SCHOOL OF MEDICINE GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION ORGANIZATION CONSTITUTION   Ratified September 7, 2005   ARTICLE I. Organization Name & Purpose A. Name 1. The official name of this organization is the School of Medicine Graduate Student Association. 2. This organization will use this name or its acronym, SMGSA, in all its correspondence and activities. 3. This organization was formerly known as the Health Sciences Graduate Student Organization (HSGSA), but since the members of this organization are exclusively graduate students of the Keck School of Medicine (KECK), the organization name was changed in 1997 to more accurately reflect the constituency. B. Purpose SMGSA was created in 1973 to represent graduate students on the Health Sciences Campus (HSC) of KECK at the University of Southern California (USC or the University), with the following goals: 1. To distribute to each department an allotment of the graduate student programming fee, paid by every graduate student each semester as part of registration, based on the number of graduate students in the respective program and to be used at the discretion of the Department Representative with approval from the Board. 2. To host social and educational events to encourage professional as well as personal interaction with peers, post-doctoral fellows, staff, faculty and administration; financed primarily by, but not limited to, the general fund balance of the graduate student programming fee sum after department allocations. 3. To provide a forum for discussion of issues of concern for graduate students and provide guidance to direct action, when appropriate and necessary, to protect graduate students' rights and responsibilities. 4. To foster interdepartmental communication and cooperation among graduate students on the HSC as well as the University Park Campus (UPC) through membership in the Graduate & Professional Student Senate (GPSS). 5. To act as a political voice for graduate students with the University by facilitating the exchange of ideas and implementation of goals regarding policy development affecting graduate education and activities, particularly through representation on the Executive Council, the Finance Committee and the Graduate Faculty Council. 6. To assist the Administrator of Graduate Student Services with registration, health insurance enrollment and account settlement notification. 7. To select the graduate student speaker for the KECK Commencement ceremony each Spring semester, based on an open audition of all eligible graduating students. 8. To endorse the Graduate Student Bill of Rights & Responsibilities as adopted by GPSS on February 1, 1999, in order to ensure fair treatment of and accomplishment by all represented graduate students. ARTICLE II. Membership Requirements & Privileges A. Requirements 1. All currently enrolled graduate students seeking Master's or Doctor of Philosophy degrees are members of SMGSA and are eligible to vote at open-session meetings (see Article IV, Part 1), if they are part of one (1) of the following departments: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cell & Neurobiology, Microbiology & Immunology, Pathobiology, Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences (PIBBS), Physiology and Biophysics, Preventive Medicine, Nurse Anesthesia, Physician's Assistant Program, Systems Biology and Disease (SBD), Genetic Molecular and Cellular Biology (GMCB). 2. All other students at HSC, along with staff, faculty and administration, may participate in events by invitation only and are not eligible to be members of SMGSA in any capacity. 3. Membership will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability or sexual orientation. 4. All members are expected to show support for the purpose of this organization by: (see Amendment 1) a. Attending all meetings b. Attending all SMGSA sponsored events c. Planning and facilitating events. B. Privileges 1. Members are encouraged to express concerns, make constructive comments and offer suggestions regarding issues affecting graduate students via the organization email (smgsa@usc.edu) or Board Officer contacts that will be made available via the organization website (http://www-scf.usc.edu/~smgsa). 2. The practice of hazing in any form will not be permitted or accepted by SMGSA. SMGSA will abide by the rules and regulations of the Student Conduct Code of the University in regards to such activity. 3. All members are eligible to attend and participate in open-session meetings and events sponsored by SMGSA. ARTICLE III. Board Officers Duties & Regulations A. Officer Titles & Duties The SMGSA Board is composed of four (4) Executive Officers, eleven (11) Department Representatives, no more than three (3) Members-at-Large, and one (1) Bioscope Representative, collectively referred to as Board Officers. Only Board Officers, are eligible to vote at closed-session meetings (see Article IV, Part 1). 1. President (or Co-Presidents) a. Complete the organization recognition process with the Division of Student Affairs in the Office of Activities & Orientation at the beginning of the Fall semester in conjunction with the organization Advisor. b. Chair all open- and closed-session meetings of SMGSA and call special meetings as needed. c. Set meeting agendas, organize meeting dates and locations, as well as notify Board Officers of meeting schedules, and ensure fair, impartial discussion occur at all meetings. d. Attend monthly meetings of GPSS and the HSC-GPSS committee to ensure SMGSA is adequately represented, that pertinent information is disseminated to all members and that there is ongoing communication between graduate students on the HSC and UPC. e. Attend monthly meetings of the Executive Council, Finance Committee* and Graduate Faculty Council* with an additional designated Board Officer where indicated (*), to act as an advocate for graduate student issues with the University administration. f. Coordinate activities and events, acting as a resource for the other Board Officers to assist them in fulfilling their duties. 2. Vice President a. Attend all meetings outlined as responsibilities of the President in the absence of the President. b. Assist the President with executing the duties and responsibilities of the office of President as needed. c. Attend monthly meetings of GPSS and the HSC-GPSS committee with the President to ensure SMGSA is adequately represented, that pertinent information is disseminated to all members and that there is ongoing communication between graduate students on the HSC and UPC. d. Organize and facilitate the interdepartmental social and educational events sponsored by SMGSA. e. Assist the Department Representatives in the organization of their intradepartmental events. 3. Treasurer a. Obtain organization funding for SMGSA by completing the financial clearance process with GPSS and overseeing the transfer of the graduate student programming fee allotment to the SMGSA account each semester. b. Allocate and distribute funding allotments to each Department Representative. Suggested guideline for funding allocation is: 50% of annual budget to remain in the general fund to support interdepartmental events, and 50% of annual budget to be distributed among the departments based upon the number of graduate students to support intradepartmental events. c. Track and maintain records of the financial transactions conducted by SMGSA, including Board Officer requests and reimbursements for event funding. d. Assist in the filing process for additional fund requests from the GPSS joint programming, volunteer and discretionary funds as needed. e. Prepare an annual budget proposal at the beginning of the Fall semester and a report of expenditures at the end of the Spring semester for the organization Advisor and the GPSS Finance Chair. 4. Secretary a. Be responsible for the upkeep of the organization webpage and email account. b. Record attendance along with meeting minutes and make them available to all Board Officers for review. c. Update the graduate student email address list at least once per semester, or more often as needed, based on information provided by the Department Representatives. d. Produce and distribute flyers for event advertising, as well as written and electronic correspondence for SMGSA. e. Assist the Vice President of Social Affairs in organizing and facilitating interdepartmental events. 5. Department Representatives a. Provide the Secretary with updated information on the number of Master's and Ph.D. students in the department, as well as a list of email addresses to add to the graduate student email address list. b. Ensure pertinent information is distributed to graduate students, head of graduate students, and department chairs within the representative's department in a timely manner. c. Organize at least one (1) intradepartmental event with the allotted department funds as approved by the Board. d. Assist the Executive Officers in organizing and facilitating interdepartmental events. e. Organize and execute at least one (1) event interdepartmental event for the year with the help of other officers. f. Promote SMGSA awareness at New Student Orientation and at Recruitment. 6. Member(s)-at-Large a. Serve as a liaison between the Board Officers and the graduate student body at HSC. b. Assist in the distribution, collection and compilation of surveys as needed. c. Assist the Secretary in distribution of flyers and email advertisements. d. Assist the Executive Officers in organizing and facilitating interdepartmental events. e. Organize and execute at least one (1) event interdepartmental event for the year with the help of other officers. 7. Bioscope Representative a. Plan, organize and execute the annual Bioscope job fair event hosted by SMGSA and Scientific Affairs each April: i. secure speakers ii. secure event location/equipment with university and facilities iii. arrange catering for the event day iv. create fliers and programs b. Consult with Graduate Student Advisor on planning and funding for event. B. Requirements for Running & Holding Office 1. All Board Officers and nominated candidates for office must be currently enrolled graduate students at USC in one (1) of the departments listed in Article II, Section A, Part 1. 2. All Board Officers are expected to attend every open- and closed-session meeting, as well as assist in interdepartmental events sponsored by SMGSA. C. Nominations & Elections to Office 1. Elections shall be held during April or May. 2. Any member may nominate any other member, including him- or her-self. 3. Nominations for all offices will be taken on the day of elections prior to taking of the vote at an advertised open-session meeting of the organization. 4. A simple majority vote (51%) of the members in attendance at such an open-session meeting shall suffice for election of a Board Officer. If there are more than two (2) candidates and no candidate receives a majority, there will be a run-off vote between the top two (2) vote recipients in the general voting. The only exception is for the office of President, for which two (2) candidates may be elected if they choose to serve as Co-Presidents. 5. If no nominations are received for a Department Representative, the Secretary will attempt to fill the position by contacting the Department Administrator for a recommendation. If no one is found after one (1) month into the Fall semester, the department will forfeit its seat on the Board including voting rights and its intradepartmental funds will be absorbed into the SMGSA general fund. A second effort to find a representative will be made at the beginning of the Spring semester, and if more than one (1) graduate student is interested in the position, the Board will select the person at a closed-session meeting based on a simple majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV, Part 2). 6. The only exception is for the Department Representative of PIBBS. Since this is a first year program only, the Department Representative must be chosen by the Board during the first month of the Fall semester at a closed-session meeting based on a simply majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV, Part 2). D. Terms of Office & Vacancies 1. The term of office will be from the closed-session meeting following elections in the Spring semester until the next year's open-session nomination and election meeting. 2. There is no limit to the number of terms served assuming continuous election to office. 3. Should a vacancy in an Executive Office occur, there will be another open-session nomination and election meeting for the vacant office. In the meantime, the Vice President of Executive Affairs will assume the duties of the President, the Treasurer will assume the duties of the Vice President, and the Secretary will assume the duties of the Treasurer, should those offices be vacant. 4. Should a vacancy of a Department Representative occur, the Board will be responsible for selecting a replacement from department nominations at a closed-session meeting based on a simple majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV, Part 2). E. Removal from Office 1. Board Officers may be removed from office for failure to perform duties (see Article III, Sections A & B) or for violations of membership requirements (see Article I, Section A). 2. Board Officers to be voted upon in this regard will be notified at least one (1) week prior to the closed-session meeting in which the vote will take place. 3. A simple majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV, Part 3) at this closed-session meeting will be required for removal from office. ARTICLE IV. Meeting Guidelines A. Regular SMGSA Board meetings will be scheduled on a monthly basis at minimum. The dates and locations will be set after elections at the beginning of the Fall semester in order to accommodate the Board Officers' schedules. These Board meetings will be closed-session, as opposed to open-session meetings where all members are invited to attend and which occur on an as needed basis.* B. To conduct business at any closed-session meeting, at least half (50%) of the Board Officers must be present to allow voting (by simple majority of the quorum) on any issue except constitutional amendments and removal from office. C. Special closed-session meetings may be called by any combination of three (3) of the Board Officers or the President alone, and notice of these must be communicated to all members at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting where time permits. ARTICLE V. Advisor Requirements & Duties A. Requirements 1. As a recognized student organization of the University, SMGSA is required to have an official Advisor from the USC staff or faculty. The Administrator of Graduate Student Services in the Office of Scientific Affairs at USC shall serve as Advisor for SMGSA. 2. The Advisor, who is by definition not a member of the organization, may not vote in SMGSA matters, hold office or unduly influence decisions of the organization. 3. Other persons may serve as unofficial advisors as needed. B. Duties 1. To sign the organization recognition application each year, or whenever the Board Officer information changes or amendments are made to the constitution. 2. To assume responsibility for budget management, oversee distribution of information and assist Board Officers when necessary. 3. To ensure that SMGSA adheres to the policies outlined in the Student Conduct Code and the Student Organization Handbook regarding the following: misappropriation of funds, hazing, advertising and promotion, fundraising and sales, event production, facilities access, sound amplification, alcohol consumption and distribution, permitting procedures, drawings, raffles and lotteries. 4. To meet with Board Officers as needed throughout the semester. ARTICLE VI. Constitution Bylaws & Amendments A. Bylaws 1. Bylaws can be altered and/or added to this constitution at a closed-session meeting by a simple majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV). 2. This constitution takes precedence over any and all bylaws. B. Amendments 1. This constitution, including the number, title and duties of Board Officers, can be amended at a closed-session meeting by a two-thirds majority vote of the quorum (see Article IV, Part 3). 2. Notification of such a motion must be made to Board Officers at least one (1) closed-session meeting in advance of the one in which the actual vote is taken, and a hard-copy must be provided to each member for review. ARTICLE VII. University Affiliation Disclaimer A. SMGSA is a recognized organization at USC, but is not a part of the University itself. B. In all correspondence and business transactions, SMGSA may refer to itself as an organization at USC but not as part of USC itself. C. SMGSA accepts full financial and production responsibility for all activities it sponsors. D. SMGSA agrees to abide by all pertinent USC policies and regulations. Where USC policies and regulations differ from those of SMGSA, the policies and regulations of USC will take precedence. E. SMGSA 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 this organization, unless those activities expressly benefit and further the goals of the University, and have received prior review, approval and consent of the Offices of Student Activities, Risk Management and/or General Counsel. Amendment I. Attendance Policy (2005) The Department Representatives are required to attend every open- and closed-session meeting. Failure to attend (4) closed-session meeting will result in probationary status. Failure to attend (8) closed-session meetings or SMGSA sponsored events, (specifically, an event in which s/he voted for holding in a meeting), will result in loss of access to the intradepartmental funds for that year, which will be returned to the general fund, and a vote for removal from office will take place (see Article III, part e).