GRACS | Graduate Representative Association of Computer Sciences

Bylaws

0. NAME

The name of this organization is the Graduate Representative Association of Computer Sciences (GRACS).

1. PURPOSE

The purposes of GRACS are:
  1. to represent and further the interests of computer science (CS) graduate students within the Computer Sciences department, the University of Texas at Austin, and the community at large;
  2. to provide for dissemination of useful information to CS graduate students, especially new students;
  3. to foster a sense of community within the Computer Sciences department.

2. STRUCTURE

GRACS shall consist of an Executive Committee; three permanent committees (the COGS [Council Of Graduate Students] committee, the New Students committee, and the Social committee), and other project committees as required.

3. ELIGIBILITY

For the purposes of these bylaws, any person enrolled in a Computer Sciences graduate degree program shall be considered a graduate student, and is eligible to vote in GRACS elections and serve on GRACS committees.

4. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall oversee the creation, operation, and dissolution of project committees and shall manage the GRACS budget. It shall consist of six members serving one-year terms. Each semester, the Executive Committee shall select three of its members to hold the offices of chair, treasurer, and secretary. The chair shall moderate discussion and organize meetings, the treasurer shall manage GRACS funds as authorized by the Executive Committee, and the secretary shall publicly distribute announcements and summaries of Executive Committee meetings.

Terms of the Executive Committee members shall begin the week prior to registration in the Fall or Spring semester following their election, and shall be staggered so that three Executive Committee members are elected in Fall and three in Spring.

5. ELECTIONS

Elections shall be held at the end of the Fall and Spring semesters to select new members of the Executive Committee and to vote on any amendments to the bylaws proposed during that semester. The nomination period shall be announced and remain open for two weeks prior to the election.

Voting for Executive Committee members shall be by the approval method. The ballot shall contain a list of all nominees, and voters may mark any number of them; marking a nominee indicates approval of that nominee. The three nominees who receive the most votes shall be elected.

6. AMENDMENTS

Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall, upon submission of a petition signed by five students, be placed on the ballot for the next election. Any amendment approved by a two-thirds majority of those voting shall take effect when the next Executive Committee terms begin.

7. REASONABLENESS

In any matter not covered specifically in these articles, the guiding principles shall be fairness, reasonableness, and getting things done.

8. BOOTSTRAP

These bylaws shall become effective immediately upon being approved by a two-thirds majority of students voting in a referendum during the Fall 1988 semester. If they are approved, an election will be held during January 1989 to select an Executive Committee. That election shall consist of two divisions. The first division will select two candidates for full year terms, and the second division will select three candidates for one-semester terms. In both divisions, the approval voting method described in Section 5 shall be used. All terms of office will begin February 1, 1989. Thereafter, elections will proceed as described in Section 5.

9. CONSEQUENCES

Any violation of these laws will result in immediate death.
GRACS c/o Department of Computer Science
The University of Texas at Austin
2317 Speedway, Stop D9500
Austin, TX 78712-1757
Phone: 512-471-7316
Fax: 512-471-8885