CONSTITUTION OF THE AUGUSTANA STUDENT ASSOCIATION

(Last Revised March 2004)

Article I: Name
The name of the association shall be the Augustana Student Association, hereinafter referred to as ASA.

Article II: Purpose
Realizing the interdependence of all members of the Augustana community, the ASA endeavors to promote such goals and ideals as shall benefit and further Augustana College. It strives to guarantee the rule of the majority, the right of the minority, and the freedom of students to inform and be informed as their conscience dictates. The ASA shall strive toward basic human, academic, and social freedoms for students of Augustana College and for the surrounding community.

Article III: Membership
All enrolled students of Augustana College shall be members of the Augustana Student Association.

Article IV: Executive Branch

Section 1: Officers.
The officers of the ASA shall be the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary.

Section 2: Qualifications. Each of the ASA officers must:
Clause 1. Be a member of the ASA.
Clause 2. Have completed at least twelve (12) courses of college education and at least five (5) courses from Augustana College at the time of his or her election.
Clause 3. Have and maintain a GPA of 2.5 throughout his or her term of office.

Section 3: Election.
The officers of the ASA shall be elected by a vote of the membership of the ASA in accordance with the ASA Election Code.

Section 4: Term of Office.
The term of office of the ASA officers shall be approximately one calendar year in length, beginning on the day of their inauguration. Said inauguration shall take place at least 28 days, but no more than 35 days, after the spring election.

Section 5: Succession.
Clause 1. Upon the removal or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall assume the office of the President until the presidential term ends. In the event that the offices of the President and Vice President become vacated, the Secretary will act as temporary presiding officer and, as spring election commissioner, will call a special election within two (2) weeks to elect a new President and Vice President.

Clause 2. In the event of the removal or resignation of the Vice President, the President will appoint a new Vice President within three (3) weeks. This appointment is subject to a two thirds (2/3) vote of approval by the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 3. In the event that all of the executive positions become vacated at the same time, the Administration and Planning (A&P) Committee chairperson will act as temporary presiding officer of the ASA and as election commissioner. The A&P Committee chairperson will then call a special election to fill the vacated offices. The procedures to be followed shall be as outlined for the spring election in the ASA Election Code, with the petition deadline being no later than two (2) weeks after the vacancies have occurred.

Section 6: Duties and responsibilities of the ASA President.
Clause 1. The ASA President will have the option to veto any and all legislation passed by the Student Senate. In the case of budgetary matters, the ASA President may exercise a line item veto. Legislation left unsigned within two weeks of passage is considered vetoed and returned to the Senate.

Clause 2. To maintain the ASA Executive Cabinet consisting of the following student leadership positions which are to be permanent offices of the ASA Cabinet: head governor(s) of the Union Board of Governors, chair(s) of the Concert and Lecture Committee, chair(s) of the New Student Orientation Central Committee, chair(s) of the Viking Days Central Committee, editor of The Mirror, one male intercollegiate athlete and one female intercollegiate athlete (each appointed by the ASA President), Augustana Concert Band President, Augustana College Choir President, and Augustana

Chapel Congregation President.

Clause 3. To have the responsibilities for providing information on ASA to established groups or organizations on campus.

Clause 4. To preside at or designate the acting chairperson of the ASA Executive Cabinet and all meetings of the ASA.

Clause 5. To request reports on activity, structure, and function of all organizations receiving full or partial funding from ASA.

Clause 6. To meet with (or have committees appointed by him or her meet with) similar officers from the student associations of other colleges and universities for the purpose of negotiating agreements governing relations between ASA and these students’ associations.

Clause 7. To present a plan of operation and objectives to the ASA Student Senate during his or her first four (4) weeks of office to be discussed and planned for implementation.

Clause 8. To address the ASA Student Senate within one (1) week after the Presidential inauguration.

Clause 9. To make all necessary appointments to standing committees involving students and faculty/staff, pending approval by the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 10. To authorize the appropriation of all monies from the ASA Executive account.

Clause 11. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations conferred upon the office by the ASA.

Section 7: Duties and responsibilities of the ASA Vice President.
Clause 1. To serve as President of the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 2. To exercise voting power in the event of a tie vote of the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 3. To develop and maintain a viable relationship with other Augustana College student organizations and, when appropriate, the student governments of other colleges and universities.

Clause 4. To preside at all meetings of the ASA and of the ASA Executive Cabinet in the absence of or at the discretion of the ASA President.

Clause 5. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations conferred upon the office by the ASA.

Section 8: Duties and responsibilities of the ASA Secretary.
Clause 1. To serve as a non voting, ex officio member.

Clause 2. To record the minutes of all meetings of the ASA Student Senate and to maintain records of the status of all motions and resolutions presented to the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 3. To publicize activity of the ASA Student Senate as delegated by the Executive Branch and the Personnel and Development committee.

Clause 4. To serve as election commissioner for the Spring ASA Elections.

Section 9: Petitions
The Executive Branch of the ASA shall be responsible for the collection of any and all petitions of the ASA and for delivering them to the ASA Student Senate for appropriate action.

Article V: Legislative Branch

Section 1: Name.
Members elected by the ASA to serve as its legislators shall be referred to as the Augustana Student Association Student Senate.

Section2: Purpose.
The ASA Student Senate is a body designed to protect, inform, serve, represent, and lead those persons from whom it derives its right to govern.

Section 3: Membership.
The ASA Student Senators shall be chosen in accordance with the ASA Election Code. The administrative advisor and the faculty advisor are to be included as ex officio, non voting members of the ASA Student Senate. A non traditional student, an international student, and a part time student may also be included as ex officio, non voting members.

Section 4: Succession.
Clause 1. In the event of the removal or resignation of an ASA Senator, the Personnel and Development Committee shall recommend a replacement to the ASA Vice President. Said recommendation is subject to a two thirds (2/3) vote of approval by the ASA Senate.

Clause 2. In the event that the ASA Vice President is unable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of President of the Senate, succession shall occur in the following order until someone is able to fill the capacity:
A. Chairperson of the Administration and Planning Committee of the ASA Student Senate.
B. Chairperson of the Co Curriculum Committee of the ASA Student Senate.
C. Chairperson of the Curriculum Committee of the ASA Student Senate.
D. Chairperson of the Personnel and Development Committee of the ASA Student Senate.

Section 5: Qualifications.
Each ASA Senator must:

Clause 1. Be a member of the ASA.

Clause 2. Be elected by a vote of the ASA in accordance with the ASA Election Code.

Clause 3. Have and maintain a GPA of 2.0 throughout his or her term of office.

Section 6: Duties and Responsibilities.

Clause 1. It shall authorize the appropriation of money from the ASA Senate account, General account, and Community Development Fund account with a (2/3) majority vote.

Clause 2. It shall work in coordination with on campus judicial bodies in establishing rules and a code of conduct for the student body.

Clause 3. It shall create such ad hoc committees as it shall deem necessary.

Clause 4. It shall approve the constitutions, by laws, or a combination thereof, of ASA funded student organizations.

Clause 5. It shall decide any and all issues arising over ASA Student Senate membership.

Clause 6. It shall have the authority to rescind the voting privileges of any ASA Student Senator for reasons of non attendance. Each succeeding ASA Student Senate shall have the right to determine specific attendance requirements.

Clause 7. It shall have the option of overriding any presidential veto or line item veto with a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the body of the Senate.

Section 7: Qualifications, duties and responsibilities of the ASA Treasurer.
Clause 1. Be a member of the ASA.

Clause 2. Be elected by a vote of the ASA in accordance with the ASA Election Code

Clause 3. Have and maintain a GPA of 2.0 throughout his or her term of office.

Clause 4. Must have held a position on the ASA student senate, held and executive office, or been an active at-large member of the A&P committee, as deemed by the Election Commissioner.

Clause 5. To fufill all qualifications, duties and responsibilities of an ASA Student Senator.

Clause 6. To manage the ASA Senate account, General account, Executive account and Community Development Fund account. The Treasurer shall maintain all purchase order books and handle all account transactions for the aforementioned accounts.

Clause 7. To prepare reports on the financial position of the ASA and to provide said reports to the Student Senate in written and/or verbal form.

Clause 8. To inform all organizations that petition funds from the ASA of the amount of their appropriation.

Clause 9. To maintain information on the status of all organizations receiving partial or full funding from the ASA and to make such information available to the ASA Student Senate and the ASA President.

Clause 10. To supervise ASA funded organizations’ account balances and send each organization a statement of their account at the beginning, middle and end of each semester. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to ensure that organizations are not allowed to accrue a debt.

Clause 11. To act as the chair of the Administration and Planning committee and perform duties of said office.

Clause 12. To serve as election commissioner for the Fall ASA Elections.

Clause 13. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations conferred upon the office by the ASA.

Section 8: Legislation
It shall have the sole authority to enact legislation regarding the ASA by means of a motion. The ASA President or any ASA member may suggest legislation, in the form of a resolution, to the ASA Student Senate.

Article VI: Permanent Standing Committees of the ASA Student Senate

Section 1: Titles.
There shall be four permanent standing committees of the ASA Student Senate. These committees shall be called the Administration and Planning Committee, the Co Curriculum Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and the Personnel and Development Committee.

Section 2: Membership.
The ASA Student Senate in compliance with the following specifications shall determine the membership of these committees:

Clause 1: All committees of this part shall be open to members selected from the ASA at large who do not hold positions on the ASA Student Senate or on the Executive Staff of the ASA President. These at large committee members are appointed by the Personnel and Development Committee, subject to approval by both the ASA Student Senate and the ASA President. These members’ terms will run concurrent with those of the elected ASA Student Senators.

Clause 2. There shall be a minimum of four Student Senators assigned to each committee of the ASA Student Senate by the President of the Senate, subject to the approval of the ASA Student Senate. Each ASA Student Senator shall hold only one concurrent committee assignment.

Clause 3. The President of the Senate shall have the power to select the chairpersons of the Co-Curriculum, Curriculum, and Personnel and Development committees of the ASA Student Senate. The committee chairperson must be a Student Senator.

Section 3: General duties and responsibilities of the Permanent Standing Committees of the ASA Student Senate.
Clause 1. Matters may be referred to a committee at the discretion of the President of the Senate.

Clause 2. All matters referred to committees shall remain in committee until a recommendation is made, unless the President of the Senate inquires about such matters, at which point the committee shall provide the requested information.

Clause 3. All recommendations shall take the form of a motion. If a committee decides that no action is necessary, it shall make a report of “No recommendation” to the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 4. The ASA Student Senate, by a two thirds (2/3) vote, can call out of committee any matter currently under consideration.

Section 4: Duties and responsibilities of the Administration and Planning Committee.

Clause 2. It shall hold spring budget hearings concerning General Budget proposals following the ASA spring elections by or within the third post election week.

Clause 3. The outgoing A&P Committee chair is recommended to serve as a non voting advisor and mediator during the spring budget hearings to provide continuity and stability.

Clause 4. It shall review, discuss, and advise the ASA Student Senate on amendments to the ASA Constitution, By laws, Election Code, and other governing documents.

Clause 5. It shall review, discuss, and advise the ASA Student Senate on resolutions emanating from the ASA Executive Cabinet.

Clause 6. Upon the request of the ASA Student Senate or the ASA President, it may review, discuss, and advise the ASA on any pertinent matter.

Section 5: Duties and responsibilities of the Co Curriculum Committee.

Clause 2. It shall examine and review the non academic concerns of the students and recommend changes to ameliorate these concerns.

Clause 3. It shall review, discuss, and advise the ASA Student Senate on resolutions emanating from the Northside (NSC) and Southside (SSC) Councils.

Clause 4. One member of the Co-Curriculum Committee shall serve as an ambassador to the Co-Curriculum Council of Augustana College.

Clause 5. Its members shall serve on task forces or committees that deal with issues affecting the non-academic aspects of Augustana College.

Section 6: Duties and responsibilities of the Curriculum Committee.
Clause 1. It shall represent the students’ interest in academic affairs.

Clause 2. It shall better the academic aspect of the Augustana College student by acting as a mediator between students and the college administration.

Clause 3. It shall have the option to administer course and faculty evaluations.

Clause 4. It shall have the option to provide a student-advising program to assist fellow students with registration.

Clause 5. It shall strive to inform the students of the value of the Liberal Arts curriculum at Augustana College.

Clause 6. It shall have the option to administer a faculty recognition award in the spring semester of the academic calender, taking nominations form the student body.

Clause 7. It shall every year nominate a student of junior standing to be appointed by the President of the ASA as Assessment Liaison. The position of Assessment Liaison shall be held for two years. In the first year of implementation (2004-2005), the President of the ASA shall also appoint a student of senior standing to the role of Assessment Liaison so as to always have two Assessment Liaisons. This shall facilitate in the training of new Assessment Liaisons. The Assessment Liaisons shall serve as At-Large Members of the Curriculum Committee. They will report bi-monthly to the Curriculum Committee on the actions of the Faculty Assessment Council.

Section 7: Duties and responsibilities of the Personnel and Development Committee.
Clause 1. It shall recommend appointments for vacant ASA Student Senate seats, subject to a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval by the Senate. It shall also appoint three at large members to each Senate standing committee, subject to a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval by the Senate.

Clause 2. It shall be responsible for the selection of the Union Board of Governors (UBG) Head Governor(s) and the chairs of Concert and Lecture, New Student Orientation (NSO), and Viking Days. The selection process shall include an application and interview with the committee. The Director of Student Activities shall serve as a voting ex-officio member of the selection process for all positions, and the current leaders of each organization shall be voting ex-officio members of the selection process for their respective organizations. The past and/or present faculty NSS director and one NSO group leader shall also be voting ex-officio members of the NSO Co-Chair selection process. These positions will be filled at the discretion of the committee when qualified applicants are available.

Clause 3. It shall develop and implement strategies to raise the student body’s awareness of ASA Senate goals and activities and to raise the Senate’s awareness of constituent concerns. This may include, but is not limited to, publicizing meetings, actions taken, and events at the request of the ASA Executives or other standing committees of the Senate.

Clause 4. It shall help current students develop lasting relations with the college. This shall be facilitated through close communication with the Alumni Relations Director.

Article VII: Budgetary Arbitration

Section 1: Purpose.
The purpose of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee is to come to a majority decision on all General Budget Presidential line item vetoes that the ASA Student Senate fails to override.

Section 2: Membership. Membership of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee shall be as follows:
Clause 1. The ASA President.

Clause 2. The ASA Vice President.

Clause 3. The Chairpersons of the four standing committees of the ASA Student Senate.

Section 3: Duties and responsibilities of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee.
Clause 1. The Chairperson of the Administration and Planning Committee shall act as the Chairperson of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee.

Clause 2. The Chairperson of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee shall exercise the power to vote only in the event of a tie vote of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee.

Clause 3. All members of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee must be present at the meeting(s) of the Budgetary Arbitration Committee in order for business to be transacted.

Clause 4. Any decision made by the Budgetary Arbitration Committee shall be considered final.

Section 4: Procedures.
Clause 1. The Budgetary Arbitration Committee shall convene within five (5) school days after the failed override vote should the ASA Student Senate fail to override any Presidential vetoes on the General Budget.

Clause 2. In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the Budgetary Arbitration Committee shall have the power to postpone said meetings for a period not to exceed five (5) school days.

Clause 3. The organizations whose budgets are involved in budgetary arbitration shall be presented with the ASA President’s rationale for his or her veto and shall have the right to present at the arbitration hearing on their respective budget to provide defense for said budget.

Article VIII: ASA Executive Cabinet

Section 1: Purpose.
To create a forum for the exchange of ideas among the Cabinet’s members.

Section 2: Membership.
The ASA Executive Cabinet shall consist of the following persons: the ASA President, the UBG Head Governor(s), chair(s) of the Concert and Lecture Committee, chair(s) of the New Student Orientation Central Committee, chair(s) of the Viking Days Central Committee, editor of The Mirror, one male intercollegiate athlete and one female intercollegiate athlete (each appointed by the ASA President), Augustana Concert Band President, Augustana College Choir President, and Augustana Chapel Congregation President.

Section 3:
The ASA President or his or her designate shall serve as the Chairperson of the ASA Executive Cabinet.

Article IX: Meetings

Section 1: ASA
Clause 1. Meetings of the ASA may be held at the discretion of the ASA Student Senate or the ASA President. Meetings may also be called by a petition of ten (10) percent of the total ASA membership.

Clause 2. Quorum.
Twenty (20) percent of the ASA membership constitutes a quorum for transacting business at all meetings of the ASA.

Clause 3. A student forum may be held during the Fall Semester of each academic year upon the recommendation of the ASA Student Senate or upon the petition of ten (10) percent of the ASA.
A. This forum shall be open to all members of the ASA with no quorum necessary.
B. Resolutions emanating from this forum will be made formal legislative action as determined by the ASA Student Senate no later than one month after said forum.

Section 2: ASA Student Senate
Clause 1. Frequency of meetings. The ASA Student Senate shall meet as a body at least once a month according to the schedule determined by the ASA Student Senate at the beginning of each semester and shall meet at other times at the decision of the President of the Senate.

Clause 2. Quorum. Two thirds (2/3) of the filled voting positions of the ASA Student Senate shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.

Section 3: Committees of the ASA Student Senate.
Permanent standing committees of the ASA Student Senate shall meet on a bimonthly basis opposite of the meeting schedule of the ASA Senate and as deemed necessary by the committee chairperson.

Article X: Referendum and Impeachment

Section 1: Referendum.
If any member of the ASA believes that legislation passed by the ASA Student Senate is contrary to the desires of the ASA, he or she may petition for a referendum. This petition must contain the signatures of at least five (5) percent of the ASA members and be presented to the ASA President within two (2) class weeks of the passage of the legislation. A referendum shall then be held within one (1) week of the presentation of the petition. The ASA President’s Council will decide the date for the election and preside over it as designated in the ASA Election Code. A two thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast in an election of the ASA shall be necessary for a repeal of the questioned legislation. Thirty (30) percent of the ASA must vote for the election to be valid.

Section 2: Impeachment.
If any member of the ASA believes that an elected or appointed official is not meeting the requirements of his or her position, he or she may petition for a recall. This petition must contain the signatures of at least five (5) percent of the ASA members and be presented to the ASA President. If the ASA President is the subject of the petition for impeachment, the petition shall be delivered to the ASA Vice President. A recall election shall be held within two (2) weeks after the presentation of the recall and shall be presided over as designated by the ASA Election Code. It is necessary that seventy five (75) percent of the total voters vote in favor of removing the official from office. Fifty (50) percent of the ASA must vote in said election for the election to be valid.

Section 3: Impeachment by the ASA Student Senate.
The rules governing the impeachment of the officers of the ASA and ASA Student Senators by the ASA Student Senate are as follows:

Clause 1. An official accusation for the impeachment of any Executive Officer of the ASA or ASA Student Senator shall be made before the ASA Student Senate two (2) weeks prior to impeachment hearings. ASA Student Senators may bring formal accusation against officers of the ASA and members of the ASA Student Senate. Any member of the ASA may also bring formal accusation against any officer of the ASA. However, accusation of an ASA Student Senator for the ASA at large must come from the electorate, which he or she represents, with the duties formerly granted to the ASA now being granted to the appropriate electorate.

Clause 2. At the impeachment hearing, which shall be held two (2) weeks following the accusation, the accused shall be given ample time to present his or her case.

Clause 3. The highest-ranking officer of the ASA who is present shall chair the impeachment hearing. The impeachment hearing cannot be a part of a regular meeting of the ASA Student Senate; a special meeting of the ASA Student Senate must be held.

Clause 4. The accused shall not be considered a member of the quorum or be eligible for chairperson.

Clause 5. After the accused has presented his or her case, he or she shall be allowed to remain present and defend himself or herself during the ensuing discussion by the ASA Student Senate.

Clause 6. The Chair shall terminate discussion after a member of the quorum has called the question. Following the acceptance of the question, the accused shall be excused from further proceedings.

Clause 7. Upon exclusion of the accused, no more discussion shall take place, and a secret ballot shall be taken.

Clause 8. Impeachment of the accused will require a three fourths (3/4) majority vote of the senators present at the time of the vote at any meeting of the ASA Student Senate in favor of impeachment.

Article XI: Parliamentary Authority

Section 1: Rules.
The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the entirety of this organization for all cases in which they are applicable and not inconsistent with the Constitution, By Laws, or other governing documents of the ASA.

Section 2: Parliamentarian.
The President of the Senate may designate a person well versed in parliamentary procedure to serve as parliamentarian, subject to confirmation in the form of a majority vote of the Student Senate. The individual shall serve in an advisory position to the President of the Senate with regard to parliamentary procedure. The parliamentarian shall be a non voting member of the ASA Student Senate.

Article XII: Amendment Procedure

Section 1: Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a seventy five (75) percent majority vote of the senators present at the time of the vote at any meeting of the ASA Student Senate. This constitution may also be amended by a referendum vote of the ASA. Fifty (50) percent of the ASA must vote for the election to be valid. Any member of the ASA may initiate a petition bearing the signatures of at least five (5) percent of the ASA membership.

Section 2: Revision
The President of the Senate shall refer the proposed amendment to the Administration and Planning Committee for the purpose of reading and revising for a minimum of one (1) week.

Section 3: Presentation to the Senate.
The Administration and Planning Committee shall then discuss the proposal and draft it into final form and present it to the ASA Student Senate.

Section 4: Senate Review
The ASA Student Senate shall then hold a minimum of a one (1) week reading period to review the amendment.

Section 5: Approval
If the ASA Student Senate passes an amendment, it shall be sent to the ASA President for his or her signature or veto. If the ASA President vetoes the measure, it shall be sent back to the ASA Student Senate where it may be overridden by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the senators present at the time of the vote at any meeting of the ASA Student Senate. If the veto of the ASA President is overridden, the measure shall be adopted.