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BYLAWS
AMERICAN REHABILITATION COUNSELING ASSOCIATION
FINAL DRAFT
Article I – Name and Purpose
Section 1. Name.
The name of this organization shall be the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA). It shall be a member association of the American Counseling Association (ACA).
Section 2. Purpose.
ARCA’s mission is to continually improve the profession of rehabilitation counseling in its service to persons with disabilities. In its pursuit of this mission, ARCA:
(a) Provides leadership in advancing the profession and science of rehabilitation counseling.
(b) Promotes standards that represent the highest quality of professional rehabilitation counseling practice in a rapidly changing environment.
(c) Provides research findings with direct application to the current and future practice of rehabilitation counseling.
(d) Fosters dialogues and coordinates activities among rehabilitation counselors, educators, administrators, and other rehabilitation professionals within and among various specialty areas.
(e) Engages in active collaborations and partnerships with other national professional organizations and with consumer groups.
Article II – Membership
Section 1. Type of Membership.
Membership shall be of one type: individual.
Section 2. Individual Members.
An individual member in good standing is a person whose primary responsibilities or interests are in the area of rehabilitation counseling as defined by ARCA’s Bylaws.
Section 3. Classes of Membership.
There shall be five classes of membership: Professional, regular, graduate student, new professional, and retired. They are defined as follows:
(a) Professional – Open to persons who possess a minimum of a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field.
(b) Regular – Open to persons whose interests and activities are consistent with those of ARCA, but who are not qualified for professional membership.
(c) Graduate student – Open to all students who are enrolled at least part time in a graduate program in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field.
(d) New Professional – New professional is someone who has graduated with a masters or a doctorate within the past 12 months. Status is good for two years.
(e) Retired – Members who are retired from the counseling profession and have been active ARCA members for the past five (5) consecutive years.
Section 4. Membership Privileges.
(a) All members in good standing, regardless of class, shall be entitled to attend meetings and receive ARCA’s journal.
(b) Professional, graduate students, and new professional members in good standing shall be entitled to vote.
Section 5. Amount of Dues.
Annual dues shall be set by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
Section 6. Severance of Membership.
(a) Any member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at a regularly scheduled business meeting of the member association for any conduct that tends to injure the membership association or to adversely affect its reputation, or for conduct that is destructive according to the Bylaws and Code of Ethics of the member association. Before such a vote can be taken, expulsion must be recommended by the Board of Directors after a review of the case by the Board of Directors. This review shall involve giving the person in question an opportunity to appear before the Board of Directors to answer the charges against him or her. The foregoing shall not be interpreted as an abridgment of the member’s right to appeal to the general membership at the meeting at which the report of the Board of Directors is under consideration.
(b) A member may be dropped from membership for failure to pay dues as prescribed by the member association. Reinstatement shall be by renewed application.
Article III – Officers of the Member Association
Section 1. Officers and Terms of Office.
(a) The Officers of this organization shall be a President, Past President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and the elected Representative to the ACA Governing Council.
(b) All members of ARCA shall be equally eligible for all rights and privileges of membership in accordance with Section 4 of these Bylaws, except that only professional members shall be eligible for election to the office of President and President-Elect. Members in the categories of: professional, new professionals and graduate student shall be eligible for election to the office of Secretary and Treasurer. Furthermore, to be eligible for election to any of these offices requires evidence of significant previous service to ARCA and/or the rehabilitation counseling profession. Officers and governance members must be ACA members in good standing.
(c) The Executive Committee, composed of the President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary and Treasurer, will form the Board of Trustees for the Reserve Fund of the member association.
(d) The President shall be Chief Executive Officer of the member association.
(e) The President, President-Elect, and Past President shall serve one-year terms beginning on July 1.
(f) The President-Elect shall automatically become the President of the member association at the expiration of his or her term of office as President-Elect.
(g) The Treasurer shall be elected for a three-year term.
(h) The Secretary shall be elected for a three-year term.
(i) The Representative to the ACA Governing Council shall be elected for three years and shall also serve as an ex-officio member of ARCA’s Board of Directors.
Section 2. Vacancies.
(a) If the Presidency shall become vacant, the President-Elect shall assume this office and serve the remainder of the current term and the term to which he or she was elected.
(b) If any elected officer position other than President shall become vacant, the candidate receiving the next largest number of votes shall be appointed by the Board of Directors to complete the scheduled term of that office.
(c) If any elected officer position other than President shall become vacant, and if the elected person ran unopposed, that vacancy shall be filled by nomination and election by majority of the Board of Directors. An officer so elected shall complete the scheduled term of that office.
Section 3. Duties of Officers.
(a) The President shall serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the member association, the Chair of the Board of Directors, and shall preside at all general meetings of the member association.
(b) The President-Elect shall act in place of the President at member association meetings or Board of Directors meetings which the President is unable to attend, and shall serve as a member of the Program Committee. The President-Elect may also serve as an observer for the membership association at meetings of the ACA Governing Council.
(c) The Treasurer shall be responsible for developing policies and procedures for maintaining funds and securities of the ARCA, and ensure that the audit report and approved budget of ARCA are presented at its annual meeting.
(d) The Secretary shall compile the minutes of all Board of Directors meetings and maintain the records of the member association in accordance with the established policies and procedures. In addition, the Secretary shall carry out the following responsibilities: distribute materials for all scheduled meetings and publish the report of the annual meeting, subject to the approval of the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors as specified in these Bylaws.
(e) In addition to the above duties, Officers shall serve as ex officio members on certain ARCA Committees. Officers’ roles on these Committees are to be an active member and support the Committee Director with accomplishing the Committee’s work and charge. Specifically, the following Officers will serve as ex officio members of the following Committees.
1. Past-President: Committee on Organization, Administration, and Management.
2. President: Committee on Public Policy, Professional Preparation, and Standards.
3. President-Elect: Committee on Public Relations and Awareness
4. Secretary: Committee on Research and Knowledge.
5. Treasurer: Committee on Development and Collaboration.
Article IV – The Board of Directors
Section 1. Composition of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the five Officers of the member association and six Committee Directors elected at large from the professional membership of the association. The five standing Committees include: (1) Organization, Administration, and Management; (2) Public Policy, Professional Preparation and Standards; (3) Research and Knowledge; (4) Public Relations and Awareness; (5) Development and Collaboration and (6) Student Representation
Section 2. Tenure of Office.
The Board of Directors terms of the President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Elected Representative to the ACA Governing Council on the Board of Directors shall coincide with their terms of elective offices. The immediate Past-President shall also be a member of the Board of Directors for the year immediately following his or her term as President of the member association. The members-at-large elected to the Board of Directors shall serve staggered terms of three years so that only two new members will be seated on the Board of Directors each year. The Directors of the standing Committees shall serve three years to coincide with their terms on the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Vacancies.
A vacancy occurring among the members-at-large due to the death or resignation of a member shall be filled by nomination and election by the majority of the Board of Directors. An individual appointed to complete an elective term of office shall also complete the officer’s term on the Board of Directors.
Section 4. Function of the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors shall:
(a) Serve as a board to carry out the plans and purposes of ARCA.
(b) Arrange to review the eligibility of applicants for membership and approve those who qualify.
(c) Make all necessary decisions on behalf of the member association during the interim between business meetings.
(d) Formulate policies for the accomplishment of the purposes of the member association and recommend adoption of those policies to the association.
(e) Promote regional and local conferences for the achievement of the purpose of the member association.
(f) Promote cooperation and affiliation with other organizations concerned with rehabilitation counseling.
(g) Provide for the selection and motivation of leadership for such regional and local conferences.
(h) Make provisions for all meetings held at the national level.
(i) Conduct email or electronic ballot polls of the membership as occasions arise.
(j) Promote the establishment of ARCA state divisions and assist in their formal organization.
Section 5. Meetings of the Board of Directors.
(a) The Board of Directors will physically convene at the time and place of the national convention. At a minimum, meetings are required at least once more during the year at a time and place as designated by the President. Those meetings may occur via secure technological modalities including but not limited to; telephonic, electronic mail, asynchronous, synchronous, facsimile, videoconferencing, etc. All board meetings are open to any ARCA members in good standing.
(b) The quorum for a Board of Directors meeting will be a majority representation of whom at least three must be elected officers of the member association.
(c) All elected officers and members of the Board of Directors are expected to attend ARCA’s business and Board of Directors meetings, respond to mail, email and electronic ballots, and, conduct the business of the Board of Directors in a timely manner. If a Board of Directors member fails to attend half of the Board of Directors or Business meetings during the Associations business calendar year, or fails to vote in two mail, email or electronic ballots, or to conduct business, said member may be required to resign from the Board of Directors.
Section 6. Reports of the Board of Directors.
(a) Reports of elected officers. The President and Treasurer of the member association shall make annual reports to the association.
(b) Report of the Treasurer. This report must be in writing and shall be filed with the Board of Directors.
(c) Audits. The Treasurer shall make an interim report to the members at the national convention. At the conclusion of the fiscal year, or as soon thereafter as possible, the Treasurer’s annual report shall be examined and audited by a certified public accountant at the expense of the member association.
(d) Reports of the Standing Committees. The Directors of the six standing Committees shall make twice-yearly reports to the Board of Directors, one of which will be due at the national convention.
(e) Distribution of reports. The Board of Directors may distribute copies of the annual reports of the elected officers to the membership. The President may distribute copies of the Treasurer’s annual report to the membership.
(f) Report to the ACA’s Governing Council. At each ACA national meeting, and at any other time when so requested in writing, the member association, through its President or an appointed representative, shall make a written report to the ACA Governing Council regarding the state of the member association’s affairs, activities, and responsibilities.
Article V – Meetings
Section 1. Major Program Meetings.
A major program meeting of the member association shall be held in conjunction with the national convention. Notice of any major program meetings shall be sent to all members at least 30 days prior to the proposed date of such meeting.
Section 2. Business Meetings.
(a) Business meetings of the member association shall be called at the discretion of the Board of Directors or when 10 or more members of the association shall request that the President call such a meeting.
(b) Notice of a proposed business meeting shall be provided to all ARCA members at least 30 days prior to the proposed date of such meeting via ARCA Newsletter, ARCA Listserv and ARCA Website.
(c) A quorum for the transaction of business at a business meeting shall consist of a quorum of the Board of Directors plus those members of the association present.
Section 3. Special Sessions.
The President shall have the ability to call special meetings of the ARCA Board or the Executive Committee as necessary to conduct Association business.
Section 4. Conduct of Meetings.
The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the member association, Chair of the Board of Directors, and shall preside at all general meetings of the member association. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall preside.
Article VI – Representative to the ACA Governing Council
Section 1. Representation on the Governing Council.
The member association shall be represented on the ACA Governing Council by an elected representative. The Board of Directors of the member association shall nominate two persons from whom the association membership shall elect one to serve for a three-year term. With the approval of the Board of Directors, the President-Elect of the member association shall attend meetings of the Governing Council as an observer and shall represent the member association on the Governing Council in the absence or incapacity of the elected representative.
Section 2. Number of Representatives.
The term of office for a representative shall be three years and until a successor is elected and installed. A representative to the Governing Council may have the option of running for re-election to a second three-year term in accordance with ACA’s Bylaws. No representative to ACA’s Governing Council may represent more than one member association.
Article VII – Nominations and Elections
Section 1. Nominations.
The Past President shall be responsible for carrying out nominations and election procedures. The direct Past President shall prepare a double slate of nominated officers ARCA and also nominees for ACA President-Elect. A nomination ballot with these nominations plus room for write-in nominations shall be presented to the voting membership of ARCA for vote. The result of the ARCA vote will be sent to ACA for dissemination and final vote of ARCA memberships by August. An ARCA President can be nominated again for that office after at least five years have elapsed since the date he/she completed his/her term as an ARCA President. An individual may serve no more than two terms as ARCA President. The Treasurer can be elected for a maximum of two terms, consecutive or otherwise. The Secretary can be elected for a maximum of two terms, consecutive or otherwise. The Representative on the ACA Governing Council can be elected for a maximum of two terms, consecutive or otherwise.
Section 2. Elections.
Election shall be by secret ballot in writing or via secure electronic ballot.
Section 3. Procedures.
The Past President shall submit additional procedures required to conduct a nomination and election to the Board of Directors for its approval. Responsible for conducting fair nomination and election procedures to elect officers of the member association.
Article VIII – Committees
Section 1. Committee Structure.
There shall be six standing Committees formed to encompass all current and prospective ARCA committees. The Committees are as follows
(a) Organization, Administration, and Management;
(b) Public Policy, Professional Preparation, and Standards
(c) Research and Knowledge;
(d) Public Relations and Awareness; and
(e) Development and Collaboration.
(f) Student Representation
Section 2. Committee Classifications.
The committees of the member association shall be classed as follows:
(a) Standing – Created under the Bylaws for the investigation, study, and operation of those matters of a continuous or recurring character that are related to the accomplishment of the general purposes of the member association. The powers of a Standing Committee shall be defined in these Bylaws. The term of appointment for a standing Committee member, aside from ex officio members, shall be concurrent with that of the appointing President.
(b) Temporary Workgroup – Created by resolution of the association members, the Board of Directors, or Standing Committee to investigate and study matters of an immediate or nonrecurring character that are related to the purposes of the member association. The resolution that creates a Temporary Workgroup shall define its formulation, power, duties, and duration.
Section 3. Committee Directors.
Responsibilities of Committee Directors shall include:
(a) Request and manage funding to provide for responsible administration of member association affairs, coordinating such budget allocations with the President and the Treasurer.
(b) Identify and organize the number and type of additional Temporary Workgroups required to achieve the purposes of this Committee.
(c) Identify prospective Committee members, recommending them to the Board of Directors for possible appointment.
(d) Monitor, evaluate, and coordinate the activities of this Committee and associated Temporary Workgroups to ensure the quality administration of association affairs.
(e) Procure and review meaningful Committee and Temporary Workgroup reports in advance of Board of Directors meetings, offering summaries and motions for action to help achieve the purposes of this Committee.
(f) Foster field involvement of the general membership in matters related to association governance.
Section 4. Standing ARCA Committees.
The purpose, purview, and duties of the five standing Committees are as follows:
(a) Committee on Organization, Administration, and Management.
1. Purpose: To plan, direct, organize, coordinate, and facilitate the mechanisms through which the member association conducts its affairs to assure legal, ethical, and responsible governance in the best interests of its members.
2. Purview: Typically, this includes matters related to internal administration such as leadership manual, Bylaws, state member associations, official records, CEU coordination and other matters indicated by the Board of Directors.
3. Duties:
3.1 Leadership Manual-Responsible for receiving and developing proposed amendments to manual and updating pertinent information as needed.
3.2 State Member Associations – Responsible for maintaining a list of chartered state divisions of ARCA. Other duties include acting as an active liaison with existing divisions, reviewing any petitions from groups of individual members who wish to become chartered as a state division, and making recommendations on such petitions to the Board of Directors.
3.3 Bylaws – Responsible for receiving or developing proposals to amend the Bylaws for presenting proposed amendments to the Board of Directors and the general membership.
3.4 CEU Coordination- Responsible for the application process to CRCC and NBCC for CEU credit approval during organization sponsored workshops. Must have and maintain credentials needed to act as a CRC CEU sponsor.
(b) Committee on Public Policy, Professional Preparation, and Standards.
1. Purpose: To plan, direct, organize, coordinate, and facilitate the mechanisms through which the member association develops and promotes the profession of rehabilitation counseling and acts as an advocate for higher standards in practice, education, and advocacy.
2. Purview: Typically, this includes matters related to ethics, professional standards and practices, accreditation, certification, licensure, education, training, public policy, federal legislation, and human rights issues affecting people with disabilities and the profession of rehabilitation counseling.
3. Duties:
3.1 Accreditation – Responsible for monitoring the development and use of accreditation mechanisms and processes in the field of rehabilitation counselor education.
3.2 Certification – Responsible for monitoring the standards and practices of those organizations involved in the certification of rehabilitation counselors.
3.3 Licensure – Responsible for monitoring the licensure process in those states that require licensure for the practice of rehabilitation counseling.
3.4 Legislation – Responsible for monitoring relevant disability and rehabilitation legislation, making recommendations to the Board of Directors for association action regarding these proposals.
3.5 Human Rights – Responsible for monitoring and informing the Board of Directors of any issues or developments in the area of human rights that relate to disabilities or rehabilitation, making recommendations to the committee about association actions that may be required.
(c) Committee on Research and Knowledge.
1. Purpose: To plan, direct, organize, coordinate, and facilitate the mechanisms through which the member association conducts and promotes research and research dissemination relevant to rehabilitation counseling.
2. Purview: Typically, this includes matters related to research conduct and dissemination; recognition for research; research funding; the quality and timely production of the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, books, monographs, or other publications of a scholarly nature; as well as other matters as indicated by the Board of Directors.
3. Requirements: Have previous publications.
4. Duties:
4.1 Publications – Responsible for soliciting nominees for the posts of editor and associate editor of the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, reviewing supporting material on nominees, and making recommendations to the Board of Directors. This committee is also responsible for reviewing, in consultation with the editor of the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin proposals for monographs, joint special issues, as well as joint publications, and the like with other professional organizations.
4.2 Serve as liaison to journal editor as well as facilitate communications in regard to journal contract.
4.3 Research Awards – Responsible for soliciting nominations, reviewing nominated reports, and selecting recipients of the ARCA Research Award and the ARCA Career Research Award, and communicating with the Director of Development and Collaboration
(d) Committee on Public Relations and Awareness.
1. Purpose: To plan, direct, organize, coordinate, and facilitate the membership and public relations mechanisms through which the association grows, develops its member services, and enhances the visibility of the association and the rehabilitation counseling profession.
2. Purview: Typically, this includes matters related to member recruitment and maintenance, field involvement, promotion of member services, development and dissemination of promotional materials (including the newsletter and website for ARCA), non-research awards, and overall public relations on behalf of the association and the profession.
3. Duties:
3.1 Membership – Responsible for supervising member recruitment and maintenance, as well as promoting member services and field involvement.
3.2 Public Relations – Responsible for enhancing the visibility of the association and the profession by developing and disseminating quality promotional materials including, but not limited to, the newsletter and brochures.
3.3 Special Awards – Responsible for publicly recognizing members who have made outstanding contributions to the association or profession.
(e) Committee on Development and Collaboration.
1. Purpose: To plan, direct, organize, coordinate, and facilitate the mechanisms through which the association provides meaningful programs for its members, relates to ACA and other relevant professional and consumer groups, and engages in active collaborations and partnerships with these groups.
2. Purview: Typically, this includes matters related to conference planning, advocacy and consumer affairs, interorganizational liaison, representation on ACA’s principal committees, regional ACA involvement, and other activities indicated by the Board of Directors.
3. Duties:
3.1 Program – Responsible for recommending programs and related activities as required for approval by the Board of Directors.
3.2 Request and manage funding to provide for high quality association programs and activities in addition to providing liaison and representation to ACA Committees and other relevant consumer and professional groups.
3.3 Identify and organize the number and type of additional committees required to achieve the purposes of this committee.
3.4 Monitor, evaluate, and coordinate the planning required for programs and conferences, as well as legislative, advocacy, and interorganizational liaison activities.
3.5 Responsible for facilitating a newsletter which includes soliciting submissions, editing, production, and distribution to membership.
3.6 Foster field involvement of the general membership in matters related to association plans and the association’s relationships with other organizations.
(f.) Committee on Student Representation
1. Purpose- increasing student membership, involvement, and visibility. The student representative will participate in ARCA business as a voting member of the Board and will promote understanding between the ARCA Board membership and current students in the profession.
2. Purview- In conjunction with the Director of Public Relations and Awareness, the student representative will plan, organize, and facilitate student participation in student-focused programs as well as all ARCA activities.
3. Duties:
3.1 Recruiting an associate and regional student representative from each region to exchange information from their respective regions to the Board and vice versa.
3.2 Act as an active liaison with existing ARCA student chapters, reviewing any petitions from student organizations at universities who wish to become a ARCA student member association, and making recommendations on such petitions to the Board of Directors.
Section 5. Committee Procedures.
Before a Committee or Temporary Workgroup may undertake any project which might involve the financial or public relations of the member association, the project shall have been approved either by a majority of the members at a business meeting, or by the Board of Directors.
Article IX – Member Association Affiliation
Section 1. Member Association Affiliation with ACA.
As a member association of the ACA, ARCA is subject to all applicable provisions of the ACA Bylaws.
Section 2. ARCA Member Association Affiliates.
The Board of Directors is authorized to take appropriate action to promote the formation of state member associations to operate under the auspices of ARCA’s national association.
Article X – State Member Associations
Section 1. Organization and Charter.
A group of members from ARCA who desire to organize and become chartered as a state member association of ARCA shall file an application with the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Governance.
A state member association shall be autonomous in the conduct of its affairs, but said conduct must be consistent with ARCA’s Bylaws.
Section 3. Establishment.
(a) A group of individual members who desire to be chartered as a state member association of ARCA shall petition through the President or his/her appointed representative. The grant of a charter shall be dependent upon approval from the Board of Directors and the members of ARCA at the annual business meeting.
(b) Bylaws that are consistent with ARCA’S Bylaws and a list of officers and members of the proposed state member association, together with their occupational titles, shall accompany the charter application.
(c) The President or his/her appointed representative shall submit the application and Bylaws to the Board of Directors for action. Interim approval from the Board of Directors will be sufficient to allow the state member association to plan activities until the charter can be ratified by ARCA’s membership at the next business meeting.
Section 4. Requirements.
(a) Amendments to the Bylaws of any State member association shall be reported to the President within 30 days for approval by ARCA’s Board of Directors.
(b) A state member association shall collect its own fees and have complete control over the management of any funds to be expended for local purposes.
(c) Within 30 days of their election or appointment, the names of the officers of each state member association shall be sent to the President of ARCA. Between March 1 and May 1 of each year, the Secretary of each state member association shall send an annual report of the association’s activities and status, including a complete list of the members, to the President of ARCA.
(d) All officers of a state member association shall be members in good standing of that association and ARCA.
Article XI – Student Member Associations
Section 1. Student members of ARCA who desire to organize and become recognized as an ARCA student chapter shall submit proposed Bylaws to the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Governance.
A Student Chapter shall be autonomous in the conduct of its affairs, but said conduct must be consistent with ARCA’s Bylaws.
Section 3. Student Chapter must be affiliated with a recognized graduate program in rehabilitation counseling.
Section 4. Establishment
(a) A group of student members who desire to be recognized as a student chapter of ARCA shall petition through the submission of proposed Bylaws to the ARCA Board of Directors. These Bylaws are to be consistent with ARCA’s Bylaws. These Bylaws must include a saving clause.
(b) Amendments to the Bylaws of the Student Chapter shall be reported to the ARCA President within 30 days for approval by ARCA’s Board of Directors.
(c) Within 30 days of their election or appointment, the names of the officers of the student chapter shall be sent to the President of ARCA.
(d) Between March 1 and May 1 of each year, the Secretary of each Student Chapter shall send an annual report of the association’s activities to the President of ARCA. All officers and voting members of the student chapter shall be members in good standing of ARCA.
Article XII – ARCA Business Affairs of Member Association
Section 1. Severable or Transferable Interest.
No member shall have any severable or transferable interest in the property of the member association. Upon dissolution of a member association, none of its property or assets shall be distributed to any of the members. All such property or assets shall be transferred to ACA.
Section 2. Member Association Year.
The fiscal year of the member association shall coincide with the ACA’S fiscal year.
Section 3. Reports.
The Board of Directors shall submit reports of their activities at the annual business meeting and at such other times as ARCA’S President may direct.
Article XIII – Publications
Section 1. Official Publications.
(a) Subject to the Bylaws of ACA, the official journal of this member association shall be designated as the Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin.
(b) The nature and content of this journal shall be such that it promotes the general purpose of this member association as given in the Bylaws.
(c) The RCB editor will hold a minimum of one meeting per year with the editorial board and report the results of the meeting to the Board of Directors.
Section 2. Other publications.
The Board of Directors may authorize from time to time such other publications as may be deemed desirable.
Section 3. The editor of this member association’s official journal shall become a member of the Board of Journal Editors, a standing committee of ACA.
Section 4. The newsletter for ARCA will serve as the Association’s newsletter. The Board of Directors appoints an editor for the newsletter for ARCA. The editor of the newsletter for ARCA may with the approval of the member association President and Board of Directors appoint any other staff for the newsletter for ARCA deemed necessary.
Article XIV – Amendments to the Bylaws
Section 1. Amendment.
These Bylaws may be amended from time to time in accordance with the process outlined by the American Counseling Association and policies and procedures of ARCA.
(a) The Board of Directors recommends amendments for approval by the member association.
(1) Members of the Board may propose amendments for the whole consider for recommendation for approval by the member association.
(2) Proposed amendments may be submitted to the Board of Directors for consideration of recommendation for approval through the President upon petition signed by at least 5% of voting members of the member association.
(b) At least 30 days prior to member association action, the Board of Director’s recommended amendments shall be made available to all members.
(c) Amendments recommended by the Board of Directors shall be acted upon by the member association by either of the two following methods:
(1) By the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members present at a scheduled meeting of the member association with at least 30 days notification of members as required in sub-section (c) of this section;
(2) By the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members voting in a mail, email or secure electronic ballot.
Article XV – Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order (Revised) by Henry M. Robert shall govern the proceedings of this organization not otherwise specified in the Bylaws.
(As amended March 2010)
(As amended December 2013)
(As amended November 16, 2015 by ballot vote)
(As amended January 2019)
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