Constitution of NAGPS

Constitution of the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students
Ratified 16 November 2009.
Amended 6 November 2014.


Article I: Name
Article II: Purpose

Article III: Membership and Voting

Article IV: National Organizational Structure & Elections

Article V: Meetings

Article VI: Supremacy

Article VII: Amendments


Article I. Name

The name of this not-for-profit organization [501(c)(3)] shall be the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students, hereafter referred to as “the Association.”


Article II. Purpose

The Association is an educational organization which exists to share information among existing graduate and/or professional student organizations, to foster the development and growth of organizations, and to further the interests of graduate and/or professional students.


Article III. Membership and Voting

Section 1. There shall be three tiers of membership: organizational, individual, and affiliate.

Section 2. A “council” is defined as a group of graduate and/or professional students that advise, govern, and/or represent all graduate and/or professional students at its respective institution and is recognized by their institution as a representative group. Organizational membership is available to any council of graduate and/or professional students at a college or a university in the United States of America.

Section 3. Graduate and/or professional students not represented by an organizational member shall be eligible to join the Association as an individual member.

Section 4. Affiliate membership is available to any person, corporation, organization, or institution interested in supporting the mission of the Association and otherwise ineligible for membership.

Section 5. No qualified council will be denied membership nor will any individual be subjected to discriminatory treatment or be excluded from participation in any activity or program of the Association on the basis of age, socioeconomic status, disability, ethnic or national origin, gender, marital status, political orientation, race, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, or sexual orientation. The Association shall not tolerate such actions by its Board of Directors, Regions, or Members.

Section 6. Only organizational and individual members shall have voting privileges.

Section 7. No person shall be entitled to more than one vote, regardless of affiliation.


Article IV. National Organizational Structure & Elections

Section 1. The national organizational structure shall consist of a Board of Directors charged with the coordination of all Association business and activities in accordance with the guidelines established in this document. The Board of Directors shall be accountable to the membership.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall act between meetings of the Board of Directors with its full authority as necessary, with respect to all matters, except as required by the Articles of Incorporation, Constitution, and By-Laws to be taken by a supermajority of the Board of Directors or at a meeting of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. All Officers, Regional Chairs, and Chairs of Standing Committees as defined in the By-Laws shall serve as a Director and shall constitute the voting members of the Board of Directors.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Officers of the Association: the President, Vice President, Director of Finance, Director of Communications, Director of Administration, Director of Outreach, Director of Relations, and Director of Legislative Affairs.

Section 5. All Officers and Chairs of Standing Committees shall be elected by a majority vote of all members at the National Membership Meeting.

Section 6. The terms of office for Officers and the Chairs of Standing Committees shall follow the fiscal year, 1 January to 31 December.

Section 7. Whenever there is a vacancy, temporary or permanent, of an Officer, Regional Chair, or Chair of a Standing Committee, the remaining members of the Board of Directors shall appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term by a majority vote, with the exception for the President, of which the replacement shall be selected among the remaining members of the Board of Directors by a majority vote. The vote shall occur at a meeting of the Board of Directors.

Section 8. Any replacement shall be confirmed by their electorate at the next membership meeting. If a replacement is not confirmed or no replacement has been selected, an election shall be held immediately.

Section 9. A majority of the membership shall have the right to overturn any decision made by a Director, the Board of Directors, or the Executive Committee.

Section 10. A majority of the Board of Directors shall have the right to overturn any decision made by the Executive Committee.

Section 11. A two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors shall have the right to overturn any decision made by a Director.

Section 12. No person shall hold more than one voting position on the Board of Directors.


Article V. Meetings

Section 1. Official business meetings shall be defined as meetings where the membership, Executive Committee, or Board of Directors discuss issues relating to their functions as defined in this Constitution and in the By-Laws of the Association.

Section 2. An absolute majority, more than half, shall constitute a quorum for all official business meetings.

Section 3. A “membership meeting” shall be defined as an official business meeting where the membership discuss issues relating to their functions as defined in this Constitution and in the By-Laws of the Association.

Section 4. The Board of Directors shall have the right to actively participate and set motions before the floor during membership meetings.

Section 5. There shall be a National Conference each year, to be organized by the National Conference Coordinator. At that time, a National Membership Meeting shall be held.

Section 6. Each region shall conduct a Regional Conference annually. At that time, the Annual Regional Membership Meeting shall be held.


Article VI. Supremacy

Section 1. This Constitution shall be the supreme authority of the Association. All acts made in pursuance thereto shall take precedence over all other constitutions, by-laws, resolutions, or decrees passed by any Region, board, committee, or entity of the Association.


Article VII. Amendments

Section 1. Any member in good-standing, Region, or the Board of Directors shall propose amendments to this Constitution at least sixty (60) days prior to the vote, which shall be valid as part of this Constitution, when ratified at a National Membership Meeting, or by a mail ballot, by two thirds of the membership in good-standing.

Section 2. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be sent in writing to all members at least forty-five (45) days prior to voting.

Section 3. The By-Laws shall be amended by a majority vote of the members present and voting at a National Membership Meeting or by a mail ballot. Upon passage, amendments to the By-Laws shall take effect at the end of that meeting, unless otherwise specified.