Agricultural and Biological Engineering Graduate Student Association
Date Prepared: 6/10/2020
Date(s) Amended:
PREAMBLE
The Agricultural and Biological Engineering Graduate Student Association is an organization that consists of students engaging in research or pursuing an advanced degree in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. The organization focuses on social interactions, professional development, recruitment and mentoring of students at a departmental level.
ARTICLE I – Name
The name of this organization is the Agricultural and Biological Engineering Graduate Student Association, hereafter referred to as “ABE GSA”.
ARTICLE II – Purpose of the Organization
Section A. Purpose
The purpose of the ABE GSA is to provide ABE graduate students with opportunities that enhance and enrich their graduate career at Purdue.
The objectives of ABE GSA are as follows:
1. To foster a sense of community among the ABE graduate students through the development of a social network.
2. To aid in the professional growth of ABE graduate students.
3. To recruit new graduate students to the ABE department at Purdue and mentor them from their admittance.
4. To assist with the identification and nomination of graduate students to various departmental, college and university committees/functions.
ARTICLE III – Membership
Section A. Membership Eligibility
Membership in the ABE GSA shall be open to all graduate students in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University. Membership will automatically be granted upon enrollment in the Agricultural and Biological Engineering graduate program and terminated upon graduation or upon completion of graduate study in ABE.
The advisor of the ABE GSA shall be a nonstudent member of the organization, with all rights and privileges therein, except for the right to vote or hold office.
Section B. Selection of Members
N/A
Non‐Discrimination Statement
Membership and participation are free from discrimination on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran.
Anti‐Hazing Statement
All forms of hazing are prohibited by Purdue University both on and off campus. See the “Policy Against Hazing” here (https://www.purdue.edu/studentregulations/student_organizations/hazing.html).
Article IV ‐ Organization Officers and Election Procedure
Section A. List of Officers by title
• President
• Vice President
• Treasurer
• Secretary
• Recruitment Chair
• PGSG Senator
• Social Chair(s)
• Professional Development Chair(s)
All positions require election.
Section B. Eligibility
All graduate students in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University are eligible to become officers.
Section C. Length of Officer Term
All officers shall be elected annually and serve a one-year term starting on April 7th and ending the following April 7th.
Section D. Election Procedure
Nominations for all elected officers will be collected starting early-March, via the nomination survey. Nominees can reject their nomination. A list of nominees and the ballot will be distributed to all current members at least two weeks prior to elections (mid-March).
Officers must be elected by a majority of members voting in the election and ballots may be cast via the election survey. Only nominees stated prior to the elections shall be listed on the ballot. No write-ins are allowed. Candidates receiving the majority vote must accept the position, orally or written, before they assume office.
A tie will be handled with a majority vote that is casted by the new officers that have already accepted their position.
Section E. Appointment Procedures
N/A
Section F. Officer Removal
Any ABE GSA member may call for the removal of an officer from the executive committee by submitting a written request to the President (if the President is the officer in question, the request is to be submitted to the advisor).
The President (or advisor) will send a warning letter discussing the matter to the officer in question. If a second request for removal is made, the executive committee (minus the officer in question) will vote upon the removal of the officer. A three-fourths vote by the executive committee is required for the removal of an officer.
Section G. Officer Vacancy
In the event of a vacancy, the President will recommend a replacement. If the vacant office is President, the Vice President will assume the role of President and recommend a replacement for Vice President. The person that is recommended as the replacement must accept the position orally or written, before they assume office. All persons filling vacancies will be confirmed with a majority vote by the executive committee.
ARTICLE V ‐ Advisor
The advisor for the ABE GSA will always be the current head of the Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department. There will only be one advisor for the organization at a given time. Advisors may not vote or hold office in the organization. In case of vacancies, the interim department head will assume the role of advisor.
ARTICLE VI ‐ Officers and Duties
Section A. President
The President, as an elected officer, (1) will preside over all meetings, including elections; (2) will be responsible for creating the agendas for these meetings as well as maintaining order during the meetings; (3) act as a communication liaison; (4) complete the final / end of the year report; (5) register the organization through BoilerLink and SAO; (6) will also serve as the ABE representative for the College of Engineering Graduate Student Advisory Council
Section B. Treasurer
The Treasurer, as an elected officer, (1) is responsible for managing the finances including approving activity budgets and submitting reimbursement paperwork; (2) keep accounts, deposit the organization’s funds, and make expenditures in a manner approved by the Business Office for Student Organizations; (3) maintain accurate financial records and create a budget; (4) create a budget and activity report for submission to the College of Engineering each year
Section C. Vice President
The Vice President, as an elected officer, (1) is second in command and will fulfill the President’s duties when the President is unable to do so; (2) is responsible for the ABE GSA mentoring program; (3) assisting the President; (4) submitting the Student Organization Event Planning Form for every scheduled event
Section D. Secretary
The Secretary, as an elected officer, (1) maintain and distribute meeting minutes and any official records, such as committee applications; (2) assist the Vice President with the mentoring program and the Treasurer with the annual budget report; (3) send emails to communicate with the ABE graduate student body
Section E. Recruitment Chair
The Recruitment Chair, as an elected officer, (1) helps to recruit prospective graduate students to the ABE Department; (2) act as the liaison when obtaining graduate student judges for undergraduate capstone projects
Section F. PGSG Senator
The Purdue Graduate Student Government (PGSG) Senator, as an elected officer, (1) engages with administrators to communicate what can be done to advance the graduate student experience at Purdue; (2) serve as the College of Agriculture Graduate Student Advisory Board representative for ABE; (3) attend PGSG Senate meetings
Section G. Social Chair(s)
The Social Chair(s), as an elected officer, (1) responsible for the planning and implementation of all social events. Social activities should be approved by the ABE GSA executive committee prior to promotion and implementation of those activities; (2) receive approval from the Treasurer for all activity expenses and submit a completed Student Organization Event Planning Form to the Vice President three weeks prior to any social event; (3) must also develop initiatives to encourage participation
Section H. Professional Development Chair(s)
The Professional Development (PD) Chair(s), as an elected officer, (1) responsible for the planning and implementation of all professional development events. Professional development activities should be approved by the ABE GSA executive committee prior to promotion and implementation of those activities; (2) organize and host PD Seminars and coordinate the ABE GSA Industrial Research Symposium
Section I. Other Committee Representatives
The following positions, listed below, will need to be occupied by an ABE GSA board member. Officers will first be allowed to volunteer for these positions. If no one volunteers, an election process will be conducted by the executive board members. Nominations will be accepted, and nominees have the option to reject. A candidate will be elected if they receive a majority vote from the board members that are not on the ballot.
• College of Agriculture Student Communications Committee
• College of Agriculture Grade Appeals Committee
Article VII ‐ Meetings
Executive committee meetings will be led by the President and will occur bi-weekly. The exact date, location, and time of the meeting will be established by the executive committee at the beginning of the Fall semester. This is to ensure that everyone can attend the meeting and that it does not conflict with other responsibilities. Quorum for these meetings is defined as 80% of the officer team.
ARTICLE VIII ‐ Constitutional Amendments
Amendments to the ABE GSA Constitution and Bylaws may be proposed through submission to the president in writing during the academic year. All members can propose an amendment. The proposed amendment will then be subsequently distributed among members for review. Distribution will occur via email while nominations for officers are being collected (early-March).
At the end of each academic year, all proposed amendments will be voted on through the nomination ballot. A section at the end of the nomination ballot will be decided to amendment voting. Approval of an amendment to the ABE GSA Constitution and Bylaws shall require a majority vote of all ABE GSA members to pass. Amendments to the Bylaws may not conflict with the Constitution.
Amendment Clause
All amendments to the constitution and bylaws are subject to the approval of the Office of Student Activities and Organizations. They MAY NOT take effect until they have been approved.
ARTICLE IX – Dissolution
Dissolution will be decided after the executive committee consults the organization’s advisor and 80% of the executive committee still favors for dissolution. Dissolution will be voted on at the end of the academic year. Approval for dissolution of the ABE GSA shall require a majority vote of all ABE GSA members to pass. Unspent funds or property of the organization will be donated to another recognized organization, Purdue department, or a 501(c)(3). The unspent funds or property will be donated to an organization chosen by the executive committee.