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AUSA Constitution and By-Laws
(Last revised March 2009 by Senate Chair Bryn Golden)
Preamble
The Aurora University Student Association establishes itself as a representative body of the students.Today, as in the past, we prize the twin virtues of character and scholarship and affirm our commitment to the values with which we believe the university stands for:
- Integrity, citizenship, continuous learning and excellence.
In the pursuit of those purposes, the Aurora University Student Association does hereby establish this constitution for the Aurora University community.
Bill of Rights
The following rights and freedoms shall be provided and guaranteed to each student at Aurora University and therefore will be applied to the Aurora University Student Association.
The right to receive financial aid from public and/or private funds.
The right to participate freely in university or student sponsored activities without discrimination based on but not limited to a student's race, ethnicity, national origin religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, physical appearance or gender.
The right to freedom of expression, discussion, and inquiry in regards to the course environment and the right to evaluation based solely upon academic performance.
The right to protection against discrimination concerning a students' personal views, beliefs, and/or associations.
The right to establish and maintain a democratic student government in which each student shall have an equal right to participate and establish a student orientated university policy.
The right to be free from any mandatory dress code, within reason, unless otherwise stated.
The right to petition institutional authority for the change in either academic or non-academic regulations.
The right to equal treatment within the academic environment regardless of non-university financial status.
The aforementioned rights shall not act to nullify or limit any further expressed or implied rights or freedoms possessed by students.
Article I: Name
The name of the association shall be the Aurora University Students' Association, hereinafter referred to as AUSA.
Article II: Purpose
Realizing the interdependence of the Aurora University community, the AUSA endeavors to promote goals and ideals which shall benefit and further all members. The AUSA strives to guarantee the rule of the majority, the right of the minority, and the freedom of students to inform and be informed as their conscience dictates. The AUSA shall strive toward basic human, academic, and social freedoms for students of Aurora University and the surrounding community.
Article III: Executive Board
Section 1: Officers.
The officers of the AUSA shall be the President, Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.
Section 2: Qualifications. Each of the AUSA officers must:
Clause 1: Be an Aurora University student and a member of the AUSA
Clause 2: Throughout each officer's term he or she must have and maintain a cumulative and semester grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. If either GPA falls below a 2.5, the officer will be placed on probation. If the officer does not show significant progress, he or she may be removed from his or her position.
Section 3: Election.
Clause 1. All officers of the AUSA shall be elected from votes by the student body of Aurora University.
Clause 2. To serve on the Executive Board as the Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary, one must have met all requirements of being on the AUSA during the previous year. In regards to the President position, one must serve a minimum of one year on the Executive Board in addition to the one year Senator requirement.
Clause 3. The elections for the Executive Board will take place in the month of March, during the first two full consecutive weeks. In case of conflict, decisions will be made by the Executive Board.
Section 4: Term of Office.
The term of office of the AUSA Executive Board shall be approximately one calendar year in length, beginning on the day of their inauguration. Said inauguration shall take place at least 28 days, but no more than 35 days, after the spring election.
Section 5: Succession.
Clause 1. Upon the removal of resignation of the President, the Vice President shall assume the officer of the President until the presidential term ends. In the event that the offices of the President and Vice President become vacated, the Senate Chair will act as temporary presiding officer and, as spring election commissioner, will call a special election within two (2) weeks to elect a new President and Vice President.
Clause 2. In the event of the removal or resignation of the Vice President, the President will appoint a new Vice President within three (3) weeks. This appointment is subject to a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval by the AUSA Student Senate.
Clause 3. In the event that ll of the Executive Board positions become vacated at the same time, the Student Senate along with the Election Committee, with aid from the Activities Director, will act as temporary presiding officer of the AUSA and as the Executive Board. The Student Activities Director and Election Committee will then call a special election to fill the vacated offices. The procedures to be followed shall be the same as any other Executive Board election, with the exception of the month requirement.
Section 6: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA President.
Clause 1. The AUSA President will have the option to veto any legislation passed by the Student Senate. In the case of budgetary matters, the AUSA President may exercise a line-item veto.
Clause 2. Shall be an ex-officio member to all student committees
Clause 3. To have the responsibility of providing information concerning the AUSA to established groups or organizations on campus.
Clause 4. To preside over general assembly and Executive Board meeting or appoint a representative to fill in when needed.
Clause 5. To request reports if necessary, based on activity, structure, and function of all organizations receiving full or partial funding from AUSA
Clause 6. To present an agenda and objectives to the AUSA Student Senate to be discussed and planned for implementation.
Clause 7. To address the AUSA Student Senate within one (1) week after the Presidential inauguration.
Clause 8. Must attend Alumni board, Faulty Senate, and Board of Trustees meetings regularly.
Clause 9. Shall not have a vote within the Senate, unless the Senate vote results in a tie.
Clause 10. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.
Section 7: Duties and responsibilities of the AUSA Vice President.
Clause 1. Shall serve as the liaison to the Office of Student Activities.
Clause 2. Shall review the event registration and funding request forms (ERFR) submitted by the organizations in conjunction with the Director and Asst. Director of Student Activities.
Clause 3. Shall serve as chair of the Organization's Council
Clause 4. Shall be and ex-officio member to all student committees.
Clause 5. Shall have a vote within the Senate.
Clause 6. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.
Section 8: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA Senate Chair.
Clause 1. Shall be the legislative officer charged with the responsibility for general Senate affairs.
Clause 2. Shall call meetings to order, ascertain that a quorum is present, call for votes and close.
Clause 3. Shall organize Senate binders at the beginning of the year. In the case where a senator resigns or is asked to step down, the Senate Chair is to facilitate the collection of the binder.
Clause 4. Shall be responsible for creating name plates and distributing them at every AUSA General Assembly meeting.
Clause 5. Shall respond to all questions related to parliamentary procedure pertaining to Robert's Rules of Order.
Clause 6. Shall be in charge of all aspects of the AUSA election processes, with the exception of physically manning the tables. This includes makings sure that elections for freshmen senators, the Executive Board, and the General Senate, and as needed elections occur at the appropriate time. Additional affiliated responsibilities include securing a polling location, making, distributing and advertising election packets, meeting with the Advisor to clarify candidate credentials, creating ballots, advertising the elections to the student body, and making sure the elections are manned by non-running AUSA members. Afterwards, the Senate Chair shall meet with the Advisor to tally the votes, call each candidate, clarifying their specific election result, and officially offering the position to the elected. When each position has been officially accepted, a mass e-mail to the students is to be sent.
Clause 7. Shall chair the Constitution Committee.
Clause 8. Shall retain all rights and responsibilities of a Senator.
Clause 9. Shall have a vote within the Senate.
Clause 10. Shall be an ex-officio member to all student committees.
Section 9: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA Treasurer.
Clause 1. To manage the AUSA Senate account, General account, Executive account, and Community Development Fund account. The Treasurer shall maintain all purchase order books and handle all account transactions for the aforementioned accounts.
Clause 2. To prepare reports on the financial positions of the AUSA and to provide said reports to the Student Senate in written and/or verbal form.
Clause 3. To inform all organizations that petition funds from the AUSA of the amount of their appropriation.
Clause 4. To maintain information on the status of all organizations receiving partial or full funding from the AUSA and to make such information available to the AUSA Student Senate and the AUSA President.
Clause 5. To supervise AUSA funded organizations' account balances and sends each organizations a statement of their account. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to ensure that organizations are not allowed to accrue future debt, if one already exists.
Clause 6. Shall have a vote within the Senate.
Clause 7. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.
Section 10: Duties and responsibilities of the AUSA Secretary.
Clause 1. To record the minutes of all meetings of the AUSA Student Senate and to maintain records of the status of all motions and resolutions presented to the AUSA Student Senate.
Clause 2. To record the attendance of the Executive Board and Student Senators.
Clause 3. Shall have a vote within the Senate.
Clause 4. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.
Section 11: Advisor.
Clause 1. Advisor over the AUSA Senate as a whole, to give advice in suggested situations, be a loyal and honest advisor, keep up-to-date files, attend all required meetings, and be personable.
Clause 2. If a problem were to arise that may cause any dismissal of the Advisor of AUSA and/or is asked to leave the AUSA a two-thirds (2/3) vote and the advice through the Dean of Students shall relieve and/or make expectance of a new Advisor.
Article IV: Student Senate
Section 1: Members.
There shall be four (4) elected members form the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes. There my be a fifth (5th) selected individual from each class to serve as a back up if any circumstances may arise with the active members. This fifth (5th) individual does not have voting rights and is not required to attend AUSA meetings, unless they are called upon to fill one (1) of the four (4) Senator positions.
Section 2: Election.
Clause 1. To become the AUSA President, one must be an active member of the AUSA Senate for two (2) years or serve on the AUSA Executive Board for one (1) year. For the AUSA Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary Positions, one must be an active member of the AUSA Senate or the AUSA Executive Board.
Clause 2. The elections for the Executive Board will take place in the month of March. Candidates will be allowed to start campaigning to the student body of Aurora University the third (3rd) week of March. Following by the actual elections being held the fourth (4th) week of March. However if the date conflicts arise due to Spring Break, campaigning will be the second (2nd) week and elections will be held the third (3rd) week of March.
Clause 3. In the event that there is a vacancy in the Sophomore, Junior or Senior Senate, the positions can be filled through another election. This election will be help in conjunction with the September, Freshman Elections.
Section 3. Duties and Responsibilities of Student Senate.
It shall have the authority to rescind the voting privileges of any AUSA Student Senator for reasons of no attendance. Each succeeding AUSA Student Senate shall have the right to determine specific attendance requirements. The AUSA has given a Student Senator allowance to miss two (2) unexcused meetings.
Article V: Permanent Standing Committees of the AUSA Student Senate
Sections 1: Titles.
There shall be three (3) permanent standing committees of the AUSA Student Senate. These committees shall be called the Public Relations, Appropriations, and Election and Constitution.
Section 2: General Duties and responsibilities of the Permanent Standing Committees of the AUSA Student Senate.
All recommendations shall take the form of a motion. If a committee decides that no action is necessary, it shall make a report of "No Recommendation" to the AUSA Student Senate.
Section 3: Duties and responsibilities of the Public Relation Committee.
Clause 1. Shall inform all students of meeting places, times, and dates.
Clause 2. Shall be in charge of advertising, publicity, and marketing.
Clause 3. Shall promote for AUSA sponsored events.
Clause 4. Shall be a member of the AUSA.
Section 4: Duties and responsibilities of the Appropriations Committee.
Clause 1. Attend weekly meetings established by the Treasurer.
Clause 2. Shall have a vote on financial matters concerning student funds.
Clause 3. Shall abide by the AUSA code of Finances.
Clause 4. Shall hear appeals from student organizations concerning student-funding decisions previously made, and can overrule past decisions made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.
Clause 5. Shall be a member of the AUSA or of the Organizational Council.
Section 5. Duties and responsibilities of the Election and Constitution Committee.
Clause 1. Shall make sure constitution is up-to-date at the start of every year.
Clause 2. Shall make any arrangements of the Election of the Senate.
Clause 3. If any vacancy arises, an Election to add members could be necessary.
Clause 4. Shall be a member of the AUSA.
Article VI: Ad hoc Committees of the AUSA Senate
Section 1: Titles.
There may be committees created by the AUSA Student Senate if deemed necessary. These committees shall be names in relation to mission.
Section 2: Membership.
The AUSA Student Senate in compliance with the following specifications shall determine the membership of these committees:
Clause 1. Each separate committee shall be headed by Student Senate members and will contain AUSA Student Senate as members. These members' terms will run as long as the committee is active.
Clause 2. There shall be a minimum of two AUSA Student Senators assigned to each committee.
Clause 3. The AUSA President shall have the power to select the chairpersons of the committees. The committee chairperson or one of the co-chairpersons must have served on the AUSA Senate for a minimum of one (1) year.
Section 3: General duties and responsibilities of the Ad hoc Committees of the AUSA Senate.
The duties and responsibilities of the committees will be decided upon on a per committee basis.
Article VII: Meetings
Section 1: Committees of the AUSA Student Senate.
Permanent standing committees of the AUSA Student Senate Shall meet on a monthly basis.
Article IX: Referendum and Impeachment
Article X: Parliamentary Authority
Article XI: Amendment Procedure
Section 1: Amendments.
This Constitution may be amended by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Senators present at the time of the vote at the meeting of the AUSA Student Senate. This constitution may also be amended by a referendum vote of the AUSA. One-half (1/2) of the AUSA must vote for the election to be valid.
