WORD FILE AVAILABLE HERE
The Johns Hopkins University
Undergraduate Student Government Association Constitution
PREAMBLE
We, the Undergraduates of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering, in order to strengthen student unity, represent student interests, and provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, hereby establish this Constitution.
NAME
The official governing body of the Undergraduates shall be referred to as the Student Government Association (SGA).
BILL OF RIGHTS
All persons enrolled as undergraduates in the Homewood Divisions of the School of Arts and Sciences and the G.W.C. Whiting School of Engineering have equal rights as students under this Constitution, as do persons who may be extended such status by the Student Government Association.
Section 1
Students have a right to join any group chartered by the SGA.
Section 2
Students have a right to run or to be appointed to the SGA, provided that he or she shall be a student throughout the following term of office.
Section 3
Students have a right to attend all meetings of the SGA, and all minutes and proceedings of the SGA shall be open to student inspection, except those deemed secure.
Section 4
Students have a right to veto any decisions reached by the SGA by means of student referenda.
Section 5
Students have a right to free speech in all matters relating to the SGA. The spirit of this sentiment shall be extended to all student activities on the Homewood campus.
Article I: Supremacy
1.01: The SGA shall be governed by this Constitution alone.
1.02: This Constitution shall supercede all other governing devices of student organizations, commissions, and committees.
1.03: The SGA shall be the sole representative body of the Undergraduates.
1.04: No student group within the jurisdiction of the SGA shall enact a constitution, bylaws, or any legislation which conflicts or supersedes the authority of the SGA.
Article II: Membership
2.01: The SGA shall be composed of a legislative branch, executive branch and judicial branch.
2.02: No student may serve as a member of more than one branch.
2.03: A student may run for or be appointed to an office, provided that he maintains a 2.5 overall GPA and is a full time student at the Homewood campus throughout his term of office.
2.04: Terms of Student Senate and Executive Branch members shall end on June 1 of each year, and the terms of their successors shall then begin.
Article III: Legislative Branch
3.01: The Legislative Branch shall be composed of the Student Senate and shall meet at least twice a month.
3.01a: The Senate shall be presided over by the Vice President, who shall have a vote only when a tie exists.
3.02: The Student Senate shall have 28 members, 7 of whom shall be elected from each class for a one year term, and each shall have one vote and the power to introduce legislation.
3.02a: The top six candidates who gain the most votes shall be elected as Senators.
3.02b: There shall be a separate Class President position, who shall still be a Senator, but must run as a separate position on the ballot.
3.03: All legislative power shall be invested in the Senate.
3.03a: The Senate shall deal with all matters of policy, both internal and external, relating to undergraduates of the university.
3.03b: The Senate shall have jurisdiction over but not limited to: Group Approval and Finance, Constitutional affairs, Student Life, Academic Affairs, and the Appointment Process.
3.04: The number and type of committees of the Student Senate shall be established in the Bylaws.
3.04a: Membership in all committees may be open to students at large, subject to restrictions in the Bylaws
3.04i: Such students may take part in all committee matters, with the expressed exception of voting.
3.04b: All other Legislative committees shall consist only of Senators
3.04c: Committees, as per the Bylaws, may submit recommendations to full Senate. Such recommendations are not binding themselves, and must be approved or denied by the body.
3.04d: Each committee shall choose its own chair, as per the By-laws.
3.05: The Senate may, by majority vote, convene ad-hoc temporary committees to deal with matters of great importance. Such committees will expire at the end of an academic semester.
3.06: The Senate shall, at its first meeting, following the Bylaws, sort Senators into committees.
3.06a: The Vice President shall sort members into committees, subject to a majority vote of the entire Senate.
3.07: Proxy voting is not allowed, members must be physically present in order to vote.
3.08: The Class President shall have specific duties, as outlined in the Bylaws
3.09: The Senate, in the spirit of open meetings, shall keep all votes public, and shall only enter Closed Session to deliberate upon Impeachment, or sensitive matters.
3.10: All documents, minutes and proceedings of the Senate shall be open to the public for inspection, except those from closed meetings.
Article IV: Executive Branch
4.01: All executive power shall be invested in the Executive Branch. Such power involves day to day affairs of the SGA, and carrying out the instructions of the Senate.
4.01a: All executive officers serve as ex-officio members of the Senate, with the exception of the Vice President, who is the Presiding Officer, and who shall vote only in the case of a tie.
4.02: The Executive Branch shall be composed of the following 5 members:
4.03: Executive President
4.03a: The President shall serve as the spokesperson of the Student Body
4.03b: The President shall ensure the efficient operation of the entire SGA and shall faithfully execute acts of the Student Senate.
4.03c: The President shall be charged with enforcing the SGA Constitution.
4.04: Executive Vice President
4.04a: The VP shall assist the President in all of his/her duties.
4.04b: The VP shall succeed the President in the case of his impeachment or resignation
4.04c: The VP shall preside over the Student Senate and set its agenda.
4.05: Executive Treasurer
4.05a: The Treasurer shall work with the Finance Committee to formulate an annual budget for the SGA.
4.05b: The Treasurer shall serve as the point of contact with all student groups to assist with the funding and/or recognition process.
4.06c: The Treasurer shall act as the financial officer of the SGA, keeping all of its ledgers and coordinating with the Finance committee.
4.06: Executive Secretary
4.06a: The Secretary shall be responsible for the maintenance of all SGA email lists, and shall serve as the point of contact for all SGA communications.
4.06b: The Secretary shall keep detailed minutes of each meeting, and shall take a roll-call vote of attendance and all votes.
4.06c: The Secretary shall maintain the SGA website and ensure it is up-to-date.
4.06d: The Secretary shall coordinate with the Student Rights and Interests Committee.
Article V: Judicial Branch
5.01: The Judicial Branch shall be referred to as the SGA Judiciary.
5.02:The Judicial Branch shall be an independent branch, composed of five Justices, who shall elect a Chief Justice from amongst themselves.
5.02a: Appointments to the judicial branch shall be proposed by the SGA President, upon the advice of the Senate, and subject to the approval of 2/3 of the Senate.
5.03: Justices shall serve a one-year term, based upon date of appointment.
5.04: The Judicial Branch shall be responsible for interpreting the Constitution and By-laws, enforcing election procedures, and serve as the final avenue of appeal for all matters relating to the SGA.
5.04a: Upon the request of the Constitution and By-laws Committee, the SGA Judiciary may also be asked to give advisory opinions regarding the constitutionality of any piece of legislation, or any act of the SGA.
5.05: The Judicial Branch shall operate according to its own Rules and Guidelines.
Article VI: External Committees and Commissions
6.01: The following committees and commissions are established in this Constitution:
Student Elections, Student Activities Commission, Academic Ethics Board, Curriculum Committee, Hopkins Organization for Programming, Milton S. Eisenhower Speaker Symposium, Spring Fair and the Foreign Affairs Symposium.
6.01a: The duties and responsibilities of these committees shall be established in the Bylaws
6.02: Additional committees and commissions may be established under the Bylaws of this constitution, by the requisite 2/3 vote of the entire Senate.
6.03: Oversight of these external committees and commissions is vested in the Committee for External Committees and Commissions.
Article VII: Impeachment Procedures
7.01: Impeachment may be carried out for serious breaches of the Constitution and By-Laws, breaches of university, local, state and federal laws, or a lack of good behavior.
7.01a: Members with clear conflicts of interest are asked to recuse themselves from impeachment proceedings. Secret ballots shall be used, with no identifying marks.
7.02: Charges of Impeachment can be brought in the following ways:
7.02a: Against Members of the Senate, Judicial or Executive Branch
7.02ai: Impeachment charges may be introduced by any Senator, provided that he/she collect the signatures of at least one-third of the Senate. membership and present them to the Speaker at a meeting of the Senate.
7.02aii: Upon receipt of said document, an Impeachment hearing shall be scheduled at least one week after the receipt of charges, and no later than three weeks later.
7.02aiii: The Impeachment hearing shall be closed, and the accused shall have time to defend himself. At no point shall the accused take part in any deliberation whatsoever.
7.02aiv: After the accused has left the room, the Senate shall deliberate and then vote to remove the member in question. A 2/3 vote of the entire Senate is needed to remove the member. If in the affirmative, the member shall be thanked for his service and dismissed.
7.02b: Against members of any of the External Committees
7.02bi: Impeachment charges may be introduced in the Senate, separately from any impeachment procedures established in the By-laws of external groups.
7.02bii: Impeachment charges may be introduced by any Senator, provided that he/she collect the signatures of at least one-third of the total Senate membership.
7.02biii: Upon receipt of said document, an Impeachment hearing shall be scheduled at least one week after the receipt of charges, and no later than three weeks later.
7.02biv: The Impeachment hearing shall be closed, and the accused shall have time to defend himself. At no point shall the accused take part in any deliberation whatsoever.
7.02bv: After the accused has left the room, the Senate shall deliberate and then vote to remove the member in question. A 2/3 vote of the entire Senate is needed to remove the member. If in the affirmative, the member shall be thanked for his service and dismissed.
Article VIII: Elections Procedures
8.01: All election authority shall be invested in the Committee on Student Elections (Hereafter, CSE). The CSE shall be composed of seven members who shall each have an equal vote and who shall choose their own chairperson.
8.01a: Current SGA members are ineligible to be members of the CSE.
8.01b: CSE members shall serve for one academic year.
8.02: The CSE shall operate according to its own Constitution and Election Rules and shall be free from SGA interference during election periods.
8.02a: Such rules may limit free speech rights of candidates during election periods, but not in a manner that disrupts a campaign atmosphere.
8.03: Any and all changes to the CSE Constitution or Election Rules must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the entire Senate membership.
8.04: Appeals of CSE Decisions shall be handled by the SGA Judiciary.
Article IX: Amendments
9.01: This Constitution may be amended by a Student Referendum the following ways:
9.01a: By a Student Referendum, conducted at the insistence of at least 15 percent of the student body.
9.01b: The SGA may propose that a Student Referendum be called, and may propose said referendum with a ¾ vote of the entire membership of the Senate and Executive Branches.
9.01bi: The deliberation and voting upon the referendum shall follow the rules established in 9.03, except that a ¾ vote of the entire membership of the Legislative and Executive branches is required.
9.02: No student referendum nor SGA act may influence the conduct of a group or inhibit its right to expression, except if their conduct violates university regulations or local, state or federal laws.
9.03: The Bylaws may be amended in the following manner:
9.03a: An amendment may be proposed by any Senator and must have at least two co-sponsors.
9.03b: The amendment shall be presented in written form and may not be voted upon at the same meeting that it is introduced.
9.03c: Any alterations to the amendment shall be presented in written form and a simple majority is needed to alter the amendment..
9.03d: A 2/3 vote of the entire Senate is needed for a Bylaw amendment to be enacted.
Article X: Vacancies
10.01: In the case of a Senatorial vacancy, the remaining members of the class shall solicit for applicants, and choose a new Senator, per the Bylaws.
10.02: In the case of a Class Presidential vacancy, the remaining members of the class shall choose a new President from among themselves.
10.03: In the case of a vacancy in the Executive Branch, the following will occur:
10.03a: The Vice President shall succeed the Executive President.
10.03b: In the case of a vacancy in any other Executive Position, the Executive President shall propose three current SGA members, and the Senate shall, by secret ballot, choose one to fill the vacancy.
10.04: If a member of the SGA misses three meetings unexcused, he is automatically subject to Impeachment. If the member misses a total of six meetings unexcused, he is automatically removed from the SGA.
10.04a: The definition of “meetings” includes both general body and committee meetings.
