UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY

Student Senate Constitution

We, the students of the University of Detroit Mercy, members of an institution based on teaching and learning, education for values, preparation for services, and growth of persons, in order to express our attitudes and intentions concerning the intellectual, spiritual, social, and physical development of students of the University of Detroit Mercy, to strengthen the unity of purpose among students, faculty, administrators, and staff, and to uphold the values established in the University of Detroit Mercy’s mission statement therefore proclaim and establish this constitution of the University of Detroit Mercy Student Senate, McNichols Chapter.

Article 1

Name

The official name of this organization shall be "The University of Detroit Mercy Student Senate, McNichols Chapter," which shall be referred to henceforth as the "Student Senate."

Article II

Enumeration of Purpose and Rights

Section 1
  1. The purpose of the Student Senate is to be responsive to the needs of the students, to provide and guarantee rights and integrity, be open to and express students’ views to the administration, and ensure that fair distribution of the Student Activity Fee.
  2. The Student Senate shall achieve its purposes by giving students the opportunity to express their views, serve as the official link between the student body and the administration, and ensure that all Student Activity Fee funds are distributed in an open, unbiased, and fair manner through public meetings.
  3. The Student Senate shall do anything deemed necessary and proper by the Student Senate for the benefit of the student body within the mission of the University of Detroit Mercy.
  4. The Student Senate shall abide by all University policies and procedures.
  5. The President of the University of Detroit Mercy shall have final word on all actions taken by the Student Senate.
    6.

Section 2
  1. The Student Senate shall recognize the right of the student body to assemble in organizations that promote the interests of the organization and enhance the student body’s experience, concurrently promoting the University as a positive influence in the community.
  2. The Student Senate shall recognize the right of the student body to present their opinions in a timely and prescribed fashion that shall have direct impact on student life.
  3. The Student Senate shall not take any action that discriminates on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, ancestral heritage, gender, age, or mental or physical handicap. The Student Senate pledges to grant fairness and equity in the treatment to all students and student organizations in any action or activity planned and/or implemented by the Student Senate.
    4.

 

 

 

Article III

Membership

Section 1
  1. All University of Detroit Mercy students enrolled can be included in the membership of the Student Senate.
    2.

Section 2
  1. The moderator of the Student Senate shall be representative from the Office of Student Life.
    2.

Article IV

The Student Senate

Section 1
  1. The regular officers of the Student Senate shall include President, Programming Board Chair, Vice President of Finance, Secretary, Vice President of Mission and Religious Values, and Vice President of Public Relations.
  2. These officers shall constitute the Executive Board.
    3.

Section 2
  1. There shall be at least eleven (11) University Representatives for college and group positions and an unlimited amount of Representatives at Large.
    2.

Section 3
  1. The special interest representatives of the Student Senate shall include one (1) of each of the following: Resident representative, Commuter representative, Minority representative, and International representative.
  2. The Resident representative shall live on McNichols campus.
  3. The Commuter representative shall not live on campus.
  4. The College representatives should be defined as anyone who has legally declared a major in their corresponding area of study.
  5. The Minority representative shall be a minority student as defined University policy.
  6. The International representative shall be an international student as deemed by University policy.
    7.

Section 4
  1. There shall be five (5) standing committees: Finance committee, Public Relations committee, Programming Committee, Charities committee, and Mission and Religious Values committee.
    2.

Section 5
  1. All students who serve in an elected capacity by the student body to the Student Senate shall henceforth be referred to cumulatively as "Senators" and individually as "Senator."
    2.

Section 6
  1. The term of office for each of the Senators shall begin the day after the elections are culminated, or the day of the appointment, to the following April election.
    2.

Article V

Duties of Officers

Section 1 – President

The President shall preside at all general meetings, vote only in the event of a tie, prepare the final agenda, post the agenda twenty-four (24) hours in advance of all meetings, appoint a temporary secretary if necessary, appoint all committees and committee chairs, appoint, define, and abolish all Ad Hoc committees, have the power to call and cancel meetings, serve as the Student Representative on the Alumni Association Board of Directors meetings when held, and serve as one of the Representatives at the Board of Trustees meetings.

Section 2 – Programming Board Chair

The Programming Board Chair shall assume the powers of the President in his/her absence, chair the Programming Committee, and serve as one of the representatives at the Board of Trustees meetings.

Section 3 – Vice President of Finance

The Vice President of Finance shall keep the financial records of Senate, file a financial statement, including the date of the report, credits, debits, and new balance with the minutes, report in weekly senate meetings, chair the Finance committee, and serve as one of the Representatives on the Board of Trustees meetings.

Section 4 – Secretary

The Secretary shall record all minutes of all meetings, post the minutes twenty-four (24) hours before the next general meeting, include bookkeeping in minutes, keep a file of all committee reports, keep an updated membership list, keep an accurate list of attendance, inform all Senators of meetings, chair the Charities committee, and serve as one of the Representatives at the Board of Trustees meetings.

Section 5 – VP of Mission and Religious Values

The Vice President of Mission and Religious Values shall ensure that the workings of Student Senate are always in accordance with the mission and religious values of the university, update Student Senate of any mission and religious value events, and conduct all committee meetings.

Section 6 – VP of Public Relations

The Vice President of Public Relations will hold PR meetings, make sure that Student Senate meetings are adequately advertised, and work in association with all other committees to properly advertise their events.

Section 7 – Senators

Each senator shall attend all general meetings, hold at least one (1) hour of office time per school week during his/her term in office, serve on at least one (1) standing committee, prepare and file a summary report upon the culmination of his/her term in office, participate in all mandatory Senate events, and assure that the views of his/her constituency are voiced.

Article VI

Committees

Section 1 – General Procedures
    1. A Senator shall chair all standing committees.
    2. The total number of Senators on all committees, standing or Ad Hoc, shall be at least one (1), with the exception of the chair.
    3. Attendance policies of standing and Ad Hoc committees shall be set at the discretion of the committee chair.
    4. The Student Senate shall amend any committee’s decision with two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote of those Senators present.
    5. Senators will be encouraged to wear Student Senate attire or business casual wear to all meetings.
      6.

Section 2 – Programming Board (see additional constitution)
  1. The Student Senate shall have a Programming Board.
  2. The Programming Board chair shall direct the Programming Board.
  3. The Programming Board shall be comprised accordingly.
  4. The SPB shall be responsible for planning and organizing all campus-wide events with the Student Activity Fee funds allocated to the SPB.
  5. The SPB shall operate and abide by the by-laws set by the SPB, and approved by the Student Senate.
    6.

Section 3 – Finance Committee
  1. The Student Senate shall have a Finance committee.
  2. The Vice President of Finance shall chair the Finance committee.
  3. The Finance committee shall be comprised accordingly.
  4. The Finance committee shall not include more than two (2) members from the same organization, excluding the Student Senate.
  5. The Finance committee shall determine the participants and procedures of the SenSOG program.
  6. The Finance committee shall operate and abide by the established guidelines for the student organization funding.
    7.

Section 4 – Public Relations Committee
  1. The Student Senate shall have a Public Relations committee.
  2. The VP of PR shall chair the Public Relations committee.
  3. The Public Relations committee shall be comprised accordingly.
  4. The Public Relations committee shall be responsible for all reasonable publicity of all Student Senate sponsored events, public notice for all meetings as outlined in this constitution, the update of the Senate posting areas, and any other action that the Student Senate deems necessary.
  5. The Public Relations committee shall operate and abide by the by-laws set by the Public Relations committee and approved by the Student Senate.
    6.

Section 5 – Charities Committee
  1. The Student Senate shall have a Charities committee.
  2. Any E-Board member shall chair the Charities committee.
  3. The Charities committee shall be comprised accordingly.
  4. The Charities committee shall meet as needed determined by the chair.
  5. The Charities committee shall be responsible for the coordination of at least two (2) charitable events participated in by the Student Senate per term.
    6.

 

Section 6 – Mission and Religious Values Committee

1. The Student Senate shall have a Mission and Religious Values committee.

  1. The VP of Mission and Religious Values will chair the Mission and Religious Values committee.
  2. The Mission and Religious Values committee shall be comprised accordingly.
  3. The Mission and Religious Values committee shall meet as needed determined by the chair.
  4. The Mission and Religious Values committee will be responsible for the informing of Senate of all related events as well as keeping the inner-workings of Senate in accordance with the University’s mission and religious values.

Article VII

Ad Hoc Committees

Section 1 – General Procedures
  1. A Senator appointed by the President on an as needed basis shall chair all Ad Hoc committees.
  2. The total number of Senators on Ad Hoc committees shall be at least one (1) with the exception of the chair.
  3. Attendance policies of the Ad Hoc committees shall be set at the discretion of the committee chair.
  4. The Student Senate shall amend any committee’s decision with a two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote of those Senators present.
  5. The President at the discretion of the Ad Hoc committee chair shall table ad Hoc committees.
    6.

Section 2 – Elections Committee
  1. The Student Senate shall have an election committee.
  2. The president shall appoint the chair of the Elections committee.
  3. The Election committee shall be comprised of all Senators not wishing to run in the election and any non-Senators not running in the election.
  4. The Election committee shall be responsible for coordinating, publicizing, and consummating all elections and any student opinion polls deemed necessary by the Student Senate of this constitution.
  5. The Election committee shall establish guidelines per election approved by the Senate with a two-thirds (2/3)-majority vote.
    6.

Section 3 – Constitution Committee
  1. The Student Senate shall have a Constitution committee.
  2. A Senator appointed by the President shall chair the Constitution committee.
  3. The Constitution committee shall be comprised accordingly.
  4. The Constitution committee shall be responsible for reviewing, changing, and rewriting the Constitution of the Student Senate no less than two (2) times every two (2) years.
  5. The Constitution committee shall establish a revised/rewritten Constitution approved by the Student Senate through a signed ratification statement by all Senators.
    6.

 

 

Article VIII

Rules and Procedures

Section 1
  1. All general meetings of the Student Senate shall be announced twenty-four (24) hours in advance to the student body and shall be open for public viewing, with an exception of closed sessions.
  2. All general meetings shall be conducted under Parliamentary Procedure.
    3.

Section 2
  1. Two (2) members of the Executive Board and representation from half of the filled seats on the Student Senate shall constitute a quorum.
    2.

Section 3
  1. The Student Senate shall meet in general session at least once every seven-(7) school days during the fall and winter terms.
    2.

Section 4
  1. The following agenda shall be followed at all general meetings: call to order, moment of reflection, role call, officers reports, committee reports, special orders, correspondence, unfinished business, new business, announcements, open floor, advisor, and adjournment.
    2.

Section 5
  1. All standing and Ad Hoc committees shall file committee Report Forms (CRF’s) as outlined in this constitution.
  2. CRF’s shall include a complete list of committee members, date(s) of the meeting(s), the accomplishments of the meeting(s), the date the report was filed, and the committee chair’s signature.
    3.

Section 6
  1. A Senator shall produce a, electronic, verbal, or written note with a valid excuse to the Student Senate office twenty-four (24) hours in advance of a general meeting if he/she cannot attend. Upon his/her absence, they will be charged with an excused absence. In the event of a personal emergency, a notice can be given verbally, electronically, or in written form to an Executive board Senator within forty-eight (48) hours after the absence. The absence will be excused at the discretion of a majority vote of the Student Senate.
  2. Class, school, sports, medical excuses, poor weather, hazardous road conditions, or occupations shall constitute as valid excuses.
  3. All absences from general meetings without valid excuse shall constitute as an unexcused absence.
  4. Two (2) unexcused absences during one school year are grounds for removal from office.
  5. Three (3) excused absences shall constitute one (1) unexcused absence.
    6.

Section 7
  1. Any Senator who arrives ten (10) minutes after the scheduled start time to the meeting shall be charged with a tardy. Any Senator who leaves a meeting with ten (10) minutes or more left in the meeting shall be penalized in the same way.
  2. Three (3) tardies shall equal one (1) excused absence.
    3.

Section 8
  1. All Senators shall be protected from verbal and physical abuse among fellow Senators.
    2.

Section 9
  1. All official records of the Student Senate shall be made available for public viewing.
    2.

Section 10
  1. The Student Senate shall adopt by-laws, which shall include guidelines of forms enumerated by this Constitution and rules of procedures not outlined in this Constitution before the fourth general meeting of the school year.
    2.

Article IX

Elections

Section 1
  1. Elections for the Student Senate shall be held anytime during the month of April.
  2. A special election for the freshman representative and any vacant seats shall be held during the month of September.
  3. Elections shall be held on an as needed basis.