Student Senate Constitution

1. The student governing organization of the students at Massasoit Community College shall be known as the Student Senate throughout the constitution.

1. The Student Senate shall be responsible to:
   1. Encourage the creation of an atmosphere suitable for intellectual and social growth for students as they participate in the affairs at the college.
   2. Allocate Massasoit Community College funding in a manner consistent with procedures established by the Board of Higher Education and the President/CFO of Massasoit Community College.
   3. Promote responsibility and cooperation between students, faculty, staff, and administration at Massasoit Community College.
   4. Represent the student body by engaging in collaborative
   5. Give advice and feedback to the leadership of Massasoit Community College on matters related to the development or improvement of services, policies, and procedures at the College.

1. The Senate shall consist of eighteen (18) members including the trustee, designated according to the by-laws.
2. Membership into the Student Senate shall be voted on by the College’s student body and granted to all students enrolled in credit bearing courses.

1. All Senate members shall be registered for at least (3) three credits per semester fall/spring. An exception may be made to accept less than three (3) credits per semester to a returning
2. All Senators must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better. If a Senate member’s cumulative grade point average falls below 5 after being elected, then they have one full semester to bring their cumulative grade point average to 2.5 or better. The cumulative grade point average requirements do not apply to first semester students or students returning to school after (5) five years or more.
3. Any student placed on disciplinary probation is not eligible to serve on the Senate during that probationary period.
4. Senate meetings are mandatory, and members must give priority to Senate Senators must not have any class or work schedule conflicts with regularly scheduled Senate meetings, exceptions can be made as needed with advanced notice.

1. All Senate meetings are open to the student body, faculty, and staff of the
   1. Senate meetings may go into a close executive session with a simple majority
2. Regular meetings of the Senate should be held at a time and place specified by the first meeting of each semester.
3. The Senate President has the right to call an unscheduled meeting with notice of 24
4. While it is not required and attendance is not taken, the Senate Cabinet may hold unofficial meetings to promote a higher level of organization.

1. A quorum of the Senate should consist of more than half of the Senate The President is counted for the purpose of quorum.
2. No votes shall be cast without a Senate members are not required to wait longer than 15 minutes after the established meeting time. The Senate may choose to continue the meeting on an unofficial basis until quorum is met or decide to adjourn.
3. Once quorum is reached, each Senate member has the right to one (1) vote except the President, who should only vote in the event of a tie unless the vote is by ballot or for a committee

1. There should be two (2) staff advisors to the Senate, the Dean of Students or their designee and a member of Student Life.

1. The funding allocated to the Senate from the College shall be expended according to the following apportionment:
   1. It shall be available for the budgetary requirements of general activities and co-curricular clubs of interest to the student group, including the Student Senate.
   2. The Senate may transfer funds from a defunct club of at least two (2) years into the Consortium Fund. This money will be allocated for events held at Massasoit Community College that enhance Massasoit campus life. This money will be distributed each semester by the Student Senate through an application process.

1. The Senate shall be responsible for formally recognizing and allocating funding to student clubs and organizations.

1. Constitutional amendments may be initiated by a petition in front of the student body or by action of 2�3’s of the Senate.
2. In the event of a suggested amendment, the amendment should be submitted to each senator in writing and read in a Senate meeting which must precede the meeting at which it is voted upon within seven (7) calendar days.
3. Amendments to the by-laws must be approved by 2�3’s of the Student Senate to become effective.

The Senate shall be composed of up to eighteen (18) members, including the Student Trustee. Students from any campus may join the Senate, regardless if they take classes online, Brockton, Canton, and/or Middleborough.

Section 1: Elections

1. During the first two (2) full weeks of classes, nomination forms will be made available to
2. Senate elections should be held before October 1st of the fall
3. A Student Senator term will be at least one (1) full academic year starting in September/January.
4. Senators who wish to serve another term will have the right to automatically renew their membership by completing the renewal processes within the first week of classes if they meet the eligibility requirements.
5. All elections shall be held by secret ballot and supervised by the advisor(s) of the
6. Any details of the election that are not covered in the Constitution or By-Laws shall be at the discretion of the advisor(s).

Section 2: Vacancies

A. Vacancies on the Senate will be filled by the following procedure:

1. The Senate will advertise vacancies in the Student Senate to the student body for at least two (2) weeks.
2. Any student who applies to fill a Senate vacancy should be committed to returning to the College and Senate the following semester.
3. Following the two (2) weeks’ notice of vacancy, and during the next session of the Senate, the collective Senate will hear all nominations and meet with all candidates who have met the eligibility requirements.
4. The meeting will then enter a closed session, and a vote will be taken on each A simple majority vote by the Senate will confirm each candidate.
5. In the event of several candidates applying for a single vacancy, the candidate with the greatest number of votes shall fill the vacancy.

A.    Officers

1. The Senate Leadership will each serve a unique function, that when working together, advances student interests at Massasoit Community College.
2. There shall be 4 (four) members of the Student Senate Cabinet who will make up the Senate executive board: Senate President, Senate Vice President, Senate Secretary, and Senate treasurer.
3. There shall be at minimum, two (2) associate members of the Student Senate; Student Trustee and Student Organization/Club Officer.
4. All shall be elected by secret ballot within two weeks after the fall Senate elections (and spring, if necessary due to vacancies).
5. The term of a Senate Officer shall be one (1) academic year, effective from fall elections until the election of the next academic year’s Senate unless the Senator graduates or withdraws from the Senate/school.
6. Officers shall serve no more than a total of four (4) consecutive semesters in the same position. Exceptions to this rule may be extended when there are no other candidates nominated for the position.
7. In the event of a vacancy of any officer position, the Senate will hold a special election to fill the position. This election should be held within one (1) week of the vacancy, if
8. Candidates for President must have served as a Senator for the majority of one (1)

B.    The Members of the Student Senate Cabinet

1. The Officers of the Student Senate Cabinet shall consist of the Senate President, Senate Vice President, Senate Secretary, and Senate Treasurer.

C.    Responsibilities for the Student Senate Cabinet

1. The Student Senate Cabinet shall not consist of more than four (4) Senate elected students that are responsible for the main leadership of the Senate. They set organizational goals and standards for the Senate and assist in identifying and advocating for issues concerning the student body, organizing ad-hoc committees, acting as the liaison body of the Senate to non-Senate groups.

D.    The Associate Members of the Student Senate

1. The Associate Members of the Student Senate shall consist of the Student Trustee and Student Organization/Club Officer (So-Co)
   1. The Student Senate shall serve the right to add any other Associate Members as they see fit, by proposing an amendment voted on with majority approval within the Senate.

E.    Responsibilities for the Associate Members of the Student Senate

1. The Associate Members of the Student Senate are Senators that serve specialized functions as specified in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Senate President

The President advocates for the student body through collaborations with senior leaders and campus partners working to elevate the student voice and maintain the progressive betterment of the Massasoit student The President serves as a member of the Student Senate Cabinet.

1. Duties
   1. The President shall preside over all the Senate
   2. The President shall vote only in the event of a tie unless the vote is by ballot or for a committee.
   3. The President will meet with the Senate advisor to prepare for the meeting at least 24 hours prior to said meeting.
   4. The President shall make sure all the articles of this constitution are carried out to its fullest extent.
   5. The President shall make emergency decisions only if a Senate meeting cannot be called. Such a decision must be placed on the agenda of the next meeting for
   6. The President is a voting member of the Student Advisory Council (SAC) and is encouraged to attend monthly meetings or designate a substitute if unable to attend a meeting.
   7. The President shall be a member ex-officio of the budget committee and shall hold the responsibility that one member of the Senate Cabinet, including them, shall be ex-officio of all other committees.
   8. The President of the Senate shall be a representative of the student body at all official college ceremonies or other ceremonies where appropriate. If they cannot attend the function, they may designate a substitute if unable to attend.

Senate Vice President

The Vice President supports the Senate’s efforts to pass legislation that will improve the student experience at Massasoit, as well as foster open communication between the student body and their representatives in the Senate who seek to represent and serve The Vice President serves as a member of the Student Senate Cabinet.

1. Duties
   1. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall carry out the duties of the President and assume all powers and responsibilities of the President, together with their normal duties, powers, and responsibilities, except as otherwise provided.
   2. When taking the place of the President, the Vice President shall vote only in the event of a tie, unless the vote is by ballot or for a committee.
   3. If the secretary is unable to attend a Senate meeting the Vice President will assume the responsibility of taking meeting minutes.
   4. The Vice President shall be a member ex-officio of the budget committee and shall be responsible for any other committees that are assigned to them by the Senate President.
   5. Represent the Senate at college functions and at the appropriate community, state, and federal functions, as delegated by the President.

Senate Secretary

The Secretary maintains an open line of communication between the Student Senate and the Student Body and is responsible for taking meeting minutes at all Student Senate meetings. The Secretary serves as a member of the Student Senate Cabinet.

1. Duties
   1. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes and attendance of the Senate
   2. The Secretary shall carry out all correspondence necessary for the Senate, unless otherwise designated.
   3. The Secretary shall submit the minutes to the Senate Advisors within 48 hours after the meeting.
   4. In the absence of the President and Vice President, the Secretary shall chair the meeting and appoint the Treasurer to take meeting minutes.
   5. Represent the Senate at college functions and at the appropriate community, state, and federal functions, as delegated by the President.
   6. When appointed by the Senate President shall assume duties of any other

Senate Treasurer

The Treasurer facilitates the processes for clubs and other student organizations to receive funding and is the chair of the budget committee. The Treasurer serves as a member of the Student Senate Cabinet.

1. Duties
   1. The Treasurer shall keep records of all accounts (allocated and fundraising) of all clubs/student organizations recognized and the Student Senate’s budget.
   2. The Treasurer shall keep records of all budget requests and budget approvals of the various student organizations.
   3. The Treasurer shall render a financial report at each regular Senate meeting and shall provide the Senate at the first meeting of each month with an update on each club/student organization’s financial status.
   4. Represent the Senate at college functions and at the appropriate community, state, and federal functions, as delegated by the President.
   5. When appointed by the President shall assume the duties of a
   6. Maintain communication and meet bi-weekly with a Student Senate advisor/student life staff member about the budget.
   7. Serve as the chair of the budget committee and when appointed by the Senate President, assume duties of any other subcommittee.

 Student Trustee

The Student Trustee shall serve as a liaison and voting member to the Senate and the Board of Trustees. The Student Trustee serves as an Associate Member of the Student Senate.

1. Eligibility
   At the time of nomination, all Student Trustee candidates must meet the following criteria:
   1. Possess a high school diploma or
   2. Be a matriculated, degree-seeking student, enrolled at least six (6) credit
   3. Have completed at least one semester at Massasoit and be in good academic standing and maintaining satisfactory academic progress, with at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average.
   4. Eligibility criteria may change in accordance with state
2. Duties
   1. To represent the students at Massasoit Community College as a voting member of the Board of Trustees and Student Senate.
   2. To attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the Board of Should the Trustee not be able to attend, they must notify the Board of Trustees meeting coordinator and copy the Senate advisors.
   3. To provide monthly oral reports to the Board of Trustees and frequent updates to the Senate.
   4. To attend all regularly scheduled meetings of the
   5. To attend Student Advisory Council (S.A.C.) If unable to attend, the Trustee will designate a substitute.
   6. The responsibilities of the Student Trustee supersede those of the
   7. A disciplinary process shall be initiated if the Student Trustee is considered no longer fulfilling their duties or representing the best interests of the Senate.
   8. When appointed by the Senate President, shall assume the duties of any
   9. Represent the Senate at college functions and at the appropriate community, state, and federal functions, as delegated by the President.

 Student Organization/Club Officer (SO-CO)

The SO-CO is an official connection between the student organizations and clubs and the Student Senate. The SO-CO serves as an Associate Member of the Student Senate.

1. Duties
   1. To document receipt of official club recognized
   2. Notify and present to the Senate when a club or student organization is eligible to be recognized.
   3. Have constant communication with student leaders of other clubs and student
   4. When appointed by the Senate President, shall assume the duties of any
   5. Maintain communication and meet with advisor/student life staff member about recognized clubs.
   6. Represent the Senate at college functions and at the appropriate community, state, and federal functions, as delegated by the President.

1. The Senate shall recognize each club or organization every academic year, pending paperwork requested is submitted to the Office of Student Life.
2. To be a college recognized club or organization, the club must have a constitution, at least five

(5) members, an advisor, and active members who submit meeting minutes and notes to the Office of Student Life.

3. There shall be no expenditure for a club unless that club has been formally recognized by the Student Senate. This pertains to both allocated and fundraising accounts.
4. Advisors to campus clubs or organizations shall not receive payment solely for their position as advisor unless specific situations warrant Senate approval.

A budget committee shall be established each fall semester and charged with collecting all annual budget requests and submitting a proposed budget to the Senate.

Section 1: Membership of Budget Subcommittee

1. The committee shall be chosen and empowered on or before October 15th of each
2. This committee shall consist of up to five Senate
3. The Senate Treasurer shall be the chairperson of this
4. The Senate President and the Senate Vice President must be member ex-officio of this
5. The committee chairperson shall appoint a secretary for the committee, who shall be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of the meeting.
6. There shall be at least one (1) Student Senate advisor present at each subcommittee

Section 2: Budget Subcommittee Procedure

1. All Student Senate recognized clubs and organizations may submit budget requests to be reviewed by the budget committee.
2. The committee will determine a recommended club
3. A quorum will consist of the majority of the committee's
4. All members shall have voting
5. The recommended club budget shall be submitted to the Senate for a final
6. The Treasurer shall be responsible for notifying clubs of the final budget recommendations within 24 hours of the Senate Vote.
7. Clubs may submit additional funding requests as needed throughout the year, which will be evaluated and voted on per the procedures above.

1. At least every two (2) years a constitutional committee shall be created to review the Senate's Constitution and by-laws and recommend any changes.
2. Any proposed amendments shall be reviewed by the constitution committee and recommendations shall be made to the Senate.
3. If a committee is not in place when an amendment is proposed, one shall be

1. Whenever possible, representation from all campuses shall be implemented on any college-wide

1. Senate meetings will take place once a week on Wednesdays at 3:00pm when classes are in
2. The mode of meetings will be determined by majority vote at the start of each semester during the first official Senate meeting.
3. The Senate shall have designated space that is only for the This room on the Brockton Campus is the Jack and Patty Conway Student Senate Office and the Student Senate Conference Room, located on the lowest level of the Student Center building.

1. Robert's rules of order shall be used during meetings to establish order to a meeting in a structured way.

1. Any concerns that arise about another Senator, the President/Advisor shall contact the Senator to discuss concerns.
2. If a Senator does not respond after three (3) contacts after a 10-day period, the Student Senate Cabinet may hold a closed session and vote to deactivate the A majority quorum must be present and majority rules.
3. If a Senator responds, the Senator can respond and address the concern or resign from the
4. The advisor(s) shall determine based upon the information, if disciplinary action is warranted, the advisor(s) shall make a recommendation to the Senate Cabinet on the disciplinary actions deemed necessary and present all pertinent information, while maintaining privacy of the
5. Once the advisor(s) makes the recommendation to the Senate Cabinet, which shall vote on disciplinary action is warranted. Majority vote rules
6. The Senator will be notified in writing of any disciplinary A copy of any such action will be shared with the Dean of Student’s Office.
7. Upon notification of the decision, the Senator will have ten calendar days to appeal in writing to the Senate Advisors, who will direct the appeal to either the Senate at large or the Dean of Students Office based on the severity of the infraction.
8. The Senator’s seat will not be considered open until after the ten-day appeal window has closed or the appeal process has been concluded, which is later. A dismissed Senator will not be allowed to attend meetings until their appeal is decided.
9. Any serious allegations of misconduct shall be shared with the Dean of Student’s Office to determine if additional action is warranted under the Student Code of Conduct.
10. A Senator dismissed for a violation will not be allowed to return to the Senate for five (5)