Constitution

Constitution and By-laws of the Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Graduate Students’ Association

Article I: Definition

  1. The Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations Graduate Students’ Association (NMCGSA) shall comprise all graduate students of the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations of the University of Toronto currently registered either full or part-time.

Article II: Purpose

  1. The purpose of the NMCGSA shall be:
    1. To maintain a social atmosphere of friendship and unity among its members.
    2. To represent the interests of its members to the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations and other bodies.
    3. To provide an opportunity to present papers occasionally and/or in a symposium format

Article III: Membership

  1. Membership to the group is open to all University of Toronto members enrolled in the Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations’ Graduate Studies Program.
  1. Members are permitted to run, nominate, and vote in elections and constitutional amendments. The group is open to non-UofT and non-NMC members. However, these members do not hold the aforementioned rights. Members that are not registered must register with a designted executive by submitting their full name and a valid email address.
  1. There will be no membership fee.

Article IV: Meetings

  1. The following shall be the meetings of the NMCGSA
    1. Regular general meetings of the student body
    2. Executive meetings; and, when required
    3. Special general meetings of the student body.
  1. Regular general meetings shall be meetings of the student body called by the executive for the conducting of regular business. There will be one regular meeting at the end of the graduate calendar year for the purpose of holding elections, and at least one other in each of the fall and spring session. In all cases:
    1. A minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice must be given;
    2. Announcement of the meeting will be posted in the graduate student lounge;
    3. Quorum shall constitute the number of members present;
    4. All members shall have privilege of voice and vote.
  1. Executive meetings shall be meetings of the executive council, called by the council, for the purpose of conducting executive business. There will be one executive meeting per calendar month, but in no case less than one in every two calendar months over the fall and spring sessions:
    1. A minimum of one (1) week’s notice must be given;
    2. Announcement of the meeting will be posted in the graduate student lounge;
    3. Quorum shall constitute a majority of the executive council;
    4. Members of the executive council shall have privilege of voice and vote;
    5. Other members of the NMCGSA shall have privilege of voice.
  1. Special general meetings shall be meetings of the student body called by at least ten (10) percent of the student body for a particular purpose or purposes:
    1. A minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice must be given;
    2. Announcement of the meeting will be posted in the graduate student lounge together with a brief statement of its purpose and a list of the members calling the meeting;
    3. Quorum shall constitute ten (10) percent of the student body;
    4. All members shall have privilege of voice and vote;
    5. A special general meeting may, at its option, elect its own chair pro tem.

Article V: Elections

  1. Election Supervision:
    1. “Elections will be monitored by an appointed Chief Returning Officer that will conduct and hold elections before the last day of classes. The CRO shall be non-biased in the results of the election and shall be required to disclose any and all conflicts of interest in the election.
    2. The CRO shall provide each U of T member with a paper or electronic ballot on the voting dates.
    3. After the election is over, the CRO  shall count the ballots. The candidate with the most votes shall be elected to the position. The CRO shall submit a report of the results of the elections to the Executive Committee and general members.
  1. Eligibility:
    1. All members of the group who will be present on campus during the fall and winter sessions of the graduate calendar year are eligible for election to the executive council.
    2. It is recommended that those wishing to run for the position of President to have sat on the executive board for at least one term.
  1. Election Procedures
    1. Elections will be held at the end of the winter term (end of April) at a regular general meeting called for the purpose.
    2. Members will declare their candidacy by registering with the CRO two weeks prior to voting and shall indicate the position they wish to run for
    3. A candidate must receive a simple majority (50%+1) to be elected. If an unopposed candidate does not receive a simple majority, the position is considered vacant until by-elections can be held.
  1. Appeals and By-Elections
    1. A candidate or General Member may appeal election results within one week of the election by contacting the CRO. Subsequently, the CRO shall call for a general membership meeting within one month of the election.
    2. The member has the right to an appeal before the general membership, and the majority vote of the general membership will have the final say on the matter
    3. Should an executive position not be filled or become vacant partway through the year, a by-election shall be held at the next general meeting.
    4. An annual By-Election shall be held in September for the position of Social Convenor and any vacant positions.

Article VI: Executive Committee Members

  1. Executive Committee Members:
    1. The executive committee shall be comprised of seven (7) elected officers: These include a President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, Social Convenor, Department Representative, Graduate Students’ Union Representative, and Library Liaison.
    2. The position of Symposium Coordinator is considered a non-voting seat, and may be held by more than 1 member and up to 10 members.     I. The group shall strike a sub-committee and shall be responsible for appointing a Presiding Member.II. The Presiding Member shall ensure the orderly flow of business and uphold the constitution. The presiding member shall act impartially, and only vote in case of tie.

      III. All major decisions shall be accompanied by a vote within the sub-committee. Any member can declare an action a major decision by calling for a vote.

  1. Duties of Executive Committee Members

a. President

It shall be the responsibility of the President to:

I. Preside at meetings of the executive council
II. Set the agenda for the year in consultation with the rest of the executive members
III. Hold signing officer authority along with the Treasurer for financial purposes and create the budget
IV.  Preside at general meetings
V. Act as a primary liaison between the executive council and the student body
VI. Ensure that the student body is kept informed of all actions and decisions of the executive council
VII. Ensure transition of office to the future Executives

b. Vice-President

It shall be the responsibility of the Vice-President to:

I. Attend all meetings and be a contributing team member
II. Assists President with administrative matters
III. Assume duties of the President in their absence
IV. Oversee the various committees
V. Responsible for maintaining and updating online activity
VI. Ensure that all the activities of the club meet regulations and policies of the University of Toronto

  1. Treasurer.

It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to:

I. Maintain an account at a financial institution to hold the NMCGSA funds;
II. Keep an accurate record of the association’s financial dealings;
III. Provide a financial report for presentation at regular general meetings;
IV. Provide a balance sheet and statement of income and expenses before vacating office;
V. Be a signing authority on the association’s account;
VI. Maintain a petty cash.

d. Secretary

It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to:

I. Attend all meetings and be a contributing team member
II. Make a list of all registered members
III. Record notes and motions for meetings
IV. To provide copies of minutes of previous meetings for review at subsequent meetings.
V. Notify all members of meetings
VI. Handle official correspondence of the organization

e. Department Representative:

It shall be the responsibility of the Department Representative to:

I. Attend Faculty meetings (one per semester) and voices the students’ concerns or input to the department.
II. Submit a summary to the Executive Committee

  1. Graduate Students’ Union Representative:

It shall be the responsibility of the Graduate Students’ Union Representative to:

I. Represent the graduate students of NMC at the meetings of the Graduate Students’ Union.
II.  Submit a summary to the Executive Committee

g. Library Liaison

It shall be the responsibility of the Library Liaison to:

I. Bring NMC department needs and concerns regarding publications to the U of T library system

3. Non Voting Executive Members

a. Symposium Coordinator(s)

It shall be the responsibility of the Symposium Coordinator(s) to:

I. Plan and co-ordinate NMCGSA symposia.

Article VII: Non-Confidence Vote

  1. A non-confidence vote regarding one or more members of the executive council may be held at a special general meeting, and shall require a two-thirds majority of those present to be carried. In the event of a non-confidence vote, a by-election will be held as soon as possible at a regular general meeting.

Article VIII: Constitutional Amendment

  1. Any member shall have the right to introduce a motion for constitutional amendment at any special general meeting called for the purpose or any other general meeting providing that intent to do so and the general nature of the amendment have been posted in the graduate student lounge at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting. In either case, any change to the constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of those present to be carried.

Article IX: By-laws

  1. Any general meeting may enact by-laws in the form of standing orders or standard procedures by simple majority vote. Alteration of any by-law shall require a two-thirds majority of those present. No prior notice shall be required in the matter of by-laws.

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