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GPC Constitution

Preamble: Spirit of the GPC Constitution

The GPC constitution is meant to be a guideline to enable GPC to be an effective and vital student organization.

Article I: Name

This council shall be known as the Graduate Professional Council of Washington University, hereafter referred to as the GPC.

Article II: Purpose

The GPC shall:

  • Represent and advocate the mutual interests of the graduate and professional students of Washington University to those within the university affecting such interests;
  • Provide a channel of communication between graduate and professional students, the university, and the community;
  • Encourage and support inter-school and interdisciplinary cooperation within the university; and
  • Encourage and support representative graduate and professional student governments within each school of the university.

Article III: Membership

The GPC shall be composed of at least one and at most two graduate or professional representatives from each of the following schools within Washington University:

  • School of Art
  • Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
  • John M. Olin School of Business
  • School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Law
  • George Warren Brown School of Social Work
  • School of Architecture

The selection process for each school's representatives and the beginning and end of each representative's term should be determined by the students represented in each school. Whenever possible, the representatives shall be the elected graduate or professional leaders of their respective schools.

Article IV: Meetings

Section 1: Frequency

Meetings shall be called with reasonable notice by the President of the GPC and shall not be fewer than three per semester.

Section 2: Access

Meetings are open to GPC members and to guests previously agreed upon by GPC members.

Section 3: Quorum

A meeting shall have a quorum when at least five members representing five different schools are present.

Article V: Powers and Duties of Officers

The GPC shall have a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary/Treasurer. Officers shall be considered voting members of the GPC.

In addition to the President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, GPC may have other elected officers as agreed upon by the majority of GPC members. These additional officers carry out ongoing projects and have responsibilities as agreed upon by a majority of GPC. These officers in conjunction with the President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer make of the Executive Board of GPC.

Section 1: President

  1. The President shall convene meetings of the GPC.
  2. The President shall act as chairperson and presiding officer of the GPC meetings.
  3. The President shall act as the official representative of the GPC.
  4. The President shall be the primary member of the GPC responsible for carrying out the initiatives and duties of the GPC, but shall work in conjunction with the Vice-President and other GPC members when possible.
  5. The President shall oversee the GPC budget.

Section 2: Vice-President

  1. The Vice-President shall exercise the duties and powers of the President in the event of the President's absence from office.
  2. The Vice-President shall work in conjunction with the President to carry out initiatives and duties of the GPC.
  3. The Vice-President shall serve the remainder of a President's term whenever a President resigns, is recalled, or is no longer able to serve.

Section 3: Secretary/Treasurer

  1. The Secretary/Treasurer shall take minutes at GPC meetings.
  2. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain current membership, mailing, phone and e-mail lists, and shall distribute announcements and minutes to members of the GPC. In conjunction with the President, the Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining financial records for the organization and reporting expenses to the University's fiscal officers.

Section 4: Joint Powers and Duties

  1. Any two officers shall cosign all expenditures.

Article VI: Election of Officers

The GPC shall elect a President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and additional officers as needed during the Spring Semester.

Section 1: Voting

An officer shall be elected when a quorum is present and a majority of the members present vote for that officer.

Section 2: Terms

Officers shall be elected at the March meeting of the GPC and assume official duties in April. Outgoing officers should complete events and activities initiated during their terms in office with the approval of the newly elected officers. Officers shall serve a full year term (April to April), even if their terms of representation on the Council would ordinarily terminate prior to the completion of the full year term.

Section 3: Special Elections

A Vice-President and Secretary shall be elected whenever the posts are vacated due to resignation or recall.

Article VII: Recall and Replacement of Elected Officers

Any elected officer can be recalled from office when a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of the members present vote to recall.

Article VIII: Initiatives

Any member of the GPC may choose to initiate any act within the power of the GPC. An initiative shall be approved when a quorum is present and a majority of the members present vote for that initiative.

Article IX: Bylaws

Bylaws conforming to and implementing this Constitution shall be established when a quorum is present a majority of the member present vote for such bylaws.

Article X: Amendments

Section 1: Initiation

Any member of the GPC can initiate an amendment to the Constitution.

Section 2: Ratification

The Constitution shall be amended when a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of the members present vote to adopt the amendment, in which case the amendment will take effect immediately upon adoption.

Article XI: Meeting Without a Quorum

When a quorum is not present at a meeting, the members present shall conduct business as usual, but any votes shall be noted in the minutes and will not take effect unless the minutes are approved by the necessary majority of the members of the GPC within two weeks of the meeting.

Article XII: Duties of Representatives

  • Attend 80% GPC General Body meetings

    • Meetings are the first Monday of each month in the Graduate Center in the Danforth University Center; changes to the normal schedule will be posted to the GPC website.

      • Note: When a representative is unable to attend a GPC General Body meeting they are expected to provide advance notice by emailing gpc@wustl.edu. Repeated unjustified absences (as determined by the Executive Board) may result in a letter to your school’s student government/student affairs staff recommending replacement.
  • Disseminate communication from GPC to school represented (via email, posters, etc.) when necessary and encourage participation at GPC events.
  • Represent respective schools’ needs and desires to GPC; offer input on student issues ranging from interdisciplinary education needs to health insurance to exam schedules to calendar conflicts.
  • Keep the GPC informed of the Representatives’ respective schools’ activities and vice-versa.
    • Each school should submit 5-6 speaking points to gpc@wustl.edu by midnight on the Thursday prior to each GPC meeting to be added to the agenda. Points regarding school-specific events open to all graduate/professional students should include:

      • Date, Time, Location/Directions, Cost, and Description
    • Each representative should develop a familiarity with students in other years/degree programs within the school they represent and ensure they receive communications from GPC and are included in the representative’s school reports at each meeting to the extent possible.
  • Identify opportunities for GPC to add value to each graduate program at the university through programming, networking, and collaboration.
  • Vote on executive officers, constitutional changes, and other major decisions brought to GPC.
  • The Executive Team will appoint Representatives to one of the GPC Committees.
    • Note: Representatives are eligible to serve as chair of a GPC committee and must serve on at least one GPC Committee. Representatives should email their choice of committee to gpc@wustl.edu by midnight on the Thursday prior to the 2nd GPC Meeting.
  • Each representative must compile the relevant information from his/her respective school to create the Sourcebook each year. This information will be due by midnight on the Thursday prior to the 2nd GPC Meeting to gpc@wustl.edu. This includes:
    • Contact information for your school’s student government(s)
    • Descriptions and contact information for your school’s student groups (if applicable).
  • One GPC Representative per school will serve as their school’s representative to the PROGRADS committee (http://www.prograds.wustl.edu/). If your school has more than one representative, your choice of the official designated PROGRADS representative must be emailed to gpc@wustl.edu within a week of the first general body meeting.
  • Offer feedback to the GPC Executive Committee regarding suggestions/improvements for GPC meetings and other initiatives.

Amended October 6, 2008