BY-LAWS of the IEU Student Government

BY-LAWS of the IEU STUDENT GOVERNMENT

ARTICLE I – CONSTITUTION OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

The Constitution aims to provide the necessary legal foundations to organize the IE University Student Government (IEUSG) for Bachelor students. From this point onwards, there will exist a Student Government based on and in line with the following articles.

ARTICLE II – FUNCTIONS OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

1. Provide transparency between the student body and governing bodies of the University.
2. Represent student interests in academic and extra-curricular affairs.
3. Encourage an active participation of students in University affairs.
4. Present proposals and concerns to the governing bodies of the University.
5. Collaborate with the University Administration

ARTICLE III – STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT

1. The IE University Student Government (IEUSG) is composed by a Student Board and three Committees.
2. The IEUSG will be led by a Student Board (“the Board”), with the structure and responsibilities as defined in Article IV.
3. Alongside the Board, there will exist three (3) Committees, which among other responsibilities, will liaise with the Class Representatives. The structure and further responsibilities are defined in Article X.
4. The Board may implement any further IEUSG structure and its organization in both University campuses.

ARTICLE IV – STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT BOARD

1. One President and five Executive Members shall compose the Board. Of these five Members, two of them will take the role of Academic Officers, two will take the role of Community Development Officers, and one will take the role of Communications Officer.

2. The Board shall have the following general objectives and responsibilities:

   1. To represent the best interest of the students.
   2. To deal with any matters regarding student welfare.
   3. To ensure transparency between the governing bodies of the University and thestudents. This shall be done through a number of periodic reports as expanded on below.
   4. To ensure a unified IEUSG working towards the general goals in a congruent manner in both campuses.
   5. To ensure that the respective Committees attend to their goals and report their aims to the Board on a periodic basis.
   6. To organize the election of the following Board.
   7. Once elected, to organize the election of the representatives of the respective Committees.
   8. Any other required roles.

Aside the individual responsibilities, as described in Article IV(6)(b-d), the Executive Members shall:

1. Exist on both campuses.
2. Collaborate for the improvement of the Bachelor programs.
3. Co-operate in the implementation of the activities of the departments of the University Administration.
4. Organize extracurricular activities and events.
5. Spread all communications to the Student Body, including advertisement of events and initiatives
6. Contribute to the building of the IE Community across the University Campuses and to the integration of Bachelor and Master Students within this Community.
7. Deal with internal communications amongst the IEUSG.
8. Keep accurate records of all proceedings and activities of the IEUSG.
9. Assume the office and duties of President if this post becomes vacant.
10. Organize the ordinary meetings of the Board.
11. Prepare a complete budget for the operations of the IEUSG, including extraordinary expenditures or additions to the budget if needed.
12. Allocate funds to the respective Committees upon request.
13. Ensure transparency of the finances to the student body as a whole.

14. Choose and lead the Committees, as described in Sections X and XI.

1. In order to achieve these objectives, the Board will, with the common agreement of all its members, define its internal structure and distribute the respective positions of the Executive members.

5. In order to assure a continuous commitment, the board shall meet at least once per month, with at least half of the executive members and the president being physically present.
6. The Members shall have the following responsibilities, according to their roles:

   1. President shall

      1. Be responsible for all dealings of the IEUSG.
      2. Ensure that the general objectives of the IEUSG, as defined in Article V(2), are followed.
      3. Attend meetings that require a student representative.
      4. Represent the University and its student body in official events, at otheruniversities, to the Direction of the University, and in any other situations where representation of the student body is necessary.
      5. Be aware of the workings of the IEUSG in both campuses.
      6. Ensure, together with the Vice President, that a transition period exists upon the following Board by
         1. Advising the new President on the roles assumed.
         2. Attending the first meetings of the new Board.

   2. Academic Officers shall

      1. Be responsible for understanding the needs of the IE community on an academic level and ensuring their correct development and implementation.
      2. Be proactive in reducing or eliminating any problems that exist between students and IE University that have an impact on academics.
      3. Listen to the student body and address their concerns, in order to create a positive change in regards to the academic substance within classes and degrees.
      4. Overseeing the academic committee and be committed to including the members capabilities in the overall academic mission of the Student Government.
      5. Organize and lead the team for the following events:
         1. IE trips
         2. Guest Speaking Events
         3. Research Center
      6. Be the main point of contact between the student body and:
         1. The Vice Rector of Student Affairs
         2. Bachelor Directions

   3. Community Development Officers shall

      1. Be responsible for understanding the needs of the IE community on an extra-curricular level and ensure their correct development and implementation.
      2. Oversee the Community Development committee and be committed to including the member’s capabilities in the overall academic mission of the Student Government.

iii. Organize and lead the team for the following events:

1. Freshers’ week
2. Spring Ball
3. A fundraising activity (In 2018 it was #PanasForVenezuela)
4. An activity that brings IE Clubs together
5. Any other initiatives the team considers fit

iv. Be the main point of contact between the student body and:

1. Campus Life
2. IE Clubs
3. IE Sports Teams

d. Communications Officer

1. Understanding the communication needs of the SG and coordinating the communication efforts.
2. Overseeing the Communications Committee and be committed to including the members capabilities in the overall academic mission of the Student Government.
3. Assigning the Communications Committee projects and manage their access to the SG budget.
4. Leading the design of communication strategies for key SG initiatives, integrating and synthesizing the ideas and approaches from the Communications Committee, other SG board members, and any other relevant Committee members.

ARTICLE V – DEALING WITH THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES

1. The meetings of the Board can be held in person or on-line due to the dual campus system.
2. The Board will decide the location and means of the meetings.
3. The board shall attempt to put equal emphasis on both Campuses and stimulate inter-Campus relations and events.

ARTICLE VI – VACANCIES

1. In case of a vacancy in the office of the IEUSG Presidency, one of the Executive Members shall assume the office and its duties. The Board shall select who will recover the post of President through a simple majority vote.

2. In case of a vacancy in the office of one of the Executive Members, the other Members shall elect an interim Member by absolute majority. This interim Member shall assume all vacant responsibilities, and upon election, the Board can decide to restructure the functions and duties of its members for its better functioning.

3. In case of a vacancy in one of the Committees, the Board, in agreement with the Executive Member leading the affected Committee, shall cast a new member through a public call. The replacement shall be selected from all respondents based on and in line with the required capabilities, the aim of diversity and personal motivation.

ARTICLE VII – TERMS

1. The terms of service for the Board will be from the elections in the second semester of the academic year until the next election in the following academic year.

2. The exception to Article VII(1) are the former President and Vice President, who shall remain as an advisee to the new President for approximately 3 months or until the new Board runs in a sufficiently effective manner.

3. The terms of service for the Committee members will be those of the elected Board after the date of its takeover.

ARTICLE VIII – ELECTIONS

1. In order to hold elections in the second semester of the academic year, the Board, in cooperation with the University services, must organize and begin the elections procedure and carry out the following activities at least in the previous 3 weeks:
   1. Scheduling voting time, place, and logistics.
   2. Accept nominations.
   3. Allow for the campaigning and advertising of candidates under the rules set.
   4. Organize the elections procedure.
   5. Supervise elections.
   6. Provide for confidentiality in voting and the final tally under the supervision of the Direction of the University.
   7. Enable a public announcement, both digitally and physically of the election results.
2. Nominations must be structured in a group format for the entire new Board to be elected.
3. Any student may form part of a nominated group, with the following requirements:
   1. Only 2nd-year students or above may be nominated for the position of President.
   2. The President should have a sufficient knowledge of Spanish.
   3. At least 3 Bachelor Degrees must be represented in the nominated group.
   4. Each campus will be represented by at least 2 (30,33%) of the team members.
   5. One Community Development Officer and one Academic Officer must be present on each campus.
   6. Only one of the nominees may commence an exchange semester during the term of the Board, if elected.
   7. The president may not commence an exchange semester during the term of the Board, if elected.
   8. All members of a nominated group must be full-time students at IEU, meaning exchange students are excluded from running.
4. Any full-time student enrolled in any year of an IE University Bachelor can vote.
5. The Board must make sure that the groups nominated comply with the requirements setforth in subsection 2 and 3 of this Article before accepting the nomination.
6. The nominated group receiving the most votes between the Segovia and Madrid studentbodies will be elected as the new Student Board.

ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES

2. The Board, together with the Liaison Committee, shall appoint the leader of each Committee of the IEUSG no later than 1 month after the announcement of the election result.
3. The Committee directors shall appoint the general Committee members in the month of September, upon the commencement of the academic year, through a public invitation campaign. Being a class representative does not prevent a student for being eligible as committee member or director.
4. The Board will select candidates for three (3) different Committees with the following title and responsibilities:

   1. Academic Committee

      1. The Academic Committee of the Student Government is responsible in supporting the Academic Officers in any academic tasks at hand.
      2. The Academic Committee shall locate the needs of different members of the community and develop strategies to act upon those.

   2. Community Development Committee

      1. The Community Development Committee will be in contact with different organizations to organize collaborative events inside and outside of the university.
      2. The Community Development Committee of the Student Government is responsible in supporting the Community Development officer in any tasks at hand.
      3. The Community Development Committee shall locate the needs of different members of the community and develop strategies to act upon them.

   3. Communications Committee

      1. The Communications Committee is a media-oriented task force of students in charge of the public face of the Student Government.
      2. The Communications Committee shall manage the social media channels of the SG.
      3. The Communications Committee shall produce original content which,aligned with the SG functions, provides value to the students as an audience.
      4. The Communications Committee designs and executes multi-channel communication strategies and campaigns for major SG projects and initiatives.
5. The Committees should be representative of the Student Body and should therefore consist of capable and motivated students from as many different years and Bachelors as possible.
6. The Board shall choose 12 representatives, divided evenly between the Madrid and Segovia Campus for both the Academic Committee and Community Development Committee (6 Madrid Campus and 6 Segovia Campus).
7. The Communications Committee must select 8 capable students that are sufficiently motivated and skilled to execute the tasks described in Article IX(3)(c).

ARTICLE X – WORKING PROCEDURES OF THE COMMITTEES

1. Committees will meet on at least a monthly basis.
   1. A meeting can be called by:
      1. One third of their members
      2. The Committee Director or overseeing board officers can also call for a meeting in special situations.
   2. Committees will take decisions by simple majority of their members.
2. A Committee Director, selected by the responsible Executive Member, will lead each Committee. They will:

c. Be active members of their respective Committees.

4. Encourage new projects for the Committee in compliance with the Board’s general guidelines and agenda for the general benefit of the student body.
5. Help the Executive Member select the members of the Committee
6. Schedule meetings on a monthly basis.
7. Set comprehensive deadlines for Committee members and supervise the development of said projects.
8. Present progress reports to the responsible executive Member and the Board on a regular basis.
9. Foster an efficient and positive work environment within the Committee.
10. Enjoy the right to call for a meeting with the Board if circumstances avail.
11. Any other functions decided by the IEUSG.

3. The Committees Members shall:

1. Be chosen by the pertinent Executive Members, based on their capabilities, motivation and fit.
2. Represent the general interests of the student body.
3. Attend all meetings (same exceptions that apply for IEUSG members regarding attendance shall apply to Committees Members).
4. Actively form part of meetings and discussions.
5. Any other functions decided by the IEUSG.

ARTICLE XI – ATTENDANCE AND MEETING CONDUCT

1. Attendance is mandatory for all meetings of the Committees and the Board for its respective members, with the following exceptions:
   1. Absences are permitted as long as they do not exceed 10% of the meetings in the current term.
   2. Excused absences are permitted as long as the Director of the respective Committee is notified with a minimum of 48 hours before the meeting.
   3. Excused absences must be approved and allowed by the Director of the respective Committee or they will otherwise be discounted from the allowed 10%.
2. All meetings will be moderated by the President of the Board or the Director of the respective Committee and will follow general standards of decorum and respect for the opinions of member present, keeping in mind the wellbeing of the entire student body and in accordance with the IE University Code of Ethics.

3. In case of a tie vote between Members of the Board on the occasion that one of the Members fails to attend, this missing member should be consulted for his vote before a decision is made.

ARTICLE XII – REMOVAL PROCEDURE

1. Failure to fulfil the obligations of any position inside the IEUSG might result in the initiation of removal procedures, consisting of:
   4. A removal proposal written by the President of the IEUSG at the request of the Board, the student representatives or a Committee member, based on relevant evidences and arguments that support the request.
   5. Review of the allegations by the Board alongside the Liaison Committee, excluding the participation of the questioned member.
   6. The final decision regarding the removal of the member in question will be decided by the Board alongside the Liaison Committee, excluding the participation of the questioned member.
   7. Decision for removal must be unanimous and notified to the entire student body, along with a letter explaining the reasoning behind the decision.
2. In the case of a removal proposal of the President of the IEUSG, it has to be decided by the majority of the Board members. The aforementioned proceedings will be also followed for this case.

ARTICLE XIII – STUDENTS PARTICIPATION IN THE UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION

1. Student representatives will be part of the University decision-making procedures, especially in those areas related to the development of the educational program of the Bachelors, including, inter alia, international mobility, planning, faculty evaluation, quality assurance procedures and academic and ethics reprobation.
2. The IEUSG will designate the student representatives in the respective University Committees.
3. The IEUSG will meet the University Direction on regular basis through a Liaison Committee composed at least of the President and two Executive Members and the persons in charge at the University Direction of the academic organization and the relations with the students.
4. The IEUSG will designate the University student representatives in the external student bodies at regional, national or international level. These nominations will be communicated to persons in charge at the University Direction of the academic organization and the relations with the students.

ARTICLE XIV – RECOGNITION OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION

1. The University will officially record all the representative positions designated by the IEUSG.
2. The University will award representative functions on individual basis. Students elected as representatives and taking part in the structures of the IEUSG will be granted with academic and/or financial compensations through a system agreed at the Liaison Committee. The award will be granted once the mandate is finished and the duties of the post are adequately fulfilled.

ARTICLE XV – ORGANIZATIONS AND CAMPUS CLUBS

1. The Board may approve expenditures and budgets for student initiatives carried on by Campus Clubs or other student organizations.
2. Copies of receipt on expenditures approved by the Board in collaboration with the IE Administration and copy of approved budgets must be recorded by the member of the Board responsible for the IEUSG finances.

ARTICLE XVI – IEUSG BUDGET AND FINANCIAL ISSUES

1. The IEUSG aims to guarantee self-sufficiency in the management of its finances. The IEUSG funding system will be agreed at the Liaison Committee in accordance with budget policy of the University.
2. A complete general budget for the operations of the IEUSG will be prepared by the Board at the beginning of the term and presented to the Liaison Committee for approval.
3. The Board shall organize the annual budget in accordance with the general budget of the Board, and will distribute the finances of each Campus for each Academic Year.
4. Additional expenditures or additions to the budget not contemplated on the initial budget will be presented for approval to the Liaison Committee as necessary.
5. The IEUSG will try to find its own additional financial sources. Through the events organized by the Event Planning Committee, funds should be raised for the IEUSG to further support the student body.

ARTICLE XVII – VISUAL IDENTITY OF THE IEUSG

All those bodies in the IEUSG responsible for using the image of the SG should revise and follow the visual identity guidelines reflected in the IEUSG Brand Book.

ARTICLE XIX – AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

The IEUSG and the University Direction can propose amendments to the By-Laws which will then be reviewed by the Liaison Committee. Amendments may be made through an absolute majority vote of the Board, followed by the acceptance of the University Direction.

ARTICLE XX – ENTRY INTO FORCE

These By-Laws shall enter into force the day following that of its publication by a Rector’s Resolution.