(Revised 2012)
The Bylaws of the CHAPTER consists of the following nine ARTICLES:
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia Chapter of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. (The Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia Chapter shall hereinafter be referred to as the CHAPTER; the American Association of Physicists in Medicine shall hereinafter be referred to as the ASSOCIATION.)
Article II: Purpose and Jurisdiction
Section 1a: The purpose of this CHAPTER shall be: a) to encourage interest in the field of physics in medicine and biology and its application to human welfare, b) to promote and improve the practice of medical physics, and c) to promote research and training in medical physics and related fields. It is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes as defined under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
Section 1b: No part of the net earnings of the CHAPTER shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the CHAPTER shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth herein.
No substantial part of the activities of the CHAPTER shall be the carrying on the propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the CHAPTER shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the CHAPTER shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by (a) a corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law, or (b) a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or any other corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law.
Section 1c: In the event of dissolution of the CHAPTER, the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER shall pay or make provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the CHAPTER. The residual assets of the CHAPTER will be turned over to one or more organizations which themselves are exempt as organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code 9 of 1954 or corresponding sections of any prior or future Internal Revenue Code, or to the Federal, State, or Local government for exclusive public purpose, as the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER shall determine.
Section 2: The jurisdiction of this CHAPTER shall be the District of Columbia, Maryland, southern parts of Delaware, Virginia, and southern parts of West Virginia. The CHAPTER shall have the authority to solicit members in this region without prejudice toward future formation of other Chapters within this region.
Article III: Chapter Relationship
Section 1: The CHAPTER shall function under the sponsorship of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
Section 2: The Bylaws, when signed by the duly authorized officers of the CHAPTER and the ASSOCIATION, shall admit the CHAPTER to the ASSOCIATION and shall obligate the officers of both the CHAPTER and the ASSOCIATION in accordance with the provisions of both Bylaws.
Section 3: The President shall submit an annual summary report of the CHAPTER’s activities to the Executive Committee of the ASSOCIATION by January 31 of the year following his/her presidency.
Section 4: The Board of Directors of the ASSOCIATION may, at its discretion, dissolve the CHAPTER if, in its opinion, the CHAPTER has ceased to function or its actions are considered detrimental to the objectives of the ASSOCIATION.
Section 5: The CHAPTER shall not use the name of the ASSOCIATION nor obligate in any way the officers or members of the ASSOCIATION without first obtaining written approval of the duly authorized representative of the ASSOCIATION.
Article IV: Membership
Section 1: The CHAPTER shall consist of Full Members, Emeritus Members, Associate Members, Junior Members, Corporate Members, and Affiliate Members.
Section 2: Full Members of the CHAPTER must be Full Members of the ASSOCIATION.
Section 3: Emeritus Members of the CHAPTER must be Emeritus Members of the ASSOCIATION.
Section 4: Associate Members of the CHAPTER must be Associate Members of the ASSOCIATION. Associate Membership can be converted to Full Membership at any time following change to Full Membership in the ASSOCIATION.
Section 5: Junior Members of the CHAPTER must be Junior Members of the ASSOCIATION or individuals who are preparing to meet the requirements for Membership and are currently enrolled as full-time students in a college or university course to that end. Junior Membership may be held for a period not exceeding four years.
Section 6: Corporate Membership is open to businesses, corporations, or institutions who wish to further the work of the CHAPTER, and whose election to membership is recognized as promoting the purposes of the CHAPTER.
Section 7: Affiliate Members of the CHAPTER are any individuals who are interested in the purpose of the CHAPTER but do not meet the requirements for Full, Emeritus, Associate, Junior, and Corporate membership.
Section 8: Voting on amendments to the Bylaws and on election of the Representative Board Member shall be restricted to Full Members and Emeritus Members in good standing. Voting on all other matters including election of officers, is open to Full Members, Emeritus Members, and Associate Members in good standing.
Section 9: A member in good standing shall be a member who is not delinquent in payment of dues (as set forth in the Rules).
Section 10: Membership may be terminated following non-payment of dues as set forth in the Rules or, by a two-third majority vote of the Executive Committee, for conduct contrary to the stated purposes of the CHAPTER.
Article V: Officers
Section 1: The officers of the CHAPTER shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Past-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Representative Board Member. The President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Representative Board Member shall be elected by the CHAPTER membership. The President and Past-President assume their positions at the end of their tenure, i.e. the President-Elect becomes President and the President becomes Past-President. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER.
Section 2: The elected CHAPTER officers must be Full Members or Emeritus Members and be members in good standing.
Section 3: The elected officers shall take office on the first of January of the year following the election results announcement. Tenure of office is as follows:
President-elect – 1 year
President – 1 year
Past President- 1 year
Secretary – 2 years
Treasurer – 2 years
Representative Board Member – 3 years
The President-elect may not directly succeed oneself, but the Secretary, the Treasurer and Representative Board Member may succeed themselves once.
Section 4: Nominations for any elected office may be submitted by any member of the CHAPTER by notifying the Executive Committee in writing (on paper or in electronic format).
The Executive Committee shall attempt to secure at least two nominees for each elective office. Nominees must be members in good standing. No member shall be nominated without that individual’s consent. The list of nominees shall be submitted to the Secretary following the same time schedule as the ASSOCIATION’s elections. The Secretary shall prepare a Ballot that will include the proposed nominees, a biographical summary of each nominee, and a write-in selection choice. The ballot will be distributed to the chapter membership via either postal service or secure electronic voting system by a time in synchrony with that of the ASSOCIATION’s.
A plurality vote of the valid Ballots received shall elect.
Section 5: The duties of the President shall include:
a. presiding at all general meetings and Executive Committee meetings of the CHAPTER,
b. calling to the attention of the CHAPTER any matter which affects the CHAPTER’s interests,
c. to insert into the agenda of Executive Committee meetings business which is in accordance with the recommendations of the membership,
d. designate a webmaster with the concurrence of the Executive Committee
e. with concurrence of the Executive Committee, he/she shall appoint members to represent the CHAPTER to other groups or societies as seem in the interest of the CHAPTER,
f. will serve as a non-voting member of all other CHAPTER committees except the Executive Committee where he/she is a voting member,
g. serve as a secondary signatory on all chapter bank accounts, the conditions as set forth in the rules.
Section 6: The duties of the President-Elect shall include:
a. preside at any meeting of the CHAPTER or the Executive Committee from which the President is absent,
b. should the office of President be vacated for any reason, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President for the remainder of the term of office per the procedure in section 12 of this article.,
c. shall be a non-voting member of all committees except the Executive Committee where he/she is a voting member,
Section 7: The duties of the Past-President shall include:
a. presiding at all general meetings of the CHAPTER from which both the President and President-Elect are absent, AND
b. serve as a secondary signatory on all chapter bank accounts should the president not be able to do it, the conditions as set forth in the rules
Section 8: The duties of the Secretary shall include:
a. maintaining records of the CHAPTER’s activities, affairs, and correspondence,
b. maintaining membership records,
c. work with the webmaster in maintaining the CHAPTER website
d. maintaining current information published on any chapter website, social media outlet, or other electronic publishing system.
e. creation and distribution of Ballots for officer elections, AND
f. in the event that the offices of the President and President-Elect should both become vacant for any reason, to call a meeting of the membership to elect a new President-Elect.
Section 9: The duties of the Treasurer shall include:
a. maintaining financial records of the CHAPTER and accountability for all funds that may accrue to the CHAPTER,
b. disbursal of such funds of the CHAPTER as may be necessary to meet appropriations and expenses incurred by the CHAPTER, subject to approval of the President
c. present an annual financial report to the membership of the chapter at the Annual Business Meeting,
d. present to the Executive Committee quarterly financial reports and annual budgets as set forth in the Rules, AND
e. serve as the primary signatory on all chapter bank accounts, subject to the conditions set forth in the rules.
Section 10: The duties of the Representative Board Member shall include:
a. representing the CHAPTER as a member of the Board of Directors of the ASSOCIATION. If the Representative is unable to attend the Board of Directors meetings of the ASSOCIATION, the President of the CHAPTER shall designate an Alternate Representative as a proxy, AND
b: submitting a written report for each ASSOCIATION Board meeting to the Executive Committee.
Section 11: The duties of the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER shall include:
The Executive Committee shall conduct the general business of the CHAPTER and shall set the rules of the CHAPTER by simple majority.
Any action taken by the Executive Committee may be subject to review by the membership upon petition by at least twenty percent of the Full Members, Emeritus Members, and Associate Members.
Section 12: If any office, other than that of President or Past-President, becomes vacant during the year, elections for the vacant office will be held following written notice of at least 30 days to the CHAPTER membership. Prior to this meeting an interim appointment may be made by the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER. If the office of the President becomes vacant during the year, the President-Elect will assume the duties of the President. If the office of Past-President becomes vacant during the year, the Executive Committee will decide who among the officers will assume the duties of the Past-President.
Article VI: Committees
Article VII: Meetings and Dues
Section 1: The CHAPTER shall have a minimum of one meeting per calendar year.
Section 2: The business year of the CHAPTER will coincide with the calendar year.
Section 3: The CHAPTER’s Annual Business Meeting will be held during the scheduled meetings and announced in advance to the membership through either a newsletter, a mailed announcement, electronic correspondence, and/or posted in the chapter’s web page.
Section 4: The Executive Committee shall establish the time and place of regular meetings. Special meetings shall be held if petitioned for by at least twenty percent of the CHAPTER Full Members, Emeritus Members, or Associate Members. The request for a special meeting must be submitted in writing to the Secretary.
Section 5: Twenty percent of the total Full Members, Emeritus Members, and Associate Members including two elected officers shall constitute a quorum for the execution of CHAPTER business not addressed elsewhere in the bylaws. A quorum for any standing committee shall exist when a majority of the committee members is present.
Section 6: Except as provided, the parliamentary procedure of the CHAPTER shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 7: Dues shall be established by the Executive Committee of the CHAPTER subject to approval by a majority of the Full Members, Emeritus Members, and Associate Members.
Article VIII: Amendments to By-Laws
Section 1: Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed at any CHAPTER meeting with the concurrence of at least five Full Members, Emeritus Members, or Associate Members and shall be submitted in writing to the CHAPTER Secretary.
Section 2: Amendments will be acted upon only after the CHAPTER membership has been notified in writing by the Secretary. A comment period of at least 30 days will precede a vote on the proposed Amendment(s).
Section 3: Amendments shall require approval of two-thirds of the Full Members and Emeritus Members in good standing.
Article IX: Attestation
The Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia CHAPTER of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine is duly authorized by the Board of Directors of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine to function as a CHAPTER of the ASSOCIATION in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing Bylaws.