| Bylaws |
| of the |
| Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association |
Article I
NAME, AFFILIATION, AND DEFINITIONS
Sec. 1. Organizational Name: The name of this organization shall be the Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association, a professional division of the National Rehabilitation Association, Incorporated.
Sec. 2. Definitions: For the text of these Bylaws:
A. RCEA means the Rehabilitation Counselors and Educators Association, a professional division of the National Rehabilitation Association, Inc., (NRA).
B. Association means RCEA.
C. Assembly means Membership Assembly of RCEA.
D. Board means Board of Directors of RCEA.
E. Region means any one of the geographical areas of RCEA, which shall be established by the Board of Directors of RCEA. The names of the Regions shall be Northeast, Southeast, Mid-States, and Western.
F. Unit means any sub-group organization of RCEA. The levels are as follows:
Regional Unit; State Unit; Local Unit, or in case of a Local Unit being formed on a college campus-Campus Unit.
G. Chapter means the designation given by NRA to any of its State affiliates.
Article II
PURPOSE OF THE DIVISION
Sec. 1. The purpose of the Division is to advance the role and function of rehabilitation counseling in the rehabilitation of all persons with disabilities by:
A. Increasing public understanding of the role of rehabilitation counseling in assisting all persons with disabilities to full inclusion in society.
B. Promoting the development of professional training opportunities, including seminars and workshops, for all persons engaged in the counseling of persons with disabilities.
C. Supporting the development, maintenance, and upgrading of professional standards for rehabilitation counseling, including the opportunity to participate in certification and the certification maintenance process.
D. Providing a forum for the discussion of rehabilitation counseling, and its relationship to the broader counseling profession.
E. Encouraging the development of rehabilitation counseling as it contributes to an interdisciplinary approach to the solution of problems in rehabilitation.
F. Providing opportunity for research to advance knowledge and skills in rehabilitation counseling, and the dissemination of that knowledge as it evolves.
G. Advocating for the profession by educating lawmakers regarding the benefits and value of the profession and the partnership between the professional counselor and the person with a disability.
H. Promoting ethical practice in rehabilitation counseling.
I. Encouraging counseling students, who represent the future of the profession, to develop competence in their chosen fields through mentoring, scholarships, and educational opportunities.
J. Provide professional publications to enhance knowledge of rehabilitation counseling and related fields, including knowledge relevant to persons with disabilities.
Article III
MEMBERSHIP
Sec. 1. Membership Requirement: All members of the RCEA must be members in good standing of the National Rehabilitation Association, Inc.
Sec. 2. Membership Standards
A. Professional Member. A Professional Member of the Association shall subscribe to the standards of professional conduct adopted by the Association, and shall have either a minimum of a Master's degree from a nationally-accredited program in rehabilitation counseling with a minimum of one year of experience and employment in a rehabilitation counseling setting,
OR,
Have a Master's degree from an accredited institution related to rehabilitation counseling, such as, clinical counseling, research, supervision, administration, or training with a minimum of two-years' experience and employment in a rehabilitation counseling setting,
OR,
be certified by the Commission on Rehabilitation
Counselor Certification (CRCC).
B. Member. A Member of the Association shall subscribe to the
standards of the professional conduct adopted by the Association, have a
Baccalaureate degree in rehabilitation services or a related field, and is
employed in a rehabilitation services setting.
C. Student Member. A student member of the Association shall be enrolled full time or part-time in an accredited institution in a curriculum leading to a Baccalaureate degree in Rehabilitation Services or related fields; a Master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, counseling psychology, or related fields; or a doctoral degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Rehabilitation Psychology, or related fields.
D. Life Member. NRA members who are life members of the former NRA Division NRCA will be granted life membership in RCEA. Life membership is no longer available for current or new members of the RCEA.
Sec. 3 Privileges of Membership:
A. All members of RCEA shall receive official publications of the RCEA.
B. All members of RCEA shall be members of the affiliated unit(s) within his or her geographic location.
C. All members shall be entitled to participate in the national, regional, state and local meetings of RCEA.
D. All members of RCEA are eligible to serve as voting members in the annual meeting of the membership.
E. Only professional members may serve as Officers or members of the Board, with the exception of student members.
Sec. 4 Maintenance of Membership:
Classification as a Professional Member shall be considered permanent as long as good standing and continuous membership is maintained.
Sec. 5 Removal from Membership:
A. Any member may be removed for cause from RCEA, including violation of the Code of Ethics. Removal for cause from membership requires a two-thirds affirmative vote of the Board of Directors present at any meeting.
B. Before being removed for cause, the member must first receive notice of intention, a recital of the charges or accusations, and the opportunity to respond to the charges.
Sec. 6 Membership Year:
A. The membership year of RCEA shall coincide with the NRA membership year.
Sec. 7 Dues:
A. Membership dues in the Association shall be established by the RCEA Board of Directors, approved by the NRA Board of Directors, and reviewed annually.
Sec. 8 Code of Ethics:
A. The Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy as set forth by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) and which is available on the CRCC website shall be the Code of Ethics of the RCEA.
Article IV
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Sec. 1 Participation in Annual Membership Meeting
A. There shall be an Annual Meeting of the membership of RCEA, open to all RCEA members in good standing, scheduled during the NRA Annual Conference.
B. All members in good standing and duly registered as participating members of the conference shall have voting privileges.
C. The purpose of the annual meeting is to receive annual reports from Association officers, review and recognize organizational and member achievements from the preceding year, and conduct other business as deemed necessary, and in accordance with approved bylaws and association policy and procedure.
D. At the annual meeting, and with a majority vote, the assembly may propose amendments to the bylaws. Such proposals will be submitted to the RCEA Board of Directors for consideration. In addition, the assembly may propose other action to be considered by the entire membership. Such proposals of the assembly that require membership approval, and if approved, will be implemented within the calendar year of the vote.
E. A quorum of the assembly shall be 2% of the membership.
F. All business conducted by the Assembly shall be in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, latest edition.
Article V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sec. 1 Composition of Board:
The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary-Treasurer, the RCEA Representative to the NRA Board, four Regional Representatives representing the four geographic regions of the country, one student Board member, and the editor of the Journal. Except in instances when Officers or Board members-at-large are selected to fill vacancies, all Officers and Board members-at-large shall assume office on January 1st following their election. During the period of transition, the President will assume the duties of Representative to the NRA Board, until such time a representative is elected to fulfill this responsibility.
Sec. 2 Powers of the Board: The Board shall have the power to manage and conduct the affairs of the Association, subject to limits imposed by the bylaws. Its authority shall include, but is not limited to the following:
A. Fiscal Powers:
1. Adoption of a budget and authorizing its Officers to carry out the activities set out in the budget.
2. Adoption of a fiscal year and policy for the Division. The fiscal year shall coincide with the NRA fiscal year.
3. Designating a person or persons to sign or countersign all checks, drafts, and other orders for payment of monies or to obligate the Association by signing notes, orders, promises to pay, or contracts, and in accordance with NRA policy.
4. Initiating, formulating and carrying out cooperative agreements and contracts with other organizations, agencies, and groups in order to advance the goals of the Division.
B. Elect a representative to serve on the Board of Directors of NRA for a three-year term. If the position becomes vacant, the Board will appoint a replacement to take office immediately. If the Representative is not able to attend a meeting, an alternate will be designated according to NRA policy.
C. Sponsoring the Annual membership meeting of the Division.
D. Accepting and adopting the action of all committees.
E. Approving appointment of any official representative of RCEA to any other body.
Sec. 3 Terms of Office: Except in instances of election to fill a vacancy as hereinafter specified, all officers of the Board shall be elected for one year terms. The Secretary-Treasurer and the regional representatives will serve two year terms and the RCEA Representative to the NRA Board will serve a three-year term. All terms of office shall begin on January 1st following the election. During the transition period, the regional representatives will have staggered terms as follows: one at one year, two each at two years, and one at three years. A member of the Board may serve a maximum of six consecutive years without a break in service of at least one year.
Sec. 4 Filling Vacancies: The Board shall have the authority to fill, by vote of its own members, the offices which become vacant between elections, including vacancies in its own membership. Officers, members-at-large, and Student Board Members thus elected shall serve only until December 31st following such appointments.
Sec. 5 Meetings of the Board: The Board shall meet at the time and place of the Annual Meeting of RCEA. Regular and/or special meetings may be held upon the call of the Division President or upon written request of a majority of Board members. The President may hold a meeting of the Board by telephone, U S mail, or fax. Such meetings shall be deemed official meetings of the Board. Fifteen (15) days' notice of the time and place of the Annual Board Meeting shall be given in writing at the direction of the President.
Sec. 6 Quorum of the Board:
A majority of members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for transacting business.
Sec. 7 Executive Committee:
In order to carry out the business of the Association between meetings of the Board of Directors, the Board shall vest all or part of its authority in an Executive Committee composed of the President, President-Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary-Treasurer, and the RCEA Representative to the NRA Board. Special meetings may be held upon the call of the President or upon written request of a majority of the Executive members. Only the full board can amend the bylaws, and compose resolutions of the board.
Sec. 8 Establishment of Policies and Procedures Manual:
The Board of Directors may establish a Policies and Procedures Manual, so long as no policies or procedures are in conflict with those established by NRA.
Article VIII
OFFICERS
Sec. 1 The Officers of RCEA shall be the President, President-Elect, Past-President, and Secretary-Treasurer.
Sec.2 Election of Officers: Officers shall be elected by a mail ballot. The Election shall be conducted under such rules/regulations adopted by the Board. Officers shall assume the offices to which they have been elected on January 1 subsequent to election.
Sec. 3 Duties: At the direction of the Board, Officers may be assigned duties not ordinarily associated with their positions.
Sec. 4 President: The President shall serve in office for a term of one year. The duties of the President shall include:
Sec. 5 President-Elect: The President-Elect shall serve as a member of the Board, and shall assume the Presidency on January 1st following the Annual Meeting of the RCEA membership. If the Presidency should become vacant, the President-elect shall serve as President until such time as the Board shall fill the vacancy.
Sec. 6 Secretary-Treasurer: The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as a member of the Board, and shall be responsible for the supervision of fiscal operations. The Secretary-Treasurer shall take office on January 1 following election and shall serve for two years. The Secretary shall be responsible for maintaining appropriate records of actions and decisions taken by the Board and Membership Assembly. The Secretary-Treasurer will submit the minutes of the Board meeting and/or Membership Assembly to the Board within thirty (30) days after the Board meeting and/or Delegate Assembly.
Sec. 7 Immediate Past President: The immediate Past President shall serve as a member of the Board, and shall serve as Chairperson of the Nominations Committee.
Article IX
COMMITTEES
Sec. 1 Appointment of Committee: By January 1, the President, subject to confirmation by the Board, shall appoint members and chairs of the various committees, except Executive and Nominations.
Sec. 2 Terms of Committee Membership: Appointments are for one year.
Sec. 3 Committees: There are three standing RCEA committees:
A. Membership
B. Nominations
C. Executive
(Additional committees may be added as determined by need)
Article X
REGIONAL, STATE, AND LOCAL UNITS
Sec. 1 Regional Organizations: Members of RCEA residing within a Region may form a Regional organization. Duties may include:
A. Holding an Annual Conference of its members in conjunction with the NRA Regional conference.
B. Undertake such other activities as the membership may desire, if such activities are not in conflict with the objectives and purposes of RCEA.
C. Regional Officers and other designated persons may serve on the National level.
Sec. 2 Units:
A. State Units of RCEA may be formed by member groups within a State by petitioning the RCEA Board.
B. Local Units, contingent upon the approval of the State Unit, may petition that organization for organizational purposes. In the absence of an organized State Unit, for organization purposes, the National Board of Directors may be petitioned.
C. Units (Regional, State, Local) must be a part of that unit's regional, state or local NRA chapter, in accordance with NRA policy.
Sec. 3 Procedures for Affiliation: A group of members wishing to be approved as a State or Local Unit of RCEA shall:
A.
Submit for approval by the RCEA, written bylaws not in conflict with the RCEA
bylaws.
B. Promote the purposes of RCEA.
C. Advance the rehabilitation of the persons with disabilities at the
National, State and/or Local level.
D. Provide the geographical or other boundaries of the Unit.
Sec. 4 Disaffiliation:
A. A Regional, State, or Local Unit may be suspended from RCEA if it pursues policies contrary to those of the Association.
B. A Unit may not be suspended without first receiving notice of such intention, a recital of the reasons for suspension, and the opportunity to respond to the charges.
Sec. 5 Relationships of State and Local Units to NRA Chapters:
A. Relationships of Regional, State, and Local Units to the NRA Chapters at these levels will be in accord with the policy adopted by NRA concerning such relationships.
B. Regional, State, and Local Units are encouraged to hold an Annual Meeting in conjunction with the Regional, State and Local NRA chapter.
Sec. 6 Reports: Each Regional, State and Local Unit shall submit to the Association an annual report covering the activities of the Unit for the preceding year and a financial report covering the budget and expenditure of funds of the Unit. This report must be filed no later than January 31. Annual reporting forms shall be forwarded to the Past-President or designated Unit President in the month of October of each year and are to be completed and returned no later than January 31.
Article XI
LIMITATIONS
Sec. 1 Limitations: No part of the net earnings of the Association shall incur to the benefit of or be distributable to members, directors, officers or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of the Association.
Article XII
DISSOLUTION
Sec. 1
A. Upon dissolution of the Association, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all liabilities of the Association, distribute any remaining funds to one or more regularly organized and qualified charitable, educational, religious, or scientific organizations, selected by the Board of Directors.
B. No member of the Board shall be required to furnish any bond or surety. None of them shall be responsible or liable for the acts or omission of any other director or of any predecessor or of a custodian, agent or counsel selected with reasonable care.
C. The members of the Board are authorized to pay to themselves amounts for reasonable expenses incurred for services rendered in the administration of the Association.
D. Procedure for dissolution requires the RCEA Board to approve by vote the Executive Committee request to the NRA President and NRA Board for a mail ballot, which will be supervised & conducted by a special committee appointed by the NRA President. The division will dissolve by a two-thirds (of division members voting) majority election.
Article XIII
AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS
Sec. 1 Amendment of Bylaws
A. An amendment may be proposed by a majority of the Board and ratified by a majority vote of the Board. Such amendment shall become effective immediately.
B. An amendment may be proposed by a member of the Association at its Annual Meeting. If an amendment so proposed is approved by a majority of the membership present and voting, it shall be referred for study to a special committee appointed by the President and confirmed by the Board. This committee shall report its recommendation to the Board and to the membership using acceptable media to notify the membership, and if such proposed amendment is ratified by a majority of the Board, it shall become effective immediately.
C. All Bylaw amendments must be consistent with the National Rehabilitation Association’s Constitution and Bylaws, Policy and be approved by the Association Board.
Article XIV
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Members of the RCEA Division of the National Rehabilitation Association shall not engage in any employment, activity or enterprise which has been or may be determined to be inconsistent, incompatible, or in conflict with duties, functions, ethics, or responsibilities of their NRA or RCEA membership.
Article XV
MISCELLANEOUS
Sec. 1 Rules of Order:
Roberts Rules of Order (most recent edition) shall govern meetings of the Membership and Board.
Revisions: January 30, 2006; March 7, 2006; June 23, 2006; August 8, 2006