SMA Business: bylaws of the society
Article I. Organization
Section 1. Offices
The principal office of the Society for Medical Anthropology (hereinafter known as the Society), a Division of the American Anthropological Association (hereinafter known as the Association) shall be at 1703 New Hampshire Av NW, Washington, DC 20009. The Society may also have offices at such other places as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine or the business of the Society may require.Section 2. Relationship to Association
The Society shall function as a Division of the Association.
Article II. Purposes
Section 1. Purposes of the Society
The purposes for which the Society is formed are as follows:1.a. To promote the study of anthropological aspects of health, illness, health care, and related topics;
1.b. To encourage communication and utilization of the results obtained from such studies;
1.c. To aid in the education of persons who are or will be involved in carrying out the above activities;
1.d. To operate exclusively for scientific and educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of future United States Internal Revenue Law); andSection 2. Scope of Activities
The Society may engage in any and all lawful activities incidental to the foregoing purposes, except as restricted herein.
Article III. Membership
Section 1. Membership Eligibility
Membership in the Society is open to any individual who wishes to pursue the above objectives, subject to this and all other relevant Articles herein.Section 2. Classes of Membership
There shall be two (2) classes of Members: Members and Associate Members.Section 3. Members
A Member in good standing shall be eligible to:3.a. participate as a Member of the Association to the extent provided by the Bylaws of that organization;
3.b. participate as a Member of the Society to the extent provided by the Bylaws of the Society as a Division of the Association.Section 4. Associate Members
An Associate Member in good standing shall be eligible to:4.a. participate as an Associate of the Association to the extent provided by the Bylaws of that organization:
4.b. participate as a Member of the Society to the extent provided by the Bylaws of the Society.Section 5. Institutional Subscribers
Institutions may subscribe to publications of the Society; however, they shall not be entitled to vote.
Article IV. Meetings and Actions
Section 1. Membership Meetings
There shall be an Annual Meeting of the Society's membership held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Association. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause a notice of such meeting to be mailed to all Members at their addresses as they appear in the membership roll book at least 10 days but not more than 90 days before the scheduled date of such meeting.
The quorum for taking official action shall consist of 50 Members or 5% of the membership, whichever is less.
A membership roll showing the list of Members as of the record date, certified by the Secretary-Treasurer of the Society, shall be produced at any meeting of the Members upon the request of any Member who has given written notice to the Society, provided that such requests be made at least 10 days prior to such meeting. All persons appearing on such membership roll shall be entitled to vote at the meeting.Section 2. Special Meetings
Special meetings of the Society may be called by the Executive Committee. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause a notice of such meeting to be mailed to all Members at their addresses as they appear in the membership roll book at least 10 days but no more than 90 days before the scheduled date of such meeting. Such notice shall state the date, time, place and purpose of the meeting and by whom called.
No other business but that specified in the notice may be transacted at such special meetings without the unanimous consent of all present at such meeting.Section 3. Fixing Record Date
For the purpose of determining the Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of Members or an adjournment thereof, or to express consent to, or dissent from any proposal without a meeting, or for the purpose of determining the Members entitled to receive any distribution or allotment of any rights, or for the purpose of any other action, the Executive Committee shall fix, in advance, a date as the record date for any such determination of Members. Such date shall not be more than 60 nor less than 10 days before any such meeting, nor more than 60 days prior to any other action.Section 4. Order of Business
The order of business at all meetings of Members shall include reading of the minutes of the preceding meeting, reports of committees, reports of officers, old and unfinished business, new business, adjournment. Membership meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order.
Article V. Dues
Section 1. Membership Dues
The Executive Committee shall set the dues of membership classes and may establish rates for special categories.1.a. Members shall pay membership dues to the Association.
1.b. Associate Members shall pay dues established for Associates of the Association.
1.c. In addition, Members and Associate Members shall pay dues to the Society, as provided for these membership classes, which shall include subscription to the Society's official publication.Section 2. Setting Dues
The amount of the dues shall be set by the Executive Committee at a level required to carry out the business of the Society.Section 3. Assets
The assets of the Society shall be maintained by the Association as a separate fund to be devoted exclusively to the programs and purposes of the Society as long as it exists.
Article VI. Governance
Section 1. Management of the Society
The Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee which shall consist of the three officers and eight additional members at large.Section 2. Officers
The officers of the Society shall be President, President-elect, Past President and Secretary-Treasurer to be elected by the Members at Large. The Executive Committee shall appoint the Editor of the Society's official publication and the Corresponding Editor for the Association's newsletter who will then be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee.Section 3. Terms of Officers
Annual elections shall be held. At each election two or three Executive Committee members at large will be elected. Every other year the President-elect will be elected. Every third year the Secretary-Treasurer will be elected. After a two-year term of office the President shall be succeeded by the President-elect and shall serve one year as the Past President. The President-elect shall serve a one-year term before succeeding the President. The Secretary-Treasurer and the other elected members of the Executive Committee shall serve for 3 years. Each member of the Executive Committee (officers included) shall serve for the term for which he or she is elected or appointed and until a successor has been elected or qualified. All terms of office shall commence at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting of the Association.Section 4. Representation on the Association's Board of Directors
Representation to the Association shall be:4.a. the President and the President-elect or Past President, depending on which office is occupied in a given year, shall serve as representatives of the Society on the Board of Directors of the Association;
4.b. the President, in addition to serving on the Board of Directors of the Association, shall also serve a two-year term on the Executive Committee of the Association;
4.c. when membership of the Society increases sufficiently to require additional representatives on the Board of Directors of the Association, the third representative shall be the Secretary-Treasurer. Additional representatives shall be elected by the Society as required.Section 5. Nominations-Elections
The President-elect or Past President and two other Members (who are not on the Executive Committee) shall be appointed by the President of the Executive Committee to serve as a Nominations-Elections Committee. This committee shall select the official slate of candidates for President-elect, Secretary-Treasurer (when appropriate) and Members at Large of the Executive Committee. The Nominations-Elections Committee shall name two candidates for each office.Section 6. Membership Nominations
By written petition signed by 20 Members, additional nominees for any office may be placed on the ballot. Such petitions must be submitted to the Chair of the Nominations-Elections Committee by March 1 of the year in which the election is held.Section 7. Voting
Ballots shall be mailed to the membership at least 60 days before the first day of the Annual Meeting, with a return deadline for receipt of the ballots at least 30 days before the first day of the Annual Meeting. The candidate who receives the plurality of the votes for each office shall be elected. The results of the election shall be announced at the Annual Meeting, and in appropriate publications.Section 8. Vacancies on the Executive Committee
In the event of death or resignation of a member of the Executive Committee, the committee may appoint a successor to serve until the following Annual Meeting. At the first election following the occurrence of a vacancy candidates will be named to fill the unexpired term.Section 9. Quorum of Members of the Executive Committee
A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.Section 10. Action of the Executive Committee
The vote of a majority of the members of the Executive Committee present at the time of the vote, if a quorum is present at such time, shall be the act of the Executive Committee. Each member present shall have one vote.Section 11. Place and Time of Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee may hold its meetings at such places and times as the President, or Secretary-Treasurer, or a majority of its members shall determine.Section 12. Annual Executive Committee Meeting
The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a year, normally during the Annual Meeting of the Association.Section 13. Notice of Meeting of the Executive Committee, Adjournment
Special meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held upon notice to its members and may be called by the President upon adequate notice to each member of the Executive Committee either personally or by mail or by wire.
A majority of the members present, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn any meeting to another time and place. Notice of the adjournment shall be given to all members of the Executive Committee who are absent at the time of the adjournment, and, unless such time and place are announced at the meeting, to the other members of the Executive Committee.Section 14. Chairperson
At all meetings of the Executive Committee the President, or in his or her absence the President-elect or Past President, shall preside.Section 15. Interest Committees
The Executive Committee shall encourage and approve the establishment of Interest Committees on various areas of concern within the general purview of the Society's purposes.Section 16. Subcommittees
The President shall appoint subcommittees of the Executive Committee to carry out its business and concerns.
Article VII. Affiliation
Section 1. Affiliation
The Society shall operate as a Division of the Association.Section 2. Liaison
The Society may establish liaison with other organizations with overlapping objectives.Section 3. Title to Assets
The Association shall hold title to all assets and assume all liabilities of the Society at the time of merger.Section 4. Governance
The Society shall be governed by the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Association.Section 5. Bylaws
The Society shall adopt and maintain Bylaws consistent with the Bylaws of the Association.5.a. The Society shall file with the Secretary of the Association a copy of its current Bylaws and Table of Organization.
5.b. Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by a petition signed by 50 Members. Proposed amendments shall be put to a vote by mail ballot. An affirmative vote by two-thirds of the Members voting shall be required for proposed amendment to be adopted.Section 6. Dissolution
The Society may decide, through a vote by its membership, to:6.a. dissolve in accordance with the Bylaws of the Association, and
6.b. having been dissolved to reconstitute itself either as an independent body or to affiliate with another professional organization.