GC Students for Disability, Health, and Wellness Activity Report and Budget—Fall 2021

Constitution of GC Students for Disability, Health, and Wellness

Article I: Name
The name of this organisation shall be “GC Students for Disability, Health, and Wellness” (“the organisation”).

Article II: Mission Statement
GC Students for Disability, Health, and Wellness will be a working group and a forum for students who wish to assist in advocating for expanding access to Disability, Physical and Mental Health, and Wellness Resources at the GC, as well as those who wish to learn more about them. Its activities will include but not be limited to creating agendas for meetings with the Disability Office, the Wellness Center, and the Counseling Center, ensuring access to Assistive Technology, and promoting activities and services that enhance the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the GC student body, as well as ensuring that the GC makes all facilities accessible for students with disabilities. This working group will also be responsible for electing members of its body to the CUNY Coalition for Students with Disabilities (CCSD), and will serve as the GC Chapter of CCSD. It will support the DGSC Health and Wellness Committee as its DGSO counterpart, but will function as an independent and autonomous entity.

Article III: Membership
Membership is open to all matriculated GC students interested in promoting, expanding, and/or enhancing Disability, Health, and Wellness awareness and advocacy at the GC, as well as those who wish to learn more about what services the GC offers with regards to Disability, Health, and Wellness. We welcome full non-voting involvement from non-matriculated GC students, as well as students, alumni, faculty, and staff of other CUNY colleges who align with our mission statement. An active member shall be a member who has attended at least two meetings in a given semester.

Article IV: Leadership
The executives of this organisation shall consist of either a Chair or 2 Co-Chairs (“Chair(s)”), up to 2 CCSD Delegates and up to 2 CCSD Alternates (both “CCSD Members”).

The responsibilities of the Chair(s) shall include but not be limited to:
Maintaining a mailing list and emailing members
Advertising and marketing the organisation
Managing the budget
Scheduling events related to Disability, Health, and Wellness for the GC Community
Coordinating meetings with the Wellness Center, Counseling Center, and Student Disability Services
Sending information to CCSD regarding election of the CCSD Members

The Chair(s) shall be elected in a single voting process, and responsibilities shall be decided internally.

It shall be the responsibility of the CCSD Delegates and Alternates to attend monthly meetings of CCSD and report back to the organisation all updates relevant to the GC disabled student population, as well as to bring any relevant issues to CCSD.

Article V: Elections
Elections shall be held in June of each academic year for Chair(s) and CCSD Members.

If there are less than 10 members, the outgoing Chair(s) will be eligible to directly appoint their successors, as well as the CCSD Delegates/Alternates. If there are 10 or more members, the Chair(s) and CCSD Delegates/Alternates will be determined by a simple majority election. In the event that only one individual runs for Chair, they may serve as Chair without a Co-Chair, although if two or more individuals run, there shall be two Co-Chairs.

The 4 CCSD Members will be decided in one election, where the runner-ups will be the CCSD Alternates.

The elected Chair(s) will have the right to be CCSD Members if they so desire, each of which would decrease the number of CCSD Members up for election by one. This right may be invoked at any time a vacancy exists.

After elections have concluded, if there are CCSD Alternates, the CCSD Delegates are allowed to exchange their Delegate position with one of the Alternates, if both so desire.

Article VI: Vacancies
In the event of a CCSD Delegate vacancy, if there are Alternates, the Alternates shall determine which of them will fill that vacancy in the interim until both Delegates are elected.

In the event of a CCSD Member vacancy, special elections may be called by either the Chair(s) or a majority of the members of the organisation.

In the event of a Co-Chair vacancy, the vacancy may be filled by a CCSD Member, at a majority consensus of the remaining executives. If no CCSD Members wish to serve as Co-Chair, the remaining Co-Chair may either serve as Chair, or schedule a special election to fill the vacancy.

Article VII: Removal from office
Chair(s) and CCSD Members may be removed from office for failure to perform their prescribed duties by a two-thirds vote of the membership.

Article VIII: Meetings
Meetings will be held when deemed necessary by either the Chair(s) or the CCSD Delegates.

Article IX: Amendments
Amendments to this constitution shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present at two consecutive meetings at which the amendment has been read.