Bylaws: Article III
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. There shall be five categories of membership: Full Members, Trainee Members, International Members, Emeritus Members, and Honorary Members (collectively, the “Members”). All persons who apply for Full, International, or Trainee membership and who are found to possess all necessary credentials and qualifications shall be granted such membership in a timely manner, effective upon notice to such person.
SECTION 2. Full membership shall be available to any individual residing within the United States, Canada, or Mexico who is actively engaged in the science and clinical practice of organ and tissue transplantation. Physicians and surgeons who are Full Members shall have primary Board certification by one of the American Boards or their international equivalents.
SECTION 3. Subject to Article VIII of these Bylaws and the Society’s conflict of interest policy which may be adopted and amended by the Council from time to time, Full Members who are current in their dues shall be eligible to hold office on the Council, serve on committees and vote on all matters brought before the general membership.
SECTION 4. International Members shall have the same qualifications as Full Members except that International Members shall be residents of countries other than the United States, Canada and Mexico. An International Member who is current in their dues shall have the privileges of voting and may serve on committees and hold office on the Council as a Councilor-at-Large.
SECTION 5. Full or International Members who have attained the age of 65 years and retired from practice in the field of transplantation medicine or immunology may request by letter to the Secretary to be advanced to Emeritus membership. Emeritus Members shall not have the right to vote or hold office on the Council but may serve on committees. Emeritus Members shall be exempt from payment of annual membership dues.
SECTION 6. Honorary Members shall be individuals with a distinguished record in transplantation irrespective of professional discipline. It is anticipated that relatively few individuals will qualify for Honorary membership. Nominees for honorary membership must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Council. Honorary Members shall not have the right to vote or hold office on the Council and shall be exempt from payment of annual membership dues.
SECTION 7. Trainee membership shall be limited to individuals who are enrolled in predoctoral or postdoctoral training programs relevant to the science and clinical practice of organ and tissue transplantation and individuals who have completed their training but have not yet qualified for Full or International membership. Each applicant for Trainee membership shall submit a membership application, along with a letter from such individual’s Program Director, if still in training, confirming the candidate’s status as a trainee, the nature of the training program and estimated year of completion. No individual may remain in this category for more than eight years without further written documentation of their ongoing trainee status. Trainee Members who have paid their membership dues shall have the privilege of voting and may serve on committees but may not hold office on the Council
SECTION 8. Any membership can be terminated by the Council for conduct, which in the sole judgment of the Council is injurious to the interests or welfare of the Society, including failure to pay dues. Prior to terminating any Member’s membership, such Member shall be given written notice (by first class or certified mail) of the proposed termination and the reason therefore at least fifteen days prior to the effective date of the expulsion. Such Member shall be afforded an opportunity to be heard, orally or in writing, by the Council at least five days before the effective date of the termination.
SECTION 9. An annual meeting of the Members of the Society shall be held at an hour and place to be fixed by the Council. Written notice of the meeting shall be sent pursuant to Article XIII of these bylaws to all Members of the Society not more than sixty nor less than thirty days before the meeting. At the annual meeting of the Members, the President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Councilors-at-Large (see Articles IV and V) of the Society shall be elected as set forth in Articles IV and V of these bylaws, and such other business as may properly come before the meeting shall be transacted. The agenda for annual meetings shall be determined by the Council.
SECTION 10. For any matter requiring the approval of the Members, the number of Members voting on such matter (whether such Members vote (i) in person at a meeting or (ii) in writing) shall constitute a quorum necessary for transaction of the business of such matter, provided that such number of Full Members, International Members, and Trainee members (collectively, the "Voting Members") voting on such matter constitutes not less than 1% of the total number of Voting Members of the Society. Candidates nominated to office shall be elected by a plurality of the Voting Members voting. Amendment of these bylaws shall require a two-thirds majority of Voting Members voting as set forth in Artice XI of these bylaws. Except as otherwise set forth in these bylaws, action of the membership on all other matters shall require a simple majority of the Voting Members voting.