CONSTITUTION OF THE STUDENT/FACULTY
SENATE OF THE BUSH SCHOOL

Preamble

We, the students, faculty, and administrators of Bush's Upper School, in order to communicate effectively, bring about a greater representation to all, and to promote the general welfare of the school according to its principles and values, hereby endorse this constitution for the Bush School.

ARTICLE I
This organization shall be known as the Student/Faculty Senate of the Bush Upper School. It shall consist of one representative body the Student Faculty Senate of the Upper School.

ARTICLE II
Section A: Membership

  1. The Senate shall be composed of six faculty members and six students who shall each serve for one academic year.
  2. Any Upper School student is eligible to be elected to the Senate.
  3. Any Upper School faculty member on at least one-quarter time contract shall be eligible to be elected to the Senate, except for the Upper School Head and Head of School.
Section B: Officers
The Senate shall elect from among its members a chair, vice-chair, and a secretary to serve for one academic year.
  1. The chair shall preside over all meetings of the Senate.
  2. In the absence of the chair, the vice-chair shall preside.
  3. If the chair is a member of the faculty, the vice-chair shall be a student. If the chair is a student, the vice chair shall be a faculty member.
  4. The secretary shall keep a journal of all proceedings and written statements received by the Sanate and shall publish the proceedings at least once per academic term. The votes of each member shall be entered into the journal and be made public. Action minutes shall also be published following all Senate meetings.
  5. At least once per academic term the Senate officers shall moderate an all-Upper School meeting to discuss issues before the Senate and the school in general.
Section C: Meetings
The Senate shall meet regularly on a weekly basis at an established time. Special Sessions may be called at the discretion of the chair or when half of the Senate members submit a written request to the chair. For a vote to be valid, a majority of the faculty and a majority of the student members must both be present.

ARTICLE III
Section A: Powers
The powers of the Senate shall be as follows:

  1. To consider and vote on any referendum presented by a member of the Upper School student body or faculty and take appropriate action
  2. To serve as an advisory body to the Head of School, Upper School Head, and Class Deans.
  3. To review the Policies of the Community Conduct Code for the Upper School student body, revise the policies when necessary and make the appropriate changes in the Student Handbook.
  4. To review the curriculum and make recommendations to the appropriate departments of the Upper School faculty.
  5. To recommend faculty candidates to the Head of School and Head of the Upper School to serve as Class Deans.
  6. To promote the participation of students on committees whenever possible.
Section B: Voting
  1. Passage of all referenda and other votes shall be by simple majority. The Head of the Upper School can break ties.
  2. Both the majority and dissenting views of the Senate shall be written and circulated on all referenda. If at least three Senate members deem it necessary, these views shall be presented orally to the Upper School faculty and students. The writing and presentation of the majority and dissenting views shall rotate through the whole Senate.
Section C: Veto
  1. After an action has passed it will be sent to the Head of School, who shall sign it, veto it, or ask for clarification and explanation. If the Head of School's veto or request for explanation is not given within five school days, the action shall be considered approved. No vote shall be taken in which the date of action is less than five school days later. A veto can not be over-ridden.
  2. If an action is vetoed, the Head of School must present the reason for veto in writing to the Senate and give assistance to the Senate in revising the issue.
  3. If the Head of School asks for clarification and explanation, the Senate must meet within five school days with the Head of School in attendance to discuss the referendum.

ARTICLE IV

  1. A referendum must have the sponsorship of at least one Senator and a petition (with the referendum clearly stated) containing at least twenty signatures of students and/or faculty members.
  2. Any student or faculty member may present a referendum to the Senate.

ARTICLE V
Section A: Elections

  1. Each grade (ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth) shall elect one representative and one alternate (to serve as proxy) from their class at their first class meeting of the academic year.
  2. The whole Upper School student body shall elect two at-large representatives by secret ballot during the first Upper School meeting. The two runners-up shall be alternates to serve as proxies.
  3. The faculty shall elect six representatives at the first Upper School faculty meeting.
  4. If, because of extenuating circumstances, elections cannot occur as prescribed above, elections shall be held as soon as possible.
  5. Anyone nominated to be a candidate or elected can refuse to serve as a Senator. Proxies shall serve in the absence of their representative and shall have full voting priviliges.
Section B: Vacancies
Absences for one academic term or impeacment shall be considered a vacancy. Vacancies in the Senate shall be filled in the electoral manner prescribed in the Constitution and by the body by which the representative they will replace was elected (the proxy is also eligible to run for election). Elections shall take place within ten school days after the vacancy occurs and until that time the proxy shall serve as representative.

Section C: Impeachment
A Senate member can be impeached by the Senate by two-thirds voting in favor of impeachment after one of the following occurs and written charges are filed with the Senate.
  1. The Senator has two unexcused absences from Senate meetings.
  2. The Senator commits an infraction of school policy
  3. Two-thirds of the class or faculty votes to impeach its representative; two thirds of the Upper School student body votes to impeach an at-large member

ARTICLE VI
Amendments to the constitution must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate, two-thirds of the Upper School student and faculty body and must have the signature of the Head of School.

ARTICLE VII
This document shall enter into effect upon approval by two-thirds of the faculty voting in favor, plus two-thirds of the Upper School student body voting in favor and when signed by the Head of School. It shall also enter into effect with the understanding that one year hence an evaluation of the process and constitution itself will be made and will be re-ratified if deemed necessary by the Senate and Head of School.

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