Constitution of the Brown University
Undergraduate Council of Students
Ratified: January 1976
Revised: Spring 2003
Article I: Name
I.1 This body shall be the Brown University Undergraduate Council of Students.
Article II: Purpose
II.1 The Council shall:
A. Represent students and the interests of students in all matters of university life and all
areas of university operations.
B. Formulate an annual program for the improvement of student life addressing each aspect
of University operations which affects students.
C. Advocate implementation of that program by all possible routes, and in particular, in all
policy and decision-making groups of the Corporation, Administration, and Faculty.
II.2 The Council shall:
A. Endeavor to maximize effective student participation in decision-making at the University.
B. Appoint all undergraduate members of duly-constituted University, Faculty, and
Corporation committees.
C. Coordinate the activities of the undergraduate members of all duly-constituted University,
Faculty, and Corporation committees and in particular coordinate their participation in
developing an annual student program by appointing Council members to such of those
committees as is deemed necessary by the Council.
D. Take such action as it deems necessary to ensure adequate student representation on all
University, Faculty, and Corporation committees, including the replacement of undergraduate
members of those committees.
E. Create, appoint students to, and coordinate the activities of such other committees as it
deems desirable.
F. Nominate undergraduate students for election to the Advisory Committee on University
Planning.
Article III: Communications
III.1 The Council shall:
A. Disseminate information upon issues affecting students to the entire student body.
B. Build and maintain regular communications and cooperative relationships with faculty,
staff, and their organizations.
C. Build and maintain regular communications with the Administration.
Article IV: Student Advocacy
IV.1 The Council shall give, at its discretion, active support to any students or organizations in
any cause or matter affecting the rights and interests of students.
Article V: Student Activities
V.1 The Council shall allow the Undergraduate Finance Board (UFB) to collect, appropriate, and
oversee the subsequent use of student activities funds and dues, and shall empower the UFB to
hold all organizations, clubs, groups, and individuals to whom such monies are given fully
accountable for the uses to which such monies are put, and shall be empowered to stop payments
to all such parties. The Council reserves the right to declare any and all groups eligible or not
eligible to be funded by the UFB.
V.2 The Council shall carry out, at its discretion, all other functions requested of it by the
Faculty, staff, Administration, Corporation, Alumni, or students.
Article VI: Eligibility for Membership
VI.1 Prerequisites for seeking and retaining office shall be registration as an undergraduate
student of the University.
Article VII: Officers
VII.1 The officers of the Council shall be: a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer,
a Coordinator of Appointments, a Coordinator of Communications, a Coordinator of Student
Activities, and three Coordinators of program areas.
Article VIII: Composition of the Undergraduate Council of Students
VIII.1 The undergraduate student body shall, in April of every year, elect the President, VicePresident, Treasurer, Coordinator of Student Activities, and three program area Coordinators of
the Undergraduate Council of Students.
A. Elections for these positions shall be by majority vote. In the event that no candidate for a
position obtains a majority vote, a run-off election will be held between those two candidates
having the largest plurality for a position in order to establish such a majority.
B. The Council shall elect the Secretary, Coordinator of Appointments, and Coordinator of
Communications by a simple majority vote from among eligible, voting members of the
Council on or after the Council’s second general meeting of the academic year.
C. All of the officers mentioned in the above section shall be members of the Executive
Board.
VIII.2 Every member of the undergraduate student body who obtains the signatures of a certain
number of the members of the undergraduate student body on a Petition of Election shall become
At-Large Member of the Undergraduate Council of Students.
VIII.3 All officers and representatives of the Undergraduate Council of Students shall take office
on the last day of final examinations for the academic year in which they are elected and shall
serve until the last day of final examinations in the following academic year.
VIII.4 Any Member of the Council may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the whole Council,
after said member has been notified 120 hours prior to removal. This question takes precedence
over all other questions and may be brought to the floor either by the motion of a Member of the
Council or upon presentation to the Council of a petition signed by 300 members of the
undergraduate student body.
VIII.5 In the event of a vacancy in the position of a member of the Executive Board, the Council
must hold a special election no fewer than seven and no more than fourteen days upon the
vacation of the position. This election takes precedence over all other matters, except that of
removing a Member of the Council.
A. Any Member who has three unexcused absences shall immediately cease to be a Member
of the Council, and shall not be eligible to rejoin until the beginning of the following
semester. The Secretary shall be tasked with enforcing this requirement.
Article IX: By-Laws and Code of Operations
IX.1 The Council shall establish and amend its own by-laws and a code of operations by an
affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members.
Article X: Amendments
X.1 Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by either a majority of the Council or by a
petition signed by no less than ten percent (10%) of the undergraduate students. Amendments
shall become effective upon receiving a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote in an undergraduate
student body referendum.
Article XI: Ratification
XI.1 This Constitution shall supersede all previous Constitutions of the Brown University
student government and shall become effective upon receiving a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote
in an undergraduate student body referendum.
Article XII: Student Bill of Rights
XII.1 Equality of rights under rules and regulations shall not be denied or abridged by the
Council or by any of its committees or boards on account of race, color, creed, national origin,
sex, or sexual orientation.
XII.2 No persons shall be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy, nor shall any
person be compelled in any hearing to be a witness against himself or herself, nor be deprived of
rights, liberty, or property, without due process.
XII.3 In all hearings, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy, fair, and public hearing, and
to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses
against him or her, and to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his or her favor.
XII.4 The Council and its committees and boards shall make no rule abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press; or the right of students to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Council
for redress of grievances. The same rights shall also apply to candidates for the Council. The
Council may place a campaign spending limit on candidates for the Council. This limit shall not
be lower than ten dollars, and shall not be lowered for any candidate in any case.
XII.5 All students who are eligible under this Constitution have the right to seek office in the
Council. No candidate shall be disqualified without due process. No candidate shall be required
to sign any contract to seek office.
XII.6 All undergraduates have the right to vote in all elections for the Council. This right shall
not be revoked. A line for write-in votes shall be provided for each office on election ballots.
XII.7 No ex post facto rule shall be passed.
XII.8 The enumeration in this Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the students.