Approved by COC 15 May 2007 with amendments. Example of School Council Constitution to Accompany Minimum Requirements for School Council Constitutions.
Final version
17 May 2007
C2007/xxx
CONSTITUTION OF THE ***** SCHOOL/PROGRAMMESTUDENTS COUNCIL
1. Name and Establishment
The name of the body is the ***** School Students Council, which is constituted in terms of and governed by section 27 of the SRC Constitution.
2. Definitions
In this Constitution, unless the context denotes a contrary intention:
~ “University” means the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg;
~ “Faculty” means the Faculty of [CLM; Science; EBE; Health Sciences; Humanities] of the University;
~ “Faculty Student Council” means the Student Council of the Faculty of [CLM; Science; EBE; Health Sciences; Humanities] of the University; as established in terms of section 26 of the SRC Constitution;
~ “School” means the School of *****;
~ “Student” means a registered student in the School;
~ “Member” means a member of the **** School Student Council;
~ “Year” means academic year;
~ “SRC” means the Student Representative Council of the University;
~ “Council” means the Council of the University.
3. Founding principles
a) The **** School Student Council recognizes the supremacy of the SRC Constitution and is unwaveringly committed to upholding the founding values enunciated in section 3 thereof.
b) The **** School Student Council recognizes and respects the responsibility of the SRC and the Faculty Student Council to oversee the compliance of the **** School Student Council with the overarching values and principles enunciated in the SRC Constitution.
c) The **** School Student Council is committed to the values of co-operative and good governance and shall co-operate with the SRC and the Faculty Student Council in providing democratic, transparent, effective, accountable and coherent student leadership, in accordance with section 5(2) of the SRC Constitution.
d) The **** School Student Council recognizes the institutional authority of the University Council, as set out in section 2 of the SRC Constitution. To the extent that it is required to do so, the **** School Student Council shall co-operate with Council in order to achieve the objectives of good student governance.
4. Composition and term of office:
a) The **** Student Council consists of [MINIMUM 3] members, which are elected annually, for a one year term of office, by way of a general election of students registered for courses in the School OR by way of an election, among themselves of all the class representatives in the School.
b) The **** Student Council must be constituted by the end of the second week of March of each year. In consultation with the Head of School and the Dean of Students, the outgoing **** School Council shall ensure compliance with this provision.
c) The Executive of the *****School Students Council consists at least of the following three office bearers: The Chairperson; The Deputy Chairperson and the Secretary/Treasurer. The members of the Executive must be elected within 7 working days of the establishment of the *** School Student Council.
d) The *****School Students Council may co-opt other members to fulfill the objectives of the *****School Students Council. No more than 3 other members may be co-opted.
e) No person may serve as a member of the **** School Student Council for a period which cumulatively exceeds 3 terms of office.
f) A member of the **** School Student Council ceases to be a member if and when:
(i) s/he ceases to be a student of the University; or
(ii) s/he resigns in writing to the President of the SRC; or
(iii) s/he absents herself/himself, without reason considered satisfactory by a two-thirds’ majority of the members present at a meeting of the **** School Student Council, from two successive ordinary meetings of the **** School Student Council during his/her year of office; or
(iv) s/he is found guilty of misconduct by a Student Disciplinary Committee (excluding an ad hoc committee) in terms of the Rules for Student Discipline
5. Powers, functions and duties:
In terms of section 27(2) of the SRC Constitution, the following are the powers, functions and duties of the **** School Student Council.
a)To bring to the attention of the SRC, Faculty Student Council and/or Head of School issues affecting students within the School.
b)To represent the interests of the students within the School on such governance bodies as are appropriate.[W1]
c)One member of the **** School Student Council must represent the interests of the students of the School on the Faculty Student Council.
d)One member of the **** School Student Council must represent the interests of the students of the School on the Student Forum.
e)In particular, the ***** School Student Council must
(i)Provide a channel of communication between the students in the School, the School and/or Faculty administration and other student governance structures, as appropriate.
(ii)Represent the interests of the students in the School on relevant School committees and management structures.
(iii)Administer in the interests of the students of the School, such funds as may be allocated to it by the relevant University structure or as it may receive from any other source.
6. Meetings
a) There shall be at least four annual meetings of the **** School Students Council and a minimum of one meeting in every academic term.
b) Meetings of the **** School Student Council will be called by any office bearer as required.
c) Two-thirds of the current members of the **** School Student Council form a quorum.
7. Powers, functions and duties of the Executive
a) The Chairperson:
(i) The Chairperson or his/her nominee represents students at relevant School functions.
(ii)At each meeting, the Chairperson presents a report of the activities of the **** School Student Council Council since the previous meeting.
(iii)The Chairperson, in consultation with other members of the Executive, deals with any urgent matters arising during the period between meetings.
(iv)The out-going chairperson must present a written report on the activities of the **** School Student Council during the past year to the incoming **** School Student Council at its first meeting. A copy of this report must be made available to the SRC and the relevant Faculty Student Council.
b) The Deputy-Chairperson:
The Deputy-Chairperson fulfills the role of the Chairperson in the event of his/her absence.
c) The Secretary/Treasurer:
(i) The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for the general administrative functioning of the **** School Student Council.
(ii) The Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for all relevant record keeping required for the functioning of the **** School Student Council, including the recording, compiling and distribution of minutes of the meetings of the **** School Student Council.
8.Terms of Office of the Executive
a) The Executive holds office until its successor assumes office.
b) No person may serve as an office bearer for a period which cumulatively exceeds 3 (three) terms of office.
c)In addition to the termination or cessation of membership of the **** School Student Council in terms of section 4(f) above, a member of the Executive Committee may be removed from his/her executive office by resolution approved by a two-thirds’ majority of the total possible number of members of the **** School Student Council at an ordinary meeting or at a special meeting called for this purpose; in each case special notice of the motion must be given. The member concerned must be given reasonablewritten notice (including by electronic means) not less than five clear days before the date of the meeting delivered to the latest address (including e-mail address) furnished by the student to the University. There must be written proof of the date of delivery.
d) In the event of any vacancy occurring in the Executive, such vacancy shall, subject to the provisions of this constitution, be filled from amongst members of the **** School Student Council, by a simple majority vote at a meeting of the **** School Student Council.
9. Meetings of the Executive
a) Meetings of the Executive will be called by any office-bearer as required.
b) Two members of the Executive will form a quorum.
10. Motion of No Confidence in the **** School Student Council
a) All motions of no confidence in the **** School Student Councilwill take the form of a motion of noconfidence in the Chairperson and must be moved at a general meeting of the students of the Faculty.
b)Should such a motion be adopted the Chairperson must resign within 24 hours of the closure of the meeting. Such a resignation means the resignation of all the members of the **** School Student Council.
c)Within 7 (seven) days of such resignation, the Head of School must call for an election of a new **** School Student Council.
11. Failure of the **** School Student Council
After due notice of its failure to carry out any function or duty, should the **** School Student Council continue to fail to carry out any of its functions or duties, the Head of School or his/her nominee has the power to carry out any such function or duty in the spirit and manner prescribed in this constitution.
12. Amendments to this Constitution
a) Any member of the **** School Student Council may propose or second any amendment to this constitution.
b) No proposed amendment will be tabled unless due notice has been given at the preceding ordinary meeting of the **** School Student Council.
c) An amendment to this constitution requires a two thirds majority of the members of the **** School Student Council.
d) Amendments to this constitution are subject to the provisions of the SRC Constitution and the approval of the SRC.
1
[W1]It is recommended that these will likely have to be determined and listed, depending on the prevailing situation in particular Schools.