World Association for Bronchology
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Bylaws

THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR BRONCHOLOGY
BYLAWS:

ARTICLE I: Name
This organization shall be called "THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR BRONCHOLOGY", or in short, "W.A.B." (hereinafter referred to as "the Association" ).

ARTICLE II: Head Office
The head office of the Association shall be located at JSRE, Studio Room 105, Ichigaya Tokyu Bldg. , 4-2-1 Kudan-kita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0073, Japan.

ARTICLE III: Objectives and Activities
The Association is dedicated to the promotion of bronchology in all countries throughout the world. This includes areas of clinical care, research and education. In addition to serving as the international body for all of those interested in all aspects of bronchology and interventional pulmonology, to gather and exchange information, the Association also wishes to fulfil a role as an umbrella organization in which all societies from individual nations or regions can take part. By doing this, we hope to contribute to developments in all fields affecting the airways and related disorders.

The major objectives and activities of the Association shall be:

  1. To maintain a worldwide society of highly qualified specialists in bronchology, particularly in the field of bronchoscopy, and related fields of medicine.
  2. To act as an umbrella institution to connect and facilitate communications among various bronchology societies in different countries and regions.
  3. To promote the highest possible standards in clinical practice, education and research in bronchoscopy, bronchology and related fields in medicine.
  4. To be concerned with problems in public health and welfare, and to contribute to the solving of such problems through the promotion of international understanding by exchanging academic knowledge and experiences related to the objectives of the Association.
  5. To support a biennial world congress at such place which shall be designated from time to time by the Association, to be held by an individual selected by the Association and cooperate with such congress organizers, officers and staff to attain satisfactory results in such congress activities.
  6. To support as much as possible any intermediate regional conferences, symposia, or workshops which may be held throughout the world.
  7. To encourage manuscript contributions to the Journal of Bronchology.
  8. To issue Newsletters and other publications as may be necessary to promote the objectives of the Association.
  9. To cooperate with other medical organizations on an international basis in promoting the highest standards of academic knowledge and experiences relating to the specialty of the Association.
  10. To collect international statistics and other information relating to the specialty of the Association.
  11. To offer awards to members of the Association recommended by the Committee on Awards of the Association for outstanding research and activities relating to the goals of the Association.
  12. To promote any other activities which may be necessary for organizing the Association on a stable basis.
  13. To promote the establishment of regional bronchology associations in countries around the world.
  14. The Association is a not-for-profit organization.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

  1. Members of the Association shall be as follows:
    1. Active Membership (Individual members) shall be open to any physician or member of any of the health sciences or any scientist who is interested in the goals of the Association.
    2. Honorary Membership (Individual members) may be awarded to those formerly active members who have been members of the Association for 10 years or more and who have reached retirement, but only if they are considered to have rendered truly outstanding service to the Association.
    3. Corporate Membership (Corporations or Organizations) shall be available to corporations who wish to contribute to the goals of the Association and pay the corporate membership fee.
    4. Special Supporting Membership is available to those noncommercial groups or individuals who wish to support the Association but who do not fit into any of the above categories.

The roster of the membership of the Association shall be maintained by the head office of the Association.

  1. Privileges of Members are:
    1. To attend the biennial world congress and international workshops of the Association at a special participation fee which shall be set forth from time to time by the officers of such respective congress. The members who attend such congresses may have priority in making a presentation in case that time consideration should limit the number of such applications.
    2. To receive the Journal of Bronchology.
    3. To receive, free of charge, Newsletters or other publications which may from time to time be issued or published by the Association.
  1. Failure to pay dues for 2 consecutive years results in loss of membership. Failure to pay dues after 3 requests for payment of dues can result in loss of membership.

ARTICLE V: Membership fee, etc.

  1. The annual fee for an Active Member shall be 150 U.S. Dollars (US $150). The fees for other members will be set forth later by the Association.
  2. The participation fee for the biennial world congress, including a special rate for the members of the Association, shall be set forth from time to time by the respective congress officers.
  3. Dual membership of the WAB and AAB can be obtained if the applicant satisfies the requirements for membership for both societies. Distribution of the dues for dual membership can be decided on the basis of negotiations between the 2 societies.
  4. Membership fees for the Association should be collected by the Head Office.

ARTICLE VI: Selection of Officers, the Board of Regents and National Representatives (Advisory Council)

  1. The Board of Regents of the Association shall be elected by mail vote by the fee-paying membership of the WAB. Once elected, a Regent may remain for a maximum number of three consecutive terms (six years), but may remain longer if chosen as an officer of the Board. One term is the period from the end of one Congress to the end of the next. Reelection after an interval of one inter-Congress period is possible. The Board is responsible for all decisions concerning the Association, subject to approval at a business meeting open to all paid-up members.
  2. The officers of the Board of Regents shall be a WAB Chair, WAB Vice-Chair, WCB President, WCB President-elect, Secretary General, Treasurer, the Founding President, the Immediate Past Chair and the Editor-in-Chief of JOB (non-voting).
  3. The WAB Chair shall preside over Board meetings as Chair and in the absence of the WAB Chair, the WAB Vice-Chair shall. In the absence of both, and if a quorum has been obtained, the Regents shall choose a Chair for that meeting. At least one Board meeting must be held at each world congress. Only fully paid-up Regents may attend Board meetings.
  4. The WCB President shall be the person chosen to hold (i. e. be responsible for the organization of and fund-raising for) the next World Congress, the term of office ending on the completion of the Congress.
  5. The WCB President-elect shall be the person chosen to hold the subsequent World Congress and the term of office shall last until the completion of the Congress immediately before that which he or she will hold, after which there is progression to the presidency of the WCB.
  6. The WAB Chair, WAB Vice-Chair, WCB President, WCB President-elect, Secretary General and Treasurer shall be chosen by the Board of Regents. The WAB Chair and WAB Vice-Chair shall serve for two terms, and the Secretary and Treasurer for three terms. The Secretary and Treasurer may be reelected.
  7. A quorum consists of one half or more of the Board of Regents, including proxies.
  8. The Nominating Committee of the Board of Regents shall consist of the Board of Regents.
  9. The Nominating Committee shall nominate candidates for the post of Regent but cannot nominate more than double the number of candidates for which there are positions made available by attrition.
  10. The list of candidates will be sent to all paid-up members who will be asked to vote for the number of candidates for which there are positions. The candidates with the greatest number of votes will join the Board of Regents, beginning from the day after the next Congress after the voting is held.
  11. In addition there will be an Advisory Council consisting of the National Representatives of all nations with more than 4 members. Nations which have 5-10 members shall have one representative, those with 11-20 members two national representatives and those with over 20 three National Representatives. These will also be selected by direct voting among all the paid-up members of each national group, carried out at the same time as the voting for the Board of Regents. The role of the Advisory Council will be to meet at least once with the Board of Regents at each world congress in order to discuss the situation of the Association throughout the world. National Representatives should also actively encourage membership in the Association.

ARTICLE VII: General and Special Meetings

  1. A general business meeting for all paid-up Association members shall be held biennially at the time and place of the world congress of the Association, and the meeting shall be presided over by the WAB Chair as chair of the Board of Regents and by the WCB President of the current world congress as Vice-Chair.
  2. At the general meeting, there shall be financial and budget reports, the general report of the Board of Regents, including whatever additions, amendments, or alterations to these Bylaws of the Association are necessary.
  3. Special meetings can be called by the WAB Chair whenever it is necessary. However, notice must be given at least 60 days in advance.

ARTICLE VIII: The World Congress of the Association

  1. The rules and regulations for the world congress of the Association shall be established by the President of the congress with consideration of the customs and regulations of the region where the congress is to be organized.
  2. The flag of the Association, which is its symbol, must be transferred from the President of the current congress, by way of the WAB Chair, to the WCB President-elect for the next world congress of the Association.
  3. The report of such world congresses can be made in the form of proceedings.
  4. The Association may assist in the new President's take-over of congress activities.

ARTICLE IX: Committees

  1. The following committees shall be established, and the members of the committees and the Chair of the said committees shall be appointed by the WAB Chair, with approval by the Board of Regents as the case may be.
    Standing Scientific Committee
    Standing Committee on Education and Publicity
  2. There shall be the following standing committees of the Association, and the members of the said committees shall be appointed by the Board of Regents. Members of the Board of Regents shall be assigned by the WAB Chair to serve as the Chair and Vice-Chair of the said committees.
    Standing Committee on Finance
    Standing Committee on Awards and Credentials
    Standing Committee on Bylaws
    Standing Administrative Committee

ARTICLE X: Miscellaneous
There may be additions, alterations, amendments, or deletions from time to time in these Bylaws of the Association as decided by a majority of the Board of Regents, if such recommendations are submitted by the Standing Committee on Bylaws.

(Revised in July, 2005)

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