Byelaws of The Scandinavian Society for Biomaterials
Article I Membership
Section 1. Ordinary members
Ordinary members are persons, irrespective of their nationality, who has an interest in the field of Biomaterials and are accepted to membership by the council. Normally new members may be accepted by the Secretary acting under general terms and conditions to be laid down from time to time by Council. In cases where is doubt, the President will be consulted and he may recommend acceptance or refer the application to the next meeting of the Council. The names and addresses of all new members shall be reported to the Treasurer as soon as possible and to the Council at their next meeting. The ordinary members are entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings and to be elected to the Council.
Section 2. Honorary members
Honorary membership can be given to any person who has given the Society particularly meritorious services or who has made a significant contribution to research in the field of Biomaterials. Honorary members are elected in accordance with the resolutions of members passed the General Meetings.
The honorary members are entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings and to be elected to the Council.
Section 3. Senior members
An ordinary member who has retired from active professional life may also have the privileges of a Senior member.
Senior members are entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings and to be elected to the Council.
Section 4. Corporate membership
Any institution or organization whose activities are in the field of biomaterials can apply for membership of the ESB to the Council. Those accepted as corporate members must nominate a representative.
The representatives are entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings but not to be elected to the Council.
Section 5. Corresponding members
Corresponding membership can be given to any person who has given the Society particularly meritorious services or who has made a significant contribution to research in the field of biomaterials in countries outside Europe.
Corresponding members are not entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings or and not to be elected to the Council.
Section 6. Laboratory members
Laboratory membership can be given, upon request, to any laboratory or research unit held by an ordinary member of the Society. The laboratory is entitled to receive the official journal of the Society. The persons who works in the laboratory, up to six per laboratory, as indicated, year by year, in the application form are entitled to receive the newsletter and to have a concessionary reduction in registration fee for the Society meetings.
They are entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings but not to be elected to the Council.
Section 8. Junior members
Junior membership can be given to any graduate student in the field of biomaterials. Junior members are entitled to a special membership fee, to receive the newsletter and to have a reduced registration fee for the Society meetings. They are not entitled to vote either by mail ballot either at General Meetings and not to be elected to the Council.
Art II Termination and reinstatement of membership
Section 1. Unworthiness
With a two-thirds vote by those present at each officially convened meeting, the Council can suspend or expel a member provided at least two-thirds of the Council members have requested such action to be taken and have outlined their reasons for the expulsion.
Section 2. Default
The Treasurer shall notify the Council of any member who fails to pay his or her dues by January 1st of the year. The Treasurer shall send an invoice to each member during the first week of November of the preceding year, and shall issue one reminder in early January giving notice that membership may be terminated unless payment is received by January 31st. This reminder will be sent to the last known address of the member as notified to the Secretary. The Council will consider the status of each member who fails to pay his or her dues at their first meeting after January 31st each year, and will normally
revoke the membership of those members who fail to pay without good cause.
Section 3. Resignation
Any member can present his or her resignation by registered letter sent at least 60 days before the date on which the resignation is to become effective. The resigning member should pay any outstanding dues.
Section 4. Reinstatement
At the request in writing of another member and with a vote in favour on the part of the majority of those present at any officially convened Council Meeting, the Council can reinstate a former member under the conditions it deems appropriate.
Art III Meetings
Section 1. Special Meetings
Special General Meetings of members can be called by the Council, whenever it is felt necessary. A Special General Meeting must be called at the written request of at least 10 percent of the members registered at the time of the request or at least 10 persons or a majority of the board members, whichever the largest.
Section 2. General and Special General Meeting Rules.
Meetings will be presided over by the President of the ScSB or by some other person designated by the Council with a secretary appointed by the Chairman, assisting.
Any member with the right to vote can attend the meetings and can represent not more than two additional members, provided that each represented member has given a proxy in writing which is to be notified to the Chairman at the start of the meeting.
In order that a meeting be valid it is necessary for at least 10 percent of the total members to be present or represented by proxy. If a quorum is not obtained at a first meeting, a second can be called by the President, at the earliest, one day later. The second meeting does not require a quorum of members.
Resolutions passed at meetings are binding on all members. In the event of equal numbers of votes the voting will be repeated. If the second vote again results in a tie the Chairman shall have the casting vote.
Section 3. Any other business
Resolutions from Council excepted, matters for discussion under any other business which require a decision by the General Meeting or Special General Meeting shall be notified to the Secretary in writing not later than 15 days prior to the said meeting.
Section 4. Minutes of the Meetings
Minutes of the resolutions passed at Meetings must be drawn up and be signed by the Chairman and the Secretary and communicated to all members. The official language of the Meetings will be English.
Section 5. Mail ballot
Every two years, at least 8 months before the General Meeting, members must be informed of the Council members who are retiring or resigning. At least 6 months before the General Meeting the Secretary of the Society must receive, by the Council and/or by any member, entitled to vote, nominations together with a short Curriculum Vitae of the candidates. Each candidate must expressly accept the nomination by undersigning the Curriculum Vitae.
The proposed candidates must be eligible members in good standing.
The Secretary will prepare a ballot form which is specially printed to protect confidentiality and with a separate, detachable, indication of membership code number.
The Secretary will send the form together with the C.V.s to all members in good standing, at least 5 months before the General Meeting.
The members must vote, close the form and mail it back to the Secretary at least 2 months before the General Meeting.
The Secretary will check the membership number, remove and register the detachable label, collect and mail all the forms to the ballot officer at least 2 months before the General Meeting.
The ballot officer will open the forms, register the votes, and report to the ESB Executive Committee.
ln the case of a tie for any of the places for Council membership, the tie should be resolved by a secret ballot at the General Meeting where a simple majority will be sufficient for election.
Art IV Council
Section 1. Membership
Every member of the Council must be a citizen of and a permanent resident in a Scandinavia.
The Past President of the Council shall be an ex-officio member of the Council for the term of Council immediately following his or her Presidency. At least five members shall be elected to serve on the Council by General Meetings, Special General Meetings or mail ballot. The term of office of each elected member of Council will normally be three years. Elections to the Council shall be so arranged that normally not all elected members retire at the same time. Elections to Council will normally be held once every two years at which time either three or four members shall be elected to Council.
Section 2. Officers
The President of the Society shall be Chairman of the Council. The Council shall among themselves elect a Vice-President, a Secretary and a Treasurer. All elections shall be carried out by means of a vote amongst Council members and a simple majority is sufficient for election. If there is a tie, the vote will be repeated. If there continues to be a tie, the Council member who is acting as Chairman of the meeting at the time of the vote, shall have a casting vote. The President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer are the officers of the Society and constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee acts in accordance with the duties of the officers as well as to those entrusted, from time to time, by the Council.
Section 3. Vacancy
Any vacancy in any office of the Council due to death, resignation, removal, disqualification or otherwise can be filled by the Council with candidates from the Council for the period to the next programmed election.
Section 4. Committees
Council may create, from time to time, and for a specified or unlimited period such Committees as are necessary to run the Society's affairs to the best advantages of the members. Normally, there will be at least one member of Council on each Committee and he or she will be responsible for reporting the activities of the Committee to the Council.
Section 5. Board of Presidents
The Council can install a Board constituted by the Presidents of all the affiliated Societies, the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of the ScSB.
The meeting of the Presidents Board must be called by the Council at least every two years, before the General Meeting of the Society. The President of the ScSB chairs the meeting and reports the minutes to the Council and to the members at the General Meeting.
The Presidents board is a consulting body with the aims of enhancing the harmonization of education, training and research in the field of biomaterials in all the European countries and of improving the mutual relationships between the different constituting societies.
Art V President
The President in general supervises a1l the business and affairs of the Society. He/She presides over all Council and Presidents board meetings and is legally authorized to sign any document that the Council has approved, even on general lines and to generally attends to all the tasks entrusted to the Office of President, or assigned thereto from time to time by the Council. Should the President be absent or be prevented from attending to the foregoing, the Vice President will perform the duties of President.
The Vice President must carry out all the duties given to him or her from time to time by the President, the Executive Committee, the Council, or as a result of resolutions passed at General Meetings. The signature on documents of the Vice President is indicative that the President is absent or has been prevented from being in attendance.
Art VI Treasurer
The Treasurer has in his or her charge and custody, all the funds of the Society, receives monies, issue receipts for monies received, banks monies in the name of the Society and in general attends to all duties pertinent to the Office of Treasurer, as well as to those entrusted to him or her from time to time by the President, the Executive Committee, the Council or as a result of resolutions passed at General Meetings.
Art VII Secretary
The Secretary keeps the Minutes of the Council and General Meetings in one or more books provided for this purpose, has custody of the documents of the Society, keeps a register of the members, is responsible, for the mail ballot procedures and, in general, attends to all the duties pertinent to the office of Secretary, as well as those entrusted to him or her from time to time by the President, the Executive Committee, the Council or as a result of resolutions passed at General Meetings.
Art VIII Auditors
The Auditors, two in number and appointed during the course of General Meetings, hold office for four years. Their task is to check the books and balance sheets and to prepare a statement of the Society's finances for presentation biennially to the General Meeting of the Society.
Art IX Ballot Officer
The Ballot officer is appointed, when needed, by the President or by the Council at least 5 months before the General Meeting. He or she must be an ordinary or senior member, not member of Council and not a candidate for the election. He or she must expressly accept the duties and responsibilities towards the Council and the member of the Society.
The ballot officer will open the forms, register the votes, prepare the list of nominated members and report to the General Meeting.
Art X Membership fees
Members shall be required to pay annual membership fees according to the different categories of membership. The fees will be established by the General Assembly and shall normally be paid before January 1st of the year in question. The financial year shall run from January 1st to December 31st.
Honorary, Senior and Corresponding members are exempt from payments of membership fees, except that they may elect to pay that portion of the membership fee which covers the supply of the Society journal if they wish to receive the journal.
New members shall be required to pay membership fees for the current year in full, except when their membership is accepted during the last quarter of the year, in which case it will cover membership for the remainder of the year and the next year.
New members may enjoy a privileged rate for the Society journal during the first two years of their membership of the Society.