Join Student Government Association
Run for Student Government!
Student Government is THE student voice on campus. Joining SGA is an opportunity to represent your fellow students, create change on campus, and gain valuable leadership and networking skills for the future. Plan events, start traditions, advocate for KCC students, and create opportunities for your fellow students to take ownership of their experience.
Student Government is comprised of 18 Members. The positions include:
- President
- Vice President for Legislative Affairs (VPLA)
-Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA)
-Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA)
-Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA)
-Vice President for Communications and Marketing (VPPR)
- Senator (12 positions)
Eligibility Requirements:
- Must be in good academic standing (at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA)
- President position requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits
- Must be a matriculated student (non-degree students are not eligible)
- Must not have a judicial record or student conduct issue
- First semester students are not eligible to run or hold Student Government positions
- If you are interested in running for the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration, you CANNOT hold the role of President or Treasurer in any other KCC campus club
- Requirements are verified each semester, and any student not meeting the academic, judicial, or enrollment requirements are considered ineligible and will be removed from their designated position.
Application/Election Process
- Complete nomination form, which includes a 200-word essay
- Attend mandatory orientation (candidates who do not attend the mandatory orientation will not be eligible to run for office)
- Campaign while adhering to the campaign guidelines (campaign violations will be sent to the Student Election Review Committee (SERC))
- Elections will be held online via Vote Net
- Election results will be reviewed and verified by SERC
- Election results will be available to students in the Office of Student Life (C123)
SGA Stipends
-
Elected SGA members will receive a stipend upon successful completion of all SGA duties and responsibilities
-
Cabinet members (President and Vice Presidents) will receive $1,500 for the academic year
-
Senators will receive $1,250 for the academic year
-
SGA members will receive their stipend in two installments (end of Fall semester and end of Spring semester)
-
As per the SGA contract, stipends can be deducted accordingly, due to missed meetings, incomplete office hours, etc.
-
SGA members who obtain a judicial record or student conduct issue while in office, or are impeached, will not receive the stipend
2024-2025 STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
Shaquana Young |
President |
Doha Omer |
Vice President for Legislative Affairs |
Mahir Bhuiyan |
Vice President for Academic Affairs |
Zakiah Almontaser |
Vice President for Student Affairs |
VACANT |
Vice President for Finance and Administration |
Rivka Segall |
Vice President for Public Relations and Communication |
Lewis Hogan |
Speaker of the Senate |
Riquelme Bennett |
Senator |
Samrat Chowdhury |
Senator |
Steven Lakhter |
Senator |
Duties and Responsibilities:
Article V – Cabinet
The Cabinet shall consist of the following six (6) Executive Officers: President, Vice President for Legislative Affairs (VPLA), Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA), Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA) and Vice President for Public Relations and Communication (VPPR), and the ex-officio SGA Advisor(s).
Section I – Duties of the Cabinet
The Cabinet shall serve as the executive body for KCC SGA and shall be empowered to:
- Create the formal agenda for all General Body meetings.
- Manage all organizational operations of the Student Government Association.
- Maintain all SGA resources including records, supplies, and facilities.
- Meet weekly during the fall and spring semester, and at least once during each of
the winter and summer modules.
- Cabinet meetings should take place at least one (1) week before the upcoming General Body meetings to allow time for publication of the General Body meeting agenda.
- Represent the official position(s) of KCC SGA in matters pertaining to college policy and governance.
- Attend the annual SGA Summer Training Retreat and Winter Meeting.
- Ensure KCC SGA adherence to relevant policies and procedures, including the provisions outlined in the KCC SGA governing documents, KCC policies and governance plan, and CUNY-wide policies and bylaws.
Section II – Duties of Cabinet Members
All Executive Officers shall be charged with upholding the KCC SGA Constitution, representing the best interests of their constituents, and representing KCC SGA at campus events where such presence is requested or deemed necessary. The duties of the individual officers shall be as follows:
All Cabinet Members
Maintain a minimum of four (4) published, open office hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.
- Each officer’s open hour schedule shall be published in the SGA office no later than the second Friday of each semester.
- During open hours, officers are expected to be present in their designated office or be available to address student concerns.
- Officers may use time during open hours to work on other tasks or assignments, however priority must be given to students seeking assistance.
- No more than three officers may hold official open hours at the same time, except in the case of makeup hours, as defined below.
- Time spent in official SGA meetings (General Body or Cabinet) shall not count toward open hours.
- Each officer may miss up to eight (8) scheduled open hours per semester without penalty.
- After missing more than eight (8) open hours, makeup hours must be scheduled to occur within two (2) weeks.
- Makeup hours must be posted at least twenty-hour (24) hours before they occur.
- Failure to reschedule missed hours in excess of the eight allowed within the two-week window shall be considered valid grounds for impeachment.
Attend weekly Cabinet, bi-weekly General Body meetings, and special meetings scheduled within the guidelines set forth in Article IX.3.c.ii.
- Cabinet members shall be allowed one unexcused absence from Cabinet meetings AND one unexcused absence from General Body meetings each semester. A second unexcused absence from either shall be considered valid grounds for impeachment.
- Absences may be excused at the President’s discretion, provided permission is requested
in writing at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
- In personal emergency situations, the President may retroactively excuse an absence, provided the absent officer makes contact as soon as reasonably possible.
President
Serve as chief executive officer for the group.
- Prepare, in collaboration with the Cabinet, the agenda for KCC SGA General Body meetings.
- Prepare the agenda for Cabinet meetings.
- Coordinate the activity of the Cabinet.
- Report on Cabinet meetings and activity at each General Body meeting.
- Chair all meetings of the Cabinet and General Body.
- Meet regularly with the KCC President (or designee) and the Speaker of the Senate.
- Report to the SGA on matters of campus and university concern and policy changes.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council, KCC Association, and KCC Auxiliary.
- Appoint SGA committees and committee chairs as necessary.
Vice President for Legislative Affairs (VPLA)
Coordinate all aspects of the KCC SGA legislative agenda and lobbying efforts.
- Meet regularly with the KCC Director of Government Relations (or designee).
- Represent KCC SGA to public officials.
- Report to the SGA on matters of local, state, and federal legislation and their impact on the campus community.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council.
- Serve as chair of Cabinet and General Body meetings in the absence of the President.
- Serve as chair of Ethics Committee.
Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA)
Address concerns and issues related to the in-class/instructional experience on campus.
- Meet regularly with the KCC Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost (or designee).
- Coordinate SGA efforts related to curriculum, instruction, and the academic calendar.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council and KCC Auxiliary.
Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA)
Address concerns and issues related to student services and the out-of-class experience on campus.
- Meet regularly with the KCC Vice President for Student Affairs (or designee).
- Serve as chair of Student Activities Committee.
- Serve as the primary liaison between student organizations and Student Government.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council and KCC Association.
Vice President for Finance and Administration (VPFA)
Address concerns and issues related to campus finance, administration, and public safety.
- Meet regularly with the KCC Vice President for Finance and Administration.
- Maintain SGA budget and financial records, and report on SGA finances at each General Body meeting.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council, KCC Association, and KCC Auxiliary.
Vice President for Public Relations and Communication (VPPR)
Maintain all non-financial records including membership rosters, attendance records, event information, and meeting minutes and agendas.
- Coordinate communication with members and potential members including posting of General Body meeting agendas.
- Take notes and prepare meeting minutes for Cabinet and General Body meetings, to be presented for approval at the next official meeting of the respective entity.
- Prepare and/or review all marketing materials for SGA.
- Serve as a standing member of the College Council.
Article VI – Senate
The Senate shall consist of twelve (12) duly elected Senators, from which one member shall be elected to serve as Speaker of the Senate and one to serve as secretary, and the ex-officio SGA Advisor(s).
Section I – Duties of the Senate
The Senate shall work in conjunction with, but not be subject to, the Cabinet and shall be empowered to:
- Elect and confirm members of official campus Councils, Boards, and committees.
- Elect, from within its ranks, a Speaker and a Secretary to perform the duties outlined below.
- Represent the interests of the KCC general student body in KCC SGA affairs.
- In support of this duty, the Senate must make efforts to acquire valid feedback from the student body and shall be empowered to host events designed for such purpose.
- Draft proposals and resolutions for the consideration of the General Body.
- Investigate and recommend action related to student concerns on campus.
- Ensure KCC SGA adherence to relevant policies and procedures, including the provisions outlined in the KCC SGA governing documents, KCC policies and governance plan, and CUNY wide policies and bylaws.
Section II – Duties of Senators
All Senators shall be charged with upholding the KCC SGA Constitution, representing the best interests of their constituents, and representing KCC SGA at campus events where such presence is requested or deemed necessary. The duties of the individual Senators shall be as follows:
All Senators
Maintain a minimum of three (3) published, open office hours per week during the Fall and Spring semesters.
- The Speaker of the Senate shall maintain a minimum of four (4) open office hours per week.
- Each Senator’s open hour schedule shall be published in all SGA offices no later than the second Friday of each semester.
- During open hours, Senators are expected to be present in their designated location and available to address student concerns.
- Senators may use time during open hours to work on other tasks or assignments, however priority must be given to students seeking assistance.
- No more than three Senators may hold official open hours at the same time, except in the case of makeup hours, as defined below.
- Time spent in official SGA meetings (General Body or Senate) shall not count toward open hours.
- Each Senator may miss up to six (6) scheduled open hours per semester without penalty.
- After missing more than six (6) open hours, makeup hours must be scheduled to occur within two (2) weeks.
- Makeup hours must be posted at least twenty-hour (24) hours before they occur.
- Failure to reschedule missed hours in excess of the six allowed within the two-week window shall be considered valid grounds for impeachment.
Attend Senate and General Body meetings each week.
- Senators shall be allowed one unexcused absence from Senate meetings AND one unexcused absence from General Body meetings each semester. A second unexcused absence from either shall be considered valid grounds for impeachment.
- Senators shall be allowed two excused absences from Senate meetings AND two excused absences from General Body meetings each semester. A third excused absence from either shall be considered valid grounds for impeachment.
- Absences may be excused at the Speaker of the Senate’s discretion, provided permission
is requested in writing at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance.
- In personal emergency situations, the Speaker may retroactively excuse an absence, provided the absent officer makes contact as soon as reasonably possible.
Sit on SGA, KCC, and CUNY boards, councils, or committees requiring student participation, as appointed or elected by the President, Cabinet, or Senate per the pertinent governing documents.
Serve as SGA liaison to the Chair, faculty, and students of one or more academic departments.
Speaker of the Senate
The Senate shall elect, from within its ranks, one member to serve as Speaker who shall be charged with the following:
- Serve as head of the Senate.
- Chair all official Senate meetings.
- Meet regularly with the KCC SGA President.
- Maintain at least four (4) open office hours per week, in accordance with the guidelines applying to office hours set forth for all Senators.
- Provide the Cabinet with agenda items for inclusion on upcoming General Body meeting agendas per the recommendations of the Senate.
- Provide a full report during all General Body meetings regarding the most recent Senate meeting.
- Attend Cabinet meetings, when requested, to present requested agenda items and a report on Senate activity.
- Designate senators as liaisons for each academic department.
- Each senator, inclusive of the Speaker, shall be assigned to at least one department.
- Senators do not need to fall under the designated department(s) in order to serve as liaison.
The Speaker shall be elected by majority vote at the first regular meeting of the
Senate and shall serve a term beginning upon election and extending through the day
of commencement.
The Speaker shall serve at the will of the Senate and may be removed from this position
by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate.
- Removal as Speaker shall not be construed to imply removal from any other SGA positions.
Secretary
The Senate shall elect, one member to serve as Secretary who shall be charged with the following:
- Record meeting minutes and activity for all Senate meetings.
- Assist the Speaker of the Senate in preparing a report of Senate activity for General Body meetings.
- Coordinate official communications between Senators.
The Secretary shall be elected by majority vote at the first regular meeting of the
Senate and shall serve a term beginning upon election and extending through the day
of commencement.
The Secretary shall serve at the will of the Senate and may be removed from this position
by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Senate.
- Removal as Secretary shall not be construed to imply removal from any other SGA positions.