Note: The By-Laws have been revised during the 2007 calendar year.

By-Laws

June 1991

Article I - Name

The name of this association shall be the Military Audiology Association (hereinafter referred to as MAA).

Article II - Purpose

The purposes of the association shall be to:

  1. Advance the profession of audiology within the Department of Defense by disseminating knowledge and information.
  2. Promote quality health care, and to protect and maintain the hearing sensitivity of those exposed to hazardous levels of noise.
  3. Bring into our organization audiologists and other allied professionals to further professional growth and social contact.
  4. Establish and maintain cooperation among medical, biological, engineering and other sciences associated with the profession of audiology.

Article III - Membership

  1. The classes of membership shall be as follows:
    1. Member. An applicant for membership shall be an active duty officer, federal civilian, reservist, or federal retiree who has one or more of the following minimum qualifications:
      1. Be a duly certified audiologist by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); or
      2. Be a graduate of an accredited college of university and be working in the field of audiology or hearing science.
    2. Associate Member. Associate membership shall be granted upon request to those persons who, in the past, have been members in good standing of MAA, are now engaged in professional services related to audiology, (e.g. Speech/Language Pathologist) particularly in situations other than in military environments.
    3. Honorary Member. Honorary membership shall be elected from among those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of audiology or hearing conservation. Honorary members shall not be required to pay annual dues. The Executive Council shall have the power to select not more than two Honorary Members in any one year. The Executive Council, shall propose nominees to the membership for approval. Any member of MAA may submit such nominations in writing to the Executive Secretary for transmittal via the Executive Council to the membership. Individuals awarded Honorary membership shall receive complimentary copies of the MAA Newsletter.
    4. Emeritus Members. Those individuals who have been MAA members for a minimum of three (3) years and are fully retired from federal service, may be granted Emeritus membership for life by the President. Each Emeritus member shall be entitled to vote but not hold office on the Executive Council. The are not required to pay dues. They shall receive a complimentary copy of the MAA Newsletter.
  2. Application for membership must be written upon the prescribed form and endorsed by at least one eligible member of MAA. The application must be approved by the Executive Council.
    1. The application shall be accompanied by the application fee ($10.00) and the full amount of the annual membership dues.
    2. If the applicant meets all requirements for membership, the applicant shall be notified that the application has been approved. The name and brief biographical sketch of the new member shall be published in the Newsletter.
    3. If there is a question as to the qualification of the applicant, the member(s) endorsing or recommending the applicant shall be contacted for further information. The Executive Council shall review the additional information and, after due consideration, such action as its findings warrant.
  3. The Executive Council may refer the application to the membership, which shall determine whether the applicant has the necessary qualifications for membership.
  4. Dues. Annual dues shall be determined and assessed by the Executive Council. Dues are payable in advance of the membership year.
  5. Termination of membership. A member may be terminated for conduct which the Executive Council deems contrary to the best interest of MAA. For any cause other that non-payment of dues, expulsion shall occur only after the member in question has been advised in writing of the complaint and has been given an opportunity to answer the charges. Such member shall be notified by the President and shall be entitled to a hearing before the Executive Council. The Executive Council shall hear the case, shall have the power to censure, place on probation for a period not to exceed 2 years, suspend for a period not to exceeded 3 years, or expel a member, as the findings warrant. A two-thirds vote of the full membership of the Executive Council shall be final.

Article IV - Officers

The elected officers of MAA, hereinafter referred to as the Executive Board, shall consist of the following:

  1. President
  2. Vice-President
  3. Secretary/Treasurer

Article V - Duties of Officers

The President shall preside at all meeting of MAA and shall act as a member of the Executive Council. He/she shall notify, in writing, the supervisor of each new member of the Executive Council, CAOHC Representative and Standing/Special Committee Chairman of their appointment.

The Vice-President shall perform duties of the President during his/her absence, if he/she is disabled during the interim or until a successor is chosen. The Vice-President shall be familiar with the duties of the President and perform such duties as may be duly assigned by the President.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for recording the minutes of the annual meeting and notifying the membership of the time and place of meetings. In addition, the Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain and publish a membership directory. The Secretary/Treasurer shall pay all monies necessary for the expenditures as result of doing business. Approval from the Executive Board shall be required for any expenditures in excess of fifty dollars. At each annual meeting, he/she shall report on all expenditures and the upcoming year's proposed budget.

Article VI - Elections

  1. Elected officers of the Executive Board shall reside within the continental United States. In the event that an Executive Board member is transferred overseas, the nomination and election by mail ballot of a new Secretary/Treasurer shall occur with 60 days of notification.
  2. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be the only officer elected annually. The Secretary/Treasurer shall be elected by mail ballot no less than 90 days prior to the annual meeting. Representation on the Executive Board shall consist of at least one member of the Air Force, Army and Navy and elected in that order. In successive years the Secretary/Treasurer shall assume the office of Vice-President and President, respectively.
  3. Only active members in good standing shall be entitled to vote in the election of Secretary/Treasurer.
  4. The elected officers shall serve from 1 January to 31 December.

Article VII - Council

Members of the Executive Council shall be the elected officers of the Executive Board, the Executive Secretary (ex-officio) and one representative each from the Air Force, Army and Navy. The Service representatives shall be nominated by the senior Audiology consultant or advisor of each Service and approved by the Executive Board. The Service representatives shall serve two (2) years and shall assist the Executive Board in the accomplishment of their duties.

Article VIII - Executive Secretary

The Executive Secretary shall be appointed by the Executive Council and shall serve at the pleasure of the Council for an indefinite period of time. The duties of the Executive Secretary shall include (but not limited to) the following:

  1. The Executive Secretary shall be the MAA Historian and maintain such items as photo albums, plaques, and non-current files.
  2. He/she shall maintain the membership list and the Association checking account.
  3. He/she shall establish a permanent mailing address and receive and forward correspondence to the appropriate officer.

Article IX - Newsletter Editor

The Editor of the MAA Newsletter shall be appointed by the Executive Board to oversee the publication of this bi-annual publication. The editor shall reside within the continental United States. In the event that he/she is transferred over seas, a new Editor will be appointed within 60 days of notification. The Editor shall serve two (2) years. The bi-annual MAA Newsletter shall be published no later than 1 September and 1 March of each year. Cut-off dates for submissions to the MAA Newsletter shall be 1 August and 1 February.

Article X - CAOHC Representation

Two members shall represent MAA at the Executive Council meetings of the Council for Accreditation in Occupational Hearing Conservation. Representatives shall be no less senior than the rank of Major (O-4) or GS-12. They shall be appointed for five (5) years and three (3) years, respectively, unless tenure is extended by the MAA Executive Council.

Article XI - Meetings

  1. The annual general membership meeting shall be at a time and place designated by the Executive Council. The Executive Secretary shall notify all members of the annual meeting at least 30 days in advance of the meeting as to date, time and location.
  2. Meetings of the Executive Board or Executive Council shall be initiated by the President. Action may be taken by telephone conference or mail ballot.
  3. The quorum for the Executive Board/Council and annual general membership meeting shall be a simple majority of its voting members.

Article XII - Committees

  1. The chairman for each of the following committees shall be appointed by the Executive Council and will serve two (2) years. Upon completion of a term of service, an "out-going" and "incoming" report shall be presented by the two committee chairmen during the annual general membership meeting.
  2. There shall be the following standing committees:
    1. Membership
    2. Newsletter
    3. Public Relations
    4. By-Laws (as needed)
  3. The Executive Council or the President may create special committees or such other committees as may be deemed necessary for such a period of time as may be considered appropriate. The Executive Council or President shall establish and define the functions of such committees.

Article XIII - Funding and Fiscal Year

  1. Funds may be raised by dues, by assessments of active members or in any other manner approved by the Executive Council. Funds may be appropriated by the Executive Council to defray the expenses of MAA.
  2. The Fiscal Year shall begin 1 January and end on 31 December of each year. The Executive Council shall, within 30 days of the annual general membership meeting, adopt an income and expense budget covering all activities for the next fiscal year.

Article XIV - Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws may be proposed by the Executive Council or any individual members. When proposed by an individual member it shall first be sent to the Executive Council. The membership shall be notified of the proposed changes at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual general membership meeting. Upon proposal by the Executive Council and after discussion at the membership meeting, these by-laws may be amended or repealed, in whole or in part, by mail ballot. A two-thirds (2/3) majority of votes received shall be necessary for approval.