Advisory Committee general responsibilities include:
Providing guidance and direction on issues related to ASCOCC Council, including questions
regarding the Constitution and Bylaws.
Reviewing and providing feedback on ASCOCC recommended changes to the Constitution,
prior to being sent to the full student body for a vote.
Reviewing and providing feedback on ASCOCC recommended changes to bylaws or other
governing policies, prior to ASCOCC recommendation to the Dean of Student and Enrollment
Services.
Convene a Hearings Board (Bylaws Article III.4.E.iv) to address grievances not directly
covered by the Student Rights and Responsibilities or the Student Concerns process.
As an advisory group, this committee can only recommend changes to ASCOCC and/or College
administration. As such, the Advisory Committee shall not supplant the day-to-day
responsibilities of ASCOCC members or the advisor, nor shall they control ASCOCC meetings
and associated votes.
Regular Meetings: The Committee will meet at least once per term. Minutes will be taken at the Committee
meeting and made available within two weeks to the public.
Executive Session: During the course of a regular meeting, the Student Government Advisory Committee
may call an executive session in compliance with Oregon statutes. Executive sessions
will only be open to voting and standing Advisory Committee members. Members of the
news media and designated staff (as approved by the Advisory Board Chair) are allowed
to attend executive session, noting that the media may not report on the deliberations
of executive session.
Committee Chair: The Committee will elect its Chair on an annual basis, generally in fall term.
The Chair will be responsible for calling meetings, coordinating the agenda for each
meeting, managing time during meetings and ensuring that all responsibilities of the
Committee are met. Unless the Committee agrees to other operating guidelines, the
Committee meetings will operate under Robert's Rules of Order.
Student Concerns and the Role of the Advisory Committee: The College expects that most issues will be resolved informally by a discussion
between the concerned individual(s) and ASCOCC Council. To that end, should someone
have a concern about ASCOCC Council members and/or their activities, the following
process shall be utilized:
The concerned party will bring the issue to the ASCOCC Council and/or their College-appointed
advisor. If the concern is related to COCC's Student Rights and Responsibilities,
the Council or the advisor will automatically refer the concern to the Director of
Student Life. If not an issue under the Rights and Responsibilities, then all parties
will exhibit professionalism and a good-faith effort to resolve the concern informally.
If no mutually acceptable resolution is reached, the concerned party will present
a written summary of their concern to the Dean of Student and Enrollment Services,
making sure to include the following information:
The act, omission, or matter which is the subject of the concern;
All facts the concerned party believes are relevant to the concern;
Steps previously taken to resolve the matter informally;
The resolution sought; and
All arguments in support of the desired solution.
Having received a written or verbal complaint, the Dean of Student and Enrollment
Services shall take one or more of the following actions:
Dismiss the concern if it is untimely, is being currently reviewed in another forum,
was previously reviewed or decided upon prior to this request, is frivolous, or is
filed in bad faith.
Refer the concern to the Student Conduct Process if the concern appears to be a violation
of COCC's Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Refer the concern to the ASCOCC Advisory Committee Hearings Board.
If the issue requires convening the Advisory Committee as a Hearings Board, the Hearings
Board will utilize the following process:
If applicable, the Hearings Board will meet in executive session.
The Chair of the ASCOCC Advisory Committee will serve as Chair of the Hearings Board,
and read the concern to the other members of the Hearings Board.
If invited to do so by the Hearings Board chair, the individual(s) issuing the complaint
may provide a verbal summary.
If invited to do so by the Hearings Board chair, ASCOCC members may provide a verbal
or written summary.
The Board may ask questions/seek information to fully understand the complaint from
the concerned individual(s), ASCOCC members or other parties as needed.
The concerned parties and ASCOCC will be required to leave the room while the Board
reviews the concern.
The Hearings Board will recommend appropriate next steps to the Dean of Student and
Enrollment Services in writing.
The Dean of Student and Enrollment Services will accept the Hearings Board's recommendation,
refer the issue to the appropriate campus process or reject the Hearings Board's recommendation.
Should the Advisory Committee recommend removal from office, the Dean of Students
shall confer with the College President.
Confidentiality: All information related to a Hearings Board shall remain confidential
unless otherwise required by law, and will not be available for public review.
Hearings Board Membership: The Hearings Board shall consist of the ASCOCC Advisory
Committee chair, two faculty or staff from the existing ASCOCC Advisory Committee
and two students from the existing ASCOCC Advisory Committee. No member of the Hearings
Board shall be directly connected to the specific concern being addressed. If needed
to address conflict of interest, the Chair may make an appropriate substitution at
his/her discretion.
The Dean of Student and Enrollment Services' decision shall be provided in writing
to the appropriate parties.
