THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN – LA CROSSE

STUDENT ASSOCIATION

 

PREAMBLE

 

We, the students of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, seeking to provide an effective means by which we may promote, protect, and defend our interests, preserve the responsibilities granted to us in Section 36.09(5) of Wisconsin State Statutes, and improve our University through a united effort, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

 

ARTICLE I – NAME

 

The name of this organization will be the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Student Association. The governing body shall consist of three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial; and hereafter will be referred to as the UWLSA.

 

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

 

Every student enrolled at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, both full-time and part-time, and without discrimination, shall be considered a member of the UWLSA, and will thus be a voting member for all UWLSA elections and referendums.

 

ARTICLE III – EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

Section 1: Executive Branch

 

The executive power of the UWLSA shall be vested in the Executive Branch.

 

Section 2: Membership

 

The Executive Branch shall consist of the UWLSA President, UWLSA Vice-President, and the Board of Directors [Refer to Article IV, Section 3].

 

Section 3: Eligibility

 

The President and Vice-President, at the time of their election or appointment, and throughout their time in office, shall be at least half-time students, be in good academic standing at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, as defined in the current UW-L General Catalog, and have completed a minimum of their last twelve (12) semester credits in residence.

 

Section 4: Election

 

Candidates for President and Vice-President shall run for election each April, under the provisions and procedures of the Election Commission, with the candidate for each position receiving the largest number of votes by the members of the UWLSA receiving the nomination to office. In the case of a tie, a run-off election shall be held no later than one week following the initial election, after which the candidate with the largest number of votes in the run-off shall be the elected officer.

 

Section 5: Terms

 

The terms of office of both the President and Vice-President shall be one year from the date of Inauguration, the first Wednesday of May; or until the time an officer is impeached, becomes ineligible to hold office, or resigns from office for any reason. If for any reason the election for any executive position is still pending, the terms of the current executive will be extended until the election results are resolved. The term limit of President and Vice President shall be two years in the office as President, Vice-President, or a combination of both.

 

Section 6: Oath or Affirmation

 

The duly elected President and Vice-President of the UWLSA shall, before entering the execution of their respective offices, take the following Oath or Affirmation, administered by the departing President and Vice-President: “I do solemnly swear that I, (Elector’s name) will dutifully execute the Office of President/Vice-President of the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Student Association and will to the best of my ability promote, protect, and defend Section 36.09(5) of the Wisconsin State Statutes and the Constitution of the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse Student Association.”

 

Section 7: Powers and Duties

 

These shall be the official powers and duties of the President and Vice-President of the UWLSA.

 

A.     President

1.       To promote, protect, and defend the principles of the UWLSA by adhering to the provisions of this Constitution.

2.      To be the Chief Executive Officer and official representative of the UWLSA in all matters concerning student life.

3.      To sign or veto all Senate legislation within seven academic days of passage or the legislation becomes policy, and to notify the Senate of vetoed legislation before the next Senate meeting.

4.      To be responsible and accountable for the implementation of all legislation passed by the Senate and signed by the President.

5.      To oversee all operations of the UWLSA office and budget.

6.      To hold regular office hours to be reached by all UWLSA members.

7.      To hold regular meetings with the Chancellor and Provost each semester to ensure continual discussion of student and university issues.

8.     To be a voting member of all UWLSA committees when quorum is needed and a non-voting member during all other situations.

9.      To appoint a Board of Directors with the advice and two-thirds (2/3) approval of the Senate.

10.  To appoint an Election Commission for all elections and referendums.

11.   To serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.

12.  To appoint four (4) Student Court Justices at the beginning of his/her term with a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the appointees by the Senate, to appoint a sitting Justice to the position of Chief Justice at the end of his/her term with a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the appointee by the Senate, and to fill any other Student Court Justice vacancies with a two-thirds (2/3) approval by the Senate.

13.  To work with the UWLSA Vice-President to ensure attendance by one member of the Executive Branch at all United Council (if membership applies,) United States Student Association (if membership applies,) and all other major events important to the UWLSA.

B.     Vice-President

1.        To promote, protect, and defend the principles of the UWLSA by adhering to the provisions of this Constitution.

2.      To be an official representative of the UWLSA in all matters concerning student life and to set office hours to be reached by all members of the UWLSA concerned with matters of student life.

3.      To serve as the President of the Senate.

4.      To assign legislation, submitted by or with authorization from members of the Legislative Branch, to the appropriate UWLSA committees prior to it coming to a vote on the Senate floor.

  1. To set the agenda, assign priority to motions before the body, rule on points of parliamentary procedure, request impeachment if necessary, and conduct meetings as the presiding officer for the UWLSA Student Senate.
  2. To vote as President of the Senate only in the case of a tie.
  3. To assign fair and diverse student and faculty committee representation with the approval of the President Pro Tempore.
  4. To serve as a voting member of all UWLSA committees when quorum is needed and a non-voting member during all other situations.
  5. To serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors.
  6. To work with the UWLSA President to ensure attendance by one member of the Executive Branch at all United Council (if membership applies,) United States Student Association (if membership applies,) and all other major events important to the UWLSA. 

 

Section 8: Vacancies

 

A. President

 

  1. If at any time during their term in office the President is impeached, resigns, or fails to meet each and all eligibility requirements, he/she shall be permanently replaced by the Vice-President of the Student Body.
  2. If the President is temporarily unable to perform the duties of their office, the President Pro Tempore shall be notified, at which time he/she will assume the duties of the Vice-President in the interim.

 

B. Vice-President

 

  1. If at any time during their term in office the Vice-President is impeached, resigns, or fails to meet each and all eligibility requirements, he/she shall be replaced by the President Pro Tempore until the President appoints a permanent Vice-President with a two-thirds (2/3) approval of the senate.
  2. If the Vice-President is temporarily unable to perform the duties of their office, the President Pro Tempore shall be notified, at which time he/she will assume the duties of the Vice-President in the interim.

 

Section 9: Impeachment

           

A. Reasons for Impeachment

 

The President and/or Vice President shall be removed immediately from office upon impeachment and conviction, as defined by this Constitution, of a major violation of national, state, or local law; of a violation of major University of Wisconsin- La Crosse policy; of failure to uphold this Constitution or legislation passed by the UWLSA Senate; of failure to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with this Constitution; or of any abuses of power.

 

B. Impeachment Process

1.       The Senate alone shall hold the power, with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, to request an impeachment investigation of the President or Vice-President.

2.      The process for impeachment shall precede as follows:

a.      An investigation of an individual concerning impeachable actions shall be requested by the President Pro-Tempore or a simple majority of the Senate.

b.      The Legislative Affairs Committee shall hold hearings and review the actions of the individual in question.

c.       When the Legislative Affairs Committee has completed its investigation, it shall return with a recommendation for the Senate and reasoning for that recommendation.

                                      i.      If the Legislative Affairs Committee recommends impeachment, the Senate must by a three-fifths (3/5) vote choose whether or not to accept the recommendation of the committee. [Refer to d]

                                   ii.      If the Legislative Affairs Committee does not recommend impeachment, the hearing is finished.

d.      When the Senate has completed its review of the Legislative Affairs Committee recommendation a vote shall be called.

                                      i.      If the Senate fails to accept the recommendation for impeachment with a three-fifth (3/5) vote, the hearing is finished.

                                   ii.      If the Senate accepts the recommendation for impeachment with a three-fifths (3/5) vote, the individual in question is impeached.

3.      If an individual is investigated for impeachment, the impeachable actions will be noted by the Legislative Affairs Committee, and any reoccurrence of the actions may be grounds for immediate impeachment by a three-fifths (3/5) vote of the Senate without further investigation.

4.      The final decision of the Senate may be appealed to the Student Court, the decision of the Student Court being the final decision.

5.      If an individual is convicted and impeached, that individual shall not be allowed to hold a UWLSA position for one year following removal.

 

ARTICLE IV – BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Section 1: Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors shall serve as the acting Senate when Senate is not in session and shall act as advisors to the Executive Branch of the UWLSA and shall have the power and responsibility to assist the President and Vice-President in the implementation of all legislation passed by the Senate and signed by the President.

 

Section 2: Membership

 

The membership of the Board of Directors shall consist of the President of the UWLSA, Vice-President of the UWLSA, President Pro Tempore (non-voting), Parliamentarian (non-voting), Secretary (non-voting), Chief Financial Officer, Gender Issues Director, Director of City Affairs, Director of Public Relations, Get Out to Vote Coordinator, Legislative Issues Director, Shared Governance Director, Social Justice Director, Environmental Sustainability Director, and two General Executives of the Senate elected by the Senate.  A Chair of the Board shall be selected from within the Board of Directors membership. No member shall hold more than one position.

 

Section 3: Eligibility

The members of the Board of Directors, at the time of their appointment, and throughout their time in office, shall be at least half-time students, be in good academic standing at the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse as defined in the current UW-L General Catalog, have completed a minimum of their last twelve (12) semester credits in residence, and shall not simultaneously be a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Legislative or Judicial Branch of the UWLSA with the exception of the two General Executives and the President Pro Tempore who will be members of the Legislative Branch.

 

Section 4: Selection

All candidates for positions on the Board of Directors shall submit their applications to the UWLSA President and/or Vice-President before the given deadline. The President and Vice-President shall then review all applications and select the most suitable candidate for each position and submit the chosen names to be confirmed by a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the Senate.

 

Section 5: Terms