School of Medicine

MD Student Council & Bylaws

The MD Student Council is made up of the Presidents and elected Student Council Representatives in all four classes of the MD program at Tufts University School of Medicine. Students sit on faculty standing committees and other Tufts University School of Medicine committees as voting members and participate in making policy that affects them directly or indirectly. Students are responsible for implementation of school policies and administration of matters that affect all four years of Tufts University School of Medicine.

In addition to elected class officers, Student Council can appoint representatives for various committees. Students who want to serve on committees as representatives can present themselves at the meeting at which appointments will be made and indicate their interest. Student Council selects its representative from those students.

Class Elections

Elected representatives serve for one year beginning in May, with the exception of first-year students who serve from October to May. The Student Council oversees all class elections. Each class shall elect the following class officials: President, three Student Council Representatives, four Curriculum Committee Representatives, one Ethics Representative, two Social Committee Chairpersons, one Diversity Representative and one Alumni Council Representative. The President of a class may not be absent from the Boston area for more than two consecutive months without the appointment of a council representative from the class as acting President.

Student Council

The three Student Council Representatives from each class and the four class Presidents comprise the voting members (16 total) of the Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council. Meetings are held at least once a semester. Minutes of each meeting are typed by a first year Student Council Representative and emailed to the President of the Student Council to be reviewed and then emailed to the members of the Council prior to the next meeting. There are four executive officers – President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer. The President is the fourth year class President; the Vice President is the third year class President; the Secretary is a first year Student Council Representative; and the Treasurer is a second year Student Council Representative. The presence of nine members and at least one officer constitutes a quorum, and matters are decided by a majority vote of members present. Special meetings of the Student Council can be called at any time by the President, provided twenty-four hour notice of the meeting is given to every Student Council member. The Student Council Representatives are responsible for advising their class of matters discussed at every Student Council meeting, for determining the sense of the class on issues by conducting class meetings or by other means, and for reporting class opinions accurately to the Student Council. The Student Council representatives are expected to attend Student Council meetings. After three absences from the Student Council meetings, a member can be suspended by a two-thirds vote of the Council, and the appropriate class elects a new representative.

Any student can propose an agenda item for an upcoming council meeting by notifying the Student Council President or their Student Council Representative at least one week prior to the meeting.

All of the Class Presidents meet regularly with the Deans in the OSA and OEA as needed. Additionally, in conjunction with the OSA, the Student Council is responsible for student-run activities such as: class elections, senior class yearbook, and school-wide social affairs.

The Student Council is funded by the Student Activities Fee paid by all Tufts University School of Medicine students. With these monies, the Student Council subsidizes student organizations including all student-run groups and activities that benefit all classes. Every year the Student Council disburses money to each of the four classes. The Student Council has a funding meeting at the beginning of each semester to determine the distribution of monies to student organizations and clubs.

Bylaws of the Student Council of Tufts University School of Medicine

Preamble
This states the goals and purposes of the Council.

Article I: Membership and Organization
This article discusses membership of the Student Council, voting policy, and who is invited to Student Council Meetings.

Article II: Meetings of the Council
This article discusses Student Council meetings: when we are to have them, how we find out about them, agendas, etc.

Article III: Duties of the Officers and the Members of Student Council
This article delineates specifically the jobs of Student Council President, Treasurer, Secretary, and/or Elected Representative.

Article IV: Committees of the Council
This article defines permanent and special Committees of the Student Council and their purpose.

Article V: Representatives of the Council

This article discusses the duties of students either selected by Student Council or elected by their class to represent the Council to other organizations, both in-house and nationally.

Article VI: Class Government
This article discusses Student Government on the class level: guidelines for elections, which officers should be chosen by the Class President, class committees, etc.

Article VII: Student Council Bylaws Committee Policy

Article VIII: Student Council Funding Committee and Policy
This article dictates policy surrounding the disbursal of funds to groups who petition Student Council for funds and the subsequent responsibilities of the groups receiving funding.

Article IX: Rights of the Student Body
This article explains the procedure for members of the student body to bring an issue to the attention of the rest of the student body for consideration.

Article X: Student Council Policy on Alcohol

Article XI: Use of Tufts Name, Mark of Insignia

Article XII: Official Name and Address

Preamble:

The goals of the Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council are as follows:

  • To serve as the voice of the student body to the medical community at Tufts.
  • To serve as a liaison between the student body and the Medical School and University Administrations.
  • To foster student unity.
  • To provide financial support of events, projects, and organizations that benefit the total medical education of the student body.
  • To assist in coordination of student representation to the various intramural committees and extramural organizations requesting such representation.
  • To oversee such activities of the individual classes as it deems necessary to ensure fair and just consideration for all students.

Article 1: Membership and Organization

Section 1: The membership of the Council shall consist of one class President and three class Representatives from each class, for a total Council membership of 16.

Section 2: A quorum shall be required for the Council to conduct business. A quorum shall consist of the presence of nine members of the council including at least one officer of the Council and at least one member from each of the four classes. However, for any Council meeting that takes place from the time of Commencement in May to the seating of new Council members from the first year class in October, a quorum shall consist of seven members.

Section 3: The officers of Student Council shall be as follows:

  • A: The President, who shall be the fourth year class President.
  • B: The Vice President, who shall be the third year class President
  • C: The Treasurer, who shall be two Student Council Representatives of the second year class.
  • D: The Secretary, who shall be a Student Council Representative of the first year class.

Section 4: The Treasurer shall be appointed at the last meeting of the academic year and will be responsible for overseeing all financial transactions between student clubs and administration. The Secretary shall be appointed after the seating of the first year members. The position of Secretary can be filled in one of two ways: either one of the first year Council representatives volunteers to be the Secretary for the entire year or the three Council representatives from the first year class can rotate the responsibility at each meeting. In the absence of a Secretary, the presiding officer pro tempore may select a Secretary. The nominees for each position shall be officers of the Council. The terms of each office shall run until the following May.

Section 5: In the event that a vacancy occurs in the offices of the Council, a special election shall be held. A special election shall be held at the discretion of the Council or at the request from the class from which the vacancy exists.

Section 6: Voting policy: The majority vote of a quorum shall be required for approval of any business conducted by the Council. In the absence of a quorum, no business requiring a vote of the Council shall take place, and all such business will be postponed until the next meeting of the Council or until the presence of a quorum is obtained.

Section 7: The Council reserves the right to conduct such business as it deems necessary to fulfill its goals as outlined in the Preamble to these Bylaws.

Section 8: The Council shall establish such committees as it deems necessary to conduct business as established by Article IV.

Article II: Meetings of the Council

Section 1: All meetings of the Council shall be open to any member of the student body and Dean’s Office who wishes to attend. Other non-students will be allowed to attend at the discretion of the Council. The Council reserves the right to conduct portions of its business in Executive Session as required by any provisions of the Bylaws or at the request of any member of the Council with the consent of a majority of the members present.

  • A: The council reserves the right to request the attendance of any of the non-voting representatives appointed by the Council. (See Article V)

Section 2: The Student Council year shall run from May to May. Regular meetings of the Council will be held during the year except in June, July and August. Regular meetings with proposed agendas are as follows: August to discuss ideas for fall; October for the fall funding meeting; January to discuss Gala and to conduct the spring funding meeting; and March to discuss awards and Bylaws revision. Special meetings of the Council may be called at any time at the request of the Student Council President or at least three members of the Council.

Section 3: The President shall notify the members of the Council of regular meetings at least one week before the date of the meeting. The student body and Representatives (as outlined in Article I, Section 7 and in Article V, Section 2) will be notified through email from the class Presidents. In case of a special meeting of the Council, notification to all parties will be made at least twenty-four hours before said meeting is to be held.

Section 4: The President shall set the agenda for meetings of the Council. Any student who wishes to raise an issue or question before the Council should notify the Student Council President at least one week before the meeting for inclusion in the agenda.

Section 5: The order of business for all meetings of the council shall be as follows:

  • A: Call to order by the presiding officer
  • B: Approval of minutes from the last meeting
  • C: Old business
  • D: New business
  • E: Reports of committees/representatives
  • F: Class business
  • G. Date for next meeting

This order of business may only be changed by unanimous consent of the Council members present.

Article III: Duties of the Officers and Members of the Council

Section 1: The President of the Council shall preside at all meetings of the Council and shall supervise, in a general way, all the functions of the Council and Student Government. The President shall also serve as the official representative to the following committees (See Article V, Section 2)

  • A: Medical School Executive Council
  • B: Any other committee or group as requested by the committee or group or request of the Council.

Section 2: The Vice President shall preside at any Council meeting in the absence of the President and shall assume such duties and responsibilities as requested by the President.

Section 3: The Treasurer shall:

  • A: Be responsible and accountable for the Council’s account.
  • B: Be responsible for keeping an up-to-date record of all financial transactions of the Council.
  • C: Will make available to any Council member upon request, and to any other interested party with the approval of majority of the council, all financial records.
  • D: Fulfill any and all requirements regarding Council finances as required in other sections of the Bylaws (see Article VIII).
  • E: Serve as the Chairman of the Council’s Funding Committee (see Article VIII).
  • F: Assume such responsibilities and duties as requested by the President or a majority of the Council.

Section 4: The Secretary shall:

  • A: Keep a written record of all meetings in the form of minutes: attendance, business discussed and voted upon, reports of committees, and future meetings. This responsibility may be delegated to other members of the Council at the Secretary’s discretion, with the approval of the Council (see Article I, Section 4).
  • B: Email said minutes to the President by a date no more than two weeks after the meeting. The President will review the minutes and email them to the Council before the following meeting.
  • C: Provide the Dean’s Office and Council Members with a list of names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all members and representatives of the Council.
  • D: Assume such duties and responsibilities as requested by the President or a majority of the Council.

Section 5: The Members of the Council shall:

  • A: Attend all meetings of the Council or its committees to which the member is assigned, either in person or via internet. Absenteeism from more than three meetings may be grounds for dismissal upon review and approval of such action by the Council.
  • B: Make a report to their class of the business discussed at Council meetings.
  • C: Define issues and opinions of their class for presentation to the Council.
  • D: Act as a liaison between their class and the Medical School administration as requested by their class.
  • E: Assume such duties and responsibilities as requested by the President, a majority of the Council, or the members of their class.
  • F: Facilitate training of incoming Student Council members/officers.

Article IV: Committees of the Council

Section 1: The committees of the Council shall be of two types: Permanent and Special.

Section 2: The permanent Committees of the Council shall be as follows:

  • Medical Alumni Executive Council
  • Curriculum Committee

Section 3: Special Committees of the Council may be established at any time with a majority vote of the Council.

Section 4: All committees of the Council shall conduct their business in accordance with the Bylaws of the Council unless specifically exempted in their mandate.

Section 5: In establishing a committee, the Council shall specifically identify:

  • A: The committee’s purpose and goal.
  • B: The makeup of its membership.
  • C: Any guidelines the Council wishes to provide.
  • D: The time at which a final report from the committee shall be returned to the Council, and said committee is dissolved.

Section 6: All committees of the Council shall present interim reports at each meeting of the Council (See Article II, Section 6). In addition to final reports from Special Committees (See Article IV, Section 5), each Permanent Committee shall make a final report of its business as mandated by the appropriate section of the Bylaws. Final reports from the Committees shall include not only the opinions of the majority of said committee, but also all minority opinions if significant differences occur.

Article V: Representatives to the Council

Section 1: The Council shall appoint such representatives as deemed necessary to fulfill the goals of the Council as outlined in the Preamble and when requested by groups for the purpose of communicating with the Council and student body.

Section 2: Representatives shall be of two types: Permanent and Special.

Permanent representatives are those representatives who serve with the various intramural committees or extramural organizations for the express purpose of representing the Tufts University School of Medicine student body to said committees and organizations.

Permanent representatives shall be elected at the beginning of each year (i.e. in May or September) or at any time when a vacancy exists, for a term of one year, or until the following May.

Permanent representatives shall be appointed to each of the following groups:

  • A: Medical School Executive Council (see Article III, Section 1)
  • B: Medical Alumni Executive Council (four elected student Representatives, one from each of the four classes)
  • C: Curriculum Committee (see Article VI, Section 2)

Section 3: Special representatives are representatives who are appointed by the Council to participate in forums or other events occurring over a limited period of time. These students represent the Tufts University School of Medicine student body at such events and obtain information from these events, which, in the opinion of the Council, is of benefit to the student body or the Council.

Section 4: All representatives shall abide by the Bylaws of the Council in matters of attendance and reporting to the Council and to the student body, and act in accordance with the goals of the Council.

Section 5: The Council shall elect representatives in accordance with the guidelines provided by organizations seeking such representatives when such guidelines exist.

Article VI: Class Government

Section 1: The Council shall oversee in a general way the performance of Class Government in all classes.

Section 2: Each class shall elect, by the procedure outlined in Sections 5 and 6, the following class officials: President, three Student Council Representatives, four Curriculum Committee Representatives, one Tufts University School of Medicine Ethics Committee Representative, two Social Committee Chairpersons, one Diversity Representative, and one Alumni Council Representative.

Section 3: The following stipulations shall apply to all Student Council elections:

  • A: Candidates may only run for one position.
  • B: Candidates must run independently (i.e. not as part of a ticket.)
  • C: In the event of an inadequate number of candidates for a said position, the class will be notified and will be given twenty-four (24) hours for interested candidates to submit a statement, before the general election.
  • D: The Student Council will be responsible for the organization and execution of elections, without placing responsibility on the Office of Student Affairs or the Office of Educational Affairs

Section 4: Each class shall retain the option of appointing more than one representative/official to such positions, as it deems necessary to properly conduct class business (with the exception of President, Ethics Committee Representative, and Student Council Representatives.)

Section 5: Election Process: Election of class officials shall proceed by the following mechanism:

  • A: Nominations will be accepted for at least two weeks in an open fashion.
  • B: Once the class is presented with the candidates, the class then has an additional week before the election takes place to review candidates’ statements.
  • C: Individuals nominated for positions shall have an opportunity to withdraw their names from balloting.
  • D: Voting shall take place via a secure online voting site approved by the Office of Student Affairs and will ensure the entire class has an opportunity to participate.
  • E: Participation by at least sixty-five percent (65%) of the class shall be required for an election to be considered valid for the first and second year elections, and at least fifty percent (50%) for the third and fourth year elections. If, for the third and fourth year elections, there are no challenging candidates to the current positions, twenty-five percent (25%) participation will suffice for an election to be considered valid.
  • F: The nominee receiving a plurality of the votes cast in a valid election shall be the official, provided there is a margin of two votes. If the margin is less than or equal to two votes, a run-off will be held between the candidates involved. Clarification: In this case, a margin of two votes should be taken to mean MORE THAN TWO VOTES such that if Candidate A has forty-two (42) votes and Candidate B has forty (40) votes, a run-off is in order.
  • G: In the event of a run-off, the two candidates will be notified and their interest in the office in question will be re-affirmed. The run-off will then be announced with the posting of the election results. The run-off will be held immediately after the initial voting has ended via the same secure online voting site. Until the run-off results become available, the incumbent officer will continue to perform the duties of said office. If either or both of the candidates already occupy an office within the Student Government, they are expected to continue to perform their duties; however, they should not take advantage of their office as an opportunity to campaign. In the event that a candidate in the run-off does not win the election by a margin greater than two votes, a second run-off will be held. In the event that a second run-off does not result in a winner, the President of the class will decide the outcome. EXCEPTION: Run-off elections for President shall continue until a candidate is elected.
  • H: The Council, whose decision shall be final and binding on all parties, shall resolve any disputes involving class elections.
  • I: The Council reserves the right to invalidate any election results for reasons including, but not limited to, violation of election guidelines and/or etiquette.

Section 6: Terms of office for all officials and representatives shall be for one year or part thereof with a uniform termination at the end of April except for the fourth year officials who shall hold office through Commencement Day.

Section 7: The general timetable for elections for each class shall be as follows, with specific dates decided by each class every year with the approval of the Council.

  • A: Elections for the second, third, and fourth year classes will be held after February.
  • B: First year class officials: Nominations accepted in late September of the first year with elections to take place by mid October.

Section 8: A President from another class will oversee the election process in each class.

Section 9: Each class shall retain the right to establish such committees it deems necessary to conduct the business of the class with the following committees required to be formed by the indicated class:

  • A: Yearbook Committee-fourth year class
  • B: Library Advisory Committee-one student from each of the classes.

Section 10: The duties of each class officer and committee shall be those indicated by their respective titles (see Article III) and as follows:

  • A: The Student Council President shall supervise all class business and representation, chair all committees with the exception of the Yearbook Committee, and serve as the principal liaison between his or her class and the Administration.
  • B: Representatives to all Committees will present the opinion of their class during the appropriate business of their committee. The only exceptions to this shall be the Representative to the Ethics and Student Evaluations and Promotion Committees.
  • C: Yearbook Committee: The third year President shall select a yearbook editor from the third year class at the time of elections in April. The editor’s term shall run from time of appointment until the yearbooks are completed, which may not be until after Commencement the following year. The editor shall be responsible for all aspects of yearbook production and may assemble a staff to achieve this end. The editor shall provide information about yearbook production to the succeeding class’ editor. The editor or a delegate shall report to the Council on the finances of the yearbook twice a year.
  • D: Grievance Committee: If the occasion arises, this committee will be formed to assist students who have complaints or problems involving the Medical School and shall work with the Administration to seek a fair and just resolution for such complaints and problems. The committee will be comprised of class officers and other representatives from the class as deemed necessary by the members of the Student Council.

Section 11: The Class President is the sole executive officer of the class. The President acts as liaison between administration, faculty and the class, makes announcements, and determines the opinion of the class on matters of concern. The President administers the monies given to the class each year by the Student Council. The fourth year President coordinates graduation exercises and delivers a graduation address. All class Presidents are members of the Student Council, and as such, have the same responsibilities as the Student Council Representatives.

Section 12: Tufts University School of Medicine class officer list for the academic year 2014-2015

M'15
Class President:
Courtney Harris

Student Council Representatives:
Thomas Byrnes
Lisa Kipersztok
Kira Watson
Curriculum Committee Representatives:
Dean Ehrlich
Alexander Fye
Jonathan Simmonds
Rajat Suri
Social Committee Chairpersons:
Sindhya Rajeev
Ben Zorach
Alumni Representative:
Caitlin King
Ethics Representative:
Kimberly Petko
Diversity Representative:
Lexi Chavez

M'16
Class President:
Jared Wortzman
Student Council Representatives:
Jessica Gonzalez
Alex Legocki
Brooke Rothstein
Curriculum Committee Representatives:
Will LaPlant
Brady Messmer
Allison Reaves
Rachel Wood
Social Committee Chairpersons:
Owen Amadasun
Mike Zujkowski
Alumni Representative:
Bianca Nguyen
Ethics Representative:
Brian Fulmer
Diversity Representative:
Alex Cheetham

M'17
Class President:
Ian Murphy
Student Council Representatives:
Matthew Levitsky
Social Committee Chairpersons:
Taryn LeRoy
Lauren Meepos
Alumni Representative:
Caitlin Peterman
Julian Waksal
Curriculum Committee Representatives:
Alice Kaufman
Caroline Melhado
Vaidehi Pidaparti
Anita Matthews

M'18
Class President:
Emem Udoh
Student Council Representatives: Sharonne Holtzman
Swetha Iruku
Max Zhukovsky
Curriculum Committee Representatives: Ben Allar
Madeleine Blank
Lauren Malishchak
Marianna Papageorge
Laura Glassman
Ethics Representative:
Amon-Ra Gama
Diversity Representative:
Arushi Singh
Social Committee Chairpersons: Nicole Maille
Dillon Morris
Alumni Representative: Hillary Landau
Ethics Representative: Alyssa Wohl
Diversity Representative:
Kyuwon Lee

Article VII: Student Council Bylaws Committee and Policy

Section 1: The Student Council will review and revise the Bylaws at least once yearly to reflect any changes in policy or practice made during the preceding year.

Section 3: The second year President shall organize the review each year, and shall solicit proposed revisions from the Student Council. The President make such revisions known to the Student Council. He or she will then solicit any criticisms of any proposed revisions and determine their validity and need for change before making a final recommendations to the Student Council.

Section 4: The second year President shall be required to present a final revision to the Council following this review process. At that time, the Council shall then vote on the proposed revisions based on the recommendations.

Section 5: Exceptions to the provision to this Article shall be considered as circumstances warrant, and only with the approval of a majority of the Council.

Article VIII: Student Council Funding Committee and Policy

Section 1: The Student Council Funding Committee has been established for the purpose of distributing the money at the Council’s disposal in accordance with the goals of the Council (see Preamble). The Committee shall decide what guidelines it will follow except where outlined below.

Section 2: Each student shall be assessed a Student Activities Fee annually to be collected by the Bursar at the beginning of each academic year. The share of this money shall be distributed in accordance with the Council Bylaws.

Section 3: The Funding Committee shall have a membership consisting of the entire Student Council membership. The Committee shall meet once at the beginning of the fall semester and once at the beginning of the spring semester. All clubs will present at the fall meeting; all clubs new that year will present again for funds at the spring meeting, along with all clubs new that spring. Clubs may not solicit funds from the Council outside of the two designated funding meetings held each year.

Section 4: The Committee shall receive for review applications for funding from the following sources:

  • A: Any Tufts medical student as an individual.
  • B: Any active in-house (i.e. Tufts-based) organization.
  • C: Any active national organization having a duly recognized chapter at Tufts.

Section 5: The Committee may decide in what form said applications must be submitted. Failure to follow those guidelines shall be grounds for the Committee to refuse action on said application.

Section 6: The Committee shall consider in this review of an application for funding the following:

  • A: Whether the goals of the Council will be fulfilled.
  • B: Whether other sources of funding are available for use to support the activities of the organization seeking funding.
  • C: Whether the proposed budget is fair and accurate.
  • D: Any other factor the Committee deems appropriate to consider, including past activities, success of the group or project, membership size, and benefit to the Tufts community.

Section 7: In considering each application, the Committee shall abide by the following guidelines:

  • A: Applications from in-house organizations and from Tufts chapters of national organizations shall be allowed for organizational expenses and activities exclusive of travel, provided that such activities are open to the student body at large. There will be a limit of six hundred dollars ($600) per academic year per organization for such expenses.
  • B: In addition, Tufts chapters of national organizations may submit applications for expenses associated with travel to any conference
  • sponsored by the national organization (e.g. travel, hotel, and registration fee) with a limit of four hundred dollars ($400) per year per organization.
  • C: In accordance with the above, the maximum disbursement to any in-house organization shall be six hundred dollars ($600) per year. The funding for Tufts chapters of national organizations may reach a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1000) a year, to include funding for expenditures for national conferences. During the fall funding meeting, a new student group may receive a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300) for the first semester and may then reapply for an additional three hundred dollars ($300) in the spring. A new student group may also apply for funding at the spring funding meeting, receiving a maximum of three hundred dollars ($300). A new Tufts Chapter of a national organization may receive a maximum of seven hundred dollars ($700), included in that amount is the four hundred dollar ($400) funding for national conference, for the first semester and then may reapply for an additional three hundred dollars ($300) in the spring.
  • D: The Council reserves the right to award less than the maximum allowable amount to any organization. Groups with shared Medical and Dental School membership will be eligible for funding for the medical students. The Dental School or individual dental students are responsible for funding dental student involvement in Tufts University School of Medicine organizations (the amount of the funding shall be determined by the Chair of the organization). Awarding of funds may be delayed until matched funds are available from the other graduate school(s) involved.
  • E. The Council reserves the right to determine if a student group is to be considered “new” if the name of the student organization has changed from the previous year but the mission remains the same. If the student group has been inactive for over a year, no meetings or club activities, the group must be considered new and therefore eligible for a maximum of three hundred dollars allotted per semester. Any remaining funds will be reallocated to the Student Council account.
  • F: The Council will allow no more than one hundred dollars ($100) of Council funding per group to be used for speaker honoraria annually.
  • G. The Ethics Representatives from four Tufts University School of Medicine classes will be allotted six hundred dollars ($600) each year to be used amongst the four classes.
  • H. The Diversity Representatives from four Tufts University School of Medicine classes will be allotted six hundred dollars ($600) each year to be used amongst the four classes.
  • I. The Sharewood Project will automatically be allotted six hundred dollars ($600) each year, without having to apply for funding. If, however, Sharewood needs money for conferences (maximum of $400), they must apply for this funding.
  • J: In the event that a Student Council member seeks to solicit Student Council funding for his/her own club, that member must excuse himself or herself from that portion of the funding meeting while their application for funding is reviewed.
  • K: Clubs may not fractionate and seek additional funding for subdivisions within their own club (e.g. designating a subcommittee for publication of a newsletter and seeking additional funding for said activity)

Section 8: In the case of a club, national or otherwise, which has its own funding account, the following rule shall apply each semester when deciding to fund this club:

  • A: A club shall be given funding not to exceed a total account balance of more than two thousand dollars ($2000) after predicted expenses at the end of the current semester.
    a. This value shall be calculated with the following formula: Total Account Balance = Current Balance - Proposed Expenses for the Semester + New Semester Funding; not to exceed $2000.
    b. If a club is seeking funding for the academic year, the below equation shall apply: Total Account Balance = Current Balance - Proposed Expenses for the Academic Year + New Yearly Funding; not to exceed $2000.
    c. The purpose of the $2000 is to provide a reserve for these clubs. If Tufts University School of Medicine were to have financial difficulties and student council funding is reduced, these clubs would be able to support themselves for several years with this reserve while we can provide funding to other student groups with no reserves.
  • B: If a club would like to apply for a rule exception, e.g. planning for a school-wide event or community service project, they shall be required to write a brief explanation as an addendum to the funding application. The student council shall review the application and determine, in a case-by- case basis, whether they be given an exception.

Section 9: All clubs that would like to use rooms in the Medical Education building, or any building owned by Tufts University School of Medicine, must receive approval from the OSA.

Section 10: Student Council Project Award: The Student Council will allocate a minimum of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1500) annually toward the support of a project(s) or endeavor(s) originating from Tufts University School of Medicine students that benefits the Tufts University School of Medicine community. Activities can include, but are not limited to, community outreach, community service, research, and other scholarly pursuits. Projects may not involve global health endeavors – these projects must seek funding and approval through the Global Health Office. These monies may be allocated to one or divided among many applicants at the discretion of the Council. Applications shall be solicited for review at a designated meeting in the spring semester, and the recipient(s) shall be determined at that time, or at a time to be determined. In order for monies to be dispersed, the awardee(s) must provide the Student Council with a PowerPoint of their project to go on the Student Council Website; and turn in proper receipts to the Office of Student Affairs (see Addendum 1). The student must use the grant before the end of the next academic year, or by graduation if in the fourth year.

Section 11: Meetings of the committee shall be held according to the Bylaws of the council in regards to quorum and voting requirements. Individuals, representatives or organizations applying for funding shall be notified of Committee meetings at least one week before the meetings, and their presence is required for action on their application. Upon reviewing each application, the committee shall go into executive session and vote to recommend or not recommend said application for funding.

Section 12: Any club has the right to appeal Student Council's decision regarding funding. A member of the club's leadership must present their appeal to the Student Council Treasurer no more than seven days after the notice of funding has been dispersed. The appeal must detail how the club fulfills all the aforementioned criteria for club funding (See Sections 6 and 7). The appeal must be no longer then one thousand (1000) words. Should Student Council deem necessary, the club's leadership may be called for questioning. Within two weeks of when the appeal is presented to the Student Council Treasurer, the Student Council will vote again regarding the club’s funding and the club will be notified.

Section 13: All recipients of funds will be expected to provide the Treasurer (or his/her designate) an accounting of all the Student Council funds received. This shall be performed in the following manner:

  • A: At least every two weeks during the spring and fall semester the Treasurer (or his/her designate) shall review requests including the original receipts for congruity between the group/individual budget and spending. See Addendum 1 for Student Club Funding Guidelines.
  • B: The requests and receipts shall then be provisionally approved and sent to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
  • C: Provisionally approved requests and receipts shall then be subject to final approval by the Finance Department.
  • D: In the event that a group/individual’s spending is deemed to be out of keeping with the approved budget, the group’s treasurer/individual will be only be reimbursed for the amount remaining in their account. In extenuating circumstances, club treasurers may submit an appeal in writing to the Student Council. If the Student Council deems the case worthy, the club may present it at the next Student Council Meeting.
  • E: Clubs must designate one individual to act as club treasurer, and this individual will be responsible for reporting all transactions directly with the Student Council Treasurer.
  • F: Before funds will be disbursed in the fall, a club’s treasurer, or another member of the club’s leadership, must attend a Funding Meeting organized by the Student Council Treasurer. Any exceptions will be made on an individual basis and must be emailed to the Student Council Treasurer before the Funding Meeting.

Section 14: All recipients of funds from the Council shall be special representatives of the Council (as per article V) and therefore shall be required to report to the Council on their activities.
Section 15: The following exceptions to the above policy shall be permitted:

  • A: Each class shall receive a minimum of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) at the start of each academic year to be used by the Student Government of that class.
  • B: The senior class shall be allowed special consideration to apply for additional funds to cover expenses associated with fourth year class activities (e.g. graduation party, yearbook).
  • C: The senior class shall be awarded two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) to be applied toward expenses for senior week activities.
  • D: The Student Council shall provide funding for the Spring Gala. The Council shall determine the sums of the funding at the spring funding meeting. Expenses from previous years may be used to guide the Council for such funding.
  • E: The Council will allocate up to one hundred dollars ($100) for a gift to the graduating Student Council President. The senior class Council representatives or the Council as a whole will determine this gift.
  • F: Any other exception that a majority of the Council votes to allow.
  • G: Any unused funds left in the Council’s account at the end of each academic year shall be “rolled over” and added to the available funds for the upcoming year. This applies to both Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council’s account and for each class.

Section 16: Yearbook funding: funding for the senior class yearbook shall be a maximum of $15,000 of the annual Student Council budget, subject to change.

Article IX: Rights of the Student Body

Section 1: The student body has the right to expect that the Council and its respective Class Governments function in the student body’s best interest. The student body shall have the right to petition the Council to bring any issue before the entire student body provided at least 25% of the body, including at least 25 members from each class, petition the Council. In such a case, the wishes of the majority of the student body, as determined by a referendum in which at least 65% of the student body participates, shall be followed.

Article X: Student Council Policy on Alcohol

The Student Council will not fund alcohol for any organization or event where alcohol is served unsupervised. Appropriate supervision is provided by any established public place of business with a liquor license, or in the case of private functions, may be provided by police. The policy of Student Council is to encourage only responsible drinking, and groups desiring to use alcohol without appropriate supervision will not be allowed to use their Student Council funds for this purpose.

Article XI: Use of Tufts Name, Mark or Insignia

Section 1: The Tufts University name, seal, and logo may not be used in conjunction with any private or commercial enterprise, in tandem with the advertisement of any product, or by any individual or group promoting itself. Use of the university name, seal or logo on letterhead and business cards is standardized and regulated by the Office of Communications and Public Relations. Any questions regarding the use of the University name, seal, or logo in circumstances other that the ones listed above should be referred to the Director of Publications.

Section 2: The University reserves the right to change this policy from time to time. Proposed changes normally will be developed by the Vice Provost, in consultation with appropriate representatives or committees of the school faculties, school Deans, University Counsel, the Provost, Executive Vice President, and the Information Technology Council. The President has sole authority to approve changes to this Policy.

Article XII: Official Name and Address

Name: Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council

Address:
c/o Office of Student Affairs
145 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02111

Web Address: https://canvas.tufts.edu/courses/23288

Addendum 1: Student Club Funding Guidelines General Requirements For Expense Reimbursement

In order to ensure full reimbursement for club expenses, please provide the following documentation within 30 days of the event:

Business Expense Reimbursement Form

A Business Expense Reimbursement Form must be filled out completely for each event. These forms can be found on the front desk in the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).

The exception to this form involves expenses incurred while participating in a national conference. In these instances, it is necessary to fill out the Travel Reimbursement Forms, which can be obtained from the OSA. If students plan on using an outside service, prior approval of the OSA is necessary and if approved, a Consultant Form and W-9 Form must be completed.

All expense forms must include the name, signature and current mailing address of the student who is being reimbursed. The reimbursement check is mailed directly from Accounts Payable to the address listed on the expense form.

Original, Itemized Receipts

Every Expense Reimbursement Form must have attached the original, itemized receipts that coincide with the expenses being submitted.

If students plan to buy personal items at the same time as club purchases, the purchases must be separate. All receipts must be itemized. Be aware that summary credit card receipts and credit card statements will not be accepted. In the case of travel, Airline Boarding Passes will be required to be submitted with Travel Reimbursement Forms (this is including Student Council Awards that were used toward travel).

Attendance Sheet

Attendance for club events should be accurately documented and must be provided with every Expense Reimbursement Form.

Appropriate Advertising Documentation

To get reimbursed, an event must be appropriately advertised, in a timely manner, to the entire student body. A copy of the announcement must be sent to medpresidents@elist.tufts.edu by noon on the Sunday before the event. A copy of the original email advertising the event must be attached to the Expense Reimbursement Form.

Expense Reimbursement Process

Once the appropriate supporting documentation has been compiled and attached to the Expense Reimbursement Form, it can be submitted to the OSA for the necessary signatures from the Student Council Treasurer and the Dean of Student Affairs. Do not leave completed Expense/Travel Reimbursement Forms on the front desk in the OSA. Give the forms directly to the Administrative Coordinator. It is your responsibility to ensure that they have been received.

The OSA will submit the completed forms and receipts to Accounts Payable for reimbursement. The Student Council Treasurer will check in with the OSA on a regular basis to ensure that expenses are signed and submitted in a timely manner.

Accounts Payable will send a reimbursement check directly to the contact and address listed in the appropriate Expense Reimbursement Form. The usual turnaround time from Accounts Payable is approximately ten (10) days from the day they receive the forms.

The OSA will keep a copy of the submitted expense forms and will also provide the Student Council Treasurer with a copy.

There will be no exceptions to the policies outlined in the addendum, and reimbursement will be denied of all requirements are not met. Failure to properly fill out the Expense Reimbursement Form, and provide original receipt and sign in sheet will delay expense reimbursement.

Fund Usage Guidelines

Co-Sponsored Events

Student clubs cannot transfer funds from one club to another. If there is a co-sponsored event ensure that a representative (i.e. club treasurer) from both clubs signs the Expense Reimbursement Form, as well as the person being reimbursed.

Speaker Honoraria

The Student Council will allow no more than one hundred dollars ($100) of funding per club to be used for speaker honoraria annually.

Travel Expenses

The extra four hundred dollars ($400) awarded to nationally affiliated clubs can only be used for national conference expenses. These expenses include travel and registration fees.

Alcohol

Student Council funds can only be used for alcohol if the entire class/student body is invited to the event and there is official supervision. Events held in bars and restaurants are allowed, however, these events must be approved in advance and may not be paid for with a student’s personal credit card. Booking sheets/contract proposals with the details of the event should be provided at least two weeks in advance to Janet Kerle, Associate Dean of Students, for approval and then to Patrice Ambrosia, Director Budget Finance Operations, for coordination of the arrangements.

Note: reimbursement for parties in students’ homes is not allowed.

If an event will occur at Tufts, the student will need to speak to the OSA for prior approval as well as the Tufts campus police about hiring a detail officer as is required by Tufts policy when alcohol is served on campus. There will be a minimum charge of one hundred twenty five dollars ($125) for four hours. In order to ensure appropriate reimbursement for alcohol, it is recommended that you inform the Student Council Treasurer about your event before it happens.

Major Purchases

In the case of major purchases, arrangements should be made through Patrice Ambrosia to purchase items through Tufts so that the best price may be obtained and the purchase is tax exempt. Allow at least two weeks notice.

If the club is interested in hiring or contracting out particular services such as catering, DJ, cruise ship, or a class party in a restaurant or bar, Patrice Ambrosia must be visited prior to making any arrangements.

If you are purchasing equipment/supplies for your club, they must be stored at Tufts. This ensures that the club still has access to that stock when the original purchaser has moved on to the clinical years.

Fundraising

If a club does any fundraising they may deposit the proceeds into their Tufts Account. However, provide accurate documentation of all transactions and deposits to the OSA and the Student Council Treasurer. Doing so ensures that at the end of the year, any money clubs have left from fundraising will be carried over to next year. Otherwise, there are no guarantees that the money will remain allocated to the respective club.

Contracts Deposits

Students are not authorized to sign contracts on behalf of the Tufts and may not use their personal credit card for payment of a club activity or event. Students must contact Patrice Ambrosia in advance to make arrangements for any events requiring a contract and/or deposit/down payment. This is to protect you as a student in the event of any unforeseen scenario.

Use Of Tufts Name/Insignia

The use of the name “Tufts” and corresponding insignia cannot be used without appropriate permission for commercial endeavors, fundraising activities or in business/political promotions. Requests to use the Tufts name or insignia should be directed to the OSA who will forward it with a recommendation to the Medford Campus.

For specific questions contact the Student Council Treasurer and reference the most up-to-date Funding Guidelines dispersed at the mandatory funding meetings.

Addendum 2: Student Organizations and Activities

Traditionally, student groups at Tufts are established and run by students. There are a number of groups that stay consistent from year to year, while others wax and wane according to student interest.

Student groups are funded at biannual Student Council meetings. To apply for money, a budget for proposed activities must be presented to the Council. If a group receives money from the Council, they are expected to provide receipts for expenditures for that calendar year. There are some guidelines on how much money groups can receive from the Council. (see Addendum 1).

Students are encouraged to participate in the activities and clubs. Please visit our Student Council Website for the most up to date listing of Tufts’ student organizations (see Article XII). If your interests are not represented, we encourage you to start a group.

If you are interested in any group, contact either a Student Council officer or the leadership for the specific organization. However, if you feel you want to share another common activity with your classmates, start a group.

These Bylaws have been approved by the Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council and are accurate as of October 2013.