ARTICLE I: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of these Bylaws is to define procedures for annual election of GSAUCSD officers, special election of GSAUCSD officers, and interim appointment of GSAUCSD officers.

ARTICLE II: ANNUAL ELECTION OF GSAUCSD OFFICERS

Section 1: Date of Election

Annual election of GSAUCSD officers shall occur at the second to last regular GSAUCSD Council meeting of the academic year

Section 2: Announcement of Annual Election

All GSAUCSD representatives and graduate coordinators shall be notified of the date, time, and location of the election meeting at least four weeks in advance. A notice containing this information shall also be published in a campus-wide publication and in any electronic media generally utilized for graduate student communication.

Section 3: Nomination of Candidates for Elective Offices

Nominations for elective offices shall be opened no later than four weeks prior to the election. Candidates for elective office must be nominated by a member of the GSAUCSD Council. Candidates may be nominated for more than a single office, however, once elected to an office, their name shall be removed from consideration for any subsequent office. Nominations for elective offices shall remain open until immediately prior to the Council vote on the position.

Current nomination lists shall be sent to GSAUCSD representatives, graduate coordinators, and published in any electronic media generally used for graduate student communication no later than one week prior to the election. These notices shall indicate that nominations shall remain open until the Council vote.

Section 5: Campaign Platforms

Candidates may, but are not required to, provide the GSAUCSD office with a statement of their campaign platform no later than one week plus one working day prior to the election. Statements may not exceed one page. These statements will be made available to the GSAUCSD Council prior to the election.

Section 6: Voting Procedure

1.   Officers will be elected in the following order:
       a)  President
       b)  Vice President Internal Affairs
       c)  Vice President Academic Affairs
       d)  Vice President Finance
       e)  Vice President External Affairs
       f)  Campus Organizing Director

2.    If an elective office has no nominated candidates, the GSAUCSD Council may postpone the election for that office until the end of the elections of other offices. If there are still vacant offices, the elections due that office will be automatically postponed until the next regular GSAUCSD Council meeting.

3.    A candidate for office need not be present at the Election, but he/she must accept their nomination either in person at a regular Council meeting, or in writing to the GSAUCSD office.

4.    Candidates will be allowed to address the Council briefly prior to the Council vote on the office.

5.    Candidates will be asked to leave the room during the Council vote. Candidates who are also Council members shall be permitted to cast votes in writing prior to the vote.

6.    The Council session shall be closed to all non-Council members during voting.

7.    The Council vote shall be recorded, but not published in Council minutes.

8.    Officers shall be elected by a majority of voting representatives present at the election meeting provided quorum is met.  If more than two candidates are running for any office, successive votes shall be taken until one candidate receives a majority.  In successive votes, the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall be eliminated.

ARTICLE III: SPECIAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1: Special Election Date

A special election for any vacant elective office shall be held no later than two regular GSAUCSD Council meetings after the position becomes vacant.

Section 2: Announcement of Special Elections

All GSAUCSD representatives and graduate coordinators shall be notified of the date, time, and location of the Special Election meeting at least two weeks in advance. A notice containing this information shall also be publicized in a campus-wide publication or using any electronic media generally utilized for graduate student communication.

Section 3: Nominations

Special Election nominations for vacant elective offices shall be open no later than the regular GSAUCSD Council meeting prior to the election.  Nominations shall remain open until
immediately prior to the Council vote for that office.

Section 4:  Voting Procedure

Voting Procedure shall follow the same format as the annual election procedure outline in Election Bylaws Article II, Section 6.

Section 5: Installation, Rights and Responsibilities

Officers elected by Special Election shall be installed in office immediately following the election. Officers elected by Special Election shall be accorded the full rights and responsibilities due the office including voting membership on the Executive Committee and a pro-rated stipend.

ARTICLE IV: ELECTION OF GSAUCSD COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES

Section 1: Eligibility

Candidates for GSA Council Representative shall be registered graduate students in good academic standing as defined by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Section 2: Eligible Departments and Programs

Only Academic Departments and Programs accepting graduate students for enrollment shall be eligible for GSAUCSD representation. The list of Programs and Departments published by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research shall define eligibility.

Section 3: Department or Program Representation

Enrollment figures published by the Registrar’s Office shall determine Department and Program enrollment for use in determining the number of representatives to the GSAUCSD Council in the Fall Quarter.

Section 4: Department or Program Elections

Individual Departments shall have autonomy regarding procedures for election of Council Representatives. However, the election of Representatives must be open to all eligible graduate students in the Department and notification of the election procedure must be distributed to all graduate students in the Department.

ARTICLE V: PROCESS FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES

Section 1: Eligibility

Candidates for GSAUCSD Committee Representative shall be registered graduate students in good academic standing as defined by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research.

Section 2: Notification of Committee Openings

Committee openings shall be publicized by the appropriate GSAUCSD officers to all graduate students using any media generally utilized for graduate student communication (electronic or otherwise).

Section 3: Appointment Procedure

1.    Eligible graduate students interested in representing the GSAUCSD on a campus committee or task force shall notify the appropriate GSAUCSD officer prior to any GSAUCSD Council meeting.

2.    The GSAUCSD officer shall inform the interested representative of the date and time of the GSAUCSD Council meeting at which the appointment will take place.

3.     Interested students shall be given the opportunity to address the GSAUCSD Council briefly regarding their interest in the committee.

4.    Representatives shall be appointed to committees by majority approval at any regular Council meeting.

5.    Representatives to committees which meet during the Summer Quarter shall be appointed by the  appropriate GSAUCSD officer on an interim basis.

Section 4: Recall of Representatives

1.    Any graduate student may call a Council vote to replace or remove a representative to a campus  committee.

2.    The committee representative will be informed of the date and time of the Council meeting where the recall vote will occur at least one week prior to the meeting.

3.    The committee representative will be allowed to address the Council briefly regarding his/her qualifications for representing the GSAUCSD on the committee in question.
 
4.    A majority vote of the Council at a regular Council meeting is required to replace or remove a committee representative.

5.    No committee representative shall be subjected to more than one attempt at replacement or  removal per quarter.

Section 5: Interim Appointments to Committees

If the GSAUCSD Council is not in session or due to severe time constraints, the appropriate GSAUCSD officer may appoint an interim representative to a committee. The term of the interim appointment shall be defined at the time the appointment is made. Interim appointments shall be announced to the GSAUCSD Council at its next regular meeting.

ARTICLE VI: GUIDELINES FOR DEPARTMENTAL ELECTIONS

GSAUCSD Council representatives should be elected no earlier than 4 months prior to the beginning of their term. Eligible GSAUCSD members shall be those enrolled in the department or program for which representatives are to be elected.

Nominations should open no later than 2 weeks prior to the election. No later than nominations open, all eligible GSAUCSD members should be notified of the time of the election; their right to nominate candidates, to be nominated, and to vote; and the number of representatives under the GSAUCSD Constitution.

No later than one week prior to the election, a list of those nominated should be made available to all eligible GSAUCSD members.

Each eligible GSAUCSD member may vote for a number of representatives no greater than that allowed by the GSAUCSD Constitution. Votes may be cast in person, by paper ballot, or by electronic means. Votes may be cast for any eligible GSAUCSD member, whether specifically nominated or not. A candidate may decline nomination or election. Of those who do not decline, the eligible GSAUCSD members having received the most votes at the time of the election shall be elected representatives.

ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS

These Bylaws shall take effect after being approved by a two-thirds vote at two consecutive GSAUCSD Council meetings provided that all members of the Council have been sent the text of the Bylaws at least five working days prior to the first meeting.

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those present at a regular Council meetings after the amendments have been proposed at the previous regular meeting.

Amendments:

Article V and Article VII: May 2008