Referendum
Every two years, the Geneseo student body is given the opportunity to vote on the mandatory status of the Student Activity Fee that gives them all the services of the Student Association.
In addition, as per the Student Association Constitution, any member of the Student Association has the right to initiate a bill for referendum.
Referenda proposals seeking to eliminate, mandate or alter funding for a particular organization shall not be entertained by the USAEC, shall not be put to vote and shall have to force if adopted.
Petitions seeking to initiate referendum legislation must bear the valid signatures of fifteen (15) percent of the Student Association. To be acceptable, advocates of the petition must have presented signatories with full and legible information on the aim of the petition. The petition must also be accompanied by one and only one specific resolution that is in accordance with the Student Association Constitution, SUNY Trustee Guidelines, New York State and Federal law.
If the USAEC rules the petition valid, the petition containing the proposed resolution shall be presented before the SA Executive Committee. The SA Executive Committee will then legislate a date for the referendum to be held. The USAEC will be responsible for conducting the referendum no more than three (3) weeks after the date legislated by the SA Executive Committee.
The referendum will be considered passed, and the legislation adopted, if at least twenty (20) percent of the voting membership of the Student Association participate in the election, and a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote for approval.
The USAEC will follow standard candidate procedures for release and certification of election results, and any student who cast a vote in the referendum will have standing to issue a formal complaint to the USAEC.
For further information on referendums, please feel free to contact the USAEC Chair at saelections@geneseo.edu or the SA President at sapres@geneseo.edu.