Academic Council

Academic Council

In June 2014, the Governing Body (Board of Trustees) of Critical Care Education Foundation (CCEF) formed an Academic Council (under its College of Critical Care Medicine). The intention was to enrich its decisions through well discussed suggestions from experienced, dedicated, leaders in critical care medicine in India and abroad.

The Academic Council is responsible for all academic matters within the College of Critical Care Medicine and has the major task of formulating and implementing the College's academic policies. The Academic Council is responsible for the quality of all academic activities. Some of its activities include:

• Conducting the Part 1 and Part 2 examinations in Critical Care Medicine as well as the supplementary examinations including deciding the venue, logistics, examiners, setting of the examination questions etc.
• Declaration of results and sending feedback to students and teachers.
• Preparing the examination reports.
• Designing and executing new courses, seminars, workshops and conferences in keeping with the purpose of the College and CCEF.
• Conduct Regional and National academic programs.
• Formation and monitoring the activities of its sub-committees.
• Conferring Honorary Fellowship of the College of Critical Care Medicine, based on criteria laid down for this purpose.
• Conferring Honorary Professorship of the College of Critical Care Medicine, based on criteria laid down for this purpose.

The Academic Council submits its recommendations to the Critical Care Education Foundation under which the College functions.

SIZE AND STRUCTURE OF THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL: The size of the Academic council will vary as the College of Critical Care Medicine develops. It will consist of 10 members or more (minimum 5 members). Membership to the Academic Council will be by invitation, based on a persons involvement in activities of the College of Critical Care Medicine, experience in the field, willingness to be a part of this important Council etc. He/ She will normally be chosen from the members of the College of Critical Care Medicine and should have attended at-least 3 of its examinations as faculty. The Academic Council will be chaired by the Chairperson nominated by the Trustees of CCEF in discussion with the President of the College of Critical Care Medicine. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson of the Council will chair that meeting. The Chairman of Critical Care Education Foundation and the President of the College of Critical Care Medicine will be permanent invitee to all meetings.

MEETINGS OF THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL: It will be the normal practice that at-least two meetings of the Academic Council will take place in a year. The dates of meetings will be based on a schedule agreed by the Council. Meetings may be held physically or electronically as decided by them. A Special Meeting of the Council may be convened by the Chairman of the Council, upon his/her own motion, or upon a requisition addressed to him/her and signed by at least 2/3rds of the members of the Council. Should the Chairman of the Council not act on such a requisition, a Special Meeting for the purpose defined in it may be convened with consent of the Chairman of the Critical Care Education Foundation. Sub-Committees of the Academic Council shall meet as often as necessary.

OFFICERS OF THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL: The Chairperson of the Academic Council will be nominated by the Trustees of CCEF. A Deputy Chairperson shall be nominated from among the members of the Council by CCEF in consultation with the President of the College and the Chairman of the Academic Council. The Deputy Chairperson will take the Chair in the absence of the Chairperson. In the absence of the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the Council shall elect one of its members to act as Chairperson for that meeting. The Secretary to the Council will be selected at its first meeting.

NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA: Notice of the meeting and an agenda shall be posted a minimum of five working days prior to the meeting. Special meetings of the committees shall be called with lesser notice at the discretion of the Chairperson. A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be circulated to the Academic Council members with the agenda of the meeting.

MINUTES OF MEETING: The minutes of meetings shall record attendance and decisions made by the Council. The adoption of the minutes shall be formally proposed and seconded. Minute of Council meetings shall be circulated to all members of the Council and copy sent to the Governing Body. All recommendations and actions by the sub-committees must be reported to the Council.

ATTENDANCE AT MEETING: No substitution of members by non-members on either the Council or Committees is possible. A member of the Council who is absent from 3 consecutive meetings of the Council, unless such absence was due to illness or was approved by the Council, shall be deemed to have resigned from the Council and shall be replaced for the remainder of that person's period in office.

QUORUM FOR MEETING: The quorum for the Academic Council shall be 50% of its members. If, ten minutes after the time fixed for a meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall proceed as scheduled.

VOTING AT MEETINGS: All voting on a motion shall be held by show of hands or by secret ballot if requested by at least 3 members. The result of voting shall be counted and recorded by the secretary and be recorded in the minutes. In the event of an equal division of the vote the Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

CHANGES IN STANDING ORDERS: The Council, from time to time, may make representations to the Governing Body for changes to the standing orders.

ACADEMIC COUNCIL SUB-COMMITTEES: The Council can form subcommittees to carry out specific activity under its guidance. Each such Committee will be headed by a member of the Academic Council. The Chairman and Secretary shall be ex-officio members of each committee. The members of this subcommittee are expected to attend 50% of the meetings in any academic year or another representative may be appointed in lieu.

POWERS OF THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL: The Council is answerable to the Governing Body (Board of Trustees) of Critical Care Education Foundation. While the Academic Council does not make policy, it does retain the right to make itself heard on all major decisions that go to the Board of Trustees for approval. The Board of Trustees do not give the Academic Council veto power nor does it give it a mandate to obstruct a plan of the Critical Care Education Foundation. However, it establishes both a requirement that the Council be consulted and given a chance to express its view and an expectation that the Trustees will consider this view very carefully when making their final decision.

The Academic Council (2019-2021) consists of:

Dr. Praveen K. Jain
Chairman & Trustee,
Critical Care Education Foundation.