Constitution of the Georgia Association of Student Councils
PREAMBLE
We believe that the student council is an educational instrument designed to provide actual learning experiences in leadership and opportunities for practicing the qualities of good citizenship necessary for effective membership in a democratic society.
ARTICLE I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the “Georgia Association of Student Councils”.
ARTICLE II: Objectives
· To provide opportunities for the training of leaders, the practice of good citizenship, and the promotion of democracy as a way of life.
· To foster unity in realizing the ideals of education and democracy.
· To serve as a link to establish better relationships between member schools.
· To provide a medium of exchange for ideas, activities, and problems.
· To aid individual GASC member schools in establishing and maintaining effective student councils.
ARTICLE III: Membership
Section 1: Charter Members
The charter members of GASC are those secondary schools sending delegates to the meeting called for March, 1942, Brunswick, Georgia, for the purpose of forming a state organization.
Section 2: Active Members
Membership shall be open to any middle level, junior high, or senior high in the state of Georgia upon payment of dues.
ARTICLE IV: Officers
Section 1: Names of Officers
A. Offices shall include but not be restricted to the elected offices of president, vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, journal editor, and the appointed offices of convention chair and parliamentarian.
B. A parliamentarian school shall be appointed upon nomination of the Executive Director and endorsement of the Executive Committee (see Article V, Section 2E).
C. The association shall have an Executive Director serving as chief administrator.
Section 2: Executive Committee
A: The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected and appointed officers, the advisors to these officers, and the Executive Director. This shall include but not be restricted to the offices of president, vice president, secretary, convention chair, journal editor, and parliamentarian.
B: During Executive Committee action each officer school shall be entitled to two (2) votes. The Executive Director shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
C: The Executive Committee shall be responsible for conducting the business of the association on its behalf with the exception of those items requiring a vote of the membership as prescribed in the constitution.
D: The Executive Committee will annually set the policies of the association.
ARTICLE V: Election of Officers
Section 1: Nominations and Qualifications
A: Qualifications for schools seeking office.
1. The school must have had an organized student council for two years.
2. The school must have been a member of a Georgia Association of Student Councils for the previous year.
B: Nominating Procedures.
1. A candidate school must present one letter to the GASC Parliamentarian and one letter to the Executive Director indicating the candidate school’s ability and willingness to fulfill the obligations of the office. These letters must contain the signature of the candidate school’s principal and student council advisor and be presented three (3) weeks prior to the opening date of the annual convention.
2. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the convention. Schools nominated from the floor must have presented their letter of qualification (see Article V, Section I B) to the Executive Director prior to the opening of the first general session.
3. A list of qualified candidates will be presented to the member schools at the convention by the Executive Committee prior to the voting.
Section 2: Election Procedures
A: Nominees shall be designated by names of schools rather than names of individuals. Officers schools will choose from their own councils no more than (2) persons to hold each office, unless approved by Executive Committee.
B: Elections shall be held during a session of the association’s convention and each school present at the convention will be allowed a maximum of three (3) votes.
C: Election to office requires a majority vote of official delegates voting. If a second ballot is needed, the two schools receiving the highest number of votes will be placed on the ballot.
D: The Executive Committee shall be responsible for filling all vacancies on the Executive Committee with individuals from schools meeting the officer school qualifications in Article V, Section I.
E: To be eligible for Parliamentarian, interested councils should mail one letter to the Executive Director stating qualifications and interest in serving to be postmarked by ten days after the close of convention signed by the school principal and student council advisor. The Executive Director will nominate one school for approval of the Executive Committee at its first meeting.
ARTICLE VI: Meetings
Section 1: Association Meetings
The association shall meet in convention once a year. The Executive Committee has the power to annually set the date of this meeting.
Section 2: Advisors’ Business Meeting
The advisors of the member schools in attendance at the convention shall hold at least one meeting during the convention chaired by the Executive Director. The purposes of this meeting shall include but not be restricted to the following items.
A: A financial report from the Executive Director.
B: A committee of three (3) advisors appointed by the Executive Director shall present a proposed association budget for the next year.
C: The election of an Executive Director.
1. Candidates for Executive Director must be affiliated with a member school.
2. Term of office shall be three years.
3. The advisor to the parliamentarian school will conduct the election of the Executive Director.
4. Nominations will be taken from the floor.
5. Election of the Executive Director requires a majority vote of the advisors in attendance at the business meeting.
6. Should a vacancy occur when the convention is not in session, the vacancy shall be filled by the Executive Committee until the next annual convention may elect an Executive Director.
ARTICLE VII: Leadership Workshops
Section 1: Student Workshops
At the discretion of the Executive Committee, the association may provide for an annual workshop to be held during the summer months for student leaders from member schools.
Section 2: Advisor Workshops
At the discretion of the Executive Committee, the association may provide for an annual workshop for adult leaders affiliated with member schools.
ARTICLE VIII: Association Policies
Policies relating to the conduct of association business shall be approved on an annual basis by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IX: Rules of Order
On all parliamentary questions not specified in this constitution, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the final authority.
ARTICLE X: Amendments
Section 1: Proposal of Amendments
Amendments may be proposed in writing to the Executive Committee by any member of the association at least four (4) weeks prior to the annual convention.
Section 2: Adoption of Amendments
Amendments shall be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the official delegates and voting at the annual convention.
ARTICLE XI: Ratification
This constitution shall become effective following ratification by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the official delegates present and voting on March 8, 1996.
