North Central Section of the AUA, Inc. North Central Section of the AUA, Inc.

 

North Central Section of the AUA Bylaws

(Amended 08/2022)

ARTICLE I — MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 — Boundaries

An applicant for membership in the North Central Section of the American Urologic Association, Inc. (the “Section”) must be a resident of, or practice in, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin. Individuals who initially join the Section and then at a future date relocate to another section of the American Urological Association, Inc. (“AUA”) may retain membership in the Section.

Section 2 — Member Categories

The Section membership shall include: Active Members, Associate Members, Affiliate Members, Senior Members, Honorary Members, Corresponding Members and Candidate Members, Research Scientist Members, International Members, Allied Members, Advanced Practice Provider Members, International Members-in-Training, Resident/Fellow Members and Medical/Graduate Student Members.

Section 3 — Dues, Initiation Fees, and Assessments

The fiscal year of the Section shall date from January first to December thirty-first. All members except for Senior and Honorary Members shall be assessed application fees and dues in an amount determined by the Board of Directors. Special assessments may be ordered by the Board of Directors but must be approved by a majority of the members present and voting at the Annual Business Meeting. Any member who after appropriate notification does not pay membership dues shall cease to receive Section publications and notices.

Section 4 — Voting Status and Rights

Only Active and Senior Members of the Section shall be eligible to vote. Active and Senior Members who are elected to Honorary Membership shall retain their voting status. Only voting members are eligible to hold office. All members shall be entitled to receive the latest available copy of the Articles of Incorporation, the Bylaws and the roster of membership of the Section.

Section 5 — Election/Approval of Membership

Active and Associate membership applicants shall be approved by the AUA Section Secretaries/Membership Council periodically throughout the year. All other membership category applicants shall be approved by the Section’s Membership Committee. All members must also be members of the AUA. New members shall receive a Certificate of Membership from the Secretary and the AUA will be notified of their Section membership.

Section 6 — Active Members

Requirements for Active Members are as follows:

  1. Possession of an unlimited license to practice medicine and surgery in the state, province or country of the applicant’s residence.
  2. Membership in good standing in the American Urological Association, Inc. and practice within its geographical boundaries.
  3. Possession of an MD or DO degree (or United States Medical Licensure equivalent), and completion of an ACGME accredited urology residency or equivalent accreditation organization or the certifying Board of Urology in the country where practicing.
  4. Limitation of practice to the specialty of Urology.
  5. Certification by the American Board of Urology (“ABU”), American Osteopathic Board of Surgery (AOBS), or the certifying Board of Urology in the country where practicing.

Section 7 — Senior Members

Members are eligible for Senior Membership in the Section if they have been Active Members for 20 years in either the Section or the AUA and are retired or are permanently disabled.

Section 8 — Associate Members

Requirements for Associate Membership are as follows:

  1. Requirements are the same as Active Membership except for board certification.
  2. Candidate Members Eligible for Fast Track Associate Status. Associate Membership will be offered to all Candidate Members who have passed the qualifying examination (Part I) of the ABU.
  3. Non-Members Eligible for Associate Status. Associate Membership is available to non-member urologists who are practicing within the geographic boundaries of a chartered AUA Section, but are not certified by the ABU.

If an Active Member fails to become recertified as required by the ABU (or other certifying board), the Section will transfer the individual to Associate Member status.

If an Active Member becomes decertified by the ABU, or other certifying board, the member shall be automatically dropped for non-compliance with the Section Bylaws, pursuant to Expulsion and Reinstatement policies.

  1. Transfer to Active Membership. Associate Members who have passed the ABU certifying exam (Part II) will be transferred to Active Membership in the Section.

Section 9 — Affiliate Members

Affiliate membership is available to Non-urologist MDs or Doctors of Osteopathy who are significantly contributing to the field of urology through clinical practice. They shall be nominated by two (2) Active or Senior Members who shall furnish the Section Board of Directors with the curricula vitae and other pertinent information.

Section 10 — Honorary Members

Scientists who have achieved outstanding prominence in a field of medicine related to Urology, Past Presidents of the Section and other distinguished urologists are eligible for Honorary Membership. Candidates must be nominated by the Immediate Past President upon recommendation of at least three (3) Active or Senior Members. They must be approved by the Board of Directors and a majority of the members present and voting at the Annual Business Meeting. Honorary Members who have been Active, Associate, or Senior Members shall retain all of their previous rights and privileges but other Honorary Members do not have voting privileges nor eligibility to Section offices and committee assignments. All Honorary Members are exempt from initiation fees, annual dues, and special assessments.

Section 11 — Research Scientist Members

Research Scientist Membership is available for independent investigators with PhDs or equivalent degrees, DVMs, non-practicing MDs and related professionals who have demonstrated achievements in the field of urology through research or who have made substantial contributions to urologic research in an administrative capacity.

Section 12 — International Members

International Membership is available to urologists who practice in countries beyond the geographic boundaries of the AUA. The applicant shall be a member of the local or national urological organization in his country. If a national organization does not exist within the applicant’s country, a waiver of this requirement may be considered by the Executive Committee. The applicant’s practice must be limited entirely to the specialty of urology. The applicant must be a graduate of an acceptable medical school who has received a Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree.

Section 13 — Allied Members

Allied Membership is available to non-physician professionals, including nurses (e.g., RN, LPN, LVN), medical technicians, and medical assistants, specializing or concentrating in urology for at least one year.

Section 14 — Advanced Practice Provider Members

Advanced Practice Provider Membership is available to physician assistants, nurse practitioners or advanced practice nurses specializing or concentrating in urology for at least one year.

Section 15 — International Residents-In-Training Members

International Residents-in-Training Membership is established to extend AUA education and professional advantages to Urological Residents-in-Training who reside outside the geographic boundaries of the section. These members must be enrolled in a residency program approved by the European Board of Urology (EBU), Residency Review Committee for Urology or the appropriate credentialing body in a country other than the United States. Eligibility for this member status shall be for a period of ten (10) years from the member’s date of completion of medical school.

Section 16 — Resident/Fellow Members

Resident/Fellow Membership extends section educational and professional advantages to urological residents or fellows and research postdoctoral fellows in training Resident/Fellow Members must be practicing and studying within the geographic boundaries of the section. Resident/Fellow membership is available to:

  1. Residents enrolled in an ACGME-accredited or AOA-approved urology residency training program.
  2. Post-doctoral research fellows with a MD, PhD or equivalent degree actively engaged in biomedical research under a qualified mentor.
  3. Clinical Fellows enrolled in an accredited fellowship or post residency training program.
Section 16.1 ACGME

Medical Doctors (MD) or Doctors of Osteopathy (DO) enrolled in a urology residency program approved by the Residency Review Committee and ACGME are eligible for Resident/Fellow Membership; and after completing training and passing part 1 of the ABU qualifying examination are eligible for Associate Member status (Fast Track), Section 8.1. Those who successfully pass all parts of the ABU certifying examination are eligible for Active Member status, Section 6.

Section 16.2 AOA

Doctors of Osteopathy enrolled in an AOA-approved urology residency training program are eligible for Resident/Fellow Member status. DOs completing their urology training and passing the American Osteopathic Board of Surgery certifying examination are eligible for Associate Member status, Section 8.2.

Section 17 — Medical/Graduate Student Members

Medical/Graduate Student Membership is established to provide education about urology as a surgical specialty and as a career. Medical/ Graduate Student Membership is available to:

  1. Individuals enrolled full-time in a medical school for the purpose of obtaining a Medical Doctor degree, Doctors of Osteopathy degree, or equivalent degree, or
  2. Individuals enrolled full-time in an accredited graduate school program for the purpose of obtaining a PhD or equivalent degree and actively engaged in research under a qualified mentor.

Section 18 — Application For Membership

Applications for Active and Associate membership in this Section must be made on forms approved and provided by the AUA. Qualifications for membership in each of the indicated categories shall be as stated in this Article I.

Section 19 — Publication of Names

A report of new members by category admitted during the past twelve months shall be available to the membership on the Section’s website.

Section 20 — Notification of Election

Every newly elected member of the Section shall be officially notified of his or her election by the Secretary. The AUA shall also be notified of the new member’s election.

Section 21 — Transfer of Membership

An Active, Senior, or Associate Member in good standing of the AUA and of another Section of the AUA who moves his or her residence or practice into the territory of the Section, and who meets all membership qualifications, is automatically eligible for membership in the Section upon presentation of credentials to the Board of Directors of the Section. These credentials shall include his or her previous section records and a letter from that section’s Secretary indicating the applicant’s membership status.

Section 22 — Resignation, Expulsion and Reinstatement

  1. Resignation. Any member who has complied with all the requirements of these Bylaws during the life of his or her membership may resign by written notification to the Secretary who shall officially acknowledge the receipt of the notice. The Secretary shall notify the Secretary of the AUA of such resignation.
  2. Expulsion. Any member expelled by, or refused membership in, the AUA or AUA E/R shall immediately have his or her Section membership terminated. In addition, a member may be expelled by the Board of Directors of the Section upon conviction of a serious crime, or upon revocation, suspension or surrender of his or her license to practice medicine for reasons of improper or unethical conduct, upon withdrawal of certification by the ABU, or on other grounds stated in these Bylaws. The expulsion of a Section member shall be promptly reported to the AUA Secretary, with a statement of reasons for such expulsion.
  3. Reinstatement. The reinstatement of suspended members to good standing in the Section shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Section, which may recommend the reinstatement of expelled members who have been previously reinstated by the AUA; but this action must be ratified by a three-fourths vote of the members of the Section present and voting at a regular meeting.

ARTICLE II — OFFICERS

Section 1 — Officers and Executive Committee

The Officers shall be the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past President, the Secretary, the Secretary-Elect, the Treasurer, the Treasurer-Elect and the Historian. Each Officer shall serve without financial remuneration from the termination of the Annual Meeting at which he or she is elected until the termination of the Annual Meeting at which his or her successor has been chosen or until his or her successor has otherwise been chosen. No member shall serve more than one term in any office, provided a member can serve up to three one-year terms as Historian and a member can serve in more than one office, though not concurrently. Each Officer must be an Active or Senior Member in good standing, a resident of or practicing within the boundaries of the Section, elected by a majority vote at the Annual Business Meeting. The officers shall comprise “the Executive Committee”. The Executive Committee is empowered and may, on occasion, make policy and/or other decisions, but remain primarily advisory to the Board and Long Range Planning Committee to present issues to the Board for decisions on matters of the Section.

Section 2 — President

The term of office shall be one (1) year. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Section and shall serve as Chair of the Board of Directors and at the Scientific and Business Sessions of the Section. The President shall appoint Active or Senior Members to vacancies on all standing committees and the Chairs of the committee, as provided in these Bylaws. The President shall appoint special committees authorized by the Board of Directors or membership. All committee appointments shall be made within sixty (60) days after the Annual Meeting and reported to the Secretary for inclusion in the next Newsletter. The President may call Special Meetings of the Board of Directors. The President shall direct the attention of the Board of Directors to all matters pertaining to the interpretation of the Bylaws and to all matters of discipline of members. The President shall be a member of the Program Committee for the Annual Meeting, a member of the Finance Committee and an ex-officio member of all Standing Committees. The President shall nominate a Section member in good standing to serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Urology when a vacancy occurs. The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian to all meetings of the Board of Directors and Business Sessions of the Section.

Section 3 — The President-Elect

The term of office shall be one (1) year and the President-Elect shall automatically succeed the retiring President at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at which the current President’s term of office expires. The President-Elect shall perform any duties assigned by the President and serve in his or her absence. The President-Elect shall appoint a Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the Annual Meeting at which he or she will preside, within sixty (60) days after assuming the office of President-Elect.

Section 4 — The Immediate Past President

The term of office shall be one (1) year or until his or her successor assumes the office.

Section 5 — The Secretary

The term of office shall be three (3) years or until his or her successor assumes the office. The Secretary shall: (a) employ, with the approval of the Board of Directors, such secretarial assistance as is necessary under the direction of the Executive Director; (b) keep accurate records of all the activities of the Section; (c) give prompt attention to all correspondence; (d) train the Secretary-Elect during the Secretary’s last year in office; (e) keep an accurate list of (1) members, (2) applicants for membership, (3) applicants recommended for membership by the Board of Directors, (4) applicants rejected and dates of rejection, (5) members suspended or expelled and dates of suspension or expulsion, (6) members reinstated and the date of same, and (7) Active or Associate members transferred to Senior, Inactive, or Honorary membership; (f) provide application blanks and receive applications for all categories of membership and shall send them to the Board of Directors for consideration; (g) give written notification to all newly elected members and furnish them with a copy of the Bylaws, one (1) roster and a certificate of membership, in the case of Active and Honorary members; (h) publish and send Newsletters; (i) send notice of the time and place of the Annual Meeting by Newsletter to all members at least six (6) months prior to the meeting; (j) arrange for meetings of the Board of Directors and send notices of all regular and special meetings to all members of the Board of Directors at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting, (k) keep the minutes and all records of such meetings; (l) have charge of the arrangements for the Annual Meeting in cooperation with the Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee and in consultation with the President; (m) shall receive titles of abstracts and papers to be read at the Annual Meeting and present them to the Program Committee; (n) keep accurate minutes of the Annual Business Meeting and send one (1) copy to every member of the Board of Directors; (o) obtain the names of all committee members for the coming year from the President within sixty (60) days after the Annual Meeting and notify them in writing; (p) make an annual report of all his or her activities on behalf of the Section to the Board of Directors at the Annual Business Meeting and to members of the Section at the Annual Business Meeting; (q) report to the Chair of the Nominating Committee sixty (60) days before the Annual Meeting regarding vacancies which will occur in the offices of Representative and Alternative Representative to the Board of Directors of the AUA; (r) report to the Secretary of the AUA immediately after the Annual Meeting the names of those members elected as Representative and Alternative Representative to the Board of Directors of the AUA; (s) report immediately to the Secretary of the AUA the names of the members of the Section who have been elected for membership in the Section, and (t) take such other action as directed by the Board of Directors.

Section 6 — Secretary-Elect

The Secretary-Elect shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting one (1) year before the termination of the current Secretary’s term of office. The term of office shall be one (1) year and the Secretary-Elect shall automatically become the new Secretary at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at which the current Secretary’s term expires. The Secretary-Elect shall become familiar with the duties of the Secretary during the Secretary’s final year in office. The Secretary-Elect shall attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and the Finance Committee, and make site visits but shall not be eligible to vote.

Section 7 — Treasurer

The term of office shall be three (3) years or until a successor assumes the office. The Treasurer shall: (a) keep an accurate record of all assets of the Section and keep them in the name of the Section; (b) be bonded for approximately the total amount of the assets of the Section, bond being held by the President; (c) disburse the monies of the Section only by the authority of the Board of Directors; (d) keep a journal, ledger, and alphabetical list of all members indicating the state of their accounts with the Section; (e) be responsible for the collection of all dues and assessments, both current and delinquent; (f) report delinquent members promptly to the Secretary and to the Board of Directors; (g) have an annual audit of the Section’s financial status prepared by a certified public accountant and present a report of this audit to the Board of Directors and to the members of the Section at the Annual Business Meeting; (h) recommend to the Board of Directors the need for any special assessments; (i) be responsible for setting the budgets, subject to approval of the Board of Directors, for the Annual Meeting and working with the Local Arrangements Committee in monitoring expenses; (j) report annually to the Board of Directors on the assets held by the Section, the existence of which must be verified by the certified public accountant and the Audit and Budget Control Committee; (k) take such other action as directed by the Board of Directors, and (l) train the Treasurer-Elect during the Treasurer’s last year in office.

Section 8 — Treasurer-Elect

The Treasurer-Elect shall be elected at the Annual Business Meeting one (1) year before the termination of the current Treasurer’s term of office. The term of office shall be one (1) year and the Treasurer-Elect shall automatically become the new Treasurer at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting at which the current Treasurer’s term of office expires. The Treasurer-Elect shall become familiar with the duties of the Treasurer during the Treasurer’s final year in office.

Section 9 — Historian

The term of office shall be one (1) year and is renewable for two additional terms. The Historian shall: (a) prepare an accurate history of the Section; (b) keep records of the Section pertinent to its history; (c) present an annual report to the Board of Directors and to the Section at its Annual Business Meeting; (d) prepare for publication any historical issues relative to the Section and present it to the Board of Directors; e) prepare a necrology report and present it to the Board of Directors and members of the Section at the time of the Annual Business meeting. Present a brief eulogy of any member who has made outstanding contributions to Urology and a brief eulogy of any Section past president who has died in the preceding year at the Annual Business meeting or plenary session of the annual scientific meeting as determined by the Section Secretary. f) Present a encomium of Section past presidents, or any member who has made outstanding contributions to Urology, at the time of their retirement, to members of the Section during a time designated by the Secretary at the Annual Business meeting or during the plenary sessions of the annual scientific meeting. Funds required for the foregoing purposes shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

Section 10 — Executive Director

The Executive Director shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the Section and shall report directly to the Board of Directors of which he or she shall be an ex officio, non-voting member. The Executive Director need not be a physician nor a member of this Section. The Executive Director shall have the full and exclusive authority to hire and fire staff and to prescribe compensation within the framework of the approved budget. The Executive Director shall have the authority and ultimate responsibility to carry out all policies and programs of the Section within the framework of the budget and subject to the direction of the officers and the Board of Directors and the Section’s committees.

ARTICLE III — BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1 — Members of Board

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian and one elected member from each of the following geographic units: (1) Illinois; (2) Indiana; (3) Iowa; (4) Michigan; (5) Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota; (6) Ohio; and (7) Wisconsin. The Representatives to the Board of Directors of the AUA, the Secretary-Elect, the Treasurer-Elect, the Chair of the Women in Urology Committee, the Chair of the Health Policy Council, and the Chair and the Vice-Chair of the Young Leadership Committee shall be non-voting members of the Board of Directors.

Section 2 — Term

The term of office of the geographic unit members shall be three (3) years and no retiring member of the Board of Directors shall be eligible for re-election to the Board as a representative of a geographic unit. Geographic unit members are required to practice in the state in which they are representing. If the representative moves outside of the state of representation during his or her term, a vacancy is automatically created and a replacement representative will be filled in accordance with these Bylaws.

Section 3 — Authority and Duties

The Board of Directors shall constitute the governing Board of the Section and shall be responsible for the administration and management of the Section. The Board of Directors shall receive the reports of the standing and special committees of the Section and shall oversee all functions relating to financial management, member services, Annual Meeting, industry relations, ethics, and official publication. The Board of Directors shall employ the Executive Director whose duties, responsibilities and authority shall be as specified in Article II, Section 10 of these Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall report all actions to the membership at the Annual Business Meeting. The Board of Directors shall select the time and place of the Annual Meeting.

Section 4 — Meetings

The Board shall hold a winter meeting and a meeting concurrently with the Annual Meeting of the Section and shall hold other interim meetings at such times and places as may be established by the President or any seven (7) voting members of the Board.

Section 5 — Notice

Notice of each meeting of the Board of Directors shall be sent out by the Secretary to each member of the Board of Directors to be received at least fifteen (15) days before the date of the meeting. The matters to be discussed and voted upon at any duly called meeting of the Board of Directors shall not be limited to those set forth in the notice of such meeting.

Section 6 — Quorum

Seven (7) Directors shall constitute a quorum for transaction of business by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV — COMMITTEES

Section 1 — Appointment

Active and Senior Members only are eligible for appointment to Committees of the Section. All Committees are to be appointed by the new President within sixty (60) days following the Annual Meeting. The President shall have the power also to appoint special committees for a specific purpose subject to approval by the Board of Directors. All members must be given prompt written notification by the Secretary. A roster of all Section Committees shall be published in the first Newsletter following the Annual Meeting.

Section 2 — Nominating Committee

  1. The committee shall be composed of the two Immediate Past Presidents in attendance at the Annual Meeting, one member of the Board of Directors elected by the Board of Directors and four (4) or, if the Past-Past President is a non-voting member of the committee (as provided below), five (5), members selected by the geographic units other than the geographic units represented by the three (3) aforementioned other members of the Committee. The Chair shall be the most recent Past President on the committee and the Vice-Chair shall be the Past-Past President on the committee. In the event the two Immediate Past Presidents serving on the committee are from the same geographic unit, the Past-Past President shall be a non-voting member of the committee, and a total of five members shall be selected by the geographic units, as provided above, so that each geographic unit has representation on the committee.
  2. Each geographic unit not represented on the committee by the Past Presidents or the member of the Board of Directors shall choose one representative to serve on the committee who has demonstrated leadership or active participation in the Section and each geographic unit and the Board of Directors shall choose one alternate representative to serve in the event its representative cannot serve or attend meetings. Each such representative shall attend all meetings of the Committee, provided if the representative cannot attend, the alternate shall attend and serve in his or her stead. In the event that neither the delegate or alternate delegate from the geographical unit is able to attend the Nominating Committee meeting, the State Representative of the Section’s Board of Directors may serve on the Nominating Committee in their stead.
  3. It shall be the duty of this Committee to present to the members of the Section at the Annual Business Meeting a list of nominees for the following Section offices:
    1. President-Elect
    2. Secretary (every third year)
    3. Treasurer (every third year)
    4. Secretary-Elect (every third year)
    5. Treasurer-Elect (every third year)
    6. Historian (annually)
    7. Two or more members of the Board of Directors
  4. The Nominating Committee shall also nominate members of the Section in good standing to serve as Representatives and Alternate Representatives on the AUA Board of Directors and other AUA committees for terms specified in the AUA Bylaws.
  5. Selection of AUA President-Elect: Selection of the AUA president will be accomplished by electronic balloting of the entire Membership. Membership will        be contacted electronically to submit nominees for the AUA President-Elect in November prior to the annual meeting when it’s the section’s turn for rotation of the AUA President Elect. The potential nominees must provide a statement of intent that will be posted on the section’s website. The Chairman of the Nominating Committee, Secretary, and Executive Director will review the candidates and confirm eligibility for the position. Specifically, that the candidates meet the AUA requirements and have served on the Board of Directors or as an Officer of the North Central Section.

Election Procedures:

  1. Prior to the annual meeting where the position is open, all eligible voting members will be allowed to vote via a secure independent web based voting system for a period of 45 days. Only one vote per voting member will be counted and the Office of the Executive Director will verify only one vote per voting member.
  2. The election results will be verified by a committee consisting of the Secretary of the NCSAUA, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee and the Executive Director.
  3. The winner must gather 50% of the vote plus one to be declared the victor
  4. If there is no outright victor then the top two vote getters will face off in another electronic election, via a secure independent web based voting system for a period of 30 days. Only one vote per voting member will be counted for the face-off election, and the Office of the Executive Director will verify only one vote per voting member.
  5. The votes will be verified by the Secretary, Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, and the Executive Director. The victor will be notified by official communication.
  1. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be presented at the Annual Business meeting, and a majority of votes shall be necessary to ratify that report. No nominations for Officers, Directors, or AUA Representatives shall be accepted from the floor of the Business Meeting.
  2. Should the report of the Nominating Committee be rejected, in whole or in part, by a majority of the membership voting at the Business Meeting, then the Committee shall promptly seek another acceptable candidate for each challenged position in accordance with the provisions of Article IV, Sections 2 (c) and (d) of these Bylaws. A subsequent candidate approved by the Nominating Committee shall be submitted through email, within 30 days thereafter, for approval by majority vote of all eligible Section members responding to that vote.
  3. The following shall be the Section representatives on AUA Committees:
    1. Bylaws Committee. Chair of the Section Bylaws Committee.
    2. Membership Committee. Secretary of the Section.
    3. Health Policy Committee. Two members of the NCS Health Policy Committee.
  4. While serving as a member of this Committee, no member shall be eligible for nomination to any elective office of the Section or the AUA nor for election as a representative to the AUA provided, however, incumbents in any office shall continue for their stated term of office.

Section 3 — Membership Committee

The Committee shall consist of the Board of Directors. The Chair shall be the Immediate Past President. It shall consider applications for all categories of membership which have been filed with the Secretary. When necessary, it will make a thorough investigation of the ethical, moral and professional standards of an applicant. The Committee shall meet annually or as often as circumstances warrant.

Section 4 — Finance Committee

The Finance Committee shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary and Treasurer. The Secretary-Elect and Treasurer-Elect shall be non-voting members. The Treasurer shall be the Chair. The Finance Committee shall study and evaluate all financial affairs of the Section and make recommendations to the Board of Directors, set up a budget for the various activities and committees each year, and, on the basis of the projected budget, make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding dues for the ensuing year. The Committee shall meet annually or as often as circumstances warrant.

Section 5 — Local Arrangements Committee

The President-Elect shall appoint the Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the meeting at which the President-Elect will preside within sixty (60) days after his election as President-Elect. The Chair shall be from the State within the Section which is the host for such meeting. The Chair shall have the power to appoint all Local Chairs and Committee Members. The Treasurer of the Section shall serve as the Treasurer for the meeting and shall be responsible for all of the finances of the meeting. All expenditures must be authorized in advance by the Treasurer or the Chair in accordance with the budget for the Annual Meeting. The Committee shall prepare a budget for the Annual Meeting and present it to the Board of Directors for its approval. The Committee shall make all necessary arrangements for the Annual Meeting after consultation with the President and the Secretary and report such arrangements to the Board of Directors. The Committee shall prepare a program description for the Annual Meeting Program.

Additional members of the Committee shall be the Secretary and the immediate past Chairmen of the Local Arrangements Committee.

Section 6 — Program Committee

The Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee, Chair of the Education Committee, a Resident Representative and the Secretary, who shall be Chair of the Committee, and the Secretary-Elect, if any. The Resident Representative will be appointed by the Long Range Planning Committee annually.

The Committee shall arrange the scientific program for the Annual Meeting and select the abstracts best suited for the program. It shall be the prerogative of the Committee to invite any guest speakers from outside the Section whom the Committee determines would contribute to the program.

Section 7 — Editorial And Awards Committee

The Committee shall consist of five (5) members and the term of office shall be five (5) years. One new member shall be appointed annually by the President and the most senior member shall be the Chair. No member of the Committee shall be eligible to receive an award granted by the Committee. The Committee may award one or more Traveling Fellowships annually, but if more than one award is to be made, approval by the Board of Directors is required. It shall make the Traveling Fellowship award to Residents or Urologists residing in the Section. Urologists who have been in practice more than five (5) years are not eligible for the award. The recipients need not be members of the Section. The Committee will judge and make awards for the named awards (Thirlby and Traveling Fellowship) and any special prizes accepted for competition by the Board of Directors. It shall instruct the Secretary to send a certificate or formal letter to each recipient stating that he or she has received this award from the Section. It shall request the recipients to give a report of their travel at the next Annual Meeting or submit a written report for publication in the Newsletter. It shall make other awards as directed by the Board of Directors.

Section 8 — Bylaws Committee

The Committee shall consist of three (3) Active or Senior Members and the Secretary. One member, other than the Secretary, shall be designated as Chair by the President. The term of office shall be three (3) years. Members shall be eligible for two (2) terms. The Chair of the Committee shall be a member of the Bylaws Committee of the AUA.

The Committee will adhere to the Section’s goal of complying with the Mission and Vision and Purposes of the AUA, as stated currently in Article I, Sections 1 and 2 of the AUA Bylaws, and propose Bylaws which are in accord, or not in conflict with, those of the AUA. The Chair will keep an accurate file of all correspondence to and from the members of the Committee and from the Secretary of proposed amendments by members of the Section. The Committee shall meet and review the Bylaws annually and recommend to the Board of Directors any changes that seem desirable. All proposed amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval.

Section 9 — Education Committee

  1. The Education Committee will evaluate educational opportunities, approaches and philosophies as they relate to the Section. Specifically, the Committee will address the content and approach of the Annual Meeting, ongoing educational issues of section members, and any concerns the members may have as they relate to urologic education within the Section. They will be advisory to the Board of Directors.
  2. This Committee will meet annually, at the Annual Meeting.
  3. The Committee will be comprised of a chair (selected by Board), one “at large” Board member (selected by the Board), the NCS Secretary, and the NCS Secretary-Elect, Chair of the Young Urologist Committee, a resident representative, two section members selected by the Committee Chair ( to serve at the discretion of the Committee Chair). The term of the chair will be 3 years, renewable once. At the discretion of the Chairman, one member of the committee will report to the Board of Directors at the Interim Board Meeting.

Section 10 — Health Policy Committee

The Committee shall consist of two representatives from each state in the Section — and where feasible, one of those representatives should live or practice in the state capital or its vicinity. The Chair of the Committee shall be appointed by the Board for a term of two years, and may be reappointed for one additional two-year term. The Chair shall be expected to attend the annual and interim meetings of the Board. The AUA Health Policy Committee Representatives shall be members of the Health Policy Committee.

Section 11 — Young Urologists Committee

The Committee shall consist of a Chair and Vice Chair, and two members less than 10 years out of residency, preferably one from private practice and one from academic practice, from the following geographic units: Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Michigan; Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota; Ohio; and Wisconsin with two year staggered terms to ensure no more than one member rotates off a geographic unit annually. Appointments to the geographic units are to be made by the President in consultation with the outgoing Young Urologists Committee member and/or the NCS Board of Directors representative of the outgoing geographic unit. The Committee itself appoints its own Chair and Vice Chair, each for a term of two years with the Vice chair ascending to the position of Chair at the end of the terms with the Young Urologist Committee approval. The Young Urologists Committee primary responsibility is to advise the Board of Directors on issues of particular concern to young urologists and addresses membership issues for young urologists. The Young Urologist Committee Chair and Vice Chair shall serve ex-officio, without vote, on the NCS Board of Directors for the duration of their terms. The Chair presents at Section Board of Directors’ meetings and is responsible for planning the young urologist segment on the annual meeting program when applicable. The Vice Chair of the Young Urologists Committee also serves as the NCS representative on the AUA Young Urologist Committee.

Section 12 — Long-Range Planning Committee

The Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Treasurer, the immediate Past President, the Representative to the AUA, the Chair of the Young Urologists Committee, the Chair of the Education Committee, the Chair of the Women in Urology Committee, the Secretary-Elect and the Treasurer-Elect. The Secretary shall serve as the Chair of the Committee. It shall assess the Section’s activities and membership needs and make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding policy and programs.

Section 13 — Past Presidents Committee

The Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, and all of the previous Past Presidents of the NCS at the annual meeting. The President shall serve as the Chair of the Committee. It shall meet at the annual meeting and provide an update of the NCS programs. The committee should exchange historical information that may impact on current issues and offer suggestions to the Board for improvement to current program or new programming. The President who will be the Past President at the next interim meeting will report back to the Board.

Section 14 — Women in Urology Committee

The Committee shall consist of a Chair and Vice Chair, and one member and one alternate from the following geographic units: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin with two year staggered terms to ensure no more than one member rotates off a geographic unit annually. Appointments to the geographic units are to be made by the Committee in consultation with the outgoing Women in Urology Committee member and/or the NCS Board of Directors representative of the outgoing geographic unit. The Committee itself appoints its own Chair and Vice Chair, each for a term of two years, renewable once, with the Vice chair ascending to the position of Chair at the end of the terms with the Women in Urology Committee approval. The Women in Urology Committee’s primary responsibility is to advise the Board of Directors on issues of particular concern to female urologists and addresses membership issues for female urologists. The Women in Urology Committee Chair shall serve ex-officio, without vote, on the NCS Board of Directors for the duration of her term. The Chair presents at the Section Board of Directors’ meetings and is responsible for planning the Women in Urology segment on the annual meeting program when applicable.

ARTICLE V — MEETINGS

The Annual and Special Meetings of the members shall be held at such time and place as designated by the President and the Board of Directors, subject to the provisions of these Bylaws. The President or five (5) members of the Board of Directors can call special meetings. Official notice of the Annual Meeting shall be included in a Newsletter which must reach the members at least six (6) months before the time of the meeting. Notice of Special meetings must be sent to the members at least twenty-one (21) days before such a meeting. The order of business at the Scientific Meeting shall be determined by the Secretary after consultation with the Program Committee. The members registered and eligible to vote who are present at the Annual Business Meeting and at any Special Meetings shall constitute a quorum for such meeting, and, unless otherwise specifically required by these Bylaws or applicable law, the vote of a majority of such members shall be required to approve any action at such meeting. The order of business at the Annual Meeting shall be set by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VI — AMENDMENTS

These Bylaws may be amended by the two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting at the Annual Business Meeting. Proposed amendments must be submitted in writing to the Secretary and referred by the Secretary to the Bylaws Committee which shall consider all proposed amendments and present their recommendations to the Board of Directors. Any proposed amendment shall be sent to the members at least thirty (30) days before such Annual Meeting either by printed mail or electronic mail.

ARTICLE VII — RULES ON PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

The current edition of Robert’s Rule of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the proceedings of the Section, unless provided otherwise in the Articles of Incorporation or in these Bylaws.

ARTICLE VIII — VACANCIES

Should a vacancy occur in any elected position of the Section, more than sixty (60) days before a scheduled election, then the Executive Committee shall promptly nominate a replacement from among the membership or the existing Board of Directors, taking into account geographic considerations and relevant factors of experience and necessary qualifications for the vacant position. The vacancy shall be filled at a special meeting of the Section Board of Directors, requiring a vote of two-thirds of the entire Board, excluding the individuals whose names have been placed in nomination.