CONSTITUTION
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDENT SENATE
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Last amended in October 2005 [
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SECTION 1 | NAME
1.1
The name of this organization will be the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. Hereinafter it will be referred to as GPSS.
1.2
The divisions of GPSS will be referred to as Executive Board and Senate.
SECTION 2 | PURPOSE
2.1 Role
GPSS is designed to be the voice of graduate and professional students on all campuses at the University of Southern California, USC. GPSS endeavors to accurately represent the concerns and needs of graduate and professional students to the University administration, facilitate interdisciplinary exchanges, and provide programming of special interest to graduate and professional students.
2.2 Structure
The structure is designed to assure that GPSS is representative of graduate and professional students at USC. In recognition of the time constraints placed on graduate and professional students, the structure is decentralized and meetings are minimized.
2.3 Definition of Graduate Student
Any student enrolled in a graduate or professional program and classified as a graduate student by USC.
SECTION 3 | SENATE
3.1 Responsibilities
3.1.1 Establishing Policies and Procedures
The Senate establishes the policies and procedures for GPSS through the following responsibilities to:
- Serve as a forum for graduate and professional student interaction
- Elect the GPSS Executive Board
- Approve the GPSS budget
- Make resolutions expressing graduate and professional student concern
- Amend the Constitution and Bylaws in a judicious manner.
- Designate a proxy to attend Senate and committee meetings in the event the regular senator(s) is/are unable to attend.
- Serve on at least one GPSS standing committee or University-wide committee.
3.1.2 Failure to Perform Duties
Senators who repeatedly fail to perform their duties or abuse their office for personal ends may be removed by two-thirds vote of the Senate. A senator must be given notice of an intended motion of removal at least four days before the meeting where the vote will be held. Senators may also be removed by the constituencies that elected them, according to the procedures of the constituency.
3.2 Membership
The GPSS Senate consists of both voting members and ex officio members. Members must be currently registered USC graduate or professional students.
3.2.1 Voting Members
Voting members will consist of Senators from each of the Schools (Business, Cinema, Fine Arts, etc.) and each of the Letters, Arts & Sciences departments. The Senators from each School/LAS department will be determined according to the following: 1 Senator for every 2% of the graduate and Professional student body. The number of Senators for the third largest School/LAS department determines the cap on the number of Senators for the largest School/LAS department; the largest School/LAS department cannot exceed that of the third largest School/LAS department.
3.2.2 Ex Officio Members
Ex officio members include the following:
- All members of the Executive Board
- Graduate Student in Residence
- Student Affairs Advisor
Ex officio members are not entitled to vote in Senate meetings, except the President/Chair who may vote only to break a tie. Ex officio members may not serve in any function as an individual graduate student, but instead must stay neutral as a representative of GPSS. Ex officio members may not serve as a proxy for an absent voting member.
3.2.3 Ad Hoc Members
Ad Hoc members are permanent representatives from recognized organizations oriented toward graduate and professional students. Organizations must petition the Senate and be approved by a majority vote of the Senate in order to be granted Ad Hoc membership. Ad Hoc members are not entitled to vote in Senate meetings.
3.3 Elections
3.3.1 Timeline
- Nominations for all senators shall open on the first Monday in February.
3.3.2 Structure
- Senators shall be responsible for coordinating the election within their department or school.
- The Elections & Recruitment Chair shall inform all departments and schools not currently represented on the Senate of the opening of nominations.
- Selection procedures shall be determined by the graduate students of the department or school, but, in any case, selection shall be completed by the end of the spring semester.
- If a senator's seat remains vacant after the end of the spring semester, the Executive Board of the GPSS shall initiate action to fill the seat, such as informing members of the department or school of the vacancy and encouraging those eligible to run.
- Newly elected senators shall take office after the April meeting of the Senate. Retiring senators shall leave office immediately after the April meeting of the Senate.
- The Senate may nullify a departmental or school election if it has reason to believe that the election was conducted unfairly.
3.4 Senate Meetings
3.4.1 Quorum
Quorum is one-half of the total number of Senators from USC-recognized student body organizations representing their school/department.
3.4.2 Voting
A simple majority of the members present at the Senate meeting is required to pass a Resolution or Bylaw Amendment.
- A two-thirds vote of the members present at the Senate meeting is required to pass a Constitutional Amendment. Notice of a proposed amendment must be given one Senate meeting prior to the meeting when the vote will be taken.
3.4.3 Meeting structure
- The Senate will meet at least once a month during the Fall and Spring semesters. At least one meeting a semester must take place on the Health Sciences Campus.
- At the request of five Senators, a meeting will be run according to Robert's Rules of Order.
- All meetings will be open to the public. Any graduate or professional student may speak at a meeting.
SECTION 4 | EXECUTIVE BOARD
4.1 Responsibilities
The Executive Board completes the day-to-day operations for GPSS through the following responsibilities:
- Coordinate the activities of the Senate and GPSS Committees.
- Make administrative decisions.
- Participate in and be available for all Senate and Executive Board meetings.
- Submit a semester budget for Chairs’ funds for the semester within the first month of each semester.
4.2 Membership
The Executive Board has the following membership:
- President/Chair.
- Vice President.
- Finance Chair.
- Elections & Recruitment Chair.
- Social Programming Chair.
- Community and Special Events Chair.
- Communications Chair.
- Public Relations Chair.
- Academic Affairs Chair.
- Health Sciences Campus Chair.
4.3 Elections
4.3.1 Executive Board Positions
Executive Board positions, excluding the Health Sciences Campus Chair (see section 4.3.1a), are elected by the Senate. Any graduate or professional student is eligible to run for positions on the Executive Board, with the exception of President/Chair and Vice President. Candidates for President/Chair and Vice President must have been one of the following:
- GPSS Executive Board member.
- GPSS Senate member.
- GPSS Committee member.
- University or University-wide Committee member.
- USC-recognized graduate student group executive board member (serving for at least a full semester).
In the case that no qualified person runs for President/Chair or Vice President, the position will then be open to the entire graduate and professional student community
4.3.1a Health Sciences Campus Chair
The Health Sciences Campus Chair is elected by Health Sciences Campus Senators. Only Health Sciences Campus graduate and professional students are eligible to run for the position.
4.3.2 Time of Elections
Executive Board elections shall be held during the April Senate meeting. The Senate meeting at which the elections are held will be advertised. The elections will be conducted by the outgoing Elections and Recruitment Chair, or, if the outgoing Elections and Recruitment Chair is a candidate to run for a position, by another person chosen by the Senate at the meeting. The Senate may also appoint scrutinizers.
4.3.3 Structure of Elections
Elections for each Executive Board positions will be held in the order in which they are listed in section 4.2. The Elections & Recruitment Chair will call for nominations. Each nominee may give a brief speech. Voting shall be by secret ballot. In the event that no candidate receives a majority of the votes, there will be a run-off between the two candidates with the most votes. Candidates may run for a maximum of two executive board positions to be elected in the order listed in Section 4.2
4.3.4 Mid-Year Vacancy
In event of a vacancy in mid-year, the vacancy shall be advertised and an election held at the Senate meeting immediately following the vacancy.
4.3.5 Failure to Perform Duties
Executive Board members who repeatedly fail to perform their duties or abuse their office for personal ends may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Senate. An executive board member must be given notice of the intended removal at least four days before the meeting where the vote will be held.
4.4 Executive Board Meetings
4.4.1 Structure
The Executive Board shall meet at the time set by the previous meeting, at the call of the President/Chair, or at the call of two or more Executive Board members. Historically, the time has been from 5:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday.
4.4.2 Quorum
Quorum is one-half of the existing Executive Board.
4.4.3 Voting
A simple majority is required to pass a motion at Executive Board meetings. In the event of a tie, the President/Chair will vote to break the tie.
SECTION 5 | STANDING COMMITTEES
5.1 Responsibilities
Standing Committees will address graduate and professional student concerns at the University. Their duties include:
- Representing graduate and professional students in their chosen area.
- Informing the Senate and Executive Board on their activities on a regular basis.
- Researching and reporting on issues when requested to do so by the Senate or the Executive Board.
5.1.1 Approval of Committees
Standing Committees are approved by a simple majority of the Senate.
5.1.2 Election of Chairs
Chairs are elected from within the membership of each Standing Committee. Committee Chairs must be elected by the last Executive Board Meeting. If the Committee has not elected a new Chair by the last Executive Board Meeting, the incoming President/Chair or the Elections and Recruitment Chair may appoint an interim Chair. When the Standing Committee is fully constituted they are empowered to elect a Chair of the Committee.
5.1.3 Schedule of Meetings
All Standing Committees will meet at least once a month during the Fall and Spring semesters.
SECTION 6 | AD HOC COMMITTEES
6.1 Responsibilities
Ad Hoc committees are formed on an as needed basis to address specific graduate and professional student concerns. Their duties include:
- Representing graduate and professional students on a specific issue.
- Informing the Senate and Executive Board of their activities on a regular basis.
6.1.1 Committee Approval
Ad Hoc committees are approved by a simple majority of the Senate.
6.1.2 Committee Cessation
Once the task is completed, the Ad Hoc committee is disbanded.
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