By-Laws

APPENDIX A: BY-LAWS OF THE ASSOCIATION

BY-LAWS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC REGIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COUNSELOR EDUCATION AND SUPERVISION

Revised 11/19/21

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1: Name

The name of this Association shall be the North Atlantic Regional Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES). 

Section 2: Affiliation

This Association is organized and governed in accordance with the by-laws of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES). ACES has fiduciary responsibility over NARACES.

Section 3: Purpose

The purpose of the Association, in accordance with the purposes of ACES, shall be:

1. to advance counselor education and supervision in order to improve guidance, counseling, and student personnel services in various settings of society;
2. to be concerned with matters relevant to the training and supervision of counselors in all settings including schools, agencies, colleges, universities, and government settings;
3. to be actively supportive of the accreditation of counselor education programs in an effort to improve the education and credentialing of counselors in the North Atlantic region;
4. to be dedicated to the continuing professional development and renewal of its members through a regional conference which includes presentations designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of supervisors, practitioners and counselor educators

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP 

Section 1: Types of Membership and Requirements

All ACES members who reside in NARACES’s geographic region will automatically become a member of NARACES. ACES members residing outside the region may also join by paying the established regional dues.

There are four types of ACES membership, detailed below with requirements for each:

1. Professional – Individuals who hold a master’s degree or higher in counseling or a closely related field from a college or university accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation;
2. New Professional – A New Professional is someone who has graduated with a masters or a doctorate within the past 12 months. Status is good for one year.
3. Student – Individuals who are enrolled at least half-time in a college or university program;
4. Retired – Members who are retired from the counseling profession and have been active ACA / ACES / NARACES members for the past 5 consecutive years.

Section 2: Privileges of Membership

All members shall have all the rights and privileges normally accorded members of a professional association including the right to vote and hold elective office

Section 3: Membership Procedure

The ACES Executive Council shall prescribe the necessary form for application to membership. It shall also prescribe the procedure for processing and approving an application for membership.

Section 4: Severance of Membership

Severance of membership due to non-payment of dues will be the responsibility of ACES membership processing.

Any member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the membership present at a regularly scheduled business meeting of the Association for any conduct that tends to injure the Association or adversely affect its reputation, or that is contrary to, or destructive according to the by-laws of this Association. Before such a vote can be taken, expulsion must be recommended by the Executive Council after a review of the case by this Council. Review of the case by the Executive Council shall involve giving the person in question an opportunity to appear before the Council to answer the charges against him/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 Executive Council is under consideration.

ARTICLE III-COMMITTEES

 Section 1: Standing Committees

Standing Committees of the Association shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Awards

Responsible for the solicitation of nominations for the yearly NARACES awards, selection of winners, and presentation of awards at either the NARACES or ACES conference business meeting.

2. Budget and Finance

Responsible for assisting the Treasurer with the preparation and presentation of the annual budget. Chaired by the current NARACES Treasurer.

3. By-Laws and Resolutions

Responsible for regular review and update of the NARACES By-Laws and Administrative Handbook.

4. Nominations and Elections

See Article VI

5. Graduate Student

See Section 5 below

6. Technology

Responsible for all technological functioning of NARACES, including but not limited to the association website, email distribution lists and mass mailings, videoconferencing and webinar platforms, conference registration, and other technological requests by committees.

7. Membership

Responsible for outreach to generate new memberships, particularly among the region’s supervisors, and to conduct regular needs assessments to determine how NARACES can better meet the needs of members.

8. Journal

Responsible for all the functioning of the NARACES sponsored journal, the Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. Chaired by the Editor of the journal.

9. Research Grants

Responsible for the development and maintenance of an application project for NARACES research grants, solicitation of applications, selection of winners, presentation of winners at either the NARACES or ACES conference business meeting, and any needed follow-up.

10. Communications

Responsible for the dissemination of scholarly information on counselor education and supervision, keeping members informed about upcoming events, creating and disseminating newsletters, participation in executive board decisions on behalf of the NARACES region, and acting as a liaison between NARACES members and the executive board.

11. Regional Affiliates

Responsible for annually collecting and disseminating information from northeast regional ACES affiliates, including (but not limited to): organization annual revenue, bylaws, mission, election process, and leadership. The regional affiliate’s board member will present a comprehensive report on ACES affiliates to both NARACES and ACES leadership on an annual basis.

12. Historian

Responsible for collecting, organizing, and saving meeting minutes and other salient materials from both executive business meetings, conference planning meetings, and other important NARACES experiences. The historian board member will create an easy and accessible method for board members to access various materials.

13. Wellness

Responsible for promoting the wellness committee mission, including but not limited to maintaining the wellness committee section of the NARACES website, conducting wellness committee meetings, creating wellness-focused columns for dissemination in the newsletter, and participation in executive board decisions on behalf of the NARACES region.  The wellness committee board member will work with NARACES leadership to organize wellness related activities at association events.

14. Advocacy

The purpose of the NARACES Advocacy Committee is to explore and suggest ways in which NARACES can become more active in furthering the interests of its members and in representing those interests to the wider professional community.  The committee will attempt to assist NARACES members and the region in attaining greater visibility and recognition of the profession and is responsive to and advocates for social issues most relevant to the profession.

The Accessibility and Equity committee is responsible for making recommendations regarding accountability and the implementation of accessibility in the workings of the NARACES Conference. This committee will address issues of access, inclusion, and equity within the profession, pertaining, but not limited to disability, race, ethnicity, sexual and affectional orientation, gender identity, and religious diversity. The committee will use a justice focused framework and strive for increased knowledge and integrity within the NARACES conference. The committee serves as a point of contact for member questions and concerns regarding accessibility and equity for NARACES programming, consultation with other planning committees for the NARACES Conference or other NARACES events, and on-site event support at the NARACES Conference.

Section 2: Work of the Standing Committees

1. Attend all General Business and Executive Council meetings
2. Hold meetings or have written communication within the committee at least twice during the year
3. Report, orally and in writing, the committee’s progress at the General Business meeting of the Association and to the Executive Council
4. Inform the membership of action taken by the committee through the Newsletter

Section 3: Special Committees

Special committees may be authorized by the Association or by the Executive Council. Such committees shall continue for not more than one year. Special committees may be reinstituted by the same procedure.

Section 4: Chairperson of Committee

Chairpersons of all committees shall serve for a period of one year. They may be reappointed to succeed themselves.

Section 5: Graduate Student Committee

The Graduate Student Committee shall be responsible for coordinating all activities of the graduate student members of NARACES. Duties of the committee include: identifying annual goals and objectives; preparing a budget for consideration by the Executive Council and planning special graduate student activities at the NARACES Conventions. The Graduate Student Representative serves as Chair of the Graduate Student Committee. The Graduate Chair and Representative to the Executive Board will serve one term as representative-elect and a one-year term as Graduate Student Representative

ARTICLE IV-EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Section 1: Functions

The Executive Council shall be the agency through which the general administrative and executive functions of the Association shall be carried out. It shall perform the responsibilities assigned to it by these by-laws, and shall conduct, manage, and control the business of the Association between official meetings of the Association.

The Executive Council shall also be responsible for the budget and financial planning of NARACES.

Section 2: Membership

The Executive Council shall consist of the president, the president-elect, the past president, the secretary, the secretary-elect, all of whom are elected members of NARACES, the treasurer, and chairpersons of all Standing Committees.

Section 3: The Executive Committee

This committee shall consist of the elected officers of NARACES, the president, the president-elect, the past-president, the secretary, and the secretary-elect.

Section 4: Voting Rights

Each member of the Executive Committee, treasurer, and the graduate student representative shall be entitled to one vote.

Section 5: Meetings

The Executive Council shall meet twice each year and in conjunction with the NARACES regional conference, national conferences, and/or at a time agreed upon by the Council.

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS

Section 1: Elected and Appointed Officers

• The elected officers shall be the president, president-elect, secretary, and secretary-elect. All shall be NARACES members.
• The president, president-elect, secretary and secretary-elect shall serve one-year terms which shall begin with the start of the fiscal year.
• The treasurer shall be appointed for a three-year term by the president-elect and with the consent the Executive Council. The term shall begin with the start of the fiscal year.
• The president-elect shall automatically become president one year after the start of the term of office as president-elect; or upon the resignation or death of the president, the president- elect shall complete that term of office in addition to serving the elected term of office.
• In the event of the resignation or death of the president-elect, a special election by the membership will be held at the earliest possible convenience of the Executive Council.
• The secretary-elect shall automatically become secretary one year after the commencement of the term of office as secretary-elect; or upon the resignation or death of the secretary, the secretary-elect shall complete that term of office in addition to serving the elected term of office.
• In the event of the resignation or death of the treasurer, the president, with the consent of the Executive Council, shall appoint a person from among the Regular membership to fill out the remainder of the term of the office.
• No member shall hold more than one elected office in NARACES at any one time.

Section 2: Duties

1. The past president shall serve as parliamentarian, Chairperson of the Nomination and Election Committee, and serve on the Executive Council and Executive Committee of the Association
2. The president shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and the chairperson of its Executive Council. The president shall appoint chairpersons and members of all committees, unless otherwise specifically provided for in these by-laws or by the motion establishing such committees and shall hold ex-officio membership on all committees. The president shall call all regular and special meetings of the Association when necessary and shall report annually to the Association upon action of the Executive Council and other items of concern to the members. The president shall oversee the annual fall conference. The address of the president shall be used as the official mailing address of NARACES. The president shall receive and act upon all correspondence relating to the Association. The president shall represent NARACES on the ACES Executive Council
3. The president-elect shall act as president at all Association and Executive Council meetings in the absence of the president and shall succeed to the presidency at the expiration of the term president-elect. The president-elect shall serve as Program Coordinator for the annual fall conference
4. The secretary shall keep the records of the Association and the Executive Council, work in cooperation with the president in handling NARACES [minutes], and shall perform such other duties assigned by the president and/or the Executive Council
5. The secretary-elect shall act as secretary at all Association and Executive Council meetings in the absence of the secretary and shall succeed to the office of secretary at the expiration of the term as secretary-elect
6. The treasurer shall:
   1. represent the Association in assuring the receipt and expenditure of funds in accordance with the directives established by the Executive Council and shall be under bond determined by the Executive Council.
   2. Prepare Treasurer’s Reports for all Board and Business Meetings
   3. collaborate with ACES Treasurer and regional Executive Council to develop an annual operational budget for fiscal year beginning July 1
   4. collaborate with ACES Conference Coordinator to develop a regional conference budget. The Region’s Executive Council will review and approve both the operational and conference budgets. After the budgets are approved, the regional Treasurer will submit the FY operational budgets to the ACES Treasurer for review by June 1. The regional treasurer shall submit the approved regional Conference budget to the ACES treasurer by December 1 of the year prior to the conference. Regional revenues distributed by ACES will be dependent upon receipt of the approved regional budgets from the regional treasurer
   5. add the regional budget to the overall ACES budget and will submit the ACES budget to the ACES GC for final approval at ACES summer GC meeting
   6. collect all invoices for regional expenses and forward them to the ACES treasurer on a timely basis
   7. upon receipt of a monthly ledger from the ACES treasurer, review regional revenue and expenses and submit an annual report to the regional Executive Council

ARTICLE VI – NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1: Purpose

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall supervise the nominations and election procedures for filling the elective offices of the Association.

Section 2: Elective Officials

The elective officials shall be a president, a president-elect, a secretary, and a secretary-elect.

Section 3: Forms and Schedules

The forms to be used and the schedules to be followed in carrying out the provisions of Section I shall be consistent with those prescribed by the “Manual of Instructions for Nominations and Elections Chairperson of the American Association for Counseling and Development” and by Section 4 of this Article.

Section 4: Procedures

The Nominations and Elections Committee, chaired by the past-president, shall solicit by either electronic or regular mail the individual members of the Association, for nominations to the elective of offices of the Association. Guided thereby, they shall prepare a slate containing at least one name and one space for a write-in nomination for each office, and no more than three names for each office. For each office, the Committee shall place on the ballot the name of the individual receiving the highest number of nominating votes, if that person is eligible and willing to serve. In selecting the other nominees for each office, the Committee shall take into consideration: qualifications for the office, number of nominating votes received, geographical location, field of interest and consent of the proposed nominee. The ballot shall then be mailed via electronic or regular mail to all active regular and student members eligible to vote, with the results being available at the spring Executive Council meeting.

Section 5: Vacancies in Unexpired Terms

The president-elect shall succeed the president for say unexpired term and continue as president for the term which elected. In the case of a vacancy in any other elected office, the Executive Council shall have the power fill the same until the next election.

Section 6: Re-election

No elected officer of the Association may succeed self in office except as provided in Section 5 of this article. This provision does not abridge a member’s right to be elected
to any office at a later time.

Section 7: Term of Office

New officers shall take office on July of each year.

ARTICLE VII – BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Section 1: Dues

The ACES Governing Council will establish the dues for ACES members, which includes membership in the region

Section 2: Quorum (those who can vote in regard to a NARACES’ issue) will be defined as the following:

1. Those eligible to vote include the seven NARACES’ executive committee members, whose roles include: president, past president, president elect, secretary, secretary elect, treasurer, and GSR.
2. At least 5 members from the executive committee must be present to comprise a quorum
3. These five or more members must be present/synchronous (either via internet or in person) at a meeting, in order for them to vote

Section 3: Reports

Members of the Executive Council and the chairperson of each committee shall submit a report, written and oral, concerning their activities at the annual business meeting of the Association and at such other times as the president may direct. 

Section 4: The Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Association shall coincide with the fiscal year of ACES.

Section 5: Rules of Order

The business of the Association shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rule of Order except when otherwise specified in these by-laws or by the by-laws of ACES.

ARTICLE VIII- AMENDMENTS

 Section 1: Proposing Amendments

These bylaws may be amended from time to time as follows: The Executive Committee may propose amendments for approval by the Association. Proposed amendments may be submitted to the Executive Committee upon petition signed by at least 25 voting members of the Association.  Upon obtaining at least 25 votes from voting members of the Association, the amendment must obtain approval from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) before next steps.

The Association may, by action at a scheduled meeting, provide that a proposed amendment, not supported by the Executive Committee, be submitted for approval by electronic ballot in accordance with above. At least 30 days prior to the vote, the proposed amendments and Executive Committee’s recommendation shall be communicated to the Association via electronic mail.

Section 2: Ratifying Amendments

Proposed amendments recommended by the Executive Committee shall be acted upon by the Association by the following action.

Proposed amendments shall be acted upon by the Association by the affirmative vote of the majority of the members voting by electronic mail or electronic ballot during a scheduled meeting, provided that the proposed amendment shall have been communicated to the Association via electronic mail along with the Executive Committee’s recommendation.