American College of Epidemiology             Bylaws                Official version (download pdf)
Revised September 21, 1984 Revised September 26, 1986 Revised October 6, 1988 Revised October 1989 Revised August 1990 Revised November 1991 Revised September 1992 Revised September 1997 Revised October 1999
	The American College of Epidemiology is a professional organization of epidemiologists that serves the interests of its members through sponsorship of scientific meetings, publications and educational activities, recognizing outstanding contributions to the field and advocating for issues pertinent to epidemiology.

ARTICLE I. Membership

Section 1. There shall be seven classes of membership: 1) Members, 2) Overseas Members, 3) Fellows, 4) Overseas Fellows, 5) Honorary Fellows, 6) Fellows Emeriti. and 7) Associate Members.

Section 2. Any person who is a permanent resident of the Americas and who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to have satisfied the following criteria shall be eligible to be a Member: a doctoral degree in epidemiology; or a doctoral degree in a field relevant to epidemiology and specific formal training in epidemiology of at least one year's duration equivalent to a Master of Science degree; or a doctoral degree in a field relevant to epidemiology and at least two years of supervised and structured experience in the practice of epidemiology; or a doctoral degree in a field relevant to epidemiology and demonstrated sustained experience and productivity in the practice of epidemiology.

Section 3. Any person who is not a permanent resident of the Americas and who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to have satisfied the criteria for Membership shall be eligible to be an Overseas Member.

Section 4. Any person who is a permanent resident of the Americas and who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to have satisfied the following criteria shall be eligible to be a Fellow: 1) the criteria for Members, and 2) clear evidence of significant and sustained academic and/or other professional contributions to the field of epidemiology. Any Member who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to have made sufficient contributions to the field of epidemiology shall be eligible to be a Fellow.

Section 5. Any person who is not a permanent resident of the Americas, who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to have satisfied the criteria for Fellows shall be eligible to be an Overseas Fellow.

Section 6. Any distinguished epidemiologist may be elected as an Honorary Fellow. Candidates shall be chosen by a committee consisting of the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and two other members of the Board of Directors appointed by the President annually. Honorary Fellows shall be entitled to all the privileges of Fellows except voting and serving as officers or directors and shall be exempt from the payment of dues.

Section 7. Any Fellow in good standing who reaches her/his 65th birthday and has retired from active professional work may apply for Emeritus status. Each application shall be considered individually by the Committee on Admissions with recommendation to the Board of Directors. A Fellow Emeritus shall be exempt from the payment of dues and may not hold office or vote.

Section 8. Any person who is a permanent resident of the Americas and who has been deemed by the Committee on Admissions to be enrolled in training that, when completed satisfactorily, would qualify the applicant for admission into the College shall be eligible to be an Associate Member. The maximum term for Associate Members shall be five years. Proof of continuance of training shall be submitted annually.

Section 9. Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of Fellows except those of serving as chairpersons of standing committees. Overseas Members and Overseas Fellows shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership except those of serving as officers, directors, or chairpersons of committees. Associate Members shall be entitled to all the privileges of membership except those of voting or serving as officers, directors, or chairpersons of committees.

Section 10. The qualifying training and experience of each applicant will be reviewed by the Committee on Admissions, who in turn will make one of the following recommendations to the Board of Directors: election as a Member, Overseas Member, or Associate Member; election as a Fellow or Overseas Fellow; or not eligible for election.

Section 11. The Board of Directors, after receiving the report of the Committee on Admissions, may extend or deny membership to an applicant for any reason, whether or not specifically stated in these Bylaws. These reasons shall be made known to the applicant. Membership shall not be denied because of sex, race, ethnicity, religion or other prohibited grounds. Reapplication may be made after a lapse of two years from the date of the previous application.

ARTICLE II. Election to Membership

Section 1. An applicant for the rank of Fellow, Overseas Fellow, Member, Overseas Member, or Associate Member shall complete an application form. The application shall be sent to the Secretary.

Section 2. At least three times each year, the Committee on Admissions shall make its recommendations to the Board of Directors. A majority vote of the Board of Directors shall be necessary for election to any class of membership.

ARTICLE III. Termination of Membership

Any Member or Fellow in arrears of dues for two years will have his/her Membership or Fellowship in the College revoked. Reactivation will be by payment of current dues and any assessments. Members or Fellows who are three or more years in arrears must be reinstated by approval of a new application to the Committee on Admissions. Any Associate Member who is in arrears of dues for one year will have his/her membership revoked.

ARTICLE IV. Board of Directors

Section 1. The affairs of the College shall be managed by the Board of Directors, which shall consist of 12 elected Members or Fellows, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the President (if his/her term on the Board has expired), and the Immediate Past-President. Neither the Secretary nor the Treasurer shall be one of the 12 elected Board members. The Board of Directors shall have and may exercise all the powers of the College except as indicated by statute or by these Bylaws which require them to be exercised by other than the Directors.

Section 2. Each year, four Members or Fellows will be elected to the Board (from a slate of eight nominees) for a term of three years. One of the four newly elected Directors may be a Member. Should a vacancy occur during the unexpired term of a Director, the Board of Directors shall fill the vacancy until the next election. At the next election, a Director shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. No Director shall serve for more than two consecutive full terms. Directors shall hold office until their successors have been elected. The Board of Directors shall enter upon their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election.

Section 3. The President shall be elected by the members from among current Members of the Board or those who have served on the Board within the past two years. The Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected by the Board of Directors from the Fellows.

Section 4. The Officers shall enter upon their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election. The Officers shall have the authority and shall perform duties customarily pertaining to their respective offices.

Section 5. A quorum for a meeting of the Board of Directors shall consist of a majority of Directors which shall include at least one Officer. The Board may conduct business by mail, telephone, or e-mail providing a quorum is obtained.

Section 6. Any member of the Board of Directors who has two unexcused absences from a Board meeting shall be dropped from the Board.

ARTICLE V. Officers

Section 1. The Officers of the College shall be a President, a President-Elect, an Immediate Past-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The offices of the Secretary and Treasurer may be combined if the Board so directs. The President and the President-Elect shall be elected by mail ballot of the membership.

Section 2. The Officers shall enter upon their duties at the close of the annual meeting following their election.

Section 3. The President and the President-Elect shall hold office for one year or until their successors are elected. They shall not be eligible for re-election. Should the President be unable to serve out the elected term, the term will be served out by the Immediate Past President, if available, or by the President-Elect. The Secretary and the Treasurer shall hold office for five years or until their successors are elected.

Section 4. Vacancies occurring between annual meetings shall be filled by the Board of Directors for the unexpired term.

Section 5. The Officers shall have the authority and shall perform the duties customarily pertaining to their respective offices and shall have the power to act on behalf of the College between meetings of the Board.

Section 6. The Treasurer shall provide to the Board of Directors, when requested, a report showing an audit of the accounts. The Treasurer shall employ a certified public accountant or other appropriate individual for this function.

ARTICLE VI. Dues

Section 1. The amount of annual dues shall be determined by the College by vote of the majority of Fellows, Overseas Fellows, Members, and Overseas Members present at any regular meeting as determined by the Board of Directors. Any member who has paid annual dues shall be said to be a member "in good standing."

Section 2. Any Fellow, Overseas Fellow, Member, or Overseas Member in good standing may, for sufficient reason and with his/her consent be absolved by the Board of Directors from the payment of dues.

Section 3. The Board of Directors shall have the power to collect fees as necessary for education courses to remunerate instructors and pay other such expenses essential to the education program.

ARTICLE VII. Meetings of the College

Section 1. The time and place of the annual meeting shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

Section 2. A quorum shall consist of twenty-five Fellows or Members, including at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors and one Officer.

Section 3. The duration of the meeting shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

Section 4. Special meetings of the College may be called by the President or a majority of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VIII. Standing Committees

Section 1. The Committee on Admissions shall consist of the Secretary and the Treasurer, ex-officio, and five other Fellows or Members of the College. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President will appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. It shall be the duty of the Committee on Admissions to receive and judge applications for the various classes of membership and report to the Board of Directors. A retiring member of the Committee on Admissions shall not be re-appointed until at least one year has elapsed following the termination of his/her previous term.

Section 2. The Committee on Education shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. It shall be the duty of this Committee to develop educational courses pertaining to epidemiology and to oversee development of the scientific program for the annual meeting.

Section 3. The Committee on Finance shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member. It shall be the duty of the Committee to develop long-range planning and commitment of funds of the College, but the Committee will in no way assume the duties of either the Secretary or the Treasurer. The Committee shall make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding the investment of funds. It shall formulate proposals for the expenditure of funds in the form of a budget. The Committee shall advise the Treasurer and the Board of Directors on the disbursement of funds.

Section 4. The Committee on Publications shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve A term of one, two, three four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. The Committee shall be responsible for all scientific publications issued by the College.

Section 5. The Committee on Policy shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be A member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. The Committee shall be responsible for developing policy positions and statements for approval by the Board of Directors.

Section 6. The Committee on Awards shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. It shall be the duty of this Committee to select recipients for awards issued by the College.

Section 7. The Committee on Minority Affairs shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve A term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. It shall be the duty of the Committee to assess the status of minorities in the profession of epidemiology, to assess the role of the College in promoting increased representation, to recommend strategies for increasing the number of minority epidemiologists who are affiliated with the College, and to recommend actions to increase research on health concerns of minority populations.

Section 8. The President shall appoint the chairman of each standing committee annually. Reappointment is permissible, but no chairman shall serve for more than three consecutive years.

Section 9. Additional members may be appointed as needed by the Chair of any committee in consultation with the President.

Section 10. The Communications and Public Relations Committee shall consist of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a member of the Board of Directors. Initially The President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. Representation on the Committee shall include individuals from academia, industry, and federal and state government to ensure the fullest representation of practicing epidemiologists. The Committee shall serve as a liaison between the Board of Directors and Members/Fellows to ensure a timely and mutual exchange of information on matters pertaining to the practice of epidemiology.

Section 11. The Membership Committee shall consist of a minimum of five Fellows or Members. At least one of these shall be a Member of the Board of Directors. Initially, the President shall appoint five Fellows or Members to serve a term of one, two, three, four, or five years, respectively. One new Member or Fellow shall be appointed each year thereafter by the President to serve for five years. The Committee shall be responsible for developing policies and procedures to increase Membership, to retain existing Members, and to address issues related to member services.

ARTICLE IX. Special Committees

Section 1. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed annually. The outgoing Past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominating Committee. This committee shall consist of three Fellows or Members, no one of whom is a member of the Board of Directors. It shall be the duty of this Committee to present the names of at least two candidates for each vacancy on the Board of Directors. The nominees shall be selected with due regard to geographic representation and other considerations including gender and race/ethnicity. Additional names for consideration may be submitted by mail by any Fellow or Member six months prior to the annual meeting. The names of those agreeing to serve and a brief curriculum vitae for these candidates shall be distributed by mail ballot at least six weeks prior to the annual meeting, and the results of the election shall be announced at the annual meeting.

Section 2. The Committee on Arrangements for each annual meeting, consisting of three Fellows or Members, shall be appointed and its chairman designated by the President. The Committee shall serve as a Subcommittee of the Education Committee. At least one Member of the Education Committee will serve as an ex-officio Member of the Committee.

Section 3. The Board of Directors may, by majority vote, establish any other committee deemed necessary for the welfare of the College. The members of each such committee shall be appointed by the President.

Section 4. All special committees shall report to the Board of Directors at least once a year.

ARTICLE X. Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a majority of those Fellows and Members present and voting at any annual meeting of the College, providing that the proposed amendments shall have been submitted in writing to the Board at least six months prior to the annual meeting and distributed in writing to the membership at least one month prior to that meeting. The Bylaws also may be amended by mail ballot. Notice of the proposed changes shall be submitted in writing at least six months prior to the mail ballot and specific changes distributed to the membership at least one month prior to a mail ballot. A majority of Members and Fellows casting mail ballots is needed to amend the Bylaws.

ARTICLE XI. Rules of Order

The rules contained in Robert’s "Rules of Order" shall govern the College in any and all cases to which they are applicable.

ARTICLE XII. Corporate Seal

The Corporate Seal of the Corporation shall consist of the following words and figures inscribed in a circle:

American College of Epidemiology
Maryland
1979
Corporate Seal

ARTICLE XIII. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall extend from January 1 to December 31 of the successive year.

ARTICLE XIV. Initial Membership

The requirements for each of the seven classes of membership stated in Article I of these Bylaws may be waived for all applicants for membership whose qualifying training and experience predates January 1, 1983. The Board of Directors shall determine by a majority vote whether an applicant is admitted to his/her respective class of membership. Any applicant who is admitted to a class of membership requiring certification shall be said to be certified by the American College of Epidemiology and shall be entitled to receive a certificate so stating, as specified by Article VIII, Section 5, of these Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall notify all applicants whose applications were received prior to December 31, 1980 of the final decision of the Board of Directors regarding their application by June 30, 1981. All members of the initial Board of Directors, as constituted in the Articles of Incorporation, shall be founding Fellows of the College. The terms of the Board of Directors as constituted in the Articles of Incorporation shall begin at the time of the first annual meeting of the College.

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