The Senate and Senate Committees

The Senate is the legislative branch of ASUAF. The constitution of ASUAF provides for up to 20 student senators; however, the current bylaws specify 16 seats, divided into eight spring seats (A-H) and eight fall seats (I-P). Spring seats are elected through the spring election while fall seats are elected through the fall election. 

Qualifications of Senators and Conflict of Interest

Senators must be members of ASUAF in good academic standing (semester and cumulative GPA greater than 2.0). Students in their first semester at UAF may serve as a senator without a UAF GPA, contingent upon achieving a GPA of at least 2.0. 

A conflict of interest is officially defined as "a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity." In the context of ASUAF, this is often taken to mean that senators may not vote on any legislation that involves them in any way; however, there are only few expressed conflicts of interest outlined in the bylaws:

Thus, a senator may vote for a bill they sponsor and vote for themselves to be confirmed to a nomination, but the Senate may need to vote whether or not to allow a senator to vote on a bill that would provide them travel funding. 

Terms of Office

Candidates run for specific at-large ASUAF Senate seats. This means that the senators do not represent specific constituencies, but occupy seats designated with the letters A through P.

Spring seats are labeled seats A through H. Spring seats are elected in the spring semester and the terms last from September 1 through August 31.   Fall seats are labeled seats I through P. Fall seats are elected in the fall semester of each year and the terms last from January 1 through December 31. 

If, for any reason, a senator is unable to fill their term, the President may appoint an ASUAF member to finish the remainder of the vacated seat.  This appointment is subject to Senate approval. 

Powers and Duties of Senators

Simply put, it is the duty of all senators to represent and advocate for UAF students. Senators should make themselves known and available to students so that students may approach senators with issues and concerns. Senators should assist with connecting students with appropriate resources and, when appropriate, propose legislation or other action to address issues of importance to the student body. Being trustworthy, approachable, knowledgeable and honest are critical to a student's success as a senator. 

Senators are also required to attend Senate meetings, serve on at least one standing committee, hold office hours and perform other procedural duties as outlined by the bylaws. 

Powers and Duties of the Senate

The Senate is ASUAF's legislative body. The most basic duties of the Senate are to amend and enact the bylaws, endorse resolutions, formulate and propose policies and hold elected and appointed officials of ASUAF accountable to the duties of their positions. Other powers and duties may be found in the bylaws. 

By custom, the Senate has taken on other responsibilities such as planning and implementing events for the student body. 

Senate Standing Committees

Much of the business of the Senate is done in committees. In committees, members discuss issues, plan initiatives, vet appointees, craft and discuss legislation, allocate funding, and more. Each committee is chaired by a Senator, elected by the Senate, with membership appointed by the senate chair. Read below for a brief overview of the duties and responsibilities of the four standing committees. The committees' full duties and responsibilities may be found in the bylaws. 

Rules Committee

The Rules Committee is made up of the chairs of the other committees. The Rules Committee is responsible for the internal functions, rules and policies of UAF including constitutional amendments, bylaw changes, senator orientation and investigations. 

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is responsible for ASUAF's finances. The committee reviews the budget, approves requests for funding (such as travel funding) and reviews any legislation involving or requiring funding. 

External Affairs Committee

The External Affairs Committee has a broad range of responsibilities related to promoting ASUAF, raising awareness among the student body regarding issues of importance to students and improving the student academic and co-curricular experience. 

Other Committees of ASUAF

In addition to these standing committees, ASUAF operates a number of other committees:

The powers and duties of these committees are specified in the bylaws. Additionally, ASUAF, through legislation, may create ad hoc committees charged with completing a specific charge in a specific period of time.