Board Charters

I.

PURPOSE

II.

JURISDICTION

1. Assist with new graduate student transitions to the campus after official admission by Graduate Division, and other graduate student affairs, such as giving graduate housing information, getting acquainted with campus, and other student life matters.
2. Collaborate with the Graduate Division and Student Affairs on programs directed toward new graduate students to be held each fall semester.
3. Collaborate with Career Services on professional development, career counseling and job search specific to graduate students.
4. Collaborate and/or advocate with the Graduate Division on academically related matters.
5. Assist with mentoring and social networking in collaboration with relevant other departments.
6. Networking with other alumni and the SDSU Alumni Association.
7. Identify funding opportunities to support graduate students in their attendance at conferences and other professionally related activities, create scholarships or fellowships on behalf of Associated Students to support graduate student study, and collaborate with the University in fostering graduate student participation in receiving research grants.

III.

DURATION

IV.

MEMBERSHIP

1. The GSA shall consist of the following voting members:
   1. A sufficient number of students at-large needed, from each of the seven academic colleges, as determined by the GSA.
   2. One A.S. Council member to be appointed each semester by the A.S. Council, to serve for a period of one semester. They shall have the responsibility of reporting the Association's actions to the A.S. Council and interpreting the A.S. Council's wishes to the Association.
   3. One representative from every graduate student organization registered with Student Activities & Campus Life.
   4. The A.S. President or designee.
   5. The A.S. Executive Vice President or designee
   6. The A.S. Vice President of External Affairs or designee.
   7. The A.S. Vice President of Finance or designee.
   8. The A.S. Vice President of University Affairs or designee.
2. The Association shall have the following ex-officio non-voting members:
   1. The Dean of the Graduate Division or designee.
   2. The Associate Vice President of Research or designee.
   3. The Vice President of Student Affairs or designee.
3. The Association shall have the following Executive Officers elected or appointed as provided in this Charter and in accordance with applicable campus policies for eligibility for student leadership positions:
   1. President:
      1. Shall be elected to the GSA by graduate students voting in the regular AS General Elections in accordance with the AS Elections Code, however, during the initial implementation year of this Charter, the GSA President shall be appointed by the GSA and approved by the AS Council.
      2. Oversee the direction of the GSA and ensure the execution of GSA responsibilities and commitments. In the event of removal or resignation of an officer, reassign executive responsibilities on an interim basis.
      3. Interact with SDSU graduate students, faculty, and staff in order to keep lines of communication open, and to insure that issues of significant concern to graduate students are brought to the attention of the GSA and other appropriate organizations or individuals.
      4. Prepare agendas and preside, or designate a chair for GSA meetings and Executive Committee meetings.
      5. Supervise the GSA office and staff (if any).
      6. Oversee the operation of the GSA office by interacting with the staff and other officers.
      7. Establish, upon his/her discretion, standing GSA executive committees related to graduate student issues.
      8. Represent or send a designee from GSA to all regular meetings of the Associated Student Council, Faculty Senate, and Graduate Council.
   2. Vice President of University Affairs:
      1. Be elected to the GSA in accordance with the Election Procedures outlined in this Charter.
      2. Chair GSA meetings and Executive Committee meetings in the absence of the President or his/her designee.
      3. Appoint, subject to GSA approval, GSA representatives to administrative and campus committees.
      4. In the event of removal or resignation of the President, assume the duties of the President on an interim basis.
      5. Oversee the execution of various GSA academic, social, on-campus, and off-campus activities including but not limited to; Graduate Student Orientation, Annual Retreat, Call for Papers Conference, Awards Gala, and Philanthropic Service.
   3. Vice President of Public Relations:
      1. Be elected to the GSA in accordance with the Election Procedures outlined in this Charter. Keep GSA apprised of system-wide developments of importance to the GSA.
      2. Responsible for coordinating the publication of GSA events and activities to faculty, staff, graduate students and potential graduate students, as needs dictate.
      3. Publicize to the graduate student body, open GSA representative positions and maintain contact with graduate coordinators for each college to insure that each graduate department is represented on the GSA.
      4. In consultation with the Campus Affairs Committee, update graduate student population, at least on a quarterly basis of activities of the Graduate Student Association
      5. Facilitate information flow to and from GSA and SDSU graduate students.
      6. Oversee the maintenance of the GSA Web pages at the Associated Students website ensuring links and information posted on the website is correct and up-to-date.
   4. Vice President of Finance:
      1. Be elected to the GSA in accordance with the Election Procedures outlined in this Charter.
      2. Chair the Finance Committee.
      3. Maintain a clear set of finance procedures in accordance with the financial policies of the Associated Students. In addition, the procedures should be distributed to all elected GSA representatives prior to regular GSA meetings as well as posted either electronically or on paper in a public place.
      4. Regularly inform the GSA of the status of the GSA finances and provide evaluations of the budgetary impact of money requests.
      5. Implement the budgetary decisions of the GSA.
      6. In conjunction with the Associated Students Business Office and the Finance Committee, maintain the GSA financial records. In particular, oversee the recording of the financial allocations of the year.
      7. Oversee any fund-raising activities conducted by the GSA in accordance with AS and campus policies.
      8. Prepare the budget for the next academic year at the end of the current year in accordance with the AS annual budget preparation schedule.
      9. Periodically review the Financial Bylaws with the Finance Committee. Perform any duties listed therein.
   5. Secretary:
      1. Keep up-to-date records on administrative committees, keeping track of those committees with graduate student vacancies as well as a list of graduate students serving on administrative committees.
      2. Collect quarterly written reports and minutes from administrative committee representatives.
      3. Responsible for taking and posting the agenda and minutes at each GSA meeting in accordance with applicable policies and procedures of the Associated Students and state law.

V.

ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

1. Date of Election - Annual election of GSA officers with the exception of the GSA President shall occur at the second to last regular GSA meeting of the academic year.  The GSA President shall be elected by currently enrolled graduate students voting during the regular AS General Elections in accordance with procedures outlined in the AS Elections Code.  During the initial implementation year of this charter, the GSA President will be appointed with final approval by the AS Council.
2. Announcement of Annual Election - All GSA representatives and graduate coordinators shall be notified of the date, time, and location of the election meeting at least four weeks in advance. A notice containing this information shall also be published in a campus-wide publication and in any electronic media generally utilized for graduate student communication.
3. Nomination of Candidates for Elective Offices - Nominations for elective offices shall be opened no later than four weeks prior to the election. Candidates for elective office must be nominated by a member of the GSA. Candidates may be nominated for more than a single office, however, once elected to an office, their name shall be removed from consideration for any subsequent office. Nominations for elective offices shall remain open until immediately prior to the Council vote on the position.  Current nomination lists shall be sent to GSA representatives, graduate coordinators, and published in any electronic media generally used for graduate student communication no later than one week prior to the election. These notices shall indicate that nominations shall remain open until the vote.
4. Campaign Platforms - Candidates may, but are not required to, provide the GSA office with a statement of their campaign platform no later than one week plus one working day prior to the election. Statements may not exceed one page. These statements will be made available to the GSA prior to the election.
5. Voting Procedures – Officers will be elected in the following order:
   1. President (for initial year’s implementation of this Charter only; GSA President elected through AS General Elections procedures in subsequent years.)
   2. Vice President of University Affairs
   3. Vice President of Public Relations
   4. Vice President of Finance
   5. Secretary
6. If an elective office has no nominated candidates, the GSA may postpone the election for that office until the end of the elections of other offices. If there are still vacant offices, the elections due that office will be automatically postponed until the next regular GSA meeting.
7. A candidate for office need not be present at the election, but he/she must accept their nomination either in person at a regular GSA meeting, or in writing to the GSA office.
8. Candidates will be allowed to address the GSA briefly prior to the GSA vote on the office.
9. The GSA vote shall be recorded, but not published in GSA minutes. Officers shall be elected by a majority of voting representatives present at the election meeting provided quorum is met.  If more than two candidates are running for any office, successive votes shall be taken until one candidate receives a majority.  In successive votes, the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall be eliminated.
10. In the event that an elected officer resigns, or is unable to continue serving in their position, a replacement will be nominated and, following a majority vote by current GSA members appointed to the office.

VI.

ELECTION OF GSA REPRESENTATIVES

1. Eligibility

   Candidates for GSA Representative shall be registered graduate students in good academic standing as defined by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research Affairs and campus policies for eligibility for student leadership positions.

2. Eligible Colleges, Departments and Programs

   Only Colleges, Academic Departments and Programs accepting graduate students for enrollment shall be eligible for GSA representation. The list of Programs and Departments published by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research Affairs shall define eligibility.

3. Appointment Procedure

   1. Eligible graduate students interested in representing the GSA on a campus committee or task force shall notify the appropriate GSA officer prior to any GSA meeting.
   2. The GSA officer shall inform the interested representative of the date and time of the GSA meeting at which the appointment will take place.
   3. Interested students shall be given the opportunity to address the GSA briefly regarding their interest in the committee.
   4. Representatives shall be appointed to committees by majority approval at any regular meeting.
   5. Representatives to committees which meet during the summer shall be appointed by the appropriate GSA officer on an interim basis.

4. Recall of Representatives

   1. Any graduate student may call a GSA vote to replace or remove a representative to a campus committee.
   2. The committee representative will be informed of the date and time of the meeting where the recall vote will occur at least one week prior to the meeting.
   3. The committee representative will be allowed to address the GSA briefly regarding his/her qualifications for representing the GSA on the committee in question.
   4. A majority vote of the GSA at a regular meeting is required to replace or remove a committee representative.

5. Interim Appointments to Committees

   If the GSA is not in session or due to severe time constraints, the appropriate GSA officer may appoint an interim representative to a committee. The term of the interim appointment shall be defined at the time the appointment is made. Interim appointments shall be announced to the GSA at its next regular meeting.

VII.

ABSENCES

Any voting member of the GSA who misses two of any ten consecutive meetings without being excused shall be dropped from the Association. Any voting member of the GSA who is late five minutes or more after the meeting has been called to order will be considered tardy. Two tardies constitute an unexcused absence. Absences and tardies may be excused by the GSA's President or by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of approval of the GSA. Tardies and absences will only be excused in emergency situations.

VIII.

MEETINGS

V.

PROCEDURES

The GSA Secretary shall submit a copy of all minutes to the AS Executive Director's Office for safekeeping as stipulated in Section 59 of the AS Bylaws. In the spring of each academic year, requests for A.S. funds shall be submitted by the Board to support its work, in accordance with procedures established by the Finance Board.

VI.

CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS