Responsibilities of the Student Senate
The Student Senate Shall:

1.     Be the official Representative group of the student body to the University
        community and other agencies in matters pertaining to the student body.

2.     Respond to and initiate proposals deemed beneficial to the general welfare of students.

3.     Serve as a sponsor of activities and services to the student body.

4.     Receive student complaints, investigate student problems, and work toward their
        resolution.

5.     Promote educational experiences, programs, and work toward their implementation.
 

Article II
Offices of the Student Senate

The Governors are those individuals chosen to represent their student organization.

Student Senators are those individuals that are elected in the fall quarter. They hold
a responsibility to bring before the senate any issues concerning the student body.
They will also vote on these issues and participate in Student Senate activities.

The Executive Council:

1.     Shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Webmaster.

2.     Shall hold executive meetings with strict confidence.
 

The President of the Student Senate Shall:

1.        Be responsible for the efficient and effective functioning of the Student Senate.

2.        Be the official representative of the Student Senate.

3.        Determine the number of office hours and the meeting times for each quarter.

4.        Have the power to call emergency meetings of the Student Senate as he/she sees fit.

5.        Preside at all meetings of the Student Senate.

6.        Supervise preparation of orientation of any new Student Senate members.

7.        Organize a meeting among the Presidents of all the clubs.

8.        Shall vote only in situations where a tie occurs.
 

The Vice-President of the Student Senate Shall:

1.        Be the presiding officer in the absence of the President.

2.        Keep a running account of all receipts arid deposits.

3.        Appoint all committee heads.

4.        Collect and organize the schedules of all senate members.

5.        Carry out duties delegated to him/her by the President.
 

The Treasurer of the Student Senate Shall:

1.        Prepare all check requests for reimbursement of payment of services.

2.        Keep the balance of Student Senate's account.

3.        Be responsible for the distributions and the transcription of all monies allotted to the
  Student Senate.
 

The Secretary of Student Senate shall:

1.        Record and report all proceedings of the Student Senate.

2.        Keep records of attendance at every senate meeting.

3.        Be responsible for all office correspondence of the Student Senate, including
  correspondence to:

        a.    Outside sources

        b.    Faculty, staff and administration

        c.    Student Senate members

4.     Update and maintain extensive files pertaining to Student Senate staff, constitution,
        inter-college communication, and information of professors.
 

The Webmaster of the Student Senate shall:

1.        Be in charge of the web design.

2.        Responsible for maintaining and securing repair as needed for the computer equipment.

3.        Be responsible to update the web page as needed with correct and current information.
 

The Governor shall:

Each organization sponsored by the University appoints a member to represent them on the
Student Senate board. This person shall be designated a Governor.

1.        Assist the Student Senate members as much as possible.

2.        Attend Student meetings and functions.
 

Committees:

The President shall organize committees, as needed. 

The Vice-President shall appoint each committee chairperson. 

The committee tenure shall last as long as required.
 

All members of the Student Senate shall:

1.        Be present at Student Senate events, unless they conflict with class or personal
  schedules. If unable to attend, members must notify the President as soon as possible
  prior to the event.

2.        Keep the Student Senate office clean. During office hours, each senator should clean
  and pick up as much as possible.

3.        Submit class schedules and work schedules to the Vice-President as soon as each
  member has registered for class.  

4.         Maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA).  

         a.     The faculty advisor of the Student Senate shall examine the GPAs of all members
                 at the beginning of each quarter.

         b.      Members not fulfilling this requirement will be suspended for a minimum of one
                  quarter.

         c.     Suspended members may be reinstated as soon as their GPA has risen to a 2.0 or
                 above.

         d.     Should an executive council member be suspended due to grades, the suspended
                  member may be reinstated as a representative upon becoming eligible through
                  raising their GPA.  In the case of resignation or impeachment a new election shall
                  take place among the remaining Student Senate members for that office.

Article III
Election Qualification and Procedures

1.        All Student Senate candidates must be registered as a full-time student at OUZ.

2.        Candidates for Student Senate must have an overall 2.0 GPA for continuing students.

3.        Candidates may not be a Senate Bill (post secondary) student.
 

Executive Council Elections:

Refer to the by-laws.
 

Representative Elections:

Refer to the by-laws.
 

Governor Elections:

1.        There will be one Governor position available for each organized club.

2.        Governor positions are not voted upon general election but to be selected by each
  respective club they represent.

3.        Each club shall be responsible for their own representation.
 

Article IV
Vacancies/Leave of Absence

Executive Council Vacancies:

1.        In case of a Presidential vacancy, the Vice-President shall succeed to the vacated
  position.  An election for the Vice-President/Treasurer office shall occur to fill the vacated
  seat.

2.        In case of any other Executive vacancies, a new election shall take place among existing
  Senate members for that office.
 

Representative Vacancies:

1.        In case of a vacancy of a representative seat, the student body shall be given an
  opportunity to present candidates to the Student Senate.  The vacancy shall be
  publicized to the student body. 

2.        All candidates must meet the requirements for membership.

3.        All candidates shall be given the opportunity to present themselves to the Student
  Senate at regular meeting.

4.        If a majority of Student Senate feels that none of the candidates are suitable for the
  representative seat, Student Senate has the right to deny him/her.

5.        Student Senate may opt to choose the new representative by popular vote of the student
  body.
 

Leave of Absence:

1.        Any member of Student Senate may take a leave of absence for no more than ten weeks
  for good reason.

2.        A good reason may constitute one of the following: death of a family member, death of a
  friend, leaving school for one quarter, medical reasons.

3.        A senator may not take a leave of absence for a reason other than above unless
  two-thirds of the Student Senate votes to allow the reason.

4.        If an executive officer chooses to take a leave of absence, a new officer will be elected by
  Senate to fill the vacated seat. Upon returning to Senate that member shall become a
  representative.
 

Article V
Impeachment

Definition of Impeachment:

1.        Impeachment of members will relieve the member of their duties assigned to them.

2.        Impeachment of member does not necessarily, unless specified, mean removal from the
  Student Senate.

Grounds for Impeachment:

1.        Continuous failure to attend meetings without a reasonable excuse for absence.

2.        Continuous failure to perform duties assigned to and accepted by members.

3.        Continuous failure to participate in Student Senate Activities without a reasonable
  excuse.

4.        Conduct not appropriate of a Student Senate member, in particular when representing
  the students of OUZ at a school-sponsored event.  Refer to the OU handbook for other
  disciplinary measures regarding membership.
 

Impeachment Proceedings:

1.        A motion of impeachment must be passed by a majority vote of the Student Senate.
  Reasons for the Impeachment must be written and handed out to every Senate member.

2.        If the motion is passed, impeachment proceedings will take place at the next regular
  meeting.

3.        Members being impeached must be relieved of' their duties by a two-thirds vote of all
  active members.
 

Article VI
By-Laws

Executive Council Elections:

1.        Elections of the Executive Council shall occur in the Spring Quarter by a popular vote of
  the OUZ Student Senate.

2.        The Presidential Election will be held one week before the election of other officers.

3.        Terms will begin on the first day of Summer Quarter.

4.        Proxy votes by those unable to attend should be in a signed sealed envelope and will be
  accepted by the president, unless he/she is running, then it should be accepted by the
  next presiding officer, whom is not running for an office.
 

Representative Elections:

There will be up to 10 representative positions available each year. Current members must
be reelected for the new year.

1.        Candidates for representative must file a petition signed by twenty registered students
  other than members of Student Senate.

2.        Election of representatives shall take place by popular vote of the student body in the
  third or fourth week of the fall quarter.

3.        The Executive Council shall tally election results and notify all elected members.

4.        Terms will begin immediately after elections.
 

Vacancies/ Leave of Absence

Executive Council Vacancies:

1.        If an Executive Council position is not filled during Spring Quarter elections, any member
  the student body shall be allowed to run for that position in the fall quarter
  representative elections.

2.        If an Executive Council position is not filled during Spring Quarter or Fall Quarter
  elections, the Student Senate shall select a Senate member to take the position.
 

Representative Vacancies:

Candidates desiring to fill a representative position must file a petition signed by twenty
registered students other than Student Senate members. An essay may be written about
themselves as to why they might be a good representative
 

Article VII
Meetings

1.     The Student Senate shall meet when necessary during each quarter excluding breaks
        and finals week.

2.     Any member absent from three meetings per quarter will be subject to review.
 

Article VIII
Requirements Charged to Student Organizations

All student organizations/clubs on campus shall submit an updated constitution to the Student
Senate every two years.