Constitution of the Biological
Sciences Graduate Society
Article I: Name
Section 1. Name
This organization will be known as the
Biological
Sciences Graduate Society of Ohio University, hereinafter referred to
as BSGS.
Article II: Purpose
Section 1. Purpose
BSGS will be the voice of graduate
students within
the five disciplines of the Department of Biological Sciences: Cell
Biology and Physiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Exercise
Physiology and Muscle Biology, Microbiology, and
Neurobiology.
BSGS is designed to accurately represent the concerns and needs of
graduate students to the department administration and university as a
whole, to facilitate interdisciplinary exchanges, foster professional
growth, to liaise with other student government associations, and to
provide programming of special interest to the graduate students of the
program.
Section 2. Structure
The government of the BSGS shall consist
of an
Assembly and an Executive Board. The structure is designed to
assure that BSGS is representative of graduate students within the
disciplines of the department of Biological Sciences a Ohio
University. In recognition of the time constraints placed on
graduate students, the structure is decentralized and meetings are
minimized.
Article III:
Affiliations
Section 1. Affiliations
This organization is affiliated with the
Department
of Biological Sciences at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1. Membership
Every graduate student in the Department
of
Biological Sciences shall be a member of the BSGS, and shall have an
equal voice with his or her fellow students. This membership
is
extended to those students enrolled in the Molecular & Cellular
Biology graduate program within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Section 2. Definition
of Graduate Student
A graduate student is any student who is
enrolled
and in good standing with the Department of Biological Sciences as well
as considered a graduate student at Ohio University.
Section 3.
Non-Discriminatory Statement
The entity of BSGS and its members shall
not
discriminate against any individuals for reasons of race, national
origin, color, religion, gender, age, veteran status, sexual
orientation, and/or ability status.
Article V: Assembly
Section 1. Powers
All legislative powers of BSGS shall be vested in
the
BSGS Assembly. All powers not specifically granted to another person or
entity that is necessary to student government is reserved to the
Assembly or its designee.
Section 2. Membership
a) Assembly members:
The BSGS Assembly shall consist of all graduate students enrolled in
Biological Sciences. All assembly members have a vote.
b) The BSGS Executive Board:
The BSGS Executive Board shall have the following membership:
specifically the President, Vice President, Treasurer/Secretary.
c) Removal:
Officers who repeatedly fail to perform their duties or abuse their
office for personal ends may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote
of the Assembly. An officer must be given notice of an intended motion
for removal at least five business days before the Assembly meeting at
which such removal is voted on.
Section 3. Assembly
Responsibilities & Powers
The powers of the BSGS Assembly shall be
to
establish policy and legislate for the BSGS, and the graduate student
body in the Department of Biological Sciences at Ohio University. These
powers include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Propose legislation, resolutions, rules, regulations and policies to
the Assembly for adoption;
b) Serve as a forum for graduate student interaction;
c) Elect the BSGS Executive Board;
d) Approve the BSGS budget, when applicable;
e) Confirm graduate student representatives to University and non-BSGS
bodies and committees;
f) Propose amendments to the Constitution in a judicious manner.
Section 4. Fiscal Powers
The BSGS Assembly shall have the following fiscal
powers:
a) Accept any funds appropriated for the use of BSGS by the University,
or any other person, group, organization or corporation; and
b) Allocate appropriate funds for the obligations and expenditures of
the BSGS. A two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly may direct that an
appropriation can otherwise be made.
c) All funds will be held in the BSGS account established at the
Bursar’s office at Ohio
University.
Section 5. Meetings
a) Quorum for the BSGS Assembly shall be one-fourth of the total number
of voting Assembly members. But due to the constraints on graduate
students, the meeting shall proceed without quorum if all Assembly
members present are in agreement to continue.
b) The Assembly shall meet at least once per month during the fall,
winter and spring quarters.
c) The BSGS President shall preside over the Assembly, and shall vote
only in case of a tie.
d) In the event that an Assembly Representative is unable to attend a
meeting, that member may voice his or her opinions on agenda items by
written notice sent to a member of the Executive Board, electronically
or by hard copy.
e) At the request of thirty-five percent (35%) of the voting membership
of the Assembly, a meeting of the Full Assembly must be held within 7
days.
f) Meetings of the BSGS Assembly shall be open to the public, unless
called into executive session.
g) In addition to BSGS Assembly members, the following persons shall
have full speaking privileges at Assembly meetings:
1) All graduate or professional students;
2) Executive members and
Senators from the GSS.
Section 6. Legislation
a) No legislation shall become binding unless it is introduced and
presented in writing by an Assembly member, read, and passed by a
majority vote at a meeting of the Assembly.
b) All legislation of the Assembly shall be categorized as follows:
1) Laws: Rule and regulations governing graduate and professional
students, graduate and professional student organizations, financial
allocations, and the creation of committees or subsidiary organizations.
2) Bylaws: Rules of order and procedures governing the Assembly or its
Committees. Such Bylaws may be enacted upon previous notice and a
simple majority vote. Subsequent amendments to the Bylaws require
previous notice and a two-thirds majority vote.
3) Decrees: Advisement, ordering or prescribing the method for a BSGS
official, whether elected or appointed, to fulfill some duty provided
for in this Constitution, Bylaws or Laws of the Assembly. Decrees must
be passed by a two-thirds majority vote.
4) Resolutions: Expressions of the sentiment of the Assembly.
Section 7. Assembly
Representatives’ Duties and Responsibilities
Each Assembly Representative to the BSGS Assembly is obliged to
undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
a) Attend all Assembly meetings;
b) Obtain an electronic mail address from the university computing
services;
c) Disseminate with due diligence all communications between BSGS and
other student
organizations;
Article VI: Executive Board
Section 1. Composition
The BSGS Executive Board shall have the following membership:
specifically the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 2. President
Powers:
1) The President shall be the primary representative of BSGS and the
Biological Sciences graduate student body.
2) The President shall have the authority to make and revoke
appointments to non-BSGS bodies and committees with the advice and
consent of the Assembly.
3) All powers and duties of the Executive Board not specifically
delegated shall be vested in the President.
Duties:
1) Preside at BSGS Assembly and Executive Board meetings, and prepare
the
agenda for those meetings;
2) Act as liaison between the graduate student body of the department
and other student organizations, the department head, and the
University faculty and administration;
3) Enforce the Constitution, laws, decrees, and bylaws of BSGS; and
4) Make appointments where allowed or required.
Section 3. Vice
President
Duties:
1) Exercise the powers of the President in his or her absence;
2) Conduct the Executive Board election before the end of the spring
semester;
3) Coordinate the operation of the BSGS Assembly;
4) Report to the Executive Board and BSGS Assembly;
5) Assist the Standing and Ad Hoc Committees, Assembly and Executive
Board in the preparation of reports;
6) Provide the primary maintenance for the BSGS website.
Section 4.
Secretary/Treasurer
Duties:
1) Maintain BSGS files, available for public inspection, including, but
not limited to, the minutes of all Executive Board and BSGS Assembly
meetings, all legislation, laws, bylaws, resolutions, and
authorizations of BSGS Assembly;
2) Prepare and distribute information on BSGS activities, including
press releases and flyers;
3) Take Minutes at all Executive Board and Assembly meetings;
4) Serve as contact person for other student organizations;
5) Have the power to authorize the payment of BSGS expenditures as they
come due.
6) Keep strict and accurate records of all BSGS income and expenditures
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
7) Make a regular report to the Executive Board and the BSGS Assembly
regarding the financial posture of BSGS.
Section 5. Powers
a) The Executive Board is vested with the authority to carry out the
day to day operations for BSGS Assembly, including:
1) Making administrative decisions;
2) Coordinating the activities of the Assembly and BSGS Executive Board;
3) Reassigning the duties of the members of the Executive Board in
order to balance the workload among the Executive Board members.
b) The Executive Board is vested with the duty and power to act for the
BSGS Assembly in the following circumstances, subject to the review of
the Assembly:
1) Between BSGS Assembly meetings, unless the situation is sufficient
to warrant the call of a special meeting of the BSGS Assembly;
2) In matters of an emergency nature;
3) At times when it is impractical for the BSGS Assembly to meet.
Section 6. Elections
a) Executive positions shall be elected by the Assembly. Any and all
graduate and professional students who plan to enroll for at least one
additional academic year are eligible to run for positions on the
Executive Board.
b) Executive board elections shall be held at the April meeting of the
spring quarter. The Assembly meeting at which the elections are held
will be advertised.
c) The elections will be conducted by the outgoing Vice President, or,
if the outgoing Vice President is planning to run for a position, by
another person chosen by the Assembly. The Assembly may also appoint
election auditors.
d) Elections for each executive board position will be held in the
order in which they are listed in section 1. The Elections chair will
call for nominations.
e) Each nominee may give a brief speech.
f) Voting shall be by secret ballot.
g) In the event that no candidate receives a majority, there shall be a
run-off between the two candidates with the most votes.
h) In event of a vacancy in mid-year, the vacancy shall be advertised
and a by-election held at the earliest practical Assembly meeting.
Section 7. Removal
a) 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 Assembly.
b) An executive board member must be given notice of the intended
removal at least five business days before the meeting at which it is
voted on.
c) Such removal by the Assembly shall be undertaken in executive
session.
Section 8. Meetings
a) The Executive Board shall meet at least once per month at a time set
by the previous meeting, at the call of the chair, or at the call of
two or more executive members.
b) Quorum is one-half of the existing Executive Board.
Section 9. Voting
The members of the Executive Board shall not vote
at any
Assembly meeting, with the exception of the President, who may vote to
break a tie
Article VII: Adviser
Section 1. Eligibility
The adviser to the BSGS must be a
current faculty
member of the Department of Biological Sciences and in good standing
with the University. The adviser can be a member of any of
the
five disciplines within the department.
Section 2. Selection
Solicitation to all faculty members of
the
Department of Biological Sciences shall be made through written
notification from the Executive Board. Following at least a
two
week period, interested faculty members shall appear before the monthly
BSGS Assembly meeting and introduction themselves and their intentions
and/or contributions if selected to the advisory position.
The
adviser position will be voted on after faculty members are excused
from the delegation and a simple majority vote will select the next
adviser to the organization.
Section 3. Removal and
Replacement
If the elected adviser repeatedly fails to
fulfill his or
her obligations, they made be removed according to the established
procedures in Article VI Section 7. If the position becomes
vacant during the school year, immediate solicitation to the department
faculty members will occur. A meeting of the BSGS Assembly
will
occur after no more than five business days from departmental
solicitation and the same procedures followed in Section 2 of this
article.
Section 4.
Responsibilities
The adviser shall:
a) Attend Assembly meetings and primary
events;
b) Provide information on University
policies and procedures;
c) Co-sign all financial transactions
that are mandated by University policy;
d) Provide guidance and ideas upon
request;
e) Be an active contributing mentor and
facilitate professional growth.
Bylaws of the Biological Sciences
Graduate Society
Article I: STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. Purpose
Standing Committees shall address graduate and
professional student concerns at the university. Their duties include
undertaking the following:
a) Represent graduate students;
b) Inform the Assembly and Executive Board of their activities on a
regular basis;
c) Research and report on issues when requested to do so by the
Assembly or the Executive Board.
Section 2. Formation
Standing Committees shall be approved by a simple
majority of the Assembly. Standing Committees shall consist of at least
three (3) members.
Section 3. Chair
The members of the Standing Committee shall elect
the Chair of the Committee.
Section 4. Meetings
All Standing Committees shall meet at least once
per quarter.
Article II: AD HOC COMMITTEES
Section 1. Purpose
Ad Hoc committees may be formed as needed to
address
specific graduate student concerns. Their duties include undertaking
the following:
1. Represent graduate students on a specific issue;
2. Inform the Assembly and Executive Board of their activities on a
regular basis.
Section 2. Formation
Ad Hoc committees shall be approved by a simple
majority
of the Assembly. Ad Hoc committees shall consist of at least three (3)
members.
Section 3. Chair
The members of the Ad Hoc Committee shall elect
the Chair of the Committee.
Section 4. Resolution
Once the specific task of an Ad Hoc Committee is
completed, the Ad Hoc Committee shall be discharged.
Article III: PARLIAMENTARY
AUTHORITY
Section 1. Rules of
Order
The rules contained in the current edition of
Robert’s Rule of Order Newly Revised shall govern BSGS in all
cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not
inconsistent with this Constitution and any special rules of order that
BSGS may adopt.
Article IV: Amendments
Section 1.
a) The BSGS Assembly shall adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this
Constitution.
b) The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the BSGS
Assembly by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been
submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting.
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