PREAMBLE
We the students of the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (hereby referred to as "School") do hereby establish a Student Association (SA) with a representing body of a Public Health Student Association (PHSA).
The PHSA will be responsible for:
- Fostering an academic, professional, and social environment for students of the School
- Facilitating an interactive relationship between faculty, staff, alumni, and students of the School
- Promoting student involvement in the School, university, and community through service, programming, and special events
- Presenting the suggestions and concerns of the student body to School officials
- Contributing to the education and welfare of public health students in cooperation with public health organizations on a local, state, and national level
ARTICLE II
Section I: Students admitted to, and enrolled in, the School are members of the SA.
Section II: Membership of PHSA shall consist of nine elected officers.
ARTICLE III
Section I: The SA shall elect nine officers: president, vice-president, secretary, and six senators-one representing each academic department of the School. These officers shall work closely with officials of the School to ensure efficient goal-directed activities. Officers are encouraged to serve and/or participate at all major events sponsored by the School.
Section II: Qualifications of the PHSA are that they be full-time, fully admitted, degree-seeking students in good standing of the School and of the University and anticipated being thus enrolled until the summer term of the academic year of election.
Section III: Before the end of the fall semester, self-nominations will be collected & elections held before the end of the fall term. All admitted students of the School are allowed to cast one and only one ballot.
Section IV: Tenure of office shall be from the date of election announcement until the installation of officers the following year.
Section V: Duties and responsibilities of the officers are as follows:
President: The president is responsible for the overall management and coordination of the SA and shall execute and enforce its constitution. He or she prepares the agenda for PHSA meetings and presides over them. The president serves as official representative of the SA at all required University and School-wide committee meetings and activities unless another person is appointed to take his or her place. The president shall appoint chairs or representatives to standing School and University committees; create ad hoc committees and appoint chairs of these committees as necessary. The president votes in PHSA meetings only in the event of a tie. He or she encourages a cohesive and positive organization that works toward the goals set forth in the School Mission Statement.
Vice-President: The vice-president will assume the office of the president if for any reason the office becomes vacant or when requested to serve in the absence of the president. He or she will be a point of contact for SA committees and be a voting member of PHSA. He or she keeps a permanent record of financial transactions. The vice-president will also serve as the historian. He or she will be responsible for collecting activity forms and all information related to activities sponsored by PHSA. He or she will also record these activities for future review by subsequent PHSA members. The vice-president may assume responsibility of special projects as deemed necessary by the president.
Secretary: The secretary organizes PHSA meetings by reserving space and distributing agenda to all council members. He or she record the minutes of all PHSA meetings and distributes them to PHSA members, staff advisor, faculty advisor, and the dean for academic affairs. The secretary keeps a record of attendance at PHSA meetings and is a voting member of PHSA. Finally, the secretary assists the president and vice-president in the execution of their duties.
Senators: One senator will be elected for each of the six academic departments of the School: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health behavior, health care organization and policy, and maternal and child health. Senators will represent their departmental constituency during PHSA meetings. They will serve on School and/or University-wide committees. Additionally, senators will represent the School by facilitating SA
"committees". Their responsibilities also include, but are not limited to, providing departmental activities, giving tours, assisting in student recruiting, and serving as hosts/hostesses at School functions and receptions. Senators are voting members of PHSA.
Section VI: No PHSA member shall hold more than one office at a time. However, should an executive position have no nomination, an appointed senator shall fulfill the role.
Section VII : In the event of a vacancy in the unexpired or expired term (i.e. graduation) of the president, the vice-president will assume this office. In the event of the vacancy in the unexpired or expired term of the president, vice-president or secretary, self-nominations and a statement of purpose will be taken from present PHSA members 2 weeks prior to final vote. Voting is to be held at the meeting prior to the end of the term and before the term of the sitting officers have expired. Voting is to be anonymous and majority vote will decide the winning candidate.
Section VIII: Any officer may be removed from office by an affirmative vote of two thirds of the members of PHSA for gross dereliction of duties, i.e. neglecting one's duties, inhibiting progress, violating the School Honor Code, and/or any nonacademic misconduct as defined by the Direction Student Handbook pp. 34-45. The involved member must be given an opportunity to refute evidence presented against him or her. Replacement of expelled officers shall be accomplished by election as described in Article III, Section 7.
ARTICLE IV
Section I: There shall be one faculty advisor to PHSA. This faculty member will be nominated and approved by PHSA. Tenure of office shall be the academic year of appointment. PHSA will then contact the faculty member to see if he or she is available to serve.
Section II: Duties and responsibilities of the faculty advisor are to serve in as advisory capacity to PHSA and serve as a liaison between it and School faculty and administration. The faculty advisor should attend and participate in activities supported by PHSA.
Section III: There shall be one staff advisor to PHSA. The Assistant Dean of Students will appoint him or her.
Section IV: The staff advisor will serve in an advisory capacity to PHSA and serve as a liaison between it and School faculty and administration. He or she should attend and participate in activities supported by PHSA. The staff advisor must approve all financial transactions of PHSA. He or she will also keep copies of all official records in the OSAS office.
ARTICLE V
Section I: The PHSA will be funded by the student activity fees prescribed by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Section II: Secondary sources of funds may come from fundraising activities, private donations, and/or other miscellaneous sources. All secondary sources must be approved by 2/3rd's council vote and must adhere to State and University guidelines.
Section III: All funds prescribed shall be used to finance activities equally accessible to all students.
Section IV: The accounting for all PHSA funds shall follow State and University guidelines. Copies of the internal records shall be made available to the Vice-president of PHSA. Accounts shall be maintained by the staff advisor and administration copies will be kept in the Office of Student and Academic Services or otherwise notified
Section V: Appropriations of funds not directly specific to the business of the PHSA must be approved by 2/3rd's council vote.
Section VI: All appropriations of over $100 must be approved by 2/3rd's association vote.
MEETINGS
Section I: A regularly scheduled meeting of the PHSA shall be conducted each month during the first two terms of the academic year. The date, time, and place of the meeting will be determined by consensus of the association.
Section II: Special meetings can be called by the President or at the request of other Association members. At least one week"s written notice of the meeting will be given to Association members.
Section III: A quorum consisting of two-thirds of the association must be present to vote.
Section IV: Each association member is required to attend at least 80% of all called meetings to be evaluated at the end of each term. At this time should a member not meet this requirement, he or she will be issued a letter of warning as a first offense. In the case of a senator, this letter will be sent as a carbon copy to that member's department chair and the PHSA faculty and staff advisors. In the case of the president, vice-president, or secretary, this letter will be sent as a carbon copy to the PHSA advisors, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and the Dean of the School. After a second evaluation, to be held at the midway point of the second term, if the member is found in offense of the attendance requirement for a second time, a second letter will be issued detailing the attendance policy. Additionally, he or she will be given the opportunity for oral defense at the next scheduled meeting. At this time, PHSA membership will vote anonymously. Removal from office requires two-thirds association vote.
Section V: A yearly meeting will be held at the beginning of the fall term to inform students of the School of the purpose, elections, and activities of SA and of PHSA.
Section VI: The PHSA will hold at least one meeting (during the spring term) for the entire SA to update the activities of the semester and to provide a forum for any topics of discussion necessary.
ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES
Section I: Each officer, by appointment of the President, shall be a member of one of the School or University-wide committees (an SA members may be appointed to serve if no PHSA members are able). School committees include Admissions/Graduation (A&G), Financial Aid (FA), and Educational Policy (EPC). University-wide committees include Cultural Activities, Student Publications, and Program Allocations.
Section 2: In order to provide PHSA members with leadership opportunities and to ensure the planning of programs and special events, PHSA members will volunteer to lead one or more SA "committees". SA "committees" are responsible for programming events and activities including movie nights, service projects, socials, fundraising, networking, advertising/marketing, and National Public Health Week.
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order newly revised shall govern PHSA in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order PHSA may adopt.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
Section I: The Constitution of SA may be amended during any PHSA meeting, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing to the members of the council two weeks prior to the vote on the amendment.
Section II: An amendment must be approved by two-thirds of the membership of PHSA.
Section III: The President of PHSA shall appoint representatives for those council members not present during any academic term.
Section IV: In the event the Student Association deems the bylaws should undergo changes to four or more Articles, approval to undergo these changes must be given by a majority of the votes cast by SA. These votes will be cast in a special election.
Revised 2002-03
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