Under the Charter of The University of Virginia's College at Wise, all powers and responsibilities are vested in the Chancellor and through that Office certain privileges and powers have been delegated to the Administration, Faculty, and Students. 

We, the Students of The University of Virginia's College at Wise, realizing the necessity for an effective student government for the purpose of articulation and implementing the views of the Student Body and of the College and furthering the general welfare of the Student Body, establish this Constitution of the Student Government Association in this year of Nineteen Hundred and Ninety-Eight.
 
 
 

TITLE I: NAME AND MEMBERSHIP 

ARTICLE I: Name

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Student Government Association of The University of Virginia's College at Wise; referred to hereinafter as the Student Government Association.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1: All persons enrolled for six or more semester hours at The University of Virginia's College at Wise are considered members of the Student Government Association during the time of their enrollment and shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges thereof.

TITLE II: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

ARTICLE I: Name and Purpose

Section 1: The legislative body of the Student Body shall be the Senate of the Student Government Association. 

Section 2: The Senate shall have the following expressed purposes: 

A. to express the concerns and interests of the Student Body; 
B. to facilitate communication between the Administration, Faculty, and Students; 
C. to promote and supervise student organizations and activities, in conjuncture with the Coordinator of Student Activities; activities, in conjuncture with the Student Activities Director; 
D. to promote the improvement of community conditions; 
E. to encourage student involvement in campus life; 
F. to recognize student organizations. 

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1: The members of the Senate shall be elected from the Student Body of the College. All Senators must be full-time students with a GPA of 2.0 and no Honor Court or judicial violations with the College at the time of the election and during the term in office. 

Section 2: No member of the Senate shall hold office on the Honor Court. 

Section 3: The twenty seats on the Senate shall be appointed in the following manner: 

A. three Senators elected from and to represent the Senior class; 
B. three Senators elected from and to represent the Junior class; 
C. three Senators elected from and to represent the Sophomore class; 
D. three Senators elected from and to represent the Freshman class; 
E. two Senators elected from and to represent the Student Body at Large; 
F. one Senator elected in the fall from and to represent the Student Body at Large;
G. the four officers of the Executive Board elected from the Student Body at Large;
H. one international senator appointed by the Senate.

ARTICLE III: Enumerated Powers of the Senate

Section 1: The Senate shall have the following powers:

A. to ratify by two-thirds vote of members all appointments made by the President of the Student Government Association or those that require Senate approval. Less than two-thirds majority constitutes a rejection. 
B. to hear impeachment charges brought about by the Student Body; 
C. to review and attach recommendations to all annual budgets from organizations requesting funds from the Student Activity Fund; 
D. to have certain designated meetings of the Senate closed to the College public. No vote may be taken in such meeting; 
E. to approve, and recommend to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, all student organizations and clubs on the College campus and keep a list of approved organizations; 
F. to investigate any matter affecting the welfare of the Student Body and the College and to make recommendations that will foster the best interests of the College and the Student Body; 
G. to interpret this Constitution; 
H. to debate and approve all financial expenditures of the Student Government Association and maintain a balanced budget;
I. to maintain an open relationship with the public at all times in the Student Government Association’s office. 
J. to have such additional powers necessary to implement the above-mentioned powers. 

ARTICLE IV: Duties and Powers of Senators

Section 1: Senators shall act as voting delegates of their constituencies. 

Section 2: Senators shall perform such other duties as the President or Senate may direct. 

Section 3: Senators shall not allocate or disperse funds from the Student Government budget without the consent of the President and the Treasurer.

ARTICLE V: Removal From Office

Section 1: The Senate shall have the power to regulate the behavior of its members while they are conducting the official business of the Student Government Association and may impeach any member for misconduct, misuse of authority, neglect of duties, and violations of this Constitution. 

Section 2: The Senate shall have the power to impeach any member of the Executive Board for misconduct, misuse of authority, neglect of duties, and violations of this Constitution. 

Section 3: Three tardies in an academic semester are equivalent to one absence without an excuse. Two unexcused absences in an academic semester from regularly called meetings of the Senate without compelling reasons acceptable to the Executive Board shall make such a member subject to impeachment proceedings. Three excused absences in a semester are equivalent to one absence without excuse.  The President or Secretary must receive twenty-four hours advance notification of absences to be excused. The President does have discretion of excusing absences in cases of emergencies.

ARTICLE VI: Committees

Section 1: The Senate shall have the power to establish for itself special and standing committees. 

Section 2: Senate special and standing committees shall have the power to investigate matters placed before them, call persons to appear before them to testify, to formulate resolutions and motions for recommendation to the Senate, and to carry out such business as they may be authorized to do by the Senate as a whole.

TITLE III: EXECUTIVE BRANCH 

ARTICLE 1: Purpose

Section 1: The Executive Board of the Student Government Association shall serve the following purposes: 

A. to serve as the chair of the Senate for the exercise of official business; 
B. to serve as representatives of the Student Body before the Administration, Faculty, and the community at large; 
C. to oversee the day to day operations of the Student Government Association;
D. to see that all provisions of this Constitution are faithfully executed.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1: The officers of the Executive Board shall be elected by the Student Body of the College. All officers shall be full-time students with a GPA of 2.0 and no Honor Court or judicial violations with the College at the time of their election and during the term of office, and shall have been enrolled as full-time students for two full semesters at the College. 

Section 2: The President shall be classified by the College as a junior or senior during his/her term of office and shall have the intention of the serving throughout the following fall and spring semesters. 

Section 3: The Executive Board shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer of the Student Government Association.

ARTICLE III: President

Section 1: The head of the Executive Board shall be the President of the Student Government Association. 

Section 2: The President shall be an ex officio member of the Senate and all of its committees and shall reserve the right to vote except in the case of a tie. 

Section 3: The President shall be the chairperson of the Senate. 

Section 4: The President shall have the power to appoint members of Senate standing committees, subject to a two-thirds confirmation vote by the Senate. 

Section 5: The President shall have the power, in concert with the Chancellor, to appoint students to the special and standing committees, subject to a two-thirds confirmation vote by the Senate. 

Section 6: The President shall have the power to create special committees to serve in a temporary capacity and to appoint member to said committee, subject to a two-thirds confirmation vote by the Senate.

Section 7: The President shall have the power to appoint a replacement for the Vice-President should there occur a vacancy in that office or to fill all vacancies of the Senate not otherwise provided for in this Constitution, subject to a two-thirds confirmation vote by the Senate. 

Section 8: The President shall report to the Faculty at their monthly meeting. 

Section 9: The President shall have the power to call and preside over convocations of the Student Body.

Section 10: The President shall have the power, by executive order, to send a question, which is before the Senate, to the Student Body as a referendum. In this event, voting on the question by the Senate shall be tabled until the results are known. This referendum shall be conducted by the Election Committee. 

Section 11: The President shall not allocate or disperse funds from the Student Government budget without the consent of the Treasurer. 

Section 12: The President, in cooperations with the executive board,  shall see that all provisions of this Constitution are faithfully executed.

ARTICLE IV: Vice-President

Section 1: The Vice-President of the Student Government Association shall be an ex-officio member of the Senate. 

Section 2: The Vice-President shall serve as the chairperson of the Senate in the absence of the President and shall be the successor to the office of the President should the President be removed from office for any reason. 

Section 3: The Vice-President shall act as a liaison between standing and special committees and the Senate. 

Section 4: The Vice-President shall perform such other duties as the President or Senate may direct.

ARTICLE V: Secretary

Section 1: The Secretary of the Student Government Association shall be an ex-officio member of the Senate. 

Section 2: The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining comprehensive minutes of all official business transpiring in regular or special meeting of the Senate and of the Executive Cabinet. 

Section 3: The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining records of meeting attendance. 

Section 4: The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Senate, send out notices, and keep a list of members. 

Section 5: The Secretary shall be responsible for confirming the eligibility of all members of the Senate to serve each semester based on attendance and, through the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, academic eligibility. 

Section 6: The Secretary shall perform such other duties as the President or Senate may direct.

ARTICLE VI: Treasurer

Section 1: The Treasurer of the Student Government Association shall be an ex-officio member of the Senate. 

Section 2: The Treasurer shall have charge of all funds of the Senate and must keep accurate records of expenditures. All funds must be expended through the Business Office of the College and/or the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration. 

Section 3: The Treasurer shall present a full financial report at each meeting of the Senate. 

Section 4: The Treasurer shall serve as the chairperson of the Finance Committee. 

Section 5: The Treasurer shall perform such other duties as the President or the Senate may direct.
 
 
 

TITLE IV: SENATE PROCEDURE 

ARTICLE I: General Provisions

Section 1: All meetings of the Senate shall be open, unless a closed session is designated by a two-thirds vote by the Senate. No formal vote may be taken at a closed meeting. Any student shall be permitted to participate in discussion although only Senate members may make motions and vote. Any person requesting to be placed on the agenda must make such request at least three days in advance of the meeting. 

Section 2: At the discretion of the President, all resolutions, motions, or proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary before a vote may be held. 

Section 3: The Senate shall meet weekly at a time and place which it shall designate with the exception of the last week of classes each semester. 

Section 4: Special meetings may be called by the President by posting the time, place, and nature of the meeting at least twelve hours prior to the special meeting. 

Section 5: A quorum must be present to hold an official vote in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. Two-thirds of the voting members of the Senate shall constitute a quorum. The Senate may meet in informal session with less than a quorum, but no official vote can be taken. 

Section 6:  The Senate meetings shall be conducted professionally.  Student conduct during the said meetings shall be cordial and professional; this includes verbal and non-verbal conduct.  The Senate may address professionalism issues by establishing a code of conduct for meetings, if it deems necessary for such action.

Section 7: The roll shall be called at the beginning of each meeting. Failure to answer any roll call shall count as an absence unless tardy. 

Section 8: In the absence of the President and Vice-President, the Treasurer shall preside over the meeting. In the absence of the aforementioned officer, the Senate may meet only in informal session but no official vote may be taken. 

Section 9: In the absence of the Secretary, the presiding officer shall appoint a temporary Secretary.

ARTICLE II: Installation

Section 1: The installation of Senators and executive officers shall take place in special session immediately after the last regular Senate meeting of the spring semester.

Section 2: The installation oath administered to the newly elected Senators shall be as follows and administered by the President: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will fulfill the duties of the office entrusted to me to the utmost of my ability and to support and uphold the Constitution of the Student Government Association and the Honor of The University of Virginia's College at Wise.” 

Section 3: The installation oath administered to the newly elected executive officers shall be as follows and administered by the Chancellor of the College or his designee: “I (state your full name) do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will fulfill the duties of (state office) entrusted to me to the utmost of my ability and to support and uphold the Constitution of the Student Government Association and the Honor of The University of Virginia's College at Wise.”

ARTICLE III: Standing Committees

Section 1: Standing committees shall be those committees which shall continue from semester to semester and year to year until altered by the constitutional amendment. 

Section 2: The Standing committees of the Senate shall be as follows: 
A. Finance Committee 
B. Communications Committee 
C. Election Committee 

Section 3: All special committees formed by the Senate or by the President shall continue from semester to semester and from year to year until the committees complete their assigned functions or until they are formally abolished by vote of the Senate. 

Section 4: Any member of a standing or special committee may be removed for neglect of duties by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. 

Section 5: Standing committees shall consist of no less than two Senators. No committee shall consist of less than five people. 

Section 6: The President shall have the power to appoint the chairpersons of the standing committees unless otherwise provided for by the Constitution. 

Section 7: Committee chairpersons shall be empowered to call meetings of their committees.

ARTICLE IV: Finance Committee

Section 1: The Finance Committee shall be charged with the investigation of all fiscal policies which affect the Student Body. 

Section 2: The Finance Committee shall prepare a recommendation of the annual budget from organizations requesting funds from the Student Activity Fund to be submitted to the Senate.

Section 3: The Finance Committee shall have oversight on all Student Government Association expenditures and all special committees regarding fiscal affairs shall report to the Finance Committee. 

Section 4: The Treasurer shall be the chairperson of the Finance Committee. 

Section 5: All requests for funding shall be brought before the Senate regardless of the Committee’s recommendation. 

Section 6: The Finance Committee shall be authorized to create and enforce regulations concerning Student Activity Fund expenditures for student organizations and activities, subject to majority approval of the Senate, provided that such regulations do not conflict with the regulations of the Business Office of the College.

Section 7: The Senate shall review Finance Committee established regulations for Student Activities Fund expenditures at the beginning of every semester.  Every Senator shall be familiar with such regulations.

Section 8: The Senate shall establish new and amend old Finance Committee regulations for Student Activities Fund expenditures when necessary, provided that such regulations do not conflict with the regulations of the Business Office of the College.

ARTICLE V: Communications Committee

Section 1: The Communications Committee shall be charged with the responsibility of informing the College public and the Student Body of activities and actions of the Senate through printed and electronic media in a timely fashion. 

Section 2: The leaders of the Senate recognized student media, or their designates, shall be ex-officio members of the Committee. 

Section 3: A Historian shall be appointed by the Senate with the task of taking the appropriate measure to document, via written and photographic means, all the activities and events of the Student Government Association. This record shall be included in the College newspaper and annual.

ARTICLE VI: Election Committee

Section 1: The Election Committee shall be charged with the officiating of all campus elections and referenda. 

Section 2: The Election Committee shall be composed of no less than ten members. 

Section 3: A member of the Election Committee may not be a candidate for office. 

Section 4: All members of the Election Committee shall be qualified voters and students with a GPA of 2.0 and no Honor Court or judicial violations with the College. 

Section 5: The Chairperson of the Election Committee shall also be known as the Election Commissioner. 

Section 6: The Election Commissioner shall be empowered to deputize students to assist in the enforcement of campaign rules. 

Section 7: All meetings of the Election Committee shall be held open to the College public. Public notice of forty-eight hours must be given prior to such meetings. 

Section 8: Any resigning member shall give immediate notice of his\her vacancy to the President.

ARTICLE VII: Impeachment and Removal Proceedings

Section 1: Any member of the Student Body who is a qualified voter may file a motion to begin impeachment proceedings. Such a motion to begin an investigation must be sponsored by a Senator and a one-thirds vote to approve said motion. Any student who shall deliberately present false charges for impeachment shall be reported to the Honor Court. 

Section 2: An investigating committee shall be appointed by the President or the Senate charged with responsibility of deciding whether or not there is evidence to impeach and to formulate the charge(s) and specifications if the committee finds it desirable to proceed with a hearing. 

Section 3: If the Senate agrees by majority vote to continue the proceedings, the presiding officer shall set a time and place for the hearing. 

Section 4: The impeached officer or Senator shall receive a formal notice of the intent to remove at least one week before the hearing. The impeached member shall have at least one week to prepare a defense. 

Section 5: The Senate shall meet in special session for the hearing and this meeting shall be in addition to the regular meeting of the week. 

Section 6: The President shall preside over the hearing if a Senator is being impeached, while the Chairperson of the Honor Court shall preside if an Executive Board officer is being impeached. 

Section 7: The formal charge of the impeachment shall be read at the beginning of the hearing. 

Section 8: The Senators or officers who initiated the motion for the hearing shall present reasons for the motion to impeach and remove. The aforementioned person or persons may call witnesses in support of the removal action. 

Section 9: The impeached Senator or officer shall have the opportunity to cross examine all witnesses brought against them and shall have the opportunity to present witnesses on their behalf. 

Section 10: Following the presentation of arguments from both sides, the Senate shall be allowed to question any witness and to examine any evidence presented. 

Section 11: The Senate shall then be allowed to deliberate in private session and to vote by secret ballot. The accused and the accuser shall be excluded from the deliberation and voting process. 

Section 12: The presiding officer, Secretary, and Senate advisor shall tally the votes. A two-thirds vote shall be necessary for removal from office. 

Section 13: During the impeachment and removal proceedings, all Senate voting members must be present.

ARTICLE VIII: Vacancies in Office

Section 1: If the President of the Student Government Association is removed from office for any reason, the Vice-President shall automatically become the President. 

Section 2: If both the President and Vice-President are removed from office for any reason, the Treasurer shall serve as interim President until a special election can be held to elect a new President and Vice-President. Said election shall be held no more than three weeks from the vacancy. 

Section 3: Officers or Senators who are impeached and removed from office may not be candidates to fill their vacant seats.
 
 
 

TITLE V: ORGANIZATIONS 

ARTICLE I: Classification

Section 1: Student organizations at the College that receive Student Activity Fee funds and are eligible to reserve College facilities shall be classified by the College as a Contracted Independent Organization (CIO). Greek-letter social organizations that receive Student Activity Fee funds and are eligible to reserve College facilities shall be classified by the College as Fraternal Contracted Independent Organizations (Fraternal CIO). 

Section 2: The College shall determine and grant any other official status to student organizations.

ARTICLE II: Requirements

Section 1: Membership in CIO’s is subject to the specific membership requirements stated in their constitutions and to the provisions of the College’s Nondiscrimination policy. 

Section 2: Membership in Fraternal CIO’s is subject to the specific membership requirements stated in their constitutions. 

Section 3: All CIO’s and Fraternal CIO’s must have a faculty advisor. 

Section 4: If a CIO has an affiliation with an academic department, the organization must secure the approval of the department chairperson. 

Section 5: All CIO and Fraternal CIO officers must be in good standing with the College. 

Section 6: Any student organization may seek to become approved by the Senate. 

Section 7: All CIOs and Fraternal CIOs must comply with terms of the CIO Agreements.

ARTICLE III: Registration, Organization, and Evaluation

Section 1: Student Organizations may exist without Senate approval. 

Section 2: Any group desiring to organize a CIO or Fraternal CIO on campus must secure an application blank for permission to organize from the Secretary. 

Section 3: After a group has been given permission to organize the Senate, the group shall prepare a viable constitution and submit one copy to the Secretary of the Senate and one copy to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, along with a list of officers, club affairs, and faculty advisors. 

Section 4: Any group seeking to form a Fraternal CIO should seek the recommendation of the Inter-Greek Council. The Inter-Greek Council reserves the right to recommend the approval of any newly formed social greek organization to the Student Government Association. Any group seeking to form a CIO should seek the recommendation of the Senate. 

Section 5: All organizational constitutions and constitutional amendments must be submitted to the Senate for approval before being put into effect. If the Senate approves the constitution by a vote, the group shall be approved as a campus organization. If the Senate does not approve the constitution, the document shall be returned with attached recommendations. The group may revise the constitution and return it to the Senate for another vote. 

Section 6: After the Senate has voted to approve an organization, it shall recommend to the Vice Chancellor for Administration that said organization should be approved by the College Administration as a CIO or Fraternal CIO. The Vice Chancellor for Administration shall be the final authority on the approval of organizations. Any student organization may seek Senate approval without seeking CIO status. 

Section 7: A group that has not received some kind of official status from the College may not receive funding from the Student Activity Fund or secure College facilities for meetings. 

Section 8: All student organizations must have a current copy of their constitutions and amendments on file with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration. All Senate approved organizations must have a current copy of their constitutions and amendments on file with the Senate. 

Section 9: A current CIO Agreement, along with a roster of officers and faculty advisors, must be submitted annually by all CIO’s and Fraternal CIO’s by October 1 of each academic year before the Senate will continue to approve the group as a student organization. The Secretary of the Senate shall provide for each student organization a form for this purpose no later than September 15. 

Section10: Any group seeking to reactivate a Senate approved student organization must submit a request for permission to reorganize from the Senate. 

Section11: All Senate approved organizations are subject to annual review by the Senate and may be removed from the approved list at any time by a three-fourths vote of the Senate. Appeals to cases of removal from the approved list may be made to the Vice Chancellor for Administration.

ARTICLE IV: Organizations in Relationship with the Student Government Association

Section 1: The following organizations shall be considered in a co-sovereign relationship with the Student Government Association: 

A. The Honor Court 
B. The Student Media Organizations 
C. The Inter-Greek Council 
D. The Student Activities Board 
E. Residence Hall Association 
F. Commuter Students’ Organization (COMTRA) 

Section 2: These organizations shall operate outside of the Student Government Association’s jurisdiction and shall be free of Student Government Association oversight. In matters of conflicting jurisdiction, the Student Government Association shall be supreme.
 
 
 

TITLE VI: ELECTIONS 

ARTICLE I: Conduction of Elections

Section 1: The Senate shall have the power to set and hold elections for membership, referendum, amendments, and such other business as it may deem necessary to bring before the Student Body as a whole. 

Section 2: The Senate shall hold its general election each spring semester by the third week in April to elect Senators and officers of the Executive Board. The exact date for holding the election shall be set by the Senate. Freshmen Senators and Senator positions not filled in the spring elections shall be elected in the fall semester by the third week in September. 

Section 3: All officers of the Executive Board, the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer, shall be elected by the plurality vote of the Student Body. Senators shall be elected by plurality vote of their respected classes. The Senator at Large shall be elected by plurality vote of the Student Body.

ARTICLE II: Voter Eligibility

Section 1: All persons taking six semester hours or more at the College at the time of the elections shall be entitled to vote in all elections set by the Senate and conducted by the Election Committee. 

Section 2: Students may vote for their own class Senators as they are listed in the most recent notification from the Registrar’s Office. All Students who are qualified voters may vote for officers of the Executive Board and the Senators at Large. 

Section 3: Any student who knowingly violates the above clause with the intent to defraud the elections shall be guilty of lying under the Honor System and may then fall under the jurisdiction of the Honor Court.

ARTICLE III: Voting Stations

Section 1: The Election Committee shall designate a place of station for holding elections. 

Section 2: The station(s) for holding elections shall be published in the College newspaper or other authorized College media at least 10 days prior to the elections.

ARTICLE IV: Ballot Laws

Section 1: If a candidate for President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer obtains the signatures of 50 qualified voters, he/she shall be qualified to run provided he/she meets all the other qualifications according to the Constitution. If a candidate for Senator obtains the signature of 30 qualified voters, he/she shall be qualified to run provided he/she meets the other qualifications according to this Constitution. Petitions shall be in the Office of the Student Government Association no later than 4:30 p.m. ten days prior to the election date. Failure to turn in the petition by that time will result in disqualification. It shall be the responsibility of each candidate to see that his/her petition is filed properly. 

Section 2: No candidate can run for two offices simultaneously. 

Section 3: Voting shall be by secret ballot. 

Section 4: In all elections, the polls shall be open at 10:00 am and shall be closed at 3:00 pm. The hours of the election must be posted or published two days prior to the election. The polls shall not be closed until any voter who is in line at the voting place prior to the closing time has had an opportunity to vote. 

Section 5: The votes shall not be counted until the polls are closed. 

Section 6: No one except the Election Committee may count the votes. No one except the candidates and the President shall be allowed in the room as observers. Counting shall be conducted behind closed doors and once counting has commenced, it shall not stop until the official count is recorded. The results of all elections must be published. 

Section 7: Absentee ballots may be obtained from the Election Commissioner upon the Commissioner’s discretion. The absentee ballot must be witnessed by two members of the Committee and the commissioner. Absentee ballots must be returned to the Commissioner before the closing of the polls.

ARTICLE V: Recall and Contested Elections

Section 1: By a petition signed by 15 percent of a Senator’s constituency, the Senator’s electorate may recall any elected Senator for a vote of confidence. Thirty percent of the Senator’s constituency must vote no confidence in order to remove a Senator from office. 

Section 2: By a petition signed by 30 percent of the Student Body, the electorate may recall any elected President, Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer for a vote of confidence. Thirty percent of the Student Body must vote in the recall and two-thirds of those voting must vote no confidence in order to remove any of those officials from office. 

Section 3: Any Senator or Executive Board officer brought up for recall vote shall have no less than one week between the time he or she is given the completed petition and the time of the recall vote. 

Section 4: Any candidate has 24 hours to contest, in writing, any election for office to the Elections Commissioner. The Election Commissioner must immediately bring this contest to the attention of the President.  The candidate must show just cause to call for a new election. The Senate has 24 hours to rule on the matter by majority vote.  If just cause is shown, a new election for that office must be held within one week of the Senate’s decision

ARTICLE VI: Referendum

Section 1: The Senate must hold a referendum on any issue upon presentation of a written petition signed by five percent of the Student Body or by executive order of the President. This referendum must take place by or at the next Senate elections. The referendum shall be declared adopted upon an affirmative plurality vote and the results shall be binding on the Senate.

TITLE VII: AMENDMENTS AND RATIFICATION 

ARTICLE I: Amendments

Section 1: Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed to the Senate by any member of the Student Body submitting a petition containing the signatures of 15 percent of the Student Body or by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of the Senate. 

Section 2: The proposed amendment shall be posted ten (10) days around campus and published in the edition of the College newspaper prior to the election. 

Section 3: Voting on proposed amendments will take place during the spring elections conducted by the Election Committee, unless another time is specified by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. The amendment shall be considered ratified upon a two-thirds affirmative vote by the Student Body and shall go into effect immediately. It shall be declared adopted provided it is not contrary to the administrative policy of the College.

ARTICLE II: Ratification

Section 1: This Constitution of the Student Government Association shall be considered ratified upon the two-thirds affirmative vote. 

Section 2: The officers and representatives elected to the Student Council in the 1994 Spring elections shall be considered the Charter members of the Senate and shall assume their equal positions in the Senate upon the date this Constitution shall take effect. 

Section 3: This Constitution shall succeed the Constitution of the Student Government Association written in the 1976-77 academic year and shall take effect July 1, 1998.

Section 4: This Constitution shall be amended and reenacted into effect by the ten amendments adopted by the Student Body and 2002-2003 SGA Senate and shall take effect September 17, 2002.