Bylaws



ARTICLE I. OATH OF OFFICE

Upon assuming any elected or appointed office in the Undergraduate Student Government, the following oath of office shall be signed and verbally affirmed: "I, (full name of member) do solemnly affirm that I will uphold the Constitution of the Undergraduate Student Government of the Georgia Institute of Technology, faithfully serve my constituents to the best of my abilities, and execute the duties of the office of (name of position) to the best of my abilities."


ARTICLE II. LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

SECTION 1. APPORTIONMENT OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL

  1. Representatives shall be apportioned and elected from the various academic units of the Institute as follows:
    1. Each degree granting school or college shall elect representatives based on the fall semester enrollment figures prior to the election according to the following formula: number of enrolled students divided by 400 equals the number of representatives. The number of representatives shall be rounded up if a decimal is equal to or greater than 5.
    2. Each degree granting school, as defined by the Provost of Georgia Tech, shall elect at least one (1) representative.
    3. Each degree granting college shall elect at least two (2) representatives.
  2. Representatives shall be elected form the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Classes. The representatives shall be apportioned as follows:
    1. Each class shall elect representatives based on the fall semester enrollment figures prior to the election according to the following formula: number of enrolled students divided by 750 equals the number of representatives. The number of representatives shall be rounded up if a decimal is equal to or greater than 5.
    2. Each class shall elect at least three (3) representatives.
  3. Three (3) Representatives shall be elected at large from the Student Body by the Student Council.
  4. Two (2) Representatives shall be elected from the varsity athletes. One (1) student to serve each semester (Fall and Spring) during which his or her athletic schedule would allow him or her to meet the attendance requirements of the Student Council.
  5. Four (4) Representatives shall be elected from student the cooperative education program. Two (2) students from each rotation to serve the semester (Fall or Spring) during which they were not on work quarter.

SECTION 2. ELECTIONS, VACANCIES, AND CANDIDATE ELIGIBILITY

  1. Candidates for the office of Representative to the Student Council shall:
    1. Be in good standing as defined by the Registrar and the Dean of Students Office;
    2. Be a full-time undergraduate student;
    3. Comply with all regulations as established by the Student Council Elections Code and these Bylaws of the Undergraduate Student Government.
  2. Candidates for the office of Academic Unit Representative to the Student Council shall:
    1. Be a declared major, as defined by the Registrar, from the Academic Unit they represent;
    2. Have completed at least 40 semester credit hours as defined by the Registrar;
    3. Have completed or be currently enrolled in at least 2 declared major classes as defined by the Registrar.
  3. Candidates for class representative must have completed the semester credit hours within the limits corresponding to their class office:
    1. Freshmen 0-29 hours;
    2. Sophomores 30-59 hours;
    3. Juniors 60-89 hours;
    4. Seniors 90+ hours.
  4. Candidates for the office of Member-At-Large to the Student Council shall:
    1. Have completed at least 15 credit hours as defined by the Registrar;
    2. Be nominated for office during the first Student Council meeting of Fall Semester;
    3. Be elected by a majority vote of the Student Council.
  5. In the event a tie vote prevents the installation of any Representative, the Student Council shall hold a run-off vote within eight (8) days.
  6. Any election with two consecutive ties shall be resolved by a majority vote of the Student Council.
  7. The secretary, treasurer, and members-at-large shall be elected by majority vote of the Student Council as follows:
    1. Nominations for the positions shall be opened at the last Student Council meeting of Spring Semester after the new Student Council is sworn in.
    2. Elections for these positions will be held at the first meeting of Fall Quarter.
    3. The results of each election shall be announced before the nominations are closed for the next position.
  8. In the event that a representative position must be filled by appointment, the Student Body President shall notify both the Student Council and the constituency of the availability of that position before filling the position. Bills to appoint representatives to such positions shall be introduced no later than the fourth meeting of Fall Semester.
  9. Freshman Representatives shall be elected by the fifth week of Fall Semester, and shall serve until the end of the Spring Semester of that academic year.
  10. Cooperative Education Programs Representatives shall be elected two semesters before they take office.

SECTION 3. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES

  1. DUTIES OF THE CHAIR
    The Chair of the Student Council shall:
    1. Preserve order and decorum in debate;
    2. Decide all questions of order in accordance with these Bylaws;
    3. Refer all bills to the proper committees;
    4. Order the call of the roll of members of the Student Council should the absence of a quorum be suggested.
    5. Have general supervision all committees placed under the direct authority of the Student Council.
  2. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY
    The Secretary of the Student Council shall:
    1. Keep the roll and the minutes of meetings of the Student Council and Advisory;
    2. Distribute the minutes of the Student Council no later than 8AM on the Monday following the meeting at which the minutes were taken;
    3. Record all points of order raised and their description;
    4. Maintain a record of the progress of all bills presented to the Student Council;
    5. Sign and date each bill that is passed and then submit it to the Student Body President for his or her signature;
    6. Send all appropriate bills and resolutions that have passed the Student Council to the Secretary of the Graduate Student Senate within one calendar week of passage;
    7. Appoint a Historian-Archivist to retrieve, store and research all records of the Undergraduate Student Government.
    8. Make motions and vote only if also an elected member of Student Council.
  3. DUTIES OF THE TREASURER
    The Treasurer of the Student Council shall:
    1. Prepare the annual budget for the Administrative Account of Student Government;
    2. Ensure a record is maintained of all Student Government financial transactions;
    3. Submit a written monthly report to the Student Council concerning the previous month's finances at the last meeting of each month;
    4. Submit an annual report to the Student Body President at the Annual Meeting of the Student Council;
    5. Make motions and vote only if also an elected member of Student Council;
    6. Ensure that all account transfers, payments and reimbursements of the Undergraduate Student Government are handled in accordance to proper procedure and policy;
    7. Have general authority over the fundraising efforts of the Undergraduate Student Government.
  4. A Sergeant-at-Arms shall be appointed by the Chair of the Student Council and shall be responsible for:
    1. Room reservation for Student Council meetings;
    2. Setup of Student Council meetings prior to meeting time;
    3. Transportation of the Student Council American Flag to and from meetings;
    4. Any other duties as delegated by the Chair to preserve order and professionalism at Student Council meetings.
  5. A Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the Chair of the Student Council and shall be responsible for:
    1. Assisting the Chair and the Student Council in all matters concerning parliamentary procedure;
    2. Any other duties as delegated by the Chair.
  6. A Graduate Student Senate Coordinator shall be selected by the Graduate Student Government and approved by the Chair of the Student Council, and shall be responsible for:
    1. Attending Graduate Student Senate weekly meetings;
    2. Reporting to the Undergraduate Student Council the events of the Graduate Student Senate meetings.
  7. Members-At-Large Representatives shall:
    1. Represent the entire student body by voting on all Student Council bills;
    2. Attend all Student Council meetings and be subject to the same attendance policy as Student Council Representatives and Officers.
  8. DUTIES OF REPRESENTATIVES AND OFFICERS
    Representatives and Officers to the Student Council shall
    1. Attend all Student Council meetings;
      1. Any Student Council Representative or Officer who is absent from a Student Council meeting shall submit an excuse to the Secretary of the Student Council no later than 48 hours after the missed meeting.
      2. Any member of the Advisory who is absent from an Advisory meeting shall submit an excuse to the Student Council Secretary within one week of the missed Advisory meeting.
      3. A Student Council Representative, Officer, or Advisory member missing the Undergraduate Student Government retreat will be assigned one (1) absence.
      4. Any Student Council Representative, Officer, or Advisory member having three (3) unexcused absences or four (4) absences within one (1) semester shall lose his or her position pending review of the Advisory.
    2. Be strongly encouraged to be an active member of at least one committee and to attend other committee meetings as needed to stay informed of current legislation and events.
  9. Officers, except for the Graduate Student Senate Coordinator, must comply with all qualifications as outlined in Section 2, Paragraph A of this Article.

SECTION 4. COMMITTEES OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL

  1. The following committees shall be placed under the authority of the Student Council and shall be charged with the duties and responsibilities stated herewith:
    1. Legislative Communications Committee- shall be responsible for enforcing all policies and coordinating all efforts concerning Student Council communication with constituents.
      1. The Legislative Communications Committee shall be composed of a chair and no more than seven (7) voting members, all of whom must be Representatives.
      2. The committee shall make all appropriate changes to the Communications Act of 1998 with the consent of the Student Council.
    2. Nominations Committee- shall be responsible for soliciting and reviewing nominations for Student Council awards from the Student Body.
      1. The Nominations Committee shall have at least five (5) voting members and a chair, all of whom must be Representatives.
  2. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS
    Each committee chair shall:
    1. Be nominated and elected by the Student Council;
    2. Report all objectives and goals to the Student Council on a weekly basis;
    3. Maintain exact records of all committee business on file in the Student Government Office;
    4. Submit a written semester report by the first week of the next semester to the Secretary and the Student Council summarizing that semester’s activities;
    5. Submit an annual report to the Secretary and the Student Council which shall include all semester reports and all records of committee business.
  3. All Committees of the Student Council shall be open to the general undergraduate student population.

SECTION 5. MEETINGS

  1. Regular meetings of the Student Council shall be held Tuesday nights at 7:30PM during Fall and Spring Semesters unless otherwise ordered by 2/3 votes of the Student Council members present. The first meeting of each semester shall be the first full week of classes; the last meeting shall be two weeks before final exams.
  2. Prior to the adjournment of each meeting, the date, time, and the place of the next meeting shall be fixed if different from the above.
  3. ANNUAL MEETING
    The last regular Student Council meeting of Spring Semester shall be known as the Annual Meeting. This meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving reports of all officers, chairs, directors, and for the installation of the newly elected Representatives.
  4. SPECIAL MEETINGS
    Special meetings of the Student Council may be called by the Student Body President at any time during the regular academic semester beginning with the first day of registration and extending to the last day of classes under the following limitations:
    1. Each representative to the Student Council shall be notified at least 48 hours prior to the meeting;
    2. Each representative shall be informed of the reason for the meeting;
    3. Business transacted at the special meeting shall be limited to that mentioned in the call, email, etc.
  5. ORDERS OF THE DAY
    The normal order to business at a regular Student Council meeting shall be:
    1. Call to Order;
    2. Roll Call;
    3. Pledge of Allegiance;
    4. Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting;
    5. Report of the Secretary;
    6. Report of the Treasurer;
    7. Report of the Vice-President of Finance;
    8. Report of the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs;
    9. Report of the Vice-President of Campus Affairs;
    10. Report of the Executive Vice-President;
    11. Report of the Student Body President;
    12. Special Reports;
    13. Report of the Advisor;
    14. Report of the GSS Coordinator;
    15. Miscellaneous Reports;
    16. Second Roll Call;
    17. Open Forum;


      18. Issue Meetings:
    18. Voting on any Resolutions Regarding the last Issue of Council Interest;
    19. Outstanding Issues; Discussion of Issue of Council Interest;
    20. Seeting of Issue of Council Interest; New Business;
    21. Presidential Review;
    22. Announcements;
    23. Adjournment.


      24. General Meetings:
    24. Old Business;
    25. New Business;
    26. Presindential Review;
    27. Announcements;
    28. Adjournment;

SECTION 6. PROCEDURE

  1. The rules contained in the most current edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Student Council, in all cases in which they are consistent with the Constitution, Bylaws and all Special Rules of Order.
  2. The Student Council may adopt any Special Rules of Order by a 2/3's vote of the Student Council, and may suspend these rules in the same manor as defined for the Bylaws.
  3. The Student Council may, by a 2/3's vote of the membership, waive the Bylaws with the following limitations:
    1. The Bylaws shall be waived only to consider a specific question (no more than one bill or slate at a time);
    2. The Student Council shall only act on the specific question on the floor;
    3. The Bylaws will automatically be reinstated immediately after the pending specific question is resolved.
  4. All matters being voted upon by the Student Council shall be classified as either resolutions or motions. Any main motion or resolution to be considered by the Student Council shall be designated as a Bill.
  5. All bills shall be submitted in writing to the Administrative Assistant by 5:00 p.m. of the Friday preceding the meeting at which the Bill is to be introduced;
    1. Except Bills introduced at a special meeting of the Student Council, which shall be exempt from this procedure but shall be presented to the Student Council Secretary before the special meeting is called to order;
    2. The Administrative Assistant shall affix a number to all bills in sequential order using five (5) digits. The first two (2) digits will be the calendar year in which the Student Council began session. The last three (3) digits will be the numbers of the bill beginning with 001 when the Student Council is installed and progressing until the installation of the next Student Council.
  6. The following procedure shall be observed for all bills:
    1. Consideration of all bills shall be postponed for at least one meeting unless otherwise motioned and accepted by a 2/3 vote of the members present;
    2. The Chair of the Student Council shall refer all bills to the proper committee;
    3. All bills shall be presented to the Advisory for consideration before being presented to the Student Council;
    4. Any bill that has been referred to a committee may be taken out of committee by 2/3 vote of the members present;
    5. In order to be considered, all financial bills must stipulate the fund or account from which they are to be drawn;
    6. The President may veto any bill passed by the Student Council. He or she must deliver the veto by 12:00 noon the day following the passing of the bill. This applies to all meetings except the last.
  7. VOTING
    Each member of the Student Council shall have one vote, except the Chair, who shall vote only in case of a tie or to create a tie.
    1. The Student Council shall prohibit the use of the secret ballot, except for the election of officers and representatives.
    2. A voice vote will be used on simple majority votes unless opposed by a member of the Student Council. If a vote cannot be decided by a voice vote, a hand vote shall be used.
    3. All voting requiring a consensus of 2/3 of the Student Council members present will be voted on by a show of hands.
    4. All financial bills will require a hand vote.
    5. All abstentions shall not count in the calculation of any vote.
    6. The Secretary shall record the exact count of a hand vote on resolutions and bills.
    7. All subsidiary motions shall be voted on by via voce.
    8. Upon the call for a division of the House, the Chair shall call for the ayes and nays to be counted as they stand and shall announce the results of the vote. The Chair may also call for a division if the consensus of the Student Council is in doubt.
    9. Upon the demand of 1/3 of the members of the Student Council present, the Chair shall order the calling of the roll upon any questions before the Student Council and shall announce the results of the vote. Members shall vote in order of the Secretary’s roll, and shall be allowed aye, nay, or abstain.
    10. The results of the vote on each bill shall be stated immediately after the vote is taken in order that the President be given the opportunity to veto the bill during that meeting.
  8. Voting Records
    1. At each meeting of the Undergraduate House of Representatives, the vote of each representative on each bill, with exception of ballots specified in Article II, Section 6, Paragraph G (1), shall be accurately recorded. The Legislative Communications Committee shall oversee and set the procedure for the gathering of this information with the advice and majority consent of the advisory council. These records shall be made public in a method deemed appropriate by the Legislative Communications Committee and shall be distributed to the campus newspaper with all due speed. The cost of gathering and publicizing these records shall not exceed $5.00 per meeting.
    2. If the Undergraduate House of Representatives wishes to change the procedures for gathering the voting data or the methods for publicizing the collected data, it may do so with a majority vote, after a motion is made specifying the changes to be made. This motion shall be treated as a main question.
  9. Issue meetings shall occur at least 3 times each semester. The UHR chair shall schedule these issue meetings.
  10. Outstanding Issues
    1. Outstanding Issues shall include all Conference Committee Bills; and the Budget and Appointment Bills provided that they were in New Business the prior week at the General Meeting. Bills not provided for that were in New Business during the previous General Meeting, shall remain in New Business during the Issue Meeting.
    2. Setting of the Issue of Council Interest shall be conducted well in advance, preferably at least three to four weeks before the Student Council Meeting in which that Issue of Council Interest will be discussed. In the event that the Council adjourns or fails to set an issue, the Executive Vice-President shall set the issue to be discussed, with the majority approval of the Legislative Communications Committee.
    3. A majority vote, of those voting, is necessary to set the Issue of Council Interest.
    4. For Issue Meetings, Adjournment shall not occur before an Issue of Council Interest has been set for the future Council meeting, unless a 2/3 majority vote, of those voting, object. Adjournment shall occur no later than 9:15 p.m. unless 2/3 of those voting object.

SECTION 7. JOINT BILL PROCEDURES

  1. Without loss of generality and within this section, the Undergraduate Student Council and Graduate Student Senate will be referred to as "houses."
  2. A joint bill is a bill which meets any of the following criteria:
    1. The bill calls for the allocation of funds from any account administered by both houses;
    2. The bill refers to an appointment to the chairship of a joint committee;
    3. The bill calls for an Executive Agreement;
    4. The bill recommends action related to the chartering or the revocation of the charter or the constitution of any campus organization that is not specifically graduate or undergraduate;
    5. The bill recommends policies related to the operation of the SGA office;
    6. The bill is designated as "joint" in the title of the bill as per an agreement made by both the graduate and undergraduate authors. This criterion includes any resolution deemed "joint."
  3. All bills classified as joint bills shall follow all bill procedures as stipulated in these Bylaws in Section 5 of this article. In addition, all joint allocation bills must follow all policies related to financial bills as outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws.
  4. If one house votes on a bill, regardless of the outcome, the other house must vote on the bill also. If the first voting house decides to withdraw a bill from consideration, the bill is classified as "withdrawn pending." The second voting house then has the option to withdraw the bill from consideration also; in which case, the bill is summarily withdrawn. If the second voting house decides to vote on the bill instead of withdrawing it, then the bill is active and becomes part of old business on the agenda of the first voting house and must be voted upon.
  5. ENACTMENT-RATIO BILLS
    1. The enactment ratio can only be used if the text of the bill voted upon by both houses is the same.
    2. If an enactment-ratio bill does not receive majority of votes in either house, the bill shall be considered failed regardless of the text.
    3. If the bill receives a majority vote in at least one house, even if vetoed after receiving a majority, the bill shall automatically be referred to a Conference Committee, regardless of the text.
    4. When calculating the enactment ratio, a joint bill that has been vetoed by the Undergraduate Student Body President and not overridden shall be represented as if all of the Student Council voted nay on the bill. For a bill for which the Student Council has overridden a veto, the original vote count on the bill shall be used in enactment ratio calculations.
  6. NON-ENACTMENT-RATIO BILLS
    1. The bill shall be considered passed if both houses vote to pass the bill by whatever vote is required to pass the bill in each house, considering that the text is the same.
    2. If the bill passes both houses, but the text differs, the bill shall be referred to a Conference Committee.
    3. If the bill passes only one house, regardless of the text or whether or not it was vetoed, and the authors agree to keep the bill a joint bill, then the bill shall be referred to a Conference Committee.
    4. If the authors do not agree to keep the bill a joint bill, then the bill shall be considered failed.
    5. The bill may be reintroduced in the passing house, if appropriate, but not as a joint bill.
    6. If both houses fail the bill then the bill shall be considered failed, regardless of text.
  7. CONFERENCE COMMITTEES
    1. The members of Conference Committees shall be appointed from the members of each house by the chair of each respective house. Each chair may appoint as many as three (3) people to a Conference Committee.
    2. The Conference Committee shall have as its purpose the reconciliation of the different forms of the bill into a single form compatible to both houses. The Conference Committee shall meet at such a time as to allow the bill to come before both houses at their next regularly scheduled meetings provided that the next regularly scheduled meeting of the first voting house does not occur within the same calendar week as the meeting during which the second voting house originally voted upon the bill. In that event, the committee shall meet before the next regularly scheduled meeting of the second voting house. A calendar week is defined as a period beginning with Sunday and ending on the subsequent Saturday.
    3. If the deliberations of the Conference Committee warrant, a bill may be tabled in the Conference Committee in order for discussion to continue. However, the Conference Committee must meet within one week after the bill is tabled to resume deliberations.
    4. Quorum at a meeting of a Conference Committee shall be defined as those present at the meeting provided there is an equal number of members from both houses. Additional people may attend a Conference Committee meeting, but the number of voting members of the committee shall be the same.
    5. Bills returning from a Conference Committee, in the form provided by the committee, shall become part of old business of each house. Each house may resume discussion on the bill, but may not amend the bill. The vote on the bill shall be used as follows:
      1. Enactment-Ratio Bills. The vote taken by each house shall be put into the enactment ratio to determine passage.
      2. Non-Enactment-Ratio Bills. If the bill receives the vote required to pass the bill in each house, the bill passes; otherwise, the bill fails. The bill may be reintroduced into the passing house, but not as a joint bill.
  8. A single house may table a joint bill for a maximum of four (4) weeks. Consideration of the bill must occur by the last meeting of a house within the four-week period. Both houses together, though, may table a bill indefinitely.

SECTION 8. STUDENT ORGANIZATION CHARTERS

  1. The Student Council shall review the constitutions of all chartered organizations, councils, governing boards, and commissions each year.
  2. Any discrepancies between an organization's activities and their constitution shall be brought before the Student Council.
  3. No organization shall be chartered which does not meet the guidelines for chartering a student organization as set forth by the Joint Campus Organizations Committee.

SECTION 9. SUMMER PROCEDURES

  1. Emergency legislation shall be defined as any bill which, in the judgement of the Student Body President, must be acted upon during the Summer Semester.
  2. A vote may be taken on any emergency bill by mailing a copy of the bill to each member of the Student Council. All of the votes are to be tallied one week after 2/3 of the representatives respond.
  3. During the Summer Semester, the Student Body President shall have the authority to approve allocations from legislative appropriations for the Student Council up to a total of $1,600.00 with each allocation not exceeding $800.00.

SECTION 10. STUDENT COUNCIL AWARDS

  1. The Student Council shall annually recognize members of the Georgia Tech community at a dinner which shall be named the Annual Banquet.
  2. The following awards shall be bestowed upon members of the Georgia Tech community by the consent of the majority of the Student Council through secret ballot:
    1. The "Dean James E. Dull" Administrator of the Year Award- awarded to an outstanding member of the Georgia Tech Administration.
    2. The "Dean George C. Griffin" Faculty of the Year Award- awarded to an outstanding member of the Georgia Tech Faculty.
    3. The "Sergeant Gary F. Beringause" Friend of the Student Award- awarded to an outstanding member of the Georgia Tech community.
    4. Student Council Member of the Year Award - awarded to the most outstanding Representative.
    5. Committee of the Year Award- awarded to the most outstanding Student Government committee, department, board or commission.


ARTICLE III. EXECUTIVE

SECTION 1. ELECTIONS

  1. The elections for Student Body President and Executive Vice-President shall coincide with the elections for Representatives.
  2. The newly elected Student Body President and the Executive Vice-President shall be sworn in by the Chief Justice and assume office during the Annual Banquet.

SECTION 2. OFFICERS

  1. The standing officers of the Undergraduate Student Government shall consist of the Student Body President, the Executive Vice-President, the Vice-President of Finance, the Vice-President of Campus Affairs, the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs, the Executive Assistant to the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer. All officers shall be in good standing as defined by the registrar and the Dean of Students Office.
  2. In addition to fulfilling all officer eligibility requirements set in the Constitution, the Vice-President of Campus Affairs and the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs must have reached sophomore standing (as determined by the Registrar's Office) to hold office.
  3. DUTIES OF THE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
    The Student Body President shall:
    1. Be the chief executive of the Executive Branch- responsible for the organization and operations of the various departments and committees of the Undergraduate Student Government;
    2. Establish and dissolve departments and committees of the Undergraduate Student Government with the consent of 2/3 of the membership of the Student Council;
    3. Within Constitutional limits, write, amend or retire Executive Orders as necessary to properly govern the operations of the Executive Branch;
      1. All newly written or modified Executive Orders are to be presented to the Student Council at the next meeting of the Student Council.
      2. Except for Executive Orders that are written to appoint students to standing positions or to create ad-hoc positions or bodies, the Student Council may repeal an Executive Order by a majority vote.
      3. No Executive Order may be in conflict with these Bylaws or the Constitution.
    4. By Executive Order, establish ad-hoc committees to carry out such specific functions as he or she defines;
      1. The ad-hoc committees shall exist for the length of time necessary to carry out the charge issued by the Student Body President.
      2. Upon completion of the task, the committee shall submit a full report of the activities and findings to the President of the Student Body.
    5. See that an annual report, which shall include the President's own report for the year, for the Undergraduate Student Government is published;
    6. Appoint, with the advice and consent of the Student Council, the Vice-President of Campus Affairs and the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs;
    7. Appoint, with the advice and consent of the Student Council, the Executive Assistant of the President;
    8. Appoint, by Executive Order, a Senior Cabinet Advisor, who shall be chosen at large from the Student Body to advise the President on all student matters;
    9. Appoint, by Executive Order, any number of Special Assistants and Advisors to assist with the duties of the Student Body President;
    10. Be jointly responsible with the Graduate Student Government President for the management and oversight of the Administrative Assistant and any student assistants;
    11. Preside over the Advisory;
    12. Monthly meet with the Executive Cabinet;
    13. Annually award up to fifty (50) Presidential Citations to outstanding members and organizations of the Georgia Tech community;
    14. Perform all duties and responsibilities as outlined in documents superior in authority to the Constitution of the Undergraduate Student Government.
  4. DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT
    The Executive Vice-President shall:
    1. Act as the ex-officio chair of the Student Council;
    2. Assist the President in all appointments;
    3. Coordinate the Undergraduate Student Council retreats, training sessions, and social functions;
    4. Be charged with fostering a cohesive working unit within the Student Council with assistance from the Internal Development Committee;
    5. Produce a report to be included in the Annual report;
    6. Aid the President in administrative duties as necessary.
  5. DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF CAMPUS AFFAIRS
    The Vice-President of Campus Affairs shall:
    1. Report to the President and serve as the President’s advisor on student life issues;
    2. Chair the Campus Affairs Board and coordinate all the efforts of committees placed under his or her authority;
    3. Produce a written weekly report of committee updates and any additional information as the Vice-President of Campus Affairs sees necessary;
    4. Maintain an official record of all the reports and minutes of committees placed under his or her authority;
    5. Receive all grievances concerning student life and channel them to the appropriate committees;
    6. Produce a report to be included in the Annual Report; It shall include committee reports and a report of the year's expenditures;
    7. Aid the President in administrative duties as necessary.
  6. DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS
    The Vice-President of Administrative Affairs shall:
    1. Report to the President and serve as the President’s advisor on administrative issues;
    2. Chair the Administrative Affairs Board and coordinate all the efforts of committees placed under his or her authority;
    3. Produce a written weekly report of committee updates and any additional information as the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs sees necessary;
    4. Maintain an official record of all the reports and minutes of committees placed under his or her authority;
    5. Receive all grievances concerning non-student-life issues and channel them to the appropriate committees;
    6. Produce a report to be included in the Annual Report; It shall include committee reports and a report of the year's expenditures;
    7. Aid the President in administrative duties as necessary.
  7. DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
    The Executive Assistant to the President shall:
    1. Serve as the principal advisor to the President;
    2. Coordinate the application process for student appointments, and maintain a record of the appointees and position descriptions;
    3. Assist the President in compiling and writing the Annual Report;
    4. Be the primary spokesperson for the President;
    5. Aid the President in administrative duties as necessary which do not regard creating policy.

SECTION 3. COMMITTEES AND BOARDS

  1. DUTIES OF COMMITTEE CHAIRS
    Each Committee Chair shall:
    1. Be appointed by the Student Body President with the advice and consent of the Student Council;
    2. Submit a written membership list, organization of purposes, and objectives of each committee to the Student Body President and the Student Council by the third (3rd) Tuesday of each semester;
    3. Maintain exact written records of all committee business on file in the Student Government Office;
    4. Be responsible for keeping the roll and the minutes of all committee meetings;
    5. Submit a written semester report to the Student Body President and the Student Council summarizing the previous semester's activities at the first meeting of each semester;
    6. Submit a written annual report to the Vice-President they report to and the Student Council, which shall include all semester reports and minutes of the department or committee meetings;
    7. Along with the officers, be a part of the Executive Cabinet.
  2. CAMPUS AFFAIRS BOARD
    The Vice-President of Campus Affairs and all chairs of ad-hoc or standing committees placed under his or her authority shall constitute the Campus Affairs Board. The Campus Affairs Board shall meet weekly for general organization and strategic planning concerning student life issues.
  3. The following standing committees shall be placed under the authority of the Vice-President of Campus Affairs and shall be charged with the duties and responsibilities stated herewith:
    1. Academic Affairs - shall be concerned with the priorities of Georgia Tech in providing a quality academic environment for the students and work with the faculty and administration on matters pertinent to academic affairs.
    2. Athletic and Recreational Services - shall be responsible for representing student concerns regarding varsity athletics and campus recreation to the Administration and the Georgia Tech Athletic Association. The committee shall also be responsible for coordinating available block seating for athletic events.
    3. Campus Services- ensures that the needs and interests of students pertaining to campus services (i.e. Bursar’s Office, the Health Center, Financial Aid, etc.) are conveyed to the Administration.
    4. Cultural Affairs - shall seek to heighten the participation and inclusiveness of all parts of the Student Body, and to increase understanding within our diverse student population.
    5. Parking, Transportation and Facilities- ensures that the needs and interests of students pertaining to campus safety, construction, roads, transportation, and parking are conveyed to the Administration.
    6. Planning and Development- ensures that the needs and interests of students pertaining to the planning of on-campus and off-campus services and buildings are conveyed to the Administration and other external entities.
  4. ADMINISTRATIVE AFFAIRS BOARD
    The Vice-President of Administrative Affairs and all chairs of ad-hoc or standing committees placed under his or her authority shall constitute the Administrative Affairs Board. The Administrative Affairs Board shall meet weekly for general organization and strategic planning.
  5. The following standing committees shall be placed under the authority of the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs and shall be charged with the duties and responsibilities stated herewith:
    1. Course Critique- shall compile information on, write and distribute a "Course Critique" review of all courses at Georgia Tech and all student evaluations of professors.
    2. Elections Committee - shall announce, organize, and carry out Student Government elections. The committee shall also review the Elections Code and all language in all documents pertaining to Elections annually and submit necessary amendments to the Student Council for approval before the end of the Fall Semester.
      1. The Elections Committee shall have seven (7) voting members and a Chair.
      2. The Chair shall be non-voting and shall have no voice in discussion in cases concerning elections code violations, unless there is a tie, in which case the Chair shall vote to break the tie.
      3. The members of Elections Committee shall be appointed by the Student Body President with the advice and consent of the Student Council.
      4. The Elections Committee shall be constituted in the following manner:
        1. No person has served as a voting member of the Elections Committee shall be eligible to run for any elections position in Undergraduate Student Government for a period of one year following the beginning of his or her term on Elections Committee.
        2. In cases brought before the Elections Committee, the defendant may unseat as many as two (2) members, (the Chair can not be struck); a quorum of five (5) members and the Chair must remain.
      5. The committee shall, with the assistance of the Advocate General, conduct investigations into Elections Code violations.
      6. The committee shall hear cases of Elections Code violations and pass judgment on the accused. Candidates shall have the right to appeal a disqualification decision to the Judiciary Cabinet. Severe cases of Elections Code violations may be referred to the Judiciary Cabinet for action upon a majority vote of the Election Committee members present.
      7. The Elections Committee shall send minutes of each committee meeting and the Elections Code to the Judicial Cabinet as soon as they are produced.
      8. The Elections Committee shall be responsible for giving a verbal explanation of the Election Code to the Judiciary Cabinet at least annually and whenever the Elections Code has been modified.
      9. The committee shall inform the Student Council of the positions available once the apportionment calculation has been done for an election.
      10. The committee shall inform the Student Council of the names of the candidates for each position once all applications have been received.
    3. Governmental and External Affairs - shall be responsible for coordinating efforts to inform all municipal, local, state, and federal governments of the needs of the Student Body. The committee shall act as a liaison to all bodies external to the Georgia Institute of Technology. A subcommittee will also be formed to provide a means to register students who are interested in obtaining voting privileges in the State of Georgia.
    4. Information Technology- shall maintain and make recommendations for the necessary improvement of all information technology used in the Student Government Office. The committee shall also coordinate efforts with the Public Relations Committee to disseminate information through electronic means.
    5. Internal Development - shall advise the officers and the Student Council on matters of internal interest, policy, and procedure, and formulate a long-term plan for the Undergraduate Student Government, and shall assist in the development of all Student Government members. The committee shall also manage all referendums for changes to the Constitution.
      1. An Advocate General, who may or may not be the Chair of the Internal Development Committee, shall be appointed by the Student Body President with the advice and consent of the Student Council.
      2. The Advocate General shall be authority in the Executive Branch on the interpretation of the Bylaws and Constitution of the Undergraduate Student Government.
      3. The Advocate General shall be responsible for representing the opinion of the Executive Branch in all hearings of judicial bodies.
    6. Public Relations - shall market the Undergraduate Student Government to the Georgia Tech community by publicizing its activities and shall have general authority over all publications of the Undergraduate Student Government. The committee shall increase student awareness and understanding of Student Government by disseminating all official Undergraduate Student Government information to the public.
  6. JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES
    1. Joint Finance Committee - shall review and recommend to the Undergraduate Student Council and the Graduate Student Senate the annual appropriation (budget) of student activity fees. The committee shall also review requests and make recommendations to the Undergraduate Student Council and Graduate Student Senate concerning bills and special allocations of student activity fees.
      1. The Joint Finance Committee shall have ten members.
      2. The Joint Finance Committee shall be constituted in the following manner:
        1. Apportionment of seats between graduate undergraduate members shall be determined by the following formulas: Number of possible seats x percentage of undergraduate students in the total Institute enrollment = x, the number of undergraduate seats. Number of possible seats - x = Number of graduate seats.
        2. Enrollment figures for the purpose of apportionment shall be determined based on Fall Quarter enrollment.
        3. Ratio figures of exactly one-half or higher shall be rounded up.
        4. The Chairperson of the Joint Finance Committee shall hold one of the possible seats within his or her classification as undergraduate or graduate.
      3. The Treasurer of the Student Council shall hold one of the Undergraduate positions.
      4. The Undergraduate members of the Joint Finance Committee shall be appointed by the Student Body President with the advice and consent of the Student Council. The Graduate members of the Joint Finance Committee shall be appointed by the President of the Graduate Student Senate.
      5. The Joint Finance Committee shall meet within seven (7) days after a financial bill has been introduced to the Student Council for the purpose of considering the bill.
    2. Joint Campus Organizations Committee - shall be responsible for administering the chartering, review, and necessary revocation of student organizations. The committee shall be charged with maintaining all Student Government policies concerning student organization charters, and shall serve as an initial means for resolving disputes concerning the interpretation of any student organization constitution.
      1. The Joint Campus Organizations Committee shall be placed under the authority of the Vice-President of Administrative Affairs.
      2. Student organizations shall have the right to appeal a decision of the Joint Campus Organizations Committee to the Judiciary Cabinet.

SECTION 4. APPOINTMENTS TO EXTERNAL BODIES

  1. Any student shall be eligible for membership on a body external to the Student Government provided he or she meets the requirements for student membership on the committee as specified in the Statutes of the Georgia Institute of Technology.
  2. In accordance with the Statutes of the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Student Body President shall appoint all undergraduate representatives to bodies external to the Student Government with the advice and consent of the Student Council. In cases where an undergraduate or graduate student may serve as the representative to a body external to the Student Government, the Undergraduate Student Body President and Graduate Student Senate President shall decide who should make which appointments in a fair manner.
  3. The Student Body President, at the first Student Council meeting of Fall Semester, shall inform the Student Council of all General Faculty and Academic Senate Committees eligible for student representation as defined in the Statutes. Student representatives shall serve for one year (Fall to the next Fall) or until they are removed or their successors are installed.
  4. Any undergraduate student serving on a body external to the Student Government shall submit a written semester report to the Student Body President and to the Student Council concerning their activities as members of the committee.
  5. IMPEACHMENT AND REMOVAL FROM JUDICIAL BODIES
    If any student member of the Student Grievances and Appeals Committee of the Academic Faculty, the Student Honor Committee of the Academic Faculty, Intellectual Property Committee of the Administration, or the Parking Appeals Board neglects his or her duties, is convicted of a violation of the Student Conduct Code, or is accused of action which is detrimental to the interests of the Student Body, impeachment charges may be brought against him or her by a three-fifth (3/5) vote of the entire Student Council. If impeachment charges are brought against said official, a hearing shall be held by the Student Council. The Executive Vice-President shall chair the hearing proceedings, and a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the entire Student Council shall be necessary to remove said official from office.

SECTION 5. GOVERNING BOARDS

  1. The Governing Boards established by the Student Council shall function as independent organizations from the Student Council.
  2. The chair of each Governing Board shall submit a written report to the Student Body President each semester concerning the activities, operations, and a financing of the Governing Board.
  3. The Governing Boards shall consist of the following:
    1. Board of Student Publications - is charged with the control of student publications that are supported directly by appropriations of student activity fees.
    2. Radio Communications Board - is charged with the control of the Georgia Tech student FM radio station, WREK.
    3. Student Center Governing Board - is charged with the responsibility for the development, financing, and administration of Student Center programs that serve the cultural, recreational, and social interests of the Georgia Tech community.
    4. Student Athletic Complex Governing Board- is charged with the responsibility for the development, financing, and administration of Student Athletic Complex programs that serve the athletic, recreational, and social interests of the Georgia Tech community.
    5. Panhellenic Council - shall have the power to mandate and to coordinate scholastic, social, and recreational activities and standards among the Georgia Tech sororities. Further, it shall represent the women's fraternity system at the Georgia Institute of Technology to the administration, faculty, and the entire Georgia Tech community. In compliance with, and in addition to, policies and regulations set by the Georgia Institute of Technology and by the Undergraduate Student Government, the Panhellenic Council shall be accorded the right to set and exercise policies concerning sorority expansion at Georgia Tech, as well as to review and recommend disciplinary sanctions concerning cases involving the nonacademic misconduct of members of sorority chapters at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
    6. InterFraternity Council - shall have the power to mandate and to coordinate scholastic, social, and recreational activities and standards among the Georgia Tech fraternities. Further, it shall represent the fraternity system at the Georgia Institute of Technology to the administration, faculty, and the entire Georgia Tech community. In compliance with, and in addition to, policies and regulations set by the Georgia Institute of Technology and by the Undergraduate Student Government, the InterFraternity Council shall be accorded the right to set and exercise policies concerning fraternity expansion at Georgia Tech, as well as to review and recommend disciplinary sanctions concerning cases involving the nonacademic misconduct of members of fraternity chapters at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
    7. Residence Hall Association - shall provide the cultural and social atmosphere beneficial to those who reside in Georgia Tech housing. It shall also encourage participation in extracurricular activities, assist the Housing Department in improving living conditions, and represent the interests of Georgia Tech Housing residents.
    8. Family Housing Council- shall provide the social and cultural atmosphere beneficial to those residing in Family Housing. It shall also encourage participation in extracurricular activities, assist the Housing Department in improving living conditions, and represent the interests of Family Housing residents.
      Sports Club Council- shall represent student interests and recommend guidelines for the efficient operation of sports clubs at Georgia Tech.
    9. Intramural Advisory Board - shall represent student interests, recommend guidelines, and advise the intramural director in coordinating intramural activities for the Georgia Tech community.
  4. The Undergraduate Student Body President and the Graduate Student Senate President shall appoint, according to the procedures for the appointment of joint standing committee chairs as outlined in Article V, Section 9 of the Constitution, one student to serve as a Governing Board Liaison to and a voting member on the Radio Communications Board for one full academic year or until they are removed or their successors are chosen:
  5. The Student Body President, with the advice and consent of the Student Council, shall appoint students during Spring Semester to serve as Governing Board Liaisons to the following governing boards for one full academic year or until they are removed or their successors are chosen:
    1. One (1) student, who shall also be a voting member of the board, to the Board of Student Publications;
    2. Two (2) students, who shall also be voting members of the board, to the Student Center Governing Board;
    3. One (1) student, who shall also be a voting member of the board, to the Student Athletic Complex Governing Board;
    4. One (1) student to the Residence Hall Association;
    5. One (1) student to the Family Housing Council;
    6. One (1) student to the InterFraternity Council;
    7. One (1) student to the Panhellenic Council;
    8. One (1) student to the Sports Club Council;
    9. One (1) student, who shall also be a voting member of the board, to the Intramural Advisory Board.
  6. Students appointed as Governing Board Liaisons are expected to foster communication between Undergraduate Student Government and the respective board on which they are serving by keeping both groups updated on the other's important activities and announcements.
  7. G. All additional governing boards established by the Student Council shall be included in these Bylaws.

SECTION 6. ADVISORY

  1. The purpose of the Advisory is to foster communication between the highest officers of the Executive and Legislative branches of Student Government, to advise the President, and to formulate strategic plans for the Student Government.
  2. The Student Body President shall organize and chair the meetings of the Advisory.
  3. The Undergraduate Student Government Advisory shall be composed of the:
    1. Executive Vice-President;
    2. Vice-President of Finance
    3. Vice-President of Campus Affairs
    4. Vice-President of Administrative Affairs
    5. Secretary;
    6. Treasurer;
    7. Executive Assistant to the President
    8. Senior Cabinet Advisor
    9. President of the Freshman Class;
    10. President of the Sophomore Class;
    11. President of the Junior Class;
    12. President of the Senior Class;
    13. Member-at-Large representatives.
  4. The Graduate Student Senate Coordinator and the Advisor of the Undergraduate Student Council shall both be non-voting ex-officio members of the Advisory.
  5. In the event that a person becomes eligible to fill two (2) positions on the Advisory, the person will choose between the positions and the Student Body President shall decide how the remaining position will be filled.
  6. The Advisory shall hold meetings each Tuesday of the semester, before the regular Student Council meeting.
  7. The Advisory shall:
    1. Review upcoming legislation and make recommendations to the President concerning such legislation as appropriate;
    2. Advise each other on matters not particularly affected by any specific legislation;
    3. Discuss the plans and goals of both branches, and formulate necessary action to reach these goals;
    4. Serve as the appeals board for a Student Council member expulsion due to absences.
      1. The Advisory shall consider a Student Council member’s contribution to Student Government if a member is reviewed for absences from meetings.
      2. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of Advisory shall be necessary to reinstate a member.

SECTION 7. ELECTIONS CODE

  1. The Elections Code shall specify regulations and procedures for student elections.
  2. The Elections Code shall include all necessary sections of the Constitution and these Bylaws that pertain to student elections. The Code shall also include all effective legislation passed by the Student Council that pertains to student elections.

SECTION 8. EXECUTIVE AGREEMENTS

  1. The executive branches of the Graduate Student Government and the Undergraduate Student Government may draft executive agreements.
  2. These executive agreements shall become effective when ratified by both the Student Council and the Graduate Senate by a 2/3 vote.
  3. Executive agreements may be revoked only by a joint 2/3 vote of both legislative bodies.
  4. Executive agreements shall serve with the powers of Bylaws. They will serve to compliment both the Undergraduate Student Government Constitution and the Graduate Student Senate Constitution.


ARTICLE IV. JUDICIAL BRANCH

SECTION 1. CODE OF ETHICS

  1. A Justice's official behavior should be beyond reproach and free from impropriety- No case or pending case before any court should be mentioned, commented upon, or discussed in any manner by any Justice (or by anyone under his or her direction or authority) except when the court itself is sitting to consider the case.
  2. No Justice should judge any case or pending case except when sitting as a member of a court to hear and consider the case.
  3. A Justice should be fair and just, and should not be swayed by partisan demands, public outcry or consideration of a person's popularity.
  4. A Justice shall disqualify himself or herself from a case which might justify the inference that a party could improperly influence him or her to unduly rule in that party’s favor.
  5. A judiciary body may give an advisory opinion, at its sole discretion, on issues not before any other judiciary body. Such opinions should not be binding on the party making the request.
  6. Proceedings of the courts should be conducted with fitting dignity and decorum and should reflect the importance and seriousness of the hearing.


ARTICLE V. ADVISORS

SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCHES

The Dean of Students of Georgia Tech shall be the ex-officio faculty advisor of the Student Council and the Executive Branch.

SECTION 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH

The Chief Student Judicial Officer of Georgia Tech shall be the ex-officio faculty advisor of the Judiciary Cabinet.