Constitution and By-laws
Download the SGA CONSTITUTION (Updated Spring 09)
Download the SGA BY-LAWS (Updated Spring 09)
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
Mission Statement
The Student Government Association of Wheaton College exists to provide the students with guidance, a forum for communication and open-minded, equal representation to the larger Wheaton community.
The Student Government Association is a catalyst that inspires and empowers the student body to act on their own behalf.
All students are represented by the Wheaton College Student Government Association.
The Student Government Association is the legislative forum dedicated to initiating discussion and action concerning campus, community and global issues.
CONSTITUTION OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF WHEATON COLLEGE
Preamble
So that every matriculated student will have a strong voice in the policies and decisions that affect our community, we, the students of Wheaton College, establish and maintain the Student Government Association. We charge ourselves with the responsibility to facilitate student activism and community consciousness; respect and foster diversity, open-mindedness and education; and promote student empowerment both individually and collectively. Our duty to uphold these principles is to ourselves, the College and each other.
ARTICLE I - Membership
Every matriculated student of the College shall be considered a member of the Student Government Association.
ARTICLE II - Senate
The Senate shall act as the official Legislative body of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. It is through the Senate that the student body projects its voice.
Section I - Powers of Senate
The Senate shall have the power and the responsibility to:
A. Determine and appropriate the Student Activities Fee
B. Recognize Clubs and Organizations
1. Approve the Constitution of the Club or Organization
2. Approve any changes or amendments to the Constitution of the Club or Organization
3. Place all recognized Clubs and Organizations into an appropriate budgetary tier
C. Create standing and ad hoc committees
D. Determine the method of selection of Representatives to fill student positions on administrative committees
E. Override Student Government Association Presidential Veto by a vote of two-thirds
F. Conduct impeachment proceedings against any elected or appointed officer of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
G. Amend the Constitution and By-Laws of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
H. By a vote of two-thirds, the members of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College may close any Senate meeting that they deem appropriate
I. Conduct all other business necessary to the effective operation of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
Section II - Membership of Senate
There shall be twenty-five (25) members of Senate. The membership of Senate shall be eighteen (18) members at-large, twelve (12) of whom shall be elected in the spring elections. The remaining six (6) Senators shall be selected through an application process in the fall semester. Additionally, there will be a Senator representing each of the four Classes (4 total), one (1) Intercultural Senator, and one (1) Continuing Education/Day Student Senator. There shall also be one (1) Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees who shall serve as a Senator, fulfilling the normal responsibilities of a Senator at-large.
A. The eighteen (18) Senators at-large and the one (1) Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees shall be assigned constituencies in their own residence hall, a hall within their residential quad, their house, or a set of houses in the nearby vicinity, if possible. The best effort shall be made to assign Senators to be as local as possible to their constituency, however, understanding that there may be areas in which there are more Senators than buildings, or more buildings than Senators, and can be assigned to places elsewhere.
B. The Continuing Education/Day Students shall have one (1) Senator.
C. There shall be one (1) Senator from each of the four (4) classes.
D. There shall be one (1) Intercultural Senator.
E. There shall be one (1) Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees who shall hold all the responsibilities of a Senator at-large. The Representative shall also be responsible for attending all meetings of the Student-Trustee Liaison Council and the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
Section III - Committees of Senate
All standing committee membership must be approved by a majority vote of the Student Senate. Nominations shall be selected by the President of the SGA with the advice of the Executive Board and the consent of the Senate, as shown by a majority vote. These appointments, once approved, are not subject to Presidential Veto. All appointments are bound by the impeachment protocols established in Article IV Section V of the SGA By laws.
A. Finance Committee
1. The Finance Committee shall be responsible to meet at least twice monthly. These meetings will be run and scheduled by the SGA treasurer, and will be open to the Wheaton Community, unless voted closed by a majority of the membership of the Senate. The responsibilities of the Finance Committee members will include:
a. Tier Fund (non change)
b. Holding all audits as outlined in Article II, Section II of the SGA By-Laws
c. Acting as Probation Committee when necessary.
d. Recommending to the SGA Senate a budget for the coming year. This budget should take into account the SGA Vision for the future.
2. The Finance Committee shall be comprised of five (5) members:
a. The Treasurer of the SGA, to serve as a non-voting member except in the case of a tie.
b. Four (4) Senators to be selected in accordance with Article II, Section III of the By-laws.
B. Venture Fund Committee
1. The Venture Fund Committee shall be responsible for allocating monies on a proposal basis for ventures which shall improve the co-curricular life of the Wheaton community.
2. The Venture Fund Committee shall be comprised of five (5) members.
a. The Treasurer of the Student Government Association shall be the Chair.
b. The Assistant Director of Student Life shall serve on the committee.
c. Membership of the three (3) additional seats on the Venture Fund Committee will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
C. The Senate Housing Action Committee
1. The Senate Housing Action Committee shall be responsible for addressing the issues that affect students’ overall well being in the residence halls.
2. The membership of the Senate Housing Committee will be open to all residents of Wheaton houses and dormitories. Membership is not to be limited, but the committee should consist of no less than two (2) and no more than four (4) members of the Senate.
a. The Vice-President of the Student Government Association shall be the Chair.
b. Membership of the additional seats on the Senate Housing Action Committee will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
D. The Food Advisory Committee (F.A.C.)
1. The Food Advisory Committee shall be the liaison between the student body and Dining Services addressing issues not limited to, but including: quality of food, efficiency of the meal plan, and other matters pertaining to spaces on campus managed by Dining Services (i.e. the Café and the Loft).
2. Membership of the Food Advisory Committee.
a. The Vice-President of the Student Government Association shall be the Chair.
b. Membership should reflect the diversity of food needs on campus (for example vegetarian, vegan, athletes, etc.). There shall be no limit to the size of the committee, nor a preference for Senators.
c. Membership of the additional seats on the Food Advisory Committee will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
E. Committee on Selection
1. The Committee on Selection will be responsible for the selection of the seven (7) appointed Senate seats.
a. The Vice-President of the Student Government Association shall serve as the Chair.
b. Additional membership shall consist of the SGA President, the Intercultural Board Senator, and three (3) Senators selected in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
F. Ad-Hoc Committees of Senate for Appeals, Impeachment & Removal
1. The committee shall consist of 6 members and be chaired by the Vice President. (See exception in the case of Vice Presidential Impeachment, Article IV Section V Impeachment and Recall).
2. If an Ad-Hoc committee is constitutionally required as in case of appeal or impeachment, the committee must be formed; however, the membership of the committee will require a majority vote of Senate to be confirmed.
3. Membership of the additional seats on all Ad-Hoc Committees will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
4. Committee Meetings will be open unless otherwise stipulated upon their inception by Senate.
5. Special Provisions for Impeachment
a. The Impeachment or non-legal Wheaton representation for the Impeachment should be present at all committee meetings unless the option is declined by the Impeachment.
b. The articles must pass the committee by a majority vote.
c. The committee will be responsible for drafting articles of Impeachment and presenting them before Senate.
d. The committee will be run in accordance with Parliamentary Procedure.
6. Appeals
a. The committee will be responsible for presenting, if deemed justified, an article advising Senate to Uphold the Appeal of a given Impeached Individual.
b. If grounds for the appeal are not justified, the committee will present a letter stating the reasons for this decision to be placed on the senate record.
c. The committee will be run in accordance with Parliamentary Procedure.
d. Each Impeached Individual is granted one appeal that must be filled with the SGA Vice-President within two weeks of the conviction.
G. Senate Visions Committee
1. Senate Visions Committee is designed to focus SGA funds and legislation into areas that the SGA Senate feels them best suited. It is intended to clearly define the role that the Student Government Association plays in the College bureaucracy as well as provide for all clubs and organizations a clear criterion for fiscal considerations.
2. The Primary Responsibility of the Visions Committee is to produce a document which outlines the goals of the SGA for the coming for years.
a. This document must be ratified by a two/thirds (2/3) vote of the SGA senate to take effect.
b. A copy will be submitted to every club. Their budget proposals should be submitted with the SGA Vision in mind.
3. Membership of the Senate Visions Committee will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution.
H. Senate Appropriations Committee
1. The Senate Appropriations Committee (SAC) shall be responsible for hearing various funding proposals and appropriating the Senate budget, as they deem necessary.
2. The SAC shall have the ability to recommend senate expenditures to the Senate (who casts the final vote) for the purpose outlined in Section III, I, 1.
a. Said recommendations must receive a majority vote of the senate body for approval.
b. Said recommendations may seek to proactively address issues, policies, and needs that are not being sufficiently addressed in proposals to the SAC.
c. Said recommendations must seek to improve the conditions and quality of life of the Wheaton community as a whole.
3. Membership to the SAC does not follow the process outlined in Article II, Section 1II of the constitution. Instead membership will consist of seven Senators who will serve as voting members, the Vice President of the SGA serving as a non- voting chair, and the Treasurer of the SGA serving as a non-voting member.
a. The seven voting Senators shall be selected through a process wherein Senators will indicate an interest in serving on the SAC at the beginning of each semester to the SGA VP. The SGA VP will then recommend seven Senators to the Senate for ratification.
b. When possible each of the different classes should be represented.
c. The seven Senators recommended by the SGA VP shall refrain from voting in the Senate ratification process.
d. When nominating senators to SAC, the VP is encouraged to give preference to senators who have not previously served on SAC.
e. The recommendation and ratification process for membership to the SAC must occur at the beginning of each semester.
f. It shall be the responsibility of the SGA Vice President to compile a comprehensive overview of SAC expenditures to be presented to the Senate at each of their weekly meetings.
g. The Senate may overrule an SAC expenditure recommendation by a majority vote (the seven senators serving on the SAC shall refrain from voting in this event).
h. If a rejection of a said recommendation occurs, then that single recommendation is sent back to its applicant for revisions and the application of said recommendation is allowed to resubmit it to SAC with revisions in order to restart the process.
ARTICLE III - Executive Board
Section I - Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
A. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall be responsible for:
1. Identifying issues of concern to the student body, organizing ad hoc committees, acting as the liaison body of the Senate to non-Senate groups, and undertaking other activities when deemed appropriate.
2. Conducting all elections and impeachment proceedings related to the Senate and nominating student members to serve on standing committees of the Senate.
3. Serving as advocates for members of the student body.
4. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall be comprised of nine (9) students elected during the campus-wide spring elections.
Section II - Officers of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
A. The President shall be responsible for:
1. Overseeing the entire Student Government Association.
2. Chairing the Executive Board of the Student Government Association, chairing Wheaton College Community Meetings, serving as a member of the Student-Trustee Liaison Council, and serving as a member of Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
3. Acting on the request for exceptions to rules in consultation with the College Hearing Board Chair and the Dean of Students.
4. Submitting any action of the student body requiring attention of the faculty to the Chair of the Faculty Committee on Committees and Agenda.
5. Representing the views of the Student Government Association to the Administrative Officers and Trustees of the College.
6. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
B. The Vice President shall be responsible for:
1. Chairing the meetings of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College as President and voting only in the case of a tie.
2. Preparing the agenda in consultation with the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College and coordinating the general business of the Senate.
3. Overseeing the charters of all organizations and bodies receiving Student Activities Fee funding.
4. Coordinating all ad-hoc committees of the Senate.
5. Chairing the Committee on Selection.
6. The Vice President or his/her designee shall create some sort of medium for the student body to give input or suggestions on how to improve the student government, for example, a suggestion box may be placed at the appropriate spot in Balfour-Hood or a sounding board erected in Balfour-Hood.
7. The Vice President or his/her designee shall be responsible for organizing Senate open office hours in the Atrium of the Balfour-Hood Center.
C. The Secretary shall be responsible for:
1. Serving as the director of communications for the Student Government Association, through facilitation of communication between Student Government Association and the student body, as well as through the facilitation of communication within the Student Government Association.
2. Chairing the Communications Tier
3. Keeping the minutes of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College, the Student Senate meetings of the SGA, the twice-yearly summit meetings between the Executive Board of the Student Government Association and the administration of Wheaton College, and any community meeting that it is deemed necessary.
4. Maintaining a file of all written work produced by the Senate along with all relevant documents.
5. Working with the Office of Student Life to keep an up-to-date list of all student groups on campus and making that list available to the Wheaton community.
6. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
D. The Treasurer shall be responsible for:
1. Overseeing the allocation of the Student Activities Fee and Executive Board account.
2. Chairing the Finance Committee, Venture Fund Committee and the Speaker Fund Committee.
3. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
E. The College Hearing Board Chair shall be responsible for:
1. Calling and presiding over meetings of the College Hearing Board.
2. Overseeing the progress of the College Hearing Board Commission.
3. Consulting with the President of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College and the Dean of Students on the request for exceptions to judicial procedures.
4. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
F. The Programming Council Chair shall be responsible for:
1. Chairing the Programming Council.
2. Initiating, organizing and supervising educational programming involving students, staff and faculty.
3. Promoting cohesion among area colleges in order to build working relationships.
4. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
G. The Educational Council Chair shall be responsible for:
1. Chairing the Educational Council.
2. Initiating, organizing and supervising educational programming involving students, staff and faculty.
3. Appointing students to all positions under the jurisdiction of the Educational Council.
4. Serving on the Education Policy Committee.
5. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
6. Attending all faculty meetings.
7. Executing the usage of Educational Council funds.
8. Chairing the Educational Tier.
H. The Intercultural Board Chair shall be responsible for:
1. Serving on the Multicultural Advisory Committee.
2. Serving as a liaison between the Associate Dean for Academic and Campus Life, the Intercultural Board and Senate.
3. Fostering communication with Multicultural Clubs.
4. Serving as Chair of the Intercultural Board
5. Acting on projects as so requested by the Intercultural Board.
6. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
7. The Intercultural Board Chair is expected to be at all committee meetings of the SGA and the Intercultural Board that they are directly responsible for or have membership on. The Chair should be an active participant who clearly articulates the views of the Intercultural Board.
I. The Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees shall be responsible for:
1. Serving as the Student Chair of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
2. Chairing the Student-Trustee Liaison Council.
3. Maintaining contact and communicating with the trustee members of the Student Affairs Committee.
4. Training the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees to fulfill the position of Senior Representative.
5. Attending all Senate meetings as a non-voting member.
Section III - Committees of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College
A. Programming Council
1. The Programming Council shall be responsible for social, cultural and recreational events held on campus. The Council shall take care to offer programs of varied appeal to the diverse interests of the community and coordinate its activities with those of other student groups working similar events.
a. The Intercultural Board each year in conjunction with Programming Council shall appoint one member of ICB to serve as a liaison to Programming Council and ICB. This liaison will be responsible for attending all Programming Council meetings and will adhere to standard rules within both groups.
2. The Programming council shall consist of at least six (6) students as follows:
a. The Programming Council Chair shall be elected during the campus-wide spring elections.
b. The Chair shall appoint the following members to the Council in the spring: Vice Chair (1), Co-Publicity Chairs (2), Financial Officer (1), and Secretary (1).
c. Members to serve under the Chair shall be selected in both the spring and fall through an application process, consisting of the completion of an application and an interview conducted by the Chair.
d. Upon the completion of all of the above in accordance with the designated timeline, the Chair of Programming Council will select those members they see as: open-minded, willing to work, responsible, and having the sole purpose of making Wheaton a better place.
B. The Educational Council
1. The Educational Council shall be responsible for voicing student concerns on medium to long-range educational issues and for working with faculty planning bodies and the administration on educational planning issues at Wheaton. In addition, the Council may address other issues that Wheaton College may deem appropriate.
2. The Educational Council shall be comprised of a minimum of four (4) students as follows:
a. The Educational Council Chair shall be elected during the campus-wide spring elections, and by virtue of the position, must be a member of the Educational Policy Committee. The Chair will select another member of the Council to sit on the Education Policy Committee.
b. The following members shall be appointed to the Council in the spring: Faculty/Student Liaison (1), Multicultural/Gender Issues Liaison (1), Advising Center Liaison (1), Student Service Liaison (1), Current Event Facilitator (1), and Filene Center Liaison (1).
C. Student-Trustee Liaison Council
1. The Student-Trustee Liaison Council shall be responsible for considering issues pending before the Board of Trustees, keeping the Wheaton College Student Senate informed of these issues and placing issues of concern to the student body before the Board of Trustees. The committee shall serve as an advisory body to the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
2. The Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees is responsible for developing discussions between students and trustees on topics of importance to Wheaton College. A diverse group of students should be selected for these discussions. The Student-Trustee Liaison Council shall be responsible for finding students interested in these discussions and appointing them as temporary members of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, valid for one meeting of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees. A student may be appointed multiple times.
3. The committee shall be chaired by the Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees, and the other student members of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees shall serve as members of the Student-Trustee Liaison Council. Those positions include the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees and the SGA President.
4. Membership of the Student-Trustee Liaison Council is unlimited, open to all students, and will be chosen in accordance with Article II, Section III of the SGA Constitution with the SGA President and the Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees both having authority to appoint members. A special emphasis should be made in appointing members to obtain a diversity of thought and experience on the committee.
ARTICLE IV - College Hearing Board
Section I - Purpose
A. The College Hearing Board shall be responsible for maintaining the Honor Code. The Board and other judicial bodies shall perform their functions according to procedures outlined in these By-Laws to ensure fair process and justice.
B. There shall be an Honor Code Commission whose sole responsibility shall be the education of the Wheaton community concerning the importance of the Honor Code. The Commission is to be chaired by both the College Hearing Board Chair and the Educational Council Chair.
Section II - Membership
A. The College Hearing Board shall be comprised of seven (7) members:
1. Four students: Chair; Vice Chair, Secretary and 1 Member-at-Large to be elected during the campus-wide spring elections. All students shall be in academic and social good standing.
2. Two faculty members chosen by the College Hearing Board student members in consultation with the Dean of Students and approved by the faculty Committee on Committees and the Student Government Association Student Senate. Both faculty members are voting members. (Faculty who have served previous terms on the Hearing Board may act as substitute members if a current faculty member cannot attend.)
3. The Dean of Students or the Associate Dean of Students.
ARTICLE V - Procedures
Section I - Schedule and Notice of Meetings
A. All regular meetings of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall be announced and open to the entire Wheaton community unless otherwise decided by Senate.
B. The Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College may restrict the length of debate for individual agenda items.
C. The Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall meet no less than twice a month.
D. The President of the Student Government Association may on his or her own initiative, or must at the written request of at least two-thirds of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College or the Dean of Students, call and preside over a Community Meeting.
Section II - Rules of Order
A. The rule of parliamentary procedure shall govern the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College in all cases in which they are applicable.
B. Any member of the Wheaton student body may participate in debate at any open meeting of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
Section III - Accountability
A. Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall be responsible for presenting the views of the Senate to their constituents and to other committees and bodies of the Wheaton community.
B. If members of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College do not agree with the Senate’s position on a given issue, they may also advocate their own views, if they make clear that they are advocating their own views and not those of the Senate.
ARTICLE VI - Student Activities Fee
All recognized and officially chartered organizations, classes and Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College committees are eligible for funding from the revenues generated by the Student Activities Fee collection. The funding process shall begin in the spring for the following academic year and shall follow the guidelines set forth by the Finance Committee. Specific guidelines for budgeting shall be found in Article II of the Student Government Association By-Laws.
ARTICLE VII - Amending the Constitution
Amendments to the Constitution of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall require at least a two-thirds vote of approval by the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. When the Senate is not in session (i.e., summer, pre-elections, January break), the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College has the power to vote and temporarily amend the Constitution, with the understanding that the change will be officially voted upon as soon as the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College is able to convene.
BY-LAWS OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF WHEATON COLLEGE
ARTICLE I - Legislative Branch
Section I - Wheaton College Student Senate
A. Wheaton College Student Senate Procedures
1. There shall be a meeting of the Student Senate no less than twice a month called by the Vice President of the Student Government Association.
2. The Vice President shall serve as President of the Student Senate and shall cast the deciding vote only in the case of a tie.
3. Special meetings of the Student Senate shall be called at the discretion of the Vice President or upon a petition signed by two-thirds of the members of the Student Senate requesting a meeting be held. The time, place and business to be taken up at these meetings shall be posted. No meeting shall be considered valid unless these procedures are followed.
4. For the transaction of all official business in the Student Senate, one-half plus one of the membership shall constitute a quorum. Any proposal shall receive an affirmative vote by a majority of those present to become legislation or policy.
5. Student Senate meetings shall be open to members of the Wheaton community.
6. Student Senate meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order-Parliamentary Procedures, as generally understood and in all cases to which they are applicable.
7. Strict time limits shall be imposed on the floor of the Student Senate:
a. On each bill senators shall be limited to five (5) minutes the first time they speak, and two (2) minutes for each additional time.
b. Each member may speak not more than once until each member has had an opportunity to contribute on each bill during the meeting.
c. The time limit of each meeting is two hours, unless amended by the majority of the membership present.
d. The Chair shall retain the power to interject upon speeches for the purpose of keeping the debate on topic and progressing in an orderly fashion.
8. Business necessitating a motion shall be submitted to the Secretary prior to the meeting and in sufficient time to be placed on the agenda by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. New business necessitating a motion introduced in the course of the meeting shall be allowable if so voted by a majority of the membership present.
9. The Student Senate shall determine the rules of its proceedings, and with concurrence of the majority of the membership present, expel anyone judged guilty of disorderly behavior so as to obstruct Student senate meeting.
10. Any bill or legislation tabled by the Student Senate at a Senate meeting that has not been removed from the table after six weeks following its original tabling shall be considered defeated unless otherwise extended by the Student Senate.
11. Every bill which shall have passed the Student Senate shall, before it becomes official, be presented to the President of the Student Government Association. The President shall sign if he/she approves, or return it with his/her objections to the Student Senate who shall enter the objections in the minutes and proceed to reconsider the bill. If after reconsideration the bill is approved by a majority of the membership of the Student Senate present, the bill shall be forwarded to the President of Wheaton College for his/her signature. If any bill shall not be returned to the Student Senate within twenty (20) academic days after being presented to the President of Wheaton College, the bill shall become official.
B. Attendance of the Members of the Wheaton College Student Senate
1. Members shall attend all meetings of the Wheaton College Student Senate and shall not miss more than three (3) scheduled meetings per year without the expressed consent of the Vice President of the Student Government Association. Members may give their proxy to another member of the Student Senate only if they notify the Vice President before a Senate meeting.
C. Senate Representation
1. Each Senator will be required to hold office hours for a minimum of one hour each week and said hours must be reasonably advertised to their respective constituencies.
2. Each Senator will be required to rotate with other Senate members and hold open office hours in a specifically designated space, such as the Balfour-Hood Atrium.
ARTICLE II - Finances
Section I - Budgeting of the Student Activities Fee
A. The Student Activity Fund is determined by multiplying the Student Activities Fee (SAF) of that year by the number of students enrolled.
B. All recognized and officially chartered organizations, classes, Senate and the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College are eligible for funding from the revenues generated by the Student Activities Fee collection. The funding process will take place in the spring for the following academic year and will follow the guidelines set forth by the Student Finance Committee. Those guidelines, approved by the majority of the Senate membership, will be published prior to the beginning of the funding process.
C. Receipt of the final SAF figure from the Business Office in the fall will indicate actual monies available for the year. Discrepancies between the estimated and actual SAF total will be dealt within the following ways:
1. If the actual SAF total is less than the estimated total, each and every individual budget will be cut by an equal percentage. (For example: If the SAF is $1000 less than projected, and an individual club is 10% of the total budget, the club’s budget will be cut by $100, as 10% of $1000 equals $100).
2. If the actual SAF is greater than the estimated total, the Finance Committee will recommend to the Senate where the additional funds may be placed.
Section II - Monitoring System
A. The purpose of an audit is to have each club and organization report to the Finance Committee of the Student Senate how they have been spending their tier allocation. Audits can result in both positive and negative affects for a club or organization.
1. An audit is scheduled by the Treasurer of the SGA acting in his role as the chair of the Finance committee. They may be called for two reasons;
a. A mandatory audit is to be performed on each active club every other year.
b. Spot audits may be called at the discretion of the SGA Treasurer and/or at the request of the Student Senate.
2. Once an audit is called the club or organization has 24 hours before the finance committee examines its files.
a. In their examination the committee should take into account:
i. The Club’s constitution
ii. The Club’s pre-budget request as submitted to the Finance Committee during tier fund allocations.
iii. The SGA Statement of Priorities and Current Vision as established by the visions committee.
iv. The College Honor Code
v. The Club’s expenditures for the last two years
3. Upon completion of this level of an audit the Finance Committee shall:
a. State that the club has no further obligation to the committee, and notify the club as such
b. Ask that the club meet with the committee within the next week. They may request a meeting to:
i. Receive clarification on any issue
ii. Ask any questions pertaining to the operations of the club
4. Upon completion of this level of an audit the Finance Committee shall.
a. State that the club has no further obligation to the committee, and notify the club as such
b. Bring the audit before the student senate for potential sanction against the club.
i. In the event that an audit is brought before the Senate, the Audit committee can suspend that club’s funds until the meeting.
ii. The SGA Treasurer is to present to the Senate the findings of the Finance Committee’s audit and, on behalf of the Finance Committee, recommend action.
iii. The Senate has the power and discretion to:
1. Put the club on monetary probation.
a. On Monetary Probation all monies of that club are frozen for the remainder of the semester, and can only be accessed upon approval from the Finance Committee.
2. Suspend funds for a given time period if greater then a semester is deemed necessary
3. Withdraw funds for the remainder of the semester.
4. Remove part of the club’s funds.
5. Withdraw the club’s constitution from the SGA files
6. Bring a case to the College Hearing Board if deemed necessary.
B. At the close of each audit, regardless of its outcome, the SGA Treasurer will draft a letter that will be placed in the clubs permanent file. This letter should state that an audit was completed, the outcome of that audit, and any other pertinent information or recommendations.
Section III- Treasurer’s Advisory Council
A. Treasurer’s Advisory Council
1. The Treasurer Advisory Council shall exist to serve as an advisory board to the SGA Treasurer for the purposes of assisting him or her in executing the duties, powers, and responsibilities of the Office of the Treasurer as laid out in Article II Section III of the SGA Constitution
2. The Treasurer Advisory Council shall consist of nine (9) members
a) The SGA Treasurer shall Chair this Council
b) Other members of this Council shall consist of: Vice-Chair (1), Communications Director (1), a Secretary (1), a representative of the Finance Committee (1), a representative of the Venture Fund Committee (1), and one representative from each of the education, recreation, intercultural, and communications tiers
c) The SGA Treasurer, who serves as Chair, shall be elected in accordance with Article IV of the SGA Constitution
d) All members except the Chair shall be nominated by the Chair and their nomination shall be ratified by the SGA Senate
e) The representatives from each of the education, recreation, intercultural, and communications tiers shall be nominated by the Chairs of those respective tiers before being appointed by the Treasurer
f) The Chair shall be empowered to appoint additional ad-hoc members to the Committee and to dismiss such members as necessary
3. The duties of the members shall be as follows:
a) The Vice-Chair shall also serve as the Assistant-Treasurer
i) The Assistant-Treasurer shall have the ability to serve in lieu of the Treasurer and exercise all powers of the Treasurer in any situation where the Treasurer is unable to personally exercise those powers
ii) The Assistant-Treasurer shall be the only member of the Council who has the ability laid out in Article III Section III Section D Part 3.a:i
iii) The Vice-Chair shall Chair the Council on an occasion when the Treasurer is unable to upon the request of the Treasurer
b) The Communications Director shall be responsible for serving as the liaison between the Council, the Student Government Association, and the Student Body
c) The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of all meetings, for arranging meetings of the Council upon request of the Treasurer, for maintaining an accurate and current list of the members of the Council and their contact information, and for maintaining records for the Council and Office of Treasurer
d) The representatives of the Finance Committee, Venture Fund Committee, and the education, recreation, intercultural, and communications tiers shall serve as advisors
4. The Advisory Council shall have the authority and responsibility to consult with and to audit the Class Councils in regards to their budgets for the purpose of ensuring sound financial management.
Section IV - Reversion of Funds
A. At the close of each academic year, the unused portion of each group’s budget will be reverted to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
B. Monies which were raised through fund-raising will remain in each group’s account and will not be subject to reversion at the close of the year.
Section V - Fund-raising
A. Groups may fund raise monies to augment their budgets under the following guidelines:
1. Fund-raising projects must first receive approval of the Office of Student Life.
2. Groups may not establish an account outside the College for any purpose.
3. Money may be used at the discretion of the group’s officers in any manner consistent with the mission of the group.
4. Questionable spending is subject to review by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE III - The Venture Fund
Section I - Goals of the Fund
To fund ventures which will improve and enhance the co-curricular life and awareness of the Wheaton community.
Section II - Use of the Fund
A. The fund shall be used to purchase capital investments and maintain student equipment and facilities and fund the Secretary as well as other necessary personnel associated with the organizations.
B. The fund shall be used for projects and programs which benefit students where there is no alternative source of money. It shall be known that funding cannot be expected to be provided on a yearly basis. Funding of student conferences shall occur with the stipulation that the participants will bring back to the committee as well as to the Wheaton community the important results of their venture (writing newspaper articles, speaking to the Student Senate, or in classes where appropriate).
C. The fund shall be used to assist in the funding either partially or entirely of SGA programs and individual board developments which directly benefit the community. It is with the understanding that there will be proposals submitted to the Venture Fund for funding of such activities to be considered.
D. The use of the fund is flexible and should be used with the discretion of the Committee. The use of this fund should adapt to current campus, student and organizational needs.
Section II - “Rules” of the Venture Fund
A. The ideal proposal for this fund is one which will reach as many students as possible.
B. Every Venture Fund applicant must submit a proposal before any monies are allocated and approval is given by the Venture Fund Committee.
C. There shall be no after-the-fact funding without the approval of the Venture Fund Committee.
D. The quorum for voting on proposals is one-half the membership plus one.
E. Persons(s) requesting funding must be present at proposal hearings in order to receive funding.
F. Funding for student conferences should not exceed $250 per person.
G. All allocated money must be spent according to budget. All monies not used must be diverted back into the fund for allocation in the next fiscal year.
H. All requisitions for new accounts started with funding from the Venture Fund must be approved by the SGA Treasurer before processing.
I. Gifts for individuals are the absolute lowest priority to fund (i.e., key chains, individual board members, Presidents…) Additional funding for a gift to be used and appreciated by the entire Wheaton community should be looked at and regarded separately.
J. Faculty members are helpful and recommended because they bring another aspect to the thinking of the Committee. They are not necessary if interest is absent.
K. The Venture Fund Committee can go back to the SGA Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College for further suggestions when discrepancy exists. The Venture Fund ultimately has the final approval on all proposals.
ARTICLE IV - Election Code
Section I - Student Government Elections
A. Student Government Association elections shall take place in the month of April and be governed by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. No student shall be elected to fulfill more than one position in the Student Government Association. The following positions are elected by all full-time matriculated students in campus-wide elections. The use of the phrase “at least one term” in this text means a full year term, fully served, to which a member of the SGA was elected or appointed.
1. President of the Student Government Association who is currently a sophomore or junior who has served at least one term in one of the following positions: 1) Senate 2) Executive Board 3) Class Officer of the Student Government Association, or has had significant campus involvement which meets with the approval of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
2. Vice President of the Student Government Association who is currently a sophomore or junior who has served at least one term in one of the following positions: 1) Senate 2) Executive Board 3) Class Officer of the Student Government Association, or has had significant campus involvement which meets with the approval of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
3. Secretary of the Student Government Association who is currently a freshman, sophomore or junior.
4. Treasurer of the Student Government Association who is currently a freshman, sophomore or junior.
5. College Hearing Board:
a. College Hearing Board Chair of the Student Government Association who is currently a sophomore or junior who has served at least one term on the College Hearing Board, Student Government Association, or has had significant campus involvement which meets with the approval of the College.
b. Vice Chair of the College Hearing Board who is currently a freshman, sophomore, or junior.
c. Secretary of the College Hearing Board who is currently a freshman, sophomore or junior.
d. Member-at-Large of the College Hearing Board who is currently a freshman, sophomore or junior.
6. Programming Council Chair of the Student Government Association who is currently a sophomore or junior who has served at least one term on the Programming Council, Student Government Association or has had significant campus involvement which meets with the approval of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
7. Educational Council Chair of the Student Government Association who is currently a sophomore or junior who has served at least one term on the Educational Council, meets with the approval of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
8. Intercultural Board Chair of the Student Government Association who is a sophomore or junior in good academic and social standing and has at least one year experience on the Intercultural Board.
9. Rules of the election of the Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees are established in Article IV, Section IV of the by-laws.
B. Election Procedures
1. Prospective candidates shall meet for election informational sessions to have their name appear on the ballot.
2. Declarations of candidacy for Student Government positions shall be made in writing by the declaring student to the Executive Board within the time specified and announced publicly by the Executive Board.
3. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association shall enact an authorized list of the candidates for all positions based upon approved written declarations.
4. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association shall provide opportunities for each candidate to express their views to the Wheaton community.
5. All full-time matriculated students shall be entitled to vote in campus-wide elections.
6. Balloting:
a. The names of candidates shall appear in reverse alphabetical order on the ballot.
b. Incumbent candidates shall not be designated as such on the ballot.
c. Each office shall include space for a write-in candidate. Any candidate elected as a write-in shall need to meet the requirements of the office to which he/she is elected and shall be held to the same standards as prescribed for declared candidates in Article IV, Section C.
d. Ballots shall be reviewed and counted by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association before they are publicly released.
e. Members of the Executive Board and any appointees to the Election Commission shall maintain and supervise the balloting.
f. An Election Commission can be developed at any time by the Executive Board to review and supervise balloting.
g. An Election Commission must be enacted to supervise and review balloting when a sitting member of the Executive Board is on the ballot.
7. Voting:
a. In the event of an election tie, there shall be a run-off election two days after the election period has concluded.
b. Voting shall take place in an area(s) specified by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College, or by personal computer using the SGA voting program, and ballots shall not be removed from the area(s) or they shall be declared invalid.
c. Polls shall be open specific times but scheduled by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
d. Each voter must present valid Wheaton College Identification and shall be checked off a list of Wheaton College students, at which point the voter shall receive one (1) ballot.
8. Tabulation:
a. Ballots shall be tabulated by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College and/or its appointees. No student who is currently running for an office shall serve as a tabulator or be permitted in the area where ballots are being tabulated.
b. Election results will not be announced until the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College is certain that voters participated only once by reviewing the vote identification records corresponding to each polling place.
c. A tabulation sheet signed by the members of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College, recording the total number of votes cast for each candidate in every election, shall be filed in the Office of the Dean of Students.
d. The results of the election shall be reported to candidates individually by a member of the Executive Board or shall be announced at a community meeting.
e. The results of the election shall be posted in areas designated by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
f. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall allow a recount at the candidate’s request if there is less than five (5) percent difference of the total votes among the tabulations received by the candidate. The Board shall also consider the comments in contest of an election or its results if the written statement is submitted to the Board within ten (10) academic days of the election.
g. The candidate receiving the most votes shall be declared elected. The number of votes needed for a write-in to win a position when no other candidate has declared is ten (10) votes, or ten (10) percent of the total voter turnout, whichever is greater. A candidate who wins as a write-in has two days after notification by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College to accept his/her position. The decision to accept or withdraw shall be made in writing to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
C. Campaign Procedures
1. The value of the materials purchased or in-hand used in a campaign shall not exceed thirty dollars ($30). Each candidate, including write-ins, shall be required to submit a Campaign Expense Report to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College one (1) day before polls open.
2. There shall be no campaign materials or personal campaigning within fifteen (15) feet of the ballot box.
3. Individual students shall be responsible for distributing their own campaign materials and for removing them on election night. Election results shall not be publicized or announced until all campaign materials are removed.
4. No campaign posters are to be fastened with scotch tape or thumbtacks to any painted surfaces of College buildings.
5. The Selection Committee is responsible for reviewing petitions or appointing individuals as deemed necessary by the SGA President in regards to vacancies due to JYA circumstances that require a temporary appointment to the Wheaton College Student Senate.
D. Vacancies
1. Any letter of resignation regarding Student Government Association positions shall warrant a new election if that vacancy occurs before October 15. Any vacancy occurring after October 15 shall be filled by appointment by the Student Government President and to be accepted by the Executive Board.
2. If the office of the Student Government Association President is vacated, the Student Government Vice President shall assume the presidency and be replaced in accordance with the vacancy policy.
3. If the office of the College Hearing Board Chair is vacated, the Vice Chair of the College Hearing Board shall take over and be replaced in accordance with the vacancy policy.
E. Officers-Elect
1. Officers and officers-elect shall assume their positions on Commencement Day.
Section II - Class Elections
A. Class elections for prospective sophomore, junior and senior classes shall take place simultaneously on a day in the spring to be specified by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. All full-time, matriculated students shall be entitled to vote only in their respective class election for the following positions:
1. Class President
2. Class Vice President
3. Class Treasurer
4. Class Secretary
5. One member to serve on the Wheaton College Student Senate
B. Freshmen class elections shall take place on a day specified by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College during the second month of classes in the first academic semester. The members of the freshmen class shall elect the following positions:
1. Class President
2. Class Vice President
3. Class Treasurer
4. Class Secretary
5. One member to serve on the Wheaton College Student Senate.
C. Class Election Procedures shall follow that of the Student Government Association Election Procedures, Article IV, Section I, B.
D. Class Campaign Procedures shall follow that of the Student Government Association Campaign Procedures, Article IV, Section I, C.
E. Vacancies
1. Any letter of resignation regarding class positions shall warrant a new election if that vacancy occurs before October 15. Any vacancy occurring after October 15 shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
2. If the office of Class President is vacated, the Class Vice President shall take over and be replaced in accordance with the vacancy policy.
F. Officer-Elect
Officers- and members-elect elected shall assume their positions on a day specified by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College within four (4) weeks prior to the last day of classes.
Section III - Senate Elections/Application Process
A. Senate Membership
The campus shall select, from among its residents, Senators to represent the campus on the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. The number of Senators to be elected is specified in Article II, Section II of the Constitution of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. Election of twelve (12) of the Senators shall take place in the spring. The remaining six (6) Senators shall be selected through an application process in the fall.
B. Election Procedures
1. Declarations to run for the various positions shall be made by declaring students to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College within a time specified and announced by the Executive Board.
2. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall draw up an authorized list of candidates for all positions based upon the completed declarations.
3. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College shall provide opportunities for each candidate to express their views to the Wheaton community.
4. All full-time matriculated students shall be entitled to vote in the campus-wide elections.
5. Individual students shall be responsible for distributing their own campaign materials and for removing them immediately after the elections. Election results will not be publicized or announced until all campaign materials are removed.
6. No campaign materials shall be placed on the exit doors or on the windows of buildings. No posters are to be fastened with scotch tape or thumbtacks to any painted surface of the College buildings.
7. The Student Executive Board shall consider comments in contest of an election or its results if the written statement of contest is submitted to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College within ten (10) academic days of the election.
8. The Intercultural Board shall be responsible for the election of the Intercultural Senator. The Intercultural Board Senator shall be elected in the fall and shall meet the requirements for membership in the Student Senate as defined in Article III, Section III, E.
9. The Senators at large to be chosen in the fall shall be chosen by the Committee on Selection. The applications will be due by the third full week of classes and a decision must also be made in that week. Decisions of the Committee shall be made by majority vote. Residence hall assignments shall be announced by the fourth full week of classes.
C. Vacancies
In the event that a Senator at large resigns their position, the open position shall be filled by the Committee on Selection of the Senate of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
D. Members-Elect
Senators and Senators-elect shall assume their positions on Commencement Day.
E. Requirements for Running for the Position of Senator
1. All candidates for elected Student Government Association positions must be in good social and academic standing. The academic and social standing will be verified by the Dean of Students and the President of the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College.
2. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College has the power to grant exceptions to the rules regarding Senate qualifications.
Section IV - Election of the Junior and Senior Representatives to the Board of Trustees
A. The position of Representative to the Board of Trustees is a two-year term. The Representative is expected to serve for two consecutive years, as the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees and during the following year the Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees.
B. One member of the sophomore class shall be elected to the position each year during the spring SGA election. Voting shall be open to the entire student population of Wheaton College. The position shall be labeled “Representative to the Board of Trustees (2 year term)” on the SGA ballot and shall be elected separate from Executive Board and Senate positions open for election on the SGA ballot.
C. Rules pertaining to the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees.
1. The representative shall be a member of the junior class.
2. The representative is expected to attend Wheaton College for both semesters of the term. Failure to do so is automatic grounds for impeachment.
3. SGA experience or other significant campus involvement is necessary to run for this office
4. Should the office be vacant prior to the fall SGA election, it shall be open to election. All other vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the SGA Executive Board with Senate confirmation.
5. The representative shall be subject to the rules of impeachment and recall for Senators established in Article IV, Section VI of the by-laws.
D. Rules pertaining to the Senior Representative to the Board of Trustees.
1. The representative shall be a member of the senior class who served the previous year as the Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees, pending review by the SGA Executive Board and Senate.
2. The representative is expected to attend Wheaton College for both semesters of the term. Failure to do so is automatic grounds for impeachment.
3. The SGA Executive Board and Senate shall review the performance of the Junior Representative before appointed to become the Senior Representative. A 2/3-majority vote of the Executive Board and a 2/3-majority vote of the Senate will deny the Junior Representative the appointment and create a vacancy. Such an action shall only be taken if the Executive Board and the Senate find that the representative (A) failed to fulfill the duties of Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees, (B) will not be attending Wheaton College during at least one term of the following year, or (C) is otherwise unfit to represent the students of Wheaton College and the SGA to the Board of Trustees.
4. All vacancies of this position shall be filled by appointment of the SGA Executive Board with Senate confirmation.
a. The Executive Board may only appoint a member of the senior class to fill the vacancy.
b. Only a student who has served one term in an SGA position or has other significant campus involvement may be appointed to fill the vacancy.
5. The representative shall be subject to the rules of impeachment and recall for Executive Board members established in Article IV, Section VI of the by-laws.
Section V - Election of the Continuing Education/Day Student Senator
A. Continuing Education/Day Student Senator will act as a voting member of Senate.
B. The students of Wheaton College will elect a Continuing Education/Day Student Senator during the campus-wide spring election. If the seat is still vacant at the start of the fall semester, a candidate may be elected in the fall election. If the seat remains vacant after October 15th, the Senate Committee on Selection may appoint a Continuing Education/Day Student to the position.
C. The Student Life office will be required to provide a list of Continuing Education/Day Students to both the elected Senator and to the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College within ten (10) days of the beginning of each semester.
Section VI - Impeachment and Recall
A. Each member of the Student Government Association may be Impeachment on any of the following ground; failure to complete implied or mandatory duties as set forth in the individuals job description, acts unbecoming a member of SGA including but not limited to, failure to maintain the proper academic standing, and violations of the SGA constitution or of the constitutions of organizations ratified by the SGA of which an individual is a member.
1. For Members of the Executive Board
a. Majority membership of the Executive Board
b. A petition greater than or equal to 1/3 of the standing SGA Senate body
c. Petition of student body with not less than the number persons who cast their votes at election
2. For Class Officers
a. Majority membership of Executive Board
b. Petition of Class with not less than the number of persons who cast their vote at elections
c. Majority membership of the Officers of the class
d. A petition greater than or equal to 1/3 of the standing SGA Senate body
3. For Senators
a. Majority membership of Executive Board
b. Petition from quad with no less than 1/3 inhabitants’ signatures on it
c. A petition greater than or equal to 1/3 of the standing SGA Senate body
4. Committee Appointees
a. Majority membership of Executive Board
b. Majority membership of the committee
c. A petition greater than or equal to 1/3 of the standing SGA Senate body
5. Advisor/Liaison
a. Majority membership of Executive Board
b. Majority membership of the committee
c. A petition greater than or equal to 1/2 of the full time matriculated Student Body
B. If a candidate running for an Executive Board or a Class Officer position is elected and fails to notify the election committee that she/he is planning on an extended leave of absence (e.g. “studying abroad”) for the following academic year or applied for a leave of absence, then this individual can be “recalled” as outlined by Article IV, section V, B, 6a upon their return to campus.
C. Procedure
1. The SGA Vice President will handle official Impeachment letters or petitions for all officials except for the Vice President of SGA.
2. The President of the SGA will handle official Impeachment letters or petitions against the Vice President of the SGA and the President of SGA will sit as the Senate Chairperson on any Senate functions concerning the impeachment of the Vice President, which the Vice President would ordinarily chair.
3. Once an Impeachment letter or petition is received an Ad Hoc Committee will be created at the next Senate meeting to investigate the charges.
a. The Accused will be allowed to seek non-legal Wheaton representation.
4. Upon completion of the investigation the committee shall:
a. Either find no valid claim or violations and present no articles to SGA Senate upon completion of the investigation. The committee will then draft a letter stating the reasons for this decision and enter it into the Senate record.
b. Shall find a valid claim(s) or violation(s) and draft an Article of Impeachment for each and explaining each violation. This Article(s) will then be presented by the committee at the next Senate meeting. The Article(s) will include a version of the suggested punishments/sanctions as provided in Article IV, Section V, Part B, Number 6, of the SGA Constitution. Any given article can only suggest one of the two punishments.
5. It will require a vote of 2/3 majority of the SGA Senate to uphold an Article of Impeachment. Voting will follow the rules and procedures set forth for Impeachment Votes in Roberts Rules of Order.
a. The accused will be allowed 5 minutes to speak on their behalf or have non-legal Wheaton representation speak on their behalf after the presentation of each Article.
e. If an Article fails, the matter is closed.
c. If an Article is upheld, the sanctions are applied in adherence to Constitutional Guidelines and
in the manner suggested by the upheld Article.
6. Punishments are as follows:
a. Recall. This means that the member is removed from office following all constitutional guidelines and is barred from holding any elected or appointed position in SGA after being recalled. Any separate official positions held other than the one under which the Article was upheld, have enmity and are retained by the given individual until the completion of their term.
b. Censure. This means that the Senate/SGA wishes to express extreme disapproval of the actions of an official. A Censure will result in a letter of condemnation being drafted by Senate and placed on the Senate Record but will not remove the official from office.
7. Exceptions
a. An advisor may be brought to an impeachment proceeding, but cannot face the punishment of Impeachment if convicted of an Article of Impeachment. Only a Censure may be preformed, and the resulting letter should then be presented to the Student Trustee Liaison Committee, to the Dean of Students, and entered into the Senate Record.
C. Appeals
1. If the impeachment is carried out an appeal maybe made and it will be sent to an ad hoc committee; the office vacated by the impeachment process will remain empty for a two-week period in which the said offender will have the ability to appeal this decision.
2. The Impeached official may seek non-legal Wheaton representation for the appeal.
3. An Article of Appeal must be created and presented by the Ad Hoc Committee to Senate to be voted on.
4. If the Appeal is rejected, the matter is closed.
5. If the Appeal is upheld by a 2/3 vote of Senate, the Appeal is granted and the individual is either restored to office or has the letter of censure removed.
Section VII - Special Elections and Appointments
A. The Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College upon notification of the need of a special election/appointment will bring the matter to the attention of Senate. Senate may then choose one of the following options in order to fill the position or positions:
1. A special constituent-wide election. This requires formation of an ad hoc election committee; the scheduling and staffing of elections, publicizing of the purpose and time of the election, recruitment of candidates, setting the election guidelines, tallying the vote, notifying the candidates, and releasing the results to the campus and campus press. (minimum time required, two weeks)
2. Nomination by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College, and ratification by the Senate. This requires the Executive Board to come up with qualified nominees and the presentation to Senate for its approval. The Senate meeting must be publicized, with information on the positions available to all students. The results of this meeting must be released to the campus press. (minimum time required, one week)
3. Appointment by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association of Wheaton College. This requires that the Senate establish the guidelines by which the Executive Board makes its decision. The campus must be informed as to the process and positions available. The results of the appointment procedure will be released to the campus and the campus press. (minimum time required, one-half week)
ARTICLE V - Judicial Branch
The purpose of the Judicial Branch shall be to maintain the Wheaton College Honor Code. The College’s judicial policies, practices, and sanctions are designed for the purpose of education and are not to be equated with state or federal laws or the criminal justice system. The disciplinary system seeks to educate students so that they understand both personal freedoms and the limits of belonging to and living in a diverse academic community. Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr. wrote in a Supreme Court decision: “Education in any meaningful sense includes the inculcation of an understanding in each pupil of the necessity of rules and obedience thereto. This understanding is no less important than learning to read and write. One who does not comprehend the meaning and necessity of discipline is handicapped not merely in his education but throughout his subsequent life… When a student merits censure for his conduct, he is rendered a disservice if appropriate sanctions are not applied.” (Goss v. Lopez 419 U.S. 565,593 (1975)
A student who is accused of violating the Honor Code or a college policy may have the opportunity to appear before a two-thirds quorum of the College Hearing Board in certain circumstances, as discussed herein. The Judicial bodies shall perform their functions according to the procedures as discussed herein.
The Judicial Branch shall be divided into two sections: 1) College Hearing Board consisting of the College Hearing Officer and the Hearing Board and 2) the Appellate Board.
Section I - College Hearing Board/College Hearing Officer
A. Membership of the College Hearing Board
Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and 1 Member-at-Large, are all matriculated students in good academic and social standing.
1. Chair, who shall preside over all cases except when illness or other necessary absences from campus prevent this or when a conflict of interest arises, and then the Vice Chair shall preside. The Chair shall be a voting member of the Board. It is the Chair’s responsibility to insure that current and accurate records of proceedings and decisions are maintained in the Office of the Dean of Students.
2. Vice Chair, who shall act as Chair in the Chair’s absence. The Vice Chair shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair. The Vice Chair shall be a voting member.
3. College Hearing Board Secretary, who shall keep records pertaining to the proceedings, and shall submit those records to the Chair of the College Hearing Board. The College Hearing Board Secretary is also responsible for notifying members of the Board as to the time and place of all College Hearing Board meetings and of taking the minutes of these meetings. The Secretary shall be a voting member.
4. One Member-at-Large, who shall be a voting member.
5. Two faculty members chosen by the College Hearing Board student members in consultation with the Dean of Students and approved by the faculty Committee on Committees and the Student Government Association Student Senate. Both faculty members are voting members.
6. An alternate Faculty Member may serve in the event that one of the standing faculty members cannot attend and shall be a voting member. The alternate Faculty Member shall be any faculty member who has previously served on the College Hearing Board.
7. The Dean or Associate Dean of Students, as Advisor to the Board, who will be a non-voting member except in the case of a tie.
8. The above persons may delegate their positions if it is deemed necessary or appropriate in the sole discretion of the Dean or Associate Dean of Students.
B. College Hearing Officer
The position of College Hearing Officer shall be filled by the Director or an Assistant Director of Student Life or his or her designee in their sole discretion.
C. Jurisdiction
1. College Hearing Board
a. Alleged violations of Academic Responsibilities and Standards as set forth in the Honor Code and the Student Handbook such as:
1. Plagiarism (refer to complete explanation of plagiarism in the Student Handbook).
2. Cheating: giving or receiving unauthorized aid on an examination; taking an examination in place of another student; doing assignments for another student or handing in another’s work as one’s own; conspiring to deceive in academic work; taking an examination in an unauthorized location; bringing unauthorized materials into a closed-book examination room; submitting the same paper for more than one class without the consent of both professors.
3. Violations of the accepted standards governing the use of computers and computerized materials; tampering with secured computer networks or copyrighted programs.
4. Violations of any stated academic standards or regulations put forth by faculty or College departments governing the use of academic facilities or materials.
b. Alleged violations of the Wheaton Community Standards, which state expectations for behavior on the campus, as set forth in the STUDENT HANDBOOK.
c. Alleged violations of any published Wheaton College policies or regulations.
d. Alleged conduct which is unacceptable and inappropriate to the Wheaton College community or which is not in furtherance of the mission of the College, whether or not specifically set forth in writing.
2. College Hearing Officer
The College Hearing Officer, together with the Vice Chair of the College Hearing Board or another designated member of the Board, will conduct informal hearings on minor violations of residence hall or College policies. Examples of minor violations are (but not limited to): failure to cooperate during a fire drill; violation of quiet hours; unauthorized room changes; unauthorized pets; first, or minor violations of the College’s alcohol and drug policies; minor violations of the residence hall contract. Decisions about what constitutes a violation to be referred to the Hearing Officer will be made in the sole discretion of the College, through the Chair of the College Hearing Board and the Dean of Students, or their designees.
Sanctions issued by the Hearing Officer may include: a written warning, fines, reassignment to another room or residence hall, parent notification, removal from the residence halls, mandated community service.
An appeal of certain types of sanctions, such as suspension from college housing, issued by the Hearing Officer may be made by the respondent to the College Hearing Board. In this case the Hearing Board will function as an appellate body, hearing the case in order to determine whether a preponderance of the evidence warranted the Hearing Officer’s finding of responsibility. If the Hearing Board upholds the finding, the case will be returned to the Hearing Officer for sanction. The Board may choose to make a recommendation on the severity of the sanction, but the Hearing Officer will decide the sanction for the violation.
Section II - The Appellate Board
A. Membership
1. Chair, who shall preside over all cases except when due to illness or other necessary absences from campus or when a conflict of interest arises, in which case the Vice Chair shall preside. The Chair shall be a full-time, matriculated student in good academic and social standing. He/she will be selected by an application process under the authority of the College Hearing Board and must be approved by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association. The Chair shall be a voting member of the Board.
2. Vice Chair, who shall act as Chair in the Chair’s absence. The Vice Chair shall be a full-time, matriculated student in good academic and social standing approved by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association. The Vice Chair shall be a voting member in all cases heard by the Board.
3. The Appellate Board Secretary, who shall keep records pertaining to the proceedings, and shall submit those records to the Chair of the Appellate Board. The Appellate Board Secretary is also responsible for notifying members of the Board of the time and place of all Appellate Board meetings. The Secretary shall be a full-time, matriculated student in good academic and social standing appointed by the Executive Board of the Student Government Association. The Secretary shall be a voting member in all cases heard by the Board.
4. Two faculty members from the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing. The two faculty members of the Appellate Board shall be elected by the Committee on Admissions and Academic Standing from within the membership. The two faculty members shall be voting members in all cases heard by the Board.
B. Jurisdiction
The Appellate Board shall consider all appeals from the respondent or campus groups when one believes that their procedural rights have been violated or in certain extraordinary cases when new evidence can be produced that may affect the decision rendered by the College Hearing Board.
Section VII - College Judicial Procedures
The College Judicial Procedures prescribe the process and procedures to be followed in cases where formal charges of alleged violations of the Honor Code or a college policy are brought forward to the College Hearing Board of to the Appellate Board.
The College Judicial Procedures are reviewed annually by the Office of the Dean of Students in consultation with the Student Government Association.
The College Judicial Procedures are published on the Student Government Association website and in the Student Handbook on the Wheaton College website.
ARTICLE VI - Selection of Executive Board Committee Members
A. Students interested in obtaining a position on the Educational Council, Programming Council, or the Executive Board Publicity Committee may obtain an application through the Student Government Association. The completed application shall be submitted to the Chair of the appropriate council or committee. Applications shall normally be accepted during the week following the Student Government spring elections.
B. The Chair of the Council shall then schedule interviews with the applicants. Upon the completion of interviewing, the Chair of the Council and the advisor shall select members accordingly and send notification to all applicants informing them of the results. Applicants shall normally be informed one (1) week after their interviews.
C. Additional council members may need to be selected in the fall. If this is the case, the selection process shall take place during the fall Student Government elections.
D. If council members have done a satisfactory job as part of the council (as determined by the Council Chair and the advisor.), they shall have the option of remaining on the council without participating a second time in the formal selection process.
Appendices to the Student Government Association Constitution and By-Laws are available for inspection in the SGA Office.
ARTICLE VII - Student Government Association Advisor
The advisor/liaison will serve to inform SGA of the actions of the institution and administration of Wheaton College, while simultaneously relaying the activities and actions of SGA to the institution and administrators of Wheaton College.
A. Terms of Service
1. The person contractually obligated to be SGA Advisor/Liaison will serve in this position. If no individual is contractually obligated, the SGA President will nominate an advisor/liaison no more than 30 days after the beginning of the fall semester. The nominee will have to be confirmed by the SGA Senate within this same time period. If no individual is confirmed during this period, an ad-hoc committee of senate, comprised of 6 Senators selected by Senate and chaired by the Vice President, will have another 30 days after the committee’s inception to nominate candidates for the position and present them for confirmation to the SGA Senate. If after the 30 days the committee fails to confirm a nominee, the advisor/liaison position will be assigned to the current Wheaton College employee who last served in the position.
B. Duties
1. The advisor/liaison will act to communicate the actions and goals of the institution of Wheaton College to the SGA.
2. The advisor/liaison will act to communicate the actions and goals of the SGA to the institution of Wheaton College.
3. The advisor/liaison will sign-off on and record all monetary actions required for payment of SGA Executive Secretary.
4. The advisor/liaison will not act as a representative of the interests or views of the SGA.
5. The advisor/liaison must endeavor to uphold the legislative will of the SGA Senate and the SGA Executive Board.
6. The advisor may be subject to an impeachment proceeding as provided in Impeachment and Recall of Article IV.
7. The advisor/liaison must act in accordance to the SGA constitution and by-laws.
ARTICLE VIII - WHEATON COLLEGE UMBRELLA BUDGET SYSTEM (UBS)
Section I - Flow Diagram
Student Activities Fee
|
|– Student Life
|– Speaker Fund
|
|————————————————- Constitutional Committees
| ————————————————————————————————
| | | | | |
CHB Educational Executive Intercultural Programming
| Council Board Board Council
|
|– Senate Discretionary Fund
|————————————————- Class Allotments
| ————————————————————————————
| | | | |
| Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior
|– Yearbook
|– WCCS Radio
|
Sub Total
|————————————————–Tier Percentage Breakdown
———————————————————————————-
| | | |
Communications Educational Intercultural Recreational
Section II - Written Description
The Student Government Association Senate shall apportion the student activity fee among the many clubs, organizations and other institutions (with the exception of the clubs within the tiers, whose funding will be decided in the fall by the finance committee as called for in Article II, Section III, Sub-section B). The apportionment shall be decided before commencement of the previous year.
A. Standard Appropriation of the Allotments:
1. Student Life Accounts - These funds shall be divided by the SGA Treasurer into the appropriate accounts. Each desired account shall have $7.00 times the number of students the account is designated for.
2. Speaker Fund - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. Any member of the Wheaton community may apply to this account. The fund may only be used for the purpose of bringing a speaker to campus and the costs normally associated with such an event. The Treasurer shall furnish applications to this account and the Executive Board will approve or deny these applications on at least a bimonthly basis. The Treasurer shall notify the applicant in one week after the action has been decided on the application.
3. Senate Discretionary Account (SDA) - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. The Senate has complete control over the activity of this account. The SGA President, however, reserves the right to veto such appropriation made from this account. Any Wheaton organization requesting funds from the Senate Discretionary Account must come before the Senate to make a request.
4. Constitutional Committees:
a. College Hearing Board - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the College Hearing Board Chair.
b. Educational Council - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Educational Council Chair.
c. Executive Board - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the SGA President.
d. Intercultural Board - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Intercultural Board Chair.
e. Programming Council - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Programming Council Chair.
5. Class Allotments:
a. Senior Class - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Class Officers.
b. Junior Class - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Class Officers.
c. Sophomore Class - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Class Officers.
d. Freshman Class - The SGA Treasurer shall transfer the appropriate amount to this account. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Class Officers.
B. Club Tiers:
Communications Tier -
a. Concerned with all areas of communication groups on campus. This primarily includes informational, news, or broadcast groups, whether paper based or electronically transmitted.
b. Chaired by the SGA Secretary.
c. If so decided by the tier, three subcommittee chairs may be voted in place. The subcommittee chairs’ primary function will be to aid the Chair in any way deemed necessary.
Educational Tier -
a. Concerned with all groups related to education. These include academic clubs, organizations raising individual consciousness and clubs that promote social awareness.
b. Chaired by the Educational Council Chair.
c. If so decided by the tier, three subcommittee chairs may be voted in place. The subcommittee chairs’ primary function will be to aid the Chair in any way deemed necessary.
Intercultural Tier -
a. Concerned with all areas of Wheaton’s diversity. This includes all intercultural groups, race, orientation, nationality, or culture.
b. Chaired by the Intercultural Board Chair.
c. If so decided by the tier, three subcommittee chairs may be voted in place. The subcommittee chairs’ primary function will be to aid the Chair in any way deemed necessary.
Recreational Tier -
a. Concerned with clubs in all areas of recreation. It includes club sport teams, entertaining clubs and special interest groups.
b. Chaired by the SGA Treasurer.
c. If so decided by the tier, three subcommittee chairs may be voted in place. The subcommittee chairs’ primary function will be to aid the Chair in any way deemed necessary.
Section III - Tier Committee Procedures and Guidelines
A. Tier Committee meetings shall occur no less than bimonthly, unless otherwise voted upon by the committee.
B. The Tier Committee members are made up of representatives from the clubs and organizations represented within the tier. A representative from each club must be present at each meeting or else penalties will be applied to that member.
C. All clubs must identify themselves to their respective tier within a month of the first meeting, or else lose funding for the current semester.
D. The committee meetings shall be run in any fashion desired by the committee. It is suggested that they follow the Senate and use Robert’s Rules of Order - Parliamentary Procedures.
E. Any person may attend the Tier Committee meeting and represent the club or organization. Clubs and organizations are responsible for appointing someone that is knowledgeable enough to represent and vote for their group.
F. If a tier member is not represented at any given meeting, that member, regardless of reason, will be penalized. The following meeting the club will be allowed to vote, but not allowed to request funding unless there is unanimous consent of the tier members present.
G. If a club has debt at the start of an academic year the necessary funds will come off the top of the tier allotment for the current year. The tier will be responsible for sanctioning the club if deemed necessary by the tier.
H. No club shall receive funding unless a Senate approved charter is on file with the SGA Vice President.
Section IV - Roles of the Executive Board in the Tier System
A. Respective board members shall chair tiers as mentioned in Section IV.
B. Executive Board shall approve or reject tier appropriations of above $1,000 and others which the board feels necessary to take action on.
C. The Executive Board reserves the right to take action on budgetary issues when Senate is not in session.
Section V - Roles of the Senate in the Tier System
A. The Senate reserves the right to adjust the budget in extenuating circumstances.
B. The Senate shall settle disputes of clubs which feel that they have been discriminated against in the tier system.
C. The Senate may override the Executive Board rejections for tier use of funds. (Section III.B.)
D. The Senate shall entertain motions to transfer a club into a different tier.
E. The Senate must approve of and then place each club in a tier before the club can receive the benefits of being a recognized club.
F. The Senate shall review tier percentages as well as other budgetary matters it deems necessary before the close of each academic year.
G. The Senate may sanction groups which incur debt at their discretion.
Section VI - Clubs and Organizations
The SGA hereby creates two separate organizational distinctions for financial purposes.
A. Designations
1. Clubs - Active and Recognized SGA entities whose duties and functions are limited to activity during the academic school year.
2. Organizations - Active and Recognized SGA entities that need to function throughout the calendar year in order to fulfill legal or institutional requirements. These entities require operational funds during all times of the year, not just during the academic semesters.
B. Distinctions
1. Clubs and Part Time Entities
a. These groups/councils/classes only function during the Academic School Year and submit themselves either to the tier process or only receive there allotted budgetary funding upon the operators return in the fall semester.
b. New groups/Clubs after having their constitution ratified by the SGA Senate will automatically receive this distinction.
c. All Clubs and Part-time entities must have a representative and a financial officer.
d. These groups will have use of their tier allocated funds until the end of the academic year. Tier Funds not spent by the end of the Academic Year will revert back to SGA.
e. These groups will receive funding for a given academic year via the tier/allocation process at the beginning of each fall semester
2. Organizations and Full-Time Entities.
a. These groups are legally or institutionally required to operate at all times, which requires them to have access to operational funds at all times.
b. These groups are recognized as organizations by applying to the SGA Senate as a confirmation process. If a club or entity is upgraded to Organization status, it will stand until the entity is dissolved or removed by a 2/3 vote of the SGA Senate.
c. These groups will be allowed to continue to use their SGA funds until the end of the schools fiscal year before they revert back to SGA.
d. These groups will have the allotments determined for the next fiscal year prior to the end of the current fiscal year after the budget for the next fiscal year is approved by the SGA Senate.
e. These groups must have a constitution ratified by the SGA Senate.
f. These groups must have a representative and a financial officer at all times.
g. These groups must have an Advisor/Liaison specifically for their group who is a matriculated faculty or staff member of Wheaton College.
Section VII - The Fiscal Responsibilities Act
A. Fiscal Responsibility
1. All members, clubs, organizations, councils, groups, officials, and/or sanctioned SGA bodies, are forbidden to enter contracts that are for amounts greater than the clubs current, available funds without written consent of the Student Senate.
2. All members, Clubs, organizations, councils, groups, officials, and/or sanctioned SGA bodies, are forbidden to enter multi-year contracts that commit SGA to yearly payments. Multi-year contracts may only be entered into if the entire capital required for the services provided for the entirety of the contract is paid directly upon the signing of the contract and that the SGA sanctioned body has the funds available to make the payment in its entirety. Multi-year contracts requiring yearly payments currently held by SGA Sanctioned Bodies will be grandfathered for their current agreed duration but these SGA Sanctioned bodies will not be allowed to extend or renew these contracts.
B. The SGA bares no financial responsibilities when a transaction involves a contract knowingly entered into by a contractually obligated advisor, when this advisor has the authority to authorize funding even though the organization in question is lacking sufficient funds to pay the amount of the contract. If a contract overdraws the SGA organizations account, it is the responsibility of the individual advisor and/or his/her department to absorb the debt due to the individuals’ superseding of SGA financial safe guards.