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Council of Graduate Chemists

University of Texas-Austin

Bylaws

Council of Graduate Chemists Bylaws

Article I.   PURPOSE

Section 1.  Mission Statement

The Council of Graduate Chemists is a registered student organization at the University of Texas-Austin, formed to promote graduate student engagement at The University of Texas-Austin.  This group seeks to benefit all graduate students in chemistry by fostering professional and community relationships, informing about school-wide policies, and advocating for the needs of our peers.

Section 2.  Action Goals

  1. Facilitate peer support and socialization
  2. Advocate for and represent members at the departmental, college, and university level
  3. Inform about professional development and networking opportunities
  4. Consolidate information pertinent to chemistry graduate students in an online venue
  5. Facilitate volunteering and community outreach opportunities.

Article II.   MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Eligibility

Graduate students in the Chemistry Department who are currently enrolled or have been enrolled in the past year.

Section 2. Privileges and Responsibilities

  1. Members must provide a current email address through the Council’s Membership form on Hornslink—the Office of Student Affairs online student organization platform.
  2. Members are eligible to vote on Council issues at Assembly meetings and in officer elections electronically.
  3. Members may serve on subcommittees.
  4. Members may hold officer positions.

Article III.   OFFICERS

Section 1.  Titles

The Council of Graduate Chemists shall have the following officers:

Adminisitrative positions:

  1. President
  2. Vice-President
  3. Financial Officer
  4. Secretary

Subcommittee chairs:

  1. Chair of Graduate Student Well-Being Task Force
  2. Chair of Event Planning Board

Section 2.  Terms of Office

  1. Incoming officers take office before start of spring semester after elections.
  2. Outgoing officers remain in previous roles for two-week overlap period after new officers have taken office.
  3. Eligibility for officer replacement determined by president and action voted on by board.
  4. Vote on issues to bring before Council, including amendments to Bylaws

Section 3.  Elections

Administrative positions:

  1. Members can electronically vote in officer elections for administrative positions.
  2. Conducted yearly in December or in case of vacancy.
  3. Nominations will open for December elections one week before voting and will conclude two days before voting.
  4. Mid-term vacancies will be announced to Council members and an appointment will be decided during the following Officer meeting.

Subcommittee chairs:

  1. Members of the subcommittee must unanimously elect a chair from among its members.
  2. Conducted yearly in December or in case of vacancy.

Section 4.  Duties of Officers

  1. The President shall:

▪ Oversee officers and settle internal disputes
▪ Submit organizational paperwork to maintain Registered Student Organization standing
▪ Be an ex-officio member of all boards.

B. The Vice-President shall:

  • Assume President’s responsibilities and act on President’s behalf in his or her absence
  • Maintain contact with external affiliations: Graduate Student Assembly, American Chemical Society, and Funding Opportunities
  • Assist Financial Officer with budget requests
  1.  The Financial officer shall:

▪ Solicit funds from University or external sources
▪ Coordinate budgets of programs
▪ Maintain any bank account of the Council
▪ Write summary of budget for annual report

  1. The Secretary shall:

▪ Keep minutes at all administrative meetings and send to the members within 1 week.
▪ Manages membership lists
▪ Maintains event attendance records
▪ Conducts officer elections electronically

  1. The Chair of the Graduate Student Well-Being Task Force shall:

▪ Create and distribute agendas for task force meetings
▪ Solicit members for the task force and joint faculty-student committee
▪ Interface with department, college, and university level resources
▪ Delegate tasks to subcommittee members

  1. The Chair of the Event Planning Board shall:

▪ Assure the calendar is up to date with planned events
▪ Meet with the Treasurer to insure budgets are secured for events
▪ Interface with department, college, and university level resources and calendars to advertise events
▪ Delegate tasks to subcommittee members

Article IV.  MEETINGS

Section 1.  General Assembly Meetings

  1. Held once a semester
  2. Open to anyone
  3. Follow Parliamentary Authority as stated in Article VI

Section 2.  Officer Meetings

  1. Held once a month
  2. Open to officers and members by invitation

ARTICLE V.  AMENDMENTS

  1. Changes to Bylaws will be voted on by General Assembly

▪ Voting on a new amendment will be announced sufficiently in advance of the proceeding officers meeting
▪ Voting must be unanimous amongst the officers present
▪ At least 2/3 of officers must be present for voting to take place.
▪ If insufficient attendance, the voting will be carried over to the next meeting.

  1. Council operates under newest version of Bylaws

ARTICLE VI.  SUBCOMMITTEES

  1. Two subcommittees will operate as the main function of the Council: Graduate Student Wellbeing Task Force, and Event Planning Board.
  2. Each subcommittee will elect a chairperson among its members to serve for one year.
  3. Subcommittee members are self-nominated volunteers.

 

ARTICLE VII.  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the bylaws or the special rules of order of the organization.

ARTICLE VIII.  UNIVERSITY CODE OF CONDUCT

The Council of Graduate Chemists, as a registered student organization, will abide by the University Code of Conduct.