Constitution of the Council of Graduate Students

The Council of Graduate Students has been formed to aid, assist, secure, and enhance the quality of graduate level education at California State University, Chico. Its actions will be consistent with the high standards and principles established by the Trustees of the California State University System. It is the intent of this organization to abide by pertinent State, University and Associated Students regulations.

Article I. Name and Authority

Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Council Of Graduate Students or COGS.

Section 2. This organization is granted its authority to represent graduate student interests pursuant to Executive Memorandum (EM) 19-001 as approved by the Academic Senate and President of Chico State.

Section 3. This organization is a permanent fixed unit of the Office of Graduate Studies pursuant to the Graduate School Constitution designated by EM 19-001.

Article II. Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this organization shall be to act as a representative for graduate student concerns, to act as a collective voice for graduate student issues on university committees that impact the quality of graduate level education, to act as a vehicle for the introduction and dissemination of information of concern to graduate students, to enhance the quality of graduate level education by bringing together students of different disciplines, and to act as an official voice for graduate students.

Article III. Membership

Section 1. There shall be two forms of membership on the Council of Graduate Students: Program Representatives and General Membership.

Clause 1. The Program Representatives shall be appointed for every graduate program by the respective Program Coordinator and will have voting privileges on the Executive Board.

Clause 2. The General Membership consists of all enrolled graduate students at California State University, Chico.

Section 2. The following membership restrictions apply:

Clause 1. The Executive Board will be elected by a majority vote of the general membership at the next to last board meeting in the spring semester.

Clause 2. Only Executive Board members may participate in the voting process in the Executive Board meetings.

Clause 3. Only Executive Board members or persons designated by the Executive Board shall be allowed to represent the Council in any official capacity.

Clause 4. There may be no membership discrimination on basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, physical handicap or sexual orientation.

Clause 5. All Executive Board meetings will be open to the General Membership.

Article IV. Officers

Section 1. Each officer must be enrolled as a CSU, Chico graduate student and maintain at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA while in office.

Section 2. All elected officers will be elected by the general membership and shall serve for one academic school year.

Clause 1. No person may hold the same role for more than two consecutive academic school years.

Section 3. The Role of the President

Clause 1. Shall designate a time and place of all meetings, set agenda and shall preside over same;

Clause 2. Shall be responsible for ensuring that the constitution and bylaws of the organization are carried out under counsel of the advisor. The President may take, but is not limited to, the following actions:

Part 1. Appoint members to fill vacancies until executive positions may be filled by general election;

Part 2. Call meetings of the Executive Board;

Part 3. Call meetings of the General Membership;

Part 4. Designate a member of the club as spokesperson.

Section 4. The Role of the Vice President

Clause 1. Shall assist the president in accomplishing all of the goals of the organization;

Clause 2. Shall preside in the absence of the president at any regularly scheduled meeting;

Section 5. The Role of the Treasurer

Clause 1. Shall preside over the Finance Committee as its Chairman;

Clause 2. Shall be responsible for the training of his/her successor;

Clause 3. Shall keep records of the club’s finances and bear fiduciary responsibilities for same to the Council membership;

Clause 4. Shall function as liaison between the Council and the AS in all matters pertaining to finances.

Section 6. The Role of the Secretary

Clause 1. Shall function as a recorder for all Executive Board meetings.

Clause 2. Shall be responsible for collection of all Council correspondence and maintain awareness of the council’s history and activities.

Clause 3. Shall be responsible for the proper implementation of Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 7. The Role of the Outreach Coordinator

Clause 1. Shall be elected by a majority of the general membership, to serve for one academic year;

Clause 2. Shall function as a publicist to help promote all Council meetings and functions.

Clause 3. Shall be responsible for the maintenance of all social and traditional media outlets for the Council.

Section 8. The Role of the Events Coordinator

Clause 1. Shall be elected by a majority of the Voting Members, to serve for one academic year;

Clause 2. Shall coordinate social events sponsored by the Council.

Clause 3. Shall coordinate any other event at the request of the Council.

Section 9. The President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Outreach Coordinator, Events Coordinator, and the Program Representatives together shall be known as the Executive Board.

Section 10. The President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Outreach Coordinator, and Events Coordinator shall be the order of succession.

Article V. Elections of the Executive Board

Section 1. Election of Officers

Clause 1. Election of officers shall occur at the next to the last regularly scheduled meeting in April.

Clause 2. Officers shall be nominated by any General Member, and elected at a regularly scheduled Executive Board Meeting.

Section 2. Vacancies

Clause 1. Vacancies may be temporarily filled by appointment by the President until a special election can be held during the next regularly scheduled Executive Board Meeting to fill the position by majority vote.

Article VI. Meetings

Section 1. Robert's Rules of Order, in its most current edition, shall be referred to for all parliamentary procedures not covered by this Constitution.

Section 2. A Quorum shall be 50% +1 of the elected and designated voting members.

Article VII. Finances

Section 1. All financial transactions from the Council of Graduate Student account of more than $500 shall require a simple majority vote by the General Membership.

Section 2. All financial transactions from any of the Council of Graduate Student accounts of less than $500 shall require only a simple majority vote by the Executive Board.

Section 3. No membership fees shall be required.

Section 4. Proceeds from any fund-raising activities shall support the Mission and purpose of this Council.

Article VIII. Advisor

Section 1. An Advisor shall be selected by the Office of Graduate Studies and confirmed by a two-thirds majority vote of the general membership.

Section 2. The Advisor shall be removed by a unanimous vote of the Executive Board. The Dean of Graduate Studies will appoint a temporary Advisor until the general membership can vote in a permanent Advisor.

Section 3. The Advisor shall have the ability to veto a decision of the Executive Board.

Clause 1. The Executive Board may overturn the veto decision with a 2/3rds majority vote.

Article IX. Amendments

Section 1. The Executive Board must approve amendments with a 3/4ths majority vote.

Section 2. Amendments must be submitted in writing, before a regularly scheduled meeting, to the Advisor. Once accepted by the Advisor, they may then come before the Executive Board for final approval.

Section 3. Amendments can alternatively be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the general membership before becoming effective.

Article X. Conflict

Section 1. These bylaws shall be in accordance with the policies of California State University, Chico. Should any conflict occur, the university policy should take precedence.