The Slippery Rock Student Government Association (SGA) held a constitutional amendment hearing on Nov. 26 in the Smith Student Center room 319, where Senator Nick Condon informed the audience of the amendments made to their constitution that were passed at the last SGA formal meeting.
Condon began by providing a overview of the current SRSGA constitution that contains 12 articles.
Condon continually reiterated that they are not adding or removing anything from the governing documents of SGA, but rather creating bylaws and separating that from the current constitution. The only things that may have been added is different wording or formatting to replace awkward language.
“What we have kept in the constitution is what we believe is important that there is to hearings and otherwise,” Condon said. “So, the bylaws are pretty much entirely how we function as a organization, and the constitution is pretty much entirely an overview of generally what we are supposed to do.”
The passed bylaws, as of the most recent SGA formal meeting, establishes specific procedures that the organization must follow and the roles of each of its members.
He added that the constitution is massive and that adding bylaws to make things simpler was a necessity.
“A constitution is the fundamental principles of the organization,” Condon said. “But, it doesn’t prescribe specific procedures that should be done as a senator, and so on.”
Condon said bylaws are also much easier to change than the constitution is. Changing the constitution requires much more discussion and hearings like this one, and it is generally a long process.
Condon also mentioned how last semester SGA voted on a new composition to the senate, and this is reflected in the senate section of the bylaws.
“Essentially, we are trying to make this so that a senator can pick [the constitution and bylaws] up and read through it and it is not confusing,” Condon said.
The constitution is as follows:
- Article I: Name and Membership
- Article II: Powers of SRSGA
- Article III: SRSGA Senate
- Article IV: SRSGA Executive Board
- Article V: Resignation, Dismissal, and Impeachment
- Article VI: Vacancy
- Article VII: Student’s Rights and Referendum
- Article VIII: Meetings
- Article IX: Amendment
The bylaws are as follows:
- Article I: Committee
- Article II: Duties of Executive Officers
- Article III: Duties of Senators
- Article IV: Elections
- Article V: Meetings
- Article VI: Finances
- Article VII: Dismissal, Impeachment and Vacancies
- Article VIII: SRSGA Advisers
- Article IX: Bylaw Amendments
