Health Professions Advisory & Mentorship Committee Act

Label: SGAB-65 ___ 

Date Introduced: [Month Day, 2025] 

Author: Senator Joseph Trapolino (College of [Your College]) 

Co-Sponsors: [Add names] 

Primary Committee: Appropriations

 Secondary Committee: Student Life

 Draft: First Reading 

Vote Threshold: ⅔ super-majority (required for Bylaw amendments)

Health Professions Advisory & Mentorship Committee Act (HPAMC Act)

Whereas, the Student Government Association Constitution (Article III, Section A) empowers the Senate to create new standing committees and appropriate funds;

Whereas, the current University of Houston Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC) excludes many first‑generation, low‑income, transfer, and non‑traditional students through GPA, residency, and capacity limits;

Whereas, those students must purchase fee‑based dossier services (≈ $60 annually) to store and transmit recommendation letters;

Whereas, UH already hosts robust—but uncoordinated—pre‑health resources (ASDA, AED, AMSA, HOSA, HOMES Clinic, Writing Center, Career Services);

Whereas, the Student Government Association is charged with advancing equity, transparency, and opportunity for the entire student body.

Therefore, be it enacted by the Senate of the Student Government Association of the University of Houston:

That a standing committee named the Health Professions Advisory & Mentorship Committee (HPAMC) is hereby created, effective Fiscal Year 2025‑2026;

Be it further enacted, that the mission of HPAMC shall be: “To provide equitable, cost‑free mentoring and to issue an official HPAMC Committee Letter—based on holistic review—for all eligible UH students and alumni applying to health‑profession programs, especially those underserved by HPAC.”;

Be it further enacted, that HPAMC shall be composed and governed as follows:

1. Voting Members

Role	#	Selection
Residing Chair	1	Appointed by SGA Vice‑President or speaker; confirmed by Senate
NSM Senators	2	Elected NSM Senators
Undergraduate At‑Large Senators	2	Elected At‑Large Senators
NSM Faculty Member	1	Invited by Chair; approved by NSM Dean

2. Advisory Contributors (non‑voting)                                                                                  • Pre‑Health Advising representative (optional)

   • Presidents or designees of ASDA, AED, AMSA, HOSA, MAPS

   • Dean or designee from Tilman J. Fertitta College of Medicine Admissions

   • Up to three additional faculty/health professionalsAdvisory members may be called in for individual packet evaluations or programming, but do not count toward quorum.

   
   

Be it further enacted, that HPAMC shall manage the Committee‑Letter Process according to the following procedures:

1. Application Window – Portal opens September 1 and closes November 25th each year (late packets defer to next cycle).

2. Eligibility Criteria –

   
   

• Current student or alumnus (no time limit)

• Overall or science GPA ≥ 2.8 (2.8‑2.99 requires a letter of circumstance)

• ≥ 25 completed science credit hours (including AP/IB/dual credit)

3. Required Packet – Letter of Intent/Personal Statement, Résumé/CV, Unofficial Transcript(s), and 2‑4 confidential letters of recommendation (≥ 1 from science faculty or licensed health professional) sent to hpamc@uh.edu.

4. Review & Approval -

(a) Eligibility Screening – Staff verify completeness within (14) business days.

(b) Evaluation Sub‑Panel – For each eligible applicant, the Chair convenes a five‑member panel:                                                                                                                                        • 1 NSM Senator

• 1 At‑Large Senator

• 1 NSM Faculty Member

• 1 Pre‑Health RSO leader

• 1 Medical‑School Admissions or Pre‑Health Advising designee

(c) Individual Evaluator Statements – Each member applies a holistic 1‑to‑5 rubric (Academic Readiness; Clinical & Community Engagement; Service & Advocacy; Resilience & Growth; Communication Skills) and writes ≤ 200 words on strengths, growth areas, readiness.

(d) Deliberation & Interview Trigger – If any two rubric categories differ by ≥ 3.5 points, the applicant is offered an interview within (14) days; statements may be revised.

(e) Approval Vote – Simple majority (3/5) to “Recommend.” Denials may be appealed once; the full voting body rules.

(f) Compilation & Submission – Upon approval, the Chair assembles a narrative cover, evaluator statements, and all confidential letters into an HPAMC Community Evaluation Packet (Letter‑Packet type for AMCAS/AADSAS/TMDSAS) co‑signed by the Chair and NSM Faculty Member and uploads it by December 20th.

 “HPAMC Community Evaluation Packet (Letter Packet type for AMCAS/AADSAS/TMDSAS) — Not the official UH HPAC committee letter.”

Be it further enacted, that HPAMC shall implement Technology, Storage & Delivery measures:

1. Domain & Workspace – Director of Technology activates hpamc@uh.edu and secures OneDrive/SharePoint within thirty (30) days of enactment.

2. Retention – Letters stored for five (5) years at no charge.

3. Release – Upon digital “Release My Letters” form, packets are transmitted within (14) business days and confirmed to the student.

   
   

Be it further enacted, that the Funding provisions shall be:

1. Initial Appropriation – The Appropriations Committee may allocate up to $250 (domain, storage, marketing) from the SGA reserve or by reallocating discretionary lines (no single line reduced by more than $500).

2. Future Budgets – Operating costs are reviewed annually in the normal budget cycle.

3. Sunset – HPAMC sunsets June 30, 2030, unless renewed or amended.

SECTION X – Contingency Authority

X.1 Institutional Challenge. If, after passage of this Act, the University of Houston administration formally contests the Senate’s authority to create the Health Professions Advisory & Mentorship Committee (HPAMC) and the Senate subsequently votes—by simple majority—to accept the administration’s position, the powers and scope of HPAMC shall be modified as described below.

X.2 Appeals Jurisdiction. HPAMC shall thereupon cease operating as a primary advising committee and shall instead serve as an Appeals Panel empowered to:

   a. Eligibility Appeals. Hear and decide student petitions requesting exemptions from the existing HPAC GPA, residency, or capacity requirements.

   b. Recommendation Appeals. Review final HPAC committee-letter decisions when a student submits evidence of procedural error, bias, or new information.

X.3 Sub-Panel Procedure. Appeals shall be adjudicated by a five-member sub-panel selected from HPAMC’s standing membership, with at least one faculty advisor and one student senator present. A simple majority of the sub-panel shall decide each appeal.

X.4 Binding Effect. HPAC shall implement the sub-panel’s decision within (14) business days or provide written justification to the Senate Executive Board for non-compliance.

X.5 Reporting. HPAMC shall submit a semesterly report to the Senate detailing the number of appeals received, decisions rendered, average resolution time, and any patterns of concern.

Be it further enacted, that this Act shall take effect immediately upon: 

• Passage by a two‑thirds (⅔) vote of the Senate; and

• Signature of the SGA President, or automatic enactment seven (7) days post‑passage if unsigned and un‑vetoed (Constitution, Article III, § P‑7).

LET IT BE ENACTED THAT the Student Government Association of the University of Houston establishes the Health Professions Advisory & Mentorship Committee Act (HPAMC Act), guaranteeing equitable, cost‑free committee letters and mentorship for all eligible UH students and alumni applying to health‑profession programs, with oversight from the Appropriations Committee and collaboration with campus pre‑health organizations, Tilman J. Fertitta College of Medicine Admissions, and NSM faculaty thereby promoting academic success, opportunity, and informed decision‑making.