Constitution
Rockhurst High School
Student Government Association
I. Name
A. The name of this organization shall be:
"The Student Government Association of Rockhurst High School"
B. The organization may also be known as: "the SGA.'
II. General Purpose of the Student Government Association
A. As the official representative of the student body. Student Government Association
shall:
1. Promote a greater degree of unity, respect, spirit, and cooperation among
students, faculty, staff, and administration.
2. Offer and oversee activities for furthering the academic, social, and spiritual
growth of the student body.
3. Provide a democratic and representative forum through which students may
address school-related issues affecting the student body. .
4. Represent to the faculty and administration the concerns of the student body
regarding academic and disciplinary policies.
5. Consult with the appropriate policy-making administrators regarding school
policies and guidelines.
B. The specific delegated responsibilities of the SGA shall be to:
1. Serve as the official representative of the student body to the faculty and
administration.
2. Act as consultants to the faculty and administration concerning all matters of
student life.
3. Promote school spirit and unity by sponsoring a variety of social events.
4. Work in conjunction with the Assistant Principal of Student Affairs (APSA)
concerning all matters of club budgets, events, and the establishment of an
activities calendar for each academic year.
III. Structure of the Student Government Association
A. The Executive Council shall consist of the following three officials:
1. The Student Body President
2. The Student Body Vice-President
3. The Secretary-Treasurer
B. The Executive Committee will consist of the following ten elected officials:
1. The Student Body President (senior eligibility only)
2. The Student Body Vice-President
3. The Senior Class President
4. The Senior Class Vice-President
5. The Junior Class President
6. The Junior Class Vice-President
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Constitution
Rockhurst High School
Student Government Association
7. The Sophomore Class President
8. The Sophomore Class Vice-President
9. The Freshman Class President
10. The Freshman Class Vice-President
Additionally, the following five, who will be appointed by the Executive Council, will
serve as:
11. Secretary-Treasurer
12. Freshman Class Coordinator (I SEM.)/Election Commissioner II sem) (senior
eligibility only)
13. Chairman of the Academic and Student Life Committee
14. Chairman of the Pastoral Activities Committee
15. Chairman of the Social and Athletic Committee.
16. Chairman of Public Relations
C.
Student Government committees will be consist of at least six SGA members
including the committee chair. Members need not be active SGA officers. Each
committee chairman must submit an official roster of his committee on or before the
day of the first SGA General Assembly meeting to the Executive Council. The
Executive Council must be notified in writing of any changes to the roster.
1. Each committee will be delegated specific responsibilities, namely:
a) Social and Athletic Committee
i. Mixers and Dances
ii. Homecoming Week
iii. Work in cooperation with the Spirit Club and Yell Leaders
b) Pastoral Activities Committee
i. Harvest Food Drive
ii. Mission Week
iii. Work in cooperation with the Pastoral Office
c) Academic and Student Life Committee
i. Senior Brothers / Freshman Orientation
ii. Specific Club Activities
iii. Work in cooperation with the Assistant Principal for Student
Affairs (APSA) and with the Dean of Students
d) Freshmen Class Coordination/Election Committee
i. Work with the freshman class moderator, especially before
freshmen class elections
ii. Oversee the election of freshman class officers
iv. Assist with the senior brothers/freshmen orientation
e) Spirit Contest Committee
i. Oversee the selection of Spirit Contest events
ii. Oversee fair and accurate accounting at the events
iii. Post Spirit points in a timely manner
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Student Government Association
D.
Four class representatives will be elected from each class the beginning of the first
semester of the following academic year. Class representatives will serve as membersat-large of their class committees, and as members of an SGA committee. A
representative will serve for one academic year and may be re-elected.
E.
Any senior or junior is eligible to serve as Secretary-Treasurer or as an SGA
Committee chairman, with the exception of the Freshmen Class
Coordinator/Election Commissioner, which is limited to seniors only.
F.
All Student Government Association sanctioned Club Presidents (e.g. Regis Club,
National Honor Society, Amnesty International) shall serve as ex-officio members of
the Student Government Association. A sanctioned club shall have its constitution on
file with the Student Government Association along with a current list of club
officers.
G.
All Rockhurst High School students are considered members of the Student
Government Association and are welcome to attend any Student Government
Association General Assembly meeting. Rockhurst High School students who have
not been elected as class representatives or executive officers may not cast votes at
SGA General Assembly or Executive Committee meetings.
IV. Eligibility
A.
Eligibility for an SGA office is determined by the guidelines of the Rockhurst Student
Handbook. Additionally, a Rockhurst High School student as executive council
members and class officers must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 as of
the most recently completed semester to be eligible to run for an SGA position and
to remain an SGA member.
B.
A student may become an SGA voting member by winning an election as a student
body officer, as a class officer, or as a class representative. All appointed committee
chairmen would exercise full voting privileges.
C.
The Student Government Association under the sponsorship of the APSA and the
executive council will hold elections in the spring of each academic year.
1. The students will elect two student body officers, their two class officers, and
their four at-large representatives. A senior may only hold the office of
student body president.
2. SGA members are elected to serve for one academic year and may run for reelection.
3. Only the returning student body will vote on the positions of student body
president and vice-president.
4. Freshman class officers will be elected near the end of the first semester. Their
terms will begin immediately after the election results are announced. The
freshman class coordinator relinquishes his position at that time.
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Constitution
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Student Government Association
5. Election protocols will be published by the APSA in a timely fashion prior to
the spring elections.
D. Additional requirements for the election of the student body president.
1. In the election of the student body president, each student may cast one vote
for the candidate of his choice.
2. The junior vote, recognizing greater familiarity with the candidates and greater
familiarity with the needs of the student body, will be doubled.
3. The candidate receiving a majority of the total votes counted will be certified as
the winner of the election.
E. Primaries
1. This section shall apply to the election of the student body president, the
student body vice-president, and for all class officers.
2. If after the total vote has been counted, and if it is determined that no
candidate has received a majority of the total votes cast, then the two
candidates who have received the highest number of votes will run in another
election. The winning candidate shall be the person who receives a majority of
the votes cast in the run-off election.
3. There will be no primary elections for class representatives. Elected class
representatives will be the four candidates who receive the highest number of
votes.
V. Removal from Office
A. A student shall voluntarily remove himself from the SGA should any of the
Following conditions exist:
1. Academic probation
2. Cumulative GPA below 2.5
3. Disciplinary probation
Any removed officer reserves the right to appeal his removal to the APSA in a timely
fashion, who may choose to suspend the removal at his or her discretion.
Furthermore, a second appeal to the principal may follow, who also may choose to
suspend the removal proceedings at his or her discretion. Students facing
extraordinary conditions are encouraged. to use this process to have their
circumstances considered
B. If an SGA officer is found to be delinquent in his duties, he will be notified of his
delinquency and placed on a thirty-day probational period. At the end of his thirty
days, the executive committee will meet in order to review his performance. At this
time, the committee may elect to remove the officer with a 2/3 vote in favor of
removal.
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Student Government Association
C. Any student who is removed from office will be replaced in a timely fashion by a
person nominated by the student body president, who also gains a majority of
executive committee votes in favor of the nomination.
VI. Responsibilities of Student Government Association Members
A. All members will execute the general purposes and specific responsibilities of the
Rockhurst High School Student Government Association as defined in Articles II
and III.
B. The Student Body President shall:
1. Serve as the presiding officer at all SGA meetings.
2. Oversee all school activities under the responsibility of the Student
Government Association.
3. Create and post an agenda for all regularly scheduled meetings no later than
two days prior to the meeting.
4. Act as a regular, voting member of the Executive Committee and will vote
only to break ties in Student Government Association General Assembly
Meetings.
5. Order SGA committee meetings as needs dictate.
6. Be empowered to define any issue of "vital importance." An issue of "vital
importance" would take priority over any other issues on the SGA agenda.
Decisions regarding an issue of "vital importance" will require a two-thirds
plus one majority approval by the SGA General Assembly.
7. Convene Executive Council or Committee meetings with the Principal as
needed.
C. The Student Body Vice-President shall:
1. Assist the student body president in the organization and execution of all
meetings and activities.
2. Act as the presiding officer at all SGA meetings when the president is unable to
attend.
3. Assume the office of student body president if the elected student body
president is unable to fulfill his office.
4. Serve as the sergeant-at-arms charged with maintaining order during SGA
General Assembly meetings.
5. Act as the parliamentarian at all SGA meetings.
D. The Secretary/Treasurer shall:
1. Take the official attendance and minutes of all SGA General Assembly
meetings and post them in a timely fashion.
2. Report the minutes of the previous meetings and keep them on file.
3. Keep all records pertaining to the collection and accounting of all Student
Government Association funds.
4. Serve as the information officer for all student body issues.
5. Determine the presence of a quorum, defined as 50% plus one of the eligible,
voting representatives and officers, at SGA General Assembly meetings.
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Student Government Association
6. Serve as a liaison to the homeroom representatives.
E. The Class Officers shall:
1. Work closely with their class committees and moderator to organize and
oversee class-specific activities and meetings.
2. Inform the Student Government Association of all class activities.
3. Present the opinions and ideas of their class to the SGA.
4. Inform their class of the decisions of the SGA.
5. Serve as chairmen of class committee meetings.
6. Work with the Principal and the APSA in planning class convocations.
7. Convene and preside over class committee meetings, to be held a minimum of
one week prior to the SGA General Assembly Meetings.
F. Class Representatives Shall:
1. Serve as a liaison to report the interest of their classes to the class
committees.
2. Inform their classmates of the matters and decisions of the Student
Government Association.
3. Attend all class committee meetings.
G. Class Moderators Shall:
1. Serve as a liaison between the class officials and the faculty/staff regarding all
issues that effect the class.
2. Work as a liaison between students and administrators in organizing activities
for their class.
H. The Assistant Principal for Student Affairs (APSA) shall:
1. Serve as both the Student Government Association moderator and as the
liaison between the SGA and the Faculty, Administration and Staff
regarding all issues that affect the student body as a whole.
2. Provide to the SGA a list of sanctioned clubs for the upcoming academic year.
3. Consult with the SGA concerning sanctioned clubs and organizations whose
presidents may serve as ex-officio members of the SGA General Assembly.
4. Work closely with the SGA concerning the distribution of SGA funds and
other resources made available through the Principal.
VII. Meetings
A. The Student Government Association General Assembly:
1. SGA Assembly meetings will be held on the first or second, in school,
Thursday of each month.
2. Other SGA meetings may be called, as need dictates.
3. The student body president will preside over these meetings.
4. Meetings shall be governed by the rules of parliamentary procedure, and
enforced by the student body vice-president.
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Constitution
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Student Government Association
5. A majority (50%+1) decides the outcome of all Student Government
Association elections and votes, with the exception of issues of "vital
importance", which require a 2/3+1 majority
6. All members of the Rockhurst High School community are invited to
participate as non-voting members in the SGA General Assembly Meetings.
7. Any member of the Rockhurst High School community who chooses to be
present at an SGA General Assembly meeting will be subject to the student
vice-president acting in his capacity as Sergeant-at-Arms.
B. Class Committee Meetings:
1. Class committee meetings will be held at least once a month, and one week
prior to all SGA General Assembly meetings.
2. The class moderator may convene the class committee.
C. Executive Committee Meetings:
1. Executive committee meetings will be held by the order of the student body
president, or the APSA.
2. These meetings will serve to clarify SGA organizational issues, relations to the
faculty, administration, and staff, and to assist in the establishment of the
priorities and direction for SGA General Assembly meetings.
VIII. Amendment of the Constitution
A. Upon the approval of the APSA, these bylaws may be opened for amendment at any
meeting of the Student Government Association General Assembly upon a 2/3+l
majority vote, after the Secretary-Treasurer has certified the presence of a quorum,
and provided that the amendment is submitted in written form prior to the posting of
the agenda to the Executive Council.
IX. School Regulations
A. As a representative student organization of Rockhurst High School, all decisions and
actions must be in conformance with Rockhurst High School policies, regulations
and spirit.
X. Ratification
A. This Constitution shall go into effect beginning with the fall semester of the 20012002 academic year. The provisions of this Constitution will guide SGA elections
for the 2001-2002 school year.
B. Upon ratification, this Constitution will be the official operational document of the
Rockhurst High School Student Government Association. It will remain so until it is
amended or replaced in accordance with its bylaws.
C. This Constitution shall serve as both the empowerment instrument and as the
guideline for the Student Government Association of Rockhurst High School.
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Constitution
Rockhurst High School
Student Government Association
XI. Review
A. The student body president will initiate a review of the Constitution of the Student
Government Association every two years and report his findings and
recommendations to the Executive Council and to the APSA.
B. If, upon completion of the review, it is found necessary to amend this document, it
will be done so according to the provisions set forth in article VIII A.
C. The dating of the review process shall begin from the 2001-2002 academic year.
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Constitution
Rockhurst High School
Student Government Association
We, the undersigned, do hereby enact and ratify this Constitution for the Student
Govemment Association of Rockhurst High School. It shall serve as the operational
document and as the tool of empowerment for both this organization and the students of
Rockhurst High School. It shall also function as a contract between the students and the
administration giving fair and equitable representation to the student body. This
Constitution shall serve these purposes until such time as it is reviewed and amended in
accordance with the provisions set herein.
Jon Dandurand ’05
Student Body President
Patrick McShane ‘06
Student Body Vice-President
Patrick Curran ’05
Secretary/Treasurer
Michael Walczuk ‘05
Senior Class President
Patrick Cohen ‘05
Senior Class Vice-President
Stephen Fessler ‘06
Junior Class Vice-President
Ryan Coughlin ‘07
Sophomore Class President
Gibran Chavez ‘07
Sophomore Class Vice-President
William Boesen ‘08
Freshmen Class President
Eli Sopcich ‘08
Freshmen Class Vice-President
Mr. David Laughlin
Principal
Mr. Michael Heringer
Assistant Principal for Student
Affairs
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