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Rules & Regulations

Cerebrovascular Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons Rules and Regulations

Approved by the Cerebrovascular Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurosurgeons, 7-6-2015

Approved by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, 9-21-2015 Approved by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, 9-25-2015

Last Updated: February 28th, 2023

ARTICLE I

Name and Objectives

Section 1

The name of the Section shall be the Cerebrovascular Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).

Section 2

The objectives of this Section shall be to promote and assure advancement in the diagnosis and the surgical and endovascular management of cerebrovascular disease in order to:

  • Serve as the forum for the exchange of ideas and information among neurological surgeons and other scientists and physicians whose principal interest is directed toward this discipline;
  • Serve as the responsible body to apprise the Board of Directors of the AANS and the Executive Committee of the CNS of activities in this area of neurological surgery;
  • Serve as the resource for the Board of Directors of the AANS and the Executive Committee of the CNS in conducting special studies and propose solutions to problems in this area when directed to do so by the Board and/or Executive Committee;
  • Serve as the Section to assist the AANS and the CNS in the advancement of education, research, and patient care in the area of cerebrovascular disease;
  • Promote awareness among younger neurosurgeons of opportunities for clinical practice and research in the area of cerebrovascular and endovascular surgery;
  • Promote public awareness of the many manifestations of cerebrovascular disease and educate the public on recognizing the signs and symptoms as well as the treatment and prevention of cerebrovascular disease.

ARTICLE II

Membership Qualifications and Election to Membership

Section 1

The members elected to this Section shall be divided into six classes:

  1. Active Member. Active members shall consist of board eligible and board certified neurological surgeons who are Fellows or Provisional members in good standing ofthe AANS or active members in good standing of the CNS, and whose major neurosurgical interests reside in the diagnosis and treatment of cerebrovascular disease. Active members of this section in good standing shall constitute the voting body of the cerebrovascular section.
  2. Senior Member. Senior Membership may be extended to an active Member upon reaching the age of 65 years. Senior members shall not serve as voting members of this section.
  3. Resident Member. Resident membership may be granted to neurosurgical residents who are in good standing in an approved residency training program and who are either Candidate members of the AANS or Resident members of the CNS. Resident members will not be required to pay dues, may serve on committees, but will not hold office and shall not be voting members.
  4. Adjunct Members. Adjunct Membership is conferred independently of membership in the AANS or the CNS, and does not qualify the bearer for the privileges of membership in these organizations. Adjunct members are not voting members of the Cerebrovascular Section
      • Adjunct Associate Member. Adjunct Associate Membership may be accorded to those individuals who are non-neurosurgeons and have special interest and expertise in cerebrovascular disease.
      • Adjunct Honorary Member. Adjunct Honorary Membership may be conferred to recognized leaders in the field of cerebrovascular disease.
      • Adjunct Corresponding Member. Adjunct Corresponding Membership may be extended in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the AANS or the CNS as regards corresponding membership.
  5. International Members. International members are accorded to those individuals who do not qualify as an Active Member by virtue of residence or training and who have completed a formal neurosurgical training program as determined by the membership committee. International members must have membership as International Members of the AANS or CNS. International Members shall pay dues at a reduced rate in accordance to the Executive Council.
  6. Student Members. Medical student membership in this Section may be granted to medical students who are either Student members of the AANS or Medical Student members of the CNS. The student must provide documentation as specified by the Chair of the Membership Committee including but not limited to the student’s enrollment and expected date of graduation. Membership will expire upon graduation from medical school, with the possibility of transition to a resident membership if applicable and qualified (see Article II, Section 1, #3). Medical Student Members will not be required to pay dues, may serve on committees, but will not hold office and shall not be voting members.

Section 2

Election to all categories of membership shall be by approval of the Membership Committee and the Executive Council.

ARTICLE III

Dues

Section 1

Dues for members will be set by the Executive Council of the Section at each annual meeting.  Members will be notified by mail of the dues assessment.

Section 2

Only Active, Adjunct Associate, and International Members will be responsible for paying annual dues.

Section 3

The Executive Council shall have the power to impose special assessments when deemed necessary with the consent of two-thirds of the Membership attending the business meeting.

Section 4

The Executive Council shall have the discretionary power to waive the payment of dues of Adjunct Associates or Active Members in the case of hardship, which, in its opinion, warrants such action.

ARTICLE IV

Officers and Council

Section 1

The Senior Officers of the Section shall consist of a Chair, Chair-Elect, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Chair, Chair-Elect and Vice Chair shall each serve a term of one year.  The Secretary and Treasurer are elected for three-year terms.

Section 2

The Executive Council of the Section shall consist of the Senior Officers, serving for the terms defined above (Article IV, Section 1), the Immediate Past Chair and the Second Past Chair, each serving for a one year term, and three Members-at-Large elected for a three-year term.

Section 3

The Council of the Section shall consist of the Executive Council, and the Chairs of Standing and ad hoc committees. In addition, in order to continue to foster collaboration and growth amongst Societies, the Council shall consist of several non-voting liaisons that are important to the furtherance of the field.

ARTICLE V

Duties and Qualifications of Officers and Elected Members

Section 1

The term of duty for officers and elected members shall extend from the ascension to office at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the AANS until the following AANS annual meeting; as noted hereafter terms of office may extend over 1-3 year terms.

Section 2

Chair. It shall be the duty of the Chair to serve as the presiding officer of the Cerebrovascular Section, Chair of the Executive Council and preside at all meetings of the Section to ensure that the rules are properly enforced in all affairs of the Section. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all committees of the Section. The Chair shall serve for a one-year term.  In the event of vacancy in any office, it shall be the privilege of the Chair, in conjunction with simple majority vote of the Executive Council, to appoint an interim officer.

Qualifications: An active member who has successfully served as Chair-Elect.

Section 3

Chair-Elect. The Chair-Elect shall succeed the Chair at the conclusion of the annual meeting of the AANS. It is the duty of the Chair-Elect to serve as an officer of the section, and conduct such activities deemed appropriate by the Chair of the section. The Chair-Elect shall serve for a one-year term.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served in any of the following capacities may be considered for the office of Chair-Elect:

  1. Completed a full term as Senior Officer
  2. Served as Chair of the Section’s Annual Meeting as an appointed member of the CV Section
  3. Completed a full three year term on the International Stroke Conference Annual meeting committee as an appointed member of the CV Section
  4. Completed a full three year term either as a Member-at-Large or as a Chair of Standing Committee (as defined in Article VII, Section 1)

Section 4

Vice-Chair. The Vice-Chair shall preside at the Section’s meetings in the absence of the Chair. Should the Chair resign, or otherwise be unable to discharge the duties of the office of Chair, the Vice-Chair shall succeed the Chair at the time of such determination and serve to the end of the AANS Annual Meeting at which time the Chair-elect will ascend to the office of Chair. It is the duty of the Vice-Chair to oversee the Annual Meeting Program Committee and formally make recommendations to the Officers and other members of the Executive Council for new members to the Annual Meeting Program Committee and oversee the activities of this committee.  The Vice-Chair shall also conduct all other activities deemed appropriate by the Officers of the Section. The Vice-Chair shall serve for a one-year term.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served in any of the following capacities may be considered for the office of Vice-Chair:

  1. Completed a full term as Senior Officer
  2. Served as Chair of the Section’s Annual Meeting as an appointed member of the CV Section
  3. Completed a full three year term on the International Stroke Conference Annual meeting committee as an appointed member of the CV Section
  4. Completed a full three year term either as a Member-at-Large or as a Chair of Standing Committee (as defined in Article VII, Section 1)

Section 5

Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to act as Secretary of the Section and provide proper notice of all meetings conducted as the annual meetings of the CV Section, the AANS, and the CNS as outlined in Article VI, Section 1 to all Members at least thirty (30) days in advance. The Secretary shall keep a true record of the proceedings of these meetings, and preserve all books, papers and articles belonging to the Section. The Secretary shall conduct all correspondence of the Section, send notice of all meetings to each member at the appropriate time, notify all committee members of appointments, and conduct all other activities deemed appropriate by the Officers of the Section.  The Secretary shall serve for a three-year term.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served in any of the following capacities may be considered for the office of Secretary:

  1. Served as Chair of the Section’s Annual Meeting as an appointed member of the CV Section
  2. Completed a full three year term on the International Stroke Conference Annual meeting committee as an appointed member of the CV Section
  3. Completed a full three year term either as a Member-at-Large or as a Chair of Standing Committee (as defined in Article VII, Section 1)

Section 6

Treasurer. The Treasurer shall act as Treasurer of the Section. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to maintain an accurate record of all monies collected as dues or assessment from the members. Funds will be dispersed for the ordinary expenses of the Section as well as other expenses when ordered by the Executive Council. An accurate record of all expenses will be kept by the Treasurer, and, in conjunction with the Comptroller’s Office of the AANS, financial statements will be collected and presented at each of the three meetings of the Executive Council by the Treasurer to update the Council as to the financial order of the Section. The Treasurer shall serve for a three-year term.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served in any of the following capacities may be considered for the office of Treasurer:

  1. Served as Chair of the Section’s Annual Meeting as an appointed member of the CV Section
  2. Completed a full three year term on the International Stroke Conference Annual meeting committee as an appointed member of the CV Section
  3. Completed a full three year term either as a Member-at-Large or as a Chair of Standing Committee (as defined in Article VII, Section 1)

Section 7

Past-Chair.  The Past-Chair shall serve as a member of the Executive Council for a term of one year, to begin at the conclusion of tenure as Chair of the Section. The Past-Chair will serve as the Chair of the Nominating Committee and be responsible to provide a smooth transition of activities to the present Chair and assist in activities of the Section of the Chair’s discretion.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served as Chair of the Section.

Section 8

Second Past Chair. The Second Past Chair shall serve as a member of the Executive Council for a term of one year, to begin at the conclusion of tenure as Immediate Past Chair of the Section. The Second Past Chair shall serve on the Nominations committee and will assist in activities of the Section at the Chair’s discretion. The second past chair shall continue to serve as a representative of the Senior leadership in Committees within the section as well as the AANS, CNS, and others as the Chair deems appropriate.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing who has served as Past Chair of the Section.

Section 9

Members-at-Large. Members-at-Large may serve as ad hoc committee chairs and as liaisons to other national organizations. They shall represent the voice of this Section in absentia of the Officers. Members-at-Large shall serve a term of three years each, with each member’s term staggered with elections open for one position in one given year only so as to maintain continuity within the Executive Council.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing may be considered for the post of Member-at-Large.

Section 10

Nominating Committee Member. Two members of the CV section shall be elected to participate in the CV Section’s Nominating Committee. An elected member of the nominating committee shall be responsible for assisting in the necessary processing of potential candidates being presented to the nominating committee for possible nomination to office. They shall attend the Annual Nominating Committee Session and will interface closely with the Secretary of the Section and the Nominating Committee Chair in preparation of the ballot of candidates. Nominating Committee Members shall serve a term of two years each, with each member’s term staggered with elections open for one position in one given year only so as to maintain continuity within the Executive Council.

Qualifications: An active member of the Section in good standing may be considered for the post of Nominating Committee Member.

Section 11

Elections for Officers, Members-at-Large and Nominating Committee Members.

Elections to the Offices of Chair-Elect, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer and the Members-at-Large and Nominating Committee Members shall proceed according to the procedure and approximate timeline herein:

  1. March 1st of the election year. The Nominating Committee will call for suggestions for nominations from the Section membership for Offices open for election (with a list of eligible members qualified to hold office).
  2. April 1st of the year of the election. Deadline for all suggestions for nomination for all offices.
  3. April 15th of the year of the election. Each candidate will be contacted and asked to submit their CV and a statement in support of his/her respective candidacy to the Section Administrator by May1st.
  4. Additional nominees, with appropriate qualifications (vide supra), can be placed on the ballot with the support of 20 or more active members of the section. The petition must be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee along with the candidate’s respective Vita and a statement in support of their candidacy. The submission must be received by the Chair of the Nominating Committee by May 1st. The Nominating Committee will confirm the qualifications of the candidate and the authenticity of the petition signatures. Once confirmed, the candidate will be added to the ballot.
  5. May 15th of the year of the election. Qualified candidates for each office are confirmed. Following discussion and voting by the Nominating Committee, the Chair of the nominating committee shall submit, in writing, the proposed candidates for office and their statements of candidacy to the general membership for consideration. The slate of officers must consist of at least one candidate per post but consideration should be given to offer the membership more than one candidate for the position of Secretary or Treasurer and multiple candidates for Member-at-Large and Nominating Committee positions if more than one candidate is available.
  6. June 1st of the election year. The final slate of candidates for election will be submitted to the membership
  7. June 15th of the election year. Electronic ballots due to be cast by the Active membership for each candidate.
  8. July 1 of the election year. The nominating Committee shall announce to the general section membership, in writing, the results of the election
  9. Conclusion of the CV Section Annual Meeting New Officers ascend to their respective posts.

ARTICLE VI

Meetings

Section 1

Executive Council Meetings shall be held three times a year, and General Membership Business meetings shall be held once a year.

  • Meetings of the Executive Council shall be held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the AANS and the CNS. A meeting of the Executive Council shall also occur during the annual meeting of the Section. Members of the Council, liaisons and other guests will be invited to the Executive Council meeting as appropriate. The General Membership Business meeting will occur annually in conjunction with the annual meeting of the AANS.
  • Scientific sessions with special focus on the issues related to cerebrovascular disease shall be held at the annual meetings of the AANS and the CNS, and in conjunction with other scientific groups sharing similar interests (referred to as a special section meeting). The expenses of the special section meeting will be borne by the membership of the Section.

ARTICLE VII

Committees

Section 1

The standing committees of the Section shall consist of:

  • Executive Council. The Executive Council is the responsible body for all functions of the Section during intervals between meetings. It shall function in the role of a Board of Directors for the Section. The Executive Council shall recommend suspension of any member who fails to pay dues for more than two years or misses Section meetings for three consecutive years without adequate reason as described in Article IX. Suspension shall occur with a three-quarters vote of members in attendance at the business meeting. Similarly, if a member fails for any reason to maintain the professional standards of the AANS or the CNS, the Executive Council may suspend such a member. A member who is suspended from this section reserves the right to appeal as per protocols defined in the bylaws of the AANS.
  • Nominating Committee. Members of the Nominating Committee shall consist of seven (7) members: the Chair, the Chair-Elect, the Vice-Chair, the immediate Past-Chair, and the second Past-Chair, of the Section and two members of the CV section in good standing elected for two-year terms on an alternating basis. The immediate Past-Chair shall preside as the Nominating Committee Chair. It shall be the responsibility of the Nominating Committee to present candidates (officers, members-at-large, and nominating committee members) for office each year.  .
  • Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall consist of the Committee Chair and other members as necessary, each serving a term of three years, and renewable for a additional terms. At the end of each three-year term, the Chair of the Section shall appoint the Chair of the Membership Committee to survey the field of neurological surgery and related disciplines for individuals considered suitable to membership in the Section. Members of the Section are urged to submit appropriate names to the Chair of the Membership Committee for consideration. It shall be the major responsibility of the Membership Committee to review candidates’ qualifications proposed for membership. The Membership Committee shall circulate eligible candidates to the Executive Council for final approval of membership.
  • Program Committee. There shall be a Program Committee formed for each major meeting that the Section serves. The Program Committee is charged with the responsibility of collaborating with the Program Committees of the AANS, the CNS, and other societies sharing this Section’s common interest to develop the scientific programs for the meetings. Such collaboration will ensure that the scientific information, matters of interest, and concerns to the Section shall be appropriately represented in such scientific programs. Each Program Committee shall assist in the preparation and conduct of the meeting as it develops, and update the Executive Council at each meeting.
      • Each Program Committee will consist of at least two members who will serve as Chair and Co-Chair. The members will be selected by the Section Chair with input from the Executive Council. A member will serve a 3 year term, initially as Co-Chair for the CNS and AANS Annual Meeting programs in the first year, as Chair of the CNS and AANS Annual Meeting programs and Co-Chair of the Section Annual Meeting program in the second year, and as Chair of Section Annual Meeting program in the third year. The Section Chair shall be an ad hoc member of each committee.
  • Rules and Regulations Committee. This Committee shall consist of the Chair and two committee members to be appointed by the Executive Council, each serving a term of three years, and renewable for additional terms. The committee is responsible for ensuring the Section’s adherence to the stated Rules and Regulations and concordance with the AANS and CNS Bylaws.
  • Guidelines Committee. This committee is responsible for the evaluation of internally and externally produced clinical practice guidelines and other documents of potential relevance to cerebrovascular neurosurgical practice and recommending approval or revisions before approval by the Executive Council on behalf of the Section to the parent organizations. The Committee shall consist of the Chair appointed by the Executive Council, serving a term of three years, renewable for additional terms, and other members as necessary.
  • Coding, Reimbursement and Rapid Response Committee. This Committee collaborates with the Coding and Reimbursement Committee of the parent organizations to address coding and reimbursement issues pertaining to cerebrovascular neurosurgical practice. The Committee shall consist of the Chair appointed by the Executive Council, serving a term of three years, renewable for additional terms, and other members as necessary.
  • Communications Committee (includes website, social media, and newsletter) is responsible for the online media presence of the Section and will oversee the production and publication of the Section Newsletter on a regular basis. The Committee shall consist of the Chair appointed by the Executive Council, serving a term of three years, renewable for additional terms, and other members as necessary.

(i)Research Awards Committee will

      • Oversee the awards offered by the Section for investigations, contributions, or developments for the Section in areas of interest to the Section. The cost of such awards may be defrayed from funds of the Section or from any funds which may be donated, entrusted, or bequeathed to the Section for such purposes. The Executive Council may sponsor an invited lectureship during each scientific session of the aforementioned three annual meetings. The cost of honorariums and any other such associated expenses will be borne by the Section. The Committee shall consist of the Chair appointed by the Executive Council, serving a term of three years, renewable for additional terms, and other members as necessary.
      • The Ralph G. Dacey, Jr. Medal for Outstanding Cerebrovascular Research award (Dacey Medal) will be awarded to highlight the importance of cerebrovascular research to our specialty, foster scientific investigation in the areas of stroke and cerebrovascular disease, and recognize neurological surgeons who have made novel, outstanding, and continuous contributions to the basic, translational, and/or clinical understanding of cerebrovascular disease. The Chair of the Research Awards Committee with oversight from the Executive Council will confirm adherence to the standard of operations (SOP) for the Dacey Medal (Attachment 1).  As noted in the SOP, amendments to the SOP must be approved by the Executive Council and must not contradict or supersede any requirements stated within it.
  • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) Committee: The DEI committee is responsible for continuing the cerebrovascular section initiatives of building a safe and inclusive community for all members through diversity, equity and inclusion.  The Committee shall consist of the Chair appointed by the Executive Council, serving a term of three years, renewable for additional terms, and other members as necessary.

Section 2

The Chair of the Section shall have the power to appoint such special ad hoc committees as may be required in the best interest of the Section.

ARTICLE VIII

Membership

Section 1

New Members shall be elected based on approval of the Membership Committee and Executive Council on a rolling basis.

Section 2

Procedure Regarding Application for Active Membership. An applicant must meet the qualifications for membership as described in Article II of these Rules and Regulations. The Membership Committee shall review the candidate’s application. Once approved by the Membership Committee, the applicant shall be presented to the Executive Council. Resident members eligible for active membership and in good standing with the membership committees of the AANS, CNS and CV section shall submit in writing his/her desire to be considered for active membership to the Section’s membership committee.

Section 3

Procedure for Election to Active Membership. Applicants approved by the Membership Committee shall be submitted to the Executive Council. A majority vote by the Executive Council is required for election to Section membership.

Section 4

Active membership shall be conferred upon approval by the Executive Council.

Section 5

All applicants denied membership by the Membership Committee shall be reviewed by the Executive Council prior to notification of the candidate. The Executive Council may request reconsideration by the Membership Committee for additional review.

Section 6

Senior Membership. Active members wishing to become Senior members may submit a written request to the Chair of the Membership Committee. The Chair of the Membership Committee shall present these candidates to the Executive Council. A majority vote of the Executive Council is required for approval.

Section 7

Resident Membership. Resident members will be considered for active membership after completion of residency training according to the requirements as noted in Article VIII, Section 2.  Resident membership may be extended in the setting of fellowship training. A written request submitted by the applicant to the Membership Chairman and approval by the Executive Council is required.

ARTICLE IX

Attendance at Meetings

Section 1

Absence from meetings of the Section for three consecutive years without written notification to the Membership Committee as to the circumstances shall be grounds for termination of Membership.

Section 2

Individuals whose Membership is terminated under the provisions of Article IX, Section 1, may apply to the Membership Committee for readmission. Such applications shall be considered in the light of other pending applications for Membership.

ARTICLE X

Guests

Section 1

Guests invited to the annual meeting held in conjunction with the AANS or the CNS must abide with the By-Laws of the AANS and the CNS, respectively. The Members shall be responsible for the registration and other fees generated by their guest(s).

Section 2

The Executive Council shall be empowered to select official guests who shall participate in the scientific program. When the scientific program is held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the AANS or the CNS, the Program Committee of the respective organizations shall be notified of such official guests so that they may be appropriately identified in the Association’s program. Payment for such guests will be the responsibility of the Section. For any meeting held at a time other than the annual meeting of the AANS or the CNS, the Council may invite official guests. The cost generated by such official guests will be borne by the Section.

Section 3

The Secretary and Treasurer shall be notified in writing of any guest invited to either of the meetings of the Section by a member two weeks to the date of that meeting.

ARTICLE XI

Gifts

The Executive Council shall have the power to accept gifts in the name of the Section.

ARTICLE XII

Amendments

The Rules and Regulations of this Section shall take effect immediately from their adoption and shall not be amended except by written resolution signed by at least ten Members and circulated to the Membership at least 40 days prior to the annual meeting, which is held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the AANS or the CNS or prior to an electronic vote in order to allow for discussion. Any amendment shall require affirmation by three-quarters majority vote.

ARTICLE XIII

Quorum

The Membership present at any annual business meeting shall constitute a quorum for the conduction of business.

ARTICLE XIV

Order of Business

Section 1

The order of procedure for the Executive Session shall be as follows:

  • Call to Order
  • Reading of the Minutes
  • Unfinished Business
  • Reports of Officers and Committees
  • Election of New Officers
  • Appointment of Committees
  • New Business

Section 2

Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of the meetings of the Section unless otherwise specified.

ARTICLE XV

No part of the income or assets of this Section shall accrue to the benefit of any single individual.

Should for any reason it become apparent the purposes for which this Section was created are no longer valid, the Section may be dissolved by affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members present at any business session. Should such action occur, the assets of the Section shall be equally distributed to the AANS and the CNS.

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