CPHSA Officer Descriptions and Responsibilities

President - The President is the main representative and liaison of the Association to its members and the rest of the College of Public Health. The President must take the initiative to improve existing ties and foster new ones, as well as help uphold a positive and productive image for the Association. As for specific responsibilities, the President sets agendas for meetings and delegates duties along with the help of the Vice President. The President is responsible for developing and implementing the strategic plans for the organization, such as the upcoming academic year’s vision (e.g. yearly goals) and reports to Deans, faculty members, and students. Key traits for a successful President are strong communication skills, time and stress management skills, an approachable and unbiased nature, the ability to respond quickly and efficiently, provide fresh innovative ideas, and judgment which allows him or her to take actions that are in support of the interests of the Association.

Vice President - The Vice President helps write Board and General meeting agendas with the President and helps delegate responsibilities to other members for upcoming events. The Vice President must be a strong leader as well as have excellent people skills, for he/she is the connection between the President and the remainder of the elected officers. The Vice President deals a lot with the internal chemistry of the board. This includes ensuring that elected officers are meeting their deadlines and completing their projects and responsibilities. In addition, the Vice President must also have the capacity to deal with and resolve any internal conflicts within the Association in a timely and professional manner.  The Vice President will ensure that an appropriate number of students are involved with college-wide student activities.  This includes recruiting and managing volunteers for activities and/or committee work.

Treasurer - The Treasurer is responsible for the financial well-being of the Association.  The Treasurer is responsible for all receipts and disbursements of the Association. She/He will oversee the collection of all activity fees and payments of any debts of the Association. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of the accounts of the Association.  She/He shall prepare an annual budget in the summer of each academic year and will prepare a status of the budget report for each Association meeting. A knowledge of spreadsheets and developing budgets that can be presented to the Association is recommended. Lastly, effective planning in a financial sense is important when applying for funds through the college, university, student government, or any other sources.  Some responsibilities will include identifying funding sources in and outside of the College and handling applications for financial resources. 

Administrative Affairs/Communications Chair - The Administrative Affairs/Communication Chair is responsible for keeping an accurate written record of all meetings, events, and decisions made by the Board.  S/He shall also coordinate with the College of Public Health webmaster to update the Association's website about meeting minutes, social events, and professional opportunities.  S/He will be responsible for the website and public relations communication.

Social Co-Chairs - The Co-Social Chairs will work together to develop a greater sense of community within the College of Public Health and with other students of the health sciences at the University of Iowa. They are in charge of implementing and overseeing social functions, student gatherings, parties, and banquets sponsored by the Association. Their main responsibility is to help coordinate events where members can meet. Activities they will be responsible for include the International and Fiesta Potluck, Trivia Night, Tailgates, and intramural events.

Student Mentor-Mentee Program Coordinator – The Student Mentor-Mentee Program Coordinator is responsible for the success of the SMMP.  The responsibilities include development of a schedule of activities for SMMP pairs for the academic year, involvement in the College-wide orientation activities for new students, recruitment of mentors and mentees, coordination of social events related to SMMP, and evaluation of the program (per semester).

Director of Student Concerns – The Director of Student Concerns serves as the liaison between CPH students, the CPHSA, and the College.  The Director of Student Concerns serves as the liaison between CPH students, the CPHSA, and the College.  Her/His roles include serving as the communication channel for students to voice their concerns confidentially and to identify possible solutions to be addressed by officers.  Other roles might include the assignment of awards to students, end of the year program evaluations, as well as helping other officers with their projects throughout the year.

International Student Representative – The International Student Representative serves as the liaison between international students, the CPHSA, and the College.  The main responsibilities include serving as the liaison to the CPH international students and reporting the student needs to the CPHSA leaders.  The position includes working with the CPHSA to address concerns brought by international students.  S/he is required to attend CPHSA board meetings and encouraged to attend general meetings and social events. 

Board of Advisors – Officers from the previous year are encouraged to provide continued support for the Association and to facilitate a smooth transition for new officers coming in.

Faculty/Staff Advis0rs - Faculty and staff advisors may be elected to maintain communication between the students and the rest of the College. Advisors are encouraged to meet with all officers regularly, facilitate the coordination of student requests, and ensure that the Association is operating in conformity with the standards set forth.