STUDENT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION (S.O.T.A.)
CONSTITUTION
Article I
Section 1: The name of the organization shall be: The Student Occupational Therapy
Association.
Section 2: The purpose of this organization shall be: to foster spirit of professional unity
among students. To provide awareness of an affiliation with the Occupational
Therapy profession at large and specifically the national, state, and local
associations. To provide support and services to Occupational Therapy Students.
Article II
There shall be two types of membership:
1. Voting Membership shall be open to any enrolled Ohio State University
Occupational Therapy Student who has paid the membership fee.
2. Associate Membership shall be open to any enrolled Ohio State University
Occupational Therapy Student who chooses not to pay dues. These students will
not have the opportunity to vote.
Article III
Section 1: Election of Officers:
Officers shall be elected during Winter quarter and installed during Spring
quarter. Position elect will attend all SOTA meetings and executive board
meetings during Spring quarter. Newly elected officers will have full
responsibility during the last meeting of the year and shall serve until the election
the following year.
Section 2: those officers elected shall be:
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, AOTA/OOTA Student Delegate,
Publicity Membership Chairperson, Student-Faculty Liason, Recruitment Liason,
and Ways and Means Development Director.
Article IV
Section 1: The voting Executive Board shall consist of all elected officers.
Section 2: The Executive Board shall be given the power to fill any vacancies occurring
on the Board during the normal term of office, with a majority vote of voting
members present at a General Business Meeting.
Section 3: A non-voting member on the Executive Board will consist of a volunteer first
year liaison in Autumn quarter.
Article V
Section 1: The organization shall hold at least one (1) general meeting each month in
which school is in session.
Section 2: The Executive Board shall meet at least once each month in which school is in
session.
Section 3: Other meetings shall be scheduled as desired by the Executive Board.
Section 4: Events shall be scheduled as voted on by a majority of those Voting Members
present at a general meeting.
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Article VI
Section 1: Amendment of this Constitution shall require one (1) week prior notification
to the membership and a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of those Voting
members present at a general meeting.
Article VII
Section 1. Any individual who subscribes to the purpose and basic policies of SOTA at
The Ohio State University may become a member of this organization, subject only to
compliance within the provisions of the constitution. NO STUDENT WHO MEETS THE
OTHER CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP CAN BE DENIED MEMBERSHIP ON THE
BASIS OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AGE,
DISABILITY, MARITAL STATUS, VETERAN’S STATUS, OR SEXUAL
PREFERENCE.
BY LAWS
1. Only paid, “Voting Members” of SOTA shall have voting privileges, however, all
Occupational Therapy Students and Associate Members are welcome to attend
SOTA-sponsored events.
2. Only Voting Members shall hold Executive Board Offices.
3. Membership dues shall be set by the Executive Board and a two-thirds (2/3)
affirmative vote of those Voting Members present at a general meeting
4. The Executive Board shall decide on the timing of the election of officers Winter
Quarter. The election of officers must be by confidential written ballot. All other
decisions will be made through oral vote, unless otherwise requested by a voting
member.
5. SOTA shall sponsor at least one (1) fundraising activity for the purpose of helping to
send voting SOTA members to the National AOTA Conference. The money shall be
distributed among those who participate in the fundraiser(s).
6. The Executive Board shall submit a budget prior to election of officers to be voted on
by the voting membership at a general meeting. This budget shall not consist of more
than seventy percent (70%) of funds budgeted for ASCOTA and/or COA to attend a
National Conference.
7. The Executive Board shall be responsible for the agenda, time, and place of the
general meetings. The Executive Board shall have the power to authorize and
approve non-budgeted expenditures under fifty ($50.00) dollars for the Treasurer.
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8. A quorum shall consist of the majority of the voting membership in attendance at a
general meeting.
9. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the accepted authority in any parliamentary
dispute.
10. By-laws shall be amended by a majority vote of those voting members in attendance
at a general meeting.
11. A voting member may place an absentee ballot if the member makes a request to an
Executive Board Member before the election.
12. The duties of the officers shall be:
President:
1. Shall preside at all meetings attended.
2. Shall appoint ad-hoc committees with the approval of the Board.
3. Shall call to order all extra meetings the Board deems necessary.
4. Shall appoint chairs for all professional workshop committees and community service
projects.
5. Shall accept responsibility for organizing and implementing all election procedures.
6. Shall meet with SOTA advisor at least once per month.
7. After graduation, will make efforts to maintain contact information for all classmates
and keep the division updated on classmates.
Vice-President:
1. Shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.
2. Shall be responsible for review and revision of the Constitution.
3. Shall chair Big O – Little T (Big Opportunities for Little Therapists) organizational
committee and the Big O – Little T events.
4. Shall organize all programs (including refreshments) and guest speaker appearances at
general SOTA meetings, if desired.
5. Shall appoint chairs for all SOTA events.
Secretary:
1. Shall record all business conducted at all general, and all Board meetings, and shall
maintain a file of these meetings to be open to all Voting Members.
2. Shall promptly take care of all correspondence as directed by Executive Board.
3. Shall chair a committee for the collecting of addresses, phone numbers and birth dates
and the typing of the SOTA enrolled student roster.
 The enrolled student roster will be competed by the fourth (4th) Friday of the
Autumn Quarter.
 Shall get permission from all Occupational therapy students to list their name in
the enrolled student roster.
4. SOTA advisor shall receive a copy of all minutes of general and officers meetings.
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Treasurer:
1. Shall collect, record, disperse, and account for all monies of this organization.
2. Shall pay all approved debts.
3. Shall meet with advisor quarterly to review books.
4. Shall be responsible for dividing the funds for conference among the attending
students.
Publicity-Membership Chairperson:
1. Shall be responsible for publicizing all club events and activities well in advance of
each other.
2. Shall maintain SOTA bulletin board and calendar of birthdays and events.
3. Shall maintain a list of all paid SOTA members.
4. Shall appoint the committee to plan the end of year banquet for 2nd year students to be
funded by the profits of the Job Fair.
AOTA/OOTA Student Delegate:
1. If funds are available, shall attend the annual meeting of the American Student
Committee of the Occupational Therapy Association and the Ohio Occupational
therapy Association.
2. Shall advise the AOTA and OOTA Board of Directors as to issues as they are advised
by the group they represent.
3. Shall keep SOTA members informed of ongoing state and national issues pertaining to
Occupational Therapy.
4. Shall review OOTA mailings and report information to the student body.
5. Shall post minutes from AOTA and OOTA meetings and conference.
6. Shall remind voting SOTA members about paying AOTA and OOTA dues and
registering for the AOTA and OOTA Conference.
7. Shall appoint an assistant to the position.
Student-Faculty Liason:
1. Will attend one faculty meeting per month to discuss the concerns of the students and
to communicate faculty concerns to the students.
2. Shall notify all students of the meetings in order to allow for their input.
Ways and Means Development Director:
1. Shall appoint and direct all chairs for fund-raising events.
2. Shall report to treasurer in writing a record of all incoming and outgoing funds.
3. Shall be responsible for organizing the purchase of a class gift donated to the
Occupational Therapy Department.
Recruitment Liason:
1. Coordinate SOTA members to assist division faculty in recruitment of new students.
2. Shall lead the school backpack awareness committee in the fall.
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