AMSA UCM Chapter Constitution

 
 

PREMEDICAL CHAPTER CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

CHARTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, MERCED
PREMEDICAL CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION

 

ARTICLE I. NAME

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The name of this organization shall be the American Medical Student Association of the University of California, Merced, herein referred to as AMSA. It is a premedical chapter of the national American Medical Student Association, hereinafter referred to as AMSA National.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

AMSA National is committed to improving health care and healthcare delivery to all people; promoting active improvement in medical education; involving its members in the social, moral and ethical obligations of the profession of medicine; assisting in the improvement and understanding of world health problems; contributing to the welfare of medical students, premedical students, interns, residents and post-MD/DO trainees; and advancing the profession of medicine.

 

AMSA National has four national aspirations to focus the activism of our membership and is dedicated to allocating time, energy, and resources toward fulfilling our goals within these areas:

 

   1.  Quality, Affordable Healthcare for All

   2.  Global Health Equity

   3.  Enriching Medicine Through Diversity

   4.  Professional Integrity, Development, and Student Well-Being

 

Please visit the National AMSA website to learn more about our Mission and Aspirations.

 

UC Merced AMSA is dedicated to fulfilling both local and national objectives as well as to provide information, support, and professional development for future physicians-in-training

 

  1.  To foster intellectual promise, diversity, and community service in the premedical student, while providing benefits and services that aid future physicians-in-training as they prepare for a career in medicine

  2.  To create activist leaders in health dedicated to serving the underserved and underrepresented population of the San Joaquin Valley

  3.  To inspire students pursuing premedical curricula with a broader perspective, appreciation, and understanding of their chosen major

  4.  To establish a peer support group that fosters an environment of camaraderie and guidance to help students avoid the pitfalls and common stressors that accompany the premedical undergraduate career

  5.  To provide students with the opportunities to network nationally with other premedical students, medical students, residents, and medical professionals

 

These objectives seek to optimize undergraduate candidacy for medical school through work in activism, leadership, research, academic excellence, journalism, tutorship, mentorship, and clinical and nonclinical volunteering.

 

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

 

A. Eligibility

Students enrolled at UC Merced who are either current members of AMSA National or in the process of applying to AMSA National, and have paid current chapter dues shall be considered members of AMSA.  Members of above named organization shall be accepted without discrimination on basis of race, religion, national origin, disability, sex, sexual preference, age, creed, marital status, parental status or veterans status.  Furthermore, it is understood that members of the above organization will not, at any time, engage in hazing.

 

B. Privilege of Membership

Members have the right to attend AMSA-sponsored meetings and events.

 

C. Privacy

Member information is to be kept confidential and for administrative use only. If a separate party wishes to advertise to our organization, they may contact any officer and collaborate to reach out to any of our members.


D. Dues

Local chapter dues and late fees shall be determined by the incumbent officers.


E. Membership Ladder

 

To be considered an active member of our chapter per semester, all members, inclusive of officers, shall

  1. Attend one general meeting

  2. Participate in two chapter-sponsored events, one of which must be a chapter-sponsored fundraising event

  3. Complete five community service hours

  4. Complete five AMSA Study hours

 

To be considered a Bronze Member of our chapter per semester, all members, inclusive of officers, shall

  1. Attend 40% of general meetings

  2. One additional chapter-sponsored event

  3. Complete ten service hours

  4. Complete ten AMSA Study hours


 

To be considered a Silver Member of our chapter per semester, all members, inclusive of officers, shall

  1. Attend 60% of general meetings

  2. Two additional chapter-sponsored events

  3. Complete fifteen service hours

  4. Complete fifteen AMSA Study hours

 

To be considered a Gold Member of our chapter per semester, all members, inclusive of officers, shall

  1. Attend 80% of general meetings

  2. Three additional chapter-sponsored events

  3. Complete twenty service hours

  4. Complete twenty AMSA Study hours


ARTICLE IV. LEADERSHIP

 

A. Titles

Leadership in UC Merced AMSA shall consist of President, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Communication, Vice President of Finance, Director of Education, Director of Outreach, Director of External Events, and Director of Internal Events.

 

B. Eligibility for Leadership Candidacy

Any member shall be eligible to run in the election process provided that he or she:

  • Has attained active membership in the fall semester prior to the spring election

  • Completes the Leadership Application for said process

  • Has a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 verified by the Elections Board

  • Submits a CV and tentative class schedule to the Elections Board

  • Interviews with the Elections Board for application review


C. Elections

Chapter officers for a given academic year shall be elected by ballot and inducted by the end of the April of the previous academic year.  A majority vote of general members present shall be necessary to elect.

 

D. Vacancies of Offices

In the event of a vacancy of office, the President shall appoint.  In the event of a vacancy of the presidency, the Vice President of Membership shall temporarily assume the role as acting President.

 

E. Inductions

The outgoing President shall administer the oath of every newly elected officer of the board.

 

“I ___(name)___ do solemnly affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of ___(officer position)___, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the American Medical Student Association at the University of California, Merced.”

 

F. Responsibilities of the Officers

1. The President shall

    • Serve as a chapter delegate to the AMSA National, or select a proxy if he or she cannot

    • Call, oversee, and adjourn meetings, elections, inductions, and impeachments

    • Write and require written semester reports from all officers 

    • Serve as one of two financial signatories to the Office of Student Life, along with the Vice President of Finance

    • Maintain order at chapter meetings and events

    • Collaborate with Vice President of Finance to approve chapter budgets

    • Delegate tasks and create projects that advance chapter objectives


2. The Vice President of Membership shall

  • Assume the duties of the President, if the President is unable to

  • Assist the President in meetings, elections, inductions, and impeachments

  • Have jurisdiction over and maintain records of membership information, involvement, and attendance

  • Organize and manage chapter storage of all supplies 


3. The Vice President of Finance shall

  • Serve as one of two financial signatories to the Office of Student Life, along with the President

  • Have jurisdiction over chapter apparel including, but not limited to, T-shirts, graduation stoles, national pins 

  • Have jurisdiction over and maintain records of all chapter finances

  • Advise fundraising committees and oversee fundraising projects

  • Safeguard petty cash and chapter bank accounts

  • Serve as representative to the Inter-Club Council (ICC) and ASUCM, or appoint proxies

  • Have jurisdiction over financial bills and grants in regard to ICC, ASUCM, and sponsors


4. The Vice President of Communications shall

  • Prepare and make accessible meeting minutes, powerpoints, resources, etc.

  • Establish and maintain the chapter organizational means including, but not limited to,calendar, listserv, website, etc 

  • Maintain chapter documents and reports

  • Publicize meetings and events via email, physical means, social media

  • Oversee committees within AMSA


5. The Director of Education shall

  • Have jurisdiction over educating members about AMSA National’s mission and aspirations

  • Coordinate the Premedical Rx

  • Have jurisdiction over establishing and facilitating educational committees

  • Provide members with academic support in regard to services, programs, and 
scholarships

  • Have jurisdiction over establishing and facilitating academic committees

  • Coordinate the AMSA Narrative


6. The Director of Outreach

  • Receive and coordinate collaborations within the city of Merced to establish community service opportunities for membership

  • Have jurisdiction over and maintain records of chapter volunteerism

  • Have jurisdiction over establishing and facilitating community-centered committees 


7. The Director of External Events shall

  • Organize and oversee the coordination of all chapter events that include collaboration/involvement with other organizations within or outside of UC Merced.

  • Coordinate and document any activities pertaining to chapter travel, along with organizing officers if applicable

  • Have jurisdiction over establishing and facilitating external event coordination committees 


8.  The Director of Internal Events shall

  • Organize and oversee the coordination of all chapter events that are intended only for AMSA’s general body membership

  • Coordinate and document any activities pertaining to member bonding or chapter strengthening

  • Have jurisdiction over establishing and facilitating internal event coordination committees


G. Voting Powers of Officers

All officers retain voting rights. Officers submitting proposals may not vote for the proposals that they present.


H. Impeachment of Officers

Officers can be removed from office by both a two-thirds majority vote of officers and two-thirds majority vote of the active membership. The President or Vice President of Membership may call an impeachment one week after a written request for impeachment with reasons is submitted to the either the President or Vice President of Membership by any officer or member. Officers who receive the two-thirds majority for conviction shall be removed from office.  Such officers must forfeit all previous officer powers granted by this Constitution, return the officer email to the incumbent leadership, and forfeit the right to run in any special election for the remainder of the academic year in which they are removed.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

 

A. General Meeting Structure

  • Welcome

  • Meeting Topic

  • Announcements

  • Committee Meeting

  • Adjourn


B. Officer Meeting Structure

  • Welcome

  • Open Forum Meeting

  • Closed Officer Meeting

  • Adjourn

 

C. Quorum

Quorum for general meetings and all elections shall be 50%+1 of the active membership, inclusive of officers, provided that proper notice is given.  Quorum for officer meetings shall consist of 50%+1 of the voting members. Webinars may be used to fulfill quorum.

 

ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES


To create and maintain a chapter committee, members of said committee must, in writing,

  • State the committee name

  • State the committee purpose

  • State the committee members

  • State the assisting officer(s), if applicable

  • State the committee leader(s), if applicable

  • State established or in-progress goals and projects 

  • State that the committee is open to all chapter members

  • State that committee members must be official members; national and local.

  • State that committee members asking ASUCM for funding under the American Medical Student Association at UC Merced to be active members.

to the Vice President of Communications upon creation of the committee and in regard to ongoing goals and projects.  Committees are encouraged to present their work regularly to the general body membership during General Meetings.


ARTICLE VII. FINANCES


The President and Vice President of Finance shall have jurisdiction over chapter finances, with a budget to be established and maintained by the Vice President of Finance.  All funds must be spent on organizational purposes only. Budgets must be approved by the Vice President of Finance. Expenditures exceeding set budgets may not be reimbursed.  Receipts or proofs of purchase must be submitted to the Vice President of Finance within seventy-two hours of expenditures. In the event of chapter dissolution, funds shall remain the property of UC Merced AMSA under the university agency account.  All privately obtained funds shall be donated to a non-profit organization.

 

ARTICLE VIII. ADVISOR


Our chapter shall have a minimum of one local advisor and one national advisor per given term.  The local advisor must be a faculty or staff member of UC Merced and has a sincere interest and commitment to the welfare of the chapter.  AMSA National annually elects a regional director, who shall serve as the national advisor for our chapter in a given academic year.


ARTICLE IX. EXTERNAL AFFILIATIONS


The Premedical Chapter of the American Medical Student Association at the University of California, Merced, is affiliated with the national American Medical Student Association.  Governed by both local and national laws, as well as those by the University of California, Merced Office of Student Life, our chapter is free to govern itself under the guidelines set forth. The national American Medical Student Association is located at the following address:

 

1902 Association Drive

Reston, VA 20191

1-800-767-2266 | members@amsa.org

 

ARTICLE X. AMENDMENTS


This constitution may be amended at any General Meeting by both a 50%+1 majority vote of the incumbent officers and a 50%+1 majority vote of active members present at the time of an amendment proposal, provided that the amendment proposed has been submitted in writing to the officers at an Open Forum at least one week prior.  Additional articles and amendments may be included only if they are in consonance with the current Constitution and Bylaws.