The UNCP SGA Constitution revisions

PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Student Body of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke, desiring to:
Preserve within the University an atmosphere of free discussion, inquiry and self-expression, to ensure the personal freedom and general welfare of the Student Body, and to continue in our traditions of responsible self-government, do hereby establish this Constitution of The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
All students who are enrolled in the University shall be entitled to vote in the Student Body elections and to participate in the Student Government. Every full-time student who has at least a 2.0 cumulative average (on the 4.0 system) has the privilege of seeking positions of leadership in the organization by either appointment or election, except as indicated in Article Ill, Section B-1. Persons wishing to seek President and Vice President positions must have three semesters at UNCP, or at least two semesters in SGA. The elected and/or appointed students must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA throughout their term in office. The Student Government Association is elected by the Student Body each spring according to this Constitution and its By-Laws.

ARTICLE II Executive Branch
Section A. Student Body Officers
The executive power of the Student Body shall be vested in the Student Government President, who shall have the assistance of the Student Senate President, the Student Government Treasurer, and the Student Government Secretary.
Section B. Terms of Office
The Student Government Officers shall be elected for a one-year term by a plurality of those voting in the Student Government elections. Each officer shall be enrolled and in good standings with the University at the time of election.
Section C. Election of Officers
The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Student Body shall be chosen in a general election by a plurality of the students voting. Terms for officers begin immediately following the Spring Semester Commencement and end immediately after the following Spring Commencement. The President and Vice President shall be elected on a joint ticket. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall each be required to be enrolled as a full-time student from the time of the fall semester of the beginning of his/her term in office until the end of the spring semester of the same academic year, and not be involved in a professional semester program. Neither the President nor the Vice President of the Student Government Association will be allowed to hold a President or Vice President position in any club or fraternal-type organization at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke while he/she is serving in an executive capacity of the Student Government Association.

ARTICLE III Legislative Branch
Section A. The supreme legislative power for the Student Body shall be vested in the Student Senate.
Section B. Membership of the Senate
1. There shall be a minimum of five senators per class or one representative on the Senate for every one hundred fifty students. The enrollment for credit for the previous September shall be the basis for determining the number of representatives. There shall also be two positions for part-time students and one position for graduate students. If these, or any other Senator position(s) exist one month after the first full meeting of the Student Senate, they will become Senator-at-large positions, available to any student, regardless of class, level, or status. Upon transition to Senator-at-large positions, students interested will submit an application to the Student Senate, and with the approval of two-thirds majority of the Senate will be appointed by the President of the Senate.
2. A member’s term of office shall run from one spring commencement to the next.
3. Any member who shall be absent for more than two meetings of the Student Senate, within one semester, may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
4. The President of the Senate with the approval of a two-thirds majority of the Senate will appoint a representative to fill any Senate position.
5. The President of the Senate shall be the Vice President of the Student Body. Other Student Senate officers shall be elected at the first meeting. These officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the Senate.
6. The officers of the Student Senate shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer
By-Laws

1- Each senate member and officer must attend an information workshop to be advised of Parliamentary Procedures, Constitutional guidelines and other duties that are required of each SGA representative. The President, Vice President, and Constitution Chair will be in charge of presenting the information at the workshop. This shall be held within one month following the confirmation of elections. Only medical or family emergences shall be excused, and the senator would make up the workshop with the executive officers.

Chartering Procedures for Campus Clubs and Organizations The University of North Carolina at Pembroke supports an atmosphere where students can openly share ideas, interests, and concerns. Through involvement in co-curricular activities, students can develop their communication, leadership, interpersonal, and time-management skills. Involvement in co-curricular activities therefore plays an important and complementary role to the formal learning inside the classroom.
To become a recognized, chartered organization on The University of North Carolina at Pembroke campus, the following procedures must be followed:

1. Members of the proposed organization must go to the Student Activities Office and pick up an SGA Charter Application. This application must be filled out completely and returned to the Student Activities Office along with the proposed organization’s constitution and bylaws within 14 days after receipt of the charter application.

2. A minimum of eight (8) students are required to form an organization.

3. Every organization is required to have an advisor. On-campus advisors are required for all new organizations.

4. The constitution must contain a nondiscrimination policy statement.

5. The Student Activities Office will review the application and constitution to ensure the minimum criteria/guidelines for establishing a club/organization have been met.

6. When the application and constitution have been completed, these documents will be reviewed by the SGA Executive Board.

7. Once reviewed by the Executive Board, the charter application and constitution will be presented to the Student Senate for review and approval. Approval shall be granted by two-thirds majority of the senators voting at two (2) regular meetings of the Senate.

8. Once the organization is approved the members shall be notified by letter by the SGA President.

9. Approval of the organization grants all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities given to all UNCP chartered organizations.

10. If an organization is disapproved, a sixty (60) day waiting period must be observed before reapplication.

11. All chartered clubs and organizations are required to submit names, addresses, and phone numbers of current advisor(s) and presiding officers to the Student Activities Office each fall semester or whenever there is a change in advisor, officers, or membership.

NOTE: Students who wish to form a social Greek letter organization must meet guidelines set by the appropriate Greek governing body before presenting themselves to SGA for official recognition. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of the current advisor(s) and presiding officers for the academic year must be submitted to the Student Activities Office each fall or when there is a change in advisor, officers, or membership.