STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Representing students in all four classes, the Student Council communicates
the needs and opinions of the student body to faculty and administration. Students
sit on faculty standing committees and other TUSM committees as voting members
and participate in making policy which affects them directly or indirectly.
Students are responsible for implementation of some school policies and administration
of matters which affect them as a class in each of their four years at TUSM.
To these ends each class elects a president and other officers. You need not
be an elected representative to effect change! Traditionally, Tufts students
with an idea, proposal, problem or grievance have found ways of making themselves
heard and getting things done.
In addition to elected class officers, Student Council appoints representatives
for various committees. Students who want to serve on committees to which Student
Council appoints representatives simply present themselves at the meeting at
which appointments will be made and indicate their interest. Student Council
selects its representative from those students. Committees include Library Advisory
Committee, Financial Aid Advisory Committee, Admissions Committee, and Student
Evaluations and Promotions Committee.
Class Elections
Elected representatives serve for one year beginning in April with the exception
of first-year students who serve from October to April. The Student Council
oversees all class elections.
Each class shall elect the following class officials: President, two Curriculum
Committee Representatives, one TUSM Ethics Committee Representative, two Social
Committee Chairpersons, three Student Council Representatives, and one Alumni
Representative (1st, 2nd, 3rd year only). The President of a class may not be
absent from the Boston area for more than two consecutive months without the
appointment of a council representative from the class as acting President by
the Council with notification of said class.
Student Council
The three Student Council representatives from each class and the four class
presidents comprise the voting members (16 total) of the Student Council. One
or two hour meetings will be held once a month and are open to all interested
students. Minutes of each meeting are posted on the bulletin board next to the
door of the student lounge in Sackler 3. There are four executive officers --
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer. The presence of nine members
and at least one officer constitutes a quorum, and matters are decided by a
majority vote of members present. Special meetings of the Student Council can
be called at any time by the president, provided twenty-four hour notice of
the meeting is given to every Student Council member.
The Student Council representatives are responsible for advising their class
of matters discussed at every Student Council meeting; for determining the sense
of the class on issues by conducting class meetings or by other means; and for
reporting class opinions accurately to the Student Council. The Student Council
representatives are expected to attend Student Council meetings. After three
absences from the Student Council meetings a member can be suspended by a two
thirds vote of the Council; the appropriate class elects a new representative.
(Arrangements are made for members taking rotations away from Boston.)
Any student can propose an agenda item for an upcoming council meeting by notifying
the Student Council president or your Student Council representative at least
one week prior to the meeting.
All of the Class Presidents meet once a month with the Dean and deans in the
OSA and OEA. Additionally, the Student Council is responsible for student-run
activities such as: tours of TUSM for applicants; class elections; senior class
yearbook; and school-wide social affairs.
The Student Council is funded by your Student Activities Fee. With these monies
the Student Council subsidizes student organizations including all student-run
groups and Student Committee activities that benefit all classes . Every year
the Student Council disburses money to each of the four classes. The Student
Council has a funding meeting at the beginning of each semester to determine
the distribution of monies to student organizations and clubs.
Bylaws of the Student Council of Tufts University School of Medicine
1. Preamble: This states the goals and purposes of
the Council.
2. Article I: Membership and Organization
This article discusses membership of Student Council, voting policy, and
who is
invited to Student Council Meetings.
3. Article II: Meetings of the Council
This article discusses Student Council meetings-when we are to have them,
how we find out about them, agendas, etc.
4. Article III: Duties of the Officers and the
Members of Student Council
This article delineates specifically the jobs of Student Council President,
Treasurer, Secretary, and/or Elected Representative.
5. Article IV: Committees of the Council
This article defines permanent and special Committees of the Student Council
and their purpose.
6. Article V: Representatives of the Council
This article discusses the duties of students either selected by Student
Council or elected by their class to represent the Council to other organizations,
both in-house and National.
7: Article VI: Student Government
This article discusses Student Government on the class level-guidelines for
elections, which officers should be chosen by the Class President, class committees,
etc.
8. Article VII: Student Council Bylaws Committee
Policy
9: Article VIII: Student Council Funding Committee
and Policy
This article dictates policy surrounding the disbursal of funds to groups
who petition us for funds and the subsequent responsibilities of the groups
receiving funding.
10: Article IX: Rights of the Student Body
This article explains the procedure for members of the student body to bring
an issue to attention of the rest of the student body for consideration.
11: Article X: Student Council Policy on Alcohol
Official name: Tufts University School of Medicine Student Council
Address: c/o Office of Student Affairs
145 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02111
