Section 3 - GOVERNANCE AND STRUCTURE

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ACPM is governed by its membership who elect the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents includes the president, president-elect, secretary-treasurer, immediate past president, past past president, four categorical regents, one from each preventive medicine specialty area (general preventive medicine, public health, occupational medicine, aerospace medicine) eight regional regents and a young physician regent. The Executive Committee includes the president, president-elect, secretary-treasurer, immediate past president, past past president and the four categorical regents. The past past president serves in an ex officio role on both the Board of Regents and the Executive Committee.

Committees and task forces recommend program directions and policies to the Board. Committee chairs are appointed by the president. Chairs may appoint committee members. Committees and the Board meet twice a year, at the annual Preventive Medicine meeting and at a time and place set by the President in the fall. Except under unusual circumstances, committee members are selected from the College membership.

Members of the Board of Regents of the American College of Preventive Medicine are a primary force in enabling the organization to achieve its mission and goals, realize its opportunities and fulfill its obligations to the Fellows and members of the College. The Board of Regents is the policy making body of the association within the limitations set forth in the Constitution and Bylaws and any other limitations lawfully imposed. As the policy making body for the organization, members of the Board of Regents have ultimate responsibility for the management of the affairs of the College. They are expected to bring a sincere conviction that the College performs a critical function and plays an important role in advancing the field of preventive medicine and are expected to always act in the best interests of the College.

Members of the Board of Regents bring diverse resources and talent to benefit the long-term viability of the association and the specialty of preventive medicine. They must be dedicated to the vitality of the College and the specialty it represents, knowledgeable about the issues facing the College and the specialty, and supportive and empowering of the Executive Committee, the chief executive officer and the staff. They must be willing to commit substantial time to the activities of the College, including attendance at Board meetings, acceptance of committee assignments and committee work, and adequate preparation for committee meetings and Board discussions. Individually, each member of the Board of Regents is considered a representative of the association.

Each member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Preventive Medicine takes the position as a matter of public trust and understands that service on the Board is voluntary and undertaken on the basis of professional status and duty to the field of preventive medicine. The member will not demand pay for services, as Board professional service is voluntary. The member will not conduct unrelated business using Board resources.

Minutes of Board and Executive Committee meetings are distributed to all members of the Board of Regents. Briefing materials containing financial information, program and committee reports are provided prior to each Board meeting. Other information is provided, as it arises and as needed, to Board members by the Executive Director, usually every 6-8 weeks, unless there is greater urgency. Regular communication with staff is strongly encouraged.

As a corporation, the directors and officers are shielded from liability for the corporation’s activities absent wrongful action on the director’s or officer’s part. While there have been some highly publicized claims against nonprofit officers and directors, the chances of ultimate liability are considered to be quite remote. ACPM does not have directors and officers insurance.

• Prepare for and attend in their entirety, semiannual Board meetings, ordinarily held in fall and in conjunction with the annual Preventive Medicine meeting. Expenses incurred in conjunction with attending these two Board meetings are NOT reimbursed.

• Serve in leadership positions and accept committee assignments willingly. Active participation in at least one College committee is expected.

• Abide by the Constitution and Bylaws and policies of the organization.

• Represent the Board and the specialty in a professional manner.

• Identify candidates for Board of Regents elections and ACPM awards.

• Serve as a Mentor to other ACPM members via the ACPM Mentoring Program.

• Participate knowledgeably in the establishment and development of basic policies, programs and services that will further the goals and objectives of the organization.

• Establish, approve, determine and review the priority of existing and future programs, policies and services which will benefit the College membership and the specialty and field of preventive medicine as a whole.

• Set program priorities, provide fiscal oversight and assure that adequate resources are available and directed toward priorities.

• Communicate with constituents. Such correspondence should be written on ACPM letterhead and, if at all feasible, should be sent out from ACPM headquarters. Postage costs are reimbursable.

• Regional Regents: Contact members in respective region who are delinquent in their dues as a reminder and as a means of ascertaining routine feedback from the membership. Contact and welcome all new ACPM members in his/her region on behalf of the College to make a personal connection with each new member and to ascertain the interests and expertise of the new member for College work such as committee assignments and representation in public forums.

• Categorical regents: Maintain a liaison relationship with other preventive medicine organizations, specifically those representing the specialty area of preventive medicine which they themselves represent on the ACPM Board.

• Work to ensure the long-term financial stability and integrity of the College.

• Work to ensure that the organization adheres to established financial policies.

• Prepare, approve and adopt an annual budget.

• Read and understand the organization’s financial statements.

• Assist in ensuring the adequacy of resources to meet current and long-term needs.

• Assure that periodic financial reviews are conducted.

• Assist in efforts to increase the number of physicians applying for membership in the College.

• Assist in efforts to provide adequate resources for College programs.

• Participate in the College’s periodic assessment of its performance and recommend improvements in such areas as governance, organization, responsibilities and services provided.

• Participate in appointing, supporting and monitoring the performance of the chief executive officer.

Upon election to the Board, the new member will be provided with current copies of the

Constitution and Bylaws and ACPM Operations Manual and other orientation materials. The member will sign, date and return an acknowledgment of acceptance of these conditions of service. A copy of this signed acknowledgment will be retained in the official files of the College.

Vacancies on the Board of Regents occur in the following pattern:

Year 1 (2009): President-Elect, Occupational Medicine Regent, Aerospace Medicine Regent, and regents for the International and Mid-Atlantic regions and Young Physician Regent.

Year 2 (2010): Secretary-Treasurer, General Preventive Medicine Regent, Public Health Regent, and regents for the Central/Southwest and West regions.

Year 3 (2011): President-Elect, Occupational Medicine Regent, Aerospace Medicine Regent, and regents for the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast regions.

Year 4 (2012): Secretary-Treasurer, General Preventive Medicine Regent, Public Health Regent, and regents for the International and Mid-Atlantic regions and Young Physician Regent.

Year 5 (2007): President-Elect, Occupational Medicine Regent, Aerospace Medicine Regent, and regents for the Central/Southwest and West regions.

Year 6 (2008): Secretary-Treasurer, General Preventive Medicine Regent, Public Health Regent, and regents for the Northeast, Midwest and Southeast regions.

Regional regents and the YPS regent serve three-year terms. Others serve two-year terms. All elected members of the Board of Regents must be Fellows of the College (Members or Fellows in the case of the Young Physician Regent).

The Nominations Committee solicits nominations by newsletter and personal contact. CV’s are received from all potential candidates. Committee members then meet by mail and conference call to nominate two persons for each vacancy. A slate must be ready by late January. No Regent member may serve more than two consecutive terms in the same position.

The ballot, prepared by staff and reviewed by candidates, contains brief biographical sketches of each candidate and, beginning in 1995, a 100-word personal statement.

Candidates wishing to purchase the ACPM mailing list for campaign purposes may do so at a reduced rate of $175. The commercial rate is $350.

The chair is the most recent past president. Committee membership should reflect representation across specialty areas, geographic regions and age.

3. REGIONAL REGENTS

These regional regents represent the following areas:

International – Canada, International addresses, APO address

Northeast – Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York

Mid-Atlantic – Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, West Virginia

Southeast – Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Tennessee

Midwest – Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin

Central/Southwest – Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Wyoming

West – Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, California, Idaho, Oregon
 

4. OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE, AEROSPACE MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEATLH REGENTS.

The Occupational Medicine Regent must be a member of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The Aerospace Regent must be a member of the Aerospace Medical Association. The Public Health Regent must be a member of the American Association of Public Health Physicians.

2. COMMITTEES

Committees and task forces recommend program directions and policies to the Board. Committee chairs are appointed by the president. All committees of the American College of Preventive Medicine are governed by the following guidelines:

APPOINTMENTS/COMPOSITION: Each committee should include a chair, vice chair and members. The committee chair is appointed by the incoming president for a two-year term and may serve additional terms by mutual agreement of the president and the chair. The committee chair is responsible for appointing committee members. Chairs are strongly encouraged to select committee members who represent the diversity of the College’s membership, in terms of career stage, work setting, area of expertise and other relevant factors. Resident and young physician representation on committees is especially encouraged.

ASSEMBLY AND OPENNESS: Most committees meet twice a year in conjunction with the fall American Public Health Association (APHA) annual meeting and the spring PREVENTIVE MEDICINE meeting. Committees may convene for purposes of interim recommendations by mail, fax, e-mail, conference call, or in person, as needed. Committees that meet in conjunction with APHA and the Preventive Medicine meeting are usually open to any member who wishes to observe; however, any ACPM member wishing to attend a committee meeting should receive the express permission of the committee chair who reserves the right to have his/her committee meet in executive session. Observers may not vote.

PROCEDURES: All committees are charged with making recommendations to the ACPM Board of Regents and are expected to report, in writing, to the Board of Regents at its fall and spring meetings. Oral reports are reserved for last-minute updates.

The Awards Committee is responsible for the number and types of awards to be sponsored by the College as well as for the establishment of criteria for granting such awards. This committee conducts searches, requests written recommendations from the Regents, and names recipients of awards on an annual basis. Currently, ACPM gives a Distinguished Service Award to recognize service to the organization by a member, and the Special Recognition Award to honor outstanding achievement in or contribution to the field of preventive medicine. Two new awards have recently been approved: the Resident Award and the Rising Star Award, to honor residents and newer ACPM members, respectively, for demonstrated contributions to the field and evidence of strong potential for future contributions.

The Constitution and Bylaws Committee is responsible for reviewing and recommending modification the Constitution and Bylaws and Policy Manual as required by changes in organizational policy.

The Finance Committee provides to staff, in working cooperation with an investment counselor, policy guidelines relating to the investment of funds. The Committee reviews and recommends budget presentations for approval by the Board of Regents.

The Membership Committee determines fitness and qualifications of all applicants for all categories of membership and recommends criteria for all membership categories and modifications as needed. The Committee is also charged with recommending recruitment and retention strategies.

The Nominations Committee, chaired by the Past President, is responsible for nominating candidates for election to the Board of Regents. Two nominees are selected for each position. Prior to the meeting of the Nomination Committee, nomination suggestions are requested from the membership. The composition of the Committee is as follows:

• The Committee is chaired by the Past President
• The President-Elect is a member of the Committee
• All categorical regents except those eligible for re-election are members
• Regional regents from regions where there will be election and who are not eligible for re-election are members
• The Chairperson may appoint at large members as appropriate to serve on the Committee.

Committee description currently being discussed.

The Development Committee plans and implements the College’s resource development program, which was created to help strengthen and diversify ACPM’s financial support base. The Committee focuses the attention of ACPM board members on the vital responsibility of obtaining adequate resources for the College from a variety of funding sources (including the Annual Fund, corporations, foundations, and federal agencies).

The External Relations Committee develops means to increase visibility of the College and the specialty. The committee’s objective is for the College to appear in the media on a regular basis, and be recognized and viewed positively by medical students, other physicians, and the general public

Committee description currently being discussed.

The role of the Information Technology Committee is to review the use of new electronic techniques, such as computer networks, the Internet, databases and software to enhance the ability of ACPM to serve its members and the public in pursuit of its mission. Review, plans and recommendations performed by the Committee, including those which involve new relationships between ACPM and Internet companies shall be made available to the ACPM President, Executive Director and Board for comment and further action, if appropriate.

The International Health Committee seeks to become the professional home for physicians concerned with international health promotion and disease prevention. The committee is establishing a databank on members' international health expertise, overseas experience and interests in order to allow ACPM to become more active with both U.S. and international organizations and serve as a resource for residents.

The Policy Committee monitors legislative and regulatory matters pertinent to preventive medicine and recommends to the Board of Regents appropriate policy and action for the College or its members respecting such matters. This committee recommends College activities to promote preventive medicine policy objectives in both public and private sectors.

The President’s Society serves as the steering committee overseeing ACPM’s Future of Preventive Medicine Fund. It meets each year at the ACPM annual meeting and is chaired by the ACPM’s Immediate Past President. All ACPM Presidents are members of the President’s Society as are ACPM embers whose contributions to the Future of Preventive Medicine Fund meet the requirements of membership established by the President’s Society.

The Prevention Practice Committee develops ACPM policy and position statements through structured processes using evidence-based approaches. In addition to these statements, which are aimed at practitioners and policy makers, the Committee produces health education statements to address important preventive issues of interest to patients and consumers.

The Young Physician Section is for members within five years of completing their residency or under the age of 40. The YPS provides a direct means for young physicians to participate in activities of the College. The YPS also provides a means for involvement in the American Medical Association Young Physician Section.

Functions and responsibilities of Committee chairs, members, and staff liaisons.

The Chair directs the committee so that its actions further ACPM goals. The Chair also provides liaison between the committee and the ACPM office.

• Bears primary responsibility for defining the committee’s work scope, pace and priorities within the overall guidelines determined by the bylaws and guidance by the College’s Board of Regents.
• Communicates with the Board any policy recommendations made by the committee, informs the Board of significant developments and seeks the Board’s advice when ACPM policy is unclear.
• Keeps ACPM office informed of significant committee activities by communication with the staff liaison.
• Works with ACPM office to see that new committee members have a letter of appointment, that outgoing committee members are thanked for their tenure, meeting announcements with an agenda and minutes are sent out, and that expenses are monitored.
• Sees that copies of relevant records and correspondence are kept at ACPM headquarters to be available for the next committee chair.
• Determines the optimum time and location of committee meetings, prepares agendas, provides any necessary advance material to committee members, chairs the meetings, sees that minutes are recorded and approved by the committee and that copies of those minutes are forwarded to the ACPM office.

• Works with staff liaison assigned to the committee, submits annual budget requests to the Board if appropriate, determines disbursement of funds, and sends additional requests for financial support through the staff liaison when new projects justify additional expenditures.

• Prepares two reports annually of committee’s activities and projected plans and submits to the Board of Regents prior to the fall and spring meetings
• Sees that committee selects replacements for outgoing members whose terms are expiring. All terms expire immediately following the annual meeting, including the chair.
• Replacement members and chairs should be invited guests to committee meetings held at the time of the annual meeting.
• Responds in a timely manner to inquiries by the ACPM office and Board of Regents.
• Appoints members of the committee to serve as liaison with other committees and accepts liaison members from other committees at his /her discretion.
• Sees that the committee members fully participate and directs committee discussions towards clear and meaningful decisions.
• Serves as a Mentor to other ACPM members via the ACPM Mentoring Program.

• Participates in all meetings and conference calls. Approves minutes of prior meetings with modifications when necessary.
• Reviews materials sent by ACPM office or committee chair and responds as requested.
• Carries out assignments as requested by the chair

• Contributes toward decisions and actions which further the goals of the College.

To ensure that all the committee’s work is consistent with ACPM’s goals and objectives.

Serve as an informed resource person to the chair and members of the committee.

Assists the chair in facilitating committee discussions and activities, which address the committee’s charge. Work with the chair to ensure that all the committee’s work is consistent with the goals of the College.

• Makes early contact with the committee chair and provides orientation
• Assists the chair in providing orientation for new and continuing members each year.
• Ensures that the chair executes his or her administrative duties.
• Works with the chair to develop a plan of work that will allow the committee to effectively discharge its responsibilities for the year.
• Provides administrative support to the committee throughout the year.
• Helps the chair prepare agendas and conduct effective meetings of the committee.
• Drafts reports of committee meetings for review and approval by the committee chair and helps distribute reports of committee meetings to all members.

• Provides on-site support of committee meetings.
• Understands all aspects of the committee’s work, including the scope of the work, subjects under discussion, and the College policies related to the committee’s work.

• Helps prepare committee reports to the Board.

• Provides administrative support.

PURPOSES:

The American College of Preventive Medicine has established a Corporate Council made up of leading corporate supporters of the College. ACPM’s objectives in establishing a Corporate Council are to enable ACPM to:

• Build strategic partnerships with corporate leaders

• Understand issues of mutual concern to ACPM and to companies with an interest in preventive medicine

• Provide ACPM members and residents with new opportunities to work collaboratively with leading corporations

Membership on ACPM’s Corporate Council can benefit companies in several ways. Corporate Council members will:

• Meet annually with the ACPM leadership to discuss topical issues in preventive medicine and strategies for addressing the issues

• Participate in existing ACPM committees or in newly-created, issue-specific committees that address issues of mutual concern

• Receive ACPM memberships, including full membership benefits, for three qualified physicians of the company’s choosing. These people will likely be employees of the Corporate Member but are not required to be. ACPM encourages Corporate Council members to give these memberships to qualified physicians who are not already ACPM members.

• Receive recognition in the ACPM News as members of ACPM’s Corporate Council.

Companies may join ACPM’s Corporate Council for a membership payment of $5,000. For the initial year of the Corporate Council (2002), any corporation that has given at least $5,000 to the College in the previous two years will become a member of the Corporate Council. Beginning in 2003, Corporate Council members must have contributed at least $5,000 (exclusive of contributions to ACPM’s annual meeting) to the College since the previous year’s annual meeting.

The Corporate Council member may be represented at meetings by up to two representatives. The College recommends that at least one representative be a physician and one represent another area of the company such as sales or marketing.

Following its establishment, the Corporate Council will consider establishing different levels of Corporate Membership.

The Corporate Council will meet with the ACPM leadership at each ACPM annual meeting. The Corporate Council will be chaired by an ACPM member appointed by ACPM’s President. The Chair must also qualify as a member of the Corporate Council in accordance with the membership criteria detailed in the previous section.

The Corporate Council is encouraged to establish working groups to address specific issues of interest. The working groups are expected to carry out activities between Corporate Council meetings. ACPM will strive to identify a resident or young physician member of the College who can serve as primary staff to the working group. This is intended to give the resident an opportunity to actively participate in the College and to establish contacts with corporate leaders.

The Chair of the Corporate Council, working closely with ACPM’s Executive Director and with Corporate Council members, will set the agenda for each Corporate Council meeting.

3.4 COMPONENT SOCIETIES (Chapters or Academies)

• To promote the objectives of the College

• To be an additional mechanism for promoting Preventive Medicine

• To develop joint actions between ACPM and its component societies such as around the annual meeting.

• Meet the Bylaws requirements

• Minimum of seven members

• Meet annually

• Inform ACPM of meetings by sending announcements or minutes

• Cite both ACPM Policy and Component Society Policy in cases of disagreement

• Being an arm of ACPM "close to home"

• Being a recruitment device

• Providing new venues for preventive medicine policy development and advocacy. For example, statewide affiliates can provide input to the policy making bodies of the state medical association.

• The Potential for joint activity

• Potential recruitment device

• National advocacy for policy issues of local importance (example: PMR funding, support of MCH and Prevention Block Grants, CDC policy and funding that affects state and local public health)

• Enhancement of stature and influence in both medical and public policy domains

• Potential for shared communications

• Mutual listing in web pages

• Sharing membership lists

• Potential to have input into the policies of ACPM
• Opportunity to assist ACPM

The purpose of appointing ACPM representatives is to increase ACPM’s visibility among other scientific groups, present the preventive medicine perspective at scientific meetings, advance awareness and understanding of preventive medicine and communicate to the membership scientific activities occurring in the field.

• Incorporate the preventive medicine perspective in presentations and discussions. Preventive medicine stresses the population-based health sciences and emphasizes prevention of disease both through specific clinical activities and the active promotion of healthy behaviors at patient and community levels.

• State that they are a representative of ACPM. When possible, representatives should promote ACPM as the professional organization of physician specialists who practice preventive medicine and should emphasize that ACPM provides leadership in research, professional education, development of public policy and enhancement of standards for preventive medicine.

• Explain the role of preventive medicine as a distinct medical specialty.

• Describe the work of physicians in preventive medicine, when appropriate.

• Consult with ACPM on controversial issues or policies.

• Report their activities on the "Reporting Form for ACPM Representatives" and return the form to ACPM.

• If appropriate, use the initials "FACPM" after their name.

No reimbursement for travel expenses will be made without advance approval from ACPM.