HumaneVMA Student Chapters

Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance (HumaneVMA) student chapters provide a forum for veterinary students to get involved in animal protection issues, promote humane veterinary education, and participate in service opportunities.

Before starting a student chapter on your campus:

1 - Familiarize yourself with benefits offered to HumaneVMA student chapters:

• $500 in annual grant money for chapter activities
• Priority scheduling for HumaneVMA Speakers Bureau presentations
• Priority access to RAVS informational talks and suture labs 
• Advice and assistance to any student chapter member seeking alternatives or changes to a more humane veterinary curriculum
• Travel stipends to attend the HumaneVMA Animal Welfare Symposium

2 - Familiarize yourself with the programs and focus areas of HumaneVMA

3 - Identify at least four other students who are interested in participating in the chapter.

4 - Contact the Office of Student Affairs (or other appropriate campus office or department) for guidelines to set up a student club

Chapter Requirements:

Membership

Membership in the chapter is open to all veterinary students on your campus. All members of the student chapter are encouraged to become members of HumaneVMA. Student membership in HumaneVMA is free and automatically upgrades to free Professional membership through the first year after graduation. For more information, visit humanevma.org/benefits.

Electing Officers

All student chapters must elect at least three officers: President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer. Chapters can separate the roles of Secretary and Treasurer if there enough interested members.  Other officers can be elected such as Class Representative, Fundraising Chair, Events Coordinator, etc.

Name of the Student Chapter

All student chapters shall be named “(School name) Student Chapter of the Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance”. Example: UC Davis Student Chapter of the Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance (UCD SCHumaneVMA).

College or University

The chapter must form on a campus with a veterinary medical school. The school must formally recognize the chapter as a student organization.

Chapter Terms and Conditions/Bylaws

The chapter must agree to the terms and conditions for student chapters authorized by HumaneVMA as well as adopt sample bylaws provided by HSVMA or a set of bylaws that are consistent with the terms and conditions.

Speakers Bureau

Student chapters are expected to hold at least one HumaneVMA Speakers Bureau presentation each academic year. Chapters must identify a lecture hall or other location for the presentation, and HumaneVMA will pay for the speaker’s travel and a vegetarian lunch for student attendees.

Meetings

Student chapters must hold at least one meeting per semester. Chapters are also encouraged to hold at least one general interest meeting on campus, represent HumaneVMA at a campus event (e.g. freshman orientation, student activities fair) or sponsor another activity each academic year to reach out to other veterinary students who are not chapter members. See our list of suggested student chapter activities»

Faculty Adviser

If required by your campus, the student chapter must have a faculty adviser who supports HumaneVMA’s student chapter program and will provide guidance to student leadership.

List of Current Student Chapters:

• Louisiana State University
• Michigan State University
• Mississippi State University
• University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Western University of Health Sciences
• University of Illinois