By-Laws

Article I

Name

The name and title by which this Association shall be known is the Association of Postgraduate Physician Assistant Programs, Inc.

Article II

Purpose

The Association is organized and shall be operated for charitable, educational and scientific purposes. In accordance with these purposes the Association shall:

Serve as an information center to physician assistants, programs training physician assistants at the entry level, other medical and health care disciplines and to the public with respect to post-graduate educational curricula and programs for physician assistants.
Assist in the development and organization of postgraduate educational curricula and programs for physician assistants.
Assist in the development of evaluation methodologies for postgraduate educational curricula and programs.

APPAP's business meetings are open to all PA students, educators, administrators and health professionals interested in postgraduate PA education.

Article III

Membership
Section 1. General Provisions:

Membership in the Association shall be limited to postgraduate physician assistant programs, either in operation or newly developing, which are in compliance with the criteria set forth in these bylaws and with such other conditions as shall be determined by the Executive Council and approved by the Assembly, except as described under classes of membership below. Each member program is expected to be represented at the annual Assembly. Representatives should include either the Program Director, Medical Director and/or an appropriate designee. However, each member program shall be entitled to only one vote except as described under classes of membership below. Programs must agree to comply with sound educational principles and provide general information regarding the content and structure of the program.

Section 2. Classes of Membership:

There shall be the following classes of membership:

Active Program Members Active program members shall be postgraduate programs with a curriculum, including didactic and clinical components, which trains National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) eligible/certified physician assistants for a defined period of time, usually a minimum of twelve (12) months in a medical/surgical specialty. Programs must award a certificate or graduate academic credit or degree.

Provisional Program Members Provisional Program Members shall be newly developing postgraduate physician assistant programs which have not yet graduated their first class. When such programs have graduated their first class they will be eligible for and may be advanced to membership as Active Program Members. Provisional Program Members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but they may not vote or hold office.

Inactive Program Members Inactive Program Members shall be those formerly Active Program Members or Provisional Program Members that have temporarily suspended educational activities. Upon re-institution of their former educational program that was previously approved for membership, membership at the former designation will be re-instituted upon recommendation of the Board and vote of the Assembly. Inactive Program Members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but they may not vote or hold office.

Affiliate Members Affiliate Members shall be those institutions, organizations, agencies or programs which have demonstrated interest in postgraduate physician assistant education. Affiliate Members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but may not vote or hold office.

Individual Members Individual Members shall be persons who have demonstrated an interest in postgraduate physician assistant education. Individual members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but may not vote or hold office.

Section 3. Dues and Fees:

The fiscal year of this Association shall be established by the Executive Council.

The initial application fee and the annual dues will be determined by a majority vote on recommendation of the Executive Council.

Article IV
Officers
Section 1. Titles of Officers:
The officers of the Association shall be a President, Immediate Past President, President Elect and Secretary/Treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 2. Election of Officers:
The officers of the Association shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the voting members or their designated proxies at the regular meeting of the Assembly. The president shall serve for a period of one year, or until his/her successor is elected. The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve for a period of two years, or until his/her successor is elected. Their term of office shall begin at the close of the annual Assembly at which they are elected. No member shall hold more than one office at a time.
Section 3. Vacancies of Offices:
The responsibility of any vacated office shall be assumed by the Executive Council until an election can be held.

Article V
Meetings
Section 1. Meetings of the Members:
Meetings of the Members of the Association shall be known as the Assembly. An annual Assembly shall be held at such time at such place as the Executive Council may designate.
Section 2. Special Meetings:
Special meetings of the Assembly may be called for any purpose, by a majority of the voting members of the Executive Council or by five (5) voting members of the Association. The President shall determine the time and place of such meetings and written notice shall be sent to each member of the Association not less than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting.
Section 3. Quorum of the Assembly:
The votes of the majority of those voting members who are present at any meeting shall be sufficient to pass any of the business of the Association.
Section 4. Meetings of the Executive Council:
The Executive Council shall meet at least once a year. A majority of members of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Association by the Executive Council at its meetings.

Article VI

Executive Council

The officers of the Association shall constitute the Executive Council, which is the Board of Directors of the Association, and shall manage its affairs. The Executive Council shall have charge of the property and financial affairs of the Association and shall perform such duties as are prescribed by law and the bylaws. It shall carry out the policies established at the meetings of the Assembly and thake necessary interim action for the Assciation, and carry out duties and functions delegated to it by the Assembly.

Article VII

Committees

Committees shall be appointed by the President as the Association or Executive Council shall from time to time deem necessary to carry out the work of the Association. The President shall appoint a member of the Executive Council to be ex officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

Article VIII

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure by Alice Sturgis shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Association may adopt.

Article IX

Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of Member Programs in attendance provided that the amendment has been submitted to the Bylaws Committee and has been distributed in writing to the Active Program Membership sixty (60) days prior to the meeting.