April 21, 2014

Student Senate of Central High School

Constitution
Article I: Name
The Name of the Student governing body and its members shall be as follows:
1) The student governing body shall be called the Student Senate of
Central High School.
2) Members shall be called Student Senators for the duration of their term
in office
Article II: Purpose
The purpose(s) of the student senate shall be as follows:
1) To encourage and develop leadership skills among students.
2) To provide a forum for the expression of student opinion.
3) To develop and maintain a unity among the Central student body.
4) To serve as a liaison between the students, faculty and administration.
5) To guarantee the rights and liberties of the students as stated in the
Student Code of Rights and Responsibilities, the Co/Extra-Curricular
Code, and the United States Constitution
Article III: Membership
Section 1: Election of Representatives
The election of members, requirements for membership, and the duties of
members will be as follows:
1) There shall be a maximum of five representatives per class. The
election of representatives shall take place as soon as possible in the first
semester.
2) Students seeking election as representatives shall nominate themselves
for this position. They shall go through an application process
which must
include collecting the signatures of at least 50 classmates
and two teachers
or administrators who support their bid for student senate.
Senators will
also be expected to complete a history section in
which they explain any
past mistakes. If, during the application
review process, the executive
office finds information that
indicates dishonesty (through forgery of
names and/or lying in the
history section), the said applicant will have
their name removed
from the ballot pending approval from the advisor. If,
after being elected to
the senate, a senator was found to be lying on the
application,
he/she would be immediately removed from the senate for the
remainder of the school year.
3) Only members of a particular class will be allowed to vote and/ or sign
nomination papers for representatives from that class.
4) The top vote receivers, who number no greater than five, shall be the
representatives for that class.

April 21, 2014

5) The top vote-receivers not receiving enough votes to be elected shall

be alternates and shall assume alternate status with the highest
votereceiver of the alternates receiving the first vacated office
of his/her
respective class.
6) If there is a lack of interest in student senate elections and few
applicants attempt to become student senators, the first election can be
postponed or an additional election can be created.
Section II: Election of At-Large Representatives
Additional representatives (at large representatives) shall be chosen as
follows:
1) When more than five candidates exist for a class, that class
representatives shall elect two at-large representatives at the first
meeting of the Student Senate.
2) These representatives shall have nominated themselves under the
provisions specified in Article III, Section I.
3) Any Student Senate officer or representative shall be ineligible for
election as an at-large representative.
4) At-large representatives shall be elected by the representatives of their
respective classes.
5) Those two candidates from each class receiving the greatest number of
votes shall become at-large representatives for that class.
Section III: Duties and Requirements of all Representatives
All Student Senators shall be required to fulfill the following obligations:
1) To represent the concerns of the Central students at all Student Senate
meetings.
2) To keep the students informed on all Student Senate business.
3) To uphold and follow the provisions of this document.
Article IV: Officers
The officers of the Student Senate shall be president, vice president, secretary, school
board representative, treasures, and parliamentarian. Their election, term of office,
and duties shall be as follows:
Section I: Qualifications for Candidacy
1) Each officer candidate shall be a freshman, sophomore, or junior at the
time of election.
2) Each officer candidate (with the exception of those candidates running
for School Board Representative) must be currently serving at least
one semester as a voting member of the Student Senate.
3) Each candidate must have a basic understanding of parliamentary
procedure.

April 21, 2014

Section II: Officer Election Procedures

All candidates for a student senate office shall first be nominated for that office,
and shall abide by the following electoral procedures:
1) The Student Senate advisor shall obtain nominations prior to the
election.
2) Nominees can only come from existing members of the Senate.
3) Candidates for each office shall speak to the Senate in a presentation
of his/her platform prior to the election. All officer nominees must
give a
speech on election day by whatever means necessary.
4) The election of these officers shall take place at the end of the year.
Elections will occur at a time and place designated by the current
executive board.
5) Only members of the Student Senate will vote in the election of the
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. The
senior members of the senate will not be allowed to vote for the officer
candidates. However, all current officers will be able to vote (senior
officers included).
6) All voting shall be done by secret ballot, and a record will be kept of
the voting.
7) Those candidates receiving the largest number of votes for each office
will be the officers in that respective office.
8) On the day of officer elections, there must be a quorum of at least half
of the members present.
9) Senators absent on the day of elections will not be allowed to vote. In
other words, there will be no absentee ballots.
10) In the case of a tie, the executive board will vote by secret ballot,
excluding any officer that may be involved in the tie-breaking election.
Section III: Election of School Board Representative
1) The Election of the School Board Representative may take place on a
different day than the officer elections. However, the election must
take place at the end of the year and at a time designated by the current
executive board.
2) The election for School Board Representative will include the votes of
the entire student body, except for the current senior class.
3) All voting shall be done by secret ballot, and a record will be kept of
the voting.
4) The candidate receiving the largest number of votes will be the School
Board Representative for the following school year.
5) Students not present the day of voting will not be allowed to vote.
6) In the case that school is canceled on the planned election day, the
election will take place the next scheduled school day.
Section IV: Term of Office
The term of officers shall be as follows.
1) The term of office for elected officers shall be one year.

April 21, 2014

2) This term shall begin immediately after the last Senate meeting of the
school year of the officers election.
Section IV: Duties and Powers of Officers
The duties and powers of officers shall be as follows:
-President
1) Shall preside at meetings of the Senate.
2) Shall call special meetings when deemed necessary.
3) Shall act as a liaison between the Student Senate and the administration.
4) Shall oversee the work of all committees.
5) Shall have veto power subject to the following:
-Shall announce any vetoes by one week after the voted acceptance
of the action.
-Said veto may be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of the
voting members present.
-Shall have no veto powers in those matters specified by this
document.
6) Shall have the power to break a tie.
7) Shall decide if new business is referred to a committee or debated by
the Senate. Said decision may be overridden by a two-thirds
majority vote
of voting members present.
8) Shall perform other duties as assigned by the advisor.
-Vice President:
1) Shall perform the duties of the president in his/her absence.
2) Shall keep any notes or documents which the vice-president/ president
deems necessary.
3) Shall perform other duties as assigned by the president or advisor.
-Secretary:
1) Shall keep minutes of all Student Senate meetings.
2) Shall maintain an attendance record at all Student Senate and Executive
Board meetings and will provide such information to the Student Senate
when deemed necessary or when requested by the Senate or a
Senator.
3) Shall deliver the minutes of the previous Senate meeting.
4) Shall deliver attendance records to the Student Senate when requested
or when deemed necessary.
5) Shall post the minutes of the previous Student Senate meeting on the
Senate's board before the next meeting.
6) Shall post an agenda for the upcoming meeting on the Senate's board
before the next meeting.
7) Shall perform other duties as assigned by the president or advisor.
-School Board Representatives

April 21, 2014

1) Shall attend Board of Education meetings in accordance with the dates

specified by the president.
2) Shall, when necessary, meet with the School Board representatives
from other La Crosse Area School District high schools,
particularly
Logan High School.
3) Shall represent the opinion of the Student Senate and the Central
student body in all matters concerning Board of Education activity.
4) Shall inform the Senate at each meeting of the Board of Education
activities.
5) Shall perform other duties as assigned by the president or advisor.
-Treasurer
1) Shall oversee any transaction of money leaving or entering the Student
Senate Treasury.
2) Shall read the treasurers report at each senate meeting.
-Parliamentarian
1) Shall enforce parliamentary procedure at Student Senate meetings.
Section V: Duties as the Executive Board
All officers together shall be referred to as the Executive Board and will fulfill the
following responsibilities:
1) Shall be in charge of enacting all attendance provisions included in the
Constitution.
2) Shall meet prior to regularly scheduled Student Senate meetings and set
an agenda for upcoming meetings.
3) Shall oversee or provide for the investigation of complaints against
Student Senators.
4) In order to create a functional and cohesive executive office, officers
can rearrange duties as necessary to maximize strengths for their
term in
office.
Article V: Committees
When necessary, committees shall be formed by and adhere to the following provisions:
1) The president may direct the formation of a committee.
2) Any representative may also request the formation of a committee. This
committee can be created by a majority vote.
3) Committees will report findings and recommend action to the Student Senate.
4) All actions as a result of committee findings will be subject to both Student
Senate vote and presidential veto.
Article VI: Meetings:
The meeting dates shall be in accordance as follows. A quorum shall consist of the
majority of voting members.
Section I: Meeting Dates

April 21, 2014

of the

1) Meeting dates shall be established by the Student Senate advisor or by

the president and the current Student Senate after the first meeting
year.
2) In general, regular meetings should be held every week of the school
year according to the school calendar.

Section II: Special Meetings

1) Special meetings shall be called as deemed necessary by the president
or by a majority of the voting members present at a regularly
scheduled
Senate meeting.
Section III: Order of Business
Senate meetings shall be run according to basic parliamentary procedure. Any
questions of order shall be in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
The order of Student Senate meetings shall be as follows:
1) Call to order.
2) Attendance check (may be done silently to save time).
3) Previous Senate minutes read and approved.
4) Old business (including committee reports).
5) New Business.
6) Adjournment.
Article VII: Attendance
Attendance at regularly scheduled Student Senate and Committee meetings, as well as
attendance at Student Senate functions, is imperative if the Senators are to fulfill their
obligations as elected student representatives.
Section I: Attendance Guidelines
Mandatory attendance guidelines are as follows:
1) A maximum of five or more excused absences within a term of
office. An excused absence shall be defined as any absence
qualified by a
corresponding absence from school or by excuse from the
secretary as
he/she deems fit.
2) A maximum of three unexcused absences within a term of office. An
unexcused absence shall be defined as any absence not defined as
excused
according to Article VII, Section 1, guideline 1.
3) Committees will handle their own attendance issues as the committee
and its chairperson see fit.
4) A tardy will be given to any Student Senate member who arrives at a
meeting ten minutes after the meeting has official stared. Two late
arrivals to any Student Senate related function will be considered
one
unexcused absence, as outlined in Article VII, Section 1, guideline
2.
Section II: Attendance Violations
Failure to meet attendance guidelines will be dealt with through a removal vote
as specified by Article VIII Section II.

April 21, 2014

Article VIII: Impeachment, Removal and Replacement

Section I: Removal or Impeachment of Senators or Officers
Any Student Senator/Officer shall be removed from office through the following
procedure: (Note: If violations of the Constitution concern Article VII, a separate
series of removal provisions apply. If violations include but are not limited to
Article VII, the senator being removed may undergo two removal votes.)
1) A vote will take place at a regularly scheduled Student Senate meeting,
to remove a Senator or officer who is charged with failure to carry
out
his/her duties.
2) The accused Senator will be allowed to speak on his/her own behalf.
3) Any Student Senator may request evidence supporting the removal to
be presented before a removal vote is taken.
4) The accused Senator will not be present when the vote is taken, and
will not be allowed to vote towards or against his/her own removal.
5) A Senator will be removed by a two thirds vote of voting members
present at the meeting.
6) The president cannot veto any removal towards his/her own
impeachment. Otherwise, the president may veto the removal
vote,
subject to all provisions in Article IV, Section IV.
7) If the removal vote fails, The Senator in question shall have their record
cleared of any violation used in support of the removal. They cannot be
brought for removal again until a new violation, accusation, or
evidence
towards a prior accusation has accumulated.
Section II: Removal Due to Attendance
Provisions for removal for violations of Article VII shall be as follows:
1) Violation of Article VII shall dictate the removal of any Student Senate
officer or representative.
2) If requested, evidence supporting the removal of the Student Senator
shall be presented at the Student Senate meeting during which the
Student
Senators removal is announced.
3) A two-thirds vote of voting members present at the meeting during
which the removal is announced shall overturn the removal of the
Student
Senator. The president may veto the reinstatement vote,
subject to all
provisions in Article IV, Section IV.
4) The Student Senator being removed from office, shall have the
opportunity to speak on behalf of them self at the meeting during
which
the removal is announced.
5) A senator shall not be present for his/her own reinstatement vote, and
shall not be allowed to vote on his/her own reinstatement.
6) If reinstated, the Senator in question shall have their record cleared of
any attendance violations used in support of their removal vote.
They
cannot be brought for removal again until anew violation,
accusation, or
evidence towards a prior accusation has accumulated.

April 21, 2014

Section III: Replacement of an Officer or Senator

Provisions for replacement shall be as follows:
1) If the president is impeached or otherwise removed: the vice-president
shall assume the office of president and a new vice-president, who
is a
member of the Student Senate shall be nominated and elected as
instructed
by Article VIII, Section III, Provision II.
2) If an officer besides the president is impeached or otherwise removed:
A member of the Student Senate shall be nominated and his/her
nomination seconded. The leading vote-receiver of those
nominations
shall assume the position of the vacated officer.
3) If a Senator is removed: The highest vote-receiving alternate shall
assume representative status in place of the removed
representative. If the
removed representative is a committee chairperson, the
president shall
appoint a new chairperson from within the
committee.
Article IX: Drug and Alcohol Policy
1) All Student Senators and Executive Officers shall be held to the same
standards regarding drug and alcohol abuse.
2) If a Student Senator is given a legal violation for drug or alcohol use, he or she
will be asked to resign from their duties as a senator. The senate, however, can
overturn the dismissal by a two-thirds vote based on outstanding commitment to
or performance in the senate.
3) After a second violation for drug or alcohol use, the senator will automatically
be removed, with no opportunity for reinstatement in the senate. However, the
removal is effective only for the school year.
Article X: Amendments
Provisions for amending are as follows:
1) Any proposed amendment shall be read by the Senate.
2) Any proposed amendment shall be posted.
3) A vote on any proposed amendment shall be taken after debate following the
reading of the proposed amendment.
4) The document may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the voting
members present at a regularly scheduled Student Senate meeting.
Article XI:
Ratification of this document shall be as follows:
1) This document shall be read by the Senate.
2) This document shall be posted.
3) A vote on the approval of the ratification of the document shall be taken after
debate following the reading of the document.
4) The document may be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the voting members
present at a regularly scheduled Student Senate meeting.

April 21, 2014

Last Revised April 21, 2014.