Executive Officers of the GSS shall refer to the elected positions of President, Vice President, and Treasurer.
The Executive Council shall consist of all Executive Officers.
The Vice President shall also be referred to as VP.
The Presiding Officer is the President, except when the President is absent from the meeting or when there is a conflict of interest, such as when they are the primary sponsor of a resolution currently under consideration
2.02 Executives (in General)
The Executive Council shall hold the executive powers and responsibilities of the GSS.
Minimum eligibility for Executive Officers shall be determined by Article IV of the Constitution
No Executive Officer may simultaneously hold Senator, Commissioner, or Department Representative positions in the GSS body.
Executive Officers, excluding the President, may serve as Chairs of special and standing committees as needed.
All Executive Officers shall attend all meetings of the general body.
Executives shall serve for a period of no more than one academic year beginning and ending at the last regular meeting of the GSS in the spring semester unless elected for another term.
All executives must hold at least four office hours per week
Executive Officers shall hold mandatory trainings for all new and returning members of GSS when such need arises.
2.03 Duties of the President
Oversee the effective and efficient functioning of the GSS as well as the enforcement of the GSS Constitution and R&P
Serve as the official spokesperson of the GSS.
Carry out and report on all presidential actions in accordance with the Constitution and R&P and as directed by GSS resolutions.
Responsibilities related to GBM:
Preside over general meetings of the GSS.
Make all necessary arrangements and reservations for general meetings and announce the times, locations, and agendas of meetings to all members of the GSS.
Record and distribute resolutions and agendas of each GBM and make these records available to the public.
Communicate the resolutions passed to the appropriate stakeholders as directed by the resolutions.
Establish and dissolve special committees in accordance with the Constitution and R&P.
Oversee the appointment of GSS representatives to appropriate university standing committees.
Propose candidates for all GSS standing and special committee Chairs.
Serve on the following university bodies: Committee on Committees, Graduate Council, Budget Planning Council, and other committees as deemed appropriate by the GSS or the Executive Council.
Serve or appoint a representative to serve on the Student Trustee Selection committee, the Outstanding Administrator Award, and the Graduate Research Series selection committee.
Attend meetings of the Ohio University Board of Trustees in person or online and attend other meetings pertinent to graduate life at Ohio University.
Serve as a non-voting member on all award recognition and research grant funding committees.
Maintain records of all email, paper, or any other correspondence pertaining to GSS.
Keep a record of the VP’s attendance at general body and Executive Council meetings and administer the GSS attendance policy regarding the VP’s attendance.
Perform additional duties consistent with the office of the President as directed by the Executive Council and the GSS body.
Cover the duties of the Vice President or the Treasurer if there is a vacancy.
Ensure that university offices and related organizations have updated GSS contact information.
2.04 Duties of the Vice President
Coordinate and preside over all Executive Council meetings
Oversee activities of the body as directed by the Executive Council, including but not limited to:
coordination of Senator, Department Representative, and Commissioner recruitment.
training of all Senators, Department Representatives, and Commissioners.
overseeing the filling of vacancies.
ensure that all members of GSS are informed of the GSS Constitution and R&P.
) Keep track of senate office hours held by all members.
Keep an updated roster of all active GSS body members with their preferred names and pronouns (if they wish to provide them).
Coordinate and oversee GSS standing and special committee activities.
Keep a record of attendance at general meetings, administer the GSS attendance policy, and conduct roll call votes.
Oversee the coordination of all official communications of the GSS including but not limited to print, electronic media, and maintenance of the GSS website.
Annually compile a list of all graduate student organizations and maintain regular communication with those organizations.
Record and distribute minutes for general body meetings.
Organize a regular program of social events designed to bring graduate students together and highlight GSS programs, policy initiatives, and other matters that may be of interest to the wider community.
Work to foster a sense of graduate community by increasing the profile and relevance of GSS to the graduate student body through social programming.
Serve on the Post Publishing Board
Perform additional duties consistent with the office of Vice President as directed by the Executive Council and the GSS body.
Serve as Chair of the Governance committee and meet all requirement and responsibilities with respect to the formation and operation of Governance committee (Chapter 8).
Coordinate the Outstanding Graduate Faculty award as directed by the President.
2.05 Duties of the Treasurer
Oversee all financial matters of the GSS and provide reports at all GSS Executive Council and GBM.
Coordinate the drafting and submission of a yearly budget with the Executive Council
Identify external resources from which GSS could solicit funds from when necessary
Provide the current budget balance as part of their report at every general body meeting. The Treasurer must state, “The remaining balance of our budget is (the remaining amount) and that number is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.”
Handle all GSS discretionary purchases in accordance with R&P and Ohio University’s financial policies
Serve as the Chair of the Budget Committee and meet all requirements and responsibilities with respect to the formation and operation of Budget committee (Chapter 8).
Handle all matters related to the Original Work Grant and Travel Awards and coordinate with administrators and Budget committee, to ensure proper deliverance of the grants.
Serve on the following university bodies: Facilities and Planning Advisory Council
Perform additional duties consistent with the office of Treasurer as directed by the Executive Council and the GSS body.
Coordinate the internal GSS committees on GSS awards.
Serve as the Chair and meet all requirements and responsibilities with respect to the formation and operation of Orientation, Training and Engagement Committee in collaborating with the VP regarding the training in 2.04 section b subsection ii (Chapter 8 section 8)
2.07 Executive Council
The Executive Council shall be chaired by the Vice President
The Executive Council shall:
Notify the graduate student body of vacant positions within ten days of vacancy.
Evaluate and endorse applications for vacant positions of College Senators, Commissioners, standing committee Chairs, and Department Representatives.
Sponsor resolutions to ratify membership positions in the GSS body.
Create staff positions necessary to aid in the operation and administration of GSS.
Assist the President in formation and dissolution of special or standing committees.
Appoint GSS members to various GSS and/or Ohio University committees.
Determine the dates, times, and locations of general meetings of the GSS body for each semester at least one calendar month prior to the beginning of each semester.
Evaluate, either directly or through a special committee, accusations of misconduct by GSS members and recommend sanction(s) where appropriate.
2.08 Executive Staff
Executive Staff shall refer to the positions created and appointed by the Executive Council as needed to aid in the operation and administration of the GSS.
2.09 Vacancy of the Presidency
If there is a vacancy in the office of President, the order of succession shall be: Vice President, Treasurer.
If an official vacancy of the President occurs prior to the first meeting of the academic school year, the person who received the second most votes for that position in the election shall receive the duties. If no person from the election cycle can fill the role, then refer to rule 2.09b, c, d.
If no Executive Position is able or willing to fill the vacancy, the Vice President of the GSS shall conduct an election to select a Senator, Commissioner, or Department Representative by a plurality of ballots cast by the general body of the GSS. The elected member will be inducted and immediately assume the responsibilities of the office of President.
If no Senator, Commissioner, or Department Representative is able or willing to fill the vacancy, an appointed member of the GSS shall send official notification to the entire graduate student population within ten days of the vacancy and seek appropriate candidates in accordance with Article IV of the Constitution.
Candidates for the vacant position shall be selected in accordance with Article IV Section A of the Constitution and shall immediately assume the responsibilities of the respective office.
Applications for President must include a list of names equal to 20% of current GSS membership who affirm the applicant is qualified to run for an Executive Position. This list is to be verified by the current Executive board.
2.10 Vacancy of the Vice Presidency
If there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, a voting member shall be elected by a plurality of ballots cast by the general body of the GSS to fill the Vice President position and shall immediately assume the responsibilities of the office of Vice President.
If no voting member is able or willing to fill the vacancy, the Executive Council shall send official notification to the entire graduate student population within ten days of the vacancy and seek appropriate candidates.
A candidate shall then be elected by a plurality of ballots cast by the general body of the GSS and shall immediately assume the responsibilities of the respective office of Vice President.
If an official vacancy of the Vice President occurs prior to the first meeting of the academic school year, the person who received the second most votes for that position in the election shall receive the duties. If no person from the election cycle can fill the role, then refer to rule 2.10(a).
Applications for Vice President must include a list of names equal to 20% of current GSS membership who affirm the applicant is qualified to run for an Executive Position. This list is to be verified by the current Executive board.
2.11 Executive Evaluation
An internal review of each executive member (President, Vice President and Treasurer) is to be conducted at approximately half-way through each semester.
The evaluation is designed to provide constructive criticism for the executive members to better serve graduate students.
The evaluation process will be conducted by a subcommittee of governance committee members.
The subcommittee should have a minimum of three members; executive members are not permitted to serve on this subcommittee.
The evaluation will include but not limited to a self-evaluation, evaluation from other executive members and evaluation from general body members.
The evaluation may be done through Qualitrics or other methods as determined by governance
Governance will determine the best method of presenting the results, as analyzed by the subcommittee or the GSS advisor, to each executive member prior to presenting to all GSS members at a general body meeting (advisable during an executive session)
Appendix E serves as a starting template of the evaluation.
