APPENDIX

Student Constitution

 

Preamble

 

                We, the students of Columbus North Senior High School, in order to represent the student body in all phases of high school life, do hereby establish this constitution for the Student Body of Columbus North Senior High School.  It shall be the purpose of the Student Constitution to:  1) provide and improve the democratic process of government in and about the school; 2) establish a satisfactory relationship between students and the administrative staff; 3) promote a better school spirit; and, 4) better the material conditions of the school.

 

ARTICLE I

NAME

 

Section 1.              The name of the student body organization shall be THE STUDENT ASSEMBLY of Columbus North Senior High School.

 

ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP OF THE BODY

 

Section 1.              All students regularly enrolled in Columbus North Senior High School are members of the Student Body.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Section 1.              The legislative power of the Assembly shall be derived from a coalition of a student initiative, accountability, work, and continuing responsibility with the guidance and help of administrative insight.  Power of the Student Assembly must, in this structure, originate from the administration.  It therefore, becomes the responsibility of the Assembly to establish workable grounds on a solid platform from which to operate.  Student Assembly thus may increase its operational ability by its solidity consistency, and willingness to cooperate.  For this to have meaning, the administrator must be equally willing to give and take, compromise, and allow student government to expand its realm of potency as the

Assembly proves itself competent.  It is a matter of mutual respect on the basis of the integrity of both parties developed through student and administrative cooperation that will bring a successful assembly.

 

                Clause 1.  All authoritative powers herein granted to the Student Body will be vested in the student government, which shall consist of the Student Assembly and the Student Council.

 

Section 2.              The legislative branch of the Student Body is the Student Assembly.

 

Section 3.              The executive branch of the Student Body is the Student Council.

 

ARTICLE IV

MEMBERSHIP OF THE STUDENT ASSEMBLY

 

Section 1.              The Student Assembly shall be composed of the following members:

 

                Clause 1.  The students from grades 9, 10, and11 shall, if qualified, be entitled to run in an election for class representatives to Student Assembly for the following school year.  Elections for these student representatives will be held during the last nine weeks of the school year prior to their terms.   Elections for incoming ninth grade students will be held during the first nine weeks of the school year of their terms.  Twelve students will be elected from each class, except in the case of a tie, which could cause variation in this number.   In case of a tie in an election, the number of elected members from a class may be, but may not exceed, thirteen, and may be, but may not be less than, eleven.

               

                Clause 2.  The Student Council may nominate students who show a sustained interest in student government through active participation in student government activities for at least a nine-week period as members of the Student Assembly upon review of an application for membership.  The Student Assembly must approve the appointment of the nominees by plurality vote.  Once approved, the nominees become members of Student Assembly with full voting privileges.  Student Council may nominate members for grades 9, 10, 11, and 12.  The total number of elected Student Assembly members (see Clause 1) and members through the application process from each class shall not exceed sixteen students.

 

                Clause 3.  A class, which has reached the limit of sixteen students from the total number of elected and appointed members (see Clauses 1 and 2), may petition other classes for up to three additional appointment positions, one from each class with an appointment position that remains unfilled.  To do so, the Student Council must first approve the Student Assembly nominees through the application process and present the names of the nominees to the Student Assembly.  One appointment position may be granted to the petitioning class through majority vote of a class caucus from any class whose appointment positions remain unfilled.  The appointment of the member through class petition must then be approved by majority vote of the Student Assembly.  The total number of elected Student Assembly members, appointed members, and petitioned members from each class shall not exceed nineteen students.

 

                Clause 4.  Meetings will be at time designated by the Student Assembly president and Student Assembly sponsors.

 

                Clause 5.  All fifteen candidates for the Student Body offices will become automatic members of the Student Assembly the following year.

 

                Clause 6.  All members of the Student Council are members of the Student Assembly with full voting privileges.  The president casts his vote only in the event of a tie.

 

                Clause 7.  All class officers are members of the Student Assembly with full voting privileges.

 

Section 2.              Any member of the Student Assembly shall be temporarily suspended for a period not exceeding 6 weeks as the result of repetitive infringement of the rights of other Assembly members (while in Assembly meetings or organized meetings presided over by Student Assembly officers) or as the result of an insufficient grade average.

 

                Clause 1.  This will require all Assembly and Council members to pass at least five (5) classes per grading period.

 

                Clause 2.  The Sergeant at Arms, the presiding chairman of the meeting and the sponsors will decide the length of suspension.

 

                Clause 3.  Repetitive infringement of the rights of other Assembly members will consist of continuing rowdiness or flagrant speaking out of order after the third warning.  One warning shall be given.  A second warning shall be given in which the threat of suspension is included.  Upon the third incident in one Assembly meeting, the representative may be suspended.

 

ARTICLE V

MEETINGS

 

Section 1.              All meetings of the Assembly must be announced to the students and faculty 24 hours in advance.

 

Section 2.              All such meetings will be conducted according to the Roberts Rules of Order.

 

Section 3.              Student Assembly must meet no less than once every three weeks and no more than once a week.

 

ARTICLE VI

RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENT ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVES

 

Section 1.              Each member is responsible for discussing Assembly activities to at least five members of his class in a positive effort to convey information and solicit responses and opinions from others.

 

Section 2.              All Assembly members are expected to attend all meetings unless an academic absence is needed.  Should a member have two absences within nine weeks as reported by the Secretary or Sergeant At Arms, the Student Council will review the absences and make a recommendation concerning action to be taken.  The member may be placed on attendance probation for review at a later time, or a recommendation for exclusion may occur.  The member under review may choose to address the Council concerning any special circumstances impacting attendance status, or the member may choose a Student Council member to speak in the member's behalf.

 

                Clause 1.  Recommendation for a representative’s removal by the Student Council requires a 2/3-majority vote of the Council.  The Secretary and Sergeant At Arms would present the recommendation to the Assembly at its next meeting.

 

                Clause 2.  Removal following a recommendation from the Student Council requires a majority vote of the Student Assembly.  The student under review, or an Assembly member of the student's choice, may address the Assembly concerning special circumstances.  Should the Assembly reject the Council recommendation, the Assembly member under review would be placed on probation for the following nine weeks and the process of review would repeat.

 

                Clause 3.  Any vacancy in the Assembly membership created by a removal may subsequently be filled in accordance with Article IV, Section 1, Clause 2.

 

Section 3.              It is every Student Assembly representative's duty to fairly represent the student's class.  It is also; therefore, the student's duty to bring up any suggestions, questions, or criticisms a member of the Student Body wishes the student to bring up in front of the Assembly.  Upon doing so, a full report on the Assembly's response to any such contribution must be given to the class or to the student who requested it be done.

 

ARTICLE VII

MEMBERSHIP OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL

 

Section 1.              The Student Council shall be composed of the following members:

 

Clause 1.  All officers of the Student Body shall be members of the Student Council.

 

Clause 2.  Officers of the Student Body shall be the presiding officers of both the Student Assembly and the Student Council with full voting powers in each.

 

Clause 3.  All foreign exchange students shall be invited by the Council to attend a Student Council meeting for a cultural experience.  Foreign exchange students have no voting privileges.

 

Clause 4.  The principal may reserve the right to appoint two (2) members to the Student Council out of the Student Body with full voting powers.

 

Clause 5.  Upon election, each class president shall become a member of the Student Council with full voting powers.

 

Section 2.              There shall be a minimum of three (3) members, with full voting privileges, from each of the four classes (freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior) on the Student Council.

 

                Clause 1.  In the event that after Section 1, clauses 1 through 4 of the article have been carried out, and there are not at least three (3) members from the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior class with full voting privileges on the Student Council, the Student Body president must hold an election within the Assembly to make up the balance of the members on the Council.  All nominations must come from the floor of the Assembly.  All nominees must be members of the Assembly.  The members thus elected by the Student Assembly become immediate members of the Student Council with full voting privileges.

 

ARTICLE VIII

OFFICERS

 

Section 1.              The officers of the Student Body shall be president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant at arms.

 

                Clause 1.  The vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant at arms, when elected, may be a member of the freshman, sophomore, or junior class.

 

                Clause 2.  The president must be a junior when elected and must have been a member of Student Assembly for at least one year.  All three (3) students running for Study Body president shall become members of the Student Council.

 

Section 2.              Candidates for these offices shall be nominated by a nominating convention composed of the Student Assembly.

 

Section 3.              All officers shall be elected by plurality vote of the Student Body by secret ballot within the last nine (9) weeks of the second (2nd) semester.  In this election seniors will not be allowed to vote.  These officers will become active officers upon the opening date of the following school year.

 

Section 4.              Officers of the Student Body should work as a team to create activities that promote a positive school environment and smooth operation of Student Government while working closely with the Student Assembly sponsors.  These student Body Officers also become the liaisons between the Student Body and the Administration of the school.  Each Student Body Officer is responsible to be a positive leader in the school community.  In addition, they have specific responsibilities for the offices they hold.

 

                Clause 1.  The President of the Student Body directs the programs of Student Assembly and Student Council.  The president must work closely and communicate regularly with the Student Assembly sponsors.  The president may reserve the right to appoint committees from the Student Body.  These committees will function for the duration of the school year or until the purpose of the committee has been fulfilled.  The President is also responsible for organizing and conducting the meetings of the Student Assembly and Student Council.  The President votes only in case of a tie.

 

                Clause 2.  The Vice-President of the Student Body assists and advises the President.  In the case of the absence of the President, the Vice-President fulfills the roles and responsibilities of the President.

 

                Clause 3.  The Student Body Secretary keeps current and accurate records of the activities and meetings of the Student Assembly and Student Council.  The Secretary also monitors committee participation by Assembly Members and possible nominees for Assembly.

 

                Clause 4.  The Treasurer of the Student Body, in conjunction with Student Assembly sponsors, monitors the financial affairs of the Student Assembly and makes deposits and withdrawal of funds to the Bookstore for the activities of the Student Assembly and Student Council.  The Treasurer also makes frequent reports of the organization's financial status to the Assembly membership.

 

                Clause 5.  The Sergeant At Arms of the Student Body is responsible to maintain order in meetings of the Student Assembly and Student Council and assist the President in efficient running of the meetings.  In addition, the Sergeant At Arms monitors attendance at meetings and assists the Secretary in recording attendance records.

 

ARTICLE IX

SPONSORS

 

Section 1.              Two (2) faculty supervisors will sponsor the Student Assembly and Student Council.

 

Section 2.              The principal may reserve the right to appoint one of the faculty supervisors.

 

Section 3.              The Student Council may then select the other faculty sponsor.

 

Section 4.              These sponsors will serve as faculty advisors and will act as sponsors until they resign or until the principal and/or Student Council feel there is a need for new sponsors.

 

                Clause 1.               The sponsors will act as advisors for a minimum of one school year.

 

ARTICLE X

RATIFICATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

 

Section 1.              In order for the constitution to be changed or altered in any way, including amendments, it must be passed in the Student Assembly by at least two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

 

                Clause 1.  The quorum will be composed of at least two-thirds (2/3) of all Student Assembly members.  (Refer to Article IV of this constitution.)

 

Section 2.              All such proposed changes and/or amendments must be submitted to the Student Assembly officers in written form at least two (2) weeks prior to their being voted on by the Assembly.

 

 

ARTICLE XI

STUDENT VOICE IN POLICY

 

Section 1.              If a change or amendment is necessary to the Student Rights & Responsibilities section IV (32.0-54.0) of the student handbook the proposed change or amendment shall be submitted to the floor of the Student Assembly.

 

Clause 1. A Student Representative preceding a motion of its approval will submit the change or amendment to the floor of assembly in bill form. 

 

Clause 2. A majority vote is required to pass the bill.

 

Clause 3.  Upon the bill’s approval in Assembly it will then be sent to the Student Council for ratification or denial. 

 

Clause 4. Upon Councils’ denial it goes back to the floor of Assembly for debate and revision preceding a motion for the changes approval. 

 

Clause 5. Upon Councils’ ratification of the bill it goes to the Principal (Principal’s Cabinet) for approval or veto. 

 

Clause 6. If approved, the changes are made to the handbook in the next scheduled printing and the policy becomes effective three (3) days after approval.  An announcement explaining the change(s) is required to occur at least two (2) times in the following three (3) days of the bills approval.