Bylaws

Article I. Title and Charge

Section 1.01 Title

The name of the organization shall be the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Student Senate.

Section 1.02 Charge

The Student Senate shall participate in all levels of institutional governance and shall be the chief student legislative authority for information and review of policies concerning student life, services, and interests in keeping with Wisconsin State Statute 36.09(5). 

Section 2.01 Membership of the Senate

• The Senate shall include the Chair of the Student Senate, a number of Senators at large including a Speaker of the Student Senate.
• Only the Speaker and senators at-large shall have the power to vote. In case of a tie, the Chair of the Student Senate shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 2.02 Membership Vacancies

• During the first meeting of the Student Senate after the spring elections, Senators shall elect from its membership a Speaker of the Student Senate. The Chair of the Student Senate will entertain nominations from the floor and hold election via secret-ballot approval voting.
• In the event of a vacancy in the position of the Speaker, the Senate shall vote upon a successor at the first meeting following the vacancy of the Speaker in the same method as initial choosing in accordance with Section 2.02(a) of these by-laws.
• An application process to include 30 signatures of enrolled UW-Green Bay students is to be used to add senators during the course of the academic year. The Senate must then approve applicants by a simple majority. Amended by the Student Senate on April 8th, 2024.
• Any member of the Student Senate who finds it necessary to resign shall do so in writing to the Speaker. 
• Any member of the Student Senate shall be able to request dormancy from the Speaker of the Student Senate at any time.

Section 3.01 Duties of at-large Members

• All Senators holding at-large seats shall serve on at least two standing committees or serve on the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee as specified in the constitution as available. 
• All Senators shall represent and inform the students of UW-Green Bay of issues before the Senate and Senate committees. All Senators shall respond to students with questions, concerns and problems. All Senators shall be receptive to feedback from other students pertaining to the University. All Senators shall become familiar with Student Government Association structure, university policies, and Robert’s Rules of Order.
• All Senators must attend all required meetings unless excused. If a Senator is to be absent from a meeting Section 4.01(a) should be followed.
• All Senators shall make a good-faith effort to participate constructively in committee business. 
• Student Senators are required to keep at least two (2) open office hours a week each semester to make themselves available to their constituencies.

Section 3.02 Duties of the Speaker

• represents the Student Senate at all levels of University governance and administration, other Student Government Association bodies, and other groups or organizations the Senate deems necessary.
• along with the Chair of the Student Senate, collaborates on the setting of the location, time, and agenda for Senate Meetings. The Speaker of the Student Senate shall have final authority of the location, time and agenda for Senate Meetings.
• coordinates with the Administrative Assistant to make the agenda available at least twenty-four (24) hours before the Student Senate meeting.
• promotes and recruit for the Student Senate.
• meets at least once in every fourteen (14) calendar day period while the senate is in session with the Student Senate's resource liaison.
• provides invitation to the Secretary of the Faculty and Academic Staff, Chancellor, Student Government Executive Chairs and Student Government President to attend Student Senate meetings and to recommend for consideration measures they judge necessary and expedient.
• votes in all matters before the Student Senate, and in the case of a roll call vote, shall vote last.
• may form ad-hoc committees to address issues of particular complexity or controversy.
• appoints senators to serve on ad-hoc and standing committees.
• is responsible for all the financial transactions of the Student Senate.
• serves a minimum of ten (10) office hours per week, five (5) of which must be posted, while the Senate is in session. 

Section 3.03 Senator Dormancy

• At any time any member of the Student Senate may request a period of dormancy with the approval from the Speaker of the Senate.
• While dormant, the Senator forfeits their voting rights and shall not be counted for quorum.
• Dormant Senators shall be excused from Senate and Committee meetings without disciplinary actions.
• Dormant Senators may come out of dormancy at any time with approval from the Speaker of the Senate.

Section 4.01 Proxy Voting

• If a Senator is unable to attend a meeting, the Senator must contact the Speaker of the Student Senate prior to the scheduled meeting time, notify the Speaker of the reason for the absence, identify who the proxy holder is and provide proxy votes for any Action Items on the meeting agenda.
• Any proxy vote shall be provided to the Speaker or Chair of the Student Senate in writing or by email prior to any Senate meeting.
• Each Student Senator shall have exactly one vote per Action Item and can proxy their votes in the event of their absence at a Student Senate Meeting.

Section 5.01 Senate Meetings

• The Student Senate shall meet at a minimum of once every fourteen (14) calendar days while in session at a time and location accessible to the members except in the case of an emergency. 

Section 5.02 Meeting Procedures

• All matters not provided for in these bylaws, the SGA Constitution, the Merger Implementation Statement, University regulations, State Statutes, or the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall be determined at the discretion of the Speaker of the Student Senate with advice from the Parliamentarian.
• Any motion to regulate debate shall require a two-thirds majority vote in order to be enacted.
• Any member making a motion shall be given first opportunity to speak to their motion and may not speak again until all others have, if so desired.
• Any motion requiring action on the part of the Student Senate shall contain a provision as to which officer, director, senator, or committee shall be designated to follow through on the intent of the motion.
• A minority report may be filed in the Student Senate minutes upon request. 

Section 5.03 Resolutions

• Resolutions need not originate within a Senate committee.
• Resolutions originating from a Senate committee need not be seconded on the floor of the Senate when taken up for consideration.
• Any resolution submitted for approval to the Student Senate not originating from a Senate committee must be co-sponsored by at least two current voting members of the Student Senate.
• The sponsor and co-sponsors of a resolution must provide written documentation of sponsorship and co-sponsorship to the Speaker of the Student Senate.

Section 5.04 Disciplinary Procedures

• The Speaker of the Senate shall have the power to remove Senators from the Senate if and only if at least one of the criteria enumerated in this section is met. The Senate may by majority vote overturn the Speaker’s decision to remove a senator.
• A Senator may be removed if the Senator is in violation with the Student Government Association’s Constitution.
• A Senator may be removed if the Senator is not attending senate meetings. More than two (2) excused absences or one (1) unexcused absence may result in termination from position. After a second absence the Speaker shall issue a warning in writing to the Senator. A termination shall not happen unless a warning is received.
• A Senator may be removed if the Senator is not fulfilling the minimum requirement of office hours.
• A Senator may be removed if the Senator has missed two (2) committee meetings of any one (1) committee on which the Senator serves. The Speaker shall not remove a senator for failure to attend committee meetings unless the chair of the respective committee approves of the removal.
• A Student Senator removed from the Student Senate may appeal their removal to the Student Court on the grounds of procedural violation or personal bias on the part of the Speaker, and the removal can be overturned by simple majority of the Student Court.

Section 6.01 Academics Affairs Committee

• collaborates with faculty on academic activity.
• seeks feedback from students regarding academics and quality of instruction. 

Section 6.02 Arts and Performance Committee

• reaches out to related student organizations, such as Alternate Theatre and UWGB Dance Team.
• makes a reasonable effort to attend and promote events related to the arts and performing arts here at UWGB. 
• works with staff from the Lawton Gallery, the 407 Gallery and the Weidner Center.

Section 6.03 Environmental Affairs Committee

• reaches out to related student organizations, such as Public Environmental Affairs Council (PEAC).
• supports and strives for the Eco U® status of the UW-Green Bay.
• keeps in contact with the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity regarding the Arboretum.

Section 6.05 Health & Safety Committee

• maintains open communication between the students and Public Safety.
• assists to inform students and maintains open communication between the students and the Counseling and Health Center.

Section 6.06 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee

• updates the SGA Constitution, Student Senate Bylaws and Executive Bylaws to include changes from documents that pass the Student Senate.
• is responsible for continuous review and improvement of student governance structures, and a yearly SGA Constitution and Bylaws review.
• promotes local, state and national elections within the campus community from a nonpartisan standpoint.
• works with political leaders from the community to inform and involve students in prominent political issues.
• connects local elected officials to the campus from a nonpartisan standpoint. 

Section 6.07 Recreation & Athletics Committee

• reaches out to related student organizations, such as Pep Band and the Green Bandana Brigade.
• makes a reasonable effort to attend and promote university teams’ home events.
• promotes intramurals and UREC activities. 

Section 6.8 Union & Dining Committee

• is responsible for organizing collaborations (and seeking feedback from students) with the University Union and its staff.
• seeks feedback from students regarding the University Union and its services.
• seeks feedback from students regarding food services. 

Section 7.01 House Decorum Rules

• All members of the Student Senate are expected to be silent when anyone has the floor.
• Each speaking term shall be allotted no more than three (3) minutes as timed by the Chair of the Student Senate. Speaking limit does not apply to presentation of resolutions or amendments or guests of the Senate.
• Civil discourse must be adhered to at all times. All members of the Senate will be treated with respect and courtesy.
• All members shall conduct themselves in a professional manner as to not disrupt the meeting.
• All members are to report to meetings on time.
• All electronic devices are to be silenced. Members may be asked to discontinue use if they become a distraction.

Section 7.02 House Decorum Disciplinary Actions

• If at any time the Speaker or Chair of the Student Senate feels that a member of the Senate is in violation of said rules, the Chair of the Senate reserves the right to reprimand said member in a responsible manner. The Chair has one week from the incident to present a recommendation of disciplinary action to the Senate.
• The Student Court reserves the right to overrule the disciplinary action of the Chair if the member being reprimand files an appeal on the grounds of procedural violation or viewpoint neutrality violation.

Section 8.01 Amendments

• Amendments to these bylaws of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Student Senate may be proposed by a voting member of the Senate or by the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and heard at any regular meeting of the Student Senate.
• All proposed amendments to these bylaws must be submitted in writing to each of the Senators three (3) days prior to the date of the meeting in which the amendments will be considered.
• All bylaw amendments will require a two-thirds majority vote of the present, voting Student Senators in order to be enacted.
• Revisions to these bylaws for cases of grammatical mistakes may be made by a simple majority vote of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.