Bylaws
Last revised February 2006
- The Graduate Public Affairs Council (GPAC) will meet bi-weekly during regularly scheduled classes.
- The President shall call the meeting to order when a majority of voting members are present, including the President. Voting members shall consist of all standing Committee Co-Chairs. The President shall be charged with assembling an agenda for meetings.
- The Vice President shall serve as the Parliamentarian during the Assembly meetings according to the most recent version of Robert’s Rules of Order. After appropriate warning, the Vice President may call disruptive or distracting individuals “Out of Order” said individuals must leave the meeting.
D. The Secretary shall transcribe minutes, record attendance of all GPAC members and visitors, and record votes by member.
- The Treasurer is responsible for regular reports on the financial status of the organization, to occur no less than twice an academic year.
- Assembly members will only be permitted two absences per semester.
- Once an individual has exceeded the allowable absences, they will forfeit their membership in the General Assembly, and a replacement will be appointed by the Executive Committee and voted on by the General Assembly.
A. GPAC may periodically pass resolutions to express opinions about activities going on at the LBJ School or the University of Texas-Austin.
B. Any resolution is only applicable to the year in which it is approved.
C. These resolutions require a majority vote, and upon passage become the official opinion of GPAC and by extension the LBJ School Student Body.
- Budgetary Requests shall be submitted to the Treasurer at a date designated by the Executive Committee. These budget requests will be in line item form and they shall include:
· The name of the committee or recognized organization,
· The level of funding received in the previous year,
· The level of funding requested for the current year,
· A line item list of events that will be funded by and/or items to be purchased with GPAC funds,
· A description of any event that will be funded with GPAC funds, and
· Any additional information requested by the Executive Committee related to the activities of the committee or recognized organization requesting funds.
- Budget recommendations made by the Executive Committee will be based upon budget requests submitted by GPAC committees and recognized organizations to the Treasurer prior to the creation of the Executive Committee recommendations.
- In a vote on Executive Committee recommendations either:
· At least 1 member from every committee and recognized organization included in the Annual Budget Report must be present.
· At least two-thirds of the General Assembly must be present.
- Once the recommendations have been ratified by the General Assembly the treasurer may authorize the spending of appropriated dollars according to the “Guidelines for Treasurer.”
E. If the Treasurer does not authorize a spending request, or if the committee or
recognized organization chooses, the request may be brought to the General
Assembly for a vote. The General Assembly vote will be the final and solitary
authority.
- The Executive Committee recommendations will be made available to the General Assembly in the form of an “Annual Budget Report.” A summary of this report shall be submitted to each GPAC committee and recognized organization.
- The report will include all information included in the budget Executive Committee recommendations will be made available to the General Assembly in the form of an “Annual Budget Report.” A summary of this report shall be submitted to each GPAC committee and recognized organization.
- The report will requests, fund balances on all GPAC accounts, and any additional information related to the activities of the committees or recognized organizations that the Executive Committee chooses to include.
- If the request for spending differs substantially from the committee or recognized organization’s approved budget, then the request for spending shall be referred to the General Assembly for a simple majority vote.
- The Treasurer shall not authorize the request if the request is outside the rules of the University of Texas at Austin financial policies or GPAC rules.
- The Treasurer shall keep written and electronic reports of all spending requests, spending authorizations, and authorization referrals. The Treasurer is responsible for keeping up-to-date records of the financial activity of GPAC including the accounts with the business office and with student services.
- The Rules Committee shall be formed at the written request of a student regarding a question of rules interpretation or other grievance.
- The Rules Committee shall consist of the Vice President, one senior year Executive Committee member, one senior year voting representative, one first-year voting representative, and one student from the student body who does not hold a position within GPAC.
- The Vice President shall chair the committee and the other members shall be chosen as follows at the beginning of each year:
- GPAC voting members will be chosen at random to serve.
- The senior year Executive Committee member will be chosen at random.
- The student at large is chosen at random by the President of GPAC. If this at-large student declines the request the process will repeat until a student is selected at random that is willing to serve.
- Random is defined as taking a list of eligible people and pulling their name out of a hat, or some other hidden randomized way.
- If a member of the committee is bringing up the interpretation questions or voting grievance they must excuse themselves, and their position will be filled at random. In the case of voting grievances, specifically, any member seeking election during the vote in question must also excuse himself or herself. If it is the Vice President then another Executive Committee member shall be chosen at random.
- The committee will hear testimony within 48 hours of a request being filed, and then make a ruling within 48 hours of hearing the case. The majority vote of the committee shall be binding unless altered by a change in the Constitution or Bylaws.
- The judiciary committee, as outlined in Article VIII section 3A of the Constitution,shall consist of the Vice President, two senior year GPAC members, two first-year GPAC members, one first-year at-large student, and one senior-year at-large student. The at-large students have a right to decline taking the position.
- Except for Vice President this body is chosen at random in the same manner as the Interpretation and Grievance Committee.
- No person, including the Vice President, can serve on the judiciary committee if he/she is the one of the students bringing the charges. If the Vice President is one of the chargers then another executive member will assume his/her position on the committee, to be chosen at random.
- The Vice President, or Executive Committee substitute, acts as the Chief Justice for the impeachment hearing. Each side is allowed to present its view along with witnesses, and the burden of proof is with the impeacher.
- Upon 48 hours of scheduled class days after completion of the hearing, the vote by the student body must take place per Article VIII section 3 of the GPAC Constitution. This vote will be administered in the same manner as all other GPAC elections.
- If a person is expelled the position becomes vacant immediately and is filled in the manner spelled out in election procedures.
Section 1A. General Committee Responsibilities
- Academic Policy Committee
1.) Monitor and provide feedback on academic courses, procedures, policies, teaching quality, and special academic initiatives of the LBJ School.
2.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to ensure the twice annual offering of a short course.
3.) Solicit opinions from LBJ students regarding LBJ courses in time to offer suggestions for new course offerings each semester and for general direction of course offerings. Relate this information back to the appropriate LBJ faculty, staff, and administration members.
4.) Work with the Dean’s Office and other appropriate offices, to facilitate a process in which students provide mid-semester feedback to faculty regarding all aspects of individual courses to date.
5.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School offices and Orientation Committee to assist new students with adjustment to academic standards.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Admissions Committee
1.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office toreview and vote on applications of potential LBJ candidates.
2.) Participate in admissions review process and offer suggestions of how to improve LBJ admissions process.
3.) There will be two Representatives on this committee both entering their last year as a student at LBJ.
4.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Brown Bag Committee
1.) Organize and facilitate informal Brown Bag series.
2.) Work with LBJ School Administration and faculty to organize and hold informal lectures sponsored by the LBJ School on a normal basis. These speakers should, unless circumstances warrant, be from outside of the LBJ School.
3.) When possible coordinate speaker selections with LBJ student organizations looking for opportunities to sponsor particular speakers
4.) Solicit input from student body on desired speakers and topics of discussion for Brown Bag.
5.) Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Communications Committee
1.) Provide recommendations on ways to enhance the external image and reputation of the LBJ school locally and nationally
2.) Work with the LBJ Communications Office and other appropriate offices to provide planning, public relations, and publicity recommendations for LBJ student events in order to increase the publicity, turnout, and media coverage of events and connect LBJ with the greater UT campus, Austin, the state of Texas, and the Nation as a whole
3.) Review Event Evaluation Forms with GPAC and take appropriate actions to improve students events
4.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to improve communication and dissemination of information internally at the LBJ School
5.) Serve as a liaison between students and the LBJ Office of Communications
6.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to monitor and encourage use of LBJ all-school electronic calendar by students
7.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
8.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Community Service Committee
1.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office,promote and stimulate the spirit of volunteerism.
2.) Provide members of the LBJ community, at regular intervals, the opportunity to participate in volunteer activities. This should include at least one planned LBJ community service activity per semester.
3.) Provide, on an ongoing basis, an information and referral system for volunteer opportunities outside of the above mentioned Community Service Day(s).
4.) Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
5.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
6.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
F. Environment and Facilities Committee
1.) Advocate and seek funds for improvements to physical resources, e.g., library, student kitchen, hallway, study areas, lobby, classrooms, lounge, outdoor picnic areas, and overall facilities.
2.) Coordinate cleaning of student used areas including: student kitchen, above student lockers, computer lab lost and found, and cleaning other student use facilities that are not the responsibility of custodial staff.
3.) Form and provide oversight of the GPAC Recycling task force, whose responsibilities include management of the aluminum, plastic, and glass recycling program (if not provided by school), encourage energy and paper conservation by LBJ students, faculty, and staff, work with LBJ facilities staff to insure UT paper recycling bins are properly placed in the school and that rules are understood by LBJ community
4.) Coordinate watering of any student managed plants
5.) Work with appropriate LBJ offices staff to ensure proper security of LBJ facilities on behalf of the students, ensure that proper doors are locked after hours, and student body knows codes on locked doors and that codes are periodically changed
6.) Provide cleaning and office supplies for student use beyond those that are provided by the school
7.) Meet at least once a semester to discuss facility and related needs of students with appropriate building manager and other relevant LBJ staff
8.) Develop an efficient and effective mechanism for requesting immediate repairs such as building temperature, light bulb replacement etc from LBJ facilities staff
9.) Solicit feedback from students at least once an academic year on needed improvements at the school
10.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class
11.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Faculty RecruitmentCommittee
1.) Work with LBJ students, faculty, and administration in selection of new LBJ School faculty.
2.) Coordinate student evaluations of potentials hires and report results to faculty committee and students.
3.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to plan Texas Exes Teaching Award with the Texas Exes Association.
4.) Coordinate spring awards ceremony for LBJ faculty.
5.) Work with the Diversity Committee and Academic Policy Committee to elicit opinions from student body regarding faculty diversity and preferences for new hires.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Diversity Committee
1.) Organize and facilitate town hall meetings, fora, and/or invite speakers address diversity policy issues on a national, state and local level and within the LBJ community.
2.) Provide students with information on how to register a complaint if they are the victims of discrimination or sexual harassment and help insure the case has been addressed.
3.) Provide recommendations to LBJ School and student body on issues relating to diversity and needed improvements.
4.) Work with the student body, the appropriate LBJ School office, existing LBJ student groups, and other UT resources to develop relevant programming and trainings.
5.) Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
I. International Students Committee
1.) Represent international students’ interest to GPAC and the LBJ Community.
2.) Serve as a resource to LBJ international students with questions or concerns regarding adjusting to the life at LBJ and the US.
3.) Plan events and fora, such as an International Food Festival, to encourage interaction and learning between international students and the LBJ community.
4.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to coordinate with the Student Recruitment Committee regarding international student recruitment.
5.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office, the Alumni Committee and Student Recruitment Committee to coordinate efforts to establish ties with international LBJ alumni in order to help promote the LBJ School abroad.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Alumni and CareerCommittee
1.) Organize the production and sale of LBJ business cards for networking with alumni.
2.) Coordinate with administration on feedback from career fairs
3.) Coordinate student organization and internship fair during orientation week in collaboration with the Orientation Committee.
4.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office and alumni groups to help foster relationships between current LBJ students and LBJ alumni.
5.) Recommend ways to improve the LBJ Alumni, job placement, and internship programs.
6.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
7.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Dual DegreeCommittee
1.) Solicit concerns from and provide a voice for students participating in dual degree programs.
2.) Coordinate events to foster a sense of community among dual degree students and the LBJ student body.
3.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office and the Student Recruitment Committee to coordinate the organization of a dual-degree information fair.
4.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
5.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Part-time Committee
1.) Solicit concerns from and provide a voice for part-time students.
2.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to coordinate with Academic Policy Committee in order to evaluate course offerings at the end of each semester and offer suggestions for changes to appropriate LBJ staff. This process should be done in time for feedback to be used in the immediate semester course offering compilation process.
3.) There will be one Representative from the first-year part-time studentsand one senior part-time representative.
4.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
1.) Solicit concerns from and provide voice for students participating in the Ph.D. program.
2.) Work to increase opportunities for interaction between LBJ faculty and Ph.D. students.
3.) There will be one Representative from the Ph.D. Program.
4.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
N. Student Recruitment Committee
1.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office,the Admissions, International Students, Dual Degree and Part-Time Committees to offer suggestions for, plan a portion of, and participate in LBJ School recruitment efforts.
2.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office to write letters representing the Recruitment Committee for pre- and post-admissions packets.
3.) Work with the appropriate LBJ School office, recruit LBJ student hosts, volunteers for phone banks, and other relevant recruiting activities.
4.) Work to attain a highly qualified and diverse applicant pool.
5.) Write a report to Dean, relevant faculty, and GPAC known as the State of Recruitment report, assigning strengths, weaknesses and making relevant recommendations to improve the Student Recruitmentprocess. This report should be submitted at the end of each academic year.
6.) In coordination with the school, relevant student organizations and GPAC committees participate in a student recruitment event to be held in the spring semester.
7.) Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
8.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
9.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
2.) Where appropriate, coordinate and seek assistance on activities with the appropriate LBJ School office.
3.) Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
4.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
5.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Technology Committee
1.) Maintain, improve, and promote LBJ Livewire, the student-run community website for the LBJ School.
2.) Coordinate with the Executive Committee to ensure that the GPAC and Student Organization websites remain updated and have sufficient backup and data security procedures.
3.) Work with the administration to improve technology infrastructure at the LBJ School, such as computer labs, wireless access, power outlets, and the LBJ website.
4.) There will be one Representative from the first-year class and one Representative from the senior class.
5.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
Ad hoc committees will expire at the end of the designated duties, as defined by a majority of General Assembly members in attendance.
- Orientation Committee
1.) In order to provide appropriate planning time, orientation committee co-chairs shall be elected no later than the first week of Februaryto serve the position of orientation coordinators for the incoming class. This position begins upon appointment by GPAC and ends when all orientation duties are finished. It shall consist of two chairs.
2.) This committee does not have GPAC voting rights. However, these chairs can run and be elected to other GPAC voting positions.
3.) There will be two Representatives from the senior class.
4.) The two representatives elected must be in Austin for the majority of the summer and for the entire period of Camp LBJ and Orientation Week.
5.) Orientation Committee is eligible for funding through budget process.
6.) Their duties include:
· Organize a committee of interested students to assist the Orientation Committee carry outs it responsibilities.
· Work with the administration, Graduate Advisor, and other relevant LBJ offices and faculty in preparation and implementation of incoming class orientation week and activities surrounding CAMP LBJ.
· Plan a wide variety of activities to meet the interests of the incoming class and introduce them to Austin and the LBJ School Community both socially and academically.
· Provide a forum for incoming students to hear views of current LBJ students on course.
· Recruit participation of returning LBJ students in orientation activities, including coordination of second-year mentors.
· Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
· Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
- Commencement Committee
1.) Work with the administration and the Dean’s Office, and other relevant LBJ offices in carrying out activities of LBJ Commencement ceremony.
2.) Coordinate selection of class speaker.
3.) Seek input from graduating class on commencement activities.
4.) Coordinate selection and purchase of class gift.
5.) There will be two Representatives both entering their last year as a student at LBJ and intending to graduate in the LBJ School ceremony at the end of that academic year.
6.) Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
C. Follies Committee
1.) Will be elected as an ad hoc committee every spring to serve the temporary position of follies coordination. This position begins upon election ends when all follies duties are finished. It shall consist of two chairs. In order to provide appropriate planning time, this committee will be formed in the spring before the final year of the graduating class.
2.) This committee does not have GPAC voting rights. However, these chairs can run and be elected to other GPAC voting positions.
3.) There will be two Representatives from the senior class.
4.) Follies Committee is eligible for funding through budget process.
5.) Their duties include:
· Coordinate and recruit participation for the LBJ Follies.
· Manage financial matters concerning production of the LBJ Follies.
· Coordinate social activities surrounding LBJ Follies.
· Provide feedback to GPAC and the appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding issues of importance and jurisdiction to the committee.
· Must report to GPAC, appropriate LBJ staff, faculty or administration member about areas where improvement can be made regarding committee activities and issues.
Planning and Record Keeping Requirements
The executive committee and all GPAC standing and ad-hoc committees shall follow these procedures in establishing and carrying out their duties in order to facilitate planning and better transfer institutional knowledge and information at the beginning and end of each academic year, respectively.
1.) Statement of Purpose – this should begin with the official description of the committee as stated in the Constitution and/or By-Laws. Additionally, it may be enhanced with a brief description of additional responsibilities or focuses that the committee chooses to take on for the year
2.) Work plan – a basic work plan that indicates what activities should take place and when and allows for tracking of those activities
3.) Budget – This section should contain the proposed budget items and rationale and the actual approved budget. The Treasurer will be responsible for creating a standard budget template for all committees to use. This template should provide a way to document the proposed, approved, and spent budgets and should be available electronically on the GPAC website. This template can exist separately from the Annual Plan and Summary and be integrated as necessary.
4.) This section must be completed and submitted to the Secretary in order for the committee’s budget proposal to be considered.
1.) Events and Activities – Event Summary Sheet should be filled out for each event or activity conducted by the committee. This sheet shall contain, at a minimum:
d. key contacts (e.g., vendors, speakers, etc.)
2.) The Event Summary Sheet will be created/updated and made available by the Secretary (who should coordinate with the Treasurer to ensure it incorporates all the data the Treasurer needs for reimbursement) in hard copy and soft copy via the GPAC website. Because this sheet will also serve as the reimbursement form that must be submitted to the Treasurer in order to be reimbursed, it will exist as a template separate from the rest of the Annual Plan and Summary and will be integrated into it at the end of the year
1) Final Budget – this section should summarize the actual expenditures
and what they funded. As mentioned above, the Treasurer will be
responsible for creating this template, which can exist separately from
the Annual Plan and Summary and be integrated as necessary.
3.) Position Review Form – in this section, the committee chairs should discuss additional, general advice they would give their successors regarding what worked well in carrying out of their committee responsibilities and what could have been improved.
4.) Useful Contact Information – this section should contain, but is not limited to:
a. Phone and email contact of outgoing chairs for future GPAC questions
b. Phone and email contacts for official and/or key faculty/the administration/university advisors
5.) Year-end reports shall be submitted to the secretary and posted to the GPAC website by committee co-chairs.
5.) Appendices
1.) Budget Request Memo
2.) Publicity Information
a. Emails to students, speakers, etc.
b. Flyers, posters, etc.
3.) Event documentation (e.g., phone bank instructions, follies program, etc.)
4.) Additional committee-specific information that would be valuable to a future committee chair (e.g., for a list of contacts at undergraduate schools for the Student Recruitment Committee)
1.) At the beginning of each school year, the President will be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate templates (Annual Plan and Summary, Budget, Event Summary Sheet) are made available and that record keeping responsibilities have been reviewed with the committees.
2.) At the end of the school year, the newly elected President will be responsible for collecting the completed Annual Plan and Summary from each committee.
3.) The Treasurer will be responsible for inserting submitted reimbursement requests into each committee’s event summary section.
4.) The newly elected President will be responsible for making two copies of each Annual Plan and Summary. One copy will be stored permanently in the GPAC office.
5.) The newly elected President will distribute the second copy to the incoming committee chairs at the transition meeting, at which point the outgoing committee chairs will review the materials with the incoming chairs.
A. In order to facilitate planning for the current year and transfer of institutional knowledge to future committees, each Executive Committee member is required to maintain records and transfer them to his/her successor at the end of his/her term in hard copy and post these documents to the GPAC website.
1.) Constitution and By-Laws used during the previous year
2.) Sample meeting agendas from the previous year
3.) Guidelines for running elections
4.) Summary of activities planned during the year of her/his administration – these should be documented in the position review form
5.) Lessons learned/Tips for fulfilling President’s duties
C. Vice President
1.) Student Directory
2.) Copy of Robert’s Rules of Order
3.) Summary of fundraising efforts
4.) Summary of activities planned during the previous year – these should be documented in the position review form
5.) Lessons learned/Tips for fulfilling Vice President’s duties
1.) Annual Budget Report (as described in By-Law Article II)
2.) Budget template provided to committees
3.) Event Summary Sheet template provided to committees
4.) Summary of activities planned during the previous year – these should be documented in the position review form
5.) Lessons learned/Tips for fulfilling Treasurer’s duties
1.) Samples of meeting minutes from the previous year
2.) Templates for Annual Plan and Summary and Event Summary Sheet provided to committees
3.) Summary of activities planned during the previous year – these should be documented in the position review form
4.) All Article V documents will be collected throughout the year and presented to the newly elected President in the form of a binder
5.) Lessons learned/Tips for fulfilling Secretary’s duties
1.) List of university meetings/events attended (or available to be attended) by Liaison
2.) Budgets available to GPAC from outside the LBJ School
3.) Summary of activities planned during the previous year – these should be documented in the position review form
4.) Lessons learned/Tips for fulfilling Liaison’s duties
- Any student who is considered a member of the Student Body as defined by Article II of the Constitution is eligible to run for an elected position. Students may run for more than one office, but may hold only one executive committee or voting office at any given time.
A. The Executive Committee—barring any members running for election—shall be responsible for carrying out all elections. The duties of the Executive Committee in carrying out elections include:
· Delegate whatever duties are necessary to ensure a successful election and ensure such duties are carried out.Announce upcoming elections.
· Post election procedures and nomination forms in the Student Lounge (at minimum).
· Determine and publicize campaigning guidelines.
· Collect and post personal statements of all candidates to be available online
· Verify that candidates accept the nomination and are in good standing with the LBJ School.
· Inform candidates what their positions will entail, as well as pertinent GPAC rules (absence policy, links and paper copies of appropriate GPAC by-laws, constitution etc)
· Arrange a presidential candidate’s and vice presidential candidate’s forum/debate.
· Ensure voting is carried out in an ethical and efficient manner.
· Relay election results to each candidate and LBJ School no later than 24 hours after the conclusion of the voting period.
A. Nomination Procedure
1.) A candidate may nominate him/herself, or be nominated by another LBJ School student. If the candidate is running for more than one position, the candidate must rank order the positions in terms of preference and submit this list to the President prior to the election.
2.) Once the nomination process is closed, the ballots are also considered closed and no candidate may be added or deleted from the ballot.
3.) Write-in candidates are not allowed.
B. Elections will be held using some form of ranked preference algorithm
(e.g. Instant-Runoff Voting or Condorcet Method), eliminating the need
for run-off elections and ensuring better representation of student body opinion.
B. Election for President
1.) The GPAC election cycle for the following school year begins in the spring semester with the election of the GPAC President. The 10th week of classes in the spring semester will be reserved for nominations for the office. Voting will take place during the first three scheduled class days during the 11th week of classes
C. Election for Treasurer and All Senior Student Positions
1.) The 12th week of classes in the spring semester will be reserved for nominations for the Treasurer and all Senior Student Positions. Voting will take place during the first three scheduled class days during the 13th week of classes.
D. Election for Vice President, Secretary and All First-Year Student Positions
1.) Nominations for Vice President, Secretary, and First-Year Student Positions shall take place no later than the 2nd week of classes in the Fall Semester. Voting will take place during the first three scheduled class days during the 3rd week of classes.
A. Any GPAC member may endorse a candidate for office only as a private student. No member of GPAC shall act in an official capacity in endorsing a candidate for elected position.
- Any student currently enrolled in an LBJ degree program is eligible to vote in elections.
- Ballot Counting and Posting
1.) Ballots counts for all elections will be confirmed by a minimum of three persons. These vote counters shall include only Executive Committee members that are not candidates in the election. If there are not 3 Executive Committee members eligible to count votes, GPAC members shall be chosen to count votes by the President pulling names out of a hat.
2.) Any candidate who has won more than one position in an election will be awarded, from the positions they won, the position they ranked the highest (see Election Code, Section 3, subsection A).
3.) All election results will be posted on the listserv and in the Student Lounge no later than 24 hours after the conclusion of the voting period. Vote tallies will not be posted, but will be provided upon request to candidates only.
- Ballot Recount
1.) Every candidate has 48 hours from the posting of the election results to call for a recount.
1.) Vote tallies will be made available to each candidate if a request is made. The request must be made within 24 hours of the final posting of the election results. Any grievances with the election shall be made to the President within 48 hours of the posting of the final election results. The aggrieved party can bring the grievance before the Rules Committee. The decision of the committee shall be final and binding.
1.) In the event of a tie following a run-off, the following procedure will apply:
a. The ballots shall be recounted.
b. If after the recount, there is still a tie, all candidates involved in the tie for the contested seat(s) will be asked if any of them will concede the contested seat(s) to the other candidate(s).
c. If after concessions, there are still candidates tied for an office, there will be a coin toss. The President will be the official overseeing the toss. The President will assign each candidate either heads or tails and the winner will be based on the best two (2) out of three (3) coin tosses.
A. Term of office begins upon completion of the academic year except where otherwise specified. The President’s term shall begin once the presidential election is final and ends the following spring semester once the new presidential election is final.
- If a candidate wins more than one position, they will automatically take the position they ranked highest. For the rest of the positions they won, the candidate winning the second most votes will become the elected office holder.
- In the event of a vacancy in an Executive Committee position, GPAC will hold an election to fill the vacancy as soon as possible. The election will follow the procedures outlined in the Election Code. In the event of a vacancy in any other GPAC office, the Executive Committee will nominate a replacement appointment. The appointee must receive a majority vote of the present and voting GPAC members in order to be approved. In the event of a vacancy, senior and first year students will be equally eligible for the open positions.