Body
Unit Policy
Title
College of Arts and Sciences: Mathematics Constitution and Bylaws for the Graduate Mathematics Association
Introduction
Purpose
The purpose of this constitution is to outline how the Graduate Mathematics Association supports the academic, social, and community needs of UNC‑Chapel Hill mathematics graduate students and to define the organization’s structure, membership, and governing procedures.
Scope
This policy applies to all current graduate students in the UNC‑Chapel Hill mathematics department, who make up the membership and voting body of the Graduate Mathematics Association. It also governs the officers—who must be full‑time UNC‑Chapel Hill students in good academic standing—and the organizational advisor, who must be an eligible UNC‑affiliated faculty or staff member.
Policy
Statement of Purpose
The Graduate Mathematics Association (GMA) is a student organization at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), which has been founded for the purpose of supporting the academic and social needs of graduate students in the mathematics department.
Our objectives are to introduce and integrate mathematics graduate students at UNCCH into departmental research, to ensure the interest and rights of the students are being upheld by departmental policies and policy enforcement procedures, and to create a sense of community among graduate students, faculty, staff, and postdoctoral students in the mathematics department. To fulfill our goals and objectives, we will utilize regular seminars intended for graduate students, be liaisons between graduate students and the graduate committee, and host social activities involving all members of the department.
Only currently enrolled UNC-CH students can be active members with the right to vote and hold office. Membership includes and is restricted to all current graduate students in the mathematics department at UNC-CH. The organization abides by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Non-Discrimination Policy for Student Organizations, which states the following: (A) Membership and participation in the organization must be open to all students without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Membership and participation in the organization must also be open without regard to sex, unless exempt under Title IX. (B) Student organizations that select their members on the basis of commitment to a set of beliefs (e.g., religious or political beliefs) may limit membership and participation in the organization to students who, upon individual inquiry, affirm that they support the organization's goals and agree with its beliefs, so long as no student is excluded from membership or participation on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or, unless exempt under Title IX, sex.
Organizational Structure
Officers
The GMA elects a slate of officers each year to oversee its governance. A list of the positions these officers fill is provided below. Each officer is responsible for all duties included in the descriptions below.
| Role |
Duties/Obligations |
| President |
- Represent and advocate for the graduate student body, i.e. to the graduate committee, faculty, and prospective students.
- Meet regularly with the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) and Vice President (VP) to discuss the state of the department.
- Hold weekly office hours for graduate students.
- Otherwise communicate issues from the DGS to the student body and from the student body to the DGS.
- Attend faculty meetings/graduate committee (to the extent allowed).
- Aid in communication between departmental staff and the graduate student body.
- Oversee GMA elections in April.
- Maintain organizational hygiene, including correspondence with other officers to ensure organizational goals are being met, maintenance of an organizational roster, timely completion of registration of GMA as a Registered Student Organization (RSO), etc.
|
| Vice President |
- Meet twice a semester with the DGS and President to discuss the state of the department.
- Organize office selection prior to the beginning of each academic year.
- Plan a graduate student union twice a semester for questions/comments/transparency; write and send out minutes.
- Assist Laurie with prospective student recruitment.
- Organize annual student mentorship program
|
| Treasurer |
- Run the departmental soda program. You are responsible for buying and restocking soda as necessary (historically about 2x per week), as well as collecting money on a monthly basis. Revenue from this program pays for this restock, and any additional profits should go towards funding departmental social events.
- Request funds for GMA events when money is needed.
- Note: This role requires an upfront cost of ~$75 (depending on current prices) to make an initial purchase. This money will certainly be recouped in profits over the course of 2-3 months; these can then be put towards future purchases.
|
| Social Chairs (2) |
- Schedule at least one social event for graduate students per month during the academic year.
- Organize the first-year party.
- Assist departmental staff in organizing an annual winter potluck.
- Organize social events for prospective & current students during recruitment weekend.
- Organize an annual departmental picnic.
|
|
Seminar Coordinators
(2-4)
*A maximum of 2 pure and 2 applied students
|
- Organize weekly GMA Visions seminar.
- Recruit speakers for the above seminar on a timely basis.
- Create a weekly schedule for either short, long, faculty, or advanced talks that is released a month at a time.
- Present during at least one of the semesters in the academic year if there are empty slots.
- Maintain a list of dissertation/master’s/oral defenses each semester.
|
| Tea Tsar (1-2) |
- Coordinate with departmental staff and department chair to shop for tea time snacks.
- At least one coordinator should attend every tea time and get there early to lay out snacks.
- Check the lounge is clean/in good shape when finished with tea time, and clean up if needed.
- Organize informal recognition of student milestones at tea time (i.e. defenses, comprehensive/oral exams, papers accepted, job offers, etc.)
|
| Athletic Coordinators (1-2) |
- Organize at least one intramural sport or other athletic event (pickup soccer, softball game, pickleball tournament, etc) per semester.
|
| T-Shirt Coordinators (1-2) |
- Design and order at least one item per academic year. You should find a valid licenser and make sure that all licensing stuff is taken care of. *4Imprint has been easy to work with historically.
- Collect money for this order from grad students, undergrads, faculty/staff, etc. who purchase this item. (Note: this task involves large sums of money trading through many hands. This has financially burdened some coordinators in the past while collection has stalled - as such, we strongly recommend securing all funds for the order from all purchasers prior to placing the order)
|
Officers are selected on a volunteer basis each April for terms spanning the following academic year. If more than the indicated number of people above expresses interest in holding a single position, the president will first discuss alternative interests with those individuals to seek an arrangement that pleases all parties. If this is unsuccessful, each interested party will be given the opportunity to defend their candidacy to the rest of the organization, after which time an anonymous vote will be held to fill the position. All officers of the GMA must be full-time, registered students of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in good academic standing both during elections and while holding office.
To remove a member or officer, adequate written notice to that person (7 days minimum) is required before officially removing them from the organization. Due process must be allowed, including the right to speak on one's behalf and the right to an appeal. If a member or officer (hereafter referred to as “the accused”) is to be removed, then the following procedure will occur: the accused will be given written notice in their mailbox of the charges (day 1); the accused may schedule a hearing on those charges, where they will have the right to speak on their own behalf, the right to call witnesses in their defense, the right to present evidence, and the right to an appeal (day 3); final notification of removal (day 5), removal and ceremonial last sip of tea provided by the tsars (day 7).
Organizational Advisor
The GMA maintains an organizational advisor, as do all RSOs. The advisor must be a full-time
faculty or staff member of UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Hospitals, or an affiliated department; an emeritus UNC-Chapel Hill faculty or staff member; a UNC-CH retiree with affiliate status; or a campus minister. The advisor does not have the right to vote. The role of our adviser is to approve departmental funds used by the GMA and to act as a faculty liaison for GMA activities.
Activities
Regularly scheduled operational meetings of the GMA include an introduction at departmental orientation each August, a town hall with the department chair and DGS to discuss the state of the department each Spring, and an April meeting to discuss officer positions for the following academic year. Other meetings can be called by members as necessary to discuss organizational matters, including but not limited to amendments to this document (see below). All meetings shall be scheduled so as not to conflict with any graduate course offerings by our department and will typically be held at the close of a weekday.
The Seminar Coordinators organize a weekly seminar series highlighting opportunities for graduate student research. Logistical details of this series are decided upon and communicated by the Seminar Coordinators.
The GMA hosts a daily tea time in the department lounge (PH 330) at 3:30 organized by the Tea Tsars. (It is critical to note that the tea in the name of this position is silent; as such, these officers are often referred to just as “tsars”.) The GMA also hosts a variety of social events organized by the Social Chairs, including an annual graduate student celebration welcoming first-year students and an annual picnic.
Amendment
As per University policy, this constitution may be amended at any regular business meeting of the GMA by a two-thirds vote of active membership, provided the amendment has been submitted to members in writing at least one week prior to the business meeting. Amendments can be submitted to the President at any time by any voting member of the GMA and must be relayed to the organization as a whole for consideration upon their submission.
Related Requirements
External Regulations (if applicable)
- Is this Policy connected to any Policies, Laws (federal, state, local, regulations), and/or Accreditation requirements?
- Are there any related UNC System-wide Policies?
- Is this Policy connected to any UNC-Chapel Hill Policies, Procedures, or Standards?
- Are there any other resources or materials readers of this Policy might likely refer to or need to follow or understand this Policy?
Unit Policies, Standards, and Procedures (if applicable)
- Is this Policy connected to any other Unit Policies, Procedures, or Standards?
Contact Information
Primary Contact
Name: Logan Gray, GMA President 2024-2025
Email: lgray@unc.edu
Additional Contact
Office: Dean's Office
Telephone: 919-962-1165
Email: artsandsciences@unc.edu