ASG Operations Manual 12.21.09

A S S O C I A T E D

S T U D E N T

G O V E R N M E N T

S TU D ENTS M A TTER I N B UILD ING A B ET T ER NO R T H WEST ER N

OPERATIONS MANUAL
The comprehensive guide to ASG.

1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60201 • telephone: 847.491.6728 • asg.northwestern.edu

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ABOUT ASG ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY COMMITTEES LEGISLATION & RESOLUTIONS ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER ASG SURVEYS OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS SENATE DESCRIPTIONS ACCOUNTABILITY LOOKING FORWARD 3 5 6 12 15 20 21 22 31 32 34

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT ii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

PREFACE

“Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.” –Albert Einstein Many of this year’s campus-wide election campaigns focused on the need for change in ASG and the “broken” nature of the current system. This reflects not only an interest in change on the part of the candidates, but also on the part of the students who, in the end, made the decision to elect those agents of change. Therefore, it is the voice of the students at Northwestern that we look to better serve by producing this document for an improved Associated Student Government. The new structure of ASG presented in this document realizes the necessary and significant changes, which cannot simply be enacted in the current structure of ASG. However, keep in mind that underlying this new system remains much of the basic structure of the current system. This ensures feasibility and smooth transitioning of the new organization. Within this new ASG, roles are well defined and streamlined. Gaps within the organization are filled and excess responsibilities are redistributed. The accountability of each person within ASG is clearly outlined, as is the flow of information from one person to another. Overall, the new ASG provides greater efficacy and sustainability for the organization to better serve students. The new structure also encourages an exciting and positive organizational culture. College is a time to raise questions and “think outside the box,” and the new ASG enables this innovation. Additionally, with student needs and wants continually fluctuating, the new ASG allows for flexibility. The organization is constantly evaluating itself and looking for ways to improve. The new ASG also promotes a collaborative culture. The new structure calls for teamwork, and a mindset of working towards a greater vision. It allows for students to become truly passionate about this school. This document serves as a clarification tool for the new ASG structure. It replaces the rigid, the inefficient, and the convoluted with the intuitive, the effective, and the concise. It is simple, functional, and accessible—it is indicative of the new ASG as a whole. Ultimately, this document is answering the call for change that the student voice has made clear. It is capitalizing on an opportunity to transform the way we think about and do things here at this school. It is asking ourselves what is best for students, and what is best for Northwestern. It is far from the final say, as it is open to the ideas and intentions of students weighing in. But it is the beginning of a fundamental process to better serving the student body. It is the first step to building a better Northwestern. Respectfully

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT iii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

2009-2010 Executive Board
Michael McGee President Tommy Smithburg Vice-President Samir Pendse Speaker of the Senate Muhammad Safdari Academic Vice-President Brooke Stanislawski Clerk Jilian Lopez Director of External Relations Claire Lew Director of Public Relations Malavika Srinivasan Financial Vice-President Grace Adamson Parliamentarian Miles Drummond Student Group Vice-President Matt Bellassai Student Life Vice-President Miranda Gonzalez Treasurer

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT iv

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ABOUT ASG

- Mantra Students matter in building a better Northwestern.

- Mission Statement We believe students have a responsibility to improve our Northwestern community. We are your voice, your bridge, your advocate. We bring together students and their interests to find answers & create solutions. Above all, we believe students matter in building a better Northwestern.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT v

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

SPEAKER OF THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN
Rules Committee

CLERK

SENATE
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT

Financial Vice President

Student Group Vice President

Director of Technology

Treasurer

Director of Public Relations

Academic Vice President

Student Life Vice President

Director of External Relations

Student Appropriations & Finance Board

Student Group Board

Academic Committee
Web Team System Administration Budget Internal Affairs

Student Life Committee

External Relations Committee

Campus Relations Community Relations

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT vi

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY

Senate
• Senators o Moderated by the Speaker, ruled by the Parliamentarian, and documented by the Clerk. o Represents various constituents of the undergraduate student body o Comprise a forum where ideas and issues can be discussed o Keep the Student Government accountable to the undergraduate student body • Caucuses o Caucus Whips meet weekly with the Speaker to discuss the projects that are being worked on and to seek ways to better accomplish them. o In caucus Senators come together to write bills and work on projects. Senators are accountable to the caucus Whip, who assigns projects and ensures that they are completed on time. o Allow Senators to speak informally and candidly about issues and projects specific to their constituency.

SPEAKER OF THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN
Rules Committee

CLERK

SENATE

Greek Caucus

Off-Campus Caucus

RHA/RCB Caucus

Student Group Caucus

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT vii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY
The Executive Board
• President o Creates the strategy and vision for ASG and acts as the chief ambassao Makes all final bottom-line decisions. o Assumes ultimate accountability. • Vice-President o Chairs the cabinet. o Ensures officers within ASG produce tangible results for the student o Assists the President as the Administrator liaison. • Speaker of the Senate o Facilitates the Senate and ensures the optimal operations of Senate. o Holds the caucus system accountable. • Parliamentarian o Interprets and upholds the rules in Senate o Chairs the Rules Committee • Clerk o Documents Senate and Exec Board meetings o Archives Senate and Executive Board Documents
SPEAKER OF THE SENATE PARLIAMENTARIAN CLERK

dor of students to the administration.

body.

SENATE
PRESIDENT

VICE PRESIDENT

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT viii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

The Cabinet
• Academic Vice-President o Chairs the Academic Committee.  Primary lobbying committee for academic interests and issues at
Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. • Ex: CTECS, New Academic Studies Programs, MLK day

• Student Life Vice-President o Chairs the Student Life Committee.  Primary lobbying committee for student life interests and issues

at Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. • Ex: Summer Internship Grants, Starbucks in Norris, Campus Lighting

• Director of External Relations o Chairs the External Relations Committee.  Primary lobbying committee for student interests and issues in
the community at Northwestern on behalf of Undergraduates. • Ex: Off-Campus Housing Office, Bar Night Ordinance, Wildcard usage for Evanston businesses

VICE PRESIDENT

Academic Vice President

Student Life Vice President

Director of External Relations

Academic Committee
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Student Life Committee

External Relations Committee

OPERATIONS MANUAL ix

The Interior
• Director of Public Relations o Chairs the Public Relations Committee.  Informs, communicates, and publicizes to the student body about
the resources, opportunities and happenings of ASG.

• Director of Technology o Chairs the Technology Committee.  Handles all technological resources provided by ASG. • Ex: ASG Website, Student Group Directory, NULink, Student group event advertisements, Calendar, Information hub, System Administration

• Treasurer o Administers the ASG Operating Budget.  Promotes transparency by notifying the senate on any ASG ex

penditure over $250. Presents the ASG account to the Student Activities Finance Board for auditing.

o Manages the ASG Student Group Resource Center  Orders and stocks office and student group resource center sup
plies. Distributes student group resource center printer copy codes.

Director of Technology

Treasurer

Director of Public Relations

Web Team System Administration

Budget Internal Affairs

Campus Relations Community Relations

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT x

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Student Group Officers
• Financial Vice-President o Chairs the Student Appropriations & Finance Board  Recommends allocation for roughly $1.2 million to A-status
groups

• Student Group Vice-President o Chairs the Student Group Board  Allocates roughly $21,000 (2.5% of the Student Activities Fee) to  
B-Status groups. Recognizes B- and T- status groups. Organizes the fall and winter Student Activities Fair as well as Spring Leadership Training.

SENATE

Financial Vice President
Advised by Norris General Manager of Business Operations

Student Group Vice President
Advised by CSI Coordinator of Leadership Development

Student Appropriations & Finance Board

Student Group Board

Senator Account Executives

Non-senator Account Executives

Senator Group Executives

Non-senator Group Executives

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xi

OPERATIONS MANUAL

COMMITTEES

Committees
• Academic Committee o The ASG Academic Committee was established to address those issues pertaining to the academic interests of the student body. This includes a variety of different topics, such as student involvement in the hiring of faculty, the CAESAR registration system, class policies and more. The Academic Committee is well known for the amount of research and background involved in the projects it handles. One of the benefits of being a part of the Academic Committee is that it exposes students to the administrative aspect of life here at Northwestern University. • External Relations Committee o The External Relations Committee strives to foster mutually beneficial relationships between Northwestern students and external communities, including but not limited to the Evanston community. Additionally, the committee works to improve the off-campus student community, the opportunities, resources and security the study body has access to in the community, as well as student presence and commitment to improving and contributing to our neighboring community. • Operations Committee o The Operations Committee strives to help ASG grow as an organization and conduct programming for talent development. Projects include conducting fall recruitment, conducting new member orientation, evaluating committee members and heads, conducting retreats and General Assemblies, and archiving important ASG matters that will enable ASG to retain an institutional memory. This committee serves as the behind the scenes engine that works to keep ASG at its best and taking steps to constantly improve. • Public Relations Committee o The purpose of the Public Relations committee is to advertise and provide students with information about the various services and events of ASG, as well as promote a positive image of ASG across campus. The Public Relations committee also works as a consulting body with outside student groups to help market their products, services, and events as well. matters that will enable ASG to retain an institutional memory.
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xii OPERATIONS MANUAL

• Presidential Leadership Initiative o The Presidential Leadership Initiative (PLI) is a committee of highly-motivated freshmen and sophomores who work with the ASG President on high-level projects. Not only will these students get a chance to work with the President on his or her projects, but will have the opportunity to create new projects with the aim of improving the quality of student life at Northwestern. • Rules Committee o The Committee on the Rules involves revising legislation to ensure the formatting and content are in agreement with the ASG Constitution and Code as well as grammatically correct and wellphrased. Twice a year the Parliamentarian leads the Committee on the Rules in revising and proposing changes to the ASG Constitution, Code and election guidelines. Also, if any senator has more than 2 absences, the Parliamentarian will hold an attendance hearing during the committee meeting and conduct a committee vote whether to excuse enough absences to make the total less than two or revoke the Senator’s accreditation. Any other issues or questions regarding the ASG Constitution, Code, election guidelines, and rules of order are brought to the Committee on the Rules as the need arises. • Student Appropriations & Finance Board o The Financial Vice-President chairs the Student Appropriations & Finance Board, a twelve-person, elected committee, organized to serve as the primary financial body. Members serve two roles: allocating the ASG Activity Fee and functioning as Account Executives. The funding process is a 100-hour process that occurs in the Spring and Fall, where the SAFB recommends how the SAF should be distributed between A-status student groups. As Account Executives, members serve as financial advisors to the student groups- performing monthly audits, offering advice related to event planning, occasionally assisting with leadership and transition, and attending funded events.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xiii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

• Student Group Board o The Student Group Committee is comprised of twelve members, six elected Senators and six non-Senators. Each committee member is assigned five to seven ASG-recognized student groups to oversee, guide and communicate with about university resources and ASG policies. The committee members meet regularly with their assigned groups and are expected to attend as many of their groups’ events as possible. The Committee is also involved in reviewing petitions for recognizing new student groups, organizing the Fall and Winter activities fairs, and distributing funds to Bstatus groups in the Winter. The committee also assigns student group Senate seats and conducts the Spring Leadership Training conference in the Spring. • Student Life Committee o The Student Life Committee works on any projects that are nonacademic in nature and serve student needs on campus.  We tend to assign projects based on interest and students on the committee then independently pursue their initiative with advice, direction, and collaboration provided by the committee during weekly meetings.  Topics under the umbrella of Student Life range from housing and residential life to food service and parking.  Past accomplishments and projects have included the Starbucks in Norris, student input to the "50 Year Plan", campus wireless, lighting improvements, MLK day planning, and so on. • Technology Committee o The ASG Tech Committee provides technical project support to student groups and ASG.  The committee facilitates use of ASG resources (such as the webserver), supports common tasks (such as net-id authentication or online voting), and implements technical projects (such as websites, polls, calendars, etc.)  The committee is composed of Senator and non-Senator members with background or interest in technology.  The committee is lead by the ASG Technology Director. Projects are taken from idea to implementation, with timeframes extending from a single quarter to several years.  Projects are defined, implemented, modified based on feedback, and documented for future updates.  Past projects have included NUlink (2 year development time), the Restaurant Guide,  ASG Off-Campus Housing Evaluations, and ASG ListIt.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xiv

OPERATIONS MANUAL

LEGISLATION & RESOLUTIONS

General Information
o Legislation is an effective mechanism through which ASG brings about
change for Northwestern students.

o The Senate considers the following six types of legislation:  
Senate Legislation: a bill requiring action of ASG and of general interest to the undergraduate community. Senate Resolution: a resolution expressing the verbal support of the Senate (although not necessarily of the entire student body) for an issue that does not require ASG to take any action. Financial Legislation: a bill allocating funds from the ASG Activity Fee and/or the ASG operating budget. Constitutional Amendment – a bill amending or modifying the ASG Constitution. Bylaw Amendment – a bill amending or modifying the ASG Bylaws. Joint Amendment – a bill amending or modifying both the ASG Constitution and the ASG Bylaws.

   

Note: Legislation should also avoid mentioning people by name- use positions instead. Obviously, all language in bills must be appropriate and not derogatory. Bills must be submitted in electronic form to the Speaker of the Senate via email by Sunday night before Senate. Any members of the Parliamentary Body (i.e. the Speaker, Parliamentarian, and Clerk) would be happy to assist you with writing legislation.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xv

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Writing Legislation
o All legislation (except resolutions) introduced in the Senate must include
the following five sections:

 

Title: Preferably short and easy to remember; the name everyone will call the resolution in the future, as opposed to its number. Background: An explanation of why the bill was written, including thorough research into the issue being addressed; it should not include argument. Principle: An explanation of what the bill proposes and what the effect of the bill would be. Action: The exact proposed action, opinion, allocation, or amendment, should be formal, precise, and written in positive terms. In the action clause, the phrase, “Be it enacted by the Associated Student Government here assembled…” must be included. Closure: All bills should be signed as follows: Respectfully submitted, (name) (position, if any, in ASG)

 



ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xvi

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Example Legislation Speak Out Against Injustice: Bring a Fellow Wildcat Home  Background:   Earlier this Spring Roxana Saberi, Medill ’99, was arrested while working in Iran as a freelance journalist. She was detained for three months without having been charged with anything, and was recently charged with espionage. Saberi vehemently disputes the charges, saying that she was arrested for “buying wine,” and numerous leaders including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have called for her return. On Monday, April 20th, Saberi was convicted and sentenced to eight years in an Iranian prison. Iran still maintains that she is guilty and is planning to hold her for the duration.  Principle:   As fellow Wildcats, Northwestern students should be outraged by the injustices against Saberi. Furthermore, as citizens of the world we should show a commitment to protecting free and open journalism. ASG should do everything it can to ensure that students are aware of these issues and have the ability to act on them.  Action:  Be it enacted by the Associated Student Government Senate here assembled, ASG’s Public Relations committee will use its resources to promote awareness of this issue and encourage students to speak against it. Specifically, ASG will send students information over as many listservs as it has access to on how to write on Saberi’s behalf to the United Nations and to the Iranian Government. The Public Relations Committee will use any other resources it deems necessary to spread the word and ensure we do our part for Ms. Saberi. Additionally, ASG stands in solidarity with the MUSAC and other organizations supporting Ms. Saberi.  Respectfully Submitted,   ASG Executive Board

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xvii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Writing Resolutions

  

Title: Preferably short and easy to remember; the name everyone will call the resolution in the future, as opposed to its number. “Whereas…”: Clauses which effectively is a combination of the Background and Principle section of other legislation. “Be it resolved…”: Clauses which are the “opinion” portions of the resolution. The phrase, “Resolved by the Associated Student Government here assembled…” must be included in the first “be it resolved” clause of a resolution. Closure: All bills should be signed as follows: Respectfully submitted, (name) (position, if any, in ASG)



ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xviii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Example Resolution  Northwestern University Associated Student Government Resolution Concerning the Rehiring Decision of Stephen Kinzer Whereas, many students, having taken his classes or having attended his talks, have gained immensely from the experiences, stories, and deep understanding of international issues that he shares. Whereas, his background is unique and the perspectives he offers illuminating. Whereas, the primary reason we students come to Northwestern is to learn and gain a deep understanding of the world around us, and Kinzer's departure hinders and hurts this elementary academic objective that is the primary focus of this institution. Whereas, over five hundred students have signed a petition supporting him staying at Northwestern. Whereas, the university should consider the views and wishes of the student body in this decision as it affects us most and as the role of the university is to serve and educate its students. Whereas, we understand the difficult financial situation that the university is in but strongly feel that Stephen Kinzer is an asset that must be maintained and fully supported. Whereas, for the sake of us students and our education please reconsider this decision and do all that is possible to keep Stephen Kinzer teaching at Northwestern.  Be it resolved by the Associated Student Government here assembled, representing the Northwestern student body, that the university move to rehire Professor Stephen Kinzer and keep him as an actively teaching professor.  Respectfully submitted, Hugh Roland

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xix

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xx

OPERATIONS MANUAL

ASG SURVEYS

Surveys
• ASG uses two main channels to conduct surveys - ISBE Analytics o These surveys must be approved by the Executive Vice-President. o Current ASG Liaison: Tim Yuan ([email protected]) o Conducts issue based surveys that ASG needs and will not be scheduled o Procedure:  Day 1: Meeting with ISBE to discuss survey issues and general    
to repeat in the future.

questions. Day 7: Review and finalize survey to be distributed. Day 8: Launch survey through distribution channels. Day 14: Close Sruvey Day 21: ISBE Analytics present survey findings to ASG. o These surveys include 6 $10 gift cards per quarter to reward students who participate in our surveys. This cost is covered by ASG. - University Surveys o Survey content must be approved by the President. o Distribute surveys through the Division of Student Affairs. o Surveys must be approved by a Statistics Professor to ensure the survey is flawless. o These surveys can only be distributed once per year. o Preferably they are distributed in the spring to gather data to guide the new administration’s priorities and decisions. o The contact for this survey is Dr. Banis, Vice President of Student Affairs.

- ASG may also gain access to some University Surveys. o The below links detail the various surveys that Northwestern conducts

and who administers them.  http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/instruments.htm  http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg_index.xls  http://www.adminplan.northwestern.edu/ir/sspg/sspg%20list%20 of%20student%20surveys%202009%20winter%20spring.xls o More information can be found by talking to Dr. Banis.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxi

OPERATIONS MANUAL

OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS

President
• Manages and leads ASG as a whole o Leads, motivates, and organizes the Executive Board  Resolves cross-functional issues at the executive level o Sets the strategy and vision for ASG as a whole  Develops and maintains a detailed project plan for ASG  Manages project deliverables in line with the project plan o Recruits key staff and executive officers o Manages coordination of the committee heads and sub-groups engaged
in project work

• Makes bottom-line decisions o Final approval of projects and proposals before presenting to Senate o Upholder and enforcer of the rules and regulations • Acts as the connector in the organization o Liaison to the administration and the students  Serves as the Chief Ambassador of the undergraduate student o Provides status reports to students and administrators o Works closely with students and administrators to ensure initiatives
meet their needs body

• Builds the organizational culture • Holds ultimate accountability of ASG members o Monitors progress and performance of activities o Manages project evaluation and dissemination activities o Manages consultancy input, seeking outside help from advisors, administrators, and student leaders

• Serves as an ex officio member on the Undergraduate Budget Priorities Committee • Has the ability to create ad hoc committee to focus on special initiatives • Chairs the Presidential Leadership Initiative • Campus-wide elected

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Vice-President
• Elected by the student body during Spring Quarter along with the President, Academic Vice-President, Student Life Vice-President • Serves as a liaison to the Administration and oversees the Academic Vice-President, Student Life Vice-President, and Director of External Relations • Assumes the roles and responsibilities of the President, in the event that the President is unable to do so • Chairs the Cabinet o Meets with the aforementioned three cabinet members (Academic VP,
Student Life VP, External Relations Director) to ascertain issues and projects that can be worked on together, as well as brainstorm collaborative new projects

• New Ideas o Interested student will then be directed towards one of the three cabinet
members or have the opportunity to present his or her idea/project to all three cabinet members and the Vice President

• Town Hall Meetings o Work with key administrators to plan monthly ASG town hall meetings o Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about the future of
financial aid, alcohol policy, administration-Greek relations, etc.  with various campus officials and decision-makers

• Manages the internal human resources of ASG o Appoints and oversees the coordinators and teams within the Operations Committee for the recruitment, training, and evaluation of ASG members o Works with the respective Executive Board members to approve the appointment and election of all members of entering ASG

• Holds ultimate accountability of ASG members o Monitors progress and performance of activities o Manages project evaluation and dissemination activities o Manages consultancy input, seeking outside help from advisors, administrators, and student leaders

• Chairs the Operations Committee • Campus-wide elected
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxiii OPERATIONS MANUAL

Speaker of the Senate
• Oversees and directs all meetings of Senate • Heads the Parliamentary Body, which consists of the Speaker, the Parliamentarian and the Clerk • Represents the interests of Senate during Senate meetings and to the Executive Board, faculty, staff, administration, alumni, and campus community • Enforces the response of the Executive Board to legislation passed by the Senate • Runs the ASG Senator Retreat • Determines voting procedures for in-Senate votes • Maintains an objective presence during Senate • Elected by the Senate

Clerk
• Keeps the Journal of Senate meetings • Documents Executive Board meetings • Records and archives all legislation of the Senate meetings • Communicates all legislative records to Senate and the Executive Board • Assumes the role and responsibilities of the Parliamentarian and/or Speaker if he or she is unable to fulfill those duties • Counts all votes made by secret ballot with the Parliamentarian • Maintains an objective presence during Senate • Elected by the Senate

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxiv

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Parliamentarian
• Chairs the Rules Committee • Manages and archives the attendance and voting records of Senate meetings • Assumes the role and responsibilities of the Speaker if he or she is unable to fulfill those duties • Counts all votes made by secret ballot with the Clerk • Maintains an objective presence during Senate • Elected by the Senate Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Manages and implements the attendance and the accountability policies o Upholds the ASG Code and Constitution
for Senators

Financial Vice-President
• Chairs the Student Appropriations & Finance Board, voting only in case of a tie • Administers the ASG Activity Fee, except that which is assigned to the Student Group Board • Selected by the Financial Vice-President Selection Committee and confirmed by the Senate Student Appropriations and Finance Board Roles and Responsibilities o Comprised of Senate-elected Account Executives  Half of the Account Executives serve as Senators  Half of the Account Executives serve as non-Senator representatives

o Acts as financial advisor for all A-status student groups  Provides monthly audits, attendance at funded events, and event
evaluations

o Annually evaluates all A-status student groups, and determine their need
to be considered an A-status organization

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxv

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Student Group Vice-President
• Chairs the Student Group Board, voting only in the case of a tie • Administers 2.5% of the ASG Activity Fee • Runs the ASG Fall & Winter Activities Fairs • Selected by the Student Group Vice-President Selection Committee and confirmed by the Senate Student Group Board Roles and Responsibilities o Comprised of Senate-elected Group Executives  Half of the Group Executives serve as Senators  Half of the Group Executives serve as non-Senator representatives

o Acts as group advisor for all B- and T-status student groups o Acts as group advisor for all B-and T-status student groups, providing
quarterly audits, attending funded events, and acting as a liaison between ASG and groups

Academic Vice-President
• Serves as the chief lobbyist for improving the quality of academics on campus • Chairs the Academic Committee, which is appointed by the Academic Vice-President • Serves on a number of university committees related to academics, acting as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective committees • Has the discretion to appoint committee members as well as undergraduate students to university committees • Campus-wide elected Academic Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Works on projects regarding the academic experience of the student
body

o Members of the committees will be appointed by the Academic VicePresident and need not be a Senator
xxvi ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MANUAL

o Meetings for the Academic Committee are held on a weekly basis and
headed by the Academic Vice-President who sets the agenda for the meeting  If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they are required to meet with the Academic Vice-President to discuss possible termination from the committee

o The committee is responsible for reasonably discussing and considering

all proposals and feedback submitted by students to the committee or assigned to the committee  In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested in a project, that student can request that they be considered for temporary instatement on the committee for the duration of the project o This is subject to the approval of the Academic Vice-President

Student Life Vice-President
• Serves as the chief lobbyist for improving the quality of student life on campus • Chairs the Student Life Committee, which is appointed by the Student Life Vice-President • Serves on a number of university committees related to student life, acting as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective committees • Has the discretion to appoint committee members as well as undergraduate students to university committees • Campus-wide elected Student Life Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Works on projects regarding the student life experience of the student
body

o Members of the committee will be appointed by the Student Life VicePresident and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Student Life Committee are held on a weekly basis and
headed by the Student Life Vice-President who sets the agenda for the meeting  If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they are required to meet with the Student Life Vice-President to discuss possible termination from the committee

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxvii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

o The committee is responsible for reasonably discussing and considering

all proposals and feedback submitted by students to the committee or assigned to the committee  In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested in a project, that student can request that they be considered for temporary instatement on the committee for the duration of the project o This is subject to the approval of the Student Life Vice-President

Director of External Relations
• Acts as the student body’s liaison to local and state governments • Represents student interests to those bodies, including but not limited to the Evanston City Council • Chairs the External Relations Committee, which is appointed by the Director of External Relations • Responsible for off-campus services, resources and security as well as any other services involving coordination with external communities. • Selected by the incoming President and Vice-President External Relations Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Responsible for services and security off-campus students, as well as
any services involving the coordination with external communities Relations and need not be a Senator

o Members of the committee will be appointed by the Director of External o Meetings for the External Relations Committee are held on a weekly ba-

sis and headed by the Director of External Relations who sets the agenda for the meeting  If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they are required to meet with the Director of External Relations to discuss possible termination from the committee

o The committee is responsible for reasonably discussing and considering

all proposals and feedback submitted by students to the committee or assigned to the committee  In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested in a project, that student can request that they be considered for temporary instatement on the committee for the duration of the project o This is subject to the approval of the Director of External Relations

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxviii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

Treasurer
• Manages the internal affairs of ASG • Administers the ASG Operating Budget o Promotes transparency by notifying the Senate on any ASG expenditure o Presents ASG account to the Student Appropriations & Finance Board
for audit over $250

• Serves as assistant office manager o Orders office supplies o Provides copy codes for student groups • Elected by the Senate

Director of Public Relations
• Chairs the Public Relations Committee • Ensures that the committees work in tandem to develop and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with the student body • Selected by the incoming President and Vice-President Public Relations Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Informs, communicates and publicizes each respective community about
the operations of ASG

o Manages flow of information between ASG and the campus o Serves as the main liaison to campus media o In charge of all the ASG public relations within Northwestern o Members of the committees will be interviewed by the Director of Public
Relations and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Public Relations Committee are held on a weekly basis

and headed by the Director of Public Relations who sets the agenda for the meeting  If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they are required to meet with the Director of Public Relations to discuss possible termination from the committee all proposals and feedback submitted by students to the committee or assigned to the committee
xxix

o The committee is responsible for reasonably discussing and considering
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS MANUAL

In the event that a non-committee member is strongly invested in a project, that student can request that they be considered for temporary instatement on the committee for the duration of the project o This is subject to the approval of the Director of Public Relations



Director of Technology
• Chairs the Technology Committee • Oversees the maintenance of all electronic equipment and services • Supervises online voting during any campus-wide elections • Serves on a number of university committees related to technology, acting as the voice of ASG and the students at-large for those respective committees. • Selected by the incoming President and Vice-President Technology Committee Roles and Responsibilities o Members of the committees will be appointed by the Director of Technology and need not be a Senator

o Meetings for the Technology Committee are held on a weekly basis and

headed by the Director of Technology who sets the agenda for the meeting  If a committee member has two unexcused absences, they are required to meet with the Director of Technology to discuss possible termination from the committee

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxx

OPERATIONS MANUAL

SENATE DESCRIPTION

Senate
• Provides an avenue for open expression and public discourse of ideas and issues of the student body • Represents the constituents of the school • Holds ASG accountable to the best interests of the students • Directs where ideas and projects can be developed, packaged and implemented • Allocates and ratifies funding • Officiates and approves the actions of ASG committees • Able to change any and all facets of the organization through the vote of the students, through Senate • Comprised of 51 Senators from each constituency o Elected by his or his constituency o Represents the best interests of his or her respective constituency o Not required to serve on a committee, but first-year Senators must apo Required to send out a weekly report to his or her constituency o Moderated by the Speaker, ruled by the Parliamentarian, and documented by the Clerk ply for a committee or board

Caucus-Whips
• Help set the agenda for their caucus, identifying the top priorities and concerns for their constituency • Identify feasible projects that can help their constituents by speaking with caucus Senators and their constituents • Responsible for delegating assignments to Senators in their caucus, usually by asking Senators to write legislation or work on a project • Work with the Speaker to ensure caucus and senators are working in conjunction with the committees and executive board when working on these projects • Submit weekly reports on the progress of their Senators and the caucus • Is the go-to-person for students of that constituency
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxxi OPERATIONS MANUAL

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Accountability is defined as: o Ensuring that the person is fulfilling his or her position o Asking the person, “Are you doing your job?” and “How well are you doing it?”

• Senate is accountable to: o Students o Speaker, Parliamentarian, Clerk • President is accountable to: o Senate o Executive Board  • Vice President is accountable to: o President o Executive Board o Senate • Executive Board is accountable to: o President o Senate • Speaker is accountable to: o Senate o Executive Board • Academic Vice-President is accountable to: o Vice-President o Executive Board o Senate • Student Life Vice-President is accountable to: o Vice-President o Executive Board o Senate • Clerk is accountable to: o Senate o Executive Board
ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxxii OPERATIONS MANUAL

• Director of Public Relations is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate • Director of External Relations is accountable to: o Vice-President o Executive Board o Senate • Financial Vice-President is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate • Student Group Vice-President is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate • Parliamentarian is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate • Director of Technology is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate • Treasurer is accountable to: o Executive Board o Senate

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxxiii

OPERATIONS MANUAL

LOOKING FORWARD

Things change. Particularly, an organization designed to respond to fluctuating student needs and interests will inevitably change. As a result, this document of the new ASG structure is open to such change. As the years progress, it welcomes the opportunity for further improvement and future innovation. This document is not fixed. It does not have the last word. It is just the beginning.

ASSOCIATED STUDENT GOVERNMENT xxxiv

OPERATIONS MANUAL