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GPAC Bylaws

ARTICLE I -- ORGANIZATION NAME

This organization shall be known as the Graduate Policy and Administration Community (GPAC).

ARTICLE II -- PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization is to build a community of leaders at the USC School of Policy, Planning and Development (herein referred to as SPPD) and to enhance:

1. Community - developing a lifelong social and professional network of students, alumni and faculty.
2. Governance –providing social, academic and professional leadership experiences.
3. Place – creating a unique culture and identity at the SPPD as a premier school of Public Administration and Public Policy.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

1. Categories of membership shall be: Full and Alumni.

1. Full Membership is conferred upon all MPA and MPP students upon matriculation at SPPD
2. Alumni shall be invited to continue membership upon graduation
3. Membership decisions will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion or creed, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE IV – DUES

1. No membership dues will be charged; however a per-event fee may be assessed to cover the cost of an event or supplies not covered by student activities fees.

ARTICLE V – COMMITTEES

1. GPAC shall be divided into 8 committees: an Executive Committee and 7 standing committees:

1. Executive Committee

1. Executive Committee Officers

Executive Committee Officers of this organization are listed below and shall serve for one academic year.

1. President
2. Vice President
3. Secretary
4. Communications Officer
5. Financial Officer
6. GPSS Senator
7. GPAC Ambassador
8. Sacramento Chair
9. Alumni Chair
10. Webmaster
2. Delegates – any interested MPA or MPP students
   

STANDING COMMITTEES

2. Marketing Committee

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

3. Professional Development

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

4. Social Committee

3. Committee Chair(s)
4. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

5. MPA Committee

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

6. MPP Committee

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

7. Non-Profit Committee

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

8. International Committee

1. Committee Chair(s)
2. Delegates- any interested MPA or MPP students

2. While standing committee chairs are not part of the executive committee, they are granted a vote on relevant issues at the executive committee meetings if they are present at the meetings. In such a case, each committee shall have one and only one vote that represents the majority voice of the committee’s chair(s) and its delegates.
   
3. Any changes to the bylaws or decisions involving using GPAC funds require a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee Officers.
   
4. Ad-hoc committees may be formed at the discretion of the Executive Committee to address short-term issues of importance to GPAC. They may be defined by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, and given with clear deliverables, expectations, and timeframes.
   
5. Subcommittees may be formed by Executive Committee Officers at their discretion to address tasks specific to their roles.

6. Committees may organize in a manner of their own choosing. All officers and committee chairs shall serve one-year terms.  Executive Committee officers may also establish sub-committees at their discretion.

7. Committees are encouraged to sponsor regular activities. However, committees may also be required to assist one another in general events and activities. The Executive Committee should be notified of the events sponsored by other committees.

ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS

1. There will be a General Meeting of the membership held at the beginning of each semester. The General Meeting shall be held no later than the second month of each semester. At this meeting, officer reports will be presented and other business of the organization shall be conducted.

2. General Meetings will continue throughout the semester, on an as-needed basis. These meetings shall be open to the public.

3. Individual committees are expected to meet on an as-needed basis.  The number of meetings, location, and topic will be determined by committee chairs and communicated to the Executive Committee.

Ad-Hoc Committees

1. Nominating Committee
   Shall accept and consider all nominations and oversee the election of GPAC officers and committee chairs.

ARTICLE VII – ELECTIONS & APPOINTMENTS

1. Elections: the election of officers and committee chairs shall be conducted by the Nominating Committee using an electronic ballot within 14 days after each General Meeting once the nominating process has become publicly opened in Spring Semester. Ballots shall be sent electronically to GPAC members and voting shall remain open for no more than 7 days after mailing. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each position will be considered the winner.

2. Any candidate wishing to challenge the results of the election must file a written protest to the President and Carol Rush (faculty advisor) within five business days after the vote tabulation; otherwise the results of the election become final. The election results may be nullified and a new election held upon a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee Officers.

3. If there are any vacant positions upon the result of elections, students who run for an elected GPAC position but do not win will be automatically nominated for any vacant GPAC positions of their choosing.

4. After the election, the newly-elected President and Vice-President will meet to publicly solicit applications for appointment for the remaining GPAC positions. These vacancies shall be filled by the end of Spring Semester.

5.  If there continues to be vacancies after the Spring Semester Appointments, Fall Semester Appointments may be made after applications for nominations are made public.

ARTICLE VIII -- CODE OF CONDUCT

The purpose of the Graduate Policy and Administration Community is to build a community of leaders at the School of Policy, Planning and Development. As a full member of GPAC, I recognize the significance of my professional conduct and ethical responsibilities to the community I serve, the university I represent, and the other members of my future profession. I pledge to promote:

ARTICLE IX -- AFFILIATIONS

1. This organization is a recognized student organization at the University of Southern California, but is not part of the University itself.

2. In all correspondence and business transactions, it may refer to itself as an organization at USC, but not as part of USC itself.

3. GPAC accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors.

4. GPAC agrees to abide by all pertinent USC policies and regulations. Where USC policies and regulations and those of GPAC differ, the policies and regulations of USC will take precedence.

5. This organization recognizes and understands that the University assumes no legal liability for the actions of the organization, and that the University is not providing blanket indemnification insurance coverage for any activities of the organization, unless those activities expressly benefit and further the goals of the University, and have received prior review, approval, and consent of Campus Activities, Risk Management, and/or General Counsel.

ARTICLE X -- AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee. Such proposed amendments must be communicated by newsletter to GPAC members with an explanation as to the reasons for the proposed changes.

Any future amendments can be brought up by a head of a committee, or any member of the Executive Committee, and it must be passed by two-thirds of the Executive Committee.

Bylaws last amended September 2008.