About the GPC

The Graduate Professional Council was founded in 1993, when a group of student leaders identified the need for both academic and social interaction between graduate and professional students of all disciplines. With the assistance and support of University administration, these student leaders and their successors have steadily increased graduate student voice throughout the University community. 

From the time of its inception, the GPC has been influential in placing graduate student representatives on University-wide committees, supporting the Board of Trustees' decision to appoint two graduate and professional student representatives annually, and facilitating interdisciplinary study and research among Washington University students. 

The GPC provides a network of communication through which student leaders share information about school activities, and supports representative student governments. The GPC also plans social opportunities for the graduate and professional community, initiates discussions of graduate and professional student issues through panel discussions and presentations, and brings issues of import to the attention of the University administration.

Constitution

Preamble: Spirit of the GPC Constitution
The GPC constitution is meant to be a guideline to enable GPC to be an effective and vital student organization.

Article I: Name
This council shall be known as the Graduate Professional Council of Washington University, hereafter referred to as the GPC. 

Article II: Purpose
The GPC shall:

• Represent and advocate the mutual interests of the graduate and professional students of Washington University to those within the university affecting such interests;
• Provide a channel of communication between graduate and professional students, the university, and the community;
• Encourage and support inter-school and interdisciplinary cooperation within the university; and
• Encourage and support representative graduate and professional student governments within each school of the university. 

Article III: Membership
The GPC shall be composed of at least one and at most two graduate or professional representatives from each of the following schools within Washington University: 

• School of Art
• School of Architecture
• Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
• John M. Olin School of Business
• School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
• School of Medicine
• School of Law
• George Warren Brown School of Social Work

The selection process for each school's representatives and the beginning and end of each representative's term should be determined by the students represented in each school. Whenever possible, the representatives shall be the elected graduate or professional leaders of their respective schools. 

Article IV: Meetings

Section 1: Frequency
Meetings shall be called with reasonable notice by the President of the GPC and shall not be fewer than three per semester. 

Section 2: Access
Meetings are open to GPC members and to guests previously agreed upon by GPC members. 

Section 3: Quorum
A meeting shall have a quorum when at least five members representing five different schools are present. 

Article V: Powers and Duties of Officers
The GPC shall have a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary/Treasurer. Officers shall be considered voting members of the GPC.

In addition to the President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, GPC may have other elected officers as agreed upon by the majority of GPC members.  These additional officers carry out ongoing projects and have responsibilities as agreed upon by a majority of GPC.  These officers in conjunction with the President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer make of the Executive Board of GPC.

Section 1: President
A. The President shall convene meetings of the GPC.
B. The President shall act as chairperson and presiding officer of the GPC meetings.
C. The President shall act as the official representative of the GPC.
D. The President shall be the primary member of the GPC responsible for carrying out the initiatives and duties of the GPC, but shall work in conjunction with the Vice-President and other GPC members when possible.
E. The President shall oversee the GPC budget.

Section 2: Vice-President
A. The Vice-President shall exercise the duties and powers of the President in the event of the President's absence from office.
B. The Vice-President shall work in conjunction with the President to carry out initiatives and duties of the GPC.
C. The Vice-President shall serve the remainder of a President's term whenever a President resigns, is recalled, or is no longer able to serve.

Section 3: Secretary/Treasurer
A. The Secretary/Treasurer shall take minutes at GPC meetings. 
B. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain current membership, mailing, phone and e-mail lists, and shall distribute announcements and minutes to members of the GPC. In conjunction with the President, the Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining financial records for the organization and reporting expenses to the University's fiscal officers 

Section 4: Joint Powers and Duties
A. Any two officers shall cosign all expenditures.

Article VI: Election of Officers
The GPC shall elect a President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and additional officers as needed during the Spring Semester.

Section 1: Voting
An officer shall be elected when a quorum is present and a majority of the members present vote for that officer.

Section 2: Terms
Officers shall be elected at the March meeting of the GPC and assume official duties in April.  Outgoing officers should complete events and activities initiated during their terms in office with the approval of the newly elected officers.  Officers shall serve a full year term (April to April), even if their terms of representation on the Council would ordinarily terminate prior to the completion of the full year term.

Section 3: Special Elections
A Vice-President and Secretary shall be elected whenever the posts are vacated due to resignation or recall. 

Article VII: Recall and Replacement of Elected Officers
Any elected officer can be recalled from office when a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of the members present vote to recall. 

Article VIII: Initiatives
Any member of the GPC may choose to initiate any act within the power of the GPC. An initiative shall be approved when a quorum is present and a majority of the members present vote for that initiative. 

Article IX: Bylaws
Bylaws conforming to and implementing this Constitution shall be established when a quorum is present a majority of the member present vote for such bylaws. 

Article X: Amendments

Section 1: Initiation
Any member of the GPC can initiate an amendment to the Constitution.

Section 2: Ratification
The Constitution shall be amended when a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of the members present vote to adopt the amendment, in which case the amendment will take effect immediately upon adoption

Article XI: Meeting Without a Quorum
When a quorum is not present at a meeting, the members present shall conduct business as usual, but any votes shall be noted in the minutes and will not take effect unless the minutes are approved by the necessary majority of the members of the GPC within two weeks of the meeting.

Amended April 9, 2003

Mission Statement

The Graduate Professional Council, a member of the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS), is the only multi-disciplinary student group that represents the graduate and professional student body at Washington University in St. Louis.  Among our many roles, we:

Organizational Chart