CONSTITUTION OF THE TASC DISTRICT 18 LONE STAR STUDENT COUNCIL ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Lone Star Student Council Association.

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The purpose of this Association shall be to provide better understanding and closer relationships between the schools represented in the Association, to promote friendly competition, to promote better understanding of democratic processes and to work closely with the Texas Association of Student Councils and other District Associations for the Promotion of the student council movement.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Membership in this Association shall consist of any accredited Senior High School and Junior High/Middle School which has paid both district and state dues and is located in the Texas Association of Student Councils District XVIII.

ARTICLE IV - DISTRICT CONVENTIONS

Section 1: The Association shall meet at least two times each school year: once in the fall and once in the spring. The date and arrangements for the fall and spring conventions shall be set by the host school and approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 2: A school may send as many student council members and guests from the student body to a convention of the Lone Star Student Council Association as the maximum number set by the host school and approved by the Executive Committee. This maximum number includes the two voting delegates. The students must be accompanied by a school-designated Advisor.

Section 3: If a majority of the member schools registered for a convention is present at a business meeting, they shall have complete legislative powers to transact all business of the Association.

Section 4: Each member school shall have two votes at all conventions. Two voting delegates shall be chosen on the day of the convention by each member school.

Section 5: AnAdvisors’ meeting shall be held at each convention.

Section 6: District Junior High/Middle Schools may participate in both fall and spring conventions.

ARTICLE V - OFFICERS

Section 1: The officers of the association shall be president, first vice-president, second vice-president, third vice-president, secretary, parliamentarian, spirit director and past president. The school elected as president will also serve as treasurer.

Section 2: Duties of officers:

A.President

  1. To preside at all meetings of the Association
  2. To appoint all committees
  3. To vote only in case of a tie
  4. To serve as a non-voting member of all committeesappointed
  5. To keep a record of receipts and disbursements ofAssociation funds
  6. To make a financial report to the delegates assembled at conventions and to the Executive Committee
  7. To pay Association expenditures as authorized by the Executive Committee
  8. To be responsible for the District flag and stand until the end of the state convention
  9. To host district verification of state projects
  10. To be responsible for the coordination and theme of district lock-in

B.First Vice-President

  1. To preside at all meetings of the Association in the absence of the President
  2. To act as host school for the Fall Convention

C.Second Vice-President

  1. To preside at all meetings of the Association in the absence of the president and the first Vice-President
  2. To act as host school for the Spring Convention

D.Third Vice-President

  1. May only be held by a Junior High/Middle School.
  2. To manage all workshop sessions for the Junior High/Middle Schools at conventions
  3. To be a member of the Executive Committee

E.Secretary

  1. To keep accurate records of all meetings
  2. To send a complete record of all minutes to the succeeding officer
  3. To keep files of the correspondence concerning the association and place such files for future reference with the succeeding officer
  4. To send a copy of minutes to the parliamentarian for inclusion in the newsletter
  5. To make announcements at meetings and call roll at business meetings

F.Parliamentarian

  1. To see the meetings are conducted according to Robert Rules of Order as set forth in Article VIII
  2. To interpret questions concerning the constitution and to have copies available for member schools
  3. To supervise and execute elections

G.Spirit Director

  1. To foster positive and supportive attitudes among members of District 18 at all meetings and activities
  2. To assist the parliamentarian in supervising elections
  1. Past President
  2. To supervise the procedure for the selection of the District 18 scholarship recipients
  3. To assist the president in coordinating all District 18 meetings and activities
  4. To monitor and help meet membership goals for District 18

Section 3: Officers for the next year shall be elected at the spring convention and shall serve for one year following the close of the state convention. The office of President School shall be limited to a one year term and may not be held for consecutive terms.

Section 4: Officers shall be designated by the name of schools rather than by the names of individuals. Schools elected to the various offices may feel free to choose whomever they consider capable to fill the office.

Section 5: Election Rules

  1. Candidates wishing to run for District 18 office must file a written petition with the Parliamentarian school, by a date to be set by the Parliamentarian school. This date shall be at least two weeks prior to the Spring Convention. A call may also be acceptable, but a letter of petition signed by the Principal and Advisor must follow immediately.
  1. The Parliamentarian school shall send a list of all candidate schools and a candidate’s packet to each school who has filed for office prior to convention.
  1. The day of the convention, “contested” offices (those for which at least one (1) school has filed) shall be elected first. Each candidate school shall have a total of five (5) minutes for their nominating speech, seconding speech, acceptance speech, and campaign skit. They shall have an additional one (1) minute to exit all skit materials from the stage. If any school exceeds the allotted time, they shall be immediately stopped by the Parliamentarian school. Elections shall then take place by secret ballot with each school casting two (2) votes.
  1. The day of the convention, any schools unsuccessful in their campaigns for District office shall be allowed to file a petition for any “open” office (those for which no school has filed).
  1. Schools unsuccessfully campaigning for office and wishing to run for “open” office shall be allowed a ten (10) minute caucus and filing period in which to file new petitions with the Parliamentarian school.
  1. If no unsuccessful schools wish to run for an uncontested office, other member schools may file a petition with the Parliamentarian school to run for that office. These schools will be granted a ten (10) minute caucus and filing period.
  1. No formal campaign period will be allowed. Schools filing for “open” offices may campaign in the time allotted for caucus and filing. Schools running for an “open” office shall then have a nominating and seconding speech for one (1) minute each.
  1. Election of “open” offices shall take place. Voting shall be by secret ballot and each school shall receive two (2) votes.

Section 6: In case a vacancy occurs in the office of president, the order of succession shall be first vice president, then second vice president.

Section 7: In case a vacancy occurs in any other office, such office shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1: The Executive Committee shall consist of 2 student representatives, 1 voting and 1 non-voting, and anAdvisor from the schools holding the offices of president, first vice president, second vice president, third vice president, secretary, parliamentarian, spirit director, and past president. One District Coordinator and one Principal Advisor shall also serve on the Executive Committee. One District Coordinator shall be elected for a three-year term. The Principal Advisor, who must be a member of the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals, shall be elected for a three-year term. The election of District Coordinator and Principal Advisor shall be during the Advisors’ meeting at the spring convention.

Section 2: Voting members of the Executive Committee shall be the voting student representative from the school holding the offices of first vice president, second vice president, third vice president, secretary, parliamentarian, spirit director and past president. The District Coordinator and the Principal Advisor are also voting members. In case of a tie, the president school shall have one vote.

Section 3: In case of a vacancy in District Coordinator or Principal Advisor, the unexpired term shall be filled by election at the next Advisors’ meeting.

Section 4: The chairperson of this committee shall be the District President school.

Section 5: A meeting of the Executive Committee shall be called at any time the chairperson shall deem necessary or at the request of any other two Executive Committee Members.

Section 6: The executive powers of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VII - AMENDMENTS

This constitution may be amended at a convention of the Association. The proposed amendment must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the member schools present and must have been submitted in writing to each member school not less than two (2) weeks prior to the convention at which the amendment is to be considered.

ARTICLE VIII - PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Robert’s Rules of Order newly revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for this Association.

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Ratified September 28, 2015