Senate of the Student Government Association of The Johns Hopkins University
{ S. Bill 25-26, }
A Bill Updating the SGA Bylaws
Introduced By: Academic Affairs Chair Kevin Xu
Sponsored By: Freshman President Veda Kommineni Freshman Senator Isaac Zhang Freshman Senator Shreemann Patel
Considered the day of 10th in the month of March in the year 2026
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Be it enacted by the Senate of the Student Government Association at Johns Hopkins University assembled that:
- TITLE This Act may be referred to as the “SGA Executive Accountability Act”
- FINDINGS AND PURPOSES
- FINDINGS
- While the SGA constitution and bylaws outline concrete disciplinary procedures for failure to fulfill responsibilities for SGA senators, SGA judiciary, and CSE members (ie. unexcused absences from their respective meetings), there is no equivalent for SGA executive members.
- In fact, there is no standard of what constitutes failure to fulfill responsibilities for SGA executive members
- Some work by SGA members is difficult to record and quantify, for which accountability can only be achieved by manual initiation of impeachment procedures by observant SGA members.
- Other responsibilities, including some responsibilities of the Director of Communications, Secretary, Treasurer, and Student Body Chair of Programming, are unambiguous and can be tracked in a similar manner to attendance.
- Necessitates a ⅔ vote from the senate.
- PURPOSES
- To amend the Bylaws of the Student Government Association at Johns Hopkins University to ensure accountability of SGA executive members and facilitate information transparency for the student body
- FINDINGS
- AMENDMENTS
Proposed Changes In Red
3.2.1.5 DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
3.2.1.5.1 Chairing, appointing, and managing the Communications and Marketing Commission.
3.2.1.5.2 Maintaining all SGA email lists via HopkinsGroups and serving as the point of contact for all SGA communications.
3.2.1.5.2.1 Monitoring the SGA email and social media notifications.
3.2.1.5.2.2 Reviewing school-wide emails.
3.2.1.5.3 Presents records provided by the Secretary and meeting chairs to the public in an online format that is accessible in less than 2 clicks from the SGA website homepage or 4 clicks from the SGA’s social media pages.
3.2.1.5.4 Places any SGA document deliberated in the public sphere – legislation, minutes, and working documents – into public space within a week of receipt from the Secretary.
3.2.1.5.3 Maintains the SGA website:
3.2.1.5.3.1 Places any SGA document deliberated in the public sphere – legislation, minutes, amendments to guiding documents, and initiatives – onto the website within a week of receipt from the Secretary.
3.2.1.5.3.2 Updates record of SGA members within a week of election or appointment by the Student Body President & confirmation by Senate.
3.2.1.5.3.3 Perform additional updates and maintenance on the website, within a week, when requested by an undergraduate student or SGA member and approved by a majority vote of the Senate.
3.2.1.5.3.4 If the Director of Communications fails to maintain the SGA website according to 3.2.1.5.3.1-3.2.1.5.3.3 on 4 instances, they shall be automatically removed from office.
3.2.1.5.4 Responds to and honors any JHU undergraduate’s request for SGA information sent to HopkinsGroups or the SGA email within a week of request, and if information cannot be provided, a legitimate legal, or personal privacy-related reason shall be provided in writing.
3.2.1.5.4.1 Denied requests may be appealed to the Judiciary Board.
3.2.1.5.4.2 All requests, fulfilled or denied, shall be listed in the SGA public records.
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:
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Kevin Xu Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Johns Hopkins SGA
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Veda Kominenni Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA
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Isaac Zhang Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA
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Shreemann Patel Senator of the Johns Hopkins SGA