GASA Constitution

The GASA Constitution

Article One: Name and Purpose of the Organization
1. The name of this organization shall be the Graduate Astronomy Student Association, hereafter designated GASA.
2. The purpose of GASA shall be to discuss and act upon matters pertaining to its members, to represent the interests of the members, and to provide some social activities for its members.
Article Two: Membership
1. The officers of GASA, hereafter the executive, shall consist of, in order of decreasing authority:
  1. the president
  2. the secretary
  3. the treasurer.
2. All members of GASA shall be eligible for election to the executive.
3. Any member of the executive may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote (for complete details of voting procedures, see Article Three: Meetings of GASA).
4. If any executive office becomes vacant, the remaining executive officers shall appoint another member to fill the vacancy until an election can be held at the next general meeting, which shall be held within a month.
5. The duties of the executive shall be as follows:
  1. The president shall be the spokesperson of GASA and shall endeavor to carry out the policies adopted by GASA. The president shall call general meetings no less frequently than once per month. The president will have joint signing authority with the treasurer over GASA funds.
  2. The secretary shall record the minutes of each GASA meeting. The secretary shall prepare and circulate the agenda for each meeting. The secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence pertaining to GASA.
  3. The treasurer shall be responsible for managing the finances of GASA. The treasurer shall present a budget at the first general meeting following the elections, and shall present a financial statement reviewing GASA's financial status at the end of his/her elected term. The treasurer shall chair all general meetings. The treasurer will have joint signing authority with the president over GASA funds.
  4. The executives shall share the responsibility for providing at least one student representative at each faculty meeting.
6. In the event of the absence of one executive member, his/her duties will be assumed by one of the other executive officers.
Article Three: Meetings of GASA
1. There shall be a general meeting of the membership each year called the annual meeting for the purpose of election of the executive by plurality of vote.
2. The remaining GASA positions shall also be filled during the annual meeting, either through election by majority or, failing agreement, appointment by the executive. All members have the option of declining any position for which they are nominated.
3. Any vote taken during a general meeting shall be legal only if a quorum of at least one half of the membership is present.
4. Motions at a general meeting shall be approved as follows:
  1. For amendments to the constitution or removal of one of the members of the executive, motions shall be carried with the approval of 67% of all the members of GASA and the vote must be held at a quorate meeting.
  2. For all other cases, motions shall be carried with the approval of 50%+1 of the members present and absentee voters submitting votes counted at a quorate meeting.
5. Absentee ballots by e-mail, mail, or proxy may be submitted for inclusion in any vote. All absentee ballots must be sealed and received by the GASA executive 24 hours prior to the vote. Absentee voters do not count towards quorum.
Article Four: Amendments to the Constitution
1. The proposed amendments shall be presented at a general meeting or sent to all GASA members at least one week before the next general meeting.
2. The proposals shall be discussed and voted on at the next general meeting.
3. Approval shall consist of a 2/3 vote (for complete details of voting procedures, see Article Three: Meetings of GASA).
4. The amendments so approved shall take effect at the next general meeting.
Article Five: GASA Appointments
1. There are numerous appointed positions for which the responsibilities change frequently that are outlined in a supplementary document accompanying this constitution. The supplementary document is meant only as a guideline for the appointees and may be changed without any formal procedures, provided any such changes are reported back to GASA.
2. Any GASA appointments requiring the handling of GASA funds must provide a detailed accounting to the treasurer. Any surplus revenues must be surrendered to the treasurer.
3. GASA appointments should be reviewed at least once a year and the document describing them should be kept up to date.

Updated by Brian Lee
Past President
November 14, 2005


	The GASA Constitution Article One: Name and Purpose of the Organization The name of this organization shall be the Graduate Astronomy Student Association, hereafter designated GASA. The purpose of GASA shall be to discuss and act upon matters pertaining to its members, to represent the interests of the members, and to provide some social activities for its members. Article Two: Membership The officers of GASA, hereafter the executive, shall consist of, in order of decreasing authority: the president the secretary the treasurer. All members of GASA shall be eligible for election to the executive. Any member of the executive may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote (for complete details of voting procedures, see Article Three: Meetings of GASA). If any executive office becomes vacant, the remaining executive officers shall appoint another member to fill the vacancy until an election can be held at the next general meeting, which shall be held within a month. The duties of the executive shall be as follows: The president shall be the spokesperson of GASA and shall endeavor to carry out the policies adopted by GASA. The president shall call general meetings no less frequently than once per month. The president will have joint signing authority with the treasurer over GASA funds. The secretary shall record the minutes of each GASA meeting. The secretary shall prepare and circulate the agenda for each meeting. The secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence pertaining to GASA. The treasurer shall be responsible for managing the finances of GASA. The treasurer shall present a budget at the first general meeting following the elections, and shall present a financial statement reviewing GASA's financial status at the end of his/her elected term. The treasurer shall chair all general meetings. The treasurer will have joint signing authority with the president over GASA funds. The executives shall share the responsibility for providing at least one student representative at each faculty meeting. In the event of the absence of one executive member, his/her duties will be assumed by one of the other executive officers. Article Three: Meetings of GASA There shall be a general meeting of the membership each year called the annual meeting for the purpose of election of the executive by plurality of vote. The remaining GASA positions shall also be filled during the annual meeting, either through election by majority or, failing agreement, appointment by the executive. All members have the option of declining any position for which they are nominated. Any vote taken during a general meeting shall be legal only if a quorum of at least one half of the membership is present. Motions at a general meeting shall be approved as follows: For amendments to the constitution or removal of one of the members of the executive, motions shall be carried with the approval of 67% of all the members of GASA and the vote must be held at a quorate meeting. For all other cases, motions shall be carried with the approval of 50%+1 of the members present and absentee voters submitting votes counted at a quorate meeting. Absentee ballots by e-mail, mail, or proxy may be submitted for inclusion in any vote. All absentee ballots must be sealed and received by the GASA executive 24 hours prior to the vote. Absentee voters do not count towards quorum. Article Four: Amendments to the Constitution The proposed amendments shall be presented at a general meeting or sent to all GASA members at least one week before the next general meeting. The proposals shall be discussed and voted on at the next general meeting. Approval shall consist of a 2/3 vote (for complete details of voting procedures, see Article Three: Meetings of GASA). The amendments so approved shall take effect at the next general meeting. Article Five: GASA Appointments There are numerous appointed positions for which the responsibilities change frequently that are outlined in a supplementary document accompanying this constitution. The supplementary document is meant only as a guideline for the appointees and may be changed without any formal procedures, provided any such changes are reported back to GASA. Any GASA appointments requiring the handling of GASA funds must provide a detailed accounting to the treasurer. Any surplus revenues must be surrendered to the treasurer. GASA appointments should be reviewed at least once a year and the document describing them should be kept up to date. Updated by Brian Lee Past President November 14, 2005







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