General Information
Established Spring 1972, the Student Nurses Association is comprised of Nursing Majors and those interested in the profession of Nursing. SNA works to provide opportunity for personal, intellectual, professional and social growth of its members. Much of this is incorporated into health information and services that are provided to the campus and community. Each Nursing student is encouraged to cultivate leadership skills within the SNA and through membership in The National Student Nurses’ Association and The New Jersey Nursing Students’ Association.
The active SNA member is an individual aware of the issues, responsibilities and needs of Nursing profession and the public it serves.
SNA activities include a Health Fair, Career Day, Breast Examination Clinics, activities for Incoming Freshmen, a Recognition Ceremony for Seniors, etc.
Membership
All students within Nursing are eligible for membership.
Meetings
SNA meetings shall be held when planned or deemed necessary by the Executive Board.
Bylaws of Student Nurses Association
ARTICLE 1: Title
- This organization will be known as the Student Nurses Association.
ARTICLE II: Purpose
The purposes of this organization are:
- To promote awareness and involvement in nursing and baccalaureate nursing education.
- To support the education of the student nurse as a professional.
- To provide education concerning contemporary health problems on campus and in the community.
- To act as a liaison between nursing faculty and nursing students.
- To play an active role within the student government.
- To act as liaison between TCNJ nursing students and NJNS and NSNA.
ARTICLE III: Membership
Section 1. ELIGIBILITY
- All students within Nursing are eligible for membership, both generic and RNs.
- All students interested in entering Nursing are eligible for membership, but will have no vote, until accepted into Nursing and qualifying as active members.
Section 2. ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
- All Nursing majors are eligible for membership, both generic and RNs.
- Eligible members must attend meetings, participate in fund raising, committees and/or activities sponsored by this organization in order to be considered active, voting members.
ARTICLE IV: Officers
Section 1. The officers of this organization will consist of the president, vice-president, corresponding secretary, recording secretary, newsletter editor, treasurer, publicity chairperson, fund raising chairperson, and Committee Chair.
Section 2. The executive board will consist of the officers and class representatives and a RN representative.
Section 3. The term of office will be for one year.
ARTICLE V: Qualifications of Officers
Section 1. Nominees for office must be active members.
Section 2. Nominations for the office of president and vice-president will be from the junior and sophomore classes.
Section 3. Nominees must be full-time or part-time nursing students, with time available on campus in order to be accessible to the students they represent and adequately fulfill the responsibilities of their office.
Section 4. Officers are required to join the National Student Nurses’ Association in order to further their knowledge of nursing issues and to promote leadership and professionalism in their field.
ARTICLE VI: Responsibilities of Officers
Section l: President
- The president will demonstrate leadership and provide organization and initiative within SNA.
- The president is the representative of the SNA to the faculty.
- The president presides at all meetings of the organization and of the executive board.
Section 2: Vice President
- The vice-president acts as the coordinator of all committees.
- The vice-president will preside in the absence of the president.
Section 3: Recording Secretary
- The recording secretary will keep the record of the proceedings of all meetings.
- The recording secretary will also take attendance at all meetings.
Section 4. Corresponding Secretary
- The corresponding secretary will be responsible for all SNA communications.
Section 5. Treasurer
- The treasurer will keep an itemized record in a permanent file of all receipts and expenditures and give written report of same each month.
Section 6. Newsletter Editor
- The newsletter editor will periodically compose a newsletter known as ” Nurses’ Notes” for necessary communication within Nursing. “Nurses’ Notes” will be published monthly.
Section 7. Publicity Chairperson
- The publicity chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating committee members raising money through approved fundraisers, following TCNJ rules and regulations.
Section 8. Fund Raising Chairperson
- The fund raising chairperson shall be responsible for coordinating committee members raising money through approved fundraisers, following TCNJ rules and regulations.
Section 9. Committee Chairperson
- The committee chairperson will be responsible for the coordination of student representatives to Student Affairs Committee, Faculty Organization Committee, Faculty Affairs Committee and the Curriculum Committee of Nursing.
Section 10. Class Representatives – the responsibilities of the class representatives are:
- To serve as liaisons between their respective classes, the SNA and faculty.
- To distribute the “Nurses’ Notes” and relay other pertinent information to their respective classes.
- To handle such responsibilities as set down by precedents.
- To serve as voting members of the standing committees stated in Article VI, Section 9.
Section 11. All members of the executive board will keep detailed records and procedures of their job responsibilities and committee functions.
Section 12. Officers not fulfilling the functions designated by these bylaws may submit their resignations or allow the decision to continue in their office to rest on a 2/3 vote of the executive board.
ARTICLE VII: Function of Executive Board
Section 1. The executive board will act in the interim between meetings.
Section 2. The executive board will have the privilege to allocate funds raised by this organization.
ARTICLE VIII: Elections
Section 1. The election of officers will be held during the fourth quarter. The election of the class representatives will be held one week following the election of officers. Freshman class representatives will be elected in September. Committee heads will be appointed as needed.
Section 2. The senior members of the executive board will present a qualified nominee for each office. Further nominations shall be accepted from the active members.
Section 3. Election will be by written ballot. Voting is a privilege of active members only. One day will be set aside for voting.
Section 4. Vacancies in office will be filled by presidential appointment and executive board approval until the next election.
ARTICLE IX: Meetings
A meeting of the executive board will be held at least once a month, or as deemed necessary by the president. SNA meetings will be held when planned or deemed necessary by the executive board.
ARTICLE X: Advisor
One advisor will be elected by the active members in September. The advisor will serve a term of two or three years. If unable to fulfill obligations, said advisor may appoint a new advisor with the executive board’s approval.
ARTICLE XI: Amendments
These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of a quorum consisting of one more than half of the active members present at any regular meeting at the end of an academic year. All executive board members must be present to vote on any bylaws amendments.
Opportunity for Student Involvement in SNA
The SNA Executive Board needs assistance in looking for interested members to serve on SNA committees. Attached is a brief description of the different committees.
Career Day – Chairperson is responsible to coordinate committee and exhibitors, who are recruited from various health institutions interested in hiring graduating seniors. Work on this event begins in October of the fall semester. Funds are provided for mailing and refreshments.
Health Fair – Chairperson is responsible to coordinate committee and exhibitors, who are representatives from various health agencies. The fair is designed to promote health in the community and on campus. Work on this event begins in the fall semester with mailing invitations and the actual fair will take place in the entire Student Center sometime in May.
Recognition Ceremony – Committee chairpersons are seniors and/or juniors. This ceremony is to honor seniors who are ready to graduate from TCNJ. The seniors receive their pins at this ceremony and a reception is held after the ceremony. Responsibilities will be mailing invitations, setting up the hall and setting up and organizing the reception.
Big/Little Sister Program – Includes the pairing off of incoming freshmen with interested nursing students.
Breast Clinic – Chairperson and committee sponsor a monthly program in the Student Center. Chairperson is responsible to coordinate student workers, films, pamphlets and content of health teaching. Actual exams can be done during the clinic time.
Program Education – Committee sponsors a special program about once a month. Responsibilities include correspondence with guest speakers, panel members, workshop coordinators, etc. Funding is available for correspondence and the actual program.
Publicity/Public Relations – Gets posters up and utilizes other forms of on-campus publicity for general SNA functions. Funds are available for supplies. This includes publicity for SNA in the Signal, WTSR and posters.
Members of the SNA are asked to be representatives to serve (the coordination of the representatives is the responsibility of the committee chairperson) on the following School Committees:
The Student /Faculty Affairs Committee – assists in the formulation and implementation of policies which articulate the academic standards of Nursing and assists the formulation of policies relating to the faculty welfare and governance of Nursing.
The Curriculum Committee – makes recommendations to the faculty concerning curriculum.
The Department of Nursing – Approves all actions and recommendations from the above standing committees. In addition, the SNA representative(s) submits a report of student activities.
PLEASE NOTE: If changes are made in these Bylaws after the Handbook goes to press, a revised copy of the bylaws will be made available to students through SNA.