Constitution & Bylaws


Governing Documents

The governing documents for the GSC are comprised of the Constitution (below), the GSC Bylaws, and Amendments to the Constitution & Bylaws.

Constitution of the MIT Graduate Student Council


Article I. Name
Article II. Purpose
Article III. Membership
Article IV. Officers
Article V. Elections
Article VI. Voting Procedures
Article VII. Council Meetings
Article VIII. Initiatives
Article IX. Open Records
Article X. Amendments
Article XI. Ratification



Article I. Name

The graduate students at MIT shall be known collectively as the Graduate Student Body. Their official representative body shall be known as the Graduate Student Council (GSC).

Article II. Purpose

The purposes of the Graduate Student Council shall include the following four items:

  • To represent the graduate students on all matters pertaining to their general welfare as graduate students.
  • To provide for and promote graduate student extra-curricular activities.
  • To provide for the welcoming and orientation of new graduate students.
  • To provide a formal means of communication among graduate students.

Article III. Membership

  1. Graduate Student Body
    All regular and special students of MIT carried on the Registrar’s rolls as graduate students shall be members of the Graduate Student Body.
  2. Graduate Student Council
    Any member of the graduate student body is eligible to serve on the Council. No individual may hold more than one of the following positions at any given time: a Council representative, a Council standing committee chair, and/or a Council officer.
    1. The representatives of the Graduate Student Council shall be chosen as follows:
      1. Departmental Representation
        There shall be openings for one Council representative for every 100 graduate students, or fraction thereof, in each academic department and degree granting interdepartmental graduate program. No department or degree granting graduate program shall have more than five openings.
      2. Housing Representation
        Housing Representation: There shall be openings for a Council Representative from each on-campus graduate living group, as listed in the GSC Bylaws. In addition there shall be two openings for Council members not living in the aforementioned residences, or any other residence which may be deemed “on campus housing”. Their purpose shall be to represent the interests of the off-campus graduate student population.
      3. At-Large Representation
        There shall be 5 openings for representatives of constituencies not mentioned above. The Council may vote to designate these At-large seats to be named seats, representing particular distinct constituencies. By naming these seats it is hoped that the constituency will be more properly identified and that the constituency can better manage its representation. Such designation must be approved by a 2/3 vote of the Council. The Council must satisfy itself that the membership of the constituency approves the designation. Designation may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Council. Traditional rules of inactivity will apply to any named seats.
    2. The Graduate Student Council may establish standing or ad hoc committees to pursue specific goals of the Council. Each committee shall be chaired by at least one graduate student. Graduate student members of Institute Committees shall be ex officio members of Council committees concerned with related issues. Further details regarding Council committees shall be provided in the Bylaws.
    3. The Officers of the Graduate Student Council shall be as defined in Article IV of this Constitution.

Article IV. Officers

Council shall elect its officers, who shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary. The term of office is one year. No person may hold two offices simultaneously. No person may hold the same office for more than two full years. The officers of the Council shall be voting members.

Article V. Elections

  1. Election of Council Members
    Members terms will be for one year, starting October 15. They may seek re-election. The election procedure shall be provided in the By-laws. The President shall convene the council-elect. Any member may resign by submission of a written resignation to the Council President. The recall of a member may be initiated as shall be provided for in the By-Laws.
  2. Election of Council Officers
    The officers shall be nominated and elected by the Council at its April meeting. They shall assume office at the May meeting. An officer may be impeached by any three members of the Council, and the officer may be removed by a 2/3 vote of the members of the Council.

Article VI. Voting Procedure

Each Council representative, Council standing committee chair and Council officer shall have one and only one vote on all matters. Unless specified otherwise, voting decisions by the Council shall be made by simple majority of those present at a Council meeting provided quorum has been established. Further voting procedures shall be defined in the Bylaws.

Article VII. Council Meetings

  1. Call to Meetings
    The President shall call regular meetings. At least three meetings per semester must be held. A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum. Meetings shall be open to all graduate students.
  2. Special Meetings
    Special meetings of the council may be called to consider a special item or items of business, by the President, by two members of the Executive Committee, by four Council members, or by petition of any ten graduate students.

Article VIII. Initiatives

Initiatives requesting the submission of a matter to a vote of the Graduate Student Body can be made by petition of 5% of the Graduate Student Body or by a majority vote of the Council. The result of the vote will be binding on the Council if at least 15% of the Graduate Student Body concurred in the result.

Article IX. Open Records

Records and documents of the graduate Student Council shall be open to inspection by any graduate student, subject to Institute policy.

Article X. Amendments

  1. Constitution
    Amendments to this Constitution may originate in the Council or through petition in writing by ten graduate students. Proposed amendments must be conspicuously posted for a period of two weeks before action or adoption. Adoption requires at least a 3/4 vote of the full Council followed by a majority of graduate students voting in a referendum. Council must vote within six weeks of posting an amendment. A referendum must be held within six months of Council approval.
  2. Bylaws
    By-Laws may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the full Council.

Article XI. Ratification

This Constitution and appended By-Laws shall be ratified if a majority of the graduate students voting in a referendum held in December, 1968 Shall approve it. It will take effect, if passed, on January 1, 1969, and will supersede all previous constitutions.