SECTION 1. Membership
The Community Standards Council shall consist of four members each from the senior, junior, sophomore, and first-year classes; the President; the Vice President; and two Secretaries.
SECTION 2. Elections
The President and Vice President shall be elected by a majority vote of the Community Standards Council members in the spring semester, prior to the election of class representatives. The meeting during which the election is held shall be presided over by the OCS Administrator of the Community Standards Council or a designee appointed by the Community Standards Council. To be eligible for the office of President or Vice President, a candidate must have at least one year of experience as a member of the Community Standards Council. The rising senior, junior, and sophomore representatives of the Community Standards Council shall be elected by the members of their class in the spring semester of each year. First-year student representatives shall be elected by their class as soon as possible after the opening of the fall semester of each year. They shall be installed immediately and serve until the installation of a new Council in the spring. Representative positions of the Community Standards Council are open to any member of the student body in good academic and social standing.
SECTION 3. Officers
The officers of the Community Standards Council are the President, the Vice President, and two Secretaries.
SECTION 4. President
The President shall decide questions of procedure and interpretation arising under the Constitution. The President’s role in the hearing and in deliberations shall be one of impartial participation, and the President shall not vote. In addition, the President shall preside over meetings, appoint committees, be responsible for the execution of all of the Council’s decisions, and represent the Council to the OCS Administrator or designee.
SECTION 5. Vice President
The Vice President shall act in the capacity of President in the absence of the President. Unless acting as President, the Vice President shall be a voting member of the Council. The Vice President shall also serve as a liaison between the CSC and the Rhodes community. These duties shall include, but are not limited to, programming and community engagement. The Vice President may serve as a voting member of the Pre-Hearing Committee in the absence of a Secretary.
SECTION 6. Secretaries
The two Secretaries, Recording and Corresponding, shall be appointed by the President from the general student body and shall be approved by the majority of the Council. The Secretaries shall serve on the pre-hearing committee in order to determine if an alleged violation should be taken to a hearing. In addition, the Recording Secretary shall keep records of hearings and meetings as well as posting year-end Council decisions. The Corresponding Secretary may (at the discretion of the President) handle the Council’s official communication to the Respondent, Complainant, Witness(es), and Rhodes College administration. The two Secretaries shall not participate in questioning or deliberation and shall not vote during the hearing.
SECTION 7. Transition
The outgoing members of the Council shall continue to exercise the full responsibilities of membership until the incoming Council is installed. In the case that a member of the senior class is brought before the Council after installation, outgoing senior members shall remain as voting members on the Council for that hearing only. Installation includes educational training and a transition hearing, both of which are mandatory. During the transition hearing, new members may participate in questioning and deliberations but shall not vote.
SECTION 8. Vacancies
- Vacancies in the Community Standards Council shall be filled immediately in an election by the student body, and the new member(s) shall serve until the end of the scheduled term. In the case that a position cannot be filled through an election by the student body, the Community Standards Council has the authority to fill that vacancy. The procedure for filling a vacancy is as follows:
- The Council shall announce the vacancy and accept applications from those interested students who are eligible for the position.
- The Council shall review all applications.
- The Council shall choose a student to fill the vacancy by a majority vote of eligible voting members in a business meeting.
- In the event that an elected Community Standards Council representative is unable to fulfill their duties for one full semester or more, the position will be filled by an interim member. The procedure to fill an interim position is the same as for any vacancy. See Section 8.1 (i-iii). The interim position will serve for a period subjectively defined by the President and Vice President.
SECTION 9. Removal from the Council
A member of the Council may be removed from their position by three-fourths vote of eligible members. Conditions warranting removal from the Council may include, but are not limited to: exceeding three absences in the course of one elected term, or two in one semester, from any committee meeting, Council meeting, hearings, or other functions of the Council; any violation of the Honor Code or the Standards of Conduct; Oath of Privacy; or an expressed lack of respect for the Standards of Conduct. Removal may be sought by any member of the Community Standards Council or the OCS Administrator. A hearing will be held at which the person seeking removal will be heard as well as the Council Member whose removal is sought. The Council may hear other witnesses or consider other evidence as determined by the Community Standards Council President in consultation with the OCS Administrator. The Council member in question and, if applicable, the Council Member seeking removal, may not vote in this matter.
SECTION 10. Hearing Schedule
Ordinarily hearings will be conducted during the semester in which the alleged violation occurs. In the event that convening a hearing prior to the end of the semester is difficult or impossible, the President, after consulting the OCS Administrator or designee may exercise one of the following options:
- The President may schedule a hearing prior to the start of the next academic session, including a hearing during the academic break when classes are not in session.
- In the event it is difficult or impossible to convene a Community Standards Council comprised of no less than four (4) of the Eligible Voting Members, or upon the occurrence of other extenuating circumstances, a case may be transferred to the OCS Administrator, or their designee, for adjudication, upon consultation of the Community Standards Council President.
- Cases may be scheduled for a hearing in the following semester at the discretion of the President in consultation with the OCS Administrator for the CSC.