We, the Associated Students of Central Oregon Community College, to describe the nour organization and to provide for its operation, do ordain and establish this Constitution
ARTICLE 1
NAME, PURPOSE
Section 1.
The purpose of the ASCOCC shall be to represent and serve all students by providing effective governance, advocacy, services and programs that will contribute to individual student success, enhance the college experience, and benefit the community.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
Active membership in the ASCOCC shall be granted to any person who is carrying one credit hour or more.
Section 2.
Associate membership in the ASCOCC shall be granted to all former active members.
Section 3.
Honorary membership may be conferred upon any person for distinguished attainment or contributions or interest to the ASCOCC by a majority vote of the ASCOCC Council.
Section 4.
No member shall be discriminated against because of race, ethnicity, creed, color, age, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
ARTICLE III
ELECTIONS
Section 1.
a) Any student having completed 12 community college credit hours within the last year and currently enrolled in nine COCC credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and a member in good standing, may be nominated for the offices of Executive Council by filing a complete petition, as required in the By-Laws, with the current Executive Council.
b) Any member, enrolled in six COCC credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and a member in good standing, may apply for an appointed position on the General Council by completing an application, as required in the By-Laws with the current Executive Council.
Section 2.
In all elections to fill office, the three candidates receiving the greatest number of votes cast shall be declared elected, except in a tie vote, for which the By-Laws provide.
Section 3.
All ballots shall be organized and published in accordance with the By-Laws.
Section 4.
Only currently enrolled COCC students may vote in ASCOCC elections.
Section 5.
The Executive Council or their designee shall provide for the administration of elections in accordance with this Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 6.
The general election will be held by the end of the fourth week of the Spring Term.
ARTICLE IV
ELECTED AND APPOINTED POSITIONS
Section 1.
a) Elected Members: The ASCOCC officers who are elected by the student body shall be the Executive Council consisting of three members.
b) Appointed Members: The Executive Council shall appoint the members set forth in the By-Laws to form the General Council.
Section 2.
a) Time of Service: The elected and appointed positions shall hold their office/position from the time of installation to the installation of a successor, unless sooner relieved. All installations shall be held at least by the end of the term in which the election/appointment for that office/position is held.
b) Vacancy: Should any position become vacant, the position shall be appointed by the entire ASCOCC Council.
Section 3.
a) Responsibilities: Each officer and appointed positions shall perform responsibly all duties required by their positions and faithfully adhere to the Constitution and By-Laws.
b) Termination/Suspension: Any elected or appointed members may be temporarily suspended or dismissed for failing to meet the academic requirements of the office/position, or found in violation of the Student Rights and Responsibilities or failure to comply with duties required by the Constitution or By-Laws.
Section 4.
The Executive Council shall preside over the General Council.
a) Governance: The Executive Council will fill the ASCOCC positions on the following committees: Academic Affairs, College Affairs, and Student Affairs, plus Curriculum, Parking Appeals, Institutional Support, and the Diversity committees. A member of the Executive Council or designee from the General Council may attend the COCC Board of Directors meetings.
b.) Transition: The ASCOCC Council shall work with the Director of Student Life on coordinating the transition of one year’s council to the next. This will include: developing a training schedule; coordinating end of the year legally-required files, transfering information and ASCOCC property to newly elected officers; and performing all duties as specified in the Constitution and By Laws.
ARTICLE V
RECALL
Section 1.
a) Any elected member of the Council is subject to recall from their office of position by the active members of the ASCOCC.
b) Any appointed position is subject to termination by a majority vote of the entire council.
c) A recall election may be demanded only by a petition signed by its sponsors and at least 10 percent of the Active Members. The petition shall set forth in not more than 200 words, their justification for their course of action.
ARTICLE VI
LEGISLATIVE BODY
Section 1.
a) The ASCOCC legislative body is made up of two branches, the Executive Council and the General Council.
b) The Executive Council will consist of the three elected positions, and is responsible for adopting the annual budget; approving expenditures; appointing, supervising and evaluating the student appointed positions; and approval of contracted services.
c) The General Council will consist of the three elected positions and the three appointed positions set for the in the By-Laws. The General Council shall be responsible for developing the annual goals and objectives; approving funding requests from students; approving student clubs/organizations or the College; setting priorities for campus projects, initiatives, etc, evaluating contracted services and approving General Council and office procedures.
d) Changes in, and/or additions to the By-Laws may be made by approval of a majority of the ASCOCC Council.
e) No action by the Council may have effect unless the motion for action and the vote by which the action is approved or rejected takes place at proceedings open to the active members.
Section 2.
a) The ASCOCC Council shall meet regularly and publicly at least twice each month at designated times and places.
b) A quorum, which shall be a majority of the voting members, shall be required for the transaction of business at General Council meetings. All three Executive Council members shall be required for the transaction of business at the Executive Council meetings.
Section 3.
a) Committees shall be formed whenever deemed necessary by the Executive Council or General Council.
b) Qualified Active members, in good standing may serve on the above mentioned committees.
c) All actions of the committees shall be in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII
INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
Section 1.
a) The Active Members reserve to themselves the initiative power, which is to propose By-Laws, resolutions, or amendments to the Constitution and enact or reject them at an election.
b) An initiative may be proposed only by a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the Active Members.
c) An initiative petition shall include the full text of the proposed By-Law resolution, or amendment to the Constitution.
d) A proposed initiative petition shall embody one subject only and be properly connected therewith.
Section 2.
a) The Active Members reserve to themselves the referendum power, which is to approve or reject at an election any act, or part thereof, of the General Council or Executive Council.
b) A referendum may be ordered only by a petition signed by at least 10 percent of the Active Members.
Section 3.
a) An election on a referendum or initiative, except a proposed Constitutional amendment, becomes effective immediately upon approval by a majority of the votes cast thereon.
b) A referendum affects only that part of the act to which it refers.
ARTICLE VIII
AMENDMENT AND REVISION
Section 1.
Proposed amendments to or revisions of the Constitution shall be submitted to the Active Members of ASCOCC at either a General Election, or a Special Election called at the discretion of the ASCOCC Council.
Section 2.
The Council may propose amendments to or revisions of all or part of the Constitution and by-laws by majority approval.
Section 3.
An amendment to the Constitution proposed by the Council shall embody one subject only and be properly connected therewith.
Section 4.
A revision may include more than one subject and may be voted upon as a whole.
Section 5.
A proposed amendment to or revision of the Constitution must be published at least 30 days prior to the election thereon.
Section 6.
An amendment or revision of the Constitution proposed by the General Council or an initiative measure shall become effective 14 days after the election thereon if approved by two-thirds of the votes cast. Thus, constitutional amendments and revision must pass with 66% or more votes to pass and become initiated.
ARTICLE IX
STUDENT FEES
Section 1.
A student fee of $1.75 per credit hour up to and including 12 credit hours will be assessed during Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms.
Section 2.
a) The student fee shall be disbursed in accordance with the purpose of ASCOCC set forth in Article 1 Section 2 of the Constitution.
b) 25 cents per credit hour up to and including 12 credit hours shall be allotted directly to a flexible sustainability fund to be monitored and allocated by ASCOCC. These funds will be used to purchase renewable energy (such as solar, wind, bio-mass or wave) for the campus and secondarily to complete sustainability projects on campus.
Section 3.
A student fee committee consisting of the members of the Executive Council and an equal number of Active Members at large shall be established. The student fee committee shall abide by the regulations as specified in the By-Laws. The student fee committee shall distribute copies of the budget in its approved form.