Region X Constitution

Student Senate for California Community Colleges
REGION X CONSTITUTION
(Ratified June 13, 2008)
(Revised April 21, 2009)
(Revised October 30, 2012)
(Ratified November 3, 2012)
(Revised INSERT DATE)
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PREAMBLE
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We, the elected student representatives of the colleges comprising Region X of the Student
Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), as set forth by Article V. Action, Section
1. Power Clause of the State Senate for California Community Colleges Constitution; do hereby
establish this constitution, in order to best represent Region X constituents' needs by addressing
student issues and protecting student interests at the regional and statewide level.
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ARTICLE I. NAME
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The name of this student body organization shall be Region X Council of the Student Senate for
California Community Colleges (SSCCC), hereafter referred to as Region X Council.
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ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
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The Region X Council shall fulfill the following responsibilities:
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Representation: To serve as the voice of Region X students in matters of statewide and regional
concern.
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Collaboration: To foster relationships with different student boards, local student senates, and
other statewide agencies or organizations who have a vested interest in student affairs.
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Accountability: To function as a democratically-elected and empowered body remaining
accountable to its constituency, expressing the general will of the students and following through
with its responsibilities.
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Communication: To provide ongoing and widespread dissemination of information to enhance
awareness of statewide and regional issues and maximize input from students.
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ARTICLE III. REGION X
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Section 1. Constituency
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All students who are enrolled in a California community college shall be represented by the
Region X Council and may fully participate in accordance with the provisions set forth in the
Constitution and Bylaws.
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Section 2. California Community Colleges in Region X
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35 San Diego City College
31 Grossmont College
36 San Diego Mesa College
32 Imperial Valley College
37 San Diego Miramar College
33 MiraCosta College
38 Southwestern College
34 Palomar College
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ARTICLE IV. REGION X COUNCIL
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Section 1. Executive Officers
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The Region X Council shall consist of five (5) Executive Officers entitled: Governor,
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Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Secretary, and Director of Public Relations.
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Section 2. Regional Senators
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The Region X Council shall consist of one (1) External Affairs and two (2) Governance & Policy
Senators resulting from resolution 18.02 from the Spring 2012 General Assembly.
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Section 3. Regional Delegate
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The Region X Council shall consist of one (1) Regional Delegate from each community college.
Each Regional Delegate will hold one vote for their community college. Total number of
Regional Delegates shall not be more than nine (9). The President of each Associated Student
Organization (ASO) shall be the Regional Delegate by default. In the event the ASO President
cannot serve as Regional Delegate, s/he is able to appoint a replacement.
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Section 4. Eligibility
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Executive Officers, Senators, and Regional Delegates of the Region X Council shall
continuously meet the requirements specified in California Education Code 76061.
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Section 5. Selection of Region X Council Representatives
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Executive Officers and three (3) Regional Senators shall be elected by and from the pool of
individuals present by a simple majority of the vote; One Regional Delegate per campus shall be
appointed by the President of the Associated Student Organizations within Region X in
accordance with the procedures established by the respective community colleges, and the
selection of Region X Council Delegates shall coincide with the Region X Council meeting held
in the month of May.
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Section 6. Terms of Office
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Term of office for Executive Officers, Regional Senators and Regional Delegates shall be limited
to a period of two (2) years; beginning July 31st and ending June 30th. Individuals serving as
Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Secretary, or Director of Public Relations shall be
limited to two (2) terms in office, and individuals serving as Regional Delegates shall be limited
to two (2) terms in office.
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Section 7. Vacancies
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In the event of a vacancy from the office of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor may serve as
the acting Governor for an interim period.
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In the event of a vacancy from the office of Treasurer, Secretary or Director of Public Relations,
the Governor may recommend a replacement to the Region X Council, or at the next regularly
scheduled Council, the Governor may hold elections to fill the vacant position(s). The
recommended (or nominated) individual(s) must qualify as a Regional Delegate and must not
simultaneously occupy an executive or senatorial position;
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In the event of vacancy from the office of Regional Senator, the Governor may recommend a
replacement to the Region X Council, or hold elections at the next regularly scheduled Council
meeting. The recommended (or nominated) individual(s) must qualify as Regional Delegate and
must not simultaneously occupy an executive or other senatorial position, and in the event of
vacancy from the office of Regional Delegate, the respective Associated Student Organization
shall appoint a replacement according to their locally adopted procedures.
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Section 8. Meetings
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The Region X Council shall have at least ten (10) Region X meetings per calendar year.
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The Region X Council shall establish and approve a calendar of meeting dates, times, and
tentative locations of each months meeting. Each months Region X Council meeting location
shall rotate allowing all nine (9) colleges to host a Region Council meeting at least once.
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Section 9. Voting for California Community Colleges
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Each Regional Delegate shall have one (1) vote, and in the absence of a Regional Delegate, the
voting powers may be delegated to another member from the same college. This would require
notifying the Region Governor at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting is called to
order. c) This privilege may not be delegated to any members of the Executive Council and/or
Senators. If there is no notification, the college forfeits their vote for that voting. d) Proxy votes
are not permitted.
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Section 10. Power and Duties
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a) The Region X Council shall implement policies adopted by the region, act on behalf of Region
X to transact business and perform other functions consistent with intent, purpose, and
provisions of the governing documents;
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b) The Region X Council has the authority to create bylaws to implement the articles of the
constitution, establish uniform procedures for the conduct of elections and other necessary
business of the Region X Council.
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ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
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Section 1. List of Officers
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The Executive Officers of the Region X Council shall include a Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Treasurer, Secretary, and Director of Public Relations.
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Section 2. Selection
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All Officers shall be elected by the Region X Council and shall be chosen among the individuals
present at the time of elections by simple majority vote.
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Section 3. Order of Succession
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The order of succession shall be Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Regional Senators. Further
circumstances shall be referred to the Bylaws for procedures.
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Section 4. Duties of Executives
a) Governor
The Governor shall act as the spokesperson for the Region X Council and preside over all
administrative duties as outlined in the Bylaws.
b) Lieutenant Governor
The Lieutenant Governor shall assume tasks of the Governor in the case of absence or vacancy
and perform all duties as outlined in the bylaws.
c) Treasurer
Treasurer shall keep track of and report all expenditures as outlined in the bylaws. ·
d) Secretary
Secretary shall be in charge of all record keeping as outlined in the bylaws.
e) Director of Public Relations
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The Director of Public Relations shall be in charge of dissemination of information as outlined in
the bylaws and as assigned.
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ARTICLE VI. REGIONAL SENATORS
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Clause 1. There shall be three (3) Region X Senators as stated by the SSCCC Constitution.
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Clause 2. Senators shall participate in the Order of Succession for Region X Council in the event
of a vacancy in an executive office but will not be recognized as part of the executive council for
Region X Council.
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ARTICLE VII. OATH OF OFFICE
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I, (state your name), do solemnly affirm that I will represent the constituents of Region X fairly
and equitably. I will support the Constitution and Bylaws of the Region X Council. I will abide
by all rules and policies. I will conduct myself with the standards from the Region X Council
Code of Conduct to the best of my abilities. I take this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion, and I will faithfully discharge the duties upon which I am
about to enter.
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ARTICLE VIII. ACTION
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Section 1. Power Clause
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Region X shall be granted the authority to meet and conduct business for the SSCCC in
accordance to the SSCCC Power Clause (SSCCC Constitution Article V, Section I).
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Section 2. Quorum
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At a Region X Council meeting, quorum to conduct Region X Council business shall consist of a
simple majority of authorized voting delegates.
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Section 3. Referendum
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A referendum on an action taken by the Region X Council may be called by a resolution
requesting such action by one-third of the Region X Council. Approval of the referendum shall
require a majority vote.
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ARTICLE IX. ADVISOR
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An advisor shall be identified at each Region X Council meeting to provide guidance and
support. The advisor of the associated student organization from the hosting college may be
present (or on call) for the meeting.
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ARTICLE X. PROCEDURES
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Section 1. Ratification
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The constitution becomes effective upon adoption by a two-thirds vote of the Region X Council
voting delegates.
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Section 2. Constitution Amendments
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The constitution may be amended by an approval of one-third of the student senates and by an
approval of two-thirds of the Region X Council voting delegates. Amendments to the
Constitution shall be acted upon at the next regularly scheduled Region X meeting.
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ARTICLE XI. RULES OF PROCEDURE
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Section 1. Governing Documents
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The Region X Council shall conduct business in accordance with their Governing Documents
(which include but are not limited to the Constitution, Bylaws, SSCCC Code of Conduct,
policies and procedures established by the council).
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Section 2. Parliamentary Authority
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All meetings of the Region X Council shall be conducted according to the current edition of
Robert's Rules of Order.
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Section 3. Brown Act
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All meetings of the Region X Council shall abide by the provisions stated in the Ralph M Brown
Act (California Government Code Sections 54950 - 54963).
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Section 4. California Public Records Act
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The Region X Council shall comply with all sections of the California Public Records
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Act (California Government Code Section 6250-6270).
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ARTICLE XII. INELIGIBILITY, IMPEACHMET, RECALL, AND NOTIFICATION
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Section 1. Academic Ineligibility
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The Region X Council shall declare any Executive, Senator, or Regional Delegate position
vacant if the individual becomes academically ineligible in accordance with requirements set
forth in Article IV, Section 4 of this constitution. 224
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Section 2. Attendance Ineligibility
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Colleges, Senators or Executive members will be removed from their position if they accumulate
two (2) unexcused absences from SSCCC meetings or Region X Council- related meetings.
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Section 3. Impeachment
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Executive Officers may be charged with misconduct or neglect of duty by a Region X Council
voting Delegate and removed from office but may remain a voting delegate of Region X on
behalf of their respective college.
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Misconduct is defined as those acts pertaining to mismanagement of position responsibilities
and/or funds; improper behavior as defined under guidelines for Student Conduct in the
Education Code; the Region X Bylaws, and the Region X Code of Conduct policies stated by
SSCCC; Neglect Of Duty is Defined as unwillingness to comply with or fulfill the duties of an
elected position, and Removal of an executive member shall be done by a two-thirds (2/3)vote of
the voting delegates present at the Region X meeting.
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Section 4. Recall/Removal of Regional Senators
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Region X Council Regional Senators may be charged with misconduct or neglect of duty by a
Region X Council voting delegate. Misconduct is defined as those acts pertaining to
mismanagement of position responsibilities and/or funds; improper behavior as defined under
guidelines for Student Conduct in the Education Code; the Region X Bylaws, and the Region X
Code of Conduct policies stated by SSCCC; Neglect of Duty is Defined as unwillingness to
comply with or fulfill the duties of an elected position, and Removal of an Regional Senator shall
be done by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting delegates present at the Region X meeting.
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Section 5. Voting Delegate Non-Participation Notification
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Region X Council reserves the right to inform associated student organization advisor(s) and
Vice President of Student Services of voting delegates non-participation.
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Revisions Courtesy of the Region X Constitution Committee 2012-2013:
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Committee Chair: Alexander M. Neofitidis
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Region X Governor Members:
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Esau Cortez, Director of Public Relations
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Samantha Elliot, Governance & Policy Senator
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Angel Jimenez, External Affairs Senator
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Peg Marcus, Grossmont College Delegate
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Revisions Courtesy of the Region X Constitution and Bylaws Committee 2015-2016:
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Committee Chair: Allison Rafferty, MiraCosta College Delegate
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Committee Members:
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Igor Burgos Maron, Lieutenant Governor
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Tylar Campbell, Governance & Policy Senator
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Melissa Rodriguez, Southwestern College Delegate
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