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original edition .... 1968
revised edition .... 1972
revised edition .... 1982
revised edition .... 1988
revised edition .... 2008
ARTICLE I - OBJECTIVES
Endocrinology is defined as the discipline of biomedical research devoted to the study of hormones and growth factors and the glands and cells which secrete them, in healthy animals and in humans, and diseases resulting from their dysfunction.
The Society shall be the global co-ordinator of Endocrinological activity. It will disseminate knowledge of endocrinology globally by organizing international meetings, supporting trainees in endocrinology, facilitating collaboration among its national membership and by publishing books, reports and other papers relating thereto.
ARTICLE II – GENERAL COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
The General Council will consist of members of national scientific societies of endocrinology who will automatically qualify for membership. When there is more than one recognised endocrine society in any given country, each may apply for membership subject to approval by the Executive Committee.
Each member shall have one representative on the General Council (usually the national society President or Chairman or his/her designated deputy) who will also be the point of contact between ISE and that National society. Any member may withdraw from the Society through a written resignation to the Secretary-Treasurer three months prior to the end of the calendar year.
Each member society shall inform the Secretary-Treasurer by the 30 November each year of the number of individual members.
ARTICLE III – THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The affairs of the Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee composed of the Secretary-Treasurer ex-officio, a Chairman and nine additional representatives of the members elected or appointed as hereinafter provided.
The Chairman, Secretary-Treasurer and members of the Executive Committee shall not be entitled to remuneration but shall be entitled to receive reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the Society and approved by the Executive Committee according to established travel policies.
Election of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of a Chairman, a Secretary-Treasurer, 2 members designated by The Endocrine Society (USA), 2 members designated by the European Society of Endocrinology, one member designated by Central and South America, one member designated by The Japan Endocrine Society and 3 nominations from “representatives at large” (ideally not including the above member societies). Members of the Executive Committee shall be by name and cannot be replaced by any other person during term of office, unless extenuating circumstances pertain.
Each member of the Executive Committee shall serve for four years to include two ISE-affiliated meetings. The Chairman of the Executive Committee will be elected from among the existing Executive Committee members of at least 2 years standing by simple majority and will serve an additional 4 years, such that the Chairman may serve a maximum of 8 years on the Executive Committee. Eligible members of the Executive Committee will notify the Secretary-Treasurer of their willingness to serve as Chairman at least one month before the General Council meeting.
Executive Committee members will duly vote for their preferred candidate; in the event of a tie the then current Chairman will have a casting vote. The Chairman will then be replaced on the Executive Committee by an additional nominee from his/her geographical origin (TES, ESE, Central and South America, Japan Endocrine Society, “representative at large”).
At large representatives will be nominated from members outside TES, ESE, Central and South America and Japan. Nominations will be circulated at least one full month before each two-yearly meeting of the General Council and each member asked to vote. Nominations with the highest votes will be duly elected on the Executive Committee.
Secretary-Treasurer. At a time of transition for ISE, the existing Secretary-Treasurer will remain in post until 2012. Thereafter the Secretary-Treasurer will be elected from the Executive Committee by simple majority and serve for 4 years. As with the Chairman, the Secretary-Treasurer will be replaced on the Executive Committee by an additional nominee from his/her geographical origin (TES, ESE, Central and South America, Japan Endocrine Society, “representative at large”).
Where relevant, voting for the Officers of Chairman and Secretary Treasurer will involve current and retiring members of the Executive Committee and not their replacements.
ARTICLE IV – ADMINISTRATIVE MEETINGS
1. General Council
The General Council shall meet at least every 2 years at scheduled Endocrinology meetings. The quorum for all General Council meetings will be not less than 25% of those representatives (or substitutes) of The Society.
The General Council, presided over by the Chairman of the Executive Committee shall:
(1) Receive a report from the Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Committee members concerning the activities and finances of the Society since the last General Council meeting;
(2) Review forthcoming International Congress of Endocrinology meetings – budgets, time, place and updates on their organising committees. (See Appendix I for revised meetings structure);
(3) Review the results of electronic ballots for Executive Committee membership and where applicable Chairman and Secretary-Treasurer of the ISE;
(4) Review the results of nominations put forward for endocrinologists of member societies to serve on the programme organising committee for International meetings;
(5) Consider other ISE business matters which may seem appropriate.
Representatives should insure that any matters they wish to place on the Agenda should be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer not later than one month prior to the scheduled meeting.
At the General Council each representative of membership societies (or their deputy) and Executive Committee members shall have one vote. The Chairman of the Executive Committee will also act as the Chair of the General Council and shall have a casting vote.
The General Council shall have power from time-to-time by resolution to appoint the Executive Committee Officers, and or representative or representatives on behalf of the Society to sign specific contracts, documents and instruments in writing.
2. Executive Committee
This Committee shall meet every year to consider business matters raised by or brought to the notice of the Secretary-Treasurer. At the discretion of the Secretary-Treasurer or the Chairman or at the request of a minimum of one-fourth of the members entitled to a vote on the General Council an e-mail/ postal vote of the General Council may be carried out to decide issues of substance.
In addition, this meeting will review progress on the strategic aims of ISE and update where required and will plan and approve budgets for the forthcoming year.
ARTICLE V – SECRETARY-TREASURER
The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer comprise:
- Manage an office to co-ordinate all activities of ISE including review and implementation of strategic aims;
- Management of financial accounts and budget and submission of annual tax returns. As the Treasurer of the Society, receive annual fees from members and keep the Society’s accounts;
- Liaison with members of General Council through regular e-mail and mailshots;
- Maintenance of ISE website;
- Prepare reports for annual Executive Committee meeting and biennial General Council meeting;
- Point of contact and assistance with organising committees for International Endocrinology meetings;
- Custodian of the corporate seal of the Society.
Upon assuming office, the Secretary-Treasurer will nominate a deputy to carry out his/her functions in his/her absence. The deputy should be approved by the Executive Committee. In the event of the resignation, death or disability (as determined by the Executive Committee) of the Secretary-Treasurer this deputy shall serve as the Secretary-Treasurer until the next meeting of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI – SUBSCRIPTIONS
Member societies shall pay the annual membership fee fixed by the Executive Committee, following negotiation of said fee between the Secretary-Treasurer and the member concerned, to the Secretary-Treasurer for the account of the Society. In fixing the amount of the fee, the size of the national society concerned and other relevant factors shall be taken into account. In special circumstances, the annual membership fee of an individual member may be waived at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
The fees shall be payable the first day of January of each year. In the event of failure to pay the fee by the first of May in any one year, voting rights will automatically be suspended until the fee is received, unless specifically waived.
ARTICLE VII
By-laws of the Society may be enacted, repealed or amended by by-law enacted by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members attending the General Council at any ordinary or extraordinary meeting thereof provided that proposals for the by-laws to be enacted, repealed or amended are distributed by the Secretary-Treasurer to the representatives on the General Council at least one month prior to the meeting at which they are to be considered. Representatives who do not attend the meeting shall be entitled to appoint as proxy another representative to the General Council to vote at any ordinary or extraordinary meeting thereof.
APPENDIX I – REVISED ISE MEETINGS SCHEDULE
The International Congress of Endocrinology (ICE) meeting in Brazil 2008 will be the last ‘stand alone’ ICE meeting. Thereafter ISE will work with its member societies to hold a two yearly ISE-affiliated meeting in rotation; (1) Oceania, Asia and Australasia (meeting fixed for Kyoto, Japan, 2010), (2) Europe and Africa, (3) The Americas.
ISE will:
- In discussion with the host of the ICE affiliated meeting, contribute endocrinologists from member societies to the scientific programme organising committee (POC). Nominations will be sought that increase the geographical representation to the meeting (eg endocrinologists from Africa, Asia, Oceania and Americas for a meeting in Europe);
- Where appropriate reimburse travel expenses for ISE POC members to plan the meeting and cover the registration fee of ISE POC members to attend the meeting;
- Provide travel fellowships for younger endocrinologists to attend and participate in the ICE meetings. These will be prioritized geographically depending on the meeting venue;
- Promote the meeting globally through mailshots, e-mail, website and partnership with affiliated publishing bodies, thereby increasing attendance at the meeting;
- Receive from the host member society a mutually agreed upon component of the registration fee to the meeting.
In addition, outwith this main 2 year meeting, ISE will foster the globalization and inter-regional development of, existing National meetings, offering ISE supported symposia, plenary lectures, particularly to member societies from emerging nations.
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