Chapter XIII - Committees

CHAPTER XIII
Committees

(updated as of December 9, 2007)

CONTENTS
Composition	Purpose	Expenses	PGA Sub-Committees
Terms of Office	Reports	Standing Committees	Special Committees

COMPOSITION

Section 13.01. The Standing and Special Committees of this Society shall be composed of members of this Society appointed by the President except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws.

TERMS OF OFFICE

Section 13.02. The terms of office of the Chairs and members of Standing and Special Committees shall be for the term for which the President appointing them was elected, unless otherwise provided in these Bylaws. If a vacancy develops in the position of committee chair or committee member, or if the President determines that a committee chair or committee member is incapable of performing that person's duties, that position shall be filled or that person replaced by the President directly or as described elsewhere in the Bylaws until such time as the President shall determine that said person is again able to assume all their duties and responsibilities.

PURPOSE

Section 13.03. It shall be the aim and purpose of committee work and committee appointments to equitably divide and increase the responsibility of the work of the Society among the individual members, thereby stimulating their personal efforts towards betterment of all conditions affecting physicians as individuals and this Society as a whole.

No function outside of those authorized by these Bylaws may be undertaken by any committee without approval by the Executive Committee or the Board of Directors.

REPORTS

Section 13.04. Each committee shall submit a written report in duplicate to the Secretary not later than ten (10) weeks before each Annual Session, and shall submit such other reports as the Board of Directors may require.

EXPENSES

Section 13.05. Expenditures by committees for activities or projects shall be anticipated and included in the annual budget of the committee. Other expenditures shall not be made, nor other obligations incurred without the consent and approval of the President and Treasurer. Statements for approval of expenditures shall be certified by the Chairs of the various committees and forwarded to the Treasurer for payment.

STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 13.06. The Standing Committees continue from year to year. As soon as possible after assuming the duties of his or her office, the President shall appoint Chairs for each Standing Committee and the members of each committee. The Standing Committees of this Society are:

Section 13.06-1. Committee on Bylaws and Rules. Composition: Three (3) or more members, preferably at least one (1) of whom was a member of the retiring committee; and the Speaker of the House of Delegates.

Duties: Consider matters pertaining to the Bylaws and Rules, and to make such recommendations as may arise therein in order to further the work of this Society.

Section 13.06-2. Judicial and Awards Committee. Composition: This Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Each member shall be appointed for a period of five (5) years. The term of office of one member shall expire at the close of each calendar year. A new member shall be appointed by the new President to begin his or her duties on the first day of the ensuing calendar year. Only Active members in good standing for a period of ten (10) years immediately prior to their appointment shall be appointed to this Committee. The Chair shall be selected by the Committee members.

In the event of a vacancy, the President shall appoint an Active member who has been in good standing for ten (10) years immediately prior to that member's appointment to complete the unexpired term.

Three (3) members of the Judicial and Awards Committee present at a formal meeting shall constitute a quorum, and final action taken by the Committee shall require a majority vote of the members present.

Duties: a) Shall confidentially consider all matters concerning the ethics, professional conduct and potential conflict of interest of members of this Society in accordance with Chapter XV of these Bylaws and report to the Board of Directors.

b) To consider those anesthesiologists who have made outstanding contributions to the Society and/or the field of anesthesiology in New York State for the annual NYSSA Distinguished Service Award using the following criteria:

1. The recipient must be an anesthesiologist who has been an active member in good standing of the NYSSA for a minimum of ten (10) years.

2. The recipient must have provided significant service to the NYSSA by playing an active role in anesthesia education and/or an active leaders role in the NYSSA.

3. The award must not be given posthumously.

4. NYSSA officers and serving members of the Judicial and Awards Committee shall not be eligible to receive the Distinguished Service Award. Names of candidates for the NYSSA Distinguished Service Award must be submitted to the Chair of the Judicial and Awards Committee by an Active, Honorary or Life member of the NYSSA at least 90 days prior to the annual meeting of the NYSSA. The Committee may recommend to the House of Delegates the name of one candidate. The name of the candidate shall not be disclosed until placed in nomination as the sole nominee before the House of Delegates. At this time the final selection shall be by secret ballot requiring a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.

c) At the direction of the Board of Directors, to consider all requests and make proposals when appropriate to the House of Delegates and/or the Board of Directors for all positions eligible for awards or honors, either local or national. In this regard, suggestions from all members of the Society, in addition to other sources, shall be considered.

Section 13.06-3. Committee on Annual Sessions. Composition: a) The General Chair shall be appointed by the President upon recommendation of the preceding General Chair and the preceding Executive Group of the Committee on Annual Sessions. The General Chair shall serve for three (3) years. He or she preferably shall have been a member of the Committee on Annual Sessions for three (3) years.

b) The Chair of the Scientific Programs shall be appointed by the President for a period of one (1) year upon recommendation of the General Chair and the Executive Group. He or she preferably shall have been a member of the Committee on Annual Sessions for at least three (3) years. He or she shall recommend the appointment of such subcommittees and members necessary for the proper presentation of the scientific programs. At least three (3) of the members of this Committee shall have served on the retiring Committee.

c) The Chair of Local Arrangements shall be appointed by the President annually upon the recommendation of the General Chair. He or she shall recommend the appointment of such subcommittees and members necessary for the organization of the social functions, public relations and other activities as assigned by the General Chair. Members of such subcommittees need not be members of the Society.

d) The Business Manager of the Committee on Annual Sessions shall be appointed by the President annually upon the recommendation of the General Chair. He or she shall supervise the business affairs of the PostGraduate Assembly and review all contracts necessary for the organization of the Annual Session.

e) The Executive Group shall consist of the General Chair, the Scientific Programs Chair and Vice-Chair, the Local Arrangements Chair, the Business Manager, the President, the President Elect, the Vice-President, the Treasurer and ex-officio, the Secretary, the Chair of the Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Remediation, the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Academic Anesthesiology, and the Executive Director. The General Chair shall preside at its meetings at which all business pertinent to the PostGraduate Assembly shall be conducted. The Scientific Programs Chair shall preside in his or her absence.

f) All other subcommittees of the Committee on Annual Sessions and their chairs shall be selected by the General Chair.

Duties: Plan and organize the Annual Session and PostGraduate Assembly. Such organization shall be completed at least forty-five (45) days prior to each Annual Session. Close liaison shall be maintained with the Public Education and Information Committee.

The Executive Director shall make all hotel arrangements necessary for the business and scientific meetings. This will include mailing of notices, registration, organization of rooms for business and scientific meetings, technical exhibits, and program printing.

Section 13.06-4. Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Remediation. Composition: The Committee shall consist of a Chair, and at least one (1) other member from each NYSSA District. The Chair of the Committee on Annual Sessions, as well as all PGA scientific program, technical and commercial exhibit committee and sub-committee chairs shall be ex-officio members, and shall have full voting rights and privileges.

Duties: To coordinate the activities of the Society as they relate to education and remediation.

Section 13.06-5. Committee on Government, Legal and Economic Affairs. Composition: Six (6) or more members, at least two (2) of whom shall have served on the retiring Committee.

Duties: Consider matters pertaining to the legal affairs of the Society in relation to the public, to other organizations, and to its members. Also to consider matters of pertinence to anesthesiologists arising in the State or Federal Legislatures. Consider matters affecting the economic status of the practice of anesthesiology. Advise and make reports and recommendations to the Executive Committee and to the Board of Directors in regard to these matters.

Section 13.06-6. Committee on Continuous Quality Improvement and Peer Review. Composition: Eight (8) or more members, at least one (1) from each NYSSA District, and at least four (4) of whom shall have served on the retiring Committee. Only Active members, in good standing for a period of two (2) years shall be appointed.

Duties: To consider matters regarding quality management and peer review; to affect liaison and coordinate its functions whenever desirable and practicable with other agencies concerned with such matters; and to concern itself with, and emphasize, quality of patient care.

Section 13.06-7 Committee on Academic Anesthesiology. Composition: The Committee shall be comprised of the Chair and/or Residency Program Director of all New York State Anesthesiology Residency Programs. The Chair of the Committee on Academic Anesthesiology shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors of the NYSSA, and the Vice-Chair shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Committee of the PGA. The Residents Section of the Society shall be a permanent subcommittee of the Committee on Academic Anesthesiology. The President of the Residents Section shall also be a member of this Committee.

Duties: To consider matters particular to the Academic practice of Anesthesiology as they relate to the Society's Mission, Goals and Objectives and to serve as a resource for the Society's Officers and Board of Directors in issues regarding Academic Anesthesiology.

Section 13.06-8 Committee on Pain Management. Composition: The Committee shall be comprised of a Chair and at least 8 members, one from each NYSSA District.

Duties: To consider issues and matters related to the specialty and practice of pain management.

Section 13.06-9 Committee on Critical Care Medicine. Composition: The Committee shall be comprised of a Chair and at least 8 members, one from each NYSSA District.

Duties: To consider issues and matters related to the specialty and practice of critical care medicine.

Section 13.06-10 Committee on Retirement. Composition: The Committee shall consist of a Chair and at least three (3) members and up to eight (8) members, preferably one being from each District of the NYSSA.

Duties: To advance and promote the issues of interest to the retired membership of the NYSSA.

Section 13.06-11 Committee on Communications. Composition: The Committee on Communications shall consist of a Chair, two (2) Vice Chairs [one (1) Vice Chair for State Fair Activities and one (1) Vice Chair for Internal Communications], and at least eight (8) members, including one from each NYSSA district.

Duties: To combine the duties and responsibilities of the former Public Education and Information, Editorial Board, and Electronic Communications Committees. The Committee on Communications will be charged with evaluating and implementing the NYSSA's communication content and methods both internally and externally in a manner consistent with the Society's Mission Statement and Organizational Values.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES

Section 13.07. The Special Committees of this Society are those appointed by the President for specific purposes during his or her term of office; however, they shall not receive assignments that conflict with or duplicate the functions of any Standing Committee.

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