Student Advisory Board

<< Back

• Meeting Schedule
• Constitution
• Board Minutes
• Student Advisory Board Photos

Constitution

of the Student Support Services Advisory Board

Article I: Name and Purpose
Section 1: The name of this organization is the Student Support Services Advisory Board.
Section 2: The purpose of this organization is to enhance the quality of the Student Support Services program by organizing social activities for the program participants; educating the campus about disability issues and other concerns; performing community service projects; publicizing the SSS program; and advising the SSS staff about students' interests.
Section 3: The Student Support Services Advisory Board will be responsible for the observance of the rules and regulations established by the university.

Article II: Membership
Section 1: Members of the organization must be UW-Eau Claire students, faculty, or staff members. There are two categories of membership, Voting Members and Non-Voting Members.

1. Any participant in the Student Support Services program may become a Voting Member by completing a written application form and returning it to the Student Support Services office.
2. Other students, faculty, or staff members who are interested in being involved in the organization may become Non-Voting Members. A prospective Non-Voting Member simply needs to attend one of the official meetings and ask to be accepted as a Non-Voting Member. The Voting Members will vote, usually by a show of hands, and if a majority are in favor, the visitor will become a Non-Voting Member. Non-Voting Members are added to the organization's mailing list and invited to all events, but they are unable to vote.

Section 2: This organization is committed to being non-discriminatory.

1. Consistent with all applicable federal and state laws and university policies, this organization and its subordinate bodies, officers, and members shall not discriminate for or against any person by reason of age, gender, marital or parental status, race, creed or religion, color, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or physical disability.
2. This organization invites students of all grade levels and all majors to be involved; it welcomes nontraditional as well as traditional students; it understands that diversity makes an organization strong and dynamic.

Section 3: The primary control of the Student Support Services Advisory Board rests with the student members.

Article III: Officers
Section 1: This organization will elect officers for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Social Chair, Historian, and Publicity Officer.
Section 2: The officers will be responsible for performing the duties described below:

1. The President is responsible for scheduling and presiding over meetings, representing the organization on and off campus, and consulting with the Advisor about the organization's activities.
2. The Vice President is responsible for presiding over meetings in the absence of the President and for providing general assistance to the President.  The Vice President will also review the constitution at the 1st meeting of each semester and ensure that it is followed throughout the semester.
3. The Secretary is responsible for recording minutes of each group meeting and distributing them through e-mail.
4. The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining financial records, reporting on the account balance and expenditures, and developing fundraising ideas for the organization.
5. The Social Chair is responsible for developing ideas for social activities and service projects that involve not only the members of the organization but all participants of Student Support Services. The Social Chair will make arrangements to carry out the activities selected.
6. The Historian is responsible for collecting pictures and preserving documents that trace the history of the organization. The Historian will also recommend which materials about the organization will be displayed on the Student Support Services website.
7. The Publicity Officer will direct the organization’s publicity efforts so that the entire campus is informed about the organization’s activities.

Section 3: A fair and democratic procedure will be used to elect officers.

1. Elections will be held in November each year, and terms of office will run from the beginning of January until the end of December.
2. Voting Members can nominate themselves or any other Voting Members to be candidates for office.
3. Elections will be held by secret ballot, and the highest vote-getter will be elected to office.

Section 4: The holding of office shall be restricted to full- or part-time students in good academic standing (cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above). If the cumulative GPA of any officer drops below 2.0, that student will have to resign the office.
Section 5: Officers will be elected for a term of twelve months, or until December 31, whichever is shorter.

Article IV: Advisor
Section 1: The Advisor must be a UW-Eau Claire faculty, academic, classified, or administrative staff member. In addition, the Advisor must be at least a part-time employee of the Student Support Services program.
Section 2:  The Voting-Members will vote to choose the Advisor when the need arises. In the event of a tie, the Voting Members of the organization as a whole will vote to select the Advisor from the two top candidates.
Section 3: The responsibilities of the Advisor are to attend the organization's meetings and other activities regularly, to provide assistance to the officers of the organization, and to act as the organization's liaison to the faculty and administrators of the University.
Section 4: The Advisor will provide technical assistance and advice with the mandated reviews of the constitution and bylaws.

Article V: Meetings
Section 1: Meetings will be held at least four times per semester.
Section 2: The Voting Members will vote on the frequency and the times of meetings. Every reasonable effort will be made to meet at times when all members are available.
Section 3: All members will be given advance notice of the meetings by e-mail.
Section 4: The organization will hold all meetings, as well as all official events requiring attendance, in facilities and establishments that allow entry to persons of any age.

Article VI: Amendments
Section 1: Any Voting Member of the organization may write up a proposed amendment and submit it to the President. The President will present the amendment to the Voting Members at the next meeting and allow for discussion. At the following meeting, a vote will be held on whether to adopt the amendment. In order to be approved, the amendment must receive affirmative votes from two-thirds of the total votes cast.
Section 2: The constitution and bylaws will be reviewed and updated at least every two years under the direction of the Vice President.  The application form for Voting Members will also be reviewed every two years. The official constitution, with all approved amendments, will be on file in the Student Organizations Complex.

Bylaws

Article I: Membership Rights and Responsibilities
Section 1: No dues or fees will be charged as a requirement of membership.
Section 2: Members must reaffirm their membership each year as per Article 2 of the Constitution, Section 1.

Article II: Financial Accountability
Section 1: The Voting Members of the organization as a whole will vote when any expenditure of the organization's funds is proposed. The funds will be spent only if a majority of those voting are in favor.
Section 2: The Treasurer will provide the members with a financial report at each meeting, either in writing or verbally.
Section 3: The organization will not use its funds to purchase alcohol that can only be consumed by members who are of legal drinking age or to purchase promotional materials for unofficial events that can only be attended by those of legal drinking age.

Article III: Voting Procedures and Succession of Office
Section 1: In the event that an election ends in a tie for the most votes, the Voting Members will decide if there will be co-chairs or a run-off election between the two candidates.
Section 2: If for any reason the President is unable to fulfill the duties of office, the Vice President will be given the option of assuming the President's position until the term is complete. If the Vice President accepts the office of President, a special election will then be held to fill the Vice President's former position. If the Vice President declines to become President, the President's position will be filled by a special election.
Section 3: A special election will be held to fill any vacant officer positions, with the exception of the President, as provided in Bylaw Article III, Section 2. Until a new officer is elected to fill a vacancy, the President will be responsible for the completion of the assigned duties. The President may, at his or her discretion, appoint a Voting Member to fill the position until the new officer is elected. However, it is expected that the election for a new officer will take place as soon as possible.
Section 4: Voting Members are allowed to run for more than one office, but no one may hold more than one position. In the event that a candidate is the leading vote getter for more than one position, the candidate must choose which office to accept. Any office that the candidate declines will be awarded to the next-highest vote getter.
Section 5: There are no term limits that prevent any officer from running for re-election.

Article IV: Procedures for Recall from Office
Section 1: If any Voting Member believes that an officer or advisor is not fulfilling the responsibilities of his or her office, that Member may provide the President with a written request for recall that explains the derelictions of duty. (If the President is the one accused, the request for recall is submitted to the Vice President.) The officer who is addressed will have the opportunity to provide a defense against the charges at the next meeting. A vote will then be held to keep the officer addressed in office or elect a new officer.  If 2/3 of the votes that are cast support the recall, the officer will lose the position and the vacancy will be filled as per Bylaw Article III, Section 3.

Article V: Requirements for Quorum
Section 1: No vote can be held unless there is a quorum present. A quorum will be defined as at least one-half of the total Voting Members.

Article VI: Committees
Section 1: Committees will be formed by volunteers of the Voting Membership as the need arises. Each committee will elect its own chair.
Section 2: Every committee must include among its members at least one officer and the advisor.
Section 3: An officer may serve on more than one committee simultaneously.

Revised September 2007