QUINCE ORCHARD High School

QO Student Government Association Constitution

Article One: Name and Purpose

I. The name of this organization is the Student Government Association of Quince Orchard High School (SGA).

II. The purposes of the SGA are:
A. To further the educational well-being of the students.
B. To provide a forum for student opinion.
C. To help coordinate student activities.
D. To promote the general welfare of the school.
E. To act as a representative of the student body in exchange with the faculty, administration, county school system, community and outside organizations.
F. To provide an opportunity for students to effect changes within the educational system.
G. To act as a neutral third party in student/teacher conflicts as a second step in the "Resolving Problems" section of the student handbook as found in the student calendar.
H. To ensure that this Constitution and the standing constitutions for each graduating class are ethically and morally upheld.

Article Two: Membership and Source of Authority

I. Every student at Quince Orchard High School is a member of the SGA.
II. The SGA draws its authority from the Student Body and acts with respect for the rights and responsibilities of the school administration and faculty.

Article Three: General Structure

The SGA shall consist of the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, and the Executive Council.

Article Four: The General Assembly

I. The General Assembly shall:
A. Be the legislative body of the SGA.
B. Consist of the delegates and alternates elected from each second period class.
C. Meet at least once during each month of the school year.
D. Follow the procedures outlined in Robert's Rules of order, newly revised.
II. The General Assembly shall have the power to:
A. Approve all financial appropriations made by the President.
B. Lend money to any approved organization made up of Quince Orchard students to be repaid by the close of the school year.
C. Impeach the President, Vice Presidents, Secretaries, delegates, ex-officio members, and committee members with a two thirds vote, following the guidelines outlined in Robert's Rules of order.
D. Make any recommendations to any organization.
E. Overrule any decision of the president by a two-thirds vote.

Article Five: The Executive Committee

I. Membership
A. The Executive Committee consists of the President, 1st Vice President (a Senior), Vice President (a Junior), 3rd Vice President (a Sophomore), a 4th Vice President (a Freshman), Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Secretary of Technology, Historian, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian.
B. Each office will be occupied by only one candidate (no co-positions).
II. Election of Officers
A. The officers shall be elected by a plurality of votes cast by the Student Body.
B. The term of office shall be defined as extending from the first day following the election through the last day of the school term of his/her service.
C. There shall be no qualifications for the president except that he/she shall have one semester experience in Student Government as a representative, committee chairman or officer and that they be academically eligible according to county stipulations.
D. If for any reason an office is vacated during the term, a replacement officer will be selected by popular election.
E. The Qualification of the Secretary of Technology will be determined by a testing regiment to be dictated by the sponsor and the executive committee.
III. The Powers and Duties of the President
A. The President shall be the chief executive of the SGA.
B. The President shall be the chairman of the General Assembly.
C. The President shall be the chairman of the Executive Committee.
D. The President shall be a member of the ex-officio of all SGA to all SGA Committees.
E. The President shall have the power to call special meetings of the General Assembly, Executive Committee and Executive Council as necessary.
F. The President shall inform the administration and SGA sponsor of SGA activities and shall act as a spokesperson for the student body.
G. The President shall present the views of the student body on matters affecting it to the Administration and the Community.
H. The President will deliver a state of the SGA address at the conclusion of each school year.
I. Subordinates appointed by the President are accountable to the President for their actions.
J. The President of SGA representative is a standing member of the Student Activities Council.
K. The President is a member of the MCR Executive Council.
L. The President is responsible for attending or having representation at all important County Council and Community Meetings.
M. The President is a representative on the Executive Board of the PTSA.
N. The President is responsible for attending or having a representative attend all Booster Club meetings.
IV. The Powers and Duties of the Vice Presidents
A. The First Vice President shall assume all Presidential duties in the President's absence.
B. Each Vice President shall act as a class officer and be responsible for representing his/her class on the Executive Committee and to the General Assembly.
C. The Vice Presidents shall work with and coordinate committees.
D. The Vice Presidents shall preside over recall proceedings.
E. The First Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency when that office is vacated prematurely.
F. The Vice Presidents shall serve on the Executive Committee and Executive Council and will be called on to chair and serve on a variety of committees throughout the year.
V. The Powers and Duties of the Secretaries
A. The Recording Secretary shall record, compile, and publish minutes of all meetings of the General Assembly, Executive Committee and Executive Council.
B. The Recording Secretary shall maintain all non-financial SGA records, including copies of all legislative actions taken by the General Assembly or Executive Committee. All records shall be open to public inspection.
C. The Corresponding Secretary will be responsible for all correspondence between the SGA and outside organizations and other schools and will be responsible for all SGA announcements, bulletins, and memos.
D. The Corresponding Secretary will be responsible for typing all the names for the General Assembly attendance and distributing these lists to all Staff the day of each meeting.
E. The Secretaries must be able to use a Word Processor.
F. The Secretaries shall serve on the Executive Committee and Executive Council and will be called on to chair and serve on a variety of committees throughout the year.
G. The Corresponding secretary will be responsible for delegation of the MCR at Quince Orchard High School. They will themselves be a MCR rep, and fill the other delegate spots with Quince Orchard Students. They shall make sure the SGA general assembly and executive committee are kept up to date on all MCR news. They will be ultimately responsible for all things regarding the MCR.
VI. The Powers and Duties of the Treasurer
A. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility of overseeing all SGA financial affairs and all financial records (including all ticket records and reconciliations, all building use forms and all contracts).
B. The Treasurer must be informed of all deposits to and disbursements from the SGA account - writing all check requests, supplying receipts to the financial secretary, and recording all transactions.
C. The Treasurer must be informed of all financial requests well in advance of their proposed dates.
D. The Treasurer will be responsible for helping set a budget for each SGA activity.
E. The Treasurer shall report at each General Assembly meeting and Executive Council meeting on all expenditures, deposits, and anything else regarding the SGA accounts.
F. The Treasurer shall serve on the Executive Committee and Executive Council and will be called on to chair and serve on a variety of committees throughout the year.
VII. The Powers and Duties of the Parliamentarian
A. The Parliamentarian shall record constitutional amendments, by-laws, operating procedures, and rules that are passed by the Student Council.
B. The Parliamentarian shall be chairman of the Constitutional Review Board.
C. The Parliamentarian shall enforce Robert's Rules of Order and Parliamentary Procedure during all meetings and General Assembly sessions.
D. The Parliamentarian has the power to declare any action taken by the Student Government Association unconstitutional. The Student Government Association at that time will have to change their action to make it constitutional. (Revised 1996-1997)
E. The Parliamentarian shall be in charge of rules and the enforcing of them in the Student Government Association, including but not limiting to Homecoming. They will be in charge of impeachment of officers if necessary. (Revised 1996-1997)
F. The Parliamentarian shall serve on the Executive Committee and Executive Council and will be called on to chair and serve on a variety of committees throughout the year.
VIII. The Powers and Duties of the Executive Committee
A. The Executive Committee may recommend legislation to the General Assembly.
B. The Executive Committee shall, under circumstances which prohibit consultation with the General Assembly, act for that body in a manner consistent with the sense of the Assembly as expressed in legislative actions.
C. The Executive Committee must keep the General Assembly, Student Body, Administration, Staff, and community informed of its activities through meetings, bulletins, the bulletin board, announcements, Friday shows and newsletters.
D. The Executive Committee shall annually review thoroughly and, if necessary, revise the SGA Constitution and standing Class Constitutions.
E. The Executive Committee shall set the agenda for the General Assembly meetings.
F. The Executive Committee may create special committees which would carry out responsibilities as directed by the Executive Committee.
G. The Executive Committee shall oversee all SGA activities committees.
IX. The Powers and Duties of the Historian (revised 1992-1993)
A. The Historian is responsible for photographing all events not covered by a professional photographer.
B. The Historian is responsible for being certified by the Media Center for use of both the camera and editing equipment.
C. The Historian is responsible for taping and editing everything.
D. The Historian shall work with and coordinate committees.
E. The Historian will serve on the Executive Committee and Executive Council and will be called on to chair and serve on a variety of Committees throughout the year.
X. The Powers and Duties of the Secretary of Technology (revised June 1999).
A. The secretary of Technology will be responsible for the web page in its entirety.
B. The Sec. of Tech. will have to keep the SGA web page updated every other week at a minimum.
C. The Sec. of Tech. might be called upon to update the page at a moments notice in cases of extreme necessity. Cases of extreme necessity will be determined by three or more officers or the SGA sponsor.
D. The Sec of Tech. will update class pages.

Article Six: The Executive Council

I. Membership (Amended 1992-1993)
A. Senior Class offices shall consist of the President, 1st Vice President of Activities, 2nd Vice President of Publicity, 3rd Vice President of Graduation, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Historian.
B. Junior Class offices shall consist of the President, 1st Vice President of Activities, 2nd Vice President of Publicity, 3rd Vice President of Prom, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Historian.
C. Sophomore Class offices shall consist of the President, 1st Vice President of Activities, 2nd Vice President of Publicity, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Historian.
D. Freshman Class offices shall consist of the President, Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Historian.
E. The Historian will function as Parliamentarian at Class Meetings.
II. Purpose of the Executive Council: To coordinate school side activities with the SGA and various Classes.
III. Election of Officers
A. The officers shall be elected by a plurality of those votes cast by their graduating classes.
B. The term of office shall be defined as extending from the first day following the election through the last day of the school term of his/her service.
C. If for any reason an office is vacated during the term, a replacement officer will be selected by popular election.
IV. Responsibilities and Expectations of the Executive Council
A. Executive Council Meeting: It is the responsibility of every Class and SGA Officer to attend every Executive Council Meeting to be held (if possible) every fourth Wednesday of each month and to attend all Special Meetings.
B. SGA General Assembly: It is expected that all class officers attend General Assemblies whenever possible. If an officer's absences exceed two unexcused absences per semester when that officer is present in school, that officer will face impeachment.
C. The Executive Committee has the responsibility to attend all SGA functions.
D. It is an expectation that members of the Executive Council attend all class and

Article Seven: The Delegation to the MCR/MASC

(Repealed on June 1999)

Article Eight: The Constitution Review Board (CRB)

I. Purpose
A. In the event that disputes over interpretation of this Constitution and the four set Class Constitutions cannot be resolved by the parties involved, the Constitutional Review Board acts as final arbiter.
B. To include the four established Constitutions for the Graduating Classes. (revised 1991-1992)
C. In order to revise the SGA and Class Constitutions on a yearly basis and to adapt to changing demands. (revised 1992-1993)
II. Composition
A. The school principal or his designee and the SGA faculty advisor are permanent CRB members.
B. When it is determined that the CRB needs to meet each class President will choose an officer and a non-officer to be voting members. In addition, there will be two voting SGA officers. (revised 1992-1993)
C. (repealed 1992-1993)
D. The principal criteria for the choice of a student member shall be responsibility and impartiality.
III. Review Process: Cases shall be presented to the CRB through the SGA faculty advisor or by any student involved in the unresolved dispute.

Article Nine: Election Guidelines

I. Pre-election Requirements: One week prior to the election, candidates must receive one hundred (100) student signatures and ten (10) staff signatures agreeing to their capability of holding an office.
II. Posters:
A. Each candidate will be limited to only ten (10) posters or posted flyers. (revised 1992-1993)
B. Each posted/flyer must be initialed by the SGA advisor, an administrator, or a class sponsor prior to being hung. (revised 1992-1993)
C. Every poster/flyer must be hung on cinder-block only.
D. Candidates will be held financially responsible for any damage they may cause to the facility as a result of campaigning (including but not limited to stickers). (revised 1992-1993)
E. All posters must be removed from the walls by lunch the day of the elections.
F. Posters/flyers may be put up one week prior to the elections.
G. No posters/flyers are allowed to be hung in the lobby of the building.
III. Election Day
A. Speeches will be pre-recorded and shown to the student body at one time.
B. The voting will take place in classrooms directly after hearing speeches.
C. The ballots will be counted by Scan-Tron™
D. Election results will be announced at the end of the day of elections. All candidates will be dismissed to the front lobby prior to the announcement of election results.
IV. Campaigning
A. There will be no negative campaigning.
B. Candidates found using negative campaigning will be removed from the election process at the discretion of the Sponsors involved and the administrator in charge of student affairs.
C. Candidates or their staff may not hand out candy or any other edible products for the purpose of campaigning. (Revised 1996-1997)
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Article Ten: Finances
I. Any operating expenditure which totals less than $101.00 may be approved by the Executive Committee, with the consent of the SGA faculty advisor.
II. Any capital expenditure must be approved by the faculty advisor.
III. Before undertaking any substantial venture, requiring the outlay of $75.00 or more, the General Assembly must approve the project as a whole, although individual expenditures in the course of the approved project need not be approved.
IV. In any area of areas which it deems appropriate, the General Assembly may set a ceiling or floor an expenditure, which it may temporarily suspend or permanently repeal.

Article Eleven: Initiative, Recall, Removal

I. Initiative
A. If 5% of the student body signs a petition for action on an issue, the person(s) or branch(es) of the SGA specified in the petition must consider the petitioned action.
B. If this signed petition names a non-member of the General Assembly or Executive committee to speak before either body on behalf of the petitioners, the person(s) named shall be allowed to do so.

II. Referendum
A. Any petition bearing the signatures of 10% of the Student Body may require the Elections Committee to submit an issue, whether previously considered or not, to be voted on in a school wide referendum.
B. Such a referendum shall take place, as scheduled by the Elections Committee, within fifteen days of the presentation of signed petition.
III. Removal: Any member of the SGA may be removed from whatever office he/she holds, including that of student member of the CRB, by a three-fourths majority (members present) of the General Assembly if he/she persists in violating this Constitution, any set Class Constitution, MCPS Policies and Procedures, eligibility, and/or school rules.

Article Twelve: Ratification, Amendment, and Bylaws

I. Ratification
A. This Constitution and the four set Class Constitutions shall be ratified by a two-thirds majority of students voting in a school wide referendum.
B. This Constitution and set Class Constitutions shall take effect immediately upon ratification, except for provisions relating to election of representatives, which shall become effective at the start of the next school year.

II. Amendment
A. Amendments to this Constitution and the four set Class Constitutions may be proposed by:
1. Any SGA Committee
2. A petition bearing signatures of 10% of the student body.
3. Any three members of the General Assembly.
B. Amendments
1. If approved by three-fourths (members present) of the General Assembly, take effect immediately.
2. If approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly (members present) and three-fifths of the SGA officers, take effect immediately.
III. Bylaws: Bylaws not contradictory to this Constitution and the four set Class Constitutions and any future amendments take precedence over any bylaw, Legislative, or Executive actions.
IV. Precedence
A. The provisions of this Constitution and the four set Class Constitutions and any future amendments take precedence over any bylaw, legislative, or executive actions.
B. The bylaws take precedence over any Legislative or Executive actions

Article Thirteen: Administration Involvement

I. This Constitution and any future Amendments thereto shall be reviewed by the Vice Principal in charge of Student Affairs.
II. The school Administration shall not interfere with the SGA in its internal legislative process as provided in its Constitution.
III. The school Administration or its representatives will consult the SGA Executive Committee in determining student representation or involvement in the development and the revision of major MCPS and local policies and rules which affect them.
IV. The school Administration or its representatives will also consult the SGA Executive Committee in determining official representation by the Student Body on any school committee or at any school function.