1.
There shall be an
2.
The members of the
Association shall be:
a)
All registered students of
the College.
b)
Student shall be permitted
to participate in elections of the Association by postal ballot under such
circumstances and according to such procedures as shall be defined in the
constitution.
1.
Amendments to the
Constitution.
(i)
All amendments to the Laws
section of this Constitution shall be made by Referendum only. Rules governing
constitutional amendment referendums shall be the same as rules governing other
referendums and may be called by the same means. Except, in order for the
constitutional amendment to be accepted, the referendum must show a two thirds
majority in favour of the amendment, else the amendment shall fall, and the
original constitution shall remain.
(ii)
All amendments to this
Constitution, except the Laws section shall be made by the following
process:
(a)
A motion or minute at a
properly constituted Algonquin College Somali Students
Association Meeting may give details of a proposal for constitutional
change. This shall not be an emergency meeting, nor shall the motion be an
emergency motion. If this item is passed then the matter shall move to the Special Group (Constitution Review Working
Group).
(b)
The Special Group shall then outline a
proposal including all further implications of the proposed constitutional
amendment, these being primarily:
(1)
Any other changes to the
Constitution which may be implied, to avoid any contradiction within the
Constitution,
(2)
Any changes necessary to the
Laws section of the Constitution, to avoid any contradiction within the
Constitution, and the Group shall then include in its proposal that the
necessary referendum be taken,
(3)
Any current policy which
would be in contradiction with the amendment, and the Group shall then include
in its proposal that any such policy should
fall.
(4)
If any amendment or any
implication of any amendment is in contradiction with any Algonquin College regulation or law
of the land, then the Group shall instead outline this
situation.
(iii)
The proposal shall then come
to then next properly constituted Algonquin College Somali Student
Meeting in the form of a minute. This minute shall require a two thirds
majority of the members present to be
passed.
(iv)
No constitutional amendment
changing the rules governing voting membership of Algonquin College Somali Student
Association or any committee shall come into effect before the end of
the academic session in which is was passed by an Algonquin College Somali Student
Meeting.
A.
The Laws:
2.
Referendums
(i)
Provisions shall be made for
the holding of referendums on any issue, except disciplinary action, in
accordance with the Rules of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association. Referendums shall be the final decision making body of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association.
3.
General
Meetings
(i)
Provisions shall be made for
the holding of General Meetings in accordance with the Rules of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association. General Meetings shall be the final authority in all Algonquin College Somali Student
Association matters, subject only to the decisions of
Referendums.
(ii)
The General Meeting shall be
held no later than sixth week of First Semester. The following shall be
presented to the General Meeting:
(a) Budget
(b)
Annual
plan
(c) Notification of
policy.
4.
(i)
The Algonquin College Somali Student
Association shall be governed by a representative Executives which shall be
the final authority in all ACSSA matters, subject only to the
decisions of General Meetings and referendums.
(ii)
Algonquin College
Somali Student Association shall have powers as
defined in the Rules of the Executives.
(iii)
The conduct and membership
of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association shall be determined by the Rules of the Executives.
(iv)
No changes to the rules
governing voting membership of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association shall be made except by way of constitutional
amendment.
5.
Standing
Committees
There shall be a Finance and
Management Committee which shall be accountable
to the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association for all matters relating to finance according to the Rules of
the Executives.
6.
Officers of the
Executives
(i)
The following Honorary
Officers, if they be deemed necessary by the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association
(ii)
The Honorary
President
(a)
Not more than six Honorary
Vice Presidents
(iii)
Part-time Student Officers
as defined by the Rules of the Executives
(iv)
General
(a)
The Honorary Officers shall
be elected for three sessions by the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association
(b)
The Student Officers shall
be elected in accordance with the Election Regulations in this
Constitution
(c)
All the Officers of the
Executives, while executing their duties for the Students' Executives under this
Constitution and Rules thereof, shall be indemnified by the Students' Executives
in respect of any loss, damages, PROVIDED that such person shall have acted in
good faith and shall have taken proper professional advice when
appropriate.
7.
Finance
(i)
The finances of the
Executives shall be the final responsibility of the Algonquin College Somali Student
Association, in accordance with the Financial
Regulations.
(ii)
The Executives may not
finance any activity which contravenes in any way the Executive's status as an
Educational Charity.
B.
The
Laws: Aims and Objectives
1.
The Executives are the
independent body responsible for providing a recognised and representative
channel of communication between the Executive’s membership,
2.
The Executives are dedicated
to enhancing and promoting students' rights and to promoting and supporting
social, cultural, sporting, intellectual, religious and educational activity
amongst its members in order to enrich the overall corporate life of the
College.
3.
The Executives are committed
to the provision of a broad range of quality services and facilities geared to
anticipate and meet the needs of its members, thus enhancing the overall student
experience.
4.
To achieve these aims the
Executives will attempt:
(i)
To be student focused in its
outlook.
(ii)
To keep its range and
quality of services and activities under active review and development.
(iii)
To actively promote
involvement by the membership in the decision making process.
(iv)
To provide opportunity for
cultural, social, intellectual and political expression.
(v)
To expand and create new
services in response to students' needs.
(vi)
To adopt policies on matters
that directly affects the membership or future membership.
C.
The
Laws: Powers
1.
In order to achieve any or
all of its aims and objectives but for no other purpose, the Association may,
alone or with others do any of the following:
(i)
Establish and administer
such services as are deemed necessary to meet the needs and wishes of members
and such charges as appropriate for provision of such
services.
(ii)
Borrow and invest money
subject to the Financial Regulations as laid down in this
constitution.
(iii)
Adopt and implement policies
of the Association.
(iv)
Co-ordinate the efforts of
persons and bodies of all kinds concerned with its members and future
members.
(v)
Enter into reciprocal
agreements regarding use of facilities by members of other educational
establishments and external bodies.
(vi)
Consult with and make
recommendations to educational and other bodies.
(vii)
Adopt any other course of
action in line with the aims and objectives subject to the approval of the
appropriate decision making body.
D. THE RULES: CommitteeS
1.
General
(i)
Committees shall submit
their minutes to Special Committees
for ratification.
(ii)
Committees are empowered to
invite any person to their meetings. Such persons may speak to the meeting at
the discretion of the Chair but may not vote upon any proceedings of the
meeting.
(iii)
The chair of each committee
shall ensure that all members receive reasonable notice of
meetings.
(iv)
Committee Meetings are open
to all full members of the Special
Committees.
(v)
Committees shall be
empowered to form sub-committees as and when required.
(vi)
In the absence of the chair
the committee shall elect it’s own chair.
(vii)
All Committees shall be
empowered to invite members of Special
Committees to attend in a non-voting, advisory capacity as they see
fit.
(viii)
The Chair of each Committee
shall be responsible for ensuring that all Committee members receive adequate
training.
2.
Standing
Committees
(i)
Executive
Committee
(a) Summary
(1)
The Committee shall oversee
the day to day running of the
(b)
Membership
(1)
The
President(Chair)
(2)
Par time Student
Officers
(c) Meetings
(1)
The Committee shall meet at
least three times a month.
(d)
Powers/Duties
(1)
The Committee shall, during
College vacations, assume the responsibilities and authority of the Executive's
Standing Committees with the exception of the Postgraduate Sub
Committee.
(2)
If a policy issue of
sufficient urgency should arise which requires action before the next Council
meeting and if it is impossible to
hold an Emergency Executive Council, the Committee may make a temporary decision
on the issue.
(3)
The Committee shall have the
right to mandate its members on behalf of Executive
Council.
(ii)
Campaigns and
Representatives Committee
(a) Summary
(1)
The Committee shall
represent interest groups within the Special Committees, oversee
campaigns.
(b)
Membership
(1) President (Chair)
(2)
Part time Student
Officers
(3)
Mature Students’
Officer
(4)
Three officers without
portfolio
(5)
Associations’
Representative
(c) Meetings
(1)
The Committee shall be 50%
of the current voting membership, but not less than two Part time Student
Officers and two student officers.
(2)
The Committee shall meet at
least once a month.
(d)
Powers/Duties
(1)
The committee shall be
responsible for implementing the priority campaigns set by Special
Committees.
(2)
The Committee shall be
responsible for making recommendations on the Association campaigns budget and
this shall be allocated to the Committee. The Committee may also be allocated
other budgets by Executive Council. The Committee shall alone be responsible for
the allocation of funds from these budgets, subject to the authority of the
Executive Council.
(3)
The Committee shall present
regular reports to Executive Council outlining the details of the
(4)
The committee members shall,
where appropriate, communicate with relevant organisations and other Students’
Association.
a)
The committee shall raise
issues relevant to constituent members of the Association.
E. THE RULES OF THE EXECUTIVES
1.
A referendum shall be called
by the Executives after the issue has been discussed by the Executive Council
upon either:
(i)
a resolution of the
Executive Council authorising a referendum; or
(ii)
upon presentation of a
petition signed by 2% of the full Executives membership including proof of
membership; or
2.
General
(i)
The wording of questions
that shall be put in referendums shall require yes, abstain, or no as the
response. The Elections and Rules Committee shall determine the wording and
shall attempt to make the question as clear, as simple and as unambiguous as
possible.
(ii)
A referendum shall be held
at the same time as the subsequent scheduled Executives Election as specified in
the Elections Section provided that the referendum has been called before the
start of the Nomination Period for the Election.
(iii)
Referendums shall be
conducted under the same regulations as Executive
Elections.
(iv)
There shall be a referendum
debate held in the
(v)
A referendum shall be
declared null and void if either:
(a)
the total valid
votes cast failed to reach 5% of the Executive’s full membership.
Or
(b)
a majority of the
votes are for abstention.
3.
Emergency
Referendums
(i)
Criteria
(a)
The matter in question has
arisen, or has become generally known, since the end of the period for the call
of referendums, and which is of so urgent a nature that it cannot be referred to
the next scheduled time for referendum and cannot be referred to a Committee or
Exertive Meeting.
(ii)
A proposal for an Emergency
Referendum and the justification of the urgency shall be submitted in writing to
the Elections and Rules Committee.
The Elections and Rules Committee shall give a ruling as to whether or
not the proposal fulfils the criteria given above.
F.
THE
RULES: GENERAL MEETINGS
1.
Membership
(i)
Voting
Members
(a)
Full members of the
Executives (other than below)
(ii)
Non Voting
Members
(a)
Elections and Rules
Committee
2.
Powers of General
Meeting
(i)
General Meetings shall be
the final authority in all matters except where a referendum of the membership
has decided otherwise.
(ii)
General Meetings shall be
empowered to make policy.
(iii)
General Meetings shall be
empowered to censure officers or remove them from office.
(iv)
General Meetings shall be
empowered to invite such members of Executive staff to attend in a non-voting
advisory capacity as they see fit.
3.
Annual General
Meeting
(i)
The Annual General Meeting
shall be convened by the President no later than the sixth week of the first
semester.
(ii)
The Annual General Meeting
shall have its minutes ratified at the next General
Meeting.
(iii)
The agenda for the Annual
General Meeting shall be the same as a Executives Council Meeting with the
following additional items:
(a) Annual
Accounts
(b)
Budget for the forthcoming
year
(c) Development Plan
incorporating the Annual Plan
Notification of policy
fall
4.
Emergency General
Meetings.
(i)
An Emergency General Meeting
may be called by a petition signed by 2% of the full membership of the
Association, by the Executive Committee.
(ii)
An Emergency General Meeting
shall be held within 7 term days of being called.
(iii)
Criteria
(a)
The matter in question has
arisen, or has become generally known, since the last General Meeting and which
is of so urgent a nature that it cannot be referred to the next scheduled
General Meeting and cannot be referred to Executive
Committees.
(b)
A proposal giving the
reason(s) for the Emergency General Meeting must also be submitted to Elections
and Rules Committee. The Elections and Rules Committee shall give a ruling as to
whether or not the proposal fulfils the criteria given above.
(c)
The Emergency General
Meeting shall deal with no other matters.
(iv)
The decisions of an
Emergency General Meeting shall be subject to ratification at the subsequent
Ordinary General Meeting.