CONTENTS
Article
1. Name Article 2. The address of the initial registration Article 3. Status
Article 4. Aims
Article 5. Activities
Article 6. Membership
Article 7. Dues and fees
Article 8. Voting rights
Article 9. Termination of membership
Article 10. Officers of the Council
Article 11. Committees
Article 12. Business meetings
Article 13. Amendments of bylaws
Article 14. Interpretation right
ARTICLE
1. NAME
The
name of this organization shall be “The International Tinnitus &
Hyperacusis Society” (ITHS).
ARTICLE
2. THE ADDRESS OF THE INITIAL
The
address of the registered office is: 32 Devonshire Place, London, W1N 1PE, UK.
ARTICLE
4. AIMS
(b) promotion of the exchange of information, experience and knowledge among its
members;
(c) promotion of education both of professionals, who are Active members,
Associate and Student members, as well as the general audience, who are
Affiliates of the Society.
ARTICLE
5. ACTIVITIES
(a) organizing scientific meetings at yearly intervals, associated alternatively
with Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) or European Federation of
Audiology Societies (EFAS), in addition to the International Tinnitus &
Hyperacusis Symposium organized every three years. A yearly meeting shall not be
held in the year when the International Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Symposium is
organized;
(b) facilitating publication of the papers presented during the scientific
meetings as a supplement or special section in existing peer-review journals;
(c) producing on a subscription basis a regular ITHS Newsletter;
(d) establishing a tinnitus/ hyperacusis bulletin board on the Internet,
accessible to members only, where the Newsletter will also be available. The
bulletin board shall act as a source of information about the present status of
tinnitus/ hyperacusis research and details of other related activities.
ARTICLE
6. MEMBERSHIP
Classifications. Members shall be classified as:
(b) Associate member
(c) Student member
(d) Emeritus member
(e) Honorary member
(f ) Affiliate
Qualifications
and privileges
(a)
Active member
(i) shall hold a professional degree at least at Master level;
(ii) shall have established competence and documented achievements in clinical
or research activities in the fields of tinnitus/ hyperacusis;
(iii) shall be proposed for membership by two active members. The Membership
Committee shall be provided with candidate application and Curriculum Vitae;
(iv) shall have the right to vote and serve on the Council;
(v) shall have
the right to propose new members of any category.
(b)
Associate member
(i) shall be a health professional or researcher working in the field, who
does not fulfil the requirements (i) or (ii) of active members, or who are not
directly involved in research or clinical work on tinnitus/ hyperacusis.
(ii) shall be proposed by two Active or Associated members. The Membership
Committee shall be provided with candidate application and Curriculum Vitae
(iii) shall have the right to propose Associate members
(iv) shall have the right to participate in all activities, and serve on
committees, but without the right to vote, and become a member of the Council
(c)
Student member
(i) shall be a student in a professional postgraduate school providing the
degrees required for full membership;
(ii) shall be recommended by two Active members. The Membership Committee shall
be provided with candidate application, CV, and a proof that he/ she is in
training;
(iii) Student membership shall be limited to five years in the first instance;
(iv) shall have a right to participate in all activities, but without the right
to vote, and become a member of the Council.
(d)
Emeritus member
(i) shall have been an Active member who is no longer engaged in
professional work. The Membership Committee shall be provided with a letter
requesting transfer to Emeritus membership;
(ii) may participate in all activities, but may not vote, propose new members,
or serve on committees or serve as a member of Council;
(iii) shall be exempt from the payment of annual dues but shall be required to
pay a fee for social events.
(e)
Honorary member
(i) shall be an individual who exhibited an outstanding contribution to
tinnitus/ hyperacusis or related field. The candidate should be nominated by
three Active members to the Membership Committee
(ii) may participate in all activities but may not vote, propose new members,
serve on committees or serve as a member of Council
(iii) shall be exempt from the payment of annual fees
(f
) Affiliate
(i) shall be any person who exhibits an interest in receiving information
about the newest research and clinical advances in the field, and supports the
goals of the Society;
(ii) shall apply directly to the Membership Committee.
(iii) shall be provided with the Newsletter, separate Internet bulletin board to
facilitate inter-action with other members and on which the most interesting
research and clinical findings will be placed. Access to Proceedings from ITHS
meetings, the right to participate in special sessions during these meetings,
but not to vote or participate in other activities of the Society
ARTICLE
7. DUES AND FEES
Each
member shall have the right to access to the Internet bulletin board and enjoy
the special fees for participation in the meetings. Affiliates shall have the
right to access to a separate bulletin board. The cost of maintaining the boards
shall be covered by membership fees and sponsorship. Membership includes a
one-year subscription to the Newsletter and access to the boards.
The
President of the meeting shall be wholly responsible for the finances of the
meeting he/ she organizes, and shall be responsible for structuring registration
fees with the consideration of the members and affiliates of the Society.
The
Newsletter shall be self-financed through subscription and potential external
donations.
The
Society shall have no other financial commitments.
ARTICLE
8. VOTING RIGHTS
Members
who fail to pay their dues for 6 months after receiving written notification
from the Secretary-Treasurer will lose their rights until dues are paid.
The
individual membership of any category can be terminated at any time by a
two-thirds vote of the Council. Termination because of conduct detrimental to
the objectives of the Society has to be recommended in writing by two active
members; a response must be made to Council within 60 days from the time of
receiving written notification.
ARTICLE
10. OFFICERS OF THE COUNCIL
The
Council shall consist of nine members: President, President elect, Past
President, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, four Council Members at Large, and
Chairperson of the next International Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Symposium
Committee.
Members
of the Council shall serve for a three-year period and may be re-elected for one
additional three-year term. The President will serve one year as President
Elect/ Vice-President, one year as the President, and one year in the Council as
Past President. Voting for the President Elect, Executive Secretary-Treasurer
should be made before, and announcement of the results of election shall be made
during, the International Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Symposium.
Members
of the Council shall be widely representative by both geographical and
professional centres. Each organization or geographic centre shall be
represented by no more than one member.
Every
year, during annual business meetings, one Member at Large shall be replaced by
the new one elected by two-thirds majority of the Active members vote.
President
Shall
be the Chief Executive Officer of the Society and preside at all the meetings,
including Council, and shall serve for a term of one year. The President shall
exercise general supervision and provide overall control over its programmes as
well as prepare meeting agenda and chair its regular business meetings. The
President shall stay after his term for one more year as a member of Council and
as the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee. The President shall be
responsible for the execution of the Bylaws of the Society, and shall play an
active role in the scientific programmes of the Annual Meeting and International
Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Symposium.
President
Elect
Shall
in the absence or disability of the President perform his/ her duties and
exercise the power of President.
Otherwise,
the President Elect acts as a Council Member at Large.
Past
President
Shall
assure smooth transition of the office and serves as a Chairperson of the
Nominating Committee.
Executive
Secretary-Treasurer
Shall
keep a record of the proceedings of all meetings, notify officers, members and
affiliates about their election, prepare and distribute minutes, and carry on
correspondence. He/ she shall have custody of all funds, collect the membership
dues and other fees, and be responsible for the financial affairs of the
society. The accounts shall be audited yearly by an Audit Committee appointed by
the President. The Audit Committee shall consist from three Active members who
are not on the Council.
Four
Council Members at Large
Shall
be actively involved in everyday activities of the Society and its Committees.
ARTICLE 11. COMMITTEES
Membership
Committee
Shall
consist of five Active members in good standing, acting for three consecutive
years with the terms being staggered; shall be proposed by the President and
approved by two-thirds of the Council.
International
Tinnitus Symposium Planning Committee
The
President of the Committee shall be appointed by two-thirds majority of the
council. The President shall be wholly responsible for the inviting and
appointing of Committee members.
The
decision regarding the venue of the consecutive Seminars shall be made six years
in advance. The main objectives of the next Seminar shall be presented to the
Council members, and voted at the Council meetings during the preceding Seminar.
Nominating
Committee
The
Nominating Committee shall consist of five Active members of the Society: the
immediate Past President, two Active members of the Society proposed by the
President and approved by two-thirds vote of Council, and any two Active members
nominated and elected by two-thirds majority vote of Active members.
Every
three years the Nominating Committee shall propose at least two candidates for
the offices of President and Secretary-Treasurer, and every year for the Council
Members at Large. At the nomination stage proper consideration shall be made to
assure representation of different professional groups (research, clinical), and
different countries. A ballot letter shall be sent to all Active members,
assuring that the identity of the voting members remains known only to the
Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE
12. BUSINESS MEETINGS
(ii)
Business meetings. The
President, upon approval of two-thirds majority of Council may convene a
business meeting of the Society at any time. At least one business meeting shall
be convened per year at the time of the annual meeting. All members may attend
the business meeting. A twothirds majority of the votes of present members is
needed for any issue to be accepted.
ARTICLE
13. AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS
ARTICLE
14. INTERPRETATION RIGHT
The interpretation right of these Bylaws is granted to the presiding
Council.
Due to the initial period of creating ITHS, the President and all the
officers of ITHS will hold their positions until the 7th International Tinnitus
Seminar in Fremantle, Australia, 5th–9th March 2002, with appropriate
elections conducted at the beginning of 2002. All activities of ITHS will be
implemented gradually with the expectation that they are to be finalized at this
time.