Chapter 3: Student Affairs Council
PART I. Composition of the Council
SECTION 03.101 Authority for the Council
The Miami University Senate authorized the formation of the Council to serve
as the principal legislative body of the University in matters pertaining to student
social and conduct regulations and general student affairs. Recommendations of
the Student Affairs Council (SAC) are made directly to the President via the Vice
President for Student Affairs and need not be acted upon by the University Senate,
except for those matters which have substantial academic content, in which instance
they shall be reported to the Executive Committee of the University Senate which
shall place them on the agenda of the University Senate. The President, receiving
recommendations from Council, may desire to consult with the University Senate
or with other groups in deciding to approve, modify, or reject actions taken by
the Council. Matters to be considered by the Council will originate from a number
of sources, but it is expected that the Associated Student Government will be
an important source of suggestions for action by the Council.
SECTION
03.102 Composition of the Council
03.102.A. Voting membership of the Council shall consist
of an equal number of students and faculty or administrative officers of the University—14
students, ten faculty elected by the University Senate, and four others appointed
by the President. The Vice President for Student Affairs shall serve as an ex
officio member. The faculty representatives shall be elected to serve two-year
terms.
03.102.B. The student membership of the Student Affairs Council shall
include five members elected by Student Senate plus the President of the Associated
Student Government, Executive Vice President, Vice President for Student Services,
Secretary for On-Campus Affairs, Secretary for Diversity Affairs, President of
the Interfraternity Council, President of the Panhellenic Association, President
of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and President of the Organization of Commuting
Students.
SECTION 03.103 Meetings
03.103.A. The Council shall meet during the regular school year (August
to May) at regular times designated by the Chair, the Vice President for Student
Affairs.
03.103.B. Prior to each long break (of six working days or more) and
prior to Council's last meeting of the second semester of each regular school
year, Council's Secretary shall obtain from every member and alternate to Council
his or her break or vacation address(es) and phone number(s), if known, or a statement
that the member or alternate will be unavailable for emergency service. The name,
address, and phone number of a designated alternate who will be on or near the
Oxford campus over a break of six working days or more, or for at least one summer
term shall be provided by each student member of Council who will not be on the
Oxford campus over break or for at least one of the summer terms. Student members
who will be on or near campus over a break or for at least one summer term may
designate alternates for the periods they will not be on hand. If it seems likely
that an extraordinary meeting will be necessary over break, and that a quorum
will be difficult to obtain, Council may authorize (or command) the designation
of special alternates by faculty representatives to Council and/or Presidential
appointees.
03.103.C. In cases where Council must meet over breaks, interim periods,
or the summer to fulfill its duties, the Chair of Council shall call an extraordinary
meeting, to be held at such time and place as the Chair thinks convenient. To
the extent circumstances allow, the Chair shall provide all members, alternates,
and designated replacements ample notice in writing of the time, place, and occasion
for the meeting and shall aid in providing transportation for members who desire
and, in the Chair's judgment, need such aid in order to attend. A quorum for such
an extraordinary meeting shall be eight members, of whom at least two must be
students, two members of the faculty, and one a Presidential appointee. To ensure
student representation at such an extraordinary meeting during the summer, student
members from either the prior or subsequent year of Council may serve. If a quorum
cannot be found immediately, Council shall recess until such time as a quorum
can be obtained, and the Chair is authorized—if a quorum is not otherwise
obtainable—to take appropriate measures to compel (on threat of expulsion
from Council) attendance of those members of Council who could attend but have
chosen not to do so. All actions of such extraordinary meetings are actions of
the Council and shall be reported in the manner of all other actions of Council.
Report of the action of any extraordinary meeting(s) shall be the first item of
business of the full Council at its first meeting following the extraordinary
meeting(s).
PART II. Committees of the Council
The Council shall be assisted by various committees, hereinafter described in
Sections 03.201-207. They shall be composed of student, faculty, staff, and alumni
members serving ex officio or under appointment by the President. The Vice President
for Student Affairs serves as an ex officio member on all committees.
SECTION 03.201 Rules of Committees
The committees shall be subject to the following rules:
03.201.A. An annual report shall be submitted to Council, with recommendations
submitted whenever committee members desire.
03.201.B. A meeting is required at least once each semester.
03.201.C. A quorum is 50 percent of membership.
03.201.D. The chair is a voting member.
03.201.E. Except as specified in Section 03.201.J, only members may vote;
proxies cannot be accepted.
03.201.F. Except as specified in Section 03.201.J, at least 24 hours'
notice of meetings to be held must be given to all committee members.
03.201.G. All meetings are open. The chair decides whether visitors may
speak, and a majority of the membership may overrule the chair.
03.201.H. Executive sessions may be voted by a majority of the membership.
03.201.I. Minutes will be kept of all meetings and distributed within
a week to the Chair of the Council, the President of the Student Body, the President
and the Vice Presidents of the University, the Secretary of the University, and
the membership of the committee.
03.201.J. With the exception of advisory committees, Rules Review Committee,
and the Alcohol Education Committee, all committees of Council shall establish
simple contingency plans to handle emergency business at extraordinary meetings
over the summer and over school breaks of six working days or more. Quorums at
such extraordinary meetings shall be one quarter of the membership of committees,
including at least one student and one nonstudent member. To ensure student representation
at such extraordinary meetings during the summer, student members from either
the prior or subsequent year of a committee may serve. Where necessary, contingency
plans may ignore the forbidding of proxies in Section 03.201.E and allow
or require members to designate special alternates. In extreme emergencies, Section
03.201.F shall be suspended, and extraordinary meetings may be called on 18 hours'
notice, with the committee chair or designated alternate of the chair required
only to make a good-faith effort to contact all designated alternates and available
members of the committee. Actions taken at extraordinary meetings shall be reviewed
by the full committee at a meeting held within six working days of the resumption
of classes, and a full report shall be sent to Student Affairs Council (via its
Chair) within ten working days of the resumption of classes (see Section 03.103
above).
SECTION 03.202 Committee on
the Performing Arts Series
The Committee on the Performing Arts Series is composed of five students (two
appointed one year for two-year terms, three appointed alternate years for two-year
terms) and seven members of the faculty or staff, of whom one shall be a member
of the fine arts faculty, one a member of the marketing department, and one a
member of the development staff, which shall advise the director of the Performing
Arts Series, who shall serve ex officio as chair of the committee.
SECTION 03.203 Advisory Committee
on Student Health
The Advisory Committee on Student Health is composed of the Senior Administrative
Director for Health Services, two additional members of the faculty or staff,
one of whom shall be chair, and six students. Ex officio members shall include
one staff member from each of the following: Student Health Service, Student Counseling
Service, and the Office of Health Education. If possible, at least one faculty
or staff member and two student members shall remain on the committee two consecutive
years, to ensure continuity. The committee shall hear any concerns related to
student health services brought to its attention.
SECTION 03.204 Committee
on Student Media Organizations
03.204.A. Composition and Authority
The Committee on Student Media Organizations is composed of: four students;
five faculty or staff members with experience or a special interest in journalism,
publications, or broadcast communication, one of whom shall serve as chair; one
faculty or staff member with experience in business operations; and the director
of student media. Current staff members of student media organizations shall not
be selected to serve on the Committee on Student Media Organizations. The committee
is authorized to appoint an editor and business manager for each organization,
to approve the appointment of other key personnel, to supervise the financial
affairs of the organizations, and to establish general policies. The committee
may recommend the creation of new media organizations to the Student Affairs Council
for approval, and may recommend to Student Affairs Council the termination of
a media organization that no longer serves the best interest of the University.
03.204.B. New Publications
Any publication by a student organization, other than a newsletter intended
for membership distribution only, shall be approved by the Student Affairs Council.
A petition for approval of a publication shall be submitted first to the Committee
on Student Media Organizations of the Student Affairs Council, setting forth (1) the
objectives of the publication, (2) frequency of appearance, (3) financial
plans, (4) proposed organization including staff, (5) relationship with
and potential effects of and upon existing publications, and (6) two issues
consisting of dummy sheets, copy, and art material reflecting the basic format
the publication intends to present and maintain. The Committee on Student Media
Organizations shall forward the petition with its recommendation for approval
or disapproval to the Student Affairs Council for final action.
03.204.C. Publication Policy
204.C.1. University publications are intended to serve a justifiable public
purpose, as part of an educational enterprise. While editors of Miami publications,
like editors of any publication, are subject to state and federal statutes pertaining
to the press (including those involving obscenity and libel) and must maintain
adequate standards of responsibility, the general principles of freedom of press
apply to student publications. Censorship of opinion shall not be exercised by
either the Committee on Student Media Organizations or any other University agency
or official.
204.C.2. In the event that a University publication fails to fulfill its purpose,
as interpreted by the Committee on Student Media Organizations after an open hearing,
the latter shall make appropriate recommendations to the Student Affairs Council.
In the event that an editor fails to maintain adequate standards of responsibility
or efficiency, the Committee on Student Media Organizations, following an open
hearing at which the editor may defend himself or herself, may dismiss the editor.
03.204.D. Advisory Policy
All student publications shall be operated in accordance with standards approved
by the Committee on Student Media Organizations. An adviser to each publication
is available to consult with and assist the editors and business managers.
03.204.E. Financial Policy
204.E.1. The Committee on Student Media Organizations will review budget requests
from the organizations under its authority and send its recommendations to the
Committee on Finance and Contingencies no later than the end of the fall semester
each year. The Committee on Student Media Organizations shall approve a budget
for each student publication and broadcast media organization for the following
year. A copy of this budget shall be filed with the Auditor of Student Organization
Accounts. The business manager of each publication and the appropriate financial
officer of each student broadcast media organization shall be responsible for
collecting all income for the publication/organization and depositing this with
the Auditor.
204.E.2. All expenses shall be paid by the Auditor only on receipt of vouchers
duly executed by an officer or officers of the publication or broadcast media
organization. The Auditor of Student Organization Accounts shall prepare each
year a statement of income, expense, and balance on hand for each student publication
and broadcast media organization. Each student organization shall be charged by
the University its pro rata share of the cost involved in this accounting and
auditing service.
03.204.F. Grievance Policy
See
Appendix N.
SECTION 03.205 Committee on
Finance and Contingencies
03.205.A. Composition and Authority
The Committee on Finance and Contingencies (CFC) is to be composed of four students,
three faculty or staff, and a non-voting representative from Internal Audit and
Consulting Services. Student Affairs Council authorizes funding for Lecture Series
and organizations under the authority of the Committee on Student Media Organizations.
Graduate student organizations should seek funding information from the Graduate
School. All other student organizations shall seek funding through the Associated
Student Government (see Appendix CC). The committee will hold hearings on budget
requests by March of each year. By April 1, the committee will recommend to Council
the amount of support each organization should receive from the total funds available.
The committee shall also receive and respond to requests from organizations funded
through Council for support from any contingency funds. When contingency funds
are requested, a small subcommittee of CFC (two members and the chair) shall review
the request(s) and forward their recommendation to Student Affairs Council by
the next meeting. A small contingency fund exists to help meet the costs of either
hardship or opportunities that could not have been anticipated.
03.205.B. Financial Support
Organizations that meet the requirements established by Student Affairs Council
shall be eligible for funding according to the following criteria:
- The Office of Student Activities and Leadership certifies the organization
as having been duly recognized and registered.
- The organization has applied for funding consideration by the deadline date
(usually November 1) as specified in letters sent out through the Office of the
Vice President for Student Affairs and in University-wide media.
- The organization's activities and benefits are available to all qualified
students regardless of academic major, class standing, age, race, sex, religion,
sexual orientation, or gender identification.
- Student Affairs Council designated monies would be an appropriate source
of at least some proportion of the funding which the organization requests.
- There is a clear statement of the proposed program of the organization, listing
separately each identifiable activity, undertaking, and expense.
- The organization clearly understands that funding approval for one year does
not commit continuing support in future years.
- Organizations that restrict membership based on academic major or performance,
physical performance, race, creed, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, or
gender identification shall not be eligible for funding.
- Organizations for which academic credit is granted shall not be eligible
for funding.
- Divisional and departmental advisory organizations, or those groups sponsored
by an academic department are not eligible for funding.
- Organizations with a primary purpose of promoting a specific career interest
shall not be eligible for funding.
- Organizations with a primary purpose of promoting a political party, candidate,
or philosophy are not eligible for funding.
- Organizations that promote religious beliefs or are aligned with specific
churches or denominations are not eligible for funding.
- Organizations which are honorary or recognition societies are not eligible
for funding.
- Money allocated to organizations may cover administrative costs, but may
not be used to support off-campus agencies or provide donations to them.
03.205.C. Determination of Support
The Committee on Finance and Contingencies shall base the recommended amount
of support to an organization on at least the following data:
205.C.1. The information presented to Student Affairs Council.
205.C.2. A detailed listing of the proposed activities and undertakings, plus
projected cost associated with each. Examples include events to be sponsored,
trips to be taken (where and how many are going), and such costs as salaries,
printing, supplies, etc.
205.C.3. A statement of budgeted revenues from all other sources, including
proposed charges for admissions, advertising, etc.
205.C.4. A specific statement as to the number of students directly involved
in the activity itself, along with a detailing of their involvement of time, money,
or monetary rewards, etc. Those organizations whose main impact and activity reach
a limited number of students must demonstrate that some financial support is received
from those students in the form of dues or other payments.
205.C.5. A clear statement of the benefits from the activity to be derived by
(a) the students directly involved, and (b) the student body generally.
205.C.6. A justification that the cost of the activity should be borne by fee
allocation support.
205.C.7. A statement that the organization will abide by the following administrative
control criteria:
a. Annually each activity is required to present a detailed budget for its
forthcoming year. This budget is reviewed by its controlling committee or board
and by the Auditor of Student Organizations.
b. Each activity follows a system designed by the Auditor of Student Organizations
for control of the transactions of the activity. This system includes identification
and control of the cash receipts and a system of pre-authorization, with specific
identification of proposed expenditures to authorized budget amounts.
c. The amounts designated for support of student organizations must be expended
by vouchers duly executed by the proper officers and adviser of the student organization
as presented to the Auditor of Student Organizations.
d. All Student Affairs Council funded organizations are required to return
their ledgers to Internal Audit and Consulting Services for inspection and/or
audit on a semiannual basis.
205.C.8. Any organization submitting its request for funding or its budget request
subsequent to the designated deadlines or for whom qualified candidates for editor,
general manager and business manager fail to apply by the designated deadline
shall receive no more than 95 percent of the total Student Affairs Council funds
allocated to it the previous year. In the event a delinquent organization has
not received prior Student Affairs Council funding, Student Affairs Council shall
penalize said delinquent organization in proportion to penalties exacted upon
previously funded delinquent organizations; that all requests received more than
two weeks after designated deadlines shall not be funded. Any organization that
feels that it cannot meet the deadline because of events beyond its control, and
which has notified the Vice President for Student Affairs before the designated
deadline may appeal directly to Student Affairs Council.
205.C.9. A representative from Internal Audit and Consulting Services will conduct
a seminar for organization treasurers and/or advisers at the beginning of the
academic year. The purpose of this meeting is to inform the appropriate persons
of acceptable procedures for maintaining and administering their accounts. All
Student Affairs Council funded organization treasurers and/or advisers are required
to attend or lose funding for the current year.
03.205.D. Payments to Individuals
205.D.1. Student Affairs Council supports the general philosophy of having students
serve in leadership positions for the intrinsic worth in that service. Salaries
should reflect the extent of service performed and of responsibility assumed,
and should not be matched to hourly wages; therefore, any salaries awarded should
be tempered by this philosophical viewpoint.
205.D.2. Extrinsic compensation in the form of a salary is justifiable only
for leadership positions which are in organizations whose services affect the
total campus and which, because of the amount and kind of responsibility inherent
in the positions, require either (1) a consistent and extraordinary time expenditure
and/or (2) a demonstrated level of expertise.
205.D.3. Further, the only monetary compensation that Student Affairs Council
will permit organizations funded by Council to pay are salaries and wages. For
definitions of salaries and wages, consult Appendix
P.
03.205.E. Purchase of Alcohol
Student organizations are not permitted to use funds allocated or collected
by the University for the purchase of alcohol.
03.205.F. Overexpenditures
A deficit account balance in the current year will be satisfied by that organization's
allocation in the succeeding year. An organization is assumed to be continuous
and self-sufficient. All obligations incurred by an organization should remain
with that organization.
SECTION 03.206 Rules Review Committee
The Rules Review Committee is to be composed of a representative from Associated
Student Government; the Dean of Students ex officio and the Assistant Vice President
for Student Affairs ex officio as consultants; a student representative from Student
Affairs Council; a faculty representative from Student Affairs Council; two additional
faculty members; together with another person appointed as chair. This committee
annually reviews the student conduct and student life regulations and policies,
and recommends to Student Affairs Council those revisions that are appropriate.
SECTION 03.207 University Lecture
Series Committee
The University Lecture Series Committee is to be composed of six students, of
whom one shall be the Campus Activities Council Lecture Board Chair and one the
Secretary for Diversity Affairs or designee; three full-time teaching faculty;
a full-time administrator; and a representative of the Office of Student Activities
and Leadership, ex officio. The committee shall not be chaired by one of the ex
officio members. The committee is to bring to campus prominent, popularly recognized
people in many areas, with at least four lectures to be held during an academic
year.
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