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Constitution and BY-LAWS
of the
Student Chapterof theAcademy of LDS Dentistsat
The Ohio State University
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Student Chapter of the Academy of LDS Dentists at The Ohio State University hereafter referred to as OSU.
ARTICLE II
MISSION STATEMENT
This Student Chapter of the Academy of LDS Dentists is an organization of dental students who are dedicated to serving mankind. Our mission is to:
● Promote dental education among fellow professionals and the general public;
● Facilitate dental service by its members, providing manpower and expertise in dental care as far as our training allows;
● Help procure and distribute dental disease prevention educational materials to underserved populations;
● Assist its members learn techniques for facilitating patient treatment to underserved demographics; and
● Introduce its members to Continuing Education Modalities (including study clubs, mentors, attending C.E. courses, and seeking learning through other medias like DVDs, MP4s, Webinars, etc.).
ARTICLE III
PURPOSES
The purposes of this Student Chapter shall be:
1.To help its members learn the social, moral, and ethical obligations of the profession of dentistry and the provision of oral healthcare to all people as they are pursuing careers in dentistry.
2.To introduce, promote, and encourage student participation in organized dentistry, humanitarian services and to position the Student Chapter membership as the beginning of a lifelong involvement with organized dentistry.
3.To create and disseminate information important to LDS students pursuing careers in dentistry.
4.To represent the needs, interests, and welfare of the Student Chapter’s members to legislative bodies and other organizations that have influence on these concerns and the profession of dentistry.
5. To be helpful, if invited, to assist school administrators in evaluating dental education and policies affecting dental students.
6.To foster the attainment of each member’s full potential by promoting, encouraging, and providing opportunities for participation in leadership development, community service, dental research, and other experiences for personal improvement and advancement of the profession.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY
Students who are members of the Academy of LDS Dentists and who are currently enrolled in the dental program at OSU are considered members of this Student Chapter. This organization and its members shall not discriminate against any individual(s) for reasons of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.Dental students who are not LDS are welcome to join the activities of the group. It is understood that members of the above organization will keep high moral standards at all times and be an example of their profession and religion.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS
A. Titles
The officers or executive committee of the Academy’s Student Chapter OSU shall include, but not be limited to: president, president-elect, treasurer, secretary, and any other positions the chapter wishes to create. Positions shall be for one year.
B. Elections
The officers may be nominated and elected by ballot at the last regular meeting in May. A majority vote of the members present shall be necessary to elect. When there is only one nominee for an office, there may be a vocal vote. All officers shall take office immediately at the close of the meeting in which they are elected.
C. Eligibility
Any member of Student Chapter of the Academy shall be eligible for election provided that he/she is an active member of the Chapter and understands the details and accepts the responsibilities of the position.
D. Duties of the Officers (Executive Committee of the Student Chapter)
1. The President shall:
a. Preside at all general membership and special meetings.
b. Appoint committees and serve as ex-officio (non-voting) of said committees.
c. Assist the treasurer in the preparation of the budget and management of the finances.
d. Carry out assignments and instructions to the office of the president.
2. The President-elect shall:
a. Be an aide to the president.
b. In case of the absence or disability of the president, assume the duties of the president.
c. Oversee the coordination of all projects.
3. The Treasurer shall:
a. Present a budget and a tentative schedule of suggested fundraising activities for the finance of the chapter with approval needed by the president
b. See to the day-to-day expenditures of the chapter.
c. Make sure the chapter does not acquire any liabilities.
d. Oversee the fund-raising committee on behalf of the chapter.
e. See to the best of his/her abilities that money used on behalf of the chapter is used wisely and in a manner, which suits the purposes of the chapter.
4. The Secretary shall:
a. Keep a written record of all meetings (general membership meetings, executive, etc.) in order to provide the chapter with a record of issues discussed, problems posed, ideas raised, and of the people who participated in the group discussion for benefit of the chapter and its members.
b. Recite or summarize the record of minutes for approval by the membership.
c. Keep a current list of active members.
d. Record minutes to be “open” to all members.
e. In case of absence, have a substitute appointed that day by any member of the executive committee.
E. Removal of Officers
Officers are expected to fulfill their responsibilities and maintain the standards of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. If three members of the executive committee or a unanimous vote from the members of the academy vote to remove an officer from their position a new election will be held to fill the spot. An executive member may also voluntarily resign at any time, instigating another election to fill the position.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS
A. Time and Place
At least four general membership meetings shall be held from September through May; the place and hour to be determined by the officers.
B. Types of Meetings
The various meetings of the organization, as defined in the bylaws, include:
- General membership;
- Annual election meeting;
- Special meetings; and
- Officer meetings
C.Quorum
Quorum for general membership, annual election and special meetings shall be those active members present, provided proper notice is given, as defined in the bylaws. Quorum for officer meetings shall consist of 50 percent of the voting members.
ARTICLE VII
FINANCES
Only the president and treasurer shall control all finances. All income (donations) and expenses shall be written on a ledger to be kept for three years. All funds must be spent on organizational purposes only. The transfer of position (or responsibility) of controlling all funds shall be done one week after the new officer(s) has/have been appointed.
Donations over $200 may be given to the Treasurer of the Academy of LDS Dentists for a tax-deductable donation. Checks for the same amount will then be mailed back to the Student Chapter’s President for the use of the Student Chapter of the Academy of LDS Dentists, and the original donor will receive a receipt for the IRS.
Local checking accounts at a reputable bank or credit union shall be chosen by the Student Chapter President and set up in his/her name along with the Treasurer’s name. In setting up
the accounts, they can use their personal Social Security Number for the account or the preferred way is to make an easy application for an EIN (Employee Identification Number) that is available for this very purpose. This is different than the TIN (Tax Identification Number) of the Academy of LDS Dentists, which is used by an IRS Section 501(c)(3) Organization.
ARTICLE VIII
ADVISOR
The advisor of OSU Student Chapter of the Academy of LDS Dentists shall be a non-voting member of the group. He/she must have a sincere interest and commitment to the welfare of the chapter. The advisor must be a faculty or staff member of OSU.
The Past-President of the Academy of LDS Dentists will also serve as a contact advisor for the Student Chapter.
ARTICLE IX
DISSOLUTION
In the event of dissolution of the above named organization, all unspent Student Chapter funds shall be donated to the Academy of LDS Dentists for the use in humanitarian services.
September 26, 2014