Preamble

We, the Residence Hall Association of Southern Utah University, in order to promote Resident's interests, needs, and concerns within the University community; elect to serve as a liason between residents, the Office of Housing and Residence Life and the campus community; to utilize funds for, educational, social, service oriented and leadership building events; to provide direct resident involvement in the governing of the Residence Halls; and to uphold the values established in both the University's and the Office of Housing and Residence Life's Mission Statements, do establish this Constitution of the Residence Hall Association.

ARTICLE I: NAME AND MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: The name of the association established under this constitution shall be "the Residence Hall Association," hereafter referred to as RHA.

Section 2: All Southern Utah University students living in the Residence Halls community are members of the RHA and are represented by their elected representatives in the Hall Council.

ARTICLE II: RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

Section 1: The members of the RHA have the right to: vote for the RHA Hall Council representative(s) for their building/floor, attend meetings of the RHA Hall Council, attend activities sponsored by the RHA, and be eligible for all RHA positions.

Section 2: These rights may be abridged for any member when two-thirds (2/3) of the attending RHA Hall Council deem such action to be reasonable and proper.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE BRANCH

Section 1: The RHA Executive Branch shall be the only executive body of the RHA.

Section 2: The RHA Executive Branch shall consist of one (1) President and two (2) Vice Presidents.

Section 3: Election of the Executive Branch shall be by majority vote of the Hall Council. The Executive Branch shall serve for one term.

Section 4: The Executive Branch term consists of three consecutive semesters (Summer, Fall and Spring) within a single academic year; with a limit of two terms in the same position.

Section 5: Vacancies in the Executive Board shall be filled as follows:

A. In case of the resignation (which shall be by open letter to the RHA), disqualification, or impeachment of any Executive Branch member except the President, the Hall Council shall nominate and then vote to fill the vacancy within fifteen (15) academic days.

B. If the RHA President resigns or is removed from office, the RHA advisory will appoint a replacement from the selection of vice presidents. The empty vice president position will then be filled as directed above.

Section 6: Executive powers of RHA shall be vested in the RHA President. These powers include, but are not limited to:

A. Serving as chief liaison between the RHA, the staff of the Office of Housing and Residence Life, and the faculty and administration of the University.

B. Overseeing the operation of the Executive Branch.

C. Faithfully executing the laws of the RHA.

ARTICLE IV: LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

Section 1: All legislative power of the RHA government shall be vested in the Hall Council.

Section 2: Sessions of the Hall Council shall be as follows:

A. The RHA Hall Council shall be a continuous body during the term for which the representatives are elected.

B. The Hall Council shall meet at least once every month when quorum is held.

C. The time and place of meetings of the Hall Council shall be publicized.

D. Meetings of the Hall Council shall be open to all RHA members unless two-thirds (2/3) of the assembled representatives agree to a closed meeting.

E. Special meetings of the Hall Council may be called by the RHA President, a Vice President, or at the request of two-thirds (2/3) of the Hall Council.

Section 3: Composition of the Hall Council shall be as follows:

Each residence hall shall have one (1) vote.

The various Residence Halls shall be apportioned the following number of voting representatives:
A. Manzanita Court: 6
B. Juniper Hall: 8
C. Eccles Living/Learning Center: 9
Total: 23

Section 4: Election of the Hall Council shall be as follows:

A. A Voting Notice and application shall be made available by the Residence Life Staff to each resident the second week of fall semester.

B. The completed applications shall be posted for one (1) week in a common area of the residence hall by residence life staff members.

C. A ballot listing all candidates shall be prepared by the Residence Life Staff the third week of fall semester and distributed to all residents.

D. The Hall Council member must be elected by a majority vote of the hall, with at least fifty percent (50%) of the residents of the floor/building voting.

E. If no candidate receives a majority vote in the initial election, the top two candidates shall be placed on a run-off ballot.

F. Each hall shall forward the name of their selected representative to the Office of Housing and Residence Life and the Executive Branch.

Section 5: The Hall Council shall have the authority to establish and dissolve any committees comprised of their members.

Section 6: Vacancies in the Hall Council shall be filled in a manner to be determined by the Hall Council.

ARTICLE V: RHA ADVISOR

Section 1: The RHA advisor shall be appointed by the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

Section 2: The RHA advisor shall attend all Executive Branch and Hall Council meetings.

Section 3: The RHA advisor may not preside over Executive Branch or Hall Council meetings.

Section 4: The RHA advisor shall have neither vote nor veto in any area of RHA.

Section 5: The RHA advisor shall assist Hall Council and Executive Branch members in fulfilling all the duties of their respective offices.

ARTICLE VI: IMPEACHMENT

Section 1: Any RHA government official may be impeached and removed from office for:

A. Failure to perform the duties of their office as defined in the RHA Constitution and Bylaws.
B. Conduct which demonstrates a grievous disregard of the laws and/or integrity of the RHA.

Section 2: Impeachment proceedings shall be initiated by a presentation of Articles of Impeachment to the Hall Council, clearly stating the grounds for impeachment. These may be drafted and presented by any RHA member.

Section 3: Upon presentation of the Articles of Impeachment, the Hall Council shall have a meeting within seven (7) academic days for the single purpose of a trial.

Section 4: If two-thirds (2/3) of the Hall Council agree to the adoption of the Articles of Impeachment, the official shall be removed from office.

Section 5: Any RHA government official shall be guaranteed the following rights in impeachment proceedings:

A. The right to written notification of impeachment action containing the nature and cause of the accusation.
B. The right of a hearing.
C. The right to be confronted with witnesses against him or her.
D. The right to obtain witnesses in his or her favor in all impeachment and trial proceedings.

Section 6: In case of trial, any RHA government official is entitled to have the assistance of an advisor for his or her defense and an advisor to represent him or her at every stage of the proceedings unless he or she, elects to proceed without an advisor.

ARTICLE VII: CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

Section 1: Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the following ways:

Proposal by a member of the Hall Council.
Proposal by a member of the Executive Branch.
A petition from a member of the RHA containing the signatures of at least ten percent (10%) of the total number of students living in the residence hall community.

Section 2: Amendments must be submitted to the Executive Branch prior to the Hall Council meeting for disbursement to the entire membership for consideration and preparation.

Section 3: The amendment must pass by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Hall Council in a meeting where at least one-half (1/2) of the Hall Council members are present.

Section 4: Amendments to the Constitution enter into effect at next meeting after they are ratified unless otherwise noted in the amendment itself.

ARTICLE VIII: RATIFICATION

This stitution shall take effect upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members of the Residence Hall Association in a vote where at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the members cast votes.