Constitution of the Association of Graduate Engineering Students

Article I: Name

This organization shall be known as the Association of Graduate Engineering Students, hereafter referred to as AGES.

Article II: Purpose

AGES shall:

> advocate actions which promote the intellectual, physical, social, and emotional welfare of engineering graduate students;

> function as a channel of communication between the university and students to promote our mutual benefit.

Article III: Membership

All students enrolled in the Washington University Sever Institute during the current semester (and, during semester break, all students enrolled during the previous semester) shall be AGES members. For voting purposes, the total membership shall be equal to the number of Graduate Students enrolled in Sever Institute at the end of the first day of classes of the current (or, during semester breaks, most recent) fall or spring semester, as reported by the office of the associate
dean and registrar of the School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Article IV: Meetings

Meetings shall be called with reasonable notice by the AGES President and shall not be fewer than two per semester.

Meetings are open to all AGES members. A meeting shall have a quorum when at least one percent of the total membership, representing at least three engineering departments or interdisciplinary programs, is present.

Article V: AGES Officers

The President shall convene AGES meetings, act as chairperson of AGES meetings, and coordinate all AGES activities. The president will also act as the liaison to the Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences on behalf of AGES.

The Secretary shall take minutes at AGES meetings and distribute minutes and other announcements to AGES members.

The Treasurer shall prepare a budget proposal each semester and maintain records of all AGES financial transactions.

Article VI: Election of Officers

AGES shall elect a President, secretary, treasurer, and representatives to the
Graduate-Professional Council every April. Additional officer posts can be created with responsibilities as determined by the incumbent board with the needs and objectives of AGES in mind. These officers shall serve for no longer than one year starting the day after commencement.

The election process will be overseen by the AGES Election Board. The AGES election board will consist of officers of the incumbent AGES Board. The election procedure and all details concerning the nominations of candidates will be defined by the incumbent AGES election board. The details of this procedure will be communicated to the membership at least 5 business days before the beginning of elections. In all elections, officers shall be elected by a plurality vote. Only AGES members can vote in the AGES election. The number of votes collected should represent a quorum of the AGES membership.

In the event of lack of nominations for the posts stipulated in paragraph 1 of Article VI, the newly elected officers of the AGES board can by consensus appoint AGES members as officers for the vacant posts. Appointments must be made in accordance with the goal of equal representation of the various departments of the School of Engineering and Applied Science. AGES membership should be informed of such appointments.

Whenever a post is vacated due to resignation or recall, the incumbent AGES board shall appoint a voting member of AGES as a replacement officer by consensus. The replacement officer shall serve only until the day after the next commencement.

Article VII: Recall and Replacement of Elected Officers

Any elected officer can be recalled from office at an AGES meeting in which a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of members present vote to recall. The recall motion must be confirmed by the following procedure: The members must be notified of the approval of the recall motion. They must be given a reasonable period of time (not less than five business days) to respond to the decision. If the number of members objecting is less than ten percent of the total membership, the officers recall motion would be confirmed. If ten percent or more of the members object, the recall motion would either be withdrawn or voted on by the entire membership. The officer can be recalled by a majority vote of the entire membership. Any elected officer who ceases to be a Sever Institute student shall be recalled by default.

Article VIII: Appointed Representatives

The AGES Board may appoint departmental liaisons, student members of the Graduate Board, and representatives to other committees. These appointees would not qualify to be members of the AGES board.

Article IX: Initiatives by AGES members

Any AGES member may choose to initiate any act within the power of AGES. An initiative shall be approved when a quorum is present and a majority of the members present vote for that initiative. The AGES officers will carry out all approved initiatives.

Article X: Expenditures

All AGES expenditures must be authorized by two elected officers.

The treasurer must be notified of all expenditures.

Article XI: Amendments

Any AGES member can initiate an amendment to the Constitution. The Constitution shall be amended when a quorum is present and a two-thirds majority of the members present vote to adopt the amendment. AGES members shall be notified of all proposed amendments at least five business days in advance