Bylaws
The
NORTHERN PLAINS RURAL SURGICAL SOCIETY
The Northern Plains Rural Surgical Society is a 501(c)(3) organization committed to supporting and promoting surgical education,
and maintenance of that education, to surgeons across
the Northern Plains states.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Members shall be physicians fulfilling membership requirements who
reside in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, Oklahoma, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Nebraska, and Idaho with exceptions made on an individual basis.
Section 2. Membership in the Northern Plains Rural Surgical Society shall require:
(1)A surgery practice or an interest in surgery in the rural setting.
(2)The majority of members will be general surgeons.
(3)Specialty surgeons will be welcome as members.
(4)Surgeon’s affiliated with rural surgical education and residency programs will be encouraged to become involved as members.
Section 3. Membership shall be initiated by invitation only. Membership application
forms shall be available on request of an Active member and shall be provided by the Secretary-Treasurer. Completed application forms shall be delivered to the Secretary-Treasurer before the Annual Assembly. A completed application for membership shall consist of:
(1)A completed membership application form signed by the applicant.
Completed applications shall be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer who,
in turn, will submit the application(s) to the Council. The Council shall
have the authority to reject any application. The name(s) of candidate(s)
recommended for membership by the Council shall be submitted to the
membership at the Annual Assembly.
Election shall be by a three-fourths affirmative vote of the members present.
Section 4. Members in good standing who subsequently relocate outside the
geographic area of the Society may continue their membership in the Society. They shall maintain their obligations and privileges as prior to their geographic relocation.
1 Updated January 2018
Section 5. An active Member who reaches the age of 60 in any given year shall be elevated to Senior Member status at the next meeting of the Council. This change in status shall then be announced at the next Executive Session of the Society. They may still be elected to office in the Society.
Section 6. Active membership shall be unlimited.
ARTICLE II: COUNCIL
Section 1. The Council shall consist of the following:
President
Immediate Past President
Vice President
Secretary-Treasurer
Advisors, at discretion of president (appointed)
Section 2. The President shall call the Council into session at his discretion.
The Council, however, must meet at least annually at the time of
the Annual Assembly.
Section 3. Advisors shall be appointed for three year terms but may be re-elected. Their terms shall be offset.
Advisors will be appointed based on specific needs of the society.
ARTICLE III: OFFICERS
Section 1. The President, the Vice President, and the Secretary-Treasurer
shall be elected for three year terms. Any officer may be re-elected
however it is anticipated that the Vice President shall ordinarily
advance to the presidency. The incoming and outgoing Secretary-
Treasurer shall share duties for a period of six months.
Section 2. The President shall preside at the meeting of the Council and the Annual
Assembly. The President shall appoint ad hoc committees as needed and
serve as an ex officio member of such committees. Successions to
vacated offices of the Society shall be appointed by the President until
the positions are filled at the next Annual Assembly
Section 3. The Vice President, in the absence or incapacity of the President, shall
perform the duties of the President. In the absence or incapacity of both
the President and the Vice President, the chair shall be assumed by
a President pro tem, elected by such members of the Council as are
present.
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Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep minutes of the annual business
meetings of the Society and the Council, receive and care for all
records belonging to the Society and conduct the correspondence of the
Society. This office will issue to all members a written report of the
preceding years transactions to be read to the Council and Membership
at the Annual Assembly. The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all monies and funds belonging to the Society, pay all bills, render bills for dues and assessments and report to the Council and Membership at the Annual Assembly. The Secretary-Treasurer will prepare an annual Treasurers Report for the Membership.
Article IV: Committees
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of Vice President, Past President and the current President.
Section 2. The Council shall function as the Membership Committee.
Article V: Meeting
Section 1. An Annual Assembly of the Society shall be held at the time and place to
be determined by the Council.
Section 2. During the Annual Assembly, there shall be an Executive Session of the
Membership. The business of the Society shall be reported by the
Secretary-Treasurer to the membership. The report of the Nominating
Committee shall be presented to the Membership during the Executive
Session. Nominations of officers may be made from the floor. Officers
of the Society shall be elected by a majority vote of the Active, Senior,
Non-resident, and Affiliate Membership present during the Executive
Session.
Section 3. Any member of the Society may invite, with the approval of a Council
member, a professional colleague to attend the Annual Assembly.
Attendance by surgical residents shall be encouraged and not limited.
Article VI: Fees, Dues
Section 1. Initiation fees, dues, and assessments shall be levied by the Council
and approved by the membership at the Annual Assembly.
Section 2. Active members whose dues remain unpaid for a period of two years shall
be dropped from membership, provided that notification of such lapse be given at least three months prior to its effective date. The member may be reinstated following payment of the dues in arrear upon approval of the Council.
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Section 3. Senior Members and Honorary Members shall be exempt from dues.
(Note: Currently, annual does are $50.00, January 2011).
Article VII: Resignations, Expulsions
Section 1. Resignation of members otherwise in good standing shall be accepted
by the majority vote of the Council.
Section 2. Charges of unprofessional or unethical conduct against any member of the
Society, challenging that physician’s right to continue membership, must
be specific and proffered in writing and submitted to the Council for
action. The challenged member must be provided with an opportunity
to reply to the charges. Concurrence of two-thirds or more Council
members with the charges shall result in expulsion.
Such action must be announced at the next Executive Session and may be overruled only by a three-fourths vote of those present in support of a motion from the floor for reversal.
Article VIII: Quorum
Section 1. A minimum of one-half of the active and senior members registered and
attending the annual meeting shall constitute a quorum at the Annual Assembly. The group will gather annually to effect changes in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society, to make assessments, to authorize appropriations or expenditures of money other than those required in the routine business of the Society, to elect officers and members, and to expel members. A simple majority will be required to pass any motion.
Article IX: Alterations, Repeals
Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered or repealed at the Annual Assembly
By a two-thirds affirmative vote of members present, provided a
Quorum exists.
Article X: Procedure
Proceedings of the Society shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of
Robert’s Rules of Order.
Adopted January 20, 2018 “draft”
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