Georgia Southern

Student Government Association

Bylaws
Updated Spring 2018

PREAMBLE
We, the students of Georgia Southern University, in order to form a democratic,
efficient and responsible student government to represent, lead, and unify the student
body, to decide and act for the students, faculty, and administration, while protecting
the individual rights of students, do hereby establish and adopt this constitution for the
Georgia Southern University Student Government Association.
The Student Government Association (SGA) Constitution applies only to the internal
governance of the Georgia Southern University (GSU) SGA. If any part of the SGA
Constitution conflicts with the Board of Regents (BOR), University Systems of Georgia
(USG) regulations, and/or the GSU policies and procedures; then the BOR, USG, and
GSU policies and procedures will take precedent. Furthermore, if any part of the GSU
SGA Constitution conflicts with the GSU SGA Bylaws, the Constitution will take
precedent except in cases where the Constitution is missing information that the Bylaws
explain.
Table of Contents
TITLE I: SENATE OPERATING PROCEDURES
ARTICLE I: Purpose
ARTICLE II: Meetings
Section 1: Meeting Schedule
Section 2: Quorum
Section 3: Special Meetings
Section 4: University Committee Appointments
Section 5: Shuttle Gus
ARTICLE III: Attendance
Section 1: Attendance
Section 2: Absences
Clause 1: Absence Causes
Clause 2: Penalties for absences
Clause 3: Penalties for unexcused late arrivals and/or early departures
Section 3: Absence Policy Exceptions
ARTICLE IV: Senator Responsibilities
ARTICLE V: Committees
Section 1: Provisions
Section 2: Purpose
Section 3: Standing Committees
Section 4: Ad Hoc Committees
ARTICLE VI: Legislation
Section 1: Classification of Legislation
Section 2: Formalities of Enactment
Section 3: Submission of Legislation
Section 4: Classification of Legislation
Section 5: Ratification
TITLE II: SENATE REGULATIONS
Article VII: Parliamentary Procedure
I. Parliamentary Procedure
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 II. Purposes of Parliamentary Procedure
III. Typical Order of Business
IV. Role of the Presiding Officer
VII. General Rules of Debate
ARTICLE VIII: Dress Code
Section 1: Permitted Attire
ARTICLE IX: Code of Ethics
TITLE III: Fiscal Operations
Article X: Budget
Section 1:Division of the Budget
Section B: Disbursement of Funds
Section C: Salaries
TITLE IV: Organizational Body
Section 1: Function and Composition
Section 1: Procedures
TITLE V: Elections

Section 1: Guidelines

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 This document shall be amended through a two thirds-vote with previous notice of three (3)
full business days.

TITLE I: SENATE OPERATING PROCEDURES

ARTICLE I: Purpose
A. This Title is adopted by the Senate consistent with its Constitutional power
to make laws which shall be necessary and proper for execution of vested
power.
B. It is also adopted with the intent to establish order to specify the manner in
which the Senate shall exercise its power as the legislative body of the
Student Government Association, hereafter referred to as SGA.
C. The bylaws established by this document will be subject to change by a ⅔
majority vote of the Senate and must not conflict with the rules and
regulations outlined in the Constitution.
ARTICLE II: Meetings
Section 1: Meeting Schedule
A. The Senate shall assemble beginning the Wednesday of the first week of
classes during the fall semester and every Wednesday consecutively until the
close of the spring banquet. Changes to this schedule are at the discretion of
the Executive Vice President upon consultation with the executive
administration.
B. Senate meetings shall not conflict with the academic calendar established by
the institution regarding class cancellations.
i. Senate meetings shall not take place during finals week of the Fall and
Spring.
C. A minimum of five Senate meetings and four college meetings must be held
per semester.
D. Executive Officer Meetings shall be held a minimum of once per week.
E. Attendance is mandatory at all meetings.
i. See Article IV
F. Committees must meet as deemed necessary by the EVP or chair of the
committee.

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Section 2: Quorum
A. Two-thirds of the eligible voting membership shall constitute a quorum of all
meetings of the Senate.
B. No official and binding votes can be taken at any meeting when a quorum is
not present. The meeting may be called to order, the roll called,
announcements made, and the meeting recessed or adjourned.
C. Positions that have not been filled will not be counted against the quorum.
Section 3: Special Meetings
A. A special meeting of the Senate may be called by the President of the Senate
(EVP). The Senate must be given 72 hours electronic notice of said meeting.
B. The order of business for all such meetings shall be determined by the
President of the organization and matter needing consideration limited to
those specified within the electronic notice.
C. Such meetings may also be called by a two-thirds majority vote of the
Senate. In such cases, the meeting agenda shall be set by the President of the
Senate.
Section 4: University Committee Appointments
A. The President shall serve as a voting member on the Activity Budget
Committee and the University Athletics Council and shall serve on the
University System Board of Regents Student Advisory Council.
B. The Vice President of Academic Affairs shall attend all Undergraduate
Council and Calendar Committee and serve as a voting member of both
committees. Shall be the official representative to the Academic Advisory
Council, and shall attend all Faculty Senate meetings and serve as a voting
member.
C. The Vice President of Finance shall serve as a voting member on the
Activity Budget Committee.
D. The Vice President of Auxiliary shall sit on the University Athletics Council.
Section 5: Shuttle Gus
A. Each college will supervise Shuttle Gus one weekend per semester.
B. Each Senator within the college is responsible for supervising the
organization running the operations of Shuttle Gus.
C. The senator(s) supervising will be the executive body representing SGA and
have the power to make decisions as necessary for shuttle operations in the
absence of executive leadership.
D. One executive officer will be on call during the weekend of operation to
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 handle emergencies.
E. Every Senator is responsible for following the guidelines outlined in the
GSU student code of conduct.

ARTICLE III: Attendance

Section 1: Meetings
A. Every Senator is required to attend all college and Senate meetings, official
SGA functions as assigned by the President, Senate committee meetings, and
of those University committees on which that Senator serves.
B. All senate meetings will start promptly at 6:30 PM as designated by the EVP
and may not extend pasted 8:30 PM without a ¾ majority of the Senate.
Section 2: Absences
A. An absence is any circumstance that would prevent a Senator or Executive
Officer from performing their duties as a member of the Student
Government Association to maximum efficiency.
B. Any Executive Officer or Senator wishing to be excused from an absence,
late arrival, or early departure must fill out the form on myinvolvement and
include appropriate documentation no later than five (5) business days after
the absence. If not, their absence will be considered unexcused.
a. Excused absence forms shall be reviewed by the Executive
Board and voted on during the Executive Board meeting.
b. All decisions made are final and not subject to appeal.
Clause 1: Absence Causes
i. Failure to attend one night of Shuttle Gus will result in one half (½) of
an absence.
ii. Failure to attend a meeting will result in one (1) full absence.
iii. Failure to complete two (2) office hours for the month will result in
one (1) full absence.
iv. Failure to report an excused absence within five (5) business days will
result in one (1) full absence.
v. Failure to meet with your college a minimum of two (2) times per
month will result in one (1) full absence.
vi. Failure to comply with committee responsibilities will result in one
(1) full absence
vii. Two early departures and/or two late arrivals will result in one (1) full
absence.
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 Clause 2: Penalties for absences
A. Unexcused for Senate
i. A written warning via email from the Student Government
Association Graduate Assistant (GA) will follow one (1) unexcused
absence.
ii. A second (2) unexcused absence will precede a second email from the
Executive Board regarding notification of an optional two (2) week
probation period from Senate in which the Senator may dismiss their
second (2) absence upon completion of eight (8) hours volunteered
towards SGA related programs.
iii. The third (3) unexcused absence will precede a third email from the
GA regarding notification of dismissal from Senate.
a. Excused absence forms shall be reviewed by the Executive
Board and all decisions made are final and not subject to
appeal.
B. Unexcused for Executive Officers
i. One (1) unexcused absence of an Executive Officer during a semester
from a Student Government Association meeting or Executive Officer
meeting calls for a written reprimand from the Student Government
Association Advisor.
ii. If an Executive Officer has two (2) unexcused absences, the officer
has up to two (2) weeks for a probation period from Senate, overseen
by the Advisor of SGA, in which the officer may dismiss their second
(2) absence upon completion of eight (8) hours volunteered towards
SGA related programs. Failure to complete eight (8) hours of
volunteer service will result in a fifteen (15%) reduction in their salary
for the remainder of the semester.
iii. If an Executive Officer has three (3) unexcused absences, that officer
will be dismissed from the Student Government Association.
Clause 3: Penalties for unexcused late arrivals and/or early departures
i. A total of two (2) unexcused late arrivals and/or early departures for
Executive Board members and Senators will constitute as one
unexcused absence.
Section 3: Absence Policy Exceptions
The following denote an excused absence and a member will not be penalized
when proper documentation can support:
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 A. Any personal leave (personal illness, religious holiday, wedding of an
immediate family member)
B. Family emergency, i.e., death or serious illness of family member or close
friend.
C. Mandatory in or out of class assignments with a written excuse documented
by the professor.
D. Late arrivals and early departures shall be evaluated on an individual basis
and considered an absence at the discretion of the Executive Board.
a. Late arrivals are defined as a senator arriving after their name on roll
has been called. Arrival after the beginning of the President’s address
will result in one (1) full absence.
b. Early departures are accepted after the end of the Graduate Assistants
address. A departure beforehand will constitute as one (1) full
absence.
E. University Sponsored event with proper documentation.
a. This is limited to one (1) per semester and can only be applied to one
missed meeting.
ARTICLE IV: Senator Responsibilities
A. Shall regularly attend Senate meetings, which convene every Wednesday
from 6:30pm-8:30pm as predetermined by the EVP.
B. Shall meet with their selected college a minimum of two (2) times per month
to discuss business and to implement and carry out plans to improve the
college.
C. Shall actively participate in a minimum of two committees within SGA.
i. Each Senator will be placed into two committees by the close of
business on the last day of the SGA retreat in the fall. This placement
will be conducted by the EVP.
D. Shall attend a minimum of two (2) office hours every month.
E. Shall volunteer for one weekend per semester to help facilitate and supervise
Shuttle Gus operations.
F. Shall attend one approved fund requested event per year.
i. Documentation shall be provided to the individual college chair
within five days of event completion.
ii. College chair will report Senator status to the Executive Assistant at
the close of each semester.

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ARTICLE V: Committees
Section 1: Provisions
A. The provisions of this Article, unless otherwise specified, shall apply to all
standing and ad hoc committees of the Senate.
B. The chair of each committee shall submit a committee report detailing the
actions, research and resolutions completed by the committee.
C. The committee chair and two committee members of all committee
memberships shall constitute a quorum.
i. No action shall be taken in the absence of a quorum.
Section 2: Purpose
A. The purpose of the committees of the Student Government Association is to
assist the Senate in the analysis, execution, and administration of legislation
to be enacted. Each committee is to research, identify and investigate
University-wide issues and propose legislation to enhance to experience of
students on campus.
Section 3: Standing Committees
A. Presidential Advisory Council: Shall make recommendations and address
matters pertaining to statewide intercollegiate issues. Shall assist the
President in his/her duties as well as undertake in special projects as deemed
necessary by the President.
B. Constitutional Review Committee: Shall analyze and assess the needs of the
organization and make recommendations to update the Constitution and
Bylaws based on those needs. Shall seek opportunities to create legislation
to improve the effectiveness of the organization on campus. This committee
in no way shall impede the right of any senator that wants to submit a
Constitutional amendment to the Senate.
C. Administrative Affairs Committee: Shall be responsible for the planning and
execution of administrative tasks related to Senator needs. This includes, but
is not limited to: Banquets, Senate Selection, and Responsibility Monitoring
and Recognition
D. Financial Advisory Committee: Shall analyze and assess the needs of the
organization and make recommendations to update the Constitution and
Bylaws based on those needs. Shall seek opportunities to create legislation
to improve the effectiveness of the organization on campus. This committee
in no way shall impede the right of any senator that wants to submit a
Constitutional amendment to the Senate.
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E. Academic Affairs Committee: Shall identify, analyze, and assess the needs
of the institution’s academic needs. Shall seek opportunities to create
legislation to improve the quality of student experiences in the classroom.
Shall be responsible for formulating and investigating policies concerning
academic areas that affect the student body and referring those issues to the
Administration.
F. Academic Advancement Committee: Shall identify, analyze, and assess the
opportunities for advancement within the institution. Shall assist the VP of
Information and Technology in the allocation and disbursement of student
technology fee funds. Shall be responsible for attending meetings and
staying updated on issues at the library.
G. Auxiliary Affairs Committee: Shall be appointed at the start of the new
executive administration following the annual spring banquet. Shall serve in
any capacity as deemed necessary by university administration. Shall report
meeting findings and pertinent information to the Vice President of Student
Engagement.
H. Elections Committee: Shall be responsible for all elections procedures. Shall
ensure fair practices among all candidates. Shall be the first level of appeals
for election violations.
I. Marketing Committee: Shall be overseen by the Publicity Coordinator and
may be chaired by a Senator of his/her choosing. Shall be responsible for
coordinating all marketing efforts related to Student Government
Association, serving as the liaison between the Office of Marketing and
Communications and Student Government Association when necessary.
J. Technology Fee Committee: Shall be overseen by the Vice President of
Academic Affairs. Shall assist the Vice President of Information and
Technology in the allocation and disbursement of student technology fee
funds. Shall be appointed by the EVP with consultation from the Vice
President of Academic Affairs.
K. Library Advisory Committee: Shall be responsible for attending meetings
and staying updated on issues at the library. Shall assess the current needs of
the student body to report those concerns and needs to said committee. Shall
report meeting findings and pertinent information to the Vice President for
Academic Affairs.
L. Freshman Council: Shall serve as an outlet for freshman concerns and issues
brought before SGA that need to be addressed. Shall become a visible part of
the freshmen community. Shall serve as a training ground for serving as an
SGA Senator.
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 M. Diversity Advisory Board: Shall be comprised of three non-SGA affiliated
students, one representative from the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and
three SGA senators. Shall understand the context of diversity as outlined in
S. Resolution 3 to effectively identify and address pressing concerns as it
relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Shall report directly to the
diversity advisor concerning said matters. Shall assess the current needs of
the student body to be able to develop legislation that will impact and
empower minority students to have a voice.
Section 4: Ad Hoc Committees
A. Ad Hoc committees shall be created and appointed on occasions deemed
necessary by the Senate or Executive Board.
B. Ad Hoc committees will fall under the appropriate Executive Board member
deemed necessary as chair.
ARTICLE VI: Legislation
Section 1: Classification of Legislation
A. Senate Resolutions shall be adopted by the Senate and used to express a
non binding position of the Senate and to accomplish a specific objective.
Resolutions are often used to express the approval or disapproval by the
Senate of something that cannot otherwise be voted on, due to the matter not
being within jurisdiction or protected by the Constitution. Senate resolution
are passed by a simple majority vote.
B. Amendments shall be used to alter or delete the text of a pending piece of
legislation or make revisions to official documentation of SGA, as pertinent
to the Senate proposing the amendment. Amendments are passed by a two-
thirds majority vote.
a. The proposed changes must then be submitted to the general student
body by any means of student media and/or other appropriate
methods.
b. From the time of publication, a student has fourteen (14) calendar
days to petition against the changes with the signature of ten (10%)
percent of the student body who have paid their current semester's
Activity Fee
c. Shall become effective immediately following the fourteen (14) day
appeal period.
d. Amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws will not be required to
follow the wait period, instead following the protocol listed on the
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 respective documents.
C. Legislation is to be additionally classified depending on whether the
legislation seeks to affect a singular campus or the entire University.
a. Legislation that seeks to affect only a singular campus will be titled
Campus Legislation, hereafter referred to as “CL”; CL will detail the
campus it pertains to: “SC” for the Statesboro Campus, “AC” for the
Armstrong Campus, and “LC” for the Liberty Campus.
b. Legislation that seeks to affect the entire University will be title
University Legislation, hereafter referred to as “UL”.
D. CL shall require passage by the Senate of the respective campus, after which
the EVP of that campus shall either sign or veto the legislation. If approved,
the legislation will be sent to the President for endorsement, by which the
President acknowledges the legislation and states their approval or
disapproval of the legislation.
E. UL shall require passage by one Senate within SGA. The legislation shall be
sent to the EVP of the respective campus for endorsement, who will then
forward the UL to the President and their compeer EVP. Should the
legislation be approved by convention, the President may either sign or veto
the legislation within five working days of its passage.
F. The President or EVP refusing to grant endorsement, respectively, to CL and
UL, is non-binding and will have no bearing on the implementation of the
legislation.
a.
Section 2: Formalities of Enactment
A. The resolving clause of Senate Resolutions shall be as follows: “Be it
resolved by the SGA of GSU.”
B. The enacting clause of Amendments shall be as follows: “Be it enacted by
the SGA of GSU.”
C. All constitutional amendments and senate resolutions shall be placed on the
Student Government website.
Section 3: Submission of Legislation
A. All voting members of the Senate shall have the irrevocable authority to
introduce legislation.
B. Legislation to be presented to the Senate must be submitted to the
Constitutional Review Committee for approval three (3) business days
before being presented to the Senate and be available for viewing by the
Senate a minimum of three (3) days before the Senate meeting.
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 a. All suggested changes will be recognized as friendly amendments and
must be accepted by the author to be valid.
b. The author must accept the suggestion before presenting to Senate.
C. In the case of an emergency, the EVP can call for electronic voting. The
Senate shall receive a (72) hour notice in the event of an emergency vote via
email. The voting period shall last for a period of (24) hours. All votes not
cast shall be considered abstentions.
Section 4: Classification of Legislation
A. All official copies of Legislation shall be labeled with legislation author(s),
date of introduction, and shall contain a copy of the original submission
including markups.
Section 5: Ratification
A. This document shall be ratified when the procedures for constitutional
changes found in the present constitution have been carried out.

TITLE II: EXECUTIVE REGULATIONS

Article VII: Executive Officers
Section 1: Composition
I. Elected Executive Officers
i. Shall be the President, the Executive Vice President, the Vice
President of Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Finance, and the
Vice President of Auxiliary Affairs, and the Vice President of Student
Engagement.
II. Appointed Executive Officers
i. Shall constitute the Chief of Staff, Publicity Coordinator, Executive
Assistant, Web Designer and the Graduate Assistant.
Section 2: Qualifications of the Executive Officers
A. Shall be elected at large by members of the Statesboro campus.
B. Shall be enrolled as a student in good standing with GSU at the time of
election or appointment and maintain this standing throughout the time of
office.
C. Shall hold the office for a period of one calendar year beginning at the close
of the annual spring banquet.
D. Shall not hold a position within the Senate during their term in office, unless
specifically authorized within this Constitution.
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 E. Must be enrolled for a minimum of six hours for undergraduate students and
three hours for graduate level students.
F. All executive officers, elected and appointed, shall maintain a minimum of a
2.5 GPA throughout their term.
Section 3: Authority and Responsibilities of the Executive Officers
A. Shall ensure that legislation passed by the Senate meets the original
organization intent when implemented by the SGA or when discussed or
drafted into the University Policy at the respective University Senate
Committee.
B. Shall meet at regularly scheduled times as determined by the President.
C. Shall vote on SGA matters not requiring Senate approval.
D. Shall supervise, maintain, and advise on policies, regulations and
recommendations that are formulated by the Senate in the interest,
convenience, and necessity of the student body.
E. Provide a positive representation of the SGA on and off the campus.
F. Executive officers shall not be allowed to vote in the Senate, though
executive officers may be allowed to serve as voting members on any
committee within SGA.
Section 4: Duties of the President
A. Shall be the official representative of the student body at official university
functions.
B. Shall serve as the liaison between students, faculty, staff, administration, and
the community.
C. Shall serve as the University delegate to the Student Advisory Council
(SAC) of the BOR of the USG and shall have the authority to appoint SAC
delegate(s); may be appointed to any standing university committee or board
other than those of the SGA, or may appoint a representative to serve in such
capacity.
D. Shall oversee the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC), appointing
additional members to the PAC with the unanimous approval of both
Executive Vice Presidents.
E. Shall work with other officers within SGA in initiating programs for their
area of responsibility.
F. Shall call any special convention, outside of regularly scheduled semesterly
conventions, or other such convention vote.
G. Shall call university-wide committees to meet to consider specific business.
H. Shall sign or veto any University Legislation passed by convention within
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 five working days of its passage. This action should be delivered in writing
to the Executive Vice President, hereinafter referred to as “EVP,” and be
made available for viewing by the Senate for three days.
I. Shall be presented with Campus Legislation for endorsement, which the
President may refuse.
J. Shall have the power to make all special student appointments, as long as the
total number of executive officers does not exceed more than thirty percent
of the total Senate representation.
K. Shall present a full report at the close of each semester reporting the status of
the SGA and the activities presented.
L. Shall meet with both campus-level advisors at least once per month.
M. Shall serve on the Student Activity Fee Committee.
N. Shall attend a Senate meeting every week, and at least one Senate meeting
on the campus that is not their host campus per month. This may not be
construed to penalize the President if they have class during a Senate
meeting.
O. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 5: Duties of the Executive Vice Presidents
A. Shall chair meetings of their respective Campus Executive Committee
(CEC), with the power to name qualified students to positions on the CEC
with the approval of a majority vote of their Senate.
B. Shall sign or veto any Campus Legislation passed by their respective Senate
within five working days of its passage. This action should be delivered in
writing to the Senate and be made available for viewing by the Senate with
at least seventy-two hours following the veto.
C. Shall advise, maintain, and provide oversight on policies, regulations, and
recommendations formulated by the Senate(s) in the interest, convenience,
and necessity of the student body.
D. Shall be presented with University Legislation passed by their Senate for
endorsement, which the EVP may refuse.
E. Shall have the power to call special sessions of the Senate for their
respective campus to consider specific business.
F. Shall serve in any capacity that will assist the SGA President in the
execution of all actions taken by the SGA.
G. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 6: Duties of the Chiefs of Staff
A. Shall serve as the point of contact for Senators as it pertains to individual
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 and college Senate assignments.
B. Shall be responsible for identifying the needs of the organization from an
institutional perspective and advise in the creation of legislation to address
those concerns.
C. Shall work with their compeer to plan conventions.
D. Shall meet with Senators either on an individual and/or group basis, as
needed, at least once per semester.
E. Shall report directly to their EVP and advise on pressing organizational
matters.
F. Shall compile a bi-monthly report on the progress of the strategic plan for
the semester.
G. Shall be delegated to attend meetings with higher administration as deemed
necessary by their respective EVP.
H. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 7. Vice Presidents of Finance
A. Shall be in charge of all disbursements and financial operations for their
campus-specific SGA, working in tandem with their counterpart regarding
the financial operations of the whole of SGA.
B. Shall work with their respective counterpart to create an overall SGA budget
for approval by the Senates, in convention.
C. Shall oversee expenditures by organizations receiving funding from their
respective campus-specific SGA.
D. Shall ensure compliance with organization and university financial
regulations.
E. Shall oversee the Financial Advisory Committee of their respective campus.
F. Shall make an overall budget report by the first Senate meeting of every
month.
i. Shall present an itemized budget report to the Senate once per month.
G. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 8. Executive Assistants
A. Shall take roll, as well as record, secure, and distribute the minutes of the
Senate and CEC meetings of their respective campus.
B. Shall be responsible for all administrative duties as relevant to the operations
of their respective campus.
C. Shall be appointed to be a non-voting member of a committee deemed
necessary by their CEC.
D. Shall be responsible for maintaining accurate records of all Executive and
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 Senatorial relations.
E. Shall conduct monthly audits of SGA records.
F. Shall be hired to assist the Senate.
G. Shall be appointed by the EVP of their campus and confirmed by a majority
vote of their respective Senate.
H. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 6: Duties of the Vice President of Academic Affairs
A. Shall be responsible for overseeing the total development of academic
programs.
B. Shall oversee the work of all Faculty Senate Standing Committees and SGA.
C. Shall ensure compliance with organization and university financial
regulations.
D. Shall oversee the Academic Affairs Committee
E. Shall attend all Undergraduate Council and Calendar Committee and serve
as the voting member of both committees.
F. Shall be the official representative to the Academic Advisory Council.
G. Shall attend all Faculty Senate meetings and serve as a voting member.
H. Shall oversee the Student Government Association’s annual scholarship
selection process.
I. Shall identify and investigate University-wide academic issues and draft and
propose related legislation to the Senate.
J. Shall chair Senate meetings in the absence of the President and the
Executive Vice President.
K. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 7: Duties of the Vice President of Finance
A. Shall be in charge of all disbursements and financial operations of the SGA.
B. Shall oversee expenditures by organizations receiving funding from the
SGA.
C. Shall ensure compliance with organization and university financial
regulations.
D. Shall oversee the Financial Advisory Committee.
E. Shall serve on the Activity Budget Committee.
F. Shall make an overall Budget report by the first Senate meeting of every
month.
i. Shall present an itemized budget report to the Senate once per month.
G. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.

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Section 8: Duties of the Vice President of Auxiliary Affairs
A. Shall act as a liaison on for the student body and consult the Director of
Auxiliary Services.
B. Shall be responsible for initiating policy and programs concerning all
Auxiliary services provided by the university.
C. Shall oversee the Auxiliary Affairs Advisory Committee.
D. Shall chair the Auxiliary Services Committee.
E. Shall serve and attend Housing Appeals Committee meetings or appoint a
designated representative.
F. Shall identify and investigate University-wide issues pertaining to student
life and create legislation to address the issue.
G. Shall facilitate feedback from the student body regarding any University
Auxiliary Services offered.
H. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
Section 9: Duties of the Vice President of Student Engagement
A. Shall serve as the liaison between student organizations and the Student
Government Association.
B. Shall be responsible for the identifying the needs as stated by the students
under SGA President’s strategic plan.
C. Shall oversee the operations of the Student Org Body.
D. Shall identify and investigate university-wide issues as identified under the
SGA President’s strategic plan and shall create legislation to address said
issues.
E. Shall establish relationship with university departments that represent issues
identified in the SGA President’s strategic plan.
F. Shall facilitate feedback offered from the Student Org Body.
G. Shall create programming initiatives to engage students campus-wide
H. Shall maintain a minimum of 10 office hours per week.
I. Shall maintain the SGA President’s strategic plan.
PR Team Legislation coming from Grantson
ARTICLE VIII: THE EX-OFFICIO OFFICERS
Section 1: Composition
A. Shall be the SGA advisor(or his/her designee), graduate assistant, and a
representative appointed by the Faculty Senate.
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Section 2: Duties and Responsibilities of the SGA Advisor
A. Shall meet with the President and Executive Vice President on a weekly
basis to discuss organization needs and provide direct based on University
protocol.
B. Shall meet with the executive administration on a weekly basis to discuss
organizational needs.
C. Shall have an understanding of the university rules and regulations as it
pertains to the SGA and have any understanding of the operating policies
and protocols of the SGA.
D. Shall make the executive administration aware of liability issues and provide
sound advice for the organization to make safe and productive decisions
regarding events for the student body and the senate.
E. Shall attend organization meetings and outside organizational functions as
available.
F. Shall be available to the executive officers in the case of an emergency or
consultation needs.
G. Shall assist in the transition of organization officers.
Section 3: Duties of the Graduate Assistant
A. Shall oversee Shuttle Gus.
B. Shall oversee elections for the SGA.
C. Shall notify members of their absences as well as dismiss members from the
SGA.
Section 4: Duties and Responsibilities of the Faculty Senate Representative
A. Shall have a vote on the SGA Senate as long as the SGA representative to
the Faculty Senate has a vote on the Faculty Senate.
B. Shall act the liaison between Faculty Senate and SGA.

TITLE III: SENATE REGULATIONS

Article IX: Parliamentary Procedure
III. The rules contained in the current edition of “Robert's Rules of Order Newly
Revised” shall govern the Georgia Southern University Student Government
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 Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are
not inconsistent with the bylaws, constitution, and any special rules of order
the GSU SGA may adopt.

II. Purposes of Parliamentary Procedure

The purpose is to ensure majority rule while protecting the rights of the
minority, members not present, and all individuals. Parliamentary procedure
provides an order and fairness to the governing body.

III. Typical Order of Business

A. Call to Order
B. Roll Call/Determination of a Quorum
C. Approval of the Agenda
E. President
F. Executive Vice President
G. VP of Academic Affairs
H. VP of Finance
J. VP of Auxiliary Affairs
K. Graduate Assistant
L. Old Business
M. New Business
N. Concerns from the Gallery
O. Pass the Gavel
P. Closing Roll Call
Q. Adjournment

IV. Role of the Speaker

A. Remain impartial during debate.
B. Vote only to create or break a tie.
C. Determine that a quorum is present.
D. Ensure business is introduced in the proper order.
E. Recognize speakers.
F. Keep discussion on topic with the motion.
G. Maintain order.
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 H. Put motions to a vote and announce results.

VII. General Rules of Debate

A. No members may speak until recognized by the chair.
B. All discussion must be relevant to the question.
C. A speaker’s list may be made by the chair.
D. Discussion must be directed toward the chair.
F. Rules of debate can be changed by a two-thirds vote.

VII. Senator Reinstatement Protocol

A. If an appeal is approved for a senator to return, they must operate under the
following conditions for a period not to exceed three months as determined
by the EVP.
a. Shall not receive an unexcused absence.
b. Shall not represent Student Government at an external local, state,
regional, or national level functions.
c. Shall attend a meeting with the Chief of Staff within one week of
reinstatement. It shall be the responsibility of the returning senator to
coordinate the arrangements to avoid being in violation of their return
protocol.
i. EVP will determine the arrangements in consultation with the
advisor and confirmed by the CEC.
d. Shall face immediate removal upon violation of stated terms.
e. Conditions:
i. A senator who is impeached shall not qualify for reinstatement.
ii. Reinstatement allowed one time per calendar year.

ARTICLE X: Dress Code

A. All executive officers, senate staff, and senate members shall wear
professional business attire unless specifically stated.
B. Failure to comply with dress code regulations will result in one absence and
revocation of voting privileges during the meeting in which the infraction
occurred.
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Section 1: Permitted Attire
A. Gentlemen: button up shirt, dress pants, neckwear, closed toed dress shoes,
belt (black or brown), polo, suit, vest.
B. Ladies: dress, skirt, dress blouse, dress pants, suit, dress shoes.
ARTICLE X: Code of Ethics
Given the mission of the Georgia Southern Student Government Association, the
elected and appointed officials hereby implement the Code of Ethics to guide our
membership when acting on behalf of the student body.
A. We shall faithfully execute the rules and regulations of the bylaws and
constitution to ensure proper representation of the Student Body in the face
of the community.
B. We shall make decisions and enact legislation that will service the needs of
all students.
C. We shall act with integrity and serve as the liaison between the students and
administration.
D. We shall work to understand, respect and support staff and students from all
backgrounds and strive to create a culture that shows respect to their
contributions to this campus.
E. We shall respect the confidentiality of sensitive information distributed
within the organization.
F. We shall promote a positive image for the organization.
G. We shall not give preferential treatment to any organization or individual.
H. We shall not use university funds for personal gain, payments, or
reimbursements without proper authorization from the University.
TITLE IV: Fiscal Operations
Article XI: Budget
Section 1: The Student Government Association budget shall be divided into two
categories:
A. Operational Budget
a. Shall consist of those funds allocated for travel, supplies, and shall
have the power to order and pay for such supplies, materials, repairs
and maintenance, contingency, etc.
B. Organizational Budget
a. Shall consist of those funds allocated to initiate and support those
programs, events, and other enhancement opportunities that are
beneficial to the students of the Georgia Southern University
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 community.
b. Any eligible recognized student or student organization that is not
funded by another University agency may request funds from this
budget. These funds shall be disbursed in accordance with the Student
Government Association Funding guidelines.
c. The Individual Funding Guideline and the Organizational Funding
Guideline shall be the governing documents regarding the
disbursement of organizational funds.
i. The guidelines shall be on the SGA website and available at all
times to the student body.
ii. The guidelines can be amended through a ¾ majority vote
within the Financial Advisory Committee and taken to the
Senate for a ¾ majority confirmation.
Section B: Disbursement of Funds
A. The President and the Vice President of Finance shall develop a proposed
budget for the following year. After review by the Executive Board, who
may offer written comments about the structure, the budget shall be
submitted to the Senate for final approval or modification.
B. All organizational fund requests shall be submitted to and reviewed by the
Financial Advisory Committee according to the Student Government
Association Funding guidelines.
C. All expenditures from the Operational Budget in excess of $1000 must be
brought before the Senate for a decision.
D. All non-budgetary expenditures from the Operational Budget in excess of
$500 must be brought before the Senate for a decision.
E. Organizations have a fifteen (15) day grace period for the submission of all
fund requests occurring between the present and previous semesters.
Section C: Salaries
A. Executive Officers may receive a salary, the amount of which will be
determined by that year’s budget.
B. Senators may not receive a salary.
TITLE V: Organizational Body
Section 1: Function and Composition
A. The SGA executive board will hold monthly meetings with all student
organizations at Georgia Southern University. (Category 1-3 orgs)
B. These meetings will be open to all students, including senators, to listen in
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 on concerns that organizational leaders currently have.
C. One (1) student Organization Leadership Consultant (OLC), from the Office
of Student Activities (OSA), will sit in on the meetings to address any
concerns regarding organizational structure, renewals, and discuss
announcements from the OSA.
D. These meetings will not be mandatory, but instead incentivized to attend.
E. We encourage the organization President to attend at least the first
semesterly meeting, and if needed, can send another member from their
organization for the remaining meetings.
F. There will be a minimum of three (3) semesterly meetings with a maximum
of 4 semesterly meetings.
Section 2: Procedures
G. Meetings will operate according to the current SGA Constitution
H. Robert’s Rules of Order will be utilized during the meeting
I. Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm and
must conclude by 8:30pm.
J. The Executive Vice President will serve as the chair for discussion.
K. The Executive Vice President will serve as the point of contact with all
organizations.
L. The Organizational Body shall hold no senatorial voting rights towards the
SGA.

TITLE VI: Elections

Section 1: Guidelines
A. The Elections Guidelines shall serve as the official governing document for
elections.
a. The guidelines shall be on the SGA website and available at all times
to the student body.

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