TSHP Bylaws

Chapter I
Membership		 Chapter II
Officers		 Chapter III
Board of Directors		 Chapter IV
Councils		 Chapter V
Technician Section
 		 Chapter VI
Student Section
Chapter VII
Industry Section
 

Chapter VIII
Pharmacy
Management Section

 Chapter IX
Liaison with Other
Organizations
 		 Chapter X
New Practitioner Section		 Chapter XI
Affiliated Local Chapters		 Chapter XII
Meetings
Chapter XIII
Publications		 Chapter XIV
Affiliation		 Chapter XV
Official Insignia		 Chapter XVI
Liquidation		 Chapter XVII
Parliamentary Procedure		  Chapter XVIII
Amendments

 
 
ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
 
The membership of the Texas Society of Health-System Pharmacists (TSHP) consists of individuals supporting the objectives of the Society. All members of the Society should be supportive of the mission of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
 
A. PHARMACIST MEMBERS
 
Individuals who are licensed or eligible for licensure as a pharmacist by any state, district, or territory of the United States, who have paid dues and support the objectives of TSHP, may become a member, vote and hold office. Special categories of dues may be established by the Board of Directors for pharmacists who are enrolled in Residency/Fellowship programs or retired from the practice of pharmacy under normal retirement conditions.
 
B. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
 
Non-pharmacists who have paid dues and support the objectives of TSHP shall be Associate Members and shall receive publications and general communications of the Society. They may attend meetings, and may be granted the privilege of the floor, but shall not be entitled to vote or hold an elected office (except as otherwise provided in these Bylaws).
 
C. PHARMACY STUDENT MEMBERS
 
Individuals enrolled full time in a pharmacy degree program (graduate or undergraduate) in an accredited college or school of pharmacy or a pre-pharmacy program leading to enrollment in a college or school of pharmacy are eligible for pharmacy student membership upon payment of the appropriate dues.
 
D. TECHNICIAN MEMBERS
 
Individuals who are employed as pharmacy technicians in any health care setting, work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, and assist in preparing, distributing or administering medication shall be eligible for Technician Membership upon payment of the appropriate dues.
 
E. TECHNICIAN STUDENT MEMBERS
 
Pharmacy technician student members shall consist of persons who are currently enrolled in a pharmacy technician training program. They shall receive the same benefits of membership and pay the same dues as pharmacy student members.
 
F. HONORARY MEMBERS
 
Honorary members shall be elected by the Board of Directors from those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to health-system pharmacy practice. Honorary members shall not pay dues but may vote or hold office, if otherwise eligible for pharmacist membership. All Past Presidents of TSHP and Past Presidents of ASHP residing in Texas shall be deemed honorary members upon completion of their term of office.
 
ARTICLE II
 
DUES
 
A. The Board of Directors shall establish dues amounts for pharmacist, associate, resident/fellow, retired, pharmacy student, technician student and technician members.
 
B.  New Practicioners are eligible to participate in a reduced dues program, as defined by the Board. A New Practicioner is an individual who is within 3 years of original pharmacy licensure after graduation from a School or College of Pharmacy.
 
C.  Members who join between October 1 and March 31 shall have membership services expire on the following December 31. Members who join between April 1 and September 30 shall have services expire on the following June 30.
 
D. Student members shall be considered a member through the following August 31.
 
E. Any member in arrears for dues for 90 days shall cease to be a member of the Society.
 
ARTICLE III
 
Applications for membership shall be prepared on a standard form and forwarded to the Society office. Dues must accompany the application for membership. Only individuals meeting one of the definitions of membership under Chapter I, Article I will be considered for membership. 
 
Nominations for honorary membership shall be submitted by two or more pharmacist members of the Society to the Board of Directors and must be approved by unanimous vote. Once elected,
Honorary Members shall be entitled to membership benefits for life.

 
ARTICLE I
 
COMPOSITION
 
The officers of the Society shall be the President, Immediate Past-President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer.
 
ARTICLE II
 
NOMINATION
 
The Committee on Nominations shall present at the annual business meeting at least two candidates for the office of:
A. President-Elect, annually
B. Secretary, in odd-numbered years
C. Treasurer, in even-numbered years
 
ARTICLE III
 
ELECTION
 
Within 60 days after their nomination, a ballot shall be distributed to every pharmacist and eligible honorary member of the Society, under the direction of the Secretary, containing the names of the candidates, together with a brief biography. Members shall indicate on the ballot a choice of candidates for the offices to be filled and return it by the deadline indicated on the ballot. The deadline date shall be no more than 15 days from the date of distribution. A candidate will be elected by majority of the votes cast. In the event there is no majority or there is a tie, another ballot will be prepared listing the leading candidates, as per a regular election, under the direction of the Secretary.
 
The Canvassing Group (See Chapter IV, Article II, Section A) shall be responsible for tabulating ballots received by the deadline and certifying the results of the election.
 
ARTICLE IV
 
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS
 
Officers elected by a majority of votes cast, in the case of the President-Elect and the Treasurer or Secretary, or ascending to the office of President, shall be installed at the Annual Seminar following the election.
 
ARTICLE V
 
DUTIES
 
A. PRESIDENT
 
The President shall be the principal elected official of the Society. With the approval of the Board of Directors, the President shall appoint chairs and members of Councils, Committees and Groups as needed. The President shall appoint an officer of the Society to serve as a liaison to each Council and Section of the Society. Except as otherwise provided, the President shall fill all vacancies by appointment. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Society councils, committees and sections and shall be a member of the Board of Directors and serve as its chair.
 
B. IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT
 
The Immediate Past-President shall be a member of the Board of Directors and serve as its chair in the absence of the President and President-Elect. The Immediate Past President shall chair the Committee on Nominations.
 
C. PRESIDENT-ELECT
 
The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President whenever the President is unable to do so. The President-Elect shall be a member of the Board of Directors and serve as its Vice-Chair, and shall assume other responsibilities as directed by the President, including ex-officio membership of all Society Councils. The President-Elect shall serve as the Society’s liaison with the TSHP Research & Education Foundation. The President-Elect shall prepare an address for presentation at the installation of officers, and shall serve as chair of the Committee on Strategic Planning, which will review and recommend changes to the Society’s strategic plan.
 
D. TREASURER
 
The Treasurer shall oversee the Society’s funds, direct investment and disbursement of funds at the direction of the Board of Directors, and shall present a periodic statement on the financial condition of the organization to the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall present a report at the Annual Business Meeting. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Board of Directors.
 
E. SECRETARY
 
The Secretary shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall serve as its Secretary. The Secretary or his/her designee shall record and maintain the minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors, and other meetings when directed by the President, and shall conduct the Society’s correspondence as directed by the President. The Secretary shall maintain an up-to-date copy of the Bylaws and the Policy Manual of the Society. A Secretary’s report describing the Society’s activities during the preceding year shall be presented at the Annual Business Meeting.
 
ARTICLE VI
 
VACANCIES
 
The Board of Directors shall fill vacancies in the list of candidates which may occur by death or resignation after the adjournment of the Annual Business Meeting of the Society and prior to the issuance of ballots.
 
A. If the President is unable to perform the duties of the office, the President-Elect shall immediately ascend to the Office of President. If both the President and President-Elect become unable to perform the duties of their offices, the Board of Directors shall appoint, from its membership, a President to serve for the balance of the unexpired term. The Committee on Nominations shall present to the Board of Directors a candidate for the vacant office.At the next Business Meeting of the Society, nominations shall be presented by the Committee on Nominations for the offices of President and President-Elect. They shall be elected according to the provisions of the Bylaws.
 
B. If the Secretary or Treasurer becomes unable to perform the duties of the office, the Board of Directors is empowered to fill such vacancy for the remainder of that term.

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ARTICLE I

COMPOSITION
 
The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, who shall serve as Chair of the Board; the President-Elect, who shall serve as Vice Chair of the Board; the Immediate Past-President, who shall serve as Chair of the Board in the absence of the President and President-Elect; the Secretary, who shall serve as Secretary of the Board; and the Treasurer of the Society; in addition to the President and President-Elect of each affiliated chapter in the State or their designated representative as voting members. The chair and co-chair of each council and section shall be non-voting members of the Board of Directors. Terms of office for all affiliated chapter board members shall begin at the installation of officers held at the Annual Seminar and conclude following the Annual Business Meeting the following year. No person shall serve in any dual voting capacity on the Board of Directors. Each affiliated chapter representative serving on the Board of Directors must be a member and representative of the affiliated chapter and be a pharmacist member of the Society to vote in the proceedings of the Board. Ex-Officio members of the Board of Directors shall include the President-Elect designee, and the Secretary-Elect or Treasurer-Elect.
ARTICLE II
 
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
 
The Board of Directors shall designate the following committees to report directly to the Board unless otherwise specified.
 
A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the President-Elect, the Immediate Past-President, the Secretary and the Treasurer. The Committee shall represent the Society at meetings of other groups and organizations, be responsible for and make recommendations regarding the daily operation of the Society, and report on these activities to the Board of Directors at its regular meetings. The Committee will secure an audit of the Society’s finances on an annual basis, prepare internal audit guidelines for disbursement of monies, budget preparation, and guidelines of all monetary expenditures. Ex-Officio members of the Committee shall include the President-Elect designee, and the Secretary-Elect or the Treasurer-Elect.
 
B. COMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC PLANNING
 
The Committee on Strategic Planning shall be an advisory body to the Board of Directors. It shall be responsible for coordinating the Society’s strategic plan and shall be chaired by the President-Elect.
 
C. COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
 
The Committee on Nominations shall consist of at least three members whose duty it shall be to nominate the candidates for the office of President-Elect, Secretary, or Treasurer, and shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President. The report of the Committee on Nominations shall be presented at the Annual Business Meeting.
 
ARTICLE III
 
OTHER COMMITTEES

The President shall appoint such additional committees as are deemed necessary to carry out the responsibilities and programs of the Society.
 
ARTICLE IV
MEETINGS

The Board of Directors shall meet at least three times a year. In addition, it shall meet at the call of the President, or upon application in writing to the Secretary of any three members of the Board. All meetings of the Board are open to all members of the Society, except if the Board votes to meet in executive session to discuss personnel matters.
 
ARTICLE V
 
QUORUM

A majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.
Proxy voting will be permitted if the following condition is met: The President of an affiliated chapter submits in writing to the Secretary of the Board a signed statement naming the person who shall be authorized to vote as a proxy member for his/her affiliated chapter.

ARTICLE VI
 
RESPONSIBILITIES
 
The Board of Directors shall represent the Society as the official voice for health-system pharmacy in Texas. The Board of Directors shall have charge of the property of the Society and shall establish guidelines for expenditures and investment of funds, and the signing of checks. They shall have authority to make contributions of Society funds or properties to foundations or other organizations for research and educational activities of benefit to the health-system pharmacy field; to supervise and to select the editor of the Society publications; to make ultimate decisions regarding the acts of councils and committees and officers on professional policy matters; to accept, on behalf of the Society, grants, contributions, gifts, bequests or devices to further the purpose of the Society; to do and perform all acts and functions not inconsistent with the Bylaws; and shall report actions taken on major policy matters at the next Annual Business Meeting.

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The Councils shall operate to further the objectives of TSHP. The President shall appoint, with the approval of the Board of Directors, the chair, vice chair and members of each council, to serve a one year term from the installation of officers at the Annual Seminar through the Annual Business Meeting the following year. The President shall appoint a TSHP officer to serve as liaison to each Council. 
 
ARTICLE I
 
FUNCTION

In working toward achievement of the objectives of the Society, each Council shall function in a developmental and advisory capacity, developing programs authorized by the Board of Directors in the major area of Society interest to which it is assigned. Each Council may convene subcommittees to accomplish the objectives assigned to that Council.
 
ARTICLE II
 
AREAS OF INTEREST
 
A. COUNCIL ON ORGANIZATIONAL AFFAIRS
 
The Council on Organizational Affairs shall be responsible for review and maintenance of the Society’s governing documents, gathering and organizing documents for Society archives; oversee the balloting for all elections; identification and recognition of outstanding members throughout the State and any other related activities identified by the Board of Directors.
 
This council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
 
The Canvassing Group shall consist of at least three members appointed by the President and shall be responsible for tabulating any ballots returned for any election conducted by TSHP.
 
B. COUNCIL ON PROFESSIONAL AFFAIRS
 
The Council on Professional Affairs shall be responsible for professional and scientific matters including the development and improvement of the professional practice of pharmacy in organized healthcare settings; the development of standards and related materials; and any other related activities identified by the Board of Directors.
 
This Council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
 
C. COUNCIL ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS
 
The Council on Public Affairs shall be responsible for review and interpretation of proposed and potential legislation and actual changes in laws, rules, and regulations affecting public health and pharmacy practice; developing proposed positions on legislation and regulations for the Society; cooperating and coordinating activities with allied organizations and agencies; and any other related activities identified by the Board of Directors.
 
This council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
 
D. COUNCIL ON COMMUNICATION AFFAIRS
 
The Council on Communication Affairs shall be responsible for the dissemination of information to the membership and to the general public through regular Society publications and other media;  communications with affiliated chapters and to members living in areas of the state without an organized chapter; and any other related activities identified by the Board of Directors.
 
This council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
 
E. COUNCIL ON EDUCATION AFFAIRS
 
The Council on Education Affairs shall be responsible for coordinating all continuing education functions sponsored or conducted by the Society. This shall include guidance and assistance in programming and funding the Society’s educational and training activities, including the Annual Seminar, other forms of continuing education, or other related activities that may be identified by the Board of Directors.
 
This council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
 
F. MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
 
The Membership Development Council shall be responsible for membership recruitment and retention, development of new sources of revenue to be reviewed/approved by the Executive Committee, and development of services to benefit members and enhance the value of the TSHP membership investment.
 
The council shall be composed of a council chair, a vice-chair, and other members as appointed by the President.
G. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
 
The TSHP Executive Committee shall oversee the TSHP Political Action Committee (TSHP PAC) and serve as the Board of Directors of the PAC. The Committee shall administer all funds and transactions and work with the TSHP PAC chair and TSHP Lobbyist in achieving the legislative goals of the Society.

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ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
 
The TSHP Technician Section shall consist of technician and student technician members who have common and/or unique interests, goals, or practice settings. 
 
ARTICLE II
 
A. OFFICERS
 
The Officers of the Section shall be members of the Section.
 
The elected officers of the Section shall be Chair, Chair-Elect, Immediate Past Chair, Secretary and Member-At-Large. The Chair-Elect shall be elected annually and shall ascend successively to the offices of Chair and Immediate Past Chair, serving one (1) year in each of these positions.
 
The Secretary and the Member-At-Large shall be elected every two (2) years, in alternating years.
 
B. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
 
1. Chair: The Chair shall be the principal elected official of the Section. With approval of the Section Executive Committee, the Chair shall appoint committees as needed; shall be a member of the Section Executive Committee and shall serve as its Chair; shall be a member of the Board of Directors and shall report on the Section activities to the Board of Directors.
 
2. Chair-Elect: The Chair-Elect shall be a member of the Section Executive Committee and shall perform the duties of the Office of the Chair whenever the Chair is unable to do so.
 
3. Immediate Past Chair: The Immediate Past Chair shall be a member of the Section Executive Committee and shall serve as Chair of the Executive Committee in the absence of both the Chair and the Chair-Elect.
 
4. Secretary: The Secretary shall be a member of the Section Executive Committee and shall serve as Secretary of the Section Executive Committee. The Secretary shall record and maintain minutes of all meetings of the Section and the Section Executive Committee and forward copies to the Society Secretary within thirty (30) days of the meeting. In cooperation with the Section Chair, the Secretary shall prepare an annual report of Section activities.
 
5. Member-At-Large: The Member-At-Large shall be a member of the Section Executive Committee and shall serve as Member-At-Large of the Section Executive Committee. The Member-At-Large shall assist in advancing the goals and objectives of the Section and perform other duties as assigned by the Section Executive Committee.
 
C. ELECTIONS
 
A Committee of Nominations, appointed by the Chair, shall present to the Section Secretary at the annual business meeting at least two (2) candidates for the office of:
 
1.Chair-Elect, annually
2.Secretary, in every odd-numbered year
3. Member-At-Large, in every even-numbered year.
 
The ballots shall be distributed to all Section members in accordance with established election procedures for Society officers. The results of the election shall be certified by the Society’s Canvassing Group. The Society’s Secretary shall notify all candidates of the results of the election.
 
The officers thus elected by a majority of votes cast shall be installed at the Section’s Annual Business Meeting.
 
D. VACANCIES
 
If the office of an elected member of the Section Executive Committee becomes vacant, the Executive Committee shall fill such vacancy until such time as a duly elected replacement is installed. During the next annual nomination cycle, the Committee on Nominations of the Section shall present candidates for election to serve the remaining portion of the unexpired term.
 
ARTICLE III
 
COMMITTEES
 
A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
 
The Section Executive Committee shall consist of the Chair, the Chair-Elect, the Immediate Past-Chair, the Secretary, the Member-at-Large and a member of the TSHP Board of Directors, who shall serve as liaison to the Board of Directors. The liaison member shall be a voting member of the Section Executive Committee.
 
B. OTHER COMMITTEES
 
1. Members of the Section shall serve as member representatives on the following TSHP Councils: Communication Affairs, Education Affairs, Organizational Affairs, Professional Affairs, and Public Affairs.  
 
2. The Chair shall appoint members to committees as deemed necessary to carry out         the responsibilities and programs of the Section.
 
ARTICLE IV
 
MEETINGS
 
A. The Section shall meet at least once a year at the TSHP Annual Seminar. It may meet at other times at the call of the Chair or upon application, in writing, to the secretary, by ten members of the Section.
 
B. The Section Executive Committee shall meet at least two times per year.
 
C. Five percent (5%) of the active members shall constitute a quorum for the annual business meeting. A majority of the elected members will constitute a quorum for the Section Executive Committee.
 
ARTICLE V
 
RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, the Section shall: 
 
A. Plan, recommend and coordinate continuing education programs for its members.
 
B. In cooperation with the Council on Communication Affairs, expand and maintain membership recruitment services aimed at its members as well as prospective members.
 
C. Provide guidance, and make proposals to the Board of Directors on policy issues involving the Section’s area of interest or expertise.
 
D. Assist with the development of guidelines and practice standards for pharmacy technicians. 
 
E. Promote and foster the standards and objectives of the Society.
 
F. Participate in activities for the advancement of pharmacy technicians and the profession of pharmacy.
 
G. Report, consolidate, and delineate problems, issues and programs of general importance to the profession of pharmacy through its representation on the Board of Directors.
 
H. Refrain from engaging in acts that commit or bind the Society.
 
ARTICLE VI
 
AUTHORITY
 
A. The Section may not adopt, publicize, promote, or otherwise convey any policy or principle in the name of the Society that has not been approved by the Board of Directors.
 
B. The Section may pursue any activity that is authorized by the Society.
 
C. Any matter presented for consideration directly to the Board of Directors may, prior to action by the Board of Directors, be referred for consideration and recommendation to the Section.
 
D. The Board of Directors shall approve an annual Section budget and have authority to establish guidelines for the expenditure of Section funds.
 
E. The Board of Directors shall have final authority over the proposals of the Section.
 
F. The Section shall not secure nor attempt to secure funds independently from sources outside the Society without prior approval from the Board of Directors.
 
G. The Section shall not independently contact other organizations unless authorized by the Board of Directors.
 
H. If a matter is presented to the Section in a called meeting merely for the information of the Section, only acknowledgment of the information in the form of informal statements or suggestions shall be required in the records of the meeting.
 
I. If a matter considered by the Section in a called meeting requires no action from the Board of Directors or its designee, the action taken by the Section shall be expressed as “Voted” in the records of the meeting.
 
J. If a matter considered by the Section in a called meeting requires action from the Board of Directors or its designee, the action taken by the Section shall be recorded, dependent upon the extent of authority required for final action, as “Voted to Propose.” Such action must be taken by the Section when making a proposal to the Board of Directors.

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ARTICLE I
MEMBERSHIP
 
Student section membership shall consist of all TSHP pharmacy student members. TSHP pharmacy student members shall automatically be enrolled as members of the student section when a student membership application is filed with TSHP.
 
ARTICLE II
 
RESPONSIBILITIES
 
A. The student section shall promote and foster the standards and purposes of TSHP.
 
B. Through its representation on the TSHP Board, the student section may report the problems, issues and programs of general importance to the profession and otherwise participate in formulating TSHP policies at meetings of the Society.
 
C. The section may not adopt, publicize, promote, or otherwise convey any policy or principle in the name of TSHP which has not been approved by the TSHP Board of Directors. The section may not adopt, publicize, promote, or otherwise convey any policy or principle which is contradictory to, or in conflict with, any official policy or principle of TSHP.
 
D. The student section may use the TSHP insignia in accordance with the guidelines established by the TSHP Board of Directors.
 
E. Acts of the student section shall not be binding upon TSHP.
 
ARTICLE III
 
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. MEMBERSHIP:

Membership of the Student Section Executive Committee shall consist of two student representatives from each College or School of Pharmacy in Texas to be appointed by the President-Elect. Students wishing to serve on the Executive Committee shall submit to the President-Elect a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest by March 1 of each year. Affiliated Student Chapter Presidents shall also be Members-at-Large of the Student Section Executive Committee.
 
B. RESPONSIBILITIES:
 
The Student Section Executive Committee shall assist the Council on Education Affairs in planning the Student Session Programming at the TSHP Annual Seminar.
The Student Section Executive Committee shall foster and facilitate communication between TSHP Affiliated Student Chapter Presidents and the TexasColleges and Schools of Pharmacy.
 
C. OFFICERS:
 
Chair: The Chair, with the approval of the Student Section Executive Committee, shall appoint committees, shall serve as Chair of the Section Executive Committee, and shall be an observer to the TSHP Board of Directors, reporting on activities of the Affiliated Student Chapters as well as the Student Section Executive Committee. The Chair will be appointed from the Student Section Executive Commit