The Constitution of the Students Á 1
The Constitution of the Students
Lake Superior
State
University
“Some men look at Constitutions with sanctimonious
reverence, and deem them like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be
touched. They ascribe to the men of the preceding age a wisdom more than human,
and suppose what they did to be beyond amendment…Laws and institutions must go
hand in hand with the progress of the human mind…We might as well require a man
to wear the coat that fitted him as a boy, as civilized society to remain ever
under the regime of their ancestors.”
Thomas Jefferson
Preamble
We, the students of
Lake Superior State
University,
hereby choose to be part of the Lake
Superior State
University Student Assembly; we, as members of the student body, and as full
members of the Assembly, determine that the Lake Superior State University
Student Government be our primary governing body; to ensure the conveyance of
the student voice to the administration and the Board of Trustees in matters of
institutional policies; to promote the welfare and progress of the University
community and enforce our rights and uphold our responsibilities; to establish
an effective, efficient, responsible, and responsive form of student
government; to encourage discussion, investigation, and expedient resolution of
student problems, concerns, and ideas; to support and help implement the
desires of the Student Assembly; to provide leadership; to recognize student
accomplishments so the role of the student is rewarding and meaningful; and to
retain the authority to appoint and remove student representation on University
standing committees and advisory boards. We, the students of the
Lake Superior State University Student Assembly, with
full confidence in this constitution, do hereby ratify it.
Mission Statement
This constitution is founded by the students, for the students, with a
developmental consideration of the functional needs of the
Lake Superior State University student population.
We, as the active voice of the Student Assembly, acknowledge our duty to
maintain a key responsibility in the workings of the Institution. This document
is intentionally flexible, simple, and appropriately non-excessive to
accurately represent the unique dynamics of Lake Superior State University.
2 Á The Constitution of the Students
ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION
The following is the organization of student
representation at Lake Superior
State
University. This structure
encourages an ultimate goal of working towards the unified mission of the constitution.
A. The Constitution of the
Students: This
constitution shall be the basis for student representation and shall govern all
activities of the Student Assembly.
B. Student Assembly: The Student Assembly shall be
composed of all students enrolled at Lake Superior State University. All students shall be equal
members, without discrimination of any kind. The Student Assembly shall
coordinate and officiate all elections of the Student Government.
C. Governing Bodies: The following governing bodies shall
be formed from the Student Assembly:
1. Student
Government: The
Student Government shall be the body for student representatives to act as the
voice of the students and properly deal with all student concerns.
2. Presidents
Council: The Presidents
Council shall be a forum for leadership development for the presidents of all
student organizations. The Presidents Council shall also serve to exchange
information and ideas so student organizations may make better use of their
resources, increase scheduling compatibility, and encourage
cooperation.
3. Inter-Greek
Council: The
Inter-Greek Council shall be the central point for communication between Greek
organizations at Lake Superior State University and shall represent the collegiate
Greek culture. The Inter-Greek Council shall also work towards a strong Greek
system that will benefit the University and the community.
4. Activities Board:
The Activities Board
shall be a forum for understanding campus life, promoting activities and
programming on campus, providing campus entertainment, creating and carrying on
the traditions of the University, and striving towards increasing the
involvement of students in university life.
5. Judiciary Board:
The Judiciary Board
shall mediate, adjudicate, and rule on Student Assembly and constitutional
issues.
The Constitution of the Students Á 3
ARTICLE II - STUDENT GOVERNMENT
A. Purpose
Section
1: To give students a greater sense of
empowerment and encourage involvement in university affairs, which shall assist
in the development of University pride.
Section
2: To enhance the overall image and
function of Lake Superior State University.
Section
3: To represent student needs and be
the liaison to the faculty and staff.
Section
4: To facilitate the allocation of the
Student Assembly budget.
Section
5: To be responsible for student
representation on University standing committees.
Section
6: To outline goals and aims at the
beginning of the year and strive to achieve these aspirations.
Section
7: To form committees from the Student
Government that will deal with various student and University issues.
Section
8: The Student Government shall be
separate and independent of the student organizations; support shall be
provided in an informal and non-supervisory capacity.
B. Composition
Section
1: The composition of the membership
of Student Government shall be the President, the Secretary of Student Services
and Concerns, the Secretary of Activities and Public Relations, the Secretary
of University Development and Community Affairs, the Secretary of Discretionary
Funding, and twelve (12) Student Representatives, one of which will be
designated as the Cultural Diversity Officer. All of these positions shall be
elected from the Student Assembly. The Secretaries and the Student
Representatives shall have an equal vote in the Student Government.
Section 2: No later than the third general meeting
of the newly elected Student Government, a Cultural Diversity Officer shall be
nominated from the Representatives and voted upon by Student Government. Approval shall consist a simple majority
vote.
Section
3: The duties of the President shall
be:
§ 3.1: To
call all meetings to order and preside over them;
§ 3.2: To
act as liaison between the Student Government and the faculty and
staff;
§ 3.3: To
act as parliamentarian at all Student Government meetings and rule on points of
order;
§ 3.4: To
oversee and ensure the proper execution of this constitution;
§ 3.5: To
call special meetings of the Student Government;
§ 3.6: To,
as necessary, appropriately veto Student Government legislation. In the event
of a Presidential veto, said veto may be overridden by a two-thirds (2/3)
majority vote of the Student Government. Except in cases where an override
would cause a violation of constitutional procedure or law;
§ 3.7: To
perform all duties as necessary and proper to direct the Student Government in
accordance with this constitution;
§ 3.8: To
appoint an Operational Manager for the Student Government.
Section
4: The duties of the Secretaries shall
be:
§ 4.1: To be
responsible for their designated individual areas of concern within the
Student
Government;
§ 4.2: To
facilitate their respective Student Government committees;
§ 4.3: To
represent the student body on relevant University committees when deemed
necessary.
Section
5: The duties of the Student
Representatives shall be:
§ 5.1: To
serve as equal members of the Student Government;
§ 5.2: To
participate in the workings of the Student Government and the
University;
§ 5.3: To
serve on University committees;
§ 5.4: To
develop, outline, and strive to accomplish specific goals and aims.
Section
6: The duties of the Cultural
Diversity Officer shall be:
§ 6.1: To
be the designated individual for communicating and expressing the needs of the
diverse groups of students that make up Lake
Superior
State
University’s
student body;
§ 6.2: Serve
as a liaison between student diversity groups and the Student Government, as
well as Administration when appropriate;
§6.3: This
position shall be evaluated at the end of each academic term, based on the
needs of Lake Superior
State
University’s student body.
Section
7: The duties of the Operational
Manager shall be:
§ 7.1: To be
responsible for all written communications and financial matters that relate to
the
Student
Government;
§ 7.2: To
serve as a non-voting member, equally eligible for any non-monetary benefits
imparted to the members of the Student Government.
Section
8: The Student Government shall have
as its advisor a faculty or staff member of Lake Superior State University. The advisor shall be appointed by
the President of the University,
with the
recommendation of Student Government.
Section
9: The Student Government may
establish such subsidiary committees as deemed necessary in accordance with
this constitution.
Section
10: The Student
Government may recognize the efforts and contributions of its members by
imparting equal non-monetary benefits.
C. Eligibility
Section
1: To be eligible to serve as
President of the Student Government or Secretary of Discretionary Funding, a
student must have completed no less than one full academic semester while
enrolled at Lake Superior State University, must have served as a member of the
Student Government for at least one semester at the time of installment as
President or Secretary, must be enrolled for at least nine (9) academic
semester hours and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher on a
4.0 system prior to the election period.
Section
2: The qualifications for the positions
of the remaining Secretaries shall be the same as those for the position of
President, although prior Student Government service is not a
requirement.
Section
3: To be eligible to serve as a
Student Representative or Operational Manager, a student must currently be
enrolled at Lake Superior State University. The candidate must have a
cumulative grade point average of 2.25 or higher on a 4.0 system
Section
4: Members of the Student Government,
including the Operational Manager, shall be expected to maintain the standard
average for their tenure. In the event a grade point average falls below the
stated standards, the officer shall be subject to a Judiciary Board
hearing.
Section
5: A semester shall constitute no less
than ten (10) weeks out of a fifteen (15) week semester.
Section
6: Grade point average inquiries shall
be the responsibility of the Election Committee. Due to grade point
confidentiality, the proper University authority shall verify the grade point
average of the candidates to determine if a candidate has met the required
standards.
D. Elections
Section
1: The Election Committee shall be
formed out of the Student Assembly under the guidance of the Judiciary Board.
The Election Committee shall be responsible for conducting and officiating all
elections, and shall establish guidelines to ensure a reasonably fair and
equitable election process.
Section
2: The election time frame for the
President and the Secretaries of the Student
Government
shall be the following:
§ 2.1: The
Election Committee shall convene during the eighth week of the Spring
Semester.
§ 2.2:
Petitions for candidacy must be made available during the entirety of the ninth
week of the Spring Semester.
Concurrently, all candidates shall begin campaigning.
§ 2.3: The
hearings of candidates shall take place in the tenth week of the Spring
Semester.
§ 2.3:
Voting shall take place during the entirety of the eleventh week of the Spring
Semester.
Section
3: The election time frame for the
Student Representatives to the Student
Government
shall be the following:
§ 3.1: The
Election Committee shall convene during the first week of the Fall
Semester.
§ 3.2:
Petitions for candidacy must be made available during the entirety of the
second week of the Fall Semester.
Concurrently, all candidates shall begin campaigning.
§ 3.3: The
hearings of candidates shall take place in the third week of the Fall
Semester.
§ 3.4:
Voting shall take place during the entirety of the fourth week of the Fall
Semester.
Section
4: The election process shall consist
of the following procedures:
§ 4.1:
Petitions for positions of Student Government shall be made available by the
Judiciary Board the week following the formation of the Election
Committee.
§ 4.2: All
candidates shall be expected to provide a list of goals and ideas for their
term. This list shall be reviewed by the Election Committee at public forums of
the candidates.
§ 4.3:
Campaigning for positions shall be allowed, provided that it does not violate
Election Committee or University policies.
§ 4.4: There
shall be no write-in candidates for any position of the Student
Government;
§ 4.5: All
students shall have the right to vote in all Student Assembly elections and
general referendums.
E. Meetings
Section
1: The President of the Student Government
shall preside over the Student Government meetings. No later than the third
general meeting, a Chair pro tem shall be chosen from the elected membership of
the Student Government by a nomination/election process and a simple majority
vote. The Chair pro tem shall preside over the meetings in the absence of the
President.
Section
2: The Operational Manager shall be
appointed by the President of the Student Government at the first
general Student Government meeting. Approval shall consist of a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote.
Section
3: The meetings will be conducted no
less than once a week.
Section
4: Members of the Student Government
shall not meet in an official capacity, other
than
officially recognized committee meetings and the Student Government
meetings.
Section
5: A quorum shall be present in order
to vote on any Student Government matter
and shall
consist of a four-fifths (4/5) majority of the voting members.
Section
6: The meetings will be conducted
according to established Student Government by-laws, University policies, this
constitution, and Robert’s Rules of
Order, revised.
Section
7: All members are expected to attend
all meetings. In the case of two or more unexcused absences the member in
question shall be subject to suspension by the Student Government, pending
review by the Judiciary Board.
F. Impeachment and
Vacancies
Section
1: Students may request the
impeachment of any member of Student Government for non-performance of duties,
misconduct, or violations of University policy. A petition to this effect
stating the specific instances of alleged non-performance or misconduct must be
signed by fifteen percent (15%) of the students of Lake Superior State University. For this purpose, 15% shall be
based on the previous semester’s enrollment.
Section
2: Petitions for the impeachment of a
member of the Student Government may be obtained from any member of the
Judiciary Board. All petitions must be signed and returned within five (5)
class days of issuance or they shall be deemed null and void.
Section
3: The Judiciary Board shall notify
the member whose impeachment is sought at the time the petition is
issued. The Student Government shall be notified of allegations of
non-performance or misconduct upon return of the signed petition to the
Judiciary Board.
Section
4: The Judiciary Board shall conduct a
hearing and vote on impeachment within ten
(10) class days following the return of a signed petition.
If the Judiciary Board upholds impeachment, the member may appeal to the
Student Government who may repeal the impeachment with a four-fifths (4/5)
majority vote.
Section
5: In the event of a vacancy of the
Student Government President, or Secretaries, the respective Chair pro tem
shall assume the duties of the vacated position until such time as an election
may be held. This election shall occur within fifteen (15) class days of the
vacation.
Section
6: In the event of a vacancy of a
Student Representative, the Student Resources
Committee
shall fill any vacancies within seven (7) class days of the vacation. The
Student Resources Committee shall publicize positions, solicit applications,
and select qualified applicants
through an application/interview process. Selected Student Representatives
shall be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Student Government.
Section
7: In the event of non-performance of
duties or misconduct the Operational Manager may be removed via a two-thirds
(2/3) majority vote of the Student Government.
G. Budget
Section
1: The Student Government shall
facilitate the allocation of the Student Activity and Media budget.
§ 1.1: The operational budget of the Student Government
shall not exceed ten percent (10%)
of the
Student Government budget.
§ 1.2:
Funding for the benefits of the elected positions of responsibility within the
Student
Government
shall not exceed five percent (5%) of the Student Government budget.
§ 1.3: The
miscellaneous budget will provide funding for special projects initiated by the
Student Government or the Student Assembly. This budget shall not exceed twenty
percent
(20%) of the
Student Government budget.
H. Committees
Section
1: Student Resources
Committee
§ 1.1: The Student Resources Committee shall appoint
students to University standing committees, Student Government committees,
Judiciary Board, and any other committees that are responsible to the students
of Lake Superior
State
University.
§ 1.2: This
committee shall consist of six (6) members, appointed from within the Student
Government. This committee shall be chaired by the President of the Student
Government, who shall vote only in the event of a tie.
§ 1.3: This committee shall be responsible for publicizing
the University committee positions, soliciting applications, and selecting
qualified applicants through an application/interview process. Publicizing
shall take place three (3) days prior to the meeting.
§ 1.4: The
Student Resources Committee shall convene as often as deemed
necessary.
Section
2: Student Services and Concerns
Committee
§ 2.1: The
Student Services and Concerns Committee shall be dedicated to addressing the
needs of the Student Assembly.
§ 2.2: This
committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of Student Services and
Concerns.
§ 2.3: The
Secretary of Student Services and Concerns shall be the official Student
Government representative on the University Student Life Committee.
Section
3: Activities and Public Relations
Committee
§ 3.1: The
Activities and Public Relations Committee shall serve as a support structure
for the Activities Board and act as a communication link among the student
body, Student Government, the University, and the community.
§ 3.2: This
committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of Activities and Public
Relations.
§ 3.3: The
Secretary of Activities and Public Relations shall be the official Student
Government representative on the University Cultural Affairs
Committee.
Section
4: Political Action and University
Development Committee
§ 4.1: The
Political Action and University Development Committee shall encourage
adaptation to the changing needs of the students through development of the
campus, both physical and academic.
§ 4.2: This
committee shall raise awareness of public issues as well as research and
propose
Student
Government action to improve the quality of life both in and around the
Lake Superior State University campus.
§ 4.3: This
committee shall provide the student body with an awareness of local, state,
national, and world issues and affairs, specifically those issues and affairs
that affect or concern students;
§ 4.4: This
committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of University Development and
Community Affairs.
§ 4.5: The
Secretary of University Political Action and University Development shall be
the official Student Government representative on the University Capital
Improvements Committee.
Section
5: Discretionary Funding
Committee
§ 5.1: The Discretionary Funding Committee shall follow
the guidelines set by the Student Activity and Media Amendment to the
Constitution of the Students in regards to the Student Media Fee, and demand
excellence in approving requests from branches of the Student Assembly.
§ 5.2: This
committee shall decide which funding requests from other branches of the
Student Assembly shall be heard by Student Government.
§ 5.3: This
committee will ensure that any funding request that will be passed must be
thoroughly and meticulously thought out and planned, or else the committee must
fail or table said request until such a time as it is deemed suitable.
§ 5.4: This
committee shall be chaired by the Secretary of Discretionary Funding.
§ 5.5: All
meeting policies for this committee will be decided on by this Secretary, with
the majority approval of the sitting members of the Discretionary Funding
Committee.
§ 5.6: The
Secretary of Discretionary Funding will only have a vote in the event of a tie.
Section
6: The members of the Student Services
and Concerns Committee, the Activities and
Public
Relations Committee, the University Development and Community Affairs
Committee, and the Discretionary Funding Committee shall consist of members of
the Student Assembly selected by the Student Resources Committee and approved
by the Student Government.
Section
7: Special Project Committees shall be
formed whenever it is deemed necessary by the Student Government.
Section
8: Each committee shall elect a Chair
pro tem from its membership during the first general committee meeting. The
Chair pro tem shall serve as the facilitator in event of the Chair’s absence or
vacancy.
Section
9: Each committee shall be given
complete authority to deal with its internal organization, establish
guidelines, procedural patterns, and operational policies as long as they do
not contradict or undermine the goals or guidelines of the Student Government
or this Constitution.
ARTICLE III - PRESIDENTS COUNCIL
A. Purpose
Section
1: The Presidents’ Council shall serve
as a leadership development forum for its membership.
Section
2: The Presidents’ Council shall be
responsible for the recognition and de-recognition of all student
organizations.
Section
3: The Presidents’ Council shall be
responsible for allocating requested funding to all recognized members of
Presidents’ Council. Recognized members
of Presidents’ Council cannot appeal directly to the Discretionary Funding
Committee.
Section
4: The Presidents’ Council shall
encourage cooperation and mutual respect amongst the diverse student cultures,
academic alliances, and group interests.
B. Composition
Section
1: The Presidents’ Council shall
consist of the presidents of all recognized student organizations as determined
by the Presidents’ Council.
Section
2: The Presidents’ Council shall
appoint a Chair by a nomination/election process and a simple majority approval
during the first general meeting of the regular academic year.
Section
3: The advisor of the Presidents’
Council shall be appointed by the President of the University considering the
recommendation of the Presidents’ Council.
C. Meetings
Section
1: The Presidents’ Council shall meet
at least once a month during the regular academic year.
Section
2: The advisor of the Presidents’
Council shall have the duty to call and organize the first general meeting of
the regular academic year.
Section
3: Once appointed, the Chair shall
preside over all meetings of the Presidents’ Council.
D. Recognition of Student
Organizations
Section
1: New organizations applying to be
recognized by the Presidents’ Council shall be granted associate membership,
provided that the organization meets the standards of the Presidents’ Council
and the University. Associate membership shall be for a period not to exceed
one regular academic semester.
Section
2: Associate organizations shall be
granted full membership by a majority vote of the
Presidents’
Council only if the organization meets the standards of the Presidents’ Council
and
the
University. Appeals resulting from non-recognition or de-recognition of student
organizations shall be directed to the Judiciary Board.
Section
3: The Presidents’ Council shall
determine the guidelines for the recognition of student organizations, as long
as those guidelines do not contradict Student Government policies or this
constitution.
ARTICLE IV - INTER-GREEK COUNCIL
A. Purpose
Section
1: The Inter-Greek Council shall be
the central point of communication for all Greek student organizations at
Lake Superior State University and shall encourage communication
between the collegiate Greek community and the student body.
Section
2: The Inter-Greek Council shall work
towards a healthy collegiate Greek culture at Lake Superior State University.
Section
3: The Inter-Greek Council shall
promote understanding and acceptance of collegiate Greek culture at
Lake Superior State University.
Section
4: The Inter-Greek Council shall
consist of all recognized social, service, and professional Greek organizations
at Lake Superior State University.
Section
5: The Inter-Greek Council shall deal
with problems, conflicts, and misunderstandings amongst the Greek student
organizations.
Section
6: The Inter-Greek Council shall work
in cooperation with the Presidents’ Council in the recognition, de-recognition
and funding of Greek student organizations.
B. Composition
Section
1: The Inter-Greek Council shall
consist of delegates from all social, professional, and service Greek student
organizations at Lake Superior State University.
Section
2: The Inter-Greek Council shall be
chaired by a President, nominated from the membership of the Greek student
organizations and elected by the Inter-Greek Council.
Section
3: The advisor of the Inter-Greek
Council shall be appointed by the President of the University considering the
recommendation of the Inter-Greek Council.
C. Meetings
Section
1: The Inter-Greek Council shall meet
a minimum of twice a month during the regular academic year.
Section
2: The President of the Inter-Greek
Council shall preside over the meetings of the Inter-Greek Council.
D. Recognition of Greek Student Organizations
Section
1: Organizations petitioning for Greek
status shall approach the Inter-Greek Council for recommendation for associate
membership in the Presidents’ Council. Associate membership in the Presidents’
Council shall serve as grounds for associate membership within the Inter-Greek
Council. The associate membership shall last for an interim period not to
exceed one regular academic semester.
Section
2: Associate organizations shall be
granted full membership as a Greek student organization upon recommendation of
the Inter-Greek Council and a majority vote of the Presidents’ Council. Appeals
resulting from non-recognition or de-recognition of Greek organizations shall
be directed to the Judiciary Board.
Section
3: In the event that an organization
petitioning for Greek status is already a full member of the Presidents’
Council, the Inter-Greek Council shall have the right to confer to the
organization associate membership in the Inter-Greek Council with the approval
of the Presidents’ Council.
Section
4: The Inter-Greek Council shall
determine the guidelines for the recognition of Greek student organizations,
provided that those guidelines do not conflict with the guidelines set by the
Presidents’ Council or this constitution.
E. Funding for Greek student
organizations
Section
1: The Inter-Greek Council shall be
the primary authority for facilitating funding requests of Greek student
organizations. Approval of the Inter-Greek Council shall serve as full
recommendation to the Finance Committee of the Presidents’ Council.
Section
2: The Inter-Greek Council shall
determine the guidelines for the funding of Greek student organizations,
provided that those guidelines do not conflict with the guidelines set by the
Presidents’ Council or this constitution.
Section
3: Recognized members of the
Inter-Greek Council cannot appeal directly to the Discretionary Funding
Committee, nor may they appeal directly to the Inter-Greek Council for
funding.
ARTICLE V - ACTIVITIES BOARD
A. Purpose
Section
1: To provide and facilitate
activities and entertainment that will appeal to a wide variety of student
interests by acknowledging the unique diversity of the student culture at
Lake Superior State University.
Section 2: To encourage student involvement in
campus events.
Section
3: To establish and support the
evolution of traditions of excellence at Lake Superior State University.
Section
4: To make wise and calculated use of
the Activities Board budget and all funds provided to it.
B. Composition
Section
1: The Activities Board shall consist
of representatives from the Student Government, the Presidents’ Council, the
Inter-Greek Council, and the Student Assembly.
Section
2: The members of the Activities Board
shall be selected by the Director of Activities Board.
Section
3: The Activities Board shall be
chaired by the Director of Activities Board.
Section 4: The Director of Activities
Board shall be a paid position, selected through an interview/
application process in the Spring Semester, facilitated by Student Government and the Student Life Office. The compensation of
the Director of Activities Board shall be approved first by the Director of
Student Life and then by Student
Government.
C. Procedures
Section
1: The Activities Board shall meet at
least twice a month. The Activities Board may create non-paid administrative
positions and may form committees as deemed necessary, under the direction of
the Director of Programming.
Section
2: The Director of Activities Board shall offer an
in-person report to Student Government monthly.
ARTICLE VI - JUDICIARY BOARD
A. Purpose
Section 1: To mediate, adjudicate, and resolve
conflicts within the Student Assembly.
Section
2: To hear and rule on requests for
appeal.
Section
3: To interpret this
constitution.
14 Á The Constitution of the Students
B. Composition
Section
1: The Judiciary Board shall consist
of five (5) student Justices chosen from the Student Assembly by the Student
Government. All Justices shall hold their offices during good
behavior.
Section
2: The Judiciary Board shall choose
from amongst their members a Chair, hereinafter known as the Chief Justice of
the Student Assembly. The Chief Justice shall perform all duties necessary to
direct the Judiciary Board.
Section
3: The Judiciary Board shall have the
authority to establish subsidiary bodies to aid in the performance of its
duties.
C. Procedures
Section
1: The Judiciary Board shall be seated
as required to perform its duties.
Section
2: The Judiciary Board shall have
primary jurisdiction in determining the constitutionality of all matters
regarding the interpretation of this constitution. The Judiciary Board shall have primary
jurisdiction in determining the constitutionality of the by-laws and operational procedures of the governing bodies of
the Student Assembly; in matters of controversy between the governing bodies;
in matters of grievance against the governing bodies and their members; and in
matters of impeachment of the elected members of the Student
Government.
Section
3: The Judiciary Board shall have
appellate jurisdiction in matters involving infractions
of established election policies; in matters of removal of
all other members of the governing bodies of the Student Assembly; in matters
of recognition or de-recognition of student organizations; and in matters
pertaining to the suspension of all actions pertaining to grievances against
the governing bodies of the Student Assembly, pending formal inquiry. Formal inquiry will begin no more than seven
(7) days after suspension, and will last no more than fourteen (14) days.
Section
4: The Judiciary Board shall convene the
Election Committee at the designated times or as required.
Section
5: The Judiciary Board shall have the
right to counsel by the University’s Legal Advisor.
Section
6: The Judiciary Board shall retain
the right to recommend changes in matters of disciplinary and judicial reform
at Lake Superior State University.
The Constitution of the Students Á 15
ARTICLE VII – STUDENT MEDIA ADVISORY BOARD
The Student Media Advisory Board, appointed by the
University President, is assigned the responsibilities of oversight of all
student media. These responsibilities
are defined by the operational guidelines of the Student Media Advisory Board
which are subject to review by the appropriate Student Government officers and
to the approval by the University.
In the event that the Media Advisory Board or subsequently
titled board is disbanded, those responsibilities will be delegated to the
appropriate Student and Residential Life staff and the elected officials or
committees of Student Government as designated by the Vice President of Student
Life.
ARTICLE VIII - BRANCH AUTONOMY / COMMUNICATION
Section
1: All governing bodies of the Student
Assembly shall be given complete authority to establish organization,
guidelines, procedural patterns, and operational policies as long as they do
not contradict or undermine the guidelines of this constitution. This
constitution shall maintain supreme authority over all governing
bodies.
Section
2: Constant and continuing
communication and cooperation amongst the governing bodies of the Student
Assembly shall be a requirement. All branches shall have formal channels of
regular communication.
Section
3: All documented functions and
communications of student representation shall be considered public information
and shall be made readily available to all students, unless otherwise
determined by legitimate authority.
ARTICLE IX – CONSOLIDATION OF SIMILAR STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Section
1: An assembly of student
organizations working towards a similar mission or goal may have the option to
consolidate themselves into a unified council of interest. The Greek student
organizations and the Inter-Greek Council of Lake Superior State University
shall serve as precedent for this provision.
Section
2: A combined membership of at least
seven percent (7%) of the Student Assembly shall be required to request
consolidation.
Section
3: Requests for consolidation shall be
directed to the Student Government and shall serve as a proposed amendment to
this constitution.
ARTICLE X – RATIFICATION AND AMENDMENT
Section
1: Student ratification of this
constitution
§ 1.1: This
constitution shall become the official documented authority of the Lake Superior
State
University Student Assembly by a majority vote of the participating students on
March 11th and 12th, 1997.
§ 1.2: Upon
ratification of this constitution, all other constitutions or official
documents shall become null and void.
§ 1.3: The
revocation of this constitution shall be valid only by a referendum
representing a quorum of twenty percent (20%) of the Student Assembly.
Section
2: Amendment of this
constitution
§ 2.1:
Proposed amendments to this constitution shall be introduced in writing to the
Student Government no less than two (2) regular meeting periods prior to
voting. A regular meeting period is defined as a seven-day week excluding
breaks or vacations. A required discussion involving the proposed amendment
shall follow, not exceed to two meetings of the Student Government.
§ 2.2: The
amendment shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Student Government and
the approval of both the President of the Student Government and the President
of the University.
§ 2.3: Any
proposed constitutional amendments or acts of the constitution shall not
violate the rules of ex post facto.
