CONSTITUTION OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING NURSING GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM, AL

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1 CONSTITUTION OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING NURSING GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM, AL ARTICLE I: General Information The name of this organization shall be the School of Nursing Graduate Student Association, all referred to as the NGSA. The purpose of the organization shall be: to facilitate interaction among School of Nursing Graduate students and with other university and community groups; to serve as liaison between the School of Nursing graduate student body and faculty, and the administration of the School of Nursing and UAB; to promote the academic and professional success of all graduate nursing students; to represent, support, and advocate for graduate nursing students. The membership of this organization shall include all graduate students enrolled. In the Fall Term of each year, the Executive Committee shall elect a student senator from the MSN, DNP, and PhD programs, pursuant to Article 2, Section 12. These Senators shall constitute the Senate of the School of Nursing Graduate Student Association. Section 5. Section 6. The Senate may adopt formal bylaws or other standard procedures of its own choosing to carry on its business as long as such bylaws or standard procedures are in accordance with this Constitution and are adopted as herein provided. The Dean of the School of Nursing shall appoint or approve a faculty advisor to the School of Nursing Graduate Student Association. ARTICLE II: Executive Officers and Senate There shall be four (4) elected executive officers of the NGSA: President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The officers shall be nominated and elected by the Senate during the Fall Term of each year. Voting shall be by show of hands, secret ballot, or acclamation when only one candidate is nominated and majority of votes shall be required to elect. 1 of 6

2 Section 5. Section 6. Section 7. Section 8. Section 9. It shall be the responsibility of the President to represent the NGSA to the School of Nursing and the University Administration and to the public as well as to serve as the chief administrative and executive officer of the NGSA. The President shall preside over all meetings to the Senate and perform all other duties as prescribed herein and may be prescribed in any bylaws or standard procedures that are adopted as herein provided. As part of the Graduate Student Program, the President or his/her designee shall inform new graduate students of the School of Nursing of the structure, activities, and funding of the NGSA. It shall be the responsibility of the President-Elect to coordinate a calendar of activities and perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President. In case of vacancy in the un-expired term of the office of the President, the President-Elect shall become President. It shall also be the responsibility of the President-Elect to assist the President in the administrative functions of the NGSA. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to maintain a meeting attendance record, the minutes of each meeting, and distribute the approved minutes to the Senate and make meeting minutes available to the general NGSA membership. It shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer to maintain a record of the NGSA s income and expenditures as well as serve as the liaison between the NGSA and the Faculty Advisor. In the event new officers are not elected by the end of the Fall Term or a vacancy in any office occurs and is not filled as herein provided, the Dean or Associate Dean of the School of Nursing shall appoint interim officers to serve until the Senate holds an election to fill such vacancies An officer may be dismissed from officer for just cause by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Senators present and voting. An officer shall automatically be dismissed from office if he/she fails to progress in his/her program of study, is not officially enrolled, or is not in good academic standing. In the event of a vacancy in the un-expired term of the President-Elect, Secretary, or Treasurer, written notice shall be given to the Senate two weeks in advance and an election shall be held at the next regular meeting of the Senate. The normal term of office for executive officers shall be Fall Term through Summer Term. An executive officer shall serve for no more than one full term in the same office. The President-Elect shall be appointed 2 of 6

3 President for the term immediately following his/her term as President- Elect. Section 10. Section 11. Section 12. The immediate past President shall serve as an ex-officio member without voting rights and serve as a resource to the executive officers. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to ensure that at least one member of the Executive Committee be present for Student Nurses Association board meetings to ensure proper communication and cooperation between the NGSA and SNA. There shall be thirteen (13) Senators from the MSN, DNP, and PhD programs: Senator for Pediatric NP Tracks, Senator for Adult Acute Care NP Tracks, Senator for Adult Primary Care NP Tracks, Senator for Family NP Tracks, Senator for Neonatal NP Tracks, Senator for Psychiatric NP Tracks, Senator for CNL Track, Senator for Nurse Educator Track, Senator for Nursing Informatics Track, Senator for Health Systems Administration Track, Senator for Nurse Anesthesia Track, Senator for DNP Programs, and Senator for PhD Programs. Senators shall be nominated by a faculty member or student or nominate himself/herself by submitting in writing a desire to be nominated and a curriculum vitae to the President. The Executive Committee by simple majority shall elect Senators from the nomination pool. Each senator shall only serve one complete term. ARTICLE III: MEETINGS The Senate and Executive Officers shall meet at times and places as called by the President, or as mandated by the members of faculty. The President shall notify all officers and senators in writing of the time and place two weeks in advance of the meeting. A quorum shall consist of a simple majority of the total current Senators on the roll. In absence of a quorum at a regular meeting, the senators and Executive Officers, by two-thirds vote of those present, may suspend the requirement for a quorum in order to carry out business. Each meeting shall be conducted in accordance to the latest revision of Robert s Rules of Order. ARTICLE IV: COMMITTEES The Senate, as necessary to accomplish the purpose of the NGSA, may approve standing committees. 3 of 6

4 The President-Elect shall be responsible for scheduling and conducting committee meetings and for coordination and monitoring the projects and activities of the committees. The President may appoint any member of the NGSA to serve on University-side, School of Nursing, or Graduate Student Association standing or ad hoc committees. ARTICLE V: FUNDING AND EXPENDITURES The primary source for funds for NGSA projects and activities shall be raised through fundraising activities deemed appropriate by the NGSA Executive Committee, Senate, or any ad hoc committee charged with such responsibility. The account for all NGSA funds shall follow State/University guidelines for such funds. This includes both primary and miscellaneous sources. The Treasurer shall maintain the official record for all NGSA accounts and the official financial documents shall be the account statements. All records maintained by the NGSA Treasurer shall be for internal management purposes only and shall not be considered official for university accounting purposes. NGSA funds may be allocated as part of an annual budget or as separate items. The NGSA Executive Officers, Senate, and faculty advisor(s) shall approve all allocations greater than $500 prior to these funds being encumbered. All approved allocations shall be expended in accordance with State/University guidelines. The final School of Nursing s authority for interpreting the State/University guidelines regards the expenditure of funds and the ultimate disposition of property rests with the Director of Administration and Fiscal Affairs. ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENTS; BYLAWS; OTHER STANDARD PROCEDURES The Dean or Associate Dean of the School of Nursing must approve all amendments to this Constitution. Recommendations for amending the Constitution may be approved at a regular meeting of the Senate by twothirds vote of the present and eligible to vote, provided that written notice for the proposed amendment has been distributed to all Senators at least two weeks previous. Formal bylaws or other standard procedures of the NGSA may be adopted, amended, or suspended at any regular meeting of the Senate by two-thirds vote of those present and eligible to vote. No previous notice is required. 4 of 6

5 The Dean or Associate Dean of the School of Nursing shall notify the President of the NGSA in writing of all changes in the Constitution. The President shall notify all members of the Senate of all changes in the Constitution and in the formal bylaws and other standard procedures. 5 of 6