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By-laws
of the Graduate and Professional Student Government
of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Revised September 29, 2007
| Article I |
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Graduate and Professional
Student Government (GPSG).
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Article II |
PURPOSE
In the belief that a comprehensive representative voice is needed on
behalf of the graduate students at UNC Charlotte to insure that both
the individual and collective interests of graduate students will be
heard and responded to by the faculty and administrative units of the
University, the GPSG exists to be the primary organization responsible
for addressing the concerns, issues and needs of the graduate student
body.
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Article III |
MEMBERSHIP
A. Students - Every duly enrolled graduate and graduate post-baccalaureate
student is a member of GPSG and member of a representative unit. GPSG does
not discriminate against students based on race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
B. Representative Unit - A representative unit is any one of the officially
recognized graduate programs.
C. Duties of a Representative Unit - The unit shall:
- Provide a Senator to represent the interests of its members in the GPSG
Senate and to the University as a whole.
- Provide a forum for discussion within this group, of matters of concern
to GPSG.
D. Dues - No duly enrolled graduate or graduate post-baccalaureate student
governed by a representative unit shall be required to pay dues or register
membership in that unit as a prerequisite for voting on GPSG business or
representation.
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Article IV |
GPSG SENATE
A. Membership - Each representative unit may appoint or elect one Senator to
the GPSG Senate.
B. Election or Appointment of Senators - Each representative unit shall
select its own method of electing or appointing its Senator to the Senate.
Each member of the Senate shall serve and vote at the pleasure of the
representative unit for one academic year.
C. Eligibility - Any currently enrolled graduate or graduate
post-baccalaureate student in good standing at UNC Charlotte, upon proper
election, shall be eligible to serve as a GPSG Senator.
D. Proxy Representation - Representative units may select an alternate or
proxy to serve in its Senator's place.
E. Meetings - Senate meetings will be conducted at least once per month;
Executive Board meetings will be held at least biweekly during the academic
year.
F. Quorum - A majority (fifty percent plus one) of the active Senators at a
duly announced meeting shall constitute a quorum. There must be a quorum at
any meeting in order to hold a vote.
G. Voting - Each member of the Senate shall cast one vote on behalf of
his/her representative unit.
H. Attendance - No Senator shall miss more than three duly announced
meetings. If a Senator does miss three meetings, the representative unit is
no longer represented, and a voting member, until a new Senator is selected.
Attendance is required by all Senators receiving funding through the GPSG.
- First absence – No penalty and an e-mail warning of the missed meeting.
- Second absence – Fine of $50.00 to be deducted from the group or organization’s
on-campus account.
- Third absence - Fine of $150.00 to be deducted from the group or
organization’s on-campus account with possible revocation of charter pending
a Senate vote.
If you must be absent (for specific reasons outlined below) or will be
sending a proxy, please notify one of the officers PRIOR to the meeting. We
require that you provide documentation of one of the situations in EXCUSABLE
ABSENCES below, beyond the first absence, to avoid penalty to your
organization’s budget. For inexcusable absences, or absences beyond the
first one with no documentation, your organization will be subject to the
penalties as listed above. This policy is on a per-semester basis and will
be enforced by the Senate.
EXCUSABLE ABSENCES
- Conferences and university related business
- Illness
- Accident
- Weather
- Severe traffic situation
- Other UNCONTROLLABLE situations
We understand that there are occasional extenuating circumstances that may
prohibit you from attending the scheduled meetings. However, frequent
absence will not be tolerated as you have been appointed by your
program/organization to represent their needs to the GPSG.
Note: A proxy representing an organization may be appointed by that
organization to act as representative during a given meeting.
I. Committees - The standing committees of the Senate shall be the Financial
and Special Projects. The Senate shall be empowered to establish other
committees to study, plan, or conduct business of the Senate.
Section 1. Finance Committee
- The
Finance Committee shall consist of 4 members of the GPSG with the
Treasurer acting as chairperson.
- Members
are self-nominated or can be nominated by other members.
- The four
members shall be elected by a quorum of the Senate.
- The
President and Vice President shall be ex-officio members of the Finance
Committee and the Chairperson voting only to break a tie.
- The
Finance Committee shall be called by the Chairperson after the first
Senate meeting of the Fall Term. The Finance Committee shall hear all
matters concerning all GPSG finances, including but not limited to the
allocation and maintenance of the GPSG annual budget, the allocation of
annual budgets for the clubs and organizations, the reallocation of
budgetary categories for clubs and organizations, the appeals for clubs
and organizations allocations that have been suspended under the
Constitution and the Treasury Laws.
- Any
Senator that is a member of an organization requesting funds must
abstain from voting in committee or the full Senate with regard to
his/her organization.
- The
Finance Committee shall set a due date each spring for charters to turn
in their budget requests based on the SAFC deadlines for GPSG’s final
budget. They shall notify the Senate of this due date at least one
month in advance. (Amended 4/19/05)
- After
receiving and reviewing budget requests from charters, the Finance
Committee shall be empowered to present to the Senate options for
budgetary guidelines for that fiscal year. (Amended 4/19/05)
- The
committee will participate in the education and preparation of the
treasurer elect for the upcoming year. (Amended 9/26/07)
- Committee
members will help present pertinent information to the GPSG Senate for
their consideration in a timely manner. (Amended 9/26/07)
Section 2: Research
Fair Committee (Amended 9/26/07)
- The
Research Fair Committee shall consist of 6
members of the GPSG with the Vice President acting as Chairperson.
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The President and Treasurer of the GPSG
shall be ex-officio members and the Chairperson voting only to break a
tie vote.
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Members are self-nominated or can be
nominated by other members.
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The six members shall be elected by a
quorum of the Senate.
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The Research Fair Committee shall be
responsible for the planning and execution of the Graduate Research
Fair.
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The Research Fair Committee shall have
the authority to allocate funds at their discretion for use in the
Graduate Research Fair.
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The Research Fair Committee shall have
the authority to conduct survey research of graduate students about the
planning and execution of the Graduate Research Fair.
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The Research Fair Committee will create
a statement of purpose for the Graduate Research Fair and create a plan
for future expansion of the Graduate Research Fair.
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The Research Fair Committee will present
a report to the GPSG Senate regarding the outcome of the Graduate
Research Fair including plans for change for future fairs.
Section 3: Special
Projects Committee (Amended 9/26/07)
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The Special Projects Committee shall consist of 6 members of the
GPSG with the Secretary acting as Chairperson.
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The President and Vice President of the GPSG shall be ex-officio
members and the Chairperson voting only to break a tie vote.
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Members are self-nominated or can be
nominated by other members.
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The seven members shall be elected by a
quorum of the Senate.
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This committee will propose and implement a new central project for
the year or expand on a project implemented in previous years.
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The committee will assess or reassess the need for and
implementation of this project, and make adjustments to the project
accordingly.
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The committee will allocate funds for the implementation of the
project.
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The committee will coordinate recruitment of needed volunteers
and/or participants.
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The committee will research best practices for their project.
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The committee will educate the GPSG senate, the SGA senate, and
advisors from faculty and staff in departments which are not currently
represented by the GPSG about any projects which they are currently
spearheading.
J. Treasury Laws -
1. The Senate shall establish treasury laws by which all GPSG finances, expenditures and budget policies shall be governed in concert
with the Student Activities Fees Commission statutes. The Treasury Laws
shall be established and/or amended by an affirmative vote by 2/3 of the
membership of the GPSG Senate.
2. The GPSG Accounting Clerk and Treasurer will conduct a mandatory
treasury meeting at the beginning of each semester; all chartered
organizations must send their treasurer or other qualified
representative. The Fall meeting may cover such topics as SAFC
Orientation and use of GPSG expenditure forms; the Spring meeting may
cover Budget planning and guidelines. (Amended 4/19/05)
K. Budget - The Senate shall approve the annual budget no later than two
weeks prior to the SAFC deadline for budget submissions and shall administer
the budget according to the GPSG Treasury Laws and the Student Activities
Fees Commission statutes.
L. Emergency Sessions - Emergency sessions of the Senate shall be held upon
the request of the President or 15% of the Senate. The meeting shall not be
held sooner than three days after the call for the meeting.
M. Volunteer Representation -
In order to remain a charter in good standing with GPSG, each charter
must volunteer for GPSG-level events or projects no less than two times
per academic year. This volunteer
requirement may be fulfilled by having a member of your charter serve as
a GPSG officer, serve on one of the GPSG committees, volunteer at Fall
or Spring Orientation, the Graduate Research Fair, GPSG fundraisers, or
any other event designated by the GPSG Officers as needing volunteers.
The GPSG Secretary shall track volunteer participation.
If the volunteer requirement has not been met by January, or, the
commitment to complete the requirement has not been met by this time,
the charter will not be permitted to submit a budget. If charter
has committed to the requirement, but it is found to be incomplete after
the submission of budgets, the budget will be reallocated (Amended 5/25/06).
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Article V |
EXECUTIVE BOARD
A. The Executive Board - Shall be responsible for the daily operations
of the GPSG.
B. The Executive Board shall consist of -
- President - elected by the GPSG Senators in elections conducted by
the GPSG.
- Vice President -elected by the GPSG Senators in elections conducted
by the GPSG.
- Treasurer - elected by the GPSG Senators in elections conducted by
the GPSG.
- Secretary - elected by the GPSG Senators in elections conducted by
the GPSG.
C. Duties and Responsibilities of the President - The President shall
be empowered to call and conduct Senate meetings, to represent the GPSG
at all University functions, to speak on behalf of the graduate and
professional students, to appoint graduate students to openings on
University committees, and to initiate and oversee any business or
programs necessary to fulfill the purposes of this organization, so
long as not inconsistent with the Constitution or the by-laws.
D. Duties and Responsibilities of the Vice President - The Vice
President shall have all the powers of the President at any time and
for however long the President is incapable of fulfilling the duties of
that office. He or she shall be the Chair of the Special Projects
Committee, an ex-officio member of the Finance Committee. He or she
shall handle all matters of public relations, including but not limited
to chairing focus groups, contacting the media, and planning special
events.
E. Duties and Responsibilities of the Treasurer - The Treasurer shall
be empowered to represent the GSPG on the Student Activities Fees
Commission (SAFC), to Chair the Finance Committee, to oversee the
annual budget to requisition funds, to keep all financial records, and
to conduct affairs of this office consistent with the Treasury Laws and
the Student Activities Fees Commission statutes.
F. Duties and Responsibilities of the Secretary - The Secretary shall
be empowered to record and distribute the minutes, to maintain
communications with the Senators, to tally election results, to record
resignations, to distribute the newsletter, and to update the web page.
G. Membership in the Senate - If an Executive Board member is a
Senator, he or she shall not remain as a GPSG Senator from his or her
representative unit and shall not retain his or her vote.
H. Recall - Recall of members of the Executive Board and removal from
office shall be initiated by 50% of the full Senate membership by
petition to the president. A 2/3 vote of the full Senate membership is
required for removal.
I. Succession - If the GPSG President is recalled or otherwise leaves
the office, the Vice President shall assume all duties and
responsibilities of the Office of President.
J. Summer Government - The summer government shall begin May 1 and be
empowered to conduct business, appropriate funds and make appointments.
It shall consist of the Executive Board; however, Senators may act as
proxies for Executive Board members until the first day of classes for
the Fall Semester
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Article VI |
GENERAL POWERS
The GPSG shall have all powers necessary and proper for the performance
of its duties under the GPSG Constitution, Student Body Constitution
and these by-laws.
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Article VII |
REFERENDUM
Referenda shall be held under the auspices of the GPSG to initiate any
act or resolution within the Constitution.
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Article VIII |
AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended upon approval by a 2/3 vote of the
membership of the GPSG Senate.
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