Oklahoma School Counselor Association

Did you know that OSCA has to review and submit ByLaws to ASCA every 5 years? Now is the time for our state organization to review our ByLaws to make sure they are serving our state to the best of our ability!

Proposed Bylaws Revisions

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BYLAWS of the OKLAHOMA SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

November 2015

ARTICLE I: NAME AND MISSION

ARTICLE I, SECTION 1. The name of the Association shall be the Oklahoma School Counselor Association (OSCA), a chartered state chapter of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

ARTICLE I, SECTION 2. OSCA expands the image and influence of professional school counselors. OSCA empowers professional school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages, and resources to promote equity, access to a high-quality education and overall success for every student in school. The mission of OSCA shall be to represent professional school counselors and to promote professionalism and ethical practices.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

ARTICLE II, SECTION 1. Types of Membership. This Association shall include four types of membership: Professional, Retired, Student and Affiliate.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 2. Requirements of Membership. In order to qualify for one of the three types of membership, the following requirements must be met for each category of membership being sought.

II-2a. Professional Membership. School counseling professionals who hold a master’s degree or higher in school counseling or the substantial equivalent and are employed as school counselors, supervisors of school counselors, or professors of counseling in a graduate program that prepares school counselors are eligible for Professional membership.
II-2b. Retired Members. Professional members in retirement are eligible for Retired membership.
II-2c. Student Membership. Students enrolled in a master’s level program that prepares school counselors are eligible for Student membership.
II-2d. Affiliate members. Members who have an interest in school counseling but do not qualify for a professional membership may enroll as an affiliate member. Affiliate members are not eligible to vote.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 3. Dues. Dues for all categories of membership shall be set and established by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 4. Rights and Privileges. Professional, Retired, and Student Members shall be eligible to vote, indicate motions of parliamentary proceeding, and shall be eligible for elective office or appointment to the Board.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 5. Severance of Membership. Association members who do not renew their membership before their membership expiration date will no longer be considered members of OSCA. Membership may be revoked for revocation of license or credential or for any conduct that tends to injure the association, or adversely affect its reputation, or which violates principles stated in the OSCA Bylaws. Any member charged with engaging in misconduct shall be given the opportunity to file an appeal to and have a hearing before the Board of Directors, whose decision shall be final.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 6. Nondiscrimination. The Oklahoma School Counselor Association does not knowingly engage in or support activities that discriminate on any basis as addressed in ASCA’s Ethical Standards for School Counselors.

ARTICLE III: OSCA OFFICERS AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ARTICLE III, SECTION 1. Officers. The Officers of OSCA shall be the Past President, President, President-Elect. The officers make up the Executive Board of OSCA.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 2. Board of Directors.

III-2a. The voting members of the Board of Directors shall consist of at-large Board Members.
III-2b. At-large Board Members shall be appointed by the President of OSCA with a majority vote of the Board of Directors..
III-2c. Board Members must be members of OSCA and ASCA.
III-2d. Board Members shall serve a three year term at which time they may be reappointed or run for re-election.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 3. Duties of Office.

III-3a. During the term of office, the President shall serve as the presiding officer of OSCA. The President, with majority vote of the Board of Directors, shall appoint the Secretary, Treasurer, and all committees.
III-3b. The President-Elect and immediate Past President shall perform such duties as outlined in OSCA Policy and Procedures manual.
III-3c. The President with a majority vote of the Board of the Directors shall appoint a Secretary. The Secretary shall keep records of all the meetings of the Association and shall perform such other duties as outlined in Policies and Procedures.
III-3d. The President with a majority vote of the Board of the Directors shall appoint a Treasurer of the Corporation who may not meet the requirements in Article III SECTION 4. In such case the Treasurer will not be a voting member of the board and the Board may approve compensation. The Treasurer of the Corporation shall maintain OSCA’s records, administer the affairs of the Association, including financial affairs, and perform such other duties as are incidental to this office, in accordance with OSCA’s mission and vision, subject to the provisions of its Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 4. Nominations and Elections.

III-4a. The President-Elect shall be elected annually and voted on annually. All OSCA members in good standing are eligible to vote with the exception of those holding an Affiliate Membership.
III-4b. Candidates must be employed full-time as a school counselor in a school, as a director of school counseling in a school district or state department of education or as a full-time faculty in a school counselor education program or hold a valid school counselor certification at the time of the election.
III-4c. Candidates must be OSCA Professional Members.
Candidates must be a member of the Board of Directors for at least one full

year prior to being elected.

III-4d.The President shall issue a call to all members of the Association for those interested in joining the OSCA Board and for nominations of President-Elect for the following year as outlined in Policies and Procedures.

III-4e.Nominees shall be screened for eligibility as outlined in Policies and Procedures. Eligible candidates shall be selected for placement on the elections ballot. Should an insufficient number of nominations be submitted to fill the ballot, the committee shall select, in consultation with the Board of Directors, the names of qualified members consenting to have their names placed on the election ballot.
III-4f. If any elected candidate should be unable to assume office by the beginning of OSCA’s fiscal year the next ranking candidate on the election return shall assume that position. If none of the candidates agrees to serve, the Executive Board shall have the authority to fill the vacancy with a majority vote of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 5. Meetings.

III-5a. The Board of Directors shall meet at least two times each year. Such meetings may be held in person or via telephone conference call or other electronic medium in which allindividuals can hear one another.
III-5b. Two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors must be present to constitute a quorum.
III-5c. Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. Decisions of the Board of Directors shall be made by a simple majority vote unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws.
III-5d. The Board of Directors members are required to attend 80% of all Board of Directors meetings and the annual conferences unless otherwise excused by the President.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 6. Vacancies.

III-6a. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President of the Board, the President-Elect of the Board assumes the office of President of the Board.
III-6b. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President-Elect of the Board, the President-Elect Elect of the Board assumes the office of President-Elect of the Board.
III-6d. The President with a majority vote of the Board of Directors shall have the authority to fill any vacancy for which there are no other provisions.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 7. Removal from Office. An elected officer or member of the Board may be removed from office, for cause, by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE III, SECTION 8. Compensation and Reimbursement of Expenses. Members of the OSCA Board of Directors shall not receive any compensation for services, but their necessary expenses shall be paid in accordance with OSCA Bylaws. Members of the OSCA Board of Directors shall not benefit financially or materially from their service on the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE IV: BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year shall begin July 1 and end the following June 30.

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2. Property of the Association. In the event the Association should be dissolved, none of its property shall be distributed to any of the members. Instead, all of its property shall be transferred to such organizations(s) as the Board of Directors shall determine to have purposes and activities most nearly consonant with those of the Association.

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3. Annual Meeting. There shall be an annual business meeting of the membership of the Association at the annual conference. Minutes of this meeting will be secured.

ARTICLE V: INDEMNIFICATION

ARTICLE V, SECTION 1. OSCA Association indemnifies the Board of Directors from all judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement, and reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, actually, and necessarily incurred or imposed as a result of such actions or proceedings or an appeal therein, imposed upon or asserted against him or her by reason of being or having been such an officer and acting within the scope of his or her official duties, but only when the determination shall have been made judicially or in the manner hereinafter provided in good faith for the purpose when he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the association, and in the case of criminal action or proceedings upon a finding that or if a quorum under is not obtained with due diligence upon the opinion in writing of independent legal counsel, that the Board of Directors member has met the foregoing applicable standard of conduct if the undergoing determinations to be made by the Board of Directors it may rely as to all questions of law on the advice of independent counsel.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote at a general membership meeting as provided in this section.

VI-1a. An amendment shall be proposed in writing to the Executive Board not less than 90 days prior to the annual meeting of the membership. Copies of amendments proposed shall be made available to the membership, 30 days prior to the annual meeting of the membership where Bylaws revisions will be considered. Amendments may be approved by a majority vote of members present.
VI-1b. Amendments originating during the general membership meeting shall be discussed and if approved by the members in attendance of a general membership meeting shall be submitted for mail ballot, electronic ballot or other means approved by the Board of Directors. Such proposed amendments shall be sent no more than (60) days, following the date of presentation for a vote by the OSCA members. Such proposed amendment shall be referred forthwith to the Board of Directors whose written recommendation shall accompany any such ballot. Amendments originating during a general membership meeting shall be approved by a majority of ballots or votes received.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 2. Publication. The Bylaws of OSCA shall be published on the OSCA website in their entirety and shall be available to any member upon request.