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The Constitution and By-laws of the Agricultural & Life Sciences Student Council of Iowa State University |
Constitution
| Article I Name-Objective |
Article II Membership |
Article III Officers |
Article IV Meeting-Quorum |
Article V Amendments |
By-laws
| Article I Executive Council |
Article II Voting |
Article III Vacancies |
Article IV Absences |
Article V Committee Reports |
| Article VI Funding |
Article VII Amendments |
Article VIII Revisions |
Article IX Ratification |
THE CONSTITUTION OF
THE AGRICULTURAL & LIFE SCIENCES STUDENT COUNCIL
OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Name and Objective
Section 1. Name: The name of this organization shall be the Agricultural & Life Sciences Student Council of Iowa State University.
Objective: The objective of the Agricultural & Life Sciences Student Council shall be to serve as a unifying agency among the students of the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences; to function as an administrative body that serves as a means of direct semi-official contact between the Dean of Agriculture & Life Sciences and the Agriculture & Life Sciences student body; and to function as such in activities with the administration and with the University as a whole.
Membership
Section 1. Eligibility:
A. To be a representative, he/she must be a full-time undergraduate student enrolled at Iowa State University and maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the ISU Information Handbook.
B. No person on the Agricultural & Life Sciences Student Council can represent more than one organization.
Section 2. Composition: The Agriculture & Life Sciences Student Council, Here after referred to as the Ag & Life Sciences Council, Shall be composed of:
A. Two representatives from each curriculum based major, both primary and secondary majors in the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, that have met the admission requirements in Article II Section 3 and 4d of this constitution.
1. In cases where two or more clubs represent one curriculum based major it will be at the discretion of that department's head to choose which club will represent that curriculum; thus that club will receive the two representative seats.
2.One representative will be allowed from each qualified agricultural organization that has met the admission requirements in Article II Section 3 of this constitution. This includes all interest groups and curriculum options that are available.
3. Two faculty advisers from the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences .
4. The College of Agriculture & Life Science’s Senators to the Government of the Student Body.
Section 3. Procedures and Criteria for Admission:
A. Liaison Membership
1. Criteria for representation on the Ag & Life Science Student Council as a Liaison:
a. The organization must be affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.
b.The organization must be registered with the Student Organizations and Activities Office. c.The organization must have a written statement of purpose and goals.
2 . Procedure for gaining representation on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council as a Liaison
a.The organization will petition the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council to be seated. Thiswill be in written form and will include the written statement of purpose and goals.
b.The executive council will review this petition of the organization, and determine if all criteria have been met. They will report their findings to the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
c. The organization must give the Council an oral presentation indicating why theyshould be represented on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
d. The Ag & Life Sciences Student Council will vote at the meeting after the oral presentation has been given. A 3/4 majority of all voting members on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council is required to receive Liaison Membership.
e.Upon approval, the organization will be seated on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
3.Voting Membership: Criteria needed for gaining voting rights on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council:
a.The organization must be affiliated with the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences.
b. The organization must have participated in the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council at least six consecutive meetings.
c.The organization must have a written statement, which includes activities, election process, and membership requirements.
4. Procedure for gaining voting rights on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council:
a. The statement of the organization must be submitted to the executive council for review.
b. The executive council will review the organization, and report their findings to the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
c. 3/4 majority of all voting members on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council is required to receive voting membership.
5. Criteria for withdraw of voting rights on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
a. An organization has the right to withdraw its voting rights on the council.
b. Organizations that choose to do so may only request reinstatement of voting rights at the last regular meeting of the fall semester
B. Funding Rights
1.Criteria needed for gaining funding rights on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council:
a.The organization must have a constitution.
b.The organization must have been a voting member of the Council for at least 1 year
2.Procedure for gaining funding rights on Ag & Life Sciences Student Council:
a.The organizations constitution must be submitted to the executive council for review.
b.The executive council will report their finding to the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
c. 3/4 majority of all voting members on the Ag Council & Life Sciences Student is required to receive funding rights.
C. Special Cases
1 . A club that has dual college representation may only have one representative on the council. That club shall have voting rights according to Section 3B of this constitution and funding rights from only one of the Colleges.
a.Example clubs such as: Agricultural Engineering, Food Science & Human Nutrition, Biological Sciences.
2. The GSB senators will have voting rights but no funding rights.
3. All officers of Ag & Life Sciences Student Council, with the exception of the President, will have voting rights. In the event of a tie, the President will vote to break the tie.
4. Ag & Life Sciences Ambassadors can have up to two (2) representatives, but they can only serve as liaisons seats with no voting and no funding rights.
Section 4. Selection of Council
A. Representatives
1. Curricula: The Junior Representatives from each of the curricula shall be elected at or before the organization's last meeting of the semester. At the completion of his/her first year, the Junior representative shall become the Senior representative from the same curriculum.
2. Liaisons: Each organization shall elect representative to serve one 1- or 2-year term as preferred by the group.
B. Faculty Advisors:
1. The Ag & Life Sciences Student Council shall elect the faculty advisors for 2-year staggered terms during spring semester.
2. Prior to the completion of an advisor's second year, a new adviser shall be chosen from three nominations approved by the Dean of Agriculture & Life Sciences and submitted by a nominating committee composed of at least three members of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council. The committee shall be appointed by the Vice President, as another standing committee on the council.
3. The nominee receiving a majority of votes of all voting members on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council shall be the new assistant advisor.
4. In the event that an advisor cannot fulfill his/her term, the same procedure as above will be followed.
5. A faculty advisor may not be the head of a department or curriculum.
C. Agriculture & Life Sciences Senators:
1. The Agriculture & Life Sciences Senators to the Government e of the Student Body shall be selected in the All-University elections as prescribed by the regulations of the Government of the Student Body. They shall serve the prescribed term for which they are elected.
D. Special Representation:
1. Any curriculum not represented on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council which does not have an organization shall follow this procedure in finding representatives:
a. Notice of the vacancy shall be posted, and the department head or advisors shall be notified.
b. A committee of one department official and three impartial students from the curriculum shall choose the representative from all interested students. The committee shall be appointed by the department head.
Section 5. Term of Office
A. Representatives:
1. Curricula: Representatives shall be seated at the first Ag & Life Sciences Student Council meeting of the semester for their terms as specified in Section 4 of this Article. Representatives are limited to a two-year term.
2. Liaison: Each representative shall be seated at the first Ag & Life Sciences Student Council meeting of the semester for his/her term(s) as specified in Section 4 of this article. Representatives are limited to a two-year term.
3. Agriculture & Life Sciences Senator: Each senator shall be seated at the first Ag & Life Sciences Student Council meeting of fall semester following the All-University elections.
B. Faculty Advisors:
4. A new advisor shall act as assistant advisor the first year of office and serve the remaining year of the specified term as advisor.
5. Advisers shall assume office the summer semester following their selection.
6. Faculty advisors may not succeed themselves
Section 6. Expulsion: Any organization may be expelled by a 3/4 majority of all voting members on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
Officers
Section 1. Enumeration: The following shall be the officers the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council: President, Vice- President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2. Eligibility
A. All members in good standing are eligible (including liaisons).
B.To be eligible for elected office, member must be serving in at least their second semester as an Ag & Life Sciences Student Council Representative.
Section 3. Election Process
A . Officer nominations will be opened two meetings prior to the election.
B . Each nominee shall submit a document from his/her club showing that he/she is a member in good standing.
C.Officers shall be elected by ballot at the second to last meeting of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council meeting during the fall semester.
D.They shall be elected as listed in Section I of this Article.
E.Only members with voting rights as listed in Article II, Section 3, Paragraph B and C are eligible to vote during elections.
F. A simple majority of voting members present is required for a person to be elected. In the event the initial vote for the particular office does not yield a candidate with a simple majority vote, the two candidates with the highest percent of votes will move on to a second ballot.
G. Absentee ballots may be counted in the balloting if approved by the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council at the meeting at which the election takes place.
H. Those members elected to office must resign as representatives from their respective clubs.
Section 4. Removal: Officer may be removed for neglect or incompetence by a vote of 3/4 of the voting Ag & Life Sciences Student Council members.
Meeting-Quorum
Section 1. Time: The President may call special meetings, as he/she deems necessary.
Section 2. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council members. No business shall be transacted unless a quorum is present.
Section 3. Rules: The meetings shall be counted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
Amendments
Section 1. Amendments: This constitution may be amended by reading the proposed amendment at each of two meetings where a quorum is present, prior to the regular meeting at which it is acted upon; a 3/4 majority of all voting Ag & Life Sciences Student Council members shall be necessary to adopt the amendment.
BY-LAWS OF
THE AGRICULTURAL & LIFE SCIENCES STUDENT COUNCIL
OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
Executive Council
The Executive Council:
1.Shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
2.Shall have the authority and responsibility of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
a.Carry out the policies of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council
b.Organize and plan meetings.
c.Pay all bills and report the paying of such to the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
3.Shall submit a written report upon termination of their office consisting of the officers' functions and recommendations.
Duties of Officers:
1.It shall be the duty of the president to preside at all meetings of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council, sign all orders and other documents of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council drawn by the secretary or other Ag & Life Sciences Student Council members, call special meetings of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council, attend Ag & Life Sciences College Cabinet meetings (department head meetings), call meetings of and preside at executive council meetings, and perform other duties that are necessary for the functioning of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
2.It shall be the duty of the Vice President to assume the duties of the President in the absence or at the request of the President. The Vice President shall be responsible for committee work and be an ex-officio member of all committees. He/she shall also be responsible for conduct of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council elections.
3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep the minutes of the Ag council meetings, to provide a copy of the minutes to each Ag & Life Sciences Student Council member and the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council advisors, to notify Ag & Life Sciences Student Council members of absences, and perform such other duties as the office of Secretary may require.
4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to handle all finances of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council and present financial reports at each meeting.
Voting
Voting Procedures:
1. Election of officers: in the election of officers of the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council, all voting shall be done by ballot.
2. General voting procedures: a majority of members given voting rights under Article II, Section 3, Paragraphs A and C, shall rule on all decisions, except as otherwise provided for in the constitution or by-laws. In the event of a tie, the President shall break the tie.
Vacancies
Ag & Life Science Student Council Vacancies:
1. President:
a. In the event of a temporary vacancy or absence of the President, the Vice President shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the President.
b. In the case of a permanent absence the Vice President shall have the option of assuming the office of President. If not, nominations can be held at the earliest possible meeting for a special election.
2. Other Executive Offices:
a. These vacancies shall be filled by nominations at the earliest possible meeting, and the election shall be held at the following meeting.
b. In any special election, no current executive officers are nominated.
3. Representatives: It shall be the duty of each curriculum and liaison member to insure its representation on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council by filling any vacancy with a permanent representative that is able to complete the vacant representative's term office.
Absences
Member Absences:
1. Any member having two absences per Ag & Life Sciences Student Council year will have their organization notified by the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council Secretary.
2. After two unexcused absences, the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council will vote on the retention of the representative. A 3/4 vote of all voting members on Ag Council is needed for the expulsion of the representative.
a. An excused absence will be given for prior notice given for a legitimate absence due to conflicting work schedule, class, evening exam, or any other reason deemed legitimate by the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council Secretary.
b. An unexcused absence will be given for late or lack of notice.
3. A substitute replacing a regular representative will have voting rights and will make up an absence, with a maximum of only two substitutions per council year.
4. Two months before the end of each Council year, the Council Secretary will notify each organization (President) with a representative having one or more absences. The organization then can decide whether to renew that representative's term.
5. A representative will be automatically removed if he/she has three unexcused absences per council years.
ARTICLE V
Committee Reports
Committee Reports: An annual report from each committee chairperson shall be submitted to the Vice President upon his/her request or at the last meeting of the fall semester. This report shall consist of committee functions and detailed recommendations.
Funding Eligibility
Funding Eligibility
1.To receive funding, each organization must turn in a vending request form, signed by all representatives, the president of the organization, and the organization’s advisor. These forms must be turned in by a specific date, as specified by the Treasurer; otherwise the organization will not receive funding from the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
2.Funding will be evenly distributed upon completion of Vending Request forms and after the years budget has been fulfilled.
Amendments
An article of these by-laws may be amended by a 3/4 vote of all voting members on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council.
This constitution and included revisions shall supersede the Agricultural & Life Sciences Student Council Constitution as revised in the year of 1982, and all previous constitutions.
All organizations represented on the Ag & Life Sciences Student Council before the ratification of this document will be seated at the appropriate level in this Constitution
Constitutional Amendments
Industrial Advisors
1. One or two Industrial Advisors may be elected to serve for a term no greater than one year.
2. An Industrial Advisor is termed as any individual outside the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences Student , utilized to present unbiased information about events happening in the Agriculture Industry.
3. Industrial Advisors shall assume office the summer semester following their selection.
4. Industrial Advisors may not succeed themselves nor any individual from the same company in which they represent.
5. Industrial Advisors are expected to attend at least one formal meeting each month and are not required to attend any of the exec meetings.