Constitutional Convention 2022-2023
Qualified voters were asked to vote on proposed Constitution amendments passed by delegates participating in the Constitutional Convention. Voting took place on the general elections ballot from Monday, April 3 12:00 am MST to Tuesday, April 4 11:59 pm MST.
Constitutional Convention
A resolution to call a Constitutional Convention was approved in the ASBSU General Assembly and Academic Senate on September 28, 2022. A series of formal convention meetings were held on 10/15/22, 10/22/22, 2/3/23, 2/10/23, and 3/16/23.
Summary of Proposed Constitution Amendments
- Moved from a 5-branch system to a 3-branch system
-
- Merged the Funding Board branch into the Executive Branch to create a single branch with the Funding Board as a subsidiary of the Executive Branch
- Combined the General Assembly and Academic Senate into a single bicameral Legislative Branch
- Removed the Inclusive Excellence Student Council (IESC) as a branch of student government while maintaining its status as an independent student organization
- Added the Judicial Branch, which is composed of the Review Board and the Associate Vice President of Ethics Affairs. The AVP of Ethic affairs will receive complaints regarding conduct or violation of the Constitution and will present them to the review board, which will then vote on whether or not to uphold the complaint.
-
- Added new leadership positions for the Assembly and Senate
- Increased the number of Senators from 18 to 20 by adding two (2) senators for students without a declared major.
- Required that Senators now be elected by their respective Academic Colleges, rather than appointed, where possible.
- Set the number of Assembly positions at 30, shifting from a model in which the President both decided the number and type of seats and also appointed every member, to a model where the type and number are predetermined, and 3 different elected officers appoint the Assembly.
- Added a new assembly position for the Multicultural Greek Council
- Added a new assembly position for first-generation college students
- Added 6 positions for under-served student populations
- Gave Representatives and Senators the ability to create committees without requiring the approval of the Executive Branch.
- Added a requirement that Executive appointments be confirmed by the Legislative Branch.
- Added the Associate Vice President of Greek Affairs
-
- Position Description: The Associate Vice President of Greek Affairs is the primary ASBSU representative on all issues related to Greek Life at Boise State University. They will meet regularly with Greek students and organizations, including fraternities and sororities, and will keep ASBSU updated on relevant Greek initiatives and events. The Associate Vice President of Greek Affairs will serve as a liaison between the various Greek communities and ASBSU. This position will have no direct control or authority over any chapter or governing body.
-
- Added the Associate Vice President of Student Relations
-
- Position Description: The Associate Vice President of Student Relations is responsible for informing and educating students at large about the function and structure of ASBSU. They are the primary point of contact for the student body with inquiries about the structure of ASBSU and will work to raise awareness about the organization around campus.
-
- Replaced the Ethics Officer position with the Associate Vice President of Ethics Affairs, moving it from an appointed position to an elected position
-
- Position Description: The Associate Vice President of Ethics Affairs is responsible for holding all members of ASBSU to the Constitution, Code, and University Statement of Shared Values.
-
- Fixed grammatical and spelling errors
- Added specific language to clarify what constitutes impeachable offenses for ASBSU members.
- Added a specific requirement that the ASBSU Government Relations Officer pursue a non-partisan, student-focused agenda when lobbying and meeting with state legislators.
- Gave the Legislature the ability to change its bylaws (or code).
- Clarified the process for amending the constitution.
- Added a section to the constitution where future amendments, and their justifications, can be spelled out in their entirety for future students to see.
- Removed language in the Constitution that prevented students from joining ASBSU if they received partial waivers from paying certain student fees.