SSR Bylaws

Bylaws and Constitution of the Society of Skeletal Radiology, Inc. 
Amended March 2023

Article I

NAME

This Society shall be known as The Society of Skeletal Radiology, Inc, henceforth referred to as either “The Society of Skeletal Radiology” or “The Society.”

Article II

OBJECTIVES 

The objectives and purposes of the Society shall be:

Section 1. To encourage and support the development of expertise in the subspecialty of musculoskeletal radiology:

1.     By providing continuing medical education for practicing musculoskeletal radiologists via an annual scientific meeting. The goals of this meeting are to encourage research activity and disseminate knowledge, stimulate collaboration among Society Members and refine subspecialty expertise. The content of the annual scientific meeting will be the responsibility of the Program Committee as defined in Article VI.

2.     By promoting the understanding of techniques used in musculoskeletal radiology and their cost-effective utilization.

3.     By assisting in the development of appropriate guidelines for musculoskeletal imaging and interventional procedures.

4.     By developing and promoting guidelines for residency and fellowship training in musculoskeletal radiology.

5.     By encouraging research in musculoskeletal radiology.

Section 2. To represent the political and socioeconomic interests of Musculoskeletal Radiology in North America.

Section 3. To facilitate communication among members and interested parties in the musculoskeletal community:

1.     By supplying a membership directory for Society members.

2.     By facilitating electronic communication between members for academic problem solving, education, research, and similar purposes.

3.     By providing a list of employment opportunities for Society members.

4.     By publishing a current listing of fellowship programs in musculoskeletal radiology.

Section 4. To promote musculoskeletal radiology by encouraging cooperation with other branches of medicine and with allied musculoskeletal disciplines.

Article III

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The Membership of the Society shall consist of five membership groups: Full Members, Members-in-Training, Honorary Members, International Members, and Emeritus Members.

Hereinafter the words “Members” or “Membership” when used in this constitution and by-laws shall mean any of the foregoing classes of Members to which it shall be applicable.

Section 2. FULL MEMBERS. Full Members shall fulfill all the following requirements at the time of application for membership and at all times thereafter.

1.     Each shall be board certified in diagnostic radiology, not currently in training, and shall be engaged in the practice of radiology within the United States or Canada.

2.     Each must devote at least 50% of their time to the professional practice of the broad range of musculoskeletal radiology, exclusive of time devoted to administrative duties. After appointment, Full Members shall demonstrate an abiding interest in Musculoskeletal Radiology to remain in good standing.

3.     A candidate for Full Membership must be sponsored by a Full Member in good standing. The sponsor’s letter must explicitly state that the applicant meets the above requirements for membership.

Section 3. MEMBERS-IN-TRAINING.  Members-in-Training shall be persons who are in a musculoskeletal imaging fellowship training program. Members-in-Training shall fulfill all of the following:

1.     Each shall be participating in a musculoskeletal imaging fellowship in the United States or Canada (or a fellowship with at least 50% of training devoted to musculoskeletal imaging) when applying for membership

2.     Each must be board eligible, or equivalent.

3.     Members-in-Training membership status within the Society is applicable for a maximum of 24 months following July 1 of the year their fellowship begins, following which application to transition to Full Membership status is required.  The applicant should inform the Society in a timely fashion of successful passage of their certifying board exam.

4.     Each must be sponsored as a Member-in-Training by a Full Member in good standing (preferably their musculoskeletal fellowship director).  The sponsor’s letter must explicitly state that the applicant meets the above requirements for Members-in-Training status in the Society.

Members-in-Training have all rights and benefits of a Full Member, except the right to vote, hold office, submit abstracts without a Full Member as co-author, or sponsor new members. 

Section 4: HONORARY MEMBERS. Honorary Members shall be persons who have made valuable contributions to musculoskeletal radiology but are not eligible for other membership categories. A Full Member may submit a nomination of a candidate for Honorary Membership to the Membership Committee. Honorary Member status will require approval by a simple majority vote at the annual business meeting of the Society. Honorary Members shall receive a certificate of Honorary Membership and shall have the rights of Full Members, except the right to vote, hold office, and sponsor new members. Honorary Members shall be assessed reduced dues based on a recommendation of the Treasurer, subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS. International Members are those Members who spend at least 50% of their professional practice in musculoskeletal radiology, exclusive of time devoted to administrative duties, but who live outside the geographic area of the United States or Canada. They must be certified in diagnostic radiology by the American Board of Radiology or hold their country’s equivalent certification. Candidates for International Membership must be sponsored by a Full Member in good standing. The sponsor’s letter must explicitly state that the applicant meets the above requirements for membership.

International Members shall have the rights of Full Members, except the right to vote, hold office and sponsor new members. They shall be required to pay the same dues and assessments as that of Full Members. International Members may request transfer of their membership status to Full Membership when the Member works and resides in the United States or Canada. Transfer will be subject to approval by the Membership Committee.

Section 6. EMERITUS MEMBERS. Emeritus Members are those previous Full Members or International Members who are now retired from the practice of radiology. New candidates for emeritus status must have been Full or International Members for at least twenty consecutive years.

Emeritus Members shall have the privileges of Full Membership except the right to vote, hold office, and sponsor new members. They shall be assessed reduced dues based on a recommendation of the Treasurer, subject to approval by the Executive Committee. Members can apply for Emeritus status by notifying the Membership Committee of their retirement.

Section 7. Members shall be considered in good standing when their dues are current.

Section 8. Each Full or International Member shall notify the Membership Committee when they no longer devote at least 50% of their professional practice to the broad range of musculoskeletal radiology or when they no longer practice radiology.

Article IV

OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of the Society shall be President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-Elect.

Section 2. Officers shall be Full Members of the Society in good standing.

Section 3. The officers shall be elected by a simple majority of the ballots cast at the annual meeting, or by mail ballot, according to Articles V and XI.

Section 4. An “election year” is defined as a year in which officers are elected at the annual meeting.

Section 5. Each “year of term” shall begin on the day following the annual meeting and ends on the final day of the subsequent year’s annual meeting.

Article V

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Society, Chair of the Executive Committee, a member of the Nominating Committee, and a member ex-officio of all committees. The President shall perform all of the duties that customary and parliamentary practice commonly associate with the office of President and shall appoint Ad Hoc Committees (other than the Committees described in Article VI) and representatives, as necessary. The term of office shall be one year and shall begin on the day following the annual meeting at which their transition from President-elect to President occurred.

Section 2. In the absence of the President or if the President is unable to perform those duties outlined in Section 1, the President-elect shall assume the office of President. The President-elect shall be a Member of the Executive Committee and shall be Chair of the Program Committee. The term of the President-elect shall be one year and shall begin on the first day following the annual meeting at which the election occurred. The President-elect is a member ex-officio of all committees. The President-elect shall succeed to the office of President immediately upon completion of the one-year term as President-elect.

Section 3. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining a correct and permanent record of the proceedings of the Society; keeping a correct alphabetical list of the Members of the Society, showing their current addresses, the year of their election, and the classification of their Membership; and making available copies of the list to Members of the Society each year. The Secretary shall conduct correspondence, shall provide safekeeping for all records and transactions of the Society which possess historical value, and shall perform all other duties that usually and customarily pertain to the office of Secretary. Not later than six months after each annual meeting of the Society, the Secretary shall distribute to each Member of the Society a transcript of the minutes of the annual meeting, which shall include the reports of all officers and committees. The transcript need not be verbatim but may be condensed and abridged by order of the Executive Committee. The Secretary shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Program Committee, and an ex-officio member of the Membership Committee and the Electronics Committee. The Secretary shall oversee the Society web page. The Secretary shall be responsible for all activities related to securing a site for the annual meeting. The term of office shall be one year and shall begin on the first day following the annual meeting at which election occurred.

Section 4. The Treasurer along with assistance of the Treasurer-elect, shall oversee collection and be accountable for all funds of the Society; shall, with the President, President-elect, and Treasurer-elect be empowered to disburse from the treasury such funds only upon order of the Executive Committee; and shall keep a complete and permanent record of the financial report at the annual meeting of the Society, which shall be incorporated in the minutes of the meeting. The Treasurer shall be responsible for obtaining the names of Members who fail to pay dues and for initiating proceedings to terminate the membership of such individuals according to Article XIII. The term of office shall be one year and shall begin on the first day following the annual meeting at which election occurred.

Section 5.  The Treasurer-elect shall work in-conjunction with the Treasurer to oversee collection and be accountable for all funds of the Society, as outlined in Section 4 above.   The Treasurer-elect term of office shall be one year and shall begin on the first day following the annual meeting at which at which election occurred. 

Article VI

COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing committees of the Society shall be as follows:

1.     Executive Committee

2.     Rules Committee

3.     Program Committee

4.     Auditing Committee

5.     Nominating Committee

6.     Membership Committee

7.     Residency and Fellowship Education Committee

8.     Electronic Learning Committee

9.     Research Committee

10.   Socioeconomic Affairs Committee

11.   Standards and Guidelines Committee

12.   Finance Committee

13.   Archive and History Committee

and such other Ad Hoc Committees and Working Groups that, in the judgment of the Executive Committee or the Membership of the Society, may be necessary. Such committees shall be appointed by the President unless otherwise provided herein or directed by the Society. Actions of all committees shall be reported to the Membership and are subject to review and approval.

All scheduled changes of committee chairs and members shall take place on the first day following the annual meeting of that year.

With the exceptions of the Executive, Program, Nominating, and Finance Committees, Committee chairs shall be selected as described from current membership of the same committee. In the unlikely event that a committee chair cannot be chosen from within the same committee, the Nominating Committee may recommend an individual who does not currently serve on the same committee. This recommendation is subject to approval by the Executive Committee.

A member of the Executive Committee may initiate the process of removing an Officer or Committee Chair for lapse of ethical judgment or failure to fulfill duties. If, after thorough discussion, the Executive Committee decides to continue with removal, the Officer or Chair in question shall be informed in writing of the provisional decision to remove them from office and they will have no more than 21 days to respond in writing, in person, or by telephone to the Secretary of the Society. That response should include the option of voluntary resignation. The Officer or Committee Chair in question may request to have the active membership of the Society notified of the actions of the Executive Committee within one week of the time from the response. In that event, the Executive Committee shall accept comments from the active membership for a period of no more than 30 days after that notification. After considering additional information obtained from the Officer or Chair in question and from the active membership, a  two-thirds super majority vote of the Executive Committee will be required for removal from office.

A Committee Member may be removed prior to the fulfillment of the Member’s complete term of service at the discretion of the Committee Chair if, in the Chair’s assessment, the Member fails to adequately fulfill the expected duties of that position. The Nominating Committee will then appoint another eligible Society member to the Committee to complete the previous Member’s term of service.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-elect, and immediate Past-President. The President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-elect are elected pursuant to the provisions of Article XI. Additionally, the Executive Committee shall designate an Executive Director who shall be the representative of the Society management services company and will be subject to the direction of the Executive Committee. The Executive Director will report directly to the Executive Committee and will be responsible for carrying out the directives of the Executive Committee as well as all policies and programs of the Society within the framework of the Society’s approved budget and sound financial policy. The Executive Director may appoint Associate Directors as required to assist in the management of Society activities.

The Executive Committee is responsible for performing the duties customarily expected of the Board of Directors of a non-profit corporation. It shall be empowered to carry out the business of the Society between meetings of the Membership; shall control and manage the affairs, funds, expenditures and investments of the Society; and shall see to the safekeeping or sale of all its valuable property. No money or other valuable property of the Society shall be expended, mortgaged, or otherwise disposed of without the sanction and approval of the majority of the Executive Committee, except as ordered by a three-fourths vote of the membership, constituting an official quorum as per Article VII, voting to reject the recommendation of the Executive Committee relative to the finances of the Society. The President, President-elect, Treasurer, and Treasurer-elect shall be empowered to disburse funds from the treasury for the business of the Society.

The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Society not otherwise specified in this Bylaws and Constitution.

Section 3. The Rules Committee shall consist of at least six Full Members in good standing, appointed for terms of three years. The Nominating Committee shall appoint two new Rules Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year during which they shall also serve as a member of the Nominating Committee.

The Rules Committee is responsible for the bylaws and constitution and may be called upon to interpret it where questions arise. It shall, on order of the Executive Committee, prepare and submit amendments proposed by Members of the Society. It may on its own motion prepare and present to the Members any amendments which it deems necessary. It shall receive all resolutions introduced by Members and may reword them, combine those having the same intent, and otherwise edit and prepare them for presentation. It shall present them to the Members with the committee recommendation thereon.

Section 4. The Program Committee shall consist of the President-elect, who shall be its Chair, the Secretary, and at least two other Full Members in good standing appointed by the Nominating Committee for a two-year overlapping terms.

The Program Committee is responsible for determining the character and scope of the scientific proceedings of the Society at each annual meeting. It shall have the right to accept or reject scientific abstracts for presentation at the meeting and shall exercise proper control over the format, discussion, and arrangements for presentation.

The Program Committee is not obliged to select scientific abstracts in the order in which they are submitted for consideration. This Committee may invite a guest speaker or Honorary Member to lecture at the scientific session of the annual meeting. If appropriate, compensation may be funded by the Society. Such action shall be approved, in advance of any invitation, by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Auditing Committee shall consist of at least three Full Members in good standing, each appointed for a period of three years. The Nominating Committee shall appoint one new member to the Auditing Committee each year. Committee members will assume the role of Committee co-Chair upon completion of their first year of Committee service, and shall assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service.

The Auditing Committee is responsible for auditing the accounts of the Society at least annually, to verify accurate financial data including documentation and appropriateness of Society expenses and revenue, and for certifying the annual report of the Treasurer. A certified public accountant may be hired by this committee, after confirming in advance that funds are available to compensate expenses for an audit. The results of the audit shall be reported to the Society Membership each year.

Section 6. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the President, the Chair of the Rules Committee, and at least one Full Member in good standing appointed by the Nominating Committee from the Membership at large. The Member so appointed will serve as Committee Chair for a term of two years."

The Nominating Committee is responsible for nominating members and chairs of standing committees, including any unanticipated vacancy. This may include changing the length of the term of a committee member. These nominations are subject to approval by the Executive Committee, unless otherwise specified in the by-laws. This committee shall perform its duties in accordance with the provisions of Article XI of this constitution.

Section 7. The Membership Committee shall consist of at least six Full Members in good standing, each of whom shall serve a three-year term. The Nominating Committee shall appoint two new Membership Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year. The Chair shall be responsible for notifying applicants for membership to the Society of their status.

The Membership Committee is responsible for reviewing and screening all individuals suggested for membership, in accordance with the provisions of Article III of this constitution, to ensure that they fulfill the requirements for membership in their appropriate category. This committee shall provisionally approve candidates for membership as detailed in Article XII.

The Committee is also responsible for initiating changes in membership categories, as defined in Article III, and for making suitable recommendations concerning the status of the Members. The Committee shall be responsible for initiating proceedings to terminate the membership of individuals according to Article XI for reasons other than failure to pay dues.

Section 8. The Residency and Fellowship Education Committee shall consist of at least nine Full Members in good standing, each of whom shall serve a three-year term. The Nominating Committee shall appoint three new Residency and Fellowship Education Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year.

The Residency and Fellowship Education Committee is responsible for developing and promoting guidelines for residency training in musculoskeletal radiology. The Committee will publish a current listing of fellowship programs in musculoskeletal radiology and will assist in developing and promoting guidelines for fellowship programs in musculoskeletal radiology.  The SSR only publishes programs in Canada (match-exempt) and the United States that are either participating in the NRMP Match or are match-ineligible.

Section 9.  The Electronic Learning Committee (ELC) shall consist of eight full members in good standing, each of whom will serve a three-year term. The Committee will consist of a Chair (1-year term), co-Chair (1-year term), Webmaster (1-year term, renewable), and five additional members. The Nominating Committee shall appoint new ELC members upon completion of committee member terms to maintain a complement of eight committee members.

The ELC co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of Committee service.  The ELC co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon the completion of their second year of Committee service. The ELC Webmaster shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of Committee service.  The appointed member will assume the role of Webmaster upon the completion of their first year of Committee service. At the discretion of the outgoing Committee Chair after the Webmaster's first term, the Webmaster's term may be renewed for a period of one year, upon completion of their second year of Committee Service.

The ELC will be tasked with all the steps in selecting, creating, and curating enduring material (online CME content) for the Society. ELC members will judge papers/posters for inclusion in the online catalog and supervise capture of the SAM lectures at the SSR annual meetings. The ELC will supervise the process of preparing them for electronic distribution, supervise and moderate the creation of appropriate questions for CME credit and in general provide oversight of the web-based learning tools, not necessarily limited to the above, on an ongoing basis.

The ELC Chair and Webmaster will continue the duties formerly performed by the Electronic Communication Committee responsible for facilitating electronic communication between members to further the goals of the Society. The ELC Chair shall be responsible for general oversight of the website used by the Society, including website maintenance, and shall coordinate requests to distribute information electronically on the website for the Society, Society Committees and the web developers.

Section 10. The Research Committee shall consist of at least six Full Members in good standing, each of whom shall serve a three-year term. The Nominating Committee shall appoint two new Research Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year. The Research Committee Chair should participate in the SSR Whitepaper development process, specifically topic selection and volunteer selection. 

The Research Committee is responsible for implementing means by which the Society can encourage research in musculoskeletal radiology and related sciences.

Section 11. The Socioeconomic Affairs Committee shall consist of at least six Full Members in good standing, each of whom shall serve a three-year term. The Nominating Committee shall appoint two new Socioeconomic Affairs Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment, by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year. In addition, the ACR Councilor shall be a voting member of the Committee. The ACR Councilor position shall be appointed, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, and reviewed for renewal at least on a biennial basis (see Article VI, Section 16).

The Socioeconomic Committee is responsible for informing and educating the Society of socioeconomic issues impacting the practice of musculoskeletal radiology.

Section 12. The Standards and Guidelines Committee, shall consist of at least six Full Members in good standing, each of whom serves a three-year term. The Nominating Committee shall appoint two new Standards and Guidelines Committee members each year. A Committee co-Chair shall be recommended to the Executive Committee for appointment by the outgoing Committee Chair, from a standing member of the Committee completing their first year of committee service. The Committee co-Chair will assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Committee Chair shall serve for a term of one year.

The Standards and Guidelines Committee is responsible for assisting in the development of appropriateness guidelines for the use of musculoskeletal imaging studies and procedures. The Committee is responsible for SSR Whitepaper topic selection, content development and management, volunteer recruitment and coordination, and submission for publication.

The Committee will serve as a liaison between the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society in the development, refinement, and improvement of the ACR Practice Parameters and Technical Standards that apply to musculoskeletal radiology. The Research Committee Chair should participate in the SSR Whitepaper development process, specifically topic selection and volunteer selection. 

Section 13. The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and at least two Full Members in good standing appointed by the Nominating Committee, each of whom serves a three-year term. Terms of the two Full Members shall be staggered so that the principle of overlapping tenure applies (see Article VI, Section 16). The current Treasurer of the Society shall serve as Chair of the Finance Committee. The Committee shall be independent from the Auditing Committee.

The Finance Committee is responsible for advising the Executive Committee on matters concerning the financial well-being of the Society including, but not limited to, investment of Society funds and the development of industry grants for education and research activities of the Society.

Section 14. The Archive and History Committee shall consist of at least three Full Time Members in good standing, each appointed for a term of three years. The Nominating Committee shall recommend to the Executive Committee one new member to appoint to the Archive and History Committee each year. Committee members will assume the role of Committee co-Chair upon completion of their first year of Committee service, and shall assume the role of Committee Chair upon completion of their second year of Committee service. The Chair of the committee will serve a one-year term. The Archive and History Committee will work with the Society’s management group to ensure that all significant Society documents are accurately collected, organized, and archived safely and redundantly. This includes a list of past presidents, annual Society meeting dates and locations, annual Society meeting programs, annual Society meeting minutes, Executive committee meeting minutes, Committee Chairs meeting minutes, liaison summary reports, award winners, official Society acknowledgments, significant correspondence, photographs, relevant recordings, Society artifacts, and other business of the Society as appropriate.

The committee will also ensure that the history of the Society and its role in the growth of Musculoskeletal Radiology will be preserved and made available to Society members through the use of selected materials from this master archive. The Chair or Co-Chair of the committee will ensure that the Society’s management group has designated an official Society photographer to be responsible for taking photographs during the course of the annual Society meeting.

Section 15. At its discretion, the Executive Committee shall appoint Society Members to serve on external committees and organizations to represent the interests of the Society of Skeletal Radiology. These appointments shall be reviewed for renewal at least on a biennial basis.

Section 16. To facilitate renewed composition, participation, and objectives of newly established or revised Society committee structures, and to apply principles of overlapping tenure where applicable, the term of service for existing committee members may be revised upon recommendation of the Nomination Committee to the Society Executive Committee for approval.

Section 17.  At its discretion, the Executive committee shall increase the size of any committee without requiring additional Committee definition bylaws modification.

Article VII

MEETINGS

Section 1. The annual meeting of the Society shall be held at a place and time designated by the Program Committee with approval by the Executive Committee. It shall consist of a business meeting and a scientific session pursuant to the provisions of Article VIII.

Section 2. Twenty percent (20%) of the Full Members in good standing that have registered for and are attending the annual meeting constitutes a quorum at the annual meeting. A quorum must be present in order for new or unfinished business of the Society to be conducted at the annual meeting. If a quorum is not present, unresolved business shall be submitted to a mail ballot as per Article X. Ten Percent (10%) of the Full membership in good standing at the time the ballot or issue is distributed by the Secretary constitutes a quorum for the purpose of a postal or electronic mail ballot as set forth in Article X.

Section 3. The Secretary shall distribute an agenda for the annual meeting to all Members present. Similar agenda for special meetings shall be sent 30 days in advance.

Section 4. Attendance at business meetings shall be limited to Members. Scientific meetings shall be open to Members.  Non-members will be included as defined by the SSR’s “Invited Guest” policy. 

Section 5. Special business meetings may be called by the President of the Society or upon the written request of one-third of the Full Members. Such written request shall be sent to the Secretary. At such special meetings, no other business shall be conducted except that stated in the call for the meeting. Twenty percent (20%) of the Full Members of the Society in good standing shall constitute a quorum at a special meeting. A quorum must be present in order for business of the Society to be conducted at the special meeting. If a quorum is not present, unresolved business shall be submitted to a mail ballot as per Article X.

Article VIII

PROCEDURE

Section 1. The fiscal year shall begin on the first day of July and shall end on the 30th day of June.

Section 2. In the absence of contrary statements in this constitution, Robert’s Rule of Order shall govern the procedure.

Section 3. Order of Business:

1.     Call to order

2.     Approval of Minutes

3.     Secretary’s report

4.     Treasurer’s report

5.     Committee Reports

6.     Unfinished Business

7.     Election of Members

8.     New Business

9.     Report of the Nominating Committee

10.  Election of Officers

11.  Installation of Officers

12.  Appointment of Committees

13.  Adjournment

Section 4. The scientific session and business meeting of the annual meeting may, at the discretion of the Program Committee, be conducted separately or in conjunction.

Article IX

AMENDMENTS

At any annual business meeting of the Society, this constitution may be amended by two-thirds of the Full Members in good standing that are present, provided there is a sufficient number of Members present to constitute a quorum, as defined in Article VII, Section 2. Notice of the proposed amendment shall be presented to the Members in the agenda for the meeting at which the vote is taken.

Article X

BALLOTING

Section 1. Voting at meetings shall be in the usual manner of such balloting.

Section 2. Any item or question of this Society may be submitted to the Full Membership for a vote at the annual meeting or by mail ballot.

Section 3. To be adopted by the Society, a position statement must receive approval by a simple majority of votes of Full Members at the annual meeting, provided there is a sufficient number of Members present to constitute a quorum, as defined in Article VII, Section 2.

Section 4. When voting is submitted to a mail ballot, a list of propositions to be voted upon, together with ballots for recording of votes, shall be distributed by the Secretary to all Full Members in good standing, at least 30 days prior to the date specified in such submission, by which time such ballots must be received by the Society to be valid.

Section 5. If an issue is submitted to vote by postal or electronic mail ballot, it must receive approval by a simple majority of votes. The result of a postal or electronic mail ballot shall be considered valid only if a quorum of the membership, as defined in Article VII, Section 2, has voted.

Article XI

ELECTIONS

Section 1. Elected officers of the Society (Treasurer-elect, Secretary, President-elect) shall be elected at the annual meeting, each to serve for a period of one year. The previously elected Treasurer-elect will assume the position of Treasurer without election. See Appendix A regarding transition to one-year term length for elected officers.

Section 2. The method of procedure for holding election of Officers of the Society shall be as follows:

The Nominating Committee shall annually nominate one or more candidates for each of the elected offices of the Society, namely, President-elect, Secretary, and Treasurer-elect, and announce these candidates to the Society at the annual meeting after obtaining the candidate’s consent. See Appendix A regarding transition to one-year term length for elected officers.

The order of elections shall be as indicated in the above list of elected offices.

The President shall give opportunity for other nominations to be made from the floor, after which the nominations shall be closed.

In all cases where more than one person shall be nominated for the same office, votes shall be cast by secret ballot.

The Nominating Committee shall act as tellers; they shall distribute, collect, count the ballots, and report the results to the President. The result of the election shall be announced immediately, with the candidate receiving the greatest number of votes being declared elected. In case of a tie ballot, the presiding officer shall declare the election void. Additional nominations shall be sought before another vote is taken.

If a quorum is not present at the annual meeting, then the election shall be submitted to a mail ballot.

Section 3. Only Full Members in good standing shall be entitled to vote.

Article XII

PROCEDURES FOR ELECTION TO MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Any Full Member of the Society in good standing may propose persons who fulfill the requirements for Membership in any category by sending a letter of sponsorship to the Chair of the Membership Committee. This letter shall include the candidate’s name, address, and a statement that the candidate fulfills the requirements for the proposed membership category, as defined in Article III.

Section 2. The candidate shall be responsible for supplying the Chair of the Membership Committee with:

• A completed application for Membership in the Society of Skeletal Radiology.
• Their curriculum vitae.
• A letter of sponsorship from a Full Member in good standing.
• The application and processing fee.

Section 3. Completed applications will be forwarded to the Membership Committee Chair for preliminary approval, subject to qualifications and completion of applications at least quarterly.

Section 4. Applications that have the preliminary approval of the Chair of the Membership Committee shall be forwarded to the Membership Committee as needed, but no less frequently than on a quarterly basis by the last day of each April, July, October, and January. The Membership Committee shall review submitted information on each candidate and shall provisionally approve or deny the request for membership of each candidate.

Section 5. A list of provisionally approved candidates indicating their sponsors and institutions shall be forwarded via e-mail to the general membership with an invitation to comment and to the Executive Committee for formal approval.

Section 6. Following formal approval at a quarterly evaluation by the Executive Committee, the candidates shall be notified of their approval status. Interval membership announcements shall be included in a subsequent newsletter and a complete listing will be provided at the annual meeting in addition to an annual membership directory update.

Section 7. Successful applicants may attend the annual meeting once their applications are formally approved. 

Article XIII

MEMBERSHIP FEES AND DUES

Section 1. The dues of the Society shall be solicited on or before June 1st (30 day notice) to be due and payable on July 1st. Dues so paid shall cover the fiscal year beginning on that date. The dues shall be set annually by the Executive Committee and shall be consistent with the needs of the Society.

Section 2. Members who have not paid dues by September 1st will receive a second notice by September 30 of the fiscal year. Dues shall become delinquent on December 31 of the fiscal year and delinquent Members shall be notified by January 15th that their Membership in the Society will be terminated in 30 days unless dues are paid. Failure to pay dues by the end of this grace period (that is, February 15th) shall result in immediate termination of membership from the Society. The Treasurer shall send a notice of termination of Membership to all persons with delinquent dues and shall inform the Membership and Executive Committees of these proceedings.

Section 3. Members may be reinstated in the Society within twelve months of the date of Termination as defined in Article X, Section 2 by submitting a request for reinstatement. This request will be considered by the Membership Committee provided all delinquent dues have been paid. After twelve months from the date of Termination, reinstatement of membership may be gained only by reapplication as a new Member.

Article XIV

TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

•       The Executive Committee reserves the right to terminate the membership of any member whose activity or behavior violates the spirit or values of The Society of Skeletal Radiology. The Membership Committee shall review circumstances and explanation of such behavior and a recommendation shall be made to the Executive Committee prior to the subsequent change of membership. A two-thirds majority vote of the Executive Committee will be required for termination of Society Membership and the President or Secretary shall notify the person involved. The change of status takes effect immediately after this process has been completed. A member terminated from the Society by the process described in this Article may apply for reinstatement of Membership The change of status takes effect immediately after this process has been completed. A member terminated from the Society by the process described in this Article may apply for reinstatement of Membership no sooner than 1 year (365 days) after termination. Reinstatement of membership terminated by the process described in this Article may be gained only by reapplication as a new Member.

Article XV

DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of the Society, all assets shall be donated to the American College of Radiology, provided such organization qualifies as a 501c(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Code in existence at the time of the dissolution. If the ACR does not qualify as a 501c(3) organization, then all assets shall be distributed to a 501c(3) organization designated by the Executive Committee.

Appendix A

The SSR Executive Committee has proposed changing the executive officer term length from two years to one year in an effort to promote inclusivity within the Society and provide opportunities for more members to become involved in the SSR executive leadership. This proposed change will be presented to the SSR membership for review, discussion, and ratification by vote at the 2022 Annual Meeting. If approved by the Society, election of new executive officer positions will occur annually with progression through the positions of Treasurer-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, President-Elect, President and Past President.

Pending ratification by the Society, the transition phase from the current two-year term length to the proposed one-year term length will proceed as follows, as outlined in the Bylaws, Article XI:

2022: The Nominating Committee will nominate one or more candidates for the elected positions of Treasurer, Secretary, and President-Elect, each to serve two-year terms. The previously-elected President-Elect and President will proceed to the positions of Present and Past President, respectively, for two-year terms.

2023: The Nominating Committee will nominate one or more candidates for the elected position of Treasurer-Elect. The Treasurer-Elect will serve a one-year term before proceeding to the position of Treasurer. Previously elected officers will serve the second year of their two-year terms (Treasurer, Secretary, President-Elect, President, Past President).

2024: The Nominating Committee will nominate one or more candidates for the elected positions of Treasurer-Elect, Secretary and President-Elect, each to serve a one-year term. The previously-elected Treasurer-Elect, President-Elect and President will proceed to the positions of Treasurer, President and Past-President, respectively, for one-year terms.