on leadership and policy positions and serve on standing committees but shall not serve as officers of the WVSMA . Retired members shall be assessed one fourth the annual dues cost of an active member . a .
Any member desiring to resign from the WVSMA shall submit a resignation in writing to the executive director , who shall present the same at the next scheduled meeting of the Board for action . d . Associate Members . Associate Members shall be i ) those physicians not licensed in West Virginia who share and support the purpose of WVSMA or ii ) nonphysicians who share and support the purpose of the WVSMA . Associate members do not have the right to vote on leadership or policy positions , but may vote in committees . Associate members shall be assessed one half the annual dues cost of an active member . e .
Corporate Members . Corporate members shall be those organizations that share and support the purpose of WVSMA . Corporate members shall not have any of the rights of membership of the WVSMA . Corporate member annual dues shall be set by the Board .
f . Postgraduate Members . Interns , residents or fellows , who are serving or have completed an internship , residency , or fellowship , or other training program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education , and have not started unsupervised practice , shall have the rights and privileges of active members at one fourth the annual dues costs of an active member . The Board may extend this membership class to international medical graduates . g .
h .
Student Members . Student members shall be those persons enrolled in an accredited school of medicine granting a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Degree . Student members do not have the right to vote in elections or on policy positions , but may vote in committees . Student member annual dues shall be set by the Board .
Honorary Members . Upon the signed recommendation of one member , seconded by another member , and by a three-fourths vote by ballot ( by those who have voting rights ) of the votes cast at an annual neeting , honorary life membership may be conferred upon such person ( s ) deemed to have served the interests of public health , organized medicine , or have rendered notable services to the WVSMA . An honorary member shall have none of the obligations of membership in the WVSMA , but shall be entitled to all privileges except voting and holding office . Honorary members shall be assessed no dues .
4 . Dues . The annual dues shall be set by the Board by a majority vote . The WVSMA staff shall notify members three months in advance . With oversight of the treasurer , staff shall notify members who are three months in arrears .
5 . Termination of Membership . b .
c .
Those whose dues are not paid within three months after receipt of staff notification of overdue membership dues shall be automatically suspended from membership in the WVSMA . Any member suspended for failure to pay annual dues may be automatically reinstated upon payment of past dues owing .
Any member who violates standards of professionalism or is known to have engaged in criminal activity may be subject to disciplinary action by the Board , which action may include termination / restriction of membership and / or removal from any office .
ARTICLE IV : Policy Making Process
1 . All members of the WVSMA shall be entitled to help determine the policy positions to be adopted by the WVSMA in accordance with this Article .
2 . Policy positions of the WVSMA may be introduced by any voting member , on an electronic system accessible to all members . The electronic system shall be the platform for members to debate the issue presented during a defined period as set by the Board . Members with voting privileges will thereafter vote and establish the policy positions of the WVSMA .
3 . Process : Policies of the WVSMA shall be adopted pursuant to the following procedures :
a .
b .
The Board may initiate an emergency policy upon a determination of the need for the same . Such determination must be supported by a minimum of 10 members . Emergency policy shall go into effect immediately .
Any member can initiate a policy discussion . A minimum of 10 members is required for any action on a policy . Such member-initiated policy shall be adopted in the following manner via electronic voting :
i .
ii .
A quorum of 25 % of the members with voting rights , with a 51 % of favorable votes to pass . This quorum of 25 % must include a minimum of 25 % of active members .
If this quorum of 25 % is not achieved , then a second vote on the same policy will be scheduled in one month with a minimum 10 % quorum requirement , with two-thirds majority of favorable votes required for passage .
West Virginia Medical Journal • June 2022 • 43