Draft Bylaws

1.1 The name of the organization is “Graduate Students’ Association of Concordia University”.

1.2 The abbreviation of the name shall be “GSA”.

2.1 The purpose of the GSA is to represent the collectivity of the graduate students at Concordia University and to promote the interests of GSA members

3.1 The goals of the GSA are:

   3.1.1 To study, protect and develop the academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and political interests of its members and students in general. Moreover, the GSA wants to promote values of social solidarity, equity, and tolerance to build a fairer society free of discrimination, violence, oppression and exploitation;

   3.1.2 To promote and support an adequate, positive and safe studying and working environment and to ensure the respect and the protection of knowledge produced;

   3.1.3 To actively protect the quality and accessibility of education at Concordia University and in general;

   3.1.4 To seek to ensure that the University’s primary objective be to convey and develop knowledge so that it can contribute to the achievement of the aforementioned objectives.

4.1 The GSA Fee shall be set by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly

4.2 Fees charged to the members by other organizations shall be approved by Referendum

4.3 Fees and changes to fees charged by the University for which approval by students is required shall be approved by Referendum.

5.1 The Executives shall be:

   5.1.1 President

   5.1.2 Vice-president Internal

   5.1.3 Vice-president External

   5.1.4 Executives shall be elected annually

   5.1.5 Executives shall be elected individually

5.2 Executives may be removed by a 75% vote of the Council of Representatives or the General Assembly at a meeting called for that purpose, such meeting to be called with a minimum of two weeks notice including the reasons for the proposed removal to the Council or membership and to the person whose removal is proposed.

5.3 In the event of a vacancy in an Executive office, a replacement may be appointed by a concurrent 2/3 vote of the Council of Representatives and the General Assembly.

5.4 The Executives shall be the Directors of the Company.

6.1 The Officers of the company shall be:

   6.1.1 The President

   6.1.2 The Vice-President Internal

   6.1.3 The Vice-President External

   6.1.4 The Chairperson

   6.1.5 The Secretary

   6.1.6 The Treasurer

   6.1.7 The Student Advocate

6.2 The President shall:

   6.2.1 be the official spokesperson for the G.S.A.

   6.2.2 oversee the day-to-day management of the G.S.A.

   6.2.3 oversee the work of the other executives and officers.

   6.2.4 direct the implementation of Council resolutions.

6.3 The Vice-President Internal shall:

   6.3.1 oversee and coordinate student representation on University bodies

   6.3.2 oversee and coordinate relations with Departmental Associations

   6.3.3 oversee the management of the GSA House

   6.3.4 manage relations with service providers

   6.3.5 oversee and develop internal communications with members

6.4 The Vice-President External shall:

   6.4.1 represent the GSA to external organizations, and specifically to provincial student organizations

   6.4.2 coordinate and report on developments outside the University that affect the members as graduate students

   6.4.3 oversee and develop external communications with external organizations, government, and the wider public

6.5 The Chairperson shall:

   6.5.1 convene and preside over meetings of the Council of Representatives and the General Assembly and any other meetings of the GSA membership

6.6 The Secretary shall:

   6.6.1 oversee the GSA head office and manage the employees of the GSA

   6.6.2 produce and keep minutes and records of meetings of the Council of Representatives and the General Assembly and any other meetings of the GSA membership

   6.6.3 maintain the list of members

   6.6.4 maintain the communications infrastructure of the GSA, including mailing lists, emailing lists, web site, handbook, and any other publications.

6.7 The Treasurer shall:

   6.7.1 keep the financial records of the corporation

   6.7.2 authorize all financial transactions

   6.7.3 see to the production of annual financial statements

   6.7.4 provide timely reports on the financed of the GSA at each regular meeting of the Council of Representatives

6.8 The Student Advocate shall oversee the operation of the Advocacy Center, which shall:

   6.8.1 assist members in finding and making use of University services and resources

   6.8.2 assist members in their dealings with the University

   6.8.3 represent members who are brought to University tribunals

   6.8.4 assist members in finding appropriate resources for issues outside the purview of the GSA

6.9 The Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and Student Advocate shall be appointed by and remain at the pleasure of the Council of Representatives.

6.10 No person may hold more than one Office at a time

6.11 Elected officers must be members of the GSA for their entire term of office, and the Office shall be vacated upon the expiry of the Officer’s membership in the GSA.

7.1 The Executive Committee shall be comprised of the President, the Vice-President External, and the Vice-president Internal

7.2 The purview of the Executive Committee shall be the day-to-day operations of the GSA, including but not limited to:

   7.2.1 the day-to-day management of the assets of the GSA

   7.2.2 the hiring and management of employees other than managers

   7.2.3 the representation of the GSA and the membership to Concordia University and to external bodies

   7.2.4 the execution of policy as determined by Council and the General Assembly

7.3 The President shall convene and chair meetings of the Executive Committee

7.4 The Executive Committee shall meet as necessary

7.5 Quorum for meetings of the Executive Committee shall be two voting members

7.6 All Officers shall have the right to attend and speak at meetings of the Executive Committee.

7.7 Notwithstanding the above, any resolution or decision that receives the assent of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee in writing, including via electronic means, shall have the same force as a resolution passed at a meeting of the Executive Committee, and shall be considered adopted upon its communication to the Secretary

7.8 The Secretary shall keep a record of resolutions and decisions made by the Executive Committee noting the decision made or resolution adopted and the date of the resolution or decision

8.1 It shall be the right and duty of the Council of Representatives to:

   8.1.1 formulate and authorize GSA policy

   8.1.2 appoint the non-elected Officers

   8.1.3 authorize the Annual Budget and all other financial matters

   8.1.4 to hire managers if and when needed

8.2 The Council of Representatives may strike committees of Officers, Representatives, and Members, in any combination, to assist them in their functions

8.3 Representatives shall be elected annually

8.4 Representatives shall be elected individually

8.5 The number of Councillors shall be fifteen.

8.6 Arts & Science, Engineering and Computer Science, John Molson School of Business, Fine Arts, and Interdisciplinary Program Students as a body, shall be regarded as Faculties for the purpose of calculating the proportions of seats occupied by Members from each Faculty.

8.7 The seats on the Council of Representatives shall be apportioned as follows:

   8.7.1 one seat per Faculty;

   8.7.2 the remaining seats distributed proportionally to the numbers of Members registered in the respective faculties according to the same list of registered students used in the Annual Election.

8.8 The Officers other than the Chair shall have the right to move and speak to resolutions at all meetings of the Council of Representatives

8.9 Quorum for meetings of the Council of Representatives shall be 2/3 of the voting Representatives

8.10 The chairperson of the GSA shall apportion the seats on the Council of Representatives based on the current list of members as of the calling of the annual election

8.11 Representatives may be may be removed by a 75% vote of the Council of Representatives or the General Assembly at a meeting called for that purpose, such meeting to be called with a minimum of two weeks notice including the reasons for the proposed removal to the Council or membership and to the person whose removal is proposed.

8.12 A Representative who is absent for more than two meetings of the Council of Representatives shall be deemed to have resigned, and not being present for the majority of the time of a single meeting shall constitute an absence.

8.13 The GSA Chairperson shall chair meetings of the Council of Representatives.

8.14 Vacancies on the Council of Representatives may be filled by an election among the members or by an election by the General Assembly

8.15 A Representative appointed to an Office shall permanently cease to be a Representative upon such appointment.

9.1 The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the GSA

9.2 A Regular General Assembly shall be convened by the Chairperson within the thirty days after the beginning of each term, and within the thirty days before the end of each term, including Summer considered as a single term.

9.3 The Chairperson shall solicit the Members by appropriate means for matters to be discussed and deliberated upon at the Regular General Assembly

9.4 A Special General Assembly may be called at any time by:

   9.4.1 resolution of the Executive Committee

   9.4.2 resolution of Council

   9.4.3 the chairperson upon receipt of a petition of no fewer than one hundred (100) members.

9.5 Notice of the General Assembly must be given seven (7) calendar days in advance of the meeting.

9.6 Notwithstanding the above, in case of an urgent situation a Special General Assembly may be convened by the Executive Committee upon three (3) calendar days notice.

9.7 The Agenda of the General Assembly shall be set by the chairperson, taking into account the recommendations of the caller(s) of the meeting, the reason(s) for the meeting

9.8 Notice of a Regular General Assembly must include the Agenda for the meeting, and the wording of any motions to be proposed.

9.9 The Notice of a Special General Assembly must state the reason(s) for the meeting, include the Agenda for the meeting, and the wording of any motions to be proposed.

9.10 The Agenda of a Special General Assembly may only be amended with the consent of those calling the meeting, and then only by a 2/3 vote of the members present

9.11 Quorum for the General Assembly shall be one hundred (100) members

9.12 The GSA chairperson shall chair the General Assembly.

9.13 Notwithstanding the above, the Council of Representatives shall retain the rights

   9.13.1 to appoint the non-elected Officers

   9.13.2 to authorize the Annual Budget and all other financial matters.

9.14 Notwithstanding the above, the Officers shall remain in charge of the day-to-day operations of the GSA.

10.1 All disbursements and financial transactions must be authorized by an Annual Budget

10.2 The Annual Budget shall be produced by the Executive Committee, in consultation with the Treasurer, no later than 60 days into the fiscal year

10.3 The Annual Budget shall be authorized upon a 2/3 vote of the Council of Representatives

10.4 The Annual Budget may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Council of Representatives at a meeting called for that purpose

10.5 Items in the budget will be regarded as an authorization to make disbursements covered by those items, including all related disbursements within that item, regardless of the total amount of those disbursements, and no disbursements shall be made unless so authorized

10.6 The signing officers of the company shall be the President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary.

10.7 All financial instruments and transactions must be authorized by the Treasurer

10.8 The Treasurer must report and justify any refusal to authorize a financial instrument of transaction to all the members of the Executive Committee immediately and to the Council of Representatives at the next meeting thereof, and the Council of Representatives may instruct the Treasure to authorise any refused financial instrument or transaction by a 2/3 vote.

10.9 Disbursements up to $3000 may be authorized by the Executive Committee.

10.10 Disbursements larger than $3000 must be authorized by the Council of Representatives

10.11 The financial records and financial statements of the GSA shall be reviewed by an Auditor annually.

10.12 The GSA shall maintain and make available to the members a record of:

   10.12.1 its receipts and disbursements and the matters to which each of them relates

   10.12.2 its financial transactions

   10.12.3 its credits and liabilities

   10.12.4 the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Committee, the Council of Representatives, and of the General Assembly and of the votes taken at such meetings

11.1 Elections for the Executive positions and seats on the Council of Representatives shall be held annually

11.2 The terms of elected positions shall be coterminous with the fiscal year

11.3 Elections shall be called by the Chief Electoral Officer annually, no later than 45 days before the end of the fiscal year

11.4 Elections and referendums shall be held in accordance with electoral regulations authorized by the General Assembly

11.5 Decisions made by Elections or Referendums shall have force regardless of any resolution of the Executive Committee, the Council of Representatives, or the General Assembly.

12.1 All affiliations with and memberships in other organizations shall be approved by the General Assembly at a meeting called for that purpose

12.2 Affiliations with and memberships in other associations that require regular dues or any other monetary contributions to be charged as part of or in addition to the GSA fee shall be approved by Referendum

12.3 General Assemblies and Referendums regarding affiliation with or membership in other organizations shall be conducted according to the GSA Bylaws, the GSA electoral regulations, and any relevant regulations of the organization to be affiliated with.

12.4 Any agreement of affiliation or membership may only be entered into on condition that the same process by which affiliation or membership was approved be sufficient in itself to immediately end the affiliation or membership, notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary in any agreement or bylaws.

12.5 No agreement of any kind, whether conferring affiliation or membership, or whether for any other purpose, signed on behalf of the GSA with another organization shall have effect unless authorized in accordance with these Byalws.

12.6 In any case where the Bylaws of the GSA and the Bylaws of the other organization contradict one another, the Bylaws of the GSA shall take precedence in all respects.

13.1 These Bylaws may be amended by a concurrent 2/3 majority of the Council of Representatives and the General Assembly, or by simple majority in a Referendum of all members.

14.1 The Executive Committee, upon the authorization of the Council of Representatives, may

   14.1.1 Borrow money upon the credit of the GSA

   14.1.2 Issue debentures or other securities of the GSA, and pledge or sell the same for such

sums and at such prices as may be deemed proper

   14.1.3 Delegate to such Officers as it may designate, all or any of the foregoing powers to such extent and in such manner as it may determine

15 – In Force

15.1 These Bylaws shall take effect on 1 June 2012, except for [ARTICLES on Council composition and any others that need to wait] which shall take effect on 1 June 2013.