STUDENT ASSOCIATION

SyracuseUniversityStateUniversityofNewYorkCollegeofEnvironmentalScience and Forestry

CONSTITUTION

Enacted:Sunday,26April1998

LastRevised:Monday. 7 November,2011

PREAMBLE.

We,the studentsof SyracuseUniversity and State University of NewYork Collegeof Environmental Science and Forestry, firm in ourbelief that an effective Student Associationcan best represent thestudentbody,declare thisto be our constitution. The purposes of theStudentAssociation shall be to: participate actively in the formulation of thepolicies, rules and regulationsof SyracuseUniversity;protect students rights;providea unifiedstudentvoice; create andmaintain an environment where student needs aremet; promote an informed andactive student body and determine and allocate/designatethe StudentActivity Fee in a mannerwhich supports one or moreof the aforementioned purposes.

TheStudent Association exists as a right and forthe benefit of the studentbody.It is thusthe responsibility of the Association tobeconscious of the interestsand needs of itsconstituents and fellowmembersand to always act in theirbehalf.

ARTICLE I.NAME.

Thename ofthe organizationshall bethe “SU and SUNY-ESF StudentAssociation”(SA), herein called the “Association.”TheAssociation shall serve astheprimary governing, advocacy and programmingorganization of all undergraduate students.

ARTICLE II.CONSTITUENCY AND MEMBERSHIP.

All full-timematriculated undergraduate students at Syracuse University (SU)andStateUniversity of New

York Collegeof Environmental Scienceand Forestry(SUNY-ESF)shallbemembersand thusrepresented by theAssociation,hereincalledthe“student body.”

ARTICLE III.RIGHTSOFTHE STUDENT BODY.

All studentsshall have theright to beinformed,recognizedand considered.

A. Allstudentshavetheright to be informedaboutthe actions and decisionsof the Association.

B. All studentshavetheright to be informedaboutand participate inthe expenditureof theStudentActivityFee.

C.All studentshavetheright toaddress theAssembly.

D. Allstudentshavetheright toauthor andintroduce legislationto the Assembly.

E.Allstudentshavetheright to be recognizedandparticipate in the committeesand thepromotionsboard of theAssociation.

F.Allstudentshavetheright tochallengetheactionsof theAssociationandits officers.

ARTICLE IV.STUDENTASSEMBLY.

  1. The StudentAssembly shall be theprimary representative and legislative body of theAssociation.It shallhavethefollowing responsibilities, powersand duties:

1.TheAssembly shall investigate,developand givefinal approval to all policies,programs, commissions and positionsof SA,unless otherwisestatedinthisConstitution.TheAssembly shall initiate anddelegate suchactions, policies andprograms as it deems necessary.

2. The Undergraduate StudentActivity Fee shallincrease concurrently withSU tuition not to exceed four [4] percent annually. TheFee may also be alteredafterreceivingamajority of thosevoting in referendum,inwhichat least ten [10%]ofthe SA constituency/ membership participates.No portion oftheFee may be allocated/designatedwithout Assembly approval.

3.TheAssembly, its boards andcommittees shall beinrecessduring the summer sessions. They shall all reconveneupon the startof thefall semester.

4.All responsibilities, powers andduties notdelegated toany other bodyof the Association shallrestwiththe Assembly.

B.The membershipof the Assemblyshallbe limitedto:

1.OneundergraduateAssemblyRepresentative fromeach school and collegeas follows:Architecture, Arts andSciences,Education,Engineeringand Computer Sciences, HumanServicesandHealth Professions, InformationStudies,Management,Public Communications, Visual and PerformingArts, Environmental Science andForestry, and University College,withvote. Inaddition oneundergraduate Assembly Representative foreachthree-hundred [300]undergraduate students or majority fraction thereof attendingtheaforementionedschoolsandcollegeswith vote, with the exception of University College, which shall have only one [1] representative.

2. The Presidentwithoutvote,unless the vote takenistied.

3. TheVice President, Director ofPublic Relations, Comptroller and BEM Chairperson withoutvote.

4.TheJRB Chairperson, Undergraduate University Senators,Boardof TrusteesRepresentativesand all other officersoftheAssociation either elected or appointed,ex officio withoutvote.

C.Officers:

1.All officersof theAssociation shallpropose to theAssembly all programs, policies, commissions and positions,as theydeemnecessary.

2.Each voting Assembly Representative, elected by their respective constituencies, shall representthemandthe entire student body. A representative’sresponsibilities and duties shall include acting asaliaison toaspecificdepartment,programorofficeoftheSUandSUNY-ESFAdministration.

3. ThePresident electedbythestudentbody shall betherecognized spokesperson for the entire Association. The President shall be an ex officionon-voting member ofallboards and committees of theAssociation.The President’sresponsibilities and duties shall include appointing,withAssembly consent, aVice President and aDirectorofPublic Relations;presidingatmeetingsofthe Assemblyand Cabinet. The President’sduties shall extend through the summer. The President shall report to theAssembly, at the first meetingofthefall semesteron allactionshaving occurred overthesummer.

4.TheVice Presidentshall be bound byall policies stated by theAssociationand shall be anex officio non-votingmemberofall boardsandcommitteesof theAssociation. In theabsenceof the President, theVice Presidentshall presideat meetingsoftheAssembly and/orCabinet and also take onallother responsibilities and duties as thePresidentshall deemnecessary.

5.TheDirector of PublicRelations [PR] shallbebound by all policiesstated by the President and/or Comptroller, shall represent theAssociation in all matters as deemed necessaryby thePresident and shall presideat meetingsof thePromotionsBoard.TheDirector ofPRshall take onall otherresponsibilities andduties as the President and/or Comptroller shall deemnecessary.

6. TheAssembly shall elect at its first meetinga Parliamentarian fromthe Assembly’s voting membership. The Parliamentarianshall assist theAssembly’s presiding officer in theinterpretation ofprocedure, advise the Associationand its officials regardingtheir responsibilities, according tothisConstitution and theCode ofStatutes and chair theCommittee on Administrative Operations[AdOp]. TheParliamentarianshall report tothe Assembly onalloverturnedlegislation.

7. TheAssembly shall elect at its firstmeetingaRecorder fromtheAssembly’svotingmembership.The Recorder shall maintainrecordsof the Assembly’s actions;take minutes andattendance and call all roll call votes for all Assembly andCabinet meetings.

8. The Comptroller, electedby thestudent body shall be therecognizedspokesperson forthe StudentActivity Fee. The Comptroller’s responsibilities and duties shall include appointing with Assembly consent by two-thirds[2/3] affirmative vote an Assistant Comptroller. The Comptroller shall presideat meetingsof the Finance Board and articulateandcarryout,thefinancialprogramsand policies developed by theAssembly. The Comptroller’sduties shall extend through thesummer. TheComptroller shall report tothe Assembly, at thefirst meeting of thefall semester on all financial actions, which occurred over the summer.

9. TheAssistant Comptroller(s) shallbe nonvoting membersof theFinance Boardand shall takeon all other responsibilities andduties as the Comptroller shall deemnecessary.

10.TheChairpersonoftheBoardof Electionsand Membership, electedby theAssembly shall provide oversightfor all SA electionsand investigations. The Chairperson's responsibilities and dutiesshall includepresidingovermeetings of the BEM with vote.

11.The Assemblymay assign other duties,as it seesfit, to any of these officers.

D. Committees ofthe Assembly

1.TheAssembly shallmaintaina standing committee on AdOp.

a. The Assembly shall appoint themembership of this committee. Votingcommittee membership, toconsist ofnomore thanten [10] members, shall be limitedtothe Parliamentarianand voting Assembly Representatives.

b.The committee’s primary role shall be toinvestigate and propose totheAssembly improvementsinthestructureanddailyoperationsof theAssociation.

2.TheAssemblymay create, as it deems necessary,additional committees toinvestigate and/or develop solutionsfor specificareasof concern.

a.Suchcommitteesshall becomposedof at least oneAssembly Representative and members of the studentbodywho shall each haveonevote. Each committee shall elect,at its firstmeetingfromamongits members,achairpersonby majority vote.

b.Chairperson may beremovedby atwo-thirds [2/3] affirmativevoteofthe committee’smembership.The Chairperson shall bea non-votingmemberofthe Cabinet.

ARTICLEV.CABINET.

TheAssociation shall create and maintain a Cabinet to provide leadership and direction for theSA.

  1. The following officersshall have votingmembership onthe Cabinet: President, Vice President, Parliamentarian,Assembly Recorder, three[3] at-large seats elected by the Assembly to befilled by the chairs of the following three [3] committees conditional of their confirmation by the Assembly: Committee on Student Life, Committee on Student Engagement, and Committee on Academic Affairs,Comptroller, and BEM Chairperson.TheDirectorof Public Relationsand theJRB Chairperson shall beex officiononvotingmembersofthe Cabinet. The Cabinet may allow additional individuals tositon the Cabinetwithoutvote.
  1. TheCabinet shallproposetotheAssemblyall programs, policies, commissions and positions as theCabinetdeemsnecessary.

C.The Cabinet shall submit totheAssembly an overall vision forthe allocation/designationand programming of all funding of theStudentActivity Fee for each Assembly Session. The Assembly may accept oramend thisvision andrefer itto theFinanceBoardbymajority vote. TheFinance Boardshall baseall financialrecommendations off ofthisvision.

ARTICLEVI.BOARDSOF THEASSEMBLY.

  1. The Association shall establishandmaintainaPromotionsBoardto publicizetheactionsandprograms of theAssociation.

B.The Association shall establishandmaintainaFinanceBoard of ten[10] memberswith voteand a chairperson(Comptroller)withvoteincaseoftie.Theten[10] members are to beelectedwithtwo-thirds[2/3] affirmative vote of theAssembly. TheFinance Boardshall havethefollowingresponsibilities, powers and duties:

1.TheFinance Boardshall be responsible tothe Assembly andtheiroverallvisionfor the allocation/designation of the Student Activity Fee.

2.TheFinance Boardshall review thefunding requests/proposals submittedtothe Comptroller and shall make recommendationstotheAssembly on the allocation/designation of theStudent Activity Fee.

3.TheFinance Boardshallmake recommendations tothe Assembly on questionsof financial policy.

4.TheFinanceBoardshall havetheauthority toreviewand audit the financialrecords of any accountreceivingStudent Activity Fee Funding.

C.The Association shall establishandmaintaina Boardof ElectionsandMembership of eight [8] members with vote anda chairperson,all nominated by the Cabinet andelected with two-thirds[2/3] affirmative vote of the Assembly. The Board of Elections shall have the following responsibilities, powers and duties:

1. The BEM shall determine thedatesof all campus elections and thelocationsof thepollingplaces.

2.The BEM shall supervise all elections and referenda provided forby thisConstitution.

3. The BEM shall review all campaign practicesandshall report any violationsof theElectionsCodetotheJRB.

4. The BEM shall investigate all charges of impeachment made against officersof the Association.

D. TheAssociation shall establish a Judicial ReviewBoard offive [5] memberswithvote,allnominatedbythe Cabinet and elected withfour-fifths [4/5] affirmative vote of theAssembly. The termof office for members of the JRB shall befromelection until removal, resignation,vacancy or graduation.Vacancy shall bedefined asnotenrolling inthe mainSU orSUNY-ESF campusforeitherof the tworegular terms(FallorSpring). Theseat shall bedeclared vacant upon thecommencement of therespective term. No individualholdinga voting seaton theJRB may hold any other office position inthe Association.The JRBshallhavethefollowing responsibilities, powers and duties:

1. TheJRB shall elect at its first meetingof each semester a chairperson.

2.TheJRB shall reviewall reported violationsof SA law and enforce anypenaltiesas decided. The JRB shall hear and ruleon all charges impeachment for Assembly Representatives,President, Comptroller and undergraduate University Senators.

3.TheJRB with written rational may refer any action of theAssembly back totheAssembly for reconsideration vote;by majority votetheAssembly shall rehear the issue.

ARTICLEVII.CODEOFSTATUTES.

  1. TheElectionsCode shall containrules andregulationsfor all campuswide elections and replacementprocedures. ElectionsforAssembly, Comptroller andPresidentshallbeheldfor at leastthree[3]consecutive days inthe month of November. Terms of office forAssembly Representatives, Comptroller, and President shall be from January first [1st] to December thirty-first [31st] of the same calendar year. The Assembly session shall correspond to these terms of office.
  1. TheEthicsandConductCodeshall containstandardsfortheethics, conduct and morals ofall elected and appointedofficersof theAssociation
  1. TheOperationsCodeshall furtherdefineprocedurefor allAssociation meetingsand shallfurtherdetail officerresponsibility.

D.TheFinancialCodeshall contain financial policies and guidelines for the purpose,request, allocation/designationandexpenditure of StudentActivity Feefunds.

E.TheJudicial Codeshall contain judicial policiesandguidelines forhearingandremoval procedures forall Association officers.

ARTICLEVIII.REVISIONS.

For a Constitutionalrevision tobe approvedby thestudentbody, theproposal must receive a majority of those votingin referendum, inwhichat least tenpercent [10%]of theSA constituency/ membership participates.Aproposal for revisingthisConstitution shall beplaced onreferendumballot throughoneof thefollowing methods:

  1. A Constitutionalrevisionmay be proposedto the Assembly by the Committee on AdOp.Amendments must beapproved by atwo-thirds[2/3] affirmative vote of Assemblymembers presentand voting at any Assemblymeeting tobe placed beforethe studentbody inreferendum.

B.A Constitutionalrevision may be placed in frontof the studentbodyforareferendumvotewithout approvalfromthe Committeeon AdOporthe Assembly by presentingthePresident the Constitutionalrevisionat anymeetingof theAssembly witha petition ofatleast one-halfof the studentbody.

ARTICLE IX.REPLACEMENT.

ThisConstitutionshall take effect at12:00a.m. onSunday, April26,1998. ThisConstitutionshall void, supersede and overrule any previousAssociation Constitution,asrevised November 19, 1999, April27, 2000,and:

(Bill45-01:02/16/01);(Bill46-008:2/11/02)(Bill52.48:10/20/08) (Bill 55.XX: 11/07/11)

JMT/AssemblyTaskForceonSGAReform:Monday,February23,1998

JMT/CommitteeonAdministrativeOperations:Thursday,February27,1998

JMT/Assembly:Monday,March16,1998

CONSTITUTION1