Constitution of the ESPM Graduate Student Association Date Prepared: Date Approved (Center for Student Leadership staff): Approved by (Center for Student Leadership staff): Article I: Name. ESPM Graduate Student Association (ESPM GSA) Article II: Purpose. The ESPM Graduate Student Association is a graduate student group in the department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. We are interested in: Promoting interactions between academic divisions, encouraging interdisciplinary and collaborative research, serving as a forum for graduate student concerns, organizing department-wide student academic/professional opportunities, hosting social events both for grad students and mixers involving post-docs and faculty members, and community outreach activities focusing on environmental issues. Article III: Membership Membership is open to current and former graduate students in the department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management at UC Berkeley. Only currently registered students, faculty, and staff may be active members in a registered student organization. Only active members may vote or hold office. All graduate students enrolled in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy & Management shall be considered members of the ESPM GSA. The ESPM GSA shall have the power to make and implement policy in areas of concern to graduate students and to otherwise promote the welfare of the graduate student body in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management. We will not haze according to California State Law. We will not restrict membership based upon race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services (including membership, application for membership, performance of service, application for service, or obligation for service in the uniformed services.) Article IV: Officers President Organize the ESPM Graduate Student Association and help provide a vision for goals and agenda items. Plan regular GSA and ESPM Representatives meetings, coordinate the members of the ESPM Representatives and the GSA to achieve specific goals each
semester. Delegate responsibility and provide leadership for projects identified by the GSA and ESPM Representatives. Represent graduate student interests at the departmental and college level (including attending ESPM faculty meetings, the Dean s Council meetings, and meeting with the Chair and the Dean individually), provide regular updates to the student community on student concerns and the administration s priorities. The President of the GSA shall: Be the highest ranking officer of the GSA Serve as the official representative of the GSA Execute the policy of the GSA as expressed by the GSA officers or by the entire student body by referendum Be responsible for the proper and orderly administration of the business of the GSA Supervise and coordinate all committees and auxiliary organizations of the GSA Convene and preside over meetings of the GSA o The President may delegate this authority to another GSA Officer Have the power to appoint student members to University policy-making and advisory bodies in consultation with the GSA Officers Perform additional duties as prescribed by By-Law Secretary - Attend GSA and ESPM Representatives meetings and take minutes. Send minutes out to ESPM Representatives and to ESPM graduate students to keep them current on the activities of ESPM student groups. Help manage and streamline the use of the ESPM Student email list. Treasurer - This position manages funds and orders food for meetings. Communications officer: Duties include: Set up online voting process for student body following each meeting and tabulate results. This position may be filled by the Graduate Student Coordinator. Social Chair - Chairs the social committee, which recruits new members every year and holds open meetings. Social chair is responsible for encouraging culture, social life, and an atmosphere of interdisciplinary conviviality amongst the grad students. The chair works with the Graduate Student Coordinator to host Graduate Social Hour and other departmentsponsored activities, as well as facilitating student-organized events and activities and ensuring they are publicized. Representative to the Student Employees' Union (UAW Local 2865) - Represent the department at the union assemblies and report back to the GSA on the union's current activities and priorities Graduate Student Equity & Inclusion Officer -(GSEI Officer) This student is responsible for liaising with relevant student and faculty committees and groups which address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. This includes but is not limited to, meeting with representatives from student organizations that address equity and inclusion such as the ESPM Graduate Diversity Council, and should a departmental committee on equity and inclusion be formed, the GSEI Officer will be responsible for serving on that committee. Representatives to the Graduate Student Assembly - Attend Graduate Assembly meetings and keep posted on their priorities and events. Report to ESPM on GA related issues. Attend ESPM GSA and ESPM Representatives meetings. 2 or 3 individuals, depending on ESPM s
final enrollment numbers) attend monthly Graduate Assembly meetings and represent all of the graduate students in ESPM in that body. Faculty Liaison & Representative to the GSA (One from each division unless additional representation requested by students from division) - Attend departmental faculty meetings and report meeting minutes to your division. Attend ESPM Representatives meetings. Stay involved in the projects that ESPM leadership is working towards and communicate the desires of your division and the priorities of ESPM leadership to the faculty in your division. GPC Liaison - Ecosystem Sciences (One from each division unless requested by students from division) - Attend GPC meetings (Chair Patrick O'Grady, members faculty from each division + 1 graduate student from each division). Report meeting minutes to ESPM Representatives and to your division. Stay involved in the projects that ESPM leadership is working towards and communicate the desires of your division and the priorities of ESPM students to the faculty in your division. If eligible, these representatives will also serve on the admissions committees of their departments (which will require time in early January). First Year Representative At least one, but up to three representatives from the first year cohort. Communicate with First-year cohort to ensure that the needs and desires of First years students are addressed. Qualifications. President Must be advanced to candidacy Faculty Liaison & Representative to the GSA Must be a student within the division to be represented GPC Liaison Must be a student within the division to be represented First Year rep Must be currently a First year graduate student in ESPM Officer Terms. Officers serve for a 1-year term. From the day after the last day of the Spring semester following officer elections to the last day of the Spring semester of the following year. There is no limit to the number of terms an officer may run for election. Officer Removal from Office. Officers can be removed in instances of negligence of duties or prolonged absence. In these situations replacement candidates can be voted on as above or appointed by the remaining officers. The President will serve as primary signatory. Article V: Elections Elections Date. Election of officers shall be held in late March or early April during the week immediately following Spring Break of each year. It is the responsibility of the Graduate Student Coordinator to publish the ballot for the election and tally the results of the election. The Graduate Student Coordinator will announce the results of the election soon after the close of voting to ensure that a smooth transition of power takes place via the ESPM Graduate Student Listerv (or whatever means of communication is most appropriate). An additional announcement should be made at the ESPM Graduate Symposium at the end of the year.
Officer Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy, positions can be filled by nominations from any of the officers of the GSA and approved by a majority vote via online polling conducted during a regularly scheduled GSA meeting, and an electronic vote using email or some other electronic means. Officer positions that are filled in this manner serve until the last day of the Spring Semester of the academic year that they assumed their officer role. There is no limit to the number of terms an officer who fills a vacancy may run for election. 1. If the office of the President falls vacant after the President has been duly inaugurated, the current GSA officers can select a new President through a consensus vote. 2. If any other Executive Office falls vacant either before or after that officer has been duly inaugurated, any officer of the GSA may nominate a replacement subject to a vote by the GSA officers. 3. In the event of a vacancy between sessions of the GSA, the President may make temporary appointments to fill the vacancy until the first subsequent meeting of the GSA, upon which the President s nominee shall go before the GSA officers for confirmation. Voting Procedures. Officers are elected through a plurality of votes from the ESPM Graduate Students. The ESPM Graduate Student Coordinator is in charge of overseeing the election and instituting the best practices for administering ballots and for tabulating the results. In the event that no candidate receives a plurality of votes, such as in a tie, the candidates running for election may chose who serves as an officer. Article VI: Meetings. Meetings will be held once a month, unless otherwise noted. The first meeting at the beginning of each semester will be announced via the ESPM listerv to alert all of the graduate students in the department. Following meetings will be announced as reminders via the ESPM GSA listerv. Emergency meetings can be called to address time-sensitive concerns, and will also be announced via the group listerv. The meetings will be determined at the beginning of the academic year and widely publicized to ensure maximum participation. Whenever possible, the meetings should utilize communication technologies such as online video conferencing, to allow students to participate even when they are not physically able to attend meetings. Article VII: Constitutional Amendments. Any active member may propose an amendment by announcing the proposal during the regular meeting time or via the group listerv. The amendment must receive a final vote during the following meetings, unless tabled by a majority vote of 2/3 to be voted on at a later specified date. Active members will be notified of the proposal and the voting date via the group meeting minutes distributed over the group listerv. Any amendments to the constitution must be approved by 2/3 of the membership and will be filed by the President. All amendments, additions or deletions to this document must be filed with the LEAD Center in 102 Hearst Gym.
Article VIII: Dissolution. Dissolution of the group must be decided by a 2/3 majority. All unspent ASUC funds shall remain the property of the ASUC; all Graduate Assembly funds shall remain the property of the Graduate Assembly. Remaining privately-obtained funds may be donated to another nonprofit organization with prior approval of the ASUC Senate Finance Committee. Article IX: Impeachment. The GSA shall have the power to impeach any Officer of the GSA on the grounds of misfeasance or nonfeasance in office by a majority of those present and voting. An impeached officer shall be entitled to a hearing established by an ad hoc committee that can include officers of the GSA as well as non-officer members of the GSA who are impartial to the matter. Removal from office requires at least two-thirds majority of the voting members. Article X. Ratification and enactment This Constitution shall be enacted when ratified in a referendum by at least two-thirds of the votes cast of the members of the student body voting, provided twenty-five percent of the student body participates. Upon enactment of this Constitution, the present Constitution of the ESPM Graduate Student Government shall be amended throughout by substitution of this Constitution therefore. All statutes, rules, policies, and By-Laws that are in effect at the time of ratification of this Constitution and that are not inconsistent with this Constitution shall remain valid and binding upon DSG.