CVMA CONSTITUTION & BYLAWS

Revised November 7,2001

CHAPTER 1

ARTICLE I

This Association shall be known and distinguished by the name and title of the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association.

ARTICLE II

The members of this Association shall respect and have cognizance of the common interests of the veterinary profession,the public health and welfare of the citizens and the best interests of animals and their owners. In order to achieve a united and productive Association, the members shall promote educational endeavors among themselves and others, shall secure protection of the rights and privileges of the veterinary profession, and shall promote mutual good feeling among the membership.

ARTICLE III

Section 1. The Association shall consist of Active, Honorary, Life, Associate Members and Corporate Affiliates.

Section 2. Active members shall consist of graduates of such recognized veterinary colleges, or graduates of veterinary departments of universities as shall be approved by the ConnecticutVeterinary Medical Association.

Section 3. An Honorary member shall be a person who by his activities and example shall have contributed materially to the advancement and promotion of veterinary science.

Section 4. Life Members. The qualifications for Life members are: Membership in the Association for twenty-five years and not less than sixty-five years of age, or financial hardship by reason of physical disability or illness. Members meeting these qualifications and who, in the opinion of the Board of Directors should be relieved of further payment of dues, may be designated as Life Members, upon recommendation of the Executive Board and a majority vote of the members present at any regular meeting. A Life Member shall be allowed all the privileges of membership.

Section 5. An Associate Member shall be a person who meets the requirements of active membership but is not actively engaged in private practice.

Section 6. A Corporate Affiliate is any person,firm or corporation engaged in providing prod-ucts or services to members of Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association and deemed eligible for Corporate Affiliate status by the Board of Directors. A Corporate Affiliate is renewable annually and has no voting rights within the Association.

ARTICLE IV

Section 1. All candidates for Active membership shall make application in writing to the Secretary, specifying the credentials they hold entitling them to such membership.

Section 2. Honorary members shall be proposed by three members of the Association, the proposal being made in writing by them, stating the ground upon which the nomination is found deserving.

Section 3. All candidates for Associate membership shall make application in writing to the Secretary, specifying the reasons Associate rather than Active membership is sought. Acceptance ofthe application is reserved following review by the Board of Directors.

CHAPTER II

Section 1. The officers of this Association shall consist of the following: President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. All officers shall be elected at the annual meeting, a majority of all votes present being necessary for election. All officers shall be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting, unless a different term bestated therein, and until their respective successors be chosen, to whom they shall, without delay, deliver and transfer all moneys, books, manuscripts, vouchers, and all other property or papers belonging to the Association within their custody or possession.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall, prior to each annual meeting, appoint a Nominating Committee to include the most recent past president of the Association. The Nominating Committee shall submit a notice of the annual meeting a slate of nominees for the elective offices and the Executive Board. Additional nominations for any office may be made at the annual meeting by any member entitled to vote.

Section 3. A delegate and alternate representing the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Association to the House of Delegates of the American Veterinary Medical Association shall be elected according to procedures set forth in the Constitution of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Section 4. Any permanent vacancy in any such office occurring during the term thereof prior to such annual meeting, except as otherwise provided in Article II hereof, shall be filled by election at the next regular meeting, or a special meeting prior thereto, of the Association; provided, how-ever, that the call of such regular or special meeting include notice of such election. The Nominating Committee may submit in such notice a nominee for such vacant office. Additional nominations maybe made from the floor for the vacant office.

ARTICLE II

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Association, preserve order and decorum in debate, appoint all committees, unless otherwise ordered by special resolution, and perform all other duties that custom and parliamentary usage my require. He/sheshall have no vote, except in questions where the votes are equally divided, and in the election of officers.

Section 2. The President-Elect and Vice President when called upon, shall assist the President in the performance of his duties, and during the absence of the President, the President-Elect (or the Vice President in the absence of the President-Elect) shall officiate in the President's stead. In the event that the office of President shall become vacant during any term, the President-Elect or if said office be vacant, the Vice President, shall succeed to the office of President for the balance of such term.

Section 3. The Secretary shall record the minutes and give due notice of the time and place of each meeting. The Secretary shall perform all other duties that may be assigned to him/her, and shall conduct the correspondence of the Association

Section 4. The Assistant Secretary shall assist the Secretary in performance of the duties ofoffice,and shall assume the duties of office in the event the Secretary is unable to serve.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect all sums of money due the Association. The Treasurer shall be bonded for this trust whenever the Board of Directors so directs. He/she shall have immediate charge and manage those funds and property of the Association and will make all disbursements as the Association may direct. The Treasurer shall present the accounts duly authenticated, at the annual meeting. Financial accounts shall be audited before transfer to a newly elected Treasurer.

Section 6. The Assistant Treasurer shall assist the Treasurer as required.

ARTICLE III

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. Members: The Board of Directors shall consist of: THE President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer,Assistant Treasurer, Retiring President and AVMA Delegate and Alternate* and members from the membership at large, one representative from each county of State and one from the non-private practice sector of veterinary medicine (i.e. regulatory, academic, industrial, etc.). At each annual meeting three members from the membership at large shall be elected for three-year terms on the Board of Directors. Each three-year term isto expire at successive annual meetings. Any permanent vacancy in any three-year term shall be filled by election at the next regular meeting of the Association, or any special meeting held, pro-vided that notice of such election be placed in the call for such meeting. The Nominating Committee may submit a nominee in such notice. *Amended and Approved May 7,1997.

Section 2. Officers: The President of the Association shall be the Chairman of the Board ofDirectors. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Board, except in the absence of thePresident, the President-Elect and the Vice President in the absence of the President-Elect shall officiate in the President's stead. The Association Secretary shall be the Board of Directors’ Secretary.

A. The Board of Directors shall be the Administrative body of the Association.

B. It shall be charged with the duty of carrying out the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws.

C. The Board shall read a report of its actions at each quarterly meeting for vote of approval and shall make an annual report.

D. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

E. Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be called by the Chairman through the Secretary.

F. Nothing in the above shall be construed as abrogating or limiting the rights or privileges of any member from bringing a matter of business before a regular meeting of the Association.

BY-LAWS

ARTICLE I

Section 1. The Association shall hold an Annual Meeting at a time and place determined by theBoard of Directors.

Section 2. General membership business meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Board of Directors.The time and location of the next business meeting shall be announced at each meeting.

Section 3. A quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting, regular or special, of the Association shall be a majority of members present following the notification of the membership.

Section 4. All questions of order, whether in debate or otherwise, not specially provided for, shall be decided by the ordinarily recognized parliamentary authority.

ARTICLE II

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ARREARS

Section 1. The annual dues from each active member shall be determined annually by a majority vote of the Board of Directors, payable to the Treasurer in advance for each year.

ARTICLE III

EXPULSION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. Nonpayment of dues constitutes resignation from the Association.

ARTICLE IV

AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION OR BY-LAWS

All proposals for amendment to or alteration or change of the Constitution or By-Laws shall besubmitted in writing, shall be approved by the Board of Directors, and distributed to the membership for review prior to a regular meeting of the association where it will be acted upon.