The Constitution of the The PNF Society of the Japan
Chapter 1. General Provisions
Article 1.
This Association shall be called The PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) Society of the Japan (hereinafter, called the Society)
Article 2.
This Society shall strive to promote the fulfillment and development of academic research on PNF, popularize the traditional PNF approach, endeavor to improve related treatment techniques, and, thereby, contributing to the health and welfare of the general public.
Article 3.
The Society shall achieve the purposes provided in the preceding Article, implement ways to promote medical care and welfare in the Japan through the expertise and skills of PNF, and foster basic research,
(2) Clinical research will be encouraged, and an academic publication, the Society Bulletin, will be issued.
Chapter 2. Members
Article 4.
The Society shall have the following four types of members.
(1)Regular members will include individuals, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other persons, who have received recommendations from more than two senior instructors and have been approved by the board of directors.
(2)Student members will include students who are studying to become physical therapists or occupational therapists and who wish to become regular members after becoming qualified therapists.
(3)Supporting members include individuals and corporations who wish to support the Society.
(4)Honorary members include persons who made important contributions to the Society or persons of learning and experience recommended by the board of directors and approved at the general meeting.
Article 5.
A person who desires to be a member shall submit an application for admission to the president and obtain approval of the board of directors.
Article 6.
A person who desires to be a regular member or supporting member conforms to the following terms.
(1)A regular member and a student member shall pay the appropriate dues.
(2)A supporting member shall pay the appropriate dues decided at the general meeting.
Article 7.
If a member desires to withdrawal from the Society, he or she shall notify the president in writing to that effect.
Article 8.
If a member falls under any of the following items, he or she may be expelled by three-fourths or more of the votes of the members present at a general meeting.
(1)Failure to pay the required dues for one year or more.
(2)Any act to damage the honor of this Society or to violate the purposes of its establishment. The member shall be given an opportunity to defend his/her act at the general meeting.
Article 9.
The dues or other contributions already paid by a withdrawing or expelled member shall not be returned.
Chapter 3. Officers
Article 10.
The institute shall have the following officers and establish other officers as necessary.
(1) President: 1 person
(2) Vice presidents:2 or more persons
(3) Secretary general:1 person
(4) Educational officer:1 person
(5) Liaison officer:1 person
(6) Auditors:2 persons
(7) Directors:15 persons or less
Article 11.
Officers shall have the following duties
1. The president shall represent this Society and oversee the Society’s business.
2. The vice presidents shall assist the president and, in the case of any accident or absence of the president, shall act on behalf of the president, and if possible, as prescribed by the president in advance.
3. The auditors shall implement the following duties:
(1)Audit accounts;
(2)Audit the activities of the directors;
(3)Report their findings to the general meeting
(4)If necessary, request a general meeting or a meeting of the board of directors.
Article 12.
The officers of this Society shall be regular members. The president,directors and auditors shall be elected at the general meeting. The vice presidents shall be designated by the president and chosen from the directors.
Article 13.
1. The term of office shall be two years; however, the term of office of an officer elected to fill a vacancy or as a result of an increase of members shall serve the remaining term of office of his or her predecessor or of the present officers. The president may be elected twice, consecutively.
2. An officer may be reelected.
3. An officer shall perform his or her duties until the assumption of that office by a successor, if he or she resigns, or the term of office expires.
Article 14.
If an officer falls under any of the following conditions, he or she may be removed by two-thirds or more of the votes at a general meeting. The officer being removed shall have an opportunity to defend his/her actions at the general meeting before a resolution is adapted.
(1) If it is found that s/he cannot perform the duties due to physical or mental causes.
(2) If it is found that s/he violated occupational obligations or committed any act which is not suitable for an officer.
Article 15.
1.This Society may have an advisor.
2. The advisor shall be commissioned by the president upon acceptance by the board of directors.
3. The advisor shall give advice to the president in response to the request of the president.
Article 16.
1.Officers shall receive no remuneration; although a full-time officer may receive remuneration.
2. Officers may be compensated for their expenses.
Any matters concerning such accounts shall be distributed separately by the president upon the decision of the general meeting.
Article 17.
1.The Society shall form a secretariat to dispose of its business. The secretariat may have officers who shall be appointed and removed by the president.
2. Any matters concerning the personnel and operation of the secretariat shall be provided separately by the president with the consent from the general meeting.
Chapter 4. Meetings
Article 18.
The Society shall hold general meetings and meetings of the board of directors.
Article 19.
1.The general meeting shall be composed of the regular members.
2.The board of directors shall be composed of the president and directors.
Article 20.
Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, the general meeting shall adopt resolutions on the following matters.
(1) Decisions on business plans;
(2) Approval of business reports; and
(3) Other important matters concerning the Society.
Article 21.
The general meeting and meeting of the board of directors shall be convened once a year or more.
Article 22.
1.The meeting shall be called by the president.
2. To call a general meeting or a meeting of the board of directors, a notice stating the purpose and details of the meeting, as well as the meeting date and place, shall be given to the members or directors in writing seven days before the meeting.
Article 23.
1.The chairman of the general meeting shall be elected from the attending members of the general meeting.
2.The president shall act as the chairman at the meeting of the board of directors.
Article 24.
A meeting may not be opened without the presence of at least half or more of the regular members of the general meeting and half or more of the active directors at a meeting of the board of directors.
Article 25.
1.Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, a resolution of the general meeting shall be adopted by the consent of the majority of the regular members present and, in case of a tie vote, the chairman shall have the casting vote.
2.A resolution of the board of directors shall be adopted by the consent of the majority of the attending directors and, in case of a tie vote, the chairman shall have the casting vote.
3.The chairman shall not be allowed to participate as a member when a resolution is being decided upon, except to cast a vote in the case of a tie.
Article 26.
A member or director who cannot attend a meeting due to any unavoidable reason, he or she may vote in writing or request another member to cast a proxy vote concerning the matters notified in advance. In such a case, he or she shall be deemed to have attended the meeting in accordance with the preceding two Articles.
Article 27.
Minutes shall be taken made concerning the proceedings of all meetings, giving the following information;
(1) Meeting date and place ;
(2) Number of active regular members and directors ;
(3) Number of regular members and the names of the directors (including the president, vice president, and directors) attending the meeting. (Any persons voting in writing or by proxy must also be recorded) ;
(4) Discussed matters and resolved matters ; and
(5) An outline and results of the proceedings and a summary of opinions expressed.
Article 28.
The president may set up a meeting if it is found necessary for performing the business of the Society.
Chapter 5. Assets and Accounts
Article 29.
The assets of the Society shall be collected from;
(1) Admission fees and dues ;
(2) Donations ;
(3) Revenue from operations ;
(4) Revenue from assets ; and
(5) Other revenue.
Article 30.
The assets of the Society shall be controlled by the president in accordance with the method prescribed by the resolution of the board of directors.
Article 31.
The expenses of Society shall be paid from the assets.
Article 32.
The board of directors shall execute the duties of the Society until the next meeting..
Article 33.
Business of the officers shall be as follows;
Directors shall attend meetings of the board of directors and manage the departments of which they have been placed in charge.
Article 34.
1.The dues of the Society shall be separately provided.
2.Dues shall be generally fully paid by July 15th each year by each regular member.
3.The dues of the supporting members shall be separately provided.
4.Honorary members shall be exempted from paying dues.
Article 35.
The method of asset management under Article 30 of this Constitution shall be drafted by the secretariat and resolved by the board of directors. The president shall request the persons in charge to manage the assets.
Amendment 1.
Society Organization
Auditor
General Meeting President
Councilor Adviser
Vice Presidents
Board of Directors.
Liaison Secretary of Academics
Officer General
Detailed Rules of the Society
Part 1. General Provisions
Article 1.
For the smooth performance of the business of this Society, these Detailed Rules are provided.
Article 2.
The operations and activities of the Association shall be performed with the direction or approval of the supervisors, in accordance with the organizational chart (Amendment 1) and responsibility shall always be clarified.
Part 2. Dues
Article 3.
This Society shall annually collect dues of 5,000 yen from each regular member; a student member shall pay 3,000 yen.
Part 3. Finance
Article 4.
Reports on the accounts for the current fiscal year and the proposal of the budget for the next fiscal year shall be distributed to all members one week before the regular general meeting. In this case, unaudited documents may be distributed.
Part 4. Officers
Article 5.
Duties shall be allocated to the directors based on the organization chart (Amendment 2.)
Article 6.
A director shall have the duty of superior instructor (to be described in Part 5) to give guidance in the members’ techniques and academic activities through training sessions, etc.
Part 5. Persons, who have attended the course at home and/or aboard, are exempted from part or all of the courses, with the board of directors’ approval.
Part 6. Instructor System
Article 7.
An instructor system shall be established for the development of the academic abilities of the members, based upon their needs. The standards for instructors shall be as provided in Amendment 3. Instructors shall be determined in accordance with the established standards (Amendment 4). The standards of accreditation shall be provided in Amendment 5, and accredited persons shall receive a certificate of accreditation signed by the president of PNF the Society of Japan.
Article 8.
The shall set up a special instructor system. A member, who publishes excellent research on PNF or has remarkable abilities in PNF techniques, shall be qualified as an instructor, upon recommendation of the president and by two thirds or more of the affirmative votes of the board of directors. Instructors shall be reexamined once every 5 years.
Part 7. Training Sessions of PNF the Society of Japan
Article 9.
Participants in the training sessions shall be qualified as members of PNF the Society of Japan.
Article 10.
At training sessions, two superior instructors shall offer junior, middle and senior courses, combining technique guidance and guidance on research methods
Article 11.
To attend the training session, the participants shall become members of PNF the Society of Japan by fulfilling the requirements for admission provided in the Constitution of PNF the Society of Japan
Article 12.
The Society shall have a research subsidy for training instructors. The president and vice president shall examine and decide on the subsidies based on a research plan.
Article 13.
These Detailed Rules come into effect May 19, 2000.
Amendment 2.
Duties of Officers
1. Secretary General
The Secretary General shall control and dispose of the general affairs arising from the Society’s overall business.
1) Matters relating to the arrangement of the minutes of the general meeting and important documents.
2) Matters relating to the recording of the minutes of the board of directors.
3) Matters relating to the management of the official seal.
4) Matters relating to the arrangement and filling of the publications issued by the Society.
5) Matters relating to the transmission, receipt, issuance and control of documents.
(Financial Affairs)
1) Collection of dues.
2) Matters relating to the budgeting and settlement of accounts.
3) Matters relating to the recording and control of cash, official security, etc.
4) Matters relating to expending, arrangements, etc. of travel expenses and other expenses.
5) Keeping records of the cash ledger, disbursements and revenue slips.
2. Academic officer
1) Receive proposals for training sessions and their contents, and prepare and recommend a proposed plan to the vice president and the president.
2) Solicit papers so that an academic journal may be published.
3) Issuance of an organization gazette and journal.
4) Convocation of PNF academic meetings.
3. Liaison officer
Deepen exchanges with the Physical Therapy personnel of the Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, California, and promote public relations activities for the Japan PNF Academy overseas.
1) Introduction of the Constitution of PNF the Society of Japan and the instructor system.
2) Introduction of the academic research of PNF the Society of Japan.
Exchanges with Kaiser Hospital.
Amendment 3.
Composition and Qualification of Instructors
1. Junior instructor
The person fulfilling all the following requirements shall be qualified as a junior instructor.
1) 90 hours of training sessions in the junior, middle and senior courses, in five years.
2) Submission of 1 research paper on PNF.
3) Recommendation from one superior instructor from whom the person received training of 60 hours or more.
4) Accreditation by a paper and a practical test
2. Intermediate instructor
The person fulfilling all the following requirements shall be qualified as an intermediate instructor.
1) 3 years experience as a junior instructor and 90 hours experience in training session guidance and assistance in guidance.
2) Submission of three research papers on PNF. The person should be the primary author in two of the papers.
3) Accreditation by a practical test.
3. Superior instructors
The person fulfilling all the following requirements shall be qualified as a superior instructor.
1) 3 years experience as an intermediate instructor and 90 hours experience in training session guidance and assistance in guidance.
2) Submission of four research papers on PNF. The person should be the primary author in three of the papers.
3) Accreditation by a practical test.
Amendment 4.
Method of Examining Instructors
1) For papers, the president shall appoint three superior instructors as examiners.
2) For the practical test, the president shall appoint three superior instructors as examiners. The applicants must take the practical test at such place and time as designated by the president.
3) Recommendation shall be in a form decided by the president.
Amendment 5.
Instructors Accreditation Standard
1. An average of 60 points or more from the examiners on the practical and paper test. (Paper examination is only for junior instructors.)
2. The president and vice presidents shall decide whether or not to give accreditation after discussion and overall judgment.
3. The instructor’s evaluation points shall be disclosed upon the request of the applicants.
4. For those who failed in the examination, the examining instructors shall give guidelines for the future in the techniques or preparation of papers.