Midwestern State University
Multicultural Nursing Student Association
Est. Spr. 2004
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Constitutional Bylaws
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Multicultural (Minority) Student Nurses
Association (MNSA).
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
The objectives of MNSA shall be to:
1. To promote the academic and professional development of the ethnic minority
students.
2. Compile and maintain a database of scholarships and professional information
created for ethnic minorities.
3. Establish a mentor program for lower and upper level nursing students.
4. Promote activities that will
5. Participate actively in community activities that aim to decrease healthcare
disparities in minority communities.
6. Provide a forum for minority students to increase scholarship and campus
involvement.
7. Recruit, counsel and assist minority students interested in nursing to secure a
constant procession of minority students into the Wilson School of Nursing.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERS
Section 1.
Qualification.
Section 2.
Classification
Membership shall be open to all MSU nursing students.
A. There shall be two types of membership.
(1) Local membership here on the MSU campus.
(2) National membership in a professional organization of choice.
B. Upon entering the upper level of the nursing program, members will
be encouraged to join a national organization for minority nurses.
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Section 3.
Good Standing.
A member in good standing is one whose current
dues are paid, current Midwestern State University student. A member in good standing
has full voting rights and privileges.
Section 4.
Inactive, Reinstatement
A.
B.
C.
Privileges of membership shall expire each full academic year and
the member shall become inactive until current dues are paid. A
full academic term consists of fall, spring, and Summer I & II.
Inactive members shall lose voting rights and all other privileges of
membership.
Inactive members will be able to attend meetings, study sessions,
and on-campus forums.
Section 5.
Disciplinary Action.
Any member whose conduct has been
proven injurious to MNSA or its purpose shall be subject to disciplinary action, including
censure, suspension or expulsion. Procedures to be followed are specified in the
parliamentary authority. Action will initiated by the current president or vice president.
ARTICLE IV – DUES, FEESS, AND FINANCES
Section 1.
Dues
A. Annual membership dues will be detemined vote of the membership
after recommendation of the Exceutive Board.
B. A member who becomes inactive for nonpayment of dues may be
reinstated to active status after yearly dues are paid.
Section 2.
Finances
A.
B.
The financial records shall be audited at the end of each full
academic term. The report of the audit shall be kept on file an
available to the membership.
A full academic term shall be fall, spring, summer I, and summer
II of each school year.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
Section 1.
Officers
A.
B.
The elected officers of MNSA shall be a President, Vice-President,
secretary, treasurer.
The historian and student senator shall be appointed by the
Executive Board and called upon to perform duties as prescribed.
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Section 2.
Qualifications
A.
B.
Section 3.
Term of Office
A.
B.
Section 4.
Officers, elected by the membership shall serve for a full academic
term beginning in the fall.
No elected officer shall serve more than two consecutive terms in
the same office.
Vacancies
A.
B.
C.
Section 5.
A candidate for elective office shall be a member in good standing
at least one semester prior to the election.
To be eligible for office a member must have a cumulative MSU
GPA of 2.0 and a semester GPA of 2.5.
When a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the First
Vice President Shall Become President.
When vacancies occur in other offices, they shall be filled by the
president with the approval of the Executive Board.
Any officer unable to carry out the duties of the office will be
requested to resign, otherwise will be removed from the office by a
unanimous vote of the Executive Board. The person in question
will not be allowed to vote.
Duties of Officers
A. The President shall:
(1) Be the chief executive officer and the official representative of
MNSA.
(2) Give administrative guidance and direction to the structure and
programming.
(3) Serve as chairman of the Executive Board and preside over all
official meetings.
(4) Recommend to the Executive Board the removal of any elected
or appointed official as specified in ARTICLE V, Section 4.C.
(5) Perform duties as set down by the Bylaws and other duties that
pertain to the office.
B. The Vice- President shall:
(1) Preside at meetings in the absence of the President at the
request of the president.
(2) Succeed to the office f the President for the un-expired term, in
the event of a vacancy in that office.
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(3) Perform all duties pertaining to the office.
C. The Secretary shall:
(1) Record the proceedings of all meetings of the chapter and
Executive Board.
(2) Prepare for distribution of the minutes within two weeks of the
meetings.
(3) Perform all duties incident to the office and as deemed
necessary by the Executive Board.
D. The Treasurer shall:
(1) Receive and deposit all funds of MNSA in its name.
(2) Make disbursements and keep written accounts of all
transactions in accordance with the financial policies
established by Midwestern State University.
(3) Make a financial report at Executive Board meetings.
(4) Submit an annual semester report to the Executive Board
(5) Perform other duties pertaining to the office as requested by the
Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI NOMINATION AND ELECTION
Section 1.
Nomination
A.
B.
C.
Section 2.
The nominating committee shall consist of five members elected
by ballot. Term of office shall be one full academic year staring
each fall. Committee members may serve no more than two
consecutive terms.
The committee shall prepare a slate of at least one candidate for
each of the officers and elected committee persons as follows:
The slate of officers shall be:
(1) Publicized to the membership with candidate qualifications
(2) Read at the meeting, where additional nominations may be
made from the floor. No name shall be placed in nomination
without the consent of the nominee.
Election
A.
B.
C.
Election of officers shall be by ballot and majority vote shall elect.
All members in good standing, attending the meeting shall vote.
Tellers shall be appointed by the president from the official
membership list.
ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS
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Section 1.
Business Meeting
A.
B.
C.
A business meeting shall be conducted twice a month.
The specific meeting time and place shall be determined by the
members annually.
ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER shall be used as a guide for all
meetings.
ARTICLE VIII – EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1.
Composition
A.
Section 2.
The members shall be the President, the Vice- President, the
secretary, the treasurer, all officers, and committee chairpersons.
Duties
The Executive Board Shall:
A.
Section 3.
Be responsible for the transaction of necessary business between
meetings and shall make a complete report of its actions to the
membership.
B.
Approve committee chairperson appointments made by the
president.
C.
Make recommendations of policy to President and membership.
D.
Perform other duties as prescribes in the or as assigned by the
President.
Meetings
A.
The Executive board shall meet prior to business meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the president. Specific meeting
time and meeting place will be determined annually by the
Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX – COMMITTEES
Section 1.
Composition
A. There shall be the following standing committees: Nominating,
Membership, Programming, Fundraising, Community Relations, and
Publicity & Public Relations.
B. All committee members shall be individuals in good standing. The
President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the
nominating committee.
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C. Committees shall assume such duties as are specified in these and
other such duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board.
Section 2.
Duties of Standing Committee
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Section 3.
Nominating Committee – The members, elected as specified in
Article VI, Section 1.A. The person receiving the highest number
of votes shall be the chairman. The committee shall:
(1) Notify the membership committee of all elective positions to
be filled.
(2) Screen candidates and prepare a slate of officers and elected
committee persons as specified in ARTICLE VI, Section 1.B.
and 1.C.
Membership Committee – The Committee shall:
(1) Recive, review, and approve all applications for new members.
(2) Devise ways and means for increasing the membership of the
MNSA.
Program Committee – The committee shall:
(1) Make recommendations to the Exceutive Board for activities
that aim to meet the goals of MNSA.
(2) Research scholarship opportunities for minority nursing
students.
(3) Research volunteer opportunities at MSU and the Wichita Falls
minority communities.
Fundraising Committee – The committee shall:
(1) Consider and recommend means for securing adequate income
through fundraisers and donations.
(2) Work closely with the Tresurer and have all financial records
reviewd at the end of each semester.
Publicity & Public relations Committee – The committee shall:
(1) Secure publicity for MNSA and all committee activities.
(2) Produce avdertisigment through signs, banners, and e-mail etc.
(3) Consider and recommend new ways to advertise and promote
MNSA goals and programs.
Special Committees
Special Committees – as deemed necessary shall be appointed by the
president. After submitting the final report to the group that authorized it,
the committee shall be dissolved.
ARTICLE X – CHAPTER HEADQUARTERS
Section 1.
Headquarters
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A. All papers and official documents shall be preserved by the current
president, secretary, and treasurer.
ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER
NEWLY REVISED shall govern the proceedings of the chapter in all cases not
provided for in these or in the standing rules.
ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended at any regular business meeting by a two- thirds
vote of the members assembled at the meeting provided the notice of proposed
amendments have been submitted by the committee, and are published to the
members at least two weeks before the convening meeting.
DISSOLUTION CLAUSE
In the event of dissolution of the MNSA, all liabilities and obligations shall be paid
or provisions made for payment. Remaining assets may be used for educational,
charitable, or scientific purposes or donated to a non- profit organization. Assets
may not inure to the benefit of any individual member.
Adopted (Date)
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
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