Elections

Each position is up for election, and is a one-year term position. If you are interested in running for an Executive Board position, please look at the descriptions of each position below and refer to the GSA Constitution for additional information. Also, please contact gsa@stjohns.edu for any questions, concerns, and nominations.

The Executive Board
The overall activities of the GSA shall be coordinated by an Executive Board consisting of the President, Vic-President, Treasurer, Secretary, and University Senator. The remuneration of the Executive Board (and Cabinet) are described in Article XV of the GSA Constitution. The Executive Board and Cabinet will have an official meeting at least once a month. Emergency meetings can be called by the President, alone. Members of the Executive Board may not be members of the Graduate Assembly. Members of the Executive Board may not hold any other office enumerated in Article V without a 2/3 vote of the Graduate Assembly.

The term of Office, Election Procedures, Dates and Methods, as well as Eligibility, are elaborated in Article XV of the GSA Constitution.
 
The Executive Board is established for the purpose of:

  • discussing and developing the policy of the GSA
  • bringing information from the university governance structure to the GSA
  • relaying information from the GSA to the university governance system
  • communicating the concerns of the students that they represent, working toward developing solutions with administration and faculty, and addressing these concerns.

The President
The President of the Graduate Student Association shall have the following powers and duties:

  • to preside over Executive Board meetings
  • to preside over Graduate Assembly meetings
  • to preside over Cabinet meetings
  • to be ultimately responsible for the oversight of the operations of the GSA, coordinating GSA efforts so as to continually improve graduate education and conditions at St. John's University
  • to function as the primary spokesperson for the graduate student community and shall endeavor to represent the community at appropriate functions
  • to serve on at least one university committee or commission
  • to ensure that all paid GSA Executive Board positions, the GSA Office Assistant, and the GSA Budget Committee Chair receive their remuneration by at least the end of the first month of each semester, and that  the rest of the paid GSA positions receive their remuneration upon the completion of their duties for that semester

The Vice-President
The Vice-President of the Graduate Student Association shall have the following powers and duties:

  • to act as the parliamentarian at the meetings of the Graduate Assembly. The duties of a parliamentarian will be to ensure the adherence to parliamentary procedure
  • to assume the duties of the President in the President's absence
  • to attend Executive Board meetings
  • to distribute GSA information to GSA Assembly members via the GSA Assembly member listserv
  • to ensure adequate graduate student representation on all university committees and commissions
  • to serve on at least one university committee or commission
  • to be responsible for all GSA programs, including oversight of the Travel Fund program, graduate research and development program, research symposium, graduate student of the month, Graduate and Professional School Day, and other GSA-related programs

The Treasurer
The Treasurer of the Graduate Student Association shall have the following powers and duties:

  • to establish records in accord with the accounting system of St. John's University, maintain those records throughout the year and submit them for an audit when requested by the Central Accounting Office
  • to present a detailed report on the finances of the GSA at each Graduate Assembly meeting
  • to be responsible for a tentative, year-beginning budget report to the Graduate Asembly on how GSA monies will be spent
  • to lead the Executive Board in its responsibility for the GSA budget and other fiscal activities of the GSA
  • to ensure all bills related to GSA activities are on time
  • to serve on at least on university committee or commission

The Secretary
The Secretary of the Graduate Student Association shall have the following powers and duties:

  • to maintain the minutes of meetings of the Graduate Assembly and Executive Board
  • to compile and distribute reports to the Cabinet
  • to maintain the records of the GSA
  • to ensure that eagendas of meetings and minutes of meetings are properly distributed to Assembly members and Officers of the GSA
  • to organize and receive absentee ballots and votes
  • to ensure adequate representation of all departments at the GSA Graduate Assembly meetings by soliciting volunteers from each department to attend
  • to distribute GSA information to all graduate students via the GSA graduate student listserv
  • to serve on at least one university committee or commission

The University Senator
The University Senator of the Graduate Student Association shall be elected annually from the entire graduate student body of all colleges and campuses of St. John's University to the University Senate. The Senator is responsible for communicating the concerns of the students that they represent, working toward developing solutions with administration and faculty, and addressing these concerns. No one may hold the position of University Senator in addition to any other office enumerated in Artlce V without at 2/3 vote of the Graduate Assembly.
 
In addition to duties on the University Senate, the duties of the Senator shall include:

  • completion of a minimum of six hours for the GSA per month
  • attendance at University Senate Meetings
  • completion of one office hour per week
  • joining and working with at least one of the GSA committees by the 4th week of their elected term
  • serving as the President Pro tempore of the Graduate Assembly