ARTICLE I - Name, Purpose, and Membership
Section 101 - The student body of The George Washington University Law School does hereby affirm its student government association, under the authority of this Constitution. The name of this organization shall be the Student Bar Association of The George Washington University Law School, hereinafter referred to as the SBA.
Section 102 - It shall be the purpose of the SBA to promote the common welfare of the student body of The George Washington University Law School. This objective shall be met by sponsoring clubs and organizations, and working with the administration, faculty and community to express student views.
Section 103 - All students who are duly registered upon the rolls of The George Washington University Law School and who have paid University fees and tuition shall be members of the SBA.
COMPOSITION
Section 201 - All legislative powers herein granted
shall be vested in an assembly of the SBA, hereinafter referred to as the
"Board."
Section 202 - Except as hereinafter provided, the Board shall be comprised of the SBA President, Day Vice President, and Evening Vice President, and apportioned number of representatives per class in the Day and Evening Divisions. These members of the Board shall have the rights of vote, motion, and debate.
Section 203 - The SBA President, Day Vice President, and Evening Vice President shall serve as the executive officers of the Board.
Section 204 - The Board shall be further composed of the President’s Cabinet,
whose membership shall be delineated in the SBA Bylaws. These non-voting
members, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of a majority of
the Board, shall have the rights of motion and debate unless otherwise noted in
the governing instruments.
POWERS
Section 211 - The Board shall have the authority to
consider issues involving academic, social, administrative, and community
affairs; shall have the power to recognize or withdraw recognition of any
student organization; shall have the power to establish, execute, and regulate
any program which it deems necessary through the appropriate boards,
committees, or organizations directly funded and recognized by the SBA; and,
shall have the power to disburse SBA funds.
Section 212 - At each meeting, the Board shall receive a report on the activities of the executive officers, the standing committees, and any other department requested by a member of the Board. Once a year, the Board shall receive a report from the President on the state of the SBA.
Section 213 - In addition to this Constitution, the Board shall codify its rules and procedures in a body of governing instruments including, but not limited to, Bylaws, Election Rules, and Finance Rules. Unless otherwise stated, amendments to the governing instruments shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire voting membership of the Board.
Section 214 - The Board shall keep a record of all decisions made during regular and special meetings, and this record shall be published and made available for public viewing in accordance with the governing instruments.
Section 215 - Unless otherwise stated in the Constitution or in the other governing instruments, all meetings of the Board shall be open to the membership of the SBA.
MEETINGS
Section 221 - The Board shall convene in regular session
at least twice a month during the regular academic year except during those
months in which exams are administered. Regular and special meetings of the
Board shall be held in accordance with the governing instruments.
Section 222 - A majority of the voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. All action, unless otherwise stated in the governing instruments or Parliamentary Rules of Order, shall be by a majority vote of the members present and voting.
Section 223 - All voting members of the Board shall by entitled to one (1)
vote. No member shall cast more than one vote under any circumstances.
Section 301 - A general election shall be held in the first Wednesday in February, pursuant to the regulations promulgated in the governing instruments.
Section 302 - During this election, the student body shall elect an SBA
President. The day and evening divisions shall elect a Day and an Evening
Vice President, respectively. Each returning class in the Day Division shall
elect four (4) representatives to the Board. Each returning class in the
Evening Division shall elect one (1) representative to the Board.
Section 303 - The term of newly elected Board members shall commence no later than twelve noon on the third Friday following the election. SBA offices and Board members, with the exception of third year day representatives and fourth year evening representatives, shall serve until their successors have been duly installed. Third year day representatives and fourth year evening representatives shall serve the remainder of their law school term (approximately fifteen (15) weeks).
Section 304 - On the last Wednesday in September, an election for first year representatives shall be held in each section of the incoming class. There shall be one (1) representative per section.
Section 305 - A petition bearing signatures of thirty-five percent (35%) of the constituency represented shall cause the Board to conduct a recall election of a voting member of the Board. The recall election shall be held within two (2) weeks of receipt of the petition at a general meeting of the Board.
Section 306 - All elections and referenda shall be held in accordance with
rules promulgated in the governing instruments.
ARTICLE IV - Vacancies and Removal From Office
VACANCIES
Section 401 - All vacancies in the Board shall be filled
by a nominee proposed by the President with the advice and consent of a majority
of the Board unless otherwise noted in the governing instruments. The nominee
must be a member of the constituency to be represented.
Section 402 - The office of President shall be filled by the Day Vice President, if ever the office of President is vacant. The new President shall appoint a replacement Day Vice President from the Board with the advice and consent of the Board.
Section 403 - The office of the President shall be filed by the Evening Vice President, if ever the office of President and the office of Day Vice President are vacant. The new President shall appoint a Day and Evening Vice President from the Board with the advice and consent of a majority of the Board.
Section 404 - If ever the offices of President and both Vice Presidents are vacant, the Board shall, by a majority of its entire voting membership, select an Acting President from the voting members of the Board. No more than two (2) weeks thereafter, a special election shall be held to fill all three (3) vacancies; the duly elected President and Vice Presidents shall take office twenty-four (24) hours after the election results have been certified in accordance with the governing instruments.
REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Section 411 - Should any member of the Board
fail to attend to that member’s duties as outlined in the governing instruments
or violate the legal or ethical standards imposed by University regulation, the
Board may remove that individual from office. Disciplinary action may be
initiated by any member of the Board who files written charges at a general
meeting of the Board.
Section 412 - Voting members of the Board may be removed by a vote of the constituency represented in a recall election, or by a vote of at least three-fourths (3/4) of the entire voting membership of the Board during a disciplinary session.
Section 413 - Members of the President’s Cabinet may be removed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire membership of the Board during a disciplinary session.
Section 414 - The President may recommend the removal of any member of the Board if that member has at least three (3) or more unexcused absences from Board meetings during that member’s term of office.
Section 415 - Disciplinary sessions of the Board shall be closed and take place no earlier than five (5) days and no later that fourteen (14) days after the member in question has been given notice of the hearing. Disciplinary sessions shall be held in accordance with the governing instruments.
Section 501 - Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any voting member of the Board. Notice shall be given of any proposed amendment one (1) regular meeting prior to its consideration. A majority vote of the entire voting membership of the Board shall place an amendment to a vote of the student body.
Section 502 - Upon petition of fifteen percent (15%) of the student body, the Board shall submit a constitutional amendment to a vote by the student body.
Section 503 - An amendment shall be ratified by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the students voting. An election considering a constitutional amendment shall take place no fewer than fourteen (14) days) and no more than twenty-one (21) days after notice to the student body.
ARTICLE VI - Jurisdiction and Parliamentary Authority
Section 601 - Final interpretation of the document and all other governing instruments shall be made by a majority vote of the entire voting membership of the Board.
Section 602 - The legislative activities of the Board and its committees shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
ARTICLE VII - Supremacy of the Constitution
Section 701 - Upon adoption, this Constitution shall supercede and govern all constitutions, documents, and related governing instruments of the SBA and its member organizations.