Governance - Constitution
Article I -- Name
Section 1. This organization shall be known as the American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine.
Article II -- Incorporation
Section 1. The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine shall be incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois as a nonprofit educational organization and is both organized and operated exclusively for one of the purposes specified in Sec. 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Section 2. The term for which it is organized shall be a continuing one; however, should the corporate existence cease, assets shall be given to the American Veterinary Medical Association's Research Fund.
Article III -- Purpose
Section 1. This organization shall encourage education, training, and research in laboratory animal medicine.
Section 2. It shall establish standards of training and experience for qualification of specialists in this field.
Section 3. It shall recognize qualified specialists by certification.
Article IV -- Membership
Section 1. Membership in this organization will be open to all veterinarians who are graduates of a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited or approved by the AVMA, or who possess an Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduate (ECFVG) certificate, or are qualified to practice veterinary medicine in some state, province, territory, or possession of the United States, Canada, or other country; have satisfactory moral character and impeccable professional behavior; and have been certified as Diplomates in accordance with Article II of the Bylaws.
Section 2. Retired Diplomates, upon written request to the Board, shall be placed upon a retired roster. They shall not be required to pay dues nor have the right to vote.
Section 3. Honorary Membership may be bestowed on individuals, not necessarily veterinarians, who have made an outstanding contribution to the specialty of laboratory animal medicine. A unanimous affirmative vote of the Board of Directors is necessary for election to honorary membership. Honorary members shall not be required to pay dues nor have the right to vote.
Section 4. Members who do not meet recertification requirements shall be placed on an inactive roster. Such members shall not identify themselves as Diplomates unless they also identify that they are not currently recertified. Inactive members shall not be required to pay dues and do not have the right to vote or other privileges of membership. Inactive members may be restored to full active membership upon becoming current with recertification requirements and paying all back dues.
Article V -- Certification
Section 1. To be certified as a Diplomate, a candidate must meet all the requirements set forth in the Bylaws for such certification.
Article VI -- Officers
Section 1. The officers of this organization shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Vice President, an Immediate Past-President and a Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 2. Only Diplomates in good standing shall be eligible to hold office.
Article VII -- Board
Section 1. The Board shall be the administrative and legislative body of this organization. It shall conduct all business of the College, including the certification of Diplomates, in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2. Only Diplomates, in good standing, shall be eligible for election to the Board.
Article VIII -- Amendments
Section 1. Proposed amendments to this Constitution and to the Bylaws, signed by at least three members in good standing, shall be submitted to the Board for its recommendation. Each proposed amendment with the recommendation of the Board, favorable or unfavorable, shall be submitted to the Members by mail ballot, who shall have fifteen (15) days in which to return such ballot to the Secretary-Treasurer signifying their ratification or rejection of the amendment. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members voting shall be required for adoption of the amendment.
Effective July, 1986
Effective October, 1993
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