CONSTITUTION OF THE MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (As Amended 1998) ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS CONSTITUTION: POLICY MANUAL: BY-LAWS: ASSOCIATION: ORGANIZATION: REGION: TRUSTEE: The primary document of the Michigan Association of School Psychologists, Inc. which serves as the basic charter to guarantee rights and powers to the members. The equivalent of the term by-laws are the policies, rules and guidelines used to conduct the affairs of the Association. Same as Policy Manual. The term which designates and refers to the Michigan Association of School Psychologists, Inc. The term which is used interchangeably with the term Association which in this case refers to the Michigan Association of School Psychologists, Inc. The term which refers to the 13 MASP, Inc. regions of the State of Michigan. Hereafter referred to as Director. ARTICLE II. NAME The name of the organization shall be the Michigan Association of School Psychologists, Inc., a legally incorporated non-profit organization. SECTION 1. Purposes ARTICLE III. PURPOSE AND LIMITATIONS The purpose of the Association shall be, through research and education: A. To serve the mental health and educational needs of all children and youth; B. To advance the standards of the profession of school psychology. SECTION 2. Limitations The Association shall be non-profit, non-partisan and non-sectarian in its purposes and activities. MASP Constitution Page 1
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP SECTION 1. Membership A. Regular membership shall be open to persons: 1) Currently functioning or previously approved as a school psychologist in Michigan; 2) Trained and certified as a school psychologist, but now functioning as a consultant. Supervisor, or administrator in school psychological services or related areas; 3) Primarily engaged in the training of school psychologists at a college or university. B. Student membership shall be open to include students in a Michigan college or university who are enrolled at least half time in a graduate program leading to certification as a school psychologist and not currently employed full time as a school psychologist. C. Retired membership shall be open to include persons holding regular membership for a period of five consecutive years immediately prior to retirement from remunerative professional activity. D. Special annual membership shall be open to include persons who meet the requirements of regular membership and are granted such status by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board on an individual basis. Early career membership shall be open to include persons who have graduated from a school psychology graduate program and are in the first year of practice. E. Honorary life membership shall be open to include persons who have made significant contributions to the field of school psychology and are granted such status by two-thirds vote of the Executive Board on an individual basis. F. Members shall pay dues according to their category. Commented [NP1]: Rationale: Special annual membership has not been used in recent history and is being repurposed to recognize new professionals. SECTION 2. Severance of Membership A. Membership shall be terminated for nonpayment of dues. B. A member may be expelled from the Association for violation of the written code of ethics. C. Expulsion may be recommended by the Professional Standards Committee, confirmed by a twothirds vote of the Executive Board. Members shall be protected by due process. SECTION 1. Officers ARTICLE V. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE A. The Officers of the Association shall be the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past- President, Secretary, and Treasurer. All Officers shall be members of the Association. The Officers of the Association shall be known as the Executive Council. B. The names of candidates for elective offices shall be solicited from the membership. Candidates shall be elected to office by vote of the members through mail ballot. C. The President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past-President shall serve in office for one year. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve in the office for two years. Officers shall not succeed themselves. If the President-Elect is unable to assume the presidency, both a President and President-Elect shall be elected by the membership at the time of the next election. D. The Executive Board, by majority vote, shall fill any vacancy created in an elected, unexpired office, until the time of the next election. E. Removal of Officers from their elected post for due cause shall be the responsibility of the Executive Board. A two-thirds vote by the Executive Board shall constitute removal. Commented [NP2]: Rationale: This change leaves open the possibility to allow voting through electronic means. Commented [NP3]: Rationale: This change would allow an officer to be appointed after their term ends in the event that no one is elected to the position. MASP Constitution Page 2
SECTION 2. Executive Council A. The Executive Council shall consist of the Officers of the Association. B. The Executive Council shall administer the continuing affairs of the Association. SECTION 3. Executive Board A. The Executive Board shall consist of the Officers and Regional Directors of the Association. B. The Executive Board shall exercise general management of the affairs of the Association. SECTION 4. Directors A. There shall be a Director for each Region of the Association. Each Director shall be employed in and be elected by the membership of the specific region represented. B. Each Director shall be a member of the Association. C. Directors shall be elected on an alternate basis for a two-year term, as stipulated in the Policy Manual. D. In addition to the regular duties of the position, each Regional Director shall be required to serve as either a chairperson or member of one of the standing or ad hoc committees. Each Regional Director shall be required to serve on a committee for the entire length of his or her two-year term. E. Procedures for filling a vacancy among the Directors and for removing a Director from his or her elected post shall be the same as those pertaining to the elected Officers. F. One voting Alternate will be recognized by the Executive Board. G. The President may appoint a student from one of the State of Michigan s university programs to be included as a non-voting member of the MASP Board. This shall be accomplished through recommendations from the trainers in school psychology. The Student Director-at-Large must be currently enrolled in a university program leading to certification as a school psychologist. SECTION 5. Chairpersons The President shall appoint chairpersons of the standing committees and other committees subject to the approval of the Executive Council. SECTION 1. Standing Committees ARTICLE VI. STRUCTURE The following shall be the standing committees of the Association: Membership, Professional Standards, Public Information, Publications, Nominations and Elections, Conferences and Workshops, Planning and Development, Legislative Action, Child Services, and Fiscal Advisory. The standing committees will be established by the board of directors and defined in the by-laws. SECTION 2. Ad Hoc Committees Commented [NP4]: Rationale: Having a list of committees in both the constitution and bylaws is redundant. This change allows the board more flexibility to add or remove committees in the future to accomplish the work and mission of the association. Ad Hoc Committees may be created by the President subject to the approval of the Executive Council. MASP Constitution Page 3
ARTICLE VII. FINANCES SECTION 1. Authority A. The Treasurer is responsible for the management of Association moneys according to established fiscal policies and procedures. B. The authority of Officers, Regional Directors, and Committee Chairpersons to expend funds is determined by the budget for such activities that have been approved by the Executive Board. C. Expenditure of funds for legal services must be approved by Executive Board. D. All contracts related to the business of the organization shall be approved by the Executive Board and co-signed by the President and Treasurer. SECTION 2. Budget The budget of the Association is approved by the Executive Board for the current fiscal year. SECTION 3. Salaried Personnel Officers, Regional Directors, and Committee Chairpersons shall not be salaried employees of the Association. Payment for services rendered to the Association must be on a contractual basis and approved by the Executive Board. SECTION 4. Dedication of Funds and Dissolution A. All assets of the Association shall be dedicated to the purposes set forth in Article III. B. In the case of dissolution of the Association, all assets will be distributed to a non-profit taxexempt cause. SECTION 5. Debt No member of the Association shall contract or cause to be made in the name of the Association any debt without the specific budget line approval by the Executive Board. SECTION 6. Financial Review A. Any member may cause the account of any Officer, Regional Director, or Committee Chairperson to be examined by a qualified committee or person, upon the majority vote of the Executive Board. B. An fiscal audit by a Certified Public Accountant shall be conducted annually. A fiscal audit by the FAC shall be conducted annually. ARTICLE VIII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY Commented [NP5]: Rationale: A fiscal audit by CPA is not a requirement and is an unnecessary financial obligation. The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable, and are not inconsistent with the special rules of order of this Association. A Parliamentarian may be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Council. MASP Constitution Page 4
ARTICLE IX. MEETINGS SECTION 1. Time and Place An annual business meeting of the Association shall be held at such time and place as determined by the Executive Board in accordance with Association policy. Other meetings shall be determined by policy of the Association and shall be scheduled by the Executive Board or interested members. SECTION 2. Quorum Executive Board quorum shall consist of one-half of the duly constituted body in person or by officially recognized Alternate in the case of Regional Directors. SECTION 1. ARTICLE X. REGIONS The Association shall be composed of 13 regions whose membership will be made up of members employed in that geographic area. Retired and unemployed members will be assigned on the basis of residence. Student members will be assigned based on the location of the university they attend. These regions shall attempt to reflect geographic area, population distribution and affinity grouping. (See Appendix 1 of the Constitution.) SECTION 2. A region shall be defined as a representative rather than an autonomous entity. The Association encourages and promotes inter-personal association and activity on the regional level. Proposed largescale professional activity on a regional level must be reviewed and sanctioned by the Executive Board. SECTION 3. The regional structure shall be reviewed every three years. SECTION 1. Policy Manual ARTICLE XI. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES The Policy Manual shall serve as the By-Laws of this Association and shall be adopted and amended by the Executive Board. SECTION 2. Amendments A. The Constitution of the Association shall be amended by mail ballot vote of the membership. B. A two-thirds vote of those voting by mail ballot shall be required for an amendment to pass. C. Returned mail ballots shall be postmarked within 14 days of initial mailing. The board shall determine deadlines as defined in the by-laws. Commented [NP6]: Rationale: These changes leaves open the possibility to allow voting through electronic means. MASP Constitution Page 5