XULA SGA Bylaws

Xavier University of Louisiana

Student Government Association Bylaws

Amended: April 1, 2025 (80th Administration)

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ____________________________________________________________________________ Section I. Format for the SGA Bylaws ........................................................................................................ 4 Section I.1 Jurisdiction of the SGA Bylaws .......................................................................................... 4 Section II. Operations of the Executive Branch ......................................................................................... 4 Section II.1The Executive Board ............................................................................................................ 4 Section II.3 The Student Safety Advisory Board .................................................................................... 7 Section II.4 Recognized Student Organizations .................................................................................... 7 Section III. The Class Council Code .......................................................................................................... 10 Section III.1Purpose of the Class Council Code ................................................................................... 10 Section III.2 Jurisdiction of the Class Council Code............................................................................ 11 Section III.3 Amending the Class Council Code .................................................................................. 11 Section III.4 Transition Checklist ......................................................................................................... 11 Section III.5 Required Events with Approximate Date Ranges ........................................................... 12 Section III.6 Individual Community Standards ................................................................................... 13 Section III.7Universal Community Standards ...................................................................................... 13 Section IV. The Big Five Council ............................................................................................................... 14 Section IV.1 Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 14 Section V. The Senate Code ..................................................................................................................... 19 Section V.1Purpose and Content of the Senate Code ......................................................................... 19 Section V.2Jurisdiction of the Senate Code ......................................................................................... 19 Section V.3Amendments to the Senate Code ..................................................................................... 19 Section V.4Senate Meetings ................................................................................................................ 19 Section V.5The Senate President Pro-Tempore .................................................................................. 19 Section V.6The Senate Clerk ................................................................................................................ 20 Section V.10Committee Chairs ............................................................................................................ 21 Section V.11Standing Committees ...................................................................................................... 22 Section V.12Standing Committee on Academic Affairs....................................................................... 22 Section V.13Standing Committee on Finance ..................................................................................... 22 Section V.14Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion ............................................................. 24 Section V.15Standing Committee on Health, Safety, & Sustainability ................................................ 24 2

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Section V.16Standing Committee on Judicial & Rules ......................................................................... 25 Section V.17Committee Meetings ....................................................................................................... 26 Section V.18Legislative Duties ............................................................................................................. 26 Section V.19Submission of Legislation ................................................................................................ 27 Section V.20Jurisdiction Over Legislation ............................................................................................ 27 Section V.21Resolutions ...................................................................................................................... 28 Section V.22Bills & Acts ....................................................................................................................... 28 Section V.23Memos ............................................................................................................................. 29 Section V.24Constitutional Amendments ........................................................................................... 29 Section V.25Legislation Format ........................................................................................................... 30 Section V.26Amendments ................................................................................................................... 30 Section VI. Operations of the Judicial Branch .......................................................................................... 31 Section VI.1Operations of The Supreme Court ................................................................................... 31 Section VII. Election Code ............................................................................................................................ 34 Section VII.2 Executive Officer Qualifications...................................................................................... 34 Section VII.3 Class Officer Qualifications ............................................................................................. 35 Section VII.4 Administrative Personnel Qualifications ........................................................................ 35 Section VII.5 Senate & Supreme Court Qualifications ......................................................................... 36 Section VII.6 Nominations ................................................................................................................... 36 Section VII.7 General Elections ............................................................................................................ 36 Section VII.8 Special Elections ............................................................................................................. 36 Section VII.9 Runoff Elections .............................................................................................................. 37 Section VII.10 Termination of all SGA Officers Term of Office ............................................................ 37

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Section I. Format for the SGA Bylaws Section I.1

Jurisdiction of the SGA Bylaws

Clause 1

Any proposed bylaw must be presented in writing during a duly constituted meeting of the Student Senate. If corrections are necessary during a reading on the Senate floor, the vote on the bylaw may not be taken until the next duly constituted meeting of the Student Senate. (SGA Constitution XII.1)

Clause 2

The SGA Bylaws shall include the processes and procedures established in each branch. (SGA Constitution XII.3)

Clause 3

Legislation that changes the intent or language of any portion of the bylaws shall constitute a bill. Any proposed bylaw must be presented in writing during a duly constituted meeting of the Student Senate. (SGA Constitution XII.5)

Clause 4

A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Student Senate at a duly constituted meeting is required to pass a bylaw. (SGA Constitution XII.6)

Clause 5

The SGA President shall have the authority to pass actions on behalf of the Executive Branch, without the vote of the Student Senate, and on behalf of the Student Government Association, with the vote of the Student Senate.

(SGA Constitution XII.8)

Clause 6

All Executive Orders and Senate legislation must be approved by the Supreme Court for oversight and review of constitutionality before it is officially sent to the Student Body and placed in the SGA Bylaws. (SGA Constitution XII.9)

Clause 7

It will be the responsibility of the Judicial Clerk to update the SGA Bylaws within five (5) calendar days after legislation is passed through the Senate or an Executive Order is given from the President. (SGAB-80.1)

Section II. Operations of the Executive Branch Section II.1 The Executive Board Clause 1

The Executive Board is composed of the SGA President, SGA Vice President, SGA Treasurer, SGA Secretary, SGA Chief of Staff, Miss Xavier, Mister Xavier, Chief Information Officer, and Secretary of Alumni Affairs. (SGA Constitution IV) (EO 80.12)

Clause 2

The duties of the Student Government Association President shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Send SGA Advisor assessment surveys to the SGA Executive Board, the undergraduate class councils, the Royal Court, and

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the respective advisors twice per semester at the SGA President’s discretion. It must be approved by the Chief Justice each semester and will be open for seven (7) days. (SB-79.1) Subclause 2: Create a line-item in the SGA budget to allocate $250 per month dedicated to improving advisors. (SB-79.1) Subclause 3: Meet with the Chief of Staff, the Chief Justice, and the Vice President of Student Affairs to discuss the responses if an advisor or officer receives an average rating lower than the standard based on the criteria set by them to discuss either a Performance Improvement Plan, implementation of an additional advisor, or removal from their advisor role depending on the meeting as well as performance scores. (SB79.1) Subclause 4: Write a State of the Student Body Address annually, at least, during the academic school year that must be approved by the Vice President and the Chief Justice. The verbal address will be given during a senate meeting at the President’s discretion regarding the Student Government’s operations and what they believe is required from Administration, the Executive Departments, the Senate, and the Big 5 Organizations for the success of the entire student body. The written address shall be emailed to the student body and University administration no later than seven calendar days following the address. (SB79.6) Subclause 5: Onboard the Supreme Court no later than September. Details can be found under Section V. (SB-79.11) Clause 3

The duties of the Student Government Association Vice President shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Send all Bills, Resolutions and Senate Memos to the Chief Justice and the Student Body. (SB-79.10) Subclause 2: Select 5 auditors in conjunction with the SGA Treasurer to complete the audit process. (SB-79.3) Subclause 3: Ensure that all RSOs under audit are informed of their requirements from SB-79.17. (SB-79.3) Subclause 4: Pair each Senator with at least two RSOs with guidelines by the end of September. (SB-78.1)

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Clause 4

The duties of the Student Government Association Chief of Staff shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Create universal guidelines that entail an advisor’s specific responsibilities signed by each advisor and their board at the beginning of each academic year. (SB-79.1) Subclause 2: Assist the Office of Student Affairs in creating a curriculum for SGA Advisor training. (SB-79.1) Subclause 3: Meet with the President, the Chief Justice, and the Vice President of Student Affairs to discuss the responses if an advisor or officer receives an average rating lower than the standard based on the criteria set by them to discuss either a Performance Improvement Plan, implementation of an additional advisor, or removal from their advisor role depending on the meeting as well as performance scores. (SB79.1) Subclause 4: Hold the Class Councils accountable to the Class Council Code (EO-80.1)

Clause 5

The duties of the Student Government Association Treasurer shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Select 5 auditors in conjunction with the SGA Vice President to complete the audit process. (SB-79.3)

Clause 6

The duties of the Mister and Miss Xavier shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Have their Homecoming Committee chosen no later than Gold Ball

and their Springfest Committee chosen no later than the Fall Semester Midnight Breakfast. (SB-79.2) Subclause 2: Ensure that the Homecoming Committee shall decide on an artist or artists no later than August 1st to gather needed logistics and the Springfest Committee shall decide on an artist or artists no later than January 1st. (SB-79.2) Subclause 3: Be responsible for gathering sponsorships for Homecoming & Springfest. (SB-79.2) Subclause 4: Will lead the Royal Council that consists of (EO 80.1): Four Class Misters four Class Misses, Mister/Miss 1925, a Mister/Miss Gold Rush, a Mister/Miss STEM, and a Mister/Miss Humanities.

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Section II.2 The Student Safety Advisory Board Clause 1

This is an advisory council between Xavier University Police Department (XUPD) and SGA. It shall consist of the Secretary of Safety & Security, two Senators from the Health, Safety, and Sustainability Committee, and two representatives from XUPD. (SB-79.4)

Clause 2

Safety questionnaire will be sent to the students every other month to gauge how safe they feel on campus and what concerns they have from XUPD. (SB79.4)

Clause 3

This body shall meet monthly. The date and the time shall be identified by the Chair of the board, who will be identified amongst the members of the SSAB. (SB-79.4)

Section II.3 Recognized Student Organizations Clause 1

The Senate Finance Committee will appropriate funds to RSOs under the following guidelines unless there is a budget request that requires special consideration deemed by the Committee (SB-77.6) (SGAB-80.2): Subclause 1: No organization shall request more than $4,000 per budget request.

Subclause 2: No organization should request more than $2,000 for a single event.

Subclause 3: The Senate will cover up to 70% of expenses for community service events, 50% of expenses for fundraising events, 100% of the funding needed for food at events and general body meetings, and 30% of funding for any awards and plaques.

Subclause 4: No organization should request more than $10 per person expected for food needed for an e-board meeting.

Subclause 5: Operations should not exceed $600 per request. If operations exceed $600 in a single request, the organization must list in detail the specific items needed.

Subclause 6: For organizations charging dues, the Senate shall fund up to 50% of the funds needed for apparel.

Subclause 7: For organizations not charging dues, the Senate shall not fund more than $20 per person for apparel.

Subclause 8: An organization’s request under “Miscellaneous and Supplies” shall not exceed 20% of the monies in their total request.

Subclause 9: For conferences and retreats, RSOs must fundraise $100 for each member in attendance for registration. If registration is 7

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less than $100, leftover funds will be put towards transportation and/or hospitality expenses.

Subclause 10: The Senate will cover up to 50% of travel expenses.

Subclause 11: The Senate will cover up to 50% of hospitality expenses.

Subclause 12: Collaborating organizations of 1 or more will require at least 1 representative from all organizations involved to be considered for budget approval (unless the request is under $50) and the approval process will not begin until all representatives are present. The Senate may deny or reschedule the budget approval if all parties are not present.

Subclause 13: SGA shall have full custody of any physical items purchased with the Student Activity Fee for reuse. Examples include, but are not limited to, headphones, clippers, cameras, etc.

Moreover, the Senate has the authority to determine which items are tangible and can be reused.

Subclause 14: If the items granted to the RSO by the Senate are not returned to the Senate by the immediate Senate meeting following the RSO’s event, the RSO will accumulate a strike as indicated in SB 79.3.

Subclause 15: Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) will no longer be required to have advisor approval on their budget request in order to be approved by the Senate. (EO-80.6) Subclause 16: The SFC will only consider RSO budgets that are scheduled to be presented no later than 2 weeks before the proposed event date. (EO-80.6) Subclause 17: The SFC will not automatically deny an RSO an approved budget simply because they are not present at the meeting. If the committee finds an error in the budget and there is no representative present to defend it, they can approve or deny it at their discretion. (EO-80.6) Subclause 18: The SFC Chair must inform the RSO President and Treasurer if they don’t meet a requirement to get approved at least 24 hours before the SFC meeting. The RSO is granted the ability to rectify the error and resubmit the budget before the start of the meeting. (EO-80.6)

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Subclause 19: Checks for organizations will only be held on the third floor of the University Center, room 316, not with the SGA Treasurer.

(EO-80.6) Subclause 20: Any organization or department within the SGA that fails to utilize their check and return their receipt within five (5) days after being notified of the check's availability for pickup will be prohibited from requesting funds for thirty (30) days and will be charged $25 from their organizational account to cover the ‘stop payment’ fee incurred by the SGA. (EO-80.8) Subclause 21: The Department of Finance will inform the SGA President and Vice President of any organizations that have any unspent checks or outstanding receipts for more than the allotted period. (EO-80.8) Clause 2

The Senate Finance Committee will use stipulations found in SB-79.3 to vote on the allocation of funds.

Subclause 1: The SGA Vice President will email the RSO President and Treasurer within twenty-four (24) hours after approval to inform them that they must submit a purchase request for the approved amount on X-Connect. (EO-80.6) Subclause 2: If a budget request is denied in full or partially, The Chair of the SFC must email a written explanation to the RSO President and Treasurer about the reasoning and how it can be fixed. (EO80.6)

Clause 3

The Senate mandates that all RSOs submit their constitution to the SGA Vice President at the beginning of each academic year that includes: Subclause 1: The name, purpose, and objectives of the organization.

Subclause 2: The responsibilities and rules members must follow.

Subclause 3: The process of joining and becoming a member.

Subclause 4: The price of membership dues, if applicable, and detail how these funds will be used.

Subclause 5: The specific roles and duties of every E-board member.

Subclause 6: The appropriate length of term for each of their E-board members.

Subclause 7: The process of electing and impeaching the president of the organization.

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Subclause 8: The grounds for action against an E-board officer in the case of any wrongdoing.

Subclause 9: The process of electing, nominating, and removing members from positions within the E-board.

Subclause 10: The process of contacting and communicating with the advisors of the organization.

Subclause 11: The process of editing or revising the constitution.

Clause 4

If an organization does not meet these guidelines, a warning will first be sent and a corrected version must be resubmitted in a week from the date the warning was issued. If this deadline is missed, a freeze will be placed on the RSO’s account until it is corrected.

Clause 5

If an organization does not submit a constitution for the year, they will lose their status as an RSO.

Clause 6

A Senator will be assigned to an RSO and this will be communicated to each RSO President by the end of September. Each RSO has the right to request another Senator to represent their organization for the remainder of the academic school year, for any reason.

Clause 7 The Senate shall pass a senate resolution of legislation mandating students who are interested in forming interest groups and/or RSOs must enroll in XU Leads Advanced. (SR-80.5)

Subclause 1: Students must complete the course prior to the formation of an interest group and/or RSO and show proof of completion.

Subclause 2: Members of interest groups/RSO may only appoint students who have completed the XU Leads Advanced course to leadership positions.

Subclause 3: Organizations that are without leaders with proper certification will be subject to being summoned by the Judiciary Branch of The Student Government Association.

Section III. The Class Council Code Section III.1 Purpose of the Class Council Code Clause 1

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The Class Council Code shall serve as the official bylaws of the Undergraduate Class Councils. (EO-78.1)

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

Clause 2

The Undergraduate Class Council shall be defined as follows: Freshman Class Council Sophomore Class Council Junior Class Council Senior Class Council

Section III.2 Jurisdiction of the Class Council Code Clause 1

The Class Council Code will be enforced through Judicial Council Summoning, which may occur sporadically, but no more than twice every two (2) months and no less than once every two (2) months.

Clause 2

Judicial Summoning may not occur before September 1st, or after April 1st.

Clause 3

For the Freshman Council, Judicial Summoning may not occur until four (4) weeks after the conclusion of the Freshman Class Elections.

Clause 4

The Chief Justice must inform the Class President that their council will be summoned at least 1 week prior to their summoning date. (EO 80.4)

Clause 5

The Judicial Council shall render decisions regarding all disciplinary matters, and host impeachment hearings as the constitution details if necessary.

Clause 6

The SGA Chief of Staff who oversees the Office of the SGA President will also be responsible for holding the Class Presidents accountable to the code.

Clause 7

The Class council members, SGA Chief of Staff and SGA President may recommend any class council or class council member for impeachment if they are found in violation of the code.

Section III.3 Amending the Class Council Code Clause 1

All amendments proposed by the Council of Class Presidents or SGA Executive members must be approved by the SGA President.

Clause 2

The Class Council Code shall be submitted to the SGA Judicial Council after approval no later than one (1) week before the start of the SGA Spring Elections.

Section III.4 Transition Checklist Clause 1

The following tasks must be completed before Gold Ball (Positions representing the freshman class shall complete this after Fall Elections): −

Create a Class Council Transition Drive to transfer all documents. This Transition Drive includes Event Planning Templates, Budget Templates, Class Meeting Slides.

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− − −

Each officer should create a transition booklet for their respected position.

Shadowing of two (2) class council meetings.

One (1) one-on-one meeting with your respective position to discuss specific officer duties.

Section III.5 Required Events with Approximate Date Ranges Clause 1

The following events must be completed by the Freshman Class Council before the end of their term: − − − −

Clause 2

The following events must be completed by the Sophomore Class Council before the end of their term: − − − − − −

Clause 3

− −

Junior Week Sexual Health Awareness Event (Once per Semester) At least two (2) exciting / interacting Council Events per semester to Increase student enthusiasm Develop at least one (1) Initiative/partnership that Improves student life or safety on campus per semester Six (6) Council events per semester or Class apparel distribution per semester (EO 80.9)

The following events must be completed by the Senior Class Council before the end of their term: − − − −

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Sophomore Week SoFresh Week (March) Sexual Health Awareness Event (Once per Semester) Six (6) Council events per semester or Class apparel distribution per semester (EO 80.9) One (1) Partnered event with an RSO per semester Campus Police Collaboration Event (Once per Semester)

The following events must be completed by the Junior Class Council before the end of their term: − − −

Clause 4

Freshman Week SoFresh Week (March) Sexual Health Awareness Event (Once per Semester) Campus Police Collaboration Event (Once per Semester)

Senior Week Graduation Fair: allowing for students to check off their needed graduation requirements (Once in the Fall Semester) Sexual Health Awareness Event (Once per Semester) Campus Police Collaboration Event (Once per Semester)

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− − − − −

Alumni partnered event (Spring Semester) Networking (social) event for students to connect Graduation Week Career Readiness Event Class apparel distribution (Fall Semester) (EO 80.9)

Clause 5

Any event held by the class councils are eligible to meet their required events if at least 20% of the event’s budget is paid from the class council’s budget.

(EO 80.9)

Clause 6 All class council officers are required to be present at the events hosted by the class council. (EO 80.9)

Section III.6 Individual Community Standards Clause 1

All Class Councils must work together to create a Class council community Standard document.

Clause 2

The Class President will lead the creation of this community standard, and all members of the council will vote on and sign said community standard.

Clause 3

The community standard must be sent to the Chief Justice of the Judicial Council as they are the ones responsible for holding SGA officers accountable.

Section III.7 Universal Community Standards Clause 1

By taking the general Oath of Office, you agree to abide by these standards set for Class Council Officers.

Clause 2

The following Community Standards will be enforced by the SGA Judicial Council.

Clause 3

Personally communicate to the President at least 24 hours in advance if we have prior commitments or situations that will require us to be late or absent to meetings/events to respect other people’s time and give the leadership time to accommodate our tardiness or absence.

Clause 4

Communicate freely and in real time when there are challenges to ensure each of us is well and can perform our duties effectively.

Clause 5

Prioritize and value the time that we have agreed upon to support a positive workspace for the collective group by arriving on time and staying for the duration of the meeting/event.

Clause 6

Come prepared for meetings and meet deadlines for work to sustain a positive and accountable environment.

Clause 7

Maintain integrity and good behavior representative of our positions as SGA staff on and off campus, physically and virtually.

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Clause 8

Avoid lying; communicate honestly about actions to support a trusting relationship with all council members.

Clause 9

Use respectful language and tone when speaking to faculty, staff, and students to show that we value their opinions.

Clause 10

Dress appropriately and according to the dress code called for events and general meetings to best reflect the image of SGA.

Clause 11

Keep the President and advisors aware of SGA happenings.

Section IV. The Big Five Council Section IV.1 Purpose Clause 1 The Big Five Council, hereby referred to as ‘the Council’, is an advisory council within the Office of the SGA President. (SGAB-80.3) Clause 2

The purpose of the Council is to foster collaboration and communication amongst the organizations encompassing the five major aspects of student life.

Section IV.2 Membership Clause 1 The Council will have five permanent organizations (P5) that cannot be removed. The following members are: The Student Government Association (SGA) The Xavier Activities Board (XAB) Mobilization at Xavier (MAX) The Pharmacy Student Association (PSA) The Peer Dean Association (PDA) Clause 2

The council shall not exceed 9 members.

Clause 3

The eligibility criteria to join the Council is as follows: Subclause 1: The organization must have been an active RSO at Xavier University of Louisiana for at least three consecutive academic years.

Subclause 2: The organization must demonstrate significant impact on student life through consistent programming, events, and initiatives.

Subclause 3: The organization must have a stable and effective leadership structure with documented policies and procedures.

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Subclause 4: The organization must have established collaborations with other RSOs and university departments through programming.

Clause 4

The application process to join the Council is as follows: Subclause 1: The interested RSO must submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Council by October 31, detailing their desire to join and how they meet the eligibility criteria. The LOI will be reviewed by the faculty advisors of the current big organizations, who will conduct a preliminary assessment.

Subclause 2: If the LOI is accepted by two-thirds of the advisors, the RSO must submit a formal application by November 15 that includes: - Detailed records of past activities, events, and contributions to student life.

- Financial statements and proof of fiscal responsibility.

- A strategic plan that outlines future initiatives and how the organization intends to enhance its impact on student life.

- A letter of support from the Vice President of Student Affairs.

Subclause 3: The Council will convene in December to discuss the formal application and vote on acceptance. A two-thirds majority vote by The current Council members are required for acceptance.

Clause 5 The non-permanent members of the Council will hold two-year terms and must re-apply to stay on the council.

Section IV.3 Duties and Responsibilities of the Current Members Clause 1

Council Meetings: Subclause 1: Meetings shall be held quarterly in June, September, December, and March.

Subclause 2: Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson as needed.

Subclause 3: A quorum, consisting of a simple majority, is required for official business.

Clause 2

The Chairperson:

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Subclause 1: The President of the SGA shall serve as the Chairperson of the Big Five Council.

Subclause 2: The Chairperson shall preside over meetings and ensure the smooth functioning of the council.

Subclause 3: The Chairperson shall represent the Big Five Council to the university administration and other stakeholders.

Clause 3 The SGA must be the primary governing body representing the student body by completing the following responsibilities: Subclause 1: Must regularly assess student needs and address them through actionable policies or programs.

Subclause 2: Must organize at least three major initiatives/programming per semester that address student concerns or enhance student life.

Subclause 3: Must publicly provide a financial report each semester to the student body.

Subclause 4: Must facilitate a leadership conference focused on leadership skills, team-building, and professional development at least once per semester.

Clause 4 The XAB must be responsible for organizing campus-wide events by completing the following responsibilities: Subclause 1: Must create and distribute a semesterly events calendar at the beginning of each semester to ensure consistent student engagement.

Subclause 2: Must organize at least four major events (300+ students) per semester, including cultural, social, and recreational activities.

Subclause 3: Must submit financial reports at the end of each semester to the Council, outlining expenditures.

Clause 5

MAX must be the primary community service organization by completing the following responsibilities: Subclause 1: Must involve at least 15% of the student body in community service activities each semester.

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Subclause 2: Must organize at least three major community service projects per semester.

Subclause 3: Must establish and maintain partnerships with at least five local non-profits and community organizations through the semester.

Subclause 4: Must submit detailed impact reports at the end of each semester to the Council, highlighting the benefits to the community and student involvement that include qualitative and quantitative data on the projects’ outcomes and feedback during the semester.

Clause 6

The PSA must represent the interests of pharmacy students to the SGA and university administration by completing the following responsibilities: Subclause 1: Promote cooperation between the Rx student body, faculty administration, and the Student Government Association.

Subclause 2: Must collaborate to host at least two events with any of the Council member organizations.

Subclause 3: Concern itself with and work in the interest of the Rx students as they relate to the college and university.

Subclause 4: Must publicly provide a financial report each semester to the Council.

Clause 7

The PDA must maintain student morale by completing the following Responsibilities: Subclause 1: Must plan and execute New Student Orientation.

Subclause 2: Must collect and analyze feedback from first-year students to improve orientation and mentoring programs.

Subclause 3: Must provide ongoing support and mentorship to first-year students throughout the academic year, conducting at least bimonthly check-ins.

Subclause 4: Must aid the Office of Admissions in securing freshmen through hosting at least 2 events for prospective freshmen per semester.

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Section IV.4 Benefits of Membership Clause 1 Members receive priority access to university resources and facilities for events, meetings, and activities.

Clause 2

The Big organizations shall have access to a special fund allocated by the SGA President for initiatives and events.

Clause 3 Individual organizations within the Council may request additional funding f or specific projects through the council.

Clause 4 Receive spotlight segments during university open houses, orientation sessions, and recruitment events.

Clause 5 Preferential consideration for representation in university advisory boards and committees.

Section IV.5 Amendments Clause 1

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of the P5 organizations.

Clause 2 Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson at least one meeting prior to the vote.

Section IV.6 Impeachment and Accountability Clause 1 Officers within the P5 organizations will be subject to the rulings of the Student Supreme Court and the Student Senate, and may be considered for impeachment for: Subclause 1: Consistent failure to meet the membership requirements outlined in Section III.3.

Subclause 2: Financial mismanagement or failure to provide required financial Statements.

Subclause 3: Any conduct that significantly harms the reputation or effectiveness of the Council.

Subclause 4: Violation within their organization’s Constitution.

Clause 2

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Any member of the Council may initiate impeachment proceedings by submitting a formal written complaint to the Student Supreme Court.

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Clause 3

The impeachment hearing

Section V. The Senate Code Section V.1 Purpose and Content of the Senate Code Clause 1

The Senate Code shall serve as the official bylaws of the Student Senate. (SB77.3)

Clause 2

Resolutions, Acts, or rules related to the SGA Bylaws shall not be codified in the Senate Code.

Section V.2 Jurisdiction of the Senate Code Clause 1

As stated in the SGA Bylaws, the Senate shall have sole jurisdiction over the Senate Code.

Clause 2

Amendments to the Senate Code shall be considered and recorded by the Senate upon the passage of appropriate legislation of the Senate with the signature of the Vice President of the Student Government Association.

Section V.3 Amendments to the Senate Code Clause 1

No portion of the Senate Code shall be amended without passage of appropriate legislation in the Senate.

Clause 2

Legislation that changes the intent or language of any portion of the Senate Code shall constitute a resolution.

Section V.4 Senate Meetings Clause 1

In accordance with the Constitution, Senators may be excused from no more than two (2) Senate meetings per semester and they may have no more than three (3) proxies per semester.

Clause 2

All absences must be reported to the SGA Vice President at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the Senate meetings.

Clause 3

Each absence must be documented by the Senate Clerk and an email should be sent to the Senator by the Senate President Pro-Tempore informing them of any accrued points.

Clause 4

If a Senator fails to meet the requirements stated in Clause 1, they are subject to removal from office.

Clause 5

The Senate may only conduct business when a quorum of Senate membership is present.

Section V.5 The Senate President Pro-Tempore Clause 1

One Senator-at-Large shall be appointed Senate President Pro-Tempore by the SGA Vice President. at the Vice President's discretion.

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Clause 2

The Senate President Pro-Tempore will assist in the duties of the Senate.

Subclause 1:

The Senate President Pro-Tempore shall approve all updates on the Senate Code made by the Senate Clerk.

Clause 3

The SGA Vice President holds the power to appoint and dismiss the Senate President Pro-Tempore at any given time.

Clause 4

The Senate President Pro-Tempore’s duties shall include but are not limited to the following: Subclause 1: Enforcing the Senate’s attendance policy by keeping track of all attendance records for Senate meetings and Committee meetings.

Subclause 2: Issuing penalties and points to Senate members of unexcused attendance infractions, when necessary.

Subclause 3: The SGA Vice President must be made aware of all attendance records and before any points or penalties are issued.

Subclause 4: Co-chair any hearings regarding the conduct of any senate members.

Subclause 5: Issuing penalties to Senate members for ethical infractions, when necessary.

Subclause 6: The Senate President Pro-Tempore will preside over the Senate in the absence of the SGA Vice President.

Section V.6 The Senate Clerk Clause 1

The Senate Clerk shall keep the official records of the Student Senate.

Clause 2

The Senate Clerk shall record all bills, amendments and resolutions passed at Senate meetings and prepare passed legislation for the SGA Vice President to forward to the SGA President for approval or veto.

Subclause 1: Preparing passed legislation includes the authority to correct grammatical errors. The Senate Clerk’s grammatical amendments shall not be subject to a vote by the Senate.

Subclause 2: The Senate Clerk must present the grammatically amended version of legislation to the SGA Vice President for approval before it shall become effective.

Clause 3

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The Senate Clerk shall be responsible for updating the Senate Code.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

Subclause 1: The Senate Clerk must present all updates of the Senate Code to the SGA Vice President for approval before it shall become effective.

Clause 4

The Senate Clerk shall keep the official records of the Student Senate.

Subclause 1: All official records must be kept in the official Microsoft OneDrive folder of the SGA Senate Clerk. The email address associated with the folder is sgasenateclerk@xula.edu.

Subclause 2: All official records must be presented by the Senate Clerk upon the request of any Senator.

Clause 5

The Senate Clerk shall distribute Senate meeting minutes to the SGA Executive Officers, Senators, and advisors upon request.

Clause 6

The Senate Clerk shall inform all Senators of all Senate meetings.

Clause 7

The Senate Clerk shall perform such duties as the SGA Vice President may assign to them.

Clause 7

The Senate Clerk shall be responsible for updating the XULA Senate social media accounts with Bills, Resolutions, & Senate Memos that are passed. (SR79.6)

Section V.7 The Senate Leadership Team Clause 1

The Senate Leadership Team shall consist of the SGA Vice President, Senate President Pro-Tempore, Committee Chairs, and the Senate Clerk.

Clause 2

Committee Chairs shall be appointed by the SGA Vice President.

Clause 3

The Senate Leadership Team will be headed by the SGA Vice President.

Clause 4

The Senate Leadership shall be responsible for periodically reviewing and adjusting the Senate Code.

Clause 5

The Senate Leadership Team shall also perform any other duties as designated by the SGA Vice President.

Section V.8 Committee Chairs Clause 1

Committee chairs shall be appointed by the SGA Vice President every semester.

Clause 2

Committee chairs will be members of the Senate Leadership Team.

Clause 3

Committee chairs will oversee the operations of their specific committees and ensure that the committees fulfill their responsibilities.

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Clause 4

The Committee chairs have equal votes as committee members on all matters.

Section V.9 Standing Committees Clause 1

Standing committees shall consist of a minimum of three (3) members per committee. (SR-79.4)

Clause 2

The SGA Vice President must be a member of the Standing Committee on Judicial and Rules. (SR-79.4)

Section V.10 Standing Committee on Academic Affairs Clause 1

The duties of the Standing Committee on Academic Affairs hereafter referred to in this clause as the Committee, shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Seeking opinions from the student body, faculty, and administration regarding issues of academic policy.

Subclause 2: Receiving and analyzing Senate legislation regarding academic affairs.

Subclause 3: Making recommendations to the Student Senate regarding academic policy-focused legislation.

Subclause 4: Working with the SGA Director of Academic Affairs on matters related to academic policy.

Subclause 5: Dealing with issues that encourage student development outside of the classroom and supporting the academic mission of Xavier University of Louisiana.

Clause 2

The Chair of the committee will design and format a banner reflecting a directory of all academic resource centers at the beginning of each Fall and Spring semester. (SB-78.9)

Section V.11 Standing Committee on Finance Clause 1

The duties of the Standing Committee on Finance, hereafter referred to in this clause as the Committee, shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: The crafting of legislation for any student organization requesting funding through the Senate. A member of this Committee must author an appropriation bill for any student organization requesting funds.

Subclause 2: The Senate Finance Committee (SFC) will meet no less than once within seven days to review budgets. (EO-80.6) Subclause 3: Review of the SGA Presidential Budget.

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-

-

-

The allocation of Student Activity Fees to undergraduate class councils will be subject to a range of $15-$25 flat for every student within the class. These allocations should not exceed 18.5% of the total budget.

(EO-79.2) The allocation of Student Activity Fees to the Pharmacy Student Association is $65 flat for all COP students. PSA class councils are entitled to $25 flat per student in each class. The PSA e-board is entitled to $20 flat per student in the COP. The PSA RSOs are entitled to the remaining $20 flat per student in the COP. (EO-77.4) The PA Program will receive $20 flat per full-time student and $15 per part-time student to be held under the College of Pharmacy’s budget. (EO-80.7) ▪ To ensure that the Physician Assistant program is properly funded in perpetuity, this Executive Order will permanently remain in effect and in full force unless it is modified, amended, rescinded, or superseded by the SGA President, which must be done by an Executive Order.

Subclause 4: The dealing with any other financial issues so designated by the Student Government Association.

Subclause 5: The Committee shall review and author an appropriation bill for any reallocation of funds between the different branches of the Student Government Association.

Subclause 6: Upon the request of any Senator, the chair of the Committee must present in writing the findings of this review to the Senate upon its completion.

Subclause 7: This review includes the power to write a bill disapproving the reallocation, which must be upheld by a simple majority vote of the Senate.

Subclause 8: The Senate shall pass a resolution of legislation requiring the Office of Fiscal Services and the Office of Student Accounts to provide students with detailed student account statements.

(SR-80.4) −

Student account statements must include a clear description of any outstanding balances, including an itemized breakdown of any charges, to ensure transparency and understanding.

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−

−

Students may have the opportunity to dispute any balance outline on their account with Student Accounts-Fiscal Services through a standardized and accessible dispute process, which must include reasonable deadlines and response times.

Students must be promptly notified of any changes or updates to their account balances, including explanations for adjustments or corrections.

Section V.12 Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion Clause 1

The duties of the Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, hereafter referred to in this clause as the Committee, shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Providing avenues for students to express their concerns or suggestions central to SGA’s diversity and inclusion efforts.

Subclause 2: Dimensions of diversity include but are not limited to culture, ethnicity, gender identification and presentation, language and linguistic ability, physical ability and quality, race, sexual orientation, and military experience.

Subclause 3: Advising the Executive Branch on ways to ensure it faithfully advocates and extends its services to a spectrum that represents the diversity of the student population.

Subclause 4: Working with the SGA Director of Diversity Affairs to promote a diverse and inclusive environment on campus.

Section V.13 Standing Committee on Health, Safety, & Sustainability Clause 1

The duties of the Standing Committee on Health, Safety, and Sustainability, hereafter referred to in this clause as the Committee, shall include but are not limited to: Subclause 1: Managing issues of sustainability and informing the Executive Branch of sustainability opportunities.

Subclause 2: Working collaboratively with student organizations on campus-wide sustainability initiatives.

Subclause 3: Regularly communicating with the SGA Director of Health & Safety and the SGA Director of Campus Innovation on their initiatives.

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Subclause 4: Working with students to hear their concerns about health, safety, and sustainability.

Subclause 5: Establishing a relationship and working with the Center for Health and Wellness to provide health resources for students in collaboration with the SGA Director of Health & Safety.

Section V.14 Standing Committee on Judicial & Rules Clause 1

The duties of the Standing Committee on Judicial & Rules, hereafter referred to in this clause as the Committee, shall include but are not limited to (SR79.4):

not limited to: Subclause 1: Investigating improprieties within the Executive Branch, the Legislative Branch, and the Judicial Branch as it relates to individual officers and senators fulfilling their official responsibilities and duties through committee summoning.

Subclause 2: The Vice President shall send an official summoning letter informing the respective person know that they have been summoned by the judiciary committee.

Subclause 3: If the respective person cannot make the meeting and does not give adequate reasoning as to why they did not make the summoning within fourteen (14) days of their summoning, they will be called for an official summoning.

Subclause 4: Making recommendations to the Student Senate and Judicial Council for the official summoning of officers and senators for official removal.

Subclause 5: Monitor officer compliance with SGA Constitution, Bylaws, and community standards. (EO 80.11) Subclause 6: Address initial accountability matters, specifically minor (Tier 1) Violations through informal corrective actions and written warnings.

Subclause 7: Escalate moderate (Tier 2) and serious (Tier 3) violations immediately to the Supreme Court for formal judicial review.

Clause 2 The Senate Judicial and Rules Committee will submit monthly accountability reports to the Supreme Court detailing compliance monitoring and minor violations addressed. (EO 80.11)

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Section V.15 Committee Meetings Clause 1

Committees may only conduct business when a quorum of committee membership is present.

Subclause 1: A quorum is hereby defined as a simple majority of the membership.

Clause 2

Each Senator is responsible for attending the meetings of the committee(s) on which they sit.

Clause 3

Committees shall be required to meet at least once per month during the fall and spring semesters, with the exceptions of August, December, and May.

Clause 4

The responsibility of failing to meet the requirements of Clause 3, as stated above, will rest on the Committee chair, who shall accrue one unexcused absence and a strike.

Clause 5

If a Senator fails to attend a committee meeting without notifying the committee chair, they shall accrue one unexcused absence.

Section V.16 Legislative Duties Clause 1

Approve the balanced presidential budget at the beginning of every semester.

Clause 2

Each Class Senator is required to attend their designated class body meeting monthly. (SR-78.1)

Clause 3

Each Class Senator is required to attend at least one class council meeting bimonthly. (SR-78.1)

Clause 4

The Vice President will pair each Senator with at least two RSOs with guidelines by the end of September. Each Senator is required to attend at least one meeting of each assigned organization bimonthly. If a senator is unable to attend a meeting, they are required to review that organization's meeting minutes. (SR-78.1)

Clause 5

The Senate shall handle Presidential Appointments as follows (SB-79.5): Subclause 1: A two-thirds majority vote of the Student Senate must be obtained for the President’s nominee to officially assume office.

Subclause 2: The appointee must meet all official requirements as stated in Articles IX, Sections IX.2 through IX.5 of the Student Government Association (SGA) Constitution. Any breach of this is grounds for denial from the Senate.

Subclause 3: The appointee must have sufficient knowledge of their position as well as the structure of the branch of SGA they will reside in,

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as described in Articles IV, V and VI of the SGA Constitution.

Sufficient Knowledge shall mean here the amount of knowledge the appointee has of their office, upon questioning, that is satisfactory to the Senate. Insufficient knowledge is grounds for denial from the Senate.

Subclause 4: Upon approval the appointee shall take on all of the constitutional responsibilities of their appointed office. If denied by the Senate, the appointee shall be stripped of their appointment. The appointment process, decided on by the SGA President and the head of the branch affected, shall recommence to fill the vacancy. The former appointee shall be barred from participating in all proceeding appointment processes, for that branch of SGA, for that academic semester.

Section V.17 Submission of Legislation Clause 1

New legislation — namely resolutions, bills, acts, memos, and constitutional amendments — must be submitted to the Senate Clerk at least twenty-four hours prior to the next Senate meeting.

Clause 2

If new legislation is submitted within twenty-four hours of the next Senate meeting, then the Senate Clerk shall have full discretion pertaining to whether the legislation is added to the docket for the meeting.

Clause 3

The Senator(s) submitting the new legislation shall be referred to as “authors” of the legislation, while Senator(s) who wish to be affiliated with the legislation after its first reading shall be regarded as “sponsors.” The same designations apply to the officers of the Executive Branch in relation to SGA bills and resolutions.

Clause 4

Any submitted piece of legislation must have at least one sponsor excluding Senate memos.

Section V.18 Jurisdiction Over Legislation Clause 1

Authors Subclause 1: Only Senators shall be permitted to author Resolutions and Bills of the Senate.

Subclause 2: Only Senators and the SGA President shall be permitted to author Bills and resolutions of the entire Student Government Association.

Clause 2

Sponsors Subclause 1: Only Senators shall be permitted to sponsor Senate-centric legislation presented to the Student Senate. (SB-78.5) 27

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Subclause 2: Senators and Executive officers may sponsor student-wide bills and resolutions presented to the Student Senate. (SB-78.5)

Section V.19 Resolutions Clause 1

Resolutions are hereby defined as expressions of sentiment by the Student Senate.

Clause 2

Senate Resolutions are not subject to presidential veto.

Clause 3

Senate Resolutions will be given a designated title by the Senate Clerk in the order to which it is introduced to the Senate. A Senate Resolution shall be titled by the following designation: S.R. [administration year].[legislation number]. Example: S.R. 79.1.

Clause 4

Senate Resolutions which encourage specific actions will be considered nonbinding, unless the encouraged action is an initiative to be undertaken exclusively by the Senate.

Clause 5

Senate Resolutions shall be first introduced by reading at length by the Author on the Senate floor. Then, the resolution would be referred to a Senate Committee for a second reading and any revisions at the next Committee meeting. At the following Senate meeting, the Author will present the Resolution for a third and final reading for a floor vote.

Clause 6

The Senate Clerk shall be allowed to correct typographical and grammatical errors within a resolution prior to it being sent out to the appropriate office but must notify the Author if changes were made.

Clause 7

Copies of all passed resolutions must be sent to the SGA President and the SGA Department of Communications for posting to the student body.

Section V.20Bills & Acts Clause 1

Bills are hereby defined as legislation which compel an action by the SGA including, but not limited to, the disbursement of funds, participation in certain events, and sponsorship of certain events by the SGA.

Clause 2

A piece of legislation meeting this criteria is referred to as a bill during the initial stages. Once the bill is passed by the Senate and signed into law by the SGA President, it is then designated an SGA Act.

Clause 3

Bills are presented to the SGA President for action at their discretion.

Clause 4

A bill of the Student Government Association will be given a designated title by the Senate Clerk in the order to which it is introduced to the Senate.

Before a bill is presented to the SGA President for action, it shall be cited a the following: SGA.B. [administration year].[legislation number]. Example: SGA.B. 79.1.

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Clause 5

The Senate Committee on Finance shall have oversight over all bills which involve the disbursement of funds from SGA accounts.

Clause 6

Copies of all bills passed by the Senate shall be forwarded to the SGA Department of Communications for dissemination to the student body.

Section V.21 Memos Clause 1

Memos are hereby defined as communication between the senate and the student body explaining the actions of the senate. (SR-79.4)

Clause 2

A memo of the Student Government Association will be given a designated title by the Senate Clerk in the order to which it is introduced to the Senate.

A Senate Memo shall be titled by the following designation: S.M. [administration year].[legislation number]. Example: S.M. 79.1 (SR-79.4)

Clause 3

The Senate Clerk shall be allowed to correct typographical and grammatical errors within a memo prior to it being sent to the SGA Department of Communications for posting to the student body. (SR-79.4)

Section V.22 Constitutional Amendments Clause 1

A constitutional amendment is hereby defined as a special resolution whose express purpose is to add, remove, or otherwise amend the text of the SGA Constitution. Constitutional amendments follow the same designation as SGA resolutions (i.e. SGA.R. 77.1).

Clause 2

Constitutional amendments shall not be subject to veto by the SGA President but must be approved through referendum by the Xavier University of Louisiana student body.

Clause 3

After the constitutional amendment passes through the Senate, it must be forwarded to the SGA President and the Supreme Court must review it.

Clause 4

The Supreme Court may strike down any proposed constitutional amendment should it infringe on or conflict with another clause in the Constitution or speak against the mission of the Student Government Association and the university.

Clause 5

All Constitutional changes and amendments that have been ratified by the student body must be frozen for one academic semester before new changes are implemented. All major revisions will be put into effect after the minimum period of one academic semester has passed. (SB-77.5)

Clause 6

Minor revisions such as spelling corrections, name/position changes may be brought to the floor of the Senate for a floor vote for adoption in the next semester. Minor revisions still require the approval of the SGA President but do not require student body ratification. (SB-77.5)

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Clause 7

minor revisions may be motioned and considered on the Senate floor and forwarded to the SGA President for action. For any major changes with intent to implement immediately and bypass the one-semester policy, the Senator(s) must first communicate to the SGA Vice President for consideration. Then, after it is added to the agenda, the Senator(s) may go through the legislative process and the passed legislation must then be forwarded to the SGA President for action. Within the amendment, there must be an explicit reasoning as to the urgency of the revision.” (SB-77.5)

Section V.23 Legislation Format Clause 1

The Senate shall adopt, and the Senate Clerk shall publish, formatted templates for resolutions, bills, and constitutional amendments.

Clause 2

The main text of all legislation shall be exactly 12-point font size and be in Times New Roman font.

Clause 3

The resolution or bill format must include signature lines for the SGA President (depending on the legislation type) and the SGA Vice President.

Clause 4

Any piece of legislation may only be sponsored by one Committee of the Senate at a given time.

Section V.24 Amendments Clause 1

No amendments may be considered until it is referred to a Committee.

Clause 2

Amendments in Committees Subclause 1: Committees may exercise full discretion when proposing changes to the language or content of a piece of legislation in the form of amendments.

Subclause 2: If a Committee elects to amend a piece of legislation, then the revised text shall be sent to the Senate Clerk for dissemination in the next Senate meeting, with all of the sections modified being highlighted.

Subclause 3: All amendments must be approved by the SGA Vice President by signature to be considered.

Clause 3

Amendments on the Floor Subclause 1: During the third reading of a piece of legislation, any Senator may propose changes to the language or content of a piece of legislation in the form of an amendment.

Subclause 2: Such amendments proposed by Senators can be in the form of a motion which can be voiced on the floor after a proper motion is made and the Senator is recognized by the Vice

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President; the proposed amendment would then be documented by the Senate Clerk.

Subclause 3: No vote shall be taken on an amendment until the Senate Clerk has made a good effort to disseminate the text of the amendment to the Senate as a whole.

Section VI. Operations of the Judicial Branch Section VI.1 Operations of The Supreme Court Clause 1

Verify the constitutionality of Bills, Resolutions, & Executive Orders through Judicial Memos from the Chief Justice before they are made public to the Student Body. (SGA Constitution XII.9)

Clause 2

An onboarding process for the Supreme Court shall take place no later than the month of September by the SGA President. During the onboarding process, they shall review SGA and IOC bylaws to know the responsibilities of the SGA members. (SB-79.11)

Clause 3

The Supreme Court will monitor Class Councils through Judicial Summoning, which may occur sporadically, but no more than twice every two (2) months and no less than once every two (2) months. (EO-78.1) Subclause 1: Judicial Summoning may not occur before September 1st, or after April 1st.

Subclause 2: For the Freshman Council, Judicial Summoning may not occur until four (4) weeks after the conclusion of the Freshman Class Elections.

Subclause 3: The Chief Justice must inform the Class President that their council will be summoned at least 1 week prior to their summoning date. (EO-80.5) Subclause 4: The Judicial Council shall render decisions regarding all disciplinary matters, and host impeachment hearings as the constitution details if necessary.

Clause 4

Review the responses of the SGA Advisor survey within 7 days after it closes.

(SB-79.1)

Clause 5

The Chief Justice must review the evaluation survey before it is sent out by the SGA President each semester. (SB-79.1)

Clause 6

The Chief Justice shall meet with the President, the Chief of Staff, and the Vice President of Student Affairs to discuss the responses if an advisor or 31

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officer receives an average rating lower than the standard based on the criteria set by them to discuss either a Performance Improvement Plan, implementation of an additional advisor, or removal from their advisor role depending on the meeting as well as performance scores. (SB-79.1) Clause 7

The Supreme Court will only rule on Community Standards when they have been sent to them. (SB-79.11)

Clause 8

An Approval Rating survey shall be sent to the student body from the Supreme Court. (SB-79.13) Subclause 1: They shall have supreme authority over the Approval Rating system and conduct the roll out process as they deem fit.

Subclause 2: The surveys shall be conducted at the end of each month and should be open for 7 calendar days.

Subclause 3: The Chief Justice shall give a report from the results to the SGA President and SGA Vice President no later than the first week of the new month.

Clause 9

Determine the violations that fall within the three tiers. (EO 80.11)

Clause 10 Have final judicial authority over all cases involving violations of the SGA Constitution and Bylaws. (EO 80.11) Clause 11

Conduct formal hearings for all moderate (Tier 2) and serious (Tier 3) violations referred by the Senate Judicial and Rules Committee. (EO 80.11)

Clause 12 Issue official decisions and enforce consequences, including probation, suspension, formal reprimands, or impeachment recommendations, according to violation severity. (EO 80.11) Clause 13 Manage any appeals processes on procedural grounds and provide final, binding decisions. (EO 80.11) Clause 14 The Supreme Court will provide semesterly transparency reports to the Senate and student body, summarizing judicial actions taken. (EO 80.11) Clause 15 An in-depth process to carry out impeachments in accordance with Section IX.10, Clause 5 of the Constitution. (EO 80.10) Subclause 1 The Senate Committee on Judicial & Rules must submit the formal impeachment charges that they wish to file to the Supreme Court at a regular meeting of the Senate for the one fifth (1/5) vote of the Senate to commence. This vote is strictly prohibited from occurring outside of a regular scheduled 32

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meeting of the Senate and must occur in the presence of the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designated representative, and the advisors of the accused body.

Subclause 2 An impeachment hearing will occur at the next regular m meeting of the Senate and will be presided by the Chief Justice.

The meeting will conclude after a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote from the Senate to convict and remove an officer is announced by the Chief Justice. this vote is strictly pohibited from occurring outside of a regular scheduled meeting of the Senate and must occur in the presence of the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designated representative, and the advisors of the accused body.

Subclause 3 The aggregate result of the vote (total votes for and against impeachment) shall be publicly announced. Individual senator voting records shall remain confidential.

Subclause 4 During the proceeding, the Supreme Court shall preside by maintaining procedural fairness, clarifying constitutional questions, facilitating senator-led questioning, and officially q announcing the result of the Senate’s vote. The Supreme Court shall remain impartial and shall not cast a vote for removal.

Clause 16 If a senator has a direct conflict of interest or bias that could impede i mpartial voting during an impeachment proceeding, they shall disclose the conflict and recuse themselves from voting. A neutral proxy, appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs and confirmed by the Senate, shall temporarily assume their voting role for this hearing only. (EO 80.10) Clause 17

Justices who identify bias or conflict of interest must disclose this and recuse themselves from impeachment proceedings. (EO 80.10)

Clause 18 The results of the impeachment hearing will only be communicated to the Student Body by the Vice President of Student Affairs or their designated representative, which cannot be a student. (EO 80.10) Clause 19 An impeached officer may appeal to the Supreme Court solely on procedural grounds within seven (7) days of the Senate’s impeachment decision. The Supreme Court will then review the impeachment process for constitutional adherence and procedural fairness, but it shall not reconsider the evidence or merits of the case itself. The Supreme Court’s decision on procedural validity shall be final. (EO 80.10) 33

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Subclause 1 If the Supreme Court finds the impeachment process invalid after appeal due to procedural or constitutional violations, the impeached officer shall be immediately reinstated to their office. The Supreme Court shall issue a written judicial memo detailing the reasons for invalidation and corrective actions required. The Senate may, at its discretion, initiate new impeachment proceedings only after fully addressing procedural violations identified by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court’s decision shall be final and binding, and all involved bodies must comply immediately.

Section VII. Election Code Section VII.1 The university, through the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, establishes the qualifying GPA and eligibility for student leadership positions.

(SGA Constitution IX)

Section VII.2 Executive Officer Qualifications Clause 1

The minimum qualifying GPA is a 2.75 cumulative but is subject to change at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Clause 2

Candidates for SGA President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Chief of Staff must have completed at least 42 credit hours by the end of the Spring semester/at the time of Senate confirmation.

Clause 3

Candidates for Miss. and Mister Xavier must have completed at least 95 hours by the end of the Spring semester/at the time of Senate confirmation.

Clause 4

All students qualifying for SGA executive officer positions are required to have completed the Emergent and Advanced track of XU Leadership Education and Development Skills (L.E.A.D.S.) or enroll at time of appointment or service.

Clause 5

Candidates must pass a written examination on the SGA Constitution, which is to be conducted by the Election Commission.

Clause 6

Candidates shall not be on conduct, scholastic, or attendance probation at the time of their appointment or service.

Clause 7

Candidates shall have earned twelve (12) semester hours at Xavier University of Louisiana the semester prior to the election.

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Clause 8

The SGA President and Vice President shall have served at least two (2) semesters in the SGA (class, organizations, councils, or boards) as an appointed or elected officer prior to running for an office.

Clause 9

The SGA Treasurer, Secretary and Mister and Miss. Xavier shall have served for at least one (1) semester in SGA (class, organizations, councils, or boards) as an appointed or elected officer prior to running for an office.

Section VII.3 Class Officer Qualifications Clause 1

The minimum qualifying GPA is a 2.75 cumulative but is subject to change at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Clause 2

Candidates shall have earned at least 30 credit hours (except for positions representing the freshman class) by the end of the Spring semester/at the time of Senate confirmation.

Clause 3

All students qualifying for class officer positions are required to have completed the Emergent track of XU Leadership Education and Development Skills (L.E.A.D.S.) or enroll at time of appointment or service.

Clause 4

Candidates must pass a written examination on the SGA Constitution, such examination to be conducted by the Election Board.

Clause 5

Candidates shall not be on conduct, scholastic, or attendance probation at the time of their appointment or service.

Section VII.4 Administrative Personnel Qualifications Clause 1

Administrative personnel shall be defined as the following: a. Members of the Presidential Cabinet b. Directors, assistant directors, coordinators, and general members of the executive departments and committees c. Legislative and judicial clerks d. Executive assistants and personnel within the Office of the SGA President

Clause 2

The minimum qualifying GPA is a 2.75 cumulative but is subject to change at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Clause 3

Candidates for the judicial and legislative clerk positions shall have earned at least 30 credit hours by the end of the Spring semester/at the time of Senate confirmation.

Clause 4

All students qualifying for director, assistant director, and legislative and judicial clerk positions in the SGA branches are not required to take a written examination but are required to have completed the Emergent track of XU

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Leadership Education and Development Skills (L.E.A.D.S.) or enroll at time of appointment or service.

Clause 5

All students qualifying for coordinator, executive assistant, and general member positions are not required to take a written examination or be enrolled in XU Leadership Education and Development Skills (L.E.A.D.S.) at time of appointment or service.

Clause 6

Candidates shall not be on conduct, scholastic, or attendance probation at the time of their appointment or service.

Section VII.5 Senate & Supreme Court Qualifications Clause 1

The current minimum qualifying GPA, currently 2.75 semester/cumulative is inserted into the SGA Constitution but is subject to change. An alternate GPA of 2.5 semester/3.0 cumulative may also be considered.

Clause 2

Candidates shall have earned at least 30 credit hours (except for positions representing the freshman class) at the time of the nomination.

Clause 3

All students qualifying for the senator and justice positions are required to have completed the Emergent track of XU Leadership Education and Development Skills (L.E.A.D.S.) or enroll at time of appointment or service.

Clause 4

Candidates must pass a written examination on the SGA Constitution, which is to be conducted by the Election Commission.

Clause 5

Candidates shall not be on conduct, scholastic, or attendance probation at the time of their appointment or service.

Section VII.6 Nominations Clause 1

Candidates shall file their intentions to run and the choice of office during the filing period established by the Election Commission.

Clause 2

The Supreme Court shall confirm the candidates' eligibility. A seven-day filing period shall be opened twenty-one (21) days before the election date.

Section VII.7 General Elections Clause 1

A general campus election shall be conducted by the Election Commission beginning no later than April 1 and concluded by April 15 of each year. The SGA executive officers, class officers, and class senators shall be elected at this time. All elections shall be held campus-wide for at least two (2) consecutive days.

Section VII.8 Special Elections Clause 1

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A special election shall be conducted by the Election Commission within four weeks of the commencement of the fall semester to fill the positions

XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION BYLAWS

representing the freshman class, to pass on any referendum or constitutional changes, or any other items which may require a vote of the student body.

Section VII.9 Runoff Elections Clause 1

All officers elected under the constitution - including members of the Royal Court - must receive an over 50-percent majority of the votes cast in the election. If no candidate receives at least over 50 percent of the votes cast, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes in the primary shall be given the opportunity to qualify for the runoff election.

Section VII.10 Termination of all SGA Officers Term of Office Clause 1 Upon the installation of the student's duly elected successor.

Clause 2

Upon a recall voted on by the student body. a. By submission of a petition to the Supreme Court signed by fifteen percent (15%) of the student body. b. By the Supreme Court directing the Election Commission to set provisions for a recall election within two weeks after the petition is submitted. c. By an over 50-percent majority of those voting in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

Clause 3

Upon resignation from office.

Clause 4

If the officer ceases to be a member of the group that they represent.

Clause 5

Impeachment a. By filing formal impeachment charges of an elected officer by onefifth (1/5) of the Student Senate members at a regular meeting of the Senate. b. By a formal hearing at the next regularly scheduled Senate meeting, to be presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (or by the SGA President in case the Chief Justice is the officer charged with impeachment). c. By a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote for conviction of the accused officer from those present at the Student Senate meeting, voting by secret ballot.

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