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Constitution

HKIS SENATE CONSTITUTION

Mission Statement of the Constitution for the HKIS Senate
Promoting student rights, upholding the spirit of HKIS, celebrating happiness

Preamble
In order to enhance the educational experience provided by the Hong Kong International School, we have endeavored to create a government that shall represent all aspects of student interest and concern. By providing a forum whereby students have the opportunity to voice their opinions, we encourage effective and responsible action in response to school issues and are dedicated to fulfilling the school's mission statement.

I. PURPOSE

The Senate is a student task force providing:

  1. A forum for the discussion of student body issues and a place in which resolutions officially stating the Senate position on these issues are passed;
  2. Standing and temporary committees for the creative solutions of student body issues.
  3. Proposals to the high school students, faculty, administration and various high school boards and committees representing the student body either directly through student body referendum, or indirectly, through the resolution system.

It is recognized that the final authority for the school operation rests with the Board of Managers, who yield responsibilities to the administration and faculty and, in turn, to the students in order to achieve the most effective educational environment possible.

II. FUNCTION

The Senate will manage the organization and coordination of all student government activities throughout the academic year. It will work to improve the overall program of the high school and it will seek out new opportunities for student leadership and involvement in the high school. The Senate will perform these functions through the following specific means:

  1. Evaluating school rules by submitting resolutions to the necessary branches of government.
  2. Communicating with faculty through appointed departments with special liaisons assigned on a need basis.
  3. Keeping the student body informed of all clubs and extra-curricular activities, social organizations, and the workings of the Senate.
  4. Evaluating and approving new clubs and reevaluating existing clubs on a regular basis through the Student Life Committee.
  5. Providing funds to clubs and charities after the submission of a resolution.
  6. Working with the administration to schedule activities.
  7. Assisting the Ambassador Board in its management of student orientation.
  8. Managing other matters pertaining to the school community and academic affairs that are brought to the attention of the Senate.
  9. Taking positions and making proposals regarding the school curriculum, which includes (but is not limited to) the courses, extracurricular programs of an academic nature as well as the proposals from the faculty.
  10. Taking positions and making proposals regarding the instructional process, including approaches by teachers and materials used.
  11. Coordinating extracurricular academic programs as requested by the faculty.
  12. Providing opportunities for student leadership.
  13. Initiating and coordinating all student government elections.
  14. Creating subcommittees on a need basis.
  15. Altering its structure and function on a need basis.
  16. Working in conjunction with the school administration as the need arises.

III. PROCEDURES AND OPERATIONS

The Senate consists of:

Student Senators

Presiding Officer

  1. The Presiding Officer will preside over the Senate and is elected by the student body. He or she will set the agendas for and preside over the Senate meetings. He or she does not have a vote in the Senate except in the case of a tie. He or she must have scheduled meetings with the High School Administration and Principal thereof.
  2. He or she will deliver a State of the School Address every quarter.

School Senators

Students will run for a Senate position on a topical platform and will preside over councils:

Councils
It is intended that these councils may change from year to year and will be subject to review before the Senate elections:

  • Academic Life
  • Athletics and Interim/Travel
  • Discipline
  • Student Life
  • Public Relations

IV. SPECIFIC JOB DESCRIPTIONS FOR THE SENATORS

  1. Academic Life Senator
    2.  - The role of the Academic Life Senator is to create a council where issues concerning academics can be discussed. Issues concerning scheduling, exams, academic warnings, as well as specific department related concerns and queries will be discussed and reviewed by this council. The Senator of Academic Life will attend the Department Heads meetings.

  2. Athletics and Interim/Travel Senator
    3. - The role of the Athletics and Interim/Travel Senator is to create a council where issues concerning athletics and travel can be discussed. Issues concerning Interim, tournaments, Mok Cup, teams, and travel policies would be discussed and reviewed by this council. The senator of Athletics and Interim/Travel will sit on the Travel Board and Interim Board meetings.

  3. Discipline Senator
    4. - The role of the Discipline Senator is to create a council where issues involving discipline, conduct issues, and behavior related concerns can be discussed. This council will be responsible for addressing discipline issues concerning policy, implementation, procedure, and outcomes. The Senator of Discipline will sit on the Site Council.

  4. Student Life Senator
    5. - The role of the Student Life Senator is to create a council where issues concerning student life can be discussed. This council will be responsible for assemblies, school spirit related activities, dances, fundraisers, etc. This council will also be a club review council. As needed, new club proposals will be evaluated throughout the year, presenting applications to the council. Existing clubs will submit periodical reports about their particular activities. The Senator of Student Life will sit on the Site Council.

  5. Public Relations Senator
    6. - The role of the Public Relations Senator is to create a council where issues concerning public relations can be discussed. This council will be involved in the very crucial step of informing the community of the business of the Senate. In order to effectively communicate with the entire community, the council will be responsible for the visual and written communication for all of the councils. All publications and presentations from the Senate to the community will pass through the Public Relations council.

V. CLASS SENATORS

  1. Each class elects a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer by simple majority vote.
  2. Class officers will be full voting members of the Student Senate and voice their classes' opinions in that forum.

VI. SECRETARY AND TREASURER

  1. The Secretary and Treasurer of the Senate will be appointed by the Student Senators in the beginning of the year of administration.
  2. Those interested in these positions must apply through an application process decided by the Senate.
  3. Secretary and Treasurer do not have votes in the Senate meetings.

VII. MEETINGS

  1. The members of the Senate will meet according to a pre-determined schedule distributed by the Presiding Officer at the beginning of the year. The Senators may call special meetings with one school day notice by agenda for cause as determined by their discretion. Attendance will be mandatory.
  2. The debates held within the meeting will be based on resolutions. These will either be submitted by individuals or by the appropriate councils. They are line numbered, and include the name of the submitter(s), and the question being resolved. These resolutions will consist of two parts: Informative clauses and Operative clauses. Informative Clauses bring to light information pertinent to the issue. Operative Clauses are direct calls for action. Refer to Resolution System Document for further details.
  3. All business and meetings will be conducted based on the Senate protocol as determined by the Senate members.
  4. Other students, faculty, and parents are encouraged to attend all plenary Senate meetings as non-voting members.
  5. If a Senator misses 3 or more meetings, the matter shall be referred to the School Senators for deliberation. The School Senators shall then decide to take appropriate action, ranging from issuing the student a warning to beginning impeachment proceedings.

VIII. FACULTY ADVISOR

  1. One faculty advisor works closely with the Senate.
  2. The faculty advisor attends all Senate meetings but does not have a vote.

IX. HOMEROOM REPRESENTATIVES

  1. Each homeroom will appoint a representative and an alternate representative who will act in the absence of the appointed representative.
  2. Homeroom representatives are not members of the Senate and are only called upon by the Senate when needed.
  3. Class Officers preside over the homeroom representatives and can ask them to participate in class activities.

X. SENATE VOTING PROCEDURES

  1. All members of the Senate have on vote each, except for the Presiding Officer, Secretary, Treasurer, and Faculty Representative.
  2. In the event of a tie vote, the Presiding Officer will cast a vote to break the tie.
  3. The Presiding Officer shall decide which matters require a simple majority and which ones require a 2/3 majority of those voting. This shall be done prior to the vote.
  4. On major matters concerning the whole student body, the Senate, by 3/4 vote may elect to send the resolution for final action to the whole student body for a vote, determined by simple majority of the student body voting.
  5. In the event that a member of the Senate leaves HKIS during the year, a new election for that position will be held.
  6. For a vote to be binding, a quorum of 2/3 of the voting Senators must be present for the vote.

XI. ELECTION PROCEDURES

  1. Students currently attending Hong Kong International High School who will return for the following school year are eligible to run for School Senate office and the position of the Presiding Officer.
  2. Students currently attending Hong Kong International School are eligible to run for Class Senate office.
  3. A student may only run for one position in the Senate.
  4. School Senators and the Presiding Officer will be elected by the entire student body at the end of the previous school year.
  5. Class Senators will be elected by the class during the spring term of each school year, that is, with terms beginning at the onset of the next school year.
  6. Students who are put on disciplinary warning or disciplinary probation during an election period are prohibited from running for School Senate or Class Senate Office.
  7. The impeachment process shall begin immediately for any member of the Senate who is put on Disciplinary Warning or Disciplinary Probation. The deans should report to the Presiding Officer when a Senator is put on Disciplinary Warning or Disciplinary Probation.
  8. The School Senators and Presiding Officer do not start their term until the new school year.
  9. Senators will be elected by a simple majority of total votes cast by the constituency.
  10. Each class will elect four Class Senators: a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
  11. Ballots after each election must be kept for a month by the Associate Principal - Student Life in the case of any discrepancies.

XII. IMPEACHMENT

Should any person wish to impeach any member of the Senate, a petition stating his/her grievances and bearing the signatures of 1/3 of the Senators will be required. The issue will then be decided by the student body with 2/3 of the total possible votes necessary for removal.

XIII. AMENDMENTS

The following requirements are prerequisite to amending the Constitution:

  1. Placing the amendments on the agenda of two Senate meetings not more than two months apart.
  2. Securing a majority vote of those voting at the first meeting and 2/3 vote at the second.
  3. Submitting the amendment to the student body for approval by a simple majority of those voting.