Constitution and Bylaws

  1. Preamble
    1. We the graduate students of Prairie View A&M University seek to inspire students to represent ourselves within the university, to create a campus community amongst ourselves to support our fellows, to support research and creative endeavors, and to create a pathway through which we may enrich our learning beyond the classroom. We set forth these laws to serve as guiding principles of the Graduate Student Organization; whereas, the organization shall seek to establish unbiased and equal representation of all graduate students, respect their interests, and ensure an educational process of quality and integrity, we do hereby establish this Constitution of the Graduate Student Organization of Prairie View A&M University.
  2. Organization mission
  3. The Graduate Student Organization will promote the advancement of quality and integrity within graduate educational programs here at Prairie View A&M University. The organization represents graduate students through formal communication channels within the university structure and informal networks to promote professional development, career development, and to create a place of community. The organization will also provide a forum for advocacy, grievance, and other interests unique to graduate students. By recognizing the priority among graduate students for career development, the organization promotes the linkage of academic endeavors with the broader community in which we work and live.
  4. Name
    1. The name of this organization shall be the Graduate Student Organization of Prairie View A&M University, hereinafter referred to as the GSO.

  1. The Graduate Student Organization shall exist to serve the collective interests of the graduate student of PVAMU by promoting cooperation among graduate students of various boards of study at PVAMU, representing their interests to the faculty, administration and staff of PVAMU, providing a vehicle for and promoting cooperation with other graduate student organizations on this campus and system wide, and by providing services to the graduate student body which they cannot provide for themselves as individuals.
  2. All PVAMU graduate students, including both full-time and part-time students, shall have the option to be members of the GSO.
  3. Membership fees, if levied, shall be collected by the University, along with registration fees. Any assessment, or subsequent change in the event of assessment, must be approved by both:
    1. 2/3 of the entire membership in attendance at a voting meeting
    2. A majority of those voting in referendum via electronic ballot among PVAMU graduate students at large.

  1. Executive Team
    1. The GSO shall have an Executive board. The Executive board shall be composed of the following positions elected from the GSO membership: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Graduate Student Ambassador. The president shall be the chief executive officer and official representative of the GSO. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for recommending policy to the GSO members and carrying on official GSO business between GSO meetings, to be approved by the GSO advisors in the next Executive and Advisors meeting. The Executive Team has no authority to bind the Organization without significant consultation of graduate students and approval of the representatives excepts in cases of urgent or emergency matters. Such actions of urgent or emergency nature shall be subject to ratification by the executive board at the earliest scheduled meeting, or if possible,
      1. President – We the graduate students of Prairie View A&M University seek to inspire students to represent ourselves within the university, to create a campus community amongst ourselves to support our fellows, to support research and creative endeavors, and to create a pathway through which we may enrich our learning beyond the classroom. We set forth these laws to serve as guiding principles of the Graduate Student Association; whereas, the Association shall seek to establish unbiased and equal representation of all graduate students, respect their interests, and ensure an educational process of quality and integrity, we do hereby establish this Constitution of the Graduate Student Association of Prairie View A&M University.
      2. Vice-President – In the absence of the president, the vice-president will assume the duties of the president. The vice-president will coordinate business activities of the Association as necessary as noted. In the event that the office of president is vacant, the vice-president shall serve in the capacity of president until one can be elected.
      3. Secretary – The secretary shall record the minutes and attendance of each Executive Team and ensure that they are presented completely, accurately, timely, and authenticated. Further, the secretary is responsible for maintaining appropriate files of all documents necessary for the operation of the Executive Team and Representatives. The Secretary shall report any issues with respect to a member’s active or inactive status to the representatives at-large.
      4. Treasurer – The treasurer shall care and be accountable for such funds as the Executive Team raises and utilizes. The treasurer shall make reports to the Executive Team and the Council regarding budget balances, sources and uses of funds. The treasurer will create and propose a budget to the university as needed per university protocol. This budget must be approved by the senate before proposition to the university for approval.
      5. Parliamentarian – The parliamentarian shall maintain proper parliamentary procedures as defined by Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised. The parliamentarian shall also oversee the election process of officers, and oversee special elections if vacancies occur.
      6. IT Social Media – The public relations coordinator shall be responsible for publicizing GSO events and fundraisers, maintaining GSO social media accounts, and completing GSO online presence maintenance. This includes but is not limited to, social media, printing flyers, and putting events on the GSO website.
  2. Executive or Member Information
    1. In the event that an elected member of the Executive Team resigns, is recalled, or is otherwise on inactive status, an interim member may be nominated and elected to serve in the vacant position, excepting the role of President which would be filled by the Vice President until such time that an election can be held to fill the vacant position. Nominations for a vacated role, in the case of a representative becoming inactive, will begin immediately, and a vote for a new representative shall be held at the next monthly meeting, quorum required. Interim terms of office which begin after the last class day of the fall semester shall not be counted as one of the member’s two allotted terms of office.
    2. Terms Limits
      1. No member of the GSO may hold a single position on the executive board for more than two (2) academic years total whether consecutive or otherwise.
    3. Attendance
      1. The Executive Team members are required to attend monthly meetings. Members of the GSO should not commit to serving in a representative capacity if they expect significant scheduling conflicts. The Executive Team should make a good-faith effort to accommodate university events, holidays, or academic conferences, but this effort in no way absolves a member of their responsibility for active, substantive representation of a member’s college at meetings and GSA-sponsored events.
      2. Executive members shall be counted present if they attend remotely via telephone, video conference, or other electronic means. It is the responsibility of the absent executive member to find remote means to attend monthly meetings either by contacting the Executive Team or by contacting another Representative to give them access to the meeting.
  3. Sponsorship and Executive Positions
    1. Those seeking sponsorship of the GSO executive board for referenda involving graduate students, including proposals to raise student fees, must follow the guidelines laid out in the PVAMU Policy and Procedure on Campus Elections. Those who seek sponsorship via resolution of the GSO, must be graduate students, must request time on the GSO executive agenda, and must receive approval via majority vote of the executive board.
    2. The executive board may vote to take positions on public issues, following the guidelines laid out in the Campus Policy on Student Governments (63.00), and by majority vote of the Council.
  4. Constitutional Amendments and Bylaws
    1. The Constitution may be amended only by referenda, following the policy laid out in the PVAMU Policy and Procedures on Campus Elections.
    2. Bylaws conforming to this constitution may be adopted, amended, or deleted by a majority vote of the entire Council.

  1. The governing body of the GSO shall be the GSO Executive Board. The voting members of the Board shall be the Organizations Representatives and Executive Board Members, excepting the Ambassador. In the case of a tie, the Ambassador may vote.
  2. Each department that offers a graduate degree may send a representative to the Council. Each Council Representative must be voted in by the existing Council by a majority vote. Council Representatives may be removed by the graduate students of their department via petition to the Council.
  3. A quorum shall exist when at least 1/3 of the Council representatives are present. No GSO Council meeting may proceed without a quorum.
  4. The Council may, by 2/3 vote, remove an Executive Committee member for cause.
  5. The Executive Board shall meet at least three times per quarter and shall establish a regular meeting time and place.
  6. Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by any member of the Executive Board or at the written request of a quorum of Board members. A special meeting must be held on a weekday and must be publicized at least two days before the meeting is to occur. Official notification, including time, place and agenda should be posted in each of the graduate boards of study by the Executive Committee or the Board members calling the meeting.
  7. All graduate students are guaranteed the right to attend and to address issues, concerns, and/or present new ideas to Executive Board members in an Executive meeting.
  8. By a 2/3 vote of the Board, an issue may be declared “open” for the following meeting. An “open” issue must be clearly specified as “open.” An “open” issue is one that can be voted upon by all graduate students.
  9. The parliamentary authority for professional general body meetings shall be Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, except as otherwise voted on at the first general body meeting of the school year.

  1. Tax Exemption (This Bylaw is required to qualify for Federal Income Tax exemption under IRC © (3) and should not be changed except to conform with changes in the Internal Revenue Law) A. No part of the net earnings of the Graduate Student Association shall inure to private shareholders or individual members.
  2. In the event of the dissolution of this GSO, the assets of the GSO shall be transferred to the PVAMU Graduate Department, for providing financial aid to PVAMU graduate students.

Graduate Student Ambassador

Deondra Hollis
President
Dhollis4@pvamu.edu

Dwana Hughes
Vice President
dhughes13@pvamu.edu
Steffanie Sanders
Terrance Bolton
Secretary
Poppy Johnson 
Social Media Chair
MoNeek Shorts
SGA Senator of GSO