Article I: Name and Purpose
Section A: Name – Silberman School of Social Work Faculty/Student Senate.
Section B: Purpose – The forum where student and faculty representatives can speak on behalf of their constituents to raise issues or collaborate with the faculty of Silberman SSW over student policies that directly and indirectly affect them.
Article II: Membership and Dues
Section A: Eligibility – Membership by representation shall be open to all current students and current faculty of Silberman SSW.
Section B: Dues – No dues shall be charged.
Article III: Representatives
Section A: Representatives – The minimum body of student representatives shall be composed of seven student representatives as follows:
- Three students from the two-year program, of whom one must be a Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families student and the other two must be Community Organizing, Planning and Development; Organizational Management and Leadership; or Group Work students.
- Two students from the OYR Program, of whom one must be a Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families student, and the other student must be a Community Organizing, Planning, and Development; Organizational Management and Leadership; or Group Work student.
- One student from the Accelerated Program, in which all students major in Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families.
- One student from the Advanced Standing Program who can come from any of the four major method areas.
- One of the seven minimum student representatives must be an active BSR member.
- For the non-clinical “other method” students in each of the cohorts, at least one student must be from Community Organizing, Planning, and Development, one must be from Organizational Management and Leadership, and one must be from Group Work, but it does not matter to which cohort they belong.The maximum student representation number will be 13 students as follows:
- Seven students from the Two-Year Program
- Four students from the OYR Program
- One student from the Accelerated Program
- One student from the Advanced-Standing Program
For every two additional Two-Year Program students who are added after the initial minimum three, a corresponding number of OYR students will be added: for example, if there are five students from the Two-Year Program, then three students from the OYR Program will be required.
With regards to major method representation in the maximum representation scenario, for every two additional representatives from the Two-Year program cohort, one of them must be a Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families student. When the OYR Program cohort reaches its maximum student representation of four students, two of those students must be Clinical Practice with Individuals and Families majors.
At its maximum, the faculty and administration shall be represented by the Dean, the Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs, the Director of Student Affairs, the Director of the Office of Field Education, one faculty member from each of the four major method curricula areas, and one faculty member from Research, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Social Welfare Policy, and Practice Lab, and Ways of Knowing (13 members). At its minimum, the faculty and administration shall be represented by the Dean, the Associate Dean of Academic and Faculty Affairs, the Director of Student Affairs, the Director of the Office of Field Education, and four faculty members from each of the major method areas, one of whom must be a faculty member from Research, one must be from Human Behavior and the Social Environment, one must be from Social Welfare Policy, and one must be from the Practice Lab.
Section B: Eligibility – Representatives must be current students, faculty, and administration of Silberman SSW.
Section C: Election – Incoming students will learn about SFS positions during new student orientation in August. During the first weeks of the fall semester, all students and faculty will nominate potential representatives, including themselves. The representatives shall then be elected by ballot at the first SFS meeting of fall Common Time.
Section D: Term – Student and faculty representatives shall serve for one academic year, and their term of office shall begin immediately following the elections.
Section E: Vacancy – If a vacancy occurs, it can be filled by a member of the BSR or an appointed faculty member (for the faculty positions) until a special election can be held.
Article IV: Duties of Representatives
Section A: It shall be the duty of the representatives to do the following:
- Co-preside at Senate meetings.
- Represent the Senate.
- Meet with their constituencies at least once a month.
- Represent their constituents’ concerns at SFS meetings.
- Appoint committee chairpersons.
- Vote on behalf of their constituents regarding student and faculty matters at SFS meetings.
Laws Guidelines
Section B: Secretary – It shall be the duty of the Secretary to do the following:
- Record the minutes of all SFS meetings and distribute the minutes to all attendees at the start of each SFS meeting.
- Keep a file of the Senate records.
- Ensure the efficiency and quality of communication among all officers.
Article V: Meetings
Section A: Meetings – Regular meetings shall be held twice per semester during Common Time.
Section B: Special Meetings – Special meetings may be called by the student or faculty representatives as needed.
Section C: Quorum – A quorum shall be reached when an equal number of student and faculty representatives
are present.
Section D: Voting – Constituents do not have voting rights, except during elections and when amendments to the bylaws are under consideration. Voting on student and faculty matters raised at the SFS meetings will be done by secret ballot, with student and faculty representatives casting their ballot on behalf of their constituents.
Section E: Parliamentary Authority – Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern this Senate in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.
Article VI: Executive Committee
Section A: Responsibility – Management of SFS shall be shared by the BSR member and the Director of Student Affairs, who jointly will be responsible to the entire membership to maintain these bylaws.
Section B: Membership – Shall consist of the representatives as listed in Article III, current students, and the faculty of Silberman SSW.
Section C: Meetings – This committee shall meet at least once between regular meetings of the Senate to organize and plan future activities.
Article VII: Committees
Section A: Issue-Based Committees – Committees composed of the elected representatives and their constituents shall be created at the monthly representatives meeting. The elected representatives and their constituents will meet on a monthly basis to address issues to be raised at subsequent SFS meetings and to create committees. Faculty representatives are welcome to participate in these monthly representative meetings based on their areas of interest.
Section B: Special Committees – The student and faculty representatives shall have the authority to appoint any special committees as needed and agreed upon.
Article VIII: Amendments
Section A: Selection – These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the student and faculty membership present at a given SFS meeting.
Section B: Notice – All members shall receive advance notice of the proposed amendment at least five days before the voting meeting. (The time may be extended to the following meeting.)