Duke University School of Nursing Student Council CONSTITUTION The Duke University School of Nursing Student Council (DUSON Student Council) is the student government organization for the Duke University School of Nursing. The DUSON Student Council consists of individuals elected to handle matters as they pertain to the entire School of Nursing. The organizations mission is to create a positive and professional atmosphere for students through sponsoring various activities within DUSON as well as representing DUSON in the community through service projects. The elected officers consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Ph.D. Representative, DNP Representative, MSN Representative, ABSN Representative from each cohort, Community Service Chair, Social Chair, and Fundraising Chair. In addition, the DUSON Student Council has appointed members that serve on committees such as the Program Committees, Graduate and Professional Student Council, Alumni Association, Honor Council, National Student Nurse Association, and others as deemed appropriate. The two main purposes of DUSON Student Council are community service and social activities within the school that promote unity and communication among all programs and students. Service projects are intended to serve the local community of Durham and build the relationship it has with DUSON. Social activities revolve primarily around maintaining or increasing student body cohesion and morale. The DUSON Student Council meets once per month to discuss issues that relate to the school of nursing. Once per semester the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) Representatives will attend the meetings to promote collaboration and facilitate communication with Duke University. Appropriate communication between the Student Nurse Association and DUSON Student Council will occur to promote student success. DUSON Student Council will facilitate the organization and cohesion of all student groups within DUSON to facilitate unity among students. ARTICLE I: NAME OF ORGANIZATION Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Duke University School of Nursing Student Council; Referred to as the Duke Student Nurse Association for all financial purposes and dealings. ARTICLE II: PURPOSE OF FUNCTION Section 1: Purpose a. To serve as the official student body organization of Duke University School of Nursing. b. To serve as an intermediary between the student body and the Duke University administration, nursing school faculty, hospital administration, national and state organizations, and other groups and individuals. c. To provide for student services as deemed feasible by the organization. d. To execute other functions and duties as determined by the Constitution. e. To act as the student body service organization for Duke University School of Nursing. f. To assume responsibility for contributing to nursing education in order to provide for the highest quality of health care. g. To provide programs representative of fundamental interests and concerns to nursing students.
h. To aid in the development of the whole person, his/her professional role, and his/her responsibility for health care of people. 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 student participation in interdisciplinary activities. f. To promote and encourage recruitment efforts, participation in student activities, and educational opportunities regardless of a person s race, color, creed, sex, lifestyle, nation origin, age, or economic status. g. To promote and encourage collaborative relationships with nursing and health related organizations. ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Section 1: The elected officers consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Ph.D. Representative, DNP Representative, MSN Representative, ABSN Cohort Representatives, Community Service Chair, Social Chair, and Fundraising Chair. Position titles may be combined as needed due to a lack of student participation. Section 2: Elected DUSON Student Council officers shall serve their term from January to December of each year, with the exception of the ABSN Representatives who will be elected at the beginning of their program and serve until graduation. Section 3: Additional affiliates with DUSON Student Council include GPSC Representatives, DUSON SNA Representatives, Class Representatives serving on Faculty Boards, and other appointed positions as deemed necessary. ARTICLE IV: ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DUTIES Section 1: All Members: a. Attend meetings and sponsored events b. Collaborate with other members to carry out organized events, activities, and projects c. Communicate as needed and deemed appropriate with other members, student body, faculty, staff, and community members d. Act as a liaison between the student body and the DUSON e. Communicate information and events to the entire study body Section 2: President: a. Call and preside over meetings of the DUSON Student Council, student body, and subgroups thereof. b. Appoint Chairperson and members of any committees as deemed necessary. c. Represent the DUSON Student Council in all matters pertaining to the council as a whole
d. Facilitate communication between DUSON Student Council and the student body, faculty, and staff e. Facilitate official affiliation with GPSC and maintain recognition as official organization of Duke University School of Nursing f. Organize and facilitate a quarterly meeting with all DUSON student organization leaders Section 3: Vice-President: a. Assume the Duties of the President in her/his absence. b. Represent the DUSON Student Council in all matters pertaining to the council as a whole c. Facilitate communication between DUSON Student Council and the student body, faculty, and staff d. Work to support and facilitate all events coordinated by any member of DUSON Student Council e. Organize a general DUSON student body meeting once per semester Section 4: Secretary a. Run and advertise DUSON Student Council Elections. b. Keep the minutes of all the DUSON Student Council meetings. c. Notify the proper persons of all the meetings called by the President. d. Facilitate communication between DUSON Student Council and the student body, faculty, and staff Section 5: Treasurer a. Handle all income and reimbursements of DUSON Student Council. b. Notify members of the deadlines for budget requests and the guidelines of fiscal responsibility in the use of DUSON Student Council funds. c. Apply for GPSC funding as needed and available Section 5: Ph.D., DNP, MSN, ABSN Representatives: a. Represent respective program in all matters pertaining to the DUSON Student Council at monthly meetings. b. Conduct program affairs. c. Communicate events and activities sponsored by DUSON Student Council to respective programs and students. d. ABSN Representative should be a liaison between DUSON Student Council and elected class representative as deemed necessary. Section 6: Community Service Chair a. Be responsible for organizing and advertising all community service events sponsored by DUSON Student Council. b. Recruit students to partake in such events through adequate communication. c. Delegate tasks to other DUSON Student Council members to facilitate successful events. d. Work with community members surrounding DUSON to identify needs and create projects to meet those needs. Section 7: Social Chair a. Be responsible for organizing and advertising all social events sponsored by DUSON Student Council. b. Create events and an environment that promotes unity and communication among and between all academic programs within DUSON. c. Delegate tasks to other DUSON Student Council members to facilitate successful events.
Section 8: Fundraising Chair a. Be responsible for organizing and advertising all events which facilitate funding for other activates sponsored by DUSON Student Council. b. Delegate tasks to other DUSON Student Council members to facilitate successful events. c. Work in direct collaboration with the Treasurer to deposit all financial earnings from such events into the Council s account. Section 9: Graduate and Professional Student Council Representatives a. Communicate with DUSON Student Council as deemed necessary b. Attend a DUSON Student Council meeting to facilitate communication and collaboration c. All monetary support of GPSC events shall be approved on a case-by-case basis by majority rule Section 10: National Student Nurses Association Representative a. Communicate with DUSON Student Council as deemed necessary b. All monetary support of NSNA events shall be approved on a case-by-case basis by majority rule ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS Section1: All members of the DUSON student body may nominate themselves to run in the elections held annually in November/December and should be encouraged to vote in any and all elections. Section 2: The President, Vice President, and Secretary, Treasurer of the DUSON Student Council must be a member of the on-campus academic program and able to attend all meetings running from January to December of their elected year. All other members may be elected from any other program. Members may be full or part-time students so as long as there are able to fulfill requirements. Section 3: No officer or representative may hold more than one office in any one year. In the event a person is elected to more than on office, she/he must decide which office they wish to fulfill and a secondary election must be held to fill the other. Secretary and treasurer positions may be combined or separated as the DUSON Student Council deems necessary and a majority vote is held. Social, Service, and Community Service Chairs may also be combined in any order as necessary by a majority vote. Section 4: No person shall hold the same position for more than two years in succession unless deemed necessary and approved by all members via a majority ruling. ARTICLE VI: MEETING GUIDELINES Section 1: The DUSON Student Council shall meet at least once monthly. Section 2: The DUSON Student Council President shall call all meetings. Section 3: The Secretary shall create and disperse all meeting minutes to members and advisor. Section 4: All meetings shall be conducted under Robert s Rules of Order. Section 5: School-wide meetings may be held, promoted, and lead by DUSON Student Council.
ARTICLE VII: EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE, AND JUDICIAL POWER Section 1: Executive Power: a. The President of the DUSON Student Council shall bear the sole responsibility for the execution of all Student Council Programs. b. The President will delegate executive power for all matters of DUSON Student Council business to the Program Vice-President in his/her absence. c. The president will delegate executive power for the service programs to the Service Chairperson. d. The president will delegate executive power for the social programs to the Social Chairperson. e. The president will delegate executive power for the administration of the Budget to the Treasurer. Section 2: Legislative Power: a. All elected DUSON Student Council Officers and Representatives shall have full power to render decisions for the entire student body at regular or special meetings of the Student Council. b. The student body shall have the power to reverse the decisions of its officers by general election in which a simple majority shall rule. The President of the DUSON Student Council shall be compelled to call such an election by at least one-tenth of the student body of DUSON. Section 3: No provisions of the Constitution or Bylaws should be construed or implemented in a manner that is in conflict with University Rules, policies or established operational principles or with civil law and regulations. ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS AND BYLAWS Section 1: The Constitution may be amended by a majority vote cast by the DUSON Student Council provided all proposed amendments were submitted to the DUSON Student Council at least two weeks prior to the vote. Section 2: Such Bylaws as are necessary to supplement this Constitution shall be approved by a majority of the DUSON Student Council, and re-approved annually following the election of the new DUSON Student Council. BYLAWS OF THE DUSON Student Council Item 1: Finances a. The fiscal year shall be from July 1 through June 30 of each calendar year. b. The DUSON Student Council shall maintain a petty cash fund of at least $500.00 for the year to be operated by the Treasurer. c. Groups and or Organizations who receive money from the DUSON Student Council funds shall report to the DUSON Student Council once per semester for allocation of funds and an update on group activities. Failure to do so may result in suspension of funding by the DUSON Student Council. a. $300 may be allotted annually to another DUSON Student Group for the completion of a proposed event, pending a majority vote and approval. Item 2: Attendance a. The DUSON Student Council may call any member who has missed two consecutive meetings or three total meetings to step down from their elected position. b. Members asked to step down based on attendance may petition to stay and may be granted this request with a majority approval by the DUSON Student Council.
c. Any member of the DUSON Student Council, who, at the time of election of DUSON Student Council members, has a record of attending less than 65% of DUSON Student Council meetings during the last year, will be barred by the DUSON Student Council from running for re-election. The DUSON Student Council President will advise the involved member of the restriction privately. The Secretary will also be advised of this restriction. If the involved member is the only nominee for a position, she/he will be allowed to run for that position. If extenuating circumstances prevented the involved individual from attending meetings, the DUSON Student Council will evaluate the individual s case and approve election based on a majority vote. Item 3: Elections a. Nominations for elections of DUSON Student Council members shall take place in the fall of each calendar year at an opportune time to be determined by the current council members. b. The ABSN Representatives will be elected by the end of their first semester on campus and will serve until the completion of their program. c. Any other members graduating prior to the completion of their term shall hold an election in collaboration with the Secretary to find a replacement prior to their departure that will serve the remainder of the departing person s term. There shall only be one member graduating in the spring semester in addition to the Spring ABSN Representative to promote continuity within the board members and their election term unless deemed necessary by a majority vote. The President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer may only be elected into the position if they are willing and able to complete the entire term. d. The Election a. The student body shall be notified of the upcoming election and allowed time to nominate themselves via submission of name, desired position, current program, and short description of their background and potential contributions to the organization. b. The DUSON Student Council shall organize all nominations and facilitate an election as deemed appropriate. c. All students shall be granted one vote per position and should be encouraged to partake in the elections. d. Those students with a majority vote shall be granted the position for the upcoming year and in the event of a tie, the current DUSON Student Council shall determine how to facilitate a second election or appointment. e. All newly elected members shall attend the transition meeting to be held in December of each year to facilitate a smooth transition from one board to the next. Item 4: Defunct Member Policy a. In the event that a Committee member or DUSON Student Council representative cannot fulfill her/his position, or needs to be replaced for any reason, the DUSON Student Council vote in a replacement for the DUSON Student Council position in question. These must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the DUSON Student Council. Item 5: Faculty/Staff Advisor a. One faculty or staff member shall serve as a contact for the organization and a liaison between DUSON Student Council and other faculty/staff members b. The advisor shall keep in record a copy of this constitution, bylaws, and minutes c. Faculty/staff requirements for events shall be reviewed, coordinated, and met by the DUSON Student Council member facilitating the event
Review of Constitution and Bylaws: By signing this form, we hereby acknowledge and agree to fulfill our positions and responsibilities of DUSON Student Council as set forth in the preceding document. Transition Meeting Date, Location, and Time: 1. President 2. Vice President 3. Secretary 4. Treasurer 5. Ph.D. Representative 6. DNP Representative 7. MSN Representative 8. ABSN Representative 9. ABSN Representative 10. ABSN Representative 11. Community Service Chair 12. Social Chair 13. Fundraising Chair