AVMA Bylaws changes affect governing boards, research council

During its regular annual session in Boston, the House of Delegates approved three amendments to the AVMA Bylaws submitted by the Board of Directors.

Terms for the Board of Directors reverted to six years with House approval of one proposed amendment. Six-year terms had been in place for many years before four-year terms were adopted last year. The Board stated that six-year terms are more beneficial to its function and performance. The House Advisory Committee had recommended disapproval of the amendment.

The House approved an amendment to expand the Board of Governors to include the AVMA immediate past president and the vice chair of the Board of Directors. The Board of Governors now has five members, the others being the AVMA president, the president-elect, and the chair of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors cited two benefits from the change: The Board of Governors will gain the experience of a recent president, and the vice chair, who may later be elected chair, will learn more about the workings of the Board.

Another bylaw was amended to redefine two positions on the AVMA Council on Research as “representing academic veterinary medicine,” specifically, individuals who serve as dean or associate dean of research or the equivalent at an AVMA-accredited institution or directors of a comparative medicine division or department of veterinary sciences. Previously, the positions were defined as representing “veterinary medical colleges,” specifically limited to deans or associate deans or directors of research at an AVMA-accredited institution. The change is expected to increase the pool of veterinarians eligible for the seats and to help maintain critical insight and expertise into National Institutes of Health or Department of Agriculture funding issues and mechanisms.