The following instructions are meant to give non-UGBC members the information they need to work with UGBC legislation. All of these guidelines are used during Senate meetings for purposes of creating, changing or negating legislation.

First, all legislation must be put into writing before it can be brought before the Senate. There is a rigid system of setting up the bill defined below:

In the upper righthand corner of the page, a number is placed. The format is as follows: the letter S for Senate, followed by the legislation number, and then by the session year of the Senate. Sample: S8.01-02 would designate the eighth piece of legislation offered in the 2001-2002 Senate administration. This is followed by the words “The Senate of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College” directly underneath of which is the Boston College Seal. Next is a one-line summary of the bill or resolution: what it is or what it is intended to do.

This is followed by a list of Sponsors and Co-Sponsors. The first Sponsor listed is considered the one submitting the bill or resolution, and thus has full control over it, including the ability to withdraw it and accept friendly amendments. What usually differentiates a Sponsor from a Co-Sponsor is the degree of involvement. Sponsors are usually those who helped write the bill or create the concept behind it. Co-Sponsors are usually those people who are strongly in support of the bill but were not involved in the process of its creation. Sponsors and Co-Sponsors are listed in the legislation writer’s preferred order, and have their year listed following their name.

Following the list of sponsors are the “whereas” clauses. The first “whereas” clauses show where the Senate derives the power to pass the legislation. These clauses come from the Constitution.

Once your bill is set up correctly there are four major legislative actions that you can take: Resolutions, By-law Bills, Student Initiative Referendums, and Amendments. Below are descriptions of each and the ways they can be adopted.

Resolutions are set policy within UGBC and can allocate UGBC funds within campus. Resolutions serve and protect the interest of the student body and may include (but are not limited to) official statements to university administration, UGBC press releases, and allocation of co-sponsorship funds to campus organizations. Passed resolutions become the official policy of UGBC. Resolution proposals must be sponsored by at least one Senator, or have the support of 50 verified currently enrolled BC student signatures. These signatures and a written copy of the resolution proposal must be submitted to the Senate Chairperson a minimum of five days before the next scheduled meeting. The reading of the proposed resolution must be made by a Senator, and questions may be asked by Senators to those involved in the resolution. Passing a resolution requires a majority vote of the Senate with over half of the members present. The resolution must then be signed by the UGBC President to be put into effect. If the passed resolution is vetoed, the veto can be overridden by a 3/4 vote of the Senate which puts the resolution into effect. The President must then uphold the policy of the passed resolution.

• Whereas: Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 1 states that: “1. The UGBC shall serve as the primary governing organization for all Boston College undergraduate students. The UGBC shall be a strong, active, and united student representative organization, and will provide a central body to protect student rights, pursue student interests, organize campus-wide programs, and promote improved communication between students, faculty and the administration.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 1 states that, “The Senate can, by a majority vote, pass resolutions.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 7: “Resolutions are to serve and protect the interest of the student body and may include but are not limited to: official statements to university administration, UGBC press releases, the allocation of funds around UGBC, and allocation of co-sponsorship funds to campus organizations.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 3 states that, “Resolutions passed by the Senate and signed by the President will become the official position of the undergraduate government.”

• Whereas: Article II, Section 1, Paragraph 1 states that: “1. The UGBC shall serve as the primary governing organization for all Boston College undergraduate students. The UGBC shall be a strong, active, and united student representative organization, and will provide a central body to protect student rights, pursue student interests, organize campus-wide programs, and promote improved communication between students, faculty and the administration.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 1 states that, “The Senate can, by a majority vote, pass resolutions.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 7: “Resolutions are to serve and protect the interest of the student body and may include but are not limited to: official statements to university administration, UGBC press releases, the allocation of funds around UGBC, and allocation of co-sponsorship funds to campus organizations.”
• Whereas: Article III, Section 4, Paragraph 3 states that, “Resolutions passed by the Senate and signed by the President will become the official position of the undergraduate government.”

Following the “whereas” clauses that determine from where the Senate has the power to address the matter at hand are the “whereas” clauses that show the need for the resolution. These are used to describe the situation at hand - essentially telling what it is that needs to be corrected.

Immediately following the descriptive “whereas” clauses are the “action” clauses. These detail the actions that should be taken if the legislation is passed. For resolutions, begin the clause with "Be it resolved:" Then proceed to write the new legislation.

By-laws are governing rules and operating procedures within UGBC. By-law bills can only be proposed by members of UGBC. The Legislature by majority vote can pass By-Laws.

To change a UGBC by-law, use the following "whereas" clause:

• Whereas: Article III, Section 5, Paragraph 2 states that: “The Legislature by majority vote can pass By-Laws. A By-Law once passed becomes the official rule of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, and must be followed as any other Article of the Constitution would.”

Following the “whereas” clauses that determine from where the Senate has the power to address the matter at hand are the “whereas” clauses that show the need for the resolution. These are used to describe the situation at hand, essentially telling what it is that needs to be corrected.

Immediately following the descriptive “whereas” clauses are the “action” clauses. These detail the actions that should be taken if the legislation is passed. For by-laws, begin the clause with "Be it enacted:" Then proceed to write the new legislation.

Student initiative referendums set policy for UGBC without going through the Senate, the President or the Vice-President. It is a way of demonstrating that the student body is united in support of a particular policy. The Senate may not adopt any resolutions contrary to approved student initiatives and the President must uphold the policy of the student initiative.

Amendments are large changes to the structure of UGBC that change or add to the constitution. Amendments apply to dramatic changes within UGBC, such as creating a new independent department, setting funding requirements for UGBC or changing the structure of UGBC. Amendments are passed by a 3/4 affirmative vote of the Senate and do not need to be approved by the UGBC Executive Branch. Amendments modify the constitution and thus supercede any resolutions, by-laws or student initiative referendums. The constitution is the highest internal authority of UGBC.

For a constitutional amendment, use the following "whereas" clauses:

• Whereas: Article III, Section 5, Paragraph 1 states that “Amendments to this Constitution may be passed by the Senate by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of members present with a two-thirds (2/3) quorum at the meeting.”

Following the “whereas” clauses that determine from where the Senate has the power to address the matter at hand are the “whereas” clauses that show the need for the resolution. These are used to describe the situation at hand, essentially telling what it is that needs to be corrected.

Immediately following the descriptive “whereas” clauses are the “action” clauses. These detail the actions that should be taken if the legislation is passed. For constitutional amendments, begin the clause with, "Let Article x, Section x, Paragraph x of the UGBC Constitution be amended to read '...'", then proceed to write the new legislation.

By-laws require two readings. The first reading simply presents the bill; it can be voted on only after the second reading, unless rules are suspended.

After legislation enters debate on the Senate floor, several things can happen.

• Amendment - A senator may ask the sponsor to modify the text. If the sponsor accepts the modified text the amendment is known as “modification”. It does not require a vote. If the sponsor decides to reject the modification, it must be proposed as a motion to amend, and then be voted on. If it carries with a majority vote, it becomes part of the legislation regardless of the wish of the sponsor. In general practice, an amendment made by a person listed as a sponsor or co-sponsor is considered to be “modification.”

• Tabling - Any senator may make a motion to table the legislation. This move ends all debate on the legislation and postpones it until the motion that needs immediate action is voted on, or until the next meeting. If motion is not voted on in the next meeting, it automatically fails. This motion requires a majority vote and does not need support of the sponsor/s to pass.

• Withdrawal - The primary sponsor may choose to withdraw the bill. This permanently removes the bill from consideration. This is sometimes done if the situation that needs to be resolved is rectified by the time the legislation goes before the Senate.

If you wish to find greater detail, visit the Judiciary Council’s section of UGBC.org, and find the link for Robert’s Rules of Order for the UGBC Senate.

Motions can be made at any time and to accomplish many different goals. Motions are used to alter legislations and change the flow of the meeting. A motion must be seconded or it is automatically withdrawn. Making a motion opens debate on the motion immediately, which is then followed by a vote on the motion.

• “I move the previous question of the motion.”
• “I move to lay the pending motion on the table."