Graduate Student Council

ARTICLE I. Purpose.

The School of Science graduate students of Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis do hereby establish this constitution of the Graduate Student Council (GSC). The purpose of this body is to establish and provide an official graduate student government in order to give graduate students a voice in matters pertaining to the affairs of the University and School of Science. The aims of this body are to improve the quality of graduate student life, to contribute more effectively to campus life in general, to encourage the highest quality of graduate instruction, to provide a means for graduate students to become involved in determining future University and School of Science directions and planning, and to otherwise enhance graduate student involvement on the University campus and in the community.

ARTICLE II. Executive.

Section 1. President.

Representatives to the School of Science Graduate Student Council will elect from amongst their senior delegates a president to serve a one year term beginning in August. Such person must have been a member of the Graduate Student Council for a one year period prior to election as president. The president will be elected by a majority of two-thirds quorum. Such person can serve no more than two consecutive terms. At the discretion of the GSC the president's duties include but are not limited to: moderating the monthly meetings; setting the agenda for the meetings; casting votes as a tie-breaker; and representing the School of Science graduate body at the Graduate Student Organization meetings. If the president cannot attend to a duty, he or she will appoint a substitute for the occasion from the membership.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #1)

Section 2. Vice-President.

The GSC could also elect a vice-president from the senior delegates of a different department than the president. His/Her duties could include but not be limited to standing in for the president on the occasion of his or her absence. Further duties could be defined by the GSC.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #2)

Section 3. Finance Officer.

A finance officer will be confirmed annually from a member of the council. The finance officer's duties will be to keep the financial records of the GSC, handle reimbursements, and fulfill other finance-related responsibilities for the GSC.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #3)

Section 4. Correspondence Officer.

A correspondence officer will be confirmed annually from members of the council. The correspondence officer will take the minutes for any GSC sanctioned meeting and handle correspondence for the GSC.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #4)

Section 5. Historian/Archivist.

A historian/archivist will be confirmed annually from members of the council. The historian/archivist will document and preserve the history of the graduate student council. He/she will also maintain a current list of graduating alumni for our records to allow us to keep in touch with them and create a networking web for our student body.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #5)

Section 6. Sergeant-at-Arms.

A sergeant-at-arms may be confirmed annually from members of the council. The sergeant-at-arms will help the president facilitate council business during meetings. He/she should have a good working knowledge of Robert's Rules of Order.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #6)

ARTICLE III. Membership.

Section 1. Members.

The GSC shall comprise of graduate students from all the School of Science departments which have graduate degree programs. The current departments of the School of Science are the following:

1. Biology
2. Chemistry & Chemical Biology
3. Computer Science
4. Geology
5. Mathematical Sciences
6. Physics
7. Psychology

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #7)

Section 2. Two Representatives per Department/Qualifications.

Each department will elect or appoint two representatives who are in good standing with their respective department as graduate degree seeking students. The only exception is the president's affiliated department. Since the president can only cast a vote during tie-breakers, another delegate must be selected to cast his/her department's vote. Thus, the president's department will have three representatives of which all but the president can cast a regular vote during council business. References to department will hereafter refer to degree-seeking graduate students in good-standing and/or department chair.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #8)

Section 3. Process of Selection.

Each department shall determine through a consensus of present graduate students their preference for the appointment of their representatives. A majority of graduate students from the department voting can choose either to elect their own representatives or surrender this privilege to the department chairperson for his/her appointment of two representatives to the GSC. This procedure will be binding until such time the graduate of the department choose to hold another referendum on the method in representative selection.

Section 4. One-year Term.

Each representative will serve for one year. Each term begins August 1st and ends July 31st of the following year. Elections and appointments will be conducted in April before the end of the spring school semester. Each representative must be officially registered at the time of their election/appointment and during the entire time they serve on the council. Representatives can serve additional terms if so desired by their department.

Section 5. Voting/Proxy Voting.

A member will have one vote concerning GSC business. Each department is entitled to two votes; if a member from a department is not present at a meeting, the second department representative may vote for the absent member via proxy. This option can only be used twice within a single term. If a member finds that they can no longer fulfill his/her capacity as a member, his/her department is responsible for finding a replacement.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #9)

Section 6. Meeting Absence.

If a member fails to attend four consecutive meetings, the council will send an official request to the department for a new representative. If this request is not complied with in a period of time specified by the GSC, then the department will surrender its voice and voting privileges for that member for the rest of the term.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #10)

Section 7. Alternate.

Each department, will at the time of the appointment/election of official representatives choose an alternate. If an official representative can no longer serve, the alternate becomes the official representative to the GSC. The department can then choose another alternate.

ARTICLE IV. Meetings.

Section 1. Scheduled Monthly Meetings.

The Graduate Student Council will meet regularly on a monthly basis on a time and day determined and agreed on by a quorum of the Graduate Student Council members.

Section 2. Meeting Changes/Emergency Meetings.

Any deviations or additions or special meetings will be announced by mail or electronic communications to all Graduate Student Council representatives. The appointed Correspondence Officer will send notification to the representatives of all regular scheduled meetings at least one week prior to the meeting. Notifications of special meetings will be one week before the meeting, or where lapse of time is shorter, as soon as the meeting has been scheduled.

Section 3. Meeting Procedures.

Procedures, such as "Robert's Rules", for the meetings of the Graduate Student Council and its committees will be governed as the Graduate Student Council President dictates.

Section 4. Quorum.

There will be two types of quorums used for GSC business. The first type is a "general meeting quorum" which is be defined as fifty percent of the total number of representatives. Votes shall be taken as a verbal consensus. If the verbal consensus is undeleniable, then a hand-vote or a ballot may be used. The Graduate Student Council President votes only in the event of a tie.

The second type is a "special quorum" for financial matters and executive elections which is defined as two-thirds of the total number of representatives, with at least two-thirds of the departments being represented. These decisions will strictly be handled by ballot. Proxy votes will not be counted in financial matters.

ARTICLE V. Finance and Funding.

Section 1. Finance Disbursement.

The Graduate Student Council represents the disbursement center for that portion of the School of Science graduate student activity fees allocated by the Graduate Student Organization as well as other funds obtained by the GSC. A portion of these funds will be retained by the Graduate Student Council for special Graduate Student Council programs and services. The remainder of the funds will collectively be made available to the student organizations of the graduate academic areas within the School of Science from which they were generated.

Section 2. Bank Account/Signatories.

The Finance Officer and the President are the signatories on the bank account established for the GSC funds.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #11)

Section 3. Finance Committee.

A finance committee will be formed as specified under Article VI. Committees; Section 2.

ARTICLE VI. Committees.

Section 1. Committee Formation.

The School of Science Graduate Student Organization shall have the authority to establish various committees, either standing or ad hoc, at it's discretion. Size and membership of said committees shall be determined by the GSC in regular meeting. Each committee shall select a chairperson to oversee committee business.

Section 2. Finance Committee.

A finance committee shall be created as a permanent standing committee of the GSC upon the passage of this constitution. It will be chaired by a Finance Officer and shall be comprised of members from all departments represented in monthly meetings. The function of such committee will be to manage existing funds, oversee revenue generated by GSC events, and at the end of the scholastic year review all GSC finanical transactions.

Section 3. University Committees.

The GSC shall seek and be responsible for representation on the University decision-making committee where SOS graduate student representation is deemed necessary or beneficial, including the Graduate Affairs Committee.

ARTICLE VII. Support Functions.

Amended July 19th, 2007 (Amendment #12)

Section 1. Functions.

The functions which the Graduate Student Council and the Graduate Office will provide include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Taking and recording of the GSC minutes, as well as the minutes of its associated committees;
2. Preparing budgetary reports for the GSC and its associated committees;
3. Handling correspondence which is issued by the GSC and its associated committees, and that which is received from other parties;
4. Printing and duplicating;
5. Preparing and issuing official reports of the GSC and its associated committees;
6. Transferring moneys on the behalf of, or at the discretion of the GSC and its associated committees;
7. Preparing requisitions for the administrative needs of the GSC and its associated committees;
8. General office support services;

The above mentioned duties are to be carried out by members of the GSC, its associated committees and the Graduate Office.

Section 2. Faculty Advisor.

The faculty and administrative liaison will be the advisor to the GSC. Upon request, the advisor will review and offer advice about proposed actions of the GSC.

ARTICLE VIII. Amendments to Constitution.

Section 1. Amendment Proposal.

Any representative may propose an amendment to this constitution or an addendum to its by-laws. In order that this constitution be amended, or that the by-law be added, there must be an approval of such action by at least two-thirds of the total number of representatives.

Section 2. Amendment Repeal.

Also, any representative may propose the repeal of an amendment or the removal of a by-law. In order that the amendment be repealed, or that the by-law be removed, there must be an approval of such action by "special quorum" of the total number of representatives.

1. Article II. Section 1. President. The President will be elected by a simple majority vote, for a term of one year, beginning in August of the academic year. There will be no term limit. To be eligible, a candidate must have served as a representative to the council for at least one semester and be in good standing. The President will appoint someone to attend the campus Graduate Student Organization meetings. This office must be occupied at all times.
2. Article II. Section 2. Vice-President. The office of Vice-President will be filled at the discretion of the council.
3. Article II. Section 3. Finance Officer. The office of Finance Officer will be filled at the discretion of the council.
4. Article II. Section 4. Correspondence Officer. The office of Correspondence Officer must be occupied at all times.
5. Article II. Section 5. Historian/Archivist. The office of Historian/Archivist will be filled at the discretion of the council.
6. Article II. Section 6. Sergeant-at-Arms. The office of Sergeant-at Arms will be filled at the discretion of the council.
7. Article III. Section 1. Members. The department of Geology shall here-to-fore be known as Earth Sciences.
8. Article III. Section 2. Two Representatives per Department/Qualifications. Each department will have one elected representative as well as one alternate. The selection of the representative and alternate will be left to the discretion of the respective department.
9. Article III. Section 5. Voting/Proxy Voting. Each department is entitled to one vote.
10. Article III. Section 6. Meeting Absence. Departmental good standing shall be defined as follows: If the representative or alternate of the department has no unexcused absences from council meetings in a single semester. If there is an unexcused absence within the semester, the respective department shall lose good standing for the following semester. If a representative or alternate fails to attend a meeting without prior contact, a message will be sent to the department secretary.
11. Article IV. Section 2. Bank Account/Signatories. In the absence of a Finance Officer, the Correspondence Officer will be the second signatorie on the bank account established for GSC funds.
12. Article VII. Article VII is repealed.