WE ARE VERY SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE TIME HAS COME:
The members attending the annual meeting of the VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Association held on March 4, 2025 via zoom voted in favour of the following motion:
“That the Vancouver General Hospital School of Nursing Alumnae Association be dissolved by the year 2028”. This motion was then voted on and ratified by the quorum of the membership in attendance at the Special General Meeting during the Fall Luncheon held on September 18, 2025 at the Arbutus Club.
History:
1. The Alumnae Association was started in 1908 and has been in continuous operation since then using a variety of operational models.
2. The VGH School of Nursing commenced operation in 1899 with eight students and was based in the hospital until 1991. The graduates received a
Diploma in Nursing.
3. In 1989, a collaborative nursing program was established with the UBC School of Nursing. Students graduated with a BSN degree from UBC. The last class graduated from the UBC/VGH collaborative program in May 1998.
4. In 99 years, VGH graduated 8,768 students. Operations
1. The VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Association operates with the constitution and bylaws which are prepared and approved under the Societies
Act of British Columbia.
2. The Purposes of the Association are:
– to promote unity, loyalty, and good fellowship among the graduates of the VGH School of Nursing and the UBC/VGH Collaborative Program – to advance the interest and uphold the standards of the profession of Nursing-to provide assistance to Association members with special needs and
with limited or no income
– to preserve the historical records and artifacts of the VGH School of Nursing, the VGH School of Nursing Association, and the VGH School of
Nursing Alumnae Building Society Association, and the VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Building Society 3. The bylaws are statements regarding definitions in the document, membership, general and special meetings, roles of the Directors, signing
authority, a non-profit clause, and the dissolution of the association. The bylaws are reviewed on a regular basis and revised as required.
Current Situation:
1. The Board of Directors has been requesting assistance from the membership since 2017 in order to carry out the work of the Committees and the role of the Board of Directors.
2. As there has not been a positive response for more volunteers to help, the Directors took on the positions of Chairs of the Committees.
– the Executive Secretary position was expanded to include management of the finances.
– the annual luncheon was stopped following the COVID pandemic.
– the three accounts of General, Archive, and Education were merged into one account, and the investments were adjusted to mature on a basis to
meet the needs of the association.
– recognition of the classes celebrating their 50th and 60th anniversaries was addressed by providing grants to the four classes each year to assist with class reunions. the website was renewed and a major archival project has been added to the archival and artifact holdings on the website.
3. The Annual General Meetings have been held via Zoom since 2020 in order to have association members join the meeting. The response has been disappointing as only two members asked to attend on two different times. Three non-Board members joined in 2025.
Procedure for Dissolution:
1. Considerable time is required for the Board of Directors to seek out and discuss with experts to determine and follow all of the steps in the dissolution
process, in order to deal with the property and financial assets.
