SAAO New Chapter Information - How to organize and start a chapter
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SAAO (UAAO) History
The American Academy of Osteopathy® was founded in 1937, then in 1949, Drs. George W. and Thomas L. Northup met with Dr. Angus Cathie and initiated the first student AAO Academy group. In order to accord increased recognition to the groups of inquiring students, the Bylaws of the AAO were amended at the Annual Meeting in Chicago, July 1959, to provide status for the Undergraduate Academies as Component Societies of the Academy of Applied Osteopathy (now the American Academy of Osteopathy®).
In 1982, the forerunners of the current UAAO Council wanted to provide a vehicle for intercommunication among the colleges and the AAO. They also felt it would be more beneficial to unite the UAAOs under one cohesive voice.
Today, there is an active UAAO membership of over 5,000 members under the guidance of the American Academy of Osteopathy®.
We wish to thank your local chapter advisors and the American Academy of Osteopathy® for their ongoing support and dedication. Without their guidance and direction, this organization would not be as successful as it is today. Many former UAAO members have gone on to leadership roles in the American Academy of Osteopathy®.
Objectives
The objectives of the Student American Academy of Osteopathy are for its membership to acquire a better understanding of osteopathic principles and practice, to attain a maximum efficiency in osteopathic structural diagnosis and manipulative treatment, and to foster, in themselves and in others, a clear concept of the clinical application of osteopathic principles and practice in health and disease. Membership serves to broaden and expand the students’ understanding of the osteopathic concepts in practice.
New Chapters
New chapters are founded by the inaugural class at each new college of Osteopathic Medicine. Each chapter must meet the following 5 requirements to be recognized by the SAAO and the AAO:
- Establish a chapter board, consisting of at least a President, National Rep and a Secretary/treasurer.
- Appoint a chapter advisor, who must also be an AAO member.
- The SAAO Bylaws must be printed on your new COMs letter head and signed by two chapter officers and the chapter advisor. This is then given to the SAAO Coordinator and is official document stating that the new chapter will abide by the SAAO Bylaws.
- Use the SAAO Chapter Notebook as your guide to recruit chapter members, organize chapter activities, meet required deadlines and develop your chapter’s annual report.
- At least two chapter officers should attend Convocation and present your chapter’s annual report at the Wednesday business meeting.
When your annual report is accepted at Convocation you are now an official and fully recognized chapter of the SAAO!
Communication
The preffered chain of communication follows:
Chapter National Rep -- Regional Coordinator -- Eboard National Coordinator
The SAAO strongly encourages communication between chapters and the Eboard as well as with the SAAO Coordinator at the AAO headquarters.
Each chapter should establish a “gmail” account that can be used for direct communication between the SAAO Eboard and chapters. The “gmail” accounts were established so that each chapter will have a consistent email address even though chapter officers change yearly, chapters can create contact lists of each years’ members and chapters can also access documents placed on “google docs”. When establishing this address please use the following format: XXCOMSAAO@gmail.com, where the XX is your schools acronym.
Chapter Bylaws
Each chapter is required to read, agree to and sign the UAAO Bylaws in order to become a recognized chapter. The SAAO Bylaws can only be amended with approval by the AAO Board of Governors. The SAAO Bylaws are included in the SAAO Chapter Notebook.
Chapters may establish their own additional set up bylaws pertaining to local chapter operation and specific needs, however chapter bylaws can not contradict the SAAO Bylaws.
Convocation
Each new chapter is required to have two officers attend the Wednesday business meeting at Convocation to present their annual report. It is understood that that your annual report may not be as impressive as existing chapters, but nonetheless it is a beginning point for your chapter and what you will be able to build off of over the next year.
SAAO members from new chapters are allowed and encouraged to run for national positions. The same requirements must be met that apply to all SAAO members.
Please see the “Convocation” web page for more information
*special thanks to RVU and PNWU for their input in creating this page*
