THE BYE-LAWS
~ Of ~
THE COLLEGE OF OPHTHALMOLOGISTS
(now THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF OPHTHALMOLOGISTS)
ADOPTED BY COUNCIL
9 December 1988
Amended by Council
7 March 2008
13 March 2009
12 March 2010
3 December 2010
9 December 2011
7 December 2012
6 March 2015
STANDING COMMITTEES
(b) – (g) no change required
Change to:
CONTENTS
1. / INTERPRETATION4. / MAKING AND ALTERATION OF BYE-LAWS
6. / MEMBERSHIP GENERALLY
7. / FELLOWSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP BY EXAMINATION
17. / FELLOWSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP BY PUBLISHED WORKS OR ATTAINMENTS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
19. / SENIORS
20. / REGISTRATION FEES
21. / AFFILIATESHIP BY QUALIFICATION OR EXPERIENCE
22. / AFFILIATESHIP OF THOSE IN TRAINING
23. / AFFILIATESHIP BY NON MEDICAL QUALIFICATION
24. / USE OF MEMBERSHIP OF COLLEGE FOR PURPOSES OF ADVERTISING
25. / SUBSCRIPTIONS
32. / HONORARY OFFICERS – ELECTION
39. / THE EDITOR
40. / COUNCIL – ELECTION
52. / COUNCIL – DUTIES POWERS AND RESIGNATION
54. / STANDING COMMITTEES
63. / NOTICES
64. / PROCEDURE FOR GENERAL MEETINGS
INTERPRETATION
1. In these Bye-laws where not inconsistent with the subject or context -
The expression “the Ordinances” means the Ordinances for the time being of the above named College.
“Poll” means a vote taken by means of the casting by members at a General Meeting of secret written votes.
“Ballot” means a vote taken by means of voting papers sent by post to all members or a specified section of them with the intention that they shall be returned by post duly completed.
Words occurring in these Bye-laws and also occurring in the Ordinances shall bear the same respective meanings in the Bye-laws as they bear in the Ordinances.
2. The Interpretation Act shall apply for the purposes of the interpretation of the Bye-laws as it applies for the interpretation of an Act of Parliament.
3. The Bye-laws shall be construed so as not to conflict with the Ordinances.
MAKING AND ALTERATION OF THE BYE-LAWS
4. The making, amendment or repeal of the Bye-laws by the Council shall be effected as follows:-
(a) Any member of the Council desiring to propose a new Bye-Law or an amendment to, or the repeal of, an existing Bye-law must give written notice to the Secretary of his intention to propose a resolution in that behalf at a Meeting of the Council.
(b) If any member of the College (not being a Member of the Council) desires to have a proposed resolution for the adoption of a new Bye-law or amendment to, or the repeal of, an existing Bye-law, he shall give written notice to the Secretary of the proposed resolution and the Secretary shall cause the same to be proposed at a Meeting of the Council.
(c) Notice of the proposed resolution shall be included in the notice of the first Meeting of the Council held after the expiry of one month from the date on which notice is given to the Secretary as aforesaid.
(d) If the resolution is passed by the Council with or without amendment, the same shall be effective for the immediate adoption of the new Bye-law or the amendment or repeal of an existing Bye-law as the case may be and the Bye-laws of the College shall thereafter be the Bye-laws as so altered.
5. Every enactment, amendment or repeal of a Bye-law shall be entered, together with the date, by the Secretary in a copy of the Bye-laws kept for that purpose, and shall be initialled by the President, and such copy shall be the authoritative copy of the Bye-laws until the next reprinting of the Bye-laws.
MEMBERSHIP
6. All elections of candidates for membership of the College shall be made by the Council as laid down in the Ordinances and in accordance with the following provisions.
FELLOWSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP BY EXAMINATION
7. (a) Candidates wishing to sit the examinations arranged by the Council shall apply in writing to the Secretary not later than the date specified in the public announcement of the examination in question.
(b) Candidates are admitted to the examination solely at the discretion of the Council.
8. Each candidate shall furnish, on a form provided by the Secretary for this purpose, such information as the Council shall from time to time decide.
9. The Examinations Committee shall draw up detailed regulations for the holding of examinations and shall from time to time issue instructions for the control of examinations.
10. (a) The Council shall appoint a panel of Examiners, from which shall be selected Examiners to act at each examination.
(b) The panel of Examiners shall be reviewed annually at which time the Council may receive recommendations from the Examinations Committee.
(c) No Examiners shall be appointed for longer than one period of five years. No Examiner shall other than in exceptional circumstances continue as such beyond his sixty-fifth birthday or after he has retired from active practice.
11. The Examiners shall enquire into and test the professional knowledge and clinical ability of candidates for Fellowship and Membership in accordance with the Bye-laws and Ordinances. A report of the Examiners shall be agreed at a meeting of the Examiners at the end of each Membership and Fellowship examination.
12. The eligibility to sit examinations, their content and structure and the criteria to be applied to candidates shall be determined and published by the Examinations Committee subject to approval by the Council.
13. (a) The entrance fees for Examinations shall be such sums as may be determined from time to time by the Council.
(b) In the event of inability to sit the examinations on the date specified, the Treasurer may in appropriate cases return the fee or part thereof.
14. The Examinations Committee shall report successful candidates in the examinations to the Secretary, who shall lay before the Council a list of successful candidates for the approval of the Council.
15. All reports by Examiners on candidates shall be confidential to the Council and to the Examiners.
16. (a) Fees and levels of reimbursement of expenses for Examiners shall be fixed from time to time by the Council on the recommendation of the Finance Committee.
(b) Any fee and any expense reasonably incurred for the assessment of submitted published works or attainments in Ophthalmology shall be defrayed from College Funds.
FELLOWSHIP AND MEMBERSHIP BY PUBLISHED WORKS OR ATTAINMENTS IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
17. (a) Candidates who wish to submit published works on, or to demonstrate attainments in, ophthalmology or related subjects shall complete a form provided by the Secretary for this purpose. Each such application shall be sponsored by two Fellows or Members in good standing. A fee not exceeding that levied on candidates for the Part 2 FRCOphth examination is payable at each submission.
(b) The Council shall have absolute power and discretion in deciding upon any application and its decision shall be final.
18. The Council shall appoint two or more members of the Council to assess the candidates. They shall be furnished with copies of the published works or a statement of the candidate’s attainments. They shall submit to the Secretary any recommendations for admission to Fellowship or Membership on the grounds of published works or attainments, and the Secretary shall lay before the Council a list of such recommended candidates with the names of their sponsors, for the approval of the Council. The details of the schemes will be kept by the membership section of the Operational Support Department and made available on the College website.
19. SENIORS (a) Fellows and Members who have attained the age of 65 or who declare themselves to have retired permanently from clinical practice may apply to the Secretary for a change in their membership to the category either of Paying Senior or Non-Paying Senior.
(b) Paying Seniors shall pay a reduced annual subscription and shall be entitled to receive such College publications and to enjoy such privileges as the Council shall from time to time decide. Non-Paying Seniors shall pay no annual subscription and shall receive a reduced number of College publications. Seniors of both categories may continue to use the designations after their names as they were entitled formerly.
(c) Paying Seniors in good standing shall be entitled to receive notice of and to attend, speak and vote at General Meetings but not to stand in College elections. Non-Paying Seniors shall be entitled to receive notice of and attend but not to speak or vote at General Meetings or to stand or vote in College elections.
(d) By notice to the Secretary, Seniors may change from the Paying to the Non-Paying category and vice versa.
REGISTRATION FEES
20. Each member qualifying under the Ordinances or by these presents for admission as a Fellow or Member of the College and being desirous of admission to the Fellowship or Membership shall before he is admitted pay a registration fee in accordance with the Ordinances.
AFFILIATESHIP BY QUALIFICATION OR EXPERIENCE
21. The Council shall determine applications for Affiliateship by qualification or experience under Ordinance 2(h)(ii) in the following manner. The applicant who shall be sponsored by two Fellows shall submit in a form approved by the Council written evidence of his qualifications or experience which shall be reviewed by the Council.
AFFILIATESHIP OF THOSE IN TRAINING
22. The Council shall determine applications for Affiliateship by those undergoing training in ophthalmology under Ordinance 2(h)(iii) in the following manner. The applicant shall submit in a form approved by the Council written evidence that he is undergoing training in ophthalmology of a type which he shall describe and at a place which he shall name. Such application will require endorsement by a Consultant Ophthalmologist in charge of the applicant’s training.
AFFILIATESHIP BY NON-MEDICAL QUALIFICATION
23. The Council shall determine applications for Affiliateship by non-medical applicants under Ordinance 2(h)(iv) in the following manner. The applicant who shall be sponsored by two Fellows shall submit in a form approved by the Council written evidence of the higher qualification which he holds.
USE OF MEMBERSHIP OF COLLEGE FOR PURPOSES OF ADVERTISING
24. No Fellow, Member or Affiliate may use his membership as the basis of self-advertisement.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
25. In addition to any registration fee levied on admission, each member, except Honorary Fellows and Non-Paying Seniors, shall pay an annual subscription.
26. Subject to the Ordinances and until otherwise determined by the Council, each member permanently resident in the United Kingdom or in the Republic of Ireland shall pay an annual subscription in accordance with the Ordinances. Such annual subscription shall be paid by banker’s order, by direct debit or by a form of covenant acceptable to the Council.
27. Members admitted on or after 1st April in any year shall pay three-quarters of the current appropriate subscription for that calendar year; those admitted on or after 1st July shall pay half; those admitted on or after 1st October shall pay a quarter.
28. Subject to the Ordinances and until otherwise determined by the Council, each member who does not permanently reside in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland shall pay an annual subscription in accordance with the Ordinances. Such annual subscription shall be paid in sterling or in another currency approved by Council for this purpose.
29. In the case of each member to whom the provisions of Bye-Law 28 apply, his Fellowship or Membership or Affiliateship shall be invalidated unless his annual subscription shall be received by the Treasurer by a required date specified by the Council.
30. For the purposes of these Bye-laws, the annual subscription shall be deemed to operate from 1st January to 31st December in any given year except as provided for by Bye-law 27.
31. In special circumstances and on application by a member the Treasurer shall be empowered to waive the levying of any fees or subscriptions from such member and report such waiver to the Council. The member concerned shall remain in good standing and shall enjoy such privileges as are accorded to members in good standing as laid down in the Ordinances and Bye-laws.
ELECTION OF HONORARY OFFICERS
32. President
(a) The election of the President shall be held by ballot of Fellows, Members and Diplomates under such voting system and in such manner (including, if desired, the use of electronic means) as the Council may decide.
(b) The Secretary shall be responsible for the process of nomination and election and shall act as the returning officer.
(c) An impending vacancy in the office of President shall be notified to those eligible to stand by the Secretary in a call for nominations. This shall be sent to all Fellows and Members eligible to stand who are in good standing at least 30 days before the closing date for nominations and shall include all relevant particulars of the post including the eligibility of candidates under Ordinance 26(c), the closing date for nominations and the supporting documentation required.
(d) Nominations must bear the signatures of two Fellows or Members in good standing who propose the candidate, and the consent of the candidate to serve if elected.
(e) Candidates will be asked in the call for nominations to accompany their nomination with a statement or supporting documentation to assist electors in making their choice. The details of the supporting documentation required will be determined by the Secretary and made clear in the call for nominations. In the event of a nomination being received with incomplete documentation, the candidate shall be informed promptly by the Secretary. If the documentation is still materially incomplete by the notified closing date, the College will not accept the nomination. The Secretary’s judgment on the completeness of documentation shall be final.