Constitution
Edition
n Daily
EMERALD
Constitution
Edition
VOLU31E LI
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, EUGENE, MONDAY MAY 15, 1950
NUMBER 138
Here's the Constitution Again
In accordance with ASUO election procedure, the com
plete text of the proposed new ASUO constitution is print
ed below.
A special election for the adoption of the new constitu
tion will be held May 22, the same time as the spring term
student body elections. The constitutional election how
ever, will continue for three days.
The new constitution was originally voted upon and
passed Apr. 26 through 28. It was not a legal election, how
ever, according to a majority decision handed down by
the Judiciary Committee.
A group of law students protested the election, after
the Executive Council extended the election period after
voting had begun.
The document must be approved by a two-thirds major
ity at the election. At least one half of the student body
must vote to make the election valid.
The election must be held one week after publication of
the proposed constitution in the Emerald. The constitution
is reprinted today and Monday.
CONSTITUTION
Preamble
We the students of the University of Oregon in order to
establish a representative government; to encourage the
development of leaders and participants for the community
and the sovereign state of Oregon; to stimulate an aware
ness of the rights and responsibilities of students in relation
to the community; to improve student cultural, social, and
physical welfare, and to promote the general welfare of this
institution, do hereby ordain and establish this Constitu
tion.
This we do with the recognition that the President of the
University of Oregon has the ultimate responsibility for the
total University program.
ARTICLE I
Name
This organization shall be known as The Associated Stu
dents of the University of Oregon.
ARTICLE II
Membership
Section I. The membership of this Association shall con
sist of all students registered in the University of Oregon,
Eugene, Oregon, who have paid the Student Union-Educa
tion Activities fee.
Section II. Student membership of any of the particular
classes shall be determined by the academic rules of the
University of Oregon.
ARTICLE III
Officers
Section I. The Elective Officers. The elective officers of
this Association shall be a president and a vice-president.
Section II. The Non-Elective Officers. The non-elective
officers of this Association shall include:
1. Chairman of the Student Union Board, ex-officio.
2. Chairman of the Co-op Board, ex-officio.
3. Emerald Editor, ex-officio.
4. AWS President, ex-officio.
5. Public Relations Chairman.
6. Social Chairman.
7. Athletic Chairman.
8. Director of Student Affairs, ex-officio.
Section III. Qualifications of Officers.
Clause I. Any member of this Association who shall
have completed at least three terms at the University of
Oregon and who shall have acquired one hundred ten credit
hours prior to election shall be eligible for election to the
office of president or vice-president.
Clause 2. No student shall take office nor continue to
hold office under this constitution unless he shall have com
plied with the academic requirements of the University of
Oregon.
Section IV. Duties of the President.
Clause 1. The president shall preside over all meetings
of the Cabinet and the Senate and shall exercise all powers
pertaining to the calling of the meetings and conduct of
business in accord with this constitution.
Clause 2. He shall coordinate the performance of duties
by the Cabinet members.
Clause 3. He shall, at the beginning of each school term,
submit to the Senate an estimate of his budget for the fol
lowing term, and at the beginning of winter and spring
terms, he shall submit to the Senate an account of his ex
penditures for the previous term.
Clause 4. He shall nominate to the president of the Uni
versity, student members to student-faculty committees.
Clause 5. He shall appoint members of the Cabinet,
except ex-omcio memoers, suojeet to a iwo-umas approval
of the Senate and may remove such Cabinet members by
stating cause.
Clause 6. He shall appoint the student members of the
Student Court subject to a two-thirds approval of the Sen
ate.
Clause 7. He shall be responsible for carrying out legi
slation enacted by the Senate.
Clause 8. He shall from time to time inform and recom
mend to the Senate matters concerning student welfare.
Clause 9. He may create new non-elective officers if ap
proved by a majority vote of the Senate.
Clause 10. He shall be an ex-officio member of the Stu
dent Union Board.
Section V. Duties of the Vice-President.
Clause 1. He shall serve as chairman of the election
committee and shall be responsible for the administration
of all elections under the constitution.
Clause 2. He shall assume all duties pertaining to the
office of president in the president’s temporary absence and
all other duties as delegated by the president of this Associ
ation.
Section VI. Cabinet.
Clause 1. The Cabinet shall consist of the president,
vice-president and non-elective officers of this Association.
Clause 2. The Cabinet shall advise and assist the presi
dent of the ASUO in administering the affairs of this As
sociation.
Clause 3. It shall be the duty of the Cabinet to submit
proposals to the Senate designed to promote the objectives
of this Association.
Clause 4. The Cabinet members shall have the right to
attend and speak in Senate meetings.
ARTICLE IV
Senate
Section I. Membership. The ASUO Senate shall be com
posed of:
Clause 1. The President and Vice-President of the
ASUO.
Clause 2. The President, Vice-President, and two repre
sentatives from each class.
Clause 3. Nine members elected at large.
Clause 4. Two Faculty members. These two faculty
members shall be appointed by the President of the Univer
sity. Their terms shall be for two years except for the first
year when one of the members shall be appointed for a one
year term.
Section II. The Senate shall elect its own officers; with
the exception of the president and vice-president, who shall
be the President and Vice-President of the ASUO.
Section III. Powers and Duties of the Senate.
Clause 1. The legislative powers of the ASUO shall re
side in the Senate.
Clause 2. The Senate shall approve by a two-thirds vote
all appointments to the Cabinet and chairmanships of
standing committees made by the President of the ASUO.
Clause 3. The Senate shall have the power to investi
gate and report in any area of student life.
Clause 4. The Senate shall have the power to create
special committees and shall elect their chairmen.
Clause 5. The Senate shall have the power to remove
student Administrative and Judicial officers by proceedings
initiated by a two-thirds vote at a regular meeting and
passed by a three-fourths vote at the following regular
meeting.
Clause 6. Vacancy in the offices of President or Vice
President will be filled by the Senate.
Clause 7. The Senate will meet semi-monthly and also
at the call of the President.
Clause 8. The Senate shall make all rules and regula
tions necessary for properly carrying out elections.
Clause 9. The Senate shall have the power to withhold
approval of class activities and functions.
Clause 10. The Senate shall elect a Yell King.
Clause 11. It shall be the duty of the Senate to main
tain its membership and therefore it shall elect students
to fill class office and ASUO representative vacancies.
ARTICLE V
Judiciary
Section I. Student Court.
Clause 1. The Student Court shall be composed of five
members appointed by the ASUO President subject to
two-thirds approval of the Senate. Sufficient appoint
ments shall be made each spring from the sophomore
class to maintain the total of five. At no time will more
than three members belong to the same class.
Clause 2. ASUO President shall designate the chair
man.
Clause 3. The Court shall have jurisdiction in all dis
ciplinary matters delegated to it by the President of the
University or the ASUO Senate.
Section II. Constitutional Committee.
Clause l. Membership. The Constitutional Committee,
to which any member or administrative body of this As
sociation may refer any question on which it desires an
opinion as to the correct judicial construction or interpre
tation of any part of this constitution or by-lav/s, shall
consist of five members: Dean of the Law School or his
personal representative as permanent chairman, two
members of the faculty of the University of Oregon, and
two upper class members of this Association.
Appointment to membership of this committee shall
be made by the Senate on the recommendation of the
President of the University of Oregon and the President
of this Association.
Clause 2. Authority. The Constitutional Committee
shall have supreme and final authority on all questions of
interpretation of this constitution, by-laws, and student
legislation and on all disputes arising from student body
or class elections, and shall, upon request of the Senate or
Cabinet, render advisory opinions on the interpretations
of the constitution and by-laws.
ARTICLE VI
Elections
Section I. Filing. All candidates for elective positions
under this Association shall file a petition with the Vice
President of this Association not later than midnight of
the seventh day prior to the elections.
Section II. Positions elected at large. Positions elected
at large shall include President, Vice-President, and nine
representatives. They will appear on the same ballot and
shall be elected by the Preferential System of voting as
provided for in the by-laws. The candidates receiving the
highest and second highest number of first choices shall
be president and vice-president respectively.
Section III. Class positions. The same election procedure
will be followed for each class. They will each return a
president, vice-president, and two representatives.
Section IV. Dates of Elections. ASUO elections shall
take place after the first and prior to the eighth week of
spring term. Freshman elections shall take place after the
first and prior to the fifth week of winter term.
ARTICLE VII
Amendments
Section I. Proposal. Amendments to this constitution
may be proposed by a two-thirds vote of all members of
the ASUO Senate or by a petition signed by two hundred
(200) members of this Association.
Section II. Publicity. The proposed amendments shall be
published in the Oregon Daily Emerald on three successive
publications days, and shall be voted upon by ballot of the
members of the Association one week from the date of
the last publication.
Section III. Adoption. A two-thirds majority of the bal
lots cast shall be necessary for the adoption of any
amendment, provided at least one-third of the qualified
voters vote on the amendment.
ARTICLE VIII
Enabling Clause
Section I. This constitution shall be adopted by a two
thirds vote at a general election of the student body, pro
viding that one half of the members of this Association
cast ballots.
Section II. The adoption of this constitution and by-laws
supercedes and amends all other existing constitutions
and by-laws of this Association.
Section III. The ASUO Executive Council shall conduct
the first election under this constitution.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I
Conduct of Business
Section i. -mies of Order. Roberts’ Rules of Order shall
govern this Association and all councils and committees
of this Association.
ARTICLE II
Election Procedure;
Section I. Elections.
Clause 1. There shall be a minimum of three polling
places at any election.
Clause 2. In all elections under this constitution, the
Australian Ballot system shall be used.
Clause 3. The polls shall be open continuously from
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on election days.
Clause 4. The official poll book, which shall contain
in alphabetical order the names of all members of this As
sociation, shall be prepared by the Registrar’s office five
days prior to elections. No person shall be permitted to
vote unless his or her name appears in the official poll
book. Any member of this Association who has paid the
Student Union-Educational Activities fee shall be entitled
(Concluded on page 2)