Article I: Purposes, Powers, and Duties

I.1 The sole purpose of the Undergraduate Finance Board shall be to control and allocate student activities monies collected by the University, such responsibility being delegated by the Undergraduate Council of Students as outlined in Article V of the UCS Constitution. Decisions of the UFB shall in all respects reflect the fact that student activities monies do not belong to the UFB, but are held in trust for the student body.

I.2 The foremost responsibility of UFB shall be to support financially to the greatest extent possible given limited resources every eligible student group to meet its goals based on its needs.

I.3 UFB shall hold all parties to whom student activities monies are allocated fully accountable for the uses which such monies are put.

I.4 In executing these duties, UFB shall:

1. Determine a holistic plan for allocations.
   
   
2. Monitor the spending of all parties receiving allocations.
   
   
3. Keep accurate and public financial records.
   
   
4. Regularly report its allocation decisions.

Article II: Membership

II.1 Prerequisites for seeking and retaining office shall be registration as an undergraduate student of the University.

II.2 UFB shall be composed of 12 undergraduates: a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, six members elected at-large, two representatives from the Undergraduate Council of Students, and two members representing the Brown Undergraduate Activities Council.

Article III: Officers

III.1 The officers of UFB shall be: the Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and a Secretary.

Article IV: Elections, Terms of Office, and Removal

IV.1 Election Procedures

A. In accordance with the election procedures of the Undergraduate Council of Students, the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, and the six at-large members shall be elected in the spring during a UCS-sponsored open election.

B. Candidates for Chairperson and at-large member shall be screened and declared eligible to seek election by UCS in accordance with its own election procedures.

C. The two representatives from UCS shall be selected by UCS in accordance with its own internal procedures.

D. The two representatives from the BUAC shall be elected by BUAC in accordance with its own internal procedures.

E. UFB shall internally elect the Secretary from among the UFB membership by a simple majority vote.

F. No member, save for the members designated in the constitution of UCS, may serve on both the Undergraduate Finance Board and the Undergraduate Council of Students at the same time.

IV.2 Terms of office

A. All terms of office shall begin on the last day of final examinations for the academic year in which elections are held and continue until the last day of final examinations in the following academic year.

IV. 3 Removal

A. UCS may hold a new campuswide election for the position of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or at-large member by a two-thirds vote of the full UCS. The current holder(s) of the position(s) in question have the right to run in the new election.

B. The question of removal may be brought to the floor by either a motion of a UCS member or by presentation of a petition signed by three hundred (300) undergraduates.

C. Seven members of the entire UFB may require the UCS to hold a new election for the position of UFB Chairperson. The current Chairperson has the right to run in the new election.

D. UCS, in accordance with its own internal procedures, may at anytime recall and replace any UFB member(s) which it appointed from its own membership.

F. The BUAC, in accordance with its own internal procedures, may at any time recall and replace any UFB member which is appointed from its own membership.

IV.4 Procedures for Vacancies

A. Vacancies in the positions of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, or at-large member are to be filled by UCS in accordance with its procedures for special elections.

B. Vacancies in UCS representative positions will be filled as quickly as possible by UCS in accordance with its own internal procedures.

C. Vacancies in BUAC representative positions will be filled as quickly as possible by the BUAC in accordance with its own internal procedures.

Article V: Duties and Responsibilities

V.1 It shall be the responsibility of all members of UFB in all duties to represent the best interests of the student body and to uphold this constitution, its by-laws and code of operations, and all UFB decisions.

V.2 Chairperson

A. It shall be the primary responsibility of the UFB Chairperson to coordinate the work of UFB and act as the primary liaison between UFB and the University community and administration.

B. The Chairperson shall preside at all UFB meetings and call emergency meetings as necessary. In this role the Chairperson shall facilitate decision-making when consensus cannot be reached and, as applicable, will vote in the event of a tie.

C. The Chairperson shall be responsible for keeping accurate and public records, as well as for maintaining regular communication between UFB and the University community and administration.

V.3 Vice-Chairperson

A. The Vice-Chairperson of UFB shall assist the Chairperson in the coordination of UFB’s operations and in maintaining communication between UFB and the University community and administration.

B. The Vice-Chairperson shall preside at all UFB meetings in the absence of the Chairperson, and shall assist the Chairperson with financial planning, record-keeping, and reporting.

V.4 Secretary

A. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a record of attendance and maintaining minutes and agendas for UFB meetings.

V.5 Representative

A. Every UFB Representative is responsible for regularly meeting with, coming to the aid of, and advocating for each of his or her assigned student groups, as outlined in the code of operations.

B. Representatives shall be intimately cognizant of this Constitution, the code of operations, and all relevant policies and procedures upon taking office.

C. All Representatives shall be held to the attendance guidelines set forth in the code of operations.

D. Representatives shall be available and accessible to their assigned student groups and members of the student body.

Article VI: By-laws and Operations

VI.1 UFB shall establish and amend its own by-laws and code of operations by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members: These by-laws shall include primarily the following areas:

1. The budget process, from plan to allocation.
   
   
2. The procedures for loaning funds to eligible student groups.
   
   
3. The determination of items which will not be funded.
   
   
4. The procedures for communicating with student organizations.

VI.2 UFB meetings shall be open, except for deliberations, during which only UFB members shall be present. Under particular circumstances and at the recommendation of the Chairperson, the Board may decide to close portions of the meeting. Under particular circumstances and at the recommendation of the Chairperson, the Board may decide to permit students or other guests to attend deliberations if such attendance will expedite and facilitate UFB’s ability to serve the student body. Minutes of meetings shall be made available to the public.

VI.3 UFB shall not grant itself any funds. All UFB expenses shall be covered by the University.

VI.4 UFB may not recommend to the University Resources Committee (URC) or the Corporation that the Student Activities Fee be increased or decreased.

Article VII: Powers and Duties of UCS

VII.1 No organization, group, or individual shall receive student activities funds without being currently eligible as determined by UCS in accordance with its own policies and procedures.

1. Each semester UCS shall present to UFB a list of organizations which are eligible to receive funding.
   
   
2. UCS may revise this list at any time in accordance with its own procedures.

VII.2 As the duly-elected student government, UCS shall retain the authority, in accordance with its own procedures, to negotiate on behalf of the student body and enter into contractual agreements in order to provide direct services for the benefit of the entire undergraduate community. UFB may advise and make recommendations to UCS concerning such agreements prior to their final approval by UCS.

VII.3 UCS shall retain the authority to formally recommend to the ACUP or the Corporation that the Student Activities Fee be increased or decreased. UFB may advise and make recommendations to UCS prior to the final approval of any formal recommendation by UCS.

VII.4 All UFB elections shall be conducted by UCS in accordance with its own election procedures.

Article VIII: Powers and Duties of Student Organizations

VIII.1 All student organizations, including UCS and the BUAC, must keep accurate records and present these to UFB on demand.

VIII.2 All student organizations, including UCS, and the BUAC, may be penalized for not adhering to the established rules and procedures of UFB.

VIII.3 All student organizations, including UCS, and the BUAC, may appeal decisions of the UFB as provided below.

Article IX: Appeals

IX.1 A group or organization may appeal only its own budget.

IX.2 The first appeal of a decision must be made to UFB, which must decide the appeal within one week.

IX.3 Groups, organizations, or individuals not satisfied after adjudication of the first appeal may appeal to an ad-hoc Appeals Board. The Appeals Board shall be composed of:

1. The Vice-President of UCS, or a UCS designee appointed by the President in the absence of the Vice-President.
   
   
2. One member of UCS's Student Activities Committee, appointed by the President of UCS.
   
   
3. The President of BUAC, or a BUAC designee appointed by the President of BUAC.
   
   
4. Two other BUAC members appointed by the President of BUAC.
   
   
5. The two student-appointed members of the University Resources Committee.
   
   
6. The Director of Student Activities, who shall serve strictly in a non-voting advisory capacity.

IX.4 No member of the Appeals Board shall be a currently sitting member of UFB. Every effort must be made to ensure that no member appointed to the Appeals Board is a member of any student group presenting an appeal to the Appeals Board. In the event that this is unavoidable, the member in question may not participate in the deliberations or vote of the Appeals Board with respect to the appeal made by the group in question. This non-participation shall not count against the mandatory quorum.

IX.5 The hearing shall be open and must have present a member of the organization making the appeal. This person and the UFB Chair or, in the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall each present their case to the Appeals Board. The deliberations of the Appeals Board shall be closed, unless the Appeals Board elects, by a two-thirds majority vote, to open its deliberations on any particular appeal.

IX.6 An affirmative decision of the Appeals Board, representing at least a two-thirds majority, shall be required in order to uphold the appeal. If an affirmative decision cannot be reached, the prior decision of the UFB shall stand. No decision shall be considered binding without the full attendance of each member of the Appeals Board at the meeting during which that decision is taken, with the exception provided for in Section IX.4.

IX.7 The Appeals Board shall adhere to standard UFB policy.

IX.8 Following the meeting, the Appeals Board shall issue a statement explaining its decision.

Article X: Amendments

X.1 Amendments to this Constitution may be presented to UFB by any undergraduate.

X.2 Amendments must be approved by two-thirds of the entire UFB membership in order to be incorporated into this Constitution.

X.3 Once an amendment to the UFB Constitution has been approved by UFB, it shall be presented to UCS by the UFB Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson. A two-thirds majority vote of UCS shall be required to reject the proposed amendment.