ARTICLE I.  NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. The name of this association shall be the Missouri College Personnel Association (MoCPA), a State Division of the American College Personnel Association.

Section 2. The name of this Association shall be employed only in connection with the official business and activities of the Association.  The name of the Association shall not be used by any individual, organization, or agency without the approval of the Executive Council.

Section 3. The mission of this Association, in accord with the mission of the American College Personnel Association, shall be guided by the following mission statement and goals.

    (a)  Mission Statement.  The mission of this Association shall be to promote the learning and development of students enrolled in institutions of post-secondary education in the State of Missouri through the on-going professional development of college student affairs administrators and student development educators. The focus of the programs, services, publications, conferences, and workshops of MoCPA shall be to promote within and among members:

• Collegiality, networking, inclusion, and mutual support,
• Shared knowledge and practice to advance the profession,
• Professional growth, development, and renewal, and
• Mentoring, career advancement, and leadership development.

    (b)  Goals.  The goals of this Association shall be fostered by stimulating and promoting programs of scientific research and of education in the field of post-secondary college and university student affairs work; publishing scientific, educational, and professional literature; advancing high standards of professional conduct; and conducting scientific, educational, and professional meetings and conferences.  In accord with the mission of the Association as well as the mission and goals of The American College Personnel Association, MoCPA shall be guided by the following goals:

• Education.  To enhance the contributions of student affairs educators to the primary educational mission of post-secondary education in the State of Missouri through their increased skills and understanding.
• Research.  To encourage the generation, dissemination, and use of basic and applied knowledge about students in the field of post-secondary student affairs work and student development education in the State of Missouri.
• Advocacy.  To promote and support the general welfare, rights, and responsibilities of post-secondary students and student affairs professionals through appropriate activities in the State of Missouri.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Types of Membership.  Membership in this Association shall be open to all individuals and it shall be open to all people regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, affectional/sexual orientation, or disability.  There shall be four types of individual membership: Regular, Student, Affiliate, and Honorary.

(a)  Regular.  Any individual who is actively involved in college/university student affairs work (teaching, administration, research, or service) is eligible to become a REGULAR MEMBER of this Association and upon payment of dues shall be eligible to vote and to hold office.

(b)  Student.  Any individual who is attending an institution of higher learning as a student preparing for professional college/university student affairs work may become a STUDENT MEMBER and upon payment of dues to this Association at the student rate shall be eligible to vote.

(c)  Affiliate.  Any individual interested in college/university student affairs work but not actively engaged in such activities nor attending an institution of higher learning as a student in college student affairs work may become an AFFILIATE MEMBER of this Association upon payment of dues.  Affiliate members are not eligible to vote or to hold office.

(d)  Honorary.   Persons may be designated HONORARY MEMBERS by action of the Executive Council.  Honorary membership shall be for life and shall be exempt from payment of dues.  Honorary members are not eligible to vote or to hold office.

Section 2.  Dues.  The annual dues of the Association shall be determined by the Executive Council with the approval of the membership.
 

ARTICLE III.  ELECTED OFFICERS

Section 1.   Elected Officers and Terms of Office.

(a)  The elected officers of this Association shall be the President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, and  Recording Secretary, and all shall be Regular Members of this Association and of the American College Personnel Association.

(b)  The President, President-Elect, and Past President shall serve one-year terms which shall begin on July 1 of each year.  The Recording Secretary shall serve a two-year term beginning on July 1 of each year.

(c)  The President-Elect shall automatically become President of this Association one year after the commencement of his or her term of office as President-Elect, or upon the death or resignation of the President.

(d)  In the event of the death or resignation of the President-Elect, the President shall appoint a replacement subject to the advice and consent of the Executive Council.

(e)  The President shall automatically become the immediate Past President of this Association one year after the commencement of his or her term of office as President.

(f)  If a vacancy occurs in the office of Recording Secretary, the President, subject to the advice and consent of the Executive Council, shall appoint a Regular Member of the Association to complete the vacated term of office.

Section 2.  Executive Council Positions and Terms of Office.

(a) The elected Executive Council positions shall include three Institutional Representatives, one from each of three segments of higher education (community/junior colleges, private four-year colleges/universities and public four-year colleges/universities) and three Members-at-Large, and all shall be Regular Members of this Association and encouraged to be members of the American College Personnel Association.

(b)  The Institutional Representatives and Members-at-Large shall serve two-year terms which shall begin on July 1 of each year.

(c)  If a vacancy occurs in the one of the Institutional Representative and/or  Members-at-Large positions, the President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, shall appoint a Regular Member of the Association to complete the vacated term of the position.

(d)  Institutional Representatives and Members-at-Large may also serve on or chair committees of the Association and/or assume duties assigned by the President.

Section 3. Nomination and Election of Officers, Institutional Representatives, and Members-at-Large.

(a)  The officers of this Association shall be elected annually.

(b)  The President of the Association, with the approval of the Executive Council, shall appoint a Nomination and Election Committee consisting of five (5) Regular Members of this Association including the President-Elect who shall serve as Chair.  *(If a member of the Committee becomes a candidate, he or she shall automatically resign from the committee and be replaced by a new member appointed by the President.)

(c)  The responsibilities of the Nomination and Election Committee shall include the solicitation of candidates for the offices of President-Elect, Recording Secretary, Institutional Representative, and Member-at-Large positions of the Executive Council.  The Committee shall canvass the membership for nominations for officers and positions.   The candidate list, when prepared, shall be submitted to the Executive Council prior to the publication of election materials.

The election of officers will be conducted by a communication to all voting members of the association after May 1 and before June 15 of each year.  Ballots may be distributed by U.S. Postal Service, electronic mail, or others means reasonably guaranteeing that eligible members will receive them and be able to return them.  Including with the ballots will be candidate biographies or statements giving the members some basis for their votes.  This shall be the case even for uncontested offices.  Members will be allowed two weeks from the mailing of the ballots to return them.  The Nomination and Election Committee will collect the ballots, count them, and announce new officers to the Executive Council and the membership.

Section 4.  Duties of Elected Officers, Institutional Representatives, and Members-at-Large.

(a)  It shall be the duty of the PRESIDENT to preside at the annual meeting and all other general meetings of this Association; to consider all motions regularly made; to call and preside at special meetings; and to appoint all committees not otherwise provided for in the Bylaws.  The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

(b)  The PRESIDENT-ELECT shall become familiar with the work of this Association in preparation for the ensuing term as President, and shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.  In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall preside over meetings or handle other Association business as necessary.

(c)  The RECORDING SECRETARY shall record all official business meetings of this Association and shall transmit the minutes in writing to the President.

(d)  Each INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE shall represent one of three distinct segments of higher education- community/junior colleges, private four-year colleges/universities and public four-year colleges/universities- to the Association.  Each Institutional Representative shall serve on at least one committee of the Association.

(e) Each MEMBER-AT-LARGE shall represent the diverse interests of the Association Members, including the usual functional areas represented in student affairs work.  Each Member-at-Large shall serve on at least one committee of the Association.

(f) All Executive Council members are expected to attend Association conferences and Executive Council meetings.

(g) Additional duties of each officer are included in full position descriptions developed by the President and approved by the Executive Council annually.
 

ARTICLE IV. APPOINTED OFFICERS

Section 1.  Treasurer.  The treasurer shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Council.  The treasurer shall serve for a period of two years.  The Treasurer shall be a voting member of the Executive Council.

(a)  Duties.  The TREASURER shall receive all monies belonging to this Association; keep an account of all receipts and expenditures; pay all bills charged against the Association according to financial policies adopted by the Executive Council; present in writing a financial report at the end of each fiscal year and at any other time as requested by the Executive Council.

Section 2.  Other Appointed Officers.  The President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Council, may appoint such other officers as needed.

(a)  The duties of the other appointed officers shall be determined by the President and the Executive Council.

Section 3.  Qualifications.  All appointed officers shall be regular members of this Association and encouraged to be members of the American College Personnel Association.
 

ARTICLE V.  EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1.  Function.  The Executive Council shall be the agency in which the general administrative, legislative, and executive functions of this Association are lodged.  The Executive Council shall act as the liaison between this Association and the American College Personnel Association and other Chapters of this Association.

Section 2.  Chair. The President of the Missouri College Personnel Association shall serve as Chair of the Executive Council.

Section 3.  Membership.  Voting members of the Executive Council shall consist of (a) the four elected officers of this Association: President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President and Recording Secretary; (b) the Treasurer; (c) the three elected Institutional Representatives (one from each of three segments of higher education- community/junior colleges, private four-year colleges/universities and public four-year colleges/universities); and (d) the three elected Members-at-Large.  The term of office for Institutional Representatives and Members-at-Large shall be two-years staggered in a manner determined by the Executive Council.

Section 4.  Vacancy of Institutional Representative(s). If an Institutional Representative position on the Executive Council is vacated, the President, with the approval of the Executive Council, will appoint an eligible member to complete the term of office.

Section 5.  Vacancy of  Member-at-Large Position(s).  If a Member-at-Large position on the Executive Council is vacated, the President, with the approval of the Executive Council, will appoint an eligible member to complete the term of office.

Section 6.  Quorum.  Six members of the Executive Council total membership shall constitute a quorum.

Section 7.  Powers.  The Executive Council shall conduct, manage, and control the business of this Association during the periods between the annual meetings of this Association, subject to the Constitution of the American College Personnel Association and the By-Laws of this Association.

Section 8.  Meetings.  At least one meeting of the Executive Council shall be called annually by the President.  The President or a majority of the Executive Council may call additional meetings.
 

ARTICLE VI.  STATE REPRESENTATION

Section 1.   Other Representation.   The Executive Council of this Association shall provide for representation to other State or National Associations where such representation is appropriate.
 

ARTICLE VII.  ANNUAL MEETING

There shall be an Annual Meeting for the Association held in the fall of each year at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Council.
 

ARTICLE VIII.  BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1.   Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of this Association shall be from July 1 to June 30.

Section 2.   Budget.  Annual income and expense reports shall be drafted by the Treasurer and submitted to the Executive Council for its approval at its first meeting of the fiscal year.  The approved budget and expenditure shall be reported annually to the Association members.  Any changes in appropriation of funds of this Association shall be made by the Executive Council.

Section 3.  Committee Expenses.  Committee Expenses must be authorized and approved by the Executive Council.  Committees may move money to various line items within their committee’s budget at the discretion of the Chair.  All authorized and approved expenses of committees of this Association shall be paid from funds appropriated by the Executive Council.

Section 4.  Bonding.  Any officer, elected or appointed, who has the power to sign checks or handle Association funds may be bonded at the request of the Executive Council.

Section 5.  Audit.  There shall be an annual internal audit of Association accounts by the Executive Council.

Section 6.  Property Owned.  All property of this Association shall be subject to control and management by the Executive Council.  Upon dissolution of this Association, none of its property shall be distributed to any of the members, and all such property shall be transferred to The American College Personnel Association.
 

ARTICLE IX.  COMMITTEES

Section  1.   Appointment.  The committees of this Association shall consist of such standing and special committees as may be determined and appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Council.

Section 2.   Term of Service.   Members of the standing committees shall serve during the fiscal year.  A special committee shall serve until, in the opinion of the President and Executive Council, the purpose of said committee has been accomplished.

Section 3.  Reports.   All committees shall report annually to the Executive Council and/or as otherwise directed.
 

ARTICLE X.  AMENDMENTS

 Amendments to these Bylaws may be adopted as deemed necessary for the management of the Association.  Any amendment so adopted shall be consistent with the Constitution and Bylaws of the American College Personnel Association.

(a) Amendments may be initiated by the Executive Council and presented to the membership in attendance at the annual business meeting of the Association for approval.  Amendments may also be proposed by petition to the Executive Council signed by at least twenty-five (25) voting members.  Petitions approved by the Executive Council shall be presented to the membership for approval at the annual business meeting of the Association.  If petitions are not approved by the Council, this action shall be reported to the membership.  Petitions not approved by the Council shall be presented to the membership for approval if ten (10) percent of the voting members so request.

(b)  Proposed amendments submitted to the membership for approval shall be presented in writing prior to the annual business meeting of the Association.  The proposed amendments shall be announced and presented in writing at the annual business meeting of the Association to voting members in good standing. A majority of all voting members in attendance at the annual business meeting is required to enact the proposed amendments.  The results of the vote shall be announced to the membership in attendance and disseminated in writing to the membership.

(c)  The amendment, if passed by a majority of all members voting, shall be added to the Bylaws and shall go into effect in accordance with the time specified in the amendment.
 

ARTICLE XI.  PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The business of the Association shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, 1970 Edition.

Approved by the Executive Council July 1998
Approved by the Membership August 1998

Amended by the Membership October 2004
 
 

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The American College Personnel Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, affectional/sexual orientation, or disability in any of its policies, procedures or practices.  This non-discrimination policy covers membership and access to Association programs and activities including, but not limited to, national Conventions, state divisions, placement services, publications, educational services, and employment.