BYLAWS

ARTICLE I. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1.In January, the President shall appoint an Election Committee, which shall be chaired by the Past President. The Election Committee shall conduct the election of officers prior to June 1.
Section 2. The election ballot shall be made up of those nominees receiving the largest number of nominations. No candidate's name may appear for more than one position. Write-In candidates may appear on the election ballot.
Section 3. The Election Committee may modify the ballot to achieve a balance between candidates and positions in the case of ties and duplication of nominees in the nominating process.
Section 4. The Election Committee shall ascertain the eligibility of each nominee.
Section 5. The Election Committee shall ascertain from each nominee a willingness to stand for election.
Section 6. The Election Committee shall solicit from the candidates and provide to the membership information relevant to the qualifications of each candidate.
Section 7. Elected officers shall be those candidates who receive the greatest number of votes cast.
Section 8. In the case that two candidates receive an equal number of votes, the Executive Committee shall vote to break the tie.
Section 9. Voting Scope.
A. The President-Elect, Vice President for Administration, Vice President for Marketing & Membership, Director of Data Management & Technology, Treasurer and Secretary shall be elected by the membership at large.

ARTICLE II. BALLOTING
Balloting on the Constitution, officers, and dues shall be delivered in electronic format.

ARTICLE III. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. General Duties. All officers shall:
A. Attend all Board of Directors meetings.
B. Accept committee responsibilities as assigned by the President and the Board of Directors.
C. Approve the general and conference budgets.
D. Act as resource persons for TACUSPA.
E. Provide vision and direction for TACUSPA.
F. Contribute, as necessary, to the TACUSPA Newsletter that are pertinent to the Board of Directors’ area of responsibility.
G. Carry out voting responsibilities.
H. Maintain, evaluate, and revise as needed TACUSPA's strategic plan.

Section 2. Specific Duties.
A. President.
Responsibilities of the President:
o shall preside over all state meetings and conferences;
o will prepare meeting agendas for all Board of Directors meetings;
o will schedule and coordinate all necessary arrangements for the Board of Directors meetings;
o shall preside over all Board of Directors meetings;
o serves as an ex-officio member of all committees and commissions;
o coordinates the training of all elected officers;
o administers all oaths of office to new and continuing officers;
o oversees all policies and procedures of the organization;
o must prepare an annual report and present the report at the fall conference each year;
o shall directly oversee the chairs for each conference committee;
o acts as the liaison with state, regional, and national organizations and agencies;

Authorities of the President:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o may appoint committees and commissions;
o may appoint a chairperson for a committee or commission;
o shall open nominations for awards that are offered by the organization;
o has the right to create new awards or special recognitions;

Accountabilities of the President:
o The appropriate use of all organizational funds.
o The continued success of the organization.

B. President-Elect.
Responsibilities of the President-Elect:
o recommends the sites for future conferences;
o appoints the conference committee chairs for conferences taking place during their term of office;
o appoints a coordinator for the New Professionals Institute for their term in office.
o is responsible for recognition of the out-going president at the fall conference at which they will begin their term of office;
o is responsible for maintaining the TACUSPA operations manual;
o is responsible for the preparation and delivery of a TACUSPA operations manual to each new officer upon election;
o shall perform other duties as assigned by the president.
Authorities of the President-Elect:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o will assume the role of president the following year;
o will assume the role of president if the current president is unable to fulfill the duties during their term of office.
Accountabilities of the President-Elect:
o The maintenance of the TACUSPA operations manual.
o The negotiation of contracts for upcoming conferences.

C. Past President.
Responsibilities of the Past President:
o shall coordinate all nominations and elections of organizational officers;
o shall provide direction for the organization’s journal editor;
o shall provide direction for the organization’s newsletter editor;
o shall coordinate the Distinguished Service Award nomination and selection process.
Authorities of the Past President:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors.
Accountabilities of the Past President:
o The integrity of the officer election process.

D. Vice President for Administration
Responsibilities for the Vice President for Administration:
o shall maintain the constitution and bylaws;
o will present all proposed changes to the constitution and bylaws to the appropriate parties for a vote;
o will verify the final vote tally for all propositions relating to the constitution and bylaws;
o shall coordinate the activities of the awards and recognitions committee;
o shall provide leadership and supervision to the special projects committee;
o shall give direction to the scholarship committee;
o shall provide support for the coordinator of legislative affairs;
o shall perform other duties as assigned by the president.
Authorities of the Vice President for Administration:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o recommend appointments for committees and commissions to the president;
o serves as the parliamentarian for the organizations and enforces all rules of order during organized meetings.
Accountabilities of the Vice President for Administration:
o annual review of the organizations constitution and bylaws.

E. Vice President for Marketing & Membership
Responsibilities for Vice President for Marketing & Membership:
o oversees the actions of the graduate education and research committee and graduate student caucus;
o provides direction for the two-year, four-year, private school, and professional school caucuses;
o coordinates the annual membership drive with the Director of Data Management & Technology;
o develops an annual marketing plan for the organization and shares this plan at the annual fall conference;
o shall solicit sponsorships, grants, and donations from external agents in support of TACUSPA’s mission;
o coordinates activities relating to the University of North Texas legal conference;
o shall perform other duties as assigned by the president.
Authorities of Vice President for Marketing & Membership:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o may recommend appointments for committees and commissions to the president.
Accountabilities of Vice President for Marketing & Membership:
o The development of a comprehensive marketing plan for the organization.
F. Secretary
Responsibilities of the Secretary:
o shall record and distribute the minutes of all business meetings;
o shall deposit a copy of all approved meeting minutes, pictures of TACUSPA events, and a copy of the president’s annual report with the archivist at the Barker Texas History Center (Austin Texas) each year.
Authorities of the Secretary:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
Accountabilities of the Secretary:
o must submit all appropriate documents for the archives.
G. Treasurer
Responsibilities of the Treasurer:
o shall be the custodian of all TACUSPA funds;
o shall deposit all funds collected and disburse all funds expended;
o shall submit quarterly financial reports to the president and Board of Directors;
o shall provide annual income and expenditure statements to each officer;
o shall complete credit, tax, and all other appropriate financial documents and applications relating to the operations of the organization;
o insures that all accounting and IRS guidelines are met;
o will contract for the audit of accounts once during their term in office;
o shall track and report on all investments;
o is responsible for the establishment of an organizational budget for each fiscal year (September 1 to August 31).
Authorities of the Treasurer:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o has signature authority on all financial matters.
Accountabilities of the Treasurer:
o The appropriate use of all organizational funds.
o The financial management of all investment funds.
o The annual audit of all accounts.
o The preparation of an annual budget.
H. Director of Data Management & Technology
Responsibilities of the Director of Data Management & Technology:
o shall maintain and supervise the database of all student personnel staff in Texas;
o shall maintain and supervise the database of all organization members, institutional and individual;
o shall prepare and distribute an annual organizational handbook and membership directory;
o shall respond to all requests for membership directory information from current members and outside agencies;
o shall provide direction to the technology committee;
o shall contract with a web site coordinator;
o shall coordinate an annual membership campaign with the Vice President for Marketing & Membership;
o shall provide all new members of the organization with a member ID.
Authorities of the Director of Data Management & Technology:
o is a full voting member of the Board of Directors;
o can change the content of the organizational web site.
Accountabilities of the Director of Data Management and Technology:
o The integrity of the data maintained in the database.
o The safe storage and backup of data files.

ARTICLE IV. CONFERENCE, COMMISSION, AND COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
All conference, commission, and committee chairs shall be professional members in good standing with TACUSPA and shall be employed by an academic institution in the State of Texas during the term of their office. Each conference, commission, and committee chairperson may be appointed for more than one term, not to exceed two (2) consecutive terms. Those conference, commission, and committee chairpersons who are no longer employed by an academic institution in the State of Texas may be allowed to complete their elected term or removed by a ¾ vote by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE V. MEMBERSHIP
The annual membership calendar is from January 1 to December 31. There are three levels of membership: professional, student and institutional.

Section 1. Professional membership - Membership shall be open to all student personnel administrators, to those persons employed within the area of student affairs, to educators who train student personnel workers, and others interested in student development. Professional members are entitled to the following rights and privileges:
A. Nominating and voting privileges.
B. Participation in meetings and conferences.
C. Use of placement services.
D. Subscription to all TACUSPA publications and all regular communications.
E. Membership on committees and commissions.
F. Research grant opportunities.
G. Holding elected office in TACUSPA.

Section 2. Student Membership - Membership shall be open to all matriculated students (undergraduate or graduate) who are interested in student personnel work upon the recommendation of a professional member. Student members are entitled to the following rights and privileges.
A. Nominating and voting privileges.
B. Participation in meetings and conferences.
C. Use of placement services.