Student Body Constitution

Approved April 13, 2013

Preamble

We, the students of Reed College, adopt this Constitution in order to establish our government, that we might better contribute to the maintenance and growth of the Reed Community. We commit ourselves to respect, encourage, and support one another in our academic and community lives.

Article I

Student Body Membership

Any student currently enrolled at Reed College and paying Student Body Fees shall be considered a member of the Reed College Student Body and, except as explicitly stated within this constitution, or within the Faculty Code, shall be entitled to all the rights and privileges and charged with the maintenance of all responsibilities of a member of the Reed College Student Body.

Article II

The Student Body Senate

II. Section 1
Function

II.1.A. The Student Body Senate shall be the representative body of the Reed College Student Body for all its legislative, executive, and judicial purposes, and shall represent the interests of the Student Body to the Faculty, the Administration, and the Trustees of Reed College.

II.1.B. The Student Body Senate shall establish policies and adopt bylaws, to which it shall conform in the discharge of all its responsibilities. The Senate shall authorize and, when necessary, organize and control student activities; supervise Senate boards and committees and recognized student organizations; allocate, distribute, and supervise Student Body funds; establish policy for the use of the Student Union Building; appoint student members of committees; and take such other actions as it judges necessary for the welfare of the student body.

II. Section 2
Composition and Size

II.2.A. The number of Senators may vary in number from six to fifteen, as established in the Senate Bylaws, depending on the needs of the Senate.

II.2.B. Quorum shall consist of two thirds of the full voting membership of the Senate. For purposes of quorum, the presiding officer shall count as a voting member of the Senate.

II. Section 3
Officers

II.3.A. The Senators, President, and Vice President of the Student Body shall be elected by the Student Body in a valid election as set forth in Article III of this Constitution. The President and Vice President of the Student Body so elected shall serve as Senators.

II.3.B. The presiding officer of the Senate shall be the Student Body President, who shall vote only to make or break a tie.

II.3.C. The Senate shall select a Secretary from the Student Body who shall keep minutes at all Senate meetings.

II.3.D. The Senate shall select a Treasurer and an Assistant Treasurer from the Student Body, who shall be ex-officio, non-voting members of the Senate, and who shall administer and enforce the Senate Financial Policy specified in the Senate Bylaws. E. Each Senate office shall be held by only one individual.

II. Section 4.
Other Members

Former Student Body Presidents, except for those who have been recalled by the procedures of Article IV, shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Senate while they remain members of the Student Body.

II. Section 5
Meetings

The Senate shall hold open meetings not less than once every two weeks during the regular academic year.

II. Section 6
Decisions

Decision by the Senate shall be by majority vote of at least a quorum of the Senate, unless a supermajority is called for by the Community Constitution, the Student Body Constitution, or the Student Body Senate Bylaws.

Article III

Voting

III. Section 1

All Reed College Student Body elections shall be held by secret ballot and shall take place in accordance with the Reed College Student Body Senate Bylaws and the Reed College Student Body Elections Code.

III. Section 2

A quorum of the Student Body in all regular elections, initiatives, referenda, and balloting on amendments to the Reed College Community Constitution and Reed College Student Body Constitution shall be defined as twenty-five percent of the Student Body as defined in Article I of this Constitution, except as otherwise specified in the Reed College Community Constitution, the Reed College Student Body Senate Bylaws, or the Reed College Student Body Elections Code.

III. Section 3

The elected representatives of the Reed College Student Body are the President, the Vice-President, the Senators, and the Quest Editorial Board. The Presidential, Vice-Presidential, and Senatorial terms shall be one year. The Quest Editorial Board shall serve a term of one semester.

Article IV

Recall

IV. Section 1

All elected officials of the Student Body may be recalled in the following manner:

IV.1.A. Twenty percent of the enrolled Student Body may file a petition for the recall of elected officials. Copies of this petition shall be submitted to the Student Body President, the Student Body Vice President, and the chair of the Community Affairs Committee of the Faculty.

IV.1.B. The Student Senate shall call a special recall election to take place within one week of the receipt of such a petition according to the procedures provided in the Reed College Student Body Elections Code.

IV.1.C. Such persons shall be immediately recalled if at least thirty-five percent of the entire Student Body votes to recall in the special election. Replacement procedure shall be provided in the Reed College Student Body Senate Bylaws.

IV.1.D. Any persons recalled may run for reelection to office from which they have been recalled at the next election for that office.

Article V

Boards and Committees

V. Section 1

The Senate shall have the power to create and dissolve such standing and temporary boards or committees as are required to investigate the necessity for legislation, administer new functions of the Senate or Community, or aid the Senate in the discharge of its responsibilities.

V. Section 2

The Senate shall have the power to join with the Faculty and Administration of Reed College to create and dissolve such standing and temporary joint boards or committees as are considered advantageous for the functioning of the College and the community.

V. Section 3

All committees and boards created as set forth in sections 1 and 2 shall report to the Senate at the behest of the Senate.

Article VI

Judicial Procedures

VI. Section 1
Student Judicial Board

VI.1.A. There shall be a Student Judicial Board as specified in the Reed College Community Constitution. Its members shall be appointed by the Student Senate as specified in the Student Senate Bylaws. The members of the Judicial Board shall choose a chair of the Judicial Board from among themselves.

VI.1.B. The Student Judicial Board shall function as set forth in the Student Senate Bylaws and the Student Judicial Board Code.

VI. Section 2
The Appeals Board

VI.2.A. There shall be an Appeals Board which shall review the results of Honor Case proceedings which a party to the case has appealed.

VI.2.B. Decisions of the Appeals Board shall take the form of recommendations to the President of the College, and shall be reported to the offices of the President and the Dean of Student Services.

VI.2.C. The Appeals Board shall be constituted as set forth in the Student Judicial Board Code.

VI. Section 3
The Honor Council

The Student Senate shall nominate the student members of the Honor Council as specified in the Reed College Community Constitution.

Article VII

The Quest

VII. Section 1

The Quest shall exist as the independent newspaper of the Student Body, staffed and edited by members of the Student Body.

VII. Section 2

The Quest shall be edited by one or more editors selected in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Quest Bylaws.

Article VIII

Referendum and Initiative

VIII. Section 1
Referendum

Subject to the provisions of the Community Constitution, legislation may be approved by a majority of the Student Body voting on any legislation, bylaw, or amendment to the Student Body Constitution referred to it by the Senate at any regular or general election.

VIII. Section 2
Initiative

The Student Body has the right to propose any item for referendum by submitting a petition to the Student Body President with the signatures of at least twenty percent of the enrolled Student Body and an explanation of the item to be proposed for referendum.

Article IX

Amendment

IX. Section 1

The members of the Student Body may amend this constitution in the manner described in Article VIII of this document, subject to approval by the Faculty, President, and Board of Trustees, as set forth in the Reed College Community Constitution.

IX. Section 2

The Senate may propose amendments to this constitution which must be approved by a majority of the Student Body voting in a valid election, the Faculty, the President, and the Board of Trustees, as set forth in the Reed College Community Constitution.

Article X

Adoption

This constitution shall become the instrument of the Reed College Student Body insofar as it is consonant with the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Reed Institute, the Constitution and Bylaws of the Faculty of Reed College, and the Reed College Community Constitution. This constitution shall take effect immediately upon its approval by a majority of the Student Body and a majority of the resident Faculty, a quorum existing in each case, approval by the President and the Board of Trustees, and the election of the Senate.

Governance Documents