The American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Constitution and By-Laws
The new changes to the constitution made at the 2002 National Pre-Veterinary Medical Symposium are underlined within the text.
Last Updated: July 21, 2002
Constitution
*Indicates specific Articles that were amended.
Article 1: Name and Objective
Article 2: Officers
Article 3: Symposium
Article 4: Finances
Article 5: Amendments
Article 6: Constitution and ImplementationBy-Laws of the APVMA
*Indicates specific Articles that were amended.
Article 1: President Club and Executive Board Elections*
Article 2: Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee
Article 3: Voting
Article 4: Finances
Article 5: APVMA Scholarship Program*
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association.
Section 2. The objectives of this organization are: first, to promote and stimulate interest in the field of veterinary medicine, second, to provide its members with sources of information regarding sister clubs and the field of veterinary medicine, and third, in accordance with the first two, to hold an annual symposium.
Section 3. The official symbol shall be a circle enclosing the letters ‘APVMA’ and the insignia as shown.
Section 1. The American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association shall consist of the Executive Board, the President Club, and the President Emeritus Club.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
A. These officers shall be elected by a majority vote of all member clubs present at the annual symposium.
B. The term of office shall be one year to follow the fiscal year of the APVMA Symposium; a commitment of attendance at the following symposium is mandatory. The officers must be enrolled in college for the entire term. The executive board may appoint a new officer in the event of a relinquished position or an empty position (including those due to an absence of nominations or an impeachment). The previous executive board shall relinquish their duties to the new executive board during the end of July
C. The duties of the Executive Board shall be the recruitment of new members to the association, the publishing and disbursement of the national newsletters, the control of symposium business at the national symposium, and promote/encourage pre-veterinary students in their professional pursuits.
D. The President shall be the chairperson of the Constitution Revision and Adherence committee and the Treasurer shall handle all funds of the national budget.
E. The Secretary shall take minutes of the Constitution Revision and Adherence committee proceedings at the symposium and be responsible for correspondence via e-mail / web page. The Secretary shall be in charge of updating their own officer manual as well as publishing other officers’ manuals after they each add updates. The Secretary shall maintain an APVMA archive with documentation for at least the past five fiscal years, giving one copy to the head advisor at the Symposium.
F. Additional specific duties of the Executive Board are as described within this paragraph: The President shall be additionally responsible for submitting one article per each issue of the national newsletter. The Vice-President shall be additionally responsible for the recruitment of new members and for acting as a liaison between the President Club and the Executive Board. The Vice-President shall also be responsible for submitting one article per each issue of the national newsletter and for creating a membership directory to be distributed to each member school via the national newsletter. The Vice-President shall compile detailed notes of all events, discussions, and important issues, to be added to the archive periodically. The Secretary shall be additionally responsible for publishing and mailing two newsletters in the Fall (September 1 and November 1) and two in the spring (February 1 and April 1). The Treasurer shall be additionally responsible for maintaining a savings / checking account and keeping record of all monetary transactions and for submitting a current financial report in each newsletter. The Treasurer shall create and maintain a master email list that will be distributed to the other executive board members each and every time it is revised.
G. Newsletters will be sent to all member clubs and to prominent figures beneficial to the success of the APVMA via e-mail.
H. The Executive Board shall use the national budget to cover the expenses of correspondence
Section 3. The President Club shall be the club that is elected at the annual symposium and will be responsible for hosting the following year's symposium. The President Club must have one executive officer present for their club's bid to represent the APVMA and to coordinate the symposium. The President Club's term extends the length of the fiscal year containing the symposium they are hosting. The President Club is responsible for allocating a reasonable amount of time for the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee to meet, and for the election of a new Executive Board and President Club for the next fiscal year. The President Club is responsible for including an article in the second newsletter in the spring (April 1). Finally, the President Club shall award the symposium trophy to the successor's nameplate. Furthermore, the newly elected President Club will be responsible for making their own nameplate for the symposium trophy prior to presenting it to the following year's successor.
Section 4. The President Club shall serve as the President Emeritus Club for the fiscal year following their term as President Club. The President Emeritus Club shall be available for any advice or consultation as needed.
Section 5. An advisor to the Executive Board shall be appointed. The term will run for two years with the first year being junior advisor and second year being senior advisor.
Section 6. In the event that an officer or advisor is delinquent in their duties, unfit to hold their position, or maintaining improper conduct, they may be impeached. Impeachment must be by a unanimous vote of the other advisor(s) and officers not in question and may be expressed by email or telephone if necessary. The executive board and advisors may use their discretion to discipline member clubs for inappropriate behavior.
Section 1. The American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association shall hold an annual symposium as provided for in the by-laws.
Section 2. One delegate shall be appointed by each member club to represent that member club at the time of symposium registration. The Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee may allow a single school, if the situation arises, and additional delegate if it has been shown to the committee's satisfaction that the two members are representing separate organizations with unique interests. All member delegates wishing to run for executive board offices must attend the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee meeting.
Section 3. The Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee meeting will be scheduled as the first official event on Saturday during the national symposium.
Section 4: All nominees running for a national office must announce their running for that specific office by the Presidential meeting on Saturday morning of the symposium.
Section 5: The hosting symposium school shall allot time on Sunday, prior to the breakfast, for current officers, advisors, and the President's club, as well as all new officer, advisor, and President's club candidates who have applied for an official position. There will be verbal and written exchange of material regarding said positions, at which time candidates will have the opportunity to accept or reject their position if elected. The elected position, if rejected, will default to the candidate with the next highest number of votes. Candidates that do not attend this meeting will not be considered for office.
Section 6. In the event that there are no bids for the symposium, the executive board will actively seek out a school for 60 days immediately following the symposium. If no school is secured within 60 days the fiscal year will be used for fundraising. The executive board will spend the fundraising year generating revenue and recruiting officers and a President’s club for their succession.
Section 1. Yearly dues, as shown in the by-laws, shall be paid to the Executive Board by all member clubs at the time of their application for membership or membership renewal. Yearly dues (for all clubs) and registration packets (for clubs planning to attend the symposium) are to be turned in by December 1, prior to the symposium. Failure to do so will result in the loss of APVMA membership status for that fiscal year and the inability to process symposium registration forms for that year's symposium.
Section 2. A registration fee for the annual symposium shall be paid to the President Club by each individual planning to attend the symposium. The amount of this fee shall be left to the discretion of the President Club.
A. Any member with a medical emergency will maintain their right to a refund of the registration fee if a replacement can not be found and proper documentation can be provided. If an officer cannot attend due to a medical illness, the other officers will perform those duties.
Section 3. The President Club is Responsible for assuming the burden of financing those symposium expenses not covered by the registration fees collected.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall assist the President Club with the cost of supplies for the symposium. The specific amount donated will be determined by the Executive Board.
Section 1. The constitution may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee.
Section 2. The by-laws may be adopted, amended, or suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee
Article 6: Constitution and Implementation
Section 1. The official beginning of this organization will occur on September 1, 1988 if a three-fourths approval is obtained by the Constitution Approval Committee of the 1988 National Pre-Veterinary Medical Symposium.
Section 2. Constitution approval was obtained at the 1988 National Pre-Veterinary Medical Symposium held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
By-Laws of the APVMA
Article 1: President Club and Executive Board Elections
Section 1. Any member club wishing to run for President Club or any member delegate wishing to run for an Executive Board position shall announce their candidacy no later than the National Symposium's Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee meeting (held as the first official event on Saturday).
Section 2. There shall be no politicking of any form prior to registration.
Section 3. Members of the association must abide by certain regulations pertaining to both Executive Board and President club elections.
A. Campaigning for national offices shall be limited to a 3-5 minute speech to the entire delegation and verbal communication during breaks in the symposium. Printed materials may be distributed during the banquet.
B. Campaigning for President Club shall be limited to a 10-15 minute presentation before the entire delegation and verbal communication during breaks in the symposium. Printed materials may be distributed during the banquet.
Section 4. Any violation of the above three section will prohibit the member club or delegate from participation in the election for President Club or Executive board. This decision will be made by the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee and the Executive Board.
Section 5. The President Club and Executive Board for the next fiscal year shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the member clubs present at the symposium. In the event that a majority is not achieved on the first vote, a second vote will be executed in which the top candidates from the first vote will become the only candidates to be selected from.
Section 6. The identity of the President Club and the Executive Board elected for the next fiscal year will be announced at the last official event of the symposium.
Section 7. The President Club must release information regarding the names and addresses of members at the request of any member delegate or school.(stricken: Following Sections Adjusted Accordingly)Section 7. If the President Club does not fulfill any one of its duties, the Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee of the following fiscal year may forbid them from running for President Club during the year of the decision and three fiscal years following their decision.
Section 8. In the event of non-adherence, the Executive Board shall assume responsibility of the National Symposium's event materials.
Section 9. Current and newly elected officers shall meet following adjournment of the symposium for a transition meeting.
Article 2: Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee
Section 1. The executive Board presides over the committees as per the constitution. The executive board shall not participate in the voting process.
Section 2. Proposed amendments to the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Constitution and by-laws will be presented in writing to the President of the Executive Board before any action may be taken.
Section 3. The Constitution Revision and Adherence Committee meeting must be held as the first official event on Saturday of the National Symposium (as stated previously).
Section 1. Voting shall be open to all member clubs with each member club having exactly one vote. Non-club affiliated individual members will also have exactly one vote each.
Section 2. Voting shall be by a show of hands, secret ballot, or roll call.
Section 3. In the event of a tie after a second vote, the executive board will render a decision
Section 1. Annual fees shall consist of $1.00 per individual paid club member, with a $15.00 minimum for clubs with a membership of 15 or less. Non-club affiliated memberships shall be available to individuals at $10.00 per year.
Section 2. Yearly dues will be paid to the Executive Board at the Treasurer's address.
Section 3. For APVMA fiscal year membership, yearly dues for all clubs are to be turned in by December 1 of that fiscal year. Failure to do so will result in the loss of APVMA fiscal year membership status.
Section 4. Applications for the APVMA will be processed by the Treasurer.
Section 5. The fiscal year for this organization shall begin on August 1st and end on July 31st
Section 6. All forms of reimbursement must be documented and accompanied with original receipts.
Section 7. The Treasurer shall present a report of all yearly expenditures at the Constitutional Revision and Adherence Committee Meeting.
Section 8. A fundraising committee shall consist of up to ten members chosen by an application submitted to the committee chairperson, the APVMA Vice-President.
Article 5: APVMA Scholarship Program
Section 1. A scholarship fund shall be maintained by the APVMA to aid individual members in pursuing their undergraduate pre-veterinary or upcoming veterinary academic education. This fund shall be called the "APVMA Scholarship Program".
Section 2. The program shall be coordinated by the President and Vice-President. The responsibilities shall include the generation of sponsors, the awards, and the maintenance of the APVMA Scholarship Program account. In addition, the President and Vice-President shall be responsible for the application postings on the website and the decision of the winners for the senior awards and scholarships.
Section 3. The President and Vice-President shall review all applications and award the monetary amount of the funds at their discretion.
Section 4. The scholarships shall be presented at the annual symposium.
Section 5. There will be a committee founded specifically to generate outside money for the APVMA scholarship program. The President and Vice-President shall oversee this committee and be responsible for any money generated for the program account.