Statutes for Nordiska sällskapet för strålskydd
(Nordic Society for Radiation Protection)
Approved at the constituent assembly in Stockholm June, 1964 and amended in Copenhagen August 19, 1971, in Visby September 6, 1978, in Ronneby August 31, 1990, in Skagen August 26, 1999 and in Åbo August 26, 2002.
§ 1
The SOCIETY is dedicated to the development and dissemination of knowledge and experience on protection against ionizing and non-ionizing radiation. To this purpose the SOCIETY arranges for instance meetings with representations and discussions on scientific as well as practical items.
§ 2
The SOCIETY is comprised of 1) ordinary members and 2) honorary members.
As ordinary members may be elected any person interested and actively involved in radiation protection issues from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and other countries, who has been proposed by two members. Qualified for election are those who have graduated from a university or high school or who through specialist studies and professional activities have achieved knowledge and experience which are consistent with the aim of the SOCIETY.
As honorary members the SOCIETY may at its ordinary meeting appoint any person regardless of nationality, to whom the SOCIETY wishes to acknowledge its appreciation for eminent merits within the field of radiation protection who in other respects has advanced the aim of the SOCIETY and who, at least three month before the ordinary meeting in a written proposal to the board of the SOCIETY, has been proposed by two members.
The board makes the decision on election of ordinary members. Honorary members are elected by the SOCIETY with at least 2/3 of the given votes.
§ 3
Honorary members and pensioned (including pre-pensioned) members are exempted from paying membership dues.
The pensioned persons have to inform the secretariat.
New members pay 1/3 of the decided membership dues.
If a member fails to pay dues after the second demand (three months after the first demand), the person is considered to have seceded from the SOCIETY.
§ 4
The SOCIETY arranges its ordinary meeting every third year in the country, which has been agreed upon at the preceding ordinary meeting. The board decides on time and venue of the ordinary meeting at least one year before the meeting and all members of the SOCIETY are informed.
§ 5
The board of the SOCIETY consists of a president and the members from each of the five Nordic countries. Of these three members one should be from the field of radiation biology and one from the field of radiation physics. The members of the national boards from the various countries are nominated by all members in the respective countries. The retiring board members arrange for new elections in the respective countries. Decision on the composition of the new board shall be sent to the secretary at least two months before the ordinary meeting. Outgoing members of the board are re-electable for a new period and may again be elected six years after the end of their last election period. The board takes office immediately after the end of the ordinary meeting and acts up to the next ordinary meeting. Vacancy is filled by new election.
§ 6
Before the ordinary meeting the board submits a proposal for president who is elected by the SOCIETY with simple majority. The president acts up to the next ordinary meeting.
§ 7
Among the board members a vice-president is elected by the board, which furthermore nominates a secretary and a treasurer from the members of the SOCIETY.
The board attends in accordance with the by-laws the duties of the SOCIETY, manages the economy and prepares matters which should be introduced to the SOCIETY.
The president leads the proceedings of the SOCIETY. If the president is prevented from being present the vice-president assumes the duties of the president.
The secretary prepares in concert with the president meetings and the report of the board. Not later than one month before the meeting the secretary will send the members of the SOCIETY an announcement of the meeting with a list of the scientific papers to be presented. The secretary maintains the official records of the SOCIETY, keeps protocols at meetings and manages the assets of the SOCIETY and its correspondence.
The treasurer is responsible for collecting the membership dues, for taking care of payments, for managing outstanding debt and funds in accordance with the decisions of the board and for – in due time- sending the accounts for the preceding year to the accountants.
§ 8
The board holds an ordinary meeting immediately after the ordinary meeting of the SOCIETY. Further meetings of the board take place when the president finds it appropriate or if at least two members of the board in writing have made a request for a board meeting to the president. The president takes care of the calling in to a board meeting and the announcement shall be given not later than a month before the meeting.
Decisions by the board can be taken through correspondence.
The board forms a quorum when at least five members representing at least three Nordic countries participate in the voting. If votes are equal the vote of the president is decisive.
The board shall, at the ordinary meeting of the SOCIETY present a report over the activities since the last ordinary meeting and an account for the SOCIETY. In accordance with the decisions taken at the meeting the secretary takes care of reporting the minutes of the meeting.
§ 9
The board decides itself how it will operate and is allowed to set up committees. The boards’ signature binds the SOCIETY.
§ 10
The board should keep in contact with other regional and international societies with similar aims as NSFS and inform the members about proposals and other activities coming from these contacts.
§ 11
The board prepares a program for the ordinary meeting as well as for other meetings initiated during its period of function.
§ 12
The membership dues until the next ordinary meeting are resolved at the ordinary meeting. A possible meeting fee is decided by the board.
§ 13
At its ordinary meeting the SOCIETY among its members designates two accountants and a deputy accountant. The accountants investigate the administration of the board and the accounts of the SOCIETY for every calendar year, the report of the accountants will, however, cover the entire three years period on to next meeting./div>
§ 14
At the meetings of the SOCIETY each member has one vote. No one is allowed to vote for a member even if a proxy is given. All voting are open unless voting by ballot is requested. In cases when votes are even and when no other rules are put into force the opinion of the president is decisive.
§ 15
The president can allow ”non members” to attend the scientific meetings of the SOCIETY, in return they may have to pay a meeting fee.
§ 16
Proposal from a member of the SOCIETY to amendment of these by-laws has to be submitted in written form at least two month before the ordinary meeting of the SOCIETY to the board, which should submit its comments to the proposal to the members of the SOCIETY not later than one month before the meeting.
Proposal by the board to amendment of the by-laws shall be submitted to the members not later than one month before the ordinary meeting.
Before a decision on amendment of the by-laws can come into force the amendment has to be approved at the ordinary meeting and by a ballot, not later than three months after the meeting; in both cases with at least 2/3 majority.
§ 17
Decision on dissolution of the SOCIETY shall in order to be valid have been approved at the ordinary meeting and at a ballot not later than three months after the meeting; in both cases with at least 2/3 majority
