The S.A.S.V.E.P.M. Constituton

The society will be named the Southern African Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Society will be to promote veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership will be open to persons either actively engaged or interested in veterinary epidemiology and preventive medicine.

Membership is conditional on the return to the Honorary Secretary of a completed application form and subscription equivalent to the rate for one calendar year. Subsequent subscriptions fall due on the first day of May each year.

Non-payment of subscription for three months will be interpreted as resignation from the Society.

OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY

The Officers of the Society will be President, Vice-President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee of the Society normally will comprise the officers of the Society and not more than two ordinary elected members. However, the Committee will have powers of co-option.

Should any member of the Executive Committee be no longer capable of, or willing to perform the duties required of them by the Executive Committee, for what ever reason, and if the majority of the remaining members of the Executive Committee are in agreement, then that member can be asked by the remaining members of the committee to vacate their office of portfolio.

If the member of the Executive Committee asked to vacate his or her post is in disagreement with the rest of the Executives decision in this matter, then he or she will be entitled to request the President to call a special meeting of all society members within 21 days of having received notice to stand down and the matter will then be decided by a 2/3 majority vote at the special meeting.

In the event of a portfolio in the Executive Committee becoming vacant, the Executive Committee may decide at their own discretion how the portfolio can be temporarily filled until the next AGM when a new candidate can be elected.

ELECTION

The election of office bearers and ordinary committee members will take place at the Annual General Meeting. Members of the Executive Committee will be elected for a period of two years.

Only half of the committee members (3) will be eligible for election at each AGM. The remaining half will become eligible for election at the following AGM. The President and Vice president may not stand for election at the same AGM. Retiring members of the Executive Committee will be eligible for re-election.

No member may serve for a continuous period of more than six years after which they will not be eligible for election for at least one year.

Members of the SASVEPM will receive nomination forms with notification of the Annual General Meeting. Completed nomination forms, including the signatures of a proposer, seconder, and the nominee, will be returned to the Secretary at least 21 days before the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Unless a nomination is unopposed, election will be by secret ballot at the Annual General Meeting. Only in the event of there being no nomination for any vacant post will the Chairperson take nominations at the Annual General Meeting. Tellers will be appointed by unanimous agreement of the Annual General Meeting.

FINANCE

An annual subscription will be paid by each member in advance on the first day of May each year. The amount for the following year will be decided at the annual general meeting and will be decided by a simple majority vote of members present at the Annual General Meeting.

The Honorary Treasurer will receive, for the use of the Society, all monies payable to it and from such monies will pay all sums payable by the Society. He will keep account of all such receipts and payments in a manner directed by the Executive Committee. All monies received by the Society will be paid into such a bank as may be decided by the Executive Committee of the Society and in the name of the Society. All cheques will be signed by the Honorary Treasurer and either the President or the Honorary Secretary.

An external auditor will be appointed annually by members at the Annual General Meeting. The audited accounts and balance sheet will be circulated to members with the notice concerning the Annual General Meeting and will be presented to the meeting.

MEETINGS

Ordinary general meetings of the Society will be held at such a time as the Executive Committee may decide on the recommendations of members. The Annual General Meeting will be held in conjunction with an ordinary general meeting.

All meetings will be convened by notice at least 21 days before the meeting.

The President will preside at all general and executive meetings or, in his absence, the Vice-President or, in his absence, the Honorary Secretary or, in his absence, the Honorary Treasurer. Failing any of these, the members present will elect one of their number to preside as Chairperson.

The conduct of all business transacted will be under the control of the Chairperson, to whom all remarks must be addressed and whose ruling on a point of order, or on the admissibility of an explanation, will be final and will not be open to discussion at the meeting at which it is delivered. However, this rule will not preclude any member from raising any question upon the ruling of the chair by notice of motion.

In case of an equal division of votes, the Chairperson of the meeting will have a second and casting vote.

GUESTS

Members may invite non-members to ordinary general meetings. Non-members have no voting rights.

PUBLICATION

The proceedings of the meetings of the Society will not be reported either in part or in whole without the written permission of the Executive Committee.

The Society may produce publications at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

GENERAL

All executive committee members on election will be supplied with a copy of this constitution.

No alteration will be made to these rules except by a two-thirds majority of those members voting at an Annual General Meeting of the Society, and then only if notice of intention to alter the constitution concerned will have appeared in the notice convening the meeting. A quorum will constitute twenty per cent of members.

Any matter not provided for in this constitution will be dealt with at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

August 2005