GSA - Minority Affairs Section Rules and Regulations

In September 1976, the Executive Council of the Association of American Medical Colleges recommended that a Minority Affairs Section be established within the Group on Student Affairs and that each medical school dean be encouraged to appoint one individual as a representative to the GSA-MAS. In November 1976 the AAMC Executive Council approved the formation of the Minority Affairs Section. In March 1977 a transitional GSA-MAS Committee was formed. The first meeting of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee was held on November 7, 1977 in Washington, D.C. The GSA-MAS was established in recognition of the essential role minority issues play within academic medical centers and regionally and nationally. In December 1988, the Division of Minority Health, Education and Prevention (now the Division of Diversity Policy and Programs) was established as a unit of the AAMC. The Section for Minority Affairs was incorporated into the Division.

Section 1 — Name

The name of the organization will be the "Group on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section" (hereinafter referred to as the GSA-MAS) of the Association of American Medical Colleges (hereinafter referred to as the AAMC).

Section 2 — Purpose

The purpose of the GSA-MAS is to serve in a recognized advisory and resource capacity, to all facets of the AAMC, on issues of minority concern at national and regional levels; to provide a means by which minority constituent views on matters of interest to the AAMC may find expression; to assist and facilitate in the development and implementation of methodologies that will enhance the recruitment, enrollment, retention, and postgraduate education of minority medical students; to provide a means for the interchange of ideas and perceptions between minority educators and administrators and others concerned with medical education through approved AAMC channels.

Section 3 — Membership

1. Members of the GSA-MAS will be of three types:
   1. Institutional members who are appointed annually by the deans of medical schools that are institutional members of the AAMC (hereinafter referred to as member medical schools) and who will serve at the pleasure of their respective deans. It is desired that institutional members have major responsibility for minority affairs and be closely identified with minority students and minority concerns. In some circumstances, the dean of a member medical school may appoint an additional institutional member, a member-at-large, who shall be an administrator in one of the five areas (admissions, student affairs, financial aid, minority affairs, and student records) of the GSA's interest and expertise.
   2. Individual members who may be self-nominated or nominated by other GSA members. They will be administrators who have responsibility for minority affairs at member medical schools
   3. Affiliate members who may be appointed:
      1. by the deans of medical schools that are affiliate institutional members of the AAMC (e.g., the Canadian medical schools).
      2. by the deans of medical schools that are provisional institutional members of the AAMC (e.g., newly developing schools).
2. Institutional members from member medical schools will be entitled to vote and there will be only one vote per member medical school. This vote will be cast by the institutional GSA-MAS member so designated by the dean of each member medical school (hereinafter referred to as the "GSA-MAS voting representative") or his/her designee.

Section 4 — Meetings, Quorums and Decisions

1. At least one meeting of the GSA-MAS membership will be held annually. Additional meetings may be called by the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, the Group on Student Affairs (hereinafter referred to as the GSA) Steering Committee, or by the GSA-MAS voting representatives at 25 percent of member medical schools.
2. A majority of the GSA-MAS voting representatives of member medical schools (as defined in Section 3, # 2) will constitute a quorum.
3. Formal actions other than the election of GSA-MAS officers may be taken at meetings at which a quorum is present. At such meetings, decisions will be made by a simple majority vote of GSA-MAS voting representatives present.
4. In the conduct of meetings, the order of business will be under the direction of the GSA-MAS Chair who will make all parliamentary decisions. The GSA-MAS Chair's decisions may be reversed by a two-thirds majority vote of GSA-MAS voting representatives present.

Section 5 — Officers

1. The GSA-MAS officers will consist of the GSA-MAS Chair and the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect and will function as a coordinating body of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee. The GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee will be staffed by the appointed AAMC staff person.
1. The duties of the GSA-MAS Chair will be to preside at all meetings of the GSA-MAS; coordinate and oversee the development and implementation of initiatives and activities of the GSA-MAS, in cooperation with the GSA, the GSA Steering Committee, and the staff of the AAMC; serve as ex officio non-voting member of all committees of the GSA-MAS; communicate all recommendations adopted by the GSA-MAS to the GSA chair and other appropriate units of the AAMC; and represent the GSA-MAS on the GSA Steering Committee.
2. The duties of the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will be to preside or otherwise serve in the absence or at the direction of the GSA-MAS Chair, and be responsible for planning the GSA-MAS program for the AAMC Annual Meeting.
2.  
1. The person elected as the GSA-MAS Chair will serve for a single two-year term of office on the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee. The person elected as the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will serve for a two-year term of office on the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee under the assumption of automatic progression to the GSA-MAS Chair.
2. Election to the position of GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will be by a simple majority of the GSA-MAS voting representatives present at the GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting.
3. The GSA-MAS Chair will appoint biennially the chair of the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee. The Immediate Past Chair of the GSA-MAS will usually serve as chair of the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee; the current chairs of regional Groups on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section (hereinafter referred to as regional GSAs-MAS) will usually constitute the membership of the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee. The GSA-MAS Nominating Committee will provide at least two (2) nominees biennially to the membership at large for purposes of selecting a GSA-MAS Chair-Elect. The name(s), brief biographies, photographs, and personal statements of the nominee(s) will be mailed to all GSA-MAS institutional members to familiarize them with each nominee's goals and purposes for his/her tenure as an officer. One ballot containing the names of nominees provided by the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee and a place for any write-in candidates will be available at the time of the elections. Additional nominations may be made from the floor by any GSA-MAS institutional member, at the GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting. Balloting will take place at the beginning of the GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting. The results will be announced at the end of the GSA-MAS Business Meeting.
4. The term of office of elected GSA-MAS officers will extend from the end of the GSA-MAS Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting, at which time the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will assume the office biennially until the end of the GSA-MAS Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting, two years hence.
5. If a vacancy occurs during an officer's term of office, those officers holding positions will be advanced to fill the vacancy. If a vacancy occurs during the term of office of the GSA-MAS Chair, the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will advance to fill the vacancy. If the Chair-Elect is advanced to the position of Chair at a time when six (6) months or fewer remain in the Chair's term, the Chair-Elect will serve the remainder of the Chair's term and the term he/she would have served as Chair as of the next GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting. An interim GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will be selected by the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee to serve until the next GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting at the AAMC Annual Meeting, at which time the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee will either forward the name of the interim GSA-MAS Chair-Elect as a nominee or nominate two other candidates for the position of GSA-MAS Chair-Elect.
   
   If the position of GSA-MAS Chair-Elect becomes vacant, the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee will select an interim GSA-MAS Chair-Elect to serve until the next GSA-MAS annual Business Meeting, at which time the Nominating Committee will either forward the name of the interim GSA-MAS Chair-Elect as a nominee or nominate two other candidates for the position of GSA-MAS Chair-Elect. If the position of Immediate Past-Chair becomes vacant, it will remain so until the current Chair assumes the position.
6. The Immediate Past Chair of the GSA-MAS will continue as a member of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee for one additional year; serve as Chair of the GSA-MAS Nominating Committee; and bring to closure any remaining project(s) from his/her tenure as necessary.
7. Eligibility for GSA-MAS offices will be limited to institutional GSA-MAS members.

Section 6 — Regional Groups on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section

1. The purpose of the regional GSAs-MAS will be to encourage communication between GSA-MAS and GSA members with common regional interests and to provide a forum for discussion of matters to be acted upon later at national GSA-MAS meetings and to provide input to the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee as necessary.
2. The total number and geographical names of the regional GSAs-MAS as presently constituted will be continued unless changed by action taken at a national GSA Business Meeting. The presently constituted regional GSAs are:
   1. Central,
   2. Northeast,
   3. Southern,
   4. Western.
3. Any institutional GSA-MAS member and any individual GSA-MAS member who has received the permission of the dean of the member medical school at which he/she holds an administrative position in minority affairs will be eligible for membership in the appropriate regional GSAs-MAS. Eligibility for the position of Chair and Chair-Elect of regional GSAs-MAS will be limited to institutional GSA-MAS members. 
1. Each regional GSA-MAS will have a Chair and a Chair-Elect and other such officers as are necessary to carry out regional GSA-MAS business.
2. The person elected as the regional GSA-MAS Chair will serve for a two-year term of office. The person elected as the regional GSA-MAS Chair-Elect will serve for a two-year term of office under the assumption of automatic progression to the Chair.
3. Regional GSA-MAS officers will be elected biennially during the regional GSA-MAS business meeting held at the time and place of the regional GSA-MAS spring regional meeting.
4. Nominations for each (Central, Northeast, Southern, and Western) regional GSA-MAS Chair and Chair-Elect will be made by the respective GSA-MAS regional Nominating Committees appointed by the respective regional GSA-MAS Chair, with the floor being opened for additional nominations.
5. Election will be by a simple majority of the regional GSA-MAS voting representatives of the member medical schools located in that region present.
4. Each regional GSA-MAS will hold at least one meeting annually at the time and place of the corresponding GSA regional meeting unless a simple majority of all of the GSA-MAS voting representatives at the member medical schools located in the region vote (by mail or at a previous meeting) to postpone or cancel a meeting.
5. A summary of the proceedings of the regional GSA-MAS meetings will be distributed to all regional GSA-MAS members, the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, the GSA Chair and regional GSA Chairs.
6. Current chairs of regional GSA-MAS will appoint such committees as are necessary to carry out regional GSA-MAS business. Institutional and individual GSA-MAS members will be eligible for appointment to regional GSA-MAS and regional GSA committees.

Section 7 — Committees

1. 1. The GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee will be composed of the GSA-MAS Chair, the GSA-MAS Chair-Elect, regional GSA-MAS chairs, regional GSA-MAS chairs-elect, the immediate past GSA-MAS chair, the GSA chair, the GSA-MAS representatives to the GSA Committee on Admissions (COA), the Committee on Student Affairs (COSA), the Committee on Student Financial Assistance (COSFA), and the Committee on Student Records (COSR). The GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee may from time to time invite as liaison representatives from other appropriate organizations, e.g. a student representative from the Organization of Student Representatives (hereinafter referred to as the OSR), a representative from the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions (NAAHP), and a representative from the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP), to meet with the Committee. All members of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee will be voting members. Appropriate AAMC staff may also be ex-officio, non-voting members of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee.
2. The GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee will have the duties of an executive committee for the GSA-MAS including assistance in the planning for GSA-MAS national and regional meetings and advising the GSA-MAS Chair on GSA-MAS committee appointments.
3. Other ad hoc GSA-MAS committees may be appointed with a specific charge and duration of appointment by the national GSA-MAS Chair in consultation with the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, the GSA Steering Committee, and the concurrence of the AAMC President.
4. When possible, GSA-MAS committees will include representation from each of the regional GSAs-MAS.
5. Any institutional GSA-MAS member and any individual GSA-MAS member who has the permission of the dean of the member medical school at which he/she holds an administrative position in minority affairs will be eligible for membership on GSA-MAS committees. Eligibility for the position of Chair of GSA-MAS committees will be limited to institutional GSA-MAS members.
6. Appointment of GSA-MAS members to National GSA committees will be made annually by the GSA-MAS Chair with the advice of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee. The GSA-MAS Chair and Chair-Elect will represent the GSA-MAS on the GSA Committee on Admissions and Committee on Student Affairs, respectively. An individual may not be appointed to the same GSA committee for more than three consecutive years except to serve for a maximum of three additional years as Chair or, at the discretion of the GSA chair with the advice of the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee and GSA Steering Committee, to serve additional consecutive years to retain special expertise.
7. Minutes should be kept of all GSA-MAS committee meetings and circulated to committee members and to others appropriately concerned. Official records of all GSA-MAS committee meetings will be maintained at the AAMC.
8. The role of all GSA-MAS committees will be advisory to the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, the GSA Steering Committee, and the AAMC. Accordingly, they will obtain approval for any major projects from the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, the GSA Steering Committee, and the AAMC. Contacts with major organizations outside the GSA-MAS and the GSA will be undertaken through AAMC channels, including communications with appropriate AAMC Councils, and in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the GSA Steering Committee.
9. Descriptions of the purpose and function of each current GSA-MAS committee will be on file at the AAMC and should be distributed to each new member of each committee.
10. GSA-MAS committee appointments will extend from December 1 of one year through November 30 of the following year. If a vacancy occurs during this period, the replacement will be appointed by the GSA-MAS Chair after consultation with the committee Chair concerned and the AAMC staff.

Section 8 — Standing

These Rules and Regulations subsist under the current GSA by-laws and all activities of the GSA-MAS are subject to the review of the GSA Steering Committee.

Section 9 — Parliamentary Authority

Section 10 — Amendments

Subject to the approval of the GSA Steering Committee, the AAMC President and the AAMC Executive Council, these Bylaws may be altered, repealed, or amended or new Rules and Regulations adopted by a two-thirds vote of the GSA-MAS voting representatives present at any annual Business Meeting of the GSA-MAS membership for which 30 days written notice of the proposed Rules and Regulations change has been given, provided that the total number of votes cast for the changes constitutes a majority of the GSA-MAS voting representatives.

Original MAS Guidelines adopted 1976
Amended June 1983
Amended November 1987 Revised Bylaws approved September 24, 1998, AAMC Executive Council
Amended February 28, 2002. AAMC Executive Council approved the amendments
Revised July 16, 2007 - Bylaws changed to Rules and Regulations, and a representative to the Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP) has been included as a liaison to the GSA-MAS

Contact:

Lily May Johnson
(202) 828-0573
lmjohnson@aamc.org

Juan Amador
(202) 862-6149
jamador@aamc.org

Angela R. Moses
(202) 862-6203
amoses@aamc.org

Appendix A

Procedures

I. Approval of Minutes via Email

To approve Minutes via email:

• the appointed AAMC staff person to the GSA-MAS, or his/her designee, will provide the GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee's draft Minutes to members within two weeks after the meeting
  
• the Coordinating Committee members will provide feedback, comments, and/or corrections for incorporation into the draft Minutes by a suggested deadline date
  
• a second email reminder will be sent if there is a lack of response
• final Minutes will be emailed to the GSA-MAS National Chair for his/her review and approval
• once approved by the GSA-MAS National Chair, the final Minutes will be emailed to the entire Coordinating Committee for a vote (yea, nay, or abstain) by a suggested deadline date
• a simple majority will be required
• after the vote and approval by committee members, the final Minutes are posted to the GSA-MAS Web site

Approved: GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, 07/08/02

II. Regional Groups on Student Affairs-Minority Affairs Section (Central, Northeast, Southern, and Western)

In the event of a tie vote:

• the current regional GSA-MAS Chair will inform the MAS National Chair of the tie vote
• an electronic ballot containing the names of nominees for the office of regional GSA-MAS Chair will be sent to MAS voting representatives in that Region, with a deadline date for electronic submission of ballots
• the procedure is repeated in the event of another tie vote or until there is a simple majority vote on behalf of one candidate

Approved: GSA-MAS Coordinating Committee, 11/08/02

Contact Us    © 1995-2008 AAMC    Terms and Conditions    Privacy Statement