AACEM Operational Guidelines

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Approved by the SAEM Board of Directors - February 2024

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine (AACEM).

Mission and Objectives

The mission of AACEM is to enhance and support academic departments of Emergency Medicine as they improve health care through high-quality education and research.

Objectives
  • Providing guidance for the administration and operation of existing and new academic departments of emergency medicine.
  • Discovering and disseminating resources for the growth and development of academic emergency medicine departments and chairs.
  • Facilitating leadership development in academic emergency medicine.
  • Developing partnerships and cooperative relationships with other organizations and societies to advance and advocate for academic emergency medicine.

Relationship to SAEM

AACEM is an organization within the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). As such, it shares the same bylaws. Below are operational guidelines specific to AACEM. These will delineate the policies and procedures that will govern the operations of AACEM only. Each of these policies and procedures is in keeping with the operational guidelines, policies, procedures, and mission of SAEM.

 

Membership

Classifications

There shall be four classes of membership:

  1. Active
  2. Associate
  3. Emeritus
  4. International
Qualifications
  1. Candidates for active membership shall be full, acting, or interim Chairs of Departments of Emergency Medicine in LCME or AOA-COCA accredited medical schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
  2. Candidates for associate membership shall be one of the following:
      • Director/Chief of a division/section of Emergency Medicine in a LCME or AOA-COCA accredited medical school in the United States or Canada, where the division or section is freestanding or part of another non-Emergency Medicine department.
      • Director/Chief of Emergency Medicine at an AAMC member teaching hospital that serves as the principal designated institution of an ACGME or AOA-COCA accredited residency program in Emergency Medicine.
      • An associate member may petition the AACEM Membership Committee to be recognized as an active member. A simple majority vote by the Membership Committee shall result in an affirmative recommendation to the AACEM Executive Committee for its consideration. The Membership and the Executive Committees shall consider, at a minimum, whether or not:
          • i. The associate member’s responsibilities and authorities, including those related to human resources and fiscal matters, are such that his/her position is virtually indistinguishable from that of Chair;
          ii. The track record of the associate member, and the academic unit for which he/she is responsible, in terms of scholarly productivity is consistent with that of an academic department of Emergency Medicine; and
          iii. The associate member and his/her unit have substantial programmatic responsibility for education of both medical students and resident physicians.
  3. Candidates for emeritus membership shall be those individuals who have been active members for at least five (5) years and who are no longer serving as Chairs.
  4. Candidates for International membership shall be individuals in teaching institutions outside of the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Candidates for international membership shall be full, acting, or interim Chairs of Departments of Emergency Medicine in medical schools, or their equivalent; or directors of divisions or sections of Emergency Medicine or their equivalent. Not more than one individual from any such institution shall be a candidate. The Executive Committee shall, by majority vote, determine eligibility of any candidate for international membership.

 

Members Rights and Privileges
  1. All members may have the privilege of the floor. Only active members shall have voting rights.
  2. Active members are permitted to designate alternates or substitutes from their institution to attend meetings as non-voting members.
  3. Membership will be forfeited for non-payment of dues, or for cause, as determined by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.
Application Process
  1. Name
  2. Current title
  3. Type of membership
  4. A current CV must be submitted to the AACEM Membership Committee for approval.
Dues

Each member shall pay annual dues to AACEM in an amount determined by the AACEM Executive Committee with approval of the SAEM Board of Directors.  

Executive Committee and Officers

The Executive Committee shall manage the day to day affairs of AACEM.

Composition
  • The Executive Committee shall manage the affairs of AACEM.
  • The four (4) officers and two (2) Members-at-large shall constitute the Executive Committee.
  • The Executive Committee shall meet as often as necessary throughout the year and shall represent AACEM Membership.
Officers

The officers of AACEM shall be:

  • President
  • President-Elect
  • Immediate Past-President
  • Secretary-Treasurer

Individuals who are active members at the time of election, shall be eligible to serve as officers.

Duties of the Officers
  1. The President shall preside at all meetings of AACEM. In addition, he/she shall be responsible for dealing with issues of major concern to AACEM, and will conduct correspondence for AACEM. He/she shall be assisted by the other officers and may seek aid as indicated, from the members and non-members, including staff and persons who serve as a liaison between AACEM and other organizations.
  2. The President-Elect shall serve in the place of the President when necessary and shall otherwise function as a member of the Executive Committee of AACEM.
  3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as Recorder at the meetings of AACEM and the Executive Committee. He/she shall oversee the maintenance and preservation of all books, papers, and articles belonging to AACEM, keeping an account of AACEM with its members, and ensure that there is a current register of the members with their addresses. He/she shall attend to such other business as the President or Executive Committee may direct. He/she shall assist with the correspondence of AACEM. He/she shall be authorized to disburse the funds of AACEM in accordance with the instructions of the President, usually on the advice of the Executive Committee. He/she shall present an annual report of the financial condition on AACEM. The accounts shall be audited annually by an independent accounting firm and be reviewed by the Executive Committee, in accordance with standard accounting practice. In the absence of the President and the President-Elect, the Secretary-Treasurer shall serve in the place of the President. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as a voting member of the SAEM Finance Committee.
Terms of Office and Vacancies
  1. The Secretary-Treasurer position will be filled by the Member-at-Large completing the second year of their two-year term followed by automatic succession to a one year term as President-Elect, one-year term as President, followed by a one-year term as Immediate Past-President. Members-at-Large shall be elected to a two-year term, which shall be staggered so that one position is open each year
    • The Secretary-Treasurer, President-Elect, President and Immediate Past President are not eligible to serve a subsequent term.
  2. Should the President be unable to complete his/her term, the President-Elect shall become President. In this case, the new President shall complete the former President’s term and then sit for his/her full term as President. Vacancies occurring other than that of the President shall be filled at the time of election.  

Meetings and Voting

Annual Meeting
  • There shall be an annual meeting of AACEM
  • The program at the annual meeting will be the responsibility of the President who shall preside over the meeting
  • Additional meetings shall be held at such time and place as fixed by the Executive Committee
  1. Special Meetings
    • A special meeting of AACEM shall be called by the President or the Executive Committee, or upon the written petition of a majority of the active members, such a petition stating the reasons for the meeting.
  2. Notice
    • The membership should be informed of the date, time, and location of any meeting of AACEM at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
  3. Voting and Elections
    • Each active member shall have one vote.
    • The annual election of the Members-at-Large shall take place in coincidence with the SAEM annual elections. by an electronic method.
    • AACEM membership  shall be notified  of a pending election and issue a call for nominations not less than 30 days prior to the election. Nominations, including self-nomination, may be submitted by any active member.
  4. Rules of Order
    • Robert’s Rules of Order  shall cover the sessions of AACEM. All questions before AACEM, shall be determined by the simple majority vote of those present at any regular meeting. A quorum is defined as those active members present at a meeting, or responding to a ballot.

Committees and Representatives

Membership Committee
  • There shall be a membership committee composed of at least five (5) active members with not less than one year of experience as an active member of AACEM.
  • The Executive Committee shall select the members of the committee.
  • The membership committee shall develop policies to be approved by the Executive Committee and the members of AACEM, who shall guide its deliberations and recommendations.
Other Standing Committees and Workgroups
  1. All active AACEM members in good standing are eligible to be appointed to a committee or workgroup.
  2. The President shall determine the need for and composition of any ad hoc committee and task force.
  3. The Executive Committee shall, by simple majority, determine the need for and composition of any standing committee.
Representatives

The President, in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint active or associate members of AACEM to serve as representatives to other organizations as deemed appropriate and in the interests of AACEM.

Finances

The Secretary-Treasurer, along with the SAEM finance committee, shall supervise the finances of AACEM. The Secretary-Treasurer may delegate duties to SAEM staff. The Secretary-Treasurer, with approval from the Executive Committee, may establish policies and procedures regarding gifts and non-payment of dues.

Staff

  1. SAEM will provide staff to AACEM for maintaining its membership roster
  2. Receiving and disbursing funds as determined by an annual budget
  3. Coordination of its meetings
  4. Other services as the Executive Committee may determine

AACEM will allocate a portion of their budget to pay for SAEM staffing and management services. SAEM will provide regular reports on the cost and utilizations of these services.

Amendments to the Operational Guidelines

Proposal and Voting

 Any member of AACEM may submit a proposed amendment to its operational guidelines. Proposed amendments to the operational guidelines must be submitted in writing to the AACEM President at least 90 days prior to the voting. Proposed amendments must go through the tiered process:

  1. Approved by the AACEM Executive Committee 
  2. Approved by the SAEM Board of Directors
  3. Voted on by AACEM Membership

Amendments to the Operational Guidelines must be approved by a quorum of the membership.

Dissolution

Upon dissolution of this organization for any reason, the total remaining assets of the organization shall remain with SAEM, with no assets accrued to any individual Board member past or present, or any other organization. Dissolution would require a two-thirds vote of the AACEM Executive Committee, followed by a majority vote of the SAEM Board of Directors, and then a majority vote of the AACEM active membership.