The AHCJ Board of Directors has approved a new set of bylaws, updating the rules for the first time since our founding in 1998.

The new bylaws codify practices that we had been following by tradition, preserve some provisions from the original, and lay out new rules. The key things the new bylaws accomplish are:

  • Preserving our core principles on membership and fundraising, while allowing the board to set specifics.
  • Clarifying the roles of the board, board officers, and executive director.
  • Setting qualifications for board service.
  • Providing for succession planning for leadership.

There are actually two sets of bylaws (linked below) because we are, in fact, two sister organizations: the Association of Health Care Journalists, a membership society, and the Center for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, a nonprofit organization focused on fundraising and educational programming. Both are governed by the same Board of Directors.

The bylaws list broad definitions of the membership categories — professional, associate, and allied — but allow the board to devise specific membership rules. We do specify, however, that public relations people and PIOs cannot be members in any category. Also, members are required to let staff know if their work status changes in a way that would affect their membership category.

We’ve also set some new qualifications to serve on the Board of Directors. A candidate must have been a professional member for at least a year before running for the board. Additionally, during that previous year, as well as throughout board service, board members cannot produce or edit material for an outlet from which we would not accept a donation under our fundraising rules. Broadly, this prevents board members from working for outlets whose main purpose is to promote health care products.

A board member can serve as president, vice president, secretary, or treasurer only after having served at least one two-year term on the board. The vice president will be considered president-elect, and board officers are expected to move up in the ranks.

The bylaws also establish a new position: past president. Starting with the next president to take office, for one year after stepping down, the president shall continue to serve as a nonvoting member of the board, still subject to the same obligations and restrictions as voting members.

The Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the new bylaws at our meeting in May, and a lawyer has ensured that the language is all legally sound.