EPSA Student Advisory Council Bylaws
These bylaws are subject to the Teachers College Bylaws, Statutes and institution-wide policies, and, should they be inconsistent, the Bylaws, Statutes, and institution-wide policies will apply.
Section 1: The name of this organization is the Department of Education Policy and Social Analysis (“Department”) Student Advisory Council herein after referred to as the EPSA Student Advisory Council.
Section 2: The purpose of the EPSA Student Advisory Council shall be to:
a. ensure the rights of Department students by functioning as the officially elected EPSA Student Advisory Council, effectively promoting the social and general welfare by serving as the representative, advocate of, and liaison to the student body of the Department;
b. gather and express student opinion regarding Department issues while fostering communication and collaboration between the students, faculty, staff and alumni;
c. dedicate the EPSA Student Advisory Council activities to the Teachers College’s mission to embrace and promote the diversity, community, and civility of the student body; and
d. implement activities that serve Department students and the larger University.
Section 3: The EPSA Student Advisory Council shall be composed of up to seven (7) students including:
a. at least one (1) representative elected from each Department program;
b. the one (1) Doctoral Coordinator for the Policy Student Network or a replacement as appointed by the Department chair; and
c. the two (2) Department Representatives on the Teachers College Student Senate (elected using Teachers College Student Senate approved procedure).
Section 4: Council Leadership and Project Leads
a. There shall be one (1) Council Chair to organize and facilitate meetings and lead the Council;
b. There shall be one (1) Clerk to record and disseminate meeting minutes to the Council and EPSA community to ensure institutional memory.
c. At the end of the Council Chair’s last semester, a new Council Chair shall be elected from among the Council members who will continue to serve in the next semester; and
d. If no Council members will serve in the next semester, a new Council Chair shall be elected from among the new Council members in the next semester, and one of the Departmental Representatives to the TC Student Senate shall serve as interim Council Chair until a new Council Chair is elected.
Section 5: Qualifications
a. Students shall be in good standing enrolled in a degree granting program in the Department; and
b. Students must maintain active registration and be enrolled in at least one class during elected periods of service on the EPSA Student Advisory Council.
Section 6: Election Guidelines
a. The Council Chair shall also serve as the Election Chair, unless otherwise voted upon by the Council;
b. Student must submit a statement of intent to the Election Chair by the deadline in order for the student’s name to appear on the ballot as a candidate; and
c. Elections will take place no later than October and will take place once a year, unless a seat becomes vacant during the academic year, in which case a special election may be held.
Section 7: Terms of Office
a. Council members shall begin their term of office upon election;
b. Council members shall serve until graduation or election of their successor, whichever comes first;
c. Council members elected can only complete his/her term of office after graduation pending admission into a higher degree in their program; and
d. The Council Chair shall take responsibility for arranging the continuity of the Council in his or her last semester, including working with the new Departmental Representatives to the TC Student Senate in the following semester if no previous Council members continue serving in the next semester.
Section 8: Resignation
a. A resignation must be submitted in writing either electronically or in letter format to the EPSA Student Advisory Council Chair and include the date, reason(s) for the resignation and the Council member’s signature;
b. A verbal resignation will not be accepted nor considered official until received in written form;
c. The EPSA Student Advisory Council Chair shall confirm in writing either electronically or in letter format acceptance of the written resignation within forty-eight (48) hours to the resigning Council member and copy the acceptance to the EPSA Student Advisory Council Clerk;
d. Upon acceptance of the resignation the position becomes vacant and shall be filled in accordance with Section 7; and
e. All resignations are final once confirmed by the EPSA Student Advisory Council Chair.
Section 9: Removal from Position
a. Removal from position means no longer serving on the EPSA Student Advisory Council;
b. A Council member removed from the EPSA Student Advisory Council shall not be eligible to attend closed and/or special meetings;
c. Council members with at least three (3) unexcused absences shall be reviewed for removal;
d. Council members may be brought up for removal for reasons other than the reason stated in Section 9c;
e. A vote for removal requires at least 2/3 vote of the EPSA Student Advisory Council;
f. A motion for removal may only be introduced by written petition stating the reasons for removal and signed by at least one-third (1/3) of the EPSA Student Advisory Council; and
g. All Council members, including the Council member being reviewed for removal, must receive written notice of the motion for removal at least seven (7) days prior to the removal hearing and vote.
Section 10: Vacancies
a. A vacancy shall be filled by a special election; and
b. If the position remains vacant following a special election, then the position remains vacant until a general election is held and the position shall not count toward the quorum.
Section 11: Regular Meetings
a. The first meeting of the Academic Session shall be held after college-wide elections in the fall semester and the final meeting of the year shall be within two-three (2-3) weeks of the end of the spring semester;
b. The EPSA Student Advisory Council shall meet approximately every three (3) weeks and at a place that is convenient for and accessible to the Department students;
c. Regular meetings shall not be held on holidays recognized by Teachers College or during the week of finals, unless deemed necessary by the EPSA Student Advisory Council Chair;
d. Meetings may be held in person, by telephone conference or through other electronic communication media so long as all representatives may simultaneously communicate with each other and fully participate during the meeting; and
e. It will be customary practice to invite the Department Chair and Director of Academic Administration (DAA) to attend the meetings as non-voting members and to provide them with the agenda beforehand. If for any reason, the Council feels that the presence of the Department Chair and/or DAA would be counterproductive, it may ask them not to attend, although the agenda should still be made available to them.
Section 12: Special meetings
a. Special meetings may only be called by the Council Chair and are closed unless otherwise specified by the Chair;
b. A Council member may make a motion to object to the Chair’s call for a Special Meeting or Executive Session. A 2/3 vote is required to override the Chair’s call for a Special Meeting; and
c. Any Council member may request a Special Meeting or Executive Session; a 2/3 vote is required.
Section 13: Summer Session shall:
a. commence after the first meeting of the new Council Leadership in the Spring semester and end upon the election of Council members to vacant seats in the department-wide elections in the Fall; and
b. conduct business when a regular meeting is posted and announced within seven (7) days prior to the meeting but may not vote on Constitution and Bylaw revisions and amendments.
Section 14: Agenda
a. The agenda shall be set by the EPSA Student Advisory Council Chair;
b. Any representative may submit an addition to the agenda twenty-four hours prior to the meeting, or by appropriate motion at the meeting; and
c. The EPSA Student Advisory Council agenda shall include but not be limited to:
i. Call to Order
ii. Roll Call/Attendance
iii. Adoption of the Agenda
iv. Approval of Minutes
v. Unfinished Business
vi. New Business
vii. Gallery Comments
viii. Announcements
ix. Adjournment
Section 15: A majority of the voting members of the EPSA Student Advisory Council shall constitute a quorum.
Section 16: Amendments
a. Amendments to these bylaws shall require approval by 2/3 of the EPSA Student Advisory Council at a formally constituted meeting;
b. No amendment shall be voted upon until two weeks have elapsed following proposal of such amendment and the EPSA community has had an opportunity to provide public comment; and
c. Amendments may be proposed at departmental meetings or in writing to all members of the EPSA Student Advisory Council.
The EPSA Student Advisory Council by-laws were adopted unanimously at the Thursday, April 17, 2014 regular meeting. A copy of the by-laws is available to download here.
EPSA Student Advisory Council 