ARTICLE I 

Name:

The name and title by which this Association shall be known is the Association of Postgraduate PA Programs.

 

ARTICLE II 

Mission and Vision:

• The Association of Postgraduate PA Programs is a professional trade organization and shall operate as a business league.
• Our mission is to advocate for PA postgraduate education excellence, community, and visibility.
• Our vision is to support development and optimization of PA postgraduate education to provide excellent patient-centered, team-based care.

 

ARTICLE III 

Core Goals and Values:

The Association is organized and shall be operated for educational and scientific purposes.

 

Section 1.

Advocacy and Visibility:

• Serve as an information center and advisor for PAs, programs training PAs at the entry level, other medical and health care disciplines, and to the public with respect to postgraduate education programs for PAs.
• Advise policy and legislation development in regards to postgraduate training.
• Oppose mandates by state boards, hospitals, employers to require postgraduate training for hospital privileges, licensure, or employment.

 

Section 2.

Practice:

• Enhance confidence and skill development in all areas of PA competencies in programs of all specialties.
• Promote interprofessional patient-centered care, communication, and education.
• Support transition to practice for PAs
• Advance professional development and practice of PAs through lifelong learning and leadership.

 

Section 3.

Quality:

• Serve as a resource to develop and optimize postgraduate education, curricula, and assessment methodologies.
• Collaborate with accrediting bodies for postgraduate programs.
• Promote evidence-based research for postgraduate training.

 

Section 4.

Community:

• Create a networking forum for collaboration, research, and support for postgraduate PA and APRN programs
• Connect professionals and students seeking postgraduate education with programs.
• Collaborate with associations and organizations to promote postgraduate education.

 

Article IV 

Membership:

 

Section 1. 

General Provisions:

Programs must agree to comply with sound educational principles and provide general information regarding the content and structure of the program. Each member program is expected to be represented at the annual Assembly. Representatives should include the Program Director, Medical Director, and/or an appropriate designee. However, each member program shall be entitled to only one vote except as described under classes of membership below.

 

Section 2. 

Classes of Membership: 

There shall be the following classes of membership:

Program Membership in the Association shall be limited to postgraduate physician assistant programs, either in operation or newly developing, which are in compliance with the criteria set forth in these bylaws and with such other conditions as shall be determined by the Board of Directors and approved by the Assembly, except as described under classes of membership below.

• Active Program Members – Active program members shall be postgraduate programs with a curriculum, including didactic and clinical components, which trains National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) eligible/certified physician assistants for a defined period of time, usually a minimum of twelve (12) months, in a medical/surgical specialty. Programs must award a certificate or graduate academic credit or degree.
• Provisional Program Members – Provisional Program Members shall be newly developing postgraduate physician assistant programs which have not yet graduated their first class. When such programs have graduated their first class they will be eligible for and may be advanced to membership as Active Program Members. Provisional Program Members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but they may not vote or hold office.
• Inactive Program Members – Inactive Program Members shall be those formerly Active Program Members or Provisional Program Members that have temporarily suspended educational activities. Upon re-institution of their former educational program that was previously approved for membership, membership at the former designation will be re-instituted upon recommendation of the Board and vote of the Assembly. Inactive Program Members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees, but they may not vote or hold office.
• Prospective Program Members – Prospective Program Members shall be those that are interested in developing a postgraduate training programs. They may not serve on committees, vote, or hold office.
• Individual Members – Individual Members shall be persons who have demonstrated an interest in postgraduate physician assistant education. Individual members may have the privileges of the floor and may serve on committees as members, but they may not vote or hold office.
• An Emeritus Member – is an honorary position conferred upon select members by a vote of the APPAP Board. The Board will consider Emeritus status for members committed to the mission and goals of the organization, and whose ongoing counsel would benefit the APPAP. Consideration for emeritus membership requires that candidates be current members in good standing, have been a member of APPAP for at least five years, have previously served on the APPAP Board, and have made significant contributions to the APPAP. Emeritus members may serve on committees, vote, and hold office at the discretion of the Board.

 

Section 3.

Termination of Membership:

• Voluntary Withdrawal – Any member may voluntarily withdraw membership at any time. Any membership dues paid are nonrefundable.
• Termination – Any program member who engages in conduct that is inconsistent with the Associations mission, in violation of Association bylaw, policies, rules, or is unethical or unprofessional, may have their membership terminated upon a majority vote by the APPAP Board. The Board may give the member an opportunity to be heard, either in person or in writing at its discretion, prior to such action becoming final.

Any PA member who has had their PA license revoked as a result of disciplinary action for violation of their professional practice statutes or regulations, will automatically have their APPAP membership revoked, and shall be ineligible to apply for membership during the period of the revocation.

 

Section 4.

Reinstatement of Membership:

• Any member who resigned in good standing is eligible for reinstatement.
• Programs whose membership was inactivated due to nonpayment of dues will have their membership reinstated if the dues are fully paid within a 6 month period after the date on which the membership was inactivated.  A late fee for reactivation may be assessed. Those who wish to rejoin after that period has lapsed will need to reapply to APPAP.

 

Section 5. 

Dues and Fees: 

• Fiscal Year – The fiscal year of this Association shall be established by the Board
• The initial application fee and the membership dues will be reviewed annually and from time to time may be adjusted as determined by the Board.

 

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors

 

Section 1. 

Titles and General Duties of Officers: 

The officers of the Association shall constitute the Board of Directors of the Association, and shall manage its affairs. The Board of Directors shall have charge of the property and financial affairs of the Association and shall perform such duties as are prescribed by law and the bylaws. It shall carry out the policies established at the board and member meetings and take necessary interim action for the Association and carry out duties and functions delegated to it by the Assembly.

The authorized number of the Board of Directors shall be nine (9), until changed by amendment of these Bylaws and shall include President, Immediate Past President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and four (4) Directors at Large. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these Bylaws. The duties of the aforementioned positions are outlined below.

President

• Shall preside over board meetings, serving as the official spokesperson for APPAP
• Shall be responsible for organizing official reports on behalf of APPAP
• Perform such other duties as delineated by the board of APPAP

President-Elect

• Shall preside over board meetings or in other capacities as deemed necessary in the absence of the President
• Prepare meeting agendas and any other disseminated correspondence
• Chair preparation of activities, promotional events on behalf of APPAP
• Help coordinate and assist in any other duties as delegated by the President

Immediate-Past President

• Help coordinate and assist in any other duties as delegated by the President
• Serve as the liaison for APPAP to external committees

Secretary

• Shall maintain general meeting minutes and develop appropriate reports for the membership
• Shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all Assembly meetings and meetings of the Board

Treasurer

• Maintain financial records and demonstrate fiscal responsibility of the budget
• Maintain accurate records required for nonprofit status

House Delegate(s)

• Shall represent the membership of APPAP in AAPA’s House of Delegates
• Shall communicate to the membership, following the House of Delegates, an appropriate report of updates
• Help coordinate and assist in any other duties as delegated by the President or President-Elect

Directors at Large

• Shall be an active member of APPAP
• Shall help coordinate and encourage activities, promotional events and meetings for the general membership
• Maintains communication with membership through regular reports as deemed appropriate by the membership
• Support and provide continuity by fulfilling the envisioned future, strategic plan, and policies of APPAP
• Help coordinate and assist in any other duties as delegated by the President or President-Elect

 

Section 2. 

Minimum Qualifications and Election of Officers: 

All candidates must have maintained active APPAP membership status and remained in good standing for a full calendar year, prior to being elected to office. In addition, in order to be accepted as a candidate for President-Elect, members must be a representative of an Active Program and must have previously served on a standing committee or Board of Directors. The president shall serve for a period of one year, or until his/her successor is elected. The secretary/treasurer shall serve for a period of two years, or until his/her successor is elected. The Directors at Large serve for a two-year term.. The term of office shall begin on January 1 following the Assembly at which they are elected and remain in office until December 31 of the same calendar year. No member shall hold more than one office at a time.

The officers of the Association shall be elected by a simple majority vote of the voting members or their designated proxies at the autumn meeting of the Assembly.

 

Section 3. 

Vacancy and Removal from Offices:

• Vacancy
  Should no nomination be received for a Board of Director office, the responsibility of this vacancy shall be assumed by the Board until the next election can be held. Following the election of the Board of Directors, should a vacancy be determined by resignation, if removed from the position, death or other reason, this vacancy shall be assumed by the Board until the next election can be held.
  
• Removal from Office
  The Board of Directors may declare vacant the office of any Board member if one has been convicted of a felony, found to have breached any duty of confidentiality or is found unsound in mind or action by any court of competent jurisdiction, or who fails to meet required office expectations that was in effect at the beginning of the member’s current term. This person shall be banned from holding any future office on the APPAP Board of Directors. This vacancy shall be assumed by the Board until the next election can be held.

 

ARTICLE V 

Meetings 

 

Section 1. Meetings of the Members: 

Meetings of the Members of the Association shall be known as an Assembly. An annual Assembly shall be held at such time at such place as the Board may designate.

 

Section 2. Special Meetings: 

Special meetings of the Assembly may be called for any purpose, by a majority of the voting members of the Board, or by five Voting members of the association.  Special meetings must be held with an option for virtual attendance. The President shall determine the date and time of such meetings, and notice shall be sent via email to each member of the Association at their designated email address not less than thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

 

Section 3. Quorum of the Assembly: 

A simple majority of votes of the majority of those voting members present at any Assembly shall be sufficient to pass any of the business of the Association.

 

Section 4. Voting Members & Voting:

Each Active Program shall be allowed one vote per program. If an Active Program Member abstains from voting the abstention shall be recorded as such and counted on the side of the matter receiving the highest number of votes. Recusal for these purposes means (i) not voting, and after answering any questions posed by the other Voting members (ii) leaving the meeting for the remainder of time in which that vote is being considered.

 

Section 5. Meetings of the Board: 

The Board shall meet at least twice a year. A majority of members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Association by the Board at its meetings.

 

ARTICLE VI

Meeting Conduct:

Meetings shall be governed by such rules of procedure as may be reasonably appropriate under the circumstances, insofar as such rules are not inconsistent or in conflict with these Bylaws, with the Articles of Incorporation of this Corporation, or with law.

ARTICLE VII  

Committees:

 

Section 1.

General Information:

The Board of Directors may, by resolution adopted by a majority of the board members, provided that a quorum is present, create one or more standing, special or ad hoc committees. All committees shall be advisory to the Board of Directors, carrying out tasks/work of the Association, unless they are granted specific authority to act on behalf of the Board.

 

Section 2.

Committee Operations and Communication:

Each committee shall be responsible for its own internal organization consistent with these Bylaws, except with respect to financial matters, which shall be managed by the Board of Directors. Official correspondence of each committee shall be conducted through the Administrative assistants of the APPAP.

 

Section 3. 

Standing Committee Purpose:

The primary purpose of standing committees shall be to consider and recommend actions and propose policies in the functional areas under their jurisdictions, subject to final approval by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.

Standing Committees Goals and Objectives:

Membership and Engagement

The aim of the Membership and Engagement Committee is to cultivate a robust membership through the development and maintenance of effective and innovative member resources. Duties of this Committee include, but are not limited to:

• Develop, maintain, and annually update member and non-member specific resources.
• Advise the Board of Directors on developing policies and strategies that could impact member recruitment and engagement.
• Provide guidance in directing and encouraging value-added programs and other member services.
• Support APPAP strategic plan and initiatives.

Finance and Strategic Development

The aim of the Finance and Strategic Development Committee is to evaluate and recommend financial and other development strategies congruent with the mission, vision, and culture of APPAP.  Duties of this Committee include, but are not limited to:

• Annually assess the Association’s potential for growth and financial development.
• Provide strategic oversight necessary to ensure that Association financial resources are appropriately deployed to support the pursuit and achievement of the mission and vision of APPAP.
• Review proposed financial development policies and recommend changes to the Board of Directors.
• Support APPAP strategic plan and initiatives.

Research

The aim of the Research Committee is to foster and encourage a culture of research and scholarship among APPAP members and APP Fellows. Duties of this Committee include, but are not limited to:

• Encourage, promote and coordinate scholarly and research curriculum geared toward postgraduate education programs
• Identify new postgraduate training research articles to use for APPAP purposes
• Organize multidisciplinary panel to review and select Linda Brandt Research award recipient

 

Section 5.

Committee Membership:

All active members in good standing with the APPAP are eligible for committee membership.

 

Section 6.

Committee Chair Eligibility:

All Committee Chairs shall be members in good standing and may serve on any standing, special or ad hoc committees. Each committee Chair shall be appointed a chair by the President. Each committee chair shall not serve more than three consecutive terms.

The term of office for Chairs of Standing Committees shall be 1 year, from January 1 to December 31 of the same calendar year.  Special and Ad Hoc Committee Chairs shall serve until the committee has met its objectives or until  suspended/terminated by the Board or Directors.

The duties of all Committee Chairs shall include, but not be limited to:

• Schedule meetings and prepare the agenda
• Preside over meetings
• Prepare meeting summary and report essential recommendations to the Board of Directors
• Perform other duties as consistent with the efficient management of the committee.

 

Section 7.

Committee Dissolution:

A resolution recommending dissolution of a committee may be passed by majority vote of the Board of Directors.  

 

ARTICLE VIII 

Amendment of Bylaws:

These Bylaws may be amended at any regular business meeting of the Association by a majority vote of the voting member of active programs present, provided that the amendment has been submitted to the Board and Bylaws Committee, and has been distributed in written notice to the voting members of the Association no less than thirty (30) days prior to that meeting. The voting member of an active program who cannot attend in person may submit their vote prior to the meeting or within seven (7) calendars days following the date of the meeting.

 

Revised July 2021