SGA Constitution update

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The St. Bonaventure University Student Government Association (SGA) held a special meeting Thursday for formal reading of the proposed amendments to the organization’s constitution.

On Feb. 23, SGA will again meet in order for the senate to vote on the proposed amendments. Following the senate vote, any amendments which passed with a two-thirds majority will move to a student body vote on March 9 before heading for approval by the vice president for student affairs and the university president, the executive board said.

A briefing of many of the rationales and proposed amendments for an SGA vote are listed below. Wording is taken from an SGA document sent to the senate before the reading. (Note: the below is not a formal or complete listing. For more details, refer to the SGA constitution, which can be found under the student services tab on my.sbu.)

  • Each person certified by the St. Bonaventure University Registrar as a student who pays a student activity fee is a member of the student body. These students shall elect representatives from the student body to the legislative and executive branches in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
  • From this point forward, any change regarding the title of “Vice President for Student Affairs” is to reflect Rick Trietley’s position as the SGA Advisor. This also will be changed throughout all sections.
  • If a club wants to charter, it needs only go through the membership committee and gain the approval of the vice president for Student Affairs.
  • All SGA clubs must participate in community service as provided by the SGA Bylaws.
  • The policies and procedures meetings are now conducted at a separate time than regularly scheduled SGA meetings. Clubs must attend at least two SGA meetings each semester in order to keep informed with what is happening in SGA and have the chance to announce their club events and voice their questions and concerns regarding their club and/or organization.
  • Rather than having clubs take SGA meeting time to present their plans for the semester, they will discuss all business with the Membership Committee, who will report to the SGA on their behalf.
  • Additional of two senators from each class, will function as representatives of their class and can work with their elected class officers.
  • Allow MERT a senator. This additional senator is because of MERT’s allocated budget. It reflects the large budget the Big Four (the BV, Intramurals, WSBU and CAB) receives. With this change, MERT will now be considered a member of the “Big 5” and have a position in the SGA Senate, as it has in the past.
  • Change from five club senators and five at-large positions to six club senators and four at-large senators.
  • Any undergraduate or graduate student who is paying a student activity fee is eligible to be a member of the St. Bonaventure University Student Government Association.
  • Any student seeking office in the SGA must be in good academic standing. Failure to maintain good academic standing will result in removal from office.
  • The Executive Board shall create and appoint members to any Cabinet positions, Executive Committees and Executive Offices
  • The Executive Board shall appoint members to represent the SGA on Board of Trustees Committees, University Committees, Standing Committees, ad-hoc committees, which is subject to majority vote.
  • The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer of each class shall be chosen in the spring election by a majority vote of the respective class and shall serve for one year, beginning April 1 of the academic year and terminating March 31 of the following academic year. The officers shall be elected according to the procedures outlined in Article XVII.
  • The class president shall act as the chief executive officer of the class and take the lead in determining class meetings and objectives. The president works with all class officers to ensure that they collaborate effectively on behalf of their classmates and also maintain contact with the Executive Board and the entire Student Government Senate on behalf of the class.
  • The class vice president shall work with the class president and other officers in planning, organizing, and implementing class programs, events, and fundraising. In the absence of the president, the vice president exercises the powers and duties of the president.
  • The class secretary shall keep record of all class meetings, the whereabouts and activities of classmates, and actively solicit and communicate news about class members. The secretary shall assist their other class officers in their duties and help plan class events.
  • The class treasurer shall accurately maintain all financial records of the class. The treasurer shall work alongside the other class officers for planning and hosting class events and fundraisers.
  • Each class shall elect two class senators. Each representative will serve as a voting member of the SGA Senate.
  • The senator shall send a representative carrying a signed, written note from the elected senator in his or her place in the event that he or she cannot attend the meeting.
  • The Vice President of Student Affairs will attend every meeting of the committee.
  • The change of the committee name from Diversity Awareness to Equity and Inclusion.
  • Removal of the SGA handbook committee, as no such handbook exists.
  • The term of office for members of the Judicial Branch shall be for a maximum of four years. The term of office shall begin at the final SGA meeting of the fall semester in which the Judicial Branch member is nominated and confirmed and continue through the final SGA meeting of the fall semester of the justice’s graduating year, or four years, whichever occurs first.
  • A vacancy will not be recognized if a judicial board member is studying abroad.
  • If a vacancy occurs in the office of a class president then the class vice president shall discharge the powers and duties of the office of the class president. The new president of the class would nominate a new vice president who would be confirmed by a majority of the votes cast by the class in a special election.
  • If a vacancy occurs in the office of a class vice president then the class president shall nominate a new class vice president that shall be confirmed by a majority of the votes cast by the class in a special election.
  • If a vacancy occurs in the office of a class secretary then the runner up in the previous election shall discharge the powers and duties of the office.
  • If a vacancy occurs in the office of a class treasurer then the runner up in the previous election shall discharge the powers and duties of the office.
  • Students wishing to have their names placed on the ballot must submit a petition with 50 signatures if running for an elected senate position.
  • Class senators and senators at large in their sophomore, junior or senior year will run for election at the same time as class officers and other SGA elected positions.
  • During the Fall semester of 2018 and each third year thereafter, there shall be established a Constitutional Revision Commission.
  • All grants must be submitted by the fifth Friday of the fall or spring semester in order to receive grant funding for that academic year.
  • All clubs must re-charter every year. In the event that the club does not re-charter, the club will no longer be considered to be an SGA club and will lose their budget and office space.
  • Academic clubs can receive up to $1,000 per academic year. An academic club is a club that is affiliated with an academic program, major or minor. The department chair, program director, or club advisor must approve an organization’s designation as an academic club.
  • Multicultural clubs can receive up to $500 per academic year.A multicultural club is an organization that aims to promote appreciation of a specific culture. The coordinator for the Damietta Center for Multicultural Student Affairs must approve an organization’s designation as a multicultural club.
  • Social clubs can receive up to $250 per academic year. A social club is an organization comprised of people with similar interests promoting community and interaction on-campus. The club advisor must approve the club’s designation as a social club.
  • Budget is based on past expenditures, number of students associated with clubs, funding requests and quality of events.
  • Budget is tied to the number of meetings a chartered club attends. If the club’s designated representative does not make the two required SGA meetings a semester, then their budget will be frozen for the next academic semester.Clubs may petition the Judicial Branch for their entire budget.

 

kibbeaa13@bonaventure.edu