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Constitution of "Graduate Women in Public Policy (GWIPP)”

Preamble

We, the members of Graduate Women in Public Policy (GWIPP) do hereby establish this Constitution in order that our purpose be realized to its fullest extent.

Article I: Name

The name of the organization will be "Graduate Women in Public Policy (GWIPP),” henceforth referred to as “GWIPP.”

Article II: Purpose

Section 1. GWIPP seeks to develop a community built on relationships among students and alumni of the University of Maryland School of Public Policy and to provide personal and professional development for its members. GWIPP is further established to develop leadership skills and to encourage students to participate in public policy.

Section 2. GWIPP understands and is committed to its responsibility to abide by University of Maryland, College Park policies.

Article III: Membership

Section 1. Active membership is limited to currently registered graduate students of the Maryland School of Public Policy. The following requirements are necessary to constitute membership:

  • Submission of Membership Form;
  • Participation in at least one GWIPP-supported event per semester; AND
  • Participation in one of the following per semester (to include but not be limited to):
    • attending at least one GWIPP meeting,
    • planning at least one event, or
    • attending at least one GWIPP committee meeting.

Section 2. Participation is open to persons officially connected with the University of Maryland, College Park as faculty, staff or registered students.

Section 3. GWIPP openly admits students to its membership and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Article IV: Officers

GWIPP will be governed by the following means:

Section 1. An elected President will preside at the meetings of GWIPP. The president will also be responsible for administrative tasks, coordinating committee work, and external relations.

Section 2. GWIPP shall also elect a Vice President. The Vice President's duties shall be to preside at the meetings and functions that the President cannot attend, and to assist with or perform the above-stated duties of the President.

Section 3. GWIPP members shall also elect a Secretary who will oversee membership, take meeting minutes, handle any general correspondence not delegated to a specific committee, handle rule observances at stated meetings and protocol, and maintain organization files.

Section 4. GWIPP members shall also elect a Treasurer who will secure and maintain all financial records (school and bank), prepare and submit the budget to the Graduate Student Government Finance Committee as deemed necessary, serve as contact for any fundraising efforts, and present financial reports at the first meeting of each month.

Section 5. GWIPP members shall also elect an Alumni Relations Coordinator (graduating members and current alumni are eligible), who will serve as a liaison between alumni and current students. The Alumni Relations Coordinator will also be responsible for advising GWIPP of current events and events in the policy world.

Section 6. The role and duties of the faculty/staff advisor shall include participation and providing counsel to the organization.

Section 7. A Graduate Student Government (GSG) Liaison may be appointed by the President, and would be responsible for reporting at GWIPP meetings.

Section 8. All Executive Officers (with the exception of the Alumni Relations Coordinator) shall be currently registered graduate students of MSPP.

Section 9. Every attempt shall be made to elect all the officers listed above; however, the University of Maryland requires every student organization to have a President and Treasurer. If a vacancy remains in any of the executive positions due to a lack of participation, the President will reassign the responsibilities of the above offices.

Article V: Operations

Section 1. Those members meeting all requirements of active membership as set forth in Article III will be granted voting privileges.

Section 2. In order for an election to be valid, at least one more than half the number of eligible members (as defined in Article V Section 1) must vote. Officers must be elected by a majority of these votes.

Section 3. Active members will submit nominations to the election coordinator—a non-officer, non-candidate member appointed by the President. Nominees must accept or decline the nomination(s) and will be permitted to vote.

Section 4. Members not present at the election meeting may submit their vote via e-mail by midnight the night before the election meeting.

Section 5. All voting shall be done by secret ballot to be collected and tabulated by the election coordinator.

Section 6. Every spring, an election will be held for all officer positions. If vacancies arise at any time during the academic year, a special election will be held to fill the vacant position(s).

Section 7. Any officer of GWIPP in violation of the Organization's purpose or constitution may be removed from office by the following process:

  1. A written request by at least three members of the Organization, submitted to the faculty advisor.
  2. Written notification to the officer of the removal, asking the officer to be present and prepared to speak at the next meeting.
  3. A two–thirds (2/3) majority vote from eligible members is necessary to remove the officer.

Section 8. All meetings will occur on a bi-weekly basis or other regular basis at a time selected by the GWIPP members, and will follow the procedure set forth below.

  1. Report by the President
  2. Committee reports
  3. Vote on all committee motions and decisions
  4. Any other business put forward by the members of GWIPP
  5. Dismissal by the President

Section 9. The following committees are considered permanent and standing: Speakers Committee, Finance Committee, Professional Development Committee. Ad-hoc committees will be formed when necessary and requested. The members of each committee must choose one of their members to chair the committee.

Article VI: Finances

GWIPP will finance the activities it engages in by the following means:

Section 1. GWIPP will submit a budget, if necessary, approved by a simple majority of at least one more than half the number of eligible members, to the Graduate Student Government Finance Committee on an annual basis and request funding appropriate to the effective operation of the organization for each year.

Section 2. GWIPP may consider engaging in fundraising or solicitation activities to raise additional funding. These activities will reside under the auspices of the Treasurer.

Article VII: Amendments

Section 1. The constitution is binding on all members of GWIPP, yet the constitution is not binding unto itself.

Section 2. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed in writing by any active member of GWIPP to any officer. These amendments will be placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting. Proposed amendments will become effective following a simple majority vote from at least one more than half the number of eligible members.

Article VIII: Registration Renewal

The President, or a member appointed by the President, will apply to the Office of Campus Programs for registration on an annual basis no later than one month after GWIPP's new officer elections.