The name of this organization shall be the Basic Medical Sciences Student Organization (BMSSO).

The purpose of the BMSSO is to unify the Basic Medical Sciences program in its interaction with the faculty of the Basic Medical Sciences, the College of Medicine, the rest of the university, the scientific community, and the community at large.

The BMSSO shall consist of all students seeking the Ph.D. degree in Basic Medical Sciences at the University of South Alabama, membership being conferred automatically upon matriculation.

a) President

b) Vice President

c) Secretary-Treasurer

a) Elections of officers - During August of each year, the President and Vice President will call for nominations for President and Secretary-Treasurer. Members have 30 days to submit nominations for President and Secretary-Treasurer to their representatives who will provide these to the President. The President shall be elected through written ballot by a plurality vote of all returned ballots. The runner-up shall automatically becomeVice

President unless declined. If the office of Vice President is declined, then a separate nomination and election will occur within a time not to exceed 14 days. Upon election, the candidates will become President elect, Vice President elect, and Secretary-Treasurer elect and become non-voting members of the Governing Council. These officers will assume office immediately following elections and will remain in office for one (1) year

b) Elections for Departmental representatives will be conducted by the President and Vice President during the fall semester. One representative from each department shall be elected by a majority vote of all graduate students committed to the department.

Departmental representatives will assume office immediately following elections and will remain in office for one (1) year.

c) The matriculating class shall select by majority vote a member to represent all non-committed graduate students. This At Large representative shall remain in office concurrent with the Departmental representatives.

d) The Governing Council shall select by majority vote a member of the BMSSO to act as Standards Board representative. The term of office shall continue until completion of graduate program or fulfillment of duties.

a) President - must have completed one (1) full year of graduate training since matriculation into the graduate program upon assumption of office.

b) Vice President - must have completed one (1) full year of graduate training since matriculation into the graduate program upon assumption of office.

c) Secretary-Treasurer - must be a member of the BMSSO.

d) Departmental representatives - must be committed to the department of representation.

e) At Large representative - must be a member of the BMSSO.

f) Standards Board representative must have completed and passed the appropriate departmental qualifying examinations.

g) Members must be in good academic standing with the University in order to be elected to office.

a) Should the office of President be vacated the Vice President shall assume the office of

President and the Governing Council shall appoint a new Vice President from the membership to serve until the next monthly meeting of the Governing Council when a special election for Vice President may be held.

b) Should the office of Vice President or Secretary-Treasurer be vacated, the Governing

Council shall appoint a member of the BMSSO to fill the vacancy until the next monthly meeting of the Governing Council when a special election for that office may be held.

c) Should the office of Departmental representative be vacated, the departmental graduate students shall convene and elect a new representative to serve until the annual election in fall.

d) Should the At Large representative be vacated, the Governing Council will select a replacement at the next monthly meeting to serve until the annual election in the fall.

a) The President, Vice President, or Secretary-Treasurer may be removed from office by a three fourths vote for removal by the entire membership of the BMSSO at a specially called meeting.

b) A Departmental representative may be removed from office by a three-fourths vote of removal by the graduate members of that department.

c) The At Large representative may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Governing Council.

d) Automatic removal from office may be instituted if the President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, or any student representative has 2 unexcused absences from scheduled meetings. Excuses should be submitted for review to the President no later than one day prior to the scheduled meeting. If the President must be absent, his/her excuse should be turned into the faculty advisor no later than one day prior to the scheduled meeting.

a) to direct the general policy of the BMSSO and transact such other business as pertains to the BMSSO.

b) to establish ad hoc committees.

c) to pass bylaws and resolutions when necessary.

d) to supervise all elections and votes concerning the government of the BMSSO.

e) to elect a Standard Board representative.

f) to maintain and enforce the Honor System of the College of Medicine.

a) to be a spokesman for the BMSSO.

b) to chair all Governing Council and special meetings.

c) to vote at meetings of the BMSSO in order to make or break ties.

d) to call special meetings of the BMSSO or Governing Council.

e) to appoint special committees and define their duties, these committees shall be dissolved at the end of the term of office of the appointing President unless their commission is completed at a sooner date or unless continued by the new President.

f) to perform other such duties delegated to him/her by the membership or Governing Council.

g) to ensure that all elected officers carry out their appointed duties.

a) to chair BMSSO and Governing Council meetings in the absence of the President.

b) to perform other such duties delegated to him/her by the President.

a) to conduct financial matters of the BMSSO and maintain financial records subject to audit. to take minutes of all BMSSO and Governing Council meetings and see that each member receives a copy of the minutes of these meetings. The form of the minutes shall be: date, time, and location of meeting type of meeting name of chair record of all motions record of all official acts to handle the records and correspondence of the BMSSO.

a) to represent their departments at the Governing Council meetings.

b) to keep their respective departments informed of the decisions of the Governing Council.

c) to be a voting member of the Governing Council.

a) to represent those students who have not committed to a department at the Governing Council meetings.

b) to keep same students informed of the decisions of the Governing Council.

c) to be a voting member of the Governing Council.

a) the President.

b) a majority of the Governing Council.

c) a petition of 25% of the membership submitted to the President.

a) consist of officers, Departmental representatives, At Large representative, and any student requested to attend by the President.

b) be open to all members of BMSSO.

c) conduct official business only when a quorum of voting members and one officer are present.

d) have as order of business:

call to order

reading and approval of minutes

treasurer's report

reports of standing committees

reports of special committees

old business

new business

announcements

adjournment

a) each member may introduce resolutions, a written copy having been presented to the chair prior to a meeting.

b) resolutions are passed on a 50% vote plus one of the Governing Council.

c) passed resolutions will be drafted in a letter explaining the resolution and signed by the President.

d) signed resolutions will be dispersed by the Secretary-Treasurer to the Faculty Advisor and the Director of the graduate program.

a) A quorum of the BMSSO shall be greater than 50% of its membership, or greater than 25%, with two-thirds the Governing Council in attendance.

b) A quorum of the Governing Council shall consist of two-thirds of the voting members and at least one officer.

Should the Governing Council take such action that is deemed unfavorable to the membership, a special meeting of the BMSSO should be called in the above prescribed manner to discuss the issue. Decisions of the Governing Council may be changed by majority vote at a special meeting.

All debates and votes, unless stated otherwise herein, shall be conducted and settled by Robert's Rules of Parliamentary Procedure.

Approved by Student Body

June, 1991

Ratifications made by Student Body

October, 2004