Article One – Constitution 

The organization shall be known as the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. It shall be an official branch of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (hereafter referred to as ASCP), and shall operate in compliance with the Constitution and By-Laws of ASCP. 

Article Two – Objectives 

The principal objectives of the Maryland Chapter shall be the objectives of ASCP delineated in Article III of the Constitution and By-Laws; and further, to foster and promote those objectives in a manner consistent with policies and procedures established by the ASCP Board of Directors. The Maryland Chapter may promulgate or promote any policy or principle in the name of ASCP, which does not conflict with any their policies and principles.   

Article Three – Fiscal Year 

The Chapter’s fiscal year shall coincide with that of ASCP. The Chapter’s financial records are maintained by ASCP and fall under its auditing procedures. 

Article Four – Membership 

SECTION 1. Membership in chartered chapters shall be restricted to Active Members, Pharmacist Associate Members, Health Professional Associate Members, Student Members, Pledge Members, Spouse Members, Retired Members, Life Members and Honorary Members as described in Article V, sections 1,2,3,4,5,7,8 of the Constitution and By-Laws of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. 

SECTION 2. All members in good standing of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists as defined in Article V sections 1,2,3,4,5,7,8 of their Constitution and By-Laws who are domiciled residents of the State of Maryland shall be permitted to become a member of the Maryland Chapter of The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, automatically and without making application thereto.  ASCP members who are domiciled residents outside the State of Maryland can become members of the Maryland Chapter by request. An individual who is not a member of good standing of ASCP shall not be permitted to join the Maryland Chapter. 

Article Five – Dues 

SECTION 1. The Chapter Board of Directors shall prescribe the annual dues and method of payment for new and renewable dues from time to time. 

SECTION 2. Dues are payable in advance upon written notice and shall be billed, collected and administered by ASCP in accordance with procedures prescribed by the ASCP Board of Directors

Article Six – Meetings 

SECTION 1 Quarterly Meetings – The Chapter shall have general membership meetings at least quarterly, one of such shall be the Mid-Atlantic Conference. Notice for such meetings shall be given as in Section 3. 

SECTION 2. Special Meetings – Special meetings of the Chapter may be called at any time by the Chapter Board of Directors or upon written request of a majority of the Active Members at any time. Notice of such meeting shall be given via ground mail or electronic mail to the last recorded address at least 15 days in advance. 

SECTION 3. There shall be meeting of the Chapter designated each year to install officers and to transact any and all business that may come before the meeting. Notice of such meeting shall be given via ground mail or electronic mail to the last recorded address of each member at least 30 days in advance. 

SECTION 4.  Board meetings, unless specifically specified, are open to the general membership.  Voting shall be limited to the Chapter Board of Directors. 

Article Seven – Voting 

SECTION 1. Active Members, Spouse Members Life Members, Retired Members and Pledge Members shall be entitled to vote and hold office in the Chapter. 

SECTION 2. The Chapter Board of Directors may authorize a mail ballot on any matter properly coming before the Chapter. Such ballot shall be either by ground mail service or electronically.

Article Eight – Officers and Directors 

SECTION 1. The Chapter Officers shall consist of Immediate Past President, President, President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The Chapter Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers and six (6) at-large Directors. 

SECTION 2. The Chapter Board of Directors shall consist of the Officers and six (6) at-large Directors and each shall have one (1) vote. The total number of available votes of the Board of Directors shall be eleven (11).   

SECTION 3. The President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected annually by ballot of the membership and shall hold office, unless otherwise removed as hereinafter provided, for one (1) year, or until their successors shall be duly elected, qualified and installed.  

SECTION 4. At-Large Directors shall be elected annually by ballot and shall serve three (3) year terms, unless removed as hereinafter provided, or until their successors shall be duly elected, qualified and installed. Two (2) At-Large Directors will be elected each year.

SECTION 5. The elected officers and at-large directors shall serve without compensation in their elective posts. 

SECTION 6.   The Chapter Board of Directors may remove any elected Officer, At-Large Director or Immediate Past-President from office for non-payment of dues, delinquency, inefficiency, neglect of duty, or for any other cause in the same manner prescribed in Section 11 of Article V of the ASCP Constitution and By-Laws, for suspension or expulsion from membership. 

SECTION 7. In the case of a vacancy of any of the elected officers or directors the vacancy shall be filled by the Chapter’s Board of Directors appointment until the next ballot election. 

SECTION 8. Board Quorum. A total of six (6) officers and At-Large Directors in attendance shall constitute a quorum for Chapter Board of Directors meetings. Matters will be decided by a majority vote of the Officers and At-Large Directors in attendance. 

Article Nine – Duties of Officers 

SECTION 1. The President shall be the chief officer and spokesperson of the Chapter. He/She shall have the power, within the broad scope of policies adopted by ASCP and/or Board of Directors, to perform, delegate, authorize, empower, and approve such action as in his/her sole discretion, shall be necessarily required to advance the best interests of the Chapter. The President shall prepare, with the advice of the Immediate Past-President and the President-Elect, agendas for Board meetings. The President may establish, with the approval of the Board, goals and objectives for the Chapter for his/her term of office. 

SECTION 2. The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or disability of the President. He/She shall perform such other duties as may be specifically delegated or as may be required under this Charter. 

SECTION 3. The Secretary shall keep a written record of all proceedings of the Chapter and the Chapter Board of Directors. The minutes of all meetings shall be presented at the beginning of each Chapter meeting for corrections and approval by those members in attendance.  

SECTION 4. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all income and expenditures and approve the reports submitted by the finance department of ASCP. The Treasurer shall report the current financial status of the Chapter at each quarterly meeting and Board of Directors meetings. 

SECTION 5.  The Immediate Past President shall serve as Chairperson for the Nomination and Awards Committee.   

Article Ten – Duties of the Chapter Board of Directors 

SECTION 1. The Chapter Board of Directors shall have full administrative authority in all Chapter matters, except as otherwise noted in the Charter. The active management of the Chapter shall be vested in the Chapter Board of Directors. 

SECTION 2. The Chapter Board of Directors shall meet no less than six (6) times yearly, and at other times at the call of the President or on petition of a majority of the Chapter Board of Directors. 

Article Eleven – Committees 

SECTION 1. Committees shall function in a developmental and advisory capacity to the Chapter Board of Directors by recommending programs and policies relative to the general and specific areas of interest to which they are assigned. 

SECTION 2. Standing and Special Committees

(a)    Committee of Academic Affairs 

This committee shall be responsible for fostering relationships with the students of local Schools of Pharmacy such as; the University of Maryland and Howard University.  

In addition they will assist in identifying, interviewing selecting and precepting the Geriatric Pharmacy Residency at the University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy.  The committee will also provide consultation to the Schools to improve geriatrics in the curriculum.  

(b)   Committee on Educational Affairs 

This committee shall be responsible for continuing education programs sponsored by the Chapter at each quarterly meeting and other meetings that may be planned throughout the year.  In addition, the committee shall be responsible for educational liaisons with other professional associations. 

(c) Committee on Organizational Affairs/Membership 

This committee shall be responsible for encouragement of Chapter membership, development of Chapter services and for review of the Chapter Charter. 

(d) Committee on the Mid-Atlantic Conference 

This committee shall be responsible for the development, administration and implementation of the Chapter’s annual Mid-Atlantic Conference. 

(e) Committee on Legislative and Regulatory Affairs 

This committee shall be responsible for review and interpretation of proposed legislation and changes in laws, rules and regulations affecting public health, pharmacy, and consultant pharmacist practice and for maintaining liaison with state government officials.   

SECTION 3. Composition 

(a)    The President, with the advice of the Chapter Board of Directors, shall appoint the Chairperson and members of each committee. Each Chairperson shall make periodic reports to the Chapter Board of Directors as to the affairs and recommendations of their committee.

(b)   Vacancies or deletions of members of any committee shall be filled by the President with the advice of the Chapter Board of Directors. 

SECTION 4. Authority 

The President is authorized to appoint Standing and Special Committees and Task Forces as may be needed from time to time, and to discharge any committee that has completed its assigned task.  The Chapter Board of Directors may from time to time assign a specific matter for consideration to the committee of its choice or create a special committee to address the issue at hand. 

SECTION 5.  The Chapter Board of Directors shall have final authority over any project requiring expenditures of Chapter funds and over recommendations of committees. All proposed requests for grants or funds from sources outside the Chapter shall require the approval of the Board. The President shall present an annual budget to the Board for review and approval. 

SECTION 6. Reports 

Committees shall report by way of meeting minutes or informal narrative summaries at each regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting.  If the chairperson of a committee or a member of the committee is unable to attend a meeting, they should submit a written report to the President on the current status of the committee (even if there is no change). 

Article Twelve – Nominations and Elections 

SECTION 1. The Nominating Committee shall be chaired and selected by the Immediate Past President. The Nominating Committee shall report out its recommendations for officers to the Board and submit them to the membership at least 60 days before the election. 

SECTION 2. The eligible voting members of the Chapter may nominate individuals for officers Nominations may be from the floor at the meeting selected for elections and /or by mail (ground or electronic). 

SECTION 3. All persons nominated must signify willingness to serve, if and when elected. 

SECTION 4.   The President shall cause an official mail ballot sent at least 45 days prior to the voting deadline.  Elections should coincide with ASCP national Elections.   The candidates that receive plurality of the valid cast ballots shall be declared winners. 

SECTION 5. The new officers and directors shall be installed immediately after being elected and assume their respective duties at that time 

SECTION 6.  Each at-large member of the Board shall be responsible for a standing committee.  The Board member would not have to be (but could be) the Chairman of the committee, but would be responsible for coordination and liaison to the committee, and be responsible for reporting back to the Board of Directors if the Chairman cannot attend a Board meeting.  

Article Thirteen – Order of Business 

SECTION 1. All proceedings of the Chapter shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order. 

SECTION 2. Minutes and proceedings of all meetings of the Chapter shall be the property of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists and one (1) copy of such minutes shall be forwarded to the ASCP Membership Director following every Chapter meeting. 

Article Fourteen – Dissolution of the Chapter 

SECTION 1. The Chapter’s charter may be denied, suspended or revoked by the ASCP Board of Directors as stated in its Constitution and By-Laws, Article XXIII, Section 5. 

SECTION 2. A vote to dissolve the Chapter charter shall require an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members. ASCP shall be notified sixty (60) days prior to the dissolution of its Chapter’s charter. In the case of dissolution, ASCP shall authorize the payment of all indebtedness of the Chapter from the Chapter’s account. The remaining assets shall remain with ASCP. 

Article Fifteen – Amendments 

Propositions to alter or amend this Chapter must be submitted in writing to the Board of Directors of the Chapter and ASCP; such propositions shall be submitted to the voting members of the Chapter for disposition by a majority vote of the respondents.

Article Sixteen – Ratification of Charter

This charter shall be ratified by a majority vote of the Board of Directors.