THORACIC SURGERY RESIDENCY ADMINISTRATORS/COORDINATORS SECTION BY-LAWS
(Revised 1/28/2007)
Article I
Name:
The name of this organization is the Thoracic Surgery Residency Administrators/Coordinators Section, hereinafter referred to as "the TS-RACS."
Article II
Objectives:
The objectives of the TS-RACS are to -
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provide a forum for the interchange of ideas and information relating to the education of thoracic surgery residents;
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assist in the identification and solution of educational and administrative problems that may arise in the conduct of thoracic surgery residency programs;
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serve as the advocate of resident education in the various professional agencies, boards, councils and committees that influence the specialty of Thoracic Surgery; and,
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represent the TS-RACS of residencies in Thoracic Surgery that have been approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). These individuals shall hereinafter be referred to as the TS-RACS.
Article III
Membership, Privileges and Responsibilities
Section 1.
Membership:
Each Residency Administrator/Coordinator of an approved Thoracic Surgery residency program is a member of the TS-RACS, and is expected to participate in its deliberations and endeavors, including a uniform Matching Program for resident selection. Termination of membership in the TS-RACS will occur if (1) an individual ceases to be an Administrator/Coordinator, (2) a Director fails to pay annual dues or meet his/her fiscal responsibility to the TSDA, or (3) an Administrator/Coordinator or his/her designee (authorized as a result of prior request to the Secretary/Treasurer) fails to attend one of every two meetings. Should an individual with specific ongoing responsibilities to the TS-RACS cease to be an Administrator/Coordinator, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, discharge of these responsibilities may continue until their completion.
Section 2.
Voting Privileges:
Each approved program is accorded one vote for transacting the business of the TS-RACS. This vote is executed by the Administrator/Coordinator. No proxies or substitutions are permitted without prior written notice to the Secretary-Treasurer by the Administrator/Coordinator. The TS-RACS Executive Committee may request voting via email.
Section 3.
Approved Programs:
For purposes of membership in the TSDA (and TS-RACS), an "approved program" is defined as a thoracic surgery residency program which is recommended for approval by the Residency Review Committee (RRC) for Thoracic Surgery and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The Director of such an approved program is identified by the RRC as that individual authorized to sign the applications of his/her graduates for the certifying examination by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS).
Article IV
Officers and Committees
Section 1.
A. Officers:
The officers of the TS-RACS shall be elected by the membership and will consist of the following:
1. President (2-year term)
2. President-Elect (2-year term)
3. Secretary-Treasurer (2-year term)
4. Councilors-at-Large (2) (3-year term)
B. Terms of Office:
The President and President Elect shall each hold office for two years or until their successors are duly elected by the membership and may not succeed themselves. The President-Elect, at the end of a two-year term, shall automatically become President.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall hold office for two years or until a successor is elected by the membership and may not succeed himself/herself.
The two Councilors-at-Large shall each hold office for three years and may not succeed themselves.
If the office of the President becomes vacant by reason of death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal from office or otherwise, the President-Elect shall become President, fill the remainder of the unexpired term, and then complete his/her two year term of office. Such unexpected progression of the President-Elect to the office of President shall result in an election of a new President-Elect by the Administrators/Coordinators at the next meeting of the TS-RACS. The term of the new President-Elect shall coincide with the term of office of the then President. Should the office of the Secretary-Treasurer or either Councilor-at-Large become vacant, the Executive Committee then in office may, by majority vote, choose a successor(s). Such successor(s) shall hold office for the unexpired term with respect to the vacancy occurring.
C. Duties of Officers
1. President:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the TS-RACS and the TS-RACS Executive Committee; shall perform all other duties usually associated with the office of President, including the appointment of various committees as set forth in these articles, or as directed by the TS-RACS Executive Committee and/or the assembled members at regular meetings of the TS-RACS; with the aid and advice of the other officers, shall be responsible for developing a program for the regularly scheduled meetings; and as chief executive officer of the TS-RACS, shall be a member or ex-officio member without vote on all committees.
2. President-Elect:
If the President is absent or unable to act, the President-Elect will perform the duties and exercise the powers of the President and will be a member or ex-officio member without vote on all committees.
3. Secretary-Treasurer:
The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare and distribute minutes of all meetings of the TS-RACS; shall maintain the records of the TS-RACS including a list of all members and their addresses; shall initiate notices of forthcoming meetings and conduct any correspondence deemed necessary by the TS-RACS and/or the Executive Committee; shall collect all moneys, make all authorized disbursements and render an account thereof to the TS-RACS; shall obtain review of the financial records and assure proper reporting of the tax status of the TS-RACS; and shall be a member, or ex-officio member without vote, of all committees.
Section 2
Committees
A. Executive Committee:
1. Members of the Executive Committee are the President, the President-Elect, the immediate past President, the Secretary-Treasurer and the two elected Councillors at Large.
2. The Executive Committee shall generally manage the affairs of the TS-RACS. During the interval between meetings, it shall serve as the administrative and policy making body of the TS-RACS. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
3. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at such times and places as may be agreed upon by a majority of the Executive Committee, or in the event of disagreement, as designated by the President.
B. Standing Committees:
Standing Committees are established using members of the TS-RACS and shall perform such duties and functions as assigned by the President or the Executive Committee of the TS-RACS. All standing committees shall be composed of members appointed by the President and subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
All standing committees of the TSDA shall have a TS-RACS representative assigned by the President or the Executive Committee of the TS-RACS.
C. Ad Hoc Committees
Ad Hoc committees may be established from time to time by the President or the Executive Committee, to accomplish specific and limited goals. They may not continue for more than two years without affirmative action by the membership of the TSDA in regular session.
Article V
Executive Director:
The Executive Committee shall appoint a chief administrative officer hereinafter designated the Executive Director. The Executive Director shall be responsible for the operational management of the affairs of the TS-RACS under the executive direction of the President and Secretary/Treasurer. As primary custodian of the TS-RACS funds, the Executive Director shall be bonded in an amount sufficient to safeguard the financial assets of the TS-RACS.
Article VI
Finances
Section 1
The fiscal year of the TS-RACS shall coincide with the calendar year dating from January 1. The books shall be kept and reported on this basis.
Section 2
The President and/or Secretary-Treasurer shall have the power to execute documents and binding commitments on behalf of the TS-RACS consistent with the policies established by the Executive Committee.
Article VII
Meetings
Section 1
One TS-RACS meetings shall be held each year at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting. A majority of the membership of the TS-RACS shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2
There will be at least one meeting of the Executive Committee each year.
Article VIII
Newly Revised Robert's Rules of Order
Section 1
Any question of order not provided by these articles shall be determined by parliamentary usage as contained in Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Article IX
Amendments
Section 1
These articles may not be changed except by a two-thirds vote of the members present at regularly called meetings, and further provided that the proposed alteration or amendment will have been moved and seconded at the previous regular meeting, and that printed copies of the suggested alteration or amendment shall have been circulated among the members, and that the members shall have been specifically advised that such alteration or amendment will be voted upon.
Article X
Membership, Privileges and Responsibilities
Section 1
Membership
Each Administrator/Coordinator of an approved Thoracic Surgery residency program is a member of the TS-RACS and is expected to participate in its deliberations and endeavors, including a uniform Matching Program for resident selection. Termination of membership in the Association will occur if a Administrator/Coordinator fails to participate in the Match without the specific authorization of the Executive Committee.
