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Bylaws of the APDS

ASSOCIATION OF PROGRAM DIRECTORS IN SURGERY
BYLAWS–Incorporating Most Recent Amendments of October, 2023

 

ARTICLE I

Name, Offices and Units

 

Section 1.01 Name. The name of the Corporation is Association of Program Directors in Surgery.

 

Section 1.02 Registered Office. The location and post office address of the registered office of the Corporation shall be specified in the Articles of Incorporation or by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 1.03 Subordinate Units. The Corporation may establish and terminate local branches, chapters, councils, clubs, or other subordinate units regardless of designation, form of government or relationship to the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE II

Purpose

 

Section 2.01 Purposes. The purposes of the Corporation shall be as follows:

  • To provide a forum for the exchange of information and for discussion on a wide range of subjects related to post-graduate surgical education.

  • To maintain high standards of surgical residency training by improving graduate surgical education and patient care.

  • To provide advice, assistance, and support to program directors on matters pertaining to surgical education and to accreditation.

  • To encourage research into all aspects of the education and training of surgeons and surgical subspecialties.

  • To represent the interests of program directors in the education and training of high- quality surgeons to other organizations, individuals and governmental agencies or regulatory bodies.

 

ARTICLE III

Membership

 

Section 3.01 The active membership of the Corporation shall consist of the following: Active Program Directors, Active Associate Program Directors, Past Presidents, Affiliates, Senior, and Honorary. The Association does not discriminate in membership based on age, race, gender identity, sexual orientation ethnicity, religion, or disability. The members and responsibilities therein are as follows:

  • Active Program Directors in the Association are limited to officially designated program directors, of general surgery residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Membership is limited to one program director for each accredited residency program. Each Member shall be entitled to one vote on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation. Each Active Program Director shall be entitled to appoint an alternative person in writing to vote on his or her behalf on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation. Voting on matters of merger, dissolution, or disposition of Income and Assets (as referenced in Section 11.07) shall be limited to Active Program Directors. Active Program Directors may serve on committees and attend all functions of the Association.

  • Active Associate Program Directors in the Association are limited to officially designated Associate/Assistant Program Directors, of general surgery residency programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Membership is limited to four Associate Program Directors for each accredited residency program. If there are more than four Associate Program Directors for a Surgery Residency program, the respective Program Director will be responsible for identifying which four Associate Program Directors should be designated at Active Associate Program Directors. Each Member shall be entitled to one vote on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation. Active Associate Program Directors shall not be entitled to appoint an alternative person in writing to vote on his or her behalf on matters to be voted on by the Corporation. Active Associate Program Directors may serve on committees and attend all functions of the Association.

  • Past Presidents: Each Past President of the APDS shall be entitled to one vote on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation. Each Past President shall be entitled to appoint an alternative person in writing to vote on his or her behalf on all matters to be voted on by the Corporation.

  • Affiliate Membership is limited to persons interested in graduate education in surgery, including general surgery residents, surgery residency program administrators, and individuals with an interest in surgical education. Affiliate members may attend membership meetings but will not be entitled to vote on any matters. They may serve on committees and attend all functions of the Association.

    • Surgery Residents: Active Program and Associate Program Directors may nominate general surgical residents in good standing participating in an ACGME approved residency program for resident membership. Individuals nominated by Active Directors will ratified by a specific vote by the majority of the APDS Board.

    • Association of Residency Administrators in Surgery (ARAS) Membership: Full membership in the Association of Residency Administrators in Surgery is limited to officially designated general surgery residency program coordinators, administrators and managers or other surgical subspecialty program coordinators. By virtue of being a full member of ARAS, that same individual shall be a member of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery.

    • Individuals with interest in surgical education: Active Program Directors may nominate individuals with an interest in surgical education for Affiliate Membership. Examples include; Teaching faculty members, Fellowship Directors, Department Chairpersons, Program Directors of other surgical subspecialty programs, Surgical Educators, Research Scientists and others who have demonstrated and have a focused interest in general surgery education. Individuals nominated by Active Directors will ratified by a specific vote by the majority of the APDS Board.

  • Senior Members – Any Program Director or Associate Member who has reached the age of 70 and/or has retired from active practice is eligible to apply for senior member status. Senior members may attend meetings of the members, are exempt from paying dues, may not serve on standing committees, and will not have voting privileges. 

  • Honorary Life Members: Surgeons who have served the Corporation or who by their achievements have furthered the aims and purposes of the Corporation may be eligible for Honorary Membership. Such individuals must be proposed by the Executive Committee for candidacy and presented to the membership for election. Honorary Life Members may attend meetings of the members and of the Board of Directors, may not serve on standing committees, shall not be entitled to vote on any matters and are exempt from association dues.

 

Section 3.02 Admission to Membership/Requirements.

  • Active Program and Associate Program Director Members – If an individual becomes an officially designated program director or associate/assistant program director, he or she automatically becomes a Member of the Corporation (subject to the institution’s prerogative to designate in writing some other person it selects to serve for the following twelve months or other shorter specific time period upon payment of annual dues and receipt by the Association of contact information from the new Member (address, phone, e-mail address).

  • Former Program Directors and former Associate Program Directors may remain active members of the Association for five (5) years with privileges and responsibilities granted in Section 3.01 a-b respectively. After 5 years, former Program Directors or Associate Program Directors may apply for Affiliate Membership as outlined in Section 3.01.d.3. 

  • Affiliate Members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board of Directors and be granted Affiliate Member status upon payment of annual dues and receipt by the Association of contact information from the new member (address, phone, e-mail address). Such membership shall continue as long as the Affiliate Member meets the provisions of Section 3.01 (d) above, and/or other requirements established from time to time by the Board. 

  • Any member who is suspended from his/her local medical society or who is otherwise disqualified for good and sufficient reason shall forfeit his/her membership in the Association. 

  • Membership may be terminated for lack of payment of dues when overdue for a period of one (1) year.

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Section 3.03 Place of Meetings. All meetings of the members shall be held at such place, as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors and stated in the notice of meeting or in a duly executed waiver of notice thereof.

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Section 3.04 Date of Annual Meetings. An annual meeting of the members shall be held in each calendar year on such day and at such time as the Board of Directors shall fix, at which the Members shall elect a Board of Directors and transact such other business as may properly be brought before the meeting. Any business may be transacted at the annual meeting, irrespective of whether the notice of such meeting contains a reference thereto, except as otherwise required by these Bylaws, or by the Corporation Not-for- Profit Code.

 

Section 3.05 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Members, for any purpose or purposes, may be called at any time by the board of Directors, or by a quorum of Members constituting at least 10% of the membership. Upon receipt of any written request from a source authorized to call such a meeting it shall be the duty of the Secretary to call a special meeting of the members to be held at such time, not more than ninety days after the receipt of the request, as the Secretary may fix. If the Secretary may neglect or refuse to issue such call, the person or persons making the request shall be limited to the purposes stated in the notice.

 

Section 3.06 Notice. Written notice of every meeting of the members, specifying the place, date of the meeting, and hour shall be given either personally, by mail, or electronically at least five days prior to the meeting, to each Member entitled to vote. The general nature of the business of the meeting may be specified and shall be specified in case of special meetings or when required by the Corporation Not- for-Profit Code. The agenda for the Membership Meeting will be distributed prior to the meeting.

 

Section 3.07 Quorum. A meeting of members duly called shall not be organized for the transaction of business unless a quorum of Members and alternates entitled to vote (i.e., ten percent of the voting membership) is present. Those present at a duly organized meeting can continue to do business until adjournment, notwithstanding the withdrawal of enough Members and alternates to leave less than a quorum. If a meeting of the members cannot be organized because a quorum has not attended, the Members and alternates present shall have power, except as otherwise provided by statute, to adjourn the meeting to such time and place as they may determine.

 

Section 3.08 Manner of Voting. In an election for Directors, voting shall be oral unless a written ballot is requested, and the candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. In all other matters, voting shall be oral unless otherwise required by law, the President, or the majority of Members present vote to require voting by ballot or the oral vote is sufficiently disputed to require written ballots to determine the position of those Members entitled to cast at least a majority of the votes that all members present and voting are entitled to cast.

 

ARTICLE IV

Board of Directors

 

Section 4.01 Composition and Number of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Association shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Immediate Past President, and twelve members elected from among Active Program Directors and described in 3.01 (a), ex-officio Board members listed under 4.02(c) and additional members as listed in 4.02(d). Board members who are absent two consecutive board meetings may be replaced by action of the president.

 

Section 4.02 Election.

4.02(a). The elected members (12) of the Board of Directors shall serve for a term of two years with no members to serve more than three consecutive terms (exclusive of possible officer-ship).

 

4.02(b). Six (6) members of the Board of Directors shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected each year by the members of the Corporation entitled to vote at the Annual Membership Meeting of the Association.

 

4.02(c). Ex-Officio members of the Board of Directors, to consist of:

  • Chair of the General Surgery Board, American Board of Surgery

  • Chair, Residency Review Committee for Surgery

  • Director, Division of Education, American College of Surgeons

  • APDS Representative to the American Board of Surgery

  • APDS Representative to the Advisory Council, American College of Surgeons

  • APDS Governor to the American College of Surgeons Board of Governors

  • Editor of the Journal of Surgical Education®

  • Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, Program Committee

  • Chairperson, Association of Residency Administrators in Surgery


4.02(d). Additional representatives to the Board of Directors: The representatives listed below will be invited to attend Board of Director meetings to report on their area of leadership. Such representatives will not have the opportunity to vote on any matters.

  • Division Chairpersons (Executive, Membership, Education, Research, and Operations) as further described in Article 5; Section 5.

  • Resident Representative: One resident representative will be selected annually by the current President for a two-year term.


4.02(e). At the request of the President, standing committee, task force, ad hoc committee and/or professional society liaisons may be requested to attend and/or present at the Board of Directors meeting.

 

Section 4.03 Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet at least twice annually. Special meetings may be called at any time by the President, the President-Elect when acting for the President, or by written request of a majority of the Board of Directors. A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

Notice shall be given to all Directors in person, electronically, or by mail at least two days prior to any regular meeting. The notice of the Directors’ meeting shall include the purpose of the meeting if the purpose of such meeting is to amend the bylaws.

 

Section 4.04 Duties and Powers. The Board of Directors shall have the responsibility for managing the affairs of the Association. Voting members of the Board of Directors will be the current officers, the immediate past President, the President and the elected board members as described in 4.02(a) and 4.02(b). Specific duties and powers of the Board of Directors shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

  • To transact all business required to carry out the objectives of the Association.

  • To determine initiation fees and annual dues of all categories of Members.

  • To elect all Members and from time to time adopt rules and regulations for such election.

  • To create, approve, and direct standing and ad hoc committees of the Association.

  • To control the publication or publications sponsored by the Association and to appoint such editors and committees on publications for all such publications.

  • To employ an individual and/or firm to serve as Executive Director. The Executive Director will be the chief administrative office of the Association and will serve under the direction and supervision of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.05 Vacancies. Whenever a vacancy occurs among the elected members of the Board of Directors, the Board of Directors may appoint a member in good standing to fill the unexpired term of such individual until the next regular election of the Association.

 

Section 4.06 Conference Telephone. One or more Directors may participate in a meeting of the Board of Directors or Executive Committee by electronic means.
 

Section 4.07 Compensation. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefore.

 

ARTICLE V

Operational Structure: Divisions and Committees

 

Section 5.0: Operative Divisions with corresponding standing committees will be designed as follows.

 

Section 5.01 Executive Division

 

The Executive Division will be responsible for the leadership of the organization. It will be led by the current President and consist of the listed standing committees (Section 5.01a-d). The standing committee chairpersons are officers who are members of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee.

 

Section 5.01(a): Executive Committee

  • Membership: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and the Chairperson of the Program Committee. In addition, there shall be three at-large members. The appointment of at-large members shall be staggered such that one at large member will be appointed by the President each year. Each at-large member shall serve a three-year term and may not succeed himself/herself. Committee members who are absent two consecutive committee meetings may be replaced by action of the President.

  • Function and Duties: During the intervals between meetings of the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee members shall exercise all powers of the Board of Directors in the management of the affairs of the Association, including authorization of the Seal of the Corporation to be affixed to any papers that may require it and the appointment of agents to act for or in representation of the Corporation. The Executive Committee shall keep a record of its proceedings and report these proceedings to the Board of Directors at its next meeting for approval. The President, in collaboration with the Executive Committee, will appoint members to Division leaders as outlined in Sections 5.02-5.05 and standing committees as outlined in Sections 5.01(b-d), 5.02 (a-d), 5.03 (a-b), 5.04 (a).

  • Meetings: The Executive Committee shall conduct its meetings at such places as it may from time to time determine. Meeting of the Executive Committee may be called at any time by the President.

 

5.01(b) Program Committee:

  • Membership: The Program Committee shall consist of up to seven members, each shall be appointed for a term of three years. These members shall consist of the Program Chairperson(s), the Program Vice-Chairperson(s), the Education Division leader and two at-large members chosen by the President and the resident representative during his/her 2nd year. The President, President-Elect of the APDS and the two most recent Program Committee Chairpersons shall be ex-officio members of the Program Committee. The President of the APDS shall appoint one member as the Chairperson and, in consultation with the President-Elect, shall appoint a Vice-Chairperson who customarily will be appointed as Chairperson the following year. A current member of the ARAS Executive Committee will represent ARAS on the APDS Program Committee.

  • Function and Duties: The Chairperson of the Program Committee shall conduct all meetings of the Program Committee and will be responsible for organizing the programs of the annual meetings of the Association, including review of scientific abstracts each year. The President and President-Elect shall assist in this review process.

    • The Chairperson of the Program Committee shall serve on the Executive Committee.

    • The Vice Chairperson will attend the spring Executive Committee meeting in anticipation of becoming the Chairperson the following year but will not be entitled to vote.

    • The Vice Chairperson shall be responsible to assist the Chairperson and be eligible, subject to appointment by the then President, to serve as Chairperson at the expiration of the current Chairperson’s term.

 

5.01(c) Nominating Committee:

  • Membership: The Nominating Committee shall consist of.the Immediate Past-president (who will serve as Chair) and the two prior past-presidents.  Additionally, two members-at-large (appointed by the current president and the Immediate past-president during their terms) will serve two year terms.  The Chairs of the Membership Division and the Diversity/Equity/Inclusion (DEI) Committee will serve as members.

  • Function and Duties: Present a slate of nominees for the following offices:

    • President

    • President-Elect

    • Secretary

    • Treasurer

    • six (6) Members-at-large for the Board of Directors three (3) of whom will be selected from university-based programs and three (3) from independent (non-university and/or military) programs.

    • Meet at least two (2) months prior to the Annual Meeting at which time a complete list of the active membership will be provided. Forward this slate of nominees to the Secretary who will distributed to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

    • The Committee shall meet, as needed, at the direction of the President when additional appointed representatives of the organization are needed, for roles including (but not limited to) committees, task forces, liaisons, and national representation.  The Committee shall be presented with a description of the role so that an appropriate member may be presented to the Executive Committee based on the nominee’s competencies.

 

5.01(d) Finance Committee

  • The Finance Committee shall consist of the Treasurer (Chairperson), the current APDS President as an ex officio member, the immediate past treasurer (1 year term), and three members at large appointed by the Chairperson (each serving a 3 year term). One at large member will serve as the Industrial Liaison for his/her 3 year term.

  • Function and Duties: The Committee shall meet at least semi-annually to review:

    • the Association’s investments

    • allocation of funds from the balance sheet to the investment portfolio consistent with the cash flow needs of the Association

    • recommendations to the Executive Committee/Board on funding of new projects with projected costs in excess of $5,000

    • input with respect to the Annual Budget as requested by the President and/or Treasurer

    • periodic engagement of an outside firm to conduct an audit of the Association’s financial statement

    • assuring independence and fair balance regarding the Association’s interactions with industry, and the appropriate disclosures relative thereto

    • any other tasks assigned periodically by the President.

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Section 5.02 Membership Division:

The Membership Division will develop strategies for membership engagement in the organization. The Membership Division will be led by an Active Program Director Member selected by the President in collaboration with the Executive Committee for a two-year term with a maximum of two repeat cycles in the same Division for a maximum of 4 years. The Division leader, in consultation with the chairpersons of the Associate Program Director Committee, the Independent Academic Medical Center Committee, the Military Committee, and the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, will report to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as a non-voting member. Budgets may be proposed by the Division leader in collaboration with the Finance Committee to support the Division appropriately. The Membership Division leader will oversee the listed standing committees (Section 5.02a-d).

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5.02(a) Associate Program Director Committee

  • Membership: The Associate Program Director Committee will consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be active Associate Program Directors or Active Program Directors at the time of their appointment. The Membership Division leader will sit on this committee in an ex-officio role. 

  • Function and Duties: The duties of the Associate Program Director Committee will be to examine issues of interest to Associate Program Directors. The Committee will meet at the annual spring APDS meeting and as needed. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the Annual Membership Meeting.

 

5.02(b) Independent Academic Medical Center Committee

  • Membership: This Committee will consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be active independent program directors defined as non-university or military programs at the time of their appointment. Program Directors of university affiliated programs may serve on this committee. The Membership Division leader will sit on this committee in an ex-officio role. 

  • Function and duties:  This Committee will examine issues of interest to independent program directors. The Committee will meet at the annual spring APDS meeting and as needed. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the Annual Membership meeting.

 

5.02(c) Military Committee

  • Membership: This Committee will consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be active military program directors at the time of their appointment. The Membership Division leader will sit on this committee in an ex-officio role. 

  • Function and duties: This Committee will examine issues of interest to military program directors. The Committee will meet at the annual spring APDS meeting and as needed. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the Annual Membership Meeting.

 

5.02(d) Diversity and Inclusion Committee

  • Membership: This Committee will consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be active program directors at the time of their appointment. The Membership Division leader will sit on this committee in an ex-officio role.

  • Function and duties: This Committee will be to examine issues of diversity and inclusion among active members. The Committee will meet at the annual spring APDS meeting and as needed. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the Annual Membership meeting.

 

Section 5.03 Research Division
The Research Division will serve as a forum to advance the scholarly activity of the APDS membership. The Research Division will be led by an Active Program Director Member selected by the President in collaboration with the Executive Committee for a two-year term with a maximum of two repeat cycles in the same Division for a maximum of 4 years. The Research Division leader, in consultation with the chairpersons of the Research Committee and the Research and Education Committee, will report to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as a non-voting member. Budgets may be proposed by the Research Division leader in collaboration with the Finance Committee to support the Research Division appropriately. The Research Division leader will oversee the listed standing committees (Section 5.03a-b).
 

5.03(a): Research Committee: The Committee shall meet at least bi-annually to review: research initiatives through the APDS including research grant progress and fund allocation, Journal of Surgical Education publications/initiatives, and research initiatives presented to the APDS for consideration of list serve distribution. The Research Committee shall work with the Chair of the Research and Education Fund as described in Article 8, Section 8.03 and any other tasks assigned periodically by the President. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the annual business meeting.

  • Membership: The Committee shall consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be Active Program Directors at the time of their appointment.

  • Function and Duties:

    • The Committee shall meet at least bi-annually to review:

    • Research initiatives through the APDS including research grant progress and fund allocation

    • Journal of Surgical Education publications/initiatives

    • Research initiatives presented to the APDS for consideration of list serve distribution

The Research Committee shall work with the Chair of the Research and Education Fund as described in Article 8, Section 8.03 and any other tasks assigned periodically by the President. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the Annual Membership meeting.​

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Section 5.04: Education Division

The Education Division will serve as a forum to advance the knowledge of APDS members through programming to include online opportunities, programing geared at specific populations (i.e. new program director workshop) and additional educational opportunities. The Education Division will be led by an Active Program Director selected by the President in collaboration with the Executive Committee for a two-year term with a maximum of two repeat cycles in the same Division for a maximum of 4 years. The Education Division leader will report to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee as a non-voting member. Budgets may be proposed by the Education Division leader in collaboration with the Finance Committee to support the Education Division appropriately. The Education Division leader will oversee the listed standing committees (Section 5.04a) and serve on the Program Committee.

 

5.04(a): Mentorship Committee

  • Membership: This committee will consist of a chair of the committee as appointed by the President for a two-year term with a maximum of one repeat term (4 years maximum). The committee shall be comprised of two members appointed by the President in collaboration with the executive committee and two members recommended by the Chair for appointment by the President. The chair and committee members must be active program directors.

  • Function and duties: This Committee will examine issues of interest to mentorship within the organization. The Committee will meet at the annual spring APDS meeting and at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress with formal pairing of mentors/mentees within the organization. The chair of the committee will report to the membership at the annual business Membership meeting.

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Section 5.06 Ad Hoc Committees/Task Forces. The President may, from time to time, appoint such ad hoc committees or task forces as deemed necessary to conduct the affairs of the Association. The structure, term, and duties of such ad hoc committees or task forces shall be as determined by the President subject to the approval of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5.07 Vacancies. Any vacancies in the composition of any Standing Committee or Ad Hoc Committee may be filled by Presidential appointment for the unexpired term of the individual vacancy.

 

ARTICLE VI

Association of Residency Program Administrators

 

Section 6.01 Mission: ARAS is an organization established to promote the professional development of general surgery residency program administrators within the framework of best practices for the daily management of regulations and guidelines including but not limited to the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the American Board of Surgery (ABS).

Section 6.02: Purpose

  • To provide a forum for the exchange of information and for discussion on an extensive and/or great variety of subjects related to effective management of surgery residency programs

  • To maintain high standards of surgical residency program management by providing education on new initiatives within the surgery training paradigm

  • To provide mentorship and support for new surgery residency administrators in both residency and fellowship programs

  • To encourage personal professional development as it relates to effective management of surgical residency programs

  • To represent the interests of training administrators to other organizations, individuals, and government agencies or regulatory bodies

  • To foster lifelong learning goals of surgery training administrators

  • To provide an understanding of current and future accreditation standards as they continue to evolve

 

Section 6.03: Member Eligibility

Full membership in ARAS is limited to administrators (coordinators, managers, directors, etc.) that primarily support general surgery residency and fellowship training programs accredited by the ACGME.

Subspecialty administrators of programs that fall under the general surgery umbrella are also eligible to become members (vascular surgery, surgical critical care, pediatric surgery).

By virtue of being a member of ARAS, the residency administrator will also be considered an Affiliate member of APDS. (APDS Bylaws Article 3, Section 3.01)

 

Section 6.04:  Member Requirements

All applicants must submit an application form, which will be reviewed and voted on by the APDS Board.

 

Section 6.05:    Rights of Members

  • Membership in a professional organization of surgery administrator peers

  • The ability to register for the annual ARAS meeting at a discounted rate

  • The opportunity to present topics of interest and current areas of focus for surgery residency administrators

  • The opportunity to participate on ARAS committees

  • The ability to submit interest in serving on the ARAS Executive Committee

  • The ability to cast a vote in ARAS elections

           

Section 6.06: Meetings of Members

  • The annual spring education meeting for ARAS shall be held during Surgical Education Week (SEW)

  • The annual spring education meeting for ARAS shall be held during the same designated dates as APDS

  • The APDS Board of Directors determines all meeting dates & locations

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Section 6.07: Executive Committee Composition

The ARAS Executive Committee (EC) is composed of ten (10) ARAS members including four officers, five committee chairs and the Immediate Past-President.

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Section 6.08: Officers. ARAS Officers shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Membership. Only active ARAS members as described in Article 6 Section 6 are eligible to be elected to these offices. New Executive Committee officers are voted on by the current Executive Committee members. 

  • President: The ARAS President will be responsible for the overall leadership, planning, and execution of the annual ARAS meeting. Additionally, the ARAS President will serve as the ARAS Representative on the APDS Board. The President term is one year. 

  • In the event the opportunity to become president after four years is available to a willing EC member, the current ARAS President will confer with the Immediate Past-President to make an official decision to submit to APDS during the fall planning meeting for approval. This will be based on the line of succession that occurs when each new President takes office.

  • President-Elect: The ARAS President-Elect will work closely with the ARAS President to provide support and assistance with any and all aspects of the annual ARAS meeting. The ARAS President-Elect will serve on the APDS Board. The President-Elect term is one year. 

  • Secretary: The ARAS Secretary will be responsible for taking minutes at each EC meeting.  A draft of the minutes will be sent to the President for approval and then forwarded via email by the Secretary to other EC members.  The Secretary will also be responsible for documenting all activities of the EC, as well as other duties assigned by the ARAS President. The Secretary term is two years.

  • Membership: The ARAS Membership Liaison is responsible for maintaining an accurate, up-to-date list of all program administrators (ARAS members and non-members). The Membership Chair also is responsible for coordinating with the APDS executive administrator tracking new membership applications, membership approvals, and administrative turnover. The Membership term is one year.
     

Section 6.09: Vacancies. A vacancy in any office other than president may be filled by the Executive Committee appointment by moving the traditional spring appointment date of a new Executive Committee member to an earlier date. This decision will be made by the President.

Section 6.10: Succession Planning
Succession planning is essential to the success of the organization. The ARAS President and President-Elect should meet regularly to review processes, procedures, and planning needs of the ARAS Executive Committee. The Immediate Past-President is encouraged to also be a part of these meetings when able and/or the need arises. 

 

Section 6.11: Committee Chairs. The Committee Chairs of ARAS are Communications, Professional Development, Social, Program and Research.

  • Communications: The Communications Chair will be responsible for communications to keep members engaged our organization. The Communications Chair term is four years. 

  • Professional Development: The ARAS Professional Development Chair is responsible for the organization and distribution of the ARAS Professional Development Curricula and Evaluation Tools. Additionally, the ARAS Professional Development Chair will assume responsibility in organizing webinars throughout the year that promote the personal and professional development of a surgery administrator. The Professional Development Chair term is four years. 

  • Social: The ARAS Social Chair is responsible for planning and executing social events at our annual meeting for both the new administrators during their workshop day as well as all administrators throughout the week. The Social Chair term is four years. 

  • Research: The ARAS Research Chair is responsible for leading all research initiatives within ARAS. This includes obtaining IRB exemption for surveys, reviewing data, presenting findings, and taking point on projects that can lead to presentations and/or publications. The Research Chair term is four years. 

  • Program Committee: The ARAS Program Committee Chair is responsible for leading the Annual meeting discussions and preparing the timeline of the conference. They will also serve as the liaison to the At-Large and Ad-Hoc Committee members. The Program Chair term is four years. 
     

Section 6.12:  At-Large Members. There will be 3 At-Large members appointed by the President. Each At-Large Member shall serve a three-year term and may not renew. After the first appointment, individuals will be appointed on a staggered three-year term, to help provide continuation of progress in each cohort. Each At-Large Member will be the designated representative for the following ARAS Member Cohorts:

  • New Programs (programs without trainees or less than 2 graduating classes)

  • Independent/Community Programs

  • University Programs

 

Section 6.13:    Vacancies

Vacancies that occur on the Executive Committee prior to the fall APDS board meeting may result in the following in order to keep operations consistent for the year:

  • Reappointment of a past Executive Committee member to fill the role for the remainder of the year, by the President

  • The early appointment of a future EC member to the EC for a start date coinciding with the end of Surgical Education Week conference. An early start date would not count against the four-year term of the early appointed EC member

  • An At-Large member taking over the vacant position; the board would then move to nominate and choose an at-large member.

 

Section 6.14:    Executive Committee Requirements

  • Membership on the ARAS EC, other than the At-Large Members, requires the following:

    • Active membership in ARAS

    • Attendance at a minimum of two APDS/ARAS annual meetings

    • Written support from the Program Director of the administrator’s surgery residency program

    • Ability to attend the spring planning meeting (a remote time commitment of 2 days)

    • Ability to attend monthly ARAS executive committee meetings led by the ARAS President

At-Large Membership requires the following:

  • Active membership in ARAS

  • Attendance at a minimum of one APDS/ARAS annual meetings

  • Written support from the Program Director of the administrator’s surgery residency program within 30 days of appointment by ARAS President

  • Ability to attend monthly ARAS executive committee meetings led by the ARAS President

Expectations of ARAS EC Members

  • The ARAS EC is responsible for professional development and mentoring of general surgery residency administrators. The ARAS EC is also responsible for organizing and implementing of the curricula for the annual ARAS spring meeting.

  • Members should demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities by demonstrating respect, compassion, integrity, and responsiveness to the needs of ARAS and a commitment to excellence and on-going professional development.

  • EC Members should demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in effective information exchange.

 

Section 6.15 External Collaboration with Surgical Education Entities

  • Appointments: ARAS EC and At-Large members may be appointed when requested by collaborating entities to represent the ARAS community at-large which may include:

    • SCORE

    • SAGES

    • American Board of Surgery

    • APDS-EQIP

    • American College of Surgeons

    • APDS-Diversity Taskforce

 

Section 6.16  AD HOC Task Forces

The ARAS President may appoint ad hoc task forces when deemed necessary to promote the mission and/or benefits the ARAS community.

The structure, term, and duties of any such ad hoc committee shall be determined by the ARAS President and confirmed by a majority vote amongst the EC members. The ARAS Program Chair will serve as an ex-officio member of all designated ARAS ad hoc Committees.

 

Section 6.17 Professionalism

ARAS promotes and encourages professional behavior and conduct as it relates to residency program management, presentations (local, regional, or national level), as well as any representation on any ARAS committee or activity.

 

Section 6.18     ARAS Executive Committee Professionalism

ARAS EC members are expected to fulfill all responsibilities outlined in Article 6 of the bylaws and all approved ARAS policies.

ARAS Executive Committee members who miss two consecutive meetings without submitting a notice to the ARAS President may be removed from the Executive Committee by the ARAS President.

 

Section 6.19 General Provisions

All ARAS materials are for the explicit use of the ARAS and must not be duplicated, except with the written permission of the ARAS EC.

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ARTICLE VII

Officers

 

Section 7.01 Officers. The Officers of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Only Active Program Director Members, as described in Article III, Section 3.01(a) and 3.02(a) are eligible to be elected to these offices.

 

Section 7.02 President. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer for the Association and preside at all regular and special meetings of the Association, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee. In consultation with the Board of Directors, the President shall be responsible for the appointment of all standing, ad hoc committees and task forces and shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall perform all other duties normally associated with his/her office.

 

Section 7.03 President-Elect. The President-Elect, in the event of resignation, absence, or death of the President, shall assume the duties of that office. In the event of such an assumption of the duties of the President, the President-Elect will subsequently complete his/her own term as President. The President-Elect shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 7.04 Secretary.

The Secretary shall sign all official documents and shall carry out such other duties as are assigned by the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the members, Board of Directors and Executive Committee and reporting on such proceedings to the members of the Association annually. The Secretary and the Membership Division shall maintain a list of the membership of the Association and shall notify all members of the Association of the date and place of the Annual Meeting and other official meetings of the Association. The Secretary may not be elected for more than five consecutive terms.

 

Section 7.05 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and disbursement of all funds of the Association. The Treasurer shall submit a written report at least annually to the board of Directors detailing all of the funds received and disbursed and present a detailed statement of the financial condition of the Association. This report will be provided to the Finance Committee and the Board of Directors in a timely manner before the annual meeting of the Association. The Treasurer may not be elected for more than five consecutive terms.

 

Section 7.06 Terms of Office and Vacancies.

  • The President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Association for a term of one year each or until their successors are elected. The President-Elect shall assume the office of President at the Annual Meeting following his/her election.

  • A vacancy in any office other than the President may be filled by the Executive Committee appointment until the next regular election of the Association.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Finance

 

Section 8.01 Fees, Dues and Assessments. The Board of Directors may by resolution from time to time, set or amend a schedule of dues or assessments, or both, applicable to Members; provided that such dues or assessments or both may be imposed upon all members of the same class either alike or in different amounts or proportions, and upon a different basis upon different classes of members; exempt members of one or more classes from either dues or assessments or both; and prescribe the times and methods of collecting such dues or assessments.

 

Section 8.02 Fees and Profits. The Corporation may charge fees or prices for service or products it renders within its lawful authority, and may receive such income and make an incidental profit thereon. All such incidental profits shall be applied to the maintenance and operation of the lawful activities of the Corporation, and in no case shall be divided or distributed in any manner whatsoever among the members, Directors, or officers of the Corporation.

 

8.03: APDS Mark Friedell Education and Research Fund:

  • Membership: The Mark Friedell Education and Research Fund shall consist of a chairperson who will be directed by a Foundation Board that consists of a chairperson and eight additional members. The Chair will be selected by the President in collaboration with the Executive Committee and the members of the Foundation Board. The Chair will be approved by the Board of Directors for a 4 2-year term. The Chairperson must be an Active Program Director member at the time of appointment. The remainder of the board shall consist of eight members who are identified by the Nominating Committee and elected by the membership. At the time of election, up to two board members may be individuals who are not Active Program Director members of the APDS. The remaining board members must be Active Program Director members of the APDS at the time of election. These eight members will serve staggered 4 year terms. Each year, two members will leave the board and two new members will be elected to replace them. Any vacancies that occur off cycle shall be filled as provided in Section 4.05. The chairperson of the Research Committee and the Research Division Chair will serve as ex officio members.

  • Function and duties: This Fund will work with the APDS Executive Committee, the APDS Board, and as appropriate the Research Committee, to identify gaps in research, both large and small, relating to surgical education, outcomes and evidence-based practices. They will also determine in such amounts as it determines appropriate, to advance initiatives in these areas. The Research and Education Committee shall consider the list of topics proposed by the research Committee for the annual RFP funding cycle. They will be the final arbitrator of the chosen annual RFP topic. The Research and Education Fund, which operates solely under the APDS corporate and IRS tax status although it may occasionally also be referenced as the APDS Foundation or similar terms, shall be funded annually according to prevailing criteria set, and potentially amended, by the APDS Executive Committee, and shall serve in a manner consistent with and at the pleasure of the APDS Board of Directors.

 

Section 8.04 Financial Reports.

The Treasurer and Finance Committee shall present annually to the members a report, verified by the President and Treasurer, or by a majority of the Directors, which report shall indicate in appropriate detail:

The assets and liabilities, including the trust funds, of the Corporation as of the end of the fiscal year immediately preceding the date of the report. The principal changes in assets and liabilities including trust funds, during the year immediately preceding the date of the report. Such report shall be filed with the minutes of the meeting of members.

 

ARTICLE IX

Real Estate

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Section 9.01 Authorization for Transactions. The Corporation shall not purchase, mortgage, lease away, or otherwise dispose of its real estate unless authorized by the vote of majority of the members in office of the Board of Directors.

 

ARTICLE X

Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, and Insurance

 

Section 10.01 Limitation of Liability. A Director of this Corporation shall not be personally liable for monetary damages as such for any action taken, or any failure to take action, unless the Director has breached or failed to perform the duties of his or her office as amended from time to time, or any successor provision, and the breach or failure constitutes self-dealing, willful misconduct or recklessness. This provision shall not apply to the responsibility or liability of a Director pursuant to any criminal statute or the liability of a Director for payment of taxes pursuant to local, state, or federal law.

 

Section 10.02 Indemnification. The Corporation shall indemnify any officer or Director (or employee or agent designated by a majority vote of the Board of Directors to the extent provided in such vote) who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a Director or officer (or employee or agent) of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer (or employee or agent) of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding. Officers and directors of any subsidiary of the Corporation shall be deemed to be persons acting as an officer or director of another corporation at the request of the Corporation. Indemnification pursuant to this Section shall not be made in any case where the act or failure to act giving rise to the claim for indemnification is determined by a court to have constituted willful misconduct or recklessness. Expenses incurred by an officer or Director (or employee or agent) purportedly indemnified in this Section in defending a civil or criminal action, suite or proceeding may be paid by the Corporation in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such person to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation. The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Section 8.02 shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Director or officer (or employee or agent) of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.

 

Section 10.03 Insurance. The Board of Directors may authorize, by a vote of a majority of the whole Board of Directors, the Corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Director or officer (or employee or agent) of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director or officer (or employee or agent) of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise against any liability asserted against and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of this Article IX. Furthermore, the Corporation may create a fund of any nature, which may, but need not be, under the control of a Director, or otherwise secure or insure in any manner its indemnification obligations referred to in Section 8.02 and10.02 of this Article.

 

ARTICLE XI

General Provisions

 

Section 11.01 Construction of Powers. Unless these bylaws expressly or by clear construction or implication so provide, nothing contained in these Bylaws is intended to or shall limit, qualify, or restrict any powers or authority granted or permitted to nonprofit corporations by the Corporation Not-for-Profit Code.

 

Section 11.02 Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors shall prescribe the form of a suitable corporate seal, which shall contain the full name of the Corporation and the year and state of incorporation.

 

Section 11.03 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 11.04 Checks. All checks or demands for money and notes of the Corporation shall be signed by such officer or officers or such other person or persons as the Board of Directors may from time to time designate.

 

Section 11.05 Waiver of Notice. Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the Corporation Not-for-Profit Code or these Bylaws, a waiver thereof in writing signed by the person or persons entitled to said notice whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice. In the case of a special meeting of members, the waiver shall specify the general nature of the business transacted, but in all cases neither the nature of the business to be transacted nor the purpose of the meeting need be specified in the waiver. Attendance of a person at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting.

 

Section 11.06 Records. An original or duplicate record of the proceedings of the members and the Directors and other bodies, the books or records of account, the Bylaws, and the membership register, shall be kept at the registered office or principal place of business.

 

Section 11.07 Disposition of Income and Assets. No part of the income or profits of the Corporation shall be paid, distributed or otherwise inure to the benefit or use of its Members, Directors or officers or other private persons except that the Corporation shall be authorized to pay compensation in a reasonable amount to its members, Directors or officers for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its general corporate purposes.

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ARTICLE XII: Amendments

Section 12.01. These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed by a majority of the votes which all Members present are entitled to cast at any regular or special meeting duly convened after twenty (20) days notice to the Members of the purpose.

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