The Southern Society for Clinical Investigation is dedicated to the advancement of medical research and the exchange of knowledge, information and ideas. Its members are committed to mentoring future generations of medical investigators and promoting careers in academic medicine.
The Southern Society for Clinical Investigation will be recognized as the premier regional society supporting the advancement of medical research by sponsoring an annual meeting, recognizing excellence in academic medicine, developing programs specifically to support young medical investigators, and publishing The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the Society shall be the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation.
ARTICLE II
The object of the Society shall be the encouragement of research in the various medical sciences and the establishment of a forum from which new ideas may be presented to the medical profession at large. Notwithstanding the above object, the Society is organized solely for education and scientific purposes within the meaning of #501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). No part of the earnings of the Society shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable of its members, Officers, or other private persons, except that the Society shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this Article. No substantial part of the activities of the Society shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislations and the Society shall not participate in any political campaign on behalf of a candidate for public office. The Society shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from federal income tax under #501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Types of Members
There shall be at least four classes of members: Active, Associate, Honorary, and Emeritus.
Section 2. Eligibility of Members
Active Members. Any Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Pharmacy, or Doctor of Science who has accomplished meritorious research in a branch of the medical sciences related to clinical medicine and enjoys an unimpeachable reputation in his profession shall be eligible for membership. The number of active members shall be determined from time to time by the Society upon recommendation of the Council.
Associate Members. Any Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Pharmacy, or Doctor of Science who has applied for active membership but has not yet met all criteria for active membership may be offered associate membership by the Council. Associate membership may not exceed 3 years. Associate members are expected meet all criteria and re-apply for active membership during this 3 year interval.
Honorary Members. Any physician or medical scientist, irrespective of age or location, whom the Society may wish to compliment, for any reason, may be elected to honorary membership of the Society at large upon recommendation of the Council. The number of honorary memberships shall not be restricted. Honorary Members shall not become emeritus by reason of age alone.
Emeritus Members. An Active Member may become emeritus by his own choice after ten years of active membership and at the age of 65 years.
Additional membership categories may be created by the Council.
Section 3. Obligations and Privileges of Members
Active Members. Members assume an obligation to actively continue in medical research. They shall pay membership dues. They shall have voting privileges and may hold office. They shall receive all regular communications and mailings of the Society. Active members are expected to manifest sustained interest in the Society by attending the annual meeting on a regular basis.
Associate Members. Associate members assume an obligation to actively continue in medical research to meet all criteria for active membership within 3 years. They shall have voting privileges but may not hold office. They shall be eligible for reduced membership dues and shall receive all regular communications and mailings of the Society. Associate members are expected to manifest sustained interest in the Society by attending the annual meeting on a regular basis. They are expected to apply for active membership prior to expiration of their associate membership.
Honorary Members. The obligations and privileges shall be the same as those of emeritus members, except that honorary members are not expected to pay dues.
Emeritus Members. Emeritus members shall be encouraged to attend meetings. They shall pay dues, but these dues will be less than those paid by active Members. They shall receive all regular communications and mailings of the Society. They may not hold office and they may not vote, but they may engage in all other activities of the Society, including nomination of new Members, presentation of papers, the discussion of papers on the floor, etc.
Section 4. Nominations and Elections of New Members
Nomination to active and honorary membership may be made in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer at any time. Nominations must be sponsored by any two active, honorary, or emeritus members. Nominations must be accompanied by a statement regarding the qualifications of the nominee, his/her curriculum vitae, and his/her bibliography. The Council shall review and approve all new Members. Membership shall be ratified by the general membership at the annual business meeting. The majority of the active Members of the Society present at the annual business meeting shall be deemed a quorum for purposes of ratification. The criteria for selection of candidates shall consist of an overall consideration of the individual based upon academic responsibility, capacity for independent research, productivity and significance of the research, clinical reputation, educational contributions, and letters in support of the nominee.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
The Officers of the Society shall be President, President-Elect, Past-President, and Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected annually. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term, but may serve an additional year upon specific approval and recommendation of the Council. The position of Secretary-Treasurer-Elect shall be established and he/she shall be selected by the Nominating Committee (see below) prior to the last term of the incumbent and voted upon by the Society. All Officers must be active members of the Society. No age restriction for an active member of the Society shall be imposed as a qualification for election as an Officer.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Nominations for Officers of the Society, Councilors, and Nominating Committee Members shall be made by a Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Past-President of the Society and a minimum of three elected active members. The Past-President will have full voting privileges and will serve as Chair of the Committee. The Nominating Committee shall offer one or more nominations for each vacant Officer, Councilor, and Nominating Committee position. Additional nominations may be made from the floor.
One or more Nominating Committee members shall be elected each year for a term of three years. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be limited to two terms of office and, with the exception of the Past-President of the Society, shall not serve concurrently as Councilors or Officers of the Society. The Nominating Committee shall encourage broad representation of the geographic region served by the Society among the Officers of the Society and the Members of the Nominating Committee. Election of members of the Nominating Committee shall be made by secret ballot. The majority of the active members of the Society present at the annual business meeting shall be deemed a quorum for purposes of Nominating Committee election. In the case of a resignation of a Member of the Nominating Committee, the President may appoint an eligible member of the Society to complete that Nominating Committee member’s unexpired term of office.
Serving Members of the Nominating Committee shall be eligible for nomination to a Council position. If a Member is elected at any time during his/her three-year term to be an Officer of the Society or Councilor, the President may appoint an eligible member of the Society to complete that Nominating Committee member’s unexpired term of office. The member appointed to serve the unexpired term shall be eligible for subsequent election to a full three-year term.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS, COUNCILORS, AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Elections of Officers of the Society, Councilors, and Members of the Nominating Committee shall be made by secret ballot. The majority of the active and associate members present at the annual business meeting shall be deemed a quorum for purposes of election. All Officers of the Society shall be ineligible for re-election to the same office. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be limited to two terms of office as Members of the Nominating Committee.
One Councilor shall be elected each year for a term of five years, and at least one Councilor shall be elected annually. The manner of nomination and voting shall be the same as for other Officers of the Society. If a Councilor is elected at any time during his/her five-year term to the Office of President, President-Elect, or Secretary-Treasurer, the President may appoint a Councilor from the eligible membership to complete that Councilor’s unexpired term of office. The Councilor appointed to serve the unexpired term shall be eligible for subsequent election to a full five-year term. Councilors may not serve consecutive terms but may be nominated for re-election after a minimum of 7 years off the Council.
ARTICLE V
DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The duties of President, President-Elect, Past-President, and Secretary-Treasurer shall be those usually assigned to such Officers. Among other duties, the Secretary-Treasurer shall arrange for the printing of the program for each annual meeting and for publication of the abstracts. The books of the Society shall be audited by a certified public accounting firm and the auditing committee appointed by the President. The Secretary-Treasurer is authorized by the Council to secure essential part-time administrative assistance.
ARTICLE VI
COUNCIL
The Council shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Secretary Treasurer, the immediate Past President, and the elected Councilors. The Editor of the Society’s journal will also be a Member of the Council for as long as he/she holds that appointment. Five Members of the Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
It shall be the duty of the Council to supervise the affairs of the Society, to make all arrangements for the annual meetings, to supervise the nominations and elections of Members of the Society, Officers of the Society, and Members of the Nominating Committee; to report on election result to the Society; to govern the financial affairs of the Society; and to report on the work of the Members of the Society. The Members of the Council shall be assigned to one or more of four Standing Committees: Finance, Communications, Publications, and Membership. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be a member of the Finance Committee. The President-elect shall serve as a member of the Membership Committee. The Chairs of the Standing Committees shall be named by the President and are eligible to be re-appointed. The President is further empowered to appoint Co-Chairs of the Standing Committees, to appoint additional members to the Standing Committees from Active and Emeritus Members of the Society, to create and appoint additional committees and subcommittees from the Members of the Council and the Society for any purpose, to appoint other Standing Advisory Committees, and to provide oversight of all Committees and subcommittees of the Society. The President may also invite previous Officers or Councilors to serve as non-voting advisors to the Council.
ARTICLE VII
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF THE MEDICAL SCIENCES
Section 1. Staff
The American Journal of the Medical Sciences will be heretofore the official journal of the Southern Society for Clinical Investigation, Inc. (SSCI, Inc.). The publishing contract shall be revised at regular intervals. The editorial staff will consist of an Editor and at least three Associate Editors. The appointments of the Editor and the Associate Editors will be reviewed and approved by the Council annually. The salary of the Editor, as well as any salaries paid to the Associate Editors, will be set by the Council. Members of the Editorial Board will not receive payment for their services.
Section 2. Duties of the Editor
The Editor is responsible to the SSCI, Inc. through its Council for the publication of the American Journal of the Medical Sciences and shall submit an annual report to the Council and in turn to the SSCI, Inc. This report shall include a statement of the financial status of the journal. The financial statement shall be audited on an annual basis. The Editor shall submit the names of the candidates for Associate Editors who will assist in the publication of the journal.
Section 3. Editorial Boards
The Editorial Board shall consist of the Editors and other Board Members, numbering at least fifteen, as the Editors deem necessary to maintain the high editorial standards of the American Journal of the Medical Sciences. At least two-thirds of the Editorial Board shall be Active Members of the Society. They shall, individually and collectively, be available to assist the Editor at his/her request in all matters pertaining to the journal. The Editorial Board will meet at least once annually.
Section 4. Publication Committee
The Standing Publication Committee of the Council of the Southern Society of Clinical Investigation will oversee the activities of the Editor, the Associate Editors, and the Editorial Board; and will monitor the progress of the journal at regular intervals. The Committee shall report annually directly to the Council.
Section 5. Tenure of the Office of Editor and Editorial Board
The period of office of the Editor shall be three years. The Editor and each Member of the Editorial Board shall serve for a period of three years and may be re-elected.
Section 6. Election of the Editor
The Editor shall be selected for the SSCI, Inc. by the membership at the annual meeting prior to the expiration of the incumbent Editor. The nomination of a candidate for Editor shall be made by the Standing Publication Committee. The nominee will have received approval by the Council. Any Active Member is eligible to be elected Editor. Election shall be by secret ballot.
ARTICLE VIII
MEETINGS
The Society shall meet annually at a place and time to be designed by the Council. The Council is empowered to make firm, binding contractual commitments with cities and hotels for meetings as long as five years in advance. Expenses incurred at the annual meeting shall be borne by the Society in negotiation with other societies meeting jointly. The abstracts of all papers read at the annual meeting shall be reviewed by members of the participating societies. Reviewers from the Society will be selected by the President of the Society and published in a suitable journal. The Program Committee for the succeeding year shall consist of the President and whomsoever he may wish to appoint.
ARTICLE IX
QUORUM
Any number of active and associate members present at the annual meeting shall constitute a quorum.
ARTICLE X
DUES
The annual dues of the Society shall be fixed by the Council from time to time. Reduced membership dues shall be offered to associate and emeritus members. The non-payment of dues for three consecutive years automatically carries with it forfeiture of membership.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendments to the constitution must be proposed in writing by five active members and submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer shall make available to each member a copy of the proposed amendment at least one month before the annual meeting either by mail or by posting on the website. Final action may be taken either then or one year hence. At least twenty percent of the active members must vote on a proposed amendment. For adoption, an amendment shall require an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the ballots which are cast.
ARTICLE XII
DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of the Society, the Council shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the Society, dispose of all of the assets of the Society exclusively for the purposes of the Society in such manner or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, education, religious or scientific purposes, as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under #501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the Council shall determine.