Published：2016-10-25 Hits：125
The International Society on Aging and Disease (ISOAD) is a non-profit organization comprised of people from many countries and various professional disciplines doing training and research in the fields of aging and aged-related disease.
The mission of the International Society on Aging and Disease (ISOAD) is to advance discovery into the relationship between aging and diseases of all kinds, for the advancement of healthy longevity of the elderly population, through innovative research, training and dissemination of new knowledge, and to recognize outstanding contributions to the science of aging and disease.
The goals of the ISOAD are to:
1. Improve the quality of lives through stimulating research into the association between aging and aged-related disease.
2. Facilitate interactions among investigators in aging and disease.
3. Hold biennial international meeting of leading thinkers in aging and aged-related disease.
4. Disseminate recent discoveries of the interaction between aging and aged-related disease through its journal, Aging and Disease.
5. Lobby funding agencies about the importance of the study of aging and disease.
6. Accrue society members sufficient to achieve these goals.
A. General
The International Society on Aging and Disease (ISOAD) members actively support moving science and medicine of aging and aged-related disease towards the goal of improved human health worldwide.
ISOAD membership creates a connection with an international body of motivated researchers and practitioners from countries all over the world, who are dedicated to improving scientific knowledge regarding aging and aged-related disease.
B. Member Categories
The Society offers several categories of membership:
Supporting member: Any person of legal capacity, of any background, from anywhere in the world, interested and willing to support the science and medicine of aging and aged-related disease towards the goal of improved human health and longevity worldwide.
Professional Member: Persons with a degree from an accredited institution in a related field of the aging or aged-related disease.
Early Professional Member (Intern/Post Doc): Persons in the first five years following completion of all requirements for a Master's or doctoral degree from an accredited institution in a related field of the aging or aged-related disease.
Student Member: Student Members are students who are engaged in full-time study in a field allied with one or more aging or aged-related disease disciplines. Student Members are required to Student IDs as proof of full-time student status.
Organizational Member: Organizations involved in research, development and implementation related to aging and aging-related diseases. Organizational members must delegate a representative to act on their behalf at the ISOAD.
All categories of members have equal rights to participate in the ISOAD general assembly and vote on issues related to ISOAD activity as a whole. Yet, professional members have a privileged ability to serve in specific projects, sub-committees, working groups, action and coordination boards, and other consultative and executive structures organized by or acting on behalf of the ISOAD. Moreover, organizational members and national chapter coordinators have a privileged ability to form and lead such projects, sub-committees, working groups, action and coordination boards, and other consultative and executive structures organized by or on behalf of the ISOAD.
C. Membership status
1. An individual member can only belong to a single membership category.
2. Exception to C1: Representative of a member organization can act and vote as an individual professional member, in addition to his/her capacity as an organizational representative, provided the necessary accreditation and power of representation from the respective organization.
D. Admission of members
1. A person who wishes to become a member of the ISOAD will submit a request to the ISOAD Executive Committee.
2. The request to be admitted as a member of the ISOAD will be submitted to the Executive Committee, in written form, including the possibility of electronic registration, regardless of the place of the applicant residence.
3. The decision concerning admission or non-admission of the applicant as a member of the ISOAD will rest with the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee refuses to admit the applicant, he may lodge objection before the next general assembly.
4. Upon admission, certificate of membership will be issued to the member.
E. Rights and Obligations of a member
1. A member of the ISOAD is entitled to attend and vote at every general assembly and will have one vote at every voting, with the exception of organizational representative (cf. clause C2). He/she is entitled to elect and be elected to the Executive Committee and the auditing committee.
2. A member of the ISOAD is entitled to take part in its activities and to enjoy its services.
3. The Executive Committee may, with the approval of the general assembly, prescribe a membership fee and the method of its payment, the payment of which will be obligatory on the members.
4. Termination of membership of the ISOAD will not exempt from effecting payments due to the ISOAD from the member immediately before the termination of his/her membership in respect of the period up to such termination.
F. Termination of Membership
1. Membership in the ISOAD will terminate –
(a) upon the death of a member, and for an organizational member which is a body corporate – upon completion of its liquidation;
(b) upon retirement from the ISOAD; written notification of retirement will be submitted to the board thirty days in advance;
(c) upon expulsion from the ISOAD.
(d) The general assembly, upon suggestion of the Executive Committee, may decide to expel a member from the ISOAD on one of the following grounds:
(i) the member has not paid to the ISOAD what is due to it from him/her;
(ii) the member has failed to adhere to the instructions of the articles of association or decision of the general assembly;
(iii) the member acts in conflict with the purposes of the ISOAD;
(iv) the member was found guilty of an infamous crime.
(e) The Executive Committee may not recommend to the general assembly the expulsion of a member of the ISOAD until after he/she has been given due opportunity to voice his/her claims before the general assembly of the ISOAD, and will not make such expulsion based on that prescribed in sub-Section d(i, ii or iii), until it has warned the member and allowed him/her reasonable time to correct the offense.
G. Communication to a Member
Any invitation, request, warning or other communication by the ISOAD to a member, regardless of his/her place of residence, will be in writing and will be delivered to him personally or sent by ordinary mail, or electronic mail, to his address registered in the registry of members; on the written application by the member, the ISOAD will change his/her address and other personal details registered in the registry of members.
IV. General Assembly
A. Time and Place
The day, hour and place of a general assembly will be fixed by the Executive Committee.Unless specified otherwise by the Executive Committee, the general assembly will be held at the biennial International Conference of the ISOAD.
B. Invitation
A general assembly will be convened by notice to every member at least 30 days in advance, indicating the day, hour, place and agenda.
C. Functions of an Ordinary General Assembly
An ordinary general assembly will hear reports on the activities of the Executive Committee and the activities of the auditing committee, will consider them and the financial report submitted to it by the Executive Committee, will decide on their approval and will elect the Executive Committee and the Auditing Committee.
D. Quorum
A general assembly will be opened when any number of the ISOAD members are present, including electronic means of participation noted in the letter of invitation to the assembly, at the time noted in the invitation letter.
E. Means of participation in the general assembly
1. It is possible to conduct the general assembly, while including electronic means of participation, such as video conferences and video chats.
2. It is possible to conduct electronic votes using electronic voting systems.
F. Chairperson
A general assembly will elect a chairperson and a secretary for the assembly from among the members of the ISOAD.
G. Decisions
The decisions of a general assembly will be passed by most the votes of those voting unless the Law or these Articles require a different majority; where the votes are evenly divided, the chairperson of the meeting may be made the decision.
H. Minutes
The secretary of the general assembly will keep minutes of the meeting.
V. The Executive Committee
A. Number of Members
The number of the members of the Executive Committee will be fixed by decision of the general assembly but will not be less than two.
B. Officers
1. The Officers of the ISOAD will include: President, Chair, Vice President, Treasurer, Policy Coordinator, Outreach Coordinator, and additional executive powers and offices, as considered necessary by the Executive Committee.
2. A member of the Executive Committee can perform more than one executive officer task.
C. Period of Tenure
1. The Executive Committee will hold office from its election by a general assembly and until another general assembly elects a new Executive Committee.
2. A member of the outgoing Executive Committee may be re-elected to the new Executive Committee.
3. A member of the Executive Committee may resign at any time by written notice to the Executive Committee.
4. A member of the Executive Committee will cease to hold office if he/she has been declared legally incompetent or bankrupt.
D. Filling Vacancy on Executive Committee
Where the position of a member of the Executive Committee has fallen vacant, the remaining members or member may appoint another member of the ISOAD to hold office as a member of the Executive Committee until the next general assembly. Pending such an appointment, the remaining members or member of the Executive Committee may continue to act as an Executive Committee.
Where a member of the Executive Committee is unable to carry out his functions, the remaining members or member may appoint a member of the ISOAD to take his/her place until he/she again carries out his/her functions.
E. Meetings of the Executive Committee
1. The Executive Committee may itself arrange the times of its meetings, invitation to them, the required quorum and procedure for conducting them.
2. It will be possible to participate in the meetings of the Executive Committee and its votes using electronic means, such as tele-conference, video-chat, electronic voting system etc. The participants and the voters using electronic means at the time noted by the Executive Committee – will be considered as full participants of the Executive Committee meeting and its votes.
3. The Executive Committee may invite additional participants to its meetings, as observers, consultants and/or project leaders.
F. Decisions
1. The decisions of the Executive Committee will be passed by a majority of the votes of those voting; where the votes are evenly divided, the proposal will be regarded as rejected; a unanimous decision of all the members of the Executive Committee may be adopted outside the course of the Executive Committee meeting.
2. The Executive Committee will manage the affairs of the ISOAD, including decisions about the performance of projects and other activities to advance the purposes of the ISOAD, collection of donations and resources, employment and renting of services, personnel and facilities needed for the performance of projects and activities of the ISOAD.
3. The Executive Committee is entitled to establish sub-committees, working groups, and professional councils, such as for scientific, educational, cultural and other subjects as it will determine, and will define their mandate. The sub-committee, working group or council will act only within the framework of the mandate and subjects as determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will be entitled, at any time, to cancel the appointment of a sub-committee, working group or council, change the contingent of their members and establish additional directives regarding their activities. Without detracting of the said above, the sub-committees, working groups and councils are entitled to establish the proceeding of their work and ways of their activities for the fulfillment of the mandates subject to the decisions of the board.
4. The Executive Committee is entitled to establish special functions for its members and members of the ISOAD for the performance of activities and advancement of the purposes of the ISOAD.
G. Minutes
The Executive Committee will keep minutes of its meetings and decisions.
H. Right of Representation
The Executive Committee may empower the ISOAD’s members and/or its employees to sign documents which bind the ISOAD on behalf of the ISOAD, and to perform on its behalf acts which are within the competence of the Executive Committee.
VI. The Auditing Committee
Application of Provisions
The procedural provisions, regarding the Executive Committee, will also apply, mutatis mutandis, to the auditing committee.
VII. National Chapters of the International Society on Aging and Disease (ISOAD)
A. Establishment
1. The ISOAD Executive Committee has the right to establish National Chapters and determine their mandate.
2. Any group of ISOAD members from a particular country can request recognition from the Executive Committee to become a National Chapter.
3. The ISOAD may accept existing NGOs and NPOs in particular countries, with goals similar to ISOAD, as federated members of ISOAD, and affiliate them with National Chapters.
4. The National Chapters may organize their activities freely, provided those do not contradict the goals of the ISOAD and the decisions of the ISOAD Executive Committee or the General Assembly.
5. In case of contradiction between the decisions of the National Chapters and those of the ISOAD Central Organs, the latter take precedence.
6. National Chapters will appoint National executive committees of at least 3 members, including general coordinators and/or representatives accountable to the ISOAD Executive Committee.
7. Members of ISOAD can participate in more than one National Chapter.
8. Upon establishment, the National Chapter will receive a certificate of affiliation.
B. Duties and Benefits
1. The Chapter duty will include safe-guarding the good standing of the ISOAD members from a particular country and upholding the scientific and public goals of the ISOAD within the particular country.
2. The Chapter duties will be to apprise the possibilities of promoting the goals of the ISOAD in particular countries and local areas, suggesting corresponding activities to the Executive Committee or performing such activities themselves, provided they do not contradict the goals of the ISOAD or the decisions of its Executive Committee or General Assembly.
3. Representatives of the National Chapters may join the ISOAD Executive Committee.
4. Representatives of the National Chapters may join the Editorial Board of the ISOAD journal – Aging and Disease, as well as its other publishing and media venues.
5. Representatives of National Chapters may join working groups and sub-committees of the ISOAD.
6. National chapters may host conferences of the ISOAD, locally and internationally.
7. National chapters and their representatives may take leading parts in research, education and advocacy programs organized by the ISOAD.
8. National chapters may have a name reminding of their affiliation with the ISOAD, e.g. ISOAD China, and/or have the association with the ISOAD mentioned on their register.
9. National Chapters may have privileged attention and information on the opportunities of funding and promotion within the ISOAD general projects and frameworks.
C. Cooperation with organizations having similar goals
The ISOAD, and its national chapters, will cooperate with public bodies, research institutions and other organizations, acting for the sake of similar purposes, and will be entitled to enter with such bodies into partnerships, become affiliated with them and/or represent them according to mutual agreement and subject to local national and international law.
VIII. Assets Following Liquidation
In case of liquidation, where any assets remain after the ISOAD has been liquidated and its debts have been paid in full, such assets will be transferred to another society having similar objectives, and will not be distributed between members of the ISOAD.