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Mission
Statement
The Biomedical Engineering Society serves to promote the increase of
biomedical knowledge and its utilization. Additionally, this
society shall introduce students to the profession of biomedical
engineering and the roles and obligations of the professional
biomedical engineer and provide an environment for social interaction
and exchange of ideas between all levels of undergraduate students,
graduate students, and faculty.
Article I
Name and Purpose
1. This organization is the Rice University Student Chapter of the
national Biomedical Engineering Society, referred to herein as BMES.
2. The purposes of the organization shall be:
a. To bring about closer
cooperation between faculty and the student body;
b. To promote an interest in
and a better awareness of the fields of bioengineering and biomedical
engineering;
c. To foster industry-academic
relationships and promote industrial internship opportunities for
students;
d. To provide a forum for
student discussion of issues in bioengineering and biomedical
engineering;
e. To provide bioengineers and
biomedical engineers the knowledge, networking, and education necessary
for addressing biomedical problems.
Article II
Officers and Representatives
A. Executive Officers are:
1. President
2. Internal Vice President
3. External Vice President
4. Secretary/ Treasurer
B. Qualifications of Officers:
1. All officers must be
full-time undergraduate or graduate Bioengineering students at Rice
University.
2. All officers must become
members of the national BMES.
C. Duties and Powers of Officers:
1. The President shall:
a. Call general meetings on a regular basis, create agendas for
meetings, and preside over these meetings as well as executive
meetings;
b. Be responsible for carrying out the purposes of BMES;
c. Have the power to appoint committees and respective chairs as the
needs arise;
d. Be the official representative of BMES at meetings of University
sanctioned clubs and events;
e. Be the official representative to the national chapter of BMES;
f. Attend the national convention. If unable, attendance
defers first to another executive officer and then to class
representatives by the discretion of the president.
g. Register BMES annually with the Student Association and the National
BMES Chapter;
h. Oversee publication of all BMES events.
2. The Internal Vice President
shall:
a. Serve as presiding officer in the absence of the President;
b. Serve as temporary President if the office is vacated;
c. Be the official liaison between the Executive Committee and the
Class Representatives;
d. Attend the national convention. If unable, attendance
defers first to another executive officer and then to class
representatives by the discretion of the president;
e. Keep a copy of the constitution;
f. Maintain established committees and report their activities to the
Executive Committee;
g. Coordinate special events and programs by contacting students,
professors, and other departments;
h. Submit descriptions of BMES events to other university organizations
for inclusion on their calendars of events;
i. Oversee the progress of campus public relations.
3. The External Vice President
shall:
a. Promote Rice BMES to prospective employers for both internships and
permanent careers
b. Solicit companies to attend BMES seminars, the Rice University
career fair, and coordinate other similar special events and programs;
c. Maintain an active company contact list;
e. Oversee the creation and maintenance of the BMES web page.
4. The Secretary/ Treasurer
shall:
a. Keep a record of all money held, acquired, and disbursed
by BMES and report of this record at each BMES business meeting;
b. Collect dues from BMES members;
c. Develop a budget for next year’s activities;
d. Promote pecuniary affairs;
e. Oversee the progress of fundraising;
f. Keep the minutes of all BMES general and executive
meetings;
g. Record attendance at BMES general and executive meetings;
h. Send, receive, and answer all outside correspondence
addressed to BMES;
i. Create and post a calendar of BMES events.
D. Class Representatives:
1. Up to 2 underclassmen, 2
upperclassmen, and 2 graduate students shall be elected in a general
BMES meeting in the fall semester of each year.
2. All Class Representatives’
duties include:
a. Making announcements of BMES activities during class and other
events;
b. Attending executive meetings as requested by the Executive Board;
c. Attending all general meetings;
d. Invoking interest and involvement in BMES within their respective
class.
3. Underclassmen Representatives:
a. These students may be either freshman or sophomores;
b. Their main responsibilities include publicizing BMES events via
fliers and other announcements;
c. Serve as the underclassmen representatives to the mentoring program.
4. Upperclassmen Representatives:
a. These students may be either juniors or seniors;
b. Undergraduate coordinator for social events;
c. Implementation and organization of the underclassmen/upperclassmen
mentoring program;
d. Special events coordinator, including enlisting help to organize and
setup special events sponsored by BMES.
5. Graduate Student Representatives:
a. Graduate coordinator for social events;
b. Implementation and organization of the upperclassmen/graduate
student mentoring program.
Article III
Dispersion of Funds
Any executive officer, with the approval of a second executive officer,
has the authority to spend BMES money. Any expenditure over
$500 must be approved by all 4 executive officers.
Article IV
Faculty Sponsor
The faculty sponsor must be a member of the department of
Bioengineering at Rice University. The appointment of the
advisor must be approved by a two-thirds vote of active members present
at the time of the appointment.
Article V
Voting and Elections
All officers must be elected by majority vote during a general meeting.
The election must be run according to the following procedures.
1. Campaign speeches will be
given as the schedule permits before the election.
2. The election of the
officers of BMES will take place at large during the month of April.
3. The elected candidates
shall assume their offices after the final meeting of the previous
year's officers.
4. All active members in good
standing with Rice BMES may participate in the election.
For elections and all general votes, the number of voting members must
exceed the number of voting executive officers.
Article IV
Membership
Membership shall be open to those students enrolled at Rice University
with interest in bioengineering and biomedical engineering.
Active membership shall be conferred upon those who have paid their
BMES dues in full. There will be no membership discrimination
based on academic classification. Membership in any other organization
shall not prevent a student from active membership in BMES. Membership
in the national BMES organization will not be required for membership
in BMES.
Article V
Dismissal of Members and Officers
Officers and representatives may be dismissed from BMES if they have
missed three meetings during the year without good cause. The sponsor
shall be present at all meetings where dismissal of a member is being
conducted. An executive officer or Class Representative must resign if
three-fourths of the executive officers of BMES feel that person is not
carrying out his duties.
Article VI
Amendments to the By-Laws
Amendments shall be proposed at a general meeting and supported by
three-fourths of the Executive Committee. A two-thirds vote among
active members is necessary for the amendment to be added to the
constitution. |
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