Graduate Student Association Constitution

Article I - Name

The organization shall be called the Graduate Student Association; hereafter abbreviated GSA.

Article II - Purpose and Mission

To provide Graduate students with an official and representative forum in which to raise Graduate student concerns.

To provide funding for the purposes of Graduate student societies, research projects, and educational conferences.

To provide social and networking opportunities for Graduate students.

Article III - Membership

Section 1 - Type of membership shall consist of active membership;

  1. Active membership requires that the member be a full or part time Graduate student at Central Connecticut State University.

  2. Part-time Graduate students retain full privileges within the GSA with the right to hold office and vote.

  3. The GSA recognizes various Graduate Societies.

  4. The Graduate School at Central recognizes 64 academic disciplines.

Article IV - Legislative Body

Section 1 - All legislative power of the GSA shall be vested in the Graduate Student Executive Council, hereafter referred to as the Executive Council. All acts of the GSA shall be consistent with and subordinate to the provisions of the charter, bylaws, and regulations of Central.

Section 2 - The constituent Executive Council shall be the governing body of the GSA for the following purposes:

  1. To provide an official voice through which Graduate student opinion may be expressed;

  2. To foster awareness of Graduate students’ positions in the University community;

  3. To represent the Graduate student body in decisions affecting Graduate students;

  4. To take action in the best interest of the Graduate student body and the University community, which may include the introduction of legislation addressing concerns of Graduate students;

  5. To program activities for individual Graduate students and Graduate student body at large.

Article V - The Executive Council

Section 1 - Officers of the GSA shall consist of:

  1. President

  2. Vice President of Finance

  3. Vice President of Programming

  4. Secretary

  5. Promotions and Marketing Coordinator

Section 2 - Officers will be elected by the Graduate student body in the secret ballot election held in April each year.

Section 3 - In the event that an Executive Board position remains unfilled after the official elections in April, the acting Executive Board reserves the right to appoint an appropriate candidate for the specific position.

Section 4 - To be an officer a student must be regularly admitted to a Graduate program and be in good academic standing as defined in the Graduate Catalog.

Section 5 - In the event than an Executive Board member is unable to fulfill their duties or impedes the GSA’s mission;

  1. They will be given the opportunity to resign or;

  2. They will be subject to a vote of no confidence, and may be removed, by the other Executive Board Members.

Article VI - Ad Hoc Committees

Section 1 - The Executive Board shall authorize special Ad Hoc committees and refer them any matter that comes before the GSA that require additional study.

Article VII - Bylaws

Section 1 - Finance Committee Bylaws

  1. The Finance Committee of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) of Central Connecticut State University (Central) shall be designated with the task of dispersing Graduate Student Association monies.

  2. All money remaining in all the GSA fiscal accounts from the previous fiscal year will then be placed into GSA reserves.

  3. The projected enrollment figure for the following academic year is multiplied by the student fee (full-time) by the set amount of activity fee in order to equal the projected budget for the GSA.

  4. The budget will be divided into percentages to equal 100% to fund the different needs of the GSA. The monies will be dispersed as follows:

  • 5% of the enrollment figure is placed in the GSA Reserve Account

  • 8% of the remaining funds shall be set-aside for GSA operational spending

  • 2% of the remaining funds shall be set-aside for the use for Promotions and Marketing.

  • 15% of the remaining funds shall be set-aside for Programming for use by the VP of Programming.

  • 20% of the remaining funds shall be set-aside for society budgets.

  • 50% of the remaining funds shall be set-aside for conference and research scholarships.

  • It is recommended that the scholarship application deadline is three weeks prior to the monthly University Scholarship Committee meeting. Thus, allowing one week for the Finance Committee to review and recommend application approvals, one week for the Graduate Student Association Executive Board to review and approve recommendations, and one week to submit all approvals to the University Scholarship Committee.

  • The Finance Committee shall meet once a month to discuss, and present recommendations to the Graduate Student Association Executive Board about society budgets, conference and research scholarships, and programs as well as any other germane topics.

  • Eligibility to be a voting member and to allocate Association monies is reserved exclusively for currently elected and serving Executive Board members of the Graduate Student Association. An applications must receive 3/5 of a passing vote for approval. Non-members may attend meetings, but may not vote.

  • Serving Executive Board shall be known as the President, Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Programming, Secretary, and Promotions/Marketing Chair. In the case that the Executive Board would like to make adjustments to the scholarship recommendation, this responsibility will be reserved for the Vice President of Finance.

Section 2 - Society Budgets

  1. Each Society must complete the Society Budget Request Form, including all requested information, signatures, and materials as appropriate for the budget request.

  2. Societies shall not assume they would receive funds without filling out the request.

  3. Societies must have an active President and/or Treasurer and Faculty Advisor in order to be a recognized society.

  4. The deadline for submission of Budgets will be determined by the current serving GSA Finance Committee allowing the appropriate amount of time for budgets to be received, processed and reviewed with recommendations made. Requests must be dropped off at the Graduate Studies Office located in Barnard Hall, Room 102.

  5. In the event that the society becomes inactive, GSA reserves the right to rescind all funds.

  6. The President, Treasurer, and all members of the society must be matriculated Graduate students in a program at Central Connecticut State University to receive benefits from the society.

  7. The Society budget request should not exceed $1,500.00.

  8. Upon submission of the budget request, the GSA Executive Board will review and vote on the application. The Executive Board will reach out to the Society if there are any questions or concerns.

  9. The Vice President of Finance will reach out to the Society to inform them of their request status.

  10. The Executive Board reserves the right to allow 45 days from submission of budget requests to be approved.

  11. GSA has the right to deny any requests if the funding set-aside for Societies has no funds.

Section 3 - Conference and Research Scholarship Funding

  1. A Conference Scholarship will be awarded to Graduate students planning to attend a conference related to their field of study. The conference scholarship will cover lodging, domestic transportation (flight, train, bus, and gas mileage), and the cost for registration to the conference. The GSA does not support the cost for food.

  2. A Research Scholarship will be awarded to Graduate students planning to participate in research related to their field of study. The research scholarship will cover supplies and equipment deemed necessary for the research. The research scholarship will also cover travel and lodging if the GSA executive board finds it necessary for the research.

  3. A Study Abroad Scholarship will be awarded to Graduate students planning to participate in a Winter or Spring study abroad program related to their field of study. The study abroad scholarship will cover program fees.

  4. Study Abroad scholarships are funded through the reserve budget. Study abroad scholarship awards offered should never exceed â…“ of the reserve balance.

  5. Conference scholarships may not exceed $1,000. Research scholarships may not exceed $500. Study Abroad scholarship awards are to be determined based on the reserve balance, but may not exceed $1,000. Study Aboard awards are fixed. Those awarded should receive the same amount.(ex. 20- $200.00; 10- $800.00)

  6. In order to receive a scholarship from the GSA, applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be matriculated in a Graduate program.

  7. Graduate students are allowed one scholarship per fiscal year.

  8. The GSA will only provide scholarships to resident Graduate students. Resident Graduate students are those that still participate in coursework on campus. A non-resident Graduate student is a student that has finished their on-campus coursework.

  9. Preparatory courses will not be funded. A preparatory course will be defined as any course which coaches students for the passing of any exam to receive licensure or certification.

  10. Applicants must obtain and complete a Graduate Student Association Conference, Study Abroad, and Research Scholarship Request form. Forms can be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office, Barnard Hall 102.

  11. Applications should be submitted and approved prior to making any travel arrangements.

  12. The GSA does not facilitate reimbursement.

  13. Applicants should allow at least 45 days from submission of application for approval.

Graduate Student Association