Constitution of the Student Government Association
Of the Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine

Amended Spring Semester 2009

Article I:  NAME.

This organization shall be called the Student Government Association of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, hereafter MSUCOM.

Article II:  OBJECTIVES.

The objectives of this association shall be:

1. To unite the MSUCOM student body toward common educational, professional, and social goals. 
2. To serve as a link between the MSUCOM student body and the MSUCOM administration.
3. To promote the art and science of osteopathic medicine. 
4. To uphold the high standards of academic honesty and integrity within the osteopathic profession. 
5. To facilitate cooperation and communication between MSUCOM organizations.

Article III:  REPRESENTATION/VOTING PRIVILEGES. 

            Section 1: REPRESENTATION. 

            The Student Government Association of MSUCOM shall consist of representatives of each MSU registered student organization operating within MSUCOM.  Student Government Association of MSUCOM will not discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight.  Each organization must register annually with MSU and have a current constitution on file.  Every year each organization must submit an update of their MSU registration.        

Section 2:  VOTING MEMBERS

            Only MSU students may be voting members.  Each member organization will have one vote and is responsible for selecting its own Student Government Association of MSUCOM representative, who must be a currently enrolled MSUCOM student.  One person may only represent one organization at any one Student Government Association meeting.  Each class will have one vote held by the one Student Government Association of MSUCOM representative, and is responsible for selecting its Student Government Association of MSUCOM representative.  A member of the class Executive Board may vote in the absence of the elected Student Government Association of MSUCOM representative for the class.  The class President shall inform the Student Government Association Admnistrative Services at the first meeting of the Student Government Association in the Fall Semester which students will hold the votes for the class.  The voting privileges shall then belong to the designated students for a period of one year from the beginning of Fall Semester to the beginning of the following Fall Semester. 

            Section 3:  NON-VOTING MEMBERS.

            Non-student organizations operating within MSUCOM for the benefit of MSUCOM students and student organizations that are not registered with MSU are Members without voting privileges.  Standing membership includes COMS, COGS, CAC, MOA, SAA, the Director of Policy and Procedures, the Student Government Association Advisor, and the Associate Dean/Student Services.

            Section 4:  PROBATIONARY MEMBERS. 

            Newly formed organizations, which are in the process of receiving MSU registration, may have representation with the privilege of one vote on the Student Government Association of MSUCOM for the period of two months.  If, at the end of the probationary period of two months, the organization has not attained MSU registration, its representation on the Student Government Association of MSUCOM will be terminated. 

            Section 5:  SPECTATORS.

            Attendance by individuals who are not members of the Student Government Association is permitted at the discretion of the President.

            Section 6:  EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.

            Any new members appointed to the Student Government Association from an organization not registered with MSU with a current constitution on file must be approved by a quorum of the voting members of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM each fall.

Article IV:  OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS. 

            Section 1:  The Student Government Association of MSUCOM officers shall be:  President, Vice-President, Director of Events Director of Administrative Services, Director of Finance, Director of Legislation, and Director of Policy and Procedures.

            Section 2:  Only MSU students, specifically currently enrolled MSUCOM students, may hold office on the Student Government Association of MSUCOM.

            Section 3:  Student Government Association officers shall be elected during the Spring Semester.  The exact date will be up to the discretion of the current Student Government Association Officers. 

            Section 4:  Nominations for Student Government Association of MSUCOM Officers:

1. The positions of Director of Legislation, Director of Policy and Procedures, and Director of Events will be appointed by the newly elected and preceding year members of the Student Government Association Executive Board. The process of selection shall be by written application. The appointed positions must be filled prior the next general meeting.
2. All other Executive Board positions will be voted on using the I-clicker system.
3. Voting members include all MSUCOM students currently enrolled.
4. Elections will be decided by a 50% + 1 present voting member majority vote.  If this does not occur, a runoff vote will be decided between the two students with the most votes. 
5. Term of office is one year, from the start of the Summer Semester to the start of the following Summer Semester. 

Section 5:  Candidates are not to be involved in the administration of elections.  Director of Policy and Procedures will be responsible for running the election along with the outgoing Student Government Association Executive Officers. 

Article V.  OFFICER DUTIES

            Section 1:  The Executive Board shall be responsible for updating the constitution of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM each year prior to the election of the incoming Executive Board.

            Section 2:  President

1. Call and preside over all Student Government Association of MSUCOM meetings. 
2. Serve as the Student Government Association Representative to the MSUCOM administration. 
3. Represent the MSUCOM student body on the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Association Presidents within the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. 
4. During the year following the President’s term, shall serve as ex-officio member of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM without privilege of vote.  Should a former Student Government Association of MSUCOM officer serve as an organization’s representative the Student Government Association of MSUCOM, he/she will have all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of a Student Government Association Organization Representative.
5. Serve as an ex-officio member of each standing committee without privilege of vote.
6. Prepare and fulfill all duties associated with COSGP Student Doctor of the Year as required by the national committee.
7. Attend Student Leaders meetings with the Associate Dean of Student Services (monthly) and the Dean/Senior Associate Dean (once per term).
8. Deliver speech to incoming class at the White Coat Ceremony.
9. Serve as a non-voting member of Council of Interns and Residents (CIR)
10. Attend MSUCOM Alumni Association meetings
11. Attend Class Meetings for both the first and second year classes and present all pertinent Student Government Association news
12. Serve as a consultant to the President that succeeds him/her. 
13. The President may not serve on the Executive Board of any other student organization.
14.  

Section 3:  Vice President.

1. Fulfill duties of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM President in his/her absence. 
2. Other duties as delegated by Student Government Association President.
3. Coordinate and organize COSGP TOUCH program for all MSUCOM students.
4. Responsible for overseeing and approving all organization fundraiser requests.
5. Serve as a consultant to the Vice-President who succeeds him/her. 

Section 4: Director of Events

1. Coordinate and plan Student Government Association- Alumni Association Picnic during the Summer Semester.
2. Coordinate and plan Dinner with the Docs event during the Fall semester.
3. Coordinate and plan Las Vegas Night or equivalent Student Government Association fundraising event during the Spring semester.
4. Facilitate any other events, speakers, etc. at the discretion of the President.
5. Serve as a consultant to the Director of Events who succeeds him/her.

Section 5:  Director of Administrative Services

1. Record and prepare minutes of all Student Government Association meetings and officer meetings.  Minutes must be typed and distributed within two weeks of a meeting. 
2. Maintain attendance records.
3. Responsible for the student organization bulleting boards in East Fee Hall. 
4. Responsible for making sure there is minimal overlap in meeting times of organizations and keep the official MSUCOM organizational calendar. 
5. Responsible for students lounge regulations and for making sure that each organization helps in the student lounge cleaning. 
6. Responsible for the scheduling of and room reservation for all Student Government Association meetings. 
7. Handle Student Government Association correspondence. 
8. Other duties as delegated by the Student Government Association President. 
9. Serve as a consultant to the Director of Admnistrative Services who succeeds him/her. 

Section 6:  Director of Finance

1. Prepare and maintain records of Student Government Association financial resources.
2. Responsible for allocation and distribution of funds to registered MSUCOM student organizations.
3. Responsible for preparing fund allocation procedures to be voted on by Student Government Association Executive Board members and submitted to the Dean of MSUCOM for approval.
4. Other duties as delegated by the Student Government Association President. 
5. Serve as a consultant to the Director of Finance who succeeds him/her. 

Section 7: Director of Policy and Procedures

1. Enforce Robert’s Rules of Order for all applicable Student Government Association activities.
2. Attend every meeting with a copy of Robert’s Rules of Order and a current copy of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM Constitution.
3. Prepare agendas for all Student Government Association meetings and executive officer meetings. 
4. Send announcements on behalf of the Executive Board for general meetings and special meetings.
5. Oversee revisions of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM Constitution.
6. Oversee revisions of and ensure proper adherence to the Student Government Association Policy and Procedures Manual.
7. Serve as the consultant to the Director of Policy and Procedures who succeeds him/her.

Section 8: Director of Legislation:

1. Serve as chairperson of Health Policy and Legislation Committee.
2. Compose and distribute a monthly Legislative Update newsletter to all current MSUCOM students.
3. Serve as a liaison to the Michigan Osteopathic Association.
4. Keep Student Government Association and MSUCOM students informed of all current health policy legislation.
5. Serve as the consultant to the Director of Legislation who succeeds him/her.

Section 9: The Executive Board will have the discretion to appoint or select non-voting liaisons from the students at East Lansing, Macomb University Center and Detroit Medical Center to ensure the most effective communication between the three sites

Section 10:  Executive Board members are not able to represent any other student organization at Student Government Association meetings. 

Section 11: An Executive Board member may only serve on one other MSUCOM student organization Executive Board, as long as they do not serve as the President of that organization.

Section 12:  An officer of Student Government Association of MSUCOM may be removed from office by the presentation of a petition calling for such action, which must be signed by two-thirds of the voting membership of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 

Section 13:  In the event of a vacancy in the Student Government Association of MSUCOM officer position, a special election must be held to fill the vacancy, provided the vacancy occurs no less than two months prior to the scheduled annual election.  The same nominating and election procedures, as outlined in Article IV, Section 4 of this constitution, shall be used.  Persons elected to fill an officer vacancy fulfill the unexpired term, and may, if properly elected, serve an additional term as Student Government Association officer of MSUCOM.

Article VI:  MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES

            Section 1:  Each organization is responsible for:

1. Upholding the objectives of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 
2. Being represented at ALL Student Government Association meetings. 
3. Selecting its own representative to the Student Government Association of MSUCOM from the registered list of officers for that organization.  If the registered voting representative is not in attendance, the next highest-ranking officer from that organization shall be given the vote, provided he/she is not duly representing another organization at that particular meeting.
4. Submitting a list of all newly elected executive officers and eligible voting representatives to the President of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 
5. Participating and supporting ALL Student Government Association activities. 
6. Providing interested members to serve on the Student Government Association of MSUCOM committees. 
7. Following established procedures of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 

Section 2:  Each organization’s Student Government Association of MSUCOM representative is responsible for:

1. Attending ALL Student Government Association of MSUCOM meetings. 
2. Serving as a liaison between the Student Government Association of MSUCOM and the organization that he/she represents. 
3. Voting on behalf of the represented organization. 
4. Maintaining open, truthful, respectful, two-way communication between the represented organization’s membership and the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 
5. Promoting academic honesty and professional integrity. 
6. Maintaining the cleanliness of the Student Government Association office and the student lounge. 

Article VII:  MEETINGS.

            Section 1:  The Student Government Association of MSUCOM shall have regular meetings no less than eight times per twelve-month academic year.  Meetings are to be held during academic semester when at least two graduating classes are on campus, the first such meeting to be held within 30 days of the start of each academic semester. 

            Section 2:  A quorum must be present to conduct Student Government Association of MSUCOM business. 

            Section 4:  Notice of each meeting must be given to voting members no less than one week prior to the date of a regular meeting or 24 hours prior to a special meeting. 

            Section 5:  Special meetings to handle emergency business may be called in the following ways:

1. By the Student Government Association of MSUCOM President via a memo to all student organization presidents and representatives. 
2. By request of a Dean of MSUCOM. 
3. By written request of three voting members of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM.

Section 6:  All meetings, including those of committees, shall be scheduled such that they do not conflict with scheduled classes. 

Section 7:  The manual of procedures at meetings shall be the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order. 

Article VIII:  STANDING COMMITTEES.

            Section 1:  The Student Government Association of MSUCOM President may establish committees as needed to perform the work of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM. 

            Section 2:  The Student Government Association of MSUCOM President shall select and appoint chairs for each committee established, and request committee member nominations from voting members.  Nominees selected will be confirmed in writing.  Appointed committee chairs are responsible to the Student Government Association of MSUCOM President. 

            Section 3:  Each committee will have a written description of its task and scope of action, along with a timeline, before it begins meeting. 

            Section 4:  Each committee chair is responsible for keeping the Student Government Association of MSUCOM informed of its progress, and serves on the committee with privilege of vote. 

            Section 5: There will be a Student Government Association Health Policy and Legislative Committee that will oversee all legislative activity within MSUCOM. This committee will consist of:

1. The Student Government Association Director of Legislation
2. MOA Student Liaisons
3. MOPAC Student Liaisons
4. Council of Government Affairs Student Liaisons
5. AMA COM Representatives
6. SOMA National Liaison
7. AMSA President

Article IX:  DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
            Section 1:  The procedures to be used for allocation/distribution of any funds to be made available to student organizations shall be established in writing by the Director of Finance of Student Government Association of MSUCOM and approved by the Student Government Association of MSUCOM Executive Board and submitted to the Dean of MSUCOM for final approval.  These approved procedures shall be in effect for the following academic year and will be distributed to each voting and probationary member. 

            Section 2:  Each student organization will be given no less than $100.00 at the beginning of the fiscal year if it is requested.  The remaining money from the budget approved by the Dean of the College will be set-aside in a “contingency fund.”  A contingency fund has been implemented because each year the leadership for each organization changes as does the membership involvement thus requiring a more responsive system for money allocation. 

            Section 3:  There will be a Student Government Association Finance Committee that will review all applications for additional funding from the contingency fund.  This committee will consist of five people: 

1. The MSUCOM Associate Dean of Student Services
2. A Student Government Association Advisor
3. The Student Government Association President
4. The Student Government Association Director of Finance
5. The Student Government Association Director of Policy and Procedures

After the Student Government Association Finance Committee approves or denies requests, the Associate Dean of Student Services will have the opportunity to override any decisions made by the Student Government Association Finance Committee. 

Section 4:  Application for Student Government Association money must be submitted to the Director of Finance of Student Government Association by the first day of every month and must comply by the following guidelines:

1. Student organizations applying for less than or equal to $500.00 must have their request into the Director of Finance no less than 30 days prior to date additional funding is required. 
2. If greater than $500.00 is requested, the application for funds must be in no less than 60 days from the date funding is required.  Any requests for over $500.00 will be presented to the Student Government Association members at a monthly meeting, and will be put to vote. 

Section 5:  The following restrictions will be placed on the utilization of monies given to student organization and requested from Student Government Association: 

1. Student Government Association money can only be used for:
1. Travel ONLY IF the travel is for educational purposes OR IF a voting representative from our school must be represented by that student organization. 
2. Honorariums for speakers. 
3. Travel expenses for speakers. 
4. Initial capital for fundraising.  However, the money must be given back to the Student Government Association upon completion of fundraiser. 
5. Printing/mailing/copying/office supplies.  The funding for these items must come out of the funds disbursed to each student group at the beginning of the fiscal year.  Groups will not be allowed to apply for money for these things. 
6. Equipment with justification. 
2. Student Government Association money cannot be used for:
1. Food or beverages.  
2. Copying of religious or political literature. 
3. Any other item not sanctioned through University Policy. 
4. Reimbursement to parent organization. 

Section 6:  Only organizations registered with MSU who have representation at ALL of the properly called Student Government Association of MSUCOM meetings and have completed all organization responsibilities during the current fiscal year are eligible to apply for any funds for the following year. 

Section 7:  Probationary organizations pending registration by MSU are eligible to apply for funds.  If they do not attain MSU registration within two (2) months, they will be unable to receive any allotted funds, and must repay any money that has been used. 

Section 8:  Appropriated funds must be used to fund the activity for which they were allotted.  The organization must go to the Finance Committee if funds are to be diverted to another activity.  Student Government Association reserves the right to revoke funds or to not reimburse students who use funds inappropriately at the discretion of the Finance Committee. 

Article X:  AMENDMENTS.

            Section 1:  A proposed amendment to this Constitution may be presented to the Student Government Association of MSUCOM no less than one meeting prior to the time where it will be brought to vote. 

            Section 2:  Amendments may be adopted at a properly called meeting at which a quorum is present, and must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote to be approved. 

Article XI:  EQUAL OPPORTUNITY.

            MSU is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, public institution that values diversity.  The Student Government Association of MSUCOM will not discriminate on the basis of age, color, gender, gender identity, disability status, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight.   The Student Government Association of MSUCOM requires all member organizations to accept the MSU equal opportunity position and will not permit organizations that do not accept the MSU equal opportunity position to become members. 

Article XII:  SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

            The membership of the Student Government Association of MSUCOM may vote to suspend the Constitution in extreme circumstances that are not properly addressed by the current Constitution.  The vote to suspend must be at a properly called meeting at which quorum is present, and must receive a two-thirds affirmative vote to be approved.  Only a single issue may be addressed under each vote to suspend the Constitution.