Student Trustee Election Policy

Doc. T91-133B, as amended

Passed by the BoT
2/5/92

STUDENT TRUSTEE ELECTION POLICY

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Trustees under G.L. c. 75, the following shall constitute the minimally required criteria and procedures for the election of a student trustee by the undergraduate and graduate students of each campus of the University of Massachusetts. Each Chancellor is hereby delegated the authority to implement this policy by approving written campus procedures ("campus procedures") consistent with this policy, which procedures shall be subject to approval by the President.

A. Candidate Qualification.
In order to qualify for election as a student trustee, a candidate shall be a full-time student and shall have maintained satisfactory academic progress as stipulated at each individual campus.

B. Election Process.

Elections of student trustees shall be conducted pursuant to campus procedures, which shall specify the details of the student trustee election process, including provisions for nomination, balloting, the conduct of and procedures for elections, and any appeals procedures; provided, however, that:

1. Sufficient notice of the nomination and election process shall be provided to all students prior to the election;

2. All matriculating undergraduate and graduate students shall be entitled to vote upon presentation of valid identification;

3. An elected student trustee must receive the greater vote of students voting in the election.

Upon approval of campus procedures, each Chancellor shall be responsible for their enforcement. Each student trustee shall be elected annually. If a student trustee is not elected by May 1st, the office of the position of the student trustee shall be deemed vacant, and no election for such position shall take place prior to September 15th.

C. Certification.

Each Chancellor shall certify by May 15th to the Secretary of the Board of Trustees that the elected student trustee is qualified and has been duly elected. The Secretary shall transmit such verification to the Secretary of State. No such verification shall be made if a Chancellor determines that a violation of campus procedures has substantially affected the fairness of an election.

D. Terms and Requirements of Office.

The term of office of each elected student trustee shall be for one year, which shall commence on July first following his or her election and shall terminate on June thirtieth of the following year. If at any time during the elected term of office the student trustee ceases to be a full-time student or fails to maintain satisfactory progress, the membership of said student on the Board of Trustees shall be deemed vacant. The Chancellor shall forthwith notify the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of such vacancy, and the Secretary shall transmit such notification to the Secretary of State. A vacancy in the office of an elected student trustee prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of a term in the same manner as an election to a full term.

A student trustee shall be elected for his or her interest in and ability to contribute to the fulfillment of the purposes of the Board of Trustees, and shall be deemed a member at large, charged with the responsibility of serving the best interest of the University.

An elected student trustee shall serve without compensation.