STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
CONSTITUTION 2016 – 2017 ACADEMIC YEAR
SGA
PREAMBLE
We, the students of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, realizing the
need for fairness and advancement of the arts, scholarship, and ethical leadership, in a
model of advocacy-based governance, do hereby establish and embrace this
constitution of the Student Government Association of the University of North Carolina
School of the Arts.
ARTICLE I. NAME, PURPOSE, MEMBERSHIP
A. NAME
1. The name of the government herein established shall be the Student
Government Association (also referred to as SGA) of the University of North
Carolina School of the Arts.
B. PURPOSE
1. The purpose of SGA shall be to represent the rights and opinions of the student
body, joined with the administration and leadership of the University, and
together build a unified community that advances rigorous academic and
creative inquiry for the purpose of developing artists’ voices.
C. MEMBERSHIP
1. The membership of the Student Government Association herein established
shall consists of:
a. SGA Executive Officers (Application-Selection required)
i) (10-12) Student applicants selected by the process outlined in Article II
A.
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b. SGA Associate Members (Application-Volunteer)
i) (15-20) students who express interests via application and serve in a
volunteer capacity.
c. Student Body President (Application & Election required)
i) (1) student elected by the undergraduate student body as outline by
Article III.
ARTICLE II. SGA ROLES
A. SGA Executives
1. Definition & Scope
a. SGA Executives are student liaisons between UNCSA undergraduate
students and UNCSA staff, faculty, administrators.
b. The role of SGA Executive is designed to function as the “owner/operator” of
UNCSA’s Student Government Association, where they define and shape
the SGA experience.
c. Each SGA Executive is considered equal with other SGA Executives, all
operating with shared rights and authority, this is reflected in SGA’s flat
organizational structure, also referred to as a “self-managed” team, with
advising/guidance from the SGA Advisor and Vice Provost Dean of Student
Affairs.
d. The tenure of SGA Executives begins
2. Eligibility Requirements for SGA Executives
a. Must be enrolled as full-time (as defined in the UNCSA student handbook)
undergraduate student of UNCSA.
b. At the time of appointment, candidates for SGA Executive Council shall be a
rising Second, Third, or Fourth year with a cumulative GPA of 2.5.
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(Exception of year may be granted at discretion of SGA Advisor for students
transitioning from UNCSA High School to College).
c. At the time of appointment, candidates for SGA Executive shall have served
one (1) academic year in a student leadership role (i.e. Resident Advisor,
Resident Manager, SGA Associate, SGA Executive, Student Orientation
Coordinator, or Welcome Squad Member).
d. At the time of appointment, candidates for SGA Executive Council must be
in “good standing” with their respective art school and be in good standing
with the Office of the Vice Provost Dean of Student Affairs. Students who
are subjects of conduct hearings or investigations will be deemed as
“ineligible” for service on SGA. 3. Recruitment and Application Process for SGA Executives
a. The current SGA Executive Council, with counsel from the SGA Advisor, is
responsible for passive and active recruitment of SGA Executive applicants.
b. Prior to end of fall semester (December) an SGA Elections Committee will
be appointed to work with the SGA Advisor in determining and coordinating
SGA and Student Body President (SBP) application/election/selection dates
and deadlines for the upcoming Spring semester.
4. Vetting and Consideration for SGA Executives
a. SGA Executive applicants will be vetted by the Office of Student
Engagement for eligibility and reviewed for consideration by the Elections
Committee and SGA Advisor.
b. A list of SGA Executive applicants will be presented to the current SGA
Executive Council.
c. Concerns regarding applicant(s) from current SGA Executives should be
shared in a separate meeting with the SGA Advisor so as to avoid creating
bias among the SGA Executive Council.
d. In the event SGA Executives may be required to serve on the following
year’s Welcome Squad, feedback on applications may also be sought from
Welcome Squad Coordinator(s) for the following fall semester.
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5. Selection Process for SGA Executives
a. Preference may be given for SGA Executives interested continuing their
service with SGA and who are in good standing.
b. The SBP-Elect, along with the SGA Advisor, will finalize the SGA Executive
roster considering SGA Executive applicants’ applications, interviews, letters
of recommendation, and the student’s proven leadership on campus.
6. Oath of Office for SGA Executives
a. All members of SGA shall take the following Oath of Office prior to
assuming their positions in SGA.
“I, (name), hereby pledge my word that I will uphold the honor, integrity,
and reputation of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and
that I will fulfill, to the best of my ability, all duties incumbent upon me as a
member of the Student Government Association of our university.”
7. Responsibilities for SGA Executives
a. Commitment
i. The commitment to serve as an SGA Executive is not to be taken lightly
and should be made with the understanding that SGA is a priority for the
student, second only to the student’s academic and arts responsibilities.
ii. Members suspecting or knowing they will be unable to fulfill any/all of
their SGA Executive responsibilities should schedule a time to share their
concerns with the SGA Advisor as soon as possible
iii. While the official tenure of SGA Executive begins August 1st and
concludes at undergraduate commencement (historically the first
Saturday in May), incoming SGA Executives are expected to attend SGA
Spring Forward and other onboarding events during the Spring semester
of their application/acceptance.
b. Calendar
i. SGA Executives, in collaboration with the SBP-Elect, will propose SGA’s
calendar for the upcoming academic year to the SGA Advisor prior to
the team’s departure from campus for summer break, this may include
initial budget estimates and requests.
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c. Trainings & Meetings.
i. Spring Forward Onsite Training (March/April)
a) A full one-day training with the newly selected SGA Executive
Council facilitated by the Office of Student Engagement.
ii. Fall Leadership Retreat
a) A 3-5 day retreat/training that focuses on the welcome and
orientation of the incoming class (first week of August).
iii. Weekly SGA Meeting
a) Attendance by the SGA Executive Council is required (members
should notify the SGA Advisor and/or the SBP when unable to attend
due to classes, rehearsals, illness, etc.) b) Guests attending SGA meetings should hold questions/comments
until the time designated.
c) Format, time and location of the weekly SGA meeting will be
determined by the SGA team during the Leadership Retreat at the
beginning of the academic year.
d) Responsibilities for the weekly SGA meeting (i.e. setup, minutes, tear
down, agenda prep, etc.) will be determined during the Fall
Leadership Retreat at the beginning of the academic year.
d. Tasks / Committees / Special Projects / Roles
i. Concerns/issues/questions presented in the weekly SGA meeting will be
assigned or taken up by SGA Executive(s) and/or the SBP for the purpose
of researching and addressing with a solution focus / advocacy-centered
mindset.
ii. Updates from the appropriate SGA member(s) will be shared in the
weekly meeting where input and direction from the SBP, fellow SGA
Executives and/or the SGA Advisor.
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iii. SGA Executives are responsible for filling a variety of individual and
committee roles including:
a) Tuition & Fees Committee (September – November)
b) Elections Committee (November – February)
c) Association of Student Governments [ASG] Liaison (September –
May)
9. Educational Stipend for SGA Executives
a. Upon successful completion of the academic year, SGA Executives shall
receive an educational stipend, which shall neither be increased no
decreased during their term of office.
i. SGA Executive Officer: $700
ii. Stipends will be issued at the end of the academic year in service by the
Office of Student Engagement upon the SGA member’s successful
completion of the academic year.
iii. SGA members failing to fulfill their one-academic year commitment may
forfeit their stipend (as decided by both the SBP & Director of Student
Engagement).
B. SGA Associates
1. Definition and Scope
a. First year and new students enter UNCSA at the beginning of the fall
semester, after all student leadership application Spring deadlines resulting
in those students missing an entire year of SGA involvement. The SGA
Associate role provides the opportunity for students to participate almost
immediately after their arrival
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b. The intense schedules of UNCSA’s conservatory culture may limit students’
availability for extracurricular involvement, the SGA Associate role provides
students the opportunity to participate in SGA as their schedules permit.
2. Eligibility Requirements for SGA Associates
a. Must be enrolled as full-time undergraduate student of UNCSA.
b. Associates may be a first, second, third or fourth year student.
c. At the time of appointment, candidates for SGA Associate must be in “good
standing” with their respective art school and be in good standing with the
Office of the Vice Provost Dean of Students. Students who are subjects of
conduct hearings or investigations will be deemed as “ineligible” for service
on SGA. 3. Recruitment and Application Process for SGA Associates
a. SGA Executives will maintain a roster of students who express interest in
serving on SGA.
b. An SGA Executive will serve as liaison between SGA Executives and SGA
Associates.
i. This Associate Liaison(s) will be the primary point of contact between
Executives and Associates.
ii.
The Associate Liaison will distribute and collect applications to all
students on the roster of interested students.
iii.
The Associate Liaison will be responsible for hosting regularly scheduled
meetings with Associates to share SGA updates, solicit feedback from
Associates on current initiatives and campus culture, etc.
iv.
The Associate Liaison may recommend Associates for SGA Executive
vacancies (current and future) based on the student’s experience as an
SGA Associate.
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4. Selection Process for SGA Associates
a. The Associate Liaison will share the roster of interested students with SGA
Executive Council at the weekly SGA meeting.
b. All applicants meeting Associate eligibility requirements (as outlined in this
constitution in ARTICLE II. B. 2) will be added to the SGA Associate roster.
5. Responsibilities for SGA Associates
a. Associates attend SGA Associate Council monthly meetings as their
schedule permits.
b. SGA Associate Members are asked to respond to all SGA related
communication within 24 hours.
c. It should be communicated clearly and regularly that serving as SGA
Associate does not guarantee a space on the SGA Executive Council.
6. Stipends for SGA Associates
a. Given the “volunteer” nature of the role, SGA Associates do not receive a
stipend.
C. Association of Student Governments (ASG) Liaison
1. Definition & Scope
a. The SGA Executive Council will select one (1) member from within the SGA
Executive Council who, in addition to the SBP, will represent UNCSA on the
ASG.
2. Eligibility Requirements for ASG Liaison
a. Must be a current SGA Executive (see Article II. A. 2)
b. If a current SGA Executive is unable to serve as ASG Liaison, the SGA
Executive Council may select a current UNCSA undergraduate student
currently serving in another student leadership capacity (i.e. RA/RM, Peer
Mentor, Welcome Squad Coordinator, SGA Associate, etc.)
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3. (UNCSA) Responsibilities for UNCSA ASG Liaison
a. Must attend monthly ASG meetings (location rotates to a different UNC
campus each month).
b. If ASG Liaison is unable to attend ASG meeting, they must notify the SBP
and SGA Advisor. The ASG Liaison may be asked to recruit someone to
stand in their vacancy at the ASG meeting.
c. Assist the Assistant Director of Student Engagement with funding requests for
ASG from UNCSA student organizations/clubs.
d. Provide monthly updates to SGA Executives and the UNCSA community on
ASG and UNC system issues that affect or indirectly impact UNCSA
students.
4. (ASG) Responsibilities for UNCSA ASG Liaison
a. See current ASG constitution for ASG Liaison responsibilities.
5. (ASG) Stipend for UNCSA ASG Liaison
a. See current ASG constitution for ASG Campus Liaison stipend amount.
ARTICLE III. STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT
A. Definition & Scope
1. The Student Body President (SBP) is a member of the SGA team. This role is one
of, if the not “the”, most visible member of SGA and coordinates a variety of
projects which may require or benefit from participation from members of the
SGA Executive Council (i.e. Tuition & Fees Committee, etc.)
2. The function of the Student Body President position at UNCSA is uniquely
designed to serve in a collaborative nature with members of the SGA Executive
Council, High School Student Government, and Graduate Council so that
he/she may represent the overarching needs and wishes of UNCSA’s student
body at the institutional and state levels, including the UNC system (UNC
Association of Student Governments, UNC Board of Governors, etc.)
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3. The SBP has the ability to call and attend any regular or special meetings of the
student body.
4. Nomination and/or appointment of representatives, with approval of SGA
Executive Council, to joint faculty-student committees and all vacant positions
on the SGA Executive Council are the responsibility of the Student Body
President with final approval from the SGA Advisor.
5. Nominations for vacant SGA Executive positions are the responsibility of the
SBP. Nominees will be vetted by the Office of Student Engagement.
6. The SBP represents the student body in official dealings with students from
other universities, UNCSA campus community, and as a voting member on
UNCSA’s Board of Trustees.
B. Eligibility Requirements
1. At the time of election, candidates for SBP shall be a rising Third Year or Fourth
Year student with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and shall be in good standing with
their art school.
2. The student must be able to serve their tenure as SBP throughout the entirety of
academic year (beginning with fall semester and concluding in spring semester).
3. At the time of appointment, candidates running for SBP must be in good
standing with the Office of the Vice Provost Dean of Student Affairs. Applicants
who are subject(s) of conduct hearings or investigations from the Associate
Director of Judicial Affairs will be deemed as “ineligible” for service on SGA. 4. SBP applicants must have one (1) year of student leadership experience within
the Division of Student Affairs at UNCSA prior to applying to run for SBP.
Examples of student leadership experience might include: Student Government
Associate, Student Government Executive, Student Orientation Coordinator, or
Resident Manager. While this experience does not guarantee that a student is
qualified to serve as SBP the experience may provide the student with a general
understanding of how the university operates.
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C. Recruitment and Application Process for Student Body President (SBP)
1. Recruitment
a. The current SBP and SGA Elections Committee will oversee advertising of
Student Body President application/election timeframe.
2. Application
a. The current SBP and SGA Elections Committee will distribute and collect
SBP applications.
3. Vetting and Consideration
i. SBP Applicants will be vetted by the Office of Student Engagement for
eligibility and reviewed for consideration by the current SBP, SGA
Elections Committee, and the SGA Executive Council.
D. Student Body President Election Process
1. Election Committee
a. The SGA Executive Council shall appoint two to three (2-3) Executives to
serve on an Election Committee to carry out the SBP Election.
b. The Election Committee shall review and approve the Campaign and
Election rules a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the SBP application
deadline.
c. In the case where only one (1) candidate completes the SBP application
process, and is successfully vetted as outlined in ARTICLE IV, the SGA
Election Committee may vote to abbreviate the campaign/election schedule.
2. Campaign & Election Rules
a. The Election Committee shall approve the Campaign & Election Rules at the
beginning of the Spring Semester, which shall be subject to the approval of
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b. The Campaign & Election Rules shall, at least, consist of the following:
i) All candidates must follow any and all posting policies in the UNCSA
Student Handbook, SGA Handbook and other campus posting policies. ii) Any violation of the Campaign & Election Rules may result in loss of
candidacy. If a violation occurs, the following procedures will be
followed:
a) If there is an SGA Executive Council meeting before the time of
elections the Election Committee will report the violation at the next
scheduled SGA Meeting. SGA Executives will then decide whether
the candidate will be disqualified. A two-thirds majority is needed to
disqualify a candidate. b) If there is not an SGA Executive meeting before the time of elections,
the Election Committee will decide whether or not the candidate will
be disqualified. iii) The Campaign & Election Rules must include the location and contact
information for the SGA Advisor. 3. Ballots and Voting
a. Only UNCSA students currently enrolled full-time as undergraduate are
entitled to vote in the SBP election or polls conducted by SGA.
b. All applicants’ names approved as Official Candidates will be placed on one
ballot.
c. The Election Committee will obtain a roster of currently enrolled
undergraduate students from the SGA Advisor at least one week prior to the
election for use as confirmation of currently enrollment at the ballot table.
d. To receive a ballot, students must present their current UNCSA One Card as
proof of current enrollment.
e. At least one (1) member of the Election Committee must be present at the
voting ballot box while votes are being cast or one member of the Election
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f. Each full-time undergraduate may cast one (1) vote after presenting their
current One Card.
g. Candidates must win election by a simple majority of the votes cast.
E. Student Body President Responsibilities
1. Spring Forward
a. Collaborate with the SGA Advisor on the agenda and planning of the SGA
Spring Forward trainign.
b. Attendance at the Spring Forward traginin by the SBP is required.
2. Fall Leadership Retreat
a. Attendance by the SBP is required (absences may only be cleared by the
SGA Advisor).
3. Weekly SGA Meeting
a. Attendance by the SBP is required (SBP hould notify the SGA Advisor when
unable to attend due to illness or scheduling conflict with other SBP
responsibilities.) 4. Regular meetings with UNCSA Administration
a. Board of Trustees [BOT] - BOT training during the summer and an average
of three meetings each semester.
b. Chancellor – Initial meeting after Spring Election followed by occasional
phone calls and meetings (1 on 1) as necessary.
c. Vice Provost Dean of Student Affairs – Bi-weekly or monthly meetings (1 on
1).
d. Advisor – Bi-weekly meetings (1 on 1).
5. Association of Student Governments [ASG] for the UNC System
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a. ASG Student Body President Training (June)
i) A summer training session for UNC system Student Body Presidents
and ASG members
b. Monthly ASG meeting (August – May)
i) ASG monthly meeting travels to various UNC campuses.
6. Committees / Special Projects / Events
a. Concerns/issues/questions presented in the weekly SGA meeting will be
assigned or taken up by SGA Executive Officers and/or the SBP.
b. SGA Executives and/or SBP will research and address with a solution focus /
advocacy-centered mindset.
c. Offer input in SGA weekly meetings, as requested by SGA Advisor and/or
SGA Executives.
7. Service Term
a. The title of the newly-elected Student Body President will be “Student Body
President-Elect” until UNCSA Spring Commencement for undergraduates
(historically the first Saturday in May) after which their title will change to
Student Body President until the following Spring Commencement (12
months later).
F. Educational Stipend
1. The SBP shall receive an educational stipend of $1,200, which shall neither be
increased no decreased during their term of office, upon successful completion
of the academic year (May/June).
2. An SBP not fulfilling their one-academic year commitment may forfeit their
stipend (as decided by the Vice Provost Dean of Student Affairs).
G. Impeachment
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1. Removal of the Student Body President will be referred to in this constitution as
impeachment.
2. In the case that the President is removed from the Office (whether due to
resignation or judicial action) the SGA Executive Council, with guidance from
the Director of Student Engagement, shall appoint an interim-SBP to assume the
office and duties of SBP. Appointee must be vetted by the Office of the Vice
Provost/Dean of Students and the appointee’s art school. 3. A motion to declare the President unfit to carry out his/her duties or a motion to
call for a vote of confidence can be submitted by any member of the SGA
Executive Council to the Director of Student Engagement.
4. The Director of Student Engagement will review the proposed motion for
consideration to bring before the entire SGA Executive Council for a vote.
5. A three-fourths majority vote is required to advance impeachment proceedings
to the Vice Provost Dean of Student Affairs, for their consideration and final
ruling regarding the SBP’s remaining tenure.
a. Advisory to SGA on issues involving student advocacy and leadership
development initiatives. b. Connection to appropriate university resources, including but not limited to
project management, financial budgets, event planning, etc.
c. Mediator for individual and organizational conflicts.
ARTICLE IV. BUDGETS
A. Funding
1. Sources
a. The operating budget for the SBP and SGA is funded from College Activities
Fee which is administered by the Office of Student Engagement.
b. Additional funding may be requested from the UNC Association of Student
Governments (ASG). These funds have a different process than outlined in
this Constitution and should be coordinated with assistance from UNCSA’s
SGA/ASG Liaison, the SBP, and the SGA Advisor.
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2. Budget Proposal
a. It is the responsibility of the incoming SGA Executive team to propose their
itemized budget for the upcoming academic to the SGA Advisor by the end
of the Spring semester. Failure to do so could negatively impact the new
budget.
b. The SGA Advisor may ask for clarification on the itemized budget at which
time SGA may nominate an SGA Executive to represent the team’s interests
on matters related to the budget.
3. Annual Budget Approval
a. Once the SGA Advisor’s questions or concerns have been addressed by
SGA, a final budget will be approved and forwarded to the SGA Executive
team.
4. Fund Disbursement Process
a. SGA Executives will use their approved itemized SGA budget
(Article V. A. 3) when planning and coordinating SGA events / initiatives.
b. Requests for the approved events/initiative funds must be submitted to the
SGA Advisor prior to the date the requested funds are needed.
i. Contracts & Rentals – Purchases that require contracts (i.e. performances,
rentals, etc.) must be coordinated with the SGA Advisor a minimum of
one month before the event and/or requested funds are needed in hand.
ii. Retail purchases – Most purchases that can be made through
Amazon.com or at Target, Office Depot, Best Buy, Lowes Home
Improvement, A.C. Moore, etc. can be made by the SGA Advisor using
their UNCSA Purchase Card.
SGA Executives will coordinate a time to accompany a designated staff
member from the Office of Student Engagement
ARTICLE V. EVENTS / INITIATIVES
A. Calendar
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1. The SGA Executive team will a draft and submit their SGA events calendar one
semester in advance to the SGA Advisor for review and recommendations.
2. Proposals for new events (i.e. impromptu events) not on the approved SGA
calendar should be submitted to the SGA Advisor a minimum of two weeks in
advance and should first be approved by a simple majority of the SGA
Executive team.
B. Teams for Events / Initiatives
1. Project Lead - The SGA Executive team will appoint a Project Lead for each
SGA sponsored event / initiative. The Project Lead will serve as the event
coordinator and primary contact between SGA and the SGA Advisor and/or
Office of Student Engagement. The Project Lead is responsible for ensuring
all required paperwork is completed and submitted to the Office of Student
Engagement in a timely manner.
2. Support Team – The SGA Executive team will assist the Project Lead as
requested to ensure the event / initiative is successfully marketed and
coordinated.
ARTICLE VII. ADVISOR
A. Role
1. The Director of Student Engagement is appointed by the Vice Provost Dean of
Student Affairs to serve as SGA Advisor.
2. The primary responsibility of the SGA Advisor is to work with and through SGA
to carry out a phase of the students’ university education and enhance their
leadership skills as emerging artist-scholars.
3. SGA Advisor meets with SGA Executives frequently, either individually or in
groups, sometimes at regularly scheduled hours, other times by chance.
4. Individual members of the student body or administration may confer with the
SGA Advisor regarding SGA business.
5. The SGA Advisor is responsible for maintaining an awareness of campus
opinion with regard to SGA.
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B. Commitment
1. To ensure SGA’s organizational continuity and effectiveness as student
advocates, the SGA Advisor supports SGA in the following capacities:
a. Attending meetings on matters related to SGA and serving as moderator in
meetings as requested by members of SGA.
b. Collaboration with SGA in coordinating the selection and election
processes. c. Advocacy on behalf of SGA to university administrators and the community
of Winston-Salem. ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS
A. Process
1. The Constitution of the Student Government Association shall become
amended when:
a. Amendments have been approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the SGA
Executive Council.
b. The amendment shall go into effect three weeks after the two-thirds majority
vote has been received by the SGA Advisor.
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