The name of the association shall be the UTHealth School of Biomedical Informatics Alumni Association (SBMIAA)
The purpose of the SBMIAA shall be to create a community of graduates by facilitating communication among present and former students, faculty, and staff which will assist alumni in their professional endeavors and advance the objectives of the school.
The location of the SBMIAA shall be in the Office of the Dean of UTHealth School of Biomedical Informatics (SBMI).
All graduates of SBMI with a PhD or M.S. shall automatically become members upon graduation. Graduates of the SBMI Certificate program shall also automatically become members upon completion of the program.
Section 1. The affairs of the SBMIAA shall be governed by a Steering Committee, in cooperation with the Office of the Dean of SBMI.
Section 2. The Steering Committee shall consist of six to nine members. New members may be nominated and elected annually by the Steering Committee. The terms of Steering Committee members will be two years commencing on September 1.
Section 3. Steering Committee members are expected to attend and actively participate in meetings, serve as hosts for events and help set policy for the SBMIAA.
Section 4. The Steering Committee shall meet regularly, four (4) times each year, or as requested by the President. Participation in meetings includes face-to-face, teleconferencing, etc.
Section 5. Three (3) Steering Committee members constitute a quorum. Unless it is an emergency situation, any Steering Committee meeting is defined as a “meeting” if called with at least two (2) weeks’ notice. Business will be conducted and the absent members will be given email notice of the business conducted. Any concern must be offered within five (5) days of the email and voted upon as discussed in Article V, Section 9.
Section 6. The Steering Committee shall be presided over by a President whose term of office shall be two years commencing in September. A President-elect shall be the additional officer and shall also serve for a two year term commencing in September.
Section 7. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization, appoint committees (as needed), fill committee vacancies (as needed), and perform such duties as are customary for a presiding officer.
Section 8. The President-elect shall preside in the absence of the President, shall serve as chair of the Distinguished Alumnus/a Committee, and shall perform other duties assigned by the President.
Section 9. Steering Committee members may vote by mail, telephone, e-mail, or in person as necessity demands. A decision may be reached by a simple majority vote, with the Dean having the authority to cast a vote in the instance of a tie.
Section 1. The President shall have authority to appoint standing or ad hoc sub-committees, including the Distinguished Alumnus/a Committee and the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. The President-elect shall serve as chair of the Distinguished Alumnus/a Committee, and members shall be appointed by the President.
Section 3. The composition of the Distinguished Alumnus Committee shall be at a minimum the President-elect, one steering committee member, and one past recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus/a Award.
Section 4. The President shall appoint a chair and members of the Nominating Committee. The chair and committee members shall serve a two year term.
Section 5. The composition of the Nominating Committee shall be at a minimum, the President of the Alumni Association, the chair of the Nominating Committee and one Steering Committee member.
At this time, there are no dues for membership in the SBMIAA.
The SBMIAA shall be governed by these bylaws. All matters not specifically discussed in these bylaws are remanded to the Steering Committee for its consideration.
The bylaws or any part thereof may be amended or repealed by a majority vote of the SBMIAA Steering Committee. Proposed amendments or repeals shall be submitted in writing to the Steering Committee no less than thirty (30) days prior to a proposed meeting or a special meeting. In the event of dissolution of the SBMIAA, or should its operation be discontinued, all available funds and/or assets of the SBMIAA shall become the property of SBMI.