Student Advisory Council Constitution

ARTICLE 1: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Student Advisory Council of the School of Music of Stetson University.

ARTICLE II: Purpose

The purpose of the Student Advisory Council of the School of Music of Stetson University (henceforth called the Advisory Council) shall be to: 1) foster discussion about; 2) suggest improvements in; 3) present student opinion on; and 4) propose changes in any aspect of student life in the School of Music of Stetson University.

ARTICLE III: Membership

Section 1: Membership on the Student Advisory Council shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and representatives elected from and by the following areas: Vocal Performance, Orchestral Instrument Performance, Keyboard/Organ Performance, Guitar Performance, Theory and Composition, Music Education – Vocal, Music Education – Instrumental, Music Major with Emphasis in an Outside Field, and a Freshman/Transfer Student Representative. The membership shall not exceed 13 members representing each major offered at the Stetson School of Music, unless university officials add or remove a major.

Section 2: In order for an area to be represented on the Advisory Council, that area shall have at least five students enrolled at the time of election.

Section 3: Each representative shall represent and be elected by only one area.

Section 4: Each representative shall have and maintain a cumulative GPA of not less than 2.0 during his/her term of office and be enrolled as a full-time student.

Section 5: Each representative shall have officially declared the area he/she is representing as his/her major or principal.

Section 6: The term of office shall be one year.

ARTICLE IV: Officers

Section 1: The President shall: 1) chair the meetings of the Advisory Council; 2) vote only in case of a tie; 3) appoint a representative-at-large to the Advisory Council for any area which has failed to elect one; 4) meet with the Dean of the School of Music, or appoint a committee to do so, in order to discuss any matter deemed necessary by the Advisory Council; 5) represent the Student Body of the School of Music on the Board of Advisors for the School of Music as may by appropriate and so requested; and 6) act as a spokes-person for the student body of the School of Music with the advice and consent of the Advisory Council.

Section 2: The President shall during his/her term of office: 1) be a candidate for either the Bachelor of Music; Bachelor of Music Education, of Bachelor of Arts (Music) degree; 2) have and maintain a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5; 3) be enrolled as a full-time student; 4) be a junior or senior.

Section 3: The Vice President shall during his/her term of office: 1) perform the duties of Treasurer for the Advisory Council; 2) assume the duties of the President in his/her absence; 3) succeed to the Office of President in the event that the President resigns or is otherwise removed from office; 4) have and maintain a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5; and 3) be enrolled as a full-time student.

ARTICLE V: Meetings

Section 1: The Advisory Council shall conduct its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order, and hold no less than one meeting per month. A quorum of a majority of the membership shall be required for a vote. There shall be a 24 hour notice given before all meetings.

Section 2: The Advisory Council may appoint committees from outside the Council if the said committees are chaired by a Council member.

ARTICLE VI: Committees

Section 1: The Advisory Council may appoint committees from outside the Council if the said committees are chaired by a Council member.

Section 2: A standing committee shall exist to produce a School of Music Newsletter. This committee will be chaired by an Advisory Council member or an ex-officio member that shall be appointed by the President.

ARTICLE VII: Elections

Section 1: Elections for the President, Vice President, Secretary, and the representatives, except for the First Year representative, shall be held in the last full calendar month of the spring semester at a time determined by the Advisory Council and according to the manner established by the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Students of Stetson University.

Section 2: The election of the First Year representative shall be conducted according to the manner stated in Section 1 above, except that the election shall be held at the beginning of the fall semester.

Section 3: The President-elect shall hold at least one organizational meeting before the end of the spring semester.

ARTICLE VIII: Impeachment and Removal of Members

Section 1: In the event of a need for the impeachment and removal of the President, it shall be handled in the following manner: to initiate the process, a petition calling for the removal of the President, signed by one third of the Advisory Council, shall be submitted to the Vice President. The Vice President shall immediately take over the chair from the President, ask for deliberations from the floor and, after giving the President time to state his/her defense, the Vice President shall then call for a vote after asking the President to leave the room. Only one recorded vote shall be taken. Removal shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the membership of the Advisory Council.

Section 2: If for any reason the President is removed from office, the Vice President shall succeed to the office of President and then shall schedule an election for a new Vice President according to the manner stated in Article VIII, Section 1 above except that the election shall occur immediately upon the vacancy of the position.

Section 3: Impeachment and removal of the Vice President shall be handled in the same manner as described in Section 1 above except that the petition shall be submitted to the President.

Section 4: The President shall call for the expulsion of any officer or representative who has missed three regular meetings in a semester without an excuse approved by the Advisory Council, or when an officer or representative is guilty of any impeachable offense. Expulsion shall require the approval of two-thirds of the membership of the Advisory Council. Each event officially sponsored by the Advisory Council shall be considered as a meeting.

Section 5: In the event of the expulsion of any officer or representative, the President shall appoint his/her replacement to the vacant position until the next scheduled election with the approval of two-thirds of the membership of the Advisory Council.

ARTICLE IX: Amendments

Any member of the Advisory Council may propose an amendment to the Constitution. A proposed amendment shall be read at each of two consecutive meetings. Voting on said amendment shall take place after the second reading. In order to be ratified, a proposed amendment shall be approved by two-thirds of the membership of the Advisory Council. This Constitution may also be amended by a petition of fifty students in the School of Music and 60% of the students voting in a general School of Music election.

ARTICLE X: Ratification

This constitution shall be ratified upon the approval of the present Advisory Council, the Dean of the School of Music, a majority of the students voting in a general School of Music election, and the Student Affairs Committee of Stetson University.

ARTICLE XI: Bylaws

The Advisory Council shall, by two-thirds vote, enact suitable bylaws as it may deem necessary and wise.

(Constitution updated 05.07.2021)