Officer Job Description Policy
PRESIDENT
The president is the chief executive of the Council of Graduate Students (COGS). S/he must be accessible by all graduate students at the University of Minnesota and aware of the needs of and the issues relevant to the graduate student population.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
Routine duties include: officially representing COGS before University administration, University organizations, and outside groups; creating meeting agendas; running General Assembly (GA) meetings; leading executive meetings; attending GAPSA assembly meetings on behalf of COGS; serving as the COGS representative on the GAPSA exec board, complete with GAPSA duties; serving as primary liaison between COGS and the Graduate School; responding in a timely and appropriate manner to issues brought forth by other executive committee members, COGS program representatives, or any other graduate students; identifying, studying and attempting to resolve potential and real problems confronting graduate students at the U of MN.
Special Projects and Responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications; coordinating the composition and distribution of the annual Open Letter; organizing and facilitating summer orientation for executive committee members; speaking on behalf of COGS at grad student orientations; assisting with any COGS sponsored events; reader for leadership awards; attending student leadership events sponsored by the University's Vice President for Student Affairs; meeting semesterly with the President and with the Provost; meeting monthly with the Office of Student Affairs; acting as a liaison with GAPSA on any joint projects, opportunities, or issues of concern that arise.
Estimated Time Commitment: COGS--6-8 hours per month in routine meetings; and approximately 10-12 hours per week for other activities and preparation. GAPSA ~10-12 hours a week, which may overlap with the aforementioned 10-12/week. The president of COGS may delegate certain events to be put on by GAPSA to the appropriate vice president.
Stipend: Either $1500, distributed as $375 quarterly, by COGS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT The executive vice president works with the president in representing COGS in both University and non-university settings. S/he is primarily responsible for maintaining full graduate student representation on University, Graduate School, and GAPSA committees or assemblies and supporting and filling in for the president as needed. S/he is also responsible for recruiting COGS reps from the programs. Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th Routine duties include: officially representing COGS before University administration, University organizations, and outside groups; taking the president's place when needed; recruiting graduate students for non-internal committees; attending monthly executive committee meetings; acting as official liaison between COGS and University Senate; attending monthly University and Student Senate meetings; oversees committee reports back to COGS; identifying, studying and attempting to resolve potential and real problems confronting graduate students at the U of MN. Special Projects and Responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications; assisting with grad student orientations and other COGS-sponsored events; meeting semesterly with the President and with the Provost; coordinating with GAPSA on Senate and Senate committee representation issues. Estimated Time Commitment: 8-10 hours per month in routine meetings; 3-4 hours per month for other activities and preparation Stipend: $750 distributed as $187.50 quarterly
VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE
The Vice President for Finance is responsible for all aspects of fiscal policy. S/he coordinates, monitors, and plans fiscal policy; organizes and presents the annual budget; advises the executive committee on budget allocations and expenditures; and monitors budgetary activity at the University as a whole.
Elected: at the last GA meeting of the fall semester. Term begins/ends on January 31st
Routine duties include: monitoring cash flow and budgetary activity; maintaining the COGS endowment and EFS account, filing financial paperwork with University and Government authorities; attending monthly executive committee and GA meetings.
Special projects and responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications; Preparing a budget for COGS, preparing student services fee requests to GAPSA; reading and judging travel grant applications; assisting with graduate student orientations; and other COGS-sponsored events.
Estimated time commitment: 6-8 hours per month in routine meetings, 3-4 hours per month for other activities and preparation.
Stipend: $1000 distributed as $250 quarterly
VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
The Vice President for University Relations is responsible for establishing and maintaining working relationships between COGS and the central administration and consultative groups within the University. S/he also serves as an Administrative Liaison, serving on numerous university-wide committees as well as monitoring policy changes, budgetary issues, and political activities relevant to graduate students within the university and beyond.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
Routine duties include: attending monthly executive committee and GA meetings; serve on university-wide committees in consultation with the President and Executive Vice President of COGS; advocate for and follow up on specific issues as specified by COGS' resolutions (e.g. stadium fee); keep an eye on the University's budget and budgets at the University
- (a) identify important issues for graduate students included in and excluded from the budget,
- (b) keep administrators informed about how these issues affect graduate students, and
- (c) advocate for these issues.
Estimated Time Commitment: 6-8 hours per month in routine meetings; 5-7 hours per month for other activities and preparation
Stipend: $750 distributed as $187.50 quarterly
VICE PRESIDENT FOR INTERNAL RELATIONS
The Vice President for Internal Relations is responsible for facilitating the internal workings of the COGS General Assembly. S/he is in charge of coordinating the efforts of College Delegation Leads, Caucuses, and Department Representatives. In addition, s/he should oversee communication with Duluth graduate students about opportunities relevant to them or special concerns they may have.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
Routine duties include: attending monthly executive committee and GA meetings, recruiting College Delegation Leads for the COGS General Assembly; coordinating and facilitating meetings for College Delegation Leads; assisting the COGS administrator with tasks before and during the GA meetings; writing the GradLetter at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters; communicating with Duluth graduate students.
Special Projects and Responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications; meeting with the Graduate School's Director of Academic and Professional Development for promoting workshops that meet graduate student needs; acting as the primary liaison between COGS and the administrative unit(s) responsible for graduate student orientations and activity fairs; reading and judging leadership award applications; updating COGS printed publications annually; assisting with other COGS sponsored events.
Estimated Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month in routine meetings; 5-7 hours per month for other activities and preparation
Stipend: $750 distributed as $187.50 quarterly
VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS
The Vice President for Communications is responsible for establishing and maintaining communication within the Council by serving as the webmaster and secretary.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
Routine duties include: attending monthly executive committee and GA meetings; maintaining the COGS website, Facebook and other media; updating and maintaining internal documents (including constitution and bylaws), and taking and disseminating minutes at GA and Exec meetings; ex officio chair of the GradWiki or any similar project.
Special Projects and Responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications; finding new and creative ways to recruit and disseminate information about COGS via the internet and particularly the COGS website; assisting with graduate student orientation and other COGS sponsored events; creation of any necessary flyers.
Estimated Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month in routine meetings; 5-7 hours per month for other activities and preparation
Stipend: $750 distributed as $187.50 quarterly
VICE PRESIDENT FOR GRANTS
The Vice President for Grants is responsible for overseeing the grants processes for the Council of Graduate Students.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
Routine duties include: attending monthly executive committee and GA meetings; organizing and chairing all of the grants programs funded through the Council of Graduate Students.
Special Projects and Responsibilities include: reading and judging grant applications for all grant programs with COGS; assisting the COGS administrator with facilitating the grants programs; overseeing and writing all necessary changes to policies for grants and publicly advertising the grants processes; assisting with COGS sponsored events
Estimated Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month in routine meetings; 5-7 hours per month for other activities and preparation
Stipend: $750 distributed as $187.50 quarterly
GRADUATE EDUCATION COUNCIL REPS
There are 3 Graduate Education Council Representatives which are responsible for representing graduate students on the Graduate Education Council. There are two two-year terms and one one-year term, so every year, two reps are elected.
Elected: at the April/May GA meeting. Term begins/ends on June 30th
The Graduate Education Council will be reviewing course proposals and degree program changes for PhD programs within the Graduate School and for Master's degrees that will continue to be administered within the Graduate School.
Routine duties include: attending monthly executive committee meetings; acting as a liaison between executive committee and program representatives, communicate with DGSs within the Graduate Education Council (may be modified depending on make up of the Graduate Education Council).
Special Projects and Responsibilities include: attending all Graduate Education Council meetings (including executive committee meeting if applicable); assisting with Graduate School Orientation and other special events; organizing workshops as necessary or desirable. Estimated Time Commitment: 4-6 hours per month in routine meetings; 5-7 hours per month for other activities and preparation Stipend: $500 distributed as $125 quarterly