Governance of the Graduate Students' Association

The Graduate Students' Association is established by University Ordinances as an incorporated body within the University. The Association has exactly the same status as the Students Union, making York one of only two universities in the country to give such a high recognition to its postgraduate students and their issues.

Association Council

The Association Council is the policy setting body of the Association, and meets three times per academic term. There are a number of elected positions on it:

• All Officers of the GSA
• The Chair of each Affiliated Committee (GCRC)
• The Graduate Representative to University Senate
• 1 course representative per academic department at the University
• YUSU President
• ISA President
• 12 elected Ordinary Members of the Association made up of exactly:
  • 1 representative for part-time students
  • 1 representative for students with disabilities
  • 1 representative for LGBT students
  • 1 representative for students with disabilities
  • 1 representative for racial equality
  • 1 representative for gender equality
  • 1 representative for PGCE students
  • 1 representative for PGWT (postgraduates who teach)
  • 1 representative for off-campus students
  • 1 representative for distance learning students
  • 2 other ordinary members

All business of the Association is conducted in accordance to the Constitution of the Association that is approved by the membership and ratified by the Council of The University of York (the highest governance body of the University). The Executive and individual Officers of the Association are further constrained by all policies passed at General Meetings and, by policies passed by the Executive itself (when these don't contradict the former).

Our Constitution takes effect on October 1st 2009, having been approved at General Meeting.

• Our Constitution Articles (pdf document)
• Our Constitution Appendices (pdf document)
• Our Constitution Schedules (pdf document)

Our Budget for the 2009/10 academic year was successfully passed at our last Annual General Meeting: