Constitution of the Music Graduate Students' Society
last updated 21 April 2007
Article I - Name
The name of this organization shall be: The Music Graduate Students' Society (MGSS),
hereinafter referred to as: The MGSS.
Article II - Objectives
The objectives of the MGSS are:
2a: Collect and distribute fees from Music Graduate Students via PGSS;
2b: Organize and run events, especially the Symposium, on behalf of Music Graduate Students;
2c: Represent the interests of the Music Graduate Students within the Schulich School of Music.
Article III - Membership
All graduate students currently registered in the Schulich School of Music are members of this Society. This does not include Licenciate or Post-Doctoral students. The MGSS shall not discriminate in any way deemed unlawful or inappropriate by the PGSS constitution, or McGill University ethics guidelines.
Article IV - Officers of the Executive
4a: The officers of the MGSS shall be referred to collectively as the Executive. These officers include President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
4b: The Executive shall hold office from June 1st of each year until the following May 31st.
4c: The duties of the officers shall be
President: Call and run meetings of the MGSS; oversee relations with the Schulich School of Music and PGSS; chair the MGSS executive; verify that assigned tasks are carried out.
Vice-President: Participate in the committees of the MGSS; assume the duties of the president in the president's absence.
Secretary: Keep minutes of MGSS meetings and make such minutes available to the MGSS's members in a timely fashion; archive records of MGSS activities and ensure a transfer of these records to the next Secretary; check the MGSS email and voicemail box regularly.
Treasurer : Maintain a bank account for the use of the MGSS; maintain records of all transactions of said account and ensure a transfer to the next Treasurer of the MGSS; check the MGSS mailbox.
Article V - Council
5a: The MGSS Council shall be the representative body of the MGSS between General Assemblies. (See article VII.)
5b: The Council shall be comprised of the following elected representatives:
i. the Executive;
ii. the Performance Student's Representative one graduate student belonging to the Department of Performance
iii. the Music Research Student's Representative one graduate student belonging to the Department of Music Research
iv. the Member at Large one graduate music student from any department;
v. the MGSS Symposium Chair one graduate music student from any department;
vi. representatives to PGSS Council (if different from the above members).
5c: The President shall call meetings of Council no less than twice per academic semester (i.e., at least 4 times per year).
5d: Quorum shall be five (5) members of Council.
5e: Council meetings are open to all members of the MGSS.
Article VI - Committee Representation
The MGSS shall appoint or elect representatives to all committees and bodies within the Schulich of Music on which graduate students are entitled to representation.
Article VII - Finances and Membership fees
7a: The MGSS shall request a student fee levy from PGSS in accordance with the PGSS Constitution, Bylaws, and Regulations, if deemed necessary.
7b: In addition the MGSS shall seek funding directly from the PGSS in accordance with that body's funding guidelines, if deemed necessary.
7c: The fiscal year of the MGSS shall begin each June 1 st .
7d: The MGSS shall maintain a chequing account with two joint signing officers, the Treasurer and the President. The MGSS president shall forward the name and contact information of these two (2) signing officers to the PGSS VP Finance no later than September 1 after the start of the fiscal year.
7e: Both the budget and the final annual financial statement shall be approved annually by the MGSS at its General Assembly. The President shall forward the approved budget and final annual financial statement of the previous financial year to the PGSS VP Finance no later than September 1.
7f: Membership fees shall be approved by the members of the MGSS at its General Assembly. The approval of this fee shall be renewed at least once every three (3) years. On or before March 1 st preceding the start of the fiscal year in which the fee will be levied, the results of the approved fee shall be forwarded to the PGSS VP Finance by the President.
Article VIII - General Assemblies
8a: There shall be one General Assembly of the MGSS per semester.
8b: The General Assembly shall be called by decision of the MGSS council.
8c: Notice of a General Assembly shall be given at least one week before the meeting.
8d: Quorum for the General Meeting shall be 10% of the general membership of the MGSS.
8e: All motions shall be passed upon a simple majority of 50% + 1 vote, except amendments to the MGSS Constitution which are detailed in Article XI of this Constitution.
Article IX - Elections
9a: Elections shall be held once per year, prior to March 1. Results for the Executive shall be forwarded to PGSS VP Finance by the President.
9b: Notice of open positions shall be given at least two (2) week in advance of the election.
9c: Any member of the MGSS may seek election for open council positions.
9d: Ballots shall be secret and shall be counted in the presence of at least two other non-candidate members.
9e: Vacancies during the course of the year shall be filled by by-election following regular election procedure.
Article X - Affiliation
10a: The MGSS shall be affiliated with the PGSS as outlined in the PGSS Constitution.
10b: The MGSS may choose to be affiliated with other bodies as its membership sees fit.
Article XI - Adoption and Amendments
11a: Amendments to the MGSS constitution shall be ratified by open ballot at a General Assembly and shall pass by a 2/3 majority of those present.
11b: Notice of proposed amendments shall be posted at least one week before the General Assembly.
11c: Any changes to the constitution shall be forwarded by the President to the PGSS within one (1) month of their ratification.