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Constitution

We, the graduate and professional students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, hereinafter referred to as University, ratify and establish this Constitution to provide for our mutual support and to better advocate for our common interests.

Article 1: Name and Membership

The name of this organization will be the Graduate Student Senate, hereinafter the GSS, of the University. The GSS will be the official legislative body of all active graduate and professional students, hereinafter Students, of the University, and will represent all such Students. All Students, from each academic unit on campus will be represented in the legislative body.

Article 2: Non-Discrimination

The GSS condemns discrimination or harassment based on race, color, class, national origin, immigrant status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, and/or political views/ideology. Membership in the GSS will be open to all students and will not be restricted based on any of these categories.

Article 3: The Graduate Student Senate

  1. This body will consist of student representatives, hereinafter referred to as Senators, from each academic unit of the University which offers graduate or advanced professional degrees or graduate certificates. For academic entities that offer graduate or advanced professional degrees or graduate certificates and that do not align with a specific academic unit, a GSS seat may be established to represent those students at the discretion of the Dean of the Graduate School. Both academic units and academic entities defined above will be hereinafter referred to as academic units.
  2. Each academic unit which has less than fifty students enrolled in it will have a single Senate seat in the GSS. Academic units with greater than or equal to fifty enrolled students may have a second Senate seat in the GSS. Each Senate seat represents one vote in the GSS.
  3. The process for choosing Senators for GSS seats will be left to the discretion of each academic unit. Each such entity will, however, select its Senator by the last day of classes in the spring semester of the academic year.
  4. Senators may, at the discretion of their academic units, serve multiple terms in the GSS.
  5. There are to be a minimum of three Sessions of the GSS during each fall and spring academic semester. For a Session to count against this minimum, a quorum of Senators of the GSS must be present. The presence of half of the Senators in the GSS will constitute a quorum, and quorums must be maintained for the duration of Sessions.
  6. All votes on legislation and for confirmation of appointments will take place only in the presence of an established quorum, including at Regular and Special Sessions of the GSS.
  7. All Sessions of the GSS will be open to all university personnel; debate and voting is restricted to GSS Senators.
  8. Senators in the GSS will serve on at least one internal committee. There will be five permanent internal committees—the Executive Committee, the Judiciary Committee, the Finance Committee, the Legislative Steering Committee, and the Committee on Equity and Diversity. The GSS may create other committees on an ad hoc basis, or by amending the GSS Bylaws. Committee Chairs are not obliged to serve on another internal committee. The role and composition of the five permanent internal committees are discussed in Article IV.

Article 4: Permanent Internal Committees

  1. The Executive Committee
    1. The executive power of the GSS will be vested in the Executive Committee. This Committee will include a President, Vice President, Senate Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director, and Technology Director and such additional officers as are allowed or mandated by the GSS Bylaws. The President will serve as the Chair of the Executive Committee, and the Vice President will serve as the Chair in the President’s absence.
    2. The President and Vice President will be independently elected by a popular vote of the graduate and professional student body. These elections will take place in the spring semester of each year preceding the academic year in which the President and Vice President are to serve. Voting procedures for the election of the President and Vice President are outlined in the GSS Bylaws in Article VII.
    3. If the President is unable to conduct their roles as a student at the University and/or GSS President (including but not limited to medical or familial emergencies and loss of academic standing), the Vice President will assume the responsibilities associated with that office for the duration of the term. If the Vice President is incapacitated, the President will appoint a Vice President pro tempore to assume the Vice President’s responsibilities for the duration of the term. This appointee will be approved by a two-thirds vote of the GSS.
    4. All Officers and Chairs of internal committees within the GSS will serve on the Executive Committee.
    5. The President and Vice President will serve terms of one year. Students may serve in either office for two terms but must seek re-election each time.
    6. The President will nominate from the floor Senators to fill positions on the Executive Committee, including but not limited to the Senate Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director, Technology Director, and permanent Committee Chairs, no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. The President’s nominations will be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Senators in attendance. If a nominee is not confirmed, the President will present a new nominee for the vacant position by the time of the next Session of the GSS.
    7. The Executive Committee will be responsible for the following activities:
      1. to administer programs on behalf of the GSS;
      2. to keep the GSS informed of actions, events, and issues pertaining to both the Senate and to Students at the University;
      3. to serve as the liaison between the GSS and the Graduate School;
      4. to set the agenda for Sessions of the GSS; and
      5. to propose an annual budget for the GSS and supervising the disbursement of funds.
    8. The Senate Chair, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will be responsible for presiding over Sessions of the GSS and maintaining the Senate roster.
    9. The Secretary, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will be responsible for keeping minutes of all the Sessions of the GSS and Executive Committee meetings. These minutes will be approved at subsequent Sessions/meetings of the appropriate body and will be a matter of public record.
    10. The Treasurer, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will be responsible for making regular reports regarding GSS finances to the GSS and the Executive Committee. The Treasurer will also chair the Finance Committee, about which see Article IV, Section 3 of the GSS Constitution.
    11. The Communications Director, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will be responsible for the representation of and proliferation of information regarding GSS to the graduate and professional student body and general public through social media, press releases, and publications of GSS, including a regular newsletter.
    12. The Technology Director, having been appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, will be responsible for maintaining the Senate’s website and resolving technology-related issues, including assisting with the online administration of GSS elections.
  2. The Judiciary Committee
    1. The role of the Judiciary Committee will be to determine the validity of measures passed by the GSS, in conjunction with the GSS Constitution and GSS Bylaws. The Judiciary Committee will also be responsible for receiving appeals of removal and impeachment submitted by elected officers, appointees, and Senators, as outlined in Article V of the GSS Constitution.
    2. The President will appoint four Senators each year to serve as members of the Judiciary Committee. These appointments must be made before the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year, at which Session they will be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of GSS Senators in attendance. These Senators will be hereinafter referred to as Justices. Three of these Justices will be the Primary Justices, and the fourth Justice will serve as an Alternate Justice. The Judiciary Committee will review all new, passed legislation and amendments to the GSS Constitution and/or GSS Bylaws to ensure that they do not conflict with the GSS Bylaws and/or GSS Constitution. If a majority of the members of the Judiciary Committee judge legislation or amendments to be in conflict with the GSS Bylaws and/or GSS Constitution, it will cease to be valid immediately.
    3. The GSS will by a two-thirds vote confirm the President’s nominees for Justices. If the Senate does not confirm a nominee, the President must nominate for confirmation a new appointee at the next Session of the GSS.
    4. Members of the Judiciary Committee may sponsor legislation but must not sit in judgment of their own work. If a member of the Judiciary Committee sponsors legislation which passes the Senate, the Alternate Justice will replace the sponsor in any subsequent review processes.
    5. The Judiciary Committee will not sit in judgment over any other matters, including disciplinary hearings. The only exception to this is in the case of impeachment proceedings against either the President or Vice President, or in the case of removal appeals submitted by appointees or Senators. In such a case, the Judiciary Committee will act in accordance with the requirements of Article V of the GSS Constitution.
  3. The FINANCE Committee
    1. The Finance Committee will be responsible for creating an annual budget for the GSS and submitting it to the GSS for approval.
    2. The Treasurer of the GSS will chair the Finance Committee. Otherwise, membership in the Finance Committee will be open to any GSS senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Finance Committee will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(iii) of the GSS Bylaws.
  4. The Legislative Steering Committee
    1. The Legislative Steering Committee will be responsible for aiding Senators and other internal committees in drafting proposals for legislation.
    2. The President will present a nomination for the Chair to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Legislative Steering Committee will be open to any GSS Senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Legislative Steering Committee will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A (iv) of the GSS Bylaws.
  5. The Committee on Equity and Diversity
    1. The Committee on Equity and Diversity will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and advocating for issues pertinent to the graduate student experience in matters related to and that promote equity and diversity.
    2. The President will present a nomination for the Chair to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Committee on Equity and Diversity will be open to any GSS Senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Committee on Equity and Diversity will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(v) of the GSS Bylaws.
  6. THE COMMITTEE ON PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS
    1. The Committee on Programming and Events will be responsible for organizing social and professional programming including no less than one graduate and professional student social event per academic semester except during summer/mini semesters this includes an annual Town Hall during the academic year
    2. The President will present a nomination for the Chair to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Committee on Programming and Events will be open to any GSS Senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Committee on Equity and Diversity will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(vi) of the GSS Bylaws.
  7. THE COMMITTEE ON TRAVEL AWARDS
    1. The Committee on Travel Awards will be responsible for distributing GSS travel funding as determined each year by the Graduate School. 
    2. The Committee on Travel Awards will be responsible for sustaining, evaluating, and administering the GSS Travel Award funds at least four times per academic year.
    3. The President will present a nomination for the Chair(s) to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Travel Awards Committee will be open to any GSS Senators.
    4. The duties and responsibilities of the Committee on Travel Awards will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(vii) of the GSS Bylaws.
  8. THE COMMITTEE ON INSTITUTIONAL ADVOCACY 
    1. The Committee on Institutional Advocacy will be responsible for working with Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs), the GSS, and institutional or campus administration to advocate for graduate students on matters including but not limited to health and wellbeing.
    2. The President will present a nomination for the Chair to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Committee on Institutional Advocacy will be open to any GSS Senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Committee on Institutional Advocacy will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(viii) of the GSS Bylaws.
  9. THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SUPPORT
    1. The Committee on International Student Support will be responsible for working with the Center for Global Engagement to advocate and build community for international graduate students.
    2. The President will present a nomination for the Chair to be confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS no later than the second Regular Session of the GSS in a given academic year. Otherwise, membership in the Committee on International Student Support will be open to any GSS Senators.
    3. The duties and responsibilities of the Committee on International Student Support will be further enumerated in Article II, Section 9A(ix) of the GSS Bylaws.

Article 5: Impeachment and Removal

  1. In cases of gross misconduct on the part of the President or Vice President, a member of the GSS may present legislation calling for the impeachment of the offending officer. If this legislation passes by a simple majority, the three Primary Justices of the Judiciary Committee will investigate the alleged misconduct. If the Judiciary Committee finds that there are sufficient grounds for impeachment, they will call for a formal hearing before the entire GSS. The Alternate Justice of the Judiciary Committee will preside over this hearing, at which Senators will have the right to question the accused officer regarding the alleged misconduct and the three Primary Justices of the Judiciary Committee about their findings.
  2. If a two-thirds majority of Senators in attendance finds that the accused officer’s actions constitute gross misconduct and therefore votes in favor of impeachment, the offending officer will be immediately removed from office.
  3. If the President is removed from office, the Vice President will assume the vacant position for the duration of the term. The new President will then appoint a Vice President pro tempore from the GSS to finish the term, subject to confirmation via a two-thirds vote at a Session of the GSS. The same procedure will be used to replace an impeached Vice President. If a Senator is removed from office, it will be the responsibility of the appropriate academic unit to select a new Senator within one month.
  4. If an appointee or Senator makes an appeal to the Judiciary Committee regarding a removal, the Judiciary Committee will review actions taken by the Executive Committee or GSS body to determine if the decision to remove was justified. If the Judiciary Committee finds that the Executive Committee or GSS body acted in accordance with its powers and responsibilities, the removal stands, and the appointee or Senator will be immediately removed from office. If the Judiciary Committee finds that the Executive Committee or GSS body acted in excess of its powers and responsibilities, the removal will cease to be valid immediately, and the status of the appointee or Senator will be restored.

Article 6: By-Laws to the Constitution

  1. The Graduate Student Senate will pass GSS Bylaws to implement the provisions of the GSS Constitution. Bylaws may be established, amended, and repealed by a two-thirds vote of the GSS at a Session of the GSS in the academic year. The process of amending the GSS Bylaws is outlined in Article X of the GSS Bylaws. Any vote on the GSS Bylaws will require advance notice of at least two weeks.
  2. Any provision in the GSS Bylaws found to conflict with the provisions of the GSS Constitution by the Judiciary Committee will cease to be valid immediately and will afterward be stricken from the GSS Bylaws.

Article 7: Amendments and Ratification

  1. Ratification of the GSS Constitution will require both a three-fourths vote of the Graduate Student Senate and a subsequent three-fourths vote of the graduate and professional student body at the University.
  2. The GSS Constitution may be amended with a three-fourths vote of the GSS and a subsequent three-fourths vote of the graduate and professional student body at the University.

Passed and updated – April 2024.