Student Life
Student Government Constitution
Constitution of the University of Wisconsin Colleges
Washington County
Student Government Association
Ratified August, 2008
Preamble
We the students of the University of Wisconsin-Washington County (UW-WC), a campus of the University of Wisconsin Colleges (UWC) in order to further the general welfare of the student body, to secure the rights of students, and to insure a representative student government, do hereby ordain and establish this Constitution of the UW-WC Student Government Association.
Article I – Name
The name of this student legislative organization of UW-WC shall be the Student Government Association, also known as the SGA.
Article II – Function and Purpose
- To serve the interests of the student body by representing student opinions; to promote student activities; to act as the liaison to the faculty, staff, and administration of the University; and to enact and implement legislation desirable and beneficial to the welfare of the student body.
- To be aware of student problems, questions, and concerns so that proper action may be taken regarding educational, political, and cultural programs deemed necessary, beneficial, and proper to the University of Wisconsin System, University of Wisconsin Colleges, and specifically UW-WC.
- To assist the campus in promoting relations between campus and community and to promote the discussion intended to facilitate student interests and movements.
- To recommend to the University of Wisconsin such changes or alterations to its administrative policies as the SGA may deem desirable.
- To advise on the allocation of funds annually received from the student segregated fee according to students’ needs. (funds as found in The University of Wisconsin System Administration. FINANCIAL POLICY AND PROCEDURE PAPER)
Article III – Membership
A. To be eligible to serve as a SGA representative, a student must comply with the following:
- Be enrolled with at least 2 (two) credits at UW-WC or be enrolled in a UW-WC Collaborative Degree Program.
- SGA Voting membership shall consist of up to 13 total representatives including:
- 9 voting Senators
- The Executive Board
- A President who only votes in the event of a tie
- A Vice President
- A Secretary
- A Treasurer
Article IV – Elections
Election of Senators
- The student body of UW-WC shall elect all SGA senators by a minimum of 10% of the total ballots cast. In the event of a tie, the SGA will determine the results of the election between the tied candidates.
- Elections for incoming SGA senators will be held during the second consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday of each semester. In the event that no senator’s seat is open, the elections will not occur.
- Once elected, a senator’s terms shall be 2 consecutive academic years unless they resign, are removed, or are no longer a UW-WC student.
- Election of the Executive Board
- The student body shall elect the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer of SGA at the end of the spring semester by a majority vote. In the event there is only one nomination for a position, the nominee must receive a minimum of 10% of the total ballots cast. If he/she does not receive 10% of the ballots cast, another election will be held to fill the position.
- Executive Board candidates must officially announce their intent to run by being nominated during a formal SGA meeting two weeks before the election date.
- Executive Board Members will assume office immediately after the end of SGA’s last regularly scheduled meeting during the Spring Semester.
Article V – The Executive Board
The Executive Board
Membership will consist of:- The President
- The Vice President
- The Secretary
- The Treasurer
- Eligibility
- The members of the Executive Board of SGA must have served at least one semester as a voting member of the SGA. In the event that this is not possible, a nomination may come from any senator.
- If necessary, exceptions may be made with the approval of the current SGA President.
- The term for an Executive Board member will be one academic year starting the day after spring graduation through the following spring graduation.
- General duties and responsibilities of the Executive board
- To act on behalf of the SGA when it is not in session: Any executive Board decision may be overruled by a majority vote of the total voting membership of the SGA.
- To act upon matters of concern to the student body when called upon to do so by the SGA, or the President of SGA.
- To direct legislation to the proper committee.
- To supervise all SGA elections and referendums.
- Officers may be eligible for a per semester stipend determined by the SGA and stipulated in the budget.
- Duties and powers of the officers
- The President Shall:
- Preside over all SGA meetings.
- Preside over all SGA Executive Board meetings.
- Have the power to convene special meetings of the SGA and its Executive Board.
- Establish temporary committees and appoint a chairperson. If any committee member is posing problems (attendance, cooperation, etc.) within any temporary committee, the President has the power to remove that person from the committee. The judgment(s) of the President is subject to majority approval from the Senate.
- Serve on both the University Steering Committee and Collegium.
- Act as spokesperson of the student body and/or SGA when called upon to do so.
- Have the power to veto legislation within a period of one week from its passage; this veto is subject to a reversal by a 2/3 vote of the total voting membership of the SGA. The veto must be announced during a formal SGA meeting, or e-mail addressed to all members of SGA.
- Have the right and duty to initiate action deemed necessary to further the functions, programs and effectiveness of the SGA and the University, if there is no committee to serve that purpose.
- Direct legislation to the proper SGA committees with the advice and consent of the SGA Executive Board in accordance with Article V, section D, part 1, point d.
- Attend no less than 3 Student Governance Council (SGC) or United Council (UC) meetings per year, and at least one per semester.
- The Vice President shall:
- Serve on the SGA Executive Board.
- Assume the duties of the President when called upon to do so by the President, or in absence, incapacity, or resignation of the President.
- Oversee upkeep of the SGA office including, office security, supplies and general care of the office.
- Attend no less than 2 SGC or UC meetings per year, and at least one per semester.
- Act as parliamentarian to the whole of SGA should questions arise regarding proper parliamentary procedure.
- Oversee day to day operation of the executive board and public relations officer.
- The Secretary shall:
- Serve on the SGA Executive Board.
- Keep the minutes of all SGA meetings, publish and distribute the same, no later than 24 hours before the next set meeting. If a special meeting is convened, the minutes will be presented before said meeting.
- Keep the minutes of all SGA Executive Board meetings.
- Maintain the files and the records of the SGA for the academic year.
- Keep an accurate record of attendance, to include the excused and unexcused absences.
- Create, maintain and file all correspondence, to include retrieving mail from main office daily, and reporting all important information to SGA.
- Attend no less than 2 SGC or UC meetings per year, and at least one per semester.
- The Treasurer shall:
- Serve on the SGA Executive Board.
- Co-sign with the advisor on all SGA expenses. (see By-law section V, part D for more detail)
- Assist the advisor in maintaining a current balance of SGA budget and present a current budget at least every two weeks to the SGA body.
- Submit a written and itemized report of all expenditures at the last meeting of each semester, publish and distribute the same.
- Attend no less than 2 SGC or UC meetings per year, and at least one per semester.
Public Relations Officer – not an Executive position:
Eligibility: Any UW-WC student may become the Public Relations officer by being selected by the SGA.
Duties
- To maintain open communication with the UW-WC public relations personnel to see that all SGA events are properly publicized
- To maintain open communication with the UW-WC newspaper to ensure that SGA minutes and events are reported accurately and completely, and write at least one article about SGA for every scheduled Ubiquitous publication.
- To ensure that all fliers and advertisements for events are posted a minimum of a week and a half before the event.
- To coordinate events to promote UW-WC and the SGA.
- Maintain relations between SGA and other student organizations on campus.
- Attend no less than 2 SGC or UC meetings per year, and at least one per semester.
- Additional duties may be assigned by the Executive Board.
- Public Relations Officer may be eligible for a per semester stipend determined by the SGA and stipulated in the budget.
- Any additional offices to be established at a later date.
Article VI – Duties and Responsibilities of all SGA Members
- All members shall represent the SGA and the interests thereof to the utmost of their ability.
- All members and officers shall not miss three regularly scheduled meetings (unexcused) per semester. Any member with three unexcused absences will be dropped and a replacement found as Article IX – Vacancies explains. Any member needing to miss a meeting must notify a member of the Executive Board in writing (to include e-mail) or phone call prior to the meeting. Exceptions to this are subject to the review of the Executive Board. In the event that the President must miss a meeting, he/she must notify both the SGA advisor and the Vice President.
- All members will be required to attend no less than 1/3 of all SGA sponsored events. Exceptions are subject to review by the Executive Board.
- Each member shall serve on at least one campus-wide committee. Attendance at committee meetings is mandatory unless the representative is excused by the President. (Unexcused absence refer to Article VIII, Section B)
- The SGA may establish special offices as they deem necessary.
- All members will maintain upkeep of the SGA office including, office security, supplies, and general care of the office.
- Senators must attend no less than 1 SGC or UC meetings per semester. In the case where a senator is elected in the spring semester, they are still obligated to attend 1 SGC or UC meetings during the second semester.
Article VII – Vacancies
- Should the office of President become vacant, the Vice President shall assume office.
- Should the office of Vice President become vacant, the Vice President Pro Tempore shall become the Vice-President until the President appoints a permanent Vice President subject to a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the Senate.
- Should the office of Secretary become vacant, a suitable replacement shall assume the duties of Secretary until an election can be held to fill the position.
- Should the office of Treasurer become vacant, the Advisor shall assume the duties of the Treasurer until an election can be held to fill the office.
- A special election within the SGA body will be held within two weeks to fill said vacancies.
- If a senate position becomes vacant after the SGA elections have been held, anyone wishing to become a senator must come to a formal SGA meeting where they must announce their candidacy and have a question and answer session with the SGA body. After the question and answer session has been completed, the SGA will vote to accept the person as a senator by a 2/3-majority vote.
Article VIII – Meetings and Procedure
- Regular Meetings
- Shall be set at the beginning of the semester by the SGA President and subject to reversal by a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate.
- SGA meetings shall have precedence over all other student activities and meetings, unless excused within 24 hours of the meeting or activity.
- Special Meetings
- May be called by the President or their representative with just cause, or upon petition by a majority of the voting membership of the Senate asking the President to do so.
- A 48 hour minimum notice must be given in person or electronically to all voting members of SGA.
- Procedure
- All meetings shall be conducted under Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised except where it conflicts with this Constitution or its amendments.
- A quorum of the voting membership is needed to conduct any SGA business, if the Senate does not have quorum, the Executive Board has the authority to conduct all business until quorum has been attained.
- No representative shall have more than one vote.
Article IX – Amendments Ratification
- Any member of the SGA may propose amendments to the Constitution.
- Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be petitioned for by 1/3 of the total voting membership of SGA to be considered.
- Upon the petition of the said amendment, the President shall appoint a Constitutional Committee
- To investigate and research the amendment.
- To distribute to the SGA in the form of a report, the research done and/or investigation of the amendment. The said research and investigation shall be reported on within one week of the acceptance of the petition. The SGA shall debate and amend the said petition if deemed necessary.
- The said amendment shall be instituted by a 2/3-majority vote of the total voting membership of the SGA over the first of two consecutive meetings.
- The ratification of the Constitution requires a 2/3-majority vote of the SGA during the 2nd of the two consecutive meetings.
Article X – SGA Logo
- The SGA logo must appear on the first page of every official SGA document.
- Every poster and sign that is made for SGA purposes must have either the SGA logo or “Sponsored by SGA” on it.
- All event advertisements that are co-sponsored by the SGA must have the SGA logo or “Sponsored by SGA” on it.
- The SGA Logo can only be changed by a Student Referendum.
Article XI – Enactment
This Constitution shall become effective upon its passage by the University of Wisconsin-Washington County Student Government Association.