PPP Home

ARTICLE IX. HOUSE OF DELEGATES

The House of Delegates of the Association shall meet annually to elect the Officers, one At-Large Trustee, one Vice President for Programming, establish and amend the policy of the Association, and conduct such other business as may be necessary.

Section 1—Representation of Full Medical, Resident and International Affiliate Members

A.            Medical Chapters

Each medical chapter of the Association that has received a charter, as described in Article IV of the Constitution and Bylaws, shall be entitled to representation in the House of Delegates of the basis of one (1) delegate for every two hundred fifty (250) medical student members, or majority fraction thereof. Each such delegate shall be an active member of the Association. In the absence of any such delegate, an alternate delegate shall be seated in his/her place. (2004)

The number of delegates to the House of Delegates for the degree granting institution shall be determined by the total number of student members at the main campus, plus those at all of the branch campuses which do not have separate chapter status.

The number of medical student members at any given chapter is determined seventy-five (75) days prior to the Annual Meeting by the national office so that chapters have adequate time to select the Delegate(s) and to solicit financial support for those members. Students who join the Association after the deadline date and prior to the Annual Meeting are considered in the following year’s membership tabulation for each chapter. (2003)

B.            Resident Members

Resident members of the Association as defined by Article III, Section 1B shall be entitled to representation in the House of Delegates on the basis of ten at-large votes. (2008) Each delegate must be a resident member of the Association. Medical students who have successfully matched and will be entering internship are not considered Resident members and may not vote as such in the HOD. (2006)

Resident delegates will be chosen at the beginning of the Annual Meeting by general caucus of all Resident members present at the Meeting in a ratio of 6:4 of primary care: specialty fields, unless not possible to do so due to lack of resident representation from these fields. Delegates will be selected by a majority vote. In the absence of any delegate, an alternate delegate may be seated. (2008)

C.            International Members

Each chartered International Chapter shall be entitled to one (1) voting delegate in the House of Delegates of the Association for every two hundred (200) medical student members, or fraction thereof, of said chapter. The total number of delegates from all international chapters shall not exceed the total number of regions in the Association (10). If more than ten delegates wish to vote, designation of delegates shall be based firstly on the proportional number of delegates eligible from each chapter (according to the number of medical student members) and secondly on the order in which chapters register their official delegate(s) with the International Trustee for the annual meeting. (2003)

Section 2—Ex-Officio Representation

Ex-officio members of the House of Delegates shall include the international delegates, regional affiliate premedical delegates, members of the Board of Trustees, the Vice Chairs of the House of Delegates, the past presidents of the Association, and the chair people of the committees of the House of Delegates of the Association. Ex-officio members shall have the right to address the House of Delegates upon recognition by the Chair but shall not have the right to vote, unless they are a voting delegates as specified in Article IX, Section 1.

A.            Affiliate Premedical Sustaining Members

Premedical Sustaining Members of the Association shall be entitled to ex-officio representation in the House of Delegates. Each Premedical affiliate region shall be entitled to one (1) ex-officio delegate to the House of Delegates.

Section 3—Delegate Selection

The Delegate(s) serve as the local chapter’s formal representative(s) to the House of Delegates. Although the national organization cannot dictate the process of selection for Delegates at the local chapter level, all chapters are encouraged to maintain an open and fair policy of Delegate selection. As general guidelines, the House of Delegates encourages local chapters to call a meeting of the membership a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting to select their Delegate(s). Any active member may serve as a Delegate for a local chapter. Resident delegates may name three (3) alternates for each voting delegate. Alternates will be selected by the same method used for selection of delegates. Alternates must be participating in a residency or fellowship program in the region from which they are selected.

In addition to the Delegate(s), each chapter may name three (3) Alternate Delegates for each designated delegate. One (1) Delegates Handbook will be distributed to each Delegate, while extra copies and updated resolutions will be available from the Credentials Committee upon entering the floor of the House. During the proceedings of the House of Delegates, only one individual may be seated per authorized position. The national office is notified of the Delegate(s) and Alternate Delegates selected by local chapters through the “Delegate Certification Forms” distributed with the “Official Call.” All the Delegates for a chapter must be certified by the Chapter President. Resident Delegates and Alternate Delegates will complete Delegate registration forms and be credentialed at the first opening session of the House of Delegates.

Each International Chapter shall be entitled to one ex-officio member in the House of Delegates of the Association as well as three (3) alternate delegates. One (1) Delegates Handbook will be issued for each designated nonvoting member. The caucus of AMSA members studying at international medical schools will certify their selection of nonvoting members and alternates to the Credentials Committee Chairperson. (2003)

Section 4—Delegate Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of each Delegate/Alternate Delegate is to present the views of his/her chapter before the House of Delegates. Each Delegate is sent information approximately twenty-five (25) days prior to the Annual Meeting about the organization and all proposed resolutions and amendments to be considered by the House of Delegates. Before the Annual Meeting, it is the responsibility of the Delegate(s) and Alternate Delegates to become familiar with the policy of the Association. It is the responsibility of the Delegates and Chapter Officers to call a meeting of the chapter at this time to review all pertinent items. All proposed amendments and resolutions must be reviewed with members of the Chapter in order to adequately represent their viewpoints. (2003)

Section 5—Addressing the House of Delegates

Only delegates and ex-officio members of the House of Delegates and members of the presenting reference committee shall have the right to address the House of Delegates, unless the House of Delegates grants an unauthorized member or guest the right to the floor by a simple majority vote. (2001)

Section 6—Official Observer Status

1.             National Organizations may apply to the Board of Trustees of the American Medical Student Association for Official Observer Status in the House of Delegates. Applicants must demonstrate compliance with guidelines for official observers adopted by the House of Delegates, and the Board of Trustees shall grant Official Observer Status based on these criteria.

2.             Official Observer Status shall be granted to all organizations to which AMSA has an official liaison relationship. (2005)

3.             Organizations with Official Observer Status are invited to send one representative to observe the actions of the House of Delegates at the annual meeting. Official observers have the right to speak and debate on the floor of the House upon invitation from the Chair. Their debate time is limited and is left up to the discretion of the Chair of the House. Official observers do not have the right to introduce new business, introduce an amendment, make a motion or vote.

4.             The guidelines for Official Observer Status for non-liaison organizations are as follows: (2005)

a.             The organization and AMSA should already have an informal relationship established and have worked for the mutual benefit of both.

b.             The organization should be national in scope and have similar goals and concerns about health issues.

c.             The organization is expected to add a unique perspective and bring expertise to deliberations in the House.

d.             The organization must submit their application for observer status at least two weeks before the AMSA November Board Meeting so that all applications can be reviewed at the November Board meeting and if approved, the student organization can participate as an official observer at the subsequent House of Delegates at the following annual meeting. (2001)

Section 7—Voting Guidelines

An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates present and voting shall be necessary for amendments to the Constitution or Bylaws as specified in Article XVIII of the Constitution and Bylaws. Otherwise, all questions shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast.

Section 8—Order of Business

The order of business of the House of Delegates shall be determined and published by the Board of Trustees and shall be distributed to the delegates at the commencement of the Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates. The order of business shall be changed only by a vote to that effect by at least two-thirds (2/3) of those voting.

Section 9—Quorum

The right to vote shall be vested in the duly elected delegates from each chapter. In order for quorum to be established, a majority of the registered delegates must be present at the House of Delegates. Registered delegates will be defined as delegates that are registered at any time before the start of business on the first day of the House of Delegates. During the absence of a delegate from the floor of the House of Delegates, his/her vote shall be vested in the corresponding duly elected alternate delegate from said chapter. No other votes of a proxy nature shall be allowed.

Section 10—Meetings of the House of Delegates

The House of Delegates shall meet during the Annual Meeting of the Association and at such other times and places as it may determine. The date of the Annual Meeting shall be announced at least one hundred twenty (120) days prior to such meeting. Special meetings of the House of Delegates may be called by a vote to that effect of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the chapters in the Association. Each chapter shall be given notice by registered mail of the special meeting and the business of the meeting within fifteen (15) days of the call. The special meeting shall be held not less than fifteen (15) days, or more than sixty (60) days, after notice has been sent to the chapter.

Section 11—Selection of the Chairperson and Vice Chairs

The At-Large Trustee who is in the second year of his/her term shall serve as Chairperson of the House of Delegates and shall preside at all sessions of the House of Delegates. The At-Large Trustee who is in the first year of his/her term shall serve as a Vice Chair. At least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting, the At-Large Trustee serving as Chairperson shall appoint a second Vice Chair, with the approval of the Board of Trustees, to assist in the smooth functioning of the House of Delegates.

The second Vice Chair shall be an active member of the Association at the time of his/her appointment and shall not be a candidate for national office, (2002) and said appointment shall be based on knowledge of parliamentary procedure and experience in conducting meetings similar to those of the House.

Section 12—Submission of Resolutions to the House of Delegates

All resolutions from members or chapters must be postmarked or delivered in person to the national office of the Association no later than sixty (60) days prior to the opening session of the House of Delegates at the Annual Meeting at which they are to be considered. If this date falls on a Sunday or legal holiday in a given year, then the deadline is extended to the next regular business day. The Association shall distribute copies of these resolutions to members of the House of Delegates and local chapter contacts by thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting at which they are to be considered. After the deadline for delivery of resolutions to the national office, resolutions may only be submitted to the House of Delegates for consideration with approval of the Board of Trustees. (2001)

Section 13—Committees of  the House of Delegates

In order to enable to the House of Delegates to function smoothly and efficiently, the President and the Chairperson of the House appoint a number of Committees to serve for the duration of the Annual Meeting.

A.            Rules Committee. The Rules Committee consists of the President, the Chairperson of the House of Delegates and the Vice Chairs of the House of Delegates. The function of the Committee is to clarify the working rules of the House of Delegates for the official business sessions. The Rules Committee report is distributed prior to the Annual Meeting and consists of the following information:

1.             method of Delegate(s) registration;

2.             seating of the Delegate(s) in the House of Delegates;

3.             designation of ex-officio members of the House of Delegates;

4.             use of proxy votes during business sessions;

5.             voting procedures for the election of National Officers;

6.             length of speeches and debate;

7.             the procedure by which motions and resolutions are introduced for consideration by the House of  Delegates; and,

8.             special rules for the functioning of the House of Delegates.

B.            Credentials Committee. The Credentials Committee consists of medical student members of the Association, including a designated Chairperson, and functions to maintain the official roll of those entitled to vote in the official business sessions of the House of Delegates. The number of committee members will be determined by the Secretary and Vice President for Internal Affairs. (2002) The Committee also certifies that a quorum is present for the official business sessions of the House. One of the members of the Credentials Committee also serves as the Sergeant-at-Arms for the House of Delegates during the business sessions.

C.            Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee consists of medical student members of the Association, including a designated Chairperson, who are not candidates for any national office. The number of committee members will be determined by the Secretary and Vice President for Internal Affairs. (2002) The functions of the Committee are to ensure that all candidates for national office are medical student members, to present all identified candidates to the House of Delegates during the Open Session and to oversee the electoral process.

D.            Reference Committees. All resolutions submitted before the appropriate deadlines will be referred to the Reference Committees and reported to the House of Delegates during the Annual Meeting in which they are introduced. All proponents and opponents of the resolutions will be given a reasonable opportunity to appear before the Reference Committee to bring testimony on their position. The Reference Committees will report to the House of Delegates the resolutions either as submitted, amended, or rejected, giving pertinent explanation for their recommendations. The House of Delegates will then adopt, defeat, or amend the committee report. The resolutions adopted then become the policy of the Association.

1.             Reference Committee Structure. Each Reference Committee consists of members, preferably with no more than two members from each region, including a designated Chairperson chosen by the President and the Chairperson of the House of Delegates, from applications solicited from the general membership. The number of committee members will be determined by the Secretary and Vice President for Internal Affairs. (2003) In order to avoid any conflict of interest, no person may be a member of any Reference Committee to which he/she has submitted a resolution. Reference Committee members are selected on the basis of their objectivity, past experience and geographic representation.

2.             Reference Committee Responsibilities. Each Reference Committee holds “open” sessions to hear testimony on the amendments and resolutions referred to it. In addition, Reference Committees will be assigned reports submitted to the House of Delegates on a “For Information Only” basis, for review and comment. The Reference Committees will post an “agenda” so that members can plan their attendance at the various hearings. The Chairperson of the Reference Committee generally calls for testimony from regional representatives prior to hearing other testimony, in order to receive input from the greatest number of members.

Any individual is invited to contribute, whether he/she speaks for a region, a chapter or simply for themselves. Each Reference Committee must recommend specific action to the House of Delegates on each referred amendment or resolution. The Committees may not change the intent of any resolution; however, they may modify the wording of resolutions in concert with opinions expressed in testimony. The Committee may consolidate resolutions with similar intent. If the Committee members disagree with the intent of the resolution based on the testimony presented to them, they may recommend rejection to the House of Delegates. The Reference Committee reports should reflect the testimony presented, plus a consideration of the resolution in light of existing policy and other resolutions submitted for consideration by the House of Delegates. (2003)

Section 14—Special Rules of Order

Prior to voting on any resolution or amendment before the House of Delegates, at least one (1) “con” spokesperson and one (1) “pro” spokesperson shall be allowed to give testimony before an immediate vote motion may be made. If such spokespersons are not waiting to give testimony, a motion for an immediate vote may be entertained. (2003)