HGSO Constitution

HISTORY GRADUATE STUDENTS ORGANIZATION

Preamble
The History Graduate Students Organization (H.G.S.O.) was reconstituted in the Fall of 1997 to address common intellectual, and social concerns, and to promote solidarity among University at Albany history graduate students and University at Albany graduate students affiliated with the history department. The rules governing its operation shall be outlined in the Constitution.

Article I: Name
The name of the organization is History Graduate Students Organization (H.G.S.O.) of the University at Albany.

Article II: Purpose
The purpose of the History Graduate Students Organization is to promote intellectual, educational, social, and professional growth of graduate students in history.

Article III: Membership
Section 1
Rights. No graduate student shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination in the History Graduate Students Organization on the basis of race, class, gender, sexual preference, physical ability, national origin, age, veteran status, religion, political orientation or other personal beliefs.

Section 2
Members. All currently enrolled History graduate students at the University at Albany as well as all others interested in the History Department who pay the G.S.O. activity fee are members of this organization. Membership shall be extended to currently enrolled graduate students who have had their activity fee waived by the G.S.O.

Article IV: Officers
Section 1
President: Coordinate meetings and acts as chief executive .
Vice President: Coordinates meetings in the president's absence, and assumes various duties as agreed upon by the executive committee.
Secretary/Treasurer: Records and distributes minutes of general and executive committee meetings, and is in charge of H.G.S.O. funds.
Representatives: Will represent the interests of the H.G.S.O., and will keep and post minutes of respective meetings.
*Faculty Representative: Represent the interests of the H.G.S.O. at History Department Faculty meetings, and to keep the minutes of above said meetings.
*Graduate Committee Representative:
*G.S.O. Representatives: Represent the interests of the H.G.S.O. at the G.S.O. Assembly meetings and to keeps history graduate students informed of graduate student issues in the larger University community.

Section 2
Elections shall occur annually, in the Fall. The executive committee will act as a nominating committee. Candidates will be presented in a general meeting of the H.G.S.O. Additional nominations may be from the floor. Nominees need not be present but must submit written acceptance of the nomination prior to the meeting.

Section 3
If an election is contested, voting will be by secret ballot.

Section 4
In the event of a vacancy, a special election will be held. These elections shall be conducted as outlined in (Article V, '2).

Section 5
Impeachment proceedings shall be conducted by secret ballot. Approval requires a 2/3 vote of the H.G.S.O. body.

Article V: Executive Committee
Shall be comprised of all elected officers, representatives, alternates, and chairs of all standing committees as appointed by the executive committee.

Article VI: Meetings
Section 1
The H.G.S.O. shall meet at least once a month during the academic year.

Section 2
A quorum shall be drawn from the H.G.S.O. membership, and shall consist of 2/3 of the number of members attending the previous meeting, but shall be no less than seven.

Section 3
Minutes from every meeting shall be kept and these will be placed on file and posted on the graduate student bulletin boards by the secretary.

Section 4
Meetings shall be conducted by simple majority unless otherwise stipulated in the constitution. In the event of disputes Robert's Rules of Order will be used.

Article VII: Funds
Section 1
Funds allocated to the H.G.S.O. by the S.C.O.R.O. will remain under the auspices of the G.S.O.

Section 2
The treasurer shall maintain all financial records. Expenditure of any non-GSO funds requires the signature of the treasurer and another member of the executive committee.

Section 3
Fundraising shall be conducted at the discretion of the executive committee.

Article VIII: Rules and Regulations
Section 1
The H.G.S.O. shall abide by all applicable rules and regulations as set forth by the University and the G.S.O., and under the privileges granted by the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Section 2
It should be noted that the G.S.O. will not be held liable for any non sanctioned events.

Article IX: Amendments
Section 1
This constitution and subsequent constitutional amendments shall be approved by 3/4 of attending members of the H.G.S.O.

Approved December, 1997