Society of European Physician Assistants

Society of European Physician Assistants

Constitution and By-Laws

April 1998

Preamble

As Physician Assistants in Europe, with a common goal of the betterment of medical services rendered to our patients, we have formed an association and do hereby make known our objectives:

To promote the Physician Assistant profession and enhance the role of the individual practitioner.
To foster camaraderie among physician Assistants within the European Area and provide a means for disseminating information relevant to the profession.
To assist with the educational needs of the Physician Assistant by providing a means for continuing medical education.

In furtherance of the foregoing, we have adopted the following constitution.

By-Laws

Article I - Name

This organization shall be known as the "Society of European Physician Assistants," herein after referred to as "SEPA".

Article II - Rules

Section 1: The articles of the constitution and the bylaws of SEPA shall be the primary governing rules of the association

Section 2: The Board of Directors (BOD) as organized by these articles shall be the primary governing body of the association.

Section 3: The bylaws contained herein are intended to provide governing rules to meet the requirements for the functioning of SEPA

Section 4: The determination of the SEPA BOD or any superior authority that the Article or Section of these by-laws is illegal or contrary to the written regulations of that authority shall serve to invalidate only such article (s) or Section (s) and in no way invalidate these by-laws in their entirety.

Article III - Organization

Section 1: The BOD shall be the primary governing body of the organization.

Section 2: All chapters presently formed, or to be formed in the future within the European area will align under the auspices of this association

Section 3: This organization is not an instrumentality of the Department of Defense and as such DOD shall not be held liable for any debts incurred.

Article IV - Functions

Section 1: All affairs of SEPA shall be managed by the BOD.

Section 2: The BOD will serve as the principal agent in all transactions of the Association

Section 3: The BOD shall be responsible to insure that all information received is properly disseminated to SEPA members to the fullest extent possible and in a timely fashion.

Section 4: The BOD shall be responsible for the final disposition of all subjects originating within the association or at a meeting of the BOD.

Article IV - Membership

Section 1: SEPA fully supports the DOD policy on equal opportunity and will not discriminate in membership eligibility on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. This association will not accept invitations from, nor participate in any activity or organization that does not conform to this DOD policy.

Section 2: SEPA shall have the following classes of members:

Fellow: Graduate of any CAAHEP approved Physician Assistant program. Also must be an identification card holder who is granted status under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
Associate: Non-Physician Assistant who wishes to support the goals of the organization. Also must be an identification card holder who is granted status under the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).
Student: Student in a CAAHEP approved Physician Assistant program.
Honorary: Bestowed upon deserving individuals for contributions to SEPA or the PA profession.
Lifetime Member: Any member who pays the lifetime membership fee (five times the cost of annual membership), or who has been duly awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership.

Section 3: Applications for membership shall be approved by the BOD. The issuance of a membership card shall be evidence of membership approval.

Section 4: Fellow and Associate members will be entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to the voting membership. Student and Honorary members are nonvoting members.

Section 5: Dues shall be due before the end of the membership year. Membership shall run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Lifetime membership shall be five times the cost of one year's membership.

Section 6: Termination of membership: The BOD, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of all members of the board, May suspend a member for cause, and may, by a majority vote of those present at any regularly constituted meeting, terminate the membership of any member recommended for termination by a duly appointed ethics committee in accordance with the findings of said committee. The BOD may suspend or expel any member who shall be in default in the payment of dues.

Section 7: Resignation: Any member my resign by filling a written resignation with the secretary. Such resignation shall not relieve the member of the obligation to pay any dues, assessments or other charges heretofore accrued and unpaid.

Section 8: Reinstatement: Upon written request signed by a former member and filed with the secretary, the BOD may, by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the board, reinstate such a former member to active membership.

Section 9: Membership in this organization is not transferable or assignable.

Article VI - The SEPA President

Section 1: The President shall serve as the primary executive officer of the association and shall be responsible for the affairs of SEPA.

Section 2: He / She shall serve as chairman or the Board of Directors.

Section 3: He / She shall serve as the primary representative of SEPA.

Section 4: In the event of the death, disability, resignation or transfer of the President, his / her office and the full rights and responsibilities of therein shall be assumed by the Vice-President for the completion of the current term of office.

Section 5: The President shall serve a one-year term.

Section 6: He / she may be selected to successive terms of office.

Section 7: The President may appoint / discharge committee chairmen and coordinators as deemed necessary.

Section 8: The President may appoint an Advisory Council with the approval of the Board of Directors.

Article VII - The SEPA Vice-President

Section 1: The Vice-President shall be the primary coordinating officer or chairman Pro-Tempore of all SEPA committees.

Section 2: He/she shall be prepared to assume the office and the duties of the President.

Section 3: The Vice-President shall serve a one-year term.

Section 4: He / she may be selected to successive terms of office.

Article VIII - The SEPA Secretary

Section 1: The Secretary shall be the recording official of the association and the custodian of the official SEPA records EXCEPT those of the Treasurer.

Section 2: He /she shall formulate and record the minutes of all Board of Directors and general membership meetings held and publish enough additional copies to provide esch member with a copy, and one additional copy to each member of the Board of Directors.

Section 3: The Secretary will maintain a current list of all elected officials within the association as well as a general membership list, and be prepared to call roll of authorized voting members at any meeting of the Board of Directors or the general membership.

Section 4: He she will have on hand at all Board of Director meetings a list of all existing committees and their members. He/she will furnish committees with necessary documents for the performance of their duties.

Section 5: He/she will conduct the general correspondence of the association, that is correspondence which is not a function of the elected officials of the committees.

Section 6: He/she will maintain files on all correspondence received or transmitted from the association.

Section 7: In the absence of the President or the Vice-President, he/she will call the meeting to order and immediately undertake the election of a President Pro-Tempore

Section 8: The Secretary shall serve a one year term.

Section 9: He / she may be selected to successive terms of office.

Article IX - The SEPA Treasurer

Section 1: The Treasurer will take custody of and maintain all funds and properties of the association.

Section 2: He/she shall present a full financial statement upon call of the Board of Directors and at all general membership meetings. He/she shall keep the President informed at all times of the financial posture of SEPA.

Section 3: He/she shall prepare and annual financial statement for publication to the membership.

Section 4: The Treasurer will transport to the Quarterly Board of Directors meetings such documents as are required for the performance of a full and complete audit of the financial records by an individual of committee deemed qualified by the BOD. Should an audit be desirable or directed, the Treasurer will maintain his records in such a format as to lend to a timely and accurate verification. Under no circumstances will a change of Treasurer be effected without an audit of the financial records.

Section 5: He/she shall maintain the official membership rolls by member’s name, membership status , membership number and expiration date of membership card.

Section 6: He/she shall maintain a separate roster of all non-voting members which constitute a part of the total membership of SEPA

Section 7: The Treasurer shall serve a one-year term

Section 8:. He / she may be selected to successive terms of office

Section 9:. Bonding: When a total cash on hand and in the bank and salable merchandise to which any official employee of the organization exceeds $1,000.00, that position will be covered by a position schedule (i.e. Fidelity insurance) bond procured at the organizations expense, in an amount sufficient to provide full coverage of assets.

Article X - The SEPA Advisory Council

Section 1: The Advisory council may be appointed by the President, with the approval of the BOD.

Section 2: The Advisory council shall consist of the immediate Past President and one representative each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and civilian sectors.

Section 3: Board members shall be appointed to a one-year term.

Section 4: Board members may be appointed to successive terms of office.

Section 5: Board members will elect their own Chairman who will serve of the SEPA BOD as a non-voting member.

Article XI - The Board of Directors

Section 1: The BOD shall be the primary governing body of SEPA.

The BOD shall consist of the President, Vice president, Secretary, treasurer and the immediate past President or the chairman of the Advisory Council.

Section 3: Each member of the BOD shall have one vote in deciding affairs before the BOD. In the event of a tie vote, the President is empowered with an additional vote which he / she will cast to break the tie.

Section 4: The BOD will be empowered with the power and authority necessary for the operation of the society and the conduct of SEPA’s affairs

Section 5 : The BOD will enact all necessary rules, regulations and policies which are necessary for the efficient operation of SEPA, insofar as the rules, regulations and policies are not in conflict or contradiction with SEPA’s constitution and by-laws.

Section 6: The BOD will meet at regular sessions at periods of time no greater than 90 days. Meetings other than those regularly scheduled may be called by the president as deemed necessary.

Section 7: All meetings of the BOD shall be open to the general membership, but said members may not participate in the BOD proceedings without the expressed consent of the BOD.

Section 8: At least three-fifths of the board members or their proxy must be present at BOD meetings. Matters before the BOD will be carried by a simple majority vote.

Section 9: The BOD will be responsible for appointing a Nominating Election committee and other committee members as deemed appropriate.

Section 10: In the event an elected official is unable to fulfill his /her obligation and duties, the BOD may appoint a replacement to fill that office for the remainder of the term. Such appointees shall assume all rights and responsibilities of said office.

Section 11: The BOD will approve all expenditures. These will not be influenced by any DOD personal acting in their official capacity.

Article XII - Election of Officers

Section 1: Election of officers will be conducted at the SEPA general membership meeting held closest to one year following the last general election (normally during the European PA Refresher Course or the SEPA CME Conference).

Section 2: Elected officials will begin their tour immediately following the election.

Section 3: When time permits, a Nominating / Election Committee will be designated. This committee will compile a brief biography/CV and candidates will submit a brief platform for inclusion in the SEPA Newsletter preceding the election.

Section 4: Elections will be held by a show of hands of all members present. Election shall be by a simple majority vote. Proxies will be accepted.

Section 5: All elected officials must be fellow members.

Article XIII - General Membership Meetings

Section 1: Attendance at the general membership meeting will be encouraged to the fullest extent possible.

Section 2: Any member unable to attend a meeting my delegate his vote to another member of equal standing by proxy. Said proxy shall be in writing with the delegating member's signature affixed.

Section 3: Matters before the general membership shall be carried by a simple majority vote.

Section 4: Any member may address the membership upon recognition by the presiding officer. Discussion may be terminated by a vote of closure.

Section 5: General membership meetings will be conducted in accordance with and adherence to Robert's Rules of Order.

Section 6: General membership meetings will be held during the SEPA CME Conference and during the European PA Refresher Course at a minimum. Special general meetings may be called by the BOD.

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