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Fall 2023 Academic Senators Bylaw Update Bill

Guiding / Bylaws · 111th session · created July 31, 2023 · updated September 12, 2023

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Senate of the Student Government Association of The Johns Hopkins University

{ S. Bill-2024-1 }

A Bill Updating the SGA Bylaws to Obey the Constitution

Introduced By: Timothy Huang, Resham Talwar, with consideration from Ryan Alezz First considered this 18th day of April in the Year 2023 and Next considered this 5th day of September in the Year 2023

Sponsored By: Senator Stone Meng of the Sophomore Class Council and Senator Gabriel Granados of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences

Referred to the Senate by the Committee on Internal Affairs which recommends its Passage by Unanimous vote.

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 “Fall 2023 Academic Senators Bylaws Update Bill”
  2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES
    1. FINDINGS
      1. In April 2022, the SGA voted to amend the SGA Constitution to make major structural changes to the organization over the course of the next two years. Further edits to the Constitution were made in April 2023.
      2. Currently, the SGA Bylaws are designed around the 2022-2023 (110th) SGA Administration and do not account for the structural changes instituted beginning with the 2023-2024 (111th) SGA Administration.
    2. PURPOSES
      1. To amend the Bylaws of the Student Government Association at Johns Hopkins University to fit the current structure and practices of the SGA.
  3. AMENDMENTS

Academic Senator Roles

Current

New

Not sure/ Not in current by-laws

4.1.1.7 Academic Senators 4.1.1.7.1 75% of Academic Senators (9 out of the 12) must be on the Committee of Academic Affairs, without distinction of school affiliation. The decision for which academic senators are on the Committee of Academic Affairs will be made by the President of the Senate. This law will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year. 4.1.1.7.2 Of the Academic Senators on the Committee of Academic Affairs, 2 of them must be from the Whiting School of Engineering and 3 of them must be from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. This law will go into effect in the 2024-2025 school year.

Since academic senators want to create academic change, having most academic senators on academic affairs would allow students to make changes in all academic aspects between schools.

Academic Senator Roles

Current

New

No Current rules for Academic Senators

4.1.1.7.3 All Academic Senators are required to meet with their respective academic vice deans (KSAS, Whiting) at least twice a year for the purpose of discussing student affairs. 4.1.1.7.4 Each academic senators should at minimum meet with vice deans twice a year, with the first meeting to discuss goals for the upcoming year and the last meeting to report progress and update the new senators about ongoing initiatives.

The roles of academic senators have a distinct role compared to academic affairs. Certain ideas that students can do are: feedback from their respective schools, specific problems that need to be addressed within the school

Academic Senator Roles

Current

New

No Current rules for Academic Senators

4.1.1.7.5 Academic Senators should work on distinct goals as the Committee on Academic Affairs. Academic Senator goals should be catered to their respective schools problems. Academic senators should focus on department specific problems, communication within the school, faculty and general Advising offices within the school, and/or course evaluations.

Separating the roles and goals of the academic senators versus the academic affairs committee. Academic Affairs is meant to help the whole student body with student-wide initiatives, whereas academic senators have the ability to impact their own specific schools. Communication, as well as overlap between the two communities will allow academic senators to engage with both schools.

Academic Affairs

4.1.2.1.4.1 COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 4.1.2.1.4.1.1 Deals with matters relating to Student Advising, the Registrar, the Academic Council, and other academic-related organs of the University to improve the academic atmosphere for students. 4.1.2.1.4.1.2 Works with administrators, including the Dean of the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Dean of the Whiting School of Engineering, to advance academic policies and programs that fit the needs and desires of the student body. 4.1.2.1.4.1.3 Works with the Executive Board and the Senior Class Council on matters related to Convocation, Commencement, and other University academic ceremonies. 4.1.2.1.4.1.4 Takes up other measures relating to academic affairs.

(Addition) 4.1.2.1.4.1.5 Works on goals of importance pertaining to all students of the undergraduate academic wings within the University, namely Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering. 4.1.2.1.4.1.6 The vice chair of the Committee on Academic Affairs will assist the chair of Academic Affairs and also act as a liaison between the Committee on Academic Affairs and the Academic Senators. 4.1.2.1.4.1.6.1 The vice chair will be elected by the Committee on Academic Affairs. 4.1.2.1.4.1.6.2 The vice chair will be responsible for the sharing of information and knowledge transfer between the Committee and the Academic Senators. 4.1.2.1.4.1.6.3 The vice chair will ensure that the goals of the Academic Senators are represented fairly for the Committee on Academic Affairs.

Ensures that academic affairs and academic senators have a method of communication so that goals do not overlap, as well as define the roles and distinct goals of the Committee of Academic Affairs.

The Bill hereby PASSES/FAILS 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:

__________________________________ Ryan Chou Student Body President of the SGA at Johns Hopkins University

__________________________________ Dalhart Dobbs President of the Senate of the SGA at Johns Hopkins University

__________________________________ Jackson Morris Student Body Vice President of the SGA at Johns Hopkins University

__________________________________ Amy Li Student Body Secretary of the SGA at Johns Hopkins University

__________________________________ Jenny Chen Student Body Treasurer of the SGA at Johns Hopkins University

Signatures of Ceremony:

__________________________________

Introducer of the Bill

__________________________________

Co-Sponsor of the Bill

_Stone Meng_____________________

Co-Sponsor of the Bill