Constitution of the Graduate Faculty Student Senate

Following the presentation of this proposal and its subsequent emendation in the General Assemblies of October 13th, 2003 in the Wolff Conference Room and October 22nd, 2003 in the Machinist Conference Room, representatives from the 8 departments of the Graduate Faculty resolve to submit the following proposal in referendum for approval of its application and enforcement. This is done in accordance with the provisions contemplated in the Amendment to the charter of the Graduate Faculty Student Union voted in on December 4, 1997.

1. Representative Body
1.a. WHEREAS, each Graduate Faculty Student is automatically a member of the body each Department shall elect two members who will represent the student body of such department yielding:
1.b. 2 representatives for each department and program of the Graduate Faculty:
                2 Anthropology
                2 Economics
                2 Philosophy
                2 Political Sciences
                2 Psychology
                2 Sociology
                2 Historical Studies
                2 Liberal Studies

THE total number of representatives will be 16.
1.c. THE representatives shall be the same than the ones elected to handle intra-departamental affairs.
1.d. THE charter shall be revised each year to adjust the proportion of representatives to the status of the department within the Graduate Faculty being that number no more than three and no less than one.
1.e. THE Charter shall be revised, when necessary, to expand its mandate by including the proportional representation of newly created programs in accordance with 1.d.

2. Committees
2.a. THE representatives will be required to staff the Graduate Faculty and University committees holding consultative and legislative duties. The committees are:
            GF Executive and Budget Committee: 2 positions
            GF Academic and Student Affairs Committee: 2 positions
            University Diversity Committee: 1 positions
            University Committee on Honorary Degree: 1 position
            University Committee on Learning Resources: 1 position
            University Committee on Student Services: 1 position
            University Student Government: 2 positions
            Executive Officers: 1 Speaker
                                          2 Secretaries
2.b. IN addition, all 16 representatives will be ex officio members of the GF Dean's Advisory Council.
2.c. MEMBERS of the body shall represent the members of their respective department before the Graduate Faculty governance body.
2.d MEMBERS of the Graduate Faculty Governance body shall represent the Graduate Faculty student body before the Graduate Faculty administration, the wider university community and the New School University administration and all bodies, committees and organizations thereof.
2.e. THIS body shall be the sole Graduate Faculty organization to bring forth representatives to any body of student governance of the New School University
2.f. INDEPENDENT volunteers, who are non- voting members of the body can came forth to offer their services for a particular committee. Voting members of the body shall appoint and ratify the committee member's position. The committee member shall have no voting power within the body.
2.f.1. TO attend promptly and readily all sessions of the committee to which they are elected
2.f.2. TO report to their constituency all pertinent information
2.f.3. TO report back to the Graduate Faculty Student Senate all pertinent information
2.f.4. TO act on behalf of the GF student body, defending and respecting its interests, needs and aspirations.
2.f.5. TO attend promptly and readily all sessions of the body.

3. Duties
3.a. IT shall be the duty of the representatives:
3.a.1. TO attend promptly and readily all sessions of the committee to which they are elected
3.a.2. TO attend promptly and readily all sessions of the body
3.a.3. TO report to their constituency all pertinent information
3.a.4. TO report back to the Graduate Faculty Student Senate all pertinent information
3.a.5. TO guarantee a prompt and effective process of institutional communication
3.a.6 TO act on behalf of the GF student body, defending and respecting its interests, needs and aspirations
3.a.7 To vote the yearly budget by deciding the distribution of the Divisional Fee

4 .Officers
4.a. THERE shall be three executive officers:
                                                4.a.1. 1 Speaker
                                                4.a.2. 2 Secretaries

5. Duties of the Officers
5.a. THE SPEAKER shall have moderating duties and will be the liaison with the GF administration.
5.a.1 IN addition, the Speaker will be responsible, for submitting roll-call records to each departmental association and organization.
5.a.2 THE Speaker shall take roll-call at the beginning of each session of the body.
5.b. THE 1st SECRETARY shall have minute taking duties and shall be in charge of organizing and moderating the Fee Board.
5.b.1 IN addition, the 1st Secretary shall be responsible for the implementation of the yearly budget voted by the body
5.b.2 THE 1st Secretary will report back to the body on the activities of the Fee Board.
5.c. THE 2nd SECRETARY shall have moderating and minute taking duties and shall be in charge of the organization and distribution of information.
5.c.1 IN addition, the Second Secretary will be responsible for the maintenance of the body's instrument of communication protecting its autonomy and optimizing its operation.
5.c.2 The Second Secretary will distribute the minutes of each Session no later than 5 days after the body has adjourned.
5.d. ONLY the three executive officers shall have access to the GFSS account of electronic mail within the Graduate Faculty being its official administrator the Second Secretary.

Section 6. Fee Board
6.a. THE Fee Board of the body shall be the charter responsible for the dutiful application and enforcement of the yearly budget as reflected in the allotment of the Divisional Fee as voted by the wider body.
6.b. THE Fee Board shall be organized and moderated by the 1st Secretary of the body, who will be responsible for calling Fee Board meetings.
6.c. THE 1st Secretary shall be the liaison between the body and the Fee Board and will have no decision power but only tie-breaking vote.
6.d. TREASURERS of each Graduate Faculty department shall conform the body of the Fee Board.
6.d.1. THIS shall produce 1 (one) representative by department:
                1. Anthropology
                2. Liberal Studies
                3. Historical Studies
                4. Sociology
                5. Political Science
                6. Economics
                7. Psychology
                8. Philosophy

6.d.2 THIS shall yield a total of 8 members in accordance with 1.d.
6.e. EXECPTING 7.a., RULES concerning Meetings and Motions (article 7), which apply to the body shall also apply to the Fee Board.
6.f. RULES concerning Points of Order (article 9), which apply to the body shall also apply to the Fee Board.
6.g. THE Fee Board shall not modify the yearly budget voted by the body.

7. Meetings and Motions
7.a. ALL meetings of the body will be open to the entire GF population. THE body will convene once a month and more often if necessary. There shall be no less than three (3) meetings each semester.
7.b. AN agenda for each meeting shall be distributed through e-mail no less that 5 days before the body convenes.
7.c. ALL motions and suggestions to be discussed shall be presented in advance to the speaker or secretaries.
7.d. WITH the exception of General Assemblies, at which all attending participants have the right to vote. Only representatives will have voting rights in the regular meetings so that in this way the integrity of the structure and balance of representation in respected.
7.e. ALL motions including motions of no confidence shall be passed, take effect and become policy with a 2/3 majority show of hands.
7.f. MOTIONS of no confidence shall allow the body to remove a member who fails to meet his or her responsibilities. Their constituency shall replace members who are removed.
7.g. ROLL-CALL shall be taken by the Speaker at the beginning of every session of the body.

8. Procedure
8.a. 75% of the members of the body shall constitute quorum. In light of provisions 1.c. and 1.d., the quorum shall be modified to reflect the number of representatives always by increase and never by decrease, being the quorum is never less than 75%
8.b. THE assembly shall operate following Robert's Rules of Order.
8.c. THE meeting shall be chaired by the speaker of the body assisted by the secretaries. The speaker's role is to facilitate the meeting.
8.d. EACH representative will be allotted a maximum time to be determined by the assembly speaker.
8.e. THE speaker shall read each motion aloud before discussion begins.
8.f. THE individual proposing the motion has the right to speak first.
8.g. ONCE there are no more speeches the Speaker shall take the vote which shall be counted by the assisting secretaries.

9. Points of Order
9.a. THE following points of order, however, take precedence over other speeches:
9.a.1 propose amendment to the motion
9.a.2. move to a vote or any motion of amendment
9.a.3. motion or amendment not be put
9.a.4. no confidence in the speaker
9.a.5. close the meeting
9.a.6. move the meeting elsewhere
9.a.7. extend the meeting beyond its time limit
9.a.8. inform the assembly that it has strayed from these by-laws
9.a.9. point of clarification to last no more than 30 seconds
9.a.9. moratorium to consult with constituency

10. Denomination
THE body shall be called the Graduate Faculty Student Senate (GFSS) to reflect the mode of representation, election and legislation that is hereby proposed.

11. General Assemblies for the modification, emendation or cancellation of this charter
11.a. A General Assembly can be called by any member of the Graduate Faculty student body.
11.b. FOR a General Assembly to convene and have quorum all departments of the Graduate Faculty must be represented proportionally.
11.c. MANDATES of the General Assembly are binding.
11.d. A General Assembly may recommend the modification, emendation or cancellation of this charter.
11.d.1. A second General Assembly must vote to move the recommendation of modification, emendation or cancellation of this charter to a Graduate Faculty wide referendum.
11.d.2. A referendum must be held to ratify or deny the modification, emendation or cancellation of this charter.
11.e. NO General Assembly has the right to pass binding resolutions without the proper approval of the Graduate Faculty student body by means of a referendum.
11.d. THE General Assembly may pass non-binding resolutions and recommendations.

HEREBY, the students of the Graduate Faculty for Political and Social Science, in accordance with the provisions of the Graduate Faculty Student Union endorsed by the Executive Faculty of the Graduate Faculty, declare the Graduate Faculty Student Senate and its charter of norms and procedures to be its legitimate body of institutional governance to represent its interests within New School University, making this charter take effect and become policy.

THIS proposal was submitted, amended and unanimously approved by representatives of all Graduate Faculty Departments in two Constitutive General Assemblies on October 13, 2003 and October 22, 2003 in accordance to provisions contemplated in the Amendment to the charter of the Graduate Faculty Student Union voted in on December 4, 1997.

10/31/03: THE proposal for the Creation of the GFSS has been approved by referendum with a total of 87 votes: 86 votes in favor (5 late votes) and 1 vote against.