Ponce School of Medicine
PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences
Graduate Student Association
Article I: Mission
The Graduate Student Association (GSA) of the PhD program in Biomedical Sciences of Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico has as its purpose to provide the students with a forum for discussion of common needs, to work cooperatively with the faculty and administration, to improve our program scientifically and academically, and to develop students’ academic needs and social activities allowing the association to guide new students to academic success.
Article II: Membership
A. Eligibility of the GSA members
Active member
Students enrolled in the PhD program in Biomedical Sciences with good academic standing at the end of the first year.
Students initiated after the first year of enrollment.
Associate members
Students registered for the first time in the Ph.D. program in Biomedical Sciences.
Students that have not successfully passed all the courses registered during the first year.
B. Eligibility of the Faculty Advisor
The faculty advisor shall be selected immediately after the GSA officers have been elected.
The faculty member can resign from their position at any time.
Article III: Rights and Duties
A. Functions of the GSA
The primary function of the GSA shall be to serve as the official voice of the graduate student body. The Officers shall make recommendations on behalf of the GSA to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, and to other relevant parties for action on matters concerning graduate students.
The Officers of the GSA shall recommend to the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies candidates for student representatives on the Standing Committees of the Academic Senate. The Officers of the GSA shall directly select representatives for the PSM Student Council.
The Officers of the GSA shall assist the representatives for the Academic Senate and the Student Council with orientation, procedures and evaluations of all matters concerning the Graduate Program.
The Officers of the GSA shall conduct the election of the candidates for the subsequent GSA administration. The Officers of the GSA shall also conduct the election of representatives to the Student Council and the Academic Senate.
The GSA in combination with the external academic committee shall be responsible for the selection of the GSA Fellowship Award (Dr. Ismail Ibrahim Ali) each year for outstanding students, according to the procedures and demands put forth by this constitution. This includes candidates in good academic standing with economical needs and that have been supportive for most GSA activities.
The Officers of the GSA shall host social activities and perform community service at the discretion of the Officers, the Graduate Program, and as suggested by the Policies and Procedures Manual of the Ponce School of Medicine.
Ad hoc committees to address specific issues shall be formed at the discretion of the Officers of the GSA.
The Officers of the GSA are responsible for organizing all items concerning the GSA initiation. This procedure shall take effect no less than 4 months in advance of the scheduled time for this event.
The GSA shall look after all the monetary concerns necessary in order to support and maintain the welfare of the activities and functions of the Association.
Members of the GSA shall attend the general meetings in a compulsory manner. Absences from the meeting shall be verbally explained and justified to one of the members of the GSA officers. Non excused members will relinquish the benefits of the association.
The functions of the GSA are not limited to the items specified in this Constitution.
B. Meetings of the GSA
The GSA officers must attend to all GSA meetings and activities.
The officers of the GSA shall meet a minimum of four times each semester.
The officers shall call a general meeting with the GSA members at least twice each semester in order to discuss issues pertaining to their interest. The first meeting shall be held after the election of the GSA Assembly. The GSA members shall be required to attend the meetings of the GSA. All student members shall be notified by informal invitation of meetings dates and agenda at least one week in advance.
The officers shall meet with the GSA faculty representative of the PhD Program once during the transition period between election and initiation, and once at the beginning of the Fall Semester. Additional meetings with faculty/staff of the PhD program shall be held as required.
GSA meetings will not necessarily be held under the Robert's Rules of Order but shall be under the control of the President of the GSA or his/her designee.
All decisions conducted at the GSA general meetings shall be official if enacted by a quorum of the studentship.
C. Election of GSA members
GSA members who are in good academic standing and have been enrolled full-time for two consecutive semesters are eligible to serve as elected officers of the GSA and committee members of the Student Council and the Academic Senate.
The candidacy nomination must precede the Election Day. This nomination will be done two week’s prior to the Election Day. Each member shall receive a blank nomination sheet (Appendix 1) in which GSA active members and associate members can nominate their candidates. REMEMBER: Associate member are excluded from nomination, but THEY CAN VOTE.
One week prior to Election Day the president and officers most call for an extra-ordinary meeting with the nominated candidates. In this meeting the candidates shall present their availability for the position at which they has been nominated. Then candidates name shall be presented in a formal nomination sheet with the name and the position in which they are running.
GSA students shall receive this form at least 3 days in advance of the Election Day. In Election Day each GSA member is responsible to return the final nomination sheet with their selection to the secretary of the Dean of Graduate Studies of the Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Program of Ponce School of Medicine.
Results shall be posted at the GSA study room and by e-mail within 24 hours.
D. Duties of the Officers
President: It shall be the duty of the President to call and preside over all meetings and elections, to appoint representatives to faculty and administrative standing committees, to attend the Student Council meetings, to meet, when necessary, with the Dean, Faculty and School Administration Officers, and to report all business at GSA meetings. It shall also be the duty of the President to oversee an annual GSA community service project.
Vice-President: He/she shall, in the absence of the President, be empowered to perform any function of the President upon a majority vote of the General Assembly. It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to organize and oversee the organization of the Graduate Student Initiation and to organize and oversee all social activities regarding the GSA, including all matters of public relations. He/she shall become President if the Presidency falls vacant before a general election.
Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to oversee the finances of the GSA including all matters of fund-raising concerning, but not limited to, the Graduate Student Initiation Ceremony. He/she shall sign all checks on the General Account of the Association. He/she shall, in the absence of both the President and Vice-President of the Association and upon a majority vote of the Assembly, perform any presidential function. He or she is responsible for the soft-drink and snack machines that are allocated in the Research Building at PSM. In order to keep a detailed financial record, the treasurer has to maintain an Excel spreadsheet which illustrates all the expenses, deposits and balances.
Sub-Treasurer: It shall be the duty of the sub-treasurer to help the Treasurer in all activities and money management. The Sub-treasurer should not make any decision without authorization of the Treasurer or the President.
Secretary: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to make a written record of the business addressed at all general and executive committee meetings and to distribute such information to the departmental representatives. The secretary is also responsible for the production (once per semester) and distribution of the GSA newsletter (Out of Touch) as well as keeping the GSA Webpage up-to-date. He/she shall, in the absence of both the President and Vice-President of the Association, and upon a majority vote of the Assembly, perform any presidential function.
Faculty Advisor: The Faculty advisor must be responsible and concerned for the graduate students in terms of improving the education of our program and its status within the school. The feasibility of all proposed activities of the GSA should be discussed with the faculty advisor in order to establish an agreement. Furthermore, the faculty advisor has to guide all the graduate students that are representing our program in other committees, such as the Graduate student curriculum committee as well as GSA members that make up part of the Ponce School of Medicine Student Council and the Academic Senate.
Members: It shall be the duty of the Representatives to attend all meetings and elections. It is the responsibility of the GSA members to participate in all activities executed by the officers and to collaborate in the PSM studentship programs. The representatives shall communicate all matters to the GSA. The representatives are also responsible for keeping all GSA materials on reserve in the library current and in order, as well as keeping the GSA room clean and organized.
E. Finances of the GSA
All monetary accounts of the GSA shall be handled by the Treasurer of the GSA. Reimbursements for expenses shall be processed by this officer unless the expenses were incurred at the bequest of the Graduate Program, in which case reimbursements shall be handled by the GSA.
F. Fund-raising Activities
Snacks and soft-drink machine: The treasurer must assign two GSA staff persons per month for each machine. It is the responsibility for the assigned students to buy groceries for the machine when required. In addition, by the end of each month the assigned students must refill the machines and give the keys to the next assigned members. At the end of each month, the assigned students must count all the coins in the machines, leave a petty cash of no less than 50 dollars, and give the monies to the treasurer. Receipts will be pasted in a receipt book, and the expenses and earnings for the month will be handwritten and signed by the two students in charge of the machine. The Receipt book from the grocery machine will be handed to the Treasurer and Sub-Treasurer of the GSA for revision and acceptance.
The Treasurer or Sub-Treasure must monitor both machines, at least once a week. Both machines must have at least 70 dollars in bills each time they are checked. The profits from the machines must be saved by the Treasurer. The petty cash may be used at any time to refill the machines by the assigned members.
The Treasurer has to deposit all the money collected each month in the GSA account at Westernbank. The bank sends detailed statements periodically regarding the expenses and deposits of the GSA account. The bank statements must match the Excel spreadsheet Income form maintained by the Treasurer and must be presented to the GSA meetings monthly in the Treasurer’s report.
BBQ sales: The GSA may organize BBQ sales at least one week in advance and they must be approved by the Dean of Student affairs. The purchasing and preparation of food products must be distributed equally between all GSA members. The money for the purchases is under control of the Treasurer. Removal of soft drinks from the soft-drink machine for the BBQ sale must be explained to the Treasurer. The profits will be given to the treasurer to deposit in the GSA bank account.
G. Communications of the GSA
The letters "GSA" and/or the name "Graduate Student Association in Biomedical Sciences" and/or the logo must be on all correspondence. This signifies an official correspondence of the GSA.
The Officers of the GSA have the sole authority to act as representatives of the GSA and to use the letters "GSA" or the name "Graduate Student Association in Biomedical Sciences", or the logo of the GSA in any and all correspondence.
The President of the GSA has the sole authority to communicate with the student body as a whole, by acting as the sole administrator of the student e-mail distribution list.
H. Confidentiality
Any information gained by an officer or member of the Student Assembly in the execution of their office that is deemed as personal or sensitive should remain confidential.
I. Rights and benefits of GSA members
Unless otherwise stated, membership of the Association will confer the following rights and privileges:
To participate fully in all the activities of the association including the right to nominate and to vote for other members in elections for the Association's officers and to vote in the proceedings of the Association at General Meetings.
To be eligible for the GSA Fellowship award. The awardees are selected based on good academic standing and their personal income.
To be nominated for the GSA, the Academic Senate and the Student Council. Only GSA active members can be eligible.
To have a voice to support, up-date, modify or amend any policy of the legislation and function of the Graduate Student Association.
Article IV: Study Room
The GSA study room has as its purpose to provide a quiet and proper space for the graduate students to study independently or in groups.
The GSA study room can be used by the GSA officers for the meetings.
The GSA study room is not a private space for any single person. It can be used at any time by anyone who is a member of the PhD program.
The door of the GSA room should be open at all times, especially when members of the GSA are using the room.
When available the GSA study room can be used for ordinary activities of the GSA members, such as scientific discussions and/or journal clubs.
Article V: Ratification of the Constitution
This constitution shall be ratified by vote of the GSA members (50% of the enrolled fulltime students that year plus 1).
The officers shall call for special meetings.
A copy of the GSA constitution will be given to each member and is available online in the GSA web page.
Once the constitution is ratified by GSA members, the Faculty Advisor and the Dean of Student Affairs must ratify it.
After proper revision, the GSA Constitution must be accepted as the governing document of the Association.
Article VI: Amendments
The amendments to the constitution shall be brought by the officers, who will notify the student body.
Amendments to the constitution shall be accepted by half of the membership plus one.
Final amendments to the constitution shall be accepted by the GSA officers, the Faculty Advisor and the Dean of Student Affairs.
Amendments must be uploaded to the GSA web page.
This Constitution has been constituted for the Graduate Student Association in Biomedical Sciences at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico in the month of May of the year Two Thousand and Five.
Zaira Mateo, MS, President
Alejandro Contreras, PhD, Vice-President
Iván Vidal, BS, Treasurer
Maria del Carmen Santiago, MT, MPH, Secretary
Caroline Appleyard, Ph.D.Faculty Advisor
APPENDIX
NOMINATION SHEET
EXAMPLE
GSA OFFICERS
Election Day XXXXXXX
Instructions:
Fill the nomination sheet with blue ink.
No other name than nominees shall be included
Return this sheet to GSA secretary.
Return by : XXXXXXXXXXXX
President :________________________________________________________
Vice- President:____________________________________________________
Secretary:________________________________________________________
Treasure:_________________________________________________________
Sub-Treasure:_____________________________________________________
