Article I - Name

The name of the organization will be the New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service Student Association (WSA).

Article II - Purpose

The Association shall be the student government of the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. Its purposes are as follows:

1. to act as a channel for expression of student ideas and opinions;
2. to provide a medium of communication among students of the school;
3. to serve as a liaison between students and administration and faculty.

Article III - Membership

All registered students at the New York University Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service are hereby declared members of this organization.

Article IV - Officers

Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be: president, vice president for administration, vice president for public affairs, secretary, treasurer, senator and ombudsperson.
Section 2. All officers shall be elected as provided in the By Laws and continue in office for one academic year or until their successors are elected and installed.
Section 3. No member shall hold the same office for more than two successive years.
Section 4. No member may hold more than one office at any one time.

Section 1. The president shall serve as the official voice of the Wagner Student Association. The President shall preside over and conduct meetings; shall appoint all committees and be an ex-officio member thereof. The President shall make all appointments of committee members and student representative to University Committees, School and Programs Committees and appropriate Councils. The President shall nominate the Chair people of ad hoc committees subject to approval by a majority vote of the Executive Board.
Section 2. The vice president for administration shall assume the office of the president if for any reason the president resigns or is removed from office. The vice president shall perform the duties of the president in the temporary absence of the president. The vice president shall accept special assignments to assist the president in the day to day administration of the association. This VP will develop and chair the Program Committee for the WSA. In addition, this VP will serve as one member of the Appropriations Committee.
Section 3. The vice president for public affairs shall provide publicity for all meetings and special events of the association. The vice president shall oversee all communication functions of the association. This VP will develop and chair the Publicity Committee for the WSA. In addition, this VP will serve as one member of the Elections Committee, if not running for office in the next year.
Section 4. The treasurer shall keep and maintain the financial records of the organization. The treasurer shall provide the Executive Board with monthly balance sheets and financial statements and any other pertinent data upon request. The treasurer shall assist the president in drawing up the budget. The treasurer shall make such information available to all members of the association. The treasurer will develop and chair the appropriations committee.
Section 5. The secretary shall record attendance at all meetings; take minutes of all meetings and maintain records. The secretary shall provide correspondences when requested by the Executive Board. The Secretary can serve on the Elections Committee, if requested by the president and if not funning for office in the next year. In addition, it is the responsibility of the secretary to initiate the yearly By Law review process , and to coordinate the process of recommending changes, as needed, as outlined in the By Laws.
Section 6. The Senator shall serve as the liaison to the University Senate, Student Senators Council and the University Committee on Student Life. The senator shall be responsible for keeping the Association informed of all matters before the councils on which they serve. The senator is also responsible for communication the wishes of the students of the Graduate School of Public Service to the policy making councils.
Section 7. The ombudsperson serves as a resource for Wagner students, to provide an unbiased person to assist students as needed.

Section 1. The executive Board shall consist of the officers of the Association as listed under Article IV, not including the ombusdperson.
Section 2. The executive board shall have the power to transact the general business of the association subject to the approval of the members.
Section 3. The executive board shall meet as it deems necessary. the president has the authority to call any additional meetings of the board.
Section 4. Two thirds of the members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No one person on this board shall cast more than one vote at board meetings.

Article VII - Meetings

There shall be at least one general meeting per month during the scheduled classes from September to May inclusive. This meeting shall be the business meeting of the association and all matters pertaining to the functioning of the association shall be taken up at this meeting. This meeting will be open to the general membership of the association.

Article VIII - Quorum

Quorum is to be determined by the executive board by the second general business meeting.

Article IX - Amendments

Any proposed amendment to the constitution must be submitted in writing the executive board and read to the members at the general meeting of the association at least four weeks before being voted upon. The amendment shall be voted upon four weeks after the initial presentation at a general meeting. This constitution may be amended at the next general meeting.

BYLAWS

Section 1. The election of the officers shall be held during the last week on April and the newly elected officers shall be installed at the May meeting.
Section 2. At the February meeting the president shall appoint a chairperson of the elections committee.
Section 3. At the March meeting, the elections committee shall announce all rules and regulations governing the elections process.
Section 4. Each candidate shall be given a copy of the election rules at least four weeks before the election.
Section 5. The ballot will include space for write-in candidates for each office. A write -in candidate must receive a total vote of at least 10% of the total number of people voting to be elected.
Section 6. Results of the elections will be posted within three days of the last day of the election.
Section 7. Any persons who wish to raise an appeal to the elections committee must contact the Chairperson of the committee in writing within 5 school days following the date of the posting. Election results become official after the appeal period.
Section 8. The elections committee shall rule on all appeals involving the election.
Section 9. In the event that there is a tie between two candidates, the incumbent board shall call a general meeting for the purpose of breaking the tie. The election will be decided by a majority vote of those present.
Section 10. For each office, a plurality of votes is needed to elect each officer.

Article II - Quorum

A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the executive board and one third of the active membership of the Association. The active membership shall be determined by the board. Based upon attendance at the first general meeting, the board will estimate the number of people who will be attending meetings and participating in the association. The quorum shall be reconsidered and voted upon at the beginning of the second semester by the executive board.

Article III - Budget Procedures

Section 1. The executive board shall prepare and negotiate a proposed budget. The treasurer shall prepare the final budget which shall be adopted by the general membership.
Section 2. The budget shall be broken down into a set of defined goals which the executive board has determined it would like to accomplish during the academic year. Each goal shall then be translated into a set of activities to be implemented accordingly.
Section 3. Each student committee, or organization, shall be allocated a base among as determined by the executive board. Each student  committee shall receive funding through WSA if it submits a budget to the Treasurer on a timely basis and fulfills the requirements on a timely basis and fulfills the requirements as defined in Section 5. For funding purposes, each student organization is considered a subcommittee of the Wagner Student Association.
Section 4. Any student committee which requests funds shall submit to the treasurer an activities budget which should be itemized. Each activity shall coincide with the established goals of the administration.
Section 5. Each student committee shall have a chairperson and eight (8) active members, and each student committee should be registered with the Office of Student Activities. Each student committee shall send a representative of its membership to the WSA general meeting each month. This representative should briefly report to the WSA on the activities of the committee, and serve to convey information on the WSA back to the student committee. (Committees here are defined as student groups which receive full or partial funding from WSA). This attendance at WSA meetings is considered a requirement of the funding process, as outlined in Section 3. This representative should not be a current WSA officer.
Section 6. The executive board shall meet within two weeks of the fall semester to set priorities for the budget; the proposed budget shall be submitted by the treasurer to the executive board for negotiation; copies of the proposed budget shall be made available to the general membership before the second general business meeting. A final budget shall be submitted to the general membership at the second general business meeting and a vote for the adoption shall be taken at this time; student committees shall submit their budgets to the treasurer prior to the second general business meeting, these stipulations apply to both the Fall and Spring semesters. WSA will vote on the budget at a general meeting in the first two weeks of October. Student groups will submit a budget to the WSA within 14 days of the first day of Fall semester classes at the Wagner School. An activities budget may be submitted at any time during the semester.
Section 7. As small contingency fund will be developed in the WSA budget, this will allow for minimal funding for new groups that begin later in the academic year. Minimal costs include funding to cover publicity as a group organizes, etc.

Article IV - Resignations

If the president of the association resigns or is removed from office, the vice president for administration shall become president. If any officer other than the president resigns or is removed, the president shall immediately nominate a candidate to fulfill the vacant office subject to a majority vote of the executive board.

Article V - Impeachment

The officers of the association can be removed from their positions for misconduct in office, gross incompetence, or violations of University regulations. Impeachment proceedings may be initiated by a member of the executive board in writing at least 4 four weeks before the executive board examines the matter and presents it at an all student meeting. The executive board shall carefully examine all available facts and information, and render decisions on such matters. A two-thirds vote of the executive board is necessary to remove an officer.

Article VI - Review of Bylaws

These By Laws shall be reviewed yearly and amended or revised when necessary (Last reviewed in Spring 1995. The full text of Constitution and By Laws is available on disk from Associate Dean Ellen Lovitz).

Article VII - Amendments

Any amendments or revisions must be submitted to the Association at least four weeks before a vote is to take place. A majority of all members present at any one meeting is necessary to amend these By Laws.

Article VIII - Ratification

The By Laws shall be published for the members at least (4) four weeks before they are to be voted on. A majority vote of all those present at a regular meeting shall ratify this document.

Article IX - Committees and Appointments

Section 1. The president shall appoint interested individuals to fulfill the responsibilities of the following positions. Appointed positions are not limited to these and may be expanded upon deemed necessary by the executive board.

• Saturday Liaison - should be a Saturday student. Will have the responsibility to convey student concerns to the WSA, and convey WSA happenings to the Saturday students.
• Coordinator of Alumni Affairs - serve as liaison to the Wagner School Alumni Association, including attending Alumni Association Meetings, and working with the Career Services Office on activities to link alumni and students.
• Elections Commissioner - to be appointed at the January general meeting. Will chair the Elections Committee. This position can be filled by the current Secretary of the VP for Public Affairs or other appointed students. Will be responsible , with the committees, for developing an elections timetable, announcing available positions, setting up elections, and overseeing the voting process.
• Faculty Student Representatives - the president will appoint six students to serve as the Faculty Student Representatives. These students should represent as many of the curricular areas at the Wagner School as possible. They will attend faculty meetings, convey the opinions of the WSA and Wagner students to the faculty and report on faculty meetings as appropriate to the WSA. In any academic year, this group will also have the ability to select an area or areas of interest to pursue for change and development on the school level.
• Career Student Services Committee Member

Section 2. WSA standing committees can include by are not limited to:

• Program Committee, chaired by VP of administration
• Publicity Committee, chaired by VP of Public Affairs
• Appropriations Committee, chaired by the treasurer. The membership of three shall include the chair, VP of administration, and one student not currently an officer of the WSA, appointed by the president.
• Elections Committee, membership should include the VP for Public Affairs, who may chair the committee, it can also include the Secretary. The committee will be composed of three people, and the remaining members will be students who are not currently members of the WSA executive board, and are not running for office. They will be appointed by the president.

Annual Report (Adopted May, 1997. Effective beginning with the 1997-98 academic year.)

Annual Report - The WSA shall publish an Annual Report of its activities and the activities of its affiliated student organizations at the end of each academic year. Parties The WSA will produce and distribute the Annual Report.  All organizations and individuals receiving WSA funds for the academic year of the report must contribute to the report to the extent detailed below. Contents Each Annual Report will contain the following:

1. A detailed summary of the activities of WSA and WSA-funded organizations, events, and individuals during the academic year.
2. A detailed accounting of the expenditures of WSA and WSA-funded organizations, events, and individuals for the academic year.
3. Names and contact information for each member of the incoming WSA administration.
4. Names and contact information for the leader(s) of each WSA-funded student organization or event for the next academic year.
5. The WSA Constitution.
6. The procedure for establishing new, WSA-funded student organizations.

Distribution The Annual Report will be distributed to all matriculated students and made available to faculty, administration, staff, and alumni at or near the conclusion of the spring semester. The Annual Report will be distributed to all incoming students in the fall semester via their orientation packet.