Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization

Constitution of the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization at the Univeristy of Minnesota 

Revised September 2023

PREAMBLE

We, the members of the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization, a Campus Life Program, do hereby establish this Constitution for our purpose and objectives to be fulfilled.

ARTICLE I - ­GENERAL

Section 1. The official name of this organization shall be the Plant Pathology Graduate Student Organization, group identification number 811,  henceforth abbreviated as PPSO.

Section 2. The purpose of this organization is to foster a collaborative and enriching academic environment for graduate students in the Department of Plant Pathology. The purpose shall be achieved through activities for personal and professional development, leadership, and collaborative skills, including but not limited to journal club meetings, seminar exchanges, networking events, lectures, fundraising activities, social and outreach events, and others focused on plant diseases and the biology of plant-microbe interactions to ensure the sustainability of agriculture, forest, and natural ecosystems for the benefit of society.

Section 3. The objectives of this organization are:

1. Provide members with professional and academic opportunities to prepare them for successful careers in modern plant pathology.
2. Provide members with a support group through social activities and events promoting community and friendship.

3. Support and carry out the purpose of this organization to its fullest extent. 

    

ARTICLE II - ­MEMBERSHIP and IMPEACHMENT

Section 1. Membership is open to all graduate students at the University of Minnesota, Department of Plant Pathology, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. 

Section 2. Voting membership is the right of graduate students in the Department of Plant Pathology to participate in this organization, make decisions, and vote. No more than one-third of the voting membership shall consist of those not currently registered students at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities campus. 

Section 3. Any officer or member may be impeached for misconduct to be determined by the group (e.g., failure to perform duties, attendance, misuse of funds, etc.). The officer/member shall be given a seven-­day notice and an opportunity to defend him/her/themselves. This impeachment vote shall require a two-thirds majority vote of the voting membership.

ARTICLE III - ­OFFICERS

Section 1. Voting members can be nominated and/or be elected to hold office or a committee chair. Officers and committee chairs shall be selected during the last academic year meeting and serve for one academic year. Officers shall be elected by a plurality of the voting members present, providing a quorum is present as defined in Art. VIII Sec. 2. Voting members can volunteer to join a committee, without nomination and/or election.

Section 2. The officers of this organization shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Social Events Coordinator. 

Section 3. The duties of the officers are:

1. President -­ Oversee the direction of this organization and ensure the execution of officer and committee responsibilities— Preside meetings and operation of this organization. Coordinates and guides executive meetings before general meetings. Act as official representative of the organization at other meetings and events. 
2. Vice President -­ Preside meetings in the absence of the president. Succeed the president if the President cannot complete his/her/their term of office. 
3. Secretary -­ Records and produces minutes of all meetings in written and electronic format. Distribute meeting minutes to all group members. Maintain records of group activities (attendance, etc.) Carry out the organization’s correspondence as needed.
4. Treasurer - Serves as chairperson for the fundraising committee. Oversees all financial transactions of the organization. Maintains thorough and accurate records of all transactions. Produce financial reports, including yearly student service fee applications, as the organization requires.
5. Social Events Coordinator - Serves as chairperson for the Social Committee. Coordinates social events of the organization.

Section 4. All officers are voting members and must be currently registered services fee-paying students at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Exceptions to this requirement are permitted for graduate students upon receipt of a letter from the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Plant Pathology certifying the student is actively pursuing a degree. Officers must also be in good standing with the University and free of any sanctions defined by the Board of Regents Policy - Student Conduct Code, administered by the Office for Community Standards.

Section 5. Officers and committee chairs are responsible for representing the Department of Plant Pathology and this organization at The Council of Graduate Students (COGS) at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and the Graduate Student Board (GSB) at the College of Food Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences during their office time. There must be a representative and alternate representative at COGS and GSB, and they will be assigned during officer elections in the last academic meeting of the year.

Section 6. At the end of the academic year, officers are responsible for holding an official meeting with new entering officers to discuss activities in the previous academic year and facilitate the operations of this organization.

ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES

Section 1. Special committees shall be established to carry out activities that align with the purpose and objectives of this organization.

Section 2. During officer elections, committee chairs are responsible for identifying students in this organization to volunteer and participate in a standing committee.

Section 3. The standing committees within this organization are and entail the following:

1. Social Events and Activities
   1. Responsible for planning social activities, including Legacy Lunch, Happy Hour, and Camping.
   2. Responsible for storing and logging mobile assets purchased by PPSO (currently, only sleeping bags are approved for purchase). Equipment shall only be used for PPSO-sponsored activities (e.g., camping trips). A log of the equipment (e.g., google spreadsheet) is to be publicly available and include information regarding the type of equipment (e.g., sleeping bag) and location (e.g., Stakman Hall 406).
2. Science and Outreach
   1. Responsible for advertising and coordinating outreach activities.  Examples of outreach events include volunteering at the State Fair, Second Harvest Heartland, and Market Science.
   2. Meet with the Department of Plant Pathology seminar committee to coordinate attending speakers.
3. Honors and Awards
   1. Responsible for advertising and organizing voting for the Outstanding Mentor award.
   2. Guidelines:

1. Call for nominations should include information regarding who is eligible to nominate, be nominated, and vote.
2. Counts of the voting results must be made available to everyone (but selections made by participants will be kept anonymous to protect the privacy of voters).
3. Eligible voters may vote for only one nominee per year.
4. Committee member(s) responsible for soliciting and sharing nominations and tallying votes must be named on all correspondence related to the process and be available to respond if there are questions related to the process.
5. Fundraising Committee
   1. Responsible for leading and developing fundraising events.

Guidelines:

1. Leads fundraising events during the academic year. Includes:
2.  Fundraising week in November and April. Applies for department, college, and university funding for events.
3. Website and Social Media Committee
   1. Responsible for maintaining digital visual and auditory records of activities conducted by PPSO  members. Designated communications and relations coordinator in the Department of Plant Pathology.

Section 4. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all the committees.

Section 5. At the end of the academic year, committee chairs are responsible for holding an official meeting with new entering committee chairs to discuss activities in the previous academic year and facilitate the operations of this organization.

ARTICLE V - ADVISOR

Section 1. This organization shall have a faculty or staff advisor who has an ongoing relationship with the organization. The advisor must be approved annually by the head of the Department of Plant Pathology and comply with all policies and procedures applicable to student groups, except as otherwise provided therein.

ARTICLE VI - ­MEETINGS

Section 1. General meetings shall be held at least once per academic semester, except in the summer, unless required. Special meetings may be called by any officer, or by a petition of ten percent of the voting membership.

Section 2. A quorum shall be present to conduct official business. Quorum is determined as described in Art. VIII Sec. 2.

Section 3. Decisions of the organization shall be enacted by a majority vote of those at the meeting. Decisions will be made available to all students within forty-eight hours of the meeting in writing by the secretary. Objections can be made up to one week after the meeting in which the decision was made.