Senator Responsibilities

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Written by Director of Elections Recruitment | 23 October 2010
Posted in GPSS Main - GPSS Senate

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Welcome to GPSS!

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is the official voice of the graduate and professional student body at the University of Southern California. Elected Executive Board officers, senators (department/school representatives) and committees tackle issues specific to graduate and professional students and provide venues for interaction beyond the academic realm. Our funding comes from your programming fees ($ 31 per student per semester). We use this money to provide advocacy, to program social, academic, and community service events and to fund recognized student organizations throughout the year.

As a GPSS Senator you attend all GPSS Senate Meetings, participate on a GPSS Committee, and speak for all the constituents in your department/school and act as a liaison between your department/school and the GPSS executive board. Your responsibilities are set by the GPSS Constitution and GPSS Bylaws.

Your position as Senator is very important. It is necessary for you to attend Senate Meetings to ensure that your department/school is represented in important campus decisions. Failure to fulfill your responsibilities can result in your impeachment and your department’s/school’s loss of funds. The GPSS executive board is empowered by the GPSS Constitution and Bylaws to suspend a department’s/school’s access to funds after the department’s/school’s Senator fails to attend two Senate Meetings during the academic year.

Please also note that while Senators are expected to fulfill all of their mandated responsibilities GPSS understands and acknowledges that Senators are students first and works to help Senators find ways to balance their academic responsibilities and their GPSS responsibilities. If concerns about fulfilling your responsibilities ever arise please contact the Elections and Recruitment Director: gpsser@usc.edu

SENATOR RESPONSIBILITIES

GPSS BYLAWS SECTION 6
SENATE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6.1 Senate Duties and Responsibilities

Each departmental and/or school representative to the Graduate and Professional Student Senate is obliged to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:

·         Attends all Senate meetings.

·         Obtains an electronic mail address from University computing services.

·         Disseminates with due diligence all communications between GPSS and their department/school.

·         Acts as a liaison between their department/school and GPSS.

·         Actively pursues the interests of their department/school.

·         Familiarizes self with their constituents and is accessible to them.

·         Familiarizes self with GPSS Constitution and Bylaws.

6.2 Addition

In addition to the aforementioned obligations, each Senate Member is required to adhere closely to section 3.1 of the GPSS Constitution.

GPSS CONSTITUTION SECTION 3 SENATE
3.1 Responsibilities

3.1.1 Establishing Policies and Procedures

The Senate establishes the policies and procedures for GPSS through the following responsibilities to:

·         Serve as a forum for graduate and professional student interaction

·         Elect the GPSS Executive Board

·         Approve the GPSS budget

·         Make resolutions expressing graduate and professional student concern

·         Amend the Constitution and Bylaws in a judicious manner.

·         Designate a proxy to attend Senate and committee meetings in the event the regular senator(s) is/are unable to attend.

·         Serve on at least one GPSS standing committee or University-wide committee.

3.1.2 Failure to Perform Duties
Senators who repeatedly fail to perform their duties or abuse their office for personal ends may be removed by two-thirds vote of the Senate. A senator must be given notice of an intended motion of removal at least four days before the meeting where the vote will be held. Senators may also be removed by the constituencies that elected them, according to the procedures of the constituency.

 

STEP–BY–STEP GUIDE FOR NEW SENATORS

Now that you have read the official language regarding your Senator responsibilities here is the practical information that you need to know packaged in a convenient step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Become an Official GPSS Senator

After you are selected by your school/department please complete and return the Senator Information Form attached so that GPSS can officially acknowledge you as a Senator and add your e-mail addresses to the Senate listserv - you will receive information about upcoming Senate meetings via the listserv. Select Proxies who can attend Senate Meetings in your absence to ensure that your department/school is represented and does not lose access to funds.

Step 2: Prepare to Attend Senate Meetings

GPSS Senate Meetings take place the last Monday of each month during the academic calendar year.  The schedule of Senate Meetings will be located on the Senator page of the GPSS website: The GPSS President also sends out a reminder before each Senator Meeting. If you cannot attend the Senate Meeting you can send a proxy in your place. If you need to send a proxy who is not listed on your Senator Information Form or if no proxy can attend in your place please contact the Elections and Recruitment Chair: gpsser@usc.edu. GPSS seeks to work with you to make sure that your department/school is always represented so please feel free to contact us anytime!

Step 3: Prepare to Participate in a GPSS Committee

As a senator you are required to attend Senate Meetings and serve on a GPSS committee. Contact committee chairs for specific information about how to join their committee, and what type participation is required (i.e.: online submissions, monthly meetings, conference calls, etc).

Step 4: Learn More about GPSS

Take another look at the GPSS website, Constitution, and the Bylaws to familiarize yourself with the inner-workings of GPSS. If you have any questions contact the GPSS Executive Board at gpss@usc.edu! The GPSS office is located in the Ronald Tutor Campus Center. You can visit GPSS Executive Board Members at their office hours throughout the week.

 

 

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