Policies Updated: December 3, 2007
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| Chapter 4407 |
AORN Greater Houston
Ratified: September 11, 1996 President: Patricia
Rodriguez
Amended: November, 2008 Vice President: Nancy Allen
AORN of Greater Houston
Chapter #4407
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this professional organization is AORN of Greater Houston
Area, Texas, (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses).
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES
The purposes of this Association are to:
A. Unite registered professional perioperative nurses for the purpose of
maintaining an Association dedicated to the constant endeavor of promoting
the highest professional standards of perioperative nursing practice for the
optimum care of the patient before, during, and after surgery.
B. Provide opportunity for continuous learning through diversified
educational activities.
C. Study, discuss, research, and exchange information in the field of
perioperative nursing.
D. Hold meetings at intervals for the purposes of this Association.
E. Cooperate lawfully with other professional associations, healthcare
facilities, universities, industries, technical societies, research organizations,
and governmental agencies in matters affecting the foregoing purposes of
the Association.
F. Otherwise lawfully adopt policies and conduct programs for the
improvement of perioperative nursing practice provided that the policies and
programs are consistent with the requirements that the Association is not
organized for profit and no part of its earnings inure to individuals.
ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Section A: Membership in this Association is contingent on compliance
with requirements as specified in these bylaws.
Section B: Membership is unrestricted by consideration of nationality,
race, creed, lifestyle, color, sex, or age.
Section C: Categories of membership in this Association are chapter
members, retired, and student.
1. Chapter Member: A registered professional nurse who supports
the mission of AORN living in an area where a chapter exists.
2. Retired: A retired registered professional nurse who supports the
mission of AORN.
3. Student: An individual pursuing education leading to eligibility to sit
for the registered nurse licensing examination.
a. May not hold elective office.
b. May not serve as a delegate to the AORN House of Delegates.
4. Associate: An individual who supports the mission of AORN and who
is primarily engaged in one of the following professions: health care
industry representative, central service professional, physician, health care
administrator, perioperative and facility material management, informatics
personnel or pharmacist.
a. May not hold elective office.
b. May not serve as a delegate to the AORN House of Delegates.
c. This is a nonvoting position.
Section D: 1. By a two-thirds (2/3) ballot vote, the Board of Directors may
terminate a member for failure to meet membership provided the member
was offered an opportunity to have an unprejudiced hearing, if requested, at
which the member was permitted to defend against the termination.
2. If terminated, a member may be allowed to rejoin by the Board of
Directors after demonstrating eligibility for membership.
Section E: Dues
1. Annual membership dues in this Association are determined by the
Board of Directors and are subject to ratification by the membership.
2. Dues shall be paid according to established policy.
3. Delinquency:
Any member whose dues are not received by the last working day (at
Headquarters) of the member’s renewal month is considered terminated as a
member and all privileges of the Association are withdrawn.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS
The officers of this Association are President, President-Elect, Vice
President, Secretary, and Treasurer with responsibilities as outlined by
Chapter policy.
Section A: President
Serves as the official representative of the Association and presides at all
meetings of the Association and the Board of Directors.
Section B: President-Elect
Observes and assists the President in preparation for assuming the duties
and responsibilities of that office. Has signing privileges on the AORN
Greater Houston Area Chapter bank account in order to conduct the banking
business of the association.
Section C: Vice President
Performs the duties of the President in the absence or inability of the
President to act.
Section D: Secretary
Maintains record of the proceedings of all business meetings of the
Association and the Board of Directors.
Section E: Treasurer
Monitors the fiscal affairs of AORN Greater Houston Area Chapter and
provides reports and interpretation to the membership and the Board of
Directors. Has signing privileges on the AORN Greater Houston Area
Chapter bank account in order to conduct the banking business of the
association.
ARTICLE V
NOMINATING COMMITTEE – NOMINATIONS
ELIGIBILITY – ELECTIONS
TERMS – VACANCIES – REMOVAL
Section A: Nominating Committee
1. The Nominating Committee consists of at least five (5) members.
Three-fifths (3/5) of the members are elected by the membership: two (2) in
the even numbered years and one (1) in the odd numbered years. Two-fifths
(2/5) of the members are appointed by the Board of Directors using
established criteria: one (1) in the odd numbered years and on e(1) in the
even numbered years. Criteria for selection of appointed members is defined
in chapter policy.
2. Responsibilities of the Nominating Committee are outlined in Chapter
policy.
Section B: Nominations
1. The Nominating Committee selects officers and board members based
on qualified nominees submitted by the membership and presents to the
membership for ratification.
2. The Nominating Committee prepares and selects a slate of candidates
for the Nominating Committee position(s) to be elected by the membership.
3. The Nominating Committee prepares a slate of candidates for vacant
delegate and funded alternate delegate positions.
Section C: Eligibility
To be eligible to serve as an officer, member of the Board of Directors or as a
member of the Nominating Committee, a nominee must have had
uninterrupted membership in the Association for two (2) years immediately
prior to appointment or election.
Section D: Elections
1. The elected members of the Nominating Committee shall be selected
by written ballot annually, and plurality elects. In case of a tie, choice is by
lot.
2. Any member holding an office may not be selected for another office
unless the current term of the member expires at the impending annual
selection of Officers, Board of Directors, and Nominating Committee
members.
3. Absentee ballots are cast according to chapter policy.
Section E: Terms of Office
1. The President-Elect is selected every year, serves in that capacity for
one (1) year and then automatically becomes President for a term of one (1)
year.
2. The Secretary, and two (2) members of the Board of Directors shall be
selected in the odd numbered years for a term of two (2) years and shall
serve until their successors have assumed office.
3. The Vice President, Treasurer, and one (1) member of the Board of
Directors shall be selected in the even numbered years for a term of two (2)
years and shall serve until their successors have assumed office.
4. The term of office begins at the adjournment of the last meeting of the
fiscal year.
5. No officer or member of the Board of Directors shall serve more than
two (2) consecutive terms in the same office (Refer to Sec. F. 4).
Section F: Vacancies
1. President: The Vice President immediately assumes office.
2. President-Elect and Vice President: A vacancy in either of these two
offices is filled by a vote of the Board of Directors from a slate submitted by
the Nominating Committee.
3. The Board of Directors fills all other vacancies.
4. Any member filling a vacancy for an unexpired term of one (1) year or
more is deemed to have served one (1) term.
Section G: Removal
Any selected official, regardless of the manner of election or appointment,
may be removed by the membership upon two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of
the members present and voting whenever in its judgment the best interests
of the Association would be served providing the selected official upon
request was offered an opportunity to have an unprejudiced hearing at
which s/he would be permitted to defend against the termination.
ARTICLE VI
MEETINGS – QUORUM
Section A: Association Meetings
1. There shall be at least nine (9) monthly meetings per year, September
through June. The date, time and place are determined by mutual agreement
of the Board of Directors and the membership.
2. Notices of the monthly meetings will be sent to the membership.
3. The presence of five percent ( 5%) of the membership including four
(4) members of the Board of Directors, two (2) of whom are officers,
constitutes a quorum for a business meeting.
4. The annual meeting is designated as the June meeting.
Section B: Special Meetings
1. A special meeting may be called by the President, or by request of a
majority of the Board of Directors or by request of a quorum of the
membership.
2. The membership shall be notified at least five (5) days prior to the
called special meeting.
3. The communication shall state the purpose of the meeting, the time
and place, and no other business other than stated in the call may be
transacted.
4. The quorum for a special meeting is the same as specified in Art. IV,
Section A.4.
ARTICLE VII
BOARD OF DIRECTORS – MEETINGS
Section A: Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of the officers and three (3) elected
members. It has the power, authority, and responsibility to manage the
affairs of the Association, except modifying action of the members. The
responsibilities of the Board of Directors are outlined in Chapter policy.
Section B: Meetings
1. The Board of Directors shall meet at a time and place
determined by the mutual agreement of the Board.
2. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the
President or upon written request of three (3) members of the Board.
3. The presence of five (5) members of the Board, three (3) of whom are
officers, constitutes a quorum.
ARTICLE VIII
COMMITTEES
Section A: Standing Committees
1. The incoming President with the approval of the Board of Directors
appoints the chairpersons of the standing committees of the Association
annually.
2. The standing committees of the Chapter are divided into Operational
committees and Core committees closely aligned with the stated Mission
and Values of the Chapter. Operational committees are Budget & Finance,
and Bylaws/Policy & Procedure. Core committees are Communications,
Education, Legislative, and Membership.
3. The purpose and duties of these committees are outlined in Chapter
policy.
Section B: Special Committees
Special committees may be appointed by the President and cease to exist
when the purpose for which they were created is completed.
ARTICLE IX
DELEGATES TO AORN CONGRESS
Section A: Eligibility
Delegates and alternate delegates to the annual Congress must have current
membership status.
Section B: Representation
The delegate count shall be the allocated annually to chapters based upon
the ration of total active chapter membership to total Association
membership as of June 30, with each chapter having a minimum of one (1)
delegate and one (1) alternate delegate.
Section C: Selection
1. The delegates to Congress shall be the Officers, Board of Directors,
and Chairmen of the Chapter committees.
2. The membership shall elect unfilled delegate or funded alternate
delegate positions.
3. In cases where the number of delegates allotted by National AORN is
less than the total number of members serving as Officers, Board of
Directors, and Chairmen of Chapter committees, the priority of automatic
delegates is determined by Chapter policy.
ARTICLE X
FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Association is July 1 through June 30.
ARTICLE XI
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised is the parliamentary authority of this
Association.
ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
Section A: Amendments to these bylaws may be made at any regular
meeting provided that the proposed amendments have been submitted to all
members at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote.
Section B: Amendments to the bylaws require a two-thirds (2/3) vote of
the members present and voting.
ARTICLE XIII
DISSOLUTION
If the Association should dissolve, all funds in the treasury will be given to
an appropriate educational endeavor determined by the membership
majority.
Bylaws2003
