Constitution of the Graduate College Student Association of the
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Effective May 7, 2008

PREAMBLE

We, the students of the Graduate College of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, in order to improve the student academic conditions and to create an organization of the local, regional and national graduate student community through which its collective interests may be served, in cooperation with the administration of the University of Oklahoma, do establish this constitution.

ARTICLE I

GRADUATE COLLEGE STUDENT ASSOCIATION

Section I
This Organization shall be known as the Graduate College Students' Association of the Graduate College of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, and is herein referred to as the Association.

Section II
This Association shall be composed of all students officially pursuing post baccalaureate studies in the Graduate College at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and who are herein referred to as members.

ARTICLE II

LEGISLATIVE

Section I
The legislative power of the Association shall be vested in the Graduate College Student Board, herein referred to as the Board.

Section II

• The Board shall be composed of elected representatives, herein referred to as Board Members, who shall be in good standing with the University of Oklahoma. Each College Student Organization or Graduate Student Organization shalldesignate two graduate college student representatives, who shall serve for one calendar year as voting BoardMembers for the College. The President of each College Graduate Student Organization or a designee of the President shall serve as one of the Board Members.
• Each College Student Organization or Graduate Student Organization is also responsible for appointing one Alternate Board Member.  Alternates shall assume Board Member responsibilities in the case of absence, resignation or removal of the Board Member.
• Each College Student Organization or Graduate Student Organization should hold elections, in order to identify Board Members, during the spring semester so that new Board Members are in place beginning May 1. The new Board Members shall then assume Board duties after the Graduate College Students' Association meeting in May.
• Membership on the Board with voting privileges is extended to the President of the Delta Chapter of Alpha Epsilon Lambda.
• Each Board Member shall have one vote.

Section III
Robert's Rules of Order, Revised shall govern all procedures, unless otherwise specified by a quorum majority vote of the Board. A quorum will consist of at least 4 out of 6 of the colleges present with at least 50 percent of the voting members present.

Section IV
The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

• To supervise all Board elections, academic functions and organizational activities sponsored and supported by the Board;
• To enact legislation approved by a quorum majority vote and otherwise deal with all matters pertaining to the specific Association academic and organizational functions;
• To investigate matters pertaining to the general academic welfare of the Graduate College Student Association Members, and present recommendations to the administration of the University of Oklahoma through the Graduate Dean concerning such matters;
• To enact rules contained in the Bylaws of the constitution necessary for putting into effect the foregoing powers and duties; and
• To set a time and place of meeting of the Board.

Section V
The Board shall select (option) a Faculty representative from the full time graduate faculty of the University of Oklahoma, within four weeks following the start of the academic year The Faculty representative shall serve for one calendar year. The selection of duties of the sponsor shall be determined by the Board and shall comply with appropriate state and university regulations. The Dean of the Graduate College or his designee shall serve as the Association's Sponsor.

ARTICLE III

EXECUTIVE

Section I
The Executive Officers of the Board shall be the Chairperson, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Section II
The Executive Officers of the Association shall be:

• Elected at the May meeting of the Graduate Student Association and shall assume office after that meeting.

Section III

•  At the time of taking office, the Chairperson shall become a representative at large of the Board and shall forfeit all voting privileges.
• The College that the Chairperson originally represented shall then appoint another representative to serve as that College's Board Member.

Section IV
The Chairperson of the Association shall have the following powers and duties:

• To preside at all meetings of the association and of the Board;
• To call special meetings of the Association and of the Board;
• To appoint all Chairpersons and Members to special committees of the Association and of the Board;
• To execute the laws of the Association;
• To serve as representative of the Members on the Graduate Faculty Council;
• To organize the first meeting of the newly elected Board;
• To cast a tie breaking vote; and
• To represent the Association at the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students.  If the Chairperson is unable to attend, the Chairperson shall appoint an Officer or member of the Board to represent the Association at the Meeting
  

Section V

The Secretary shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

•  To take minutes at regularly scheduled meetings;
• To act as the Chairperson in the event of the Chairperson's incapacity or absence.
• Should the Chairperson's seat become permanently vacated, to act as interim Chairperson until the Board shall elect a new Chairperson.
• Following the Secretary, the order of responsibility for filling an absent Chairperson's seat shall be:
• The Treasurer;
• Followed by the Chairperson for the standing committee entitled Graduate Research, Issues, and Awards.

Section VI
The Treasurer shall have the following responsibilities and duties:

• To take minutes at regularly scheduled meetings in the absence of the Secretary.
• To serve as Chairperson of the Graduate Research, Education, and Technology Symposium Committee.
• To serve as Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Budget Committee.
• To provide a budget report at each monthly meeting.

Section VII
In the event of a vacancy in an office other than the Chairperson's the Board Members shall elect a replacement for the remainder of the term from the Board Membership.

ARTICLE IV

JUDICIAL

Section I
The judicial power of the Association shall be vested in the Members of the Board.

Section II
The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

• To rule on all questions of interpretation of the Constitution and Bylaws;
• To make final decisions on the recall of any Members by an organization or on the removal of a Member by the Board;
• To hear the grievances of any member of the Association, to conduct investigations into such grievances, and to submit a report of the grievances, findings of any investigations, and the opinion of the Board on the grievance to the appropriate University Administrative bodies.

ARTICLE V

REMOVAL AND RECALL

Section I
Each College Student Organization or Graduate Student Organization shall be responsible for the recall of any of its Board Members for whatever reason it decides and for the informing of the Board of such recall. The College Graduate Student Organization will then be responsible for providing a new Board Member to the Board within one month of recall.

Section II
The Board may remove a Board Member by a three fourths majority. The Board shall inform that Board Member's College Student Organization or Graduate Student Organization of such removal, and show just cause for the removal.

ARTICLE VI

AMENDMENTS

Section I
This constitution can be amended by a three fourths majority of the Board or the Association Membership.

Section II
Any proposal for amendment shall be presented either by the Board as a legislative amendment or by a referendum petition of fifteen percent of the Association membership.

Send your comments to Beverly Crider, President of the OUHSC Graduate Student Association

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