Neuroscience Graduate Student Association

The Neuroscience Graduate Student Association (NGSA) provides an avenue for academic, professional, and social activities for graduate students of the interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Florida State University. The main goals of this organization are to facilitate academic and professional development of its members, promote collegiality and social interaction among the students and the faculty of the Program in Neuroscience, and foster public awareness of the importance of the brain and the benefits of brain research through outreach to the local community.

GSAC

The Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC) is elected by members of the NGSA and includes four positions: President, Treasurer, and two Outreach Chairs. This committee facilitates communication between NGSA members and the Program in Neuroscience, coordinates social, professional, and outreach events for members, and approves policies and expenditures of the organization.

• President

RYAN OCHOA

Contact: ochoa@psy.fsu.edu

• Treasurer

ALICIA GONZALEZ

Contact: gonzalez@psy.fsu.edu

• Outreach Chairs

JACOB DILLIPLANE and AUSTIN WERNER

Contacts: dilliplane@bio.fsu.edu and awerner@bio.fsu.edu

By-laws

Article I: Membership

All graduate student majors in the Program in Neuroscience, as defined in the constitution, shall be voting members of the Neuroscience Graduate Student Association (NGSA). No student will be denied membership on the basis of sex, race, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or age. Graduate and undergraduate students who are not affiliated with the Neuroscience program may participate as non-voting members of NGSA. Termination of membership will occur if a student goes on academic probation for more than one semester or graduates with a terminal degree.

Article II: Graduate Student Advisory Committee (GSAC)

GSAC is the elected executive committee of NGSA responsible for approving policies and expenditures of the organization by majority vote. The GSAC is also responsible for facilitating communication between neuroscience graduate students and the Program in Neuroscience.

Article III: GSAC Responsibilities in NGSA

• Graduate Training Committee
  • One member of GSAC will serve as a representative to the Graduate Training Committee
• Course Feedback
  • Issue surveys to graduates students and compile course evaluations.
  • Meet with the director as needed to discuss student feedback.
• Graduate Student Recruitment
  • Coordinate student-led information sessions
• Support community outreach and education
  • An Outreach and Education Subcommittee, chaired by a GSAC officer and comprised of students funded on the Neuroscience Fellowship and any additional student volunteers, leads community outreach to foster public awareness of the importance of the brain and the benefits of brain research. NGSA provides funds to support outreach efforts.
• Maintain NGSA as a Registered Student Organization (RSO)
  • In August contact director of RSOs
• Manage Funds
  • Internal (University Funds)
  • External (Raised Funds)
  • Any standing funds cannot be dissolved without a majority vote of graduate students (NGSA) either at a scheduled meeting or by electronic voting.
• Represent NGSA to Congress of Graduate Students (COGS)
  • At least one GSAC representative will attend the yearly COGS meeting for funding renewal. In the absence of another volunteer, this is the President’s duty.

Article IV: Meetings and Procedures

• Meetings and Motions
  • There will be at least one general meeting for all NGSA members per academic year with the option of more by committee approval. The GSAC will schedule meetings with notification to all members at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. All voting members may sponsor a motion or resolution. All major motions and resolutions will be distributed to members at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Members may vote on motions in person, electronically, or by mail. Motions and resolutions shall require a majority vote for passage. Mail and e-mail votes must be received by the Treasurer and counted by the GSAC before the end of the meeting at which other members vote in person.
• GSAC Meetings
  • GSAC members will be notified at least one week prior to meeting dates and at least 3 of the 4 GSAC members must be present at convened meetings.
• Budget and Expenditures
  • The annual budget must be approved by a majority of voting members. Funds obtained from all sources shall be maintained in a secure, auditable account with all income and expenditures reported annually to the membership and program director. Committee chairs may make expenditures as approved by the NGSA.

Article V: Amendments

Amendments to these By-Laws must be approved by a majority-plus-one of the membership voting in person, by mail, or by e-mail, after due notice. Amendments must be approved by the Director of Student Activities and Organizations.

Constitution

Article I: Name

The name of this organization is the Neuroscience Graduate Student Association (NGSA).

Article II: Purpose

The NGSA will provide an avenue for academic, professional, and social activities to the graduate students in the interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at Florida State University. Our program includes faculty and students across campus from the departments of Biological Science, Mathematics, and Psychology; the College of Medicine; the Institute of Molecular Biophysics; and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. The main goals of this organization will be to facilitate academic and professional development of its members, to promote collegiality and social interaction among the students and faculty of the Program in Neuroscience, and to foster public awareness of the importance of the brain and the benefits of brain research through outreach to the local community; for example by participating in Brain Awareness Week and holding the North Florida Brain Bee.

Article III: Membership

• A. Membership Statement
  • All graduate students in the interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience will be voting members of the NGSA. This includes students enrolled in a departmental degree program with a strong Neuroscience focus and whose major professor is a member of the Program in Neuroscience. This organization agrees to adhere to the university non-discrimination statement: No university student may be denied membership on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veterans’ or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected group status. No hazing or discrimination will be used as a condition of membership in this organization. Information regarding hazing can be found at http://hazing.fsu.edu. Graduate and undergraduate students who are not affiliated with the Neuroscience program may participate as non-voting members of the NGSA. Four members of NGSA will be elected to serve as the graduate student advisory committee (GSAC).
• B. Revocation of Membership
  • Membership may be revoked without mutual agreement for misconduct or violation of any provisions of the constitution. The member will be notified in writing of the possible revocation at least 72 hours prior to the vote and will be allowed to address the organization in order to relate to members any relevant defense prior to the voting for removal. Membership can only be revoked upon a majority-plus-one vote of voting eligible members. Revocation of membership will be valid for three (3) semesters.
• C. Appeal Process
  • Any student whose membership is revoked will have seven (7) calendar days to appeal the revocation. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the President and Secretary and must include any relevant information that has not already been presented. The President will then submit the appeal to the Appeals Committee. This committee consists of three (3) executive board members and four (4) general members. This committee will then render a decision at the next general body meeting or in seven (7) calendar days, whichever occurs first.

Article IV: Offices

• A. Terms of Office
  • All terms of office will be for one (1) year, starting at the beginning of the fall semester.
• B. Qualification for Office and Nominations
  • All voting members are eligible to run for office. Nominations must be submitted to the Treasurer at least one (1) week before the elections meeting. Nominees must accept their nominations in writing, via email or formal letter in order for their names to appear on the ballot.
• C. Elections
  • Elections will take place at a meeting scheduled in the spring or summer semester. Voting members will elect four (4) members to serve on the NGSA executive committee, which also acts as the GSAC as defined by the By-Laws article II (and in the Program in Neuroscience By-Laws, Article III Section 1C). All members must be notified by email or other means at least five (5) days before the meeting and shall have the option of voting electronically or by mail. All electronic and mail votes must be received by the Treasurer before the end of the elections meeting.
• D. Officers
  • The GSAC/NGSA officers include the President, Treasurer and two Outreach Chairs. Additional offices may be created as agreed upon by vote during the elections meeting or during an ad hoc meeting scheduled by the committee. At least one (1) member of GSAC should be a member of an underrepresented minority group. If a minority-group member is not elected, the Program in Neuroscience Director has the authority to appoint an additional member. Any student member may propose a change in office or other issue for NGSA member vote. All proposals for changes in offices, including those proposed for an ad-hoc meeting, must be distributed to all members of the NGSA at least five (5) days prior to a scheduled meeting.
    • 1. President
      • The President shall be responsible for chairing NGSA and GSAC meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. The President is responsible for registering NGSA as an FSU student organization and approving budget requests. The President will act as the official, though not the only, liaison to the faculty and/or staff advisor as well as Florida State’s Student Government Organization and the Congress of Graduate Students.
      • The President will coordinate shared GSAC responsibilities including but not limited to: coordinating social, professional, and outreach activities, recording the minutes of meetings, preparing and distributing agendas, ballots, and information for planned NGSA and GSAC meetings, seminars, workshops, and keeping a current list of the NGSA and GSAC memberships.
    • 2. Secretary
      • The Secretary will record the minutes of the meetings, prepare, and distribute agendas, ballots and information for planned NGSA and GSAC meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. The Secretary is also responsible for the files of the NGSA and GSAC, and for keeping a current list of the NGSA and GSAC memberships. The Secretary is responsible for receiving completed ballots during elections and, with the GSAC members who are not officers, for counting votes. The Secretary shall act as the GSAC liaison to the Society for Neuroscience Secretary and Advisor when necessary.
    • 3. Treasurer
      • The Treasurer shall keep accounts, prepare the annual budget alongside the President, deposit the association’s funds, and make expenditures as approved by the NGSA and GSAC. The Treasurer will also update the NGSA website with the help of the Outreach Chairs and shall act as the GSAC liaison to the Society for Neuroscience Secretary and Faculty Advisor when necessary.
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    • 4. Outreach Chairs
      • The Outreach Chairs shall oversee the affairs of the outreach and education committee as outlined in Article III of the By-Laws. Along with the Treasurer, the Outreach Chairs make up the elections committee and shall be charged with counting votes during elections or when the membership votes on changes in the Constitution or By-Laws. The Outreach Chairs are responsible for coordinating outreach events with the help from other GSAC and NGSA members.
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• E. Officer Vacancies
  • 1. Removal of Officers
    • Any officer may be removed from office upon a majority-plus-one vote of NGSA members. The officer will be notified in writing of the possible termination or removal at least 72 hours prior to the vote and will be allowed to address the organization in order to relate to members any relevant defense prior to the voting for removal.
  • 2. Resignation
  • Officers no longer wishing to serve on the executive board must submit their resignation to the President at least two (2) weeks in advance. Prior to the officer’s final day, they shall provide all documents relating to the organization and brief their replacement of any ongoing projects under their supervision. This will be submitted via a detailed written report.
  • 3. Filling Vacant Officer Positions
    • In the event an officer is removed or resigns, the nomination process will take place as stated in Article IV Section B as soon as possible. The election process will take place as stated in Article IV Section C at a special meeting timed to comply with Article IV Sections B, C, and E. The newly elected replacement officer will start their term early to fill the vacancy, and will end at the beginning of the following fall term if the replacement occurs before the annual election for new officers or at the end of the following summer term if the replacement occurs after the annual election for new officers.

Article V: Advisor

• A. Nomination and Role
  • The Advisor shall be selected by the officers of this organization and must be approved by a majority-plus-one vote of NGSA members. The Advisor shall serve as a mentor to the organization providing guidance to the officers and members. The Advisor has no voting rights. The Advisor’s position has no term limit other than they must be a current FSU faculty or staff member.
• B. Removal and Replacement of Advisor
  • The Advisor will be notified in writing of the possible removal at least 72 hours prior to the vote and will be allowed to address the organization in order to relate to members any relevant defense prior to the voting for removal. Upon a majority-plus-one vote of NGSA members the advisor will be removed from their duties. In the event that the Advisor is removed or resigns, a new advisor shall be elected within 14 calendar days.

Article VI: Finances

• A. Membership Dues
  • There are no membership dues.

Article VII: Publications

• A. Compliance
  • All advertisements of the organization must comply with the University Posting Policy
• B. Approval
  • The President and Treasurer must approve all publications, shirts, flyers, etc. prior to duplication and distribution.

Article VIII: Amendments

• A. Amendments to this constitution must be approved by a majority-plus-one of NGSA members voting in person or by mail or email, after due notice.
• B. Amendments must be approved by the Director of Student Activities and Organizations.

History of the Constitution

• *Revised 20th day of June in the year 2024
• * Revised 8th day of October in the year 2020
• * Revised 29th day of April in the year 2015
• * Revised: 9th day of September in the year 2013
• * Revised: 11th day of April in the year 2012
• * Revised: 7th day of November in the year 2011
• * Revised: 26th day of January in the year 2011
• * Revised: 17th day of January in the year 2011
• * Revised: 19th day of November in the year 2010