Student Assembly

Introduced Thursday, 31 August 2006.

Whereas, the President and Executive Vice President are to update and submit the Standing Rules of the Student Assembly annually,

Be it therefore resolved that the Student Assembly adopt the following Standing Rules.

Respectfully Submitted,

Mark Coombs �08 Executive Vice President

Student Assembly 2006 - 2007 Standing Rules

Rule 1 Roll call of SA members will be taken following the call to order. Rule 2 Attendance is required at all regularly scheduled meetings. Regularly scheduled meetings are held Thursdays, from 4:45 until 6:30 p.m., while undergraduate colleges are in session. Informal meetings are considered official meetings when held in lieu of regular Thursday meetings. Rule 3 The agenda for any informal meetings shall not contain legislation unless they are held in lieu of regular Thursday meetings. Rule 4 Attendance at all informal, organizational and specially-scheduled meetings is required, when the Executive Committee provides SA members at least three days prior notice of the meeting. Such meetings shall be considered �regularly scheduled meetings,� for the purpose of accruing absences. Rule 5

Attendance is required at all committee meetings to which a member has been	elected or appointed.

Rule 6 Any member who fails to attend a required meeting or event shall be considered absent. SA members must arrive prior to roll call. Any arrival after that time or departure prior to adjournment will result in half-absence. All absences are accrued. Rule 7 Consequences for absences are outlined in Articles 3 and 7 of the Student Assembly Charter. The SA will have the discretion to waive the consequences of absences by a majority vote when extenuating circumstances are involved. Rule 8 Excused absences may be granted for illness, academic conflict, official Student Assembly business, official University business that would constitute grounds for excuse from academics, obligations from employment that arise after the scheduled time of adjournment, family emergency, and religious observation. To be considered excused, all excuses must be brought to the attention of the Vice-President for Internal Operations at any point prior to the absence. Any excuses made after this period are up to the discretion of the SA. (Excused absence shall only count toward the consideration of proxy votes, and do not exonerate members whose absences necessitate the consequences outlined in Articles 3 and 7 of the Student Assembly Charter.) Rule 9 The tendering of proxy votes shall occur in accordance with Bylaw 6.4a, but shall require that an excused absence be noted prior to roll call by the Vice President for Internal Operations. Rule 10 Each SA member must be a voting member of at least one SA committee. The Chair of each committee shall maintain attendance rolls and report absences following each meeting to the Vice President for Internal Operations. Rule 11 All voting representatives shall host at least one forum or outreach activity with individuals from their respective constituencies and report all outcomes to the SA at the next regularly-scheduled meeting following such an activity. Rule 12 College representatives may communicate regularly with their constituents through e-mail mailing lists and listserves, which may be maintained by their respective college dean�s office, the Department of Campus Life, the Office of the Dean of Students, or the Office of the Assemblies. Rule 13 The President and Executive Vice President will be ex-officio members of every committee and taskforce associated with the Student Assembly and whose activities are delineated in the SA charter. This includes but is not limited to the SAFC. Rule 14 Committee chairs will report upcoming committee meeting dates and times at regularly scheduled meetings, as well as post committee agendas and minutes to the SA website, as appropriate. Rule 15 All candidates who are elected to the Student Assembly during Spring Elections are required to attend all Organizational Meetings and the last two SA meetings during the Spring Semester. Rule 16 The Executive Committee at its weekly meeting will discuss the agenda for Student Assembly meetings. Items for the agenda must be submitted to the Executive Vice President of the Student Assembly. Rule 17 Any author whose legislation impacts any specific Cornell student, administrator, faculty member, or staff member, or affects the funding and guidelines of a registered student organization, in his or her legislation will contact the party before such legislation is introduced as New Business. Rule 18 The Executive Vice President will place under Unfinished Business any item that has previously appeared as New Business; items such as appropriation requests, SAFC appeals, and committee assignments are to appear under Business of the Day. All other items shall be introduced as New Business, unless the Student Assembly approves by a majority vote to permit the same as Business of the Day. Rule 19 New Business shall be an opportunity for SA and community members to ask questions of and make suggestions to the author of a piece of legislation. Comments may not be argumentative in nature and questions must seek factual answers. The author will have the floor for approximately fifteen minutes, to explain or address questions on the resolution. Rule 20 Unfinished Business shall be an opportunity for discussion and debate on the legislation. Rule 21 Open Microphone � a period of testimony at which any member of the Cornell community may speak � will be conducted at the beginning of each regularly scheduled meeting. Speakers will be given up to two minutes to discuss issues that are not on the meeting�s agenda. Time extensions may be granted at the discretion of the Chair. SA members may speak, if recognized by the Chair, but only to obtain further information or to clarify the speaker�s statements. Rule 22 Following a successful motion for the previous question of any action item on the agenda, the author(s) shall be recognized for at least 2 minutes.

Rule 23 Speakers will be recognized at the discretion of the Chair and placed on a speaker�s list. Each speaker shall have a maximum of two minutes to speak, with the option to yield the balance of his or her time to another single individual at the meeting, including the Chair. Rule 24 All speakers shall address their remarks to the Chair. Rule 25 Except for points of order, information, and questions of privilege, no person shall be recognized by the Chair twice before all other members (voting and ex-officio) have had the opportunity to speak. Rule 26 Following an affirmative vote for Previous Question, the Chair will recognize members of the community who wish to speak on the question. Each speaker will limit his or her comments to no more than two minutes, and the Chair may limit the number of speakers due to time constraints. In the event that multiply speakers wish to address the Student Assembly, equal opportunity will be given to those in favor of and those opposed to the question, in such order, to speak. Rule 27 The Chair may call the question, without it requiring a second or vote, when he or she deems that debate has exceeded its time limit or when discussion becomes repetitive. Rule 28 When the vote of the Chair may decide the outcome of a decision (i.e. to make or break a tie), he or she shall be empowered to cast a vote, but shall do so only after all other voting members of the Student Assembly have registered their votes. Rule 29 The Standing Rules shall be revised annually by the President and Executive Vice-President and submitted for the approval of the Student Assembly. The Standing Rules shall take effect upon their approval by a majority vote of the membership of the Student Assembly. Rule 30 A two-thirds vote of the Student Assembly members present at a meeting shall be required to suspend the Standing Rules.

Rule 31 As per Robert�s Rules of Order � Newly Revised, a Student Assembly member may appeal the decision of the Chair when he or she disagrees with the Chair�s interpretation or application of the Standing Rules or the Charter. The motion shall require a simple majority to pass. Rule 32

The Chair shall keep time at any point when such is required.

Rule 33 In the event of a conflict, the Charter and Bylaws shall supersede the Standing Rules.