AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE--MAINE
Affiliate Society of the
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
BYLAWS
ARTICLE 1
NAME
The NAME of this corporation is the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science--Maine, hereafter referred to as ASCLS-Maine or ASCLS-ME or the Association.
ARTICLE II
AFFILIATION AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1. AFFILIATION
The ASCLS-Maine is affiliated with the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, hereafter referred to as ASCLS. The ASCLS-Maine shall at no time adopt any policy contrary to the policies of the ASCLS except as may be required to abide by the laws of the State of Maine.
SECTION 2. PURPOSE
The purposes for which ASCLS-Maine is formed are:
- To promote higher standards in clinical laboratory methods and research;
- To enhance the professional status and image of its members;
- To create mutual understanding and cooperation among the Association and its members and all others who are engaged in the interest of individual and public health;
- To be responsible for providing educational programs in the clinical laboratory;
- To define standards of competence at all levels;
- To establish and promote ethical standards for the professions represented.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the ASCLS-Maine is open to all persons interested in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Special privilege may be granted to persons not residing or employed in the State of Maine in accordance with the ASCLS Standard Operating Procedures. Membership in the ASCLS-Maine requires that the individual be a member of the ASCLS.
SECTION 2. MEMBERSHIP CLASSES
Membership shall consist of the following classes: professional, collaborative, emeritus, new professional, student, and honorary. Each category of membership requires that the individual be a member of a constituent society. The qualifications for each membership class are as follows:
- Professional.
Levels I and II shall be open to all persons certified or engaged in the education process and/or the practice of the clinical laboratory sciences. This includes those with an active interest in supporting the purposes and goals of this Society.
- Collaborative.
a. This member is an individual belonging to a healthcare-oriented national organization.
The ASCLS Executive office may offer a one-year Collaborative membership to an unemployed member one time only. Documentation of employment status will be required.
b. Former members of ASCLS may rejoin as Collaborative members if they have not held membership in ASCLS for seven (7) consecutive years or more immediately previous to such application.
- Emeritus.
a. This is an individual who has retired from gainful employment and who has been a professional member of this Society for a total of 20 years. Five years must have been consecutive and one year of which must have been in the active or professional membership category immediately preceding application.
b. In the event exceptions to these time limit qualifications are requested (not to be less than a total of 15 years of membership) by a state or member, the said state will provide historical documentation of ASCLS activities to the Board of Directors who will determine if Emeritus membership is granted.
c. Individuals meeting membership qualifications for the emeritus member are to make application and pay dues assessment equivalent to the student dues assessment directly to the Executive Office. The dues assessment applies only to membership after September 1987.
d. Emeritus members who return to active employment shall be able to reapply for emeritus status after holding current membership for one year.
- New Professional.
a. This individual is a first year professional or a professional I or II member with less than 5 years experience in the practice.
- Student.
a. An individual is eligible for this class of membership for a total period of 5 years. After 5 years, the student may petition the Membership Services Committee for permission to remain in the student category with provisions that the member is a full-time student. The student member is to be enrolled in one of the following:
i. A structured program of clinical education conducted by agencies recognized by this Society, or
ii. A program recognized by this Society at an accredited college or university. Accredited colleges or universities include properly accredited academic institutions that offer graduate programs or programs that include clinical education and lead to associate or baccalaureate degrees. The individual of an initial degree or certificate relevant to this profession defines a graduate program as any course of study subsequent to the receipt.
- Honorary.
a. An honorary member is an individual elected to membership by the House of Delegates. This is in recognition of outstanding service or contribution to the field of clinical laboratory science.
b. Honorary membership shall not exceed one percent of the total professional membership of the Society.
c. Recommendations for honorary membership may be made each year. Each constituent society and the Board of Directors of this Society may present no more than one candidate for this honor in any one year.
d. A recommendation accompanied by qualifications is to be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society not less than 30 days before the annual session. Election to honorary membership requires a majority vote of the House of Delegates.
e. An honorary member is to be informed of election by the Secretary/Treasurer and receive a certification of honorary membership signed by the President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Society.
SECTION 3. RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES
- Professional members and new professionals are entitled to all rights and privileges to include voting, holding office, and serving in any formal capacity recognized by the Society.
- Emeritus members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Society associated with that class of membership held at the time of application for emeritus membership.
- Student members are entitled to serve as voting members of the House of Delegates when serving as official delegates from a constituent society, and to have all other rights and privileges of the Society with the exception of holding elective positions.
- Collaborative and honorary members are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Society with the exception of holding elective or appointive positions and serving as voting members of the House of Delegates.
- Any member of the Society may serve as consultant or advisor to any board or committee of the Society.
- Benefits for each category of membership will be outlined in the Standard Operating Procedures, and will be the basis for the dues structure for the category.
- Membership with all the rights and privileges shall be forfeited by any member who is in arrears in the payment of dues, as defined by the Board of Directors.
SECTION 4. DUES
The annual dues for membership shall be based on the applicable class of membership as defined by ASCLS and may include national and state defined dues. State dues for the Association shall be reviewed, set and approved by the Board of Directors. Any increase in dues will be voted upon by the majority of the responding membership.
SECTION 5. EXPULSION
The retention, suspension, expulsion, or reinstatement of members of this Association shall be by action of the Board of Directors of this Association in the manner prescribed in the Bylaws of ASCLS.
ARTICLE IV
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY
The affairs of the Association shall be governed by the Board of Directors except as defined elsewhere in the Bylaws.
SECTION 2. COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD
The Board of Directors will consist of President, President-Elect, Immediate Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, two (2) Board Members, one (1) New Professional, and one (1) Student Representative. The length of term of office of Treasurer shall be three (3) consecutive years; Secretary shall be two (2) consecutive years; all remaining offices shall be one (1) year.
SECTION 3. MEETINGS
The Board of Directors shall hold at least two (2) meetings per year. The time and place shall be designated by the Presiding Officers. Additional meetings may be called by the President or by one third (1/3) of the Board members; or five (5) voting members can request the Board of Directors call a special meeting.
SECTION 4. QUORUM
Four (4) members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board. All matters to come before the Board of Directors shall be decided by majority vote of all Directors present and constituting a quorum.
SECTION 5. VACANCIES
A vacancy occurring in any office except that of Presidency shall be appointed by the President. In the event of a vacancy in the Presidency, the President-Elect shall succeed to that office and the Board of Directors shall elect a new President-Elect.
SECTION 6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.
Requests for nominations shall be made by email and/or mail during the month of March. The Secretary shall issue a list of members and their location with a request to nominate members for each open office. The Secretary will be responsible to verify that those nominated will consent to serve. The election of officers shall be conducted by mail ballot during the month of May. The ballot shall be presented to the membership thirty (30) days prior to the election. Election of officers shall be determined by voting majority of the responding members.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The duties of officers shall be determined by the Board of Directors except that:
A. The President shall: be the chief-elected officer of the Association; serve as its principal
spokesperson; preside at all Board of Directors meetings and membership meetings of the
ASCLS-ME; be a nonvoting ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominations
Committee.
B. The President-Elect shall become familiar with the duties of President and in the absence of
the President shall act as President.
C. The Secretary shall act as secretary at all meetings of the Board of Directors and keep or
cause to be kept, in permanent form, a record of all minutes taken at such meetings.
D. The Treasurer shall have the responsibility for the receipt and expenditure of funds by the
Association and shall ensure that all accounts of the Association have been audited annually
by another member of ASCLS-ME.
E. The Immediate Past-President shall act as the President in the event of the absence of the
President and the President-Elect.
F. The Student Representative shall be approved by the Board of Directors, and shall serve a
term of one year. The Student Representative shall ordinarily succeed to the position of New
Professional Representative and serve a term of one year in that position. In the event of a
vacancy in either Student Representative or New Professional Representative positions, the
Board of Directors may appoint a successor to complete the term.
G. At the end of his/her term of office by expiration or otherwise, each officer and Director shall deliver, in proper condition, his/her official records and/or monies to his/her successor. In the event of discrepancies, the Board of Directors shall secure an adjustment.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES
The ASCLS-Maine has two (2) approved standing committees: Nominations Committee and Scholarship Committee. In addition, ASCLS-Maine has the following approved functional committees: Bylaws Committee, Government Affairs Committee, Leadership Development Committee, Membership Services Committee, Promotion of the Profession Committee, and State Publication Committee.
SECTION 1. NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
The Chair of the committee shall be the acting Secretary. The main focus of the committee is to compile and distribute information on positions open for nominations, present information to members on nominees running for positions, prepare a slate of qualified candidates, and oversee elections.
SECTION 2. SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
The committee is composed of the Committee Chair (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME) and at least two (2) other members as recruited by the Chair. The main focus of the committee is to oversee the Association's Scholarship Program, and assist in educational needs as requested by the Society.
SECTION 3. BYLAWS COMMITTEE
The committee is composed of the Committee Chair (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME), the Past President, and members as determined necessary by the Chair. The main focus of the committee is to receive and examine all proposed amendments to this constituent society's Constitution and Bylaws, and provide for annual review of the Constitution and Bylaws.
SECTION 4. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
The committee is composed of the Committee Chair (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME). Additional members may be utilized as determined by the Chair. The main focus of the committee is to keep informed of and disseminate regulatory information impacting on our profession.
SECTION 5. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
The Chair of the committee shall be the Immediate Past President. The main focus of the committee is to cultivate members to encourage those individuals who have indicated a talent and interest in serving in a leadership position.
SECTION 6. MEMBERSHIP SERVICES COMMITTEE
This committee was formerly known as the Membership Development Committee. The committee is composed of the Committee Chair (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME). Additional members may be utilized as determined by the Chair. The main focus of the committee is implementation and maintenance of membership activities relating to: new member recruitment, active member retention, student member retention and conversion to active status, active member societal involvement and/or networking, and active member recognition and visibility.
SECTION 7. PROMOTION of the PROFESSION COMMITTEE
This committee was formerly known as the Professional Affairs Committee. The committee is composed of the Committee Chair (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME). Additional members may be utilized as determined by the Chair. The main focus of the committee is to participate in areas of activity that include public image, communications media, personnel development and employment security; and, to provide resources to improve the image of the society and the Profession.
SECTION 8. STATE PUBLICATION COMMITTEE
The Committee Chair is the Editor of our Association's state newsletter (appointed by the President of ASCLS-ME). Additional committee members are recruited as determined necessary by the Committee Chair to assure that all activities are completed by assigned time frames. The main focus of this committee is to collect, compile, and disseminate information to the membership of ASCLS-Maine. Mechanisms for communication with members include but may not be limited to: newsletters, letters, and emails. This committee also assists in other society activities relating to publications (i.e. programs, awards, handbooks, promotional publications, etc.).
SECTION 9. ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES
The ASCLS-ME Board of Directors may establish and delegate such of its authority to additional committees as it deems appropriate in accordance with the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII
DELEGATES
Official representation of this constituent society at the annual meeting of the House of Delegates of ASCLS shall include at least four (4) delegates: the President and the President-Elect (or their Alternates), one (1) New Professional delegate, and one (1) Student delegate. One delegate-at-large shall be added per each fifty (50), or major fraction of fifty (50), Professional and Emeritus members in the Association. The maximum number of designated delegates shall be defined by ASCLS. If there is not a New Professional delegate or Student delegate able to represent ASCLS-ME then no replacements will be sent.
ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL AFFAIRS
The fiscal year shall be September 1 to August 31.
ARTICLE IX
PROCEDURES AND BYLAWS
SECTION 1. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY MEETINGS
Robert''s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, will govern the business proceedings of the Association except when otherwise specified in these Bylaws.
SECTION 2. BYLAWS AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws of the Association may be amended as follows:
A. Proposed amendments for the Bylaws may be submitted in writing to the Bylaws Committee or to the Board of Directors by any member, or may be written by the Bylaws Committee itself no less than 120 days in advance of the next Board meeting.
B. The Bylaws Committee shall submit proposed amendments to the chair of the ASCLS Bylaws Committee for approval as defined in the ASCLS''s procedures.
C. The Bylaws Committee shall submit proposed amendments to the members of the Association no less than sixty (60) days prior to the vote.
D. Adoption of the proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members responding to a mail vote. Within thirty (30) days after adoption of an amendment to the Bylaws of the Association, the chair of the Bylaws Committee must send a report of such adoption to the chair of the ASCLS Bylaws Committee.
Revision: June 1988
Revised: October 1994
Revised: February 2001
Revised: January 2006
Revised: August 2014
APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL BYLAWS COMMITTEE
APPROVED BY THE ASCLS-MAINE MEMBERSHIP