Department of Spanish & Portuguese

II. Welcome

On behalf of all the members of the Graduate Spanish and Portuguese Students Organization (GSPSO), we would like to welcome you to Georgetown and to the Department of Spanish and Portuguese!

The GSPSO is an organization open to all graduate students in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. It was founded in 2000 with the aim of creating a forum for discussion of issues of common interest among graduate students and also a channel for communication with faculty, administration, and other relevant organizations.

Our organization holds periodic meetings in which important matters are undertaken concerning students’ funding and responsibilities as well as changes to the graduate guidelines and academic progress requirements. Both the Department’s Chair and the Directors of Graduate Studies have expressed their desire to give graduate students an active role in the Department and to improve communication with them. In order to facilitate this interaction, periodic meetings with the students’ representatives have been established as well as informational meetings for all graduate students. We hope to continue extending this dialog over the next year.

Our intention is just to make the graduate students’ experience in this department as fruitful as possible. We hope you will want to be a part of this, and will bring your own energies and ideas to bear in the GSPSO.

III. Constitution

We, the members of Graduate Spanish & Portuguese Students Organization do hereby establish this Constitution on 10/03/05 in order that our purpose be realized to its fullest extent.

Article I. Name

The name of the organization will be Graduate Spanish & Portuguese Students Organization, henceforth referred to as GSPSO.

Article II. Purpose

1. GSPSO is established for the purpose of

1. promoting a dialogue between professionals and students of diverse disciplines and academic interests related to the fields of Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Languages, Literature, and Linguistics.

2. contributing to the task of spreading the languages and cultures of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries from a variety of perspectives, including: literature, history, anthropology, the fine arts, popular culture, linguistic study, and relationships with other languages and cultures.

2. GSPSO understands and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities of abiding by Georgetown University’s policies.

Article III. Membership

1. Voting membership shall be limited to persons officially connected with the Spanish & Portuguese Department as enrolled graduate students.

2. GSPSO openly admits graduate students to its membership and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, disability, gender, ethnicity, national origin, religion or sexual orientation.

Article IV. Officers

1. Officers of GSPSO must be full-time graduate students enrolled at Georgetown University

2. GSPSO will be governed by the following means:

1. One elected President will preside at all meetings of GSPSO. The President is responsible for communication between GSPSO and the Office of Student Programs.

2. Two elected Co-Vice-Presidents, (one from literature and one from linguistics) will assist the President at all meetings of the GSPSO. The Co-Vice-Presidents are responsible for all communication between the President and literature and linguistics students, respectively speaking.

3. GSPSO shall also maintain a Secretary who will keep the lists of voting and active members, new members, rule observances at stated meetings, protocol, etc.

4. GSPSO shall also maintain a Treasurer who will handle all dues, accounts, expenditures, etc.

5. GSPSO shall also maintain a first-year graduate student representative who will be responsible for all communication between the GSPSO and other first-year graduate students.

3. Executive Council

The officers of the GSPSO shall have the primary responsibility for the implementation of the programs approved by the Assembly and are accountable to the Assembly for these purposes. Between meetings of the Assembly, officers are empowered to conduct the day-to-day operations of the GSPSO. The officers' conduct of day-to-day operations is subject to review by the Assembly.

Article V. Operations

1. Voting Eligibility

Those members meeting all requirements of active membership as set forth in Article III will be eligible to vote.

2. Election Process

1. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of present eligible voting members of GSPSO. All elections will be held on an annual basis in February of each academic year at a meeting comprised of a quorum (33%) of GSPSO members.

2. The President will take nominations from the floor, the nomination process must be closed and the motion seconded. The nominated parties will be allowed to vote in a closed vote if they are eligible voting members.

3. All voting shall be done as determined by the President.

4. Newly elected officers will assume office on March 1, except in the case of mid-term elections. Officers selected mid-term will assume office immediately after their election.

3. Removal

Any officer of GSPSO in violation of the Organization’s purpose or constitution or failure to fulfill duties as stated may be removed from office by the following process:

1. A written request by at least three members of the organization.

2. Written notification to the officer of the request, asking the officer to be present at the next meeting prepared to speak in their own defense.

3. Written notification to the membership.

4. Replacement

Should an officer resign or be removed, a special election will be held one week after written notification to all voting members. Mid-term elections shall be conducted as specified in Article V.

5. Meetings

• Attendance
• Report by the President
• Committee Reports
• Vote on all committee motions and decisions
• Any other business put forward by members of the organization
• Dismissal by the President

Article VI. Finances

GSPSO will finance the activities it engages in by the following means:

1. GSPSO will submit a budget to the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) on an annual basis and request funding appropriate for the effective operation of the organization for each year.

2. GSPSO will conduct all financial activities in accordance with university policy and place all funds in its university account.

Article VII. Amendments

1. Amendments to the constitution may be proposed in writing by any voting members of GSPSO at any meetings at which 2/3 of the voting members are present.

2. These amendments will be placed on the agenda for the next regular meeting of the officers.

3. Proposed amendments will become effective following approval of two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of those present members.

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IV. Officer Descriptions