STATUTES OF THE SPANISH SOCIETY OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY (SEOM)
PART 1: REGISTERED NAME, PURPOSE AND ADDRESS
Article 1
With the name of SPANISH SOCIETY OF MEDICAL ONCOLOGY, abbreviated to the acronym SEOM, a scientific association is established on a national level in order to achieve the goals defined below, to be governed by these Statutes, pursuant to Organic Law 1/2002 of 22 March 2002 and supplementary regulations, with legal status and full capacity to operate, on a not-for-profit basis.
Article 2
This association has been constituted for an indefinite period of time.
Article 3
The fundamental purpose or goal of SEOM is to encourage the study and research of neoplastic disease and to seek to standardise clinical/therapeutic criteria in its diagnosis and treatment, and to this end it aims:
a) To promote the development of suitable therapeutic means, researching these at all levels, basic, experimental and clinical.
b) To seek to coordinate these means in a harmonious and comprehensive manner.
c) To encourage uniformity of criteria for the treatment of cancer in its various locations and extensions.
In order to achieve these goals, SEOM shall focus particularly on encouraging:
- The training, on a regional or national level, of working groups with specific therapeutic trial programmes for each neoplastic process or group of processes. The regulations for the operation of these groups shall be approved by the Board of Directors.
- The promotion and organisation of regular or extraordinary scientific meetings, courses and other means of establishing and maintaining contact between SEOM members and between these and other scientists. The Board of Directors may establish, if deemed appropriate, an Exchange Committee, to function alongside it.
- The establishment of relationships with associations or working groups devoted to similar activities or related sciences, in Spain or overseas, where these can make an effective contribution to the development of SEOM goals and to the scientific work of its members. These relationships may lead to the establishment of, or entry into, national or international Federations or Unions, if deemed suitable for these goals. Possible entry into these kind of Federations shall require, in the event, the express approval of the Extraordinary General Assembly of members by two-thirds majority vote of those present or represented. In the case of joining international bodies, it would also be necessary to gain prior authorisation from the government as established by Law. The Board of Directors would, in this case, appoint the corresponding Official Delegates.
- Sponsorship, of scientific publications, for which the Board of Directors may form an Editorial Committee, to function alongside it.
- The establishment of Sections relating to specific subjects, constituting areas of fundamental scientific interest to Oncology in the judgment of the Board of Directors.
Article 4
SEOM shall be based in Madrid, at calle Conde de Aranda 20, 5o dcha, 28001 Madrid. However, it may hold meetings of the Board of Directors, scientific meetings and General Assemblies at other locations within Spain. In order to change its address, this shall require the agreement of the General Assembly convened specifically for this purpose. The territorial scope of its major activities is the whole of the Spanish State.
PART II: MEMBERS AND THEIR RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS
Article 5
SEOM shall consist of an unlimited number of members. These may be: Founding, Honorary, Full, Temporary Associate, Permanent Associate, Correspondent and Patron members, in accordance with the following paragraphs:
a) Founding members shall be those who as such signed the founding charter referred to in article 1.0 of the law of Associations. This status shall also be held by the attendees of the first General Assembly corresponding to their immediate membership of SEOM. The status of Founding member incorporates that of Full member.
b) Honorary membership may be held by key national or foreign figures in the field of Oncology, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors, and with the approval of the majority of the General Assembly. They shall have the same rights as ASSOCIATE members and shall not be required to pay subscriptions.
c) The requirements necessary for new Full members are:
1) To have a degree in Medicine and Surgery and Medical Oncology.
2) To be introduced by two Full members who endorse their application by letter, with the exception of Temporary Associate members who become Full members once they have registered the completion of their period of specialisation. Applications on the Society’s official form shall be accompanied by a copy of the specialist qualification and Curriculum Vitae and shall be sent to the Secretary, who, with the corresponding report, shall submit it to the Board of Directors for consideration.
The applications considered by the Board to be in order and acceptable, shall be communicated to all members eligible to vote on notification of the first ordinary or extraordinary General Assembly, where a decision shall be taken by majority vote.
Full members shall have full rights and obligations as active members of SEOM. They shall be fully informed of all the activities of the Society; they shall be entitled to receive publications produced by the Society free of charge or at special reduced prices and to attend all external events in its life, such as Meetings, Courses and Congresses, also free of charge or by payment of reduced fees, as determined by the Board of Directors for all members.
In particular, Full members are entitled to attend, with the right to speak and vote, the ordinary or extraordinary General Assemblies, governing through these the life of the Society. They also have the right to be elected for any position on the Board of Directors or in the Society. They have a generic obligation to contribute towards the goals of SEOM and the specific obligation to pay the annual subscription indicated by the General Assembly.
d) Temporary Associate membership may be held by doctors who are training towards their specialist qualification in Medical Oncology. The admissions system for Temporary Associate members shall be the same as for Full members. They shall become Full members automatically once the Board of Directors has received their specialist degree or similar documentation, which will then be communicated to the General Assembly. They shall pay an annual subscription equivalent to half of that paid by Full members. Their participation in the General Assemblies shall be with the right to speak but not to vote and they may not be elected to the Board of Directors or to any Action Committees of the Society.
e) Permanent Associate membership may be held by scientists or other professionals whose work or professional interest is related to the development of the goals of the Society. The admissions system for Permanent Associate members shall be the same as for Full members. They shall have the same rights as Full members, except for their participation at General Assemblies, which shall be with the right to speak but not to vote, and they may not be elected to the Board of Directors or to any Action Committees of the Society. They shall pay an annual subscription equivalent to that paid by Full members.
f) Correspondent membership may be held by those who, fulfilling the conditions of Full or Permanent Associate members, normally live overseas. They shall retain the rights of their corresponding membership category (Full or Permanent Associate), with the exception that they may not be elected for positions on the Board of Directors, or on any other committees of the Society which involve duties which are incompatible with living abroad. They shall still be required to pay the subscription relating to their category (Full or Permanent Associate).
g) Patron membership may be held by those individuals or bodies which, whilst wishing to contribute towards the support and development of the Society, are not eligible for Full or Associate membership, and make a significant contribution to the financial support of the Society and are accepted as Patron members by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors. Members who, regardless of their membership status, have entered into retirement, and have notified the Secretariat of the Society of this, shall not be required to pay membership subscriptions. This also applies to those who are unemployed and provide proof of this.
Article 6
Membership is not transferable and shall be withdrawn in any of the following cases:
a) On cancellation, submitted in writing to the President of the Board of Directors.
b) Due to death or civil interdiction.
c) On failure to pay the corresponding subscription two years consecutively, in the case of members who are obliged to pay it. Once this has occurred, the Secretariat of SEOM shall contact the member concerned personally so that they can settle the unpaid amount within 30 days or submit any arguments they may deem appropriate. Failure to do so shall result in a registered letter being sent, granting them a further 30 days. Once this second period has passed without the unpaid amount being settled or with no reasonable justification being provided with regard to any exemption from payment, the membership shall be withdrawn.
d) By agreement reached at the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Board of Directors, when the professional conduct of a member damages the image of the Society or has an adverse effect on the achievement of its goals, once the relevant pleas have been heard.
e) Loss of membership shall not grant the right to any claim with regard to amounts or work contributed to the Society, which shall all be retained by the latter.
PART III: STRUCTURE OF SEOM
Article 7
The following bodies shall govern the life of SEOM:
a) The Board of Directors
b) The General Assembly of members.
SECTION 1. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Article 8
SEOM shall be governed and administered by the Board of DIRECTORS, consisting of:
- A President.
- A Vice-president.
- A Secretary General.
- A Treasurer.
- A maximum of eight board members, which may be reduced to a minimum of three, should this be advisable for the smoother running Society, by agreement of the General Assembly.
Article 9
The positions on the Board of Directors shall be unpaid and elected by the General Assembly. In order to occupy a position on the Board of Directors it is essential to practice one’s main professional activity in the field of Medical Oncology. The term of the post shall be four years. The President may not be re-elected. The Secretary General, Treasurer and board members may be re-elected as many times as deemed appropriate by the Society, and in the event of being substituted by current sitting board members, their positions as board members shall also be up for re-election at the same Assembly. The Secretary General and the Treasurer shall change every two years, acting in the first two years as Board Members (Board Secretary and Board Treasurer).
The Board of Directors shall be partially renewed every two years, with the Vice-president automatically becoming President, the Board Secretary becoming Secretary General and the Board Treasurer becoming Treasurer in order to complete the two years of their mandate, and therefore every two years the Vice-presidency and the Board Members of the Society are renewed. Should the Vice-presidency be occupied by a current sitting board member, their position as a board member shall also be up for renewal at the same Assembly.
Article 10
All positions on the Board of Directors shall be directly appointed through election at the General Assembly, decided by majority vote regardless of the number of attendees. In the event of a tied vote, the President of the Board of Directors shall have the casting vote. Only Full members and Founding members whose main professional activity is Medical Oncology shall be eligible.
Article 11
The Board of Directors or a minimum of twenty Full members may submit full lists of candidates for the posts to be elected, in one whole block, provided that each and every one of the proposals has been expressly approved. The submission of the candidate lists must be carried out before the end of the calendar year prior to that in which the renewal must be implemented.
The renewal of the Board of Directors shall take place on the occasion of an Ordinary General Assembly or by convening an Extraordinary General Assembly. This Assembly shall decide the elected list of candidates by simple majority vote. The vote may be cast directly or by post but not by proxy. No list of candidates may be submitted without specifying the posts of President, Board Secretary General and Board Treasurer.
Article 12
The Board of Directors shall meet at least twice a year, called by the President. At least half of its members must be present in order to reach agreements. The agreements shall be reached by voting, with the President having the casting vote in the case of a tie. Failure to attend two consecutive meetings of the Board of Directors, without prior justification, may result in the member being removed from the Board, should this be the decision of the majority of its other members. The vacant post shall be assumed by the rest of the Board and shall be renewed at the following elections.
Article 13
The Board of Directors shall govern the Society, except with regard to those issues which, in accordance with the Statutes or the Law, require the agreement of the General Assembly. In general, it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to decide on any matters relating to the objectives listed in article 3 of these Statutes, with no limitations other than when affecting the rights inherent to the status of members and to the availability of the immovable property of the Society.
Consequently, the Board of Directors shall have the broadest initiative to organise the work, meetings, relationships and other activities referred to in said Article 3 and to create or generate the Groups, Sections, Commissions and Committees referred to in this article, as well as others, which, in its judgment, help to achieve the goals of SEOM. It can therefore contract the obligations it deems necessary and appropriate for the achievement of these specific goals, with no limits other than those resulting from the budgets of the Society or from the resources it has available and which do not affect the ownership of its immovable property.
Article 14
The roles of the President are:
a) To represent SEOM in all kinds of acts and agreements, both judicial and extrajudicial, and before all Public and Private Bodies and individuals.
b) To call and chair the meetings of the Board of Directors and the General Assemblies.
c) To appoint members of the Technical Committees and other bodies operating alongside the Board of Directors or which it has been agreed to establish.
d) To implement the agreements of the Board of Directors and the General Assemblies.
e) To reach whatever agreements may be necessary in matters of urgency on a temporary basis until they are approved by the Board of Directors, and these must appear on the agenda of the next Board meeting.
f) To authorise with his signature the approval of minutes and other Society documents issued by the Secretary.
g) To order payments and sign the release of funds.
Article 15
The roles of the Vice-president are:
a) To assume the roles of the President in the event of his absence, illness or resignation and, in general, in any case where the Presidency remains vacant.
b) Those delegated to him by the President, of those contained in sections a, c, d, f and g of the above article.
Article 16
The roles of the Secretary General are:
a) To keep the Society’s books of an administrative nature, in particular the members’ register and files.
b) To distribute the necessary communications to the members in order to keep them informed of the agreements reached by the Board of Directors and the General Assembly.
c) To draft and communicate the announcements and notifications of Meetings and Assemblies, on the instructions of the President.
d) To draft and sign, on sight and approval of the President, or of the Vice-president in his absence, the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and of the General Assemblies and to issue, with the same requirement, approval of these. e) To draft an Annual Report on the activities of the Society, of which the Ordinary General Assembly shall be given an account, prior to distribution of copies to each and every member of the Society.
Article 17
The roles of the Treasurer are:
a) To effect payments and receive amounts on behalf of the Society and to keep its funds, following the orders of the President in all cases.
b) To draft the budget of income and expenditure.
c) To submit an Annual Financial Report to the General Assembly, which shall include the achievements of the Society and the resources it has available for its projects.
d) To keep the Accounting books.
Article 18
The Board of Directors may appoint a Manager whose role shall be to promote and implement the agreements reached by the Board of Directors under the direct supervision of the President. The Manager shall attend the meetings with the right to speak but not to vote.
SECTION 2. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Article 19
The General Assembly is the supreme body of the Society and its competence covers all matters which are not attributed to the Board of Directors. It is made up of all the members, although only those as indicated in article 5 have decisive power through their vote, one per member.
Notification of the General Assembly shall be communicated in writing to all members of the Society; this shall specify the venue, date and time that the session will take place and shall enclose the agenda indicating the issues to be addressed. This must be carried out 15 days in advance. Decisions shall be adopted by simple majority vote of those present, when the votes in favour exceed the votes against, and in the case of a tie vote, the president of the Board of Directors shall have the casting vote; all of this without prejudice to that established in articles 29 and 30.
Article 20
The General Assembly shall meet on an ordinary and regulatory basis once a year, preferably during the first calendar quarter, in order to approve, if appropriate, the previous year’s administration accounts and the budget for the current year. Where possible the meeting shall be held to coincide with a National Scientific Meeting, in order to achieve the highest attendance of members possible. It may reach agreements, apart from those mentioned above regarding accounts and budgets, which must be announced on notification of the meeting.
Article 21
The General Assembly shall meet on an extraordinary basis when the President of the Board of Directors calls it for matters he deems appropriate. The president shall necessarily call an Extraordinary General Assembly when this has been agreed by the Board of Directors or when no fewer than 20% of members have requested this in writing, indicating the specific issues on which it must reach a decision.
Article 22
At General Assemblies votes may be placed directly or by post, but not by proxy granted to another member. In the case of a postal vote, this must be received by the Secretariat before the Assembly is held.
SECTION 3. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
Article 23
As this represents a fundamental area within the objectives of SEOM, the latter shall seek to organise Congresses, Meetings, Symposia, Courses, etc., as often as deemed appropriate for the specific goals of the Society.
Article 24
All meetings and activities of a similar nature shall be carried out in accordance with specific general guidelines or operational rules designed for each type, which shall be produced sufficiently in advance by the Board of Directors or the relevant commissions appointed to this task by the Board.
SECTION 4. WORKING GROUPS
Article 25
Given that one of the goals of the Society is to encourage the establishment of Working Groups or Cooperation Groups, this is considered to be the fundamental objective of the Working Meetings held, as the final conclusions of these aim to update and standardise criteria.
SECTION 5. SCIENTIFIC SECTIONS
Article 26
The Sections established within SEOM and referred to in article 3.5, may be put into operation either by the Board of Directors or on the initiative of members who submit a project to the Board and their constitution must always be approved at the General Assembly. The aim of these Sections is to develop areas of scientific interest and to disseminate these.
These Sections are established within the structure of SEOM, accepting the statutes of the Society and shall be governed by Internal Structure Manuals which shall be produced as and when necessary and must be approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to dissolve the Section when the activities it is performing stray from the established objectives. Any publication or communication issued by these Sections must be seen and approved by the Board of Directors of SEOM and their budgets shall be approved by the Treasurer of the Society.
PART IV: FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Article 27
The Society shall rely on the following for its financial resources y functions:
a) Membership subscriptions
b) Contributions, donations, bequests, inheritances and grants of all kinds which may be established in its favour by all types of Official Centres, Bodies and Private Individuals.
c) Any other legitimate resource.
Article 28
The initial annual budget shall not exceed 300,000 euros. This does not include Foundation Assets. The financial year shall coincide with the calendar year.
PART V: STATUTE AMENDMENTS
Article 29
Any modification to these Statutes must be proposed by the Board of Directors or with the signature of at least 20% of members eligible to vote and be sent to the President of the Society, who shall call an Extraordinary General Assembly. Approval of amendments shall require a quorum, corresponding to half plus one of the members eligible to vote, with postal votes being valid. Approval shall require a simple majority of applicable votes.
PART VI: DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
Article 30
The Society may only be dissolved at an Extraordinary General Assembly called by the President at the request of at least 25% of the members and shall require the favourable vote of three quarters of the total number of members of the Society eligible to vote. In the event that the Society is dissolved, the assets shall be transferred to Bodies devoted to not-for-profit activities, as agreed at the same Extraordinary General Assembly.
