Bylaws & Meeting Minutes

Postdoctoral Association

Uniformed Services University

Minutes & Bylaws

Minutes

April 4th, 2013                                January 24th, 2014                     January 20th, 2015
May 2nd, 2013February 10th, 2014February 24th, 2015
December 16th, 2013February 24th, 2014March 17th, 2015
 March 18th, 2014April 28th, 2015
 April 15th, 2014May 19th, 2015
 May 20th, 2014June 16th, 2015
 August 19th, 2014July 21st, 2015
 October 21st, 2014 August 18th, 2015
 November 18th, 2014September 15th, 2015
   October 20th, 2015
   November 17th, 2015

 

   December 16th, 2015
   

January 19th, 2016

  

February 16th, 2016

  

March 15th, 2016

  
   

 

 

BYLAWS OF THE POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATION AT UNIFORMED SERVICES UNIVERSITY OF THE HEALTH SCIENCES

 

Drafted January 2013

Ratified October 2013
 
 

 

ARTICLE I- NAME AND MISSION
  1.1  Name
      The name of the organization shall be the “Postdoctoral Association at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.” For the purpose of brevity, the name may be abbreviated as the USUHS-PDA.
 
  1.2 Mission Statement
      The mission of the USUHS-PDA is as follows:
 

        a.       To support and enhance the training experience of USUHS postdoctoral fellows.

        b.      To promote academic and social interactions among USUHS postdoctoral fellows.

        c.       To act as a liaison between the USUHS postdoctoral fellows and the USUHS administration.

        d.      To disseminate information of interest or relevance to the USUHS postdoctoral fellows.

 

 
ARCILE II- MEMBERSHIP
 
  2.1 Membership
 
      Membership to the USUHS-PDA shall consist of Individual Members.
 
 
  2.2 Membership Eligibility     
 

        a.       All current postdoctoral fellows located at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and AFRRI.

        b.      A USUHS postdoctoral fellow is defined as an individual who holds a doctoral degree (Ph.D, M.D. or equivalent degree) and is involved in a temporary period of mentored research training at USUHS.

        c.       Members will not be required to pay dues to the USUHS-PDA. However, members may be required to cover their individual costs at certain events.
 
 
  2.3 Individual Members
      Individual members include voting members and non-voting members.

        a.       Individual Voting Members are individuals who attend at least 50% of the General Meetings and actively participate in 50% of USUHS-PDA sponsored events. Individual voting members are eligible to vote in all USUHS-PDA elections, serve on membership committees, and are eligible for nomination and election to the Executive Committee (as defined in ARTICLE III).

        b.      Individual Non-Voting Members are individuals who are affiliated with the USUHS-PDA but do not meet the 50% attendance and/or participation in USUHS-PDA sponsored events. These individual non-voting members are not eligible to vote in any USUHS-PDA elections. Individual non-voting members may be given additional privileges by the Executive Committee when it is deemed necessary.
 
ARTICLE III- GOVERNANCE
 
  3.1 Board of Directors
 
      The business, affairs, property, and funds of the USUHS-PDA shall be managed and governed by a Board of Directors of 9 persons. The Board of Directors shall comprise of 8 postdoctoral members and 1 faculty advisor to USUHS-PDA.  These members shall also serve as the executive committee for the first year and/or until an elected executive committee is established. Thereafter, the Board of Directors will consist of the Co-Presidents and the current faculty advisor. The role of the Board of Directors is to directly interact with the faculty advisor and help guide the Executive Committee in all capacities. Members of the Board of Directors may serve for no more than 2 years.
 
 
 
  3.2 Executive Committee
 
      The USUHS-PDA shall be governed by an elected executive committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of five officers: two Co-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and a FelCom Representative.
 

        a. The Executive Committee will meet no fewer than 10 times per year.

        b. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to make decisions concerning the strategy and budget of the USUHS-PDA and to form new committees as necessary with the input of the Board of Directors. A majority of Executive Committee members and Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum and all action should be taken by majority vote.

        c. The general duties of all Executive Committee members shall include:

        d. Representation of the USUHS-PDA membership.

        e. Organization of and attendance at general meetings of the USUHS-PDA.

        f. Organization of and attendance at monthly Executive Committee meetings.

        g. Report to the Board of Directors.

        h. The duties specific to the individual Officers shall be in addition to the general duties of the Executive Committee.
 
 
 
  3.3 Co-Presidents
 
      The specific duties of the Co-Presidents are:
 

        a.) Act as chief officers of the Executive Committee.

        b.) Outline the yearly goals of the USUHSPDA at the January General Meeting.

        c.) Ensure that the USUHS-PDA is making progress towards its mission.

        d.) Set the agenda and preside over all Executive Committee meetings.

        e.) Set the agenda and preside over monthly General Meetings of the USUHS-PDA in accordance with the guidelines herein.

        f.) Ensure that USUHS-PDA members are notified of the time and location of General Meetings.

        g.) Ensure that business conducted by the Executive Committee is reported to the USUHS-PDA membership at General Meetings.

        h.) Ensure that information from the General Meetings is communicated to the USUHS-PDA membership.

        i.) Ensure the timely appointment of committee chairs and election of officers.

        j.) Make appointments and delegate responsibilities upon advice and consent of the Executive Committee.

        k.) Represent the USUHS-PDA in meetings with USUHS Faculty and Administration.

        l.) May divide the duties of this office in any way they deem acceptable.
 
 
 
  3.4 Secretary
 
      The specific duties of the Secretary are:
 

        a. Schedule and plan the logistics of all Executive Committee and General Meetings.

        b. Record minutes from all Executive Committee and General Meetings.

        c. Distribute minutes to USUHS-PDA membership after Executive Committee approval.

        d. Maintain archive of approved minutes.

        e. Maintain attendance records for General Meetings.
 
 
 
  3.5 Treasurer
 
      The specific duties of the Treasurer are:
 

        a. Supervise the receipt and disbursement of any funds for the USUHS-PDA.

        b. Maintain a record of any and all financial transactions of the USUHS-PDA.

        c. Prepare an annual financial report and budget for the USUHS Administration

        d. Oversee all fundraising efforts by the USUHS-PDA.
 
 
 
  3.6 FelCom Representative
 
      The specific duties of the FelCom Representative are:
 

        a. Attend monthly FelCom meetings.

        b. Serve on at least one FelCom subcommittee.

        c. Provide written and oral reports on FelCom activities at the USUHS-PDA General Meetings.

        d. Disseminate information on FelCom events to USUHS-PDA members.
 
 
 
  3.7 Regulation of Executive Committee
 
      Each Officer shall serve for a term of 12 months. Terms of office shall begin one month after election and newly elected Officers shall attend all Executive Committee functions during the month between the election and the beginning of their term in office. In the case of an Officer’s prolonged absence, incapacity or resignation, the duties or office of the affected Officer may be reassigned by a decision of the Executive Committee until the vacancy is filled during the annual elections. Executive Committee members who miss three consecutive Executive Committee meetings without prior notice to the Executive Committee may be replaced at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Only individual voting members may be nominated for election to office.
 
      Nominations for each office will be accepted at the September General Meetings and be emailed for seven (7) days following the September General Meeting. Nominees must submit a short statement of no more than 200 words to be distributed to the USUHS-PDA membership no later than 15 days prior to the October General Meeting. Elections will be held by secret ballot at the October General Meeting according to the following procedure:
 

        a. Pre-printed ballots will be distributed to all attendees.

        b. Candidates for each office will have the opportunity to address the USUHS-PDA members and USUHS-PDA members will have the opportunity to discuss the candidates. The order for the address and subsequent discussions will be i.) Co-President candidate(s), ii.) Secretary candidate(s), iii) Treasurer candidate(s), and iiii) FelCom Representative candidate(s).

        c. Candidates will leave the room to allow discussion among USUHS-PDA members. To illustrate, all candidates for the office of Co-President will address the General Meeting attendees and then leave the room. At the conclusion of any discussion, the Co-President candidates may re-enter the meeting room so they may participate in the discussion for the other offices.

        d. Ballots will be completed immediately following the addresses/discussion and given to the faculty advisor.

        e. Votes will be tabulated by the faculty advisor and Board of Directors.

        f. Officers will be elected by a simple majority vote of the USUHS-PDA members present at this General Meeting. In the event of a tie the recent elected committee members will decide on the new officer.
 
 
      USUHS-PDA members who are unable to attend the October General Meeting may obtain an advance ballot from the faculty advisor. Advance ballots may be completed no later than 10 days prior to the October General Meeting and no late than 5 pm on the Tuesday preceding the October General Meeting. All compiled advance ballots should be delivered to the faculty advisor.
 
 
ARTICLE IV- MEETINGS
 

  4.1 Notice of monthly General Meetings shall be provided electronically at least ten (10) days before the time selected for the meeting. Special Meetings of the USUHS-PDA may be called by the Co-Presidents at any time upon recommendation of the Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors. Notice of Special Meetings shall be provided electronically at least five days before the appointed meeting.

  4.2 The monthly General Meetings of the USUHS-PDA shall be established by the executive committee.

  4.3 General meetings of the USUHS-PDA shall follow the following order of business:

        a.       Meeting called to order

        b.      Approval of previous meeting minutes

        c.       Announcements from USUHS-PDA Officers

        d.      Presentations from other organizations for distribution to USU fellows (when scheduled)

        e.       Reports from USUHS-PDA committee chairs

        f.       Old/unfinished business

        g.      New business

        h.      Adjournment

 
 

ARTICLE V- COMMITTEES

 

  Committees to investigate and recommend action on matters that concern USUHS-PDA shall be created by nomination and majority vote of those present at the regular general meeting or by decision of the Executive Committee and/or Board of Directors. The committees will be comprised of members of the USUHS-PDA. Committee chair positions will be for a term of one year and upcoming vacancies will be announced at the General Meeting one month before the end of the term. Co-chairs are permissible. In the event that more than a single individual volunteer to chair a committee and they want to act as sole chair, an election will be held and the winner decided by a simple majority vote of the attendees at the next General Meeting. The duties of a committee and its power to act on certain decisions shall be outlined at its formation and shall be approved by the USUHS-PDA membership, the Executive Committee and/or the Board of Directors.

 

 

ARTICLE VI- BYLAWS MODIFICATIONS

 

  These Bylaws shall be considered provisional until ratification by a two-thirds vote of the USUHS-PDA attendees at a General Meeting. Each current member of the USUHS-PDA must be familiar with these bylaws and agree that their activities as members are bound by them. Changes to the Bylaws can be made at any time following discussion at a regularly scheduled General Meeting and a vote of the USUHS-PDA membership. Proposed changes to the Bylaws should be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee no later than 2 weeks prior to the next scheduled General Meeting. The proposed changes should then be distributed to the USUHS-PDA membership no later than 10 days prior to the next scheduled General Meeting and an announcement should be made about the time, day and location at which they will be discussed. All proposed changes will be discussed and can be approved by a two-thirds vote of the USUHS-PDA attendees at the next scheduled General Meeting. When significant changes are made to the Bylaws, all members of the USUHS-PDA must have access to the revised text.

 

 

ARTICLE VII- UNIVERSITY FACULTY ADVISOR

 

  The Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the USUHS-PDA will nominate and invite a USUHS faculty member to act as the USUHS-PDA faculty advisor.

 

 

ARTICLE VIII- RATIFICATION

 

  The ratification of the conventions of the USUHS-PDA shall be sufficient for the establishment of these Bylaws between the USUHS-PDA representatives so ratifying the same.