|
Dear Dr. Office,
In my May email to you, I shared that ACVS’s review of the Constitution and Bylaws (PDF), in advance of the proposed governance change, identified opportunities to modernize the document to meet current best practices, simplify the language, and ensure ACVS can effectively adapt to changing business and market conditions. I also mentioned that some of the content is overly detailed and would typically be found in a protocol document. It also contains duplicative content.
This month, I will highlight several examples of extraneous detail and duplicative content and suggest amendments for greater clarity and efficiency.
Governance (Board of Regents)
The Constitution and Bylaws defines the Board of Regents as the governing body of the College in two separate articles:
- Constitution Article VI: BOARD OF REGENTS, Section 1: “The management and control of the business and professional affairs of the College shall be vested in the Board of Regents.”
- Bylaws Article II: BOARD OF REGENTS, Section 1: “The Board of Regents shall be the governing body of the College…”
A recommended amendment would be to consolidate these two sections into one.
Bylaws Article II, Section 1 also includes content that outlines some of the Board of Regents’ responsibilities, such as:
- Receiving applications for certification and conducting examinations
- Making recommendations for membership
- Taking disciplinary actions against Diplomates for unprofessional conduct
- Appointing standing committees
- Managing the finances the College, including setting certification-related and other fees
A recommended amendment would be to remove the detailed descriptions of these responsibilities from the Constitution and Bylaws and add them to an outline of responsibilities in an existing or new protocol documents.
Committees
The Constitution and Bylaws grant the Board of Regents the authority to create committees. ACVS’s review found two separate articles that grant this authority:
- Bylaws Article II: BOARD OF REGENTS, Section 1: “The Board of Regents shall appoint standing committees...”
- Bylaws Article IV: COMMITTEES, Section 1: “Committees may be established by the Board of Regents.”
A recommended amendment would be to consolidate these two sections into one.
Voting privileges
The Constitution and Bylaws specify that Diplomates with Active or Emeritus status have voting privileges. Our review found this content repeated in two separate articles:
- Constitution Article IV: MEMBERSHIP, Section 6: “Diplomates with Active or Emeritus status shall have voting privileges.”
- Bylaws Article VII: AMENDMENTS AND VOTING PROCEDURES, Section 3: “Diplomates with Active or Emeritus status shall have voting privileges.”
A recommended amendment would be to remove one of these duplicate sections.
These are a few of the considerations for proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws. I will continue to share updates and recommendations with you as we move through this process. Diplomates will have the opportunity to review proposed amendments and provide feedback.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at aseery@acvs.org or (301) 916-0200 x106.
Sincerely,
Adam Seery, CAE
Membership Director
| 
