San Mateo County Community College District 

District Student Council Bylaws 

Article I – Structure 

Section 1 Name and Membership 

1.1 The name of this organization shall be the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD) District Student Council, herein referred to as District Student Council, DSC, or the Council. 

1.2 The membership of the DSC shall be comprised of the SMCCCD Student Trustee, who shall serve as Chair, and the Associated Students President and Vice President from Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, or their designees. 

Section 2 Governing Law 

2.1 The District Student Council shall be governed in accordance with these Bylaws, District Board Policies and Procedures, as well as any and all applicable laws, including the California Education Code, and the Ralph M. Brown Act (California Code Section 54950, et seq.). 

Section 3 Advisors 

3.1 The District Student Council’s Advisors shall be the Student Life and Leadership Manager or their designee from the campus at which the DSC meeting is being held. 

3.2 An Advisor shall be in attendance at all meetings of the DSC for official business to take place. 

3.3 The Advisors shall function as parliamentarians and historians for the DSC. 

3.4 The Advisors shall act within the spirit and intent of these Bylaws, District Board Policies and Procedures, the California Education Code, and the Ralph M. Brown Act. 

 

Article II – Meetings 

Section 1 Compliance with the Ralph M. Brown Act 

1.1 All meetings and actions taken by the District Student Council shall be governed by the Ralph M. Brown Act (California Code Section 54950, et seq.), where applicable. 

Section 2 Rules of Order 

2.1 All meetings of the District Student Council shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. 

Section 3 Secretary 

3.1 The Council shall designate one member to serve as Secretary for each meeting. The Secretary shall be responsible for taking notes and compiling minutes of that meeting for the Student Trustee in a timely manner. 

Section 4 Regular Meetings 

4.1 As outlined in SMCCCD District Board Policies and Procedures Section 1.05, “The Student Trustee shall call and attend one District Student Council meeting each month to review the upcoming Board of Trustees’ agenda and to discuss issues before the Board of Trustees.” 

4.2 Meetings shall be held at 1 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to a regularly scheduled Board of Trustees meeting. 

4.3 Meetings shall rotate among each campus in the District and the District Office. 

4.4 Additional meetings shall be called when necessary by the Student Trustee in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. 

Section 5 Special Meetings 

5.1 The Student Trustee or any member of the DSC may call a special meeting of the DSC in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act. 

Section 6 Emergency Meetings 

6.1 The DSC may call an Emergency Meeting only under the conditions as outlined in the Ralph M. Brown Act. 

Section 7 Quorum 

7.1 A quorum of members of the DSC shall be present before business is discussed or acted upon. A quorum shall be defined by the Ralph M. Brown Act. 

7.2 This requirement shall not be interpreted to prevent the DSC from establishing an ad hoc advisory committee that consists of less than a quorum of the District Student Council, where consistent with the Brown Act. 

Section 8 Majority Vote 

8.1 Except where otherwise provided for in these Bylaws, action taken by the DSC shall require a simple majority vote (50 percent plus 1) of the members present. 

8.2 The Student Trustee shall vote only in case of a tie. 

Article III – Roles and Responsibilities 

Section 1 Student Trustee 

1.1 The Student Trustee shall be responsible for: 

a. Calling meetings of the DSC. 

b. Compiling agendas for DSC meetings. 

c. Keeping records of all DSC meetings. 

d. Presenting the positions of the three Associated Students Councils to the Board of Trustees on matters that will have a significant impact on students. 

e. Participating in shared governance matters as outlined in SMCCCD Board Policies and Procedures and California Education Code. 

Section 2 Associated Students Council Representatives 

2.1 The representatives from the Associated Students Councils shall be responsible for: 

a. Bringing information from their local campuses to District Student Council. 

b. Bringing information from District Student Council to their local Associated Students Council. 

c. Presenting pertinent information that may impact students district-wide. 

Article IV – Selection of the Student Trustee 

Section 1 Election of the Student Trustee 

1.1 Election of the Student Trustee shall take place as outlined in SMCCCD District Board Policies and Procedures Section 1.05. 

1.2 The District Student Council, when meeting for the purpose of interviewing candidates and selecting the Student Trustee, shall comply with all aspects of the Brown Act. 

1.3 Selection of the Student Trustee shall not be considered a personnel action and therefore shall not take place in closed session. 

a. The District Student Council may, at its discretion, suggest that the candidates not be present during the interviews of other candidates. 

1.4 If there is no outgoing Student Trustee or if the Student Trustee is running for re-election and unable to serve on the selection panel, the District Student Council shall select an alternate member in accordance with Board Policy 1.05. 

1.5 If there is no outgoing Student Trustee or if the Student Trustee is running for re-election and is unable to serve as chair, the District Student Council shall, at a regularly scheduled meeting, designate a member of the Council to serve as chair. 

1.6 Interviews shall take place at the District Office. If the District Office is not available, the District Student Council shall select a site at a regularly scheduled meeting. 

Section 2 Interview Process 

2.1 Interviews of the candidates for Student Trustee shall take place at a special meeting of District Student Council called specifically for that purpose. 

2.2 Prior to interviewing the candidates, the District Student Council shall develop questions to ask the candidates. 

2.3 District Student Council may not add, change, or remove questions once the interview process has begun. 

a. Members of District Student Council may ask follow-up or clarifying questions as long as the follow-up or clarifying questions pertain to the original question. 

2.4 Each candidate shall be afforded equal time for their interview. 

2.5 Interviews of candidates and selection of the Student Trustee may not take place without an advisor present. 

Article V – Removal 

Section 1 Vote of No Confidence 

1.1 As outlined in Section 1.05 of District Board Policies and Procedures, “The Student Trustee may be recalled for nonperformance of duties, violation of the Student Code of Conduct or ethical lapses by a no-confidence vote taken by at least two of the Associated Students Councils, with a two-thirds vote at each campus.” 

1.2 A vote of no-confidence may be initiated by: 

a. Any voting member of the District Student Council. 

b. A petition signed by a majority of any of Associated Students Councils. 

c. A petition signed by 5 percent of the students enrolled district-wide as of the prior semester’s first census, excluding summer. 

VI. Amendments and Approval 

Section 1. Amendments to DSC Bylaws 

1.1 Modifications to the Bylaws shall be initiated by: 

a. Any voting member of the District Student Council. 

b. A petition signed by a majority of any of the Associated Students Councils 

c. A petition signed by 5 percent of the students enrolled district-wide as of the prior semester’s first census, excluding summer semester. 

Section 2. Approval Process 

2.1 Any changes to the Bylaws must be approved by: 

a. Two-third majority vote of the District Student Council. 

b. Two-third majority vote by at least two of the Associated Students Councils. 

Adopted by District Student Council on Monday, April 25, 2022.