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20080225 R 9

R. 9 Regarding the GPSA Executive Designations

Whereas the Graduate & Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) is the representative body for graduate and professional Students at Cornell, and;

Whereas the GPSA currently operates with a three person executive — President, Vice President and Secretary, and;

Whereas, the duties of the Secretary position do not fulfill the typical responsibilities of a secretary, and;

Whereas, changing the title of secretary also requires a clarification of the vice president designation, and;

Whereas the executive committee ideally functions with each executive interacting with assemblies, university administration and the community on graduate and professional issues, and;

Whereas changing the secretary and vice president designations will assist in relations with the assemblies, university administration, media and committee appointments.

Be it therefore resolved that the Secretary designation be renamed “Vice President of Operations” and Vice President designation to “Executive Vice President” effective with the election of the 2008–2009 GPSA officers, and;

Be it further resolved the Graduate & Professional Student Assembly Charter be amended to read:

2.13 Committees
The GPSA may appoint graduate and professional students to serve on assembly(ies) committees and other university committees that have designated seats for GPSA representatives. The GPSA may nominate graduate and professional students to serve on other university committees. Prior to each business meeting of the Assembly, committee designees shall submit to the GPSA Vice President of Operations a report to be shared with the assembly. Reports shall include but are not limited to notification of whether the committee met, the committee’s agenda and a short summary of the meeting. The Operations and Staffing committee may remove committee designees for failing to submit a report for two consecutive business meetings and shall appoint a new designee accordingly.
ARTICLE 5 Officers
The officers of the GPSA shall be the President, the Executive Vice President, and the Vice President of Operations.
5.1 Leadership
The GPSA will as soon as possible after the spring election hold an organizational and planning meeting and shall elect a President, Executive Vice President, and Vice President of Operations from among its members. Other officer positions as deemed important to the normal operations of the GPSA may be established. To be elected to office, a nominee shall be subject to a majority approval of the GPSA seated members.
5.2 President responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the President of the GPSA to represent the Assembly in university affairs, to chair all business meetings of the GPSA, meetings of the Executive Committee, and the general meetings of the GPSA in the absence of the Executive Vice President. The President of the GPSA shall serve on the Assemblies System Review Committee.
5.3 Executive Vice President responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Vice President of the GPSA to recruit graduate and professional students to serve on the Council of Representatives, to chair the Communications Committee meetings, to chair the general meetings of the GPSA, and to chair business meetings of the GPSA in the absence of the President.
5.4 Vice President of Operations responsibilities
It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President of Operations to chair the Operations and Staffing Committee, to maintain accurate lists of committee appointees and members of the GPSA and Council of Representatives.
5.5 UA representatives
The GPSA shall select three delegates to the University Assembly by May 1st, pursuant to ARTICLE 2.14. These delegates shall represent graduate and professional student interests at the UA, and communicate UA activities to the GPSA and Communications Committee.
5.6 Counsel to the Assembly
The GPSA shall on the request of the newly elected executive committee may elect a Counsel to the Assembly. The Counsel to the Assembly will help maintain continuity of the GPSA’s agenda between administrations and keep track of GPSA history and precedents. Only a previous President or Executive Vice President may run for the position of Counsel to the Assembly. The Counsel to the Assembly shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Committee and the Operations and Staffing Committee. The Counsel to the Assembly shall not be charged with performing any tasks other than advising the Assembly and the Executives unless the Counsel feels that it is his or her role to take on that task. Election of the Counsel to the Assembly will follow the same procedure as the election of officers upon the majority request of the President, Executive Vice President and the Vice President of Operations or two thirds of the voting body. The Counsel to the Assembly is not required to hold a seat on the Assembly or be a representative from his or her field, but must be a matriculated graduate and professional student at Cornell. This position may remain vacant if a suitable candidate is not found.
5.7 Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the GPSA shall coordinate the officers of the GPSA to ensure the smooth operation of the GPSA.
5.8 Excutive Committee composition
The officers of the GPSA shall serve on the Executive Committee, which shall have at least three members. The GPSA may add two or remove additional officers from the Executive Committee as deemed necessary to insure effective functioning of the GPSA and Executive Committee.
5.9 Replacement of the President
In the event that the President resigns from office or is unable to perform the duties of the President, the Executive Vice President shall assume the duties of the said office. In such a case, the Vice President of Operations may, if he or she so chooses, assume the position of Executive Vice President. If he or she does so, the GPSA voting members will elect a new Vice President of Operations. If the Vice President of Operations declines to become Executive Vice President, the GPSA will elect a new Executive Vice President from among its members.
5.10 Replacement of the Executive Vice President
Should the Executive Vice President resign from office or be unable to perform the duties of said office, the Vice President of Operations may, if he or she chooses, assume the position of Executive Vice President. If he or she does so, the GPSA voting members will elect a new Vice President of Operations. If the Vice President of Operations declines to become Executive Vice President, the GPSA will elect a new Executive Vice President from among its members.
5.11 Replacement of the Vice President of Operations
In the event that the Vice President of Operations resigns from office or is unable to perform the duties of said office, the GPSA will elect a new Vice President of Operations from among its members.
8.5 Election of Committee Chairs
At the same meeting as the election of officers each spring, the GPSA shall elect by majority vote the Chairs of the Funding Policy Committee, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Finance Commission, Pay and Benefits Committee, and the Events Committee. Vacancies in standing committee chairs that occur during the academic year may be filled by majority vote at the next business meeting. If necessary, the Vice President of Operations may appoint an acting chair from among the committee’s members to serve until the new chair is elected.
8.6
Members of the Operations and Staffing Committee shall include all standing committee chairs; the GPSA President and Executive Vice President shall serve as ex officio (non-voting) members. The GPSA University Assembly representatives shall be considered voting members for all appointments to University Assembly Committees. By the end of September, the Operations and Staffing Committee shall set the size of and appoint members to the Funding Policy Committee, Communications Committee, Graduate and Professional Student Assembly Finance Commission, Pay and Benefits Committee, and Events Committee. These appointments shall be subject to the approval of the Executive Committee. After initial committee appointments are made, vacancies may be filled by members appointed by the Executive Committee or appointed by committee chairs to their own committee. Any members appointed by committee chairs are non-voting members until the appointment is approved by the Executive Committee.
8.7
To ensure accountability and responsibility to the student body, each standing committee shall present a report to the GPSA at least once a semester.
ARTICLE 9 Standing Committees - Specific
The standing committees of the GPSA allow for focused, detailed work on issues of concern to the graduate and professional student body. Membership on standing committees involves a greater number of students in the work of the GPSA.
9.1 Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers of the GPSA, of which there shall be at least three (3). The Executive Committee shall ensure the smooth operations of the GPSA. These officers are empowered to speak for the GPSA on issues that must be addressed before the next regularly scheduled general or business meeting. All decisions of the Executive Committee shall be subject to the approval of a majority vote of the seated GPSA members. The Executive Committee shall establish agendas for the general and business meetings of the GPSA. The Executive Committee shall make appointments to university committees, liaison positions, and all other external committees that become vacant prematurely.
9.2 Internal Operations
The Operations and Staffing Committee will be chaired by the Vice President of Operations of the GPSA. The Operations and Staffing Committee shall, from time to time, review the Charter and procedures of the GPSA to see that they are in accordance with the needs of the GPSA and University and other necessary guidelines and recommend changes to the GPSA. This committee shall also make committee appointments, and prepare necessary associated documents and application forms for appointments to GPSA, assemblies, and university committees. The Vice President of Operations shall present the process for committee appointments at the September Council of Representatives meeting. Upon reviewing applications to committees, the Operations and Staffing Committee shall select qualified graduate and professional students to fill positions on university committees. The committee will approve the appointments to all external committees by majority vote. All external committee appointments shall be complete by the September Assembly meeting in each Academic year and presented to the Assembly at that meeting. The appointments shall be subject to the review of the Executive Committee. In the case of premature vacancy, the Executive Committee may staff these external appointments by majority vote.
9.5 Communications Committee
The Communications Committee will be chaired by the Executive Vice President of the GPSA.
The purpose of this committee is to maintain a strong communication link with graduate fields, professional schools, and the Cornell community. This committee shall prepare and supply information supplemental to regularly distributed GPSA agenda and minutes, and it shall encourage publication of agendas, minutes, and resolutions to appropriate Cornell media, such as the Cornell Chronicle and The Cornell Daily Sun. It shall also publicize elections and assist the Executive Vice President in recruiting graduate and professional students to serve on the Council of Representatives.

Be it further resolved that this resolution be sent to the Peggy Beach, Director of the Office of Assemblies, David Skorton, the President of Cornell University and Allison Power, The Dean of the Graduate School.

Respectfully Submitted,
Amy Richter
GPSA Secretary