Student Government

How to Form an Organization

1. Create your constitution and bylaws: You can do this before you have all of your members or after you have your leadership team created. If you need assistance a student life worker, or administrator will be happy to assist you.
2. All registered student organizations must provide one representative to the Student Government Association general assembly meetings; this can be a dual role with another position.
3. Find an advisor: An advisor can be a faculty member, administrator, or college staff member. An advisor serves as a form of guidance to the student organization and a liaison between the student organization and student life. The advisor is in place to support the student organization in their events, meetings, community service, etc. 
4. Complete a 30 day probationary period: After 30 days of positive influence on campus your student organization will be accepted or rejected by Jackson College Student Government. Once approved you are an official Registered Student Organization, eligible for funding and support from the Office of Student Life.

Student Government Constitution

Article I: Name

We shall call this organization the Jackson College Student Government created to serve the Jackson College Student Association (JCSA). All registered Jackson College students are members of JCSA.

Article II: Mission

We, the Jackson College Student Government, serve as the official representative voice for the students who attend Jackson College. We exist to advocate for and empower all members of our student body. We uphold the mission, vision, and values of our institution, providing a supportive experience for all Jackson learners as they identify

and achieve their educational goals. We strive to promote student policy that addresses the interests, needs, and welfare of all Jackson students.

Article III: Membership

Student government representatives will be appointed by way of application completion, interview process, and an extensive review of academic and behavioral history here at Jackson College, completed by the selection committee. The selection committee is composed of Student Life Coordinator and the current SGA Board at the given time of selection. The student representatives of JC Student Government shall be selected by the Director of Student

Life or his/her designee. The representatives selected will be called to uphold the mission of JC Student Government. JCSG holds the responsibility of advocating for recognized student organizations, campus housing, athletics, and more. All JC student organizations will be represented at all formal JC Student Government meetings. Student organizations will provide one representative to attend meetings and provide input on the operations of JC Student Government. This designee will hold rights to voting while representing the best interest of their student organization. JCSG reserves the right to accept or reject programming from student organizations that require Student Life funding.

Article IV: Roles

President

• Execute the provisions of the JCSG Constitution and By-Laws
• Call and preside over meetings of the JCSG
• Submit to the JCSG’s budget for the upcoming year
• Veto acts of JCSG if deemed necessary
• Review documents kept by the Secretary/Parliamentarian and Treasurer.
• Perform as primary student representative to administrators, faculty and staff.
• Willing to represent students at various college committee meetings.
• Attend Jackson College Board of Trustees’ meetings and update the Jackson College community on JCSG’s business and activities

Vice President/ Parliamentarian

• Execute the duties and powers of the President in his/her absence
• Exercise the JCSG’s executive member right to vote
• Attend all meetings and activities as scheduled (no more than two unexcused absences)
• Coordinate with all necessary departments in the execution of planned events or initiatives accepted by JCSG
• Ensure that parliamentary rules are being followed and that proper procedures are being used during all meeting motions.
• Take an active lead role in planning campus activities and delegate tasks for such

Treasurer

• Serve as responding and corresponding Treasurer of JCSG
• Exercise the JCSG’s executive member right to vote
• Maintain records of expenditures made by JCSG and monies collected at JCSG events
• Attend all meetings and activities as scheduled (no more than two unexcused absences)
• Establish and maintain audit system for JCSG
• Provide financial reports for all JCSG meetings/ presentations as necessary
• Deposit all money donated/raised for SGA within 24 hours into the proper account (Y20).
• Manage all budget proposals (staying within the budget planned at the beginning of the academic year).

• Coordinate with the Jackson College Foundation Office to seek donations or financial gain opportunities to aid JCSG either directly or indirectly

Secretary

• Exercise the JCSG’s executive member right to vote
• Attend all meetings and activities as scheduled (no more than two unexcused absences)
• Responsible for taking minutes at all meetings and distributing them via email within one week to JCSG’s president and advisor
• Create a contact list of all Student Government Officers, and executive council members. Make this list available to all students
• Implement a sign-in sheet for all meetings and events.
• Keep and make available to the Student Government a permanent record of the Constitution of the JCSG
• Work with Marketing Coordinator to publish all pertinent acts and decisions of the Student Government in the JCSG Newsletter or web page following approval of the advisor
• Ensure that parliamentary rules are being followed and that proper procedures are being used during all meeting motions
• Work with Volunteer Coordinator to keep record of any and all forms signed by JCSG officers

Marketing Coordinator

• Exercise the JCSG’s executive member right to vote
• Attend all meetings and activities as scheduled (no more than two unexcused absences)
• Assess campus culture, attitudes, and needs by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data (this includes surveys after JCSG events and event attendance) as well as actively recruit student participation in JCSG events
• Act as a liaison between JCSG and the marketing department
• Create advertisements for JCSG events as well as take photos at events and share them with marketing
• Coordinating with the marketing department of Jackson College or outside advertising agencies, in creating advertising materials for scheduled events, student government initiatives or vacancy
• Update JCSG and Student Life portions of the Jackson College website

Volunteer Coordinator

• Exercise the JCSG’s executive member right to vote
• Attend all meetings and activities as scheduled (no more than two unexcused absences)
• Assess community culture, attitudes, and needs by collecting both qualitative and quantitative data
• Coordinate and/or plan community volunteer opportunities for JCSG members and JCSA. This includes communicating dates, times, and locations for events as well as coordinating transportation with the JCSG Advisor.
• Plan volunteer opportunities on Jackson College’s campuses for JCSG members and the JCSA. This includes coordinating through proper routes and departments to ensure procedure is followed.
• Ensure proper procedure is taken and forms are filled out by JCSG members and the JCSA and collected for any off-campus events and given to the Secretary for filing.
• Ensure proper forms are filled out and filed with the Student Conduct Officer
• Assist student organizations with the set-up of their events when requested

Advisor

• An eligible advisor is defined as: any faculty member, administrator, or staff member who agrees to advise a registered student organization. This advisor shall abide by the advisor duties set out by the office of Student Life.

Article V: Succession of Office

• Succession for the Office of President shall be in the following order:
  • Vice President
  • A member of the General Assembly chosen by a two-thirds vote of members of the General Assembly present.
• If the Office of Vice President is vacant, the President shall nominate a new Vice President to be confirmed or rejected by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly members present.

Article VI: Records

Jackson College Student Government must keep complete, typed notes from every regular and non-scheduled JCSG meeting.

Rules

JCSG members/officers must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and they must hold a minimum part time student status which is designated as six college undergraduate credits (or 3 in the summer semester). In the event that a JCSG member/officer does not maintain the cumulative GPA of 2.5 requirement, that member/officer will be deemed on academic probation. Academic probation allows the JCSG member/officer one semester of active enrollment to obtain the GPA of 2.5 requirement. If the JCSG member is not able to obtain a GPA of 2.5 during their academic probation period they will be removed from the council. Should any member/officer’s cumulative GPA fall below a 1.5, they will be immediately dismissed from their position with student government forgoing the probationary semester.

Grounds for Removal

• Poor Attendance
• Failure to exemplify good academic and/or behavioral standing
• Failure to complete designated tasks
• Failure to represent Jackson College Student Government in a respectable manner.
• JCSG members/officers must be in good disciplinary standing with Jackson College at their time of appointment and the duration of their appointment. Level II or III allegations which a member/officer has been found responsible for by Jackson College Judicial Board will result in automatic removal from the council and/or denial of application.

Parliamentary meetings and voting

JCSG shall exercise voting rights in acceptance or rejection of student organization’s request for Student Life funds. Requests will be reviewed at student government meetings.

Amendments to the Constitution

Any JCSG Executive Council member may suggest an amendment to the constitution during the closed executive session before the general assembly. Amendments must be submitted to the JCSG Advisor at least forty-eight hours before the meeting the member suggesting wishes to discuss the amendment. Amendments will then be handed over to the President at the start of the Executive Council meeting for discussion. After discussion, the President will lead a vote

in which they will abstain from. A majority vote in favor of the amendment must happen in order for it to be added to the constitution. From the day this amendment is added, it goes into effect.

Meetings

Executive Council

This meeting shall be held before the Student Government General Assembly. All executive board members and the JCSG advisor shall be present to discuss officer reports and general updates. All JCSG executive members are expected to be on time to meetings unless communicated to the other board members and advisor beforehand. Tardiness to any meeting will result in a point. Three points will result in the officer being placed on probation until the end of the current semester.

General Assembly

This meeting shall be held after the executive council. All executive board members, JCSG, student organization representatives, and any members of the student body shall be present. Requests from student organizations, officer reports, and general updates will be discussed.

Revised November 2025