By-Laws of the
Northeast Region
Arkansas School Counselor Association
Updated Spring 1998
Pending an update May 1, 2009
Article I:
Name, Affiliation
This non-profit education organization shall be called the Northeast Arkansas School
Counselor Association. It is a regional division of the Arkansas School Counselor
Association and of the Arkansas Counseling Association, affiliates of the American
Counseling Association.
Article II:
Purpose
Section I. The purpose of the organization shall be :
A. - to promote, within the Northeast region of Arkansas, a professional
relationship among school counselors.
B. - to encourage each member to participate in personal and professional growth
and development.
C. - to help improve the professional qualifications of counselors, and encourage
continued faithfulness to standards of excellence in providing guidance services.
D. - to develop and maintain open, professional communication with personnel in
other guidance services toward preserving the worth, dignity, and welfare of our youth.
E. - to assist the school, parents, and community toward a better understanding
of the wide scope of services available from school counselors.
Article III:
Members
Section I. The Northeast Arkansas School Counselors Association shall be composed of
four classes of membership: active, emeritus, associate and student.
A. Active Member – is employed as part time or full time school counselor and/or
supervisor of guidance services. The active member is one who maintains
current dues paying membership, may hold office, may vote in parliamentary
proceedings, and is the only eligible voting member.
B. Emeritus Retired Member – is a retired school counselor, counselor educator /
or supervisor of guidance services who maintains current gratis membership.
C. Associate Member – has a professional interest in the guidance and
counseling profession and maintains current membership.
D. Student Member – is a graduate student enrolled in an accredited college
D.
counseling education program, pursuing a degree and / or certificate of
licensure as a counselor and maintains current dues paying membership.
Section II. The nomination of officers shall be by recommendation of a nominating
committee appointed by the president a minimum of thirty days prior to the spring
meeting. The Immediate Past President generally serves as chairperson of the
committee.
A. The nominating committee shall, at the spring meeting, present a slate of
officers to be voted upon by the active membership at the spring meeting.
B. The vote by ballot may be dispensed with, by a unanimous vote, when there is
but one candidate for the office.
C. A majority vote of the active members in attendance at this annual meeting
shall be considered a quorum for this election.
D. The officers shall be elected at large from active members of the Association.
Article IV:
Officers
Section I. All officers The President shall be a members of the American School
Counselor Association (ASCA), Arkansas School Counselor Association (ArSCA) and
respective regional associations concurrent with their terms of office. The offices of the
Northeast Arkansas School Counselors Association shall be President, President-Elect,
President-Elect-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Delegates-at-Large will be appointed by
the President.
Section II. The President presides over all meetings held during his two year term of
office, and opens the business before the assembly in the order in which it is to be acted
upon. He is: to recognize members entitled to the floor; to state and to put to vote all
questions which are regularly moved, or necessarily arise in the course of the
proceedings, and to announce the result of the vote; to assist in the expediting of
business in every way compatible with the rights of the members, within the rules of
order; to enforce on all occasions the observance of order and decorum among the
members; to direct the necessary correspondence; to appoint all committee chairs and
delegates-at-large in consultation with the Board of Directors.
Section III. The President-Elect shall succeed to the presidency one two years after
the beginning of his term of office as president-elect, or upon the death or resignation of
the President. The President-Elect shall assist the President in the execution of his
duties. The President-Elect shall be responsible for coordinating the Spring meeting.
Section IV. The President-Elect-Elect shall succeed to the presidency two years after
the beginning of his term of office as president-elect-elect, or upon the deaths or
resignations of the President and President-Elect. The President-Elect-Elect shall assist
the President and President-Elect. The President-Elect-Elect shall be the chair of the
Awards Committee.
Section V. IV. The Immediate Past President shall assist the new president, as
necessary, and make available any documents or materials that would be of benefit in
carrying out the duties of president. The Immediate Past President shall be the chair of
the Nominating Committee and Awards Committee.
Section VI. V. The Secretary is the recording officer of the assembly and custodian of
its records, except such as are specifically assigned to others. The Secretary shall keep a
register, or roll, of the members; committees and special committees, and furnish
committees with all papers referred to them; and conduct necessary correspondence.
The Secretary shall keep one book in which the ArSCA constitution, and the NEArSCA By-
Laws and rules of order should all be written, and whenever an amendment is made to
any of them, it should be recorded in the minutes and entered on the document with
reference to the date of the minutes where it is recorded.
Section VII. VI. The Treasurer may receive the membership dues and is entrusted
with the funds for deposit and pays them out on the order of the association or
president. The Treasurer is required to report at the bi-annual meeting in the fall and
spring, and sometimes more often for the information of board members.
Section VIII. VII. An elected officer may not succeed himself in office except when
serving the unexpired term of the President should the office become vacant, except for
the Secretary and Treasurer who may succeed themselves through the election process.
Section IX. VIII. The Delegates-At-Large to NEArSCA shall represent the counselor
levels (elementary school middle school, high school, and post-secondary) at the board
meetings of that association.
ARTICLE V:
Meetings
Section I. The President and the Board of Directors shall plan all meetings held during
a fiscal year.
Section II. There shall be three meetings: Fall, Mid-Year/Spring, Summer. The fall
meeting shall be a part of the Arkansas Counseling Association’s (ArCA) state counselor’s
conference. The summer meeting shall be a part of the Arkansas School
Counselor/Arkansas Department of Education’s Summer Conference.
Section III. A mid-year and / or spring meeting shall be held at a time designated by
the President and the Board of Directors.
Section IV. III. A quorum shall consist of those who attend the meetings, provided
they are stated meetings or have been properly called.
ARTICLE VI:
Board of Directors
Section I. The Board of Directors shall consist of the elected officers of the Northeast
Arkansas School Counselor Association, the President, President-Elect, President Elect-
Elect, Secretary, Treasurer and the Immediate Past President. All members of the Board
of Directors are eligible to vote on any action, except the president. In case of tie(s), the
president will vote.
Section II. The Board of Directors shall take action on any finance decisions necessary
for the association between regular meetings.
Section III. The Board of Directors shall meet on a regular basis, or as deemed
necessary by the president.
ARTICLE VII:
Governing Council
Section I. Composition.
A. Board of Directors
B. Committee Chairs
C. Delegates-At-Large
D. University Liaison
Section II. Powers and Functions.
A. To establish policies to govern the affairs of the regional association.
B. To act on recommendations from the Board of Directors.
C. To act on the reports of the Board of Directors, Standing Committees and
Special Committees as are responsible to the Governing Council.
D. To exercise such other powers as may be necessary or desirable in the best
interests of the Association and not in conflict with the By-Laws.
Section III. Meetings.
A. The Governing Council shall convene at least twice a year or more as deemed
necessary by the President.
B. The President of the Association shall preside at meetings of the Governing
Council, and in the President’s absence, the President-Elect shall preside.
C. Any member of the Governing Council may present business for consideration.
ARTICLE VIII:
Committees
Section I. Standing – The Standing Committees of the Association shall be appointed
by the President with approval of the Board of Directors. The President will be an
ex-officio member of all committees. The Standing Committees are:
A. Membership. This Committee shall organize and implement methods and
techniques to increase the membership of the Association by such legitimate
means as the Board of Directors deems proper.
B. Nominating. This committee shall develop a slate of officers to be voted upon
by the membership present at the spring meeting.
C. Publications. This Committee shall publish a regional newsletter bi-annually and
assist in other regional publications, as directed by the president.
D. Awards. This Committee shall coordinate the nomination process for the state
professional recognition awards in this region and is responsible for securing
the necessary plaques.
Section II. Special Committees – The Special Committees of the Association shall be
appointed by the president with approval of the Board of Directors. The President will be
an ex-officio member of all committees. The Special Committees may include Mentoring,
Crisis Response Team, PP&L (Public Policy and Legislation) etc.
ARTICLE IX:
Parliamentary Authority
Section I. The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order-Revised, shall govern the
association in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not
inconsistent with the ArSCA constitution or the By-Laws or the Special Rules of Order of
the NEArSCA association.
ARTICLE X:
Method of Amending By-Laws
Section I. By-Laws, and Rules of Order, that have been adopted, may be amended by
a vote of the majority of the entire membership present at the annual fall, or mid-year /
spring or summer meetings, providing copies of the amendment have been sent with a
minimum thirty day advance notice to the members; or, if the amendment was not
submitted prior to the fall or spring meeting, then they may be amended by a two-thirds
vote of those present.
Section II. Amendments to the By-Laws shall be adopted only at the bi-annual fall or
spring meeting.
ArSCA Regions by County
Northwest – 8 North Central - 11 Northeast - 12
Benton, Carroll, Boone, Marion, Randolph, Clay, Greene,
Washington, Baxter, Newton, Lawrence, Jackson,
Madison, Searcy, Fulton, Sharp, Craighead, Mississippi,
Crawford, Franklin, Izard, Stone, & Poinsett, White, Woodruff,
Johnson, Sebastian, & Logan Independence Cross, & Crittenden
Southwest – 19 Central - 8 Southeast - 17
Scott, Polk, Pope, Van Buren, Lonoke, Prairie,
Montgomery, Garland, Cleburne, Conway, Monroe,
Saline, Faulkner, Yell, St. Francis, Lee,
Hot Springs, Sevier, Perry, & Pulaski Phillips, Grant,
Howard, Pike, Jefferson, Arkansas,
Clark, Dallas, Little River, Cleveland, Lincoln,
Hempstead, Nevada, Desha, Calhoun,
Ouachita, Miller, Layfayette, Bradley, Drew,
Columbia, & Union Ashley, & Chicot