Constitution

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I – NAME

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be “The University of Minnesota Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.”

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES

Section 1.  The objectives of this organization shall be:To promote a spirit of friendly relations among the students regularly enrolled in theDVM program in the college of veterinary medicine.

To provide an additional opportunity for the members to gain professional knowledge.

To demonstrate the virtue of organized effort.

To build character through the censurship of all unworthy actions of its members and the commendation of all worthy deeds.

To protect the professional and personal interests of duly qualified veterinarians.

To make available to the students the opportunities offered by the American Veterinary Medical Association to its Student Chapters.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.               Only students enrolled in the DVM program at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine may become members of this organization.

Section 2.                 Members of the faculty and such others as the chapter may see fit to elect shall be honorary members.Section 3.                Membership is open to all students without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, handicap, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

ARTICLE IV – EXECUTIVE BOARDSection 1.                There shall be a business body known as the Executive Board of the Student Chapter.

Section 2.                The number of members of the board, their term of office, the method of selection, and the filling of vacancies shall be provided in the By-Laws.

ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
Section 1.               The officers of the Chapter shall consist of a president, two delegates, vice-president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, sergeant-at-arms, and parliamentarian.  Each of these officers shall be chosen in accordance with Articles I and XIV of the By-Laws, and continue in office for one term or until their successors have been elected and installed.  The eligibility, tenure, duties and method of election shall be described in the By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI – AMENDMENTS
Section 1.                The constitution shall be amended only by a majority vote of both the executive board and the members of the chapter in attendance at a regular meeting.  Proposed amendments shall be presented to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) for approval at least three months before final action is to be taken.

Section 2.                The Student Chapter secretary shall advise the executive secretary of the AVMA of any amendments to the By-Laws.

ARTICLE VII – RELATIONS WITH THE A.V.M.A.
Section 1.                If this organization is disestablished, the funds shall be held in trust for three years after this organization’s last regular meeting.  At the end of the three year period, if the funds have not been used, the funds shall be distributed to the Margaret Nolz Scholarship Fund.

Section 2.                The organization shall make available to students the financial opportunities available from private funds.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE AVMA BY-LAWS

ARTICLE 1 – OFFICERS
Section 1.                The officers having immediate charge of the chapter’s affairs shall consist of a president, vice-president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, sergeant at arms, parliamentarian, and two delegates.

Section 2.                No student shall be a candidate for any Student Chapter office unless he or she is a member in good standing.

Section 3.                The president, vice-president, president-elect, secretary, two delegates,  treasurer, sergeant at arms, and parliamentarian shall be members in good standing of the Student Chapter of the AVMA.  The executive board shall pass on eligibility of all nominees for the various offices.  This shall be done during the interval between the meeting at which the nominations were made and the date of the elections.

Section 4.               Tenure:  The term of office for all officers shall be one year with the exception of delegates which shall be two years.

ARTICLE II – THE PRESIDENT
Section 1.               The president shall be the chief executive officer of the chapter.

Section 2.                Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws)

Section 3.               Duties:The president shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter. He or she shall serve as a member of the executive board, ex-officio and with the same franchise as its other members, and he or she shall be considered as ex-officio member of all committees with full power to supervise and direct their work.

The president shall preside at all meetings of the executive board.

The president shall vote only in the case of a tie.

The president may attend one spring Student AVMA Symposium House of Delegates meeting as a non-voting member.

Section 4.               Tenure:  The president’s term of office shall be one term.

ARTICLE III – VICE PRESIDENT
Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws)

Section 2.                Duties:  He or she shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter or executive board in absence of the president.  He or she shall aid and assist the other officers of the chapter in every way possible.

Section 3.                Tenure:  The vice-president shall hold office for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE IV – PRESIDENT-ELECT
Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws)

Section 2.               Duties:  The president-elect shall serve as an ex-officio member of the executive board with the same franchise as its other members.  He or she shall aid and assist the other officers of the Chapter in every way possible.  He or she shall also appoint all regular and special committees created by any cause.

Section 3.                The president-elect shall automatically assume the office of the president at the termination of the incumbent president’s term of office.

Section 4.                Tenure:  The president-elect shall hold office for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE V – DELEGATE

Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws)

Section 2.               Duties:  Each delegate shall serve as Chapter delegate at four national Student AVMA House of Delegates meetings.  The junior delegate shall report proceedings of national meetings to the student chapter.  The senior delegate shall function as Minnesota’s corresponding delegate for Student AVMA matters.

Section 3.                Tenure:  Each delegate shall serve for one term of two years’ duration.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE VI – SECRETARY
Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws)

Section 2.                Duties:  The secretary shall keep roll for each meeting.  He or she shall supply the executive secretary of the AVMA with lists and other information as may be requested from time to time.  He or she may issue membership cards to members in good standing upon request.  He or she shall serve as secretary of the executive board and with the same franchise as the other members.  At the request of individual member of the executive board, the secretary shall be responsible for official chapter correspondence.

Section 3.                Tenure:  The secretary shall serve for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE VII – TREASURER
Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws).

Section 2.                Duties:  The treasurer shall be the sole custodian of the cash resources of the Chapter.  He or she shall receive and hold all money of the Chapter.  He or she shall keep a careful account of the same and make such disbursements as the chapter may direct.  The repository of the Chapter’s cash resources shall be selected by the executive board.  At the completion of the collegiate year, the treasurer shall balance his or her accounts and then turn the record over to a committee or agency selected by the executive board for audit.  He or she shall also serve as a member for the executive board.

Section 3.                 Tenure:  The treasurer shall serve for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE VIII – FACULTY REPRESENTATIVE
Section 1.                Election (Article XIV of By-Laws).

Section 2.               The Student Chapter shall elect annually at least one but not more than two faculty advisors from the faculty of the college.  A new faculty advisor shall be elected each year for a two-year term.  During the last year of his or her term, each elected faculty advisor shall be designated as senior faculty advisor.  If two coadvisors are elected, continuity would be provided by electing one advisor every year.  Advisors may be reelected for any number of successive terms by a majority vote of the chapter.  When any faculty advisor resigns, or becomes unable to serve, or otherwise leaves office, a new advisor shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.  All faculty members designated as faculty advisors to the Student Chapter shall be active members in good standing of the AVMA.

Section 3.                Duties:  The faculty advisors shall assist the student chapter and its officers in promoting understanding of the veterinary medical profession and its relationship to the general public; to assist the student chapter in its deliberations; and to provide information on the program and policies of the AVMA.

ARTICLE IX – SERGEANT-AT-ARMS
Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws).

Section 2.                Duties:  The sergeant at arms shall check attendance at each meeting and report total attendance.  He or she shall maintain orer at all meetings.  He or she shall also post membership standings twice yearly, and serve as a member of the executive board.

Section 3.                Tenure:  The sergeant-at-arms shall serve for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE X – PARLIAMENTARIAN

Section 1.               Election (Articles I and XIV of By-Laws).

Section 2.               Duties:  The parliamentarian shall advise the president and the organization in matters of  parliamentary procedure not covered specifically by the constitution and By-Laws and inform the president and organization of any violation of parliamentary procedure.

Section 3.                Tenure:  The parliamentarian shall serve for one term.  In case of any emergency not provided for in this constitution and By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

ARTICLE XI – EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.                Numbers:  The executive board shall consist of elected officers of the Chapter and two class representatives from each of the four classes.

Section 2.               Elections (Articles I and XIV of the By-Laws).

Section 3.                Tenure:  The class representatives shall hold office for one collegiate year.  In case of any emergency not provided for by the constitution or administrative By-Laws, he or she shall hold office until a successor has been legally installed.

Section 4.               Duties: The student executive board shall be the administrative body of the Student Chapter. The board shall be charged with the duty of carrying out the provisions o fthe constitution and administrative By-Laws.
The board shall direct the chairman to report of its actions to the Chapter.

The board shall pass on the eligibility of all applicants for membership if deemed necessary and upon all charges of misconduct filed against the members.

The board, with the approval of the Chapter, shall determine the annual dues.

ARTICLEXII – ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section 1.               In all cases where both the constitution and the By-Laws are found insufficient, the chapter shall employ Robert’s Rules of Order as a guide.

Section 2.                The standard order of business shall be:
Call to order
Program
Reading of the minutes
Committee reports
Unfinished business
New business
Nomination and election of officers
Appointments
Adjournment

Section 3.                The president with the approval of the members present may modify this order of business as he or she shall deem necessary or expedient.

ARTICLE XIII – MEETINGS
Section 1.                Frequency:  At least one regular meeting shall be held each month during the school year.

Section 2.                a.     The executive board shall decide as to the time, location, and frequency of regular meetings in so far as it does not interfere with Section 1 of the article.

Special meetings may be called at any time by the president with the approval of the executive board.  Special meeting shall be well-advertised at least twenty-four hours in advance.

Section 3.                Quorum:  Twenty-five percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

ARTICLE XIV – ELECTIONS
Section 1.                All officers shall be elected by ballot in accordance with customary parliamentary procedures.

Section 2.               A majority vote shall be required for election.

Section 3.                The president shall appoint an election committee consisting of a representative of each class to supervise the voting.  Absentee ballots shall be obtained from the faculty representative(s) and after election returned to him or her in a sealed envelope.

Section 4.                Nominations shall be announced at the meeting preceding elections by a nominating committee appointed by the president.  It shall also be possible to make nominations from the floor at this meeting.  The names of the nominees shall be posted by the secretary following this meeting.

Section 5.                Nominations of Student Chapter officers and delegates shall be held in December.  Election of these officers shall be held in January and installation of these officers shall take place in February.  The executive board may modify this time schedule if deemed necessary.

Section 6.                The freshman class representatives shall be elected by ballot of the class as early as possible after the beginning of the school year.

Section 7.               Other class representatives to the executive board shall be elected by ballot of the representative class at the end of the school year for a term during the following school year.

Section 8.                Only members in good standing shall be privileged to vote.

ARTICLE XV – ASSESSMENTS
Section 1.                All assessments necessary to meet the expenses requires a two-thirds affirmative vote of the members present.

ARTICLE XVI – A.V.M.A. JOURNAL
Section 1.                Students receiving the Journal of the AVMA at the student rate must be members in good standing.

ARTICLE XVII – MEMBERS IN GOOD STANDING
Section 1.                To qualify for membership in good standing of the Student Chapter the student must:

Pay chapter dues for that year and attend fifty percent of the business meetings held during their membership.

Be an active member of one Chapter committee during his or her four years in veterinary school.

Section 2.                In order for a student to graduate as a member in good standing he or she must have been a member in good standing for at least three years, two years of which must be the junior and senior year.

Section 3.                Upon graduation, a member in good standing of the Student Chapter is entitled to:

Membership in the AVMA, exempt from paying dues until January 1 of the year following graduation.  They then pay reduced dues for the next two years.

Special consideration in acquiring insurance through the AVMA Group Insurance Trust and AVMA Professional Liability Insurance Trust.

ARTICLE XVIII – MINNESOTA DELEGATES TO NATIONAL STUDENTA.V.M.A.
Section 1.                The Minnesota Student Chapter shall send two delegates to the House of Delegates meeting at the spring student AVMA Symposium and two delegates tot he House of Delegates meeting at the summer AVMA Convention.

Section 2.                One new delegate shall be elected each year.  The incoming delegate shall be elected from the first or second year class and shall attend the spring Student AVMA symposium immediately after taking office.

Section 3.                The Student Chapter president may attend the spring Student AVMA Symposium House of Delegates meeting as a non-voting member.

Revised 1997

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