Outline:
ARTICLE 1 – Name of the Society.
ARTICLE 2 – Aims.
ARTICLE 3 – Membership.
ARTICLE 4 – Officers.
ARTICLE 5 – Committees.
ARTICLE 6 – Meetings.
ARTICLE 7 – Dues and Fees.
ARTICLE 8 – Passing, Amendments and Repeal of Bylaws.
ARTICLE ONE
NAME OF THE SOCIETY
The official name of the Society shall be The Canadian Society of Oculoplastic Surgery.
The aims of the Society shall be to create a Canadian forum for discussion of new ideas in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, to include eyelid, lacrimal, orbital, and socket surgery, and to improve the standard of practice and teaching of these subjects in Canada.
2.01 General Requirements for Membership
Any doctor of medicine engaged in the practice of Oculoplastic surgery, of good moral character, reputation, and professional standing, who is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada and a member of The Canadian Ophthalmological Society, shall be considered for membership. (Applications for membership will be available from the Secretary-Treasurer of the Society.)
2.02 Membership Categories
2.1.01 Full Member
2.1.02 Candidate Member
2.1.03 Associate Member
2.1.04 Life Member
2.1.05 Honourary Member
3.03 Full Members
3.03.01 Shall be Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, Member of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and shall hold a valid license to practice in one of the Canadian provinces or territories.
3.03.02 Shall have an active interest in, and experience of, ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.
3.03.03 Shall have full voting privileges at all Society meetings.
3.03.04 Shall be eligible to hold all Society offices and sit on all Society committees.
3.04 Candidates
3.04.01 Shall be Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, Members of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, and shall hold a valid license to practice in one of the Canadian provinces or territories.
3.04.02 Shall have an active interest in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery but insufficient experience in the subject area for full membership.
3.04.03 Shall not have voting privileges.
3.04.04 Shall not be eligible to hold office in the Society or sit on Society committees.
3.05 Associates
Shall be ophthalmologists from outside Canada or surgeons of allied specialties who are actively interested in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.
3.06 Applications for Membership
3.06.01 Shall be written in English or French and sent to the Secretary-Treasurer.
3.06.02 Shall include: 1. A Curriculum Vitae.
2. A short statement detailing the candidate’s experience and involvement in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery.
2.5.03 Shall be considered by the executive committee.
2.5.04 If approved by the Executive Committee, shall be presented to the general membership at the annual meeting for approval by a majority of those voting members present.
ARTICLE FOUR
OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY
4.01 The Officers of the Society shall be:
1) President
2) President-elect
3) Secretary-Treasurer
4) Immediate Past President
4.02 The President of the Society
4.02.01 Shall be the chairman of the Executive Committee.
4.02.02 Shall preside at all meetings of the Society and the Executive Committee.
4.02.03 Unless otherwise succeeding to the office of the President, the President shall have been a member of the Executive Committee in the position of President-Elect for one year prior to his election as President.
4.02.04 In the event that the office of President becomes vacant, the President-elect shall automatically succeed to the position of President and, in addition, shall also serve the full term of office as the President at the expiration of the previous President’s term.
4.02.05 Shall be elected by a majority of members at the annual meeting and shall have a one (1) year term of office.
4.03 President-Elect
4.03.01 Shall succeed to the office of President at the expiration of the term of the former President.
4.03.02 Shall concurrently be a member of the Executive Committee.
4.03.03 Shall concurrently serve as chairman of the Programme Committee.
4.03.04 Shall be responsible for guiding the Programme Planning Committee in its deliberations concerning a programme for the annual meeting.
4.03.05 Shall make arrangements for Society meetings and arrange publicity for such meetings.
4.03.06 Shall be elected by a majority of members at the annual meeting and hall have a one (1) year term of office.
4.04 Secretary-Treasurer
As Secretary
3.3.01 Shall keep a record of all the proceedings of the Society and of the Executive Committee.
3.3.02 Shall have charge of all general correspondence.
3.3.03 Shall keep an annually updated roster of all members and officers.
3.3.04 Shall issue notices of all meetings to members, with notice of proposed Bylaws or amendments to Bylaws where appropriate.
3.3.05 Shall notify all candidates of their election to full membership.
3.3.06 Shall notify members of their election to office and appointment to committees.
3.3.07 Shall forward a copy of the Bylaws to each member.
3.3.08 Shall concurrently serve as a member of the Programme Planning Committee and will be responsible for correspondence relating to that committee.
3.3.09 Shall keep a roster of members attending Society meetings.
3.3.10 Shall provide various Medical Journals with the Society news.
3.3.11 Shall be elected by a majority of members at the annual meeting and shall have a two (2) year term of office.
As Treasurer
3.3.12 Shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Society, and shall deposit all funds and other valuables to the credit of the Society, in depositories as shall be designated by the Executive Committee.
3.3.13 Shall disperse the funds of the Society, taking proper vouchers for such disbursements; and shall render to the President and Members of the Executive Committee annually, or, when required, an account of all his transactions as Treasurer; provided, however, that no money may be drawn from the treasury except for such purposes as have been designated by the Executive Committee.
3.3.14 Shall, at the annual meeting, render a statement of the financial position of the Society to all members in attendance.
3.3.15 Shall be bonded at the expense of the Society in the amount compatible with the funds on hands.
3.3.16 Shall be elected by a majority of members at the annual meeting and shall have a two (2) year term of office.
4.05 Immediate Past President
4.05.01 In the year immediately following his tenure, the President shall be designated the Immediate Past President.
4.05.02 Shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee.
4.05.03 Shall concurrently chair the Nominating Committee.
4.05.04 Shall have a one (1) year term of office.
4.06 Resignation or Vacancies
4.06.01 For each of the four offices of the Society, the term of office shall commence on the first day of July following the annual meeting.
4.06.02 Any officer shall resign by a notice in writing, delivered by registered mail to the Secretary of the Society. Unless a resignation shall otherwise state, it shall become effective on the date of receipt.
4.06.03 Vacancies occurring in office between annual meetings shall be filled through appointment by the President for the remainder of the unexpired term; however, in the event the office of the President-Elect shall become vacant, the Executive Committee shall appoint a successor to fill the unexpired term of such office. Said appointment shall be subject to confirmation by a majority of those members voting at the next annual meeting.
5.01 Executive Committee
5.01.01 The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers provided for in Article Four of these Bylaws.
5.01.02 The Executive Committee shall appoint any additional officers as deemed necessary and advisable by vote of a majority of the Executive Committee present at any meeting of the Executive Committee. Such officers appointed or any committee chairman may be invited to an Executive Committee meeting at the discretion of the President or any three officers.
5.01.03 The Executive Committee shall be concerned with the business of the Society and shall hold whatever meetings are necessary to transact any and all business.
5.01.04 At the annual meeting, in the President’s report, the Executive Committee shall report to the Society business transacted in the previous year.
5.01.05 The Chairman of the Executive Committee shall be the President of the Society.
5.02 Nominating Committee
5.02.01 The Chairman of the Nominating Committee shall be the Immediate Past President of the Society.
5.02.02 The Nominating Committee shall include two (2) additional members, selected by the President-Elect and approved by the Executive Committee, only one (1) of whom shall be a member of the Executive Committee.
5.02.03 The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of officers and committee chairmen and committee members. This slate is to be presented to the Executive Committee for approval, prior to being presented to the full membership at the annual meeting.
Additional nominations for elected offices may be made by from the floor at the annual meeting, but such nominations shall fulfill the qualifications for respective offices as set forth in the Bylaws.
5.02.04 Officers shall be elected by a majority of the members of the Society voting at the annual meeting or designated special meetings.
5.03 Standing Committees
5.03.01 General comments – Unless otherwise defined, members of the standing committee shall be subject to annual appointment or reappointment by a majority vote of the Executive Committee, at the recommendation of the Nominating Committee and President-Elect. The term of office shall commence the first day of July following the annual meeting.
5.03.02 Programme Committee
5.02.02.01 The Programme Committee shall be concerned with planning of the scientific and educational portion of the annual meeting. It shall make all arrangements necessary for this portion of the meeting and shall aid the Secretary in making arrangements for Society meetings and arranging publicity for such meetings.
5.02.02.02 Its members shall include the President-Elect, the Secretary of the Society, and two (2) other members appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
5.03.03 The Bylaws Committee
5.03.03.01 The Bylaws Committee shall be concerned with revising and updating the Bylaws of the Society.
5.03.03.02 Its members shall include a chairman and two (2) other members appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
5.03.04 Other Committees
Other special committees shall be appointed for special and specific purposes at the discretion of the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
6.01 Meetings of the Society
6.01.01 The annual meeting of the Society shall be held at such a time and place as shall be designated by the Executive Committee.
6.01.02 Special meetings shall be held at any time and at any place upon the written request of any ten (10) members, which request shall be delivered to the Secretary.
6.01.03 The President shall preside over the annual meeting and special meetings and shall designate a co-chairman if necessary.
6.01.04 Written notice of every meeting of the Society shall be given or mailed to each member at least ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. No notice shall be required provided all members of the Society either are present at the meeting, or in writing waive notice thereof, either before or after the meeting. Notice of every special meeting shall contain in general terms a statement of the business to be transacted.
6.01.05 Ten (10) members, or a majority of all members, whichever is less, shall constitute a quorum for any meeting of the Society. Less than a quorum shall adjourn a meeting until a quorum shall be present.
6.01.06 Any questions of parliamentary procedure shall be governed by the latest addition of Bourinot’s Rules of Order.
6.01.07 A member of the Society who shall fail to attend any meeting of the Society for three (3) consecutive years, without good and sufficient reason as determined by the Executive Committee, shall be dropped from the membership rolls.
6.02 Meetings of the Executive Committee
6.02.01 Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at least once each year as designated by the President.
6.02.02 Special meetings- Special meetings may be called at any time by the President or any two (2) officers of the Executive Committee. Notice of every meeting shall be given to each officer at least forty-eight (48) hours before the meeting. No notice shall be required provided all the officers of the Executive Committee are present, or in writing waive notice thereof, either before or after the meeting.
6.02.03 Three (3) officers of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum, for all meetings of the Executive Committee.
7.01 Annual Dues
All members and Associated shall be required to pay annual dues. The amount of such dues shall be set annually by the Executive Committee.
7.02 Special Levy
If necessary, the Executive Committee may recommend a special levy of all dues-paying members of the Society. This levy will be required only if approved by a majority of the members voting at the annual or designated special meeting.
7.03 Date of Payment of Dues or Special Levy
Annual dues shall be payable each January and due not later than June 1. A member who shall fail to pay his yearly dues and/ or special assessments for one (1) year after due notice via a certified letter shall have his membership revoked.
7.04 Fees for Non-members of the Society
Fees for all non-members of the Society shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
7.01 These Bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Society by an affirming vote of two-thirds (2/3) of all members of the Society present at the meeting, provided that notice of the proposed amendment shall have been included in the notice of the meeting.
7.02 Proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted in writing and signed by at least three (3) Fellows on good standing at least sixty (60) days before the scheduled annual meeting of the Society.
7.03 A copy of proposed additions or changes to the Bylaws shall be mailed to all members at least twenty (20) days prior to the annual meeting.