Political Studies Graduate Student Association (PSGSA)

(Approved by Referendum, October 7, 1985)
(Amended by Annual General Meeting, January 16, 1986)
(Amended by Annual General Meeting, January 8, 1991)
(Amended by Annual General Meeting, January 16, 1992)
(Amended by Annual General Meeting, February 12, 1998)
(Amended by Annual General Meeting, January 17, 2019)

Article 1: The Association

1. The name of this organization is the Political Studies Graduate Student Association. Herein referred to as the “PSGSA” or the “Association”.

Article 2: Purpose

The objectives of the Association shall be:

1. To contribute to the intellectual growth and cultural development of the Department of Political Studies, herein referred to as the “Department,” and the Queen’s University community;
2. To represent the interests of its membership within the University;
3. To promote and co-ordinate the interests of its membership; and
4. To serve as a medium of communication between its members and other University organizations.

Article 3: Membership

1. All students in the Department of Political Studies currently registered with the School of Graduate Studies at Queen’s University shall enjoy all of the rights and privileges of membership in the PSGSA.
2. The PSGSA will not discriminate in membership on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

Article 4: Secretary-Chairpersons

1. The members present at the Annual General Meeting shall elect two Secretary-Chairpersons, herein referred to as the “Co-Chairs,” from among the membership of the Association.
2. In the event of their combined absence the Co-Chairs shall designate an alternate Secretary-Chairperson. In the event that such a designation is not made, the Association shall elect an alternate Secretary-Chairperson.
3. The duties of the Co-Chairs or alternate Secretary-Chairperson shall include:
   1. Chairing all meetings of the Association;
   2. Setting the date and time of all meetings of the Association and circulating all notices of all meetings of the Association;
   3. Recording and filing minutes of meetings of the Association, or appointing a minute taker, and circulating minutes of the Association;
   4. Corresponding with other University bodies as instructed by the Association; and
   5. The control of and responsibility for any financial assets of the Association in coordination with the Association’s Social Committee.
4. In the event of the resignation of either Secretary-Chairperson, a by-election shall be held to fill the position pro-term.

Article 5: PSGSA Delegates

1. Members of the PSGSA are eligible to act as Delegates of the Association to the bodies to which they are elected, dependent upon the acceptance of the Department of said elected delegate.
2. All Delegates are expected to conduct themselves in the following manner:
   1. Express the wishes of graduate students as established by the Association in accordance with its Constitution;
   2. Report to the Association as fully as possible the issues and concerns raised on those bodies;
   3. Seek instruction from the Association on all matters affecting its membership;
   4. Notwithstanding any of the above, when instructed by the Association, present only the views authorized by the Association;
   5. Notwithstanding any of the above, the delegate to the Appointments and Staffing Committee shall represent and express solely their personal and individual opinion.
3. Any persons elected by the PSGSA may be recalled at any time by a two-thirds vote of members attending a meeting of the Association
4. PSGSA Delegates may submit a written report to the Regular Meetings when they and their alternate are both absent.
   1. Any PSGSA Delegate absent without cause, having failed to submit a written report, or having failed to notify their alternate of their absence, from three consecutive PSGSA meetings or three consecutive meetings of the body to which they are delegate shall be understood to have relinquished their responsibilities as a graduate student delegate and a by-election shall be held to fill the vacated position(s).

Article 6: Committees and Chairs

1. Members of the PSGSA are eligible to sit on the following Committees of the Association:
   1. Social Committee
   2. Graduate Student Colloquium Committee
   3. Graduate Student Conference Committee
   4. Mental Health Committee
   5. Any other committee formed by the agreement of the PSGSA membership.
2. The PSGSA shall elect at least one (1) member, in accordance with Article 7, to Chair each Committee of the Association.
3. Chairs are expected to conduct themselves in the following manner:
   1. Express the wishes of graduate students as established by the Association in accordance with its Constitution;
   2. Report to the Association as fully as possible the activities, issues, and concerns of the committee; and
   3. Seek instruction from the Association on all matters affecting its membership.

Article 7: Elections

1. The PSGSA encourages all interested members to consider a delegate or committee position. The PSGSA is committed to equity and diversity and welcomes women, visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ persons to seek election to any and all positions.
2. The Secretary-Chairpersons shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting as per Article 7.1.
3. At its first regular meeting in September the Association shall elect Delegates and Chairs for terms of one (1) year to the following bodies and committees:
   1. Political Studies Departmental Committee (1MA, 1PhD)
   2. Political Studies Graduate Studies Committee (1MA, 1PhD)
   3. Political Studies Undergraduate Committee (1)
   4. Political Studies Appointments and Staffing Committee (1)
   5. Political Studies Renewal, Tenure, and Promotion Committee (1)
   6. Political Studies Equity Issues Committee (2)
   7. 7Political Studies Ethics Review Board (1)
   8. Political Studies Colloquium Committee (1)
   9. Public Service Alliance of Canada – Local 901 (PSAC 901)
   10. Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS)
   11. Social Committee (1Chair, 2+Members)
   12. Graduate Student Colloquium Committee (2+Members)
   13. Graduate Student Conference Committee (1Chair, 2+Members)
   14. Mental Health Committee (2+Members)
   15. Any other body requiring or requesting representatives of Graduate Students of the Department of Political Studies.
4. Elected delegates to Department committees are subject to the acceptance and approval of the Department.
5. Regarding election to the Appointments and Staffing and the Renewal, Tenure, and Promotion Committees:
   1. Electors are advised to take completion or near-completion of course-load into consideration.
   2. Delegates are required to undertake Equity Training.
   3. In the case that there are two or more Appointments in a given year, subject to the approval of the Department, a second delegate shall be elected to the Appointments and Staffing committee.
6. In the event of the resignation of any delegate or alternate, by-elections shall be held at the first possible meeting.

Article 8: Annual General Meeting

1. The Annual General Meeting of the PSGSA shall be held in the third week of January.

Article 9: Meetings

1. The Association shall hold a Regular Meeting at least once a month immediately prior to regular Departmental or Graduate Studies Committee Meetings.
2. There shall be an Orientation Meeting each September which consists of:
   1. A presentation of the PSGSA representative positions as laid out in Article 7; and
   2. A presentation of the PSGSA’s Constitution and purpose including, but not limited to:
      • Objectives met by the PSGSA in the previous year; and
      • Long-term objectives set by the PSGSA.
3. All meetings of the Association shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.
4. Notice of all meetings of the Association must be circulated in writing (by e-mail or by hard copy in Departmental mailbox) to every on-campus member of the Association, as indicated by the Department On-Campus Graduate Student list, at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of each meeting.
5. Special Meetings: Upon receipt of a petition signed by at least five (5) members of the Association requesting a Special Meeting of the Association, the Co-Chairs shall call such a meeting.
   1. Notice of any Special Meeting shall be circulated to each member of the Association at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of said meeting.

Article 10: Quorum

1. The quorum for all meetings of the Association shall be nine (9) on-campus members of the Association.
2. The quorum for the Annual General Meeting shall be equal to one-third of the on-campus membership of the Association.
3. If at any meeting of the PSGSA (including the Annual General Meeting) quorum is not attained, then another meeting of the Association shall be held one week later, with proper notice given to all members. This second meeting shall be treated as valid irrespective of any quorum requirements.

Article 11: Minutes

1. Minutes of all decisions made at all meetings of the Association shall be distributed following each meeting.
2. Minutes of all decisions made at all meetings of the Association shall be made available to any member of the Association upon request.

Article 12: Constitutional Amendments

1. Amendments to this Constitution shall be made by two-thirds majority vote at the Annual General Meeting or by Referendum.
2. All proposed Constitutional Amendments shall be circulated in writing to each member of the Association at least one (1) week prior to the Annual General Meeting or by Referendum.
3. Constitutional Referendums shall proceed as follows:
   1. A two-thirds majority vote at a regular or special meeting of the Association shall be required for a Referendum to be held.
   2. Amendments to the Constitution by Referendum shall be adopted if they receive a two-thirds majority vote in favour, providing at least one-half of the membership has cast ballots.

Article 13: Bylaws and Policy

1. From time to time the Association may adopt bylaws and policies at its meetings.
2. Bylaws shall be approved or amended only upon two-thirds majority vote of those members attending a meeting of the Association.
3. Policies shall be approved or amended upon simple majority vote of those members attending a meeting of the Association.
4. In the event of a conflict between a bylaw or policy and the Constitution, the Constitution shall prevail.
5. In the event of a conflict between a policy and a bylaw, a bylaw shall prevail.

PSGSA Constitution (PDF, 99KB)