CONSTITUTION OF THE
STUDENT HONORS COUNCIL
AT
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY – COMMERCE
(Note: Changes have been made to the Constitution since this was posted. Changes will be incorporated shortly.)
NAME
This organization shall be known as the Student Honors Council (SHC) at Texas A&M University-Commerce.
PURPOSE
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.
MEMBERSHIP
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.
COMMITTEES
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.
FINANCE
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.
Paragraph 2) Meetings shall be called by:
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.
A semester-long period of excused absences from monthly meetings will be extended to SHC members who are unable to attend meetings due to their class schedule. This only applies to those students who have been active members at least one semester prior to the semester in question. The member must be in good standing at the time that their request for excused absence is submitted in writing to the Student Honors Council for approval.
The member will retain all of their SHC membership rights and privileges, including their right to vote. The member will be allowed to vote by proxy. After the member has been notified of their need to vote, they then have 48 hours to submit their vote.
During the grace period, the member is required to meet with an officer within the 48 hours following each meeting to discuss the meeting's minutes. Upon approval of the grace period, members are also required to provide .5 hours of service beyond the required 4 hours per semester for each meeting missed.
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.
September 2005