Constitution and Bylaws
The American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery

The mission of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery is to foster the use of image guided and physiologically guided surgeries that alter the function of the nervous system, for treatment of neurological disorders. The Society will improve patient care, educate neurosurgeons, other physicians, allied medical specialists, and the general public, support basic and clinical research, and provide a forum at national and international meetings to fulfill these goals. Through its meetings, the Society will also establish minimum standards for the performance of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery.

Article I. Name

This Society is named: The American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (ASSFN).

Section 1. The objectives and function of the Society are outlined in the Society mission statement. It is an affiliate section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and, as such, members are also bound by the bylaws of the parent organizations. The Society fulfills the functions of the AANS/CNS Joint Section for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.

Section 2. No form of membership in this Society should be interpreted as endorsing the qualifications of the member to practice medicine or perform procedures. Members who use their membership for advertising purposes in any way shall forfeit this membership.

Section 3. Any active member of the Society in good standing or the Board of Directors may refer charges, in accordance with the bylaws of the AANS and CNS, against members who fail to maintain good professional standing.

Section 1. The members elected to this Society are divided into six types: (a) Active; (b) Associate; (c) Honorary; (d) International; (e) Resident; (f) Senior.

(a) Active members shall be medical doctors who are members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons or the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, who have engaged in active participation in the field of stereotactic or functional neurosurgery. Only active members shall be entitled to hold office.

(b) Associate members may be M.D.'s, Ph.D.'s, engineers, and others who are not members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons or the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, but who are interested in the research and/or clinical applications of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. They may participate in any and all scientific activities of the Society but may not hold office or vote.

(c) Honorary Members - the officers may grant honorary membership to such qualified physicians or scientists who, in their opinion, merit such recognition. They shall not be required to pay dues and shall not have the privilege of voting or holding office. They may serve on committees, but shall not be required to attend meetings.

(d) International Members shall be neurosurgeons who practice neurosurgery outside the United States or Canada, are members of the World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, and wish to have a close affiliation with the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. They will pay the same dues as Active Members, may attend Meetings of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the member registration fee, but may not vote or hold elected office.

(e) Resident Members shall be neurosurgeons who are residents in a training program approved by the American Board of Neurological Surgeons who express an interest in the field of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery. They shall pay a one-time membership fee and will have the option of subscribing to the Society journal, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, at a reduced price. Upon completion of their residency or within five years, whichever comes first, they will no longer be eligible for Resident Membership status. Resident Members will not be eligible to vote or hold elected office.

(f) Senior Membership may be granted to any person sixty-five years of age or older who is an Active Member in good standing, but no longer in the active practice of neurosurgery. Senior Members are exempt from payment of annual dues, but may subscribe to the Society journal, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at a reduced price. Senior Members may attend Meetings of the American Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the member registration fee.

Section 2. The ASSFN membership chairman is authorized to review credentials of applicants for membership, should questions arise as to the appropriate member category for the applicant.

Section 3. A member wishing to resign membership in the Society should submit this intent in writing to the Secretary to be acted upon by the Board of Directors. Resignation of membership will also be assumed if a member becomes delinquent in paying Society dues for more than one year.

Section 1. The control of this Society is vested in an executive council consisting of four officers and a ten member Board of Directors, who manage the affairs of the Society in conformity with the bylaws of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Section 2. The officers of the Society are the President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Past-President. The officers will serve for terms of two years.

Section 3. The Board of Directors consists of ten elected persons who are active members of the ASSFN. These directors serve for a period of four years or until their successors have been chosen. New Directors will be elected every two years at the business meeting of the society held at the Society’s biennial meeting, to replace those who are at the end of their four year term.

Section 4. Vacancies occurring in the Executive Council of the Society will be filled by appointment of the Board of Directors until the next biennial meeting of the Society. Members may not serve simultaneously in more than one office of the Society, including the Board of Directors.

Section 5. The Board of Directors and officers will hold an executive council meeting at the Annual Meetings of the AANS and CNS, as well as at the biennial Society meeting to review Society business.

President: The President presides at all meetings. He/She appoints all committees not otherwise provided for, is in charge of all committees with the right to vote; and supervises the execution of all Society rules. He/She represents the Society at relevant executive council meetings of the AANS and CNS, or appoints another officer to do so as needed.

Vice-President: The Vice-President performs all duties of the President in the case of his/her absence, death, resignation or inability to act. He/She assists the President in such manner as necessary. (The succession of the presiding officers thereafter shall be: Secretary-Treasurer, then a member of the Board of Directors elected by the entire Board of Directors, then successive members of the Board of Directors elected by the Board of Directors.)

Secretary-Treasurer: As the Secretary, he/she keeps accurate minutes of the proceedings of the meetings of Executive Council and of the biennial business meeting of the Society. He/she will issue written notice of all meetings of the Executive Council and of the biennial business meeting of the Society. As Treasurer, he/she will arrange for the billing and deposit of annual dues and for the payment of Society expenses. He/she will provide the recipients of Society awards with a check in the amount appropriate for the award. He/she will report on the financial condition of the society at all meetings of the executive council.

Section 1. The Board of Directors and officers will act as a Nominating Committee and present their recommendations for new members of the Board of Directors and officers to the voting membership of the ASSFN at least 30 days before the biennial business meeting. Floor nominations for any new Board member or officer will be accepted. The new Board of Directors will be elected by the majority vote of the voting members of the Society present at the biennial business meeting of the Society, by closed ballot. The new officers will be elected by the majority of the members of the Society present at the biennial business meeting of the Society, either by verbal assent/dissent or by closed ballot, at the discretion of the officers.

Section 2. In nominating new members of the Board of Directors, the existing Board and officers will attempt to maintain a broad range of expertise among the Board members, to include all of the major subspecialties encompassed by the field of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery.

Section 3. No elected officer will serve in the same office for more than one term.

Section 4. Officers and members of the Board of Directors take office on the day after the close of the biennial meeting of the Society at which they have been elected.

Section 1 - Membership. The Membership Chair is appointed by the President of the Society from the Board of Directors, to serve two years. The Membership Chair will survey the field of neurological surgery and related disciplines for individuals considered suitable for membership in the ASSFN, and encourage such persons to apply for membership. The Membership Chair works with the Society secretariat at the AANS to ensure that new member applications meet the requirements for the requested category of membership. The Membership Chair will contact Society members who have become delinquent in dues payment, to encourage them to continue membership. This Chair will also recommend candidates for Honorary Membership to the Executive Council. The Membership Chair will provide accurate data on the number of Society members, in each membership category, at the regular meetings of the Executive Council.

Section 2 - AANS/CNS Program. The AANS/CNS Program Committee consists of at least two members, appointed by the President of the Society from the Board of Directors, to serve a two year term. The Program Committee is charged with the responsibility of collaborating with the Scientific Program Committees of the AANS and the CNS to coordinate and assist in selecting scientific papers and seminars for the meetings of those organizations. Such collaboration will insure that the scientific information and matters of interest and concern to the Society shall be appropriately represented on the respective Scientific Programs. At the discretion of the officers and Board of Directors, the Program Committee shall include a session at meetings of the AANS, the CNS and the ASSFN to encourage neurosurgical resident participation. This Committee is responsible for soliciting applications and selecting finalists for any awards given by the Society.

Section 3 - Newsletter. The Newsletter Chair shall be appointed by the President of the Society from the Board of Directors, for a two year term. He/she will prepare the Newsletter, solicit relevant contributions from other members, and disseminate news of educational activities of the Society. The Newsletter will be mailed, either physically or electronically, to all members of the ASSFN.

Section 4 - Webmaster. A Webmaster shall be appointed by the President of the Society for a two year term. He/she will work with the Society website provider to keep the website current. Newsletters, membership application, and information about upcoming or recently competed meetings will be posted on the website.

Section 5 – Biennial Meeting Organizing Committee. This committee will organize the biennial meeting of the ASSFN, and will be headed by the Past President of the Society. It will consist of the Past President, the President, and other positions appointed by these two officers, which may include a scientific program chair, a local host chair, and fundraising/industry liaison chairs. Members of this committee will be members of the ASSFN but are not necessarily members of the Board of Directors.

Section 6 – Representative to the Washington Committee. This representative will be appointed by the President to serve on the AANS/CNS Washington Committee, for a two-year term.

Section 7. Terms of office for Committee members shall begin and end with the last day of the Biennial Meeting of the ASSFN.

Section 8. The President of the Society shall have the power to create ad hoc committees and appoint their members as may be required in the best interest of the Society. He/she may also appoint liaisons to other societies related to stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, such as societies dedicated to epilepsy, pain, movement disorders.

Section 1. The Society will organize a biennial scientific meeting. The Biennial Meeting Organizing Committee (described under Article VII) has primary responsibility for organizing the meeting. As the biennial meeting, the officers will hold a member business meeting, open to all ASSFN members, to vote on society business.

Section 2 - Quorum. At all meetings of the Society called by officers, the majority of the voting members present at the meeting constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting Society business.

New members may join the Society upon completing an application and payment of dues, pending determination by the Society secretariat at the AANS, and/or by the membership chairman, that the candidate meets the qualifications for membership described in Article III of the Bylaws. New member applications will be accepted either on-line, or may be sent in by mail to the ASSFN secretariat.

The Board of Directors may, under regulations which it may adopt, create and offer awards for investigations, contributions or developments in the field of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery. The cost of such awards including their monetary stipend may come from funds of the Society or from any funds which may be specifically donated, entrusted or bequeathed to the Society for such purposes.

The journal Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery will serve as the official organ of the Society for publication of basic and clinical research. The society will also publish a regular informational newsletter to be mailed to all Society members as described above.

The Society has the power to accept gifts.

Section 1. Amendments to these bylaws must be proposed in writing, endorsed by at least three members in good standing, and must be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer at least 35 days before the biennial member business meeting. The amendments must be emailed by the Secretary-Treasurer to the entire voting membership and / or posted on the Society website at least one month before the Society business meeting at which the amendments are to be acted upon.

Section 2. The affirmative vote of one half of the voting members present shall be required for the adoption of an amendment.

The order of Procedure for the Executive Council of the Society is as follows:

1. The call to order
2. Approval of minutes of the past meeting
3. Reports of the President, Secretary-Treasurer, and committees
4. Report on the Society journal
5. New Business

Approved at ASSFN Biennial Meeting in New York, June 16, 2010