Constitution

Preamble

We, the undergraduate student body of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, in order to provide for effective, efficient, and representative means of self-government, establish this Constitution of the Student Association of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

Mission Statement

We, the Student Association Government of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, will identify student concerns, address significant student issues, and work together with the Institute and surrounding community to enhance the NMIMT experience of today and tomorrow. :-)

  1. Foreword and Definitions

    1. Foreword

      1. SANMIMT Government offices, SANMIMT Government positions, and SANMIMT Government agents named herein may be referred to without full prefix (i.e. SANMIMT Government President referred to as President or SA President). Any student in any SANMIMT Government position named herein must be in good standing.

      2. For all issues not covered in this Constitution or the Book of Law, the SANMIMT recognizes and uses the most recent version of Robert's Rules of Order. In all cases, the Constitution and Book of Law supersede Robert's Rules of Order.

    2. Definitions

      1. Academic session: the three times in the year in which classes are meeting or testing. These times are referred to as the Fall Semester, Spring Semester, and Summer Session.

      2. Agency: any group authorized by this Constitution, or by law, to represent the SANMIMT, and/or to expend SANMIMT Government funds.

      3. Agent: any individual authorized by this Constitution, or by law, to represent the SANMIMT, and/or to expend SANMIMT Government funds; including all elected and appointed students within the SANMIMT Government and all members of its committees.

      4. Anticipated revenue: the amount of funds anticipated from the SANMIMT Fee as reported by the SANMIMT Chief Financial Officer.

      5. Chair: the person designated to preside over any meeting.

      6. Day: any regularly scheduled University school day, unless specifically stated otherwise. This excludes Saturdays and Sundays.

      7. Executive agency: any group that directs or oversees any interest of the Executive Branch as stated in Article IV, Section 5 or by law.

      8. Executive agent: any individual that directs or oversees any sub-organization of the Executive Branch as stated in ARTICLE IV, Section 5 or by law.

      9. General Election: the election held each session with the primary purpose of electing Senators.

      10. Good standing: not on any type of University probation and at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. The only exception to the required 2.0 cumulative G.P.A. is if the student is newly entering the University and has no G.P.A.

      11. Graduate Student Association of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (GSANMIMT): the graduate student body of the University and its representative government.

      12. Gross misconduct: A forbidden or unlawful act performed intentionally with indifference to known or obvious harmful consequences.

      13. Major: an academic field of study ending in a degree offered by an academic department as part of either the Arts & Sciences curricula or Engineering curricula as defined by the most recently published New Mexico Tech Catalog. (A student shall be defined as a member of one (1) of these two (2) divisions according to their first major.)

      14. Malfeasance: commission of a wrongful act which an official has no legal right to do, or any wrongful conduct which affects, interrupts, or interferes with the performance of official duty or an act for which there is no authority or warrant of law.

      15. Neglect of office: intentional failure to attend to one's official duties.

      16. Officer: any student holding a position in an SANMIMT Government funded organization and all elected or appointed students serving in the SANMIMT Government.

      17. Organization: any group which meets the chartering requirements of the University or the SANMIMT.

      18. Quorum: a quorum of the Senate shall consist of fifty-one percent (51%) of the seated Senate.

      19. SANMIMT Government: the representative body of the SANMIMT, established to pursue student concerns, regulate student affairs, and be the official voice of the SANMIMT.

      20. Semester: either of the academic sessions, Fall Semester or Spring Semester, from the first day of classes up to and including the last day of finals.

      21. Special election: An election other than a General Election held by the Supreme Court.

      22. Student: any person enrolled in the University; in an undergraduate status.

      23. Student Association of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (SANMIMT): the undergraduate student body of the University.

      24. Term of office for the President and Vice President: term is one (1) year, beginning the first calendar day after Commencement of the Spring Semester and ending the calendar day of Commencement the following Spring Semester. The President and Vice President may serve a maximum of two (2) terms within the office to which they were elected.

      25. University: the educational division of New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology and all associated sectors.

  2. Student Rights

    1. Assertion

      These are the rights recognized by the SANMIMT and governing the operation of the SANMIMT Government. The SANMIMT Government shall promote these rights within the University community. The SANMIMT asserts the right of student representation on University committees dealing with the formulation of policies affecting students. Any action that violates University policies, including those in the Student Handbook, shall be prohibited.

    2. Rights

      1. Every student has full and equal rights in the University regardless of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, physical or learning disability, creed, handicap, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, age, or military involvement.

      2. Every student has the right to vote in accordance with normal procedures established by the SANMIMT Government.

      3. Every student has the right of access to all SANMIMT Governmental records.

      4. No student shall be denied the right of orderly assembly on the campus.

      5. Every student has the right to contest before the Supreme Court the constitutionality of legislation, rulings, or decisions of the SANMIMT Government or any chartered organization that would affect students.

      6. All students shall be considered innocent of any infraction of SANMIMT Government laws until proven guilty in a hearing of the appropriate judicial body and shall not suffer direct or indirect penalties for an infraction until guilt has been established. No student shall be compelled to be a witness against him or herself and shall be properly informed of the nature and the cause of the accusation. The student shall have a fair and impartial hearing by the appropriate judicial body in which he or she will be confronted by the witnesses against him or her, and may utilize the assistance of counsel in any part of the proceedings.

  3. Legislative Branch

    1. Senate

      All legislative powers of the SANMIMT Government shall be vested in the Senate.

    2. Legislative Function

      The Senate shall make all laws and regulations it deems necessary and proper for the SANMIMT Government, appropriate all funds of the SANMIMT, approve or disapprove all appointments to constitutional and statutory executive agencies and legislative committees made by the President and Vice President, and impeach specified officials for due cause.

    3. Composition of the Senate

      The Senate shall consist of five (5) undergraduate students whose first major is in the Arts & Sciences and five (5) undergraduate students whose first major is in Engineering, elected during the Spring General Election. Eight (8) undergraduate students shall be elected from the student body as a whole during the Fall General Election. Three (3) graduate student Representatives shall reside on the Senate as voting members and shall be chosen by the GSANMIMT. The term of office for each Senator shall be the two (2) sessions of the Senate following the election of the Senator, excluding Senators elected during a special election. The Senate body shall not exceed twenty-one (21) members including all Senators and GSA Representatives.

    4. Qualifications of Senators

      No Senator, during the time for which he or she holds office, may serve in any other branch of the SANMIMT Government or as an officer of a SANMIMT Government funded organization, unless he or she is confirmed by two thirds (2/3) of the seated Senate.

    5. Powers of Subpoena

      The Senate shall be empowered to subpoena SANMIMT members to appear before it or any of its committees by a majority vote of the seated Senate. Any student or group failing to comply with a properly issued subpoena may be suspended from SANMIMT Government offices and committees.

    6. Legislation

      1. Legislation must be submitted to the Vice President in the form of a bill no later than three (3) days prior to the Senate meeting in which it is to be acted upon. The Vice President shall provide all legislation to all Senators for their review no less than two (2) days prior to the appropriate Senate meeting.

      2. At the discretion of the Vice President, or at request of two (2) Senators, any person may be allowed to testify about any legislation during the Senate meeting in which the legislation is to be voted upon.

      3. A bill passed by a majority vote of the Senate shall become law upon the signature of the President within five (5) days after its passage. A bill left unsigned by the President on the sixth (6th) day after its passage shall be considered vetoed. All vetoed legislation must be presented to the Senate by the President at the next Senate meeting after being vetoed, accompanied by a written explanation of why the bill was vetoed.

    7. Senate Administrative Officers

      1. The Vice President shall be the president of and preside over the Senate, and shall have no vote except in the event of a tie. The Vice President shall preside over Senate meetings in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. The Vice President shall have earned a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Preceding the Spring General Election, the Vice President shall prepare and submit to the Senate Finance Committee a budgetary proposal for the Legislative Branch for the next fiscal year. The budgetary proposal shall include the Senate, Senate committees, Senate employees, and SA Government offices under the jurisdiction of the Vice President.

      2. The Vice President shall hire a Secretary for the purpose of taking the minutes of Senate meetings, managing all SANMIMT Government records, and assisting the President in any clerical activities deemed necessary. The Secretary is at the service of the three (3) branch heads of the SANMIMT Government (President, Vice President, and Chief Justice) and shall be the direct employee of the Senate.

      3. A President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall be elected from the membership of the Senate by plurality. The President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall preside over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. In the event that the office of the Vice President is vacant, the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall assume the title and duties of the office. The President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall be reelected each session of the Senate or when the position becomes vacant. The President Pro-Tempore of the Senate may be removed by a majority vote of the seated Senate at the first meeting following the introduction of a motion for removal.

    8. Senate Committees

      1. The Senate shall have the power to designate Senate committees as necessary. The Vice President shall appoint all chairs and members of Senate committees with the concurrence of the Senate. After three (3) consecutive rejections of a Vice Presidential appointment to a position, the floor shall be opened to nominations by the Senate. Appointments to Senate committees will expire the day of the first meeting of the session immediately following the session in which the appointments were made. Only students may serve on committees. Any student may serve on a SANMIMT committee with the exception of the limitations on the Finance, Legislative Standards, and Appointments Committees. All Senate committees, with the exception of the Finance Committee, may reelect their own chair.

      2. The Finance Committee shall be established to investigate budget requests and make recommendations on the budget of the SANMIMT Government to the Senate. Legislation concerned with finances shall be referred to this committee. The Finance Committee shall submit a complete budget for each academic session, including chartered organizations' budgets, to the Senate by the second Senate meeting of each academic session. This complete budget shall include changes to Government branch and executive agency budgets. This committee shall be composed of seven (7) students, of which a minimum of five (5) must be Senators, and the Chief Financial Officer. The Chief Financial Officer shall serve as chair and shall have no vote. Meetings shall be held at least once every two (2) weeks during the regular academic year and at least two (2) times between the end of the Spring Semester and the beginning of the Fall Semester.

      3. The Legislative Standards Committee shall be established to review all legislation not allocating SANMIMT Government funds. This committee shall be composed of five (5) to seven (7) Senators. One (1) of the Senators shall serve as chair and shall have no vote, except in the event of a tie.

      4. The Appointments Committee shall be established to consider all Presidential appointments and make recommendations to the Senate. This committee shall be composed of three (3) to five (5) Senators. One (1) of the Senators shall serve as chair and shall have no vote, except in the event of a tie.

    9. Sessions of the Senate

      There shall be two (2) sessions of the Senate each academic year. The first session shall begin the calendar day before the first day of classes of the Fall Semester. The second session shall begin the calendar day before the first day of classes of the Spring Semester. The President, Vice President, and all Senators shall take an oath of office administered by a Supreme Court Justice at the first Senate meeting of the session. The Senate shall meet on the call of the President, the Vice President, or upon petition of at least one third (1/3) of the Senators. Meetings shall be held at least every two (2) weeks while classes are in session.

    10. Salaries

      The Senate may, with the exception of the President and Vice President, establish salaries for the purpose of compensation for student officials and employees. Compensation may not be diminished during an individual's term of office. The salaries of the President and Vice President shall be set at one and three-fifths (1.6) times the in-state tuition (as published in the New Mexico Tech Catalog) of the academic sessions covering their terms in office. The President and Vice President salaries shall be drawn from SANMIMT funds. Senators shall not receive a salary or wage for executing his or her duties as a Senator. No more than one (1) salaried position in the SANMIMT Government may be held by any one (1) student. All hourly salaries being paid by the SANMIMT Government shall meet at least federal minimum wage.

    11. Senate Disciplinary Action

      The Senate may determine the rules of its procedure, discipline its members for neglect of office and/or disorderly behavior in its presence; and may, with concurrence of two thirds (2/3) of the seated Senate, expel a member. In the event an expelled Senator is reelected, he or she cannot be expelled a second time for a previous action.

    12. Chartering Authority

      The Senate may, with approval of a proper constitution by the Supreme Court, choose to charter an organization that it determines as meeting a necessity among the University community. Any chartered organization must have a membership that is at least seventy-five percent (75%) SANMIMT members and/or GSANMIMT members. Any chartered organization must have a minimum of five (5) members of the SANMIMT and/or GSANMIMT to receive funding from the SANMIMT.

  4. Executive Branch

    1. The President

      The President is the spokesperson and representative of the Student Association and its Government. The President is responsible for the administrating of student activities and SANMIMT funds, for representing the SANMIMT in dealings with entities outside the SANMIMT, and for upholding the Constitution of the SANMIMT. The President shall have earned a minimum of thirty (30) credit hours at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. In the event that the office of the President is vacant, the Vice President shall assume the title and duties of that office.

    2. Powers and Responsibilities of the President

      1. The President may make executive rulings necessary for the enforcement and execution of this Constitution and SANMIMT Government legislation which are not in violation of this Constitution and SANMIMT Government legislation.

      2. At least twice during each session, the President shall give the Senate information in person, as to the state of the SANMIMT Government and may recommend such measures, as he or she deems necessary.

      3. Preceding the Spring General Election, the President, in consultation with his or her executive officers, shall prepare and submit to the Senate Finance Committee a budgetary proposal for the next fiscal year for the Executive Branch of Government. The budgetary proposal shall include operating costs for the SANMIMT Government offices with the exception of those that fall under the jurisdiction of the Vice President. The budgetary proposal shall exclude executive agencies unless an executive agency does not have a director. If the President prepares a budget proposal for an executive agency while an agency has no director and a director is appointed before the Spring General Election, the director may take control over the executive agencies budget proposal if the director so wishes.

      4. The President may establish and appoint any executive officer or executive agency to advise and assist him or her in the execution of his or her prescribed duties. The tenure of these appointments shall not exceed the term of office of the appointing President.

    3. The Executive Office of the President

      1. There shall be an executive office of the President composed of a Chief Financial Officer, a Governmental Affairs Officer, a Student Activities Director, and any other executive officers the President might appoint. It shall be the duty of this office to advise and assist the President in the execution of his or her duties.

      2. There shall be a Chief Financial Officer appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, who shall oversee the finances of the Executive Office and handle all finances as directed by the Senate.

      3. There shall be a Governmental Affairs Officer appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, who shall be the designated representative of the SANMIMT to the Associated Students of New Mexico (ASNM), the Commission on Higher Education (CHE), and Legislative meetings in which the SANMIMT has an interest.

      4. There shall be a Student Activities Director appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, who shall coordinate and oversee any and all committee activities that are for the entertainment or improvement of the student body. These include, but are not limited to 49ers, Spring Fling, dances, and movies. The Student Activities Director may appoint any assistants that they deem necessary with the approval of the President.

    4. The Executive Cabinet

      There shall be an Executive Cabinet composed of the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Governmental Affairs Officer, the Student Activities Director, the directors of all executive agencies, and any other officials or persons prescribed by the President. The Executive Cabinet shall advise and assist the President in his or her duties as well as facilitate cooperation and coordination among the executive agencies and executive officials.

    5. Executive Agencies

      1. The President shall appoint all directors of all executive agencies, to be ratified by the Senate. All other student appointments to executive agencies shall be made by the executive agency's director, with the consent of the President. The term of office for agency membership shall coincide with that of the President. The President shall be empowered to remove any of his or her appointments to any executive agencies.

      2. Preceding the Spring General Election, each executive agency's director shall prepare and submit to the Senate Finance Committee a budgetary proposal for the next fiscal year for the director's executive agency.

  5. Judicial Branch

    1. Judicial Function

      The Judicial power (including Constitutional and legal interpretations) of the SANMIMT Government (with the exception of impeachment) shall be vested in the Supreme Court.

    2. Jurisdiction

      1. The Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction in all cases arising under this Constitution, the laws and bylaws of the SANMIMT Government, the regulations and actions of the various bodies and committees of the SANMIMT Government with the exception of certain designated powers of the Senate.

      2. All legislation signed or passed into law, motions passed by the Senate, and referenda and amendments passed by the student body must be submitted to the Supreme Court to be checked for constitutionality.

    3. Justices

      The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and four (4) Associate Justices. The justices must have attended the University at least one (1) semester immediately prior to their appointment. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The term of office of the Chief Justice shall be one (1) year. Associate Justices shall serve two-year terms. The Chief Justice shall preside over the Court and shall be responsible for the publication of the decisions of the Court. Two (2) justices from the Supreme Court shall be members of the University Disciplinary Committee. Not less than one (1) Justice shall be present at each meeting of the Senate.

    4. Procedures

      A decision of the Court shall be made with the written concurrence of at least three (3) of the justices. Appeals of decisions of the Supreme Court may be made to the Dean of Students. If there is a vacancy or absence of at least three (3) of the justices, the remaining justice(s) may only act on administrative matters subject to later approval by at least three (3) justices. Preceding the Spring General Election, the Chief Justice shall prepare and submit to the Senate Finance Committee a budgetary proposal for the next fiscal year for the Judicial Branch of the government. Details of court procedure not prescribed by this Constitution or by law shall be the responsibility of the court itself.

    5. Records

      The Supreme Court shall keep an SANMIMT Book of Law which shall include all referenda passed into law by the student body and all bylaws passed by the Senate. Permanent records of the Constitution, Amendments, Laws, Interpretations, and written explanations of Interpretations are to be kept by the Secretary.

    6. Subpoenas

      Any Justice, upon written request for the issuance of a subpoena ordering a person to appear before the Supreme Court, may issue such subpoena. The subpoena may be contested before the Supreme Court. Any student failing to comply with a properly issued subpoena may be suspended from SANMIMT Government offices and committees. Any student failing to comply with a properly issued Court Order may be suspended from SANMIMT Government offices and committees.

    7. Contempt of Court

      Any act, which is calculated to hinder or obstruct the Supreme Court in its administration of justice, may be considered in contempt of court. Any student or group found guilty of contempt of court may be suspended from SANMIMT Government offices, committees, and/or funding. A party may be found guilty of Contempt of Court only if: the act is done in the presence of the court and its presiding Justice.

  6. Disciplinary Action

    1. Disciplinary Actions

      1. Mandatory mediation: mediation that must be held between the accusing student, the accused official, the SANMIMT Vice President, and another neutral party that both the student and the accused official agree upon.

      2. Suspension: removal of duties, rights, and voting privileges associated with the position for a period of no longer than four (4) weeks.

      3. Removal from office: removal of duties, rights, and voting privileges associated with the position for the remainder of their term, with a minimum requirement of one (1) semester.

    2. Grounds

      Call for disciplinary action may be brought against any elected or appointed official in the SANMIMT Government by any student. Grounds for disciplinary action shall be violation of law(s), willful neglect of office, willful malfeasance, or gross misconduct.

    3. Procedures

      Motions to discipline elected or appointed officials of the SANMIMT Government may be brought by any student before the SANMIMT Senate in the form of a written motion and seconded by at least two (2) senators. Disciplinary actions against an elected or appointed official may be ordered only by a majority vote of those SANMIMT Senators present and voting. In the case of removal from office, a two thirds (2/3) vote of the seated Senate is required. If the motion is passed, the President may not veto said motion. The charges shall be considered at a separate hearing before the SANMIMT Senate. The hearing shall be held at least eight (8) calendar days after the date of actual written notification of the official who is the subject of the motion.

    4. Vice President

      If the SANMIMT Vice President is the accused official, the President Pro-Tempore shall replace the Vice President in the mediation process.

    5. Appeals

      Disciplinary decisions by the SANMIMT Senate pursuant to this ARTICLE may be challenged in the Supreme Court on the grounds that the procedures were not followed in good faith, or on procedural or legal grounds.

  7. Finance

    1. Student Funds

      The funds of the SANMIMT Government shall be derived from designated SANMIMT fees, income from enterprises of the SANMIMT Government, and other legally approved sources.

    2. Authorization of SANMIMT Fees

      An SANMIMT fee shall be levied on each undergraduate student at the University subject to authorization by the NMIMT Board of Regents. For each part-time student carrying at least one (1) credit hour, the fee shall be prorated according to the number of credit hours registered and paid for by the student.

    3. Distribution of the SANMIMT Fee

      The Finance Committee shall present all SA Government budgetary proposals received before the Spring General Election accompanied by the Finance Committee's recommendations to the Senate for approval no later than the first regularly scheduled meeting following the Spring Semester. The combined proposed budgets for the SA Government shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the anticipated revenue for the following fiscal year. Any funds not allocated by the SA Government budget proposals may be allocated by the Senate according to established laws and statutes. Any financial request must first be approved by the Senate Finance Committee. If an organization or person is denied funding or change of funding allocation by the Finance Committee, they may appeal the decision to the Senate in the form of a bill.

    4. Authority of Financial Control

      The SANMIMT Chief Financial Officer shall be the sole fiscal agent for all SANMIMT Government financial transactions. All expenditures must have prior clearance from the SANMIMT Chief Financial Officer. The SANMIMT Government, executive agencies, and any organizations funded through the SANMIMT Government may not spend in excess of their approved allocation. This will result in termination of any agent involved and a formal inquiry into the actions of the appropriate executive officer, President, or Vice President. Deficit spending may result in substantial penalties as governed by SANMIMT Government law.

    5. Education in Financial Matters

      Agents shall be responsible for familiarizing themselves with the SANMIMT Government and SANMIMT Chief Financial Officer policies and financial procedures before any expenditure is made.

    6. Accounting Requirements

      All SANMIMT Government accounting systems shall be in accordance with appropriate federal, state, and University requirements.

    7. Ownership

      All items purchased with SANMIMT Government funds become the property of the SANMIMT Government and thus the property of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Board of Regents.

  8. Election Procedures

    1. Election of Senators

      Senators (as outlined in ARTICLE III, Section 3) shall be elected at large from among those candidates declared eligible by the Supreme Court. Candidates for senatorial seat must receive a minimum of two (2) votes during an election to become a Senator.

    2. Election of the President and Vice President

      The President and Vice President shall be elected at large in the Spring General Election from among those candidates declared eligible by the Supreme Court.

    3. Senate Vacancies

      1. In the event of a vacancy in the Senate, the candidates receiving the next highest number of votes from the election for that session that did not receive a senatorial seat shall fill that vacancy. Senatorial duties shall be assumed upon confirmation by the Supreme Court and swearing in by a Supreme Court Justice in a timely manner.

      2. In the event that the position is refused or the Vice President (after reasonable attempts) is unable to contact the candidate within ten (10) days, the next candidate on the above described list shall be appointed. This process shall continue until all vacancies are filled or there are no remaining candidates to fill the vacancies.

      3. In the event that there are no remaining candidates to fill the vacancies, the Supreme Court shall hold a special election. Senators elected during a special election shall be treated as candidates remaining from the previous General Election. The newly elected Senators shall fill the term of office of the Senator they are replacing. The newly elected Senators with the highest number of votes shall fill the longer terms available to be filled.

    4. Election Process

      All elections shall be run in accordance with the procedures outlined in the SANMIMT Book of Law and run by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall set the dates for all elections. Only members of the SANMIMT and GSANMIMT shall vote at elections held by the Supreme Court. All votes shall be cast by secret ballot; each person may only vote once. GSANMIMT members may vote on all SANMIMT ballots except for senatorial seats. At least two (2) members of the Supreme Court shall be present when the votes are tallied. In the event of a disputed vote, the Supreme Court shall decide the dispute. Any candidate may demand a recount within fourteen (14) calendar days of the election's end.

  9. Referenda

    1. Law

      Legislation may become law via referendum. Referendum items shall be put to a vote of the student body during elections. Referenda that are passed by a majority of those students voting shall become SANMIMT Government law. All referenda passed into law by the student body shall override the bylaws of the Senate, and both forms of law shall be identified separately in the SANMIMT Book of Law.

    2. Repealing

      Said laws shall be binding on the SANMIMT Government for one (1) year following passage into law provided it is within SANMIMT Governmental power to enact the provisions of the referenda. Said laws may not be overturned by any actions of the Senate or the President. Said laws may only be repealed or amended via referenda. Said laws shall remain enacted until repealed or amended.

    3. Overturning

      The student body may overturn actions of the Senate or Presidential vetoes through the referendum process by a majority vote of those voting.

    4. Voting

      Referenda may be placed on the SANMIMT ballot by a majority vote of the seated Senate or by petitions presented to the court and signed by one half (1/2) of the number of students voting in the previous General Election.

  10. Amendments

    Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by a two thirds (2/3) vote of the seated Senate or by petition signed by two thirds (2/3) of the number of students voting in the previous election. The proposed amendment shall be placed on the ballot of the next election. An affirmative vote by two thirds (2/3) of those students voting on the amendment shall be sufficient to approve the amendment. Amendments of this Constitution approved by the student body shall be placed in the appropriate context within this document, including specific numerical references (ARTICLE, Section, and subsection). The previous replaced text (if any) shall be recorded in a historical record. If this Constitution becomes inadequate the Senate shall replace this Constitution subject to the same rules as outlined for constitutional amendments.

  11. Implementation

    This Constitution shall become the law of the SANMIMT and its Government the calendar day after Commencement of the Spring Semester in which it was ratified or the Spring Semester following its ratification if ratified during a Fall Semester. Upon implementation of this Constitution into law, a Book of Law to accompany this Constitution shall be implemented. The Book of Law may be ratified before the implementation of this Constitution. Upon the implementation of this Constitution into law, all laws and bylaws associated with the previous Constitution shall be considered repealed. Upon implementation of this Constitution into law the current Supreme Court shall be dissolved and new Justices appointed. The President shall appoint the Chief Justice and two (2) Associate Justices. The President Pro-Tempore of the Senate shall appoint the other two (2) Associate Justices, and all appointments shall be subject to the ratification of the Senate. All previously elected officials shall be allowed to complete their elected terms, overriding the twenty-one (21) member limit of the Senate through the end of the Fall Session following the ratification of this Constitution.