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CONSTITUTION OF THE
ARTICLE INAME This organization shall be known as the Student Honors Council (SHC) at Texas A&M University-Commerce. ARTICLE IIPURPOSE The purpose of SHC is to benefit the university by acting as a governing body for the University Honors Program; promoting scholarship; and providing opportunities for meaningful scholastic, social, and cultural interaction for students in the University Honors Program.
ARTICLE IIIMEMBERSHIP Section A) Eligibility Membership may be applied for by any student who has shown a commitment to the University Honors Program, who has a grade point average of 3.0 or higher, and who has filled out an application for membership. Section B) Selection The members shall be chosen from the applicants by the Executive Committee on the basis of individual merit. Each semester, the Council shall consist of no more than seventeen (17) members. There are no dues, and the GPA of each applicant will be verified by the advisor through a slip of good standing from the Registrar’s office. Section C) Revoking Membership Paragraph 1) Any Council member who fails to attend two meetings or more per semester shall be required to meet with the Executive Committee in order to discuss appropriate action. Paragraph 2) Any Council member may appeal the Executive Committee’s decision to the Council.
Paragraph 3) Revocation of membership shall be made by a 2/3 majority secret ballot of the entire SHC membership minus the member in contest. Section D) Non-discrimination The organization shall not discriminate against any person due to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, veteran status or handicap. ARTICLE IV OFFICERS
Section A) Listing of Offices The slate of officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and Special Events Chair.
Section B) Elections A majority vote of the Council members, when quorum prevails, shall be required for election to office.
Section C) President The duties of the President are as follows: 1) to preside at business meetings, 2) to serve as ex officio member of all committees, 3) to work closely with the advisor to carry out the purposes and provide for the welfare of the Council, 4) to serve as a co-signatory on club expenditures.
Section D) Vice-President The duties of the Vice-President are as follows: 1) to assume the duties in the event of absence, incapacity or resignation of the President, 2) to work closely with the President.
Section E) Secretary The duties of the Secretary are as follows: 1) to accurately keep and preserve the record of the Council and of the Council members attendance, 2) to serve as a co-signatory on club expenditures, 3) to take appropriate notes and/or minutes during regular meetings.
Section F) Treasurer The duties of the Treasurer are as follows: 1) to provide the SHC with bimonthly records as to club expenditures, 2) to see that all funds are accounted for and accurately documented for the SHC to review, 3) to serve as a co-signatory on club expenditures, 4) to organize/oversee fundraisers.
Section G) Historian The duties of the Historian are as follows: 1) to advertise in order to recruit new members 2) to keep historical data concerning major events
Section H) Special Events Chair The duties of the Special Events Chair are as follows: 1) To be responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing the following events: A. Recruitments Activities B. Merchant’s Fair C. University Day-Fall and Spring D. Family Day E. Honors Program Open House F. Honors Day Luncheon G. End of the Semester Banquet-Fall and Spring H. Community Service Events
Section I) Elections Paragraph 1) The election of SHC officers shall be held during the month of April of each year after nominations. Paragraph 2) Officers shall be chosen from the SHC membership with no extra requirements above that of the regular member. Paragraph 3) Elections of officers shall be conducted by secret ballot. Paragraph 4) A majority vote of the Council members, where quorum prevails, shall be required for election to office. Paragraph 5) Officers shall hold their position from August until May of the academic year following their election.
Section G) Vacancies In the event of a vacancy of an officer position, the position shall be filled by presidential appointment, with approval of a majority of the Council members.
ARTICLE VCOMMITTEES Section A) The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Advisor.
Section B) Committees shall be formed as necessary by presidential appointment.
ARTICLE VI ADVISOR Section A) Eligibility The advisor is to be the Honors Program Director, a full time employee of A&M-Commerce. The advisor shall hold office until a new Honors Program Director takes his/her place or until a new advisor is appointed to replace him/her.
Section B) Duties and Responsibilities The duties of the advisor are as follows: 1) to attend at least 2 meetings per semester, 2) to verify the GPA status of all members, 3) to report any Honors program ideas or suggestions of the SHC to the Provost, 4) to serve as an alternative co-signatory on club expenditures, 5) to advise and support the SHC.
Section C) Vacancies or Removals In the event that the advisor fails in his/her duties, the SHC shall give the advisor one month prior notice at which time the general assembly shall ask in a letter to the Provost of A&M-Commerce that the advisor be replaced. Filling the vacancy of the position is left to the decision of the Provost, but an advisor may be suggested by the SHC.
ARTICLE VIIFINANCE Section A) Organizational Finance 1) The Treasurer shall provide the SHC with bimonthly records as to club expenditures. 2) The Treasurer shall see that all funds are accounted for and accurately documented for the SHC to review. 3) The Treasurer and the President will serve as co-signatories on club expenditures with the advisor serving as an alternate signature in the absence of the President or Treasurer. ARTICLE VIII RULES OF PROCEDURE Section A) Meetings Paragraph 1) A regular meeting time shall be set at the first meeting of each semester. Meetings shall be held at the discretion of the President, Council, or advisor up to once a week and no less than twice a month.
A) the President, at his/her discretion, B) the Council, by having at least three of its members petition the President, C) the Council advisor, at his/her discretion.
Paragraph 3) At least 24 hours notice shall be given to all Council members before every meeting by means of phone, email or direct contact.
Section B) Attendance Members are expected to attend all meetings during a semester with a maximum of two free absences.
Section C) Quorum A quorum for the purpose of conducting business shall consist of two-thirds of current members.
Section D) Minutes Minutes shall be taken at every meeting by the Secretary and distributed to the members by means of email.
Section E) Parliamentary Parliamentary procedure based on Robert’s Rules shall be followed.
ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION
Section A) Any proposed change in the Constitution must be distributed in writing to all Council members at least one week in advance of the session at which the proposal is to be presented.
Section B) A two-thirds majority of those members present must vote in favor of an amendment before it becomes effective.
ARTICLE X RATIFICATION
Section A) The Constitution shall be approved by the general membership with a 2/3 vote of the members present. Changes made to this constitution shall be submitted to the Organizational Advisory Board (OAB) for review and approval.
ARTICLE XI AWARDS
Section A) Honors Professor of the Year. 1) The purpose of this award shall be to annually recognize the University’s outstanding Honors professor. 2) The Honors Professor of the Year shall be elected each spring by the SHC by a majority, when quorum prevails, following nominations and a discussion of these nominees by the SHC.
Section B) Other Awards It shall be left to the discretion of the SHC to discuss, elect, and present special awards as they feel necessary.
ARTICLE XII HONORS STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Section A) The Honors Student Association shall serve as the official organization of students in the University Honors Program.
Section B) Membership in the Honors Student Association shall be open to all students in the University Honors Program.
Section C) The Honors Student Association, created by the University Student Honors Council, shall remain under the auspices of and subordinate to the University Student Honors Council.
This Constitution has been approved by the general membership with a 2/3 vote of the members present. Changes made to this constitution must be submitted to the Student Organization Office for review and approval. February 2003 Gilbert Hernandez
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