University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Constitution
ARTICLE I. NAME
Section 1. The name of this organization is hereby entitled the Graduate Student Association (GSA) of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, hereafter referred to as the Graduate Student Association.
ARTICLE II. AFFILIATION
Section 1. This organization is not affiliated with any local, state, national, or international organization.
ARTICLE III. ADHERENCE
Section 1. This organization shall adhere to all university rules, regulations, and policies, as well as to all local, state, and federal laws.
ARTICLE IV. PURPOSE
Section 1. The Graduate Student Association shall serve as the student government association representing all graduate students at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The purpose of this organization shall be to encourage, recognize, and assist all graduate students academically and socially, as well as to promote the interests and welfare of graduate students within the university.
ARTICLE V. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership shall be granted to all graduate students, full or part-time, enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In concordance with university policy, all members must maintain satisfactory standing to remain eligible.
- Satisfactory standing, per university policy, requires that a student maintain a 3.0 G.P.A. Any student who falls below a 3.0 G.P.A, at any time, is considered on academic probation and thus will not be considered to be in satisfactory standing.
Section 2. This organization does not discriminate against any student, faculty, or staff member based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, handicap, or sexual orientation.
Section 3. Only members in satisfactory standing may be eligible to serve as officers or to vote in matters concerning the organization.
ARTICLE VI. ADVISOR
Section 1. The advisor of this organization will be the acting Dean of the Graduate School, who will remain in close contact with the concerns of this organization.
ARTICLE VII. OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES
Section 1. The requirements for nomination for an elected office are that the nominated individual must have been active in the Graduate Student Association in the semester prior to elections. He or she must currently be in good academic standing and available to fulfill the duties of the office for the full term of office (one year).
Section 2. The officers of the Graduate Student Association shall include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and the Treasurer. Additionally, there will be Department Representatives.
Section 3. The Executive Board of the Graduate Student Association consists of the officers of the Graduate Student Association, as well as Department Representatives.
Section 4. The Executive Board of the Graduate Student Association possesses the authority to call special elections or an impeachment hearing.
- A two-thirds vote of the Executive Board shall be necessary to call a special election or an impeachment hearing.
Section 5. An Advisory Board, consisting of the past-President, past-Vice President, past-Secretary, and past-Treasurer, shall exist from the time that new officers are inducted annually until the end of that academic semester. The Advisory Board shall exist solely to assist newly inducted officers.
Section 6. Only one student from a given department may serve as a GSA Officer within a given term. This rule is imposed to ensure that no one department holds inappropriate authority over the funds and decisions of the GSA.
Section 7. Officers may be removed at the request of the general membership. For this to occur, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general membership attending a duly-called meeting will be required to remove an officer.
Section 8. Grounds for impeachment of officers includes, but is not limited to, more than one (1) unexcused absence a semester
ARTICLE VIII. ELECTIONS
Section 1. Officer nominations will be held at the second to last meeting of the Graduate Student Association of the Spring semester. Nominations must be made, in person, at the aforementioned meeting. If any office remains vacant after the elections, the newly elected Executive Board will be responsible for filling that position.
Section 2. Elections of officers will be conducted by electronic ballot and held annually in May, after nominations have been made. Elections will close no later than May 31st and votes made prior to the close of elections will be tallied. Officer elections will require a simple majority vote.
Section 3. Officers shall be inducted at the Graduate Student Association meeting immediately following the receipt of election results.
Section 4. Officer terms shall last approximately one fiscal year, beginning with induction and ending with the induction of officers elected in the succeeding year.
Section 5. In the event that the President is absent, the Vice-President shall assume the responsibilities of the office of the President in the interim.
Section 6. In the event that it becomes apparent that an office has been vacated permanently or in the event that an officer is impeached and removed from office, the Executive Board will have the authority to call for special elections.
- Special elections will follow the same procedure as regular elections.
- The Executive Board shall have the authority to abstain from holding special elections if, in its judgment, an appropriately short period of time remains until the annual elections. In this instance, the Executive Board will vote to elect a temporary replacement for the position, from within the Graduate Student Association membership, until the annual elections are held.
Section 7. If circumstances so warrant, the Executive Board impeach an officer given a dereliction of duties. In this case, a special impeachment hearing will be scheduled.
- A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board at an impeachment hearing will be required for the removal of an officer.
ARTICLE IX. EXECUTIVE BOARD DUTIES
Section 1. The President shall be responsible for:
- Calling to order and presiding at all meetings of the Graduate Student Association,
- Keeping order at meetings;
- Approving withdrawals from the Treasury and signing official documentation of the Graduate Student Association;
- Ensuring that all aspects of this constitution are followed;
- Appointing committee members and overseeing committee progress and functioning;
- Actively promoting the welfare of all graduate students at this university;
- Being the official representative of the Graduate Student Association;
- Removing non-elected individuals from positions, subject to approval of the Executive Board;
- Chairing the Executive Board;
- All other duties generally required of the office.
Section 2. The Vice President shall be responsible for:
- Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings;
- Temporarily serving in the President’s place in cases of absence or incapacity;
- Assisting the President in the aforementioned duties;
- Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board;
- All other duties generally required of the office.
Section 3. The Secretary shall be responsible for:
- Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings;
- Maintaining all official documentation of the Graduate Student Association, including this constitution and any amendments;
- Maintaining accurate records of all meetings and proceedings;
- Creating minutes for all meetings and proceedings;
- Retaining copies of all documentation necessary for holding events, including, but not limited to, contracts entered into by the Graduate Student Association and alcohol permits;
- Keeping track of member attendance at meetings;
- Determining excused versus non-excused absences and recording the numbers of each for officers;
- Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board;
- All other duties generally required of the office.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for:
- Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings;
- Signing all financial-related forms and contracts entered into by the Graduate Student Association;
- Paying out all funds when authorized by the appropriate officers;
- Maintaining a complete, accurate, and up-to-date record of all expenditures, deposits, and receipts;
- Preparing the annual budget for the Graduate Student Association, with the assistance of the Executive Board;
- Chairing the appropriations committee;
- Serving as chairperson of any fundraising committees established;
- Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board;
- All other duties generally required of the office.
Section 5. Department Representatives shall be responsible for and considered active by:
- Attending Graduate Student Association meetings, with no more than one (1) unexcused absence per semester;
- Representing the concerns and needs of students in their respective departments;
- Assisting on committees, both permanent and ad hoc;
- Providing graduate students in their department meeting minutes upon request;
- Promoting and advertising Graduate Student Association events and meetings to students within their respective departments;
- Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board;
- Ensuring their department’s eligibility for financial support from the Graduate Student Association;
- All other duties generally required of this office.
ARTICLE X. COMMITTEES
Section 1. A committee requires at least three members.
Section 2. Permanent, or standing, committees include:
- Appropriations Committee: Aids treasurer and oversees distribution of funds.
- Membership of the committee will be comprised of both Master of Arts and Master of Science students, plus the Graduate Student Association Treasurer, for a total of five student members.
- The committee will be chaired by the Graduate Student Association Treasurer.
- Quorum for the Appropriations Committee will be three members.
Section 3. Ad hoc committees such as Social Committee may be appointed at the President’s discretion.
ARTICLE XI. OFFICIAL BUSINESS
Section 1. There will be at least one meeting per month during the academic year.
- All meetings will proceed in the manner of the agenda set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order.
- The President maintains the right to keep order in meetings, including the ability to redirect discussion in the event that is strays from the issue at hand.
Section 2. One third of department representatives must be present to conduct official business and to vote.
Section 3. The Executive Board may vote to hold meetings, special elections, or proceedings as appropriate.
Section 4. Committee chairs shall possess the authority to schedule additional meetings as necessary to accomplish the goals of the committee.
Section 5. Meetings may be held over the summer at the discretion of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE XII. FINANCE
Section 1. In accordance with university and state policy, the fiscal year will begin July 1 and end the following June 30. Fall semester shall be defined as July 1 - December 31, and the spring semester shall be defined as January 1 - June 30.
Section 2. All checks requests, checks, and other binding financial agreements must be endorsed by the President, Treasurer, and the current Dean of the Graduate School.
Section 3. In order for students from a department to be eligible for financial assistance from the Graduate Student Association, their major department must currently have an active departmental representative to the Graduate Student Association and have been active for the previous two semesters. For programs designed to be completed in one academic year of full time study, they must have an active department representative to the Graduate Student Association, and have been active for the previous one semester.
- An active departmental representative is one who is currently fulfilling all duties outlined in Article IX, Section 5.
Section 4. Travel Grants
- The Graduate Student Association will provide travel grants to graduate students for non-presenting conference attendance or research for thesis/final project completion up to the maximum amount offered by the Graduate School’s travel grant program.
- Departmental grants may not exceed the amount offered by GSA
- The number of available grants will be determined by the President and Treasurer, based upon the total amount of money in the organizational budget.
- To receive funding through the travel grant program, a student must complete an appropriate and designated application and provide letter(s) of support from his or her program coordinator and/or thesis/final project advisor.
- Awards will be determined by the Appropriations Committee (Article X, Section 2, A.)
ARTICLE XIII. RATIFICATION
Section 1. This constitution and any by laws will be ratified with the approval of a two-thirds vote of all members present at a duly called meeting.
ARTICLE XIV. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This document may be amended by a two-thirds vote of members present at a duly called meeting provided members have been informed of the meeting and the proposed amendment at least one week prior to the meeting
ARTICLE XI. NON-PROFIT CLAUSE
Section 1. Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distribution to organization that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
Section 2. No part of the net earning of the organization shall inure to the benefit of its members, directors, officers, or other persons except that the organization shall be authorized to be empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the exempt purposes of the organization.
Section 3. In the event of dissolution, the residual assets of the organization will be turned over to one or more organizations with similar purposes or to one of more organizations described in section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
Last Revision 07-16-09
