CONSTITUTION
STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AT
FREDONIA, NEW YORK

The students of the State University of New York's College at Fredonia, for the purpose of maintaining effective, representative, and responsible self-governing body, do hereby ordain and establish this Student Association.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization is organized exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under IRC 501(c)(3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent law.

No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of any member, trustee, director, or officer of the organization, or any private individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services rendered to or for the organization), and no member, trustee, or officer of the organization or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the organization's assets on dissolution of the organization.

No substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided by IRC 501(h)) or participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.

In the event of dissolution, all the remaining assets and property of the organization shall, after payment of all necessary expenses thereof, be distributed to organizations that qualify under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws, or to the Federal government or State or local governments for a public purpose, subject to the approval of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York.

In any year in which the organization is a private foundation as described in Section 509(a), the organization shall distribute its income for said period in such time and manner as not to subject it to tax under IRC 4942, and the organization shall not (a) engage in any act of self-dealing as defined in IRC 4941(D), (b) retain an excess business holdings as defined in Section 4943(c), (c) make any investments in such a manner as to subject the organization to tax under Section 4944, or (d) make any taxable expenditures as defined in IRC 4945(d) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.

This Student Association shall be officially known as Student Association of the State University College at Fredonia, New York, hereinafter to as the Association.

Section 1: All members of the student body at the State University of New York, College at Fredonia, whether they are full-time or part-time, undergraduate, or graduate students, shall become members of the Association upon payment of their student activity fee.

The student activity fee may vary for and within their four above named categories of students, as determined through appropriate legislation.

Membership in the Association entitles a student to receive the full benefits and privileges available to each Association member.

As determined through appropriate legislation, membership benefits and privileges may be granted to persons other than those described in Section 1 above, as long as said benefits and privileges do in no way infringe upon those of the members of the Association. Fees may be charged for such benefits and privileges, as determined through appropriate legislation.

The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, and Student Comptroller. The President and Vice President shall be elected as a slate by members of the Association in a general election to be held prior to the conclusion of the first semester of the academic year, and shall assume office following the conclusion of Old Business during the first meeting of the Representative Assembly held in the second semester of that academic year. They shall each serve for a term of one (1) year. The Student Comptroller shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Assembly and shall serve to the end of the President's term. The duties of the Executive officers are listed within the E-Statutes of the Association.

1. There shall be a Committee of Presidents.
2. All requirements of the Committee of Presidents are stipulated within the E-Statutes of the Student Association.

1. Presidential Cabinet shall meet at the request of the President, who shall serve as the chairperson of said meetings. The Presidential Cabinet shall be of an advisory nature.
2. The permanent members of the Cabinet shall be the Association President and the chairpersons of each of the executive departments.
3. Other members of the Presidential Cabinet may be appointed at the discretion of the President
4. All cabinet members must be notified of a meeting time and place.

1. It shall be the duty of the board to:
   1. Improve operations between the Executives of the Student Association.
   2. Initiate reforms that will increase effectiveness of the Governmental branches and the Executive Departments.
   3. Work closely with all Executives to assist them in the performance of the duties.
   4. Insure for the student body, the benefits, information, and services established by the Executives and stipulated in statute.
2. It shall be the authority of the Executive Board to:
   1. Assist in the formation of policies for the Executive Departments
   2. Review all departmental reports and approve changes in the Departmental programs.
3. The Executive Board shall consist of:
   1. The President, who shall be the chairperson
   2. The Vice-President
   3. The Student Comptroller
4. The Executive Board shall meet weekly to submit reports, discuss and formulate business, advise the other Executives and to carry out to the best of its ability the authority established in this bill.
5. The Executive Board shall have the responsibility to compose by-laws as is necessary for the performance of its office.

The President, Vice President, and Student Comptroller shall each receive a stipend. Stipends of the President, Vice President, and Student Comptroller shall not increase during their term in office.

1. There shall be a Speaker of the Assembly.
2. All duties and election procedures dealing with the office of the Speaker are outlined in the L Statutes of the Student Association.

1. There shall be an Assistant Speaker of the Assembly.
2. All duties of and appointment processes of the Assistant Speaker are outlined in the L-Statutes of the Association.

All legislative powers of the Association, except as qualifies herein, shall reside in the Representative Assembly, hereinafter referred to as the Assembly.

The Assembly shall be composed of all fee-paying students as voting members as follows:

1. There shall be one representative for every one hundred (100) students, or a majority fraction of that number, in each of the freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, and graduate classes. Said initial appointments may be revised at the beginning of each academic year prior to the start of the election of said representatives.
2. Elected representatives shall serve a term of one (1) year.
3. Appointed representatives shall serve until the next representative election.

The Assembly shall provide for three official seats whose holders shall retain all rights of the student representatives. The official membership will be composed as follows:

1. There shall be one representative of the faculty selected by the governing faculty body.
2. There shall be one representative of the staff selected by the Chief Administrative Officer of the College.
3. There shall be one representative of administration, selected by the Chief Administrative Officer of the College.
4. Official members shall serve a term determined by the bodies Responsible for electing them.

The Assembly shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, shall provide for the filling of vacant seats, and may compel the attendance of absent members, in such a manner and under such penalties as may be established through the appropriate legislation.

The Assembly shall follow the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order and Procedures.

1. The Assembly shall meet once (1) a week during the academic year at a regular and public announced time and place. Said regular sessions may be altered by the Assembly, but only if such a schedule change is agreed to publicly announced at least one week prior to the regular meeting date.
2. Special sessions of the Assembly shall be called in any of the following cases as specified in Robert’s Rules:
   1. By the Speaker of the Assembly at the request of the President.
   2. By the Speaker of the Assembly at the request of one quarter (1/4) of the Assembly.

The Assembly may adopt legislation and resolutions, which are necessary and proper for carrying into execution any of the duties, powers, responsibilities, or obligations of the Association.

1. There shall be two Standing Committees within the Assembly. They are as follows:
   1. There shall be a Budget and Appropriations Committee (B&A). The purpose and duties of said committee are outlined in the L-Statutes of the Student Association.
   2. There shall be a Rules Committee. The purpose and duties of said committee are outlined in the L-Statutes of the Association.

The Speaker of the Assembly shall receive a stipend. The stipend of the Speaker shall not increase during the term in office.

1. There shall be a Supreme Court.
2. The purpose and duties of the Supreme Court are outlined in the J-Statutes of the Association.

All officers and representatives of the Association must be members of the Association at the times of their election, must maintain their membership in the Association during their term of office. Loss of membership in the Association shall result in the forfeiture of any elected office.

All elections conducted by the Association shall be held for two (2) consecutive class days.

1. Elections shall be held for the following reasons:
   1. Representative/Presidential Elections as stipulated in the L-Statutes of the Student Association.
   2. Executive Elections as stipulated in the L-Statutes of the Student Association.
   3. Speaker Elections as stipulated in the L-Statutes of the Student Association.
   4. Referendums as stipulated in the L-Statutes of the Student Association.

1. Legislation to amend this Constitution via normal legislative channels shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote to be referred to the members of the Association.
2. Legislation to amend this Constitution via a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the members of the Association shall require a majority vote to be referred to the members of Association.

1. All proposed amendments shall appear in the official student newspaper for two consecutive weeks preceding their presentation to the Assembly.
2. All amendments shall be offered for approval by the members of the Association through a binding referendum, and a majority vote shall be sufficient to obtain ratification.

This Constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Representative Assembly members.

This Constitution shall become the operative instrument of the Student Association on January 1st the following year of its ratification.

All things pertaining to the present Student Association shall, upon completion of the steps outlined in Section 1 and Section 2 of this Article, transfer to the domain of the Student Association established within this Constitution.

The officers and Assembly representatives of the Student Association holding office at this time of the ratification of this Constitution shall continue to hold said offices until the expiration of their perspective terms to which they were elected or appointed.