Constitution of the MGSA @ UIC

Effective February 10, 2004


Article 1 - NAME:
  1. The name of this organization shall be: Mathematics Graduate Student Association, short MGSA.
Article 2 - PURPOSE:
  1. The purpose of this organization shall be to improve studying and working conditions for graduate students in the department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
  2. The organization shall encourage communication among students, faculty, and staff, and contribute to a rich social life in the department.
  3. It shall be a source of support and information for all graduate students.
  4. It shall actively promote cultural exchange and scientific dialogue.
Article 3 - MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS:
  1. Active members:
    Active Members of the MGSA are all currently registered graduate students of the University of Illinois at Chicago's Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science. Membership is automatic and cannot be denied. MGSA does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, or national origin.
  2. Passive Members:
    Passive Members of the MGSA are all MSCS Alumni. Upon graduation, the active members do not lose their membership benefits, except for their voting rights.
  3. Honorary members:
    The MGSA can appoint honorary Members. They are passive members, i.e. they have no right to vote. They do not have to be previous students of mathematics. The appointment of an honorary member can be done at any MGSA meeting with a simple majority.
Article 4 - OFFICERS:
  1. This organization shall have four elected officers. They are:
    • President
    • Vice-President
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
  2. The officers have to be active members of the MGSA.
  3. Term of office is the academic year. However, the transfer of power to the new officers shall be at the end of the spring semester, so the new team can prepare for the coming academic year. If an officer graduates or retires from office during an academic year, the remaining officers appoint a replacement officer.
  4. Duties of officers:
    • The President calls and leads the meetings of the MGSA. S/he represents the graduate students'; interests in administrative matters. S/he is the primary contact for the MSCS-Head and the Director of Graduate Studies. The President shall also be available for the academic year following her/his term to advise the new officers (upon request).
    • The Vice-President leads the MGSA in the absence of the President. S/he assists the president as needed.
    • The Secretary takes minutes at meetings, sends out newsletters and other communications, and assists the other officers as needed.
    • The Treasurer collects and deposits funds into the C.O.F. account and reimburses members for approved expenses.

  5. After elections, during the spring semester, officers shall pass all relevant documents (including passwords) to their successors at the final MGSA meeting of the academic year. In addition, the President will prepare a brief report, summarizing the activities of the previous academic year. Once reviewed and accepted by the current MGSA officers, this will be presented to the incoming government and made public to all MGSA members. Finally, all officers' names and positions (both elected and appointed) as well as the members of any subcommittees will be added to the MGSA Officers Archive. It is recommended that new officers hold their first meeting prior to the conclusion of the spring semester, in order to fill appointments.
  6. Several other positions may be created and ratified by vote at any MGSA meeting. It is suggested that interested MGSA members who unsuccessfully campaigned for office are given preference for the positions. Officers are encouraged to consult the MGSA Officers Archive to see what positions have been appointed in previous years.
Article 5 - ELECTIONS:
  1. Elections shall be held in March for the upcoming academic year.
  2. All active members may run for office, but only for one. If a member has been nominated for two offices, s/he has to decide before the election which office s/he will run for. Exception: No person may hold the office of president for more than 2 years.
  3. If for a specific office only one member has been nominated and decided to run, s/he is considered elected. For this office no election will be held.
  4. Procedure:
    All active members may vote in an election. The candidate with the most votes is elected. If a tie is reached, both members can become co-officers, if they agree on that. Otherwise, a runoff election is held exclusively for that office between only the tied candidates.
  5. Election officers:
    The elections shall be organized by two election officers who are chosen at an MGSA meeting. They must be active members. Election officers may not run for office in the election they are administering. It is recommended that election officers are not current officers and that they do not receive an appointed position for the academic year following the election.
Article 6 - MEETINGS:
  1. Regular meetings of the MGSA shall be held at least twice a semester: at the beginning and at the end. Additional meetings can be called any time upon request by any member to the President. Invitations to the meetings shall be posted at least on the MGSA bulletin board and sent via email to the MGSA's mailing list.
  2. Quorum shall be everybody in attendance at such a meeting; simple majority shall suffice for all decisions, except alterations to the constitution.
Article 7 - ADVISOR:
  1. The advisor of the MGSA shall be a full-time faculty or academic staff member of the MSCS department at UIC.
  2. The advisor is chosen by the new officers, or if time allows, at the end-of-semester meeting in the spring.
  3. The advisor shall mediate between administration and graduate student body in case of conflicts and provide guidance for the students.
Article 8 - COMMITTEES:
  1. The MGSA has no standing committees. Officers are encouraged to form committees as needed and may refer to the MGSA Officers Archive for guidance.
Article 9 - DUES:
  1. The MGSA does not collect any dues.
Article 10 - HANDLING of FUNDS:
  1. The MGSA's on-campus C.O.F. account will be managed by the Treasurer.
  2. In his/her absence, the officers have full access to the account, in the following order: President, Vice President, and Secretary - in compliance with the campus registration form.
  3. All monies collected on campus must be deposited into the MGSA's C.O.F. account.
Article 11 - ADMENDMENTS and REVISIONS:
  1. For amendments or revisions, the text of the old article and the proposed change have to be announced via the MGSA's mailing list, the WWW, and on the bulletin board, with a minimum of two weeks deliberation time. Voting shall take place at a special meeting called for this purpose, and require a quorum of twenty active members. A majority of 2/3 of the active members in attendance is necessary. If quorum is not reached, a non-anonymous mail-in vote shall be taken with two weeks voting time. A majority of 2/3 of the actual votes shall suffice.
  2. The secretary arranges publication of the changed constitution. The constitution must also be available on the MGSA website.
Article 12 - ADMENDMENTS and REVISIONS:
  1. Should the organization ever dissolve or fail to re-register, any of its funds held by the Math Department shall remain until the organization can reestablish itself.