PREAMBLE

The Graduate Leadership Council at American University is a student government association
having the following as its purpose:
• To serve as the primary representative and unified voice of graduate students to American
University’s administration, faculty, staff, trustees and undergraduate student leadership
and to advocate on their behalf;
• To improve graduate students’ academic, social and professional experiences.

We, the Graduate Leadership Council at American University, united in the common perpetuation of these ideals, do hereby ordain and establish this constitution.

ARTICLE I: NAME

This body shall be known as the Graduate Leadership Council at American University.

ARTICLE II: GOVERNANCE

A.) American University’s Student Activities office shall assist and oversee the Graduate
Leadership Council’s policies, fiscal operations and activities.

B.) Nothing herein shall be construed to conflict with the rules, policies and regulations of American University’s Student Activities office. In case of any conflict between the policies or legislation of the Graduate Leadership Council and American University’s Student Activities office, that of the Student Activities office shall be supreme in every case.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

All fee-paying graduate students from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs shall be constituents of the Graduate Leadership Council and the targets of all its offerings.

ARTICLE IV: STRUCTURE

Section 1: Formation

A.) The Graduate Leadership Council is a democratically functioning organization run by an Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson appointed from the graduate student community at American University and the presidents of the graduate student councils at the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs, who shall represent the interests of American University’s
five graduate schools.

B.) The Graduate Leadership Council receives guidance from the Student Activities office’s
Graduate Leadership Council advisor.

Section 2: Voting Privileges

A.) The graduate student council presidents from the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs shall be entitled to cast one vote on all Graduate Leadership Council matters.

B.) The Executive Chairperson shall only have voting privileges when his/her vote is needed to break a tied vote of the graduate student council presidents. The Vice Chairperson shall not have voting privileges on the Graduate Leadership Council.

C.) If a graduate student council president resigns or is removed from office in accordance with their respective council’s constitution and/or bylaws, they shall be automatically removed from serving on the Graduate Leadership Council as their school’s representative. Their successor shall be charged with representing that school on the Graduate Leadership Council.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Section 1: Regularly Scheduled Meetings

A.) The Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, the presidents of the graduate student councils at the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor, shall be convened by the Executive Chairperson for regular bi-monthly meetings throughout the academic year.

B.) The Executive Chairperson shall schedule its regular meetings at a time and location so that the Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor can attend in person or remotely.
In this case, bi-monthly shall mean occurring twice a month.

C.) The Executive Chairperson shall publicize the dates of the Graduate Leadership Council’s
regular meeting schedule to the Vice Chairperson, the graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor during the first two weeks of each semester.

D.) The Graduate Leadership Council advisor shall sit ex-officio on the Graduate Leadership Council and shall attend all regularly scheduled meetings in person or remotely.

E.) The Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson are required to attend all regularly scheduled meetings and all special sessions during their term in office.

F.) The Executive Chairperson may invite American University trustees, members of American University’s faculty, staff, administration and undergraduate student leadership to brief the Vice Chairperson and the graduate student council presidents on pressing issues or observe the proceedings of regularly scheduled meetings as he/she sees fit.

G.) Official minutes shall be taken at each meeting by the Vice Chairperson. Minutes shall be sent to the Executive Chairperson, the graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting. Minutes from regularly scheduled meetings shall also be made publicly available on the Graduate Leadership Council’s website within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting.

H.) The Vice Chairperson shall present an up-to-date and forward-looking budget kept separately from the Graduate Leadership Council’s Online Financial Access System budget, detailing the current financial position of the Graduate Leadership Council and all of its anticipated expenses for the semester at each regularly scheduled meeting.

I.) In between regularly scheduled meetings, the Executive Chairperson may conduct official
Graduate Leadership Council business online, when appropriate. The Executive Chairperson may set the response and timeframe parameters for action on issues as he/she sees fit. Business conducted online shall be subject to the same majority and abstention provisions as meetings conducted in person.

J.) The Executive Chairperson may cancel a regularly scheduled meeting provided 24 hours
notice. The cancelled meeting shall be rescheduled and shall occur no later than seven (7) days following the original meeting date.

Section 2: Regularly Scheduled Meeting Structure

A.) The regularly scheduled meetings of the Graduate Leadership Council shall include the
following items, in the following order:
• Approval of Minutes
• Executive Chairperson’s Report
• Vice Chairperson’s Report
• Reports from Graduate Student Representatives to University Committees
• Approval of Timesheets
• College of Arts and Sciences Graduate Student Council report
• Graduate Business Association (Kogod School of Business) report
• School of Communication Graduate Student Council report
• School of International Service Graduate Student Council report
• School of Public Affairs Graduate Student Council report
• Old Business
• New Business
• Good of the Order

Section 3: Special Sessions

A.) The Executive Chairperson may convene special sessions of the Graduate Leadership
Council’s chairpeople and the presidents of the graduate student councils at the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs as he/she sees fit provided 72 hours notice.

B.) If a special session is convened, no other business may be conducted outside of that specified in the meeting’s call.

C.) The Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and graduate student council presidents are required to attend special sessions of the Graduate Leadership Council.

D.) The Graduate Leadership Council advisor shall sit ex-officio on the Graduate Leadership Council and shall attend all regularly scheduled meetings in person or remotely.

E.) The Executive Chairperson may invite American University trustees, members of American University’s faculty, staff, administration and undergraduate student leadership to brief the Vice Chairperson and the graduate student council presidents on pressing issues or observe the proceedings of the special sessions as he/she sees fit.

F.) Official minutes shall be taken at each meeting by the Vice Chairperson. Minutes shall be sent to the Executive Chairperson, the graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting. Minutes from special sessions shall also be made publicly available on the Graduate Leadership Council’s website within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting.

Section 4: Town Hall Meetings

A.) Once a semester, the Graduate Leadership Council shall host a town hall meeting open to all graduate students. The goal of the town hall meetings shall be to gain a better understanding of graduate student issues and concerns, so that the Graduate Leadership Council may take proactive steps to address them.

B.) The Executive Chairperson shall schedule its town hall meetings and a time and location so the Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and graduate student council presidents can attend.

C.) The Executive Chairperson may invite the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities advisor, American University trustees, members of American University’s faculty, staff, administration and undergraduate student leadership to brief the attendees on pressing issues or observe the proceedings of the town hall meetings as he/she sees fit.

D.) Official minutes shall be taken at each meeting by the Vice Chairperson. Minutes shall be sent to the Executive Chairperson, the graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting. Minutes from town hall meetings shall also be made publicly available on the Graduate Leadership Council’s website within 1 business day of the conclusion of the meeting.

E.) The town hall meetings shall be treated a special session of the Graduate Leadership Council. All of the previously mentioned stipulations about special sessions shall apply.

Section 5: Quorum and Majority

A.) Graduate Leadership Council business may only be conducted in the presence of a quorum of the graduate student council presidents, which shall be defined as the smallest whole number of graduate student council presidents which exceeds fifty percent.

B.) A majority shall be defined, here and elsewhere in the governing document, as the smallest whole number of graduate student council presidents which exceeds fifty percent.

C.) During voting, graduate student council presidents may choose to abstain. Abstentions are to be counted as present and not-voting and shall not be factored into a majority.

Section 6: Attendance and Proxies Requirements

A.) Graduate student council presidents shall have no more than two absences from regularly
scheduled Graduate Leadership Council meetings or special sessions convened by the Executive
Chairperson per semester.

B.) All graduate student council presidents’ absences must be communicated to the Executive
Chairperson at least 48 hours prior to a scheduled meeting or special session. The Executive Chairperson shall record the absence and ensure that the absence is noted in the meeting minutes.

C.) Absent presidents shall be required to identify a proxy from their graduate student council to attend the meeting in their place. The absent president shall notify the Executive Chairperson who will serve as the proxy for the regularly scheduled meeting or special session they will miss at least
24 hours prior.

D.) If a graduate student council president misses the first 20 minutes or more of a regularly scheduled meeting or a special session, it shall be considered an absence, irrespective of whether that president attends the remainder of the meeting.

E.) The Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall not have proxy privileges.

Section 7: Violation of Attendance and Proxy Requirements

A.) If a graduate student council president is absent from any two consecutive regularly scheduled Graduate Leadership Council meetings or special sessions in a semester, the Executive Chairperson shall notify that graduate student council president and his/her graduate student council that their funding will be frozen until the next regularly scheduled Graduate Leadership Council meeting. If the graduate student council president in question attends the next regularly scheduled meeting, their account shall be unfrozen automatically.

B.) If a graduate student council president is absent from the next regularly scheduled meeting following the freezing of their funds, or a third consecutive meeting or special session during a given semester, their account shall be frozen for the remainder of that semester and that graduate student council president shall be relieved of his/her duties representing his/her council on the Graduate Leadership Council.

C.) Absent graduate student council presidents who are unable to identify a proxy shall notify the Executive Chairperson at least one hour prior to the beginning of a regularly scheduled meeting or special session.

D.) Should an absent president’s identified proxy not attend the Graduate Leadership Council meeting that he/she is scheduled to, the Executive Chairperson shall notify that graduate student council president and his/her council that their funding will be frozen until the next regularly scheduled meeting.

E.) Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson absences from any two consecutive regularly scheduled Graduate Leadership Council meetings or special sessions in a semester shall be
sufficient grounds for consideration of their removal from office.

ARTICLE VI: FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

Section 1: Graduate Leadership Council Administrative Account

A.) Funds in the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account shall be used to benefit all currently enrolled graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs.

B.) The Executive Chairperson, in consultation with the Vice Chairperson, shall manage budgeted Administrative Account funds, in compliance with the policies and procedures enumerated in Article VI.

C.) The Vice Chairperson may only spend Administrative Account funds with the expressed, written consent of the Executive Chairperson.

Section 2: Graduate Leadership Council Restricted Account

A.) The Graduate Leadership Council’s Restricted Account must maintain a minimum balance of $20,000 as safety net to meet programming needs in the case that unforeseeable circumstances arise.

B.) If the balance of the Graduate Leadership Council’s Restricted Account exceeds $20,000, the Graduate Leadership Council may allocate the excess funds to address specific priorities following a majority vote of the graduate student council presidents.

ARTICLE VII: ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOUNT BUDGET

Section 1: Summer Operations

A.) The Executive Chairperson shall be responsible for operating the Graduate Leadership Council during their term, including from May 1 of the academic year he/she was elected in through the first academic day of the fall semester.

B.) During the Graduate Leadership Council’s transition period, the newly appointed Executive Chairperson shall convene the newly-elected graduate student council presidents and the newly appointed Vice Chairperson for a special session, with the goal of determining Graduate Leadership Council’s summer priorities.

C.) Included with these priorities shall be material background information, the goals and metrics for each priority, budget and the Executive Chairperson’s responsibilities for ensuring that the goals and appropriate metrics listed are reached.

D.) The graduate student council presidents shall approve up to three of the presented priorities for the Executive Chairperson to achieve during the summer recess by a majority vote.

E.) The Executive Chairperson shall not be authorized to spend more than $5,000 from the
Administrative Account to accomplish the approved priorities during the period from May 1 of the academic year he/she was elected in through the first academic day of the fall semester. All other Administrative Account spending restrictions detailed in Article VI, Section 6 shall be in force during summer operations of the Graduate Leadership Council.

F.) As part of the Executive Chairperson’s report during the first meeting of the fall semester, he/she shall update the Graduate Leadership Council about overall progress on the approved summer priorities. The update shall include an assessment and explanation of why the goals and metrics for each priority were or were not reached and a budget detailing summer expenditures.

G.) The Executive Chairperson shall not act in any way that contradicts the approved directives ofthe Graduate Leadership Council during summer operations.

Section 2: Student Activity Fees

A.) All graduate students shall be assessed a $30 activity fee per semester when they register.

B.) 14 percent of graduate students’ activity fees shall be transferred to the American University Club Council for allocation to recognized student clubs and associations. The remaining 86 percent of graduate students’ fees shall be transferred to the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account for management.

Section 3: Administrative Account: The Executive Office Budget

A.) Up to 40 percent of the net funds transferred to the Graduate Leadership Council for management shall be allocated to the Administrative Account’s Executive Office Budget.

B.) 15 percent of the Executive Office Budget funds may be used for stipends.

C.) The Executive Chairperson shall receive $4,000 as a stipend from the Administrative Account during the fiscal year. The stipend shall be paid monthly according to university pay schedules and in accordance with university human resource policies.

D.) The Vice Chairperson shall receive $3,000 as a stipend from the Administrative Account during the fiscal year. The stipend shall be paid monthly according to university pay schedules and in accordance with university human resource policies.

E.) Each graduate student council president shall receive $3,000 as a stipend from the
Administrative Account during the fiscal year. The stipend shall be paid monthly according to university pay schedules and in accordance with university human resource policies.

F.) The remaining funds in the Executive Office Budget shall be allocated for supplies and administrative costs necessary to the Graduate Leadership Council’s operations during the academic year, Graduate Leadership Council events, co-sponsorship of graduate student council events and any additional expenses the Graduate Leadership Council deems fit.

Section 4: Administrative Account: Graduate Student Council Budget Allocations

A.) 60 percent of the net funds shall be allocated to the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs.

B.) Allocations to each school’s graduate student council shall be based upon the proportion of graduate students enrolled in each school’s graduate programs compared to the size of American University’s graduate student body each fall. These figures shall be calculated by the Office of the University Provost and shall be shared with the Executive Chairperson via the Student Activities office to determine the official financial allocations to the graduate schools.

Section 5: Annual Administrative Account Budget Approval

A.) The Executive Chairperson shall work with the Assistant Director of Administration (Finance) in the Student Activities office to prepare the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account budget, as described in Article VI, Sections 1-4.

B.) The Executive Chairperson shall submit the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account budget for approval at the first meeting of the fall semester. A majority vote of the graduate student council presidents shall be required to approve the Administrative Account budget.

C.) If a majority vote is not received, the Executive Chairperson shall compile a list of suggestions from the Graduate Leadership Council and work with the Assistant Director of Administration (Finance) to amend the proposed Administrative Account budget accordingly.

D.) Once an amended budget is created, the Executive Chairperson shall have 48 hours to submit the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account budget to the graduate student council presidents for approval. A majority vote of the graduate student council presidents shall be required to approve the Administrative Account budget.

Section 6: Administrative Account Spending Restrictions

A.) The Vice Chairperson shall be the only signatory allowed to sign Student Activities financial forms that the Executive Chairperson initiates and/or fills out that authorize spending from the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account.

B.) If the Vice Chairperson initiates and/or fills out that authorize spending from the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account pursuant to Article V, Section 1, the Executive Chairperson shall be the only signatory allowed to sign those Student Activities financial forms.

C.) All transactions initiated by the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson above $1,200 shall require a majority vote of graduate student council presidents for approval.

D.) To receive a majority vote, the Executive Chairperson must notify the graduate student council presidents about the nature of the transaction, how the proposed transaction will benefit the entire graduate student community, the amount of the transaction and any other material information that will allow a graduate student council president to make an informed decision, prior to completing any Student Activities financial forms.

E.) The graduate student council presidents shall have 48 hours to review the information provided by the Executive Chairperson and reply to the Executive Chairperson’s request in writing to the Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and graduate student council presidents.

F.) If a majority vote is received, both the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be required to sign the Student Activities office financial forms authorizing the expenditure.

G.) If a majority vote is not received, the proposed spending initiative shall not occur.

Section 7: Funding For Graduate Student Council Events Under $5,000

A.) Graduate student council presidents shall be able to request funding from the Graduate
Leadership Council’s Administrative Account to support specific programs that are beneficial to the entire graduate student community.

B.) For funding requests under $5,000, graduate student council presidents shall submit the following information about the event to the Executive Chairperson at least thirty (30) days prior to the event.
• The name, date, time and location of the event
• A description of the event
• A description of how the event will benefit the entire graduate student community
• The amount of money being requested from the Graduate Leadership Council
• A description of what the funding will be used for

C.) The Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and graduate student council presidents shall review the information at the next regularly scheduled meeting. A majority of graduate student council presidents is needed to approve a proposal.

D.) Once a funding decision is made, the Executive Chairperson will transfer the approved funding into that graduate student council’s account.

F.) The graduate student council president at the school receiving the funds shall have one week to update the Graduate Leadership Council about the event following its conclusion. As part of the report, he/she shall detail how the Graduate Leadership Council funding was used. He/she shall have one week to e-mail this report to the Graduate Leadership Council.

Section 8: Funding For Graduate Student Council Events Over $5,000

A.) For funding requests over $5000, graduate student council presidents shall submit a proposal to the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson at least thirty (30) days prior to the event.
Proposals must contain:
• The name, date, time and location of the event
• A description of the event
• A description of how the event will benefit the entire graduate student community,
• The amount of money being requested from the Graduate Leadership Council,
• A description of what the funding will be used for
• A publicity strategy to ensure that graduate students are aware of the event
• An proposed budget detailing the event’s costs, revenue streams (if any) and funding
• Quantitative and qualitative metrics to measure the event’s success (if appropriate)

B.) The Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and graduate student council presidents shall review all proposals. A majority of graduate student council presidents is needed to approve a proposal. Funding decisions shall be made within four business days of a submission.

C.) Once a funding decision is made, the Executive Chairperson will transfer the approved funding into that graduate student council’s account.

D.) The graduate student council president at the school receiving the funds shall present a written progress report about the funded event at the regularly scheduled meeting prior to the event date. As part of the report, he/she shall provide an itemized budget detailing how the Graduate Leadership Council funding was used to date.

E.) At the regularly scheduled meeting following the event date, the graduate student council president at the school receiving the funds shall present a final update to the Graduate Leadership Council about the event. As part of the report, he/she shall provide
• A final, itemized budget detailing how the Graduate Leadership Council funding was used
for the event;
• An assessment of whether the appropriate quantitative and qualitative metrics for the
event’s success were reached

Section 9: Annual Account Closure

A.) All graduate student council accounts shall be closed on April 30th of each academic year. On that day, all remaining funds in each account shall be transferred to the Graduate Leadership Council Restricted Account.

B.) The Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account shall be closed on April 30th of each academic year. On that day, all remaining funds in this account shall be transferred to the Graduate Leadership Council Restricted Account.

ARTICLE VIII: GRADUATE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL CHAIRPEOPLE

Section 1: Positions

The Graduate Leadership Council shall have the following appointed positions: Executive
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

Section 2: Duties of Graduate Leadership Council Chairpeople

A.) The Executive Chairperson shall act as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Program Officer of the Graduate Leadership Council. He/She will:
• Convene and preside over regularly scheduled meetings and special sessions of the Graduate Leadership Council’s chairpeople and graduate student council presidents throughout the fiscal year
• Coordinate and oversee the implementation of the efforts of the Graduate Leadership
Council’s Vice Chairperson, projects and programmatic offerings
• Appoint necessary standing or ad-hoc committees to carry out special projects and
coordinate the work of all such committees
• Manage the creation and allocation of the Graduate Leadership Council budget
• Manage all spending of the Graduate Leadership Council’s Administrative Account
• Serve as the official graduate student representative to the following individuals and their offices regarding graduate students’ needs, interests and activities:
o University President
o Chief of Staff
o Provost
o Vice President of Campus Life
o Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
o Vice President, Finance/Treasurer
o Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations
o Executive Director, University Communications and Marketing
o Director of the Library
• Serve as the official graduate student representative to the following groups regarding graduate students’ needs, interests and activities:
o American University Club Council
o Student Activities Office
o Undergraduate Student Government
• Serve as the official graduate student representative to the following university committees regarding graduate students’ needs, interests and activities:
o Administrative Operations
o Board of Trustees
o Board of Trustees committee chairpeople that lead the committees he/she serves on
o Budget Committee
o Faculty Senate
o Instructional Budget and Benefits Committee
o Student Library Endowment
o University Council
• Appoint the Vice-Chairperson and the graduate student council presidents to serve as the
official graduate student representative on four of the following university committees and a graduate student council president to serve as the official graduate student
representative on the remaining fiveb committees:
o Campus Beautification
o Committee on Information Services
o Committee on Student Learning and Academic Engagement
o Dining Services
o Environmental Issues
o Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Program
o Sexual Harassment Prevention
o University Center Project Team
• Serve on additional temporary or standing committees as the official graduate student
representative as requested by American University staff, administration or trustees
• Maintain an up-to-date schedule of graduate student council presidents’ schedules to
determine their availability for regular meetings, special sessions and town hall meetings
• Submit a fall semester-end report about Graduate Leadership Council activity, successes, failures and strategic challenges to the Vice Chairperson, the graduate student council presidents and the Student Activities office
• Submit a year-end report about Graduate Leadership Council activity, successes, failures and strategic challenges to the outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents, the incoming Executive Chairperson, the incoming Vice Chairperson and the incoming graduate student council presidents and the Student Activities office at the end of each academic year

B.) The Vice Chairperson shall act as the Comptroller and Chief Technology Officer of the Graduate Leadership Council under the direction of the Executive Chairperson. He/She will:
• Keep financial records of all income and expenditures in a leading, forward-looking and
lagging, backward-looking manner
• Apportion and freeze funds to the graduate student councils in coordination with the
Student Activities office
• Communicate the Student Activities office’s spending request deadlines to the graduate
student council presidents and graduate student council treasurers
• Submit a year-end financial report to the outgoing Executive Chairperson, the outgoing
graduate student council presidents, the incoming Executive Chairperson, the incoming
Vice Chairperson, the incoming graduate student council presidents and the Student
Activities office at the end of each academic year.
• Serve as the official graduate student council representative on four of the following committees:
o Campus Beautification
o Committee on Information Services
o Committee on Student Learning and Academic Engagement
o Dining Services
o Environmental Issues
o Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Program
o Sexual Harassment Prevention
o University Center Project Team
• Assume the duties of the Executive Chairperson in his/her absence, with his/her express written consent
• Maintain and update the Graduate Leadership Council website on a regular basis
• Assume any additional duties expressly assigned by the Executive Chairperson

Section 3: Office Hours

A.) The Executive Chairperson shall hold a minimum of eighty (80) office hours per month during the fiscal year, forty (40) of which shall be held on campus. Of these forty (40) hours, twenty (20) shall be held in the Graduate Leadership Council office.

B.) The Vice Chairperson shall hold a minimum of forty (40) office hours per month during the academic year, twenty (20) of which shall be held on campus. Of these twenty (20) hours, ten (10) shall be held in the Graduate Leadership Council office.

C.) An office hour shall be defined as non-personal, position-specific activity being conducted on behalf of the Graduate Leadership Council.

D.) The Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall post their in-office hours on the Graduate Leadership Council website and notify graduate students of their in-office hours via e- mail at the beginning of each semester.

Section 4: Office Hours Approval

A.) The Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall keep record of their hours logged and the activities conducted during those hours using a monthly timesheet developed by the Graduate Leadership Council.

B.) At the first meeting of each month, the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall present signed copies of their monthly timesheets to the graduate student council presidents for review.

C.) If the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson do not reach the minimum threshold of hours described above, they shall provide a written explanation of why and include it with their timesheet submission.

D.) A majority of graduate student council presidents is required to approve the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson’s monthly timesheet.

E.) If a majority vote is not received for the Executive Chairperson’s office hours for the preceding month, his/her monthly stipend for the following month shall be withheld.

F.) If a majority vote is not received for the Vice Chairperson’s office hours for the preceding month, his/her monthly stipend for the following month shall be withheld.

Section 5: Eligibility for Office

A.) All Graduate Leadership Council candidates must be registered graduate students in one of the following schools: the College of Arts in Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communications, the School of International Service or the School of Public Affairs.

B.) All Graduate Leadership Council candidates must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with American University, as determined by the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities office advisor.

C.) Graduate Leadership Council candidates shall not be eligible for office if they have been elected to a position on a school’s graduate student council or to an office of a graduate student club or organization during the academic year that they apply to serve on the Graduate Leadership Council.

D.) All candidates for Graduate Leadership Council office who cannot serve an entire term due to mid-semester graduation, study abroad or any other known or planned academic, personal or professional circumstance shall be ineligible for office.

E.) Students are prohibited from serving as Graduate Leadership Council chairpeople for more than two years.

Section 6: Selection of Chairpeople

A.) Appointments for the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson positions shall occur no later than March 30th of each school year.

B.) The Elections Chairperson3 shall be responsible for the campus-wide advertising of the available positions, the application process and key milestones during the process by March 1st.

C.) The Elections Chairperson shall coordinate the receipt and processing of applications for Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson candidates. He/she shall also be responsible for determining the days(s) and time(s) for candidate interviews that the Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, graduate student council presidents and the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities advisor can all attend in person at the beginning of second semester.

Section 7: Selection of the Executive Chairperson

A.) To be considered for office, candidates for the Executive Chairperson position shall submit an application to the Elections Chairperson by March 1st. Applications must contain the following information and answers.
• The candidate’s name
• The candidate’s school
• The candidate’s student ID number
• The candidate’s graduation year
• The position sought
• The candidate’s preferred interview time slots on the on the days(s) and time(s) selected
• Confirmation that the candidate can serve an entire term and will not be serving as an
officer on a graduate student council during the academic year that they are seeking office
on the Graduate Leadership Council
• The candidate’s resume / CV
• The candidate’s most recent unofficial graduate school transcript

B.) Candidates for the Executive Chairperson shall submit answers to a set of questions created by the Elections Chairperson.

C.) Once Executive Chairperson applications are received, the Elections Chairperson shall send each candidate’s information to the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities advisor so he/she can verify that candidates are eligible for office and in good academic and disciplinary standing.

D.) Once candidates are deemed eligible for office by the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities advisor, the Elections Chairperson shall distribute their applications to the outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents for review.

E.) The outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents shall have 48 hours to review Executive Chairperson candidates’ applications.

F.) For a candidate to be invited for an in-person interview, a majority of the outgoing graduate student council presidents must recommend that he/she be interviewed. Candidates not receiving a majority vote shall be notified that they will not receive an interview or further consideration for the position.

G.) Executive Chairperson candidates receiving a majority vote shall be notified and invited for a one-hour, individual interview by the Elections Chairperson. Interviews shall be considered special
sessions of the Graduate Leadership Council, although official minutes shall not be taken.

H.) Following all schedule interviews, the Graduate Leadership Council shall meet in a special session with the purpose of selecting an Executive Chairperson from among the interviewed candidates.

I.) The outgoing Executive Chairperson shall preside over the special session and lead a
discussion about the merits of each candidate relative to other candidates that interviewed for the Executive Chairperson position.

J.) A 2/3 vote of the graduate student council presidents shall be required to appoint an interviewed candidate to the Executive Chairperson position.

K.) If more than one candidate receives a 2/3 vote, all other candidates who did not receive the 2/3 vote shall be eliminated from consideration. The outgoing Executive Chairperson shall lead a discussion about the merits of the remaining candidates. At the conclusion of the discussion, another vote shall be taken.

L.) If a 2/3 vote is received for a single candidate, the Elections Chairperson shall notify the candidate about the vote. The selected candidate shall have a period of 24 hours to accept or decline the appointment.

Section 8: Selection of the Vice Chairperson

A.) To be considered for office, candidates for the Vice Chairperson position shall submit an application to the Elections Chairperson by March 1st. Applications must contain the following information and answers.
• The candidate’s name
• The candidate’s school
• The candidate’s student ID number
• The candidate’s graduation year
• The position sought
• The candidate’s preferred interview time slots on the on the days(s) and time(s) selected
• Confirmation that the candidate can serve an entire term and will not be serving as an
officer on a graduate student council during the academic year that they are seeking office
on the Graduate Leadership Council
• The candidate’s resume / CV
• The candidate’s most recent unofficial graduate school transcript

B.) Candidates for the Vice Chairperson shall submit answers to a set of questions created by the Elections Chairperson.

C.) Once Vice Chairperson applications are received, the Elections Chairperson shall send each candidate’s information to the Graduate Leadership Council’s Student Activities advisor so he/she can verify that candidates are eligible for office and in good academic and disciplinary standing.

D.) Once candidates are deemed eligible for office by the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor, the Elections Chairperson shall distribute their applications to the outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents for review.

E.) The outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents shall have 48 hours to review Vice Chairperson candidates’ applications.

F.) For a candidate to be invited for an in-person interview, a majority of the outgoing graduate student council presidents must recommend that he/she be interviewed. Candidates not receiving a majority vote shall be notified that they will not receive an interview or further consideration for
the position.

G.) Vice Chairperson candidates receiving a majority vote shall be notified and invited for a one-hour, individual interview by the Elections Chairperson. Interviews shall be considered special sessions of the Graduate Leadership Council, although official minutes shall not be taken.

H.) Following all schedule interviews, the Graduate Leadership Council shall meet in a special session with the purpose of selecting a Vice Chairperson from among the interviewed candidates.

I.) The outgoing Executive Chairperson shall preside over the special session and lead a
discussion about the merits of each candidate relative to other candidates that interviewed for the Vice Chairperson position.

J.) A 2/3 vote of the graduate student council presidents shall be required to appoint an interviewed candidate to the Vice Chairperson position. The Vice Chairperson shall not be from the same school as the newly selected Executive Chairperson.

K.) If more than one candidate receives a 2/3 vote, all other candidates who did not receive the 2/3 vote shall be eliminated from consideration. The outgoing Executive Chairperson shall lead a discussion about the merits of the remaining candidates. At the conclusion of the discussion, another vote shall be taken.

L.) If a 2/3 vote is received for a single candidate, the Elections Chairperson shall notify the candidate about the vote. The selected candidate shall have a period of 24 hours to accept or decline the appointment.

Section 9: Installation and Term in Office

A.) The Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall take their positions on May 1 during the academic year they are elected and shall serve until April 30th of the following academic year.

B.) After taking office, the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be prohibited from accepting a leadership position on another graduate student council, an undergraduate or graduate student club or organization during the same academic year without resigning from their position
on the Graduate Leadership Council.

C.) Newly elected graduate student councils shall begin serving on the Graduate Leadership
Council concurrently with the newly appointed Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.

Section 10: Vacancies in Office

A.) If either the Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson positions are not filled through the initial application process, the Elections Chairperson, in coordination with the graduate student council presidents and Graduate Leadership Council advisor shall determine an appropriate course of action.

B.) If the Executive Chairperson vacates or is removed from office during the academic year, the Vice Chairperson shall assume the position of Executive Chairperson, subject to confirmation from a majority of graduate student council presidents. If a majority vote is received, he/she may choose to select an individual to serve in the open Vice Chairperson position. The selection must meet all of the eligibility criteria noted in Article VI, Section 5, shall not be from the same school as the Executive Chairperson and must be approved by a majority of graduate student council presidents.

C.) If the Vice Chairperson vacates or is removed from his/her office during the academic year, the Executive Chairperson shall select an individual to serve in the open position. The Executive Chairperson’s selection must meet all of the eligibility criteria noted in Article VI, Section 5, shall not be from the same school as the Executive Chairperson and must be approved by a majority of graduate student council presidents.

D.) If a majority vote is not received for the Executive Chairperson’s selection of a new Vice Chairperson or for the Vice Chairperson assuming the role of Executive Chairperson following his/her removal from office or resignation, the graduate student council presidents, in coordination with the Graduate Leadership Council’s advisor shall determine an appropriate course of action to fill the position.

E.) Should a vacancy be filled, his/her term in office shall conclude on April 30th of that academic year.

Section 11: Removal From Office

A.) The Graduate Leadership Council shall have the right to remove the Executive Chairperson or the Vice Chairperson by two-thirds vote of the graduate student council presidents.

B.) Cause for removal from office shall be any action which is inimical to the Graduate Leadership Council, improper conduct as a chairperson, failure to perform duties of his/her office as outlined in this governing document, or any other charge the Graduate Leadership Council may consider.

C.) Causes for removal may be brought against the Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson. Such charges shall be made to the Executive Chairperson and Graduate Leadership Council advisor in writing and thereby presented to the Graduate Leadership Council at their next meeting or special session.

D.) If the Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson are not in good academic or disciplinary standing at any time during their term, they shall be removed from office automatically.

E.) If the Executive Chairperson, Vice Chairperson do not serve their full term due to their removal from office, their stipends shall be prorated to reflect the portion of the term they served.

Section 12: Removal From Office Procedure

A.) The person against whom the charges are brought shall be immediately notified of the time and place of his/her hearing by the Executive Chairperson. The person against whom the charges are brought must be present at the hearing.

B.) If charges are brought against the Executive Chairperson, he/she shall not preside over his/her hearing. The Vice Chairperson shall preside over the hearing instead.

C.) Upon convening the Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson’s hearing, the Graduate
Leadership Council shall hear the charges for removal formally. Both the person being charged and the issuer of the charges shall be granted time to address the charges and provide evidence, including witnesses, to the Graduate Leadership Council.

D.) At any time, graduate student council presidents shall be permitted to ask questions to either the person being charged or the issuer of the charges.

E.) The period of time delegated to the person being charged or the issuer the charges will be limited to 20 minutes each. These periods can be ended by a majority vote of the graduate student council presidents.

F.) After the chairperson being charged and the issuer of the charges finish presenting their cases, the Graduate Leadership Council shall engage in a period of discussion. The period of discussion shall last for a period of time determined by the graduate student council presidents. The person being charged and the issuer of the charges may be present during the period of discussion, but may not participate in it.

G) At the close of this period, a vote shall automatically be taken. A two-thirds vote of the graduate student council presidents shall be required to remove the chairperson being charged from office.

H.) If the issuer of the charges is a graduate student council president, he/she shall not be allowed to vote in removal from office proceedings.

Section 13: Transition Period

A.) In April, the outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and outgoing graduate student council presidents and their newly appointed/elected successors will participate in transition workshops. The goal of these workshops is to share institutional knowledge about the Graduate Leadership Council as an entity with the incoming chairpeople and graduate student council presidents. The outgoing Executive Chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating the transition workshop.

B.) The outgoing Executive Chairperson and outgoing Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling at least one transition meeting with their successor in April.

C.) The incoming Executive Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling at least one meeting with the outgoing and incoming graduate student president from each school to learn about its graduate student council and the school’s characteristics, needs and issues.

D.) The incoming Executive Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling at least one meeting with the Graduate Leadership Council advisor.

E.) The incoming Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for scheduling at least one meeting with the Graduate Leadership Council advisor.

F.) During the transition period, the newly appointed Executive Chairperson, the newly appointed Vice Chairperson and the incoming graduate student council presidents shall be invited to observe all Graduate Leadership Council meetings and shall be copied on all relevant Graduate Leadership Council correspondence via e-mail.

G.) During the transition period, the outgoing Executive Chairperson, outgoing Vice Chairperson and the outgoing graduate student council presidents shall remain responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Graduate Leadership Council.

ARTICLE IX: GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENTS

A.) Each spring, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communication, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs shall elect a president of their graduate student council, in accordance with their respective constitutions and/or bylaws, and in cooperation with the Graduate Leadership Council’s election timeline.

B.) A graduate student council president from a school not represented by the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for serving as the Graduate Leadership Council’s Election Chairperson. He/she shall coordinate the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson application, interview and appointment process and the graduate student councils’ spring election process.

C.) A graduate student council president from a school not represented by the Executive
Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for serving as the Graduate Leadership Council’s Communications Chairperson. He/she shall coordinate the Graduate Leadership Council’s strategic marketing efforts, including the design, production and distribution of all publicity, advertising, marketing and branding materials. He/she shall also work with the Vice Chairperson to ensure that the Graduate Leadership Council’s website and online publicity tools are consistent with the organization’s advertising, marketing and branding efforts.

D.) A graduate student council president from a school not represented by the Executive Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for serving as the Graduate Leadership Council’s Governance Chairperson. He/she shall be responsible for maintaining the Graduate Leadership Council’s constitution, including updating appropriate sections of the document when amendments and/or referenda are passed. He/she will also be responsible for working with the Vice Chairperson to ensure that the constitution is made publicly available on the Graduate Leadership Council’s website.

E.) A graduate student council president from a school represented by either the Executive
Chairperson or Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for keeping and updating the master calendar of all graduate student council and Graduate Leadership Council events. He/she shall work with the Vice Chairperson to ensure that the calendar is publicly available on the Graduate Leadership Council’s website. He/she may also assist the Elections Chairperson, Communications Chairperson or Governance Chairperson with their previously described responsibilities.

F.) A graduate student council president from a school represented by either the Executive Chairperson or Vice Chairperson shall be the manager of the Graduate Leadership Council’s office(s). He/she may also assist the Elections Chairperson, Communications Chairperson or Governance Chairperson with their previously described responsibilities.

G.) During the first meeting of the fall semester, the Executive Chairperson shall ask each graduate student council president to assume one of the roles described in clauses B through F of this section voluntarily.

H.) Each year, all graduate student council presidents shall ensure that their governance documents comply with all of the appropriate provisions of the Graduate Leadership Council’s constitution.

ARTICLE X: CHAIRPEOPLE AND COMMITTEES

Section 1: Chairpeople

The Executive Chairperson may appoint unfunded chairpeople, from within or beyond the membership of the graduate student council presidents, as he/she sees fit.

Section 2: Committees

The Executive Chairperson may create standing or ad-hoc committees as he/she sees fit.

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS AND REFERENDA

Section 1: Amendments

A.) Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by any member of the Graduate Leadership Council.

B.) All proposed amendments shall be delivered in writing to the Executive Chairperson, who shall present them to the Graduate Leadership Council for consideration at their next meeting.

C.) An amendment shall be considered ratified when two-thirds (2/3) of the graduate student council presidents approve the amendment.

Section 2: Referenda

A.) Any proposed amendment that affects all graduate students directly shall be subject to a referendum one month after the presentation of the proposed amendment to the Graduate
Leadership Council.

B.) The Vice Chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating the referendum’s publicity and administrative efforts.

C.) Information about the referendum issues shall be posted on the Graduate Leadership
Council’s website at least two weeks prior to voting.

D.) The Executive Chairperson shall convene a public, special session of the Graduate Leadership Council for students to learn about the referendum at least one week prior to voting.

E.) All graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Kogod School of Business, the School of Communications, the School of International Service and the School of Public Affairs shall be allowed to cast one vote for or against the referendum.

F.) Fifteen percent of the eligible graduate students must participate in the referendum for it to be considered valid.

G.) Should the fifteen percent threshold not be reached, the proposed amendment shall be
considered failed and shall not be considered by the Graduate Leadership Council for one calendar year.

H.) Should the fifteen percent threshold be reached, the proposed amendment shall be considered passed if a majority of voters vote in favor of the action under consideration.

I.) This article will always be the last article of the constitution of the Graduate Leadership Council, regardless of any newly created and numbered articles. This article will remain in the same form and shall only change in article number so that it will remain the last article appearing in the Graduate Leadership Council Constitution.

As ratified by the Graduate Leadership Council, 2008-2009

Last amendment agreed to on April 17, 2009 by two-thirds vote of the graduate student
council presidents, duly elected and installed.