Joliet Junior College Student Government Constitution
ARTICLE I – Name
The name of this organization shall be the Joliet Junior College Student Government (JJCSG).
ARTICLE II – Purpose
Section 1
Section 2
To gather and represent the opinions, rights, interests, and concerns of the student body at Joliet Junior College.
Section 3
To promote student awareness of the core values of Joliet Junior College which are: Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, Humor and Well-being, Innovation and Quality.
Section 4
To assist in on-campus activities geared toward the student body of Joliet Junior College and to be aware of and sensitive to the diversity* represented by the student body as a whole while developing programming.
*Diversity includes but is not limited to culture, ethnicity, race, socioeconomics, age, gender, religion and sexual orientation.
Section 5
To participate in the recommendations of proper allocations and expenditures of funds provided to the JJC Student Government by student activity fees.
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ARTICLE III – Membership
Section 1
The JJCSG will consist of students from currently enrolled credit courses with new members being inducted as positions are available. This group will nominate and internally elect the Executive Board in May for the following academic year.
Section 2
All members will complete a Student Government Information Sheet and will meet with the advisor and a current member before becoming a member. The purpose of this meeting is to explain what Student Government is and the responsibilities of each member.
Section 3
Executive Board members will be internally nominated and elected by the second business meeting in September with the term ending in May of the following semester when an election will be held for the upcoming year. The exception to this is the Student Trustee and CCC Representative positions. The election process of representatives consists of: posting the vacant positions for a minimum of one week in the Student Government office and online through the SG website, having applicants complete the application, orientation, and interview process and attend the meeting of the JJCSG at which voting for the position will take place.
The Executive Board will consist of 5 members:
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Public Relations Officer
Representatives will consist of 16 members (with preference given to filling the following roles):
- Centennial Commons Representative
- Collegiate Club Council Representative
- Extended Campuses Representative (2 positions)
- Diversity Representative
- Student Trustee
- Ten (10) Representatives at large
Section 4
All members of JJCSG will be recognized as voting members, and all voting members shall be expected to maintain a minimum academic standard of a 2.5 GPA (cumulative). Executive Board members shall be expected to maintain a 2.75 GPA (cumulative). Any student government member maintaining less than three (3) credit hours may only hold a Representative at large position. At the end of each semester, the advisors will verify credit hours and GPA through the internal system at JJC. The advisors will maintain confidentiality of the academic records.
Section 5
Failure to maintain the above will result in termination from Student Government. Upon re-establishing the necessary qualifications, the student may re-activate if a position remains open. GPA status will remain confidential and termination situations prior to the end of the probationary semester will be determined on a case by case basis by the JJCSG advisor(s).
Section 6
JJCSG members can hold only one (1) Executive Board position. The Student Government is to be representative of the entire student body and as such, no one Student Government member will hold more than one position.
Section 7
Executive Board members shall not hold the following concurrent positions:
- Collegiate Club Council Representative
- Student Trustee
- Blazer Editor
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ARTICLE IV - Responsibilities of Officers
Section 1
Executive Board shall consist of:
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Public Relations Officer
Section 2
The Director of Student Activities shall hold the title of Advisor. The advisor shall guide and direct SG’s decision that are not in compliance with said protocols, policies, and procedures of the campus community.
Section 2a
Additional advisors may be recommended/appointed by the Director of Student Activities; the Dean of Students or the Vice President of Student Development.
Section 3
Members of the Executive Board shall meet prior to the regularly scheduled JJCSG meetings to prepare the JJCSG agenda and may call special meetings if necessary with the approval of the Advisor and forty-eight hour notice to members (Article VI, Section 7).
Section 4a
The President of SG shall preside over all JJCSG meetings and shall act as spokesperson representing the voices of JJCSG. The President may also serve as a representative and voting member for the Illinois Board of Higher Education Student Advisory Committee, the Collegiate Club Council, and as the student representative to the Technology Advisory Committee (TAC). The President shall only vote in case of a tie and shall adhere to Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section4b
The Vice President (VP) of SG shall assist the President with administrative responsibilities and preside at regular meetings when the President is absent. The VP shall succeed the President if he/she leaves before the end of their term. The VP also serves as the SG Parliamentarian and ensures that the meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order. The VP may also serve as a representative for the IBHE-SAC, CCC, and TAC, and may chair the Constitution Review Committee.
Section 4c
The Secretary shall maintain the official public record of JJCSG including: agendas, minutes, and correspondence with college stakeholders. Additionally, the secretary maintains permanent archives of SG work. This includes the upkeep of the SG webpage and other means of technology and office bulletin board as well as a binder for SG containing past minutes, agendas and other pertinent data. The Secretary represents the SG on the Graduation Committee.
Section 4d
The Treasurer shall maintain all JJCSG accounts and provide a treasurer report at each meeting listing all expenditures and capital received. The Treasurer shall also serve to coordinate fundraisers for the JJCSG with the Public Relations Officer (Section 4.e.). The SG Treasurer must approve any actions by JJCSG members that require an expenditure of Student Government funds prior to any action or expenditure. The Treasurer must sign off on all reimbursement forms prior to their submission to the Office of Student Activities.
Section4e
The Public Relations Officer (PR) is responsible for all promotion and coordination of programming of SG. This position may coordinate with Media Services and the OSA for promotional materials. This person is a liaison to the Joliet Junior College student newspaper. In the event that JJC recognizes a programming board, this position will serve as the JJCSG representative.
Section 4f
If an SG member is unable to attend the specified Committee meeting, he/she can request an alternate member to attend the Committee meetings in his/her place. Committee assignments may be made by the Advisor(s) based on need as well.
Section5
Representatives
To be a representative of the JJC community, preference is given to filling the following representative positions:
- Centennial Commons Representative
- Collegiate Club Council Representative
- Diversity Representative
- Extended Campuses Representative (2 positions)
- Student Trustee
- Ten (10) Representatives at large
Section5a
The Centennial Commons Representative should be a student currently in residence at the Centennial Commons and shall be responsible for working with staff on the development and promotion of programs conducted at Centennial Commons. This representative will voice the interests of the Centennial Commons JJC students to the JJCSG.
Section 5b
The Extended Campuses Representative is to be members who will maintain contact with the extended campuses. The EC Representative will arrange for members to visit the extended campuses on a yearly basis and make contact with students attending those campuses. This member will be the liaison between the extended campuses and JJCSG. For purposes of this constitution, extended campuses include: City Center, Romeoville Campus, and Morris Education Center.
Section 5c
The Collegiate Club Council Representative shall be a member of the CCC Executive Board, selected by the CCC in May. The CCC Representative will serve as the liaison between the CCC and the JJCSG. This representative is an ex-officio member of the JJCSG with full voting privileges, and is required to attend two meetings per month of the JJCSG.
Section 5d
The Diversity Representative shall attend meetings as requested through the Office of Student Activities and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs including the JJC Diversity Advisory Council. This representative will work closely with both offices and will represent the underrepresented population of all JJC campuses.
Section 5e
The Student Trustee shall be elected at large by the student body in April. This representative will attend twice-monthly meetings of the Board of Trustees, two to three special meetings/workshops monthly, read college documents pertaining to operations of the college, attend at least two Student Government meetings per month, attend regional and state ICCB-SAC meetings, and may be asked to sit on other college committees.
Section 5f
Representatives at large will be elected to the JJCSG and will have the first option to run for other Representative and Executive Board positions, and have the opportunity to serve as chair of a Goal Committee (Article VIII). They will attend college campus wide committees as recommended and help with the JJCSG events and activities. There will be ten (10) Representative at large positions. These members are encouraged to determine an area of interest or goal to work towards while in the role. Interested representatives are encouraged to participate in additional college committees included but not limited to: Academic Standards, Assessment, and Curriculum Committees.
Section 6
In the event that students can not be found to fill the specific qualifications of a titled representative then the position will be open to a student willing to establish and maintain a channel of communication with students and administrators of that specific entity.
Section 6a
Any member with two unexcused absences will automatically forfeit his or her position as a member and will be ineligible to join without approval from a majority of the Executive Board and the SG advisor(s).
Section 6b
One time per month, at a Business meeting, it is recommended that all members of SG should present a typed status report, no longer than one page, which includes updates of their Committee work and/or activities completed.
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ARTICLE V -The Placement of Members and Officers
Section 1
By the second business meeting in May, the individuals who have applied to and have been accepted as members of SG will vote internally for placement of officers for the coming year. The term will end in May when the new slate of Officers is elected for the upcoming year.
Section 2
If an Executive Board position other than the Presidency becomes vacant, the current representatives have the first opportunity to fill that position through an internal election process. If no member expresses interest, the position will be open to the general student body.
Section 3
When there is a vacant position, the position can be filled by appointment with a majority vote from existing members or a quorum (51%) thereof.
Section 4
In the event of a tie in the internal election for Executive Board members, the President will vote to break the tie.
Section 5
Removal of a member for non-academic reasons from the JJCSG may occur on the basis of:
- Neglect of duties
- Unauthorized expenditures
- False representations of the organization
- Code of Conduct violations
- Violations of Standards of Behavior (Article VII)
Section 6
Performance of Executive Board members will be monitored by the advisors and other members. A contract will be signed by each member that outlines the responsibilities. Members and Advisors will have the opportunity to reveiw the contracts and complete a questionaire about the performance of each member.
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ARTICLE VI – Meetings and Attendance
Section 1
The JJCSG will hold a meetings every Thursday of each month at 3:00 p.m. Changes may be made depending on holiday and finals schedules at the discretion of the JJCSG. Special meetings may be set for a later date at a business meeting when quorum is present. All agenda items must be turned in to the SG Secretary by 3:00 p.m. the Tuesday before a scheduled Business meeting. Special meetings may be called by the president or a majority of the Executive Board with the concurrence of the advisor(s). Forty-eight hour notice must be given prior to scheduling for emergency meetings.
Section 2
Forty-eight hour notice is defined as posting notice of the meeting, its place, and its time, in the Student Government office as well as to the Student Government listserv or other appropriate e-mail group to which a majority (51%) of the members subscribe.
Section 3
Meetings shall be open to all students currently enrolled at JJC. Non-members have only the power of discussion.
Section 4
Meetings shall be conducted by Robert’s Rules of Order and a quorum shall be a minimum of 51% (fifty-one percent) of voting members.
Section 5
Members are required to attend three business meetings per month, unless excused by the advisor(s). Members must provide notification of absence to the advisor in writing (email, etc), in person, or by phone prior to the meeting in order to be excused.
Section 6
A business meeting shall be a meeting at which the JJCSG votes to approve minutes, accepts reports from members of the Executive Board and SG Representatives, and authorizes expenditures and other items. No business meeting may be held without forty-eight hour notice, and all business meetings require a quorum to be present. Business meetings will be held according to Article VI, Section 1.
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ARTICLE VII – Standards of Behavior
Section 1
All members of the JJCSG are entitled to respect, equality, and fair judgment. All members are expected to demonstrate the Core Values of the institution, which are: Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, Humor and Well-being, Innovation, and Quality.
Section 2
The members of the JJCSG are expected to adhere to the JJC Code of Conduct when in attendance at meetings, events, or field trips sponsored by the JJCSG. In addition, members are encouraged to remember that they are representatives of the college and should conduct themselves accordingly.
Section 3
In the event that a member of the JJCSG violates the JJC Code of Conduct while conducting SG business, the student will be referred to the Dean of Students for judicial processing.
Section 4
The Student Government Office is for SG members only. Any visitor must be accompanied by an SG member. This office is to be used for SG business only. Computers and printers are to be used for Student Government business only. Failure to do so may result in removal from Student Government. Article V, Section 5e.).
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ARTICLE VIII – Yearly Review
Section 1
By the last meeting in September, the Executive Board will have reviewed current student issues at JJC in consultation with the Representatives and the advisor(s), and will present one (1) to three (3) goals to the JJCSG for approval as Goal Committees.
Section 2
Goal Committees are to be recognized by the JJCSG as ad-hoc committees, existing only for the school year in which they are created and for a specific purpose. Members of the Goal Committees are not required to be members of the JJCSG, nor are they recognized as such. There is no limit on the number of members in a Goal Committee.
Section 3
By the final meeting of the school year (not including summer session), the Goal Committees will present to the JJCSG a review of what goals and work has been accomplished and what further action is necessary. This review will be presented to the Dean of Students and upon his/her recommendation, will be taken to other college administration.
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ARTICLE IX – Amendment Process
Section 1
Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by any member of the JJCSG. Amendments must be submitted in writing to the President, Vice President, Secretary and advisor(s) of the JJCSG a minimum of one week prior to the meeting at which the amendments will be proposed. They will be presented in writing to the whole of the JJCSG at a regularly scheduled business meeting.
Section 2
Adoption of amendments will occur with a 2/3 majority vote at the first regularly scheduled SG meeting after presentation of the amendment(s).
Section 3
This document will be reviewed yearly by the Constitution Review Committee, with changes presented by the second meeting in April, if necessary. The Constitution Review Committee will be chaired by the Vice President.
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