INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR CLINICAL BIOETHICS

ABOUT ISCB

The International Society for Clinical Bioethics aims to be truly international, linking all those working in clinical bioethics and related fields, facilitating mutual contact, and encouraging the discussion of clinical aspects in bioethics.


OBJECTIVES

The Society exists for educational and scientific purposes, and not for the purpose of making profits for its members or for any other person or organisation.

The Society has the following educational and scientific objectives:

  1. to facilitate contacts and the exchange of information between those working in clinical bioethics and related fields in different parts of the world;
  2. to organise and promote international workshops, seminars and conferences in clinical bioethics and related fields;
  3. to publish bioethical newsletters, volumes and other types of publications;
  4. to encourage the development of research and teaching in clinical bioethics and related fields;
  5. to uphold the value of free, open and reasoned discussion on issues in clinical bioethics and related fields.

The Society will seek to meet these objectives in whatever way its Board of Directors considers appropriate.

 

 CONSTITUTION


Article 1 – Name and Headquarters

1.1 The name of this society shall be: The International Society for Clinical Bioethics,hereinafter refered to as the Society.

1.2 The headquarters shall be in Croatia, in the city of Rijeka

 

Article 2- Objectives

The Society exists for educational and scientific purposes, and not for the purpose of making profits for its members or for any other person or organisation.
The Society has the following educational and scientific objectives:

  1. to facilitate contacts and the exchange of information between those working in clinical bioethics in different parts of the world;
  2. to organise and promote international workshops, seminars and conferences in clinical bioethics;
  3. to publish bioethical newsletters, volumes and other types of publications;
  4. to encourage the development of research and teaching in clinical bioethics;
  5. to uphold the value of free, open and reasoned discussion on issues in clinical bioethics.

The Society will seek to meet these objectives in whatever way its Board of Directors considers appropriate.

 

Article 3 – Membership

3.1. Membership of the Society shall be available to all interested individuals and       institutions sharing the objectives of the Society as set forth in Article 2 of this document.

3.2. Individuals and institutions who became members prior to six months after the adoption of this Constitution shall be designated as Founding Members.

3.3. A member of the Society shall be in good standing upon payment of annual dues.

3.4. The Board may also define and create other categories of membership such as Honorary Member, Student Member, Life Member or  Honorary Life Member.

 

Article 4 – Dues

4.1. Annual dues in the Society shall be set by the Board of Directors.

4.2 The Board may set the annual dues at a different rate for each category of membership,and may also vary the fees for institutions.

 

Article 5 – Meetings

5.1. The meetings of the Board of Directors and the General meetings of the Society shall be held at least every two years, regarding the proposal of the President and the desirability and consent of the members of the Board of Directors.

5.2. Major policy questions concerning the Society shall be brought to the membership for consent and resolution, if raised by the Board of Directors. Such issues may be decided by a simple majority vote of those members present at a General meeting.

Article 6 – The Board of Directors

6.1. The Board of Directors shall consist of 11 individual members of the Society.

6.2. The term of office for Board members is 4 years. Board members should not serve more than 2 consecutive terms of 4 years.

6.3. The quorum necessary for the Board to conduct business in person shall be at least 7 Directors, and must include either the President or one of the Vice-Presidents. Written notice of the meeting shall be sent to each member of the Board not less than 90 days before the meeting is held. The Board may conduct its business by mail, fax, telephone or by any other suitable means of communication. It shall be the responsibility of each Board member to notify the Secretary of his or her current address at all times, and to respond within 7 days of the receipt of any written communication that seeks a response.   

6.4. The Board of Directors shall be elected by simple majority vote at the General meeting. Nominations for the Board of Directors shall come from the membership. Institutional members may nominate delegates for the Board. Nominations from the membership must be in writing. Nominations and the written consent of the nominee to the nomination must be in the hands of the Returning Officer within one month of the dispatch of the call for nominations.

6.5. The candidates with the highest number of votes shall be declared elected, until all vacancies have been filled.

6.6. If fewer than 11 people nominate for position on the Board, those nominating shall be declared elected, and the remaining positions shall be deemed to be casual vacancies which the Board may, if it wishes, fill by co-option.

6.7. After the Returning officer has determined who has been elected to the Board, he or she shall declare the result of the election. The names and countries of the persons elected, who shall be identified as elected, shall be listed in the alphabetical order.

 

Article 7 – The Officers

7.1. The Officers of the Society shall be the President, 4 Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. After the election of a new Board, the Board shall elect the Officers of the Society. The elections shall be by simple majority vote at the General meeting. The officers shall hold office until their successors have been elected or they have been re-elected.

7.2. The term of the Officers of the Society shall be 4 years.

7.3. The Offices of President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer shall not be held for more than 2 consecutive terms by persons from the same country, or by the same person.

 

Article 8 – Duties of Officers

8.1. The President shall preside at all meetings, including meetings of the Board. The President shall be responsible for the general management and direction of the business of the Society. The President, Vice-Presidents, and/or other members of the Board of Directors, may be authorized by the Board to disburse funds to a limit approved by the Board. The President shall speak on behalf of the Society, unless other spokespeople are authorised by the Board to speak for the Society, and shall restrict all statements to matters decided by the Society at a General meeting or by the Board of Directors acting on the Society’s behalf, within the objectives of the Society.

8.2. The 4 Vice-Presidents provide secondary leadership for the Society. One of the Vice-Presidents substitutes for the President when needed.

8.3. The Secretary shall keep, or arrange to have kept, a true record of the minutes and votes of all meetings. He/She shall have custody of the minute books and correspondence files.

8.4. The Treasurer shall have custody of the Society’s funds and shall keep full and accurate accounts of the receipts and disbursements and shall deposit all monies and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Society in such depositories as may be designated by the Board. He/She shall disburse the funds of the Society as ordered by the Board, demanding proper receipt for such disbursements. The Treasurer shall make an annual report to the membership.

8.5. Between elections, any Officer of the Society may be removed from office for fraud, or misappropriation of the Society’s assets, by a majority vote of the Board.

 

Article 9 – Representation

The persons empowerd by the Founding members to represent this Society shall be the President, the Vice-Presidents and the Secretary.

 

Article 10 – Books, Records and Finances

10.1. The Society shall keep correct and complete books and records of accounts.

10.2. The funds of the Society shall be deposited in the name of the Society in such banks or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

10.3. No one shall solicit funds or other support in the name of the Society unless he or she has applied for and received permission in writing from the Board of Directors.

 

Article 11 – Amendment of the Constitution and Dissolution of the Society

Motions to amend, replace, dispense with or annul the Constitution or to disolve the Society shall be brought to the membership for resolution if raised either by the Board of Directors or by a petition bearing the names and addresses of at least 20% of the members and the signatures of those members. This Constitution may not be amended, replaced, dispensed with or annulled nor the Society dissolved except by an affirmative vote of 51% majority at the General meeting.