Student Organization Resource Fee
SORF Bylaws
Section #1 OBJECT
Section 1.1 The object of the SORF Board shall be:
Section 1.2 To develop and institute the policies and
procedures to be used in the distribution of the SORF.
Section 1.3 To recommend to the Chancellor or
his/her designee the allocation of the SORF.
Section 1.4 To inform the student body of the
allocation of the SORF Fee by a financial report published at least semi-annually.
Section #2 MEMBERSHIP
Section 2.1 The membership shall consist of eleven
voting members selected as follows:
Section 2.2 Eight students to be elected by the
student body according to SORF qualifications in an election to be held during
spring semester each year. The term of office shall begin the day after the
conclusion of the spring term and shall end at the conclusion of the spring term
the following year. The incumbent board shall act on previous applications and other
business until the conclusion of the spring term.
Section 2.3 A student on academic probation shall
be ineligible to run for office.
Section 2.4 At least two shall have graduate or
professional student standing.
Section 2.5 All elected members must have paid and
not received a SORF refund during their term of office.
Section 2.6 Three faculty/staff members appointed
by the Chancellor or his/her designee.
Section 2.7 A fiscal advisor, appointed by the
Chancellor, shall serve on the Board without vote. A representative of the Office
of Registered Organizations shall serve on the Board without vote.
Section 2.8 All candidates for and members of the
SORF Board must sign a statement certifying their understanding of and agreement
to abide by the SORF Bylaws, including the viewpoint neutrality and conflict of
interest requirements.
Section #3 OFFICERS
Section 3.1 The Board annually shall select its
own chairperson and vice chairperson from among the voting members at the first
meeting of the new Board.
Section 3.2 The office of secretary shall be filled
by the Office of Registered Organizations representative.
Section #4 MEETINGS
Section 4.1 The Board shall establish a regular
meeting time as necessary for the Board's affairs.
Section 4.2 Special meetings may be called as needed
by the Chairperson or upon the written request of three members of the Board. No
meeting shall be called without 72 hours notice unless so agreed upon by the entire
Board.
Section 4.3 All meetings shall be held at times and
places which are announced and open to the public.
Section 4.4 A quorum shall consist of 2/3 sitting
voting members. A majority of those voting when a quorum is present is required to
pass a motion.
Section 4.5 Remarks by non-Board members shall be
limited to a special time in the agenda except as described in
Section 4.6.
Section 4.6 A Board member may yield the floor to a
non-Board member for the sole purpose of answering specific factual questions
about the business at hand.
Section #5 REMOVAL OF BOARD MEMBERS
Section 5.1 All members of the Board shall be
expected to miss no more than three meetings during the year.
Section 5.2 If a member is unable to attend a
meeting, he/she is expected to notify the Chairperson at least 48 hours in advance.
Section 5.3 A member who is unable to attend a
meeting is still expected to perform all work required of him/her for that meeting.
Section 5.4 If a member of the Board should come to a meeting
unprepared for that meeting, he/she shall be considered absent.
Section 5.5 If a member should be absent for three
meetings, the Chairperson shall notify the member of his/her absenses. Upon a
fourth absence, that member shall forfeit his/her membership on the Board.
Section 5.6 Every effort shall be made to schedule meetings
of the Board at the convenience of all the members of the Board.
Section 5.7 The Board, upon a vote of all voting members,
may remove a member who demonstrates an inability to perform the duties of membership for
reasons other than repeated absences.
Section 5.8 A student member who is no longer registered
at UIUC forfeits his/her membership on the Board.
Section #6 VACANCIES
Section 6.1 The Board shall fill vacant student positions
with the candidate who received the next highest number of votes.
Section 6.2 If there is no student among those who
received votes in the previous election willing to serve, any registered student shall
have the opportunity to petition for the vacant seat subject to the regular SORF Board
qualifications. Any appointment shall be made by a majority vote of the SORF Board.
Section 6.3 Any appointment shall be subject to the
approval of the Chancellor or his/her designee.
Section 6.4 If a graduate/professional student position
is vacant and there are no graduate or professional students among those who received
votes in the previous election who are willing to serve, the Board shall conduct a search
to fill the position, including but not limited to advertising in the Daily Illini and
contacting the Graduate College. If a position is still vacant, then the position may be
filled by an undergraduate student as described in Sections 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3.
Section #7 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR DISTRIBUTION OF SORF BY THE BOARD
Section 7.1 Any registered student organization shall be
eligible to apply for SORF funds.
Section 7.2 The application for SORF funds must be filed on
the authorized form, including all required information, by the appropriate deadlines.
Section 7.3 Any member of the Board who is a member or
adviser of an organization requesting SORF funds or is affiliated with the activity for
which money is being requested shall abstain from voting, motioning, or seconding and
pre-reviewing that organization’s or activities' funding relating to that request.
Section 7.4 The Board shall recommend its allocation to
the Chancellor or his/her designee for approval from the majority of voting members
present.
Section 7.5 The Chancellor or his/her designee may accept
or reject all or part of any recommendations.
Section 7.6 Allocation shall be made during the fall
and spring semesters by the SORF Board.
Section 7.7 The unspent SORF funds allocated to
organizations shall revert to the SORF Board for reallocation upon expiration of the
stated date in the award letter, unless specifically stated otherwise by the Board at the
time the allocation is made and approved.
Section 7.8 With the exception of the Student Legal
Service and the Tenant Union, no organization shall receive more than 5% of the SORF
funds available in a year except when overridden by the unanimous vote of the Board
members present.
Section 7.9 The Board shall have the right to set
priorities for and percentages of funds allocated to categories of activities, programs
and services.
Section 7.10 The Board shall consider affirmatively
requests from student organizations for activities, programs and services directed toward
meeting the needs of those students who are members of a minority group.
Section 7.11 The Board may use SORF funds for internal
operation expenses such as Daily Illini ads, photocopying, fliers, etc., and campaigns to
advertise SORF.
Section #8 RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING SORF FUNDS
Section 8.1 To use SORF funds only for the purpose for
which they shall be allocated.
Section 8.2 To expend and account for all SORF funds in
the manner required by University regulations.
Section 8.3 To inform the SORF Board promptly of the
cancellation of any activities for which funds have been allocated.
Section #9 RULES OF ORDER
Section 9.1 Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the Board
in all cases to which they are applicable.
Section #10 BYLAW CHANGES
Section 10.1 Changes in these bylaws may be made by a
3/4 vote of all voting members at a regular or special meeting. Proposed changes shall
be distributed to all members of the Board at least one calendar week before that meeting.
Section #11 SORF APPLICATION AND ALLOCATION GUIDELINES CHANGES
Section 11.1 Changes in the SORF Application and
Allocation Guidelines may be made by a 3/4 vote of all voting members at a regular
or special meeting. Proposed changes shall be distributed to all members of the
Board at least one calendar week before that meeting.
Section #12 RATIFICATION
Section 12.1 Ratification of these bylaws shall
require a 3/4 vote of all voting members present.
Section #13 CHANCELLOR'S APPROVAL
Section 13.1 The bylaws, SORF Application and
Allocation Guidelines, any changes to the bylaws or SORF Application and Allocation
Guidelines, appointments to the Board, and allocation recommendations and
restrictions shall require the approval of the Chancellor or his/her designee.
Section #14 VIEWPOINT NEUTRALITY
Section 14.1 All SORF Board members’ decisions will
be made on a viewpoint-neutral basis. A decision made on a viewpoint-neutral basis
is defined as one not considering the viewpoints being expressed by the recipient of
the funds, and based only upon:
- Facts presented via e-mail correspondence with, conversations with, and
presentations from representatives of the organization
- Facts in the application
- SORF established guidelines and procedures
- Verifiable factual information
Section 14.2 The SORF Board will hold at least one
mandatory training session for all Board members at the beginning of its term of
office at which time each Board Member will be required to sign a statement of
acknowledgement and commitment to abiding by all SORF Board Bylaws. The definition
and importance of viewpoint neutrality, values clarification, conflict of interest
and other topics as needed will be covered at the training session. Members who join
the Board after the training session must attend a session that covers the same
material.
Section 14.3 The board upon 3/4 vote of all voting
members may remove a member who violates the viewpoint neutrality bylaw, and must
remove a member upon 3/4 vote of all voting members at the second offense, following
presentation of allegations indicating violation of the policy and an opportunity
for the member to respond to the allegations.
As approved by Vice Chancellor Revised 03/15/80
Stanley R. Levy on 11/16/79 Revised 01/29/81
Revised 10/21/82
Revised 04/09/84
Revised 07/02/90
Revised 07/19/91
Revised 07/07/93
Revised 05/05/94
Revised 10/28/96
Revised 04/24/99
Revised 11/14/03
Revised 11/20/03 (revised sect. 7.3; added 14.1, 14.2)
Revised 4/19/04 (added Sections 2.8 and 14.3)