About

SEB Charter

  1. Overview
    1. The Student Election Board (SEB) facilitates and coordinates elections of student members of the Illinois Student Council (ISC) Student Body President & Vice President and Student Representatives, the Urbana-Champaign (U-C) Senate Student Senators, the Student Trustee, and members of the Student Organization Resource Fee (SORF) Board. Additionally, the Board settles election disputes and administers the campus referenda process.
  2. Authority and Scope
    1. The Board is organized under the authority of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (VCSA), who is empowered by the University Statutes and General Rules to create any committee to assist the VCSA in the execution of the responsibilities of the office.
    2. The Board’s existence shall be in perpetuity for so long as the authorities remain in effect. No past or future action of another University entity shall terminate the Board’s existence unless such action stems from a superseding authority.
    3. The Board is responsible for organizing and carrying out any process that presents election, policy, or governance questions to the students of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, whenever the University requires it or when students request it. This shall include but not be limited to the following:
      1. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the governing organizations of the student body, the annual election of students to positions subject to popular vote but not filled by election to the Senate of the Urbana-Champaign Campus.
      2. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the VCSA, the annual election of the Student Trustee from the Urbana-Champaign Campus to the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois System.
      3. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the Illinois Student Council, the annual election of the Student Body President and Vice President and ISC Congress members.
      4. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the VCSA, all referenda submitted to a vote of the students of the Urbana campus at the University of Illinois that is germane to the student experience, where a case can be made that the decision will help determine impact on the student body.
      5. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the Senate Committee on Elections and Credentials, the annual election of student senators for such representative units as determined by the Senate Committee on Elections and Credentials.
      6. The Board shall administer, on behalf of the Student Organization Resource Fee (SORF) Board, the annual election of the voting student membership.
    4. The Board shall have the sole authority to enforce the election code and adjudicate any disputes arising from violations thereof.
    5. The Board has a duty to uphold neutrality and conduct business in a parliamentary spirit. In keeping with these principles, the Board has responsibilities that include, but are not limited to:
      1. The Board shall have the responsibility to proactively consult with the VCSA and other University entities, and the freedoms of the Board shall not preclude the Board from this responsibility.
      2. The Board shall ensure that its actions or inactions do not place the University in a position of additional legal, financial, or reputational risk unless University personnel with the authority to assume such additional risks have approved the Board’s plans.
    6. The Board shall have the rights afforded to it by virtue of its status as a campus Board within Student Affairs as provided by university policies and long-standing precedent. These include, but are not limited to:
      1. The Board shall have the right to enforce its authority where specifically empowered to do so and otherwise seek enforcement of its authority from the VCSA or other University entities.
      2. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing statements in this article, the Board may do everything necessary, suitable, convenient or proper for the accomplishment of any of the Board’s present purposes subject to the limitations imposed explicitly or implicitly by law, regulation, policy or permissible action or inaction of the University, University personnel, or governmental authorities.
  3. Structure and Membership
    1. The Student Election Board is comprised of Illinois Student Council: 2 Current Members (cannot be running for office); U-C Senate: 2 Current Student Senators (cannot be running for office); Student Org Resource Fee Board: 2 Current Members (cannot be running for office); Student Trustee: 1 member (current Trustee, if not running for re-election) and At-Large Members: Up to 4 Students (cannot be a member of the above representative entities and cannot be running for office). At large members must be undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in good standing and enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
    2. At large members must apply for the Board by completing an application which will be reviewed by the board advisor. The application will be continually available online at studentelections.illinois.edu. Applying to be on the Board does not guarantee appointment. The following will serve as the membership criteria:
      1. Individuals appointed to the Board may not hold or run for any office for which the Board oversees elections.
      2. Members will be expected to act impartially.
      3. The Board shall have a minimum membership of five (5) students. When such a minimum cannot be achieved following efforts to fill the membership, the Board may operate in its full capacity with a smaller membership. Operating with less than five (5) members shall require the consent of the VCSA or the VCSA’s designee.
      4. The absolute maximum for the membership of the Board is eleven (11).
      5. The Chair for the Board will be elected at the final Board meeting of the academic year.
  4. Board Membership
    1. The Chair is the chief executive officer of the SEB. In the case of a tie among voting members, the Chair will cast the deciding vote. The chair shall also be responsible for assisting with planning and leading board meetings, board activities and ensuring adherence to the election rules and procedures. They will also hold an ex-officio seat on the Senate Committee on Elections and Credentials unless this position is appointed to another member of the Board by the Chair.
    2. The Secretary is responsible for keeping minutes of SEB meetings, maintaining Board records, and keeping an archive of documents and communication templates.
    3. If both officer positions are not filled at the last regular meeting of the academic year, the Board will fill vacancies during the first meeting of the new academic year.
    4. All members of the Board are eligible to vote, except for the Chair, who participates only to break a tie.
    5. Appointed members of the Board can be removed from the Board by a majority vote of the Board if the Chair and advisor conclude that the individual has failed to complete their duties or endangers the neutrality of the Board. Reasons for removal may include but are not limited to:
      1. Failing to attend and participate in scheduled meetings
      2. Failing to respond to email correspondence
      3. Breaching the unbiased and confidential nature of the Board
      4. Failing to abide by rules and regulations in the Board charter
      5. Violating the Board’s expectations of impartiality
  5. Governance and Operations
    1. As part of the governance structure of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the SEB may make recommended changes to the charter with majority members present and voting. All recommended changes to the charter must be approved by the VCSA. Additionally, the SEB will adhere to the following operational guidelines:
      1. The Board shall have advisors assigned to the Board by the VCSA or their designee. The SEB advisor shall have speaking privileges in any meetings of the Board or its subsidiaries, but they may not vote.
      2. The Board shall not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, including gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran. The Board shall comply with all nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, regulations, policies, and procedures promulgated by Federal or State government entities or the University.
  6. During the review of election disputes, the Board will abide by the procedures set forth in the election rules and procedures:
    1. If a student suspects a student election violation has occurred, they must submit the complaint via the approved and designated form. An Election Complaint Form shall be available upon the publishing of candidates and closed for submissions no later than 7:00 p.m., the day Unofficial Results are announced. Anyone who has submitted an Election Complaint Form is entitled to withdraw their submission at any time, before or after the close of submissions.
    2. Election Complaint Forms shall be reviewed by the VCSA’s designee (“Administrative Reviewer”) within three (3) business days upon submission. The complainant and respondent shall receive notice that the complaint is under administrative review upon receipt by the Administrative Reviewer. The administrative review will consist of a review of the documents submitted in the complaint. The Administrative Reviewer may request additional documentation from either party if necessary to clarify the facts. All parties must respond within 24 hours of the request or forfeit the right to include additional information.
    3. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the submission review, the reviewer will issue an initial decision, which may be one of the following:
      1. No violation was found to have been made.
      2. A violation was found to have been made.
      3. It is unclear if a violation was made, and the complaint will be submitted to the SEB for review, which may include a request for documentation from the respondent.
    4. Should it be determined that the Student Election Board should review an Election Complaint, the review shall occur no later than two (2) business days after the Administrative Decision. The review will be completed upon submission of the documentation with the two (2) business days timeframe. Neither the complainant nor the respondent will be allowed to be present during the review. Therefore, it will be incumbent upon both parties to submit thorough documentation supporting their case.
    5. Should the complainant or respondent not agree with the finding of the Administrative Review Decision, they may petition the Student Election Board (SEB) to review the complaint. The SEB shall, during its regular scheduled meetings, review any such appeals and determine whether the original decision remains in effect or if a new decision should be enacted.
    6. Should the complainant or respondent not agree with the decision of the SEB, they may petition the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (or their appointed designee, provided this is not the Administrative Reviewer) at studentaffairs@illinois.edu to review the complaint. The Vice Chancellor shall have five (5) business days to decide on the appeal. The decision of the Vice Chancellor is final.
    7. Complainant or respondent may submit an appeal if there is:
      1. Procedural error that resulted in material harm or prejudice to the student body, election process, or elected bodies (i.e. the prevention of a fair, impartial, or proper hearing).
      2. Discovery of substantial new evidence or reasoning that was unavailable at the time of the decision and which reasonably could have affected the decision reached by the SEB.
      3. Sanctions imposed are grossly disproportionate to the violation(s) committed, considering the relevant aggravating and/or mitigating factors.
  7. In the event a violation is determined, a sanction may be imposed on the candidate. Sanctions for violations are tiered:
    1. Tier 1 - Written Warning: A minor or inadvertent violation which can be easily remedied.
    2. Tier 2 – Censure: A violation that was intentional or repeated, causing harm to another campaign, or repeated tier 1 sanction.
    3. Tier 3 - Immediate Disqualification: The most severe offenses, including but not limited to breaking laws or tampering with election impartiality. These violations lead to disqualification.