The Society shall be called the British Division of the International Academy of Pathology. It will incorporate the United Kingdom, Belgium, The Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland
The Officers and the Councillors shall constitute the Council of the BDIAP. The European Vice President of the IAP, who represents the BDIAP, will be a member of Council. The Editor of Histopathology will be ex-officio, not a Trustee and a non-voting member of Council. The Administrative Secretary will be a non-voting member. Furthermore there shall be six (6) Councillors of whom one will be a pathologist from Belgium, one from The Netherlands, one from the Republic of Ireland and three (3) from the United Kingdom. There will be one co-opted Councillor who will be an Officer of the Pathological Society. There will also be two Trainee Members of Council. These will be nominated and seconded by Members of the BDIAP, who will elect the successful candidates.
Members shall normally consist (a) of those who possess a registrable medical qualification and are following a career in pathology or (b) graduates in veterinary or dental surgery or doctors in allied biological sciences who have demonstrated an interest in pathology.
Members of good standing who retire from active practice may elect to be Senior Members by payment of a reduced annual subscription. Such Members will be given the option of continuing or discontinuing to receive the journal Histopathology, for which they will pay.
Persons distinguished for eminent services to Medicine and especially to the cause of Pathology and to the Division may be made Honorary Members by nomination to the Nominations and Membership Committee and subject to approval by Council. Honorary Members shall be exempt from subscriptions, for membership and the journal, and are eligible to attend all meetings of the Division. There will be, at any one time, a maximum of 25 Honorary Members.
The annual subscriptions of the Division shall be fixed by Council and shall be payable in advance. Members whose subscriptions are in arrears may be disqualified from membership at the discretion of Council.
Continuation of Ordinary Membership of the Division by persons domiciled outside North West Europe for more than two years will be permitted at the discretion of Council.
The Nominations and Membership Committee shall consist of the Past President (Chairman), the President, the General Secretary, a Councillor and the Administrative Secretary. It shall be responsible for the Cunningham and President’s Medals (awards should be considered every year but not necessarily awarded on an annual basis), selection of President-Elect, Honorary Membership, the election of Officers and all other membership issues. Its decisions must be ratified by Council.
Officers and Councillors shall be nominated and seconded by two Members of the Division, in writing to the Secretary at least one month before the Annual General Meeting, provided the consent of the nominee has been obtained. Councillors will be elected by the membership and Officers by Council.
The term of office of the President, the Past President and the President-Elect shall be for two years. The term of office for the General and Meetings Secretaries, Treasurer and Divisional Editor shall be for three years and they shall be eligible for re-election at the discretion of Council. Councillors shall serve for a period of three years and shall not be eligible for re-election as Councillors until after a further period of three years.
No more than two consecutive Presidencies shall have Presidents who originate from the same country.
The Council shall have power to co-opt any member of the Society to attend Council meetings but the co-opted member shall not have the power to vote.
The term of office of the Council shall begin as from 1 January the year following election.
The Council shall formulate policies and shall authorise disbursement of the Division's funds for ordinary business.
The President, President-Elect, Past-President, Treasurer, General Secretary, Meetings Secretary and Divisional Editor shall discharge the duties usually assigned to these offices. The Council shall appoint permanent and temporary committees as are necessary for the proper administration of the Division's affairs.
The permanent subcommittees will be the Finance Subcommittee, the Education and IT Subcommittee, the Programme and Meetings Subcommittee and the Nominations and Membership Committee. The Treasurer, Divisional Editor, Meetings Secretary and Past-President, respectively, will chair these Subcommittees.
The Secretaries shall submit to Council reports of all transactions since the last meeting and the Treasurer shall submit a duly audited financial statement. He shall also submit an estimated budget for the approval of the Council.
The Secretaries, with the aid of appropriate Committee Members, shall arrange all meetings.
The programme of meetings shall consist of three (3) parts:
a) The Council shall meet before and after the General Meeting of the Division and take action on such matters as are brought to it. This will normally be twice a year, in the Spring and Autumn.
b) The General Meeting of the Division will include the General and Meetings Secretaries' reports, the Treasurer's report, the election of Officers and Councillors and consideration of such business as may be required. This will normally be held at the time of the Division’s Autumn Scientific Meeting.
c) The scientific meetings, which will normally consist of two meetings per year, one in the Spring and one in November (normally the last Friday/weekend in November).
The Council may be called into extraordinary sessions by the President to transact such business as necessary to meet emergencies. The Council may co-opt interim officers or Councillors, to fill vacancies occurring by election, resignation or death. All actions of the Council under these circumstances are taken in the name of the Division and the General Secretary shall notify Members of such actions.
Members may introduce guests at the scientific meetings, providing the appropriate registration fee is paid.
The election of these officers and councillors and their duties shall be as provided for in the bye-laws.
Extraordinary General Meetings can be called by the President and 50 Members.
Amendments to the Constitution and to the Bye-laws shall first be submitted to the General Secretary in writing for consideration of the Council. The proposed amendment and the recommendation of the Council shall be submitted to the membership either at the Annual General Meeting or by correspondence. A simple majority vote of those present at a General Meeting, or of those voting when polled by correspondence, shall be required for adoption of the proposed amendment(s).