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Constitution

Amended in May 2006 by: S. Khan, S Yamani, H. Ayafi, Y. Al Said, R Al Baradie, M Jan and M Dad

Article 1     Name

Article 2     Methods - To that end but without restriction, the main objectives of the Chapter and insofar as the same shall be wholly charitable, the Chapter shall:

  • 2.1 Seek to establish and maintain effective cooperation of all persons active in the field of medical sciences, public health and social care, who are, or may become concerned with problems related to the epilepsies.
  • 2.2 Promote publications concerning the epilepsies and encourage the use of journal of ILAE, Epilepsia, for the promulgation of the new scientific knowledge about the epilepsies.
  • 2.3 Organize or sponsor national congresses, symposia, or other meetings.
  • 2.4 Appoint special commissions or individuals for the purpose of studying specified problems related to the aims of the Chapter and making recommendations for implementation of specific activities.
  • 2.5 Develop and apply other methods consistent with the objectives of the Chapter.

Article 3     Legas Status

  • 3.1 The Chapter is an incorported, non-profit organization constituted in accordance with the law.
  • 3.2 The Chapter is non-political.
  • 3.3 The Headquarter of the Chapter shall be in Riyadh Military Hospital.

Article 4     Administration

The Chapter shall be administered by the Executive Committee, Scientific Board and the General Assembly.

Article 5     Executive Committee

  • 5.1 The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Chapter including a President, one or more Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer, to be elected by the General Assembly according to a procedure as specified in the Bylaws.
  • 5.2 The Executive Committee shall act to conduct the day to day affairs of the Chapter, subject to review and approval by the General Assembly.
  • 5.3 Duties of the members of the Executive Committee are specified in the Bylaws.
  • 5.4 Term of office of the members of the Executive Committee shall be 4 years. At the end of the first term, the officer may be re-elected for another term of 4 years. After 8 consecutive years, an officer is no longer eligible unless the General Assembly decides with a majority of at least 4/5 of the votes with at least 70% of the members present to re-elect the officer for another term.
  • 5.5 The Executive Committee shall have the power to formulate at anytime the Bylaws not in conflict with the Constitution subject to ratification by the General Assembly.

Article 6     Scientific Board

  • 6.1 The Scientific Board member shall be elected by the Executive Board Committee.
  • 6.2 The Scientific Board shall be selected from different regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • 6.3 The Scientific Board members should attend all business meetings of the SCE.
  • 6.4 The Scientific Board members should be the representative of the Regional Commission in addition to its members.
  • 6.5 The Scientific Board members should be actively involved in administrative and scientific activities in the regions.
  • 6.6 All Scientific Board suggestions and activities should be approved by the Executive Committee of SCE.

Article 7     General Assembly

  • 7.1 The General Assembly shall consist of all members in good standing and shall convene once a year whenever the Executive Committee or one-third of the members request a convention.
  • 7.2 The General Assembly shall receive and consider for vote of approval, the reports of the Secretary-General, the Treasurer and Chairman of Committee and Commissions.
  • 7.3 It shall vote on proposals submitted to it by the Executive Committee.
  • 7.4 It shall consider the appeal of prospective new members and/or that of those who wish to appeal against termination of membership.
  • 7.5 It shall approve the budget for the following fiscal period submitted by the Executive Committee and shall set the annual contribution to be made by the members.
  • 7.6 It shall elect the new officers for the next term of office after submission of a proposed slate by the Executive Committee and any other nominations submitted by at least one-third of the members.
  • 7.7 It shall set the time for the next General Assembly, after recommendation by the Executive Committee.
  • 7.8 All members and invited non-members may attend the General Assembly. Exceptionally, the presiding officer, with the approval of the General Assembly, may invite a non-member to a speak, but not to vote.

Article 8     Regional Commission

  • 8.1 Regional Commission covers variable regions in the Kingdom maybe appointed by the President of the Chapter as recommended by the Executive Committee. The President, Vice Presidents and Secretary-General of the Chapter shall be ex-officio members of the Regional Commissions in their regions.
  • 8.2 No expense shall be incurred by a Commission on behalf of the Chapter without consent of the Executive Committee.
  • 8.3 No expense shall be incurred by a Commission on behalf of the Chapter without consent of the Executive Committee.

Article 9     Duties of the Officers

  • 9.1 The President
  • a. The President should attend all business and scientific activities of the SCE. These include local SCE meetings and ILAE meetings.
  • b. The President should represent the Executive Board of SCE.
  • c. The Presidnet is a member of the Regional Commission in his/her region.
  • d. The President supervises all activities of the SCE.
  • e. The President represents SCE in the local and international ILAE and IBE meetings. He/She cannot make personal decision and cannot represent personal opinions in these meetings. All administrative decisions have to be approved by the Executive Committee.

  • 9.2 The Vice Presidents (VPs)
  • a. Each Vice President should Chair the Regional Commission in his/her region.
  • b. The Vice President should supervise all the regional SCE activities.
  • c. The Vice President should represent the SCE in all local SCE meeting and ILAE meetings. In the absence of the President, the Vice President should be present in local SCE meeting and international ILAE and IBE meetings.
  • d. As the SCE has more than one Vice President, in the absence of the President the 1st VP will assume the responsibilities of the President, subsequently followed by the 2nd VP, 3rd VP and the 4th VP.
  • e. The VP shall Chair the Regional Commission in his/her region, if there are more than one VP belongs tot he same region one of them can Co-Chair the Regional Commissions.
  • f. In all administrative meetings of the SCE and ILAE the VP represent the SCE Executive Committee. In the absence of the President, the 1st VP will assume the responsibilities of the President, subsequently followed by the 2nd VP, 3rd VP and 4th VP. All administrative decisions have to be approved by Executive Committee.

  • 9.3 Secretary-General (SG)
  • a. The SG should attend all business and scientific activities of the SCE. These include local SCE meetings, ILAE and IBE international meetings. The SG should be available with the Presient or Vice Presidents in the administrative meetings of the SCE, ILAE and IBE and coordinate the agenda with the President of each meeting.
  • b. The SG should help the President in supervising all SCE business meetings.
  • c. The SG is a member of the Regional Commissions in his/her region. He/She can Chair the Commission if he/she is the only member.
  • d. The SG monitors and coordinates with the Treasurer the fees and expenses of the SCE and evaluates the performance of each Commission including the performance of the scientific board members and general members.

  • 9.4 Treasurer
  • a. The Treasurer should monitor the fees and expenses of the SCE in coordination with the SG and provide a regular financial report to the SG and provide a regular financial report to the SG for evaluation and to be presented in the SCE business meetings.
  • b. The Treasurer is a member of Regional Commission in his/her region and Chair the Commission if he/she is the only member of the Executive Committee in that region.

  • 9.5 Scientfic Board Members
  • a. The Scientific Board Members should generate and coordinate all scientific activities of the SCE in their region. These activities should be presented to the Chair of the Regional Commission and should be approved by the Executive Committee of the SCE. The Scientific Board Members should encourage and supervise the scientific activities and meetings of the general members to justify representative of the SCE.
  • b. The Scientfic Board Members representing the SCE should organize research activities paper publications, abstract presentations and statistical support to ensure the scientific quality of the material and to justify the representation of the SCE.

  • 9.6 The General Members
  • a. The General Members should show and maintain interest in epilepsy and activities of the SCE to maintain their membership. He/She should present any scientific activity to the Chair of the Regional Commission to facilitate the approval by the Executive Board prior to the activity. All activities shall be approved by the SCE otherwise this will not be considered as activities of the SCE.

Article 10     Membership

  • 10.1 Membership shall be open to any person who works in the field of science, public health and social care and who expresses an interest in furthering the objectives of this Chapter or as otherwise expressed in the Bylaws.
  • 10.2 Application for membership is to the Secretary-General of the Chapter in writing.
  • 10.3 The Executive Committee of the Chapter decides about acceptance of the applicant with two-thirds majority of those present at the meeting of the Executive Committee.
  • 10.4 The Secretary-General informs the applicant within a fortnight after the vote has been taken.
  • 10.5 If the application has been rejected the applicant can appeal in writing to the Secretary-General, who will put the appeal on the agenda of the first forthcoming meeting of the General Assembly. The General Assembly decides about acceptance of the applicant with two-thirds majority of those present.
  • 10.6 Membership becomes effective only when the applicant has paid to the Treasurer the first annual dues.
  • 10.7 Membership can be terminated:
        10.7.1 If the member is deceased.
        10.7.2 If the member cancels his membership.
        10.7.3 If the Chapter desires the members to withdraw his membership.
  • 10.8 Cancellation of membership by a member can only take place at the end of the fiscal year. Cancellation is writing at least four weeks before the end of the fiscal year.
  • 10.9 The Chapter can only cancel the membership if the member acts contrary to the constitution, bylaws, regulations or decisions of the Chapter or if the member is prejudicial to the interest of the Chapter. Cancellation of membership is decided by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee and the member is informed of the reasons for the cancellation in writing.
  • 10.10 The member is authorized to appeal to the General Assembly within one month after receipt of the notification of cancellation of membership A decision of the General Assembly shall have to be taken with at least two-thirds of the votes of the members present. Until such time that the General Assembly will have acted upon the appeal the member is suspended from membership.

Article 11     Membership Benefits

  • 11.1 Discount
  • 11.2 Priority presentation in SCE meetings.
  • 11.3 Priority publications in the official journal of SCE.
  • 11.4 Regular update about the local and ILAE activities.
  • 11.5 Free subscription of SCE publications.

Article 12     Dues

  • 12.1 Each member shall pay Fifty Saudi Riyals (SR50.00) to the Chapter within 3 months after the start of the fiscal year the annual dues as set by the General Assembly.
  • 12.2 The Chapter shall have the authority to accept and administer gifts, legacies, movable or immovable properties, donations and value.
  • 12.3 The assets of the Chapter shall be used to further the objectives of the Chapter as authorized by the Executive Committee.
  • 12.4 No portion of the assets of the Chapter shall be paid directly or indirectly to any officer or any member of the Chapter except for payment of expenses made in the interest of the Chapter.
  • 12.5 Proper books of account shall be kept by the Treasurer, and they shall be certified by the Executive Board at the end of each fiscal year.

Article 13     The Neurosciences Journal

  • 13.1 The Neurosciences Journal is the official journal of the Saudi Chapter of Epilepsy.
  • 13.2 The journal is published four times every year, one editorial issue, one original article, one case report and one quiz from the SCE is welcomed in each edition.

Article 14     Dissolution or Amalgamation

  • 14.1 The Chapter may be dissolved or may amalgamate with another body having similar objectives on proposal of the Executive Committee, ratified by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly.
  • 14.2 In the event of dissolution, the assets of the Chapter may not be divided among its members, but shall be transferred to one or more other organizations of similar interest, as agreed by the General Assembly.

Article 15     Amendments

The present Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly. Amendements may be initiated by the Executive Committee or by 25% of the members. Such amendments must be submitted to the Secretary-General at least 90 days before the next General Assembly, and due notice of such amendments shall be given to all members by the Secretary-General at least 60 days before the meeting of the General Assembly.