Charter of the Huntingtown High School Student Government Association Article I Purpose Section 1: The purpose of the Huntingtown High School Student Government Association (herein referred to as the HHS SGA) is 1. Allow for students to participate in activities during the school year 2. Organize HHS Stormcoming 3. Assure that the voice and opinions of the students are presented to school administration 4. Allow students to learn about legislative affairs 5. Preside over the nomination process for the HHS candidates for Student Member on the Calvert County Board of Education and the Maryland State Board of Education and elected officer positions for the Calvert Association of Student Councils and Maryland Association of Student Councils. Article II Affiliation/ Representation. The HHS SGA is affiliated with the Calvert Association of Student Councils (CASC), the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC), and the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) and shall pay dues to said organizations. Article III Membership/Enrollment All students at HHS are eligible to participate in HHS SGA. All students interested must submit a membership contract. The contracts are available in the beginning of the year and on request throughout the year. Prospective members must agree to all terms listed in contract. All membership contracts must be renewed yearly. Article IV Officers Several elected officials will serve on the Executive Board. Section 1: Officer Eligibility 1. The offices include President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary 2. The President may appoint an Executive Staff. These positions shall be outlined in Article IV Section 4 of this document. Prospective applicants may receive an application at the conclusion of the school year and submit them to the President before the end of that school year. The President nominates an applicant for a position, and the other elected officers must confirm the nomination. 3. The candidate for all offices must be a rising sophomore, rising junior or rising senior.
Section 2: Elections 1. Elections for all positions will occur prior to end of the school year 2. All contracted members of SGA may vote. 3. Each candidate will prepare a speech. A Q&A Session will follow. Section 3: Special Elections 1. A special election will occur to fill any vacancies in any elected officer position. 2. These elections will occur within a month of the position becoming vacant. 3. All contracted members of SGA may vote. 4. Each candidate will prepare a speech. A Q&A Session will follow. Section 4: Duties and Responsibilities of Officers 1. President a. Preside over all meetings present b. Provide an agenda and organize events c. Set goals for the HHS SGA d. Assign duties to delegates and officers e. Represent HHS SGA and serve as a voting member on the CASC Executive Board f. Attend all CASC General Assembly meetings and all Executive Board meetings 2. Vice President a. Fulfill/Assume duties of President if they are unable to b. Assist the President c. Work with President to promote SGA d. Attend all CASC General Assembly Meetings and at least 1 Executive Board Meeting 3. Treasurer a. Assist the President and Vice President b. Assume duties of President if President or Vice President is unable to c. Submit a budget to the President and Advisor at the start of each year d. Oversee reimbursements and submit reimbursement forms to the HHS Finance Office e. Attend all CASC General Assembly meetings f. Record and Report all SGA financial reports and make sure dues are paid 4. Secretary a. Assist the President, Vice President and Treasurer b. Assume the duties of President if President, Vice President or Treasurer are unable to c. Take Minutes at every meeting and make these minutes accessible to SGA members d. Organize a method for attendance, either roll call or sign in e. The minutes and agendas will all be kept and organized by the secretary throughout the year Section 5: Duties and Responsibilities of Appointed Officers 1. Parliamentarian
a. It is not mandatory that HHS SGA strictly follow Robert s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. However, for amending the charter and as a basic structure for HHS SGA meetings, Parliamentary Procedure will be implemented b. It is the duty of the Parliamentarian that Parliamentary Procedure is used correctly. The Parliamentarian must be well versed in Parliamentary Procedure c. In the beginning of the year, a brief workshop on Parliamentary Procedure will be given by the parliamentarian in accordance with the other officers. d. A member of the Executive Staff, the Parliamentarian assists the President and elected officers 2. Historian a. The Historian must be well versed in Photography skills and technology b. It is the duty of the Historian to photograph important events and promote SGA using technology (i.e. Twitter, Facebook) c. A member of the Executive Staff, the Historian assists the President and elected officers. 3. Communications Director a. It is the duty of the Communications Director to photograph important events and promote SGA using technology (i.e. Twitter, Facebook) b. He/She also shall oversee the process for creating any form of advertisements for all HHS SGA events. c. A member of the Executive Staff, the Communications Director assists the President and elected officers 4. Fundraising Coordinator a. It is his/her duty to search for, plan for, implement and evaluate all HHS SGA fundraisers b. He/She shall act as a liaison for CASC/MASC/NASC fundraisers to get HHS SGA involved in them c. A member of the Executive Staff, the Fundraising Coordinator assists the President and elected officers Article V CASC and MASC Officer and Student Member on the Board of Education Nominations Section 1: Student Member on the Board of Education Nominations 1. All students of Huntingtown High School can request the application from the SGA Advisor in order to run for Student Member on the Board of Education (SMOB) for the Calvert County Board of Education or Maryland State Board of Education. 2. Prospective candidates must submit their resume and intent to run to the SGA Advisor and President 3. Only one candidate from Huntingtown High School may run for SMOB for the Calvert County Board of Education or Maryland State Board of Education during any one year. 4. An election of all students at Huntingtown High School students will occur to determine the nomination for SMOB to the Calvert County Board of Education or
Maryland State Board of Education from Huntingtown High School. Candidate information packets (to include resumes, goals etc.) will be distributed to the student body and candidates will have the option to create a campaign video. Section 2: CASC and/or MASC Elected Officer Nominations 1. All students of Huntingtown High School can request a nomination form from the SGA Advisor and/or President in order to run for any applicable CASC or MASC Elected Officer Position. 2. Only one candidate from Huntingtown High School may run for any one CASC or MASC Elected Officer Position during any one year. 3. An election of all Huntingtown High School Student Government Association Members will occur to determine the nomination from Huntingtown High School for a CASC or MASC Elected Officer Position. Article VI Removal of an Officer Section 1: President Impeachment 1. It is the right of the members to submit in writing that the President resigns 2. In the event the President refuses, the members will propose a cause of impeachment. The cause must include a violation of his duties/responsibilities outlined in Article IV Section 4. 3. The author of the impeachment will present to SGA cause for impeachment 4. The SGA will vote and if two thirds majority vote on removal from office, the President will be removed from office and the Vice President will become the President 5. A special election will be held according to Article IV Section 3 to fill the vacant position of Vice President. Section 2: Other officer removal 1. The President may confer with the Advisor and remove an elected officer or appointed officer. 2. A special election will be held according to Article IV Section 3 to fill the vacancy if it is an elected position. Article VII Advisor Section 1: Role of Advisor 1. Student Government will have an advisor that attends the meetings 2. The advisor, a faculty member of HHS, has authority over the students 3. The advisor is responsible to assure all dues are paid to CASC and MASC Article VIII Meetings Section 1: Meetings 1. Meetings will be held in a classroom that is made public to the students prior to the first meeting. All meetings will be on a consistent day during Flex Lunch unless it is indicated by the President at a prior meeting. Section 2: Rule of Order
1. It is not mandatory that HHS SGA strictly follow Robert s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. However, for amending the constitution and as a basic structure for HHS SGA meetings, Parliamentary Procedure will be implemented. 2. In the beginning of the year, a brief workshop on Parliamentary Procedure will be given by the parliamentarian in accordance with the other officers. Article IX Suffrage Section 1: Voting Rights 1. All members that have turned in a Membership Contract and adhere to the contract terms are voting members of the SGA. 2. The President and Advisor(s) are non voting members of the SGA. The President may vote, however, in the event of a tie. Article X Amending the Charter Section 1: Process to amend 1. An amendment to the Charter may be proposed and discussed during a meeting in accordance with Robert s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. 2. In the event the amendment is pre filed, a two thirds majority is required for a acceptance of amendment. The amendment must be pre filed to the President at least one week in advance of its proposal. 3. In the event that the amendment is introduced spontaneously, it requires a four fifths majority to pass. 4. The amendment must be proposed a week before elections 5. After the amendment is approved, it should be immediately added to the Constitution, unless otherwise specified. 6. The President, aided by the parliamentarian, may make minor cosmetic changes to this document, provided it does not change the intent of the article/section/clause. Article XI Quorum Rule Section 1: No business meeting of the HHS SGA shall be deemed official unless 30% of the voting membership is present. Ratified May 2013 Amended January 20, 2015