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BYLAWS OF
THE GRADUATE STUDENT ASSEMBLY
OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
BY-LAW 1: DUTIES OF MEMBERS
1.1 Representation
Members shall represent the graduate students of their program or organization
to the Assembly and, when appropriate, to the faculty and administration.
1.2 Attendance
Members are expected to attend each and every meeting of the assembly or to
see that their Alternate attends.
1.3 Committees
Members are encouraged to participate on Assembly, university, and departmental
committees.
1.4 Alternates
An Alternate shall assume the full powers and duties of a Member for any meeting
that the member does not attend with the exception that no alternate may
assume the power or duties any officer of the Assembly.
1.5 Resignation
A Member shall submit a letter of resignation to the Secretary if that Member
is unable to continue in a term of office. Upon the resignation of a Member,
the Alternate for that Member shall immediately assume all the powers and
duties of a Member for the remainder of the term of office, with the exception
that no Alternate may assume the power or duties any officer of the Assembly.
BY-LAW 2: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
2.1 Regularity of Selection
Alternate members should be selected at the same time as Members. Names of
both Members and Alternates should be submitted to the Secretary after they
are selected.
2.2 Graduate Programs and Organizations
The Assembly shall seek Members from each graduate program or organization.
It shall be the duty of the Secretary to assemble and maintain the list of
bodies responsible for putting forward members to the Assembly. The Secretary
is also responsible for gathering the names of Members and Alternate members
from each of the graduate programs at the appropriate time.
BY-LAW 3: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
3.1 Co-Chairs of the Assembly
The Co-Chairs of the Assembly shall:
• Preside at meetings of the Assembly.
• Initiate and coordinate Assembly elections and other actions.
• Create ad hoc committees of the Assembly, when necessary, and appoint
the chairs of these committees.
• With the Treasurer, prepare an annual budget.
• Preside at meetings of the Executive Committee.
• Facilitate communication among organizations of graduate students.
• Facilitate cooperation between the Assembly, graduate students and administrators
in the departments, in the graduate and professional schools, and in the University
offices.
• Represent the Assembly at all appropriate meetings and events.
• Represent the Assembly to the Faculty Council, the Graduate Assembly,
and other university standing or ad hoc committees as necessary.
• Coordinate with the Student Government and Senate of College Councils
through the Student Governance Coordinating Council, and attend Student Government
and Senate of College Councils meetings as necessary.
• Act as Assembly parliamentarians, and provide a final word of interpretation
in matters concerning the Constitution and By-Laws.
3.2 Secretary
The Secretary of the Assembly shall:
• Make all necessary arrangements and reservations for the meetings of
the Assembly and announce the time, location and agenda of meetings to all Members
of the Assembly.
• Maintain and distribute an accurate roster of the membership of the Assembly
and the current listing of graduate student organizations, associations and councils.
• Record the attendance at the meetings.
• Determine and announce all vacancies in membership and facilitate the
filling of these positions.
• Produce the minutes of Assembly meetings and make copies available to
all Assembly members.
• Handle Assembly correspondence as necessary.
• Keep and maintain the files of all Assembly business.
• Be responsible for providing new Members with a copy of the Constitution
and By-Laws.
• Attend Executive Committee meetings.
• Present reports of office activity at the general Assembly meeting.
3.3 Treasurer
The Treasurer of the Assembly shall:
• Keep accurate records of all financial transactions of the Assembly.
• Be prepared to report the financial status of the Assembly.
• Represent the Assembly in all matters involving the finances of the Assembly.
• Assist the Co-Chairs in creating the annual budget for the Assembly.
• Maintain supplies for official Assembly business and the Assembly office.
• Attend Executive Committee meetings.
3.4 Special Events Coordinator
The Special Events Coordinator shall:
• Attend the Executive Committee meetings.
• Present a summary of office activity to the Executive Committee meeting.
• Present proposals for the agenda of Assembly meetings.
• Present reports of office activity at the general Assembly meetings.
• Coordinate room reservations, refreshments, and other logistical arrangements
for Assembly events including lectures, parties, the Williams S. Livingston Outstanding
Graduate Student Employee Award, and Graduate and Professional Student Week Activities.
• Assist with travel plans for visiting speakers.
3.5 Public Relations Coordinator
The Public Relations Coordinator shall:
• Attend the Executive Committee meetings.
• Present a summary of office activity to the Executive Committee meeting.
• Present proposals for the agenda of Assembly meetings.
• Present reports of office activity at the general Assembly meetings.
• Edit the Assembly newsletter.
• Coordinate publication of posters, brochures, advertisements, and other
Assembly materials.
• Coordinate publicity, media correspondence, and other public relations
activities for the Assembly.
• Coordinate the nomination and selection process for the Williams S. Livingston
Outstanding Graduate Student Employee Award.
3.6 Electronic Resources Coordinator
The Electronic Resources Coordinator shall:
• Attend the Executive Committee meetings.
• Present a summary of office activity to the Executive Committee meeting.
• Present proposals for the agenda of Assembly meetings. Present reports
of office activity at the general Assembly meetings.
• Manage the Assembly e-mail listserv and other e-mail lists.
• Maintain the Assembly World Wide Web home page.
• Maintain all electronic hardware and software owned by the Assembly.
BY-LAW 4: ELECTION OF OFFICERS
4.1 Nominations
Only Members of the Assembly may enter the name of a Member-elect into nomination
for an elected office of the Assembly upon a second of another Member. Members
may nominate themselves for these positions.
4.2 Speeches
All nominees and other interested Members may address the Assembly as regards
to the personal and professional qualifications for office.
4.3 Fair Hearing
The Co-Chairs will preside over officer elections. The presiding officers must
remain impartial to the candidacy of all nominees. The presiding officers
shall ensure that all nominees have had a fair opportunity to convey their
views to the Assembly.
4.4 Discussion
After appropriate discussions, the nominees may be given an opportunity to
respond to any additional questions from the Assembly.
4.5 Voting
Voting for officers of the Assembly shall be by a secret ballot to be tallied
and verified by the Secretary.
BY-LAW 5: DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
5.1 Members
All officers of the Assembly will serve on the Executive Committee. In addition,
the Co-Chairs of the Assembly may invite other Members and graduate students
to participate in the Executive Committee meetings. The Executive Committee
meeting shall be accessible to the Assembly for observation.
5.2 Agenda
The Executive Committee shall meet before each meeting to prepare an agenda
for the coming meeting.
5.3 Review
The Executive Committee shall review the activities and functions of all committees
of the Assembly and recommend dissolution or formation of an ad hoc committee
when appropriate.
5.4 Interim
The Executive Committee shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Assembly
between meetings of the Assembly.
BY-LAW 6: UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES
6.1 Representation in the Graduate Assembly
The representative Members to the Graduate Assembly shall include at least
one of the Co-Chairs. The remaining Members at large who sit on the Graduate
Assembly should be appointed by the Executive Committee and should reflect
each of the divisions of the Graduate School. Division A consists of the
following areas: Communications, Fine Arts, Liberal Arts and Library and
Information Sciences. Division B consists of the following areas: Business,
Education, Public Affairs and Social Work. Division C consists of the following
areas: Architecture, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Nursing and Pharmacy.
6.2 Selection of Representatives to University Committees
Representatives to the Faculty Council, the Graduate Assembly, and any other
standing or ad hoc university committees shall be appointed by the co-chairs,
with advice and consent of the Assembly, following the elections of officers
for the next year or when the need arises.
6.3 Terms of Office
The terms of office for these representatives shall be for one year from the
beginning of each September until the end of August.
BY-LAW 7: PROCEDURES
7.1 Format of Regular Meetings of the Assembly
The format for meetings of the Assembly shall be as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Verification of attendance
3. Adoption of minutes
4. Guests
5. Reports of ex-officio members
6. Reports of Officers
7. Reports of university committee representatives
8. Reports of ad hoc committees
9. Unfinished business
10. New business
11. Announcements
12. Adjournment
7.2 Parliamentary Authority
GSA adopts as its Rules of Order Darwin Patnode, Ed., Robert’s Rules
of Order, Modern Edition for normal operation of the Assembly except where
they are inconsistent with the constitution, bylaws, or any special rules of
order the Assembly may adopt.
7.3 Open Meetings
All interested persons shall be able to attend meetings of the Assembly.
7.4 Recall of Officers
An elected officer of the Assembly may be recalled for good cause by two-thirds
majority of Members present at a meeting of the Assembly. A motion to recall
an officer must be submitted in writing and the motion to recall requires
the written seconding of at least two members of the Assembly.
7.5 Officer Vacancies
A vacancy in an elected office of the Assembly due to resignation, recall,
or incapacitation shall be filled through normal election procedures.
7.6 Recall of Members
A Member shall be denied or removed from membership on the Assembly by a two-thirds
majority vote of the Members present at a meeting of the Assembly. The Assembly
shall recognize recall procedures, if any, that are established by the students
of a specific constituency. When no recall procedures are specified, a recall
petition from a simple majority of Members of the affected constituency shall
remove a person from membership on the Assembly as soon as the petition is
received by any Member of the Executive Committee for delivery to the Assembly.
Upon the removal of a Member, the associated Alternate member will assume
the duties of the removed Member.
Adopted March 31, 1994
Amended April 6, 1998
Amended October 6, 2003
Amended on May 3, 2004
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