You are here: Home > Student Life > Student Affairs > SGA

The Constitution of the Liberty University Student Government Association

Preamble

We, the students of Liberty University, in order to create and establish a right and proper manner of student governance, to protect and serve the students, and to promote the common good of Liberty University do hereby ordain this constitution for the Liberty University Student Government Association.

Article I – Name and Authority

Section 1 – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Liberty University Student Government Association.

Section 2 – Administration Granted Authority

The authority exercised by the Student Government Association is conferred by the Liberty University Administration; therefore, all official actions of the Student Government Association are subject to review and change by the University Administration. Only the powers specifically enumerated within this Constitution shall be granted to the Student Government Association. All other powers are not implied, and are reserved to the Administration unless specifically delegated by an amendment to the document.

Section 3 – Student-Granted Authority

The authority of the Student Government Association is granted by the Student Body through elections; therefore, the Student Government Association shall have authority to act in the name of the Student Body.

Section 4 – Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to involve the students in the administrative process, to hear students’ concerns, and to convey a sense of the students’ needs to the Administration.

Article II – Membership

Section 1 – Qualifications

Membership in the Student Government Association shall be open to all undergraduate students attending Liberty University. No member of the Student Government Association shall be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension. No member of the Student Government Association may simultaneously hold more than one office. Only members of a Student Government Association body may vote on matters discussed within that body.

Section 2 – Oath

All Student Government Association Members shall take the following oath:

I, (name), do hereby solemnly affirm that I will faithfully support and defend the constitution, statutes, and bylaws of The Liberty University Student Government Association and will endeavor to represent the students of Liberty University to the best of my ability and conduct myself in a Christian manner at all times so help me God.

Section 3 – Elected Offices

The elected offices of The Student Government Association shall consist of the following:

The President and Vice President of the Student Government Association, elected by the Student Body at large;
The Speaker of the Senate, elected by the Senate;
The President and Vice President of each class, elected by their respective classes;
Hall Senators, elected by their respective halls.

The elections for the President and Vice President of the Student Government Association shall take place in the spring semester before their term. The elections for the Speaker of the Senate, Class Presidents and Vice Presidents, and Senators shall take place in the fall semester at the beginning of their term.

Section 4 – Appointed Offices

The appointed offices of the Student Government Association shall consist of the following:

Executive Assistants, appointed by the President and Vice President of the Student Government Association, including the Executive Secretaries;
Chairs of each of the Committees, appointed by the President of the Student Government Association, with the exception of the Chair of the Committee on Rules, who shall be the Speaker of the Senate;
Legislative Assistants, appointed by the Speaker of the Senate, including a Sergeant-at-Arms, a Secretary, and a Parliamentarian;
Judicial Assistants appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court;
Each body within the Student Government Association shall have the ability to appoint members to positions such as Secretary and Pro-tempore positions.

Section 5 – Nominated Offices

The nominated offices of the Student Government Association shall consist of the following:

Court Justices, nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate;
An Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, who shall be nominated by the President of the Student Government Association and confirmed by the Senate;
The Director of the Office of Internal Affairs, who shall be nominated by the President of the Student Government Association and confirmed by the Senate;
The Director of the Office of Public Relations, who shall be nominated by the President of the Student Government Association and confirmed by the Senate;
At-large Senators, approved by the Council;
Commuter Senators, approved by the Council.

If a Senator or other Student Government Association Officer wishes to accept an appointed or nominated office, they must resign their seat before accepting their appointment as required by Article II Section 1. A special election, nomination, or appointment depending on the type of position must be made to fill the vacancy.

Article III – The Executive

Section 1 – The President

The President shall have the following duties:

To serve as the mediator between the Student Government Association and the Administration;
To create broad policy goals for the semester and provide leadership for the Student Government Association;
To report pertinent Student Government Association actions, programs, and activities to the Student Body;
To execute the Student Government Association’s Constitution, legislation, bylaws and all other decisions.

The President shall also have the power to veto any legislation passed by the Senate and the Council of the Student Government Association.

The President of The Student Government Association must meet and maintain the following qualifications:

Must maintain at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average;
Must have been a student at Liberty University for at least two concurrent semesters;
Must have been a member of the Student Government Association for at least one semester prior to the semester in which they run for the office;
Must have attained at least Junior status in the semester in which they serve;
Must not have received an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their attendance at Liberty University and must not be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension;
Must maintain good standing with the Office of Student Conduct;
Must not be a Resident Assistant or a Resident Assistant Candidate during their time in office.

The President of the Student Government Association shall be required to give a State of the University speech at the beginning of each semester in which they shall introduce to the Student Body the Vice President, the Speaker of the Senate, the Chief Justice, and the respective Class Presidents, and shall give an update on legislation and events.

Section 2 – The Vice President

The Vice President shall aid the President in all of the above duties and shall be privy to all information to which the President is privy. They shall act as the alternate for the President in the full authority of that Office at all Student Government Association functions the President is unable to attend and shall succeed to the Office of the President of the Student Government Association in case of a vacancy in the Office of the President. They shall also preside at all meetings of the Council.

The qualifications for Vice President of the Student Government Association shall be the same as those for the President, except that the Vice President may be a Resident Assistant or Resident Assistant Candidate during their term of Office. If through a vacancy in the Office of the President they become President of the Student Government Association they must resign as Resident Assistant or decline succession to the Office of the President, at which time the order of succession shall be followed pursuant to Article III Section 4.

Section 3 – Class Officers

A President and Vice President from each undergraduate class at Liberty University shall be elected as Class Officers. The Class Officers must meet and maintain the following qualifications:

Must maintain status as a full-time student at Liberty University, with the exception of graduating seniors not needing more than twelve credit hours for graduation;
Must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 2.5;
Must not have received an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their attendance at Liberty University;
Must be within the range of credits prescribed by the Administration to be a member of the class they shall represent.

The Class Officers shall be elected from the Student Body and shall complete a reasonable application process as directed by the Student Government Association President.

Section 4 - Succession

In the event of a vacancy in the Office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate an individual to fill the position who shall be approved by the Senate.

In the event that there are vacancies in the Offices of both the President and the Vice President, the Speaker of the Senate shall call a special joint session of the Senate and the Council for the election of a new President of the Student Government Association at which a sitting majority shall be sufficient for the election of the new President. The President shall then nominate an individual to fill the Office of the Vice President as stated above.

In the event that there are vacancies in the Offices of President, Vice President, and Speaker of the Senate, the ranking member of the Council shall call a special joint session of the Senate and the Council for the election of a new President of the Student Government Association at which a sitting majority shall be sufficient for the election of the new President. The President shall then nominate an individual to fill the Office of the Vice President as stated above. The Senate shall then hold an election for the Speaker of the Senate.

Article IV – The Administrative Branch

The qualifications for the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, the Director of Internal Affairs, and the Director of Public Relations shall be the following:

Must be in good standing with the Student Government Association and shall not be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension;
Must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.5 and must not receive an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their term in office.

Section 1 – The Office of the Attorney General

The Office of the Attorney General shall be the primary counsel for the Student Government Association, shall represent the Student Government Association, and shall prosecute those who violate its Constitution, statutes, and bylaws.

The head of the Office of the Attorney General shall be the Attorney General and a Deputy Attorney General. The Attorney General shall oversee the Committee for Accountability, except in the event of an investigation of the Attorney General, at which time the Deputy Attorney General shall oversee the Committee.

The Attorney General shall appoint Student Advocates who shall be informed of the judicial procedure of the Student Government Association and be prepared to defend and advise students within the Liberty University Court System.

If students appearing before the Liberty University Court System request representation or advice, they shall be assigned a Student Advocate to represent their case before the Courts.

The Attorney General shall have the authority to appoint legal assistants as necessary to assist in the preparation of arguments before the Liberty University Court System.

Section 2 – The Office of Internal Affairs

The Office of Internal Affairs shall be the coordinator of the various branches of the Student Government Association; shall maintain the Constitution and any Amendments, Statutes, Bylaws, and minutes created by the various Branches of the Student Government Association; shall maintain the Student Government Association schedule; and shall track proposed legislation throughout the Legislative Process.

The Director of the Office of Internal Affairs shall be the head of the Office of Internal Affairs and shall have the authority to appoint assistants as necessary including the Historian, the Scheduler, and the Notary.

Section 3 – The Office of Public Relations

The Office of Public Relations shall be overseen by The Director of Public Relations. The responsibilities of The Office of Public Relations shall be to promote The Student Government Association to The Student Body and The Community at large.

The Director of The Office of Public Relations shall have the authority to create a Public Relations Team and appoint assistants as necessary including The Reporter and The Webmaster.

Article V – The Legislative Branch

Section 1 – The Speaker of the Senate

The Speaker of the Senate shall be in good standing with the Student Government Association and shall not be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension. The Speaker of the Senate must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0, must not receive an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their term in office, and must not be a Residential Assistant or Residential Assistant Candidate in the semester in which they serve. The Speaker of the Senate shall have been a member of the Senate for at least two semesters prior to the term in which he serves.

The Vice President of the Student Government Association shall preside at the first Student Senate meeting, at which nominations shall be taken for the Office of the Speaker of the Senate. The two candidates receiving the highest percentage of votes shall be the candidates for a run-off vote. The candidate receiving a simple majority of the run-off votes shall assume the Office of the Speaker of the Senate.

The Speaker of the Senate shall preside over all meetings of the Student Senate, shall assign all committee appointments to Senators, shall have the authority to appoint all Legislative Assistants, and shall set the legislative agenda and be responsible for the legislative calendar.

The Speaker of the Senate shall also serve as the Chair of the Committee on Rules.

Section 2 – The Student Senate

The Student Senate shall serve as the lower chamber of the Student Government Association. Membership in the Liberty University Student Senate shall be open to all undergraduate students attending Liberty University. All members of the Student Senate shall be in good standing with the Student Government Association and shall not be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension. All Student Senators must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0 and must not receive a eighteen reprimand offense or greater during their term in office.

One Hall Senator shall be elected from each hall. The Resident Assistants shall announce that the position is open at the first Hall Meeting of the fall semester. The election shall take place one week following the announcement at the second Hall Meeting of the fall semester. In the event of a vacancy a special election shall be held on the hall one week after the hall meeting at which the vacancy was announced.

Commuter Senators shall be apportioned at a ratio of one Commuter Senator per one hundred Commuter Students and shall submit their names to the Council which shall approve them at the first Council meeting of the fall semester.

At-large Senators shall be apportioned at a ratio of one At-large Senator per three hundred Liberty University Residential and Commuter Students. Candidates shall submit their names to The Council which shall approve them at the first Council meeting of the fall semester. All current Senators will become At Large Senators in the Spring semester.

All Senators shall serve as members of a committee.

The Class Vice Presidents shall serve as Senators and as the head of their class delegation within the Student Senate.

Section 3 – The Council

The Council shall serve as the upper chamber of the Student Government Association.

The Council shall consist of the Class Presidents. The Vice President of the Student Government Association shall serve as the Presiding Officer of the Council and shall cast the deciding vote only in case of a tie. Committee Chairs shall also attend all Council meetings ex officio.

Section 4 – The Legislative Process

All legislation must originate from a Senator in the Student Senate. The steps in the legislative process shall be as follows:

All Bills shall be submitted to and approved by the committee(s) having jurisdiction over the matter. They shall then proceed to the Committee on Rules before submission to the Student Senate.
If a Bill is passed in the Student Senate, it shall proceed to the Council.
If a Bill is passed by the Student Senate but not the Council, the Council may rewrite the Legislation and the Speaker of the Senate and the Presiding Officer of the Council shall reconcile the Bill. If reconciliation is successful, the Bill shall be resubmitted simultaneously to both the Council and the Student Senate and if passed, it shall proceed to the President of the Student Government Association. If a Bill is vetoed by the President, it shall die for that legislative session unless the veto is overruled by a two-thirds majority in each chamber. If the veto is overruled, the Speaker of the Senate and the Presiding Officer of the Council shall present the Bill to the Administration. If the veto is sustained, the Bill shall die for that legislative session. If the Bill is passed by the President and vetoed by the Administration it may be reintroduced with the changes suggested by the Administration. If a Bill is approved by the Administration, it shall be enforced by all branches of the Student Government Association and all other affected University Departments. If reconciliation is not successful, the Bill shall die for that legislative session.
If a Bill is passed in the Council, it shall proceed to the President.
If a Bill is vetoed by the President, it shall die for that legislative session unless the veto is overruled by a two-thirds majority in each chamber. If the veto is overruled, the Speaker of the Senate and the Presiding Officer of the Council shall present the Bill to the Administration. If the veto is sustained, the Bill shall die for that legislative session.
If a Bill is passed by the President, it shall immediately proceed to the Administration.
If a Bill is vetoed by the Administration, it may be reintroduced with the changes suggested by the Administration. If a Bill is approved by the Administration, it shall be enforced by all branches of the Student Government Association and all other affected University Departments.

Upon receipt of proposed legislation, the President shall have seven days to either pass or veto the proposed legislation. Upon expiration of the seventh day, if the President has taken no action the legislation shall be deemed passed and shall immediately proceed to the Administration.

Section 5 – The Committees

The Committee Chairs

The qualifications for Committee Chairs, who shall be appointed by the Student Government Association President, with the exception of the Committee on Rules Chair, who shall be the Speaker of the Senate, shall be as follows:

Must maintain status as a full-time student at Liberty University, with the exception of graduating seniors not needing more than twelve credit hours for graduation;
Must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 2.0 and have accumulated at least 30 credits upon assuming office;
Must not have received an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their attendance at Liberty University;
Must have been a student at Liberty for at least two semesters.

Each Committee Chair shall preside over their respective committee, and maintain their status as a Senator.

The Committee on Rules

The responsibilities of the Committee on Rules shall be to craft and approve bylaws and constitutional amendments, guarantee constitutionality of all legislation, and ensure proper function and parliamentary procedure in all branches of the Student Government Association, as well as any other matters requested by another branch of the Student Government Association. The Committee on Rules shall have concurrent jurisdiction with all committees for the purpose of ascertaining constitutionality and proper procedure of all legislation.

The Committee on The Budget

The responsibilities of the Committee on the Budget shall be to prepare the annual Student Government Association budget, review treasury reports, oversee club funding, and assist with fundraising for the Student Government Association as well as any other duties which may be assigned to it by the Council.

The Committee for Campus Concerns

The primary responsibility of the Committee for Campus Concerns shall be to deal with legislation pertaining to resident and commuter students as well as any other duties which may be assigned to it by the Council.

The Committee on Clubs

The primary responsibility of the Committee on Clubs shall be to oversee relations between the Student Government Association and clubs within the University as well as any other duties which may be assigned to it by the Council.

The Committee for Spiritual Life

The primary responsibilities of the Committee for Spiritual Life shall be to meet the spiritual needs within the Student Government Association and assist the Spiritual Life Department in dealing with the spiritual concerns of the University as well as any other duties which may be assigned to it by the Council.

The Committee for Accountability

The Committee for Accountability shall be called to order and overseen by the Attorney General, or by Deputy Attorney General in the event of the investigation of the Attorney General. The Committee for Accountability shall only be called in cases of violations of the Constitution, Statutes, or Bylaws. It shall be composed of a minimum of three members of the Student Government Association who shall be approved by The Administration. The Committee for Accountability shall be called to investigate matters pertaining to members of the Student Government Association fulfillment of Constitutional duties and may, if sufficient cause is found, recommend either censure or impeachment.

New Committees and Subcommittees

Each Committee shall be empowered to create subcommittees for the purpose of more efficiently accomplishing its function. The Speaker of the Senate shall have the authority to create new standing committees with the approval of the Student Senate.

Article VI – Clubs

Section 1 – Supremacy

The Student Government Association shall be recognized as the oversight organization for all clubs at Liberty University. Conflicts within clubs, among clubs, or between clubs and the University may be handled by the Student Government Association and if necessary by the Liberty University Supreme Court. The Student Government Association may set forth rules which, upon approval by the Administration, shall be binding upon all clubs at Liberty University.

Section 2 – Club Approval

All Clubs shall follow a Club Approval process as defined by Committee on Clubs in conjunction with the Administration.

Article VII – The Student Courts

Section 1 - Establishment

The judicial powers of the Student Government Association shall be vested in a Supreme Court, along with any inferior courts.

Section 2 - Composition and Membership

The Liberty University Student Court will consist of a minimum of three student Justices, not exceeding seven student Justices. The President shall nominate a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Associate Justices who shall be confirmed by the Senate.

Nominees must meet and maintain the following requirements:

Must be an undergraduate residential or commuter student at Liberty University;
Must have completed at least two semesters at Liberty University and one semester in the Student Government Association and have attained at least forty-five undergraduate academic credit hours;
Must maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 3.0;
Must not have received an offense greater than twelve reprimands during their attendance at Liberty University, to be confirmed by reprimand report from the Office of Student Conduct, and must not be under any form of academic or disciplinary probation or suspension;
Must not be a Resident Assistant.

The term of office for Justices shall be the duration of their undergraduate enrollment at Liberty University. Vacancies may occur by impeachment, resignation, failure to maintain the standards necessary to serve as Justice, or by failure to attend court sessions. In the event of a vacancy, the President of the Student Government Association shall nominate a new Justice who shall be approved and confirmed as above.

Section 3 - The Chief Justice

The Chief Justice shall preside over the Supreme Court.

The Chief Justice shall be appointed by the President.

The Chief Justice shall have the authority to appoint Judicial Assistants as necessary.

The Chief Justice shall not be a Residential Assistant or Residential Assistant Candidate in any semester in which they serve.

The Chief Justice may, at their discretion, create any inferior court to deal with matters delegated specifically to it by the Supreme Court that do not conflict with the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction.

Section 4 - Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court will have original jurisdiction in all constitutional and procedural violations of the Student Government Association Constitution, club constitutions, and all Statutes approved by the Student Government Association. The Supreme Court will have appellate jurisdiction on any case appealed from an inferior court and any matter delegated to the court by either the Student Government Association, the Office of Student Conduct, the Liberty University Police Department, or the Liberty University Administration.

Article VIII – Discipline

Section 1 – Censure

In the event of misconduct not warranting impeachment of a member of either the Executive or Judicial Branches of the Student Government Association, the Committee for Accountability may bring forth articles of censure. In the event of misconduct not warranting impeachment of a member of the Legislative Branch of the Student Government Association the Presiding Officer of the respective body may bring forth articles of censure which will be approved by a simple majority within the body.

Section 2 – Impeachment of Executive, Administrative, and Legislative Branches

In the event that a member or officer of the Student Government Association fails to meet the requirements of their office within the Student Government Association, articles of Impeachment may be brought forth against said member. Charges of impeachment shall be brought before the Committee for Accountability, and if necessary, articles of impeachment shall be drawn up by the Committee and be brought before the Liberty University Student Court for impeachment hearings. The Attorney General or an approved substitute shall bring the articles of impeachment before the Court, and the accused shall have the right to a speedy and fair hearing by the Court, which may result in their removal from the Student Government Association.

Section 3 – Impeachment of the Judicial Branch

In the event of charges of impeachment brought against a Justice in the Liberty University Supreme Court, the charges of impeachment shall be brought before the Committee for Accountability and, if necessary, articles of impeachment may be drawn up by the Committee for Accountability which will be brought before the Council for Impeachment Hearings.

Article IX – Remuneration

Any member may be eligible to receive Christian Service for their role in the Student Government Association providing they meet the following requirements:

Must be a current active member and in good standing with the Student Government Association;
Must meet Christian Service requirements, have signed up for the Student Government Association as their Christian Service, and have been approved by the Sergeant-at-Arms.

The President, Vice President, Speaker of the Senate, Chief Justice, Class Officers, Associate Justices, Committee Chairs, and Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Assistants may be eligible for additional remuneration for their additional duties and services.

Article X – Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order-Newly Revised, shall govern the proceedings of the Student Government Association in all cases where they are applicable and are not inconsistent with this constitution, any statutes, or bylaws.

Article XI – Amendments and Bylaws

Section 1 – Amendments

The purpose of constitutional amendments is to make changes to the constitution in order that the workings of the Student Government Association may be efficient and successful in the achievement of its expressed purpose.

Proposed amendments to the constitution must go first before the Committee on the Rules, and if passed by a simple majority, must be approved by a sitting two-thirds majority in the Student Senate and a two-thirds majority in the Council. If approved there, amendments will be sent to the Administration for final approval. Amendments shall be listed in numerical order at the end of the document and the Historian shall, in the official constitution, place a reference to the amendment in the affected article.

Section 2 – Bylaws

The purpose of bylaws is to ensure the proper functioning of specific branches and committees of the Student Government Association. Bylaws may originate from either the branch or committee they will affect or the Committee on the Rules and shall only affect the branch or committee for which they are established. All bylaws must be passed by the affected branch or committee by a simple majority and approved by a simple majority in the Committee on Rules in order to take effect. All bylaws must conform to the Student Government Association Constitution and guidelines established by acts of legislation.

Article XII - Ratification

This Constitution shall be ratified and take immediate effect upon the confirmation of two-thirds of the Student Senate and signing by the Student Government Association President and the Administration. All current Elected, Nominated, Appointed, and Volunteer positions within the Student Government Association shall be valid until the end of their respective terms. All Statutes and Bylaws passed under the previous Constitution shall remain valid under this Constitution.