ASSU Documentation

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====== Article II: US Organization ======

===== Section 1: Composition =====

==== A. US Districts ====
Members of the US shall be elected at-large from the undergraduate student population. The 15 candidates with the highest cumulative vote totals shall be the new members of the US.

==== B. US Elections ====
     - All members of the US shall be elected either in the spring quarter general election or in a special election.
     - This election cycle must be complete before May 15 of each year.
     - The Elections Policies shall lay out the procedures and timelines for US elections.

==== C. Term of Office ====
     - After the US election results are certified by the US, the US and the US Elect shall meet jointly at the next meeting of the US, which shall be the last meeting of the US. The US Elect shall not have voting privileges at this meeting.
     - At the conclusion of the joint meeting, the Chair of the US shall call for a motion to permanently adjourn this session of the US. The passing of such a motion marks the end of the term of office of the members of the US.
     - The new Vice President of the Association shall administer the oath of office to the new members of the US. The swearing in may occur at any time from the moment of the conclusion of the joint meeting to the moment before the convening of the first meeting of the new US. The swearing in of the new members of the US shall mark the start of the term of office of the new members of the US.
     - At the first meeting of the US, the Vice President of the Association shall call the meeting to order, and then the elected members of the US shall select a Chair. The Vice President shall then, at his discretion, pass control of the US floor to the newly elected US Chair.

==== D. Meeting Attendance Regulations ====
     - In the event that any member of the US misses three meetings in a quarter, a bill for expulsion must be presented to the US at the meeting(s) following the third absence. For each absence thereafter, a bill for expulsion may be presented at the discretion of the US Chair.
     - In the event that any member of the US misses more than 50% of the duration of a scheduled US meeting, this non-attendance shall be counted as one absence. The Deputy Chair of the US will determine the non-attendance at the completion of each US meeting.
     - In the event that any member of the US misses three scheduled meetings of a Standing Committee in a quarter of which s/he is a member, the Chair of the Committee shall inform the Standing Committee at the meeting of the third absence, at which point the majority of the Standing Committee present and voting may opt to:
        - Present a bill of expulsion to the US at the US meeting following the third absence from a Standing Committee meeting.
        - Present a bill of reassignment to the US at the US meeting following the third absence from a Standing Committee meeting.
        - Present a bill of censure to the US at the US meeting following the third absence from a Standing Committee meeting.
        - Take no action against the delinquent member of the Committee.
     - Other grounds for removal shall remain at the discretion of the US and a bill for expulsion may be presented.
     - A //bill of reassignment// shall be defined as a bill that intends to alter the membership of a Standing Committee by a 2/3 vote, as stated in Article II, Section 3, Subsection J.2.c of the Constitution.


===== Section 2: Officers =====

==== A. President of the US ====
The Vice President of the Association shall serve as the President of the US.

==== B. Chair ====
     - Shall call, set agendas for, and preside over all regular meetings of the US, unless s/he has designated another elected member of the US to perform these tasks.
     - Chair has secondary signing authority.
     - Shall serve as a representative of the US on the Executive Committee.
     - Must be an elected member of the US.
     - Shall be chosen by a majority vote.
     - May be removed by a 2/3 vote, provided that previous notice has been given.
     - Shall maintain and make available current copies of the By-Laws and Policies of the US.
     - Shall have those other duties specified in the Constitution, the Association By-Laws, and these By-Laws.
     - May be paid a salary, as specified in the operating budget.

==== C. Deputy Chair ====
     - Shall have secondary signing authority for the US accounts.
     - Shall serve as a representative of the US on the Executive Committee.
     - Must be an elected member of the US.
     - Shall be chosen by a majority vote.
     - May be removed by a 2/3 vote, provided that previous notice has been given.
     - Shall have those other duties specified in the Constitution, the Association By-Laws, and these US By-Laws.
     - May be paid a salary, as specified in the operating budget.

==== D. Treasurer ====
     - Shall have primary signing authority for the US accounts. Shall be ultimately responsible for the US accounts.
     - Shall be ultimately responsible for drafting the US budget and keeping track of US finances.
     - Must be an elected member of the US.
     - Shall be chosen by a majority vote.
     - May be removed by a 2/3 vote, provided that previous notice has been given.
     - Shall have the power to call ad hoc meetings with a financial representative of each committee.
     - Shall approve check requests
     - Shall monitor US spending and .provide financial advice to the US.
     - Shall have those other duties specified in the Constitution, the Association By-Laws, and these US By-Laws.

==== E. Secretary ====
     - Shall be responsible for keeping accurate minutes of all US meetings, and making them publicly available.
     - Shall not be an elected officer of the association.
     - Shall be nominated by the outgoing Secretary and confirmed by a majority vote of the incoming US.
     - May be removed by a majority vote of the US.
     - Shall have those other duties specified by the US.
     - May be paid a salary, as specified in the operating budget.

==== F. Other ====
The US shall have the power to appoint other officers, with whatever requirements and duties are appropriate. Such other officers may be paid a salary, as specified in either the operating or programming budgets of the US.


===== Section 3: US Meetings =====

==== A. Fair Criteria of Meetings ====
     - The meeting must be held on a space, whether virtual or actual, accessible by all participants, including members of the general public as required.
     - The meeting participants must be able to communicate and hold discussion in realtime, both with other participants and the moderator.
     - All documents presented at the meeting must be made available to all participants at the meeting, in real-time.
     - For meetings held in a virtual space, mechanisms must exist for all functions that are conducted in real spaces. These mechanisms include, but are not limited to, means to establish roll call, motions, voting tabulation, and meeting records.
     - All motions to table a bill must be honored for all virtual meetings

==== B. Frequency ====
The US shall meet at least once each week during the academic year, excluding dead week and finals week.


===== Section 4: US Committees =====

==== A. Membership ====
     - Any member of the US may attend any meeting of any US Committee. The President and Vice President of the Association shall be ex-officio members of each US Committee.
     - Every US Committee shall have the power to admit additional ex-officio members to its ranks, but not to the US proper. Such additional members shall not have a vote in the US Committees.

==== B. Meetings ====
     - Because US Committees are responsible for propelling the business of the US, Committee Chairs shall announce committee meetings to each member of the US.
     - Upon the request of two members of the US, the Chair of a US Committee shall call a special meeting.
     - Complete records of all actions taken by a US Committee during committee meetings shall be made available to the US.
     - Special joint meetings of two or more US Committees may be called by the Chairs of the concerned committees, or upon the request of two members of the US.

==== C. Powers and Composition of US Committees ====
     - Except as otherwise noted in the Constitution, these By-Laws, or Acts of the US, all substantive actions of a US Committees shall take the form of recommendations to the US.
     - Each US Committee shall choose a Chair from among the members of the US on the Committee.
     - If a committee chooses to do so, depending on the responsibilities that cannot be fulfilled by one chair, it may choose to appoint a deputy chair.
       - The Deputy chair must be chosen from among members of the committee excluding the committee chair.
       - The Deputy chair of the committee may not serve as Deputy Chair or Chair of another committee.

==== D. US Committees ====
     - Student Life, Housing, and Education
       - Shall review all matters pertaining to undergraduate University residences and issues dealing with residential education.
       - Shall review all matters that concern ASSU programming.
       - Shall review all matters pertaining to undergraduate education and requirements.
       - Shall review matters pertaining to undergraduate research policies and activities.
       - Shall review matters pertaining to the business and composition of the Academic Council.
       - Shall participate in and facilitate discussion between student representatives of the various University committees pertaining to undergraduate education.
       - Shall review academic support services pertaining to undergraduate education including, but not limited to, the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Undergraduate Advising Program, and the Overseas Studies Program.
     - Administration and Rules
       - Shall review all proposed changes to the Constitution, these By-Laws, the Rules of Order, or the Standing Rules.
       - Shall review the performance of all officers and bodies of the Association with respect to these rules.
       - Shall review all matters relating to elections and advise the Elections Commission regarding the same.
       - Shall interview each nominee to the Constitutional Council and report to the US concerning her/his qualifications for appointment.
       - Shall have primary responsibility for reviewing proposals for new service projects, service affiliates, or other agencies of the Association, except for new business projects or business affiliates.
       - Shall select the US Liaison to the Speakers Bureau in a fair manner from among the interested members of the US.
       - Shall review any matters that do not fall under the jurisdiction of any other Standing Committee.
     - Appropriations
       - Shall formulate fiscal guidelines for all funds established under the Undergraduate Student General Fee, hereafter referred to as the USGF.
       - Shall formulate Funding Policies, and review proposed changes to existing Policies.
       - Shall review all requests for Special Fees by undergraduate student organizations.
       - Shall review any proposed budget changes by undergraduate student organizations receiving Special Fees.
       - The Financial Manager, the Programming Director, and the Publications Director shall be ex-officio members of this US Committee.
       - Shall present a statement of purpose for special fees (to be levied on the undergraduate population) to the US before any special fee budget is discussed. The US shall approve this statement of purpose.
     - Campus Advocacy Committee
       - Shall review all matters pertaining to undergraduate student organizations.
       - Shall review all matters pertaining to the policies and administration of undergraduate student services provided by the University or students.
       - Shall respond to and address current undergraduate issues.
       - Shall serve as a liaison between students and the administration regarding student organizations.
       - Shall raise issues of accountability to the administration.
     - Communications
       - Shall facilitate communication and the exchange of information between the US and general student body.
       - Shall publicize and promote US initiatives, programming, campaigns, and other events.
       - Shall publish and disperse a regular newsletter about the US.
       - Shall organize outreach efforts to educate students on pertinent issues.

==== E. Special US Committees ====
The US, and the US Chair, shall have the power to create special US Committees for specific purposes, to vest in them all appropriate powers, to determine their composition, and to designate the Chair of each Special Committee. All substantive
actions of a special US Committee shall take the form of recommendations to the US, except as otherwise provided herein.

==== F. Subcommittees ====
A US Committee may, by a majority vote of its members, form temporary Subcommittees when such an action would facilitate the work of the Committee. For the remainder of this subsection, references to //Parent Committee// shall refer to the Committee that formed the Subcommittee in question.
    - Powers and Responsibilities
      - A Subcommittee shall only exercise the powers and responsibilities invested in it by its Parent Committee.
      - The Parent Committee may only invest powers and responsibilities in a subcommittee if and only if those powers and responsibilities are granted to the Parent Committee in this section of these By-Laws.
    - Membership
      - The standing membership of a Subcommittee shall be chosen by the Chair of the Parent Committee and approved by a 2/3 vote of the Parent Committee, provided that no member of a Parent Committee shall become a member of a Subcommittee against his/her will.
      - No Subcommittee shall be permitted to consist of more than 1/2 of the voting members of the Parent Committee. Scheduled Subcommittee meetings shall be considered scheduled standing committee meetings for standing members of the Subcommittee for the purposes of attendance, as outlined by Article II, Section 1, Subsection D.3 of these By-Laws.
      - Any alterations to Subcommittee membership shall be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Parent Committee.
      - A Subcommittee may only admit ex-officio members with the consent of the majority of the Parent Committee. Such ex-officio members shall not have a vote in the Subcommittee.
    - Rights of Parent Committee Members
      - No standing member of the Parent Committee in attendance at a Subcommittee meeting may for any reason be prevented from voting in a Subcommittee.
      - All Subcommittee meetings shall be announced to all members of the Parent Committee.
    - Parent Committee Oversight
      - By a 2/3 vote, the Parent Committee shall designate a procedure to select and to remove the Chair of the Subcommittee if the Parent Committee feels it is appropriate to have a Subcommittee Chair. No Subcommittee shall have a Deputy Chair.
      - All actions of a Subcommittee shall take the form of recommendations to the Parent Committee. Complete records of all actions taken by a Subcommittee during its meetings shall be brought to the Parent Committee and shall also be made available to any member of the US who requests these records.
      - A Subcommittee shall exist at the pleasure of the Parent Committee.
    - US Oversight
      - By a majority vote of the US, a Subcommittee shall be abolished even if a majority of the members of the Parent Committee oppose this abolition.
      - By a majority vote of the US, a Subcommittee shall be prevented from forming even if a majority of the members of the Parent Committee support the formation of a Subcommittee.
      - A majority vote of the US may overrule the Parent Committee’s method of selecting or removing a Subcommittee Chair, should the Parent Committee opt to create a Subcommittee Chair. The US shall then mandate another method of selecting or removing a Subcommittee Chair.
      - A lack of action on the part of the US with regard to the formation or abolition of the Subcommittee shall be construed as permitting the Parent Committee’s action with regard to the Subcommittee to stand.
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