Our Constitution
The American Association of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture (AACMA)
Draft passed during the plenary meeting of December 4, 2016
I-1 Name of organization：
In Chinese: 美國中醫公會
In English: American Association of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture (AACMA)
I-2 Mission:
The American Association of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture is committed to the promotion of Chinese medicine and protecting human health as its highest purposes. AACMA also seeks to unite and serve colleagues in the practice of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, strive for their rights and interests, and protect safety of patients.
I-3 Nature of organization:
a. AACMA is a non-profit professional association of Chinese medicine and acupuncture practitioners.
b. AACMA is registered and established in accordance with laws of the State of California and of the federal government.
c. AACMA is funded by membership dues, revenue from various legal sources, and donations.
d. In the event of dissolution and termination of operation, all AACMA’s real estate properties, money and business stationery shall be, subject to resolution approved by a majority of members in a plenary meeting, donated to legally registered, non-profit organization(s) of similar nature.
I-4 Projects and operations:
a. Fight for and strive to preserve the legal medical doctor title and status for doctors of Chinese medicine and acupuncturists.
b. Strive for and preserve all legal rights and interests of member colleagues.
c. Through legislative actions, fight for inclusion of services in acupuncture and Chinese medicine in government health care assistance program payment coverage. Strive for federal legislation on acupuncture benefits to protect rights and interests of doctors of Chinese medicine, acupuncturists and patients.
d. Assist member colleagues in obtaining malpractice insurance. Provide help to members in developing their businesses. Organize and conduct various cultural, recreational activities and sports that are beneficial to members’ physical and mental health and family harmony.
e. Regularly sponsor continuing education seminars; promote within the profession universal higher professional degree education; conduct academic and scientific research activities of all levels; enhance quality of medical practice and strengthen medical ethics education.
f. Work in genuine cooperation with associations of doctors of Chinese medicine and acupuncturists of all races in California, coordinate operation, enhance solidarity, create the right condition in hope of establishing a unified federation of all doctors of Chinese medicine and acupuncturists. Maintain connections with other U.S. organizations of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and with related professional bodies such as those of educators of Chinese medicine, trading of Chinese medicine and of medical equipments, to promote exchanges and offer help to one another.
g. Reach out to and unite with colleagues in different regions of the world, enhance exchanges and cooperation in areas of politics, legislation, and in association and academic affairs, so as to promote common development in the Chinese medicine and acupuncture undertaking.
I-5 Membership, Membership Dues, Member Rights and Responsibilities:
A. There are three types of membership at AACMA: Regular Members, Student Members, and Honorary Members.
B. Regular Members:
a. Any colleagues who hold a valid California or out of state U.S. doctor of Chinese medicine, acupuncturist license, and who subscribe to the mission of this association and is willing to abide by its constitution, may apply through a member’s introduction. Upon approval by the Organization Division, the applicant shall become a regular member.
b. Regular membership dues include a membership fee of $120.00 and an additional voluntary political action fee of $80.00 per annum. (Political action fees go to a special fund devoted to fight for and protect the rights and interests of doctors of Chinese medicine). The Board of Directors may, in consideration of association needs, make suitable adjustment to the regular membership dues.
c. A regular member who has timely paid in full the membership dues for the current year shall be entitled to the right to vote, the right to be voted into office, the rights to initiatives, referendum, revision of the constitution and the right to recall officers, and to enjoy all privileges of membership.
d. A regular member who has not paid the membership dues in more than a year shall be deemed to have withdrawn from this Association. Such member shall not receive any refund of previously paid fees and any readmission application in the future shall require a readmission fund fee of $100.00 before the readmission application can be processed.
e. Regular members of this Association who have retired and no longer in business may, subject to the Board of Directors’ decision to exercise discretion, be allowed to pay a discount rate of $20.00 membership due per annum and enjoy privileges of a regular member.
C. Student Members:
a. Any student who currently enrolls and is studying in a school of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, or is currently preparing to take the California Acupuncture Board Licensing Examination, and who subscribes to this Association’s mission, and are willing to abide by this Association’s Constitution, may apply through a member’s introduction to become a Student Member.
b. A Student Member shall pay $50.00 membership due for the current year at the time of his admission.
c. A Student Member is not entitled to the right to vote, the right to be voted into office, the rights to recall Officers, to initiatives, referendum and revision of the constitution. However, he or she does enjoy other rights and privileges resembling a Regular Member.
D. Honorary Members:
a. Any individual of good moral characters, who subscribes to this Association’s mission and who is in zealous support of the Chinese medicine and acupuncture undertaking, and who donates to the Association $500 or more per annum, upon the Board of Directors’ decision, shall be invited to be a Honorary Member of this Association.
b. An Honorary Member is not entitled to the right to vote, the right to be voted into office, the rights to recall Officers, to initiatives, referendum and revision of the constitution. However, he or she does enjoy other rights and privileges resembling a Regular Member.
E. Any member of the foregone categories who has intentionally damaged the reputation of this Association, or who has jeopardized the principles of this Association’s Constitution and done hurt to its unity, upon decision approved by a joint session of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, can be suspended or expelled from this Association. All previously paid fees from this member shall not be refunded.
II-1. Organization Chart:
American Association of Chinese
Medicine & Acupuncture (AACMA)
‖
Plenary Meeting
‖
Board of Directors (37 members)
Standing Committee
(comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary General and all division directors.)
President: 1
Vice President: 4
Secretary General: 1 Deputy Secretary General: 2
Treasurer: 1 Deputy Treasurers: 2
Dir. Acad. & Ed. Affairs: 1 Deputy Dir. A. & E. Affairs: 3
Dir. Pub. Relations: 1 Deputy Dir. Pub. Relations: 1
Dir. Comm.& Publ.: 1 Deputy Dir. Comm.& Publ.: 2
Dir. Organization: 1 Deputy Dir. Organization: 4
Dir. Welfare: 1 Deputy Dir. Welfare: 1
Dir. General Affairs: 1 Deputy Dir. General Affairs: 2
Dir. Eng. Lang: 1 Deputy Dir. Eng. Lang: 2
Dir. Political Affairs: 1 Deputy Dir. Political Affairs: 1
Board of Supervisors (7 members)
Supervisor General: 1
Vice- Supervisor General: 1
Supervisors: 5
Advisory Board
Standing Committee Advisors: (certain number)
Advisors: (certain number)
A majority of the positions within the Board of Directors are held by elected members of the Board. Some of these positions can be appointed by the Board or the Board may decide to hire some professionals to fill them. Number of appointed or hired members within the Board cannot exceed six. Before these appointed professionals can share the same rights and responsibilities as elected members of the Board of Directors, they have to be nominated by Board member(s) and approved by vote by the Board. The Board of Directors may, basing on actual operating needs, direct divisions to set up committees and appoint committee chairperson, vice-chairperson and members. Upon recommendation by the President and through a vote approved by the Board, the Board may make appropriate adjustments in personnel and institution within the Board.
II-2 Plenary Meetings:
A. Membership: Anyone who is currently a Regular Member of this Association shall be a member for the Plenary Meeting.
B. The Plenary Meeting, constituted by all members of this Association, is vested with the supreme power of this Association.
C. The Plenary Meeting holds power to consider initiatives, amend the Constitution of this Association through revisions and referendums, and pursuant to the Constitution, conducts elections, impeachment proceedings and recall elections, set down and oversee annual working plans, review and approve budgets, and audit accounts.
D. The Plenary Meeting shall be held once a year. In addition, once every two years, members of the Board of Directors and Board of Supervisors are to be openly elected during the Plenary Meeting.
E. The convening of the Plenary Meeting: the President shall be responsible for notifying the membership at least 45 days in advance of the time and location of the Meeting.
F. Members who for some reason cannot attend a Plenary Meeting may appoint in writing a proxy to attend in his/her place. However, the convening authority has to be notified in written form at least seven days ahead of the Meeting.
G. Impeachment or recall proposals endorsed by joint signature from 50 or more members can be presented to the floor. If a proposal wins 1/3 or more votes from attending members whose number meets the quorum requirement, it shall become a motion. A motion that is approved by a majority vote of attending members whose number meets the quorum requirement shall be enforced by the Boards of Directors and Supervisors.
H. To be considered at the Plenary Meeting, any motion requires endorsement by joint signature from at least 30 members, or else has been approved by the Board of Director Standing Committee, and must be presented in written form to the Secretariat at least 30 days in advance of the Meeting. In order to pass and be valid, any motion or proposal shall require a majority vote of members who are present (this includes voting in person, vote by written ballot and vote by proxy appointed by writing).
I. A Special Plenary Meeting may be called: Either by the President, the Supervisor General, or by one quarter of the Board of Directors and Board of Supervisors membership, or by one quarter of the membership in joint signature, and must be reviewed and approved by the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, or by the Board of Directors Standing Committee. The Secretary General shall then be responsible to call the meeting.
II-3. Board of Directors:
A. Responsibilities:
a. The Boards of Directors shall faithfully execute, implement and effectuate all resolutions passed by the Plenary Meetings.
b. Pursuant to the Constitution, the Board of Directors acts on behalf of the Plenary Meeting to manage all the Association’s business. These include holding of elections, conducting academic activities, preparing funds, reaching out to relevant organizations, and the like. Matters pertinent to members’ political rights and interests shall be managed by the Political Action Committee.
B. Composition and Division Responsibilities:
a. One Board President: The Board President is the chairperson of the Board of Directors who also serves as the Association’s President and hold the chairmanship of the Plenary Meetings. The Board President shall be elected through secret ballot by all members elected to the Board. Candidate who receives a majority of the votes in the second-round voting shall be the Board President. The Board President shall serve a two-year term. Through reelection, a Board President can serve two consecutive two-year terms. After having left the office for one term (two years), a former president shall become eligible again for reelection. The President shall be responsible to the Board of Directors and to the Plenary Meeting, and shall take a leadership role in running the Association’s business pursuant to the Constitution, and shall appoint representative(s) to attend meetings and social activities of the California Acupuncture Board and other government agencies. The President also represents this Association in managing all external affairs that are beneficial to this Association.
b. Four Board Vice Presidents: Board Vice Presidents also serve as the Association’s ex-officio Vice Presidents. Members from each of the four regional divisions who have been elected to the Board shall elect from among themselves one Board Vice President to represent their regional division. Board Vice Presidents shall serve a two-year term. A Board Vice President can serve two consecutive two-year terms through reelection. After having left the office for one term (two years), a former vice president shall become eligible again for reelection. All Vice Presidents-Elect shall be ranked according to the number of votes they each won. The highest vote-getter shall be the First Board Vice President, and shall become the Association’s First Vice President as well. Vice Presidents assist the President in advancing the Association’s business, and each shall be responsible to manage all affairs related to one of the four regional divisions. They can be assigned by the President or by the Board of Directors to represent the President to appear in social activities. In the event the Board President is absent or on vacation, an available Board Vice President of the highest ranking shall serve as the Acting President.
C. The Secretariat: There shall be one Secretary General, two Deputy Secretary Generals.
a. The Secretary General is responsible for executing the Association’s business. He or she shall be responsible for overseeing all Association documents and correspondences, files, records, and serves as the convener of the Special Plenary Meetings. The Deputy Secretary Generals shall serve as his or her assistants.
b. A translation group shall be set up under the Secretariat, which should include one Chinese language secretary and one English language secretary, whose responsibilities are to assist the Secretary General in handling translation of all kinds of documents and interpretation for occasions like meetings, academic lectures and banquets. Depending on actual operating needs, secretaries of the Japanese and Korean language, and some other workers can be further appointed and hired as well.
c. The Secretariat shall hire a salaried secretary whose job responsibilities are determined by the President and by the Secretariat.
D The Treasury Division: There shall be one Treasurer, two Deputy Treasurers.
a. The Treasury Division is responsible for managing the Association’s funds, its finance, budget and accounting matters such as auditing. It shall regularly submit written reports as well as end-of-year annual summary report to the Boards of Directors and Supervisors. In the event the Board of Director establishes a fundraising committee, the Treasurer shall be one of the persons in charge of that committee.
b. All funds and cash belonging to this Association shall be deposited in bank(s) under account(s) bearing this Association’s name. All account payable should be made out in checks, which shall require two signatures (that is, in addition to the Treasurer’s signature, a check also has to be counter-signed by an additional officer, either the President, the Secretary General or someone designated by the Board of Directors). Any account payable that is under $500 shall require review and approval by the Treasury Division; account payable under $1000 by the President; and account payable above $1000 shall require review and approval by the Board of Directors or its Standing Committee.
c. Any funds that have been deposited into this Association’s bank account(s) shall belong to this Association. No one may appropriate any of these funds without permission.
E. Public Relations Division: There shall be one Director, one Deputy Director.
The Public Relations Division shall be responsible for coordinating socializing activities between this Association and people and organizations of all social sectors. It shall also maintain connections with other professional organizations of similar nature, and strengthen the liaison with media and business professionals.
F Academic and Educational Affairs Division: There shall be one Director, three Deputy Directors.
Academic and Educational Affairs Division shall be responsible for coordinating members’ further studies and continuing education, academic researches, and planning and advancing educational activities.
G Communications and Publications Division: There shall be one Director, two Deputy Directors.
The Communications and Publications Division shall be responsible for this Association’s journals, its web site, member newsletter and correspondences, academic articles and annual reports, all tasks that involve text editing, publication and distribution. It is also responsible for other matters related to publicity. There shall be a Journal Editorial Board under this division. The chair of the Editorial Board would serve as the Journal’s Chief Editor.
H. Medical Ethics Division: There shall be one Director, one Deputy Director.
The Medical Ethics Division shall be responsible for:
(a) Restraining and monitoring members against practices that contravene laws and regulations, or in violation of medical ethics, and any other acts that can bring severe damage to the reputation of this Association.
(b) Investigating and reporting to the authorities those who practice acupuncture without proper licensing, so as to protect the rights and interests of all member colleagues.
(c) Assisting members of this Association to seek legal help when they are mired in disputes in a trumped-up case.
I Organization Division: There shall be one Director, four Deputy Directors.
The Organization Division shall be responsible for this Association’s organization and membership development plans. It collates member list, assigns numbers and does filing work. It urges members to pay their dues. It organizes regional (subarea) division groups and appoints or recommends division leaders. It is also responsible for recruiting new members.
J. Welfare Division: There shall be one Director, one Deputy Director.
The Welfare Division shall be responsible for planning and carrying out this Association’s member services. It assists members to negotiate buying medical malpractice insurance。 It is also responsible for planning and conducting various recreational activities.
K. General Affairs Division: There shall be one Director, two Deputy Directors.
The General Affairs Division shall be responsible for site preparation planning, procurements and safekeeping of various equipments for various meetings, lectures and banquets. It shall also offer help in site preparation and provision of props for recreational activities.
L. English language Division: There shall be one Director, two Deputy Directors.
The English Language Division shall be responsible for developing English speaking members. It shall also provide assistance to the Academic and Educational Affairs Division to organize special English academic lectures, and offer help to the Association on English document writing and English interpretation during various activities.
M. Political Affairs Division: There shall be one Director and one Deputy Director.
The Political Affairs Division shall be responsible for managing all matters pertinent to the Association’s fighting for and protection of professional interests. The Director of Political Affairs can serve concurrently as the Director of the Association’s Political Action Committee. Both director and deputy director of the Political Affairs Division shall be ex-officio members of the Political Action Committee. They shall be responsible for understanding members’condition of professional interests and shall report to Board of Directors and to members at any time any legislative activities and situations. They shall maintain contacts with our friends in the legislature. They shall attend political events pertinent to Chinese medicine and acupuncture and shall make reports at any time to the Boards of Directors and Supervisors.
N. Convening A Joint Session Meeting of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors:
a. A joint session meeting of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors shall be attended by all members of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors. Alternate members of Boards of Directors and Supervisors shall sit in. In addition, Standing Committee Advisors and the Director and Deputy Director of the Political Action Committee, and chairpersons of committees may be invited to sit in during the meeting. Joint session meeting of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors shall normally convene not less than four times per year.
b. The President shall be responsible for calling joint session meetings of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors and shall chair the joint session meetings. All divisions that have collected proposals (motion proposals) from members shall have them submitted to the Secretariat at least three weeks in advance to allow drafting of the agenda and writing up of proposal discussion notice(s). Meeting notices shall be sent out in writing, via emails, faxes or postal mail ten days in advance to all members and alternate members of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, all members of the divisions, and the like, so as to shorten meeting time.
O. Convening of Broad of Directors Meeting
a. Board of Directors meetings shall be attended by all members of the Board. The Board President shall call and chair the meetings. Board Meeting normally convenes once every two months. Regional Divisions chiefs, committee chairs, Directors and Deputy Director of the Political Action Committee, Standing Committee Advisors, Supervisor General and Vice-Supervisor General may be invited to sit in during Board of Directors meetings.
b. All Board of Directors members shall be entitled to vote on motions during Board meetings. Any motion to be considered during Board meetings shall require one Board member acting as the sponsor, one or more Board member(s) as seconder(s), in order that the motion can be voted on by the Board. The Board of Directors adopts the democratic principle of majority rule. Any motion requires a simple majority of all voting Board members in order to pass. In other words, the “Yes” vote must be one or more vote(s) more than the “No” vote (this includes voting in person, vote by written ballot and vote by proxy appointed by writing but does not include proxy authorization for provisional motions) in order for the motion to pass and be adopted as a Board of Directors’ resolution. Even if a Board member holds different opinion about resolutions adopted by the Board, he or she must implement them and must not violate Board resolutions in words and in deeds. If there is any violation, the Board shall issue a verbal or written warning to the violator. In the event the violator does not rectify his or her acts, the Board of Directors is vested with power to suspend all rights and power of a Board member who violates the Board’s resolutions. The Board may also refer the violator to the Board of Supervisors for further disciplinary actions pursuant to the Constitution.
P. Board of Directors Standing Committee: The Board of Directors Standing Committee is comprised of the Board President, Vice-president, Secretary General, and all Division Directors. The Board President shall call and chair the Standing Committee meetings as needed for association operating reasons. The Standing Committee holds the same power as the Board of Directors itself. Any standing Committee meeting requires the attendance of more than half of its statutory membership for it to be legitimate. The Board President may invite the Supervisor-General and Vice Supervisor-General of the Board of Supervisors, Standing Committee Advisors and the Director of the Political Action Committee to sit in.
Q. Members absent from Board of Directors meetings or Joint Session Meeting of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors are considered forfeiting their rights. Any member who has reason not attending and has asked to be excused may express his or her views about the motions in writing, and have these views forwarded via email or faxes to the Association’s Secretariat before convening of the meetings. Or he or she may appoint in writing an attending member of the Board of Directors or Supervisors as proxy, who shall represent him or her to cast votes on the motions. All members of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors shall be entitled to vote on any motions during a Joint Session of Board of Directors and Supervisors. Other officers sitting in the meetings are not entitled to vote.
R. Any member of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors who has been absent from meetings three consecutive times without giving valid reasons shall be deemed having voluntarily resigned.
S. Any vacant position within membership of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors shall be filled by alternate members of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors per their rankings.
II-4 Board of Supervisors:
The Board of Supervisors is comprised of seven Supervisors, who shall be elected by the membership to sit on the Board.
A. The missions of the Board of Supervisors shall be to supervise the Board of Directors, oversee execution and implementation of resolutions passed by the Plenary Meetings, and of existing policy directions. It shall also be vested with power to audit and prosecute. In the event any member of the Board of Directors, or of the Board of Supervisors, officer or staff, were to be found to have broken the rules or acted beyond one’s authority, once investigation has proven such to be the case, the Board of Supervisors shall issue a written warning and urge the violator to rectify his or her mistake. If the violator fails to offer reasonable explanation and refuse to accept the correction, the Supervisor General may convene a Joint Session of the Boards of Directors, Supervisors and Standing Committee Advisors, and pursuant to majority opinion at the Joint Session, punishes the member of the Board of Directors, or of the Board of Supervisors, officer or staff who has committed violations by suspending his or her rights and power, or escalate it to an impeachment case or a no-confidence motion, to be presented to the Plenary Meeting for members to decide by majority vote. If the violator is the Board of Directors or its Standing Committee, the Board of Supervisors may raise verbal or written questions to query the President, Vice-presidents and the Secretary General and demand answers. If no reasonable explanations were given in reply, the Supervisor General shall convene, within one month after the query, a Joint Session of the Boards of Directors, Supervisors and Standing Committee Advisors, and handle pursuant to majority opinion of the Joint Session.
B. The Board of Supervisors normally convenes once every four months. A Board of Supervisors meeting may be convened in conjunction with a Board of Directors meeting.
C. All members of the Board of Supervisors shall vote on Board of Supervisors motions.
II-5 Advisors:
A. Standing Committee Advisors: this Association shall hire a number of reputed senior doctors of Chinese medicine to assume the positions of Standing Committee Advisors to provide consultation and advise this Association on important matters. They also sit in during Board of Directors and Enlarged Board of Directors meetings. They may also be invited to sit in during Board of Directors Standing Committee meetings.
B. Academic Advisors: The Association shall hire veteran scholars and specialists of Chinese medicine and acupuncture studies as academic advisors.
C. Legal Advisors: The Association shall hire professional attorneys or luminaries in the legal profession who are supportive of this association and who have earnestly helped this Association and its members in dealing with relevant legal issues as this Association’s legal consultants.
D. Financial Advisors: The Association shall hire past Treasurers who contributed a lot during their tenures and financial specialists who are warm-hearted about this Association as this Association’s financial advisors.
Selection of above advisors: the Board of Directors shall nominate potential advisors and the Board of Supervisors shall review and approve the names, then hiring shall take place. All advisors shall be hired to a two-year term.。
III –Regional Organizations::
A. Regional Divisions: The Association currently focuses on Northern California. According to telephone area codes of members’ practice locations or residence addresses (each member self-selects one location), we currently divide them tentatively into four regions.
a. Sacramento /North Bay Region: This includes the California state capital (Sacramento) and North Bay, Central Valley areas, where the telephone area codes are: 707、916、530、209.
b. San Francisco Region: This includes San Francisco City and surrounding areas, where the telephone area code is 415. For areas where the telephone area code is 650, using Highway 92 as dividing line, areas to its north are assigned to be managed by the San Francisco Region.
c. East Bay Region: This includes various areas in the East Bay, those within Alameda and Contra Costa counties, where the telephone area codes are 510 and 925.
d. South Bay Region: areas of the Peninsula district south of Highway 92, various areas in the South Bay, and areas south of Santa Cruz, where the telephone area codes are 408 and 831. For areas where the telephone area code is 650, using Highway 92 as dividing line, areas to its south are assigned to be managed by the South Bay Region.
B. The Organization Division shall be responsible for collating and drawing up regional member lists. It shall also assist all regional divisions in their organizing, leadership selection and activities planning efforts. Under the leadership of the Vice-presidents, each of whom shall be responsible for one of these regions, all regional divisions may choose or the Board of Director may select one Regional Division Chief and a number of Deputy-Chiefs who shall be responsible for summoning and liaison work. They shall also be responsible for organizing various political, academic, cultural and sports activities.
IV Election: The Association adopts the following method to elect its members of Board of Directors and Supervisors:
1. Using the proportion of number of Regular Members within each regional division relative to this Association’s aggregate number of Regular Members to multiple number of Board members needed to be elected, we shall get the number of Board members each regional division is allotted to elect.
2. Each Vice-president responsible for a Regional Division shall select two members from their region who would then join the Director and Deputy Director of the Organization Division, and upon approval by the Board of Directors, shall form an Election Committee. The Election Committee shall elect one chairperson and one vice-chairperson, who shall be responsible for handling all matters related to the election.
3. The Election Committee shall print candidate lists per regular members in each regional division. In addition, ballots with printed candidate list specific to each region which are impressed with this Association’s steel stamp shall be mailed out to all regular members per their regional affiliation at least 45 days before the convening of the Plenary Meeting.
4. Through secret ballot, each regular member shall circle their choices on the ballot per each Regional Division’s member of Boards of Directors and Supervisors proportional quota, and have these validly marked ballot dropped into the ballot box before the convening of the Plenary Meeting on the same day. Those who vote by mail must mail out their ballots early to avoid having their ballots arrive after convening of the Plenary Meeting and so become invalidated ballots. On the day of the Plenary Meeting, Election Committees shall gather all ballots and have them count, thereby Board of Directors and Supervisors members and alternate members representing each regional division shall be elected. Those who are unable to attend may, by way of a written Letter of Proxy bearing his or her signature, appoint someone to represent him or her to vote, or have someone bring his or her valid ballot to the meeting.
5. Within one month of election of the new members of Boards of Directors and Supervisors, the Election Committee chairperson and vice-chairperson shall preside over a second-round election. Through secret ballot, one President and five Vice-presidents shall be elected in this second-round election involving the newly elected members of the Board of Directors. One Supervisor General and one Vice-Supervisor General shall be elected through this second-round election involving the newly elected members of Board of Supervisors.
6. The newly elected President shall consult with each member of the Board of Directors to determine assignments to different Divisions.
7. The Supervisor General and Vice-Supervisor General shall consult with each Supervisors to determine how to divide the responsibilities.
8. If some of the divisions require someone with professional skills in order to be qualified for the work, the Deputy Director of that division shall coordinate with the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, to assign, appoint or hire someone with professional experience to assume the position(s).
9. If elected members of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, for some reasons, cannot possibly take up the positions(s), his or her office shall be replaced by the alternate member(s) of the Board of Directors and Supervisors with the highest ranking. If a member of the Board of Directors or of the Board of Supervisors, for some reasons, has to withdraw or depart from his or her office in the middle of his or her term, his or her office shall be replaced by an alternate member of the Board of Directors and Supervisors.
V Removal from Office:
1. For all members who have the following behavior and situations: those who failed to comply with the Constitution, those who have intentionally made disparaging remarks that damage the reputation of this Association and negatively impact solidarity, those who have committed acts that seriously violate medical ethics, and those who have violated U.S. laws and convicted by the court, once the Board of Supervisors’ investigation proves that these to be true, the Board of Supervisors shall, after a majority vote by members in a Board meeting, refer the case to the Board of Directors for remonstration and warning action. If these behaviors remain unrectified, the Supervisor General shall convene a Joint Session of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors and resolve the issue per majority opinion. The Joint Session may suspend the violator’s member privileges or expel him or her. All previously paid fees from this member shall not be refunded.
2. Members of the Board of Directors and of the Board of Supervisors who have violated the rules, overstepped his or her authorities, conspired to benefit himself or herself, and so severely damaged the reputation and interests of this Association, once the Board of Supervisors’ investigation proves that these to be true, the Board of Supervisors shall, after a majority vote by members in a Board meeting, refer the case to the Board of Directors for remonstration and warning action. If these behaviors remain unrectified, the Supervisor General shall convene a Joint Session of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors and resolve the issue per majority opinion. The Joint Session may suspend the violator’s privileges as a member of the Board of Directors, or start the impeachment proceedings, or submit a recall motion to the Plenary Meeting where a majority vote by all attending members shall be required for it to pass.
3 For all the above incidents, if fifty or more members file a joint signature demanding impeachment, once the Board of Supervisors’ investigation proves that these to be true and decides to start impeachment proceedings, the motion shall require a majority vote by attending members that meet the quorum requirement during the Plenary Meeting. Once passed, the resolution shall be enforced by the Board of Supervisors.
Vl No-confidence Motion
1. A motion of no-confidence may be called by ½ or more of the members of the Board of Directors who sign a joint signature against the President or Vice-presidents. Once called, the Supervisor General shall preside over a Special Board of Directors meeting within 30 days to proceed with the no-confidence vote. If the no-confidence motion garners support from more than 2/3 of the entire Board of Directors membership, the President or Vice-president(s) the no-confidence motion targets shall immediately lose their positions as president or vice-president(s). The Supervisor General shall then preside over the meeting where all members of the Board of Directors shall elect a new President or Vice-president(s) to replace the former president or vice-president(s) who have lost his/their position(s).
2. A motion of no-confidence may be called by 1/2 or more of the members of the Board of Directors who sign a joint signature against the Supervisor General or Vice-Supervisor General. Once called, the President shall preside over a Special Board of Supervisors meeting within 30 days to proceed with the no-confidence vote. If the no-confidence motion garners support from more than 2/3 of the entire Board of Supervisors membership, the Supervisor General or Vice-Supervisor General(s) the no-confidence motion targets shall immediately lose their positions as Supervisor General or Vice-Supervisor General(s). The President shall then preside over the meeting where all members of the Board of Supervisors shall elect a new Supervisor General or Vice-Supervisor General(s) to replace the former Supervisor General or Vice-Supervisor General(s) who have lost his/their position(s).
VII Handover:
At the end of a service term, or when leaving the position for whatever reasons, those in charge of, whether it is the Board of Directors, Board of Supervisors or any committee or division of this Association, shall prepare a list of and hand over all documents, notes and records, properties, account books and seals and stamps to the new person assuming the position.
XIII Effective Date of this Constitution:
This Constitution of the Association, having been discussed, decided upon and adopted by the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, shall be submitted to the Plenary Meeting to be read and ratified and, thereafter, shall be enforced. The Chinese version of this Constitution shall prevail at all times. The Boards of Directors and Supervisors hold right to interpret this Constitution.
Regulations for the Political Action Committee (PAC)
American Association of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture (AACMA)
I. The American Association of Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture (AACMA) has a Political Action Committee (PAC). Under the leadership of the Boards of Directors and Supervisors, AACMA, the PAC is responsible for participating in various legislative bill processes pertinent to Chinese medicine and acupuncture. The PAC shall support in elections elected officials at all levels of government who are friendly to Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and who are friendly to this Association. It shall support various political actions fighting for and aiming at protecting legitimate rights and interests of this Association and of the community of practitioners of Chinese medicine and acupuncture. In addition, the PAC shall make reports to the Board of Directors as needed. The Board of Directors, AACMA holds rights to modify, reconsider and to veto decisions made by the PAC.
II. The PAC shall have one Director. This position may be concurrently held by the Director of Political Affairs, or the President of the AACMA may nominate a candidate the passage and appointment of whom require a majority of votes from the Board of Directors. The PAC shall have five deputy directors. Four of the candidates for deputy directors shall be nominated respectively by the Vice-Presidents each of whom manages one of the four regional divisions. The fifth shall be nominated by the President. All candidates shall require a majority of votes from the Board of Directors to pass and be appointed. The PAC shall have one Treasurer and one Deputy Treasurer, both to be nominated by the Director of the PAC. Both shall require a majority of votes from the Board of Directors to pass and be appointed. The PAC shall have certain number of members. They shall be nominated either by the President of the AACMA or by the Director of the PAC. All candidates require a majority of votes from the Board of Directors to pass and be appointed. All foregone PAC personnel each holds a two-year term. Their work and duties shall be described in the PAC Operations Manual. The Boards of Directors and Supervisors of the AACMA hold power to remove any PAC personnel from office.
III. The Director of the PAC and the President of the AACMA shall jointly draft a PAC Operations Manual, which shall be voted on and adopted by the Boards of Directors and Supervisors and thus be implemented. The Operations Manual shall provide specifications on the work and duties of PAC personnel, the PAC’s financial management and operations. The Board of Directors, AACMA holds rights to revise and interpret the PAC Operations Manual.
IV. The PAC shall set up dedicated account. All control, usage, accounting, expense reimbursements and declarations of the PAC’s accounts and funds must be compliant pursuant to relevant US federal and state statutes. All voluntary political action fees and political contributions from members, as well as political contributions from individuals and organizations in the community shall be entirely deposited into the PAC’s dedicated account. All PAC expenses shall be paid via checks.
V. The AACMA urges every regular member to contribute a voluntary annual political action fee, to be deposited into the PAC’s dedicated account. The PAC also accepts contributions from members, other members of community and from organizations. Political contributions are not tax deductible.