| Norwegian Association
for the Study of Obesity - Constitution
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The purpose of the Association is to:
1. Promote research, teaching and
treatment in obesity.
2. Represent the study of obesity
in Norway internationally.
3. Cooperate in prevention and amelioration
of obesity-related diseases in the Norwegian
population. Association meetings are open
to all.
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Anyone who supports the purpose of the
Association is eligible to join the Association.
Applications for membership should be
made to the steering committee in writing and sent
to the secretary. The steering committee
will evaluate the application at the first meeting
after receiving the application. Supporting
memberships are available for corporations and
their representatives. The steering committee
may make agreements with corporations
regarding support for meetings and secretarial
work, but these agreements are solely
regarding administrative matters. The
steering committee is scientifically independent and
is responsible for the subject matter
of the meetings.
Termination of membership should be made
in writing to the secretary before January 1.
Membership will be automatically terminated
if the membership fee is not paid for two
successive calendar years. To rejoin the
Association, the membership fees for the
intervening years must be paid.
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The membership fee is decided for one
year at a time by the ordinary general assembly.
Students do not pay a membership fee.
Only members who have paid the current
membership fee have voting privileges.
Students and supporting members do not hold
voting privileges.
The membership fee will include membership
in the European Association for the Study of
Obesity (EASO). All members of the
Association will receive the journal Obesity Matters
and will receive discounted rates when
registering for EASO and affiliated meetings.
Payment of membership fee to EASO and
the administration of EASO membership will be
taken care of by the association. The
leader of the Association or the person s/he
delegates represents Norway at EASO meetings.
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The Association is led, and its activities
planned, by a committee consisting of five
Association members, one of whom is the
leader of the Association. The majority of the
steering committee should have a professional
background. The individual members of the
steering committee as well as an alternate
member are elected at a general assembly by a
written vote. The leader is elected first.
The leader must have a scientific background that is
at least equivalent to a doctorate. Every
person with voting privileges has one vote, and the
candidate who receives the most votes
is elected. Thereafter, the other members of the
steering committee are chosen. Each person
with voting privileges has as many votes as
there are places to be filled.
The candidates who receive the most votes
are the ones elected. The person receiving the
most votes after the candidates actually
elected becomes the alternate. If there is a tie, the
choice is made by lottery. The steering
committee chooses a secretary and a treasurer. If
the leader is incapacitated for a long
period of time, a temporary leader is chosen by and
from among the members of the steering
committee. A new leader is to be chosen for the
rest of the term at the first ordinary
general assembly.
The term for steering committee member
is three years. Reelection is permissible, and a
person may be elected anew after a break
of two or more years.
In addition to a leader, the general assembly
chooses an auditor by open vote. The term for
the auditor is three or more years, with
reelection permissible.
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The Association must hold a general assembly
every year in the second quarter. The
general assembly must be called in writing
with an order of the day at least three weeks in
advance. The general assembly is valid
when it is called according to the rules. The order
of the day for the ordinary general assembly
includes the following:
Election of director
Report from the leader
Financial report
Determination of membership fee
Reports from committees, if any
Elections according to $4, if any
The order of the day is sent out by the
steering committee. Other issues may be raised if
they are received in writing by the secretary
by March 1. The general assembly is lead by a
director, who is elected by majority vote.
An extraordinary general assembly can be
called in writing with at least three weeks notice,
either by the steering committee or if
at least 6 Association members direct a written request
for one to the steering committee. The
request must include the reason for the extraordinary
general assembly which will take place
6 weeks after the receipt of the request. The
extraordinary general assembly is valid
no matter how many members participate. All
questions are decided by simple majority,
except questions regarding $$ 2, 7, and 9. When
voting, each member present is allowed
one vote.
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The steering committee chooses members
for special committees. The steering committee
chooses representatives to other organizations.
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A change in the constitution can only
be voted during a general assembly and demands at
least a 3 majority. Suggestions for constitutional
changes are to be presented along with the
call for a general assembly. If less than
2/3 of the members are present, the question is to be
presented for general vote, where the
decision is made by simple majority.
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The steering committee may bestow honorary
membership on persons who have done an
especially good job in the interest of
obesity.
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To dissolve the Association or join it
to another company, debate at a general assembly
with a general vote following is necessary.
A 2/3 majority is necessary for the suggestion to
pass.
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