Procedure for Amending the Student Code

The Conference on Conduct Governance (CCG) is a standing committee of the Urbana-Champaign Senate composed of faculty members, administrators, and students. Its responsibilities are outlined in the Senate Bylaws, which provide in relevant part:

(a) Duties

Legislative Function of the Conference—The Conference is a Senate Committee which, in conjunction with the Chancellor and with the assistance of the Office of Campus Regulations, shall have the following legislative functions:

1. Review and transmit in writing to the Chancellor its approval, disapproval, or modification of standards of conduct (hereafter called “rules”) initiated by subcommunities of the campus;

2. Initiate and recommend in writing to the Chancellor adoption of additional rules it deems desirable;

3. File with the Office of Campus Regulations and with the Clerk of the Senate a notice of such transmittals and recommendations including the text of the rules; and

4. Periodically review the conduct governance system and make general recommendations to the Chancellor and the Senate regarding revision of the system. To this end, it may request reports from members of the system.

(b) Authority and Jurisdiction

1. Rules filed with the Office of Campus Regulations and with the Clerk of the Senate shall become effective thirty (30) days after filing unless contrary action has been taken by the Chancellor. The Senate may submit its recommendations to the Chancellor with respect to proposed rule changes. To this end, the thirty (30) day period may be extended by the Senate or Senate Executive Committee to ninety (90) days, excluding the period May 21 through August 20, .…

As outlined above, CCG is responsible for drafting amendments to the Student Code, subject to final approval by the Chancellor. Proposed amendments come from many sources. For example, CCG itself generates many proposals in exercising its oversight function stated in the Senate Bylaws. Suggested amendments also have come from students, faculty members, and campus academic and administrative units. In addition, the Chancellor, the Dean of Students, and other campus administrators periodically appoint campus task forces to study specific issues and make recommendations that ultimately require amendments to the Student Code.

All proposals to amend the Student Code, both internal and external, are assigned an agenda item number by the CCG Chair and scheduled for discussion at one or more regularly scheduled CCG meetings. Many agenda items require significant additional discussion with the proposing party and other members of the campus community who may be affected by the proposed change.

If CCG votes to recommend a change, draft language is prepared. Merely technical or noncontroversial changes are sent directly to the Chancellor for approval. More significant or controversial changes are presented by the CCG Chair for comment to the Senate Executive Committee and later to the full Senate. Typically, additional changes are made to the draft in response to Senate Executive Committee and Senate comments before it is sent to the Chancellor for approval.

Note that for most Student Code changes, the Senate’s role is advisory to the Chancellor. Some changes, however, (for example, those related to academic issues) require a formal Senate vote of approval before they are added to the Student Code.

Once an agenda item has been approved by the Chancellor (or if necessary, by the Senate), it is scheduled for inclusion in the Student Code text. Although a change may become effective immediately upon approval, most changes are held until the end of the academic year for inclusion in the following year’s Student Code. This process allows people who use the Student Code to rely upon the most recent printed version as stating the current rules.