In November 2002, following consultation with the Student Sections Committee, the ANS Board of Directors approved the Bylaws and Rules Committee's recommendation to establish standard Bylaws for Student Sections. These bylaws were last updated in June 2007 [MS Word Doc].

• ALL ANS Student Sections must adopt the Standard Bylaws for Student Sections [MS Word Doc] to retain their authorization as an ANS Student Section.

• Together, your Bylaws and Rules make up the Charter by which the Student Section should operate.
• The Standard Bylaws and your customized Rules established by you will be your new Charter.
• More information on ANS Student Section Bylaws and Rules is available in this informal guide [DOC] prepared by the Student Sections Committee.
• You can also contact the Student Sections Committee for more information.

• Now. ASAP. Stat.
• Adopting the Standard Bylaws only needs to be done once. After you adopt the Standard Bylaws, any changes that ANS HQ makes to the Standard Bylaws automatically apply to your section.

• Simplify the Student Section Bylaws by removing elements that were not part of the legal structure of the ANS.
• Increase control of Student Sections over their own Charters by moving operational elements to Rules. (Changes to Student Section Rules do not require the approval of the ANS Board of Directors.)

1. Download the Standard Bylaws and Model Rules: [MS Word Doc]. Also available for your use are two other sets of sample rules. If you don't like something in the Model Rules but don't know if you can just leave it out, the Minimal Rules [MS Word Doc] will tell you. If you don't like something in the Model Rules but don't know how to say what you want, the Custom Rules [MS Word Doc] may have an example you can use.
2. Each Student Section must adopt the new Standard Bylaws. The Bylaws are the left-hand column on each page of the document. Adopting the Bylaws does NOT require a formal vote of the entire membership (See ANS National Rules paragraph R19.4.1); the officers can vote or the president can just unilaterally decide or you can skip any sort of formal step because this change is mandatory to remain a Student Section. NOTE: You cannot change the Standard Bylaws, you must accept them as written. If you have a concern with something in the Standard Bylaws, contact the SSC.
3. Draft Rules for your Student Section. Start with the Model Rules, which are the right-hand column on each page of the document. Edit as needed to conform to your host institution's requirements. You can add additional paragraphs or attachments, too. As you make the new Rules, you will find that you can create Rules to make your combination of Bylaws & Rules mean the same as your current procedure. You can also use this opportunity to change the way your section operates. Don't forget to solicit the input of your membership in this process.
4. Don't formally approve the new Rules just yet. Once your section governance is happy with the draft Rules, send an email with attachment to governance@ans.org with cc: to ssc@ans.org. Include in your email that you have adopted the Standard Bylaws, that you wish your Rules to be forwarded to the Bylaws & Rules Committee for a Rules review, and also include contact information for your faculty advisor, your president, and the contact for Rules at your section. Be sure to attach a copy of your new proposed Rules! This review process is only to ensure that your new Rules are not in contradiction to Society Bylaws and Rules.
5. The Bylaws and Rules committee may give you comments on your Rules. Incorporate these and submit a new draft as many times as necessary.
6. When the Bylaws and Rules committee is happy with your Rules, they will endorse them. Once the Rules are endorsed, hold a vote of the Student Section membership to formally approve the new Rules.
7. IMPORTANT STEP: Forward a final copy of the Rules to the Office of the Executive Director with a notification that your Student Section has approved the Rules. (Send an email with attachment to execdir@ans.org with cc: to governance@ans.org and ssc@ans.org.)
8. Keep a current copy of your Bylaws and Rules with your student section. Each time the Standard Bylaws are revised, check to make sure your Rules don't conflict with the new changes. Each time your Student Section wants to revise its Rules, repeat from Step 3.