THE ASIAN SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANTATION

CONSTITUTION OF
THE ASIAN SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANTATION

 

Chapter 1:        General Stipulations

 

1.            The name of the organization shall be Asian Society of Transplantation (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’).            

2.            The definition of Asia will be all countries within the geographic borders of Asia

 

3.            The address of the Society shall be the postal address of the Secretary-General.

4.            The Objects of the Society shall be the:-  

a.            Promotion of exchange of information relating to transplantation

b.            Development of medical, biological and social disciplines in transplantation in Asia

c.            Cooperation in the training at all levels of professional involvement – nursing, transplant coordinator, pharmacists, physicians, surgeons and other disciplines involved in transplantation.  

5.            The Official language of the Society shall be English.

 

Chapter 2:        Membership

 

6.            There shall be four types of membership:

a.            Regular member – a medically qualified person who is involved or interested in the field of transplantation and is willing to abide by the Constitution of the Society. 

b.            Associate member – a non-medically qualified person involved in the field of transplantation or medically qualified persons from countries outside of Asia.

c.            Honorary member – to be bestowed by the Society at the recommendation of the Executive Committee to an individual who is not a member of the Society.

d.            Patron member – any individual or entity that supports the purposes of the Society. 

7.            In applying for membership, (except for Honorary Membership) an applicant shall submit to the Society a completed application form. The applicant shall become a member when his application is approved by the Executive Committee and the prescribed fees are paid.

 

 

 

Chapter 3:        Rights of Members:

 

8.            Regular members shall be entitled to:

a.            Elect, stand for elections, propose, vote and recall.

b.            Enjoy the benefits as set forth in Article 4 ‘Objects’ of this Constitution.

9.          Other members shall be entitled to those listed in Articles 8b only.

 

10.        The obligations of Members shall be to:

 

a.            Abide by the Constitution of the Society and the resolutions passed by the General and Extraordinary General Body Meetings

b.            Pay the prescribed fees.  

Chapter 4:        Organization, Functions & Powers:

 

11.          The business of the Society shall be managed by a Council of the Asian Society. (Hereinafter referred to as ‘the Council’).         

12.          The Council shall consist of the Executive Committee, Council members and an Advisory Council. 

13.          Functions and Powers of the Council:

 

a.            To help recruit members from their own region

b.            To elect the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and other members of the Executive Committee.     

14.          The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary-General, the Treasurer, the Immediate Past President and two selected committee chairs.  The Vice-President will be the President-elect provided that he/she meets all other criteria for the council membership.

15.          Functions and Powers of the Executive Committee Members:-

 

a.            The President shall represent the Society, direct the various officers of the Executive Committee in their work, take overall charge of the work of the Society and preside over all the meetings.

b.            The Vice-President shall assist the president with his work and shall act for him when he is absent.

c.            The Secretary-General shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee and shall prepare a report of the activities of the Executive Committee which shall be circulated to members of the Society not less than one month before the date fixed for the General Body Meeting.

d.            The Treasurer shall be in charge of and responsible for all funds of the Society. He shall supervise the receipts of all dues and other funds, payment of all obligations and shall keep an account of all transactions of the Society. He/She shall prepare the financial report which shall be circulated to members of the Society one month before the date fixed for the Congress.

16.          The terms of office of the Executive Committee shall be: 

a.            President - The President shall hold office for two years and shall not be eligible for re-election for two consecutive terms.

b.            Vice President - The Vice President shall hold office for two years and shall not be eligible for re-election for two consecutive terms.

c.            Secretary-General - The Secretary-General shall hold office for two years and shall be eligible for re-election for another four terms.

d.            Treasurer- The Treasurer shall hold office for four years and shall be eligible for re-election for another four years.

e.            Council Members - Council Members shall be Regular members in good standing at the time of nomination, election and during term in office. They shall be nominated by the recognized national transplant societies from Asian countries. Council members shall be re-elected at each General Body meeting and may sit in the Council for not more than four consecutive years, unless his term of office as a member of the Executive Committee determines otherwise.

f.             Advisory Council – Past Presidents of the Society and past Council Members may serve on the Advisory Council of the Society. They may attend Council meetings as special guests but shall have no voting rights.

g.            In the event of the Secretary-General and the Treasurer being the one and same person, an additional council member shall be elected into the Executive Committee.  Any three members including the President or his deputy shall form a quorum.  

17.          Functions and Powers of the Executive Committee:

 

a.            To implement the resolutions passed by General and Extraordinary General Body Meetings

b.            To prepare the budget

c.            To attend to the daily affairs of the Society

d.            To decide on the employment, discharge and salaries of the employees

e.            To appoint and dissolve Standing Committee

f.             To make recommendations to the General Body Meeting. 

Chapter 5:        Meetings

 

18.          The General Body Meeting shall be held biannually at such times as decided by the preceding General Body Meeting preferably at around the same time as the Scientific Meeting.  It shall be convened by the President.  Members of the Society shall be notified of the meeting one month in advance in writing by post.  The quorum of the General Body Meeting shall consist of over half of all the members.  In the absence of a quorum, the meeting shall be adjourned and be convened again within 10 days.  For these adjourned meetings, members of the Society shall be notified 15 minutes in advance.  At this adjourned meeting, any number of members present shall be a quorum.    

19.          Functions and Powers of the General Body Meeting:-

 

a.            To pass amendments to the Constitution of the Society

b.            To elect Council Members

c.            To consider and adopt the progress and financial reports of the Society

d.            To decide on any new innovation which the Society may require and on the recall of derelict office bearers.     

20.          If necessary, an Extraordinary General Body Meeting may be held upon the request of over half of all the Executive Committee members or a quarter of the members of the Society who shall raise such a request in written form, bearing their signatures, to the President.  Upon the receipt, the President shall cause the meeting to be held before the scheduled date of the next General Body Meeting.  However, discussions held and resolutions passed at the meeting shall be confined to only those points listed in the request.  The quorum of the meeting and the way of notifying the members shall be the same as that of the General Body Meeting.            

21.          The Executive Committee shall preferably meet at least once a year and at such time as may be necessary.  Meetings shall be held at such place and upon such notice as the President may designate.  The quorum of the Executive Committee meeting shall consist of 3 members including the President or his deputy.

 

22.          Motions, proposals, proposed amendments to the Constitution and other matters to be included in the agenda of the General Body Meeting shall reach the Secretary-General not later than six months before the fixed date of the meeting.      

23.          The Secretary-General shall forward to all members not less than one month before the date fixed for the General Body Meeting, the agenda including:

 

a.            any motions proposed by any member

b.            proposed amendments to the Constitution

c.            any other matters raised by any member

 

24.          Motions at all meetings shall be carried by the approval of over half of those present.  If a tie occurs in voting, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a casting vote.       

25.          If both President and Vice-President are absent from a meeting, those Executive Committee members present shall elect among themselves a temporary Chairman to preside over the meeting.

Chapter 6:        Election

 

26.          The Council shall be elected at the General Body Meeting.

 

27.          The office bearers and the rest of the Executive Committee shall be elected from the Council.

 

Chapter 7:        Membership Fees

 

 

28.          “The membership fee will be reviewed periodically and may be adjusted accordingly through the decision of the Council meeting. Any changes in the membership fee should be announced in the upcoming General Body Meeting.”

 

Chapter 8:        Awards and Penalties

 

29.          The Executive Committee may, subject to the approval of the General Body Meeting, present letters of commendation to, and/or appoint as honorary members, those who have offered meritorious services to the Society.    

30.          Members who commit one of the following may subject to the approval of the

General Body Meeting, be warned or expelled from the Society by the Executive Committee:

a.            Infringement of the constitution or the resolutions passed by the General or Extraordinary General Body Meeting.

b.            Violation of the local criminal law, having been convicted.

c.            False use of the name of the Society in unlawful acts, thereby damaging its reputation.

d.            Arrears of payment of the membership fee for two years.

 

31.          Fees already paid or donations made by members who withdraw voluntarily or are expelled from the Society shall not be recoverable.  If the members concerned are office bearers, they shall have their offices forfeited automatically.

 

Chapter 9:        Use of Funds

 

32.          Funds of the Society shall be applied solely to meet its recurrent expenditure and for the activities set forth in the Article 4 ‘Objects’ of this constitution and shall not be used for any other purposes.

 

Chapter 10:      Debts and Liabilities

 

33.          The debts and liabilities of the Society to persons other than members shall be determined in accordance with the general principles of ‘agency’.

 

Chapter 11:      Appendix

 

34.          In case the Society shall dissolve, it shall be approved by the General or Extraordinary General Body Meeting and assented to by over half of all the members of the Society.  Any remaining assets of the Society upon its dissolution shall be donated to charitable organizations.

 

35.          Any amendment to this Constitution shall be passed by the General or Extraordinary General Body Meeting and approved by the Registrar of Societies before it comes into effect.

 

36.          The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining the financial accounts of the Society stating clearly the assets and the liabilities, profits and expenses, receipt, documents etc. All books of account shall be subjected to an internal audit and/or an independent audit by an Audit firm chosen by the Council. Later would be in accordance with the banking law of account holding country.

Amended August 6, 2021