Constitution

Constitution of Graduate and Professional Student Association

Approved by General Assembly vote on March 11, 2021

Article I: Name and Purpose of the Organization

1.1. Section 1. The name of this organization shall be Graduate and Professional Student Association, and the acronym for this organization shall be GAPSA.

1.2. Section 2. Purpose

The purpose of the Graduate and Professional Student Association shall be to establish a forum through which George Mason University graduate and professional students are able to address issues, advocate for the greater good, grow professionally, and socialize with one another, thus, creating a stronger graduate community that promotes personal and academic success.

1.3. GAPSA shall be the principal body for advocating for the needs of George Mason University graduate and professional students within the University and government bodies (the Commonwealth of Virginia Assembly and Congress).

1.4. GAPSA shall act as the Student Government for the graduate and professional student body.

1.5. GAPSA recognizes that enriching graduate student life at George Mason University can improve the prestige of the University. By creating a better environment for graduate students, GMU can improve graduate student recruitment and retention. Our goal is to enrich the academic and social life for all graduate and professional students thereby enriching GMU as a whole.

Article II: Membership

2.1. Section 1. The Graduate and Professional Student Association’s membership shall be composed of three bodies: general membership, the Executive Board, and the General Assembly.

2.1.1. General membership is open to students enrolled in graduate and/or professional degree seeking programs at George Mason University.

Article III: Organization

3.1. Section 1: Structure

3.1.1. The Executive Board shall be the governing board of the Association.

3.1.2. The General Assembly shall be composed of graduate representatives from the graduate and professional degree programs from George Mason University.

3.1.3. The Graduate and Professional Student Association of George Mason University shall be held as a departmental organization of the Graduate Student Life office and advised by the Director of Graduate Student Life and/or their designee.

3.2. Section 2: Executive Board

3.2.1. The Executive Board will be composed of the officers of the association:  President, Executive Vice President, regional Vice Presidents (one for each regional campus), and Director of Communications.

3.3. Section 3: Elections

3.3.1. GAPSA Elections shall take place between mid-March and the end of April and last no longer than three days.

3.3.2. All candidates shall be currently enrolled in a graduate and/or professional degree seeking program(s) at George Mason University.

3.3.3. Any student attending George Mason University with a graduate and/or professional student standing may make a nomination.

3.3.4. All candidates shall complete an election packet and submit it to the Office of Graduate Student Life. Voting shall be conducted online/digital ballot.

3.3.5. In the event of a tie, the current officers of the Association shall break the tie by ballot for the respective position.

3.4. Section 4: Term

3.4.1. All elected offices shall have a one (1) year term, to begin July 1st and conclude June 30th.

3.4.2. No officer can hold a specific office for more than two terms.

3.4.3. Graduate students appointed to fill a vacancy during a term may seek election to the same office only once.

Article IV: Meetings

4.1. Section 1: Executive Board

4.1.1. Half plus one of the members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. The President counts toward the quorum requirement.

4.1.2. Special meetings may be called by the President or shall be called upon the written request of two members of the Executive Board.

4.1.3. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used.

4.2. Section 2: General Assembly

4.2.1. There shall be one general meeting per month during the academic year for the General Assembly.

4.2.2. Half plus one of the members of the Assembly shall constitute a quorum for voting matters.

4.2.3. Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used.

Article V: Amendments

5.1. Amendments shall be made when two-thirds (66.7%) of the qualified electors (individuals enrolled in a graduate and/or professional degree seeking program at George Mason University) deem it necessary to make an amendment to the constitution. Electors may call a referendum and make the proposed amendments.