GPACAC Bylaws
Revised April 2010
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Bylaws of the Great Plains Association for College Admission Counseling
Amended, April 2010
ARTICLE I. THE PURPOSES OF THE ASSOCIATION SHALL BE:
a. The establishment and maintenance of high professional standards which foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the process of planning for postsecondary education.
b. The development and expansion of effective relationships between high schools and colleges.
c. The development of effective programs of counseling and guidance that will aid students in selecting and making the transition to a suitable college.
d. The coordination of activities with other professional associations with similar or compatible objectives.
e. To adhere to and support the purposes, goals, and objectives of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) as stated in the NACAC Articles of Incorporation.
ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP
Section I.
To be eligible for voting membership, institutions and individuals must be located in the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, or in the state of Missouri with 640XX or 641XX zip codes. Voting members should designate a principal representative whose professional responsibilities should include providing services and/or products to the counseling, admission or financial aid profession or in support of students in the transition to postsecondary education.
a. Not-for-profit, two-year and four-year colleges and universities fully accredited by an approved accrediting association.
b. Not-for-profit, individual secondary schools and primary and secondary school districts holding approved accreditation.
c. Not-for-profit two-year and four-year colleges and universities or secondary schools not meeting the above requirements may become members upon sponsorship by written recommendation to the Executive Board by three members of the Association and with the approval of the majority of the members present at the annual meeting.
d. Not-for-profit organizations whose primary activities consist of providing counseling, admission, or financial aid services to students or to the college admission counseling or financial aid profession.
e. Retired individuals who were actively involved in counseling, admission or financial aid services.
f. Individuals whose professional activities in the area of counseling, admission or financial aid services are conducted at GPACAC eligible organizations and institutions.
g. Independent educational consultants or counselors who are self-employed or employed by a company providing counseling, admission, or financial aid services to students and/or their parents.
h. Regional representatives who work for not-for-profit two-year and four-year colleges and universities which are fully accredited by an approved accreditation association and have offices located in the GPACAC membership area.
Section 2
Each full voting member shall have one vote.
Section 3.
Associate non-voting membership shall be extended to:
a. Students seeking careers in counseling, admission or financial aid services.
b. Institutions, agencies or organizations whose primary activities consist of providing information or services related to counseling, admission and financial aid services for postsecondary education with the approval of the Executive Board.
c. Individuals who are ineligible for voting membership in GPACAC, who are not employed by an institution, agency or organization eligible for voting membership, but who provide postsecondary education counseling, admission or financial aid services.
Section 4.
The annual dues of GPACAC shall be established by the membership during the process of approving the budget. Dues may vary between voting and nonvoting members and between and within the different categories of members designated in Article II of these Bylaws.
Section 5.
Membership in the Association shall be terminated by the action of the Executive Board for any of the following reasons:
a. Failure of any member to pay the annual dues within three-months after notice has been given by the Membership Chair.
b. Failure of any member to comply with the provisions of the Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
c. Failure to receive reaccreditation by an approved accrediting association
ARTICLE III. MEETINGS
Section 1.
Annual Meeting
a. An annual general meeting for the entire membership shall be held once a year, exclusive of the national meeting of NACAC, upon the call of the President, and shall be a meeting at which the Officers, Delegates and State Co-Coordinators shall be elected.
b. The place of the meeting shall be determined by the Executive Board.
c. Time shall be provided in connection with the annual meeting for the state delegations to meet and elect their State Co-Coordinators.
d. Ten percent of the voting membership in attendance at the annual conference shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the regular meetings of the Association.
e. In case of an unexpected or uncontrollable event, the President, with the approval of a majority of the voting members of the Executive Board may cancel or postpone the annual meeting until such time as the members may convene without adversity. The Executive Board may provide for alternative voting procedures to elect officers and conduct other Association business through proxy voting by the voting membership.
Section 2.
Executive Board Meetings
a. The Executive Board shall meet as a group no fewer than three times per year, exclusive of the GPACAC annual business meeting, to plan and implement the strategic goals of the association, to conduct necessary business of the Association, and to hear reports of committees.
b. The place of the meetings shall be determined by the President of the Association.
c. A majority of the elected officers shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the regular meetings of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
Section 1.
Officers shall consist of President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Treasurer-elect. Each shall be elected from the general membership. The President, President-Elect and Past President each serve one-year terms. The Secretary serves a three-year term. The Treasurer serves a 2-year term, and the Treasurer-elect serves a one-year term. The Treasurer-elect will assume the office of Treasurer after the election at the annual meeting. These officers shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall take office at the first Executive Board meeting immediately following their elections. These officers must be voting members of the organization.
Section 2.
The Officers, NACAC assembly delegates and chairs of each standing committee of the Association shall comprise the Executive Board.
Section 3.
At least one, and not more than two candidates for each officer, delegate, and alternate delegate shall be presented by the Nominating Committee at the annual meeting, at which time the voting membership of the Association shall elect the officers, delegates, and alternate delegates. The general membership shall be given notice of offices open for election at least thirty days prior to the annual meeting.
Section 4.
After the election takes place, the President, or president’s designee, shall give notice to the NACAC Executive Director regarding the election or appointment of delegates, alternate delegates, President, and President-Elect.
Section 5.
The President may, with the approval of the Executive Board, appoint a staff or faculty member of an institution with full voting privileges in the Association to fill any uncompleted term of office of a duly elected or appointed officer who, for any reason, is unable to complete a term of office.
Section 6.
Any member of the executive board may be removed from office at any time upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members of the Executive Board.
Article V. POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1.
Responsibilities of the Executive Board
a. Approve the annual budget for the organization.
b. Develop and execute the Strategic Plan for the organization.
c. Review, implement, and enforce the Policies and Procedures as outlined in the GPACAC Policies and Procedures document.
Section 2.
The duties of the President shall be:
a. To prepare the agenda of all general meetings.
b. To preside at all meetings of the Association and Executive Board.
c. To serve as chair of the Current Trends and Future Issues Committee and to serve as a member of the Fund Development, Fiscal Oversight and Nominating standing committees.
d. To appoint any chairperson(s), in consultation with the President-Elect and most recent active Past-President, of standing committees or any committees deemed advisable by the Executive Board.
e. To serve as delegate to the NACAC annual Assembly.
Section 3.
The duties of the President-Elect shall be:
a. To assist the President and preside at any meetings in his/her absence
b. To act as a consultant to the President in the affairs of the Association.
c. To succeed the President.
d. To serve on the Conference Planning Committee and as a member of the Fiscal Oversight, Fund Development and Nominating committees.
e. To serve as delegate to the NACAC annual Assembly.
f. To assume such other responsibilities as directed by the President.
Section 4.
The duties of the Secretary shall be:
a. To be responsible for the record of the Association.
b. To send all necessary notices.
c. To record the minutes of all meetings.
d. To serve as a member of the Fiscal Oversight committee.
e. To keep an archive of all subcommittee records and minutes.
Section 5.
The duties of the Treasurer shall be:
a. To be responsible for the accounting activities of the Association.
b. To serve as chair of the Fiscal Oversight standing committee.
c. To be responsible for the payment of all bills of the Association from Association funds.
d. To make an annual fiscal report to the Association and quarterly fiscal reports to the Executive Board
Section 6.
The duties of the Treasurer-elect shall be:
a. To assist the Treasurer with the funds of the Association.
b. To learn the responsibilities of the Treasurer so that Treasurer-elect
can immediately move into the office of the Treasurer.
c. To serve as a member of the Fiscal Oversight standing committee.
d. To assist the Treasurer in preparing annual fiscal reports to the Association and quarterly reports to the Executive Board.
Section 7.
The duties of the Past-President shall be:
a. To act as a consultant to the President and President-Elect in the affairs of the Association.
b. To act as Chair of the Governance and Nominating standing committees and to serve as a member of the Fund Development standing committee and Current Trends and Future Issues.
c. To serve as Chief Delegate to the NACAC annual Assembly.
ARTICLE VI. STATE COORDINATORS
Section 1.
There shall be Co-Coordinators from each state within GPACAC. They must be faculty or staff members of voting institutional members of GPACAC.
a. The State Co-Coordinators shall be elected by the individual state delegations at the annual meeting of GPACAC to a term of two years.
b. State Co-Coordinators serve on the Professional Development Committee.
Section 2.
The duties of the State Co-Coordinators shall be:
a. To help identify those areas of professional concern to which members should address programming at the state level.
b. To promote membership in GPACAC in that state.
c. To plan and implement professional development programming for the state members and potential members.
ARTICLE VII. DELEGATES TO THE NACAC ASSEMBLY
Section 1.
As provided by the bylaws of NACAC, GPACAC shall elect or appoint delegates and alternates to the NACAC Assembly. The number, eligibility, and term of delegates shall be in accordance with the bylaws of NACAC.
a. The authorized number of delegates and alternates are to be elected from those members of GPACAC who are also voting members of NACAC. To be eligible for election or appointment as a delegate or alternate delegate, a candidate must be a voting individual member of NACAC. Only one person employed by any member organization, agency or institution shall serve in the same Assembly.
b. Whenever possible, one-half of the delegates elected by GPACAC shall be employed by voting members' institutions, organizations and agencies which provide secondary counseling, admission, and financial aid services, and one-
half of the delegates elected by GPACAC shall be employed by voting member institutions, organizations and agencies which provide postsecondary counseling, admission, and financial aid services.
c. Whenever possible, GPACAC will make every effort to give consideration to traditionally underrepresented members as delegates to the Assembly.
d. Delegates shall be elected at the annual general meeting, or shall be appointed no later than June 30 and shall begin serving on July 1 of the year in which they are elected. Each elected delegate shall serve a term of three years. Delegates shall serve no more than two consecutive terms.
e. Should a delegate change his/her employment status during his/her three-year tenure by either accepting a position that does not qualify under Article II, Section 1, of these bylaws or by terminating his/her employment, he/she may remain as a delegate for a period of sixty days following the change.
f. In the event that a President, President-Elect or Past-President of GPACAC is not the principal representative of a voting NACAC member institution or is not a voting individual member of NACAC, an eligible alternate delegate will be appointed to serve as delegate in his/her place.
g. If the delegate is unable to serve the full three year term, the President, with Executive Board approval, may appoint an alternate delegate to fulfill the remainder of the term.
Section 2.
Duties of Delegates/Alternates
a. Delegates of the Assembly shall attend all Assembly meetings for the term of office.
b. Delegates shall brief the GPACAC membership on the NACAC slate of officers.
c. Delegates shall report to the GPACAC membership at the Annual Conference regarding Assembly concerns.
d. Delegates shall represent GPACAC concerns and issues at the General Assembly.
e. Alternate delegates
i. One alternate delegate will be elected from Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma
ii. Will serve a one-year term.
ARTICLE VIII. COMMITTEES
Section 1.
There shall be the following standing committees:
a. Admission Practices
b. Annual Conference
c. College Fairs
d. Communications
e. Committee on Current Trends and Future Issues
f. Fiscal Oversight
g. Fund Development
h. Governance and Nominating
i. Government Relations
j. Human Relations
k. Technology
l. Membership
m. Professional Development
Section 2.
Other committees may be formed at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Section 3.
The President, in consultation with the President-Elect and Past-President, shall select all committee chairpersons, subject to the approval of the Executive Board and the Executive Board shall approve the scope of action of all committees.
Section 4.
The committee chairperson shall select his/her committee members, subject to the approval of the Executive Board.
a. Representatives from each state and both secondary and postsecondary institutions should comprise committees.
b. Committee chairs should convene a minimum of two board meetings per year.
Section 5.
Each committee chair shall present an annual written report to the President in the form prescribed by the Executive Board. These reports shall be made accessible to all members.
Section 6.
All committee chairs shall serve a term of three years with the exception of the Fiscal Oversight committee chair and can be reappointed with the approval of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX. GPACAC subscribes to the articles of the Statement of Principles of Good Practice contained in the standing rules of NACAC.
ARTICLE XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The latest edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall govern all matters of GPACAC not covered by these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENTS
Section 1.
The bylaws may be amended at any general meeting of the Association by a vote of two-thirds of the voting membership in attendance, provided that a notice of any proposed amendments has been sent to each member at least two weeks prior to the date of the said meeting.
Section 2.
Within one year of the adoption of any amendment to NACAC Bylaws, this Association shall review and amend its Bylaws accordingly, to maintain consistency.
