NEW MEXICO REGISTERED VETERINARY TECHNICIANS’ ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION
Originally approved by membership, November 1998
Current version approved by membership, October 2016
ARTICLE ONE – NAME
This organization shall be known as “The New Mexico Registered Veterinary Technicians’ Association” (NMRVTA or the
Association). This is a non-union, nonprofit organization consisting of Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVTs), ParaProfessional Veterinary Staff and actively enrolled students in an AVMA-accredited program.
ARTICLE TWO – PURPOSE
The purposes of this organization are as follows:
- To promote professionalism, pride, responsibility and the interest of Registered Veterinary Technicians, Para-Professional
Veterinary Staff and Veterinary Technology Students. - To maintain a mutual sharing of experiences and advance the standards of Registered Veterinary Technicians, ParaProfessionals and Veterinary Technology Students through continuing education.
ARTICLE THREE – MEMBERSHIP - Membership shall be offered to all Registered Veterinary Technicians licensed by the New Mexico Board of Veterinary
Medicine (NMBVM). An Associate Membership shall be offered to all Para-Professionals currently employed for at least
six consecutive months at a veterinary facility licensed by the New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine. - All members in good standing may take part in discussions, debates and voting.
- If the applicant meets the requirements of the Association, he or she shall be accepted for membership upon payment of one
year’s dues to the Treasurer and shall be considered a member in good standing. - Associate Members shall be permitted to vote and serve on committees and to receive continuing education benefits, but
shall not be able to hold the office of President or President-Elect. - Student membership shall be offered to any actively enrolled student in an AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technology
Program, or in a New Mexico veterinary assistant program. The supervising instructor shall sign on the membership form
indicating that the student is actively enrolled in their program. The NMRVTA Executive Board shall annually establish the
student membership fee, not to be greater than half-price of the regular membership fee. Student members shall be
permitted to vote, serve on committees and receive continuing education benefits, but they shall not hold any elected office.
ARTICLE FOUR – CODE OF ETHICS AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION - Each member is expected to maintain strict compliance with the rules for Veterinary Technicians and Registered Veterinary
Technicians as set down by the New Mexico Veterinary Practice Act and New Mexico Administrative Code Title 16,
Chapter 25.6. Members shall be informed of any changes in the law. - Members shall be subject to reprimand, censor, suspension or revocation of membership by the Association for violation of
these rules. - No such action shall be taken against a member until such member shall have been served with written specific charges,
given a reasonable time to prepare any defense and afforded a full and fair hearing by the Executive Board. - The Executive Board, after a thorough investigation of a complaint against a member shall hold an informal hearing so that
both parties may speak. The Executive Board shall determine what course of action or reprimand is deemed to be fair and
just. - Any member wishing to give further evidence should be requested to address the Executive Board. If significant new
evidence is reported, the Board will vote again and a majority decision is final.
ARTICLE FIVE – EXECUTIVE BOARD - The Executive Board (the Board) of the Association shall consist of Past-President, President, President-Elect, Secretary,
Treasurer, Publicity Coordinator and NAVTA State Representative, all of whom must be a member of the Association in
good standing. - The duties of the Board shall be to meet and discuss such problems that may arise, which may be expedited, and functions as
provided in this constitution, - It should also be understood that any member of the Association may at his or her wish attend the meetings of the Board.
- The Board will appoint a new officer in the event of the resignation or recall of any present officer. The appointed officer
will serve out the term until the next election. - Officers shall be elected for one-year terms.
1 Article Three, #5 adopted at general membership meeting October 20, 2007
Article Three #5 para -professional fee change adopted at general membership meeting October 16, 2010 - At the election of officers, the outgoing officers continue to serve in their present positions until a transitional officers’
meeting. Such meeting will be set by the outgoing President and will be held within 30 days of the election of officers. The
purpose of the transitional meeting is to have outgoing and incoming officers pass pertinent information to each other.)
2
ARTICLE SIX – AUTOMATIC SUCCESSION TO HIGHER OFFICE - The office of President-Elect is an elective office; at the end of the one-year term of office, the President-Elect will
automatically succeed to the office of President without the formality of election. In like manner, the office of President
shall undertake the office of Past-President of the Association. - In the event of a vacancy in the office of President or President-Elect, the other Executive Board officers shall appoint a
substitute for the vacant position until the next annual meeting.
ARTICLE SEVEN – PAST-PRESIDENT - The Past-President will serve as support in an advisory position to all elected officers
- The Past-President shall not be eligible to hold the President-Elect position until one year has elapsed since his or her
retirement from this office.
ARTICLE EIGHT – PRESIDENT - The President presides at all meetings and enforces all the By-laws and the Constitution.
- The President shall appoint committees as needed.
- The President shall have the power to call special meetings of the Board.
- The President should attend or send a representative to all regular New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine meetings and
all New Mexico Veterinary Medical Association (NMVMA) Board meetings, as permitted. - The President is responsible for informing the NMVMB and the NMVMA of the NMRVTA officers within 30 days of the
annual transitional officers’ meeting.
ARTICLE NINE – PRESIDENT -ELECT - The President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President in the event the President is absent or unable to perform his or
her duties. - The President-Elect shall perform tasks and duties as delegated by the President.
ARTICLE TEN – SECRETARY - The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the general membership and Executive Board meetings.
- He or she shall prepare a report of the minutes of these meetings. The minutes of the previous meeting shall be read and
approved at the next meeting. - The Secretary shall be responsible for receiving correspondence and shall inform all members of any meetings.
- The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping an updated copy of the NMRVTA constitution to be made available on
request. - The Secretary shall maintain the membership records. The Executive Board will determine any use or release of the
membership records.
ARTICLE ELEVEN – TREASURER - The Treasurer shall oversee the keeping of the books of the Association and shall report the state of the Association’s
finances at all Executive Board meetings and all general membership meetings. - All expenditures must be approved by the Executive Board. Written approvals will be kept on record for expenditures (email, fax, letter, or signatures in the check register or another log). Pre-event budget plans, to a maximum expenditure
dollar amount, can serve as a directive with signatures or other written approvals by the Executive Board. In the event that
not all officers have responded to a request, written documentation will be made to state the circumstances and serve as an
explanation of the expenditure being made. - If the Association’s bank/checking account allows for such, preferably both the President’s and the Treasurer’s signatures
(or any two elected officers) will be required for the disbursement of funds of the Association.3
ARTICLE TWELVE – PUBLICITY COORDINATOR - The Publicity Coordinator shall be responsible for promoting NMRVTA information / events through electronic media.
- The Publicity Coordinator shall be responsible for keeping the NMRVTA website / social media updated with regards to job
listings, and other pertinent news for the NMRVTA at least monthly. - The Publicity Coordinator shall be responsible for checking for Association emails weekly.
2 Article Five, item 6, adopted at general membership meeting October 2003
3 Article Eleven, item 2 and 3, adopted at general membership meeting October 2003 - All electronic media content should be:
a. pertinent to the NMRVTA purpose,
b. posted by the Publicity Coordinator, and
c. from a reliable source.4
ARTICLE THIRTEEN – National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) STATE
REPRESENTATIVE - This individual must meet the current qualifications of NAVTA to be a State Representative and to perform the duties of this
position as required by NAVTA. - The NAVTA State Representative will make reports at meetings and to the Publicity Coordinator regarding NAVTA
activities. - He or she will coordinate national and state NAVTA activities.
- He or she is to be a resource or contact person for their area, and represent New Mexico at pertinent NAVTA functions.
ARTICLE FOURTEEN – DUES - Dues shall be determined by a simple majority vote of the Board at an Executive Board meeting. Yearly dues shall be
payable January 1 and delinquent by March 31. - Dues paid to the Association are non-refundable.
- The Executive Board may determine pro-rated dues.
ARTICLE FIFTEEN – CONDUCT OF MEETINGS - All meetings shall be conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order.
- The Association shall hold an annual membership meeting.
- In the absence of the President and President-Elect, the Secretary shall preside. If none of these officers are present, a pro
tem presiding officer or chairman shall be appointed. - Regular voting decisions will be by simple majority of the voting membership present.
- Absentee ballots may be utilized at the Executive Board’s discretion.
- Special meetings shall be called by the President or President-Elect upon request in writing of six members who shall
specify the particular objective of the meeting. Notice of special meetings and the objective shall be given to each member
in writing by the Secretary not less than two weeks prior to the date thereof. - Any decisions made at any special meeting may be ratified by a 2/3 vote of the voting members present.
ARTICLE SIXTEEN – RECALL OF OFFICERS - All officers are subject for recall upon a just cause, submitted to the Executive Board in writing. Any member has the right
to petition the Board at any time. The officer petitioned will not be allowed to participate in the investigation or vote as a
member of the Board. After both sides have presented their differences, the remaining Board will vote by secret ballot and a
simple majority will be required to recommend or deny recall. - If the Board recommends recall, this shall be voted on by the general membership through the mail by secret ballot and
passed by a 2/3 vote of members in good standing. This vote will be final. A Board member shall have the same rights as
any other officer.
ARTICLE SEVENTEEN – AMENDMENTS TO THE NMRVTA CONSTITUTION - Amendments to this Constitution may be made at any annual meeting.
- Proposed changes in the Constitution shall be mailed to each member in good standing at least forty-five (45) days prior to
the meeting at which such changes shall be voted on. - A 2/3 majority of the members present and voting shall be required for the adoption of such amendments.
ARTICLE EIGHTEEN – DISSOLVEMENT - Should the Association be dissolved, all funds remaining, after satisfaction of all debts, shall be contributed to an
appropriate non-profit organization as designated by a vote of the general membership.
4 Article Twelve adopted at general membership meeting October 2015.
