JHU SGAThe 114th Session
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SGA Elected Positions 2026

Filed in Drive as “SGA Elected Positions 2026 ”

This document is from a previous session and is kept for the record. It may have been amended or replaced since.

Senate of the Student Government Association of The Johns Hopkins University

{ S. Bill 25-26, }

An Amendment to Update the Student Government Association Elected Positions

Introduced By: Junior Class Senator and CSO Committee Chair, Jazzlyn Fernandez Freshman Class Senator Shreemann Patel

Sponsored By:

Internal Affairs Committee Chair Jaden Garcia

Junior Class President Tarini Basireddy Freshman Class Senator Isaac Zhang

Freshman Class President Veda Kommineni

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Student Government Association at Johns Hopkins University assembled that:

  1. TITLE This Act may be referred to as the “Elected Positions Amendment”
  2. Definitions
  3. SGA — The term “SGA” shall refer to the Student Government Association of The Johns Hopkins University.
  4. JHU, Hopkins - The terms “JHU” and “Hopkins” shall refer to the Johns Hopkins University.
  5. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES
    1. FINDINGS
      1. The Director of Research is a role that has not been utilized by the Senate in the recent history of the SGA.
      2. The Director of Communications is currently an un-elected position, despite its high importance in communicating with the student body.
      3. Constitutional Language regarding Class Programming Councils is inconsistent with current practices.
      4. CSE Vacancies during elections season have no procedure or passageway to allow for elections to continue without a constitutional crisis.
      5. Meet and greets have not happened in the recent history of the SGA.
    2. PURPOSES
      1. Eliminate the Director of Research role
      2. Make the Director of Communications role an elected position
      3. Allow for the appointment of additional CSE members during elections season
      4. Get rid of meet and greets right after the election season
      5. Clarifying language regarding Class Programming Councils.
  6. AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution

Article 3 of the SGA Constitution; Legislation of the Senate

Article III: Executive Branch Section One: Structure and Basic Responsibilities 5. Director of Research Shall appoint and chair the Policy Research and Development Commission, composed as outlined in the Bylaws, which will Provide background research and policy advisement to senators at their request. Compose policy reports to be published with the majority consent of the Senate. Shall refer policy reports to the Student Body President to deliver to relevant administration if applicable. 6. Chair of Programming The Student Body President shall appoint the Director of Communications and Director of Research and have the freedom to appoint additional cabinet members at their discretion with the majority consent of the senate. All other positions of the Cabinet shall be elected by the student body through an election administered by the CSE. While Directors, the Chair of Programming, and the Class Programming Council Executive Teams are considered members of the Executive Branch, appointed members on the Commissions and Councils they oversee are not. As such, these members remain eligible for positions in other SGA branches.

Article III: Executive Branch Section One: Structure and Basic Responsibilities 5. Director of Research Shall appoint and chair the Policy Research and Development Commission, composed as outlined in the Bylaws, which will Provide background research and policy advisement to senators at their request. Compose policy reports to be published with the majority consent of the Senate. b. Shall refer policy reports to the Student Body President to deliver to relevant administration if applicable. 5. Chair of Programming The Student Body President shall appoint the Director of Communications and Director of Research and All other positions of the Cabinet shall be elected by the student body through an election administered by the CSE. After the elections, the Student Body President shall have the freedom to appoint additional cabinet members at their discretion with the majority consent of the senate only if there is a justifiable need to have additional members of the cabinet. While Directors, the Chair of Programming, and the original three-person Class Programming Councils elected via class-wide election Executive Teams are considered members of the Executive Branch, appointed members on the Commissions and Councils they oversee are not. As such, these members remain eligible for positions in other SGA branches.

Article III: Executive Branch Section One: Structure and Basic Responsibilities 6. Chair of Programming Shall oversee the Executive Team of SGA’s Class Programming Councils – which are tasked with providing regular programming and class-specific events. These councils will not be members of the President’s Cabinet. Class Programming Councils shall be led by an Executive Team consisting of a Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, elected via a class-wide election. Elections for the Class Programming Council Executive Teams shall be administered by the CSE, with roles given to those who receive the greatest plurality of votes. One’s class is determined using the institutional “student classification” definition, not one’s graduation year. For instance, a student who entered the university in 2019, but is graduating in 2022, would still be considered a junior for the purpose of SGA 2021-2022 elections. Additional members of each Class Programming Council can be appointed by the three-person Class Programming Council executive team, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Senate. Shall facilitate collaboration both amongst the Class Programming Councils and amongst other programming bodies.

Article III: Executive Branch Section One: Structure and Basic Responsibilities 6. Chair of Programming Shall oversee the Executive Team of SGA’s Class Programming Councils – which are tasked with providing regular programming and class-specific events. These councils will not be members of the President’s Cabinet. Class Programming Councils shall be led by an Executive Team consisting of a Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer, elected via a class-wide election. Class Programming Council members shall be elected by a class-wide election. Elections for the Class Programming Council Executive Teams shall be administered by the CSE, with roles given to those who receive the greatest plurality of votes. Once the Class Programming Council members are elected, Class Programming Councils shall internally appoint a Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary. One’s class is determined using the institutional “student classification” definition, not one’s graduation year. For instance, a student who entered the university in 2019, but is graduating in 2022, would still be considered a junior for the purpose of SGA 2021-2022 elections. Additional members of each Class Programming Council can be appointed by the original three-person Class Programming Council which was elected by class-wide election, executive team, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Senate. Shall facilitate collaboration both amongst the Class Programming Councils and amongst other programming bodies.

Article V: Judicial Branch

Article V: Judicial Branch Section One: Structure The Committee on Student Elections (CSE), which shall be composed of seven members who shall elect a Chairperson amongst them. The CSE shall be responsible for facilitating elections for all elected SGA roles. Appointments to the CSE shall be proposed by the Judiciary, upon the advice of the senate, and subject to the approval of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the Senate. Current SGA members are ineligible to be members of the CSE. CSE members shall serve for one academic year.

Article V: Judicial Branch Section One: Structure The Committee on Student Elections (CSE), which shall be composed of seven members who shall elect a Chairperson amongst them. The CSE shall be responsible for facilitating elections for all elected SGA roles. Appointments to the CSE shall be proposed by the Judiciary, upon the advice of the senate, and subject to the approval of 2/3 (two-thirds) of the Senate. If there are vacancies on the CSE after the elections season has begun and the Judiciary proposes a member, the Senate is permitted to approve the member for a term that expires at the end of the elections season only. For longer appointments, they will need to be re-proposed by the Judiciary and re-confirmed by the Senate. Current SGA members are ineligible to be members of the CSE. CSE members shall serve for one academic year, with terms expiring at the end of the Spring semester.

Article V: Judicial Branch Section Two: Basic Responsibilities The CSE shall operate according to its own Constitution and Election Rules and shall be free from SGA interference during election periods. Such rules may limit free speech rights of candidates during election periods, but not in a manner that disrupts a campaign atmosphere. The SGA Judiciary Board shall handle appeals of CSE decisions.

Article V: Judicial Branch Section Two: Basic Responsibilities The CSE shall operate according to its own Constitution and Election Rules and shall be free from SGA interference during election periods, with the exception of Judiciary-proposed appointments to fill vacancies, as described in Article 5 Section 1 Subsection 2b of the SGA Constitution.

Amendments to the Senate Bylaws

Article 3 of the SGA Bylaws; Legislation of the Senate

3.2.1.7.1.1.2 Organizes the Post-Election Meet and Greet 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.1 As part of the official inauguration process of SGA, newly-elected SGA representatives must attend a mandatory meet and greet session designed to interface with the undergraduate student body within 14 days after election decisions are released. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.2 The meet and greet session must be at least one hour long. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.3 The meet and greet session must have all newly elected representatives present. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.4 The meet and greet session must be open to all JHU undergraduates and be held in a space that is easily accessible to all JHU undergraduate students. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.5 Meet and greet sessions will be widely publicized by SGA.

3.2.1.7.1.1.2 Organizes the Post-Election Meet and Greet 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.1 As part of the official inauguration process of SGA, newly-elected SGA representatives must attend a mandatory meet and greet session designed to interface with the undergraduate student body within 14 days after election decisions are released. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.2 The meet and greet session must be at least one hour long. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.3 The meet and greet session must have all newly elected representatives present. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.4 The meet and greet session must be open to all JHU undergraduates and be held in a space that is easily accessible to all JHU undergraduate students. 3.2.1.7.1.1.2.5 Meet and greet sessions will be widely publicized by SGA.

  1. Action Items

These additions will be added to the bylaws and Constitution before the start of the Election Period (3/9/2026).

  1. ENFORCEABILITY

Language regarding roles of the Student Government Association shall be changed in the Constitution before 03/09/2026. However, eliminated or clarified roles, such as that of the Director of Research, shall be maintained as described under the October 2024 Constitution until the Spring 2026 Inauguration.

The Bill hereby Passes by a vote of __ to __ with __ abstentions.

Upon passage, we have hereunto set our hands and caused the seal of the Senate to be affixed to this bill indicating the Senate’s assent and thus officially designated the bill’s adoption as law.

Signatures of Enactment: __________________________________ Vishnu Dontu Student Body President of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________ Omotara Tiamiyu Student Body Vice President of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________ Srigouri Oruganty President of the Senate of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________ Sumire Sumi Student Body Secretary of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________ Imad Ahmed Student Body Treasurer of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________ Tyler Turner Student Body Chair of Programming for the Johns Hopkins SGA

Signatures of Ceremony:

__________________________________

Shreemann Patel Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________

Jazzlyn Fernandez Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________

Tarini Basireddy Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________

Jaden Garcia Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________

Isaac Zhang Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA

__________________________________

Veda Kominenni Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA