Proposed Amendments to Bylaws

The CORD Board of Directors has approved proposed amendments to the CORD bylaws for membership consideration. These updates underscore CORD's dedication to fostering inclusivity, ensuring leadership continuity, and enhancing strategic representation within its leadership development processes.

Take a moment to review the proposed amendments to the bylaws. The amendments will be open for voting for Program Directors from February 24, 2025, to March 3, 2025. 

 

Article III - Members - 3.3 Definition - Definition of a Member Program

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment removes language regarding The American Osteopathic Association since allopathic and osteopathic are all housed under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Current Language

A Member Program is a categorical Emergency Medicine residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or by the American Osteopathic Association.

Proposed Amendment

A Member Program is a categorical Emergency Medicine residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Article III – Members - 3.3 Representation - Amendment to how representatives of a member program are designated

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment allows a residency program director to designate five representatives including the residency program director, program coordinator, and three additional members at the program director's discretion. In addition, language was added to include fellows and residents.

Current Language

Member Programs shall be eligible for up to five physician representatives including the Residency Director, two Faculty Members, a Clerkship Director, a resident, and a Residency Program Coordinator. Additional representatives may be designated by the program director for an additional dues assessment.

Proposed Amendment

Member Programs may designate five representatives, including the residency program director, residency program coordinator, and three others at the PD’s discretion. Additional members, including residents and fellows, may be added for an additional dues assessment.

Article III – Members - 3. 3 Scope of Participation - Who is eligible for leadership positions and membership in CORD Committees

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment:

  • Removes language about an application period since there is a rolling application period for CORD Committees.
  • It specifies that CORD Committee leadership positions are reserved for faculty physician members.
  • EMARC Committee leadership positions are reserved for program coordinators.
  • It specifies that CORD residents are eligible for committee membership but are not eligible for committee leadership positions.

Current Language

Each Member Program shall have one vote. Member Program representatives shall be eligible for participation in the organization's activities, including serving on committees and task forces. Committee leadership shall be reserved to constituent representatives (faculty physicians for CORD committees and coordinators for EMARC committees, respectively). Resident representatives may apply to CORD committees during the application period but may not chair committees.

Proposed Amendment

Each Member Program shall have one vote. Member Program representatives shall be eligible for participation in the organization's activities, including serving on committees and task forces. CORD Committee leadership shall be reserved for faculty physician representatives. EMARC Committee leadership shall be reserved for coordinator representatives. Resident representatives may apply to CORD committees but may not chair committees.

Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.4 Definition - Defining Associate Member Programs

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment removes language regarding The American Osteopathic Association since allopathic and osteopathic are all housed under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Current Language

An Associate Member Program is a training program that does not meet eligibility criteria for Member Programs and is a program type listed below.

  1. Proposed categorical emergency medicine residency programs not yet accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association. 
  2. Fellowship training programs that train emergency medicine residency graduates. Fellowship programs in the same Department of Emergency Medicine as a program that is a Member Program are considered dependent Associate Members and may join CORD with the parent emergency medicine residency program. Fellowship training programs not associated with a parent emergency medicine parent program may join as independent fellowship programs.
  3. International emergency medicine residency training programs.

Proposed Amendment

An Associate Member Program is a training program that does not meet eligibility criteria for Member Programs and is a program type listed below

  1. Proposed categorical emergency medicine residency programs not yet accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.
  2.  Fellowship training programs that train emergency medicine residency graduates. Fellowship programs in the same Department of Emergency Medicine as a program that is a Member Program are considered dependent Associate Members and may join CORD with the parent emergency medicine residency program. Fellowship training programs not associated with a parent emergency medicine parent program may join as independent fellowship programs.
  3. International emergency medicine residency training programs.

Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.4 Representation - Designating representatives of member programs

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment allows a residency program director to designate five representatives including the residency program director, program coordinator, and three additional members at the program director's discretion. In addition, language was added to include fellows and residents.

Current Language

Associate Member Programs shall be eligible for up to five physician representatives including the Residency Director, two Faculty Members, a Clerkship Director, a resident, and a Residency Program Coordinator unless the Associate Member Program is a Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.4 Scope of Participation - Who is eligible for leadership positions and membership in CORD Committees dependent fellowship program joining with a Member emergency medicine residency program. Dependent Associate Member Programs are eligible for a single representative. Additional representatives may be designated by the program director for an additional dues assessment.

Proposed Amendment

Associate Member Programs may designate five representatives, including the residency program director, residency program coordinator, and three others at the PD’s discretion. Additional members may be added at the individual member rate, including residents and fellows.

Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.4 Scope of Participation - Who is eligible for leadership positions and membership in CORD Committees

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment removes restrictions on residency coordinators to only serve on EMARC committees. It also specifies that associate member programs are eligible for participation in CORD activities, including serving on CORD committees and task forces, but are not eligible to serve in leadership roles or vote in CORD elections.

Current Language

A Member Program is a categorical Emergency Medicine residency training program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or by the American Osteopath Associate Member Program representatives shall be eligible for participation in the organization's activities, including serving on committees and task forces.  Associate Member Program representatives and residency coordinators shall not be eligible to serve on the CORD Board of Directors, or chair committees or task forces. Residency coordinators may only serve on EMARC committees unless appointed to other CORD committees by the President for a special circumstance.  Resident representatives may apply to CORD committees during the annual application period. Associate programs may not vote.

Proposed Amendment

Associate Member Programs may not vote. Associate Member Program representatives shall be eligible for participation in the organization's activities, including serving on committees and task forces. Associate Member Program representatives shall not be eligible to serve on the CORD Board of Directors or chair committees or task forces. Resident representatives may apply to CORD committees.

Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.6 Alumni -Eligibility for Alumni Members

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment removes the stipulation that alumni members must reapply for continued membership annually.

Current Language

An Alumni Member is a former Member Program Representative to CORD who no longer has representative status and has petitioned and been approved by the CORD Board of Directors for alumni membership status. Alumni Members must reapply for continued membership annually.

Proposed Amendment

An Alumni Member is a former Member Program Representative to CORD who no longer has representative status and has petitioned and been approved by the CORD Board of Directors for alumni membership status.

Article III – Associate Member Program - 3.7 Emeritus Member - Defines emeritus members and roles with in CORD

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment specifies that emeritus members may serve on or chair CORD committees and task forces. Emeritus members will not be counted as one of five representatives of a member program. Emeritus members are not eligible for election to the Board of Directors

Current Language

An Emeritus Member is a former Member Program representative to CORD who no longer has representative status but has made significant contributions to CORD and has petitioned and been approved by the Board of Directors for Emeritus Member status.

  • An Emeritus Member status may be for an indefinite period or a period approved by the Board of Directors.
  • An Emeritus Member shall have continued involvement within the organization as an honorary member.
  • An Emeritus Member shall not be eligible for election to the Board of Directors.

Proposed Amendment

An Emeritus Member is a former member program representative to CORD who no longer has representative status but has made significant contributions to CORD and has petitioned and been approved by the Board of Directors for Emeritus Member status.

  • An Emeritus Member status may be for an indefinite period or a period approved by the Board of Directors.
  • An Emeritus Member may have continued involvement within the organization as an honorary member.
  • An Emeritus Member may serve on or chair CORD committees or task forces.
  • An Emeritus Member shall not be eligible for election to the Board of Directors.
  • An Emeritus Member will not be counted as one of the five representatives of a Member Program.

Article III - Election of Board of Directors and Officers - 3.20 Election of Board of Directors and Officers

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment changes the nomination period for the CORD Board of Directors election. Nominations will open on September 15 and close on October 15 prior to the election. In addition, the election period will open on January 1 and close on January 15.

Current Language

Election of the Board of Directors will close on February 15 of each year or 30 days prior to the start of the CORD annual Academic Assembly conference, whichever is earlier. Declaration of candidacy for elected office on the Board of Directors will close sixty (60) days prior to close of the election. Candidates may self-declare or may be nominated by any CORD Member. Declaration is considered official when a self-declaration or an acceptance of nomination is received in writing, or electronically, by an officer of the Board of Directors or the Executive Director. The declaration period will be open between November 15 and December 15 of each year. The election will open by no later than February 1st of each year. 

Proposed Amendment

Election of the Board of Directors will close on January 15 of each year. 

  1. Nominations will open on September 15 and close on October 15 prior to the election.
  2. The election period will occur in early January and be open for a period of 15 days.
  3. Candidates may self-nominate or be nominated by any CORD member representative. Nomination is considered official when the nomination is received in writing by an officer of the Board of Directors or by the Executive Director.
  4. All candidates shall be eligible representatives of CORD Member Programs in good standing.
  5. The CORD Governance Committee will review all Board nominations and shall determine the eligibility of candidates and present their recommendations to the Board.

Article III - Election of Board of Directors and Officers - 3.24 Election of Board of Directors and Officers

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment specifies eligibility to serve on the CORD Board of Directors. It removes the restrictions that only residency program director, faculty member, and clerkship directors are eligible to serve on the CORD Board of Directors and opens nomination for Member-at-large positions to all representatives of member programs. 

Current Language

Only residency program director, faculty member and clerkship director representatives of full Member Programs shall be eligible for nomination for Member-at-Large. Associate Member Program representatives, resident representatives, and Residency Coordinators are not eligible for nomination.

Proposed Amendment

Eligibility to serve on the CORD Board of Directors:

  1. Only representatives of Member Programs shall be eligible for nomination for Member-at-Large.
  2. Only one Member-at-Large position will be reserved for a program coordinator.
  3. Only one Member-at-Large position will be reserved for a resident.
  4. Associate Member Program representatives are not eligible for nomination.
  5. Candidates for the Executive Board (President, President-Elect, Secretary-Treasurer) shall have served a two-year term on the Board of Directors prior to the commencement of their term. The Governance Committee can recommend this requirement be waived and the Board of Directors must approve the recommendation.

Article III - Election of Board of Directors and Officers - 3.25 Election of Board of Directors and Officers

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment specifies that a resident program director can only nominate one resident representative from their program.

Current Language

Resident representatives in good standing at active member programs shall be eligible for nomination for resident member- at large director and must be nominated in writing by his or her Residency Director must have at least one year remaining as a resident and must be able to commit to the entire one year term for which they are elected. Residents from associate member programs, or from active member programs not in good standing with CORD, are not eligible for nomination.

Proposed Amendment

Resident representatives in good standing at active member programs shall be eligible for nomination for resident Member-at-Large and must be nominated in writing by his or her residency director, must have at least one year remaining as a resident, and must be able to commit to the entire one-year term for which they are elected. Residents from associate member programs, or from active member programs not in good standing with CORD, are not eligible for nomination. Residency directors may only nominate one resident from their program.

Article IV – Directors - 4.4 Directors - Officers Terms

What's changing? 

The proposed amendment specifies that a director may be removed from office by a simple majority vote.

Current Language

A Director may be removed by the CORD Board of Directors, with or without cause, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any, of the director so removed.

Proposed Amendment

A Director may be removed by the CORD Board of Directors via a simple majority vote, with or without cause, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contractual rights, if any, of the director so removed.