ENACTED MAY 2, 1974
Amended April 14, 2003 election
WE, THE STUDENTS of the University of Colorado, exist not only as individuals, but also as a community. The purpose of this Constitution is to unify that student community by establishing the responsibilities and goals of UCSU governance.
In order to improve the administration of student affairs and to encourage the greatest level of cooperation and communication, and to ensure the optimum of students’ rights, and to provide the best possible excellence in education we do establish this Constitution.
Table of Contents
Article I- Name and Membership 3
Article II- The Executive Branch 4
Article III- The Legislative Branch 4
A. The Legislative Council 4
B. The Representative Council 4
C. The Council of Colleges & Schools 5
Article IV- The Judicial Branch 5
A. Structure 5
B. Areas of Jurisdiction 5
Article V- Bylaws 5
Article VI - Elections 5
Article VII - Joint Boards and Student Fee Policy 6
Article VIII- Commissions 9
Article IX- Removal and Impeachment 9
Article X- Vacancies 10
Article XI- Student Assembly 10
Article XII- Guarantee Monies 10
Article XIII- Referenda 10
Article XIV- Effective Date 11
Article XV- Ratification 11
Article XVI- Amendments Procedure 12
Article XVII- Discrimination 12
NOTE: The last amendment was passed Spring, 2003
A. The name of this association shall be the University of Colorado Student Union.
B. Membership of this association shall consist of all students registered in the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
C. All offices established by this Constitution shall be held by members of this association.
D. No member of the UCSU shall simultaneously hold two or more major positions within the UCSU, except as is constitutionally required. These positions are set forth below.
Executive Branch Election Commission
A. UCSU Executive A. Election
B. Administrative Asst. Commissioner
B. Member of the
Election Commission as defined by the Election Code.
Legislative Branch Joint Boards
A. Representative Council A. Voting Member of any
B. Local Board Joint Board
Court Other Positions
A. UCSU Court Justice A. Any salaried
B. Any other position specified UCSU position.
as being included in the UCSU Bylaws.
E. The University of Colorado Student Union shall not discriminate in hiring, firing, promotion, appointment, use of facilities, provision of services, funding, or membership on the basis of religion, creed, race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, physical handicap, or any other personal characteristic not directly related to the situation in question.
A. The Executive or Executives shall consist of either a Chief Executive and an Associate Executive, three Tri-executives, or some other designated form.
B. The Executive shall be elected through all-school elections, and shall be elected for a one year term to begin at the time of the Spring elections.
C. As the principle representative for the student body, the duties of the Executive shall include but not be limited to:
1. Presentation of the student fee budget to the Board of Regents.
2. Veto power over Legislative Council legislation. The veto must be exercised within six days after passage of legislation.
3. Introduction of measures to the legislative bodies.
4. Appointment of a Finance Joint Board Chair.
5. Appointment of Representative Council members to the Joint Boards.
6. Appointment of directors of all commissions.
D. The order of succession shall be Vice President, and next, President of the Legislative Council. If the President of the Legislative Council is unable to fulfill his/her duties as President, the Election Commission shall hold new elections for the Executive to fill the remainder of the term, within three weeks.
A. The Legislative Council
1. The Legislative Council shall consist of the members of the Representative Council and the Council of Colleges & Schools.
2. Responsibilities
a. The Legislative Council shall appoint, ratify, remove, and deratify Joint Board members as specified within this Constitution. Legislative Council appointments to the Joint Boards shall require approval by a majority of the Legislative Council, present and voting.
b. The Legislative Council shall ratify commission directors and Representative Council appointments to the Joint Boards by a majority vote.
c. The Legislative Council shall allocate money to student groups.
d. The Legislative Council shall initiate referendum, initiate policies, review student fee budgets, establish priorities for the Joint Boards, and initiate any other measures deemed necessary.
e. The Legislative Council can override an Executive veto by a two-thirds vote of the entire Council.
3. Legislative Council Meetings
a. Meetings shall be held weekly during the spring and fall semesters, but shall meet no less than fortnightly during summer session. Meetings shall not be held when the University is not in session.
b. Meetings shall be presided over by a President and a Vice President of the Council.
c. Quorum shall consist of one-half the members of council members from both Councils.
B. The Representative Council
1. The Representative Council shall consist of as many members as there are degree-granting colleges and schools on the Boulder campus as listed in Article III. C. 2. The term of office shall be one year. Half of the seats shall be elected in the Spring, and half of the seats shall be elected in the Fall. In the event of an odd number of Representative Council seats, one more shall be elected in the Fall than in the Spring.
2. Responsibilities
a. Each Representative Council member shall sit on one Joint Board.
b. The Representative Council shall establish university-wide priorities.
3. Representative Council Meetings
a. When the University is in session, the Representative Council shall meet no less than fortnightly.
a. Quorum shall consist of a majority of Council.
C. The Council of Colleges and Schools
1. Each Council of Colleges & Schools member Senator shall be elected in accordance with procedures established in his/her individual constituency.
2. There shall be one member from each individual Boulder Campus One college and school. These colleges and schools are designated as: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, Environmental Design, Graduate, Journalism, Law, and Music.
3. Responsibilities
a. The Council of Colleges & Schools shall establish local school priorities.
b. The Council of Colleges & Schools shall act as a liaison between the individual school and the Legislative Council.
4. Council of Colleges & Schools Meetings
a. Meetings shall be held weekly during the spring and fall semesters but shall meet no less than fortnightly during the spring and fall semesters but shall meet no less than fortnightly during summer sessions. Meetings shall not be held when the University is not in session.
a. Quorum shall consist of a majority of the Council.
A. Structure
1. The Appellate Court shall be the Judicial Branch of the UCSU.
2. The Appellate Court shall be composed of seven persons chosen by the Executive and ratified by two-thirds vote of Legislative Council.
3. Quorum shall consist of five justices.
4. A majority of the justices present shall be required to rule on any case before the court.
B. Areas of Jurisdiction
1. The Appellate Court shall have final authority on questions of constitutional interpretation for the UCSU when such questions are submitted by any student.
2. All decisions by the Court shall be binding and valid on all affected parties.
A. This Constitution shall be supplemented by the Bylaws of the UCSU Executive Branch, UCSU Legislative Branch, UCSU Judicial Branch, and the additional Constitutions and Bylaws of other UCSU organizations. Each of these shall have the authority to adopt such Bylaws.
B. None of these documents shall supersede the provisions of this Constitution.
A. UCSU elections shall be twice yearly. Primary and final elections shall be during the months of April and October.
B. Election Commissioner
1. The Election Commissioner shall be appointed by the Representative Council and ratified by two-thirds, present and voting, of the Legislative Council.
2. Responsibilities
a. The Election Commissioner is the chief administrator of all-school elections.
b. The Election Commissioner shall appoint assistant commissioners and poll-watchers as he/she sees fit and designate their duties.
c. The Election Commissioner and his/her assistants shall constitute the Election Commission.
3. The Election Commission
a. The Election Commission shall design and implement an Election Code subject to ratification by a two-thirds vote of the entire Legislative Council membership.
b. The Election Commission shall run elections and all associated activities.
c. The Election Commission shall submit their budget to the Legislative Council for approval.
d. Local governments may have UCSU run their elections, but they must pay the cost of the election.
A. Final Responsibility to the Board of Regents and authority for student fee policy and expenditures shall be vested in the Executive and the Legislative Council.
B. All student fee policy and expenditures shall comply with Federal and State laws, as well as university policy as set forth by the Board of Regents.
C. All data concerning student fee policy and expenditures shall be open for inspection at reasonable times by all members of the University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) and by proper officials of the State of Colorado.
D. Definitions
1. “Student” shall be defined as any full mandatory fee-paying member of the University of Colorado Student Union enrolled in at least six credit hours.
a. Enrolled graduate students must pay some mandatory fees.
b. Enrolled graduate students are exempt from credit hour status.
2. “Non-student” shall be defined as any non-student who is affiliated with the University, except as where otherwise defined.
E. Joint Boards
1. A system of six boards -- hereafter called the Joint Boards – shall exist to set and administer student fee policy within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
2. The membership of these boards, and the areas of their responsibility, shall be set forth in this Article.
3. Some members of the Joint Board shall be chosen from members of the Representative Council. Each member of the Representative Council shall serve on one joint Board unless removed by the Legislative Council.
a. Representative Council members elected in the regular Fall election shall serve ex-officio (without voting power) until January 31st. Their voting terms shall begin February 1st and last one year.
b. Representative Council members elected in the regular Spring election shall serve ex-officio until June 30th. Their voting terms shall begin July 1st and last one year.
c. In case of vacancy due to resignation, recall, or removal from the Representative Council by impeachment, the replacement Representative Council member shall assume the term and responsibilities of the member he/ she replaced. If the Joint Board seat becomes vacant after the holder’s term of office on the Representative Council has expired, or if the holder is absent during this period for any reason, then the new, ex-officio member from the Representative Council shall vote in the place of the previous member during his/her absence.
4. The Legislative Council shall appoint some members of the Joint Boards. The term of these appointments shall be two years.
5. Some Joint Board members shall be appointed by the Board for which they are chosen. The term of these appointments shall be two years. These appointees shall be students and shall require ratification by a majority present and voting. These appointees may be removed in the same fashion as Legislative Council appointees.
6. Some Joint Board members may be non-students appointed by the Board for which they are chosen. The term of these appointments shall be specified by the Board making them. Legislative Council ratification shall not be necessary, but these members may be removed in the same fashion as Legislative Council appointees.
7. The Finance Board Chair shall be appointed by the Executives as provided for in this Constitution. The Finance Board Chair must be ratified by two-thirds of the Legislative Council.
7. All Joint Board meetings, policies, and budget recommendations shall be open and non-secret. Input from faculty, administration, and other sources shall be encouraged. The Joint Boards may add ex-officio members as they deem necessary to supply them with information necessary to their efficient and effective operation.
F. Finance Board
1. The Finance Boards shall include seven students.
a. Two to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council – one each semester. The choice must be approved by the Legislative Council.
b. Two to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Two to be appointed by the Finance Board with Legislative Council ratification.
d. The Finance Board Chair, to be appointed by the Executive, subject to approval by a majority vote of the Finance Board. The Finance Board Chair may be removed by two-thirds vote of the entire Finance Board, or directly by the Executive, as provided for in this Constitution.
e. There shall also be a UCSU Director of Finance whose specific duties shall be defined in the manner of Executive Staff, who shall serve on the Finance board ex-officio.
2. The Finance Board may include two non-students, making the total voting membership of the board nine.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the Finance Board shall be:
a. To set up a student fee budget within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
b. To submit the student fee budget to the Legislative Council for final action before presentation to the Board of Regents.
c. To allocate monies throughout the year for special purposes.
G. The University Memorial Center Board
1. The UMC Board shall include eight students.
a. One to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council each year. The Legislative Council must approve this choice.
b. Three to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Four to be appointed by the UMC Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The UMC Board may include four non-students, making the total voting membership of the Board twelve.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the UMC Board shall be:
a. To submit a budget for the University Memorial Center to the Finance Board, in cooperation with the Director of the UMC.
b. To set policy and periodically review budgetary allocations for the University memorial Center within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
H. The Cultural Events Board
1. The Cultural Events Board shall include nine students.
a. One to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council. The Legislative Council must approve the choice.
b. Four to be appointed by the legislative Council.
c. Four to be appointed by the Cultural Events Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The Cultural Events Board may include two non-students, making the total voting membership of the board eleven.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the Cultural Events Board shall be:
a. To submit a Cultural Events Budget to the Finance Board.
b. To allocate funds to student groups to sponsor cultural events and promote cultural development within the University community within the priorities established by the Legislative Council.
I. The Student Health Board
1. The Student Health Board shall include eight students.
a. Two to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council – one each semester. The Legislative Council must approve the choice.
b. Three to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Three to be appointed by the Student health Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The Student Health board may include, one non-student, making the total voting membership of the Board nine.
A member of the medical community, not connected with Wardenburg should fill this position.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the Student Health Board shall be:
a. To submit a Health Budget to the Finance Board in cooperation with the Director of Wardenburg.
b. To set policy and allocate funds for the Wardenburg Health Facility and its activities within the priorities set by the Legislative Council.
J. The Environmental Board
1. The Environmental Board shall include seven students.
a. One to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council each year. The Legislative Council must approve the choice.
b. Three to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Three to be appointed by the Environmental Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The Environmental Board may include two non-students, making the total voting membership of the Board nine.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the Environmental Board shall be:
a. To submit an environmental Budget to the Finance Board.
b. To set policy and allocate funds for environmental improvement, within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
K. The Recreation Board
1. The Recreation Board shall include seven students.
a. One to be chosen by the Executive from Representative Council each year. The Legislative Council must approve this choice.
b. Three to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Three to be appointed by the Recreation Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The Recreation Board may include two non-students, making the total voting membership of the Board nine.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the Recreation Board shall be:
a. To submit a Recreation Budget to the Finance Board in cooperation with the Director of the Recreation center.
b. To set policy and periodically review budgetary allocations for the Recreation center within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
L. The Air Board
1. The Air Board shall include 9 students.
a. One to be chosen by the Executive from the Representative Council. The Legislative Council must approve this choice.
b. Four to be appointed by the Legislative Council.
c. Four to be appointed by the Air Board with Legislative Council ratification.
2. The Air Board may include two non-students, making the total voting membership of the board eleven.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the board shall be:
a. To submit a Radio budget with the cooperation of the General Managers to the Finance Board.
b. To set policy and review budgetary matters of the radio station within priorities established by the Legislative Council.
M. All Joint Boards shall establish bylaws to govern their own operations. These bylaws shall not supersede the provisions of this Constitution.
A. Commissions and Student Administrators shall be established by the Executive with majority approval of Legislative Council.
1. Legislative Council may establish Commissions or Student Administrators by a 2/3 vote.
2. Each Commissioner and Student Administrator shall be appointed by the Executive and ratified by majority vote of Legislative Council.
A. Impeachment
1. Impeachment proceedings shall be initiated and conducted by the Legislative Council.
2. Impeachment shall require a two-thirds vote of the entire Council.
3. Officers subject to impeachment:
a. President
b. Vice-President(s)
c. Council of Colleges & Schools Members
d. Appellate Court Justices
e. Representative Council Members
f. Election Commissioners
4. Grounds for impeachment shall be failure to substantially fulfill the duties of his/her office, including absence from three meetings in the legislative session without a valid and reasonable excuse.
B. Removal of Appointed Officers
1. Joint Boards
a. Any Joint Board members from the Representative Council may be removed by the Legislative Council.
b. Two-thirds of the legislative Council present and voting are required for recall.
2. Executive appointments may be removed by the Executive.
3. Legislative Council appointments may be removed by a two-thirds vote, present and voting, or the Legislative Council.
C. Recall
1. Representative Council
a. The recall of a representative may be initiated by a petition of his/her constituency containing signatures of at least equal to thirty-three percent of the votes cast in the previous election for that seat.
b. Recall procedures may not be initiated until at least two months after the original election.
c. Upon validation of the petition by the Election Commission an election within the constituency shall determine if the Representative shall be recalled. A majority of the persons voting is needed for recall.
2. Council of Colleges & Schools
Each School & College will establish and carry out its own recall procedures for its local representatives.
3. Executive
a. The recall of (a) member(s) of the Executive office may be initiated by a petition of their constituency containing signatures of at least equal to fifty-percent of the votes cast in the previous election for that office.
b. Recall procedures may not be instituted until at least two months after the original election.
c. Upon validation of the petition by the Election Commission an election within the constituency shall be held within three weeks to determine if the member(s) of the Executive office shall be recalled. A majority of the persons voting shall be needed for recall.
d. If all members of the Executive Office are recalled, or if the single member of the Executive Office is recalled, the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with the provisions of Article II of the Constitution.
A. Representative Council
1. Before a Representative's resignation, the resigning Representative may designate a replacement subject to approval by one-third of the remaining members of the Representative Council
2. If the Representative, upon resignation, does not designate a replacement, or if the vacancy is due to reasons other than resignation, the Executive will then appoint a replacement subject to two-thirds approval of the remaining Representative Council membership.
3. If the Executive does not appoint and have approved a new Representative within three weeks after the date of vacancy, the Representative Council members may act to appoint a new member by a two-thirds majority of the remaining membership.
A. All members of this Association shall be voting members of the Student Assembly, and shall have the right to introduce proposals for the consideration of the body.
B. A valid student identification card or a course schedule shall be accepted as credentials for a member of a Student Assembly.
C. Two hundred members shall constitute a quorum for the Student Assembl6y.
D. The Student Assembly shall meet when deemed necessary by:
1. The Executive of the UCSU.
2. The Legislative Council.
3. The students, upon receiving five hundred signatures on a petition stating the time, date, and reason for such a meeting.
E. The chairperson of the Student Assembly shall be the President Pro-Tempore of the Legislative Council.
A. Each School & College government shall receive one dollar and thirty cents per student in its school. This amount is to be adjusted on a yearly basis to be in the same proportion of the total student fee budget as of Spring 1974.
B. This figure is to be based on the University Administration’s fall enrollment projections.
C. The money shall officially be allocated at the beginning of the fiscal year as designated by the University of Colorado.
A. Student Enacted Referendum
1. The students shall have the power to enact measures by referendum.
2. Measures passed by referendum shall have the same authority and force as any measure passed and approved within the Representative Council, the Legislative Council, and the Executive.
3. All petition initiated referenda or Constitutional Amendments must be submitted to the Election Commissioner by five o’clock post-meridian on the Tuesday following the day of the mandatory candidates’ meeting for verification of signatures. Any petitions turned in after this deadline will be considered valid for the following election.
B. A referendum shall consist of a single question, appropriately validated and placed on the ballot, where a student may vote “yes” or “no.”
C. The procedure to get a referendum on the ballot shall be as set forth below:
1. The referendum petition must have the exact wording of the referendum question on the same sheet of paper on which signatures are taken.
2. If the referendum question is so lengthy that this is impractical, then all details of the referendum in question must be publicized before and during the period in which signatures are collected.
3. Each petition sheet must include a clear outline of the referendum question.
4. One thousand signatures of bona-fide students shall be necessary to put each referendum on the ballot.
5. Student signatures shall include their student numbers
6. To pass in popular vote, the referendum must be approved by a majority of voters and have at least ten percent (10%) of the students eligible to vote at the time of the election, voting in favor of the referendum.
7. Any referendum requesting a continuation or increase in student fees must be accompanied by a referendum purpose statement indication an estimated list of uses for the referendum funds.
D. No single referendum or Constitutional Amendment shall approve a change in total student fees for more than one percent, nor commit the University of Colorado Student Union and/or its individual students to any financial obligation for longer than four fiscal years, without receiving both a favorable majority vote and at least twenty-five percent of the students eligible to vote at one time of the election voting in favor of the change. This shall not limit the authority of the Legislative Council or the Joint Boards as set forth elsewhere in this Constitution.
E. Organizations receiving referenda monies shall retain managerial control over those monies, provided they are spent within the guidelines of the budget and purpose statement presented to the Election Commissioner. Final Fiscal authority shall rest with the UCSU Legislative Council, or a governing body within the UCSU Council; however, the UCSU Legislative Council, or a governing body within the UCSU Legislative Council may only freeze referendum accounts if referendum money is used in a manner that necessarily and inherently negatively affects the well-being of the students of the University of Colorado at Boulder, in the event that a referendum group violates State Law or university Policy, or in the event that referendum monies are spent obviously outside of the referendum group’s referendum purpose statement.
The Associated Students of the University of Colorado Constitution in effect prior to ratification of this Constitution shall remain in effect until one minute past midnight on May 2, 1974 subject to the transition provisions set forth in this Constitution.
This Constitution, when duly ratified, shall supersede all previous Constitutions.
Amendments shall follow the same procedure as referendum as regards to the student body.
a. Amendments can be initiated by the Executive or the Legislative Council with approval of two-thirds of the Legislative Council, present and voting.
b. Two weeks must elapse between proposal and voting on the amendment during which time publicity shall be given on the amendment.
c. Amendments must be approved by a majority of voters and have at least two thousand favorable votes.
A. UCSU shall not discriminate on the basis of creed, race, gender, age, sexual orientation, or political orientation.
B. UCSU shall pass no legislation aiding a sectarian organization.
C. UCSU shall pass no legislation abridging the freedom of the press, and/or of free speech.
D. UCSU shall pass no legislation abridging the right of its members to petition UCSU for a redress of grievances.
E. The enumeration of certain rights in the UCSU Constitution shall not be construed to deny or disparage others held by the student body.
F. All powers not delegated to the UCSU government are reserved to the student body.