Constitution Of The College Of Agriculture, Food And Natural Resources Student Council

Preamble

We, the students of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources of the University of Missouri-Columbia, being interested in affairs that affect our academic and social lives while attending the University, so hereby establish the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Student Council as a means of enhancing our academic and social environment; improving communications among students, faculty, and administrators; assisting in the development and improvement of policies related to the students of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources; and coordinating the various student organizations in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Article I

Name

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Student Council and it may be referred to as such or as the Council.

Article II

Objectives

Section 1. To participate in the establishment of policies affecting the academic affairs of the students enrolled in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Section 2. To participate in the establishment of standards and regulations concerning academic honesty.

Section 3. To develop and sponsor programs and activities for current and prospective students of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Section 4. To allocate income from the activity fees and any other source of income that may become available for the purpose of programs and activities within the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Section 5. To make recommendations to and work closely with the Missouri Students Association on matters affecting more than one division of the University.

Section 6. To receive and consider applications from student organizations wishing status as divisionally recognized organizations and to refer approved applications to the Organization Resource Group for campus-wide approval.

Section 7. To make proposals to the Associate Dean of Academic Programs of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, the various University student-faculty committees, and other University decision-making bodies of offices on matters relating to the interest of the students of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

Article III

Representation and Election Procedures

Section 1. To be eligible for election and to serve as a representative to the Council, students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.2 and must not be on any type of probation.

Section 2. Each academic program of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources shall have one representative to be elected by the undergraduate students who have a registered major in that given academic program. The candidate within each category receiving a plurality of votes cast shall be the representative.

Section 3. Each class in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (i.e., Freshman, Sophomore, etc.) may elect four representatives per class who are to be elected by their respective class members. Candidate(s) within each category receiving a plurality of votes cast shall be the representative(s).

Section 4. Any undergraduate student in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources who is eligible for election as a representative as described in Article III, Sections 1, 2 and 3, and who presents a petition to the Council which includes his/her name, major, year in school, permanent and school address, and the proper category (class or academic program representative) shall be considered a candidate for election in that respective category. Any student may petition for either class or academic program representative petition.

Section 5. Representatives shall be elected prior to the last scheduled meeting of the Fall semester of the Council for a term of one year. Retiring representatives are eligible for re-election.

Section 6. Representatives-elect shall take their position at the last scheduled meeting of the Fall semester of the Council.

Section 7. All College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources recognized organizations may elect a representative each year to serve on the Council for a term of one year. These representatives shall observe the rules and privileges of Council membership.

Section 8. The first meeting of each new council year shall be a mandatory informational meeting. Any organization that does not have a representative present at this meeting forfeits it's opportunity to have a representative on that year's Council. At the mandatory information meeting, a club may be represented by the elected Student Council representative, any executive officer of the club and/or the club adviser.

Section 9. Any elected representative of the Council who misses and is not excused by the executive officers from two or more regularly scheduled meetings of the Council shall be removed by the executive officers of the Council. The vacancy shall be filled by the person who received the next greatest number of votes in the Council's election in the Fall.

Section 10. Any organizational representative of the Council who misses and is not excused by the executive officers of the Council from two or more regularly scheduled meetings will have notification sent to their organization's president and adviser notifying them of the absences. Any further action shall be taken by the organization (i.e. possible replacement).

Section 11. Representative vacancies may be filled by runner-up, if no other, a special election will be held.

Article IV

Offices and Duties

Section 1. Officers of the Council shall consist of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter, MSA Representative, and Ex-Officio Officer.

Section 2. Duties of the President: It shall be the duty of the President to call and preside at all meetings, interpret the Constitution and be the official representative of the Council. The President shall have additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 3. Duties of the Vice-President: It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to act in the absence of the President, appoint committees with the consent of the Council as well as be an ex-officio member of all standing committees. The Vice-President shall have such additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 4. Duties of the Secretary: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep and preserve full and accurate records of all meetings (including an absentee list), to carry on the correspondence necessary for the office, to file all reports, communications and minutes, and notify each member of the Council of the meetings and activities of the Council. The Secretary shall have additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to keep and preserve full and accurate records of all financial transactions of the Council, to be responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all funds, to make monthly financial reports to the Council and maintain a system of bookkeeping recommended by the University Student Organization Auditor for the purpose of annual auditing. The Treasurer shall have additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 6. Duties of the Reporter: It shall be the duty of the Reporter to liaison to the Relations Team. The Reporter shall have the additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 7. Duties of the MSA Representative: It shall be the duty of the MSA Representative to attend meetings of the Missouri Students Association and represent the Council in all matters discussed. The MSA Representative shall report back to the Council on these matters. The MSA Representative shall have additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 8. Duties of the Ex-Officio: It shall be the duty of the Ex-Officio Officer to advise, supply requested information and give any other assistance to the newly elected officer team. The position will be offered to the first available and highest possible retiring officer. The Ex-Officio shall have additional duties as the Council may prescribe consistent with this Constitution.

Section 9. The term of office in the Council shall be one year. Retiring officers are eligible for reelection of an office other than the office previously held.

Article V

Nomination and Election Procedures

Section 1. The Nomination Committee, composed of the retiring officers and the faculty advisers, shall submit a slate of officers consisting of one individual per office. The Committee shall interview all elected representatives who have petitioned and select the nominees on the basis of judgement, initiative, activities, personality, and scholastic achievement. The floor will be open for nominations.

Section 2. Any newly elected council member who has completed one semester in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, UMC, may petition for an office using an official Council petition.

Section 3. Each nominee has the option of presenting a short presentation concerning his views of the Council and his ideas for improving it at the interview.

Section 4. Officer elections shall be held before the last meeting scheduled of the Fall semester of the Council. The term of office shall be for one year.

Section 5. A majority of the newly elected council representatives will be needed to elect an officer nominee.

Section 6. All officers-elect shall take office at the last regular meeting of the Fall semester of the Council.

Section 7. Any newly elected council representative or organization representative will be eligible to serve as a team leader.

Section 8. The team leader selection process will take place between the first and second meetings of the new Council year.

Section 9. The Nomination Committee, composed of the current executive officers and advisers, shall submit a slate of team leaders, consisting of two individuals per team. The Committee shall select the nominees on the basis of judgment, initiative, activities, personality, and scholastic achievement. The floor will be open for nominations.

Article VI

Faculty Advisers and Ex-Officio Adviser

Section 1. The Council shall select two full-time faculty members as advisers to aid in matters concerning budgetary allocations, faculty-student relations, and other matters where faculty views and experiences may be valuable.

Section 2. Each faculty adviser shall be elected by the Council to a term of two years. The terms will alternate.

Section 3. The faculty adviser will be elected by the Council at the second regular monthly meeting of the winter semester (or at the first meeting after a vacancy appears) by a majority of the votes cast.

Section 4. The Associate Dean of Academic Programs shall serve as an ex-officio adviser to the Council. He/she will be invited to give a report at each Council meeting. If he/she is unable to attend, he/she may send another representative of his/her choice to represent the Academic Programs office.

Article VII

Meetings

Section 1. Meetings of the Council shall be held twice a month as decided by the Council officers.

Section 2. Special meetings of the Council shall be called by the President or by petition containing the names of 10% of the Council.

Section 3. A quorum of 2/3 of the Council members must be present before any business can be transacted.

Section 4. The meetings of the Council shall be transacted according to the procedures set forth by Robert's Rules of Order.

Article VIII

Amendments

Section 1. Copies of the Constitution shall be distributed to all persons petitioning for an office, other interested individuals requesting a copy and the members of the Council during the winter semester.

Section 2. Amendments to this Constitution must be submitted in writing at a Council meeting. A 2/3 vote of the Council members present at the next meeting will be required for the adoption of amendments. The proposed amendment will be posted on the Council bulletin board for at least one week prior to the meeting at which voting will occur.

Article IX

University and College Policies and Implementation

Section 1. The Council is committed to cultural diversity and nondiscrimination toward all people with regards to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled veteran or veteran of the Vietnam era.

Section 2. The Council will comply with all federal, state and local laws as well as all University policies.

Section 3. This Constitution shall be in effect when approved by those designated by the University of Missouri.