CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE VIRGINIA SOCIETY
OF PLASTIC SURGEONS
CONSTITUTION
Article I
Name
The name of this Society shall be “The Virginia Society of Plastic Surgeons”.
Article II
Objectives
The objectives of this Society shall be:
- To maintain professional excellence in that branch of the Healing Arts established by our predecessors and recognized and respected by our contemporaries as Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
- To provide a forum for the exchange of information, experiences and opinions which will serve to strengthen and inspire our members in their pursuit of the highest levels of personal conduct and professional service.
- To promote and further medical and surgical training and research pertaining to the study and treatment of congenital and acquired deformities–and to keep the medical profession and the general public informed
of the ever expanding benefits arising from progress made in these fields. - To cooperate with other regional and national groups of Plastic Surgeons in the common endeavor to advance the specialty.
Article III
Membership
Regularly licensed physicians practicing plastic and reconstructive surgery who have satisfactorily completed the approved formal training as outlined by the American Board of Plastic Surgery may be admitted by invitation and vote of approval to membership in this Society. The membership shall be actively engaged in plastic surgery in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Article IV
Organization
Section 1. The Society shall function through:
- The Annual Membership Meeting
- The President.
Section 2. The supreme governing power of the Society shall be vested in the Annual Meeting. In the interim between the meetings, the President shall represent the Society, subject to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Article V
Officers and their election
The officers of the Society shall be President and Secretary-Treasurer. The officers shall be elected annually, or as specified in the Bylaws.
Article VI
Meetings
There shall be an annual meeting of the Society, which shall take place on the dates and in the place designated by the President.
Article VII
Amendments to the Constitution
This Constitution may be amended by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Active membership.
Proposed amendments shall be filed in writing with the Secretary and with each member of the voting membership not less than thirty (30) days prior to the annual or special meeting, which shall act thereon. An affirmative vote of three fourths (3/4) of the Active members present and voting, a quorum being present, shall be necessary for adoption of the amendments proposed.
BYLAWS
Article I
Membership
Section 1. Classes of Membership. There shall be six (6) classes of membership.
- Active
- Candidate
- Honorary
- Life
- Courtesy
- Associate
Section 2. Active Membership. Active members shall be surgeons of high moral and professional standing who are actively engaged in the practice of plastic and reconstructive surgery. This class of membership shall be unlimited in number. Certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery shall be required prior to acceptance into the Society as an Active member. A candidate member will be required to attend one annual meeting of the Society before he may be considered for advancement to Active membership.
A person, otherwise qualifying for Active membership, shall be admitted to this classification only upon invitation by the Society after having fulfilled the requirements of Candidate membership for a minimum period of one (1) year. The name of the proposed Active member shall be submitted for vote of acceptance by the members of the Society at an annual or special meeting. An affirmative vote of four-fifths (4/5) of the Active and Life members voting, a quorum being present, shall constitute valid election of the Candidate into the Active membership classification.
Upon election to Active membership and upon payment of the entrance fee and annual dues, the Active member shall have the right to vote at all meetings of the membership and shall be eligible to hold office in the Society. All officers and members of Standing Committees shall be chosen from the Active membership. Active members shall assume the full registration fee when attending annual meetings of the Society.
Section 3. Candidate Membership. Candidate members of the Society shall be those surgeons who have satisfactorily completed approved formal training as outlined by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, who reside and are engaged in practice within the geographical area outlined in the Constitution of the Society, and who have an identified desire to share the privileges of membership in the Society.
Admission to Candidate membership is by invitation only. A qualified surgeon may be proposed for Candidate membership by means of a letter from any Active or Life member to the Secretary. The names of the proposed Candidate members shall be submitted for acceptance by the voting members of the Society at the next annual meeting. Three-fourths (3/4) vote of approval by Active and life members at the next annual meeting, a quorum being present, shall constitute valid admission to the Candidate membership classification. Acceptance into Candidate membership in the Society does not necessarily imply or secure future advancement into Active membership. Termination of Candidate membership without advancement may occur under the circumstances outlined in Section 2 of Article II of these Bylaws.
Candidate members shall have the privilege of attending meetings of the Society, of presenting papers and of participating freely in all scheduled educational and social events of the membership. They shall not attend the annual business meeting of the Society.
Candidate members must pay dues and assessments as outlined in Article VI, Sections 3 and 5, of these Bylaws. In addition they must pay the full registration fee when attending meetings of the Society.
Section 4. Honorary Membership. Honorary membership shall be conferred upon physicians and scientists whom the society desires to honor because they have achieved exceptional eminence and/or have made substantial contributions to the advancement of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Names proposed for this membership classification may be presented by any Active or Life member of the Society. The proposal must be submitted to vote of the membership at an annual or special meeting. A four-fifths (4/5) affirmative vote of Active and Life members voting, a quorum being present, shall be required for conferral of this honor. Notification of the individual so honored shall be in writing over the signature of the President of the Society.
Honorary members shall enjoy all privileges of the Society but shall not pay dues and shall not pay registration fees when attending meetings of the Society. They may neither vote nor hold office.
Section 5. Life Membership. Life membership may be conferred upon Active members of the Society who have reached the age of sixty-five (65) years, who have been members of the Society for at least twenty-five (25) years, who have voluntarily retired from active practice after ten (10) years of Active membership in the Society, or who have been rendered permanently physically disabled. The need or desire for this membership reclassification shall be brought to the attention of the Secretary. Vote of the membership is not required.
Life members shall continue to enjoy full privileges of membership in the Society. They shall not pay dues but will pay registration fees and assessments when attending meetings of the Society. They shall retain the privilege of voting on matters concerning the Society.
Section 6. Courtesy Membership. Courtesy membership in the Society shall be conferred upon Active members who relocate their residence or practice beyond the geographic area of this Society. Request for such membership reclassification must be directed to the Secretary. An affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the Active and Life members at the next annual meeting , a quorum being present, will constitute valid acceptance of the request.
Courtesy membership also may be conferred upon other physicians or scientists. Names proposed for this membership classification may be presented to the Secretary by any Active or Life member of the Society. A unanimous affirmative vote by Active and Life members at the next annual meeting, a quorum being present, shall be required for conferral of this honor.
Courtesy members shall not pay dues, but must pay registration fees and assessments when attending meetings of the Society. Business meetings of the Society may be attended but without voting privilege.
Section 7. Associate Membership. Associate members shall be surgeons of high moral and professional standing who are actively engaged in the practice of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
A person to be qualified for Associate membership shall have fulfilled all the requirements for Active membership except that the member has failed to obtain certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and his Candidate membership was terminated for this reason.
Admission to Associate membership is by invitation only. A qualified surgeon may be proposed for Associate membership by means of a letter from any Active or Life member to the Secretary. The name of the proposed Associate member shall be submitted for vote of acceptance by the members of the Society at an annual or special meeting. An affirmative vote of four-fifths (4/5) of the Active and Life members voting, a quorum being present, shall constitute a valid election of the person into the Associate membership classification.
Upon election to Associate membership and upon payment of the entrance fee and annual dues, the Associate member shall have all the rights, privileges and obligations of an Active member.
Article II
Resignation, suspension or expulsion of members
Section 1. Resignation. Any member may withdraw honorably from the Society, after fulfilling all financial obligations, by serving written notice of such intention to the Secretary.
Section 2. Suspension or Expulsion—Grounds for Action. A member of the Society may become subject to suspension or expulsion for any of the following reasons:
- Violation of any provision of the Constitution or Bylaws of this Society.
- Professional or personal conduct prejudicial to the best interest of this Society.
- Failure of Active, Associate or Candidate members to attend three (3) successive annual meetings of the Society without a written excuse to the Secretary found reasonable and acceptable.
- Failure to pay dues.
- Upon four-fifths (4/5) vote of the Active and Life membership upon presentation of due cause at an annual or special meeting of the Society, a quorum being present.
- Upon failure of a Candidate member to obtain certification by the American Board of Plastic Surgery within seven (7) years after completion of his formal training.
Section 3. Suspension or Expulsion—Procedure. With exception of items 3, 4 and 6, Section 2 of Article II of these Bylaws, suspension or expulsion proceedings shall be initiated only after a signed statement of specific charges by a member of the Society has been presented to the President of the Society. The President shall appoint a committee of three Active or Life members of the Society to review the charges and make recommendations to the membership. The President shall fully apprise this committee of all pertinent information in his possession. On instruction by this special committee, a statement of said charges shall be sent by the Secretary by registered mail to the last recorded address of the member under charges at least fifteen (15) days before final action is to be taken thereon by the committee. This statement shall include a notice of the time and place of a meeting of the committee for the purpose of taking action on the matter. The defending member shall be given full opportunity to present a defense at the time and place so stated. The committee shall report the result of its investigation and deliberation and the action recommended to the members of the Society at an executive session thereof at the next annual meeting. The membership then will be called upon to support this action as indicated in item 5, Section 2, Article II of these Bylaws. Any disciplinary action shall be communicated to the affected member by the Secretary.
Section 4. Reinstatement. A suspended member may be reinstated only upon full correction of the circumstances attending suspension and by a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote for reinstatement by the Active and Life members at an annual meeting, a quorum being present.
Article III
Officers
Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Society shall be a President and Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 2. Terms of Office. The officers shall be elected annually and shall serve until their successors have been elected or appointed.
Section 3. President. The President shall preside at the meetings of the membership of the Society. He shall be a member ex-officio of all committees. He shall appoint as many committee, subcommittees or special committees as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the Society.
He shall sign Certificates of Membership and such other papers and documents as the Society shall direct. He shall approve all bills paid by the Secretary Treasurer.
He shall receive notification of all written requests for the calling of Special Meetings of the membership, and all written specifications of charges for the suspension or expulsion of a member of the Society.
Section 4. Secretary–Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform the duties pertaining to that office. It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to serve notice of and to attend all meetings of the Society, to keep a complete account of the business proceedings at all meetings, to conduct all correspondence generated by such proceedings (other than notification of newly elected Honorary members–see Section 4, Article I of these Bylaws), and to carry into execution all orders, decisions and resolutions not otherwise assigned or committed. He shall notify the officers and members of the Society of their election and shall notify members of their appointment to committees.
He shall attend and record the proceedings of all meetings and shall prepare an annual report of the transactions and conditions of the Society.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall be the keeper of the Seal of the Society and he shall have charge of all Society papers, books, archives and other property not covered elsewhere in these Bylaws.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a roster of the members of the Society together with such data with respect to these members as may be of interest to the membership.
In the event of unexpected absence or disability of the Secretary-Treasurer, his duties are to be assumed by a Secretary-Treasurer protempore appointed by the President.
In the absence of the President, he shall serve as the Presiding Officer of the Society. He shall assume the full authority and responsibility of the President in the event of the latter’s death, incapacity, resignation or removal from office until a new President can be elected.
The Secretary-Treasurer of the Society shall collect and receive all dues and other funds accruing to the Society. He shall be accountable, therefore, to the Society at such times as he shall be ordered to present a statement of accounts. He shall keep proper books, records, and accounts which shall be open at all times for examination by the membership. He shall deposit the funds of the Society in the Society’s name and in such depositories as shall be designated or approved.
His accounts and funds shall be subject to audit when deemed necessary.
No funds shall be drawn from the treasury except for such purposes as shall have been duly authorized to provide for the successful management of the business of the Society. All bills paid by the Secretary-Treasurer shall be approved by the President of the Society.
During the month of December, the Secretary-Treasurer shall mail to each member a statement of his dues and assessments for the ensuing year ending December 31. During the month of March, he shall notify any members in arrears. If necessary, a third communication stating arrears shall be by registered mail on May 1. If payment in full is not received by May 31, or by thirty (30) days before the forthcoming meeting, the member shall be suspended automatically. The Secretary-Treasurer will prepare a notification of suspension to the member in arrears. The notification of suspension will include copies of relevant correspondence previously mailed to the member by the Secretary-Treasurer and a reference to this section of the Bylaws. A copy of the Secretary-Treasurer’s notification, with its enclosures, will be mailed simultaneously to the President of the Society.
At the expiration of his term of office, the Secretary-Treasurer shall deliver over to his successor all books, monies and other Society property which may have been in his custody.
Article IV
Meetings
Section 1. The Annual Meeting. The annual meeting of the membership of the Society shall be held at such times as the President may determine. Such meetings shall be for the purpose of the election of officers; the election of new members; for receiving the annual report of the officers and committees; for the presentation of scientific communications; and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the membership. Notice of such meetings, signed by the Secretary, shall be mailed to the last recorded address of each member at least thirty days before the time appointed for the meeting. All meeting notices shall set forth the place, date, time and purpose of the meeting.
Section 2. Guests. Any Active member desiring to have a guest attend the annual meeting must so notify the Secretary at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting so that the Secretary may extend an invitation to said guest.
With the exception of the host or hosts, no Active member may invite more than two guests to any one meeting. A Candidate member shall not be permitted to invite guests.
Either the sponsor or the guest shall assume the registration fee. Guests invited by the Society shall not be responsible for the registration fee.
Section 3. Order of Procedure. At the business session of the annual meeting, the order of procedure shall be as follows:
Reading of the minutes of the last Annual business meeting
Annual reports of the officers and standing committees.
Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Election of officers.
Election of new members.
Acceptance of additions to the Candidate group.
Unfinished and new business.
Adjournment.
Section 4. Special Meetings. Special meetings of the membership of the Society shall be called by the President upon the written request of five (5) Active members of the Society who shall specify in such request the particular business for which the said meeting is to be called. Notice for all special meetings shall be mailed no less than fifteen (15) days before the time appointed for such meetings.
Section 5. Quorum. A quorum of thirty-five percent (35%) of the members entitled to vote shall be necessary for the transaction of business at either the annual meeting or a special meeting. Only Active, Associate and Life members shall be entitled to vote.
Section 6. Voting. Voting may be by voice, by show of hands, or by rising except on the following issues, for which it will be by written secret ballot:
a. Election of officers
b. Election of members
c. Changes in the Constitution and Bylaws, and
d. Any action relating to disciplinary proceedings against a member of the Society.
Article V
Dues and Fees
Section 1. The Fiscal Year. The fiscal year shall be from January first to December thirty-first.
Section 2. Entrance Fee. An entrance fee of $100.00 shall be required of each new Active or Associate member upon his election.
Section 3. Dues. The amount of the annual dues shall be determined by vote of the membership. Active, Associate and Candidate members of the Society shall pay full dues.
Section 4. Payment of Dues. The annual dues are payable on the first day of January. No member shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of membership after he shall have been suspended for non-payment of the current dues. After such suspension, he shall not be eligible to hold any office or cast any vote in the affairs of the Society until formally reinstated.
Article VI
Elections
At the business session of the annual meeting of the membership of the Society, there shall be an election by ballot for the officers of the Society. A majority vote of a quorum present and voting shall be necessary to constitute an election.
Article VII
Parliamentary Authority
The current edition of Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern the organization in all parliamentary situations that are not specifically provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws.
Article VIII
Amendments
The Bylaws may be amended only at the annual meetings of the membership of the Society or at special membership meetings called for that purpose. An amendment may be submitted by anyone of the following:
Any Active, Associate or Life member or group of these members.
Proposed amendments shall be filed in writing with the Secretary of the Society so that a copy thereof can be sent to each Active, Associate or Life member not later than thirty (30) days before the annual meeting of the membership or a special meeting called for the purpose of acting thereon. The affirmative vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the Active, Associate or Life members present and voting, a quorum being present, shall be necessary for the adoption of an amendment to the Bylaws of the Society.