Article I - Membership | Article II - Meetings | Article III - Officers | Article IV - Duties of Officers | Article V - Executive Board | Article VI - Committees | Article VII - Executive Council | Article VIII - Parilamentary Law | Article IX - New Business | Article X - Discipline and Expulsion of Members | Article XI –Quorum |

BYLAWS OF MILWAUKEE STUDENT SENATE

ARTICLE I-MEMBERSHIP

Section I

The membership of M.S.S. shall be restricted to those students who have paid their Student Activity fee.

Section II

The duties of the representative shall be:

A. To attend the General Assembly meetings.
B. To take an active part in the meetings.
C. To promote the purposes and aims of this organization.
D. To report to their constituents on MS.S. activities.
E. To serve on at least one (1) M.S.S. committee.
F. Senators must serve a minimum of two (2) hours per week in the Senate office. Chair Persons must serve a minimum of three (3) hours per week in the Senate office. Officers must serve minimum of four (4) hours per week in the Senate office.

Section III

Representatives are limited to two (2) excused absences per semester. Absences are defined as: 1. Missing a scheduled General Assembly meeting. 2. Failure to serve the minimum required office hours per week. Representatives with two (2) unexcused absences or missing half of the scheduled semester meetings shall receive a letter of jeopardy and be notified that after one (1) more unexcused absence they will be dropped for that semester.

ARTICLE II-MEETINGS

Section I

Regular General Assembly meetings will be held bimonthly on alternate days of the week, Monday through Friday, at alternate periods of the day, to insure that the same classes are not missed repeatedly. Reminder notices will be posted prior to the meetings, and attendance and knowledge of the meeting date are the responsibility of the representative.

Section II

Special meetings may be called by the President. Written notification shall be made 7 days prior to the meeting. Any member of the Executive Board may call a Special Executive Council meeting with the consent of the President and upon notification of all Council members at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.

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ARTICLE III-OFFICERS

Section I

The officers shall be nominated by the General Assembly (with the exception of the Parliamentarian/Clerk, Sgt. At Arms) at the first meeting of the fall semester if any or all officer positions are vacant. Candidates may be nominated for more than one office but may only be elected to one position. Nominations for officers will be accepted until the election, which will take place on the second meeting of the fall semester.

Section II

The President is granted the authority to appoint a qualified representative to be parliamentarian/Clerk, and Sgt. At Arms. The General Assembly must ratify this appointment by a simple majority.

Section III

No person shall fill an elected officer position of the MS.S. for two consecutive terms. The term of office shall be defined as: the time between the day after their election in fall until the beginning of the next fall election period.

The President is granted the authority to appoint a qualified representative for a vacated officer position with less than one-half of the term remaining and this representative may be elected to that office for the following year.

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ARTICLE IV-DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section I

The duties of the President are:
A. To preside at all General Assembly, Executive Board, and Executive Council meetings.
B. He/She shall have the authority to call Special and Emergency meetings as necessary.
C. To represent the M.S.S. at all functions, business and special events. In the event of absencehe/she cannot attend; the President shall appoint someone from M.S.S. to take his/her place.
D. To perform other administrative duties usually incumbent upon this office, not otherwise stated in the Bylaws.
E. To handle all incoming mail to the Senate.
F. To keep track of M.S.S. keys, making sure they are returned when someone leaves the MS.S.

Section II

The duties of the Vice-President are:
A. Assume the duties of the President in his/her absence.
B. To oversee all standing committees. In the event of absence, he/she shall receive a report from
the Committee Chair.
C. Report to the President of all activities in the committee meetings.

Section III

The duties of the Recording Secretary are:
A. Record the minutes of all the meetings of the General Assembly, Executive Board, and Executive Council.
B. To take the roll and record the attendance of all members at the General Assembly, Executive
Board, and Executive Council meetings.
C. Complete copies of the General Assembly meeting minutes and distribute them to the General Assembly for approval.
D. Complete copies of the Executive Board and Council meeting minutes and distribute them to the Board and/or Council members for approval.
E. File official documents such as minutes of Board, Council, and General Assembly meetings.
F. Keep list of Executive decisions as they are made.
G. Remind the President of actions needed.
H. Provide an agenda for each meeting to each member of the assembly.
I. Maintain two (2) monthly calendars and post all events relative to appointments and meetings of the M.S:S.

Section IV

The duties of the Correspondence Secretary are:
A. Writing/typing of all letters, outside correspondence, meeting notices, and reading of all official correspondence that is received by the MS.S.
B. Assist the Recording Secretary as needed.

Section V

The duties of the Treasurer are:
A. To keep accurate records of all financial transactions of the MS.S.
B. To give an oral and/or a written report at General Assembly, Executive Board and Council meetings when needed.

Section VI

The duties of the Parliamentarian/Clerk are:
A. Advise the M.S.S. on all parliamentarian procedures.
B. Be responsible for all legislation pending immediately before the floor.
C. Keep record of all resolutions and motions brought before the General Assembly.
D. Preside over all impeachment of officer's proceedings, maintaining an impartial manner at all times.

Section VII

The duties of the Sgt. At Arms are:
A. Maintain order at all meetings.
B. Governing of Time.
C. Assist the President and Vice-President as needed.

Section VIII

No officer of the MS.S. shall be allowed to hold office in any other campus organization.

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ARTICLE V-EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section I

The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Correspondence Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian/Clerk, and Sgt. At Arms.

Section II

The Executive Board shall function in an advisory capacity to the President and to the General Assembly in policy making, besides fulfilling the individual duties of its members. It shall also assist in implementing the President’s various programs.

Section III

The chain of command shall be the President, Vice-President, Recording Secretary, Correspondence Secretary, and Treasurer, in that order. In the event the highest-ranking Officer is not present, the next in command will act in his/her place in making general decisions and heading meetings as necessary.

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ARTICLE VI-COMMITTEES

Section I

The standing committees shall be Professional Standards, Legislative, Research and Development and Community Relations. Two (2) Ad-Hoc committees may be formed as needed per year.

Section II

The Chairpersons of these committees are appointed by the President and must be ratified by the General Assembly.

Section III

The Chairpersons may create subcommittees and appoint a Chairperson for each with the approval the President.

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ARTICLE VII-EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section I

The Executive Council shall consist of the elected officers, Parliamentary/Clerk. Sgt. At Arms and chairpersons.

Section II

The Executive Council shall function as the administrative body of the M.S.S. and is responsible all business enacted by the General Assembly.

Section III

Concerning matter requiring a vote, The Executive Board members and the Chairpersons shall each have one (1) vote. In the case of a tie, the President shall determine the outcome.

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ARTICLE VIII-PARLIAMENTARY LAW

Section I

All new business must be-brought to the floor by a Senate member.

ARTICLE IX -NEW BUSINESS

Section I

Any Senator may be on the Assembly agenda provided the President or Vice-President knows 48 hours prior to the meeting.

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ARTICLE X -DISCIPLINE AND EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

Section I

Any member may be impeached and/or removed from office upon written notice to the member Executive Council, and the Milwaukee Student Senate advisor. A meeting shall be called, to include the above-mentioned parties. A two thirds vote of the Executive Council and concurrence M.S.S. advisor is necessary for impeachment and/or removal. Should the member being impeached or removed fail to appear or make request for rescheduling of the designated meeting the member will be terminated.

Section II

Discipline/Expulsion Procedures

A. Charges/Warning. A written letter stating the problem(s) and the resolution(s).
B. Notification. If problem still persist, the President may suspend the membership of the accused member until a hearing can be set The accused should be sent a registered letter at least ten (10) days before the date of the hearing, containing a copy of the charges and time and place of the hearing.
C. Hearing. In conducting a hearing the hearing committee (Executive Council) should preside decorum and "DUE-PROCESS," restrict evidence and testimony to the written charges and uphold the rights of the accused member to present a defense, to cross-examine witnesses if any, and refute the charges which have been made.
D. Decision/Penalty. The hearing committee with in fifteen (15) days after the hearing will send a registered letter stating the finding of the facts to the issues, the final decision, and the penalty from the Executive Board, and information regarding an appeal.
E. Appeal Process. The accused must send a letter to the President indicating a desire to appeal. The President must receive the letter within ten (10) days after the accused received the Executive Boards decision. The President will then set up an appeal hearing within (30) days indicating a time and date of said hearing.
F. Investigation. A proper committee should be set up to investigate the charges.
G. Appeal hearing. The Appeal Hearing committee should consist of the M.S.S. Executive Board and at maximum two Milwaukee Student Senators at large. Their decision is final.

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ARTICLE XI –QUORUM

Section I

At all meetings a quorum shall be required, made up of at least 51% of the members in good standing.

Section II

The quorum for voting on Bylaw changes and elections is 51% of the membership in good standing.

Revised and Approved: March 1995
Revised and App roved: October 2002

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