Documents   > By laws

Downloadable forms:

PDF file (80KB)

word 2003 and older file (113KB)

word 2007 and newer file (113KB)

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY

STUDENT SENATE BY-LAWS

Article I.Preamble
Article II. Policies
Article III. Committees
Article IV. Elections
Article V. Financial Motions Procedure
Article VI. Website
Article VII. IRHC Representatives
Article VIII. Student Organizations/Clubs
Article VIX. Sexual Harassment and Discrimination
Article X. Sunrise Clause
Article XI. Suspension of By-Laws

  • Article I
    • The Student Senate Bylaws set forth the procedural functioning of this organization. Policies,rules and decisions set forth in this document shall take precedence over all committee bylaws. The Winona State University Student Association Constitution shall take precedence over these bylaws.
  • Article II - Policies
    • Section 1 - Attendance
      • A. Executive Officers, Senators, and Affiliated Members shall not have more than 1 unexcused and 3 excused absences per semester from weekly Student Senate meetings and mandatory activities.
        • 1. Mandatory activities will be held outside of Student Senate and Committee meetings and will be specified by the Executive Board and by a majority vote of Student Senate.
      • B. Excusable absences must be approved by the Student Senate Vice President as excused at least one hour prior to senate meetings and mandatory activities, unless there’s an emergency.
      • C. Tardiness
        • 1. Shall be defined as not in attendance after the end of roll call.
        • 2. Excused – Vice President should be informed of the unavoidable tardiness as soon as possible or if there is a class scheduled to end ten minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
        • 3. Two unexcused tardies shall equal one unexcused absence.
      • D. The Vice president shall be responsible for monitoring of attendance. When attendance policy has been breached, the Vice President shall present a recommendation to the senate at its next regularly scheduled meeting for senate disposition.
      • E. Absences, excused absences and/or tardies shall be noted in the minutes under roll call.
    • Section 2 - Resignations & Removal
      • A. Any member of Senate may voluntarily terminate membership in the Senate by submitting a written statement to an executive officer in the Student Senate. A resignation will become effective as noted in the written statement.
      • B. If a Student Senate appointed member is not performing their duties as an appointed member, or representative, the Student Senate can remove them from that confirmed position through a motion and two-thirds vote at any scheduled meeting.
    • Section 3 - Senator's Duties
      • A. Senators shall give one report each semester during a regularly scheduled WSU Student Senate meeting outlining what they have accomplished. During this time Senators are encouraged to address concerns specifically related to their constituents.
      • B. Senator’s shall address student concerns throughout their term to the proper place. For example, Senate Committee or Administrators.
      • C. All elected Student Senate members shall contact a minimum of 5 student clubs/organizations per month. This process shall be overseen by the WSU Student Senate Executive Board.
    • Section 4 - Office Hours
      • A. Members shall serve office hours in the student senate office
        • 1. Executive officers shall serve ten office hours per week
        • 2. Senators shall serve two office hours per week
          • a. Senators serving as a member of any ad-hoc, election, or working documents committee shall be exempt from up to one office hour during their term of service on the committee.
        • 3. Standing Committee Chairs shall serve an additional hour
        • 4. Affiliated members
          • a. Statewide Student Association Representatives shall serve the amount specified by the Association; if there are no office hours specified, the Representative(s) shall serve two office hours per week.
          • b. Administrative Office Assistant shall serve three office hours per week.
          • c. Parliamentarian shall serve two office hours per week.
          • d. Webmaster shall serve two office hours per week.
      • B. Office Hour Coordination
        • 1. The Vice President shall coordinate office hour sign up the first full week of each semester
        • 2. The Vice President shall coordinate and monitor office hour attendance throughout the semester
        • 3. Office hour make-ups shall be coordinated and approved by the Vice President
        • 4. If a Senate member has six (6) unexcused office hour absences total, throughout a semester, they shall be required to complete tasks as assigned by the Vice President.
    • Section 5 - Community Service
      • Senate members shall complete two documented volunteer hours each semester within the Winona Community.
    • Section 6 - Representation Classification
      • A. Senators may represent the following degree granting academic colleges: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Health Sciences, Science and Engineering
      • B. Senators may represent the freshman, sophomore, junior, senior classes and graduate programs. To be eligible, candidates may be up to eight credits under the minimum credit requirement as specified by the Registrar’s office at the time they take office. Candidates may not be over the maximum credit limit as suggested by the registrar’s office at the time they take office.
    • Section 7 - Affiliated Members
      • A. Administrative Office Assistant
        • 1. Shall take minutes at Student Senate meetings
        • 2. Shall post an agenda at least 24 hours prior to the regularly scheduled Senate meeting.
        • 3. Shall archive a copy of each weeks minutes within 72 hours of their approval by Senate.
        • 4. Shall keep an ongoing list of dated action items including the verbiage of the item, who moved and seconded the item, the vote count, and roll call if applicable.
        • 5. Shall perform all duties requested by the executive officers and Chairs of the Student Senate.
        • 6. Shall hold weekly office hours as prescribed in Article II Section 3.
      • B. Parliamentarian
        • 1. Shall perform all duties requested by the executive officers of the Student Senate.
        • 2. Shall hold weekly office hours as prescribed in Article II Section 3.
      • C. Statewide Student Association Representatives
        • 1. Shall give a report during each regularly scheduled meeting.
        • 2. Shall hold weekly office hours as prescribed in Article II Section 3.
      • D. Webmaster
        • 1. Shall update and maintain the Student Senate website
        • 2. Shall perform all duties as requested by the Executive Officers and Chairs of the committees in regards to the website, with final authority on the committee pages given to the Chair of that committee.
        • 3. Shall hold weekly office hours as prescribed in Article II Section 3.
  • Article III - Committees
    • Section 1 - Structure
      • A. Committee Chairs
        • 1. Shall act as spokesperson for the committee.
        • 2. Shall give a report at regularly scheduled Student Senate meetings.
        • 3. Shall preside at committee meetings
        • 4. Shall oversee tasks performed by committee members.
        • 5. Shall coordinate committee meeting times.
        • 6. Shall complete a compilation with input from and approval of committee members, including, but not limited to, a letter of advice to the next Chair, committee minutes, and the long term committee goals.
        • 7. Shall perform other duties as requested by Student Senate Executive Officers
      • B. Committee Vice Chair
        • 1. Shall assume chair duties in the absence of the chair
        • 2. Shall take roll call at every committee meeting
      • C. Committee Recorder
        • 1. Shall take committee minutes
        • 2. Shall forward committee minutes to the Vice President, committee members, and webmaster.
      • D. Senators
        • 1. Shall not have more than 1 unexcused and 3 excused absences per semester from committee meetings.
        • 2. Shall have one vote
      • E. Associate Senators
        • 1. Requirements
          • a. Shall be a currently enrolled student at WSU
          • b. Shall have attended two committee meetings of the desired committee
          • c. Shall be appointed by committee vote pending Senate approval
          • d. Shall submit contact information to the Vice President before the confirmation vote by the Senate
          • e. Shall not have more than 4 absences, excused or unexcused, per semester. When attendance policy has been breached, the Chair shall present a recommendation to the committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting for committee disposition.
    • Section 2 - Standing Committee Meetings
      • A. Shall be called to order by the appointed Chair of the committee
      • B. Quorum shall be defined by the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised.
      • C. Meetings shall be called at minimum on a bi-weekly basis
      • D. Minutes shall be taken and forwarded to the Vice President within 48 hours of approval
  • Article IV - Elections
    • Section 1 - Election Committee
      • A. Members of the election committee shall be appointed as per Article II Section 4 Subsection B, 2b. of the Student Association Constitution
      • B. Appointments shall be made one week prior to the date in which applications are made available
      • C. The committee shall promote the availability of applications as well as the date and time of elections.
      • D. The committee shall make available the date, time and location of ballot counting one week prior to the close of election
    • Section 2 - Campaign Rules
      • A. Student life fee money, or supplies purchased with student life fee money, shall not be used for campaign purposes.
      • B. Writing on any University walls, or on classroom chalkboards for campaign purposes shall not be permitted.
      • C. Campaign materials shall not be displayed within five feet of the Student Senate office.
      • D. Posting regulations shall be determined by individual building policies. Violations in academic buildings shall be dealt with by that academic building.
      • E. Candidates may not remove, destroy, or deface other candidates’ material, nor encourage or knowingly permit others to do so.
      • F. Candidates must follow the Inter-Residence Hall Council and Housing Department guidelines for campaigning in the residence halls.
      • G. Candidates shall not linger in the immediate vicinity of a Senate operated polling place during the duration of the election, candidates shall not campaign or attempt to persuade anyone in the process of voting.
      • H. Any individual found to violate the campaign rules shall remain on the ballot.
      • I. The election committee shall make a recommendation to the judicial board regarding violations after the closing of the polls. Upon hearing the recommendation, Senate shall take action.
    • Section 3 - Procedures
      • A. Notation of incumbency on the ballot shall be determined by the election committee prior to the opening of the polls
      • B. Online candidate statement shall be limited to 500 words
      • C. Candidate statement and picture shall be submitted no later than the election application deadline
      • D. Candidate statement shall not be posted online until after the election application deadline.
      • E. The Election Committee shall use the computer generated election results for each election conducted electronically. If a contested race is decided by twenty or fewer votes the Election Committee shall hand count the ballots for that race. The Election Committee shall also review the results for discrepancies, particularly regarding write-in candidates and the spelling of names
    • Section 4 - Internal Elections Procedure
      • A. Vice President gives each candidate up to one minute for an introduction and other comments the candidate wishes to make.
      • B. Vice President opens the floor for a question and answer period
        • 1. Each candidate is allowed up to a 30 second response to each question
        • 2. The question and answer period is not to exceed a total of 10 minutes
        • 3. The time limits may change if agreed to by a 2/3 vote of the Student Senate
      • C. Vote is taken by written ballot
        • 1. Each Senator may vote for as many candidates as there are open spots for an internal election.
        • 2. Each open spot will be filled according to the number of votes received beginning with the Candidate receiving the most votes provided said candidate receives more votes than there are blank or “no-confidence” votes
        • 3. No candidate can be elected that receives fewer votes than there are blank or "no-confidence" votes. Any spots unfilled will remain vacant until the next Senate meeting.
  • Article V - Financial Motions Procedure
    • Section 1- Definitions
      • A. Financial motions. Any resolutions concerning monetary charges to students, funding requests for building projects, fund transfers, or any committee recommendations from the Student Fee Management Committee.
      • B. Proposal. Any presentation given by a WSU administrator, faculty, and/or staff member during a meeting of the Student Senate in which the member is seeking direction for any matters regarding tuition and/or fees that will be charged to students in the WSUSA.
    • Section 2- Procedure
      • A. Student Senate shall refrain from voting on any financial motions or proposals for a minimum of one week from the date a proposal was presented to Student Senate.
      • B. When a proposal is presented, Student Senate is not required to take an official stance.
  • Article VI - Website
    • Section 1 - Establishment Student Senate shall provide and maintain a website accessible to the public.
    • Section 2 - Purpose The Student Senate website shall serve to provide information about the Student Senate.
    • Section 3 - Content
      • A. Shall provide contact information for all Senate members
      • B. Shall provide updated minutes for Student Senate and Student Senate Committees
      • C. Shall provide the Student Senate Constitution and By-laws
      • D. Shall provide external links to student advocacy sites including but not limited to the statewide student association
      • E. Shall provide information on upcoming meetings
      • F. Shall provide electronic documents including but not limited to applications, guidelines, and information provided by the Student Senate to the student body
      • G. Shall provide other information as necessary
  • Article VII - IRHC Representatives
    • Section 1 - Selection
      • A. IRHC may forward a candidate to the Student Senate President
      • B. The Student Senate President shall forward the name submitted by IRHC to the Student Senate for review and confirmation
    • Section 2 - Duties
      • A. IRHC Representative shall follow the attendance for affiliated members per the policy set in Student Senate Bylaws Article 2, Section 1
      • B. Shall act as IRHC’s liaison to the Student Senate
      • C. Shall serve two office hours per week in the Student Senate office
  • Article VIII - Student Organizations/Clubs
    • Section 1 - Constitutions
      • A. Shall be officially received and posted upon submittal to the Student Senate
      • B. Shall be brought to the floor by the Vice President one week after submittal to Student Senate.
        • 1. Initial approval of the Constitution by the Vice President signifies the beginning of the required time duration
      • C. Shall be archived in the Student Senate office
      • D. A chronological list shall be continuously maintained in the archive by the Vice President
  • Article IX - Sexual Harassment and Discrimination
    • Members of the Student Senate shall act in accordance with Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) procedure 1B.1 and Winona State Regulation 5-7.
  • Article X - Sunrise Clause All articles in the bylaws shall take effect May 4, 2007. Upon application, this article shall expire.
  • Article XI - Suspension of By-Laws Any portion of these bylaws can be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Student Senate.