Maryland Society of Radiologic Technologists

Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Maryland Society of Radiologic Technologists, hereinafter referred to as THE SOCIETY, affiliated with the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT).

Section 1: Purpose

Article ll:

Purpose, Policy, Function and Definition

The purpose of THE SOCIETY shall be to advance the profession of radiation and imaging disciplines and specialties; to maintain high standards of education; to enhance the quality of patient care; and to further the welfare and socio-economics of Radiologic Technologists.

Section 2: Policy

• A.                                  THE SOCIETY is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all programs and activities. No one shall be denied opportunities or benefits on the basis of age, sex, color, race, creed, national origin, religious persuasion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, political belief or disability.

• B.                                   No commercial enterprises shall be endorsed by THE SOCIETY. The name of THE SOCIETY or any member of its Board of Directors or its staff, in their official capacities, shall not be used in connection with a commercial company for other than the regular functions of THE SOCIETY.

Section 3: Functions of THE SOCIETY shall be to:

• A.                Encourage quality patient care.

• B.                 Promote high standards of education and continuing professional development.

• C.                 Promote a forum to transact THE SOCIETY business.

• D.                Disseminate information pertinent to the profession.

• E.                 Establish and promote policies relevant to the profession.

• F.                  Encourage scientific research.

• G.                Establish membership eligibility and define membership categories.

Section 4: Definition

Radiologic Technologists shall be the term used to define individuals certified or licensed in any of the areas listed in the category code of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), or equivalent.

Section 1: Qualifications

Article III: Membership

• A.                 Membership in THE SOCIETY shall be available to those individuals associated with the practice, education, administration or commercial representation of the radiation and imaging disciplines and specialties.

• B.                 All candidates for membership shall submit the prescribed application form properly completed, together with the required dues, and shall furnish any additional information as may be required.

Section 2: Categories

The membership of THE SOCIETY shall consist of active members, associate members, student members, life members, and retired members.

A.        Active members shall be those who are registered by the ARRT or its equivalent or hold an unrestricted license under state statutes. They shall have all rights, privileges and obligations of membership including the right to vote, debate and hold office. Active members who serve on THE SOCIETY’s Board, for a minimum of two (2) years, can serve as a delegate to the House of Delegates of the ASRT.

B         Associate members shall be those persons who support the aims of THE SOCIETY, but who do not qualify for active membership. They shall have the rights, obligations and privileges of active members except the right to vote or hold office.

C.                 Student members shall be those students enrolled in an accredited radiologic science educational program. Eligibility for this category shall terminate upon completion of, or discontinuation in, the educational program. They shall have the rights, obligations, and privileges of active members except the right to vote or hold office.

D.                 Life members shall be those who have rendered exceptional service and dedication to THE SOCIETY and the profession. They shall be selected by three-fourths vote of the entire membership of the Board of Directors. They shall have all rights, privileges and obligations of active members. Life members are exempt from all annual dues payments. All Past Presidents of THE SOCIETY will be granted Life membership. Life members, who are also members of the ASRT, are eligible to serve as a delegate to the House of Delegates of the ASRT.

E.                  Retired members shall be those who hold a certificate of recognition from the ARRT or equivalent; or who meet the Social Security Administration requirements for retirement, and have been a member of THE SOCIETY for no less than ten (10) years. Members who meet this qualification shall submit a request, in writing to the Secretary and include all applicable documentation, to be included in this category.  Retired members shall pay no dues and have all privileges and obligations of members, except they shall not be eligible to as a delegate to the House of Delegates of the ASRT.

Section 3: Resignation of Membership

Any member shall have the right to resign by written communication to THE SOCIETY.

Section 4: Reinstatement

Any member who has resigned may be reinstated after submitting a new application and paying dues.

Section 5: Suspension and Expulsion

Any member may be suspended or terminated for cause. Sufficient cause for such suspension or termination of membership shall be a violation of the Bylaws or any lawful rule or practice duly adopted by THE SOCIETY or any other conduct prejudicial to the interests of THE SOCIETY.

• A.                       If the Board of Directors deems the charges to be sufficient; the person charged shall be advised in writing of the charges.

• B.                       A statement of the charges shall be sent by certified or registered mail to the last recorded address of the member at least twenty (20) days before final action is taken.

• C.                       The statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time and place of the meeting of the Board of Directors at which the charges shall be considered.

• D.                       The member shall have the opportunity to appear in person and be represented by counsel to present any defense to such charges before action is taken.

• E.                       Suspension or expulsion shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the entire membership of the Board of Directors.

 Section 6: Membership Dues

• A.                 Dues for all members, established by the Board of Directors, shall be adopted by a  two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members voting at a business session of the annual meeting.

• B.                 Any intent by the Board of Directors to change the dues structure shall be communicated, to the membership, a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.

• C.                 Dues shall be paid within sixty (60) days of the renewal date. The name of any member in arrears after (60) days shall be deleted from membership.

Section 1: Officers

Article IV:

    Officers

The officers of THE SOCIETY shall be the President, Vice President, President Elect, Secretary   and Treasurer. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined.

Section 2: General Qualifications for THE SOCIETY Officers The officers shall:

• A.                Be voting members with both THE SOCIETY and the ASRT.

• B.                 Show proof of continuing education.

Section 3: Duties of the Officers of THE SOCIETY

• A.           The President shall:
• 1.       Preside at the annual meetings of THE SOCIETY and perform all duties consistent with the office.

• 2.       Be an ex-officio member of all committees, with the exception of the nominating committee.
• 3.       Appoint committees unless otherwise provided by the Bylaws.
• 4.       Preside at the meetings of the Board of Directors should the past-president be unable to serve as chairman.

B.          The President–Elect shall:

• 1.       Become familiar with activities of THE SOCIETY.
• 2.       Make all preparations necessary for elevation to the office of President.

C.           The Vice President shall:

• 1.       Become acquainted with all the duties of the President.
• 2.       Assume the duties of the President, in the absence of the President.
• 3.       Assist the President with committees.

D.           The Secretary shall:

• 1.         Keep the minutes.
• 2.         Conduct correspondence.
• 3.         Perform all the duties that usually and customarily pertain to the office.

E.                  The Treasurer shall:

• 1.       Keep an accurate record of the financials of THE SOCIETY.

Section 4: Term

• A.                 The Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer shall serve for a term of one (1) year or until their successors have been elected.
• B.                 The President-Elect shall serve for a term of one (1) year as President-Elect, one (1) year as President and one (1) year as Immediate Past President.

• C.                 The term shall begin at the close of each Annual Meeting.

Section 5: Nominations

• A.                 Nominations can be made at any time, including from the floor of the annual meeting or business session prior to elections.

• B.                 Nominations may be submitted by any voting member of THE SOCIETY.
• C.                 Nominations Committee shall consist of three (3) members and shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Immediate Past President will serve as the Chairman of the Nominations Committee.

Section 6: Election of Officers

A.        The Vice President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected by majority vote of the voting members present at the business session of the annual meeting.

B         The method of voting shall be by ballot, unless a single candidate is nominated for office, in which case the vote may be held viva voce.

C.        If a tie occurs, the President shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 7:  Absentee Ballots

Absentee ballots must be requested from the Secretary, at least sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting. Reminders about absentee ballots shall be posted in at least two (2) general membership publications prior to the annual meeting. All absentee ballots must be returned to the Secretary and postmarked at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting. These ballots shall be opened and counted at the annual meeting.

Section 8: Installation of Officers

The newly elected officers shall be installed into office under the direction of the Board of Directors.

Section 9: Financial Obligations

All officers of THE SOCIETY shall be free from any financial obligation to THE SOCIETY.

Section 10: Eligibility

An officer shall practice in the medical imaging, radiation therapy or health care profession. An officer who meets eligibility requirements at the time of nomination shall be permitted to complete the term, even though employment status changes.

Section 11: Vacancies

• A.                 A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice President.

• B.                 A vacancy in any elective office, except the office of President shall be filled by a unanimous ballot of the remaining members of THE SOCIETY Board of Directors.

Section 12: Censure, Reprimand and Removal

Any officer may be censured, reprimanded or removed from the office for dereliction of duty or conduct detrimental to THE SOCIETY. Such action may be initiated when the Board of Directors receives formal and specific charges against an officer.

• A.                 If the Board of Directors deems the charges to be sufficient; the person charged shall be advised in writing of the charges.

• B.                 A statement of the charges shall be sent by certified or registered mail to the last recorded address of the officer at least twenty (20) days before final action is taken.

• C.                 The statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time and place of the meeting of the Board of Directors at which the charges shall be considered.

• D.                 The officer shall have the opportunity to appear in person and be represented by counsel to present any defense to such charges before action is taken

• E.                 Censure, reprimand or removal shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the remaining membership of the Board of Directors.

Article V:

                                                               Board of Directors

Section 1: Composition

• A.                The Board of Directors shall be composed of the President, President Elect,  Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and the Immediate Past-President.

• B.                 The Immediate Past-President becomes the Chairman of the Board and shall chair all board meetings.

Section 2: Duties

• A.                 The Board of Directors shall be vested with the responsibility of the management of the business of the corporation and carry out the policies and procedures established by the members and shall represent THE SOCIETY when the membership is not in session.

• B.                 The Board of Directors shall:

• 1.       Fulfill all requirements of the ASRT regarding annual renewal including: documentation of corporate existence, proof of current IRS tax-exemption status and documentation of appropriate tax returns being filed in the prior year.
• 2.       Control funds and property owned by THE SOCIETY.

• 3.       Provide annually for the audit of the books and the accounts of THE SOCIETY.

• 4.       Establish committees.

• 5.       Temporarily suspend action adopted by the membership, if such policy is found to be contrary to Federal, State or Local Laws, THE SOCIETY Bylaws or to be financially infeasible. Such action shall be ratified by the membership at the next annual meeting.

• 6.       Change the dates, location or delivery method of the annual meeting if found advisable. In the case of a state or national emergency, the Board may cancel the annual meeting and will provide for the election of officers.

• 7.       Appoint qualified members to vacant offices until elections can occur.

• 8.       Appoint or nominate representatives to external organizations.

Section 3: Meetings

• A.                 The Board of Directors shall meet a minimum of four (4) times annually.

• B.                 The president, or a majority of the members of the Board of Directors, upon written request to the chairman of the Board, may call a special meeting, provided a fifteen (15) day notice to all Board members is given. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the request. No other business shall be transacted.
• C.                 Unexcused absences from three (3) Board meetings by a member of the Board of Directors can constitute a vacancy that could be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

Section 4: Censure, Reprimand, and Removal:

Any Board member may be censured, reprimanded or removed from the position for dereliction of duty or conduct detrimental to THE SOCIETY. Such action may be initiated when the Board of Directors receives formal and specific charges against a Board member.

• A.                 If the Board of Directors deems the charges to be sufficient, the person charged shall be advised, in writing, of the charges.

• B.                 A statement of the charges shall be sent by certified or registered mail to the last recorded address of the Board member at least twenty (20) days before final action is taken.

• C.                 The statement shall be accompanied by a notice of the time and place of the meeting of the Board of Directors at which the charges shall be considered.

• D.                 The Board member shall have the opportunity to appear in person and be represented by counsel to present any defense to such charges before action is taken.

• E.                 Censure, reprimand or removal shall be by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the remaining membership of the Board of Directors.

Section 5: Quorum

A majority of the Board of Directors' members shall constitute a quorum for all meetings.

Article VI: Meetings

Section 1: Annual Meeting

• A.                 The annual meeting of the membership shall be held each year and shall include the business session of THE SOCIETY.

• B.                 The annual conference, in-person or virtual, shall take place in a manner decided by the Board of Directors.

Section 2: Special Meetings

Special meetings of the Society may be called at such time and place designated by the Board of Directors. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute sufficient authority to call a special meeting. The membership shall be notified of the business to be transacted. No business other than that specified shall be transacted.

Section 3: Parliamentarian

A parliamentarian, selected by the President, shall be in attendance at each business session during the annual meeting or special meeting of THE SOCIETY.

 Section 4: Quorum

A quorum for a business session or any special Society meeting shall consist of twenty-five percent (25%) of the voting members in attendance and includes not less than two (2) officers. No business can be conducted with less than fifteen (15) voting members present.

Article VII: Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees

• A.                 The Board of Directors shall establish standing committees as deemed necessary to carry out the activities of THE SOCIETY. Such committees shall be responsible to the Board of Directors and may be altered or eliminated at any time by the Board of Directors.

• B.                 The President shall appoint the committees unless in conflict with other sections of the bylaws.

Section 2: Vacancies

• A.                 A vacancy in any Board of Directors' committee shall be filled by an appointment of the Board of Directors.

• B.                 A vacancy in a Presidential Committee shall be filled by an appointment by the President.

Article VIII:      Delegates to the ASRT House of Delegates

Section 1: Rules

A.    Two (2) Society Delegates and one (1) Alternative Delegate shall be appointed by THE SOCIETY.

B.     THE SOCIETY shall submit to ASRT the names of THE SOCIETY Delegates by the last business day of January or THE SOCIETY Delegate positions shall remain open until after the ASRT House of Delegates’ meeting

C.     A Delegate shall show proof of continuing education.

D.    A Delegate shall be a voting member of the ASRT and THE SOCIETY for two (2) years immediately preceding nomination.

E.     A Delegate shall have served as the President or Chairman of the Board.

F.      A Delegate shall practice in the medical imaging, radiation therapy or health care profession.

G.    A Delegate may serve concurrently on the Board of any national radiologic science certification or national accreditation agency.

H.    A Delegate shall have the time and availability necessary to travel to represent ASRT.

I.        A Delegate shall attend the ASRT House of Delegates’ meeting and all meetings required of Delegates.

J.       THE SOCIETY has the power to remove affiliate Delegates.

Section 2: Absence

An absence exists when a SOCIETY Delegate is unable to fulfill the duties of the position during the ASRT House of Delegates’ meeting. The Delegate shall be considered absence for the purpose of that meeting only. It is the responsibility of the Delegate to notify ASRT, the Speaker of the House, and the Alternate Delegate of the Delegate’s inability to attend the conference as soon as possible. The Alternate Delegate shall be seated for the meeting only. Any Delegate position or Alternate Delegate position not filled by an appointment process remains open. There shall be no on-site credentialing of Delegates.

Section 3: Vacancy

A vacancy exists when a Delegate has submitted a written letter of resignation or when a Delegate position has not been filled by the appointment process. A Delegate vacancy shall be filled by the Alternate Delegate.

Article IX: Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the THE SOCIETY in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are consistent with these bylaws.

Article X: Bylaw Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws may be made by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the voting members present at the annual business session.

Notice of the proposed Bylaws amendments shall be provided to the membership at least thirty

(30) days prior to the annual meeting. Amendments shall be effective at the conclusion of the business session unless otherwise specified.

Article XI: Indemnification

Every officer, employee, or Delegate of THE SOCIETY shall be indemnified by THE SOCIETY against all expenses and liabilities, including attorney's fee in connection with any threatened, pending, or completed proceeding in which the above-named individual is involved by reason of the above-named individual being or having been an officer, employee, or Delegate of THE SOCIETY if the above-named individual acted in good faith and within the scope of the above- named individual’s authority and in a manner reasonably believed to be not opposed to the best interest of THE SOCIETY. In no event shall indemnification be paid to or on behalf of any above-named individual going beyond or acting beyond the powers granted by authority of this organization or bylaw. The foregoing right of indemnification shall be in addition to and not exclusive of, all other rights to which such officer, employee, or Delegate may be entitled.

Article XII: Dissolution

In the event of dissolution or final liquidation of THE SOCIETY, all of its assets remaining after the payment of its obligations shall have been made or proved for, shall be distributed to and among such corporations, foundations or other organizations organized and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes, consistent with those of THE SOCIETY, as designated by the Board of Directors.