BILL#: SEN-27-18

TITLE: A Bill to Amend the Student Government Association Constitution to

Mandate Weekly Senate Meetings

SPONSOR(S): Jake Tidwell, Off-Campus Senator (jtidwe14@vols.utk.edu)

Austin Smith, Nursing Senator (asmit315@vols.utk.edu)

Hannah Blackwell, Off-Campus Senator (xxd795@vols.utk.edu)

Mustafa Salameh, College of Arts & Sciences Senator  (msalame2@vols.utk.edu)

Eli Pearson, West Area Senator (epears12@vols.utk.edu)

Joe Hall, Haslam College of Business Senator (jhall105@vols.utk.edu)

Jude Cypher, Haslam College of Business Senator (jcypher@vols.utk.edu)

Katie Gouge, Off-Campus Senator (kgouge3@vols.utk.edu)

Mackenzie Hobbs, Off-Campus Senator (mhobbs10@vols.utk.edu)

Paige Shimer, At-Large Senator (pshimer@vols.utk.edu)

Rohit Srivastava, College of Arts & Sciences Senator (rsrivas3@vols.utk.edu)

Sophia Rhoades, College of Arts & Sciences Senator (srhoade1@vols.utk.edu)

Alex Allen, Off-Campus Senator (aallen59@vols.utk.edu)

Lindsey Gardner, College of Arts & Sciences Senator (lgardn12@vols.utk.edu)

DATE: 4 December 2018

Whereas, the Student Government Association’s mission has a tenet for diversity, which states: “…that UT provide a climate where a diversity of individuals can share knowledge and experiences for the benefit of education”,

Whereas, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association Undergraduate Student Senate is intended to be a voting body that is representative of all students who are a part of the University of Tennessee Knoxville campus community,

Whereas, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association Undergraduate Student Senate currently regularly meets once every other week, or once every fourteen (14) days,

Whereas, this schedule has the consequence of only having six (6) regularly scheduled Senate session, per the 2018-2019 Undergraduate Student Senate calendar currently on the Team Google Drive, not counting the orientation session or the Holiday Celebration session,

Whereas, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association Undergraduate Student Senate is permitted to have special sessions to address crises, but these are often poorly attended and appear reactionary instead of proactive,

Whereas, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association has a reputation around the University of Tennessee-Knoxville campus for being out of touch with the student body,

Whereas, the University of Tennessee Student Government Association Undergraduate Student Senate has been described in the past as “slow”, “reactionary”, “inefficient”, and other similarly-defined adjectives,

Be it hereby resolved, that the bylaws of the Undergraduate Student Senate be amended in the following ways:

Amend: The current title of Article IV, “Article IV – Senate Composition and Provision” To read: “Article IV – Senate Composition”

Insert: “Article V – Senate Provisions” immediately following Article IV, Section 7

Insert, following previous section: “Section 1. The Student Senate shall be obligated to meet regularly no less than one (1) time per week, special circumstances notwithstanding.”

Insert, following previous section: “a. Examples of special circumstances may include, but are not limited to, University holidays and extreme weather events. Insert, following previous section: “b. The definition of special circumstances is subject to the jurisdiction of the Senate Executive Committee.”

Amend: “Section 8. All legislation to be presented to the Student Senate, whether originally written by the actual sponsor, or written by a third party or entity and only sponsored by a regular voting member of the Senate, must be submitted to the SGA office by 11:59 PM seven calendar days preceding the Tuesday on which a Senate session will take place. The legislation must be distributed to the senate at least five days preceding the Tuesday on which a Senate session will take place. a. Special exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis by the Senate Chair, accepting legislation up to five days prior to the next Senate session.”

To read: “Section 2. All legislation to be presented to the Student Senate, whether originally written by the actual sponsor, or written by a third party or entity and only sponsored by a regular voting member of the Senate, must be submitted to the SGA office by 11:59 PM seven calendar days preceding the Tuesday on which a Senate session will take place. The legislation must be distributed to the senate at least five days preceding the Tuesday on which a Senate session will take place. a. Special exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis by the Senate Chair, accepting legislation up to five days prior to the next Senate session.”

Amend: “Section 9. Residential and academic senators are required to complete twelve constituency hours prior to the date for filing for re-election. Constituency hours for senators appointed throughout the year will be left to the discretion of the Senate Executive Committee. Constituency hours are not required for Members-At-Large senators.”

To read: “Section 3. Residential and academic senators are required to complete twelve constituency hours prior to the date for filing for re-election. Constituency hours for senators appointed throughout the year will be left to the discretion of the Senate Executive Committee. Constituency hours are not required for Members-At-Large senators.”

Amend: “Section 10. A Special Senate Session shall be convened to address special topics or emergencies as deemed necessary by the President of the Senate or the Senate Chair.”

To read: “Section 4. A Special Senate Session shall be convened to address special topics or emergencies as deemed necessary by the President of the Senate or the Senate Chair.”

Amend: “Section 11. Committees of the Student Senate may be created or abolished as deemed necessary by the Senate. The President of Senate, the Senate Chair, or three members in good standing of the Senate may recommend creation or abolition of ad hoc committees, with a majority vote at a regular Senate Session required for approval.”

To read: “Section 5. Committees of the Student Senate may be created or abolished as deemed necessary by the Senate. The President of Senate, the Senate Chair, or three members in good standing of the Senate may recommend creation or abolition of ad hoc committees, with a majority vote at a regular Senate Session required for approval.”

Amend: “Article V – Code of Ethics”

To read: “Article VI – Code of Ethics”

Amend: “Article VI – Amendment”

To read: “Article VII – Amendment”

Amend: “Article VII – Constitution”

To read: Article VIII – Constitution”

Be it further resolved that these changes will not take effect until the following academic year, Fall 2019 – Spring 2020.