Constitution

The organization shall be called the Canadian Association of Health Sciences Deans/Le Conseil canadien de Doyen de Science de Santé.

It may be referred to, abbreviation form, as CAHSD.

Providing a common meeting and discussion forum for the Academic Leaders (i.e., Deans and Directors) of multiple health science programs in Canadian post-secondary institutions that offer provincially accredited degrees;

Making recommendations to the Presidents of Canadian post-secondary institutions on professional and academic matters in the general area identified in 2.1;

Providing an agency through which conferences and meetings of mutual interest may be planned from time to time as required by the members;

Providing a forum for sharing administrative problems and issues and seeking solutions to same;

Fostering exchanges of information and professional contacts within the general area identified in 2.1;

Preparing position papers on current issues related to the general area identified in 2.1 and directing such papers to the appropriate target;

Collecting and disseminating documented information related to current administrative practices and procedures;

Providing a public voice for its members and field.

On a recommendation of the Executive Committee and with approval at a General Meeting, CAHSD may seek affiliation or association with one or more other organizations or bodies pursing similar objectives.

The voting members of CAHSD shall be one member from each Canadian post-secondary institution that offers a provincially accredited degrees in the health sciences. The member representing a post-secondary institution shall be the Dean (or designate) who is responsible for the multiple health science programs in the institution. Only members of institutions that have paid the current membership fees shall have voting privileges at meetings.

Associate (non-voting) membership shall be available to any institution that CAHSD wishes to accept, based on a simple majority vote.

The membership fees shall be set at an Annual General Meeting.

Fees are payable annually starting July 1, and cover the period from July 1 to June 30 of the following calendar year to coincide with the normal academic year.

Members who have not paid fees by December 1 may have to forfeit their rights and privileges for that year.

There shall be an Annual General Meeting at a time and place determined by CAHSD at its previous General Meeting.

A semi-annual General Meeting may be scheduled at a time and place determined at the Annual General Meeting.

Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee of the Association, or by one third of the eligible voting members, who shall indicate their wish in writing not less than thirty days prior to the date of the meeting.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify all regular members not less than twenty-five days in advance of the convening of any special meeting.

President

President-Elect

Secretary-Treasurer to be elected for a three year term

Past-President

The officers listed in Article 7 shall constitute the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of CAHSD and shall report its action to the General Meeting.

chairs the General Meetings and Executive Committee meetings of CAHSD, acts as a moderator during discussions, directs the approved activities of CAHSD, and officially proclaims its decisions;

is, ex-officio, a member of all Standing and Ad Hoc Committees of CAHSD, with the exception of the Nominating Committee if there is a potential conflict of interest;

transfer files, materials, etc. as appropriate to the succeeding President before the next academic year.

discharges the duties of the President when the latter is either absent or unable to perform his duties.

convenes the General Meetings and other meetings of CAHSD as requested by the President;

records and circulates the minutes of all Executive Committee and General Meetings;

is responsible for the custody of official documents and all the records of CAHSD;

keeps an up-to-date Directory of members;

handles current business of CAHSD as required;

not less than twenty-five days prior to meetings, sends notification of meetings with the agenda to all members in good standing;

circulates reports to members not in attendance at meetings;

has the custody of CAHSD’s books of accounts;

collects accounts payable in the form of membership fees, proceeds from the sales of publications, services performed, etc.;

accepts grants, donations and any other form of financial assistance extended to CAHSD;

makes routine expenditures for the current business of CAHSD and for those expenditures duly approved by the Executive Committee or the General Meetings;

submits a financial report at each General Meeting and accounts for the financial situation of CAHSD to the Executive Committee, at its request;

transfer files, materials, etc. to the succeeding Secretary-Treasurer before the next academic year.

chairs the Nominating Committee and may be assigned other duties as determined by the President of the general membership.

meets at least once during the Annual General Meeting of CAHSD;

rules on all questions affecting the interpretation of the provisions of this Constitution;

prepares the agenda for any General Meeting as required by the Constitution;

makes financial commitments, as necessary, on behalf of the CAHSD membership;

approves the setting up of such Standing and Ad Hoc Committees as CAHSD may deem necessary and reports on their proceedings at a General Meeting;

adopts any measure which may seem appropriate to further the objectives of CAHSD.

The positions of President, President-Elect, and Past-President each carry a one year term in office;

The Secretary-Treasurer is elected for a three year term and shall assume the duties of the position at an agreed-to-date after the election but not later than May 1.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting of CAHSD.

The CAHSD Executive Committee will serve as the CAHSD Nominating Committee;

The Past President will circulate a notice requesting expressions of interest from members interested in serving on the Executive. Normally, this notice will be circulated at the semi-annual meeting;

The Executive Committee will consider those interested/nominated and will bring forward to the CAHSD Association’s Annual General Meeting a slate of officers for ratification;

The incoming Secretary-Treasurer shall be nominated at the beginning of the outgoing Secretary-Treasurer’s third year.

In considering a slate of officers, the Executive Committee will consider regional representation and gender balance of the Executive, with normally, nominations for President Elect being rotated among geographical regions (e.g., Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, and Western).

If an office falls vacant between elections, that office shall be filled by the Executive Committee in whatever way it deems best, with its actions to be ratified at the next general meeting of CAHSD.

A member of the Executive Committee may only be dismissed before the term of office expires, by a decision of the general membership.

On the floor of a General Meeting, members in good standing shall have one vote but, in the event of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote;

Any question on which a vote is taken shall be settled by a majority vote of members present. The one exception to this is that any amendment to the Constitution calls for a two thirds majority of the total votes cast;

Voting by proxy shall not be accepted;

Voting shall be done by a show of hands unless the President or ten or more members request a secret vote.

The fiscal year of CAHSD extends from May 1 to April 30 of the following calendar year.

To organize its activities in such a way as to expedite its current business and further its objectives, CAHSD may adopt by-laws, either at a General Meeting or by the Executive Committee, providing such by-laws are not inconsistent with CAHSD’s Constitution.

The English and French versions of this Constitution shall each have the force of the original;

The Executive Committee shall have the power to rule on the interpretation of any article of this Constitution;

Amendments may be made to the constitution only by a two-thirds majority of the votes cast by the eligible voting members in attendance at a general meeting of the Association and then only when a notice of motion for the amendment(s) has (have) been given and circulated to the members at least thirty days before the date of the meeting.

The quorum at any general meeting shall be one third of the eligible voting members;

Three members shall constitute a quorum for the Executive Committee.

President’s Committee: Committees struck by the President shall report to the General Meeting and shall cease to exist once their reports have been accepted.

Association Committees: These may be standing, ad hoc, or special committees which have been struck on a motion duly passed at a General Meeting. Their mandates and terms of reference shall normally be reviewed at the Annual General Meeting.