Constitution of the Student Government Association of the University of Georgia Ratified on xx/xx/xxxx

Transcription

1 1 Constitution of the Student Government Association of the University of Georgia Ratified on xx/xx/xxxx Article I. Name This organization shall be the Student Government Association of the University of Georgia (abbreviated hereafter as SGA). Article II. Purpose SGA shall be the organized voice for each student of the University of Georgia; shall organized governing bodies of the University; shall foster an environment of civic welfare. Article III. Membership Section 1. Student Membership All University of Georgia students are members of SGA upon the payment of their Student Activity Fee. Committee Members, Elected Officials, and Appointed Officials are considered Active. Section 2. Non-Discrimination Policy Membership and all privileges, including voting and officer positions, must be extended to all students without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, disability, color, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or sex and gender identity. Article IV. General Organization SGA shall be organized into three branches: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial. Article V. Executive Branch Section 1. Executive Composition The Executive Branch shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, other appointed Executive Officers, Cabinet, General Assembly, Freshman Forum, and other bodies as dictated by the rules and procedures.

2 2 Section 2. Officers Paragraph A. President degree or program of study, and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale throughout the term. ii. Shall speak on behalf of SGA. iii. Shall make appointments to University-wide committees and governing bodies that have student representation and shall select students to represent the student body outside the University. iv. Shall serve as the University delegate to the Student Advisory Council of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and shall have the authority to appoint Student Advisory Council delegates with a majority approval of the Senate. v. Shall have the ability to create committees that expire at the end of each term. vi. May veto resolutions and bills passed by the Senate within a week of passage. Such a veto must be in writing and delivered to the President Pro- Tempore. vii. Shall present to the student body a report on SGA activities at the end of each academic term. viii. Shall establish rules and procedures in accordance with the Constitution of SGA. ix. Shall run as a ticket with the Vice President and Treasurer. x. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot and inaugurated no later than April 30. Paragraph B. Vice President i. Must be registered as a full time student as defined by the Vice G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale throughout the term. ii. Shall assist the President in the fulfillment of presidential duties. iii. Shall have the power to call meetings of the Senate. iv. Shall be the presiding officer of the Senate. v. Shall vote in the case of a tie in the Senate. vi. Shall serve as a non-voting member of the Rules Committee. vii. Shall act in full capacity of the President should the President be unable to fulfill the duties of office. viii. Shall establish rules and procedures in accordance with the Constitution of SGA. ix. Shall run as a ticket with the President and Treasurer. x. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot and inaugurated no later than April 30. Paragraph C. Treasurer

3 i. Must be registered as a full time studen degree or program of study, and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale throughout the term. ii. Shall be responsible for the finances, financial records, and financial transactions of SGA, and shall have the authority to delegate these tasks to an Executive appointment. iii. Shall chair the Small Clubs Allocations Committee. iv. Shall give an itemized report on the current state of the budget at each Senate meeting. v. Shall establish rules and procedures in accordance with the Constitution of SGA. vi. Shall run as a ticket with the President and Vice President. vii. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot and inaugurated no later than April 30. Paragraph D. Chief of Staff i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the President. ii. Shall aid the Executive Branch in its organization and general duties. Paragraph E. Executive Secretary i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the President. ii. Shall be responsible for recording Executive B absences and shall provide this information to the Attorney General. iii. Shall make reservations on behalf of SGA. iv. Shall be responsible for preparing the agenda for Cabinet meetings. v. Shall compile weekly reports from all Executive Branch members and provide them at weekly Cabinet meetings. Paragraph F. Attorney General i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the President with a majority approval of the Senate. ii. Shall act as a liaison between the Executive and Judicial Branches. iii. Shall make eligibility checks each academic term on all SGA Officers and Senators. iv. Shall inquire, investigate, and gather evidence, testimony, or written statements relevant to possible or alleged violations of the Constitution and all other governing documents by any elected or appointed official other than the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices. v. Shall serve as the chair of the Elections Committee. vi. Shall serve as a non-voting member of the Freshman Board Selection Committee. Paragraph G. Freshman Board Advisors i. Shall be two non-senators appointed by the President with a majority approval of the Senate. ii. Shall aid the Freshman Board in the execution of its duties. iii. Shall serve on the Freshman Board Selection Committee. 3

4 4 iv. Shall report to the Chief of Staff. Paragraph H. Director(s) of Freshman Forum i. Shall be no more than three non-senators appointed by the President. ii. Shall aid the Freshman Forum in the execution of its duties. iii. Shall select the members of Freshman Forum. iv. Shall report to the Chief of Staff. Paragraph I. Historian i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the President. ii. Shall work to maintain an accurate record of the activities and projects of the current term. Section 3. Cabinet Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Cabinet is to act as the authority of the Executive Branch. Paragraph B. Composition The Cabinet shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Chief of Staff, Executive Secretary, Attorney General, SGA Graduate Advisor, SGA Faculty Advisor, and any other positions appointed by the President as outlined in the rules and procedures. Paragraph C. Duties i. Shall review the progress of Executive Committees. ii. Shall advise and support the President, Vice President, and Treasurer in carrying out Executive duties. Section 4. General Assembly Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the General Assembly shall be to coordinate and implement Executive initiatives among the general student community. Paragraph B. Composition Shall consist of Executive committees determined by the rules and procedures. Paragraph C. Directors of Executive Committees i. Shall be appointed by the President. ii. Shall have the authority to create subcommittees to exist for the duration iii. Shall submit their reports in writing to the Executive Secretary prior to any meeting of the Cabinet. iv. Shall report to the Senate at each meeting.

5 5 Section 5. Freshman Forum Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Freshman Forum is to develop leaders in the freshman class through leadership training and community projects. Paragraph B. Composition Shall be composed of no more than one-hundred freshmen. Paragraph C. Membership Selection i. An application process shall be held during the beginning of the fall semester to select members for the term. ii. The Director(s) of Freshman Forum shall have the authority to establish eligibility requirements. iii. The Director(s) of Freshman Forum shall be responsible for the application reviewing process. Paragraph D. Duties i. Shall participate in General Assembly and Freshman Forum meetings. ii. Shall fulfill all mandatory obligations as defined by the Director(s) of Freshman Forum. Section 6. Standing-Select Committees Paragraph A. Elections Committee i. Shall derive its authority from the Executive Branch of SGA. ii. The Judicial Branch of SGA shall have oversight power to ensure the Constitutionality of the elections process. iii. Shall plan, monitor, manage, and define the annual elections procedures of SGA in order to maintain an effective and meaningful process as prescribed by the Constitution. iv. Composition 1. Shall be chaired by the Attorney General who shall vote only in the case of a tie. 2. Shall be comprised of two non-active members of SGA appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the Senate, two active members of SGA appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the Senate, and the President Pro-Tempore. 3. The SGA Graduate Advisor and the SGA Faculty Advisor shall serve as non-voting members. 4. The majority of students on this committee must be graduating seniors.

6 5. Should the President Pro-Tempore not be able to impartially serve on the elections committee, he/she must appoint a Senator to serve on the committee. 6. Quorum shall consist of four of the five voting members and the Attorney General. v. Elections Code 1. Shall be the rule upon which the Elections Committee operates. Paragraph B. Small Clubs Allocations Committee i. Shall derive its authority from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and SGA. ii. Shall be responsible for distributing funds from the Small Clubs Allocations account to student organizations classified as small clubs. iii. Composition 1. Shall be chaired by the Treasurer who shall serve as a voting member. 2. Shall include four Senators appointed by the Treasurer and approved by a majority vote of the Senate, who shall serve as voting members. 3. Shall include a representative from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, who shall serve as a non-voting member. 4. Shall include a representative from the Department of Student Activities as the committee secretary with no voting privilege. 5. Shall include an Accounting Assistant from the Student Activities Business Office with no voting privilege 6. Should a temporary vacancy occur, the Treasurer shall appoint a Senator to serve on the committee. iv. Shall review all requests for funding from the Small Clubs Allocations account and shall determine the monies appropriate for a small club to meet its specified goal. Upon approval, the request is sent to the Student Activities Business Office. v. Small Clubs Allocations Code 1. Shall be the rule upon which the Small Clubs Allocations Committee operates. Article VI. Legislative Branch Section 1. Legislative Composition The Legislative Branch shall consist of all Legislative Officers and the Senate. Section 2. Officers Paragraph A. President Pro-Tempore i. Shall be elected by a majority vote of the Senate at the first meeting of the new Senate. 6

7 ii. Shall act in full capacity of the Vice President when the Vice President is unable to fulfill the duties of the office. iii. Shall act upon any veto delivered by the President. iv. Shall investigate and gather evidence, testimony, or written statements relevant to possible or alleged violations of the Constitution or other governing documents by the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices. v. Shall serve as the chair of the Rules Committee. vi. Shall serve as the chair of the Freshman Board Selection Committee. vii. Shall serve on the Elections Committee. Paragraph B. Parliamentarian i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the Vice President with a majority approval of the Senate. ii. Shall advise the Senate as to the legality and Constitutionality of Senate actions, proposals, and legislation. Paragraph C. Secretary of the Senate i. Shall be a non-senator appointed by the Vice President with a majority approval of the Senate. ii. Shall be responsible for recording and distributing the agenda and minutes of the Senate. iii. Shall be responsible for recording absences of Senators, Freshman Board members, and Student Life Representatives and shall provide this information to the Attorney General. iv. Shall be responsible for forwarding approved legislation to the President and the Supreme Court. vi. Shall maintain a voting record for every member of Senate. Section 3. The Senate Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Senate is to serve as the Legislative power of SGA. Paragraph B. Composition Shall be composed of the Senators, the Freshman Board, and the Student Life Representatives. Paragraph C. Duties i. Senators, Freshman Board members, and Student Life Representatives shall attend all Senate meetings as scheduled by the Vice President. ii. Senators, Freshman Board members, and Student Life Representatives shall not be required to attend Senate meetings between the Spring and Fall terms. iii. Senators, Freshman Board members, and Student Life Representatives with voting rights must be present in order to vote on any item or issue; there shall be no voting by proxy. 7

8 iv. A quorum of the Senate shall be considered two-thirds of all members of Senate on the roll, including Senators, the five voting members of the Freshman Board, and Student Life Representatives, must be present in order to conduct official business. v. A two-thirds vote of the Senate overrides a presidential veto. Paragraph D. Powers of Impeachment and Removal from Office i. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate to impeach the President, Vice President, and Treasurer or remove Justices for violations of the Constitution or other governing documents as presented by the President Pro-Tempore. ii. The Chief Justice shall preside over impeachment hearings for the President, Vice President, and Treasurer. iii. The Vice President shall preside over hearings regarding the removal of Justices from office. iv. Senate members shall recuse themselves from any hearing if they have any relationship with, partiality towards, or prejudice against the accused that would compromise their objectivity. v. No other business may be conducted by the Senate during impeachment hearings. Paragraph E. Rights of the Accused i. are to be reviewed by the Senate. ii. The charges must be formally presented to the accused by the President Pro-Tempore. iii. The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate contrary evidence to the alleged accusation. Section 4. Senators Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Senators will be to represent the needs and interests of the student body. Paragraph B. Composition i. Shall be elected from each of the schools and colleges of the University of Georgia in proportion to the student enrollment within the school or college using the formula of one Senate seat for every one-thousand students in a college and one Senate seat for any college with less than one-thousand enrolled. ii. One Graduate Senator shall be elected per every two-thousand graduate students. The President of the Graduate Student Association, or a designee of the President of the Graduate Student Association, shall serve as an additional Senator representing the Graduate School. This designee shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate. 8

9 iii. Shall be registered as full time students as defined by their degree or program of study and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale throughout the term. iv. Shall be enrolled in the school or college in which they stand for election. v. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot and inaugurated no later than April 30. vi. If a Senator ceases to be enrolled in the school or college he or she was elected to represent, then he or she will be subject to review by the Supreme Court. Paragraph C. Duties i. Shall represent and advocate on behalf of students within the school or college from which he or she was elected. ii. Each Senator shall have one vote in Senate. Section 5. Freshman Board Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Freshman Board will be to represent the concerns and needs of the freshman class to the Senate. The Freshman Board term shall commence upon the installation of the body at a meeting of the Senate and shall expire upon the end of the current Senate term. Paragraph B. Composition Shall be composed of no more than twenty and no less than five first-year students. Paragraph C. Membership Selection i. An application process shall be held during the beginning of the fall semester to select members for the term. ii. The Freshman Board Selection Committee shall oversee the selection process. iii. The Freshman Board Selection Committee shall consist of either the President or Vice President, two Freshman Board Advisors who will each have a vote, two Senators appointed and approved by a majority vote of the Senate who will each have a vote, and two non-senators appointed and approved by a majority vote of the Senate who will each have a vote. iv. The Freshman Board Selection Committee shall be chaired by the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate who shall serve as a non-voting member. v. The Attorney General shall also serve as a non-voting member. vi. The Freshman Board Selection Committee shall set the guidelines of the selection process, including criteria used for screening applicants. vii. Every member of the Freshman Board Selection Committee must be present in order for the committee to conduct business. 9

10 Paragraph D. Duties i. Shall represent and advocate on behalf of the freshman class. ii. Shall fulfill all mandatory obligations as defined by the Freshman Board Advisors. iii. Shall have five votes in Senate, which will rotate among the members of Freshman Board. Section 6. Student Life Representatives Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Student Life Representatives will be to represent the extracurricular needs and interests of the student body. The Student Life Representative term shall commence upon the installation of the body at a meeting of the Senate and shall expire upon the end of the current Senate term. Paragraph B. Composition i. One representative shall be chosen by and amongst the following categories of Student Life: Residence Hall Life, South Campus, Athletics and Recreation, Service, Political, Religious, and the Arts. ii. Three representatives shall be chosen by and amongst Greek Life, each representing a different council within Greek Life. iii. Three representatives shall be chosen by and amongst Multicultural Student Life, each representing a different area within Multicultural Student Life. iv. Two additional representatives shall be chosen from other areas of Student Life. v. Shall be chosen by the second Senate of the fall semester. vi. Shall be approved by the Rules Committee and confirmed by a twothirds vote of the Senate. Paragraph C. Duties i. Shall represent and advocate on behalf of students within their respective Student Life category. ii. Each representative shall have one vote in Senate. Section 7. Rules Committee Paragraph A. Purpose The purpose of the Rules Committee is to ensure the legitimacy of the Legislative process. Paragraph B. Composition i. Shall be chaired by the President Pro-Tempore and consist of the Vice President, who is an ex officio, non-voting member, and five Senators who shall be appointed by the President Pro-Tempore and approved by a majority vote of the Senate. 10

11 ii. In the case of an absence of one member of the Rules Committee, the President Pro Tempore will cast any necessary tie-breaking votes. iii. Quorum shall consist of four of the five Senators and the President Pro Tempore. Paragraph C. Duties i. Shall correct all semantic errors in proposed legislation. ii. Shall catalog all legislation presented before the Senate. iii. Shall rectify any code in accordance with approved bills. iv. Shall rectify the Constitution in accordance with approved Constitutional amendments. Section 8. Legislation Paragraph A. Resolutions i. Shall be drafted to express an official position of the Senate on behalf of the student body. ii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing before the Senate. iii. Shall require one reading at a Senate meeting. The Vice President shall entertain debate and amendment, and the Senate will vote on the proposed resolution. iv. Shall require a majority vote of the Senate. Paragraph B. Bills i. Shall be drafted to alter any code or other governing document other than the Constitution. ii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing before the Senate. iii. Shall require one reading at a Senate meeting. Upon first reading, the Vice President shall entertain debate and amendment, and the Senate will vote on the proposed bill. iv. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Paragraph C. Amendments i. Shall be drafted to make deletions or insertions to the Constitution. ii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing in front of the Senate body. iii. Shall require a first and second reading at a Senate meeting. Upon first reading, the Vice President shall not entertain debate. At least one week shall transpire between the first and second reading. Upon second reading, the Vice President shall entertain debate and amendment, and the Senate will vote on the proposed amendment. iv. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate. v. Shall require a majority approval of University students voting on the amendment. The Vice President shall set the date of the vote. 11

12 12 vi. Shall be approved by the President of the University of Georgia for passage or shall take effect one week after being delivered to the President. Section 9. Parliamentary Authority Article VII. Judicial Branch Paragraph A. Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all proceedings, except as set forth in this Constitution and the rules and procedures. Paragraph B. Rules and Procedures i. Shall be created by the President, Vice President, and Treasurer in consultation with the Supreme Court, and approved by a majority vote of the Senate. ii. Shall expire at the end of each term. Paragraph C. Rules for Debate Shall be established within the rules and procedures. Paragraph D. Open Meetings All meetings of SGA shall be open to all members of the University community, except where expressly provided for by this Constitution. Section 1. Judicial Composition The Judicial Branch shall consist of a Supreme Court. Section 2. Officers Paragraph A. Chief Justice i. Shall be appointed by the President with a majority approval of the Senate. ii. Shall call and preside over all meetings of the Supreme Court. iii. Shall align with a majority opinion or may elect to file a dissenting opinion jointly with the Associate Justices or individually. iv. Shall present the a majority opinion of the Supreme Court, both verbally and in writing, to the Senate without disclosing personal information, including but not limited to health, legal, or academic records. v. Shall have one vote in every judicial hearing. vi. Shall preside over the impeachment hearing should the President, Vice President, or Treasurer face impeachment. Paragraph B. Associate Justices i. Four Associate Justices shall be appointed by the President with a majority approval of the Senate.

13 13 ii. Shall align themselves with a majority opinion or may elect to file a written dissenting opinion either jointly or individually. iii. Shall issue a written majority opinion authored by either the Chief Justice or Associate Justices. v. Shall each have one vote in each judicial hearing. Paragraph C. Alternate Justices i. Shall be appointed by the President in accordance with the rules and procedures. ii. Shall fulfill the duties of Associate Justice should a temporary or permanent vacancy occur. Paragraph D. Secretary of the Court i. Shall be appointed by the Chief Justice. ii. Shall compile, distribute, and archive all materials presented by the Attorney General and the accused. iii. Personal information, including but not limited to health, legal, or academic records, shall never be distributed through any records kept by the Secretary. Section 3. Supreme Court Paragraph A. Jurisdiction i. Shall hear alleged violations of the Constitution or any other governing documents by any elected or appointed official other than the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices as presented by the Attorney General. ii. Shall determine the Constitutionality of any legislation passed through the Senate iii. Shall determine the Constitutionality of any rules and procedures. iv. Shall determine the Constitutionality of the manner in which legislation is passed. v. Shall be consulted by the President, Vice President, and Treasurer in the creation of the rules and procedures that shall outline the process for judicial proceedings. Paragraph B. Powers of Impeachment and Removal from Office i. Shall require a majority vote of the Justices to impeach a member of Senate or remove members of the Executive Branch other than the President, Vice President, and Treasurer from office for violations of the Constitution or other governing documents as presented by the Attorney General. ii. Justices shall recuse themselves from any hearing if they have any relationship with, partiality towards, or prejudice against the accused that would compromise their objectivity. iii. Should a recusal occur, the Chief Justice shall call upon the necessary number of Alternate Justices to fulfill the duties of the absent Justice(s).

14 14 Article VIII. Vacancies Paragraph C. Rights of the Accused i. Supreme Court. ii. The charges must be formally presented to the accused by the Attorney General. iii. The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate contrary evidence to the alleged accusation. Paragraph D. Appeals A decision of the Supreme Court may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of Senate signed by the President. Section 1. Vacancy in the Office of the President The Vice President shall assume said office for the remainder of the term. The current Vice President will be sworn in as President at the next immediate Senate by the Chief Justice. The Office of the Vice President shall then be considered vacant. Section 2. Vacancy in the Office of the Vice President The President Pro-Tempore shall assume said office for the remainder of the term. The current President Pro-Tempore will be sworn in as Vice President at the next immediate Senate by President. The President Pro-Tempore Senate seat shall be considered vacant. Section 3. Vacancy in the Office of the Treasurer The President shall appoint said office for the remainder of the term upon twothirds approval of the Senate. If the appointment is a member of Senate, said Senate seat shall be considered vacant. Section 4. Vacancy in the Office of the President Pro-Tempore Upon vacancy a new President Pro-Tempore will be elected by the Senate at the next immediate Senate. Section 5. Vacancy in the Office of a Senator All students who qualify as candidates may apply for a vacant seat. Applicants will be selected by the Rules Committee and approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Section 6. Vacancy in the Seat of Student Life Representative Shall be approved by the Rules Committee with a representative from the same Student Life category and confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. Section 7. Vacancy in an Appointed Office

15 The President and/or Vice President shall appoint one candidate for the vacant position. Said appointment is contingent upon the rules of approval for that office. Section 8. Resignation An elected or appointed official who wishes to resign shall submit a resignation in writing to the head of his or her respective branch. If the head of a branch resigns, he or she must submit his or her resignation to the heads of the other two branches. Article IX. Recall and Referendum Section 1. Recall i. A recall election for any office may be called by a petition signed by at least ten percent of the electing body. For Senators, the electing body is the college or school that they represent, and for the President, Vice President, and Treasurer, it is the entire University student body. ii. Only one recall election per Senator or Officer per term of office shall be held. Section 2. Referendum i. A referendum on any question may be called by a petition by at least ten percent of the student body. ii. A referendum may also be called by two-thirds of the Senate. iii. The Vice President shall set the date of the referendum. Article X. Constitutional Review Section 1. Constitutional Revision Commission After the first Senate of the fall semester of 2014, and each fourth year thereafter, there shall be established a Constitution Revision Commission. Paragraph A. Composition i. Shall be composed of eleven voting members: the President, Vice President, Treasurer, President Pro-Tempore, two Senators appointed and approved by a majority vote of the Senate, one member of the Freshman Programs appointed and approved by a majority vote of the Senate, the SGA Chief Justice, one additional Justice chosen by the Supreme Court, and two non-active members of SGA appointed by the President and approved by a majority vote of the Senate. ii. The SGA Graduate Advisor and SGA Faculty Advisor who shall both serve as non-voting members. iii. The Attorney General shall chair this committee as a non-voting member. iv. Vacancies occurring on the commission shall be filled by appointment by the Attorney General approved by a majority vote of the Senate from the same constituency as the original member. v. All meetings of the Commission are open to the general student body. 15

16 Paragraph B. Duties i. Shall evaluate the effectiveness of the current SGA Constitution. ii. If significant deficiencies are found with the current document, a new Constitution shall be drafted and presented for Ratification. iii. If the Constitutional Revision Commission deems the document can be updated through individual amendments, such amendments will be drafted and submitted to the Senate in accordance with the amendment process. iv. Shall forward a copy of any Constitutional changes to the President who shall notify the entire student body of the impending changes by using the most effective method possible. Section 2. Approval of New Constitution Paragraph A. Ratification i. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision. ii. Shall require a first and second reading at a Senate meeting. iii. Upon first reading, the Vice President shall not entertain debate. At least one week shall transpire between the first and second reading. iv. Upon second reading, Vice President shall entertain debate and amendment, and the Senate may vote on the proposed Constitution. v. Shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. vi. Shall require a majority approval of University students voting on the Constitution. Ten percent of the University student body must participate in the vote for ratification. The Vice President shall set the date of the vote. vii. Shall be approved by the President of the University of Georgia for passage or shall take effect one week after being delivered to the President. Article XI. Oath of Office All Constitutional officers must take the following Oath of Office in order to assume faithfully support and defend the Constitution and Bylaws of the Student Government Association of The University of Georgia, the Constitution of the State of Georgia, and the Constitution of the United States of America; and I will endeavor to fulfill my obligations to the students and my duties as (name of Article XII. Constitutional Supremacy Upon ratification, this Constitution and its associated codes shall supersede all previous governing documents, which shall be deemed null and void. 16

17 1 Statutes of the Student Government Association of the University of Georgia Approved Amended Bill Amended Bill & Bill General Administration CHAPTER 100: SYSTEM OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION STATUTES All Student Government Association (SGA) laws of permanent effect and general public interest, or of legal or historical significance, shall be compiled in a codification known as the Student Government Association Statutes The SGA Statutes shall be arranged by subject matter within six titles, each composed of a number or numerically- designated chapters, according to the following scheme: a. Title I (Ch ) General Administration b. Title II (Ch ) The Executive Branch c. Title III (Ch ) The Legislative Branch d. Title IV (Ch ) The Judicial Branch e. Title V (Ch ) General Statutes f. Title VI (Ch ) Small Clubs Allocations Code g. Title VIII (Ch ) Elections Code The Student Government Association Attorney General shall further classify laws according to Section to provide a logical, orderly, and comprehensive arrangement of the SGA Statutes by subject matter. Such classification shall be made prior to debate on a proposed statute in the Senate. a. The Student Government Association Attorney General has the authority to make corrections only to spelling and non- punctuation typographical errors The Student Government Association Attorney General is responsible for continuous maintenance of the SGA Statutes such that at any given time they reflect all legislation enacted as of that time. Legislation shall be considered enacted when all SGA action on it is completed.

18 The SGA Statutes can be added, removed, or amended through bills passed in the Senate by a two- thirds vote of the members present. Any alteration must be assigned a proper statute section and/or subsection as to the location in the statutes that is to be changed or added before the motion is considered by the Senate. Proper placement of a new statute or the relocation of a current statute shall be determined by the Student Government Association Attorney General The SGA Statutes shall at all times be subordinate to the Constitution of the Student Government Association. CHAPTER 101: PUBLIC RECORDS All Student Government Association records shall be available to the public. CHAPTER 200: EXECUTIVE CABINET The Executive Branch The Executive Cabinet is responsible to the Student Government Association President, in whose name each member of the Executive Cabinet acts The Student Government Association Chief of Staff, upon consultation with the Student Government Association President, shall oversee the Executive Cabinet members The Student Government Association President shall have the power to remove any non- constitutional member of the Executive Cabinet based upon performance. All constitutional members of the Executive Cabinet must be removed by the Supreme Court A constitutional Executive Staff member shall assume office upon a two- thirds majority vote by the Senators present A non- constitutional Executive Staff member shall assume office upon appointment by the Student Government Association President The Executive Cabinet shall consist of the following voting officers: a. Student Government Association President b. Student Government Association Vice President c. Student Government Association Treasurer d. Chief of Staff e. Executive Secretary f. Attorney General g. Director of Legislative Affairs

19 3 h. Director of Communications i. Director of Student Life j. Director of Academic Affairs k. Director of Multicultural Affairs l. Director of External Affairs m. Athletic Board Representative n. Freshman Board Representative o. Freshman Forum Representative p. Director of Finance q. Director of Special Projects and Programs Student Government Association advisors are encouraged to attend Executive Cabinet meetings but do not hold voting rights. CHAPTER 201: EXECUTIVE CABINET OPERATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Executive Cabinet will meet at the discretion of the Student Government Association President during the school year Each Executive Cabinet member shall submit a comprehensive report to the Executive Secretary prior to Cabinet meetings and Senate meetings for inclusion in the weekly comprehensive cabinet report and Senate agenda. Each Executive Cabinet member shall prepare and deliver an oral report for the meetings of the Senate based upon this written report, as necessary The Student Government Association President, along with the Student Government Association Chief of Staff, may set any formal or informal structures or reporting techniques that they deem appropriate for the efficient and productive operation of the Executive Cabinet Each Executive Cabinet officer is noted as being the official representative of the student body for his or her particular subject area Each Executive Cabinet officer has the responsibility to formulate projects and programs relating to their division that will benefit the student body. Each program and project will comply with SGA statutes and be executed as determined by the Student Government Association President through the direction of the Student Government Association Chief of Staff. CHAPTER 202: EXECUTIVE STAFF The Executive Staff is responsible to the Student Government Association President, in whose name each member of the Executive Staff acts The Student Government Association Chief of Staff, shall oversee the Executive Staff members and reserves the right, in consultation with the Student Government

20 Association President, to remove any non- constitutional Executive Staff member of the Executive Staff based on performance. All constitutional Executive Staff must be removed by the Supreme Court A constitutional Executive Staff member shall assume office upon a two- thirds majority vote by the Senators present A non- constitutional Executive Staff member shall assume office upon appointment by the Student Government Association President The Executive Staff shall consist of any other officer the Student Government Association President sees fit Each Executive Staff officer is noted as being an official representative of the student body for his or her particular subject area Each Executive Staff officer has the responsibility to formulate projects and programs relating to their division that will benefit the student body. Each program and project will comply with Student Government Association statutes and be executed as determined by the Student Government Association President through the direction of the Student Government Association Chief of Staff. CHAPTER 203: ABSENCES Upon incurring their fourth absence from an SGA meeting or any other mandatory event, Executive Cabinet officers will face a hearing by the Supreme Court. Upon incurring their third absence from an SGA meeting or any other mandatory event Executive Staff will face a hearing by the Supreme Court All cabinet meetings, Executive committee meetings, senate meetings, and mandatory events are required attendance for all Executive Cabinet officers. All committee meetings and mandatory events are required attendance for Executive Staff Absences from mandatory events are considered unexcused, unless the Supreme Court determines otherwise. Absences must be detailed on an official SGA absentee form given to the Executive Secretary. Upon third or fourth absence depending on position, absence forms will be forwarded to the Attorney General who will present a case before the Supreme Court Falsification of any information on an official SGA absentee form will automatically result in a hearing before the Supreme Court. CHAPTER 204: STANDING AND AD- HOC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEES 4

21 Any general committee member appointed to chair a subcommittee must report weekly to the appropriate committee chair on subcommittee progress and future plans Minutes and roll should be taken at all meetings by committee secretaries. Committee minutes should be recorded, filed and turned in to the Student Government Association Executive Secretary At the general body meeting before breaking out to separate committees meetings, the Student Government Association Executive Secretary will prepare a powerpoint for the general body of ongoing, completed and upcoming committee work Committee Directors have the discretion of appointing sub- Committees and all other necessary support staff in consultation with the Student Government Association Chief of Staff No committee shall be relieved of meeting on a scheduled meeting night unless neither the committee head nor a designated appointee is able to chair the committee. CHAPTER 205: UNIVERSITY AND PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEES University committees are important institutions of University governance, idea formulation, and interaction University committees are not limited to the president and vice president, but with proper notifications, the president and vice president can choose an individual to appoint in their place Appointments to University committees shall be made by the Student Government Association president under the direction of the director of legislative affairs, and all appointees are expected to attend or to take necessary actions as specified by the attendance policy CHAPTER 300: RESPONSIBILITIES The Legislative Branch Senators are expected to attend all Senate meetings, Executive committee meetings, University Council meetings, and any other mandatory event Senators are expected to uphold their taken oath and strive to fulfill their promises to student body. Failure to do so will result in an impeachment case being made by the Attorney General to the Supreme Court.

22 Senators are required to abide by the Code of Ethics outlined in this document. Failure to do so will result in an impeachment case being made by the Attorney General to the Supreme Court. CHAPTER 301: ABSENCES CHAPTER 301: ABSENCES Upon incurring their second unexcused absence from a Senate session, third unexcused absence from Executive committee meeting, first unexcused absence from University Council meeting or second unexcused absence from any other mandatory event, Senators, Freshman Board members, and Student Life Representatives will face a hearing by the Supreme Court. Absences are considered unexcused, unless the Attorney General determines otherwise. a. Absences must be detailed on an official SGA absentee form given to the Executive Secretary. Upon incurring their allotted number of unexcused absences, the Executive Secretary shall forward all absentee forms to the Attorney General who will present a case to the Supreme Court. b. Absences from mandatory events are considered unexcused, unless an absence waiver has been received by the Executive Secretary at least one day before an event. The absence waiver shall be forwarded to the Attorney General who shall approve or deny the request. The Attorney General shall notify the petitioner of the decision. Any Absences that are not reported before the event are considered unexcused; unless there are extenuating circumstances present as determined by the Attorney General (death in the family, etc.). Absences must be detailed on an official SGA absentee form given to the Executive Secretary. c. An excused absence includes the following: academic class, family emergency (death in the family, etc.), an official university event (ROTC, varsity athletics, etc..), or a personal illness with documentation. Excusable absences will be determined by the Attorney General. d. Any absence decision of the Attorney General may be contested at a Supreme Court hearing should the petitioner be brought for an absence review. e. Falsification of any information on an official SGA absentee form will automatically result in a hearing before the Supreme Court. f. Members of University Council who expect to be absent shall notify the Director of Legislative Affairs and submit their proxy ballot at least three days prior to the University Council meeting. g. Members of University Council will face a hearing before the Supreme

23 Court if they miss one University Council meeting without releasing their proxy card to the Director of Legislative Affairs. It is the duty of the Director of Legislative Affairs to notify the Attorney General to take action. h. Members of the Rules Committee who expect to be absent shall notify the President Pro- Tempore at least one day prior to the Rules Committee Meeting. The President Pro- Tempore shall be responsible for securing a proxy that will satisfy the Rules Committee s quorum. Failure to notify the President Pro- Tempore of an absence will automatically result in an unexcused absence. i. Members of the Rules Committee may face a hearing before the Supreme Court if they accumulate one unexcused absence from a Rules Committee meeting. The Attorney General may draft charges and recommend formal removal from the Rules Committee. 7 CHAPTER 302: SENATE The Student Government Association Vice President presides over the Senate as President of the Senate and is to be addressed as Mr. or Ms. Vice President while in Senate meetings The structure of Senate, including agenda and seating arrangements, are to be set by the Student Government Association Vice President. The Vice President also reserves the right to set meeting times and may call emergency meetings Any student of the University of Georgia may speak at Senate after being recognized by the President of Senate. CHAPTER 303: RULES FOR DEBATE Upon debate, the Vice President shall call for two pro and two con opinions. Either debate shall continue upon a movement to extend debate, approved by a majority vote of the Senate, or the Senate shall move to the previous question All students are able to enter into debate on issues and legislation before Senate; however, speaking preference is given to members of Senate. CHAPTER 304: LEGISLATION Upon passage by the Senate, legislation is intended to serve as the position statement of the Student Government Association on the subject of the respective legislation on behalf of the student body.

24 8 a. All students of the University can write legislation. However, each document must be sponsored by a member of Senate. b. A sponsoring member of Senate may submit resolutions to be brought to any scheduled Senate body meeting provided the Rules Committee has had ample time to approve the resolution, at a time directed by the Senate Pro- Tempore, and will face no deadline of submission provided that the resolution is approved consistent to the Constitution and Statutes. c. All passed legislation must be sent to the Director of Communications, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the President of the Student Government Association by the President Pro Tempore within 24 hours of passage. CHAPTER 400: JUDICIAL JURISDICTION The Judicial Branch The Supreme Court shall have subpoena power over members affected by judicial jurisdiction. Failure to appear shall be a contempt of court The Supreme Court has the ability to ensure adherence to constitutional procedure of legislation passed by referring legislation to the appropriate stage should an error be determined The Supreme Court, in accordance with the Constitution of the Student Government Association, shall make its internal rules of practice and procedure by a majority vote of the Justices and shall incorporate these rules into these Statutes. CHAPTER 401: JUDICIAL PROCEDURE Standing a. The Supreme Court may only hear cases presented by the Student Government Association Attorney General or when presented with a petition by five Senators. b. In accordance with the Constitution, the accused shall be notified of charges being brought against him or her no less than one week prior to the date of the hearing. c. All evidence, if any, shall be presented to all parties no less than three days prior to the date of the hearing, unless late submissions are approved by all parties.

25 9 d. The burden of proof shall lie with the Attorney General. e. The court will operate such that the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty Prosecution and Defense Deliberation a. The Student Government Association Attorney General shall make an opening statement outlining the charges. b. The accused shall then deliver an opening defense. c. The Student Government Association Attorney General shall present any evidence or witnesses. d. The accused may counter and cross- examine any witnesses. e. The accused may present any evidence or witnesses in his or her defense. f. The Student Government Association Attorney General may counter and cross- examine any witnesses. g. The Student Government Association Attorney General shall make a closing statement and recommendation for adjudication h. The accused shall make a closing statement and offer any recommendations to the Supreme Court. i. The Supreme Court may question either party until they leave for deliberation. a. The Supreme Court shall deliberate as to the innocence or guilt of the accused according to the charges presented. b. Deliberation shall take place in a sequestered environment with only the Supreme Court present. c. A majority vote is required to find guilt. d. The Supreme Court, if finding guilt, can penalize the accused as described by the Student Government Association Attorney General or develop a sentence. e. A majority opinion must be written by the court and delivered to the accused, the Senate, and the Student Government Association Attorney General.