CONSTITUTION
Graduate Students in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Last Updated: 05/15/2023
Article 1: Name and Purpose
Graduate Students in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, also referred to as GEEB, is a registered student organization (RSO) at the University of Illinois consisting of graduate students conducting research related to the disciplines of ecology and evolutionary biology.
Purpose:
Graduate Students in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (GEEB) serves to coordinate and unite graduate students from various departments through their interests in ecology and evolutionary biology. Members of GEEB include students from a wide diversity of campus units; we encourage and welcome graduate students from any campus department to participate in GEEB social and academic activities.
Article 2: Value Statements, Student Code
Section 1 – Value statements:
GEEB supports equality of all people, recognizing its responsibility to protect human dignity and promote positive personal growth. Hazing, which includes any act that threatens the mental, physical, academic health, or safety of a student through actions or situations that endanger, embarrass, harass, demean or ridicule any person regardless of locations, intent or consent of participants, is strictly prohibited by any member of GEEB. Below we provide GEEB’s Value Statements:
- GEEB is committed to support diversity in all aspects of representation, and to promote and encourage a culture of inclusiveness.
- GEEB recognizes the rights of all individuals to mutual respect; acceptance of others without biases based on race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, familial status, social economic status, and/or ability.
- GEEB encourages individual and organizational efforts to build respect, dignity, fairness, caring, equality, and self-esteem.
Section 2 – Student Code:
Our organization recognizes its role and responsibilities as a member of an engaged and inclusive University community, and we support UIUC policy to “not to engage in discrimination or harassment against any person be- cause of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation including gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era and to comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations. This nondiscrimination policy applies to admissions, employment, and access to and treatment in the University programs and activities.”
In addition, GEEB also supports UIUC sexual misconduct policy:
“The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (“University”) is committed to providing a safe and welcoming campus environment free from discrimination based on sex, which includes sexual assault, sexual exploitation, stalking, sexual harassment, dating violence, and domestic violence (collectively referred to as sexual misconduct). The University prohibits and will not tolerate sexual misconduct because such behavior violates the University’s institutional values, adversely impacts the University’s community interest, and interferes with the University’s mission. The University also prohibits retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports or discloses a violation of this policy, files a complaint, and/or otherwise participates in an investigation, proceeding, complaint, or hearing under this policy. Once the University becomes aware of an incident of sexual misconduct, the University will promptly and effectively respond in a manner designed to eliminate the misconduct, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects.”
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Student Code
§ 1-111 , (A)
Section 3 – Penalty for violation of value statements and student code:
If a GEEB member disregards the value statements discussed in Article 2 – Section 1 of the GEEB Constitution or violates the Student code in Article 2 – Section 2 of the GEEB constitution, the member will be reported/dealt with following protocols that are in agreement with University policy. Furthermore, the member will be removed from the GEEB listserve and will be asked to refrain from participating in GEEB related events, including the GEEB symposium.
Article 3: Authority
GEEB recognizes as per the Student Code:
“Registered Organizations and Registered Student Organizations are independent and autonomous from the University and are responsible for managing their own affairs. Registered Organizations and Registered Student Organizations are not affiliated with the University. Nor are they units or agents of the University, and shall not represent them as such. Events and activities conducted by Registered Organizations and Registered Student Organizations shall not be considered University-sponsored.”
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Student Code
§ 2-303, (D)
Article 4: Membership
Membership in the organization shall be open to those regularly-enrolled University of Illinois graduate students. We encourage and welcome graduates from any UIUC department, and invite undergraduate students and faculty to join GEEB on an associate membership basis. Associates are bestowed with all other privileges and responsibilities of association with GEEB. Members and Affiliates combined will be referred to as the Body of GEEB.
Eligibility for membership or appointed or elected graduate student officer positions may not be limited on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability. The organization shall have no rules or policies that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability.
Members are limited to persons affiliated with UIUC. Members should apply to join the GEEB listserve (https://www.life.illinois.edu/geeb/) using their UIUC .edu email address.
Article 5: Officers
Section 1:
Officers of GEEB include the PRESIDENT, TREASURER, ECOLUNCH COORDINATOR, SOCIAL COORDINATOR, OUTREACH COORDINATOR(S), EXTRACURRICULAR EVENTS COORDINATOR, SYMPOSIUM COORDINATOR(S), WEBMASTER, NEW MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR.
Section 2:
In order to run for office in GEEB, members must be in good standing with his or her college or department.
Section 3:
All officers serve for a term of ONE (1) YEAR or until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.
Section 4:
Power and Duties of Officers include:
- President: The GEEB president oversees all aspects of the organization and is the official voice of GEEB. Their responsibilities include managing the listserv and contributing to Social media accounts, maintaining contact with and checking in with all officers, and aiding officers in their duties. The President is also responsible for maintaining, updating and implementing the Constitution, and coordinating elections.
- Treasurer: The Treasurer shall handle all financial affairs and budgeting of the organization, maintain all necessary accounting records, and prepare financial reports for the membership. The Treasurer shall collect all dues (departmental sponsorship) and apply for SORF (Student Organization Resource Fee) funding as needed. The Treasurer shall work with the President to maintain the finances of the organization.
- Ecolunch coordinator: the Ecolunch coordinator organizes a weekly or biweekly bag lunch speaker series for, at a minimum, the Fall semester. They survey members for interest in workshops, special presentations, etc. and schedule the event. They facilitate a schedule of personal and professional development workshops, peer support events, and networking opportunities for the series. The Chair maintains an online copy of the schedule and give access to all GEEB members/affiliates.
- Social coordinator: The Social Chair is responsible for organizing the weekly happy hour, four annual large social events.
- Extracurricular events chair: The extracurricular events chair organizes activities outside of the academic setting that members would be interested in. For example, events could include camping/hiking/canoeing trips, sporting events, game days (GEEB gets together and plays board games), trips to Chicago or to other local museums, etc.
- Outreach coordinator(s): The Outreach Chair(s) is responsible for organizing outreach events. They must maintain a list of local contacts, maintain relationships with existing community contacts, organize and oversee any outreach opportunities, solicit volunteers in a timely manner for outreach activities, develop new community contacts, send pictures and verbiage associated with events to webmaster, and organize and keep outreach materials available for use by any member. Outreach coordinator(s) may begin outreach activities in the summer after elections.
- Symposium coordinators: The Symposium Chairs are responsible for organizing the GEEB symposium over prospective student’s weekend. These duties include booking logistics for the event, managing volunteers for the judging committees, moderation, program, soliciting abstracts, and organizing the poster session. One of the Symposium coordinators may serve as Vice President for the RSO.
- Webmaster: The webmaster is required to maintain and update the GEEB website and solicit information and images of GEEB events for social media channels. The webmaster maintains and updates a list of resources available to GEEB on the website. The webmaster may serve as Secretary for the RSO.
- New Membership Director: The Membership director will be responsible for induction of new members to GEEB and supporting recruitment. They will collaborate with the Ecolunch coordinator to organize a workshop at the beginning of the semester to introduce GEEB to resources available to graduate students at UIUC. They may attend introductory graduate classes to present resources available from GEEB. They will coordinate with the Symposium Coordinators to arrange the food/space for after the annual GEEB symposium.
Article 6: Elections
Elections are held near the end of spring semester and will be coordinated by Elections are held near the end of spring semester and will be coordinated by the President. The Body of GEEB will be allowed to nominate candidates for all Officer positions and at least two weeks of voting time will be allowed for GEEB members to vote for nominees. Nominations and voting will be online through the U of I Connections platform. Officers shall be elected by majority vote. If no candidate receives a majority vote, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.
