INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF CANCER PREVENTION (ISCaP)

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

Revised Feb. 2003  

Article 1 - Name and Incorporation  

The name of the society shall be “International Society of Cancer Prevention" formerly known as "International Society of Cancer Chemoprevention”, hereinafter referred to as the “Society”.  The incorporation as a non-profit, scientific organization, shall be in St. Gallen, Switzerland.  

Article 2 - Aims  

Prevention of cancer is herby defined as chemical or biological intervention to inhibit the carcinogenic process prior to invasive disease (primary prevention) and development of technique for early diagnosis before dissemination (secondary prevention, screening, screening) in order to increase cure rates.  

Aims of the Society are:  

2.1  to provide an international forum for research and development in the chemoprevention of cancer and in early diagnosis (screening).

2.2  to hold meetings to promote interaction among laboratory, epidemiological and clinical researchers in cancer chemoprevention and early detection.

2.3  to conduct educational activities to enhance professional and public understanding of cancer chemoprevention and early cancer detection.

 

Article 3 - Membership

There shall be four types of members:  active, associate, honorary, and emeritus.  Applicants to active, associate and honorary membership will be approved by the membership subcommittee of the board.  

3.1  Active membership shall be open to academic individuals from medicine,  ????? science, nursing and economics who have made significant contributions in research, administration or teaching in the area of cancer  primary and/or secondary prevention.

3.2  Associate membership shall be open to advanced graduate students and new post-doctoral fellows as well as to graduates of other disciplinaries, interested in cancer prevention.

3.3    Honorary members of the Society may be elected by the General Assembly and include those persons or organizations who have made an extraordinary contribution to the development of cancer prevention.  Honorary members shall have the rights of active members except holding office.

3.4    Emeritus membership shall be open to those members active in the Society for more than ten years and more than 65 years of age.  Emeritus members are not required to pay dues or stand for office.  

3.5      Every registered card paying participant of the regular/official ISCaP weekly (national or international) shall be considered an active ISCaP member, except when he or she actively declines or does not answer membership survey for more than 2 years.

 

Article 4 - General Assembly  

The General Assembly shall be the governing body of the Society.  It shall be composed of the active members of the Society approved and accepted upon proposal of the Board of Directors which receives and processes all nominations.

The General Assembly shall elect the members of the Board among individual members of the Society and approve or disapprove their decisions.  

It shall meet at least once every two years, usually during the bi-annual international conference.  At the meeting the President, the Secretary General and the Treasurer shall submit a report of their activities of the previous years.  These reports are to be approved by a single vote.  

Article 5 - Board of Directors  

The Board of Directors of the Society shall consist of 15-25 elected officers:  

• President

• President-Elect (Optional)

• Immediate Past President

• Vice Presidents (2) usually (1 from Asia, 1 from Europe, 1 from the US)

• Secretary General

• Treasurer (can be considered with other office

• Committee Chairmen and Co-Chairmen (12)

• Members at Large (5-8)

5.1    All officers and board members are elected for four years with term limits of:    

• President – maximum of eight years (two 4-year terms)

• Board Members – maximum of 12 years (three 4-year terms)  

The Vice Presidents are not necessarily to be considered as presidents-elect, their main duty is to represent the Society in their respective geographical area.

5.2    The president, the immediate post president and the secretary general for the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors can elect and establish an advisory committee composed ?????

5.3    The Board by elder expertise in cancer prevention.

5.4   The Executive Committee shall conduct the day-to-day business of the Society and hold at least monthly telephone conferences.  The whole Board shall meet at least every 2 years and shall define detailed By-laws dealing with relevant activities of the Society such as Conference organization, editorial activities, committees’ activity.  It shall examine rules for membership.  It shall propose the place of meetings and of the usual bi-annual International Conferences.  The Board shall approve the budget and an annual audited statement prepared by a Certified Public Accountant. 

5.5    The President shall:  

• provide the overall scientific direction for the Society

• promote international cooperations in the goals of the Society

• develop international membership in the Society  

5.6   The Secretary General shall:

• notify the members of the date, place and agenda of the General Assembly at least one month before the meeting;

• notify the members of the Board the date and place of the meeting at least one month before the meeting;

• present a yearly report of all activities of the Society to the members of the Board and to the society members.

• make a report to the General Assembly of all activities of the Society;

• keep records to the meetings of the board and of the general assembly.

• send a membership list to all individual members every 2 years/ usually updated after the bi-annual conferences. 

5.7    The Treasurer shall:

• keep a register of all members;

• receive fees of the members, not registering at the bi-annual internet conference but individually in between.

• pay all expenses approved by the President or the a General Secretary;

• present a yearly balance certified by professional;

• make an annual report to the Board and a bi-annual to the General Assembly of the financial status of the Society.  

Article 6 - Elections

 

6.1  Six months before the end of each Board Member’s 4-year terms, the Executive Committee shall appoint a Nomination Committee to prepare elections.  The Committee shall be composed of three (3) members who may be board members or not.

6.2   The Executive Committee proposes to the next General assembly the candidates who have agreed to their Board nomination through the Nomination Committee.

6.3  Members of the Board shall be elected at the General Assembly either by acc??????? or by a show of hands.

 

Article 7 - Finance  

7.1  Individual members registering in ?????? of regular (inter) ????????? conferences of the society, shall pay annual fees, but the Board can, for special reasons, exempt individuals from paying fees.

7.2  Any individual member who fails to pay dues without reason for two years or more and who further fails to answer membership surveys and questionnaires, shall be excluded from membership but can be reinstated after non compliance payment for past dues.

7.3  The annual dues for members will be determined by the Board and approved by the General Assembly, and are different for active members and associate members.

7.4  Dues shall be payable prior to June 30^th of the fiscal year, which is identical with the calendar year.

Article 8 - Amendments  

The Constitution and By-laws of the Society may be amended by a majority vote of the Board, confirmed by the General Assembly or by an affirmative postal vote of two thirds (2/3) of members.  

Propositions to change the Constitution and By-laws should be notified in writing and endorsed by at least two other members to the Secretary General at least two months before the bi annual Board and General Assembly meeting.  

The Secretary General shall give to all members notice of proposed amendments at least one (1) months before the General Assembly meeting.  

Article 9 - Dissolution of the Society  

The dissolution of the Society shall only be decided upon by a two third (2/3 vote of the General Assembly or by an affirmative postal vote to two thirds (2/3) of members.  

Remaining funds have to be transferred to another recognized non-profit society with similar goals in the constitution.

First effective July 1, 1996, respectively changed Nov. 25, 2002 and April 2008.