Saint Anthony College of Nursing Student Organization Bylaws

ARTICLE V.

Meetings
Section 1. All meeting of the organization shall be open to the membership at large unless voted by the Executive Board as a closed meeting. All meetings of the organization shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised edition, where the rules apply and are not in conflict with these Bylaws.

Section 2. Meetings will be held once a month during designed College Hour in the student lounge unless otherwise posted 48 hours before the meeting.

ARTICLE VI. Elections
Section 1. Elections of Officers.

a)	Election of the President shall be in April following the NSNA National Convention. The President must be a current junior II or senior I and be willing to serve a full year term, if unable to serve a full year term, he/she will been to submit a formal resignation one month prior to the beginning of the resignation.
b)	Election of the Executive Board shall be prior to the first official meeting of the year. Candidates may be from all classes with the exception of the Vice President who must be from the junior class. An additional “meet the candidates” meeting will be held prior to elections.
c)	Class representatives are selected on a voluntary basis at the first official meeting of the year.
d)	Elections will be performed by a secret ballot and each ballot shall be placed in a sealed envelope until all classes have an opportunity to vote. Each member voting shall receive one ballot after enrollment in the College of Nursing has been verified.
e)	Members may not vote by absentee ballot.
f)	A plurality vote of the members entitled to vote and voting shall constitute an official election. Election will be rescheduled in the event the voting body is less that 15 members present.
g)	Vacancies of any office, except the President, shall be filled by appointment of the Board.

ARTICLE VII.

Committees
Section 1. Appointments.

a)	Committee chair appointments shall be made by the President and shall be deemed standing committee unless otherwise stated at the time of appointment.

Section 2. Responsibility.

a)	All committees shall be responsible to the Board and the membership for reporting committee activities at scheduled meetings of the organization. A written report from the committee chair is to be submitted to the President before the next scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE VIII.

NSNA/SNAI Convention Delegates and Alternates
Section 1. Purpose and Function.

a)	Attend the House of Delegates and all meetings pertaining to the House of Delegates.
b)	Serve as spokesperson for the organization at the annual state and national meeting.
c)	Vote on resolutions brought to the NSNA/SNAI House of Delegates and vote for the NSNA/SNAI Board of Directors.
d)	Present to the organization all resolutions, amendments, bylaw and policy changes voted on at the national and state convention.

Section 2. Delegate Representation.

a)

School constituents: 1) The organization delegates and their alternates shall be elected from the membership of the school chapter and must be NSNA members. 2) Funding for the convention expenses (as available) shall be allotted to the delegates and their alternates, pre-slated National or State Board Candidates, and then to active members at large.

Section 3. Attendance at conventions.

a)

Any SO member who has presented to the Executive Board a written proposal to attend any professional activity the student deems appropriate, shall be subject to approval by the Executive Board. The Executive Board represents the approval of the student body for the individual to attend this activity. Individuals are responsible for obtaining permission to miss class from the appropriate instructor and together they need to work out any further arrangements.

b)

Students attending any professional meetings may be asked to present a brief verbal report of the function to the SO body at the next meeting following their function attendance.

Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to the Bylaws will be made annually as needed, in time for NSNA to receive any changes prior to the deadline date, with a simple majority of those present and voting at the membership meeting provided that notice of the proposed amendments are posted at least 30 days prior to the meeting.

ARTICLE X.

Advisors
Section 1. Role.

a)	The role of advisors is to serve as resource people and consultants to the Board of Directors, members, faculty, and the whole organization as appropriate and to assist in the conduction of the organization business as needed.

ARTICLE XI.

Funds
Section 1. Petty Cash Fund.

a)	A petty cash fund will be maintained for the convenient payment of supplies for SO activities.
b)	The patty cash fund will be accessed by Executive Board members only but may be on behalf of any SO member.
c)	Funds will be dispensed by the Treasurer after the Officer presents a receipt of the purchase and the purpose of the funds. Both the Treasurer and the Officer should sign a record of the transaction. The petty cash fund amount will be at the discretion of the Treasurer.
d)	Reference: See “Proposed Amendment to SO Bylaws for the Establishment of a Petty Cash Fund” attached.

Section 2. Copy Fund.

a)	A copy fund will be maintained for payment of copies made for SO activities.
b)	The copy fund will be accessed by Student Organization Officers, Class Representatives and Committee Representatives.
c)	The SO member making the copies will document the use of the copy machine in the school library with the librarian on a written log provided by the SO. The treasurer will monitor and pay for the use of the copies at least once a month during the school year.
d)	Reference: See “Proposed Amendment to SO Bylaws for the Establishment of a Petty Cash Fund” attached.
e)	Members may not vote by absentee ballot.
f)	A plurality vote of the members entitled to vote and voting shall constitute an official election. Election will be rescheduled in the event the voting body is less that 15 members present.
g)	Vacancies of any office, except the President, shall be filled by appointment of the Board.

NATIONAL STUDENT NURSES' ASSOCIATION
Students are eligible for membership in the National Student Nurses' Association (N.S.N.A.) upon admission to the college. The N.S.N.A. is a pre-professional organization for student nurses. Its chief purpose is “to aid in the preparation of student nurses for the assumption of professional responsibilities.” The N.S.N.A. is structured on a multilevel basis, which includes national, state, and local chapters.

SAINT ANTHONY NURSES' ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.
Saint Anthony Nurses' Alumni Association, Inc. offers membership to the graduates of Saint Anthony College of Nursing. The annual newsletter, homecoming tea and banquet offer graduates an opportunity for camaraderie with classmates and other alumni members.

INFORMATION SESSION AND OPEN HOUSE
Each fall semester, time is provided for prospective and incoming students to visit the College. At these sessions, they meet the nursing faculty and learn about admission requirements, the College curriculum, and the financial aid available. The prospective and incoming students are also given opportunities to tour the College of Nursing and OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and to hear about career opportunities available in the nursing profession. Nursing students assist with the activities of the information sessions and the open houses, which are open to the public. Tours of the College are also available to individuals unable to attend the annual Open House.

ORIENTATION
An orientation period, held at the beginning of each academic semester, includes orientation to the library, computer services, the counseling and health services, and to the College itself. The Mission, Goals, Philosophy, and nursing curriculum of the College are also discussed with all the students. At this time activities will be conducted to socially integrate the incoming class.

COMMUNICATION FORM PROCEDURES
The Communication Form is a way for students to communicate concerns to faculty and/or administration. The Student Organization (SO) acts as a liaison in responding to student concerns so that confidentiality can be maintained. Though maximum time limits for responses have been given, immediate, thorough responses are ideal.

Procedure
The Student will obtain a communication form from any Student Organization officer but preferably from the President. The officer receiving the form will act as a liaison for the student. Once all areas on the form are completed, the student will submit it to the liaison. If the concern is confidential or personal, the student may submit the completed form to his/her faculty advisor.
The student’s liaison will review the concern addressed by the communication form and submit it to the appropriate committee, faculty, or staff person. The liaison will also return the response from the committee to the student.

The committee or faculty person will address the concern and respond to the student’s liaison in writing on the communication form.

A record will be kept of the following dates:

•	when the student contacted the liaison
•	when the liaison contacted the committee
•	when the committee responded to the liaison
•	when the liaison contacted the student.

This will ensure a timely response to the student’s concern.

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate the communication by picking up and completing a communication form from any SO officer. The student must make himself/herself available for the response. This may require the student to be available by telephone, mail, or in person.

The student’s liaison must review the form and give it to the appropriate committee or faculty person as soon as possible, but no longer than 5 school days. The committee, faculty, or staff person has 3 weeks to address the concern and return a response to the liaison. Once the liaison has the response from the committee, he/she has 5 school days to contact the student.

INSTITUTIONAL RECORD OF STUDENT COMPLAINTS
Saint Anthony College of Nursing recognizes the students’ right to communicate concerns to the faculty and/or administration. All concerns submitted in writing and signed by the student are to be addressed by a college committee or administrator within three (3) weeks. All concerns of a serious nature will be kept on file in the Dean’s office for a minimum of five (5) years.