ARTICLE IV

MEMBERS

Section 4.01    Membership in The College.  The College shall have members, and such members shall be by invitation only.  The maximum number of Members, Fellows, Founding Fellows and Charter Fellows in The College, as those terms are defined in Section 4.02, shall be determined from time to time by the voting members at the annual meeting of the membership.

Section 4.02    Classes of Members.  There shall be seven classes of members.  They shall be called Members, Fellows, Founding Fellows, Charter Fellows, Honorary Fellows, and Members/Fellows Emeriti/ae.  There shall also be the class of Inactive Members/Fellows.

1. Members. Members shall be those psychiatrists whose personal and professional qualifications, growth and dedication to The College following induction are expected to warrant eventual advancement to the Fellows class of membership within a period of ten years. To become or maintain Member status, certification in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, or its equivalent, shall be required.
2. Fellows. Fellows shall be psychiatrists of superior personal attributes and professional abilities.  Membership in the class of Fellows shall constitute an honor, duly conferred or awarded as a result of outstanding recommendations and careful selection in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws.  Consideration shall be given to membership and offices held in other professional organizations, as well as proficiency and excellence in the practice of psychiatry as a therapist, clinician, teacher, author, researcher, or administrator.  Appointment to the class of Fellows represents recognition for years of experience in psychiatry, attainment, contributions and leadership in the field.  Members of this class shall be authorized to use the designation F.A.C.Psych. or FACPsych after their surname in conjunction with their professional activities.
3. Founding Fellows. This class of membership shall be those Fellows who presided over the founding of The College.
4. Charter Fellows. This class of membership shall be all Fellows who joined The College prior to June 1, 1965.
5. Honorary Fellows. Membership in this class shall be by appointment by the Board of Regents from distinguished physicians and scientists whose outstanding scientific and clinical contributions are significant to the field of psychiatry and who would otherwise not be eligible for membership in The College. 
6. Members/Fellows Emeriti/ae. Any Member or Fellow because of years of service, retirement, disability, hardship, or upon reaching the age of 70 may at his or her option in writing request to the Secretary-General of The College appointment to this class of membership. Appointment to this class of membership shall create a vacancy in the roster of Members or Fellows, which may be filled in accordance with the procedures in these Bylaws.
7. Inactive Members/Fellows. An individual may be designated by the Board for inclusion in this class of membership for a period not to exceed three years, upon confirmation by the Secretary-General that the individual qualifies for such status.

Section 4.03 Rights of Membership.

1. Individuals who are Members shall have the right to (i) vote on all matters coming before the membership for a vote and (ii) serve on committees.  Members shall not have the right to hold elective office or serve as chairpersons of committees, unless otherwise determined by the Board of Regents. 
2. Fellows, and Charter and Founding Fellows, shall have the right to (i) vote on all matters coming before the membership for a vote, (ii) hold elective office, (iii) be a member of the Board of Regents and any committees of The College, and (iv) be the chairperson of any committee.
3. Honorary Fellows shall not be (i) obligated to pay dues, (ii) eligible to hold office, or (iii) a member of the Board or committee.  Honorary Fellows shall not be considered active members of The College.
4. Members/Fellows Emeriti/ae shall be entitled to (i) vote on all matters coming before the membership for a vote and (ii) serve on committees.  They shall not be eligible to hold elective office or serve as a committee chairperson, or be obligated to pay dues and other requirements.

Section 4.04 Induction into Membership.

1. Each candidate for appointment to the Members, Fellows, Founding Fellows, or Charter Fellows class of membership shall be sponsored by no less than four members of The College, two of whom shall be Fellows, Founding Fellows, Charter Fellows  or Members/Fellows Emeriti/ae (the “Sponsoring Fellows”).
2. Each candidate for Honorary Fellowship shall be nominated by the Honorary Fellowship standing committee to the Board of Regents for consideration.
3. One of the Sponsoring Fellows shall obtain from the Central Office the appropriate forms to use to endorse the candidate.  The completed forms, together with the current curriculum vitae of the candidate, shall be returned to the Secretary-General for review and then forwarded to the chair of the Committee on Membership.  This Committee, in accordance with these Bylaws, after careful evaluation of the candidate’s credentials, shall make its recommendations to the Board of Regents.
4. Upon two-thirds vote in favor of induction by the Board of Regents, the Secretary-General shall be instructed to issue a letter of invitation to the candidate, stating the time limit for acceptance.  The candidate’s sponsors shall be notified in writing of the Board’s decision, whether such decision is favorable or not.  Should the decision be unfavorable, the candidate’s Sponsoring Fellows may request the Board of Regents reconsider its decision, provided, however, additional and supporting information first has been submitted to the Committee on Membership for its further consideration.
5. In the event that the candidate in writing accepts the invitation to membership within the time permitted, he or she will thereupon be assigned a membership number.
6. The official parchment shall be presented to the candidate by the President of The College at an induction ceremony at the annual meeting of the membership next succeeding acceptance by the candidate/inductee.  The inductee shall be required to accept the Pledge of Membership or Fellowship, as the case may be, at the ceremony.
7. A change in membership class, for example, Members to Fellows, shall be undertaken in accordance with the procedures set forth in this section for new candidates for membership.
8. Notwithstanding subsections (a) – (d) set forth above, the Board of Regents, upon a unanimous vote by the members present at a quorum meeting, may in its sole discretion vote to induct an individual into The College as a Member or Fellow, or elevate an existing Member to Fellow.  In the event of a unanimous vote, the Secretary-General shall issue a letter of invitation to the individual stating the time limit for acceptance, and the procedures set forth above in subsections (e) and (f) of this Section 4.04 shall still be followed.

Section 4.05 Resignation; Suspension or Termination of Membership.

1. Members, Fellows, Founding Fellows, Charter Fellows, Honorary Fellows and Members/Fellows Emeriti/ae in good standing may resign from membership, effective the date set forth in a written notice of resignation to the Secretary-General.  A resigned Member, Fellow, Founding Fellow, Charter Fellow, Honorary Fellow or Member/Fellow Emeritus/a may request reinstatement to membership in accordance with the procedures of the Committee on Membership.
2. Members, Fellows, Founding Fellows and Charter Fellows who fail to attend at least one annual meeting of the membership in a consecutive three year period shall be terminated from membership, except in extraordinary and extenuating circumstances as determined in the sole judgment of the Board that attendance at any of the three consecutive meetings was excused.
3. Newly elected Members and Fellows, except existing Members elevated to Fellow, who fail to attend at least one annual meeting of the membership within three years after the first annual meeting of the membership immediately succeeding their election, shall be terminated from membership, except in extraordinary and extenuating circumstances as determined in the sole discretion of the Board that attendance at any of the three consecutive meetings was excused.
4. Subject to Section 5.01, membership of any individual shall be automatically suspended for failure to pay dues, if those dues remain unpaid for a 12 month period, and shall be automatically terminated if such dues remain unpaid for an additional 12 month period.  The Treasurer shall inform the delinquent member in writing of his or her suspension or termination with appropriate reference to the applicable provisions of the Bylaws.  A member suspended or terminated under this subsection may reapply for admission to membership in accordance with the procedures of the Committee on Membership.
5. Except with respect to subsections (b)-(d) of this Section 4.05, membership of any individual shall be suspended or terminated by the Board of Regents in accordance with the Procedures for the Processing and Disposition of Complaints, as from time to time amended by the Board of Regents.
6. Upon resignation, suspension or termination of membership, the Secretary-General shall request the return of the membership certificate from the individual who resigned or whose membership was suspended or terminated.

Section 4.06    Code of Ethics.  Membership in The College requires adherence to the Code of Ethics, as from time to time amended by the Board of Regents.  Complaints of alleged violation of the Code of Ethics of The College shall be handled consistent with the Procedures for the Processing and Disposition of Complaints, as from time to time amended by the Board of Regents.

Section 4.07    Good Standing.  Individuals who are current in their obligation to pay dues, and who are not suspended, shall be in good standing with The College.

Section 4.08 Annual Meeting; Annual Business Meeting.

1. There shall be an annual meeting of the membership of The College held each calendar year.  The President, with the approval of the Board of Regents, shall determine the time, place and date of the meeting.  No less than four months in advance of the annual meeting, the Secretary-General shall notify the membership of the time, date, and place of the meeting.
2. Within the annual meeting there shall be a business meeting of the membership (the “Annual Business Meeting”).  A quorum for the Annual Business Meeting shall be the members present in person or by proxy entitled to vote under these Bylaws. Members entitled to vote under these Bylaws may attend or vote by proxy on the form required by the Secretary-General.  Each member entitled to vote under these Bylaws who is present in person or by proxy shall have one vote at the Annual Business Meeting.  All members present in person shall have voice.  The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the Annual Business Meeting to the extent that such rules are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or the procedural rules of The College.
3. The agenda for the Annual Business Meeting shall be as follows:
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of the Minutes of the previous Annual Business Meeting
   
3. Receiving Communications
4. Reports of the Officers
5. Reports of the Committee Chairpersons:
1. Standing Committees
2. Ad Hoc, Subcommittees or Additional Committees
   
6. Old Business
7. New Business
8. Election of Officers
9. Adjournment

The President shall have the discretion at the Annual Business Meeting to rearrange the order of the agenda.