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Undergraduate Council Bylaws

As ratified by the Student Senate, 2019

Article I: Organization

Section 1. Name

  1. The name of this organization shall be the Undergraduate Council.

Section 2. Authority

  1. The Undergraduate Council gains its authority from the Rensselaer Union Constitution.
  2. The Undergraduate Council shall pass legislation commensurate with its duties, as defined by the Rensselaer Union Constitution and specified in these By-Laws.

Article II: Membership

Section 1.

  1. A Representative to the Undergraduate Council shall be any person who has voting rights in the Undergraduate Council, as defined by the Rensselaer Union Constitution.
  2. Undergraduate Council membership shall consist of the President of the Undergraduate Council, all Officers of the Undergraduate Council and all Representatives to the Undergraduate Council.

Article III: Officers

Section 1. Undergraduate Council President

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the President to:
    1. Uphold these By-Laws.
    2. Call and preside over meetings of the Undergraduate Council.
    3. Create a year-end report to assist the next Undergraduate Council.
    4. Represent the Undergraduate Council in the RPI community.
  2. The Undergraduate Council President may approve all Undergraduate Council Expenditures under $50.
  3. The President of the Undergraduate Council shall assume the duties of any unfilled Officer position on the Undergraduate Council.

Section 3. Undergraduate Council Vice President

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President to:
    1. Assume the duties of the President in their absence.
    2. Become familiar with the work of all committees and Class Councils, and assist the committees and Class Councils in their duties.
    3. Ensure that these Bylaws and all Committee and Class Council Bylaws are upheld.

Section 4. Secretary

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to:
    1. Record and be responsible for meeting attendance and minutes.
    2. Maintain a record of all minutes, to be made available at all meetings.

Section 5. Treasurer

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to:
    1. Manage funds allocated to the Undergraduate Council as directed by the President of the Undergraduate Council or the Undergraduate Council at large.
    2. Approve transactions conducted by the Undergraduate Council or any of its Committees. The President of the Undergraduate Council may overrule any decision pertaining to such a transaction. The President’s ruling may be overturned by a 2/3 vote of the Undergraduate Council.

Section 6. Director of Public Relations

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the Director of Public Relations to:
    1. Meet regularly with the Publicity Directors of the four Class Councils to assist them in promoting their Councils’ events, programs, and activities.
    2. Promote the meetings and activities of the Undergraduate Council.
    3. Attend meetings of the Student Government Communications Committee.

Section 7. Undergraduate Council-Executive Board Liaison

  1. The Undergraduate Council shall appoint a Liaison to the Executive Board, whose duties shall include:
    1. Communicate the Undergraduate Council’s opinions and activities to the Executive Board and the Executive Board’s opinions and activities to the Undergraduate Council.
    2. Communicate to the Executive Board any pending proposals to change the amount of Class Dues or Council budgetary policy.
      1. The Undergraduate Council–Executive Board Liaison shall be responsible for informing the Rensselaer Union Executive Board of the amount and reasoning for any recommended change in the amount of Class Dues no more than 24 hours after the Undergraduate Council’s vote.

Section 8. Undergraduate Council-Student Senate Liaison

  1. It shall be the responsibility of the Liaison to:
    1. Communicate the Undergraduate Council’s opinions and activities to the Student Senate and the Student Senate’s opinions and activities to the Undergraduate Council.
    2. Is required to attend both Student Senate meetings and Undergraduate Council meetings.

Article IV: Appointments

Section 1. Process

  1. All positions appointed by the Undergraduate Council in these or other bylaws, unless specified otherwise in these bylaws, will be filled by an appointment made by the President of the Undergraduate Council and confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the Undergraduate Council.
  2. In the absence of a Council, the president’s appointment will automatically be approved.

Article V: Duties of Office

Section 1. Duties of Representatives

  1. Undergraduate Council Representatives shall be expected to:
    1. Attend all meetings of the Undergraduate Council and their Class Council.
    2. Give periodic updates from their respective Class Council.
    3. Present proposals, reports, and requests for funding as requested by their Class Council.

Section 2. Duties of Officers and Committee Chairs

  1. Officers and Committee Chairs of the Undergraduate Council serve at the pleasure of the President.

Article VI: Meetings

Section 1. Calling Meetings

  1. The Undergraduate Council shall meet at least twice a month during normal academic periods.
  2. Meetings may be requested by two or more Representatives. The President of the Undergraduate Council must call a meeting within one week of the request. Should the President fail to do so, the members who called the meeting may call the meeting themselves, to be chaired by one of the two members who called the meeting.

Section 2. Rules for Meetings

  1. A quorum shall consist of 2⁄3 of the total voting membership of the Undergraduate Council.
  2. The presiding officer of the Undergraduate Council may only vote in the event of a tie.
  3. The bylaws of the Undergraduate Council shall not be suspended unless a vote to do so is held at the prior meeting.

Section 3. Closing Meetings

  1. All meetings of the Undergraduate Council shall be open to the public unless closed by a 2/3 vote of its total voting membership.
    1. Only members of the Undergraduate Council or Class Councils may attend a closed meeting. The Undergraduate Council may invite non-members by a majority vote.
    2. All motions, resolutions, and votes passed during the closed meeting must be made public immediately after the meeting is opened.

Article VII: Legislation

Section 1. Introducing Legislation

  1. Legislation may be introduced for consideration in the Undergraduate Council by the following means:
    1. As a proposal, report, or recommendation of a standing committee or subcommittee.
    2. As a proposal sponsored by two or more Representatives.
  2. All proposed legislation must be submitted to the President of the Undergraduate Council.

Section 2. Expenditures of Class Dues

  1. Each Class Council may only request the expenditure of Class Dues allocated to their class year. Proposals requesting expenditure of Class Dues from multiple Councils must be sponsored by all Councils in question.
  2. The Undergraduate Council shall set guidelines for the expenditure of Class Dues by majority vote. Such guidelines must be approved by a majority vote of the Executive Board followed by a majority vote of the Student Senate. If the Executive Board does not approve the proposed guidelines, the Undergraduate Council may seek approval of the Student Senate by 2⁄3 vote of its total voting membership. Amendments to the guidelines shall be made public immediately following their adoption.

Section 3. Bylaw Changes

  1. All changes to the Bylaws of a Class Council shall be approved by 2/3 vote of the Undergraduate Council.

Section 4. Voting Procedure

  1. Voting shall be conducted either electronically or in person.

Article VIII: Committees

Section 1. Creation

  1. Committees may be formed by a 2/3 vote of the Undergraduate Council.
  2. The Chair of each Undergraduate Council Committee must be following the procedures outlined in these bylaws.

Section 2. Eligibility

  1. Any Undergraduate Member of the Rensselaer Union may chair or join a committee of the Undergraduate Council.

Article IX: Class Councils

Section 1. Name

  1. Each Class Council shall be named in accordance with the Class it represents and referred to as the Council of that Class.

Section 2. Authority

  1. The Class Councils gain their authority from the Rensselaer Union Constitution and these bylaws.
  2. Class Councils shall pass legislation commensurate with their duties in accordance with the Class they represent, as defined in the Rensselaer Union Constitution and these bylaws.

Article X: Class Council Membership

Section 1. Class Membership

  1. Any member of the Union shall be considered a member of the Class for which they pay Class Dues.

Section 2. Council Membership

  1. Voting membership of each Class Council shall consist of that Council’s voting members defined in the Rensselaer Union Constitution, in addition to the Council’s Members at Large as defined in these bylaws.
  2. Should any member of a Class express intent to join their Class Council, they may be appointed a Member at Large by a majority vote of that Council.

Section 3. Class Officers

  1. Each Council shall have Officer positions consisting of:
    1. Class President
    2. Class Vice President
    3. Class Secretary
    4. Class Treasurer
    5. Class Publicity Director
  2. The duties of each Class Officer shall be defined in the Bylaws of that Council.

Section 4. Term Limits and Vacancies

  1. Vacancies in a Vice President, Senator, or Representative position for any Class Council shall be filled by that Council following Class Appointment procedures outlined in these bylaws.
  2. Officers, Committee Chairs, and Members-at-Large will serve for a term ending upon the conclusion of general elections of the next Class Council, as defined in the Rensselaer Union Constitution.
    1. Exemptions include the Tree Chair, Gift Chair, and Senior Week Chair, who shall serve until they resign, are removed, or their committee is disbanded.

Article XI: Class Appointments

Section 1. Class Appointments

  1. Vacancies in any Representative, Senator, Officer, or Committee Chair position, with the exception of the Class President and Vice President, shall be filled with a member of their Class appointed by their Council.
    1. Such vacancies must be advertised to the Class for at least one week before they may be filled.
    2. Candidates interested in filling a vacant position shall be interviewed by their Class Council prior to their confirmation.
    3. Their Council’s appointment will be determined among these candidates by plurality vote.
    4. Any Officer or Committee Chair appointment must be confirmed by a majority vote of the Council.
    5. Any Representative or Senator appointment must be confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the Council.
  2. Should three or more voting positions become vacant within a two week period, the Council may fill any number of those positions by a unanimous vote. If this vote fails for any position, normal appointment procedures shall be followed for that position.

Section 2. Presidential Succession

  1. Upon the resignation or removal of a Class President, their Class Vice President shall assume the office of the President.
  2. Upon the resignation or removal of a Class Vice President, or their succession as the new Class President, a new Vice President shall be appointed from among the Council’s voting membership.
    1. Candidates interested in becoming the new Vice President shall be interviewed by their Council prior to their confirmation.
    2. Their Council’s appointment will be determined among these candidates by plurality vote.
    3. The new Vice President must be confirmed by a 2/3 vote of the Council.
    4. After two separate meetings with inconclusive voting, the Class President can, at the third meeting, appoint any member of the Class to the position of Class Vice President, to be confirmed by majority vote of the Council.

Article XII: Meetings

Section 1. Calling Meetings

  1. Each Class Council shall meet at least once a week during normal academic periods.
  2. Meetings may be requested at a specific time by three or more voting members with a signed, written request to their Class President, and must not be held earlier than twenty-four hours following the submission of such a request. Should the Class President fail to call a meeting for that time, one of the requesting members may call and preside over that meeting.
  3. The Class President must give notice of additional meetings to the Council at least twenty four hours in advance.

Section 2. Rules for Meetings

  1. Any meeting of a Class Council shall be open to the public unless closed by a 2/3 vote of that Council’s total voting membership.
    1. Only members of the appropriate Class Council or the Undergraduate Council may attend a closed meeting. The Class Council may invite non-members by a majority vote.
    2. All motions passed during the closed meeting must be made public immediately after the meeting is opened.

Article XIII: Committees

Section 1. Committee Formation and Authority

  1. Committees may be formed by a 2/3 vote of a Class Council. Each Committee shall be open to any member of their Class, and must have at least two members of their Class Council in addition to its Chair.
  2. All Committee Chair positions shall be filled by their Council following Class Appointment procedures as outlined in these Bylaws.
  3. Any decision of a Committee or Committee Chair may be overruled by a 2/3 vote of its Class Council.

Section 2. Required Committees

  1. Each council shall be required to make the following committees over the course of their time at Rensselaer:
    1. Class Tree Committee
    2. Senior Week Committee
    3. Class Gift Committee
  2. The duties of each committee shall be determined by the Class Council upon its creation.

Article XIV: Class Council Removals

Section 1. Good Cause

  1. Good Cause for removal of any member, officer, or committee chair of a Class Council, as provided in the Rensselaer Union Constitution, shall be defined as follows:
    1. Failure to conscientiously fulfill their duties of office, as defined in these bylaws or any standard defined by their Class Council.

Article XV: Supremacy

Section 1. Nullification

  1. In the event that any action taken, or legislation passed, by the Undergraduate Council and/or the Class Councils comes in conflict with any outside law, and/or Rensselaer Union or Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute rule or standard, the legislation/action will be suspended by that rule, standard or outside law.