THE
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
ODESSA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL
ODESSA, TEXAS
“Home of the Bronchos”
PREAMBLE
We, the students of Odessa High School, in order to promote harmony among the
student body and various inter-school organizations; to maintain a better understanding
between students and faculty; to institute a better relationship between this school and all
others of its kind; and to raise the standards and ideals of students themselves; do
establish this constitution for the Student Council of Odessa High School with the goal of
promoting activities for the betterment of the school, community and country.
ARTICLE I – NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Odessa High School
Student Council.
Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to bring about a closer
cooperation between the faculty and the student body as representatives of the student
body; to cooperate with the administration in all problems concerning the school and the
student body; to promote in each individual of Odessa High School a desire for good
citizenship based on democratic processes; to create and maintain school interests, school
spirit, and loyalty; and to provide a forum for student expression.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any current Odessa High School student can join Student Council at
the beginning of the fall semester.
Section 2. Odessa High School students wishing to join Student Council must
turn in a membership form provided at the beginning of the school year. This form must
be completed and signed by the student, parent, current teachers, grade level principal,
and turned in at the first Student Council meeting of the fall semester.
Section 3.
Student Council members must maintain their membership based
on a point system. Members receive points by attending Student Council meetings and
participating in Student Council activities, functions, and sponsored events.
Section 4.
To maintain membership for the spring membership for the spring
membership, members must accumulate a specified amount of points in the fall semester.
Section 5.
Students who do not accumulate the required amount of points in
the fall semester will not be considered a member in the spring semester.
Section 6.
Student Council members who continue their membership through
the fall and spring semesters by accumulating a specified amount of points will be invited
to the Student Council Spring District Convention and will also receive a Student Council
patch for their Senior/School letter jacket at the end of the school year. The
Senior/School letter jacket must be provided by the student.
Section 7.
Student Council officers, with the approval of the sponsor, shall
determine the amount of points to maintain membership in the fall and spring semesters.
Section 8.
Student Council meetings are one point each and all Student
Council activities, functions, or sponsored events are either one or two points and their
decisions must be announced at the Student Council meetings.
ARTICLE III – OFFICERS
Section 1.
The officers of this organization shall be president, vice-president,
secretary, treasurer, historian, parliamentarian, and chaplain.
Section 2.
The president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer must be
seniors. The historian, parliamentarian, and chaplain can be a senior or junior.
Sophomores cannot hold any Student Council office.
Section 3.
All officers must maintain an academic average of 70 or above in
each of his/her classes every six weeks.
Section 4.
All officers must be enrolled in Student Council class.
Section 5.
The president shall preside over all Student Council meetings, the
student body, and the executive committee; shall call special meetings; shall be
responsible for all campus elections; shall plan homecoming and other Student Council
dances, shall prepare the annual budget with the treasurer and sponsor; shall be
responsible for carrying out the purpose of the Student Council; and shall be the official
representative of the Odessa High School Student Body.
Section 6.
The vice-president shall serve as the presiding officer in the
absence of the president; shall serve as president if the office is vacated; shall be aware of
all the activities in committee meetings; shall report all news concerning major Student
Council activities to the school newspaper and local media; shall assist the president in all
campus elections; and shall be responsible for obtaining music for any Student Council
sponsored dances.
Section 7.
The secretary shall keep and read the minutes of all Student
Council meetings; shall keep the Student Council files exact and up-to-day; shall record
attendance at Student Council meetings; shall maintain points for each member based on
the point system; shall be responsible for sending messages to the Student Council
members concerning Student Council business and activities; and shall receive, answer
and send all outside correspondence concerning Student Council.
Section 8.
The treasurer shall prepare the annual budget with the president
and the sponsor, shall keep an exact record of all money held and pay bills according to
established activity fund procedures; shall send verbal and written notices to Student
Council members who have not turned in fund-raising money; and shall promote and be
responsible for all fundraising projects.
Section 9.
The historian shall be responsible for keeping the Student Council
display case, electronic message board, and main hallway bulletin board up-to-date; shall
be responsible for the Student Council scrapbook and have it completed before the
district and state conventions; shall take and develop pictures at all major Student
Council activities; and shall assist the treasurer where needed.
Section 10.
The parliamentarian shall lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the
beginning of all Student Council Meetings and any Student Body assemblies; shall
interpret and enforce the Student Council constitution; shall keep Student Council
meetings in order according to the most recent publication of Robert’s Rules of Order;
and shall assist the Secretary where needed.
Section 11.
The chaplain shall lead the prayer and motivational thought at the
beginning of all Student Council meetings; shall recognize Student Council members’
birthdays at meetings; shall recognize concern at meetings for the welfare of Student
Council members and also members of the student body concerning serious injury,
illness, and death; and shall assist other officers where needed.
Section 12.
All officers will chair or assist with a committee.
Section 13.
All officers must participate in ALL Student Council fund-raising
activities including charitable organizations.
Section 14.
All officers must lead and take an active part in ALL Student
Council activities and are held to a higher standard and accountability that Student
Council members at ALL times.
Section 15.
All officers may at any time be given extra duties assigned by the
sponsor concerning Student Council activities.
Section 16.
Student Council officers are allowed to hold an office in only one
other organization as long as it is not the same office. Student Council officers are not
allowed to hold an office on any of the class boards or the National Honor Society.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICER ELECTIONS
Section 1.
Officer candidates must have an academic average of 70 or above
in each of his/her classes during the election process and also during the last nine week
grading period.
Section 2.
Officer candidates will first be pulled from Active members. If not
all positions are filled, it will be opened to non-active members, then Student Body.
Section 3.
Before the elections, officer candidates must fill out a
questionnaire and meet with the sponsor explaining why he/she wishes to hold that office.
Section 4.
The sponsor, with administration approval, can deny a student the
opportunity to run for a Student Council office if the sponsor determines it is in the best
interest of the Student Council to do so.
Section 5.
Before the elections, an evaluation will be sent to all current
teachers concerning that officer candidate.
Section 6.
At the Student Council meeting before the date of officer elections,
officer candidates will give campaign speeches explaining why he/she wishes to hold that
office. Student Council members can ask officer candidates questions after their
campaign speeches. The student body will be invited to this meeting.
Section 7.
Officer candidates are permitted to campaign for themselves.
Posters for campaigning can be no larger than poster size (24”x36”). Officer candidates
are not to solicit votes or campaign in the designated voting are during the election. All
verbal or written negative campaigning is strictly forbidden at all times.
Section 8.
All officers should be elected individually by a majority vote from
a school-wide election on a specified, announced date(s), time(s) and location.
Section 9.
Each officer candidate will have their total cumulative points next
to their name on the ballot to show the student body their involvement in Student
Council.
Section 10.
The candidate for President and Vice President, whenever possible,
must be a returning officer.
Section 11.
All current sophomores and juniors at Odessa High School can
vote in the election. Seniors who are active student Council members in the spring
semester can also vote in this election. A list of those active seniors will be provided in
the designated voting area along with the rosters of all the sophomore and junior classes.
Section 12.
The vote will be by secret ballot.
Section 13.
Ties for any office will be decided by a run-off election.
Section 14.
Newly elected officer results will be announced by the Student
Council President at the next Student Council meeting.
Section 15.
Newly elected officers will be sworn in and take their office at the
last meeting of the current Student Council.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
Section 1.
The regular meetings of this organization shall be held at least
once per month on a school night. The president, with approval of the executive
committee and sponsor, shall determine the date, time, and location of the meeting.
Section 2.
Special meetings, with the approval of the executive committee
and sponsor, may be called by the President.
Section 3.
All meetings shall be open meetings and be under the supervision
of the sponsor, designated teacher, and/or school administrator.
Section 4.
Students who are not Student Council members who wish to speak
at the meeting only do so by asking a member to ask the President for permission with
sponsor approval before a meeting begins.
Section 5.
The sponsor, of the Parliamentarian, with the approval of the
sponsor may remove any person whose conduct disrupts the meeting.
ARTICLE VI – COMMITTEES
Section 1.
The following committees shall be appointed each year: Executive,
Homecoming, DASH (Drug, Alcohol, Safety, and Health), Pride and Patriotism
Committee, Energy and Environment, and School Improvement and Projects, and School
Store/ Fundraising committee.
Section 2.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the Student Council
officers with the President presiding over it.
Section 3.
Each officer will preside over a committee as designated by the
sponsor. Each officer will assist with a committee as designated by the sponsor.
Section 4.
The presiding officer of each committee shall determine the date,
time, and location of the committee meeting and also take attendance and minutes at each
committee meeting.
Section 5.
After a committee meets, the presiding officer of the committee
will give an oral and written report at the next Student Council meeting about that
committee meeting about that committee meeting. Written committee reports should be
given to the Secretary.
Section 6.
Committee recommendations or decisions must be approved by a
majority vote of the Student Council.
Section 7.
The President shall have the power to appoint now standing
committees and committee chairs. Committee chairs of new standing committees do not
have to be a Student Council officer, but do have to be an active junior or senior member
of Student Council.
ARTICLE VII – PROBATION, DISMISSAL, VACANCIES, AND EXCUSED
ABSENCES
Section 1.
If a member does not obtain the required number of points for the
fall semester, that member will lose their membership for the Spring semester.
Section 2.
If an officer does not fulfill his/her duties, the sponsor may limit
his/her duties, deny them officer privileges, or remove that person from office.
Section 3.
Any officer that is ineligible for a total period of nine weeks,
consecutive or non-consecutive, shall lose their office the next time that they are
ineligible, so that no officer is ineligible for more than nine weeks through the course of
their office.
Section 4.
Student Council officers or members may be dismissed
immediately from the organization by the sponsor for any serious breaches of conduct on
or off campus, inside or outside of school hours, that is detrimental to the Student
Council, or community that are brought to the sponsor’s attention by any means.
Section 5.
If the President is absent, the Vice-President will preside over the
Student Council meeting.
Section 6.
If the President is removed from his/her office, or if that office is
vacated, the Vice-President will become President.
Section 7.
If any officer other that the President is removed from office or if
that office is vacated, a new officer will be elected from within the members of the
Student Council by a majority vote.
Section 8.
All Student Council officers and members who attend a Student
Council activity that requires an excused absence(s) from school must have passed all
their classes the previous six weeks and also must be passing all their classes at the
present time of the excused absence(s).
Section 9.
All officers are expected to attend all meeting and activities.
Excused absences are limited to family emergencies, personal illness with a Doctor’s
note, or extra-curricular performances already noted on the calendar. Excused absences
for special meetings are limited to unexpected extra-curricular activities accompanied by
a note from the sponsor or coach, work, vacations, family emergencies, or personal
illness. Any other absences will be considered unexcused. Upon the fourth absence, the
officer will be removed from office. Upon each occurrence of an unexcused absence, the
amount of time missed will be made up in an activity of the Sponsor’s choosing, outside
of regular school hours. Should the officer fail to make up the time within one week, they
will incur another unexcused absence.
ARTICLE VIII – Amendments
Section 1.
New Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by a
member at a regular meeting by a two-thirds vote of the Student Council.
Section 2.
New Amendments to the constitution may be ratified at a second
regular meeting by a three-fourths vote of the Student Council.
ARTICLE IX – POWERS AND LIMITATIONS
Section 1.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
The Student Council shall have the power to:
Make and enforce all rules necessary for the betterment of the school
within the power of the Student Council;
Help supervise and promote the development of extra-curricular
activities;
Recommend and appoint necessary committees for the school (ex. All
club presidents organization);
Promote responsibility and respect to the school, faculty, and
community;
And investigate and report on matters especially referred to it by the
administration, faculty, or student body.
ARTICLE X – SUPERVISION
Section 1.
All activities of this organization including decisions made by
members, committees, officers, and the entire Student Council are subject to approval by
the sponsor and/or school administration at all times.
ARTICLE XI – BYLAWS/STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS
Section 1.
Student Council is responsible for Mr. and Miss OHS elections,
Senior, Junior, & Sophomore Class Favorite elections, Homecoming King and Queen
elections and ceremonies, Mr. and Miss Spirit nominations and competition, Senior
Personalities’ elections, Student Council officer elections, and any other student body
elected recognition.
Section 2.
Student Council is responsible for creating and enforcing all
guidelines concerning all student body elections.
Section 3.
All student election guidelines and processes for any election must
be approved by the Student Council, sponsor, and school administration.
Section 4.
All student election guidelines and processes must be explained to
the student body and must be posted in all designated voting areas.
Section 5.
Any changes in student body elections must be approved by the
Student Council, sponsor, and administration.
Section 6.
Only Student Council officers and active members are allowed to
run all student body elections. All student body elections must be monitored by the
sponsor, or designated teacher, or school administrator.
Section 7.
Any Student Council officer or member who is on a ballot for any
student body election can vote in the election, but may not participate at any time in
running the election.
Section 8.
Any member of the student body, including student council
officers and members who are on any ballot to be voted on by the student body that
knowingly or unknowingly alters the election process in any way, shall be removed from
the ballot immediately by the sponsor and/or the school administration.
Section 9.
Legitimate appeals about the election process or a concern of a
student on any ballot must be done in a prompt and professional manner to the Student
Council sponsor and school administration. Appeal decisions made by the Student
Council sponsor and administration are final.
THE ODESSA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL CONSTITUTION WAS
LAS REVISED FEBRUARY 9, 2010