CONSTITUTION OF THE AAGUS, INC

1. NAME and PURPOSES: The legal name of the Corporation is AAGUS, Incorporated. However, the Corporation shall continue to operate under the name of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons. The purposes of the Corporation are set forth in the Articles of Incorporation. The major purpose shall be to promote the study of diseases of the genitourinary system.
2. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: The principal office of the Corporation shall be designated from time to time by the Council, normally at the professional or academic office of the Corporation’s Secretary.
3. MEMBERSHIP: The members of the Corporation shall be limited in number, and shall be assigned to one of five classes:
1. Active Members shall be limited to seventy-five in number, residents of the United States or Canada, and shall be surgeons who have distinguished themselves in Urology.
2. Fellows shall be Active Members who have reached the age of 65, and they shall enjoy all of the privileges of Active Members.
3. International Members shall be distinguished foreign urologists elected by the Active Members and Fellows, and shall enjoy that status for life.
4. Honorary Members shall be elected to that status upon nomination by the Council, based on outstanding contributions to Urology.
5. Inactive Members are retired Active or International Members transferred at their request.
6. Only Active Members, Fellows and Honorary Members may vote for new members.
7. Inactive Members may attend meetings provided they pay the registration fee.
8. Inactive and Honorary Members are not required to pay dues.
4. OFFICERS AND COUNCIL:
   
   (a) The Officers of the Corporation shall be a President, Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer, elected by the membership, who shall exercise duties customary for those offices. A Curator-Historian may be appointed by the President.
   
   (b) The Council shall consist of five persons, including three elected officers: The President, the Vice President, and the Secretary-Treasurer. The fourth member shall be a candidate for progression to Vice President in the following year. The fifth member shall be from a younger age group and will be eligible to stand for election as an officer after his/her third year on the Council. The Council will meet from time to time upon the call of the President, and its proceedings shall be reported to the membership.
   
   The Secretary Treasurer serves for a period of five years after which he/she becomes a Council member for one year. The following year, he/she becomes Vice President. The length of term of the fifth Council member is three years.
   
   The Council will meet from time to time upon the call of the President. Its proceedings will be reported to the membership.
5. COMMITTEES: The standing committees of the Corporation shall include the following:
1. The Membership Committee consisting of five Active Members or Fellows, geographically diverse and otherwise representative of the Corporation’s members, serving for staggered five-year terms, one elected each year by the membership. The President and Secretary will serve ex officio. Nominations to membership must be received by the Secretary at least 150 days prior to the next Annual Meeting. The Committee shall investigate the credentials of prospective new members recommended by existing members to the Secretary, or suggested by Committee members. Candidates shall be proposed by the Committee to the membership for election, upon 90 days’ written notice prior to the Corporation’s Annual Meeting.
2. The Awards Committee, consisting of the two immediate past Presidents, the President, the President Elect and the Junior Council Member will be chaired by the most senior (remote) Past President). The Committee shall recommend all award recipients for approval by the Council.
3. The Nominating Committee will consist of three members who will serve for staggered three-year terms. Each year, one new Committee member will be appointed by the President immediately after the President takes office. The Committee will propose candidates to fill vacancies among elected officers, and propose a new member for the Membership Committee. It will also propose members for positions such as the AAGUS representative to the American Board of Urology, American College of Surgeons, and other such offices when positions need to be filled.
4. In addition, the Council shall be authorized to appoint such ad hoc committees as may be necessary from time to time.
6. ANNUAL MEETING and PAPERS:
   
   (a) The Annual Meeting of the Corporation shall be at a date and time assigned at the previous Annual Meeting, and shall ordinarily last for three days’ duration, unless altered by vote of the Council.
   
   (b) Guests may be invited to the Annual Meeting if they are serious candidates for membership. No more than 15 guests may be invited per meeting, and no more than one per member. Proposed invitations must be submitted to the Secretary and approved by the Council.
   
   (c) Papers to be presented at the Annual Meeting must be pre-approved by the Council upon submission of an abstract (of not more than 100 words) to the Secretary at a time designated by the Secretary.
   
   
7. ELECTION, DUES AND EXPULSION:
   
   (a) Election of New members shall take place at the Annual Meeting, and shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members voting. A quorum for such vote shall be one-half of the Active Members.
   
   (b) Dues to be assessed to each class of members shall be determined by majority vote of the membership upon recommendation of the Council. Members may be expelled for non-payment of dues.
   
   (c) Expulsion may be recommended by the Council and approved by a majority vote of the membership, for members who are in default of their dues, who without excuse fail to attend the Annual Meeting, who fail to exhibit an active interest in urology, or for other just cause.
   
   At the discretion of the Council, any Fellow or International Member who is absent from two consecutive meetings may forfeit his/her membership, unless he/she is able to provide satisfactory reasons for such absences to the Council.
   
   When an Active Member has been absent from one meeting of the Association, he/she will be notified in writing by the Secretary that his/her absence from the following meeting will constitute a forfeiture of his/her membership unless a valid excuse for his/her absence is received and accepted by the Council.
8. AMENDMENTS: This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds vote of the membership, after notice of proposed amendments 90 days prior to the Annual Meeting, and such amendments will be effective immediately following the Annual Meeting.

Adopted this 18th Day of April, 2004.

David M. Barrett, M.D.
Secretary