The Constitution     (View as Microsoft Word Document)

Duke University Prospective Health Care Club Constitution

Article I: Name

The organization is named the Duke University Prospective Health Care Club.  It will hereafter be referred to as PHCC. 

Article II: Mission

PHCC is a student organization focused upon studying, promoting, and establishing the foundations for a Prospective Health Care system.  Prospective Health Care is a novel model of medicine that is proactively preventative and individualized.  PHCC aims to foster discussion of this mode of medicine both in the Duke University community and more generally among undergraduate institutions nationally and abroad.  Symposiums, publications, and curricular methods will be utilized to further this goal.  Research-service projects will be implemented in the surrounding Durham community to improve overall health as well as to inform the public about the changing face of health care.  All of the above shall always be conducted in a manner that is ethical, empathic, honest, and of highest quality.

Article III: Committees

The Forum, Publication, Curricular Involvement, and Community Service Committees will enable PHCC to accomplish its mission.  Committees are responsible for the proposal and planning of projects that support this mission.  However, it is expected that all PHCC members participate in all PHCC events and projects.

A.         Committee Responsibilities

1.   The Forum Committee is responsible for promoting the discourse of Prospective Health Care.  Such events may include guest speakers, symposiums, and roundtable discussions.

2.   The Publications Committee is responsible for written discourse regarding PHCC and Prospective Health Care.  Such discourse may include written submissions to Duke University-affiliated and non-affiliated publications, as well as the creation and maintenance of a Prospective Health Care-oriented publication.

3.   The Curricular Involvement Committee is responsible for projects promoting the inclusion and discussion of Prospective Health Care in the Duke University curriculum.  Such initiatives may include the incorporation of Prospective Health Care into established courses, the arrangement of House Courses and FOCUS programs, and the promotion of teaching Prospective Health Care to students.

4.   The Community Service Committee is responsible for projects affecting the Durham community.  Such projects may include research-oriented studies, data collection initiatives, and projects aimed to improve community health via Prospective Health Care methods.

B.         Committee Procedures

1.   Committees are responsible for proposing and planning their respective projects.

2.   A majority vote by the Executive determines the assignment of a project to a committee.

3.   Every project must be proposed in a General Body meeting by the responsible Vice President.  In order to be approved, a majority of the General Body must vote in favor of the project.

4.   Every project's budget must be proposed in an Executive meeting.  In order to be granted funding by the Treasurer, a majority vote by the Executive must approve the budget.

5.   Committee meetings shall be arranged by the appropriate Vice President.  It is expected that Committee meetings are held approximately once per week.

Article IV: Officers and Leadership

A.        The Executive Council

1.   The Executive Council shall be the public face of PHCC.  The Executive Council will hereafter be referred to as Exec.

2.   The officers of Exec shall include one President, one Treasurer, one Secretary, one Vice President of Forum, one Vice President of Publication, one Vice President of Curricular Involvement, and one Vice President of Community Service. 

3.   All officers must be undergraduate students of Duke University.

4.   The four Vice Presidents shall head their respective committees of Forum, Publication, Curricular Involvement, and Community Service.

5.   The President, Treasurer, and Secretary may take part in any Committee they wish but are not required to be on a Committee.

6.   The officers of Exec shall be required to notify other officers of Exec should they be unable to attend a General Body meeting.  It is expected that Exec attend all General Body meetings.

7.   Only Exec and the PHCC Faculty Advisor may attend Executive meetings.  It is expected that Exec attend all Executive meetings.  Additional attendees may be invited to Executive meetings by the President.

8.   Each member of Exec has one vote.  For any resolution to pass, a majority of Exec must ratify it.

9.   Only members of Exec may participate in an Executive vote.

10.  Recruitment shall be the responsibility of the entire Executive Council.

B.         President Duties

1.   The President must ensure that the organization follows its mission at all times.

2.   The President shall oversee discussion in Executive and General Body meetings.

3.   The President shall meet with Duke University administration on issues pertaining to PHCC.

4.   The President shall meet with other student groups and inter-group councils on issues pertaining to PHCC.

5.   The President shall arrange meeting times and locations for General Body and Executive meetings.  It is expected that General Body meetings are held approximately once every two weeks, at the President's discretion.  Executive meetings shall be held at the President's discretion.

6.   The President shall create agendas for every General Body meeting and ensure that the agenda is followed.

7.   The President shall ensure all Exec responsibilities are met.

8.   The President shall ensure a high level of participation from all members at all events and meetings.

9.   The President may grant excuses from meetings and events.

10.  In the event of the President's absence from a General Body or Executive meeting, Exec shall vote on an interim President to preside over the meeting.  The interim President must be a member of Exec.

C.         Treasurer Duties

1.   The Treasurer shall be the fiscal manager of PHCC, including fundraising, annual budgeting, and dispersing club funds to Vice Presidents and their respective Committees.

2.   The Treasurer shall sign off on any spending of club funds.

3.   The Treasurer shall submit grant proposals that are drafted by Vice Presidents.

D.        Secretary Duties

1.   The Secretary shall take notes at meetings and be responsible for distribution of these notes to the entire organization.

2.   The Secretary shall be in charge of PHCC communication outside of meetings.

3.   The Secretary shall maintain campus awareness of PHCC events and programs.

4.   The Secretary shall maintain records of meeting attendance and membership status.

5.   The Secretary may grant excuses from meetings.

6.   The Secretary shall be in charge of or may delegate someone to be in charge of the organization's official website.

E.         Vice President Duties

1.   The Vice Presidents of Forum, Publication, Curricular Involvement, and Community Service are responsible for the performance of their respective Committees.  A majority vote by Exec shall decide the assignment of projects to committees.

2.   Vice Presidents shall have the ability to arrange and hold their respective Committee meetings.

3.   Vice Presidents shall draft grant proposals for respective projects.

4.   Vice Presidents shall submit project proposals at General Body meetings.

5.   Vice Presidents shall propose project budgets for projects that require funding at Executive meetings.

6.   Vice Presidents shall submit a project budget to the Treasurer for funding-approved projects. 

Article V: Officer Elections

Students wishing to run for an Exec position must be undergraduates at Duke University and must be official members of PHCC.  Elections must be held annually in March after Spring Recess.  Applicants for officer positions must submit written expression of intent and must be nominated by at least two other members of PHCC.  An officer is elected by majority vote of the General Body.  Should no nominee claim majority, a run-off election shall be held between the two top-voted candidates.  A tie in the run-off is resolved by a majority vote by Exec.  Following election and determination of new officers, a Shadowing Period begins.  During this time, the newly elected officers are without the usual executive powers or responsibilities.  However, newly elected officers must work closely with the present officer whose position they will assume.  Newly elected officers must attend all Executive meetings in order to become comfortable with their new position.  They shall shadow the present officer to the best of their ability.  The Shadowing Period lasts until the start of Duke University's Summer Session I, at which point the new Exec assumes regular power and responsibilities.

Article VI: Membership

A.        Granting Membership

1.   Membership in PHCC is available to Duke University undergraduates as well as interested members of the Duke University community.  Anyone interested is welcome to attend General Body meetings.  The interested member shall not be granted official member status until s/he attends at least three General Body meetings for the entire duration within the span of five consecutive General Body meetings.

2.   The organization must maintain an undergraduate official membership status of at least seventy-five percent.

3.   Official member status grants the member ability to vote in officer elections and take part in any Committee(s) s/he desires.  Official members must take part in at least one Committee.

4.   Should the Committee Vice President disagree with a member's involvement in his/her Committee, a majority vote by Exec shall decide the outcome.

B.         Revoking Membership

1.   Four unexcused absences from General Body and/or PHCC events results in a loss of official member status.

2.   Official members are required to be involved in at least one Committee.  Insufficient involvement, as determined by the Committee Vice President, shall be presented at Executive meetings by the appropriate Vice President.  Majority vote by Exec determines his/her status.

3.   One appeal is permitted to the member in question, at which point a majority vote by Exec determines his/her status.

4.   Procedure for re-granting official membership status is identical to the initial procedure for granting membership.

Article VII: Funding

Funding for PHCC can be acquired through any or all of the following methods:

1. Funding initiatives for a specific project or goal,

2. OSAF club funding,

3. Grants from Duke or outside institutions.

Any requests for funding must be approved by a majority vote by Exec.  Any spending of funds must be approved by the majority of official members attending that particular General Body meeting.  This majority must also include a majority of the Exec.

Article VIII: Meetings

A.         General Body meetings are open to all Exec, official members, and interested members/public.  These shall be held approximately once every two weeks, at the President’s discretion.

B.         Executive meetings shall be held at the President's discretion.  Executive meetings must be held in anticipation of every General Body meeting in order to prepare an agenda.

C.         Committee meetings shall be held approximately once every week, at the appropriate Vice President's discretion.  Committee members are required to attend all Committee meetings.  The President, Treasurer, and Secretary are expected to rotate attendance among Committee meetings evenly and are expected to attend approximately one per week.

Article IX: Removal of Officers

Should an officer of Exec perform his/her role inadequately, any member of the Exec can motion for removal.  Should the majority of Exec agree with the motion, the officer in question has two weeks following the motion for removal to improve his/her actions.  Following this trial period, a majority vote by both the Exec and General Body is required to remove the officer in question.  The procedure for the resulting election shall mimic that described in Article V.  The election shall take place the week following the impeachment.  If the President is impeached, only a present member of Exec may run for the position.  If any other member of Exec is impeached, any official member may run for the position.  Vacancies in Exec caused by any other means shall follow the procedure outlined above.

Article X: Amendments to the Constitution

Any member of PHCC can motion to amend the Constitution during a General Body meeting.  The member is expected to speak convincingly on the matter and submit to the President written expression of both the proposed amendment and a reason to amend.  To ratify the amendment, it must be voted on at the following General Body meeting.  The following meeting must be at least one week after the proposal is issued.  Seventy-five percent of attending members and fifty percent of Exec must approve the amendment in order to for it to be ratified.