Bylaws, Adopted January 2010
ARTICLE I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Management Sciences and Patient Safety Division of the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC).
ARTICLE II: Purposes
The purpose of the Management Sciences and Patient Safety Division (hereinafter referred to as the Division) shall be to advance and promote the study and practice of management sciences and patient safety in clinical laboratory medicine.
ARTICLE III: Goals
The goals of the Management Sciences and Patient Safety Division are to advance the goals of ADLM:
- To establish forums for the exchange of information and ideas for those individuals interested in laboratory management and patient safety, within industry, government, or private sector laboratories.
- To encourage and promote high standards of management and patient safety in all areas of clinical laboratory medicine.
- To communicate written and oral information in the area of laboratory management and patient safety among members of the Division and of the ADLM.
ARTICLE IV: Governing Rules
The division shall be subject to and governed by the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC), Inc. (herein called "ADLM") and no part of the Bylaws of the Division shall be in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the ADLM.
ARTICLE V: Membership
Section 1. Membership in the Division shall be open to all members in good standing of the ADLM who indicate in writing to the Secretary of the Management Sciences and Patient Safety Division their wish to join the Division or who check the appropriate box on the annual ADLM dues statement, and who pay, the annual dues established by the Division.
Section 2. Privileges of membership in the Division shall be established by the Executive Committee of the Division and may include, but are not restricted to, holding of elective office in the Division, voting, and reduced registration fees at workshops, symposia and other meetings held apart from the Annual Meeting of the ADLM.
Section 3. The Division has no assets owned separately from ADLM and all assets are deemed to belong to ADLM.
Section 4. Only Officers of the Division may represent the Division in professional matters.
Section 5. Any member may resign by so indicating in writing to the Division Secretary. No refund of dues shall be forthcoming.
ARTICLE VI: Officers
Section 1. Officers of the Division shall be Members in good standing of the ADLM and the Division, and shall consist of the Chair, Chair¬-elect, Past Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2. Terms of service shall be alternating years for the Chair, Chair elect, Past Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Terms of office shall start on January 1 and terminate on December 31. Chair elect will, be elected bi annually and shall begin the term in even years. After two years as Chair elect, this officer will serve as Chair for two years, followed by two years as Past Chair. The Secretary and Treasurer will be elected in alternate years and shall begin their terms in even and odd years, respectively.
Section 3. Elections may be conducted by mail or electronic or by other means at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Ties will be resolved by mechanisms to be defined at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Division. Elections should be conducted so that Officers are elected and results announced by December 1 of each year.
The nominee receiving a plurality of votes for each office shall be elected. If a newly elected officer cannot assume office by January 1, the individual in that position on December 31 shall continue to serve until replaced by a duly elected successor.
Candidates for office shall be approved by a simple majority of the Executive Committee upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
Any officer who is grossly negligent in fulfilling the duties as described in these by laws may be removed by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
If an office becomes vacant, the vacancy shall be filled at the next regularly scheduled election. Prior to the filling of the vacancy, the Chair will appoint a temporary officer subject to approval by a majority of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Duties of officers shall be those generally associated with these titles and shall include the following elements:
A. Chair
Coordinate Division activities.
Preside at meetings of the Executive Committee.
Organize the Division Business Meetings.
Promote the Division's general mission of education.
Ensure that the Division provides topics for the ADLM Annual Meeting.
Coordinate periodic and annual reports as required.
B. Chair Elect
Preside at meetings in the absence of the Chair.
Serve as Chair of the program committee.
Accede to office of CHAIR as defined in Bylaws.
C. Secretary
Keep minutes of all meetings of the Division and submit for approval to the Executive Committee.
Submit approved minutes and election results to the Newsletter editor for publication in the newsletter.
Carry out such correspondence of the Division as required by the ADLM and/or delegated by the Chair.
D. Treasurer
Maintain accurate and current records of all credits, debits, and balances.
Present a financial report of receipts, disbursements, current balances at Executive Committee meetings and Business meetings of the Division.
E. Past Chair
Serve on the Nominating committee.
Direct long range planning activities of the Division.
ARTICLE VII: Committees
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the Chair, Chair Elect, Past Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Newsletter Editor and up to four Members-at-large. The Chair of the Division shall be the Chair of the Executive Committee. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the executive committee and at least one elected Officer.
Section 2. The Chair of the Division will appoint up to four Members at large with majority approval of the Elected Officers.
Section 3. The Chair of the Division will appoint a Newsletter Editor with majority approval of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. The Chair with the approval of the Executive Committee shall appoint an Education Chair who will provide long range planning and interaction with the Annual ADLM Meeting Organizing Committee and carry out other educational activities of the Division. This Chair may be one of the elected officers or one of the Members at large of the Executive Committee.
Section 5. Except as specifically noted otherwise in these By Laws, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to manage all of the affairs and assets of the Division. I
Section 6. The Executive Committee shall meet at least two times per year, one of which will be held in conjunction with the ADLM Annual Meeting. The Executive Committee shall meet either at the call of the Chair or upon request of a majority of the Executive Committee members.
Section 7. The Executive Committee may appoint such other committees as are needed. These committees shall continue until dissolved by the Executive Committee.
Section 8. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three members of the Division appointed by Chair. The Past Chair will serve as one of the Nominating Committee members. The function of this committee shall be to provide a slate of candidates for each of the elected offices as needed. The committee shall submit its report to the Executive Committee by September 1st.
ARTICLE VIII: Finances
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Division shall coincide with the fiscal year of the ADLM.
Section 2. Members shall pay annual dues, the amount of which shall be decided yearly by the Executive Committee in accordance with the By Laws of the ADLM.
ARTICLE IX: Meetings
Section 1. An annual business meeting for the general membership shall be held at the Annual ADLM meeting each year. Business requiring a vote of the membership shall be conducted only at this meeting, except as provided elsewhere in these By Laws. When so determined by a majority of the Executive Committee, voting by the membership may be conducted by mail or by electronic or other means.
Section 2. Special meetings of the Division may be called by the Executive Committee, if notice is given to the membership at east eight weeks in advance by publication in the Newsletter of the Division or in writing to the membership. The nature of business to be conducted at such a meeting shall be made public as well as the outcome or decisions reached at such a meeting.
Section 3. A quorum for the conduct of business at a general meeting shall consist of a majority of the executive committee and those members present at the meeting. At all meetings where questions of parliamentary procedure arise, Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail.
ARTICLE X: Amendments to By Laws
These By laws may be amended by affirmative mail or electronic or other means vote of two thirds of the voting members of the Division who respond with a vote by the date indicated.
ARTICLE XI: Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Division, any assets of the Division shall be transferred to the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine (formerly AACC) so long as that organization continues to be exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code of 1954 as amended or under successor provision of the code as may be in effect at that time.