Alaska School Psychologists Association

 ALASKA School Psychologist Association New Bylaws

ALASKA SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION

BY LAWS

SECTION I NAME

The name of the organization shall be the Alaska School Psychologists Association (ASPA).

SECTION II PURPOSES AND LIMITATIONS

A. The purposes of this association shall be, through research and educational activities:

1. To serve the mental health and educational needs of all children and youth;

2. To advance the standards of professional school psychology;

3. To promote actively, actively promote the interest of school psychology;

4. To help secure the conditions necessary for the greatest effectiveness in the practice of psychology in the schools.

B. Restrictions: The association shall be nonprofit, nonpartisan, and nonsectarian in its purpose and activities. No officers shall be salaried.

SECTION III MEMBERSHIP

The organization shall consist of the following individual memberships:

A. A regular member is a person who:

1. Is currently certified as a school psychologist;

2. Has paid current membership dues

B. An affiliate member is one who:

1. Is presently working in a capacity which is affiliated with schools and/or children, but who is not a certified school psychologist;

2. Has paid current, but reduced, membership dues;

3. Is not a voting member;

4. Can serve on committees as a member.

C. A student member is one who:

1. Is studying toward school psychologist's certification;

2. Has paid current, but reduced, student membership dues;

3. Is a nonvoting member

D. Verification of status must accompany the application for membership. Such verification would be:

1. Regular member: Copy of State Certificate with initial application.

2. Letter stating current position from Superintendent, Director, or Supervisor.

3. Student member: Letter of current student status from Dean or department head. Said letter is required annually.

E. Severance of Membership:

1. Membership shall may be terminated for nonpayment of dues if not received by 12/31

2. A member may be expelled from the association for violation of the NASP written code of ethics.

3. Expulsion from membership may be recommended by any member, but must be ratified by 2/3 of the membership.

Members shall be protected by the right of appeal at all stages of this procedure.

SECTION IV OFFICERS

A. The officers shall consist of the President, and President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and Past President. The President-Elect will serve as President for the following operating year.

B. The duties of the officers are as follows:

C.

PRESIDENT:

The President will preside at the meetings

1. The President will appoint committee chairpersons.

2. The President will be in charge of program development related to targeted goals for the organization.

PRESIDENT-ELECT:

1. The President-Elect will preside at all meetings in the absence of the President.

2. The President-Elect will assist the president, as assigned, in the supervision of committee activities.

3. The President-Elect will establish a tentative budget for the following year and present it at the spring executive board meeting.

SECRETARY:

1. The Secretary will be responsible for notifying the membership of meetings and will send proxy forms to member.

2. The Secretary will keep and distribute minutes of the association's meetings and have the primary responsibility for official correspondence as assigned by the President.

TREASURER:

1. The Treasurer will handle the funds in a manner deemed expedient by the association.

2. The Treasurer will assist the President-Elect in development of the tentative proposed budget.

3. The Treasurer will present a budget report at each meeting.

4. The Treasurer will send membership applications/renewal each May.

5. The Treasurer will call for new members at each business meeting, and will maintain a current membership list.

D. The Executive Board by majority vote shall fill any vacancy created in an unexpired office. Any member so chosen shall serve until the term of the vacated office is expired and successor duly elected. If the President-Elect cannot fulfill the duties of the President the following year, the membership will elect both President and President-Elect at the next election.

E. All officers shall serve a one-year term of office beginning July 1.

F. An officer can be recalled by two-thirds vote of the total voting membership.

SECTION V COMMITTEES AND EXECUTIVE BOARD

A. The standing committee chairpersons will be regular members and will be appointed by the President. The standing committees will be filled by regular, affiliate, and student members and shall consist of:

1. Legislative: Informs Executive Board and membership of legislation at the state and national levels which relates to school psychology.

2. Nominations and Elections: Conducts nominations and election of officers of the association.

3. Planning and Development: Develops and coordinates the program for the Fall and Spring Conferences, and is responsible for Continuing Education Forms.

4. Professional Standards: Coordinates the securing and distribution of information regarding the current ethical practices, certification criteria, and related professional school psychology issues.

5. Public Relations: Promotes the image of school psychologists both within ASPA and externally around the State.

6. Newsletter: Chaired by the Editor, this committee functions to produce the REVIEW, which is ASPA's vehicle for communication and professional interchange around the state.

7. Membership: Maintains a current membership and facilitates membership applications and renewals.

8. ASSEC: Represents school psychologists at the ASSEC committee meetings and promotes presentations relevant to the field of school psychology.

9. Social: Promotes and organizes social activities to foster collegiality among membership.

B. Ad hoc committees will be formed as deemed necessary by the President.

C. The Executive Board will consist of:

1. All officers

2. Chairpersons of standing committees

3. NASP delegate

D. Any expenditures are to be approved (before being incurred) by 5 board members, one of whom must be the Treasurer.

E. Official ASPA letters, which express opinions or positions, are to be approved by 5 board members, one of whom must be the President.

SECTION VI MEETINGS

A. The association will call two meetings per year, one in the Fall and one in the

Spring. All meetings will be called with a 30-day notice to the membership. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the Executive Board. All notices of meetings will be accompanied by a proxy form. A quorum will consist of _ the membership.

B. Members who cannot attend the meetings may assign their proxy vote to another voting member and shall inform the secretary in writing or by telephone of the assigned proxy.

SECTION VII DUES

A. Dues shall be payable upon the receipt of the annual statement from the association. Dues shall be payable on July 1st. the first of October of each year. The amount of dues will be set by the board and approved by 2/3s of the voting membership. The fiscal and operational year will be from July 1 to June 30.

SECTION VIII ELECTION OF OFFICERS

A. Nominations

1. The Nominations and Elections Committee will call for nominations for each office from the membership by January 5th by March 1st. A current membership list will accompany the nominations ballot.

2. The Committee shall prepare a slate containing two names for each office by February 1. March 15th. The Committee shall place on the ballot the names of the individuals receiving the two highest numbers of nominating votes for each office, subject to the individuals' eligibility and willingness to serve. In the event of a tie for the second nominee position, both names shall be placed on the ballot. By February 15th April 15th the Committee shall notify all nominees of the results and inform those not place on the ballot of their right to utilize the petition process.

3. A nominee not included on the ballot may petition to be placed on the ballot. Petitions must contain both signatures and printed names of 10% of voting membership. Petitions must be submitted to the Committee prior to the annual spring business meeting. Members may sign only one petition for an office.

4. A member may challenge in writing the validity of a petition within two weeks after the close of the Spring business meeting. The officers of the association shall decide the validity of challenged petitions.

B. Elections.

1. The Committee shall request from each candidate a brief biography and statement of proposed goals to accompany the ballot. The candidate will submit this information ready for distribution, and shall be no more than 200 words.

2. The Committee shall send the ballot and nominees' information by first class mail to the membership no later than March 1st 31st.

3. Only members who paid dues by December 31st November 1st shall be eligible to vote. Ballots will be returned to the Nominations and Elections Chairperson within 15 days of the mailing. The ballots will be opened and counted in the presence of at least one officer of the organization. If the nominations Committee Chairperson or officer is unable to perform this duty, then a proxy, appointed by the President, will assume this responsibility.

SECTION IX MISCELLANEOUS

A. The ASPA Review will contain a disclaimer regarding the newsletter content.

B. One copy of any official ASPA letter will be sent to the Secretary to be filed.

SECTION X PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES

A. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the association in all cases where they are applicable and not inconsistent with the Bylaws or special rules of the association.

SECTION XI BYLAWS AMENDMENTS

A. These Bylaws can be amended by 2/3's of those present at a meeting providing that the conditions under Section VI of these Bylaws are met.

Revised: 4/4/07

Purposes of ASPA

The purpose of this association shall be, through research and educational activities:

- To serve the mental heath and educational needs of all children and youth;

- To advance the standards of professional school psychology;

- To promote activity, the interest of school psychology

- To help secure the conditions necessary for the greatest effectiveness in its purpose and activities.

 

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