Class of 2012 Constitution

September 1, 2008

Article I Name:

The name of this organization shall be the College of Medicine Class of 2012 and hereby referred to as COM Class of 2012.

Article II Purpose:

The primary purpose of this organization is to provide a medium through which the needs and concerns of members of the COM Class of 2012 can be discussed, addressed, and resolved. This organization will act as a liaison between its members and the College of Medicine, the University of Florida, and the Gainesville community. These goals shall be achieved through Executive Board and class meetings as well as organizing activities including academic, social, and community service events. This organization shall be not for profit in nature.

Article III Compliance Statement:

Upon approval by the Center for Student Activities and Involvement, COM Class of 2012 shall be a registered student organization at the University of Florida. The COM Class of 2012 shall comply with all local, state and federal laws, as well as all University of Florida regulations, policies, and procedures. Such compliance includes but is not limited to the University’s regulations related to Non-Discrimination, Hazing, Commercial Activity, and Student Leader Eligibility.

Article IV Non-Discrimination:

In compliance with the University of Florida Non-Discrimination Policy (Regulation 6C1-1.006), the COM Class of 2012 will not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, and veteran status as protected under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act

Article V Membership:

Membership in this organization is open to enrolled students at the University of Florida. Non-students, spouses, faculty, and staff may be associate members; however, they may not vote or hold office. All members and associate members are free to leave and disassociate without fear of retribution, retaliation, or harassment.

Article VI Officers:

Section 1: The officers shall be Academic Chair, Student Advocate, Treasurer, AAMC Representative, two Fundraising Co-chairs, two Community Service Co-chairs, two Communication Co-chairs, two Social Co-chairs, two Class Historians and two MCC Representatives. These officers form the Executive Board of this organization. The Academic Chair shall serve as the primary contact.
Section 2: Officers will hold office for one year with terms beginning and ending in May.
Section 3: Officer Transition: Every officer shall: • Train the new incoming officers of the College of Medicine Class of 2013 to an adequate level in order to achieve success and continue progression of the organization. • Meet at least once with the incoming officer within a month of elections. • Attend a joint old and new Executive Board training session if necessary.
Section 4: Roles of the Officers:
The Academic Chair will act as the official representative of the organization and is responsible for presiding over meetings and for identifying and addressing the needs of the members of this organization. The Academic Chair shall: • Attend monthly Curriculum Meetings. • Organize and attend all debriefing committee meetings at the conclusion of each course. • Monitor and support the activities and efforts of the other officers. • Meet regularly with Faculty Advisor(s), inform and invite when appropriate. • Organize and execute officer transition as described in Article VI, Section 3. • Call Executive Board meetings, make room arrangements, and notify class members and officers. • Maintain an accurate and current version of the COM Class of 2012 Constitution.

The Student Advocate will address concerns, with the assistance of the Academic Chair, between members of this organization, the University of Florida, and the College of Medicine. The Student Advocate will attend and record minutes at all Executive Board meetings, and will attend the Student Advocacy Committee meetings.

The Treasurer is responsible for handling funds, whether collected or distributed, for formal or informal events, as well as maintaining accurate records of all financial transactions and investments. The Treasurer will submit monthly status reports to the Executive Board.

The AAMC representative shall serve as liaison between this organization, the University of Florida, and the Organization of Student Representatives regarding AAMC issues. The AAMC Representative will serve on the Financial Aid Committee, attend the AAMC Conference each semester, attend monthly MCC meetings, and meet with the other AAMC Representatives regularly. The AAMC Representative will serve in this capacity for the duration of medical school.

The Fundraising Co-chairs will organize and implement events to raise funds for the organization. The Fundraising Co-chairs are responsible for duties that include, but are not limited to, maintenance of the class store, product sales, and planning at least one event per semester.

The Community Service Co-chairs will plan activities to enable members of this organization to interact with the surrounding community. The Community Service Co-chairs are responsible for organizing a minimum of one service event per semester and serving as a resource for members interested in volunteering in the Gainesville Community.

The Communication Co-chairs are responsible for maintaining open communication between members of this organization and the officers. Duties include, but are not limited to, maintenance and supervision of the listserv, web page, posting minutes on class website, and maintaining a complete class calendar.

The Social Co-chairs are responsible for planning social events and recreational activities including, but not limited to, a minimum of one event per semester. Funds towards alcoholic beverages must be approved by the treasurer and used in moderation.

The Class Historians shall: • Create an archive of photographs throughout the year. • Assign a replacement to take photographs at events, which the Historians cannot attend. • Create a slideshow for the end of the year and other large events as necessary. • Maintain a current professional image gallery presence on the class website. • Take video footage when possible to be used in slideshows.

The MCC Representatives will serve as the official liaison between the organization and the Medical College Council. The representatives are required to attend meetings and maintain a dialogue between this organization and the other colleges on major issues. The representatives will also maintain the Caroline Cody Library.
Section 5: Executive Board: The aforementioned officers will form the Executive Board of this organization. Executive Board members shall tend to their respective positions as well as contribute to the board as a whole and support its members for the betterment of the class. The Executive Board members shall function in unity to plan, organize and execute desired or necessary class functions or events.

Article VII Elections:

Section 1: Elections of new officers will take place the month of April.
Section 2: Any full club member can be nominated for any office.
Section 3: Members who are running for office must accept nomination.
Section 4: Voting will take place at a meeting in which quorum of class members is met. Voting will be conducted via a hand vote.
Section 5: Officers shall be elected by simple majority.
Section 6: If an officer resigns from office or is impeached, another officer will fill the position as decided by the Executive Board during the interim period. Nominations will be accepted for a replacement and an election shall be held within two weeks. This election process shall follow Article VII, Sections 2 - 5.

Article VIII Faculty Advisor:

Section 1: The faculty advisor(s) should be one(s) whose ideals are aligned with the organization's purpose and is/are willing to serve as a source of information and advice for the organization. The Faculty Advisor(s) will support the club members in fulfilling the purpose of the club and be a resource as needed.
Section 2: The position of Faculty Advisor(s) shall be chosen annually by majority vote of the Executive Board. The Academic Chair shall confirm the acceptance of the faculty member(s). The faculty advisor’s term is at the discretion of the COM Class of 2012.

Article IX Finances:

Section 1: All Executive Board officers and chairs shall submit annual budget proposals subdivided into semesters to the Treasurer. Revisions should be submitted by the second Executive Board meeting of the second semester.
Section 2: No purchases using organization funds shall be made without the prior consent of the Treasurer. Reimbursement, if necessary, shall be submitted in a timely manner to the Treasurer with valid proof of purchase (i.e., receipt and invoice). All reimbursements are subject to approval by the Treasurer and Executive Board.
Section 3: Investments • Treasurer shall submit an investment proposal to the Executive Board. • The Executive Board shall discuss and vote on the investment proposal. Proposal can be approved by a majority vote. • No margin trading, options, futures, single stock or other speculative investments will be made.

Article X Dissolution of Organization:

In the event this organization dissolves, all monies left in the treasury, after outstanding debts and claims have been paid, shall be donated to the “Equal Access Clinic.”

Article XI Meetings:

Section 1: All officers are required to attend meetings called by the Academic Chair, and arrive on time. If an officer needs to miss a meeting, they shall inform the E-board by written notice at least 24 hours in advance. If the officer misses or arrives late to two meetings, without prior notification, the officer shall come before the board to present their case after which the E-board will vote on a course of action.
Section 2: Quorum shall be obtained to formally vote. Quorum shall be defined as majority plus one of members for class meetings and 2/3 of the officers for Executive Board meetings.
Section 3: Executive Board meetings shall be held at a minimum of once per month. Executive Board meetings shall be held as an open session allowing all members to attend. There shall be an optional closed session afterwards if deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
Section 4: Additional meetings may be convened at any full member's request.
Section 5: General member meetings shall be convened whenever deemed necessary by the Executive Board including but not limited to the election of officers. Quorum must be attained for all votes pertaining to the organization.
Section 6: Removal from Office:
The removal of an officer can occur for failure of an officer to fulfill the requirements set forth in this Constitution.

Any full member may bring forth a motion to remove an officer at any Executive Board meeting.

The individual in question shall have the opportunity to verbally defend himself/herself at the time of the motion.

Pro/con debate and/or discussion shall take place; not exceeding ten minutes.

Vote shall be via secret ballot.

Motion to remove an officer will pass with a 2/3 Executive Board vote.

Upon the passage of a 2/3 vote of the Executive Board, the motion will be passed as a referendum to remove the officer from the office of the UF COM Class of 2012 The referendum will pass upon a 2/3 majority vote of a quorum of the UF COM Class of 2012.

Article XI Debriefing Committees:

Section 1: The duties of the debriefing committee will be to meet with the faculty and related advisors to review and evaluate the quality of the respective course. The debriefing committees shall be formed in conjunction with the Office of Medical Education. The Academic Chair is responsible for coordinating times of debriefings with the Office of Medical Education, forming the committees in a timely manner, and ensuring the attendance of the committee members to their respective debriefing.
Section 2: Each debriefing committee shall consist of the Academic Chair and five to seven members of COM Class of 2012. All class members shall have the opportunity to volunteer for debriefing committees. If necessary, a lottery shall be implemented to randomly select volunteering members of the COM Class of 2012.

Article XII Committees:

Committees may be formed at any time according to the needs of this organization. Each committee will consist of volunteers. The chairperson of that committee shall be appointed by the Executive Board. The chairperson shall serve until the project for which the committee was formed is completed. It is the responsibility of the chairperson to report, to the Executive Board and to the rest of the organization, the progress of the committee.

Article XIII Authority:

This organization shall conform to the regulations prescribed by the Student Guide and other laws and rules governing the University of Florida and its students. Hazing is, by all means, prohibited.

Article XIV Amendments:

Any member of this organization may suggest amendments to this Constitution. Initial submission and discussion will be limited to the Executive Board. A 2/3 consensus of the officers will bring the issue to a meeting of full members. A 2/3-majority vote of members present at an authorized business meeting is necessary for approval.

Class of 2012 Constitution

UF COM 2012