UofT Medical Society Constitution May 2011

8/3/2019 UofT Medical Society Constitution May 2011

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ConstitutionMay 2011


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PREAMBLE

Recognizing the benefits which an explicit constitution provides in terms ofinstitutional memory, accountability, and transparency; and

Intending to allow for the open and responsible government of theundergraduate Doctor of Medicine student body of the Faculty of Medicine atthe University of Toronto, established in 1843;

We hereby establish the following Articles which shall be binding on theExecutive Council of the Medical Society and all bodies established under itsauthority.

ARTICLE 1:The University of Toronto Medical Society

The name of the Society shall be the University of Toronto Medical Society,hereinafter referred to as the Society.

1.1 - Medical Society Mandate

The mandate of the Society shall be:i) To foster a thriving community of students based on their diverse

interests and the commonality of being enrolled in the Doctor of Medicineprogram at the University of Toronto;

ii) To implement students views and demands with regards to the roleof Doctor of Medicine students within the Faculty of Medicine andDoctor of Medicine program, as well as catering for their specific andunique needs;

iii) To act as the primary platform for debate and action on all matterspertinent to Doctor of Medicine students;

iv) To act as the elected unifying body for all other Doctor of Medicinestudent organizations, councils and initiatives within the Faculty;

v) To unify all Doctor of Medicine students across all five classes (YearI, II, III, IV, MD/PhD) within the Faculty of Medicine under a student-rungoverning body of elected representatives;

vi) To keep and preserve a detailed archive of records and materialwhich the Executive Council deems of value and interest to the Facultyand future Society members;

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vii) To bring the ideas and opinions of Doctor of Medicine students tothe attention of the CMA, OMA, CPSO, CFMS, IFMSA, University ofToronto, Medical Alumni Association, the Faculty of Medicine and theirassociated bodies, on any subject matter pertaining to the Medical

School, Medical Education and the practice of Medicine;

viii) To enhance the educational opportunities of Doctor of Medicinestudents within the faculty;

ix) To enhance the quality of student life for Doctor of Medicinestudents both academically and non-academically;

x) To encourage inter-professional collaboration with other studentsacross the U of T campus, Canada and the world.

1.2 - Medical Society Logo

The logo of the Society shall be:

The logo of the Society shall be prominently displayed on material generated

by clubs and programs which receive Medical Society funding.

The logo of the Society shall be used only for Medical Society sanctionedevents.

The digital version of this logo shall be accessible on the TorontoMedswebsite. It may not be altered in any way without the consent of the VPCommunications.

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ARTICLE 2:Membership in the Society

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Society membership shall be outlinedin By-Law 1.

2.1 - Categories of Membership

The following categories of membership shall be recognized,i) General Members;ii) Alumni Members;iii) Honorary Members;iv) Executive Members.

Members shall be accorded the eligibility, rights, privileges andresponsibilities designated to their category of membership as outlined in

the Medical Society By-Laws.

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ARTICLE 3:The Executive Council

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to the Executive Council memberresponsibilities shall be outlined in By-Law 2 and eligibility criteria for the

positions shall be outlined in By-Law 3.

3.1 - Duties of the Executive Council

The Executive Council shall:

i) Govern and represent the Society according to the articles and spiritof this Constitution.

ii) Give reports at the Medical Society Annual General Meetingregarding, any constitutional amendments, budgets, year-end reports and

other motions deemed necessary for review by the Executive Council.

iii) Orientate new members of the Executive Council to theresponsibilities of their office and contribute to the development andupdating of their office (By-Law 11).

3.2 - Powers of the Executive Council

The Executive shall be empowered to implement the Articles of thisConstitution according to the following responsibilities:

i) To enact, amend, repeal, and enforce By-Laws within the provisionsof this Constitution, such that no By-Law be passed which contravenesthe Articles or spirit of this Constitution;

ii) To levy and arrange for the collection of a compulsory StudentActivity fee from General Members of the Society. The fee amountmay be changed only by a referendum of the General Members, asoutlined in Article 8;

iii) To administer the Student Activity fee and all other funds accruingto the Society;

iv) To engage in any legal or commercial undertaking necessary toachieve the objectives or purposes of the Society;

v) To call Medical Society General Meetings in accordance with Article9;

vi) To initiate Referendum proceedings in accordance with Article 4;

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vii) To recognize Medical Society Affiliated Clubs;

viii) To recognize any General Member of the Society who has beenappointed as a spokesperson by a recognized Medical Society Affiliated

Club, Committee or Faculty Committee;

ix) To grant funds to any Medical Society Affiliated Club, Committee orRepresentative as requested for their activities. The Society shallretain regulatory control of funds granted, including the right towithdraw any grant of funds made to any Medical Society AffiliatedClub, Committee or Representative under its jurisdiction if, in theopinion of the Executive, the monies so granted are being used forpurposes for which they were not granted;

x) To set financial criteria to which Medical Society Affiliated Clubs,

Committees or Representatives applying for funds shall adhere (By-Law2);

xi) To further promote or advise the actions of any Medical SocietyAffiliated Clubs, Committees or Representatives as the Executive maydeem necessary;

xii) To employ personnel, provide for their remuneration and definetheir responsibilities;

xiii) To provide for the maintenance of Society property and any

facilities required for the furtherance of the objectives and purposes ofthe Society;

xiv) To represent the student body at official functions and on publicoccasions;

xv) To form Ad Hoc, Standing and Special Event Committees accordingto the procedures (By-Law 6).

3.3 - Membership of the Executive Council

3.3.1. All members of the Executive Council shall be elected according to theprocedures outlined in Article 4 of the Medical Society Constitution.

3.3.2. The following elected Medical Society positions shall be recognized asvoting members of the Executive Council;

President of the Medical Society (1 member)President-Elect of the Medical Society (1 member)

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Vice Presidents Internal Affairs St. George(2 members)Vice President Internal Affairs Mississauga (2 members)Vice Presidents Education (2 members)Vice Presidents Finance (2 members)Vice Presidents Communications (2 members)

Vice Presidents External Affairs (2 members)Vice Presidents Global Health (2 members)Vice Presidents Community Affairs (2 members)Vice Presidents Inter-professional Education (2 members)Vice Presidents Publications (2 members)Year 1 Class Council Presidents (2 members)Year 2 Class Council Presidents (2 members)Year 3 Class Council Presidents (2 members)Year 4 Class Council Presidents (2 members)MD/PhD Class Council President (2 members)Executive Liaisons for the Mississauga Experience (1 member)

Vice President Mississauga (2 members)

3.3.3. The following elected Medical Society positions shall be recognized asnon-voting members of the Executive Council;

Speaker of the Medical Society (1 member)Executive Administrator (1 member)

3.3.4. Quorum for an Executive Council meeting shall be sixteen (16) people.

3.4 - Meetings of the Executive Council

3.4.1 - Regular Executive Council Meetings

Regular meetings of the Executive Council shall be held at a minimum ofonce per month during the academic year and shall be open to all membersof the Society. All members of the Executive Council are mandated to attendall meetings (By-Law 2).

3.4.2 - Special Executive Council Meetings3.4.2.1 Special meetings of the Executive Council may be called by the

President at her/his discretion or at the request of any member of theExecutive on twelve hours notice to all Executive members.

3.3.2.2 Actions and procedures which constitute notice shall include allreasonable effort by the President to communicate with the Executive.

3.4.3 - Closed Executive Council Meetings

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Meetings of the Executive Council or a portion of a meeting of the ExecutiveCouncil may be designated closed by a two-thirds vote of the VotingMembers of the Executive Council by the following procedure:

i) A motion must be brought forward by a member of the Executive

Council to designate the meeting or a portion of the meeting closed.

ii) Open justification for the Motion must be given by the chairpersonprior to the meeting being closed.

iii) Motions carried and recorded individual votes of such closedmeetings shall be published separately after the meeting and kept onfile, with access given upon request to any General Member of theSociety.

3.4.4 - Executive Council Meeting Agendas, Motions, Rules of Order

The conduct of Executive Council meetings with respect to agendas,motions, and debate shall be at the discretion of the Speaker.

3.4.5 - Executive Council Meeting Minutes

3.4.5.1 The recorded minutes of the meetings of the Executive Council shallcomply with Robert's Rules of Order.

3.4.5.2 Information of a detailed nature to be discussed and/or presented ata meeting of the Executive Council shall be submitted in writing to the

Executive Administrator for incorporation into the minutes.

3.4.5.3 Proposed meeting minutes shall be distributed to the ExecutiveCouncil for review prior to the following meeting of the Executive Council forapproval by a simple majority of the Executive Council at the meeting.Approved minutes shall be publicly posted on the TorontoMeds web site.

3.4.5.4. An electronic copy of the approved minutes shall be signed by theExecutive Administrator and Speaker and submitted to the Medical Societyoffice manager for auditing purposes.

3.4.6 - Executive Council Caucuses

3.4.6.1 To facilitate decision making at Executive Council meetings, theSpeaker may convene the following Executive Council Caucuses to deliberateregarding the issue at hand:

Internal Caucus - VP Internal Affairs, VP Finance, Executive Liaison forthe Mississauga

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ExperienceExternal Caucus - VP External Affairs, VP Global Health, VP Community

AffairsEducation Caucus - VP Education, VP Inter-Professional EducationCommunications Caucus - VP Communications, VP Publications

Presidents Caucus - President, President-Elect, Class Presidents (YearI, II, III, IV, MD-PhD)

3.4.6.2 Caucus Spokespersons shall be appointed by their respectiveExecutive Council Caucuses to communicate their ideas, questions andsuggestions to the rest of the Executive Council.

3.4.6.3 Time spent in Executive Council Caucuses before calling a vote of theExecutive Council is at the discretion of the Speaker.

3.4.7 - Expedited Motions

To allow for motions to be voted upon electronically with the following rules:

i) The motion is to be time-sensitive and require approval before the nextmonthly Executive meeting due to extenuating circumstances;

ii) The motion is to be provided to the Speaker and posted on the online

forum at least 7 days before voting;

iii) Online discussion of the motion shall be encouraged by the Speakerand the Executive Council member that proposed the motion;

iv) Voting should take place for a minimum of 24 hours;

v) Two-thirds of the Executive Council must vote;

vi) One option on the ballot must indicate whether the motion is

inappropriate for expedition. If at least one-third of the collectedvotes suggest that the motion is inappropriate for expedition thenthe motion cannot pass electronically and will need to be discussedat the next meeting;

vii) The motion passes by simple majority once quorum is reached.

3.5 - Responsibilities and Elected Terms of Executive CouncilMembers

3.5.1 - President of the Medical Society

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3.5.1.1 The President of the Medical Society shall;i) Oversee all of the activities and programs of the Medical Society,

including the Executive Council;

ii) Ensure that the Medical Society remains true to its mandate;

iii) Represent the Medical Society and its constituents to all externalparties;

iv) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.3.5.1.2 The incumbent President-Elect shall assume the role of Presidentbeginning on May 1st of their year of election and hold that office for a one-year term.

3.5.2 - President-Elect of the Medical Society

3.5.2.1 The President-Elect shall;i) Assist the President in enacting their duties as outlined in the

Medical SocietyBy-Laws.

3.5.2.2 The President-Elect shall hold their office from January to May of theiryear of election and shall assume the office of President of the MedicalSociety on the 1st of May of that same year for a one-year term.

3.5.3 - Speaker of the Medical Society

3.5.3.1 The Speaker shall:i) Ensure that the rules and protocols outlined in this Constitution are

duly observed by the members of the Executive Council;

ii) Act as the Chief Electoral Officer;

iii) Train the Executive Administrator to assume the role of Speaker;

iv) Chair Medical Society Executive Council meetings;

v) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.3.2 The incumbent Executive Administrator shall assume the role ofSpeaker on September 30th of the year following their election and hold thatoffice for a one-year term.

3.5.4 - The Medical Society Executive Administrator

3.5.4.1 The Executive Administrator shall:

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i) Assist the Speaker in enacting their duties in any reasonablecapacity as determined by the Executive Council;

ii) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.4.2 The Executive Administrator shall hold their office for a one-year termand shall assume the office of Speaker on September 30th of the yearfollowing their election for a one-year term.

3.5.5 - Vice Presidents Education

3.5.5.1 The Vice Presidents Education shall:i) Communicate student concerns and opinions with respect to thecurriculum to Faculty;

ii) Facilitate the process of change within the undergraduate medical

school curriculum;

iii) Be the official student representative for curriculum matters thatpertain to all courses or to courses that are proposed;

iv) Be the primary student representative for Medical Curriculummatters to the Faculty of Medicine and the University of Toronto as a whole;

v) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.5.2 The Vice Presidents Education shall hold their office for a two-year

term (until September 30th

of the second year following their election).

3.5.6 - Vice Presidents Finance

3.5.6.1 The Vice Presidents Finance shall:i) Monitor the revenue and expenditures of the Medical Society toensure that they are in accordance with the principles and protocolsoutlined in this Constitution;

ii) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.6.2 The Vice Presidents Finance shall hold their office for a two-year term(until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.7 - Vice Presidents Internal Affairs St George

3.5.7.1 The Vice Presidents Internal Affairs shall:i) Encourage and promote extracurricular programming within the

Faculty of Medicine;

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ii) Act as stewards in maintaining Medical Society resources andprogramming on the campus buildings and within hospitals;

iii) Manage inter-academy affairs as chairs of the Inter-Academy

Executive Council;

iv) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.7.2 The Vice Presidents Internal Affairs shall hold their office for a two-year term (until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.8 - Vice Presidents Communications

3.5.8.1 The Vice President Communications shall:i) Be responsible for updating and the continual development of all

aspects of the TorontoMeds website;

ii) Provide technology related services to the Society including but notlimited to the operation of the Electronic Voting System and surveys;

iii) Provide research and advice to the Society and student bodyregarding all technology related issues;


3.5.8.2 The Vice Presidents Communications shall hold their office for a two-

year term (until September 30th


3.5.9 - Vice Presidents External Affairs

3.5.9.1 The Vice President External Affairs shall:i) Represent the Medical Society to:

a) other medical schools and their societies, particularly throughprovincial or national medical student organizations;

b) the medical profession and its organizations;c) organizations outside the Faculty of Medicine within the

University of Toronto;

d) other external organizations as necessary;

ii) Facilitate communication of medical undergraduate concerns to theappropriate external organizations;

iii) Inform medical undergraduates of important events occurring inexternal organizations;

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3.5.9.2 The Vice Presidents External Affairs shall hold their office for a two-year term (until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.10 - Vice Presidents Community Affairs

3.5.10.1 The Vice Presidents Community Affairs shall:i) Maintain a strong, positive relationship between the University of

Toronto Medical Society and its neighbouring communities;

ii) Provide opportunities for medical students to gainleadership/teaching experience through community projects;

iii) Provide opportunities for medical students to make a positivecontribution to the

community at large;


3.5.10.2 The Vice Presidents External Affairs shall hold their office for a two-year term (until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.11 - Vice Presidents Publications

3.5.11.1 The Vice Presidents Publications shall:i) Be responsible for the production and distribution of all publications

produced directly by the Medical Society for sale or for use solely by

the undergraduate medical education student body;

ii) Manage all publications produced by members of the undergraduatemedical student body which receive funding from the Medical Society;

iii) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.11.2 The Vice Presidents Publications shall hold their office for a two-yearterm (until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.12 - Vice Presidents Global Health

3.5.12.1 The Vice Presidents Global Health shall:i) Represent the Medical Society to:

a) other medical schools and their societies in matters ofinternational health, particularly through international medicalstudent organizations especially the IFMSA;

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b) external organizations concerned with international aid,health, and development at the local, national, and internationallevel;

ii) Coordinate information and awareness events within the Medical

Faculty, along with the help of other Global Health groups;

iii) Communicate and promote Global Health events, education,conferences, and local and overseas opportunities to the student body,faculty, and to other groups as appropriate;

iv) Advocate to Medical Faculty and Administration for inclusion ofglobal health education in the medical curriculum;

v) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.3.5.12.2 The Vice Presidents Global Health shall hold their office for a two-

year term (until September 30th


3.5.13 - Vice Presidents Inter-Professional Education

3.5.13.1 The Vice Presidents Inter-professional Education shall:i) Represent the Medical Society to:

a) Non-medicine organizations both outside and within theFaculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto;b) The Centre for Interprofessional Education;c) Other professional organizations and their societies both

within the University of Toronto and outside the University of

Toronto;e) Other external organizations as necessary;

ii) Facilitate communication of medical undergraduate concerns toexternal interprofessional organizations;

iii) Inform medical undergraduates of important events occurring inInter-professional Education;


3.5.13.2 The Vice Presidents Inter-Professional Education shall hold theiroffice for a two-year term (until September 30th of the second year followingtheir election).

3.5.14 - Executive Liaison for the Mississauga Experience

3.5.14.1 The Executive Liaison for the Mississauga Experience shall:

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i) Be responsible for representing the interests of students currentlylearning in Mississauga to the Executive Council of the Medical Society;

ii) Enhance the student experience in the evolving Mississaugaexpansion project by engaging the broader student body, the

administration, and the community of Mississauga in the developmentof the experience;

iii) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

3.5.14.2 The Executive Liaison for the Mississauga Experience shall hold theiroffice for a one-year term. This is a transitional position whose last year ofoffice will be September 2011-September 2012.

3.5.15 - Vice Presidents Internal Affairs Mississauga

3.5.15.1 The Vice Presidents Internal Affairs Mississauga shall:i) encourage and promote extracurricular programming within theMississauga Academy the Faculty of Medicine;

ii) act as stewards in maintaining MedSoc resources and programmingon MAM campus buildings and MAM-affiliated hospitals (similar to therole of VP Internal Affairs - St. George);

iii) sit on the Mississauga Academy of Medicine Committee;

3.5.15.2 The Vice Presidents Internal Affairs Mississauga shall hold their

office for a two-year term (until September 30th

of the second year followingtheir election).

3.5.16 Vice Presidents Mississauga

3.5.16.1 The Vice Presidents Mississauga shall:i) Attend Mississauga Academy of Medicine-related meetings with theFaculty, including the Mississauga Academy Steering Committee(MASC);

ii) co-chair the Mississauga Academy of Medicine Committee;

iii) provide research and advice to the Society and student bodyregarding Mississauga Academy;

iv) provide feedback and continuous monitoring of thevideoconferencing system for lecture halls and meeting rooms to theSociety and Faculty;

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3.5.16.2 The Vice Presidents Mississauga shall hold their office for a two-yearterm (until September 30th of the second year following their election).

3.5.17 Class Presidents (Year I, II, III, IV, MD/PhD)

3.5.17.1 The Class Presidents shall:i) Be responsible for representing the interests of students currently intheir respective years;

ii) Enact their duties as outlined in the Medical Society By-Laws as wellas their respective Class Council Constitutions.

3.5.14.2 The Class Presidents shall hold their office for the durationdetermined by their respective Class Council Constitutions.

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ARTICLE 4:Elections and Referenda

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Elections and Referenda shall beoutlined in By-Law 3. Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Votes of

Confidence and Removal from Office shall be outlined in By-Law 4. MedicalSociety By-Laws pertaining to Referenda shall be outlined in By-Law 5.

In this section, By-Election means an election held to fill a vacancy on theExecutive Council arising after an Election but before the end of term ofoffice for that position;

4.1. - Election Cycles and Dates

4.1.1 - Elections

The Medical Society Executive Council positions shall be elected according toan annual cycle generally consisting of two separate elections.

Elections for Medical Society positions may be coordinated with elections forClass Council positions, as appropriate.

The two Medical Society elections shall be:i) Fall Medical Society electionii) Winter Medical Society election

Additional elections may be convened as deemed necessary by the Medical

Society Executive Council.

4.1.2 - Election Dates

Elections shall be held within the timelines outlined in the Medical SocietyBy-Laws.

4.1.3 - Electoral Officers

The Speaker shall act as Chief Electoral Officer for all Medical Societyaffiliated elections. S/he may appoint Deputy Electoral Officers as necessary.

4.1.4 - Election Procedures

4.1.4.1 - Notice of Election

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The Medical Society shall make all eligible students aware of positionsavailable for election. It is the responsibility of the Chief Electoral Officer toensure that there is adequate advertisement of elections.

4.1.4.2 - Eligibility of Candidates

Any student eligible for election, according to the Medical Society By-Laws,shall be allowed and encouraged to run for office.

Members may not concurrently hold more than one Medical SocietyExecutive Council position, with the exception of Year I Class Presidents, whoremain eligible to run for President-Elect.

Members may not run for more than one office on the same ballot.

A candidate who has resigned or removed from office is ineligible for re-

election (By-Law).

4.1.4.3 - Voting

Voting for Medical Society Executive Council positions shall be by secretballot.

4.1.4.4 - Campaigning

Campaigning and debate by candidates shall be encouraged, provided theactivities fall within the limits laid out in the Medical Society By-Laws, and

shall be enforced by the Chief Electoral Officer.

Campaigns shall be free of slanderous comments or any negative commentsin violation of the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Code of Conduct ofthe Medical Society.

4.1.4.5 - Acclamations and Vacancies

No candidate for an elected position shall be declared acclaimed. Thestudent body must always vote to give a candidate a proper mandate. Anyresulting vacancies shall be filled according to the procedures laid out in the

Medical Society By-Laws.

4.1.4.6 - Disqualification

Candidates may be disqualified from an election for gross breaching of theMedical Society electoral policy, as defined in the Medical Society By-Lawsand ultimately determined by the Chief Electoral Officer.

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4.1.4.7 - Counting

The Chief Electoral Officer shall be responsible for the fair tallying of votescast.

4.1.4.8 - Reporting of Results

The Chief Electoral Officer shall be responsible for reporting the electionresults.

4.1.6 - Resignation and Removal from Office

4.1.6.1- Request for Resignation

Members of the Medical Society may request the resignation of a MedicalSociety Executive Council member as outlined in the Medical Society By-

Laws.

4.1.6.2- Removal from Office

Members of the Medical Society will be removed from Office upon receiving aVote of Non-Confidence as outlined in By-Law 3.

4.1.6.3- Vacancies

Vacant Medical Society Executive Council positions and Medical SocietyAffiliated Positions shall be the responsibility of the Medical Society

Executive Council to fill, under the direction of the Speaker, as outlined in theMedical Society By-Laws.

4.1.7 - Referenda

4.1.7.1- Eligibility to Propose a Referendum

Referendums may only be proposed by members of the Medical SocietyExecutive Council.

4.1.7.2- Notice

Any member of the Executive Council proposing a referendum shall givenotice to the rest of the Executive Council at least seven calendar days priorto the meeting at which the motion to call a referendum is to be proposed.

4.1.7.3- Motion

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A motion to hold a referendum must be passed by a simple majority of theMedical Society Executive Council present.

4.1.7.4- Referendum Voting

To be passed, a referendum requires a simple majority of those who castvotes unless otherwise stipulated by the Executive Council prior to the startof referendum polling.

4.1.7.5- Ratification

Ratification of the referendum process and result shall be by a simplemajority of the Medical Society Executive Council.

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ARTICLE 5:Medical Society Committees and Representatives to

Faculty Committees

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Medical Society Committees and

Representatives to Faculty Committees shall be outlined in By-Laws 6 and 7.

5.1 - Medical Society Committees

5.1.1 - Creation of Medical Society Committees

Medical Society Committees shall be created on an Ad Hoc, Standing orSpecial Event basis by members of the Executive Council.

5.1.2 - Medical Society Ad Hoc Committees

The Executive Council shall create Ad Hoc committees for the planning anddevelopment of events and initiatives requiring more time and attention thancan be provided at regular meetings of the Executive Council.

5.1.3 - Medical Society Standing Committees

The Executive Council shall create Standing committees for the planning anddevelopment of ongoing initiatives of the Executive Council.

5.1.4 - Medical Society Special Event Committees

Special Event Committees shall be created for the planning, delivery andfollow up of regular, large-scale events affiliated with but not exclusive to theSociety. Medical Society Special Event Committees shall be affiliated withand accountable to the Society but are recognized as being independent ofgeneral Society activities.

5.2 - Medical Society Representatives to Faculty Committees

Medical Society Representatives to Faculty Committees shall be elected orselected to represent the concerns, interests and ideas of UndergraduateMedical students to committees of the Faculty of Medicine concerned withadmissions, curriculum, student assessment and awards for UndergraduateMedical students and/or the Faculty of Medicine as a whole.

5.3 - Accountability

All Medical Society Committee members and Medical SocietyRepresentatives to Faculty Committees are responsible for submitting

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Annual Year-End and Transition Reports to the Executive Administrator asoutlined in By-Law 6 and 7, respectively.

ARTICLE 6:Medical Society Affiliated Positions (MSAP)

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Medical Society Affiliated Positionsshall be outlined in By-Law 8.

6.1 - Medical Society Affiliated Positions

Medical Society Affiliated Positions are offices that carry out functions thatare integral to the mandate of the Medical Society. Office bearers representthe Medical Society on specific faculty-mandated committees, serve asorganizers of campus-wide or external events that require the MedicalSocietys participation, or co-ordinate other internal and external programs,events, and publications.

Office-bearers of MSAP positions have autonomy in the planning andexecution of their offices but shall be hired and undergo transition asoutlined in the Medical Society By-Laws.

A current list of MSAP offices shall be maintained in the Medical Society By-Laws and shall be reviewed annually in a spring meeting of the ExecutiveCouncil.

6.2 - Creation of Medical Society Affiliated Positions

The Executive Council shall designate certain offices as Medical SocietyAffiliated Positions.In creating Medical Society Affiliated Positions, the Executive Council shallgive consideration to the degree of autonomy required in the position andthe extent to which the mandate of the office is integral to the mandate ofthe Medical Society as a whole.

6.3 - Selection

MSAP positions shall be filled through an open application process asdescribed in By-Law 8.

6.4 - Accountability

All Medical Society Affiliated Positions are responsible for submitting AnnualYear-End and Transition Reports to the Executive Administrator as outlined inBy-Law 8.

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ARTICLE 7:Medical Society Affiliated Clubs

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to Medical Society Affiliated Clubs shallbe outlined in By-Law 12.

Medical Society Affiliated Clubs shall be recognized as clubs that representspecific interests of undergraduate medical students and/or provideopportunities for students to engage in activities outside of their academicexperiences.

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ARTICLE 8:Finances of The Medical Society

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to the finances of the Medical Societyshall be outlined in By-Laws 9 and 10.

8.1 - Medical Society Organizational Status

The Society shall operate as a non-profit organization.

8.2 - Membership Fee

The Student Activities fee for all General Members of the Society shall be anamount periodically designated by the Executive Council. This shall be acompulsory fee included in the total registration fees payable to theUniversity of Toronto.

Fee changes shall be approved by a referendum of the student body. Any feeincrease so approved shall be presented to Governing Council, with theappropriate documentation, for final consent.

8.3 - Funding of Medical Society Affiliated Clubs, Committees,Representatives and Subsidiary Organizations

8.3.1 - General

The VPs Finance and the Executive Council shall determine annually the

amount of funding available to funding applicants from Medical SocietyAffiliated Clubs, Committees and Representatives. The amount of fundinggranted to applicants shall be determined by the VPs Finance and subject toapproval by the Executive Council.

8.4 - Annual Budget

The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

The VPs Finance, with other members of the Executive Council, shall preparethe annual budget of the Society and present it to the Executive Council forapproval no later than the May meeting of the Executive Council. It shall bereasonable for the budget to contain a contingency fund.

The VP Finance shall present the amount of funding requested and grantedto each funding applicant, as well as the criteria used to determine budgetallocations, to the Executive Council.

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8.4.1 - Funding Criteria

Applications for funding for Medical Society Affiliated Clubs, Positions,Committees and Representatives will only be considered following

attendance at the Annual Clubs Meeting in May and upon submission of thefollowing to the VPs Internal and VPs Finance:i) Annual Year-End and Transition Reports by April 30th of each year;

ii) Contact list of incoming and outgoing directors or representatives;

iii) Approach to the inclusion of Mississauga Academy of Medicinestudents;

Allocations of funds shall be based on consideration of the following factors,which shall be publicized to prospective applicants at least one week in

advance of each deadline to apply for funding:i) Degree of medical student involvement in the event/group;

ii) Degree to which the initiative endorses the values and goals of theSociety and its represented students;

iii) Degree to which the event builds spirit within the Medical School;

iv) Potential for exposure of the Society;

v) Proven reliability of event based on past year's experience;

vi) Rationale and appropriateness of budget proposed;

vii) Potential for benefit to medical students.

8.5 - Cheques and Accounts

Cheques of the Medical Society shall only be valid if signed by the VPsFinance. Under exceptional circumstances (such as unforeseen absence ofboth VPs Finance), the President of the Medical Society may serve as analternate signature. All monies of the Society shall be deposited in the name

of the Society.

8.6 - Transparency

8.6.1 - Medical Society Accounts

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The accounts of the Society shall be open to all members of the Society andcopies of the audited financial statement shall be available in the MedicalSociety Office via a meeting with the VPs Finance.

8.6.2 - Auditors Report

All books and documents of the Society shall be audited by an Auditorselected by the VPs Finance at the end of the fiscal year. The Auditor'sReport shall be presented to the first meeting of the Executive Councilfollowing the receipt of the report from the Auditor.

8.6.3 - Monthly Financial Report

A Monthly Financial Report containing statements of total assets, income andexpenditures compared against a budget for each of the committees andorganizations financed by the Society shall be updated by the VPs Finance.

The Monthly Financial Report shall be electronically available for the MedicalSociety Executive Council.

8.7 - Grants to External Organizations

Any organization that does not fall within this Constitution wishing to applyto the Medical Society for monetary assistance must do so by approachingthe Executive Council. Any such request must be granted by a 2/3 majorityvote of the Executive Council.

8.8 - Current Accounts

The Executive Council may authorize current accounts for Medical SocietyAffiliated Clubs, Committees and Representatives.

It shall be the responsibility of the VPs Finance to compile a list oforganizations with current accounts and to append such a list on a yearlybasis.

8.9 - Member Debts

The Society shall not be responsible for any debts assumed by any student

or member of the Society unless such debt has been contracted with the fullconsent of the Executive Council and is within the bounds of the Constitution.Any member who expends Society funds without proper authorization shallbe personally liable for such expenditure, and the Executive at its solediscretion shall have the right to recover from the member the amount of theunauthorized expenditure.

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ARTICLE 9:The Medical Alumni Association Lounge

The function of the Medical Alumni Association Lounge shall be dedicated tomeeting the needs of the Medical Society Members. No organizations

outside of the Faculty of Medicine shall be allowed to use the Alumni Lounge,unless their request is approved by the Executive Council.

The VPs Internal Affairs shall be responsible for the upkeep and maintenanceof the Lounge and its amenities, in consultation with the MAA and withassistance from the Medical Society Office Manager.

Bookings must be made through the Medical Society Office Manager, underthe supervision and ultimate authority of the VPs Internal Affairs.

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ARTICLE 10:Medical Society Annual General Meeting

10.1 - Medical Society Annual General Meeting Membership

All members of the Society shall be voting members at the Medical SocietyAnnual General Meeting.

10.2 - Medical Society General Meetings

A Medical Society Annual General Meeting shall be held annually in Januaryof each year. Additional General Meetings may be held when called upon bythe Executive Council in extraordinary circumstances.

Medical Society Annual General Meetings shall be chaired by the Speaker ofthe Medical Society and shall;

i) Provide a forum in which any Society member can address theExecutive Council on any issues pertaining to performance and MedicalSociety programming.

ii) Provide a forum in which executive council members can addressthe student body and explain past, current and future programming.

iii) Be an opportunity to grant honorary membership to nominees whoare eligible.

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ARTICLE 11:The Medical Society Office

Medical Society By-Laws pertaining to the Medical Society Office shall beoutlined in By-Law 13.

The Medical Society Office shall serve as a hub for Medical Society groupsand activities. A Medical Society Office Manager shall be hired and officeequipment provided and maintained to enable the activities of the MedicalSociety and all affiliated groups and activities.

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ARTICLE 12:By-Laws and Constitutional Amendments

12.1 - Constitutional Amendments

Proposed constitutional amendments shall be approved for presentation atthe Annual General Meeting by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Council.Proposed amendments shall be initially presented at a meeting of theExecutive Council provided that:

i) Notice of motion for such amendments shall have been given inwriting, with the text of the amendment, to the Executive Council no laterthan one week prior to the meeting at which they are to be voted upon;

ii) 2/3 of the Executive Council is present to hear and vote on suchamendments.

Amendments to the Constitution shall be given final approval by a two-thirdsvote of those in attendance at the Annual General Meeting.

Should the Faculty of Medicine amend its bylaws such that the number ornature of student representation on any committee is changed, thisConstitution shall be automatically changed to conform.

12.2 - By-Laws

12.2.1 - By-Law Creation

Motions adopted by the Executive Council may be designated as By-Laws.To become a By-Law, a Motion shall be passed by a two-thirds majority of theExecutive Council, provided that:

i) Notice of motion for such amendments shall have been given inwriting, with the text of the amendment, to the Executive Council no laterthan one week prior to the meeting at which they are to be voted upon;

ii) 2/3 of the Executive Council is present to hear and vote on suchamendments.

If adopted, a Motion designated as a By-Law shall be updated by theSpeaker.

12.2.2 - By-Law Repeals

To repeal a By-Law, a Motion to repeal must be passed by a two-thirdsmajority of the members of the Executive Council.

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CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY

Constitutional Draftees (Version May 2009):

Cait Champion (1T2, Vice President External 2008-2010)

Kenneth Lee (1T2, Vice President Communications 2008-2010)Jess Page (1T2, Vice President Internal 2008-2010)Raheem Peerani (1T2, Speaker 2009-2010)Rami Shoucri (1T2, President-Elect 2009)Kenneth VanDewark (1T2, Vice President Education 2008-2010)

(Version December 2010):

Raheem Peerani (1T2, Speaker 2009-2010)

(Version May 2011):

Diana Choi (1T4, Executive Administrator 2010-2011)Jana Dengler (1T3, Speaker 2010-2011)Reena Mohan (1T3, Executive Liaison for the Mississauga Experience 2009-2011)Jacob Surkont (1T4, Vice President Internal 2010-2012)Ahmed Taher (1T4, President-Elect 2011)

We acknowledge the unnamed colleagues who came before us since 1843and developed previous versions of this document. We hope to continuetheir legacy with this document.

UofT Medical Society Constitution May 2011

Documents

Transcript of UofT Medical Society Constitution May 2011