The question here is that the SGA Constitution requires 10% of the students to vote in a “special election” for the SGA Constitution, before the Constitution can be approved.

So, how many students voted in the election? Well, it depends what the definition of “special election” is, Mr. Clinton.
Here are the official results of the SGA Election (referendums only):

To me, the SGA Constitution did not pass. Only 2,888 students voted, below the needed 10%. This is more like 8%.
But SGA officials contend that 3,662 students total voted ANYWHERE on the ballot, and thus, the Constitution was approved (and 3,662 is just barely 10%). Some students, it seems, voted only for candidates (probably their friends, brothers, or sisters) and didn’t bother to vote on any of the referendums.

Who knows if this is true? Only the SGA and the UGA administration, it seems. Both are refusing to supply the election results and final vote tallies to anyone who asks. The SGA website says the following:

***More accurate statistical information will soon be available. [see here]

I think this is completely wrong, and I encourage students to act. Do not let narrow-minded SGA officials try and squeeze through approval of their precious Constitution.

Click here to send an email to all members of the Elections Committee, and tell them you disagree with the new SGA Constitution being approved.

It seems that our venerable SGA President Jamie Peper is having some problems with her communication (one of her administration’s three main points) skills as of late. She sent this email out over quite a few campus organization listservs today:

*Vote Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday on OASIS in Student Body Elections!*

Take the time to make your voice heard. This year vote on:
- The Collegiate Readership Program
- Student Senators who represent you to your college and dean
- A Student Body President and Vice President who will represent your views to the administration .
- A SGA Constition that makes SGA a more effective and productive body

For more information about this year’s Referendums, candidates, and the roles of your elected representatives please check out www.uga.edu/sga and to vote please visit OASIS.

It seems that if you were trying to save your organization and trying to communicate effectively with our campus’ 33,000+ students, you would make an effort at using spell check and grammar check. Wow, just wow.

[youtube]xFrv_jUHIpE[/youtube]
My favorite quotes from the report:

“Any time you’re in an election, you don’t know ’til the end. There’s still a lot of suspense, suspense.” Prez-Elect Katy Bowers

“We want the organization to continue. We can’t make progress unless the organization exists.” VP-elect Ali Gibbons

After Action: Demosthenian Debate on SGA

The Great SGA Debate was indeed great. I was surprised at the turnout, both in the number of non-SGA people there and the small number of SOS candidates that came out to listen to student opinion. I don’t know all the SOS candidates by sight, but I believe I could count on one hand all the candidates for SGA that turned out (including Prez and VP ticket Katy Bowers and Ali Gibbons.

I think the most telling part of the debate didn’t take place on the podium, but in the cheap seats. After Prez-elect Katy Bowers said her piece (in front of the students she will soon be representing), both she and VP-elect Ali Gibbons left the debate, well before a vote on the resolution took place. While it was said Gibbons was under the weather, it is just plain sad that our student representatives don’t care about our opinions. They simply say their speech and leave.

At the very least, Bowers could have stayed.  And if Gibbons was that sick, why did she come in the first place?

The Red and Black covered the debate decently well (at least better than this). A lot of good points were made in the comments, including one from Josh Weiss:

It should be noted that if members and guests had voted separately the resolution would have failed by the 2/3 margin as there were about 20 to 25 members of SGA who all understandably voted in favor of keeping SGA.

This is completely true. Not only did the SGA supporters all vote in favor of the resolution, but they also voted unanimously to end debate, while many, including myself, thought it should have continued since quite a few still wished to speak. Once again, it seems like SGA representatives don’t want to hear what students have to say.

R&B Reader Poll

Last week the Red and Black took an online poll asking whether or not SGA should be abolished. The results can be seen here. 44% of the voters said SGA should be abolished and 41% said SGA shouldn’t be abolished but that it’s structure needs change. The most telling number is that 16% of the voters said SGA is fine as-is.

The Red and Black calls yesterday’s multiple screw-ups “a reporter’s error.” Even if this was the fault of the reporter, it would still be interesting to see who in SGA gave this faulty information to the reporter.

The Red and Black also explains that even the headline printed yesterday (”SGA on the line, Feb. election to determine its future”) was wrong, because the elections will be held January 24th to 26th.

A letter to the editor, written by your’s truly, about the errors was printed on the Opinion’s page.

Yesterday’s article, “SGA on the line, Feb. election to determine its future,” is completely inaccurate.

I am extremely disappointed that Carolyn Crist did not bother to check the facts in the story, probably given to her by some SGA lackey.

Her article states that it would take 16,500 students voting against SGA to kick SGA off campus.

In fact, it would take two-thirds of the students voting, not two-thirds of the entire student body.

Even the first sentence of the article is incorrect; this is not the first time since 1985 that SGA could be abolished, as SGA has been abolished before.

This vote, on whether or not to disband SGA, has taken place every four years since 1987.

These blunders make it seem as if it is extremely difficult to get rid of SGA, and will cause some students to think their vote will not matter.

Everyone should remember that, while not simple, SGA can be kicked off campus.

The resolution automatically appears on the ballot every four years and requires a passing vote from two-thirds of the student body.

It’s easier said than done. The vote alone would take 16,590 students, and only about 4,000 students voted in last year’s election – a one-third decrease from the previous year.

But, this is incorrect. The SGA Constitution reads:

If more than two-thirds of the voting disagree, the Student Government Association shall be abolished. The first four-year period began Spring Quarter of 1987.

Now, bad writing aside, SGA is to be abolished if two-thirds of the students who vote in the SGA election vote ‘no’. If so, there is no specific number of votes needed to kick SGA off campus, as it depends on how many participate in the election.

The article also makes it seem as if approving the new SGA Constitution also requires a two-thirds vote of the entire student body, which is also untrue.

Even the first sentence of the article was dead wrong:

For the first time since 1985, the Student Government Association could be abolished, but SGA officials said they are not worried.

Wrong. Every four years this vote takes place, so every four years SGA could be abolished.

There is also a quote with little backing (if any):

“Most critics of SGA don’t want to completely abolish it but want to change the current structure and representation,” said Ed Mirecki, associate director for student affairs. [Editor's note: Ed Mirecki is also the faculty adviser to the SGA]

Which critics are these? Speak up!

And what about the new Constitution?

The proposed constitution includes three separate branches, clauses for impeachment, an allowance of non-senators in the executive branch to allow for increased involvement in SGA and the inclusion and distinction between Freshman Board and Freshman Forum.

These are all in the current SGA constitution.

SGA Vice President Matt Suber also lied to the Red and Black reporter:

“This is the first time a campus-wide e-mail was sent to students interested in candidacy. We want to keep the campaign equitable and accessible.”

Wrong again. Last year, President Will Childs and VP Tucker Brown sent out an email on the archnewsstudents listserv announcing that qualifying was open for the SGA elections. This email was sent on January 16th, 2006. [For a screen shot, since you have to login to the listserv webpage, click here.]

I challenge the Red and Black to investigate who lied to them, and why they printed an article without doing necessary background research.

Be It Resolved: The Student Government Association of the University of Georgia should continue to operate.

This resolution will be presented by someone in SGA, possibly even President Jamie Peper or Vice President Matthew Suber.

As I understand it, the Demosthenian Literary Society will not be supporting either side of the issue, but its members are allowed to speak for any side. Guests are welcome to speak.

I think this might be one of the few times SGA allows a decent debate about itself. The Demosthenians will logically and honestly debate this issue, so this will be quite enlightening. It is just hard to believe that Peper or Suber will go along with this, because they will most likely get slaughtered, and hopefully it will make the Red and Black.

But remember, it will be Demosthenian, not SGA, running this debate. That guarantees the debate will be fair.

The student body will get to approve this new constitution January during Senate and Prez elections, and we also get to vote on whether or not SGA will remain around for the next 4 years.

What does everyone think of this new Constitution? Do you think you will be better represented, or worse?

PS – Why the High Court of Impeachment and the Supreme Court?

[Again, for the pdf, click here]

Constitution of the University of Georgia
Student Government Association
as proposed by the
Committee on Constitutional Reform
Article I. Name
This organization shall be the Student Government Association of the University of Georgia (abbreviated
hereafter as SGA).
Article II. Purpose
The SGA shall be the organized voice for each student of the University of Georgia; shall protect students’
rights; shall serve as a liaison between students, administrators, and organized governing bodies of the
University; shall foster an environment of civic responsibility; and shall advocate on behalf of the students’
academic, social, and cultural welfare.
Article III. Membership
All University of Georgia students are members of SGA upon the payment of their Student Activity Fee.
Committee Members, Elected Officials, and Appointed Officials are considered Active.
Article IV. General Organization
SGA shall be organized into three branches: the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judicial.
Article V. Executive Branch
Section 1. Executive Composition
The Executive Branch shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Chief of Staff,
Executive Board, General Assembly, and the Freshman Forum.
Section 2. Officers
Paragraph A. President
i. Must be registered as a full time student as defined by the President’s degree or program
of study, and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale.
ii. Shall speak on behalf of SGA.
iii. Shall make appointments to University-wide committees and governing bodies that
have student representation, and shall select students to represent the student body outside
the University.
iv. Shall serve as the University delegate to the Student Advisory Council of the Board of
Regents of the University System of Georgia, and shall have the authority to appoint SAC
delegates; all these appointments shall require majority approval of the Senate.
v. Shall have the ability to create committees which expire at the end of the current term.
vi. May veto bills passed by the Senate within a week of passage. Such a veto must be in
writing and delivered to the President Pro-Tempore.
vii. Shall present to the student body a report on SGA activities at the end of each
academic term.
viii. Shall run as a ticket with the Vice President and Treasurer.
ix. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot no later than April 1st.
Paragraph B. Vice President
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i. Must be registered as full time student as defined by the Vice President’s degree or
program of study, and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale.
ii. Shall assist the President in the fulfillment of Presidential duties.
iii. Shall have the power to call meetings of the Senate.
iv. Shall be the presiding officer of the Senate.
v. Shall vote in the case of a tie in the Senate.
vi. Shall act in full capacity of the President should the President be unable to fulfill the
duties of office.
vii. Shall run as a ticket with the President and Treasurer.
ix. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot no later than April 1st.
Paragraph C. Treasurer
i. Must be registered as full time students as defined by the Treasurer’s degree or program
of study, and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale.
ii. Shall be responsible for the finances, financial records, and financial transactions of
SGA.
iii. Shall chair the Senate Finance Committee, and shall vote only in the case of a tie.
iv. Shall chair the Small Clubs Allocations Committee.
v. Shall act as representative of SGA on the University of Georgia Fee Allocation Board.
vi. Shall give a report on the state of the budget at each Senate meeting.
vii. Shall make available a current itemized budget at each Senate meeting.
viii. Shall run as a ticket with the President and Vice President.
ix. Shall be elected by the student body in a secret ballot no later than April 1st.
Paragraph D. Chief of Staff
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President.
ii. Shall aid the Executive Board and Committee Chairs in their organization and general
duties.
iii. Shall compile weekly committee and Freshman Board updates to be presented at the
Executive Board meeting.
Paragraph E. Executive Secretary
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President.
ii. Shall be responsible for recording Officers’ and Committee Chairs’ absences and their
reasons for those absences.
iii. Shall make all reservations on behalf of SGA.
iv. Shall be responsible for preparing the agenda for Executive Board meetings.
v. Shall compile information for the General Assembly.
Paragraph F. Press Secretary
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President.
ii. Shall issue all official SGA press releases to relevant media outlets.
iii. Shall coordinate all official SGA press conferences.
iv. Shall be responsible for issuing a monthly report on the activities and progress of SGA
to the student body.
v. Shall attend all meetings of the Public Relations Committee.
Paragraph G. Attorney General
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President with majority approval of the Senate.
ii. Shall serve as the chair on the Elections Committee.
iii. Shall act as a liaison between the Executive and Judicial Branches.
iv. Shall make quarterly eligibility checks on all SGA Officers and Senators.
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v. Shall inquire, investigate, and gather evidence, testimony, or written statements relevant
to possible or alleged violations of the Constitution or the Code of Ethics by any elected or
appointed official other than the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices.
Paragraph H. Finance Director
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the Treasurer with majority approval of the Senate.
ii. Shall be a non-voting member of the Small Clubs Allocations Committee.
iii. Shall be a non-voting member of the Senate Finance Committee.
iv. Shall assist the Treasurer in the fulfillment of financial duties.
v. Shall maintain the SGA Financial Statement.
vi. All funding requests shall be submitted to the Finance Director, who shall report these
requests to the Small Clubs Allocations Committee and Senate Finance Committee along
with recommendations.
Paragraph I. Freshman Board Advisors
i. Shall be two non-Senators appointed by the President with majority approval of the
Senate.
ii. Shall aid the Freshman Board in the execution of its duties.
iii. Shall report to the Chief of Staff.
Paragraph J. Freshman Forum Directors
i. Shall be one to three non-Senators appointed by the President.
ii. Shall aid the Freshman Forum in the execution of its duties.
iii. Shall report to the Chief of Staff.
Paragraph K. Historian
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President.
ii. Shall work with all secretaries to maintain an accurate record of the activities and
projects of the current term.
iii. Shall attend all SGA sponsored events, activities, or trips, to serve as both a
photographer and a collector of memorabilia.
iv. Shall assemble a scrapbook.
Section 3. Executive Board
Paragraph A. Purpose
The purpose of the Executive Board is to act as the authority of the Executive Branch.
Paragraph B. Composition
The Executive Board shall be comprised of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Chief of Staff,
Executive Secretary, Press Secretary, Attorney General, Graduate Advisor, and Faculty Advisor.
Paragraph C. Duties
i. Shall review the progress of Executive Committees.
ii. Shall be responsible for determining mandatory events and who is responsible for
attending them.
.
Section 4. Standing-Select Committees
Paragraph A. Elections Committee
i. Authority
Shall derive its authority from the Executive Branch of SGA.
ii. Purpose
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Shall plan, monitor, manage, and define the annual elections procedures of SGA in order to
maintain an effective and meaningful process as prescribed by the constitution.
iii. Composition
1. Shall be chaired by the Attorney General who shall vote only in the case of a tie.
2. Shall be comprised of two members chosen from the SLAC Board, two at-large
members appointed by the President who may be Senators, the SGA Faculty
Advisor, the SGA Graduate Advisor, and the President Pro-Tempore.
3. All nominations must be approved by a majority vote of the Senate.
iv. Elections Committee Code
1. Shall be the rule upon which the Elections Committee operates.
2. Shall only be changed by an amendment to the code passed with a two-thirds
vote in the Senate.
Paragraph B. Small Clubs Allocations Committee
i. Authority
Shall derive its authority from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and
SGA.
ii. Purpose
Shall be responsible for distributing funds from the Small Clubs account established each
year by the Student Activity Fee Allocations Recommendations Committee to student
organizations classified as Small Clubs.
iii. Composition
1. Shall be chaired by the Treasurer who shall serve as a voting member
2. Shall include four Senators appointed by the Vice President, who shall serve as
voting members.
3. Shall include the Finance Director who shall serve as a non-voting member to
assist the Treasurer.
4. Shall include the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, who shall serve as
an advisor with no voting privilege.
5. Shall include the Senior Administrative Secretary in the Department of Student
Activities, as the committee secretary with no voting privilege.
6. Shall include an Accounting Assistant from the Student Activities Business
Office with no voting privilege
7. Should a temporary vacancy occur, the Treasurer shall appoint an alternate
Senator in order to meet quorum.
iv. Duties
Shall review all requests for funding from the Small Clubs account, and shall determine the
monies appropriate for a Small Club to meet its specified goal. Upon approval, the request
is sent to the Student Activities Business Office.
v. Small Clubs Allocations Code
1. Shall be the rule upon which the Small Clubs Allocations Committee operates.
2. Shall only be changed by an amendment to the code passed with a two-thirds
vote in the Senate.
Section 5. General Assembly
Paragraph A. Purpose
The purpose of the General Assembly shall be to coordinate and implement Executive initiatives
among the general student community.
Paragraph B. Composition
i. Academic Affairs Committee
Shall consider matters concerning academic and instructional items and issues.
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ii. Athletic Affairs Committee
Shall consider matters concerning varsity athletics at the University of Georgia and student
participation with, support for, and concern for these activities.
iii. External Affairs Committee
Shall consider matters concerning the local government, Athens community, and beyond.
iv. Multicultural Affairs Committee
Shall consider matters pertinent to the multicultural communities at the University of
Georgia.
v. Public Relations Committee
Shall effectively discover, define, and articulate the multiple roles, purposes, and activities
taken on by SGA through positive advertisement and promotion focused on and for the
various publics here at the University of Georgia and beyond.
vi. Student Life Committee
Shall consider matters concerning non-academic and co-curricular items and issues.
Paragraph C. Standing Committee Chairs
i. Shall be appointed by the President.
ii. Shall have the authority to create subcommittees to exist for the duration of the Chair’s
term.
iii. Shall submit their reports in writing to the Chief of Staff prior to any meeting of the
Executive Board.
iv. Shall report to the Senate at each meeting.
Paragraph D. Standing Committee Members
Executive Committee members must participate on a regular basis in order to maintain their voting
rights as Active committee members.
Section 6. Freshman Forum
Paragraph A. Purpose
The purpose of the Freshman Forum is to develop lifelong leaders in the Freshman class through
leadership training, campus, and community projects.
Paragraph B. Composition
Shall be composed of one-hundred freshmen.
Paragraph C. Membership Selection
i. An application process shall be held during the first quarter of the fall semester to select
members for the upcoming term. The Freshman Forum Personal Advisors shall be
responsible for distributing the applications. All University of Georgia freshmen are
eligible to apply
ii. The Freshman Forum Directors shall be responsible for the application reviewing
process.
Paragraph D. Duties
i. Shall participate in weekly General Assembly meetings, the Freshman Forum retreat, and
weekly Forum meetings.
ii. Shall plan one campus involvement event, one community project, and one campus
impact project.
iii. Shall fulfill all mandatory obligations as defined by the Freshman Forum Directors, and
the Freshman Forum Code.
Paragraph E. Freshman Forum Code
i. Shall be the rule upon which the Freshman Forum operates.
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ii. Shall only be changed by an amendment to the code approved by the Executive Board
through a majority vote of confidence.
Article VI. Legislative Branch
Section 1. Legislative Composition
The Legislative Branch shall consist of the Senate, its standing committees, and the Freshman Board.
Section 2. Officers
Paragraph A. President Pro-Tempore
i. Shall be elected by a majority from the body of the Senate at the first meeting of the new
Senate.
ii. Shall act in full capacity of the Vice President when the Vice President is unable to
fulfill the duties of the office.
iii. Shall act upon any veto delivered by the President.
iv. Shall inquire, investigate, and gather evidence, testimony, or written statements relevant
to possible or alleged violations of the Constitution or the Code of Ethics by the President,
Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices.
v. Shall chair the Senate Rules Committee.
Paragraph B. Parliamentarian
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President Pro-Tempore with majority approval
of the Senate.
ii. Shall advise the Senate as to the legality of Senate actions, proposals, and legislation,
and on matters of Constitutional interpretation of such measures.
Paragraph C. Secretary of the Senate
i. Shall be a non-Senator appointed by the President Pro-Tempore with majority approval
of the Senate.
ii. Shall be responsible for recording and distributing the agenda and minutes of the Senate.
iii. Shall be responsible for recording absences for Senators and Freshman Board members
and their reasons for those absences.
iv. Shall be responsible for notifying the University community of any meeting of the
Senate.
v. Shall be responsible for forwarding approved legislation to all relevant outlets, including
the Supreme Court.
vi. Shall maintain a voting record for every vote in the Senate for every Senator.
Section 3. The Senate
Paragraph A. Purpose
The purpose of the Senate is to serve as the supreme legislative power of SGA.
Paragraph B. Composition
i. Shall be composed of Senators and the Freshman Board.
ii. Senators shall be elected from each of the individual schools and colleges of the
University of Georgia in proportion to the student enrollment within the school or college
using the formula of one Senate seat for every one-thousand students in a college and one
Senate seat for any college with less than one-thousand enrolled.
iii. One Graduate Senator shall be elected per every two-thousand graduate students.
iv. Senators must be registered as full time students as defined by their degree or program
of study and must maintain an institutional G.P.A. of 2.25 on a 4.0 scale.
v. Senators must be enrolled in the school or college in which they stand for election.
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vi. If a Senator ceases to be enrolled in the school or college he or she was elected to
represent, then he or she will forfeit the remainder of his or her term in office.
Paragraph C. Duties
i. Senators and Freshman Board members shall attend all Senate meetings as scheduled by
the Vice President.
ii. Each Senator and Freshman Board member shall be a member of one executive standing
committee unless another committee assignment is approved by the President Pro-
Tempore.
iii. Senators and Freshman Board members shall not be required to attend Senate meetings
between the Spring and Fall terms.
iv. A Senator or Freshman Board member with voting rights must be present in order to
vote on any item or issue. There shall be no voting by proxy.
v. A quorum of the Senate, which shall be considered two-thirds of all Senators on the roll
plus the five voting members of the Freshman Board, must be present in order to conduct
official business.
vi. A two-thirds vote of the Senate overrides a Presidential veto.
Section 4. The High Court of Impeachment
Paragraph A. Impeachment
i. The High Court of Impeachment shall consist of the Senate.
ii. The President Pro-Tempore shall inquire, investigate, gather evidence, testimony, or
written statements, and prosecute relevant to possible or alleged violations of the
Constitution or the Code of Ethics by the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices.
iii. The Vice President shall preside over the impeachment hearing. In the case of charges
being brought against the President, Vice President, or Treasurer, the Chief Justice shall
preside over the hearing.
iv. The High Court shall require a majority vote of the Senate to impeach.
v. Senators shall recuse themselves from any hearing if they have any relationship with,
partiality towards, or prejudice against the accused that would compromise their
objectivity.
Paragraph B. Rights of Those Facing Impeachment
i. Shall be given one week’s notice if they are to be reviewed by the High Court of
Impeachment.
ii. The charges must be formally presented to the accused by the President Pro-Tempore.
iii. The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate contrary
evidence to the alleged accusation.
Paragraph C. Removal from Office
i. The President Pro-Tempore shall inquire, investigate, gather evidence, testimony, or
written statements, and prosecute relevant to job performance by the President, Vice
President, Treasurer, or Justices.
ii. The High Court of Impeachment shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate upon
impeachment in order to remove from office.
Paragraph D. Rights of Those Facing Removal from Office
The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate job performance.
Section 5. Parliamentary Authority
Paragraph A. Robert’s Rules of Order
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Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern all proceedings, except as set forth in this
Constitution and the Rules and Procedures.
Paragraph B. Rules and Procedures
i. Shall be created and approved by a majority vote of the President, Vice President,
Treasurer, and each voting member of the Rules Committee.
ii. Shall expire at the end of each term.
Paragraph C. Rules for Debate
Upon debate, the Vice President shall call for two pro and two con opinions. Either debate shall
continue upon a movement to extend debate, approved by a majority vote of the Senate, or the
Senate shall move to the previous question.
Paragraph D. Open Meetings
All meetings of SGA shall be open to all members of the University community, except where
expressly provided for by this Constitution.
Section 6. Legislation
Paragraph A. Resolutions
i. Shall be drafted to express an official position of the Senate on behalf of the student
body.
ii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing in
front of the Senate body.
iii. Shall require one reading at a Senate meeting. The Vice President shall entertain debate
and amendment, and the Senate may vote on the proposed resolution.
iv. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
Paragraph B. Bills
i. Shall be drafted to alter any code.
ii. Shall be drafted to add or alter any bylaw.
iii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing in
front of the Senate body.
iv. Shall require a first and second reading at a Senate meeting. Upon first reading, the
Vice President shall not entertain debate. At least one week shall transpire between the first
and second reading. Upon second reading, Vice President shall entertain debate and
amendment, and the Senate may vote on the proposed bill.
v. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
Paragraph C. Amendments
i. Shall be drafted to make deletions or insertions to the Constitution.
ii. Shall be submitted to the Rules Committee for semantic revision before appearing in
front of the Senate body.
iii. Shall require a first and second reading at a Senate meeting. Upon first reading, the
Vice President shall not entertain debate. At least one week shall transpire between the first
and second reading. Upon second reading, Vice President shall entertain debate and
amendment, and the Senate may vote on the proposed bill.
iv. Shall require a two-thirds vote of the Senate.
v. Shall then require a majority approval of the voting student body. The Vice President
shall set the date of the vote.
vi. Shall be approved by the President of the University of Georgia for passage.
Section 7. Standing Committees
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Paragraph A. Senate Finance Committee
i. Purpose
The purpose of the Senate Finance Committee is to supervise the finance process.
ii. Composition
Shall be chaired by the Treasurer, who shall only vote in the case of a tie, the Finance
Director, who shall serve as a non-voting member to assist the Treasurer, and five Senators
who shall be appointed by the President Pro-Tempore and approved by a majority vote of
the Senate.
iii. Should a temporary vacancy occur, the Treasurer shall appoint an alternate Senator in
order to meet quorum.
iv. Duties
1. Shall revise and approve of all expenditures.
2. Shall maintain an active balance sheet to accurately reflect the state of the
budget.
Paragraph B. Rules Committee
i. Purpose
The purpose of the Rules Committee is to ensure the legitimacy of the legislative process.
ii. Composition
Shall be chaired by the President Pro-Tempore, who shall vote only in the case of a tie, the
Vice President, who is an ex officio, non-voting member, and five Senators who shall be
appointed by the President Pro-Tempore and approved by a majority vote of the Senate.
iii. Duties
1. Shall correct all semantic errors in proposed legislation.
2. Shall set the agenda for each session of the Senate.
3. Shall catalog all legislation presented before the Senate
4. Shall rectify the Constitution in accordance with approved Constitutional
amendments.
Section 8. Freshman Board
Paragraph A. Purpose
The purpose of the Freshman Board will be to represent the concerns and needs of the freshman
class to the Senate. The Freshman Board term shall commence upon the installation of the body at
a meeting of the Senate and shall expire upon the end of the current Senate term.
Paragraph B. Composition
Shall be composed of fifteen freshmen.
Paragraph C. Membership Selection
i. An application and interview process shall be held during the first quarter of the fall
semester to select representatives for the upcoming term. The Freshman Board Advisors
shall be responsible for producing and distributing the applications. All University of
Georgia freshmen are eligible to apply.
ii. The Selection Subcommittee shall oversee the selection process. The
Subcommittee shall consist of the President or Vice President who will have a
single vote, two Freshman Board Advisors who will each have a vote, two Senators
nominated and elected by the Senate who will each have a vote, and two
representatives from the student body nominated and elected by the Senate who
will each have a vote. The Subcommittee will be chaired by the President Pro-
Tempore of the Senate, who shall not have a vote. The Attorney General shall also
serve as a non-voting member. The selection process, including criteria used for
screening applicants, shall be at the discretion of the Selection Subcommittee.
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Every member of this Selection Subcommittee must be present in order for the
committee to conduct business.
Paragraph D. Duties
i. Shall attend Executive Committee meetings, Senate meetings, mandatory events, and the
separate Freshman Board meetings.
ii. Shall have five votes in the Senate, one belonging to the President of the Freshman
Board and the other four of which will rotate among the present members in alphabetical
order.
Paragraph E. Freshman Board Code
i. Shall be the rule upon which the Freshman Board operates.
ii. Shall only be changed by an amendment to the code passed with a two-thirds vote in the
Senate.
Article VII. Judicial Branch
Section 1. Judicial Composition
The Judicial Branch shall consist of a Supreme Court.
Section 2. Officers
Paragraph A. Chief Justice
i. Shall be appointed by the President with majority approval of the Senate.
ii. Shall call and preside over all meetings of the Supreme Court.
iii. Shall align with a majority opinion or file a written dissenting opinion either jointly
with the Associate Justices or individually.
iv. Shall present the majority opinion of the Supreme Court, both verbally and in writing,
to the Senate.
v. Shall have one vote in every judicial hearing.
vi. Shall preside over the impeachment hearing should the President, Vice President, or
Treasurer face impeachment.
Paragraph B. Associate Justices
i. Four associate justices shall be appointed by the President with majority approval of the
Senate.
ii. Shall align themselves with a majority opinion or file a written dissenting opinion either
jointly or individually.
iii. Shall issue a written majority opinion authored by either the Chief Justice or Associate
Justices which the Chief Justice will present before the Senate.
iv. Shall each have one vote in every judicial hearing.
Paragraph C. Secretary of the Court
i. Shall be appointed by the Chief Justice.
ii. Shall compile, distribute, and archive all materials presented by the Attorney General
and the accused.
Section 3. Supreme Court
Paragraph A. Jurisdiction
i. Shall hear alleged violations of the Constitution by any elected or appointed official other
than the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices as presented by the Attorney
General.
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ii. Shall hear alleged violations of the Code of Ethics by any elected or appointed official
other than the President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Justices as presented by the Attorney
General.
iii. Shall determine the Constitutionality of any legislation passed through the Senate as an
Amendment to any of the SGA codes referenced in the Constitution as presented by the
Secretary of the Senate.
iv. Shall determine the Constitutionality of any rules and procedures passed through the
executive or legislative branches.
v. Shall determine the Constitutionality of the form under which legislation is passed.
Paragraph B. Expulsion
i. The Supreme Court shall require a majority vote of the Justices to expel a member from
office.
ii. Justices shall recuse themselves from any hearing if they have any relationship with,
partiality towards, or prejudice against the accused that would compromise their
objectivity.
iii. Should a recusation occur, the President Pro-Tempore shall fulfill the duties of the
absent Justice.
iv. Should multiple recusations occur, the presiding official shall appoint Senators to
temporarily fill the vacant seats upon majority approval in the Senate.
Paragraph C. Rights of Those Facing Expulsion
i. Shall be given one week’s notice if they are to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.
ii. The charges must be formally presented to the accused by the Attorney General.
iii. The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate contrary
evidence to the alleged accusation.
iv. The accused may present any necessary or desired materials that demonstrate job
performance.
Article VIII. Vacancies
Section 1. Vacancy in the Office of the President
The Vice President shall assume said office for the remainder of the term.
Section 2. Vacancy in the Office of the Vice President
The President shall appoint said office for the remainder of the term upon majority approval of the Senate.
If the appointment is a Senator, said senate seat shall be considered vacant.
Section 3. Vacancy in the Office of the Treasurer
The President shall appoint said office for the remainder of the term upon majority approval of the Senate.
If the appointment is a Senator, said senate seat shall be considered vacant.
Section 4. Vacancy in the Office of a Senator
All students who qualify as candidates may apply for a vacant seat. Applicants will be interviewed by the
Rules Committee, and one candidate will be slated for Senate majority approval of the Senate.
Section 5. Vacancy in an Appointed Office
The President and/or Vice President shall appoint one candidate for the vacant position. Said appointment
is contingent upon the rules of approval for that office.
Section 6. Resignation
An elected or appointed official who wishes to resign shall submit a resignation in writing to the Vice
President, who shall inform the Executive Board and the Senate at their next regularly scheduled meetings.
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Article IX. Advisors
Section 1. Appointments
Paragraph A.
At least one advisor to SGA shall be appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs in
consultation with the SGA.
Paragraph B.
At least one additional advisor to SGA may be appointed by the SGA President with approval of a
majority of the Executive Board.
Section 2. Consultation
The SGA shall be formally consulted in the selection of SGA graduate advisors. In the event that SGA is
not formally consulted, the President of SGA shall have the authority to not recognize the graduate advisor,
subject to a majority vote of the executive committee.
Article X. Ratification, Recall, and Referendum
Section 1. Ratification
This Constitution shall be ratified when a majority of the voting students approve this document in a special
election. At least ten percent of the University student body must vote in the election in order for the result
to be valid. It is approved by the University President.
Section 2. Recall
A recall election for any office may be called by a petition signed by at least ten percent of the electing
body. For Senators, the electing body is the college or school which they represent, and for the President,
Vice President, and Treasurer, it is the entire student body. Only one recall election per Senator or Officer
per term of office shall be held.
Section 3. Referendum
A referendum on any question may be called by a petition by at least ten percent of the student body. A
referendum may also be called by two-thirds of the Senate. The Vice President shall set the date of the
referendum.
Article XI. Vote of Confidence
Section 1. Statement
Every four years, the ballot for electing the President, Vice President, and Treasurer shall contain the
following statement to be voted upon: “The Student Government Association of the University of Georgia
should continue to operate.”
__________ AGREE __________ DISAGREE
Section 2. Abolition
If more than two-thirds of the voting population disagrees, the Student Government Association shall be
abolished. The first four-year period began Spring Quarter of 1987.
Article XII. Constitutional Supremacy
Upon ratification, this Constitution and its associated codes shall supersede all previous governing documents,
which shall be deemed null and void.