About The Mercer Cluster. (Macon, Ga.) 1920-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1989)
THE CLUSTER, MARCH «, HV9-PAGE J Constitution of the Student Government Association of Mercer University at Macon PREAMBLE la the belief that a a proper lor students id atablBh a system of fovcrancxM for the regulv as the students of e schook of Mercer Unviera- ty to Macon. Georgia, do adopt this cucssutu- tioo to protect the intrinsic powers and rights of the student body, to insure freedom of sssociaooo. freedom of thought, freedom of freedoms which arc l with the existence of Mercer University aa an academic community TITLE I. legislative Branch Article I. Name and Purpose Section I.—The legislative body of the student body thall be the Senate of the Student Govern ment Association of Mercer University of Macon. Georgia Section 2.—The legislative body of the student body shall have the following expressed purposes: a. ) to express the concerns and interests of the snider b. ) to 6 ministration, faculty, and students. c. ) to facilnaie communication octween the various student organizations of the Mercer of by-laws hi establish sanding committees which shall continue from year to year. Scctwo 2 - Commutes of the Senate shall have the power to investigate mailers placed before *. call persons to appear before « io testify, to formulate resolutions and motions for recom mendation to the Senate, to cany out such business as H may be authorized io do by the Senate as a whole. Sect too 3. — Commerces making an investiga tion may be vote initiate contempt proceedings in Judicial Council against any individual for failure to cooperate in said investigation Article V. Standards of Student Conduct Section I.—The Senate shall have the power to recommend standards for the regulation of stu d.) to encourage undent involvement in all facets of campus life. Article 0 Membership Section I.—The members of the Senate shall be elected from the student body of Mercer AU members of the Senate must be enrolled us one of the three undergraduate schools and main tain a 2.S cumulative GPA. Scctm 2. -There shall be fisc Senators elected from and to represent the Senior class Scam 3.—There shall be five Senators elected from and to represent the Junior class. Scorn 4.-There shall be five Senators elected from and to represent the Sophomore class. Section 3.—There shall be five Senators dec- trad from and to represent the Freshman class Scorn 6 —There shall be five Senators clear*) at Urge from the student body. ArtKle HI Removal from Office Section I —The Senate shall have ihc power lo regulate the behavior of as members and may t by a two-thirds vote for ace. or nonfeasance in office. Scorn 2.—The Senate shall have the power to impeach any member of the executive branch for malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office and to remove such individual by a two-thuds vote of members assembled Scorn 3.-Any member of the Senate or member of the executive branch who is sub jected to removal or impeachment proceedings shah be afforded one week notice and shall have the opportunity to speak in his own behalf and to crosa-cxamnc any witnesses brought against bun Section 4 -Three absences excused or unex- cused per quartet from regularly called meetings of the senate by a Senator shall be interpreted as non-feasance m office and such charge shall be brought by the Secretary of the Student Government Association Section 3.—The Chief Justice of the Judicial Council shall act as chair of the Senate for the impeachment bearing of any member of the ex ecubve branch tat shall exercise no vote The Clerk of the Jufejal Council shall chair in the absence of die Oj^f Justice Article IV Commute* Section l .-The Senate shall have the power to form itieif uno comnuaces and by the adoption Section 2.—No member of the Mercer com munity shall be subject lo prosecution for misconduct under ex post facto legislation Section 3 —The Senate shall have no power by its legislation to regulate die conduct of any in dividual other than as expressly allowed by this Article VI Disbursement of Funds Section I. —The administration of the Student Activities Fund, allocated by the university, shall be by die Student-Faculty Board of Appropriations Section 2. - Members of the Board shall be six faculty members appointed by the President of die University and six students elected by the Scnalc Section 3 — h shall be die duties and respem sibtlities of the Board: a. ) to hear petmons and recommendations for Nadgct allocations from all student organizations and publications receiving Student Activities Fuads and to approve or reject such petitions and recommendations. b. ) To receive and approve end of the ifianer reports from each such organization concern ing funds spent, funds corarruncd. and propus ed plans for expenditure of the remaining funds and to submit such reports to the Senate Section 4.-The Board shall have the powers a 3.—The Senate shall have the power to disburse such funds as it is invested with m a manner consistent wxh its purposes. Article VU Elections Section I. The Senate shall have the power to set and hold ctooxm for membership, rrfcrco- dum on ameihJmenu. and such other tannest as H may be necessary to bring before the sm- dcM body as a whole Sccwm2 The Senate shall hold its yearly general election wishing the first f«ir weeks of Spring Quarter to elect Senators and members of the executive branch who are subject to elect no Section 3 Senate elections shall be determined by a plurality of votes cast Section 4. Presidential and Vice-PresakniiaJ candidates shall qualify, campaign, and be elected as s ticket Section 3 Presidential and Vice Presidential elections shall be determined by a majority of »o*s cast If not ticket achieves a majority decs- skio. a run-off election shall be held between the tup two vote getters in the general election within three class days Section 6. By a petition signal by 50 per cent id a Senator s constituency, the class electorate may recall any elected Senator for a vote of «av fldence Thirty per cent of the Senator's con stmency mu*i vote m (he recall, and iwtvdurds of those voting must vote no confidence « order to remove a Senator from office — Section 7. By a petition signed by 30 per cent of the undergraduate student body, the elec torate nay recall any elected President, Vice- President or Scamor-at-targe for a vote of con fidence. Thirty per cent of the srudmi body must vote in the recall and two-thirds of those voting must vote no confidence in order to remove any of those officials from office. Section 8. Any Senator. Scmior-at-large. Presi dent or Vice-President brought up for a recall vote shall have no less than one week between the umc he or she is given the completed peti non and die ume of the recall vote. Section 9. All undergraduate students of the Macon campus who are enrolled as full-time students shall be eligible lo vote ui any Undent election Sectwo 10. No student shall be eligible to cast TITLE U. EXECUTIVE BRANCH Article 1 Purpose Section I —The executive branch of the Student Government Association shall possess the following purposes: a. ) to serve as the chair of the Scnalc for the exercise of official business. b. ) to serve as die representatives of the stu dent body before the administration, faculty, and the world at large. Article II. President Section I -The head of (he executive branch shall be the President of the Student Govern ment Association SectMm 2.—The President shall be an ex officio (by virtue of office) member of the Senate and all of its committees and shall reserve the right to vote except in die case of a tie Section 3. —The President shall be the chairpcr son of the Senate Section 4 —The President shall have the power io appoint voting and non-voting members of Senate standing commmccs subject to a (wo- durds confirmation vote by die Senate Section 5. —The President shall have the power A SGA Speaks On a Constitution By LYNN CREECH SGA Vice President The SGA his recently passed iu new Constitution and by-laws. Although the by-laws do not require student approval—it is now up to the students to adopt our proposed Constitution on Thurs day. May 9. an election table will be set up for you to get out and vote. However, before you do vote, there are scs eral changes you should be aware of. First of all. this new Constitition is actually organized Sean Black, Donna Itzoc and Charlie Smith have restructured the for mal so that it is much easier to follow. - Secondly, the new Constitution addresses the issue of Senate ac countability to the students. It would allow a petition of approx imately 250 signatures from a Senator’s constituency to call for a vote of confidence in that Senator (30% or constituency for Presi dent. Vice President and Senator at Large). With V> of those ex pressing “no confidence" in the Senator—he/she will be remov ed from office. Thirdly, the minimum GPA requirement has been increased to a 2.5 cumulative. This decision is in accordance with increasing University standards. As many of you are aware. within two years the minimum Greek average will be a 2.5 as well. Along with these three changes, there are sevjral more that will be outlined for you as you go to vote. Your SGA encourages you to get out and adopt this document that we. the Senate, have supported. Vote YES for the Constitution on Thursday. F«r*0 cu»cit> Section 6 -The President shall have the power to appoint the Secretary of the Senate subject to a majority vole by the Senate. The President shall have the power to appoint a Par lumen urian with no vole of the Senate requires! Section 7 —The President shall have the power to appoint a replacement for the Vice-President should (here occur a vacancy in (bat office <* ith the two-thirds approval of the Senate Article III Vice President Section ! - The Vice President of the Student Government Association shall be an cx-oflicio member of the Senate Section 2.—The Vice President shall serve as (he chairperson of the Senate m die absence of the President Section 3 -The Vice-President shall fulfill such duties ax are assigned to turn or her by the President Section 4 The Vice- President shall he the sue lessor m office of the President should the President he removed from office for any reason Annie IV Secretary Section l.-The Secretary of the Sludem Government Association shall be appointed by the President during die firs! two week* of the new ierm subject lu a confirmation majority v«e of the Scnalc Section 2 — The Secretary shall be a non-suing member of die Senate Section 3 -The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining comprehensive minute* of all official business transpiring us regular or special meetings of the Senate of the Student Govern meet Association. Section 4 -The Secretary shall be responsible for maintain mg comprehensive minute* of (he meetings of the Executive Council Sectwo 5 -The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining records of meeting attendance Sectwo 6 -The Secretary shall be responsible for confirming ihc eligibility of all member* of dm Senate to serve each quarter based upon at tendatsce and academic eligibility Sectwo 7.—No elected Senator shall serve as Secretary us other than a temporary capacity without first resigning hu or her elected office Artwlc V Parliamentarian Section I -The Parliamentarian of the Student Government Association shall be appointed by ihc President during die first two weeks of the new term Section 2.-The Parliamentarian shall be responsible for advising the chairperson of die Senate ax ki die cuctccT operation of partiamcn ury procedure Section 3 - The Parliamentarian shall he a non- voting member of die Senate Section 4 -The Parliamcnuru shall be responsible for aft of the finances of ihe Stu dent Government Association TITLE III RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT ArtKle I Ratification Section I - Thu Constitution shall become the official Constitution of the Student Government Association when it is ratified by ihe undergraduate students of Mercer University m Macon. Georgia i Section 2 - Reification of dits Constitution shall be by referendum held foe that purpose The approval of twesdurda of dwac voting shall be necessary to ratify dua Cunaututwn Scawn 3.-Ad previous Constitutions and by laws not cxprcaaJy continued by dus Conatmi lion are hereby declared null and void upon ratification of dus Constitution Article U Amendment Section I Amendments u> the Constitution shall be proposed by a two thirds vote of the Senate or peuiwn or five hundred students Section 2. - Proposed ArotndmctRs to dus Con stitution shall be publicized for a period of lwo weeks prior to the date of the referendum Section 3 The final approval of a proposed amendment shall be accomplished by a referen dum in which die approval of rwo- thirds of those voting shall be necessary for adoption Artwle III By Laws Section I - The power u> propose *ta appros c .by-laws shall rest in ihc Senate id (he Student ijoscrnmcni Assoc lalion Section 2 —The Senate shall pass no by law wtiKh is as contradKtwn of any pins ismn >>1 this Constitution ScOrmi 3 The JudKial Council is vested with ihe power of judicial review, and may strike down any by law which u/n contradiction of this Constitution or of Its Anrrslm^hl* should such he made Section 4 It shall be tabled one week and then require a two third* vote of the Senate Great books Eight of the Nine Great Books classes offered, arc required to fulfill the General Education re quirement for the University, li is necessary to take ail of the firsi four Great Books classes, and then any four of the last five. In practical terms, the Great Books core is completed with only 40 credit hours of work while the Distributional Core demands 65 hours. This allows Great Books students to begin their major early and to have more time to complete minors and double majors. Another practical draw to the program is the no-lecture (in class), no-test, no-exam format. Fashion ed after seminars such as those at St. John's College. Great Books seminars are all discussion Homework consists of 3 to 5 medium length papers over the course of the quarter and significant daily reading assignments each night. Some professors will also re quire informal daily writing and/or a longer paper in lieu of the exam. Most classes are also required to at tend a few outside lectures during the quarter. Because there is no lec ture in the Great Books classroom, these outside lectures often help give depth and historical background to class discussions. Dr. Michael Cass. Professor of English, tells his Great Books students that “the aim of liberal arts education is the freedom of the mind." This is one of the aims of ihc Great Books program as well. The Great Books faculty is as diverse as Mercer with professors from the departments of English, Christianity, Philosophy. Modern Foreign Language. Sociology. Human Development. Biology. History. Freshman Seminar Pro gram. Mathematics, and one pro fessor from the Walter F. George School of Law. ’ ‘ It is a unique approach to lear ning in that it stimulates indepen dent thinking and allows one to question established concepts." says Arepaily of Great Books. Another Great Books student. Sophomore Mary Murray, says. “1 Continued from page 1 feel privileged to be able to be in volved in this kind of adventure. 1 run from my organic chemistry class lo sit in a circle sharing thoughts about classics that have been studied for thousands of years But 1 know that I am getting a perspective that students in tradi tional college classrooms arc not exposed to." As of press time, there are still openings in the Great Books 301 classes, sections 3 and 4. for Spnng Quarter.
