ASG Operations Manual 12.21.09

8/14/2019 ASG Operations Manual 12.21.09

1/34

OPERATIONS MANUALThe comprehensive guide to ASG.

A S S O C I A T E D S T U D E N T G O V E R N M E N TSTUDENTS MATTER IN BUILDING A BETTER NORTHWESTERN

1 9 9 9 Camp u s Dr i v e , E v an s t o n , I L 6 0201 t e l e p h o n e : 8 47 .49 1 .6 728

asg .n o r t h we s t e r n . e d u


2/34

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE 3

ABOUT ASG 5

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY 6

COMMITTEES 12

LEGISLATION & RESOLUTIONS 15

ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER 20

ASG SURVEYS 21

OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS 22

SENATE DESCRIPTIONS 31

ACCOUNTABILITY 32

LOOKING FORWARD 34

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MANUAL

ii


3/34


iii

PREFACE

Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. Al-bert Einstein

Many of this years campus-wide election campaigns focused on the need for changein ASG and the broken nature of the current system. This reflects not only an inter-est in change on the part of the candidates, but also on the part of the students who,in the end, made the decision to elect those agents of change. Therefore, it is thevoice of the students at Northwestern that we look to better serve by producing thisdocument for an improved Associated Student Government.

The new structure of ASG presented in this document realizes the necessary andsignificant changes, which cannot simply be enacted in the current structure of ASG.

However, keep in mind that underlying this new system remains much of the basicstructure of the current system. This ensures feasibility and smooth transitioning ofthe new organization.

Within this new ASG, roles are well defined and streamlined. Gaps within the organi-zation are filled and excess responsibilities are redistributed. The accountability ofeach person within ASG is clearly outlined, as is the flow of information from oneperson to another. Overall, the new ASG provides greater efficacy and sustainabilityfor the organization to better serve students.

The new structure also encourages an exciting and positive organizational culture.College is a time to raise questions and think outside the box, and the new ASG en-ables this innovation. Additionally, with student needs and wants continually fluctuat-ing, the new ASG allows for flexibility. The organization is constantly evaluating itselfand looking for ways to improve. The new ASG also promotes a collaborative culture.The new structure calls for teamwork, and a mindset of working towards a greatervision. It allows for students to become truly passionate about this school.

This document serves as a clarification tool for the new ASG structure. It replaces therigid, the inefficient, and the convoluted with the intuitive, the effective, and the con-cise. It is simple, functional, and accessibleit is indicative of the new ASG as awhole.

Ultimately, this document is answering the call for change that the student voice hasmade clear. It is capitalizing on an opportunity to transform the way we think about

and do things here at this school. It is asking ourselves what is best for students, andwhat is best for Northwestern. It is far from the final say, as it is open to the ideas andintentions of students weighing in. But it is the beginning of a fundamental processto better serving the student body. It is the first step to building a better Northwest-ern.

Respectfully


4/34


iv

2009-2010 Executive Board

Michael McGee

President

Tommy SmithburgVice-President

Samir PendseSpeaker of the Senate

Muhammad SafdariAcademic Vice-President

Brooke Stanislawski

Clerk

Jilian LopezDirector of External Relations

Claire LewDirector of Public Relations

Malavika SrinivasanFinancial Vice-President

Grace Adamson

Parliamentarian

Miles DrummondStudent Group Vice-President

Matt BellassaiStudent Life Vice-President

Miranda GonzalezTreasurer


5/34


v

- Mantra -

Students matter in building a better Northwestern.

-Mission Statement -We believe students have a responsibility to improve our Northwestern community.We are your voice, your bridge, your advocate. We bring together students and theirinterests to find answers & create solutions. Above all, we believe students matter in

building a better Northwestern.

ABOUT ASG


6/34


vi

ORGANIZATIONALCHART


7/34


vii

ORGANIZATIONALSUMMARY

Senate

Senators

o Moderated by the Speaker, ruled by the Parliamentarian, anddocumented by the Clerk.

o Represents various constituents of the undergraduate studentbody

o Comprise a forum where ideas and issues can be discussedo Keep the Student Government accountable to the undergraduate

student body

Caucuses

o Caucus Whips meet weekly with the Speaker to discuss the pro-jects that are being worked on and to seek ways to better accom-plish them.

o In caucus Senators come together to write bills and work on pro-jects. Senators are accountable to the caucus Whip, who assignsprojects and ensures that they are completed on time.

o Allow Senators to speak informally and candidly about issues andprojects specific to their constituency.


8/34


viii

ORGANIZATIONALSUMMARY

The Executive Board President

o Creates the strategy and vision for ASG and acts as the chief ambassa-dor of students to the administration.

o Makes all final bottom-line decisions.o Assumes ultimate accountability.

Vice-President

o Chairs the cabinet.o Ensures officers within ASG produce tangible results for the student

body.o Assists the President as the Administrator liaison.

Speaker of the Senate

o Facilitates the Senate and ensures the optimal operations of Senate.o Holds the caucus system accountable.

Parliamentarian

o Interprets and upholds the rules in Senateo Chairs the Rules Committee

Clerk

o Documents Senate and Exec Board meetingso Archives Senate and Executive Board Documents


9/34

The Cabinet

Academic Vice-President

o Chairs the Academic Committee. Primary lobbying committee for academic interests and issues at

Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. Ex: CTECS, New Academic Studies Programs, MLK day

Student Life Vice-President

o Chairs the Student Life Committee. Primary lobbying committee for student life interests and issues

at Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. Ex: Summer Internship Grants, Starbucks in Norris, Campus

Lighting

Director of External Relations

o Chairs the External Relations Committee. Primary lobbying committee for student interests and issues in

the community at Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. Ex: Off-Campus Housing Office, Bar Night Ordinance,

Wildcard usage for Evanston businesses


ix


10/34


x

The Interior

Director of Public Relations

o Chairs the Public Relations Committee. Informs, communicates, and publicizes to the student body about

the resources, opportunities and happenings of ASG.

Director of Technology

o Chairs the Technology Committee. Handles all technological resources provided by ASG.

Ex: ASG Website, Student Group Directory, NULink, Stu-dent group event advertisements, Calendar, Informationhub, System Administration

Treasurer

o Administers the ASG Operating Budget. Promotes transparency by notifying the senate on any ASG ex-

penditure over $250. Presents the ASG account to the Student Activities Finance Board

for auditing.

o Manages the ASG Student Group Resource Center Orders and stocks office and student group resource center sup-

plies. Distributes student group resource center printer copy codes.


11/34


xi

Student Group Officers

Financial Vice-President

o Chairs the Student Appropriations & Finance Board Recommends allocation for roughly $1.2 million to A-status

groups

Student Group Vice-President

o Chairs the Student Group Board Allocates roughly $21,000 (2.5% of the Student Activities Fee) to

B-Status groups. Recognizes B- and T- status groups. Organizes the fall and winter Student Activities Fair as well as

Spring Leadership Training.


12/34


xii

COMMITTEES

Committees

Academic Committee

o The ASG Academic Committee was established to address thoseissues pertaining to the academic interests of the student body.This includes a variety of different topics, such as student in-volvement in the hiring of faculty, the CAESAR registration sys-tem, class policies and more. The Academic Committee is wellknown for the amount of research and background involved in theprojects it handles. One of the benefits of being a part of the Aca-demic Committee is that it exposes students to the administrative

aspect of life here at Northwestern University.

External Relations Committee

o The External Relations Committee strives to foster mutually bene-ficial relationships between Northwestern students and externalcommunities, including but not limited to the Evanston commu-nity. Additionally, the committee works to improve the off-campusstudent community, the opportunities, resources and security thestudy body has access to in the community, as well as studentpresence and commitment to improving and contributing to ourneighboring community.

Operations Committee

o The Operations Committee strives to help ASG grow as an organi-zation and conduct programming for talent development. Projectsinclude conducting fall recruitment, conducting new member ori-entation, evaluating committee members and heads, conductingretreats and General Assemblies, and archiving important ASGmatters that will enable ASG to retain an institutional memory.This committee serves as the behind the scenes engine that worksto keep ASG at its best and taking steps to constantly improve.

Public Relations Committee

o The purpose of the Public Relations committee is to advertise andprovide students with information about the various services andevents of ASG, as well as promote a positive image of ASG acrosscampus. The Public Relations committee also works as a consult-ing body with outside student groups to help market their prod-ucts, services, and events as well. matters that will enable ASG toretain an institutional memory.


13/34


xiii

Presidential Leadership Initiative

o The Presidential Leadership Initiative (PLI) is a committee ofhighly-motivated freshmen and sophomores who work with theASG President on high-level projects. Not only will these students

get a chance to work with the President on his or her projects, butwill have the opportunity to create new projects with the aim ofimproving the quality of student life at Northwestern.

Rules Committee

o The Committee on the Rules involves revising legislation to ensurethe formatting and content are in agreement with the ASG Consti-tution and Code as well as grammatically correct and well-phrased. Twice a year the Parliamentarian leads the Committee onthe Rules in revising and proposing changes to the ASG Constitu-tion, Code and election guidelines. Also, if any senator has morethan 2 absences, the Parliamentarian will hold an attendance hear-ing during the committee meeting and conduct a committee votewhether to excuse enough absences to make the total less thantwo or revoke the Senators accreditation. Any other issues orquestions regarding the ASG Constitution, Code, election guide-lines, and rules of order are brought to the Committee on theRules as the need arises.

Student Appropriations & Finance Board

o The Financial Vice-President chairs the Student Appropriations &Finance Board, a twelve-person, elected committee, organized toserve as the primary financial body. Members serve two roles: allo-

cating the ASG Activity Fee and functioning as Account Execu-tives. The funding process is a 100-hour process that occurs in theSpring and Fall, where the SAFB recommends how the SAF shouldbe distributed between A-status student groups. As Account Ex-ecutives, members serve as financial advisors to the studentgroups- performing monthly audits, offering advice related toevent planning, occasionally assisting with leadership and transi-tion, and attending funded events.


14/34


xiv

Student Group Board

o The Student Group Committee is comprised of twelve members,six elected Senators and six non-Senators. Each committee mem-

ber is assigned five to seven ASG-recognized student groups tooversee, guide and communicate with about university resourcesand ASG policies. The committee members meet regularly withtheir assigned groups and are expected to attend as many of theirgroups events as possible. The Committee is also involved in re-viewing petitions for recognizing new student groups, organizingthe Fall and Winter activities fairs, and distributing funds to B-status groups in the Winter. The committee also assigns studentgroup Senate seats and conducts the Spring Leadership Trainingconference in the Spring.

Student Life Committee

o The Student Life Committee works on any projects that are non-academic in nature and serve student needs on campus. We tendto assign projects based on interest and students on the commit-tee then independently pursue their initiative with advice, direc-tion, and collaboration provided by the committee during weeklymeetings. Topics under the umbrella of Student Life range fromhousing and residential life to food service and parking. Past ac-complishments and projects have included the Starbucks in Norris,student input to the "50 Year Plan", campus wireless, lighting im-provements, MLK day planning, and so on.

Technology Committee

o The ASG Tech Committee provides technical project support tostudent groups and ASG. The committee facilitates use of ASGresources (such as the webserver), supports common tasks (suchas net-id authentication or online voting), and implements techni-cal projects (such as websites, polls, calendars, etc.) The commit-tee is composed of Senator and non-Senator members with back-ground or interest in technology. The committee is lead by theASG Technology Director. Projects are taken from idea to imple-mentation, with timeframes extending from a single quarter toseveral years. Projects are defined, implemented, modified based

on feedback, and documented for future updates. Past projectshave included NUlink (2 year development time), the RestaurantGuide, ASG Off-Campus Housing Evaluations, and ASG ListIt.


15/34

General Information

o Legislation is an effective mechanism through which ASG brings aboutchange for Northwestern students.

o The Senate considers the following six types of legislation:

Senate Legislation: a bill requiring action of ASG and of generalinterest to the undergraduate community.

Senate Resolution: a resolution expressing the verbal support ofthe Senate (although not necessarily of the entire student body)

for an issue that does not require ASG to take any action.

Financial Legislation: a bill allocating funds from the ASG ActivityFee and/or the ASG operating budget.

Constitutional Amendment a bill amending or modifying theASG Constitution.

Bylaw Amendment a bill amending or modifying the ASG By-laws.

Joint Amendment a bill amending or modifying both the ASG

Constitution and the ASG Bylaws.

Note: Legislation should also avoid mentioning people by name- use positionsinstead. Obviously, all language in bills must be appropriate and not deroga-tory. Bills must be submitted in electronic form to the Speaker of the Senate viaemail by Sunday night before Senate. Any members of the Parliamentary Body(i.e. the Speaker, Parliamentarian, and Clerk) would be happy to assist you withwriting legislation.


xv

LEGISLATION &RESOLUTIONS


16/34

Writing Legislation

o All legislation (except resolutions) introduced in the Senate must includethe following five sections:

Title: Preferably short and easy to remember; the name everyone

will call the resolution in the future, as opposed to its number.

Background: An explanation of why the bill was written, includingthorough research into the issue being addressed; it should notinclude argument.

Principle: An explanation of what the bill proposes and what theeffect of the bill would be.

Action: The exact proposed action, opinion, allocation, oramendment, should be formal, precise, and written in positiveterms. In the action clause, the phrase, Be it enacted by the As-sociated Student Government here assembled must be in-

cluded.

Closure: All bills should be signed as follows:

Respectfully submitted,(name)(position, if any, in ASG)


xvi


17/34

Example Legislation

Speak Out Against Injustice: Bring a Fellow Wildcat HomeBackground:

Earlier this Spring Roxana Saberi, Medill 99, was arrested while working in Iran as afreelance journalist. She was detained for three months without having been chargedwith anything, and was recently charged with espionage. Saberi vehemently disputesthe charges, saying that she was arrested for buying wine, and numerous leadersincluding President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have calledfor her return. On Monday, April 20th, Saberi was convicted and sentenced to eightyears in an Iranian prison. Iran still maintains that she is guilty and is planning to holdher for the duration.Principle:

As fellow Wildcats, Northwestern students should be outraged by the injusticesagainst Saberi. Furthermore, as citizens of the world we should show a commitment

to protecting free and open journalism. ASG should do everything it can to ensurethat students are aware of these issues and have the ability to act on them.Action:Be it enacted by the Associated Student Government Senate here assembled, ASGsPublic Relations committee will use its resources to promote awareness of this issueand encourage students to speak against it. Specifically, ASG will send students in-formation over as many listservs as it has access to on how to write on Saberis behalfto the United Nations and to the Iranian Government. The Public Relations Committeewill use any other resources it deems necessary to spread the word and ensure we doour part for Ms. Saberi. Additionally, ASG stands in solidarity with the MUSAC andother organizations supporting Ms. Saberi.

Respectfully Submitted,ASG Executive Board


xvii


18/34

Writing Resolutions

Title: Preferably short and easy to remember; the name everyonewill call the resolution in the future, as opposed to its number.

Whereas: Clauses which effectively is a combination of the

Background and Principle section of other legislation.

Be it resolved: Clauses which are the opinion portions of theresolution. The phrase, Resolved by the Associated Student Gov-ernment here assembled must be included in the first be it re-solved clause of a resolution.

Closure: All bills should be signed as follows:

Respectfully submitted,(name)(position, if any, in ASG)


xviii


19/34

Example ResolutionNorthwestern University Associated Student Government

Resolution Concerning the Rehiring Decision of Stephen Kinzer

Whereas, many students, having taken his classes or having attended his talks, have

gained immensely from the experiences, stories, and deep understanding of interna-tional issues that he shares.

Whereas, his background is unique and the perspectives he offers illuminating.

Whereas, the primary reason we students come to Northwestern is to learn and gain adeep understanding of the world around us, and Kinzer's departure hinders and hurtsthis elementary academic objective that is the primary focus of this institution.

Whereas, over five hundred students have signed a petition supporting him staying atNorthwestern.

Whereas, the university should consider the views and wishes of the student body in

this decision as it affects us most and as the role of the university is to serve and edu-cate its students.

Whereas, we understand the difficult financial situation that the university is in butstrongly feel that Stephen Kinzer is an asset that must be maintained and fully sup-ported.

Whereas, for the sake of us students and our education please reconsider this deci-sion and do all that is possible to keep Stephen Kinzer teaching at Northwestern.Be it resolvedby the Associated Student Government here assembled, representingthe Northwestern student body, that the university move to rehire Professor Stephen

Kinzer and keep him as an actively teaching professor.

Respectfully submitted,Hugh Roland


xix


20/34


xx

ROBERTS RULESOF ORDER


21/34

Surveys

ASG uses two main channels to conduct surveys

- ISBE Analyticso These surveys must be approved by the Executive Vice-President.o Current ASG Liaison: Tim Yuan ([email protected])o Conducts issue based surveys that ASG needs and will not be scheduled

to repeat in the future.o Procedure:

Day 1: Meeting with ISBE to discuss survey issues and generalquestions.

Day 7: Review and finalize survey to be distributed. Day 8: Launch survey through distribution channels. Day 14: Close Sruvey Day 21: ISBE Analytics present survey findings to ASG.

o These surveys include 6 $10 gift cards per quarter to reward studentswho participate in our surveys. This cost is covered by ASG.

- University Surveyso Survey content must be approved by the President.o Distribute surveys through the Division of Student Affairs.o Surveys must be approved by a Statistics Professor to ensure the survey

is flawless.o These surveys can only be distributed once per year.o Preferably they are distributed in the spring to gather data to guide the

new administrations priorities and decisions.o The contact for this survey is Dr. Banis, Vice President of Student Affairs.

- ASG may also gain access to some University Surveys.o The below links detail the various surveys that Northwestern conducts

and who administers them. http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/instruments.htm http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg_index.xls

http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xlso More information can be found by talking to Dr. Banis.


xxi

ASG SURVEYS
http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/instruments.htmhttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg_index.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg_index.xlshttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/instruments.htmhttp://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/instruments.htmmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


22/34


xxii

OFFICER JOBDESCRIPTIONS

President

Manages and leads ASG as a whole

o Leads, motivates, and organizes the Executive Board Resolves cross-functional issues at the executive level

o Sets the strategy and vision for ASG as a whole Develops and maintains a detailed project plan for ASG Manages project deliverables in line with the project plan

o Recruits key staff and executive officerso Manages coordination of the committee heads and sub-groups engaged

in project work

Makes bottom-line decisions

o Final approval of projects and proposals before presenting to Senateo Upholder and enforcer of the rules and regulations

Acts as the connector in the organization

o Liaison to the administration and the students Serves as the Chief Ambassador of the undergraduate student

bodyo Provides status reports to students and administratorso Works closely with students and administrators to ensure initiatives

meet their needs

Builds the organizational culture

Holds ultimate accountability of ASG members

o Monitors progress and performance of activitieso Manages project evaluation and dissemination activitieso Manages consultancy input, seeking outside help from advisors, adminis-

trators, and student leaders

Serves as an ex officio member on the Undergraduate Budget Priorities

Committee

Has the ability to create ad hoc committee to focus on special initiatives

Chairs the Presidential Leadership Initiative

Campus-wide elected


23/34

Vice-President

Elected by the student body during Spring Quarter along with the Presi-

dent, Academic Vice-President, Student Life Vice-President Serves as a liaison to the Administration and oversees the Academic

Vice-President, Student Life Vice-President, and Director of External Re-

lations

Assumes the roles and responsibilities of the President, in the event that

the President is unable to do so

Chairs the Cabinet

o Meets with the aforementioned three cabinet members (Academic VP,Student Life VP, External Relations Director) to ascertain issues and pro-

jects that can be worked on together, as well as brainstorm collaborativenew projects

New Ideas

o Interested student will then be directed towards one of the three cabinetmembers or have the opportunity to present his or her idea/project toall three cabinet members and the Vice President

Town Hall Meetings

o Work with key administrators to plan monthly ASG town hall meetingswith various campus officials and decision-makers

o Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about the future offinancial aid, alcohol policy, administration-Greek relations, etc. Manages the internal human resources of ASG

o Appoints and oversees the coordinators and teams within the Opera-tions Committee for the recruitment, training, and evaluation of ASGmembers

o Works with the respective Executive Board members to approve theappointment and election of all members of entering ASG

Holds ultimate accountability of ASG members

o

Monitors progress and performance of activitieso Manages project evaluation and dissemination activitieso Manages consultancy input, seeking outside help from advisors, adminis-

trators, and student leaders

Chairs the Operations Committee

Campus-wide elected


xxiii


24/34

Speaker of the Senate

Oversees and directs all meetings of Senate

Heads the Parliamentary Body, which consists of the Speaker, the Parlia-mentarian and the Clerk

Represents the interests of Senate during Senate meetings and to the Ex-

ecutive Board, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, and campus commu-

nity

Enforces the response of the Executive Board to legislation passed by the

Senate

Runs the ASG Senator Retreat

Determines voting procedures for in-Senate votes Maintains an objective presence during Senate

Elected by the Senate

Clerk

Keeps the Journal of Senate meetings

Documents Executive Board meetings

Records and archives all legislation of the Senate meetings Communicates all legislative records to Senate and the Executive Board

Assumes the role and responsibilities of the Parliamentarian and/or

Speaker if he or she is unable to fulfill those duties

Counts all votes made by secret ballot with the Parliamentarian

Maintains an objective presence during Senate



xxiv


25/34

Parliamentarian

Chairs the Rules Committee

Manages and archives the attendance and voting records of Senate meet-ings

Assumes the role and responsibilities of the Speaker if he or she is unable

to fulfill those duties

Counts all votes made by secret ballot with the Clerk

Maintains an objective presence during Senate


Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Manages and implements the attendance and the accountability policiesfor Senators

o Upholds the ASG Code and Constitution

Financial Vice-President

Chairs the Student Appropriations & Finance Board, voting only in case of

a tie

Administers the ASG Activity Fee, except that which is assigned to the

Student Group Board

Selected by the Financial Vice-President Selection Committee and con-

firmed by the Senate

Student Appropriations and Finance Board Roles and Responsibilities

o Comprised of Senate-elected Account Executives Half of the Account Executives serve as Senators Half of the Account Executives serve as non-Senator representa-

tives

o Acts as financial advisor for all A-status student groups Provides monthly audits, attendance at funded events, and event

evaluations

o Annually evaluates all A-status student groups, and determine their needto be considered an A-status organization


xxv


26/34

Student Group Vice-President

Chairs the Student Group Board, voting only in the case of a tie

Administers 2.5% of the ASG Activity Fee Runs the ASG Fall & Winter Activities Fairs

Selected by the Student Group Vice-President Selection Committee and

confirmed by the Senate

Student Group Board Roles and Responsibilities

o Comprised of Senate-elected Group Executives Half of the Group Executives serve as Senators Half of the Group Executives serve as non-Senator representa-

tives

o Acts as group advisor for all B- and T-status student groups

o Acts as group advisor for all B-and T-status student groups, providingquarterly audits, attending funded events, and acting as a liaison be-tween ASG and groups

Academic Vice-President

Serves as the chief lobbyist for improving the quality of academics on

campus

Chairs the Academic Committee, which is appointed by the Academic

Vice-President

Serves on a number of university committees related to academics, acting

as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective com-

mittees

Has the discretion to appoint committee members as well as undergradu-

ate students to university committees

Campus-wide elected

Academic Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Works on projects regarding the academic experience of the studentbody

o Members of the committees will be appointed by the Academic Vice-President and need not be a Senator


xxvi


27/34

o Meetings for the Academic Committee are held on a weekly basis andheaded by the Academic Vice-President who sets the agenda for themeeting

If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they arerequired to meet with the Academic Vice-President to discuss

possible termination from the committee

o The committee is responsible for reasonably discussing and consideringall proposals and feedback submitted by students to the committee orassigned to the committee

In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested ina project, that student can request that they be considered fortemporary instatement on the committee for the duration of theproject

o This is subject to the approval of the Academic Vice-President

Student Life Vice-President

Serves as the chief lobbyist for improving the quality of student life on

campus

Chairs the Student Life Committee, which is appointed by the Student Life

Vice-President

Serves on a number of university committees related to student life, act-

ing as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective

committees

Has the discretion to appoint committee members as well as undergradu-

ate students to university committees

Campus-wide elected

Student Life Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Works on projects regarding the student life experience of the studentbody

o Members of the committee will be appointed by the Student Life Vice-

President and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Student Life Committee are held on a weekly basis andheaded by the Student Life Vice-President who sets the agenda for themeeting

If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they arerequired to meet with the Student Life Vice-President to discusspossible termination from the committee


xxvii


28/34


In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested ina project, that student can request that they be considered fortemporary instatement on the committee for the duration of the

projecto This is subject to the approval of the Student Life Vice-President

Director of External Relations

Acts as the student bodys liaison to local and state governments

Represents student interests to those bodies, including but not limited to

the Evanston City Council

Chairs the External Relations Committee, which is appointed by the Direc-

tor of External Relations

Responsible for off-campus services, resources and security as well as any

other services involving coordination with external communities.

Selected by the incoming President and Vice-President

External Relations Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Responsible for services and security off-campus students, as well asany services involving the coordination with external communities

o Members of the committee will be appointed by the Director of ExternalRelations and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the External Relations Committee are held on a weekly ba-sis and headed by the Director of External Relations who sets theagenda for the meeting

If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they arerequired to meet with the Director of External Relations to discusspossible termination from the committee



o This is subject to the approval of the Director of External Relations


xxviii


29/34

Treasurer

Manages the internal affairs of ASG

Administers the ASG Operating Budget

o Promotes transparency by notifying the Senate on any ASG expenditureover $250

o Presents ASG account to the Student Appropriations & Finance Boardfor audit

Serves as assistant office manager

o Orders office supplieso Provides copy codes for student groups


Director of Public Relations

Chairs the Public Relations Committee

Ensures that the committees work in tandem to develop and strengthen

mutually beneficial relationships with the student body


Public Relations Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Informs, communicates and publicizes each respective community aboutthe operations of ASG

o Manages flow of information between ASG and the campus

o Serves as the main liaison to campus media

o In charge of all the ASG public relations within Northwestern

o Members of the committees will be interviewed by the Director of PublicRelations and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Public Relations Committee are held on a weekly basisand headed by the Director of Public Relations who sets the agenda forthe meeting

If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they arerequired to meet with the Director of Public Relations to discusspossible termination from the committee



xxix


30/34


o This is subject to the approval of the Director of Public Relations

Director of Technology

Chairs the Technology Committee

Oversees the maintenance of all electronic equipment and services

Supervises online voting during any campus-wide elections

Serves on a number of university committees related to technology, act-

ing as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective

committees.


Technology Committee Roles and Responsibilities

o Members of the committees will be appointed by the Director of Tech-nology and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Technology Committee are held on a weekly basis andheaded by the Director of Technology who sets the agenda for themeeting

If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they arerequired to meet with the Director of Technology to discuss pos-sible termination from the committee


xxx


31/34

Senate

Provides an avenue for open expression and public discourse of ideas

and issues of the student body

Represents the constituents of the school

Holds ASG accountable to the best interests of the students

Directs where ideas and projects can be developed, packaged and im-

plemented

Allocates and ratifies funding

Officiates and approves the actions of ASG committees

Able to change any and all facets of the organization through the vote

of the students, through Senate

Comprised of 51 Senators from each constituency

o Elected by his or his constituencyo Represents the best interests of his or her respective constituencyo Not required to serve on a committee, but first-year Senators must ap-

ply for a committee or boardo Required to send out a weekly report to his or her constituencyo Moderated by the Speaker, ruled by the Parliamentarian, and docu-

mented by the Clerk

Caucus-Whips

Help set the agenda for their caucus, identifying the top priorities andconcerns for their constituency

Identify feasible projects that can help their constituents by speakingwith caucus Senators and their constituents

Responsible for delegating assignments to Senators in their caucus, usu-

ally by asking Senators to write legislation or work on a project

Work with the Speaker to ensure caucus and senators are working in

conjunction with the committees and executive board when working on

these projects

Submit weekly reports on the progress of their Senators and the caucus

Is the go-to-person for students of that constituency


xxxi

SENATEDESCRIPTION


32/34

Accountability is defined as:

o Ensuring that the person is fulfilling his or her positiono Asking the person, Are you doing your job? and How well are you do-

ing it?

Senate is accountable to:

o Studentso Speaker, Parliamentarian, Clerk

President is accountable to:

o Senateo Executive Board

Vice President is accountable to:

o Presidento Executive Boardo Senate

Executive Board is accountable to:

o Presidento Senate

Speaker is accountable to:


Academic Vice-President is accountable to:

o Vice-Presidento Executive Boardo Senate

Student Life Vice-President is accountable to:

o Vice-Presidento Executive Boardo Senate

Clerk is accountable to:



xxxii

ACCOUNTABILITY


33/34

Director of Public Relations is accountable to:

o Executive Boardo Senate

Director of External Relations is accountable to:o Vice-Presidento Executive Boardo Senate

Financial Vice-President is accountable to:


Student Group Vice-President is accountable to:


Parliamentarian is accountable to:


Director of Technology is accountable to:


Treasurer is accountable to:



xxxiii


34/34

Things change. Particularly, an organization designed to respond to fluctuatingstudent needs and interests will inevitably change. As a result, this document of

the new ASG structure is open to such change. As the years progress, it wel-comes the opportunity for further improvement and future innovation. This

document is not fixed. It does not have the last word. It is just the beginning.

LOOKINGFORWARD