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Constitution & Bylaws

USAO SGA Governing Documents

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Constitution

The Constitution of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma

Student Government Association

Adopted Fall 2016

Preamble

We, the students of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, in a spirit of cooperation and community, do establish and ordain this constitution for the following purposes:

  • to create a student government which actively represents and engages students;
  • to provide for the democratic selection of student representatives to act as intermediaries between the student body and faculty, staff, and administrators;
  • to promote and encourage high quality academics and to provide every opportunity for intellectual pursuits on campus;
  • and to provide for the continued improvement of opportunities for student development on campus.

Article I. Name and Membership

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma Student Government Association; hereafter referred to as SGA.

Section 2. The membership of this organization shall consist of all students enrolled at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.

Article II. Executive Branch

Section 1.

  1. The Executive Branch of the SGA shall be composed of an Executive Council and others as described in Section 1, subsection 2.
    1. The Executive Council shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
  2. All members of the Executive Council shall meet the following standards:
    1. Shall be enrolled as a full time student at the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
    2. Shall have completed at least twenty-four (24) hours of academic credit, with at least twelve (12) coming from the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, prior to filing for election.
    3. Must maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 prior to filing for election and during service in office.
    4. Must maintain good academic and judicial standing with the university.
    5. Must have served at least one semester as an SGA Senator at University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
  3. Vacancies caused by resignation, or any other reason, shall be filled by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.
  4. Executive Board members shall act as voting members of the Senate, not subject to associated Senate requirements. Session Chair may not vote unless the vote is evenly divided.

Section 2. The SGA President shall:

  1. Appoint officials to serve in positions within the Executive Branch, as deemed necessary and proper, with the advice and consent of the Senate and approval of the advisor.
  2. Option to appoint a Parliamentarian each year.
  3. Nominate students for appointment by the University President to membership on various University committees and councils.
  4. Preside over all meetings of the Executive Council.
  5. Submit referenda to the student body, with concurrence of two-thirds of the voting members of the Senate.
  6. Call special sessions of the Senate.
  7. Hold ultimate responsibility for maintaining communication between the student body, student government, faculty, staff, and University administration.
  8. Serve as a representative of the student body on various boards, committees, and commissions as necessary.
  9. Hold ultimate responsibility for implementation of all legislation passed in the Senate.
  10. Sign or veto all legislation passed by the Senate.
  11. Declare an executive order on issues deemed to be urgent and necessary.

Section 3. The SGA Vice President shall:

  1. Assume the role of the President in his/her absence.
  2. Assist and advise the President in the carrying out of his/her duties and responsibilities.
  3. Serve as Chair and Presiding Officer of all sessions of the Senate, maintaining and assuring appropriate decorum at all times.
  4. Serve as a member of the Senate. If serving as Session Chair, voting privileges are only granted in the case votes are evenly divided.
  5. Be responsible for any SGA committees established.

Section 4. The SGA Secretary shall:

  1. Perform all clerical duties during sessions of the Senate and Executive Council.
  2. Maintain all records of the Senate and Executive Council, including legislation, whether passed or failed, minutes, voting records, and other documents.
  3. Sustain formal communication between members of the Senate.

Section 5. The SGA Treasurer shall:

  1. Be responsible for maintenance of all financial records for the SGA and endeavor to maintain fiscal health for the organization.
  2. Make periodic reports to the SGA President, Senate, and Advisor, regarding financial matters.
  3. Initiate and follow-up on all financial matters and transactions with other organizations.

Article III. Legislative Branch

Section 1. All legislative powers of the SGA shall be vested in a unicameral legislative body, known as the Student Senate, hereafter referred to as Senate.

Section 2. The Senate shall be composed of no more than fifteen (15) members, each representing specific constituencies as follows:

  1. Two Senators shall be elected to represent each classification of student (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior).
  2. One Senator shall be elected to represent each of the University’s Academic Divisions (Business and Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Science and Kinesiology, and Education and Speech Language Pathology, and others as necessary).
  3. One Senator elected by sister organization Student Activities Board may represent the Student Activities Board in Senate.
  4. Other Senators At-Large appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Section 3. Members of the Senate shall meet the following standards:

  1. Shall be enrolled as a full-time student.
  2. Shall have completed the appropriate number of academic hours to be eligible for membership in their particular classification level, or have declared a major within their Academic Division, before filing for election.
  3. Must maintain a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 prior to filing for office and during service in office.
    1. All first-semester freshmen will be allowed to substitute acceptance into the university as a replacement for the GPA requirement.
    2. All first-semester transfer students will be allowed to substitute acceptance into the university as a replacement for the GPA requirement.
  4. Must maintain good academic and judicial standing in the University.

Section 4. The SGA Senate shall:

  1. Divide into committees as deemed necessary by the Vice-President, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
  2. Discuss issues facing the University community and provide a voice for student opinion on such matters.
  3. Hear and act upon constituency grievances or comments.
  4. Establish and amend the bylaws to this Constitution by a two-thirds vote of members present.
  5. Authorize the disbursement of funds, as allocated by the University.
  6. Override an action of the President by a two-thirds vote of members present.
  7. Make laws, and pass resolutions, which shall be necessary and proper representation of the student body’s interests.
  8. Meet openly as deemed appropriate by voting members.
  9. Remove from office, by a two-thirds vote of those who are present and voting, any member of the Executive Council, Senate, or Supreme Court.

Section 5. Senate vacancies shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate.

Article IV. Judicial Branch

Section 1. All judicial powers of the SGA shall be vested in a Supreme Court.

  1. The Supreme Court shall consist of a committee of appointed Justices and led by an appointed Chief Justice.
  2. Supreme Court justices shall be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate.
  3. Justices shall be selected from amongst Senate members and shall serve terms concurrent with their Senate terms.

Section 2. The Supreme Court shall:

  1. Interpret the SGA Constitution.
  2. Hear complaints of unconstitutionality on any actions or legislation of the Senate or Executive Council.
  3. Serve as a student conduct review board in any capacity deemed necessary and proper by the University.
  4. Establish rules, including the selection of a presiding Chief Justice, for itself.
  5. Serve as an unbiased third party resource to solve disputes for recognized student organizations.

Section 3. The Parliamentarian shall:

  1. Act as Chief Justice and lead the Supreme Court in the Judicial Branch.
    1. If there is no appointed Parliamentarian, an alternate Chief Justice may be appointed with advice and consent of the Supreme Court.
  2. Appoint a new Supreme Court Justice in the event of a resignation or vacancy.

Article V. Elections

Section 1. All members of the SGA shall be entitled to vote in all appropriate elections.

Section 2. Elections for Senators shall be held during the Fall academic trimester. Refer to Bylaws for voting timeframes and procedures.

Section 3. Elections for Executive Council members shall be held during the Spring academic trimester. Refer to bylaws for voting timeframes and procedures.

Section 4. Filing periods and election procedures shall be determined by the Senate or a committee therein, in conjunction with Advisor and Student Services.

Section 5. Terms of office for both Executive Council Members and Senators shall be one year. Newly elected legislators and executives shall be sworn into office approximately one year after their predecessor.

Article VI. Advisors

Section 1. The Senate shall report a list of names of its members, and Executive Council Members, to the Office of Student Services and other university administrators as deemed necessary.

Section 2. The SGA shall be advised by the Dean of Students, or their designee

Section 3. The Advisor shall:

  1. Attend all meetings of the Senate as necessary.
  2. Provide council and support to organization-related matters.
  3. Serve as a liaison between student governance and administrative governance.
  4. Verify member eligibility for all Senators, Justices, and Executive Council members.

Article VII. Impeachment

Section 1. Any elected member of the Executive Council, may be impeached for failure to fulfill the duties prescribed for a particular office.

Section 2. Any member of the SGA wishing to file charges against an elected official must first draft a petition and obtain a minimum number of signatures of Association members, as stated by the Bylaws, before presenting the petition to the Executive Council for Senate vote. Please refer to Bylaws for specific impeachment procedures.

Section 3. Upon impeachment, the affected party may appeal a decision or vote by the Senate to the Supreme Court. Please refer to Bylaws for appeal procedures.

Article VIII. Summer Operations

Section 1. SGA will follow an amended set of rules and guidelines for the summer trimester and times in which classes are not in regular session in the fall and spring trimesters. Refer to the Bylaws for specific procedures.

Article IX. Bylaws

Section 1. All previous bylaws, either of the SGA, Executive Council, or Senate are hereby repealed.

Article X. Amendments

Section 1. An amendment to this constitution may be proposed at any Senate meeting by any Senator. The amendment must receive a two-thirds majority vote of those Senators present. It must then be sent to the SGA President for approval. If granted, it shall be published and placed on a ballot in a special election. Any amendment must receive a majority of votes cast, with all SGA members being eligible to vote. If granted, the Amendment shall be sent to the University President for approval.

Article XI. Ratification

Section 1. This Constitution shall be ratified and in effect following the approval of the Student Association advisors, Senate, the Student Association President, a majority vote of the voting members of the student body, the President of the University, and the Board of Regents.

Bylaws

THE BYLAWS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & ARTS OF OKLAHOMA

Student Government Association

Adopted Fall 2016

SECTION I. Title

This act shall be known and may be cited as the Bylaws of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma Student Government Association, hereafter referred to as the Student Government Association.

SECTION II. Purpose of the SGA Constitution and Bylaws

These documents are intended to be living documents, wherein their generality provides for the growth and development of the Student Government Association over time. These documents should not be seen as a rigid set of rules, as rigidness constricts evolution. They should, therefore, be used as a tool to guide the Student Government Association.

SECTION III. Oath

All elected and appointed officers and Senators of the Student Government Association shall, before assuming office, repeat the following oath, to be administered by a Supreme Court Justice or the Student Government Association President (or his/her designee):

“I, (____________), do solemnly affirm to uphold the ideals of the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma, the Constitution of the Student Government Association, to promote fairness, community, and equality amongst students, and to fulfill the duties of my office to the best of my abilities.

SECTION IV. The President

  1. The President shall represent the student body and the Student Government Association at all appropriate functions, including, but not limited to, meetings of the Board of Regents of the University.
  2. The President shall make all appointments to vacant positions, executive, judicial, or legislative, in a timely manner consistent with the Constitutional guidelines and these bylaws with consent of the executive board.
  3. The President, upon signing legislation as indicated by the Constitution, be responsible for submitting such legislation to anyone listed in the legislation and, in particular, to University administrators (including, but not limited to, the President of the University). This responsibility shall also apply to any legislation which the Senate passes over the objection and veto of the President.

SECTION V. The Vice President

  1. The Vice President will shall call special meetings of the Senate with the approval of a simple majority of the Executive Council.
  2. The Vice President shall forward all legislation and the agenda to the Secretary 48 hours prior to the next meeting.

SECTION VI. The Secretary

  1. The Secretary shall be responsible for publication on the official University sanctioned Student Government Association website of accurate and up-to-date minutes, legislation (whether passed or failed, and note of which), voting records (how each member votes one each matter of significant concern, in case of roll call), and other documents for both Senate and Executive Council.
  2. The Secretary shall be responsible for publication of accurate and up-to-date digital versions of all governing documents of Student Government Association, including, but not limited to, these bylaws and the Constitution.
  3. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintenance of accurate, complete, and up-to-date membership rolls for Executive, Legislative bodies, and committee representatives, with roll taken in a formal and august manner during all sessions.
  4. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining an accurate, complete, and up-to-date list (posted online, as noted above) of specific constituencies, as outlined by the Constitution, represented by individual Senators (including at-large positions, SAB Representatives, etc.).

SECTION VII. The Treasurer

  1. The Treasurer shall follow all constitutional requirements and post an accurate budget on the official Student Government Association website.
  2. The Treasurer shall submit purchase order requests within 48 hours (with reasonable exception), and follow through to affirm they are approved.
  3. The Treasurer shall collect and maintain all receipts of purchase.

SECTION VIII. The Parliamentarian

  1. The Parliamentarian, appointed by the President with advice and consent of the Senate, shall maintain proper decorum, procedure, and order in the body by assisting the Vice-President in his/her duties as chair of the body.
  2. The Parliamentarian shall be selected from among the voting of the student body.
  3. The Parliamentarian shall attend and provide similar function at all meetings of Executive Council or other bodies of the Student Government Association as deemed necessary.
  4. The Parliamentarian shall assist in the drafting and interpretation of the bylaws.
  5. The Parliamentarian shall give final word on the interpretation of rules of order if there is any confusion.
  6. The Parliamentarian shall assist the President and Vice President on how to rule on a question or proceed with a motion if there is any confusion.

SECTION IX. The Executive Council

  1. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall each hold one (1) office hour per week.
  2. The Executive Council shall ensure that any transactions of the Student Government Association funds shall be reported immediately to the organization’s Treasurer.
  3. The Executive Council shall bring any expenditures of funds appropriated for Executive use totaling greater than a sum of five-hundred dollars ($500) to full Senate advice and consent.
  4. Any expenditures ordered by the Executive Council may be questioned by a member of the Senate or Executive Council and brought before the full Senate for consideration and review.

SECTION X. The Supreme Court

  1. The Parliamentarian will serve as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
  2. Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the Parliamentarian, with advice and consent of the full Senate.
  3. The Supreme Court shall decide, by the majority opinion, cases of impeachment, Senators, or members of the Supreme Court itself, as according to the Constitution of the Student Government Association.
  4. The Supreme Court shall consist of five (5) members: Chief Justice, two (2) voting Senators, and two (2) non-voting Senators.

SECTION XI. The Senate

  1. A Senator shall notify the Secretary if they have changed classification or major.
  2. The Senate shall operate according to Robert’s Rules of Order whenever appropriate and reasonable.
  3. Senators shall maintain proper formality and decorum in the body and shall not address each other by name – they should, instead, address only the chair or refer to each other via the chair.
  4. All Senators will be required to help with at least one (1) Student Government Association event per academic year.
  5. All Senators are required to author at least one piece of legislation per academic year.

SECTION XII. Transition Period for Executive Council

  1. Beginning the Monday after notification, the newly elected President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer must keep dual office hours with the outgoing Executive Council.
  2. The outgoing Executive Council will prepare the new Executive Council for their respective positions.

SECTION XIII. Legislation

  1. All legislation shall be defined as either of the following:
  2. A bill is a proposed change in law or involves the transferal, spending, or otherwise use of appropriated funds.
  3. A resolution is a proposed policy change, temporary action, or recommendation by the Senate.
  4. All legislation submitted to the Executive Board by a non-voting member must be sponsored by a voting delegate.
  5. No piece of legislation can exceed three (3) authors.
  6. All legislation must be submitted to the Vice-President by 12 p.m. on the Friday the week before the meeting that you wish it to be presented.
  7. All legislation shall be posted on the Student Government Association website twelve (12) hours prior to the Senate meeting in which it will be presented.
  8. If a number has not been correctly assigned by the Author, the Vice-President shall, upon receipt, assign a reference number for legislation.
  9. Any legislation may be effective immediately if the Author has submitted it properly, can explain the urgency of said legislation, and receive a majority vote of the Senate.
  10. All bills will have a five-hundred dollar ($500) funding cap, with reasonable exception.

SECTION XIV. Absences

  1. Absences will be counted by the Secretary when a Senator, member of Executive Council, or Supreme Court Justice misses an opening or closing roll call.
  2. The accumulation of two (2) unexcused Senate absences, per semester, shall result in verbal or written notification from the Secretary.
  3. The accumulation of four (4) unexcused Senate absences by a Senator, member of Executive Council, or Supreme Court Justice shall result in consideration of the dismissal of the individual by the Supreme Court. Their decision will be binding only on the current term of office the individual inhabits. The Supreme Court shall provide adequate time for preparation and presentation of a reasonable defense.
  4. Excused absences shall be granted at the discretion of the Secretary or Vice-President.

SECTION XV. Probation

  1. Any Senate member put on probation after being inducted will not be allowed to participate in Student Government Association-related activities (voting, authoring, etc.), but will still be required to attend weekly meetings.
  2. If on probation for more than one (1) semester, member will be considered for dismissal of the individual by the Supreme Court.

SECTION XVI. Student Organizations

  1. A Representative from each recognized organization on campus must attend at least one Student Government Association Senate session per month in order for Senate to consider any proposed legislation in relation to a particular organization.
  2. In order for a Representative to be counted, he/she must be present for both beginning and ending roll calls.
  3. Special accommodations can be made for the organizations who cannot meet the above requirements as long as a Representative contacts the Secretary prior to Senate session.

SECTION XVII. The Budget

  1. The Student Government Association Senate shall endeavor to pass an annual budget in the first three (3) weeks of the Fall semester, appropriating funds for the Executive Council’s use and funds for specific projects or purposes, etc.
  2. Modifications to this budget shall be subjected to the approval of the Senate.
  3. The budget shall be maintained, updated, and posted on the Student Government Association website.

SECTION XVIII. Order of Succession

  1. Executive Office Permeant Replacement
  2. President
  3. Vice President
  4. Secretary
  5. Treasurer
  6. Parliamentarian
  7. Executive Office Temporary Meeting Replacement
  8. Vice-President
  9. Parliamentarian
  10. Secretary
  11. Treasurer
  12. President

SECTION XIX. Accordance

  1. Student Government Association will operate in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Oklahoma Open Meetings Act, and Robert’s Rules of Order.

SECTION XX. Funding (To be added)

SECTION XXI. Repeal of Previous Bylaws

  1. All previous bylaws are hereby repealed.