Constitution of the History Graduate Students Association 

The Graduate Students of the History Department of the University of California, Los Angeles, Considering that there is a need to represent the concerns and needs of graduate students as a body to the faculty and staff of the History Department, and Considering that the by-laws of the History Department require the participation of graduate students on standing and ad-hoc committees within the History Department, and Considering that the graduate students in the History Department contribute to the larger Graduate Student Association through quarterly fees, and thereby have access to the disbursement of those fees for social and professional development purposes, Do hereby establish this Constitution.

 Article I:  Name, Membership, Funding, Statement of Purpose

 Section 1

The name of this organization shall be the History Graduate Student Association of the University of California, Los Angeles, hereafter referred to as the HGSA.  The HGSA is part of the larger Graduate Student Association (GSA) and receives its funding through the disbursement of GSA fees. The HGSA retains the right to adopt its own rules and procedures and to take on the responsibilities and duties as the official body of the graduate students of the History Department.

 Section 2

The membership of the HGSA shall consist exclusively of currently enrolled UCLA History graduate students.

 Section 3

An HGSA officer (President, Vice-President/Secretary, or Treasurer) shall attend meetings of the Social Sciences Council to receive funds due to it as a registered departmental graduate student group. The use and disbursement of these funds will be carried out at the discretion of the HGSA officers and committees using approved Social Sciences Council procedures.

 Section 4

The purposes of the HGSA shall be as follows: 

a.       To represent the graduate students to the History Department on all matters concerning graduate students, including:

1.      Designating the graduate student representatives on History Department committees and panels;

2.      Providing a representative forum through which graduate students may make their ideas, concerns, and needs known to the History Department’s faculty and staff;

3.      Acting as liaison with the graduate student community concerning the History Department’s policies and affairs.

b.      To represent the History Department’s graduate students on the Social Sciences Council so as to receive an appropriate allocate share of the funds made available by the University to student associations, and to disburse those funds in an appropriate manner as allowed under Social Sciences Council rules.

 c.       To plan and carry out plan such events as will enhance the collegial feeling and professional understanding of the HGSA community.

Article II: Elected Officers

 Section 1:  Number of Elected Officers

There shall be three elected officers of HGSA: President, Vice-President/Secretary, and Treasurer.

Section 2: Qualifications of Officers

All officers must be currently enrolled graduate students in the History Department in good standing during their term of office.

Section 3: Election of Officers

The aforementioned officers shall be elected by the HGSA membership present at a meeting to be held during the Spring Quarter at a date, time, and place to be determined by the Executive Council.  The existing officers shall solicit nominees to stand as candidates for office, and at the conclusion of nominations will present these individuals to the assembled HGSA membership at this meeting.  Individual members may nominate themselves for any office.  The individual receiving the most votes for each office shall be elected to that office.  

Section 4: Term and Duration of Elective Offices

Newly elected officers shall serve for one year.  They shall take office at the beginning of the Fall Quarter following the Spring Quarter election meeting, and remain in office until the conclusion of the following Summer Quarter. 

Section 5: Functions of Elected Officers

a.       The President shall serve as head of HGSA, and will preside at meetings of the HGSA Executive Council, as well as all general meetings of the membership of HGSA.  The President shall also represent HGSA at meetings of the Social Sciences Council, and at meetings of the Graduate Student Association when required to do so.  The President may select other officers or members to represent HGSA either in addition to the President or in the President’s place.  The number of officially recognized HGSA representatives present at meetings of the SSC and GSA shall be determined by those bodies. 

b.      The Vice President/Secretary shall take minutes at all general HGSA meetings and at all meetings of the Executive Council, and copies of such minutes shall be made available to the other officers and members of HGSA.   The Vice President shall succeed to the office of President for the remainder of the then current term of office should the office of President become vacant for any reason.

c.       The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records and budget of HGSA, and shall complete all necessary forms to receive Graduate Student Association funds disbursed by the Social Sciences Council, funds provided by the History Department, and any other source of HGSA funds. 

d.      The President, Vice-President/Secretary, and Treasurer shall all serve on the HGSA Executive Council, and may serve additional functions as determined by the officers. 

Article III: Executive Council

Section 1: Function of Executive Council

The Executive Council shall govern the HGSA and shall transact all HGSA business, fill vacancies in office, and authorize all expenditures. Additionally, the Executive Council shall have primary authority over social affairs, academic and History Department relations, and representation of HGSA with other university organizations and the union.

Section 2: Membership of Executive Council

Membership of the Executive Council shall include the President, the Vice President/Secretary, the Treasurer, and four additional members who shall be the Chairs of the following four standing committees: the Academic and Faculty Committee, the Awards and Employment Committee, the Foreign Students Committee, and the Social Action Committee.  

Section 3:  Duties of the Executive Council

In carrying out its duties, the Executive Council shall:

a.       Determine all policies, programs, and activities, and act on all resolutions that may be brought before it. 

b.      Select HGSA representatives and alternates to all History Departmental Committees where called for in the History Department bylaws.  Nothing in this section shall prevent a member of the Executive Council from also serving as an HGSA representative or alternate; however, so far as possible, such representatives shall be members of the corresponding HGSA standing committee closest in function.

c.       Under any and all circumstances the Executive Council shall do their utmost to uphold this Constitution and enforce the provisions herein. 

d.      Attend all HGSA committee meetings of which they are members and any other meetings as should be appropriate for the proper administration of their duties. 

e.       Fill any vacant office other than the office of President or committee chair for the remainder of the then current term of office. 

Section 4: Meetings of the Executive Council

a.       The Executive Council shall meet at least once a month during the regular academic year, at a time and place announced in advance, and all HGSA members are invited to attend and participate, although only the Council members shall be entitled to vote.   

b.      The President shall attend and preside over meetings of the Executive Council.  

c.       Four members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum, and the President shall have the power to resolve all tie votes.  

d.      The President shall have the right to veto all resolutions and actions of the Executive Council; provided, however, the Executive Council may override any such veto upon the affirmative vote of not less than five (5) member of the Executive Council taken at the following meeting.  

Article IV:  HGSA Committees 

Section 1: Number of Standing Committees

There shall be four (4) Standing Committees within the HGSA:  the Academic and Faculty Committee, the Awards and Employment Committee, the Foreign Students Committee, and the Social Action Committee.  

Section 2: Functions of Standing Committees

The Standing Committees shall have the following functions:

 a.       The Academic and Faculty Committee shall handle all issues concerning the History Department, except for matters involving awards, employment, and foreign students. 

b.      The Awards and Employment Committee shall handle all issues relating to awards, grants, teaching assistants, teaching associates, teaching fellows, readers, research assistants, and other graduate student employees.

c.       The Foreign Students Committee shall handle all issues unique to foreign students or that have a disparate impact on them, such as immigration status, visas, and tuition. 

d.      The Social Action Committee shall plan social functions for the HGSA.

Section 3: Election of Committee Chairs

Chairs of the Standing Committees shall be elected by the HGSA membership at an electoral meeting to be held during the Fall Quarter and shall take office immediately thereafter.  The Executive Council shall solicit nominees and present them to the membership at the electoral meeting. 

Section 4: Term of Office

The Chair of a Standing Committee shall serve until the Fall Quarter electoral meeting held the following year. 

Section 5: Ad Hoc Committees

In addition to the Standing Committees described above, the Executive Council may authorize the creation of any number of Ad Hoc Committees, as circumstances warrant.  The operation of such committees shall be governed by the same rules as Standing Committees, with the following exceptions: 

a.       Holding an Ad Hoc Committee Chairship shall not in and of itself make that person a member of the Executive Council.  

b.      The Executive Council may appoint an interim chair of an Ad Hoc Committee who shall serve as such until the next electoral meeting of the HGSA membership, but no longer than one (1) quarter. 

c.       A Chair of an Ad Hoc Committee elected at such an HGSA electoral meeting shall serve until the following Fall Quarter electoral meeting. 

d.      The Executive Council may dissolve an Ad Hoc Committee when it determines that its services are no longer required. 

Article V:  Departmental Committees 

Section 1: Notification of Departmental Representative Position Availability

a.       HGSA shall publicize the availability of positions for Graduate Student Representatives to Departmental Committees (hereafter called Representatives) to the HGSA membership one (1) week prior to the election of said Representatives. 

b.      Departmental Committees requiring graduate student representatives are named in the Departmental Byelaws. These include, but are not limited to, the following: Standing Committees (Graduate Guidance and Curriculum, Awards, Admissions, Advisory), any Ad-hoc Committees, and Departmental meetings. 

Section 2:  Election of Graduate Student Representatives to Departmental Committees

a.       Representatives shall be elected by the HGSA membership at an electoral meeting to be held during the Fall Quarter and shall take office immediately thereafter. 

b.      All Representatives shall be currently enrolled UCLA History graduate students in residence during their term of office. 

c.       The Executive Council shall solicit nominees and present them to the membership at the electoral meeting. 

d.      Representatives will be chosen by a vote of simple majority in a manner to be determined by members present at the meeting (i.e. secret ballot, voice or hand vote). 

e.       In order that graduate student representative positions on departmental committees shall not go unfilled, if no volunteers are present the HGSA President may nominate, and those present at the electoral meeting may elect, persons not present to be Representatives, subject to subsequent approval of nominees. If any of said nominees declines the position of Representative, then members of the Executive Council shall fill the empty position(s) until appropriate Representatives are found. 

Section 3: Special Conditions for Representatives to Guidance and Curriculum and Advisory Committees

For the better service of the HGSA community, and to protect the Representatives themselves, and, Representatives to the Graduate Guidance and Curriculum and the Advisory Committees must have established their dissertation committees. 

Section 4: Attendance at Meetings

a.       Should a Representative be unable to attend a given Committee meeting, it is the responsibility of said Representative to inform the HGSA Executive Council who will appoint a replacement for that meeting. 

b.      If a Representative cannot attend more than half of all meetings of the Departmental Committee on which he or she has been elected to serve, the Executive Council may appoint a permanent replacement. 

Article VI:  Reports 

Section 1:  Reports to the Executive Council

a.       Chairs of HGSA Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees shall report to the Executive Council on all Committee activities at least once per quarter. 

b.      Departmental Committee Representatives shall report to the Executive Council after each meeting of the Committee on which they were elected to serve. 

Section 2:  Reports to the Graduate Student Membership

HGSA shall report to its membership once per quarter. This report shall include:

a.       HGSA activities including expenditure of funds 

b.      Summaries of Departmental Committee activities 

Article VII:  Approval and Amendment of HGSA Constitution 

Section 1:  Approval

This Constitution shall be considered to be approved by the HGSA Membership if the following conditions are met:

a.       The Constitution is approved by a vote of a two-thirds majority of HGSA members at an electoral meeting called by current HGSA officers 

b.      That such electoral meeting be publicized at least one (1) week before it takes place. 

Section 2:  Amendment

This Constitution may be amended at any time on the suggestion of any HGSA member if the following conditions are met:

a.       The amendment is approved by the full Executive Council 

b.      Notification be given to the Executive Council at least one week prior that such amendment is going to be proposed 

c.       The Executive Council approves by a two-thirds majority a resolution to put said amendment before the HGSA membership 

d.      The proposed amendment will only become part of the HGSA Constitution if it is approved by a two-thirds majority only at one of the following HGSA meetings: the electoral meeting to be held during the Fall Quarter; the electoral meeting to be held during the Spring Quarter; or a special meeting to be called for the purpose by the Executive Council in the Winter Quarter.