Print-ready PDF versions of the Student Body Statutes

§5-1.1. Definitions and conventions.

Within this Chapter, the following definitions and conventions shall apply:

1. “Budget” refers to the Student Government Budget as approved by the Student Senate.
2. “Treasurer” refers to the Student Body Treasurer.
3. “Comptroller” refers to the Student Body Comptroller.
4. “Auditor” refers to the Student Body Auditor.
5. A “student organization” is any non-Student Government group that is registered with the Office of Student Activities.
6. The “Student Body Funds” are all the monies collected from Student Activities Fees and made available to Student Government during a fiscal year.
7. A “fiscal year” commences on the first day of the month of July and ends on the last day of the month of June.
8. a ‘Salaried Student Government Official’ refers to any Student Government Official personally receiving funds under the Student Government Budget.
9. “Balance Sheet” refers to the itemization of line item expenditures and remaining balances to date.

Part I. Budget.

§5-1.2. Student Government Budget.

Each session of the Senate shall, no later than its final meeting of the session, approve a Student Government Budget bill for the fiscal year beginning in the summer of that year, subject to the following provisions:

1. the Budget shall include all expenditures from the Student Body Funds;
2. at no time shall the amount expended from the Student Body Funds exceed the amount available in the Student Body Funds;
3. at least thirty percent (30%) of the available funds shall be budgeted for appropriation to student organizations (SBS §5-2); and
4. the Senate may amend the current fiscal year’s budget, including the transfer of funds from one account to another, by a simple majority vote.

§5-1.3. Budget recommendation by Finance Committee.

The Senate Finance Committee shall file for introduction its Budget recommendation no later than the second Senate meeting in March. The committee shall conduct whatever public hearings it deems necessary for a thorough investigation of all budgetary options.

§5-1.4. Distribution of Balance Sheet.

The Treasurer shall provide at each Senate meeting at least eight (8) copies of the current fiscal year’s Balance Sheet, with detailed accounts for each line item of (i) the budgeted amount, (ii) the total expenditures to date, and (iii) the balance to date. The distributed Balance Sheet shall be accurate as of no earlier than the day preceding the Senate meeting. A current copy of the Balance Sheet shall be posted bi-weekly in the Student Government Office.

Part II. Disbursement of Funds.

§5-1.5. Administration of Budget.

The Comptroller shall administer the annual budget as approved by the Senate, subject to the following provisions:

1. the Comptroller or his or her designee shall approve expenditures of Student Body Funds, provided they are in accordance with the Budget;
2. any surplus funds remaining at the end of a given fiscal year shall be deposited by the Comptroller into the General Trust (SBS §5-1.13);
3. at the end of the fall semester, any remaining funds budgeted for fall appropriations shall be re-budgeted by the Comptroller for spring appropriations, without the consent of the Senate;
4. no salary advancements or loans shall be made from the Student Body Funds without the consent of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Senate;
5. the Comptroller or his or her designee shall keep a permanent electronic record of which student organizations have and have not submitted allocations receipts per SBS §5-2.15;
6. all checks issued from the Student Body Funds shall be null and void after a period of 90 days from the date of issuance;
7. all checks shall be accompanied by a summation of §5-1.5(f), §5-1.6(a);
8. any expenditure that is not authorized or approved by the appropriate officers shall not be eligible for reimbursement; and
9. all checks must include at least two authorized signatures, as designated by the Treasurer, to be valid. Checks issued for an external expenditure must be signed by the Treasurer and the Comptroller. Checks issued for an internal expenditure must be signed by the Treasurer or Comptroller and the authorized executive officer responsible for the administration of that line item.

§5-1.6. Submission of receipts

1. For any external expenditure, receipts must be submitted to the Department of the Treasury within one (1) month of the date of the expenditure or event. Failure to submit receipts may result in the freezing of funds (SBS §5-1.9).
2. For any internal expenditure, receipts must be submitted to the Department of the Treasury within a period of two (2) weeks. Failure to do so will result in the individual(s) forfeiture of their right to be reimbursed, if applicable, or may, at the discretion of the Treasurer, result in freezing of the involved line item until completed receipts are submitted (SBS §5-1.9).
3. A receipt submission shall consist of a completed online form and a hard copy receipt.

§5-1.7. Salaried positions work log.

Any Student Government Official receiving a salary shall log a bi-weekly summary of the work done under the auspices of his or her office, and submit it to the Treasurer for review.

§5-1.8. Confirmation of Salaried Student Government Officials.

Upon their appointment to positions budgeted a salary all student government officials-designate shall be presented to the Senate for confirmation. The Treasurer shall dispense no funds to the aforementioned officials until notice of their confirmation is received. The aforementioned officials’ dates of service shall be recorded, for payroll purposes, as the dates of their initial appointment.

§5-1.9. Freezing of funds.

The Treasurer shall freeze the funds of any organization receiving Student Body Funds if:

1. an audit of the organization’s accounting records, by the Auditor or the Inspector General, finds a discrepancy in the management of funds; or
2. the organization is found to discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, creed, national origin, physical disability, or sexual orientation.

Part III. Audits.

§5-1.10. Student Body Auditor.

An Auditor may be appointed by the Student Body President, subject to the simple majority confirmation of the Senate, if it is believed that improprieties in the handling of the Student Body Funds exist. The Senate shall be empowered to, by Senate Resolution, determine the need for an Auditor and set a deadline for such appointment by the President. All accounting records must be made available to the Auditor at his or her request.

§5-1.11. Audit Board.

The activities of the Auditor shall be overseen by an Audit Board, to be composed of the chairs of the Senate standing committees, with the exception of the Treasurer.

§5-1.12. Duties of the Auditor.

The Auditor shall prepare an audit of the Treasurer and Comptroller for report to the Student Body President and the Senate, and upon the discovery of a discrepancy in the management of funds, bring allegations against the Treasurer or Comptroller (SBS §2-2.2(e)).

Part IV. Miscellaneous.

§5-1.13. Unexpended Funds Reappropriation.

At the end of each fiscal year twenty percent (20%) of the net unexpended funds shall be automatically budgeted to the following fiscal year's student organization appropriations, equally divided between semesters. The “net unexpended funds” shall be defined as the total unexpended funds minus the total funds spent from the trust fund in past fiscal year, but shall never be considered negative

§5-1.14. General Trust; composition.

The General Trust shall be composed of:

1. monies from the Student Body Funds not expended during any fiscal year, minus the Unexpended Funds Reappropriation; and
2. monies required to remain as an ending fund balance by the University Office of Finance and Business.

§5-1.15. Expenditures from the General Trust.

No funds shall be disbursed from the General Trust by the Comptroller without approval by (i) a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Senate or (ii) the unanimous consent of all of the Executive Officers, at times that the Senate cannot be convened. Any request shall detail the amount and purpose of the expenditure.

§5-1.16. Contracts for services.

1. The Treasurer shall award contracts to the lowest qualified bidder for services that cannot practically be performed by any Student Government organization or agency.
2. The specific services which shall be contracted in this manner shall be at the decision of the Student Senate.
3. The Treasurer shall deem a bid qualified if he judges that the bidder has the ability to adequately perform the contracted service.

§5-1.17. Public Funding of Campaign Activities.

No portion of the Student Body Funds shall be allocated to a campaign for a Student Government elective office or to an organization supporting a campaign for a Student Government Elective office

§5-2.1. Definitions and Conventions.

Within this Article, the following definitions and conventions shall apply,

1. "Appropriations" refers to funds allocated by Student Senate to registered Student organizations.
2. "Appropriations Bill" refers Appropriations Bills dealing with funds allocated through Appropriations Requests.
3. "Appropriations Request" is a formal document from a registered Student Organization requesting funds from the Student Senate through the appropriations process.

§5-2.2. Appropriations to Student Organizations.

Each semester, the Senate shall approve a bill that appropriates the available Student Body Funds to eligible student organizations (SBS §5-2.3) for projects that the Senate deems beneficial to the Student Body, provided that the funds requested do not exceed one half of the total proposed budget.

§5-2.3. Eligibility for appropriations.

No student organization shall be eligible for the appropriation of Student Body funds unless (i) it is registered with the Office of Student Activities and (ii) it does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, creed, national origin, physical disability, or sexual orientation.

§5-2.4. Timetable for appropriations.

1. All bills pertaining to appropriation shall be filed for introduced no later than (i) the second Senate meeting in October, for the fall semester, or (ii) the first Senate meeting in March, for the spring semester.
2. The Senate shall approve its appropriations to student organizations no later than (i) the first Senate meeting in November, for the fall semester, or (ii) the second Senate meeting in March.
3. The Finance Committee shall be authorized to set additional dates as needed for the appropriations process.

§5-2.5. Online Appropriation Request System.

1. An online Appropriation Request system shall be operated and maintained solely by the Division of Web Development.
2. The online Appropriation Request system shall meet requirements as follows:
   (i)Shall accept submissions from organizations and their sponsoring senators jointly
   (ii) Shall allow such submissions to be edited by the organization until such time as they are deemed to be due by the Finance Committee.
   (iii) Shall allow Student Government Office staff to directly print the Appropriation Requests without additional formatting for the Senate.
   (iv) Make all Appropriations Requests public upon their final submission.

§5-2.6. Sponsoring Senator.

The sponsoring Senator shall:

1. Assure that the organization requesting funds is fully aware and meets all statutory obligations of such a request.
2. Assist the organization in completion of their Appropriation Request.
3. Aid the Finance Committee in assuring that final documentation of the Appropriation Request reflects any additional information that is presented during any interview process.
4. Attend all presentations of their organization to the Finance Committee.

§5-2.7. Submission of Appropriation Requests.

Appropriation Requests shall only be submitted through the online system with the assistance of the sponsoring Senator.

§5-2.8. Appropriations Request.

All requests by Student Organizations for funds shall be in the form of an Appropriations Request. These are not considered individual items of business of the Student Senate, and shall not be considered individually. The Finance Committee shall compile an appropriations bill stating the amount that has been requested and the amount that has been appropriated to each organization.

§5-2.9. Appropriations Request Content.

Appropriations Requests shall be in the form of a finance questionnaire and an itemized budget. The itemized budget shall contain expense categories including, as appropriate, but not limited to,

1. Publicity
2. Speaker Fees
3. Travel Expenses
4. Conference Registration
5. Programming
6. Equipment
7. Uniforms
8. Start-Up Funds

Appropriations Requests must contain answers to the finance questionnaire and a copy of the itemized budget. Subcategories are allowed under the expense categories on the itemized budget. The Appropriations Request must include full disclosure of requested sources of funding and their amounts.

§5-2.10. Appropriations Request Publication.

The appropriations bill that is submitted by the Finance Committee shall be accompanied by portions of all the Appropriations requests, including, but not limited to, the Statement of Fact, the Statement of Principle, and the proposed Budget. The appropriations bill shall be introduced with a report including concise statements explaining the committee's decisions regarding the allocation of funds to each appropriations request.

§5-2.11. Consideration of Appropriation Requests.

The Finance Committee shall take the following factors into consideration during the appropriations process:

1. The benefits provided to the campus community;
2. The benefits provided to the surrounding community;
3. The benefits provided to individual students;
4. The diversity of funding sources explored;
5. The amount of fundraising provided by the organization;
6. The out-of-pocket contributions of students;
7. The effects on NC State's reputation;
8. The overall cost effectiveness of the project;
9. The number of students involved or impacted.

§5-2.12. Start-Up Funds.

Registered Student Organizations which are newly organized or reorganized after a period of inexistence, may receive start-up funds for the purpose of promotion or initial activities. This is a one-time allocation that may be applied to organizational costs, and may not exceed $300. The Finance Committee may impose additional rules or stipulations regarding start-up funds.

§5-2.13. Items Ineligible for Funding.

Senate shall not fund any of the following items as a component of an Appropriations Request:

1. Salaries for advisors or student leaders;
2. Trips required by and/or for a class;
3. Clothing unless intended for a fund-raising activity;
4. Operational expenses (all reoccurring expenses, i.e. photo copying, phone calls, postage, etc.);
5. Alcoholic beverages;
6. Events which are socially oriented;
7. Food or meal expenses.
8. Outside consultants, if for more than $250.
9. Lodging if the cost exceeds $25 per person per night.
10. Funds for air travel if another method of transportation is practicable.

§5-2.14. Issuance of Funds.

All checks for funds approved to be allocated to Student Organizations must made to the organization and not any individual.

§5-2.15. Submission of receipts from Student Organizations.

Organizations that fail to return requested receipts or return unexpended funds shall be denied future funding by Senate for a period of two fiscal years, or until such time as the return receipts detailing the expenditures proposed by the organization or funds are returned.

§5-2.16. Accelerated Consideration of Appropriation Bills.

No motion to fast-track or action that effectively fast-tracks the Appropriations Bill shall be in order in Student Senate.

§5-2.17. Amendments to the Appropriations Bill.

Amendments to the Appropriations Bill can only be amended by two-thirds of the Senate. All amendments must be sent to all Senators via electronic mail twenty-four (24) hours prior to the meeting at which the Appropriations Bill is to be considered for second reading.

§5-2.18. Appropriations Packet.

1. The Student Government Appropriations Packet shall be included in these Statutes as an appendix to this Article, and shall hold the same force of law as these Statutes. In such circumstances where a conflict may arise between the Appropriations Packet and these Statutes, the Statutes shall govern.
2. The Student Body Treasurer shall be authorized to release the Appropriations Packet after the first Senate meeting of each semester. The Treasurer shall be authorized to append additional informative, non-binding, documents to the Finance Packet. This includes, but is not limited too, a cover letter, appropriations time table, sample Appropriations Request per §5-2.9, and sample answers to Appropriations Packet questions.
3. The Senate shall not amend the Appropriations Packet appendix for the current semester after it has been released by the Student Body Treasurer.
4. The Finance Committee shall be authorized to include and set the lists of questions for the Appropriations Packet, provided that the questions include at a minimum a Statement of Fact, a Statement of Principle, and a proposed itemized budget adhering to §5-2.9.

   Article 3. Department of the Treasury

   Contents

   §5-3.1. Definitions and Conventions. §5-3.2. Name. §5-3.3. Purpose. §5-3.4. Principle Duties. §5-3.5. Student Body Treasurer. §5-3.7. Appointment of the Comptroller. §5-3.8. Student Body Inspector General. §5-3.9. Appointment of Inspector General. §5-3.10. Assistant Treasurers. §5-3.11. Staffs.

   §5-3.12. External Fee Inspection. §5-3.13. Program Review. §5-3.14. Complainant Investigation. §5-3.15. Financial Improprieties. §5-3.16. External Limit. §5-3.17. Oversight.

§5-3.1. Definitions and Conventions.

Within this article, the following definitions and conventions shall apply:

1. The “Department” refers to the Department of the Treasury.
2. “President” refers to the Student Body President.
3. The “Budget” refers to the Student Government Budget of Student Body Funds.
4. “Fee” refers a student fee collected by the University.
5. “Fee supported program” includes all University bodies directly funded by fees and all programs funded by appropriations from the Student Government, the College Councils, the Student Media Authority, and the Union and University Student Centers and subordinate bodies.

§5-3.2. Name.

The name of this organization shall be the North Carolina State University Student Body Department of the Treasury and may be simply referred to as the Department of the Treasury.

Part I. Powers and Duties.

§5-3.3. Purpose.

The Department of the Treasury shall ensure sound fiscal policies and planning for all Student Government Bodies and Officials and promote the same for all external bodies supported by fee receipts.

§5-3.4. Principle Duties.

The Department shall:

1. support and enforce proper financial practices by all units of Student Governance under the Student Body and Union Constitutions;
2. provide for the faithful execution of the Budget and all Appropriations, Finance, and Program Bills;
3. monitor all expenditures of funds out of the Budget by external organizations;
4. account for all allocations and expenditures from the Budget;
5. advise the Senate Finance Committee on all such matters it deems necessary;
6. prepare the initial draft of an annual Student Body Budget in support of the Finance Committee’s SBS §5-1.3 budget recommendation;
7. coordinate use of the Student Government Office and other facilities, consistent with statute.

Part II. Treasury Officials.

§5-3.5. Student Body Treasurer.

The executive authority over the Department of the Treasury shall rest with the Student Body Treasurer, as duly elected by the Student Body. In addition to such duties assigned in the Constitution, the Treasurer shall:

1. Serve as the principle advisor to the heads of each branch, department, and agency on the finances of said body;
2. Coordinate the activities of the other officials and staff of the department;
3. Report on both departmental activities and Student Governmental fiscal status to the Student Senate and the Presidential Cabinet;
4. Provide impartial assistance to Student Senators drafting bills appropriating or allocating student body funds;
5. Award contracts for services, as permitted by statute;
6. Appoint officials and assistants into the department as provided by statute.

§5-3.6. Student Body Comptroller.

The Student Body Comptroller shall be considered a Student Body Officer and the senior appointed official of the Department. In addition to such duties assigned in the Constitution, the Comptroller shall:

1. Advise the Treasurer on all matters concerning accounting, banking, and transmittal of funds;
2. Provide semiannually a comprehensive written report to the Senate on the status of all accounts and budgets of Student Government and its subsidiaries;
3. Oversee all financial record keeping, including the management of receipts.

§5-3.7. Appointment of the Comptroller.

The Treasurer shall appoint, with the concurrence of the President, a Student Body Comptroller prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, subject to the majority confirmation of the Senate. In the event the Senate does not take up consideration of such confirmation within twelve business days, the appointee shall receive the full powers and duties of the office until such time the Senate begins said confirmation consideration. The Comptroller shall have passed ACC 210 or ACC 280 with a grade of C or better by the effective date of appointment.

§5-3.8. Student Body Inspector General.

The Student Body Inspector General shall be considered a Student Government Official, and shall:

1. Advise the Treasurer and the President on matters of external fee expenditures;
2. Review the financial records of external fee supported programs, as provided by these statutes;
3. Promote and encourage transparency in the use of fee moneys;
4. Report on the activities of the office to the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees;
5. Maintain accessible means for members of the Student Body to report concerns involving use of fee moneys;
6. Support and assist the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees on matters of fee review.

§5-3.9. Appointment of Inspector General.

The Treasurer shall appoint an Inspector General no later than the fifth class day of the fall semester, subject to the majority confirmation of the Senate. There shall be no qualifications for Inspector General beyond those of a Student Government Official.

§5-3.10. Assistant Treasurers.

Without confirmation of the Senate, the Treasurer may appoint any number of Assistant Student Body Treasurers, who shall be considered Student Government Officials. Assistant Treasurers shall have specific permanent duties as designated by the Treasurer.

§5-3.11. Staffs.

As per SBS §1-2, explicit statutory officials of the department shall be permitted to retain staffs of officials and assistants to aid them in executing the duties of their individual offices. Staff of the Treasurer shall be distinguished from Assistant Treasurers by less involvement in the powers and duties of the department and more involvement in the powers and duties of the office of Treasurer itself.

Part III. External Fee Inspection.

§5-3.12. External Fee Inspection.

The processes of external fee inspection shall be conducted by the Inspector General with such direction provided by the Treasurer and the President.

§5-3.13. Program Review.

Upon instruction from either the Senate, the President, or the Treasurer; or on his or her own accord, the Inspector General shall thoroughly review the finances of any fee supported program. When such review is complete, the Inspector General shall publish a public report detailing the manner and method of the program’s expenses.

§5-3.14. Complainant Investigation.

When concerns or complainants involving the use of fee moneys are received by the Inspector General, he or she shall investigate the nature of the expenditure. The Inspector General shall report to the Senate Committee on Tuition and Fees any matters that seem inconsistent with the policies or best interests of the Student Body.

§5-3.15. Financial Improprieties.

Should in the course of investigations or reviews the Inspector General encounter activities that amount to financial improprieties, the Inspector General shall report those activities to the University Auditor, in the case of employee run programs, or the Office of Student Conduct and the Senate Committee on Campus Community, in the case of student run programs.

§5-3.16. External Limit.

External Fee Inspection powers shall not extend to use of Student Body Funds by bodies of the Student Government; internal audit authority shall remain vested with the Student Body Auditor (SBS §5-1.10). The Inspector General shall forward all complains concerning such internal fee use to the Auditor, if appointed, otherwise to the President, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the Senate Committee on Government Operations.

Part IV. Limits.

§5-3.17. Oversight.

Oversight power, which shall include the power to review the records of the department, compel report of its members, and to make recommendations to the Treasurer, President, or Senate regarding its improvement, shall rest with the Committee on Tuition and Fees, on matters related to the Office of Inspector General; the Committee on Finance, on matters related to the Office of Comptroller; and the Committee on Government Operations, on matters related to the Office of Treasurer or the department in general.