UPSA Constitution

UPSA Constitution

The Arts and Science Students’ Union (ASSU) constitution for course unions is the constitution for the Undergraduate Physiology Students’ Association; the by-laws presented below provide a more specific guide to the operation of the Undergraduate Physiology Students’ Association.

ARTICLE I: NAME

The organization shall be known as the “Undergraduate Physiology Students’ Association”, hereinafter referred to as “UPSA”.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

UPSA’s objectives are to:

  1. Provide resources for undergraduate students enrolled in a Physiology course or Physiology program of study to succeed in their academic career and
  1. To provide students with social networking opportunities with peers and Faculty Members from the Department of Physiology

ARTICLE III: DEFINITIONS

Section 1: “Executive” refers to elected members of the UPSA

Section 2: “Executive Meeting” refers to a meeting that consists of only the Executive.

Section 3: “General Meeting” refers to a meeting that consists of the General Assembly.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

Membership is open to any undergraduate student enrolled in a Physiology course or a Physiology program of study within the University of Toronto. University of Toronto members are permitted to run, nominate, and vote in elections and constitutional amendments.

ARTICLE V: EXECUTIVE LIST AND DUTIES

Section 1: The Executive shall consist of twelve (12) elected members: two (2) Co-Presidents, one (1) Administration Director, one (1) Financial Coordinator, one (1) Student Resources Coordinator, one (1) Communications Director, one (1) Promotions Director, two (2) External Affairs Directors, two (2) Second-Year Representatives, one (1) Upper-Year Representative

Section 2:

Shared duties (all)

In addition to position-specific responsibilities, each executive is expected to:

  1. Manage and organize at least one (1) event (in partnership with at least one other executive)
  1. Attend or help to facilitate all events
  1. Attend all executive meetings unless there is a conflict with class/appointments/etc.
  1. Try to fill in for another executive if he/she has conflicts with class/appointments/etc.

Co-Presidents specific duties (2)

  1. Oversee general workings of UPSA and chair at Executive Meetings
  1. Act as the primary contact for ASSU, ULife, GASP, and UTSU
  1. Serve as the default attendees for ASSU meetings and ensure that financial and constitutional requirements are met
  1. Oversee all financial aspects of UPSA functioning
  1. Oversee funds for the UPSA Community Involvement Scholarship
  1. Coordinate UPSA apparel sales with Second-Year Representatives
  1. Manage CCR

Financial Coordinator specific duties

  1. Oversee UPSA accounting and ensure proper book-keeping
  1. Plan allocation of funds for specific events and projects
  1. Work with the Co-President(s) in reimbursing executives for UPSA-related expenses
  1. Work with the Co-President(s) in corresponding with ASSU regarding budgets and funding
  1. Serve as a backup proxy for ASSU meetings

Administration Director specific duties

  1. Take detailed minutes during Executive Meetings and upload to shared Google Drive
  1. Represent and oversee Medical Sciences Students’ Lounge management
  1. Compile executive members’ schedules to determine availability for meetings and events
  1. Correspond with OSM and other offices to book venues for events

Student Resources Coordinator specific duties

  1. Work with the Department of Physiology to compile past test sales for PSL300, PSL301, PSL201, and PSL372.
  1. Oversee past test sales (including printing of the packages and organizing shifts for sales)

Communications Director specific duties

  1. Manage the UPSA website (e.g. updating information, implementing new features or designs)
  1. Create Facebook events and Listserv emails to communicate upcoming events
  1. Communicate announcements regarding upcoming events via social media and other sources (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Listserv, Portal)

Promotions Director specific duties

  1. Design promotional material for all UPSA events (e.g. posters, pins)
  1. Organize promotions for UPSA events through posters and banners
  1. Organize and keep the UPSA bulletin board in MSB up to date with events and information with the Communications Director

External Affairs Directors specific duties (2)

  1. Initiate and maintain communications with Faculty, academic speakers, and other student organizations
  1. Catering for UPSA events
  1. Ensure that memorabilia/gifts are available for guest speakers
  1. Organize and plan social events for Executive and non-executive members

Second-Year Representatives (2)

  1. Communicate with students within PSL300 and PSL301 via in-class announcements regarding upcoming events
  1. Coordinate UPSA apparel sales with Co-Presidents
  1. Relay queries from the student body to executive members of UPSA

Upper-Year Representative (1)

  1. Communicate with students within upper-year PSL courses (PSL372, PSL 374, PSL4- level courses) via in-class announcements regarding upcoming events
  1. Manage and keep UPSA bulletin board in MSB up to date with events with the Promotions Director
  1. Manage photos on social media (Facebook and Instagram)

Section 3: In the case of a vacancy occurring on the Executive, the remaining members of the Executive may, at their option, select an eligible member to fill the vacancy until a by-election may be held. The remaining Executive must call a General Meeting to take place within 30 days of vacancy (not counting holidays) for the purpose of holding a by-election.

Section 4: Members of the Executive may be removed by the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of those members present at a General Meeting, by secret ballot, provided that two (2) weeks notice of motion is given.

ARTICLE VI: ELECTIONS

Section 1: Any UPSA member who is also an ASSU member as defined by the ASSU constitution is eligible to run for a position on the UPSA executive.

Section 2: Notice of candidacy for an Executive position must be made prior to the election date.

Section 3: The Co-Presidents, Financial Coordinator, Student Resources Coordinator, Communications Director, Promotions Director, and External Affairs Directors, shall be elected, by secret ballot, at the end of every Spring term at the last General Meeting. The Executives shall hold office from the end of the April examination period until the end of the following April examination period.

Section 4: The Second-Year Representatives and the Upper-Year Representative shall be elected, by secret ballot, at the beginning of every school year at a General Meeting. It is recommended that at least one of the Second-Year Representatives be a student in the class PSL300+301 (formerly PSL302Y), and that the Upper-Year Representative be a 3rd or 4th year Physiology specialist or major student. The Executives shall hold office from the time of election until the end of the following April examination Period.

ARTICLE VII: FINANCES

Section 1: The Financial Coordinator shall keep records of all income and expenses. The Financial Coordinator shall present the group’s financial health at executive meetings. The Executive Committee will vote on expenditures of over $100.00 by majority vote at an executive meeting.

Section 2: The group’s executive members may not engage in activities that are essentially commercial in nature. This is not intended to preclude fees for specific activities, programs or events, or to prohibit groups from engaging in legitimate fundraising. However, the group will not have as a major activity a function that makes it an on-campus part of a commercial organization, will not provide services and goods at a profit when that profit is used for purposes other than those of the organization, and will not pay salaries to some or all of its officers.

Section 3: The group shall maintain $3000.00 in the main chequing account at the beginning of the Fall semester, separate from ASSU-given funding. Funds from the main chequing account shall be used throughout the year for UPSA-related events and awards only for expenditure outside of ASSU funding. Any remaining funds after the subtraction of $3000 shall be deposited into the “Other” account for savings with interest at the beginning of the Fall semester. Withdrawal from the “Other” account shall only be done  when absolutely necessary, under the following conditions: to maintain $3000.00 in the main chequing account at the beginning of the Fall semester, only after cash deposits from the previous year have been made, OR there are insufficient funds in the main chequing account for critical UPSA events (Fall and Spring elections) AND ASSU funding is rejected. An affirmative vote by at least two-thirds (⅔) of the executive members present at an Executive meeting must be achieved before withdrawing from the “Other” account.

ARTICLE VIII: GENERAL MEETINGS

Section 1: The Co-President(s) or majority of the Executive may call a General Meeting.

Section 2: General Meetings of the UPSA shall be held on at least three (3) occasions during the Fall and Spring terms. There shall be no General Meetings during the Summer term.

Section 3: The General Meeting must be announced 2 weeks in advance and ASSU must be notified 2 weeks in advance.

Section 4: Any 20 members may petition the Executive and face a General Meeting within 14 days of the receipt of the petition by any Executive member of UPSA, or any Executive member of ASSU.

Section 5: Each member present at a General Meeting shall have one (1) vote and decisions of the General Meeting shall be taken by a majority vote.

Section 6: The attendance of 15 members including the Executive is required for Quorum.

ARTICLE IX: EXECUTIVE MEETINGS

Section 1: Meetings of the Executive shall be called by the Co-President(s) at least every two (2) weeks or on the request of any member of the Executive with two-thirds (2/3) attendance required for Quorum.

Section 2: Each member of the Executive shall have one (1) vote and decisions of the Executive shall be made on the affirmative vote of the majority.

Section 3: The Co-President(s) shall preside as the Chairperson at the meetings of the Executive or may appoint another member to act as Chairperson. The Chairperson of the meetings of the Executive shall retain her/his vote, if applicable.

Section 4: The Administration Director shall record the minutes of the Executive meeting. In absence of the Administration Director, the responsibility for recording minutes shall rotate among Executive members.

Section 5: Any Executive member who misses three (3) consecutive Executive meeting shall be in jeopardy of losing his/her seat. The member must inform the Executive the reason(s) the meetings were missed by the meeting immediately following the missed meetings. The remaining Executive members must, by a majority vote, accept the reason(s). If the majority does not accept the reason(s) or if no reason(s) have been submitted, the member shall lose her/his seat.

ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

Section 1: Amendments to these by-laws shall be made on the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of those present at a General Meeting.

Section 2: All amendments must be in agreement with the ASSU constitution for course unions.

Section 3: Any amendments to these by-laws shall come into effect immediately following its adoption.