Association of Chinese-speaking Hand Surgeons United
ARTICLE I - Name
The name of the organization shall be called Association of Chinese-speaking Hand Surgeons United and shall be referred to hereinafter as the Association.
ARTICLE II - Mission
This organization is formed for the purpose of promoting the science and practice of hand surgery, and promoting and developing a cooperative professional relationship among hand surgeons who speak Chinese anywhere - including in China and in any other regions of the world, and those with Chinese heritage or serving Chinese population.
Its main objectives are:
1. to promote quality of patient care of surgery of the hand and upper extremity anywhere including in China and in any other regions among hand surgeons of Chinese heritage or serving Chinese population in the world,
2. to advance science and technology of hand surgery through cooperative effects of hand surgeons who speak Chinese anywhere, including in China and in other regions and those of Chinese heritage or serving Chinese population over the world,
3. to promote the free exchange of knowledge.
4. to provide opportunities for education and professional development,
5. to enhance the opportunity of hand surgery training and research through friendly exchange programs,
6. to disseminate knowledge through publications,
7. to enhance teaching by organizing scientific meetings and regional instructional courses.
ARTICLE III - Members
Any surgeons, trainees, and scientists who treat hand disorders or perform investigation of hand and upper extremity are qualified to be full members, if they are speaking or use Chinese, anywhere, in China, or in any other regions, or of Chinese heritage, or serving Chinese population.
A. Requirements for full membership are:
1. Any surgeons, trainees, and scientists who treat hand and upper extremity disorders or perform investigation of hand and upper extremity longer than 2 years,
2. A letter to the Executive Committee to indicate you are Chinese-speaking or use Chinese or serving Chinese, in China, or in other regions, with a support letter from one council member,
3. Provide full contact information such as address, e-mail address, and phone number in the letter.
B. Requirements for associate membership are:
1. An individual who does not qualify to be a member, medical students who demonstrate interest in hand surgery, or basic scientists who choose not to be a member, but be an associate member,
2. A letter to the executive committee to indicate the interest and current job or training status,
3. Provide full contact information such as address, e-mail address, and phone number in the letter.
The sitting president can invite and approve hand surgeons or trainees for membership of those who have attended the congresses or forums organized by the association continuously over a 2-year-period, with proofs of attendance.
ARTICLE IV - The Council
The governing body of the association shall be known as the Council, consisting of all members holding an academic appointment at the level of full professor. The members fulfilling above criteria automatically be council members. There is no limitation in number of council members.
The members who have been academically active and are reputed surgeons nationally or internationally, but do not hold an appointment of full professor can be invited to be a council member by joint recommendation of two council members, subjected to approval of the Executive Committee. The number of such members of great merits but not being a full professor should not account for over 30% of total number of council members.
ARTICLE V - The Office Bearers and Their Duties
A. The Executive Committee of the association is responsible for daily operation and administration of the association. The Executive Committee shall consist of 6 or 7 members, a President, a Vice President, a Secretary/Treasurer, and 3 or 4 members at large.
B. The President and the vice President should be elected from council members. Other members can be elected from council members or non-council members, but non-council members should be limited to no more than 3, but no less than 2.
C. Executive Committee members should come from different institutes, except that one member can be appointed from the same institute from which president or vice president comes from.
D. The term of the president is 2 years, ending at the time of adjourning of the major association congress that he organizes.
E. The president retires from the Executive Committee after the congress. Past presidents cannot be a candidate for presidency in any future years.
F. The members of the Executive Committee are elected for a period of 4 years by a majority vote of the Nomination Committee.
G. The President shall preside at meetings of the council and Executive Committee, shall be responsible for the overall running the association, and shall be responsible in carrying out the aims of the association together with Board of Directors with regular communication. One important duty of the President is to supervise or organize the major meeting of the association at the end of his/her term, to ensure academic excellence and high educational value.
H. The Vice President shall also be the president elect of the association.
I. If the Vice President is elected from Executive Committee member at large, the Vice president can be the president serving 6 years in the Executive Committee.
J. The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain the minutes of the council or Executive Committee meetings, provide notices of meetings, coordinate the activities of the association, carry out such other duties as the council may from time to time designate, and shall present a report to the council annually or every other year. Shall also maintain proper record of all the monetary transactions.
The association may appoint the Secretary/Treasurer as a semi-permanent post extending over 4 years, to serve the purpose of continuity of the council and executive committee activities and to be in charge of the website for the association and its main meetings. Correspondence with other societies can be through the Secretary.
K. The council member may have duties assigned by the Executive Committee, and upon agreement shall perform the duties as directed. If any members in the Executive Committee resign or terminate, the Board of Directors appoint substitutes.
ARTICLE VI – Nomination Committee
A. The Nomination Committee is appointed by the sitting president, usually 5 or 7, from the council members coming from 5 or 7 different institutes. This committee can, but not necessarily, include one past president, but no more than one past president should sit in this committee. The Nomination Committee should not contain anyone from the institute of the sitting president. The committee may seek advice from other council members, but only those in the committee can vote. The vice president can be nominated from within or outside the current Executive Committee, but he or she must be a council member.
B. Alternatively, the sitting president may use a computer or other means to randomly select 5 or 7 council members during the period of the major congress, who then are appointed as the Nomination Committee. In this case, the rule of no more than one past president or no council members from the same institutes of the currently sitting president will not be applied.
C. The Nomination Committee decide vice president by voting according to letters of interest submitted from interested council members, leadership capability, and academic reputation. The committee decides other new members of the Executive Committee according to his/her letter of interest and function need of the Executive Committee. A council member who intends to be the vice president or a new Executive Committee member should not be appointed or accept appointment to sit in the Nomination Committee. The committee is dismissed once the nomination in that year is completed.
D. The Nomination Committee may decide both the president and vice president by voting, should the vice president does not want to become a president, or has to be absent from activities for two or more years. In later case, he must be re-elected by the future Nomination Committee to be a president.
E. If any members in the Executive Committee, including the president and vice president, resign or cannot fulfill his or her duty in the middle of his or her term, the Board of Directors will appoint substitutes to fill the vacancy.
ARTICLE VII – Amendments and others
The amendments may be proposed by the Executive Committee, and discussed with Board of Directors, and approved by Board of Directors, as well as two-third majority of the members of the Council later. Such amendments shall be announced and circulated at least 60 days in advance of the Council meeting. The Board of Directors oversees the adherence of function and activities of the association, council, and office bearers to the bylaws.
Board of Directors appoint the representatives of the association to international associations and function to represent or appoint representatives to other associations.
ARTICLE IX - Finances
Funding of the association shall be from:
1. The association shall receive a 15% of registration fee of its main congresses or no less than 50% profit gained from the main congress if the latter is greater than the former, as decided by the President (i.e., the organizer of the main congresses). If the President appoints a local host as the congress chair, the host is to be informed with the information about finances.
2. The association may seek gifts and sponsorship for its educational activities.
3. No individual membership fees will be collected during the formative years of the association, with the length of formative years decided by the Executive Committee. However if collection of individual membership fees subsequently becomes necessary, the amount and the manner that it are levied shall be determined by the Executive Committee and approved in the Council.
4. If the finances allows, the association should spend on education through organizing courses including workshops, or sponsoring young attendees as needed.
5. The operating cost of the association includes fee to pay to the Secretary, print, mail, website maintaining and any fee for hiring part-time or full-time assistants, as decided by the president and Secretary. Executive Committee members do not receive payment for their duty for the association except the semi-permanent Secretary, who is responsible for daily functions, if he/she chooses to receive.