Student Nurses' Association of Rhode Island
Bylaws

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Student Nurses’ Association of Rhode Island (herein referred to as SNARI), a constituent of the National Student Nurses’ Association, Incorporated (herein referred to as NSNA).

Article II – Purposes and Functions

A.      The purposes of the SNARI shall be:

1. To be an independent student organization.
2. To promote student participation in activities relative to nursing.
3. To aid in the preparation of nursing students for the assumption of the responsibilities of registered nurses by fostering membership in professional organizations.
4. To provide programs representative of the fundamental and current professional interest and concerns.
5. To aid in the development of the individual in his/her professional role, including his/her responsibility for the health care of people.
6. To assume responsibility for contributing to the profession of nursing through leadership development and political activism in an attempt to provide for the highest quality of health care.

B.      The functions of the SNARI shall be:To influence health care, nursing education, and nursing practice.

1. To promote and encourage students’ participation in interdisciplinary activities.
2. To promote and encourage participation in community affairs and activities towards improving health care.
3. To represent nursing students to the health care consumer, institutions, and other professional organizations.
4. To promote and encourage recruitment efforts, participation in student activities, and educational opportunities regardless of a person’s race, color, creed, sex, lifestyle, age, or economic status.
5. To promote and encourage collaborative relationships with other nursing and related health organizations.

Article III – Members

A.      Active members shall consist of:

1. Students enrolled in state approved programs leading to licensure as a registered nurse.
2. Registered nurses enrolled in programs leading to a baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing.

B.  Associate members:   

1. Pre-nursing students, including registered nurses and practical nurses enrolled in college or university programs designed as preparation for entrance into an undergraduate program leading to an associate degree, diploma, or baccalaureate degree in nursing.
2.  Associate members shall have all of the privileges of membership except the right to hold office as President and Vice President.

C.     Active and Associate memberships:

1. Shall be renewable annually via the membership enrollment form
2. Active and associate membership may be extended six (6) months beyond completion of a student's program in nursing, providing membership was renewed while the student was enrolled in a nursing program.
3. Members must attend monthly meetings to maintain their Active or Associate status.  A member’s absence from a monthly meeting may be excused at the discretion of the executive board if notice of the absence is received prior to the meeting.  Absence of three (3) consecutive meetings will result in membership status being reviewed by the Executive Officers

Article IV – Executive Committee

Section I.  Executive Officers

1. The Executive Board for SNARI shall consist of the following offices: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary.
2. The Executive Board will represent SNARI to all schools of nursing in the state of RI.

Section II. Eligibility for Office

A.      Only members who shall be nursing students throughout at least six (6) months of the year during their term of office and have the privileges of active or associate membership shall be eligible for a position as an Executive Officer.

B.      Nominee shall be in good standing of SNARI, have regularly attended meetings and meet the qualifications for membership as outlined in Article III, and shall not have membership status under review.

C.      Associate members are not eligible to hold office of President or Vice President.

D.      All Executive Officers must hold NSNA membership.

Section III. Term of Office

The term of the Executive Officers begins with the adjournment of the Annual State Convention and ends with the adjournment of the Annual State Convention elections will be announced at the last meeting in May. 

Section IV. Duties of Officers

A.    The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of SNARI.
2. Plan agenda for meetings and review at beginning of meetings.
3. Encourage input from all members.
4. Use every opportunity to raise awareness of SNARI.
5. Maintain open line of communication with members.
6. Promote and encourage nursing students and pre-nursing students to join and become active.
7. Serve as a member on the Annual Convention Planning Committee.
8. Maintain active membership status in NSNA throughout his/her entire term of office.
9. Chair (or appoint an active member to chair) the Bylaws Committee.

B.     The Vice President shall:

1. Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
2. Complete annual filings as required by NSNA to maintain constituency status.
3. Serve as Chair on the Annual Convention Planning Committee.
4. Respond to information requests, new member requests and vendor/sponsor requests through our website, www.snari.org.
5. Assist other officers with duties as needed.
6. Perform other duties as designated by the President.
7. Maintain active membership status in NSNA throughout his/her entire term of office.

C.     The Treasurer shall:

1. Act as custodian of the organization’s funds and deposit these funds into an account maintained by SNARI.
2. Report to SNARI the amount of funds in the account and any account activity at each meeting.
3. Sign checks, after approval from President, for monetary disbursements.
4. Purchase SNARI supplies as approved by the President or Executive Committee.
5. Keep accurate and up-to-date records of all monies received from NSNA and contributors as well as monies spent.
6. Perform other duties as designated by the President.
7. Prepare a report of the transactions of the Treasurer's office to be submitted at the annual meeting.
8. Prepare an annual budget.
9. Maintain active membership status in NSNA throughout his/her entire term of office.

D.    The Secretary shall:    

1. Prepare the minutes of all the meetings of SNARI.
2. Disburse the minutes to all those present at the meeting and to the officers of SNARI.
3. Submit monthly meeting minutes to NSNA after approval.
4. Maintain active membership list.
5. Maintain, or appoint a suitable active member to maintain, the association website, associated email addresses, and social media pages
6. Perform other duties as designated by the President.
7. Deliver to the newly elected Secretary all records, papers, and other property belonging to the Association one month prior to the first scheduled meeting
8. Maintain active membership status in NSNA throughout his/her entire term of office.

E.     The State Advisor           

1. Serve as a resource person in planning, deliberating and implementing SNARI activities.
2.  Provide guidance needed for decision making, problem solving, program planning and fund raising.
3. Provide information and guidance in organizational management, such as financial planning and record keeping.
4. Provide guidance to the President on conducting effective meetings.
5. Stimulate and encourage personal and professional development and foster the leadership skills required of officers and other members.
6. Facilitate discussions leading to decision making by student leaders refraining from directing the outcomes.
7. Not be eligible to vote.

F.      Graduate Consultant shall:

1. Serve as a resource person in planning, deliberating and implementing SNARI activities.
2. Provide guidance needed for decision making, problem solving, program planning and fund raising.
3. Provide information and guidance in organizational management, such as financial planning and record keeping.
4. Provide guidance to the President on conducting effective meetings.
5. Stimulate and encourage personal and professional development and foster the leadership skills required of officers and other members.
6. Facilitate discussions leading to decision making by student leaders refraining from directing the outcomes.
7. The Graduate Consultant will be one (1) immediate past Executive Officer who will graduate during or at the end of his/her term may, at the discretion of the incoming Executive Officers, remain as a Graduate Consultant for a period of at least one (1) year after his/her term as Executive Officer has ended.
8. Not be eligible to vote.

G.    Other Advisors shall:

1. Attend meetings at the permission of the Executive Officers.
2. Not be eligible to vote.

Article V – Nominations, Elections and Term

Section I.  Nominations

A.    Students may nominate themselves for an office or they may be nominated by a fellow student.

B.    Nominations are made by written ballot or online ballot beginning two (2) months prior to election meeting.

1. Nominations for Executive Officers shall consist of members from two (2) or more nursing schools in Rhode Island.
2. Associate members are not eligible to hold office of President or Vice President.
3. In the event that a student who does not meet the qualifications set forth under Article IV, Section II wishes to seek an Executive Officer position, that student may submit a letter of intent to serve or a candidate information form which may then be voted upon by the Executive Officers.

Section II. Elections

All Executive Officers shall be voted on by the previous year’s Executive Officers, all nominated students and current members of SNARI who have regularly attended of the SNARI meetings within that election year and are present at the election meeting.  The members voting must be members in good standing.

Officers shall be representatives of at least two schools of nursing in the state.

Elections shall be announced in March at the SNARI yearly convention and affirmed in May  of the election year at the last SNARI meeting in May.  Newly elected officers will be announced at the last meeting of the school year and take office from that day forward.

Section III. Term

The term shall begin at the last meeting in May and end at the following year in the month of May.

Officers graduating in December of the previous year shall remain in office until May of the following year when the newly elected Executive Officers take office. 

Article VI – Meetings

Section I.  Annual Convention and Other SNARI Meetings

SNARI’s Annual Convention shall be held at such time and place determined by the Annual Convention Planning Committee.  The Annual Convention shall be for the purpose of presenting programs of interest to students.

All other meetings of SNARI shall be held monthly or at the discretion of the President.

Time and locations of meetings shall be announced via email, www.snari.org and other social media sites. 

Any changes to site of SNARI meetings will be presented at least one meeting prior, and voted upon by present attendees.  

All meetings are open to current students interested in the field of nursing. 

Article VII – Committees

Section I.  Ad Hoc Committees

The Executive Committee, at its discretion, shall establish ad hoc committees deemed necessary to carry on the work of the association.

Section II. Standing Committees

Standing Committees shall be the Bylaws Committee and the Annual Convention Planning Committee.      

1. The Bylaws Committee is responsible for keeping the SNARI bylaws up to date, writing any changes needed and presenting them to the members of SNARI at an official meeting.
2. The Annual Convention Planning Committee is responsible for planning and overseeing the Annual Convention.

Article VIII – Monetary Disbursement

Section I.  Executive Authority

The Executive Committee has the right to appropriate funds for special circumstances at their discretion.  The Executive Committee must announce all disbursements at the following SNARI meeting.

Article IX – Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of SNARI shall be from the beginning of the newly elected Executive Officers term of office at the close of the last SNARI meeting held in May.

Article X – Amendments

These bylaws may be amended at any official SNARI meeting by 2/3 vote of active members in good standing present and voting.

Article XI – Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of this organization, all the assets remaining, after payment of its obligations, shall be distributed to the NSNA Foundation for a scholarship to a Rhode Island nursing student.