Constitution of the Student Senate - Policies

CONSTITUTION OF THE STUDENT SENATE

MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY

Article I. Name

This organization shall be called the Student Senate of Millersville University.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be:

To promote the general welfare of the University.
To constitute a medium for expressing student opinion on matters of general interest.
To provide experience for its members in the principles and practice of democratic government.
To stimulate the cultural and social areas of University life.
To charter and oversee University student organizations.
To recommend the allocation of student activity funds to the President of the University.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. Members of the Student Senate shall be elected by current members of the student body.

Section 2. Universal eligibility.

The student must be currently enrolled as either a full or part-time student at Millersville University.
The student must have, at the time of election, a cumulative quality point average of at least 2.00 (on a 4.00 scale) and maintain this minimum throughout his/her term.

Section 3. Members shall be representatives of residence hall students, students who reside in Millersville Borough, students who do not reside in Millersville Borough, graduate students and freshmen.

Article IV. Powers of the Student Senate

Section 1. Committees.

The Student Senate shall have the authority to create standing committees and to delegate to standing committees such of its own authority as deemed necessary but all exercises of such authority shall be subject to the approval of the full Senate.
The Student Senate shall have the authority to create any temporary committees which it deems necessary.

The Student Senate shall have the authority to elect student representatives to Faculty Senate and University Committees.

Section 2. Organizations.

The Student Senate shall have sole authority to charter all student organizations on the campus.
Constitutional and bylaw revisions of all student organizations recognized by the Student Senate shall be subject to the approval of the Student Senate before they become effective.
The Student Senate shall have the power to withdraw its recognition of any student organization which does not fulfill the purpose as stated in that organization's constitution or which operates in violation of the policies of the Student Senate or the University.

Section 3. Finances.

The Student Senate shall have the power to propose to the President of the University the allocation of student activity funds. All funds used by the organizations must be spent on items or activities for which they are normally allocated. Senate recommendations on fund allocations shall be subject to the approval of the President of the University.
The Student Senate shall have the authority to consider allocation requests from any student organizations provided they have been granted permanent status or the Student Senate is in the position to grant the organization permanent status within one semester of the receipt of that allocation.
The Student Senate, in accordance with federal, state, and local laws, shall not fund any religious or political activity.
The Student Senate shall have the authority to request audits of the financial records of any student organization.
The Student Senate shall have the power to allocate money required for conducting the activities of the Student Senate. All funds used by the Student Senate must be spent on the items or activities for which the funds were allocated, unless two-thirds of the Senate votes otherwise. No amount exceeding $50 shall be spent without the approval of the Full Senate.

Section 4. The Student Senate shall enact such bylaws as are necessary to carry out the purpose of the Constitution and the policies developed in accordance with the Constitution.

Section 5. The Student Senate shall have the authority to initiate and conduct or sponsor any student activity which may contribute to the welfare of the student body.

Section 6. The Student Senate shall have the authority to investigate issues of concern to students and make recommendations to appropriate University officials.

Article V. Procedure

Section 1. Meetings.

The Student Senate shall meet every week of the fall and spring semesters at such times as designated by the Student Senate Executive Council except for weeks when no classes are held on the day Senate meetings are scheduled.
Special meetings may be called by the President of the Student Senate or by petition of one-half of the Student Senate providing one week's notice prior to the special meeting is given to all senators.
Discussions of the Student Senate are open to the public except by proposal of the Student Senate President and approval by a majority of the Student Senate.
Only duly elected members and officers of the Student Senate may vote on or propose motions.
The business of the Student Senate shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, except where it conflicts with this Constitution.
Two-thirds of the membership of the Student Senate shall constitute a quorum.
All Student Senate decisions shall require a majority affirmative vote of those present except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or Robert’s Rules of Order.
The adoption of all bylaws shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the total membership of the Student Senate.

Section 2. Duties of Officers.

President

The President shall preside at all meetings.
The President may create special committees and appoint members of those special committees.
The President shall represent the will of the student body on University occasions.
The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
The President shall act in the welfare of the student body upon approval of the Student Senate.
The President shall nominate a parliamentarian to be approved by a majority of the Student Senate.
The President shall perform other duties assigned by the Senate.

B. Vice President

The Vice President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President.
The Vice President shall succeed the office of the presidency should a vacancy occur and assume the duties and responsibilities of that office.
The Vice President shall act as Chairperson of the Elections Committee.
The Vice President shall perform other duties assigned by the Senate.

Treasurer

The Treasurer shall keep a record of all funds of the Student Senate.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for all property of the Student Senate.
The Treasurer shall serve as Chairperson of the Allocations Committee.
The Treasurer shall submit to the Student Senate and its advisers a monthly written financial report.
The Treasurer shall hold two meetings in the spring semester for representatives of student organizations to provide help in completing allocation packet.

Corresponding Secretary

The Corresponding Secretary shall send out timely notices of all regular and special meetings.
The Corresponding Secretary shall distribute minutes of meetings to the University administration, the Faculty Senate, and other members of the Board of Student Government Presidents for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education before the next regularly scheduled meeting.
The Corresponding Secretary shall handle all external correspondence of the Student Senate.
The Corresponding Secretary shall serve as Public Relations Committee Chairperson.

Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary shall prepare and keep a record of all proceedings.
The Recording Secretary shall submit minutes of meetings to the Student Senate members and advisors within one week after the stated meeting.
The Recording Secretary shall act as historian for the Student Senate.
The Recording Secretary shall maintain a list of current Senators and their mailing addresses, phone, and e-mail addresses.
The Recording Secretary shall inform Senators in writing if their absence was excused, and their options for appeal if not.
The Recording Secretary shall inform Senators in writing if they have been removed from office, and their options for appeal.
The Recording Secretary shall maintain a list of Senate committees and their members, and shall receive all committee reports.
The Recording Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a list of senators and record of their fulfillment of their responsibilities.

Parliamentarian

The Parliamentarian shall have a working knowledge of the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
The Parliamentarian shall advise the President and the Student Senate on matters concerning parliamentary procedure.
The Parliamentarian shall act as a non-voting member if not an elected member of the Student Senate.
The Parliamentarian shall maintain a list of all standing orders, activities, and mail motions that the Senate approves.
The Parliamentarian shall be chair of the Constitution Committee.

The Executive Council shall be composed of all officers and four other Student Senate members, two appointed by the President and two elected by the Student Senate.

Article VI. Removal from Office

Section 1. General Rules

Any member or officer of the Student Senate is liable for removal, by dismissal or impeachment.
Senators can be removed by dismissal or impeachment, while officers can be removed by impeachment only.
Violation of the Student Senate Constitution, the Millersville University Student Code of Conduct, and/or failure to perform the duties and responsibilities of a student senator or officer are all valid grounds for removal by dismissal or impeachment.
No senator or officer who is removed from Student Senate is eligible to be elected onto Senate, through an in-house election for a period of 6 months following the removal.

Section 2. Dismissal.

Dismissal proceedings may be initiated by any member of the Executive Council at any regular Executive Council meeting.
A Senator shall be dismissed with a two-thirds vote of approval the Executive Council.
A Senator may appeal the decision of Executive Council at the next meeting of the Executive Council. If the appeal is denied, the Senator may request impeachment proceedings by the next Executive Council meeting. If the Senate does not vote to impeach, the Senator remains in Senate. Failure to appeal or request impeachment proceedings results in automatic denial of any further appeals, and the seat will be filled by the procedures outlined in Article VII, Section 6 of this Constitution.

Section 3. Impeachment

Any member or officer of the Student Senate may initiate impeachment proceedings against another senator or officer at any scheduled meeting with majority approval of the Student Senate.
The impeachment hearing shall be held at a special Senate meeting that must be conducted not less than three (3) and no more than eight (8) class days after the initiation of proceedings. The time and place of the special meeting must be accepted by majority approval.
The Parliamentarian shall preside on the motion to initiate impeachment and at the impeachment hearing. If the Parliamentarian is not present, the highest ranking officer in the order of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, and Recording Secretary who is not subject to impeachment proceedings and who is in attendance shall preside, unless the officer wishes to allow the next officer in line to preside, or if the officer appoints another Senator to preside with majority approval of the Student Senate.
A vote of two-thirds of the Student Senate present shall be needed to remove the senator or officer from his or her position.

Article VII. Elections

Section 1. Time of Election.

A general election of all officers and residence hall representatives, representatives for students who reside in Millersville Borough, representatives for students who do not reside inMillersville Borough and graduate student representatives will be held onWednesday and Thursday of the third week after Spring Break.
Nominations will open on the sixth Monday of the spring semester and will close at 6 p.m. on Tuesday of the first week after Spring Break.
Freshmen representatives will be elected the last Thursday in September.
Nominations for freshmen elections will open on the second Monday in September and will close on Tuesday of the following week.

Section 2. Term of office for senators and officers will begin at the last meeting of the spring semester and continue until the last meeting of the following spring semester. The term of office for freshmen representatives will begin at the first meeting following their election and continue until the last meeting of the spring semester.

Section 3. Committee Elections shall take place at either the first meeting of the new officers and senators in the spring semester or at the first or second meetings of the fall semester.

Section 4. Eligibility.

Residence hall representatives:
1. Any eligible student residing in a residence hall at the time of election.
2. One residence hall representative shall be elected for every 200 residence hall students, plus one representative for any remainder in excess of 113.

Representatives for students who reside in Millersville Borough:

Any eligible student residing in the 17551 ZIP code, excluding residence hall students.
One representative for students who reside in Millersville Borough shall be elected for every 200 students who reside in Millersville Borough, including part-time students, plus one representative for any remainder in excess of 113.

Representatives for students who do not reside in Millersville Borough:

Any eligible student not residing in the 17551 ZIP code.
One representative for students who do not reside in Millersville Borough shall be elected for every 200 students who do not reside in Millersville Borough, including part-time students, plus one representative for any remainder in excess of 113.

Graduate student representatives:

Any eligible student enrolled in the Millersville University graduate studies program.
Two graduate student representatives will be elected.

Freshmen representatives:

Any student who has attended the University for two semesters or less.
Five freshmen representatives shall be elected.

Officers: A student is eligible to serve as an officer in the Student Senate providing that student will meet all of the following criteria upon taking office in addition to the criteria for eligibility to a regular Senate position.

The student must not be serving as president of another student organization.
The student must have a cumulative quality point average of 2.25 (on a 4.00 scale) or higher.
The student must have served as a student senator for at least nine (9) meetings of the Student Senate having more than one agenda item.
An officer is responsible for meeting these criteria throughout the duration of his/her term.
The Treasurer of Student Senate shall not be treasurer of any other student organization.
The student must not graduate before May of the following year.

A senator/officer of the Student Senate shall not be a member of a student government association of another college or university.

Section 5. Nominations.

Any eligible student may become a candidate for student senator or officer by submitting his/her name to the Elections Committee by a date prescribed by hat committee.
The candidate's district will be determined by his/ her residency at the time of nomination.
If an officer candidate so chooses, he/she may cross-file for a senator position. To do so, this candidate must indicate his/her desire to cross-file before the nominations are closed. If an officer candidate who has cross-filed wins the officer position, that person will not be considered for the senator position and his/her votes for the senator position will be disregarded.

Section 6. Vacancies.

Officer vacancies.

An officer vacancy with the exception of the President created by resignation, impeachment or dismissal will be filled at the next Senate meeting through an in-house election of any eligible senators.
Any officer who resigns will retain the Senate position vacated by the senator elected to fill the officer position.
An officer who is dismissed or impeached does not remain a senator unless reelected.

Senator Vacancies

A student senator vacancy created by resignation, impeachment, dismissal or election to an officer position will be filled by any eligible student submitting a petition to the Elections Committee. The Committee will determine the format of the petition, but it must include an essay.
The vacancy shall be filled by a student in the district in which the vacancy occurred, unless no eligible students submit a petition within 10 days of the date the vacancy was created.
The petitioner shall attend at least one Senate meeting in its entirety before consideration of his/her petition, and at the next meeting the petitioner shall give a brief speech on him-/herself and the reasons for joining, but the length shall not exceed five minutes.
At the meeting where the petitioner gives the speech, the Senate will vote on accepting the petitioner, and with a majority vote in favor, the petitioner will become a Senator.
The requirements to submit a petition and give a speech shall not apply to students who have previously served as a senator and attended six or more meetings..

Article VIII. Amendments

Section 1. Amendments may be made to the Constitution by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Student Senate, a two-thirds affirmative vote of the student body voting, and the approval of the President of the University. Notice of any proposed amendment shall be posted publicly at least one week prior to any vote.

Section 2. If the name of the association of student governments referenced in Article V, Section 2, Clause D, Sub-clause 2, it will not be necessary to follow the amendment procedures outlined herein in order to change the name that appears in this Constitution..

Article IX. Ratification

Ratification of the Constitution shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Student Senate, a two-thirds affirmative vote of the student body voting and the approval of the President of the University. The Constitution shall be posted one week prior to voting by the student body in each residence hall, each classroom building, each dining hall, and the Student Memorial Center.

Approved by the President of Millersville University
October 5, 2004