Bylaws of the Indiana Academy of Physician Assistants

Article I: Name

Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the Indiana Academy of Physician Assistants, herein referred to as the IAPA.

Article II: Vision, Mission, and Purpose

Section 1: Vision

IAPA shall be the definitive and authoritative representative for the physician assistant profession in Indiana.  It shall foster enhanced practice environments for physician assistants and support on-going professional development and intellectual enrichment.  IAPA shall promote quality healthcare that is cost0effective and accessible in the state of Indiana. 

Section 2: Mission

The mission of the Indiana Academy of Physician Assistants is to be the voice of the physician assistant profession in the state of Indiana.

Section 3: Purpose

IAPA exists to render loyal and honest service to the physician assistant medical profession and the public through our vision and mission.

1. To develop and implement continuing education programs for the physician assistant and the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) membership.
2. To promote the physician assistant concept through education of professional and lay people and to promote similar interests in physician assistant student societies within the organization.
3. To provide the general membership of the AAPA with a forum for formal and informal assembly regarding the issues related to the physician assistants of Indiana.
4. To facilitate mutual assistance and support of physician assistants, health professionals, legislative and governing bodies, and health services by organizing and disseminating health care information through forums, panels, and other similar programs concerning the delivery and quality of healthcare services with the state of Indiana. 

Article III: Membership

Members of the IAPA shall include physician assistants or physician assistant students, and other individuals or organizations that desire to support the physician assistant profession.  Members must meet the requirements specified in these bylaws and any other requirements mandated by the Board of Directors.  Further, PA and PA student members must adhere to the AAPA’s Code of Ethical Conduct.

Section 1:  Classes of Membership
Four membership levels:  1) Fellow member, 2) Associate member, 3) Student member, 4) Corporate member. 

Section 2: Fellow members are those individuals who are certified physician assistants.  A Fellow member MUST be a member of AAPA to hold formal office.

Section 3: Associate members include all of the following:  a) any physician assistant who is not certified or licensed, b) all other healthcare professionals who have, at a minimum, a certification within their field.  Associate members are not entitled to vote or hold office.

Section 4: Student members are persons enrolled in a program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Physician Assistants (ARC-PA).  Student members shall be entitled to the privilege of the floor.  Except as otherwise provided in Articles VI and X, student members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office.

Section 5:  Corporate members are those organizations that want to support IAPA and Indian physician assistants.  Corporate members shall be entitled to advertisement opportunities throughout the year, including a table at the annual IAPA CME Conference.  This is a yearly renewable membership.  Corporate members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office.

Section 6: Membership applications must be submitted in writing to the IAPA via print or electronic media.  No applicant shall be denied membership on the basis of gender, age, race, creed, color, national origin, ability or sexual orientation.

Section 7: Annual membership fees shall be established and approved by the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors may offer complimentary membership for financial or personal hardship on a case-by-case basis.

Section 8: AAPA members who belong to more than one constituent organization may vote on AAPA issues in only one constituent organization.

Section 9: Term of membership is on an annual rolling basis.  Dues will be collected annually and are due on the 1^st of the month in which membership application was received.

Article IV: Discipline

Section 1: Any member who is under sentence of suspension, or expulsion shall not be entitled to any of the rights or benefits of the organization or be permitted to take part in any of the proceedings until he or she has been reinstated.

Section 2: Any member who has been censured, suspended, or expelled by the Board of Directors may appeal, in writing, such action within six months after notice is given, in writing, by the Board of Directors.

Section 3:  The president shall arrange for an impartial, three-person panel to hear the appeal.  The panel shall consist of fellow members who are neither Committee chairs nor members of the board of directors.  The president shall designate a time and place for the hearing of the appeal.  The panel after giving the appellant and representatives a reasonable opportunity to be heard, shall, by a majority vote, either sustain or reverse such censure, suspension, or expulsion.  The decision of the panel shall be final.

Article V: Meetings of Members

Section 1: These meetings shall be held one or more times each year at a date, time, and place to be set by the board and shall be held for the purpose of transacting such business as may properly come before said meeting.  The meeting shall be held in conjunction with a continuing medical education meeting.  At each meeting, reports on the affairs of the Academy will be given by the officers of the Academy.

Section 2: Notice of meetings shall be in writing.  A copy of the notice shall be given to each member no less than 15 calendar days before the meeting date.  Special meetings of the organization may be called by the President or by order of a majority of the Board of Directors.

Section 3: A special meeting of the organization may be requested by a majority of the fellow and associate members.

Section 4: Each fellow and associate member is entitled to one vote on meeting motions related to IAPA.  However, as noted in Article III, Section 3, an Associate member may not vote on matters related to the AAPA.

Section 5: A simple majority (51%) of the voting membership present shall constitute a quorum

Article VI: Board of Directors

Section 1: Composition

The Board of Directors will be made up of at least nine (9). At minimum, it shall consist of six (6) officers (President, President Elect, Vice President, Immediate Past President, Secretary and Treasurer). Student member, and at least two Directors at Large.  Board members shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 2: Eligibility

Each board member of the organization shall be a fellow or student member in good standing of the IAPA and AAPA for the duration of their term, unless otherwise stated in these bylaws.

Section 3: Duties and Responsibility

The Board of Directors shall control and manage the affairs of the organization without prejudice to the powers conferred by these bylaws.  Their duties shall be both executive and judicial.  The board of directors shall be responsible for the implementation of policies concerning the property, business, and affairs of IAPA.  The board shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

1. To appoint and employ, and at its discretion to remove and suspend permanently or temporarily, including but not limited to, accounting, association management, legal counsel, and legislative advocate, as it may from time to time choose and to determine and fix their duties, and to fix and change their compensation and employment.
2. To determine who shall be authorized to sign on IAPA’s behalf bills, receipts, endorsements, checks, releases, contracts and documents.
3. To impose such charges, dues, and assessments as it may deem advisable for purposes of furthering IAPA’s objectives.
4. Subject to Section 10 of Article VII to fill all vacancies and to determine the appropriate strategies for achieving its goals.
5. To provide for the management of the affairs of IAPA in such manner as it may think fit and to delegate any of the powers of the board to any committee, officer, or agent, except the power to alter or amend these bylaws and the power to fill vacancies in the board.
6. To serve as the judicial body of the IAPA.

Section 4: Term of Office

The term of office for secretary, treasurer, directors-at-large, shall be for two (2) years.  The term of office for all other board members shall be for one (1) year.  The secretary and one director-at-large shall be elected in odd number years.  The treasurer and one director-at-large shall be elected in even number years.  The respective program shall determine student representatives’ terms.

Section 5: Resignation

Any officer may resign at any time.  Written notification is required and must be submitted to the board to be official. 

Section 6: Removal from Office

Any elected board member may be removed from office by a 2/3^rd majority vote of the board of directors at a special board meeting called for this purpose. Any board member facing removal shall be given at least fifteen (15) days-notice of the impending vote and shall be given the opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter before the board takes final action at a special board meeting called for that purpose.  A board member may appeal such an action, in writing, within one (1) month after notice of removal is given and the board has taken action to remove the board member.

Article VII Election of the Board of Directors and AAPA Delegates

Section 1: General

The Vice President and Secretary shall

(a)   Identify potential candidates

(b)   Enforce adherence to bylaws

(c)   Establish date of self-declaration of candidacy

(d)   Conduct election

Section 2: Positions to be Filled

Elected positions of IAPA include president-elect, vice president, secretary, treasurer, directors-at-large, delegates to the AAPA House of Delegates

Section 3: Presidency

The President Elect shall automatically succeed the preceding President as President of IAPA and the outgoing President shall remain as a member of the Board for one year as the Immediate Past President.

Section 4: Eligibility and Qualifications of Candidates

Candidates for IAPA officers, directors-at-large, and delegates to the AAPA House of Delegates must be fellow members in good standing of IAPA and AAPA.

Section 5: Self-Declaration of Candidacy

Self-declaration shall be permitted in the election of board members.  Declaration of candidacy for elected office on the board must occur by a date to be determined by the vice president and secretary and publicized to the general membership.

Section 6: Time of Elections

The election of non-student board members and AAPA Delegates to the House of Delegates shall be conducted in a manner consistent with AAPA election procedures and therefore may include electronic balloting.  The Board of Directors must approve all voting procedures. 

Section 7: Eligibility of Voters

Eligible voters are Fellow and Associate members in good standing.  Eligible voters for AAPA Delegates/Conference Delegates include fellow members only.

Section 8: Vote Necessary to Elect

Valid ballots cast shall constitute a quorum, and the majority shall determine the candidate to be elected to office.

Section 9: Vacancies in Office

1. In the event of a vacancy in the office of president, the vice-president shall become the president to serve the un-expired term.
2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of president-elect, the vice president shall assume the duties, but not the office of the president-elect as well as his or her own until the next meeting of the board at which time the board shall fill the vacancy by appointment as outlined in paragraph “d” of this section.
3. A vacancy in the office of immediate past president shall not be filled.
4. All other vacancies of IAPA elected positions shall be filled by a majority vote from a slate of candidates prepared by the board.  All terms of office for appointees shall expire at the time of the next regularly scheduled IAPA election.

Section 10: Term

The term of office for the Board of Directors begins January 1 and the term of delegates to the AAPA House of Delegates begins January 1 or as directed by AAPA unless otherwise stated elsewhere in these bylaws.

Article VIII: Meetings of the Board of Directors

Section 1: Meetings

The Board of Directors shall hold meetings as designated by the President, but in no event shall there be less than two (2) such meetings in any calendar year.  A simple majority of the membership of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Unless otherwise stated in these bylaws, an affirmative vote by a majority of the board members present shall constitute an action of the board.  The Chief Delegate as an elected official will provide a tie-breaking vote in matters of a tie when the President has already voted.

Section 2: Special Meetings

Special meetings shall be called by the secretary at the request of the president or upon request to the president of at least two other board members.  The object of any special meetings shall be stated in the call and no other business shall be transacted.

Section 3: Notice

Notice of regular meetings of the board shall be given to members of the board at least fifteen (15) prior to the meeting date.

Section 4: Participation in Meetings by Conference Telephone

Any meeting may be held by conference telephone or similar communication equipment, or any board member may participate in a meeting by such medium as long as all board members participating in the meeting can hear one another.  All board members shall be deemed present in person at such a meeting.

Section 5: Action without Meeting

Any action the board is required or permitted to take may be taken without a meeting if an absolute majority of the board membership responds in writing to that action, including fax and electronic mail communication.  Such action by written consent shall have the same force and effect as any other validly approved action of the board.  All such consents shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of IAPA.  Nothing herein shall be construed as precluding the board from taking an informal or advisory vote in a manner not in compliance with this section or any matter that does not require formal action of the board of executive committee.

Article IX: Officers

Section 1: General

The officers of IAPA shall be a president, president-elect, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and immediate pas president.  Each officer must be a fellow member in good standing of IAPA and AAPA for the duration of his or her term.

Section 2: President

The president shall be the chief spokesperson for the IAPA.  In addition, the President shall coordinate agendas, preside at all business meetings, and maintain order.  He or she shall make a full report of the year’s activities at the annual meeting of the organization.  He or she shall appoint standing committee chairpersons and ad-hoc committees and chairpersons.  Committee chairs and members are subject to the approval of the board.

Section 3: President Elect

The President Elect, in the absence of both the President and the Vice president, shall assume the duties of the President.  He or she succeeds to the office of president a the expiration of the president’s term.

Section 4: Vice President

The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President in his or her absence and succeed to the office of president should that office become vacant.  In the event of a vacancy in the office of the president elect, the vice president shall assume the duties but not the office of the president-elect in addition to his or her duties as vice president.  The vice president shall perform other such duties as assigned by the president or the board.  The Vice President will organize and conduct, with the assistance of the Secretary, all annual elections.

Section 5: Immediate Past President

The Immediate Past President shall perform such duties a may be delegated by the President or the board.

Section 6: Secretary

The Secretary shall keep minutes of all meetings of the organization, be responsible for all organization communications/organizational data/historical documents, attest the signature of the officers of IAPA, assist the Vice President on elections, and notify all members of all meetings.  The secretary shall perform other such duties as assigned by the president or the board.

Section 7: Treasurer

The Treasurer shall maintain accurate records of the financial status of the organization, collect yearly dues from all members, deposit in the organization’s account all money received by the organization, and with the President’s approval and co-signature, pay all bills approved by the organization, and record all receipts of those payments. In addition, the treasurer shall provide direction for development of and adherence to an annual budget for the IAPA.

The Treasurer’s records shall be audited every year and upon leaving the office.  The method of audit will be determined by the board.  The treasurer shall perform other such duties as assigned by the president or the board.

Article X: Student Representatives

Section 1: General

The Student Representatives shall act as a liaison between the Board of Directors and all student members of the organization.  The Student Representatives shall assist in conducting affairs of the organization as designated by the President.

Section 2: Description

One student representative will be appointed by the board from nominations supplied by the student society of the IAPA (SIAPA), or from recommendations from each accredited Indiana PA Program.  The student representative terms will be dictated by the respective program. Each student representative shall:

1. Be a member of IAPA
2. Be a member of AAPA
3. Remain in good standing academically for duration of term

Article XI: AAPA Delegates

Section 1: Delegates to the AAPA House of Delegates

Delegates to the AAPA House of Delegates will be elected by the fellow members of IAPA. Delegates will be elected by the membership.  The number of delegates will be determined by apportionment by the AAPA. If there are not enough candidates to fill the delegate positions, the board will elect delegates.  The board of directors will appoint the Chief Delegate after all delegate positions have been filled. Terms shall begin and shall last one year.

Article XII: Directors-at-Large

Section 1: A minimum of Two (2) directors-at-large shall be elected by the general membership in alternate years for two (2) year terms. Directors-at-Large must be fellow members of the IAPA. Additional Directors-at-Large may be added by the IAPA Board prior to election with at least fifteen (15) days’ notice.

Section 2: PA Program Board Representatives to Board

The Indiana PA Programs will each be able to provide an advisor to the IAPA board.  These advisors may participate in board business, but do not have a board vote.  Candidates for the position will be nominated by the individual PA Program Directors form each Accredited PA Program. 

Section 3: IAPA PA Student Board Representatives to Board

The IAPA student membership will nominate two student members to sit on the IAPA board (one vote). One member will serve as the primary representative.  The IAPA Board of Directors has the ability to accept/reject any candidate.

Article XIII: Committees

Section 1: Standing Committees

There shall be the following standing committees with such authority and responsibility as may be delegated by the Board of Directors or specified in the bylaws:

1. Membership
2. Legislative
3. Public Relations and Communications
4. CME
5. Scholarship & Awards
6. PA Week

Section 2: Each standing committee chair shall serve for a term of one year, commencing on January 1. The committee chair shall be appointed by the president and approved by the board of directors. The committee members shall be appointed by the committee chair and approved by the board.  Each committee shall be responsible to the Board of Directors.

Section 3: Each standing committee shall be responsible for the performance of the duties and functions delegated to it by the Board of Directors or the President.

Section 4: Standing committees shall hold regular meetings and shall provide written reports to the Board of Directors at each regular board meeting.

Section 5: Special (ad hoc) committees may be appointed by the President with the concurrence of the Board for such tasks as circumstances warrant. Ad hoc committees shall provide written reports to the Board as directed by the president.

Article XIV: Finance

Section 1: The fiscal year shall follow the calendar year.

Section 2: A review of all dues, fees, and assessments will be reviewed annually during the fall board of directors meeting.

Section 3: The Board of Directors may establish procedures and policies with regard to nonpayment of dues, late fees, and assessments as they become due.

Article XV: Parliamentary Authority

Section 1: The current edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for all matters of procedure not specifically covered by these laws.

Section 2: This constituent organization is part of the parent organization AAPA.  As such, the organization and its members are required to meet all provisions outlined in the AAPA’s constitution, bylaws, and charter policy. This organization will not write or pass any bylaws and/or policies in conflict with AAPA bylaws and/or policies.  This organization will uphold the principles, purposes, and philosophy for which AAPA was founded.  If the organization is unable to uphold the principles and purposes, or passes conflicting bylaws and/or policies, it must work through AAPA to change the philosophy by altering the organization’s constitution and bylaws.

Article XVI: Amendment of Bylaws

Section 1: These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the membership by a majority vote of all voting members present or by proxy.

Article XVII: Regional Representatives

Section 1: Duties and Responsibility  

There shall be Regional Representatives with such authority and responsibility as may be delegated by the board of directors or voted upon during the IAPA election cycle. These representatives will act on behalf of the board at a regional/local level to fulfill duties as assigned. Representatives will be non-voting members of the board and be expected to attend/participate in Board meetings/activities.  

Section 2: Appointment/Confirmation  

Regional representatives will be nominated during the IAPA election cycle and voted on (majority vote); by the IAPA membership or appointed by; and voted on (majority vote); by the Board of Directors. 

Section 3: Eligibility  

Each Regional Representative shall live & reside in Indiana and be a fellow member in good standing of the IAPA and AAPA for the duration of their term. Candidates shall live and/or practice in the region that they represent.  

Section 4: Nomination or Self-Declaration of Candidacy  

Nomination or self-declaration of candidacy for election shall be permitted in the selection of regional representatives.  

Section 5: Positions to be Filled  

Seven regional representatives shall be selected with one or more from the following: (1) Northwest Indiana (2) Northeast Indiana (3) West Central Indiana (4) Central Indiana (5) East Central Indiana (6) Southwest Indiana (7) Southeast Indiana.  

Section 6: Term  

The term of office for the Regional Representative begins January 1 and the term of representatives shall be for two (2) years. Representatives from even regions (2,4,6) will be elected during even calendar years while odd regions (1, 3, 5, 7) will be elected during odd calendar years.  A vacant regional representative position may be filled at any time as necessary as appointed by the Board of Directors. 

Section 7: Removal  

Any appointed representative may be removed by a 2/3rd majority vote of the board of directors at a special board meeting called for this purpose. Any regional representative facing removal shall be given at least a fifteen (15) days’ notice of the impending vote and shall be given the opportunity to appear and be heard on the matter before the board takes final action.  

Section 8: Resignation 

Any appointed representative may voluntarily resign from their role if they find they cannot uphold the commitment. Any regional representative requesting resignation shall provide notice of their resignation to the Board of Directors. 

Amended and approved April 2025.