Drafted 01-31-04
1.1 The full name of this organization shall be Region IV of the American Medical Association-Medical Student Section (AMA-MSS). It shall be referred to in this document as Region IV.
2.1 The purpose of the Medical Student Section shall be to provide medical student participation in the activities of the American Medical Association through adherence to the following principles:
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to have meaningful input into the decision and policymaking process of the Association;
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to improve medical education and to further professional excellence;
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to involve medical students in addressing and solving the problems of health care and health care delivery and to provide a forum for the discussion and dissemination of information;
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to develop medical leadership;
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to initiate and effect necessary change;
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to promote high personal and professional ethics, and a humanistic approach to the delivery of quality patient care;
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to promote activity within organized medicine on the local, state, and national levels;
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to work cooperatively with other student groups to meet these objectives.
3.1 Membership shall be limited to those medical students who attend medical allopathic or osteopathic schools in the following states and territory: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee.
3.2 The membership is further limited to those students mentioned in 3.1 who are members in good standing of the AMA.
3.3 Terms of and the eligibility for the membership in the AMA shall be governed by the bylaws of the AMA.
3.4 No dues in addition to those paid to the AMA shall be required to be a member, although each chapter shall be permitted to contribute funds to the Region as recommended by the Region Chair.
4.1 Region IV shall have the following Officers: Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer
4.2 Responsibilities of the Chair shall include:
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Presiding over the Meetings of the Region
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Interpreting these Bylaws
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Maintaining communication with the Governing Council (GC) of the AMA-MSS
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Maintaining communication with State leaders
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Representing the Region to other student groups both within and outside of the AMA
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Appointment of a Region Meeting Coordinator
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Development of the agenda for all meetings
4.3 Responsibilities of the Vice-Chair shall include:
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Assisting the Chair in all his duties
- Assuming the Office of the Chair in case of the Chair’s inability to serve until such time as the Chair resumes his duties
- Serving as Parliamentarian for regional meetings
4.4 Responsibilities of the Secretary-Treasurer shall include:
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Keeping minutes of regional meetings
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Assisting the Regional Meeting Coordinator with acquiring and managing funding for the annual regional meeting
4.5 The term of Office shall be 1 year, commencing at the close of each Annual Meeting of the AMA-MSS. Individuals are eligible to run for re-election to each of these positions for one additional year.
4.6 The Chair shall direct the programs and activities of Region IV. During the interval between meetings of the AMA House of Delegates and the Region, the Chair shall act on behalf of Region IV in formulating decisions related to the development, administration, and implementation of student activities, programs, goals, and objectives. Region IV, during such interim periods, shall be notified via email on the Region IV listserve and at the Region IV meetings of actions taken by the Officers on its behalf.
4.7 The total length of service in these positions shall not exceed 2 years. A term of service of greater than 6 months shall count as a full year.
4.8 In case of vacancy in the Office of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall assume all responsibilities. In case of vacancy in the Office of Vice-Chair, Region IV members shall elect a replacement at the next Meeting.
4.9 Rule 4.7 may be waived, if the enforcement of the said rule would render all declared candidates ineligible to serve.
5.1 Region IV shall elect at each Interim Meeting of the AMA-MSS such number of Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the AMA House of Delegates for which it qualifies under the AMA Bylaws.
5.2 The term of Office shall begin at the opening of the AMA-HOD Annual Meeting. At that time, the Delegates shall take seats with their State delegations. The said term shall last for 1 year.
5.3 No person may stand for election to Delegate or Alternate Delegate unless he presents a written endorsement from his State’s medical society.
5.4 Delegates and Alternate Delegates shall run as a ticket for their Offices. The Delegate and Alternate Delegate candidates on each ticket shall be from the same State.
5.5 In no event shall more than one person from the same State assume the Office of Delegate.
5.6 No person may stand for election for the office of Delegate unless he has attended at least one AMA-MSS National Meeting prior to the Meeting at which the said election shall take place.
5.7 Election procedures shall be as follows:
5.7.1 Each school in Region IV shall cast one ballot with (n) number of votes cast for different Delegate/Alternate Delegate tickets, with (n) being the number of Delegate/Alternate Delegate tickets assigned to the Region as in section 5.1. The votes for each ticket shall then be totaled, and the (n) tickets with the highest number of votes shall be elected.
5.7.2 Run-off elections shall be conducted in the event of a tie for the final ticket by holding a second ballot containing all the tickets tied for the final position, with one vote cast by each school in the region. If there remains a tie for the last slot in such a run-off election, a marked ballot containing the vote of the Chair will determine the winning ticket.
5.7.3 If an equal number of tickets declare for Delegate and Alternate Delegate as positions are available, then each ticket shall be elected by acclamation.
5.7.4 In the event that a fewer number of tickets run for positions than there are positions available, then the tickets running shall be elected by acclamation and the remaining positions shall be appointed by the Chair.
5.8 Any vacancies in these Offices shall be filled by appointment by the Chair.
5.9 The total length of service in these positions shall not exceed 2 years. A term of service of greater than 6 months shall count as a full year.
5.10 Rules 5.4, 5.5, and 5.6 may be waived at the discretion of the Chair if through the enforcement of the said rules Region IV would not be able to elect the number of Delegates or Alternates to which it would otherwise be entitled.
VI. Elections for Regional Officers
6.1 Each election shall be decided by the simple majority vote in accordance with the voting procedures set forth in these bylaws. In the event of more than two people contesting an office, with no candidate getting the requisite number of votes, a run-off vote shall be held between the two candidates with the most votes. In the event of a tie in the run-off election, a marked ballot containing the vote of the Chair shall determine the winner.
6.2 Each candidate may declare up to the point of election. However, only those candidates that declare by the date specified by the Chair shall be able to post their CV and Personal Statement on the Region IV listserv.
6.3 All candidates shall be restricted to distribution of their CV and personal statement. No other insignia or campaign materials shall be allowed. Travel to other State Meetings is expressly forbidden, unless a candidate also serves in such a capacity that requires him to undertake travel for such attendance.
6.4 Candidates shall be given 2 minutes to speak and 2 minutes to answer questions of the membership of the Region IV prior to the balloting. Time may be extended at the discretion of the Chair.
6.5 The Parliamentarian will be responsible for conducting and overseeing the election process. In the event of an instance during the election process not covered by these bylaws, the chair shall be empowered to make a ruling in the best interest of the Region.
7.1 Region IV shall meet at the Interim and Annual Meetings of the AMA-MSS and at one additional time during the year at such time as designated by the Chair.
7.2 Members shall be given 90 days notice of the Regional Meeting that occurs at a time other than the Annual or Interim Meeting of the AMA-MSS.
7.3 Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting meetings on a more frequent basis.
8.1 One-third of all chapters within Region IV shall constitute a quorum, provided that at least 3 states are represented.
8.2 The Chair shall have the power to declare those chapters that have missed 2 consecutive meetings to be inactive for the purposes of quorum only. Inactive chapters shall not count towards the total number of chapters when determining quorum. A chapter shall become active automatically upon sending a delegate to any of the Region IV meetings.
9.1 All decisions regarding Region business, its endorsements of candidates or resolutions or any other matters shall be decided by a simple majority vote by a show of hands, unless otherwise specified in these bylaws or determined by the Chair.
10.1 Each campus plus each of its branch campuses shall be allowed said number of voting delegates as it has been allotted for the AMA-MSS House of Delegates, in accordance with AMA Bylaws (B-7.3212 and 7.32121). This shall be operative for elections of Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer, any resolutions introduced for regional support, amendment to these bylaws, and any other business regarding the region.
10.2 For voting procedures for Delegates and Alternate Delegates to the AMA House of Delegates, refer to section 5.7.
11.1 The Chair, with input from the Vice-Chair, shall from time to time jointly appoint such committees as deemed appropriate and necessary for the proper functioning of Region IV.
11.2 The committees shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Chair of Region IV and shall produce such reports as are requested of them by the Chair.
11.3 All committees shall be deemed dissolved at the close of each Annual Meeting of the AMA-MSS.
12.1 The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure - Alice Sturgis, shall be the governing parliamentary authority for all Regional meetings.
13.1 These bylaws may be amended by a vote of 2/3 of the members at a Region IV meeting pursuant to Rule 10.1.
13.2 All amendments shall be submitted in either written or electronic form to the chair for distribution to the members at a regional meeting. Amendments must be submitted by the deadline designated by the Chair prior to the meeting to be considered for adoption. Amendments that are not submitted by the posted deadline will be heard at the next business meeting of the Region.
13.3 All amendments needed to bring these bylaws in compliance with those of the AMA and/or the AMA-MSS shall be automatic. The membership must be made aware of such changes pursuant to Rule 4.5 through notification by the Chair.
XIV. Supremacy and Severability
14.1 These bylaws are superseded by the bylaws of the AMA-MSS and the AMA wherever they are in conflict.
14.2 If any portion of these bylaws is found to be incompatible with the bylaws of the AMA and/or the AMA-MSS, such finding shall not affect any other portion of these bylaws.
Content provided by: Medical Student Section