UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN OSHKOSH
UNIVERSITY HONORS STUDENT ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION (Approved 11/2007)
The University Honors Student Association (also referred to as UHSA) is an independent arm of the University Honors Program (UHP), working with the program administration and faculty to meet the social and academic needs of students.
I. PURPOSE
A. To provide co-curricular events for the enrichment of university students and faculty with emphasis on the involvement of UHP students.
B. To serve as a network and link between the UHP, the university as a whole, and the community.
C. Maintaining a positive public image by informing and including the University Community in UHSA activities.
D. To act as a liaison to provide student input in the following areas:
1. Honors Council
2. Student ideas/concerns
3. Special projects and program changes
II. MEMBERSHIP
A. Membership included any UW Oshkosh student who wishes to participate in UHSA-supported activities and all UHP participants.
B. Voting membership constitutes all members of UHSA who are in good standing in the University Honors Program.
III. OFFICES AND COMMITTEES
A. The UHSA Executive Board is the deciding body of the UHSA and is comprised of the following positions that work together as a team to fulfill the purpose of the UHSA.
1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Volunteer/Activities Chair
6. OSA Representative
7. College Liaison – College of Business Administration (CoBA)
8. College Liaison – College of Education and Human Services (CoEHS)
9. College Liaison – College of Letters and Science (CoLS)
10. College Liaison – College of Nursing (CoN)
B. President
The President’s role is an all-encompassing position to provide leadership and guidance to the executive board. The President is responsible for organizing meetings, creating committees when necessary, and ensuring all objectives of UHSA are met. The President works directly with the director and the assistant director of the UHP to insure continuity throughout the program. This person also serves as a Student Member of the University Honors Council and will attend each University Honors Council meeting.
C. Vice President
The Vice President helps manage the responsibilities of UHSA and works closely with the President in preparation for succession to President (should the President not be able to fulfill duties). They also may fill in as a committee chair or at an event in lieu of the President. They will be in charge of maintaining and updating the UHSA Executive Handbook. This person also serves as a Student Member of the University Honors Council and will attend each University Honors Council meeting.
D. Secretary
The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes at all meetings, sending out communication via phone or email to all UHSA Executive Board members, and filing paperwork for any University funding allocation applications. Minutes should be sent out by email or available in print to the executive board in a timely manner after each meeting. This person also serves as a Student Member of the University Honors Council and will attend each University Honors Council meeting.
E. Treasurer
The Treasurer will work with the Director and Assistant Director to determine funds for UHSA events that may potentially be provided by the UHP if necessary. This person also serves as a Student Member of the University Honors Council and will attend each University Honors Council meeting.
F. Volunteer/Activities Chair
The Volunteer/Activities Chair plans co-curricular activities and oversees committees for each activity; volunteer, social, or fundraising. They will also find and coordinate volunteers and participants for each promotion of these activities through the development and implementation of multiple methods of marketing techniques. All contact information and other useful tools for setting up annual activities should be kept and added to the UHSA Executive Handbook for future reference.
G. OSA Representative
The OSA Representative represents UHSA in the general assembly of the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA). Their duty is to vote on behalf of the UHSA members on all matters brought before the assembly. They serve as a channel of communication between UHSA and other students and organizations on campus. The OSA Representative will report the business of each OSA meeting to the UHSA Executive Board and relay any concerns UHSA members have about campus and community issues. The OSA Representative will also file the appropriate paperwork with OSA to ensure that UHSA is recognized as an active and voting student organization within OSA.
H. College Liaisons
There is a College Liaison to represent each different college at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Each Liaison’s responsibility is to act as a link between UHSA and each college and their respective student organization. They will represent their respective colleges at UHSA events and meetings and represent UHSA at events for their respective colleges. They can help in more efficiently contacting organization leaders and college Deans for UHSA activities if necessary.
I. Election Procedures
The UHSA faculty advisor (member of UHP administration) will oversee the election process.
Elections will be held at the last general meeting of each spring semester. The elected term shall run to the end of the following spring semester (one year).
Publicity for elections should be available in written form to all students at least three weeks prior to election date.
Anyone running for office must be a voting member of UHSA.
Anyone running for office must plan to attend UW Oshkosh for the whole length of the officer’s term.
All officers will be elected as individuals rather than tickets.
Written nominations for positions will be accepted from three weeks prior to the elections until 24 hours before elections. Self-nominations are accepted.
Election will be by secret ballot. A plurality of those voting members present and absentee ballots on file will be required to elect officers. Written absentee ballots will be available in the University Honors office and should be returned by 12:00pm the day of elections.
Nominations for the floor, with assent of the nominee, will be allowed for those positions for which no one has formally applied. Candidates not elected, if they assent, may be nominated from the floor to be eligible for subsequent positions. Absentee votes will only be counted for a candidate only for the office to which the candidate has formally applied or been nominated.
Any vacancies occurring before the end of the elected term will be filled by appointment form the President will approval from the UHSA Executive Board.
J. Committees
1. May be formed to complete a task at the discretion of the UHSA Executive Board. Committees must be chaired by an Executive board member, but may also consist of voting members of UHSA.
IV. MEETINGS / COMMUNICATION
A. There must be a minimum of one UHSA meeting each semester of the regular academic year at a time convenient for the majority of board members. There is no maximum number of meetings allowed and the meeting schedule is at the discretion of the President.
B. Meetings may be held for the entire UHSA membership and/or only the UHSA Executive Board.
C. The President chairs UHSA Executive Board meetings. If the President cannot be in attendance, he/she may designate another board member to run a meeting, such as the Vice President.
D. Matters presented to the UHSA Executive Board will be decided by the plurality of votes on the subject from voting members and/or Executive Board members present.
E. Accepted forms of communication for official UHSA communications include written form, e-mail, and telephone. However, for any voting circumstance, all votes and information passed must be in print or e-mail forms.
V. AMENDMENTS
A. Amendments may be proposed by any member of UHSA at any general meeting.
B. Any amendment to the bylaws will take effect only after:
1. It has been made available in written form to all voting members by UHP publication and has been posted in the Honors office.
2. It has been approved by a two-thirds vote of UHSA members present at the next general meeting after publication of the proposed amendment (absentee ballots will be accepted if turned into the Honors office by the start of the voting meeting).
