Article I. Purpose
School of Social Work Student Union
Section 1: The School of Social Work Student Union (SSWSU/SU) is the official, representative student council of Columbia University School of Social Work. The SSWSU will act as an official liaison between the School of Social Work student body and the Administration.
Section 2: SSWSU’s mission is to enhance the educational experience of its members and contribute to the university community as a whole through fostering activities and consistent advocacy.
Section 3: SSWSU shall be responsible for advocating on behalf of CSSW graduate students and their collective interests.
Article II. Membership and Representation
Section 1: All social work graduate students are eligible to participate as members of the School of Social Work Student Union. In this document, said members will be referred to as the student body or School of Social Work/SSWSU members.
Section 2: The SSWSU shall be comprised of thirteen students closely representing the general student body of Columbia University School of Social Work. In practice, the representatives shall be known as the School of Social Work Student Union or SSWSU representative/officer.
Section 3: Each SSWSU representative must be in good academic standing. Due to the summer start of the Advanced Standing program, the Advanced Standing representative will fulfill a term beginning in the Summer term. Each representative will fulfill at least one (1) academic year term (two semesters).
Article III: Executive Board Positions and Representatives (1)
Section 1: President
The responsibilities of the President include, but are not limited to:
1 Amended April 2020
a. Chair the SU Board Meeting and presides over all general body meetings.
b. Represent the interests of SSWSU to the Dean, faculty, and staff of the School of Social Work, as well as to the community at large: Columbia University or otherwise.
c. Must be up-to-date on all Student Union communications and events.
d. Assist other members of the SU with their duties as necessary.
e. Work with the Office of Student Services to ensure that the student body is aware of School and University committees, publicizes committee vacancies, and coordinates student participation on these committees.
f. Assume responsibility for any other duties deemed relative to their position as representative or through their participation in committee or council duties.
g. The President shall report to the Student Body at least every semester the actions of the Student Union for the term.
Section 2: Vice President
The responsibilities of the Vice President include, but are not limited to:
a. The Vice President shall maintain consistent contact with the President.
b. The Vice President must be up-to-date on all Student Union communications and events.
c. Supervise the work of committees inside the Student Union.
d. Assist members of the SSWSU in successfully completing their duties
e. Facilitate Student Union meetings in the absence of the President.
f. Represent SU interests in conjunction with and in the absence of the President.
Section 3: Secretary
The responsibilities of the Secretary include, but are not limited to:
a. Take minutes of the SU meetings and keep records for all official meetings, except those under the purview of specific Representatives. The minutes will be completed within 72 hours.
b. Assist in the coordination and consistent publication of SU communication during the fall and spring semesters.
c. Maintain records, manage Google Drive and Canvas.
d. Organize documents and actions pertaining to term transitions for Student Union elected officers.
e. Prepare SU meeting agendas and other relevant materials in consultation with the President.
f. Ensure room reservation and accessibility to meetings and events in coordination with the Office of Student Services and other SU members.
Section 4: Treasurer
The responsibilities of the Treasurer include, but are not limited to:
a. Prepare the Annual Budget of the SU in accordance with the Executive and Representatives annual plan and goals.
b. Manage the SU’s budget and provide updated budget information regularly.
c. Maintain detailed and accurate records of SU financial transactions and account statements
d. Approve any expense that Officers or Representatives need to conduct. Assist with protocols and suggestions of vendors.
e. Ensure that the Student Union complies with the Office of Student Services’ financial policies, processes, and requirements.
Section 5: Community Liaison
The responsibilities of the Community Liaison include, but are not limited to:
a. Coordinate social and community service activities within the School, the University, and with outside groups as deemed appropriate.
b. Maintain an active relationship with the Caucus Leaders, PAC leaders, or any student driven organization at CSSW.
c. Coordinate student outreach and interaction with the student body, working closely with the Office of Student Services.
d. Coordinate room reservations and accessibility, and help with advertising and food for any SU community event.
e. Assists the Office of Student Services with school-wide events and programs.
Section 6: Communications Officer
The responsibilities of the Communications Officer include, but are not limited to:
a. Coordinate all public Student Union communications. The Communications Officer shall assist the president in all formal communication to students, administration, faculty or beyond CSSW.
b. Manage the Student Union social media accounts, the Student Union blog, and any other strategy of global communication in coordination with the Executive Board.
c. Advertises and publicizes any events deemed important and relevant to or by the SU members.
d. Assist in the creation of flyers and the compliance with the Student Services requirements.
e. Maintain a consistent relationship with the Office of Student Services and the Communications Office of CSSW.
f. Enhance the use of the SU branding (logo, proper channels of communication, etc)
Section 7: Representatives:
Representatives reflecting the various cohorts within the School:
a. First-Year, Residential
b. Second-Year, Residential
c. Advanced Standing
d. 16-Month Program
e. Dual-Degree
f. Online Campus
g. Extended and Reduced Residency
h. 5-Term International Program and International Students
i. Special Programs: Accelerated Policy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Management Fellows Program (MFP)
The responsibilities of the Representatives include, but are not limited to:
a. Serve as an effective advocate on behalf of their cohort to the administration and SU general body. b. Record and prepare to report on cohort-specific meetings, advocacy efforts, and events. c. Participate and report updates in General Student Union Meetings. d. Conduct outreach to increase visibility and representation among their cohort. e. Present a plan of activities at the beginning of each fall and spring semesters. f. Elicit feedback from the student body via formal or informal methods. g. Connect students to appropriate administrators. Provide administrators with student feedback and suggestions for improvement h. Bring all appropriate matters to the Student Union’s and Student Services’ attention. |
Section 8: The School of Social Work University Senator will sit in full SSWSU meetings (Executive Board and Representatives), but will not have a vote.
A. Meetings
Section 1: Executive Board meetings shall be weekly, with the time and place to be determined by the Board. An administrator from the Office of Student Services will attend each SSWSU Board meeting.
Section 2: Full SSWSU meetings (Executive Board and Representatives) shall be monthly, with the time and place to be determined by the Council. An administrator from the Office of Student Services will attend each SSWSU meeting.
Section 3: There shall be a mandatory review of the constitution with the Executive Board and the Office of Student Services every two years.
B. General Assembly
Section 1: The General Assembly refers to the eight representatives as listed on Article III, B.
Section 2: A meeting of the General Assembly can be called by any member of the General Assembly or by a petition of two percent (2%) of the student body.
Section 3: Three percent (3%) of the student body will constitute a quorum for a meeting of the General Assembly, provided that public notice of the meeting is given ten (10) business days in advance. Failing ten (10) business days public notice, ten percent (10%) of the student body will constitute quorum.
Section 4: All resolutions passed at a meeting of the General Assembly will be included in a special vote. The draft must be posted online at least 24 hours before the vote. In order for the resolution to be valid, at least 25% of the student body must participate in the vote. The resolution will pass by a simple majority vote. All resolutions passed after the vote will be binding.
C. Voting Policies
Section 1: All officers and representatives shall have the power to initiate motions at SSWSU meetings.
Section 2: Each representative shall serve as a voting member of the SSWSU. Each voting member will have one vote.
Section 3: For all issues except amending the SSWSU constitution, a quorum shall represent one-half (1⁄2) of the members of the SSWSU plus one (1).
Section 4: To amend the SSWSU constitution, a quorum shall represent two-thirds (2⁄3) of the members of the SSWSU. Amendments to the constitution shall be binding immediately upon passage at the meeting. All amendments to the constitution will be made in consultation with the Office Student Services.
Section 5: Actions requiring a vote shall take place either via e-mail (sent to the President and the Office of Student Services) or at any meeting at which a quorum is present. The Secretary shall record the votes and announce the outcome.
Section 6: If there is a conflict of interest for a board member in any particular vote, that board member will recuse themselves from the discussion and voting process.
Section 7(2)
For all issues except amendments to the SSWSU Constitution, the vote must reach at least a simple majority. For amendments to the Constitution, the vote must reach at least a 2/3 majority
D. Referenda
Section 1: A referendum may be proposed by any member of the whole student body.
Section 2: A simple majority vote of the Council is required to hold a referendum. Abstentions shall not count in a tally, even if this means a simple majority cannot be attained. If abstentions make up a majority of the overall votes, there will be a re-vote until a simple majority is attained.
Section 3: Once approved, the referendum shall be drafted by the Secretary. A simple majority vote of the SSWSU is required to approve the wording and threshold of the referendum. The Council will then vote to confirm the thresholds for the referendum. These thresholds must be made public to the members of the whole student body before the voting period.
Section 4: In order for the results of the referendum to be valid, at least 25% of the student body must participate in the vote. The referendum will pass by a simple majority vote.
Section 5: Once the draft and the thresholds have been approved by the Council, the referendum shall be included in the next general election or in a special vote. The draft must be posted online at least 24 hours before the vote.
Section 6: As official conductors of the vote, SSWSU officers shall remain neutral in public during the voting period.
Section 7: If the referendum passes, it will be sent to the appropriate Dean at CSSW.
E. Accountability of Officers
Section 1: All SSWSU officers shall make it publicly known and/or have information readily available to affiliates as to whom is responsible for required duties and functions at any given time, to ensure access to and accountability of their positions.
(2) Amended on October 2019
Section 2: Excused absences are allowed within reason as determined by the SSWSU Board. Unexcused absences are not permitted in any number. An absence is considered unexcused when the member is not present at the meeting and does not give an acceptable reason for their missed attendance in advance. In addition, any member of the SSWSU not fulfilling their responsibilities should be reported to the President and Office of Student Services.
Section 3: If a member collects any number of unexcused absences or is not fulfilling their responsibilities, they will receive a written warning from the Office of Student Services and SSWSU Executive Board Committee.
Section 4: If the member continues to miss meetings without reason and/or does not appropriately fulfill their responsibilities, a review will be conducted by the Executive Board and the Office of Student Services. The Executive Board and the Office of Student Services administrators shall decide whether to put the member up for a vote of impeachment. Prior to the vote on impeachment, the member shall be given the opportunity to make a statement, of predetermined and agreed upon length, in their own defense. Any council member may be removed from the Board by a simple majority vote of the council. The member will recuse themselves from the discussion and voting process when it is related to their impeachment.
Section 5 (3): In case of a presidential Vacancy the Vice President will be appointed as the new President of the SU. If the vacancy occurs during the first semester of the term, elections will be held to fill the Vice President position. If the vacancy occurs after the last day of class in the first semester of the term the SU shall decide by special quorum to call for new elections or to appoint someone for the role.
Section 6: If there is a vacant Representative position and there are 90 days left in the term, the appointment process will be applied, as outlined in Article IV, Section 4.
Article IV. Elections and Appointments (4)
Section 1: General elections will be held by secret ballot. Any graduate student registered in the School of Social Work may vote in the board elections. This process will be overseen by the Office of Student Services with the guidance of the present Student Union Executive Board.
3 Amended on January 2020, derogated previous the transitory measure.
4 Amended February 2019
Section 2: Nominations for the Executive Board positions shall be submitted via electronic mail to the Office of Student Services. Nominations must be received at least 14 days prior to the election. The current Executive Board and the Office of Student Services will determine a nomination deadline, after which time, no further nominations will be accepted for the SU elections. Persons qualified to hold position will nominate themselves.
Section 3: Executive Board members will require 50 signatures (online or on paper) of nomination from the student body.
Section 4: No candidate may run for more than one office at a time. Campaigning may begin on the first Monday following the nomination deadline. Candidates may not receive and/or collect monetary contributions for their campaigns. Candidates must receive a simple majority vote (50% + 1 vote) to be elected to an SU office.
Article VII. Finances
Section 1: At the first meeting of the academic year, the Treasurer shall present a report of the previous fiscal year’s budget, revenues, and expenses. The Treasurer will also provide semesterly updates on the budget.
Section 2: For purchases above $250, the Treasurer must consult with the Office of Student Services.