Section 1:
The official name of this group shall be the Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science Council of Graduate Students (CEMS-CGS).
Section 2:
The group shall operate as a non-profit organization.
Section 3:
The group shall abide by the applicable rules and policies of the University of
Minnesota pertaining to student groups.
Section 4:
This group shall exist for the following purposes:
a. To represent the interests of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (CEMS) graduate students to the CEMS faculty.
b. To foster bi-directional communication between faculty and students in the CEMS department.
c. To provide an interface between the University wide Council of Graduate Students (COGS) and CEMS graduate students.
Section 1:
Membership is open to all students, faculty, and staff at the University of Minnesota.
Section 2:
Voting membership is open to all graduate students in the CEMS department
(students seeking a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering and Materials
Science).
Section 3:
Membership is open to all CEMS graduate students without regard to race,
religion, color, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, creed,
marital status, public assistance status, or sexual orientation.
Section 4:
All officers must be graduate students within CEMS and have served as Council
members (See Article IV). Further, all officers must be currently enrolled
students at the University of Minnesota and registered for at least six
credits. Exceptions to the requirement are permitted for graduate students who
are actively pursuing a degree as long as the student’s status can be verified
by the Director of Graduate Studies of the student’s department.
Section 5:
Any member/officer may be impeached for misconduct (misconduct includes but is
not limited to a failure to perform duties, a lack of attendance, or misuse of
funds). The member/officer shall be given a seven day notice and an opportunity
to defend him/herself. This impeachment vote shall require a 2/3 majority vote
of the voting membership.
Section 1:
The Officers shall consist of the Chair, the Vice-Chair, the Secretary, and the
Communications Officer.
Section 2:
All officers must be graduate students within CEMS and have served as Council
members (See Article IV).
Section 3:
Officers shall be selected during the next meeting following the election and
shall serve for a period of one year. Officers should be elected by plurality
of the voting members.
Section 4:
The duties of the officers are as follows:
a. Chair - Preside over all meetings of the group and set the agenda. Act as official representative of the group at other meetings and events. The Chair or his/her designate are the only individuals authorized to speak on behalf of the CEMS-CGS with the CEMS faculty.
b. Vice Chair - Preside at meetings of the group in the absence of the Chair. Succeed the Chair if the Chair was unable to complete his/her term of office. Coordinator of committees.
c. Secretary/Treasurer -- Record and produce minutes of all meetings. Handle the group's correspondence and finances.
d.Communications Officer – Maintain CEMS-CGS webpage and aid in communications to the CEMS department.
e. First-Year Liaison – Represents the needs of first-year graduate students. Recruits first-year graduate students to participate in CEMS-CGS activities. Helps with planning of other activities.
Section 1:
The Council consists of a minimum of two CEMS graduate students from the first,
second and third year classes, and a minimum of two from the combined fourth
and senior classes, based on the date of admission to the department. the total
membership of the Council will be limited to twenty.
Section 2:
Council members shall be selected in a February election meeting. Council
members shall be elected by plurality of the voting members.
Section 3:
Council members are expected to attend all CEMS-CGS meetings (Section VI). If
unable to attend a meeting, the Council member is expected to send an
alternate. A repeated failure to attend meetings or designate an alternate is
grounds for impeachment at the discretion of the membership.
Section 1:
There are no standing committees. The Council may establish ad hoc committees to
carry out special assignments.
Section 1:
Meetings shall be held at the call of the Chair or his/her designate. Special
meetings may be called by a petition of three members of the Council or by a
petition of 5% of CEMS graduate students (i.e. eligible voting members).
Section 2:
Meetings shall be held at least once every two months.
Section 3:
A quorum shall be present in order to conduct official business of the
organization. A quorum shall consist of 50% plus one of the current Council
membership.
Section 4:
Decisions of the club shall be enacted by a majority vote (50% plus one) of the
voting membership present at an official meeting.
Section 1:
The group shall not provide monetary gain, incidentally or otherwise to its
directors or membership. This does not restrict the payment of reimbursements to
the membership by the group for services rendered or items purchased for group
use/consumption.
Section 2:
Unless otherwise specified by the membership at the time of dissolution of the
group, all residual assets shall be distributed to the Department of Chemical
Engineering and Materials Science (U of MN).
Section 1:
By-laws may be proposed by the Council and may be adopted by a majority of the
voting membership at any meeting
Section 1:
Amendments to the constitution may be proposed by any member of the Council.
Section 2:
Duly proposed amendments shall be submitted to a vote of the voting members
provided a quorum is present. A two-thirds majority vote in favor shall be
required for adoption of such amendments.