Student Government Association
Valencia Community College
Winter Park Campus Constitution
PREAMBLE
We, the students of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus, in order to form an
organized representative association, encourage participation in the democratic process, uphold
the rights of students, develop high standards of honor and civic responsibility, and promote
cooperation between the student body, the faculty, and the administration, do hereby establish
this Constitution.
ARTICLE ONE - NAME
The name of the herein-established organization shall be the Student Government Association of
Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus. It shall henceforth be referred to as SGA.
ARTICLE TWO - MEMBERSHIP
All students enrolled at Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus shall be members of
the SGA. The elected and appointed representatives, whose duties and responsibilities are
defined in this Constitution, will conduct all official business of the SGA.
ARTICLE THREE – PURPOSE
The Student Government Association at Valencia Community College serves three (3) main
purposes: Advocacy, Representation, and Service
Advocacy:
Supports a student cause and speaks and writes on their behalf.
Representation:
Serves as a symbol of the student body.
Service:
Gives assistance to the students and the community.
The purpose of the SGA shall include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
To promote the knowledge of and respect for a free and democratic society.
To act as a liaison between the students and administration, faculty and staff of Valencia.
To provide a voice for student issues and concerns.
To represent the students of Valencia Community College in community service and
involvement.
5. To offer practical services to the student body.
6. To promote student activities and student involvement.
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ARTICLE FOUR- AUTHORITY
Section I - General Authority
Student Government Associations in the state of Florida are authorized by the Florida
Community College Activities Association (FCCAA) which comes under the authority of
the State Board of Community Colleges. The State Board of Community Colleges is
responsible to the Florida Cabinet and the Commissioner of Education, The Florida
Cabinet and the Commissioner of Education are empowered by the Florida State
Legislature.
Section II - Specific Authority
The SGA is recognized as the official student organization at Valencia Community
College by the College, Winter Park Campus Board of Trustees and institution
administration. The Valencia SGA is a member of the Florida Junior Community College
Student Government Association (FJCCSGA) and is a member of District II of the four
(4) FJCCSGA statewide districts.
Section III - Operating Authority
The SGA Campus Executive Board is the elected representation of the students of
Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus and is bound by this Constitution,
which has been duly ratified by the student body, and the rules and regulations of the
college. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern any matter not superseded by this
Constitution.
ARTICLE FIVE - LEADERSHIP
Section I - Leadership
The official leadership of the SGA shall consist of the student leaders called Officers,
which are the members of the Executive Board and the 6 SGA Senators. These leaders
are herein authorized to conduct the business of the SGA. The SGA President, Vice
President, Executive Secretary, Secretary to Vice President, and Treasurer form an
Executive Board (E-Board) which may act on behalf of SGA in accordance with this
Constitution. The Winter Park SGA’s campus bylaws permit a specialty senator based on
campus needs.
Section II - Officers
The Executive Board of the SGA shall consist of the following:
A. President
B. Vice President
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C. Executive Secretary
D. Secretary to Vice President
E. Treasurer
The Senators of the SGA shall consist of the following:
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
Student Activities
Student Affairs
Public Relations
Community Involvement
Marketing and Advertising
Governmental Affairs
*If these positions are not filled during election time they may be appointed by the Winter Park
Campus SGA E-Board and SGA Advisor through a marketing, recruitment and interview
process.
Section III - Duties
A. General duties of SGA members
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The SGA members shall represent Valencia Community College, the
student body, and the SGA in an appropriate manner.
The SGA members shall act in accordance with this Constitution and in
the best interests of the student body and Valencia Community College.
The SGA members shall see that the student body is properly represented
by staying informed of their needs, wishes, and concerns.
The SGA members shall actively participate in all SGA activities with a
positive attitude.
The SGA members shall carry out all prescribed and assigned duties and
responsibilities.
B. General duties of the Campus Executive Board
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The Executive Board shall represent the SGA at official college functions.
The Executive Board shall act as a Liaison between the students and the
administration, faculty, and staff of Valencia Community College.
The Executive Board shall be responsible for organizing, educating, and
preparing reports for SGA.
The Executive Board shall rule on the validity of all removal from office
petitions. If a petition is ruled valid, it shall be brought before the officers
at the next meeting for a vote.
The Executive Board shall develop and recommend the annual SGA
budget, which shall be submitted to the Student Development Office for
approval.
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6.
7.
8.
9.
The Executive Board shall carry out decisions and conduct the general
business of the SGA.
The Executive Board shall approve all Committee assignments and other
appointments made by the President.
The Executive Board shall spend allocated money on behalf of the SGA
with proper approval from the Student Government Advisor.
The Executive Board shall serve as a liaison between the student body and
FJCCSGA.
C. Specific duties of the Executive Board Members
1.
President
a. The President shall be the official spokesperson for the SGA.
b. The President shall act as the primary liaison between the student
body and administration, faculty, and staff of the college.
c. The President shall take responsibility to see that the Executive Board
properly represents the wishes and concerns of the student body and
that the SGA operates in accordance with this Constitution and the
College policies.
d. The President shall carry out all duties and responsibilities assigned
in this Constitution.
e. The President shall call and preside over all regular and special
meetings of the Campus E-Board and SGA.
f. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all SGA Committees.
g. The President shall delegate duties and responsibilities within the
purposes of the SGA.
h. The President shall participate in the student activity College-wide
budget process.
i. The President shall participate in the SGA budget process.
j. The President shall attend the monthly College-wide E-Board
meetings with each Valencia SGA President and College-wide
Student Development Director, in order to inspire communication
and partnership amongst the different campuses.
k. The President shall hold at least one weekly meeting with the SGA
Advisor to discuss SGA business.
2.
Vice President
a. The Vice President shall assist the President in the performance of
his/her duties and carry out all duties assigned to him/her by the
President.
b. The Vice President shall assume Presidential duties upon the
President’s absence.
c. If the President should relinquish his/her office, the Vice President
shall become President. When the Vice President assumes the role of
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President, he/she shall have the option of appointing a new Vice
President with a vote of approval by the SGA officers, or by holding
a special election.
d. The Vice President shall serve as the Chair of the Inter-Club Council
(ICC) with the responsibility to oversee the activities of the various
clubs.
e. The Vice President shall participate in the Student Activity Collegewide and SGA budget process.
3.
Executive Secretary
a. The Executive Secretary shall assist the President in the performance
of his/her duties.
b. The Executive Secretary will record, maintain, and distribute all
minutes and acts of SGA meetings.
c. The Executive Secretary shall maintain an accurate and official
record of all SGA activities including communications, actions,
meeting minutes, and correspondence. The Executive Secretary shall
also be responsible for maintaining weekly time sheet records for all
SGA Officers.
d. The Executive Secretary shall take attendance at all meetings and
maintain accurate attendance records.
e. The Executive Secretary shall create and maintain a database of new
and existing SGA members and officers; this database is to be shared
with the SGA officers for purpose of recruitment.
4.
Secretary to the Vice President
f. The Secretary to the Vice President shall assist the Vice President in
the performance of his/her duties.
g. The Secretary to the Vice President will record, maintain, and
distribute all minutes and acts of SGA Inter-Club Council (ICC)
meetings.
h. The Secretary to the Vice President shall maintain an accurate and
official record of all SGA Inter-Club Council (ICC) activities
including communications, actions, meeting minutes, and
correspondence.
i. The Secretary to the Vice President shall take attendance at all (ICC)
meetings and maintain accurate attendance records.
j. The Secretary to the Vice President shall create and maintain a
database of new and existing Club/Organization members, officers
and activities; this database is to be shared with the SGA officers for
purpose of recruitment.
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5.
Treasurer
a. The Treasurer shall assist the President in the performance of his/her
duties and carry out all duties assigned to him/her by the President.
b. The Treasurer shall maintain an accurate record of the Student
Government budgets. The Treasurer and President shall be
responsible for creating the SGA Budget proposal for the following
academic year.
c. The Treasurer shall participate in the Student Activity Campus and
SGA budget process.
d. The Treasurer shall make regular updates concerning the SGA
budgets during each SGA Officer and General Meeting.
e. The Treasurer shall be responsible for providing the President and
SGA Advisor with information on each event or expenditure of the
SGA budget for purposes of documentation.
D. General duties of the Senators
1. The Senators shall represent the SGA at official college functions.
2. The Senators shall act as a liaison between the student and the
administration, faculty, and staff of Valencia Community College.
3. The Senators shall carry out decisions and conduct the general business of
the SGA assigned to them by the Executive Board.
E. Specific duties of the Senators
1. The Senators shall strive to properly represent the student body of the
Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus by making responsible
and informed decisions.
2. The Senators shall chair their respective committee. SGA Officers may
serve on one or more Ad Hoc Committees.
3. The Senators shall perform all tasks that shall be duly given to them by the
SGA President and/or the Winter Park Campus E-Board.
The following are standing Senator positions in SGA:
Student Activities - shall assist in the development, supervision, and
evaluation of cultural activity and student related entertainment. The
Senator of Student Activities shall strive to implement SGA events that
incorporate the involvement of campus clubs and organizations. It shall be
the responsibility of the Senator of Student Activities to plan events with
specific themes which are geared towards serving direct needs of the
student body. This senator shall chair the Student Activities Committee
and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
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Student Affairs - shall assist in the dissemination of information about
counseling and testing, admissions and registration, financial aid and
veterans’ affairs, food services, bookstore and academic and instructional
programs from campus security to custodial maintenance and other
student services areas. The Senator of Student Affairs shall also be
responsible for the development and distribution of all SGA surveys in
order to gauge student concern. This senator shall chair the Student Affairs
Committee and be responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
Marketing and Advertising - shall assist in the development, supervision,
and coordination of dissemination of information relative to student
government to the administration, faculty, staff, and student body of the
Valencia Community College Campus and to other interested parties. This
Senator shall chair the Marketing and Advertising Committee and be
responsible for all duties assigned by the President. The Senator for
Marketing and Advertising will be responsible for promoting any and all
SGA meetings and events. The Senator of Marketing and Advertising
shall be responsible for writing weekly articles and notices for the campus
newsletter, in order to aid the President in informing the student body on
the progress of SGA. This Senator shall be responsible for working with
the College Marketing & Media Relations department; this task is vitally
important for when SGA is implementing events that are college-wide or
community related. The Senator of Marketing and Advertising will also
promote the activities of the SGA Representatives.
Public Relations - shall assist the President in the performance of his/her
duties. The Senator of Public Relations will record the current year by
taking pictures and keeping various records of all activities. He/she will
also create a portfolio for the organization at the end of the year. The
Senator of Public Relations is also responsible for developing a scrapbook
for the FJCCSGA State Conference. The Senator of Public Relations shall
attend all SGA Events or appoint a committee member to take his/her
place to take pictures. The Senator of Public Relations will be responsible
for the documentation of all SGA activities and events. The Senator of
Public Relations will chair the Public Relations Committee, and be
responsible for all duties assigned by the President.
Community Involvement - shall assist in the development, supervision,
and evaluation of community events and instructional programs. The
Senator for Community Involvement shall also act as the liaison between
Valencia Volunteers to keep SGA up to date on all possible community
service projects. The senator shall also participate and promote the
FJCCSGA community service projects. This Senator shall chair the
Community Involvement Committee and be responsible for all duties
assigned by the President.
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Governmental Affairs - shall assist in the following of legislative changes
in Tallahassee, FL and Washington, D.C. that might have a direct effect on
community colleges and higher education. He/she shall be responsible for
working with FJCCSGA representatives to ensure that all SGA members
are aware of any legislative issues or changes. The Governmental Affairs
Senator shall be the Valencia Community College representative on the
Legislative Issues District Committee. This senator will be responsible for
communicating and maintaining a relationship with the college’s lobbyist.
This Senator will chair the Governmental Affairs Committee and be
responsible for all duties assigned by the President. The Governmental
Affairs Senator will be responsible for holding a Legislative Issues Town
Hall Meeting during the Fall and Spring, in order to educate the student
body about growing issues that will have a direct effect on community
colleges.
F. Committees
1. Each senator shall be the Committee Chairperson of their respective
committees.
2. Committees are the primary method for conducting the work of the SGA. It
is the responsibility of the SGA Officers to determine standing and ad hoc
Committees. The duties and responsibilities of committees shall be defined
by the SGA Officers except when the duties are dictated by this
Constitution.
3. All Committee Chairpersons shall be members of the SGA. Committee
Chairpersons are responsible for recruiting committee members.
4. Members of any SGA Committee shall be referred to as Committee
members; Committee members are not officers.
5. Duties of all Committees, not included in this Constitution, shall be
determined by the SGA Officers.
6. Committees shall meet at least once a month.
The following are standing Committees and/or Council in SGA, any other
committee established will be reflected in the SGA Winter Park Campus
Bylaws:
Constitution Revisions Committee:
1.
2.
3.
4.
This committee will review the constitution and suggest changes to the
SGA Campus E-Board.
This committee will review the Winter Park bylaws.
The chairperson of this committee shall be the SGA President.
Committee members can be any member of the SGA.
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Elections Committee:
1. This committee shall be chosen each year to supervise the elections. The
Committee shall consist of five members. Two members must be an SGA
E-Board member and/or senator. The other two members may be members
of the SGA student body. The fifth member shall be the SGA Advisor. The
committee shall have sole authority to conduct the general elections and
settle issues not addressed in this Constitution. No one running for an SGA
office may serve on the committee.
G. Councils
Councils may be established by the SGA as warranted by needs of the Winter
Park Campus student body.
1. Inter-Club Council (ICC)
a. This council, chaired by the Winter Park Campus SGA Vice President,
shall plan programming activities designed to support active,
successful student clubs and organizations. It also works with Student
Development to promote leadership development activities for
students. Council activities include club fairs, special events related to
clubs, leadership development programs and appreciation awards.
b. The ICC By-Laws are granted full recognition by the Winter Park
SGA. Any changes to the ICC By-Laws must be approved by the
Winter Park SGA.
c. The Winter Park SGA hereby empowers the ICC to review all
constitutional issues and/or revisions of all fully recognized
organizations on the Winter Park campus.
d. Representative attendance of all fully recognized organizations at ICC
meetings is mandatory.
H. SGA Advisor
1. The SGA Advisor and/or Co-Advisor shall serve as an ex-officio member
of the SGA.
2. The Advisor shall maintain an accurate accounting of the SGA budget and
authorize all expenditures drawn from the College budget.
3. The main role of the Advisor shall be to oversee the activities of the SGA
and to guide and educate the SGA members as to their duties and
responsibilities. The members of the Executive Board shall respect the SGA
Advisor and strive to work in harmony with him/her.
4. The SGA Advisor shall be responsible for executing a grade check on all
candidates for student government positions. He/she will advise the General
Elections Committee of the results.
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5. At the end of each session, the SGA Advisor shall be responsible for
executing a grade check on all appointed and elected members of the SGA.
He/she will advise the Student Government President and member of the
results.
6. The SGA Advisor shall have the authority to remove members of the SGA
who, based on their grade check, do not qualify before or during their term
of office.
7. The SGA Advisor and/or designee shall attend all SGA activities and
meetings.
8. The SGA Advisor shall meet weekly with the SGA President.
9. The SGA Advisor shall perform a monthly review of the SGA President’s
development.
10. The SGA Advisor shall be a part of the recruiting, training and appointment
process of the E-Board and/or Senators
11. The SGA Advisor shall be responsible for the communication of important
dates regarding FJCCSGA, the institution and the community.
I. Oath of Office
1. All SGA Officers shall take an oath of office before assuming their
respective positions and renewed at the first meeting of each new term.
2. The oath shall be: “I, state your name, do solemnly swear and affirm to
carry out my duties as, name of position, as stated in the Valencia
Community College Winter Park Campus Student Government Association
Constitution and will uphold this constitution and its by-laws to the best of
my abilities.”
3. New SGA Officers, elected or appointed, will be sworn in by the SGA
Advisor or President at the first SGA meeting of the new administration.
This privilege may be delegated if the circumstance warrants it, such as the
availability of a Valencia Community College dignitary.
ARTICLE SIX - QUALIFICATIONS, TERM OF OFFICE, AND ELECTIONS
Section I - Qualification for Officers of the SGA
A. A member of SGA must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on all work
attempted at Valencia Community College upon election and/or appointment. All
officers and senators must maintain at least a 2.0 semester by semester cumulative grade
point average (GPA) while serving in office. Also, the member must have no unresolved
“I” incomplete grades.
B. A member of SGA must register for and maintain at least 1 course (3 hours) as a Winter
Park student during the fall and Spring Terms.
C. An officer of the SGA must agree to abide by the rules set forth in this Constitution
to be acknowledged in the oath of office.
D. An officer of the SGA must plan on being a student for the entire year of his/her
term (May 1 - April 30).
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Section II - Terms of Office
A. The term of office of the SGA Officers shall begin on May 1st of each year and
end on April 30th. All Officers are required to serve a transition period between
the time of their elections and the start of their term of office. This transition
period is designed to acquaint them with their duties and to familiarize them
with SGA procedures. Attendance at all SGA meetings and training sessions is
mandatory.
B. If the President should relinquish his/her office due to resignation or removal
of, the Vice President shall become the President.
C. Vacancies that occur within the Student Government Association shall be filled
by special election or by appointment of the SGA President with the approval
of the Executive Board, pending a two-thirds vote. Any qualified student may
fill the position of an Executive Board member. Vacancies should be filled
within two weeks of their occurrence.
D. The SGA President can serve for a maximum of two years. If the office for
President is being run for unopposed, the current President can seek reelection.
He/she must inform the General Elections Committee within three (3) days
after the deadline for the acceptance of candidate applications. He/she must
also go through the official elections process and get fifty percent plus one
(50% + 1) of the votes.
Section III - General Elections of Executive Board Members
A. SGA general elections shall be held during each year in the months of March
and April. The exact dates and times shall be set by the College Wide
Executive Board and be enforced by Elections Committee with consideration
given to the recommendations made by the Executive Board.
B. All SGA general elections shall be by secret ballot and shall be determined by a
plurality of all votes cast by the student body of Valencia Community College,
Winter Park Campus. The results will be determined by a majority (50%+1) of
all votes cast by the student body.
C. Any candidate running for election must meet all qualifications for office,
submit an official application with a petition signed by a minimum of twenty
(20) students supporting his/her candidacy and adhere to all election rules. It is
the responsibility of the SGA Advisor to determine the qualifications of all
candidates.
D. The SGA President, with the approval of the Executive Board and SGA
Advisor, may call for special elections. Vacancies may also be filled by
appointment by the President and SGA Advisor with the approval of the
Executive Board with a two-thirds (2/3) vote. The vacancies may be filled by a
recruiting and interview process.
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Section IV - Special Elections of Officers
A. All SGA special elections shall be by secret ballot and shall be determined by a
majority (50% + 1) of all votes cast by the students/ Board members present.
B. If there are more than two candidates running for the same position and no
majority was reached on the first vote, then a run-off vote will be taken from
the Officers to decide the winner between the two leading candidates.
ARTICLE SEVEN - MEETINGS
Section I - Meetings
A. The SGA Officers must meet at least once per month during the academic year;
these meetings are mandatory.
B. The President is responsible for calling and scheduling all meetings in
accordance with the rules of this Constitution. He/she may call a special
meeting when it is deemed necessary. All regular meetings must be scheduled
at least seven days in advance and all members must be properly notified.
Special meetings may be called with only 24 hours notice. This requirement
may be waived in extreme emergencies. In such cases, all votes must be a
majority of all the SGA Officers.
C. All SGA Executive Board meetings shall be conducted in accordance with this
Constitution. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern instances not stipulated in
this Constitution.
D. A General Session Meeting shall consist of a meeting of the SGA Officers,
Advisor(s), its membership (student body), and guests to keep the membership
informed of the activities of the Officers. There shall be at least two General
Session meetings during the Fall and Spring terms.
Section II - Quorum
A. A quorum at SGA meetings shall consist of a majority (50% + 1) of the Winter
Park Campus SGA Officers.
Section III - Voting
A. All SGA Officer decisions shall be a majority (50% + 1) vote of those
Executive Board members present unless otherwise required.
B. All other SGA decisions shall be by a majority (50% + 1) vote of those SGA
members present unless otherwise required.
C. The SGA President shall not vote as an Officer, during Officer meetings, unless
the Officers are evenly divided or a vote larger than a majority is required.
D. Any member of SGA, on any official vote, may request a secret ballot.
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Section IV - Attendance
A. General meetings
1. All SGA general meetings are mandatory; it is the responsibility of all
SGA Officers and Senators to attend.
2. If an Officer and/or Senator is unable to attend a meeting it is his/her
responsibility to obtain the minutes of the meeting and any other related
materials.
3. An Officer and/or Senator of the SGA is permitted a total of two
absences during his/her regularly required term of office (Sessions 1 and
2), notwithstanding prior approval.
4. After an Officer and/or Senator has been absent more than once, the
executive secretary shall send a letter of warning to the officer in
question. This letter will be sent before the next meeting.
5. After the second non-excused absence, the Officer and/or Senator in
question shall be removed from office. The position shall then be filled
during that to the next official meeting.
B. Officer meetings
1.
The Executive Board members shall be governed by the same
attendance provisions of general meetings.
Section V - Proxy
1. A proxy shall be considered attendance at a Winter Park Campus
SGA meting.
2. The proxy must be written, signed and given to a voting member.
3. The proxy will allow the voting member who holds the proxy to
vote for the absent voting member on all votes except an election
of any kind.
4. The proxy must be shown to the Board before or during roll call of
the meeting in which the proxy is to be used.
5. Each member shall be permitted a total of three (3) proxies for her/
his term of office.
ARTICLE EIGHT - REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Section I - Process of Removal from Office
A. The President may place any SGA Officer on Probation. This action must be
submitted to the Advisor in writing and presented to the officer in question at
an SGA Officer Meeting. The President can only place an officer on probation
twice. The first probationary period will last two weeks from the date of the
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B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
SGA Officer Meeting. The second probationary period will last one week from
the date of the SGA Officer Meeting. At the end of the probationary period the
officer in question must meet with the President and the Advisor. At this
meeting the President and Advisor will decide to either remove him/her from
their position or allow him/her to remain an officer.
SGA Officers may be removed from office for absenteeism following the
procedure stated in the attendance section of this Constitution.
SGA Officers may be removed from office for the nonperformance of duties,
lack of participation, actions that are detrimental to SGA and/or the College,
and any other offense that clearly violates the proper purposes of the SGA.
Members shall be removed by a two-thirds vote of the SGA Officers. If a
member feels his/her removal from office is not warranted, he/she may appeal
to the SGA in writing within ten days and a Review Committee will be
convened. A Review Committee must be commissioned by the Executive
Board and SGA Advisor.
It will be the responsibility of the Officers to bring a removal petition to the
SGA Officer Board for a vote. A petition signed by at least three members of
the SGA Officers, or twenty five members of the student body will be
sufficient to bring the issue to a vote. The petition must come before the SGA
Officer Board at the next regular meeting.
A removal petition must include the following: the name of the person subject
to removal, his/her office, a clear statement of the offense, and the proper
number of signatures and VID numbers in support of the petition.
Officers wishing to leave SGA on their own merit, must submit a letter of
resignation which will be forwarded to the SGA President and Advisor.
If the officer in question has violated the Code of Conduct policy he/she shall
be immediately removed from his/her position and will be ineligible for her/his
leadership stipend.
Section II - Appeal Committee
A. An Ad Hoc Review Committee shall be constituted to hear appeals in the cases
involving removal from office.
B. The Review Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Three (3) members
shall be selected from among Winter Park Campus student leaders and two (2)
members shall be selected from the Winter Park Campus faculty and/or staff.
The SGA Advisor shall determine the list of student leaders. The list of student
and faculty members will then be narrowed to those who are willing to serve on
the Review Committee. The Review Committee will be selected at random by
the SGA Advisor and the Winter Park Campus Provost.
C. After the Review Committee has been selected, a hearing will take place.
D. The SGA Advisor shall serve as facilitator for the review process. The
facilitator will read the charges from the petition, the facilitator will also
provide information requested by the Review Committee. The named SGA
member shall have the opportunity to answer the charges and the author of the
petition will be available to explain the reasoning behind the charges.
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E. The Review Committee will decide if the removal charges are valid and, within
two (2) school days it will notify the named SGA Officer.
F. Each Committee member shall have one vote; a majority vote of the
Committee shall determine the outcome.
G. The officer named in the petition shall have five school days to appeal the
decision of the Winter Park Review Committee to the Student Development
Committee.
ARTICLE NINE - SGA CONSTITUTION AMENDMENT PROCESS
Section I - Amendments
A. Any Officer may propose amendments to the Constitution at a regular SGA
meeting. To be accepted as a proposed amendment, it must receive a two-thirds
(2/3) vote of the campus SGA Officers.
B. The amendment must then be approved by the SGA Campus Executive Board.
C. The student body of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus may
propose amendments to the constitution when supported by a petition signed by
fifty (50) students, including VID numbers, who are actively enrolled at Winter
Park Campus during the term in which the amendment is proposed.
D. To be accepted as a proposed amendment, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3)
vote of the Winter Park Campus SGA Officers.
E. The amendment must be approved by the SGA Campus Executive Board.
Section II - Revisions
A. The SGA President, with the approval of the Officers, shall appoint a
Committee to review this Constitution annually and to suggest revisions.
B. To be accepted as a proposed revision, it must receive a two-thirds (2/3) vote of
the Winter Park Campus SGA Officers.
C. The revisions must be submitted for approval by the SGA Campus Executive
Board.
ARTICLE TEN - RATIFICATION
Section I - Ratification
A. Upon two-thirds (2/3) approval by the SGA Campus Executive Board, the
proposed revisions and/or amendments shall be forwarded to the administration
of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus.
B. The Provost of Winter Park Campus shall approve the proposed revisions of
the constitution to ensure that they comply with the college regulations before
they are voted on by the student body.
C. After the proposed revisions and/or amendments are approved by the Provost,
they shall be presented to the student body for ratification.
D. Ratification of a constitutional revision and/or amendment shall be by majority
approval of the students voting on the revision. Such ratification may take place
Last Ratified Spring 2008 15
at the same time as the regular SGA elections or at a special vote called by the
SGA.
ARTICLE ELEVEN - IMPLEMENTATION
Upon ratification of this Constitution as stated in Article Eleven, the document will
immediately become effective as the constitution of the SGA of Valencia Community College,
Winter Park Campus, superseding the constitution presently in effect.
ARTICLE TWELVE- HAZING
Valencia Community College District Board of Trustees Policy and Procedure
Section I - Policy and Procedure Number: 6Hx28:10-07
All student organizations shall include the policy that All student organizations, their officers
or members are expressly forbidden to engage in any kind of hazing as defined in Policy
6Hx28:10-07 and such organizations and individuals violating the policy shall be subject to
the penalties set forth therein. All student organizations shall include the policy in its entirety
in their By-Laws.
Section II - Policy and Procedure Number: 6Hx28:10-07
Hazing is prohibited at Valencia Community College pursuant to section 240.326, Florida
Statutes.
A. Hazing is defined in Section 240.326 (1). Florida Statutes, as follows;
“(1) As used in this section, ‘hazing’ means any action or situation which
recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of
a student for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with any
organization operating under the sanction of a community college, hereinafter
referred to as ‘community college organization.’ Such term includes, but is not
limited to, any brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping; beating;
branding; forced calisthenics; exposure to the elements; forced consumption of
any food, liquor, drug, or other substance; or any other forced physical activity
which could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the individual, and
also includes any activity which would subject the individual to extreme mental
stress, such as sleep deprivation, embarrassment, or other forced activity which
could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual. For
purposes of this section, any activity as described above upon which the
initiation or admission into or affiliation with a community college
organization is directly or indirectly conditioned shall be presumed to be a
‘forced’ activity, the willingness of an individual to participate in such activity
notwithstanding.”
Last Ratified Spring 2008 16
ARTICLE THIRTEEN - STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
Standards of Leader’s Behavior
I understand that as a Representative of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus, I
will hold myself and my fellow leaders to a higher standard. I realize that I am a representative
of Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus, and that I have been chosen by my peers
to represent them and their interests. I understand that any actions will either negatively or
positively affect the opinions of others upon this organization and Valencia. As a representative,
I will engage in behaviors that are responsible and mature.
Draft 12-15-06
Revised 01-30-07; 2-19-07; 3/21/07; 5-08-07
VALENCIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES POLICY
10-03 Student Code of Conduct
Specific Authority: 1006.60 FS.,
Law Implemented: 1006.60
Policy:
I. General Principles
A. Purpose:
Valencia Community College is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and learning and
also to the development of responsible personal and social conduct. The primary purpose for the
maintenance of discipline in the College setting is to support a civil environment conducive to
learning and inquiry.
B. Inherent Authority:
The College reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and
well being of the campus community. This Code is adopted for the appropriate discipline of any
student (or student organization) who acts to impair, interfere with, or obstruct the orderly
conduct, processes, and functions of the college. This Code may apply to acts conducted on or
off campus when relevant to such orderly conduct, processes, and functions. It is the intention of
the Board that authority for student discipline ultimately rests with the College President. The
President delegates this authority to the Vice President for Student Affairs, and the Vice
President delegates this authority to each campus Dean of Students.
The campus Dean of Students is responsible for implementing the student disciplinary system.
The President, the Vice President for Student Affairs, or the campus Dean of Students or
designee may take direct jurisdiction of any case due when it is determined by the circumstances
that taking direct jurisdiction is the best way to resolution. As appropriate, the campus Dean of
Students or designee will work collaboratively with the campus Provost Office and campus
Security in addressing student conduct issues.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 17
C. Interpretation of Regulations and Standard of Conduct:
To the extent feasible and practical, disciplinary regulations at the College are in writing in order
to give students general notice of prohibited conduct. The regulations are not a criminal code;
they should be read broadly and are not designed to define misconduct in exhaustive terms.
D. Proceedings:
Disciplinary proceedings conducted pursuant to the Code shall be informal, fair and expeditious.
Procedures governing criminal or civil courts, including formal rules of evidence, are not
applicable. Deviations from the procedures in this Code shall not invalidate a proceeding or
decision, except where such deviation has clearly resulted in significant prejudice to an accused
student or to the College.
College jurisdiction regarding discipline is generally limited to conduct of any student or
registered student organization that occurs on College premises. However, the College reserves
the right to impose discipline based on any student conduct, regardless of location, that may
adversely affect the College community.
E. Violations of Local, State and Federal Law:
Any student who accepts the privilege extended by the laws of Florida of attendance at Valencia
Community College is deemed to have given his or her consent to the policies of the College, the
State Board of Education, and the laws of Florida.
By enrolling at Valencia Community College, a student assumes the responsibility for becoming
familiar with and abiding by the general rules of conduct listed in this Code. Violation of any of
these may lead to disciplinary sanctions.
A student may be accountable to both governmental authorities and to the College for acts which
constitute violations of law and this Code. Student conduct allegedly constituting a felony or
misdemeanor offense may be referred to appropriate law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
Disciplinary proceedings at the College will not be subject to challenge on the ground that
criminal charges involving the same incident have been filed, prosecuted, dismissed, reduced or
otherwise resolved or that such proceedings constitute double jeopardy.
II. Definitions
A. Student.
Student as used in this code means:
1. all persons taking Valencia courses, both full-time and part-time; and/or
2. all persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but have a continuing
relationship with Valencia or intend to enroll in the next term. This provision is intended
to include within the definition of students, those persons enrolled in the spring and fall
semesters who engage in misconduct during the summer and students who are first time
enrollees who engage in misconduct prior to the time of enrollment; and/or
3. all persons who are attending classes on a Valencia campus although they may be
enrolled students in other higher education institutions; and/or
4. student groups and organizations may be held collectively responsible when violations of
this Code by those associated with the group or organization have received consent or
Last Ratified Spring 2008 18
encouragement of the group or organization or of the group’s or organization’s leaders or
officers.
B. Campus.
Campus means:
1. all land, buildings, facilities, and other property- including adjacent streets and sidewalksin the possession of or owned, used, or controlled by Valencia;
III. Grounds for Discipline
A. The College may impose discipline for violation of, or an attempt to violate, any College
policies or campus regulations. Violations or attempted violations include, but are not limited to,
the following types of misconduct:
1. All forms of academic misconduct, including but not limited to, cheating, fabrication,
plagiarism, or facilitating academic dishonesty.
2. Other forms of dishonesty, including but not limited to, fabricating information or
knowingly furnishing false information or reporting a false emergency to the College or
to College officials acting in the performance of their duties.
3. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any College document, record, key, electronic device, or
identification.
4. Theft of, conversion of, or damage to or destruction of, any property of the College or
property of others while on College premises, or possession of any property of the
College or others stolen while on College premises.
5. Theft or other abuse of computing facilities or computer time, including but not
limited to: unauthorized entry into a file to use, read, or change the contents or any other
purpose; unauthorized transfer of a file; unauthorized use of another individual's
identification or password; use of computing facilities to interfere with the work of
another student, faculty member, or College official; use of computing facilities to
interfere with a College computing system, or other violations of policy 6Hx28:04-38,
Information Technology Resources Policies and related procedures.
6. Use of Valencia technology, including, but not limited to, computers, network, and
wireless internet, to access materials disruptive to the learning environment, including
and without limitation sexually explicit or violent content.
7. Unauthorized entry to, possession of, receipt of, duplication of, or use of the
College's name, insignia, or seal
8. Unauthorized entry to, possession of, receipt of, or use of any College properties,
equipment, resources, or services.
9. Violation of policies, regulations, or rules governing College owned or operated
facilities or leased facilities.
10. Physical abuse, including but not limited to, rape, sexual assault, sex offenses, and other
physical assault; threats of violence; or conduct that threatens the health or safety of any
person.
11. Sexual harassment, as defined in College policy (see Policies 6Hx28:02-01, 02-02, and
02-03): Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or
physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
Last Ratified Spring 2008 19
a. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of instruction, employment, or participation in other College activity;
b. Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for
evaluation in making academic or personnel decisions affecting an individual; or
c. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's
performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive College environment. In
determining whether the alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, consideration
shall be given to the record of the incident as a whole and to the totality of the
circumstances, including the context in which the alleged incidents occurred.
12. Stalking behavior in which an individual willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly engages
in a knowing course of conduct directed at a specific person which reasonably and
seriously alarms, torments, or terrorizes the person, and which serves no legitimate
purpose.
13. The use or display of "fighting words" by students to harass any person(s) on College
property, on other property to which these policies apply as defined in campus
implementing regulations, or in connection with official College functions or College
sponsored programs. "Fighting words" are those personally abusive epithets which, when
directly addressed to any ordinary person are, in the context used and as a matter of
common knowledge, inherently likely to provoke a violent reaction whether or not they
actually do so. Such words include, but are not limited to, those terms widely recognized
to be derogatory references to race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability,
and other personal characteristics. "Fighting words” create a hostile and intimidating
environment which the student uttering them should reasonably know will interfere with
the victim's ability to pursue effectively his or her education or otherwise to participate
fully in College programs and activities.
14. Wearing styles or articles of clothes that cause disruption of the learning environment, or
intimidation of others in the learning environment, or violate published classroom
protocols of individual professors, subject to the requirements of law.
15. Hazing or any action or situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or
physical health or safety of a student for purposes including, but not limited to, initiation
or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating under the sanction of a
postsecondary institution, as prohibited by 1006.63, F.S., and Valencia Policy 6Hx28:1017.
16. Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures,
or other College activities, including but not limited to:
a) Violence committed against any member or guest of the college community.
b) Forcible interference with the freedom of movement of any member or guest
of the College.
c) Obstruction of the normal processes, activities, and functions of the college
community.
d) Assault or battery upon community college security officers.
e) Disruptive activities as defined and prohibited in accordance with the criminal
provisions of Section 877.13, Florida Statutes.
17. Disorderly or lewd conduct.
18. Participation in a disturbance of the peace or unlawful assembly.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 20
19. Failure to identify oneself to, or comply with directions of, a College official or other
public official acting in the performance of their duties while on College property or at
official College functions, or resisting or obstructing such College or other public
officials in the performance of or the attempt to perform their duties.
20. Unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, use, or sale of, or the
attempted manufacture, distribution, dispensing, or sale of controlled substances,
identified in Federal and State law or regulations.
21. Manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, use, or sale of, or the attempted
manufacture, distribution, dispensing, or sale of alcohol which is unlawful or otherwise
prohibited by, or not in compliance with, College policy or campus regulations.
22. Possession, use, storage, or manufacture of explosives, firebombs, or other destructive
devices.
23. Except as expressly permitted by law, possession, use, or manufacture of a firearm or
other weapon.
24. Violation of the conditions contained in the terms of a disciplinary action imposed under
this Code.
25. Violate the terms of any disciplinary sanction imposed in accordance with this Code.
26. Aiding, Solicitation, and Attempt.
A person is in violation of this Code if he or she:
a) intentionally aids or abets another in the commission of any offense (s) mentioned
in this Code;
b) requests, hires, encourages, or otherwise solicits another person to commit any
offense mentioned in this Code, either intending that the other person commit the
offense or with the knowledge that the other person intends to commit the
offense; or
c) attempts to commit any offense mentioned in this Code.
27. The College shall enforce the provisions of Section 1006.62, Florida Statutes, hereinafter
set forth in full, as follows:
a. Each student in a community college or state College is subject to federal
and state law, respective county and municipal ordinances, and all rules
and regulations of the State Board of Education or board of trustees of the
institution.
b. Violation of these published laws, ordinances, or rules and regulations
may subject the violator to appropriate action by the institution's
authorities.
c. Each president of a community college or state College may, after notice
to the student of the charges and after a hearing thereon, to expel,
suspend, or otherwise discipline any student who is found to have
violated any law, ordinance, or rule or regulation of the State Board of
Education or of the board of trustees of the institution. A student may be
entitled to waiver of expulsion:
1. If the student provides substantial assistance in the identification,
arrest, or conviction of any of his or her accomplices, accessories,
coconspirators, or principals or of any other person engaged in
violations of chapter 893 within a state College or community
college;
Last Ratified Spring 2008 21
2. If the student voluntarily discloses his or her violations of chapter
893 prior to his or her arrest; or
3. If the student commits himself or herself, or is referred by the
court in lieu of sentence, to a state-licensed drug abuse program
and successfully completes the program. "
B. The College will follow the mandates of Public Law 90-575, which provides in part, that
students at an institution of higher learning who, after notice and hearing, are found guilty of
substantial disruption will not be eligible for financial assistance provided by the federal
government.
IV. Standards of Classroom Behavior
A. Primary responsibility for managing the classroom environment rests with the faculty. Faculty
members are authorized to define, communicate, and enforce appropriate standards of decorum
in classrooms, offices, and other instructional areas under their supervision. Students who engage
in any prohibited or unlawful acts that result in disruption of a class may be directed by the
faculty member to leave the class for the remainder of the class period. Longer suspensions from
class or dismissal on disciplinary grounds must be preceded by a disciplinary conference or
hearing, as set forth in the Implementing Procedures of this Code.
Examples of such disruptive or distracting activities include, but are not limited to, the
following:
1. Activities that are inconsistent with commonly acceptable classroom behavior and
which are not conducive to the learning experience, such as: excessive tardiness, leaving
and returning during class, and early departure when not previously authorized;
2. Activities which violate previously prescribed classroom guidelines or constitute an
unreasonable interruption of the learning process;
3. Side discussions which are irrelevant to the subject matter of the class, that distract
from the learning process, or impede, hinder, or inhibit the ability of the students to
obtain the full benefit of the educational presentation;
B. Academic dishonesty allegations may be processed by the professor as academic violations,
and/or may be processed in accordance with student conduct procedures set forth in this Code.
Students may be subject to both the Student Conduct Code and academic sanctions as
determined in the academic judgment of the professor in cases where there is a combination of
alleged violations of academic and nonacademic regulations. Any student determined by the
professor to have been responsible for engaging in an act of academic dishonesty shall be
subject to a range of academic penalties (apart from any sanctions that may be imposed pursuant
to the Code) as determined by the professor which may include, but not be limited to, one or
more of the following: loss of credit for an assignment, examination, or project; a reduction in
the course grade; or a grade of "F" in the course.
V. Implementation.
The President, or designee(s), shall administer this policy by developing and implementing
procedures as deemed necessary and appropriate.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 22
Implementing Procedures:
The disciplinary function at Valencia supports the educational mission of the College. Students
or student organizations in violation of College policies and procedures will be reported to
Valencia authorities for disciplinary action. Disciplinary processes are outlined in the Student
Handbook, the College Catalog, and the Valencia web site under College Policies, which gives
the College authority to impose sanctions including suspension, dismissal, and expulsion.
A. Reporting violations of the Student Conduct Code
Any College student, faculty, or staff member may report student(s), student group, or student
organization suspected of violating the Student Code of Conduct to the campus Dean of
Students, or designee. Normally, a written complaint to the campus Dean of Students will be
requested promptly after the occurrence or discovery of the alleged infraction(s), although the
campus Dean of Students may initiate disciplinary processes without a written complaint. Those
reporting cases are normally expected to participate in the proceedings and provide information
relevant to the matter in the disciplinary process.
If the complaint is received more than one term after the incident occurred, the campus Dean of
Students or designee, will evaluate whether the circumstances merit disciplinary action based on
the nature of the alleged charges.
B. Steps in Student Conduct Resolution process:
1. The first step in the process is an informal conference between the student(s) and the Dean of
Students or designee. During this conference, the Dean of Students or designee will discuss the
alleged violation with the student and may reach an understanding about its circumstances and
sanctions that will result in a final determination by the Dean of Students or designee on the
alleged violation. If a final determination is not reached at this point, the Dean of Students or
designee will refer the case to Mediation or for a Disciplinary Conference, depending on the
nature and severity of the alleged violation and his or her judgment as to how to reach the best
resolution for all involved.
Procedures for Mediation
2. Mediation is a confidential process whereby two or more parties voluntarily meet with an
impartial mediator to communicate their concerns and needs to each other and to reach their own
agreement on the resolution of the case. The participants in mediation are responsible for
keeping their agreement or renegotiating it, if necessary. In the event that the participants do not
reach a full and final resolution, the case will be referred back to the Dean of Students or
designee. The mediator will be assigned by the Dean of Students or designee.
3. The Dean of Students or designee, at his or her discretion, may decline to process a complaint
until the parties involved make a reasonable attempt to achieve a mediated settlement. To be
binding in a disciplinary case, any mediated settlement must be approved by the campus Dean of
Students. If mediation fails, the case will be forwarded for a Disciplinary Conference.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 23
Procedures for Disciplinary Conference
4. The campus Dean of Students or designee will convene and conduct the Disciplinary
Conference with the Student Conduct Committee. He or she may participate in hearing
deliberations and discussions. Recommendations of the Student Conduct Committee are
determined through consensus. The Dean of Students or designee, will receive the
recommendation of the committee, consider procedural integrity and consistency with the
outcomes of prior student conduct cases, and make a final determination of the outcome. The
Dean of Students or designee will convey the outcomes of the disciplinary conference to the
student (s). The Dean of Students or designee is responsible for final decisions on all procedural
issues and may modify conference procedures, if necessary, to ensure a fair and expedient
administration of the conference.
5. A campus-based Student Conduct Committee will be established by the Dean of Students or
designee to resolve disciplinary issues. The Student Conduct Committee will consist of two or
more members comprised of:
One (1) Dean of Students who chairs the Student Conduct Committee
One (1) or more additional members selected at the discretion of the Dean of Students or
designee based on the particulars of the student conduct case, which may include
representatives of the Provost’s Office, faculty, academic deans, security staff, students,
and other student affairs staff.
Both the findings and the sanctions determined by Student Conduct Committee are
recommendations to the campus Dean of Students or designee who will render a final decision.
The Vice President for Student Affairs or designee is responsible for training and providing
administrative support to the campus Student Conduct Committees and staff who serve as
mediators.
6. The following procedural protections are provided to students referred for disciplinary action
in Disciplinary Conferences:
a. A written notice of the specific charges at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled
conference with additional time at the campus Dean of Students or designee’s
discretion.
b. reasonable access to the case file prior to and during the conference
c. an opportunity to respond to the evidence
d. a right to be accompanied by an advisor. At their own discretion, person(s) who filed
the report of student conduct violation and students referred for disciplinary action may
be advised by a College student, faculty, or staff member or a personal friend. The role of
advisors is limited to consultation. While advisors may be present at Disciplinary
Conferences or hearings, they may not address hearing bodies, speak in Disciplinary
Last Ratified Spring 2008 24
Conferences, or question witnesses. Because the purpose of this disciplinary process is to
provide a fair review of alleged violations of this Code rather than a formal legal
proceeding, participation of persons acting as legal counsel is not permitted.
e. Students referred for disciplinary action who fail to appear after proper notice will be
deemed to have pled no contest to the charges pending against them. Nonetheless, the
Disciplinary Conference will be held with all relevant parties present so that the Student
Conduct Committee can understand the circumstances of the incident in order to make
their recommendation on the outcomes of the case.
f. The Dean of Students will exercise control over the proceedings to avoid needless
consumption of time and to achieve orderly completion of the hearing.
g. Any person, including the student referred for disciplinary action, who disrupts a
Disciplinary Conference, may be excluded by the Dean of Students or designee
conducting the Disciplinary Conference.
h. The Dean of Students or designee may make audio recordings of hearings.
i. Persons who participate in providing information at the Disciplinary Conference will be
asked to affirm that their testimony is truthful and may be subject to charges of violating
the Student Code of Conduct by intentionally providing false information to the Student
Conduct Committee.
j. Persons who participate in providing information at the Disciplinary Conference will be
excluded from the conference except when providing information to the Student Conduct
Committee. The student(s) referred for disciplinary action may attend the entire
conference except for the deliberation by the Student Conduct Committee. All parties
will be excluded during Student Conduct Committee deliberations, which will not be
recorded or transcribed.
k. Formal rules of evidence will not be applicable in disciplinary proceedings conducted
pursuant to the Student Code of Conduct. The Dean of Students or designee will abide by
the rules of confidentiality and privilege, but will admit all other matters which are
relevant. Irrelevant or unduly repetitious evidence may be excluded by the Dean of
Students or designee.
l. Affidavits will be considered only if signed by the affiant and witnessed by the campus
Dean of Students or designee.
m. The Student Conduct Committee will make a recommendation of findings and
sanctions to the campus Dean of Students or designee who is conducting the hearing.
n. The campus Dean of Students or designee conducing the hearing will receive the
recommendation of the committee, consider procedural integrity and consistency with the
Last Ratified Spring 2008 25
outcomes of prior judicial cases, and make a final determination of the outcome and
sanctions.
o. The campus Dean of Students or designee will convey the outcome of the
disciplinary hearing to the student (s).
D. Sanctions
Sanctions for violating provisions of this Code may result in suspension or dismissal from the
College. Significant mitigating or aggravating factors will be considered when sanctions are
imposed, including the present demeanor and past disciplinary record of the offender, the nature
of the offense, and the severity of any damage, injury or harm resulting from it. Repeated
violations of any part of this Code may also result in suspension or dismissal. Sanctions for
students and student organizations which may be imposed in accordance with this Code include,
but are not limited to:
1. “Warning”—notice, oral or written, that prohibited conduct may be cause for additional
disciplinary action if repeated in the future.
2. “Censure”—a written reprimand for violation of specified regulations, including a warning
that prohibited conduct may be cause for additional disciplinary action if repeated in the future.
3. “Disciplinary Probation”—status assigned for a designated period of time, during which any
other violation of the Code may result in suspension or dismissal from the College. Students on
disciplinary probation may not hold or run for any elected or appointed positions. Additional
conditions appropriate to the violation may be imposed.
4. “Restitution”—repayment to the College or others affected for damages resulting from a
violation of this Code.
5. “Suspension”—exclusion from College premises and other privileges or activities for a period
of time as set forth in the suspension notice. This action will be permanently recorded on the
student’s record.
6. “Dismissal” or “Expulsion”—permanent termination of student status and exclusion from
College premises, privileges, and activities. This action will be permanently recorded on the
student’s record.
7. “Other Sanctions”—other sanctions may be imposed instead of or in addition to those
specified in sections (A) through (F) of this section.
a. Without limitation, examples of other sanctions for individual nonacademic offenses
also include fines; withholding of diplomas or transcripts pending compliance with rules,
completion of any student judicial process or sanction, or payment of fines; restrictions
on the use of or removal from campus facilities; community service; educational
requirements, or research projects.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 26
b. Without limitation, examples of other sanctions for individual academic honesty
offenses also include reduction of grade, denial of academic credit, and invalidation of
university credit or of the degree based upon such credit. In addition to any other
penalties that may be imposed, an individual may be denied admission or further
registration, and the college may invalidate academic credit for work done by a student
and may invalidate or revoke the degree based upon such credit if it is determined that the
student has made false, fraudulent, or incomplete statements in the application, residence
affidavit, or accompanying documents or statements in connection with, or supplemental
to, the application for admission to or graduation from the college.
c. Without limitation, sanctions may be imposed for individuals who engage in conduct
that violates this policy for the student to provide a personal action plan to ensure that
there will be no further disruption to the learning environment.
d. Without limitation, examples of other sanctions for offenses committed by student
organizations include cancellation of events, or revocation of the registration or official
recognition of a student organization; and restrictions on the use of, or removal from,
campus facilities.
8. The Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students or designee may impose any of
the above immediately as an Interim Sanction if needed to protect the welfare of the
student (s) referred for disciplinary action, others involved in the alleged violation, or the
college community. The interim sanction will be effective immediately without prior
notice whenever there is evidence that the continued presence of the student at the
College poses a substantial and immediate threat to him or herself, to others, or to the
stability and continuance of normal College functions. A student who receives an Interim
Sanction will be given a prompt opportunity to appear personally before the Dean of
Students or designee to discuss the reasons and terms of the Interim Sanction.
9. The officers or leaders or any identifiable spokesperson for a student group or
organization may be ordered by the Dean of Students or designee to take appropriate
action designed to prevent or end violations of this Code by the group or organization.
Failure to make reasonable efforts to comply with the Dean of Students or designee order
shall be considered a violation of this Code, both by the officers, leaders, or
spokespersons for the group or organization and by the group or organization itself.
E. Appeals
Any disciplinary determination reached through a disciplinary conference and resulting in
suspension or dismissal may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Affairs by the
respondent in keeping with the following provisions:
1. The appeal must be in writing and delivered to the Office of the Vice President for Student
Affairs within seven days after the notice of suspension or dismissal is delivered to the mailing
address on record in the student’s Atlas account.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 27
2. Appeals will be reviewed by the Vice President for Student Affairs to determine their viability
as soon as possible after the appeal is received.
3. The Vice President for Student Affairs will determine viability based on whether there is new
information that significantly alters the finding of fact, evidence of improper procedure, findings
that are against the weight of the evidence, or excessive sanctions. The decision of the Vice
President for Student Affairs about the viability of the appeal are final. The Vice President may
deny the request for appeal and affirm the findings of the Dean of Students or grant the request
for appeal.
4. Appeals will be decided based on the report filed by the Dean of Students, the student’s
written statement, and any written response or memoranda prepared by College officials. All
written materials considered by the Vice President for Student Affairs will be subject to
inspection by the student. The student may request an opportunity to discuss the written
materials in person with the Vice President for Student Affairs. New hearings will not be
conducted on appeal. Decisions rendered by the Vice President for Student Affairs are final.
5. The Vice President of Student Affairs has the authority to:
a. Alter, amend and/or overturn disciplinary action if information on appeal merits such
action.
b. Schedule a rehearing if specified procedural errors or errors in interpretation of College
regulations were so substantial as to deny the student a fair hearing, or if new and
significant evidence becomes available.
c. Dismiss the case if the finding is held to be unsupported by the evidence.
6. Disciplinary action for suspension or dismissal may be deferred while an appeal is pending,
unless, in the discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs, the continued presence of the
student on the campus poses a substantial threat to him or herself, to others, or to the stability and
continuance of normal College functions.
History: Readopted: 12-11-74; Revised: 9-16-81; Revised: 8-25-82; Readopted: 1-19-83;
Amended: 11-18-92, 5-15-2007
ARTICLE FOURTEEN - CONSTITUION AND BY-LAWS
Any group wishing to form a club, organization, or association officially recognized at
Valencia Community College, Winter Park Campus must be in tentative recognition before
requesting SGA approval. Once tentative status has been established, this group shall submit a
completed “How to Form a Club” packet and a copy of their proposed Constitution and/or ByLaws to the SGA for approval. Approval shall be granted by a simple majority vote of the
SGA officers. Upon approval, the group will be granted full recognition from the SGA. No
group shall be officially recognized without the approval of the SGA.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 28
ARTICLE FIFTEEN – GREEN UP ACT
In an attempt to better our students and campus, the Student Government Association will hold a
campus Green Up event the second week in March. In order to better our students by this event
the Student Government Association will hand out information on how the students can protect
their environment so that they will be able to preserve our environment for themselves and future
students. Also in accordance with the Student Government Association’s Purpose statement
[Advocacy, Representation, and Service], the Student Government Association will
participate/lead an environmental community service project.
Last Ratified Spring 2008 29