RUSA 101

RUSA 101 is to introduce you to how Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) General Meetings work.

This webpage is meant to break down the structure of the assembly, how meeting agendas run, and how members can turn ideas into real initiatives or legislation. Whether you are a new member or just want to be more involved, RUSA 101 will help you understand the basics—like how proposals move through committees, how voting works, and how student voices directly impact the constituents they represent. It’s the perfect starting point to represent over 40,000 Rutgers students and create effective change.

  • An assembly meeting officially begins when the Student Body Vice President calls it to order (by banging the gavel).

  • Read aloud during the first meeting of the month.

    Statement: “We acknowledge that the land on which we stand is the ancestral territory of the Lenape People. We pay respect to Indigenous people throughout the Lenape diaspora–past, present, and future–and honor those that have been historically and systemically disenfranchised. We also acknowledge that Rutgers University, like New Jersey and the United States as a nation, was founded upon the exclusions and erasures of Indigenous peoples.”

  • Each week’s agenda must be approved by the Assembly before presenting the following items. To do this, a voting member must make a motion to approve the agenda, have this motion seconded by another voting member, and receive no opposition. Before the agenda is approved, a voting member may motion to “amend” the agenda to change a part of it. This could include adding an item, removing an item, or changing the order of items on the agenda. 

    Motions:

    • Motion to approve the agenda…

    • Motion to amend the agenda…

  • Officer Updates are a section of RUSA General Meetings where members of the Executive Board share what they’ve accomplished throughout the week. During this time, officers give quick updates on the projects they’ve been working on, any meetings they attended, and the initiatives or progress they’ve made on behalf of the student body.

  • Legislation in RUSA refers to official written proposals (bills or resolutions) that are introduced to address student issues or improve campus life. These ideas are usually reviewed in committees, debated, and then voted on by the Assembly. If passed, legislation becomes an official stance or action taken by RUSA on behalf of Rutgers students.

    • External Rep: Is an open forum discussion for RUSA representatives to highlight events or initiatives they do in collaboration with RUSA.

    • Public Sector: Is an open forum discussion for general members to highlight any events for other clubs they are a part of. Also can be for any public comments they want to make.