SP.97.04
November 1, 1999

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN SENATE

University Statutes and Senate Procedures
(Final;Action)

SP.97.04 Proposed Changes to Election Rules for Student Senators

BACKGROUND
The Election Rules for Student Senators refers, in several sections, to the Student Elections Commission (SEC) of the Student Government Association (SGA). The SGA no longer exists; it was replaced in March of 1996 by the Illinois Student Government (ISG). The ISG constitution is identical to the SGA constitution regarding student elections. The Election Rules for Student Senators needs to be updated to reflect these changes. The content of the Election Rules for Student Senators has been changed to delete references to individual sections of the SEC Elections Packet and the ISG Bylaws, since those Article and Section numbers change frequently. Otherwise, only the references to the former SGA have been amended to refer to the ISG.

Also, when the Senate approved SP.95.04, Proposed Bylaws Changes to Merge the Committees on University Statutes and Senate Procedures, Elections and Credentials, and Parliamentarians, on January 29, 1996, the duties of the Senate Elections and Credentials Committee (SECC) were assumed by University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP). The housekeeping amendments below reflect that change.

The Illinois Student Government has made changes to the ISG Bylaws over the last several years that need to be reflected in the Election Rules for Student Senators, specifically with respect to Section 4: Time and Duration of Elections. The changes recommended accomplish that purpose.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures recommends approval of the following modifications to the Election Rules for Student Senators. In the amendments below, text to be deleted is in [square brackets]; text to be added is underscored.

PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ELECTION RULES FOR STUDENT SENATORS

• 2. College Committees
  • 2.1 Creation. College elections and credentials committees are created pursuant to paragraph 2, Part C, of the Senate Bylaws. Under the Bylaws, these committees may perform whatever duties are delegated to them by the [Senate Elections and Credentials Committee (SECC)] Senate Committee on University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP).
  • 2.2 Delegation of Power. The [SECC] USSP will delegate various duties to the college committees by way of rules and guidelines it adopts and publishes. These Rules and Guidelines may be added to, amended, or repealed at any time by the Committee.
  • 2.3 Specific Powers. The [SECC] USSP hereby delegates to the college committees the following duties, subject to any limitations set forth in rules and guidelines of the [SECC] USSP.
    • (a.) Apportionment Plan. In colleges entitled to more than one student senator, the college committee will prepare an apportionment plan for submission to the [SECC] USSP, which will establish voting units from which student representatives will be elected.
    • (b.) Conducting Elections. In the Colleges of Law, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine, the college committee will conduct nomination and election procedures under the supervision of the Clerk of the Senate. In all other colleges, the college committee will conduct nomination and election procedures under the supervision of the Clerk of the Senate unless the Senate has authorized the Student Elections Commission (SEC) of the [Student Government Association (SGA)] Illinois Student Government (ISG) to conduct student Senate elections. (See also Rule 4.2.)
    • (c.) Priority of Existing Plan; Amendment. Where an apportionment plan establishing student election units previously has been put into effect, that plan shall remain in effect until otherwise determined by the [SECC] USSP. The procedures for amending an apportionment plan shall be the same as those employed in adopting a new plan.
  • 2.4 Restriction of Power. All activities of the [SECC] USSP and of the college committees shall conform to the relevant provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws adopted by the Senate.
  • 2.5 Resolution of Conflicts. Any conflicts concerning election rules and procedures which may arise whenever the SEC is authorized to conduct student Senate elections shall be resolved by joint consultation between the SEC and the [SECC] USSP no later than [November 30] December 15 preceding the elections.

• 3. Election Units; Apportionment
  • 3.1 Data. All student apportionment plans and amendments thereto shall be based upon and derived from student data supplied to each college committee by [SECC] USSP.
  • 3.5 Copies to the Senate Clerk. The report and plan or amendments must be sent to the Senate Clerk for submission to [SECC] USSP.
  • 3.6 Senators per College. The [SECC] USSP will determine the number of student senators to be apportioned to each college based on the total number of student senators (as near fifty as practicable).

• 4. Time and Duration of Elections
  • 4.2 Time of Elections. Elections for the Colleges of Law, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine shall be conducted by those colleges at such times as shall be specified by the [SECC] USSP. The election of all other student senators shall be held at such times as shall be specified by the [SECC] USSP unless the Senate authorizes the Student Elections Commission (SEC) of the [Student Government Association (SGA)] Illinois Student Government (ISG) to conduct the election of student senators concurrently with the other student elections the SEC conducts. Such authorization, which does not extend to the Colleges of Law, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine, must be given by the Senate no later than the last regularly scheduled meeting of the spring semester for the following year's elections. Once given, this authorization will remain in force unless it is rescinded by Senate; such action must take place no later than the last regularly scheduled meeting of the spring semester to be effective for the following year's elections. If the SEC is authorized to conduct student Senate elections and agrees to do so, the election shall be held in the week containing the first Monday in March[. If this week contains a general campus holiday, the election shall be held in the preceding week. If the preceding week also contains a general UIUC holiday, the election shall be held in the week containing the second Monday in March] not containing a general UIUC holiday. (re [Article 5, Section 1.a., SGA] ISG Bylaws.)
  • 4.3 Senate Approval of Changes in SEC Election Calendar. If for any reason SEC-conducted Senate elections cannot be held in accordance with the above schedule, the SEC will notify the Senate no later than [September 30] the end of the first semester prior to the scheduled election, at which time the Senate shall determine whether to authorize the SEC to proceed with the conduct of said election or to delegate the responsibility to the college elections committees. The SEC will make a copy of the SEC General Elections Packet available to the Clerk of the Senate and USSP by the week containing the first Monday in February prior to the elections.

• 7. Notice of Election; Publicity
  • 7.6 Campaign Display Materials. Campaign signs may be displayed only on university- or college-approved bulletin boards or Illiosks with correct authorization, and in private establishments with consent of the owner. All campaign material within 50 feet of a public access University-owned computer on an election day must be removed when the polling begins (re [Section VIII, Part D. 3.,] SEC [General Elections Packets] guidelines). Distribution and display of campaign materials must be in accordance with rules and policies specified in the SEC [General Elections Packet (re Section VIII, Parts 3. and 5., SEC General Elections Packet)] guidelines.

• 9. Ballots
  • 9.2 Model Ballot. If elections are to be conducted by the college elections committees, the ballots shall conform as nearly as possible to the model ballot prepared by the [SECC] USSP.
  • 9.3 Contents. The ballot shall contain the following:
    • (a.) name of the college;
    • (b.) designation of the election unit and number of senators to be elected;
    • (c.) the names of the nominees by unit; and
    • (d.) directions on proper voting procedures.
    • In the designation of a candidate's name on the ballot, the candidate's surname shall be used. In addition, any combination of the following designations may be used at the discretion of the candidate as space dictates; the candidate's given name, the candidate's initial(s), and/or a nickname by which the candidate is commonly known. No designation may be used in addition to the candidate's surname which suggests or implies possession of a degree or title. (re [Article 5, Section 4, Parts A. 1.-3. and B., SGA] ISG Bylaws.)
  • 9.4 Random Order of Names. The ballot order of names for each Senate position within each unit shall be determined by drawing one name at random and listing the rest of the names in subsequent alphabetical order (re [Article 5., Section 4., SGA] ISG Bylaws).
  • 9.5 Slate Affiliation. Upon request by a candidate, slate affiliation must be listed on the ballot after the candidate's name (re [Article 5, Section 4., Part A.4., SGA] ISG Bylaws). Slates will not be listed unless they qualify as such under provisions of [Section VI. of] the SEC [General Elections Packet] guidelines and [Article 5., Section 7, of] the [SGA] ISG Bylaws [(see Appendix A)].
  • 9.6 Proofing the Election Ballot. Candidates shall have the opportunity to proof the election ballot, or a facsimile thereof, on which their names appear, before its printing (re [Article 5., Section 4., Part D., SGA] ISG Bylaws.

• 10. Conducting the Voting
  • 10.4 Campaigning at the Polls. No campaigning (solicitation of voters, posters, etc.) is allowed within fifty feet of a public access University-owned computer during the hours of voting. College committees may adopt additional reasonable restrictions on campaigning in the vicinity of public access University-owned computers if they are conducting the elections. If the SEC is conducting the elections, campaigning is expressly prohibited at the following locations on election days: (a.) on the first floor of the Illini Union, in the Southwest and Southeast foyers of the Illini Union, or in Illini Union elevators; (b.) inside the University undergraduate library tunnel, on it stairways or entrances or within fifty (50) feet of them; and (c.) on any public access University-owned computer or within fifty (50) feet of them. (re [Section VIII. D.,] SEC [General Elections Packet] guidelines).

• 13. Election Expenses
  • 13.1 Signed Statement.
    • (b.) For elections conducted by the SEC. All candidates for Senate student positions shall adhere to the provisions of [Section VI., Parts E. (Spending Limits and Guidelines) and F. (Financial Disclosure) of] the SEC [General Elections Packet] guidelines and [Article 5., Sections 10 and 11, of the SGA] the relevant portions of the ISG Bylaws. [(See Appendix B.)]
• 15. Returns; Counting; Certification
  • 15.7 Certification by Senate Committee. The [SECC] USSP shall certify election results to the Senate at the first meeting following elections. These results shall be entered in the minutes of that meeting. The [SECC] USSP may delay certification of candidates whose elections are in doubt or may certify the election of such candidates upon appropriate conditions.
  • 15.8 Formal Reports. All formal reports to the [SECC] USSP should be addressed to the Senate Clerk, [180 Henry Administration Building] c/o the Senate Office.

• 16. Grievances and Appeals
  • 16.1 College and Committee Jurisdiction. Unless otherwise provided by the [SECC] USSP, the college election committees shall have original jurisdiction over the following:
  • 16.2 Appeal to [Senate Elections and Credentials Committee (SECC)] University Statutes and Senate Procedures (USSP). Any aggrieved person may appeal to the [SECC] USSP a decision of a college committee; actions and decisions of the [SECC] USSP may be appealed to the Senate by any senator.

• 17. Resignations and Vacancies
  • 17.1 No Nominations. If no one is nominated for a Senate seat during the general election, then the college shall have the option of electing an eligible member of the student electorate to that seat in the fall. Election procedures shall be developed by each college elections and credentials committee and shall be subject to approval by the [SECC] USSP.
  • 17.3 Vacancies. A vacant student Senate seat may may be filled in either of the following ways:
    • (b.) By appointment by the college committee, confirmed by the [SECC] USSP. The college committee may base its appointment upon the recommendation of the withdrawing student senator (if a recommendation is made). If, however, the college committee does not wish to base its appointment on the student recommendation, it will give due regard to votes received by candidates in the prior regular election, to slates and their platforms, and to any other relevant information.

DELETE ALL APPENDICES.
[Appendix A - Slates
Appendix B - Spending Limits; Financial Disclosure Requirements; Sources of Funds
Appendix C - Write-In Procedures
Appendix D - Powers of the Student Elections Commission; Irregularities/Violations
Appendix E - Clean Campus Policy]

UNIVERSITY STATUTES AND SENATE PROCEDURES
Robert Fossum, Chair
Humza Durrani
H. George Friedman
Harry H. Hilton
John W. Kindt
Amit Mathur
Julian Palmore
Robert C. Damrau, Ex officio
Thomas M. Eakman, Observer
C. K. Gunsalus, Ex officio (designee)
Vera V. Mainz (PAC Liaison)