Constitution

Article III. Legislative Branch

Section 1. Membership and Qualifications

  1. The legislative branch of SGA shall be called the Student Senate. The Student Senate will be composed of elected and appointed student Senators.
  2. The Senate will consist of twenty-five (25) student Senators
    1. Four (4) Academic Senators serve to represent the interests of students in their academic colleges and departments. The assigning of constituencies for Academic Senators shall be enumerated in the bylaws.
      1. One (1) Senator for the College of Business
      2. One (1) Senator for the College of Education and Health Professions
      3. One (1) Senator for the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences 
      4. One (1) Senator for the College of Natural & Applied Science
    2. Twenty-one (21) Senators serve to represent the interests of their specific class or area of representation.
      1. Three (3) Freshman Senators
      2. Three (3) Sophomore Senators
      3. Three (3) Junior Senators
      4. Three (3) Senior Senators
      5. Three (3) Graduate Senators
      6. Three (3) Katy Senators
      7. Two (2) International Senators
      8. (1) Speaker of the Senate who will also serve on the SGA Executive Board.
  3. All Senators must have completed at least one (1) full semester at the University of Houston-Victoria at the time of election or appointment, with the exception of freshman, transfer, or graduate students.
  4. No Senator may hold their seat on the assembly concurrently with apposition in the Executive Board or ex officio representative seat.
  5. All Senators shall be members of the Student Body and shall be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the time of election or appointment and must remain in such status while serving in their position, as enumerated in the bylaws.
  6. All senators must maintain a GPA of 2.5.
    1. If any Senator falls below a 2.5 GPA, that individual must write a letter of intent to serve to the Chief Justice briefly outlining an academic plan of action. The letter should explain their reasons for desiring to continue serving as a Senator and why they should be considered to remain in their role. The SGA Chief Justice will then make a recommendation to the President on how to proceed.
    2. If any Senator falls below a 2.0 GPA, they will no longer be eligible to write a letter of intent.
  7. Meetings
    1. The Senate shall convene biweekly while classes are in session during the long semester. These meetings shall take place on Monday, unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board.
    2. The Senate shall keep minutes of its meetings current and made available to the student body on JagSync.
    3. The Senate shall publish a copy of its proceedings (hereinafter referred to as the Senate Journal) at the end of each session, to be permanently located in the SGA office.

Section 2. Authority, Powers, and Responsibilities of the Legislative Branch

  1. Senators
    1. Senators must abide by and support the Student Government Association Constitution and other governing documents; support the university community and its mission; represent their respective constituencies, and where applicable the student body to the university and local community; initiate student referenda in accordance with university guidelines; approve and monitor the SGA budget; enact legislation, policies, and services on behalf of and in the best interest of the student body; accept reports from the SGA Administration, internal committees, and members of the university community; approve all budget expenditures over $750 before expenditures may be processed.
    2. Senators shall represent the interests of the student body in general and shall be free to chair or serve on any committee as directed by the Student Government Association.
    3. Senators must actively participate in the duration of a minimum of three (3) SGA events; duration includes planning for the event, participating and breaking down the event.
    4. Senators are responsible for being active in an SGA committee.

Section 3. Resignation or Removal

  1. Any Senator who wishes to resign must signify such in writing to the Chief Justice, specifying the date the resignation will become effective.
  2. Any Senator may be removed from their position for nonfeasance or malfeasance by a two-thirds (2/3) vote by the entire Student Government Association.
  3. Any Senator who is removed from or resigns from their position prior to the fulfillment of their term shall be replaced by means of appointment through the process of an application, opened specifically for the purpose of appointing a replacement(s) for vacant position(s) for the duration of the term.
  4. If any Student Government Association Senator fails to attend two (2) consecutive meetings or three (3) total meetings for the elected year, that Senator may be removed by a majority vote at the first meeting after the second meeting missed or third total meeting missed. In the case of extenuating circumstances, a special vote may be held outside of a meeting.