The APSA Committee on the Status of Graduate Students in the Profession’s mission is to promote, support, and advocate on behalf of graduate students within Political Science. The committee achieves this mission by keeping informed of graduate student concerns and developing dynamic approaches to address them.
Bylaws:
Membership:
The Graduate Student Status Committee has six members, each serving for two-year terms (in staggered rotation).
- Two co-chairs (one from each group of the committee’s staggered membership) lead and facilitate the committee’s projects and any initiatives that may be recommended by the committee. Co-chairs are expected to:
- Organize committee meetings: face-to-face and conference calls;
- Consult with the committee and APSA staff to prepare and finalize the agenda and to advance committee projects;
- Followthrough on action items that result from meetings and provide updates to the committee as needed;
- Work with APSA staff to ensure that the committee plans and organizes its APSA Annual Meeting events: a business meeting, a panel/roundtable/short course on a topic relevant to graduate students, and a reception;
- Ask for volunteers or assign committee members to direct or manage each of the committee’s ongoing projects and Annual Meeting events.
- All members of the committee are expected to:
- Communicate respectfully with fellow committee members.
- Be active participants in the discussion surrounding projects and initiatives proposed by the committee.
- Maintain communication with co-chars, other committee members, and APSA staff.
- Followthrough on action items either volunteered for or assigned by the committee or its co-chairs.
Organization:
The committee will hold at least two business meetings per year: A face-to-face fall meeting at the APSA annual meeting and a spring meeting via conference call.
During the APSA Annual Meeting, the committee will organize the following events: fall committee business meeting and committee panel/roundtable. The co-chairs may designate a committee point-person to organize Annual Meeting events, but the organization of these activities is the responsibility of the committee as a whole:
- Committee Business Meetings:
- The co-chairs lead the meeting. Items on the agenda are discussed and, if necessary, decisions are made by a vote of the majority of members present. Generally, action items and projects are divided up among the committee members who serve as the point person or lead. The co-chairs should request updates and reports from members working on committee projects.
- Committee Panel/Roundtable:
- In February/ March the committee should discuss and decide on the panel topic and list of panelists. Next, the committee invites panelists. APSA staff assists in providing contact information, if necessary. The committee may also consider other annual formats, such as short courses All information regarding the panel and panelists must be communicated to APSA staff by March 1 or other specified date.