Women’s Faculty Association
History of the WFA

History of WFA

History and By-laws of the Women’s Faculty Association

The Women’s Faculty Association (WFA) of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center first began convening in 1982 and became a formal association in 1984 for charitable, educational and scientific purposes including the fostering of administrative and academic advancement and recognition of women.

The overall goal of the WFA is to promote career development, advancement and recognition of women in the Department of Pediatrics. The WFA also provides an opportunity for women faculty and fellows to meet, network and participate in informal mentoring activities. These opportunities include career development seminars for both male and female faculty, as well as fellows, pediatric residents and graduate students. For current activities, please visit our Activities page. 

In addition to lectures and workshops, the WFA is proud to offer the Louise Rauh Scholarship. The award is presented to a fourth-year medical student based on excellence in academic performance, leadership skills, community service, resourcefulness and financial need. For details, please visit the Rauh Scholarship page. 

By-Laws of the Women’s Faculty Association

ARTICLE I.

Name
The name of the organization shall be WOMEN’S FACULTY ASSOCIATION OF THE CINCINNATI CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER hereafter called WOMEN’S FACULTY ASSOCIATION.

ARTICLE II.

Object

The Women’s Faculty Association is a not for profit group organized solely for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, within the meaning of Section 501 c(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the fostering of administrative and academic advancement, and recognition of women and their role within the Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

ARTICLE III.

Membership

Section 1.  The active membership of the Women’s Faculty Association shall include:

  • Faculty members of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, or applying for such status;
  • Non-faculty members of the Department of Pediatrics, including Children’s Hospital Medical Center staff, trainees and other professionals who request or are invited to become members;
  • Other faculty members of the Academic Health Center who request or are invited to become members including  faculty in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and at the Veteran’s Hospital.

ARTICLE IV.

Executive Committee

Section 1. The executive power of the Women’s faculty Association, for the transaction of routine business, shall be vested in the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers, chairpersons of the standing committees, the immediate past president and the historian.

Section 3. The officers shall be a President, President Elect, and Secretary/Treasurer. The President Elect will automatically succeed the President after one year in office. The Secretary/Treasurer may serve two consecutive 1 year terms.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have the power to fill all vacancies in office which may occur between elections.

Section 5. The Executive Committee shall not, for any purpose whatsoever, incur a liability greater than the Women’s Faculty Association’s annual income without the approval of the membership. The vote on such an issue shall be taken under the rules established for amending these By-Laws (Article X).

Section 6. The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President or upon written petition signed by a simple majority of the other members of the Committee.

Section 7. A simple majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Section 8. The officers of the Women’s Faculty Association shall have the power to deposit and withdraw funds from account set up by the Association. No officer may withdraw more than five hundred dollars at any one time without the countersignature of another officer.

ARTICLE V.

Duties of Officers and Historian

Section 1. The President shall preside at meetings; develop the agenda for meetings; appoint the Chairpersons of all Committees as needed (the Louise Rauh Scholarship); serve as a liaison with other organizations; appoint a historian; represent the Women’s Faculty Association to Children’s Hospital Medical Center management and other institutions; and will generate an annual report concerning the Women’s Faculty Association to the members end of term.

Section 2. The President Elect shall assume the duties of the President when the President is unable to fulfill them. The President Elect shall act as chairperson of the Program Committee.

Section 3. The Secretary/Treasurer shall keep accurate minutes of executive and regular business meetings; shall assume responsibility for all correspondence of the Woman’s Faculty Association, including conducting all elections of officials and other votes by mail;  maintain the financial records; and generate and make available a financial report at least annually. The accounts of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be closed on July first of each year.

Section 4. The Historian will maintain the archives of the organization.

ARTICLE VI.

Duties of Standing Committees

Section 1. The Louise Rauh Award for Academic Excellence, Leadership, and Community Service. The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President and will select the appropriate number of other people from the membership so that the committee members plus chairperson totals five. Each member shall serve for at least one term with a three (3) year period and no more than two terms (six years) . At the end of the first term, new members will be added to replace the ones who rotate off. The initial rotation on and off by members will be organized internally to conform with the three year duration of service. There could be Ad Hoc advisory members to the committee and active Ad Hoc members will be decided by the WFA presidents. The availability of the award shall be made known to the medical students via the Financial Aid Handbook from the Dean’s office and by the medical students who have completed the fourth quarter of the junior year and shall be restricted to the top third of the class. Applicants may be of either sex and do not need to plan a career in pediatrics. Applications shall consist of demographic information, a personal statement by the applicant and an evaluation of the individual’s junior clerkship in pediatrics. Deadline for submitting an application shall be December 15 of the senior year. Financial information and class standing shall be requested from the Dean’s office. The award shall be given for excellence in academic performance, community service, leadership and perceived financial need. Using these criteria, the committee will select the one top applicant. The committee will award the top candidate with the Rauh Award. The Rauh Award shall be presented at Pediatric Grand Rounds by the President of the WFA during the last quarter of the Senior year.

Section 2. The Executive Committee may create any other committee deemed necessary by the Women’s Faculty Association.

ARTICLE VII.

Meetings

Section 1. There will be at least one business meeting each year. In conjunction, or in addition, there may be lectures, invited speakers, and other events.

Section 2. Called meetings may be held by the call of the President, Executive Committee or upon written petition signed by any members of the Women’s Faculty Association. The call shall state the objectives of the meeting and the business transacted shall be limited to that stated in the call.

ARTICLE XIII.

Nominations and Elections

Section 1. Members are eligible to vote and hold office. Honorary members may not serve as President.

Section 2. In March of each year, the President will request members to serve on the Executive Committee.

Section 3. The Executive Committee will select a slate of officers of one or two candidates per office for President Elect (Vice-President), and for Secretary/Treasurer, and present it to the current Secretary/Treasurer no later than May 01.

Section 4. The President Elect (Vice-President), and for Secretary/Treasurer will be elected in May by email or online survey, by active members choosing to participate. Write-in nominations will be welcomed on the ballot. Results of election will be announced at the next business meeting or by email.

Section 5. The Officers are elected for one year terms starting July 1, and terminating June 30. Secretary/Treasurer may succeed themselves in the same office once for a total of two terms. Because the President Elect automatically becomes President, the right to succeed one’s self does not apply to this office.

ARTICLE IX.

Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these By-laws may be proposed by the officers of the Association or by a petition from at least five members. The amendment shall be proposed to the membership and shall be voted on by members, at a business meeting, by email or by online survey, and approved at the next business meeting. Amendments shall be adopted by a majority vote of participating active members.

ARTICLE X.

Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Women’s Faculty Association, assets shall become the property of the Louise Rauh Scholarship.