintain a 2.25 or better cumulative GPA and be free of academic and/or disciplinary probation. Paragraph B. A student may join as many RSOs as he/she would like, however a student should not hold the presidents office in more than one (1) RSO per year. A student may hold other officer positions in multiple RSOs. Section 4. Advisor(s) A faculty/staff advisor is required for all registered student organizations by administrative policy. Full- time College employees must be the lead or main advisor for each RSO. Part-time College employees may serve as an additional advisor to assist the lead or main advisor. The advisor(s) will be responsible for checking students eligibility and will guide the RSOs activities. The advisor will not have the power to vote on the SGA with the exception of faculty selected to serve on the SGA. Section 5. Social Activities and Events All RSOs must submit a proposal for any College activity by filing a Student Life Event Form. This request must be turned into the Office of Student Life at least two weeks before the event for review and approval by the Coordinator of Student Life at the GHC location of the proposed activity. Any questions regarding the event must be settled prior to approval being granted. Substantial changes to an approved event may revoke previous approval and require additional review by the Coordinator of Student Life. Article VII Amendments Section 1. Proposal

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College Paragraph A. An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by presenting a clear statement of the amendment with the signatures of 50 currently enrolled students to the SGA. The proposal must be considered for two consecutive meetings prior to the call to vote. Paragraph B. Any member of the College student body, faculty or staff may propose an amendment. Section 2. Vote Any proposed amendment to the Constitution receiving a two-thirds majority of the vote cast by the SGA and then a majority of the votes cast by the Student Body shall be declared ratified. The President of Georgia Highlands College obtains ultimate authority over the student governing body. Article VIII Quorum Section 1. Number for Quorum A quorum shall be required to pass any legislation, resolution or recommendation proposed by the SGA. Quorum is equal to fifty (50) percent plus one of all voting members of the SGA. Section 2. Voting Tiebreaker The Chair of the SGA will cast the deciding vote in any tie in voting. Article IX Rules of Order Section 1. Edition of Rules The latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the procedure of the SGA. Section 2. Attendance All meetings of the Student Government Association shall be open for attendance to all members of the Student Body as well as the faculty and staff of the College. Paragraph A. Student members of the SGA must attend at least 51% of all SGA meetings held during their term in office in order to receive a vote during the annual Student Activity Fee Budget Proposal and Hearing Procedures. Article X Active Clubs and Budget Hearings and Reporting Section 1. In order for a RSO to be listed as active across different campuses and/or to request funding at the SGAs yearly budget hearings the RSO will need to meet the following benchmarks for each

Constitution of the Student Body of Georgia Highlands College campus for which they wish to be listed as active and/or funds are being requested. The RSO must provide documentation for each benchmark to the Coordinators of Student Life and the SGA. Paragraph A. Meetings on Campus - Each RSO must have at least three scheduled meetings per semester on the campuses that they are requesting funding for. These meetings must have been advertised to the student body. Advertising routes are the weekly student life email, the Flush Flash, flyers, or other approved means of communication to students. Paragraph B. Events on Campus - A RSO requesting funding for specific campuses must have at least two event forms on file with the Coordinator of Student Life at each respective GHC location included in the funding request. Paragraph C. Active Advisors - There must be an advisor presence at each active RSO location. The advisor having interaction with RSO members and the Office of Student Life at each active campus defines an advisor presence. Paragraph D. Members per Location - Each RSO must submit a roster to the Office of Student Life by October 1 & March 1 of each year. The roster must have a minimum of 5 active members per campus. Rosters must include the students name, email address, and a telephone number.