ARTICLE I: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Members shall be physicians, residents, and medical students fulfilling membership requirements. Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) who meet membership requirements may become Affiliate Members.
 

Section 2. Membership in the North American Rural Surgical Society (formerly Northern Plains Rural Surgical Society) shall require:
 

1. A surgery practice or an interest in surgery in the rural setting.

2. The majority of members will be general surgeons.

3. Specialty surgeons will be welcome as members.

4. Surgeons affiliated with rural surgical education and residency programs with a rural track will be encouraged to become involved as members.

5. Surgery residents with an interest in rural surgery.

6. Surgical residency training programs with an interest in rural surgical training will be encouraged to become training program members.

7. Medical Students with an interest in rural surgery.
    

Section 3. Membership application forms shall be available on request and shall be provided by the Secretary-Treasurer. Completed application forms shall be delivered to the Secretary-Treasurer before the Annual Assembly. A completed application for membership shall consist of:
 

1. A completed membership application form signed by the applicant. Completed applications shall be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer who, in turn, will submit the application(s) to the Executive Council. The Council shall have the authority to reject any application. The name(s) of candidate(s) recommended for membership by the Council shall be submitted to the membership at the Annual Assembly.

 

Section 4. Any Member who continues to practice medicine and surgery will be expected to pay dues as an active member (see Article VI and Article XI).
 

Section 5. An active Member that announces their retirement from the practice of medicine and surgery may be granted status as a Senior Member or Honorary Member of the Society. This special and elevated status will be considered on an individual basis by the Council. This change in status shall then be announced at the next Annual Meeting of the Society. These individuals may still be elected to office in the Society.
 

Section 6. Active membership shall be unlimited.
 

Section 7. Honorary membership can be considered by the council and/or the society.
 

Section 8. Resident membership: Surgical residents with an interest in rural surgery will be considered for membership. Resident dues will be discounted.
 

Section 9. A special membership is available for rural surgical training programs. Surgical training programs with an interest, emphasis, or specialized track in rural surgical training will be considered for the special Training Program Membership (see Article XII).
 

Section 10. Affiliate membership is available for Advanced Practice Providers (NP, DNP, PA) who meet membership requirements in section 2. 

 

ARTICLE II: COUNCIL

Section 1. The Council shall consist of the following:

• President

• Immediate Past President

• Vice President

• Secretary-Treasurer

• Program Committee Chair

• Advisors, at discretion of president (appointed)

• Resident representatives

 

Section 2. The President shall call the Council into session at their discretion. The Council, however, must meet at least annually at the time of the Annual Assembly.

 

Section 3. Advisors shall be appointed for three year terms but may be re-elected. Their terms shall be offset. Up to three advisors will be appointed based on specific needs of the society.

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Section 4. Resident Advisors must be members of the Society and will be part of the Executive Committee.

 

ARTICLE III: OFFICERS

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Section 1. The President and the Vice President shall be elected for three year terms. The President and the Vice President may be re-elected for a maximum of two terms, however it is anticipated that the Vice President shall ordinarily advance to the presidency. The incoming and outgoing Secretary-Treasurer shall share duties for a period of six months.
 

Section 2. The President shall preside at the meeting of the Council and the Annual Assembly. The President shall appoint ad hoc committees as needed and serve as an ex officio member of such committees. Successions to vacated offices of the Society shall be appointed by the President until the positions are filled at the next Annual Assembly.
 

Section 3. The Vice President, in the absence or incapacity of the President, shall perform the duties of the President. In the absence or incapacity of both the President and the Vice President, the chair shall be assumed by a President pro tem, elected by such members of the Council as are present.
 

Section 4. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep minutes of the annual business meetings of the Society and the Council, receive and care for all records belonging to the Society and conduct the correspondence of the Society. This office will issue to all members a written report of the preceding years transactions to be read to the Council and Membership at the Annual Assembly. The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all monies and funds belonging to the Society, pay all bills, render bills for dues and assessments and report to the Council and Membership at the Annual Assembly. The Secretary-Treasurer will prepare an annual Treasurers Report for the Membership.
 

Section 5. The President may appoint a delegate to communicate with and recruit vendors for the annual meeting.

 

Article IV: Committees

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Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall be composed of Vice President, Past President and the current President.
 

Section 2. The Council shall function as the Membership Committee.
 

Section 3. There will be a standing Program Committee tasked to organize the annual meeting. The Committee will be made up of at least three and up to five members nominated by the President and confirmed by the Council.
 

Section 4. The President may convene Ad-Hoc committees as necessary.

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Article V: Meeting

Section 1. An Annual Assembly of the Society shall be held at the time and place to be determined by the Council.
 

Section 2. During the Annual Assembly, there shall be an Executive Session of the Membership. The business of the Society shall be reported by the Secretary-Treasurer to the membership. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented to the Membership during the Executive Session. Nominations of officers may be made from the floor. Officers of the Society shall be elected by a majority vote of the Active, and Senior, and Resident Membership present during the Executive Session.

 

Article VI: Fees, Dues

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Section 1. Initiation fees, dues, and assessments shall be levied by the Council and approved by the membership at the Annual Assembly (see article XI).
 

Section 2. Active members whose dues remain unpaid for a period of two years shall be dropped from membership, provided that notification of such lapse be given at least three months prior to its effective date. The member may be reinstated following payment of the dues in arrear upon approval of the Council.
 

Section 3. Senior Members and Honorary Members shall be exempt from dues.

 

Article VII: Resignations, Expulsions

Section 1. Resignation of members otherwise in good standing shall be accepted by the majority vote of the Council.

Section 2. Charges of unprofessional or unethical conduct against any member of the Society, challenging that physician’s right to continue membership, must be specific and proffered in writing and submitted to the Council for action. The challenged member must be provided with an opportunity to reply to the charges. Concurrence of the majority of Council members with the charges shall result in expulsion. Such action must be announced at the next Executive Session and may be overruled only by a majority vote of those present in support of a motion from the floor for reversal.
 

Article VIII: Quorum

 

Section 1. A minimum of one-half of the active and senior members registered and attending the annual meeting shall constitute a quorum at the Annual 

Assembly. The group will gather annually to effect changes in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Society, to make assessments, to authorize appropriations or expenditures of money other than those required in the routine business of the Society, to elect officers and members, and to expel members. A simple majority will be required to pass any motion.

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Article IX: Alterations, Repeals

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Section 1. These By-Laws may be altered or repealed at the Annual Assembly By a majority affirmative vote of members present, provided a Quorum exists. 

 

Article X: Procedure

 

Section 1. Proceedings of the Society shall be conducted in accordance with the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

 

Article XI: Dues

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Section 1. Dues will be required of all members and Training Programs (except for Honorary and Senior Members) and will be changed from time to time per the Council and announced at Annual Meeting. Dues will be determined by the Executive Council at the annual meeting.

 

Article XII: Benefits of “Training Program Membership”

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Section 1. 

• Residents from our training program member programs will be given priority for presenting spots at our annual meeting (basic science lectures, debates, etc.).

• Training program membership includes the dues for two residents. They will still be required to pay the annual meeting fees.  

• Program directors and staff physicians affiliated with training program member entities will be encouraged (expected) to maintain their individual active membership.