Constitution and bylaws of the Alumni Association of the College of Health Professions of the Medical University of South Carolina

Preamble

The alumni of the College of Health Professions of the Medical University of South Carolina have organized this Association in order to promote and continue the bond of good fellowship amongst alumni, faculty and staff, students and the University; provide members opportunities for involvement in the progress and growth of the College and the University; support the College and the University in the education and health affairs policies of the State; when appropriate, assist willingly in the University’s educational activities and student programs; and to demonstrate steadfast loyalty to the tradition of professional and educational excellence maintained by the University.

It is the policy of the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Health Professions Alumni Association that no person shall be discriminated against in employment and Association programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or genetic information.

ARTICLE I Name and Purpose

The name of this organization shall be the Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions Alumni Association, henceforth referred to as CHP Alumni Association.

The association promotes loyalty and pride in the Medical University of South Carolina’s College of Health Professions and its mission.  Specifically, the Association:

• Increases the impact of alumni on the College’s future through alumni involvement, volunteerism, and participation in fundraising initiatives.
• Serves as a forum for the exchange of alumni ideas and views.
• Enhances health professions education through the promotion of enduring relationships between alumni, students, residents and the medical community.

ARTICLE II Membership

Membership is open to any graduate of the College of Health Professions of the Medical University of South Carolina unless good cause is shown to the contrary. This includes any individual who has completed a planned curriculum which is, has been, or will become, a responsibility of the College of Health Professions of the Medical University of South Carolina.  Membership commences following graduation.

ARTICLE III Administration   

The Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions Alumni Association shall be governed by a duly elected Alumni council.  The Alumni Council shall consist of no more than twenty members, to include the President, immediate Past-President, President-Elect, and Secretary and at least one individual from each of the active academic programs, one individual from amongst CHP’s discontinued programs, and the Health Administration Alumni Network President. Ex-officio members include the Dean of the College of Health Professions, the Executive Director and/or Associate Director of Alumni Affairs (ex-officio member who shall serve as head of the administrative staff of the Council) and the college’s development director and development associate. Directors must be a member in good standing of the Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions Alumni Association and support the College of Health Professions philanthropically through an annual gift at a leadership level.

The Office of Alumni Affairs will issue a call for applications for council service annually in August. Applications will then be reviewed by the appointment committee and members will be appointed and notified by the Council president and invited to join the first annual meeting the following year. A member shall serve no more than two consecutive three-year terms.  After a lapse of one year, a member may be re-appointed.  The exception to this would be for members who are elected to serve in a leadership role at the end of their 2nd term.  They may serve more than six years but not more than 12 years.

The Alumni Council shall manage and direct the affairs of the Alumni Association in consonance with these bylaws and policies approved by the Association. The Council shall plan for meetings and social gatherings.  It shall serve as a nomination committee of the Association.  The Council shall cause to be prepared and submitted to the Association such information and recommendations as it deems proper to carry out the purposes of the Association.  Upon request of CHP Administration, the Council may provide advice to the College of Health Professions in the areas of strategic planning, medical education, health policy, fund raising and alumni outreach.  At all times and in all ways, the Council shall endeavor to advance the interests of the College and University. 

The Council shall meet three times per year, with at least once a year in-person (with virtual option for those who cannot attend in person), in Charleston, at a date set by the Council, and at least two more times as needed via phone or a virtual setting. It shall also meet on call of the President, and two members of the Council, or any ten members of the Association.

A member of the CHP Alumni Council who is unable to be present at two successive regular meetings in person, by phone or virtual setting, is deemed to have resigned his/her member­ship on the Council.  If the councilor wishes to retain their position, it is under discretion of a majority vote of the other CHP Alumni Council officers.

In all activities of the Association, unless otherwise provided by this Constitution and Bylaws, decisions will be determined by a majority vote of the Alumni Council present at announced meetings.

A quorum shall consist of one more than half of the council’s membership at the given time. 

ARTICLE V Council Committees

There shall be the following standing committees:

• Scholarship Committee
• Alumni Awards Committee
• Appointment Committee

There shall be the following ad-hoc committees to be convened when needed:

• By-Laws Review Committee

Quorum for committees

A quorum for committee meetings shall be a consist of more than one-half of the Council’s membership at the given time.

A quorum for Board of Directors meetings shall consist of more than one-half of the board’s membership at the given time.

Scholarship committee

The Scholarship Committee shall be composed of three (3) Council members with an expressed interest in this area.  If additional committee members are needed, they shall be appointed from the current Members-at-Large.

Alumni awards committee

The Alumni Awards Committee shall be composed of three (3) Council members with an expressed interest in this area.  If additional committee members are needed, they shall be appointed from the current Members-at-Large.

The Alumni Award Committee may annually recommend to the Council up to five (5) alumni who have made significant contributions to health professions.  The awards are as follows: Distinguished Alumnus in Health Administration, Distinguished Alumnus in Clinical Practice, Alumnus Service Award, Emerging Leader Award. Outstanding Achievements in Research Award.

Appointment committee

The Appointment Committee shall be composed of three (3) Council members with an expressed interest in this area.  If additional committee members are needed, they shall be appointed from the current Members-at-Large. Applications will be reviewed on a continual basis and recommendations will be made to the council for approval.

ARTICLE VI Officers

The officers of this Association shall be a President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, and Secretary; the officers shall be elected every two years by the Alumni Council. 

The President-Elect shall serve for a term of one year, during the President’s second year. The President shall serve for a term of 2 years and shall not be eligible for re-election as President or President-Elect during their current term of service.  Following his/her time as president, he/she will serve one year as Past President after which their term of council service concludes.

He/she is eligible to again serve on the Alumni Council after being off of it for one year. The President presides at and sets the agenda for all meetings of the Association, and of the CHP Alumni Council.  He or she shall appoint all committees, except as herein otherwise provided. The President presides at, and sets the agenda for, all meetings of the Association, and of the CHP Alumni Council.  He or she shall appoint all committees, except as herein otherwise provided.

The President-Elect shall serve for a term of one year and shall preside at all meetings in the absence or inability of the President and shall assume the role of President immediately following the term as President-elect. The President-Elect shall be responsible for development of CHP Alumni Association and other duties as assigned by the President. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall preside at all meeting of the Association and the CHP Alumni Council.  In the event of an unforeseen vacancy in the office of the President, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of that office.

The President and the President-Elect shall serve as representatives for the College of Health Professions on the Joint Alumni Council of the Alumni Association of the Medical University of South Carolina.

The Immediate Past President shall serve for a one-year term as a member of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council. The Immediate Past-President shall remain on the CHP Alumni Council following his or her term as President. This will ensure continuity for the CHP Alumni Association. The Immediate Past-President shall preside over meetings should the President and the President-Elect be unavailable.

The Secretary shall serve for a two-year term as a member of the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council. The Secretary acts as secretary of the meetings of the CHP Alumni Council and of the CHP Alumni Association and is responsible for preparation and distribution of the minutes of the CHP Alumni Association as the official record of its activities.  The secretary is also responsible for coordinating the process of selection for the Student Scholarship Awards and the Alumni Awards and other duties as assigned by the President. 

The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President and Secretary.  The Executive Committee shall meet in person or via phone outside of the full council meetings as deemed necessary.

In the event of a vacancy occurring in any office or in the inability of any officer to serve, the Alumni Council may appoint from among its members a successor for the unexpired term.

Other officers may be appointed by the Council as special needs arise.

ARTICLE VII Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any meeting of the College of Health Professions Alumni Council by a quorum of council membership.

ARTICLE VIII Rules and Regulations

Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern in all cases not provided for in the foregoing constitution.