Statues of SSTA

The statutes of the Czech Society for Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy.
/SSTA/

§1 The Society will work within the framework of the Czech Medical Society of JEP

with its headquarters in Prague and it will be called the Czech Society for Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy (abbreviated as SSTA). In view of international contacts, for the purpose of contacts abroad the Society will be known as the Society for Sports Traumatology and Arthroscopy.

§2 The mission of the ČSAST will be:

2.1. To develop arthroscopic surgery in the area of post-graduate specialisation, preventive care and research.

2.2. To ensure adequate pre- and post-graduate education and training; to support further training and education of local and foreign specialists.

2.3 To monitor the standard of arthroscopy and sports traumatology. Eventually to recommend measures to be undertaken in organising orthopaedic-traumatology care in the Czech Republic within independent institutions capable of securing arthroscopy and sports traumatology services by providing personnel, technical and material equipment in order to maintain continual preventive care, as well as within institutions where arthroscopy and sports traumatology fall within the scope of general surgery.

2.4.Also to protect the interests of orthopaedists, traumatologists and arthroscopy specialists who deal with preventive therapeutic activities, in co-operation with the Medical Chamber. The Society will strive to improve their professional standings within society.

2.5. To develop at all levels co-operation with related specialities.

2.6. To develop at all levels professional and friendly contacts with foreign societies.

§3 Membership.

3.1. Every physician from the Czech Republic who applies may become a member of the SSTA, on condition that he/she furnishes proof that he/she works in the field of arthroscopy or sports traumatology or that he/she has contributed significantly to this field. Each application must be accompanied by a recommendation from two voting members of the SSTA.

3.2. Those interested in becoming members of the SSTA, and who are not qualified orthopaedists or traumatologists have the same rights as members in accordance with §3.1, but they do not have the right to run for election to the society’s executive body.
3.3. A foreign orthopaedist or traumatologist specialised in orthopaedics or traumatology in his/her country and who has significantly contributed to their development may become a member of the SSTA . He/she may be elected to the executive body where he/she will have an advisory vote, but will not have the right to vote or be elected.

§4 The Society’s structure is divided into the following organs:

• General Assembly
• Executive Board
• Special Committees

§5 The General Assembly

5.1. The General Assembly is made up of all the members of the SSTA. It receives reports on the Society’s activities from the Board, which it comments. It drafts proposals for other activities and it votes for the eventual dissolution of the SSTA. A submitted proposal is passed if at least 2/3 of voting members are in favour.

5.2. The General Assembly meets at least once a year, usually in association with the annual Congress of Arthroscopy, convened by the SSTA Board.

5.3. In emergency cases, the general Assembly may be asked by the Board to express a standpoint in the form of votes sent by post. Questionnaires are sent only to those members with voting rights.

§6 The SSTA Executive Board.

6.1. The SSTA Executive Board is made up of 7 members including the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and 4 other members with no definite function.

6.2. Members of the Board may also be co-opted, for example the Chairmen of Special Committees. The number of Board members then increases to over 7, but the votes of these co-opted members are only advisory.

6.3. Prominent foreign specialists may become members of the Board, increasing the number of members above 7. Their votes are only advisory, though.

6.4. Every member of the Board may hold only one function at one time, with the exception of their work in specific committees.

6.5. The Board has a two-year period in office. The Chairman can be elected maximally for two consecutive terms (a total of four years).

6.6. Members of the Board are named on the basis of a secret ballot in the General Assembly, in the order of votes gained.

6.7. 7 Candidates who win the ballot in the General Assembly in accordance with §6.6 are recommended to become members of the Board. The post of Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer depends on the number of votes won by the given candidate.

6.8. The Board meets every 2-3 months and is convened by the SSTA Chairman. Members of the Board receive invitations to the meeting at least 4 months in advance. Members must be informed of the meeting’s program at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting.

6.9. The Board directs and manages all the activities of the Society. Decisions are reached on the basis of a 2/3 majority of voting members. In the event of an inconclusive vote, the Chairman’s vote is decisive.

6.10. The Board receives 1 x year the Treasurer’s report on the financial status of the SSTA.

6.11 In emergency cases, the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasure may take a decision following a personal or telephone discussion.

6.12 The Chairman directs the running of the Society, announces the rules and its work-plan, submits proposals to national conventions and monitors the activities of other members of the Board.

6.13 The Vice-Chairman closely co-operates with the current Chairman, deputising for him in his absence during meetings of the Board or during a general assembly. The Vice-Chairman runs the agenda of the Society, draws up minutes and reports from meetings, maintains contact with other non-medical organisations and individuals when preparing the Society’s conventions, maintains contact between the SSTA and CLS JEP.

6.15 The Treasurer administers the financial income from membership fees as well as other potential sources. The Treasurer keeps records of these transactions and 1 x year submits a financial report to the Board for approval. The Treasurer may withdraw from the SSTA´s financial reserves only up to 500,- CZK. Larger expenses must first be approved by the Board.

§7 Special Committees

7.1 The Special Committees arise from the General Assembly. They are composed of members with the same professional interests. Their purpose is to prepare thematic and material conditions for upcoming annual congresses of the SSTA. They will maintain contacts with the representatives of companies manufacturing medical technology. They will monitor the plans of up-coming congresses dealing with their field of interest.

7.2. As needed, special committees may be set up transitorily, e.g. editorial, research, congress committees etc. Once their task is fulfilled, these committees are dissolved.

7.3 Committees are set up and dissolved by the Society’s Executive Board, which also names the chairman of each committee for a four-year term. The election term may be repeated maximally once. The activities of these committees are evaluated annually by the SSTA Board, which also decides about the eventual dissolution of a given committee.

7.4. A committee has 1-5 members. Any member of the SSTA may work in a committee. He/she may work only in one committee, but may at the same time be a member of the Board.

§8 Specialist Conventions and Congresses.

8.1 The SSTA organises an annual national convention of arthroscopy and sports traumatology. This may include international guests. Its date and theme are selected in co-operation with neighbouring foreign societies and the international organisation ESSKA is informed.

8.2 A meeting of the Society’s Executive Board is part of the annual convention. At the General Assembly, the Board informs the other members about the status of the Society and the activities planned both nationally and abroad. During this assembly, the Board also decides about new applicants for membership whose application must be recommended and endorsed by 2 voting members of the CSAST and must be submitted at least 2 months previously. If the term of Board members expires during a given year, the General Assembly selects in a secret ballot new Board members.

§9 Extraordinary Conferences.

9.1 The SSTA Board may call a working conference without international participation apart from the annual convention. Such conferences are not recorded chronologically in the list of annual congresses. The maximum number of such conferences allowed annually is 3. Their theme and date must be consulted one year beforehand so that lectures at these conferences do not duplicate those presented at the annual conventions.

§10 Membership fees.

10.1 Membership fees are determined according to the Society’s economical situation. When these statutes were proclaimed, the fee was 300,- CZK annually. If membership fees are not paid for 2 consecutive years, membership is automatically revoked, with no further notice given.

§11 Publication Activities.

11.1 The SSTA will strive to support the publication of significant works in specialised journals both at home and abroad. It will make space for publication in the journal Endoskopie, Acta orthopedica.

11.2 The SSTA has its own web pages that are updated regularly.

11.3 The SSTA will aim to launch its own journal, Artroskopie.

§12 Research Activities.

12.1 The SSTA will support original research activities in institutions with corresponding adequate conditions.

§13 Health Education.

13.1 The SSTA will contribute towards the health education of the lay public by proposing themes suitable for such activities.

§14 Dissolution of the Society.

14.1 If for internal or external reasons the SSTA loses the right to exist, its dissolution may be decided by a 2/3 majority of voting members, either by a secret vote by post or during a General Assembly, on condition that quorum is constituted.

14.2 On dissolution of the Society, a committee is established. This includes the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer, as well as 2 representatives of the CLS JEP. The other members of the Board are invited to join the committee only to present sworn testimony. The Society’s property will be liquidated in accordance with the rules of the CLS JEP.