Austin Peay State University
Student Government
Association
Standing Rules
*The SGA Standing Rules may be changed in accordance
with the SGA By-Laws.*
I. Executive Branch
A. Meetings and Attendance
When the General Assembly begins to hold regular
sessions, members of the Executive Branch must attend a
closed Executive Committee meeting every Monday at 12:20
p.m., excluding finals week, winter break, spring break,
and the summer session.
2. All members of the Executive Branch must attend every
meeting of the General Assembly. Failure to attend
Senate meetings shall result in an absence being
recorded for the member. If the member is called before
the Internal Affairs Committee, this committee will
determine the validity of the absence.
3. If a member of the Executive Branch is found to have
three (3) unexcused absences in a given semester, he/she
shall be notified in writing by the Chair of the
Internal Affairs Committee that he/she must appear
before the Internal Affairs Committee at its next
regularly scheduled meeting to appeal such absences.
For each subsequent absence, the member shall be
required to appear before the Internal Affairs
Committee.
4. The Internal Affairs Committee is the duly appointed
body responsible for determining the validity of
absences and as such has final authority in determining
the validity and in recommending sanctions.
B. Office Hours
1. All members of the Executive Branch must be present in
the office a minimum of five (5) hours per week for the
fall and spring semesters, excluding finals week, fall
break, winter break, and spring break. Regular office
hours do not include Monday’s Executive Committee
meeting or any other time that the Executive Committee
members are mandated to be present in performance of
their executive role.
2. All members of the Executive Branch must be present in
the office and work on behalf of SGA during the summer
session with hours to be determined in conjunction with
the SGA advisor.
II. Legislative Branch
A. Meetings and Attendance
1. Senators:
Will notify his/her Class Chairperson, in writing, of
any absence at least one (1) business day prior to any
Class meeting if the absence is to be considered
excused.
Will notify his/her Standing Committee Chair, in
writing, of any absence at least one (1) business day
prior to any committee meeting if the absence is to be
considered excused.
Will notify the Executive Secretary, in writing, of any
absence at one (1) business day prior to any meeting of
the General Assembly if the absence is to be considered
excused. Determination of whether an absence will be
considered excused will be made by the Executive
Secretary. Failure to attend Senate meetings will
result in an absence being recorded for the Senator. If
the Senator is called before the Internal Affairs
Committee, this committee will determine the validity of
the absence(s).
Will be required to attend all “Lobby Days”.
2. Regularly scheduled Senate meetings
will begin 12:20 p.m. and end no later 1:10 p.m.
3. Absence from a regularly scheduled
Senate Meeting will count as one (1) absence, two (2)
tardies will count as one absence, and two (2) Class
meeting absences will each count as one (1) absence from
the Senate. Two (2) absences from regularly scheduled
Committee meetings will be recorded as one absence from
the Senate.
4. If a member of the Legislative Branch
is found to have three (3) unexcused absences in a given
semester, he/she shall be notified in writing by the
Chair of the Internal Affairs Committee that he/she must
appear before the Internal Affairs Committee at its next
regularly scheduled meeting to appeal such absences.
For each subsequent absence, the member shall be
required to appear before the Internal Affairs
Committee.
B. Legislation
1. All Senators are required to submit a minimum of one
(1) piece of legislation per term. A maximum of two (2)
senators may co-sponsor a single piece of legislation.
2. Senators submitting new legislation and amendments
to current legislation must be submitted to the Chief
Clerk of the Senate at least two (2) business days
before the next meeting of the Senate.
3. The proper form of a bill to take for presentation
to the Senate is as follows (the term bill refers to any
formal piece of legislation):
i. Title: summarizes the intent of the bill. The title
should be brief, but must cover the major points of the
bill. The first words of the title should be, “An act
to…” or “A resolution to…” or “An amendment to…”
ii. Clauses: must be either explanatory or supporting in
the form of “Whereby…” or “Whereas…”
iii. Clauses: must be either enacting, amending, or
resolving clause which should take the form of:
THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED/AMENDED/RESOLVED BY THE SENATE
OF THE (# of the General Assembly) GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTIN PEAY STATE
UNIVERSITY:”
iv. Substance: the bill should be broken up into
sections. Each section should deal with a separate
matter within the bill.
v. Enactment: states when the legislation is to take
place.
vi. Each bill shall only address one specific issue.
II. Judicial Branch
A. Meetings and Attendance
1. In order to conduct official
business, the Student Tribunal must have at least five
(5) of the seven (7) voting members present.
2. Any justice arriving late, with prior
permission from the Chief Justice or Associate Justice,
shall be recorded as tardy for that meeting.
3. Absence from a regularly scheduled
Tribunal meeting shall count as one (1) absence, two (2)
tardies shall count as one (1) absence.
As
of 3/11/08 |
