Student Assembly - Resolution 13 (2024-2025)

Amending the Attendance Policy of the Student Assembly

• Term:
  2024-2025
• Assembly:
  Student Assembly
• Status: Submitted to the President
• Abstract: This resolution clarifies the Attendance Policy of the Student Assembly as defined in the Bylaws.
  
  Sponsored by: President deRham ’27, VP Suarez ‘27
  Type of Action: Internal Policy
  Originally Presented: 10/31/2024
  
  Whereas, the Student Assembly has nearly failed to reach quorum on several occasions during the 2024-2025 Term.
  
  Whereas, Article IV, Section 7, Subsection A of the Student Assembly Charter states that “each voting member of the Assembly shall be required to attend all regularly scheduled and special meetings of the Assembly.”
  
  Whereas, Article IV, Section 8, Subsection B of the Bylaws states that “attendance at all organizational and specially scheduled meetings is required.”
  
  Whereas, the governing documents remain unclear regarding the specifics of the classification of an absence, as well as the consequences of failing to adhere to the attendance policy.
  
  Be it therefore resolved, Article IV, Section 8 of the Bylaws of the Student Assembly be struck and replaced with:
  
  Section 8: Attendance Policy
  A. Attendance at all organizational and specially scheduled meetings is required, when the Executive Board provides
  Assembly members at least 72-hours prior notice of the meeting.
  B. Any member who fails to attend a required meeting or event without having such absence excused shall be
  considered absent. The Standing Rules shall define the standard to which absences are excused.
  C. A maximum of three consecutive, three per semester, or five per Assembly term absences may be excused. A 2/3
  vote of the Assembly may waive this provision under extenuating circumstances.
  D. Any late arrival or early departure from a required meeting will result in a half-absence. Late arrival shall be
  defined as any point after the Call of the Roll. Virtual attendance, if authorized in the Standing Rules, shall count
  as a half-absence. Submission of a proxy shall not count as attendance.
  E. If it is determined that a member has accrued four or more unexcused absences, an Officer of the Assembly must
  call for a vote on unseating the member at the next regular meeting. If the Assembly, by majority vote, votes to
  unseat the member, the unseated member has not vacated the seat, but does not count for quorum and cannot
  vote until they have been reseated. The vote to unseat shall not be held without prior notification to the member.
  F. If the unseated member of the Assembly does not acknowledge the vote to unseat within two weeks of such a
  vote by declaring a desire to be reseated, their seat is considered vacated.
  G. If the unseated member of the Assembly desires to be reseated, the member may call for one 2/3 vote of the
  Assembly to be reseated. The motion may not be postponed until after an agenda item requiring a vote without the
  unseated member’s consent. If the motion to reseat the member passes, the member is reseated immediately with
  all rights restored. If the motion to reseat the member fails, the Assembly shall immediately consider a vote to
  remove the member.
  H. If the unseated member of the Assembly does not desire to be reinstated, their seat is considered vacated upon
  notification to the President or Vice President of Internal Operations.
  
  Be it further resolved, the following be appended to Rule 101(B) of the Standing Rules of the Student Assembly:
  
  "Absences may be excused for religious observances, health reasons, academic reasons, or varsity sports matches.
  Other reasons shall be individually considered at the discretion of the President or Vice President of Internal
  Operations."
  
  Be it finally resolved, the following be inserted as Rule 101(G) of the Standing Rules of the Student Assembly:
  
  "Members shall be allowed to attend Assembly meetings through the Zoom meeting provided by the Office of the
  Assemblies. However, such attendance will accrue a half-absence as provided by the Bylaws."
  
  Respectfully Submitted,
  Zora deRham ‘27
  President of the Student Assembly
  
  David Suarez ‘27
  Vice President of Internal Operations of the Student Assembly
• Resolution File:
  Resolution 13_ Amending the Attendance Policy of the Student Assembly (2).pdf (134.08 KB)
• Supporting Documents:
• Sponsors: Zora Patterson deRham (zpd3), David Thomas Suarez (dts99)
• Reviewing Committee: