Bylaws of the
Part 1: Organization
A.1 These bylaws
shall regulate the local branch of the American Medical Association’s Medical
Student Section, located at the Wayne State University School of Medicine,
(hereafter referred to as AMA-MSS-WSU).
A.2 The
AMA-MSS-WSU shall be governed by the Executive Board.
Section B: Membership
B.1 The AMA-MSS-WSU shall consist of those
students in good financial standing with the AMA-MSS-WSU. Any student enrolled at the Wayne State
University School of Medicine is eligible to become a member of the AMA-MSS-WSU.
B.2 Funds may be raised by the levying of dues
for a student membership.
B.3 Good Financial Standing shall be defined
as having paid the membership dues for a period extending through the current
date.
B.4 Members shall be bound by the decisions of
the Executive Board.
C.1 General Meetings of the Executive Board
shall be open to all students.
C.2 Special closed meetings of the Executive
Board shall be called at the discretion of the President, and open only to
members of the Executive Board, or those others specifically invited at the
discretion of the Board.
C.3 There shall be at least two meetings of
the General Membership annually.
C.4 Quorum shall consist of a simple majority
of the seated officers of the Executive Board.
C.4.1 In the case of General Membership meetings, quorum shall consist of
1/3 of the seated officers of the Executive Board, and no fewer than 2
members-at-large.
C.5 Committee meetings shall be held at the
discretion of the respective committee chairs.
C.5.1 In the case of committee meetings, quorum shall consist of one (1)
of the committee members.
C.5.2 The Chair of a committee shall be considered a committee member.
C.6 All meetings shall be conducted per the
guidelines of Robert’s Rules of Order.
C.7 Emergency meetings of either the general
membership or of the board may be called by any member in good standing with
AMA-MSS-WSU.
C.7.1 Those wishing to call emergency meetings of the general membership
shall notify the President, who will thereupon call the meeting.
C.7.2 Emergency meetings of the executive board may be called by any
member in good standing with the approval of the President, or by any member of
the executive board.
Section D: Powers and Functions
D.1 Any and all polices pertaining to the
AMA-MSS-WSU can be brought forth to the executive board by any member of the
AMA-MSS-WSU.
D.2 All proposed policies, resolutions, or
issues that have been brought forth to the executive board shall be debated and
voted on by the executive board. All
decisions of the executive board shall be approved by a simple majority, save
where otherwise specified.
D.3 Voting shall be conducted according to
presidential prerogative.
D.3.1 Voting by proxy shall be acceptable for all matters under consideration. Acceptable proxies shall include electronic
votes, or by appointment of a proxy.
D.3.2 Appointed proxies must be members in good standing.
D.4 Any member of the chapter can request
funds for projects pertaining to AMA-MSS-WSU interests.
D.3.1 Requests for funds must be submitted in writing.
D.3.2 Allocations up to and including $100.00 shall
require approval of the president.
D.3.3 Allocations more than $100.00 shall require
approval of the executive board.
D.3.4 All approvals must be given prior to said
expenditures.
Part 2: Executive Board
Section A: Membership
A.1 The Executive Board shall consist of the
following officers: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Secretary, 2 National
Delegates, 3 Michigan State Medical Society Delegates, 2 Wayne County Medical
Society Delegates, and 1 (voting)
Public Relations Officer.
A.3 Officers shall be required to attend all
meetings of the Executive Board.
A.4 Any member of the Executive Board may call
an emergency meeting of the Board with the approval of the President.
B.1 Nominations for positions on the executive
board will be accepted beginning the first week of January.
B.1.1 Any member may be nominated by anyone for a position on the
executive board.
B.1.1.1 Members may nominate themselves.
B.1.2 Nominations shall be submitted in writing.
B.1.3 Any person in good financial standing with the AMA-MSS-WSU can be
nominated for any position on the Executive Board.
B.2 Elections shall take place the first week of
February.
B.2.1 Voting for positions shall follow the order of candidates listed
in Part 2, Section A.1. Candidates shall
announce their nomination prior to the election. In such case as they may be unsuccessful in
their election, they may then choose to run for the next open position.
B.3 Candidates for the Executive Board shall
be elected by a simple majority of the seated Executive Board.
B.3.1 No
person may simultaneously hold more than one position on the Executive Board.
B.4 Candidates shall prepare speeches for
presentation to the seated executive board.
B.4.1 Candidates shall have no more three (3) minutes apiece to deliver
speeches, followed by a two (2) minute period to field questions from the
board.
B.5 Any use of funds in elections or
campaigns, either AMA or private, shall be expressly prohibited.
B.5.1 Any candidate found in violation of this shall be immediately
disallowed from further participation in elections.
Section C: President
C.1 The President shall serve as the chief
liaison between the AMA-MSS-WSU and all other organizations and persons.
C.2 The President shall chair the Executive
Board and shall be an ex-officio member of all AMA-MSS-WSU
committees.
C.3 The President shall not have a vote on the
Executive Board except in the case of a tie.
C.4 The President shall determine the agenda
for general chapter meetings and Executive Board meetings. The President will forward the agenda to the
Secretary for publication at least one (1) week prior to the meeting date, except
in the case of emergency meetings.
C.5 The President shall organize the chapter
for convention meetings, or appoint a suitable proxy.
C.6 The President shall have the sole
authority to allocate funds up to and including $100.00 without prior approval
of the Executive Board.
Section D: Vice-President
D.1 The Vice-President shall be responsible
for all recruitment activities.
D.2 In case of resignation or leave of absence
by the President, the Vice-President shall act as Interim President until the next
President assumes office.
D.2.1 The Interim President has the option of appointing any Executive Board member to the
office of president or finishing the term of office. Approval of the Presidential appointment
shall require a simple majority of the Executive Board.
D.3 The Vice-President shall keep a chapter
membership list and update an electronic template.
D.4 The Vice-President shall obtain room
reservations for meetings, speakers, and all other activities pertaining to
AMA-MSS-WSU.
D.5 The Vice-President shall be responsible for
scheduling at least two (2) General Membership Meetings, one to be held in
August, and the other to be held in February.
Section E: Treasurer
E.1 The Treasurer shall maintain the chapter
account.
E.2 The Treasurer shall prepare checks for
payments.
E.2.1 All AMA-MSS-WSU financial debits or
reimbursements shall be solely conducted through the AMA-MSS-WSU checking
account.
E.2.2 All checks written from the AMA-MSS-WSU
checking account shall be signed by both the President and the Treasurer.
E.3 The Treasurer shall prepare an account
statement for the Executive Board for each Executive Board meeting.
E.4 The Treasurer shall prepare both an annual
budget for presentation to the Student Affairs Office and an annual budget for
presentation to Main Campus, and the Dean of Students Office (DOSO).
E.5 The Treasurer shall annually renew the
organization’s recognition with the DOSO.
Section F: Secretary
F.1 The Secretary is responsible for keeping
minutes and attendance of all Executive Board meetings.
F.2 The Secretary is responsible for keeping
of all records and documents of the AMA-MSS-WSU except those pertaining to the
chapter account.
F.3 The Secretary shall maintain a chapter
website.
F.4 The Secretary shall be responsible for
printing of a biannual newsletter.
Section G: National Medical Student
Section Delegates
G.1 The National Delegates shall be responsible
for all chapter involvement in the AMA National Service Project.
G.2 The National Delegates shall be the liaison
between the AMA-MSS-WSU and the National MSS for current policy and political
issues.
G.3 The National Delegates shall attend the
AMA-MSS National Conventions upon approval of the Executive Board.
G.3.1 The National Delegates shall organize WSU involvement in the Annual
and Interim conferences.
G.4 The National Delegates shall be responsible
for securing Service Grants from the national AMA-MSS, and assisting any
members in good standing with the securing thereof.
Section H:
H.1 The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS)
Delegates shall be the liaison between the AMA-MSS-WSU and the Michigan State
Medical Society.
H.2 The Michigan State Medical Society
Delegates shall attend the Michigan Medical Student Governing Council.
H.3 The Michigan State Medical Society
Delegates shall attend the meetings of the MSMS.
H.4 The Michigan State Medical Society
Delegates shall attend the annual MSMS House of Delegates as Delegates.
H.4.1 The Michigan State Medical Society Delegates shall organize travel
to the MSMS House of Delegates.
H.5 The Michigan State Medical Society
Delegates shall organize the Make-a-Difference Day service project.
Section I:
I.1 The Wayne County Medical Society
Delegates shall be the liaison between the AMA-MSS-WSU and the Wayne County
Medical Society (WCMS).
I.2 The Wayne County Medical Society
Delegates shall attend WCMS meetings.
I.3 The Wayne County Medical Society
Delegates shall plan, in conjunction with the Wayne County Medical Society:
Oktoberfest, Christmas Party for Kids, and other activities.
J.1 The Public Relations Officers (PR) shall
be responsible for maintenance of a bulletin board in the space provided in the
Student Organizations hallway.
J.2 The PR Officers shall be responsible for
organizing and keeping an inventory of publicity materials in the storage space
provided the organization, and for setting up said materials at AMA functions,
when necessary.
J.3 The PR Officers shall be responsible for
promoting all fevents.
J.3.1
The PR Officers shall make publicity
information each year, to be distributed to incoming first-year students in the
orientation packets.
Section
K: Committees
K.1 There shall be provision made for no fewer than two (2)
standing committees, with Chairpersons designated by appointment of the
President.
K.2 Appointment of Committee Chairs shall be subject to approval by
a simple majority of the Board.
K.3 The
Committees shall be formed according to the interests of the AMA-MSS-WSU, to be
determined by the Executive Board.
K.4 Additional Ad hoc Committees may be
formed during the year, pending approval of the Executive Board, at the request
of any member in good standing with the AMA-MSS-WSU.
K.5 There shall be a permanent standing
Committee on the Constitution & Bylaws.
L.1 All newly elected officers and committee
chairs shall have a formal acclimatization period that extends from their
election in February until the first of April, when the officers-elect will
formally take office. During this period,
the outgoing board shall turn over all materials, and make their replacements
aware of all resources relevant to their positions.
L.2 All terms of office shall be April first
to April first.
Section M: Removal from Office
M.1 Executive Board
Members who are remiss in their duties shall be notified of probation by the
Board, and also notified of removal from probation by the Board.
M.1.1 Three (3) or more documented absences from required activities shall
be considered negligence, and thus, grounds for probation.
M.2 Executive Board Members who are on
probation shall be subject to immediate recall at the discretion of the
remaining members of the Board.
M.3 Any member of
the Executive Board can be recalled by a 2/3 majority of the Executive Board
for negligence or wrongdoing.
M.4
Executive Board Members, who are to be recalled, shall be given one (1) week’s
notice, should they wish to plead their case before the Board.
Section
3: Amendments
Section A: Amendment Procedure
A.1 Amendments to either the constitution or
the bylaws may be presented to the Executive Board by any member in good
standing.
A.2 The constitution may be amended by a 2/3
vote of the Executive Board.
A.3 The bylaws of this constitution may be
amended by a simple majority vote of the present members of the Executive
Board.
A.4 Amendments to either the Constitution or
the Bylaws must be presented to the Executive Board at the meeting prior to
their being voted upon.
Section
4: Reimbursement
Section
A: Reimbursement Policies
A.1 AMA members
in good standing will be reimbursed for AMA-related activities.
A.2 No
reimbursement shall be provided without pre-authorization for the
expenditure.
A.2.1 Pre-authorization may be from the President, or the Executive
Board, as the case warrants. Reference Part
2, Section C.6 for pre-authorization levels.
A.3 Members shall
complete a standard AMA-MSS-WSU reimbursement claim form and submit with copies
of all receipts to the treasurer within 28 days of completion of the activity
in question.
A.4 AMA shall reimburse
for meals, pending vote of the Board, at a rate of not less than forty-two
dollars ($42) per diem.
A.4.1 This per diem rate shall be determined
annually by the Board.
A.4.2 Reimbursement for meals shall require copies of itemized receipts.
A.5 AMA shall reimburse for all common carrier
transportation (any other means of public transportation) at the rate charged
by the carrier.
A.5.1 AMA shall reimburse for private transportation
as provided for by decision of the Board.
A.5.2 In certain cases, AMA shall provide
less-than-full reimbursement for transportation, lodging, or per diem
allowance. These cases shall be
previously agreed upon, and all parties fully informed prior to purchase.
A.6 AMA
shall reimburse for lodging as needed.