Article I - Name and Purpose
Section 1.
This section shall be known as the Section on Disease.
Section 2.
This section shall serve at the appointment and pleasure of the
Board of Directors (formerly referred to as the Executive Council)
of the American Academy of Optometry. The
purpose of the Section on Disease shall be to:
- Serve as a primary resource of the Academy for papers,
poster, courses, information and research regarding the
diagnosis and management of disease and to advise the Board of Directors (formerly referred to as the Executive Council) on policy in this area.
- Encourage inquiry and research in the diagnosis and
management of ocular and systemic disease by providing a forum
of practitioners and scientists known as the Section On Disease
where new advances in the field may be presented, questioned and
defended.
- Promote, advance and enhance the identity of optometry as a
profession providing these services.
- Encourage Academy Fellows to increase their competence in
the diagnosis and management of disease by recognizing as
Diplomates those who demonstrate a broad base of knowledge and
expertise in a disease specialty area.
- To assist the Scientific Program Committee in selection of
meritous papers, poster, and disease-related research for
presentation at the annual Academy meeting.
Article II - Membership
Any member of the American Academy of Optometry may become a
member the Section by participating in Section activities,
attending the Section's meetings, and by paying any dues required
by the Academy.
Article III - Officers
Section 1.
The officers of this section shall be a Chair, First Vice-Chair,
Second Vice-Chair, Diplomate Committee Chair, Diplomate
Vice-Chair, and the Immediate Past Chair.
Section 2.
There shall be an Executive Committee which shall consist of the
Chair, First Vice-Chair, Second Vice-Chair , Diplomate Committee
Chair, and the Immediate Past Chair.
Section 3.
Only Fellows of the Academy may run for elected office in the
Section. Except for the Immediate Past Chair, the Section
officers shall be elected biennially by the Section members at
the Annual Meeting of the Section. A majority of the votes cast
on a particular office shall be required for the election to
that office. An individual may serve only one consecutive term
for each of the elected offices except for Diplomate Chair.
Section 4.
Terms of Office. All terms of office herein specified shall
begin at the close of the Annual Academy Meeting at which the
election takes place and shall end two years hence at the close
of the Annual Meeting.
Section 5.
The Executive Committee shall be empowered to seek the removal
from office any officer for such cause as will preserve the
dignity and integrity of the organization. A majority of the
Section officers shall be required to petition the Board of Directors (formerly referred to as the Executive Council) to remove an elected Section officer. If an office
becomes vacant by resignation, illness, death or refusal to act,
a replacement shall be appointed by the Section Chair for the
remainder of that office's term. Should the office if the Chair
become vacant, the First Vice-Chair shall assume the duties of
the Chair.
Article IV - Duties of Officers
Section 1.
Chairman. The Section Chair shall preside at all meetings of the
section and of the Section on Disease Executive Committee. He
shall plan and superintend the programs of the Section at the
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Optometry during his
term. He shall appoint and/or approve the Chair of any
committees within the Section who are to hold office during his
term as Chairman (with the exception of the Diplomate Committee
Chair). He shall submit an annual budget for the Section to the
Secretary -Treasurer of the Academy. He shall superintend the
performance of all activities of the Section. He shall perform
such other duties and acts that usually pertain to his office.
Section 2.
First and Second Vice-Chairmen. The Vice-Chairmen shall aid the
Chairman in the performance of his duties in such a manner and
to such extent as he may request. Upon death, resignation or
during disability of the Chairman or upon refusal to act, the
First Vice-Chairman shall perform the duties of the Chairman for
the remainder of his term or disability, as the case may be.
Section 3.
Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President shall aid
the Chairman in the performance of his duties in such a manner
as he may request.
Article V - Meetings
Section 1.
The Annual Business Meeting of the Section shall be held during
the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Optometry.
Section 2
The members of the Section present at any meeting shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 3
All binding action of the Section shall be by a majority vote of
the members present.
Section 4
Except as may otherwise be required by the Constitution or
Bylaws of this Academy or Section, all meetings shall be
governed by the parliamentary rules and usages contained in the
then current edition of Robert's Rules of Order.
Article VI - Diplomate Program
Section 1
The structure of the Diplomate Program shall be comprised of the
Diplomate Committee and several specialty area subcommittees.
The Diplomate Committee shall consist of the Diplomate Chair,
the Diplomate Vice-Chair, and the several subcommittee Chairs.
Each specialty area subcommittee shall consist of the
Subcommittee Chair and two or more, but not to exceed six,
subcommittee members.
Section 2
The Diplomate Chair shall preside at all meetings of the
Diplomate Committee. The primary responsibilities of the
Diplomate Chair shall be to insure that the integrity and
quality of the program are maintained, and that the prescribed
process for achieving Diplomate status is followed. The
Diplomate Chair shall be responsible for:
* Coordinating the overall activities of the program,
* Providing guidance to the officers and members of the
program,
* Continuously reviewing the candidacy process, and
* Recruiting officers and members for the Diplomate Program
He shall perform such other duties and acts that usually pertain
to his office.
Section 3
The Diplomate Vice-Chair shall aid the Diplomate Chair in the
performance of his duties in such a manner and to such extent as
the Chair may request. The Diplomate Vice-Chair shall be
appointed by the Diplomate Chair and with the approval of the
Disease Section Chair.
Section 4
The Chair of each specialty area subcommittee is responsible for
planning, coordinating, and implementing the candidacy process
for that specialty area. The responsilities include:
* Nominating subcommittee members to the Diplomate Chair
* Assigning responsibilities within the subcommittee
including curriculum development, implementation of the
written and oral examination, mentorship, and critique of case
reports.
* Recommending to the Diplomate Chair candidates who have
successfully completed the curriculum of the specialty area.
Each of the specialty area Subcommittee Chairs shall be
appointed by the Diplomate Chair with the approval of the
Disease Section Chair.
Section 5
The responsibilities of the specialty area Subcommittee members
include:
* Reviewing submitted case reports,
* Providing mentorship to the candidates,
* Developing and evaluating written and oral examinations
* Other duties as the Subcommittee Chair may direct.
The specialty area subcommittee members shall be nominated by
the Subcommittee Chair and appointed by the Diplomate Chair.
Article VII - Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1
All bills incurred by the Section, before being forwarded to the
Secretary-Treasurer of the American Academy of Optometry for
payment, shall be approved by the Chairman.
Section 2
These Bylaws shall become effective upon the approval thereof by
the Board of Directors (formerly referred to as the Executive Council)
of the American Academy of Optometry and
by this Section.
Article VIII Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended from time to time by the affirmative
vote of a majority of the members of the Section present and
voting at the Annual Business Meeting of the Section. No amendment
so adopted shall become effective until approved by the Board of Directors (formerly referred to as the Executive Council) of the American Academy of Optometry.
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