Policy and Bylaws

SECTION 1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL:

1.1. Purpose of the Student Health Advisory Council

The main purpose of the Colorado State University Student Health Advisory Council is to assure that the students of Colorado State University are at all times receiving high quality, cost-effective health care. Steps to accomplish this are manifested in many ways, several of which are written into the SHAC Bylaws (and in this manual) as responsibilities of the council.

From the CSU Health Network policy manual:

This board, comprised of students and Health Service staff contributes to programmatic and budget decisions, elicits consumer feedback from patients, responds to patient comment forms which are signed, and assists at events and programs sponsored by the Health Service. SHAC accepts up to twenty-five voting members each year, with officers elected each spring semester.

Because the purpose defined for SHAC is realized in a multitude of ways, the number of programs that the Council initiates and is involved in is very large and constantly growing. This manual does not try to recognize the entire list of operations that SHAC is responsible for. Instead, the following information will present SHAC's goals and responsibilities, which are ultimately responsible for the course that SHAC takes every year.

1.2. Goals of the Student Health Advisory Council
The main goals of Student Health Advisory Council are to:
  1. Participate in quality assessment to determine consumer satisfaction in services provided and services requested. Recommendations are then made to Hartshorn Health Service based upon these findings.
  2. Remain active in the general operations of the Hartshorn Health Service as student advocates and liaison to student body in programming concerning policy and budgetary decisions.
  3. Perform in health promotion programming and to assist the Hartshorn Health Service in relaying relevant health information to students.
  4. Continually strengthen the defined role of SHAC and to interact with similar advisory councils at other institutions.
1.3. Student Health Advisory Council Funds

The Student Health Advisory Council is financially supported through funds generated by student health fees earmarked for Hartshorn Health Service, and ASCSU, as requested and deemed necessary.

SECTION 2. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL:

The responsibilities of SHAC are stated in full in Section IV of the Student Health Advisory Council Bylaws. The following is a simplified version of those prescribed responsibilities.

2.1. General Responsibilities
  1. To facilitate effective communication between students and University Health Service administration, and to ensure that all CSU Health Network reports are available for "scrutiny and comment".
  2. To help maintain high quality healthcare at the lowest possible cost to students.
  3. To sponsor health-related educational programs for the benefit of students.
  4. To collect a survey of student needs and attitudes concerning Hartshorn Health Service operations at least once a semester.
  5. To interact with other health centers and student health organizations.
2.2. Policy Responsibilities
  1. To determine and implement policy concerning campus health.
  2. To conduct studies on health problems that face students and on problems with the Hartshorn Health Service. Reports on these studies may then be used to recommend actions for the Council and/or CSU Health Network staff to undertake.
2.3. Fiscal Responsibilities
  1. It is the responsibility of the University Health Service and the Council to submit an annual health budget to the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Council shall recommend any changes in the budget that the Council deems necessary.
    1. The budget shall be presented to the Council at least one week prior to a scheduled meeting. Final amendments and approval for the budget must be given at a formal Council meeting.
    2. b. A majority vote by the Council is necessary to approve, amend or recommend any financial matter.
  2. The Council shall review and advise on the allocation of funds for the Hartshorn Health Service and its activities, as well as other matters pertaining to student health at Colorado State University.

SECTION 3. STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL POLICIES:

3.1. Membership Eligibility
Voting Members

The Student Health Advisory Council accepts up to twenty-five voting members each year. They shall be students who are registered and are paying assessed student fees. These "students-at-large" can hold unlimited appointments to the Council. The Council bylaws stress the inclusion of diverse members, including graduate students and ASCSU senators.

Non-Voting Members

The Council also includes two permanent Ex-Officio members, the Medical Director of the Hartshorn Health Service, and the Administrator of the Hartshorn Health Service.

Furthermore, the Council also has an Advisor, the Director of Health Education.

3.2. Responsibilities of Membership
Attendance

A Council member is obligated to inform the Council in advance if the member knows he or she will be absent.

If a member misses more than two consecutive meetings, he or she is requested to contact the council. Accumulated absences will be dealt with on an individual basis.

Committees

All Council members are expected to serve on committees that are formed by the Council. The member may choose which committees he or she wishes to serve, as well as initiate new committees. Each committee may be headed by any council member.

Members are expected to actively involve themselves in committee work and to remain informed on the affairs of the committee.

Confidentiality

All Council members are expected to maintain confidentiality of patients and personnel. For Health Center volunteers, formal confidentiality agreements must be signed before volunteering is allowed. Any breach of confidentiality is grounds for IMMEDIATE dismissal from SHAC.

Student Fee Review Board

The Student Fee Review Board (SFRB) is comprised of fee paying Colorado State University Students. Their duty is to consider and vote upon budget requests and recommendations of funding to Official University organizations and programming.

A member of the Student Health Advisory Council who is a student-at-large shall apply to the ASCSU Student Fee Review Board and sit on the board pending the approval of ASCSU

Voting

All Council members defined as Students-at-large have the right to vote on the implementation of Council policy. Official voting may take place at regular meetings only.

All Council members also have the right to introduce new programs that relate to the operations of the University Health Services for the Council to consider.

3.3. Conduct of Council Meetings
Open to the Public

All Council meetings are open to the public and all of the official actions of the Council are considered a matter of public record.

Quorum

A quorum, or minimum number of members necessary to conduct official business, shall consist of a simple majority of voting Council members present for the vote.

Bylaws

The bylaws are reviewed at the beginning of every Fall semester. An amendment to the bylaws can be proposed at any regular meeting and can be voted on at the following meeting. The amendment needs to have the approval of 2/3 of the present voting members. In addition, any section of the bylaws may be suspended by a vote of 2/3 of the total Council membership.

Scheduling of Meetings

The Bylaws of the Council call for regular meetings when classes are in session, excluding periods of academic recess. Individual Councils shall determine the frequency and duration of meeting. The President of the Council may cancel unnecessary meetings unless a Council member objects. Additional formal meetings may be scheduled by the Council, as needed. Members of the Council may hold informal meetings, but no official voting shall take place.

SECTION 4. STUDENT HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL OFFICES AND OFFICER ELECTIONS:

4.1. General Description

The organization of offices and officers in the Student Health Advisory Council is closely related to the general operation of the Council. Each office comes with a set of specific responsibilities that is intrinsic to the overall goals of the Council. Officers may choose to form committees to help execute the prescribed objectives that fall under the description of their office.

An exhaustive description of the requirements of specific offices, including details concerning their election and removal, is found in the Student Health Advisory Council Bylaws, Section 111, part B.

4.2. Election and Removal of Officers

Council elections take place on the third week of April during a scheduled meeting. Nominations are to be taken during the previous meeting. Officers are elected by a simple majority and can be removed by a 2/3 vote of the Council with a motion for removal being made during the previous meeting.

The term of office begins on the last day of the semester of the election and continues for twelve months.

4.3. Council Offices
The following positions constitute the executive board:

President

The President presides over the Council. The President also shall schedule all Council meetings, prepare the agendas for the meetings, and handle all routine correspondence for the Council. The President shall also act as liaison between the Council and ASCSU and the Vice President of Student Affairs. The President is also responsible to help conduct a general orientation for new members to the Council.

The President is expected to attend the American Collegiate Health Association (ACHA) annual conference, which is held each summer.

In case of a tie vote on any issue, a second vote will be taken. After that, the President's vote shall be considered the tiebreaker on a third and final vote.

Vice-President

The Vice-President shall preside over the Council in the event that the President is absent or is unable to fulfill the necessary duties of the President. The Vice-President shall oversee and help organize all committee work.

Secretary

The Secretary assists in handling routine correspondence of the Council and in compiling a summary of the Council's activities to submit to ASCSU in an annual report. The Secretary also compiles the minutes of the meetings and will post them in the appropriate departments of the Hartshorn Health Service, as well as distribute them to the membership. The Secretary monitors and records attendance at the meetings.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for budgeting expenditures of the Council, and acts as liaison to the General Accounting Office in CSU Health Network. The Treasurer also oversees fundraising activities as well as the Council account in ASCSU

Publicity Representative/ Membership

The Publicity Representative (PR) is responsible to generate publicity for the Council as required and to assist in recruitment. The PR representative shall also tend to all newspaper ads and announcements.

Quality Assurance Program Liaison

The Q. A. Liaison attends all Health Service Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement meetings. The Q. A. Liaison shall be responsible for reporting back to the Council as pertains to Q. A. matters. The individual shall insure proper response to complaints and suggestions related to the Hartshorn Health Service.

Community Service Coordinator

The Community Service Coordinator shall explore and coordinate community service projects for the Council. This role is secondary to other functions of SHAC, and can be combined with other duties.

Department Liaisons

There shall be officers whose duty is to attend individual departmental meetings within the Hartshorn Health Service, and to report back to the Council as to activities going on in the CSU Health Network