1.01.001

These Bylaws supersede all previously adopted SBA rules and policies other than those embodied in the SBA Constitution.  In the event that these Bylaws conflict with the SBA Constitution, the Constitution shall govern.

1.01.002

These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the SBA officers in attendance at a duly-called SBA Board meeting.

1.01.003

In order to promote institutional memory, policies adopted by the SBA Board shall be adopted in the form of Bylaws provisions.  Provisions or amendments adopted after May 13, 2004, shall be followed by footnote citation to their date of adoption in order to facilitate future reference to the legislative record.

1.01.004

All SBA meetings will be open to all members of the student body, unless a two-thirds (2/3) majority of SBA Board members present vote to enter a closed session the week prior to the proposed closed meeting.  No questions involving money shall be discussed in closed session unless the issue is one of salary.  Board meetings will be publicized and students encouraged to attend.

1.01.005

All newly-elected SBA Board officers shall attend meetings of the incumbent SBA Board during a two week transitional period between the date of their election and the date they take office.  During the transition period, only incumbent officers will vote on SBA business.  However, the incumbent President can authorize newly elected officers to assume full voting responsibilities early, if necessary.

(1) The SBA Executive Board includes all elected members of the SBA.

1.01.006

The SBA President may excuse another officer’s absence from a regularly scheduled SBA Board meeting for legitimate reasons.  Legitimate reasons include illness (including doctor or dentist appointments), work, required activities for a law school class, or travel.  The officer seeking to have his or her absence excused must notify the President and the Secretary of the request and grounds prior to the meeting to be missed.  The Secretary shall note all excused and unexcused absences in the minutes.  Each SBA member can miss three excused meetings per quarter.

(1) If an SBA member has more than three excused absences per quarter, the missing board member is expected to sign up for an extra SBA chore.  The SBA Secretary should notify the member of each excused absence and keep track of how many chores they owe.

1.01.007

The Secretary shall notify the SBA Board and the officer in question when any officer accumulates two unexcused absences in a quarter.  The officer will be notified that, upon a third unexcused absence in that quarter, they will be presumed to have resigned from the SBA Board, pursuant to Article X, § 2 of the SBA Constitution.  Notification shall be in writing and sent or delivered within 48 hours of the second unexcused absence to both the officer involved and the SBA President.

(1) For each of unexcused absence accrued, the missing board member is expected to sign up for an extra SBA chore.  The SBA Secretary should notify the member of each unexcused absence, and keep track of how many chores they owe.

1.01.008

In nominating a student to succeed a removed or resigned officer pursuant to Article VII, § 2 of the SBA Constitution, the President must ensure that:

(1) the student body is promptly notified about the vacancy and application process, and

(2) the application deadline is at least seven days after such notification is distributed.

1.01.009

Standing Committees of SBA may be formed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the SBA Executive Board.  Current Standing Committees of the SBA are:

(1) The SBA Elections Commission, as detailed in [SECTION HYPERLINK HERE];

(2) The SBA Annual Budget Committee, as detailed in [SECTION HYPERLINK HERE];

(3) The SBA Bylaws Committee; and

(4) The SBA Wellness Committee.

1.01.010

Ad Hoc Committees of the SBA may be formed at Presidential discretion or by majority vote of the SBA Executive Board.  Ad hoc committees will have a formal charge outlining the authority of the committee, the maximum number of allowed voting members, and the chair(s) of the committee.  Ad hoc committees will exist until the end of the academic year unless the President or majority of the SBA Executive Board renews the charge of the committee.

1.01.011

Any Student Bar Association Bylaw may be suspended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the SBA Executive Board.

1.01.012

Meetings of the Student Bar Association will be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, insofar as they are compatible with the purposes and provisions of these Bylaws and the Student Bar Association Constitution, as provided by Article XII of said Constitution.

(1) By a majority vote of the SBA Executive Board, meetings may deviate from Robert’s Rules of Order and enter into an informal session.

(2) Budget allocations and resolutions may not be passed in an informal session.

(3) A majority vote of the SBA Executive Board is required to return to Robert’s Rules after an informal session.

1.01.013

Resolutions may be used to express the will of the UWLS student body or the SBA.

(1) Any student may author a resolution, but to be considered for support by the SBA the author must:

(a) present the resolution to the SBA, and

(b) obtain the support of at least half of the SBA Executive Board.

(2) The only methods for voting on a resolution are by roll call or by raise of hands, with votes recorded by the SBA Secretary. 

(3) The process for debating, amending, and voting on resolutions shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order.

(4) Resolutions shall be filed and kept electronically by the Secretary and in print in the SBA Office.

2.01 Annual Budget Allocations

2.01.001

A UWLS student organization must be registered with the University of Washington Student Activities Office as a Registered Student Organization (RSO) in order to be reimbursed with funds allocated to the RSO in the annual budget.

2.01.002

The Vice President of Student Organizations and Treasurer will establish a schedule for submission and consideration of UWLS RSO annual budget allocation requests and publicize it to RSO leaders and the student body at least two weeks prior to the budget request due date in the summer prior to the academic year.

2.01.003

RSOs requesting an annual budget allocation must submit an application to the Vice President of Student Organizations and Treasurer that includes a brief description of:

(1) activities undertaken by the RSO during the previous year;

(2) a list of the RSO’s relevant officers, including but not limited to the President(s), Treasurer, and Best Point of Contact, with their email addresses and phone numbers;


(3) an estimate of the RSO’s membership;

(4) an itemized list of planned activities, including a title, brief description, expected attendance, approximate date(s), and cost breakdowns for each activity for the coming year for which the RSO seeks funding; and

(5) a statement signed by the RSO member(s) submitting the request affirming that they have read the Title 2 of the SBA Bylaws and the RSO Manual prior to submitting their request.

(6) The Vice President of Student Organizations and Treasurer may require RSOs to submit additional information if needed.

2.01.004

In soliciting annual budget requests from RSOs, the Vice President of Student Organizations and Treasurer will provide RSO leaders with a copy of the SBA Bylaws “Title 2: Financial Policies.”  Providing an electronic copy by email is permissible to fulfill this requirement.

2.01.005

The Vice President of Student Organizations will preside over the SBA Budget Committee.  The SBA Budget Committee creates the final proposed annual budget and oversees supplemental requests.  The make-up and complete duties of the Budget Committee are defined in section 2.02.

2.01.006

The final proposed annual SBA budget must be approved by a simple majority of the SBA Board members in attendance at a duly called, open Board meeting. SBA board members should receive information including how much money the SBA has to distribute, how much each organization has requested, and a description of each RSO’s proposed events.

(1) The SBA Executive Board can make line-item changes to the proposed annual budget through a simple majority vote.

(2) If the budget as a whole is not approved, the budget committee will meet again and and propose a new budget at the subsequent SBA board meeting.

2.01.007

The SBA does not provide funding allocations for the following:

(1) Any event or funding request for an RSO that independently receives more than $3,000 a year in funds from the Law School Foundation or other funding source—but they may request supplemental funds;

(2) Tickets for events sponsored by UWLS or UWLS RSOs;

(3) Travel expenses, including airfare, bus/car rental, bus fares, mileage reimbursements, hotels/motels, and meals;

(4) Conference funding. Conferences are funded through the Dean for Students;

(5) Off-campus political activity, including lobbying, campaigning, or fundraising efforts;

(6) Speaker honorarium fees. Speaker fees are funded through the Dean for Students; and

(7) RSO Board meetings.

2.01.008

The following limitations and considerations are imposed upon RSOs when requesting and using SBA funding:

(1) An RSO may not use SBA funds appropriated as “restricted” for any expense not related to the designated event.  Any allocation made to a specified RSO event through the initial allocation process is restricted to that event.  All allocations to RSOs for TGIT events are restricted funds unless expressly designated otherwise.  The SBA Executive Board can un-restrict funds by majority vote upon recommendation by the Vice-President of Student Organizations or the Budget Committee.  An RSO that desires to un-restrict “restricted” funds must explain the reason for so wanting and explain why it cannot procure funds through other mechanisms.  An RSO that does not use allocated “restricted funds” in accordance with SBA Bylaws shall forfeit these funds to the SBA.

(2) The SBA does not fund more than one general membership meeting per student organization per year, and funding for a general membership meeting is capped at $150, regardless of expected attendance.

(3) In the interest of ensuring adequate availability of supplemental funds for all student organizations and the use of student funds to support substantive programming, a representative from the requesting organization must be present at the Budget Committee meeting to justify all supplemental budget requests over $75 and, if requested, be present at the SBA Board meeting.  If a representative from the organization cannot attend the Budget Committee Meeting, a representative must meet with or contact the VP of Student Organizations to justify the request.  Failure to do so will result in an automatic rejection of the request.

(4) An RSO may use SBA funds for fundraising activities only if the funds are provided through a supplemental funding request that has been properly approved.  Funding requests for fundraising activities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but may not include fundraising for political causes.

(5) SBA may fund parking and transportation costs to bring guests to the law school.  If the total request, including parking, is too high, it may be rejected or not fully funded.

(6) SBA uses a $3 - $5 per person of reasonably anticipated attendance guideline in evaluating funding requests for events.  This is a guideline, not a cutoff.  SBA shall consider each request holistically, and may consider factors including, but not limited to, the history of the event and the RSO, attendance at similar events, and the timing of the event.

(7) SBA will not approve a request for supplemental funding when an RSO has sufficient unrestricted funds remaining from its allocation.  If an RSO is requesting supplemental funding and did not participate in the initial allocation process, SBA members may inquire as to why the RSO did not participate.

2.01.009

In making initial allocation decisions, the Vice President of Students Organizations, the Treasurer, and the President and/or other members of the SBA Executive Board shall consider the following:

(1) the history of the event;

(2) the reasonable expected attendance of the event;

(3) the history of the RSO and their record in using SBA funds appropriately;

(4) the timing of the event (including both the quarter in which it will occur and the time during the quarter that it will occur);

(5) the need for the event (does it fill a gap that is currently being missed in UWLS?);

(6) the consistency of the request with Bylaws 2.01.007 and 008;

(7) the availability of funds;

(8) whether the sponsoring RSO participated in initial allocations and, if it did not, why it did not so participate; and

(9) other event-specific concerns.

2.01.010

Any student organization responsible for hosting a TGIT event has a duty to hold the event or give a timely notice of cancellation.  It is not the responsibility of SBA to remind RSOs that they have signed up for TGITs.  Failure to properly cancel a TGIT will result in a $50.00 reduction of the student organization's budget and immediate reallocation of the cancelling RSO’s restricted TGIT funds to the SBA supplemental budget.  This reduction will be taken from the school year in which the TGIT was scheduled to occur.  In the event that the RSO has no money left, the $50.00 will be deducted from the organization's budget the following year.  Any other RSO that replaces the TGIT in the schedule may ask the SBA for use of the $50.00 fine placed upon the defaulting organization. RSOs may appeal the sanction to the Vice-President of Recurring Programming and the Vice-President of Student Organizations. Sufficient and timely notice requires that all the following actions be taken before noon the Wednesday the week before the scheduled TGIT:

(1) An e-mail to the Vice-President of SBA Programming Recurring, the Vice-President of Student Organizations, and SBA President announcing the cancellation.

(2) An e-mail to the Vice-President of SBA Programming Recurring and Treasurer outlining any purchases or preparations made before determining that cancellation was necessary.

2.02 Budget Committee

2.02.001

The Vice President of Student Organizations shall preside over the Budget Committee, which shall include the Treasurer and the President or, at the discretion of the President, the Executive Vice President.  These three members shall select two additional students to serve on the Budget Committee, of which one must not be a current SBA member, by the second SBA meeting date of the Fall quarter.  Students who would like to have input in the funding process may attend SBA meetings and voice their opinions in that forum.

2.02.002

The Budget Committee creates the final proposed annual budget. Since this takes place during the summer, the Budget Committee may only include the Vice President of Student Organizations, the President, and the Treasurer.  If the two additional committee members have been selected already, they are expected to assist in the creation of the final proposed annual budget.

2.02.003

The Budget Committee shall meet at least 48 hours in advance of every SBA meeting when supplemental budget requests have been made.  The Budget Committee shall consider and vote on each supplemental request.  The Committee shall provide a written recommendation, including the suggested amount of funding, the Committee vote, and additional pertinent details, to the SBA Executive Board at least 24 hours in advance of the next calendared SBA meeting.  The SBA Executive Board shall vote on the Budget Committee’s recommendation.

2.02.004

The Budget Committee must have at least three members present to begin a meeting.  All votes shall be recorded.

2.02.005

Regardless of the outcome of the Budget Committee vote, the result and recommendation of the Budget Committee shall be presented to the SBA Executive Board via written recommendation and at the following SBA meeting.  The SBA Executive Board is not required to follow the Budget Committee’s recommendation, and the recommendation is not binding.

2.02.006

Requests for supplemental funding must be made at least two weeks (fourteen calendar days) in advance of the event for which funding is requested.  Failure to submit a request in accordance with this bylaw shall result in the automatic rejection of the request.

2.03 Reimbursement Policies

2.03.001

Only RSOs may be reimbursed with SBA funds for approved expenses.  However:

(1) SBA can choose to sponsor and reimburse any individual projects, subject to and consistent with the policies regarding RSOs.

(2) Individual projects must be pre-approved by the SBA before the event occurs.

(3) SBA may partner with individuals or RSOs to host events.

2.03.002

Reimbursement checks will only be issued once the SBA Treasurer has received a completed Reimbursement Request Form, accompanied by relevant receipts and attendance sheets, per UW student event regulations.

2.03.003

Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 21 days from the date on which the event took place or by the last day of the quarter in which the event occurred, whichever occurs first.  Late requests may delay or even preclude reimbursement.  If the request is not received before the last day of classes each quarter the RSO forfeits their right to reimbursement.

2.03.004

Reimbursements will not be issued to individuals or RSOs for expenses that exceed the amount allocated by the SBA through annual allocation or grant of supplemental funding.

2.03.005

Reimbursements are issued on a first-come basis.  The last individual to turn in their request for a given event may not be fully reimbursed if the total spent for the event exceeds the amount of allocated funds.  RSOs are encouraged to coordinate reimbursement requests to ensure their members are adequately reimbursed.

2.03.006

Reimbursements will not be issued to an RSO that has not submitted a copy of its RSO registration for the year to the Treasurer or the Vice President of Student Organizations.  RSO registration copies are due the first day of November or two weeks after the scheduled UW Law RSO Fall Training, whichever is later.

2.04 Supplemental Funding Requests

2.04.001

UWLS RSOs may request supplemental funding for activities not requested or not funded during the initial allocation request process pursuant to the Budget Committee process outlined in 2.01.001 to 2.01.004.  A request may be made for events or expenses that were requested but not approved through the initial allocation process.

(1) Supplemental funding will only be awarded to RSOs that apply for initial allocation, unless the RSO is a newly created organization, or other extenuating circumstances apply.

2.04.002

An RSO seeking supplemental funding shall submit a request to the Budget Committee via the Vice President of Student Organizations.  The request must be signed (unless it is emailed), include at least one contact within the RSO, state the amount requested, and provide a specific cost breakdown.  This request must be submitted at least two one weeks in advance of the date of the planned event.  Failure to meet this deadline shall result in the automatic rejection of the request.

2.04.003

Any supplemental funding request for an event occurring after the conclusion of the academic school year or in the first week of the next quarter must be submitted two weeks prior to the conclusion of the academic school year to allow time for an SBA Board vote.

2.04.004

At each Budget Committee meeting the Vice-President of Student Organizations will submit all written funding requests received by the previous day or presented in person during the weekly meeting to the Budget Committee, along with any information he or she has received regarding the request.  The Budget Committee will evaluate the requests in the interim between weekly SBA Executive Board Meetings and provide a written recommendation to the SBA Executive Board at least 24 hours before the next SBA Meeting.

2.04.005

During each SBA Executive Board Meeting, the Vice President of Student Organizations shall present the Budget Committee’s recommendations on the previous week’s requests.  The SBA Executive Board will then vote on the proposal.

2.04.006

A majority vote is sufficient to approve any supplemental funding request.

2.04.007

No member of the SBA may guarantee or grant funding to any RSO without prior Board approval.

2.04.008

No SBA member may vote on a supplemental funding request for an RSO on which that member holds a board position.

2.05 Internal Spending Policies

2.05.001

All SBA-related expenditures in excess of $150 must be approved by a majority vote of the SBA Executive Board.

2.05.002

The Treasurer or President may approve the expenditure of up to $150 for any internal SBA expenditure without prior Board approval.  The Budget Committee must be informed of the amount and purpose of such authorizations within 48 hours of the authorization.

3.01 Responsibilities Common to All Officers

The officers of this organization shall be as follows: President, Executive Vice President, two Vice Presidents for SBA Programs (Seasonal and Recurring), Vice President for Student Organizations, Vice President of Equity and Inclusion, Vice President of Communications, Secretary, Treasurer, two 3L Representatives, two 2L Representatives, at least two 1L Representatives (the number of representatives to serve is determined at the discretion of the President), two three LLM Graduate Student (LLM, MJ, & PhD) Representatives, a Transfer Representative, two Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senators (GPSS), American Bar Association Representative, Washington State Bar Association Liaison, and King County Bar Association Liaison.

3.01.001 General Duties of the SBA Officers

Every SBA officer shall:

(1) Ensure that the Executive Board’s cumulative workload is fairly distributed among the officers by serving on SBA Committees, working on SBA projects, completing “to be assigned” duties outlined in Bylaw 3.04.003, and helping recruit other UWLS students to help;

(2) Maintain the cleanliness of the (a) microwave ovens and surrounding counter area near the Supreme Cup cafe and
(b) the Cold Case refrigerator for one week during each of three quarters;

(3) Volunteer to oversee one TGIT per academic year; and

(4) Maintain a transition document to preserve institutional memory for the person who succeeds them.

3.02 General Provisions Related to Officer Responsibilities

3.02.001

The SBA Constitution or Bylaws may directly assign a duty by virtue of the office the individual holds.

3.02.002

An officer is responsible for ensuring that their assigned responsibilities are completed.  The officer is not required to personally do all of the work necessary to fulfill their duties.  For example, the officer may fulfill the duty through delegation to a committee comprised of other SBA Officers and/or other UWLS students.  However, it is ultimately the officer’s responsibility to see that the assigned duty is completed.

3.03 Specific Duties of SBA Officers

3.03.001 President

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) Serve as the chief administrative officer of the SBA;

(b) preside over meetings of the Association and Executive Board;

(c) direct the implementation of policies adopted and authorized by the Association and Executive Board;

(d) represent the Association to the UWLS Administration and the public; and

(e) report on their activities at each Executive Board meeting.

(2) Meet regularly with the Deans of the Law School;

(3) Attend all faculty meetings;

(4) Serve on the Law School Foundation Board;

(5) Serve as liaison to the Faculty Executive Council Chair;

(6) Represent SBA to the UWLS Alumni Association;

(7) Oversee and facilitate SBA activities and duties, using the SBA “action list” to ensure that SBA activities are being completed, or reassessed, in a timely manner (see § 3.03.005(3));

(8) Appoint students to ad hoc faculty committees;

(9) Monitor ad hoc student committees;

(10) Communicate regularly with student body on matters of urgency not addressed by the VP of Communications;

(11) Review and report on correspondence received from UWLS RSO presidents and the wider community;

(12) Identify Board Members responsible for “to be assigned” duties (see § 3.04);

(13) Plan and implement an SBA Board Retreat and Strategic Plan prior to academic year’s start; and

(14) Plan and implement an annual Law Leaders Retreat prior to the academic year’s start.

(15) Determine how many 1L Representatives are required prior to the Fall Elections, and present findings to the election committee.  

3.03.002 Executive Vice President

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) assist the President in the performance of the President's duties; 

(b) preside over meetings of the Association and Executive Board in the President’s absence;

(c) oversee the appointment and tenure of student appointments to SBA and UWLS standing committees, including but not limited to the following duties:

(i) Coordinate the application process for all committee assignments with advice from the SBA President and report appointments to the SBA Executive Board.  Appointments to standing faculty committees should be made for the year no later than the first day of classes in Fall Quarter.

(ii) ensure that student representatives to all standing UWLS Faculty Committees report to the Executive Board at least once per quarter or more frequently as needed.

(iii) ensure that student representatives to all standing UWLS Faculty Committees report to the Executive Board after their respective committee approves any significant policy changes that require passage by the voting Faculty.  Such reporting should occur before proposed policy changes reach the Faculty for vote. Wherever possible, student representatives should report to the Executive Board before the Faculty Committee on which they sit votes on the proposal.

(iv) meet with student appointees prior to the commencement of their duties to discuss their role and responsibilities.

(v) ensure that appointments are public knowledge by posting appropriate notifications of the recruitment and appointment process, especially for appointments that carry over more than one year.

(vi) The Executive Vice President shall ensure that each member of the Standing Committee on Wellness, as outlined in 5.02.001, is aware of their assignment.

(3) Coordinate student body forums and surveys.

3.03.003 Vice Presidents for SBA Programs (2) (Seasonal and Recurring)

The Vice Presidents for Seasonal and Recurring SBA Programs shall:

(1) coordinate programs and events sponsored by the SBA Executive Board (including but not limited to the Fall Festival, Thank Goodness It’s Thursday Events (TGITs), and quarterly charity events),

(2) serve as the liaisons to the Dean of Students for Orientation coordination, oversee the ordering and sale of SBA merchandise, and

(3) perform other duties as assigned by the President or Executive Board.

3.03.004 Vice President for Student Organizations: 

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) support and coordinate with law student organization leaders for student organization events;

(b) hold at least quarterly student organization President’s meetings;

(c) prepare the annual SBA budget in coordination with the President and Treasurer;

(d) chair the SBA budget committee; and

(e) coordinate SBA supplemental budget requests.

3.03.005 Secretary

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) serve as the Secretary of the Executive Board and the Association;

(b) maintain all Association files and records in a safe and orderly manner;

(c) forward timely notice of Executive Board and Association meetings to the Association’s officers and the student body;

(d) maintain and update the Association website on a regular basis; and

(e) manage SBA elections.

(2) Create and distribute the SBA Executive Board meeting agenda and minutes:

(a) Post minutes to the SBA website weekly;


(b) Update board contact information on the SBA website after every election; and

(c) Update RSO contact information on the SBA website after RSO documents reflecting changes in RSO board leadership have been submitted.

(3) Create and maintain an SBA “action items” list that charts current SBA projects and who is serving as the lead on each project for use by the President. (see § 3.03.001(8)).

(4) Coordinate external communications.

(5) Coordinate orientation for any new SBA Executive Board members.

(6) Promote SBA functions and events to students, staff, administrators, and faculty, in coordination with the Vice-President SBA Programs or the event’s Lead Officer.

(7) Coordinate any SBA nominations of UWLS staff for University Distinguished Staff Award.

(8) Serve as Parliamentarian of the SBA using the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order to supplement the SBA Constitution and Bylaws, as provided by 1.01.012 of these Bylaws and by Section XII of the SBA Constitution.

(9) Coordinate an annual review of the By-Laws before the end of the Fall Quarter.

3.03.006 Treasurer

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) maintain records of all receipts and disbursements of Association funds in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations;

(b) be the primary account signer for SBA funds;

(c) keep all organizational financial records in balance; and

(d) serve on the Board’s Budget Committee.

(2) Maintain SBA bills and accounts.

(3) Report to the SBA Executive Board on budget matters.

(4) Approve payments, general financial matters.

(5) Compile a quarterly budget report to be shared with the Budget Committee and SBA Board.

3.03.007 3L Representatives

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the concerns of their class to the Board;

(b) coordinate graduation ceremonies with the LLM Representatives;

(c) organize class events; and

(d) disseminate relevant information to the class and organize a class gift.

(2) Coordinate Election of Graduation Speaker Choices.

(3) Coordinate Graduation Ticket Allocation with LLM Reps and Administration (Fall and Spring).

(4) Disseminate information about the bar exam and graduation requirements.

(5) Serve on the SBA Elections Commission (see § 4.05.001).

(6) organize and coordinate a public service projects in partnership with the other class and LLM representatives (as described in 7.03.001).

3.03.008 2L Representatives

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the concerns of their class to the Board;

(b) organize class events; and

(c) disseminate relevant information to the class.

(2) Coordinate Committees for Events/Project.

(3) Coordinate “Hump Day” (2L mid-way point) party.

(4) Coordinate the 2L/3L mentorship program by matching 2L and 3L pairs with groups of 1Ls.

(5) Organize and coordinate public service projects in partnership with the other class and LLM representatives (as described in 7.03.001).

3.03.009 1L Representatives

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the concerns of their class to the Board;

(b) organize class events including the 1L end of the year BBQ; and

(c) disseminate relevant information to the class.

(2) Coordinate Committees for Events/Project.

(3) Organize and coordinate a public service projects in partnership with the other class and LLM representatives (as described in 7.03.001).

(4) Designate a "Section Rep" for each Section to help with planning and promoting Class and/or SBA events and projects.

3.03.010 LLM and Graduate Student Representatives 

(1) Fulfill duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the concerns of LL.M and Graduate students to the Board;

(b) coordinate graduation ceremonies with the 3L Representatives UW Law SBA Bylaws;

(c) organize LL.M and Graduate student events
; and

(d) disseminate relevant information to LL.M and Graduate students.

(2) Coordinate Committees for Events/Projects.

(3) Plan a Graduation Party.

(4) Coordinate an LLM and Graduate Student Class event.

(5) Organize and coordinate public service projects in partnership with the other class and LLM representatives (as described in 7.03.001).

(6) The LLM representative should provide an accurate memorandum related with the activities, projects and events organized by LLM students during the academic year, by the end of his or her term.  The incoming president of SBA must deliver the memorandum to the next LLM representative at the beginning of his or her term.

3.03.011 Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senators

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the SBA to the GPSS;

(b) fulfill duties of GPSS Senator as determined by the GPSS Constitution and By-laws;

(c) notify the Executive Board of relevant business before the GPSS; and

(d) notify the UWLS student body of opportunities to participate in GPSS activities and programs.

(2) Serve as liaison to the wider University community.

(3) One or both shall serve as State Legislative Liaison(s) and coordinate tuition affairs along with the SBA President.

(4) One or both shall serve as Board of Regents Liaison(s) and will coordinate issue advocacy with the SBA President.

(5) If no LLM students run and serve as representatives for their classmates the GPSS Senators shall seek out LLM viewpoints and represent these viewpoints to the SBA and GPSS.


(6) Serve three (3) hours tabling for the SBA per quarter.

3.03.012 American Bar Association Representative

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the Association to the ABA;

(b) promote opportunities to participate in the ABA to the student body; and

(c) notify the Executive Board of relevant business before the ABA Law Student Division.

(2) Coordinate and promote UWLS student and SBA participation in the ABA Annual Meeting.

(3) Represent UW Law students’ diverse interests to the American Bar Association Law Student Division.

(4) Coordinate the UW Law ABA student membership drive.

(5) Promote ABA events and opportunities to the UWLS student body.

(6) Promote UWLS student involvement in the ABA and its entities as appropriate.

(7) Research and encourage RSOs to connect with relevant entities (Sections, Forums, Affiliate Groups) within the ABA.

(8) Serve three (3) hours tabling for the SBA per quarter.

3.03.013 Washington State Bar Association Liaison

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the Association to the WSBA;

(b) promote opportunities to participate in WSBA and WYLD programs and activities to the student body; and

(c) notify the Executive Board of business before the WSBA and WYLD Boards relevant to law students and young lawyers.

(2) Work with the ABA Representative and KCBA Liaison to update the UWLS SBA's Guide to Student Involvement in the Bar as needed each summer.

(3) Research and encourage RSOs to connect with relevant WSBA entities (Sections, Committees, Affiliate Groups).

(4) Work with WSBA's designated senior staff person to, in conjunction with the SBA President, recruit and appoint UWLS student representatives to WSBA Task Forces or Committees needing student representation.

(5) Work with the WSBA CLE staff to learn of and promote free and/or reduced price CLE opportunities to the student body.

(6) Facilitate communication between student representatives on WSBA Committees or Task Forces and the SBA Board and UWLS student body as needed.

(7) Serve three (3) hours tabling for the SBA per quarter.

3.03.014 King County Bar Association Liaison

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:

(a) represent the Association to the KCBA;

(b) serve as the UW Law Student Trustee on the KCBA Young Lawyers Division (KCYLD) Board of Trustees and attend monthly KCYLD-BOT meetings;

(c) promote opportunities to participate in KCBA and KCYLD programs and activities to the student body; and

(d) notify the Executive Board of business before the KCBA and KCYLD Boards relevant to law students and young lawyers.

(2) Work with the ABA Representative and WSBA Liaison to update the UWLS SBA's Guide to Student Involvement in the Bar as needed each summer.

(3) Research and encourage RSOs to connect with relevant KCBA entities (Sections, Committees, Affiliate Groups).

(4) Serve as the primary liaison between the KCBA and their entities and the UWLS SBA and student body.

(5) Work with KCBA's designated senior staff person to, in conjunction with the SBA President, recruit and appoint UWLS student representatives to KCBA Committees needing student representation.

(6) Work with the KCBA CLE staff to learn of and promote free and/or reduced price CLE opportunities to the student body.

(7) Facilitate communication between student representatives on KCBA Committees or Task Forces and the SBA Board and UWLS student body as needed.

(8) Serve three (3) hours tabling for the SBA per quarter.

3.03.015 Transfer Representative

(1) Fulfill those duties mandated by the SBA Constitution:


(2) Coordinate, in association with the Dean For Students and the President, an orientation event for incoming Transfer Students; and

(3) Coordinate a Transfer Event Fall quarter with the goal of introducing transfers to the larger student body.

3.03.016 Vice President of Equity and Inclusion

The Vice President of Equity and Inclusion shall:

(1) Serve as the liaison between the Dean's Advisory Committee on Diversity and the SBA,

(2) Work with the Budget Committee to ensure that minority RSOs receive adequate funding irrespective of membership,

(3) Coordinate surveys and other such measures as necessary to ensure that SBA-sponsored events are welcoming to all students, and

(4)Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board.

3.03.017 Vice President of Communications

The Vice President of Communications shall:

(1) Develop and implement a strategic communications plan to advance SBA brand identity; broaden awareness of its events/programs/priorities;

(2) Identify challenges and emerging communications issues faced by SBA and work to solve said issues;

(3) Develop and maintain SBA social media presence; and

(4) Serve SBA and all of its events/programs/priorities marketing, and communication needs, including but not limited to the consistent up-keep and response of messages, emails, and all other communications related matters.

3.03.018 Wellness Advocate

The Wellness Advocate shall advocate for all students to ensure that they are provided with holistic and complete resources addressing mental health and addiction including but not limited to: medical and therapeutic resources, counseling resources, mindfulness resources, healthy eating resources, and exercise resources.  Shall chair the Standing Committee on Wellness as outlined in the SBA Bylaws 5.02, publicize wellness resources to the student body, publish an annual wellness report by the first day of winter quarter that details existing resources and plans for the following year, and give an officer’s report during each SBA meeting.  See Title 8 for Standing Committee bylaws.

3.04 Duties to be Assigned by the President

3.04.001 Introduction

The duties described in this section, each of which the President may assign to individual SBA Board members or another designated student, shall be referred to herein as “to be assigned” duties.

3.04.002 Appointment of Officers to “To Be Assigned” Duties

The President may initially assign SBA Board officers or another designated student to each of these duties on a temporary basis.  Prior to or at the second meeting after the fall elections have been certified by the SBA Board, the President shall submit a complete list of assignments for finalization by the Board.  Any specific assignment may be amended by a majority of the Board at that meeting.

3.04.003 “To Be Assigned” Duties

(1) Coordinate fundraising.

(2) Coordinate Intramural Sports Teams.

(3) Coordinate proposals, programs and student volunteers for admitted student recruitment in Winter and Spring Quarters, including student phone calls to admittees.

(4) Serve as liaison to the Admissions Supervisor.

(5) Serve as liaison to the Assistant Dean for Career Services.

(6) Serve as liaison to the Assistant Dean for Development.

(7) Serve as liaison to the Associate Dean for Library and Computing Services.

(8) Serve as liaison to the Financial Aid Coordinator.

(9) Coordinate spring nominations and elections for the Charles Z. Smith Student Public Service Award(s), the Mary A. Starr Staff of the Year Award, the Philip A. Trautman Professor of the Year Awards, the Excellence in Graduate Education Professor of the Year Award, and Student Bar Association Award for Student Service (as described in 7.01.001 et sequential).

(10) Serve on the Communications Committee.

(11) Serve on the Bylaws Committee.

(12) Serve on the Oversight Committee.

(13) Serve on the Resolutions [this needs a better name] Committee.

(14) Serve on the Advancement Committee.

4.01 Authority and Scope

4.01.001

The following shall be known as the Student Bar Association Elections Code.

4.01.002

All elections of officers and representatives to the SBA Executive Board and the elections of positions provided for in the SBA Constitution or Bylaws shall be conducted by the authority of and under the guidelines of this Code.

4.01.003

All other elections sponsored by the SBA in which law students participate shall be conducted under the guidance of this Code.

4.01.004

The SBA Executive Board may waive or modify, by majority vote, the application of any section of this Code to any election upon request by the body sponsoring the election.  This section shall not apply to an election for officers and representatives to the SBA Executive Board or any election for an elective position under the SBA Constitution.

4.01.005

If any part of this Code is found invalid, all parts that are severable from the invalid part shall remain in effect.

4.02 Election Procedures

4.02.001

There shall be a General Election for the SBA Executive Board positions of President; Executive Vice President; Vice President for Seasonal Programming;  Vice President for Recurring Programming; Vice President for Student Organizations; Vice President of Equity and Inclusion; Vice President of Communication Secretary; Treasurer; American Bar Association Representative; Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Liaison; King County Bar Association (KCBA) Liaison; one Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) Senator; two 3L Representatives; two 2L Representatives; a Graduate Program (LLM, MJ & PhD) Representative, and a Transfer Representative, and a Wellness Advocate held in the Spring Quarter of each year.

4.02.002

There shall be an election for two LLM Graduate Program (LLM, MJ & PhD) Representatives; one Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senator; and at least two 1L representatives (the number of representatives to serve is determined at the discretion of the President) in the Fall Quarter of every year.  In the event no graduate students run to be LLM/graduate student representatives, the GPSS Senators will be charged with the responsibility of seeking input from graduate students and representing their viewpoint within the SBA Executive Board.

4.02.003

The general spring quarter election shall be held within three weeks of the conclusion of the nomination process provided for in Article VI, Section 1 of the SBA Constitution.

4.02.004

The fall quarter election shall be held within three weeks of the nomination process described in Article VI, Section 6 of the SBA Constitution.

4.02.005

In the event that a runoff election is required, it shall be held within one week of the initial election.  Sufficient notice of this supplemental election process shall be given to the student body of the Law School.

4.02.006

Runoff elections shall be conducted under the same guidelines of this Code.

4.02.007

To qualify as a candidate for any office under the SBA Constitution, a person must:

(1) be a registered student at the Law School;

(2) not intend to graduate, transfer, or otherwise not be present at the Law School during their term of office

(a) If a student takes an externship or is otherwise not present at the Law School during their term of office, the President may either appoint a person to fulfill the student’s role or call for a special election ; and

(3) meet all qualifications for office as set forth in the SBA Constitution.

4.02.008

Within one week after an election, the outgoing SBA Executive Board shall convene to certify the election of each candidate for office.  Certification of an election shall mean the approval of the outgoing SBA Executive Board, by majority vote, of the conduct of the election and candidates in accordance with these rules.  In the event an entire election is not certified, a special election will be called and conducted under the same guidelines of this Title.

4.03 Write-in Candidates

4.03.001

A write-in candidate is bound by all provisions of this Elections Code.

4.03.002

In the event that a write-in candidate qualifies for a runoff election, that candidate shall be included on the run-off ballot.

4.03.003

The validity of any write-in ballot shall be determined by the Elections Commission.

4.03.004

Ballots cast in a runoff election that attempt to write in a candidate whose name does not appear on that ballot shall be counted as abstentions.

4.04 Referenda

4.04.001

A referendum is defined as any election proceeding by which the approval, disapproval, ratification, guidance, or opinions of the students on any matter is sought.

4.04.002

The procedures and requirements outlined in this title shall apply to all referendums in which law students have the exclusive right to participate.

4.04.003

Any person or group of persons wishing to initiate a referendum shall obtain the signatures of at least twenty (20) percent of the students registered at the Law School for the quarter that the referendum is to be held.  These signatures must be affixed to a written petition that includes the referendum language.

4.04.004

The written petition shall be submitted to the Elections Commission, which shall verify the accuracy of the signatures within a reasonable time.

4.04.005

The Elections Commission shall conduct the referendum under the guidelines of this Code no later than two (2) weeks after verification by the Elections Commission of the authenticity of the signatures on the petition.

4.04.006

A referendum may also be initiated by a 2/3 vote of the SBA Executive Board.

4.04.007

The Elections Commission shall post reasonable notice to students that a referendum will be held not less than five (5) school days before the date of the referendum.

4.04.008

The notice required in § 4.04.007 shall contain:

(1) a copy of the referendum language submitted to the students;

(2) the date of the referendum;

(3) the time that balloting will begin and end; and

(4) the qualifications needed to vote in the referendum.

4.04.009

No referendum shall be made during the summer term.

4.04.010

Voting for a referendum shall be open for at least seventy-two (72) hours.

4.04.011

Restrictions for campaigning for all referenda shall be the same as those for candidates as outlined in the entirety of §4.06 of these bylaws.

4.05 Elections Commission

4.05.001

The Elections Commission shall consist of the SBA President, Secretary, and current 3L Representatives.  The Secretary shall chair the Elections Commission.

4.05.002

The Elections Commission shall:

(1) organize, supervise, and conduct all official elections of the SBA;

(2) enforce all elections bylaws included in this Code;

(3) post all information concerning an election;

(4) conduct the “Candidates Meeting” referred to in §4.09.001;

(5) obtain a list of all students registered at the Law School for the quarter in which an election shall be held, to be used as the official voter list;

(6) obtain, organize, and instruct all poll workers; supervise the counting of ballots (at least three members must be present); in the alternative, an online survey may substitute for physical voting polls to be viewable by at least three members of the Elections Commission;

(7) receive and investigate election code violations;

(8) conduct referendums in accordance with § 4.04;

(9) assume any duties and responsibilities not covered by this Code, but which are imposed or delegated by the SBA Executive Board for any particular election; and

(10) enforce the posting policy for campaign materials (see § 4.06.004).

4.05.003

No person may serve on the Elections Commission for an election in which they are a candidate, nor may members of the Commission campaign for any candidates in that election.  Any candidate or write-in candidate may challenge an election commissioner for cause before the SBA Executive Board.

4.05.004

In the event that one of the members of the Elections Commission cannot serve, a replacement shall be appointed by the SBA Executive Board.

4.06 Restrictions on Campaign Materials

4.06.001

Candidates may submit four copies of a poster and four copies of a candidate statement to the Elections Commission.  None of these materials shall exceed 8 ½” x 11”in size.  The Commission will post one copy of each document in each of up to four designated posting places.  No other materials may be posted.

4.06.002

There is no limit on the number of name-tags and leaflets a candidate may distribute; except the financial constraint imposed by § 4.07.001.

4.06.003

The use of classroom or seminar room whiteboards by the candidates is specifically prohibited.

4.06.004

No candidate may post or distribute campaign materials in the law library.

4.06.005

No candidate, or person on behalf of a candidate, shall be allowed access to the official voter list.

4.06.006

Law School RSOs may not place campaign materials on behalf of a candidate upon RSO bulletin boards or other organizational property.

4.06.007

All campaign materials placed by, or on behalf of a candidate, shall be removed by such candidate no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the conclusion of his or her election.

4.06.008

No candidate or student campaigning on behalf a candidate can post campaign materials to any UWLS email listserv including but not limited to lawdawgs, class Listservs or Facebook pages, and any RSO/UWLS student organization listserv.  The SBA will provide additional rules on the use of technology before every election.

4.07 Campaign Expenditures

4.07.001

Candidates for each office or position shall be allowed to caucus among themselves to determine the upper spending limit for each candidate for that office, said limits being determined by the consensus of the candidates seeking that office or position.  In no event shall the upper spending limit exceed one-hundred dollars ($100.00) for the SBA President race nor fifty dollars ($50.00) in another officer race.

4.07.002

All campaign materials shall be valued at their fair market value in determining how much a candidate has spent on his or her campaign.  The fair market value for materials or expenditures may be determined by the Elections Commission.

4.07.003

No money shall be spent in a manner that violates state law or University policy.

4.07.004

Upon demand of the Elections Commission, a candidate shall present receipts verifying amounts spent for campaign purposes.

4.07.005

The cost of joint campaign materials shall be attributed in equal shares to all candidates participating in the joint campaign.

4.08 Election Code Violations

4.08.001

All candidates for any office under the SBA Constitution shall, at all times, follow the provisions of this Code.

4.08.002

Failure to follow the provisions of this Code shall constitute an Elections Code violation.

4.08.003

Any SBA member noting an Election Code violation shall report it in writing to the Elections Commission prior to the certification of the election provided for in § 4.02.011.

4.08.004

If an Election Code violation is reported prior to the date of an election, the Elections Commission shall take whatever steps it deems necessary to correct such violation, which may include preventing a candidate’s name from appearing on the ballot.  Timely appeal of an action of the Elections Commission shall be made to the current SBA Executive Board.

4.08.005

If an Election Code violation is reported after the date of an election, but prior to the certification by the SBA Executive Board, such violation may constitute sufficient cause to withhold certification of the election for that particular candidate.

4.08.006

If an Election Code violation is attributed to any candidate, such violation may be sufficient cause to prevent such candidate from holding or running for any office under the SBA Constitution for at least three (3) quarters.

4.09 Election Processes

4.09.001

A meeting of all candidates shall be arranged and conducted by the Elections Commission not more than two (2) days after the close of nominations. All candidates shall attend the candidates’ meeting in person or by designated proxy.

4.09.002

At the Candidates’ Meeting described in  § 4.09.001, the Elections Commission shall:

(1) decide whether a candidate forum will be held;

(2) direct the candidates to caucus to determine their upper spending limit as described in § 4.07.001;

(3) dispense any general information pertinent to the candidates;

(4) review the restrictions on campaigning listed in § 4.06;

(5) establish a due date for campaign posters/candidate statements as well as a position statement for inclusion on the SBA website.

4.09.003

A forum of the candidates may be convened at the discretion of the Elections Commission. All law students shall be invited to this forum.

4.09.004

The Elections Commission shall publish all candidate positions statements submitted online before the deadline established at the candidate meeting.  This information should be published on the website in as timely manner as possible but the opening of election polls shall not be prevented from opening because this information is not yet published.

4.09.005

The Elections Commission shall designate and publicize the polling hours for all elections.  These hours shall be set to maximize the opportunity for law students to vote.  The Commission may also make provisions for absentee or electronic balloting.

4.09.006

For those positions in which only one candidate may be elected, the candidate receiving the most votes shall be elected to that position.  If two or more candidates tie for the highest number of votes, there shall be a runoff election between those candidates.  The candidate receiving the highest number of votes in the runoff election shall be elected to that position.  In the event of a tied vote in a runoff election additional runoffs will be held until a candidate receives a majority of votes.

Only for elections choosing the Transfer Student Representative, the Elections Commission, acting within its discretion, may recommend allowing candidates to jointly serve in a position, in lieu of a runoff election between two (2) candidates, when the Commission finds that a runoff election is likely to result in a tie.  If the Election Commission exercises this discretion, both candidates must be informed of their right to request a runoff election and agree to jointly serve in the contested position.  If both candidates agree to jointly serve in the contested position, then the Executive Board may seat both candidates by first approving a motion to specifically allow both candidates to be seated before certifying the election results. 

4.09.007

For those positions in which two candidates may be elected, the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be elected to those positions.  If three or more candidates are tied for the top number of votes, those candidates shall compete in a runoff election.  If one candidate receives the most votes and two or more are tied for second-place, the first candidate shall be elected to one of the positions, and a runoff election will be conducted between the remaining tied candidates for the remaining position until a candidate receives a majority of votes.

4.09.008

For those positions in which three candidates may be elected, the three candidates receiving the most votes shall be elected to those positions.  If four or more candidates are tied for the top number of votes, those candidates shall compete in a runoff election.  If one candidate receives the most votes and three or more are tied for second-place, the first candidate shall be elected to one of the positions, and a run-off election will be conducted between the remaining tied candidates for the remaining positions.  If two or more candidates are tied for third-place a run-off election will be conducted between the remaining tied candidates for the remaining position until a candidate receives a majority of votes.

5.01 Mandatory Student Organization SBA Meetings

5.01.001

The SBA will hold regular meetings with representatives from each student organization.  These meetings will be held at least once a quarter.  The Vice President of Student Organizations shall be the Chair of these meetings.  In these meetings, the Vice-President of Student Organizations Should Discuss:

(1) Event Pre-Planning: Punctual supplemental budget requests, Advertising, Booking Rooms, Appropriate time selections, Speaker Honorarium, Ordering Lunches;

(2) Event Reminders: Bringing a sign-in sheet, utensils for any meals;

(3) Post-Event Reminders: Properly disposing of trash and wiping away any spills or food stains from desks, Returning unused funds and SBA- provided resources to the SBA; and

(4) Other: Any remainder items that the VP of Student Organizations feel are important to discuss.

5.01.002

Student organizations must send one representative to each meeting.  Preferably, the president of each student organization will attend.  However, if necessary, another officer representing that organization may attend and the requirement will be satisfied.

5.01.003

If a student organization knows in advance that meeting attendance, for any officer, will be impossible, that organization must contact the Vice President of Student Organizations in advance.  If the reason for missing the meeting is legitimate, the Vice President of Student Organizations or President will schedule a meeting with that group's representative to discuss all of the topics/issues covered in the original meeting.  If the reason for missing the meeting is not legitimate, the group will be notified as such within 24 hours of the request.

5.01.004

In the event that no representative attends the meeting, and if it is not an absence that has been excused by the Vice President of Student Organizations, then that student organization will lose 15% from their original budget allocation for that year.  Each meeting missed will warrant an additional 15% deduction.  In the event that an organization repeatedly and willfully disregards any policies set in the quarterly meetings, there may be a reduction in the organization’s next budget request.

5.01.005

If emergencies and unforeseen circumstances arise, the organization officer who is unable to attend must make a good faith effort to find another officer from that organization to attend in his/her absence.  However, if this is not possible, the president from that student organization may submit a written letter, delivered in person, to the Vice President of Student Organizations explaining the circumstances.

The Vice President of Student Organizations and President will review the letter, make a determination, and notify the organization of their decision.  If the organization is not satisfied with that decision, the president of the affected student organization may appeal that decision before the entire SBA Executive Board.  The decision of the Executive Board will be final.

6.01.001

Students appointed by the SBA Executive Board to serve on a Faculty Committee shall primarily represent the viewpoints of all law students.  Student representatives shall endeavor to represent all students by gathering input from the student body in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, surveys, forum events, and personal correspondence.  After student representatives receive such input, it shall be their duty to report it in total to the Faculty Committee on which they sit, irrespective of whether representatives agree with the content of such feedback.

6.01.002

Student representatives to all Faculty Committees shall attend all, or substantially all, meetings of the Faculty Committee to which they have been appointed.  The Executive Board retains the discretion to remove a student representative by 2/3 affirmative vote of the Board should that student representative demonstrate insufficient attendance at Faculty Committee meetings.

6.01.003

Student representatives to all Faculty Committees shall report to the Executive Board at least once per quarter.  Such reporting shall consist of updates of the particular committee’s ongoing work, upcoming policy proposals, as well as any other matter that merits student input.  The Executive Board shall make these updates available to the student body at large.

6.01.004

Student representatives to all Faculty Committees shall report to the Executive Board in writing after committees on which the students sit approve any significant policy changes that require passage by the voting Faculty.  Such reporting should occur before proposed policy changes reach the Faculty for vote.  Wherever possible, student representatives should report to the Executive Board before the Faculty Committee on which they sit votes on the proposal.  The Executive Board shall make these updates available to the student body at large.

7.01 SBA Awards

7.01.001

In the Spring Quarter of each year the SBA shall conduct an anonymous vote, open to all J.D. and graduate students who have completed coursework for credit at the law school in that academic year, for faculty, staff, and student awards.  These awards shall include the Philip A. Trautman awards, the Excellence in Graduate Education award, the Mary F. Starr Staff Person of the Year award, the Charles Z. Smith Award for Student Service, and the Student Bar Association Award for Student Service.

7.01.002

At the end of each Academic Quarter, or within 2 weeks of the beginning of an Academic Quarter, the SBA shall conduct an anonymous vote, open to all J.D. and graduate students who have completed coursework for credit at the law school during that academic quarter, for student awards.  These awards shall include the SBA Bar Association Award for Supportive Students. 

7.02 Specific Provisions Related to Each Award

7.02.001

SBA shall award three Philip A. Trautman Awards to faculty members:

(1) Large Section Professor of the Year.  The award for large section Professor of the year recognizes excellence in large section instruction. Only faculty members who have taught a large section during the current academic year are eligible. A large section is defined as a class with 30 or more students enrolled.

(2) Small Section Professor of the Year.  The award for Small Section Professor of the Year recognizes excellence in small section instruction.  Only faculty members who have taught a small section or clinic during the current academic year are eligible.  A small section is defined as a class with fewer than 30 students enrolled.  Clinical faculty are eligible for this award.

(3) 1L Professor of the Year.  The award for 1L Professor of the year recognizes excellence in first-year instruction.  Only faculty members who have taught a 1L section during the current academic year are eligible.

All students at the law school are eligible to vote for the Large and Small section awards, and the qualifying faculty member receiving the highest number of votes shall receive the award.  Only 1L J.D. students in the academic year of voting shall be eligible to vote for the 1L Professor of the Year, which shall be awarded to the qualifying faculty member who receives the highest number of votes.

A faculty member is only able to receive one (1) Trautman award per year.  In the case of a faculty member receiving the highest vote count for multiple awards, the faculty member shall be awarded the honor for which he or she received the highest number of votes, and the faculty member with the second most votes in the other category shall receive that award.

Faculty members who won any student award in the immediately previous academic year are ineligible to receive any student award for the current academic year.

All full and part-time law school faculty meeting the above criteria are eligible for these awards.

7.02.002

SBA shall award the Excellence in Graduate Education award to a faculty member.

Only LL.M. and non-JD graduate students are eligible to vote for the Excellence in Graduate Education award.

Faculty members from the same LL.M. program or concentration are ineligible to receive the award in consecutive years.

In the case that a faculty member is selected for both this award and a Trautman award, the faculty member shall receive the award for which he or she received the highest number of votes, and the other award shall be given to the faculty member who received the second most votes in that category.

Faculty members who won any student award in the immediately previous academic year are ineligible to receive any student award for the current academic year.

All full and part-time law school faculty meeting the above criteria are eligible for these awards.

7.02.003

SBA shall award the Mary F. Starr Staff Person of the Year Award to a member of the law school staff.   The Staff Person of the Year Award recognizes the staff person who has provided the highest level of service, support, and mentorship to law students throughout the year.

All students at the law school are eligible to vote for this award.

The staff member who won this award in the immediately previous academic year is ineligible to receive this award in the current academic year.

7.02.004

SBA shall award multiple student service awards each year:

(1) Charles Z. Smith Award for Student Service. The Charles Z. Smith Awards recognize students who have made a commitment to public service throughout law school. Recipients must be graduating 3Ls. There are three (3) general criteria for selection:

(a) Excellence in Public Interest Law;

(b) Service to the Law School; and

(c) Service to the Legal Community.

This award is given to the top two vote getting 3L students, and students may vote for up to two people.  All students at the law school may vote for this award.

(2) Student Bar Association Award for Student Service.  The Student Service Award recognizes a graduating 3L for excellence and commitment in service to the UW law school community, student organizations (and the causes they serve), and/or law journals which improved the experience of classmates and future law students.

All students at the law school may vote for this award.

7.02.005

SBA shall award multiple Supportive Student Awards for each Academic Quarter.  The awards shall go to one (1) member of the 1L J.D. class, one (1) member of the 2L J.D. class, one (1) member of the 3L J.D. class, and one (1) member of the Graduate Student classes (composed of all students pursuing a M.J., LL.M, or Ph.D. degree).  The SBA Executive Board may choose to publicize honorable mentions for each award in addition to those who achieve the award. 

The Supportive Student Award recognizes excellence and commitment in service to the UW law school community, student organizations (and the causes they serve, law journals, and all activities which improve the experience of classmates and future law students. 

All students at the law school are eligible to nominate students in all classes for these awards.  Nominations must include some information, provided by the nominator, about the nominee’s activities that merit recognition.  Nominations shall be presented to the Executive Board.  The Executive Board may enter an executive session to discuss nominations and choose who, among the nominees, shall receive the award and if any honorable mentions are warranted. 

7.03.001 

SBA shall coordinate and sponsor various annual events for the student body, faculty, and staff at the law school.  These events include, but are not limited to, the following:

(1) Fall Fest, a family-friendly Halloween themed event held in the Fall quarter of every academic year.  Fall Fest is an alcohol free event.

(2) Law Revue, a talent show for the law school community, held in the Winter quarter of every academic year.  All guests must be at least 21 years of age to attend.  Law students under the age of 21 may attend.

(3) Barrister’s Ball, a formal celebration held in the Spring quarter of every academic year.  All guests must be at least 21 years of age to attend.  Law students under the age of 21 may attend.

(4) Field Day, an inter-school mixer held on the final day of classes for 2Ls and 3Ls in the academic year.

(5) Thank Goodness It’s Thursday (TGIT) social events, hosted by SBA in partnership with Registered Student Organizations, throughout the academic year.  Hosting RSOs are required to present on their organization, its mission, and upcoming events hosted by the RSO.

(6) Class events, including 1L, 2L, 3L, and LL.Ms & Graduate students, specific to each class and organized by the SBA class representatives for their respective classes, as described in the position duties for class representatives (Title 3 of these By-Laws).

(7) Service projects.  The SBA shall sponsor no less than three services projects during each academic year.  The class representatives, including LL.M. & Graduate representatives, are collectively responsible for organizing each service project.  SBA shall strive to make the service projects free and easily accessible for all students, and shall emphasize community need when selecting projects.  It is encouraged, but not required, to hold one service event per academic quarter.

8.01 The Wellness Advocate

8.01.001

The Standing Committee on Wellness shall be chaired by the Wellness Advocate.

8.01.002

The Wellness Advocate shall give an officer’s report as each SBA meeting on the status of existing wellness resources, developing resources, and existing plans for new resources.

8.01.003

The Wellness Advocate shall work closely with the administration of the Law School, specifically the Dean of Students, to ensure that the administration provides students with adequate resources and support.

8.02 The Standing Committee on Wellness

8.02.001

The following SBA board members shall serve on the Standing Committee on Wellness: American Bar Association Representative; Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Liaison; King County Bar Association (KCBA) Liaison; two Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senator; all J.D. Class Representatives; and the Transfer Representative.

8.02.002

The Standing Committee on Wellness shall meet at least once each quarter at the direction of the Wellness Advocate.

8.02.003

The following committee members must be present at the quarterly meeting of the Standing Committee on Wellness: The Wellness Advocate; American Bar Association Representative; Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Liaison; King County Bar Association (KCBA) Liaison; one Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senator; one 3L Representative; one 2L Representative; one 1L Representative, and the Transfer Representative.

8.02.004

The Wellness Advocate may excuse the absence of up to two of the following mandatory attendees with cause: American Bar Association Representative; Washington State Bar Association (WSBA) Liaison; King County Bar Association (KCBA) Liaison; Graduate and Professional Student Senate Senator; and the Transfer Representative.

8.02.005

The Standing Committee on Wellness should assist the Wellness Advocate in preparing the annual report that details existing resources and future plans.