ARTICLE I--STRUCTURE

Section 2:The purpose of the Council shall be:

1. to maintain cohesion and foster interchange of ideas among the graduate students of the GSAS;
2. to coordinate and promote activities of interest to GSAS students;
3. to serve as liaison between the student body and the faculty and administration;
4. to receive and consider any criticisms, problems, suggestions, or petitions submitted by a member or members of the student body or faculty and administration and take the necessary, proper, and responsive action;
5. to hold regular meetings to conduct Council business

ARTICLE II--REPRESENTATION

Section 2: Each student registered and enrolled as such shall contribute a designated fee, as set by the University Board of Visitors and assessed through the University Bursar, at the start of every enrolled semester, for the maintenance of the Council, its programs, and its activities.

Section 3: The students of the GSAS shall be represented on the Council as follows:

1. Each GSAS department, as well as each GSAS degree-granting program not affiliated with a GSAS department, shall have a minimum of one voting representative on the Council.
2. Departments and degree-granting programs with enrollments at least twice as large as the median average for the GSAS shall have a second voting representative on the Council.
3. Departments and degree-granting programs with enrollments at least four times as large as the median average for the GSAS shall have a third voting representative on the Council.
4. The number of representatives shall be determined at the beginning of the fall semester using the most recent enrollment figures, and shall remain in effect for the entire academic year.

1. The GSAS representatives to the University Student Council, Honor Committee, and Judiciary Committee shall be ex officio members of the Council and shall keep the Council and graduate student body informed of the affairs of their respective organizations.
2. At the discretion of the Council, graduate student representatives from any of the professional schools at the University, as well as graduate student organizations not specifically affiliated with any GSAS department or program, may serve on the Council in an advisory capacity.

Section 6: No voting member may represent more than one department, or cast more than one vote under any circumstances. Any voting member acting as chair may only vote to break a tie.

Section 7: Except as the chair may designate, all meetings of the Council will be open to members of the general graduate community and the University community at large.

ARTICLE III--OFFICERS

1. The President:
   1. 1. shall represent the Council to the GSAS and University administrations, as well as the University at large;
   2. shall chair the Council and preside over all its meetings, but shall relinquish the chair to another voting member whenever a conflict of interest exists;
   3. shall be an ex officio member of all Council committees;
   4. shall form committees of the Council as the need arises;
   5. shall determine a meeting schedule for the academic year and make arrangements for a regular meeting place, in consultation with the Council.
   6. shall appoint an interim vice-president, second vice-president, or treasurer in the event of such vacancies, subject to the approval of the Council;
   7. shall vote in Council meetings only to break a tie, except when another member of the Council is acting as chair.

2. The Vice-President:
   1. shall assist the president by performing whatever additional executive duties are required;
   2. shall recruit representatives to the Council, and represent the Council to all departments, programs, and graduate student organizations in the GSAS;
   3. shall make contact with graduate students in other schools at the University;
   4. shall be an ex officio member of all Council committees;
   5. shall assume the duties of the president in his/her absence and shall become the president in the event of such a vacancy;
   6. shall be a voting member of the Council, except when acting as chair.

3. The Second Vice-President:
   1. shall keep minutes of all meetings and distribute them to members in a timely fashion;
   2. shall maintain the records of the Council;
   3. shall oversee the Council's web page;
   4. shall maintain the Council's mailing list;
   5. shall be a voting member of the Council, except when acting as chair.

4. The Treasurer:
   1. shall, in conjunction with the University Administration, maintain the financial records of the Council and report the current financial status at all meetings;
   2. shall be in charge of the disbursal of funds in payment of legitimate debts incurred by the Council;
   3. shall coordinate all funding requests from outside parties;
   4. shall be a voting member of the Council, except when acting as chair.

Section 3: All officers of the Council, except for the president, may continue to serve as representatives during their term in office.

ARTICLE IV--ELECTIONS AND VACANCIES

1. The president, vice-president, second vice-president, and treasurer shall be elected by the Council, a majority of votes cast being necessary for election to office. In the event that no candidate for a particular office receives the necessary majority, a run-off election shall be held between the top two vote-getters for that office.
2. Representatives shall be elected or appointed by the graduate students enrolled in each GSAS department or program. No individual shall represent a department or program in which he or she is not currently enrolled.

Section 3: Vacancies shall be filled as follows:

1. In the event of a vacancy in the office of vice-president, second vice-president or treasurer, the president will nominate, in a timely manner, an individual to complete the remainder of the term, subject to confirmation by a majority of the members voting at the next Council meeting;
2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the president, the vice-president will assume the office of president and fill the vacancy in the office of vice-president according to the preceding provisions;
3. The graduate students in each GSAS department or degree-granting program shall be responsible for replacing representatives as vacancies occur.

ARTICLE V--IMPEACHMENT

Section 2: Should two-thirds of the voting members present, or 10 voting members, whichever is greater, vote in favor of an impeachment resolution, the officer will be notified of the vote result and be given one week to request the opportunity, at the next regularly scheduled meeting, to address the Council and have a vote to confirm the removal from office. Two-thirds of the voting members present voting in favor of the confirmation shall be sufficient for immediate removal from office.

Section 3: Should the officer in question decline to request a confirmation vote within one week of notification, or should the officer fail to appear at the next regularly scheduled meeting, the removal from office will be automatic and immediate.

ARTICLE VI--AMENDMENTS AND BY-LAWS

Section 2: By-laws may be adopted to facilitate the implementation of any article of the Constitution by a simple majority of the Council.

ARTICLE VII--ADOPTION

Upon adoption, the amendment provisions presented to the Council on April 19th, 2004 shall take effect immediately.

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