The University of Texas of the Permian Basin. Student Senate Constitution

1 The University of Texas of the Permian Basin Student Senate Constitution

2 Student Senate Constitution STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The purpose of the Student Senate of The University of Texas of the Permian Basin shall be to represent the student body in any area of concern deemed appropriate for student opinion. The Student Senate shall serve as the liaison between the student body and the administration of the University. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: Providing an official student organization to receive student questions and issues for review and recommendations. Providing an official forum for student concerns regarding university and/or community affairs. Providing a means for responsible student participation in the formulation of policy within the university. Advising the administration of student opinion regarding university programs. Appointment of five students as mandated by the state legislatures to the institutional student service fee advisory committee to make recommendations on proposed increases in and allocation of student service fees. Section I: Membership ARTICLE I: STUDENT SENATE A. Executive Board: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Executive board shall be considered as separate from the Senate, and shall be elected for their specific offices. B. Senators: 2 per Department of Science and Math, Department of Humanities and Fine Arts, and Department of behavioral science, and 2 per School of Business, and School of Education and ten class Senators distributed as two representatives from each undergraduate class Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior, and Graduate Studies. C. Advisors: Two non-voting advisors selected by the Executive Board. Section II: Qualifications A. Executive Board: Must be currently enrolled at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and in good academic standing at the time of the election, and throughout the term of office. Candidates must have completed one semester at U.T. Permian Basin prior to assuming office. Candidates for President and Vice President must also have served at least one semester on the Senate. Candidates unable to meet these criteria must have prior approval from the Rules Committee.

3 B. Senators: 1. Must be currently enrolled at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and in good academic standing at the time of the election, and throughout term of office. For Student elections, Academic Senatorial candidates must have a degree plan on file with their academic school or college. If the seat is left vacant, students with either a major or a minor are eligible to fill the vacant seat. Class Senators are eligible to represent only the class in which they are registered, at the time of the election. Candidates unable to meet these criteria must have prior approval from the Rules Committee. 2. Transfer students wishing to be candidates must have been in good standing at their previous institution. Section III: Committees A. Standing Committees 1. Student Affairs: The Student Affairs Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and advising on issues related to Student Rights and the general welfare of the student body. 2. Academic Affairs: The Academic Affairs Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and advising on matters of University policies and procedures, and relations between the student body and the university. 3. Public Affairs: The Public Affairs Committee shall be responsible for reviewing and advising on issues related to the general improvement of community/ University relations and community activities held within the University. 4. Students Rights Committee: The Students Rights Committee shall be responsible for ensuring that all student rights are upheld regardless of cultural views, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, appearance, ideologies, and/or sexual orientation. 5. Rules Committee: A. The Rules Committee shall be responsible for carrying out any/all election activities, and for drafting Constitutional amendments and standing rules for the Senate. B. Grievances against Senate action 1. A written formal complaint must be made within seven days of the offense to the Rules Committee 2. A decision shall be made within the committee with advice of the current Senate advisors 3. The Senate shall be advised of the action/decision 4. The final appeal shall fall in the Vice-President of Student Services 6. Committee Procedure: The committee shall be responsible for recommendations and proposals referred by and to the Senate. The Committee Chair of designated member shall present proposals to the Senate during scheduled or special sessions of the Senate.

4 7. Standing Committee Chair Selection Procedure: The President shall appoint all Committee Chairs at the beginning of each semester, subject to confirmation by a simple majority vote of the Senate. 8. All committees shall remain intact until the first fall Senate meeting after elections. B. Ad Hoc Committees 1. Ad Hoc Committees: Ad Hoc Committees shall be appointed by the President to investigate and advise on issues deemed necessary to conduct the business of the Senate. 2. Ad Hoc Committee Chair Selection Procedure: The President shall appoint and replace the chair for all Ad Hoc committees. Section I: Election Procedures ARTICLE II: ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES A. Executive Board: The President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected from the student body at least four (4) weeks prior to, but not earlier than eight (8) weeks prior to the final day of classes of the spring semester. The term of office shall begin on the first day of classes the following summer semester and continue for one year until the first day of the subsequent summer semester. B. Senators: 1. Academic: Academic Senators shall be elected by the student constituencies of each candidate's academic school or department at the same time as elections for the Executive Board. The term of office shall begin on the first day of classes of the following summer semester and continue for one year until the first day of classes of the subsequent summer semester. 2. Class: Class Senators shall be elected by their respective class within 4-6 weeks after the first day of classes, and serve a term of one year from the date of the first Senate meeting following their election until the first Senate meeting following the subsequent fall election. C. Orientation: 1. All applicants for spring and fall elections are required to attend an orientation session conducted by the Executive Board and Rules Committee to be scheduled prior to the spring and fall elections. Orientation will consist of determination of eligibility and introduction to Senate responsibilities and functions including Robert s Rules of Order. 2. Senate appointees must also go through a similar orientation D. Election Procedure: All applications for Senate positions shall be submitted to Student Life Office Personnel who will mark the date received and initial. The name of each qualified applicant shall be placed on the ballot in his/her respective academic or at-large position, or the Executive Board position for which they wish to run, and the order of placement shall be at random.

5 E. Election Rules: 1. The Rules Committee shall count votes after the above requirements have been met. The Rules Committee will submit the results to the advisors for verification no later than noon of the day following the close of the election. 2. Ballots shall be kept for 1 year by advisor. 3. Winning write-in candidates shall be notified by an Executive Board member to verify intent/eligibility. If the write-in candidate does not wish to serve or does not meet eligibility requirements, the candidate receiving next highest number of votes shall be contacted. Section II: Vacancies A. Officers 1. President: Should the office of President become vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the Presidency and shall call a Senate meeting for the purpose of electing a new Vice-President. 2. Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer: Should the offices of Vice-President, Secretary, or Treasurer become vacant, the President shall call for nominations from the Senate. A confirmation vote shall be conducted at the next meeting of the Senate. 3. Should the positions of President and Vice-President concurrently become vacant for any reason, there shall be an open election of the student body for replacements B. Senators: If a vacancy occurs in an academic or class position in the Student Senate, the President of the Student Senate shall nominate a student from that school, department or class to fill the vacancy. The nomination must be ratified by the Senate with a 2/3 vote. C. Faculty Advisor: If a vacancy occurs in the office of Faculty Advisor, the Executive Board shall recommend a faculty member to the Senate for confirmation at the next meeting of the Senate. D. Committee Chair: If a vacancy occurs in the office of Committee Chair, the President shall call for nominations for committee chair from the committee, subject to approval by a simple majority vote of the Senate. Section I: Executive Board ARTICLE III: MEETINGS Executive Board Meetings: Shall be called by the President as necessary for planning the agenda or other pertinent business of the Senate.

6 Section II: Student Senate Student Senate Meetings: Shall be held not less than twice monthly in each full month of the fall and spring semesters with a final meeting to be held two weeks prior to the conclusion of each semester. Section III: Special Session Special Session Meetings: May be called by the President (or Vice-President if Presidency vacant) and/or two-thirds of the Senators. All Senators and Executive Board members must be notified and a quorum present for the Special Session. (See Art. I, Sec. 3, Part A, #6, Constitution) Section IV: Committees Committee Meetings: the Committee Chair as necessary will call Meetings of standing and ad-hoc committees. 1. The Rules Committee shall write the ballot for fall Senate elections making a ballot for each class with that class' candidates listed separately. 2. The Rules Committee shall write one ballot for each college or department in the spring election. All Executive Board candidates and the appropriate Academic Senatorial candidates will be listed on the respective ballots for each college or school. 3. Elections shall be conducted on campus, Mesa 1 st floor foyer. The Rules Committee and members of the Student Senate (Executive Board or Senators) NOT seeking election will be required to assist with election. Each student wishing to vote must be verified through student ID prior to receiving a ballot. 4. In Fall Senatorial elections, students shall vote for two Senators in his/her respective class. In spring Senatorial elections, students shall vote for two Senators from their respective school or departments and one candidate for each Executive board position. If more than two choices are indicated for academic or at large candidates, or more than one for each Executive board position, the incorrect ballot(s) shall not be counted. Section V: Quorum and Parliamentary Procedure A. Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the Senators. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are considered voting members of the Senate and may be counted for the purposes of attaining a quorum. A quorum is required to pass any proposals or recommendations of the Senate.

7 B. Parliamentary Procedure: All meetings and business of the Senate and Executive Board shall be conducted according to Robert's Rules of Order, except where said Rules shall conflict with the Constitution or Standing Rules of the Senate. Section VI: Proposals and Referendum A. Proposals 1. Informal: A member of the student body may present any issue of concern to a Student Senator. Informal proposals shall be referred to the appropriate committee and presented to the Senate requiring a majority vote of the Senate to pass. 2. Formal: Recommendations of the Senate may be presented by any member of the Senate or Executive Board and may be referred to the appropriate committee or voted on at that time. Presentation of committee proposals shall be made by the committee chair, designated committee member, or designated Executive Board member. Formal proposals require a majority vote to pass. B. Referendum: Any referendum issue presented to the Senate that is accompanied by a petition bearing the signatures and identification numbers of ten percent (10%) of the student body must be placed on the ballot of the next student Senate election subject to a two-thirds vote of the total number of votes cast. If the issue passes said election, the item shall be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the Student Senate for implementation. ARTICLE IV: CONSTITUTIONAL RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT Section I: Student-Senate Initiated Amendment A. Procedure: A member of the student Senate may propose amendments to the constitution. The proposed amendment shall be read at two consecutive meetings of the Senate, after which the amendment requires a 2/3 vote to pass. B. Ratification: The Rules Committee shall conduct the vote of the student body to amend the constitution. Amendments require a two-thirds vote of the student body voting in favor of said amendments. Section II: Student-Body Initiated Amendment A. Procedure: A member of the student body may submit a proposed amendment to the constitution if accompanied by a petition bearing the signatures of ten percent (10%) of the student body.

8 B. Ratification: The Rules Committee shall conduct the vote of the student body to amend the constitution. Amendments require a two-thirds vote of the student body voting in favor of said amendments. Section III: Formal Approval, Amendment, and Repeal A. Approval: Amendments will become effective with the approval of the Vice- President of Student Services (VPSS) the President of U.T. Permian Basin and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the UT System. B. Amendment or Repeal 1. Vice-President of Student Services (VPSS): The VPSS may amend or repeal any amendment to the constitution when in conflict with policies of the University or U.T. System Board of Regents. Notification will be made to the Senate regarding any action taken to amend or repeal. Such action shall be in force only until the next meeting of the U.T. System Board of Regents. 2. U.T. Board of Regents: The U.T. System Board of Regents may amend or repeal any amendment to the constitution when in conflict with the policies or interests of the University or Regent s Rules and Regulations. Notification will be made to the university and the Senate regarding any action taken to amend or repeal. C. Permanent Copy: Amendments receiving the required approval shall be attached to this constitution and preserved in the records of the Senate. D. Deletion and Substitution: Amendment by deletion and substitution is permitted with 2/3 majority of the Student Senate. E. Procedural Conformity: All provision of this Article shall be conducted in accordance with all other provisions set forth in this Constitution. No provision of this Constitution shall be interpreted to conflict with or contradict the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System. Version Approved by The UTPB Student Body 4/17/08.