| Subject: the constitution |
Author:
bess
| [ Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 09:29:39 06/07/01 Thu
CONSTITUTION
Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council
Of the
Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum
Preamble
The Louisiana Scholars’ College was developed in 1987 as an experiment in higher education. In contrast to university norms, it is structured around a seminar format and embraces a rigorous liberal arts core curriculum aimed at giving bright students the skills they need to self-educate. In reviewing the development of Western thought both in science and the humanities, it welcomes students into this progression with the tools needed to excel. Central to this learning method is the seminar format. It allows for a free exchange of ideas between students and professors, and it teaches students how to work together toward understanding, how to present and defend ideas clearly, and how to accept other people’s views and opinions in a professional manner.
In the spring of 1994, students became concerned with the lack of student-professor activities, student apathy, a lack of college community, and inactivity in general. In response to these concerns, a series of student initiated college forums were called. At the end of the semester, the students decided to restructure the student government so that the needs and concerns of the college could be better communicated and resolved.
Thus, in continuing the vision of a “living and learning community’, this Student/Faculty Government Forum was created as the student governing body of the Louisiana Scholars’ College. This governing body operates through forums and all decisions are made by majority votes. A central Forum Council organizes forums and acts as a liaison between the students and faculty. The main power of the Student/Faculty Government Forum comes from the participation of students and faculty in the forums. In this aspect it is much like the seminar based Scholars’ College.
Yet, as the times and demands of the Louisiana Scholars’ College have changed, so has the organization. These students decided to form the Student/Faculty Government Forum, which has now become the Louisiana Scholars’ College General Forum. The Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council is the representative body of the General Forum and this is its constitution.
Article I-Name
The name of the organization shall be the Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum, which is governed by the Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council.
Article II-Purpose
The purpose of the Forum Council shall be to maintain and facilitate the forums and other activities of the Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council, which is to consists of all full-time Scholars’ students as determined by the official Scholars’ College roster on record with the Director of the Scholars’ College.
Article III-Authority
The Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council will not limit the authority of university faculty members and advisors, nor will it supersede any rules and regulations specifically governing Louisiana Scholars’ College or Northwestern State University.
Rather, the forum will exist within these limitations as specified by the constitution and by the subsequent amendments ratified by the Louisiana the Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council, so long as those decisions do not interfere with those governing bodies fore mentioned.
Article IV- Membership
The Louisiana Scholars’ College Forum Council shall consist of two representatives from each class elected by their respective classmates and one at-large member elected by the entire College. A Forum Council member must be a full-time student in good standing with the University.
Article V- Forum Council Faculty Representative
A. The Forum Council Faculty Representative will be a permanent appointment until such time as the faculty representative resigns or is removed. A faculty representative may be removed for not doing his/her prescribed constitutional duties. The removal must be approved by majority vote of the entire membership of the Forum Council.
B. The duties of the faculty representative shall be:
i. To attend all forum-initiated functions.
ii. To act as liaison between the faculty and the Forum Council.
iii. To add to the Forum Council meeting discussions and represent the faculty at these meetings.
Article VI. Elections:
A. Nominations will be made on the first Wednesday of September. Each Scholars’ student is entitled to one nomination of a person within his/her class. Nominations for Forum Council Representative must be accepted before noon of the following Tuesday. Any nominations not accepted by this time will be left off the ballot. All accepted nominations will be placed on the prospective class’ Forum Council ballot, and elections will take place on the second Wednesday of September. The two candidates with the highest vote tally will become their classes’ representatives. These newly elected representatives take office exactly one week later.
B. Each Scholars’ student will be given a ballot with all candidates from his/her class. A total of ten points must then be allotted to the candidates in any combination. If a ballot has more or fewer than ten points, it is null and void. The two candidates with the most points become Forum Council representatives.
C. At-Large nominations are to be accepted on the Friday after the class elections. The deadline for accepting nominations is the next Tuesday. On the following Wednesday, all Scholars’ students and faculty vote to elect the At-Large representative from the list of nominated candidates.
D. All Forum Council members take office during the weekly meeting after the At-Large election.
E. All ballots will be counted by two Forum Council members of the Forum that are not running for any elected position and the Forum Council Faculty Representative.
Article VII. Duties of Each Representative:
A. To attend each weekly Forum Council meeting.
B. To stay informed of the needs and desires of the Forum members, especially but not limited to one’s class.
C. To attend all Forum Council functions.
D. To organize and supervise at least one Forum Council event per year.
E. To help other Forum Council members prepare for all events.
F. To attend one leadership workshop per semester to be given by the outgoing Forum Council.
G. To inform other Forum Council members at least one day in advance if one cannot fulfill a specific duty or must miss a meeting.
H. To resign if one cannot fulfill his/her duties as a Forum Council representative. See Section IX.
Article VIII. Officers:
A. The Forum Council shall elect from their own membership a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and a university representative if needed. Each officer shall be required to do the following duties in addition to his/her other responsibilities as a Forum Council representative:
i. President:
1. To provide an agenda and preside at all Forum Council meetings and general forums.
2. To communicate the Forum and Forum Council needs to the SGA and SAB if no university representative is appointed.
3. To insure the Forum is participating in University activities such as Homecoming nominations and Homecoming week activities.
4. To maintain the paperwork necessary to the continuing existence of the Forum.
5. To assure all members wishing to speak are afforded the opportunity to present their ideas.
6. To call for a vote on any motion after it has been discussed.
7. To list the resolutions at the conclusion of the meetings for the secretary to record.
ii. Vice-President:
1. To oversee and appoint a representative for each Forum Council activity.
2. To take the place of the president in his/her absence.
3. To oversee the publicity of all Forum Council events.
4. To maintain and post an event calendar and oversee the assigning of events to other representatives.
iii. Secretary:
1. To take minutes at all Forums and Forum Council meetings.
2. To post minutes on the Scholars’ College homepage and Forum Council bulletin board, and email announcements to all Scholars’ students.
3. To be responsible for a Scholars’ student directory to be published at the beginning of each semester.
4. To maintain the email account and web page.
iv. Treasurer:
1. To keep a current balance of all monies in association with the Forum Council.
2. To be responsible for petty cash.
3. To maintain records of all financial transactions and to provide a monthly report of all financial transactions during the previous semester.
v. University Representative (if needed): The University Representative may hold another executive position.
1. To communicate Forum Council needs to the SGA, SAB, and other organizations on-campus when the need arises.
2. To inform the Council of up-coming campus events.
Article IX. Resignation:
A. If a Forum Council representative intends to resign his/her position, he/she must notify the Council at least one week prior to said resignation. The Forum Council shall then propose replacements from that representative’s class to be voted on by that class within two weeks following the announcement of the resignation.
B. If the resigning member is an executive officer, the position will be voted upon by the remaining members of the Council prior to the nomination of a new representative.
C. If the president resigns, the vice-president shall assume the role of president. The vice-president will be elected from the remaining non-officer member in the Forum Council.
D. Replacements for an At-Large representative will be nominated by the Forum Council and voted on by the student body.
Article X. Replacement:
If a Forum Council representative does not fulfill his/her duties, as determined by a majority of the entire membership of the Forum Council, or misses three unexcused events, whether it is a weekly meeting or other Forum Council event, then that representative shall no longer be a Forum Council representative. The position shall immediately be filled by the procedures set forth in Section IX.
Article XI. Forum Council Events:
Forum Council events consist of all of the following but not limited to:
A. Orientation Food Fair
B. Halloween Food Fair
C. Winter Food Fair
D. Valentine’s Food Fair
E. Scholars’ College Formal
F. T-Shirt Sales
G. Scholars’ College Film Festival
H. Senior Thesis Bar-B-Q
I. One General Forum per month
J. One Leadership Workshop per semester
K. Forum Council Fall Elections
Article XII. Quorum:
Quorum at all Forum Council meeting will consist of five Forum Council representatives.
Article XIII. Ratification:
A. Upon approval of this constitution all previous constitutions will become null and void; this constitution will become the only constitution.
B. Upon ratification of this constitution any amendments must be approved by two-thirds of the Scholars’ College Forum.
This constitution was composed by:
Charlie Penrod, President
Bess Vincent, Moderator
Michael Callac, Secretary
John Birch, Treasurer
Matt Comeaux, Senior Class Representative
Sara DeBroeck, Junior Class Representative
Brett Chiquet, Freshman Class Representative
Valerie Broussard, Freshman Class Representative
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
] |
|
Feedback: 