Senator Handbook
30th Legislative Session
Dear Senator,
Welcome to the exciting and vibrant world of the ASUW Student Senate! Currently in its 30th session, ASUW Student Senate has been serving as the representative voice of the student body for decades, making an impact across campus because of dedicated and passionate students such as yourself.
As a senators, you have the opportunity to take on numerous leadership roles, liaison in various committees on a wide variety of campus issues, and submit legislation about topics that you’re interested in. Most importantly though, you will have the chance to grow as an individual, leader and an integral member to UW’s vast campus community. Senate has helped many individuals grow and learn to play an active role in their communities, and we hope that in your future, the skills and experiences you gain here will serve you well.
Whether you’re a new or returning Senator, I encourage you to take risks! Whether that comes from participating in discussion, running for positions you normally wouldn’t, or writing legislation, your effort and participation in Senate can help you be the change that you want to see for your constituents.
Remember, if you ever have questions or concerns throughout this Session, your Committee Chairs and Senate Leadership is always here to help you. Feel free to reach out to use through email, or to visit Senate Leadership during our office hours listed on hours.asuw.org.
We’re thrilled that you’ve decided to become a senator and I look forward to seeing what you all accomplish in Senate this year!
Sincerely,
Rohini Kilaru
Senate Speaker of Session 30
ASUW SENATE LEADERSHIP
Rohini Kilaru – Speaker (she/her) – asuwssch@uw.edu
The Speaker leads discussions, maintains order and manages the Senate office. They are the one holding the gavel.
Andal Sridhar – Vice Speaker (she/her) – asuwssvc@uw.edu
The Vice Speaker provides order and advises Senate on procedures, rules, and regulations. They are also a member of the ASUW Board of Directors.
Amanda Pitts – Membership Coordinator (she/they) – asuwssmc@uw.edu
The Membership Coordinator oversees outreach, recruitment, and retention. They are the bridge between Senate and the broader student body.
Kiyanaz Raveshti – Administrative Assistant (she/her) – asuwssse@uw.edu
The Administrative Assistant oversees Senate records. They are the one taking meeting minutes.
STANDING COMMITTEES
On-Campus – asuwsoc@uw.edu
Led by the committed Jacob Gannon (he/him), this committee considers legislation related to living on-campus, such as matters regarding the Residential Communities or HFS. This may include issues like food insecurity on campus, housing prices, or lighting around campus.
Off-Campus – asuwssoc@uw.edu
Led by the courageous Anna Xiao (she/her), this committee considers legislation related to living off-campus. These issues might include transit, Greek life, and housing prices or quality of life in the Seattle metro area.
General Affairs – asuwssga@uw.edu
Led by the passionate Jacob Anderson (he/him), this committee considers legislation related to a variety of topics that don’t quite fit the other committees. Examples of such issues might include sustainability, health & wellness, or national topics.
Academic and Administrative Affairs (AAA) – asuwssaa@uw.edu
Led by the lovely Haley Chee (she/her), this committee considers legislation related to anything to do with administration, faculty, or academics at the University of Washington. Some examples might be requirements for excused absences, testing policies, or requirements around credits.
Oversight – asuwssoc@uw.edu
Led the confident Autumn Yi (she/her), this committee oversees our plethora of liaisons to various entities across the campus. These entities include but are not limited to: the U-PASS Advisory Board, the Student Activities Fee Committee, the HUB Board of Representatives, and the ASUW Judicial Committee. They also look at legislation related to the Senate Bylaws and Rules that impacts the structure of Senate.
Resolution Follow-Up (CRFU) – asuwsec6@uw.edu
This committee is led by the creative Ishan Ghosh-Coutinho (they/them). This committee was founded in 2018 with the duty of researching our past resolutions, the process of their implementation, and their impact. They also aid the Senate in ensuring that proper progress is made on legislation after it’s passed.
Senate Steering is a committee that sets the agenda for each Senate meeting and decides what topics are important for the Senate body to address. (So… I guess you could say they… steer the Senate. ) The membership of this committee includes Senate leadership, the committee chairs and the ASUW Director of Internal Policy and Director of University Affairs.
ASUW BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JACOB FELEKE (he/him) – President – asuwpres@uw.edu
As the Chief Executive Officer of the ASUW, the president’s role is to lead the Board of Directors while serving as the primary representative for student interests. The President is the external face of ASUW and lobbies on behalf of students at the administrative, state and local government, and the greater UW community levels.
ELLIS ANDREWS (she/her) – Vice President – asuwvp@uw.edu
The Vice President is the Chief Operations Officer of the ASUW. Their role is to manage and oversee the internal processes of the ASUW, including setting goals with Board members and entity directors and evaluating association performance. They also oversee administrative assistants and work with the Office of Outreach and Involvement to formulate volunteer/intern policy.
THOMAS SEFAIR-LOPEZ (he/him/él) – Personnel Director – asuwpd@uw.edu
The Personnel Director is the Chief of Human Resources for the ASUW, in charge of all hirings and trainings and the enforcement of personnel policy in the ASUW. They also chair the Personnel Committee, which establishes personnel policies and hiring procedures for the association.
MELODY FUNG (she/her) – Finance & Budget Director – asuwfb@uw.edu
As the Chief Financial Officer of the Association, the Finance & Budget Director oversees the spending of ASUW’s budget, chairs the Finance & Budget Committee, and is responsible for securing funding from the Student Activity Fee every year.
YAZMINE MENDOZA (they/them) – Communications Director – asuwbdcm@uw.edu
The Communications Director is the Chief Marketing Officer of the ASUW and oversees marketing, branding, public relations, and social media. They handle crisis communication and official statements on behalf of the Board of Directors. They manage the Office of Communications, ensuring the visual and technical needs of the ASUW are met.
NANDANA JAIDEEP (she/her) – Director of University Affairs – asuwbdua@uw.edu
The Director of University Affairs works with faculty and administration to represent student interests in matters of university policy, administration, academics, advising, and government relations. As a liaison to the Office of Government Relations, they support lobbying efforts in State and City politics.
FRANCISCO DOJENIA (he/him) – Director of Internal Policy – asuwbdop@uw.edu
The Director of Internal Policy is the Board parliamentarian and ensures the ASUW is compliant with internal Bylaws and the ASUW Constitution as well as all state and federal laws. They keep the ASUW transparent by releasing quarterly reports, keeping records, and maintaining the website. The Director of Internal Policy also chairs the Judicial Committee.
ANASTACIA MIKAELE (she/her) – Director of Community Relations – asuwbdcr@uw.edu
The Director of Community Relations is the Board liaison to the UW Living Communities – Greek Life, RCSA, and Commuter and Transfer Students – as well as Athletics, Student Veteran Life, and Parent & Family Programs They act as a bridge between communities and ASUW, sharing information and providing programming.
LEAH SISHU (she/her) – Director of Diversity Efforts – asuwbddv@uw.edu
The Director of Diversity Efforts supervises the ASUW’s nine Diversity Commissions as chair of the Joint Commissions Committee (JCC). The Director of Diversity Efforts works closely with the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity, Student Advisory Board (SAB), Ethnic Cultural Center, Q Center, D Center, Women’s Center, and other entities that focus on representing our campus’ diverse communities.
NAOMI SNOW (she/her) – Director of Programming – asuwbdpg@uw.edu
The Director of Programming is the primary liaison between the Board of Directors and hundreds of registered student organizations (RSOs), Rainy Dawg Radio, the Student Health Consortium and ASUW Arts & Entertainment. They provide oversight relating to marketing, organization, and funding of events on campus.
AZAAN BROWN (he/him) – Director of Campus Partnerships – asuwbdsp@uw.edu
The Director of Campus Partnerships bridges the gap between student leaders and campus partners on and off campus. They work closely with the University Bookstore and oversee the Husky Pride Fund. Partnerships also include the UW Police Department, Health Councils, and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
ANDAL SRIDHAR (she/her)– Student Senate Vice Speaker – asuwssvc@uw.edu
The Student Senate Vice Speaker is the Parliamentarian for Senate and ensures Senate is abiding by Robert’s Rules of Order during meetings. The Vice Speaker also schedules forums for the Student Senate and assists with Senate logistics. The Vice Speaker is the liaison between Board and Senate, advocating for decisions that Senate makes.
AMANDA CHIN (she/her)– GPSS Vice President of Internal Affairs – gpsssec@uw.edu
The GPSS VP of Internal Affairs oversees event programming for the graduate student community and personnel for the GPSS staff. They act as a liaison between GPSS and ASUW, working together to listen to student issues and connecting on programming for the campus as a whole.
JOINT COMMISSIONS COMMITTEE (JCC)
ASUW provides funding for programming and advocacy on behalf of issues affecting groups that have faced historical social discrimination. The Joint Commissions Committee is an organization within ASUW that coordinates efforts for commissions representing each of these groups and is chaired by the Director of Diversity Efforts. Each Commission is run by a Director.
ALIYAH CLEVELAND (she/her) – Office of Student Health Relations Director – asuwshc@uw.edu
AARON ESPINOSA (he/him) – Pacific Islander Student Commission Director – asuwpisc@uw.edu
BRANDON MENDOZA (he/him) – Asian Student Commission Co-Director – asuwasc@uw.edu
SOPHIA TSAI (she/her) – Asian Student Commission Co-Director – asuwasc1@uw.edu
BRIANA CASTRO (she/her/ella) – Latine Student Commission Director – asuwlsc@uw.edu
TORI BEARBOW (she/her) – American Indian Student Commission Director – asuwaisc@uw.edu
TAVA KAIRAIUAK (she/her) – American Indian Student Commission Assistant Director – asuwaisc2@uw.edu
DANA AHMED (she/her) – Black Student Commission Director – asuwbsc@uw.edu
ALEXA KEELEY (she/her) – Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (SARVA) Co-Director asuwdsa@uw.edu
JAYDEN GWO (they/he) – Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activists (SARVA) Co-Director asuwadsa@uw.edu
JASMINE AN (she/they) – Queer Student Commission Co-Director – asuwqsc@uw.edu
CAYLA THAMES (they/she) – Queer Student Commission Co-Director – asuwqsc@uw.edu
VALENTINO VARGAS (he/him) – Student Disability Commission Director – asuwswdc1@uw.edu
FRANCES SUNDERLAND (she/they) – Student Disability Commission Assistant Director – asuwswdc2@uw.edu
NAT CABRERA (they/she/siya) – Gender Equity Commission Director – asuwgec@uw.edu
ASMA MASUDE (she/her) – Gender Equity Commission Assistant Director – asuwom1@uw.edu
LUBNA HASSANAIN (she/her) – Middle Eastern Student Commission Director – asuwmesc@uw.edu
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
Parliamentary procedure is the language of Senate and a tool to maintain order and ensure all voices are heard. This guide is a summary of the most common parliamentary procedures used in Senate. Use this as a guide for when you want to speak or make a motion, and feel free to ask anyone in Senate Leadership if you have any questions.
To approve the Senate agenda:
- “Move to approve the agenda”
Want to change something in the agenda?
To add something:
- “Move to insert _____ under section ____”
To remove something:
- “Move to strike _____ from _____ section”
To make any other changes:
- “Move to amend _____ to _____ ”
Efficiency:
In some cases we will want to add a timestamp, setting a specific time to start an agenda item such as a forum or election. This helps keep us on track and makes sure that we start that item on time.
- “Move to add timestamp to _____ (agenda item) for _____ (time) ”
Sometimes Senate wants to consider legislation (or other agenda item) at an expedited manner. In this case we can move straight to considering the legislation or other item.
- “Move to make ____ a special order of the day”
Want to change the agenda after it has been approved?
- “Move to suspend the rules and insert _____ into the agenda” (2/3 vote needed to pass)
Legislation
This is how we have tangible change on campus, and what Senate primarily focuses on. Any UW student can submit a resolution at any time about any topic affecting students. This section will briefly cover the process and motions that a resolution goes through. If you want more information about how to write a resolution feel free to ask anyone in Senate Leadership or Steering.
Path of a Resolution
A resolution is…
- Submitted to the Senate website under “What We Do” > “Introduce Legislation”
- Reviewed by the Senate Steering Committee and added to the following Senate agenda if approved
- Brought to the floor for first readings (this is a time for people to ask questions about the resolution, but we cannot make opinions or changes just yet)
- Sent to a committee
- In committee, researched more thoroughly and suggestions for amendments are made
- Passed through committee and comes back to the floor where senators vote to approve committee edits
- In second readings and open for amendments and opinions from all Senators
- Voted on by Senate
- Voted on by the Board of Directors if it is passed through Senate – if it is adopted by Board, the resolution becomes UW’s official student opinion
- Forwarded to the appropriate people
At any point in first readings or second readings, a senator may move to table the resolution.
At any point in first or second readings, a senator may ask any question about the resolution (just raise your hand and wait to be recognized by the speaker).
To amend the resolution:
- “Move to (insert/strike/amend) ______ in ________ section”
To amend an amendment before it is voted on (this is the furthest we can amend something):
- “Move to (insert/strike/amend) the amendment to ______”
To end debate and vote on an amendment:
- “Move to approve” or “Move the previous question”
To adopt the amendments made by a committee:
- “Move to adopt the amendments as written”
To send the resolution to a committee:
- “Move to end first readings and send this to ______ committee”
To vote on the resolution:
- “Move to approve the resolution”
To put the resolution/motion on hold (temporarily):
This is used when we want to gather more information on a piece of legislation before voting.
- “Move to postpone the resolution/motion for ______ (amount of time)”
To put the resolution/motion on hold (permanently):
- “Move to table the resolution/motion” or “Move to postpone the resolution/motion indefinitely”
To bring back a tabled resolution/motion:
- “Move to take ______ from the table”
Can you not see the legislation or hear the speaker?
- “Point of personal privilege”
This can be said at any time, even while the speaker is speaking. Once said, follow up with what is bothering you, such as you need the legislation to be scrolled down or you can’t hear someone who is talking.
Do you want to say something but have no idea how?
- “Parliamentary inquiry”
State what you want to do/say and the chair will assist you in how to correctly do so.
Do you think someone broke parliamentary procedures?
- “Point of order”
This can be said at any time, even while the speaker is speaking.
Want to know what we are doing or voting on, or are you completely lost?
- “Point of Information.”
This can be said at any time, even while the speaker is speaking. This is used to help alert the speaker if someone is confused about the topic we are on and will prompt them to explain further.
Want to adjourn?
Have we finished all of the agenda items?
- If yes then “Move to adjourn”
- If no then “Move to suspend the rules and adjourn”
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Constituent – The students that a senator represents. This may include an RSO or other student group and its members, or individuals that a senator finds and reports back to.
Liaisons – A senate representative to a Committee, Board, or task force for another entity or organization
ASUW member – A UW student who is registered as an ASUW member
Entity – A commission, program, or facility within ASUW
Nominations – When senators can place other senators on the ballot for an election to a liaisonship or leadership position (if the senator accepts the nomination)
Vote of No Confidence – A vote by the Senate body to remove the Speaker, Vice Speaker, or Membership Coordinator
Adopt – To officially accept or pass a proposal or legislation
Ratify – To officially approve any decision that was made without quorum
Proxies – Senators who vote in the place of an absent senator
Quorum – The number of present and voting senators needed to call a meeting to order and vote on any action item on the senate agenda (50% + 1 active senators)
Ex-officio Member – Someone who has a seat on a committee because of their role, but may not vote
Standing Committee – The six permanent committees in Senate that is in charge of reviewing legislation introduced in senate: On-Campus, Off-Campus, Academic and Administrative Affairs, General Affairs, Oversight, and the Committee for Resolution Follow-up
Task Force – A group created by the Board of Directors to address a specific issue Parliamentary authority- powers given to the Senate by the Senate Rulesco
Standard Agenda – The traditional order of how business is conducted in Senate (Approval of the Agenda, Land Acknowledgement, Speaker’s Report, etc.)
Designee – Someone who is asked to complete a specific task for someone else (i.e. the person a primary sponsor asks to read their legislation to Senate for them)
Special Rules – Rules that Steering makes for when Senate considers a piece of legislation (i.e. A committee will review a piece of legislation and before sending it to the body)
Suspending the Rules – When ⅔ of voting and present senators vote to ignore the normal Senate rules to do something it could not do otherwise
Non-Debatable Motion – A motion that cannot be debated, such as the call for a roll call vote
Motion to Limit Debate – A motion asking the Speaker to place a time limit on speeches during debate or to limit the number of people who can speak
Primary Sponsor – The writer of a piece of legislation who presents the legislation to the Senate
Secondary Sponsor (cosponsor) – A contributor to a piece of legislation
Majority Report – A summary of a committee’s discussion about a piece of legislation that represents the majority of the committees opinion
First Readings – The first time the Senate hears a piece of legislation when senators may only ask questions to the sponsor
Second Readings – The second time the Senate hears a piece of legislation when senators may ask questions, give opinions, and propose amendments
Standing Committees – The six permanent committees in Senate who review legislation: On-Campus, Off-Campus, Academic and Administrative Affairs, General Affairs, Oversight, and the Committee for Resolution Follow-up
Veto – When the ASUW Board of Directors votes against a piece of Senate legislation
Override Vote – When 3/4s of voting and present senators vote to pass a piece of legislation that was vetoed by the Board of Directors
Simple Majority – 50% + 1 of present and voting senators Senate liaison- A senate representative on a Committee, Board, or Task force for another entity or organization
Senate Leadership – The Senate Speaker, Vice Speaker, Membership Coordinator, and Senate Clerk
OPMA – The Open and Public Meetings Act, Chapter 42.30 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW); a state law that lists requirements for the meetings of public bodies, such as the ASUW Senate, to ensure transparency
Special Order of the Day – A time sensitive piece of legislation that skips first readings and committee meetings to go to second readings; the Senate body must take a vote to make a piece of legislation a special order