CGS Bylaws & Standing Rules
ARTICLE 1: CODE OF ETHICS AND VALUES
Section 1.1 The Council of Graduate Students (hereafter referred to as CGS, the Council, or the Council of Graduate Students) has a Code of Ethics & Values. The Code of Ethics & Values addendum to the Bylaws & Standing Rules outlines the responsibilities and standards of behavior within these values for all members of CGS. This document shall be reviewed and updated as necessary at a minimum of every three years (ideally this will occur alongside apportionment discussions so that it does not fall by the wayside). It shall be approved by the Delegate body by a simple majority vote at a regular meeting of the Council during the Autumn Semester.
ARTICLE 2: DELEGATES
Section 2.1 The Delegate body of CGS will be composed of not more than one hundred fifty voting Delegate seats and no fewer than one hundred thirty. The number and apportionment of Delegate seats and units of representation will be determined by the Organization and Elections Committee. Units will be based on, but not necessarily limited to, graduate departments.
Section 2.2 All Delegates must be a part of the unit of representation constituency they represent. For example, a Delegate representing the Physics department must be a student within the Physics department, a Delegate representing a center of study must come from a department that is a member of that center of study.
Section 2.3 The roles and responsibilities of a CGS Delegate include, but are not limited to, the following:
2.3.A To the greatest extent possible, Delegates will attend all CGS General Body meetings in accordance with CGS Bylaws Section 5.6.
2.3.A.i When a Delegate is unable to attend a meeting of the Council, they will identify and notify an alternate in advance of the meeting and the alternate will attend on their behalf. Alternates will have the same general powers and privileges during meetings of the Council as the absent Delegate being represented.
2.3.A.ii The attending alternate must not be a currently serving/active CGS Delegate, and must be from the same unit of representation that the absent Delegate represents. If selecting an alternate is not feasible, alternates from other related units of representation may be permitted at the discretion and express permission of the Vice President.
2.3.A.iii Alternates must meet the qualifications for membership within CGS as outlined in Article 4 of the CGS Constitution.
2.3.A.iv In the event that a Delegate resigns, an alternate may fill that vacancy until the position can be filled through formal election procedures (i.e., election, petition, or appointment).
2.3.B Delegates must serve on at least one internal CGS or external University
committee for the duration of their Delegate term. Delegates may be appointed to multiple committees to equitably distribute committee appointment obligations of the Council. Delegates may be appointed to additional committees beyond the required assignments made, based on their availability, at their request.
2.3.B.i Delegates will indicate a committee preference upon application. These preferences will be used by the Vice President to make committee assignments.
2.3.B.ii To the greatest extent possible, Delegates will maintain attendance at all meetings for the committee(s) they serve on.
2.3.B.iii Delegates will keep the appropriate relevant CGS Committee Chair(s) informed (by regular written or verbal communication) of their efforts so that the Council may act on information and relevant issues raised in/by committees, both internal and external, in a timely manner.
2.3.C Delegates will regularly communicate with their constituencies and department chairpersons or graduate studies chairs to stay informed of issues and questions and to communicate about current efforts.
2.3.D Delegates will maintain and support the overall mission of the Council and be familiar with the organization’s mission statement and governing documents.
Section 2.4 Spring (Primary) Elections
2.4.A The election of graduate students to fill Delegate positions will be conducted by a vote utilizing an online system supported by the Council of Graduate Students and Student Life IT. Voting will be open to the entire graduate student enrollment of each unit of representation to elect their own Delegate(s). These elections will take place during the Spring semester of each academic year, and Delegates will serve a term consisting of the following Autumn semester, Spring semester, and Summer term.
2.4.A.i Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in Spring elections to be elected, even if running unopposed.
2.4.B To begin the election process, CGS will send an email to all currently enrolled graduate students and graduate studies chairs during the week following Spring Break providing general information on elections and the election timeframe. Specifically, this email will include details about candidacy eligibility, voting eligibility, how to apply, and a link to the online Declaration of Candidacy (Delegate Application) form. The email will also include information on what CGS is, what a Delegate is, and responsibilities of a Delegate to increase transparent recruiting. The email will direct potential candidates to whom they may contact to ask questions about the Delegate role or election process. CGS will also submit information about the election to all appropriate supplemental advertising venues during the two weeks following Spring Break.
2.4.C Declarations of candidacy will be accepted during the second and third weeks following Spring break.
2.4.D CGS will verify the eligibility of students’ candidacy (with cooperation from candidates’ departments and the graduate school) by 5:00pm Eastern Time (ET) on the Wednesday of the fourth week following Spring Break.
2.4.E CGS will send an email to all graduate students one day prior to the opening of the election period which will include links to the voting site, the dates that voting will be available, a form that will allow students to sign up for a voting reminder email, and information on who to contact if there are technical issues or questions surrounding voting.
2.4.F A voting reminder email will be sent approximately halfway through the voting period containing the same information above.
2.4.G The voting period will be from 12:00 p.m. ET on the Wednesday of the fifth week of the semester following Spring Break to 5:00 p.m. ET on the following Wednesday (the sixth week of the semester following Spring Break).
2.4.H The Vice President will notify all candidates of election results within one week of the close of the voting period.
2.4.I If there be a failure of the system during the voting period, all recorded votes will be disregarded and a new election period of at least 7 business days will occur by the start of the exam period for the Spring Semester. CGS will use all reasonable means to inform graduate students of the new voting period. A failure of the system is defined as the unavailability of the voting system for more than 72 hours or the inability to accurately record votes.
2.4.J If the online system is unavailable during the voting period for less than 24 hours, no change to the voting period is necessary. If the online system is unavailable for more than 24 hours but less than 72 hours, the voting period will be extended until 12:00 p.m. EST on the Tuesday following the original Friday deadline. CGS will provide information on the voting site outlining any changes in the voting period and time voting is expected to resume when the system is unavailable during the voting period.
Section 2.5 All Spring Delegate-elects will be invited by formal email to attend meetings of the Council as visitors until their term of service begins. An email containing all upcoming meeting dates must be sent within one week after Delegate-elects are notified that they've been elected.
Section 2.6 If a vacancy exists following the Spring election, but before the Autumn election, a Delegate may be appointed at any time before the Autumn election by the Graduate Studies Chairperson of that unit of representation or by the receipt of a petition of support signed by either twenty five percent or ten (whichever is fewer) of the graduate students in their unit of representation.
Section 2.7 Autumn (Supplemental) Elections
2.7.A Delegate vacancies are positions that were not filled by Spring (primary) elections or Summer appointments/petitions. A second (supplemental) election will take place at the beginning of the Autumn semester to fill these vacant Delegate seats.
2.7.B CGS will send an email during the first week of Autumn semester to all graduate
students and graduate studies chairs of departments lacking full Delegate representation providing general information about elections and election timeframe. Specifically, this email will include details about candidacy eligibility, voting eligibility, how to apply, and a link to the online Declaration of Candidacy form. The email will also include information on what CGS is, what a Delegate is, and responsibilities of a Delegate to increase transparent recruiting. The email will direct potential candidates to whom they may contact to ask questions about the Delegate role or election process. CGS will also submit information about the election to all appropriate advertising venues during the two weeks following Spring Break.
2.7.C In order to fill vacancies, the Vice President must engage in purposeful recruitment of Delegates by personally speaking with a faculty or staff representative from each unit of representation to explain CGS, the role of Delegates, and other pertinent information.
2.7.D Declarations of candidacy will be accepted during the second week of Autumn semester.
2.7.E CGS will send an email to all graduate students and graduate studies chairs of departments lacking full Delegate representation one business day prior to the voting period with information. This will include a link to the voting site, the dates that voting will be available, and a form that will allow students to sign up for a voting reminder email.
2.7.F The voting reminder email will be sent to all graduate students approximately halfway through the voting period.
2.7.G The voting period will be held from 12:00 p.m. ET on the Wednesday of the third week of the Autumn semester until 5:00 p.m. ET on the following Wednesday (the fourth week of the Autumn semester.
2.7.H The Vice President will notify all candidates of election results within one week of the close of the voting period. Delegate-elects will take office immediately, and will serve terms through the end of the Summer (as with Delegates elected during the Spring elections) Delegates elected during Autumn do not serve extra semesters due to the time of their election.
2.7.I Should there be a failure of the system during the voting period, all recorded votes will be disregarded and a new election period of at least 5 business days must occur prior to the second Autumn semester Delegate meeting. CGS will use all reasonable means to inform graduate students of the new voting period.
2.7.J If the online system is unavailable during the voting period for less than 24 hours, no change to the voting period is necessary. If the online system is unavailable for more than 24 hours but less than 72 hours, the voting period will be extended until 5:00 p.m. EST on the Friday of the fourth week of Autumn semester. CGS will provide information on the voting site outlining any changes in the voting period and time voting is expected to resume when the system is unavailable during the voting period.
Section 2.8 If a vacancy is not filled following the Autumn (supplemental) election, a Delegate may be appointed by the Graduate Studies Chairperson of that unit of representation or by the receipt of a petition of support signed by either twenty five percent or ten (whichever is fewer) of the graduate students in their unit of representation. Delegate-elects will take office immediately and will serve terms through the end of the Summer (as with Delegates elected during the Spring and Autumn elections). Delegates appointed or petitioning after Autumn elections do not serve extra semesters due to the time of their election/appointment.
Section 2.9 The Executive Board has the authority to remove a Delegate for failure to fulfill their required duties in a responsible manner, acting either on its own initiative or at the request of at least one student from the Delegate's unit of representation. The Executive Board must approve removal by majority vote.
2.9.A This failure may include, but is not limited to, the following:
2.9.A.i Excessive absence from Delegate meetings and/or failure to send an alternate if meetings cannot be attended.
2.9.A.ii Failure to make requested reports to constituents, the Council, and/or the Council's Executive Elected Officers.
2.9.A.iii Failure to fulfill committee service obligations as outlined in Section 2.3.B of the CGS Bylaws and Standing Rules.
2.9.A.iv Failure to conduct themselves by the standards of the CGS Code of Ethics & Values, as interpreted by the Executive Board.
2.9.B Delegates who have been removed from their positions may appeal this decision directly to the full Council of Graduate Students general body. A two-thirds majority vote is required to reinstate a Delegate who has been removed.
ARTICLE 3: THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 3.1 The Executive Board must hold at least four meetings in each Autumn Spring semester. During the Summer term, at least two meetings must be held. All meetings must have a hybrid meeting option for all board members that will allow full virtual participation.
Section 3.2 The Executive Board is responsible for selecting the recipients of the Larry Lewellen Service Award, the James M. Siddens Award for Distinguished Faculty Advising, and the Kerry M. Hodak Award for Exceptional Staff Mentoring.
3.2.A The Larry M. Lewellen Award for Distinguished Service recognizes those students, staff, faculty, administrators and community members who have rendered exceptional service to graduate students at The Ohio State University.
3.2.B The James M. Siddens Award for Distinguished Faculty Advising recognizes those faculty who exemplify the best in graduate student advising at Ohio State. This award is given annually each Spring to one member of the graduate faculty.
3.2.C The Kerry M. Hodak Award for Exceptional Staff Mentoring recognizes a staff member who exemplifies the spirit of cura personalis in aiding the academic, personal, and professional development of graduate students. This award is given annually each Spring to one Ohio State staff member.
Section 3.3 Executive Officer Elections
3.3.A All Elected Executive Officers will be elected at the third regular Delegate meeting of Spring semester (or no later than the second week of April in years when more than four Spring semester meetings are scheduled). These officers-elect will serve as non-voting members of the Executive Board with the outgoing Executive Officers during the remainder of the Spring semester, in order to help with transition and onboarding of the newly elected officers. Newly elected Executive Officers will officially take office (and outgoing Elected Officers will vacate office) within five business days of Spring commencement.
3.3.B A notice of officer elections, elections procedures, and any financial benefits of the positions must be posted on The Council of Graduate Students website at least three weeks prior to the nomination deadline. Additionally, the election and relevant information as listed above will be announced via email to all graduate students and all graduate studies chairs at least three weeks prior to the nomination deadline. A reminder email will be sent to all graduate students one week prior to the nomination deadline.
3.3.C Any graduate student who meets the criteria for membership within CGS (as outlined in Article 4 of the CGS Constitution) may apply for any Executive Officer position or be nominated by another graduate student. All nominations may be declined by the nominee. All nominations must be made at the aforementioned meeting or received in writing, accepted, and applications submitted no less than ten business days prior to the meeting that officer elections will be held at.
3.3.D In the event that there are no candidates for an office, nominations will remain open until an election for that office can be held.
3.3.E The Vice President (as Chair of the Organizations & Elections Committee) will conduct the officer elections. In the event that the Vice President is a candidate for an Executive Officer position or is otherwise unable to conduct the elections, the Executive Board will designate another individual (or individuals) (who is/are not running for elected office) to conduct the elections. The Vice President and parliamentarian will work with the designee(s) to onboard them for election procedures no later than 10 days prior to the elections meeting.
3.3.F The officers will be elected in the following order: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
3.3.G The in-meeting election procedure is the following. For each office (following the order set out in the bylaws article 3.3.F) candidates for that office will have the opportunity to address the Council for a maximum of five minutes (order of speakers will be determined alphabetically by last name). After all candidates have spoken, an open Q&A period will follow. Only voting members of the body may pose questions to the candidates. All questions must be addressed to the full set of candidates. Each candidate will have the opportunity to respond to each question (and the opportunity to decline to answer if they so choose). The Q&A period timing will be calculated by multiplying the number of candidates by a time period of three to five minutes, as determined by the Vice President (or the Executive Board’s designee(s) in the case that the Vice President is running). All candidates will have an equal length of answer response time to each question posed. Questions will be answered by candidates alphabetically, then reverse alphabetically. The length of the Q&A total period, and the length of response time will be made known to them at the beginning of the meeting at which elections are held.
3.3.H Voting will be by secret ballot. Ballots will include each candidate as well as a “None of the above” option. Write-in votes will be invalid and not counted in the total. Blank ballots/votes will be considered abstentions and not counted in the total.
3.3.I In a contested election, the candidate receiving a simple majority of votes will be elected. This means that the candidate must receive more votes than all other candidates and more votes than the “None of the above” option. If three or more candidates are running and no candidate receives a simple majority, then at the same meeting the Council will vote once between the two candidates receiving the most votes (or between all candidates receiving a maximal number of votes). If still no candidate receives a simple majority of votes, the seat will remain vacant.
3.3.J In an uncontested election, the candidate must receive a simple majority of votes to be elected. This means that the candidate must receive more votes than the “None of the above” option. If the candidate does not receive a simple majority of votes, the seat will remain vacant.
3.3.K In the event that an elected officer position, except the office of the President, is left vacant, or the officer-elect becomes unable to serve, a new election will be held no later than the second meeting of the Council following the occurrence of the vacancy. Election procedures will be in accordance with the current provisions of the CGS Constitution and these Bylaws.
3.3.L In the event that the office of the President is left vacant, or the President-elect is unable to serve, the Vice President-elect will have the option to assume the office of President. If the Vice President-elect declines, a new election for President will be held. If the election cannot be held before the start of the term of office, the Vice President-elect will serve as President pro-tempore until such time that an election may be held.
Section 3.4 Presidential Appointed Positions
3.4.A The President will appoint a Parliamentarian (as outlined in Article 8, Section 3 of the CGS Constitution).
3.4.A.i The Parliamentarian advises the President and other members of CGS on Article 7, Section 2 of the Constitution of the Council of Graduate Students and other relevant matters.
3.4.A.ii The Parliamentarian assists CGS in reviewing and revisiting the Constitution, and Bylaws & Standing Rules as needed.
3.4.A.iii The Parliamentarian assists the Vice President in educating Delegates on parliamentary procedure during Delegate/CGS orientation, and throughout the Parliamentarian’s term of service, as needed.
3.4.A.iv The Parliamentarian serves as a non-voting member of the Executive Board.
3.4.A.v The Parliamentarian will fulfill other duties as directed by the Council, the Executive Board, and the President.
3.4.A.vi If applicable, when a current Delegate is appointed as the Parliamentarian, that person will resign their Delegate seat when the term of office begins.
3.4.B The President may appoint a Chief of Staff (as outlined in Article 8, Section 3 of the CGS Constitution).
3.4.B.i The Chief of Staff assists the elected executive officers as directed by the President, including supporting the Vice President in administering the Hayes Forum (if requested by the Vice President), meeting with administrators as needed, and tracking overall progress of the Council toward outcome goals.
3.4.B.ii The Chief of Staff serves as a non-voting member of the Executive Board.
3.4.B.iii The Chief of Staff will fulfill other duties as directed by the Council, the Executive Board, and the President.
3.4.B.iv If applicable, when a current Delegate is appointed as the Chief of Staff, that person will resign their Delegate seat when the term of office begins.
3.4.C The Treasurer may appoint a Deputy Treasurer (as outlined in Article 8, Section 5 of the CGS Constitution).
3.4.C.i The Deputy Treasurer assists the Treasurer in managing CGS fiscal responsibilities and internal operations.
3.4.C.ii The Deputy Treasurer assists CGS in the auditing of external entities including but not limited to University departments, offices, and units.
3.4.C.iii The Deputy Treasurer serves in the Treasurer’s place in the temporary absence of the Treasurer.
3.4.C.iv The Deputy Treasurer serves as a non-voting member of the Executive Board.
3.4.C.v The Deputy Treasurer will fulfill other duties as directed by the Council, the Executive Board, the President, and the Treasurer.
3.4.C.vi If applicable, when a current Delegate is appointed as the Deputy Treasurer, that person will resign their Delegate seat when the term of office begins.
3.4.D The Secretary may appoint a Deputy Secretary (as outlined in Article 8, Section 6 of the CGS Constitution).
3.4.D.i The Deputy Secretary assists the Secretary in managing CGS meeting minutes, attendance records, and internal announcements.
3.4.D.ii The Deputy Secretary serves in the Secretary’s place in the temporary absence of the Secretary.
3.4.D.iii The Deputy Secretary serves as a non-voting member of the Executive Board.
3.4.D.iv The Deputy Secretary will fulfill other duties as directed by the Council, the Executive Board, the President, and the Treasurer.
3.4.D.v If applicable, when a current Delegate is appointed as the Deputy Secretary that person will resign their Delegate seat when the term of office begins.
3.4.E Terms of service for all appointed positions will begin at the time of appointment and last until the end of the term of the appointing officer.
3.4.F If any of these appointed positions become vacant, the President, Treasurer, or Secretary (as applicable to the specific vacant appointed position) may appoint a replacement.
ARTICLE 4: ADVISORS
Section 4.1 The Council will have at least two but not more than three advisors. These advisors will be a member of the University Faculty, an administrator from the Graduate School, and an administrative professional from within the Office of Student Life.
Section 4.2 Advisors will be chosen by the President and approved by the Executive Board.
Section 4.3 Advisors will assist the Vice President in finding faculty representation for the Edward F. Hayes Advanced Research Forum.
Section 4.4 Advisors are heavily encouraged to attend one executive and one Delegate meeting each semester.
Section 4.5 Advisors serve one-year terms that may be renewed indefinitely, at the discretion of the President and Executive board (in accordance with Bylaws & Standing Rules Article 4, Section 4.2)
ARTICLE 5: MEETINGS
Section 5.1 Meetings of the Council will be conducted in a hybrid format, with the option for participants to attend in person or virtually. Meeting location and format must be optimized to ensure maximum participation for attendees in both modes.
5.1.A All Delegates, Senators, and Executive Board members may participate virtually or in-person with no attendance penalty for their chosen format.
5.1.B Meetings may be moved entirely virtually by majority vote of the Executive Board, at the insistence of a voting member of the General Body or the Executive Board.
5.1.C The online platform for the virtual component of all meetings should have the following features, at minimum:
· The ability to “Raise a Hand” or similar functionality
· A “chat box” or other similar functionality to submit text in writing
· The ability for the meeting chair to “Share Screen” or other similar functionality
· A “live transcript” feature that allows for real time closed captioning, for accessibility purposes
5.1.D During meetings, participants will observe the following rules of virtual meeting etiquette:
5.1.D.i The chair of the meeting shall respect the potential for delay in internet connectivity by waiting for an appropriate amount of time before moving on from the current issue at hand to the next item outlined in the agenda.
5.1.D.ii Participants should leave their microphones muted except to make a motion or when the member has been recognized to speak by the chair.
5.1.D.iii In general, participants should refrain from using the chat functionality during periods of formal debate except to make a motion or when the member is not able to use the microphone and has been recognized to speak by the chair.
5.1.D.iv When an author is reading the text of proposed legislation, the chair of the meeting should display the text of the proposed legislation using the “Share Screen” functionality.
5.1.D.v When a second is needed from the general body, a member may do so by unmuting their microphone and calling “second”, or by writing “seconded” in the “chat box”.
5.1.D.vi When the Delegate body is asking questions of an author, members should use the “Raise Hand” function to indicate they are waiting to ask a question. Once a member has been recognized by the chair, they may either unmute to ask their question, or put their question in the “chat box”.
Section 5.2 All graduate students are welcome to attend meetings of CGS as visitors. At the discretion of the meeting chair, any visitor may be extended privileges of the floor. The decision of the meeting chair to extend or not extend these privileges may be appealed to the full Council by any voting member of the General Body of the Council
Section 5.2.A At the beginning of each semester, the President must extend a formal invitation to all graduate students, via email, to attend upcoming CGS meetings. The email will include an introduction to CGS, upcoming meeting dates, and a contact person for students who want to learn more.
Section 5.3 The Council will follow a timed agenda that is approved by the Executive Board at the executive board meeting preceding the General Body meeting for that agenda.
5.3.A The agenda shall be made available to members of CGS no later than the Monday prior to regular meetings of CGS. The agenda shall include attachments for all proposed legislation. Legislation that is not made available to members of CGS in this timeframe shall be removed from the agenda. Such legislation may still be proposed from the floor once all new business on the agenda has been dealt with.
5.3.B For each meeting, the meeting chair will keep time or appoint a timekeeper who may not be the person serving as recording secretary.
5.3.B.i Each agenda is published with a beginning and ending time. These times are estimates only and therefore non-binding; the meeting begins when it is established that a quorum is present and ends after the last agenda item has been handled.
5.3.C CGS meetings are often preceded, followed, or suspended for guest speakers. These speakers are selected by the President in consultation with (and approval by) the Executive Board. Any Delegate may informally propose a potential speaker by communicating directly with the President. Should a binding proposal (either to request an entity to speak or to enjoin an entity from speaking) be desired, a motion to that effect may be made during New Business at any meeting of the Council.
5.3.D At a minimum, the following items must be present in every agenda approved by the Executive Board: Approval of minutes from the previous meeting, officer reports, reports of standing and ad-hoc committees, special orders, unfinished business (also referred to as “old” business), and new business.
5.3.D.i During special orders, at least 30 minutes must be allotted for members of CGS to raise issues and concerns facing them or their constituents to the body.
5.3.E Legislation may be authored and brought before the Council by the Executive Board, standing or ad hoc committees of the Council, or by any voting member of the Council. For such legislation to appear on the agenda, the author must submit a final draft of the legislation to the Secretary no later than 3:30pm on the Friday prior to a regular meeting. Legislation not submitted prior to this deadline will not be included on the agenda. Non-voting CGS General Body members are permitted as co-authors on legislation to be brought before the Council, provided that there is at least a single co-author who is a voting member of the General Body, and that the legislation has been approved by vote to be sponsored by a CGS committee or the Executive Board.
Section 5.4 According to Article 7, Section 1 of the Council's Constitution, the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised governs all meetings of the Council except where conflicting with the Council’s Constitution or Bylaws (in which case procedures outlined in the Council’s governing documents take precedence over Robert’s Rules). In addition, the following rules shall be followed when considering legislation.
5.4.A Main Motions - The mover of any motion that appeared on the agenda may waive the reading of the motion. Any motion that was not included in the agenda must be read in full.
5.4.B Seconding Motions - Any motion to adopt legislation sponsored by the Executive Board or any standing or ad hoc committee of the Council does not need a second.
5.4.C Author’s Rationale - When a motion is made to adopt or amend legislation, up to two minutes may be taken by the author(s) to provide rationale for their legislation or amendment after receiving a second, but prior to the chairperson stating the question.
5.4.D Question and Discussion Period - When a motion is made to adopt legislation, members may informally ask questions of the author(s) for a period of up to 10 minutes. During this period, the author(s) may informally make modifications to their motion at the suggestion of members (known as “friendly amendments”). Suggestions for modifications that are not agreed to by the authors may be brought up as an amendment during debate.
5.4.E Stating the Question - At the conclusion of the Question-and-Answer period, the chair must state the question. Once the question has been stated, the mover is not able to make modifications to the motion without consent of the body.
5.4.F Debate - The time allotted for debate on a single question shall be 10 minutes. Debate should be limited to the merits of the pending question. No member may speak more than twice on a given question including the mover.
5.4.G Motion to Extend - The time for the question period or debate period may be extended when time has expired if the Delegate body deems it necessary. To extend, someone will need to make a motion to extend, a second is needed, no debate is accepted, and a two-thirds majority vote is needed to pass the extension.
5.4.H Secondary Motions (Amendments) - Amendments can be made at the time of debate only. The amendment should be articulated to the Council and submitted in writing to the Chair. All amendments require the consent of the body.
5.4.I Ending Debate - Debate shall be ended when the time has expired or when no member desires the floor. When debate ends, the chair shall put the question and announce the vote.
Section 5.5 Voting during meetings will take place via an online polling system. Alternates will cast their votes by communicating directly with the Secretary if they do not have access to the online voting system.
5.5.A Voting data will be compiled by the Secretary for each piece of legislation voted on during each Delegate meeting, including the name of the Delegate (and alternate for that Delegate if a vote was cast by an alternate), their unit of representation, and their vote. This data will be appended to the end of the meeting minutes before they are publicly distributed, and the total vote counts will be documented on the final pieces of legislation before they are publicly distributed.
Section 5.6 Attendance
5.6.A All Delegates must strive to attend, or provide an alternate for, every Delegate meeting.
5.6.B All Executive Board members must strive to attend every Delegate and Executive Board meeting.
5.6.C All Senators must strive to attend, or provide a written report for, every Delegate meeting.
5.6.D If any Delegate, Executive Board member, or Senator finds themself unable to fulfil the above requirements, they must communicate this to the Secretary as soon as they are able. The Secretary and Vice President must do everything in their power to support the Delegate, Executive Board member, or Senator to make sure the constituency they represent are adequately represented. This includes helping them to locate an alternate or distributing informational reports.
5.6.E Delegates, Executive Board members, and Senators who are absent from more than 2 meetings without providing an alternate or written report will be required to meet with the Secretary and Vice President to co-write a support plan to overcome the barriers that are preventing their participation.
ARTICLE 6: UNIVERSITY SENATE
Section 6.1 The Council of Graduate Students holds the authority to select student members of the University Senate to represent the interests of all graduate students. The Council will elect ten graduate students from a group of interested candidates.
Section 6.2 The group of elected Senators should include at least one representative from each of the following areas: Math, Engineering, & Physical Sciences; Arts & Humanities; Biological Sciences and Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences; Education & Human Ecology; Social & Behavioral Sciences and Business.
Section 6.3 The term of service will be for one year, beginning in Autumn semester and lasting until the end of the following Summer term.
Section 6.4 These Senators will have the following responsibilities:
6.4.A Senators will strive to attend all meetings of their respective committees, the University Senate, and the Council of Graduate Students.
6.4.B Senators will report to CGS on their activities within the Senate monthly via a written summary to be included in the Delegate meeting packet.
6.4.C Senators will consult with the President and the Council to develop and promote graduate student positions on the issues or proposals considered by those bodies.
Section 6.5 Senator Elections
6.5.A Nominations for Senator positions will take place at the third meeting of the Spring term. Nominations may be presented by the Executive Board or made by Delegates. Candidates consenting to nomination will submit materials attesting to their qualifications to the Vice President in time for inclusion in the subsequent meeting packet.
6.5.B Elections to fill Senator positions will take place at the fourth meeting of the Spring term.
6.5.C Candidates up for election will participate in a question-and-answer period during the meeting at which they will be elected. This question-and-answer period must be available for at least 15 minutes and should be extended as needed. All questions must be posed to every candidate, and each candidate must have equal time to respond.
6.5.D The Executive Board will determine to which academic area each candidate belongs.
6.5.E During the Senate election, each Delegate will be presented with a slate of all the Senate candidates and their respective academic areas. Each Delegate may cast a vote for up to ten of the Senate candidates. Each Delegate will submit their ballot to Vice President or their designee for counting.
6.5.F The first five Senate seats will be filled by the highest vote getter from each of the academic areas listed in Section 4.2. Any remaining unfilled seats (including the first five seats) will be filled by the candidates remaining with the greatest number of votes, regardless of academic area. A candidate must receive at least 10 votes to be seated.
6.5.F.i Should there be a tie, the President will cast a tie-breaking vote.
6.5.F.ii Write-in votes will be considered invalid and will not be counted in the total.
Section 6.6 One or two alternates may be designated by the Graduate Caucus Chair. Alternates may attend a Senate meeting on behalf of any Senator who is unable to attend. The alternate will have all the rights and privileges of the Senator.
Section 6.7 The Council has the authority to remove a Senator for violation of the governing documents only through the following procedure:
6.7.A A written motion requesting an investigation of a Senator for such violations must be presented at a regular meeting of the Council. This motion must bear the signatures of at least ten Delegates or an affidavit of a two thirds majority vote of the Executive Board.
6.7.B The Senator will be given the opportunity to respond to the motion. If the motion is approved by two thirds majority vote, the Organization and Elections Committee will initiate an investigation into the allegations against the Senator and present its findings at the next regular Council meeting.
6.7.C Following this presentation, a two-thirds vote of the Council is required to
approve the removal of the Senator, effective immediately.
Section 6.8 Vacancies in Senator positions may be filled at any Council meeting in a direct election for the vacant seat. Vacant seats may be filled by any interested candidate meeting the requirements of Article 4, Section 1 of the CGS Constitution.
ARTICLE 7: APPOINTMENTS TO UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES
Section 7.1 The Council of Graduate Students holds the authority to appoint graduate student members to University committees. This includes boards, commissions, committees, councils, courts, or similar planning and advisory groups. The duties of the students who are appointed will be determined by the respective committee. All appointed students must consult with the Council to develop and promote graduate student positions on issues or proposals considered by those bodies.
Section 7.2 Terms of service will be for one year, beginning in Autumn semester and lasting until the end of the following Summer term, or for the duration of that committee’s work (as applicable). Appointees will be proactively informed of the time commitment required for a committee if it does not follow the course of a “regular” academic year or Delegate term.
7.2.A If an appointee is graduating or otherwise unable to continue their appointment through the Summer term, they must inform the Vice President. The Vice President will then appoint a temporary representative to fulfil the position until the new academic year.
Section 7.3 Graduate students may submit applications for themselves or nominate others to be considered for appointment. Individuals who are not currently enrolled in the Graduate School may also apply as long as they plan to be enrolled by the first meeting of the committee they are applying for. All applications will be considered by the Vice President.
7.3.A At the beginning of each semester, the Vice President must recruit for the available committees by notifying all graduate students via email. The email should contain an explanation of what the committee does, the time commitment required, and who to contact to learn more.
Section 7.4 Although the Vice President will have the primary authority of appointment, the Council may rescind, by simple majority vote, any it deems inappropriate. Concerns surrounding committee appointments can be raised in writing to the Vice President, or by raising a concern during New Business or Delegate Issues and Concerns during a regular Council meeting.
Section 7.5 If a representative does not fulfill the duties assigned to them within their committee in a responsible manner, the Executive Board may remove the representative by majority vote, acting either on its own initiative or at the request of the chair of the committee on which the representative serves.
7.5.A The Executive Board will consider lack of responsibility to include, but not be limited to, the following:
7.5.A.i Excessive absence from meetings.
7.5.A.ii Failure to make requested reports to constituents, the Council of Graduate Students, and/or the Council's Executive Officers.
7.5.A.iii Violation of the CGS governing documents
7.5.B Representatives who have been removed from their positions may appeal their removal directly to the Council, whose decision is final.
Section 7.6 In the event of an appointee's resignation, removal, or vacancy for another reason, the Council will appoint a new member as described in Sections 7.1 through 7.4 of the CGS Combined Bylaws and Standing Rules.
Section 7.7 If an appointee faces harmful treatment or other such difficulties in their role on a committee, that appointee has the power (and is urged) to call a meeting with the CGS President or Vice President for support and to formulate a plan to address and remedy the treatment or difficulties.
ARTICLE 8: OPERATIONAL AND STANDING COMMITTEE
Section 8.1 The Organization and Elections Committee
8.1.A The Organization and Elections committee will oversee all business relating to apportionment.
8.1.B The committee will be chaired by the Vice President. The committee will be composed of at least 5 members, 3 of whom must be current Delegates. All members of the Organization and Elections Committee must be members of CGS. The Organization and Elections Committee will select its members for the following term and fill vacancies as they arise. If the membership of the committee is ever fewer than 3, the Executive Board will appoint new members to reach a total of 3.
8.1.C The committee will determine departmental representation.
8.1.C.i The Organization and Elections Committee will be responsible for apportioning all Delegate seats (as outlined throughout Article 2 of the CGS Combined Bylaws and Standing Rules) to units of representation based on enrollment data from the previous Autumn semester.
8.1.C.ii Once approved, apportionment will be valid for a maximum of three years. Apportionment will be undertaken during the Spring semester based on enrollment data from the previous Autumn semester.
8.1.C.iii In years where apportionment is not scheduled, individual seats may be added for new graduate programs, even if this results in a total of more than 150 Delegate seats. This process may be initiated at the petition of a Delegate, by request of graduate students within the new program, or by the Organization and Elections Committee.
8.1.C.iv Each unit of representation will have at least one Delegate and the number of Delegate seats per unit of representation will not exceed twelve. Each regional campus with graduate representation will be allotted one Delegate seat. The number of regional seats will not exceed five.
8.1.C.v The Organization and Elections Committee will present, as a legislative act, their proposed Delegate apportionment for the next CGS term to the full Delegate body no later than the second scheduled Delegate meeting of the Spring semester. If the legislation is not approved, the Organization and Elections Committee will present revised apportionment at the next scheduled Delegate meeting. If, at this subsequent meeting, the proposed revised apportionment still fails to receive approval of the Delegate body, the most recent Delegate apportionment to be so approved will remain in effect for the next Delegate term.
8.1.C.vi The Organization and Elections Committee will collect feedback from the Delegate body about any proposed changes to apportionment prior to presenting this legislation.
Section 8.2 Standing Committees
8.2.A The Council will have standing committees as designated below. The President has the power to establish additional standing committees, subject to ratification by the Council at the first meeting of the President's term. The Council may also create additional standing committees as it deems necessary. Standing committees serve until the end of the current Delegate term, unless designated otherwise.
8.2.B Each committee will consist of a chair appointed by the President, with confirmation by majority vote of the Executive Board, and Delegate members who are appointed by the Vice President. Graduate students not serving as Delegates may also join committees after approval from the committee’s chair and notification to the Vice President. The President serves as an ex officio non- voting member of all standing committees.
8.2.C Each committee will have a mission statement that details its purpose and function. These statements may be drafted by the President, committee chair, or the Council and must be publicly available on the CGS website.
8.2.D The Council must maintain, at minimum, the following standing committees:
· Academic Affairs
· Arts & Culture
· Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
· Government Affairs
· Graduate Caucus
· Graduate Student Affairs
· Grants Administration Committee (housing the Ray Travel Award, Career Development Grant, etc.)
· Hayes Advanced Research Forum Planning Committee
· Health, Wellness, & Safety
· Housing & Family Affairs
· International Student Affairs
· Membership Wellness
· Research & Data Operations
· Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility (SERC)
8.2.E At the beginning of the committee chairs’ term, all chairs must attend an orientation workshop with the President, Vice President, Parliamentarian, and Treasurer. This orientation will include step-by-step guidance on event planning, mechanisms for advocacy, and other pertinent information.
8.2.F Each committee chair is responsible for reporting on the activities of their
committee at each Delegate meeting through a required written report, and an optional verbal report for special information or emphasis.
Section 8.3 Ad Hoc Committees
8.3.A The organizing act establishing an ad hoc committee must specify the purpose of the committee, its mission, minimum size of the committee, and its chair.
8.3.B Delegate or non-Delegate members may be added with the approval of the chair, and notification of the Vice President.
ARTICLE 9: AWARDS
Section 9.1 The Edward J. Ray Travel Award for Scholarship and Service (RTA)
9.1.A The RTA provides travel grants to qualified graduate students, fostering their professional development by allowing them to present their research at domestic and international conferences.
9.1.A.i The RTA sets itself apart from other funding sources in that it recognizes graduate students for their service to the University and beyond during their time at OSU as a graduate student.
9.1.B Information about the RTA, including dates of funding cycles, amount of the award, a how-to guide for applying, rubric for judgement of applications, and other relevant details must be provided to all students by email and updated on the CGS website within the first two weeks of the academic year.
9.1.C Each funding cycle, applicants may apply using a form approved by the RTA committee that takes into account at least the following factors. The award amount may not exceed $1000.
9.1.C.i The applicant's service to their department, the University as a whole, and the wider community.
9.1.C.ii The applicant's ability to convey the importance of the research being presented.
9.1.C.iii The relevance of the proposed presentation to the applicant's professional development.
9.1.C.iv Faculty statements of support for the applicant's research and conference travel.
9.1.D Applicants must satisfy at least the following criteria to be awarded funding:
9.1.D.i The must be a graduate student in good standing with the graduate school and their program.
9.1.D.ii The proposed activities must take place while a student is enrolled at Ohio State.
9.1.D.iii The application must be submitted prior to conference attendance and the proposed activities must take place within the advertised activity window.
9.1.D.iv The completed application must be submitted prior to the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
9.1.E Decisions regarding awardees will be determined by the RTA committee, which will be structured as follows:
9.1.E.i The Treasurer will have first right of refusal to serve as the Chair of the committee. If the Treasurer declines to serve, another appointment will be sought and made following the committee chair appointment method outlined in Section 8.2 of the CGS Combined Bylaws & Standing Rules.
9.1.E.ii At least four graduate students must be members of the committee.
9.1.E.iii Up to three faculty members may also be appointed to the committee by the chair.
9.1.F Each application will be independently judged by a minimum of three members of the RTA committee.
9.1.F.i A combination of committee members from at least three different units of representation will constitute a quorum for any individual judging round.
9.1.F.ii The RTA is a competitive program, and as such, no more than forty percent of the applications received in a given year may be funded.
9.1.F.iii The committee’s decisions regarding awardees cannot be appealed. Decisions by judges are final.
9.1.G All RTA awards are paid out as reimbursements. All relevant University policies shall be observed in determining allowable expenses. Reimbursement shall not occur until the recipient has provided CGS with both an acceptable form of proof of conference presentation and acceptable receipts. All awardees will be awarded and reimbursed only up to the maximum allowable award amount. Awardees who request reimbursement for less than the maximum award amount will forfeit the difference in funding.
9.1.H Once a student has received the award, they are ineligible to apply again for the remainder of the fiscal year as well as the following fiscal year.
9.1.I A student may win the RTA a maximum of 3 times for each non-concurrent degree pursued.
Section 9.2 The Career Development Grant (CDG)
9.2.A The CDG provides awards to qualified graduate students to support them in activities related to career or professional development.
9.2.B Information about the CDG, including dates of funding cycles, amount of the award, a how-to guide for applying, rubric for judgement of applications, and other relevant details must be provided to all students by email and updated on the CGS website within the first two weeks of the academic year.
9.2.C Each funding cycle, applicants may apply using a form approved by the CDG committee that takes into account at least the following factors. The award amount may not exceed $350.
9.2.C.i The applicant's ability to convey the importance and positive impact of the proposed activities.
9.2.C.ii The applicant’s ability to articulate both long- and short-term goals in their Career Development Plan.
9.2.C.iii The applicant’s CV or resume.
9.2.D Applicants must satisfy at least the following criteria to be awarded funding:
9.2.D.i They must be graduate students in good standing with the graduate school and their program.
9.2.D.ii The proposed activities must take place while a student is enrolled at Ohio State.
9.2.D.iii The application must be submitted prior to the proposed activity and the proposed activities must take place within the advertised activity window.
9.2.D.iv The completed application must be submitted prior to the application deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
9.2.E Decisions regarding awardees will be determined the CDG committee, which will be structured as follows:
9.2.E.i The Secretary will have first right of refusal to serve as the Chair of the committee. If the Secretary declines to serve, another appointment will be sought an made following the committee chair appointment method outlined in Section 8.2 of the CGS Combined Bylaws & Standing Rules.
9.2.E.ii At least four graduate students must be members of the committee.
9.2.F Each application will be independently judged by a minimum of three members of the CDG committee.
9.2.F.i The committee’s decisions regarding awardees cannot be appealed. All judges’ decisions are final.
9.2.G All CDG awards are paid out as reimbursements. All relevant University policies shall be observed in determining allowable expenses. Reimbursement shall not occur until the recipient has provided CGS with both an acceptable form of proof of activity presentation and acceptable receipts. All awardees will be awarded and reimbursed only up to the maximum allowable award amount. Awardees who request reimbursement for less than the maximum award amount will forfeit the difference in funding.
9.2.H Once a student has received the award, they are ineligible to apply again for the remainder of the fiscal year as well as the following fiscal year.
9.2.I A student may win the CDG a maximum of 3 times for each non-concurrent degree pursued.
Section 9.3 CGS Distinguished Service Awards
9.3.A The Council of Graduate Students presents the CGS Distinguished Service Awards to annually recognize students, staff, faculty, administrators and community members who have provided exceptional service to graduate students at The Ohio State University. The awards available for nomination include:
· James M. Siddens Award for Distinguished Faculty Advising
· Larry M. Lewellen Award for Distinguished Service
· Kerry M. Hodak Award for Exceptional Staff Mentoring
· Colin Odden Delegate Award For Exceptional Service
· Committee Chair Award for Excellence
9.3.B The Executive Board of CGS must solicit nominations from graduate students via email during the first week of March. The email should contain information about each award, the process for nomination, nomination deadlines, who to contact for further assistance, and all other relevant details. Any Ohio State graduate student is eligible to make a nomination.
9.3.C Nominations must be submitted to the Executive Board by the 31st of March, or a later date set and announced by the Executive Board, and include the following information:
9.3.C.i The name of the nominee and their position at OSU.
9.3.C.ii The nominee's dot # and email address.
9.3.C.iii The nominator's name and email address.
9.3.C.iv A letter or statement describing the individual's qualification for the award.