Legislative and Executive Bylaws

University of Iowa Undergraduate Student Government

Updated: March 28th, 2023

 

Definitions

Acronyms 

Article I. Membership

Article II. Legislative Branch

Article III. Executive Branch

Article IV. Judicial Branch

Article V. Finances and Allocation

Article VI. Elections

Article VII. Transition Between Administrations

Article VIII. Amending the USG Bylaws

Appendix A

Definitions 

1. Seated Senators shall be defined as all the incumbent senators. 
2. Present Senators shall be defined as the senators in attendance at a given Senate meeting.
3. Majority vote shall be defined as a vote supported by half the number of present senators plus one. 
4. Quorum shall be defined as half of the number of seated senators plus one. 
5. Three-fourths majority vote shall be defined as a vote supported by three-fourths the number of present senators. 
6. Two-thirds majority vote shall be defined as a vote supported by two-thirds the number of present senators. 
7. Abstention shall be defined as a vote that is noted and counted but does not affect the voting result. Senators have the right to abstain and cannot be compelled to vote. 

Acronyms 

1. OLE shall stand for the Office of Leadership and Engagement. 
2. GPSG shall stand for Graduate and Professional Student Government. 
3. SAF shall stand for Student Activity Fees. 
4. SEC shall stand for Student Elections Commissioner.
5. SJC shall stand for Student Judicial Court. 
6. SOBO shall stand for Student Organization Business Office. 
7. Speaker Pro Temp shall stand for Speaker Pro Tempore of the Student Senate. 
8. Speaker shall stand for Speaker of the Student Senate. 
9. USG shall stand for the Undergraduate Student Government.  

  

Article I. Membership 

Section A. Eligibility 

1. Members shall be undergraduates in good academic standing. 
   1. Exceptions shall be made at the discretion of the USG Advisor. 
2. Members shall be in good non-academic standing with the Office of the Dean of Students. 
3. Members shall read and understand the USG Constitution and the USG Bylaws. Adequate understanding shall be determined by examination, moderated by the Internal Affairs Committee and Parliamentarian. 
4. Eligibility shall be confirmed by the USG Advisor. 

Section B. Removal from Office 

1. Senators shall be removed from office by the processes outlined in Article II, Section B. 
2. Executives shall be removed from office by the processes outlined in the Executive Code of Conduct. 
   1. The removal of any Executive Officer may be overturned by an affirmative majority vote of seated senators. 
3. Removal of elected executives may also be adopted by a three-fourths majority vote of the Senate. 
   1. Any senator may make a motion on the Senate floor for removal of an elected executive. This introduction shall be the first consideration of the motion. For the motion to move on to a second consideration, it must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote of seated senators. If the motion meets this threshold, it can then be brought up for a second consideration no less than two weeks after the first consideration to allow for concerns to be addressed.
   2. At the second consideration, the motion must receive a three-fourths affirmative vote of seated senators for the executive to be removed. 
   3. In the event that an executive is removed, the succession guidelines shall be followed as stated in Article 3, Section D of the Constitution. 
4. Grounds for removal shall be limited to malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance of duties.  
5. Violation of the USG Constitution Article 1 Section E: Discrimination and Harassment Policy will result in disciplinary action as outlined below and may result in termination. 
   1. All point of information acquired during the investigation and processes outlined below will remain confidential and within the involved parties (those accused, the respective branch leadership, and the USG advisors) unless the accused member chooses to share the information or if the instance requires the involvement of additional university offices. 
   2. Disciplinary action shall be defined at the least as an initial meeting with the respective branch leadership and/or USG advisors to evaluate the individual's status as a member of USG.
      1. If the disciplinary action meeting is to be held within the respective branch leadership, at least one USG advisor must be present.
      2. If the accused is a member of USG branch leadership, the meeting will be held with the USG advisors.
      3. The initial meeting shall occur after all claims related to the specific instance in question have been investigated for validity purposes. 
   3. Disciplinary action shall include determining what action will be taken to amend the wrongs committed regardless of whether the termination is applicable. 
   4. Disciplinary action may also consist of (but is not limited to): recurring meetings with USG leadership and/or advisors, temporary position suspension, permanent removal (termination) from position, required trainings, and restorative justice workshops.
      1. Termination shall follow the procedures as outlined in the USG Bylaws Article 1 Section B and in the respective branch codes of conduct.
      2. If a member of the USG Legislative branch wishes to appeal a decision of removal, they may submit an appeal to the Student Judicial Court who will conduct a review process ending with a vote on the reinstatement of the senator.
         1. This appeal must be submitted to the USG Chief Justice advisors within 2 weeks of notice of termination/removal.
      3. Seeing as USG Executive Cabinet members are considered to be employees of the University of Iowa, their removal process will follow that of the employee code and appeals will follow this process at all points.
         1. Additionally, the Speaker of the Senate, Speaker Pro Tempore, Chief Justice, and Student Election Commissioner as paid members and cabinet members (with the exception of the Student Elections Commissioner), also fall under this clause.
      4. If a member of the Student Judicial Court is removed, they may submit an appeal to the USG Senate who will conduct a review process ending with a vote on the reinstatement of the senator.
         1. This appeal must be submitted to the USG Speaker of the Senate and advisors within two (2) week's notice of termination/removal.
      5. A disciplinary action plan will be created during the initial meeting in Point 8.1.a. This plan will designate all steps/action items as outlined in Point 8.1.c that the perpetrator will be responsible for completing.
         1. The disciplinary action plan is subject to change at the discretion of the respective USG branch leadership and/or USG advisors and may be amended to include more action items or move to a higher level of action (ex. From suspension to termination) but may be amended to include few action items.
         2. All changes to the disciplinary action plan will be communicated to the perpetrator with reasoning included.
         3. A single disciplinary action plan may be created for an individual with multiple cases that are being investigated. 

 
  

Article II. Legislative Branch

Section A. Composition 

 

1. The Student Senate shall be composed of 50 senators. 
2. Thirty-four senators shall be elected according to the procedure in the Election Code. 
3. Eleven senators shall be elected or appointed by the following constituencies with each constituency selecting one senator to serve on its behalf: 
   1. The following seven constituency senators will be elected in the spring election period through a USG-administered elections process according to procedure in the Elections Code. 
      1. Asian Pacific Islander Desi American 
      2. Black 
      3. International 
      4. Latine 
      5. LGBTQ+ 
      6. Disability 
      7. First Generation
   2. The remaining four constituency senators will be selected through an internal appointment or election process of the respective student organization in parentheses. 
      1. Native American (Native American Student Association) 
      2. Veteran (University of Iowa Veterans Association) 
      3. Jewish (Hillel of the University of Iowa) 
      4. Middle Eastern, North African, and Arab (Middle East, North African, Arab Student Association (MENASA)) 
4. All constituency senators shall serve on Justice and Equity Committee. Exceptions shall be made at the discretion of the Speaker, Internal Affairs Committee, and Justice and Equity Committee chair with a majority vote.
5. At least five senators shall be first-year students appointed by the Internal Affairs Committee. 
6. Vacant seats shall be filled by the Internal Affairs Committee, except for the constituency senators specified in section 2b, which shall be removed or filled by their respective constituency organization. 
7. Two non-voting legislative representatives shall be appointed by the following constituencies with each constituency appointing one member to serve on its behalf: 
   1. Student-Athlete
   2. Transfer Student 

Section B. Senators 

1. Responsibilities 

1. Senators shall abide by the Student Senate Code of Conduct. 
2. Senators shall serve at least one office hour each week. Exceptions shall be made for the summer semester and University Holidays. 
3. Senators shall attend all Student Senate Sessions except in cases of conflict with religious observances, illness or death of a family member or domestic partner, academic obligations, or other USG duties. The Secretary shall determine all other excused absences. 
4. Senators shall serve on two standing committees. 
5. Senators shall be required to create a transition document of important procedures and work they completed. This should be submitted by the last day of the session.  
6. Senators shall attend the designated annual lobbying day at the State Capitol in Des Moines. 
7. Senators must fill out the USG Communications Team Request for any media campaign hosted by or in conjunction with USG. This does not mean that the Communications Team must be used to create the media for the campaign. 
8. Senators must volunteer to work one external relations event a year. 

2. Removal from the Student Senate

1. Senators shall be removed after two unexcused absences from Student Senate Sessions. 
2. Senators shall receive the penalty of one unexcused absence for every three weeks of office hours missed during a semester. 
3. Senators shall be removed for significant violations of the Student Senate Code of Conduct. 
4. The Speaker of the Student Senate shall be responsible for coordinating all senator removal processes. 
5. Removal is at the discretion of the Speaker, Internal Affairs Chair, and/or the USG Advisor. 
   1. Any senator or constituent may approach the parties if they wish for an investigation into removal to be initiated. 
6. Any Senator elected into Senate leadership can be removed from their leadership position at the discretion the Speaker, Internal Affairs Chair and/or the USG Advisor. 
   1. Guidelines for the removal of the Speaker of the Senate can be found in Article II, Section C (1)(c). 
7. The Internal Affairs Committee shall have the power to hear appeals to the removal from the Senate within 1 week of the removal. The Internal Affairs Chair and Speaker of the Senate shall sit as non-voting members of the appeals board and the Speaker Pro Tempore shall reside as the fifth voting member of the appeals board. Overriding removal from the Senate requires majority vote from the Internal Affairs Appeal Board. 

  

 

Section C. Student Senate Officers 

  

1. Speaker of the Student Senate 
   1. The Speaker of the Student Senate shall be a senator elected by a majority vote at the first Student Senate Session of a Student Senate’s term, which shall be chaired by the Vice President until the election of the Speaker, at which point the Speaker shall become the new Student Senate chair. Voting shall be conducted using an instant-runoff procedure. 
2. Responsibilities 
   1. The Speaker shall be responsible for the administration and affairs of the Student Senate. This shall include, but is not limited to, chairing Student Senate Sessions, managing committees, and communicating with the other branches of USG on behalf of the Student Senate. 
   2. The Speaker shall organize an annual retreat in the beginning of the year after new senators have been selected, which will be an orientation to USG and includes a leadership development and growth component facilitated by the Office of Leadership and Engagement. 
   3. The Speaker may also organize additional team-building activities for the Student Senate. These events may include retreats. 
   4. The Speaker shall appoint all committee members for the second Senate Session, based on individual committee selection preferences submitted by each senator. The Speaker shall retain the authority to change committee assignments with a majority vote from the Internal Affairs Committee. 
   5. The Speaker shall be expected to attend all meetings of the Executive Branch. 

   6. The Speaker shall be required to serve a minimum of two office hours each week. 

   7. The Speaker shall be required to create a transition document of important procedures and work they completed. This should be submitted by the last day of the session. 

3. Removal of Responsibilities as Speaker 
   1. At any official Senate session, any senator may make a motion on the floor to remove the Speaker from their leadership position and return to an at-large senator position. This introduction shall be the first consideration of the motion. For the motion to move on to the second consideration, it must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote of seated senators. If the motion reaches this threshold, it can be brought for a second consideration no less than two-weeks later to allow for concerns to be addressed. 
   2. If the first consideration passes, the Speaker Pro-Temp shall serve as the chair of the senate until the time at which either the second consideration vote fails or the Speaker is replaced. 
   3. At the second consideration, the motion must receive a three-fourths majority vote of seated senators for the removal to be approved. 
      1. In the event the Speaker is relieved of their duties, an election following the same procedure as the original vote shall take place at the next Senate session after removal. 

  

1. Speaker Pro Temp of the Student Senate 
   1. Speaker Pro Temp of the Student Senate shall be elected by a majority vote at the first Student Senate Session of the legislative term directly following the election of the Speaker. Voting shall be conducted using an instant-runoff procedure. 
2. Responsibilities 
   1. The Speaker Pro Temp shall fulfill all duties of the Speaker in the absence of the Speaker or in the event the office is vacated. 
   2. The Speaker Pro Temp shall assume any duties delegated by the Speaker. 
   3. The Speaker Pro Temp shall help manage the Senate during Student Senate Sessions. 
   4. The Speaker Pro Temp shall be a non-voting ex-officio member of all Student Senate committees. 

   5. The Speaker Pro Temp shall ensure that all bills and resolutions of the Legislative Branch are maintained and made available.  

   6. The Speaker Pro Temp shall ensure that all minutes of Legislative and Executive Branch meetings are maintained and made available.  

      1. In the event that the Speaker Pro Temp is leading a senate session, the Speaker of the Senate will assume the responsibility of taking meeting minutes.   

   7. The Speaker Pro Temp shall be responsible for maintaining all new and old USG records in a complete and accessible manner.  

   8. The Speaker Pro Temp shall be responsible for the keeping and updating of scheduled office hours for legislative officers.  

   9. The Speaker Pro Temp shall work in conjunction with the Communications Team to establish and curate a working archives system for USG including the website, social media pages, and other forms of communication.  

   10. The Speaker Pro Temp shall be expected to attend all meetings of the Executive Branch. 

1. Committee Chairs 
   1. Committee chairs are elected within each committee by a majority vote of committee members at the second Student Senate Session. Voting shall be conducted using an instant-runoff procedure. 
2. Responsibilities 
   1. Committee chairs shall chair committee meetings. 
   2. Committee chairs shall delegate duties to their committee members. 
   3. Committee chairs shall manage Committee Budgets. 
   4. Committee chairs shall update the Speaker and Speaker Pro Temp regarding their committee’s legislation, endorsements of legislation, or initiatives. 
   5. Committee chairs are required to serve a minimum of two office hours each week. 
   6. Committee chairs shall be required to create a transition document of important procedures and work they completed. This should be submitted by the last day of the session. 
   7. Committee chairs shall schedule weekly meetings with their committees. 
   8. Committee chairs shall make agendas for all committee meetings and shall submit agendas to the Speaker no later than 24 hours before the start time of the meeting to which the agenda corresponds. 

Section D. Legislative Representative  

1. Responsibilities:  
   1. Representatives shall serve one scheduled office hour each week. Exceptions shall be made for summer semester and University holidays.  
   2. Representatives shall serve on two standing committees, with the exception of Internal Affairs and Finance Committee. 
   3. Representatives shall be consulted by the Internal Affairs committee in regards to student appointments to Presidential Charter Committees, if a related committee exists. 
   4. Representatives shall be non-voting positions but shall have speaking privileges on the senate floor.  
   5. Removal process will follow USG Bylaws Article II.B.3.  

   2. Position-specific policies:  

1. Student-Athlete Representative: 
   1. The Student-Athlete Representative shall be excused from USG activities for “countable athletically related activities” and “required athletically related activities”. Additionally, the Student-Athlete Representative may be excused from participating in any USG-related activities that may violate NCAA, team, or athletic department rules.  
   2. In the case that the Student-Athlete Representative loses student-athlete status (no longer a member of a University sports team roster,) responsibilities of this position will be assumed by the ISAAC Secretary/Treasurer.  
   3. The Student-Athlete Representative may hold office hours at the Gerdin Athletic Learning Center.  

   3.Review: 

1. Legislative Liaison positions shall be reviewed every three years by the Internal Affairs committee   
2. The positions necessity, success, and legislative status are subject to review.  
3. Timeline of review:  
   1. Student-Athlete Representative, enacted in 2019. 
   2. Transfer Student Representative, enacted Spring 2020.

Section E. Student Senate Sessions  

1. Student Senate Sessions shall be reserved for discussing and passing pending legislation, allowing individuals or groups to present to the Student Senate regarding any topic, and meeting in committees. Quorum is required for a vote to take place. Committee meetings may occur outside of Student Senate Sessions. 
2. The Student Senate shall convene in a Student Senate Session weekly during the fall and spring semester, with exception for University Holidays. Student Senate Sessions shall be held on Tuesdays from 7 PM until no later than 10 PM. Student Senate Sessions shall commence the fourth full week of April and end the final week of March the following year. Special Sessions may be called at the discretion of the Speaker or President with the notification of the USG Advisor. 
   1. In the event that the time reaches 10 PM before the meeting has been adjourned, all legislation that has not yet been voted on shall be tabled and moved to the next Senate Session. 
3. The first Student Senate Session of a Student Senate’s term will cover Speaker and Speaker Pro-Temp of the Senate elections, Cabinet confirmations, Presidential Charter Committee confirmations, and All-University Committee confirmations. The second Student Senate Session shall cover the Internal Operations Budget, committee assignment confirmation, and committee chair elections. 
4. The Student Senate shall determine its own rules of order and operating procedure. Any procedure not explicitly outlined in this document will be determined by the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. 

Section F. Legislative Process 

1. Legislation shall take the form of either a bill or resolution. 
2. Senators shall submit legislation to the Speaker. Senators can send legislation to appropriate committee chairs. 
   1. If legislation is sent to committees, they shall vote on whether to refer the legislation to the Student Senate floor. If legislation is not referred, the committee chair shall have the ability to speak on the floor regarding the committee’s decision. 
   2. Any legislation regarding changes to the USG Governing Documents or funding proposals must go to Internal Affairs or Finance, respectively. 

Section G. Committees  

1. Standing committees shall be established and terminated by an affirmative two-thirds majority vote. 
2. Ad-hoc committees shall be established by an affirmative majority vote. Ad-hoc committees shall cease to exist at the end of the term of the Student Senate that established them or at any point during the term following a two-thirds majority vote in favor of termination. 
3. The Speaker and the Speaker Pro-Temp of the Senate shall recommend appointees to committees for the second Student Senate Session, and the Student Senate shall confirm the appointment with an affirmative majority vote. Committee membership shall be determined at the second Student Senate Session. 
4. The Speaker shall recommend appointees to committees after the first Student Senate Session, and the Student Senate shall confirm committee appointments with an affirmative majority vote. 
5. Senators may switch committee assignments upon approval or recommendation from the Speaker and with a majority vote from Internal Affairs. 
6. Standing committees require at least three seated Senators to remain standing. 
7. Standing Committees 
   1. Academic Affairs
      1. This committee shall be responsible for improving the quality of undergraduate education at the University. 
      2. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Academic Affairs. 
   2. External Affairs 

      1. This committee shall engage the University and Iowa City communities in outreach projects, events, and purposeful dialogue that benefits both groups while spreading awareness of USG and student activities. 

      2. This committee shall be responsible for fostering positive and sustainable relationships with campus and community partners. 

      3. This committee shall be responsible for coordinating the external representation of USG. 

      4. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Communications, Director of External Relations, City Liaison, Deputy City Liaison, and SEC. 

   3. Governmental Relations

      1. This committee shall be responsible for representing, promoting, and protecting student interests to various city, county, state, and federal governmental bodies. This committee shall be responsible for informing USG of actions by these governmental bodies that directly affect students. 

      2. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Governmental Relations, the City Liaison, and the Deputy City Liaison. 

   4. Health and Safety 

      1. This committee shall work to make the University a healthier, safer, and more inclusive environment by focusing on health- related and safety-related issues on and off campus. 

      2. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Health and Safety. 

   5. Internal Affairs 

      1. This committee shall assist in the management of the Student Senate and its committees. 

      2.  This committee shall have no more than five members. 

      3.  This committee shall adjudicate appeals of senator removal. A senator may present their appeal to the committee, and the committee may expunge the charge with a two-thirds affirmative majority vote. 

      4. This committee shall maintain the Student Senate Code of Conduct and recommend changes to the Student Senate with an affirmative majority vote. 

      5.  This committee shall help appoint student representatives to the Presidential Charter Committees. 

      6.  Nominations: 

         1. Responsibilities: 

            1. The committee shall nominate individuals to serve in vacant seats of the Student Senate, Presidential Charter Committees, and any other University Committees. 

            2. The committee shall nominate at least five first-year students to serve as senators by the last Tuesday of September each Student Senate term. 

            3. With the exception of constituency senator seats listed in Article I, Section A (2)(b), the committee shall nominate individuals to fill senate seats that become vacant between April and the beginning of the fall semester by the last Tuesday of September each Student Senate term. 

            4. The committee shall create a ranked list of 15 alternate nominees that may take the place of individuals who decline their nomination or who are unable to complete their terms. This is a temporary list to be used for internal purposes of the committee for the month directly following the fall nominations process until the end of the Student Senate’s term. 

            5. Seats that become vacant one or more months after the fall nominations process shall be filled from the ranked list of 15 alternate candidates. In instances where the Internal Affairs committee cannot find an individual on the 15-person alternative list to fill a senator-at-large seat, applications will be opened and processed in the same manner as fall nominations. 

         2. Procedure:  

            1. Candidates shall complete applications consisting of an application form and resume. Late or incomplete applications shall not be accepted. 

            2. Applicants shall be ranked by each member of this committee prior to interviews. High-ranking applicants shall be offered an interview. 

            3. This committee shall determine the most qualified interviewees to be nominated for the respective positions. 

            4. If nominees are not able or are unwilling to fill the position to which they were nominated, they shall have a twenty-four-hour period to decline their nomination. 

            5. Nominees shall be nominated in the form of legislation to the Student Senate for confirmation. 

         3. Conflict of Interest 

            1. If members have a conflict of interest with a candidate that would prevent the member from making an objective decision regarding the candidate, they shall make the conflict known to the Internal Affairs Chair and recuse themselves from the interviews, deliberations, and voting on the candidate. 

            2. It shall not violate the Elections Code to disclose candidacy to the Internal Affairs Chair for the purposes of transparency. 

         4. Confidentiality 

            1. All members of the committee shall maintain the confidentiality of all applicants to USG and its affiliated committees. Disclosure of any committee discussions or personal information without the written consent of the applicant in question, shall constitute malfeasance of office and may be grounds for removal from office. 

            2. All members of the committee shall maintain the confidentiality of any other members’ recusals due to conflicts of interest or otherwise. Disclosure of committee proceedings, including but not limited to those related to election matters, may be grounds for removal from office. 

            3. All documents regarding the committee proceedings shall be kept in a secured folder, inaccessible to other members of USG and the greater University of Iowa community. 

   6. Justice and Equity 

      1. This committee shall organize programming, enact policies, and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion that better serve and represent the unique needs of students from historically marginalized groups (including but not limited to the communities represented by the Constituency Senator positions) on campus. The Justice and Equity committee will encourage broader multicultural education, cultural competence, and enrichment within the wider student body and administration. 

      2. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Constituency Senators and their constituencies. 

      3. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Justice and Equity. 

   7. Finance  

      1. This committee shall develop and maintain maximum funding standards for allocations to all undergraduate student organizations. 

      2. This committee shall review funding applications every Monday after a funding application deadline. Application reviews shall convene during a Student Senate Session during the fall and spring semester, with exception for University Holidays. 

      3. This committee shall assist in fulfilling USG’s funding duties in conjunction with the Director of Finance and Deputy Director of Finance. 

      4. This committee shall be comprised of no more than seven members. 

      5. This committee shall hear and vote on funding proposals that range from $1,500 to $4,999. 

         1. Funding proposals shall be submitted electronically to the Finance Committee through the Student Organization Management Tool. 

         2. Meetings shall be arranged by the Finance chair based on the availability of Finance Committee members. 

      6. Conflict of Interest 

         1. If any member has a potential conflict of interest related to the funding request(s), they shall make the conflict known to the Finance chair. Subsequently, they shall be excluded from deliberations and voting on the request(s). 

      7. The Finance Committee shall have its own set of bylaws which shall regulate internal processes and procedures for allocations. 

         1. The Finance Committee bylaws can be found on the US. 

      8. The Finance Committee shall host no less than two (2) publicly accessible funding workshops each year, with no less than one (1) hosted each fall and spring semester. 

   8. Student Life

      1. This committee shall be responsible for services or programs that benefit undergraduates at the University and shall seek to enrich the lives of students on campus. 

      2. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Student Services. 

   9. Sustainability 

      1. This committee shall oversee internal USG sustainability practices, as well as working with the broader student body to educate and promote sustainable decisions. 

      2. This committee shall encourage sustainable practices by individual students, organizations, the University, and the greater community. 

      3. The committee chair and two additional senators from the Sustainability Committee shall serve on the Green Initiatives Fund Committee. 

      4. This committee shall work in conjunction with the Director of Sustainability.  

Article III. Executive Branch

  

Section A. Composition 

  

1. A President and Vice President shall be elected according to the procedure in the Election Code. 
2. The President and Vice President shall be supplemented with a cabinet nominated by the President, Vice President, and Cabinet Director and approved by a majority vote of the Senate. 

Section B. Responsibilities 

1. Executives shall abide by the Executive Code of Conduct. 

2. Executives shall be required to serve a minimum of two office hours each week. 

3. Executives shall be required to create a transition document of important procedures and work they completed. This should be submitted by the last day of the session. 

4. Executives shall attend all Senate meetings. 

5. Executives shall attend USG retreats. 

6. Executives, excluding the President, Vice President, and Cabinet Director, shall each sit on respective Senate committee as ex-officio, non-voting member. They shall be responsible for attending all committee meetings. 

7. Executives shall attend Hawkeye Caucus Day at the State Capitol in Des Moines. 

8. Executives are required to attend an Executive retreat held before the end of the spring semester following elections. This retreat will be planned by the President-elect, Vice President-elect, and Cabinet Director 

9. Executives must volunteer to work two external relations events a year.  

Section C. Appointment 

1. The President and Vice President shall select the Cabinet Director through an application and interview process. 

2. The President, Vice President, and Cabinet Director shall then select all other cabinet members through an application and interview process. 

3. The President, Vice President, and Cabinet Director may, but shall not be required to, appoint a Deputy Director of Governmental Relations and a Deputy Director of Finance. The choice to appoint members to the aforementioned positions is at the discretion of the administration.  

4. The President, Vice President, and Cabinet Director may invite the current holder of the cabinet position to serve as ex-officio, non-voting participant when interviewing candidates for the respective or related cabinet position. 

   1. If the current holder of the cabinet position is applying for another term on the executive branch, they are ineligible to participate in the appointment process. 

5. The Cabinet Director shall create a report explaining why each cabinet member was chosen. This report shall accompany the appointment legislation presented to Senate. 

Section D. Officers 

1. President 

   1. Duties 

      1. President shall be the official representative of the undergraduate student body. 

      2. The President shall work with the Vice President and Cabinet Director to select cabinet members. 

      3. The President shall address Senate every session on the state of the student body and on their prioritized initiatives at the annual joint meeting with GPSG, Staff Council, and Faculty Senate. 

   2. Powers 

      1. Executive Order Process 

         1. Executive orders may be established for effective and efficient operation of the Executive Branch. 

         2. An executive order shall be a written document that must be presented to the Senate within a week of its establishment. 

         3. All executive orders shall expire at the completion of the presidential term. 

      2. Veto Process 

         1. The President may veto a piece of legislation by not signing the legislation after it has been passed by the Senate. 

         2. If the President opts to veto a piece of legislation, they must inform the Speaker of the Senate within 24 hours of the veto. 

         3. If the President does not sign and notify the Speaker within six days of passage, that piece of legislation shall be considered vetoed. 

         4. A veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of the Senate. 

            1. Should the President veto a piece of legislation prior to 5:00 PM on the Friday of the passage, the Student Senate shall have the power to overturn the veto at the Senate Session immediately following the veto. 

            2. If the President vetoes legislation after 5:00 PM on Friday or fails to sign a piece of legislation, the original authors of the legislation may delay an override vote for 1 week. 

      3. Removal 

         1. The President shall have authority to remove any and all Executive Officers, except for the Vice President, for misfeasance, malfeasance or nonfeasance of duties. 

         2. The President shall have the power to establish councils or commissions of the Executive Branch by executive order unless otherwise stated in these Bylaws. All executive orders shall remain in effect until terminated by another executive order or reversed by a two-thirds majority vote. A copy of all executive orders shall be sent to the Speaker of the Senate five days prior to enactment. 

2. Vice President 

   1. Duties 

      1. The Vice President shall stand in for the President at various University- related functions if the President is unable to attend said engagements. 

      2. The Vice President shall assume responsibility for such other duties assigned by the President. 

      3. The Vice President shall assume the office of the President if the President leaves office or is unable to perform the duties outlined for the position for an extended period of time. 

   2. Powers 

      1. In cases of an equal division in a Senate vote, the Vice President is permitted to vote on a piece of Senate legislation. 

3. Cabinet Director 

   1. The Cabinet Director shall assist the President and Vice President in the management of the Executive Branch, including oversight of office hours for the Executive Branch. 

   2. The Cabinet Director shall compile semesterly reports which should include, but are not limited to, current USG member information, current USG initiatives and progress on those initiatives, and USG financial reports with the assistance of relevant USG members. 

   3. The Cabinet Director shall track the progress of all initiatives in the Executive and Legislative branches. 

4. Director of Finance 

   1. The Director of Finance shall assist all Student Government branches with the preparation of financial documents as needed, in addition to overseeing all Student Government financial accounts. 

   2. The Director of Finance shall submit official written budget analyses to the Executives and the Student Senate multiple times throughout the term. 

   3. The Director of Finance shall create and maintain a budgeting timeline for the fiscal year. 

   4. The Director of Finance shall compile an End-of-Year report detailing Student Activity Fee allocations and expenditures from the previous year. The report shall include a breakdown of the distribution of all Student Activity Fee revenue, amounts reverted from student organizations, and a detailed report of the financial activities of all organizations audited by the Finance Committee. This report shall be made available on the USG website by the beginning of the fall academic semester. 

   5. The Director of Finance shall be directly responsible for the management of the budgets of the Judicial Branch, Executive Branch, and Legislative Branch in collaboration with the appropriate leaders of each of the aforementioned bodies. 

   6. The Director of Finance shall be responsible for ensuring USG’s compliance with University regulations and uniform financial practices. 

   7. The Director of Finance shall serve as a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Finance committee. 

5. Deputy Director of Finance 

   1. The Deputy Director of Finance shall assist the Director of Finance with their duties. 

   2. The Deputy Director of Finance shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Finance Committee. 

6. Director of Operations 

   1. The Director of Operations shall review the USG Constitution, Bylaws, and other internal documents and offer suggestions to the Internal Affairs Committee at the beginning of each administration on what should be changed. 

   2. The Director of Operations shall maintain and update the internal documentation and archival system for use by future administrations, including the archiving of meeting notes, legislation, initiative information, and reports in conjunction with the Speaker Pro Temp. 

   3. The Director of Operations shall assist the Speaker of the Senate and the Cabinet Director with ensuring the process of transitioning between administrations within Student Government runs smoothly and efficiently. 

   4. The Director of Operations shall coordinate and oversee the transfer of initiatives that are recurring or long-term (more than one administration). 

   5. The Director of Operations shall assist and advise the President and Vice President in organization functions including the USG email, voicemail, and mailbox. 

   6. The Director of Operations shall assist the President and the Vice President with duties relating to the Association of Big Ten Students. 

   7. The Director of Operations shall communicate USG priorities to the Presidential Charter Committee student representatives and ensure that these representatives present to the Student Senate at least once per year. 

   8. The Director of Operations shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting member of the Internal Affairs Committee. 

   9. The Director of Operations shall serve a term lasting one year and one month, in order to ensure the successful transition of the new administration. 

   10. The Director of Operations will serve a term beginning at the start of the presidential term and ending one month after the inauguration of the President, Vice-President, and Executive Cabinet. 

       1. Therefore, the one month following the inauguration of the President shall have two Directors of Operations serving in the position. 

7. Director of Communications 

   1. The Director of Communications shall be responsible for handling or delegating the following: 

      1. Relations with the media. 

      2. Coordinating publicity for USG-sponsored events. 

      3. Promoting USG programs, initiatives, and events to the University of Iowa community through the USG website and social media accounts. 

      4. Recording, optimizing, uploading, and archiving footage of the USG weekly senate meetings, as well as any other important USG events denoted by USG leadership, in conjunction with the IT team of the Iowa Memorial Union and the Speaker of the Senate. This footage shall include a plain view of the senate and clear audio, as well as including accurate closed-captioning. 

      5. Overseeing the communications team 

   2. The Director of Communications shall notify the local news media about USG activities via distribution of press releases. 

   3. The Director of Communications shall assist USG Senators and/or Executives in the development of promotional campaigns for USG programs, initiatives, and events. 

   4. Upon approval from the President, the Director of Communications may request a communications team to aid in marketing, design, social media, media relations, or other matters of communication. These positions shall be filled by the OAC. In addition to having the former Communications Director present, the new Communications Director will also sit in as ex-officio, non-voting member of the committee.  

   5. The Director of Communications holds the right to decline or suggest modifications to any USG Communications Team Request submitted on the grounds of project size, time allotment, price of project, and/or relevance to USG initiatives. 

      1. If a USG Communications Team Request is denied, the request can be filled by an outside party. External contracts must be approved first by the President and second by the Senate. 

   6. The Director of Communications shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the External Affairs Committee. 

8. Director of External Relations 

   1. The Director of External Relations shall act as the liaison between USG, registered student organizations, campus partners, and community members. 

   2. The Director of External Relations shall be responsible for serving on the Student Organization Review Committee. 

   3. The Director of External Relations shall be responsible for helping OLE administer informational sessions and meetings to help provide student organizations policy and process information. 

   4. The Director of External Relations shall be responsible—along with the External Affairs Committee Chair—for assigning USG members to student organizations as liaisons. 

   5. The Director of External Relations shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting member of the External Affairs Committee. 

9. Director of Student Services 

   1. The Director of Student Services shall oversee USG funded student services and help manage ongoing USG initiatives. 

   2. The Director of Student Services shall ensure all student services are communicated to the student body and work with other Executives to communicate ongoing USG services related to their positions. 

   3. The Director of Student Services shall identify areas on campus where student services are needed and create initiatives to fulfill those needs. 

   4. The Director of Student Services shall work closely with the President, Vice President, Director of Finance, and USG adviser to manage USG contracts. 

   5. The Director of Student Services shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Student Life committee. 

10.  Director of Justice and Equity 

    1. The Director of Justice and Equity shall work to develop practices and an environment for the undergraduate student body, student organizations, and USG that is inclusive of all forms of diversity on campus. 

    2. The Director of Justice and Equity shall be an advocate for undergraduate students and student organizations, working to guarantee just representation and equal opportunity for funding, involvement, and collaboration. 

    3. The Director of Justice and Equity shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Justice and Equity Committee. 

11.  Director of Sustainability 

    1. The Director of Sustainability shall work in conjunction with the Office of Sustainability and the Environment to support University sustainability initiatives. 

    2. The Director of Sustainability shall develop and coordinate USG- related sustainability initiatives throughout the year. 

    3. The Director of Sustainability shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Sustainability Committee. 

    4. The Director of Sustainability shall monitor the University of Iowa’s progress towards its sustainability goals and communicate that status with the Sustainability Committee. 

    5. The Director of Sustainability shall oversee the Green Initiatives Fund. 

    6. The Director of Sustainability shall serve as the consultant for USG on internal sustainability matters. 

12.  Director of Health and Safety 

    1. The Director of Health and Safety shall work to address safety related measures on and off campus with the student’s interest in mind. 

    2. The Director of Health and Safety shall develop and coordinate methods to advance safety needs through publication and holding of forums or events to educate and involve the undergraduate student body in ways to be safe under all circumstances. 

    3. The Director of Health and Safety shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Safety Committee. 

13.  Director of Academic Affairs 

    1. The Director of Academic Affairs shall work to improve the academic experience of all students at the University of Iowa. 

    2. The Director of Academic Affairs shall act as a liaison between USG and university faculty, staff, and administration. They shall also act as a liaison between USG and student organizations with academic interests. 

    3. The Director of Academic Affairs shall identify areas on campus that could better support student needs in areas such as tuition, scholarship, research, resource allocation, communication with faculty, and career readiness. 

    4. The Director of Academic Affairs shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Academic Affairs Committee. 

14.  Director of Governmental Relations 

    1. The Director of Governmental Relations shall be involved in the State legislative process at the State Capitol every legislative session. 

    2. The Director of Governmental Relations shall lobby on behalf of students with state legislators, legislative staff, the Governor, the Governor’s Staff, Board of Regents members and staff, Iowa’s Federal delegation, and other businesses, UI Administration, and community leaders to advance the needs of students. 

    3. The Director of Governmental Relations shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Governmental Relations Committee. 

15.  Deputy Director of Governmental Relations 

    1. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall assist the Director of Governmental Relations with their duties. 

    2. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall serve a one-year term as Deputy Director of Governmental Relations. 

    3. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall lobby on behalf of students with state legislators, legislative staff, the Governor, the Governor’s Staff, Board of Regents members and staff, Iowa’s Federal delegation, and other businesses, UI Administration, and community leaders to advance the needs of students. 

    4. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall assist with civic engagement efforts on campus during election season to help improve campus voter turnout. 

    5. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall fulfill the Director of Governmental Relations’ duties in the event that they are unable to fulfill their duties. 

    6. The Deputy Director of Governmental Relations shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Governmental Relations Committee. 

16.  City Liaison 

    1. The City Liaison shall attend Senate Sessions, unless they conflict with City Council Meetings. 

    2. The City Liaison shall give reports to City Council on student-city relations. 

    3. The City Liaison shall stay informed on all business undertaken by City Council. 

    4. The City Liaison shall collaborate with members of the City Council and between the City Council and USG. 

    5. The City Liaison shall participate to a full extent in City Council work sessions. 

    6. The City Liaison shall notify the Iowa City City Clerk prior to any absence from any City Council meeting and arrange for the Vice City Council Liaison to undertake the duties above. 

    7. The City Liaison shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Governmental Relations Committee. 

17.  Deputy City Liaison 

    1. The Deputy City Liaison shall serve a one-year term as Deputy City Liaison and serve a one-year term as City Liaison the following year. 

    2. The Deputy City Liaison shall assist the City Liaison in their day-to-day duties. 

    3. The Deputy City Liaison shall fulfill the duties of the City Council Liaison if they are unable to fulfill their duties. 

    4. The Deputy City Liaison shall serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on the Governmental Relations Committee.  

18. Presidential and Vice Presidential Succession Plan 

    1. In the instance that the President resigns, is removed, or fails to qualify for membership in USG, the Vice President shall assume the role of President. The speaker of the Senate shall assume the role of Interim Vice President. The President will then conduct a search for a permanent Vice President on a timeline set by the Internal Affairs Committee. Prior to setting a timeline, the Internal Affairs Committee shall call for a special meeting of the Student Senate to discuss, debate, and propose reasoning for how much time shall be allotted for the nomination to be made. After all senators are satisfied with discussion, the Internal Affairs Committee shall immediately vote on the length of the timeline. The Internal Affairs Committee’s decision shall then become binding. The President will then have the specified amount of time to make a nomination, which will then be confirmed by the Student Senate with a two-thirds affirmative vote of seated senators.  

    2. In the instance that the Vice President resigns, is removed, or fails to qualify for membership in USG, the Speaker of the Senate shall assume the role of Interim Vice President. The President will then conduct a search for a permanent Vice President on a timeline set by the Internal Affairs Committee. Prior to setting a timeline, the Internal Affairs Committee shall call for a special meeting of the Student Senate to discuss, debate, and propose reasoning for how much time will be allotted for the nomination to be made. After all senators are satisfied with discussion, the Internal Affairs Committee shall immediately vote on the length of the timeline. The Internal Affairs Committee’s decision shall then become binding. The President will then have the specified amount of time to make a nomination, which will then be confirmed by the Student Senate with a two-thirds affirmative vote of seated senators.  

    3. In the instance that both the President and Vice President are unable to fulfill their respective duties, the Speaker of the Senate shall assume the duties of the President while the Cabinet Director shall assume the duties of the Vice President. Immediately following these vacancies, the Internal Affairs Committee and the Student Elections Commissioner shall select a time for a special election in which will elect a new permanent President and Vice President. In the event that both the President and Vice President resign two months or less before a new administration is sworn in, the Speaker of the Senate and the Cabinet Director shall assume the duties listed above for the remainder of the current administration. 

Article IV. Judicial Branch

Section A. Powers 

1. SJC shall establish and maintain their own bylaws. 

Article V. Finances and Allocation

 Section A. Mission 

1. USG shall allocate student activity fees to fund student organizations and student services. 

2. SAF allocated to USG shall be allocated by means of three budgets: the Fixed Costs Budget, the Finance Committee Budget, and the Internal Operations Budget. 

3. USG shall work to uphold the University of Iowa Purchasing Department Mission Statement insofar as “to obtain quality goods and services at the lowest reasonable cost, while operating at the highest standards of ethical conduct.” 

 Section B. Procedure 

1. The Internal Operations Budget shall be divided into four sub-budgets: Legislative Branch Budget, Executive Budget, Judicial Branch Budget, and the Office of Leadership and Engagement Collaboration Budget. The President, Vice President, and Director of Finance shall consult with OLE to develop the Internal Operations Budget. The Director of Finance shall draft and recommend an Internal Operations Budget to the Senate. If the recommended Internal Operations Budget is not adopted, the Director of Finance shall re-submit budgets with the consideration of the Student Senate’s suggestions. The Internal Operations Budget for a fiscal year shall be passed prior to its respective fiscal year. 

2. The Finance Committee shall allocate SAF from the Finance Committee Budget to student organizations using a funding application process. Refer to Finance Bylaws for detailed procedures. 

Section C. Operation 

1. All checks, drafts, or other orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness issued in the name of USG shall be signed by the Student Organization Business Office and two of the following officers: USG President, the USG Director of Finance, or USG Advisor. 

2. The Fiscal Year of USG shall begin on the first day of July of each year and end on the last day of June as modeled from the fiscal policy of the University of Iowa. 

3. Internal spending, except for allocations toward OLE Collaboration efforts as outlined in the annual operational budget, shall be held to the maximum internal spending standards in Appendix A. 

   1. All items that are not included in or anticipated within these internal maximum spending standards will be reviewed using the discretion of the executive(s) or body who has final approval. 

   2. If USG would like to make a purchase that does not fit these funding standards, a secondary bill may be passed through the USG Senate to allocate special funds exceeding the line item standard. 

4. Executive Budget 

   1. The President and Director of Finance must approve of any expenditures from the Executive Budget. Advice from the Cabinet should be sought for proper allocation of funds. 

5. Judicial Budget 

   1. Judicial budget requests are subject to the same regulations as Legislative and Executive funding requests. 

   2. The Student Election Commissioner, with authorization from the Chief Justice, shall request a withdrawal of monies from the Judicial Budget to cover expenses incurred during the USG election process. 

   3. The Judicial Branch may request funding from this budget for any programs deemed necessary to facilitate their duties. 

6. Legislative Budget 

   1. The combined approval of the Speaker and Speaker Pro Temp shall be required to spend from the Legislative Budget. 

7. Contingency Reserve Account 

   1. USG shall maintain a Contingency Reserve Account to absorb unspent monies from previous administrations. 

   2. Requests for use of these funds must follow the appropriate approval process dependent upon the amount of the request: 

      1. Requests of single projects less than $1,500 can be approved through two-thirds approval from the President, Vice President, or Director of Finance. 

      2. Requests of single projects greater than or equal to $1,500 and less than $5,000 can be approved by the Finance Committee. 

      3. Requests of single projects greater than or equal to $5,000 should be submitted in the form of legislation and must be approved through a majority vote of the Student Senate. 

   3. The Director of Finance shall maintain documentation of all expenditures from the Contingency Reserve Account. Said document shall be available to the Student Senate and the Cabinet. 

   4. Requests for use of Contingency Reserve Account funding can be considered throughout the year as the need arises. 

   5. The ceiling on this account will be $120,000, with a floor of $60,000 and a recommended balance of $90,000. 

   6. Balances in the Contingency Reserve Account will be reviewed quarterly with the USG Officers, SOBO, and USG Advisors. Should the balance in the Contingency Account exceed $120,000, the Director of Finance and President shall endeavor to use available funds to either support USG initiatives or revert to the General Allocation Finance Account. 

   7. The Deferred Maintenance Fund and Accessibility Fund must be funded through internal reallocations of Contingency Reserve money. 

8. Internal Reallocations 

   1. The Director of Finance and the President shall have the power to reallocate funds between the USG accounts, provided approval from the Student Senate. 

   2. The Director of Finance shall have the power to approve student organization line item reallocations, provided approval is given before the student organization incurs the expense for which reallocation is sought. 

9. USG Sustainable Protocol 

   1. USG shall abide by the following protocol: 

      1. Compostable utensils shall be ordered, available, and composted for any USG events with food. 

      2. After any given USG event, compostable materials shall be composted, and recyclable materials shall be recycled. The Internal Affairs committee shall review and update this protocol annually with the Director of Sustainability. 

      3. USG shall uphold the following procedures for sustainable procurement: 

         1. The Director of Finance and the Director of Sustainability shall be responsible for making any and all internal purchases from sustainable and ethical vendors, as available. 

         2. The necessity of items being purchased shall be considered by the Director of Finance, along with any executives and senators involved. 

Article VI. Elections

   

Section A. Administration 

1. The Student Judicial Court shall oversee and enforce the rules and regulations set forth by the USG Election Code, which may be amended with a required affirmative majority vote. 

2. Refer to the Elections Code for detailed procedures. 

Article VII. Transition Between Administrations

  

Section A. Transition Period 

 

1. The transition period between administrations of USG shall begin immediately after election results are confirmed. The transition period shall end the first week of May. 

2. During the transition period, outgoing executives and officers shall brief incoming executives and officers on the expectations and duties associated with their position. Important materials from prior years shall be passed on from outgoing executives and officers to incoming executives and officers. There must be at least one formal meeting between outgoing and incoming officers within the transition period. 

3. All incoming Constituency Senators shall attend a transition session held after the first Senate meeting, which will also be attended by the former and current Director of Justice and Equity, former and current Speaker of the Senate, former and current Chair of the Justice and Equity Committee, and all former Constituency Senators. Items discussed in this session shall include: 

   1. Duties and responsibilities of each Constituency Senator 

   2. All organizations and communities that may fall under their respective domains 

   3. Parliamentary procedure, Senate processes, and etiquette 

4. At-Large Senators and Constituency Senators shall be elected according to the procedures, regulations, and requirements in the Election Code determined by the Elections Commissioner. At-Large Senators exist as a mandated body in which representation of the general student is entrusted. Incoming at-large senators and Constituency Senators are responsible for attending the retreat, setup by the Speaker. Outgoing committee chairs shall be responsible for getting incoming At-Large Senators and Constituency Senators oriented with their duties and responsibilities. The Speaker is responsible for any and all other transition information relevant to the duties of At-Large Senators and Constituency Senator. 

  

Article VIII. Amending the USG Bylaws

  

Section A. Amendment 

  

1. Amendments to the USG Bylaws must be introduced in writing during a general assembly meeting of the Student Senate. This introduction shall be the first consideration of the amendment. For an amendment to move on to a second consideration it must receive an affirmative two-thirds majority vote of present senators. If the amendment reaches this threshold it can then be brought up for a second consideration no less than one week after the first consideration. After the second consideration, the amendment must receive an affirmative two-thirds majority vote of present senators. 

  

 

    

Appendix A