AUSA Constitution and By-Laws

(Last revised March 2021 by Senate Chair Owen Clayton and the 2020-21 AUSA constitution committee)

Preamble

The Aurora University Students’ Association establishes itself as a representative body of the students.

As the Aurora University Students’ Association, we firmly uphold the University’s mission statement, the Code of Ethics, and the core values including: Integrity, Citizenship, Continuous Learning, and Excellence.

In the pursuit of those purposes, the Aurora University Students’ Association does hereby establish this constitution for the Aurora University community.

Bill of Rights

The following rights and freedoms shall be provided and guaranteed to each student at Aurora University, and will, therefore, be applied to the Aurora University Students’ Association:

The right to receive financial aid from public and/or private funds;

The right to participate freely in university or student sponsored activities without discrimination based on, but not limited to, a student’s race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, or gender;

The right to freedom of expression, discussion, and inquiry in regards to the course environment and the right to evaluation based solely upon academic performance;The right to protection against discrimination concerning a students’ personal views, beliefs, and/or associations;

The right to establish and maintain a democratic student government in which each student shall have an equal opportunity to participate and establish University policy;

The right to be free from a mandatory dress code, within reason, unless otherwise stated;

The right to petition institutional authority for the change in either academic or nonacademic regulations;

The right to equal treatment within the academic environment regardless of nonuniversity financial status;

The aforementioned rights shall not act to nullify or limit any further expressed and implied freedoms possessed by students.

Article I: Name

The name of the association shall be the Aurora University Students’ Association, hereinafter referred to as the AUSA.

Article II: Purpose

Realizing the interdependence of the Aurora University community, the AUSA endeavors to promote the goals and ideals which shall benefit and further all members in both their academic and personal endeavors. The AUSA strives to guarantee the rule of the majority, the right of the minority, and the freedom of students to inform and be informed as their conscience dictates. The AUSA shall strive toward basic human, academic, and social freedoms for the students of Aurora University and the surrounding community.

Article III: Executive Board

Section 1: Officers

The officers of the AUSA shall be the President, Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.

Section 2: Qualifications. Each of the AUSA officers must:

Clause 1: Be an Aurora University student and a member of the AUSA

Clause 2: Throughout each officer’s term, he or she must have and maintain a cumulative and semester Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 2.5. If either GPA falls below a level of 2.5, the Executive Board Officer will be placed on probation. If the officer does not show significant progress, he or she may be removed from his or her position as a result of their actions.

Section 3: Elections

Clause 1. All officers of the AUSA shall be elected through votes on behalf of the Aurora University student body.

Clause 2. To serve on the Executive Board as the Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer or Secretary, one must have met all requirements of being on the AUSA during the previous year. In regards to the office of the President, one must serve a minimum of one (1) year on the Executive Board in addition to the one (1) year Senator requirement.

Clause 3. The elections for the Executive Board will take place in the month of March, during the first two (2) full consecutive weeks. In case of conflict, further decisions regarding Executive Board elections will be made by the Executive Board.

Clause 4. In the event that the Senate Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary seats become vacated, the President shall contact an AUSA Senator that the Executive Board feels is qualified for the position to fill said vacant role.

Clause 5. In the event that the Senate Chair is running for re-election, they shall not be the individual counting the ballots. In this scenario, the President shall count the ballots. Similarly, if the President is running for re-election, the Vice President shall be the individual counting the ballots.

Section 4: Term of Office

The term of office of the AUSA Executive Board shall be approximately one (1) calendar year in length, beginning on the day of their Inauguration. Said Inauguration shall take place at least twenty-eight (28) days, but no more than thirty-five (35) days, after the spring election.

Section 5: Succession of the Executive Board

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

Clause 2. In the event that the Vice President declines the position of President, the order of succession is as follows: Senate Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary.

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

Clause 4. In the event that all of the Executive Board positions become vacated at the same time, the members of the Student Senate, with aid from the Director of Student Activities, will act as temporary presiding officers of the AUSA and as the Executive Board. The Director of Student Activities will then call a special election to fill the vacated offices. The procedures to be followed shall be the same as any other Executive Board election, with the exception of the time requirement.

Clause 5. In the event that the Senate Chair, Treasurer, or Secretary seat become vacated, the President shall contact an AUSA Senator that the Executive Board feels is qualified for the position to fill the vacant position.

Section 6: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA President

Clause 1. Shall have the option to veto any legislation passed by the Student Senate. In the case of budgetary matters, the AUSA President may exercise a line-item veto.

Clause 2. Shall be an ex-officio member to all student committees.

Clause 3. Shall preside over General Assembly and Executive Board meetings, or shall appoint a representative to preside when needed.

Clause 4. Shall have the responsibility of providing information concerning the AUSA to established groups or organizations on campus.

Clause 5. Shall request reports if necessary, based on activity, structure, and function of all organizations receiving full or partial funding from AUSA.

Clause 6. Shall present an agenda and objectives to the AUSA Student Senate to be discussed and planned for implementation.

Clause 7. Shall address the AUSA Student Senate within one (1) week after the Presidential Inauguration.

Clause 8. Shall attend Alumni Board, Faculty Senate, Educational Affairs, and Board of Trustees meetings regularly.

Clause 9. Shall not have a vote within the Senate, unless the Senate vote results in a tie.

Clause 10. Shall fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Clause 11. Shall be the presiding parliamentarian in the event the Senate Chair is absent.

Section 7: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA Vice President

Clause 1. Shall serve as the liaison to the Office of Student Activities.

Clause 2. Shall review the Event Registration and Funding Request forms (ERFR) submitted by the organizations in conjunction with the Director and Assistant Director of Student Activities.

Clause 3. Shall serve as chair of the Organization’s Council.

Clause 4. Shall be an ex-officio member to all student committees.

Clause 5. Shall have a vote within the Senate.

Clause 6. Shall fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Clause 7. Shall serve as chair of the Community Service Committee.

Clause 8. Shall be the presiding parliamentarian in the event the Senate Chair and the President are absent.

Section 8: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA Senate Chair

Clause 1. Shall be the legislative officer charged with the responsibility for General Senate affairs.

Clause 2. Shall call meetings to order, ascertain that a quorum is present, call for votes, and close.

Clause 3. Shall organize Senate binders at the beginning of the year. In the case where a Senator resigns or is asked to step down, the Senate Chair is to facilitate the collection of the binder.

Clause 4. Shall be responsible for creating nameplates, and distributing them at every AUSA General Assembly Meeting.

Clause 5. Shall respond to all questions related to parliamentary procedure pertaining to Robert’s Rules of Order.

Clause 6. Shall be in charge of all aspects of the AUSA election processes. These include, but are not limited to, the following: ensuring elections for Freshmen Senators, the Executive Board, and the General Student Senate, and special elections if deemed necessary, occur at the appropriate time; Additional affiliated responsibilities include securing a polling location, creating, distributing and advertising election packets, meeting with the Advisor to clarify candidate credentials, creating ballots, advertising the elections to the student body, and making sure the elections are manned by non-running AUSA members. Afterwards, the Senate Chair shall meet with the Advisor to tally the votes, contact each candidate, clarify their specific election result, and officially offer the position to the elected student. When each position has been officially accepted, a mass email to the students is to be sent.

Clause 7. Shall chair the Constitution Committee, and therefore oversee any changes made to the AUSA Constitution.

Clause 8. Shall retain all rights and responsibilities of a Senator.

Clause 9. Shall have a vote within the Senate.

Clause 10. Shall be an ex-officio member to all student committees.

Clause 11. Shall fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Clause 12. In the event a Senator resigns or is expelled from the Senate, it shall be the duty of the Senate Chair to announce the resignation or expulsion to the Senate.

Clause 13. Shall present Committee Reports to the Executive Board meetings weekly.

Clause 14. Shall determine date for which signature pages of the Constitution are due each year (see Article XI, Section 6, Amendment 2), as well as collect said signature pages.

Section 9: Duties and Responsibilities of the AUSA Treasurer

Clause 1. To manage the AUSA Senate account, General account, Executive account, and Community Development Fund account. The Treasurer shall maintain all purchase order books, and handle all account transactions for the aforementioned accounts.

Clause 2. To prepare reports on the financial positions of the AUSA and to provide said reports to the Student Senate in written and/or verbal form.

Clause 3. To inform all organizations that petition funds from the AUSA of the amount of their appropriation.

Clause 4. To maintain information on the status of all organizations reviewing partial or full funding from the AUSA, and to make such information available to the AUSA Student Senate and the AUSA President.

Clause 5. To supervise AUSA funded organizations’ account balances and sends each organizations a statement of their account. It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to ensure that organizations are not allowed to accrue future debt, if one already exists.

Clause 6. Shall have a vote within the Senate.

Clause 7. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Clause 8. Shall be the chair of the Appropriations Committee.

Section 10: Duties and responsibilities of the AUSA Secretary

Clause 1. To record the minutes of all meetings of the AUSA Student Senate, and to maintain records of the status of all motions and resolutions presented to the AUSA Student Senate during General Senate meetings.

Clause 2. To record the attendance of the Executive Board and Student Senators.

Clause 3. Shall be the chair of the Publicity and Fundraising Committee.

Clause 4. Shall have a vote within the Senate.

Clause 5. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Section 11: Duties and responsibilities of the Organization Advisor

Clause 1. To advise and oversee the AUSA Senate meetings and AUSA Executive Board; to give advice in suggested situations; be a loyal and honest advisor; keep up-to-date files, attend all required meetings; and be personable.

Clause 2. If a problem were to arise that may cause any dismissal of the Advisor of AUSA, and/or is asked to leave the AUSA, a two-thirds (2/3) vote, and the Dean of Students shall appoint a new Advisor.

Clause 3. To fulfill all duties, responsibilities, and obligations that may arise throughout the term.

Section 12: Petitions

The Executive Board of the AUSA shall be responsible for the collection of any and all petitions of the AUSA, and to deliver them to the AUSA Student Senate for appropriate action.

Article V: Student Senate

Section 1: Purpose

Clause 1: The AUSA Student Senate is a representative democracy body designed to protect, inform, serve, represent, and lead those persons from whom it derives its right to govern.

Section 2: Members

Clause 1: There shall be four (4) elected members each from the Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior classes. There may be a fifth (5th) selected individual from each class to serve as a backup if any circumstances may arise with the active members. This fifth (5th) individual does not have voting rights and is not required to attend AUSA meetings, unless they are called upon to fill one (1) of the four (4) Senator positions.

Clause 2: There shall be two (2) elected members as Transfer Students. There may be a third (3rd) selected individual from this class to serve as a backup if any circumstances may arise with the active members. This third (3rd) individual does not have voting rights and is not required to attend AUSA meetings, unless they are called upon to fill one (1) of the two (2) Senator positions.

Section 3: Election

Clause 1: All officers of the AUSA Senate shall be elected from votes by the entire student body of Aurora University

Clause 2. To become the AUSA President, one must be an active member of the AUSA

Senate for one (1) and serve on the AUSA Executive Board for one (1) year. For the AUSA Vice President, Senate Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary Positions, one must be an active member of the AUSA Senate or the AUSA Executive Board.

Clause 3. The elections for the Executive Board will take place in the month of March. Candidates will be allowed to start campaigning to the student body of Aurora University the third (3rd) week of March. Followed by the actual elections being held the fourth (4th) week of March. However if date conflicts arise due to Spring Break, campaigning will be the second (2nd) week and elections will be held the third (3rd) week of March.

Clause 4. In the event that there is a vacancy before the fall semester in the Sophomore, Junior or Senior Senate, the positions can be filled through another election if no alternate is available. This election will be held in conjunction with the September Freshman and Transfer Elections.

Clause 5. Any AUSA member that has been expelled from the AUSA shall not be eligible for any future term. The single exception to this clause is regarding grades; if a Senator is expelled from the AUSA for reasons relating to their GPA, they may earn their Senate seat back, so long as their grades have improved to the minimum requirement to be a member of the AUSA.

Clause 6. All candidates for both the AUSA Executive Board and AUSA Senate Elections shall be placed on the ballot in alphabetical order to prevent any favoritism.

Clause 7. A write-in spot shall be placed for every election slot. For the Executive Board elections, the write-in candidate must be an AUSA member for that vote to count. For the Spring Senate Elections, to be considered a viable write-in candidate, any written candidate must cross a ten (10) vote threshold to be considered as an alternate, or AUSA Senator.

Section 4: Succession of Senators

Clause 1. In the event of a removal or a resignation of a Senator, the Senate Chair shall contact the alternate for that class and offer the position to him or her.

Clause 2. If there is no alternate, or the alternate declines, the Student Senate, the Executive Board, and Advisor shall recommend a replacement to the AUSA Student Senate.

Section 5: Qualifications. Each of the AUSA members must:

Clause 1. Be an elected member of the AUSA

Clause 2. Have and maintain a cumulative and semester Grade Point Average (GPA) of

2.5.

Section 6. Duties and Responsibilities of Student Senate

Clause 1. It shall work in coordination with on campus judicial bodies in establishing rules and a code of conduct for the student body.

Clause 2. It shall create such ad hoc committees as it shall deem necessary.

Clause 3. It shall approve the constitutions, and by-laws of the AUSA funded student organizations.

Clause 4. It shall decide any and all issues arising over AUSA Student Senate membership.

Clause 5. It shall have the authority to rescind the voting privileges of any AUSA Student Senator for reasons of no attendance. Each succeeding AUSA Student Senate shall have the right to determine specific attendance requirements. The AUSA has given a Student Senator allowance to miss two (2) unexcused meetings.

Clause 6. It shall have the duty and responsibility of abiding by the AUSA Student Senate contract and AUSA Code of Ethics.

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

Section 7: Legislation

It shall have the sole authority of enacting legislation regarding the AUSA by means of a motion. The AUSA President or any AUSA member may suggest legislation, in the form of a resolution, to the AUSA Student Senate.

Clause 8. It is the responsibility of each Senator to complete all tasks assigned by the Executive Board or Senate Chair by the date designated.

Article VI: Committees of the AUSA Student Senate

Sections 1: Titles

There shall be seven (7) permanent standing committees of the AUSA Student Senate.

These committees shall be called as follows: Appropriations Committee, Awareness Committee, Community Service Committee, Constitution Committee, Food Committee, Publicity and Fundraising Committee, and the VP for Student Life Committee. The explanation of each committee’s duties shall be defined in Article VI, Sections 5-11.

Section 2: Membership

The AUSA Senate, in compliance with the following specifications, shall determine the membership of those committees as the following:

Clause 1. Each standing committee shall be chaired or co-chaired by at least one - and no more than three - AUSA Senator(s), and will contain other AUSA Senators as members.

These members’ terms will run the duration of the academic year.

Clause 2. Each committee shall be chaired or co-chaired by Senators. These members’ terms will run the duration of the committee.

Clause 3. There shall be a minimum of two (2) AUSA Student Senators assigned to each committee.

Clause 4. The AUSA President shall have the power to select the chairperson of the committees.

Section 3: Executive Board Mentors

The aforementioned Committees will each have a member of the Executive Board to serve as a mentor to ensure the proper functioning and resourcefulness of their assigned committees.

Clause 1. The Executive Board mentor for Appropriations Committee shall be the Treasurer, as the Treasurer chairs this committee.

Clause 2. The Executive Board mentor for Awareness Committee shall be the Senate Chair.

Clause 3. The Executive Board mentor for Community Service Committee shall be the Vice President, as the Vice President chairs this committee.

Clause 4. The Executive Board mentor for Constitution Committee shall be the Senate Chair, as the Senate Chair chairs this committee.

Clause 5. The Executive Board mentor for Food Committee shall be the President.

Clause 6. The Executive Board mentor for Publicity and Fundraising Committee shall be the Secretary, as the Secretary chairs this committee.

Clause 7. The Executive Board mentor for VP For Student Life Committee shall be the President.

Section 4: General Duties and responsibilities of the Committees of the AUSA Student Senate

Clause 1. Matters may be referred to a committee at the discretion of the Executive Board.

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

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

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

Section 5: Appropriations Committee

Clause 1. Attend weekly Appropriations meetings established by the Treasurer.

Clause 2. Shall have a vote on financial matters concerning student funds.

Clause 3. Shall abide by the AUSA Code of Finance.

Clause 4. Shall hear appeals from Student Organizations concerning student-funding decisions previously made, and can overrule past decisions made by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

Clause 5. Shall be a member of the AUSA or of the Organizational Council.

Section 6: Awareness Committee

Clause 1. Shall be responsible for bringing awareness to a cause(s) of the committee’s choosing by hosting at least one event per semester related to said cause.

Clause 2. Shall host the annual tree planting each spring semester.

Clause 3. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Section 7: Community Service Committee

Clause 1. Hosts at least one community service opportunity for the members of its committee.

Clause 2. Hosts a community service opportunity for the members of the AUSA.

Clause 3. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Section 8: Constitution Committee

Clause 1. Shall ensure constitution is accurate at the start of every academic year.

Clause 2. Shall make any arrangements of the Election of the Senate, as deemed necessary by the Senate Chair.

Clause 3. If any vacancy arises within the Student Senate, an election to add members may be necessary. This election will be the responsibility of the Constitution Committee.

Clause 4. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Clause 5. Shall give both an electronic and hard copy of the revised Constitution to the incoming Executive Board.

Clause 6. Shall have the authority to change any spelling, capitalization, and punctuation in regards to proper grammar in the Constitution as deemed necessary without the approval of the Senate.

Clause 7: Shall have the authority to change any number in regards to the chronological order of the Constitution as deemed necessary without the approval of the Senate.

Clause 8. Shall be the duty of the Committee to promote the organization through recruiting tools.

Section 9: Food Committee

Clause 1. Shall be the voice for students’ concerns regarding food service on the Aurora University campus in order to bring about potential changes, as deemed necessary by the student body.

Clause 2. Shall meet with representatives of any current food service company in order to achieve goals related to Clause 1 of this Section.

Clause 3. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Clause 4. Shall be responsible for hosting multiple events each semester related to food on campus.

Section 10: Publicity and Fundraising Committee

Clause 1. Shall be in charge of advertising, publicity, and marketing regarding business related to the AUSA.

Clause 2. Shall promote for AUSA-sponsored events.

Clause 3. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Clause 4. Shall be responsible for a yearlong fundraising project for a charity to be chosen by the Senators each year during the Fall semester.

Section 11: VP for Student Life Committee

Clause 1. Shall be responsible for meeting with the Aurora University’s Vice President of Student Life on a regular basis (monthly/bi-monthly).

Clause 2. Shall work alongside the Aurora University’s Vice President of Student Life to ensure students’ concerns are being addressed.

Clause 3. Shall host forums seeking students’ feedback regarding issues on campus, and shall be responsible for relaying the results of said forums to the administration.

Clause 4. Shall be members of the AUSA.

Article VII: Ad hoc Committees of the AUSA Senate

Section 1: Titles

There may be committees created by the AUSA Student Senate if deemed necessary. These committees shall be named in relation to mission.

Section 2: Membership

The AUSA Student Senate, in compliance with the following specifications, shall determine the membership of these committees:

Clause 1. Each separate committee shall be headed by Student Senate members, and will contain AUSA Student Senate as members. These members’ terms will run as long as the committee is active.

Clause 2. There shall be a minimum of two AUSA Student Senators assigned to each committee.

Clause 3. The AUSA President shall have the power to select the chairpersons of the committees. The committee chairperson or one of the co-chairpersons must have served on the AUSA Senate for a minimum of one (1) year.

Section 3: General duties and responsibilities of the Ad hoc Committees of the AUSA Senate

The duties and responsibilities of the committees will be decided upon on a “per committee” basis, depending upon the specific needs of that committee.

Article VIII: Meetings

Section 1: All Aurora University Students

General meetings of the AUSA may be held at the discretion of the AUSA Student Senate or the AUSA President, and are open to the student body.

Section 2: AUSA Student Senate

Clause 1. Frequency of meetings. The AUSA Student Senate shall meet as a body at least once a week according to the schedule determined by the AUSA at the beginning of each semester, and shall meet at other times at the decision of the President.

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

Clause 3. Attendance. Attendance at all AUSA meetings by each Senator is mandatory. If an AUSA Student Senator cannot attend, they are responsible to inform the Executive Board at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the AUSA meeting to be missed. After two (2) unexcused absences in a single semester, the Executive Board will ask the Senator to resign. In case of any emergencies, the Senators shall inform the Executive Board as soon as possible of their absence with reason.

Clause 4. Tardiness. In the event of a Senator arriving late, they will be considered tardy. For every two (2) tardies in a single semester, it will count as one unexcused absence against said Senator.

Clause 5. If a member of the AUSA shows up after one-half (1/2) of the committee reports have been discussed, that member is considered absent (unexcused).

Section 3: Committees of the AUSA Student Senate

Clause 1. Permanent standing committees of the AUSA Student Senate shall meet on a monthly basis, and as deemed necessary by the committee chairperson.

Clause 2. Ad hoc committees shall meet in person bi-monthly, and as deemed necessary by the committee chairperson.

Clause 3: Each Senator must attend at least two-thirds (2/3) of all of his or her committee meetings. If a Senator is unable to attend due to a conflict, they are to inform a Committee Chair at least two (2) hours prior to the meeting. If the Senator in question is not compliant with this standard of conduct, three (3) unexcused absences will result in an overall AUSA tardy.

Clause 4: Each Senator is limited to serving as a Chair or Co-chair of a maximum of three (3) committees per year.

Clause 5. During each committee report, the committee chair is allotted ten (10) minutes to deliver their business. If more time is needed, the committee chair shall motion for an extension of time. A vote for an extension of time shall follow the motion.

Article IX: Referendum and Impeachment

Section 1: Referendum

Clause 1. If any member of the AUSA believes that legislation passed by the AUSA

Student Senate is contrary to the desire of the AUSA or the General Student Body of Aurora University, he or she may petition for a referendum. This petition must contain the signatures of at least twenty-five (25) percent of the AUSA members, and be presented to the AUSA President within two (2) academic weeks of the passage of the legislation.

Section 2: Recall of the AUSA Student Senate

Clause 1. If any member of the AUSA believes that an elected or appointed official is not meeting the requirements of his or her position, he or she may petition for a recall. This petition must contain the signatures of at least twenty-five (25) percent of the AUSA members and be presented to the AUSA President for review.

Clause 2. A recall election shall be held within two (2) weeks after the presentation of the recall, and the AUSA Executive Board will decide the date for the election.

Clause 3. Two thirds (2/3) of the AUSA must vote for the election to be valid.

Clause 4. A three-fourths (3/4) majority vote shall be necessary to remove an official from office.

Section 3: Impeachment of the Executive Board

The rules governing the impeachment of the officers of the Executive Board by the AUSA Student Senate are as follows:

Clause 1. If any member of the AUSA Student Senate believes that an Executive Board member is not meeting the requirements of his or her position, the Senator may submit articles for impeachment. This accusation must contain the signatures of at least twentyfive (25) percent of the AUSA Student Senate, and must be presented to the AUSA President.

Clause 2. Impeachment hearings shall be held within two (2) weeks of the submission of an official accusation for the impeachment of any Executive Board member.

Clause 3. At the impeachment hearing, the accused shall be given ample time to present his or her case.

Clause 4. The highest-ranking officer of the AUSA who is present shall chair the impeachment hearing. The impeachment hearing cannot be a part of a regular meeting of the AUSA Student Senate; a special meeting of the AUSA Student Senate must be held.

Clause 5. The accused shall not be considered a member of the quorum.

Clause 6. After the accused has presented his or her case, he or she shall be allowed to remain present and defend himself or herself during the ensuing discussion by the AUSA Student Senate.

Clause 7. If a member of the AUSA moves to call the question, a vote must follow to approve the motion. If the motion passes, the Chair shall terminate discussion and vote on the item at hand. Following the acceptance of the question, the accused shall be excused from further proceedings.

Clause 8. Upon exclusion of the accused, no more discussion shall take place, and a secret ballot shall be taken.

Clause 9. Two thirds (2/3) of the AUSA Student Senate must vote for the elections to be valid.

Clause 10. A three-fourths (3/4) majority of the votes cast shall be necessary to remove an official from office.

Section 4: Probation

Clause 1. If an AUSA member’s cumulative and semester grade point average (GPA) falls below a 2.5, the AUSA member will be placed on probation. If the AUSA member does not show significant progress, he or she may be removed from his or her position.

Clause 2. If an AUSA member does not abide by the AUSA Student Senate contract or the AUSA Code of Ethics, he or she will be placed on probation for a length of time based on an executive decision. If the AUSA member breaks probation, he or she may be removed from his or her position.

Clause 3. If an AUSA member breaks an Aurora University policy, he or she will be put on probation on an individual basis given the severity of the incident. If the AUSA member has a recurring incident, he or she may be removed from his or her position.

Article X: Parliamentary Authority

Section 1: Rules

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the entirety of this organization for all cases in which they are applicable and not inconsistent with the Constitution, By-Laws, or other governing documents of the AUSA.

Section 2: Parliamentarian

The Senate Chair shall serve as parliamentarian. The individual shall serve in an advisory position to the President with regard to parliamentary procedure.

Article XI: Amendment Procedure

Section 1: Amendments

The AUSA Constitution can be amended by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Senators present at the time of the vote at the meeting of the AUSA Student Senate. This Constitution may be amended by a referendum vote of the AUSA.

Section 2: Revision

The Senate Chair shall refer the proposed amendment to the Constitution Committee for revisions for a minimum of one (1) week.

Section 3: Presentation to the Senate

The Constitution Committee shall then discuss the proposal and draft it into final form and present it to the AUSA Student Senate.

Section 4: Senate Review

The AUSA Student Senate shall then hold a minimum of a one (1) week reading period to review the amendment.

Section 5: Approval.

If the AUSA Student Senate passes an amendment, it shall be sent to the AUSA President for his or her approval or veto. If the AUSA President vetoes the measure, it shall be sent back to the AUSA Student Senate, where the veto may be overridden by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the AUSA Student Senate. If the veto of the AUSA President is overridden, the measure shall be adopted.

Section 6: Amendments

Amendment 1: Chair of Special Initiatives

This position will be filled by an Aurora University Student, which is appointed for an academic year, by the AUSA Executive Board. The student will be in charge of developing and implementing special initiatives as needed/decided on by the Aurora University Student Association.

Amendment 2: Signature Requirement

All Senators shall be required to read and sign this Constitution on a yearly basis to ensure it has been read and is understood by each Senator who is bound to it.

Additionally, should there be any changes to the Constitution, the Senators will need to approve the changes within a General Senate meeting, and return the signature page to verify understanding of said changes. The signature page shall be returned to the Senate Chair on a date to be decided upon each year by the Senate Chair in conjunction with the Executive Board.

Amendment 3: Executive Board Mentors

The President has the authority to appoint the mentors of each committee based upon their discretion. This shall happen before the first meeting and the President shall appoint the Executive Board members to be mentors of their respective committees. This amendment amends all of Article VI, Section 3.

Article XII: Remote Procedures

Section 1: Meetings

Clause 1: The Executive Board has the authority to determine if the Senate should meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Clause 2: Meetings are to be held remotely over video conference as approved by the University.

Section 2: Committees

Clause 1: Committee reports do not have to be submitted based on the discretion of the Senate Chair.

Clause 2: Committees are to be combined, made, or disbanded for the school year based off of the discretion of the Executive Board.

Clause 3: Meetings for Committees are to be held remotely based on the University policy.

Section 3: Elections

Clause 1: Elections shall be moved accordingly if necessary, upon the discretion of the Executive Board

Clause 2: The date for elections shall be chosen by the Executive board with approval from the Senate Chair.