CONSTITUTION

of the

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS ORGANIZATION

of

LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE

Preamble

We, the students of Los Angeles City College, in order to better define the powers and responsibilities of our student government; to promote an effective system of government for the students; to promote, initiate and coordinate educational and social activities for the students at Los Angeles City College; to supplement and complement formal education on campus; to fairly represent student interest, needs, and welfare within the College community; to recognize, represent, and support the diversity of needs and views of students at the College; to provide for the expression of student opinion and interests to the community at large on issues affecting student life; to provide a physical and social environment in which to achieve the above objectives in accordance with the educational and cultural standards of the College; to promote the general educational welfare and to enhance the Academic benefits offered by the State of California do hereby affirm this Constitution of the Associated Students of Los Angeles City College, henceforth abbreviated as LACC.

ARTICLE I.               THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS ORGANIZATION

SECTION A.     Name: The name of this organization shall be the Associated Students Organization of

Los Angeles City College, hereinafter referred to as ASO.

SECTION B.     Purpose: The purpose of ASO shall be to promote and conduct student activities and

services that support the diverse cultural, social, and educational needs of the students attending LACC. The ASO shall promote and advocate students’ rights by effective representation to faculty, administration and the community at large in order to serve the individual and collective needs of the student body. 

SECTION C.    Membership: The membership of the ASO shall consist of all registered students at

LACC who have paid the ASO membership fee.

ARTICLE II.              ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

SECTION A.    Purpose: The ASO Student Senate, Finance Committee, Club Council, and Ad Hoc

Committees are established as the bodies to which the powers and responsibilitiesof

self-government are delegated by the students, in accordance with the established

policies of applicable governing boards or authorities.

SECTION B.      Function: The Student Senate’s legislative function shall include: receiving and acting,

if required, upon all requests and reports from committees, officers and campus representatives; planning and sponsoring activities on campus for the welfare of the students and the college community; advocating for the general welfare of the student body at Los Angeles City College; and the Executive Officers shall perform and carry out all executive and administrative functions for the organization.

SECTION C.   Organizational structure: The ASO Student Senate shall be composed of the following Officers, consisting of twenty (20) ASO members.

                        1.         Executive Officers

a.         President

b.         Executive Vice President

c.         Vice President, Finance

d.         Vice President, Clubs

2.         Student Senators

a.                   Senator, Activities & Planning

b.                   Senator, Athletics

c.                   Senator, Cultural Diversity

d.                   Senator, Disabled Student Affairs

e.                   Senator, Environmental Affairs

f.                    Senator, Health & Safety

g.                   Senator, International Student Affairs

h.                   Senator, Membership Services

i.                     Senator, Public Relations

j.                     Senator, Recruitment

k.                   Senator, State & Governmental Affairs

                                          m.        Five (5) Senators, At Large

                              3.         Ex-Officio Members

                                          a.         ASO Advisor/ Chief Student Services Officer, or designee

                                          b.         Parliamentarian

SECTION D.     Voting: The President shall vote only in the event of a tie, or where his/her vote will affect a Constitutionally required two-thirds (2/3) vote. All other Officers of the ASO shall have the power to vote on all questions. Ex-Officio Members shall not have the power to vote. Quorum for the Student Senate shall consist of half of the Officers, elected or appointed, plus one (1) throughout the academic year. Neither attendance by proxy nor vote by proxy shall be recognized.

SECTION E.     Veto and Veto Override: The ASO President shall have the power of veto over any vote taken by the Student Senate. The Student Senate may override the veto of the ASO President by a two-thirds (2/3) vote. 

SECTION F.      Finance Committee:

1.         Purpose: The purpose of the Finance Committee is to prepare and implement the ASO budget, as required by The Los Angeles Community College District, henceforth abbreviated as LACCD, Administrative Regulations.

2.         Composition. Pursuant to LACCD Administrative Regulations, the Finance

Committee shall consist of:

a.                   The ASO Vice President, Finance, who shall act as the Chairperson of the Committee.

b.                   The ASO President.

c.                   Two elected members of the governing body of the ASO, appointed by the ASO President and approved by a majority of the Student Senate.

d.                   The college’s Chief Student Services Officer or ASO Advisor or designee.

e.                   One faculty member appointed by the President of the College each year.

f.                    The College Fiscal Administrator, serving as an ex-officio member with no vote.

SECTION G.                Club Council

1.                  Purpose: The purpose of Club Council is to plan events for clubs, to provide support for club activities, and to provide approved clubs a voice within the ASO. The Council is represented in the Student Senate by the ASO Vice President, Clubs.

2.         Composition

a.         The ASO Vice President of Clubs shall serve as the Chairperson of the Council.

b.         The Club Council shall consist of one authorized representative from each chartered club on campus. 

c.         The college’s Chief Student Services Officer or ASO Advisor or designee shall serve as the committee’s advisor.

ARTICLE III.            OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS ORGANIZATION

SECTION A.                Responsibilities and Duties.

                                    1.         Executive Officers                                         

a.                   President.  The ASO President shall:

i.          Preside at all meetings of the LACC Student Senate. In the event that the President is absent or unable to preside for any reason, including joining actively in debate, another officer shall preside as Acting Chair as in the order of succession, pursuant to Article III, Section C.

ii.          Act as the official representative of the students of LACC.

iii.         Serve as the authorized student signatory of check request forms for expenditure of student funds.

iv.         Serve on the ASO Finance Committee and on the LACCD Student Affairs Committee.

v.         Fulfill specific duties shall be those delineated in the Bylaws and other functions as delegated by the Student Senate.

b.                  Executive Vice President.The ASO Executive Vice President shall:

i.          Succeed to the position of ASO President in the event the office becomes vacant, pursuant to Article III, Section C, before the expiration of the term.

ii.          Act as the President in the event of a temporary absence of the President. At such times, the Executive Vice President can exercise powers delegated to the President.

iii.         Serve at the request of the president as the official representative on any commission, committee, College/District related committee or organization.

iv.         Fulfill specific duties shall be those delineated in the Bylaws and other functions as delegated by the Student Senate.

c.                   Vice President, Finance.  The ASO Vice President of Finance shall:

i.          Preside at all meetings of the ASO Finance committee.

ii.          Maintain accurate and current records of ASO expenditures and accounts.

iii.         Manage ASO financial records and filing all financial reports required of the ASO.

iv.         Ensure that all financial transactions are in accordance with all applicable regulations.

v.         Fulfill specific duties shall be those delineated in the Bylaws and other functions as delegated by the Student Senate.

d.                   Vice President, Clubs.  The ASO Vice President, Clubs shall:

i.          Preside at all meetings of the Club Council.

ii.          Promote the establishment of organizations and encourage campus life.

iii.         Assist the President and Student Senate in coordinating advocacy efforts on behalf of student interests while ensuring that the Student Senate members understand the issues being advocated by ASO sponsored groups.

iv.         Fulfill specific duties shall be those delineated in the Bylaws and other functions as delegated by the Student Senate.

2.         Student Senate. Members of the Student Senate, including the Executive Officers, as listed in Article II, Section C, shall:

                                                a.         Be accountable to the students they represent.

b.         Attend all scheduled meetings of the ASO Student Senate.

c.         Fulfill the specific duties of their office as detailed in the ASO Bylaws.

d.         Represent to the Student Senate general student interests.

e.         Fulfill specific duties shall be those delineated in the Bylaws and other functions as delegated by the Student Senate.

SECTION B.                Accountability.

1.                   In the event of malfeasance and/or misfeasance on the part of any Officers, the Student Senate may reprimand, by a two-thirds vote, the offending officer. The term “reprimand” shall be defined here as a formal written statement, presented to, and approved by the ASO, showing just cause of malfeasance and/or misfeasance. This statement shall be made available to the LACC Collegian and/or any other LACC Publications.

2.                   In the case of gross neglect of duty or wrongdoing, any Officer may be removed from office only upon notice after hearing and for cause by the concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members of the ASO Student Senate, which shall be the sole judge of cause, and which shall represent the final decision of the ASO.

SECTION C.                Vacancies.

1.                   A vacancy shall be deemed to occur when any Officer of the ASO shall have resigned, been removed from office, lost membership in the ASO, or become otherwise ineligible for office as provided in this Constitution and supplemental Bylaws, in accordance with LACCD regulations.

2.                   In the event such a vacancy occurs, said vacancy shall be filled after open interviews, by appointment of a majority of the present and voting members of the Student Senate, upon nomination of the President of the ASO.

3.         In the event that a vacancy occurs in the Presidency, by the order of succession, the Executive Vice President shall become the President.  The new ASO President shall then nominate an Executive Vice President, whose appointment must be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Student Senate.

ARTICLE IV.             OFFICER ELIGIBILITY

SECTION A.                All ASO officers are required to meet and maintain LACCD eligibility requirements, as mandated in LACCD Administrative Regulations.

SECTION B.                Club representatives in the Club Council are not required to meet LACCD Administrative Regulations eligibility requirements.

SECTION C.                No member of the ASO shall run for or be appointed to an office which s/he is ineligible to hold for its full term.

ARTICLE V.              RULES OF ORDER

SECTION A.                The ASO is governed by:

1.         The California Education Code, Sections 76060-76067

2.         The Ralph M. Brown Act

3.         LACCD Board Rules

4.         LACCD Administrative Regulations

5.         LACC Rules and Regulations

6.         LACC ASO Constitution and Bylaws

7.         Robert’s Rules of Order

ARTICLE VI.             ELECTIONS

SECTION A.                All Officers of the ASO, listed in Article II, Section C, shall be filled by the ASO in fair and open elections.

SECTION B.                Student elections shall be held in accordance with LACCD Administrative Regulations and the Bylaws in the spring semester of each year.

SECTION C.                All elected Officers of the ASO shall be installed at the beginning of the term in which they were elected, pursuant to LACCD regulations, and shall serve one year, or until removed from office.

SECTION D.                Election Committee. The function of the Election Committee shall be to execute Officer Elections and to ensure that the student body is as informed as reasonably possible about the election, to design the means of holding the election and report its plan to the Senate, and to conduct a free and fair election. 

1.                   The ASO Election Committee shall consist of at least three non-candidate ASO students. 

2.                   The ASO Advisor shall serve as the committee’s advisor.

ARTICLE VII.           COMPENSATION

SECTION A.                Stipends: ASO officers who have fulfilled the responsibilities of their offices may be nominated to receive a stipend at the end of each semester during their term of office. 

1.         Standards of Compensation:

a.         The ASO President may be awarded a stipend not to exceed $500.00 per semester.

b.         The ASO Executive Vice President, ASO Vice President, Finance, and the ASO Vice President, Clubs may each be awarded a stipend not to exceed $300.00 per semester.

c.         Five ASO Senators may be selected by the ASO Senate to receive stipends of $100.00 per semester.

                                    2.         Determination of Eligibility:

a.         Officers who have verified committee attendance and documentation of the fulfillment of their responsibilities may receive a stipend upon a majority vote of the ASO Senate confirming the award.

                                                            i.          Academic Senate

                                                            ii.          Accommodations

                                                            iii.         ASO Ad-Hoc committees

                                                            iv.         ASO Election

                                                            v.         Curriculum

                                                            vi.         Discipline

                                                            vii.        Educational Planning

                                                            viii.       Grievance

                                                            ix.         Info-Tech

                                                            x.         Matriculation

                                                            xi.         Prop A and Prop AA Oversight

                                                            xii.        Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)

                                                            xiii.       SGC/Planning, SGC/Budget

                                                            xiv.       Shared Governance Council (SGC)

                                                            xv.        Student Affairs

                                                            xvi.       Student Services Council

                                                            xvii.      Work Environment

b.         Five Senators may be nominated or self-nominate for the award of a stipend.  A majority vote of the Senate will determine which officers are to receive the award, based upon the efforts and success of the nominees to fulfill the duties of their offices.

c.         Payment Schedule and Limitations: Stipends may be paid out at the end of each semester.  The payment of stipends will be waived if 80% of the annual income projection for general revenue is not achieved.

ARTICLE VIII.          IMPEACHMENT

SECTION A.                All ASO officers are subject to impeachment, recall or removal from office in accordance with the appropriate procedures in the ASO Bylaws.

ARTICLE IX.             BYLAWS

SECTION A.                The ASO Student Senate shall propose and adopt amendments to the Bylaws of the ASO as it shall deem necessary, by concurrence of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members of the Student Senate.

ARTICLE X.              CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

SECTION A.                Proposal.

1.         Amendments to the ASO Constitution must be presented by one of the two following methods:

a.                   Amendments proposed by the Student Senate.  Proposed amendments that receive two-thirds (2/3) approval in the Student Senate shall be placed on the ballot during the next general election.

b.                   Amendments proposed by a student petition.  A petition for a proposed amendment, signed by fifty percent (50%) of the total number of voters in the most recent ASO general election, may be presented to the ASO President and the proposed amendment shall be placed on the ballot during the next general election.

SECTION B.                Enactment: Once a proposed amendment is placed on the general ballot, a two-thirds (2/3) approval of actual votes cast, excluding abstentions, is required for enactment.  Amendments, if passed, shall go into effect during the following year.

Approved by ASBG Board 3/27/03

Approved at General Election 4/8-4/9/03

Approved by the ASO Student Senate: April 18, 2007

Approved at General Election 4/24-25/07