New Series JULY, 1917 Number 39 University of Alabama SPECIAL BULLETIN jS> ^ STUDENT GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTION PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY. ALABAMA Entered as Second class Matter at the Postoffice at University, Ala. STUDENT GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTION University of Alabama PRINTED FOR THE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY, ALABAMA STUDENT GOVERNMENT CONSTITUTION Adopted in 1914 and Subsequently Amended PREAMBLE We, the students of the University of Alabama, recognize that the supreme purpose of this institution is to train young men and women in the higher principles of citizenship. There- fore, declaring ourselves steadfast believers in one another, we assert that we are justified in assuming the privileges and re- sponsibilities of citizenship in our college community. We hold it self-evident that any past inefficiency in various student activities may be attributed mainly to our lack of com- mon organizaton for the realizaton of a common purpose. Therefore, we are resolved to provide for the problems of the future by molding ourselves into a unit of student government. With a full appreciation of our community of interests, hopes and aims which can be realized only through harmonious co-operation and unselfish community of action we, the students of the University of Alabama, do hereby declare the following principles of our government: We propose to be governed by the constitution and laws of the federal government and the laws of the State of Alabama as to the rights of our student citizenship; to recognize the authority of the University administration superior to our own. We propose always to maintain high mental, moral and physical standards as the basic principles and essential elements of a well-governed student body, and eventually to subordinate all the various student activities to the control of this govern- ment. Believing that our government will always recognize those rights inalienable to the personal liberty of the students and op- posed to petty discipline ; believing that it will never become officious by attempting injudicious control nor by undertaking legislation offensive to the student body ; holding that the power of this government rests mainly on the creation and mainten- ance of a well-balanced student sentiment based on a profound respect for the welfare and decorum of this university, which should always condemn the spirit of lawlessness and encour- age the noblest ideals of citizenship ; trusting that we will merit and receive the confidence and support of the faculty and the public, we do hereby ordain and establish the following con- stitution and government of the students of the University of Alabama. ARTICLE I GENERAL ORGANIZATION Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Student Association of the University of Alabama. Section 2. The membership of this organization shall consist of all the students in all departments of the University of Alabama, located at Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Section 3. The officers of the Student Association shall be a president, a vice-president, and a secretary-treasurer. Section 4. There shall be a men's committee elected by men only ; a women's committee elected by women only ; a gen- eral committee, which shall be composed of the entire men's committee and such a proportion of women from the women's committee as the women bear to the entire student body. In computing this ratio, fractions of one-half or more shall be counted as a whole ; below one-half they shall not be counted. ARTICLE II DUTIES OF OFFICERS Section 1. It shall be the duty of the president to preside over all meetings of the student association and over the meet- ings of the executive committee. He or she, with the executive committee, shall enforce the constitution and laws of the as- sociation. He or she shall also preside over the freshman class at the beginning of each year until it has been organized, 4 Section 2. The vice-president shall act in the president's place in the latter's absence, or in case the president is dis- qualified. Section 3. It shall be the duty of the secretary-treas- urer to keeps records of all meetings of the student associa- tion and of the executive committee ; to receive all funds which may come into his or her possession as treasurer and to disburse the same at the direction of the executive com- mittee. ARTICLE III COMMITTEES Section 1. Men's Council — The men's committee shall consist of the following male students: (a) From the aca- demic and engineering departments : one graduate, four seniors, two juniors, two sophomores, and one freshman who shall, however, serve only from February 1st to the end of the school session, (b) From the law department: three seniors and two juniors. This committee shall have jurisdiction over all affairs which pertain peculiarly to the men students. Section 2. Women's Council — This council shall be orga- nized by the women students of the University and shall have exclusive jurisdiction over all matters pertaining peculiarly to the women's department. The council shall consist of five members, elected from and by the women students as a whole. Section 3. General Executive Committee — This commit- tee shall be composed of the entire men's committee and of such a proportion of the women's committee as is provided for in section IV of article I. (a) The president of the student association shall be ex- officio a member of this committee and shall preside over its meetings, but he shall have no vote except in case of a tie. (b) The secretary-treasurer shall act on this executive committee and shall keep an accurate record of all the proceed- ings, but he shall not vote. (c) Two-thirds of the executive committee shall constitute 5 a quorum, which shall act by majority vote unless otherwise provided for in this constitution. (d) The executive committee shall meet at least once a month, the definite time to be fixed at the discretion of said committee. Special meetings may be called by the president. Such meetings must be called upon request of one-half the membership of the committee or by petition signed by ten per cent, of the student body. (e) The executive committee shall represent the student body, both in a ministerial and legislative capacity, in all mat- ters in which the student association may be concerned, whether arising before the faculty, public, or otherwise. (f) All legislation recommended by the executive commit- tee must be referred to the student body for its vote before such legislation becomes a law of this government. (g) The executive committee shall have the power of rais- ing the funds necessary for the maintenance of this government by levying assessments on the students. (h) The executive committee shall be the official body to interpret and construe the constitution and laws of this gov- ernment, and it shall carefully expound the same to the students assembled in meeting at the beginning of each collegiate year. (i) No member of the executive committee who is per- sonally interested in the outcome of any matter before the com- mittee shall be competent to take part in such deliberations. ARTICLE IV HONOR COMMITTEE Section 1. The executive committee shall select a sub- committee of seven from its own number to be known as the Honor Committee. When any member of this committee is personally interested in a case within the committee's jurisdic- tion, he or she shall not serve in that particular case, and his or her place shall be filled at the discretion of the executive com- mittee. Section 2. The duties of the honor committee shall be: 6 (a) To investigate such breaches of honor among the students as cheating in examinations, etc., and to deal with them in accordance with the established traditions and usages of the University. (b) To perform such other work as may be delegated to it by the executive committee. Section 3. The honor committee shall have power to sus- pend any student guilty of a breach of honor, provided that at least five members of the committee vote such action ; and pro- vided further that any student has a direct appeal from the de- cision of the honor committee to the executive committee and finally to the student body. ARTICLE V MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION Section 1. Regular meetings of the student association shall be arranged by the executive committee. Special meet- ings may be called by the president of the association. Such meetings must be called upon request of a majority of the exe- cutive committee or upon petition signed by ten per cent of the student body. Two-thirds of the members of the student body shall constitute a quorum. Section 2. The student body is supreme authority in this government and has full jurisdiction over all legislation, whether submitted by the executive committee or by petition of the students. In the latter case the petition must have first been submitted to the executive committee with the signatures of ten per cent, of the student body affixed thereto. If the executive committee declines action on said petition, it may then be sub- mitted direct to the students in mass meeting assembled. Section 3. The student body has the power to recall any or all of its officers and committees. A vote of sixty per cent, of those present and voting shall be necessary to recall any officer or member of a committee. 7 ARTICLE VI. ELECTION OF OFFICERS Section 1. Qualifications: To be eligible to the office of president, vice-president or secretary-treasurer of the student association, the candidate, if a student of the academic or engineering departments, must have had two collegiate years' residence at the University of Alabama; a student of the law department, unless previously a member of the academic or engineering departments for two years, must be a member of the senior class and must have been in attendance at the Uni- versity of Alabama one collegiate year; provided, however, that when the three year course is adopted, a member of the law school must have been here two years before he is eligible to the above named offices. Section 2. No student may announce his or her own candidacy, nor circulate his or her own petition for an office. Before he or she becomes qualified as a candidate, his or her name must have been handed to the secretary-treasurer of the student body at least two weeks before the date of election accompanied by the written consent of the prospective candi- date and by the signatures of at least eight per cent, of the student body. No person shall sign the petition of more than one candidate for the same office, and no petition may be cir- culated before March 20 preceding the date of election. This signature shall be indicative, but is not necessarily a pledge, as to the casting of the final vote in actual election. The secretary shall publicly post and publish the names of all bona fide candidates for at least ten days previous to the election. Section 3. Regular election of officers shall be held on the last Friday in April each year; and officers elected at such election shall hold office for one year from the date of said election. All elections of officers shall be on the above date — except in such cases as provided for hereinafter. The installation of the officers shall be on the first meeting of the student association after the election. 8 Section 4. A candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected. In case no candidate receives such majority, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be voted on in a second election, and the one of these two who receives a majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. Section 5. Election shall be by the Australian ballot system ; and the votes shall be counted by the executive com- mittee which is hereby authorized to conduct and supervise all elections of officers of the student body. Section 6. In case the election of officers cannot be held on the last Friday in April, the executive committee shall set a day as soon thereafter as it may see fit ; provided, however, that this must not be construed to allow postponement of election longer than ten days. And provided, further, that the executive committee shall be empowered to call a special elec- tion in case a vacancy in office occurs, or in case such election be necessary to secure a majority vote for candidates pre- viously receiving only a plurality vote. ARTICLE VII. ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Section 1. Each class shall elect its own representatives on the executive committee. Section 2. The election of the executive committee shall be held within the third week after the opening of college year. ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS Section 1. (a) An amendment to this constitution may be proposed by a vote of two-thirds of the executive committee, or by a petition signed by twenty (20) per cent, of the bona fide students of the University. After being published in the college publications and otherwise made public for two weeks the proposed amendment must be referred to the student body by the executive committee for ratification or rejection. 9 (b) When an amendment receives a two-thirds vote cast by the students it shall become a part of the constitution ; provided, however, that no action is valid except when par- ticipated in by at least two-thirds of the members of the student body. Rules and Regulations Governing Freshmen. ARTICLE I. Section 1. All first year men excepting (1) those who have at least eight hours of college credit and (2) those who are at least twenty- four years old and (3) those who are mar- ried, entering any department of the University of Alabama other than the law or medical department shall be subject to the following rules and regulations : Section 2. They must wear uniform class caps. These caps shall be of green color with a one-inch yellow letter "F" above the brim. The style and shape of such caps shall be regu- lated annually by the executive committee. Section 3. These caps must be worn exclusively by the students above mentioned during their residence in Tuscaloosa or at the University — that is, from the Monday following the opening of the University to the second night preceding final examinations of the college session; provided that nothing in this section shall be construed to extend this regulation to mem- bers of athletic, dramatic or glee clubs while absent from the University as members of such clubs. Section 4. Those Freshmen taking the Military Train- ing Course will be exempted from wearing said green cap while in full uniform. However, those who take the course must wear a class badge. This badge is to be selected at the beginning of each school year by the executive committee in conjunction with the military officer in charge at the University. 10 ARTICLE II ENFORCEMENT Section 1. Any student violating any of the foregoing rules shall be subject to the following penalties : (a) For the first offense he shall be fined One Dollar; (b) For the second offense he shall be fined Two Dollars and a Half ; (c) For the third offense he shall be fined Five Dollars; (d) For further infraction of the rules such student shall be advised by the executive committee that he is out of harmony with the spirit of the student government at the Uni- versity and asked to withdraw. Section 2. Any Freshman will be given two days in which to pay the first and each succeeding fine. It is further provided that failure to pay the first fine within the allotted time will render the offender guilty of a second offense, etc. Section 3. All money or monies received under these provisions shall be turned into the treasury of the Alumni Loan Fund. Section 4. All matters regarding the infraction of these rules shall be acted upon by the men's committee of the execu- tive committee. 11 3 0112 105605213