History Graduate Student Association (HGSA) | Department of History

History Graduate Student Association

HGSA is formed to promote excellence in academic and professional areas and to further the interests of Graduate Students in History at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. For information, contact hgsa.uiuc@gmail.com

Officers, 2022-23:

President: Jacob Bell

Vice-President: Grace Eberhardt

Secretary: Mariana Kellis

MS/MA Rep: Isaac Wink

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS:

Constitution of the History Graduate Student Association

Article I: Name

This organization shall be known as the History Graduate Student Association, hereafter referred to as HGSA.

Article II: Purposes

HGSA is formed to promote excellence in academic and professional areas and to further the interests of Graduate Students in History at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Article III: Membership

All students pursuing a graduate degree under the direction of the Department of History, University of Illinois, Urbana, are members of HGSA. No dues shall be assessed.

Article IV: Organizational Structure

The organizational structure of the HGSA shall consist of three principle divisions: the General Assembly, the Executive Committee, and the HGSA Committees. In addition, there shall be three officers: the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary. The terms of office for the three officers of HGSA shall be one year in length, beginning May 1 of the year elected. Roberts Rule of Order (rev. ed., 1968) shall govern the procedure of the General Assembly.

Section I: General Assembly

The General Assembly is those members of HGSA in assembly. Each member in attendance shall have one vote. No proxies will be allowed. Decisions must be reached by a majority vote of the members in attendance. A quorum shall consist of 15 members of HGSA. There will be two General meetings each semester. The General Assembly shall consider the agenda laid before it by the Executive Committee and any business which might originate from the floor. The General Assembly may initiate action within HGSA by a majority vote. Extraordinary meetings of the General Assembly may be called by petition of 10 members of HGSA. Such petition shall be presented to the HGSA President who shall schedule the meeting within one calendar week. Members shall be notified by e-mail of extraordinary meetings. All decisions of importance shall be made by the General Assembly.

Section II: Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of the three officers of HGSA and the chairpersons of the Committees. The purposes of the Executive Committee shall be the following: to coordinate the work of HGSA; to receive all reports of the officers and HGSA Committees; to evaluate and act on recommendation submitted for its consideration, or to refer such recommendations to Committee or to the General Assembly; and to prepare an agenda for each meeting of the General Assembly and make available this agenda to HGSA members. Any action taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported to the General Assembly. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once prior to the meeting of the General Assembly. Two-thirds of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section III: HGSA Committees

There shall be HGSA Committees, to be created by a majority vote of the General Assembly, to facilitate the work of HGSA. Each Committee shall perform such duties as are established by the General Assembly. Committees shall report to the Executive Committee upon the request of either the Committee or the Executive Committee. Each Committee shall make final recommendations to the Executive Committee for consideration. Each Committee shall choose its own Chairperson. Committees will be described in the by-laws of the HGSA.

Article V: Officers

President. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and the General Assembly. He or she shall perform all other duties which normally appertain to the office of President.

Vice-President. The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his or her duties, substitute for the President if the need arises, succeed to the office of President when a vacancy occurs, serve as treasurer and supervise HGSA fundraising, and perform all other duties which normally appertain to the office of Vice-President.

Secretary. The Secretary shall take minutes of meetings of the General Assembly and the Executive Committee, maintain a current list of members of HGSA, create ballots and coordinate election materials, file and preserve all records and documents of HGSA, maintain web content, and perform all other duties which normally appertain to the office of Secretary-Treasurer.

Article VI. AMENDMENT

The Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the General Assembly. Amendments must be proposed at the meeting prior to that at which the vote will take place.

Article VII. RATIFICATION

The Constitution shall be ratified by a two-thirds vote of the April 21, 2004 meeting of the General Assembly.

By-Laws of the History Graduate Student Association

Elections.

Section 1: Officers and Departmental Representatives

A. The Executive Committee has the responsibility for the procedures regarding elections, including receipt of nominations, the distribution of ballots, the tabulation of the votes, and the settling of any disputes that may arise.

B. Elections for Representatives to Departmental Committees (Library, Website, Programming, Placement, Undergraduate Studies, Teaching Awards, Capricious Grading, Grievance and any other special Departmental committees with graduate representation) shall also be supervised by HGSA.

C. The officers and representatives shall be elected for terms of one year, at the regular April meeting of HGSA. They will assume office on May 1, but outgoing HGSA officers will assist in the creation of summer mailings for incoming graduate students.

D. Nominations for officers and other Departmental Committees with HGSA representatives may take place as follows: two and a half weeks prior to the April meeting, officers will circulate a call for nominations. Nominations may be submitted to the Secretary in writing (email is acceptable) five days prior to the meeting, along with personal statements described below. The Secretary shall distribute ballots and statements to the general membership via the internet two days before the meeting.

E. Nominees who wish to be placed on the ballot must draft a statement regarding their program, goals, or such other information as they may thing helpful to the voters, not to exceed two standard typewritten pages.

F. Voting shall be by secret ballot at the regular April meeting. A notice regarding the election to be held, and naming the candidates, must be mailed to all the members of HGSA no later than two days preceding the election. Absentee ballots, for those unable to attend the meeting, may be obtained electronically or from the Executive Committee, and must be returned no later than 5:00 pm of the night of the election meeting.

G. A Majority of the votes cast is necessary for election. If necessary, run-offs will be held between the top 50% of the vote-getters rounded off to the largest number until a candidate secures a majority. Election results shall be announced by the outgoing officers by 5 pm the day following the meeting.

G. Recall. Any officer may be removed from office. Upon written petition of members totaling 50% plus one of the total number of votes cast on the first ballot (including absentee) for that office in the last regular February election, the Executive Committee will introduce the matter at the first regular meeting following receipt of such petition. The members in attendance will then vote, by secret ballot, as to whether or not to remove said officer. Recalled officers are immediately removed from office, and the vacated post is filled as outlined in clause H, below, on vacancies. The meeting at which the recall takes place shall elect temporary officers to replace those recalled.

H. If a post is vacant, a successor is to be selected at the next regular meeting of HGSA, notification of the need for such action is to be circulated in the most expeditious manner by the Executive Committee. Nominations may be forwarded o the Executive Committee prior to said meeting, or may be made from the floor. Voting is to take place according to the rules pertaining to the regular February election.

Section 2: HGSA Committee Chairpersons

A. Committee chairpersons are elected by their committees from among the members of said committee, at the committee meeting next following the election of HGSA officers in April, and are announced to HGSA members via the internet. A majority of the votes cast is necessary for election. They assume the duties of their posts after the conclusion of the committee meeting at which they are elected, and from that time are certified as the committee representative to the Executive Committee. Chairpersons serve for one year or at the pleasure of the committee.

B. In the event of a vacancy occurring in the post of committee chairmen, the Executive Committee shall call a special meeting of the committee in question, at which time the latter group will select a new chairperson from among its members.