Constitution – Graduate English Association

Graduate English Association at the University of Toronto
Constitution

GEA Constitution (Revised 27 January 2023) – PDF

ARTICLE I: ESTABLISHMENT, MEMBERSHIP, AND PURPOSE

The Graduate English Association (GEA) is the graduate student society for the Graduate English Department (“the Department”) at the University of Toronto (“the University”), and a course union under the University of Toronto’s Graduate Student Union (UTGSU) pursuant to Article 5 of the latter’s bylaws.
The GEA’s membership shall consist of all students registered in the Graduate English Department for the current term.
1. This includes both full- and part-time students.
2. All members are entitled to attend and fully participate in general meetings of the GEA; to bring forward motions; to seek election for any position within the GEA; to vote on any questions; and to sit on committees.
The purpose of the GEA shall be:
1. to represent and advocate for the needs and interests of its membership with the Department, the University, and the UTGSU;
2. to support those same needs and interests through direct action where applicable;
3. to keep its membership informed of all relevant activities, events, and developments; and
4. to sponsor, organise, and promote events for the social and academic advancement of its members.

ARTICLE II: MEETINGS AND MOTIONS

The GEA shall convene for two general meetings in each of the fall and winter terms.
1. Meetings shall be convened by the Executive and chaired by the President or, in their absence, the Vice President. If a meeting is convened without a chair, the first item of that meeting’s agenda must be to elect a chair from among the members present.
2. Quorum for meetings shall be two Executive officers and six additional members.
3. Notice of a meeting shall be circulated to all members seven days in advance.
4. Notice of a meeting shall include its agenda as well as any anticipated motions.
In addition to the two general meetings per term, the GEA Executive or membership may convene an emergency or special meeting.
1. If urgent matters arise or if petitioned by six or more members, the Executive shall convene an emergency meeting, with either the Executive or the petitioning members providing the agenda and any anticipated motions. Notice shall be decreased to forty-eight hours but quorum shall remain unchanged.
2. If for any reason the Executive is unable or unwilling to convene a meeting, any twelve or more members may convene a special meeting. Quorum shall be increased to sixteen members but notice shall remain unchanged.
To keep the GEA membership informed of their activities, Executive officers, internal representatives, external representatives, and committee chairs shall present reports at general meetings.
1. The chair shall recognise each of these positions and ask them to present a report. Reports may be delivered in-person or by a substitute, and may have a set length at the discretion of the chair.
2. Each report shall be followed by a question period, with the chair determining the length of discussion.
3. Each report shall be followed by a motion to accept the report, and several reports may be accepted in a single motion. If the motion passes, the membership is considered to have endorsed and assumed responsibility for that report.
To discuss and vote on matters of interest to the GEA membership, any member may bring forward a motion for consideration.
1. Motions may be either anticipated, if their full text is submitted to the Executive to be circulated along with the notice of a meeting, or spontaneous.
2. Each motion requires one member to move it and another to second it.
3. Each motion shall be preceded by a discussion and ratified by a majority vote, with the chair determining the length of discussion and when to call the question.
4. Voting shall proceed by voice or by show of hands. Any member may request that a vote be held by secret ballot, provided the request is made before voting begins.
5. Members who are unable to attend a meeting may vote on anticipated motions by communicating their vote in writing to both the President and Vice President.
6. Approved motions take effect immediately.
7. Motions to recall an elected position and motions to amend the constitution are considered special motions with additional procedures outlined in Article IX.

ARTICLE III: EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The GEA shall elect from among its members no fewer than four Executive officers: the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
1. The Executive officers shall serve for a one-year term beginning on the July 1st following their election pursuant to Article VIII.
The Executive as a whole, or an officer thereof, shall:
1. attend and present a report at all general meetings;
2. actively respond to needs, questions, and concerns expressed by, as well as to issues and events outside the GEA that affect, the GEA membership;
3. serve as a liaison between the membership and the Department, particularly the administration;
4. maintain records and documentation of all GEA activities in the official GEA Google drive;
5. oversee the purchase of holiday gifts for administrative staff;
6. select one Executive officer to serve as co-chair of the Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee in cooperation with the elected chair thereof pursuant to Article VI.1.b.i; and
7. serve as student representatives to the department’s Graduate English Council (GEC), St. George General, and Tri-Campus Annual General meetings.
The President shall:
1. schedule and chair GEA Executive and general meetings;
2. act as a liaison between graduate students and the administrations of the Department and University;
3. assure that necessary internal and external representative positions are filled and that the department administration and appropriate organisations/people are notified of the names and contact information of the representatives;
4. organise or delegate the organisation of workshops alongside the Vice President on such topics as Grant Writing, Special Fields Exams, Dissertation Writing, and any other topics requested by and/or of interest to the membership;
5. coordinate an information session for new students, to be held on the first day of registration;
6. communicate with the department regarding Visitors’ Day, write a letter of welcome to potential incoming students, and coordinate a graduate student panel with the vice president;
7. serve as a representative on either the Program or Planning Committee; and
8. write and present two reports (one each term) to the Graduate English Council (GEC) on behalf of the membership and summarising GEA events.
The Vice President shall:
1. chair general meetings in the absence of the President;
2. coordinate orientation events for incoming students alongside the President;
3. organise the annual “Sibling” program to pair incoming students with current students for advice, academic networking, and socialising;
4. organise or delegate the organisation of workshops alongside the President on such topics as Grant Writing, Special Fields Exams, Dissertation Writing, and any other topics requested by and/or of interest to the membership;
5. communicate with the department regarding Visitors’ Day and coordinate a graduate student panel with the President; and
6. serve as a representative on either the Program or Planning Committee.
The Treasurer shall:
1. assume responsibility for the GEA banking account and all its transactions;
2. coordinate the transfer of names and signatures on the GEA banking account;
3. in consultation with other officers of the Executive, prepare a budget report of projected expenditures and update this budget at each subsequent general meeting;
4. submit the GEA’s head grant application, including a detailed financial report, to the UTGSU;
5. deposit all cheques that are awarded as a result of the head grant application;
6. collect receipts and issue reimbursement cheques for authorised expenditures;
7. prepare an end-of-year financial statement for the UTGSU and GEA membership; and
8. serve as a representative on the SSRC.
The Secretary shall:
1. maintain and promote the GEA listserv (UTGEA-L@LISTSERV.UTORONTO.CA) to current and incoming students;
2. compile the agenda and motions for upcoming general meetings and circulate them via the listserv pursuant to Article II.2;
3. record the minutes of general meetings and circulate them via the listserv;
4. in general, circulate notices and information via the listserv on behalf of the GEA;
5. promote and encourage graduate student participation in Departmental job searches and search committees;
6. serve as a representative on the SSRC;
7. supervise the counting of the ballots at GEA elections;
8. maintain or delegate the maintenance of the GEA website;
9. communicate with the department administration and assist in the development of the list of Important Dates; and
10. create and maintain a list of the Department’s student-run Reading Groups and Clubs.

ARTICLE IV: INTERNAL REPRESENTATIVES

The GEA shall elect from among its members one to two representatives for each constituency within the GEA, as well as one representative for each non-constituency position.
1. The constituencies are as follows:
  1. Master’s of Creative Writing (MACRW) students;
  2. Master’s of English (MA) students;
  3. Doctoral English students in their first year (PhD1);
  4. Doctoral English students in their second year (PhD2);
  5. Doctoral English students or candidates in their third year and beyond (PhD3+); and
  6. international students.
2. The non-constituency positions are as follows:
  1. Equity Representative.
3. These representatives shall serve for a one-year term beginning immediately after their election at a general meeting in the fall term pursuant to Article VIII.
Each representative of a constituency shall:
1. relay GEA and Department events and news to their constituents;
2. represent and report on their constituents’ interests at each general meeting;
3. set up and/or maintain a social network for their constituents in order to encourage communication and community; and
4. organise or delegate the organisation of at least one social event for their constituents.
Additionally, the International Students’ Representative(s) shall:
1. act as a contact for current and incoming international students on relevant issues;
2. work with the Department to help familiarise incoming international students with the University’s academic culture;
3. write a letter of welcome to incoming international students, to be circulated during orientation; and
4. write a letter of welcome to potential incoming international students, to be circulated for Visitor’s Day.
The Equity Representative shall:
1. act as the co-chair of the Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee;
2. act as a point of contact for all graduate students with questions, concerns or suggestions regarding issues of equity and anti-racism; and
3. communicate with the Department’s Standing Committee on Anti-Racism and Equity.

ARTICLE V: EXTERNAL REPRESENTATIVES

The GEA shall elect from among its members representatives to all relevant bodies and meetings within and beyond the University, Department, and UTGSU.
1. These bodies and meetings are as follows:
  1. the University of Toronto Graduate Student Union (UTGSU);
  2. the fall and spring St. George General Meetings;
  3. the Tri-Campus Annual General Meeting;
  4. the fall and spring Graduate English Council (GEC) Meetings;
  5. the standing Program Committee;
  6. the standing Planning Committee;
  7. the standing Graduate Appeals Committee;
  8. the standing Awards and Grants Committee;
  9. the standing Staff-Student Relations Committee (SSRC); and
  10. the Association of Canadian College and University Teachers of English (ACCUTE).
2. Descriptions of these bodies and the numbers of GEA representatives elected to each body are listed in the appendices.
3. These representatives shall serve for a one-year term beginning immediately after their election at a general meeting in the fall term pursuant to Article VIII.
  1. An exception is the SSRC, for which one representative is elected to a one-year term, beginning immediately, in each of the fall and winter terms.
4. The elected officers of the Executive shall automatically fill four of the representative positions for the GEC, St. George, and Tri-Campus meetings, and the constituency representatives shall automatically fill six of the representative positions for the GEC meetings, unless they are unable to attend.
Though not elected through the GEA, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Stewards from within the Department also functionally serve as external representatives of CUPE Local 3902 on the GEA.
1. A description of CUPE and the number of stewards are listed in the appendices.
Each external representative shall:
1. attend and participate in all relevant meetings and activities of their respective body to represent and serve the needs and interests of the GEA; and
2. report on the relevant activities, issues, and developments of their respective body at each GEA general meeting.

ARTICLE VI: STANDING COMMITTEES, READING GROUPS, AND CLUBS

The GEA shall have a number of standing committees, on which any member may sit or serve as chair.
1. The standing committees are as follows:
  1. the Social Committee;
  2. the Conference Committee; and
  3. the Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee (ARAOC).
2. The chair of each committee shall serve for a one-year term beginning immediately after their election at a general meeting in the winter term pursuant to Article IX.
  1. An exception is the ARAOC, whose chair is not elected directly; rather, the ARAOC is co-chaired by the Equity Representative and an officer of the Executive.
3. All GEA committees shall include as many members as volunteer to work within them. Public calls for volunteers shall be made whenever an election is held, and all members are encouraged to volunteer for a committee at any time.
4. Any member may bring forward a motion to strike a new standing committee via constitutional amendment, pursuant to Article IX.
5. Any member may bring forward a motion to strike a new temporary or ad hoc committee for a specific purpose, pursuant to Article II.4.
The chair of each committee shall:
1. schedule, convene, and chair regular committee meetings;
2. coordinate the committee’s activities and initiatives; and
3. report on the committee’s work at each general meeting.
The Social Committee shall:
1. plan, promote, and execute social events for GEA members each academic year to promote community within the GEA;
2. facilitate the planning, promotion, and execution of social and academic events by the GEA membership, if they so request; and
3. endeavour to ensure that these events are inclusive of all GEA members across a wide variety of interests and occasions.
The Conference Committee shall:
1. plan, promote, and execute the GEA’s annual conference, including the determination of a theme, the circulation of a call for papers, the retainment of a keynote speaker, and the day-of logistics of the conference.
The Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Committee shall:
1. be responsible for addressing any concerns the GEA membership may have pertaining to race, gender, sexuality, mental health, disability, and any other groups or identities considered to be vulnerable, minoritised, and/or marginalised;
2. work to communicate any such concerns to the general membership, Department, University, UTGSU, and any other relevant bodies as applicable.
3. support GEA members who identify as belonging to the aforementioned groups, such as by collaborating with other campus organisations (including but not limited to Grad Minds, Health and Wellness, the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office, and the Sexual & Gender Diversity Office) and/or directing GEA members to relevant campus resources; and
4. organise workshops, events, and initiatives that promote inclusivity and diversity and allow the wider GEA membership to develop an understanding of these issues.
GEA members are also welcome to form Reading Groups around particular scholarly subjects or fields and Clubs around general-purpose subjects for the academic and social enrichment of both their members and the Department overall.
1. These groups may be allocated GEA funds for events and initiatives pursuant to Article VII.

ARTICLE VII: FINANCES

Any funds collected by the GEA shall be held in an account at a nearby bank or credit union. Responsibility for this account shall be held by the Treasurer, and signing authority shall be held by at least two officers of the GEA Executive.
1. If for any reason the GEA must retain cash-on-hand, it shall be the Treasurer’s responsibility to store it securely, keep it to a reasonable minimum, and deposit it to the account as soon as reasonably possible.
These funds shall be used only for the benefit of the membership pursuant to the purposes outlined in Article I and the responsibilities outlined in Articles III through VI.
1. As per Article III.5, the Treasurer shall produce and update a budgetary report detailing all projected and actual income and expenditure at each general meeting.
2. The Treasurer’s first budget must be approved by majority vote at the first general meeting of their term as Treasurer.
3. Any member may contact the Treasurer to request a change in the budget.
4. Any member may bring a motion to modify the budget at a general meeting.
5. Any update of the budget which would shift $250 or more must be approved by majority vote at the next general meeting.
The Treasurer shall reimburse any approved expenditures in a timely manner, either by cheque or e-transfer. All such reimbursements shall require the authorisation, either by signature or electronic authorisation, of a second Executive officer.
1. The member requesting reimbursement must provide the Treasurer with details of the expenditure and itemised receipts in order to receive reimbursement.
2. If the requested reimbursement exceeds the amount approved , the Treasurer and another Executive officer must decide whether to approve the increased amount or reimburse only up to the amount initially approved.
If for any reason the GEA is without an Executive, all funds in the GEA account shall be held in trust by the UTGSU until such time as an Executive is elected.
1. The outgoing Treasurer shall be responsible for arranging the transfer of signing authority for GEA funds to a responsible officer or officers of the UTGSU or, if there is no outgoing Treasurer, GEA members must temporarily elect one for this purpose at the next meeting.
Following the beginning of a new Executive’s term on July 1st, the outgoing Treasurer shall be responsible for arranging the transfer of signing authority to the incoming Treasurer as soon as reasonably possible and not exceeding a delay of one month.

ARTICLE VIII: ELECTIONS

All elections shall be conducted at general meetings and require seven days notice to the GEA membership. These general meetings are known as election meetings.
1. Notice of an election must include a full list of positions being elected as well as a summary of their duties. All elected positions serve for one year.
  1. The Executive, Social and Conference Committee chairs, and one external representative to the SSRC shall be elected at the final general meeting of the winter term; all other positions shall be elected at the first general meeting of the fall term.
2. Along with notice of an election, the opportunity to self-nominate for any elected position in advance shall be circulated among the GEA membership.
3. At the election meeting, members may also choose to spontaneously self-nominate or nominate other members for any position as it is discussed. Any member may decline a nomination.
At election meetings, the chair shall list each position, announce any advance nominations, and call for any spontaneous nominations.
1. Nominated candidates shall be given approximately one minute to speak.
2. If an advance nominee cannot attend, another member may speak on their behalf by reading a statement prepared by the nominee.
3. Following nominee statements, the chair shall open the floor for questions addressed to the nominees. Nominees may briefly answer any question directed at them, with the chair determining the length of the question period and when to proceed to voting.
Election votes shall proceed by secret ballot. Elections require that members be present at the meeting to vote, and votes cannot be submitted in advance.
1. If a position is uncontested, the election vote shall be a vote of acclamation. The question put forward shall be whether or not to accept the uncontested candidate’s election to the position.
2. If a position is contested, the question put forward shall be which of the candidates should be elected to the position. Contested elections shall operate in a first-past-the-post format, in which the nominee who receives the most votes shall be elected.
GEA elected positions are voluntary and their holders may resign at any time, though the membership shall be fairly and promptly made aware of any such resignations.
1. For most elected positions, the resignee shall notify the Executive of their resignation in writing, and the Executive shall circulate notice of that resignation and any accompanying letter to the membership.
2. In cases where one or more Executive officers are the resignees, they shall be responsible for circulating their own notice of resignation and any accompanying letter to the membership.
Elected positions may become vacant between election meetings should their holders resign, be recalled, or for any reason cease to be members of the GEA.
1. For most elected position vacancies, the Executive may appoint a replacement until the next general meeting, when a by-election for the remainder of the position’s term shall be held.
2. In cases where one or more Executive positions are vacant, a special meeting with seven days notice must be called as soon as possible.
  1. The agenda of this special meeting shall be the by-election of all Executive vacancies, with no other items on the meeting’s agenda. In all other ways, the meeting shall follow the election meeting procedures.
  2. Should the vacant Executive positions include both the President and Vice President, the chair for this meeting shall be determined pursuant to II.1.

ARTICLE IX: SPECIAL MOTIONS

Certain motions require Articles within this Constitution to be temporarily disregarded or permanently altered, and the potential of these motions to reshape the GEA requires additional protections and safeguards to ensure these special motions are not misused.
1. Motion to Amend: should this Constitution be found to be in need of modification or updating, any member may forward a motion to amend the Constitution so long as the exact language of the proposed amendments is included in the motion.
2. Motion to Recall: should an elected member of the GEA fail to fulfil the responsibilities of their office, act in ways detrimental to the interests of the membership, and/or be found unable to continue their elected duties, any six or more members may forward a motion to recall that elected position.
Special motions shall never be spontaneous motions: they shall require seven days notice and cannot be moved at emergency meetings.
1. Unlike with other motions, special motions require that members be present at the meeting to vote, and votes cannot be submitted in advance.
2. Special motions require a two-thirds majority of votes to pass.
3. Approved special motions take effect immediately.
Motions to Amend may be forwarded at general or special meetings, but require the exact language of the proposed amendments be included along with notice of those meetings.
1. If approved, the constitutional amendments shall be implemented across all GEA documentation, initiatives, and practices within two weeks, and an amended copy of the Constitution shall be submitted to the UTGSU.
Motions to Recall require a special meeting at which no other items shall be present on the meeting’s agenda. A document outlining the elected member to be recalled and the reasons for their recall must be circulated along with notice of the special meeting.
1. The elected member to be recalled shall be entitled to a formal opportunity to speak at the special meeting. This opportunity may take the form of a limited written or spoken statement. The length of this statement shall be proposed by the elected member to be recalled, but must be either approved or modified by a simple majority at the special meeting.
2. Should the elected members to be recalled include both the President and Vice President, the chair shall be determined pursuant to Article II.1.
3. Voting on Motions to Recall shall always take place by secret ballot.
4. If approved, the Motion to Recall shall immediately render that position vacant.

APPENDIX A: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

All GEA meetings shall be conducted informally in accordance with Bourinot’s Rules of Order, except where contradicted by elements of this Constitution. In cases of uncertainty, the chair shall have the final say as to procedure.

APPENDIX B: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO GRADUATE STUDENT UNION (UTGSU)

The UTGSU is a democratically run non-profit organisation that oversees and provides funding to all Course Unions, including the GEA, at the University of Toronto. The Course Unions elect up to four UTGSU Representatives that make up the General Council and help to govern the Graduate Students’ Union.

The GEA UTGSU Representatives serve as liaisons between the UTGSU and the GEA. Representatives attend one UTGSU meeting per month for a total of eight total meetings. Attendance is required at three out of the four fall UTGSU meetings for the GEA to receive its full funding. The GEA UTGSU Representatives are collectively responsible for a minimum of three reports on UTGSU activities, to be delivered over the GEA listserv during their term. Any changes to the GEA constitution also must be sent to the UTGSU Executive for approval.

The number of UTGSU Representatives shall be determined by the number of graduate students in the department pursuant to the UTGSU bylaws and shall be filled by election.

APPENDIX C: ST. GEORGE GENERAL MEETING

The St. George General Meeting takes place once per term (fall and spring) and includes all teaching staff members in the Department as well as representatives of both undergraduate and graduate students. The meeting addresses matters of departmental policy and administration and features reports from the graduate and undergraduate chairs along with motions from the Calendar and Curriculum Committee.

The GEA representatives at this meeting must equal one-eighth the number of graduate faculty members and should be determined at the start of each academic year by communicating with department administrators. The GEA Executive shall fill four of these positions and the remaining positions shall be filled by election.

APPENDIX D: TRI-CAMPUS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Tri-Campus General Meeting takes place once per year (typically in spring) and features reports from the Department chairs at each of the University’s three campuses (St. George, Mississauga, and Scarborough), as well as from the tri-campus standing committees (i.e., Avie Bennett Prize, Writer in Residence, E.J. Pratt Prize, Research Advisory Committee, and Library Coordinator).

APPENDIX E: GRADUATE ENGLISH COUNCIL (GEC)

The GEC meets once per term (fall and spring) and is a forum where all graduate faculty and selected GEA representatives meet to discuss departmental issues and developments. The GEC is a major forum for the GEA to make students’ concerns heard and to learn more about the functioning of the Department. At GEC meetings, representatives may vote on all motions and participate in any discussion about departmental reports.

The GEA representatives must equal one quarter the number of faculty members and should be determined at the start of each academic year by communicating with department administrators. The GEA Executive and the constituency representatives shall fill ten of the positions and the remaining positions shall be filled by election.

APPENDIX F: PROGRAM COMMITTEE

The Program Committee meets to consider major policy changes or procedural changes for the graduate department. The committee does not meet on a regular basis; instead, the committee meets if and when the DGS seeks guidance or advice.

The Program Committee shall have two GEA representatives, one of whom shall be either the President or Vice President.

APPENDIX G: PLANNING COMMITTEE

The Planning Committee considers major policy changes or procedural changes for graduate programs in the Department, including the content of mandatory courses and other program requirements. GEA representatives for this committee are responsible for soliciting or delegating the solicitation of student feedback in regards to these decisions and issues. Such feedback will guide the representatives’ input at Planning Committee meetings and may be drafted as a letter or report to be submitted to the Chair of the Planning Committee or to the entire faculty of the Graduate English Department.

The Planning Committee shall have two GEA representatives, one of whom shall be either the President or Vice President.

APPENDIX H: GRADUATE APPEALS COMMITTEE

The Graduate Appeals Committee hears appeals from graduate students with respect to substantive or procedural academic matters, including grades, evaluation of examinations and other program requirements, and decisions about the student’s continuation in any program. The Committee does not render decisions but makes recommendations to the Chair of the English Department. Appeals can be conducted as an oral hearing or by written submission.

The Graduate Appeals Committee shall have one GEA representative and one alternative GEA representative who are each chosen by the graduate students in the department through an election.

APPENDIX I: AWARDS AND GRANTS COMMITTEE

The Awards and Grants Committee oversees the selection and nomination process for a variety of awards and grants for graduate students, specifically travel grants for research and conference attendance. The GEA representative will act as a liason between the student body and the committee, soliciting and circulating relevant information when required.

The Awards and Grants Committee shall have one GEA representative who is selected through election.

APPENDIX J: STAFF-STUDENT RELATIONS COMMITTEE

The Staff-Student Relations Committee plans and executes social and academic events that are open to students, faculty, and staff in the Department, and is responsible for hosting at least three events per academic year. GEA representatives for this committee participate in the coordination of these events and promote them to the GEA membership.

The Staff-Student Relations Committee shall have four GEA representatives, two of whom shall be the Treasurer and Secretary.

APPENDIX K: ASSOCIATION OF CANADIAN COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY TEACHERS OF ENGLISH (ACCUTE)

ACCUTE promotes the study of English language, literatures and other cultural materials in a global context in Canadian colleges and universities. The GEA does not have any official connection to ACCUTE although individual members may join ACCUTE by paying the student membership fee. The ACCUTE Representative shall forward news and emails of interest to the GEA listserv.

ACCUTE shall have one GEA representative who is selected through election.

APPENDIX L: CANADIAN UNION OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES (CUPE)

The GEA has no official connection to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), though individual members of the GEA who hold teaching assistantships or course instructorships are eligible to become political members of CUPE Local 3902.

CUPE members within the GEA elect representatives to the Local’s Stewards’ Council to represent the interests of all members of the bargaining unit within the department. The Stewards’ Council elections and responsibilities are handled by the Local and are not directly affiliated with the GEA. These elections occur in September of each year, and each steward’s term extends from October 1 to September 30 of the following year.

As per Article 9.1a of CUPE Local 3902’s Bylaws, “the members in each employing department shall be entitled to one (1) steward for every fifty (50) bargaining-unit members, or fraction thereof, employed in the department.

Graduate English Association at the University of Toronto Constitution

Graduate English Association at the University of Toronto
Constitution