CNSA Rules and Regulations

Last Updated January 2010

 

[Please note: these Rules and Regulations may be modified, deleted, or added to by means outlined in the bylaws of CNSA]

Part I: Applicability Statement

Nothing herein can contravene the letters patent, the bylaws of the association, the Incorporation Acts, or any law or contract applicable to the association.

In sections where the wording of the statement contains words like "should", "encouraged", or any other word or phrase clearly indicating a suggestion, these rules shall not constitute a requirement upon the Board of Directors (BOD) or any member to act accordingly. All other statements are considered to be requirements made upon the membership and BOD to act accordingly unless a change or suspension of a particular rule is made by the BOD.

Passages marked by square brackets [ ] shall be considered explanations or notes on the Bylaws or Rules and Regulations of the association and are not considered to be official. They are for the benefit of individuals who are unfamiliar with the formal language of bylaws and for guidance for the directors and members in interpreting and understanding the association's Bylaws and Rules and Regulations.

 

Part II: Objects

[This section cannot be amended without amending the letters patent of the Association]

The objects of the association are set out in the letters patent and are reproduced below:

1. To provide a communication link among nursing students across Canada recognizing the specific language needs of our bilingual country.
2. To act as the official voice of nursing students.
3. To provide a medium through which members can express their opinions on nursing issues.
4. To encourage participation in professional and liberal education.
5. To provide a liaison with other organizations concerned with nursing.
6. To increase the awareness of both the existence of and the need for nursing research.

 

Part III: Membership

Membership fees

Fees for Chapter Membership are five dollars ($5) per full-time student and three dollars ($3) per part-time student. Fees, along with the completed Membership Package, shall be provided to the Administrative Officer in accordance with Financial Section Part XIII of the Rules and Regulations. A chapter member shall be considered a member in good standing upon receipt and processing of said items.

In chapter schools where post-RN students are integrated into the regular undergraduate classes, the post-RN students shall be included in the total number of students for the purposes of fee payment.

A new chapter member is defined as a school that has never been a member. New member schools are required to pay one half of the annual membership fees for the first two years of membership. Fees for new Chapter Members shall be paid to the Administrative Officer in accordance the Financial Section Part XIII of the Rules and Regulations.

The fee for Continuing (Alumni) Membership is twenty-five dollars ($25).

The fee for Distance Membership is fifteen dollars ($15).

The fee for Affiliate Membership is two hundred dollars ($200).

The fee for Corporate Membership shall be:

$1500 or greater for Gold Members

$1000 or greater for Silver Members

$  500 or greater for Bronze Members

There shall be no fees payable to the association by Lifetime or Honourary Members.

The Administrative Officer shall issue an official receipt and certificate of membership to each chapter within thirty (30) days of receiving and processing the fees and completed Membership Package.

 

Membership Renewal

All members (except for Lifetime and Honourary) must renew their membership with CNSA annually by submitting required fees and completed Membership Package to the Administrative Officer by November 9th. Official Delegates shall renew membership for their chapter; therefore individual delegate membership is renewed when their chapter is in good standing.

 

Removal of Membership

The Member will be notified in writing that their membership has been removed if their full fees have not been received by March 31. The letter will be written and signed by the Administrative Officer and the President.

 

Reinstatement of Members

Members shall be reinstated upon:

• meeting eligibility requirement(s) in accordance with Part IV of the bylaws;
• receipt of membership fees and completed Membership Package by the Administrative Officer; and
• resolution of the National Assembly.

 

Corporate Membership

A Corporate Membership shall be open to any corporate entity having an interest in supporting the objectives and initiatives of the CNSA. Corporate Membership may, at the discretion of the National Assembly, be divided into the following four categories:

Bronze Corporate Member

Silver Corporate Member

Gold Corporate Member

 

Any corporate entity wishing to become a Corporate Member (of any category) shall submit an application for membership to the Administrative Officer and, upon compliance with CNSA Rules and Regulations and Sponsorship Policy, approval from the Board of Directors, and payment of required fees, shall be accepted as a Corporate member in good standing of CNSA.

 

These members shall be entitled to the following privileges and benefits in accordance to their membership level. No Corporate Member shall be entitled to voting privileges under any circumstances:

CNSA Gold Corporate

• Recognition in two (2) issues of the e-Connection as a CNSA Gold Corporate Member
• Space for a company logo and/or slogan in two (2) issues of the e-Connection
• Space (maximum of one half of a page) for an article, advertisement, or promotion in one (1) issue of the e-Connection
• A direct link from the official CNSA website to the official company website
• Presentation of the Member logo on the official CNSA website
• 25% off individual registrations for Corporate Member delegates attending the CNSA National Conference

 

CNSA Silver Corporate

• Recognition in two (2) issues of the e-Connection as a CNSA Silver Corporate Member
• Space for a member logo and/or slogan in two (2) issues of the e-Connection
• A direct link from the official CNSA website to the official member website
• 25% off individual registrations for Corporate Member delegates attending the CNSA National Conference

 

CNSA Bronze Corporate

• Recognition in two (2) issues of the e-Connection as a CNSA Bronze Corporate Member
• 25% off individual registrations for Corporate Member delegates attending the CNSA National Conference

 

Honorary or Lifetime Membership

In accordance with CNSA Bylaws 4.05 and 4.06, the National Assembly can elect Honorary or Lifetime Members during the National Assembly Meeting. The status shall be granted to persons who have greatly contributed to the achievements and aims of CNSA. Nominees shall be confirmed with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

Nominations for Honorary or Lifetime Membership must be submitted to the Past President by the first day of the January Board of Directors meeting. Nominations should include:

• Completed application form
• Supporting statement, either written or verbal, as appropriate

Once a nomination has been verified, it will be presented to National Assembly in the form of a motion.

Current nursing students cannot be elected as Honorary or Lifetime Members. Former nursing students cannot be considered for Honorary or Lifetime Membership until one year after graduation from nursing school.

Honorary or Lifetime Members shall be invited to CNSA National Conference as an observer.

Honorary or Lifetime Members shall pay a membership fee of zero (0) CDN to CNSA.

The Board of Directors can suspend the Honorary or Lifetime Membership from a person upon violation of the Governing documents or when he or she has been determined to have caused considerable harm to CNSA. In these cases, the Board of Directors would bring the proposition of revocation to the National Assembly. Such a decision requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

The names of the Honorary or Lifetime Members of CNSA shall be posted on the CNSA website.

 

Part IV: Duties of the Regional Executive

Duties of Chapter Delegates

The Official Delegate (OD) of each chapter shall:

• promote CNSA at the chapter in accordance with the purpose and objectives of the Association;
• provide an orientation about CNSA to all nursing students at the chapter;
• keep students informed about CNSA activities and encourage participation;
• maintain a permanent chapter address and a file of CNSA business and information including correspondence and reports;
• provide the Regional Director with an outline of the chapter goals and activities for the year and submit monthly memo and notify the Regional Director of any change in telephone numbers throughout the year;
• maintain communication with the Faculties, Colleges ,Schools of Nursing, and Regional member schools regarding the chapter's activities;
• register for the National Assembly discussion board;
• should submit at least one (1) article per year to the PO of the Association for the purpose of The Connection;
• attend all business meetings of the regional and the National Assembly meetings; if unable to attend, provide written regrets to the Regional Director;
• present and oral and written report with recommendations at each business meeting of the region;
• surrender to the incoming OD all records and files with an oral and written explanation and recommendations within fourteen (14) days of the end of the term of office;
• work with the Associate Delegate (AD) in promoting and carrying out the activities of the Association;
• promote the CNSA awards and ensure that applications are provided to interested students;
• distribute the newsletter of the Association among chapter members and appropriate others;
• complete the Regional Achievement Award application for each chapter;
• ensure that Membership Fees are paid in accordance with these Rules and Regulations;
• lobby their school's administration to include CNSA fees into the school's registration costs; and
• write a monthly memo, via email, the first week of classes in September and the last Friday of every month from September to March, to the Regional Executive. These may be informal in nature and are meant to be used to keep others informed of what is happening at their school(s).

 

The Associate Delegate(s) (AD) shall:

• assist the OD in performance of duties;
• act as proxy in the event of absence of the OD from business meetings of the Association;
• attend all business meetings of the regional and National Assembly meetings; if unable to attend, provide written regrets to the Regional Director;
• act for the OD on occasions where the latter is unable to be present;
• be the nursing student representative to the jurisdictional member of their respective national association such as the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, etc. (i.e. for registered nursing students the jurisdictional member of Canadian Nurses Association, for practical nursing students, the jurisdictional member of Canadian Practical Nurses Association or Canadian Council of Practical Nurse Regulators); and
• register for the National Assembly discussion board.

 

National Communication

The Director of Membership Services will send the September Package to all Regional Directors, who will distribute it to their Regional Executives via email. A hard copy can be mailed to a Chapter, upon request.

 

Regional Communication

It is expected that the OD/AD of each member school will:

• provide contact information to the Regional Director each year and update as necessary;
• maintain an email account for the CNSA chapter at their school by checking and responding to emails on a weekly basis at minimum;
• submit a monthly update to their Regional Executive highlighting Chapter activities;
• act as the communication link between CNSA and the general members with their Chapters by distributing pertinent information; and
• disseminate a biannual report to their Regional Executive fourteen (14) days prior to the fall and winter regional meetings for presentation.

 

A problem or breakdown in communication is defined as:

• failing to access the CNSA email account;
• not providing contact information to one’s Regional Director;
• not alerting one’s Regional Director of changes to contact information;
• not disseminating a monthly update; and/or
• not responding to direct queries from your Regional Director or Regional Executive.

 

The following actions may be taken by a Regional Director if a communication problem exists:

• if no response from the individual has been received within one week, the Regional Director will send another email;
• if there continues to be no response, the Regional Director will telephone the individual; and
• if there continues to be no response after a three (3) week period, the Regional Director may contact the Head of the Chapter member’s program to:

1. work to re-establish a line of communication with the Official Delegate;
2. identify whether the Official Delegate in question is still occupying the position;
3. if the Official Delegate is no longer interested or able to fulfill the role, designate the Associate Delegate to take over the position; or
4. if the Associate Delegate is no longer interested or able to fulfill the role, facilitate the recruitment of a new Official Delegate.

 

The following actions may be taken by Official/Associate Delegates if a communication problem occurs:

• If a Regional Director does not respond within two (2) weeks, the Official Delegate/Associate Delegate may contact the President to re-establish lines of communication.
• If there continues to be no response after one (1) week, the President shall strike a Board Mediation Committee and resolve the situation according to Part XI of the Rules and Regulations.

 

Extenuating circumstances which may excuse the individual from the above scenario include:

• illness or death of the individual or their family member;
• periods during which the individual is absent or busy and will not be able to access email. For the above two scenarios, it is mandatory for the individual to notify their Regional Director and others in their region of this situation; and
• during the summer when students are not in school, it is assumed that email will not be accessed as frequently. However, it must be checked at least every two weeks.

 

Succession of Delegates

In the absence of an established process for filling the OD position at a school, it is assumed that the AD will take on the role of the OD if this position becomes vacant.

 

Part V: Power and Duties of the Board of Directors and Officers

This section can only be modified by National Assembly.

All Directors and Officers serve a one (1) year term, from March 1 to April 31, and shall:

• disseminate a bi-monthly report to the Board of Directors in order to describe all position-related activities and maintain communication;
• surrender to incoming position holders all position-related documents and relevant external stakeholder contact information, with written and oral instructions and recommendations, by the end of their term; and
• work with and mentor incoming position holders to ensure a smooth transition.

 

The Past-President shall:

• be funded to attend all BOD meetings;
• act as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board;
• be responsible for maintaining a contact list of and communicating with all Honorary and Lifetime Members;
• act as the official National Conference Advisor;
• act as the chair of the governance committee;
• serve as a mentor for the incoming BOD;
• ensure a smooth transition between the incoming and outgoing BOD and complete all outstanding tasks by July 1st;
• facilitate the orientation session at the Spring BOD meeting;
• update the Rules, Regulations and Resource Manual as required; and
• present an oral and written report with recommendations, as appropriate, at each BOD meeting.

 

The President shall:

• act as the Chief Executive Officer of the Association and ex-officio member of all committees;
• serve as chair of the Executive Committee and Board Mediation Committee;
• serve as an ex-officio member of all other committees;
• exercise general supervision over the interests and welfare of the Association;
• maintain contact with principal representatives of the
  • International Council of Nurses (ICN);
  • Canadian Nurses Association (CNA);
  • Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU);
  • Canadian Association of Pharmacy Students and Interns (CAPSI);
  • Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS);
  • National Student Nurses Association (NSNA); and
  • Any other national groups that are deemed appropriate.
• have joint custody with the Administrative Officer, Vice-President / Director of Inter/Intra-professional Education & Research, and Director of Communications of the funds of the Association;
• have custody of the personal files of the Directors;
• supervise the National Officer(s) and the Administrative Officer;
• give notice of all BOD meetings in accordance with bylaw 8.03;
• provide an agenda to each Director at least fourteen (14) days prior to each BOD meeting and five (5) days prior to each Executive Committee meeting;
• provide an agenda to each Director and to each Official Delegate at least fourteen (14) days prior to National Assembly meetings;
• prepare and submit the annual report for the Association at the National Conference;
• request a written report with recommendations from each Director thirty (30) days prior to the National Assembly meeting and fourteen (14) days prior to each BOD meeting;
• preside at all BOD and National Assembly meetings of the Association;
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD meeting and National Assembly meeting; and
• receive and distribute proposed resolutions for discussion and action by the National Assembly.

 

The Vice-President / Director of Inter/Intra-professional Education & Research (VPIER) shall:

• have joint custody, with the President, Administrative Officer, and Director of Communications of the funds of the Association;
• preside at all meetings and act for the President when the latter is unable to be present;
• act as the Chief Executive Officer of the scholarship/awards activities;
• chair of the Awards Committee and Strategic Planning Committee;
• be responsible for coordinating all educational and research activities;
• be responsible for the supervision of the Educational Topics discussion board including the monthly topics;
• suggest and assist with promotional activities for nursing and research activities;
• suggest educational activities for member chapters in preparation for discussion of the theme and issues presented at each National Conference;
• coordinate promotional activities for relevant literature sources;
• establish and maintain liaison with research associations (i.e. CHSRF, CIHR, and CHSPR) and/or resource persons as deemed appropriate to the Association’s education/research activities;
• establish and maintain communication with those regional and national education/research representatives who may exist;
• maintain contact with principal representatives of the:
  • National Health Science Student Association (NaHSSA);
  • Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN); and
  • all other interprofessional student groups.
• promote research assistant positions for member nursing students; and
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting.

 

The Director of Communications (DOC) shall:

• be responsible for recording, typing, filing, and distributing the minutes of BOD and National Assembly meetings;
• ensure that the website is up-to-date by maintaining regular communication with the appointed manager of the website;
• be the primary communicator with the appointed manager of the website;
• accept all website content from the BOD and CNSA members that they would like placed on the website, which will be forwarded to the appointed manager of the website;
• supervise the Informatics Officer;
• have joint custody with the Administrative Officer, VPIER, and President of the funds of the Association;
• be responsible for coordinating external communication from the BOD (i.e. press releases);
• be responsible for the Patient Safety Portfolio and be in contact with the principal representatives of such associations (i.e. CPSI, Halifax, QWLQHC);
• provide all BOD members with a list of motions passed prior to their departure from each meeting;
• distribute the minutes from BOD meetings to each Director, and from the National Assembly to each Director, OD, and Committee Chairperson within forty-five (45) days of the meeting and submit them for posting on the website;
• make a backup disk of all BOD meetings and give it to the President before departure;
• be responsible for maintaining delegate and BOD contact lists;
• be responsible for tracking all BOD and Officer bi-monthly reports;
• be responsible for collaboratively implementing the changes made to the September Package as determined by the Board of Directors and ensure that the new version is sent for translation;
• maintain the CNSA letterhead electronic document and be responsible for its distribution; and
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting.

 

The National Conference Director (NCD) shall:

• be responsible for planning and coordinating the activities of the National Conference;
• keep an ongoing record of all activities occurring in preparation for the National Conference;
• establish and maintain communication with members and the BOD regarding the progress of the upcoming National Conference;
• jointly with the President invite all official guests to the National Conference;
• chair of the National Conference Planning Committee;
• provide a final agenda for the upcoming National Conference to the Directors at the fall BOD meeting;
• be responsible for the completion of an audit of the accounts of the National Conference by March 31;
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting;
• should include within his or her budget the cost of translation for all of the National Conference, including the National Assembly; and
• appoint the National Team Director (NTD).

 

The Director of Membership Services (DMS) shall:

• be responsible for coordinating fundraising on a national level if so directed by a majority of member schools;
• suggest and assist with promotional activities;
• coordinate recruitment and retention activities throughout the nation;
• manage the production and distribution of all publications of the Association in conjunction with the Publications Officer;
• supervise the Publications Officer;
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting;
• be responsible for distribution of the September Package to Regional Directors before the Fall BOD meeting, which must include the Membership Package;
• be responsible for collaboratively implementing the changes made to the September Package as determined by the BOD and ensure that the new version is sent for translation; and
• be responsible for sending Recruitment Packages to the Regional Directors by the end of the June BOD meeting.

 

The Director of Bilingualism and Translation (DBT) shall:

• advise the BOD on matters concerning the translation of documents and to uphold the Association’s commitment to bilingualism. This includes providing French and English translations to the BOD and Regional Executives when necessary and financially possible;
• manage the CNSA resources allocated to bilingualism;
• ensure that all CNSA documents be written in both Canadian official Languages;
• research funding opportunities for bilingualism;
• liaise with Regional Directors to assist with the recruitment and retention of French schools;
• act as the Chair of the Bilingualism and Translation Committee and ensure that all applicable CNSA documents are in both official languages;
• ensure that the Bilingualism Policy is respected and reviewed annually;
• be bilingual. In the event of the absence of a bilingual candidate, a non-bilingual candidate will be eligible for the position of DBT;
• make sure that the designated/appropriate disclaimer appears on all sheets of all CNSA documents;
• be the official liaison to and coordinate the CNSA involvement with the Nursing Games;
• be the official liaison to Secrétariat International des Infirmières et Infirmiers de l’Espace Francophone (SIDIIEF); and
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting.

 

The Director of International Health (DOIH) shall:

• be the principal CIDA/WHO/PAHO liaison;
• serve as Chair the Global Health Committee;
• coordinate a global health education initiative, promoting the introduction and/or continuation of global health (certificate or curriculum course) in nursing schools across Canada;
• liaise with and attend the annual meetings of the:
  • Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR);
  •  Canadian Society of International Health (CSIH);
  • Student University Network of Social and International Health (SUNSIH);;
• maintain contact with principal representatives of the:
  • World Health Organization (WHO);
  • International Council of Nurses – Student Network (ICN-SN);
  • Canadian Association of International Nursing (CAIN);
  • Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) Global Nursing Leadership Reference Group;
  • Global Health Education Consortium (GHEC);
  • Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI);
  • Nightingale Initiative for Global Health (NIGH);
  • Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA);
  • World Healthcare Students’ Symposium (WHSS);
  • Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); and
  • other like groups.
• liaise with other national nursing exchange officers;
• liaise, as required, with other national health professions’ global health Officers/Directors;
• attend all ICN-Student Network meetings (if financially feasible); and
• present a written report at each BOD meeting and to National Assembly.

The Director of Career and Leadership Development (DCLD) shall:

• co-chair the national career and leadership development committee with CASN;
• attend the WINN/NTF conference;
• attend the national Nurse Leadership Conference;
• coordinate career development workshops in conjunction with the National and Regional Conference Directors;
• coordinate and facilitate local chapter ideas;
• advocate and assist with creating internship opportunities (i.e. CNA, CFNU, and CASN);
• coordinate and manage the Nursing U program;
• be the primary liaison with Nursing the Future, CNSA Alumni, New Graduate Transition programs and the Comité jeunesse;
• promote local Scholarly Activities Committee development at CNSA member schools;
• be responsible for coordinating the follow-up associated with post-National Conference letter and package for dispersal to delegates;
• spend the majority of his/her term of office in their final year as a student;
• prepare report and attend the National Assembly meeting; and
• coordinate with the RDs and the National Career and Leadership Development Committee student attendance at regional leadership conferences.

 

The Regional Directors (RDs) shall:

• attend all BOD, National Assembly, and Regional business meetings of the Association;
• be a liaison between members in their region and the BOD;
• establish and maintain communication with principal representatives of provincial/territorial nurses' associations within their region and with the regional Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN) representative;
• provide an agenda for regional business meetings to each OD in his or her region at least fourteen (14) days prior to regional business meetings;
• request a written report from each OD in their region at least fourteen (14) days prior to regional business meetings;
• chair of all regional business meetings;
• manage all activities related to choosing and awarding the Regional Achievement Award;
• promote the CNSA in their respective region;
• work in conjunction with the DMS to coordinate the recruitment and retention activities in their region;
• work in conjunction with the DMS to send September Packages in hard copy to any school that requests it;
• give a report to the DMS (RECRUITMENT) which must include the school name, contact name(s), date of delivery, confirmation of receipt information, and what follow-up has occurred by the September BOD meeting;
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting; and
• manage all activities related to the election process of the incumbent RD. In the event of a vacant RD position, where a replacement cannot be found, the remaining RDs will collaborate to maintain that region.

 

The Administrative Officer (AO) shall:

• have joint custody, with the President, DOC, and VPIER, of the funds of the Association;
• maintain accurate financial records in accordance with standard auditing practices;
• collect membership fees;
• maintain a register of all members and their status;
• disperse the funds of the Association as directed by the BOD, the Executive Committee, or the National Assembly;
• provide a detailed income statement (profit and loss) to the BOD and National Assembly for each three (3) month period ending June, September, December and March;
• be responsible for the completion of the audit of the funds of the Association in accordance with bylaw 10.02;
• coordinate all necessary legal documentation for the Association (i.e. affiliate applications, Ministry of Industry and Canada Revenue Agency);
• be custodian of the Seal of the corporation;
• be responsible for the banner(s) of the association;
• be responsible for the BOD laptop computer;
• maintain a sponsorship, exhibitor/career fair and donation database;
• coordinate archival facilitation and advise in contract negotiations;
• facilitate grant applications/proposals for research in conjunction with the VPIER;
• consult with the BOD prior to acceptance of any invitation to speak on behalf of CNSA at any external public events;
• should facilitate and encourage appropriate opportunities for student members to participate in external public communication (i.e. media interviews, opportunities for public speaking, etc.);
• act as the accountant of the books of the Association or shall seek out the least expensive accounting services as budgeted by the BOD;
• each year, via email, acknowledge school membership requests and confirm membership in good standing, upon receipt of required fees and completed Membership Package, by providing a Chapter code and official certificate;
• coordinate the day-to-day administration of the CNSA National Office;
• coordinate the BOD meetings (i.e. travel, accommodation, meeting space, and food) and the compilation of the National Assembly package;
• present a written report with recommendations at each BOD and National Assembly meeting; and
• agree to a two year term of office upon appointment, renewable annually if both parties (BOD and AO) agree.

 

The Informatics Officer (IO) shall:

• report to the DOC;
• chair the Informatics Committee
• perform website updates as requested by the DOC;
• ensure that website is up-to-date by maintaining regular contact with DOC and the website service provider;
• ensure the website is available in both official languages; and
• be the primary communicator with the website service provider.

 

The Diversity Officer (DO) shall:

• report to the DBT;
• chair the Diversity Committee;
• attend diversity-oriented functions;
• advocate for women’s health;
• work for issues surrounding marginalized groups; and
• advocate for cultural diversity and aboriginal health.

 

The Publications Officer (PO) shall:

• report to the DMS; and
• manage the production and distribution of the Connection, the CNSA E-bulletin, the Conference Manuals, and the CNSA/CASN National Handbook.

 

The Officer of Education and Scholarship (OES) shall:

• report to the VPIER;
• suggest and assist with promotional activities for nursing and research activities;
• suggest educational activities for member chapters in preparation for discussion of the theme and issues presented at each National Conference;
• coordinate promotional activities for relevant literature sources;
• be responsible for assisting with promotional activities for nursing and research; and
• be a permanent member of the Strategic Planning and Awards Committees.

 

The National Community and Public Health Officer (NCPHO) shall:

• report to the President and National Assembly;
• chair the National Community and Public Health Committee;
• attend the January BOD and National Assembly meetings ONLY;
• liaise with and attend the annual Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) conference;
• liaise with and attend the annual meeting of the Canadian Alliance of Community Health Centre Associations (CACHCA);
• be the primary Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) liaison;
• be the primary CNA Environmental Health Reference Group liaison;
• liaise with all key national stakeholders that deal with community and public health (i.e. CHNAC); and
• prepare a report and attend the National Assembly meeting.

 

External Meetings

Any BOD member or Officer attending in his or her official CNSA capacity a conference or meeting held by a professional organization must submit a written report to the BOD utilizing the appropriate form as per the Rules and Regulations, and an article suitable for publication in the e-Connection or on the CNSA website, if applicable.

 

Vacancies

If an Executive Committee position of the BOD becomes vacant, a present BOD member must be voted into the position by a 2/3 vote from the BOD. Upon receiving the executive committee position, that individual must immediately orally resign from his/her previous position.

If a non-Executive Committee position becomes vacant, the present BOD will determine a suitable replacement. The individual must be voted in with a 2/3 vote from the BOD. The vote will be overseen by the AO via telephone and/or email. Unless, in the interest of the Association, the BOD deem that this position remain vacant, then the remaining BOD members will share the responsibilities and duties of that position.

If the AO position becomes vacant, the BOD must immediately strike an ad hoc committee to undertake the recruitment of the new AO. The committee will determine the procedures and process for the recruitment of the new AO. The committee shall be composed of the following:

• the current AO (if applicable)
• the CASN Representative
• one representative selected from each region by the Regional Executive for that region
• the President of CNSA (ex-officio, non-voting)

 

BOD Communication

Fourteen (14) days prior to each BOD meeting, each voting Director and the AO shall provide a standard written report from the April 1 to the end of his or her term of office. It shall be posted on the National Assembly discussion board on the CNSA website. The report shall include but not be limited to:

• a summary of all constitutional and focused objectives of the BOD position, as stated in Part V (Power and Duties of the BOD) in the Rules and Regulations which are related to the Strategic Plan of the Association
• a summary of the actions taken to achieve these objectives, such as attendance at committees, events, meetings, etc.
• a summary of the implications (impact) of these actions
• a clear deadline for each objectives (task) with update on its current status
• a summary of assistance needed from the BOD
• any motions or recommendations for the BOD
• utilize the appropriate form as per the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual

Thirty (30) days prior to the National Assembly, each BOD member will submit, via email to the AO and the President, a detailed National Assembly report consisting of:

• objectives of the CNSA which is related to the Strategic Plan of the Association
• activities undertaken to meet each objective throughout their term
• recommendations for the incoming BOD member
• utilize the appropriate form as per the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual

The BOD communication will be maximized in the following manner:

• the President, the VP, and the DOC will each divide up the contact list of the BOD members and will make telephone calls every three (3) to four (4) weeks in order to enhance information exchange regarding BOD positions and regional issues

 

Executive Committee Communication

The Executive Committee must participate in a conference call at least once per month of the term of office, regardless of its necessity by the 15^th of each month.

 

Personal Files

The President shall maintain an individual personal file for each Director. The record shall consist of the job description, a record of the individual’s elections and appointment, any notes of commendation or discipline and the Oath of Office. The file shall be maintained as part of the permanent record of the CNSA and can be accessed upon written request to the President. A Director ceasing to serve as such may be entitled to a copy of the file or parts thereof at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

 

Resignation

It is recommended that a Director or Officer resigning from a position within the CNSA provide the Officers of the Association with at least two week’s written notice.

 

Code of Conduct

The CNSA is committed to representing nursing students in a manner that maintains the highest of ethical standards. All Directors and Officers shall be made aware of and abide by the CNSA Oath of Office in its most current form. All Directors and Officers, before ratification, will read and sign the CNSA Oath of Office Acknowledgement Form and submit it to the President for inclusion in their personal file. Any Director or Officer who violates the Oath of Office shall be subject to discipline, up to and including impeachment.

All members, Officers and BOD members, have the DUTY to inform by WRITTEN media the WHOLE BOD as per the Board Mediation Committee mandate about any reliable, true information regarding a situation when a member/BOD member is not abiding by the Rules and Regulations in any kind (i.e. not flying by the cheapest means, without approval in the determined time by the AO, not answering email, making decisions on behalf of CNSA without consulting the BOD, etc). Should a BOD member or Officer be in the knowledge of such actions and not disclose it to the BOD, he or she is subject to a removal from his or her position as per the decision of the Board Mediation Committee.

 

Conflict of Interest

Directors and Officers shall not place themselves in a position whereby their duties and responsibilities conflict or compete with their personal or business interests where financial gains/losses may be involved. Common law restricts Directors and Officers from being involved in any outside activity which would impair their ability to perform their duties with the CNSA. All Directors and Officers are restricted from working with a competitor of the CNSA or entering into a competitive venture while serving as a Director or Officer of the CNSA.

 

Discrimination

In accordance with the Canadian Human Rights Act, there shall be no discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted. The CNSA strictly prohibits harassment of any persons, including implied or expressed forms of sexual harassment. The process for resolving conflicts shall be via the CNSA Directors Grievance Policy contained in these Rules and Regulations. The CNSA encourages any Director who has been harassed to address the concern with the alleged harasser, where appropriate. If it is determined that harassment has occurred, appropriate disciplinary action up to and including censure or impeachment shall be taken.

 

Part VI: Meetings of the Regional Executive

Agendas

In addition to reports and regular business, the meeting agenda(s) must include, but is not limited to, the following:

 

Fall Regional Executive Meeting

• Contracts review
• Communication/Representation
• Resolutions guidelines
• Position Statements guidelines
• Website review
• September Packages review

 

Winter Regional Executive Meeting

• Communication/Representation
• Resolutions for National Assembly
• Position Statements for National Assembly
• Recruitment Packages review

 

Part VII: Meetings of the Board of Directors

Agendas

In addition to reports and regular business, the meeting agenda(s) must include, but is not limited to, the following:

 

Spring BOD Meeting

• Strategic Plans (Individual and Association)
• Communication/Representation
• National Budget
• September Packages
• Request for nominations for Lifetime and Honorary members
• Resolutions from past National Assemblies
• Review and examination of the Bylaws and the Rules and Regulations
• If necessary, appoint a new AO

 

Fall BOD Meeting

• Communication/Representation Review
• Evaluation of AO appointment
• National Assembly preparation
• Resolutions that will be submitted to the National Assembly
• Discussion and appointment of awards and Lifetime and Honorary Memberships
• Examination of the past year's audit
• Review and examination of the Bylaws and the Rules and Regulations

 

Winter BOD Meeting

• Evaluation of AO Position
• National Assembly package
• Changes to the Bylaws and the Rules and Regulations to be presented to the National Assembly
• Resolutions and position statements to be presented to the National Assembly
• Recruitment packages
• Discussion of appointment of Lifetime and Honourary memberships

 

BOD Changeover Meeting

• Oaths of Office
• National and Regional Conference Directors contracts
• Contracts
• Transfer of information to incoming BOD
• Appointment of chairs of the standing committees

 

Part VIII: Meetings of the Association

The minimum time allotted for the National Assembly and the BOD elections is twelve (12) hours.

National Assembly Agenda

The following items must be on the agenda. Any BOD member or OD can make an addition to the agenda:

• Report of the Board of Directors
• Financial report from previous year
• Financial report from present year
• Progress of resolutions previously passed
• New resolutions to be voted on
• Business carried over from the previous year
• Any new business
• Voting on Lifetime and Honorary members
• The approval of the previous year's audit
• The appointment of the current year's auditor

 

Reports

All reports should be submitted for translation thirty days prior to the National Assembly and made available to the voting body in the National Assembly package.

 

Resolutions

All resolutions should be received by the President before the beginning of the National Conference BOD meeting.

 

National Assembly Package

The National Assembly agenda, all reports, financial statements, resolutions, and any other business must be distributed to the ODs prior to the Winter Regional Meeting in the National Assembly package. It is up to each OD to read the material and be prepared for discussion at the National Assembly.

 

Minutes

Minutes of the National Assembly will be distributed in accordance with these Rules and Regulations and should be in bilingual format, when financially feasible.

 

Part IX: National Conference

This section may only be modified by the national assembly.

The National Conference must include the minimum time allotted for the National Assembly as per the "Part VIII: Meetings of the Association" section of these Rules and Regulations.

The National Conference shall occur during last week of January on a yearly basis.

 

Selection

The National Conference shall be decided one year in advance in conjunction with the annual conference of the Association. The host school shall submit a proposal to the National Assembly as part of the election proceedings. The successful host school shall appoint the NCD to the BOD.

 

Financial

A monetary advance of three thousand dollars ($3000) will be placed in the care of the NCD for the purposes of start-up costs, after an initial detailed proposal, including a budget, is received and accepted by the CNSA Board of Directors. Full registration fees for the BOD are paid for by the National Conference budget.  Conference fees are non-refundable but may be transferred to another student wishing to attend the same conference. Transferring of fees is the responsibility of the conference attendee. Should a conference be cancelled, the conference attendee would be refunded for the conference fees by the conference funds. The NCD shall issue receipts for conference fees within thirty (30) days of receiving registration payment.

All funds, including the three thousand dollar ($3000) loan, shall be deposited into the CNSA National Conference bank account. All expenses must be approved by two of the officers of the association before payment is made.

The AO will provide, as part of his or her quarterly financial update, a financial update of the National Conference bank account.

The NCD will provide the BOD with a template of the conference schedule and a tentative budget by the Spring BOD meeting.

If a profit is realized, the profit shall be divided equally, with half of the remaining profit being issued to the host school and the other half of the profit being issued to the CNSA National Account.

If a debt is incurred, the CNSA National Account will absorb the cost.

Any revenues from the National Conference shall be deposited into the CNSA National Conference bank account.

The National conference shall not exceed one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175), plus applicable taxes, for regular registration rate for CNSA members. Should the NCD wish to exceed the established rate, he or she must seek approval of the BOD.

 

National Team

The National Team will consist of six (6) members. The National Team is made up of one student from each region and the National Team Director (NTD). When there are no applications from a given region for the National Team, the next most qualified applicant is chosen by the NTD to fill the vacant position.

CNSA shall budget on a maximum of five thousand dollars ($5000) for National Team expenses.

CNSA shall follow the current policy as outlined in the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual of the Association.

 

Sponsorship / Exhibitor/Career Fair / Donations

The NCD and the National Conference Planning Committee shall only solicit sponsorship, exhibitors, and donations from the national, international, and immediate local geographic area of the National Conference and follow the CNSA Advertising and Sponsorship Policy in its most current form.

The AO shall coordinate with the NCD the tracking and compilation of the contact information for said sponsors, exhibitors, and donors.

 

Part X: Regional Conferences

This section may only be modified by the national assembly.

Regional conferences shall occur no earlier than the last week of September and no later than the first week of November. Each Regional Conference must include a minimum time of six (6) hours allotted for regional business meetings.

 

Selection

The Regional Conference shall be decided at the regional meeting of the Association held in conjunction with the annual conference of the Association. The host school shall submit a proposal to the Regional Executive as part of the election proceedings. The successful host school shall appoint the Regional Conference Director (RCD) to the Regional Executive. The current RCD shall work with incoming RCD to ensure a smooth transition.

 

Financial

A monetary advance of up to five hundred dollars ($500) can be placed in the care of the host chapter school for the purposes of start up costs, after an initial detailed proposal, including a budget, is received and accepted by the Regional Director. Conference fees are non-refundable but may be transferred to another student wishing to attend the same conference. Transferring of fees is the responsibility of the conference attendee. Should a conference be cancelled, the conference attendee would be refunded for the conference fees by the conference funds. The RCD shall issue receipts for conference fees within thirty (30) days of receiving registration payment.

Any profits generated by the Regional Conference shall remain the property of the host school, after repayment of the $500 advance, if applicable.

No debts occurring as a result of a Regional Conference will be absorbed by the National Account until reviewed and accepted by the BOD.

A Regional Conference budget will be presented at the fall regional business meeting and a final financial report with an audit will be submitted to the RD within thirty (30) days post-conference.

A final conference report with recommendations will be submitted to the RD within thirty (30) days post-conference.

The RCD will provide the RD with a template of conference schedule, a tentative budget, and registration forms (participant and exhibitor/career fair) by the Spring BOD meeting.

Regional Conferences shall not exceed seventy-five dollars ($75), plus applicable taxes, for regular registration rate for CNSA members. Should the Regional Conference Director wish to exceed the established rate, they must seek approval of the Board of Directors.

The RDs’ conference registration fees will be covered by the host school, as well as one half of travel and accommodation costs, with the other half covered through the National CNSA Budget.  All attempts should be made by the RD to arrange for shared accommodation and only their portion of the accommodation fees will be covered by the CNSA and the Regional Conference.

The RD will act as ex-officio member of the Regional Conference Planning Committee. The RCDs will sign an Oath of Office, upon being elected, to ensure that their role is followed as outlined in the Rules and Regulations.

 

Sponsorship / Exhibitor/Career Fair / Donations

The RD, RCD, and Regional Conference Planning Committee shall only solicit sponsorship, exhibitors, and donations from the region of the Regional Conference and the local geographic area of the Regional Conference, with the exception of the conference guide, which may contain international advertisements and follow the CNSA Advertising and Sponsorship Policy in its most current form.

All exhibitors shall be based in the region of the Regional Conference (i.e. if in Ontario region, then Ontario-only hospitals, community agencies, companies, etc.) or be a Canadian-based organization that exclusively recruits for Canadian positions.

The RD shall coordinate with the RCD and the AO the tracking and compilation of the contact information for said sponsors, exhibitors, and donors utilizing the appropriate form as per the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual.

 

Part XI: Committees

Standing Committees

The Governance Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the Bylaws.

 

The Bilingualism and Translation Committee

The chair is responsible for overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the Bylaws. The chair shall ensure that all translations are of high quality. The chair shall also ensure that the current Communications Policy of the Association, as outlined in the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual, is adhered to.

 

The Nominations and Elections Committee

The chair shall be called the Chief Returning Officer (CRO) and will ensure that the current Elections Policy of the Association, as outlined in the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual, is adhered to.

 

The Board Mediation Committee

The Chair shall:

• call and facilitate meetings of the Board Mediation Committee (BMC);
• review the BOD reports and ensure that the Directors and Officers are meeting their obligations as specified in Part V: Powers and Duties of the Board of Directors of the Rules and Regulations;
• communicate with the committee chairs to determine the Directors’ and Officers’ attendance at committee-related meetings and events;
• file grievances when Directors and Officers are not meeting the obligations of their respective duties;
• act as a liaison between the committee and a Director and/or Officer who is the subject of a grievance and report disciplinary outcomes to the Director and/or Officer;
• issue written communications from the BMC; and
• forward any official records of the BMC to the DOC to be filed as part of the Association’s permanent records.

 

Request for Resignation

The BMC may request a Director or Officer to resign from the CNSA wherever the Director or Officer is deemed incapable or unwilling to fulfill the position’s duties or the Director’s or Officer’s conduct warrants removal from office as determined by the BMC as per the stipulations in the Bylaws. Wherever a Director or Officer is requested to resign, such request shall be held strictly confidential until the Director or Officer submits a written letter of resignation or the BMC recommends that the Director or Officer be impeached. The Director or Officer will be given up to five (5) business days to submit a written letter of resignation to the BMC before a recommendation of impeachment or censure is forwarded to the BOD.

 

Impeachment

Directors and Officers will be provided with written notice of intent to vote upon impeachment in accordance with the Bylaws.

 

Directors Grievance and Disciplinary Protocol

The CNSA strongly encourages CNSA members, Directors, and Officers to communicate directly and resolve the conflict informally wherever possible, but recognizes that there will be instances when issues cannot be resolved in this manner. In order to rectify problems and resolve issues without the use of censure or impeachment, the CNSA empowers the BMC to attempt to resolve grievances and disciplinary matters with the following procedures:

 

Step One (Informal Resolution)

A CNSA member, Director, or Officer who has a grievance against a Director or Officer shall orally address the problem to the President or, where the matter concerns the President, the Vice President shall act in a coordinating role.  The investigator shall respond to the complaint within ten working days and attempt to resolve the grievance.  This step shall be waived where the individual’s actions unreasonably jeopardize the operations of the CNSA or are known to be illegal in nature.  In such cases, the President or designate will proceed to Step Two or Step Three and inform the BMC immediately.

 

Step Two (Formal Resolution)

The investigator shall initiate the formal resolution process when a CNSA member, a Director, or an Officer submits a grievance which has been addressed in accordance with Step One in writing to the President or designate or where a Director’s or Officer’s actions unreasonably jeopardize the operations of the CNSA or are known to be illegal in nature. A written complaint shall be signed, dated and specific CNSA policy or procedure in dispute shall be clearly referenced. The President or designate will conduct a full investigation and bring forward all information to the next meeting of the BMC. The BMC or its designate may meet with the Director or Officer who is the subject of a complaint to discuss the Director’s or Officer’s actions or request a written response. The BMC shall then review all documentation and recommend a course of action. The actions(s) to be taken against the Director or Officer, if any, shall be communicated by the BMC or its designate to the Director or Officer within five (5) working days of the meeting, highlighting the problem and mandating appropriate action. The DOC shall place the written record from Step Two and Step Three in the Director’s or Officer’s personal file.

 

Step Three

Within five working days following the written decision of the BMC, the complainant or the BMC may submit a letter to the President or designate requesting a review of the decision by the BMC and shall be placed on the agenda of the next BMC meeting. The BMC may consider a variety of disciplinary measures to address the problem with Director or Officer, including oral or written warning, censure, impeachment, and those measures contained within the mandate of the BMC. In cases where a recommendation for impeachment is a consideration, the BMC shall consult legal counsel in relation to the role of a Director or Officer in a not-for-profit corporation. The severity and immediacy of the action taken by the CNSA against a Director or Officer shall be proportionate to the problem encountered. Except in cases involving such issues as theft, willful misconduct, illegal acts, or other severs behaviors, a progressive disciplinary approach to resolving Director or Officer problems shall be taken. The Director or Officer shall receive a copy of any formal disciplinary notice to be placed in the Director’s or Officer’s personal file. There shall be no appeal of the decision of the BOD.

 

The Strategic Planning Committee

The chair is responsible for overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

The committee shall:

• undertake regular environmental scanning related to the mission of the Association;
• identify possible policy and political scenarios with potential to affect the Association;
• keep the BOD fully apprised of such potential scenarios and make recommendations for the Association’s strategic response;
• regularly review the Association’s Strategic Plan and process;
• regularly review and update the CNSA Position Statements and propose new ones for endorsement by National Assembly; and
• report to the BOD annually.

 

The Awards Committee

The chair is responsible for overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

 

The National Conference Planning Committee (NCPC)

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

The committee is composed of the following positions:

National Conference Director (Chair)

Deputy Conference Coordinator

Registration and Logistics Coordinator

Speakers Coordinator

Sponsorship, Exhibitor, and Career Fair Coordinator

Charity Auction Coordinator

Social Coordinator

Research and Workshop Coordinator

National Team Coordinator

 

The Global Health Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws

 

The Informatics Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

 

The Diversity Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

 

The National Community and Public Health Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

 

The National Career and Leadership Development Committee

The chair is responsible for the overseeing the activities of the committee as defined in the bylaws.

 

Ad Hoc Committees

Description

An Ad Hoc Committee is a committee that is struck by any member of the Association in order to investigate a particular issue that is of interest to both the member of the Association and to the Association as a whole or to nursing students. An Ad Hoc Committee must be approved by the voting officers of the Association, by the BOD, or by the National Assembly.

 

Procedure for Creating an Ad Hoc Committee:

1. Identify an issue that is of interest to CNSA as an Association or to nursing students and create a written proposal to investigate the issue, including specific achievable objectives of the committee.
2. Identify other members of the Association who are also interested in this issue and would be willing to commit time and energy towards investigating the issue.
3. Approach the VPIER with the written proposal and a list of potential members for the committee.
4. The VPIER will take this issue to the Officers of CNSA, the BOD or to the National Assembly to seek approval for the committee. 
5. Once approved as an Ad Hoc Committee, the members of the committee will elect a chair of the committee, may then represent itself as an Ad Hoc Committee of CNSA, and may apply for funding from the BOD in the form of Ad Hoc Committee grants.

 

Responsibilities of the Committee:

• the committee will diligently investigate the issue to the best of their ability;
• the committee must communicate at least monthly with the VPIER on the proceedings of the committee; and
• the committee must provide a written report to the VPIER to present to the National Assembly no later than November 30 or within thirty (30) days of the completion of committee work.

 

Responsibilities of the VPIER:

• to bring applications of members to form Ad Hoc Committees to the attention of the Officers, the BOD, and/or National Assembly for evaluation and possible approval;
• to act as the liaison between the Ad Hoc Committee, the BOD, and National Assembly by ensuring that monthly contact with the committee is maintained and that the committee's report is received by November 30; and
• to promote the activities of the committee at a national level.

 

Part XII: Financial

This section may only be modified by the National Assembly.

Budget

A detailed yearly budget must be planned and approved at the spring meeting of the BOD and reviewed at each subsequent meeting.

The BOD may budget yearly expenses, based on revenue from the previous fiscal year, as follows:

            100% of membership fees;

            25% of total annual royalty fees allocated to operating expenses;

            25% of total annual royalty fees allocated to awards and scholarships; and

            all other surplus is to be moved to Reserve Funds.

 

Membership Fees

All membership fees are due by November 10^th of the current membership year. A chapter shall be deemed to be “in good standing” if their fees are received by the due date. Fees which have not been submitted by the end of the fiscal year of the Association shall result in the chapter being deemed a member no longer in good standing as per the Bylaws of the Association. The chapter will be unable to apply for the awards of the CNSA until such fees have been paid or individual chapter members may join as distance members. The Regional Executive shall be allotted $0.25 per individual member within their region as part of their region-specific budget. The Regional Executive shall decide how these funds are to be utilized as per the Regional Executive voting section of the Bylaws. 

 

Individual Position Budgets

The President is allotted $400, and all other Directors are allotted $200 to fulfill their duties. The AO is allotted $300 to fulfill his or her duties and all other Officers are allotted $100, with the exception of the National Officers who are allotted $250. Reimbursements only occur if receipts are supplied and are within budget. If a Director requires more than their allotted budget to fulfill their duties, they must make a formal request to the BOD for an increase in their budget before they exceed their budget. The voting Directors of the Executive Committee of the Association may increase the budget a position if a BOD meeting is not scheduled before the increase must take place.

 

Funds Dispensing

Voting Directors, Officers, and the AO are entitled to be reimbursed for approved travel, meal (as per the Food Allowance section below), accommodation, and personal expenses that are related to the business of the CNSA (i.e. phone calls, office supplies, postage, etc.). Appropriate receipts shall accompany all requests for reimbursement. No funds may be dispensed without first obtaining a receipt or invoice of the expense. Distribution of awards funds shall be the sole exception to this rule. No funds shall be distributed outside of the budgeted amounts without prior authorization of the Executive Committee or the BOD.

Reimbursements only occur if receipts are supplied, a cheque requisition form is completed, and the expenses are within the allotted budget. Voting Directors, Officers, and the AO shall seek the approval of the Executive Committee of the Association, in advance, for travel and related expenses, utilizing the appropriate form as per the Rules and Regulations and Resource Manual and only expenses so approved shall be paid.

The AO will have at his or her disposal a Corporate Credit Card and ATM card for purchases that require immediate fund dispersal. No purchase can be made without approval of the Executive Committee of the Association and all purchases are bound by the CNSA Corporate Credit Card Policy.

 

Travel and Accommodation

The locations of the BOD meetings are to be negotiated to be the most feasible and least expensive place. All BOD members are to travel to meetings and conferences by the least expensive and most feasible means. All BOD members are to be accommodated at meetings and conferences by the least expensive and most feasible means. All travel and accommodation plans must be approved by the AO; if the AO feels that any member of the BOD is not abiding by the above restrictions, the final decision shall be made by a vote of the voting Directors of the Executive Committee of CNSA. If the BOD member still chooses another means of travel, or accommodation, then that member is personally responsible for paying the difference between the chosen means and the means determined by the voting Directors of the Executive Committee, with the reasonable cost difference determined by the voting directors of the Executive Committee.

The time and the general location of the meeting shall be fixed at least ninety (90) days in advance of the meeting by the Executive Committee. Travel arrangements and accommodation shall be finalized a minimum of sixty (60) days in advance. Voting Directors and the AO using personal automobiles for CNSA business shall be required to protect themselves with adequate insurance. The AO shall prepare a travel budget thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting, which includes all travel details and related costs. 

 

Food Allowance

During all BOD meetings and at the National Conference, each BOD member has a food allowance of up to twenty five dollars ($25) per day per full meeting day, including travel days, provided that receipts are surrendered. Regional Directors have a food allowance of twenty dollars ($20) on the day of their Fall Regional Meeting.

 

Contract Negotiations/Purchases

All contracts must be vetted by the BOD prior to approval and subsequent signing by the any two (2) of the signing officers of the association.

A minimum of three (3) quotes must be solicited for all purchases (i.e. business cards, BOD meeting locations, etc.) prior to approval by the voting Directors of the Executive Committee. All quotes submitted must be duly considered and rationale must be provided for the decision.