The name of the organization of nurses who are alumni of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing shall be: The Nursing Alumni Association (NAA) of the UAMS College of Nursing. This association shall conduct its activities in collaboration with the UAMS College of Nursing and conduct business under the auspices of the UAMS Foundation Fund.

The overall purposes of the NAA shall be to strengthen relationships between and among the alumni and the College of Nursing, and to undertake mutual endeavors for the advancement of nursing and nursing education through these relationships.

The specific objectives of the organization, stemming from these overall purposes are the following:

1. To foster affiliation between and among the alumni and the College of Nursing

2. To provide a mechanism for interaction of alumni of the College of Nursing through:

a. Reunions and special events of interest to alumni

b. Written communication and news about the alumni and current College of Nursing activities

c. Participation in continuing education opportunities provided through collaborative planning with the College of Nursing

d. Maintenance of current addresses and information to assist alumni in continuing their contact with each other

3. To foster the continued growth and development of the College of Nursing through:

a. Assistance with recruitment of qualified students and faculty

b. Fund-raising

c. Identification of career opportunities for graduates of the College of Nursing

d. Public relations activities which highlight alumni, students, and faculty

4. To participate in the advancement of nursing and nursing education through:

a. Input of alumni of the College of Nursing on the role of nursing in Arkansas

b. Assistance with the compilation of the history of the College of Nursing

c. Assisting in the assessment of the impact of the graduates of the College of Nursing on nursing and health card

Section 1.  Active Members

All graduates of degree granting programs of the College of Nursing, and UAMS MNSc graduates shall be considered active members of the NAA upon payment of the minimum annual dues fee of the organization. Complimentary membership will be given to graduates the first year and thereafter only upon payment of the minimum annual due fee. Active members are entitled to the following:

1. Voting privileges regarding business of the NAA

2. Eligibility to hold office in the NAA, and to chair standing and ad hoc committees of the association

3. Recognition in the UAMS Journal and other appropriate UAMS publications

4. Car sticker or other memento denoting membership in the NAA

Section 2.  Associate Members

College of Nursing faculty and friends of the College of Nursing who are not its graduates but who nevertheless are interested in the programs and activities of the College of Nursing and the NAA, may become Associate Members by requesting through the Secretary/Treasurer this category of membership and paying one-half (1/2) the active membership dues. Associate Members are entitled to the following:

1. Voting privileges regarding UAMS NAA business

2. Recognition in the UAMS Journal and other appropriate UAMS publications

3. Car sticker or other memento denoting membership in the association

All graduates of degree-granting programs of the College of Nursing, including MNSc graduates of UAMS, shall be considered regular members upon receipt of their degree. Regular Members are entitled to the following:

1. Receipt of all mailing and other communications designed for NAA Active Members

2. Eligibility to attend annual meetings, reunions and other NAA-sponsored events

3. Eligibility to participate in NAA activities as a Chair or a member of a standing and/or ad hoc committees

4. Eligibility for active membership

There shall be at least one (1) annual meeting of the entire membership of the NAA. All members shall be notified of the annual meeting in writing, no less than one (1) month prior to its occurrence.

At the annual meeting, reports from each officer, and from each standing and ad hoc committee shall be presented to the membership. Election of officers shall also occur. Elections shall be conducted by mail ballot prior to the meeting, and the results announced at the meeting. Ballots shall be sent only to active and associate members. Additionally, scholarships and awards sponsored by the NAA shall be presented.

Special meetings may be called at the request of the Executive Committee, or upon the request of not less than ten (10) active members. Members shall be notified of special meetings in writing, no less than one (1) month prior to the occurrence of the meeting.

The officers of the NAA shall be the President, the President-Elect, and Secretary/Treasurer. To provide administrative liaison with the College of Nursing, the Dean shall designate the Director of Development and Alumni Relations to serve ex-officio with these officers in the conduct of the activities of the NAA.

Officers shall be active members of the organization. Candidates shall be selected by the Nominating Committee, and elected annually by a vote of the active members of the organization.

Officers shall serve for a term of one (1) year. To provide continuity, the President-Elect shall serve for one year, fulfilling those responsibilities normally performed by the vice-president, and shall assume the office of President the following year. No officer may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

The President shall conduct meetings, call special meetings, chair Executive Committee meetings, and oversee, conduct, and facilitate the activities of the organization.

2. President-Elect

The President-Elect conducts meetings and activities in the absence of the President, assists the President as requested, and fulfills other functions specified by the Executive Committee.

The Secretary/Treasurer takes the minutes at all meetings, assures that they are typed and distributed by the staff, and assists with the publication of guides and directories as needed. The Secretary/Treasurer also helps to prepare an annual report of Association monies (in conjunction with the staff), and takes a proactive role in Association fund-raising efforts.

A vacancy occurs when any officer resigns the office in writing to the Executive Committee. The President-Elect fills any vacancy in the office of the President. Vacancies in other offices are filled by appointment of the Executive Committee until the next formal election of officers occurs.

Voting membership of the Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Secretary/Treasurer, and the designated College of Nursing faculty liaison. The designated staff person(s) from the Institutional Advancement Division shall be considered an ex-officio member. The Executive Committee’s duties will include:

1. Transacting the business of the organization between the full NAA meetings

2. Assigning new ideas and projects to the appropriate subcommittees

3. Creating new ideas for association projects

4. Granting (via vote) approval, disapproval, or a recommendation for revision of Standing Committee recommendations submitted to the Executive Committee

5. Appropriating NAA monies for approved projects

The Standing Committees shall include the Bylaws/Nominating Committee, the Program/Reunion Committee, and the Recruitment Committee. The Chair of each Standing Committee shall be appointed by vote of the Executive Committee. Chairs may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms. Duties and organization of the Standing Committees shall be as follows:

The Nominating Committee shall consist of a chair and four (4) other members. They shall be elected along with the Executive Committee officers by vote of general membership. The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for each office and for the Nominating Committee. These nominees will be voted upon by the membership during the annual election of officers. To facilitate the nominating process, Nominating Committee members shall endeavor, with staff and Executive Committee assistance to stay abreast of achievements and interests of Association members, in order to nominate suitable persons for leadership positions. The Bylaws Committee shall consist of the Nominating Committee members. The Bylaws Committee will be reviewed and update at least bi-annually on even years.

2. Programs/Reunion Committee

The Program/Reunion Committee shall be chaired by the President-Elect of the Association. The Committee shall consist of the chair and four (4) other members. The Program/Reunion Committee chair shall appoint subcommittee chairs as needed. Subcommittee chairs may also be regular members of the Program/Reunion Committee. Possible subcommittees include:

Subcommittee chairs shall be empowered to research alternatives and to make recommendations to the full committee. Subcommittee chairs shall appoint subcommittee members as needed to assist with the furtherance of their goals. The Program/Reunion committee may also undertake, on recommendation of the Executive Committee, planning and implementation of other special events furthering the causes of the Nursing Alumni Association.

The Recruitment Committee shall consist of a chair and five (5) other members, each representing a region of Arkansas. The Recruitment Committee shall assist the College of Nursing in identifying and recruiting matriculants for the degree programs and assist the Executive Committee in securing active members for the Nursing Alumni Association. Activities of the Recruitment Committee may include (with staff assistance):

1. Helping with College of Nursing recruitment programs as requested.

2. Communicating with alumni through the mail, e-mail, and Internet and at regional alumni receptions to encourage their participation in NAA activities

3. Identifying new prospects for active NAA membership, and informing the Executive Committee of their interest

4. Other recruitment ideas as designed

5. Identifying class agents to assist with establishing class scholarships

6 Assist with Phonathon by calling classmates and asking them to make a contribution to the Annual Fund

Ad hoc Committees may be appointed by the Executive Committee as needed to fulfill the purpose of the organization.

The committee structure exists in order to foster innovative programs, to efficiently examine new ideas, and to make informed recommendations regarding new ideas to the Executive Committee, which shall serve as the final arbiter of innovation. The following procedures and rules shall govern committee meetings:

a. Chair announces agenda item(s) for discussion; presents issue(s) to be determined. Other committee members may petition the chair prior to the meeting to request that a specific item be placed on the agenda for discussion, or may raise the issue during new business

b. Research or information on the issue is presented

c. Floor is opened for discussion; all committee members and ex-officio members attending may state opinions and suggestions

d. Motions for a specific action is made and seconded

e. Chair requests a vote (voice or ballot)

The Dean shall designate the Director of Development and Alumni Relations to facilitate, encourage, and assist the NAA with planning and implementing existing and new activities. This person(s) shall perform the following duties:

1. Serve as an Ex-officio member of all committees and the entire Association

2. Research current trends in alumni programming and fund-raising, and transmit pertinent articles and information to appropriate committee members

3. Maintain a master file of meeting agendas, minutes of meetings, and notes about discussions and official business of the NAA

4. Assure that meeting notices, letters, programs, and other printed materials are published and mailed

5. Ensure that NAA dues and donations are correctly deposited with the appropriate UAMS Foundation Fund accounts, and assure an accurate accounting of income and disbursements

6. Coordinate workshops or other appropriate training programs for NAA leadership

7. Propose new programs to NAA leadership for further study or implementation

8. Maintain calendars and strategic plans for the NAA and ensure that they are followed

Members of the organization will pay a minimum $20 annual fee to offset the cost of organizational activities. Dues will be assessed from members in the summer of each year. The date of the dues assessment may be changed if necessary to accommodate other fund-raising mailings.

All dues and/or other monies designated to the NAA will be deposited and expenditures paid through the NAA account of the UAMS Foundation Fund. These monies may be used to finance activities and programs.

The Executive Committee shall prepare an annual budget for the NAA and present it for approval by the Association at its annual meeting each spring. The budget shall be based on a July 1 through June 30 fiscal year.

The Executive Committee and committee chairs may expend funds for activities and programs within the range of the budget. The IA staff liaison shall ensure that standard accounting procedures are followed.

An annual accounting and report on income and expenditures based on the fiscal year will be presented to the membership. Interim financial reports may be requested by the Secretary/Treasurer.

Pre-budgeted, planned purchases for the NAA may be made through the IA Division Business Manager, the fiscal agent for the UAMS Foundation Fund. The IA staff liaison to the NAA shall facilitate this process.

Incidental purchases for the NAA made by members of the Executive Committee, committee chairs, and members authorized to make expenditures on behalf of the organization may be reimbursed for that expense. Receipts or invoices shall be presented to the IA staff liaison who will ensure that appropriate financial procedures are followed in making reimbursements.

A quorum at a meeting of the membership shall consist of the officers and members present.

A quorum at a committee meeting shall consist of the chair or at least one Executive Committee Member, and other members present.

The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order Revised shall govern the organization in all cases where they are not in-consistent with these By-Laws.

Proposed changes of By-Laws may originate from the Executive Committee, which is charged with the responsibility of periodically reviewing the By-Laws. Any voting member may also propose a By-Laws change to a member of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall decide whether to put that proposal to a vote of the entire membership.

Proposed changes may be implemented at any regular meeting of the organization by vote of a majority of the active members present. At least fifteen (15) days written notice of intention to amend the By-Laws shall be given before such a meeting.