I gots recently noticed dat da proper usage o' da English language has been thrown away like litter. People do not know how ta do simple verb noun agreement an' forget about conjugating. That would really be too much ta ax. The English language wuz once uh language dat held much character an' if spoken one wuz thought ta be intelligent. The recent development in English iz just demeaning! You cannot walk up ta anyone nowadays an' gots uh conversation dat do not include improper English. It iz forever being shortened an' revised but not fo' da bettah. The worst offenders o' demeaning da English language iz Ebonics or slang, text messaging, an' Snoop Dogg. These three offenders gots some similarities but iz different enough ta wreak havoc on da pristine English language.
The English language will further degrade itself until someone takes uh stand on proper an' concise language. Americans iz going ta peep like da only country dat cannot speak proper idiots an' in result peep like utter fools. It really iz not hard ta speak in complete sentences, use da right conjugate, spell without apostrophes, or even spell da werd out. Our country mus' relearn proper English an' start applying it in everyday life. This article iz da first step. in the hood
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
ecos
OFFICAL ECOS CONSTITUTION
2007-2008
Article I. NAME, PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP, AND AUTONOMY
Section 101 Name
A. The name of this organization shall be the Eckerd College Organization of Students,
hereinafter referred to as ECOS.
Section 102 Purpose
A. The purpose of ECOS is to represent the interests of the entire student body, to ensure that
the rights and freedoms of all students are protected, to play an active role in the operation
and policy making of Eckerd College, and to coordinate the activities of the student body of
Eckerd College.
Section 103 Membership
A. Each student paying the student activity fee, shall become a member of ECOS, be
guaranteed all rights, be subject to all procedures prescribed within this document, and be
recognized as a citizen of ECOS.
Section 104 Autonomy
A. ECOS shall forever remain an autonomous organization, deriving its legitimacy solely from
the students whose interests ECOS represents.
Article II. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Section 201 Legislative Authority
A. The legislative body shall be called the Student Senate.
Section 202 Legislative Committees
A. The Student Senate may establish legislative committees and define the scope and authority
of each, provided that the actions of these committees do not in any way limit, modify, or
breach any powers granted by this Constitution.
Section 203 Membership
A. The membership of the Student Senate shall be composed of the following:
1. Four representatives from each of the four classes: first year students, second
year students, third year students, and fourth/fifth year students. .
2. The Executive Vice President
3. The Parliamentarian
4. The Historian
5. The Recording Secretary
Section 204 Elections
A. All Student Senate positions must be elected during spring elections, except for the
first year representatives. Elections for freshmen representatives shall occur during autumn
term.
B. The term of a Senator, except in the case of first year students, shall be a one-year term,
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beginning on the second Monday in April at noon. The term of first year Senators shall be a
one-year term, beginning on September 1 and ending with the last meeting of Student Senate
before the new Senators take office.
C. A person who has enrolled as a freshman will represent students sharing the same number of
years of matriculation as them..
D. A transfer student will represent the class they intend to graduate with at the time of their
enrollment.
E. Special elections shall be called to fill vacancies as necessary.
Section 205 Qualifications
A. All students campaigning for Student Senate shall not have less than a 2.5 semester or
cumulative GPA upon review of the Executive Council.
B. All members shall sign a contract stating that:
1. the Executive Council has the right to be informed of any social misconduct;
2. the Executive Council has the right to inform the Student Senate about such
social misconduct.
3. the definition of social misconduct shall be in correspondence with the EC-REF.
C. Any member who is found responsible for social misconduct during his/her elected term
shall face the Student Community Standards Board, if deemed necessary by the Student
Senate.
D. No one with documented malicious, reckless, violent, or threatening behavior while enrolled
at Eckerd College shall be allowed to run for Student Senate.
1. Any appeals are subject to review by the Executive Council, which must vote
unanimously to overturn the decision.
Section 206 Restrictions
A. No individual shall be Senator and also be a Presidential appointee, Executive Council
Member, or Member of the Student Community Standards Board.
Section 207 Meetings
A. Meetings should be held every week during the fall and spring semesters, excluding weeks
of vacations and hurricane evacuations (as necessary). A simple majority of elected senators
is necessary for any legislative actions to occur.
B. All meetings shall be open to the student body.
1. Special closed-door sessions can be entered into upon a three-quarters majority
vote and the consent of the chair.
Section 208 President Pro-Tempore
A. The Student Senate shall elect at the first official meeting, an individual to serve as the
President Pro-Tempore.
1. The election shall occur as follows:
a. all interested candidates shall leave the room after speaking in favor
of their own candidacy.
b. a vote shall take place. The senator with the least amount of votes
shall be removed from the candidate list and shall re-enter the room,
able to vote. This shall continue until there are only two interested
senators.
c. Once there are only two senators remaining (or two or less are
interested from the beginning), whichever senator receives more votes
shall become the President Pro-Tempore.
B. The President Pro-Tempore shall serve as chairperson in place of the Executive Vice
President whenever the Executive Vice President is absent or has to remove him or her
self as chair.
C. The President Pro-Tempore shall forfeit their vote when they become chair, except in the
case of a tie, and follow all other procedures as chair.
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Section 209 Calling Meetings
A. In the absence of the Executive Vice President, the responsibility for setting time, location,
and agendas, and for notifying all members shall be as follows:
1. President Pro-Tempore
2. Parliamentarian
3. President
Section 210 Chairing Meetings
A. In the absence of the Executive Vice President, the responsibility of acting as the
chairperson of the Student Senate meeting shall be:
1. President Pro-Tempore
2. Parliamentarian
3. President
4. An ad-hoc senator appointed as necessary by the Executive Vice President
Section 211 Student Senator
A. Senators shall:
1. Be an open-minded and approachable member representing all members of ECOS,
with the particular interests of one’s class held in mind.
2. Serve as a representative of the Student Senate.
3. Provide information concerning the actions and policies of the Senate and
Executive Council.
4. Report to the Senate on all committee business.
5. Have a campus-wide forum twice per semester to speak to students about the
status of the Student Senate and to hear any concerns the students may have.
6. Serve on no more than one standing committee and no less than one in-Senate
committee.
Section 212 Committee Assignments
A. Senators shall:
1. Serve on at least one committee as listed within the Constitution, not to include
the Elections Committee.
2. Hold positions on committees as they are appointed as a Senator. No Senator may
serve on a committee as an at-large member.
3. The distribution of Senators shall be as follows:
a. Financial Affairs – four Senators
b. Academic Affairs – four Senators
c. Constitution, Regulation, and By-Laws – four Senators
d. Residential Affairs Committee – two Senators
e. Public Relations Committee – two Senators
4. The Executive Vice President shall appoint senators to standing committees with a
sincere effort to take into account the preferences of the individual senators.
Section 213 Voting
A. Student Senators shall have one vote each.
B. The chairperson shall vote only in case of a tie.
C. The Parliamentarian, recording secretary and historian shall not have a vote, except when
the Parliamentarian sits in as chair.
Section 214 Powers
A. The Powers of the Student Senate shall include the power to:
1. Change the student activity fee by no more than ten dollars per academic year,
subject to the approval of the President of the College and the Board of Trustees
2. Disburse the funds of ECOS.
3. Change the Bylaws of the Student Senate, its Standing Committees, and all clubs
by a two-thirds vote.
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4. Initiate amendments to the Constitution.
5. Confirm all appointments within the guidelines established by this Constitution.
6. Review and act upon all complaints arising from the electoral process.
7. Grant charters to student organizations and media.
8. Revoke the charter of any organization if it is deemed necessary by a two-thirds
vote of the entire Student Senate.
9. Freeze the funds of any club, organization, or department within ECOS with a
two-thirds vote if a clear abuse of the powers or funds is present.
10. Compel the attendance of its members according to the standards and penalties it
shall provide.
11. Elect a President Pro-tempore who will preside in the absence of the ECOS
Executive Vice President.
12. Override a Presidential veto by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.
13. Establish special committees to function on behalf of the Student Senate.
14. Refer legislation to the student body for referendum with two-thirds vote of the
Student Senate.
15. Write ECOS law, resolutions, and agreements.
16. Officially request that the President remove one or more of his/her appointments
for irresponsible actions.
17. Transact all other business deemed necessary for the well being of the student
body.
Section 215 Limitations of Power
A. Any Student Senate decisions may be reviewed and submitted for referendum within two
academic weeks. A petition of fifteen percent of the ECOS membership shall necessitate
that such a vote be taken of the ECOS within three academic weeks. This referendum shall
be considered binding when approved by fifty percent plus one of those voting. Voting
must be over the period of two weeks, with a minimum turnout of fifteen percent to be valid.
Section 216 Legislation
A. There are three different types of legislation that the Student Senate can pass
1. Resolutions
2. ECOS Law
3. Agreements with non-ECOS parties
B. Resolutions
1. Resolutions are non-binding statements of support or opposition on behalf of the
Student Senate and thus on behalf of the student body on issues of importance.
2. Resolutions should be passed on to the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of
the Presidency, the student body through the media, and any other relevant departments
on campus.
3. Resolutions may include, but are not limited to, recommendations on school policy.
C. ECOS Law
1. ECOS Law are enforceable decrees or edicts issued by the Senate over areas
which they have direct control.
a. This shall include laws over all ECOS funds, organizations (clubs,
committees, Exec officers)
b. All laws must still hold true to the constitution
D. Agreements with non-ECOS parties
1. These agreements will be upheld in future years provided the agreeing party
maintains their commitment to the agreement.
2. Future student senates may cancel previous agreements by a two-thirds majority.
Article III. STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 301 Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee
A. The Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee shall:
1. Enforce and protect the rights and duties spelled out in this Constitution and the
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Bylaws of ECOS organizations.
2. Review and rule upon challenges to action that may have violated the constitution,
by-laws, or ECOS law.
3. Review and make recommendations regarding all proposed Bylaws to the
Constitution.
4. Be responsible for the club chartering process and publishing of club contact
information for the student body.
5. Create all Bylaws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate.
B. Membership
1. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
2. Parliamentarian
3. Four members at-large, chosen by the President and approved by the Student
Senate for one year terms concurrent with those of the Executive Council.
C. Procedure
1. The committee shall rule on issues brought before it through a formal complaint to
the Parliamentarian.
a. Complaints shall concern some action or document of ECOS.
b. Complaints shall be submitted in written form, listing:
i. The person filing the complaint
ii. The complaint, itself, and
iii. Justifications of the complaint.
2. All decisions of the committee must be handed down within six academic days of
the filing complaint.
3. There must be a quorum of five members for voting to take place.
4. A simple majority shall decide the case.
5. All decisions of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee shall be
issued in written form and filed for future reference in the ECOS archives.
Section 302 Elections Committee
A. Membership
1. Director of Elections, appointed by the President and approved by the Student
Senate
2. Two Senior Student Senators, approved by the Senate through majority rule.
3. A representative from the Student Community Standards Board
4. ECOS Webmaster
5. One representative appointed by each candidate. A candidate’s representative is
not eligible to vote on issues concerning the election.
B. The Elections Committee shall:
1. Conduct and monitor all ECOS sponsored elections.
2. Tally and verify all ECOS election results
5. Regulate each ECOS election with its own set of rules and regulations, which shall
be subject of Student Senate approval.
4. Create all Bylaws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate
5. In the event that the committee needs to vote on an issue, the two senior Senators,
the SCSB representative and the ECOS Webmaster shall cast votes. In case of a tie
the Director of Elections will cast the deciding vote
C. Election procedure:
1. In the ECOS General Election, a candidate must have 50 percent plus one of all
votes cast to win that particular office.
2. Instant Run-off voting shall be the procedure used to tally votes for Executive
Council.
3. Student Senators must receive a plurality of the votes and be one of the top four
for their class to win that particular office.
4. The General Election will occur before Spring Break.
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5. The election of freshmen Senators will occur prior to the beginning of the fall
semester.
D. Special Elections
1. Special Elections will be held in the event of a resignation or impeachment from a
single position.
2. The Elections Committee is held accountable for the notification of all vacancies
to the constituency.
3. In the event of multiple vacancies, the Director of Elections will have authority as
to the timing of special election(s).
4. All rules and regulations from the most recent General Election will apply to any
subsequent special election.
Section 303 Academic Affairs Committee
A. Membership
1. Vice President of Academic Affairs, who shall be chairperson.
2. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
3. Six members at-large, appointed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs with
the approval of the Student Senate.
4. The Director of ECOS-ASPEC Relations as appointed by the ECOS President.
B. The Academic Affairs Committee shall:
1. Act as a scheduling body for all ECOS funded academic programs.
2. Act as a social liaison between students, ASPEC, and faculty.
3. Assist all ECOS clubs and organizations with academic programs whenever
necessary.
4. Maintain an open dialogue with faculty on important issues.
C. Procedures
1. The Vice President of Academic Affairs shall vote only in the case of a tie.
2. A quorum of fifty percent plus one must be present for any business to take place.
3. The Academic Affairs Committee shall provide Bylaws to be approved by the
Student Senate.
Section 304 Financial Affairs Committee
A. Membership
1. Vice President of Financial Affairs who shall be chairperson.
2. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
3. Eight members at-large, appointed by the Vice President of Financial Affairs with
the approval of the Student Senate.
B. The Financial Affairs Committee shall:
1. Allocate funds for all ECOS programs and purchases for the academic year for
which they are to serve.
2. Make recommendations to the Executive Council on the allocation of the
Independent and Collaborative Ventures Fund.
C. Procedure
1. The Vice President of Financial Affairs may only vote in case of a tie.
2. A quorum of six members is necessary for any business to take place, not
including the Vice President of Financial Affairs who must be present at all times.
3. The Financial Affairs Committee shall create all Bylaws dealing with its own
procedures with the approval of the Student Senate.
D. Budgeting Procedure
1. The Vice President of Financial Affairs will, at the beginning of every budgeting
cycle, make available budget request forms to all parties who have received
funding in the last year. The Director will provide request forms to any other
interested parties and publish deadlines of the budgeting process as widely as
possible so that the entire community will have the opportunity to request funds.
2. After all published deadlines have passed the Financial Affairs Committee shall
allocate funds in a preliminary budget according to their own Bylaws.
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3. When the Financial Affairs Committee has created a balanced budget it shall be
made available for examination by interested parties.
4. After the budget becomes available for at least 48 hours, The Financial Affairs
Committee shall hold a meeting with all parties mentioned on the budget for
amendment by the Financial Affairs Committee.
5. After the amendment procedure the Financial Affairs Committee shall submit the
budget to the Student Senate for approval.
6. The Campus Contingency Fund must equal at least five percent of the budget, but
can be subsidized by rolling over the unused portion of the previous year’s
Campus Contingency.
a. The Campus Contingency fund can only be spent in cases of emergency,
unforeseen expenses by a vote of the Executive Council.
E. Legislative Approval of Budgeting
1. The Student Senate must approve the ECOS budget and any reallocations made by
the Financial Affairs Committee.
2. The Eckerd Community shall have the opportunity to examine the proposed
budget for at least 48 hours before any action by the Student Senate after the
Financial Affairs Committee Forum.
3. When the Student Senate considers the budget they may approve it as submitted
by the Financial Affairs Committee or they may send it back to the Financial
Affairs Committee to make any amendments they deem fit before approval. These
amendments must be within the parameters set by Financial Affairs Committee
and Student Senate Bylaws.
4. The budget continues to go back and forth between the Student Senate and the
Financial Affairs Committee until both sides agree on the same budget or the
Student Senate overrides the objections of the Financial Affairs Committee by the
three-fourths favorable majority of those present.
Section 305. Public Relations Committee
A. Membership
1. The Public Relations Committee shall be comprised of:
a. Director of Public Relations, who shall serve as chairperson
b. Two Senators from the Student Senate
c. the Palmetto Production Director of Public Relations
d. Eight students at-large appointed by the Director of Public Relations and the
ECOS President, with the approval of the Student Senate.
B. The Public Relations Committee shall:
1. Assist with the publication and advertisement of any event sponsored by the
Executive Council and the Student Senate.
2. Assist in posting materials and their removal from campus information centers.
3. Assist clubs in their advertisements of their own events.
C. Meetings shall be held weekly.
D. The Public Relations Committee shall provide their own Bylaws subject to approval of the
Student Senate.
Section 306. ECOS Palmetto Productions
A. The Student Activities Board
1. Membership.
a. Director of Palmetto Productions
b. Chairpersons of all other Palmetto Committees as listed within the by-laws of
Palmetto Productions
i. These chairpersons are appointed by the newly appointed Director of
Palmetto Productions and the President, with approval by Student Senate
B. Other Palmetto Committees
1. All Palmetto Chairpersons shall chair committees related to their designated area.
2. These committees will be as diverse as possible, so as to make sure that the students
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are most accurately represented by the bodies that entertain them.
3. Approval of these committee members must be approved by the student Senate.
4. There is no maximum number of at-large members, though a minimum of 6 students
per committee is required.
C. Palmetto Productions shall:
1. Be responsible for selecting, planning, coordinating, and executing campus-wide
social, recreational, and entertainment events and activities for the student body.
2. Create all by-laws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate.
D. Duties
1. Committee Chairpersons
a. Shall be responsible for chairing regular meetings with their respective
committees
b. Shall bring ideas and concerns about each committee before the Student
Activities Board
c. Shall offer opinions and ideas regarding other committees to the Student
Activities Board.
2. Committee Members
a. Shall be responsible for attending scheduled committee meetings
b. Shall carryout duties assigned by respective committee directors
c. Shall encourage participation in Palmetto Productions events and activities.
F. Meetings
1. Student Activities Board
a. The Student Activities Board shall meet weekly. At least two-thirds of the
Board members must be present in order for business to take place.
2. Committees
a. The Committees should meet on a regular basis to be determined by
the Committee Chairperson and in conjunction with the Committee
Members.
Section 307 Residential Affairs Committee
A. The Residential Affairs Committee membership shall include:
1. Director of Residential Affairs
2. Four RA’s, appointed by the ECOS President with approval of Student Senate
a. One RA from the territory of each ARC
3. Four students at large
a. One student from either Alpha, Beta, or Gamma
b. One student from either Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, or Zeta
c. One student from either Omega or Nu
d. One student from Sigma, or any new complexes to be constructed
4. Two Student Senate representatives
B. The Residential Affairs Committee shall:
1. Seek out student concerns on the Residential experience
2. Be an open source of dialogue between Residence Life and ECOS in addressing
these concerns
3. Submit legislation for Student Senate approval to improve the residential experience.
4. Work on plans for and participate in discussions surrounding emergency preparation.
C. The Residential Affairs Committee shall provide for its own By-Laws of procedure subject
to the approval of a two-thirds favorable vote of the Student Senate.
Section 308 Pet Council
A. The Pet Council membership shall include:
1. Pet Council Chair
2. Four pet owners
3. Four non-pet owners
B. The Pet Council shall help provide a structured and friendly environment on campus that is
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conducive to the orderly ownership of pets.
C. The Pet Council shall vote on any policy changes to the Pet Policy
1. In order to change policy, there must be a two-thirds majority vote.
2. The Chairperson does not vote.
3. All policies must go to Student Senate for approval.
a. If the Senate does not vote in favor, the policies will remain unchanged.
D. The Pet Council shall also have three committees within its structure
1. Registration
a. This committee will make sure all pets on campus are registered.
2. Violations
a. This committee will uncover and report any infractions to the Student
Community Standards Board for review.
i. Any appeals will also got through SCSB
3. Activities
a. This committee will work towards providing pet-friendly activities.
4. These committees shall be composed of the aforementioned pet council members, as
well as any other students who are interested in joining.
a. These other students shall be members of the committees, but shall not vote
on Pet Council.
Section 309 EMS
A. Membership
1. EMS shall be composed of all students who have joined the organization and are in
training to be or are recognized as EMT-FR (Emergency Medical Technicians-First
Responders).
2. EMS shall use their own internal process to select the Director of EMS, and the
Executive Board thereof, which will be approved by the Senate in the form of Bylaws.
B. Purpose
1. EMS shall work towards providing quality first responding care to accidents
and emergencies
C. Direction
1. EMS shall fall under the jurisdiction of the ECOS Director of Health Services.
Article IV. FREE STANDING COMMITTEE
Section 401 Media Committee
A. The Media Committee shall:
1. Serve as the supervising body of organizations chartered by ECOS to produce
publications and broadcast.
2. Oversee the administrative operations of ECOS media, hold ECOS media to
deadlines, and ensure that members of the media are responsible in the
publications and broadcasting of information, ideas, and entertainment
according to generally accepted standards of journalism and communication
ethics.
3. Receive and review complaints.
B. Membership
1. The Director of Communications (DOC), appointed by ECOS President and
confirmed by the Student Senate
2. Three members of the Student Senate
3. Three members-at-large, appointed by ECOS President and approved by Student
Senate.
4. Appointed Media Heads
a. General Manager of WECX
b. General Manager of EC-TV
c. Editor-in-Chief of Triton
d. Editor-in-Chief of Eckerd Review
5. Faculty Advisors of media bodies.
6. The selection of the stated media heads shall be decided within the Media
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Committee as set forth by the Media Committee Bylaws
C. Autonomy
1. The Media Committee shall function autonomously from the Executive branch
and the Legislative branch of ECOS.
Article V. EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Section 501 Executive Powers
A. All executive powers of the ECOS shall be vested in the Executive Council in accordance
with the duties of each office prescribed in this article.
Section 502 Executive Council
A. The Executive Council shall be composed of the
1. President
2. Executive Vice-President
3. Vice President of Academic Affairs
4. Vice President of Financial Affairs
5. Parliamentarian
B. All members shall be elected at large by the membership of the ECOS during March.
C. The term of office of all Executive Council members shall be one year and shall begin and
end on May 1st at 12:00 noon.
D. The Executive Council shall meet weekly.
E. The Executive Council has the authority to temporarily conduct official business that
requires Student Senate approval during times when they are not in session provided that the
Student Senate immediately approves each action after reconvening. In the event of the
Student Senate does not approve any business, that business is no longer official.
F. No one with documented malicious, reckless, violent, or threatening behavior while enrolled
at Eckerd College shall be allowed to run for Executive Council.
1. Appeals may be filed with the Student Senate, which may overturn the decision of the
Elections Committee
Section 503 Restrictions of Office
A. Any Executive Council officer may not serve in any other position referred to within the
Constitution with the exception of ex-officio duties.
Section 504 Duties and Powers of the Officers
A. The President shall:
1. Preside over and chair the Executive Council.
2. Uphold and preserve the Constitution of ECOS.
3. Be the principal representative of ECOS in all matters and functions.
4. Appoint various positions, as listed in Article V.
5. Create and fill any position or committee deemed necessary for the general well
being of the ECOS subject to the approval of the Student Senate.
6. Make a State of the ECOS address to the Student Senate twice a semester.
7. Make available applications for all student government and college committees.
8. Remove his/her own appointments subject to approval from the Student Senate.
9. Have the right to veto resolutions of the Student Senate within ten days.
10. Have the right to assume any other Executive Council position in the case of a
temporary absence.
11. Have the right to temporarily appoint any Executive Council position in the case
of a permanent absence until an election can be held.
B. The Executive Vice President shall:
1. Assume the duties of the President in the case of temporary vacancy.
2. Assist the President in the operation and administration of the Executive Branch.
3. Call and preside over all meetings of the Student Senate.
4. Vote in the case of a tie within the Student Senate.
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5. Set the agenda for Senate Meetings in conjunction with the President Pro-tempore
and distribute prior to Senate meetings.
6. Oversee the operation of all the ECOS clubs.
7. Intervene when club leadership is failing.
8. Create and fill any positions necessary for the operation of the clubs or the Student
Senate, subject to Student Senate approval.
9. Determine Committee Assignments for the Senators serving on standing
committees.
C. The Vice President of Academic Affairs shall:
1. Set and submit in writing the academic goals and programs of ECOS each year.
2. Be chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee
3. Have a vote in the Academic Affairs Committee only in the case
of a tie.
4. Make an address concerning the academic state of the college at least once a
semester to the Student Senate.
5. Keep close association with all academic related committees.
6. Work with the registrar on keeping students updated with academic policies.
7. Be a voting member of the College Program Series Committee.
8. Meet regularly with the Dean of Faculty to discuss academic issues
9. Assume temporary office of the President in the absence of the President and the
Vice-President.
D. The Vice President of Financial Affairs shall:
1. Be chairperson of the Financial Affairs Committee.
2. Be responsible for the creation, management and presentation of all the ECOS
budgets in conjunction with the Financial Affairs Committee.
3. Submit a written report of the financial status of the ECOS during the months of
November and April to the Student Senate.
4. Submit a written report to all clubs and organizations informing them of their
financial status at least twice per semester and upon request.
5. Maintain an accurate record of the funds of the ECOS.
6. Have the authority to inquire about or reject transactions that seem inappropriate.
Appeals may be sent to the Senate for final decision.
7. Act on behalf of the President in the absence of the President, Executive Vice
President, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
E. The Parliamentarian shall:
1. be appointed by the ECOS President in consultation with the Executive Vice
President with the approval of two-thirds of the Student Senate for a term of one
academic year.
2. be chairperson of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee.
3. set the agenda and call all meetings of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws
Committee.
4. have a vote on the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee.
5. be a non-voting member of the Student Senate.
6. ensure that the Student Senate is run according to Parliamentary law.
7. review all documents of ECOS to ensure that they do not limit any powers granted
within the Constitution.
8. serve in advisory capacity to the Executive Council and Student Senate.
a. Advice and decisions made in this capacity shall be recorded and filed in
the heading of deliberations.
b. Deliberations may be challenged by submitting a formal complaint to the
Parliamentarian.
c. Challenge deliberations will be ruled upon by the entire committee.
d. Cases, voted upon by the committee, shall take precedence over
deliberations.
9. the Parliamentarian shall serve autonomously from the President. In the event of
removal the Parliamentarian shall undergo formal impeachment
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procedures.
E. All Executive Council members shall:
1. Be present on campus for two semesters and Autumn Term.
2. Agree upon an Executive Council representative of ECOS during the Summer
Terms.
3. Have a 3.0 or better semester and cumulative GPA subject to the review of the
Elections Committee and the Student Senate.
4. All members shall sign a contract stating that:
a. the Student Senate has the right to be informed of any social misconduct;
b. the definition of social misconduct shall be in correspondence with the EC-
REF.
5. Hold a campus-wide forum to hear student concerns and to report on the status of the
Executive Council.
6. Any member who is found responsible for social misconduct during his/her elected
term shall face the Student Community Standards Board, if deemed necessary by the
Student Senate.
7. Any Executive Council member found responsible for any social misconduct at time
of election or during their elected term shall be referred to the Student Community
Standards Board if deemed necessary by the Student Senate.
8. Serve as student representatives to the Faculty meetings, with voting privileges on all
matters not solely related to Faculty affairs.
Section 505 ECOS Executive Line of Succession
A. ECOS President
1 In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation or removal, the
ECOS Executive Vice President shall assume all duties and responsibilities of
the ECOS President.
B. ECOS Executive Vice President
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation or removal the
President Pro-Tempore of the Student Senate shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of the ECOS Executive Vice President. The Ad-hoc Senator
shall become the President Pro-Tempore.
C. ECOS Vice President of Academic Vice President
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of the Vice President there of.
D. ECOS Vice President of Financial Affairs
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
Assistant to the Vice President of Financial Affairs shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of Vice President there of.
E. ECOS Parliamentarian
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
ECOS President shall appoint a replacement within two weeks of the vacancy,
with the approval of the Student Senate
F. ECOS Secretary
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
ECOS President shall appoint a replacement within two weeks of the vacancy.
ArticleVI. Presidential Appointments
Section 601 Presidential Appointments
A. All Positions listed in this article are appointed by the President and confirmed by a majority
vote of the Senate.
1. All appointed individuals may be removed from office at the request of the President,
with the approval of the Senate.
2. When appointing the individuals, the President should confer with the previous
occupant of the position.
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3. The Student Senate may officially request the President to remove an appointment
from office if it feels that the individual is not properly completing his or her
responsibilities.
B. The Student Senate may at any point request the presence of an appointed officer at a Senate
meeting.
1. Requests must be made at with at least five days notice.
C. Appointed officers may create a committee if one is not already listed for them to chair and if
they feel that it will help in the completion of their official duties.
D. All positions should aim to be filled, but priority for appointing positions should go towards
heads of standing committees, organizations, and media, as well as those officers who are
members of the Student Senate or Executive Council.
Section 602 Term of Office
A. The term of office of any appointee shall not exceed that of the appointing person(s).
B. Persons appointed by the President-elect prior to the first Monday of May shall begin their
duties at 12:00 noon on May 1st.
C. Persons being appointed after the President has already taken office shall begin their duties
upon being approved by the Student Senate.
Section 603 Duties and Powers of the Officers
A. Historian shall
1. maintain the ECOS archives
2. be familiar with past ECOS legislation, and keep a book of all past ECOS legislation
3. be present at Senate and Executive Council meetings with copies of all past ECOS
legislation to refer to.
4. keep a pictorial history of ECOS and ECOS events
5. work with the yearbook editor to maintain an accurate portrayal of ECOS, or lacking a
yearbook editor, produce a smaller production in his or her stead.
B. Recording Secretary shall
1. take minutes at all Senate and Executive Council meetings
2. be responsible for distributing minutes to senators, exec council members.
C. Director of Communications shall
1. oversee the coordination of the Eckerd media, utilizing EC-TV, WECX, the Triton
and the ECOS Web page as ways to inform the student body.
2. make himself or herself available to all ECOS clubs and organizations to aid in their
advertising efforts.
3. meet regularly with the various media heads (the aforementioned as well as the
yearbook) to receive updates on progress.
a. The Director of Communications may call meetings of all media
heads as deemed necessary.
4. ensure that the highest standards of professionalism are followed by the various
media, and will report any infractions of ethics or unprofessional behavior to the
President.
5. work with the Flush to ensure that students are properly informed.
D. Director of Public Relations shall
1. chair the Public Relations Committee.
2. with the aid of the Public Relations Committee oversee the advertising of all ECOS
sponsored events through non-media forms of advertising including, but not limited to,
sign/poster-making, purchasing tee-shirts for widespread distribution, etc.
3. make himself/herself available as a resource for use by the various ECOS clubs as
well as Palmetto Productions and other standing ECOS organizations
E. Director of Elections shall
1. oversee and run all elections with the aid of the Elections Committee, and help
advertise for all elections in a creative yet professional manner.
2. chair the Elections Committee.
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F. Director of Residential Affairs shall
1. chair the Residential Affairs Committee.
2. act as an open source of dialogue between ECOS and Residence Life, as well as
between ECOS and Facilities.
G. Student Coordinator for Community Standards shall:
1. decide which cases the SCSB shall hear with the Dean of Students or his
representatives.
2. be responsible for all pre-trial procedures including, but not limited to:
a. placing approved cases on the Student Community Standards Board docket.
b. issuing summons to appear before the board.
c. granting postponement of cases, if given justifiable reasons.
d. assigning advocate to cases as a liaison of the board.
3. be responsible for overseeing the administration of each case.
4. be responsible for handling all records of all previous board proceedings to the Office
of Community Standards.
5. be responsible for maintaining office and office equipment
H. Pet Council Chairperson
1. chair the Pet Council
2. work with the ECOS President to fill the voting slots of the Pet Council.
I. Director of Transportation and Safety shall
1. serve as a liaison between ECOS and Campus Safety on matters of importance to
students, holding regular meetings to keep an open source of dialogue.
2. oversee the Yellow Bike Program, creating policies to encourage the responsible use
Yellow Bikes.
a. All policies require Student Senate approval before implementation.
3. work towards a safe college experience for all Eckerd students.
4. oversee the ECOS van.
J. Director of Environmental and Social Responsibility shall
1. seek to find creative ways to improve the environmental and social responsibility of
ECOS in particular and Eckerd College as a whole.
a. All proposals for new policies will be sent to the Student Senate for
approval.
2. serve as an ECOS representative to the following bodies:
a. the faculty Environmental Affairs Committee
b. the Sustainability Campus Task Force
c. any other environmental or socially conscious bodies that
are created in the future
3. overlook Eckerd’s and ECOS’s commitments to the following agreements:
a. the Tailloires Declaration
b. the Workers’ Rights Consortium
c. any other environmental or social treaties or organizations that
Eckerd or ECOS should subscribe to.
4. work with any environmental or social clubs and help them in anyway possible.
K. Director of Health Services shall
1. maintain an open dialogue between ECOS and the Health Center, ensuring that the
Health Center is an accessible and friendly place for students to go.
2. work with the Vice President of Academic Affairs to promote alcohol and sex
awareness weeks.
3. work with any ECOS clubs that have concerns related to health issues
4. oversee EMS and work with them to ensure all of their needs are met.
L. Director of Outdoor Recreation shall
1. Chair the Outdoor Recreation Committee
2. serve as a liaison between ECOS and the Waterfront, promoting interaction between
the two departments
2. serve as a liaison between ECOS and Campus Activities, with a special focus on the
Intramural Program.
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3. put on recreational programs for the Eckerd Community
4. sponsor trips to take advantage of the outdoors outside of Eckerd College.
M. Director of Admissions & Financial Aid shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with admissions in ways the two departments can
cooperate.
2. serve as an ECOS representative to the faculty Admissions Committee.
3. remain up-to-date on all issues related to tuition and financial aid by meeting regularly
with Financial Aid.
N. Director of ECOS-Athletics Relations shall
1. serve as an official liaison between ECOS and athletics.
2. serve on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee as an observer (unless otherwise
serving as a voting member through election by student-athlete peers).
3. serve on the faculty athletics committee as an ECOS representative
O. Director of ECOS-Service Learning shall
1. as an open source of dialogue between ECOS and Service-Learning as well as ECOS
and Campus Ministries, promoting interaction for co-sponsorship of events.
2. work with any service clubs and help them in any way possible.
3. coordinate activities with the service dorm.
P. Director of ECOS-Alumni Relations shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with the office of Alumni Relations in ways the two
departments can cooperate and interact for mutual benefit.
Q. Director of ECOS-ASPEC Relations shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with ASPEC in an effort to enhance the cooperation
between these two entities.
2. serve on the ASPEC-Student Liaison Committee as the ranking student member.
3. serve on the ECOS Academic Affairs Committee, under the Vice President of
Academic Affairs.
R. Executive Director of ECOS Palmetto Productions shall
1. be the chairperson of Palmetto Productions;
2. hold and chair regular meetings of the Student Activities Board;
3. bring ideas and concerns about each committee before the Student Activities Board;
4. offer opinions and ideas regarding other committees to the Student Activities Board.
5. submit a written report of the status of planned student activities to the
Student Senate at least once per semester.
S. Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook shall
1. work towards preserving the memories of every Eckerd College academic year, by
producing a book, cd-rom, dvd, or other similar creation that can be distributed at a fair
price to interested Eckerd College community members.
2. hire, appoint, and oversee all Yearbook staff members
T. Webmaster shall
1. maintain and update the ECOS webpage, to be used for informing students about
upcoming events, ways to get involved, and ways to contact their officers as well as
conducting elections and polls and serving as a community communications device.
2. serve as the student representative on the Computer Policy Committee.
Article VII. STUDENT COMMUNITY STANDARDS BOARD
Section 701 Description
A. The Student Community Standards Board (SCSB), formerly Student Court, is a body of
appointed students who determine a fellow student’s responsibility for violation of the
community standards set forth in the EC-REF.
Section 702 Membership
A. The SCSB shall be composed of the following:
1. Seven students, who shall serve as voting members, at least five of which must hear
any case.
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2. A Student Coordinator for Community Standards (SCCS) who shall vote only in the
case of a tie.
3. Four student advocates.
4. Two clerks.
Section 703 Appointment Procedure
A. All student members of the board shall be nominated by the President-elect and the Student
Coordinator for Community Standards appointee/new SCCS (after approval).
B. All appointments shall be presented to the Student Senate for approval.
Section 704 Procedure
A. The Student Community Standards Board shall provide its own By-Laws for the procedures
of the board and of its Hearing Committee.
B. The By-Laws shall be accepted when approved by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.
C. Five Members shall constitute a quorum.
D. Infractions of community standards may be brought to the attention of the SCSB by any
student, faculty, staff, or administrator of the campus community.
E. If, after proper procedures have been followed, the SCSB determines the student to be
responsible, a recommendation of action shall be made to the Dean of Students.
F. A monthly report will be made to the Executive Council.
1. A list of charges for which a person or persons were found responsible.
2. A list of sanctions given.
3. The report shall never reveal any names or other confidential information.
G. A report shall be given to the Student Senate once each semester.
1. The report to the Student Senate will consist of:
a. A list of charges for which a person or persons were found responsible.
b. A list of sanctions given.
2. The report shall never correlate the charges and the punishments.
3. The report shall never reveal any names or other confidential information.
Section 705 Appeals
A. All appeals will be in accordance with the current EC-REF.
Section 706 Transitional Clause
A. Until a new set of By-laws are approved by the Student Senate, the policies and procedures
under the previous By-laws will be in effect.
Article VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 801 Procedure
A. The most current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the authority for any procedure
not specified in the By-Laws or by this Constitution.
Article IX. CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS
Section 901 Granting Charters
A. The Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws committee is charged the task of chartering new
clubs and organizations.
B. If the Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws committee deems a club to be providing an
extremely worthwhile service, they may recommend to the Student Senate to amend the
constitution to include said club in this constitution as a standing committee or organization.
C. In order to be granted a charter, a club must:
1. have a faculty or staff sponsor
2. create Bylaws for the order and maintenance of their club
3. have at least two members
4. be open to all members of ECOS
a. Clubs may be open to all members, but screen them out through a fair and
transparent process such as applications or try-outs.
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5. fill a unique niche in the Eckerd Community
a. Clubs must demonstrate that they do not fill the same role as a pre-existing
club.
Section 902 Renewing Charters
A. The Executive Council shall call for all chartered organizations to submit a request for a one-
year charter renewal.
1. This call shall go out the first week after Spring Break, with at least 2 weeks notice.
B. All chartered organizations must have their charters approved for renewal by the new Student
Senate in order to spend funds after the deadline for submission.
C. Any organization that fails to present a charter for renewal by the widely published deadline
will be able to compete for funding with new clubs in the fall.
D. Standing committees and media do not need to reapply for charter renewal, but can still have
their charters revoked through the below process.
Section 903 Suspending Charters
A. The Student Senate may suspend the charter of any ECOS organization in cases of
misfeasance or malfeasance by a two-thirds vote, thereby freezing the funds of that
organization.
B. A suspension is effective for up to two academic weeks, after which the Student Senate must
make a majority vote to continue the suspension for another two weeks. This may be
continued until the Student Senate fails to vote to continue the suspension.
C. The Student Senate may suspend the charters of any and all clubs and organizations chartered
and funded through ECOS
D. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee may recommend that the Student
Senate suspend charters or organizations pertaining to that committee.
E. The Financial Affairs Committee may recommend to the Constitution, Regulations, and By-
Laws Committee that a club or organization be suspended, through the process explained
previously under Article III, Section 301.
Section 904 Revoking Charters
A. The Student Senate may revoke the charter of any organization by a two-thirds vote. All
funds previously budgeted to the concerned organization will be reallocated into the
Independent and Collaborative Ventures Fund.
B. The Student Senate may not revoke the charter of any organization unless it is under a
suspension that has lasted at least two weeks.
C. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee may initiate action to revoke the
charter of a club or organization by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, which must be upheld by majority
vote of the Student Senate.
D. The Student Senate shall refer any motion to revoke the charter of a club or organization to
the Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee before taking any action, unless the
motion originated within said committee. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws
Committee must meet to make a recommendation within six academic days.
Section 905 Club Intervention
A. If members of a club feel that the leadership of the club is no longer fulfilling their
responsibilities, they may contact the ECOS Executive Vice President.
B. The Executive Vice President will then try to meet with the club leader, and if the Executive
VP determines that said individual is not fulfilling his or her responsibilities, the Exec VP will
hold a public meeting of the club, where only pre-existing members of the club may vote.
C. Club members will vote:
1. Whether or not they need to elect a new leader; and if yes, then
2. Who the new leader should be,
D. The ECOS Executive Vice President will chair the meeting of the club and will decide how the
vote will proceed.
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Article X. VACANCIES
Section 1001 President
A. In the case of a permanent vacancy for the office of the President, the Vice President shall
assume all duties until special elections are held.
Section 1002 Other Elected Positions
A. Vacancies, which occur in elected positions other than the President, shall be filled by special
elections called and supervised by the Elections Committee.
Section 1003 Appointed Positions
A. Vacancies occurring in appointed positions of the ECOS shall be filled though the same
procedures as the original appointment.
B. In cases where an out-going appointed or elected official is called upon to assist in the
appointment, the current person holding that post shall assist in the appointment.
C. In cases where one President appointed a person, and another person currently holds the
Presidency, the current President has the same authority concerning the appointed person as
did the former President.
Section 1004 Student Community Standards Board
A. Vacancy in the office of the SCCS shall be filled from the existing board by the President.
Vacancy of a SCSB member shall be filled by the ECOS President, subject to the approval of
the Student Senate.
Section 1005 Student Senators
A. A vacancy in the office of Student Senator shall be filled in a special election conducted by
the Elections Committee.
Article XI. RECALL AND IMPEACHMENT
Section 1101 Impeachment
A. Any elected officer or representative of the ECOS shall be subject to charges of impeachment
in cases involving misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance, not to include appointed
officers.
B. A petition stating the name of the person being charged and the charges being brought forth,
after a signed petition by ten percent (10%) of the citizenry, shall be presented to the Student
Community Standards Board.
C. The SCSB shall make judgment on the case in accordance with SCSB proceedings.
Article XII. AMENDMENTS
Section 1201 Proposed Amendments
A. All proposals for amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to the Student Senate by
one of the following:
1. An Executive Council Member
2. A Student Senator
3. The Parliamentarian
4. A Petition signed by no less than one hundred students.
B. After discussion and debate, a vote shall be held in the Student Senate. If it receives majority
support, the proposed amendment must go up for public discussion.
1. The ECOS media, Directors of Communications, Public Relations, and Elections must
advertise the proposed amendments.
2. After a period of no less than two weeks, the proposed amendments must return to the
Senate in a public forum attended by the Executive Council members.
Section 1202 Approval of Amendments
A. Amendments must be approved by the Student Senate and the Executive Council.
B. A vote shall be held in the aforementioned public forum that is widely advertised ahead of
time.
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C. If quorum of both bodies is achieved, the vote goes ahead.
D. If a single member of the Executive Council votes against, OR if more than one Senator votes
against, the amendment fails.
E. If all Executive Council members vote in favor or abstain, and if no more than one Student
Senator votes against, the amendment passes and becomes part of the official constitution.
Section 1203 Amending the Constitution
A. Upon being approved by ECOS, all amendments will be placed chronometrically at the end of
this Constitution, with the first one numbered Amendment 1, the second Amendment 2, and
so on.
B. The original constitution and any subsequent versions shall always be accessible through
archives
Official Constitution (07/01/2007)
Valid only with the below signatures
2007-2008
Article I. NAME, PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP, AND AUTONOMY
Section 101 Name
A. The name of this organization shall be the Eckerd College Organization of Students,
hereinafter referred to as ECOS.
Section 102 Purpose
A. The purpose of ECOS is to represent the interests of the entire student body, to ensure that
the rights and freedoms of all students are protected, to play an active role in the operation
and policy making of Eckerd College, and to coordinate the activities of the student body of
Eckerd College.
Section 103 Membership
A. Each student paying the student activity fee, shall become a member of ECOS, be
guaranteed all rights, be subject to all procedures prescribed within this document, and be
recognized as a citizen of ECOS.
Section 104 Autonomy
A. ECOS shall forever remain an autonomous organization, deriving its legitimacy solely from
the students whose interests ECOS represents.
Article II. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
Section 201 Legislative Authority
A. The legislative body shall be called the Student Senate.
Section 202 Legislative Committees
A. The Student Senate may establish legislative committees and define the scope and authority
of each, provided that the actions of these committees do not in any way limit, modify, or
breach any powers granted by this Constitution.
Section 203 Membership
A. The membership of the Student Senate shall be composed of the following:
1. Four representatives from each of the four classes: first year students, second
year students, third year students, and fourth/fifth year students. .
2. The Executive Vice President
3. The Parliamentarian
4. The Historian
5. The Recording Secretary
Section 204 Elections
A. All Student Senate positions must be elected during spring elections, except for the
first year representatives. Elections for freshmen representatives shall occur during autumn
term.
B. The term of a Senator, except in the case of first year students, shall be a one-year term,
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beginning on the second Monday in April at noon. The term of first year Senators shall be a
one-year term, beginning on September 1 and ending with the last meeting of Student Senate
before the new Senators take office.
C. A person who has enrolled as a freshman will represent students sharing the same number of
years of matriculation as them..
D. A transfer student will represent the class they intend to graduate with at the time of their
enrollment.
E. Special elections shall be called to fill vacancies as necessary.
Section 205 Qualifications
A. All students campaigning for Student Senate shall not have less than a 2.5 semester or
cumulative GPA upon review of the Executive Council.
B. All members shall sign a contract stating that:
1. the Executive Council has the right to be informed of any social misconduct;
2. the Executive Council has the right to inform the Student Senate about such
social misconduct.
3. the definition of social misconduct shall be in correspondence with the EC-REF.
C. Any member who is found responsible for social misconduct during his/her elected term
shall face the Student Community Standards Board, if deemed necessary by the Student
Senate.
D. No one with documented malicious, reckless, violent, or threatening behavior while enrolled
at Eckerd College shall be allowed to run for Student Senate.
1. Any appeals are subject to review by the Executive Council, which must vote
unanimously to overturn the decision.
Section 206 Restrictions
A. No individual shall be Senator and also be a Presidential appointee, Executive Council
Member, or Member of the Student Community Standards Board.
Section 207 Meetings
A. Meetings should be held every week during the fall and spring semesters, excluding weeks
of vacations and hurricane evacuations (as necessary). A simple majority of elected senators
is necessary for any legislative actions to occur.
B. All meetings shall be open to the student body.
1. Special closed-door sessions can be entered into upon a three-quarters majority
vote and the consent of the chair.
Section 208 President Pro-Tempore
A. The Student Senate shall elect at the first official meeting, an individual to serve as the
President Pro-Tempore.
1. The election shall occur as follows:
a. all interested candidates shall leave the room after speaking in favor
of their own candidacy.
b. a vote shall take place. The senator with the least amount of votes
shall be removed from the candidate list and shall re-enter the room,
able to vote. This shall continue until there are only two interested
senators.
c. Once there are only two senators remaining (or two or less are
interested from the beginning), whichever senator receives more votes
shall become the President Pro-Tempore.
B. The President Pro-Tempore shall serve as chairperson in place of the Executive Vice
President whenever the Executive Vice President is absent or has to remove him or her
self as chair.
C. The President Pro-Tempore shall forfeit their vote when they become chair, except in the
case of a tie, and follow all other procedures as chair.
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Section 209 Calling Meetings
A. In the absence of the Executive Vice President, the responsibility for setting time, location,
and agendas, and for notifying all members shall be as follows:
1. President Pro-Tempore
2. Parliamentarian
3. President
Section 210 Chairing Meetings
A. In the absence of the Executive Vice President, the responsibility of acting as the
chairperson of the Student Senate meeting shall be:
1. President Pro-Tempore
2. Parliamentarian
3. President
4. An ad-hoc senator appointed as necessary by the Executive Vice President
Section 211 Student Senator
A. Senators shall:
1. Be an open-minded and approachable member representing all members of ECOS,
with the particular interests of one’s class held in mind.
2. Serve as a representative of the Student Senate.
3. Provide information concerning the actions and policies of the Senate and
Executive Council.
4. Report to the Senate on all committee business.
5. Have a campus-wide forum twice per semester to speak to students about the
status of the Student Senate and to hear any concerns the students may have.
6. Serve on no more than one standing committee and no less than one in-Senate
committee.
Section 212 Committee Assignments
A. Senators shall:
1. Serve on at least one committee as listed within the Constitution, not to include
the Elections Committee.
2. Hold positions on committees as they are appointed as a Senator. No Senator may
serve on a committee as an at-large member.
3. The distribution of Senators shall be as follows:
a. Financial Affairs – four Senators
b. Academic Affairs – four Senators
c. Constitution, Regulation, and By-Laws – four Senators
d. Residential Affairs Committee – two Senators
e. Public Relations Committee – two Senators
4. The Executive Vice President shall appoint senators to standing committees with a
sincere effort to take into account the preferences of the individual senators.
Section 213 Voting
A. Student Senators shall have one vote each.
B. The chairperson shall vote only in case of a tie.
C. The Parliamentarian, recording secretary and historian shall not have a vote, except when
the Parliamentarian sits in as chair.
Section 214 Powers
A. The Powers of the Student Senate shall include the power to:
1. Change the student activity fee by no more than ten dollars per academic year,
subject to the approval of the President of the College and the Board of Trustees
2. Disburse the funds of ECOS.
3. Change the Bylaws of the Student Senate, its Standing Committees, and all clubs
by a two-thirds vote.
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4. Initiate amendments to the Constitution.
5. Confirm all appointments within the guidelines established by this Constitution.
6. Review and act upon all complaints arising from the electoral process.
7. Grant charters to student organizations and media.
8. Revoke the charter of any organization if it is deemed necessary by a two-thirds
vote of the entire Student Senate.
9. Freeze the funds of any club, organization, or department within ECOS with a
two-thirds vote if a clear abuse of the powers or funds is present.
10. Compel the attendance of its members according to the standards and penalties it
shall provide.
11. Elect a President Pro-tempore who will preside in the absence of the ECOS
Executive Vice President.
12. Override a Presidential veto by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.
13. Establish special committees to function on behalf of the Student Senate.
14. Refer legislation to the student body for referendum with two-thirds vote of the
Student Senate.
15. Write ECOS law, resolutions, and agreements.
16. Officially request that the President remove one or more of his/her appointments
for irresponsible actions.
17. Transact all other business deemed necessary for the well being of the student
body.
Section 215 Limitations of Power
A. Any Student Senate decisions may be reviewed and submitted for referendum within two
academic weeks. A petition of fifteen percent of the ECOS membership shall necessitate
that such a vote be taken of the ECOS within three academic weeks. This referendum shall
be considered binding when approved by fifty percent plus one of those voting. Voting
must be over the period of two weeks, with a minimum turnout of fifteen percent to be valid.
Section 216 Legislation
A. There are three different types of legislation that the Student Senate can pass
1. Resolutions
2. ECOS Law
3. Agreements with non-ECOS parties
B. Resolutions
1. Resolutions are non-binding statements of support or opposition on behalf of the
Student Senate and thus on behalf of the student body on issues of importance.
2. Resolutions should be passed on to the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of
the Presidency, the student body through the media, and any other relevant departments
on campus.
3. Resolutions may include, but are not limited to, recommendations on school policy.
C. ECOS Law
1. ECOS Law are enforceable decrees or edicts issued by the Senate over areas
which they have direct control.
a. This shall include laws over all ECOS funds, organizations (clubs,
committees, Exec officers)
b. All laws must still hold true to the constitution
D. Agreements with non-ECOS parties
1. These agreements will be upheld in future years provided the agreeing party
maintains their commitment to the agreement.
2. Future student senates may cancel previous agreements by a two-thirds majority.
Article III. STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 301 Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee
A. The Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee shall:
1. Enforce and protect the rights and duties spelled out in this Constitution and the
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Bylaws of ECOS organizations.
2. Review and rule upon challenges to action that may have violated the constitution,
by-laws, or ECOS law.
3. Review and make recommendations regarding all proposed Bylaws to the
Constitution.
4. Be responsible for the club chartering process and publishing of club contact
information for the student body.
5. Create all Bylaws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate.
B. Membership
1. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
2. Parliamentarian
3. Four members at-large, chosen by the President and approved by the Student
Senate for one year terms concurrent with those of the Executive Council.
C. Procedure
1. The committee shall rule on issues brought before it through a formal complaint to
the Parliamentarian.
a. Complaints shall concern some action or document of ECOS.
b. Complaints shall be submitted in written form, listing:
i. The person filing the complaint
ii. The complaint, itself, and
iii. Justifications of the complaint.
2. All decisions of the committee must be handed down within six academic days of
the filing complaint.
3. There must be a quorum of five members for voting to take place.
4. A simple majority shall decide the case.
5. All decisions of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee shall be
issued in written form and filed for future reference in the ECOS archives.
Section 302 Elections Committee
A. Membership
1. Director of Elections, appointed by the President and approved by the Student
Senate
2. Two Senior Student Senators, approved by the Senate through majority rule.
3. A representative from the Student Community Standards Board
4. ECOS Webmaster
5. One representative appointed by each candidate. A candidate’s representative is
not eligible to vote on issues concerning the election.
B. The Elections Committee shall:
1. Conduct and monitor all ECOS sponsored elections.
2. Tally and verify all ECOS election results
5. Regulate each ECOS election with its own set of rules and regulations, which shall
be subject of Student Senate approval.
4. Create all Bylaws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate
5. In the event that the committee needs to vote on an issue, the two senior Senators,
the SCSB representative and the ECOS Webmaster shall cast votes. In case of a tie
the Director of Elections will cast the deciding vote
C. Election procedure:
1. In the ECOS General Election, a candidate must have 50 percent plus one of all
votes cast to win that particular office.
2. Instant Run-off voting shall be the procedure used to tally votes for Executive
Council.
3. Student Senators must receive a plurality of the votes and be one of the top four
for their class to win that particular office.
4. The General Election will occur before Spring Break.
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5. The election of freshmen Senators will occur prior to the beginning of the fall
semester.
D. Special Elections
1. Special Elections will be held in the event of a resignation or impeachment from a
single position.
2. The Elections Committee is held accountable for the notification of all vacancies
to the constituency.
3. In the event of multiple vacancies, the Director of Elections will have authority as
to the timing of special election(s).
4. All rules and regulations from the most recent General Election will apply to any
subsequent special election.
Section 303 Academic Affairs Committee
A. Membership
1. Vice President of Academic Affairs, who shall be chairperson.
2. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
3. Six members at-large, appointed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs with
the approval of the Student Senate.
4. The Director of ECOS-ASPEC Relations as appointed by the ECOS President.
B. The Academic Affairs Committee shall:
1. Act as a scheduling body for all ECOS funded academic programs.
2. Act as a social liaison between students, ASPEC, and faculty.
3. Assist all ECOS clubs and organizations with academic programs whenever
necessary.
4. Maintain an open dialogue with faculty on important issues.
C. Procedures
1. The Vice President of Academic Affairs shall vote only in the case of a tie.
2. A quorum of fifty percent plus one must be present for any business to take place.
3. The Academic Affairs Committee shall provide Bylaws to be approved by the
Student Senate.
Section 304 Financial Affairs Committee
A. Membership
1. Vice President of Financial Affairs who shall be chairperson.
2. Four Senators from the Student Senate.
3. Eight members at-large, appointed by the Vice President of Financial Affairs with
the approval of the Student Senate.
B. The Financial Affairs Committee shall:
1. Allocate funds for all ECOS programs and purchases for the academic year for
which they are to serve.
2. Make recommendations to the Executive Council on the allocation of the
Independent and Collaborative Ventures Fund.
C. Procedure
1. The Vice President of Financial Affairs may only vote in case of a tie.
2. A quorum of six members is necessary for any business to take place, not
including the Vice President of Financial Affairs who must be present at all times.
3. The Financial Affairs Committee shall create all Bylaws dealing with its own
procedures with the approval of the Student Senate.
D. Budgeting Procedure
1. The Vice President of Financial Affairs will, at the beginning of every budgeting
cycle, make available budget request forms to all parties who have received
funding in the last year. The Director will provide request forms to any other
interested parties and publish deadlines of the budgeting process as widely as
possible so that the entire community will have the opportunity to request funds.
2. After all published deadlines have passed the Financial Affairs Committee shall
allocate funds in a preliminary budget according to their own Bylaws.
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3. When the Financial Affairs Committee has created a balanced budget it shall be
made available for examination by interested parties.
4. After the budget becomes available for at least 48 hours, The Financial Affairs
Committee shall hold a meeting with all parties mentioned on the budget for
amendment by the Financial Affairs Committee.
5. After the amendment procedure the Financial Affairs Committee shall submit the
budget to the Student Senate for approval.
6. The Campus Contingency Fund must equal at least five percent of the budget, but
can be subsidized by rolling over the unused portion of the previous year’s
Campus Contingency.
a. The Campus Contingency fund can only be spent in cases of emergency,
unforeseen expenses by a vote of the Executive Council.
E. Legislative Approval of Budgeting
1. The Student Senate must approve the ECOS budget and any reallocations made by
the Financial Affairs Committee.
2. The Eckerd Community shall have the opportunity to examine the proposed
budget for at least 48 hours before any action by the Student Senate after the
Financial Affairs Committee Forum.
3. When the Student Senate considers the budget they may approve it as submitted
by the Financial Affairs Committee or they may send it back to the Financial
Affairs Committee to make any amendments they deem fit before approval. These
amendments must be within the parameters set by Financial Affairs Committee
and Student Senate Bylaws.
4. The budget continues to go back and forth between the Student Senate and the
Financial Affairs Committee until both sides agree on the same budget or the
Student Senate overrides the objections of the Financial Affairs Committee by the
three-fourths favorable majority of those present.
Section 305. Public Relations Committee
A. Membership
1. The Public Relations Committee shall be comprised of:
a. Director of Public Relations, who shall serve as chairperson
b. Two Senators from the Student Senate
c. the Palmetto Production Director of Public Relations
d. Eight students at-large appointed by the Director of Public Relations and the
ECOS President, with the approval of the Student Senate.
B. The Public Relations Committee shall:
1. Assist with the publication and advertisement of any event sponsored by the
Executive Council and the Student Senate.
2. Assist in posting materials and their removal from campus information centers.
3. Assist clubs in their advertisements of their own events.
C. Meetings shall be held weekly.
D. The Public Relations Committee shall provide their own Bylaws subject to approval of the
Student Senate.
Section 306. ECOS Palmetto Productions
A. The Student Activities Board
1. Membership.
a. Director of Palmetto Productions
b. Chairpersons of all other Palmetto Committees as listed within the by-laws of
Palmetto Productions
i. These chairpersons are appointed by the newly appointed Director of
Palmetto Productions and the President, with approval by Student Senate
B. Other Palmetto Committees
1. All Palmetto Chairpersons shall chair committees related to their designated area.
2. These committees will be as diverse as possible, so as to make sure that the students
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are most accurately represented by the bodies that entertain them.
3. Approval of these committee members must be approved by the student Senate.
4. There is no maximum number of at-large members, though a minimum of 6 students
per committee is required.
C. Palmetto Productions shall:
1. Be responsible for selecting, planning, coordinating, and executing campus-wide
social, recreational, and entertainment events and activities for the student body.
2. Create all by-laws dealing with its procedures with the approval of the Student
Senate.
D. Duties
1. Committee Chairpersons
a. Shall be responsible for chairing regular meetings with their respective
committees
b. Shall bring ideas and concerns about each committee before the Student
Activities Board
c. Shall offer opinions and ideas regarding other committees to the Student
Activities Board.
2. Committee Members
a. Shall be responsible for attending scheduled committee meetings
b. Shall carryout duties assigned by respective committee directors
c. Shall encourage participation in Palmetto Productions events and activities.
F. Meetings
1. Student Activities Board
a. The Student Activities Board shall meet weekly. At least two-thirds of the
Board members must be present in order for business to take place.
2. Committees
a. The Committees should meet on a regular basis to be determined by
the Committee Chairperson and in conjunction with the Committee
Members.
Section 307 Residential Affairs Committee
A. The Residential Affairs Committee membership shall include:
1. Director of Residential Affairs
2. Four RA’s, appointed by the ECOS President with approval of Student Senate
a. One RA from the territory of each ARC
3. Four students at large
a. One student from either Alpha, Beta, or Gamma
b. One student from either Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, or Zeta
c. One student from either Omega or Nu
d. One student from Sigma, or any new complexes to be constructed
4. Two Student Senate representatives
B. The Residential Affairs Committee shall:
1. Seek out student concerns on the Residential experience
2. Be an open source of dialogue between Residence Life and ECOS in addressing
these concerns
3. Submit legislation for Student Senate approval to improve the residential experience.
4. Work on plans for and participate in discussions surrounding emergency preparation.
C. The Residential Affairs Committee shall provide for its own By-Laws of procedure subject
to the approval of a two-thirds favorable vote of the Student Senate.
Section 308 Pet Council
A. The Pet Council membership shall include:
1. Pet Council Chair
2. Four pet owners
3. Four non-pet owners
B. The Pet Council shall help provide a structured and friendly environment on campus that is
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conducive to the orderly ownership of pets.
C. The Pet Council shall vote on any policy changes to the Pet Policy
1. In order to change policy, there must be a two-thirds majority vote.
2. The Chairperson does not vote.
3. All policies must go to Student Senate for approval.
a. If the Senate does not vote in favor, the policies will remain unchanged.
D. The Pet Council shall also have three committees within its structure
1. Registration
a. This committee will make sure all pets on campus are registered.
2. Violations
a. This committee will uncover and report any infractions to the Student
Community Standards Board for review.
i. Any appeals will also got through SCSB
3. Activities
a. This committee will work towards providing pet-friendly activities.
4. These committees shall be composed of the aforementioned pet council members, as
well as any other students who are interested in joining.
a. These other students shall be members of the committees, but shall not vote
on Pet Council.
Section 309 EMS
A. Membership
1. EMS shall be composed of all students who have joined the organization and are in
training to be or are recognized as EMT-FR (Emergency Medical Technicians-First
Responders).
2. EMS shall use their own internal process to select the Director of EMS, and the
Executive Board thereof, which will be approved by the Senate in the form of Bylaws.
B. Purpose
1. EMS shall work towards providing quality first responding care to accidents
and emergencies
C. Direction
1. EMS shall fall under the jurisdiction of the ECOS Director of Health Services.
Article IV. FREE STANDING COMMITTEE
Section 401 Media Committee
A. The Media Committee shall:
1. Serve as the supervising body of organizations chartered by ECOS to produce
publications and broadcast.
2. Oversee the administrative operations of ECOS media, hold ECOS media to
deadlines, and ensure that members of the media are responsible in the
publications and broadcasting of information, ideas, and entertainment
according to generally accepted standards of journalism and communication
ethics.
3. Receive and review complaints.
B. Membership
1. The Director of Communications (DOC), appointed by ECOS President and
confirmed by the Student Senate
2. Three members of the Student Senate
3. Three members-at-large, appointed by ECOS President and approved by Student
Senate.
4. Appointed Media Heads
a. General Manager of WECX
b. General Manager of EC-TV
c. Editor-in-Chief of Triton
d. Editor-in-Chief of Eckerd Review
5. Faculty Advisors of media bodies.
6. The selection of the stated media heads shall be decided within the Media
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Committee as set forth by the Media Committee Bylaws
C. Autonomy
1. The Media Committee shall function autonomously from the Executive branch
and the Legislative branch of ECOS.
Article V. EXECUTIVE BRANCH
Section 501 Executive Powers
A. All executive powers of the ECOS shall be vested in the Executive Council in accordance
with the duties of each office prescribed in this article.
Section 502 Executive Council
A. The Executive Council shall be composed of the
1. President
2. Executive Vice-President
3. Vice President of Academic Affairs
4. Vice President of Financial Affairs
5. Parliamentarian
B. All members shall be elected at large by the membership of the ECOS during March.
C. The term of office of all Executive Council members shall be one year and shall begin and
end on May 1st at 12:00 noon.
D. The Executive Council shall meet weekly.
E. The Executive Council has the authority to temporarily conduct official business that
requires Student Senate approval during times when they are not in session provided that the
Student Senate immediately approves each action after reconvening. In the event of the
Student Senate does not approve any business, that business is no longer official.
F. No one with documented malicious, reckless, violent, or threatening behavior while enrolled
at Eckerd College shall be allowed to run for Executive Council.
1. Appeals may be filed with the Student Senate, which may overturn the decision of the
Elections Committee
Section 503 Restrictions of Office
A. Any Executive Council officer may not serve in any other position referred to within the
Constitution with the exception of ex-officio duties.
Section 504 Duties and Powers of the Officers
A. The President shall:
1. Preside over and chair the Executive Council.
2. Uphold and preserve the Constitution of ECOS.
3. Be the principal representative of ECOS in all matters and functions.
4. Appoint various positions, as listed in Article V.
5. Create and fill any position or committee deemed necessary for the general well
being of the ECOS subject to the approval of the Student Senate.
6. Make a State of the ECOS address to the Student Senate twice a semester.
7. Make available applications for all student government and college committees.
8. Remove his/her own appointments subject to approval from the Student Senate.
9. Have the right to veto resolutions of the Student Senate within ten days.
10. Have the right to assume any other Executive Council position in the case of a
temporary absence.
11. Have the right to temporarily appoint any Executive Council position in the case
of a permanent absence until an election can be held.
B. The Executive Vice President shall:
1. Assume the duties of the President in the case of temporary vacancy.
2. Assist the President in the operation and administration of the Executive Branch.
3. Call and preside over all meetings of the Student Senate.
4. Vote in the case of a tie within the Student Senate.
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5. Set the agenda for Senate Meetings in conjunction with the President Pro-tempore
and distribute prior to Senate meetings.
6. Oversee the operation of all the ECOS clubs.
7. Intervene when club leadership is failing.
8. Create and fill any positions necessary for the operation of the clubs or the Student
Senate, subject to Student Senate approval.
9. Determine Committee Assignments for the Senators serving on standing
committees.
C. The Vice President of Academic Affairs shall:
1. Set and submit in writing the academic goals and programs of ECOS each year.
2. Be chairperson of the Academic Affairs Committee
3. Have a vote in the Academic Affairs Committee only in the case
of a tie.
4. Make an address concerning the academic state of the college at least once a
semester to the Student Senate.
5. Keep close association with all academic related committees.
6. Work with the registrar on keeping students updated with academic policies.
7. Be a voting member of the College Program Series Committee.
8. Meet regularly with the Dean of Faculty to discuss academic issues
9. Assume temporary office of the President in the absence of the President and the
Vice-President.
D. The Vice President of Financial Affairs shall:
1. Be chairperson of the Financial Affairs Committee.
2. Be responsible for the creation, management and presentation of all the ECOS
budgets in conjunction with the Financial Affairs Committee.
3. Submit a written report of the financial status of the ECOS during the months of
November and April to the Student Senate.
4. Submit a written report to all clubs and organizations informing them of their
financial status at least twice per semester and upon request.
5. Maintain an accurate record of the funds of the ECOS.
6. Have the authority to inquire about or reject transactions that seem inappropriate.
Appeals may be sent to the Senate for final decision.
7. Act on behalf of the President in the absence of the President, Executive Vice
President, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
E. The Parliamentarian shall:
1. be appointed by the ECOS President in consultation with the Executive Vice
President with the approval of two-thirds of the Student Senate for a term of one
academic year.
2. be chairperson of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee.
3. set the agenda and call all meetings of the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws
Committee.
4. have a vote on the Constitution, Regulation, and Bylaws Committee.
5. be a non-voting member of the Student Senate.
6. ensure that the Student Senate is run according to Parliamentary law.
7. review all documents of ECOS to ensure that they do not limit any powers granted
within the Constitution.
8. serve in advisory capacity to the Executive Council and Student Senate.
a. Advice and decisions made in this capacity shall be recorded and filed in
the heading of deliberations.
b. Deliberations may be challenged by submitting a formal complaint to the
Parliamentarian.
c. Challenge deliberations will be ruled upon by the entire committee.
d. Cases, voted upon by the committee, shall take precedence over
deliberations.
9. the Parliamentarian shall serve autonomously from the President. In the event of
removal the Parliamentarian shall undergo formal impeachment
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procedures.
E. All Executive Council members shall:
1. Be present on campus for two semesters and Autumn Term.
2. Agree upon an Executive Council representative of ECOS during the Summer
Terms.
3. Have a 3.0 or better semester and cumulative GPA subject to the review of the
Elections Committee and the Student Senate.
4. All members shall sign a contract stating that:
a. the Student Senate has the right to be informed of any social misconduct;
b. the definition of social misconduct shall be in correspondence with the EC-
REF.
5. Hold a campus-wide forum to hear student concerns and to report on the status of the
Executive Council.
6. Any member who is found responsible for social misconduct during his/her elected
term shall face the Student Community Standards Board, if deemed necessary by the
Student Senate.
7. Any Executive Council member found responsible for any social misconduct at time
of election or during their elected term shall be referred to the Student Community
Standards Board if deemed necessary by the Student Senate.
8. Serve as student representatives to the Faculty meetings, with voting privileges on all
matters not solely related to Faculty affairs.
Section 505 ECOS Executive Line of Succession
A. ECOS President
1 In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation or removal, the
ECOS Executive Vice President shall assume all duties and responsibilities of
the ECOS President.
B. ECOS Executive Vice President
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation or removal the
President Pro-Tempore of the Student Senate shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of the ECOS Executive Vice President. The Ad-hoc Senator
shall become the President Pro-Tempore.
C. ECOS Vice President of Academic Vice President
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of the Vice President there of.
D. ECOS Vice President of Financial Affairs
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
Assistant to the Vice President of Financial Affairs shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of Vice President there of.
E. ECOS Parliamentarian
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
ECOS President shall appoint a replacement within two weeks of the vacancy,
with the approval of the Student Senate
F. ECOS Secretary
1. In the event of temporary leave of absence, incapacitation, or removal, the
ECOS President shall appoint a replacement within two weeks of the vacancy.
ArticleVI. Presidential Appointments
Section 601 Presidential Appointments
A. All Positions listed in this article are appointed by the President and confirmed by a majority
vote of the Senate.
1. All appointed individuals may be removed from office at the request of the President,
with the approval of the Senate.
2. When appointing the individuals, the President should confer with the previous
occupant of the position.
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3. The Student Senate may officially request the President to remove an appointment
from office if it feels that the individual is not properly completing his or her
responsibilities.
B. The Student Senate may at any point request the presence of an appointed officer at a Senate
meeting.
1. Requests must be made at with at least five days notice.
C. Appointed officers may create a committee if one is not already listed for them to chair and if
they feel that it will help in the completion of their official duties.
D. All positions should aim to be filled, but priority for appointing positions should go towards
heads of standing committees, organizations, and media, as well as those officers who are
members of the Student Senate or Executive Council.
Section 602 Term of Office
A. The term of office of any appointee shall not exceed that of the appointing person(s).
B. Persons appointed by the President-elect prior to the first Monday of May shall begin their
duties at 12:00 noon on May 1st.
C. Persons being appointed after the President has already taken office shall begin their duties
upon being approved by the Student Senate.
Section 603 Duties and Powers of the Officers
A. Historian shall
1. maintain the ECOS archives
2. be familiar with past ECOS legislation, and keep a book of all past ECOS legislation
3. be present at Senate and Executive Council meetings with copies of all past ECOS
legislation to refer to.
4. keep a pictorial history of ECOS and ECOS events
5. work with the yearbook editor to maintain an accurate portrayal of ECOS, or lacking a
yearbook editor, produce a smaller production in his or her stead.
B. Recording Secretary shall
1. take minutes at all Senate and Executive Council meetings
2. be responsible for distributing minutes to senators, exec council members.
C. Director of Communications shall
1. oversee the coordination of the Eckerd media, utilizing EC-TV, WECX, the Triton
and the ECOS Web page as ways to inform the student body.
2. make himself or herself available to all ECOS clubs and organizations to aid in their
advertising efforts.
3. meet regularly with the various media heads (the aforementioned as well as the
yearbook) to receive updates on progress.
a. The Director of Communications may call meetings of all media
heads as deemed necessary.
4. ensure that the highest standards of professionalism are followed by the various
media, and will report any infractions of ethics or unprofessional behavior to the
President.
5. work with the Flush to ensure that students are properly informed.
D. Director of Public Relations shall
1. chair the Public Relations Committee.
2. with the aid of the Public Relations Committee oversee the advertising of all ECOS
sponsored events through non-media forms of advertising including, but not limited to,
sign/poster-making, purchasing tee-shirts for widespread distribution, etc.
3. make himself/herself available as a resource for use by the various ECOS clubs as
well as Palmetto Productions and other standing ECOS organizations
E. Director of Elections shall
1. oversee and run all elections with the aid of the Elections Committee, and help
advertise for all elections in a creative yet professional manner.
2. chair the Elections Committee.
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F. Director of Residential Affairs shall
1. chair the Residential Affairs Committee.
2. act as an open source of dialogue between ECOS and Residence Life, as well as
between ECOS and Facilities.
G. Student Coordinator for Community Standards shall:
1. decide which cases the SCSB shall hear with the Dean of Students or his
representatives.
2. be responsible for all pre-trial procedures including, but not limited to:
a. placing approved cases on the Student Community Standards Board docket.
b. issuing summons to appear before the board.
c. granting postponement of cases, if given justifiable reasons.
d. assigning advocate to cases as a liaison of the board.
3. be responsible for overseeing the administration of each case.
4. be responsible for handling all records of all previous board proceedings to the Office
of Community Standards.
5. be responsible for maintaining office and office equipment
H. Pet Council Chairperson
1. chair the Pet Council
2. work with the ECOS President to fill the voting slots of the Pet Council.
I. Director of Transportation and Safety shall
1. serve as a liaison between ECOS and Campus Safety on matters of importance to
students, holding regular meetings to keep an open source of dialogue.
2. oversee the Yellow Bike Program, creating policies to encourage the responsible use
Yellow Bikes.
a. All policies require Student Senate approval before implementation.
3. work towards a safe college experience for all Eckerd students.
4. oversee the ECOS van.
J. Director of Environmental and Social Responsibility shall
1. seek to find creative ways to improve the environmental and social responsibility of
ECOS in particular and Eckerd College as a whole.
a. All proposals for new policies will be sent to the Student Senate for
approval.
2. serve as an ECOS representative to the following bodies:
a. the faculty Environmental Affairs Committee
b. the Sustainability Campus Task Force
c. any other environmental or socially conscious bodies that
are created in the future
3. overlook Eckerd’s and ECOS’s commitments to the following agreements:
a. the Tailloires Declaration
b. the Workers’ Rights Consortium
c. any other environmental or social treaties or organizations that
Eckerd or ECOS should subscribe to.
4. work with any environmental or social clubs and help them in anyway possible.
K. Director of Health Services shall
1. maintain an open dialogue between ECOS and the Health Center, ensuring that the
Health Center is an accessible and friendly place for students to go.
2. work with the Vice President of Academic Affairs to promote alcohol and sex
awareness weeks.
3. work with any ECOS clubs that have concerns related to health issues
4. oversee EMS and work with them to ensure all of their needs are met.
L. Director of Outdoor Recreation shall
1. Chair the Outdoor Recreation Committee
2. serve as a liaison between ECOS and the Waterfront, promoting interaction between
the two departments
2. serve as a liaison between ECOS and Campus Activities, with a special focus on the
Intramural Program.
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3. put on recreational programs for the Eckerd Community
4. sponsor trips to take advantage of the outdoors outside of Eckerd College.
M. Director of Admissions & Financial Aid shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with admissions in ways the two departments can
cooperate.
2. serve as an ECOS representative to the faculty Admissions Committee.
3. remain up-to-date on all issues related to tuition and financial aid by meeting regularly
with Financial Aid.
N. Director of ECOS-Athletics Relations shall
1. serve as an official liaison between ECOS and athletics.
2. serve on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee as an observer (unless otherwise
serving as a voting member through election by student-athlete peers).
3. serve on the faculty athletics committee as an ECOS representative
O. Director of ECOS-Service Learning shall
1. as an open source of dialogue between ECOS and Service-Learning as well as ECOS
and Campus Ministries, promoting interaction for co-sponsorship of events.
2. work with any service clubs and help them in any way possible.
3. coordinate activities with the service dorm.
P. Director of ECOS-Alumni Relations shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with the office of Alumni Relations in ways the two
departments can cooperate and interact for mutual benefit.
Q. Director of ECOS-ASPEC Relations shall
1. maintain an open dialogue with ASPEC in an effort to enhance the cooperation
between these two entities.
2. serve on the ASPEC-Student Liaison Committee as the ranking student member.
3. serve on the ECOS Academic Affairs Committee, under the Vice President of
Academic Affairs.
R. Executive Director of ECOS Palmetto Productions shall
1. be the chairperson of Palmetto Productions;
2. hold and chair regular meetings of the Student Activities Board;
3. bring ideas and concerns about each committee before the Student Activities Board;
4. offer opinions and ideas regarding other committees to the Student Activities Board.
5. submit a written report of the status of planned student activities to the
Student Senate at least once per semester.
S. Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook shall
1. work towards preserving the memories of every Eckerd College academic year, by
producing a book, cd-rom, dvd, or other similar creation that can be distributed at a fair
price to interested Eckerd College community members.
2. hire, appoint, and oversee all Yearbook staff members
T. Webmaster shall
1. maintain and update the ECOS webpage, to be used for informing students about
upcoming events, ways to get involved, and ways to contact their officers as well as
conducting elections and polls and serving as a community communications device.
2. serve as the student representative on the Computer Policy Committee.
Article VII. STUDENT COMMUNITY STANDARDS BOARD
Section 701 Description
A. The Student Community Standards Board (SCSB), formerly Student Court, is a body of
appointed students who determine a fellow student’s responsibility for violation of the
community standards set forth in the EC-REF.
Section 702 Membership
A. The SCSB shall be composed of the following:
1. Seven students, who shall serve as voting members, at least five of which must hear
any case.
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2. A Student Coordinator for Community Standards (SCCS) who shall vote only in the
case of a tie.
3. Four student advocates.
4. Two clerks.
Section 703 Appointment Procedure
A. All student members of the board shall be nominated by the President-elect and the Student
Coordinator for Community Standards appointee/new SCCS (after approval).
B. All appointments shall be presented to the Student Senate for approval.
Section 704 Procedure
A. The Student Community Standards Board shall provide its own By-Laws for the procedures
of the board and of its Hearing Committee.
B. The By-Laws shall be accepted when approved by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.
C. Five Members shall constitute a quorum.
D. Infractions of community standards may be brought to the attention of the SCSB by any
student, faculty, staff, or administrator of the campus community.
E. If, after proper procedures have been followed, the SCSB determines the student to be
responsible, a recommendation of action shall be made to the Dean of Students.
F. A monthly report will be made to the Executive Council.
1. A list of charges for which a person or persons were found responsible.
2. A list of sanctions given.
3. The report shall never reveal any names or other confidential information.
G. A report shall be given to the Student Senate once each semester.
1. The report to the Student Senate will consist of:
a. A list of charges for which a person or persons were found responsible.
b. A list of sanctions given.
2. The report shall never correlate the charges and the punishments.
3. The report shall never reveal any names or other confidential information.
Section 705 Appeals
A. All appeals will be in accordance with the current EC-REF.
Section 706 Transitional Clause
A. Until a new set of By-laws are approved by the Student Senate, the policies and procedures
under the previous By-laws will be in effect.
Article VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 801 Procedure
A. The most current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the authority for any procedure
not specified in the By-Laws or by this Constitution.
Article IX. CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS
Section 901 Granting Charters
A. The Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws committee is charged the task of chartering new
clubs and organizations.
B. If the Constitution, Regulations, and Bylaws committee deems a club to be providing an
extremely worthwhile service, they may recommend to the Student Senate to amend the
constitution to include said club in this constitution as a standing committee or organization.
C. In order to be granted a charter, a club must:
1. have a faculty or staff sponsor
2. create Bylaws for the order and maintenance of their club
3. have at least two members
4. be open to all members of ECOS
a. Clubs may be open to all members, but screen them out through a fair and
transparent process such as applications or try-outs.
17
5. fill a unique niche in the Eckerd Community
a. Clubs must demonstrate that they do not fill the same role as a pre-existing
club.
Section 902 Renewing Charters
A. The Executive Council shall call for all chartered organizations to submit a request for a one-
year charter renewal.
1. This call shall go out the first week after Spring Break, with at least 2 weeks notice.
B. All chartered organizations must have their charters approved for renewal by the new Student
Senate in order to spend funds after the deadline for submission.
C. Any organization that fails to present a charter for renewal by the widely published deadline
will be able to compete for funding with new clubs in the fall.
D. Standing committees and media do not need to reapply for charter renewal, but can still have
their charters revoked through the below process.
Section 903 Suspending Charters
A. The Student Senate may suspend the charter of any ECOS organization in cases of
misfeasance or malfeasance by a two-thirds vote, thereby freezing the funds of that
organization.
B. A suspension is effective for up to two academic weeks, after which the Student Senate must
make a majority vote to continue the suspension for another two weeks. This may be
continued until the Student Senate fails to vote to continue the suspension.
C. The Student Senate may suspend the charters of any and all clubs and organizations chartered
and funded through ECOS
D. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee may recommend that the Student
Senate suspend charters or organizations pertaining to that committee.
E. The Financial Affairs Committee may recommend to the Constitution, Regulations, and By-
Laws Committee that a club or organization be suspended, through the process explained
previously under Article III, Section 301.
Section 904 Revoking Charters
A. The Student Senate may revoke the charter of any organization by a two-thirds vote. All
funds previously budgeted to the concerned organization will be reallocated into the
Independent and Collaborative Ventures Fund.
B. The Student Senate may not revoke the charter of any organization unless it is under a
suspension that has lasted at least two weeks.
C. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee may initiate action to revoke the
charter of a club or organization by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, which must be upheld by majority
vote of the Student Senate.
D. The Student Senate shall refer any motion to revoke the charter of a club or organization to
the Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws Committee before taking any action, unless the
motion originated within said committee. The Constitution, Regulations, and By-Laws
Committee must meet to make a recommendation within six academic days.
Section 905 Club Intervention
A. If members of a club feel that the leadership of the club is no longer fulfilling their
responsibilities, they may contact the ECOS Executive Vice President.
B. The Executive Vice President will then try to meet with the club leader, and if the Executive
VP determines that said individual is not fulfilling his or her responsibilities, the Exec VP will
hold a public meeting of the club, where only pre-existing members of the club may vote.
C. Club members will vote:
1. Whether or not they need to elect a new leader; and if yes, then
2. Who the new leader should be,
D. The ECOS Executive Vice President will chair the meeting of the club and will decide how the
vote will proceed.
18
Article X. VACANCIES
Section 1001 President
A. In the case of a permanent vacancy for the office of the President, the Vice President shall
assume all duties until special elections are held.
Section 1002 Other Elected Positions
A. Vacancies, which occur in elected positions other than the President, shall be filled by special
elections called and supervised by the Elections Committee.
Section 1003 Appointed Positions
A. Vacancies occurring in appointed positions of the ECOS shall be filled though the same
procedures as the original appointment.
B. In cases where an out-going appointed or elected official is called upon to assist in the
appointment, the current person holding that post shall assist in the appointment.
C. In cases where one President appointed a person, and another person currently holds the
Presidency, the current President has the same authority concerning the appointed person as
did the former President.
Section 1004 Student Community Standards Board
A. Vacancy in the office of the SCCS shall be filled from the existing board by the President.
Vacancy of a SCSB member shall be filled by the ECOS President, subject to the approval of
the Student Senate.
Section 1005 Student Senators
A. A vacancy in the office of Student Senator shall be filled in a special election conducted by
the Elections Committee.
Article XI. RECALL AND IMPEACHMENT
Section 1101 Impeachment
A. Any elected officer or representative of the ECOS shall be subject to charges of impeachment
in cases involving misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance, not to include appointed
officers.
B. A petition stating the name of the person being charged and the charges being brought forth,
after a signed petition by ten percent (10%) of the citizenry, shall be presented to the Student
Community Standards Board.
C. The SCSB shall make judgment on the case in accordance with SCSB proceedings.
Article XII. AMENDMENTS
Section 1201 Proposed Amendments
A. All proposals for amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to the Student Senate by
one of the following:
1. An Executive Council Member
2. A Student Senator
3. The Parliamentarian
4. A Petition signed by no less than one hundred students.
B. After discussion and debate, a vote shall be held in the Student Senate. If it receives majority
support, the proposed amendment must go up for public discussion.
1. The ECOS media, Directors of Communications, Public Relations, and Elections must
advertise the proposed amendments.
2. After a period of no less than two weeks, the proposed amendments must return to the
Senate in a public forum attended by the Executive Council members.
Section 1202 Approval of Amendments
A. Amendments must be approved by the Student Senate and the Executive Council.
B. A vote shall be held in the aforementioned public forum that is widely advertised ahead of
time.
19
C. If quorum of both bodies is achieved, the vote goes ahead.
D. If a single member of the Executive Council votes against, OR if more than one Senator votes
against, the amendment fails.
E. If all Executive Council members vote in favor or abstain, and if no more than one Student
Senator votes against, the amendment passes and becomes part of the official constitution.
Section 1203 Amending the Constitution
A. Upon being approved by ECOS, all amendments will be placed chronometrically at the end of
this Constitution, with the first one numbered Amendment 1, the second Amendment 2, and
so on.
B. The original constitution and any subsequent versions shall always be accessible through
archives
Official Constitution (07/01/2007)
Valid only with the below signatures
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Dolphin Fable
Delores the dolphin has always been different.
She never felt completely right.
While, her friends would talk about boys and makeup,
She would swim quietly with her mouth shut tight.
Do not get me wrong she thought boys were cute,
And they made cool friends.
She just could see her young dolphin life,
Tied down to one of them.
She did envision herself having a life partner
One to share her days with
But it was not a stranger or a boy
It was her friend Lilith.
Her family did not see it.
Her family did not know
Her little secret she kept to herself
Until she felt like she was going to blow
She admitted to herself and her friend
That she liked dolphin girls
Next came the parents, they reacted bad
She was treated as if she was from a different world.
Spurned, Alone, and seeking advice
Delores found inner strength to do what was right
She began to campaign and speak out
She should not be treated differently. She began to fight.
Delores found dolphins from other pods,
That believed as she did.
She wanted to be treated equal.
And have a say or bid.
Prejudices rained down on her from all over.
Her pod of believers were hurt.
Through laws and hate from other dolphins,
They were looked at like less than dir.t
To this day Delores and her group,
In Tampa bay, swim and protest,
To try to stop the hate and the scorn.
They aim to stop the unrest.
She never felt completely right.
While, her friends would talk about boys and makeup,
She would swim quietly with her mouth shut tight.
Do not get me wrong she thought boys were cute,
And they made cool friends.
She just could see her young dolphin life,
Tied down to one of them.
She did envision herself having a life partner
One to share her days with
But it was not a stranger or a boy
It was her friend Lilith.
Her family did not see it.
Her family did not know
Her little secret she kept to herself
Until she felt like she was going to blow
She admitted to herself and her friend
That she liked dolphin girls
Next came the parents, they reacted bad
She was treated as if she was from a different world.
Spurned, Alone, and seeking advice
Delores found inner strength to do what was right
She began to campaign and speak out
She should not be treated differently. She began to fight.
Delores found dolphins from other pods,
That believed as she did.
She wanted to be treated equal.
And have a say or bid.
Prejudices rained down on her from all over.
Her pod of believers were hurt.
Through laws and hate from other dolphins,
They were looked at like less than dir.t
To this day Delores and her group,
In Tampa bay, swim and protest,
To try to stop the hate and the scorn.
They aim to stop the unrest.
Timed Writing
My project three was about homosexual rights and same-sex marriage. I discussed the different aspects and avenues of the topic by giving the history of marriage, precedents that were started in history, the status quo, separation of church and state, and other tidbits of information. Everything was centered on the belief that homosexuals are humans and citizens too and thus should have the same opportunities afforded to them.
Along with my paper, I created a blog and wrote to companies that were against my stance for homosexual rights. The blog afforded me the opportunity to voice my opinion and inform the masses of people who decide to read it. The letters were written in such a way to ask the view of anti-homosexual activists. I asked them why shouldn’t their fellow countryman get the same rights, as they should. What makes them better? I also brought up contradictions in their by-laws or principles that they do not uphold. I find that getting a different opinion on the same topic can attribute to my learning and understanding.
The next step is outreach. I plan to author a fable for middle school children that will essentially teach them that being different is fine. Also that condemning or ostracizing a person for who they choose to love is wrong. I want the children of tomorrow to learn to be tolerant of others and accept people for their differences. Groups of anti-homosexual activists only produce prejudice and hate and the world does not need more of that.
All in all, I hope that each avenue that I discussed will be effective in teaching and enlightening others to their actions and their prejudices. To become a tolerant people education and knowledge is a must and that is what I hopefully was effective in doing.
Along with my paper, I created a blog and wrote to companies that were against my stance for homosexual rights. The blog afforded me the opportunity to voice my opinion and inform the masses of people who decide to read it. The letters were written in such a way to ask the view of anti-homosexual activists. I asked them why shouldn’t their fellow countryman get the same rights, as they should. What makes them better? I also brought up contradictions in their by-laws or principles that they do not uphold. I find that getting a different opinion on the same topic can attribute to my learning and understanding.
The next step is outreach. I plan to author a fable for middle school children that will essentially teach them that being different is fine. Also that condemning or ostracizing a person for who they choose to love is wrong. I want the children of tomorrow to learn to be tolerant of others and accept people for their differences. Groups of anti-homosexual activists only produce prejudice and hate and the world does not need more of that.
All in all, I hope that each avenue that I discussed will be effective in teaching and enlightening others to their actions and their prejudices. To become a tolerant people education and knowledge is a must and that is what I hopefully was effective in doing.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Outline Fable
Fable Moral: Homosexuals are humans too
Main Characters: Dolphins
Setting: Tampa Bay
Plot:
Dolphin with family a little different
Dolphin at school not like others
Boys like her but she is not in to mating
Family Pushing her to mate but she is making excuses
She realizes why
She admits to friend then family
Ostracized from community
Does not deter her
Main Characters: Dolphins
Setting: Tampa Bay
Plot:
Dolphin with family a little different
Dolphin at school not like others
Boys like her but she is not in to mating
Family Pushing her to mate but she is making excuses
She realizes why
She admits to friend then family
Ostracized from community
Does not deter her
Thursday, November 29, 2007
God Hates Fags Letter
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
God Hates Fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you believe that homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them and that sodomites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. No disrespect, but I think that your views on homosexuality are very outrageous.
First homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them. That is the same as saying Christians are Christians because God hates them or Americans are Americans because God hates them. This argument makes no sense and has no basis. To be honest, this statement cannot be backed or corroborated by anything.
Second, sodomoites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. Sodmomy is defined as sexual intercourse between members of the opposite sex as well as the same sex. This statement applies to everyone. There is nothing in that statement that would indicate that God hates homosexuals. Where did this assumption come from? Why do these trumped up beliefs stop homosexuals from marrying?
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
God Hates Fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you believe that homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them and that sodomites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. No disrespect, but I think that your views on homosexuality are very outrageous.
First homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them. That is the same as saying Christians are Christians because God hates them or Americans are Americans because God hates them. This argument makes no sense and has no basis. To be honest, this statement cannot be backed or corroborated by anything.
Second, sodomoites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. Sodmomy is defined as sexual intercourse between members of the opposite sex as well as the same sex. This statement applies to everyone. There is nothing in that statement that would indicate that God hates homosexuals. Where did this assumption come from? Why do these trumped up beliefs stop homosexuals from marrying?
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Concerned Women of America Letter
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you support God-given right to express beliefs without fear of persecution, the belief that the best place for a child is a man and women household, the belief that homosexuals cannot command that marriage should be solemnized and subsidized under law, and that homosexual relationships are not equally essential to society’s survival. I am aware that the Concerned Women for America organization stands for many good principles but some of them like the ones above are contradictive or cannot be supported.
First, the fact you support God given right to express should extend to all people. Homosexuals are included and should not fear persecution. Second, not to be rude, but a homosexual household is not worse than a heterosexual household. Would you rather place a child in an abusive household that has a mother and a father than in a homosexual household? Why stop a child from living in a household rather than a foster care center?
Third, your organization believes that homosexuals cannot command marriage rights and financial rights. Why not? Heterosexual couples demand their rights. Are homosexuals not citizens, equal, or even human? Lastly, how can your organization say that homosexual relationships are not essential? Every person’s happiness affects society. If mass amounts of people are not happy, people tend to get rebellious and think about rendering the status quo. Denying marriage to American citizens based on a religious moral is against American principles.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you support God-given right to express beliefs without fear of persecution, the belief that the best place for a child is a man and women household, the belief that homosexuals cannot command that marriage should be solemnized and subsidized under law, and that homosexual relationships are not equally essential to society’s survival. I am aware that the Concerned Women for America organization stands for many good principles but some of them like the ones above are contradictive or cannot be supported.
First, the fact you support God given right to express should extend to all people. Homosexuals are included and should not fear persecution. Second, not to be rude, but a homosexual household is not worse than a heterosexual household. Would you rather place a child in an abusive household that has a mother and a father than in a homosexual household? Why stop a child from living in a household rather than a foster care center?
Third, your organization believes that homosexuals cannot command marriage rights and financial rights. Why not? Heterosexual couples demand their rights. Are homosexuals not citizens, equal, or even human? Lastly, how can your organization say that homosexual relationships are not essential? Every person’s happiness affects society. If mass amounts of people are not happy, people tend to get rebellious and think about rendering the status quo. Denying marriage to American citizens based on a religious moral is against American principles.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
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