By-Laws
ARTICLE I - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE III - AMENDING PROCEDURES
ARTICLE IV - RECALL PROCEDURES
ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTIONS
ARTICLE I - DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A. Officers
1. President
The President is the chair of the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA). The President serves as the official spokesperson for the Assembly, communicating GSA actions and positions to the University community, Board of Regents of the University of Massachusetts Boston, Student Affairs Office, and the Graduate Studies Department. In addition, the President provides organizational leadership to the GSA, including coordinating with the Executive Board and supervising GSA staff.
a. Position Responsibilities:
- Serve as the Chief Executive Officer of GSA.
- Coordinate recruitment, Executive Board member policies, GSA policies, and organizational management with the Executive Board and Assembly.
- Coordinate events, programs, and orientation activities with Executive Board members and staff.
- Coordinate the agenda for the GSA and Executive Committee
- Coordinate with the Program Coordinator & Treasurer in order to maintain the GSA's budget and finances.
- Coordinate Executive Board member responsibilities.
- Act as the official alternate representative on behalf of GSA to the Board of Regents.
- Meet monthly with Chancellor Motley.
- Attend and preside over all Executive Board and Assembly meetings.
- Provide monthly reports to the Executive Board and Assembly.
- Attend GSA events and social functions.
- Responsible for leading the Election and By-Laws Committee
- Hold at least five scheduled office hours per week.
- Periodically attend meetings of College Councils.
- Notify other organizations and relevant authorities of Assembly actions through press releases and other media relations, promotional campaigns, and public image development.
- Delegate presidential duties that the President is unable to complete.
b. Recommended Duties:
- Participate as a member of the Student Advisory Council or appoint a delegate.
- Coordinate participation with graduate and professional student conferences.
- Attend University-wide events and committees as necessary.
- Other duties as created throughout the year.
c. Annual Stipend: $3,000
d. Estimated time commitment: 10-15 hours per week
2. Vice President
The Vice President's main function is to support the President and Executive Board. If the President is inaccessible, resigns, or is otherwise detained for a given duty, it is the Executive Vice President's job to fill that function as appropriate. For this reason, it is critical for the Executive Vice President to maintain a strong line of communication with the President in order to be fully apprised of all developments and to support and complement the position as necessary.
a. Position Responsibilities:
- Coordinate GSA business closely with the President.
- Supervise Program Coordinator.
- Serve as a formal contact for the formal grievance procedure.
- Responsible for getting each department represented at Assembly Meetings.
- Assist Executive Board members with projects as they arise.
- Meet Monthly with the Vice Provost for Student Affairs.
- Attend any meetings or complete responsibilities the President is unable to fulfill.
- Speak on behalf of the GSA if the President unable.
- Attend all Executive Board and Assembly meetings.
- Attend GSA events and social functions.
- Responsible for heading the Academic and Program Committees
- Hold at least five scheduled office hours per week.
- Other duties as created throughout the year.
b. Annual Stipend: $2,000
c. Estimated time commitment: 8-10 hours per week
3. Treasurer/Secretary
a. Position Responsibilities:
- Will keep track of the financial records
- Will have the responsibility for overseeing expenditures in conjunction with the Program Coordinator and President
- Will look for ways the GSA can offer more value to the Graduate Student Population in the form of grants, professional associations, etc.
- Will make sure the website is updated with current and useful information
- Will keep be responsible for GSA meetings minutes
- Will make sure the GSA’s listserv is updated and in order
- Other duties as created throughout the year.
- Hold at least five scheduled office hours per week.
- Attend all Executive Board and Assembly meetings.
- Attend GSA events and social functions.
- Responsible for heading the Budget and Finance Committee
b. Annual Stipend: $1500
c. Estimated time commitment: 5-8 hours per week
B. Executive Committee
1. Will be comprised of the above Officers.
2. Will execute the day to day business of the GSA.
3. Will have the power to hold meetings in order to coordinate its internal functioning.
4. Shall operate as the GSA's steering committee and as the nominal GSA during the summer session.
5. Shall make recommendations concerning the job description, shall participate in the hiring process and shall contribute to the performance review of the GSA Program Coordinator and all other GSA funded personnel.
A. GSA Meetings
1. Meetings shall be conducted using Robert's Rules of Order as a working guide. The structure and procedures shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
2. There shall be at least three meetings of the GSA during the Fall and Spring semesters. There shall be at least one meeting of the GSA or the Executive Committee during the Summer semester.
B. General Meetings of Graduate Students
1. Upon petition of 5% of the enrolled graduate students, or upon the vote of the GSA, the Executive Committee shall coordinate and make public an agenda for a general meeting of all graduate students. Such meetings shall be subject to the following rules:
a. The meeting will be chaired by the President of the GSA under rules set forth by the Election Committee of the GSA and using Robert's Rules of Order as a working guide.
b. The Election committee may set forth specific rules of participation such as requiring speaker registration and time limits.
ARTICLE III - AMENDING PROCEDURES
The initiation of an amendment to these By-Laws will require a 2/3 vote of a GSA meeting with at least 50% of the elected members attending.. Approval of a By-Laws amendment may only take place during an academic year meeting and shall again require a 2/3 vote of those present at a meeting which satisfies the quorum requirements.
ARTICLE IV - RECALL PROCEDURES
A. Recall of an Assembly Member
The GSA may remove an elected member if such members behavior is deemed grossly detrimental to the functioning of the GSA. This removal shall require a 2/3 vote of the elected representatives to the GSA, the evidence for such removal must have been presented at a meeting preceding the one at which the vote is taken, and the notice for such a meeting must include the removal motion and be circulated at least two weeks prior to the meeting. An automatic recall will be initiated if a GSA member is absent from 3 regular meetings in one semester. A majority of elected representatives may overturn this recall.
B. Recall of an Officer
The recall of an officer must be an agenda item of either a general Graduate Student Meeting or a GSA meeting with at least two weeks notice. The removal motion must be approved by a 2/3 vote of a GSA meeting with at least 50% of the elected members attending. Reasons for removal shall be negligence of duties as described on the job description or gross misconduct and evidence of such negligence or misconduct must be presented prior to the recall vote. Recall shall be by either 1) a 2/3 majority vote of the elected members of the GSA or 2) a minimum of 50 votes or a two-thirds majority of the students present at a general meeting, whichever is larger. Replacement procedure are those detailed in the GSA Constitution.
C. Recall of a committee member
Appointees to internal and external committees may be recalled for negligence of duties or failure to represent in good faith the decided opinion of the GSA. Recall must be a published agenda item and will require a 2/3 votes of those present at a meeting satisfying the 50% quorum requirement.
ARTICLE V - MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTIONS
A. Composition
The GSA shall be comprised of a number of members equal to or less than 1% of the enrolled graduate student body as determined in the Spring semester in which the election is held. No unit as described in Article III of the GSA Constitution shall hold more than 1/3 of the seats on the assembly under any circumstances. as a result of the election if the 1% level can be met by the number of persons duly nominated and placed on the ballot.
B. Proportional Representation
If the 1% level can be exceeded by the number of persons duly nominated and placed on the ballot, no unit as described above shall be entitled to more than 1/4 of the seats on the GSA and the election results shall be adjusted to insure this - i.e., lower vote recipients may replace higher ones to the extent that the higher vote recipients are members of units with more than 25% representation. In addition, no unit with an enrollment greater than 5% of the total graduate student enrollment shall be denied a seat on the Assembly if an eligible representative appears on the ballot. The remaining votes shall be adjusted first with regard to the 1/4 rule and then with regard to proportional representation of the remaining units in the assembly. The Dean of Graduate Studies shall be the final arbiter of the election results.
C. Timing Requirements
Nominating procedures and time periods will be determined by the Elections Committee but in no case shall less than two weeks be available for nominations to be submitted and at least two weeks shall elapse between the close of nominations and the election.
ARTICLE VI - STANDING COMMITTEES
A. The following standing committees will be established with a minimum number of GSA members as shown:
1. Election and By-Laws (3)
2. Budget and Finance (3)
3. Academic (3)
4. Programs (2)
B. The GSA has the right to appoint and terminate ad hoc committees at its discretion.
ARTICLE VII - ELECTION OF OFFICERS
A. Pre-declared nominations
Members shall nominate themselves or fellow members for the posts of GSA Officers, with participation limited to new GSA members who have voting privileges. A one-paragraph introductory statement from each nominee must be received by the GSA Program Coordinator at least 8 days before the election date (or other deadline set by the GSA). Statements must be compiled by the Program Coordinator and forwarded to all members one week before the election date.
B. Nominations from the floor
Elections will be conducted by the sitting GSA President (or his/her designee), and minutes of the meeting will be taken by the sitting Secretary (or other designated member). Nominations, followed by elections, will be held in succession for each office in the following order: President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer. After nominations for an office are called out, the nominees confirm (or rescind) their nominations. Additional nominations can be made by the floor at this time. Nominations need not be seconded. New nominees will be allowed a 3-4 minute introduction. All nominees have to be present at the meeting to be eligible for nomination. Pre-declared nominees will be considered eligible in absentia only if they explain to the GSA in writing the valid reason for their absence.
C. Voting
Once nominations for an office are closed, voting will take place by an online survey, irrespective of the number of nominees. If there are two nominees, a simple majority (51% of votes) will prevail. In the event of three or more nominees, balloting will be repeated with only the top two contestants being retained. In the event of a tie vote, the nominees may restate their positions, open to debate. If the tie is not broken by another round of balloting, The GSA can take one of two options: a) arrive at a consensus candidate, or b) opt for shared office by the two nominees.
D. By-elections
If re-election of an officer is required during the course of the year (under conditions specified in Article VI.D of the GSA constitution), the GSA may elect either a pro-tem officer or a permanent replacement either by simple voice vote or by the nomination/voting procedure.