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SCHOOL OF NURSING ALUMNI ASSOCIATION of
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY AND PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL

BY-LAWS

May 1, 1998

(revised December 8, 1999)
(revised September 18, 2003)
(revised May 7, 2004)
(revised October 19, 2007)

Preamble:  These by-laws shall constitute the governing rules, policies and procedures for the School of Nursing Alumni Association of Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital.  The Alumni Association operates under the auspices of the School of Nursing and is a partnership with the School of Nursing ' s Office of Development and Alumni Affairs.

All alumni are encouraged to participate in the Alumni Association and School of Nursing activities, and these by-laws are designed to promote such participation.

ARTICLE I

NAME
The School of Nursing Alumni Association of Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital.

ARTICLE II

PURPOSE
The purpose of the Alumni Association shall be to support the Columbia University School of Nursing and its alumni and to further alumni interest and involvement with the School and fellowship among its alumni.

ARTICLE III

MEMBERS
SECTION I - Composition of Membership
All graduates of the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing and Columbia University School of Nursing and any individual who attended either school for at least one academic year and left in good standing and who wants to become a member.

SECTION II - Voting Rights
All members shall have equal voting rights and may vote in person or by proxy.

ARTICLE IV

MEETINGS OF MEMBERS

SECTION I - Annual Meeting
An annual meeting of the membership shall be held in the month of May each year, in New York City.  Notice of the meeting shall appear in The Academic Nurse and separate notices shall be mailed at least 45 days in advance of the meeting to all addressable alumni.

SECTION II - Special Meetings
Special meetings of the membership may be called by the Board of Directors or by written request of 100 members.

SECTION III - Quorum
A quorum shall be 100 members present in person or by proxy.

SECTION IV - Nominations and Elections
The nominating committee shall propose nominations for elected officers/directors and shall inform the Alumni Association of their nominees by mail not later than 30 days before the annual meeting.  Names may be submitted to the nominating committee not later than 60 days before the annual meeting.  Nominating committee candidates shall be elected by a quorum of alumni attending the annual meeting in person or voting by proxy.

ARTICLE V

COMMITTEES

SECTION I - Standing Committees
There shall be three standing committees, as follows:

Alumni Regional Committee:   Comprised of Alumni Regional Representatives who are selected by the Alumni Association's president in consultation with the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs,  Alumni Regional Representatives shall work closely with the Alumni Association's Vice President/Alumni Regional Chair and the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs;  they shall also work with Class Representatives and Program representatives in their regions to arrange regional functions for alumni, set up career information networks, and assist with student and alumni recruitment.  Finally, they will work with Class Representatives and Program Representatives in their regions to collect alumni news and other information for publication in The Academic Nurse .

Annual Fund Committee:   Comprised of alumni who volunteer to work with the Vice President /Annual Fund Chair to develop and implement strategies to encourage participation in the Annual Fund, including regional representatives (who will promote participation regionally).  Committee members, working with the Chair, will establish, and successfully achieve, an annual fundraising goal.

Nominating Committee:   Consists of Chair and 3 to 7 members with broad regional and class representation who consult with alumni and representatives of the School of Nursing to propose a slate of candidates for open officer positions, to be confirmed at the annual meeting of members.  Nominating Committee members served two-year, staggered terms.

SECTION II - Additional Committees
Additional committees may be created by the Alumni Association president, in consultation with the Dean and the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs.  Committees are formulated to reflect specific needs and/or missions of the School of Nursing and interests of alumni members.  Chairs of committees shall be appointed by the President of the Alumni Association and the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs, or appointed by the committee's members.  Meetings and other correspondence and/or projects shall be determined by the committee chairs; conference calls may replace a committee meeting.  Committee chairs shall serve a two-year term; committee members may serve for a period of up to five years.  Additional committees shall have no fewer than five members appointed from the membership.
Additional committees may include, but are not limited to:
Alumni Weekend/Reunion (with co-chairs for the following year appointed annually)
Career Resources, Nursing Education, History, International, Student Recruitment.

ARTICLE VI

COMMITTEE AND DIRECTORS MEETING CONDUCT
Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts's Rules of Order, to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions of these by-laws.

ARTICLE VII

DIRECTORS
SECTION I - Composition of the Board
The Board shall be constituted as set forth in this Article VII.  There shall be not less than 10 nor more than 23 directors, as follows:

Elected Officer/Directors
1.  President
2.  Vice President, Regional Chair
3.  Vice President, Alumni Association Annual Fund
4.  Secretary
5.  Nominating Committee Chair
6.  Up to 13 additional Directors

Appointed
7.  Student Body Representative, Columbia University School of Nursing
8.  Reunion Co-Chairs, appointed annually by Alumni Association President, in consultation with the Associate Dean for Development and Alumni Affairs
9.  Dean, Columbia University School of Nursing
10. Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Affairs, Columbia University School of Nursing

SECTION II - Term of Office
Following an initial two-year period, directors shall serve for three year terms, except for the Reunion co-chairs, who shall be appointed annually, with a maximum of two consecutive terms in any one position.  In order to stagger terms of directors, however, the initial terms of directors shall be as noted in parentheses after the titles set forth in Section I of Article VII.  Three to five additional directors shall be appointed to two and three-year initial terms, to result in a change of as close as possible of one-third of the Board every year.

SECTION III - Meetings of the Board of Directors
Two per year, one in the spring to coincide with the annual membership meeting and one planning meeting in October or November.  A special meeting of the Board of Directors may be called by a majority of the directors.  The annual membership and planning meetings shall be announced at least six months in advance of the meeting date.

ARTICLE VIII

OFFICERS
The President of the Alumni Association shall work with the Dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing and the Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Affairs on all matters related to alumni. He/she shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. The President of the Alumni Association shall represent the Columbia University School of Nursing on the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) of Columbia University, in accordance with the by-laws of CAA, and shall serve on the Board of Visitors of the School of Nursing. The President of the Alumni Association shall also attend as many regional meetings as possible or shall appoint a director to represent him/her in the event the President is unable to attend a regional meeting.

The two Vice Presidents shall work with the Regional Representatives Committee and the Annual Fund Committee.  The Secretary shall take the minutes of the planning and annual membership meetings and shall perform additional responsibilities as requested by the Alumni Association President.

ARTICLE IX

RESIGNATION, REMOVAL AND VACANCIES
Any director, officer or committee member may resign at any time by giving written notice to the President. Such resignation shall take effect at any time specified therein. Any director, officer or committee member may be removed for cause by a vote of a majority of the membership or by a majority of the directors, at a special meeting called for that purpose. Any vacancies on the Board may be filled at any meeting of the Board by a vote of a majority of directors, and any person so chosen shall serve for the unexpired term of his/her predecessor in office.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS
These by-laws may be amended by vote, in person or by proxy, a quorum of members present at any annual meeting or at any special meeting called for this purpose, provided that notice of any proposed amendment, proposed by the officers, shall be mailed at least 10 days prior to the date for which the meeting is called.

ARTICLE XI

RELATIONSHIP TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI FEDERATION
The School of Nursing Alumni Association of Columbia University and Presbyterian Hospital agrees to adopt the provisions of the Columbia Alumni Association Constitution and By-laws as stated in Article IV, Section 4.1a.ii.