BYLAWS OF STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

AMENDED Oct 1, 2008 ARTICLE I - STATUS OF OFFICIALS 1. The President, Vice-President, and Vice-President of Records and Finance, hereinafter referred to as the executive committee shall all be full-time students in good standing, defined as not on academic probation or disciplinary probation from the University. Any change in this status shall require resignation within 10 working days. 2. All Senators shall be students in good standing. Any change in this status shall require resignation within 10 working days. 3. The GSS representative may be an Officer, Senator, or other member of the Student Body. If this position is filled by a SGA official, his/her vote is retained; otherwise, this is a non-voting position. ARTICLE II - DUTIES OF OFFICIALS 1. The President shall: a. be the official representative of the Student Body, b. supervise the workings of SGA, c. be responsible for calling meetings of SGA and seeing to it that the meeting date, time, and place are advertised, d. be responsible for compiling agendas for SGA meetings, e. make appointments called for and according to the constitution and bylaws, serve as acting president of any SGA-sanctioned club or organization, should a vacancy occur, until a replacement is appointed, f. serve in every other capacity as chief executive of SGA, g. serve as an ex officio member of the UTSI support council. 2. The Vice-President shall: a. assist the President in the performance of his/her duties, b. assume the office of President if it becomes vacant during a term, c. assume the President's duties should the latter be absent or otherwise incapacitated, 3. The Vice-President of Records and Finance shall: a. assist the President and Vice-President in the performance of their duties, b. keep accurate records of all proceedings and activities of SGA, c. keep accurate records of all SGA expenditures, d. keep accurate records of membership and financial activity and status of all SGA-supervised clubs and organizations with sources of income in addition to SGA allotments, e. be responsible for printing and distribution of agendas, minutes, financial reports and other appropriate materials. 4. The Senators shall: a. assist the Officers with the performance of their duties, b. actively seek out the opinion of the Student Body pertaining to SGA actions or undertakings, c. be responsible for any on-going duties assigned to them. 5. The GSS representative's duties are listed below. No additional salary shall be awarded for this position; however, a budgeted amount of travel funds shall be allocated for reimbursement for trips to Knoxville. The representative shall: a. attend GSS meetings at the request of the executive committee,

b. act as the official representative at GSS for SGA, c. keep SGA informed of all proceedings of GSS, d. If no volunteer can be found, it is the responsibility of an Officer to fill the GSS position. ARTICLE IIA - SGA LIAISON 1. The Assistant Dean for Admissions and Students Affairs shall serve as the official administration liaison to SGA. ARTICLE III - TERMS OF SERVICE 1. Terms of service for the SGA Officers and Senators will be from the May 1 to May 1 of the following year. 2. GSS representative, if an Officer, serves for the identical term of that individual, otherwise the term shall be decided by the Executive Committee when the representative is appointed. 3. Club presidents shall serve according to the club's bylaws. If no bylaws exist, the club president shall serve as long as that individual desires. ARTICLE IV - ELECTIONS AND SELECTION OF SGA OFFICIALS 1. No later than after the first full week in April shall the election committee be nominated and chosen by a majority of the voting members. The election committee shall: a. entertain nominations, b. advertise candidates and elections, c. produce ballots, d. procure ballot box, e. schedule voting times and place, f. supervise elections, g. provide for confidential vote and tally. Any student may nominate any other student. 2. There is one election for Officers held on any full week in April. Another election for Senators will held the following week. The two elections should both occur in April. The votes will take place on two consecutive class days during their announced week. 3. Officers are selected by popular vote of full-time students. Students running for Office must have been a member of the Office or Senate from the previous year, or have attended at least of the SGA monthly meetings for that year. Five full-time Senators are selected by popular vote in the elections. 4. Five full-time Senators shall be chosen from the aforementioned election and shall be ranked from the results of the popular vote. In case of a tie, SGA shall decide the ranking of the concerned individuals. Senators 1-5 shall fill the five full-time positions. The remaining Senators on the ballot shall remain as alternates according to the order of the voting process. 5. Students entering UTSI in a year's summer or fall semester shall be eligible for the one incoming
Senate position for that year. Interested individuals shall be interviewed and voted on by SGA. The deadline for the selection of the incoming Senator is October 10. If no incoming Senator is chosen, then the highest-ranking, available alternate shall automatically assume the position to make the total number of Senators six. If there are no available alternates at that time interested students shall be interviewed and voted on by SGA. This senator will serve from then until they are replaced by the following fall semesters incoming elected student. If the current incoming student senator is elected as a full senator during the spring election, the highest ranking alternate will serve as interim until an incoming student senator is elected the following fall.

6. Club presidents of clubs without bylaws shall be appointed, when necessary, by the President and must be approved by a majority vote of SGA voting members. ARTICLE V - VACANCIES 1. In case of a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice-President shall assume that former office. 2. In case of a vacancy in the office of the Vice-President or Vice-President of Records and Finance, the President shall make the appropriate appointment subject to a majority vote of SGA. 3. In case of a vacancy in the Senate, the highest-ranking alternate shall assume the vacant position. Should no alternate be available, the President shall make the appropriate appointment subject to a majority vote of SGA. 4. In the event that an election has taken place and any incumbent position becomes vacant, the newly elected corresponding officer shall fill the vacant position. ARTICLE VI - MEETING CONDUCT 1. In any case, a quorum, that is, the number of SGA officials in attendance in order to decide any matters of business shall be a simple majority of the voting members, consisting of a minimum of 3 voting Senators and the SGA President. 2. After the second absence of any SGA official from regular proceedings, that member\ shall give a statement at the next regular meeting indicating willingness or unwillingness to continue in his/her present position. 3. Motions may be brought to the floor by voting members only. Motions are carried by a majority of voting members present. 4. Regular SGA meetings are open to everyone. Attendance to special meetings may be restricted. ARTICLE VII - CAMPUS CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS 1. The requirements for a charter are: a. a club must consist of at least ten members, or receive Senate approval, b. a club constitution must be submitted to and approved by SGA, c. clubs presently recognized by SGA must have a constitution ratified by SGA. 2. All expenditures over $100.00 must be voted upon by the SGA to receive approval, at an SGA meeting or via e-mail sga@utsi.edu, before the expenditure may take place. 3. A copy of the receipt on any expenditure of SGA funds must be supplied to the VicePresident of Records and Finance. If the expenditure is deemed inappropriate or if the club overspends its budget, that club is responsible for those funds. ARTICLE VIII - BUDGET AND FINANCIAL ISSUES 1. A complete operating budget and requests from the University Share of the Student Activities Fees for the upcoming fiscal year must be compiled by the executive committee and submitted for the examination of SGA and the Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs no late than the first Wednesday in March. Approval of the resulting budget and requests must be approved no later than the first Wednesday in April. 2. It shall be the responsibility of the executive committee to meet with the Business Manager of UTSI and any other appropriate official(s) in order to defend and justify the approved operating budget and requests. This meeting should take place no later than the end of the third week in April. ARTICLE IX ADOPTION

1. Upon acceptance of these bylaws, they shall become the official bylaws to the constitution of SGA. ARTICLE X - SGA CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS GUIDELINES 1. The requirements for attaining a club charter are stated in the SGA Bylaws Amendment VII. 2. All of the SGA clubs fall under one of the following categories: a. Sports Club: A club which has athletic participation and competition in various events as its primary objective, b. Activities Club: A club which provides an opportunity for participation in various hobbies and activities, c. Service Club: A club which provides a specific service or services to the students, the student body, or the school. 3. A club must maintain an active student membership role (dating no further back than one year) of at least ten persons, or receive Senate approval. 4. All sports clubs must hold an organizational meeting prior to entering any league. The meeting should be well publicized and open for anyone to attend. 5. All activities clubs must hold at least one introductory/organizational meeting each semester (excluding the summer semester). These meetings should be well publicized and open for anyone to attend. 6. All service clubs must publish/publicize a list every semester (excluding the summer semester) detailing the services provided by the individual club. 7. All clubs must maintain an active roster (dating no further back than one year), supply requested materials to the SGA webmaster, and supply an inventory list to the Vice-President of Finance and Records at the end of each fiscal year or each time a club budget is submitted for review and approval. 8. All non-student participants in the clubs shall be responsible for paying their own entrance fees for games, competitions, and athletic leagues. 9. SGA funds allotted through club budgets shall not be spent on clothing or active wear unless it is required to make the activity safe. All safety wear shall be property of the club and should be listed as inventory. 10. All clubs wishing to receive funds from SGA in the following fiscal year must submit an itemized budget proposal to the Vice-President of Finance and Records during the first SGA meeting in March. 11. A club President shall be elected/appointed as stated in club's by-laws. If a club fails to elect/appoint a club President, the SGA President shall appoint a President for that club. The club President will be the club's representative to SGA, the club representative, or an appropriate alternate, is required to attend to the SGA monthly meetings. He/she will be the individual responsible to maintain the operation of the club and its facilities and/or equipment. 12. All clubs will be responsible to meet the requirements specified in these club guidelines in order to remain a SGA sanctioned and funded club. If any club fails to meet the requirements listed, the following actions should be taken. a. The club should be placed on probation for the following semester (excluding the summer semester). b. During the probationary semester, the club must fulfill all of the neglected requirements and continue to meet the current guidelines in order to be taken off of probation and listed as an active SGA club. c. If the club fails to satisfy (b) during the probationary semester, it will be listed as inactive, and its budget will be suspended at the end of the probationary

semester. d. In order to become recognized as an active club from inactive status, the club must prove to SGA that it meets the requirements listed in these club guidelines. SGA then has the right to decide whether or not to reinstate the club. e. SGA retains the right to allot funding to an inactive club or any SGA club which has a suspended budget. In order to receive this funding a club must petition SGA and provide a financial plan.