Constitution of The Student Committee On Medical School Affairs (SCOMSA)
I. Authority
The authority of the Student Committee on Medical School Affairs (SCOMSA) as constituted below and in all subsequent amendments to this constitution shall be by approval of the majority (>50%) of the student body and by conformation with the By-laws of Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), Boston University Medical Center and Boston University.
II. Purpose
A. To act as the representative body for pre-doctoral medical students (BUSM 1-4 and MD/PhD) in Boston University School of Medicine. These students will hereafter be referred to as the “student body” and will be members of SCOMSA. Each medical school class as a whole will comprise a “student group.”
B. To hear and solicit students’ opinions concerning issues which may be of interest or importance to them and to keep the student body informed on all such matters. A liaison position will be held open for a representative of the graduate student body.
C. To facilitate the participation of students in BUSM decision-making and policy-implementation.
D. To promote reciprocal and constructive communications between faculty and students.
III. Functions
A. To serve as a forum to which issues may be brought by faculty or students to the end of defining and initiating effective and appropriate action.
B. To recommend students to the BUSM Committee on Committees for appointment to BUSM committees by such means as are consistent with the BU and BUSM By-Laws. To ensure that students on BUSM committees access opinions of BUSM students and perform in a manner consistent with their charge as SCOMSA representatives.
C. To appoint SCOMSA subcommittees and authorize individuals to pursue issues of interest to the student body and to solicit and review reports on such activities that it commissions.
D. To maintain a body of funds and values obtained by collection of an annual fee from its student constituents, and by other means and to disburse these and all other monies of value in this body of funds in the interests of the student body.
E. To prepare and submit an annual report to the BUSM Executive Committee and BUSM students on all its businesses, including financial.
F. To make such by-laws as are deemed necessary for the conduct of the committee’s affairs provided such rules are in accord with this Constitution and the By-Laws of BU and BUSM.
IV. Membership, Representatives, and Advisors
A. Any member of the student body as defined in Article II is a member in SCOMSA.
B. A total of eight representatives from each class year shall be elected to SCOMSA: consisting of 6 General Council representatives, one Executive Committee representative, and one MD/PhD representative. SCOMSA representatives will be chosen as described in Section V of this document. (Rev. 4/23/11)
C. The Dean of the Medical School and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs shall be representatives ex-officio without voting privileges.
D. The Dean of Student Affairs shall serve as the Administration Advisor to SCOMSA to foster a reciprocal relationship between the Dean of the Medical School and SCOMSA members so that they may both address concerns pertinent to the student body. (Rev. 4/23/11)
E. Subject to the approval of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, SCOMSA shall select a Faculty Advisor from any of the teaching faculty of the Medical School and this person shall be available for consultations pertinent to academic affairs affecting the student body. (Rev. 4/23/11)
F. Each representative shall hold tenure from the first meeting following his/her election until the meeting following the next election for his/her group. Each SCOMSA representative must be a member of the class that elected him/her.
G. Tenure of any representative may be limited by a 2/3 majority of a quorum (Article VI, Section C) of those at a SCOMSA meeting or by petition signed by a majority of his/her constituents.
H. In the event three of the eight representatives per class are no longer able to maintain tenure, then an election will be held for three new SCOMSA representatives to take their place.(Rev. 4/23/11)
V. Elections
A. BUSM I representatives must be elected within five weeks of matriculation by secret ballot under the direction of the chair of SCOMSA and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
B. All elections will be administered by the incumbent representatives of SCOMSA under the direction of the chair and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
C. Elections for BUSM II representatives, who will hold tenure through the 4th year, shall be held annually in April on a date scheduled by the chair and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
D. Announcement of all elections shall precede the balloting by at least two weeks.
E. Nominations shall open immediately upon announcement of any election and shall close two days before the day of balloting. All nominations must be full-time students in good academic standing and may be self- nominated or nominated by a class member with the consent of the nominee.
F. Duly elected representatives shall be those ranking highest in simple vote totals. A quorum for a vote will be 60% of the BUSM class.
G. Elections of replacement representatives shall be completed using the same methods no later than four weeks from the time a vacancy occurs.
VI. Meetings
A. Meetings shall be held monthly or more frequently at the discretion of the chair who shall notify all representatives and publish the time and place of the meeting.
B. Meetings shall be open to the student body and BUSM faculty for the purpose of participation and discussion except when the committee votes to meet in executive session.
C. Only elected representatives shall have a vote and a quorum shall consist of a minimum of one-half of the current voting membership at a meeting plus one, with a minimum of one representative per class. [If there is an odd number of voting members than “one-half” shall be rounded up and then add one. Example: if total membership is 13, then quorum shall be 6.5>>7+1=8].
D. A majority (>50%) of those voting shall decide all issues except limitation of tenure of a SCOMSA representative as outlined above.
E. All representatives must attend two of every three consecutive meetings. Representatives who fail to attend meetings as described may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of a quorum.
F. The minutes of each meeting and a projected agenda for the next meeting will be reviewed by the chair before publication. The minutes of the meeting and the agenda shall be published before the next meeting.
VII. Officers
C. The vice-chair shall be a BUSM II representative and will have the following duties:
i. Assume the duties and responsibilities of the chair in his/her absence.
ii. Perform such additional tasks as are set down in the Constitution and By-Laws for his/her office
iii. Chair the Committee on Committees
D. The treasurer shall be a BUSM II representative and will have the following duties:
i. Supervise the collection and disbursement of all funds of SCOMSA.
ii. Present to SCOMSA an annual report of financial transactions to be included in the SCOMSA annual report.
iii. Ensure at the discretion of the chair and vice-chair that any expenditure over the annually set limit designated by SCOMSA beginning each year must be approved by majority (>50%) of SCOMSA.
E. The social chair shall be a BUSM II representative and will have the following duties:
i. Manage, plan and otherwise delegate the coordination of all SCOMSA-sponsored social activities.
ii. Assist the chair with the Orientation Committee.
iii. Function, when necessary, as the leader of SCOMSA when the chair, vice-chair, and treasurer are absent or unavailable. (Rev. 4/23/11)
F. The Secretary shall be a BUSM I representative and will have the following duties:
i. Maintain detailed record of each SCOMSA meeting by drafting the minutes for distribution to the student body. (Rev. 4/23/11)
VIII. Amendments
A. Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by vote of SCOMSA or by petition signed by at least 15% of the student body and presented to the chair of SCOMSA. No more than two-thirds of that number may be from the same BUSM class.
B. SCOMSA and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs shall submit properly proposed amendments to a vote by the student body with balloting open for 7 days.
C. Ratification shall be by a majority (>50%) of the student body.
IX. Referenda
A. Used to register student body opinion on matters of particular interest or importance, referenda must be:
i. Initiated by vote of SCOMSA or by petition signed by 10% of the student body and presented to the chair of SCOMSA.
ii. A quorum for approval of a referendum shall be 50% of the student body with 50% of a quorum being decisive.
iii. Balloting will be conducted by SCOMSA and will be open for 7 days with results being binding on SCOMSA and all official student representatives.
SCOMSA By-Laws
I. Standing Sub-Committees
A. The Committee on Committees chaired by the SCOMSA vice-chair, will be composed of one SCOMSA representative from each medical school class, one SCOMSA MD/PhD representative, and one faculty member. Members shall be appointed for a one-year term by vote of SCOMSA representatives. A majority will render decisions. The Committee shall meet at least once per month at the discretion of its chair or when called upon by SCOMSA to consider matters in its jurisdiction.
B. The Committee recommends student members to the BUSM Committee on Committees, based on academic standing, qualifications, or interest, for standing BUSM committees as per BUSM By-Laws and for ad hoc committees as requested by the Dean. It will accept self-nominations and nominations from other students, faculty, or administration tendered with the consent of the nominee. It will make its recommendations in consultation with the Dean and the Dean of Students and submit them for review by the body of SCOMSA.
C. No student shall serve simultaneously on more than one standing committee.
D. This committee shall require student members of BUSM standing and ad hoc committees to provide reports on the public business of those committees in writing after each meeting or once per month, whichever is less often. These reports shall be forwarded to the full SCOMSA committee at the discretion of the chair of the Committee on Committees or upon the request of the full SCOMSA committee.
E. This Committee must notify SCOMSA of instances of unsatisfactory performance by student members on Faculty Standing and Ad hoc Committees. SCOMSA may vote to terminate the membership period of any such member by majority vote. Replacement members must be recommended and approved by the procedure above.
II. Orientation Committee
A. This Committee shall consist of the social chair and as many SCOMSA representatives as the social chair deems necessary to supervise orientation of the new students.
B. The social chair will lead coordination of events with the Office of Student Affairs, Alumni Association, and Office of Admissions.
III. Sale Committee
A.This committee shall consist of one chair internally elected from the current representatives of SCOMSA and as many members as the chair deems necessary to supervise book, equipment, and fundraising sales at the Medical Center. This committee shall provide a financial account of sales to SCOMSA. The monies involved in these sales shall be part of SCOMSA treasury.
IV. Activities Fee
A. A fee will be collected annually from each student. Any change in manner or amount of collections must meet the requirements of Boston University.
B. This fee will be added to SCOMSA treasury and used for disbursement by vote of SCOMSA
V. Expenditures
A. Any expenditure over $25.00 must be approved by a two-thirds vote of all SCOMSA representatives.
