Purpose: The purpose of this constitution, by-laws and amendments is to structure the Doctoral student body and allocate responsibility and obligation in such a manner as to promote and achieve a graduate school experience in social work that adequately deals with changing social problems.

1. Name: The name of this organization shall be the Doctoral Student Organization of the Smith College School for Social Work.
2. Purpose: The purpose of the Doctoral Student Organization shall be to:
   1. Secure and advance student rights and responsibilities over their schooling and education.
   2. Organize and unite the doctoral student body in such a manner as to achieve our collective goals and to provide for the special needs of individuals and groups within the Doctoral Program.
   3. Advocate for an educational experience that provides and allows for the growth and development of individual skills and interests within the broad spectrum of social welfare education.
   4. Participate actively in matters of social concern.
3. Membership: All students of the Smith College School for Social Work Doctoral Program shall be members of the Doctoral Student Organization.
4. Structure
   1. The Executive Committee
      1. Membership
         1. The Offices of the Executive Committee are President, President-Elect, Treasurer (position can also be held by the President Elect), Secretary, and Class Representatives (one from each class).
         2. The qualifications for election to the Executive Committee are described in Article V.
      2. Duties
         1. Shall function as the official governing body of the Doctoral Student Organization.
         2. Shall carry out all business as stated in this Constitution and any other business as deemed necessary by the membership of the Executive committee itself.
         3. Shall have financial legislative authority over all matters pertaining to the Doctoral Student Organization, except those specifically delegated to the membership. DSO funds must be used to support the DSO meetings (including food, etc.) and/or events and activities that enforce the PhD students' learning, group solidarity or promote community.
         4. Shall, in part or in whole, represent the Doctoral Student Organization to any organization outside this body, such as faculty, administration, Alumnae Association, and other appropriate organizations.
         5. Shall, in part or in whole, negotiate agreements with other organizations on behalf of the membership.
         6. Shall pass upon the budget presented by the Treasurer.
         7. Shall bring such matters, in addition to constitutionally provided matters, before the membership, as it deems necessary.
         8. Shall have responsibility for determining the legitimacy of groups seeking Provisional Representation status on the Executive Committee
      3. Procedures
         1. Each office of the Executive Committee shall have one equal vote, except the President, who shall vote only in the case of a tie.
         2. Decisions shall be made by majority rule of a quorum present. A quorum shall consist of half of the Executive Committee.
         3. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be open to the Doctoral Student Body; participation of non-Executive Committee members in debate shall be at the discretion of the President.
5. Duties of the Officers
   1. Eligibility: Any member of the doctoral Student Body may run for office subject to the following conditions:
      1. Only students from the current summer's second year cohort are eligible to run for President.
      2. If an office is stipulated to be class specific, only members of that particular class may hold that office.
      3. No more than two individuals may conjointly hold any office, with the exception of the President, which shall only be occupied by one individual per term.
      4. An office may be declared vacant by the Executive Committee should the representative miss two consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee. The position may be filled by the Executive Committee and ratified by a vote of the membership at the next meeting of the Doctoral Student Organization.
   2. President
      1. Shall be elected by the Doctoral Student Body.
      2. Shall either preside over all general meetings of the Doctoral Student Organization or share this responsibility with the President-Elect.
      3. Shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee.
      4. Shall act as the official representative of the Doctoral Student Body.
      5. Shall be responsible to oversee all activities of the Doctoral Student Organization.
      6. Shall have a vote in all meetings only in case of a tie; at all other times the President shall refrain from voting.
      7. Shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
   3. President-Elect
      1. Shall be elected from the first-year class by membership of the Doctoral Student Body.
      2. Shall be a member of the Executive Committee and act as an official representative of the Doctoral Student Body.
      3. Shall organize and carry out the mechanics of the election procedures.
      4. Shall organize the orientation and welcoming activities for the next year's first-year class.
   4. Treasurer
      1. Shall maintain a record of all financial transactions and shall publish them at the end of his/her term.
      2. Shall ensure that DSO funds are used to support the DSO meetings (including food, etc.) and/or events and activities that enforce the PhD students' learning, group solidarity or promote community.
   5. Secretary
      1. Shall be elected by the Doctoral Student Body.
      2. Shall be a member of the Executive committee and act as an official representative of the Doctoral Student Body.
      3. Shall record, keep, and publish an official record of all minutes of the Doctoral Student Organization and the Executive Committee meetings.
      4. Shall publicize all meetings of the Doctoral Student Organization and the Executive Committee at least one day in advance of said meetings.
      5. Shall be responsible for maintaining all Executive Committee and doctoral Student Organization correspondence and historical records.
   6. Class Representatives
      1. Shall be elected from each class and represent that class as members of the Executive Committee.
      2. Shall receive petitions and concerns of their class members and present them to the Executive Committee.
      3. Shall hold class meetings to determine class opinion on various issues, and shall reflect consensus of majority opinions of the class to the Executive Committee.
6. Required Meetings
   1. The doctoral Student Body shall meet at the request of the Executive Committee.
   2. The doctoral Student Body shall meet if petitioned to do so by 10% of its membership.
   3. The Executive Committee shall meet weekly during the summer sessions in open meeting.
   4. Meetings may be called as necessary.
7. Elections
   1. No Executive Committee member shall concurrently hold another office, neither by election or appointment.
   2. All retiring members shall provide transitional information to incoming members.
   3. No more than two individuals may conjointly hold any office, with the exception of the President who shall only be occupied by one individual per term.
   4. Members of the Executive Committee are elected by the constituencies and methods described in this document.
   5. A term of office is one year. An incumbent is eligible for a second year of office except for students at the end of their residency.
   6. If an office is stipulated to be class specific, only members from that particular class may be nominated and hold that office.
   7. General election
      1. The entire membership of the Doctoral Student Organization shall be qualified to vote in a general election to be held the first DSO meeting of the each summer.
      2. The ballot shall include all offices to be filled by a vote of the Doctoral Student Body, and those offices that are class specific, along with any referenda and amendment issues.
      3. Procedure:
         1. The President-elect shall conduct the election process and the various meetings associated with the election.
         2. The President-Elect shall attend the first meeting of the summer and inform the cohorts of the various offices and the duties of each office.
         3. Nominations for the election will be collected the first DSO meeting of the summer semester. The President-Elect will make nomination forms available to the membership. A student may either nominate themselves, or be nominated by a peer.
         4. The election will take place on the first DSO meeting of the summer at a meeting of the doctoral Student Organization.
         5. Installation of the new Executive committee will take place at the first Executive Committee meeting after the election.
         6. Any offices remaining vacant after the election shall be filled by the Executive committee.
         7. Any election that results in a tie shall be resolved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
   8. Special election
      1. Elections other than the General Election may be called to deal with urgent matters, such as amendments and referendums.
      2. Special Elections may be authorized by the Executive Committee, or by a petition brought before the Executive committee by 10% of the Doctoral Student Body.
      3. Any vacancies on the Executive Committee at the time the election is called may be added to the ballot.
8. Amendments
   1. The procedure for amending the constitution shall be as follows:
      1. All amendments to the Constitution shall be decided during the General Election with the following exception
         1. Amendments to the constitution may be made by Special Election consistent with Article VII H.
         2. Amendments to the constitution may be made by a vote taken at a meeting of the Doctoral Student Body convened by a petition of 10% of the doctoral Student Body, or called by the Executive Committee.
         3. Amendments shall be passed by a simple majority vote of the Doctoral Student Organization.
9. Ratification
   1. Ratification of this Constitution shall be accomplished by the approval of a majority of votes cast in favor of the ratification by at least two-thirds of the first- and second-year doctoral classes, and as many of the third-year students attending.
10. Acts of Protest Clause
    1. In cases of dispute between the doctoral Student Organization and any other group, a majority of the doctoral Student Body will vote to approve or disapprove extraordinary measures such as censure, boycott, or strike.
11. Quorum
    1. A quorum for a general meeting of the doctoral Student body shall consist of: three officers, the class representative or their designates, and three other members.
    2. A quorum of the Executive committee shall consist of one-half of the Executive committee.
12. By-Laws
    1. By-laws and rules may be enacted by the Executive committee by a simple majority vote of its members, where such rules are not specifically provided for by this constitution.
    2. Robert's rules of Order shall govern all doctoral Student body and Executive committee meetings, where no other rules have been specified by this constitution.
13. Conflict of Interest Clause
    1. No current member of the Executive Committee may charge or accept a fee for services performed on behalf of the Doctoral Student Organization.