South Dakota Council of Dakota ACAC

Bylaws (Approved July, 2002)

ARTICLE I.  Name

   The name of this organization is the South Dakota Council of the Dakota Association for College Admission Counseling, also referred to in these bylaws as “the Council.”

ARTICLE II.  Objectives

   The Council is a branch of the Dakota ACAC and seeks to implement the organization’s objectives within the state of South Dakota.

ARTICLE III.  Membership

A.  The Membership categories of the Council shall be the same as those established within the bylaws of the Dakota Association for College Admission Counseling, with the following additions:

    1.  Regular Institutional Members shall include institutions offering post-secondary educational opportunities and whose main campus is within the state of South Dakota.

2. Regular Individual Members shall reside in South Dakota or work for Regular Institutional Members.

3. Associate Institutional Members shall include institutions offering post-secondary educational opportunities and whose main campus is outside the boundaries of the state of South Dakota.  Associate Members shall not have a vote in council proceedings.

4. All post-secondary educational institutions seeking membership in the Council must be accredited by the appropriate regional or national body.

B.  All Insitutional Memberships shall only be effective upon approval of the Council’s Executive Board. 

C.  Member institutions shall have rights, privileges, and responsibilities as determined by the Executive Board.

D.  The Regular Institutional Members, upon a majority vote of those present and eligible to vote, may establish and assess membership dues.

ARTICLE IV.  Executive Board

A. Executive Board duties.  The duties of the Executive Board are:

1. To meet when requested by the Chairperson or two-thirds of the Board,

2. To recommend annual membership fees to the Council,

3. To review institutions and organizations for membership eligibility,

4. To hire and supervise such paid staff as it deems necessary, subject to final approval of the general Council.

5. To utilize resource persons in an advisory capacity.

6.  To approve the budget for the Council.

B. The Executive Board composition, elections, terms and officers. There shall be an Executive Board composed of fifteen (15) voting members, including nine (9) post-secondary members and six (6) secondary members, all selected for three (3) year terms from institutions within the state of South Dakota. The three-year terms shall be staggered so no more than one-third of these terms are up for election in any one year. Six of the postsecondary members shall be elected at-large and three members shall each represent one of the following constituent sectors: (1) Public Colleges or Universities, (2) Private Colleges or Universities and (3) Technical Institutes.

C  Executive Board members shall be elected by mail ballot of the regular individual members in the spring of each year. A slate of candidates including at least one name for each vacant position shall be prepared by the Nominating Committee. In determining candidates for the Secondary School Counselor positions, the Nominating Committee shall attempt to maintain diversity in school size, geographic area of the state, and minority representation. Ballots shall contain room for write-in candidates for each vacant position. The Executive Director for the SD Council shall mail ballots in the spring of the year to each current individual member of the South Dakota Council. All ballots shall be returned within 30 days. A majority of returned ballots shall be necessary for election.

D. There shall be a Chair-Elect and a Secretary elected by a majority vote of the Executive Board in the spring of the year. All candidates for these offices must be members of the Executive Board or current candidates for the Board. Candidates must be elected as a regular Board member to serve as an officer of the Board. Terms of office shall be one (1) year, beginning July 1 immediately after election and ending the following June 30. The Immediate Past Chair shall serve as an ex-officio member for one year with no voting rights. However, the Past Chair retains voting rights if serving a current Executive Board member’s term which is not expired.

E. There shall be a Treasurer elected by a majority vote of the Executive Board in the spring of the year. Term of office shall be one (1) year. The Treasurer shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board with no voting rights. However, the Treasurer retains voting rights if serving a current Board term.

F. Vacancies except for the Chair who shall be succeeded by the Chairperson-Elect shall be filled by appointment by the Chair, subject to approval of the Board at the next meeting or by mail ballot.

G. Officers and Executive Board members assume office July 1 of the year in which elected.

H. The Chair-Elect shall automatically become Chairperson of the Council on July 1 one year after commencement of the term of office as Chairperson-elect, or upon the death or resignation of the Chairperson.

ARTICLE V.   Duties of Officers

A. It shall be the duty of:

    1. The Chairperson:

        a) To preside over meetings of the Council and Executive Board,

        b) To call regular and special meetings,

        c) To appoint special committees subject to the approval of the Executive Board.

        d) To vote only in the event of a tie.

        e) To serve as member of the Dakota ACAC Board of Directors representing the South Dakota Council.

        d) To provide a link between the state and regional association.

    2. The Chairperson-Elect:

        a) To preside at meetings in the absence of the Chairperson,

        b) To perform the duties of the Chair in the absence of the Chairperson.

    3. The Secretary:

        a) To ensure the following are properly performed:

            1)  Recording the minutes,

            2)  Informing members of meetings,

            3)  Keeping the records of the organization.

    4.  The Treasurer:

        a) To ensure the following are properly performed:

            1)  Submitting budget reports,

            2)  Arranging an annual audit,

            3)  Keeping the financial records of the organization,

            4)  Collecting dues,

            5)  Distributing funds.

    5.  The Immediate Past Chairperson:

        a) To chair the Nominations and Governance Committee.

        b) To serve as trainer to the new Board members and Chairperson.

B. The Executive Board may hire an Executive Director who will be responsible for working with the Chairperson and other members of the Executive Board to ensure the following tasks are performed:

    1. Prepare a schedule of Planning Day programs in cooperation with local host centers, subject to approval of the Executive Board.

    2. Collect dues and maintain membership records and bring before the Executive Board requests for new memberships, within the guidelines specified the DACAC Constitution and the SD Council By-laws.

    3. Assist the Executive Board officers to ensure that their duties are completed.

    4. Collect and disseminate to member institutions information related to career-decision making, through surveys and other means.

    5. Prepare publications and programs for high school students and counselors to enhance the career-decision making process.

    6. Coordinate grant requests and projects conducted within the aims and objectives of the DACAC.

    7. Monitor compliance of DACAC members to the Statement of Good Admission Practices and report any violations to the DACAC Admission Practices Committee for possible action.

    8. Serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of the DACAC Board of Directors, the SD Executive Board and all state committees.

    9. Perform such other duties as may be requested by the Chairperson or Executive Board to further the aims and objectives of DACAC and the South Dakota Council.

ARTICLE VI.  Committees.

A. The Standing Committees shall be:

    1. Budget Committee

    2. Nominations & Governance Committee

    3. Planning Day Committee

    4. Professional Development Committee

    5. Publications and Research Committee

B.  The duties of the committees:

1. Budget: Oversees all financial matters related to the Council. Recommends investment and audit policies to the Executive Board. Prepares the annual budget for approval by the Executive Board.

2. Nominations & Governance: Reviews the SD Council Bylaws and recommends appropriate revisions. Nominates candidates for Executive Board positions to be voted upon by the general membership. The most recent active Past Chairperson serves as chair.

3. Planning Days: Conducts an annual review upon completion of the fall post-high school planning days in South Dakota and recommends appropriate revisions.  Assists the Executive Director in monitoring compliance with the Statement of Good Admission Practices.

4. Professional Development: Oversees professional development programs and workshops for all members in South Dakota. Conducts an annual review of all such programs.

5. Publications & Research: Conducts and annual review of all publications of the SD Council and recommends appropriate revisions.

C. Except for the Nominating Committee, which shall be chaired by the Immediate Past Chairperson, the chairs of all standing committees shall be elected for one-year terms by the Executive Board in the spring of the year. Terms shall begin July 1 of the year in which elected. Vacancies in the chairs shall be filled by appointment of the Executive Board. Members of the committees shall be appointed by the Committee Chairperson in consultation with the SD Council Chairperson and SD Executive Director.

D. Ad hoc committees shall be appointed by the SD Council Chairperson as needed.

E. The chairs of all standing committees shall serve as non-voting ex officio members of the Executive Board. However, a chair shall retain voting rights if serving a current Board term.

ARTICLE VII.  Quorum

A. In Board meetings, a majority of the Executive Board voting members shall constitute a quorum.

B. In Council meetings, a majority of the voting institutional membership shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII.  Amendment

A. These bylaws shall take effect upon approval of two-thirds of the regular institutional members of the council and may be amended by two-thirds of the voting regular institutional members at a meeting of the Council or by mail ballot of the entire voting institutional membership.

B. Proposed Amendments shall be submitted thirty days prior to a vote.

C. Proposed amendments shall be referred to the membership for vote upon approval of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IX.  Purpose

The purpose of the Council is the same as that stated in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Dakota Association for College Admission Counseling.

ARTICLE X.  Robert’s Rules of Order

Robert’s Rules of Order as revised shall govern the conduct of all Council meetings, except where such rules conflict with the By-Laws.