Doc. T91-133B, as amended
Passed by the Board of Trustees on February 5, 1992
Latest revision: February 23, 2011

Pursuant to the authority vested in the Board of Trustees under G.L. c. 75, the following shall constitute the minimally required criteria and procedures for the election of a student trustee by the undergraduate and graduate students of each campus of the University of Massachusetts. Each Chancellor is hereby delegated the authority to implement this policy by approving written campus procedures ("campus procedures") consistent with this policy, which procedures shall be subject to approval by the President.

A. Candidate Qualification

In order to qualify for election as a student trustee, a candidate shall be a full-time student and shall have maintained satisfactory academic progress as stipulated at each individual campus.

B. Election Process

Elections of student trustees shall be conducted pursuant to campus procedures, which shall specify the details of the student trustee election process, including provisions for nomination, balloting, the conduct of and procedures for elections, and any appeals procedures; provided, however, that:

  1. Sufficient notice of the nomination and election process shall be provided to all students prior to the election;
  2. All matriculating undergraduate and graduate students shall be entitled to vote upon presentation of valid identification;
  3. An elected student trustee must receive the greater vote of students voting in the election.

Upon approval of campus procedures, each Chancellor shall be responsible for their enforcement. Each student trustee shall be elected annually. If a student trustee is not elected by May 1st, the office of the position of the student trustee shall be deemed vacant, and no election for such position shall take place prior to September 15th.

C. Certification

Each Chancellor shall certify by May 15th to the Secretary of the Board of Trustees that the elected student trustee is qualified and has been duly elected. The Secretary shall transmit such verification to the Secretary of State. No such verification shall be made if a Chancellor determines that a violation of campus procedures has substantially affected the fairness of an election.

D. Terms and Requirements of Office

The term of office of each elected student trustee shall be for one year, which shall commence on July first following his or her election and shall terminate on June thirtieth of the following year. For purposes of this Policy only, a student trustee who graduates at the end of the Spring semester shall be deemed to be a full-time student until June 30th. If at any time during the elected term of office the student trustee ceases to be a full-time student or fails to maintain satisfactory progress, the membership of said student on the Board of Trustees shall be deemed vacant. The Chancellor shall forthwith notify the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of such vacancy, and the Secretary shall transmit such notification to the Secretary of State. A vacancy in the office of an elected student trustee prior to the expiration of a term shall be filled for the remainder of a term in the same manner as an election to a full term.

A student trustee shall be elected for his or her interest in and ability to contribute to the fulfillment of the purposes of the Board of Trustees, and shall be deemed a member at large, charged with the responsibility of serving the best interest of the University.

An elected student trustee shall serve without compensation.

Medical School Procedure for Election of Student Trustee

(Doc T91-133B, as amended)

Announcements

  1. Elections for Student Trustee will be announced by the Chancellor and managed by a representative body (known as “Three-Schools Committee”) of the three schools of UMass Medical School (School of Medicine, Graduate School of Nursing, and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences) via email in the spring leaving enough time for campaigning and a general vote (usually in March).
  2. Announcements will include the following information:
    1. Description of the position, term of office, and whether or not the Trustee from Worcester will be on a voting cycle for this term of office
    2. Responsibilities and campus reporting expectations for the position
    3. Estimation of time requirements for the position
    4. How to become a candidate, including requirement for a brief position statement

Nominations

  1. The Three-Schools Committee will oversee the nomination procedure.
  2. Nominations will be open for at least ten (10) days after the announcement is made.
  3. Nominated students must be full time students in any of the three schools and in good standing both academically and as regards institutional standards of professional behavior and ethical conduct such as the honor code.
  4. Students may nominate themselves or another student, with that student's permission.
  5. Verification of student status will be via the Dean's office or his/ her representative in each school. Any ineligible candidate will be notified by the Dean or his/ her designee in the most expedient manner possible. This will be followed up by a mailing to the candidate.
  6. A student whose candidacy has been evaluated as "ineligible" may appeal that decision to the Three - Schools Committee, which will evaluate the appeal in conjunction with the appropriate school's Dean or designee.

Distribution of Information

  1. Position statements of all approved nominees will be distributed via email to all active students. Position statements may be made available separate from or together with voting materials.
  2. Statements will remain available for review by students for at least 10 days.
  3. Nominees are permitted to campaign by placing additional posters or sending emails, subject to Campus and University rules about posting materials.

Voting

  1. The voting period will last at least 1 week (7 days) including 5 class days and will be announced via email to all matriculated students.
  2. The Three-Schools Committee will oversee the vote and convey the result of the vote to the candidates, Offices of the Chancellor, Deans of each school, and all students.
  3. The vote will be conducted via web with security such that only matriculated students may vote, a given student may only vote once, and the votes are anonymous.
  4. Write-in candidacies are not permitted.
  5. No University trust fund or grant moneys or items purchased by said funds may be used by a candidate to influence his/her candidacy or any other candidacy.
  6. Any dispute concerning the election must be submitted in writing to the Three-Schools Committee within twenty-four (24) hours of any alleged infraction and is subject to arbitration by the Dean or designee of each school.

Special Elections

  1. In the case of vacancy in the Student Trustee position, the Chancellor may call for a special election to be managed by the Three-Schools Committee.
  2. Announcements for special elections will occur at the earliest possible time.
  3. Special elections will follow the same procedure as listed above although the time periods for nomination and distribution of information may be shortened to five (5) days if the Three-Schools Committee deems it necessary.

Certification

Pursuant to University of Massachusetts Board of Trustee policy, T91-133B (as amended, 2/5/92), the Chancellor shall certify by May 15th to the Secretary of the Board of Trustees that the elected Student Trustee is qualified and has been duly elected. The Secretary shall transmit such verification to the Secretary of State. No such verification shall be made if a Chancellor determines that a violation of campus procedures has substantially affected the fairness of an election.

 

Doc. T91-133B, as amended | Student Trustee Election Policy
Passed by the Board of Trustees on February 5, 1992
Revised:
February 23, 2011