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University of Wyoming

Frequently Asked Questions

Bills and Resolutions

General Information

Membership

Student Fee

Bills and Resolutions


What is a bill or resolution? - Top
A bill shall be an action to be held binding upon the Associated Students of the University of Wyoming, or their officers and administrators. 

A resolution shall be a statement of the opinion of the Senate of the ASUW and binding upon that body alone.

The written statement presents an idea for consideration by the ASUW Senate. It is made of two main parts including a preamble which lists the reasons for the resolution or bill and a resolution statement which sets forth the action to be taken if it is passed.




Why does ASUW use written resolutions? - Top
Resolutions or bills are a formal means of organizing and presenting ideas to the other members of the ASUW Senate. This particular method helps you to organize all points in clear writing along with supporting reasons and a clear action plan to be followed. By having them written in a similar style and format, discussion can flow easily and changes can be readily proposed and recognized.

What is involved in writing a bill or resolution? - Top
Writing a bill or resolution begins with the identification of an issue or need. The most important step in writing a bill or resolution is the research that is conducted before actual writing of the legislation. This may include finding out the costs, the feasibility of the proposed solution, the chances of implementation of the solution, and finally what administrative bodies or channels will deal with the bill if it is passed. Once a bill or resolution is researched, a formal piece of legislation is written and submitted to the ASUW secretary. The ASUW Steering Committee determines to which committee(s) the bill or resolution will be referred. Legislation is then distributed to the ASUW Senate. Following first reading, second reading, and committee report, the ASUW Senate will debate on the legislation. Once debate is finished, the Senate shall hear a third reading and proceed with a roll call vote. The legislation is signed by the ASUW vice president and president and then becomes enacted.

What is the bill/resolution format? - Top
Upon introduction, the ASUW secretary will assign a number from a numerical series to each bill and resolution. Additionally, each bill or resolution is given a catch title that is a brief descriptive phrase that shows the intent of the bill or resolution. The preamble of the bill or resolution gives the reasons for the proposal; each clause is a paragraph beginning with a “Whereas.” Following the preamble is the resolution statement , which gives the action to be taken. For a bill, it starts with “Enacted that” and for a resolution it begins with “Resolved that.” If necessary, it may be followed with “And further enacted that” or “And further resolved that” and so on.

How can I write a Bill or Resolution? - Top
If you have an idea or a see a need for students but are not sure how to present the information in the above format, do not hesitate to contact a member of the ASUW Senate or the ASUW Executive branch. The rules outlined previously are not intended to inhibit anyone’s creativity or opportunity, but are a method to insure clear and accurate thought of ideas

What is an MOU? - Top
An MOU is a “Memorandum of Understanding.” It is signed by multiple parties who are making an agreement and coming to an understanding about a collaborative effort. ASUW has MOUs for such programs as SafeRide, the Students’ Attorney Program, and the ASUW Student Fee Committee.

Why should a Bill or Resolution be written? - Top
As a member of the ASUW Senate, your responsibility includes presenting your ideas and the ideas of those you represent for changes to improve the University and the environment of the students at UW.

By presenting the idea to the Senate, the idea can be discussed and researched. If enough other people agree with the idea, it can then be sent on to university officials for consideration and action.

What is involved in writing a Bill or Resolution? - Top
It is easiest to begin by writing your, idea in a single sentence. Next, write as many reasons why the idea is good and needed in one sentence statement. Then rewrite your original idea and reasons in plain English being as clear and exact as possible. It may be helpful to have others read it in order to iron out your reasoning or the clarity of each statement.

How you can really begin the draft of the bill or resolution using the format and style is explained below. You can either hand write or type the draft. Give it to the ASUW Secretary who will check it for form and will retype it. Then the Secretary will duplicate it and distribute it to the Steering Committee and the Senate at the proper times.

What is Bill or Resolution style and format? - Top
The resolution number is given by the ASUW Secretary in a numerical series when the resolution is given to her.

The catch title is a brief descriptive phrase to show the intent of the bill or resolution.

The preamble gives the reasons for the proposal. Each clause is a paragraph beginning with "Whereas." There are no periods in the preamble. However, the paragraphs are separated with a comma or a semicolon followed by "and," except for the last paragraph which closes with "therefore."

The resolution statement gives the action to be taken. It starts with "Resolved, that...(whatever)," and if necessary, it is followed by "and further Resolved, that...(whatever)," and so on.

The lines are numbered at the left margin beginning with the first "Whereas" following the catch title.

The pages are numbered at the bottom of each page.

What happens when a Bill or Resolution is introduced? - Top
1. Each resolution or bill shall have three separate readings prior to final action by the Senate.
2. The first reading is at the time of introduction under the order of new business. At that time it will be referred to a committee for consideration.
3. The committee will research the resolution and consider changes that may be necessary.
4. When the committee is ready for the resolution or bill to be considered by the ASUW Senate, the chairman reports on the recommendation given to the resolution or bill.
5. After the resolution or bill is reported out of committee, the resolution or bill will be read for the second time. Discussion is then held, and amendments may be offered.
6. After third reading, (unless third reading is dispensed with), the Senate votes on the resolution or bill using a roll call.
7. If you have an idea but are not sure how to present it in the format used below, don't hesitate to call on another member of the Senate, the Executives, officers or the Parliamentarian. These rules are not intended to inhibit your creativity, but are a method to insure clear and accurate thought on your ideas.

General Information


How many Senators are there? - Top
There are approximately 30 senators from seven colleges on around campus. There are also two senators-at-large.

How many executives are there? - Top
There are six executives: Chief of Staff, Director of Internal Affairs, Director of External Affairs, Director of Financial Affairs, Director of Public Relations, and Director of Legislative Affairs.

What are standing committees? - Top
Standing Committees are permanent committees of ASUW that focus on specific areas of ASUW operation.

Membership


How do I become a member of the ASUW? - Top
Elections for Senators & Vice President/President are held in April of the academic year. Applications for these positions are normally due March 1. Executives are selected/appointed by the Vice President/President after the general election. Judicial Council members are appointed by the President at the beginning of the academic year (in September). Senators serve one academic year term, executives serve one academic year terms, and judicial council members are appointed for two years terms.

How can I become involved in an ASUW standing committee? - Top
It is very easy to become involved in an ASUW standing committee. Committee applications are available online or in the ASUW office. Once the committee application is turned in, the ASUW Vice President formally appoints you to committee. The senate then approves the committee appointment.

How are Senator seats appropriated? - Top
Each of the seven UW Colleges receives one Senator. After this, the senate seats are appropriated by College population as outlined in the ASUW Bylaws, Article 2 Section 6.

When are elections? - Top
General Elections are held the second Monday-Wednesday in April. Primary Elections are held the last Monday-Wednesday in March. Election packets are available February 1 of the academic year, and are due March 1 of the academic year.

Student Fee


How much is the student fee package for full-time students? - Top
Full-time students paid $347.30/semester and part-time students paid $167.55/semester in mandatory student fees for the 2006-2007 academic year. Special college and course fee may be assessed in addition to these fees.

What ASUW programs and services do my student fees go towards? - Top
All ASUW programs and services are funded by student fees. This includes but is not limited to: SafeRide, the Students’ Attorney Program, the Student Legal Services Clinic, the RSO Funding Board, Elections, student connection programs like the Holiday Humdinger, the Student Activities Council, Concerts and Convocations, and the student handbook and planner.

Where do my student fees go? - Top
Students pay five mandatory student fees each year. They are: the Wyoming Union Fee, the Student Services fee, the Student Health Service Fee, the Intercollegiate Athletics fee, and the Recreation Programs fee. The Wyoming Union fee goes toward the programming, maintenance, and support services within the Union. The Student Health Services fee provides students with the opportunity to have unlimited visits to Student Health for consultation with staff physicians, nurse practitioners, and/or nurses. The Intercollegiate Athletics fee allows students to attend all UW intercollegiate athletic events for free (with the exception of tournaments), and helps provide promotional incentives and appreciation for students who attend games. The Student Services fee is comprised of the following areas: ASUW, the AWARE Program, Music/Theatre, Recycling, Student Publications, and Wellness. The fees collected here go to support many programs and services designed to enhance the student experience at UW.

Who decides on how much the student fee package will be? - Top
The Board of Trustees makes the final decisions regarding student fees thanks to recommendations from students and the administration. The ASUW Student Fee Committee is the students’ voice to the administration regarding yearly changes to the previously mentioned mandatory student fees. This committee is comprised of four ASUW Senators and three students-at-large. The committee meets with fee units to discuss the fees and then makes a recommendation regarding changes to the ASUW Senate who passes a final recommendation to give to the Vice President of Administration.

In this section, we are listing the questions most frequently asked. If your question is not answered here, please contact asuwpres@uwyo.edu with your question.