Your SG needs good governing documents. Obviously. Just don't spend half your time rewriting them.
If your constitution, bylaws, election code, finance code, or other documents really are a thorn in your side, fix them, once and for all. SG has more important things to work on for your students.
That's way too many.
Sometimes a document really does need to change. But way too often, a new administration takes office and starts rewriting the constitution or bylaws without asking if anything is really wrong with them.
A new administration doesn't require a new constitution. We think we're supposed to. Or because we can...
Someone wants to leave THEIR mark
No one has figured out the PRIORITIES
Changing ANYTHING feels like progress
No doubt, there's an educational component to revising your documents. If you're studying poli sci or government, could be very useful. But spending too much time amending your governing documents is one of ASGA's 25 Worst Mistakes Your SG Can Make.
Is There Really a Problem?
If the flaws or loopholes or errors are blocking your path to SG effectiveness, fix them. If not, you have bigger fish to fry.
No more than 10% of your SG's time should be spent on internal matters.
Not just documents: 10% total on SG operations: your structure, internal rules and procedures, document revisions, amendments.
That leaves the rest of your time (90%) for serving student needs.
Listen to them. Represent them. Solve problems. Advocate. Improve services. Communicate. Get things done.
Yes, your governing documents are important. But they aren't why your SG exists.
Fact: Your constitution is too long.
Officer duties. Committee procedures. Meeting rules. Elections. Finance procedures. Appointments. Vacancies. Removal procedures. Internal processes. And page after page of details shouldn't be in the constitution.
Then even one tiny thing changes and SG is playing the amendment game yet again.
Put your constitution on a diet.
Lean and mean. The U.S. Constitution established an entire system of government in only seven articles. In nearly 250 years, it has been amended only 27 times. If it worked for the United States of America for two and a half centuries, it'll work for SG.
Put the foundation in the constitution. Everything else goes in your bylaws, operating rules, finance codes, and election codes.
Constitution & Bylaws?
Constitution
The foundation. Keep it short.
Your constitution establishes the basic framework and authority of your Student Government.
Structure. Leadership. Fundamental responsibilities. Basic governing principles. The amendment and ratification process.
Important enough that they shouldn't be easy to change.
Working on your constitution? Start here.
Bylaws / Operating Rules
The details. Keep them flexible.
Most of what SGs put in their constitutions really belongs here.
Bylaws or operating rules have procedures, responsibilities, committee details, and operational rules that may legitimately need to change as your SG grows.
They're way easier to amend, usually with a simple majority vote.
Working on your bylaws? Start here.
Bylaws Template
Bylaws Instructions
Bylaws Checklist
BEFORE YOU AMEND ANYTHING
Don't make amending your constitution a hobby.
Ask:
- What problem are we trying to solve?
- Is something in the current document actually causing the problem?
- Is this getting in the way of serving students?
- Does this really belong in the constitution?
- Would it fit better in the bylaws or operating rules?
- Is this change really worth the time and effort?
If you can't explain why an amendment will make your SG better, think twice.
Why You Should Limit Amendments
Listen to the Audio
Passing an amendment may only be the first step.
Your SG may approve a constitutional change. You're definitely not done.
Step 1SG Approval
Step 2Student Ratification
Step 3Administrative Review
Step 4Legal Review
Step 5Board/Regent Approval
ASGA recommends that constitutional changes be ratified by the student body. It's their SG.
Administrators will have to sign off. Your college attorney will check compliance with laws, regulations, and institutional policies. The changes may ultimately require a stamp of approval from your board of trustees or regents.
What is your approval process, exactly? Check before you start rewriting.
How good are your SG's documents?
Maybe you don't need to touch it. Find out how your existing documents measure up.
Take the Quiz
Need another template?
Use these ASGA templates as a starting point.
SEE HOW OTHER SGS DO IT
Search thousands of SG documents.
ASGA's SG Database includes constitutions, bylaws, election codes, finance documents, ethics codes, policies, handbooks, job descriptions, training manuals, forms, procedures, and thousands of other documents from SGs of every type, size, and state.
Use them for ideas. Compare approaches. See how other institutions handle the same issue your SG is working on.
Search SG Document Database
Elections, Officers and Leadership
Finance, Policies & Operations
Planning, Programs & Communication
Student Government
& Campus
Other Documents & Examples
Sometimes your document really is the problem.
Your constitution has been amended maybe a billion times. It's just a flaming mess. A solution: burn it.
It's about 100 pages too long. It's a mish-mash of conflicting rules. SG has evolved, but the document is back in the stone ages.
Maybe it would be better to start over than amend the same document for the 47th time.
ASGA can help.
The SG Consulting Group can review, revise, or completely rewrite your constitution.