All GSO chartered (i.e. nondepartmental/sociocultural) organizations need to have graduate student members and their activities should be relevant to the graduate student community. GSO chartered organizations, like departmental organizations, are required to submit a list of elected officers each year. No money can be disbursed without an updated list of officers that includes their names, contact information and more importantly, the signatures of the organization president and treasurer. Chartered organizations are NOT guaranteed GSO funding.

NEW CHARTERS
Graduate student organization that would like to be chartered need to submit to the GSO Vice President (who chairs the Chartering Committee):
1. List of Officers (this form is available in the GSO Office);
2. a Charter ( constitution, mission and/or statement of purpose);
3. the signatures of 25 graduate students in support of chartering the organization;
4. a budget proposal (optional)

ACTIVE CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS
Active graduate student organizations that are already chartered (i.e. have been approved by the Chartering Committee and Senate, have a charter and 25 signatures on file in the GSO Office) need to submit to the GSO Vice President every year:
1. List of Officers (this form is available in the GSO Office);
2. a budget (optional) submitted to the GSO Treasurer by 1 April each year
NOTE: In order to stay active, chartered organizations need to resubmit the signatures of 25 graduate students every 5 years.

INACTIVE CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS
Inactive chartered organizations that want to reactivate their status need to submit to the GSO Vice President:
1. List of Officers
2. a new Charter
3. 25 graduate students signatures in support of the reactivation
4. budget proposal (optional)

TEMPORARY CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS
Events, Conferences, Speaker Series, Workshops, Working Groups, etc. that are organized by and/or geared
toward graduate students (but are independent of any GSO chartered or departmental organization) can
apply to be chartered temporarily. Temporary charters will have a duration of ONE YEAR and will have
their own budget line for that period. Temporary charters require:
1. A list of organizers;
2. Signatures of the President and the Treasurer;
3. A statement of purpose;
4. A graduate student organization sponsor (signature of at least one President of a GSO organization)
AND signatures of 25 graduate students in support of the application.

SAMPLE CONSTITUTION
This sample constitution can be used as a guideline to draw up a constitution for a new group seeking to be chartered by the GSO or to update existing constitutions (for departmental and/or Nondepartmental suborganizations). Remember: CHARTERED Organizations must submit a new Constitution every 5 years in order to remain active. Examples have been italicized and GSO rules and regulations every organization should adhere to appear in boldface for your convenience.

>>SAMPLE CONSTITUTION<<

Constitution of
(Organization Title)

Article I
Preamble
(Organization Preamble)
The organization shall be called …

Article II
Membership
There shall be no limits on membership in this organization.
or Membership is open to any graduate student interested in the group.

Article III
Executive Board
(or Editorial Board for Publications)
The organization shall have at least three officers who shall constitute the Executive Committee (President, Vice President and Treasurer). Officers shall be elected by simple majority. Elected officers shall serve for the duration of ONE academic year. If any officers resign before the end of their term or fail to fulfill their duties, another candidate elected by a simple majority of at least one half of active the membership at the time of the vacancy shall replace them. Specific rules pertaining to the election of Executive Board members, Senators (for departmental suborganizations) and their duties should be specified in the organization’s by-laws and in accordance with related regulations stipulated in the GSO Constitution.

Article IV
Meetings
For organizations that publish journals: e.g. Meetings shall be held at least once before each publication. All other chartered organizations should hold regularly scheduled meetings as determined by its members. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee or by a simple majority of the organization’s members.

Article V
Amendment
Amendments to the Constitution require previous notification of the membership, and approval of two-thirds of the members voting on the amendment.

Article VI
Ratification
Ratification of the Constitution requires a (two-thirds) majority of the membership.


BY-LAWS:

Article I
Rights and duties of membership
We have no strict membership requirements. We hope that our members agree with the purposes and aims of our organization, as they are stated in the preamble of this constitution.

Article II
Date and Method of Electing Officers of the Executive Committee
Outgoing Executive Committee members shall hold elections no later than the SECOND week of
each Fall Semester. Refer to the GSO Constitution and By-Laws for specific regulations concerning
elections procedures.

Article III
Duties Authority and Responsibilities of the Executive Committee
1) The president shall be responsible for overseeing the general functioning of the organization and holding regularly scheduled and properly announced meetings.
2) The vice president shall be responsible for keeping minutes during
regularly scheduled meetings and making these available to the organization membership at large. 3. The treasurer shall be responsible for keeping track of the organizations finances, including signing vouchers that entail organizational expenses.
4) The Senator shall be required to participate in all GSO Senate meetings, and to facilitate communication between the organization and the Senate.

Article IV
Method of Conducting Meetings
Upon electing an Executive Committee, organizational meetings/gatherings shall be chaired by individual members on a voluntary basis. The meetings shall be conducted under parliamentary procedure (i.e. Robert’s Rules of Order), so as to allow for the open expression of dissent within the group. Prior to the time when the rotating of voluntary chair procedure is introduced, the president/organizer shall conduct all the meetings. If a regular schedule cannot be established, meetings should be announced to the general membership at least one week in advance.

Article V
Establishing Quorum
One more than one half of the active membership shall constitute quorum. Active membership shall be determined by participation in two of the last three meetings.

Article VI
Method to Amend the By-laws
A majority vote of more than half the active membership is necessary to amend the by-laws.