About COD

Mission Statement

The Council of Deans (COD) of the Association of American Medical Colleges has as its purpose the continuing improvement of the nation's medical schools. As an association of Deans of medical schools the Council identifies issues affecting academic medicine and develops strategies to achieve the various missions of medical schools. This body addresses: policies guiding the association in its service and advocacy functions; programs for the advancement of institutional management; and support for the deans' leadership role in guiding individual schools toward excellence in medical education, research and patient care.

The Council provides:

1. a venue for deans to address the concerns of their constituencies: medical students; graduate students in the life sciences; physicians-in-training; physicians and scientists on medical school faculties;
2. assistance to deans in fulfilling individual school missions;
3. a means for deans to develop consensus among their broad and varied perspectives;
4. a conduit for deans to advocate their views within and through the AAMC; and
5. mentoring for and professional development of deans.

Adopted by the AAMC Council of Deans October 1994

Rules and Regulations

Adopted Nov. 3, 1981

The Council of Deans was established with the adoption of amended Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Association of American Medical Colleges by the Institutional Membership on November 4, 1968.

Section 1: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Section 2: Purpose

As stated in the Bylaws of the Association of American Medical Colleges (Section II), the purpose of this Council shall be (a) to provide for special activities in important areas of medical education; (b) with the approval of the Executive Council to appoint standing committees and staff to develop, implement, and sustain program activity; (c) for the purposes of particular emphasis, need, or timeliness, to appoint ad hoc committees and study groups; (d) to develop facts and information; (e) to call national, regional, and local meetings for the presentation of papers and studies, discussion of issues, or decision as to a position to recommend related to a particular area of activity; (f) to recommend action to the Executive Council on matters of interest to the whole Association and concerning which the Association should consider developing a position; and (g) to report at least annually to the Assembly and to the Executive Council.

Section 3: Membership

1. Members of the Council of Deans shall be the deans of those medical schools and colleges which are members of the Association of American Medical Colleges as defined in the AAMC Bylaws: Institutional Members and Provisional Institutional Members. For the purposes of these Bylaws the dean shall be that individual who is charged by the institution with the direct responsibility for the operation of the school of medicine.
2. Voting rights in the Council of Deans shall be as defined in the AAMC Bylaws: each dean of a medical school or college which is an Institutional Member or a Provisional Institutional Member which has admitted its first class shall be entitled to cast one (1) vote in the Council of Deans.
3. If a dean who is entitled to vote in the Council of Deans is unable to be present at a meeting, that individual whom he shall designate in writing to the Chairman shall exercise the privilege of voting for that dean at that specific meeting. A designation of a substitute shall require separate and written notification for each such meeting.

Section 4: Officers and Administrative Board

1. The officers of the Council of Deans shall be a Chairman and a Chairman-Elect, and Immediate-Past-Chairman. The Chairman shall be, ex-officio, a member of all committees of the Council of Deans.
2. The term of office of all officers shall be for one year. All officers shall serve until their successors are elected, provided, however, that the Chairman may not succeed himself until after at least one year has elapsed from the end of his term of office.
3. Officers will be elected annually at the time of the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
4. There shall be an Administrative Board composed of the Chairman, the Chairman-elect, Immediate-Past-Chairman, and three (3) other members elected from the Council of Deans at the time of the Annual Meeting. It shall also include those deans who are elected as members of the Executive Council of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
5. If the Chairman is absent or unable to serve, the Chairman-Elect of the Council of Deans shall serve in his place and assume his functions. If the Chairman-Elect succeeds the Chairman before the expiration of his term of office, such service shall not disqualify the Chairman-Elect from serving a full term as Chairman.
6. The Chairman of the Council of Deans shall appoint a Nominating Committee of not less than five (5) voting members of the Council who shall be chosen with due regard for regional representation. This Committee will solicit nominations from the voting members for elective positions vacant on the Executive Council and Administrative Board. From these nominations a slate will be drawn, with due regard for regional representation, and will be presented to the voting members of the Council of Deans at least two weeks before the Annual Meeting at which the elections will be held. Additional nominations may be made at the time of the meeting.
7. The Administrative Board shall be the executive committee to manage the affairs of the Council of Deans, to perform duties prescribed in the Bylaws, to carry out the policies established by the Council of Deans at its meetings, and to take any necessary interim action on behalf of the Council that is required. The actions of the Administrative Board shall be subject to ratification by the Council at its next regular meeting.

The Administrative Board shall also serve the Council of Deans as a Committee on Committees, with the Chairman-Elect serving as its Chairman when it so functions.

Section 5: Meetings, Quorums, and Parliamentary Procedure

1. Regular meetings of the Council of Deans shall be held in conjunction with the AAMC Annual Meeting.
2. Special meetings may be called as set forth in the AAMC Bylaws.
3. Subdivisions of the Council, consisting of deans who share a definable community interest--whether geographic or with a subject matter focus--shall be called Sections of the Council of Deans. Sections ordinarily function as forums for the exploration of topics of common interest to members but of less than general interest to the Council as a whole. The AAMC will act as fiscal agent for the collection and disbursement of dues and/or registration fees for Sections and will otherwise facilitate their meetings and activities. Sections have no formal role in the governance of the Council or the AAMC.
4. A simple majority of the voting members shall constitute a quorum.
5. Formal actions may be taken only at meetings at which a quorum is present. At such meetings decisions will be made by a majority of those present and voting.
6. Where parliamentary procedure is at issue Robert's Rules of Order shall prevail.

Section 6: Operation and Relationships

1. The Council of Deans shall report to the Executive Council of the AAMC and shall be represented on the Executive Council of the AAMC by members nominated by voting members of the Council of Deans.
2. Creation of standing committees and any major actions shall be taken only after recommendation to and approval from the Executive Council of the AAMC.

Section 7: Amendments

These Bylaws may be altered, repealed, or amended, or new Bylaws adopted by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present and voting at any annual meeting of the membership of the Council of Deans for which thirty days' prior written notice of the Bylaws' change has been given, provided that the total number of the votes cast for the changes constitute a majority of the Council's membership.