CONSTITUTION and BYLAWS

 

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY ANESTHESIOLOGISTS

 

CONSTITUTION

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY ANESTHESIOLOGISTS

Article I

Name

Section 1

 

The name of this organization shall be the "American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists" (hereinafter referred to as the "College").

 

Article II

Definition of Veterinary Anesthesiology

Section 1

 

Veterinary anesthesiology is defined as:

 

 

a.         The application of methods to relieve pain, to relax muscles and to facilitate restraint during surgical, obstetrical and other medical procedures.

b.         The support of life functions in patients under the stress of anesthetic and surgical manipulations.

c.         The clinical management of a patient unconscious from whatever cause.

d.         The management of procedures associated with relief of pain.

e.         The management of procedures in cardiac and respiratory resuscitation.

f.          The application of specific methods of inhalation therapy.

g.         The clinical management of fluid, electrolyte and metabolic balance.

h.         The administration of drugs for the restraint of domestic animals and capture of wild animal species.

 

 

Article III

Incorporation

Section 1

 

The American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists shall be incorporated under the laws governing the State of Tennessee as a non-profit educational organization.

 

Section 2

 

The term of organization shall be continual.

 

Section 3

 

Should this organization become dissolved, its property shall be disposed of by the Board of Directors or turned over to the A.V.M.A. Foundation. In either event, all property shall be distributed to veterinary medical educational institutions.

 

Section 4

 

If the A.V.M.A. Foundation is not exempt under 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code, or if the A.V.M.A. Foundation is no longer in existence at the time of dissolution, the residual assets of the A.C.V.A. will be turned over to one or more organizations which themselves are exempt as organizations described in Sections 501 (c) (3) and 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or corresponding sections of any prior or future Internal Revenue Code, or to the Federal, State or local government for exclusive public purpose.

 

Article IV

Purpose

Section 1

 

To establish, evaluate and maintain the highest standards in the practice of veterinary anesthesiology by promoting establishment of educational facilities and clinical and research training in veterinary anesthesiology at the undergraduate and post-doctoral levels.

 

Section 2

 

To establish criteria of fitness for the designation of a specialist in the practice of veterinary anesthesiology.

 

Section 3

 

To advise the Council on Education of the A.V.M.A. on matters concerning approval of veterinary anesthesiology training programs.

 

Section 4

 

To arrange and conduct examinations to determine the competence in veterinary anesthesiology of veterinarians who apply and to issue certificates to those who meet the required standards. The major criteria on which judgement of competence shall be based include:

 

a.         Technical facility

 

Facility in providing for all technical services required for practice of specialty and for training the specialist in veterinary anesthesiology.

 

b.         Medical judgment

 

Medical decision making appropriate to solution of medical problems which arise during the practice of anesthesiology.

 

c.         Scholarship

 

The talent, training and habits of study conducive to the maintenance of high standards of achievements and to the competencies to develop, evaluate and apply new knowledge in veterinary anesthesia.

 

 

Section 5

 

To serve the public, veterinary profession, hospitals and veterinary schools and colleges by preparing a list for publication of veterinarians certified by the College.

 

Section 6

 

The purposes for which the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists is organized are exclusively scientific and educational within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law. Notwithstanding, any other provision of these articles, this organization shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law.

 

Article V

Membership and Qualifications

Section 1

 

There shall be five types of membership in this College:

 

 

a.         Founding Charter Diplomate

b.         Charter Diplomate

c.         Diplomate

d.         Emeritus Diplomate

e.         Inactive Diplomate

 

Section 2

 

Qualifications of Diplomates

 

 

a.         Founding Charter Diplomates are those veterinarians who have joined together to organize the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists. These veterinarians shall meet two or more of the following criteria:

1.         Be a professor or head of an academic department (or section) in the specialty.

2.         Have authored significant publications in the specialty.

3.         Have ten years experience in the specialty with 75% of his or her time devoted to the specialty as well as significant contribution to the development of the specialty.

4.         Have advanced training in the specialty and have thoroughly demonstrated his or her competence in teaching, research or practice of the specialty.

 

b.         The Founding Charter Diplomates having met these criteria shall comprise the original Board of Directors of the College. The Board of Directors shall hereinafter be referred to as the "Board". They shall initiate election of officers as wet forth in Article III, Section 3 of the Bylaws of this Constitution.

c.         Charter Diplomate

1.         Other veterinarians having met one or more of the qualifications set forth above shall be invited to make application for Charter Diplomate status. They may be elected Charter Diplomates by two- thirds vote of the Founding Charter Diplomates and approval of the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Election of the Charter Diplomates must take place within one year following official recognition of the College.

2.         Founding Charter Diplomates and Charter Diplomates shall hereinafter be known as Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists.

 

d.         Diplomate

1.         A veterinarian of high ethical character who has fulfilled the requirements set forth in Article 1, Section 2 and 3 of the Bylaws of this Constitution.

2.         Election of the candidate to Diplomate status shall be by majority vote of the Board of the College.

 

e.         Emeritus Diplomate

1.         At his or her request, a Diplomate may be elected to Emeritus Diplomate status. A candidate for Emeritus Diplomate must be retired or have reached 65 years of age.

2.         He or she shall not be required to pay dues. Voting privileges are retained but an Emeritus Diplomate may not hold office.

3.         Election of a Diplomate to Emeritus Diplomate shall require a majority vote of the College.

 

f.          Inactive Diplomate

1.         Upon discontinuation of active professional participation in Veterinary Anesthesiology, a Diplomate must assume Inactive Diplomate status.

2.         An Inactive Diplomate shall not have the privilege of holding office or voting. He or she shall not be required to pay dues.

3.         Upon resumption of active participation in Veterinary Anesthesiology, an Inactive Diplomate, at his or her request, may reacquire Diplomate status. This request shall be made to the Board and may be approved by majority vote of the Board.

 

 

Section 3

 

Honorary Diplomate

 

 

a.         Honorary Diplomate status may be conferred on an individual who has made substantial contributions to the development and progress of Veterinary Anesthesiology.

b.         Honorary Diplomates shall not have the privilege of holding office in the College or voting during business sessions of the College.

c.         A majority vote of the College is required to confer Honorary Diplomate status.

 

Article VI

Officers

 

Section 1

 

The following shall compose the administrative structure of the College:

 

 

I.          Officers

a.         President

b.         President-elect

c.         Executive Secretary

 

II.         Board of Directors

 

Section 2

 

Duties and term of office for officers and Directors have been set forth in Article II, Section 1 a, b, c and Section 2 of the Bylaws of this Constitution.

 

Article VII

Amendments

 

Section 1

 

This Constitution may be amended by the voting membership of the College as follows:

 

 

a.         Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Board of the College for study 120 days prior to the Annual Meeting.

b.         Proposed amendments, approved by the Board, shall be distributed to the voting membership 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting.

c.         Such amendments shall be introduced by the President and discussed by the membership at the next regular meeting.

d.         Within 30 days following the regular meeting, the Secretary shall mail a ballot to each voting member along with the proposed amendments.

e.         Ballots shall be returned to the Secretary within 60 days following the regular meeting, properly sealed in a plain envelope which must be enclosed in a signed certification envelope.

f.          Approval of amendments shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds vote of the active membership.

g.         Emergency amendments, as declared by the Board, shall be voted on at the Annual Meeting or by mail ballot, as determined by unanimous decision of the Board. Approval of emergency amendments by mail ballot shall require a majority vote of the College membership. Votes taken at the Annual Meeting shall require two-thirds majority of the attending members.

 

Article VIII

Revocation of Certification and Disciplinary Action

 

Section 1

 

Certification may be revoked by the Board for any or all of the following reasons:

 

 

a.         If certification was in violation of any of the provisions set forth in this Constitution or Bylaws.

b.         Misrepresentation or omission of information requested by the certifying body.

c.         Revocation of certification shall require two-thirds vote of the Board.

 

Section 2

 

Disciplinary action may be taken against any member certified by the College for:

 

 

a.         Unethical practice of the specialty, fraudulent misrepresentation or conviction of civil or criminal acts considered by the Board to be detrimental to the veterinary profession and the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists.

b.         Revocation of certification as a disciplinary action for reasons stated above shall require two-thirds vote of the College.

c.         It shall be the right of the person so charged to appear before the Board in defense of any and all charges before final decision is rendered by the College.

d.         In the event of revocation of certification, the individual possessing the certificate in question shall return same upon written demand by the Board.

e.         Non-compliance within thirty days of written notice shall be just cause for legal action as deemed necessary by the Board for repossession of the certificate in question.

 

Article IX

Discretion of the Board

 

Section 1

 

Authority of the Board

 

a.         All decisions relative to standards for admission to examinations, degree of competency, classification of Diplomate status, and recommendations for correcting deficiencies in degree of competence and all other matters not stated otherwise in this Constitution and Bylaws rest with the Board.

b.         Recommendation to the College by any and all committees must have final approval of the Board.

c.         All determinations and decisions by the Board shall be conclusive and final unless otherwise stated in this Constitution and Bylaws.

 

-

 

BYLAWS

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY ANESTHESIOLOGISTS

(Amended 2006)

 

Article I          Membership and Examination

 

Section 1. Qualifications and types of membership have been set forth in Article V, Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

 

Section 2. Requirements for admission to examination for Diplomate Status

 

            A. Application for admission to the examination must be made only after a veterinarian has completed a clinical veterinary anesthesiology residency in an approved training program as outlined in the Residency Training Standards.   Application must be made to the Executive Secretary on a form prescribed and provided by the College, through its website or executive secretary, and must be filed on or before September 1 of the year prior to the date of the examination. Eligibility rulings are made by the Board of Directors of the College on recommendation of the Credentials Committee.

 

B. Each applicant, before he or she shall become eligible for certification as a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists, must:

 

1. Be a graduate of a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited or approved by the AVMA, or possess a certificate issued by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG), or be legally qualified to practice veterinary medicine in some state, province, territory or possession of the United States, Canada, or other country.

 

2. Establish in a manner satisfactory to the College that he or she:

a. Is licensed to practice veterinary medicine in the United States or Canada. Exceptions may be approved by the Board of Directors (e.g., practice of anesthesia or anesthesia research in an academic institution which does not require state licensure).

 

b. Is of high ethical and professional standing.

 

c. Completed one year of clinical practice of veterinary medicine or equivalent experience (e.g. a rotating internship) prior to the start of or upon completion of an anesthesia residency program.

 

d. Has submitted to the Credentials Committee an acceptable manuscript demonstrating results of an experimental or clinical investigation in anesthesiology. This manuscript must have been published in an acceptable refereed journal or be accepted for publication by an acceptable refereed journal by December 31 of the year of application.

e. Has satisfactorily completed special training in anesthesiology, according to the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists Residency Training Standards.

                                   

f. The Credentials Committee, acting as a committee of the whole, reserves the right to reject an applicant for any and all reasons. The action of the College shall be final. Formal appeal may be submitted as outlined in Article I, Section 4 of these Bylaws.

 

                        g. Each applicant shall be examined in such a                                         manner and under such rules as the Examination                                                        Committee may prescribe.

      

Section 3.   Written and oral certifying examinations

      

 A. Members of the Examination Committee shall comprise the

examiners of the College.

            B. Examinations shall cover all phases of veterinary

anesthesiology, including the basic sciences and clinical application. An applicant is entitled to examination each year within a three year period. In the event a candidate fails an oral or written examination, at least ten months must elapse before re-examination. Oral and written examinations must be completed within three calendar years. The three-year period begins on the date an applicant first sits for the written examination.

            C. Written examination: An eligible applicant may take this examination upon completion of the requirements outlined in Section 2 if the applicant’s credentials are accepted by the Credentials Committee of the College. Written examinations will be held annually at locations designated by the Examination Committee of the College. Examination schedules shall be published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Examinations shall cover all phases of veterinary anesthesiology, including the basic sciences and clinical applications. A passing grade, as determined by the Examination Committee and approved by the Board of Directors, is required.

            D. Oral examination: After successful completion of the entire written examination of the College, the candidate may be declared eligible to appear for oral examination. Oral examinations will be held annually at locations designated by the Examination Committee of the College. Examination schedules shall be published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

             E. Failure to take an examination, after having made application, constitutes an opportunity the same as failure to pass an examination. Under extenuating circumstances, a candidate may apply for extension of the three-year period. Under similar circumstances, the Examination Committee, entirely at its discretion, may excuse a candidate from any scheduled examination without penalty, provided the request for such absence is filed prior to the time of the examination.

            F. The Examination Committee reserves the right to limit the number of candidates to be admitted to any and all examinations.

            G. The fee for certifying examinations, written or oral, and examination procedures will be established by the Board of Directors of the ACVA.

            H. All applicants shall be notified by express courier (with confirmed delivery) of the final decision of the Board in writing by the Executive Secretary or by the Examination Committee Chairperson.

            I. All examinations are conducted in English.

 

Section 4.    Appeals Procedure: A candidate adversely affected by an ACVA Credentials or Examination Committee decision may petition for review of the decision by filing, with the Chairperson of the Committee, a written petition for reconsideration, which shall include a statement of the grounds for reconsideration and documentation, if any, in support of the petition. Such a petition must be filed within 30 days of the date on which the Credentials or Examination Committee announces its decision or within 30 days of the date on which the Committee advises the affected person of the availability of this appeals procedure, whichever is later In the event of continued conflict between the petitioner and the College, appeals notification may be directed to the Advisory Board on Veterinary Specialties, of the American Veterinary Medical Association, with a copy to the President, and Board of Directors, of the ACVA.

      

Section 5. Persons certified by this College shall be designated Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists.

 

Article II

Duties and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors

 

Section 1.a. President

 

This officer will represent the College and conduct business meetings at least once yearly. The term of office shall be for two years and shall begin January 1.

 

Section 1.b. President-Elect

 

This officer will assist the President as requested and conduct activities of the College in the President’s absence. He or she shall succeed to the office of President should that office be vacated. There must be a close liaison between this office and that of President to assure continuity of the College activities. The term of office shall be for two years and shall begin January 1. The President-Elect automatically becomes President at the conclusion of the President’s term.

 

Section 1.c. Executive Secretary

 

This officer is responsible for processing applications and carrying on all correspondence relative to the operations of the College. A bank account shall be established and operated by this officer for all exchange of monies. Records of all Diplomates of the College are to be kept by this officer. Certificates are issued by the officer to applicants who have successfully completed the examinations of the College and, hereinafter, are declared Diplomates. The term of office shall be for three years and shall begin January 1 of the calendar year.

 

Section 2. Board of Directors

 

The Board of Directors will direct and provide guidance to College activities and ensure continuity and progress year-to-year in the conductance of College business. The Board of Directors shall consist of 11 members. They will consist of the President, President-Elect, and Executive Secretary; 5 regional Directors elected from within each of 5 regions; and 3 at-large Directors elected by the College as a whole. The President-Elect and Executive Secretary will be nonvoting members of the Board. The 8 elected Directors will serve 4-year terms. Consecutive terms of office on the Board of Directors is prohibited. The Chairman of the Board will be elected by the Board members from the 8 elected Directors and will serve a 2-year term. The President may not serve simultaneously as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

 

Regions will be composed of:

 

Region 1                     Region 2         Region 3         Region 4         Region 5

Connecticut                  Alabama           Arkansas          Illinois   Alaska

Maine                           Delaware          Iowa                Indiana             Alberta

Massachusetts Florida             Kansas             Michigan          Arizona

New Brunswick            Georgia            Louisiana          Minnesota        British Columbia

New Hampshire           Kentucky         Manitoba          Ohio                 California

New Jersey                  Maryland          Mississippi        Wisconsin         Colorado

New York                    North Carolina Missouri                                   Hawaii

Newfoundland South Carolina Nebraska                                  Idaho

Nova Scotia                 Tennessee        North Dakota                           Montana

Ontario                         Virginia             Oklahoma                                Nevada

Pennsylvania                 West Virginia    South Dakota                           New Mexico

Prince Edward Island                            Texas                                       Northwest Territories

Quebec                                                                                                Oregon

Rhode Island                                                                                        Saskatchewan

Vermont                                                                                               Utah

                                                                                                            Washington

                                                                                                            Wyoming

                                                                                                            Yukon Territory

                                                                                                            All countries

other than

US & Canada

Article III

Administration of College

 

Section 1. Board of Directors of the College

 

The elected regional, at-large Directors, President, President-Elect, and Executive Secretary (Article VI of Constitution) shall be the Board of Directors of the College.

 

Section 2. The College shall meet annually at a site selected by the Board. Written notice shall precede the meeting dates by at least 270 days. The Board shall meet at least once a year. Special meetings shall be held if requested by the Board. The conduct of all meetings shall follow the procedures set forth in the revised edition of Roberts Rules of Order.

 

Section 3. Nominations and Elections

 

A.        A slate of officers shall be presented to the membership by a Nominating Committee composed of three members of the College, appointed for a term of one year by the President. Additional nominations shall be acceptable from the floor at the annual business session.

 

Voting for officers shall be made by ballot unless a single candidate is nominated, in which case the vote may be taken at viva voice. A simple majority of votes shall be necessary to elect. If on any ballot of more than two candidates a tie vote occurs, the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated and the voting proceed until a majority is obtained. A tie vote with two candidates shall be decided by the President casting the tie breaking vote.

 

B.         A slate of regional and a slate of at-large Directors shall be presented to the membership by a nominating committee composed of the outgoing elected Board members. Nominees will provide a brief statement of their willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort to effectively serve as well as their goals for their term as Director. Voting for Directors shall be made by ballot. A simple majority of votes shall be necessary to elect regional Directors. If on any ballot of more than two candidates a tie vote occurs, the candidate receiving the smallest number of votes shall be eliminated and the voting proceed until a majority is obtained. Regional Directors will be elected by members from within that region. At-large Directors will be elected by the general membership. The three at-large candidates with the highest vote totals shall be elected as at-large Directors.

 

Section 4. Committees

 

Standing committee members shall be appointed from the active membership by the President such that terms overlap. Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the following criteria shall dictate the committee chairperson:

 

A.        The senior committee member (person having served longest) will be chairperson.

B.         If a committee member is unable to fulfill his or her term, a replacement shall be appointed by the President to fulfill the unexpired term.

C.                 A committee member may be reappointed by the President, but shall not retain seniority.

D.                 The chairperson of each committee will submit an annual report to the President or Executive Secretary by October 1 of that year. The report will be reviewed by the Board of Directors.

 

Section 5. Credentials Committee

 

A.        The Credentials Committee shall be composed of five members of the College, appointed by the President on recommendation of the Board. Terms will be for a three year period. The President shall be an ex-officio member of this committee.

B.         Duties of this committee shall be to certify eligibility of applicants requesting examination by the College and to provide information regarding certification.

C.        Applicants approved for eligibility shall be notified by the Executive Secretary after review and approval by the Board of Directors and no later than January 31of the year of examination.

D.        This committee shall notify applicants who are not deemed eligible for examination and delineate areas of deficiency.

 

Section 6. Examination Committee

 

A.        Each year, the President-Elect will appoint 3 new members to the Examination Committee. The Examination Committee will then be composed of the President-Elect and 9 appointed members (total of 10 members). The President-Elect will appoint one of the 3 third year members of the Examination Committee to act as chairperson of the Examination Committee for that calendar year. The President-Elect will act as a functioning member of the Committee and will act as liaison to the Board of Directors.

 

B.         The term of office shall be for three years.

 

C.        The duties of this committee shall be:

1.         Preparation, administration and grading of all certifying examinations.

2.         Report to the President results of such examinations and make recommendations to the Board on the competency of candidates.

3.         At least one member of this committee or other College members, designated by the chairperson, will monitor written examinations.

4.         Provide at least three members of this committee at all oral examinations.

 

Section 7. Committee on Education

 

A.        The committee shall be composed of, but not limited to, three members.

B.         The term of office will be for three years.

C.        The President may appoint additional members for terms not to exceed three years, as deemed necessary.

D.        The duties of the committee shall be to:

1.         Conduct scientific sessions in conjunction with the ASA or other locations, as designated by the Board.

2.         Conduct other appropriate educational programs, as determined by the Board.

 

 

Section 8. Committee for Appeals of Credentials and Examination Outcomes

 

A.     The Committee for Appeals of Credential and Examination Outcomes will be composed of, but not limited to, three members of the College who are not serving on the Credentials or Examination Committees or as Officers or Board of Director members.

B.  The term of office shall be for three years. Appointments to the
Committee shall be staggered so that one new member is appointed to the
Committee annually.

C.     The duties of the committee shall be to:

1.      Receive all appeals from candidates who have either failed to be accepted into the certification process or to pass an examination.

2.      Make a judgement on each case based on information provided by the complainant and the responsible committee.

3.      Submit a recommendation to the Board of Directors for a final decision.

4.      Inform the complainant of the Board of Directors conclusion.

5.      Assist the complainant, with the responsible committee, in formulating a plan toward achieving successful certification.

 

Section 9. Committee to prepare the annual and Five Year reports to the AVMA

 

A.     The committee will be composed of six members and will include the:

1.      ACVA President

2.      ACVA Past  President

3.      Chairperson of the ACVA Board of Directors

4.      Immediate Past Chairperson of the ACVA Board of Directors

5.      ACVA Executive Secretary

6.      Current ACVA Representative to the American Board of Veterinary Specialties

B.     The term of office will be determined by the above.

C.     Duties of this committee shall be to complete and submit the annual and five year reports to the American Board of Veterinary Specialties in a timely manner.

 

Section 10: Committee for Residency Training

A.     The Committee for Residency Training will be composed of, but not limited to, three members of the College who are not serving on either the credentials or examination committees.

B.     The term of office will be 2 years.

C.     The duties of the Committee for Residency Training shall be to:

1.      Oversee the content of a page on the College website devoted to assisting residents in their preparation for submitting their credentials for the examination.

2.      Coordinate issues related to resident training (ECVA/ACVA reciprocity, etc)

 

Section 11: Editor of the Journal

 

A.     An Editor for Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia will be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve a three-year term as editor for the Americas (North and South America).  The Editor may be reappointed for further terms by the Board of Directors.

 

B.     The Editor will provide an annual report to the College with regard to the number of submissions received, the numbers accepted and rejected and the time taken from receipt of an article to acceptance or rejection.  This report should also contain information with regard to the time taken for manuscripts to be reviewed and the time taken for editing.

 

C.     The Editor will have the trust of the College to carry out his/her duties with regard to acceptance/rejection of manuscripts, correspondence and editorials.

 

D.     The Board of Directors will have the right to terminate the appointment of the Editor at any time if, in the judgment of the Board, the Editor is failing in his/her duties with regard to the duration of the review and editing process or has engaged in unethical behavior with regard to his/her duties.

 

 

Section 12: Other committees may be appointed by the President on recommendations of the Board, as deemed necessary.

 

 

Article IV

Dues

 

Section 1. Annual dues for members of the College become payable January 1 of each calendar year. Any proposed change in the amount shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and approved by a majority vote of the attending Diplomates at the annual business meeting. A written notice of the proposed change must be sent to all Diplomates thirty days prior to the annual business meeting. Dues are delinquent April 1 and, if not paid by May 1, membership in the College will be terminated, but only after notification of the member in question by registered mail, return receipt requested.

 

Section 2. Reactivation of membership may be done by petition to the Executive Secretary with payment of all delinquent dues.

 

Section 3.  Each active member of the college is required to submit two (2) multiple choice questions per year with their annual dues in order to be considered an active member. Each question must follow the format provided by the Executive Secretary of the ACVA and available on the ACVA Web page.

 

Article V

Amendments

 

Section 1. The By-Laws may be amended by the voting membership of the College at the annual meeting by majority vote, provided written or electronically posted notice of the proposed change has been sent to the membership a minimum of thirty days prior to voting procedures.

 

Section 2. Emergency By-Law amendments, as declared by the Board, may be made by mail ballot by majority vote of the total College or two-thirds of the attending membership of the annual session.

 

Article VI

 

The seal shall contain the words "American College of Veterinary Anesthesiologists. Founded in 1975."