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Preamble
We, the students of the University of Wisconsin - Green
Bay, recognize and respect the rights of all university students to be active
participants in all aspects
of university governance. We also recognize the ability of university students to
vest these rights in an organization of our creation. Through our empowered
organization, we seek to secure and promote those conditions conducive to
intellectual development and personal growth, and protect the right of students
to participate in university governance.
Therefore, in compliance with Wisconsin State Statute
(W.S.S.) 36.09[5], the
Merger Implementation Statement, we, the students of the University of Wisconsin -
Green Bay, secure our right to participate in all aspects of university governance in
the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Student Government Association, and enact
this constitution in accordance with those wishes.
Article 1
The Legislative Branch
Section 1.
A Student Senate shall be the chief legislative authority and possessor
of legislative power. This Student Senate shall have one standing council, the
Residence Hall and Apartment Association, to handle housing issues of
particular complexity.
Student Senate
Section 2.
(1) The membership of the Student Senate shall include a
Chairman, a Speaker, their appointees, and 35 Senators. In addition, the Senate
is allowed to add, to their membership, members as deemed fitting by majority
vote of the body.
(2) The Senate shall fill seats by election each spring. At
the beginning of each academic year, the Senate shall take count of the total
number of seats filled. The Senate shall then divide the total number of filled
seats by 5 and create additional seats equal to that number, open to students
newly enrolled in the fall term.
(3) Each committee is responsible for the creation of standing
rules governing its behavior consistent with this Constitution.
(4) The Student Senate is responsible for the creation of standing
rules governing its behavior consistent with this Constitution.
(5) The Student Senate shall possess the sole power to confirm
all Presidential appointments by a majority vote except those appointments immune
from such confirmation as noted in this Constitution. The Senate must ensure
that, when confirming the Chair of the Segregated University Fee Allocations
Committee, the President of the Student Government Association has designated
a student with at least one Semester of prior SUFAC experience, if such a member
seeks the position.
(6) The Student Senate shall possess the power to impeach and
remove Student Government Association members by a 2/3 majority vote of the body.
Impeachable offenses shall include, but are not limited to, inappropriate or
illegal behavior and poor job performance.
(7) One Speaker shall be elected from among the present Senators
at the first meeting of each academic year, to serve as second in authority and
as chair of the Senate-in-full when the Student Government Association Vice-President
is unavailable. The Speaker shall take care to see that all committees are adequately
staffed.
(8) The Student Senate shall hold full session at least once
per month.
(9) The Senate shall hear any appeals with regards to decisions
made by the Student Court in elections. Court decisions in elections can only
be overruled by a 3/4 vote of the Senate. The Senate shall certify all elections
results by a majority vote.
(10) The Senate leadership is required to create an operating
budget each fiscal year and present that budget to the Student Government Association
President for inclusion in the Student Government Association Operating Budget.
The Senate is also allowed to maintain its own agency funds.
Section 3.
(1) The Student Senate shall have the following nine standing
committees: Environmental Affairs Committee, Academic Affairs Committee, University
Governance Committee, Union and Dining Committee, Health and Safety Committee,
Student Resources Committee, Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee,
and Student Recreation and Athletics committee, and Equality and Diversity Committee.
(2) Each of these committees shall be chaired by a corresponding
Chair from the Executive branch. Secretaries shall have no vote in the full Senate
and a vote in the committees should a tie occur;
(3) The Environmental Affairs Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for all matters related to the campus environment, campus ecology,
and campus sustainability. The Environmental Affairs Committee shall be chaired
by the Chair of Environmental Affairs.
(4) The University Governance Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for tracking campus, local, state, and federal decisions and legislation
that affect higher education and taking any action deemed necessary on these
decisions. The University Governance Committee shall be chaired by the Chair
of University Governance.
(5) The Union and Dining Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for all matters related to the University Union and all matters
regarding dining and food service on campus. The Union and Dining Committee shall
be chaired by the Chair of Union and Dining.
(6) The Academic Affairs Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for review and recommendation of academic policies, or any matters
concerning academics at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. The Academic
Affairs Committee shall be chaired by the Chair of Academic Affairs.
(7) The Health and Safety Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for review and recommendation of all matters of health, safety,
and living climate at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. The Health and
Safety Committee shall be chaired by the Chair of Health and Safety.
(8) The Student Resources Committee shall have primary legislative
responsibility for all matters relating to campus technology and University resources
such as the library. The Student Resources Committee shall be chaired by the
Chair of Student Resources.
(9) The Student Recreation and Athletics Committee shall have
primary legislative responsibility for all matters relating to student recreation,
athletics, and the Kress Center. The Student Recreation and Athletics Committee
shall be chaired by the Chair of Student Recreation and Athletics.
(10) The Equality and Diversity Committee shall have primary
legislative responsibility for all matters relating to encouraging respect and
understanding of all cultural traditions, promoting greater diversity and equality
among faculty, staff, and students, supporting campus diversity and equality-related
initiatives and communicating their results to the campus and the surrounding
community. The Equality and Diversity Committee shall be chaired by the Chair
of Equality and Diversity.
(11) The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee shall
have primary responsibility for the Segregated University Fee Budget, which shall
include the non-allocable budget, the allocable budget, and the Segregated University
Fee level which is established by the committee and recommended to the Chancellor
for approval. The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee shall hold annual
public hearings regarding the non-allocable university budgets, and make recommendations
to the Chancellor regarding those budgets. The Segregated University Fee Allocation
Committee shall hold annual public hearings regarding the allocable university
budgets, and shall approve or disapprove requested items in such budgets. The
committee shall have responsibility for allocating any remaining fee monies whose
distribution is requested during each fiscal year. The committee shall follow
all state laws and court decisions applicable to its work. The Segregated University
Fee Allocation Committee shall be chaired by the Chair of Segregated University
Fee Allocation Committee.
(12) Items successfully passed by majorities in committees are
considered to have passed the full Senate via automatic consent after one meeting
of the Senate in full subsequent to the passage date in the originating committee.
At any point during that time a Senator may bring the particular item to the
full Senate for review, or to have the full Senate bypass the committee structure
and consider an item directly; however, both of these options require a petition
carrying the signatures of a simple majority of the members of the Student Senate.
A majority of the Senate will then determine how to proceed. The SUF rate is
exempt from the automatic consent clause, and must be voted upon by the full
Senate each academic year.
(13) In the case of the Segregated University Fee Allocation
Committee, a full Senate vote may only occur when there has been a violation
of viewpoint neutrality or proper procedure. Members of the Senate must initiate
a review by petition carrying the signatures of a simple majority of the members
of the Student Senate to determine if those conditions exist and must resolve
the issue within seven (7) working days of the action’s passage by the Segregated
University Fee Allocation Committee.
(14) The Senate shall have the ability to create additional
standing or ad hoc committees, chaired by a member of the Senate’s choosing.
Said committees may make recommendations to the Senate on issues consistent with
their charge.
Residence Hall and Apartment Association
Section 4.
(1) The membership of the Residence Hall and Apartment Association
shall include a President, a Vice-President, their designees, and Representatives.
The Residence Hall and Apartment Association is allowed to add to their membership
members as deemed fitting by majority vote of the body. Residence Hall and Apartment
Association Representatives shall be apportioned in the following manner: one
representative from each building in Housing Phases One, Two, and Three; one
representative each from each of the traditional-style apartments; and one representative
from each floor of Housing Phases Four and Five.
(2) A President and Vice-President of Residence Hall and Apartment
Association, responsible for the daily operation of the board, shall be elected
for a one year term as a ticket in the spring prior to the upcoming academic
year. Only campus residents may vote for the President and Vice President of the Residence Hall and Apartment Association.
(3) Residence Hall and Apartment Association is responsible for the creation of
standing rules governing its behavior consistent with this Constitution.
(4) Residence Hall and Apartment Association shall have primary responsibility for
review and formulation of policies pertinent to issues affecting students residing in University
housing. Jurisdictional disputes with the Senate shall be decided by the Student Court.
(5) Due to Residence Hall and Apartment Association’s unique function, Residence
Hall and Apartment Association is authorized to coordinate programming for the education and
enjoyment of students residing in University housing.
(6) The Residence Hall and Apartment Association leadership shall determine a
budget each year based upon a resident per-student charge established by the Director of
Residence Life. The budget shall be reviewed by the Student Government Association President
and the Director of Residence Life for final approval. The Residence Hall and Apartment
Association may appeal changes to the Residence Hall and Apartment Association budget by the
Student Government Association President and Director of Residence Life to the Student Court,
with a court majority overruling the actions of the President and Director.
(7) Residence Hall and Apartment Association shall monitor its own financial affairs
independent of the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee due to its exclusionary
membership and unique funding structure. Residence Hall and Apartment Association also has
the right to maintain its own agency funds.
Article 2
The Executive Branch
Section 1.
(1) The executive power shall be vested in a President of the Student Government
Association. The President shall officially represent the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay
student body, in conjunction with the Vice-President, at the campus, local, state, and national
levels.
(2) The President and Vice-President shall be elected for a one year term as a ticket in
the spring prior to the upcoming academic year.
(3) The President shall appoint all justices to the Student Court, to be confirmed by the
Student Senate.
(4) The President shall, at least once per semester, address the Senate of the University
of Wisconsin – Green Bay, on matters related to student governance and the general welfare of
students.
(5) The President shall appoint students to standing University of Wisconsin - Green
Bay governance committees outside the Student Government Association, as designated by the
Dean of Students or the Secretary of the Faculty and Academic staff each academic year. These
appointments are exempt from approval by the Senate.
(6) The President shall take care to faithfully execute the orders of the Senate and to
recommend to the Senate’s consideration such measures as he or she shall judge necessary and
expedient. The President may, on extraordinary occasions, convene the Senate.
(7) The Vice-President shall serve as Chairman of the Student Senate, responsible for
the daily operations of the board.
(8) The President and Vice-President are responsible for the review, compilation, and
submission of an operating budget for the Student Government Association each year, composed
of the Senate, Student Court, and Executive budget requests, for presentation to the Segregated
University Fee Allocation Committee annually.
(9) In the event that the President is unable to fulfill his or her obligations and duties,
the Vice-President shall immediately assume the office of President. The Vice-President shall be
responsible for the appointment of a new Vice-President which must be confirmed by a 2/3 vote
of the Senate. Should the office of the Vice-President become vacant or should the Vice-
President be unable to fulfill his or her obligations and duties, the President shall be responsible
for the appointment of a new Vice-President which must be confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the
Senate.
Section 2.
(1) All legislative business which shall have passed the Student Senate, shall, before it
becomes record, be presented to the President of the Student Government Association. If the
Student Government Association President approves and signs the measure within seven (7)
working days, that measure shall become record. The seven (7) working day period begins on
midnight of the day the President receives the measure.
(2) If the Student Government Association President objects to a measure, the
President may veto the measure by returning it to its origin of vote together with a statement of
the objections, again within the same seven (7) working day period. Unless the originating body
subsequently votes by a 2/3 majority to override the vote, the measure does not become record.
(3) If the Student Government Association President does not act on a measure -
approving or vetoing it – within seven (7) working days, the fate of the measure depends on
whether the Student Senate is in session or not. If the Student Senate is in session, the measure
becomes record without the Student Government Association President’s approval. If the
Student Senate is not in session, the measure does not become record.
Section 3.
(1) The President shares responsibility with the Vice-President for nomination, supervision, and/or removal of the Chairs of the Standing Committees. There shall be nine standing committee Chairs: Chair of the Environment, Chair of Academics, Chair of University Governance, Chair of Union and Dining, Chair of Health and Safety, Chair of Student Resources, Chair of Student Recreation and Athletics, Chair of Segregated University Fee Allocation, and Chair of Equality and Diversity. These chairs must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Senate.
(2) The Chair of Segregated Fees is not subject to removal by
the President, and can only be impeached and removed by a 2/3 the Senate.
(3) The President shall appoint one student to serve as Chief of Staff. This
appointment is exempt from approval by the Senate. The Chief of Staff shall, upon appointment,
form a recruitment committee to fill available seats within the Student Government Association.
This committee may be chaired by the Chief of Staff or his or her designee.
(4) The President shall appoint one student to serve as Press Secretary. This
appointment is exempt from approval by the Senate.
(5) The President and Vice-President, in addition to the standing Committee Chairs, may
appoint additional Secretaries whose term expires with the President and Vice-President’s.
(6) In the event that a Chair is unable to fulfill his or her duties, the President and
Vice-President shall assume the responsibilities of that Chair until the nomination of a new
student to assume the responsibilities of that position. That student shall become an acting
Chair upon nomination until such time as the Senate has approved the President’s nomination
for the Chair position.
Article 3
The Judicial Branch
Section 1.
(1) The Judicial power shall be vested in a Student Court, which shall have five
justices, one of which will serve Chief Justice.
(2) Student Court Justices shall have terms extending for the entire time in which they
are students at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, or otherwise choose to relinquish their
respective seat on the Court.
(3) The Student Court is responsible for the creation of standing rules governing its
behavior consistent with this Constitution.
(4) The Court has jurisdiction over any issues or disputes arising under this
constitution.
(5) The Student Court is responsible for the Student Government Association
elections each year. The Court is to take care that all elections are conducted truthfully and
fairly, and according to such rules as the Court, subject to the Senate’s will, shall make. The
Court is responsible for ensuring maximum student participation in each election.
(6) The Court shall adopt standing election rules, to be confirmed by a simple
majority of the Justices and 2/3 of Senate.
(7) The Court has the ability to request information and/or data, or solicit testimony,
on an issue before the Court.
(8) The Chief Justice of the Student Court is required to create an operating budget
each fiscal year and present that budget to the Student Government Association President for
inclusion in the Student Government Association Operating Budget.
Section 2.
(1) The Court shall hear any appeals by individuals or groups regarding funding
decisions made by the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee and the Senate.
Organizations or any person aggrieved by a student fee funding decision may request a review of
said decision where it is alleged that viewpoint neutrality was violated and the funding decision
was based on a student organization’s extracurricular speech or expressive activities. Procedural
disputes may also be considered by the student court.
(2) Organizations or any person aggrieved by a student fee funding decision must
first request a review of said decision by providing a written request for review detailing the
basis for the appeal to the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee. The Segregated
University Fee Allocation Committee shall review said decision within seven (7) days of
receiving the appeal.
(3) After review by the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee,
organizations or persons aggrieved by a student fee funding decision may request a review of
said decision by providing a written request within seven (7) days for review detailing the basis
for the appeal. The Court shall gather all necessary information in a timely manner, and shall
then either a. overturn the decision in question, or b. affirm the Segregated University Fee
Allocation Committee decision. In both situations, the Chief Justice shall provide a written
response to either the organization or person, and to the Senate.
(4) Any organization or any person that does not agree with the response of the Senate
and the Student Court may request that the Chancellor or designee review the decisions. A
written request must be provided to the Chancellor within seven (7) days after the response of
Student Court was issued that articulates with specificity the disagreement with the decision.
This request can only be made after both remedies (review by the Segregated University Fee
Allocation Committee and by the Student Court) have been exhausted. The Chancellor will
review the appeal and provide a decision no later than 21 days after the Chancellor's review was
requested. The Chancellor's decision shall be final unless the matter is brought before the Board
of Regents in accordance with Regent Policy Documents 86-4 and 86-6.
Article 4
Membership
Section 1.
(1) Any UW-Green Bay student is eligible to participate in the activities of the
Student Government Association. All members of the student body are entitled to the rights,
privileges, and protection secured through the efforts of the Student Government Association.
(2) The Student Government Association will not discriminate against any student
interested in participation in Student Government Association activities on the basis of race,
color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, national origin or
ancestry, political ideology, command of the English language, or age, unless pursuant to an
exception recognized by Wisconsin state or federal law.
(3) All Student Government Association members must be currently enrolled students
at U.W. Green Bay and carrying a minimum of three credits per regular semester. Members and
candidates for membership must also have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average
calculated on a 4.0 scale. New students to U.W. Green Bay without a cumulative GPA are
assumed to be eligible for membership. The Dean of Students Office will conduct the GPA
check at the beginning of each semester upon receiving a Student Government Association
membership list from the Student Government Association President.
(4) Any Student Government Association member whose GPA falls below a 2.0
cumulative GPA during his or her term will be given a one-semester grace period in which to
raise the cumulative GPA to the required level. If, after one semester, the student’s cumulative
GPA does not reach 2.0, the student will lose membership status.
(5) The Student Government Association affirms its commitment to broadly diverse
and representative participation on its boards and committees. Students from diverse
backgrounds are especially encouraged to participate in Student Government Association and
university governance.
(6) Members are expected to conduct themselves professionally, ethically, and with
respect. Members must adhere to state and local law, and University policy.
(7) No student may serve in more than one branch of Student Government Association
as a voting member, or on more than one board within a branch.
(8) The terms of all members, excluding those of Student Court Justices, expire on May
1st of each academic year.
Article 5
Student Government Association Resource Liaisons
Section 1.
(1) Resource liaisons are those of the administration, faculty, and/or staff who are
appointed to provide historical and statistical information to the Student Government Association
bodies and to aid in the facilitation of group communication and effective group dynamics.
(2) Each body of the Student Government Association (the Executive branch, the
Judicial branch, the Senate, and the Residence Hall and Apartment Association) will have only
one resource liaison. Each committee of the Senate, due to their varied functions and roles, is
allowed one advisory liaison to work with the group.
(3) The Dean of Students is responsible for selecting the resource liaison person for all
Student Government Association groups.
(4) Resource liaisons are to serve as references for the Student Government
Association to utilize, and as such, the resource liaisons are not permitted to introduce motions or
legislation, or vote on any issue before the Student Government Association bodies. In turn, the
Student Government Association leaders are to respect the knowledge of the resource liaisons
and to appreciate their input and commitment to shared university governance.
(5) The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee will be permitted to utilize
the Organizational Finance Officers and a member of Good Times Programming, or in their
absence, a designee of the Director of Student Life as resources in addition to the appointed
liaison to the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee. These resources shall be nonvoting.
(6) The Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee will be permitted to include
in its membership a voting student designee of the Director of the American Intercultural Center
and a voting student designee of the Director of the International Center in addition to the
appointed liaison to the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee.
(7) The University and Dining Committee will be permitted to utilize the University
Union Director, or his or her designee, as a resource in addition to the appointed liaison to the
Union and Dining Committee should the University Union Director not be selected as the
resource liaison by the Dean of Students.
Article 6
Student Government Association Meeting Procedures
Section 1.
(1) The rules of order for the Student Government Association will be contained
within the official Student Government Association copy of the most recent edition of Robert’s
Rules of Order.
(2) The rules of order are designed to promote efficient and orderly meetings, and are
to be used in all applicable situations consistent with this Student Government Association
Constitution.
(3) Instances of parliamentary authority and meeting procedure not provided for in the
respective board by-laws or within Robert’s Rules of Order are to be conducted at the
parliamentary discretion of the meeting’s presiding officer, and subject to the approval of the
body in attendance at that meeting.
Section 2.
(1) All students of the U.W. Green Bay will have the right of free access to all Student
Government Association information pursuant to the State of Wisconsin open records law. This
access will include, but is not limited to, attendance at meetings where policy is discussed and
access to all Student Government Association documents.
(2) Unless a closed session as explained in section 3 is initiated, meetings must be
open to all students and the general public, and individual items intended for consideration at all
meetings of the Student Government Association bodies must be articulated and posted in a
public area prior to any Student Government Association meeting as provided for by the
Wisconsin open meeting laws, W.S.S. Chapter 19.
(3) Upon recognition by the presiding officer of a meeting, any guest may voice an
opinion, but not vote, on any issue before the meeting body.
Section 3.
(1) Any Student Government Association body has the right to move into a closed
session consistent with W.S.S. Chapter 19.85. A Student Government Association body may move
into a closed session to: deliberate any judicial or quasi-judicial trial or hearing,
consider disciplinary
information, dismissal, or demotion of any Student Government Association member or employee
and investigate any such charges against such a person, consider employment, promotion,
compensation, or performance evaluation of any Student Government Association active member
or employee, consider specific personnel and/or organizational problems resulting from personal
conflicts between group members, confer with legal counsel in the rendering of oral of written
information concerning litigation involving the Student Government Association.
(2) Twenty-four hours public notice must be given prior to entertaining a motion to move
into closed session. The presiding officer must announce at the meeting at which such a motion is
made, the nature of the business to be considered while in closed session meeting and the subsection
of W.S.S. Chapter 19.85 by which closed session is claimed to be authorized.
(3) A motion to enter into closed session will be executed by a roll-call majority vote in
favor of the closed session meeting.
Article 7
Amendments
Section 1.
(1) Amendments to this Constitution may be made by a 3/4 majority vote of the Senate.
(2) Amendments to this Constitution may be made by a 2/3 majority vote of the
Senate, and a corresponding majority vote of the student population.
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