Idaho Student Nurses Association Bylaws Idaho Student Nurses Association Bylaws

 

Article I - NAME OF ORGANIZATION

 

Section 1. Name

 

The name of this association shall be the Idaho Student Nurses'

Association

(ISNA)

 

Article II - PURPOSE AND FUNCTION

 

Section 1. Purpose

 

A. To assume responsibility for contributing to nursing education in

order to provide for the highest quality of health care.

 

B. To provide programs representative of fundamental interests and

concerns to nursing students.

 

C.  To aid in the development of the whole person, his/her professional

role, his/her responsibility for health care of people in all walks of

life.

 

Section 2. Function

 

A. To have direct input into standards of nursing education and

influence the education process.

 

B. To influence health care, nursing education and practice through

legislative activities as appropriate.

 

 

C.  To promote and encourage participation in community affairs and

activities towards health care and the resolution of related social

issues.

 

D. To represent nursing students to the consumer, to institutions, and

other organizations.

 

E.  To promote and encourage students' participation in

interdisciplinary activities.

 

F. To promote and encourage recruitment efforts, participation in

student activities, and educational activities regardless of a person's

race, color, creed, sex, lifestyle, national origin, age, or economic

status.

 

G.  To promote and encourage collaborative relationships with nursing

and health related organizations, including the Idaho Nurses'

Association.

 

   H. To maintain communication with members through newsletters.

 

 

  Article III -- MEMBERS

 

 

Section 1. School Constituent

 

A. School constituent membership is composed of active or associate

members who are of the NSNA and the state association.

 

B. Each school association shall be composed of at least 10 members. 

There shall be only one chapter on each school campus.

 

C. For yearly recognition as a constituent, an officer of the school

association shall submit annually the Official Application for NSNA

Constituency Status which shall include the following areas of

conformity: purpose and functions, membership, dues, and

representation.

 

D. A constituent association which fails to comply with the bylaws and

policies of NSNA shall have its status as a constituent revoked by a

2/3 vote of the Board of Directors, provided that written notice of the

proposed revocation has been given at least two months prior to the

vote and the constituent association is given an opportunity to be

heard.

 

E. Each school association is an entity separate and apart from NSNA

and its administration of activities, with NSNA and ISNA exercising no

supervision or control over these immediate daily and regular

activities.  NSNA and ISNA have no liability for any loss, damages, or

injuries sustained by third parties as a result of the negligence or

acts of the school association or the members thereof.  In the event

any legal proceedings are brought against NSNA and ISNA, the school

association will indemnify and hold harmless the NSNA and ISNA from any

liability.

 

Section 2. Categories of Constituent Membership

 

Members of the constituent associations shall be:

 

A. Active members:

1. Students enrolled in state approved programs leading to licensure as

a registered nurse. 2. Registered nurses enrolled in programs leading

to a baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing.

3. Active members shall have all the privileges of membership as long as

they have paid dues.

 

B. Associate members:

1. Prenursing students, including registered nurses, enrolled in

college or university programs designed as preparation for entrance

into a program leading to an associate degree, diploma or baccalaureate

degree in nursing. 2. Associate members shall have all of the

privileges of membership except the right to hold office as president

or vice president at state and national levels.

 

C. Individual members:

Individual membership shall be open at the national level to any

eligible student when membership in a constituent association is not

available. Individual members shall have the privileges of membership

as prescribed in NSNA bylaws.

 

D. Active and associate membership shall be renewable annually.

 

Section 3.

 

Active and associate membership may be extencded six months beyond

graduation from a student's program in nursing, providing membership

was renewed while the student was enrolled in a nursing program.

 

 

 

Article IV - DUES

 

  Section 1.

 

A. The Annual NSNA dues for active and associate members shall be $20

the first year plus $5 state dues per member and $30 national plus $5

state dues for the second year, payable for the appropriate dues year. 

The dues year for membership shall be a period of twelve consecutive

months - Jan. to Jan.

 

B. The annual NSNA dues for active and associate members joining for

two years shall be $45 per member, plus $10 for state dues, payable for

the appropriate dues years.  The dues years for these members shall be

a period of twenty-four consecutive months.

 

C. The school association board of directors shall have the authority

to change membership dues, in order to include school association dues.

 

D. National and state dues shall be payable directly to NSNA.  NSNA

shall remit to each state constituent the dues received on behalf of

the constituent.  NSNA shall not collect nor remit school chapter dues.

 

Article V. - Board of Directors

 

Section 1.  Composition

 

A. the Board of Directors will consist of: President, Vice President,

Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor, Membership Chair, Nominations

Chair, Legislative Chair, Community Health Chair, Breakthrough to

Nursing Chair, an Education Chair, and two Directors-at-Large. Section

2.  Responsibilities

 

A. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for:

 

1. Transacting business of the association between membership meetings

and shall report such transactions at the next regularly scheduled

membership meetings.  Membership meetings will be held each fall, at

the Idaho Student Nurses Association Convention and House of Delegates.

 

2.  Filling vacancies in any office by 2/3 majority vote of Board of

Directors except the office of President.

 

3. Reviewing monetary disbursements, acquisitions and fund raising

activities and shall be responsible for procuring persons for audit of

all accounts on an annual basis.

 

Section 3.  Quorum.  A quorum for the board meetings, which may be held

via phone conference, shall be the president or vice-president, and

four other board members and one faculty advisor.

 

Section 4.  Duties of the Board of Directors shall consist of:

 

A. President

Shall preside at all meetings of this association and its Board of

Directors, appoint special committees as needed, perform all other

duties pertaining to the office and represent this association in all

matters to the Idaho Nurses Association, NSNA, and other professional

and student organizations.

 

B. Vice President

1. Shall assume responsibility of the office of President in the event

of the vacancy occurring in the office until the next regular election.

2. Shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President. 3. Shall

assist the President as delegated and act as advisor to the President.

 

C. Secretary

1. Shall record and distribute the minutes of all meetings of this

association as directed by the President. 2. Shall keep of file as a

permanent record all reports, papers and documents submitted to the

Secretary. 3. Refer to duly appointed committees the necessary records

for the completion of business.

4. Deliver to the newly elected Secretary all association papers.

 

D. Treasurer

1. Shall submit annual budgets of the ISNA for approval at the annual

House of Delegates. 2. Submit financial reports to the membership as

directed by President. 3. Prepare financial reports submitted at the

annual House of Delegates and at all Board of Directors meetings.

4. Keep a permanent record of all dues received from members and any other

income and dispersements.

5. Remit payment for approved debits.  Debits may be approved for items

costing less than $25 by the Board of Directors.  Larger debits are approved

via budget approval at the annual House of Delegates.

6. Sign checks for the ISNA along with a co-signature by the President or

Membership Chair.

 

 

E. Newsletter Editor

1. Request articles from all school associations by Nov. 1 for a fall

newsletter and by March 1 for a spring newsletter. 2. Prepare the ISNA

newsletters from the school association submissions and other items of

interest and distribute the newsletter to all school associations for

distribution to members. 3. Submit bills for the newsletter costs to

the Treasurer. 4. Submit articles to NSNA News according to publication

deadline.

 

F. Membership Chair

Coordinate membership drives on the school campuses.  Represent own

school association at Board of Directors meetings.  May co-sign checks

for ISNA if needed.

 

G. Nominations Chair

Coordinate efforts to get members to run for the various offices and

positions on the school campuses.  Represent own school association at

Board of Directors meetings.

 

H. Community Health Chair

Coordinate volunteer health service activities in the communities of

the various school campuses.  Represent own school association at Board

of Directors meetings.

 

I. Breakthrough to Nursing Chair

Coordinate Breakthrough to Nursing activities on the school campuses.

Represent own school association at Board of Directors meetings.

 

J. Education Chair

Coordinate Continuing Education events for the ISNA convention, which

is held in conjunction with INA.  Represent own school association at

Board of Directors meetings.

 

K. Legislative Chair

Coordinate legislative activities on the school campuses.  Serve on the

INA Legislative Committee as a student representive.  Represent own

school association at Board of Director meetings.

 

L. Directors-at-Large

Attend Board of Directors meetings.  Represent own school association

at such meetings.  Assist with other Board business as delegated by the

President.

 

Article VI -- ELECTIONS

 

Section 1.  Election of the President

 

Each school association should mail nominations for ISNA President with

a paragraph about the candidate and the candidate's goals for office to

the newsletter editor by March 1.  The spring newsletter will include

the names and information about the candidates.  Each school

association should schedule a meeting in March to vote for President

and make ballots for this purpose.  The voting should occur by March

24, and the results of the vote should be mailed to the current

President before April 1.  The winner will be announced via e-mail to

the school association advisors who then need to inform the members of

the association.

 

Section 2.  Election of other members of the Board of Directors

 

A.  At the March meetings where each school association votes for

President, the school association should also vote for the Board member

to which the school association has been assigned for the upcoming

year. The Board positions (other than President) will be as follows:

School Associations 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 NIC Secretary & Comm.

Health Chair Newsletter Editor & Legislative Chair Director at Large &

Education Chair LCSC Dir. At large & Breakthrough to Nsg. Secretary &

Community Health Chair Newsletter Editor & Legislative Chair

BSU Membership Chair & Treasurer   Director at Large & Breakthrough to Nsg.

Secretary & Community Health Chair

CSI Vice Pres. & Nominations Chair Membership Chair & Treasurer Director at

Large & Breakthrough to Nsg.

ISU Director at Large & Education Chair Vice Pres. & Nominations Chair

Membership Chair & Treasurer

BYU-Idaho Newsletter Editor & Legislative Chair Director at Large &

Education Chair Vice Pres. & Nominations Chair

 

 

B. The other positions rotate each year with the Board positions moving

down one row each year, and the bottom position moving up to NIC as

demonstrated in the table above.

 

C. Terms of office for President and all other Board of Directors runs

from April 1 to April 1. The outgoing officers need to meet with their

replacements to turn over materials and to orient them to their duties

and to ongoing business of the ISNA.

 

Article VII - MEETINGS

 

A. There shall be at least one meeting per semester of the Board of

Directors.  The President will schedule the date, location with

conference call options, and time for the first meeting.  The

subsequent meetings will be approved (date, time, location) by a

majority vote of the members present at the first meeting.  The ISNA

House of Delegates will be one of the fall semester meetings, and a

caucus at the NSNA convention in the spring will be one of the spring

semester meetings.

 

B. The President shall have the authority to convene a special meeting

at such time as is deemed necessary and shall notify the Board of

Directors of such meeting, location, and time.

 

Article VIII - DELEGATES

 

Section 1.  Purpose and Function

 

A. To serve as spokesperson for this association at the annual state

and national conventions.

 

B. Present to the state and national organizations all proposed

resolutions or amendments to bylaws or policies proposed by this

association.

 

C. Keep informed as to all current and proposed resolutions at the

state and national levels and report information to this association's

membership at regularly scheduled membership meetings.

 

D. Make available to members updates, explanations, and copies of

current and proposed state and national resolutions.

 

Section 2.  Qualifications and Appointment

 

A. Any member maintaining a grade level of C or above, who is active in

his/her school association projects and is nominated by current

membership of his/her school association at a regularly scheduled

meeting is eligible to hold the position of delegate.

 

B. Appointment is for one year.  The nominee receiving the majority of

votes cast shall be awarded the position.

 

 

Section 3.  Delegate Representation to NSNA House of Delegates

 

A. School constituents:

1. Each school association, when recognized as an official NSNA

constituent, shall be entitled to one voting delegate and alternate at

the NSNA House of Delegates, and in addition, shall be entitled to one

voting delegate and alternate for every 50 members.

 

  2.  The school association delegate(s) and alternate(s) shall be a

member in good standing in the chapter and shall be selected and/or

elected by members of the school chapter at a proper meeting according

to chapter bylaws.  The school association may designate an alternate

delegate for each delegate by one of the following two mechanisms:

a) Selection and/or election by members of the school chapter according

to chapter bylaws; or

b) Written authorization to the State Board of Directors requesting

them to appoint a member of the State Board to act as a state-appointed

alternate for their school chapter. 1. School chapters shall approve

the appointment. 2. The State Board of Directors shall verify that any

state appointed alternate is a member in good standing of the NSNA and

the state association.

3. A school chapter must have a selected and/or elected delegate present at

the NSNA Convention in order to have a state-appointed alternate seated in

the House of Delegates.

4. All alternates, whether school selected or state-appointed, shall have

the same privileges as an elected delegate when seated in the House.

 

2. The school association shall be entitled to delegates according to

the number of members in good standing in NSNA.  Delegates shall be

computed on the basis of the number of members in each constituent as

evidenced by the annual dues received by NSNA on a date eight weeks

prior to the annual meeting.

 

Section 4.  Delegate Representation to the ISNA House of Delegates

 

Each school association is entitled to five delegates and five

alternates to the annual ISNA House of Delegates.  The delegates must

be members in good standing.

 

 

 

Article X -AMENDMENTS

 

Amendments to the Bylaws may be made with a 2/3 vote of those present

and voting at a membership meeting provided that notice of proposed

amendments has been sent to members at least four weeks prior to the

meeting.  Only proper amendments submitted in writing and carrying the

proponent's signature will be considered.

 

Aricle XI - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

 

All meetings of this association shall be conducted according to the

parliamentary law as set forth in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised

where the rules apply and are not in conflict with these bylaws.