Bylaws

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

USC MEDICAL FACULTY WOMEN ASSOCIATION

Revised, April 1992

CONSTITUTION

Article I. Name.

The name of this organization shall be the USC Medical Faculty Women's Association (MFWA). Formerly, it was known as the USC Medical Faculty Women.

Article II. Objectives.

The objectives of the MFWA shall be to: (1) facilitate the participation of women in all faculty activities on the Health Sciences Campus and at the hospitals affiliated with USC; (2) promote a working environment that fosters the effective utilization of the talents of women faculty; (3) form a women's network which will assist and nurture women faculty and students in health sciences to reach their full potential as professionals; and (4) promote a collegial spirit among all faculty and students of the health sciences.

Article III. Membership.

There shall be two types of membership: regular and associate.

Regular membership shall be open to all women with faculty appointments at the Health Sciences Campus. Retired women faculty may remain as active regular members without dues. Only regular members shall be able to vote and hold office.

Associate membership shall be open to all women with doctorate-level degrees who are employed by USC as interns, residents, fellows, or research associates at the Health Sciences Campus, or who have resigned from faculty appointments at the Health Sciences Campus. Associate members shall have the following benefits of membership: invitations to all sponsored events, copies of all publications distributed to regular members, and participation on committees. Dues for associate membership shall be less than but not less than half that for regular membership.

Article IV. Officers.

The officers of this group shall be, in the order of their rank, the President, President-elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Should one of these officers be unable to complete her term, the highest ranking officer shall appoint a replacement with the approval of the Executive Board.

Article V. Executive Board.

The Executive Board shall include all officers, the Past President, the Chairpersons (or designated representatives) of the standing committees, one Senior Faculty Member-at-Large (nominated by the Nominating Committee), and two elected Members-at-Large (or their elected alternates). The Woman Liaison Officer to the Association of American Medical Colleges and the Associate Dean of the Office of Women in Medicine shall serve as ex-officio members of the Board. The Executive Board shall meet monthly during the academic year and additionally at the call of the President to transact business of the MFWA.

Article VI. Elections.

The election of officers, committee chairpersons, chairpersons-elect (when needed), and Executive Board Members-at-Large shall take place at the May general meeting by the majority of the members present. They shall assume office on July 1.

During each fiscal year, there shall be five to eight general meetings open to all members and their guests. They shall be planned and tentatively scheduled in time for review by the Executive Board at their September meeting. The Executive Board may also approve special meetings for the general membership from time to time.

This Constitution may be amended only by a two-thirds vote of the members returning a mailed ballot within six weeks of the date on which the ballot and explanatory materials are mailed. The By-Laws may be amended either as above, in conjunction with changes to the Constitution, or at any general meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present, so long as notice of the proposed changes is given to the membership in writing no less than 14 days prior to the general meeting at which the vote is taken.

The duties of the Past President shall include (1) serving as an advisor to the officers and the Executive Board, and (2) serving as a voting member of the Executive Board.

The President shall manage and direct the overall functioning of the organization. The specific duties of the President shall include (1) serving as Chairperson of the Executive Board, (2) presiding at the business portion of all general meetings, (3) calling special meetings as needed, (4) appointing members to the Nominating Committee and to special ad hoc committees as needed, (5) filling any vacancy that arises on the Board with the approval of the Executive Board, (6) presenting an Annual Report to the membership at the May meeting with subsequent publication of this report in the Newsletter, and (7) assuring that incoming officers and chairpersons are properly oriented.

The President-Elect shall (1) serve as a member of the Executive Board, (2) assist the President and act in the President's absence, and (3) serve as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee for the current fiscal year.

The duties of the Secretary shall include (1) taking and keeping all minutes of the Executive Board and of the business portion of all general meetings, (2) keeping reports on file when appropriate, (3) handling the correspondence of the group, (4) notifying members of the Executive Board of meeting dates, and (5) maintaining the archives of the association.

The duties of the Treasurer shall include (1) handling all funds of the group, (2) paying all bills, (3) keeping accounts of all expenditures and receipts of the group, (4) making monthly status reports to the Executive Board, and (5) submitting an annual written report of the budget to the Executive Board and to the membership at the general meeting in May.

The fiscal year shall be July 1 to June 30. Dues shall be payable to the MFWA by June 30 for the next fiscal year. Changes in dues shall be recommended by the Executive Board and approved by the membership at a publicized general meeting before the end of February. Notice of proposed changes in dues must be given to the membership in writing no fewer than 15 days prior to the general meeting at which the vote is taken.

The Nominating Committee for the following year shall be constituted after the May elections but before July 1. It shall be composed of five members. The Chairperson of the Nominating Committee shall be the incoming President-elect, and the incoming President shall appoint the remaining members and report these names to the Executive Board.

The duties of the Nominating Committee shall include (1) nominating all Officers, Committee Chairpersons, Chairpersons-elect, and Members-at-Large of the Executive Board, and (2) recommending members for all Standing Committees. The Nominating Committee must obtain the acceptance of the nominated individuals and the concurrence of the Executive Board in time for the roster of candidates to be published in the newsletter prior to the elections. Additional nominations shall be solicited for all offices from the general membership before the nominating process is completed, and any member may indicate her willingness to serve. The membership renewal form shall also solicit volunteers for such service, and this information shall be transmitted to the Nominating Committee. Any member may volunteer to serve on any of the standing committees.

Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to: (a) developing strategies to increase membership, (b) developing strategies to increase the participation of current members, (c) sending out annual dues notices, (d) contacting non-renewing members personally, (e) maintaining an updated roster/mailing list, (f) publishing an annual membership directory, and (g) providing updated mailing labels for the newsletter and other publicity as needed. The Chairperson of this committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative from this committee when she cannot be present herself.

Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to: (a) publishing and distributing periodic newsletters containing, at minimum, the calendar of upcoming events and committee meetings, and (b) distributing special announcements as needed. The Chairperson of this committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative from this committee when she cannot be present herself.

The Program Committee shall be responsible for scheduling and coordinating all general meetings. These general meetings shall include but not be limited to: (a) an orientation meeting in September or October to welcome new faculty members combined with a short business meeting if needed [program to be planned by the Program Committee], (b) a meeting in January or February to have Research Fund awardees present their research combined with a short business meeting if needed [program to be planned by the Professional Development Committee], (c) a meeting in Spring for graduate students [program to be planned by the Student Liaison Committee], (d) a meeting in Spring for medical students [program to be planned by the Student Liaison Committee], and (e) an annual business meeting in May for elections, annual reports from the President and Treasurer, and discussion of goals/plans for the next year [program to be planned by the Executive Board]. The Chairperson of the Program Committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative when she cannot be present herself.

Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to: (a) assisting women faculty in the development of the personal skills needed for academic advancement, (b) maintaining and updating periodically the Survival Manual for New Faculty, (c) encouraging and supporting increased participation of women in School and University governance, (d) initiating and facilitating projects to improve the working conditions and status of women faculty, (e) planning the program for a general meeting in January or February each year at which past MFWA Research Fund awardees are asked to present their research, and (f) monitoring the activities of the MFWA Research Fund by (f.1) receiving and publicizing its annual report, (f.2) appointing new officers (President, Secretary, and Treasurer) of the Research Fund when vacancies occur, and (f.3) removing the President or other officers when there is cause. The Chairperson of this committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative when she cannot be present herself.

Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to: (a) encouraging social interaction between women faculty and women students and supporting the students' professional growth; (b) matching women students with women faculty for the purpose of providing support and advice; (c) organizing two annual receptions/panel discussions, one for women medical students (in Spring) and one for women graduate students (in Spring), focused on the challenges of becoming women physicians/professionals, and coordinating these efforts with the Program Committee; and (d) sponsoring other student/faculty events as appropriate. The Chairperson of this committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative from this committee when she cannot be present herself.

Responsibilities shall include but not be limited to: (a) advising the MFWA regarding adherence to its Constitution and Bylaws and reporting as needed to the Executive Board, (b) proposing specific wording for needed amendments to the Constitution and/or Bylaws, (c) preparing documents required by the general membership for voting on these amendments, and (d) developing and maintaining the Annual MFWA Timeline. The Chairperson of this committee shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board or send a knowledgeable representative when she cannot be present herself.