SIMMONS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT NURSES ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I. Organization
Section 1. The organization’s name is the Student Nurses Association of Simmons
College, hereafter
referred to as Student Nurses Association, the Association, or the organization.
Section 2. The organization was formerly known as the Nursing Liaison of Simmons
College.
Section 3. The purpose of the Student Nurses Association is:
1. To further the general interest of students of nursing and those students
interested in the
Profession of Nursing.
2. To collaborate with faculty and administration and other academic
organizations on matters
concerning the interests of the student body. A volunteer faculty advisor will consult with
the Eboard
and aid in plans of the association.
3. To serve as a communication channel between Faculty and the nursing
students for the
purpose of exchanging ideas in relation to the educational program.
4. To coordinate the policies and activities of the organization.
5. To administer the Association funds. Appropriation will be determined by the
submission of a written request and the individual circumstance. Representatives will
vote on the administration of the Association funds.
6. To contribute to the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a broad range
of activities and governing committees.
7. To provide student representation at monthly faculty meetings.
8. To represent nursing students at all SGA meetings, per SGA guidelines.
9. To collaborate with the community to educate future, potential nurses.
10. To collaborate with the ALANA Nursing Liaison of Simmons College, to
provide cultural competency programming.
ARTICLE II. Membership
Section 1. Members of the Association are undergraduate, graduate, Dix scholar,
transfer and direct entry program students and faculty of the Department of Nursing
and all other interested students of the Simmons community.
Section 2. Student membership consists of elected representatives from the freshman,
sophomore, junior, and senior classes. All nursing students are encouraged to
participate, are welcome to attend meetings, and are considered a member of the
Association by interest, support, and regular attendance at meetings.
Section 3. Faculty representation: Through meetings with the Associate Dean of
Nursing, the Association’s advisor, and input via faculty meetings.
Section 4. Membership privileges include:
1. Participation in the planning and organization of activities and programs.
2. The opportunity to participate in decision-making through voting.
3. The responsibility for receiving and processing class input.
ARTICLE III.
Section 1. Officers of the Association include:
1. President, must have been an active member for at least one year.
2. VicePresident
3. Treasurer
4. Secretary
5. Student Government Association (SGA) Representative
6. Class Representatives, of the senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman
classes, and of the Dix
Scholar and graduate communities.
Section 2. Any member of the Association is eligible to be a candidate for office.
Section 3. It is a requirement of all officers to attend all Simmons Student Nurses
Association meetings. Any absences must be reported to the secretary, prior to the
scheduled meeting.
Section 4. The duties of the officers:
1. The President shall:
a. Preside over all meetings in an orderly fashion.
b. Prepare an agenda for the meetings.
c. Be responsible for the organization’s activities and programs.
d. Appoint special committees as needed.
e. Approve expenditures as submitted by the Treasurer.
f. Represent the Association to faculty and administration, including at monthly
department faculty meetings.
g. Decide if a special meeting is in order.
h. Prepare and post proposed amendments.
i. Process monetary transactions in the event that the Treasurer cannot.
j. Attend budget and organization training as required by SGA and OSLA
requirements.
2. The Vice President
shall:
a. Assist the President in duties of the office.
b. Preside over meetings when the President is unable to attend.
c. Assist in organization activities and programs.
d. Appoint special committees as needed.
e. Represent the Association at monthly Department faculty meetings in the
event that the President cannot.
f. Attend training as required by SGA and OSLA requirements.
3. The Secretary shall:
a. Prepare the minutes of all business meetings of the organization.
b. Maintain all organizational records (i.e. – the constitution, attendance,
participation in committees, emails, student announcements)
c. Post notices of Association meetings.
d. Conduct correspondence for the organization.
e. Assist and participate in organization activities.
f. Keep Association board updated, with help from the other officers.
4. The Treasurer shall:
a. Be responsible for all financial transactions of the organization.
b. Provide monetary reimbursements upon receiving a receipt from a member.
c. Be responsible for maintaining the checking accounts with SGA.
d. Assist and participate in organization activities.
e. Attend budgettraining as required by SGA and OSLA.
5. The SGA Representative shall:
a. Represent the Association at all scheduled SGA meetings.
b. Report information from SGA meetings to the President and to the Association
at scheduled meetings.
c. Assist with the organization of Association activities.
d. Participate in Association activities.
6. The Class Representatives shall:
a. Assist with the organization of Association activities.
b. Participate in Association activities.
c. Post notices of Association meetings and activities (i.e. – via online discussion
boards, emails, class announcements, flyers)
d. Help enlist participation from class.
ARTICLE IV. Election of Officers
Section 1. Election of officers is held each Spring semester by the deadline set forth by
OSLA and SGA and are conducted by the President (as long as she is of the senior,
graduating class) and advisor.
Section 2. The procedure for elections:
1. Nominations for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, SGA
Representative, and Senior, Junior, and Sophomore class representatives for the
following academic year are taken via email by the current President (as long as she is
a graduating senior) and the organization’s advisor.
2. The nomination must be accepted by the candidate.
3. Election results will be posted on the Student Nurses Association
board(located onthe Department of Nursing floor of the Science Building), via email,
student announcements, and the Association’s Facebook
4. The President of the Association will notify the Associate Dean and OSLA of
the results of the election.
ARTICLE V. Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings will be held weekly.
Section 2. Informal meetings may be held when two or more of the elected officers are
present.
Section 3. Regular attendance at meetings is required for all of the officers.
ARTICLE VI. Activities and Governance
Section 1. Students are expected to contribute to the planning, implementation, and
evaluation of a broad range of activities and governing committees. At the beginning of
each academic year and throughout, students will have the opportunity to become
members of the program committees. Students are encouraged to volunteer and
participate in committees.
ARTICLE VII. Bylaws and Amendments
Section 1. Bylaws must be reviewed annually.
Section 2. Provision for amendments is as follows:
1. Proposed amendments may be submitted by faculty or students to the
President.
2. All proposed amendments shall be prepared by the President of the
Association.
3. A majority vote of those present is necessary to pass the proposal.
4. An amendment of these bylaws shall become effective immediately upon its
pass by majority vote and submittance to SGA and to the Department of Nursing.
Section 2: Attendance
a.
Attendance of each weekly meeting shall be mandatory for all
Student Nursing Officers unless otherwise excused by the President or
members are in class at the time of the meeting.
b.
A Student Nursing Association Officer shall not miss more than
two meetings per semester without the approval of the President. In
the event that any officer is absent from more than two meetings
without approval, the remaining Class Council of 2014 Officers shall
review her case, and a new officer may be appointed.
c.
The Student Nursing Association President and Vice President
shall have the ability to approve an officer’s absence at a weekly
meeting given prior notice or in the case of an emergency.
d.
The Student Nursing Association President and Vice President
shall have the right to determine if an officer is abusing her privilege of
excused absences.
Revised: April 1987
June 1996
April 1997
April 1998
May 1999
April 2001
September 2002
September 2003
February 2009
November 2013