THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

OF

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

 

Our Mission

We, the undergraduates of Central Connecticut State University, in order to present a united front, provide for the general student welfare, ensure the equality of all students, and promote the enhancement of the University experience for all, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University.

Human Rights Statement

The Central Connecticut State University Student Government Association believes in the inherent rights of all humans to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our commitment is to fair and unbiased treatment of all members, students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. The Student Government Association follows the Affirmative Action Policy of the University.

ARTICLE I: GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. The President of Central Connecticut State University authorizes and empowers the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University as the duly constituted student government of Central Connecticut State University.

Section 2. The Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University may be referred to in and under this Constitution as the “Student Government Association or SGA”. The elected representative body of the SGA may be referred to as the “Senate”.

Section 3. All undergraduate students of Central Connecticut State University are members of the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University. Only these members shall be permitted to vote and be candidates in undergraduate student elections at Central Connecticut State University.

Section 4. The Student Senate shall conduct its financial affairs with full recognition of the responsibilities and authority of the President of Central Connecticut State University in supervision of the management by and under the Student Senate of the monies in the Student Activity fund of Central Connecticut State University, as these responsibilities and this authority are stated in the Connecticut General Statutes (including, but not limited to Section 4-54) and in any State regulations pursuant to such Statutes and resolutions of the Board of Trustees for the Connecticut State University pursuant to such Statutes.

Section 5. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the Senate of the Student Government Association.

Section 6. All appropriations for mandated programs, committees, and commissions of the SGA shall be approved by the Senate.

Section 7. Any disputes on interpretations of any section of this Constitution between the students shall be resolved by a majority vote of those Senators present and voting at the meeting at which the dispute is brought to the attention of the Senate.

Section 8. All powers, duties, responsibilities, and obligations not identified in this Constitution shall reside in the Student Body of Central Connecticut State University.

ARTICLE II: GOVERNING BODY

Section 1. The Senate shall have the power to provide for the general welfare of the SGA (the student body); to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever that may be of concern to the SGA and the members of SGA; and to exercise like authority over all programs, committees, commissions, and organizations as may be established and recognized by the SGA of Central Connecticut State University.

Section 2. Legislation of the Senate shall be consistent with, and subordinate to, the provisions of this Constitution. Legislation of the Senate may be enacted, amended, or repealed which concerns but is not limited to:

A. Student general welfare;B. Official expression of the opinions of the student body;C. Effective student participation in the organization and control of University affairs;

D. The quality and affordability of the educational process at Central Connecticut State University;

E. Representation of the students to and within representative student organizations outside of Central Connecticut State University;

F. The actions of persons who execute the will of the SGA (This “will” being as is interpreted through legislation of the Senate.);

G. Student conduct;

H. Student fees, including but not limited to the portion of the Student Activity Fee allocated for SGA use by the University;

I. Appropriations and expenditures of student funds;

J. SGA funded student organizations;

K. Student elections;

L. Investigation of campus issues and problems of concern to students;

M. Social gathering and special events;

N. Any other matter that the Senate deems of interest to the Student body.

Section 3. The Senate shall operate as follows:A. The Senate may determine the rules of its proceedings by enactment of By-Laws. The Senate shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish this journal after every Senate meeting. The yeas, nays, and abstentions of the members of the Senate on any question put to a role-call vote shall be entered in the journal.B. The rules of order which shall govern the proceedings of the Senate shall be Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, in its latest edition.

C. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Senate, but shall not take part in any debate on the floor of the Senate, nor shall the President have a vote in any proceedings of the Senate, except in cases of a tie vote, or when control of the proceedings has been passed to another in accordance with the provisions set forth in Article II, Section 3, Sub-section B.

D. Every act of legislation which has been approved by the Senate, shall, before it is enacted, be presented to the President of the Student Government Association.  If the President approves of the legislation it shall be signed, but if not, the President shall reserve the right to veto any legislation of the Senate.  Upon such action, the President must report this decision, along with the reasoning for it, to the Senate.  The Senate may then reconsider the legislation, and if it is then approved by two-thirds of the Senate it shall be considered passed, and the President will not have the power to veto this legislation.”

E. The Senate shall employ a Secretary for itself, who shall assist the presiding officer of the Senate-especially in the keeping, typing, and distribution of a record of the proceedings of the Senate.

F. A majority of the members of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. The Senate shall not enact, amend, or repeal any legislation without a quorum present, but may adopt motions to adjourn meetings.

G. The President shall make all necessary preparations for all Senate meetings, as provided in the By-Laws of the SGA.

H. Upon a petition of one-third of its members, the Senate shall hold a special meeting.

I. All other rules governing the organization and operation of the Senate shall be provided in the By-Laws of the SGA.

Section 4. “Student Activity Fund Acts” shall refer in and under this Constitution to the power given to the Senate over the use and distribution of that portion of the Student Activity Fund of Central Connecticut State University which has been designated for use of the SGA, by the President of Central Connecticut State University, and carried out through the approval of official budgets and other related actions.

Section 5. The Senate shall be composed of:

A. Eight (8) Senators elected by and from the SGA members residing in Central Connecticut State University Residence Halls;

B. Sixteen (16) Senators elected by and from the SGA members who are full-time undergraduate students and do not reside on-campus;

C. Six (6) Senators elected at-large by and from undergraduate students;

Four (4) Senators elected by and from the freshman SGA members in a Fall election.Section 6. The elections for the Senate shall be as follows:A. Each term of office for each Senator shall be for the academic year.B. Each term of office for Senate members shall commence at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the Senate following acceptance of the election results.

C. The times, places and manner of holding elections for senators and officers of the SGA, shall be determined by the Senate.

D. The Senate shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, with election results requiring ratification by the current Senate

E. Each Senate position vacant during its term of office may be filled by the calling of a special election for that purpose. No Senate position may - under any conditions - be filled by appointment, by indirect election, or by any form of selection except open and direct election by the constituents of said position.

F. No member of the SGA may stand for election to more than one elected position at one time.

Section 7. No senator shall hold the office of Senator and any other Article III SGA Officer position simultaneously.

Section 8. The Senate shall have the power to make all rules and regulations which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this constitution in the SGA, or in any department, committee, commission, program, or officer thereof.

Section 9. No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but pursuant to appropriations made by the Senate or as the Senate provides; and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all SGA money shall be published from time to time.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Section 1. The Executive Officers of the Senate shall be as follows:

A. The President of the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University, who shall be at all times a full-time undergraduate student of Central Connecticut State University. The President of the Student government Association of Central Connecticut State University may be referred to in and under this Constitution as the “President.”

B. The Vice-President of the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University, who shall be a full-time undergraduate student of Central Connecticut State University. The Vice-President of the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University may be referred to in and under this Constitution as the “Vice-President.” The Vice-President shall be a voting member of the Senate.

C. The Student Treasurer of Central Connecticut State University, who shall be a full-time undergraduate student of Central Connecticut State University. The Student Treasurer of Central Connecticut State University may be referred to in and under this Constitution as the “Student Treasurer” or as the “Treasurer.” The Treasurer shall be a voting member of the Senate.

Section 2. In case of the removal of the President from office, or his/her death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of said office, the Vice-President shall become the President, and the Senate may by resolution provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and the Vice-President. In case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, both of the President and the Vice-President to fulfill the responsibilities of their office, the Senate shall select one of its members to fill the office of President until such time as an election may be conducted as designated by the By-Laws of the Student Government Association.

Section 3. Before the President and Vice-President enter on the execution of his/her/their respective offices, they shall take the following oath or affirmation: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President (or Vice-President) of the Student Government Association of Central Connecticut State University, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the Student Government Association, and the state of Connecticut, and the United States.”

Section 4. No commitments and disbursements of funds shall become official without the approval and signature of the Treasurer. The Treasurer of the SGA shall be responsible to the Senate for ensuring that the finances of and under the management of the SGA are administered properly, as directed by the Senate in compliance with the Connecticut General Statutes and the State of Connecticut Accounting Procedures Manual.

ARTICLE IV: STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Senate will maintain the following nine standing committees whose operations will be fully defined in the Senate By-laws:

Conference Committee – provides funds for student clubs and organizations to participate in conferences around the United States;Events Committee – helps to plan and finance SGA sponsored events

Finance Committee – responsible for overseeing the Senate Budget;

Promotions Committee – notifies CCSU students of upcoming events and opportunities available to them;

Scholarship Committee – administers a scholarship program funded by the Senate;

Student Elections Committee – responsible for administering both Freshman and General Senate elections;

Student Life Committee – acts as a liaison between students and the Student Affairs Office to address concerns regarding services on campus.

ARTICLE V: IMPEACHMENT

Section 1. Impeachment of elected executive officers of the SGA shall proceed as follows:

A. A petition for impeachment shall be drawn up, specifying the executive officers to be impeached, and the charges justifying this impeachment;B. This petition shall be signed by SGA members;C. Any petition for impeachment which has been signed by at least a majority of the members of the Senate and or three hundred and fifty (350) SGA members, and which has been submitted onto the minutes of a Senate meeting, shall cause the impeachment request on such petition to become official.

Section 2. The expulsion of an impeached executive officer by the Senate shall proceed as follows. A. A motion may be made to expel, from all elective offices under this Constitution, an executive officer who has been officially impeached in the form specified above; provided, that this motion be made at a Senate meeting which takes place no earlier than two weeks after submission of the petition;B. During the debate associated with a motion for expulsion, evidence and viewpoints shall be presented according to the rules of order governing the proceedings of the Senate;C. A two-thirds vote of the members of the Senate present and voting shall be necessary to expel from office any elected executive officer of the SGA.

Section 3. All persons expelled as specified above shall leave all elective offices that they hold under this Constitution immediately. The Senate shall have the power to pass additional punitive measures against any expelled executive officer; provided that these measures are within the jurisdiction of the Senate and in conjunction with the office of the President of Central Connecticut State University.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS

Section 1. This Constitution shall be amended and/or revised only by the SGA members, and only as provided in this Constitution.

Section 2. Amendments and/or revisions to this Constitution shall be put in the form of modifications to the text of the version of this Constitution currently in force. Amendments to this Constitution shall be proposed in the Senate in the form of standard parliamentary motions, as specified in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, in its latest edition.

Section 3. When an amendment or revision to this Constitution is proposed to the Senate, such proposal may be voted upon after it has either been in a committee or on the table for two (2) weeks. Such proposal shall be adopted by the Senate if approved by a two-thirds vote of its total membership.

Section 4. Each proposed amendment or revision to this Constitution that has been adopted by the Senate shall be voted on, in referendum form, by the whole SGA membership. The SGA membership shall be given no less than one (1) week after a given amendment or revision was adopted by the Senate before it shall vote on such an amendment [or revision]. If the referendum to approve such an amendment or revision receives a majority of the votes cast, then a new version of this Constitution-which includes the newly enacted amendment(s) and/or revision(s)-shall come into force.

Section 5. Any formatting, spelling, or punctuation errors contained in this document shall be correctable by normal parliamentary procedures as specified in Robert’s Rules Newly Revised, in its latest edition, during the course of normal Senate business without requiring a referendum vote of the whole SGA membership.

ARTICLE VII: ENACTMENT

Section 1. Prior to the presentation of this Constitution to the undergraduate student body for approval, this Constitution shall first be considered by the Senate. This Constitution shall be adopted by the Senate if it is approved by a two-thirds vote of all those Senate members present and voting.

Section 2. After this Constitution has been adopted by the Senate, it shall be presented to the undergraduate student body of Central Connecticut State University for consideration in a referendum. If the referendum to approve this Constitution receives a majority of the votes cast by the members of the undergraduate student body of Central Connecticut State University, then this Constitution shall become the official Constitution of the Central Connecticut State University Student Government Association.

Updated May 2004