CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF:

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Gundersen Medical Foundation, Mayo School of Health Related Sciences Physician Assistant Student Society

We, the students of Gundersen, Mayo, University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse Student Chapter of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA), herein known as the Student Chapter, realize that through formal organization we can benefit the program, community and ourselves. It is for this reason that we establish said Student Chapter of the SAAAPA. In all aspects of its function this Student Chapter will pursue integrity, equality, dignity and competence for the Physician Assistant as a health practitioner.

Article I. Name

The name of our Student Society is : University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Gundersen Medical Foundation, Mayo School of Health Related Sciences Physician Assistant Student Society, otherwise known as PASS.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the Student Chapter shall be to serve as the official organization for the students, to promote academic achievement and clinical excellence, and to promote the Physician Assistant as a member of the health care delivery team. We shall constantly strive to achieve the highest ideals as reflected by the three sponsoring organizations: Gundersen Medical foundation, Mayo School of Health Related Sciences and the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse.

Article III. Membership Section 1. All Physician Assistant students enrolled in the University of Wisconsin LaCrosse professional Physician Assistant program shall be eligible for membership.

Section 2. Active members shall be defined as students having paid their dues and retaining voting privileges. Inactive members shall be defined as students who have left the program in good standing, show continued interest in the Student Chapter, or have failed to pay their dues. Inactive members shall be ineligible to vote.

Section 3. Students leaving the program for any reason and eligible for return shall retain membership in the student society for the remainder of the current academic year but shall be designated as inactive members.

Section 4. It shall be encouraged, but not required, that Student Chapter members become active members of the AAPA and State constituent.

Section 5. No member of the Student Chapter shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, or any consideration as an individual, nor shall they discriminate against any others.

Article IV. Dues and Fees

Section 1. Upon payment of the Student Chapter dues, students will become active members.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall establish the annual dues during the first Student Chapter meeting of the academic year with simple majority approval of eligible membership. For this purpose, the “first Student Chapter meeting” shall be the first meeting held during the Summer Semester. Payment is to be made by within thirty (30) days of the posting of dues by the Executive committee.

Section 3. The use and distribution of monies from dues and fees shall be consistent with the purpose of the Student Chapter and the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse.

Section 4. In the event that the Student Chapter is dissolved, all student dues and fees and any monies collected shall be donated to the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse, Student Activities Committee for use as they see fit.

Article V. Officers and Their Duties

Section 1. The officers of the Student Society shall be: Senior Class Co-President, Junior Class Co-President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Student Minority Affairs Representative, and an Officer-at-Large. In addition there shall be a Faculty Advisor, a Constituent Chapter Student Representative(s), Student Delegate, and any other positions that the Student Society deems necessary. It is required that all officers, representatives, and delegates be members of AAPA.

Section 2. The Co-Presidents shall preside over the regularly scheduled meetings, set the meeting’s agendas and submit the same to the secretary for copies and distribution, coordinate the activities of the committees, and keep the membership informed of the activities of these committees. The Senior class Co-President, or designee, shall be the delegate for the House of Delegates at AAPA meetings. The Junior Class Co-President, or designee shall be the delegate for the Assembly of Representatives at AAPA meetings.

Section 3. The Vice President shall assist the Co-Presidents and preside in their absence, and inform the membership on various student issues and activities of the Student Academy of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (SAAAPA).

The Vice President shall be the liaison/contact person for the Martin J. Venneman Physician Assistant Alumni Scholarship. Responsibilities to include coordinating fund raising events, mailings, as well as keeping scholarship records, and general information relating to the scholarship.

The Vice President shall ask the Student Society appointed Martin J. Venneman Physician Assistant Scholarship Selection committee member to participate in the recipient selection. This shall be done with in one month of the appointment.

Section 4. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings. These shall be completed and submitted to the Co-Presidents for review. The secretary shall also issue notice of meetings and conduct the general correspondence of the Student Society.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall coordinate the collection of dues, maintain the Student Society bank account, and report to the membership of Student Society’s financial status at each general meeting.

Section 6. The Faculty Advisor shall provide insight and direction into the proper ethical and professional standards of the Physician Assistant and act as a liaison between the Student Chapter an other organizations. He/She shall be nominated and approved by the Student Chapter membership but shall have no voting privilege.

Section 7. The State Constituent Chapter Student Representative(s) shall be the liaison between the Student Chapter and the respective Constituent Chapter(s).

Section 8. The Officer-at-Large shall serve as a communication link between the co-Presidents and any existing committees. This officer shall assist any other office positions when needed.

Section 9. The Student Minority Affairs Representative shall be the liaison between the Student Chapter and the National SAAPA Student Minority Affairs Representative. The Representative shall keep the chapter members informed of minority affair issues as they pertain to students, both in the academic and professional setting.

Article VI. Elections and Appointments

Section 1. All Student Chapter officer nominees shall be active members of the Student Chapter.

Section 2. Student Chapter Officer and State Constituent Chapter Representative positions shall be posted by July 1 of each year. Nomination papers shall also be made available at this time and are to be returned to the Secretary by the last Friday of the Monty. The Executive Board is responsible for drafting, distribution and tabulation of ballots.

Section 3. Election of officers will be held at the August meeting of each year by secret ballot. Absentee ballots shall be honored if received by the date of the election. Requests for absentee ballots must be made of the secretary by July 20.

Section 4. Elections shall be by simple majority of a quorum of eligible voters. The Senior, graduating class is not eligible to vote for officers of representatives, but retains all other voting privileges. In the event of a tie for any position, the outgoing Senior Co-President shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 5. Tabulation of ballots shall be made immediately and elected persons notified by the Executive Board. New positions shall take effect at the Annual meeting.

Section 6. Upon completion of elections, the “Student Chapter Roster Form” shall be completed and returned to the AAPA national office within thirty days by the Vice President.

Section 7. If a vacancy occurs in the office of Co-President, the Vice President shall assume the office for the remainder of the term. Any vacancies in other office positions shall be filled by a special election held at the next Student Chapter Meeting.

Section 8. Selection of Faculty member and two alternatives for appointment to represent the UW La Crosse PA program alumni on the Martin J. Venneman Physician Assistant Scholarship Selection committee shall take place at the August meeting of each year by secret ballot. Any UWL, Gundersen Lutheran, or Mayo faculty is eligible except for those positions which comprise the permanent committee members. The Vice President shall ask the new committee members to participate with in one month of their selection. (If the primary selected faculty member declines the alternatives will be asked in succession.)

Article VII. Officer Training

Section 1. It will be the responsibility of the outgoing officers to train and familiarize the new officers with their duties and responsibilities and the materials needed to perform their jobs. Training shall be completed with in thirty days of the officer election.

Article VIII. Meetings

Section 1. The Student Chapter shall meet every six weeks, or as posted for the transaction of Student Chapter affairs. The date and location of these meetings will be decided by the Executive Board and announced to the student membership.

Section 2. Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Co-Presidents provided no less than one week notice has been given to the membership. Special meetings may be called following consensus of the Executive Board. Only these situations constitute official Student Chapter Meetings.

Section 3. Attendance at Student Chapter meetings shall be open to all active and inactive members. Non-members may attend programs by invitation.

Section 4. Unless otherwise stated, matters requiring voting approval shall pass by simple majority of those present at official Student Chapter meetings.

Section 5. For purposes stated elsewhere in these bylaws, the Annual Meeting shall be the first meeting held during the Fall semester.

Article IX. Executive Board

Section 1. The members of the Executive Board shall be the Co-Presidents, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Officer at Large.

Section 2. This committee is encouraged to meet between regular meetings of the Student Chapter to organize and plan future activities.

Section 3. Copies of Executive Board meeting activities shall be made available in a central location for review by other Student Chapter members.

Article X. Committees

Section 1. The standing committees of the Student Chapter shall be: Public Relations, Fundraising, and Activities committees. Other committees shall be formed as necessary by the Executive Board and their duties outlines at the time of their appointment.

Section 2. Committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the Co-Presidents with approval by a majority vote of those present at regularly scheduled meeting.

Section 3. All committees shall report their proceedings to the Executive Board at the regularly scheduled meetings and submit an annual report to the Executive Board at the Annual Meeting.

Article XI. Amendments and Parliamentary Procedure

Section 1. The parliamentary source used by the Student Chapter shall be Robert’s Rules of Orders, in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with these bylaws.

Section 2. Proposed changes to these bylaws must be submitted and read into the record during a regularly scheduled meeting. The proposed amendment will be distributed to the membership with the next minutes and agenda and will be acted upon at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Approval shall be made by a simple majority of a quorum of eligible Student Chapter members. Absentee ballots shall be honored in a process similar to theat for officer elections.

Section 3. This constitution and bylaws shall be reviewed every two years by a committee appointed by the Executive Board. Recommendations for change shall follow the procedure outlined above.

Section 4. For purposed stated elsewhere in these bylaws, a quorum shall be defined as 55% of the active membership of the Student Chapter eligible to vote in the specific situation.

Ratified, this Sixth day of March, Nineteen Hundred Ninety-six

____________________________ ____________________________ Beverlee J. Schuster, Co-President Paul Winey, Co-President