Volunteer Opportunities and Committee Membership

RIVMA Board of Directors

The RIVMA Board consists of the President, President-elect, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and six directors. One of the directors must be a Recent Gradate and one must be a Director Emeritus. The Board meets four times per year.  Meetings last 1.5 hours and take place at 12:30 pm on a weekday. Additional business takes place via email, phone or in committee.

Board Positions

President: The President presides over all Board meetings and presents a report on activities and matters relating to the Association at the Annual Meeting in December.  The President serves as an ex-officio member of all RIVMA committees. 

President-elect:  The President-elect presides at meetings in the absence of the President.  He/she will succeed to the office of president at the expiration of the president’s term.

Immediate Past President:  The immediate past-president is an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors for a period of one year following his/her term as president.

Secretary: The secretary is the RIVMA’s record keeper and approves all official Board meeting minutes.

Treasurer: The RIVMA Treasurer oversees the financial health of the organization via regular review of financial reports and statements.  The Treasurer reports on the finances at each Board meeting.

Directors: Directors serve two-year terms. These terms are staggered, with two Directors elected each year. Directors must attend all Board meetings.

Recent Graduate: The recent graduate position is open to a veterinarian who has graduated from a School of Veterinary Medicine within the past 12 months. The recent graduate may serve only one term on the Board in this position.

Emeritus:  Emeritus positions are open to a senior member of the veterinary profession with a record of service to the veterinary community.  The Emeritus position is a two-year term.

RIVMA COMMITTEES

Committee Terms:  All RIVMA Committee Members serve two-year terms and may not serve more than three consecutive terms on the same committee.  Members are elected at the RIVMA Annual Meeting in December and begin their terms of service in January of the following year.

Continuing Education (CE) Committee

The RIVMA CE Committee is responsible for planning the RIVMA’s Scientific Seminar - a two-day program that takes place in late November/ early December.

The CE Committee meets in person 1-2 times per year but does most planning via email and phone.

Legislation Committee

The Legislation Committee monitors legislation introduced to the General Assembly annually and is responsible for helping to introduce any legislation that the RIVMA might wish to promote.  Members are asked to review all bills and formulate a position statement on them for review by the Board of Directors.

Public Relations Committee

The Public Relations Committee is focused on maintaining a positive public perception of the veterinary profession.  The Committee consists of two members:  Newsletter Editor and Spokesperson.

The RIVMA newsletter editor is responsible for reviewing the quarterly newsletter with a particular focus on reading any scientific content to be sure facts/spellings are correct.

The RIVMA President serves as the official spokesperson and is responsible for any requests for media  

DELEGATES

New England Veterinary Medical Association (NEVMA) Delegate

The RIVMA delegate to NEVMA serves a 7-year term.  Responsibilities include:

• Participation in approximately three Zoom meetings in March, May and July (schedule TBD)
• Attendance at the NEVMA conference in Portland, Maine in September

NEVMA covers all Board member expenses related to the September Conference (travel, lodging, meals, registration).

AVMA Delegate/ Alternate Delegate

RIVMA’s representative (and alternate) in the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) House of Delegates serves a four-year term.   At the conclusion of their four year term, the alternate delegate advances to the position of Delegate for a four-year term.

The House of Delegates is the principal body within the AVMA responsible for establishing policy and providing direction for matters relating to veterinary medicine.  It is also the representative body of the Principal and Constituent Allied Veterinary Organizations of the AVMA. The House of Delegates responsibilities include, in part, approving all changes to the Association's Articles of Incorporation; reviewing and voting on proposed amendments to the AVMA Bylaws; voting on resolutions brought before it; and electing the president-elect, vice president, and when necessary, the president; as well as members of the House Advisory Committee, and the AVMA councils.

All delegates and alternates must be available to travel to two meetings per year (AVMA Convention in July and the Veterinary Leadership Conference in January).  Other issues are discussed via email and phone throughout the year.

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

RIVMA Low-Cost Rabies Clinics

The RIVMA holds low-cost Rabies Vaccine Clinics across the state of Rhode Island each spring.  The Clinics are held on weekend days (Saturday or Sunday) and vary in length, usually 2 -4 hours. Veterinarians are needed to administer the vaccines.

RIVMA Companion Animal Foundation (CAF)

The Companion Animal Foundation is RIVMA’s charitable arm and provides funding for veterinary treatment and care to low-income pet owners.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming involved with the CAF, please visit www.ripets.org or email caf@hannahstreet.com.