1. Honorary Membership shall be reserved for such distinguished persons who have achieved prominence in the field of heart valve disease and who have contributed to the advancement of their respective speciality.
   
2. They shall not have voting rights at General Meetings of The Society nor be eligible for election to office or to the Council. They shall not be liable for subscriptions.
3. The Founding Members may elect Honorary Members at their discretion prior to the first AGM. Subsequently, upon the recommendation of the Council, Honorary Members shall be elected by a majority vote of the Members present at the AGM.  
   
   

1. Membership shall be available to those with an interest in heart valve disease who have attained at least a relevant university graduate diploma or equivalent qualification.
   
2. Members shall have the right to vote on all matters brought before General Meetings and shall be eligible for election to any office or to the Council. It shall be the duty of each Member to attend regularly the General Meetings, to participate in the scientific programme, to uphold the ideals and objectives and to pay the subscriptions of The Society.
   
3. Applications for Membership with a brief curriculum vitae and the recommendation of two sponsoring members shall be submitted to the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall consider all applications and submit them to the Council with their recommendations. The Council shall consider the recommended applications and submit those it recommends to the Members at the AGM. A majority vote of Members present shall be required for election to membership.
   
4. Before refusing to recommend an applicant for Membership, the Membership Committee or Council shall notify the applicant with reasons and give the applicant an opportunity to make representations.
   
5. Those who apply for membership prior to the first AGM may be elected by the Membership Committee or Council.
   
6. The membership of a Member shall lapse if he or she fails to attend three consecutive General Meetings without adequate reason. The Secretary shall serve notice (“Notice”) on the Member of the pending lapse of membership by registered or recorded letter directed to his or her address as shown in the records of The Society. Such Notice shall quote the relevant section of the Rules and Regulations. No membership shall be considered to have lapsed without such Notice of The Council.
   
7. A Member whose membership has lapsed may apply for reinstatement by filing a written request addressed to the Secretary. Such request should be received within thirty days of the date of the Notice stating reasons for reinstatement of membership. Reinstatement of membership is at the discretion of the Council and written notice of reinstatement shall be provided to the Member by the Secretary.
   
8. Those members who are fully employed by industry cannot be elected as officers, council members, or chairmen of committees and working groups during the tenure of their employment.
   

1. Associate membership shall be open, on request, for those in postgraduate training, whether clinical or non-clinical, having a vested interest in heart valve disease.
   
2. Associate Members shall have the same rights and obligations of Members save that they shall not be eligible for Office. They shall have the right to address meetings but shall not have voting rights at General Meetings.
   
3. Associate Members shall apply for membership with the recommendation of their chief of service.
   
4. the associate membership shall lapse at the end of the postgraduate training, but associate members may apply for full membership as specified in 3.3 but needing only one sponsoring member.

1. The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of The Society and shall preside at General Meetings and at meetings of the Council.
   
2. The President elect shall assist the President as requested. In the event that the President is absent or incapable of acting, the President elect shall assume the duties of the President.
   
3. Under direction of the Council, the Secretary shall supervise the activities of The Society and facilitate the workings of the various standing committees. He or she shall ensure that all records and accounts as provided for in the Articles of Association of the Society are maintained, and shall perform such other duties incidental to such office or which are assigned to him or her from time to time by the Council. The Secretary, with the approval of the Council, may delegate such duties as he deems appropriate to the Executive Committee.
   
4. Under direction of the Council, the Treasurer shall supervise the financial affairs of The Society. He or she shall advise the Executive Committee concerning the payment of bills and the collection and management of all funds received by the Society. The Treasurer shall approve payment of all bills. All transfers of money either by cheque or telegraphic transfer shall be authorised and/or signed by the Treasurer or in his absence by the President or Secretary. Cheques exceeding an amount to be determined by the Council will be countersigned by authorised signatories.

The Council has charge of the property and financial affairs of The Society.

The Standing Committees of the Society are listed in Schedule 1 to these Rules and Regulations.

The first appointment to the Chair and membership of the committees shall initially be at the election of the Founding Members and subsequently at the discretion of the Council.

The Working Groups of The Society are listed in Schedule 2 to these Rules and Regulations.

The fiscal year of The Society shall be determined by the Council.

The annual subscription of US$ 100 shall be paid by Members and US$ 50 by Associate Members. In special cases, the level of subscription may be reduced at the discretion of the Council. The subscription levels shall be reviewed by the Council annually. Any proposed increase in subscription levels shall be put to the vote of the Members at the AGM.

Until it has been allocated for the purposes of The Society, all income of The Society shall be held in one or more deposit accounts in the name of The Society at such bank as the Council shall determine at its discretion.

A Member of The Society shall conduct his or her relationships with patients , clients, fellow professionals and the public-at-large in a manner consistent with the overriding aims and objectives of The Society, and at all times consistent with the ethical and moral standards of his or her profession.

Upon recommendation of the Standards and Ethics Committee, the Council may take disciplinary action against a Member for conduct inconsistent with this part VI of the Rules and Regulations.

Any question concerning the conduct of a Member shall be directed to the Chair of the Standards and Ethics Committee for investigation. The Chair shall refer to the full Committee any conduct which, in the opinion of the Chair, may warrant further consideration of disciplinary action. In the event that the Committee determines that disciplinary action should be considered in a particular case, the Committee shall submit to the Council a written recommendation of the action which the Committee proposes to be taken, setting forth its reasons.

1. the date, time and place of the meeting of the Committee;
2. the disciplinary action against him or her will be considered by the Committee at that meeting;
3. the conduct or charges alleged against the member to be considered by the Committee at that meeting;
4. the reasons why the Chair considers that disciplinary action may be warranted in the Member‘s case;
5. the right of the member to appear at the meeting in person or by his or her representative and to make such submissions and present whatever evidence he or she deems proper to refute the charges under consideration and/or to establish why disciplinary action should not be taken.
    

1. the date, time and place of the meeting of the Council;
2. the disciplinary action against him or her will be considered by the Council at that meeting;
3. the conduct or charges alleged against the member to be considered by the Council at that meeting;
4. the recommendation of the Council and its reasons therefor; and
   1. the right of the member to appear at the meeting in person or by his or her representative and to make such submissions and present whatever evidence he or she deems proper to refute the charges under consideration and/or to establish why disciplinary action should not be taken.