Constitution: Last Revised in 2019
ARTICLE I – TITLE
The Association shall be known as the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians hereafter referred to as the Association.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Association are:
Objective 1. To enhance the contribution of veterinary medicine to the health, conservation, and welfare of wildlife.
Objective 2. To encourage an increased emphasis throughout the veterinary profession relative to the health, conservation, welfare, and management of free-ranging species.
Objective 3. To encourage the recognition of wildlife disease / health syndromes in their broadest sense as potentially influenced by environmental threats
Objective 4. To educate and collaborate with governmental agencies, legislators, and other stakeholders about the importance of free-ranging wildlife health and the services which can be provided by wildlife veterinarians.
Objective 5. To stress the importance of the interrelationships of people, domestic animals, and wildlife as both sources, reservoirs and victims of disease, a concept referred to as ‘One Health’.
Objective 6. To help establish and encourage education programs for students and veterinarians interested in the management and health of wildlife.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERS
Section 1. Active members – Membership is open to graduates of colleges or schools of veterinary medicine who support the objectives of the Association, who work with or have an interest in the application of veterinary medicine to the problems of free-ranging species, and who meet the qualifications specified in the Association bylaws, and who have paid their yearly dues by February 1 of the current calendar year.
Section 2. Student members – Student members in the Association shall be students in a college or school of veterinary medicine, or veterinarians enrolled at least half-time in a recognized post-graduate, program who are interested in the objectives of the Association, and who have paid their dues by February 1 of the current calendar year.
Section 3. Subscribing members – Subscribing membership is open to non-veterinarians who support the objectives of the AAWV, and who have paid their dues by February 1 of the current calendar year.
Section 4. Other members – The bylaws may also provide for, and specify, the qualifications for other classes of members in the Association.
ARTICLE IV – OFFICERS
Section 1. Number – The officers of the Association shall be a President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer and such other officers as the bylaws may from time to time specify.
Section 2. Qualifications – All officers shall be Active Members of the Association and members of the Wildlife Disease Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Section 3. Election and Terms – A President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected for two-year terms and shall serve until the end of the end of the calendar year of which his/her successor was elected, unless unable or unwilling to fulfill the responsibilities specified in the Bylaws as determined by a majority of the Board of Governors.
Section 4. Successor to the President – If the President dies, resigns, or is otherwise removed from office, the President Elect shall immediately become President and shall serve in such capacity until the next regularly scheduled election.
ARTICLE V – BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The Board of Governors shall consist of the President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Advisory Council Chairman (immediate Past-President) and shall be the administrating body of the Association.
ARTICLE VI – ADVISORY COUNCIL
Section 1. Duties – The Advisory Council shall be the advisory group to the Board of Governors.
Section 2. Qualifications and Appointment – The Advisory Council shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President. The editors of the Association Newsletter and Website will serve on the Advisory Council. The Chair will appoint an additional 3 to 7 members-at-large, one of which will be a student. All Advisory Council members will hold a current membership in the Association.
Section 3. Term – The term of the Chairman shall be two years or until a new past-president is designated by election. Members of the Advisory Council shall serve by appointment through the term of the president by whom appointed.
ARTICLE VII – STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
A student organization in a college or school of veterinary medicine may be granted affiliation with the Association by the Board of Governors, upon receipt of a written request from their designated faculty advisor. The name of such affiliated organization shall be The (name of college or school) Student Chapter of the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians. The number of students in the chapter that are required to be AAWV members shall be outlined in the Guidelines for Student Chapters.
ARTICLE VIII – ANNUAL MEETING
The Association shall convene in accordance with provisions of the bylaws.
ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
The membership may amend this Constitution by a two-thirds majority of votes cast by the Active Members at an annual meeting, or by two-thirds majority of a secret written or electronic ballot sent to all members, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been (a) introduced at the preceding annual meeting, and (b) copies sent to each member at least 60 days prior to an annual meeting or due date of secret ballots.
Bylaws to the Constitution: Last Revised in 2019
All reference to the “Association” in the bylaws refers to the American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians
ARTICLE I – MEMBERS
Section 1. Active members – A veterinarian who meets the requirements set forth in Article III of the Constitution may become an Active member by making application in writing to the Secretary of the Association or on the website (AAWV.net) along with payment of dues as provided in Section 5 of this Article. Active members shall be the voting members of the Association.
Section 2. Student members – A veterinary student of a school or college of veterinary medicine, or a veterinarian enrolled at least half-time in a recognized post-graduate, program may become a student member by making application in writing to the Secretary of the Association or on the website (AAWV.net) along with payment of dues as provided in Section 5 of this Article. Student members shall not be voting members.
Section 3. Subscribing members – Are individuals who are not veterinarians (Active members) or Student members and may become a member by making application in writing to the Secretary of the Association or on the website (AAWV.net) along with payment of dues as provided in Section 5 of this Article. Subscribing members shall not be voting members.
Section 4. Emeritus members – A veterinarian or subscribing member, who has been a member for at least 10 years, is in good standing with the Association, and is either retired, or has reached the age of 65, may become an Emeritus member by making application in writing to the Secretary of the Association. Furthermore, a veterinarian who has provided extraordinary service to the Association may be granted Emeritus membership by the Board of Governors in consultation with the Advisory Council. Only Emeritus members who are veterinarians shall be voting members.
Section 5. Dues – Dues amount will be set by the Board of Governors and approved by the membership as per the voting procedure outlined in Article VII – AMENDMENTS. Dues for all membership classes shall be payable for each calendar year on or before the first day of January. Emeritus membership shall be gratis.
Section 6. Delinquent members – A member shall be delinquent if dues are not paid by February 1 of the calendar year for which they are payable.
Section 7. Institutional members – Institutions may subscribe to the Newsletter. An institution may become an institutional member by making application in writing to the Secretary. Institutional members shall not be voting members.
ARTICLE II – OFFICERS
Section 1. Nominations – A nominating committee of active members chaired by the Past-President shall prepare a slate of nominees for the offices of President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. Officers are encouraged to run for the next highest office, but competitive elections are desirable and alternative candidates should be sought by the nominating committee and from the members with a goal of having two candidates for the elective offices, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section 2. Elections – A paper or electronic ballot shall be mailed or emailed to all active members in time to allow 30 days for response (election period) from the membership and at least 60 days prior to the annual meeting. Paper or electronic ballots will be designed in such a way that they cannot be duplicated, and the closing date of the election will be clearly marked on the ballot. Ballots shall be invalid if not cast on an official written or electronic ballot form provided by the Association. Photocopied or duplicate ballots will not be counted. Any ballot received by the Association after the 30-day election period will be invalid and shall not be counted. Ballots cast will be counted and verified by the nominating committee and sent to the Secretary for archiving for one year.
Section 3. Installation – The elected officers of the Association shall take office on January 1 of the year following the election.
Section 4. Vacancies – The President-Elect shall become President if the President dies, resigns or is otherwise removed from office. If an elected officer or Advisory Council chair is unable or unwilling to carry out their duties as determined by the Board of Governors, they may be asked to resign and replaced by succession or appointment as determined by the Board of Governors.
Section 5. President – The President shall be the chief representative of the Association and preside over the Board of Governors. The President may appoint permanent and ad hoc committees for specific purposes to maintain a working Association in consultation with the Board of Governors and Advisory Council. The President shall assure that the Association is appropriately represented at any other meetings the Association agrees to participate in including but not limited to those with The Wildlife Society, the United States Animal Health Association, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians. The President shall communicate regularly with other officers and the membership and shall provide a yearly summary of Association activities at or before the annual meeting.
Section 6. President-Elect – The President-Elect shall fulfill the President’s duties in their absence and shall be a member of the Board of Governors. The president elect shall be responsible for development of scientific and technical sessions for meetings the Association agrees to participate in. The president elect shall assist the president in other activities of the Association including membership outreach and publicity/professional representation. Upon completion of their two-year term, the president elect, shall assume the office of the AAWV President.
Section 7. Secretary – The Secretary shall be the chief corresponding officer of the Association, be a member of the Board of Governors, and shall be responsible for:
a. Maintaining copies of records of the Association
b. Maintaining the membership roll in printed and electronic form such that it is updated and available as needed by the Association office
c. Replying to general correspondence
d. Sending mass emails to the membership
e. Communications with Student Chapters
f. Archiving any ballots or voting materials
g. Driving membership outreach efforts
Section 8. Treasurer – The Treasurer shall be the chief financial officer of the Association, is a member of the Board of Governors and shall be responsible for:
a. Management and receipt of all assets of the Association
b. Issuing checks and other forms of payment
c. Receipt of payments by all members and communications on this with the Secretary
d. Assisting with membership outreach as requested
e. Issuing a yearly treasurer’s report summarizing major receipts and expenditures and account balances at or before the annual meeting
Section 9. Editors – The Editor(s) of the Association Newsletter and the Association Website (may be one person or two separate people) shall be appointed for indefinite terms by majority vote of the Board of Governors, shall be considered members of the Advisory Council, and shall be responsible for:
a. Publishing the Association Newsletter, as directed by the Board of Governors
b. Assisting the Secretary with a member’s e-mail address file
c. Regular maintenance and updating of the Association’s Website
d. Assisting Secretary with mass e-mails sent to the membership as requested by the Board of Governors
e. Assisting the Board of Governors with other Association business
Section 10. Immediate Past-President – The Immediate Past-President is the Advisory Council Chairman a member of the Board of Governors, and serves as Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, assisting with officer elections. The Immediate Past-President will serve until the current AAWV President completes their term and assumes the role of Immediate Past-President.
Section 11. Executive Manager – The Board of Governors may contract with an executive manager, as funds of the Association allow, to provide a headquarters for the Associations business, assist officers with the business of the Association and other duties as specified by contract. The Executive Manager must be a member of the Association and, if possible, qualified to be an officer in the Association. Should an Executive Manager be contracted by the Association he/she shall be considered a member of the advisory council.
ARTICLE III – BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Section 1. Composition – The Board of Governors shall consist of the current elected officers of the Association (President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer) and the Advisory Council Chairman (Immediate Past-President).
Section 2. Duties – The Board of Governors shall perform all acts, transact all business for or on behalf of the Association and do all such lawful acts and things as the Constitution and these Bylaws may permit.
ARTICLE IV – COMMITTEES
Section 1. Standing Committees shall be defined as those permanent committees established by the President in consultation with the Board of Governors and Advisory Council. These committees shall include, but not be limited to Communications, Policy, and Student Affairs. Committees shall function under guidelines established by the Board of Governors and Advisory Council and be responsible to the president. All final recommendations or reports by committees will require approval by the Board of Governors and Advisory Council before action is implemented. Membership on a committee and term of membership (usually 2 years) will be determined by the President in consultation with the Board of Governors and Advisory Council after solicitation for nominees from the members. Committee Chairs and members shall be eligible for reappointment at the discretion of the President. The President shall appoint biennially the Chair of each committee, and committee members shall be consulted by the President before a decision is made regarding reappointment or termination. Committee members should consult with the committee chair and with the President if circumstances demand that they step down from committee membership before the end of their term.
Section 2. Ad hoc committees shall be defined as those non-permanent committees established by the President. The functional existence, charges and duties as well as operational guidelines of ad hoc committees will be clearly defined by the President at the time of establishment of the committees. The committees will be responsible to the president and be required to submit reports as requested by the President. All final recommendations or reports by the committees will require approval by the Board of Governors and Advisory Council before action can be implemented. Membership on an ad hoc committee and term of membership will be determined by the President.
ARTICLE V – ANNUAL MEETING
Section 1. Time and Duration – An annual meeting of the membership of the Association shall be held in each calendar year. The date and duration of the meeting shall be determined by the Board of Governors and shall conform in general to meeting with other groups with which the Association is affiliated such as: The American Veterinary Medical Association, the Wildlife Disease Association, the Wildlife Society and the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.
Section 2. Dr. Albert Franzmann Memorial Lecture – Time and funds permitting the President of the Association in consultation with the Board of Governors will invite a speaker to present the Dr. Albert Franzmann Memorial Lecture during the conference at which the Association is holding its annual meeting. The lecture will be given in memory of Dr. Franzmann and will be on a topic germane to the Association.
ARTICLE VI – HEADQUARTERS
The principal office of the Association may be that of the current President, President-Elect, Secretary or Treasurer or other such locations agreed upon by the Board of Governors which can support and expedite the business of the Association. To the extent possible the headquarters will be maintained at a consistent location.
ARTICLE VII – AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws and dues may be amended at any annual meeting, or by secret ballot sent to all active members; however, proposed amendments shall be emailed to all voting members as well as published on the website at least 60 days prior to an annual meeting or date of a vote at which they are to be considered, and shall be presented to the Board of Governors for its consideration and recommendations prior to any action by the membership. The amendment must be passed by two-thirds majority of the votes cast at the Annual Meeting or by a two-thirds majority of those ballots returned to the Board of Governors 60 days after ballots are distributed to the membership.