Preamble

We, the members of the History Graduate Student Association, do hereby establish and ordain this Constitution in order to carry out our purposes to the fullest extent.

Article I

The name of this organization shall be "The History Graduate Student Association," henceforth HGSA.

Article II

1) The HGSA is established for the expressed purpose of fostering an academic and social community among the graduate students of the Department of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.

2) The HGSA understands and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities of abiding by University of Maryland, College Park policies.

Article III

1) Active membership shall be open to any person officially connected with the University of Maryland, College Park, who are registered graduate students in the Department of History at the University of Maryland, College Park. Students enrolled in the in the MA, PhD, and HiLS programs, as well as Advanced Special Students, are eligible for membership.

2) Annual dues, the amount of which is to be determined each year by the incoming president in consultation with the other officers of the HGSA, shall be collected during the Fall Semester.

3) The HGSA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, personal appearance, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

Article IV

1) The HGSA will be governed by four executive officers: An elected President, who will serve as chief executive and liaison with the Director of Graduate Studies, two Vice Presidents, who will serve as the president's deputies, and a Secretary-Treasurer who will handle all dues and accounts.

2) The HGSA shall also elect members to serve on committees in the Department of History.

3) The Student Interest Liaison (SIL) is to act as a representative on behalf of graduate student concerns regarding the history department, specifically as regards our labor as TAs, GAs, readers, lecturers, students, and those on fellowship. The SIL will be tasked with facilitating actions to address concerns of the graduate community, coordinating with HGSA members and other departments when appropriate. The SIL shall be assisted by an open committee consisting of any interested HGSA member. The SIL will be elected by the members of HGSA and is answerable to the President and Vice Presidents.

4) Each year one member shall be chosen, either by election, volunteering, or appointment by the President, to serve as Webmaster of the HGSA web site and moderator of the HGSA email listserve.

5) Committees for special purposes shall be assembled on an ad hoc basis by the HGSA

Article V

1) Elections: All enrolled as graduate students in University of Maryland department of history, which includes all PhD, MA, HiLS, and Advanced Special Students, shall be eligible to vote.

2) All elections will be held on an annual basis during the latter half of the Spring Semester. A special election will be held to fill any vacancies in the four executive offices (President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer). Committee vacancies created during the semester will be filled by the President. Voting will be by secret ballot.

3) Removal: Any officer of the HGSA in violation of the purpose of the organization may be removed from office by the following process: Written request by at least three members of the organization, written notification to the officer of the request, asking the officer to be present at the next meeting and prepared to speak. A 2/3 majority vote is necessary to remove the officer. Voting shall be held in the same manner as elections for officers, by secret ballot.

4) Meetings: The President shall preside over all meetings, and determine rules for procedure. He will follow these suggested guidelines: attendance, report by the president, committee reports, votes on motions, business set forth by members of the organization, dismissal.

Article VI

1) The HGSA will finance the activities it engages in by the following means: Membership dues; Grant proposals for specific events; Requests for funding for specific events to the Graduate Student Government at the University of Maryland, College Park; Fundraising events put on by the HGSA at the officers' and members' discretion.

2) Annually, the HGSA shall submit a budget to the Student Government Association Finance Committee or Graduate Student Government Finance Committee and request funding appropriate to the effective operation of the organization.

Article VII

1) The constitution is binding to all members of the HGSA, but is not binding unto itself.

2) Amendments may be proposed in writing by any dues paying member.

3) Amendments will be placed on the agenda for the next regular HGSA meeting. A 2/3 vote is required to amend the constitution.