UCSB CS Graduate Representatives

By-laws of The Association of Graduate Students in the department of Computer Science

Version: 2.0 Final (May 6th, 1996)

1. Name

The name of this association shall be the Association of Graduate Students in Computer Science, abbreviated GSA-CS.

2. Purpose

The objective of the GSA-CS shall be to enhance the atmosphere for graduate studies in the department of Computer Science. This includes:

  1. Advocate improvements in graduate research, teaching conditions and facilities.
  2. Increase student communication and camaraderie, and encourage student participation in departmental affairs.
  3. Provide an effective channel for communication between graduate students and faculty, and promote active participation and representation in departmental affairs.
  4. Represent the Computer Science graduate students in the campus-wide GSA.

3. Composition

The GSA-CS consists of all enrolled graduate students accepted to graduate degree programs in the department of Computer Science at UCSB. The term “eligible students” as used in this document refers to such stuents only.

4. Executive council

The GSA-CS shall be administered by the GSA-CS executive council. The executive council consists of two GSA representatives, plus one graduate representative on each of the following CS committees: graduate affairs, curriculum, facilities, screening exam, and colloquium. All council members, including all graduate representatives, shall be eligible students.

Three members of the council are distinguished as president, secretary, and treasurer. The president shall serve as the spokesperson for the GSA-CS and shall be a confirmed GSA representative. The president calls meetings, prepares agendas, and runs the council meetings. The secretary shall be responsible for minutes, public notices, and record keeping. The treasurer is responsible for the GSA-CS funds. Other officiers, e.g. vice president, may be appointed as deemed necessary.

4.1 Tenure

The term of office of each member of the executive council is one year.

4.1.1. In the beginning of the academic year the sitting council shall ask all eligible students for nominations to the executive council. Only eligible students may be nominated.

4.1.2. Nominations shall be made to the council in writing or by email.

4.1.3. If more than one candidate accepts a nomination for any position of the executive council, the sitting council shall arrange for an election between these candidates. Elections shall follow the guidelines set forth in section 5.

4.2 Authority

4.2.1. The council shall be authorized to act in its official capacity when a quorom of two-thids of the executives is present.

4.2.2. The council shall retain the authority to appoint assistants as deemed necessary by a simple majority vote of the entire council.

4.2.3. The council shall retain the authority to remove any appointee by a simple majority vote of the entire council.

4.2.4. On all matters other than appointments or removals, a simple majority of those council members present shall be required for approval.

4.2.5. The council shall provide reports of its activities to the Computer Science graduate students as it deems desirable. In addition, any graduate student may request the council to provide reports; however, the council may omit mention of issues specifically identified as confidential by the faculty.

5. General Meetings and Elections

5.1. The council shall retain the authority to call a meeting of the Graduate Students as it deems necessary.

5.2. Similarly the Graduate Students may demand a general meeting by submission of a written petition. Such a petition shall make clear the reason for requesting a meeting, and shall be endorsed by 10% of the graduate students, or at least 12 graduate students (as attested by their signatures), whichever number is smaller. Upon receipt of such a petition the council shall call a general student meeting within a reasonable time period.

5.3. Notice of all general meetings or public votes shall be given in an appropriate public manner within a reasonable time prior to their occurrence. The tentative agenda of a general meeting known at the time of its announcement shall be part of the notice.

5.4. A quorum for a public meeting consists of at least 20% of the graduate student body or 24 graduate students. A quorum must be present before voting on any motion in a general meeting may occur. Only eligible students may cast votes, with one vote per eligible student.

5.5. Votes may be conducted via email under the following conditions: such votes must be administered by the council; adequate notice of the motions being voted on must be provided to all graduate students, with time and means allocated for adequate public discussion (which may occur via email); such votes must be conducted during the Fall, Winter, or Spring quarters, and must not occur on any holidays or school breaks; students must be given a reasonable time to cast their vote, one week minimum. Email votes conducted under these conditions are assumed to have quorum if at least 25% of students have cast ballots.

5.6. Given a quorum, motions pass under the following formulas.

Formula for Public Meetings:

Formula for Email Voting:

In any voting, when motions or elections present several choices, in the case where no single choice gets sufficient votes to pass a runoff vote shall take place between the two choices that received the most votes.

6. Rights of the Graduate Students.

The Graduate Students have the power to:

  1. Demand an accounting of all decisions of the executive council.
  2. Overrule the council policy decisions.
  3. Vote to impeach any member of the council.
  4. Amend these by-laws.

Any such action shall be requested by submission of a written petition. Such a petition shall make clear the nature of the petition and reason for its submission, and shall be endorsed by at least 10% of the graduate student body or 12 graduate students (as attested by their signatures), whichever is smaller. Upon receipt of such petition the council shall respond within a reasonable time period, and call a general student meeting if requested.

A motion to amend these by-laws shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of ballots cast, when 40% or more eligible students cast ballots, to pass; such a motion shall not pass when fewer than 40% of students cast ballots.

A motion to overrule the council or to impeach any of its members shall require the same conditions as regular motions to pass. An impeached member shall be replaced within a reasonable time period through the process of nomination and general election as specified in sections 4.1.2 and 4.1.3.

7. Adoption

These by-laws shall become effective at the beginning of the academic quarter following their approval by the graduate students, and shall be approved by a simple majority of all graduate students.