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IGC Student Council Charter

Institute for Global Citizenship Student Council (IGCSC) Charter
Macalester College
Original Document: September 2007
Reviewed Most Recently: February 2010

Council Charter

IGC Mission to encourage, promote and support rigorous learning that prepares students for lives as effective and ethical “global citizen-leaders”; innovative scholarship that enriches the public and academic discourse on important issues of global significance; and meaningful service that enhances such learning and/or scholarship while enriching the communities within which Macalester is embedded.

IGC Student Council Mission is to support the vision of the IGC by empowering Macalester students to engage with others in exploring meaningful understandings and expressions of global citizenship. Together with Macalester faculty, staff and alumni we seek to inspire visions and actions for a more ethical and just world.

The IGCSC serves as a planning committee for student-initiated projects, a source for student initiatives and representation in the IGC programs and committees, and a vehicle for an exchange of ideas and information among the IGC leadership, students and the college at large.

Article 1) Membership and Meeting

  1. The Student Council will consist of no more than 12 members each year.
  2. It will be composed in part of standing representatives nominated by students or faculty and staff and confirmed by the bodies they represent. Representatives may include one member from the following (in no particular order):
    • IGC
    • 2 First Years
    • Macalester College Student Government
    • Department of Multicultural Life
    • Residential Life/RHA
    • Multifaith Council
    • International Student Programs (or International Student)
    • Athletics/SAAC
    • Cultural or Political Org
  3. Should a council member resign from their role, procedure number 2 shall be applied to selecting a new member to fill their position.
  4. The Council will seek to appoint two first year members each year.
  5. Remaining council members will be considered at-large.
  6. Returning members may study abroad and remain part of the council for their semester at school, but new members must be present for a full year.
  7. While the Student Council has no term limits, if the council is oversized and still does not have all required representatives, at-large members will be asked to step down.
  8. Members must reapply to the Student Council each year. Their applications will be read by the Council’s advisors, who may ask a returning council member to step down, consulting other council members as they see fit. The reapplication process must occur before new member applications are sent out. Once reapplication is complete, the Council will meet to determine what positions are filled and what needs to be filled for the upcoming year. Information on positions needing to be filled will be made public in new member applications.
  9. All members have the right to participate, and all council decisions are made by consensus.
  10. No formal decision-making procedure can take place on the first meeting of the year (so that all members can participate in the first vote).
  11. Continuity in attendance is an expectation for all members. Members are expected to notify the entire council before missing a meeting. If there is prior notice for significant circumstances, the council can exempt this member from the attendance requirement. Below are criteria for absences and removal.
    1. If a member has more than 3 unexcused absences the member will be asked to step down.
    2. If a member misses more than three meetings (with excuses), the Council may consult with the advisors and ask the member to step down with a consensus vote.
    3. Any council member asked t step down for these reasons is welcome to reapply for the following year.
  12. The Council shall meet for one hour biweekly while school is in session.
  13. Given that council decision frequently carry over from first semester into second, council membership will remain consistent throughout the year with the exception of returning members coming back from study abroad.
  14. Members will have the responsibility to engage with all campus groups to solidify membership nomination plans. As membership is renewed each semester, this schema will not continue in perpetuity when those bodies to which the membership seats are allocated pursue the allocated spots.

Article 2) Member Duties

The council consists of 12 roles, 5 leadership roles and 7 ambassador/Live It! Roles.

Leadership Roles:

  • Chair – Provides direction for weekly meetings. Plans council retreats in Fall an Spring. Provides introductory materials for new members. Serves as primary facilitator for Council meetings and for the LIF meetings (and should remain objective/neutral in LIF decision process). Manages Council email account.
  • Secretary – duties include careful note taking of every meeting and sending minutes to email list. If a meeting is missed the minute taker shall be responsible for finding a replacement in advance. Duties also include keeping attendance, keeping track of which bodies are represented, and working with representative groups to ensure participation.
  • Treasurer – duties include managing funds, signatory power, and keeping the council updated on the status of monetary resources.
  • Publicity Coordinator—leads the effort to promote Student Council programming on campus through various publicity methods.Develops Council branding (logos, etc.)
  • Live it! Coordinator Manages communication between the Council and the IGC staff (esp. Jody) about LIF logistics like ESA grant and finances. Helps facilitate communication between different LIF roles.

Live it! Roles:

  • Open house coordinator
  • Wrap-up coordinator (presentations, reports – for the returning recipients that semester)
  • Application coordinator (editing it, making it live, collecting them and organizing for the group)
  • Decision meeting coordinator (scheduling, organizing traffic lights, facilitating meetings)
  • Letters coordinator (updating and personalizing them, sending them out wth all attachments)
  • Workshop coordinator (scheduling and running)
  • Blog coordinator (making accounts, explaining, monitoring)
  • All positions will be formally approved by the members through a voting procedure. Interested parties may nominate themselves for one of the 5 leadership positions. Should a volunteer not set up, a nomination process should proceed. Nominees may refuse nominations.
  • Ambassadors to the IGC will be volunteer-based and formally approved by the members.

Article 3) Quorum, Decision Making, and Amending the Charter

  • Quorum will be attained if 70% of the IGCSC membership is present.
  • Decision-making will be made by unanimous consent and all members will be part of the decision-making process. If unanimous consent cannot be achieved, decisions will be made by a supermajority (75% of the votes).
  • Members may vote for, against, or abstain during any movement and shall maintain the respect of other members.
  • All meetings shall be public and subsequently all movements shall be open to suggestions. The charter will be amended by unanimous consent, or failing that by a hyper-majority (80% of the votes).

Article 4) Relationship with the IGC

  1. The Student Council shall liaise between the student body and the IGC. The IGCSC will communicate with other departments, and will contribute to events and programs where possible or requested, and provide student feedback whenever applicable.
  2. The Student Council affirms its agency and collective responsibility with other IGC bodies in advancing global citizenship through the Institute. The IGCSC has equal voice to other relevant bodies of the Institute in jointly defining, advancing and supporting global citizenship at Macalester College.
  3. In the spirit of collaboration, and where appropriate, all major decisions made by the IGC shall be discussed with the Student Council prior to implementation, and the Student Council will give feedback and recommendations. Likewise, appropriate, substantive decisions made by the Student Council will be discussed with all representatives within the IGC prior to implementation. The IGC bodies will be able to comment and advise changes before the Student Council makes a final decision.
  • The student council shall have a discretionary fund accessible to them from the Dean of the IGC. This fund is intended to pilot initiatives and other independent student projects that further the mission of the IGC. Advisors will work with the council to ensure that this fund is spent in accordance with the goals and visions of the Institute and the policies of the college.

Article 5) Sunset Clause

  1. Amendments to this charter shall be approved in accordance to decision-making process in Article 3.
  2. This charter shall be reviewed and revised on a yearly basis, or when absolutely necessary as specified in Article 3.

Note:  Regularly attending = attend at least three times a month, cannot miss back-to-back. Attendance will be tracked in the meeting notes.