Bylaws of the American
University Residence Hall
Association
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Approved: April 17, 2014
Last Revised: October 9, 2015
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The Residence Hall Association (RHA) of American University shall be the community government
for, and within, each residence hall. The Residence Hall Association shall represent and advocate for
the rights, enjoyable campus experience and wellbeing of all resident students, provide programming
to benefit the residential community, and strive to build a greater sense of community among all
residents of American University residence halls.
If you wish to receive accommodations for a disability, please notify the Executive Board and RHA Advisor with a
letter from the Academic Support Center. All reasonable accommodations will be made.
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Table of Contents
TITLE ONE: Structure & Governance
Article I – The General Assembly
Article II – The Executive Board
Article III – The Administrative Board
Article IV – The Hall Councils
Article V – Advisor Guidelines
Article VI – Organizational Ethics
TITLE TWO: Financial Policies
Article I – Administrative Statutes
Article II – Stipends
TITLE THREE: Disciplinary Policies
Article I – Complaint Filing
Article II – Types of Complaints
Article III – Review of Complaints
Article IV – Violations
TITLE FOUR: External Relations
Article I – Inter-Organizational Relations
Article II – The Student Government
Article III – Housing and Dining Programs
Article IV – National Residence Hall Honorary
Article V - NACURH
TITLE FIVE: Elections and Appointments
Article I – The Executive Board
Article II – The Administrative Board
Article III – Hall Councils
TITLE SIX: Rules and Procedures
Article I – Purpose and Scope
Article II – Procedures in General Assembly
Article III – Officers of the General Assembly
Article IV – Legislation
Article V – Disciplinary Provisions and Debate Limitations
Article VI – Coactive Resolutions
TITLE SEVEN: Amendment and Ratification
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Article I – Supremacy and Provisions
Article II – Amendments
Article III - Suspension
Article IV – Ratification
Key Terms and Acronyms
● CAACURH – Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
● GA – General Assembly
● HDP – Housing and Dining Programs
● NCC – National Communications Coordinator
● NRHH – National Residence Hall Honorary
● NACURH – National Association of College and University Residence Halls
● NIC – NACURH Information Center
● NSRO – NACURH Services and Recognition Office
● RHA – Residence Hall Association
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Title One – Structure and Governance
ARTICLE I.
The General Assembly
Section i.
Composition and Membership
Subsection 1. The membership of GA shall include the Hall Council delegation to
GA, the RHA Executive Board and Administrative Boards.
Subsection 2. Members of RHA shall be required to maintain good judicial
standing, as stipulated by Title One, Article VI, Organizational
Ethics, and a GPA of no less than a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. This shall be
evaluated and verified by the RHA Advisor at the beginning of each
semester.
Section ii.
Meetings and Rights
Subsection 1. Meetings of GA shall meet regularly, no fewer than twice monthly,
at a uniform time and place to transact the business of the
organization, the time and location of which shall be publicized and
GA shall never meet in secret.
Subsection 2. All meetings of GA shall be held in a suitable location, approved by
the President, and publically announced at least 48 hours in advance.
Subsection 3.
Special or Emergency Meetings may be called by the President or
by one-third of GA and notified at least 48 hours prior.
Subsection 4.
Business may only be conducted in the presence of a quorum of
GA members.
Subsection 5. Quorum for the regular meetings of GA shall be a majority of the
Hall Council members currently in office or their designated proxies.
Subsection 6. The RHA Advisor shall have full speaking privileges, but shall not
make motions or vote. Any other individual may be granted
speaking rights by GA.
Subsection 7. Only the members of the Hall Council delegations to GA may have
the right to vote on legislation before GA. In the case of a tie vote,
the President may cast the deciding vote.
Section iii.
Plenary and Implied Powers
Subsection 1. GA shall be the governing body of RHA and shall have legislative
power over the internal policies, advocacy initiatives, financial
allocations and budgeting, as well as programming direction.
Subsection 2. GA shall serve to ensure, through oversight, the proper exercise of
executive and administrative functions of the organization, as well as
be empowered to require reports and updates from the RHA
Executives, at its discretion.
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Subsection 3.
Subsection 4.
Subsection 5.
Subsection 6.
GA shall have legislative power to appropriate RHA funds, amend
and approve the budget each semester, as well as reallocate funds
within the approved budget when deemed necessary by the Vice
President of Administration & Finance.
GA shall be empowered to confirm appointments, create ad-hoc
and special committees, amend and approve the governing
documents of the organization, and shall be the primary authority on
discipline and conduct within the organization.
GA shall be empowered to protect the separation and equity
between powers of the Executive Board and the Hall Councils.
All powers of the organization not specifically delegated shall be
reserved by GA.
Section iv.
Disciplinary Powers
Subsection 1. GA shall be the authority for ensuring proper behavior of its
members in the exercise of their duties.
Subsection 2. GA shall be empowered to relieve any RHA member or officer of
their duties, suspend members from their positions, or impeach and
remove officers from their positions following the proper filing of a
complaint. Hall Councils shall be empowered to carry out this power
within the boundaries of their own officers.
Subsection 3. At no time shall any member of RHA be removed from office
without due process being undertaken by GA or a Hall Council.
This process is laid out in Title III of the Bylaws.
Subsection 4. GA may also impose sanctions for disruptions of its meetings and
committee proceedings. Upon election and acceptance of a position
within GA, the members are bound to abide by all rules of order and
ethics decided by the organization.
Section v.
Legislation
Subsection 1. GA shall exercise legislative power through the use of resolutions,
which shall be binding upon the entire organization. GA may also
pass directives to the Executive Board, as main motions from the
floor.
Subsection 2. No measure may conflict with the Bylaws. The President shall be
empowered to refuse consideration of legislation that conflict with
the governing documents and policies of the organization or
advocates for the violation of American University policies.
Subsection 3. Proposal of legislation shall only be conducted by voting members
of GA. Other members may author pieces of legislation, but only
delegates from the Hall Council may propose legislation on the floor
of the Assembly.
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Subsection 4.
Subsection 5.
Section vi.
The means and format for consideration of legislation shall be
described in the Rules of Procedure. The President of RHA shall be
responsible for formatting pieces of legislation for inclusion on the
agenda.
Legislation shall be deemed to be in force upon the announcement
of final vote of GA, and the GA officers’ attesting signature. Unless
specified in the operative text of the legislation, certified Resolutions
shall remain in force until repealed, suspended or superseded by
further legislation or governing document provisions.
Standing Committees, Roundtables, and Councils
Subsection 1. The committees, roundtables, and councils of GA shall meet
regularly, at a publicly announced time and location, to transact
business pertaining to their responsibilities, and to allow individual
members to report on the status of their Hall Council, relating to
their specific duties of office.
Subsection 2. All meetings shall be documented by minutes. All minutes shall be
transmitted to the Chief of Staff for record keeping purposes.
Subsection 3. At no time shall a committee, roundtable, or committee of the GA
meet in secret.
Subsection 4. All decisions of committees, roundtables, and councils shall be
transmitted via the minutes and reported to GA by the committee
chair via the Chief of Staff. GA may, at its discretion, force
reconsideration of a committee’s decision on the floor of GA by a
two-thirds vote.
Subsection 5. The RHA Advisor and Parliamentarian shall be deemed as
non-voting, ex-officio, members of all committees.
Subsection 6.
Presidential Roundtable
(i)
The Presidential Roundtable shall be comprised of the
President, as chair, and all Hall Council Presidents.
(ii)
The roundtable shall discuss the direction and be charged
with first consideration review and recommendation of all
nominees for Executive Board and Administrative Board as
well as all administrative policy or resolutions altering the
bylaws.
Subsection 7.
Finance Roundtable
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(i)
(ii)
The Financial Roundtable shall be comprised of the Vice
President of Administration and Finance, as chair, and all
Hall Council Vice Presidents of Finance.
The roundtable shall be charged with all financial matters of
the organization, allocating funds for minor financial
requests, and provide first consideration review and
recommendation on proposed financial policies.
Subsection 8.
Advocacy Roundtable
(i)
The Advocacy Roundtable shall be comprised of the Vice
President of Advocacy and Community Coordination, as
chair, and the Hall Council Vice Presidents of Advocacy.
(ii)
The roundtable shall be charged with conducting first
consideration review and recommendation for all
non-financial administrative policy resolutions as well as
coordinating advocacy and non-administrative initiatives.
Subsection 9.
Programming Roundtable
(i)
The Programming Roundtable shall be comprised of the Vice
President of Programming, as chair, and the Hall Council
Vice Presidents of Programming.
(ii)
The roundtable shall be charged with reviewing programming
proposals and coordinate inter-hall programming and
community building.
Subsection 10. Disciplinary Review Council
(i)
The Disciplinary Review Council shall be comprised of the
Parliamentarian, as chair, and four members of GA selected
by the Parliamentarian.
(ii)
The membership from GA shall be selected by the second
meeting of GA each year.
(iii)
The council shall be charged with conducting first
consideration review of all disciplinary complaints and make
recommendations to GA on the appropriate penalties as laid
out by Title III of the bylaws.
(iv)
In the absence of the chair, the council shall select an acting
chair amongst them.
Section vii.
Attendance and Proxies
Subsection 1. Members of GA shall have no more than three (3) absences from
meetings of the full Assembly within a semester, unless special
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Subsection 2.
Subsection 3.
Subsection 4.
Subsection 5.
Subsection 6.
Subsection 7.
consideration is given by the President. Members shall be required
to send proxies for any absences.
Members shall have no more than three (3) absences from GA
standing committee meetings, and shall be required to send proxies
for any absences.
Proxies must live in the same residence hall as the absent Hall
Council officer, and must sign in the place of the absent officer for
the Hall Council to be credited with attendance.
Proxies shall exercise the same rights and privileges of the member
at the meeting in which they serve as a proxy.
For the purposes of calculating attendance and the use of proxies
within GA, the Fall Semester shall consist of the first meeting of GA
following the fall elections through to, but not including, the first
meeting of the GA in the new year. The Spring Semester shall
consist of the first meeting of GA in the new year through the final
meeting of the Spring Semester.
Failure to send a proxy for a full GA meeting in which an officer
shall be absent may place the offending Hall Council in bad financial
standing.
Delinquency in attendance for GA and Committee meetings shall
be grounds for disciplinary action.
ARTICLE II. The Executive Board
Section i.
General Stipulations and Restrictions
Subsection 1. The RHA Executive Board shall be comprised of the President, the
Vice President of Administration and Finance, the Vice President of
Advocacy and Community Coordination, the Vice President of
Programming, the National Communications Coordinator, and the
Chief of Staff.
Subsection 2. The Executive Board shall serve as the administrative body of RHA,
carrying out the policies of GA, and working to carry out
programming and events with the purpose of fulfilling the mission
of community building. Each member shall receive one vote on the
Board, with the President only voting in the case of a tie.
Subsection 3. The Executive Board shall meet regularly to conduct the
administrative business of the organization, and in the absence of
regular meetings of GA, the Executive Board shall be able to make
position recommendations, as well as policy and financial decisions
on behalf of the organization. These decisions shall not be contrary
to already established policies or the governing documents of the
Association, nor may the Executive Board change or suspend the
provisions of the same.
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Subsection 4.
Section ii.
At no time shall the President of RHA, either elected or interim, be
an academic year student employee of HDP.
Officers
Subsection 1. President
(i)The President shall:
a.
Act as chief executive officer of RHA;
b.
Act as presiding officer of GA and Executive Board
meetings;
c.
Act as chair of the President’s Roundtable;
d.
Serve as chief spokesperson and representative for the
organization in all official capacities;
e.
Sign all documents issued in the name of RHA;
f.
Establish commissions to assist in the implementation of
policy, administration, and programming;
g.
Sign and execute all legislation passed by GA;
h.
Nominate all appointed positions and/or vacant positions
within the executive and administrative boards.
i.
Fill any Executive Board vacancies by appointment,
subject
to GA confirmation;
j.
Reside on-campus during the summer months prior to the
beginning of the presidential term in order to preform work
pertaining to the continuation of the organization;
k.
Perform duties requested of by GA or the Executive
Board;
l.
Hold ten office hours per week, including the summer
months.
(ii) The President shall be required to meet regularly with University
officials, including but not limited to:
a.
Vice President of Campus Life
b.
Executive Director of HDP
c.
Director of Residence Life
(iii) The President is empowered to appoint students to all bodies on
which RHA is represented. This includes but is not limited to the
Campus Life Committee of the Board of Trustees and the
University Project Team and subsequent committees.
(iv) The President shall serve as the Co-Chair of the University Dining
Services Team.
(v) The President shall be responsible for publishing a summer report
to GA at the conclusion of the summer interim, as well as a final
report at the conclusion of the term of office.
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(vi) The President is empowered to appoint the chair of all
committees, both legislative and non-legislative, unless otherwise
specified by GA.
Subsection 2.
Vice President of Administration and Finance
(i) The Vice President of Administration and Finance shall:
a.
Act as chief financial and administrative officer of RHA;
b.
Coordinate and manage all fundraising efforts;
c.
Prepare, with the Executive Board, the budget for the
organization for review by GA;
d.
Serve as chair of the Finance Roundtable;
e.
Ensure the maintenance and security of all RHA property
and assets;
f.
Perform all other duties delegated by the President,
Executive Board, or GA;
g.
Hold ten office hours per week.
(ii) The Vice President of Administration and Finance shall be the
chief financial officer of RHA and shall sign all financial forms and
financial documents of the organization.
(iii) The Vice President of Administration and Finance shall be
responsible, along with the Executive Board, for the formulation
of the proposed budget for each semester as well as providing
timely updates and maintaining transparency on all financial
matters of the organization.
(iv) The Vice President of Administration and Finance shall oversee
and review all programming budgets prepared by the Executive
Board to ensure fiscal responsibility.
(v) All income and expenditures of the organization shall be kept in
accordance and in a manner consistent with University standards.
(vi) The Vice President of Administration and Finance shall publish a
report on the financial activities of RHA at the conclusion of each
semester, which shall be presented to GA.
Subsection 3.
Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
(i) The Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
shall:
a.
Act as chief advocacy officer of RHA;
b.
Administer all leadership and training programs;
c.
Act as chair of the Advocacy Roundtable;
d.
Coordinate the work of all advocacy based committees;
e.
Administer the Hall Council System;
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Perform duties delegated by the President, Executive Board,
or GA;
g.
Hold ten office hours per week.
(ii) The Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
shall oversee the Hall Council system and assign “Hall Buddies” to
each of the halls in order to provide proper working order of the
Hall Councils and to provide institutional memory and experience.
This duty may be delegated to other members of the Executive or
Administrative Boards.
(iii) The Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
shall plan two trainings annually, one in the Fall and one in the
Spring, in conjunction with the President, which shall be attended
by all members of RHA.
f.
Subsection 4.
Vice President of Programming
(i) The Vice President of Programming shall:
a.
Act as chief programming officer of RHA;
b.
Plan and implement all major events and coordinate large
scale inter-hall programming;
c.
Act as chair of the Programming Roundtable;
d.
Perform any duties delegated by the President, Executive
Board, or GA;
e.
Hold ten office hours per week.
(ii) All programming created by GA shall be executed by the Vice
President of Programming, who may delegate responsibilities as
necessary for efficient and excellent completion.
(iii) The Vice President of Programming shall be responsible for
setting policies and guidelines for co-programming initiatives with
other organizations, which shall be written and reviewed by the
Executive Board and made public to other organizations for
reference.
Subsection 5.
National Communications Coordinator
(i) The National Communications Coordinator (NCC) shall:
a.
Act as the organization’s official representative and liaison to
NACURH and CAACURH, managing the relationship
thereto;
b.
Plan, manage, and lead all conference trips for the
organization with the RHA Advisor;
c.
Present a conference wrap-up presentation to GA within
two meetings following a conference, with the NACURH
wrap-up being presented at the first GA;
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d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
Coordinate and lead all award bidding initiatives and bid for
at least one award each year;
Manage all regional recognition efforts for RHA;
Approve, along with a two-thirds vote of the Executive
Board, any bids to host a conference;
Remain up to date with NACURH, CAACURH, NSRO,
and NIC;
Maintain and update the NCC binder annually with all
records pertaining to the position;
Be familiar with all CAACURH and NACURH policies and
bylaws;
Perform any duties delegated by the President, Executive
Board, or GA;
Hold five office hours per week.
Subsection 6.
Chief of Staff
(i) The Chief of Staff shall:
a.
Assist the President in the execution of policies of GA;
b.
Manage the RHA office space;
c.
Coordinate the work of the Administrative Board;
d.
Assist the Executive Board in the administrative
responsibilities of the organization;
e.
Record minutes of meetings of GA and the Executive
Board;
f.
Compile, organize, and preserve all resolutions and
information from transition documents that would be of use
to GA in the future;
g.
Help members of GA conduct research on previous actions
of RHA;
h.
Perform any duties delegated by the President, Executive
Board, or GA;
i.
Hold five office hours per week.
Subsection 7.
Summer Recess Powers
(i) The Executive Board and individual members, thereof, in the
summer recess of GA, shall be empowered to prepare for the
coming academic year by making financial and policy decisions
that are consistent with existing policies.
(ii) During this recess, the Executive Board shall not have the power
to amend, suspend, or countermand the governing documents or
duly passed legislation from GA.
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(iii) Should vacancies on the Executive or Administrative Board occur
during the summer recess, the President shall, with the consent of
the Executive Board, be empowered to make a recess appointment
which shall expire when GA convenes unless re-nominated and
confirmed.
Subsection 8.
Line of Temporary Succession
(i) In the case of the absence, removal, or resignation of the
President, the following line of succession shall be followed until
such a time as an election can be held in accordance to the
provisions stated in Title Five:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Vice President of Administration and Finance
Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
Vice President of Programming
National Communications Coordinator
Chief of Staff
ARTICLE III. The Administrative Board
Section i.
Stipulations and Restrictions
Subsection 1. The Administrative Board shall be comprised of deputies and
directors appointed by the President and confirmed by GA to serve
as support staff to the organization.
Subsection 2. Members of the Administrative Board shall serve at the discretion of
the Executive Board, and shall only be removed by the standard
disciplinary procedures laid out in Title Three of these Bylaws.
Subsection 3. The Chief of Staff shall oversee the activities of the Administrative
Board, including a joint meeting with the full Executive Board at
least once each semester.
Subsection 4. Positions beyond those created by this article may be created by the
President, with their subsequent duties and powers being defined by
the Executive Board within the confines of the bylaws through
executive memoranda. Each executive memorandum shall serve as
the position description of each Administrative Board position and
shall be signed by the President and Chief of Staff, indicating the
approval of the majority of the Executive Board.
Subsection 5. The Administrative Board shall meet at least biweekly to discuss
execution of policies, programs, and initiatives. Such meetings shall
start the week following the first GA of the fall semester. The
minutes of such meetings shall be distributed to the members of the
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Executive Board and discussed at each meeting of the Executive
Board.
Section ii.
Appointment Process
Subsection 1. Positions within the Administrative Board shall be appointed by the
President, with the signatures of the individual seeking confirmation
and the full Executive Board prior to the confirmation hearing in
GA.
Subsection 2. The Parliamentarian must be appointed prior to summer break. The
other positions are to be appointed at the earliest convenience of the
Executive Board during the Fall Semester.
Subsection 3. The confirmations of all members of the Administrative Board shall
take place at the first meeting of GA following the completion of
the requirements of Subsection 1 of this Section.
Subsection 4. The NCC-IT is expected to apply for the position of NCC upon the
election of a new Executive Board. No clause in these bylaws shall
be construed to imply that the NCC-IT is guaranteed appointment
as NCC.
Section iii.
Officers
Subsection 1. Parliamentarian
(i) Shall be appointed by the President;
(ii) Shall be responsible for advising the President in the course of GA
meetings, as well as interpreting the governing documents of the
organization and has final say on all issues of parliamentary
procedure;
(iii) Shall chair the Disciplinary Review Council and oversee the
election process for Hall Councils and the Executive Board;
(iv) Shall be knowledgeable on parliamentary procedure and maintain
and update the governing documents pursuant to the resolutions
of GA;
(v) Shall be responsible for administering the oath of office to all new
members of RHA prior to the commencement of their duties,
which is as follows:
a.
“I, STATE YOUR NAME, do solemnly affirm that I will
faithfully execute the duties of the office of INSERT
OFFICE TITLE HERE, and will to the best of my ability,
keep and uphold the Bylaws, as well as exemplify the mission
and purpose of, the American University Residence Hall
Association.”
(vi) Shall be without vote on any committee or meeting of GA but
shall have full speaking rights.
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Subsection 2.
National Communications Coordinator in Training (NCC-IT)
(i) Shall aid the NCC in the creation of bids and the planning of
delegations for the conferences of NACURH and CAACURH at
which American University is represented;
(ii) Shall familiarize themselves with the policies, procedures, and
bylaws of NACURH and CAACURH;
(iii) May serve on any regional committees or working groups at the
request of the NCC;
(iv) Collaborate on other regional and campus-level commitments with
the NCC.
ARTICLE IV. The Hall Councils
Section i.
Purpose and Composition
Subsection 1. Each residential community shall have its own elected government,
known as a Hall Council, to manage its financial operations,
programing, and advocacy.
Subsection 2. The jurisdiction of a Hall Council shall be determined by the
structure of the Housing and Dining office present in the respective
hall.
Subsection 3. Each Hall Council shall be comprised of five members: a President,
Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Advocacy, Vice
President of Programming, and Vice President of Recognition.
Subsection 4. Hall Councils shall be required to meet at least twice monthly to
transact necessary business.
Subsection 5. Hall Council meetings shall be documented in minutes for each
meeting, which shall be sent to the RHA Chief of Staff for record
keeping within forty-eight hours.
Subsection 6. An active Hall Council shall be defined as one that has, at minimum,
elected a full GA delegation, comprised of the officers of the Hall
Council.
Subsection 7. Quorum for meetings of a Hall Council shall be equal to a majority
of Hall Council officers.
Subsection 8. Hall Councils may create their own rules of procedure and policies
to govern the Hall Council; however these shall be subordinate to all
RHA governing documents, legislation, and administrative
guidelines.
Subsection 9. Vacancies within a Hall Council shall be filled in accordance with the
statues under Title Five of the Bylaws.
Section ii.
Officers
Subsection 1. President
(i) The President shall:
a.
Be presiding officer over all official Hall Council meetings;
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b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Oversee effective Hall Council operations;
Facilitate cooperation between Hall Council members;
Hold all Hall Council members responsible for their duties;
Maintain good relations with their Hall Council advisor;
Fill all vacancies as necessary in accordance with the process
stipulated in the bylaws;
Represent and act as the face of the Hall Council in all
official capacities.
Subsection 2.
Vice President of Finance
(i) The Vice President of Finance shall:
a.
Serve as the financial officer of the Hall Council;
b.
Administer the Hall Council Budget and manage its assets;
c.
Handle any money received through fundraising activities.
d.
Authorize, in coordination with the Hall Council President,
all expenditures of less than twenty percent of the total Hall
Council budget.
Subsection 3.
Vice President of Advocacy
(i) The Vice President of Advocacy shall:
a.
Serve as the chief advocacy officer of the Hall Council;
b.
Coordinate advocacy, fundraising, and community outreach
efforts;
c.
Serve as the liaison between the residents and RHA on all
matters of Hall Council advocacy;
d.
Be responsible for ensuring minutes are taken during official
Hall Council meetings.
Subsection 4.
Vice President of Programming
(i) The Vice President of Programming shall:
a.
Serve as the chief programming officer of the Hall Council;
b.
Coordinate event creation, preparation, and execution
efforts;
c.
Ensure that all events are engaging and well-attended.
Subsection 5.
Vice President of Recognition
(i) The Vice President of Recognition shall:
a.
Serve as the chief recognition officer of the Hall Council;
b.
Encourage and monitor the Hall Council and residents to
submit “Of the Month” Awards to the American University
chapter of NRHH;
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c.
Educate the Hall Council on regional guidelines and
involvement;
ARTICLE V. Advisor Guidelines
Section i.
RHA Advisor
Subsection 1. The RHA Advisor shall be a professional staff member, assigned by
Housing and Dining Programs. They shall be responsible for
advising GA and the Executive and Administrative Boards, as well
as any other duties assigned by virtue of their professional position.
Subsection 2. The RHA Advisor shall be informed in advance about all contracts,
financial transactions, and correspondence with University officials.
The Advisor may require updates and briefings on current and
future happenings within the organization.
Subsection 3. The RHA Advisor, or designee, shall be present for all meetings of
GA and the Executive Board.
Subsection 4. The RHA Advisor shall be empowered to suspend members of the
organization for egregious and detrimental violations of University
policies and RHA regulations.
Subsection 5. GA may, in the case of misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance
of the Advisor, bring such an issue to the Director of Residence
Life.
Section ii.
Hall Council Advisor
Subsection 1. The Hall Council Advisors shall be mentors and professional staff
liaisons to Housing and Dining Programs. They shall advise the Hall
Councils on programming, advocacy initiatives, and ensure the
proper exercise of the financial responsibilities of the Hall Council.
Subsection 2. Hall Council Advisors shall be present for all meetings of the full
Hall Councils and Hall Council Executive Boards.
Subsection 3. The Hall Council Advisors shall be informed in advance of all
contracts, financial transactions, and correspondence with University
officials. They may require updates and briefings on current and
future happenings within the organization
Subsection 4. The Hall Councils may, in cases of misfeasance, nonfeasance, and
malfeasance of the duties of the Hall Council Advisor, bring this
issue to the RHA Advisor or a supervisor in Housing and Dining
Program
ARTICLE VI. Organizational Ethics
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Section i.
Members of GA, Executive Board and Administrative Board shall, during
their term of office, be expected to uphold and adhere to the spirit and mission of community
building within the residence halls.
Section ii.
Members shall abide by all statutes and policies of the University, including the
Student Conduct Code and the Residence Hall Regulations, both within the meetings
and proceedings of RHA and outside of its sessions.
Section iii.
Members will not utilize their positions to extract favors or attempt to mitigate
academic or behavioral adjudication. The position of a member of RHA, and the
duties thereof, shall never be an excuse for academic delinquency or poor academic
performance.
Section iv.
Members of RHA shall be expected to fulfill the duties of their office, which
include but are not limited to:
Subsection 1. Fulfilling established or assigned duties in a timely manner;
Subsection 2. Attending all necessary meetings of the organization;
Subsection 3. Giving due diligence to all proposals, legislation and nominees;
Subsection 4. Contributing productively to the happenings of the organization;
Subsection 5. Promoting and attending events and programs, when possible;
Subsection 6. Promoting the interests and welfare of RHA.
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Title Two – Financial Policies
Administrative Statutes
Section i.
The finances of RHA shall be derived primarily from the RHA Fee, charged
to every resident student at American University by HDP, and the distribution of those funds
be determined through the per resident allocation formula under the oversight of the
RHA Advisor.
Section ii.
The RHA General Budget shall be defined by the allocation provided through
the RHA Fee and shall be prepared by the Executive Board, led by the Vice
President
of
Administration and Finance, and shall be submitted for review and
approval to GA at the
beginning of each semester.
Section iii.
RHA shall also raise funds through various means, administrated by the Vice
President of Administration and Finance, and through co-sponsorship opportunities.
Section iv.
The contractual obligations of RHA, including Hall Councils, shall be
approved by
the RHA Advisor.
Section v.
Funds allocated to events sponsored by clubs or organizations outside of
HDP or RHA shall not exceed fifty percent of the total, documented cost of the event.
Section vi.
All HDP and RHA events, if approved by the Finance Roundtable, may
exceed the
ARTICLE I.
ARTICLE II. Stipends
Section i.
The RHA Executive Board shall receive stipends, which, in total, shall not
exceed fifteen percent of RHA’s annual budget, defined as the allocation for each semester.
Section ii. The Executive Board shall receive an annual stipend according to the following
schedule. If the following stipend schedule exceeds fifteen percent of RHA’s annual
budget, the stipends shall then be proportionally decreased to be equal to fifteen
percent of RHA’s annual budget by Housing and Dining Programs:
(i)
President - $4000.00
(ii)
Vice President of Administration and Finance - $3250.00
(iii)
Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination - $3250.00
(iv)
Vice President of Programming - $3250.00
(v)
National Communications Coordinator - $1500.00
(vi)
Chief of Staff - $1500.00
Section iii.
Amendments to the stipend schedule shall not take effect until a new
Executive
Board takes office.
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Title Three – Disciplinary Policies
Complaint Filing
Section i.
Any member of RHA may file a disciplinary complaint against another
member of
RHA.
Section ii.
Such charges are to be filed with the Parliamentarian and co-sponsored by at
least
two other members in good standing with RHA. The written statement of charges
must include:
(i) Name of the accused and office held;
(ii) Specific complaint;
(iii) Three signatures of current RHA members including the member filing the
charge and two co-sponsors.
Section iii.
Parties to the complaint shall be notified within twenty-four hours after the
charge is filed.
ARTICLE I.
ARTICLE II. Types of Complaints
Section i.
The types of offenses that may be brought forth as rational for a disciplinary
complaint include but are not limited to:
(i)
Misfeasance, malfeasance, and nonfeasance of duties
(ii)
Failure to maintain a grade point average of 2.5
(iii)
The willful or negligent misappropriation or embezzlement of
funds shall constitute a violation of the policies of the
organization, and subject the offending member to
disciplinary action available to GA as well​
as charges under
​
the Student Conduct Code.
(iv)
Intentionally damaging the reputation and operations of
RHA.
(v)
Failure to abide by RHA policies.
ARTICLE III. Review of Complaints
Section i.
Composition and Membership
Subsection 1. The Parliamentarian shall then convene a meeting of the Disciplinary
Review Council in order to review the validity of the complaint. The
Parliamentarian, barring a conflict of interest, shall then convene a
meeting of the Disciplinary Review Council in order to review the
validity of the complaint. In case of a conflict of interest, members of
the Disciplinary Review Council shall recuse themselves. The committee
shall allow five minutes for the complainant and five minutes from the
respondent to explain and rebut the cases presented.
Subsection 2. A period of debate shall ensue. A voice vote shall then be taken, of which
a majority must be reached for the complaint to be sustained.
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Subsection 3. The Council may also recommend to GA an appropriate disciplinary
outcome as a part of the complaint review.
Section ii.
Disciplinary Hearing of the General Assembly
Subsection 1. Upon the notification of the Parliamentarian of a sustained disciplinary
complaint, the President shall convene a special disciplinary hearing
before GA. In the case of the President being the party to the hearing,
the next officer in succession shall preside.
Subsection 2. Deadlines shall be set by the presiding officer and RHA Advisor on the
submission of documentation and a maximum of three witnesses for
each party. All documentation and witnesses must present information
pertinent to the complaint.
Subsection 3. Admissibility of documentation and witness statements shall be a ruling
of the presiding officer and RHA Advisor, whose collective decision
shall be final.
Subsection 4. Upon convening, GA shall hear formally the complaint. The
complainant shall have a period of ten minutes to present his or her
complaint to GA, which will immediately be followed by a period of ten
minutes for questioning. After the period of questioning, the
complainant is allowed to call up to three witnesses (who automatically
receive speaking privileges during their time before the body) to receive
questioning for a period not to exceed ten minutes in length each, with
five minutes reserved for the complainant and five minutes reserved for
the members of GA.
Subsection 5. Following the complainant’s presentation, the respondent shall have a
period of ten minutes to address the complaint and to provide
documentation to the members of GA. Similarly, the respondent’s
period of defense shall be immediately followed by ten minutes for
questioning. After the period of questioning, the respondent is allowed
to call up to three witnesses (who automatically receive speaking
privileges during their time before GA) to receive questioning for a
period not to exceed ten minutes in length each, with five minutes
reserved for the respondent, and five minutes reserved for the members
of the Assembly.
Section iii.
Debate
Subsection 1. After the period of questioning has expired, the Assembly shall move
into a twenty minute period of debate, which can be ended at any time
should the presiding entertain such a motion.
Subsection 2. All debate within a disciplinary hearing shall be taken in executive
session. The minutes from the meeting shall be reserved to the members
of GA, the RHA Advisor, and relevant professional staff members.
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Section iv.
Secret Ballot and Disciplinary Outcomes
Subsection 1. At the close of the period of debate, a vote by secret ballot will
automatically be taken, with the votes tallied by the presiding officer, the
Parliamentarian, and the RHA Advisor in the presence of the lead
complainant and the respondent. A two-thirds majority shall be required
to find the respondent responsible for the subject of the complaint
presented.
Subsection 2. Following the vote, GA may then enter into a debate on the disciplinary
outcome to be imposed, if found responsible.
Subsection 3.
The types of disciplinary outcomes that can arise include but are not
limited to:
(i)
Formal Warning
(ii)
Apology
(iii)
Reduction of Duties
(iv)
Probation
(v)
Suspension
(vi)
Impeachment and Removal from Office
Subsection 4.
In circumstances of disproportionate punitive measures, improper
procedure, or the finding of new documentation, an appeal on the
matter may be made to the RHA Advisor, whose decision shall be final.
ARTICLE IV. Violations of University policies shall result in an immediate suspension from duties,
pending referral to the RHA Advisor and President for action.
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Title Four – External Relations
Inter-Organizational Relations
Section i.
It shall be the policy of RHA to maintain cordial relations and
communications with the student clubs, societies, and organizations of American
University.
Section ii.
RHA shall, at its discretion, co-sponsor and co-program with recognized
student organizations and collaborate on issues of advocacy and student affairs.
ARTICLE I.
ARTICLE II. The Student Government
Section i.
It shall be the official position of RHA to maintain a close, cordial relationship
with
The American University Student Government, ensuring collaboration, coordination,
and dialogue on issues relevant to both parties.
Section ii.
The President shall be expected to meet regularly with the Student
Government
President and Speaker of the Undergraduate Senate, as well as establish times
in
which the Executives from both organizations can meet and converse.
Section iii.
The President of the Student Government and the Speaker of the
Undergraduate Senate shall have speaking rights when present in GA, but may not vote,
make
motions, or proxy for absent members.
ARTICLE III. Housing and Dining Programs
Section i.
It shall be the official position of RHA to maintain strong, productive
communication with HDP. Collaboration through programming and co-sponsorship shall be
encouraged, but shall in no way have any influence or sway on decisions of advocacy,
financial allocations, or other powers of the organization.
ARTICLE IV. National Residence Hall Honorary
Section i.
It shall be the official position of RHA to maintain a close and productive
relationship
with the American Eagles Chapter of NRHH through joint advocacy and
programming efforts.
Section ii.
The President shall be expected to meet regularly with NRHH President as
well as establishing times in which members of both Executive Boards may converse
and
plan joint ventures.
Section iii.
The President shall draft a Memorandum of Understanding stipulating the
relationship and agreements between RHA and NRHH, in conjunction with the
NRHH
President, to be signed following transition but prior to the summer recess.
ARTICLE V. NACURH
Section i.
It shall be the official position of RHA to maintain membership in and a close
relationship with NACURH, Inc. and the relevant regional affiliates and offices.
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Section ii.
completing
The NCC shall be responsible for paying related dues and fees, as well as
associated tasks for maintaining affiliation status of the organization.
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Title Five – Elections and Appointments
The Executive Board
Section i.
The following Executive Board positions shall be elected annually each spring:
Subsection 1. President
Subsection 2. Vice President of Administration and Finance
Subsection 3. Vice President of Advocacy and Community Coordination
Subsection 4. Vice President of Programming
Section ii.
Eligible students for Executive Board positions shall be defined as resident
students, residing in a hall or community under a HDP license agreement, during the time
when they would serve and have served for a full semester or have obtained a written consent
from the RHA advisor either within GA or the Administrative Board.
Section iii.
Eligible students for Executive Board positions must have a cumulative GPA
of 2.5
in accordance with the organizational GPA requirements.
Section iv.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, a special election
within GA
shall be conducted by the Parliamentarian and the RHA Advisor within two
weeks of the vacancy.
Section v.
In the event of a vacancy in one of the Vice Presidential positions, the RHA
President may select a replacement subject to the approval of GA prior to taking
office.
ARTICLE I.
ARTICLE II. The Administrative Board
Section i.
Positions on the Administrative Board shall be appointed by the RHA
President
subject to the approval of GA prior to taking office.
Section ii.
In the event of a vacancy on the Administrative Board, the RHA President
shall
appoint a replacement subject to the approval of GA prior to taking office.
ARTICLE III. Hall Councils
Section i.
The following Hall Council positions shall be elected annually each fall by a
majority vote of the residents of their respective halls:
Subsection 1. President
Subsection 2. Vice President of Finance
Subsection 3. Vice President of Advocacy
Subsection 4. Vice President of Programming
Subsection 5. Vice President of Recognition
Section ii.
Eligible students for Hall Council positions shall be defined as residential
students, residing in a hall or community under a HDP license agreement, of the hall in the
term year in which they wish to serve.
Section iii.
Hall Council information sessions shall be held no later than the third week of
the
fall semester.
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Section iv.
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Hall Council President, the Hall
Council shall appoint an interim president within two weeks of the vacancy and then hold a
special election to fill the position.
Section v.
In the event of a vacancy in one of the Vice Presidential positions, the Hall
Council
President may appoint a replacement, with a majority vote of the Hall Council.
Section vi.
The Rules and Procedures of Hall Council elections shall be stipulated by the
Parliamentarian at the beginning of each year.
Title Six – Rules and Procedures
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Section i.
General Rules
Subsection 1.These rules shall be known as the GA Rules of Procedure and shall govern the
meetings of GA and its committees, falling in accordance with the Constitution
and Bylaws of RHA and Robert’s Rules of Order.
Subsection 2. ​
Amendment of these rules shall be done by the passage of a resolution subject
to a vote by GA. These rules may be suspended by making a motion to suspend
the rules and procedures, and such a suspension shall last only within the
duration of a meeting.
Subsection 3.The provisions contained within the most current version of Robert’s Rules of
Order, Newly Revised shall be considered as secondary in precedence to these
provisions within the meetings of GA.
Subsection 4. The Rules of Procedure shall be subject to annual review by GA and shall be
adopted by GA by the second to last meeting of each semester. If GA has not
adopted a new set of rules by the second to last meeting of each semester, the
previously adopted version shall remain in force.
Subsection 5. The following documents shall be recognized as authoritative and binding
policy within the Residence Hall Association, and applied in the following order:
ARTICLE I.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
The RHA Bylaws
RHA Rules of Procedure, RHA Financial Policies, and RHA Election
Regulations
RHA Resolutions and Directives
The most current edition of ​
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised
Administrative Policies
Section ii.
Committee Adaptation
Subsection 1. The various committees of GA shall utilize these rules of procedure and may
adapt these rules as best suit the business done by the committee.
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Subsection 2. Responsibility for enforcing these rules shall rest upon the chair of the
committee; however, the committee may not change or amend these rules
outside of a vote of the GA.
PROCEDURES IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Section i.
Addressing the General Assembly
Subsection 1. Members of the GA shall include:
(i)
Elected and Appointed Executive Board Members
(ii) Administrative Board Appointees
(iii)
Hall Council Officers
Subsection 2. The RHA Advisor, Executive Board and Administrative Board Members shall
be ex-officio members of the Assembly, but shall not retain voting rights,
except where specified in the Bylaws.
Subsection 3. Members wishing to speak before GA shall raise their hand and wait to be
acknowledged by the Chair. No members shall be allowed to speak without first
being called upon by the presiding officer.
Subsection 4. Motions shall be made by raising one’s hand and waiting to be acknowledged.
At all times, precedence shall be given to motions and points according to the
rules set forth in these rules of procedure and the most current version of
Robert’s Rules of Order.
Subsection 5. All speeches, questions, motions, and points shall be addressed through the
presiding officer.
Subsection 6. Members shall not be interrupted save for necessary announcements from the
Chair or intervening points.
ARTICLE II.
Section ii.
Proper Decorum
Subsection 1. The Presiding Officer shall be the authority for enforcing decorum within the
meetings of GA. Committee chairs shall be responsible for enforcing decorum
within committee meetings.
Subsection 2. If a member controls the floor and feels that there is not an appropriate level of
decorum on the floor of the GA, they may pause and demand that the Chair
enforce the rules of the Assembly and reestablish proper decorum on the floor.
Subsection 3. Time utilized to enforce rules within a member’s speaking time shall not be
counted against the speaking member. The presiding officer enjoys the right to
maintain decorum in whatever way may be adequate and reasonable for the
situation and enforce sufficient sanction against those that would disrespect the
rights of any other member.
Subsection 4. All electronic devices including cell phones, music players and other audible
devices shall be silenced and out of sight during the meeting of GA. Use of
internet-accessible devices by members shall be allowed, provided GA members
are present in mind during debate and voting.
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Subsection 5. All members of GA, Executive Board and guests shall conform to all policies of
the Student Code of Conduct and other University policies within the meeting
hall. Failure to do so shall open the member to disciplinary actions available to
RHA.
Section iii.
Speaking and Motion Rights
Subsection 1. Members of GA shall be allowed full speaking and motion rights within the
meetings of GA. This right shall not be curtailed or abridged without a
unanimous vote of GA.
Subsection 2. Speaking rights may be granted by a motion passed in GA. Questions or other
points may be yielded to individuals without speaking rights; however, this right
shall be limited to the singular answer or statement on the topic at hand.
Subsection 3. Any student who has paid their RHA fee may speak before the GA during
established times; however, they shall be disallowed from making motions or
voting and shall be held to all other rules of decorum established by the policies
of RHA.
ARTICLE III. OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Section i.
The President of the Residence Hall Association
Subsection 1. The President shall serve as the Chair and preside at meetings of GA and shall
have full charge over ensuring the fairness, decorum, and flow of the meetings
of GA.
Subsection 2. In the absence of the President, the constitutionally stipulated order of
succession shall be followed in determining the presiding officer for the
meeting.
Subsection 3. The President shall rule on all points of order and answer all inquiries directed
to the Chair. When in doubt, the presiding officer shall consult with the
Parliamentarian, and shall make a ruling thereafter.
Subsection 4. Should the presiding officer find it necessary to speak on a particular matter,
they shall vacate the Chair and shall remain as such until the dissolution of the
matter in question.
Subsection 5. The President, with the consent of GA, shall enforce all rules of order and
decorum.
Section ii.
The Parliamentarian of the Residence Hall Association
Subsection 1. The Parliamentarian shall be the initial authority on the governing documents
of the organization and parliamentary procedure, and shall advise the Chair on
the correct procedures to be taken within the meetings of GA.
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Subsection 2.
At no time shall the Parliamentarian, except by the leave of GA, vocalize
their opinion in the meeting setting. All answers to inquiries or rulings on points
of order shall emanate from the presiding officer.
Subsection 3.
All official actions i.e. votes, resolutions, requests, etc, shall be signed by the
Parliamentarian to signify their passage by GA.
Section iii.
The Chief of Staff of the Residence Hall Association
Subsection 1. The Chief of Staff shall take minutes of all meetings and hearings of GA, and
shall keep accurate records of past meeting minutes.
Subsection 2. The Chief of Staff, in conjunction with the President shall be responsible for
publishing the minutes of GA to its membership within three days of the
conclusion of the meeting.
Subsection 3. In the absence of the Chief of Staff, another member of the Executive Board or
a member of the Administrative Board may be appointed by the presiding
officer to take minutes of the meeting.
ARTICLE IV. LEGISLATION
Section i.
Resolutions and Main Motions
Subsection 1. Resolutions shall be the official pieces of legislation of the RHA and shall be
utilized to exercise the powers of GA as it relates to internal and external
policy, oversight, financial allocation, budget adjustment, amendments to the
Bylaws.
Subsection 2. It shall be the responsibility of the President, or the designated presiding
officer, to format all resolutions in a uniform fashion and to set guidelines on
their submission for inclusion on the agenda.
Subsection 3. The President shall be empowered to refuse consideration of legislation if such
a proposal provides for action outside the authority of the RHA, violates
University regulation or local, state, or federal law, advocates violation of the
same, or is not agreed to by GA as pertinent to the undergraduates of
American University.
Subsection 4. Should the President be obligated through the preceding clauses to strike down
legislation, he/she will make every effort to not only fully articulate said
reasons for doing so but also work with the sponsor of the offending
legislation to correct any flaws.
Subsection 5. Main Motions shall be utilized by GA to order time-specific, direct action by
the organization and/or the Executive Board members.
Subsection 6. Main Motions may be made when no other business is pending, and shall
constitute an issue of business to be immediately taken up by GA. The
President, or designated presiding officer, shall utilize discretion in determining
whether the motion is in order.
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Section ii.
Means for Consideration
Subsection 1. All resolutions shall be considered twice before GA, however the President
shall refer all resolutions to most appropriate committee for a first reading,
unless first reading within GA is called for by a unanimous vote of GA.
Subsection 2. Resolutions will be given second consideration at the next regularly scheduled
meeting of GA.
ARTICLE V. DISCIPLINARY PROVISIONS AND DEBATE LIMITATIONS
Section i.
Powers of GA
Subsection 1. All members of GA, Executive Board, Administrative Board, and participants
on the floor of GA are bound by the rules of order governing the meeting
Subsection 2. Disruptive behavior on the floor of GA shall be disallowed, and members of
the Assembly shall have the right to make the President, or designated
presiding officer, aware of the disruption by calling the member to order via
the “Point of Order.”
Subsection 3. Continued disruptions, interruptions, or egregious breaches of decorum or
parliamentary language by any member of GA, Executive Board, or
Administrative Board, shall make that member subject to the following
disciplinary actions:
(i)
Censure - Take a leave of absence from RHA for a period of one
week.
(ii)
Removal – This motion shall require the member to vacate
the meeting location for the duration of the meeting. The
member may not return without the permission of all voting
members present.
(iii)
Suspension – this motion shall temporarily suspend a
member from the service of GA for a period not to exceed
two meetings. This shall not in any way affect the other duties
of the member in question; however, the offending member
shall not be allowed to appear or speak in the meetings of GA
during the specified period.
Subsection 4. The President, or designated officer, shall enforce all decisions of GA, in
conjunction with the RHA Advisor.
Subsection 5. Disciplinary decisions of GA shall be final and shall not be available for appeal.
Section ii.
Time Limits
Subsection 1. All presentations of legislation, question and answer sessions, executive
reports, or other financial requests shall have a maximum of ten minutes. This
limit may be extended or shortened by a unanimous vote of GA.
Subsection 2. Special Presentations shall be limited to five minutes.
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Subsection 3. The procedures for the presentation of legislation and requests shall include
the presentation, question and answer session, and debate.
ARTICLE VI. Coactive Resolutions
Section i.
Definition and Requirements
Subsection 1. A Co-Active Resolution should be titled to reflect its status.
Subsection 2. A Co-Active Resolution is a binding piece of legislation, unless explicitly
stated to the contrary within the Co-Active Resolution as non-binding
expression of the sentiments of the American University Student
Government and RHA.
Subsection 3. A Co-Active Resolution can express the sentiment of the American
University Student Government Undergraduate Senate and GA, discuss
new circumstances that highlight old policy, or underscore other matters
of symbolic import.
Subsection 4. If the Co-Active Resolution originates in RHA, it can, in the original
language, direct individual officers of RHA to advocate for specific
policies outlined there-in. It may also serve this function if it is amended
by RHA to the same end. Additionally, a Co-Active Resolution may
rescind former legislation of RHA if the Co-Active resolution if the
Co-Active Resolution originates in RHA and/or if the Co-Active
Resolution is amended by RHA to that same end.
Subsection 5. Such legislation cannot amend the Bylaws or Procedures of the
American University RHA, nor can it amend or affect RHA’s funds,
finances, or budget.
Subsection 6. A Co-Active Resolution can be proposed by the Undergraduate Senate
through their own processes of the passage and consideration of
Co-Active Resolutions, but must be sponsored by a RHA Roundtable,
Committee, or GA to be brought before GA.
Subsection 7. A Co-Active Resolution must have two readings before GA on original
(originating in the RHA) or primary (first consideration), and first
reading cannot be waived; however, first reading may be waived during
the reconsideration process.
Subsection 8. A Co-Active Resolution can be passed by a majority vote, and shall
require the signature of both the President of the Student Government
and the President of RHA. Should a Co-Active Resolution be vetoed by
the President of the Student Government, GA cannot override the veto.
Section ii.
Consideration of Co-Active Resolutions
Subsection 1. The RHA Executive Board must first send an Executive Memo that
recognizes the Undergraduate Senate’s bylaws and procedures as being
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Subsection 2.
Subsection 3.
Subsection 4.
Subsection 5.
Subsection 6.
Subsection 7.
Subsection 8.
Subsection 9.
sufficiently aligned with the bylaws structuring Co-Active Resolutions in
GA.
A Co-Active Resolution may be brought before GA by any member of
the body for consideration, and must indicate itself as a Co-Active
Resolution in title.
All processes and procedures that determine the passage of a Resolution
are also applicable to the passage of a co-active resolution, including
required vote thresholds and amendment procedures.
After receipt of the co-active resolution from the Undergraduate Senate,
the RHA Vice President of Advocacy must notify GA upon its next
meeting, at which point any member of GA may choose to sponsor the
legislation. With or without a sponsor, the Co-Active Resolution will
then be referred to the relevant Roundtable or Committee.
A Co-Active Resolution that is passed by the Undergraduate Senate may
then be brought before the appropriate Roundtable or Committee.
The GA member, or the Roundtable or Committee Chair who’s
Roundtable or Committee has accepted sponsorship of any such
legislation is responsible for the co-active resolution, including meeting
with RHA Advisors to discuss the legislation. These duties can be
delegated to any member of GA or Executive or Administrative Boards.
Upon the passage of a Co-Active Resolution in GA, it must be provided
to the Speaker of the Undergraduate Senate within twenty-four hours. If
the Co-Active Resolution is amended in either a Roundtable,
Committee, an Advisor meeting, or in GA, the Co-Active Resolution
must follow the procedures of re-consideration.
If the Co-Active Resolution passes in Committee and in GA without
amendment after passing through the Undergraduate Senate, it must be
provided to the President of the Student Government and the President
of RHA for signatures within twenty-four hours. If no signature or veto
is provided by either President with-in fiv days of the presentation of the
co-active resolution, it is considereed approved.
Regardless of the body of origin of the Co-Active Resolution, the
President of RHA may only sign the resolution if the exact same
language is agreed upon and passed as legislation by both GA and the
Undergraduate Senate.
Section iii.
Re-Consideration of Co-Active Resolutions
Subsection 1. If a Co-Active Resolution is approved by GA and then amended in the
Undergraduate Senate or one of its Committees, the legislation may
return to RHA as long as a relevant sponsor (General Assembly
member, Roundtable or Committee) agrees to continue sponsorship.
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Subsection 2.
Subsection 3.
Subsection 4.
Subsection 5.
Subsection 6.
Subsection 7.
Subsection 8.
This Roundtable or Committee or individual does not necessarily have
to be the same Roundtable or Committee or individual that sponsored
the Co-Active Resolution upon original or primary consideration.
All other processes and procedures that determine the passage of a
Resolution and its consideration in GA are also applicable to the passage
and re-consideration of a Co-Active Resolution, including required vote
thresholds and amendment procedures; additionally, upon
re-consideration, first reading of the Co-Active Resolution may be
waived.
After receipt of the amended Co-Active Resolution from the
Undergraduate Senate, the Vice President of Advocacy has forty-eight
hours to notify GA of re-submission. At this time, the original (if the
co-active resolution originates in RHA) or primary (the Committee /
Roundtable that assumes sponsorship during first consideration)
sponsor of the co-active resolution assumes sponsorship. This
sponsorship may be rescinded in writing, at which point the legislation is
forwarded to the appropriate Committee / Roundtable for
consideration.
If the Co-Active Resolution, upon re-consideration, is amended, then
the Co-Active Resolution must follow the procedures of
re-consideration.
If a Co-Active Resolution is initially approved by the Undergraduate
Senate and received with sponsorship in RHA, and then amended in
Committee, in an Advisor meeting, or in GA, the Co-Active Resolution
must follow the procedures of re-consideration.
The procedures for re-consideration may be re-applied to the
re-consideration of a co-active resolution indefinitely. A co-active
resolution may fail in accordance with established vote threshold
requirements in Committee or on the floor of GA, or if it is not
returned to GA by the Undergraduate Senate. Additionally, if the
co-active resolution has no sponsorship in RHA two weeks after the
passage of the Co-Active Resolution in the Undergraduate Senate, it
shall fail.
Upon re-consideration, the President of RHA may only sign a co-active
resolution if the exact same language is agreed upon and passed as
legislation by both GA and the Undergraduate Senate.
Section iv.
Other Legislation in Relation to Co-Active Resolutions
Subsection 1. The passage or failure of a co-active resolution does not inhibit RHA’s
legislative capabilities in the matter under consideration. The
Undergraduate Senate shall retain its right to pass legislation on the
matter if the co-active resolution fails or passes; additionally, a co-active
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Subsection 2.
resolution may be passed retroactively to reflect the joint recognition of
the issue by both legislative bodies.
In order to pass legislation that is not in agreement with the Co-Active
Resolution, RHA must rescind the Co-Active Resolution through
legislation, rendering the Co-Active Resolution void.
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Title Seven – Amendments and Ratification
Supremacy and Provisions
Section i.
The Bylaws of RHA shall be the principal document of the organization. All
​
documents, legislation, and directives shall be subordinate to the authority
of the
Bylaws.
Section ii.
Provisions of the Bylaws may be suspended only by a three-quarters vote of
​
GA
and a unanimous vote of the Executive Board.
Section iii.
At no time may the following provisions of the Bylaws be suspended,
abridged, or
countermanded by GA, the Executive Board, the Administrative
Board, or the
RHA/Hall Council Advisors:
ARTICLE I.
(i) GA Quorum Requirements
(ii) Disciplinary Procedures
(iii) Organizational Ethics
ARTICLE II. Amendments
Section i.
and shall
Section ii.
vote
last
Section iii.
​mendments to the Bylaws shall be proposed by resolution through GA
A
be reviewed by the Presidential Roundtable and the Executive Board.
Within one week of submission GA may hear any amendments, debate, and
upon the resolution, except for the first meeting of the fall semester and the
meeting of the spring semester.
All amendments shall require a two-thirds vote of GA for passage.
ARTICLE III. Suspension
Section i.
Provisions of the Bylaws may suspended with a three-quarters vote of GA and
a
unanimous vote of the Executive Board.
Section ii.
The following provisions of the Bylaws may not be suspended or otherwise
circumvented:
Subsection 1. General Assembly Quorum Requirements
Subsection 2. Disciplinary Procedures
Subsection 3. Organizational Ethics
ARTICLE IV. Ratification
Section i.
In order for these Bylaws to be ratified and become the governing documents
of
RHA, this document shall require a three-quarters vote of approval from GA
as well as a vote of unanimous support by the Executive Board as well as the approval
of the RHA Advisor.
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