Constitution
Preamble
The needs of graduate students are separate from those of
undergraduates, and whereas there is no other mechanism on the campus of
the University Of Cincinnati to be the voice of the collective graduate
students, be it therefore enacted that we, the graduate students, do
hereby establish this constitution of the Graduate Student Governance
Association (GSGA).
ARTICLE
I
OBJECTIVES
Section 1. To promote the academic
(research and educational) goals of graduate students at the University
of Cincinnati.
Section 2. To establish effective
communication among graduate students, other student groups, and the academic
and administrative units of the University.
Section 3. To be the administrative
and financial advisor to all member groups affiliated with the GSGA.
Section 4. The GSGA shall not
endorse political issues which do not directly concern the welfare of
graduate students at the University of Cincinnati and shall not,
therefore, be considered a political organization.
ARTICLE
II
CONSTITUENCY
Section 1. The GSGA represents all
University of Cincinnati graduate students.
Section 2. Graduate students are
herein defined as University of Cincinnati students enrolled in any
graduate program offered by the University, either full- or part-time.
ARTICLE
III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Graduate students may
form Representative Member Groups, herein defined as academic groups
(by graduate program or college), who apply for membership to the GSGA
and meet the criteria of the Constitution and its Bylaws. GSA
Member Groups shall consist of at least ten graduate students from a
degree-granting program, department or college at the University of
Cincinnati. Every graduate degree-granting academic program can
be represented by only one GSGA Member Group.
Section 2. GSGA Member Groups shall
elect a representative to the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) and may
elect an alternate for their representative.
Section 3. Member Groups must have
"active status" to receive the full benefits of GSGA.
"Active status" entails regular representation at GSGA
meetings and completion of registration requirements.
Section 4. The Executive Board
shall make the final determination on whether new groups fulfill the
criteria to form a GSA Representative Member Group.
ARTICLE
IV
GRADUATE STUDENT
ASSEMBLY
Section 1. The Graduate Student
Assembly (GSA) shall be the policy-making body for the GSGA, and shall
abide by all University, State, and Federal laws.
Section 2. All graduate students at
the University of Cincinnati have a right to attend meetings.
Section 3. GSGA meetings (the GSA)
shall consist of Representative(s) from each Member Group (GSA
members), as well as the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer,
and the Campus Ambassador of GSGA, and GSGA committee chairs.
Voting privileges are reserved for designated GSA representatives.
Section 4. Each Representative
shall have one (1) vote. Alternates may attend GSA meetings, but may
vote on any business conducted by the GSA only in the absence of the
Representative for the respective Member Group. An Alternate serving in
the place of the respective Representative has full rights, duties, and
privileges accorded each member of the GSA.
Section 5. All Representatives and
Alternates shall serve a term of one year. Re-election will be in
accordance with Member Groups' Constitutions.
ARTICLE
V
OFFICERS
Section 1. The GSGA shall have 4 officers elected by the GSA. The
officers are a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer and a Campus Ambassador elected by the GSA.
Section 2. Officers must be
matriculating graduate students, registered in an approved / official
graduate program and be in good academic standing with their respective
colleges during term of office.
Section 3. The elected GSGA officers
shall preside over all GSA meetings.
Section 4. The President, Vice-President,
Treasurer, and Campus Ambassador shall serve on the Executive Board.
Section 5. The term of office for all GSGA
officers shall be one (1) year, commencing with beginning of summer quarter
through the end of the following academic year’s summer break. Officers may
be elected up to three terms, with maximum five years service in the GSGA
executive board. Officers may serve at most one additional term if a
three-quarters majority of the GSA so approves.
Section 6. Officers are compensated
as follows: in-state tuition remission and fees (for academic year) an
honorarium and single coverage university health insurance. The
President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer and the Campus Ambassador
shall receive honorarium in the amount of $18,480 per year.
Section 7. In cognizance of the
registration requirements for the GSGA officers to receive the eligible
honoraria, every eligible officers' total costs for one required credit
hour will also be covered by GSGA. If any officer is enrolled for more
than one credit, only the in-state portion of the fee will be covered
by the GSGA.
Section 8. Officers are paid over a
twelve (12) month period that includes summer duties. If an officer
is unable to perform duties during any quarter, he/she will not get
compensation for that quarter.
ARTICLE
VI
MEETINGS
Section 1. Meetings of the GSA shall
be held monthly during the autumn, winter, and spring quarters. The
GSGA officers will schedule meetings. In September, all GSA
representatives shall be notified, in writing, of the date, time, and
location of all regular meetings scheduled for the year.
Section 2. Special meetings of the
GSA may be called when deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
GSA members must be given at least forty-eight (48) hours notice prior
to the meeting.
Section 3. All graduate students
have speaking privileges at GSA meetings. All speakers must be
recognized by the presiding officer at the meeting. Presiding
officer has the right to limit discussion to designated GSA
representatives.
Section 4. In the event of a
disturbance of the GSA meeting, the Presiding Officer is empowered to
clear the meeting of non-voting members and/or to adjourn the meeting.
Section 5. All meetings shall be
conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, except as stated in the
GSGA Bylaws, Section 6.
ARTICLE
VII
BYLAWS
Section 1. This Constitution and the GSGA
Bylaws shall be the rules of the GSA and the GSGA.
Section 2. The Bylaws may be
amended by a majority of the GSA voting membership present.
(There must be a GSA quorum.)
Section3. Proposals to amend the Bylaws can be presented by
any official representative of a Member Group or by a GSGA officer.
ARTICLE
VIII
GSGA GRANT
REVIEW COMMITTEE
Section 1. The GSGA Grant Review
Committee (GRC) is composed of the GSGA Executive Board and two (2) GSA
Representatives, with the Vice-President presiding.
Section 2. The two (2) GSGA
Representatives are selected from a pool of applicants. Selection
is based upon previous GSGA experience or other relevant
experience. Efforts should be made to add Member Group / College
variety to the committee.
Section 3. The GRC will meet and
assess submitted grant proposals. The GSGA-GRC will make a
decision and notify the submitting group in writing within ten calendar
days from the deadline for receiving the grant.
Section 4. GRC selects grants based
upon rules set forth on the GSGA Grant Application form, and by rules
established by the GRC at the beginning of the academic year.
Section 5. If two or more members
of the committee are from the same department, they vote as a single
vote on grants related to their department.
Section 6. If a committee
member is directly involved in the project submitted to assessment by
the GSGA-GRC, they shall abstain from voting.
ARTICLE
IX
UNIVERSITY
ADVISOR
Section 1. The GSGA shall have a
University Advisor who shall be a full-time member of the University
faculty or administration.
Section 2. The University Advisor
shall be selected by the Executive Board and approved by the GSA by a
majority vote.
Section 3. Any change made in the
University Advisor takes place at the beginning of the next academic
year.
ARTICLE
X
GSGA GRADUATE
GROUP OF THE YEAR
Section 1. The GSGA Executive
Board will select from the Member Groups nominated for the GSGA
Graduate Group of the Year Award.
Section 2. The GSGA officers will award
a certificate to the selected GSGA Member Group and add the Group's
name to the GSGA Graduate Group of the Year Plaque located in the GSGA
office.
ARTICLE
XI
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. A motion to amend this Constitution
may be made by petition of one half (½) of the GSA voting
Representatives.
Section 2. A motion to amend shall
be voted on within five (5) weeks after said motion has been
made. A motion to amend this Constitution can only be tabled
once.
Section 3. Amendments to this
Constitution shall be declared ratified and adopted following a
three-fourths (75%) affirmative vote by all voting Representatives
present. (There must be a GSA quorum.)
ARTICLE
XI
RATIFICATION
Section 1. This Constitution shall
be ratified and adopted following a three-fourths (¾) affirmative vote
by all voting GSA Representatives present. (There must be a GSA
quorum. See section 6c of GSGA Bylaws for definition of quorum.)
Section 2. This Constitution shall
be effective upon ratification.
Section 3. The officers at the time
of ratification shall remain in their respective positions until the
next regularly scheduled election of officers.
This Constitution was last amended at the August 15, 2011,
GSGA General Assembly Meeting.
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