WOMEN'S, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY STUDIES CONSTITUTION

Ratified December 16th, 2021

MISSION 

The mission of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is to study and understand the ideological, cultural, and historical forces that have constructed and transformed gender and sexuality at the intersections of race, ethnicity, ability, class, age, and other social identity categories. Using an intersectional framework in our research and teaching is a core part of our mission. Gender is a fundamental principle organizing contemporary society; having a gender, being a gender, performing a gender, and inhabiting or exploring a sexuality are all central to who we are as human beings and to our scholarly understandings of women, gender, and sexuality. As such, the study of women, gender, and sexuality is fundamental to all aspects of identity and experience. The program strives to offer courses across a range of disciplines, periods, cultures, and texts to create a vibrant culture of intellectual exchange. Above all, we are an activist and a feminist unit committed to making the world better for women, sexual and racial minorities, and for all oppressed people everywhere.  

 

  • ARTICLE 1: NAME 

    • The name of the program is Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

 

  • ARTICLE 2: MEMBERSHIP

    • Membership in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is granted upon application to and acceptance by a vote of all Faculty, Affiliates, and Associates. Members can be Faculty, Affiliates, and Associates.
    • Faculty: WGSS faculty have either all or part of their tenure line, salary, or teaching appointment anchored in the unit.
    • Affiliates: Individuals who have faculty status, whether full or part-time, in another unit at LSU (either tenure or non-tenure track) and who have self-selected to become and have been accepted as members of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Programs. WGSS Members with this designation are eligible for voting privileges as specified in Article 3.\
    • Associates: Individuals who are administrative or professional staff members at LSU and who have self-selected to become and have been accepted as members of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. WGSS Members with this designation are eligible for voting privileges as specified in Article 3.

 

  • ARTICLE 3: VOTING 

    • All Faculty, Affiliates, and Associates are eligible for voting privileges.

    • The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program Director has full voting privileges.

    • Only those who identify themselves as Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Faculty, Affiliates, or Associates can vote on issues specific to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Votes on personnel will be limited to those of appropriate rank, and those on curriculum will be limited to the Faculty.

    • Voting (but not membership status) will be limited to those who attended, in person, via Zoom, or by proxy, at least 60% of the previous semester’s meetings. Attending at least one meeting per year in person or via Zoom is necessary to retain voting rights unless an exception is made by the Director.

    • New Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Faculty, Associate, and Affiliate members will automatically have voting privileges during their first semester with the program.

    • Those Faculty or Affiliates on leave or those who have an unavoidable conflict with a given semester’s meeting time (i.e., teaching) can notify the Director at the beginning of the semester. Their voting status will be carried forward to the next semester.

    • A quorum constitutes 50% plus one of the voting members present in person, via Zoom, or by proxy.

 

  • ARTICLE 4: DIRECTOR

    • Purpose: Directs Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program. Represents Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty to administration. Administers finances and negotiates budget. Prepares annual and other reports for unit as well as annual evaluation of members of WGSS Faculty, Affiliates, and Associates who choose WGSS evaluation. Coordinates course offerings. Coordinates activities and functions of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty. Determines long-term goals and priorities. Initiates fund-raising activities.

    • Term of Office: Serves a 3-year term. Appointed by the Dean, based on an election and majority vote from among the WGSS Faculty, Affiliates, and Associates.

 

  • ARTICLE 5: FACULTY MEETINGS

    • A minimum of three faculty meetings will be held each semester. Meeting schedules and locations will be determined by the Director.

 

  • ARTICLE 6: COMMITTEES

    • Section 1: Membership

      • Individuals who are voting members of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program are eligible for membership on standing committees. Individuals will serve on committees for a 1-year term.

    • Section 2: Standing Committees and Offices

      • Terms: Chairs serve one-year terms.

      • A. Curriculum

        • Purpose: To enhance curriculum development in WGSS at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

      • B. Undergraduate Program Coordinator

        • Purpose: To strengthen the undergraduate program through recruiting, advising, and gathering feedback from WGSS majors and minors.

      • C.    Awards

        • Purpose: To generate positive recognition for WGSS, including the facilitation of external and internal awards processes for WGSS faculty and students.

      • D.   Programs

        • Purpose: To arrange and organize programs, lectures, conferences, and activities to enhance the mission of WGSS.

    • Section 3: Ad Hoc Committees

      • Purpose: To perform specific organizational tasks as deemed necessary by the Director.

    • Section 4: Coordinating Council

      • The Coordinating Council will consist of all currently serving committee chairs. Members will be appointed at the beginning of each fall by the Director.

  • ARTICLE 7: AMENDMENTS

    • This Constitution may be amended by presenting a written amendment to the Director, who will distribute it to WGSS faculty and put the proposed amendment on the agenda for the next faculty meeting. Any WGSS Faculty member, Associate, or Affiliate can propose an amendment. The amendment will pass if it is agreed to by two-thirds of the voting members. If two-thirds of the membership is not present at the meeting, either paper ballots will be sent to all voting members or an online program such as Qualtrics will be used for the vote.

 

  • ARTICLE 8: RATIFICATION

    • For ratification, this Constitution shall require a two-thirds vote of all WGSS faculty with voting status.