APS Constitution

ARTICLE I - NAME AND GOAL

SECTION I: NAME

the name of this organization shall be alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society

SECTION II: GOAL AND VISION

alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society is founded on the inalienable principles of scholarship, service, and leadership. our organization is to be an integral resource for students at the university of texas at austin by providing up to date information about the medical field, community service contacts, leadership experiences, and healthy social atmosphere. we strive to furbish a comprehensive organization in order to provide our members with all the skills necessary for a successful career in medicine and a healthy, happy life. we seek constant feedback from our members in order to customize specific programs to flexibly accommodate the needs of each individual. although alpha phi sigma is a pre-medical honor society and we seek to honor members for their academic accomplishments, we also feel it is an honor for us to have such devoted members. alpha phi sigma seeks continued growth and recognition at the university of texas at austin campus and strives to be the biggest and best pre-medical organization on campus. in all, alpha phi sigma is a non-profit, member and community oriented pre-medical honor society that is based on the principle philosophy of improving society by means of improving each individual.

ARTICLE II - OPERATION

SECTION I: NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society shall be operated as a non-profit organization. an operational account for the function of the organization shall be established in accordance with university policy.

SECTION II: EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION

alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society shall be operated on the basis of enhancing the education of its members.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

SECTION I: OPEN MEMBERSHIP

membership shall be open to students of the university of texas at austin regardless of race, national origin, creed or political affiliation, sex (in accordance with title IX), sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or veteran's status.

SECTION II: LIMITED MEMBERSHIP

membership is limited to students and/or faculty of the university of texas at austin.

SECTION III: MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

in addition to article III, section II, members must also fulfill the following requirements:

  • 1 - all members must maintain an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 or better
  • 2 - all members must have no more than 2 unexcused absences from scheduled general meetings during the semester - the vice-president may grant an excused absence if deemed necessary
  • 3 - all members must submit dues by the third scheduled general meeting of the semester - or only the fall semester if paying yearly
  • 4 - all members must attend the one mandatory general meeting of the semester, if one - again, the vice-president may grant an excused absence if deemed necessary
  • 5 - all members must attend the annual spring banquet - again, the vice-president may grant an excused absence if deemed necessary
  • 6 - all members must submit an unofficial transcript from the university of texas at austin at the end of the spring semester to verify GPA and enrollment status.
  • 7 - all current pledges must also complete the following requirements:
  • a) turn in written verification to the volunteer coordinator of at least 10 hours of volunteer activities for the semester - 5 of these hours must be sponsored by alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society
  • b) attend at least 2 social events during the semester - written verification must be handed over to the social director
  • c) *pay dues: $50 per year or $30 per semester - yearly dues include a free alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society t-shirt
  • 8 - all current actives must also complete the following requirements:
  • a) turn in written verification to the volunteer coordinator of at least 6 hours of volunteer activities for the semester - 3 of these hours must be sponsored by alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society
  • b) attend at least 2 social events during the semester - written verification must be handed over to the social director
  • c) *pay dues: $35 per year or $20 per semester - yearly dues include a free alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society t-shirt
    • * 4.24.01 following amendment 2, active members voted to raise dues by $10

    SECTION IV: PLEDGES

    those seeking membership in alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society who are students and/or faculty of The university of texas at austin but do not fulfill one or all of the other membership requirements outlined in ARTICLE III, SECTION III in the previous semester, shall be designated as "pledges" for the upcoming semester.

    SECTION V: ACTIVES

    those seeking membership in alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society who are students and/or faculty of The university of texas at austin and fulfill all of the other membership requirements outlined in ARTICLE III, SECTION III in the previous semester, shall be designated as 'actives' for the upcoming semester. actives will receive all the honors, privileges, and responsibilities associated with being an active member of the society.

    SECTION VI: NEW MEMBERS

    all new members will be designated as 'pledges' for the present semester.

    SECTION VII: TRANSFER MEMBERS

    members of alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society who transfer to another university or college during their active semester and later return to the university of texas at austin shall retain their active status in the organization during the first semester back.

    SECTION VIII: BANQUET MEMBERSHIP INVITATIONS

    only active members and newly activated members will be invited to attend the annual spring banquet free of charge.

    ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

    SECTION I: REQUIREMENTS

    all officers are responsible for meeting the same requirements set forth for active members including payment of dues and fulfillment of social, volunteer, and attendance requirements. officers must also attend most, if not all, of the executive committee meetings.

    SECTION II: ELECTED OFFICERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

    alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society executive committee will consist of the following elected officers and the executive advisor. each officer's absolute responsibilities are listed below the office. president

  • 1 - oversee the executive committee and the actions of the vice-president and subordinates
  • 2 - act as chief liaison to other groups and organizations
  • 3 - responsible for the actions of the officers and any other offices/committees created under his/her jurisdiction
  • 4 - serve on the health professions council of the university of texas at austin
  • 5 - be familiar with the constitution of alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society and handle all amendment procedures when necessary
  • 6 - conduct the spring officer election following the procedures outlined in

    • SECTIONS III & IV

    vice-president

  • 1 - responsible for maintaining the finances of alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society, bank accounts, making withdrawals/deposits, disbursements, etc.
  • 2 - keep track of attendance at all general meetings
  • 3 - maintain an updated account of membership
  • 4 - responsible for sending e-mail about upcoming general meetings
  • 5 - coordinate fundraising activities, if any
  • 6 - responsible for designing and printing certificates for spring banquet

    • programming director

  • 1 - responsible for arranging appropriate speakers for each meeting
  • 2 - acquire necessary media equipment from the media center
  • 3 - plan trips to medical schools
  • 4 - set up CPR classes
  • 5 - serve as medical examiner's office contact

    • officer candidate coordinator

  • 1 - oversee officer candidate program
  • 2 - keep records of officer candidate requirements and notify executive committee of eligible candidates for the spring elections
  • 3 - set program criteria each year and gain approval of the criteria by the executive committee

    • historian

  • 1 - document alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society functions with sufficient photos
  • 2 - maintain the scrapbook
  • 3 - create and maintain the alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society web page

    • secretary

  • 1 - responsible for publishing an upcoming events newsletter for members at each general meeting, if necessary
  • 2 - take minutes at every officer and general meeting, sending them via e-mail to members after presidential approval

    • scholarship director

  • 1 - generate and maintain scholarships for members
  • 2 - coordinate activities that will promote academic achievement of members
  • 3 - maintain the test bank for members
  • 4 - coordinate Mock MCAT and serve as contact for MCAT preparatory businesses

    • volunteer coordinator

  • 1 - coordinate volunteer activities for members
  • 2 - keep track of volunteer hours
  • 3 - serve as brakenridge hospital contact

    • social director

  • 1 - responsible for mixers and other social activities
  • 2 - keep track of social attendance
  • 3 - plan the annual spring banquet

    • advertising director

  • 1 - responsible for advertising of Alpha Phi Sigma Pre-medical Honor Society through the use of flyers, signs, newspaper ads, and any other means available.
  • 2 - coordinate West Mall activities as well as any other public recruiting events

    • executive advisor

  • 1 - responsible for knowing the history of the organization
  • 2 - answer questions of executive committee and members
  • 3- must have held office of president in previous year

    • SECTION III: ELECTION PROCEDURES AND ELIGIBILITY

    elections will be held at the final general meeting of the spring semester. all officer positions will be open except for the executive advisor. the president from the previous year serves as the executive advisor. only those members who are officers in the current semester or members that have completed the officer candidate program set forth by the officer candidate coordinator will be eligible to run for an office. only those members who are officers in the current semester may run for president or vice-president of alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society. all officers must obtain their active status for the next semester in order to run for office again.

    SECTION IV: VOTING ELIGIBILITY AND BALLOT COUNTING

    only active members of the organization will be allowed to vote in the officer elections. a candidate must receive the highest percentage of the popular vote among other candidates running for the particular office in order to be elected to that office. ballots will be counted by the outgoing president and all officers choosing not run for an office in the next year. if every officer is running for an office in the next year, two active members will be assigned by the executive committee to aid the president in counting the ballots.

    SECTION V: REMOVING AN OFFICER

    elected officers who fail to uphold the responsibilities of their office may be voted out of office. this requires a 2/3-majority of the executive committee. the executive advisor may not be removed from office.

    SECTION VI: REPLACING AN OFFICER

    if an officer is removed from or is unable to carry on responsibilities of the office, the executive committee may appoint a replacement officer. a 2/3-majority is necessary. the replacement officer will carry on the duties of the office until the spring election. the replacement officer must have completed the officer candidate program in the previous semester, if possible.

    SECTION VII: REPLACING A PRESIDENT OR VICE-PRESIDENT

    if the president is removed from or is unable to carry on responsibilities of the office, the vice-president will assume responsibilities of the president. the executive committee will appoint a new vice-president from the existing officers. a 2/3-majority is necessary. A new officer may then be appointed following the guidelines set forth in ARTICLE IV, SECTION VI. likewise, if the vice-president is removed from or is unable to carry on responsibilities of the office, the executive committee will appoint a new vice-president from the existing officers. a 2/3-majority is necessary. a new officer may then be appointed following the guidelines set forth in ARTICLE IV, SECTION VI

    SECTION VIII: TERM LIMIT

    the president and vice-president may only serve one term in their particular office. if appointed to the position or if inherited, the person may run again for the office, but only for the immediate upcoming year. other offices may be run for again by the existing officer as long as the officer maintains active status in the organization.

    ARTICLE V - MEETINGS

    SECTION I: GENERAL MEETINGS

    the executive committee will schedule general meetings for each semester. they will be held on tuesdays, usually every other week. holidays and special events or circumstances may change the scheduling.

    SECTION II: OFFICER MEETINGS

    officer meetings will be held every week on tuesdays. on the days of a general meeting, the meetings will begin an hour before the general meeting. again, holidays and special events or circumstances may change the scheduling. special officer meetings may be called if deemed necessary by the president or by request of at least three other officers on the executive committee. all officers are expected to attend scheduled and special officer meetings as well as general meetings.

    SECTION III: MANDATORY GENERAL MEETINGS

    only one general meeting in a semester may be mandatory if deemed necessary by the executive committee. when hosting a medical school on campus, a general meeting may be made mandatory. the vice-president may excuse an absence of a member.

    ARTICLE VI - COMMITTEES

    SECTION I: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    the executive committee consists of the elected officers outlined in ARTICLE IV, SECTION II including the executive advisor.

    SECTION II: SPECIAL COMMITTEES

    the president may appoint special committees for special projects and/or tasks. these committees will be dissolved upon the completing of the projects and/or tasks.

    ARTICLE VII - INITIAL APPROVAL AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS

    SECTION I: INITIAL APPROVAL

    initial approval of this constitution will require a 2/3-majority of the executive committee followed by a 2/3-majority vote of the active members of the organization to be passed.

    SECTION II: AMENDMENTS

  • 1 - at least one meetings notice of a proposed amendment to this Constitution shall be given to all active members and the executive committee
  • 2 - amendments shall require a 2/3-majority of the executive committee followed by a 2/3-majority vote of the active members of the organization to be passed.
  • 3 - any active member may present amendment proposals to the executive committee for voting.

    • ARTICLE VIII - DISSOLUTION

    SECTION I: DISSOLVING THE CONSTITUTION OR ORGANIZATION

    a 2/3-majority of the executive committee followed by a 2/3-majority vote of the active members of the organization is required to dissolve this constitution or alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society.

    SECTION II: DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS

    if alpha phi sigma pre-medical honor society is dissolved by the procedure outlined in ARTICLE VIII, SECTION I, all funds of the organization both in the student organization bank account and any not already deposited will be evenly dispersed among all active members, minus that spent paying any outstanding debts or necessary reimbursements.

    AMENDMENT 1: OFFICERS MISSING MEETINGS

  • 1 - every officer is allowed one absence from an Officer Meeting per semester without an excuse IF the officer contacts the president 48 hours in advance. they must have their scheduled tasks prepared and given to someone to announce at the officer meeting.
  • 2 - no Officer is allowed to miss a general meeting or an officer meeting past the one discussed in (1). the only viable reasons for an absence are a test that cannot be rescheduled, illness/personal injury, medical school interviews, or a family crisis/emergency.
  • 3 - if an absence occurs during a general meeting or in addition to the one allowed for an officer meeting, the absentee will have a chance to explain their absence at the next officer meeting and the officers will decide by a concealed vote if the reason is a valid or non-valid one.
  • 4 - if an officer needs to leave early from a meeting, the committee will also vote on the validity of the excuse. 48 hour notification to the president is mandatory.
  • 5 - if the reason is found non-valid by a 2/3 majority of the executive committee, then the officer in question will be removed from their office.
  • * approved by executive council on 23rd of february in the year of 1999.
  • * approved by active members on 2nd of march in the year of 1999.

    • AMENDMENT 2: CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF DUES

  • 1-At least one meetings' notice of a proposed increase or decrease in the amount of yearly and/or biyearly dues shall be given to all active members and the executive committee.
  • 2-The proposed fee change will require a 2/3-majority of the executive committee followed by a 2/3-majority vote of the active members of the organization to be passed.
  • 3-Any active member may present proposed fee changes to the executive committee for voting.

    • AMENDMENT 3: RESTRUCTURING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Vice-President

  • a) Responsible for maintaining the finances of Alpha Phi Sigma Pre-Medical Honor Society, bank accounts, making withdrawals/deposits, disbursements, etc.
  • b) Maintain an updated account of membership
  • c) Responsible for sending e-mail about upcoming general meetings
  • d) Coordinate fundraising activities, if any
  • e) Responsible for maintaining budget in accordance with the needs of the members of the executive committee and any other committees of Alpha Phi Sigma Pre-Medical Honor Society.

    • Secretary

  • a) Keep track of attendance at all general meetings
  • b) Take minutes at every officer and general meeting, sending them via e-mail to members after presidential approval
  • c) Responsible for publishing an upcoming events sheet for members at each general meeting, if necessary

    • Advertising Director

  • a) Responsible for advertising of Alpha Phi Sigma Pre-Medical Honor Society through the use of flyers, signs, newspaper ads, newsletters and any other means available.
  • b) Coordinate West Mall activities as well as any other public recruiting event
  • c) Responsible for designing and printing aps t-shirts and certificates for the spring banquet

    • ------------------------------------------------------------------------- written and edited by ryan tedford, alpha phi sigma president 1998-1999 approved by executive council on 8th of September in the year of 1998 consisting of: ryan tedford, president allison thies, vice-president ricky taboada, programming director aaron gonzalez, officer candidate coordinator karina campos, historian frances baca, advertising director summer watson, volunteer coordinator lauren fitzgerald, social Ddirector ximena alvarez, scholarship director dina goldshteyn, secretary darius buzenas, executive advisor approved by active members on 6th of october in the year of 1998.