BYLAWS OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

 ARITCLE I Name

The name of this organization shall be the Student Government Association (SGA) of Spalding University.

ARTICLE II Mission

The mission of the Student Government Association shall be:

• To serve as the official voice of the students of Spalding University, to the faculty, staff and administration and the community at large;
• To provide a means for students to participate in the governance of the University;
• To represent and protect the rights and interests of students;
• To officially recognize student organizations and allocate funds to them; and,
• To sponsor services of interest to students.

ARTICLE III Membership  

• Any student enrolled at Spalding University is a member of the Student Government Association.
• The Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or disability. 
• The Student Government Association is composed of the Executive Board and a Council of Representatives.

ARTICLE IV Officers

1   The officers of the organization shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.

2   Officers shall be elected by secret ballot to serve for one year.  The Executive Board officers’ term shall officially begin the first day of session VII.  The out-going Executive Board officers will work to ensure a reasonably smooth transition between themselves and the in-coming Executive Board officers.     

3    Resignation from office shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing for submission to the Executive Board.  In case of the resignation of the Secretary, the resignation shall be submitted to the President. 

                        1. A vacancy in the position of President shall be filled by the Vice-President, and then all other officer vacancies shall be filled by publicizing the position’s availability for a minimum of one week, followed by an applicant’s temporary appointment to the position by the Executive Board and final approval by a simple majority vote of the Council of Representatives.    

2. If a resignation falls at the end of a session or during Session 7 the position may be posted with the resuming of classes in the next session.

4    To inform as many students as possible about an opening, the position will be posted once classes resume in the next session.           

ARTICLE V THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

1   The Association’s executive power shall be shared among the President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  These officers, and a representative from the office of Student Life and Development, a non-voting member, shall constitute the Executive Board.

2   The Executive Board shall meet a minimum of one time every session outside of the Council of Representatives meetings and shall have supervision of the day-to-day operations of the Association between meetings by setting the hour and place of meetings, making recommendations to Council of Representatives, approving minor expenditures, and any other duties as are specified in these bylaws.

3   In the case of an Executive Board vacancy, the quorum can be achieved by a student representative, in good standing with the Student Government Association, filling in for the vacant position.

4   Three officers shall constitute a quorum.

5    Executive Board members shall not have voting power in the Council of Representatives, within the exception of a tie, and then and only then the Executive Board shall have one and only one vote based on quorum.

6   The Executive Board shall be subject to the orders of the Council of Representatives, and none of its actions shall conflict with any action taken by the Council of Representatives. The Executive Board shall review each decision made by the Council of Representatives.  The Executive Board may choose to veto if in the best interest of the students.  Any Executive Board veto may be overridden with a two-thirds majority vote in the Council of Representatives.

7     Executive officers shall:

1. Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.75;
2. The GPA stipulation may be waved by the Dean of Students or a Student Life and Development Representative.

8      Executive Board officers shall attend all meetings. Discipline for absences are as follow:

1      Unexcused absences

1      Offense one: Written Warning

2      Offense two: Vote for dismissal by executive board

2      Excused absences

1      Offense one: Verbal Warning

2      Offense two: Written warning

3      Offense three: Vote for dismissal by executive board

9      Remuneration shall be given to Executive Board members by the end of the academic year.  In the form of a reduction of tuition or community service hours to the university.

10   Powers and duties of the executive officers:

1. President shall:

1. Have served on the Executive Board for at least three consecutive Sessions before assuming office,
2. Be the official representative of the Association,
3. Call and preside at all Council of Representatives, Executive Board and, emergency meetings,
4. Create all necessary committees and see that all positions are filled,
5. See to the coordination of activities of the Executive Board and Council of Representatives,
6. Serve as a delegate to any state, regional, or national student government associations,
7. Issue a report to the University at the end of term concerning the state of SGA,
8. Continually develop relationships with Faculty, Staff, and Administration,
9. Disburse funds in the extended absence of the Treasurer
10. Prepare and publish the agenda for all scheduled association meetings
11. Vice-President shall:

1      Assume all duties of the President in case of absence or resignation,

2      Coordinate an orientation for new officers at or near the beginning of their term, to ensure a smooth transition,

3      Promote the purposes, programs, and overall image of the Association to on- and off-campus audiences,

4      Publicize time and place of all Association meetings, programs, and services,

5      Work closely with the President to ensure that all responsibilities and goals are meet.

3. Secretary shall:
4. Be responsible for keeping all current records, contracts, and minutes of Association meetings,
5. Assume all duties of the Treasurer in case of absence or resignation,
6. Make minutes available to all Association members and faculty on request, and to all Association officers, key staff and administration within seventy-two hours.
7. Treasurer shall:
8. Maintain records of all Association financial transaction and be responsible for processing all funding requests,
9. Issue a report of expenditures at least twice an academic year to the Executive Board and Council of Representatives,
10. Assume all duties of the Secretary in case of absence or resignation,
11. Inform and educate individual members and student organizations about student funds available to them and procedures for accessing such funds. 
12. Student Life and Development Representative shall:
13. Serve as a non-voting advisor to the Executive Board, Council of Representatives with regard to policies and potential actions to be taken by the organization;
14. Be the official liaison between Student Life and Development and the organization;
15. Assist the Executive Board members with the duties of their offices.
16. Attend meetings as available or needed.

ARTICLE VI THE COUNCIL OF REPRESENTATIVES

1   The Council of Representatives official term of office shall begin at the first meeting of the Council of Representatives for that academic year.

2   The Council of Representatives is made up of as least one student representative from each Recognized Student Organization, as least one student representative from each school, and any other student enrolled at Spading University that wishes to participate in the Student Government Association.

3   The association’s legislative power shall be vested in the Council of Representatives, whose members remain in good standing with the association.

4   The Council of Representatives members shall attend 70% of scheduled association meetings to guide the Association with respect to broad policies rather than specific procedures and operations.  The Council of Representatives shall approve all amendments to these bylaws, shall have the full authority to review the actions of and set any guidelines for the Executive Board at any time and shall approve all reports and actions of its committees.

1      Each Council of Representatives member gets one vote 

5   The official position of the Association shall be expressed through the minutes, which shall reflect the results of any vote or action based on consensus.  Resolutions, drafted by any member, may only be introduced into the Council of Representatives by a voting member of that body and voted upon at any regular meeting.

6   Requirements to remain in Good Standing within the Council of Representatives:

1      Maintain a currently enrolled status within the guidelines of Spalding University,

2      Serve on a minimum of at least one event or association committee,

3      Represent the issues and concerns of their respective constituencies,

4      Attendance policy to remain in Good Standing shall be as follows:

                                          1.  Schools and Registered Student Organizations shall be

                                          present for 70% of scheduled association meetings.

                                          2.  Students not affiliated with a school or registered student organization must be present at the meeting prior to have voting rights during the current meeting and be in Good Standing.

ARTICLE VII  ELECTIONS AND PROCEDURES 

1    During Session 5 the Student Government Association will post all positions open for nomination to the Executive Board.

                        1.  Any student may be nominated or request to run for any office of their choice, with the exception of the office of President which may only be filled by a returning Executive Board member.

2   The Election Committee shall handle all election processes and will consist of the Student Government Association Advisor from the office of Student Life and Development and two student representatives.

                        1. The student representatives must be in Good Standing with the Student Government Association and may not be running for any office of the Student Government Association.

3   Election candidates must be members of the Student Government Association and in Good Standing with the Student Government Association.

4    Elections will be held for two or three days at the end of Session 5 or beginning of Session 6.

5    Completed ballots will be placed in the official ballot box which will be located in the cafeteria during the two or three days of voting.

                        1. Ballots may be picked up in the cafeteria on the day of voting or from other places on campus as determined and designated by the Election Committee.

                        2. The Ballot Box will be made available to night and weekend students during the same period of time as for the day session students.

6      Each student will receive one and only one vote cast by secret ballot.

7    The Election Committee officials shall be in charge of securing and tabulating the votes.

8     Ballots will be kept in a secure place for no longer than a period of 15 days in which persons can dispute the integrity of the elections.

ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended at any Council of Representatives meeting of the Association by two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at a previous regular meeting of the Council of Representatives or of the Executive Board.  The Executive Board shall not have unilateral authority to enact amendments without the final approval of the Council of Representatives.  The Executive Board, with the direction of the Student Life and Development Representative, may amend only applicable bylaws, without Council of Representatives approval, only if the University undergoes any changes in structure and/or, proscriptions.