User:Russ is the sex/New SA Constitution

_______________ CONSTITUTION Preamble The Student Association at The State University of New York at Binghamton, Inc. is hereby established to solidify and enhance the Student Association’s ability to operate as a distinct organization from Binghamton University, responsible for utilizing the Student Activity Fee to enhance the quality of life for undergraduate students at Binghamton University, provide university-wide services that are utilized by most or all students, provide student groups the resources necessary to accomplish their goals and benefit the student body, represent students to the University, City of Binghamton, and all other organizations, and build up the internal structure of the Student Association to allow for efficiency, simplicity, and effectiveness in carrying out its vision. To accomplish this goal, this Association must remain accountable to its only constituency: the students at Binghamton University. I. DEFINITIONS 1. Name a. The name of this organization shall be the Student Association at the State University of New York at Binghamton, Incorporated (hereinafter referred to as the Student Association). 2. Purpose a. To establish a government which shall: represent, advocate for, further the interests and welfare of, provide services to, and lead the students of the State University of New York at Binghamton. b. Provide a central clearinghouse for information among representatives from all constituencies. c. Undertake any other activity that affects the students of the State University of New York at Binghamton in their capacity as students. 3. Governmental, Subsidiary, Business, and Chartered Bodies a. The Student Government Association shall be composed of the Representative Council, Executive Board, Judicial Board and the Subsidiary Councils. b. The Student Association subsidiary bodies shall be the Financial Council, Rules and Governance Council, Student Outreach and Advocacy Council, and the Student Association Programming Board (hereafter referred to as the Programming Board). c. Student Association chartered organizations (hereafter referred to as chartered organizations) shall be subordinate bodies within the Student Association, and treated as defined and described in the pertinent bylaws. i. The chartered organizations recognized by the undergraduate students in Dickinson Community, Newing College, Hinman College, College in the Woods, Mountainview College, Hillside Community, Susquehanna Community, and Off Campus College as their respective governmental bodies shall be considered the residential community councils. d. Student Association businesses shall be subordinate bodies within the Student Association, and treated as defined and described in the pertinent bylaws. e. All Student Association bodies recognize this constitution as the supreme instrument of governance for the Student Association at Binghamton University and recognize the supremacy of its bylaws as supreme instruments of governance yielding only to this constitution itself. 4. Membership a. Criteria i. All registered undergraduates at the State University of New York at Binghamton are members of the Student Association. b. Rights i. All members shall share equally in the rights given to them by the Student Association, and no such rights may be abridged. ii. Equality of rights shall be neither denied nor abridged by the Student Association on the grounds of age, color, gender, ethnicity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. iii. All members shall be entitled to participate in all elections, events, programs, and other activities of the Student Association of chartered organizations for which they are eligible. 1. Any and all eligibility requirements for chartered organizations shall be clearly established in their respective, duly approved constitutions and bylaws. 2. A chartered organization may restrict the leadership of its organization to individuals whose viewpoints are in line with the stated goals and purposes of the chartered organization. iv. All members shall be entitled to participate in all events, programs, and other activities, run by non-chartered organizations, which are funded by the Student Association. v. All members are entitled to participate in a fiscally responsible, viewpoint-neutral Student Association. c. Restrictions i. The Student Association shall be bound by all local, state, and federal laws. ii. The Student Association shall be bound by the State University of New York at Binghamton Student Code of Conduct. iii. The Student Association shall be bound by the policies of the State University of New York Board of Trustees. II. The Representative Council 1.Composition a. Voting membership on the Representative Council shall consist of the Student Association President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Programming, Vice President for Multicultural Affairs, three (3) At-Large Student Representatives, Chair of the Financial Council, Chair of the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council, Chair of the Rules and Governance Council. b. Non-voting, ex-officio membership on the Representative Council shall consist of the Administrative Director. c. The Student Association President shall serve as the chair of the Representative Council. 2. Duties of the Council a. The Representative Council shall have both the power and the obligation to do all that is necessary and appropriate to ensure the fulfillment of the goals, as described in this constitution and its bylaws, of the Student Association. i. Legislation must be approved by the appropriate Subsidiary Council(s) before consideration by the Council. b. Shall have the power to give final approval on all decisions made by the Subsidiary Councils except as specified below: i. Decisions of the Representative Council over matters referred to it by a Subsidiary Council may be overturned by a two-thirds vote of the referring Subsidiary Council. a. In the event a decision of the Representative Council is overturned by a Subsidiary Council, a unanimous vote of the Representative Council reinstates the Representative Council’s overturned decision. 3. Duties of Council Members i. Shall have no more than three (3) absences, per semester, from the Council. ii. Shall report back to their respective constituencies and/or Councils, where applicable. 4. Procedures a. Meetings of the Representative Council i.The Representative Council shall have a regular weekly meeting. Special meetings may be called by the President of the Student Association or any three (3) Council members, provided that twenty-four (24) hour notice has been given to the members of the Representative Council. ii. Meetings of the Representative Council shall be conducted according to the tenth edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, unless otherwise specified in this Constitution or its bylaws. iii. All meetings of The Representative Council must be open to the full membership of the Student Association, and all undergraduates may speak during a period of public comment, unless objected to by a majority of the quorum. iv. The President shall ensure there is a period of Public Comment on the agenda at each Representative Council Meeting. b. The Representative Council shall follow all procedures as outlined in this constitution and its bylaws. c. For the purposes of Robert’s Rules of Order, the Representative Council shall be considered in session from the first meeting of the year in the Fall semester until the conclusion of University Commencement Ceremonies in the Spring semester. III. Subsidiary Councils The subsidiary bodies of the Financial Council, the Rules and Governance Council, and the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council shall be considered the Subsidiary Councils of the Student Association. The legislative power of the Student Association shall be vested in the Subsidiary Councils. 1.Composition a. Membership in the three Subsidiary Councils shall consist of On-Campus Representation, Off-Campus Representation, and Special Representation. i. On-Campus Representation 1. Dickinson Community, Newing College, Hinman College, College in the Woods, and Mountainview College shall each have two (2) representatives to The Rules and Governance Council and the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council elected at-large, and one (1) representative to the Financial Council elected at-large. 2. Hillside Community shall have one (1) representative elected at-large to each Council. 3. Susquehanna Community shall have one (1) representative elected at-large to each Council. 4. All on-campus representatives shall have one (1) vote. ii. Off-Campus Representation 1. Off Campus College shall have eight (8) representatives elected at large to the Rules and Governance Council and the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council elected at-large, and four (4) representatives to the Financial Council 2. All off-campus representatives shall have one vote. iii. Special Representation 1. The Student Association Executive Vice President, Financial Vice President, and President are expected to attend and have speaking rights at meetings of the Rules and Governance Council. i. The Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Programming, and the director of any Umbrella Council are invited to attend and may speak at meetings of the Rules and Governance Council. 2. The President and Vice President for Academic Affairs are expected to attend and have speaking rights at meetings of the Student Outreach and Governance Council. i. The Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance, and the director of any Umbrella Council are invited to attend and may speak at meetings of the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council. 3. The Vice President for Finance is expected to attend and have speaking rights at meetings of the Financial Council. 2. Duties of the Councils a. The Rules and Governance Council shall i. Hear and review all applications to charter new student organizations, and make recommendations on such applications and the fundability of those organizations to the Representative Council. ii. Have the power to freeze the allocations, in whole or in part, and/or suspend the charter of any organization, when it deems necessary, until the next meeting of the Representative Council. iii. Recommend policy, action, rules, and regulations to the Representative Council on all issues which are internal to the Student Association. iv. Hear all requests for the excusal of absences from meetings of the the Representative Council and any subsidiary bodies of the Student Association excluding chartered organizations. v. Hear all requests for the authorization of office hours in lieu of constituent council meetings. vi. Shall review and approve any amendments to the bylaws and constitution of the Student Association, as well as any internal policy not specifically delegated by the bylaws or constitution to another Student Association body. vii. Shall, where necessary and appropriate, review and re-evaluate the charter and/or fundability status of any existing chartered organization. b. The Student Outreach and Advocacy Council Shall: i. Research, plan, encourage, and mobilize student involvement in movements which pertain to external issues important to the Student Association. ii. Take and proactively pursue, on any and all appropriate issues, a stance which is in accordance with the view and opinion of the Association. iii. Address student concerns relating to all issues that are not internal to the Student Association. iv. Recommend policy, action, rules, and regulations to the Representative Council on all issues which are external to the Student Association. c. The Financial Council Shall: i. Shall distribute funds from the Discretionary, Capital Replacements, Business Capital Replacements, and Fundraising Supplement accounts. a. All decisions regarding the distribution of funds from these accounts shall be submitted to the Representative Council for approval. ii. Shall prepare a budget proposal for the following year, and present it to the Representative Council by April 1. a. A procedure for creating the budget proposal shall be established in this constitution and its bylaws. iii. Shall provide oversight for the financial operations of the Student Association and its subsidiary and constituent bodies. iv. Shall approve large expenditures of the Student Association and its subsidiary and constituent bodies, as per the applicable bylaws. v. Recommend policy, action, rules, and regulations to the Representative Council on all issues which pertain to Student Association finances. 3. Duties of Representatives i. Shall have no more than three (3) absences, per semester, from their respective Council. ii. Shall attend, and provide a report at, his or her constituency's residential community council meetings, and have no more than three (3) absences, per semester, from such council meetings. 1. In the case of a proven scheduling conflict, the Rules Committee may authorize a representative to, in lieu of the requisite council meetings, advertise and hold office hours at specific times and locations. 4. Procedures 1. Chair and Vice-Chair a. Each Subsidiary Council shall have a Chair, who will serve as a member on the Representative Council and as the chair for that Subsidiary Council. b. The Chair shall create an agenda for each meeting of their Council which includes the business for the consideration of the Council at that meeting. c. The Chair shall bring all matters approved by his or her respective Subsidiary Council to the Representative Council for consideration. d. At its first meeting, all Subsidiary Councils will elect a Vice-Chair who shall fill in for the Chair when the Chair is unable to preform his or her duties. A Vice-Chair may be used as a proxy vote on the Representative Council if the Chair is unable to make a meeting or preform his or her duties on the Representative Council. 2. Meetings a. Each Subsidiary Council shall meet weekly while class is in session. b. If a regular meeting of any Subsidiary Council fails to take place for two (2) consecutive weeks due to lack of quorum, the powers of the Council, as enumerated in this constitution and its bylaws, shall revert to the Representative Council until such time as the Council achieves quorum. c. Meetings of a Subsidiary Council shall be conducted according to the tenth edition of Robert’s Rules of order, unless otherwise specified in this Constitution or its bylaws. d. All meetings of any Subsidiary Council must be open to the full membership of the Student Association, and all undergraduates may speak during a period of public comment, unless objected to by a majority of the quorum. e. The Chair shall ensure there is a period of Public Comment on the agenda at each Council Meeting. 3. Session a. For the purposes of Robert’s Rules of Order, all Subsidiary Councils shall be considered in session from the first meeting of the year in the Fall semester until the conclusion of University Commencement Ceremonies in the Spring semester. IV Executive Board 1. Composition a. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Vice President for Programming, and Vice President for Multicultural Affairs. 2. Duties a. The Executive Functions of the Student Association shall be delegated to the Executive Board. i. Duties of All Executive Board Members 1. Shall not miss more than three (3) meetings of the Representative Council per academic semester. 2.Shall regularly report to the Student Association in general, Representative Council as a whole, and the Subsidiary Councils in specific, on the state of affairs of their respective office. 3. All executive board members must participate in fall and spring SA Town Hall Forums. 4. These town hall forums shall be coordinated in conjunction with this constitution and its bylaws and at a time convenient for all executive board members. 5. Shall ensure that each policy duly approved by the Representative Council and the appropriate Subsidiary Council, which involves, affects, or otherwise pertains to their office is executed and enforced with all deliberate speed. 6. Attend regular meetings and special meetings of the Executive Board and the Subsidiary Councils for which they are participating members. ii. Duties of Specific Executive Board Members 1. President (Chief Executive Officer) a. Shall serve as the primary representative of the Student Association. b. Shall chair meetings of the Executive Board. c. Shall serve as the Chair of the Representative Council. i. Shall ensure that motions passed by the Representative Council are carried out, and relay all opinions, recommendations, and other information to the appropriate parties within the Student Association or University. ii. Shall oversee all Subsidiary Councils of the Representative Council. iii. Shall, when chairing the Representative Council, have a vote only to create or break a tie, as prescribed in the tenth edition of Roberts Rules of Order. iv. Shall ensure legislation is submitted to the appropriate Subsidiary Council. v. Shall ensure that this constitution and its bylaws, and the constitutions and bylaws of all Student Association corporations, are followed and enforced. d. Shall, if the Vice President for Finance has not signed or is unable to sign a letter of agreement or contract, be permitted to sign such a document. f. Shall sign all letters of agreement or contracts on behalf the Student Association which do not pertain to finances of the Student Association. g. Shall, once per semester, provide a report to the Student Association in general, and a meeting of all members of the Representative Council and the Subsidiary Councils in specific, on the state of the Student Association, before the withdrawal deadline for each semester in which the President is in office. h. Shall coordinate a fall and spring SA Town Hall Forum, where all Representative Council members shall participate to provide a report and answer questions from all members of the Student Association. i. Shall, report on the business and affairs of state and national organizations of which the student association is a member. j. Shall coordinate and oversee the efforts of the Executive Board. 2. Executive Vice President (Chief Operations Officer) a. Shall, in an emergency during which the President is unable to fulfill his or her duties, assume the duties of the President until such time as the President is once again able to fulfill his or her duties. b. Shall oversee all chartered organizations, and thereby provide them with support, mediation, and administration, as needed. c. Shall address all concerns that pertain to all chartered organizations. d. Shall oversee all chartered umbrella organizations within the Student Association. e. Shall coordinate Student Association office policy and all personnel decisions, which affect the functionality of the office. i. Any and all decisions made by the Executive Vice President with respect to Office Policy shall require the approval of a majority of the members of the Executive Board. f. Shall ensure that the Student Association follows all pertinent non-discrimination guidelines. 3. Vice President for Finance (Chief Financial Officer) a. Shall keep a public account of all financial transactions of the Student Association. b. Shall sign all letters of agreement and contracts from any chartered organization, which complies with this constitution and its bylaws and all other financial guidelines of the Student Association and the University, and will not cause the organization to go into a deficit. c. Shall supervise Student Association business activities for purposes which pertain to the finances of such businesses. d. Shall provide the Representative Council with a monthly written report of expenditures and incomes of the Student Association internal accounts. i. Shall not include the expenses and incomes of chartered organizations. ii. Shall include the expenses and incomes of all Student Association Businesses (Subordinate bodies). iii. Shall include the expenses and incomes of all subsidiary bodies except the Financial Council. 4. Vice President for Academic Affairs (Chief Academic Officer) a. Shall address the academic concerns of all members of the Student Association. b. Shall coordinate any and all academic programs of the Student Association, which shall include both educational and professional programs, including, but not limited to, an academic trivia competition. c. Shall serve as the student representative for the Faculty Senate. i. If the Vice President for Academic Affairs cannot serve as the student representative, he or she may appoint a designee to serve in his or her place. d. Shall serve as the chair of the delegation of student representatives to the Harpur College Council. i. If the Vice President for Academic Affairs is not a student in Harpur College, or otherwise cannot serve as the chair of the delegation of student representatives, he or she may appoint a designee to serve in his or her place. e. Shall provide a report to the Student Association in general, Representative Council, and the Subsidiary Councils in specific, on the state of the Faculty and the Harpur College Council after each meeting of said bodies or when appropriate. f. Shall choose and coordinate Student Advocates out of his or her office, who will work with Undergraduate students charged for misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct or any university academic honesty code. 5. Vice President for Programming (Chief Programming Officer) a. Shall coordinate all programming activities of the Student Association. b. Shall serve as the chair of the Programming Board. c. Shall work with all student groups on programming for all members of the Student Association when appropriate. d. Shall address the programming concerns of the Student Association. 6. Vice President for Multicultural Affairs a. Shall work to develop an inclusive campus community. b. Shall be responsible for organizing at least three (3) educational or social programs per semester which foster a spirit of cross-cultural communication and collaboration. c. Shall work, by means of the Intracultural Awareness (ICA) Committee, to coordinate the events, programs, and activities of all culturally-oriented chartered groups. d. Shall serve as the chair of the Intracultural Awareness Committee. e. Shall appoint: i. on the recommendation of the Director of the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, a peer advocate for students with disabilities. ii. on the recommendation of the Director of the Office of International Student and Scholar Services, a peer advocate for International students and scholars. iii. on the recommendation of the Director of the Educational Opportunity Program, a peer advocate for EOP students. f. Shall serve as, or appoint a representative to: i. the Multicultural Resource Center Advisory Committee. ii. the Educational Opportunity Program Advisory Committee under the Faculty Senate. 3. Term of Office a. Each Executive Board member shall serve for a term which shall be as follows: i. Shall begin upon the conclusion of the University's spring commencement ceremonies for the academic year in which they are elected. ii. Shall end upon the conclusion of the University's spring commencement ceremonies for the academic year following the academic year in which they are elected. V. Judicial Recourse 1. Lower Recourse a. The Rules and Governance Committee shall have original jurisdiction for grievances against chartered organizations. b. The Judicial Board shall have original jurisdiction for all other grievances. 2. Final Judicial Recourse a.The Final Judicial Recourse for members of the Student Association and its bodies is the appeal to the Judicial Board with consultation from the Student Association, Inc. Counsel to the Judicial Board on the matter. i. Final Recourse shall only have jurisdiction in the event of an appeal against the decision of the Rules and Governance Council in its capacity for hearing grievances against chartered organizations or in the event of an appeal of a previous decision of the Judicial Board. ii. No body of the Student Association shall be construed to have appellate jurisdiction besides the Judicial Board. b. Requests for Final Judicial Recourse must be submitted to the Judicial Board who shall announce any such requests to the Representative Council. i. The President shall submit such requests to the Student Association, Inc. Counsel and make the necessary arrangements for Final Judicial Recourse. ii. If the grievance is against the President, then the Financial Vice President shall submit such requests to the Student Association, Inc. Counsel and make the necessary arrangements for Final Judicial Recourse. c. Decisions of the Judicial Board under Final Judicial Recourse shall be considered binding and final. VI. Impeachments, replacements, vacancies, and successions 1. Executive Board Impeachment, Succession, and Replacement a. A member of the Executive Board may be impeached by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of each Subsidiary council and a three-fourths (3/4) vote in the affirmative by the Judicial Board. This results in the removal of an Executive Board member from office and the position declared vacant. b. A member of the Executive Board may be impeached by a majority vote of three quarters (3/4) of the Community Councils. This results in the removal of an Executive Board member from office and the position declared vacant. c. Replacements and Succession i. President a. If the office of President becomes vacant, the Executive Vice President shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of President. b. If the offices of President and Executive Vice President become vacant, the Vice President for Finance shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of President. c. If the offices of President, Executive Vice President, and Vice President for Finance become vacant, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of President. d. If the offices of President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance, and Vice President for Academic Affairs become vacant, the Vice President for Programming shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of President. e. If the offices of President, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance, and Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Vice President for Programming become vacant, The Vice President for Multicultural Affairs shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of President. ii. Vice President for Finance a. If the office of Vice President for Finance becomes vacant, the Executive Vice President shall assume the duties, responsibilities, and position of Vice President for Finance until elections are held. iii.Other Officers a. The Executive Board shall, within five (5) class days of the occurrence of a vacancy, appoint a person to fill the office in question as an officer pro-tem until an election can be held, and that person shall be confirmed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Representative Council. i. An election must be held within fifteen (15) class days from the occurrence of the vacancy. a. This election shall follow all procedures outlined in this constitution and its bylaws for the election of Executive Board members, except as explicitly or implicitly noted. 2. At-Large Student Representatives Impeachment and Replacement a. An At-Large Student Representative may be impeached by a majority vote of three quarters (3/4) of the Community Councils. This results in the removal of the At-Large Residential Community Council Representative from office and the position declared vacant. b. If an At-Large Student Representative seat becomes vacant due to any reason, it shall be filled in the same manner as the position was originally filled. c. If an At-Large Student Representative seat vacant for any reason, the position shall be filled by a campus-wide election that must be held within fifteen (15) class days of the vacancy and run in accordance with the procedures outline in this constitution and its bylaws. 3. Chairs of Subsidiary Councils Impeachment and Replacement a. The Chair of any Subsidiary Council may be impeached by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Subsidiary Council for with he or she is chair. This impeachment must but confirmed by a majority vote of the Representative Council. This results in the removal of a Chair from office and the position declared vacant. b. If the a Subsidiary Council chair position becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-Chair of the Council shall serve as chair until the position is filled. c. If the a Subsidiary Council chair position becomes vacant for any reason, the position shall be filled by a campus-wide election that must be held within fifteen (15) class days of the vacancy and run in accordance with the procedures outline in this constitution and its bylaws. 4. Subsidiary Council Members Impeachment and Replacement a. A member of any Subsidiary Council may be impeached by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Community Council for with he or she is a representative. This results in the removal of the member from office and the position declared vacant. b. If the a Subsidiary Council member position becomes vacant for any reason, the position shall be filled by the methods prescribed in the constitution of the Community Council for which the position is vacant. 5. Judicial Board Members, Chair, and Vice-Chair Impeachment and Replacement a. a member of the Judicial Board may be impeached by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Rules and Governance Council and majority vote in the affirmative of the Representative Council. This results in the removal of a the member from office and the position declared vacant. b. The Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Judicial Board may be impeached from their positions of Chair and Vice-Chair by the procedures described in this constitution and the relevant bylaws. 6. General Vacancies a. A position shall be considered vacant when: i. A provision of this constitution or its bylaws dictates that the position in question be considered vacant. ii. The person holding the position in question is no longer a member of the Student Association. iii. The person holding the position in question is no longer a member of the constituency from which they were elected. iv. The person holding the position in question has resigned. v. The person holding the position in question has a total number of unexcused absences exceeding that permitted by this constitution and its bylaws. VII. Election to Office 1. Executive Board, Subsidiary Council Chairs, and At-Large Student Representatives a. Shall be elected by campus-wide election according to the procedures in this constitution and its bylaws. b. Restrictions i. No person may be a candidate for both an Executive Board position and a non-executive officer Representative Council position in a given election. ii. No person may be a candidate for more than one Executive Board position in a given election. iii. No person, as a candidate or as a representative, may be a member of the Judicial Board. 2. Vice-Chairman of the Council a. At the first meeting of the Representative Council, the Council shall elect from its membership a a Vice-Chairman of the Council according to the procedures described in this Constitution and its Bylaws. i. The Vice-Chairman of the Council shall only serve to fill in for the duties of the Chairman of the Representative Council if the Chairman is unable to preform his or her duties or the position of Chairman of the Council is vacant and only for the time that the Chairman is unable. 3. Subsidiary Council Members a. Shall be elected by each Residential Community in accordance with the procedures in this constitution and its bylaws, and the procedures in the constitution of the respective Community Council. b. Restrictions i. No person, as a candidate or as a representative, may be a member of the Executive Board or Representative Council. ii. No person may be a candidate for more than one Subsidiary Council Representative position in a given election. iii. No person may hold more than one Subsidiary Representative position. iv. No person, as a candidate or as a representative, may be a member of the Judicial Board. 4. Judicial Board Members a. Shall be appointed to their office in accordance with the procedures outline in this constitution and its bylaws. VIII. Quorum of Student Government Association Bodies 1. A simple majority of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute quorum of the Executive Board for the conducting of business. 2. A two-thirds (2/3) supermajority of the members of the Representative Council shall constitute a quorum of the Representative Council for the conducting of business. 3. A simple majority of the members of any Subsidiary Council shall constitute quorum of that Subsidiary Council for the conducting of business. 4. A three-quarters (3/4) supermajority of the members of the Judicial Board shall constitute a quorum for the conducting of business. IX. Student Association Programming Board 1. The Programming Board is hereby established, and it shall organize and conduct itself in accordance with the terms outlined in this constitution and its bylaws. X. General Provisions on Chartered Organizations 1. All chartered organizations must maintain compliance with all policies of the Student Association and the Student Association Constitution and its bylaws. 2. Umbrella Councils a. All student groups of each type may form an Umbrella Council in accordance with the procedures outlined in this constitution and its bylaws. b. The chair of any Umbrella Council shall have speaking rights on the Rules and Governance Council and the Student Outreach and Advocacy Council. 3. Fundability a. Any chartered organizations that are not discriminatory and do not charge mandatory dues are eligible for Student Association funding. b. Any chartered organization whose funds may be used to pay the salaries of professional lobbyists, political agents, or other persons otherwise directly involved in political processes must have such expenses, transfers, or deposits approved by both the Financial Council and the Representative Council before any such transactions may be permitted. 4. Grandfathered Bodies a. All organizations chartered by the “old” Student Association shall be recognized as chartered organizations by this Student Association. b. The Inter-Cultural Awareness Committee is recognized as the Umbrella Council for cultural-type groups. i. The Director for Multicultural Affairs shall chair the Inter-Cultural Awareness Committee. XI. FINANCES OF THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION 1. Revenue shall consist of the following: a. Full Time, Part Time, Summer, and Interest Income. 2. Obligations shall consist of the following: a. Lawyers/Insurance b. Bookkeeping/Support c. Auditor d. Deficit Coverage e. Representative Council f. Business Salaries g. Business Capital Replacements i. Shall be allocated a sum of no less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), which shall be used for the purchase and/or replacement of equipment for On-Campus Businesses, as specified in this constitution and its bylaws. h. Fundraising Supplement i. Shall be allocated a sum of no less than eight thousand dollars ($8,000). i. Discretionary i. Shall be allocated a sum of no less than twenty five thousand dollars ($25,000). j.Capital Replacements i. Shall be allocated a sum of no less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), which shall be used for the purchase and/or replacement of equipment for groups including, but not limited to, the following: 1. Chartered Organizations 2. Residential community councils 3. The Student Association Office k. College Reserve i.Shall be allocated eleven dollars ($11.00) per student per semester, which shall be distributed to the residential community councils on the basis of population. l.Off Campus College Transport, Inc. i. Contract ii. Direct Fee - $12 per full time undergraduate student per semester iii. Summer - $.625 per summer student m. The Harpur's Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service Limited i. Operating Budget 1. Shall be allocated two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50) per student per semester. ii. Vehicle Replacement Fund 1. Shall be allocated one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) per student per semester. iii. Equipment Replacement Fund 1. Shall be allocated one dollar ($1.00) per student per semester. n. Programming Board i. Shall be allocated eight dollars ($8.00) per student per semester. o. Contractual Obligations i. Loan Repayment 1. Such an allocation shall only be made when it is applicable. ii. State and National Organizations of which the Student Association is a member. p. Chartered Organizations i. After deducting all obligations of the Student Association which are enumerated in this constitution and its bylaws, the remaining revenue shall be distributed to the chartered organizations by the Financial Council. 3. Restrictions a. Disbursement Descriptions i. All obligations that are calculated by a fee amount per student total must include the fee amount per student calculation in the Student Association Budget for each fiscal year. XII Amendments and Referenda 1. Amendments a. An amendment may be placed on the ballot in the following ways: i. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in the affirmative by a Subsidiary Council and the Representative Council. ii. A petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the members of the Student Association. b. An amendment shall be approved if the ballot question receives a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in the affirmative. 2. Referenda a. Binding i. A referendum may be placed on the ballot in the following ways: a. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in the affirmative by a Subsidiary Council. ii. An initiative referendum may be placed on the ballot in the following ways: a. A petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the members of the Student Association. iii. Such referenda, upon a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in the affirmative, shall be binding on the Student Association and considered ratified. b. Non-Binding i. An opinion poll may be placed on the ballot in the following ways: a. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote in the affirmative by a Subsidiary Council. b. A petition signed by ten percent (10%) of the members of the Student Association. ii. Such ballot questions shall be used to inform the Student Association, but shall not be binding on it and may not be used to gather student opinion on the funding or fundability of any particular chartered organization(s). XIII General Provisions on Constituency Communication a. In any given community, one representative of the Rules and Governance Council and one representative of the Student outreach and Advocacy Council must attend and provide a report at each hall government meeting. i. Representatives shall not miss more than three (3) meetings of a Hall Government per academic semester. b. A member of the Representative Council shall report to at least one Community Government per week at the meeting of that Community Government, on a rotating basis. XIV Original Implementation and Dissolution a. Original Implementation i. All members of the government described in this constitution will be responsible to this constitution and each person shall fulfill the responsibilities and obligations of their position to the best of their ability. ii. All assets and liabilities of the "old" Student Association will be transferred to the new Government upon recognition of the Student Association, Inc. as the student government at Binghamton University by Binghamton university and the recognition of the Student Association, Inc. as tax exempt under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. b. Dissolution i. In the event of dissolution, assets of the Student Association, Inc. shall be transferred to another tax exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that has a similar purpose to those of this corporation. c. Approval i. This document shall be considered originally ratified upon the dissolution of the “old” Student Association. As proposed March 2011