Constitution and Bylaws
Article I
Name of the Organization
The name of this organization, a non-profit unincorporated association, shall be the World Academy of Neurological Surgery (WANS).
Article II
Mission of the WANS
Section 1 – The WANS is established as an honor society to promote cooperation and camaraderie amongst world leaders of neurosurgery, exchange of scientific knowledge and recognition of major contributors to the specialty. Each member of the World Academy is elected on merit of their scientific contributions, innovations, educational effort and their role in advancing neurosurgery in their country and around the world.
Section 2 – This WANS is a non-profit public benefit association and is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized as an unincorporated association for public educational and charitable purposes.
Article III
Membership in the WANS
Section 1 – The members of the WANS shall be neurosurgeons dedicated to advancing the mission and purpose of the organization.
Section 2 – Each country will be entitled to one member with an additional membership for every 1000 neurosurgeons in that country. Members will move from Active to Senior status after seven years, thus vacating their seat for newly elected members
Section 3 – The total Active Membership will be limited to 100. An Active member will move to Senior status after seven years of Active Membership or at the age of 65, whichever comes first.
Section 4- The WANS may choose world renowned leaders in the field of the neurosciences for Honorary Membership in the World Academy.
Section 5- Active Members shall pay annual dues. The dues shall be set by members of the Executive Committee. Senior Members shall pay dues at a rate of 50% that of Active Members.
Candidates for Membership in the WANS
Section 6 – Candidates of membership in the WANS must be medical school graduates and have adequate post-graduate training in neurological surgery acceptable to the membership.
Section 7 – Each candidate for Active Membership in the WANS must be nominated by an Active or Senior Member, in writing, to the Secretary. Candidates for active membership will be supported by five members, each from a different country and separate from the country of the candidate. Nominations will be referred to the Membership Committee for review of the credentials and contributions of the candidate. The nomination must include a current curriculum vitae that provides complete information on education, post-graduate training, bibliography, personality, ethics and character of the candidate, status as a neurosurgeon. Membership in the WANS is determined by an affirmative vote of 80 percent of the members. A candidate must make a scientific presentation at one of the WANS meetings as a prerequisite for eventual membership.
Section 8 – The Secretary shall forward the nominations to the Membership Committee for consideration. The Membership Committee shall select the candidate(s) for the ballot, subject to review by the Executive Committee, for election by the voting membership at the biennial meeting.
Section 9 – Honorary members shall be selected from outstanding and recognized leaders in neurological surgery or neurological sciences. Proposal for Honorary Membership may be submitted by any WANS Member in writing to the Secretary. Such proposals shall be considered by the Membership Committee and the Executive Committee and at discretion of the Executive Committee placed on the ballot for election during a biennial meeting.
Article IV
Officers of the WANS
Section 1 – The Officers of the WANS shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Past President and Secretary-Treasurer. No more than two of the three, or 2 of the 4 officers may be Senior Members while holding office. New officers are elected at each biennial meeting and take office at the close of that meeting. The term of office for the positions of President, President-Elect, and Past-President, is two years. The term of office for the positions of Secretary-Treasurer is 4 years.
Section 2 – In case of vacancy of any elected office during the year, the position shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Committee, the officer to serve until the next biennial meeting.
Section 3 – The President shall preside at all meetings and decide all questions of order; he/she shall appoint all committees; he shall cast the deciding vote in all tie votes. The President is Chairman of the Executive Committee.
Section 4 – The President-Elect shall assume the office of President at the close of the next biennial meeting.
Section 5 – The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep a record of attendance, keep the minutes of each meeting, read all correspondence to the WANS, keep a record of all transactions and correspondence, send notices to the membership of all regular and special meetings, and perform other duties as prescribed in this Constitution & Bylaws. In addition, the Secretary-Treasurer shall act as custodian of the funds and assets of the WANS, shall deposit all monies received by him to the account of the WANS, shall make all payments in the name of the WANS, shall record all receipts, deposits and disbursements, shall collect all dues and assessments and notify each member of any unpaid dues or assessments in a timely fashion. The Secretary-Treasurer will solicit nominations for active membership from the membership annually and present these nominations to the Nominating Committee.
Article V
Committees of the WANS
Section 1 – The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, President-Elect, Past-President and Secretary-Treasurer. This could represent 3 or 4 people. It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to conduct the affairs of the WANS as provided for in this Constitution & Bylaws and to have charge of the policies and activities of the WANS between annual meetings of the membership.
Section 2 – Each new President shall appoint a Membership Committee, composed of three members. As noted in Article III, Section VII, each candidate for Active Membership in the WANS must be nominated by an Active or Senior Member. It shall be the responsibility of the Membership Committee to review the credentials of nominees to ensure that all criteria for membership are met, and help insure the application file is complete as noted in Article III, Section VII All nominees shall be presented to the membership at large for voting at the biennial meeting following the disclosure of the Membership Committee’s recommendation for each candidate.
Section 3 – There shall be a Golden Neuron Awards Committee composed of three members and appointed by the President. The Awards Committee will propose candidates who will be voted upon by the membership. The candidate who receives the most number of votes will become the Academy Awardee.
Articles VI
Meetings of the WANS
Section 1 – The WANS shall hold at least one meeting every two years at a place determined by the President-Elect of a previous meeting. A portion of this meeting shall be devoted to scientific medical discussion. The scientific portion of the meeting shall be arranged by the Program Committee. The Program Committee will be appointed by the President.
Section 2 – A biennial award shall be given, known as the “Golden Neuron Award” or presentation at the biennial meeting (see Article V, Section 3). Expenses of the Golden Neuron Awardee at the biennial meeting will be paid by the WANS. In addition, the winner shall receive an engraved gift and an honorarium. The Awards Committee is not obligated to select a recipient if none is suitable for that year.
Section 3 – Interim meetings of the WANS may be called by the Executive Committee. Every member shall be notified of the time and place of the interim meeting in advance of the date of the meeting.
Section 4 – Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the conduct of the business meetings of the WANS and the duties of its officers. The order of business shall be as follows: roll call, acceptance of the previous minutes, reading of correspondence, reports of officers including the Secretary’s report and the Treasurer’s report, reports of committees, election of new members, election of Officers, announcement of appointments, new business, and adjournment.
Article VII
Dues and Assessments
Section 1 – All Active Members of the WANS shall pay annual dues, the amount to be determined by the Executive Committee and approved by the voting membership each year. Members on Inactive status shall not pay dues or be required to attend meetings. Retired Senior or Honorary Members shall not be required to pay dues, although an assessment may be ordered with proper notice by the Executive Committee for such classes of membership. Senior Members shall pay dues at 50% of the regular Active Member rate until such time as they retire from the active practice of neurological surgery.
Section 2 – All dues and assessments are payable on billing by the Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 3 – The estimated expenses of the meetings of the WANS not covered by the annual dues shall be prorated among the attending Members and guests, regardless of whether the spouse was in attendance, by a registration fee determined by the Executive Committee at its interim meeting prior to the annual meeting. Certain expenses of the non-official and social activities during each annual meeting may be charged to each member and guest attending the meeting, including the spouse when appropriate.
Article VIII
Status of Members
Section 1 – All members shall be considered in good standing when abiding by this Constitution & Bylaws and the Rules & Regulations of the WANS.
Section 2 – A member delinquent in dues or assessments for two consecutive years or a member who has not attended the last 3 consecutive meetings in a row, is automatically suspended from membership, regardless of class. Suspended members can be re-instated as active–members, provided that they pay dues and a vacant membership position exists for that country.
Section 3 – Any member may be suspended by the President for cause. Further action shall be considered by the membership at the next annual meeting.
Article IX
Guests to Annual Meeting
Section 1 – Each member is permitted to invite one guest not in residency training to the annual meeting and is responsible for the registration fee and non-official or social expenses of that guest. Such guest may also be invited to participate in the scientific program.
Section 2 – It shall be customary for the Program Committee to invite guests to participate in the scientific section of the program. Allocation and payment of expenses for such guests may vary according to the individual guest.
Section 3 – The President shall have the prerogative of inviting special guests in addition to those invited by the Program Committee, Membership Committee or by Members.
Section 4 – Special guests may be invited by the Membership Committee with approval of the Executive Committee for consideration as prospective members of the WANS. The registration fee and non-official and social expenses of these special guests shall be paid for by the guest or by the host.
Section 5 – Distinguished local individuals may be invited by the local host to attend the scientific and/or social functions of the annual meetings, and such expenses (not including transportation, lodging or meals) shall be included in the official expenses of the meeting. The invitation of such local guests must be approved by the Executive Committee.
Article X
Amendments
Section 1 – The Articles of this Constitution & Bylaws may be amended by a three-fourth’s affirmative vote of the Active and Senior Members present and voting at any stated meeting, provided due notice of all proposed changes have been sent to all Members at least two months before said meeting.
World Academy of Neurological Surgery
Rules & Regulations
Section l – An abstract of all papers submitted for presentation at the annual meeting shall be received by the President and Chairman of the Program Committee at least two months before the meeting. The President and Program Committee shall have full jurisdiction to select the papers to be presented at the biennial meeting.
Section 2 – The time allocated for presentation of a paper shall be determined by the Program Committee. A tentative program shall be sent to each member by the Secretary at least two weeks prior to the biennial meeting.
Section 3 – The number of Active Members in the WANS shall be limited to one hundred (100).
Section 4 – The annual dues for Active Members shall be determined each year by the Executive Committee, subject to approval of the voting members at the annual meeting.
Section 5 – The honorarium for the WANS Academy Award winner shall be $1000.00, effective in 2007.
Section 6 – Late registration within 14 days of beginning day of the annual meeting will require a 20% surcharge on the regular registration fee. No refund will be permitted for cancellation of registration within 14 days before the beginning day of the biennial meeting.
Section 7 – These Rules & Regulations may be amended by recommendation of the Executive Committee and approval by majority affırmative vote of the voting Members at a biennial meeting of the WANS.