STUDENT NURSES’ ASSOCIATION BYLAWS
MARIAN
UNIVERSITY
ARTICLE I
The name of this organization
shall be the Marian University Student Nurses’ Association, a constituent of Wisconsin Student Nurses Association and
the National Student Nurses Association, hereinafter referred to as MUSNA, WSNA, and NSNA respectively.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE AND FUNCTION
Section I
1. Purpose
A. To assume responsibility for contributing to nursing education in order to provide for
the highest quality health care.
B.
To provide programs representative of fundamental and current professional interest and concerns.
C. To aid in the development of the whole person, his/her professional
role and his/her responsibility for the health care of people in all walks of life.
Section II
1. Function
A.
To have direct input into standards of nursing education and influence the educational process.
B. To influence health care, nursing education and practice through
legislative activities as appropriate.
C. To promote and encourage participation in community affairs and activities
towards improved health care and the resolution of related social issues.
D. To represent
nursing students to the consumer, to institutions and other organizations.
E. To promote
and encourage students’ participation in interdisciplinary activities.
F. To promote
and encourage recruitment efforts, participation in student activities, and educational opportunities regardless of a person’s
race, color, creed, sex, age, lifestyle, national origin, and economic status.
G. To promote
and encourage collaborative relationships with nursing professional organizations as well as other related health organizations.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP AND
DUES
1. The policies of constituent membership shall be:
A. Composed of
at least ten members.
B. There shall
be only one chapter in a school campus.
C. For yearly
recognition as a NSNA constituent, constituent associations shall be required to submit annually the Official Application
for NSNA Constituency Status.
Section
II
1. The categories of constituent membership shall be:
A. Active Members
1) Nursing students enrolled in state approved
programs.
2) Active members shall have all of the following
privileges of membership:
a. In order to be an active member in good standing, one must:
(1) Regularly attend at least 50% of
the meetings.
(2) Participate in meetings by attendance,
discussion, and voting.
(3) Participate in a minimum of 4 hours of service per semester sponsored
by MUSNA unless approved by service chairperson.
b. The privileges of memberships are:
(1) Discount on club activities &
conventions.
(2) Special considerations when involved in special school ceremonials if
active member i.e., Pinning Ceremony.
(3) Voting privileges.
(4) Be elected to an office.
c. Pay semester dues.
(1) Membership dues shall be determined at the first Executive Board meeting
at the beginning of the school year. Dues shall be directly payable to MUSNA.
(2) Any member
who fails to pay current dues shall forfeit all privileges of membership.
B. Associate
members
1) A member who pays dues, but doesn’t fit
the qualifications of an active member
2) Has no privileges of an active member.
Section III
1. Membership Opportunities
A. All nursing students have the right to be members at State and National
levels, regardless of membership in MUSNA, and will be responsible for paying their own dues.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
AND DUTIES
The officers of MUSNA shall be the Co-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Nominations/Legislative Chairperson, Representative
to Student Senate, Public Relations Chairperson, and Fund Raiser Chairperson, and Service Chairperson.
Section II
The eligibility requirements are:
1. Candidates for office shall be chosen from those
members who are eligible.
2. Must be an active member.
Section III
The officers shall deliver their successors all records, papers, or other property belonging to the association within
two weeks following their retirement, preferably at the last Executive Board meeting for the year.
Section IV
The duties of the Officers shall be:
1. Co-President – Senior Level
A. Preside at all meetings of this association and of the Executive Board.
B. Appoint special committees with the approval of the association.
C. Serve
as ex-officio member of all committees except the committee of nominations.
D. Approve
expenditures as submitted by the treasurer and authorized by the association.
E. Represent MUSNA in all matters relating to the association and perform all other duties pertaining to the office.
2. Co-President – Junior Level (Projects Leader)
A.
Assume the duties of the Senior Co-President in the absence of that officer.
B.
Assume the duties of the Senior Co-President in the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the president.
C. Will automatically become Senior Co-President in the following year.
D. Assume duty
of Project Leader
1) Coordinate speakers
2) Appoint or recruit members to assist with chairing
each project.
3) Coordinate MUSNA sponsored events.
E. Learn duties of Senior Co-President
F. Share
final decision making power with Senior Co-President when necessary.
G. Assist Legislative/Nomination
chair with mentoring of freshman and sophomore nursing students.
H. Perform other
reasonable duties as assigned by the Senior Co-President.
3. Secretary
A.
Keep on file an accurate list of the names of all members.
B.
Keep on file an accurate list of each member’s attendance.
C.
Keep on file an accurate list of the officers of the state association to be used for corresponding.
D. Keep records of all organizational correspondence.
E. Conduct the general correspondence of the association as requested
by the president of the Executive Board.
F. Record
the minutes of all meetings of this association and of the Executive Board.
G. Keep on file as a permanent
record all reports, papers, correspondence, and documents submitted to him/her including the current bylaws and all forthcoming
amendments and revisions.
H. Keep record of all the
policies of the association.
I. Post
minutes from association meetings 48 hours after each meeting on the MUSNA kiosk in the Administration Building of Marian
University and file a copy of the minutes with the Faculty Advisor.
4. Treasurer
A.
Act as custodian of organization funds and deposits; these funds being placed in a bank approved by the Executive Board.
B. Make monetary disbursements with the approval of the Co-Presidents.
C. Keep accurate entries of all receipts and disbursements of organizational
funds.
D. Keep a permanent record of all members together with a registration
of all members whose dues have been paid.
E. Submit a financial report at all regular meetings of the Executive
Board or when requested to do so.
F. Submit all books of account for audit when specified by the
Executive Board.
G. Submit an annual budget to Student Senate Representative.
H. Prepare an annual financial report.
I. At the end of each semester, submit a financial report
to the Co-Presidents about the organization’s funds.
5. Fundraiser Chairperson
A. Be in charge of fund raising projects on the local chapter level.
B. Has power to appoint members to assist with fund raising.
C. Take responsibility for organizing and overseeing fund raising projects.
D. Take responsibility for collecting the money from sales for the Treasurer.
E. At the end of the semester, submit a fund raising report to
the Co-Presidents showing the amount raised.
6. Legislative/Nominations
Chairperson
A. Maintain legislative correspondence with Legislative Vice President
from WSNA.
B. Keep the club informed about current health care legislative
issues.
C. Keep correspondence with state & federal legislative bodies about
health care policies.
D. Assist members in the formulation of resolution for WSNA conventions.
E. Recruit members of MUSNA to run for local, state, and national
offices.
F. Recruit Nursing Students for elections to the Nursing Curriculum
Committee and Nursing Senate.
G. Provide mentoring to the freshman and sophomore nursing students
with assistance of Junior Co-President.
H. Help to tally election results.
I. Send to the corresponding secretary of the WSNA and NSNA
the name and addresses of all officers of this association.
7. Public Relations Chairperson
A. Publicize the general meeting and activities two weeks in advance.
B. Publicize the Executive Board meetings at least one week in
advance.
C. Organize a membership drive at least once a semester.
D. Publicize the MUSNA sponsored events.
E. Be historian, i.e., maintain photo album/scrapbook.
F. Take responsibility for decorating and maintaining kiosks in
breezeway of the Administration Building
at least two times per semester with an educational theme.
8. Representative to the Student
Senate.
A. Attend all Student Senate meetings.
B. If unable to attend a meeting, must find a proxy in advance
to maintain voting rights.
C. Bring association concerns to Student Senate’s attention.
D. Take responsibility for getting budget from MUSNA Treasurer and turning
it in to the Student Senate before the deadline.
E. Take responsibility for submitting receipts to Student Senate
Treasurer.
F. Take responsibility for reporting to this association issues
discussed at Student Senate meetings.
G. Turn in Student Senate agenda with notes to the Co-Presidents within
one week of Student Senate meeting.
9. Service Chairperson
A. Work with Student
Development Center in obtaining
organizations who need assistance.
B. Report to MUSNA activities that may be service projects.
C. Ensure MUSNA receives credit in Student Development Center
for volunteered hours.
D. Coordinate service projects with MUSNA members.
E. Publicize and call members who signed up for projects.
F. Keep record of members’ attendance at service projects.
G. Send appropriate forms to NSNA, WSNA, and Student Development Center
for awards and documentation.
Section V
Upon request, the officers must submit to the treasurer a report of their expenses with receipts.
ARTICLE V
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section I
1. The Executive Board shall
consist of the officers of this association.
2. The faculty advisor(s)
shall serve on the Executive Board without vote.
Section II
1. The Executive Board shall meet once per month,
the time and place as determined by the Senior Co-President, before the general meetings, and at such other times as deemed
necessary by the Junior Co-President or Senior Co-President.
Section III
A majority of the Executive
Board, including the Co-Presidents shall constitute a quorum at meetings of the Executive Board.
Section IV
The Executive Board shall:
1. Transact business of the association between
meetings and report such transactions at the next meeting of this association.
2. Appoint the members of all standing committees
except the committee on nominations.
3. Approve actions of standing committees except
of the nominations committee.
4. Approve the budget, authorize all monetary disbursements,
and request an audit of the accounts.
5. Have the power to fill vacancies in any office.
6. Remove any executive officer that fails to fulfill
his/her duties, by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board. An office may also be declared
vacant if an executive board member misses two consecutive board meetings, unless excused.
ARTICLE VI
ELECTIONS
Section I
The officers of the association
shall be elected in the spring. All officers shall take office at the last Executive
Board meeting. The Junior Co-President will take office of president at the closure of this meeting.
Section II
All those nominated must
be a member of MUSNA in good standing.
Section III
A plurality of vote of all
members present, entitled to vote, & voting shall constitute an election. In
case of a tie, a revote shall be taken for the candidates having received the same number of votes.
Section IV
Before elections take place,
opportunity shall be given for nominations from the floor, and these shall be added to the slate.
ARTICLE VII
MEETING PROCEDURES
The voting body at all meetings
of this association shall consist of all active members of good standing.
Section II
A.
Each school chapter that is a recognized constituency shall be entitled to one voting delegate and alternate.
B.
Each school chapter shall be entitled to one additional voting delegate & alternate for every 50 members.
Section III
1. Delegate Representation
to NSNA:
A. MUSNA shall be entitled to voting delegates at the annual convention
of the NSNA. Representation of delegates shall be based on the following as previously
stated in Article VI Section II.
B. The MUSNA Delegate representative to the NSNA convention will
be chosen as follows: the position will be open to newly elected MUSNA Legislative
Chairperson, if he/she chooses not to accept the position, then an election shall be held and include those interested in
attending the NSNA convention and elected by quorum of the association.
Section IV
1. Delegate Representation
to WSNA:
A. MUSNA shall be entitled to voting delegates at the annual convention
or special meetings of the WSNA according to the number of members in good standing in the WSNA. Representation of delegates shall be based on the number of members in each constituent.
Section V
Student
Class representatives to the Nursing Senate Meetings must be MUSNA members in good standing.
ARTICLE IX
CONSULTANT/ADVISORS
1. Consultants/advisors of MUSNA shall:
A.
Be a member of the nursing faculty.
B. Be responsible for providing for the interchange of information
between the Executive Board of MUSNA and the faculty, and serve as a resource person consulting with the Executive Board and
members of the association.
2. Past presidents will become honorary advisors of MUSNA.
ARTICLE X
STANDING COMMITTESS
Section I
Standing
committees shall be composed of active members of the association and shall assume such duties as are assigned by the president
and specified in these bylaws.
Section II
The Executive
Board, at its discretion, shall establish committees deemed necessary to carry on the work of the association and determine
the functions, terms, and membership of the committee.
Section
III
A quorum
for committee meetings shall be a majority of the members.
ARTICLE XI
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
All meetings
of this association shall be conducted accordingly to the parliamentary law as set forth in Robert’s Rules of Order
Newly Revised where the rules apply and are not in conflict with these bylaws.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
These bylaws may be amended
at any meeting of this association by a one third vote of the active members present, entitled to vote and voting.
Section II
All proposed amendments shall
be announced to the membership of this association at least two weeks previous to the annual meeting.
Section III
An amendment to these bylaws
shall become effective immediately upon its approval at the annual meeting unless the amendment specified a time for its going
into effect.
Section IV
Amendments to the bylaws
of NSNA: adopted at the annual meeting which directly relate to the business
of the constituent association in the areas of conformity of NSNA shall automatically and immediately effect the necessary
amendments to the bylaws of the constituent Chapter and shall promptly be incorporated into their bylaws.
ARTICLE XIII
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the association
shall be August 15 through May 15.
