Bylaws for Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study
Article I - Name
The name of the organization shall be the Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study (the “Alliance").
Article II - Membership
II. 1. Members
There shall be three classes of members in the Alliance:
Member, student/pre-licensure member and community mental health agency member. Race, color, creed, gender, or sexual preference will not be criteria of membership.
Members. Members shall be all those who have an interest in psychoanalytic theory and its application. They may be professionals in the mental health, health care, or human services communities; or they may be individuals in the community at large who take an active interest in psychoanalytic thinking and its relevance to their work or world. Members may hold office in the Alliance, may vote in Alliance affairs, and may serve on the board and committees.
Student/Pre-licensure Members. Student members shall be those who are enrolled in a full-time academic program. Student members may serve on Alliance committees.
Community Mental Health Agency Member. Agency membership is open to individuals who are employed at least half time in a community mental health agency where the majority of clients receive low- or no-cost therapy services. Community Mental Health Agency members may serve on Alliance committees.
Applicants for membership shall become a member or student member or community mental health agency member upon payment of dues and acceptance of their application.
II. 2. Dues
The members shall pay dues established by the board.
II. 3. Lapse or Revocation of Membership
Lapse of Membership
Members, student members and community mental health agency members of the Alliance who fail to pay dues for three months from the date of the first dues billing shall have their membership lapse. The executive committee may waive the requirement of payment of dues under unusual conditions. Revocation of Membership. All Alliance members are expected to remain in good standing within their professional organization and licensing board. Should an Alliance member lose his or her good standing, he or she will be suspended from the Alliance until his or her good standing is restored.
Article III - Officers
III. 1. Officers
The officers of the Alliance shall be the president, co-president, president-elect, past president, secretary, technology chair, and treasurer.
III. 2. Term and Election
Terms shall begin July 1 of any given year. The president shall serve as president-elect for one year, president for one year, co-president for one year, and past-president for one year. The secretary and treasurer shall serve for two-year terms. Terms are renewable without election.
III. 3. Elections
Elections of officers of the Alliance shall be conducted as required by the bylaws and shall be completed before June 1 of any given year. At least three months before June 1 of any given year, the nominating committee (either the executive committee or an ad hoc committee appointed by the president) shall solicit the members of the Alliance for nominations for the elective offices of the Alliance. Together with nominations from the nominating committee and nominations from the members, the nominating committee shall develop a slate of nominees for office. At least two months before June 1 of any given year, the nominating committee shall email a ballot to each member of the Alliance who possesses voting privileges. The members shall have thirty days from the date of emailing to return such ballots. The results of such elections shall be tabulated and reported to the membership by the nominating committee by June 1.
III. 4. Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy in the office of the president, or during an absence or inability to serve, the duties and powers shall devolve upon the president-elect or, in the latter's absence, upon the past president. In the event a vacancy exists in the offices of secretary or treasurer, the executive committee will fill such vacancy until the next annual meeting, at which time the nominations and election to fill the vacancy may be held.
III. 5. Responsibilities of Secretary and Treasurer
The secretary shall keep minutes of all board and membership meetings, handle correspondence for the board, and serve other functions as needed and directed by the president. The president may assign other duties from time to time.
The treasurer shall have custody of all funds of the Alliance and shall hold them in the name of the Alliance in such manner as the board shall direct. The treasurer shall also collect dues and disburse funds as directed by vote of the board. An annual budget and record of all money received and expended shall also be the responsibility of the treasurer. The president may assign other duties from time to time.
Article IV - Board
IV.1. The Board
The board shall be the governing body of the Alliance and, as such, it shall have full power and authority to delegate its powers to members and committees, as it may deem necessary. It shall consist of all the officers and committee chairs. The board shall be responsible for the conduct of the affairs of the Alliance, and shall promulgate such policies, rules, procedures, etc., necessary for the discharge of its responsibility, provided that it take no action contrary to these bylaws.
IV.2. Meetings
Annual Meeting. The Alliance shall hold at least one business meeting annually. The board may call additional meetings. The Forum Committee shall notify the entire membership of the date, time, and place of the meeting at least fifteen days in advance. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order. Meetings of the board shall be quarterly, monthly, or as needed, and members shall have a minimum of ten days notice, including an agenda for an anticipated meeting. Notice may be given at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the date on which an ad hoc meeting is scheduled.
Executive committee meetings are open to any member of the board with permission by the president.
A quorum of the board shall consist of a majority of its membership. All executive actions shall require a majority vote of those board members present at a given meeting. The board may remove a member by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present at a special meeting called for that purpose.
Article V - Committees
The Alliance shall have standing committees, which support the goals and objectives of the organization and are necessary for the functioning of the organization; such as an executive committee, membership committee, professional meetings committee, etc.
The executive committee of the board is made up of President Elect, President, Co-President, Past President, treasury, secretary and the technology chair.
The president, with consideration of input from the committee and approval of the board, shall appoint or disband standing committees as well as special committees as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the organization. Committee chairs will serve for three years. Terms are renewable.
V.1. Terms
Terms begin and end July 1.
V.2. Identifying committee chairs.
The president will announce board openings with a “call for service” announcement to the membership for all chairs becoming vacant. Any member may volunteer or nominate another member to the open chair-position. The president will select the committee chair with approval of the board.
V.3. Committee Members
Each chair shall appoint her/his own committee members.
Article VI - Ethics
The Alliance and its members consider themselves bound by the ethical principles promulgated by their respective professional groups.
Article VII - Amendment of Bylaws
The board or ten percent (10%) of the voting membership of the Alliance, by petition, may propose amendments to these bylaws. The board may amend the bylaws by a majority vote.
Article VIII - Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Alliance, the board shall, after paying all liabilities of the Alliance, dispose of all assets to such organizations as are operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as shall qualify as IRS-qualified nonprofit organizations. The board shall determine the dissolution and dispersal of funds by two-thirds vote.