CVMGSA Constitution/By-Laws
Article 1: Name and Purpose of the Organization
Section 1: The organization will be called the College of Veterinary Medicine Graduate Student Association (CVMGSA)
Section 2: The purpose of the association includes but is not limited to:
- To promote professional and social interactions among graduate students in the following graduate programs of College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University: PhD, Anatomy & Physiology
PhD, Pathobiology
MS, Anatomy & Physiology, Clinical Sciences, and Pathobiology Areas of Emphasis
From this point forward the above programs will collectively be referred to as the CVM graduate programs. - To represent and advocate the interests of graduate students at the College of Veterinary Medicine, excluding the industrial action, to provide a forum for free and open discussion of matters affecting the graduate student community.
- To help facilitate a positive research experience for graduate students within the College of Veterinary Medicine.
- CVM GSA will strive to enrich the research experience through a variety of activities, such as hosting invited speakers, seminars, poster sessions, etc.
- CVM GSA will help to provide a forum for the open sharing of ideas and thoughts in the hopes of establishing professional collaborations between members.
Article 2: Membership
Section 1: Membership shall be open to all graduate students in the College of Veterinary Medicine graduate programs. Membership shall also be open to undergraduates considering entry into CVM graduate programs, and students in other graduate programs who are advised or co-advised by a faculty member in the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Article 3: Officers
Section 1: The officers of the CVM GSA shall consist of 8 elected officers: President, Vice President, Graduate Program Representative/Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Event Coordinator, Technical Officer, and Fundraising chair.
Section 2: Duties of Officers:
President:
- Provide motivation for CVM GSA.
- Serve as the primary liaison and advocate to the administration and faculty members regarding graduate students’ concerns and activities.
- Shall be responsible for calling and presiding over meetings, is the main representative of the association, can call special meetings, and to keep order within the association.
- Represent in meetings of the Student Governing Association (SGA) and or Graduate Student Council (GSC) at Kansas State University. In the event the President is unable to attend for any reason, the other officers of CVM GSA should represent the CVM GSA at meetings of GSC.
- Sets the date and time for monthly CVM GSA meetings.
- Emails membership with information about monthly meetings and group events.
- Holds the power to appoint members to committees when vacant. Appoint interim officers to fill positions vacated for any reason.
Vice President:
- Oversees the vision and operations of the committee in general.
- Assist the president in the execution of his/her duties and assume the role of the president in the event the president is unable to perform his/her duties.
- Coordinates with all the committee members on fund raising issues.
- Oversees the development and routine maintenance (with the updates) of CVMGSA webpage.
- Write and maintain strategic plan for the yearly operations of the CVMGSA with the President.
- Will maintain and update the CVM GSA website.
Graduate Program Representative/Chair:
- Should act as a primary contact in the intra-and inter-departmental issues.
- Assists and coordinate with the graduate students from other CVM graduate programs.
- Attend SGA and GSC meetings and/or meetings with the representatives of the College of Veterinary Medicine along with the president.
- Coordinate student issues within their respective CVM graduate programs.
Secretary:
- Records minutes of the meetings of the CVM GSA and executive committee and present them at the subsequent regular meetings. Keeps a record of suggestions brought to the meetings by members.
- Help the president of the association by maintaining the association’s email addresses through sending and receiving the association’s emails.
- Is in charge of counting votes.
- Maintain an organized archive of committee reports, meeting minutes, and other records.
- Schedules monthly meetings of the CVM GSA.
Treasurer:
- Oversees the development of the yearly Budget.
- Maintains the association’s budget and spending, allocates funds for projects, and works with the president in obtaining funds from sources, such as SGA, private donations, etc.
- Provides written or oral reports to the CVM GSA members and officers as to the state of the budget at monthly meetings.
- Ensures that all financial transactions are in accordance with the Constitution and By-Laws.
- Provide refreshments for meetings, seminars, and other GSA activities.
Section 3: All officer positions will be open for any member of the association. Volunteers will first fill officer positions. If more than one person is willing to run for a position, a vote will occur by silent ballots at the first meeting after the positions are open for election. If no person runs for any one of the five core positions in Section 1, then the newly-elected officers and/or the faculty advisor will collectively appoint members to fill the vacant positions.
Section 4: An officer’s term will expire after one year in office, at the end of the spring semester of each year, unless re-elected for the following year.
Section 5: Issues with Officers: If any member feels that an officer is not fulfilling his obligation to the association for any reason, he may either A) contact any officer, and the officers will discuss the problem and attempt to resolve the issue or B) the member can contact the faculty advisor. Based upon the complaint, the faculty advisor can discuss the problem with the officer in question, all the officers, the entire association, or call for a vote to either remove the officer completely or bring on a new election for the officer in question’s seat. Any vote involved in the removal of an officer shall be by silent ballot.
Article 4: Faculty Advisor
Section 1: Duties of the faculty advisor: 1) Help the officers in the organization of the association. 2) Help resolve conflict between members of the association. 3) Oversee the elections for the officer positions.
Section 2: The term of the faculty advisor shall be one year or more than one year, beginning at the start of each fall semester. The current advisor upon the recommendation of the officers can appoint a new faculty advisor for the following year.
Article 5: Meetings
Section 1: Regular meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of each month during the fall and spring semesters of the calendar school year.
Section 2: Special meetings can be called by any of the officers. These meetings could involve the officers only, or all the members.
Section 3: In order for official association business to take place, 6 members and at least 2 officers must be present at the meeting.
Section 4: Meeting shall be conducted in the following order: First the president will preside over the meeting, and each officer will be given time to discuss any upcoming events, meetings, or other items that pertain to the association. The president or other officers shall present items pertaining to any absent officers’ agenda. After all the present officers have a chance to present, the floor will be open to ideas or comments from any members and their guests. The officers presenting announcements for upcoming events or meetings will mark the end of the meeting.
Article 6: Amendments to constitution/by-laws
Section 1: Any revisions or additions to the constitution shall be presented to one of the officers. The officer will discuss it with the other officers, and the change will be brought to a vote at the next official meeting. A vote of two-thirds of the members would be necessary to change the constitution. This vote can be either by silent ballot or show of hands at the discretion of the officers.