Constitution of the Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology
(Enacted: Feb. 5, 1988)
(Revised: Jan. 25, 1996)
(Revised: Jan. 25, 2002)
(Revised: Jan. 25, 2005)
(Revised: Jan. 31, 2007)
(Amended: Jan. 29, 2009)
Chapter 1: General Rules
Article 1. This Society shall be known as the Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology (JSTP).
Chapter 2: Objective and Activities
Article 2. The objective of the Society is to promote the advancement and development of toxicologic pathology.
Article 3. The Society shall perform the following activities in order to accomplish the objective stated in the preceding article.
(1) Hold annual scientific meetings;
(2) Publish the Journal of Toxicologic Pathology;
(3) Develop human resources;
(4) Certify diplomates of JSTP; and
(5) Carry out other activities as may be deemed appropriate to the objective of the Society.
Chapter 3: Membership
Article 4. The Society's five categories of membership shall be as follows:
(1) Full Members
(2) Honorary Members
(3) Meritorious Members
(4) Student Members
(5) Supporting Members
Article 5. Full members shall be individuals engaging in research activities in toxicologic pathology and its related field, recommended by any one of the Councilors of the Society or diplomates of the Society, and approved by the Board of Directors.
2. Full members shall bear the responsibility of paying their membership dues each year, by which they are qualified to receive free copies of the journal issued by the Society and to present their research results in annual scientific meetings and the journal.
Article 6. Honorary membership shall be reserved for individuals who have rendered distinguished service to the development of toxicologic pathology and the Society, and meritorious membership shall be conferred in recognition of outstanding contribution to the Society. To be eligible for honorary or meritorious membership, candidates shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by the Council and the General Meeting.
2. Honorary members shall be exempt from dues and participation fees for scientific meetings, shall receive free copies of the journal issued by the Society, and shall be entitled to present their research results in scientific meetings and the journal.
3. Meritorious members shall pay their annual dues, as with full members, by which they are qualified to receive free copies of the journal issued by the Society and to present their research results in scientific meetings and the journal. Meritorious members' participation fee for such scientific meetings shall be half that of full members.
Article 7. Student membership shall be open to students majoring in toxicologic pathology or its related fields on undergraduate courses or in Master's or Doctoral degree programs at graduate schools. To be eligible for student membership, candidates shall be recommended by any one of the Councilors of the Society or diplomates of the Society, and approved by the Board of Directors.
2. Student members, as with full members, shall be entitled to receive free copies of the journal issued by the Society and to present their research results in scientific meetings and the journal. The dues for student membership shall be half those of full members.
3. For the change of membership status from a student member to a full member, individuals shall submit an application immediately after termination of student status, in accordance with the procedures specified elsewhere by the Society. Such a status change shall be accepted upon approval of the Board of Directors.
Article 8. Supporting members shall be individuals or organizations that agree with the objective of the Society, have submitted an application for membership to provide support for the Society's activities and have paid their annual dues. Supporting members shall receive free copies of the journal issued by the Society.
Article 9. Membership shall lapse at that point in time when written notice of intent to withdraw is accepted.
2. Members shall be disqualified from membership after due deliberation by the Board of Directors if any of the following cases applies:
(1) They fail to pay their annual dues for more than two years;
(2) They violate the Constitution of JSTP; or
(3) They bring disgrace on the Society.
Article 10. Full members, student members and supporting members shall pay their membership dues no later than December 31 each year.
2. The amount payable for membership dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and approved by the Council and the General Meeting.
Chapter 4: Officers
Article 11. The Officers of the Society shall be:
President (one)
Vice President (two)
Directors (Up to 12, including up to two directors recommended by the President)
Chairperson of annual scientific meeting (Annual Chairperson) (one)
Inspectors (two)
Councilors (a small number: about 10% of all the members)
Article 12. The Directors and Inspectors shall be elected in accordance with the JSTP director/inspector election rules specified elsewhere, and shall be appointed upon the approval of the Council and the General Meeting. The Annual Chairperson shall be elected according to Article 16 hereof. Councilors shall be elected in accordance with the JSTP councilor election rules specified elsewhere, and shall be appointed upon the approval of the Council and the General Meeting.
Article 13. The President shall be elected from among the Directors by the Board of Directors, and shall represent the Society and be responsible for the activities of the Society.
2. The President may set up or abolish a standing and ad hoc committee that serves as an advisory panel to the Board of Directors or an executive organ, with the approval of the Board of Directors, as needed in the conduct of affairs of the Society.
3. If the President fails to perform his/her duties, either one of the two Vice Presidents shall act for the President, or a new President shall be elected by the Board of Directors as soon as possible.
Article 14. The Vice Presidents shall be selected by the President from among the Directors to support the President.
Article 15. The Directors shall compose the Board of Directors and carry out the activities of the Society.
2. The Inspectors shall audit the accounts and management of activities of the Society and have the right to attend meetings of the Board of Directors, deliberate issues and exercise voting rights.
3. The Directors and the Inspectors shall hold office for three years. The term of office shall begin on the day after the closing of the annual scientific meeting in which their appointments are approved, and end on the last day of the annual scientific meeting three years after.
Article 16. The Annual Chairperson shall preside over a scientific meeting which is basically held annually by the Society. A candidate for the Annual Chairperson shall be nominated in the Board of Directors' meeting held two years before the holding of the scientific meeting to be presided over by the new Annual Chairperson, and shall be appointed with the approval of both the Council and the General Meeting held in the fiscal year preceding the year in which the said scientific meeting is held.
2. The Annual Chairperson shall serve for a term of two years: the fiscal year in which the scientific meeting that he/she presides over is held and its preceding year.
3. The Annual Chairperson shall have the right to attend meetings of the Board of Directors and express his/her opinions, but shall have no right to vote in the Board of Directors.
4. If the Annual Chairperson fails to perform his/her duties, the Board of Directors shall take appropriate action as soon as possible.
Article 17. The Councilors shall form a council and discuss the managerial matters of the Society.
2. The Councilors shall serve for a term of three years from April 1st of the year of the approval for their appointments. Details on recommendations for councillorship and procedures for renewal for one or more terms shall be stipulated elsewhere.
Chapter 5: Meetings
Article 18. There shall be two kinds of General Meetings: the ordinary general meeting and the extraordinary general meeting. The General Meeting consists of all the members, but supporting members, defined in Article 4.
2. The Ordinary General Meeting shall be convened once a year by the President, basically when an annual scientific meeting is held.
3. The Extraordinary General Meeting shall be convened by the President when deemed necessary.
4. The General Meeting shall be presided over by the Annual Chairperson.
5. The General Meeting shall resolve upon the following matters:
(1) Reports on the activities of the Society and financial accounts
(2) Activity plans and budgets
(3) Appointment and removal of officers
(4) Changes in the Constitution of JSTP
(5) Other necessary matters
6. A quorum of more than one-fifth of all who compose the General Meeting is required to start proceedings and resolve on matters on the agenda. However, those who express their intention regarding the exercise of their voting rights in advance in written form shall be considered "present."
7. The General Meeting's resolutions are decided by a simple majority of all those present, excluding the chair, and in the case of equal numbers of votes, the chair has a casting vote.
Article 19. The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, Vice Presidents, Directors, Inspectors, chairs of committees, and the Annual Chairperson, and its meeting shall be convened by the President when deemed necessary. However, the President shall convene a meeting of the Board of Directors upon request from a majority of Directors and Inspectors.
2. The President shall preside over meetings of the Board of Directors.
3. A two-thirds majority of the Directors and Inspectors is required to start proceedings and resolve on matters on the agenda. However, those who express their intention regarding the exercise of their voting rights in written form shall be considered "present."
4. At the Board of Directors' meetings, resolutions are decided by a simple majority of all those present, excluding the chair, and in the case of equal numbers of votes, the chair has a casting vote.
5. The Board of Directors has the right to invite a third party to its meeting, as the occasion demands, to hear his/her views and opinions.
Article 20. The Council shall be convened once a year, in advance of the Ordinary General Meeting. The Council also can be called by the President as occasion demands.
2. The Council shall be presided over by the Annual Chairperson.
3. In the Council, a two-thirds majority of the Councilors is required to start proceedings and resolve on matters on the agenda. However, those who express their intention regarding the exercise of their voting rights in advance in written form shall be considered "present."
4. At the Council, resolutions are decided by a simple majority of all those present, excluding the chair, and in the case of equal numbers of votes, the chair has a casting vote.
Chapter 6: Committees
Article 21. The chair of a committee established under Article 13, Section 2 hereof shall be nominated by the President from among the Directors as a rule, and appointed with the approval of the Board of Directors.
2. The committee chair elected other than from the Directors shall have the right to attend a meeting of the Board of Directors to report matters pertaining to his/her committee and express his/her views, but shall have no right to vote in the Board of Directors.
3. The chair of a committee shall be nominated from among the Councilors as a rule, and commissioned by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors. The rules and regulations regarding the management of commissions and related matters shall be specified elsewhere.
Chapter 7: Finance
Article 22. The fiscal year of the Society starts on January 1st and ends on December 31st.
Article 23. Financial statements and budgets shall be prepared by the treasurer nominated by the President and commissioned with the approval of the Board of Directors. The closing account of every year shall be audited by the Inspectors and approved by the Board of Directors, the Council and the General Meeting.
Chapter 8. Other Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 24. Any changes in the Constitution of the Society require the approval of the Board of Directors, the Council and the General Meeting.
Article 25. Rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of the Constitution of the Society shall be specified elsewhere.
Supplementary Provisions
- This Constitution of the Society shall take effect on January 29, 2009.
- The Secretariat of the Society will be placed under the direction of the President.
|
