1 GPSSA Monthly Meetings
1.1 Meetings shall be conducted according to Bourinot’s Rules of Order.
1.2 The Liaison shall organize a meeting of the membership at least once every two months
between September and May.
1.2.1 Notice of meeting must be sent to all members one week in advance of the meeting.
1.2.2 Meetings must be held at a time and in a manner which is reasonably accessible to all
members.
1.2.3 Meetings are typically held once every month.
1.3 At the beginning of each meeting, before calling the meeting to order, the Meeting Chair
and Minute-Taker shall be appointed by the membership.
1.3.1 The Liaison or their delegate shall organize this process.
1.3.2 Neither the Chair nor the Minute-Taker can be appointed if at least two members
believe that the person nominated cannot undertake the position impartially and openly
state the reason for their objection.
1.3.2.1 Such an objection can be overruled with two-thirds majority vote.
1.3.3 Chair is responsible for upholding the Constitution, Bylaws and rules of order of the
GPSSA.
1.4 Approved minutes and motions that are still in effect shall be documented by the Liaison.
1.4.1 Approved minutes and motions shall be distributed upon request to any member. 1.4.2
Unless otherwise stated, motions remain in effect for one calendar year. 1.5 Quorum
1.5.1 At least 8 members are required for a meeting to be able to pass motions (other than
adjournment).
1.6 All members in attendance have the right to move motions.
1.6.1 The agenda must allow reasonable time for members to make their own motions.
1.7 The Meeting Chair shall attempt to adjourn the meeting as close to two hours after the
meeting has been called to order.
1.8 Members must abstain from voting on any motion which materially benefits them or may
represent a conflict of interest.
1.8.1 This specifically includes questions of pay/honorarium or reimbursement to any
member.
2 Membership
2.1 Membership shall be made up of currently enrolled Ph.D. and MA students, as well as
non-enrolled students and Ph.D. candidates actively working on their degree. 2.1.1
Non-enrolled members shall inform the Liaison of their interest in continuing
participation.
3 Elections
3.1 Elections of representatives to the Executive Committee shall be conducted in May.
3.1.1 Elections Officer for the May Election
3.1.1.1 If the current Liaison is not running for a second term, they shall serve as the
Elections Officer.
3.1.1.2 If they are running for re-election, then an Elections Officer shall be designated
at the meeting directly prior to the election, or in a special meeting called by the
Executive Committee.
3.1.1.3 Elections Officer shall transparently set campaign rules, and budgets at their
discretion.
3.1.1.4 Elections for Executive Committee members must be conducted by electronic
ballot available to all members.
3.2 Elections of Council and Committee Representatives
3.2.1 This election shall be organized by the Executive Committee in August and
September.
4 Elected Representatives
4.1 Council and Committee Representative numbers may be altered at the request of the
Graduate Program Director, and/or the Chair of the Department of Politics. 4.1.1
This requires the consent of the Executive Committee.
4.1.1.1 Membership must be given at least one week’s notice of any changes before the
next meeting.
4.1.1.2 Motions passed by membership will override any of these alterations.
4.2 Executive Committee:
4.2.1 Liaison (1)
4.2.2 Deputy Liaison (1)
4.2.3 Treasurer (1)
4.2.4 Equity and Accessibility Officer (1)
4.3 Council and Committee representatives
4.3.1 Graduate Council Representatives (2)
4.3.2 Graduate Council Executive Committee Representatives (2)
4.3.3 Department Council Representatives (4)
4.3.4 YUGSA Council Representatives (2)
4.3.5 FGS Council Representative (1)
4.3.6 Field Representatives (2 per field)
4.3.7 Tenure and Promotion Committee Representative (1)
4.3.8 Recruitment Committee Representative (1)
4.3.9 M.A. Admissions Committee Representative (2, Ph.D. only)
4.3.10 Ph.D. Admissions Committee Representative (2, Ph.D. only)
5 Standing Committees
5.1 Appointment and makeup
5.1.1 Volunteers for the standing committees will be solicited annually.
5.1.1.1 Additional calls for volunteers may be issued at the discretion of the committee
concerned or the Executive Committee.
5.1.2 The chair of the Equity and Accessibility Committee will be the Equity and
Accessibility Officer.
5.1.3 Each other standing committee will elect a chair from among the members of the
committee.
5.1.4 The chair of the Equity and Accessibility Committee will be responsible for
providing updates on committee activities and spending to the GPSSA membership and
to the Executive Committee at each monthly meeting.
6 Socials Committee
6.1 The Socials Committee is responsible for planning and coordinating social events and
activities.
6.2 Such events will be open to all GPSSA members in good standing.
7 Equity and Accessibility Committee
7.1 The Equity and Accessibility Committee is responsible for advocating for appropriate
considerations of equity and accessibility in GPSSA meetings and events, as well as the
Department and the Graduate Program in Political Science more broadly.
7.2 The Equity and Accessibility Officer is ex officio a member and the chair of the Equity and
Accessibility Committee.
8 ad hoc Committees
8.1 ad hoc committees may be created by a normal motion at a GPSSA meeting. 8.1.1
Appointments to the ad hoc committee will be the responsibility of the Executive
Committee.
8.1.1.1 Each ad hoc committee must select a contact person so that GPSSA members
and others can communicate efficiently with that committee.
8.1.2 All ad hoc committees are responsible for maintaining records of their activities and
for reporting pertinent information to members at the GPSSA meetings.
8.1.3 ad hoc committees shall not exceed their allocated budgets without approval by the
membership.
9 Finances
9.1 The GPSSA’s fiscal year shall run from September 1st to August 31st.
9.1.1 The Treasurer shall submit an annual budget to the membership for approval by the
September meeting.
9.2 Any bank account owned by the GPSSA shall be controlled by the Treasurer and at least
one other Executive member.
9.2.1 Members shall submit approved budgeted expenses to the Executive Committee for
reimbursement.
9.2.2 Expenses that are not budgeted for will not be reimbursed without an amendment to
the budget, passed at a meeting of the membership.
10 Accountability
10.1 No member will further the oppression of any persons or groups determined by the
Equity and Accessibility Committee.
10.1.1 This includes, but is not limited to:
10.1.1.1 Sexual harassment, racism, classism, and misogyny.
10.1.1.2 Anyone claiming to experience or witness acts of oppression, by any
member, representative or officer of the GPSSA shall inform the Equity and
Accessibility Committee.
10.1.1.2.1 The Equity and Accessibility Committee shall investigate and inform the
Executive Committee of its findings and recommendations.
10.1.1.2.1.1 If the allegations regard members of the Executive Committee, then
the Equity and Accessibility Committee shall be empowered to organize a
special emergency meeting.
10.1.1.2.1.1.1.1 Such a meeting shall require at least two weeks’
notice to the full membership.
10.1.1.2.1.3 Keeping in mind the safety and security of all involved, this
process must be as transparent to the membership as possible.
10.2 No member shall claim that the GPSSA holds any position on any conflict or
controversy not found in a passed motion.
10.2.1 Public declarations of solidarity or position statements on any political issue
representing the GPSSA as a whole, must be in keeping with a passed motion or be
approved at a meeting of membership.
10.2.2 This clause shall not infringe on members’ personal solidarity statements/actions.
11 Reasonableness
11.1 Timelines for elections, budgets, and appointments are subject to postponement provided
that there is an extraordinary circumstance, and a relevant motion has been passed at a
meeting.
11.1.1 Membership must be informed of what has been delayed and why in a reasonable
timeframe.
11.1.2 Extraordinary circumstances include, but are not limited to, pandemics and strikes.
12 Amendments
12.1 Amendments to the Bylaws require at least one week’s notice and a two-thirds majority at
a meeting of membership.