Rhode Island Veterinary Technician Association

Constitution and By-Laws

Article I – Title

The association shall be known as the Rhode Island Veterinary Technician Association, hereafter referred to as the Association.

  1. The terms Licensed, Certified, or Registered Veterinary Technician will be used to identify any such person that has passed national and/or state veterinary technician exams and holds a current license, certificate, or registration in the United States.
  2. The term veterinary support staff refers to any other member of the veterinary health care team such as a veterinary assistant, veterinary receptionist, veterinary office manager, kennel person, etc.
  3. The term DVM or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine refers to any person having completed a doctorate in veterinary medicine and is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Rhode Island.
  4. Within this document the term Veterinary Technician will refer to all persons covered in item #1 above.

Article II – Purpose/Objective

The purposes or objectives of the Association are as follows:

  1. to promote the professional and educational advancement of Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary support staff.
  2. to enhance the knowledge and skills of the Veterinary Technician and the Veterinary Support Staff through continuing education programs and sponsored seminars.
  3. to promote the interests of Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary Support Staff through state, provincial and federal legislation.
  4. to promote and maintain the professional image and high ethical standards of the Veterinary Technician and the Veterinary Profession.
  5. to promote the rights and privileges of Veterinary Technicians.
  6. to promote progressive and humane medical care for all creatures.
  7. and, to promote and maintain a cooperative professional relationship with the veterinary medical profession.

Article III – Membership

Section 1. Active Membership VT: Active members in this category shall be Veterinary Technicians in good standing. All active members shall have voting privileges.

Section 2. Student Membership: Individuals enrolled in either an AVMA accredited Veterinary Technology Program or Animal Science equivalent program will qualify.

Section 3. Membership Dues: Membership to the above categories may be obtained after formal application and payment of dues are given to the Association for approval. Annual dues are due by the 1st of January of each year. Only active members in good standing may vote for officers or in other affairs of the Association. The fiscal year of the Association shall be January 1st through December 31st and dues paid at any time during the calendar year apply only to the year in which they were paid.

Section 4. Revocation of Membership: If, in the opinion of the Executive Board, a member of the Association (either active or student) is believed to have participated in activities which grossly misrepresent or undermine the profession and/or the Association, said member shall be notified in writing of this belief and invited to a hearing of his/her views or rebuttal. The hearing shall be held by the Executive Board within a reasonable period of time following notification. A majority vote of members present by secret ballot will decide the revocation.

Article IV – Officers, Their Election and Duties

Section 1. The Officers of the Association: The elected officers of the Association are the President, Past-President, Vice President, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Member-at-Large and Newsletter Editor. These officers shall comprise the Executive Board. Each shall have one vote in Executive Board meetings, the president voting only to break a tie. If two positions are combined, this dual position shall have only one vote (ie. Secretary/Editor).

Section 2. Election of Officers

1.  Eligibility: Only active members in good standing with the Association may be nominated for elective offices.

  1. The elective offices are: President, Past President, Vice President, Treasurer, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary and Member-at-Large.
  2. The President must have served at least one (1) year on the Executive Board in the year preceding election to the office of President and must be a Veterinary Technician.
  3. NAVTA State Representatives are also bound by the rules and regulations governing NAVTA as well as RIVTA.
  4. Other Executive Board positions must be held by Veterinary Technicians that are active members in good standing.

2. Nominations and Elections: Nominations for officers will be submitted by the active membership to the Board for review and balloting. Ballots will be mailed to all voting members when an election run off is necessary.

3. Terms of Office and Installation: Newly elected officers will be installed at the end of the year preceding the year of their term. Officers must be re-elected every two years to maintain the same or another board position. No term of office shall be held for more than four consecutive years. Executive Board positions should be filled with by residents of Rhode Island.

4. Vacancy: In the event of a vacancy, the board shall nominate a person to fill the position, and upon acceptance, install said person for the remainder of the fiscal year.

5. Resignation Procedures: Any member of the Executive Board who wishes to resign his/her position must notify the Board in writing of his/her intention and the date which the resignation will be effective.

6. Duties of the Officers:

1. President - - The President shall:
a. preside at all meetings of the Executive Board and the general membership meetings,
b. set the agenda,
c. represent the Association in all matters,
d. appoint the chairpersons of any committees formed, outline their duties and monitor their progress,
e. promote increased membership through public speeches and etc.,
f. oversee the budget with the treasurer,
g. act as the spokesperson for the Association to the press, the public and related organizations,
h. and promote the Veterinary Medical Profession, the Veterinary Technician, and the Veterinary Support Staff including their relationships to public health and agriculture.
2. Past President - - The Past President Shall:
a. act as an advisor to the Executive Board.
b. be available to sit on committees and speak on behalf of the Association,
c. and serve as the liaison to the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association.
3. Vice-President - - The Vice-President shall:
a. serve as the Continuing Education Committee Chairperson and oversee and be privy to all decisions, arrangements, etc. of this committee, and
b. serve as acting President in case the elected President is unable to serve.
4. Secretary - - The Corresponding Secretary shall:
a. record the minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and general membership meetings,
b. will aid the corresponding secretary in maintaining membership files and membership packets.
c. assist the President in keeping accurate files of all state/provincial/national technician associations.
d. be responsible for any correspondence unless otherwise delegated.
e. will aid the recording secretary in maintaining membership files and membership packets,
f. will act as the NAVTA State Representative.
6. Treasurer - - The Treasurer shall:
a. assist the President in keeping accurate records of membership,
b. keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements for a period of not less than 5 years, and
c. receive and have charge of all funds of the Association, deposit such funds in a bank designated by the Executive Board and provide for expenditure of such funds as directed by the board.
7. Member-at-Large - - The Member-at-Large shall:
a. attend all board meetings,
b. be able to accept chairmanships of committees,
c. not be limited to one person,
d. assist the Treasurer as needed.
8. Organizational Advisor - - The Organizational Advisor shall:
a. help the Executive Board with Association business,
b. serve as certification and examination chair,
c. maintain contact with The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB), serve as the contact person for the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) and related issues.

Amendment adopted in 2010: A change in officers and their terms was adopted in 2010 stating that any officer on the RIVTA Executive Board can remain in their position until they either retire or become out-voted in an election.

Article V – Amendments

Section 1. Presentation:

a. amendments may be proposed by written petition signed by 5 active members of the association.
b. a proposed amendment shall be submitted to the Executive Board at least thirty days before a general meeting.
c. copies of amendment proposals shall be distributed to the voting members of the association at least 14 days prior to a general meeting.

Section 2. Passage: The constitution and By-Laws may be amended by the Executive Board, by a two-thirds vote of the active members of the voting body present and voting.

Section 3. Adoption: Approved amendments will be formerly adopted at the meeting at which they were passed, and will become effective at the close of said meeting unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment.

Article VI – Credentialing

1. The Executive Board of the Association will act as the credentialing body.
2. All certification matters will be forwarded to said group for review and approval.
3. Certification requirements in the State of Rhode Island are officially recognized as follows:

1. Acquiring a passing score of 425 or higher on the VTNE and one of the following

2.. AVMA accredited program and a letter of recommendation.

3. A Bachelor's Degree in Animal or Biological Sciences, with one year of full time practical work experience and a letter of recommendation.
4. An Associates Degree in Animal or Biological Sciences with three years of full time practical work experience and a letter of recommendation.
5. Five years of full time practical work experience and a letter of recommendation.

Certification must be renewed annually. Individuals renewing their certification must complete 12 continuing education units prior to renewal. Continuing Education Units must be received from an approved venue.

Certification also expires on December 31st. All CEU must have been obtained in the 12 month period prior to renewal. Individuals seeking certification in RI must be members of the RIVTA and proof of continuing education credits must be submitted with membership renewal.

Veterinary Technicians do not need to be certified to be members of the RIVTA.

Amendment adopted in 2010: A change in continuing education credits was adopted in 2010, the RIVTA Executive Board and Credentialing Body will accept 12 continuing education credits, 6 of which must be from a physical venue (conference, symposium, in-house CE, etc). The remaining 6 may be from an online venue but cannot be repeated once they are submitted for approval.

Amendment adopted January 1st, 2024: RIVTA will no longer be accepting indirect or alternative pathways for New Certified Members. Only applicants who have attended an AVMA accredited program and have taken and passed the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) will qualify for New Certified Membership. RIVTA WILL accept Transferring CVTs if they were credentialed in another state prior to January 1st 2024, AKA Legacies/Grandfathered-in. If you have registered to take the VTNE prior to January 1st 2024, RIVTA will allow time for score transfer. Any CVT certified by alternative pathway must maintain their certification each year. Late renewal or inability to meet requirements will result in the termination of certification with RIVTA.

Copyright © Rhode Island Veterinary Technician Association 2004 Amended in 2024 All Rights Reserved