Articles of Student Government

SECTION ONE:  Name of Organization

• The name of the organization shall be called the Student Body of Northern Oklahoma College.

SECTION TWO:  Membership

• The membership of the Student Body shall consist of all students regularly enrolled at Northern Oklahoma College as well as any special students enrolled therein.

SECTION THREE:  Officers

• A. The two (2) elected officers of the Student Body shall be president and vice-president.
• B. In order for a student to be eligible for the office of Student Body president or vice-president, he/she shall have attended Northern for one semester, have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.50, be enrolled in at least twelve (12) hours and be in good conduct standing with the college.
• C. Vacancy in the office of Student Body president shall be filled by the Student Body vice-president.
• D. Vacancy in the office of Student Body vice-president shall be filled by Student Senate appointment.

Representative Organizations

Section One: Membership

The legislative body of the college shall be named the Student Senate of Northern Oklahoma College.

A. General membership

1. There shall be five (5) senators to represent the classes: three (3) freshmen and two (2) sophomores.
2. Each residence hall shall elect one senator.
3. There shall be four (4) non-resident senators to represent the commuters.

B. Officers of Student Senate

The six (6) elected offi cers of the Student Senate shall be president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, reporter and parliamentarian.

C. Eligibility for Membership

1. To be eligible for election, the presidential candidates shall have attended Northern for one semester, have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.50, be enrolled in at least twelve (12) hours and be in good conduct standing with the college.
2. Each member must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.00, be enrolled in at least twelve (12) hours and be in good conduct standing with the college.

D. Term of office

1. All members of the Student Senate shall be elected for a period of one (1) school year. 2. The regular term of office shall begin at the start of the school year.

E. Vacancies

1. Vacancies among senators must be filled within thirty (30) days by presidential appointment with approval of the Student Senate.
2. Vacancy in the office of Student Senate president shall be filled by the Student Senate vice-president.
3. Other vacancies in the office of the Student Senate shall be filled by election held within the Student Senate.
4. The presidents of the Student Senate and the Student Body shall not hold any other executive office on campus.

Duties of Officers

Section One: President of the Student Body: The president of the Student Body shall represent the students of Northern Oklahoma College at all times and make certain that all laws and statutes of the Student Body are enforced. He/she shall be a voting member of the Senate.

Section Two: Vice-President of the Student Body: The duties of the vice-president of the Student Body shall be to aid the president of the Student Body in all matters and to take over in his/her absence. He/she shall be a voting member of the Senate and a member of the activities committee.

Section Three: President of the Student Senate: The president of the Student Senate shall be charged with the responsibility of presiding over all meetings of the Student Senate, acting as an ex-officio member of all committees and making certain that all laws and statutes of the Student Senate are enforced. At all times he/she will act as the official representative of the Student Senate.

Section Four: Vice-President of the Student Senate: The vice-president of the Student Senate shall preside at all meetings of the Senate in the absence of the president. He/she shall act as co-chairman of all Senate committees.

Section Five: Secretary of the Student Senate: The secretary of the Student Senate shall be charged with the responsibility of keeping all permanent records of the Senate. He/she shall maintain a record of all proceedings and send copies of the official minutes to each senator, the advisors, the Vice President for Student Services and the President of the college. He/she shall handle all correspondence of the Senate and maintain an attendance record of all Senate meetings. He/she shall notify all members of impending meetings.

Section Six: Treasurer of the Student Senate: The treasurer of the Student Senate shall maintain and present itemized statements of receipts and expenditures of all Student Senate activities and collect, deposit and spend all funds in the manner established by the Office of Financial Affairs. He/she shall serve as a member of all Senate financial committees and shall make a treasurer’s report monthly to the Senate.

Section Seven: Reporter of the Student Senate: The reporter of the Student Senate shall prepare all news releases relative to any activity of the Student Senate. He/she shall keep the Student Body informed of business transacted by the Senate by means of summaries of minutes of each meeting published in the official school newspaper. News releases are then presented to the NOC Public Information Office.

Section Eight: Parliamentarian of the Student Senate: The parliamentarian of the Student Senate shall be responsible for seeing that all business is transacted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order (revised edition).

Powers and Duties of the Student Senate

Section One: Campus Committees

The Student Senate has the power to appoint any campus committees it shall deem necessary to accomplish its official and assigned function.

Section Two: Campus Activities

A. The Student Senate shall be the governing power over student activities.
B. All student-oriented activities must be approved through the Senate by petition submitted one week in advance of the activity.

Section Three: Assistance to the Administration

The Student Senate members shall hold themselves available to give assistance to the administration whenever requested to do so.

Section Four: Elections

The Student Senate shall have the power to administer yearly campus-wide elections to offices covered in this constitution.

Section Five: Financing

The Senate shall sponsor, with consent of the administration, such activities and collect such fees as it shall deem necessary for financing its general student activities.

Section Six: Power and Responsibilities

The Student Senate shall assume any other powers and/or responsibilities mutually agreed upon by the administration of the school and the Student Senate provided such are, or become, incorporated as amendments of the constitution and by-laws.

Section Seven: Authority

A. With the approval of the Student Senate, the Student Senate president can create any committees deemed necessary to accomplish the legitimate purpose and functions of the Student Senate.
B. Committee members shall be appointed by the Student Senate president to serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer for a period no longer than his/her term of office.
C. Any committees so named and established can be abolished by a two-thirds vote of the quorum.

Section Eight: Meetings of the Senate

A. The Student Senate shall hold regular meetings once each week of the academic year.
B. The Senate shall have the responsibility of setting up the meeting time.
C. Any variation from the normal meeting time shall be announced by the secretary to the members at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the contemplated change.
D. Special meetings shall be called by the president and/or the advisor of the Senate. Twelve (12) hours prior notice must be given for these meetings.

Section Nine: Attendance

A. Attendance at all meetings shall be mandatory unless the member is excused by a notice given to the secretary of the Senate prior to said meetings.
B. Three (3) unexcused absences per semester will automatically put the member under Article VI, Section I.
C. A vote of two-thirds of the total membership of the Senate shall be required under Article VI, Section I.

Elections

Section One: Election of the Student Body Officers

A. Eligibility rules for candidates for Student Body officers shall be posted by the Senate secretary no later than the first Monday in April of each school year.B. All eligible candidates must file a petition for office with the Student Senate no later than Friday of the following week.
C. This petition must contain the number of signatures decided upon by the Student Senate, this number being posted with the eligibility rules.
D. Campaigning for offices shall begin no sooner than the third Monday in April, the time and place to be set by the Senate.
E. Elections of the Student Body officers shall be held on the fourth Monday in April, the time and place to be set by the Senate.
F. Ballots shall be counted by the senators who are sophomores and the Senate advisors, the results being posted by the Senate secretary.
G. In the event of a conflict with spring recess, the date shall be set back one week.

Section Two: Election of Student Senate President

A. The candidates for Student Senate president must be freshman members of the Senate in the spring term preceding the fall term when they would take office.B. The Student Senate members will nominate one or more candidates from their freshman members. All nominations must be seconded.
C. The nominating procedure will take place on the first Monday of April.
D. The Student Senate will elect one of the previous nominees to the position of Student Senate president by a simple majority vote. This election will take place at the first regular Senate meeting following the nomination meeting.
E. If no candidate is elected by the Student Senate, an open election for the office of Student Senate president will be held in the following fall term according to the procedure of the other fall elections.

Section Three: Election of Senate Representatives

A. Election of senators to represent the sophomore class shall be held at the same time as Student Body officers and the election shall follow the same rules adopted for that election. B. Election of residence hall senators shall be held by the last school day in September following rules set up by that residence hall and approved by the Senate.
C. Election of senators to represent the commuters shall be held by the last school day in September following submission of petitions to the Senate. The Senate shall have the power to set up the time and place for this election.
D. Freshman senators shall be elected by the last school day in September following submission of petitions to the Senate. This election shall be held at the same time as the election for commuter senators.

Section Four: Election of Student Senate Officers

Election of Senate officers other than president shall be held at the time and place set up by the Senate itself.

Removal from Office

Section One:  Procedure

• A. Charges against members or officers may be brought to the attention of the Student Senate by the administration, disciplinary committee, a petition signed by ten (10) percent of the Student Body, or a petition signed by one half of the entire Student Senate.
• B. The accused member shall have the right to protest and defend.
• C. After due deliberation by the entire Student Senate acting as jurors, a two-thirds vote shall be needed to remove the incumbent.
• D. Any senator or officer who conducts himself/herself in such fashion as to place himself/herself under disciplinary probation shall forfeit office for the duration of the probationary period.

Amendments Procedure

Section One: Proposed Amendments May be Brought Before the Senate by

• A. A signed petition of twenty (20) percent of the Student Body.
• B. Any member of the Student Senate who may present an amendment to the constitution at a regular meeting or special meeting of the Senate.

Section Two: Action on an Amendment
Action on a proposed amendment to the constitution shall be considered by the Student Senate at the next regular meeting.

Section Three: Amendment Approval

• A proposed amendment to the constitution must be approved by two-thirds of the votes cast by the Student Body.

Section Four: Amendment Published

• The proposed amendment shall be published in the official school paper at least one week prior to the voting date.

SECTION FIVE:  Administration Approval

• Following approval by the Student Body, the amendment shall be presented to the administration of the college and will become incorporated into the constitution upon administration approval.

Ratification

Section One:  Effective Date

• This constitution shall become effective upon approval of the administration and of three-fourths of the votes cast by the Student Body.