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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DARTMOUTH COLLEGE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
PREAMBLE
We, the undergraduate students of Dartmouth College, in order to foster trust, understanding, and communication between and among the members of the Dartmouth College community, to provide for the support and development of all aspects of the educational process, to improve the quality of life at the college, to responsibly represent the student body, to provide a responsible student voice, and to supply the basis for cooperative action, hereby establish this Constitution for the Dartmouth College Student Assembly, hereafter referred to as the Assembly.
ARTICLE I: EXECUTIVE OFFICES
Section I.
Student Body President
A) The Student Body President (hereinafter “the President”) shall be elected from among the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes and by all classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
B) The duties of the President shall include the following:
1) To be the official spokesperson for the Assembly;
2) To serve as a non-voting chair for General Assembly meetings;
3) To cast tie-breaking votes in the General Assembly, including in-Assembly elections for various offices or posts, unless otherwise noted;
4) To facilitate student communication with the college administration and faculty via regular meetings with the leadership of both;
5) To propose the agenda for Assembly meetings;
6) To appoint one Vice President to chair each Standing Committee, excluding the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee (hereinafter “MIAC”) and the Executive Committee
7) To consult the Student Body Vice President on all appointments;
To serve on the Council on Student Life, as the chair of the Undergraduate Finance Committee, and in other ex officio positions as may arise;
9) To chair the Executive Committee;
10) To set the agenda for Executive Committee meetings;
Section II.
Student Body Vice President
A) The Student Body Vice President shall be elected from among the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes and by all classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
B) The duties of the Student Body Vice President shall include the following:
1) To serve as Parliamentarian of the Assembly in that person's absence;
2) To assume the responsibilities of the President in the event of the President's inability to do so as a result of temporary absence or temporary incapacitation;
3) To serve as a chair of MIAC;
4) To advise the President on all appointments;
5) To act as a liaison between the President and the Vice Presidents;
6) To serve on the Executive Committee;
Section III.
Treasurer
A) The Treasurer shall be elected from among and by the General Assembly;
B) The Treasurer shall be elected at the second organizational meeting held by each Assembly;
C) The duties of the Treasurer shall include the following:
1) To maintain financial records of all Assembly business and be prepared to inform the General Assembly at each meeting of the financial status of the Assembly;
2) To present complete financial reports at the first and last General Assembly meetings of each term;
3) To inform the General Assembly of any expenditure made by the President or the Executive Committee at the first meeting of the General Assembly following the expenditure;
4) To be the liaison of the Assembly to the Student Activities Office for all financial matters;
5) To serve on the Executive Committee;
6) To serve as President should both the President and Vice President be absent or incapacitated;
Section IV.
Secretary
A) The Secretary shall be elected from among and by the General Assembly;
B) The Secretary shall be elected at the second organizational meeting held by each Assembly;
C) The duties of the Secretary shall include the following:
1) To monitor attendance records for all General Assembly and committee meetings;
2) To record the proceedings of General Assembly meetings and make
available the minutes of those meetings to the Assembly and the
student body through a centralized, and organized mechanism in
hardcopy;
3) To serve on the Executive Committee;
4) To work in cooperation with MIAC in maintaining Assembly records;
D) The Secretary shall collect and tally all votes;
Section V.
Vice Presidents, excluding the Student Body Vice President
A) One Vice President for each Standing Committee shall be nominated by the President and approved by a majority vote of the General Assembly;
B) The duties of said Vice Presidents shall include the following:
1) To conduct regular committee meetings;
2) To record the proceedings of their committee meetings, and make available those minutes to the Assembly and the student body;
3) To serve on the Executive Committee;
4) To present to the General Assembly a justification of any and all decisions to reject a motion;
5) To take and report attendance at committee meetings to the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee and the Secretary;
C) The Vice Presidents must be in residence for Fall term as well as Winter term or Spring term of that academic year for which they serve. Should the Vice President be leaving for either Winter or Spring term
The Vice Presidents must be in residence for Fall term as well as Winter term or Spring term of that academic year for which they serve. Should the Vice President be leaving for either Winter or Spring term
Section VI.
No individual shall hold more than one of the Vice Presidencies at a given time;
Section VII.
Parliamentarian
A) The Parliamentarian shall be chosen by the Student Assembly President from among members of the student body;
B) The Parliamentarian shall have final jurisdiction in all matters concerning the Constitution or the Rules of Order;
C) The Parliamentarian shall be considered an Officer of the Assembly, though he or she will not serve on the Executive Committee;
Section VIII.
Community Service Coordinator
A) Any individual, regardless of his or her status with regard to voting membership in the Assembly, who is not currently serving as an Executive Officer of the Assembly pursuant to this Article, may serve as the Community Service Coordinator of the Assembly;
B) The Community Service Coordinator shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by majority vote of the General Assembly, and shall serve for a one-year term;
C) The Community Service Coordinator shall, throughout the year, design and implement occasions on which members of the Assembly may perform community service in Hanover and the Upper Valley and perform such other duties as appropriate to the position;
D) The Community Service Coordinator may be removed from his or her office by 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee;
E) The Student Body President shall reserve the right to activate and/or deactivate this position at any time during his or her administration.
Section IX.
Presidential Assistant
A) The Presidential Assistant shall be the special assistant to the President to aid him or her in the performance of all duties of the Presidency;
B) The Presidential Assistant shall be appointed by the President. Appointment to the office of Presidential Assistant may occur at any time. The office of Presidential Assistant may remain vacant at the discretion of the President;
C) The Presidential Assistant-designate shall be a voting member of the Assembly, and appointment to the position of Presidential Assistant shall not change an individual’s status with regard to Assembly membership;
D) The Presidential Assistant shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Executive Committee, and shall not be a voting member of any other Standing Committee;
E) No individual shall concurrently hold the office of Presidential Assistant and any other Executive Office within the Assembly.
F) An individual may be removed from the office of Presidential Assistant at the discretion of the President of the Assembly.
G) The Student Body President shall reserve the right to activate and/or deactivate this position at any time during his or her administration.
Section X.
Student Assembly Web Team Liaison
A) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
B) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be a voting member of the Assembly.
C) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall not be required to serve on any Assembly committee, but shall attend any Executive Committee meeting at the request of the Executive Committee.
D) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be required to be in residence for at least two out of four terms during each Student Assembly year.
E) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be responsible for the coordination of the completion of the following duties:
1) Maintenance and updates to the Student Assembly Website
2) Maintenance and updates to the Student Assembly Course Guide Service
3) Development and maintenance of projects recommended by the Student Assembly and agreed to by the Student Assembly Web Team
4) Communication with each of the Student Assembly Committee Chairs in regards to any Web-related project.
Section XI. Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator
A) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be selected from among the Student Body by an application process overseen by the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee.
B) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
C) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall report directly to the President, and he/she shall reserve the right to remove any Blitz Terminal Coordinator who is neglecting to fulfill his/her duties with a 2/3 vote within the Executive Committee.
D) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be required to be in
residence for at least two out of four terms during each Student Assembly year.
E) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be compensated at the end of each term of service by an amount that is specified in the By-Laws.
F) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be responsible for the following duties:
1) Blitz computer service and maintenance for all Student Assembly blitz terminals on campus.
2) The addition of new blitz terminals or blitz terminal locations at the request of the Executive Committee.
3) The training of a new Blitz Terminal Coordinator prior to the end of his/her term.
Section XII. Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council Chair
A. The Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council Chair shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee, and shall be elected and held to standards of office as prescribed by Article I and Article V, Section VI.
ARTICLE II: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Section I.
Elected At-Large Representatives
A) Ten Representatives shall be elected from each of the current Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes by their respective classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year.
B) Freshman Representatives shall be elected from each residential cluster as follows by no later than the third Sunday of the Fall term: three representatives from the Choates, two from the River, one from the Fayerweathers, one from Rip/Wood/Smith, one from East Wheelock, one from Wheeler/Richardson and New Hampshire/Topliff, and one from Russell Sage/Butterfield/Hitchcock and the Gold Coast. Elections for Freshman Cluster Representatives shall be publicly announced to the Freshman Class at least five days before said elections are held;
C) Duties of all Upper-class Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform the student body about information and issues relevant to Assembly business;
2) To serve on one Standing Committee;
3) To regularly attend General Assembly meetings and Standing Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance;
D) Duties of all First-Year Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform the student body about information and issues relevant to Assembly business;
2) To serve on the Communications Committee in addition to one other Standing Committee;
3) To regularly attend General Assembly Meetings and Standing Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance;
Section II.
Appointed General Voting Members
A) General Voting Members may be added to the Assembly by the approval of a majority vote of MIAC;
B) Individual students may petition MIAC for appointment to the General Assembly by sending to the Executive Vice-President an "Application for Membership," the form of which will be determined by the MIAC;
C) Applicants may also be asked to collect the signatures of a number of Dartmouth undergraduates to be specified in the By-Laws;
D) MIAC shall consider said petitions on an on-going basis. MIAC shall render decisions on all petitions within three weeks of their submission;
E) Should an individual be denied membership in the Assembly, he or she may achieve automatic appointment by collecting the signatures of a total of 500 Dartmouth undergraduates;
F) Individuals who are given membership on the Assembly through petition shall hold that seat until the end of the following summer term
Section III.
Student Organizations Representatives
A) All student organizations shall be eligible to apply for a renewable year-long membership to the Student Assembly.
B) An organization wishing to be represented must apply through MIAC. MIAC shall determine the appropriate procedure for such an application. Representation shall be granted or denied to the organization by majority vote of MIAC.
C) The criteria for the selection of organization representatives shall be such that both organizations with large memberships and smaller organizations with significant interests related to the Student Assembly’s agenda are represented fairly. Furthermore, decisions regarding membership shall also consider the design and functionality of the Student Organizations Committee to which all representatives are assigned.
D) MIAC shall not retain the power to deny membership to any individual applying under this Section, unless such individual has already been removed from that same Assembly in a manner pursuant to Article VII;
E) MIAC shall announce all decisions relating to organization representation to the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall retain the right to veto the decision made by MIAC by a 2/3 vote.
F) An initial list of organizations receiving representation may be approved by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly prior to the adoption of the procedure outlined in clauses A through E.
G) Duties of all Organization Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform their respective organization about the activities of, and issues facing, the Student Assembly, and to report back to the Assembly on the concerns and opinions of that organization, in a manner to be determined by the Student Organizations Committee.
2) To serve on the Student Organizations Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance.
3) To regularly attend General Assembly and Committee meetings unless
extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance.
Section IV.
No student may serve as a member of the General Assembly unless elected as an Assembly member, automatically appointed through the submission of 500 signatures of Dartmouth undergraduates or approved by a majority vote of MIAC, appointed as a student organizational representative, or appointed and approved as an executive.
Section V.
All Assembly Members shall be allowed to vote on all issues before the General Assembly, except the President who shall only vote in the case of a tie, and any Member without voting privileges;
Section VI.
The voting membership of the Assembly shall not be limited except by resolution passed by the General Assembly. In no case shall such limit be less than 50 voting members. In no case shall such limit prevent an individual, who has collected the 500 signatures necessary for automatic appointment to the General Assembly, from gaining voting membership on the Assembly;
ARTICLE III: MEETINGS
Section I.
The Calling of Meetings
A) General Assembly meetings shall be held on a regular basis;
B) The President shall determine the regular meeting time for a given term prior the first meeting of that term;
C) Except in the case of extraordinary circumstances, there shall be no fewer than seven General Assembly meetings per term;
D) The President has the discretion to call emergency meetings of the General Assembly but Assembly members must be notified at least twenty-four hours prior to said meetings;
E) A General Assembly meeting shall be called within three days following a request signed by one-third of the Assembly membership with such request being delivered in writing to the President;
F) The date and time of each and every General Assembly meeting shall be announced to Assembly members at least twenty-four hours before the meeting is held;
G) The date and time of each and every committee meeting shall be announced to committee members at least twenty-four hours before the meeting is held;
H) No official business shall be conducted at a meeting if members are not reasonably and adequately notified of the meeting prior to it being held;
I) Meetings shall be held during reasonable hours of the day;
J) No meeting shall be held during the reading period or the final examination period;
Section II.
Attendance
A) Attendance shall be taken by the Secretary at the commencement and adjournment of every General Assembly meeting. Members present for one taking of attendance and not the other shall receive one half of an absence. Members absent for both takings of attendance shall receive a full absence;
B) If a meeting does not adjourn before the time established by the By-Laws then the meeting shall be interrupted and the second and final attendance shall be taken as though it were adjournment. Afterwards the meeting may proceed.
Section III.
Quorum
A) An official quorum of the Assembly shall consist of a majority of its membership at the present time;
B) An official quorum for a committee shall consist of a majority of its membership at the present time;
C) No official business shall be conducted without a quorum;
D) All references to votes contained in this Constitution are based on the premise that votes shall be taken out of a majority of quorum except for those instances where it is explicitly stated to be otherwise;
Section IV.
Assembly Membership
A) Assembly membership for a given term shall be defined as those active Assembly members living in Hanover or its environs for that term. Members who have lost voting privileges shall not be counted in the Assembly membership;
Section V.
Rules of Order
A) All Assembly meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Order, contained in the By-Laws of the Assembly;
B) All Assembly meetings, excluding meetings of MIAC and the Executive Committee, shall be considered open unless closed in accordance with the Rules of Order;
ARTICLE IV: LEGISLATION
Section I.
Proposition of Legislation
A) Any Assembly member may propose legislation at a General Assembly meeting or Standing Committee meeting in accordance with the Rules of Order and the details about legislation in Article VII of the By-Laws;
B) Only Assembly members shall be permitted to formally propose legislation at General Assembly meetings and Standing Committee meetings;
Section II.
Review by Standing Committee
A) A legislation (including statements, proposals, and resolutions) to be voted upon by the Assembly shall be considered by a Standing Committee, the Executive Committee excluded, before coming before the General Assembly;
B) The President shall be responsible for the delegation and consideration of all legislation proposed before the General Assembly with regards to the Standing Committees;
C) No legislation may be brought to the Assembly without prior approval of a Standing Committee;
D) Legislation may be proposed within the Standing Committees without first proposition in the General Assembly;
E) Standing Committee Chairpersons shall report the passage of all legislation in committee to the Executive Committee within three days of said passage;
Section III.
General Assembly Consideration of Proposals
A) The President, in concurrence with the Executive Committee, shall be responsible for the consideration of all proposed legislation before the General Assembly;
B) Any piece of legislation passed through a Standing Committee and reported to the Executive Committee must be considered by the General Assembly within three academic weeks of said report;
ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES
Section I.
Standing Committees excluding MIAC, the Executive Committee, and the Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council
A) Members may give preferences as to which Standing Committee they wish to be voting members of, but the final Standing Committee memberships shall be decided upon by MIAC;
B) Each General Assembly member, with the exception of the Student Body Vice President who may vote in both MIAC and the Executive Committee , other Vice Presidents who may vote in both their respective Standing Committees and the Executive Committee, and First-Year Cluster Representatives who may vote in both their chosen Standing Committee and the Communications Committee, must officially serve and vote on one and only one Standing Committee, Executive Committee, or Membership and Internal Affairs Committee, but may unofficially work on any committee;
C) The size of each Standing Committee shall be decided on a per annum basis by MIAC upon recommendations of Standing Committee Vice Presidents;
D) The names and functions of said Standing Committees shall be as follows:
1) The Communications Committee shall handle Assembly publicity as well as the gathering of feedback from the student body;
2) The Academic Affairs Committee shall solicit student opinion regarding necessary academic changes and then research and accomplish these goals. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
3) The Student Life Committee shall address social, residential, and cultural concerns of the Dartmouth Community. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
4) The Student Organizations Committee shall address those issues and concerns encountered by campus organizations and brought to its attention by Student Organization Representatives. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
5) The Diversity Affairs Committee shall address the general concerns of inclusiveness and pluralism in the Dartmouth community, issues of: race, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socio-economic status, as well as the particular concerns of groups including but not limited to GLBTQ students, women students, students of color, and international students. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
6) The Alumni Affairs Committee shall be responsible for creating, maintaining, and improving relationships between Student Assembly, the student body, and the alumni of Dartmouth College. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions. This Committee shall be responsible to appoint undergraduate representatives to the Dartmouth Alumni Council pending confirmation by the General Assembly using an open, campus-wide application and interview process;
E) Each Vice President may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair from his or her committee to assist in the organization of his or her committee and to chair the committee in his or her absence;
F) The responsibilities of said Standing Committees shall include the following:
1) To serve as coordinating bodies for the resolution of issues which affect the student body in areas relevant to said committees;
2) To identify and address those needs and issues of student concern relevant to said committees;
3) To review proposed resolutions delegated to each respective committee and determine whether said resolutions should be brought to the Assembly floor by means of a majority vote of committee members;
4) To be respectively responsible for all follow up work and implementation requirements for all resolutions passed by the Assembly which originated from said committees;
Section II.
Student Services Board
A) The Student Services Board shall address those concerns that enhance the day-to-day life of Dartmouth students.
B) The Student Services Board chair shall serve as an Executive and be subject to all the same requirements of other Vice-Presidents.
C) The Student Services Board may serve as the Standing Committee for General Assembly members.
D) The Student Services Board shall recruit heavily from non-Assembly members so that students who aren’t normally involved with the Assembly can still contribute to student services.
E) The Student Services Board shall be granted an initial budget at the beginning of the fall term by the General Assembly and may be increased throughout the year by Resolution.
F) The Student Services Board must approve each expenditure over $100 with a majority vote of its membership. Any amount under $100 can be approved by the Student Services Board chair.
G) The Student Services Board may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair for the board to assist in the organization and to chair the board in his or her absence. The Vice-Chair need not be a member of the general Assembly.
H) The Student Services Board chair must inform the General Assembly of all business on a weekly basis.
I) The Student Services Board chair may be appointed in the fall.
Section III.
MIAC
A) There shall be five members, including the Student Body-Vice President;
B) Members of MIAC, excluding the Student Body Vice President, shall be elected from among the General Assembly by a plurality vote of the General Assembly at the first organizational meeting of each Assembly in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
C) Election to MIAC shall proceed as follows:
1) Membership on MIAC shall be open to all Assembly members;
2) The candidates with the four highest vote totals in the in-Assembly election shall become members MIAC;
3) Each Assembly member shall be permitted to cast a maximum of four votes in said election;
D) The Student Body Vice President shall serve as chair;
E) MIAC may, at its discretion, elect a Vice-Chair from among and by its members, who will serve on the Executive Committee;
F) The responsibilities of MIAC shall include:
1) To appoint student representatives to all Dartmouth College committees and councils where required;
2) To render judgment on General Voting Member applicants from petitions and confirm them to the General Assembly;
3) To confirm the Summer Assembly Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson by means of a majority vote;
4) To conduct a review of any Assembly member upon the request of any voting Assembly representative. MIAC shall have the power to suggest removal from office pursuant to the procedures outlined in Article VII, Section II;
G) Requests in the form of petitions or nominations for appointment must be acted upon within three academic weeks after the petition or nomination is submitted;
H) Members of MIAC, excluding the Student Body Vice President and the elected Vice-Chair, if applicable, shall not hold an Executive Office on the Assembly;
I) All MIAC meetings shall be closed except to members of said committee and those persons invited by the Student Body Vice President, and Vice-Chair of MIAC;
Section IV.
Executive Committee
A) Voting members of the Executive Committee shall include the following: the President, Student Body Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice Presidents of the Assembly;
B) Non-Voting members of the Executive Committee may include Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees, at the President's discretion, and the Presidential Assistant;
1) The status of Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons must be made explicit at the creation of said committee, and may not be changed as long as the committee operates;
2) Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees may hold other Executive Office;
C) The responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall include the following:
1) To approve agendas for all meetings of the General Assembly;
2) To coordinate the activities of the Standing Committees of the Assembly;
3) To provide information on issues of policy and finance to General Assembly;
4) To finalize, in conjunction with the President, the Assembly agenda for the year;
D) All Executive Committee meetings shall be closed except to members of said committee and those persons invited by the President, with prior notification to members of the Executive Committee;
Section V.
Ad Hoc Committees
A) Ad Hoc Committees may be formed and dissolved at the discretion of the Executive Committee with majority rule;
B) Ad Hoc Committees are to be formed to address extraordinary issues and concerns for which the Standing Committee structure is inadequate;
C) Membership in Ad Hoc Committees shall be open to all Assembly members;
D) Membership in Ad Hoc Committees shall be open to the student body at the discretion of the Executive Committee;
E) Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons shall not exceed two in number;
F) Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons shall be Assembly members prior to selection as Chairpersons;
G) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for determining the processes for nomination and confirmation of Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons with majority rule;
Section VI.
Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council (DIVC)
A) Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council, herein referred to as “DIVC,” shall function as Student Assembly’s representative to the Ivy Council, the collection of all eight Ivy League student governments;
B) DIVC membership may include Dartmouth students not associated with the Assembly so that students not normally involved in Assembly affairs may still contribute to Dartmouth’s voice among the Ivy Council;
C) The DIVC chair shall serve as an Executive and be elected for a one-year term by majority vote of the General Assembly in the Assembly’s spring organizational meetings. In the event that the Chair cannot serve a full year, an appointment may be made on a term basis;
D) The DIVC chair may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair to assist in the organization and to chair in his or her absence. The Vice-Chair need not be a member of the General Assembly;
E) The DIVC chair shall also serve as Head Delegate and be responsible for attending all steering meetings of the Ivy Council;
F) It is the responsibility of DIVC to select delegates to represent the Assembly at the meetings of the Ivy Council;
G) The DIVC chair shall facilitate election of liaisons to the Ivy Council at his or her discretion;
H) DIVC shall request funding from the Assembly for travel and registration to both the Fall and Spring conferences of the Ivy Council as well as the Ivy Leadership Summit (ILS) in the Winter;
I) The DIVC chair shall provide an update to the General Assembly subsequent to each Ivy Council conference
ARTICLE VI: FINANCES
Section I.
Authority
A) The Assembly shall have full authority over all revenue placed under its control;
Section II.
Expenditures and Allocations
A) The President shall have the authority to make expenditures on behalf of the Assembly for administrative purposes only, not to exceed a specific amount to be determined in the By-Laws; said expenditures shall be reported by the Treasurer to the Assembly at the next General Assembly meeting;
B) The Executive Committee shall have the authority to make expenditures on behalf of the Assembly for administrative purposes only, not to exceed a specific amount to be determined in the By-Laws; said expenditures shall be reported by the Treasurer to the Assembly at the next General Assembly meeting;
C) All other expenses shall require a resolution passed by the General Assembly;
ARTICLE VII: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE, RESIGNATION, AND INACTIVITY
Section I.
Justifications for removal from office shall include but not be limited to: embezzlement, ethical misjudgment, honor code violations, and gross violations of the Constitution;
Section II.
Procedure for Removal
A) Should MIAC find grounds for removal in its review process, it may, by a four-fifths vote, suggest that member's removal to the Executive Committee. This holds for all College Committee appointees and all Assembly Members and Executive Officers, excluding the President, the Student Body Vice President, and the Parliamentarian. Said suggestion shall take the form of a statement by MIAC and by the Vice President who chairs the committee on which said member serves.
B) The Executive Committee shall review this petition, and may, by a two-thirds vote, remove said member from the Assembly.
C) MIAC members shall not participate in any votes regarding their own removal.
D) A Vice President whose removal has been suggested shall not participate in any votes regarding his or her removal.
E) The Vice President supporting a member's removal shall deliver his or her reasons for this decision to the Executive Committee, but shall not participate in the removal vote.
F) Removal of the Student Body President or Vice President may be brought to the floor only by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly. Removal shall require a three-quarters vote of the General Assembly.
G) If the Executive-Vice President is removed from his or her position, the Executive Committee shall appoint a permanent member of the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee to chair said committee until such time as a new Student Body Vice President is elected.
H) All Vice Presidents, excluding the Student Body Vice President, nominated by a given President-elect shall be removed from said Executive Offices if said President-elect, prior to becoming President, vacates said position;
I) All pending nominations for Vice Presidents shall be automatically withdrawn if the nominating President or the nominating President-elect vacates said office or said position, respectively;
J) In the case that the President is replaced while still in tenure, the incoming President may dismiss the Vice Presidents serving under the previous President, with any such dismissal taking effect upon nomination and confirmation of a replacement;
K) Any member who is removed from Dartmouth College or who ceases attendance at Dartmouth College shall be automatically removed from the Assembly;
L) A call for the removal of a Vice President, excluding the Student Body Vice President, may be made by the President. The Executive Committee shall review this petition, and may, by 2/3 vote, remove said individual from his or her Vice Presidency;
Section III.
Voting Status
A) Any Member of the Assembly who is unexcused for the equivalent of three meetings in a given term, shall, immediately be referred to MIAC, which shall meet within one week to determine whether it will remove said Member from the Assembly or allow him to remain on without voting privileges;
B) A Member who has lost his voting privileges will not have a vote either in the General Assembly or his committee, including the Executive Committee, and shall no longer be counted as part of the active Assembly membership, but may retain all other privileges of membership, including his or her committee assignment and/or Executive Office;
C) Excused absences from General Assembly meetings will be left to the discretion of the Secretary. Excused absences shall only be granted in extreme circumstances.
D) At the discretion of the Student Body Vice President, a member may be excused from a meeting not at the regular time if that member submits a request in writing at least two hours prior outlining the reason why he or she can not attend;
E) Excessive absence from scheduled committee meetings shall be considered grounds for MIAC review of the member in question, upon referral of said member to MIAC by the Vice President of that member’s committee.
F) When a member has accumulated the equivalent of two absences, the Secretary shall in writing inform that member, MIAC, and, if said member represents an organization, the organization he or she represents, that he or she is in jeopardy of losing his voting privileges or being removed from the Assembly.
G) MIAC will evaluate all members who have lost voting privileges at the end of the term, and may by, majority vote, reinstate any member to full voting status for his following term in residence.
Section IV.
Removal from Executive Office
A) All Executive Officers may be removed from said positions under the procedure outlined in Article VII, Section II, but may still retain General Assembly Voting Member status;
B) A petition for removal of an Executive Officer shall clearly state whether removal shall be from said Executive Office or from the Assembly;
Section V.
Resignations
A) Resignations shall be submitted to the President in writing, except in the case of a Presidential resignation which shall be submitted to the Student Body Vice President in writing;
B) An Executive Officer may resign from office but may still retain General Assembly Voting Member status;
C) Resignations shall take effect immediately after being received by the appropriate official;
D) Replacement proceedings for a resigning member may begin upon announcement by said member of pending resignation;
Section VI.
Inactivity
A) An in-residence member, not holding an Executive Office, may become inactive for a prolonged period of time under extraordinary circumstances; however, such inactivity must be noted to the President in writing and must receive the approval of the President;
B) A member acting under Article VII, Section V, Subsection A may appeal the decision of the President to MIAC which may, by majority vote, allow a member to become inactive for a prolonged period of time;
C) A member may become reactivated at his or her discretion, but said member must notify the President of the change in status in writing;
D) A member who is inactive while in-residence for a cumulative period of more than seven academic weeks shall be considered removed from the Assembly and may not reactivate;
E) A member shall be considered inactive while not in residence and shall be automatically reactivated upon returning to a status of in-residence without need of notifying the President;
Section VII.
In the event that an elected Freshman Cluster Representative is removed, resigns, or is elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, the residence cluster he or she had represented shall hold another election within one week's time;
Section VIII.
The removal of an organization representative shall constitute only the replacement of that specific individual, not the removal of his or her organization. Said organization shall be asked to designate another individual to replace its former representative;
ARTICLE VIII: REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS
Section I.
President
A) In the event that the President is removed, resigns or becomes permanently incapacitated, the Student Body Vice President shall assume the Presidency;
B) In the event that the President-elect is removed, resigns, or is permanently incapacitated, the Student Body Vice President-elect shall assume the Presidency-elect;
Section II.
Student Body Vice President
A) In the event that the Student Body Vice President is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the position of President, the following procedure shall occur:
1) An election shall be held within the General Assembly;
2) All Assembly members shall be eligible to run;
3) A candidate receiving a majority vote shall become Vice President;
4) If no candidate receives a majority vote, then the candidate with the least number of votes or those candidates tied with the least number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot and another election shall be held amongst those candidates remaining from the previous election. Said procedure shall be repeated until a candidate receives a majority vote;
B) The same procedure described in Article VIII, Section II, Subsection A shall be employed for the replacement of the Student Body Vice President-elect, except that candidates who ran for Student Body President and Vice President in the most recent general election but lost shall also be eligible to run;
C) If both the Student Body President and Vice President or both the President-elect and Vice President-elect are removed, resign, or become permanently incapacitated in conjunction with one another, the procedure described above in Article VIII, Sections II, Subsection A and, if applicable, Clause B shall be employed for filling both offices;
Section III.
Other Executive Offices
A) If the Treasurer and/or Secretary are removed, resign, is permanently incapacitated, or elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, election(s) to replace them shall be held within the General Assembly. Candidacy in said elections shall be open to all Assembly members. The outcomes of said election(s) shall be determined by plurality vote;
B) If any of the appointed Vice Presidents is removed, resigns, is permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency or Vice Presidency, the President shall appoint a replacement, subject to the approval of the General Assembly;
Section IV.
Representatives
A) In the event that a non-freshman Representative is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, or an elected Representative seat is left vacated after General elections, MIAC may appoint a new representative, at its discretion;
Section V.
MIAC Members
A) If a member of MIAC, other than the Student Body Vice President, is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency, the Executive Vice Presidency, or any other Executive Office, a special general election shall be held within the General Assembly, open to all Assembly members, to fill the open post in accordance with the rules established under Article V, Section II, Subsection C;
B) All Assembly members shall receive one vote in the special election for every MIAC post open in accordance with Article VIII, Section V, Clause A;
Section VI.
Time Period for Replacements
A) All permanent vacancies, excluding General Voting Member vacancies, shall be filled within two academic weeks of the creation of the vacancy;
B) An exception to Article VIII, Section VI, Clause A shall be elected Representative seats left vacant by general elections; said seats shall be filled by the end of the spring term in which said elections are held;
ARTICLE IX: OFF TERM, LEAVE TERM, AND INACTIVITY VACANCIES FOR ALL TERMS EXCLUDING SUMMER TERM
Section I.
Executive Offices
A) If the Treasurer and/or Secretary is not in-residence, an acting Treasurer will be elected from the General Assembly by the means established in Article VIII, Section III, Subsection A at the first meeting of the term of the absence;
Section II.
Duration of Tenure for Acting Officers
A) Tenure for said individuals shall conclude upon the return of the absent Executive Officer;
B) If an Executive Officer permanently vacates a position while absent, the tenure for an acting officer filling said position shall conclude upon appointment of a permanent replacement to the vacated position;
ARTICLE X: TRANSITION OF POWER
Section I.
The newly elected Assembly shall take office at the conclusion of the spring term in which that Assembly was elected.
Section II.
The newly elected Assembly shall hold no less than two organizational meetings within the term in which it was elected to conduct the following business:
A) To review and understand the Constitution and procedures of the Assembly;
B) To elect the members of MIAC;
C) To elect a Secretary and Treasurer;
D) To appoint and confirm Vice Presidents for each standing committee, excluding MIAC and the Executive Committee;
E) To make all necessary appointments and confirmations for the Summer Assembly;
F) To fill all elected At-Large Representative seats left vacant by general elections;
Section III.
All such business should be concluded before the newly elected Assembly assumes office;
Section IV.
All individuals and instruments of the Assembly shall assume those necessary powers and responsibilities, consistent with office or role, to fulfill the organizational duties hereby prescribed;
ARTICLE XI: SUMMER ASSEMBLY
Section I.
Officers
A) There shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary;
B) The Chairperson shall be the President of the Assembly;
C) If the President is not in residence, or does not wish to serve as Chairperson, the Student Body Vice President shall be Chairperson; if the Student Body Vice President also is not in residence, or does not wish to serve as Chairperson, the President shall, in consultation with the Student Body Vice President appoint a chairperson from among those students who have served at least one term as an Assembly member;
D) The Vice-Chairperson shall be the Student Body Vice President of the Assembly;
E) If the Student Body Vice President is not in residence, is to serve as Chairperson of the Summer Assembly, or does not wish to serve as Vice-Chairperson, the President shall, in consultation with the Student Body Vice President, appoint a Vice Chairperson from among those students who have served at least one term as an Assembly member;
F) The Treasurer and Secretary of the Summer Assembly shall be elected by the membership of the Summer Assembly at the first Summer Assembly meeting in accordance with the rules established in Article I, Section III, Clause A;
Section II.
Membership
A) Membership of the Summer Assembly shall include:
1) members of the Assembly elected during the immediately preceding spring term who are in residence during the summer term;
2) Members of the Assembly from the preceding academic year who are in residence during the summer term;
3) The President and the Vice President of the rising Junior Class, at their discretion;
4) Undergraduates in residence who attend three meetings in a row.
B) Membership under Article XI, Section II, Subsection A) ends at the conclusion of the that summer term;
Section III.
Responsibilities
A) To fulfill the duties and responsibilities invested in the Student Assembly, during the summer term;
B) To fulfill reasonable obligations assumed by the Assembly through resolutions of previous Assemblies;
C) To research and prepare issues and ideas for the incoming Assembly at the discretion of the incoming Assembly;
Section IV.
Finances
A) The finances of the Summer Assembly shall be allocated by the Executive Committee of the forthcoming year and from the budget of the Assembly of the forthcoming year;
B) Guidelines for the finances of the Summer Assembly shall be set forth in the By-Laws of the Assembly;
Section V.
Limitations of Authority
A) The Summer Assembly shall not have neither the authority to alter the Constitution nor to overturn resolutions of previous Assemblies;
B) The Summer Assembly shall not make binding decisions for incoming or future Assemblies;
C) Any changes made by the Summer Assembly to the By-Laws or the rules of order shall remain in place only until the conclusion of the Summer Assembly’s tenure;
ARTICLE XII: GENERAL ELECTION
Section I.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes of a given year who are in good standing with the college are eligible to vote in Assembly elections for Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, and (with the exception of members of the Senior Class) At-Large Representatives for the following academic year;
Section II.
Students who are not in residence during Assembly elections may vote by absentee ballot;
Section III.
The students of Article XII, Section I shall each receive one vote for Student Body President, one vote for Student Body Vice President;
Section IV.
Pursuant to Article XII, Section I, each student shall be allowed one vote for Student Body President, one vote for Student Body Vice President, and eight votes for At-Large Representatives from said student’s class;
Section V.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college and who plan to be in-residence two of the next four terms in the next academic year are eligible to bid for elected At-Large Representative seats in Assembly elections for the latter year;
Section VI.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college and who plan to be in Hanover or its environs all three terms in the next academic year, that is fall, winter, and spring terms, are eligible to bid for the offices of President and Vice President in Assembly elections for the following year;
Section VII.
The elections for Student Body President and Vice President shall be conducted through instant runoff voting, in which every eligible voter shall be asked to rank the candidates for each office as his/her first choice, second choice, and so on;
Section VIII.
After voting has closed, the first-choice votes shall be tabulated,and any candidate achieving a majority of votes cast for either office shall be declared the winner. If no candidate obtains a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest first-choice votes shall be eliminated, and the votes of voters naming said candidate as their first choice counted for their second choice. This process of eliminating lower-placing candidates and redistributing their votes continues until one candidate earns a majority of votes;
Section IX.
The ten members of each class receiving the highest vote totals will be elected At-Large representatives;
Section X.
In the event of a tie in the election for Student Body President or Student Body Vice President, a special election will be held no later than three weeks after the first election to fill the relevant office. Only those candidates who tied for the lead in the first election will be eligible to run in the special election. All students in residence will be eligible to vote in the special election.
Section XI.
In the case of a tie in the general election for the final elected Representative seat, a special election shall be held within the Assembly relevant to the general election, in which each member shall receive as many votes as there are seats in question, to decide a winner or winners by plurality vote at the first organizational meeting of said Assembly;
Section XII.
In the case that multiple elections for various Assembly offices are in dispute, the Presidency shall be decided first, the Executive Vice Presidency second, and elected Representative seats third, with all members still involved in a tie at the time of a vote for a particular office being eligible to vote for said office;
Section XIII.
General Elections shall be held in the spring term preceding the academic year of service;
ARTICLE XIII: BY-LAWS
Section I.
The Assembly shall adopt a system of By-Laws which, at a minimum, addresses those issues left to the determination of By-Laws within this Constitution and establishes a system of Rules of Order for all General Assembly meetings;
Section II.
The Assembly shall have the power to make or amend By-Laws to this Constitution, so long as the By-Laws do not contradict the letter or the spirit of this Constitution;
Section III.
By-Laws and all amendments and changes to the By-Laws shall be accepted by a majority vote of the Assembly membership;
Section IV.
By-Laws shall have continuous effect once adopted;
ARTICLE XIV: AMENDMENTS
Section I.
A) A proposed amendment to this Constitution may be submitted by any Assembly member;
B) All Constitutional amendments shall be considered by the Executive Committee, unless the Assembly votes to waive said requirement pursuant to Article XIV, Section 1, Subsection F;
C) A proposed amendment shall be brought to the floor of the Assembly if approved by a vote of the Executive Committee;
D) To become effective, a proposed amendment must be approved by a three-quarters majority of the active Assembly membership;
E) A proposed amendment, unless withdrawn by its sponsor(s) or rejected by the Executive Committee, shall be put on the agenda of the General Assembly within four General Assembly meetings, excluding summer term meetings, of the proposal of the amendment;
F) A proposed amendment may be brought directly to the floor of the General Assembly without Executive Committee review or approval by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly;
ARTICLE XV: ENACTMENT
Section I.
Upon ratification by two-thirds of a quorum of the current Assembly membership, this Constitution shall go into effect on 8 April 1994 for the Assembly of 1994-95 and the election of said Assembly and for all ensuing Assemblies;
Section II.
The current Constitution under which the Assembly operates shall be void as of March 28, 1994 for the Assembly of 1994-95 and the election of said Assembly and for all ensuing Assemblies.
THE BY-LAWS OF THE DARTMOUTH COLLEGE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
ARTICLE I: STANDING COMMITTEES
Section I.
Organization
A) Pursuant to Article V, Section I, Subsection C), there shall be seven Standing Committees in addition to the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee (hereinafter “MIAC”). They shall be: the Communications Committee, the Academic Affairs Committee, the Student Life Committee, the Student Services Committee, the Student Organizations Committee, the Diversity Affairs Committee, and the Alumni Affairs Committee;
Section II.
Function
A) The Communications Committee shall handle Assembly publicity as well as the gathering of feedback from the student body;
B) The Academic Affairs Committee shall solicit student opinion regarding necessary academic changes and then research and accomplish these goals. In addition, the Academic Affairs Committee will also maintain faculty relations. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
C) The Student Life Committee shall address social, residential, and cultural concerns of the Dartmouth Community. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
D) The Student Services Committee shall address those concerns which enhance the day-to-day life of Dartmouth students. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
E) The Student Organizations Committee shall address those issues and concerns encountered by campus organizations and brought to its attention by Student Organization Representatives. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
F) The Diversity Affairs Committee shall address the general concerns of inclusiveness and pluralism in the Dartmouth community, issues of: race, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socio-economic status, as well as the particular concerns of groups including but not limited to GLBTQ students, women students, students of color, and international students. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
G) The Alumni Affairs Committee shall be responsible for creating, maintaining, and improving relationships between Student Assembly, the student body, and the alumni of Dartmouth College. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
ARTICLE II: FINANCES
Section I.
Presidential and Executive Committee Authority
A) Pursuant to Article VI, Section II, Subsection A), the President’s ability to make administrative expenditures on behalf of the Assembly shall be limited to $300 per instance;
B) Pursuant to Article VI, Section II, Subsection B), the Executive Committee’s ability to make administrative expenditures on behalf of the Assembly shall be limited to $500 per instance;
Section II.
Summer Assembly Finances
A) Pursuant to Article XI, Section IV, Subsection B) the Summer Assembly shall be allocated no less than $1500 for administrative costs;
Section III.
Web-related Finances
A) Pursuant to Article I, Section XII, Subsection E), the Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator will be compensated with $500 at the end of each term of service;
Section IV.
Ivy Council Steering Meetings
A) The General Assembly shall fund the travel expenses of its Head Delegate and any executive officers of the Ivy Council who are Dartmouth student for each meeting of the Ivy Council Steering Committee. In no case shall such expenditure exceed $150 except by resolution of the Assembly;
ARTICLE III: RULES OF ORDER
Section I.
Protocol
A) The President is completely in charge of recognizing members and ruling on points of order. All dialogue is addressed to him/her;
B) Members must be recognized to speak by the President;
C) Members may not interrupt the speech of other members except as allowed by parliamentary procedure;
D) The Parliamentarian rules on all questions of parliamentary procedure;
E) Points of order must directly relate to parliamentary procedure;
Section II.
Presenting Motions
A) Member makes motion, saying “I move that we...”
B) The President will ask for a second;
C) Another member seconds;
D) The President may read the motion if he feels it is necessary;
Section III.
Motions Pending
A) After the Chair introduces the motion, the sponsor(s) will make a presentation outlining the motion and discussing the benefits and supporting evidence behind the motion. The Chair shall have the discretion to set a limit on the time of the presentation; however, the time allowed shall not be less than 2 minutes. After the sponsor’s presentation is complete, members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the motion to the sponsor(s);
B) After questions have been answered, any amendments to the motion will be considered. The sponsor of an amendment will speak in favor. Then, one speaker will be allowed to speak in opposition. After the opposing speaker has finished, the amendment will immediately be voted on;
C) After all amendments have been considered, the Assembly will debate the motion. The first speaker shall be a member opposed to the motion. If there is no member willing to speak in opposition to the motion the Assembly shall move immediately to vote on the motion;
D) If, and after a member has spoken in opposition, the President will compile a speaker list of everyone wishing to speak on the motion. No Member may change his or her position on the speakers list;
E) No Member will be allowed to speak on the motion twice until everyone who wishes to speak has had his or her chance to speak once. Prior to the beginning of debate, the Chair will have
PREAMBLE
We, the undergraduate students of Dartmouth College, in order to foster trust, understanding, and communication between and among the members of the Dartmouth College community, to provide for the support and development of all aspects of the educational process, to improve the quality of life at the college, to responsibly represent the student body, to provide a responsible student voice, and to supply the basis for cooperative action, hereby establish this Constitution for the Dartmouth College Student Assembly, hereafter referred to as the Assembly.
ARTICLE I: EXECUTIVE OFFICES
Section I.
Student Body President
A) The Student Body President (hereinafter “the President”) shall be elected from among the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes and by all classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
B) The duties of the President shall include the following:
1) To be the official spokesperson for the Assembly;
2) To serve as a non-voting chair for General Assembly meetings;
3) To cast tie-breaking votes in the General Assembly, including in-Assembly elections for various offices or posts, unless otherwise noted;
4) To facilitate student communication with the college administration and faculty via regular meetings with the leadership of both;
5) To propose the agenda for Assembly meetings;
6) To appoint one Vice President to chair each Standing Committee, excluding the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee (hereinafter “MIAC”) and the Executive Committee
7) To consult the Student Body Vice President on all appointments;
To serve on the Council on Student Life, as the chair of the Undergraduate Finance Committee, and in other ex officio positions as may arise;9) To chair the Executive Committee;
10) To set the agenda for Executive Committee meetings;
Section II.
Student Body Vice President
A) The Student Body Vice President shall be elected from among the Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes and by all classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
B) The duties of the Student Body Vice President shall include the following:
1) To serve as Parliamentarian of the Assembly in that person's absence;
2) To assume the responsibilities of the President in the event of the President's inability to do so as a result of temporary absence or temporary incapacitation;
3) To serve as a chair of MIAC;
4) To advise the President on all appointments;
5) To act as a liaison between the President and the Vice Presidents;
6) To serve on the Executive Committee;
Section III.
Treasurer
A) The Treasurer shall be elected from among and by the General Assembly;
B) The Treasurer shall be elected at the second organizational meeting held by each Assembly;
C) The duties of the Treasurer shall include the following:
1) To maintain financial records of all Assembly business and be prepared to inform the General Assembly at each meeting of the financial status of the Assembly;
2) To present complete financial reports at the first and last General Assembly meetings of each term;
3) To inform the General Assembly of any expenditure made by the President or the Executive Committee at the first meeting of the General Assembly following the expenditure;
4) To be the liaison of the Assembly to the Student Activities Office for all financial matters;
5) To serve on the Executive Committee;
6) To serve as President should both the President and Vice President be absent or incapacitated;
Section IV.
Secretary
A) The Secretary shall be elected from among and by the General Assembly;
B) The Secretary shall be elected at the second organizational meeting held by each Assembly;
C) The duties of the Secretary shall include the following:
1) To monitor attendance records for all General Assembly and committee meetings;
2) To record the proceedings of General Assembly meetings and make
available the minutes of those meetings to the Assembly and the
student body through a centralized, and organized mechanism in
hardcopy;
3) To serve on the Executive Committee;
4) To work in cooperation with MIAC in maintaining Assembly records;
D) The Secretary shall collect and tally all votes;
Section V.
Vice Presidents, excluding the Student Body Vice President
A) One Vice President for each Standing Committee shall be nominated by the President and approved by a majority vote of the General Assembly;
B) The duties of said Vice Presidents shall include the following:
1) To conduct regular committee meetings;
2) To record the proceedings of their committee meetings, and make available those minutes to the Assembly and the student body;
3) To serve on the Executive Committee;
4) To present to the General Assembly a justification of any and all decisions to reject a motion;
5) To take and report attendance at committee meetings to the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee and the Secretary;
C) The Vice Presidents must be in residence for Fall term as well as Winter term or Spring term of that academic year for which they serve. Should the Vice President be leaving for either Winter or Spring term
The Vice Presidents must be in residence for Fall term as well as Winter term or Spring term of that academic year for which they serve. Should the Vice President be leaving for either Winter or Spring term
Section VI.
No individual shall hold more than one of the Vice Presidencies at a given time;
Section VII.
Parliamentarian
A) The Parliamentarian shall be chosen by the Student Assembly President from among members of the student body;
B) The Parliamentarian shall have final jurisdiction in all matters concerning the Constitution or the Rules of Order;
C) The Parliamentarian shall be considered an Officer of the Assembly, though he or she will not serve on the Executive Committee;
Section VIII.
Community Service Coordinator
A) Any individual, regardless of his or her status with regard to voting membership in the Assembly, who is not currently serving as an Executive Officer of the Assembly pursuant to this Article, may serve as the Community Service Coordinator of the Assembly;
B) The Community Service Coordinator shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by majority vote of the General Assembly, and shall serve for a one-year term;
C) The Community Service Coordinator shall, throughout the year, design and implement occasions on which members of the Assembly may perform community service in Hanover and the Upper Valley and perform such other duties as appropriate to the position;
D) The Community Service Coordinator may be removed from his or her office by 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee;
E) The Student Body President shall reserve the right to activate and/or deactivate this position at any time during his or her administration.
Section IX.
Presidential Assistant
A) The Presidential Assistant shall be the special assistant to the President to aid him or her in the performance of all duties of the Presidency;
B) The Presidential Assistant shall be appointed by the President. Appointment to the office of Presidential Assistant may occur at any time. The office of Presidential Assistant may remain vacant at the discretion of the President;
C) The Presidential Assistant-designate shall be a voting member of the Assembly, and appointment to the position of Presidential Assistant shall not change an individual’s status with regard to Assembly membership;
D) The Presidential Assistant shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Executive Committee, and shall not be a voting member of any other Standing Committee;
E) No individual shall concurrently hold the office of Presidential Assistant and any other Executive Office within the Assembly.
F) An individual may be removed from the office of Presidential Assistant at the discretion of the President of the Assembly.
G) The Student Body President shall reserve the right to activate and/or deactivate this position at any time during his or her administration.
Section X.
Student Assembly Web Team Liaison
A) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be appointed by the President and confirmed by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
B) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be a voting member of the Assembly.
C) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall not be required to serve on any Assembly committee, but shall attend any Executive Committee meeting at the request of the Executive Committee.
D) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be required to be in residence for at least two out of four terms during each Student Assembly year.
E) The Student Assembly Web Team Liaison shall be responsible for the coordination of the completion of the following duties:
1) Maintenance and updates to the Student Assembly Website
2) Maintenance and updates to the Student Assembly Course Guide Service
3) Development and maintenance of projects recommended by the Student Assembly and agreed to by the Student Assembly Web Team
4) Communication with each of the Student Assembly Committee Chairs in regards to any Web-related project.
Section XI. Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator
A) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be selected from among the Student Body by an application process overseen by the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee.
B) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be confirmed by a majority vote of the General Assembly.
C) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall report directly to the President, and he/she shall reserve the right to remove any Blitz Terminal Coordinator who is neglecting to fulfill his/her duties with a 2/3 vote within the Executive Committee.
D) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be required to be in
residence for at least two out of four terms during each Student Assembly year.
E) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be compensated at the end of each term of service by an amount that is specified in the By-Laws.
F) The Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator shall be responsible for the following duties:
1) Blitz computer service and maintenance for all Student Assembly blitz terminals on campus.
2) The addition of new blitz terminals or blitz terminal locations at the request of the Executive Committee.
3) The training of a new Blitz Terminal Coordinator prior to the end of his/her term.
Section XII. Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council Chair
A. The Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council Chair shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee, and shall be elected and held to standards of office as prescribed by Article I and Article V, Section VI.
ARTICLE II: THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Section I.
Elected At-Large Representatives
A) Ten Representatives shall be elected from each of the current Freshman, Sophomore and Junior classes by their respective classes in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year.
B) Freshman Representatives shall be elected from each residential cluster as follows by no later than the third Sunday of the Fall term: three representatives from the Choates, two from the River, one from the Fayerweathers, one from Rip/Wood/Smith, one from East Wheelock, one from Wheeler/Richardson and New Hampshire/Topliff, and one from Russell Sage/Butterfield/Hitchcock and the Gold Coast. Elections for Freshman Cluster Representatives shall be publicly announced to the Freshman Class at least five days before said elections are held;
C) Duties of all Upper-class Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform the student body about information and issues relevant to Assembly business;
2) To serve on one Standing Committee;
3) To regularly attend General Assembly meetings and Standing Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance;
D) Duties of all First-Year Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform the student body about information and issues relevant to Assembly business;
2) To serve on the Communications Committee in addition to one other Standing Committee;
3) To regularly attend General Assembly Meetings and Standing Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance;
Section II.
Appointed General Voting Members
A) General Voting Members may be added to the Assembly by the approval of a majority vote of MIAC;
B) Individual students may petition MIAC for appointment to the General Assembly by sending to the Executive Vice-President an "Application for Membership," the form of which will be determined by the MIAC;
C) Applicants may also be asked to collect the signatures of a number of Dartmouth undergraduates to be specified in the By-Laws;
D) MIAC shall consider said petitions on an on-going basis. MIAC shall render decisions on all petitions within three weeks of their submission;
E) Should an individual be denied membership in the Assembly, he or she may achieve automatic appointment by collecting the signatures of a total of 500 Dartmouth undergraduates;
F) Individuals who are given membership on the Assembly through petition shall hold that seat until the end of the following summer term
Section III.
Student Organizations Representatives
A) All student organizations shall be eligible to apply for a renewable year-long membership to the Student Assembly.
B) An organization wishing to be represented must apply through MIAC. MIAC shall determine the appropriate procedure for such an application. Representation shall be granted or denied to the organization by majority vote of MIAC.
C) The criteria for the selection of organization representatives shall be such that both organizations with large memberships and smaller organizations with significant interests related to the Student Assembly’s agenda are represented fairly. Furthermore, decisions regarding membership shall also consider the design and functionality of the Student Organizations Committee to which all representatives are assigned.
D) MIAC shall not retain the power to deny membership to any individual applying under this Section, unless such individual has already been removed from that same Assembly in a manner pursuant to Article VII;
E) MIAC shall announce all decisions relating to organization representation to the General Assembly. The General Assembly shall retain the right to veto the decision made by MIAC by a 2/3 vote.
F) An initial list of organizations receiving representation may be approved by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly prior to the adoption of the procedure outlined in clauses A through E.
G) Duties of all Organization Representatives shall include the following:
1) To regularly consult with and inform their respective organization about the activities of, and issues facing, the Student Assembly, and to report back to the Assembly on the concerns and opinions of that organization, in a manner to be determined by the Student Organizations Committee.
2) To serve on the Student Organizations Committee meetings unless extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance.
3) To regularly attend General Assembly and Committee meetings unless
extraordinary circumstances preclude such attendance.
Section IV.
No student may serve as a member of the General Assembly unless elected as an Assembly member, automatically appointed through the submission of 500 signatures of Dartmouth undergraduates or approved by a majority vote of MIAC, appointed as a student organizational representative, or appointed and approved as an executive.
Section V.
All Assembly Members shall be allowed to vote on all issues before the General Assembly, except the President who shall only vote in the case of a tie, and any Member without voting privileges;
Section VI.
The voting membership of the Assembly shall not be limited except by resolution passed by the General Assembly. In no case shall such limit be less than 50 voting members. In no case shall such limit prevent an individual, who has collected the 500 signatures necessary for automatic appointment to the General Assembly, from gaining voting membership on the Assembly;
ARTICLE III: MEETINGS
Section I.
The Calling of Meetings
A) General Assembly meetings shall be held on a regular basis;
B) The President shall determine the regular meeting time for a given term prior the first meeting of that term;
C) Except in the case of extraordinary circumstances, there shall be no fewer than seven General Assembly meetings per term;
D) The President has the discretion to call emergency meetings of the General Assembly but Assembly members must be notified at least twenty-four hours prior to said meetings;
E) A General Assembly meeting shall be called within three days following a request signed by one-third of the Assembly membership with such request being delivered in writing to the President;
F) The date and time of each and every General Assembly meeting shall be announced to Assembly members at least twenty-four hours before the meeting is held;
G) The date and time of each and every committee meeting shall be announced to committee members at least twenty-four hours before the meeting is held;
H) No official business shall be conducted at a meeting if members are not reasonably and adequately notified of the meeting prior to it being held;
I) Meetings shall be held during reasonable hours of the day;
J) No meeting shall be held during the reading period or the final examination period;
Section II.
Attendance
A) Attendance shall be taken by the Secretary at the commencement and adjournment of every General Assembly meeting. Members present for one taking of attendance and not the other shall receive one half of an absence. Members absent for both takings of attendance shall receive a full absence;
B) If a meeting does not adjourn before the time established by the By-Laws then the meeting shall be interrupted and the second and final attendance shall be taken as though it were adjournment. Afterwards the meeting may proceed.
Section III.
Quorum
A) An official quorum of the Assembly shall consist of a majority of its membership at the present time;
B) An official quorum for a committee shall consist of a majority of its membership at the present time;
C) No official business shall be conducted without a quorum;
D) All references to votes contained in this Constitution are based on the premise that votes shall be taken out of a majority of quorum except for those instances where it is explicitly stated to be otherwise;
Section IV.
Assembly Membership
A) Assembly membership for a given term shall be defined as those active Assembly members living in Hanover or its environs for that term. Members who have lost voting privileges shall not be counted in the Assembly membership;
Section V.
Rules of Order
A) All Assembly meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Order, contained in the By-Laws of the Assembly;
B) All Assembly meetings, excluding meetings of MIAC and the Executive Committee, shall be considered open unless closed in accordance with the Rules of Order;
ARTICLE IV: LEGISLATION
Section I.
Proposition of Legislation
A) Any Assembly member may propose legislation at a General Assembly meeting or Standing Committee meeting in accordance with the Rules of Order and the details about legislation in Article VII of the By-Laws;
B) Only Assembly members shall be permitted to formally propose legislation at General Assembly meetings and Standing Committee meetings;
Section II.
Review by Standing Committee
A) A legislation (including statements, proposals, and resolutions) to be voted upon by the Assembly shall be considered by a Standing Committee, the Executive Committee excluded, before coming before the General Assembly;
B) The President shall be responsible for the delegation and consideration of all legislation proposed before the General Assembly with regards to the Standing Committees;
C) No legislation may be brought to the Assembly without prior approval of a Standing Committee;
D) Legislation may be proposed within the Standing Committees without first proposition in the General Assembly;
E) Standing Committee Chairpersons shall report the passage of all legislation in committee to the Executive Committee within three days of said passage;
Section III.
General Assembly Consideration of Proposals
A) The President, in concurrence with the Executive Committee, shall be responsible for the consideration of all proposed legislation before the General Assembly;
B) Any piece of legislation passed through a Standing Committee and reported to the Executive Committee must be considered by the General Assembly within three academic weeks of said report;
ARTICLE V: COMMITTEES
Section I.
Standing Committees excluding MIAC, the Executive Committee, and the Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council
A) Members may give preferences as to which Standing Committee they wish to be voting members of, but the final Standing Committee memberships shall be decided upon by MIAC;
B) Each General Assembly member, with the exception of the Student Body Vice President who may vote in both MIAC and the Executive Committee , other Vice Presidents who may vote in both their respective Standing Committees and the Executive Committee, and First-Year Cluster Representatives who may vote in both their chosen Standing Committee and the Communications Committee, must officially serve and vote on one and only one Standing Committee, Executive Committee, or Membership and Internal Affairs Committee, but may unofficially work on any committee;
C) The size of each Standing Committee shall be decided on a per annum basis by MIAC upon recommendations of Standing Committee Vice Presidents;
D) The names and functions of said Standing Committees shall be as follows:
1) The Communications Committee shall handle Assembly publicity as well as the gathering of feedback from the student body;
2) The Academic Affairs Committee shall solicit student opinion regarding necessary academic changes and then research and accomplish these goals. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
3) The Student Life Committee shall address social, residential, and cultural concerns of the Dartmouth Community. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
4) The Student Organizations Committee shall address those issues and concerns encountered by campus organizations and brought to its attention by Student Organization Representatives. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
5) The Diversity Affairs Committee shall address the general concerns of inclusiveness and pluralism in the Dartmouth community, issues of: race, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socio-economic status, as well as the particular concerns of groups including but not limited to GLBTQ students, women students, students of color, and international students. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
6) The Alumni Affairs Committee shall be responsible for creating, maintaining, and improving relationships between Student Assembly, the student body, and the alumni of Dartmouth College. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions. This Committee shall be responsible to appoint undergraduate representatives to the Dartmouth Alumni Council pending confirmation by the General Assembly using an open, campus-wide application and interview process;
E) Each Vice President may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair from his or her committee to assist in the organization of his or her committee and to chair the committee in his or her absence;
F) The responsibilities of said Standing Committees shall include the following:
1) To serve as coordinating bodies for the resolution of issues which affect the student body in areas relevant to said committees;
2) To identify and address those needs and issues of student concern relevant to said committees;
3) To review proposed resolutions delegated to each respective committee and determine whether said resolutions should be brought to the Assembly floor by means of a majority vote of committee members;
4) To be respectively responsible for all follow up work and implementation requirements for all resolutions passed by the Assembly which originated from said committees;
Section II.
Student Services Board
A) The Student Services Board shall address those concerns that enhance the day-to-day life of Dartmouth students.
B) The Student Services Board chair shall serve as an Executive and be subject to all the same requirements of other Vice-Presidents.
C) The Student Services Board may serve as the Standing Committee for General Assembly members.
D) The Student Services Board shall recruit heavily from non-Assembly members so that students who aren’t normally involved with the Assembly can still contribute to student services.
E) The Student Services Board shall be granted an initial budget at the beginning of the fall term by the General Assembly and may be increased throughout the year by Resolution.
F) The Student Services Board must approve each expenditure over $100 with a majority vote of its membership. Any amount under $100 can be approved by the Student Services Board chair.
G) The Student Services Board may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair for the board to assist in the organization and to chair the board in his or her absence. The Vice-Chair need not be a member of the general Assembly.
H) The Student Services Board chair must inform the General Assembly of all business on a weekly basis.
I) The Student Services Board chair may be appointed in the fall.
Section III.
MIAC
A) There shall be five members, including the Student Body-Vice President;
B) Members of MIAC, excluding the Student Body Vice President, shall be elected from among the General Assembly by a plurality vote of the General Assembly at the first organizational meeting of each Assembly in the spring term of a given academic year for service in the next academic year;
C) Election to MIAC shall proceed as follows:
1) Membership on MIAC shall be open to all Assembly members;
2) The candidates with the four highest vote totals in the in-Assembly election shall become members MIAC;
3) Each Assembly member shall be permitted to cast a maximum of four votes in said election;
D) The Student Body Vice President shall serve as chair;
E) MIAC may, at its discretion, elect a Vice-Chair from among and by its members, who will serve on the Executive Committee;
F) The responsibilities of MIAC shall include:
1) To appoint student representatives to all Dartmouth College committees and councils where required;
2) To render judgment on General Voting Member applicants from petitions and confirm them to the General Assembly;
3) To confirm the Summer Assembly Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson by means of a majority vote;
4) To conduct a review of any Assembly member upon the request of any voting Assembly representative. MIAC shall have the power to suggest removal from office pursuant to the procedures outlined in Article VII, Section II;
G) Requests in the form of petitions or nominations for appointment must be acted upon within three academic weeks after the petition or nomination is submitted;
H) Members of MIAC, excluding the Student Body Vice President and the elected Vice-Chair, if applicable, shall not hold an Executive Office on the Assembly;
I) All MIAC meetings shall be closed except to members of said committee and those persons invited by the Student Body Vice President, and Vice-Chair of MIAC;
Section IV.
Executive Committee
A) Voting members of the Executive Committee shall include the following: the President, Student Body Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice Presidents of the Assembly;
B) Non-Voting members of the Executive Committee may include Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees, at the President's discretion, and the Presidential Assistant;
1) The status of Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons must be made explicit at the creation of said committee, and may not be changed as long as the committee operates;
2) Chairpersons of Ad Hoc Committees may hold other Executive Office;
C) The responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall include the following:
1) To approve agendas for all meetings of the General Assembly;
2) To coordinate the activities of the Standing Committees of the Assembly;
3) To provide information on issues of policy and finance to General Assembly;
4) To finalize, in conjunction with the President, the Assembly agenda for the year;
D) All Executive Committee meetings shall be closed except to members of said committee and those persons invited by the President, with prior notification to members of the Executive Committee;
Section V.
Ad Hoc Committees
A) Ad Hoc Committees may be formed and dissolved at the discretion of the Executive Committee with majority rule;
B) Ad Hoc Committees are to be formed to address extraordinary issues and concerns for which the Standing Committee structure is inadequate;
C) Membership in Ad Hoc Committees shall be open to all Assembly members;
D) Membership in Ad Hoc Committees shall be open to the student body at the discretion of the Executive Committee;
E) Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons shall not exceed two in number;
F) Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons shall be Assembly members prior to selection as Chairpersons;
G) The Executive Committee shall be responsible for determining the processes for nomination and confirmation of Ad Hoc Committee Chairpersons with majority rule;
Section VI.
Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council (DIVC)
A) Dartmouth Chapter of the Ivy Council, herein referred to as “DIVC,” shall function as Student Assembly’s representative to the Ivy Council, the collection of all eight Ivy League student governments;
B) DIVC membership may include Dartmouth students not associated with the Assembly so that students not normally involved in Assembly affairs may still contribute to Dartmouth’s voice among the Ivy Council;
C) The DIVC chair shall serve as an Executive and be elected for a one-year term by majority vote of the General Assembly in the Assembly’s spring organizational meetings. In the event that the Chair cannot serve a full year, an appointment may be made on a term basis;
D) The DIVC chair may, at his or her discretion, select a Vice-Chair to assist in the organization and to chair in his or her absence. The Vice-Chair need not be a member of the General Assembly;
E) The DIVC chair shall also serve as Head Delegate and be responsible for attending all steering meetings of the Ivy Council;
F) It is the responsibility of DIVC to select delegates to represent the Assembly at the meetings of the Ivy Council;
G) The DIVC chair shall facilitate election of liaisons to the Ivy Council at his or her discretion;
H) DIVC shall request funding from the Assembly for travel and registration to both the Fall and Spring conferences of the Ivy Council as well as the Ivy Leadership Summit (ILS) in the Winter;
I) The DIVC chair shall provide an update to the General Assembly subsequent to each Ivy Council conference
ARTICLE VI: FINANCES
Section I.
Authority
A) The Assembly shall have full authority over all revenue placed under its control;
Section II.
Expenditures and Allocations
A) The President shall have the authority to make expenditures on behalf of the Assembly for administrative purposes only, not to exceed a specific amount to be determined in the By-Laws; said expenditures shall be reported by the Treasurer to the Assembly at the next General Assembly meeting;
B) The Executive Committee shall have the authority to make expenditures on behalf of the Assembly for administrative purposes only, not to exceed a specific amount to be determined in the By-Laws; said expenditures shall be reported by the Treasurer to the Assembly at the next General Assembly meeting;
C) All other expenses shall require a resolution passed by the General Assembly;
ARTICLE VII: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE, RESIGNATION, AND INACTIVITY
Section I.
Justifications for removal from office shall include but not be limited to: embezzlement, ethical misjudgment, honor code violations, and gross violations of the Constitution;
Section II.
Procedure for Removal
A) Should MIAC find grounds for removal in its review process, it may, by a four-fifths vote, suggest that member's removal to the Executive Committee. This holds for all College Committee appointees and all Assembly Members and Executive Officers, excluding the President, the Student Body Vice President, and the Parliamentarian. Said suggestion shall take the form of a statement by MIAC and by the Vice President who chairs the committee on which said member serves.
B) The Executive Committee shall review this petition, and may, by a two-thirds vote, remove said member from the Assembly.
C) MIAC members shall not participate in any votes regarding their own removal.
D) A Vice President whose removal has been suggested shall not participate in any votes regarding his or her removal.
E) The Vice President supporting a member's removal shall deliver his or her reasons for this decision to the Executive Committee, but shall not participate in the removal vote.
F) Removal of the Student Body President or Vice President may be brought to the floor only by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly. Removal shall require a three-quarters vote of the General Assembly.
G) If the Executive-Vice President is removed from his or her position, the Executive Committee shall appoint a permanent member of the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee to chair said committee until such time as a new Student Body Vice President is elected.
H) All Vice Presidents, excluding the Student Body Vice President, nominated by a given President-elect shall be removed from said Executive Offices if said President-elect, prior to becoming President, vacates said position;
I) All pending nominations for Vice Presidents shall be automatically withdrawn if the nominating President or the nominating President-elect vacates said office or said position, respectively;
J) In the case that the President is replaced while still in tenure, the incoming President may dismiss the Vice Presidents serving under the previous President, with any such dismissal taking effect upon nomination and confirmation of a replacement;
K) Any member who is removed from Dartmouth College or who ceases attendance at Dartmouth College shall be automatically removed from the Assembly;
L) A call for the removal of a Vice President, excluding the Student Body Vice President, may be made by the President. The Executive Committee shall review this petition, and may, by 2/3 vote, remove said individual from his or her Vice Presidency;
Section III.
Voting Status
A) Any Member of the Assembly who is unexcused for the equivalent of three meetings in a given term, shall, immediately be referred to MIAC, which shall meet within one week to determine whether it will remove said Member from the Assembly or allow him to remain on without voting privileges;
B) A Member who has lost his voting privileges will not have a vote either in the General Assembly or his committee, including the Executive Committee, and shall no longer be counted as part of the active Assembly membership, but may retain all other privileges of membership, including his or her committee assignment and/or Executive Office;
C) Excused absences from General Assembly meetings will be left to the discretion of the Secretary. Excused absences shall only be granted in extreme circumstances.
D) At the discretion of the Student Body Vice President, a member may be excused from a meeting not at the regular time if that member submits a request in writing at least two hours prior outlining the reason why he or she can not attend;
E) Excessive absence from scheduled committee meetings shall be considered grounds for MIAC review of the member in question, upon referral of said member to MIAC by the Vice President of that member’s committee.
F) When a member has accumulated the equivalent of two absences, the Secretary shall in writing inform that member, MIAC, and, if said member represents an organization, the organization he or she represents, that he or she is in jeopardy of losing his voting privileges or being removed from the Assembly.
G) MIAC will evaluate all members who have lost voting privileges at the end of the term, and may by, majority vote, reinstate any member to full voting status for his following term in residence.
Section IV.
Removal from Executive Office
A) All Executive Officers may be removed from said positions under the procedure outlined in Article VII, Section II, but may still retain General Assembly Voting Member status;
B) A petition for removal of an Executive Officer shall clearly state whether removal shall be from said Executive Office or from the Assembly;
Section V.
Resignations
A) Resignations shall be submitted to the President in writing, except in the case of a Presidential resignation which shall be submitted to the Student Body Vice President in writing;
B) An Executive Officer may resign from office but may still retain General Assembly Voting Member status;
C) Resignations shall take effect immediately after being received by the appropriate official;
D) Replacement proceedings for a resigning member may begin upon announcement by said member of pending resignation;
Section VI.
Inactivity
A) An in-residence member, not holding an Executive Office, may become inactive for a prolonged period of time under extraordinary circumstances; however, such inactivity must be noted to the President in writing and must receive the approval of the President;
B) A member acting under Article VII, Section V, Subsection A may appeal the decision of the President to MIAC which may, by majority vote, allow a member to become inactive for a prolonged period of time;
C) A member may become reactivated at his or her discretion, but said member must notify the President of the change in status in writing;
D) A member who is inactive while in-residence for a cumulative period of more than seven academic weeks shall be considered removed from the Assembly and may not reactivate;
E) A member shall be considered inactive while not in residence and shall be automatically reactivated upon returning to a status of in-residence without need of notifying the President;
Section VII.
In the event that an elected Freshman Cluster Representative is removed, resigns, or is elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, the residence cluster he or she had represented shall hold another election within one week's time;
Section VIII.
The removal of an organization representative shall constitute only the replacement of that specific individual, not the removal of his or her organization. Said organization shall be asked to designate another individual to replace its former representative;
ARTICLE VIII: REPLACEMENT OF OFFICERS
Section I.
President
A) In the event that the President is removed, resigns or becomes permanently incapacitated, the Student Body Vice President shall assume the Presidency;
B) In the event that the President-elect is removed, resigns, or is permanently incapacitated, the Student Body Vice President-elect shall assume the Presidency-elect;
Section II.
Student Body Vice President
A) In the event that the Student Body Vice President is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the position of President, the following procedure shall occur:
1) An election shall be held within the General Assembly;
2) All Assembly members shall be eligible to run;
3) A candidate receiving a majority vote shall become Vice President;
4) If no candidate receives a majority vote, then the candidate with the least number of votes or those candidates tied with the least number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot and another election shall be held amongst those candidates remaining from the previous election. Said procedure shall be repeated until a candidate receives a majority vote;
B) The same procedure described in Article VIII, Section II, Subsection A shall be employed for the replacement of the Student Body Vice President-elect, except that candidates who ran for Student Body President and Vice President in the most recent general election but lost shall also be eligible to run;
C) If both the Student Body President and Vice President or both the President-elect and Vice President-elect are removed, resign, or become permanently incapacitated in conjunction with one another, the procedure described above in Article VIII, Sections II, Subsection A and, if applicable, Clause B shall be employed for filling both offices;
Section III.
Other Executive Offices
A) If the Treasurer and/or Secretary are removed, resign, is permanently incapacitated, or elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, election(s) to replace them shall be held within the General Assembly. Candidacy in said elections shall be open to all Assembly members. The outcomes of said election(s) shall be determined by plurality vote;
B) If any of the appointed Vice Presidents is removed, resigns, is permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency or Vice Presidency, the President shall appoint a replacement, subject to the approval of the General Assembly;
Section IV.
Representatives
A) In the event that a non-freshman Representative is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency or Executive Vice Presidency, or an elected Representative seat is left vacated after General elections, MIAC may appoint a new representative, at its discretion;
Section V.
MIAC Members
A) If a member of MIAC, other than the Student Body Vice President, is removed, resigns, becomes permanently incapacitated, or is elevated to the Presidency, the Executive Vice Presidency, or any other Executive Office, a special general election shall be held within the General Assembly, open to all Assembly members, to fill the open post in accordance with the rules established under Article V, Section II, Subsection C;
B) All Assembly members shall receive one vote in the special election for every MIAC post open in accordance with Article VIII, Section V, Clause A;
Section VI.
Time Period for Replacements
A) All permanent vacancies, excluding General Voting Member vacancies, shall be filled within two academic weeks of the creation of the vacancy;
B) An exception to Article VIII, Section VI, Clause A shall be elected Representative seats left vacant by general elections; said seats shall be filled by the end of the spring term in which said elections are held;
ARTICLE IX: OFF TERM, LEAVE TERM, AND INACTIVITY VACANCIES FOR ALL TERMS EXCLUDING SUMMER TERM
Section I.
Executive Offices
A) If the Treasurer and/or Secretary is not in-residence, an acting Treasurer will be elected from the General Assembly by the means established in Article VIII, Section III, Subsection A at the first meeting of the term of the absence;
Section II.
Duration of Tenure for Acting Officers
A) Tenure for said individuals shall conclude upon the return of the absent Executive Officer;
B) If an Executive Officer permanently vacates a position while absent, the tenure for an acting officer filling said position shall conclude upon appointment of a permanent replacement to the vacated position;
ARTICLE X: TRANSITION OF POWER
Section I.
The newly elected Assembly shall take office at the conclusion of the spring term in which that Assembly was elected.
Section II.
The newly elected Assembly shall hold no less than two organizational meetings within the term in which it was elected to conduct the following business:
A) To review and understand the Constitution and procedures of the Assembly;
B) To elect the members of MIAC;
C) To elect a Secretary and Treasurer;
D) To appoint and confirm Vice Presidents for each standing committee, excluding MIAC and the Executive Committee;
E) To make all necessary appointments and confirmations for the Summer Assembly;
F) To fill all elected At-Large Representative seats left vacant by general elections;
Section III.
All such business should be concluded before the newly elected Assembly assumes office;
Section IV.
All individuals and instruments of the Assembly shall assume those necessary powers and responsibilities, consistent with office or role, to fulfill the organizational duties hereby prescribed;
ARTICLE XI: SUMMER ASSEMBLY
Section I.
Officers
A) There shall be a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary;
B) The Chairperson shall be the President of the Assembly;
C) If the President is not in residence, or does not wish to serve as Chairperson, the Student Body Vice President shall be Chairperson; if the Student Body Vice President also is not in residence, or does not wish to serve as Chairperson, the President shall, in consultation with the Student Body Vice President appoint a chairperson from among those students who have served at least one term as an Assembly member;
D) The Vice-Chairperson shall be the Student Body Vice President of the Assembly;
E) If the Student Body Vice President is not in residence, is to serve as Chairperson of the Summer Assembly, or does not wish to serve as Vice-Chairperson, the President shall, in consultation with the Student Body Vice President, appoint a Vice Chairperson from among those students who have served at least one term as an Assembly member;
F) The Treasurer and Secretary of the Summer Assembly shall be elected by the membership of the Summer Assembly at the first Summer Assembly meeting in accordance with the rules established in Article I, Section III, Clause A;
Section II.
Membership
A) Membership of the Summer Assembly shall include:
1) members of the Assembly elected during the immediately preceding spring term who are in residence during the summer term;
2) Members of the Assembly from the preceding academic year who are in residence during the summer term;
3) The President and the Vice President of the rising Junior Class, at their discretion;
4) Undergraduates in residence who attend three meetings in a row.
B) Membership under Article XI, Section II, Subsection A) ends at the conclusion of the that summer term;
Section III.
Responsibilities
A) To fulfill the duties and responsibilities invested in the Student Assembly, during the summer term;
B) To fulfill reasonable obligations assumed by the Assembly through resolutions of previous Assemblies;
C) To research and prepare issues and ideas for the incoming Assembly at the discretion of the incoming Assembly;
Section IV.
Finances
A) The finances of the Summer Assembly shall be allocated by the Executive Committee of the forthcoming year and from the budget of the Assembly of the forthcoming year;
B) Guidelines for the finances of the Summer Assembly shall be set forth in the By-Laws of the Assembly;
Section V.
Limitations of Authority
A) The Summer Assembly shall not have neither the authority to alter the Constitution nor to overturn resolutions of previous Assemblies;
B) The Summer Assembly shall not make binding decisions for incoming or future Assemblies;
C) Any changes made by the Summer Assembly to the By-Laws or the rules of order shall remain in place only until the conclusion of the Summer Assembly’s tenure;
ARTICLE XII: GENERAL ELECTION
Section I.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior classes of a given year who are in good standing with the college are eligible to vote in Assembly elections for Student Body President, Student Body Vice President, and (with the exception of members of the Senior Class) At-Large Representatives for the following academic year;
Section II.
Students who are not in residence during Assembly elections may vote by absentee ballot;
Section III.
The students of Article XII, Section I shall each receive one vote for Student Body President, one vote for Student Body Vice President;
Section IV.
Pursuant to Article XII, Section I, each student shall be allowed one vote for Student Body President, one vote for Student Body Vice President, and eight votes for At-Large Representatives from said student’s class;
Section V.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college and who plan to be in-residence two of the next four terms in the next academic year are eligible to bid for elected At-Large Representative seats in Assembly elections for the latter year;
Section VI.
All undergraduate students of Dartmouth College in the Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior classes of a given academic year who are in good standing with the college and who plan to be in Hanover or its environs all three terms in the next academic year, that is fall, winter, and spring terms, are eligible to bid for the offices of President and Vice President in Assembly elections for the following year;
Section VII.
The elections for Student Body President and Vice President shall be conducted through instant runoff voting, in which every eligible voter shall be asked to rank the candidates for each office as his/her first choice, second choice, and so on;
Section VIII.
After voting has closed, the first-choice votes shall be tabulated,and any candidate achieving a majority of votes cast for either office shall be declared the winner. If no candidate obtains a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest first-choice votes shall be eliminated, and the votes of voters naming said candidate as their first choice counted for their second choice. This process of eliminating lower-placing candidates and redistributing their votes continues until one candidate earns a majority of votes;
Section IX.
The ten members of each class receiving the highest vote totals will be elected At-Large representatives;
Section X.
In the event of a tie in the election for Student Body President or Student Body Vice President, a special election will be held no later than three weeks after the first election to fill the relevant office. Only those candidates who tied for the lead in the first election will be eligible to run in the special election. All students in residence will be eligible to vote in the special election.
Section XI.
In the case of a tie in the general election for the final elected Representative seat, a special election shall be held within the Assembly relevant to the general election, in which each member shall receive as many votes as there are seats in question, to decide a winner or winners by plurality vote at the first organizational meeting of said Assembly;
Section XII.
In the case that multiple elections for various Assembly offices are in dispute, the Presidency shall be decided first, the Executive Vice Presidency second, and elected Representative seats third, with all members still involved in a tie at the time of a vote for a particular office being eligible to vote for said office;
Section XIII.
General Elections shall be held in the spring term preceding the academic year of service;
ARTICLE XIII: BY-LAWS
Section I.
The Assembly shall adopt a system of By-Laws which, at a minimum, addresses those issues left to the determination of By-Laws within this Constitution and establishes a system of Rules of Order for all General Assembly meetings;
Section II.
The Assembly shall have the power to make or amend By-Laws to this Constitution, so long as the By-Laws do not contradict the letter or the spirit of this Constitution;
Section III.
By-Laws and all amendments and changes to the By-Laws shall be accepted by a majority vote of the Assembly membership;
Section IV.
By-Laws shall have continuous effect once adopted;
ARTICLE XIV: AMENDMENTS
Section I.
A) A proposed amendment to this Constitution may be submitted by any Assembly member;
B) All Constitutional amendments shall be considered by the Executive Committee, unless the Assembly votes to waive said requirement pursuant to Article XIV, Section 1, Subsection F;
C) A proposed amendment shall be brought to the floor of the Assembly if approved by a vote of the Executive Committee;
D) To become effective, a proposed amendment must be approved by a three-quarters majority of the active Assembly membership;
E) A proposed amendment, unless withdrawn by its sponsor(s) or rejected by the Executive Committee, shall be put on the agenda of the General Assembly within four General Assembly meetings, excluding summer term meetings, of the proposal of the amendment;
F) A proposed amendment may be brought directly to the floor of the General Assembly without Executive Committee review or approval by a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly;
ARTICLE XV: ENACTMENT
Section I.
Upon ratification by two-thirds of a quorum of the current Assembly membership, this Constitution shall go into effect on 8 April 1994 for the Assembly of 1994-95 and the election of said Assembly and for all ensuing Assemblies;
Section II.
The current Constitution under which the Assembly operates shall be void as of March 28, 1994 for the Assembly of 1994-95 and the election of said Assembly and for all ensuing Assemblies.
THE BY-LAWS OF THE DARTMOUTH COLLEGE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
ARTICLE I: STANDING COMMITTEES
Section I.
Organization
A) Pursuant to Article V, Section I, Subsection C), there shall be seven Standing Committees in addition to the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee (hereinafter “MIAC”). They shall be: the Communications Committee, the Academic Affairs Committee, the Student Life Committee, the Student Services Committee, the Student Organizations Committee, the Diversity Affairs Committee, and the Alumni Affairs Committee;
Section II.
Function
A) The Communications Committee shall handle Assembly publicity as well as the gathering of feedback from the student body;
B) The Academic Affairs Committee shall solicit student opinion regarding necessary academic changes and then research and accomplish these goals. In addition, the Academic Affairs Committee will also maintain faculty relations. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
C) The Student Life Committee shall address social, residential, and cultural concerns of the Dartmouth Community. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
D) The Student Services Committee shall address those concerns which enhance the day-to-day life of Dartmouth students. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
E) The Student Organizations Committee shall address those issues and concerns encountered by campus organizations and brought to its attention by Student Organization Representatives. This committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
F) The Diversity Affairs Committee shall address the general concerns of inclusiveness and pluralism in the Dartmouth community, issues of: race, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socio-economic status, as well as the particular concerns of groups including but not limited to GLBTQ students, women students, students of color, and international students. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
G) The Alumni Affairs Committee shall be responsible for creating, maintaining, and improving relationships between Student Assembly, the student body, and the alumni of Dartmouth College. This Committee shall designate at least one member to research impending motions;
ARTICLE II: FINANCES
Section I.
Presidential and Executive Committee Authority
A) Pursuant to Article VI, Section II, Subsection A), the President’s ability to make administrative expenditures on behalf of the Assembly shall be limited to $300 per instance;
B) Pursuant to Article VI, Section II, Subsection B), the Executive Committee’s ability to make administrative expenditures on behalf of the Assembly shall be limited to $500 per instance;
Section II.
Summer Assembly Finances
A) Pursuant to Article XI, Section IV, Subsection B) the Summer Assembly shall be allocated no less than $1500 for administrative costs;
Section III.
Web-related Finances
A) Pursuant to Article I, Section XII, Subsection E), the Student Assembly Blitz Terminal Coordinator will be compensated with $500 at the end of each term of service;
Section IV.
Ivy Council Steering Meetings
A) The General Assembly shall fund the travel expenses of its Head Delegate and any executive officers of the Ivy Council who are Dartmouth student for each meeting of the Ivy Council Steering Committee. In no case shall such expenditure exceed $150 except by resolution of the Assembly;
ARTICLE III: RULES OF ORDER
Section I.
Protocol
A) The President is completely in charge of recognizing members and ruling on points of order. All dialogue is addressed to him/her;
B) Members must be recognized to speak by the President;
C) Members may not interrupt the speech of other members except as allowed by parliamentary procedure;
D) The Parliamentarian rules on all questions of parliamentary procedure;
E) Points of order must directly relate to parliamentary procedure;
Section II.
Presenting Motions
A) Member makes motion, saying “I move that we...”
B) The President will ask for a second;
C) Another member seconds;
D) The President may read the motion if he feels it is necessary;
Section III.
Motions Pending
A) After the Chair introduces the motion, the sponsor(s) will make a presentation outlining the motion and discussing the benefits and supporting evidence behind the motion. The Chair shall have the discretion to set a limit on the time of the presentation; however, the time allowed shall not be less than 2 minutes. After the sponsor’s presentation is complete, members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the motion to the sponsor(s);
B) After questions have been answered, any amendments to the motion will be considered. The sponsor of an amendment will speak in favor. Then, one speaker will be allowed to speak in opposition. After the opposing speaker has finished, the amendment will immediately be voted on;
C) After all amendments have been considered, the Assembly will debate the motion. The first speaker shall be a member opposed to the motion. If there is no member willing to speak in opposition to the motion the Assembly shall move immediately to vote on the motion;
D) If, and after a member has spoken in opposition, the President will compile a speaker list of everyone wishing to speak on the motion. No Member may change his or her position on the speakers list;
E) No Member will be allowed to speak on the motion twice until everyone who wishes to speak has had his or her chance to speak once. Prior to the beginning of debate, the Chair will have