CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA PRE-VETERINARY MEDICAL CLUB Preamble We, the pre-veterinary students of the University of Missouri-Columbia, order to secure for ourselves a fuller understanding and finer appreciation of the study of in veterinary medicine, do hereby adopt and establish the following constitution and by-laws. We will not discriminate against race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities, or veterans. Article I. Name Pre-Veterinary Medical Club of the University of Missouri-Columbia Article II. Purpose Section One: To foster and maintain a spirit of fellowship among all Pre-Veterinary students. Section Two: To render service to the College of Veterinary Medicine and fellow Pre-Veterinary students. Section Three: To conduct social functions for the Pre-Veterinary students. Article III. Membership Section One: All students attending the University of Missouri pursuing a Pre-Veterinary curriculum are eligible for membership. Section Two: To claim active member status, a member must fulfill the following requirements: 1. Payment of dues by first meeting in November (for the first semester) or by the first meeting in April (for the second semester) unless otherwise approved by the Executive Committee. 2. Have no more than 5 inexcusable absences at regular meetings per academic year. 3. Participate in three fundraisers per academic year or work out other arrangements with the Executive Committee. Football games count as three points, basketball games count as two points and any other fundraisers will be determined by Executive Committee. 4. Participate in one service project (approved by the Exec. Committee)each academic year. Appropriate service opportunities include, but are not limited to, volunteering at Humane Society, Cedar Creek, Relay for Life, or any club-sanctioned event. Section Three: Non-Members All persons not fulfilling any of the above requirements will be considered non-active. Section Four: Scholarships 1. There are one $250.00 scholarships per year supported by the Pre-Veterinary Medical Club 2. This scholarship will be awarded to one VM1 based on financial need. The financial need of the scholorship recipient is to be determined by the admissions committee of the College of Veterinary Medicine. 3. For those applying to the entering class, "active member" status will be determined by the requirements stated in Article III, Section Two. Article IV. Officers Section One: The elected officers shall be 1. President 2. Vice-President 3. Secretary 4. Treasurer 5. Reporter/Social Chair 6. Publicity/Academic Chair 7. Programming Chair 8. Agricultural Student Council Representative 9. Art's and Science Student Council Representative 10. Fundraising Chair (6) 11. Pre-Veterinary Scholar Representative Section Two: The term of the office shall be two semesters, with an overlap during the last of the winter semester, at which time each office shall be held jointly by the incumbent and the electee. Section Three: No officer shall hold more than one office in the organization at one time. The exception shall be the vice-president filling both vice-president and president in the vase of a presidencial vacancy. Section Four: Executive Committee 1. The Executive Committee is composed of the regularly elected officers named above. 2. The Executive Committee shall meet previous to each regular meeting, and as many other times as may be necessary to plan and conduct the business of the club. In order for a meeting to take place, at least eight officers must be present. Section Five: Three absences for Executive Committee meetings on Sunday and two absences on Wednesday that are inexcusable (as determined by the President) require an officer to relinquish his/her position. Section Six: The officers shall be held responsible for all of the books and data of their office until such records are turned over to their successor. Section Seven: Auditing requirements instituted by the University in 1959 require the treasurer to visit the officer of the Internal Auditor by appointment early in the school year, and at such other times as deemed necessary by the Internal Auditor. This section authorizes the treasurer to abide by the rules and regulations, which have been and may in the future be set by the above-mentioned Internal Auditor of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Section Eight: Impeachment of an officer requires three-fourths vote of members present at the designated meeting, consisting of the entire club. Section Nine:Any officer not fulfilling said duties, as determined by the Executive Committee, shall be asked to relinquish his/her position, without submitting to impeachment process. Section Ten: Executive officer responsibilities 1. The President's responsibilities include communicating with the College of Veterinary Medicine, retrieving mail A022 Brady and Clydesdale Hall, directing meetings, and to register the club with Student Organization, Government and Activities (SOGA). 2. The Vice-President's responsibilities include assuming those of the President when in absence, keeping in touch with the American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association (APVMA), coordinate symposium trips, and take care of club t-shirts. 3. The Secretary's responsibilities include taking and presenting minutes at meetings, keeping track of participation of members in meetings, fundraisers, and other club activities. 4. The Treasurer's responsibilities include collecting dues, submitting budget requests to the Student Organization Allocation Committee (SOAC), and issuing the club's funds as deemed appropriate by Executive Committee. 5. The Publicity/Academic Chair's responsibilities include notifying members of meeting dates and activities, locally publicizing club fundraisers, maintaining the club website, and publishing the club newsletter. Executive committee must approve of all website content prior to posting. 6. The Programming Chair's responsibilities include selecting and contacting potential guest speakers and organizing club community service projects. 7. The Reporter/Social Chair's responsibilities include planning club social activities, maintaining a scrapbook containing photos of club activities and news articles and keeping history of club. 8. The Fundraising Chairs' responsibilities include originating, organizing and running fundraising activities. There must be at least four Fundraising Chairs present at all football games, two present at all basketball games, and all other fundraisers will be determined by the fundraising chairs as a whole. 9. The Arts and Science Student Council (A&S Stuco) Representative's responsibilities include attending all Arts and Science Student Council meetings and activities as stipulated by the Arts and Science Student Council and reporting these activities and meeting information to the Pre-Vet Club. 10. The Agriculture Student Council (Ag Stuco) Representative's responsibilities include attending all Agricultrual Student Council meetings and activities as stipulated by the Ag Stuco association and reporting these activities and meeting information to the Pre-Vet Club. 11. The Pre-Veterinary Scholar Representative’s responsibilities include taking attendance of Pre-Veterinary Scholars at all of the meetings, communicating the activity status of the Pre-Veterinary Scholars to the Vet School, and communicating with the Pre-Veterinary Scholars whenever necessary. Article V. Elections Section One: Nominations and elections shall take place at the second meeting of April, at which time the club members are to be informed of the qualifications of the nominees. The electees shall serve with the incumbents for the remainder of the year. The electees shall take full responsibility at the first meeting in May. The exception shall be the Ag StuCo representative, which shall be elected at the first meeting of December. Section Two: The candidates for all offices should be a member in active standing of the organization for at least one semester, as determined by the Secretary/Treasurer. Section Three: Elections shall be by majority vote, eliminating the candidate with the fewest votes until one individual receives a majority vote. Section Four: If an officer relinquishes their position, the vacancy is filled by means of special election, with the club being notified prior to meeting by an email. Section Five: If an office cannot be filled, the Executive Committee shall propose a solution, which shall be approved by the members at a designated meeting. Section SixPresident and Vice President candidates must have served on the Executive Board the previous academic year. Article VII. Meetings Section One: A regular bi-monthly meeting shall be held as the school year permits, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. Section Two: The Executive Committee may call special meetings when necessary. Section Three: All members present may make the voting decisions for that meeting. Section Four: Upon declaration of an emergency situation by the President, the Executive Committee may function as a working quorum until the next meeting. Article VIII. Fees Section One: Dues are $10.00 per academic year or $5.00 per semester, due by the 1st meeting in November (for first semester) or 1st meeting of April (for second semester), subject to regulation of the Internal Auditor's Office. Section Two: Assessments, when necessary, are to be voted by the club, subject to regulations from the Internal Auditor's Office. Article IX. Ratification Section One: This document must be submitted to the organization at the meeting previous to ratification. Section Two: A three-fourths majority is necessary to adopt this constitution. Section Three: This constitution, once adopted, shall be the ruling guide for the Pre-Veterinary Medical Club of the University of Missouri-Columbia, and may be amended as necessary at any time. Review of the Constitution yearly by new executive board is required. Article X. Amendments Section One: Motions for amendments must be submitted in writing at the meeting previous to voting and also distributed to the entire club via email. Section Two: A two-thirds vote of a working quorum carries an amendment. Section Three: New amendments must be submitted to the SOGA office and be approved by the committee before they become effective. Article XI. General Section One: Copies of this constitution must be kept on file by the: 1. Officers of the club 2. The faculty sponsor 3. The Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine 4. The Dean of Students of the University 5. A copy is also to be made available for viewing on the club's web page. Section Two: Review and History The Original Constitution for the Pre-Veterinary Medical Club of the University of Missouri-Columbia was written by the appointed Constitution Committee on October 14, 1952. It was revised and amended in 1956, 1958, 1961 (which was lost), 1963, 1970, 1971, and 1993. By-laws approved in 1982 have been revised and are incorporated into this document. The document was revised and approved by the club on September 20, 1993. Another revision was made on April 17, 1996 as well as October 29, 1999. The Pre-Veterinary Medical Club approved this document on December 1, 1999. It was once again revised in November 2002.