GSA Constitution

Section 1. The name of this organization is hereby entitled the Graduate Student Association (GSA) of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, hereafter referred to as the Graduate Student Association.

Section 1.This organization is not affiliated with any local, state, national, or international organization.

Section 1. This organization shall adhere to all university rules, regulations, and policies, as well as to all local, state, and federal laws.

Section 1. The Graduate Student Association shall serve as the student government association representing all graduate students at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The purpose of this organization shall be to encourage, recognize, and assist all graduate students academically and socially, as well as to promote the interests and welfare of graduate students within the university.

Section 1. Membership shall be granted to all graduate students, full or part-time, enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. In concordance with university policy, all members must maintain satisfactory standing to remain eligible. Satisfactory standing, per university policy, requires that a student maintain a 3.0 G.P.A. Any student who falls below a 3.0 G.P.A., at any time, is considered on academic probation and thus will not be in satisfactory standing.

Section 2. This organization practices an open membership policy for members of the university community without regard to age, color, disability, national origin, race religion, military service member or veteran status, or sexual orientation. Membership and participation in this student organization must be open to all currently registered students without regard to gender, unless exempt under Title IX.

Section 3. Only members in satisfactory standing may be eligible to serve as officers or to vote in matters concerning the organization.

Section 1. The advisor of this organization will be the acting Dean of the Graduate School, who will remain in close contact with the concerns of this organization.

Section 1. The requirements for nomination for an elected office are that the nominated individual must have been active in the Graduate Student Association or their respective departmental Graduate Student Association in the semester prior to elections. He or she must currently be in good academic standing and available to fulfill the duties of the office for the full term of office (one year).

Section 2. The officers of the Graduate Student Association shall include a President, Vice President, Secretary, and the Treasurer. Additionally, there will be Department Representatives.

Section 3. The Executive Board of the Graduate Student Association consists of the officers of the Graduate Student Association.

Section 4. The Executive Board of the Graduate Student Association possesses the authority to call special elections or an impeachment hearing. A two-thirds vote of the Executive Board shall be necessary to call a special election or an impeachment hearing.

Section 5. An Advisory Board, consisting of the past-President, past-Vice President, past-Secretary, and past-Treasurer, shall exist from the time that new officers are inducted annually until the end of that academic semester. The Advisory Board shall exist solely to assist newly inducted officers.

Section 6. No more than two students from a given department may serve as a GSA Officers within a given term. This rule is imposed to ensure that no one department holds inappropriate authority over the funds and decisions of the GSA.

Section 7. Officers may be removed at the request of the general membership. For this to occur, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the general membership attending a duly-called meeting will be required to remove an officer.

Section 8. Grounds for impeachment of officers include, but are not limited to, money laundering, more than one (1) unexcused absence a semester, not performing duties as assigned.

Section 1. Officer nominations will be held at the second to last meeting of the Graduate Student Association of the Spring semester or electronically. Nominations must be made, in person or online, at the meeting. If any office remains vacant after the elections, the newly elected Executive Board will be responsible for filling that position.

Section 2. Elections of officers will be conducted by electronic ballot and held annually in February, after nominations have been made. Elections will close no later than March 1st and votes made prior to the close of elections will be tallied. Officer elections will require a simple majority vote.

Section 3. Officers shall be inducted at the Graduate Student Association meeting immediately following the receipt of election results.

Section 4. Officer terms shall last approximately one fiscal year, beginning with induction and ending with the induction of officers elected in the succeeding year.

Section 5. In the event that the President is absent, the Vice-President shall assume the responsibilities of the office of the President in the interim.

Section 6. In the event that it becomes apparent that an office has been vacated permanently or in the event that an officer is impeached and removed from office, the Executive Board will have the authority to call for special elections. Special elections will follow the same procedure as regular elections. The Executive Board shall have the authority to abstain from holding special elections if, in its judgment, an appropriately short period of time remains until the annual elections. In this instance, the Executive Board will vote to elect a temporary replacement for the position, from within the Graduate Student Association membership, until the annual elections are held.

Section 7. If circumstances so warrant, the Executive Board can impeach an officer given a dereliction of duties. In this case, a special impeachment hearing will be scheduled. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board at an impeachment hearing will be required for the removal of an officer.

Section 1. The President shall be responsible for:

• Calling to order and presiding at all meetings of the Graduate Student Association,
• Keeping order at meetings,
• Approving withdrawals from the Treasury and signing official documentation of the Graduate Student Association,
• Ensuring that all aspects of this constitution are followed,
• Appointing committee members and overseeing committee progress and functioning,
• Actively promoting the welfare of all graduate students at this university,
• Being the official representative of the Graduate Student Association,
• Removing non-elected individuals from positions, subject to approval of the Executive Board,
• Chairing the Executive Board,
• and All other duties generally required of the office.

Section 2. The Vice President shall be responsible for:

• Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings,
• Temporarily serving in the President’s place in cases of absence or incapacity,
• Assisting the President in the aforementioned duties,
• Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board,
• Organizing at least 2 events per semester and coordinate with PERCH for the events.
• Serve as a content manager for GSA website.
• All other duties generally required of the office.

Section 3. The Secretary shall be responsible for:

• Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings,
• Maintaining all official documentation of the Graduate Student Association, including this constitution and any amendments,
• Maintaining accurate records of all meetings and proceedings,
• Creating minutes for all meetings and proceedings,
• Retaining copies of all documentation necessary for holding events, including, but not limited to, contracts entered into by the Graduate Student Association and alcohol permits,
• Keeping track of member attendance at meetings,
• Determining excused versus non-excused absences and recording the numbers of each for officers,
• Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board,
• All other duties generally required of the office.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall be responsible for:

• Attending all Graduate Student Association meetings,
• Signing all financial-related forms and contracts entered into by the Graduate Student Association,
• Paying out all funds when authorized by the appropriate officers,
• Maintaining a complete, accurate, and up-to-date record of all expenditures, deposits, and receipts,
• Preparing the annual budget for the Graduate Student Association, with the assistance of the Executive Board,
• Serving as chairperson of any fundraising committees established,
• Serving as a voting member of the Executive Board,
• All other duties generally required of the office.

Section 5. General duties of GSA officers:

• All GSA officers are required to attend all GSA meetings,
• Meet twice a month as the Executive board and share the other business via e-mail.
• Dedicate 3 hours a week for office hours for GSA (no more than 5 hours a week).

A Departmental GSA is defined as any group of students representing a UNCW degree seeking graduate school program.

Section 1. Department Representatives shall be responsible for and considered active by:

• Attending Graduate Student Association meetings, with no more than one (1) unexcused absence per semester,
• Representing the concerns and needs of students in their respective departments,
• Assisting on committees, both permanent and ad hoc,
• Providing graduate students in their department meeting minutes upon request,
• Promoting and advertising Graduate Student Association events and meetings to students within their respective departments,
• Serving as a voting member of the Graduate Student Association
• Ensuring their department’s eligibility for financial support from the Graduate Student Association,
• Supply the Graduate Student Association Executive Board officers with a breakdown of funds spent at the end of each semester to ensure continuance of funding for the following semester

A GSA organization is defined as a collective of graduate students enrolled in a variety of UNCW graduate degree seeking programs

Section 1. GSA Organization Representatives shall be responsible for and considered active by:

• Attending Graduate Student Association meetings, with no more than one (1) unexcused absence per semester,
• Representing the concerns and needs of students in their respective organization,
• Assisting on committees, both permanent and ad hoc,
• Providing graduate students in their organization meeting minutes upon request,
• Promoting and advertising Graduate Student Association events and meetings to students within their respective departments,
• Serving as a voting member of the Graduate Student Association
• Ensuring their organizations eligibility for financial support from the Graduate Student Association,
• Supply the Graduate Student Association Executive Board officers with a breakdown of funds spent at the end of each semester to ensure continuance of funding for the following semester

Section 1. A committee requires at least three members.

Section 2. Ad hoc committees such as Social Committee may be appointed at the President’s discretion.

Section 1. There will be at least one meeting per month during the academic year. All meetings will proceed in the manner of the agenda set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order. The President maintains the right to keep order in meetings, including the ability to redirect discussion in the event that is strays from the issue at hand.

Section 2. One third of department representatives must be present to conduct official business and to vote.

Section 3. The Executive Board may vote to hold meetings, special elections, or proceedings as appropriate.

Section 4. Committee chairs shall possess the authority to schedule additional meetings as necessary to accomplish the goals of the committee.

Section 5. Meetings may be held over the summer at the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section 1. In accordance with university and state policy, the fiscal year will begin July 1 and end the following June 30. Fall semester shall be defined as July 1 - December 31, and the spring semester shall be defined as January 1 - June 30.

Section 2. All checks requests, checks, and other binding financial agreements must be endorsed by the President, Treasurer, and the current Dean of the Graduate School.

Section 3. In order for students from a department to be eligible for financial assistance from the Graduate Student Association, their major department must currently have an active departmental representative to the Graduate Student Association and is eligible to receive funding from GSA for the current semester.

For programs designed to be completed in one academic year of full time study, they must have an active department representative to the Graduate Student Association, and have been active for the previous one semester. An active departmental representative is one who is currently fulfilling all duties outlined in Article IX, Section 5.

Section 4. Travel Grants

The Graduate Student Association will provide travel grants to graduate students for non-presenting conference attendance or research for thesis/final project completion up to the maximum amount offered by the Graduate School’s travel grant program. These funds will be rewarded as long as the graduate student remains active (attend meetings) within the Graduate Student Association.

Departmental GSAs can use their GSA derived funds for travel grants for their members if they follow these rules:

• Students can only get one travel grant per person per year, and cannot receive a travel grants from more than one Departmental GSA in the same academic year.
• A Departmental GSA travel grant cannot be used in conjunction with a GSA travel grant for the same event.
• A Departmental GSA travel grant can be used in conjunction with a Graduate school travel grant for the same event.
• A Departmental GSA travel grant may not exceed the amount offered by GSA (currently $350).

The number of available grants will be determined by the President and Treasurer, based upon the total amount of money in the organizational budget.

To receive funding through the travel grant program, a student must attend at least one GSA meeting per semester, complete the appropriate and designated application, and provide letter(s) of support from his or her program coordinator and/or thesis/final project advisor.

Awards will be determined by the Executive Board

Section 1. This constitution and any by laws will be ratified with the approval of a two-thirds vote of all members present at a duly called meeting.

Section 1. This document may be amended by a two-thirds vote of members present at a duty called meeting provided members have been informed of the meeting and the proposed amendment at least one week prior to the meeting

Section 1. The Graduate School Association organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, similar to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under either section 501 (c) (3) or 501 (c) (7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.

Section 2. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of its members, directors, officers, or other persons except that the organization shall be authorized to and empowered to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the exempt purposes of the organization.

Section 3. The university has no responsibilities for the financial or fund-raising activities of the organization; the organization further agrees and accepts sole responsibility for any tax treatment, consequences, record-keeping or filings required for its activities pursuant to state or federal laws.  In the event of dissolution, remaining funds will be handled pursuant to established university policy.