ARTICLE I.
Name and Objects of the Society
Section 1. The name of the Society shall be: The Society of Alumni of Bellevue Hospital.
Section 2. The objectives of the Society shall be:
- First. The cultivation and advancement of medicine and surgery.
- Second. The promotion of social intercourse among its members.
ARTICLE II.
Members of the Society
Section 1. The society shall be composed of four classes of members, to be designated as: (a) active members; (b) associate members; (c) emeritus members; and (d) honorary members.
Section 2. The active members shall be selected from house staff members who have served at least twelve months as intern, assistant resident or resident and who have received from the appropriate chief of service or the medical board of the hospital a letter or certificate attesting such service.The twelve month requirement shall not apply to those who received a diploma dated 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 or 1945 when the term of appointment was reduced because of the war. In addition, persons who have not served on the house staff may be selected if they have served in the attending or administrative staff at Bellevue for at least three years. "Attending staff" shall be considered to include the staff in the services of pathology and psychiatry as well as the general clinical divisions.
Section 3. Members of the Society, in good standing, upon application, shall be eligible to become emeritus members in the year following thirty years of membership. Members of the Society, in good standing, who have retired from the practice of medicine because of illness, after ten years of membership, may apply for emeritus membership.New emeritus members will not be accepted after Jan 1, 2018.
Section 4. The Honorary members shall be selected from physicians or surgeons of eminence, who have served at Bellevue Hospital or other institutions.Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues and shall not hold office or have the right to vote unless they were formerly members of the Society.
Section 5. Associate Members may be admitted at the discretion of the Executive Committee. These shall be health professionals who have a significant connection to Bellevue Hospital.
ARTICLE III.
Officers and Committees
Section 1. The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a
Treasurer and a Historian. These officers shall serve for two years.
Section 2. The committees shall be two standing committees and an Executive Committee.
Section 3. The standing committees shall be: a Committee on New Members and a Committee on Science and Entertainment. These committees shall serve for two years.
Section 4. The special committees shall be: a Committee on Nominations, and such other
committees as may be required for the investigation of scientific and other questions.Special
committees and their members may be appointed by the President periodically as needed.
Section 5. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the officers, the chairmen of the standing committees, and the Trustees of the Robert J. Carlisle Fund.
Section 6. The historian shall compile for the Year Book of each year, a record of such events of the Society as may be of general interest; he shall prepare for publication in the Year Book a biography of those members who may have died during any current year; and shall perform such other similar duties as may be designated by the Society. He shall employ such paid assistant as he may require.
ARTICLE IV.
The Robert J. Carlisle Fund
Section 1. In order to conserve for a specific purpose the surplus funds of the Society, there is established and shall be maintained The Robert J. Carlisle Fund. The Robert J. Carlisle Fund shall consist of money and securities transferred to it by vote of the members present at a meeting of the Society and of all gifts specifically made to the Robert J. Carlisle Fund.
Section 2. The Fund shall be in charge of three trustees, who shall keep it safely invested and collect the income and make payments therefrom only as provided in this Article of the Constitution. The Trustees shall make a complete written report at the stated meeting in January and at such other times as may be requested by the President. In matters of discretion, any two trustees may determine the action to be taken.
Section 3. Payments from the Fund shall be for educational, cultural, and such other worthy purposes as the Society may determine. Notice of a contemplated payment or withdrawal from the Fund shall be given in writing by an active member at a preceding meeting and then only by a vote of two-thirds of the active members present. The purpose of the proposed payment or withdrawal and the amount shall be stated in the notice of the meeting at which the final vote is to be taken. However, payments, loans or withdrawals intended for the general purposes of the Society may be authorized and made payable to the Treasurer at any meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the active members present. Such authorization shall be given to the Trustees in writing over the signatures of the President and Secretary. Any payments, loans or withdrawals may be returned to the Fund by a two-thirds vote at any stated meeting of the Society or by the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Disbursements from the Fund may be paid by the Trustees for the general purposes of the Society to the Treasurer by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a stated meeting or by the Executive Committee.
Section 5. There shall be three Trustees. At the first election, they shall be elected to serve until the next stated meeting in December, at which time one shall be elected for one year, one for two years, and one for three years. Thereafter, one Trustee shall be elected at the stated meeting in December for a term of three years. Vacancies may be filled by appointment by the President until the next stated meeting in December, when the vacancy shall be filled by election for the unexpired term. A Trustee may be removed from office on the recommendation of both his co-Trustees by a majority vote of the active members present at a regular meeting.
Section 6. If it shall be duly determined to dissolve the Fund, and steps to that end have been taken, the Fund shall be delivered by the Trustees to the Treasurer of the Society for appropriate disposition.
ARTICLEV.
Amendments to the Constitution
Section 1. No part of this constitution shall be amended or altered and no addition shall be made thereto, except at a stated meeting of the Society, after due notice of such amendments, alterations, or additions shall have been given in writing by an active member at a preceding stated meeting, and then only by a vote of two-thirds of the active members present.
ARTICLE VI.
Enactment of the Constitution
Section 1. All sections or parts of sections of the prior constitution and by-laws, and all
declarations or resolutions not in harmony with this amended constitution are hereby repealed.
Section 2. This constitution shall go into effect January 1, 2018.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I.
Meeting of the Society
Section 1. Stated meetings shall be held on the first Wednesday of each month, except the months ofJune, July, August and September. The hour and the place of meeting shall be selected by the joint action of the standing committees.
Section 2. Special meetings shall be called by the President at the written request of five active members, who shall state distinctly the object or objects of such meetings, at which, however, in each case, no business other than that indicated in the announcement shall be transacted.
Section 3. Each stated meeting shall consist of a social session, a scientific session and an executive session.
Section 4. Four members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business in the
executive session.
Section 5. Roberts' Rules of Order shall be the guide for parliamentary procedure in this Society.
ARTICLE II.
Proposal and Election of Members
Section 1. Proposal for active, associate, emeritus, or honorary membership shall be made at no other than a stated meeting, in writing and signed by two, and in the case of honorary membership by three, active members. The candidate for active membership shall be introduced in person to at least one member of the Committee on New Members before being reported on to the Society.
Section 2. All names proposed for active membership shall be referred to the Committee on New Members and presented at an executive session for approval.
Section 3. The Honorary members shall be selected from physicians or surgeons of eminence, who have served at Bellevue Hospital or other institutions. Honorary members shall be exempt from the payment of dues and shall not hold office or have the right to vote unless they were formerly members of the Society.
ARTICLE III.
Nominations and Elections of Officers and Committees
Section 1. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall present a slate of new Officers during the executive session of the stated meeting in November. This slate shall be given at least ten days before the December meeting to the Secretary, who shall send a copy to each member. Any ten or more members may in like manner report to the Society another ticket to be voted upon at the Annual Election, provided that such a ticket be prepared and sent to each member at least ten days before the next meeting.
Section 2. The election of officers and standing committees shall be held at the December stated meeting. The names of all candidates recommended by the Nominating Committee shall be upon a single ballot. A majority vote shall decide the election of a candidate.
Section 3. The installation of the elected officers and standing committees shall take place at the January meeting, when the President shall deliver an address.
Section 4. In case of interim vacancies of one or more offices, the regularly elected Nominating Committee shall be reactivated for the purpose of recommending a member or members to fill such vacancy or vacancies. The recommendations of this Committee shall be forwarded to the Secretary, who will notify each member of the Society. Such interim election shall take place at the meeting following such notification.
ARTICLE IV.
Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall preside at the meetings of the Society, cast a deciding vote when necessary, appoint all special committees and perform such other duties as parliamentary usage requires.
Section 2. The Vice-President, in the absence of the President, shall perform the duties of the President. He shall be chairman of the Committee on Science andEntertainment.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Society, shall have charge of all the Society's property, not specified elsewhere;and shall perform such other duties as may be designated by the Society.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall collect and receive all dues and gifts; shall have charge of the Society's money except The Robert J. Carlisle Fund; shall make all necessary disbursements; shall make a detailed report, in writing, of the condition of the Society's exchequer for the preceding year at the stated meeting in January, and a semi-annual report at the stated meeting in May; and shall perform other duties as may be designated by the Society.
Section 5. The Historian shall periodically compile an updated history of the Society, including such events of the Society as may be of general interest. He shall include in said history a listing of members who have died and pertinent biographical information. He shall employ a paid assistant as required with approval of the Executive Committee
Section 6. The Executive Committee may appoint and/or hire an Administrator and/or a Webmaster. The Administrator shall collect and receive all dues and gifts; shall have charge of the Society's money except The Robert J. Carlisle Fund; and shall make all necessary disbursements. The Administrator shall deposit the Society's money in a bank designated by the action of the Executive Committee. All cheques or money-orders prepared by the Administrator shall signed by the Treasurer or his designated co-signatory. The Administrator shall keep a register of the Society's membership, shall send notices to all members at least four days before the date of each meeting giving the titles of papers to be read and of other presentations with the names of their authors, shall cause to be printed in these notices the names of candidates for membership, and shall perform such other duties as may be designated by the Society. The Webmaster shall create, maintain, and update the Society’s webpages and arrange and maintain their hosting with approval of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE V.
The Standing Committees
Section 1. The Committee on New Members shall consist of five active members. This
committee shall examine the credentials, and inquire into the standing of candidates for
membership; shall report the names of such candidates only whose record is satisfactory; and send these names to the secretary of the Society ten days prior to the meeting at which the election of new members shall be held.
Section 2. The Committee on Science and Entertainment shall consist of the Vice President and two other members. This committee shall make all arrangements for the scientific session of each meeting, and shall send to the secretary the titles of all papers to be read, and of other communications to be made, together with the names of the authors, at least ten days before each meeting.This committee shall also make all arrangements for the social entertainment of the Society, subject to Executive Committee approval.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall assemble at such times as it may be called together by the President or at the request of any three members of the Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the power to act by a two-thirds vote in any and all matters pertaining to the welfare or interests of the Society in any emergency.
Section 4. The President of the Society shall be the chairman of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall be the secretary of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE VI.
Dues and Penalties
Section 1. The annual dues of active resident members shall be determined at the last business meeting of each year, and are payable at or before January 1st each year. New members' dues shall be prorated according to the number of meetings remaining in the year of their election.
Section 2. Honorary and Emeritus Members shall be exempt from the payment of dues.
Section 3. Any member in arrears for six months shall be suspended until his dues are paid. The name of any member in arrears for two years shall be dropped from the roll. He may, however, have it restored by paying all arrears of dues up to date, and by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at a stated meeting.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall notify a member in arrears at least one month before the time at which he is liable to be suspended, or to have his name dropped from the roll.
Section 5. All notices to members shall be sent by electronic mail directed to their residences or offices. Such mailing shall be presumptive evidence of the due service of notices.
Section 6. Members shall be allowed to introduce guests at the meeting of the Society, subject to the approval of the Committee on Science andEntertainment.
Section 7. The dues of all members while engaged in active service during the war shall be remitted.
ARTICLE VII.
Discipline of Members
Section 1. The kind of discipline beyond the dropping of names for nonpayment of dues shall be censure, suspension, or expulsion from the Society, but no member shall be expelled except by a vote of three-fourths of the active members present.
Section 2. If at any time charges be preferred against a member, the case shall be referred to the two standing committees, which jointly shall constitute the Committee on Discipline, with the Secretary of the Society as recorder, and shall investigate the charges and report the result to the Society for action.
Section 3. The President of the Society shall be the chairman of the Committee on Discipline, and the Secretary of the Society shall be the recorder of its proceedings and shall report to the Society the finding of the committee in each case.
Section 4. All charges against a member shall be made in writing signed by the accuser, enclosed in a sealed wrapper, endorsed "charges against a member"; and sent to the secretary of the Society, who shall forward the document to the Committee on Discipline.
Section 5. The Committee on Discipline in investigating charges against a member shall summon both the accuser and the accused to appear, in order that the defense as well as the prosecution be heard, and a copy of the charges shall at the same time be sent to the accused. If the accuser refuses to appear, the case shall be dismissed, but if the accused refuses to appear, the case shall proceed, and this refusal to appear shall be noted in the committee's report which shall be made at the earliest stated meeting of the Society. The accused and accuser shall be entitled each to select an active member to act as counsel.
ARTICLE VIII.
Order of Business
Section 1. The order of business at stated meetings shall be:
I. SOCIAL SESSION 6:30P.M.
II. SCIENTIFIC SESSION 8:00 P.M.
1. Calling the meeting to order by the presiding officer.
2.Installation of the President-Elect and the standing committees (in January).
3. President's address (in January).
4. Presentation of cases.
5. Report of cases.
6. Presentation of specimens, apparatus and instruments.
7. Reading and discussion of papers.
III. EXECUTIVE SESSION.
1. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
2. Reports of officers and standing committees.
3. Election of new members.
4. Election of the nominating committee (in November).
5. Election of officers and standing committees (in December).
6. Unfinished business.
7. Miscellaneous business.
This order of business may be changed at any session by a majority vote of the Society.
Section 2. The limit of discussion for each member shall be ten minutes, except in the case of the reader of a paper, who shall be allowed twenty minutes to defend his thesis and close the discussion.
Section 3. No member shall be allowed to speak more than twice on the same subject.
ARTICLE IX.
Amendments to the By-Laws
Section 1. No part of these By-Laws shall be amended or altered, no addition shall be made thereto, and they shall not be suspended, except at a stated meeting of the Society, after due notice of such amendment, alteration, addition or suspension shall have been given in writing by an active member at a preceding stated meeting, and then only by a vote of two-thirds of the active members present.
ARTICLEX.
Enactment of the By-Laws
Section 1. All sections or parts of sections of the prior by-laws and constitution, and all
declarations or resolutions not in harmony with these amended by-laws are hereby repealed.
Section 2. These By-Laws shall go into effect January 1, 2018.
Presented: November 1, 2017; Enacted December 6, 2017