GIPA
Bylaws
Article
I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Gastroenterology
Physician Assistants, herein referred to as GIPA.
Article
II: Vision, Mission, Purpose
The purpose of GIPA is to provide professional support to
physician assistants practicing in the fields of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology; to educate other health care professionals
about the role of PAs in Gastroenterology and Hepatology;
and to promote patient education to the public pertaining
to diseases and social issues related to Gastroenterology
and Hepatology.
Section 1: GIPA is the authoritative representative
of the PA profession within Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Section 2: The mission of the Gastroenterology
Physician Assistants (GIPA) is to provide improved healthcare
and access to patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary
disease through professional and educational support to physician
assistants (PAs) practicing in gastroenterology and hepatology.
Section 3: To provide the general membership
of the organization with a forum for informal assembly regarding
the issues that relate to physician assistants practicing
in Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Section 4: To develop and maintain a speaker’s
network and job bank for GIPA.
Section 5: To facilitate mutual assistance
and support of physician assistants, health professionals,
and health services by organizing and disseminating health
care information through forums, panels, and other similar
programs concerning the delivery and quality of health care
services within the fields of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Article
III: Membership
The GIPA shall represent physician assistants, students, and
other interested individuals within the fields of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology who meet specified bylaws and requirements
specified by the Board of Directors.
Section 1: Membership categories are (a)
fellow, (b) sustaining, (c) physician, (d) affiliate, (e)
student, and (f) honorary members.
(a): A Fellow member is a graduate of an
ARC-approved PA program, or certified by the NCCPA, who practices
primarily in the field of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
The PA does not have to be a member of the AAPA to be eligible
for fellow membership in GIPA. However, as an officially recognized
sub-specialty of the AAPA, all GIPA members are encouraged
to join the AAPA. Fellow members will enjoy the privileges
of the floor and will be entitled to vote. Officers and committee
chairpersons must be current members of the AAPA. The AAPA
HOD representative must be a Fellow member in good standing
of the AAPA.
(b): A Sustaining member is a PA, certified
by the NCCPA, who has chosen not to practice in Gastroenterology
and Hepatology, but still wishes to support GIPA. He or she
shall have the privileges of the floor, but is not entitled
to vote or to hold office.
(c): A Physician member is a U.S. licensed
physician who wishes to associate with the organization. He
or she shall have the privileges of the floor, but shall not
be entitled to vote or to hold office.
(d): An Affiliate member is a person who
is ineligible for any of the above categories and wishes to
associate with the organization. He or she must be approved
by the Board of Directors. Affiliate members shall have the
privileges of the floor, but shall not be entitled to vote
or to hold office.
(e): A Student member is a person enrolled
in a ARC-approved program or an unaccredited program recognized
by the AAPA. Student members shall be entitled to the privileges
of the floor, but shall not be entitled to vote or to hold
office.
(f): An Honorary member shall be a person
who has rendered distinguished service to the physician assistant
profession in Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Such members
shall be nominated by an active fellow member, approved by
the Board of Directors, within one year, and approved by the
other fellow members. He or she shall be entitled to the privileges
of the floor, but shall not be entitled to vote or to hold
office. They shall be exempt from paying dues.
Section 2: All applications for membership
shall be in writing on application forms provided by this
organization. All applications shall be approved or rejected
by the organization’s membership committee. No applicant
shall be denied on the basis of gender, age, race, disability,
creed, color, or national origin. No fellow member of AAPA
shall be denied an application of membership unless such membership
has been revoked for reason of an ethical or judicial nature.
Appeals will be acted upon by the Board of Directors whose
decision will be final.
Section 3: Annual fees, dues amounts, late
fees, and assessments shall be established and approved by
the Board of Directors for each class of membership. The Board
of Directors may offer complimentary membership for financial
or personal hardship on a case-by-case and yearly basis.
Section 4: AAPA members who belong to more
than one constituent organization may vote on AAPA issues
in only one constituent organization.
Article
IV: Discipline
Section 1: The GIPA holds its members to
the AAPA’s code of Ethics.
Section 2: Any member who is under sentence
of suspension or expulsion shall not be entitled to any of
the rights or benefits of the organization or be permitted
to take part in any of the proceedings until he or she has
been reinstated.
Section 3: Any member who has been censured,
suspended, or expelled by the Board of Directors may appeal,
in writing, such action within six months after notice is
given, in writing, by the Board of Directors.
Section 4: A committee chair, not part of
the executive board, shall arrange for an impartial, three-person
panel to hear the appeal. The panel shall consist of Fellow
members who are not holding a chairmanship or board office.
The committee chair shall designate a time and place for the
hearing of the appeal, and after giving the appellant and
representatives reasonable opportunity to be heard, shall,
by a majority vote, either sustain or reverse such censure,
suspension, or expulsion. The decision of the panel shall
be final.
Section 5: Any officer may be removed from
office, for cause, at any time by the affirmative vote of
a majority of the Board of Directors, provided that the affected
officer shall have been given written notice of the charges
and offered an opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter
before the Board of Directors take final action. The officer
shall have the right to elect to appear in person before the
Board of Directors or permit the hearing to be conducted in
absentia by written correspondence or electronic media.
The officer may appeal such action, in writing, within six
months after notice of removal is given and the Board of Directors
has taken action to remove the officer. The Board of Directors
shall designate a time and place for the hearing of the appeal.
The appellant shall have the right to elect to appear in person
before the Board of Directors or permit the hearing to be
conducted in absentia by written correspondence or electronic
media. After giving the officer and representatives reasonable
opportunity to be heard, the Board of Directors shall, by
a majority vote, either sustain or reverse the removal of
the officer. The decision of the Board of Directors shall
be final.
Article
V: Meetings of Members
Section 1: The annual meeting shall be held
at a day, time, and place to be set by the Board of Directors
and shall be held for the purpose of transacting such business
as may properly come before said meeting.
Section 2: Notice of meetings shall be in
writing, via e-mail or U.S. postal mail. A copy of the notice
shall be given to each member no less than 60 days before
the date of the meeting. Special meetings of the organization
may be called by the President and/or by order of a majority
of the Board of Directors.
Section 3: A special meeting of the organization
may be requested by a majority of the fellow members.
Section 4: Each fellow member and the student
representative is entitled to one vote on meeting motions.
Section 5: Quorum requirements shall be developed
to allow a Web-based meeting agenda, including the election
of officers, presentation of motions, as well as seconds and
a binding vote on those motions.
Article
VI: Board of Directors
Section 1: The Board of Directors shall consist
of President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary,
Treasurer and four board members at large.
Section 2: Each board officer of the organization
shall be a fellow member in good standing of the AAPA for
the duration of their term.
Section 3: The Board of Directors shall control
and manage the affairs of the organization.
Section 4: The Board of Directors shall hold
meetings at such times and places as may be designated by
the President, but in no event shall there be less than one
such meeting in any one calendar year. This meeting may be
a Web-based meeting following standard protocol. An absolute
majority of the membership of the Board shall constitute a
quorum for purposes of transacting business. The minutes of
such a meeting should be available to fellow members within
30 days of the actual date of the meeting.
Section 5: The Board officers shall have
a one-year term of office. Any officer may resign at any time.
Such resignation shall be in writing to the Board and shall
take effect at the time specified therein.
Section 6: In the event of vacancy the Board
of Directors, at any meeting thereof, may appoint such additional
officers with such title, authority, and duties as it may
deem advisable until the following elections. The Board will
set the amount of any compensation for additional officers
or office personnel and will have the right to remove or replace
any appointees at the Board’s discretion.
Section 7: Any officer may be removed from
office, for cause, at any time by the affirmative vote of
a majority of the Board provided that the affected officer
shall have been given written notice of the charges and offered
an opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter before
the Board of Directors takes final action.
Section 8: The officer may appeal such action,
in writing, within six months after notice of removal is given
and the board has taken action to remove the officer. The
Board of Directors shall designate a time and place for the
hearing of the appeal. After giving the officer and representative’s
reasonable opportunity to be heard, the Board of Directors
shall, by a majority vote either sustain or reverse the removal
of the officer. The decision of the Board of Directors shall
be final.
Article
VII: Election of the Board of Directors
Section 1: The Elections Committee shall
establish rules and regulations governing the elections.
Section 2: The offices to be filled are the
Board of Directors.
Section 3: The President Elect shall automatically
succeed the preceding President as President of the organization,
and the outgoing President shall remain a voting member of
the Board for one year as the Immediate Past President.
Section 4: Eligible voters are fellow members.
Section 5: The election of officers shall
be conducted by mail or e-mail at least 45 days prior to July
1.
Section 6: The elected officers shall take
office on July 1. Their term of office runs from July 1 to
June 30.
Article
VIII: Duties of Officers
Section 1: The President shall preside at
all business meetings of the organization and of the Board
of Directors. He or she shall make a full report of the year’s
activities at the annual meeting of the organization. He or
she shall coordinate agendas for future meetings, preside
at meetings and maintain order, and set up forums for discussion.
He or she shall appoint all standing committees and designate
their chairs, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.
Section 2: The President Elect, in the absence
of both the President, shall assume the duties of the President
during meetings. In the case of the vacancy resignation or
removal of the President, the President Elect shall immediately
begin his or her term. The President Elect will organize and
conduct, with the assistance of the Secretary, all annual
elections and be chair of the Elections Committee.
Section 3: The Immediate Past President shall
attend Board meetings and shall perform such duties as may
be delegated by the President. The Immediate Past President
will serve as chair of the Corporate Sponsor and Leadership
Development Committee and will act as the chief delegate to
the AAPA House of Delegates.
Section 4: The Secretary shall keep minutes
of all meetings of the organization, be responsible for all
organization communications, assist the President Elect on
elections, notify all members of all meetings, and send applications
for membership to all eligible physician assistants and students.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall maintain accurate
records of the financial status of the organization.
Article
IX: Committees
There shall be such committees as may be specified by the
Board of Directors with such authority and responsibility
as may be delegated by the Board of Directors or specified
in the bylaws. There shall be the following Standing Committees:
(a) Membership, (b) Legislative, (c) Elections, and (d) CME.
Section 1: The members of each standing committee
shall serve for a term of one year, commencing on July 1.
All committee members shall be appointed by the President,
with the majority approval of the Board of Directors, and
shall be subject to removal by the President. Each committee
shall be responsible to the President and the Board of Directors.
Section 2: Each standing committee shall
be responsible for the performance of the duties and functions
delegated to it by the Board of Directors or the President.
Section 3: Standing committees shall hold
regular meetings and shall make quarterly written reports
to the Board of Directors through the President.
Section 4: Special (ad hoc) committees may
be appointed by the president with the concurrence of the
Board for such special tasks as circumstances warrant.
Article
X: Duties of the Standing Committees
Section 1: The Membership Committee shall
encourage and promote the increase of GIPA membership by coordinating
the recruitment, retention, and development of the organization’s
members.
Section 2: The Legislative Committee shall
monitor current legislation and policies that have an effect
on GIPA and when necessary coordinate the proactive lobbying
for improved quality and standards for PAs practicing in the
fields of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and encourage the
membership to take a role in the legislative process.
Section 3: The Elections Committee shall
prepare a slate of candidates to fill positions on the Board
of Directors. The committee shall establish rules and regulations
governing the elections. The committee shall conduct the elections
in the manner discussed in Article VII, Section 5.
Section 4: The Continuing Medical Education
(CME) Committee shall coordinate the planning of CME conferences
for GIPA. The CME Committee shall be in charge of coordinating
notification of the membership of upcoming events and of actively
pursuing other fund-raising avenues for holding conferences,
such as encouraging local pharmaceutical companies to become
sponsors and exhibitors.
Article
XI: Finance
Section 1: The fiscal year shall be determined
by a resolution of the Board of Directors.
Section 2: The amount of annual dues, late
fees, and assessments, as well as the manner of payment, shall
be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors.
Section 3: Any member whose dues, late fees,
or assessments are unpaid at the time of any meeting shall
be ineligible to vote or hold office. The Board of Directors
may establish procedures and policies with regard to nonpayment
of dues, late fees, and assessments as they become due.
Article
XII: Parliamentary Authority
Section 1: The current edition of Sturgis-Standard
Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall be the parliamentary
authority for all matters of procedures not specifically covered
by these bylaws.
Section 2: This constituent organization
is part of the parent organization AAPA. As such, the organization
and its members are required to meet all the provisions outlined
in the AAPA’s constitution, bylaws, and charter policy.
This organization will not write or pass any bylaws and/or
policies in conflict with AAPA bylaws and/or policies. This
organization will uphold the principles, purposes, and philosophy
for which AAPA was founded. If the organization is unable
to uphold the principles and purposes, or passes conflicting
bylaws and/or policies, it must work through AAPA to change
the philosophy by altering the organization’s constitution
and bylaws.
Article
XIII: Ethics and Judicial Affairs
Section 1: The Board of Directors shall serve
as the judicial body of this organization.
Section 2: The Board of Directors will create
policy defining and implementing the organization’s
Code of Ethics (AAPA Policy 1301-01-01, the Code of Ethics
of the PA Profession).
Article
XIV: Amendment of Bylaws
Section 1: Minor edits to these bylaws may
be made by the majority vote of the organization’s Board
of Directors.
Section 2: Major amendments to these bylaws
may be made at any regular or special meeting of the membership
by a majority vote of all voting members present or by proxy.
Section 3: Written notification shall be
made to all membership at least three weeks prior to voting
on any proposed amendments to the bylaws.
Article
XV: Dissolution of the Organization
Section 1: In the event of dissolvement,
the remaining monies will be disbursed as voted by the majority
of the remaining members. |
