Bylaws
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Articles of Association (By-Laws) 2024
1. There will be a professional association of scientists, clinicians, and research trainees with a multidisciplinary interest in cardiovascular research called the Southeast Asia Section of the International Society for Heart Research.
2. The Society aims are: (1) to advance knowledge and to promote research interaction and communication of new discoveries among cardiovascular researchers within the Southeast Asia region; (2) to foster the professional development of research trainees and to provide opportunities for their participation in scientific communication; and (3) to promote the integration of Southeast Asian researchers into the global scientific and cardiovascular medicine community.
3. In accord with the purposes and the principles of the ISHR (international) insofar as these are applicable to the Southeast Asian Section. In matters not otherwise covered in By-Laws and Guidelines of the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section), guidance should be sought in the By-Laws of the ISHR (International) (J Mol Cell Cardiol 1992;24:1203-1210).
Membership
4. Membership of the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section) is open to all clinical or non-clinical scientists, as well as for corporate members interested in cardiovascular research. Application for membership should be sent to the President or Secretary. With the exception of Honorary Fellows of the ISHR, an annual membership fee is payable. All members in good-standing shall be eligible to vote and to hold office. Corporate membership may be held by any corporation, partnership, foundation, society, or other organization. Corporate members are non-voting.
5. Membership Fees will be charged. There will be three levels of membership: Full, Life Honorary and Student. Life Honorary membership is awarded only to those who have served ISHR Southeast Asia Section in a major capacity and is decided at the discretion of the executive committee. Membership fees and conditions will be reviewed annually by Council.
6. An Emeritus Member shall be designated "Emeritus Member of the International Society for Heart Research Southeast Asian Section" and must have been a member for a minimum of 9 years and made an appropriate request to the Secretary for cause, such as retirement, disability, hardship, etc. Emeritus Members do not pay dues but may vote at meetings of the General Assembly.
Council Composition
7. Council will comprise the elected posts of the President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer and the other elected Members of Council. Council will normally number 10 and not more than 20 members in total, the number within these limits being at Council’s discretion.
8. The Council composition will reflect scientific excellence, different cardiovascular research interests and career stage, commitment to the Society, geographical spread, and national membership numbers.
Council Membership
9. The term of office for an elected member of Council is 4 years. It is not renewable. Re-election is permissible after a minimum of 2 years outside Council.
10. New Council members will take office immediately after their election is announced, i.e. at the first Council meeting of the next Annual Congress of the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section) or ISHR World Congress if that replaces the Southeast Asian Section Congress. Under exceptional circumstances, the council may decide to prolong by 1 year the term of the members.
Election of Council Members
11. Council will select candidates for new Council members from nominations received from the general membership. Self-nomination is permitted. Nominations shall contain a short CV and a statement of intent.
12. Council members will receive these documents from the President or Secretary not less than 2 weeks before the Council meeting. Council will select candidates for election from the nominations, compiling a list with at least 2 more candidates than the number of vacancies.
13. In selecting candidates for election, Council shall have regard for the necessary balance in geographical, scientific and gender representation. The general members will each have as many votes as there are vacancies and may assign one vote to each candidate of their choice. Election to the Council will be by simple majority.
14. In addition to the members so elected, the Council may co-opt further members being full members of the Society in order to fulfil the broad composition of the Council as defined in paragraph 7. Co-opted members are entitled to vote at meetings of the Council. The number of co-opted members should not exceed 20% of the total members of the Council.
Council Officers
15. The officers comprise the President (normally proceeding from President-Elect), the President-Elect, immediate Past-President, Secretary, and the Treasurer. New officers will normally have had experience on the Council.
16. Election of officers will take place 4-6 months before the Annual Congress (i.e. before election of the required number of new Council members) and will be by simple majority vote of the Council. The necessary quorum will be half the total number of Council Members. If there are more than two candidates for any post then a series of votes will be held. On each round the candidate who receives fewest votes will be removed.
17. A President-elect will be appointed by Council in the final year of the four-year President’s term. At the end of the term of the President, the President elect shall be appointed as President, unless deemed otherwise by Council, in which case Council shall appoint another Officer of the Society as President.
18. Newly elected officers will take office at the first Council meeting of the Annual Congress of the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section) following their election, or immediately if filling a previously vacant post.
President-Elect, President, Past President will serve for a single 2-year term. Secretary and Treasurer will serve for a 4-year term which may be renewed for a further 2-year term if agreed by the council.
19. The maximum term the President will serve is up to 3 years as a Council member, 2 years as President-Elect, 2 years as President and 2 years as Past-President (potential total of 9 years). The maximum term the Secretary will serve is up to 3 years as a council member and 4 years as Secretary with the potential to renew for a further 2 years (potential total of 9 years). The maximum term the Treasurer will serve is for up to 3 years as a council member and 4 years as Treasurer with the potential to renew for a further 2 years (potential total of 9 years). Exceptionally, if the terms of offices of secretary and the treasurer are due to finish in the same year, one can be extended for an additional year to maintain continuity of offices.
Meetings of the Council
20. One meeting of the Council and one annual general meeting (AGM) will normally be held during each Annual Congress of the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section). Agendas should be pre-circulated 4 weeks before the meeting. When no Annual Congress of the Southeast Asian Section is held, as during years in which the ISHR World Congress is held Asia, the Council meeting and AGM should be held during that World Congress. Minutes of the meeting shall be taken as a record and distributed to council members following the meeting. Additional meetings or workshops may be held if required.
21. An AGM will be held each year and will include a business meeting at which Society finances, expenditures and incoming funds are reported. Council Officers will report on Society activities. Council determinations will be presented to the membership for discussion and ratification. Minutes of the meeting shall be taken as a record and distributed to members following the meeting.
22. The meeting of the Council held at each Annual Congress may be attended in nonvoting capacity by (a) the Chairman (or his/her representative) of those national societies of cardiovascular research with whom there is a joint membership agreement with the ISHR (Southeast Asian Section), (b) the Congress organizer, and (c) guests invited with the agreement of all Council members present. Other meetings of the Council may be called by the President, if necessary, with due notice.
Council Conduct
23. A council member must disclose to council any situation where a Conflict of Interest may arise and is responsible for disclosing as such to council. The Chair/ President will ask members to raise any conflicts of interest at the commencement of each meeting. Where council is notified of a Conflict of Interest the Chair/ President shall:
• Take into account the nature and appearance of the Conflict of Interest and members will withdraw from discussion as appropriate.
• Record the conflict of interest in the minutes of the meeting.
Examples of conflicts of interest may include current work or affiliations with other non-government organizations, research institutes or funding bodies and research collaborations.
24. Unless authorized by Council, every council member shall be prohibited from distributing material that pertains to the objects of council that are discussed at council meetings or confidential information pertaining to the members.
25. In the case of a tied vote by the Council, the President (or deputy) may call for a re-vote and, in the case that this is also tied; he/she will have the casting vote. Decisions of the Council will be put to the membership for ratification at the General Assembly.
26. If changes to the By-laws are ratified at a given General Assembly, Council members and Officers of the Society commencing their duties at that meeting will serve the terms in place at the time they were elected, i.e. under the By-laws preceding that meeting.