THE STUDENT COUNCIL OF ATHENS ACADEMY
CONSTITUTION
PREAMBLE:
We the members of the Student Council of Athens Academy, in order to promote a closer
relationship between students and faculty, foster unity within the student body through
leadership, responsibility and good citizenship, and fulfill the other objectives laid-out
herein, do establish this constitution as declaration of our means, methods, and
responsibilities.
Article I:
Name and Objective
Paragraph I. The name of this organization shall be “The Student Council of Athens
Academy”.
Paragraph II. The objective of this governing body shall be to faithfully adhere to the
ideals set forth by the Preamble and to promote student life and activities by the
cooperative efforts of its members, the rest of the Student Body and administration.
Article II:
Structure
Paragraph I. The Council shall be composed of five (5) “Delegations,” one for each class
of the Upper School, and a fifth representing the Student Body as a whole, composed of
Juniors and Seniors. Each Class Delegation shall be responsible for affairs and concerns
of its grade, and the Student Body Delegation shall be responsible for the entire Upper
School.
Paragraph II. A Delegation shall be composed thus: a president, a vice-president, a
secretary, and a treasurer. Each shall perform specific duties as specified in Articles III
and IV, but all four shall be considered equal for votes of the Council.
Paragraph III. In the event that a president is removed from office or otherwise rendered
unable to fulfill his/her duties, the vice-president shall accede to the position. In the
event that one of the other officers is rendered unable to fulfill his/her duties, the other
officers shall confer amongst themselves to divide those responsibilities between them as
they deem fit.
Article III:
The Student Body Delegation
Paragraph I. All Student Council members are required to attend the Student Council
Spring Organizational Meeting in May and the Student Council Fall Retreat in August.
Student Council members are required to attend regular D-Day meetings. Student Body
Officers will also attend once-a-cycle planning meetings with the Student Council
Sponsor.
Paragraph II. The Student Body President Shall: 1.) Plan, organize, and preside over
business meetings of the Student Council in conjunction with suggestions from other
officers and the Student Council Sponsor. 2.) Administer and delegate responsibilities
and appoint committees if needed. 3.) Oversee completion of Student Council projects
and activities. 4.) Lead school meetings. 5.) Preside over the Judiciary Board.
Paragraph III. The Student Body Vice President Shall: 1.) Assume all duties and
responsibilities of President as needed. 2.) Preside over fall fundraising. 3.) Chair
committees as specified by the president. 4.) Encourage and motivate fellow classmates
to support all Student Council activities. 5.) Help lead school meetings.
Paragraph IV. The Student Body Secretary Shall: 1.) Prepare the agenda for Student
Council meetings. 2.) Keep clear, detailed minutes of Student Council meetings and
activities. 3.) Chair committees as specified by the president. 4.) Encourage and
motivate fellow classmates to support Student Council activities. 5.) Handle and relate
Student Council Correspondence. 6.) Write announcements and create signs relative to
Student Council activities.
Paragraph V. The Student Body Treasurer Shall: 1.) Keep clear, accurate records of all
monies received and spent, and an accurate balance of Student Council Funds. 2.) Make
financial reports at Student Council Meetings and School Meetings as needed. 3.) Oversee fund-raising projects. 4.) Chair other committees as specified by the president. 5.)
Encourage and motivate fellow classmates to support Student Council activities.
Article IV:
Class Delegations
Paragraph I. The Class President Shall: 1.) Plan, organize, and preside over business
meetings of the class in conjunction with suggestions from other officers and the Class
Sponsor. 2.) Administer and delegate responsibilities and appoint committees if needed.
3.) Oversee completion of Student Council projects and activities. 4.) Lead Class
Meetings.
Paragraph II. The Class Vice President Shall: 1.) Assume duties and responsibilities of
Class President as needed. 2.) Preside over fall fundraising. 3.) Chair committees as
specified by the president. 4.) Encourage and motivate fellow classmates to support
Student Council activities. 5.) Help lead Class meetings.
Paragraph III. The Class Secretary Shall: 1.) Keep clear, detailed records of Class
Officer meetings and activities. 2.) Chair committees as specified by the president. 3.)
Encourage and motivate fellow classmates to support Student Council activities. 4.)
Handle and relate all Class Correspondence. 5.) Write announcements and create signs
relative to Student Council activities.
Paragraph IV. The Class Treasurer Shall: 1.) Keep clear, accurate records of all monies
received and spent, and an accurate balance of the Class Funds. 2.) Make financial
reports at Class Meetings as needed 3.) Oversee Class Fund-raising Projects along with
the Class Vice President. 4.) Chair other committees as specified by the president. 5.)
Encourage and motivate fellow classmates to support Student Council activities.
Article V:
Functions and Votes
Paragraph I. A Quorum shall be the minimum portion of the Student Council that must
be present for any decisions or actions to be considered an official act of the Student
Council. A Quorum shall be defined as 3/4ths of the members of the Student Council.
Paragraph II. Actions and decisions made with less than a Quorum of the Student
Council present shall be considered advisory decisions and must be reaffirmed at the next
meeting of a Quorum in order to become an official decision.
Paragraph III. A Quorum of the Student Body Officers shall be required to approve new
programs and items of business for the Student Council. Any decision made with less
than a Quorum of the Student Body Officers shall be considered an advisory decision,
and must be reaffirmed at the next meeting of a Quorum in order to become an official
decision.
Article VI:
Elective Franchise
Paragraph I. Elections by the Student Body shall be by ballot and only Athens Academy
Students shall be allowed to vote.
Paragraph II. Candidates must have a clear understanding of the philosophy of Athens
Academy and the Athens Academy Student Council and be willing and able to accept and
carry out the specified duties and responsibilities of the sought office. If elected to a
Student Council office, a student may not hold an official position of another Athens
Academy club or organization.
Paragraph III. The election of members of the Student Council shall be held during
February and/or March. The specific day of elections during the above designated period
will be determined by the Student Council sponsor and administration. Elections will be
held annually as stated herin unless changed by an amendment to this Constitution. The
election of Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Student Body
Secretary and Student Body Treasurer shall be determined in an election by the entire
Student Body. The elections of Class President, Class Vice President, Class Secretary
and Class Treasurer shall be determined by separate elections in each class.
Paragraph IV. Candidates for Student Body President must be rising seniors. Candidates
for Student Body Vice President must be rising juniors. Candidates for Student Body
Secretary and Student Body Treasurer may be rising juniors or rising seniors.
Paragraph V. Candidates for election to the Student Council are required to show, by
petition, their intentions to run for office. Candidates for President and Vice President
shall fulfill the qualifications as set forth in this constitution and shall secure four faculty
signatures and twenty student signatures. Candidates for Secretary and Treasurer shall
fulfill the qualifications as set forth in this constitution and secure two faculty signatures
and ten student signatures.
Paragraph VI. Candidates are required to attend a mandatory “candidate advisory
session” at least one week prior to the nomination assembly led by the Upper School
Director, the Dean of Students and the Sponsor of the Student Council. Candidates are
required to meet the deadlines of speech approval, platform approval, and Spartan
Review submissions.
Paragraph VII. Candidates for all Student Body offices shall select one student to
nominate them for candidacy in a Nomination Speech Assembly. In this assembly,
candidates will choose to accept the nomination and deliver a brief speech. Candidates
for Student Body President will provide the student body with their platforms in the
Presidential Forum a week after the Nomination Speech Assembly. Candidates for all
Class Offices will only provide their class with speeches.
Paragraph VIII. Campaigning will only be allowed for a designated period of time. All
campaign material must be approved by the Student Council Sponsor. All campaign
material must be removed when the election concludes and officers have been elected.
Paragraph IV. If a candidate running for any office receives a majority of votes, this
candidate will be declared the winner. If no candidate receives a majority of the votes
cast in the election, then a run-off election shall be required.
Article VII:
Removal from Office
Paragraph I. Removal proceedings shall be brought against any elected member of the
Student Council who is found negligent in the duties of his/her office or other reasons,
such as honor conviction, a Disciplinary Board appearance, or lack of attendance at
meetings. Student Council members must demonstrate through behavior and attitude a
clear understanding of the philosophy of Athens Academy as stated in the Student
Handbook. Student Council members must cooperate fully with the Student Council
Sponsor and administration. Student Council members must take an active part as
planner, organizer and participator in all business, service and social functions of the
Student Council.
Paragraph II. Members of the Student Council may initiate removal proceedings. A
successful Vote of No Confidence made by a Quorum shall be considered a request to the
Upper School Director to remove the Officer in question from office.
Article VIII:
Amendments
Paragraph I. This constitution may be amended by a ¾ vote of the Student Council, and
the approval of the Faculty Sponsor, the Upper School Director, and the Headmaster.