CONSTITUTION OF THE FORESTRY GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW BRUNSWICK
As amended February 2006
ARTICLE 1: Name.
Section 1. The name of the association shall be the Forestry Graduate Student
Association of the University of New Brunswick.
Section 2. The association may be referred to as the F G.S.A.
ARTICLE 2: Objectives.
Section 1. The Graduate Forestry Student Association shall represent the graduate
student body of the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management to
the administrative and governing bodies of the University of New
Brunswick, student organizations, other universities, and other
organizations on matters affecting graduate forestry students.
Section 2. The Association shall promote and facilitate social interaction among
forestry graduate students.
ARTICLE 3: Membership.
The membership shall consist of all graduate students enrolled in the
Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management who have paid the
GSA membership fee.
ARTICLE 4: Finance.
Upon the treasurer’s proposal, the Executive shall be responsible for the approval
of expenditures. Expenditures must be approved by 3/5 of executive members at
an executive meeting, of which one must be the president.
ARTICLE 5: Government.
Section 1. The governing body of the F G.S.A. shall be the Executive, which shall
consist of:
1. President
2. Vice-President
3. Secretary
4. Treasurer
5. Social Secretary
Section 2. The powers and responsibilities of the Executive shall be defined in the
by-laws of the F.G.S.A.
ARTICLE 6: Meetings.
Section 1. An annual general meeting of F.G.S.A. membership shall be held every
year no later than December 1st.
Section 2. Special general meetings shall be called by the decision of the
Executive with 4/5 majority or by request to the Executive by 20% of the
members.
Section 3. Executive meetings shall be held at least once every month during the
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fall and winter semester and are open to all F.G. S.A. members and other
interested parties. It is the member’s responsibility to become informed of
executive meetings. Formal presentations for executive meetings must be
approved by the President seven days in advance.
Section 4. The quorum of general meetings shall be 15% of members in the
F.G. S.A.
Section 5. The quorum of Executive meetings shall be 50% +1 members of the
Executive, one of which must be the President or Vice President.
ARTICLE 7: By-Laws.
The Executive can establish and amend by-laws of the F.G. S.A. to enforce the
execution of the constitution. The following procedures may be used:
a) the proposed By-Laws of By-Law amendment shall be made public at least 7
days before voting; and
b) the proposed By-Laws of By-Law amendment shall be approved by 4/5
majority of total Executive members at an Executive meeting where a quorum
is present.
ARTICLE 8: Amendments.
This constitution shall be amended using the following procedures:
a) the proposed Constitution amendment shall be made public at least 7 days
before voting; and
b) the proposed Constitution amendment shall be approved by a simple majority
vote at a general meeting where a quorum is present.
ARTICLE 9: Voting.
Voting shall be as follows:
a) only Executive members may vote at all Executive meetings;
b) only members may vote at general meetings.
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BY-LAWS OF THE FORESTRY GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION
As amended on February 2006
BY-LAW 1: Executive.
ARTICLE 1: Members of the Executive shall:
a) initiate and recommend policies of the F.G. S.A.;
b) represent the graduate forestry student body as a liaison of the F.G. S.A. to
other governing bodies of the University of New Brunswick and to all general
correspondents;
c) prepare the agendas for Executive and general meetings
d) prepare the F.G. S.A. student budget and present it to the F.G. S.A. annual
general meeting each year and manage funds approved by the Executive.
ARTICLE 2: Duties and Responsibilities of Executive Members.
Section 1. The President shall:
a) chair the Executive and general meetings;
b) call Executive meetings;
c) coordinate activities of the Executive to carry out policies as stipulated
by the Executive;
d) present reports of the Executive activities to general meetings which
shall outline past and future activities of the Executive and the
association;
e) be a signing officer of the F.G. S.A.;
f) be responsible for representing the F.G. S.A. in external matters.
g) represent the F.G.S.A. at G.S.A. meetings
Section 2. The Vice-President shall:
a) perform all duties and responsibilities of the President in the event of
the President’s absence;
b) be a signing officer of the F.G.S.A.;
c) act as a liaison with undergraduate student forestry associations and
student associations in related disciplines;
d) work in collaboration with the Social Secretary to organize social
activities of the F.G.S.A.
e) represent the F.G.S.A. at G.S.A. meetings and be responsible for
conveying relevant G.S.A. material to the F.G.S.A.
Section 3. The Secretary shall:
a) keep the minutes of all F.G. S.A. meetings;
b) attend to all general correspondence of the F.G.S.A.
c) supervise correspondence and custody of records pertaining to the
business of the F.G.S.A.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall:
a) be responsible for receipt and custody of all monies and funds of the
F.G.S.A.;
b) prepare a budget for the association, and present it to the Executive
which will present it to the F.G.S.A.;
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c) be a signing office of the F.G.S.A.
d) represent the F.G.S.A. at G.S.A. meetings
Section 5. The Social Secretary shall:
a) be responsible for social activities of the F.G.S.A.
b) be a signing officer of the F.G.S.A.
c) represent the F.G.S.A. at G.S.A. meetings as a proxy in the event of
the President, Vice-President or Treasurer’s absence.
BY-LAW 2: Elections.
ARTICLE 1: Election of the executive.
Section 1. The President , Vice-President, Secretary, Social Secretary and
Treasurer shall be elected at the end of the winter term at least one week
prior to the start of undergraduate final examinations.
Section 2. By-elections must be held if any Executive Positions are vacant or if
positions have been filled by Executive appointees in accordance with
Section 4.
Section 3. If no candidate is nominated to fill an Executive position or an
Executive position becomes vacant during the term of office, the current
duly elected Executive may appoint a F.G. S.A. member to that position.
Any appointment shall be approved by a simple majority of the Executive
and shall be effective only until a by-election can be held at the earliest
feasible date.
ARTICLE 2: Election Rules.
Section 1. The executive shall appoint by a majority vote a non-candidate member
of the F.G.S.A. to the returning officer who shall oversee nominations,
elections, and ballot counting..
Section 2. All elections shall be voted by secret ballot and shall be decided by
simple majority of the ballots cast.
Section 3. Only F.G. S.A. members may vote in any election.
Section 4. All candidates in any election must be F.G. S.A. members and must
nominate themselves by the date and time specified to the returning
officer.
Section 5. Candidates will be permitted a time-limited campaign which may, at
most, include a brief presentation to F.G.S.A. members. Any questions
regarding the content of election campaigns are at the discretion of the
returning officer.
Section 6. The returning officer will cast a secret ballot prior and separate to the
voting box. Their vote will not be counted toward the election except in
the case of a tie, where the returning officer’s secret ballot will determine
the winner.
Section 7. Any candidates who are unsuccessful in the election will be offered the
position of member-at-large at the discretion of the executive, and will be
invited to executive meetings.
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