The United Student Body of Diamond Bar High School Constitution 

Preamble

We, the students of Diamond Bar High School, in order to incorporate unity within the student body, to foster democratic principles, encourage the development of good sportsmanship, provide opportunities for school spirit working with the heart as well as the mind, create and establish traditions, do ordain and uphold the guidelines for this Constitution for all students.

Article I. Name

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the United Student Body of Diamond Bar High School. (USBDBHS)

Section 2. Purple, Gold and White shall be the official school colors.

Section 3. The Students shall be known as the “BRAHMAS”.

Article II. Membership

Section 1. All daily enrolled students of Diamond Bar high school shall be members of the USBDBHS.

Section 2. All members of the USBDBHS who have purchased an activity card during the current school year shall be recognized as active members of the USBDBHS.

Section 3. The principal, assistant principal, deans, coordinators, certificated and classified staff of Diamond Bar High School shall be honorary members of the USBDBHS.

Article III. Structure

Section 1. The governing body of the USB shall be the Executive Board composed of the following elected members: Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Inter-Organizational Council Chairperson, Secretary, and Finance Director.

A. The Executive Board shall have the power to:

                                                                                     (1) Carry out the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws.

                                                                                     (2) Pass legislation governing the campus co-curricular activities within its jurisdiction and in accord with the State Education Code and the Walnut Valley Unified School District Policies and Regulations.

                                                                                     (3) Establish an operative budget for the USB.

                                                                                     (4) Raise, collect and appropriate Student Body funds.

                                                                                     (5) Act as trustees of all funds and equipment acquired by the USB, classes, clubs, or recognized student groups of Diamond Bar high School

                                                                                     (6) Grant and revoke charters to student organizations and regulate their activities.

                                                                                     (7) Determine and approve all awards given by the USB

                                                                                     (8) Establish election rules and procedures.

                                                                                     (9) Confirm presidential appointments.

                                                                                (10) Change and amend the USB By-Laws, Policies, and Regulations.

B. The term of office shall be one year, January to January.

Section 2. The Activities body of the USB shall be appointed by the Executive Board, composed of the following members: Commissioner of Academics, Commissioner of Assemblies and Rallies, Commissioner(s) of Athletics, Commissioner of Audio Communications, Brahma Booster Representative, Brahma Foundation Representative, Commissioner of Hospitality, Commissioner of Link Crew, Commissioner of Performing Arts, Commissioner of Publicity, School Board Representative/Attorney General, Commissioner of Sierra League Affairs, Commissioner of Social Activities, Commissioner of Special Projects, Student Store Manager, Commissioner of Technology, Commissioner of Visual Communications, Class Liaison.

A. The Senate shall advise and recommend to the Executive Board matters that pertain to, or have authority to:

                                                                                     (1) Regulating the school calendar of events.

                                                                                     (2) Call planning sessions without Executive Board members in attendance.

                                                                                     (3) Approve all school activities.

                                                                                     (4) Suggest plans and make requests of the Administration and Executive Board on behalf of the activities program.

                                                                                     (5) Establish policies which govern procedures and rules for the activities program in accordance with the policies of the Executive Board.

B. The term of office shall be the same as the Executive Board.

Section 3. The Communications body of the USB shall be the House of Representatives, composed of the following: elected Speaker of the House, one (1) elected representative from each fourth period class, with classes of over thirty-five (35) students entitled to two (2) representatives.

A. The House of Representatives shall have the power to:

                                                                                     (1) Propose Amendments and By-Laws to the Constitution.

                                                                                     (2) Approve Student Body Presidential appointments for vacancies and members of the Senate. (if applicable)

                                                                                     (3) Appoint officers within the House.

                                                                                     (4) Control and legislate its own membership.

B. The term of office for Representatives shall be in accordance with the length of the class from which the representative is elected. If a class is a semester course, the representative may serve for that semester. If the class is a full year course, the representative may serve the entire school year of the class he/she represents wishes.

Section 4. The Chartered organizational body of the USB shall be the Inter Organizational Council (IOC), composed of the following: elected chairperson, president and social chairperson of each class, president or representative from each chartered organization on campus.

A. The Inter Organizational Council shall have the power to:

                                                                                     (1) Review annually the carter of each recognized club or organization and recommend its renewal or suspension.

                                                                                     (2) Recommend to the Executive Board the suspension of any organized club or class activity.

                                                                                     (3) Propose amendments and By-Laws to the Constitution.

                                                                                     (4) Control and legislate its own membership.

                                                                                     (5) Appoint officers within this council.

                                                                                     (6) Assist the Director of Student Activities and the Social Activities Commissioner in preparing a Master Calendar of Activities.

Section 5. The Class Organization shall be in four separate classes: Senior, Junior, Sophomore and Freshman, according to the students' class standing as determined by administrative regulations. The governing body of each class shall be a Class Council composed of the following elected members: Class President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, Social Chairperson, and Historian.

A. The Class Councils, acting as separate units shall have the power to:

                                                                                     (1) Pass such legislation necessary to the proper functioning of the class except that which contradicts the Student Body Constitution and By-Laws, policies and regulations.

                                                                                     (2) Instructs its President and Social Chairperson how to vote on the Inter-Organizational Council if it wishes to do so.

                                                                                     (3) Control and legislate its own membership.

                                                                                     (4) Call class council meetings at a time and place of its own choosing.

                                                                                     (5) Call class meetings upon approval of Administration or Administrative Council (Principal and Instructional Deans).

B. The term of office shall be one year for all offices, June to June; taking office the day after Senior Graduation. The Freshman class officers will be elected in September.

Article IV. Nominations and Elections

Section 1. All members of the USB shall be entitled to vote class, student body, and special elections.

A. Student Body elections shall be held before the end of the fall semester.

B. Senior, Junior and Sophomore Class elections shall be held in spring semester, preferably May; Freshman Class elections held in the fall semester.

C. The Executive Board shall set the date(s) of class, student body and special elections and shall determine the method by which they shall be conducted.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall determine the method by which candidates shall be nominated to run for office.

A. Class elections shall allow all active members of their respective class the opportunity to petition of an office, subject to qualifications set in the by-laws of this document.

B. All active members of the USB shall have the opportunity to petition for a Student Body office, elective or appointive, subject to qualifications.

C. A Nominating Convention shall be arranged by the Executive Board to assure that two candidates run for each Student Body office. (elected)

Article V. Powers Retained by the Students

Section 1. Active members of the USB shall retain the power of referendum and may bring up for popular election any decision passed by the Executive Board by the same method as for amending this Constitution.

A. If a referendum fails to pass a student body election, it may not again be brought up for a referral within six school months.

Section 2. USB members shall retain the power of initiative and may bring up for popular election any measure not previously acted upon by the same method as for amending this constitution.

A. After an initiative has been passed, the Executive Board shall not again pass within six school months a decision to the same effect as that which was initiated.

Section 3. USB members shall retain the power of recall and may bring up for popular election the dismissal of any student officer believed to be carrying out his or her duties in an unsatisfactory manner by the same method as for amending this Constitution.

A. In case any student body officer or class officer resigns or is removed from his or her office, the Executive Board shall set the date for appointment if, in the opinion of the Executive Board, the duties of that office are great enough to warrant.

B. The rights of students to be heard must be upheld through this Constitution. Any officer charged with unsatisfactory behavior toward his or her obligations must have the right of audience.

Article VI. Source of Authority

Section 1. The Principal as the representative of the Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Education is directly responsible for the welfare of the school. All powers of the USB, therefore, are delegated by the Principal and may be revoked by him in part or in whole at any time.

Article VII. Clarification

Section 1. Any misunderstanding, misjudgment, discrepancies or disputes over matters concerning the wording of the USB Constitution, By-laws, Policies and Regulations and their contents shall be decided by the Student Body President or by a vote of the Executive Board.

Article VIII. Amendments

Section 1. Any section or clause of any article of this Constitution may be amended as follows:

A. Any regularly enrolled member of the USB may propose an amendment to this Constitution. Such a proposal must be presented at a regular or special meeting of the Executive Board in writing with signatures of one hundred USB members attached.

B. The Student Body President shall order the proposed amendment read at this meeting and a date set for voting upon the proposed amendment within a six week period.

C. The Executive Board shall review the amendment and reword the amendment only if clarification is necessary for its understanding.

D. Within one week of the reading, the proposed amendment shall be placed in the hands of the principal, the class councils for discussion by the members of their respective classes, and the school newspaper Editor for publication.

E. All proposed amendments must appear in a public place on campus and in one issue of the school newspaper, if publication is within two weeks of the scheduled election.

F. Any proposed amendment to this Constitution must carry the date upon which it is to go into effect.

G. A two thirds vote of all USB students voting in a regular or special election shall be required to amend this Constitution.

Ratified in Convention February twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three.