Constitution of the South African Society for Clinical Microbiology
The Society shall be called “THE SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY herein after referred to as SASCM.
2.1 The SASCM is constituted as a voluntary association.
2.2 The SASCM shall comply with and conform to the rules and principles and requirements of SAMA, to the extent that the rules and principles and requirements of SAMA are compatible with the objects of the SASCM.
2.3 The SASCM is a distinct and separate legal entity and body corporate, with the capacity to acquire rights and obligations and having perpetual succession.
2.4 The management Committee may take on the power and authority that it believes it needs to be able to achieve the objectives of the organization.
2.5 All proceedings shall be brought by or against the SASCM in the name of the SASCM. The SASCM Executive Committee (EXCO) may authorise any person to act on behalf of the SASCM and to sign all such documents and to take all such steps as may be necessary in connection with any such proceedings.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained:
3.1 The SASCM is not formed and does not exist for the purpose of carrying on any business that has for its object the acquisition of gain by the SASCM or its individual members.
3.2 The income and assets of the SASCM shall be applied solely for investment and for the promotion of the objectives for which it is established.
3.3 No part of the income or assets of the SASCM shall be paid, directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, donation or otherwise, to any person, unless that person has been contracted by SASCM to provide a service to SASCM
3.4 The SASCM shall not carry on any trading or other profit-making activities.
The SASCM objectives shall be:
4.1 To devote itself to the promotion of research, education and excellence in the field of clinical microbiology in South Africa.
4.2 To promote the exchange of information and knowledge in the field of diagnostic testing related to infectious diseases.
4.3 To advance the standardization and quality of diagnostic methods and technological evolution in clinical microbiology.
4.3.1 To promote standardisation of susceptibility testing methodologies and the reporting thereof.
4.4 To contribute to national surveillance activities, including but not limited, to antimicrobial resistance to support and facilitate the goals of the national strategy for antimicrobial resistance
4.5 To develop guidance documents/recommendations for infectious diseases .
Membership of SASCM shall consist of the following categories:
5.1 Honorary membership: Any member of SASCM may nominate a person or persons for election as honorary members on the grounds of significant national or international contribution to clinical microbiology. The SASCM executive shall consider such nominations. Honorary membership is retained for life and whilst honorary members will not be eligible for office, they may assist in policy development. They shall not be required to pay any membership fees.
5.2 Full membership: will be granted to anyone actively engaged in the field of clinical microbiology and who pays membership fees to the society. New membership is subject to EXCO approval.
All members of the SASCM will have access to all communications and the official publications
5.3 ONLY full members will be granted voting privileges, eligibility for election to the SASCM Executive Committee and subcommittees and other membership benefits.
5.4 Termination: A member shall remain a member until the membership is terminated by resignation in writing addressed to the secretary. Membership is terminated if membership is more than 12 months in arrears with regard to their membership fees.
6.1 Executive Committee (Management Committee)
The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the SASCM, which shall consist of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, and the immediate past-chairperson
The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt members for designated functions for a specified time to appoint sub committees if necessary.
The Executive Committee must hold at least two ordinary meetings each year.
The chairperson, or two members of the committee, may call a special meeting at any time.
The members must be given 21 days notice of the date of the proposed meeting.
An agenda on proposed discussion points must be simultaneously sent to all members for the meeting. Unless one of the matters to be discussed is to appoint a new executive committee member, then those calling the meeting must give the other committee members not less than 30 days notice.
The chairperson shall act as the chairperson of the executive committee. If the chairperson does not attend a meeting, then members of the committee who are present must choose a chairperson from those present. This must be done before the meeting starts.
There shall be a quorum whenever such a meeting is held.
If the management committee thinks it is necessary, they may decide to set up one or more sub-committees to allow additional efficiency or to complete a specific commission. There must be at least three people on the sub-committee. The sub-committee must report back regularly to the management committee.
Minutes of all meetings must be kept safely and be freely available to all members.
6.1.1 Election and Terms of Office
6.1.1.1 The Executive Committee members shall be appointed /elected for a four (4) year term and may be eligible for re-election for a second term
6.1.1.2 Nominations for the chairperson and other officers shall be made in writing by the members and shall reach the secretary one month before the annual SASCM meeting. No further nominations will be accepted at the annual SASCM meeting.
6.1.1.3 Each nomination shall bear the signature of at least two full members in good standing as proposer and seconder and shall have been accepted in writing by the nominee. Self- nominations are not permitted
6.1.1.4 Election of officers to SASCM’s Executive Committee shall be by majority vote of the members at the annual meeting; provided however, that if the annual meeting is not held the officers, whose terms would have expired, will continue in office until the next meeting. For members unable to attend the AGM
6.1.1.5 In the event of the death or resignation of an Executive Committee member the Executive Committee shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term of office.
6.1.1.6 If there should be a deadlock on any decision at executive committee meetings, the chairperson will have a deliberative as well as a casting vote.
6.1.1.7 No Executive Committee member shall receive remuneration for services to SASCM
6.1.1.8 The Executive Committee shall appoint one member of the Executive Committee (plus the chairperson) to represent SASCM on the FIDSSA and on the Federation of South African Societies of Pathology (FSASP)
6.1.2 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
6.1.2.1 Chairperson
The chairperson shall represent SASCM at meetings of the Federation of Infectious diseases Societies of Southern Africa (FIDSSA) and shall serve on the FIDSSA council.
6.1.2.2 Deputy chair
The deputy chair shall have co-signatory powers and shall represent SASCM with the chair at meetings of the Federation of Infectious diseases Societies of Southern Africa (FIDSSA) and shall serve on the FIDSSA council.
6.1.2.3 Secretary
The secretary shall notify the members of the Executive Committee of a forthcoming meeting, providing agenda and members all administrative duties including memberships, nominations etc. at least one month beforehand and shall notify them of the agenda 2 weeks before the meeting
The secretary shall keep minutes of the proceedings of the Executive committee and annual meetings.
6.1.2.4 Treasurer
The treasurer shall be responsible for fiscal management and will have signatory powers together with the deputy chair of the Executive Committee.
The treasurer shall report on the financial status of SASCM by presenting a treasurer’s report and an external audited balance sheet at the annual general meeting.
6.2 SASCM Sub-committees
6.2.1 SASCM sub-committees will be constituted as the need arises. EXCO will determine the number of members necessary for the sub-committee, the minimum of which will be three.
6.2.1 Election of members of these sub-committees will be nominated by full SASCM members followed by a voting process of all members. Only one vote per full member will be permitted. Nominations for the sub-committee members shall be made in writing to the secretary. Self-nominations will be accepted. Where there is a tie, EXCO will cast the final vote
6.2.2 The chairperson of sub-committees will be nominated by the members of that particular sub- committee.
6.2.3 If sub-committee is in operation for more than 4 years, a new voting process will take place to re-elect members
6.2.4 The sub-committees should send a progress report to SASCM EXCO annually.
An annual meeting of the SASCM shall be held at a venue designated by EXCO or at the biennial FIDSSA congress
The chairperson for meetings of the members of the SASCM shall be the SASCM chairperson or, in his/ her absence, the Deputy Chairperson. Should both be absent, the members present shall elect a chairperson for that meeting from among the other members of the Executive Committee present, if any, or, failing their presence, a chairman shall be elected being a person who is entitled to vote at an annual general meeting, from among those members present
The quorum for a general meeting of members shall be twelve members entitled to vote thereat; provided that if no quorum be present within (15) minutes after the time fixed for the meeting, it shall, in the case of the annual general meeting or a special general meeting called by the Executive Committee, be postponed to a date fixed by the Executive Committee and at such adjourned meeting, the full members present shall be deemed to be a quorum for the transaction of the business of the meeting.
In the case of a special general meeting called by requisition of members, if no quorum is present upon the date fixed, and within fifteen minutes after the time fixed for the meeting, it shall be dissolved.
Subscription Fees
8.1 The secretariat of FIDSSA shall collect annual subscriptions for all SASCM members.
8.2 Subscription fees for full and associate members shall be determined by FIDSSA
8.3 Subscription fees shall be paid before the 1st July of each year for that calendar year’s membership. Failure to pay subscriptions within 12 months of the due date (that the due date l render the member liable to loss of privileges
8.4 Honorary members shall be exempt from dues
Grants and Endowments
The Executive Committee is authorized to accept in the name of SASCM, any grants or endowments which are designated for administration and use by the SASCM, provided that the purpose of such grants and endowments is, in the judgment of the Executive Committee are consistent with the objectives and purposes of SASCM.
The Executive Committee is empowered to invest grants and endowments as they consider advisable.
Financial Year End
The financial year end for the organization will be the end of February each year.
Any amendments to the SASCM Constitution will be dealt with as follows:
9.1 Amendments shall first be submitted in writing to the Secretary for consideration by the Executive Committee
9.2 Thereafter the proposed changes together with the Executive Committee’s recommendations shall be circulated to all SASCM members at least one (1) month before the SASCM annual general meeting.
9.3 A two-thirds majority vote of those present at the SASCM annual general meeting will be required for adoption of the proposed amendments.
10.1 Only full members shall be eligible and entitled to vote at an annual or special general meeting of members of SASCM and each full member shall have one vote.
10.2 Save as otherwise provided in this constitution, any business, resolution or question submitted to such a meeting for decision shall be decided by majority vote of those present and entitled to vote and, in the first instance, by a show of hands. A full member may be represented by another full member whose identity has been notified to the secretary in writing at least forty-eight hours prior to the meeting.
10.3 A declaration by the chairman of the meeting of the result of a show of hands or a ballot, as the case may be, shall be conclusive.
10.4 A nominee is not eligible to cast a vote for him/herself
The organization may close down if at least two thirds of the members present and voting at a meeting convened for that purpose of considering such matter, are in favour of closing down.
When the organization closes down all debts must be settled in full. After doing this, if there is property or money left over it may not be paid or given to any members of the organization.
All surplus funds and assets must be given in some way to another nonprofit organization that has similar objectives. The organization’s general meeting can decide what organization this should be
P.O. Box 16011,
Atlasville,
1465
South Africa
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