Reg 16 Trainee committees of the College

16.1 ANZCA TRAINEE COMMITTEE

• 16.1.1 The ANZCA Trainee Committee is a Committee of Council as described in Regulation 2.
• 16.1.2 The duties of the Committee shall include considering matters referred to it by Council  and its Committees, providing input to Council, considering matters referred to it by the  Regional/National Trainee Committees, and considering issues relating to education, training and other matters affecting trainees.

16.1.3 The membership of the ANZCA Trainee Committee shall include:

• 16.1.3.1 The Chair of each of the Regional/National Trainee Committees as described in Regulation 16.2;
• 16.1.3.2 The Chair of the Education and Training Committee;
• 16.1.3.3 The Director of the Education Development Unit or his/her nominee.

• 16.1.4 All members will have ordinary voting privileges, except only members who are registered vocational trainees in anaesthesia of the College (henceforward, 'trainees') will have voting rights for the election of Office Bearers.
• 16.1.5 At its first meeting of the year, the ANZCA Trainee Committee shall elect a Chair as described in Regulation 16.5. The Chair or his/her nominee shall sit on other Committees of Council and Subcommittees as stated in Regulation 2, and other committees as requested.
• 16.1.6 The committee shall meet at least four times per year, usually by teleconference. One face-to-face meeting will be funded each year.
• 16.1.7 Administrative support for the ANZCA Trainee Committee will be provided by the staff of the Training and Assessments Unit.

16.2 REGIONAL/NATIONAL TRAINEE COMMITTEES

• 16.2.1 The purpose of the Regional/National Trainee Committees is to consider issues relating to education and training.

16.2.2 The membership of each Regional/National Trainee Committee shall include:

• 16.2.2.1 The trainee members, elected and co-opted as described below

• 16.2.2.2 The Chair of the respective Regional/National Committee
  
• 16.2.2.3 The respective Regional/National Education Officer.
• 16.2.3 All members will have ordinary voting privileges, except only members who are trainees will have voting rights for the election of Office Bearers.
• 16.2.4 Regional/National Trainee Committees shall advise Council via the ANZCA Trainee Committee of any matters in their region that may concern the interests of the College and consider any matters that may be referred to them by Council, the ANZCA Trainee Committee and the respective Regional/National Committee.
• 16.2.5 Each Regional/National Trainee Committee shall meet at least four times each year.
• 16.2.6 At their first meeting of the year, each Regional/National Trainee Committee shall elect a Chair as described in Regulation 16.5. The Chair so elected shall be a member of:
• 16.2.6.1 The respective Regional/National Committee
• 16.2.6.2 The respective Regional/National Education Sub-Committee
• 16.2.6.3 The ANZCA Trainee Committee.
• 16.2.7 The Chair of the Regional/National Trainee Committee shall have ordinary voting rights at the Regional/National Committee meetings, except they shall not have voting rights for Office Bearers. They shall be excused during any discussion of an individual trainee’s performance.
• 16.2.8 Administrative support for the Regional/National Trainee Committees will be provided by the staff of the respective Regional/National Office.

16.3 PROCEEDINGS

• 16.3.1 The ANZCA Trainee Committee and each of the Regional/National Trainee Committees shall:
• 16.3.1.1 Conduct their affairs in accordance with the Constitution and the Regulations of the College.
• 16.3.1.2 Submit any document affecting College policy to Council or the appropriate Committee of Council.
• 16.3.1.3 Submit an Annual Report on the proceedings of the Committee during the preceding calendar year. This should reach the Chief Executive Officer by 31 March each year.  Attendance of its elected members shall be recorded in the Committee's Annual Report.
• 16.3.1.4 Forward unconfirmed minutes to the Chief Executive Officer and the Chair of the ANZCA Trainee Committee within one month of each meeting of the Committee. Confirmed minutes should be sent immediately after such confirmation.
• 16.3.1.5 Have its Chair prepare a report after each meeting for the ANZCA Trainee Committee – or, in the case of the ANZCA Trainee Committee, for Council and for the Regional/National Trainee Committees – summarising the meeting and any decisions made.  This report should be forwarded with the unconfirmed minutes as described in Regulation 16.3.1.4.
• 16.3.2 As the College is a legally-incorporated, not-for-profit educational and scientific body, it is not appropriate for any ANZCA committee to negotiate or discuss matters related to remuneration for professional services.
• 16.3.3 For voting procedures and definition of a quorum, see Regulation 2.
  

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16.4 ELECTIONS AND CO-OPTED MEMBERSHIP

• 16.4.1 Every year during October, nominations for membership of each Regional/National Trainee Committee shall be sought from trainees resident in that region/nation.
• 16.4.2 A trainee who wishes to be nominated for membership of a Regional/National Trainee Committee must give his/her consent in writing, and the trainee must be nominated and seconded in writing by two other trainees resident in that region/nation.
• 16.4.3 All trainees who wish to submit their names for membership of Regional/National Trainee Committees must ensure that they have no conflict of interest in being a member of the Regional/National Trainee Committee. Any trainee with concerns should contact the Chief Executive Officer.
• 16.4.4 If the number of trainees duly nominated for membership of a Regional/National Trainee Committee does not exceed the number of positions on that Committee, they shall all be considered elected, and the names of all nominees shall be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer in accordance with Regulation 16.4.13.
• 16.4.5 If the number of trainees nominated and seconded for membership of a Regional/National Trainee Committee exceeds the number of positions on that Committee, ballot lists shall be prepared with the names of nominees in alphabetical order. In the case of trainees seeking re-election, a record of attendance at Regional/National Trainee Committee meetings, and ANZCA Trainee Committee meetings if relevant, must accompany the ballot papers.
• 16.4.6 When an election is necessary as established in Regulation 16.4.5, there shall be a postal ballot held during November of all trainees in the region/nation.  Voting must be for the same number of nominees as there are vacancies to be filled.
• 16.4.7 Unless determined otherwise by the Council of the College, the elected membership of Regional/National Trainee Committees shall be determined by the number of trainees in the respective region/nation on the day on which nominations close, according to the formula:

• 50 trainees or fewer           five members
  
• 51 to 75 trainees                six members
  
• 76 to 100 trainees              seven members
  
• 101 to 150 trainees            eight members
  
• 151 to 200 trainees            nine members
  
• 201 to 300 trainees            ten members
  
• 301 to 400 trainees            eleven members
  
• More than 400 trainees      twelve members

• 16.4.8 The new Regional/National Trainee Committee shall take office at its first meeting in the calendar year after its election.
• 16.4.9 When a ballot has been held, the Chair of the Regional/National Trainee Committee shall appoint two scrutineers to count the votes. The scrutineers may not be presenting for election. They shall notify the Chair of the Regional/National Trainee Committee of the number of votes cast for each nominee. Voting papers which do not comply with Regulation 16.4.6 shall be declared invalid.
• 16.4.10 Where there is a tied vote for two or more nominees of whom only one can be elected, the outgoing Chair of the Regional/National Trainee Committee shall exercise a casting vote following the procedure laid down in the Constitution.
• 16.4.11 Each rotation should be represented on the relevant Regional/National Trainee Committee; if there are no trainees elected from a specific rotation, then one from that rotation should be co-opted to the Committee. This trainee will have ordinary voting rights.
• 16.4.12 Each Regional/National Trainee Committee should have a trainee from a rural hospital; if there are no trainees elected from a rural hospital, then one from a rural hospital should be co-opted onto the Committee. This trainee will have ordinary voting rights. For the purposes of this Regulation a rural hospital is defined as a hospital that provides none of the following services: specialist neurosurgical, specialist cardiothoracic, specialist paediatric, and high-level tertiary obstetric.
• 16.4.13 The names of the trainees so elected and co-opted shall be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer before the next meeting of the Council of the College. Council will appoint those duly elected as the relevant Regional/National Trainee Committee.
• 16.4.14 Elected members of Regional/National Trainee Committees shall be appointed for a term of two years, but shall be eligible for re-appointment, subject to Regulation 16.4.15.  This regulation is not intended to prevent or discourage a trainee nominating for election and then retiring after only one year, due to other commitments or election to Fellowship.
• 16.4.15 Except with the approval of the Council of the College, no trainee shall serve on a Regional/National Trainee Committee for longer than 5 years, except as ex-officio or co-opted members. 
• 16.4.16 Trainee Committees may co-opt trainees for a special purpose, an example being the committee's immediate past Chair. Such co-opted members may attend committee meetings at the discretion of the Chair but shall have no voting rights.
• 16.4.17 A trainee who ceases approved vocational training in anaesthesia and/or is admitted to Fellowship shall retire from the Trainee Committee(s) of which he/she is a member following the next meeting of that committee.
• 16.4.18 If a trainee fails to attend two consecutive meetings of the Regional/National Trainee Committee of which he/she is a member without communicating his/her apologies and then further does not reply within 14 days to a letter from the Chair of that committee regarding his/her lack of attendance and this regulation, then his/her position may be declared vacant.
• 16.4.19 Any vacancy occurring during the term of the Regional/National Trainee Committee may be filled at its discretion for the remainder of the calendar year. At the usual time each year for elections, any vacancy is to be filled by election.
• 16.4.20 The ANZCA Trainee Committee and each of the Regional/National Trainee Committees shall at the first meeting each year of the respective committee decide a quorum for that committee which shall be not less than one third of elected together with ex-officio members.

16.5 ELECTION OF CHAIRS

• 16.5.1 At its first meeting each calendar year, each Committee will elect a trainee member as Chair, and any other Office Bearers it deems appropriate, if these officers have retired from these positions. The Chair and any other Office Bearers will retire from these positions after two years, but will be eligible for re-election subject to Regulation 16.5.2.
• 16.5.2 Unless otherwise determined by Council, no elected member shall remain Chair continuously or in the aggregate for more than four years.
• 16.5.3 The Chair shall remain in office and shall exercise the powers and duties as set out in this regulation until his or her successor is appointed.
• 16.5.4 The Chair shall be elected by secret ballot. Since many committee meetings will take place by teleconference, it is envisaged that this secret ballot may occur shortly after the meeting, with trainee members communicating their vote individually to the appropriate administrative support officer by electronic communication.
• 16.5.5 If no nominee secures a majority on the first ballot, the outgoing Chair of the respective committee shall exercise a casting vote following the procedure laid down in Article 9 of the Constitution. The outgoing Chair may exercise a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote where there is an equality of votes.

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