CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL VASCULAR SURGERY
ARTICLE I
This Society shall be called the “Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery”.
ARTICLE II
The purposes of this Society shall be to advance the art and science of vascular surgery, to provide a forum for vascular surgeons, and to improve the delivery of health care in vascular disease to the public.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section I -Types of Membership. The Society shall consist of Active, Inactive, Senior, Candidate, Affiliate, and Honorary members.
Section II - Active Membership. Active Membership shall be limited to licensed surgeons who are either eligible for certification in vascular surgery or certified by the American Board of Surgery or surgeons who have surgical certification equivalent to the American Board of Surgery. Applicants that are Board-eligible but not yet board certified must submit evidence of a completed accredited vascular residency training program via a letter of recommendation demonstrating satisfactory completion from their Program Director. Active Membership may also be granted to physicians who have been actively engaged in the practice of vascular surgery for two years or more after graduation and completion of general surgery residency training. Applicants for Active Membership who have not completed a certified vascular residency shall submit a list of vascular procedures performed the year prior to the application. The vascular procedures listed should include the operative results and complications. Active Members shall pay dues and shall be eligible to vote to and hold office.
Section III - Inactive Membership. Active members who are incapacitated by illness or accident, or are unable to continue in the practice of medicine, and for whom the payment of dues would be a hardship, are eligible for Inactive Membership. The Active Member must submit a written request to the Secretary for Inactive Membership due to hardship. A vote of the Executive Committee shall decide whether to grant the request for the transfer to inactive status. Within three (3) years of Inactive Membership, the Inactive Member must submit a written request to either return to Active status or be transferred to Senior status. If neither category is applicable, the Executive Committee reserves the right to review the membership status and may determine the appropriate actions. Inactive Members shall not pay dues, shall not be eligible to vote, or hold office.
Section IV - Senior Membership. Senior Membership may be requested by physicians who are 65 years of age or greater and who are no longer actively practicing, for reasons of health or other just cause, may submit a written request to the Secretary to transfer to Senior membership status. This request shall be acted upon by the Council.
Section V - Honorary Membership. Honorary Membership shall be limited to surgeons or individuals of special eminence who have made outstanding contributions to vascular surgery and/or the Society.
Section VI - Candidate Membership. Candidate Membership shall include residents enrolled in an accredited program of surgical education and/or vascular surgeons enrolled in a research or fellowship program acceptable to the Society. Candidate Membership will be appropriate until such time an individual meets the requirements for Active membership (as outlined in Article III, Section II of these Bylaws). Candidates who enrolled in specialized training programs in vascular surgery may apply directly upon completion of their residency training for Active membership in the Society. Candidate Members shall pay an initiation fee but shall not be required to pay annual dues. Candidate members are not eligible to vote and are not eligible to hold office.
Section VII – Affiliate Membership. Affiliate Membership shall include individuals who are surgeons who otherwise do not qualify for Active or Candidate Membership, but have an interest in vascular disease. Affiliate Membership shall also include other healthcare professionals who are not surgeons, but have an interest in vascular disease. Affiliate Members shall pay dues, but are not eligible to vote and are not eligible to hold office.
Section VIII - Rights and Privileges. Senior and Honorary members shall not pay dues or assessments, shall not be eligible to vote and shall not be eligible to hold office. Senior and Honorary Members may elect to receive a subscription of the Society’s official Journal at the Active Member subscription rate.
Section IX - Election to Membership
A. Active and Candidate Membership. Applicants for Active and Candidate Membership shall be admitted following application to the Secretary, approval by the Membership Committee with ratification by a majority vote of Active Members attending the Annual Business Meeting.
B. Inactive and Senior Membership. Inactive and Senior Members may include Active Members who have submitted a written request to the Secretary, and after review, have been recommended to Inactive or Senior Membership status by the Executive Committee. Inactive and Senior Membership status shall be conferred when after presentation to the Active Members at the Annual Business Meeting upon Executive Committee recommendation, the majority of Active Members vote to approve said written requests.
C. Honorary Membership. Names of candidates for Honorary Membership should be submitted in writing to the Executive Committee for investigation and approval. A unanimous vote of the Executive Committee shall be required for election to Honorary Membership.
D. Corresponding Membership. Applicants for Corresponding membership shall have the endorsement of two Active members and shall follow the same application procedures established for Active and Candidate membership.
E. Affiliate Membership. Affiliate Membership shall follow the same election procedure as Active and Candidate Membership.
Section X - Acceptance of Members. Each new member shall be notified in writing of his election to membership in the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery. Active, Candidate and Affiliate Members shall be invoiced for dues and assessments upon notification. Said invoice will include the current year’s dues and assessments. New members are encouraged to submit an abstract for the program of the Annual Scientific Meeting.
Section XI -Termination of Membership. Termination of membership may be requested by any Member. This request must be presented in writing to the Secretary. Membership may be terminated by the majority vote of the Executive Committee for non-payment of dues after December 31 of the year in which dues are billed, discontinuance of the practice of vascular surgery, early retirement, or incapacity by illness or accident for more than two years. Membership may also be suspended or terminated for unethical or unprofessional conduct.
ARTICLE IV
Council
Section I - Council. The Council shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Recorder, three elected members at large, the three immediate surviving past presidents and Representatives of the Society to affiliated organizations that include that of the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC), the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and the American Board of Surgery (ABS). The chairs of the following standing committees shall serve as ex-officio members of the Council: Membership, Program, Constitution and Bylaws, Finance, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The Editor of the Newsletter shall be appointed by the President and approved by the Council. The Editor shall be an ex-officio member of the Council. The Editor shall serve in that position until a replacement is deemed necessary. The President, President-Elect and Vice President shall serve a term of one year. The Secretary, Treasurer, and Recorder shall be elected for a three-year term; subject to renomination and vote as described below. The Secretary, Treasurer and Recorder may serve two consecutive three-year terms.
Section II - Nominations. The President-Elect and Vice President shall be nominated by a Nominating Committee and presented for a vote by the Active Members of the Society present at the Annual Business Meeting. Candidate(s) for Secretary, Treasurer, Recorder, and Councilor shall be generated in one of two ways:
- The Nominating Committee shall provide a list of candidate(s) for these offices at the Annual Business Meeting. The Nominating Committee shall meet at a time prior to the Annual Business Meeting sufficient to conduct the business of the nominations for these positions.
- No later than thirty (30) days prior to the Nominating Committee meeting the SCVS shall send an electronic call for candidates to the SCVS membership, asking for nominations or self-nominations for all open seats.
When the Society has been notified by an affiliated organization that the SCVS representative has completed the term required or needs to be replaced, the Nominating Committee will select candidate(s) who meet the position requirements as noted by the affiliated organization, and it is recommended that the candidate(s) have not already served in that capacity for another organization.
Section III - Elections. Election of Officers and the Councilor shall take place each year at the Annual Business Meeting. The slate of Officers for President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Recorder, and Councilor shall be presented to the Active Members present at the Annual Business Meeting for a vote. Election of Secretary, Treasurer, Recorder, or Councilor shall be by ballot distributed at the Annual Business Meeting if more than one candidate is to be considered. Voting shall be done by Active Members of the Society present at the Annual Business Meeting.
Section IV - Vacancies. Any vacancy occurring during the year among the Officers of the Society shall be filled by an Active Member of the Society nominated by the President and elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. The term of office shall be for the duration of the term of the vacating Officer.
ARTICLE V
Duties of Officers
Section I – President. The President shall preside at the meetings of the Society, preserve order, regulate debates, sign Certificates of Membership, convene the Nominating Committee, serve as ex-officio on committees of the Society as they deem appropriate, announce results of elections, and perform all duties legiti¬mately pertaining to their office. They shall review, evaluate, and respond to complaints of the membership.
Section II - President-Elect. The President-Elect shall automatically succeed as President of the Society in the year following their election to President-Elect. The President-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Issues Committee. The President-Elect shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President. They shall succeed to the presidency upon the office becoming vacant by death, resignation or termination of membership.
Section III - Vice-President. The Vice President shall serve as Chair of the Postgraduate Education Committee. The Vice President shall also be the designated Industry Liaison and is responsible for the Society’s fundraising efforts for educational activities, including but not limited to symposia and/or training workshops held in conjunction with the Society’s annual meeting.
Section IV - Secretary. The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings of the Society and of the Council and shall attest to all official acts requiring certification with or independent of the President. They shall keep in custody the Seal of the Society and affix it to all documents and papers as directed by the Society. They shall have printed a yearly list of the membership. The Secretary shall receive no salary but shall be reasonably compensated for their expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.
Section V – Treasurer – The Treasurer shall approve all expenses, invoices, and bills of the Society. They shall receive all monies and funds belonging to the Society and pay all bills when properly rendered. They shall collect all dues as promptly as possible and report to the Society any members in arrears. The Treasurer shall present an annual budget to the Council for review and ratification. The Treasurer shall receive no salary but shall be reasonably compensated for their expenses incurred on behalf of the Society.
Section VI - Recorder. The Recorder shall serve as the liaison to the Editor of the journal selected by the Society for publication. The Recorder shall see that manuscripts based on abstracts presented at the Annual Meeting are submitted for review and possible publication in the appropriate journal. The Recorder shall report to the Council the details of the status of publication of the manuscripts.
Section VII - Society Administrator. The Council may delegate to an individual or firm, the responsibilities for organizing and administering the affairs and functions of the Society.
ARTICLE VI
Standing Committees
Section I. The standing committees shall consist of the Executive Committee, Nominating Committee, Membership Committee, Program Committee, Constitution and By-Laws Committee, Postgraduate Education Committee, Issues Committee, Finance Committee, and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Candidate members, as defined in Article III, Section VI of our constitution and bylaws, will be selected at the discretion of the Council to serve on each of the following committees for a one year term: Finance, Program, Membership, and Constitution and Bylaws. The SCVS candidate member will be selected by the committee chairs of each of the committees and approved by the President.
Section II - Executive Committee. The Executive Committee of the Council shall consist of the following voting members:
- President
- President-Elect
- Vice-President
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- The most immediate surviving Past President
The Executive Committee will be chaired by the President who will preside over the Executive Committee sessions. Regular meetings of the Executive Commit¬tee shall be held at the call of the President in conjunction with the Annual Business Meetings. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be held on notice from the President. A simple majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum. When appropriate, the Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the Council when the Council is not in session.
The Executive Committee shall ratify as eligible the names of all proposed candidates and recommend them to the Active Membership for vote at the Annual Business Meeting.
Section III - Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect and the three Immediate Past Presidents. The President shall Chair the Nominating Committee.
Section IV - Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall consist of three members to serve overlapping terms of three years each, and one Candidate member to serve a term of one year. The Secretary shall serve as ex-officio. A new member shall be appointed annually by the President. The most senior member of the Membership Committee shall serve as Chair. The Membership Committee shall review all applications for membership and shall present their nominations for Active, Candidate and Affiliate membership to the Executive Committee for review and ratification prior to the Annual Business Meeting.
Section V - Program Committee. The Program Committee shall consist of the President, Secretary, Recorder, and three members to serve overlapping terms of three years each, and one Candidate member to serve a term of one year. A new member shall be appointed annually by the President. The most senior of the three appointed members of the Program Committee shall serve as Chair. The Chair shall propose possible programs, modes of presentation and format of the program. The Program Committee shall meet to plan the program, choose submitted abstracts for oral and/or written presentation, and conduct other business as needed to secure the program for the Annual Meeting.
Section VI - Constitution and By-Laws Committee. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall consist of three members to serve overlapping terms of three years each, and one Candidate member to serve a term of one year. A new member shall be appointed annually by the President. The most senior member of the Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall serve as Chair. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall review the Constitution and By-Laws from time to time as directed by the Council and when appropriate, make recommendations regarding amendments.
Section VII - Postgraduate Education Committee. The Vice President shall serve as Chair of the Postgraduate Education Committee. The Chair shall appoint the necessary number of members to the Postgraduate Education Committee for a one-year term. The Postgraduate Education Committee members shall serve as moderators for the annual postgraduate courses. The Postgraduate Education Committee will organize topics, length, program and faculty for postgraduate courses to be held in collaboration with the Annual Meeting.
Section VIII - Issues Committee. The President-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Issues Committee and will be responsible for organizing and producing the Issues Session at the Annual Meeting.
Section IX - Finance Committee. The Finance Committee shall consist of five members: the Treasurer, three members to serve overlapping terms of three years each, and one Candidate member to serve a term of one year. A new member shall be appointed annually by the President. The Treasurer shall serve as Chair. The Finance Committee shall review annually the performance of the Society’s investment portfolio.
Section X - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. The purpose of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is to promote underrepresented groups that are involved with the Society in the interest of research and education. The committee shall consist of members who volunteer, are appointed by the Council, and shall have unlimited terms.
Section XI - Committee Participation. Any Society Member may submit their name to the President for service on a committee.
ARTICLE VII
Meetings
Section I - Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual business and scientific meeting, the time and place to be decided by the Council.
Section II - Quorum. For the transaction of business, twenty-five (25) of the voting members present at the Annual Business Meeting shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE VIII
Funds
Section I - Initiation Fee. There shall be an initiation fee established by the Council, which shall accompany the application for membership.
Section II - Annual Dues. The annual dues shall be set by the Council.
Section III - Assessments. Assessments may be approved by a majority vote of Active Members present at any Annual Business Meeting provided that such an assessment has been duly recommended by the Council.
Section IV - Nonpayment of Dues. Any member in arrears for one year, being notified of the fact by the Treasurer in writing, and not paying their dues within 30 days thereafter, shall forfeit their membership. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to notify the Society of such forfeiture, which fact shall be entered in the minutes and the name stricken from the list of members. The notice aforesaid shall contain a copy of this section.
ARTICLE IX
Seal and Certificate of Membership
The Society shall have a distinct Seal as well as a Certificate of Membership. The Certificate of Membership shall be signed by the President and the Secretary. Every member shall be entitled to a Certificate of Membership.
ARTICLE X
Annual Business Meeting
Section I - An Annual Business Meeting shall be held at each annual meeting.
ARTICLE XI
Parliamentary Procedure
Deliberations of the Society shall be governed by parliamentary usage, as contained in Robert's Rules of Order, as amended from time to time, when not in conflict with this Constitution and By-Laws.
ARTICLE XII
Amendments
The Society may amend any Article of the Constitution and By-Laws by a majority vote of those Active Members present at the Annual Business Meeting. Such amendments must be circulated to the membership by mail at least 30 days prior to the Annual Business Meeting of the Society. The Council may, by a 3/4 vote, pass resolutions, which clarify the amendments.
revised: March, 2023