ARITCLE I

ARITCLE II Purpose & Goals

ARITCLE III Membership

ARITCLE IV Member Election

ARITCLE V Officers

ARITCLE VI Meetings

ARITCLE VII Amendments

ARITCLE VIII Dues

ARITCLE IX Dissolution

ARTICLE I

Seattle Dermatologic Society shall be the name of this organization.

ARTICLE II

Purposes and Goals of the Seattle Dermatologic Society shall be to:

• Encourage and promulgate post graduate education of the membership.
• Encourage and maintain high medical and ethical standards of practice in dermatology
• Serve as a forum for the presentation and discussion of interesting and challenging clinical cases and therapeutic problems in dermatology.
• Foster fellowship and communication between members of the Society.

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ARTICLE III

The membership shall consist of:

• Active members shall be board eligible in dermatology, a resident of Washington, British Columbia, or Oregon, and a member in good standing in his (or her) local medical society.
• Affiliate members shall be licensed physicians, a resident of Washington, Oregon, or British Columbia, and a member in good standing in his (or her) local medical society.
• Non-resident members may be selected at the discretion of the Executive Board if they satisfy all the requirements for active membership except residence.  Non-resident members may attend but will have no vote at business meetings and may not hold office but will be subject to regular dues and assessments.
• Guests shall be fellows or residents in training or a temporary guest of a member.  Temporary guest status shall be limited to two meetings per year.  Dues will not be assessed and there will be no voting rights or right to hold office.
• Honorary member – Any distinguished member of the medical profession may be elected to honorary membership, which will be exempt from dues and assessments but shall have no right to hold office.
• Inactive status may be elected by active members for 1-2 years if disabled or residing outside the Society area temporarily, or it may be elected by the Executive Committee for any member in special circumstances.
• APP Attendees – non-member advanced practice provider (APP) attendees from the greater Seattle area and Northwestern region. APP attendees must be sponsored by a current SDS member in good standing at their same clinic or institution and will pay dues of $150.

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ARTICLE IV

Election of members

Proposals of names for Active, Affiliate, Non-resident or Honorary membership shall be made in writing, sponsored by at least two members in good standing, and accompanied by a statement of qualification of the one proposed, said proposal to be announced to the Society at the first possible regular meeting.

Election of Active, Affiliate, Non-resident, or Honorary Members shall be by show of hands; said elections to occur at the next regular meeting following the proposal for membership.  Election will require a 2/3 majority affirmative vote of a legal quorum.

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ARTICLE V

Officers, their election and duties

Section 1.  The officers of the Society shall consist of a President, Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected from active members in good standing.

Section 2.  The term of each office shall be for 1 year.  The customary progression shall be from Secretary to Treasurer to President, but the membership shall have the right to alter or ignore this progression. 

Section 3.  Candidates for office shall be selected by a nominating committee of three active members appointed by the president.  The nominating committee will select a slate of two nominees for secretary.  The slate will be presented at the April meeting, and additional nominees may be presented from the floor.  The election shall be held at the May meeting, and the election will require a majority vote of active members present.  In the event of a non-majority vote, a runoff will be held at the same meeting between the two top candidates for the office. 

Section 4.  The duties of the President, Treasurer and Secretary shall be those which customarily devolve upon these respective offices.

Section 5.  An Executive Committee to conduct the affairs of the Society shall consist of the President, as chairman, the immediate Past President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary.

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ARTICLE VI

Meetings

Regular meetings of the Society shall be held on the third Wednesday evening of every month from September through May but excluding December.  One meeting may be added or deleted by a majority vote at the preceding monthly meeting.

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ARTICLE VII

Amendments

This constitution may be amended by an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the active members of the Society.  All amendments must be submitted in writing, signed by five active members, and accepted by a majority of members at a regular meeting before being presented to the membership for a final vote which is done using either a mail ballot, e-mail, or an on-line secure voting process.

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ARTICLE VIII

Dues

The annual dues shall be set by the Executive Committee, subject to majority approval of a quorum at a regular meeting. Special assessments may be levied by majority vote at any meeting. Dues shall be assessed in September and shall be payable in 90 days by all active, affiliate, and non-resident members.

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ARTICLE IX

Dissolution and Disposition of Assets

• Dissolution of the Seattle Dermatologic Society shall require:
• A mail vote
• A 2/3 affirmative vote of the active membership.
• The results of the mail ballot shall be read to the next and final regular meeting.
• Upon dissolution all assets of the Society shall be assigned within 60 days for educational purposes to the Division of Dermatology at the University of Washington, or if a majority vote so indicates to another institution or foundation for educational purposes.

1. One-third of the active membership shall constitute a legal quorum for the transaction of business at any regular meeting.
2. Any member may be expelled for cause, requiring a mail ballot with a three-fourths majority vote of the active members of the Society.
3. Any active member shall no longer be in good standing and may not vote if he (or she) is 4 months in arrears on dues or obligatory assessments. 
4. Active or non-resident members who are 12 months or more in arrears shall automatically be terminated from membership.
5. The president shall appoint a former president (or another member, if the past president declines) as the dermatology representative to the Advisory Board of the King County Medical Service Bureau.

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