Constitution of the Family Science Association
Article I
The name of this association shall be the Family Science Association.
Article II
Purpose
The Association shall be a non-profit educational and professional organization, incorporated in the State of Delaware, and shall have perpetual existence. The objectives of the Association are to enhance the teaching of family science, to promote the study and understanding of professional issues in family science, and to improve the quality of information, knowledge, and education about family science. The Association will sponsor two activities to fulfill these objectives. First, it will sponsor the annual Teaching Family Science Conference. Second, the Association will publish a professional journal, Family Science Review. The Association may be involved with other activities, not limited to the conference and journal, which promote the objectives of the Association.
Article III
Membership
Professional membership is open to any person interested in the improvement of the quality of information and knowledge about family science. Student membership is available at a discounted rate.
The Executive Board shall determine the eligibility of institutional/organizational memberships on a case-by-case basis. Each member shall receive a reduced-rate for attendance to the Teaching Family Science Conference, and other privileges as established by the Board.
Article IV
Membership Fees
Dues for members and student members shall be established by the Executive Board of the Association. Dues are annual, based on a rolling calendar year.
Article V
Executive Board
Section I: Duties of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall be composed of eight officers and two appointed members. Officers shall be elected by the membership of the consortium.
The Executive Board shall be responsible for planning the activities of the Association, for defining policies subject to review by the membership, setting membership dues, and for the expenditure of funds. It shall have authority to act on behalf of the membership in the interim between membership meetings.
Section II: Officers of the Executive Board
The Executive Board Officers shall be the following: President, Vice President, Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Student/New Professional Representative, Program Chair, and Program Chair-Elect.
- The President will serve a six-year term; the first two as Vice President, the second two as President, and the third two as Past President.
- The Vice President (President-Elect) will serve a six-year term; the first two as Vice President, the second two as President, and the third two as Past President.
- The Past President will serve a six-year term: the first two as Vice President, the second two as President, and the third two as Past President.
- The Secretary will serve a three-year term. The Secretary may be re-elected for a second three-year term.
- The Treasurer will serve a three-year term. The Treasurer may be re-elected for a second three-year term.
- The Student/New Professional Representative will serve a three-year term.
- The Program Chair will serve a two-year term; the first as Program Chair-Elect and the second as Program Chair.
- The Program Chair-Elect will serve a two-year term; the first as Program Chair-Elect and the second as Program Chair.
Section III: Appointed Officers
The Executive Board shall appoint Publications Chair and Webmaster. Board members will begin their terms at the conclusion of the annual Teaching Family Science Conference.
- The Publication Chair will serve a three-year term, which is renewable for an additional three-year term at the discretion of the Executive Board. The Publication Chair will serve at the request of the Publication Committee which consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
- The Website Manager will serve a three-year term, which is renewable for an additional three-year term at the discretion of the Executive Board.
Article VI
Meetings
The Executive Board will hold annual meetings twice a year. The first meeting of the calendar year will be held at the annual Teaching Family Science conference. The second meeting of the calendar year will be held at the annual National Council on Family Relations conference.
Article VII
Section I: Executive Board Member and Appointed Officer Resignation
If an Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer wishes to resign from their position prior to the ending of their term, the Member or Officer should first communicate their intentions, in writing, to the Association President. The power to accept the resignation and to fill the vacancy returns to the Executive Board. A motion to accept a resignation is both amenable and debatable. It is adopted with a majority of votes cast.
Section II: Removing a Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer
Any Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer can be removed from office by the Executive Board by adoption of a motion to do so. Reasons for adoption of a motion to remove an Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer include: (a) neglect of duty in office, or (b) misconduct. Misconduct would include an investigating committee be appointed, changes must be preferred, and a disciplinary hearing must be held. The vote required for adoption of such a motion is (a) a two-thirds vote, (b) a majority vote when previous notice has been given, or (c) a vote of majority of the entire membership, any one of which will suffice. Prior to making a motion to remove an Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer, direct communication should be made to the Officer in question, outlining the specific issues or concerns. The Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer in question will be permitted to give a response to the outlined specific issues or concerns within a reasonable time frame (that will be specified in the direct communication) for consideration by the board in their decision to remove the Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer from office. The Executive Board Member or Appointed Officer in question will not be required to give a response to specific issues or concerns.
Section III: Dissolution of the Association
If the Family Science Association were to dissolve, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, 11th edition, will be followed. A Resolution will be prepared that includes a preamble that explains the reasons for dissolution. The notice for dissolution will be sent to all the members of record. In the event of the dissolution of the association, the assets shall be liquidated and distributed to the National Council on Family Relations Advancing Family Science section. No funds shall inure to the benefit of individual members.
Article VIII
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present at any annual meeting, provided notice of the proposed amendments has been presented to the membership in writing thirty days prior to the meeting. The Constitution also may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership voting by mail or electronically, provided at least sixty days notice is given to members prior to the voting deadline.
Amendments may be proposed, by the Executive Committee or any member of the Association.
These by-laws were last updated in October of 2018
