CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY OF NASA FLIGHT SURGEONS
ARTICLE I. NAME
The name of this organization shall be the "SOCIETY OF NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) FLIGHT SURGEONS". It shall be referred to as "The Society" hereafter.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The Society shall purpose:
A. To advance the science, art, and identity of space medicine by defining and delineating its province, roles and responsibilities in human exploration of space and by furthering the bases for future developments and performance within the subspecialty.
B. To identify and document the historical achievements and precedents of those contributing individuals and their prior programs and for the present and posterity to plan, guide, encourage, and otherwise assist development of operational excellence.
C. To promote camaraderie within the group and to foster the ideals of prevention, protection, and prosperity regarding life and well-being of space travelers.
D. To identify and effect action to resolve problems associated with future space flight.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
The membership of the Society will consist of those NASA Flight Surgeons, Medical Officers, Physician-Astronauts, and others who shall meet the qualifications for the several types of membership as set forth in the Bylaws of the Society.
ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS
The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and a Historian.
These officers shall be elected, and shall have such powers, duties, and terms of office as set forth in the Bylaws of the Society.
ARTICLE V. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The executive body of the Society shall be known as the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct the business of the Society in the interval between General Membership Meetings, as set forth in the Bylaws of the Society.
There shall be seven (7) members of the Executive Committee: the President, the Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Historian, the immediate Past President, and one Member-at-Large elected at the General Membership Meeting from among the Members of the Society.
The Executive Committee shall be elected and have such powers, duties, and terms of office as set forth in the Bylaws of the Society.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
The Society shall hold a General Membership Meeting at least once within each calendar year. However, for urgent and compelling reason, the Executive Committee may postpone such meeting with advance notice to the Membership. A quorum at such General Membership Meeting shall consist of not less than ten percentage of the total active members, including those delegating proxies.
ARTICLE VII. FUNDS
Funds shall consist of annual dues and other fees received by the Society and such income as may be derived from interest, bequests, donations, and other sources.
ARTICLE VIII. ADOPTION
This Constitution shall become effective upon approval of its provisions by two-thirds of the voting Members present at the first General Membership Meeting at which it is promulgated to the Membership of the Society.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENT
This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the voting Members present at any General Membership Meeting, or by mail ballot by approval of two-thirds of the voting members responding within ninety days of submission of such amendment, provided that in no case shall an amendment be adopted by mail ballot unless approved by at least one-third of the voting Membership of the Society.
Amendments may be proposed by any Member of the Society who shall submit a petition bearing the signatures of at least ten Members to the President, proposing such amendment, at least ninety days prior to the General Membership Meeting at which the amendment is to be considered.
Amendments may also be proposed by a majority of the Executive Committee.
Amendments proposed for consideration at any General Membership Meeting shall be submitted to the Membership by the Secretary-Treasurer not later than sixty days prior to the date set for such meeting.Ý Amendments proposed for consideration by mail ballot shall be submitted to the Membership by the Secretary not less than ninety days prior to the date stipulated for their adoption, which shall be stated by the Secretary-Treasurer in the document submitting such amendments to the Membership.
BYLAWS OF THE SOCIETY OF NASA FLIGHT SURGEONS
ARTICLE I. TITLE AND PURPOSE
This instrument shall be known as the Bylaws of the Society of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Flight Surgeons, referred to hereafter as "the Society." These Bylaws shall govern the conduct of the ordinary business of the Society.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP
1. General. Membership in the Society shall be open to all Flight Surgeons and physicians, Medical Officers, and Physician-Astronauts who are currently on active duty with the NASA (including physicians of other services assigned to duty with the NASA), or who have served during one of the previous space missions.
2. Membership. Membership shall be of four classes:
A. Members: Those Flight Surgeons and Medical Officers meeting all the qualifications set forth above who shall apply for membership and be approved therefore by the President on recommendation of the Membership Committee. Charter Members shall, in addition to above, be those members who join the Society during its first year of existence. Members have the right to seek and hold office in the Society; to nominate and vote for officers; to initiate and vote on Constitutional amendments and changes to the Bylaws; and such other rights and privileges as are set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society. Members have the obligation of service to and financial support of the Society.
B. Members Emeritus: Flight Surgeons who would meet all the requirements of Members, but who have retired from active service by reason of age, length of service, or physical disability. Members may become Members Emeritus by letter of request unless they are Life Members. Members Emeritus will not vote at the General Membership Meeting; may not serve on committees, nor act as Chairman thereof; they may not hold office, except that they may complete any unexpired term of office which they hold at the time of their retirement, and a retiring Vice-President may not succeed to the Presidency. Members Emeritus shall not be assessed dues. They may, however, serve in an advisory capacity and may attend General Membership Meetings where their counsel is welcome.
C. Honorary Members: The Executive Committee may, by simple majority, elect distinguished clinicians, scientists, members of foreign space agencies and others who have given noteworthy support to Space Medicine as Honorary Members. In such cases, all other requirements for membership shall be waived. Privileges and obligations of Honorary Members shall be as stated for Members Emeritus.
D. Life Members: Flight Surgeons who are members in good standing of the Society may become Life Members by a letter of request and single payment of dues assessment as outlined in Article VII, DUES, Section 1 of the Bylaws as amended. Life Members shall have assured perpetual annual membership and all the rights and privileges guaranteed for Members.
ARTICLE III. OFFICERS
1. General: The
officers of the Society shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a
Second Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, and a Historian. The officers
shall be elected from among the members of the Society by means of ballots mailed
to the members at least thirty days before the General Membership Meeting, and
returned to the Secretary-Treasurer no later than
2. Officers:
A. President: The President shall direct the activities of the Society and preside over the General Membership Meeting. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating. He shall be ineligible to succeed himself for a period of three years. His term of office shall be for one year.
B. Vice-President: The Vice-President shall assist the President in directing the activities of the Society. He shall succeed to the office of President at the end of his term as Vice-President. He shall act as President in the event of that officer's absence or temporary disability. In the event that the President is permanently unable to discharge the duties of his office as determined by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee, the Vice-President shall immediately succeed to the office of President. He shall continue as President until the expiration of what would have been his normal term in that office. The term of office of the Vice-President shall be one year.
C. Second Vice-President: The Second Vice-President shall assist the President in directing the activities of the Society. He shall succeed to the office of Vice-President at the end of his term as Second Vice-President. He shall act as President in the event of that officer's and the Vice-President's absences or temporary disabilities. In the event that the Vice-President is permanently unable to discharge the duties of his office as determined by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee, the Second Vice-President shall immediately succeed to the office of the Vice-President. He shall then succeed to President until the expiration of what would have been his normal term in that office. The term of office of the Second Vice-President shall be one year.
D. Secretary-Treasurer: The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected from among those members serving at a NASA installation.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the minutes of the General Membership Meeting, meetings of the Executive Committee, and all other meetings of the Society. He shall be responsible for all the correspondence and publications of the Society. The Secretary-Treasurer will maintain a current list of the names and addresses of all Members, and will be responsible for notification of Members of all meetings.
He will also be responsible for the timely submission of ballots for elections, amendments to the Constitution and changes to the Bylaws. He shall receive and transmit all such ballots returned by the Members. He shall be responsible for the conduct of the financial affairs of the Society, and collect and disburse all monies on its behalf. He shall render a financial report at each General Membership Meeting, or at least once in each calendar year.
To insure continuity in the administration of the Society, the Secretary's term of office shall be two years.
E. Historian: The
Historian shall initiate and continue a chronicle of
ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. General: The interim governing body of the Society shall be an Executive Committee, which shall consist of seven (7) members: The President, the Vice-President, the Second Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Historian, the immediate Past President and one (1) Member-at-Large elected from among the Members of the Society for a term of two years (this term shall alternate with that of the Secretary-Treasurer).Ý Except that Members Emeritus may finish their previously elected terms. Honorary Members and Members Emeritus may not serve on the Executive Committee.
2. Duties and Powers: The Executive Committee shall be empowered to transact all business whatsoever in the name of the Society between General Membership Meetings, as provided in ARTICLE V of the Constitution, except that the Committee cannot increase dues or levy assessment, nor can it, except by unanimous vote of a quorum (majority of its Members), expend more than twenty-five percent of the Society's unobligated funds during any six-month period.
3. Meetings: The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in each calendar year. Special meetings of the Committee may be called by the President, who shall function as the Chairman of the Committee, or by written request of at least three members of the Committee. In emergencies, the Chairman may request approval of specific proposals by Committee members by electrical or letter message. Such approval will be submitted or confirmed in writing as soon as possible. In the event that the President is unable to function as chairman at a committee meeting, the Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Past President, Secretary-Treasurer or Historian shall assume the Chairmanship in that order.
4. Reports: The Secretary-Treasurer, or in his absence, the junior member, will keep the minutes of all Committee meetings, which shall be distributed to all members of the Committee. A summary of these minutes shall be prepared by the Secretary covering the period between General Membership Meetings, and be read by him at the next such meeting.
ARTICLE V. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
1. Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee shall consist of three (3) members elected by the Executive Committee at their first meeting following the General Membership Meeting, and shall serve until the following General Membership Meeting. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be barred from becoming nominees for office, but not from succeeding themselves on the Nominating Committee.
2. Nomination: This Committee shall select not less than two candidates for each office of the Society, including the Executive Committee. The candidates and the offices for which each is nominated shall be transmitted to the Secretary-Treasurer not later than ninety days before the General Membership Meeting. The Secretary-Treasurer shall insure that the nominees are members in good standing, and shall mail ballots to the Members not later than one month prior to the General Membership Meeting. Ballots shall provide space for write-in votes for each office.
3. Election: Ballots
shall be returned to the Secretary-Treasurer not later than
ARTICLE VI. COMMITTEES
1. Standing Committees:
A. The President shall appoint all members of Standing Committees except the Nominating Committee (ARTICLE V, paragraph 1) and designate one member as Chairman. Two-thirds of the membership of each committee except the Nominating Committee shall be rotated each year.
B. In addition to the Nominating Committee as provided in ARTICLE V, paragraph 1, of these Bylaws, the Standing Committees shall be as indicated below. Each committee shall consist of three (3) members.
(1) Constitution and Bylaws Committee: This Committee shall be a fact-finding committee on matters pertaining to the Constitution and Bylaws. The Committee shall study proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws and make its recommendations to the Society through the Executive Committee.
(2) Membership Committee: This Committee shall be responsible for initiating programs and activities designed to increase membership in the Society. This Committee shall act in an advisory capacity to the Executive Committee in matters pertaining to the establishment of eligibility requirements for all classes of membership. This Committee will review all applications for membership in the Society, secure all available information concerning such applications and submit its recommendations to the President for appropriate action.
(3) Awards Committee: The Awards Committee shall propose to the Executive Committee such awards as may seem suitable to promote or commemorate contributions to space medicine. Upon establishment of such awards, the Committee shall receive and evaluate all nominations for awards or other honors to be presented by the Society, and submit its recommendations to the President at least thirty days before each General Membership Meeting. The first such award shall be called the W. Randolph Lovelace II Award.
(4) Program Committee: This Committee will devote itself to the solution of the problems of the Society's growth through adequate foresight and planning. It shall anticipate problems and situations relative to all Society activities and make appropriate recommendations to the Executive Committee. In addition, this committee shall be responsible to the Secretary-Treasurer for all arrangements incident to the annual meeting to include scheduling, agenda content, and recommendation for guest speakers.
(5) Public Affairs and Education Committee: This Committee shall be the point of contact between the Society and the medical and lay public. It will be responsible for public information and publicity, press releases and answering inquiries regarding the Society. This Committee shall also be responsible for assisting the Secretary-Treasurer in the production of publications addressed within and without the Society.
2. Special Committees:
The President may appoint special committees as he may deem necessary with such membership as he may consider appropriate. Special committees shall be appointed only for the duration of the appointing President's tenure of office, but may be continued at the option of the succeeding President.
ARTICLE VII. DUES
1. Initiation fees, dues, and special assessments may be levied by simple majority vote of a quorum of the Members present at an annual meeting. The current initiation fee is $5.00 (five dollars) which covers the dues for the first year of membership. Current annual dues are $5.00 (five dollars) per member. A Life Membership is available for any member in good standing who so requests and by the single payment of a dues assessment equal to ten (10) times the annual dues rate at the time of application. A Life membership requested simultaneously with initiation requires assessment of both the initiation fee and ten annual dues equivalent.
2. Dues are due and payable annually on 1 July. Members who fail one year in arrears in the payment of dues will be notified of their delinquency in writing by the Secretary-Treasurer; and thereafter shall be allowed sixty (60) days to make payment. Failure to do so in the time allotted will result in suspension from the Society.
3. Members who are suspended from the Society for nonpayment of dues may be reinstated provided back dues are paid, plus annual dues for one year in advance. This reinstatement shall be subject to the approval of the Membership Committee.
4. Members who fail to pay dues for three (3) consecutive years shall be placed on the inactive member list. The Member shall be reactivated upon reinstatement as per ARTICLE VII, paragraph 3 of these Bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII. FINANCES
1. The fiscal year shall begin on 1 July and shall end on 30 June of each year.
2. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain accounts in the name of the Society at a local bank. Two accounts shall be maintained, a checking account and a savings account. Normally, no more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) shall be kept in the checking account with the remainder of the funds deposited as savings. This may be one checking account if it draws interest not more than 1% (one percent) less than a comparable savings account.
3. The Secretary-Treasurer of the Society shall furnish surety bond in such amounts as the Executive Committee shall determine, the cost to be paid by the Society. Checks from the checking account may be signed either by the Secretary-Treasurer or the President. Withdrawals from the savings account may be signed by either the Secretary-Treasurer or the President.
4. The Secretary-Treasurer’s report shall be audited and approved by the Executive Committee prior to the annual meeting. (See also ARTICLE III, paragraph 2C).
ARTICLE IX. CONDUCT OF MEETING
In all matters not covered by the Constitution or Bylaws, the provisions of Robert’s Rules of Order shall apply.
ARTICLE X. ADOPTION AND CHANGE
1. Adoption: These Bylaws shall be adopted by simple majority vote at the first General Membership Meeting at which they are promulgated.
2. Change: Members may propose changes to these Bylaws by so moving from the floor at any General Membership Meeting; or by mail to the Secretary-Treasurer at any time. The Secretary-Treasurer will submit such proposed change by motion at the next General Membership Meeting. Approval in either case will be by simple majority vote of the Members present.
ARTICLE XI. DISSOLUTION
The Society may be dissolved by a two-thirds vote of its members by mail ballot or at a general meeting. In the event of such dissolution, the President shall transfer the remaining assets of the Society to the general fund of the Aerospace Medical Association.