Draft Statutes

AUSTRALASIAN PANCREATIC CLUB (APC)
Founded 2002

Article I

Name

An association is hereby constituted, named "The Australasian Pancreatic Club" (APC). The association will be housed in the office of the Secretary General.

Article II

Duration and dissolution

(i) The association is established for an indefinite term.

(ii) In the event of the dissolution of the APC, the council is responsible for the liquidation of the association. The remaining assets will be distributed according to the decision of the members for future use exclusively for the same goals as those pursued by the APC.

Article III

Aims

(i) The APC is a non-profit making organisation with the following aims:

(A) To promote communication between basic and clinical scientists interested in the pancreas and its disorders.
(B) To promote and organise an annual scientific meeting devoted to all aspects of the pancreas.

(C) To promote scientific, epidemiological and clinical research into pancreatic function and into the prevention, diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic diseases.

(D) To establish scholarships and promote postgraduate education and training.

(E) To support other meetings concerning the pancreas organised by members of the APC.

(F) To disseminate information about APC activities, and publish such educational matter as the APC council may consider desirable.

(ii) Central funds will be retained to serve the APC to fulfil its scientific and social purposes.

Article IV

Membership

(i) Membership of the association is open to anyone with an interest in the pancreas. The membership shall remain valid as long as the membership fees suggested by the Executive Council and approved by the General Assembly are paid. Only members of the APC may vote at the annual General Assembly.

(ii) Any liability of the association is strictly limited to its assets. Neither the members of the association nor the members of the Council shall be subject to payment of association debts to any extent whatsoever.

Article V

General Assembly

(i) The General Assembly of the association is the highest organ of the APC. It consists of the members of the APC.

(ii) The General Assembly decides on the election of president, secretary, treasurer and councillors of the APC, accounts, annual fee, alteration of the constitution, co-operation with other societies, and dissolution of the association.

(iii) A quorum of the General Assembly exists if at least 30% of the members participating in the annual APC meeting are present.

(iv) Voting by proxy registered in writing is permitted on a motion previously circulated with the agenda. Each member present or voting by proxy is entitled to one vote.

(v) Decisions of the General Assembly (other than those otherwise stipulated) will be agreed by a simple majority of those voting in person or voting by proxy. Decisions to alter the constitution will require a two-thirds majority of those voting in person or voting by proxy on said motion. The decision on the dissolution of the association will require a two-thirds majority of all members.

Article VI

Council

(i) The executive council of the APC will consist of the President, the President elect, the past President, the Secretary General and four general councillors. The President will preside over the APC for one year and shall chair all meetings of the Council.

(ii) The Council will nominate candidates for those vacancies that exist. The General Assembly finally approves these candidates or nominates alternative candidates, according to the rules stipulated in Article V.

(iii) Two of the general councillors should be basic scientists. The term of each general councillor is limited to 3 years and cannot be re-elected. In the event of an unexpected vacancy, the Council shall nominate a substitute but will require ratification by the General Assembly. The Secretary General will serve for a maximum term of 5 years. The Secretary General cannot be re-elected.

The President

(i) The President and the site for forthcoming meetings shall be decided by the General Assembly strictly 1 year in advance after nomination by the council. The president will be responsible for the organisation of the annual meetings as detailed in Article X.

(ii) The presidency should alternate between a basic and clinical scientist.

The Secretary General

(i) The Secretary General will attend to the affairs of the association and the Council and will keep minutes of all its meetings. The Secretary General shall send to each Member of the APC details of the decisions taken at the General Assembly, within three months of each meeting.

(ii) The Secretary General is entrusted with the funds of the APC, their collection, their safe-keeping, and disbursement at the direction of the Council. The budget and audited annual accounts will be prepared by the Secretary General and must be presented to the Council and General Assembly every year. The Secretary General will have the authority to sign individually according to rules to be set up by the Council.

Article VII

Responsibilities of the Council

The APC is managed by the Council. The Council decides on all matters not specifically assigned to the General Assembly. The Council notably has the following responsibilities:

(A) Administration of the APC business.

(B) Organisation of the annual APC-meeting as detailed in Article X.

(C) Delegation of responsibilities to sub-committees or working parties as appropriate.

(D) Approval of the accounts.

(E) Preparation and executing of rules and regulations for the management of the APC.

Article VIII

Quorum and voting of the Council

(i) A quorum of the Council exists if fifty percent (50%) of the nominated representatives on the Council are present.

(ii) Voting by proxy registered in writing is permitted on a motion previously circulated with the agenda. Each representative on the Council present or voting by proxy is entitled to one vote.

(iii) Decisions of the Council (other than those otherwise stipulated) will be agreed by a simple majority of those voting in person or those voting by proxy. In the event of an equally divided vote, the President shall have a casting vote. The President may empower the Secretary General to hold a postal vote on motions circulated in writing. In this case, a quorum of the Council exists if 50% of the Council have exercised their voting right.

Article IX

Sub-committees

The Council may form sub-committees to undertake specific tasks and duties designated by the Council (Article VII C). All sub-committees must report and are answerable to the Council. The Council may nominate to the sub-committees persons who are not member of the Council. Such persons may attend meetings of the Council by invitation, but may not vote.

Article X

Organisation of the APC meetings

(i) The President (clinician or basic scientist) and President-elect (basic scientist or clinician) have overall responsibility for the APC meeting.

(ii) The organisation of the annual meeting is delegated to the President at the venue selected by the General Assembly, subject to guidelines prepared by the Council.

(iii) The President must report on the progress of the meeting to Council as often as the Council may require.

(iv) The meetings shall normally last a maximum two lf days.

(v) The scientific content of the meeting remains the responsibility of the Council which may establish sub-committees to design the programme.

(vi) Scientific communications shall be selected by a committee comprising the President and two designated members of the APC for Basic Sciences and two members for Clinical Sciences. The nomination for this group will be dealt with in the same way as for the executive Council. Members of the abstract selection group will serve for 3 years and be elected by the General Assembly of the APC. Members of the abstract selection group may be re-elected to serve more than one term.

(vii) Abstracts in English of no more than two hundred and fifty words should be sent to this committee some six weeks before the meeting. Only studies unpublished at the time of submission of the abstracts will be accepted. Communications shall not exceed 15 minutes to permit amply time for discussion. An outlined programme of the meeting should be circulated to all registered participants in advance of the meeting.

(viii) A registration fee is payable by all participants at the meeting, the amount to be determined by the President and approved by Council at least 6 months before the meeting. The registration fees will be reduced for members of the APC and further reduced for members aged less than 35 years.

Article XI

Change of Statutes

Revised Statues ratified at APC Council Meeting.

March 10th, 2003