Bylaws

National Organization for Human Services

Article I: Purpose

1.1 The National Organization for Human Services (hereafter referred to as the Organization) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to (a) provide a medium for cooperation and communication among faculty, students, and individuals working in the field of human services; (b) foster excellence in teaching, research and curriculum planning; (c) serve members in their career development and placement; (d) facilitate excellence in the delivery of human services; and (e) support the ethical conduct of all persons in the human service field.

Article II: Membership

2.1 Membership shall be open to all persons and organizations interested in or involved in human services including educators, practitioners, students, volunteers, administrators, and retired persons

2.2 Membership shall be defined by the Board of Directors.

2.3 Termination of membership may occur by (a) resignation or (b) dismissal for violation of the Organization's By Laws or for unethical conduct.

2.4 All members shall have equal voting privileges and may vote in absentia by contacting the Organization Secretary to ask for an absentee ballot which must be returned before vote counting by the indicated date. Should the Board of Directors determine, elections and other decisions may be made by email or other technological means.

Article III: Meetings

3.1 An annual meeting of all members shall be held once per year at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors. Written notice of annual meetings shall be provided to all Members 90 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

Article IV: Board of Directors

4.1 The activities and affairs of the Organization shall be conducted by a Board of Directors that shall meet at least once each year. One such meeting shall be held in conjunction with the annual membership meeting

4.2 Members of the Organization shall elect the Officers and Other Elected Members of the Board of Directors through annual elections. In the event of a vacancy in any Officer or Other Elected Member position other than at the annual election, the Board of Directors may appoint a qualified member to serve the remainder of the term.

4.3 The Board of Directors shall be composed of Officers, Other Elected Members, Regional Representatives, and Appointed Members.

4.4 The Board of Directors, with the approval of the Membership, shall have the right to hire management services to perform designated tasks of the Organization.

Article V: Officers of the Organization

5.1 Officers of the Organization shall be President, Vice President for Conferences, Vice President for Regional Development, Secretary, and Treasurer. All officers of the Organization shall be faculty or practitioner members of the Organization, and each, before taking office, must have had a minimum of two years of service on the Board of Directors. Each officer will be elected for a two-year term and may be reelected for one additional term. Each officer shall provide a report to the membership at the annual meeting.

5.2 The President shall perform all duties normally incident to the office such as presiding over meetings of the Board of Directors and the annual Membership meeting and shall select recipients of the annual President's Awards. The President shall be elected in even numbered years.

5.3 The Vice President for Conferences shall oversee the planning and implementation of the Organization's annual conference under the direction of the Board of Directors and in collaboration with the regional site coordinator(s). Duties shall include preparation of a full conference report, including income and expenditures, which shall be presented to the Board of Directors within 90 days of the end of the annual meeting. The Vice President for Conferences will be elected in odd numbered years.

5.4 The Vice President for Regional Development acts as a liaison between the Organization and its various regions. Such duties may include attendance at regional conferences, technical support to regions as they develop, and other support that regions may desire. The Vice President for Regional Development shall be elected in even numbered years.

5.5 The Secretary shall be the custodian of the minutes, By Laws, books and records of the Organization, and shall keep minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors, of the Executive Committee, and of the annual Membership meeting, and shall perform other duties normally incident to the office. All minutes of meetings shall be provided to members of the board within 30 days of the conclusion of a board meeting. The Secretary shall be elected in odd numbered years.

5.6 The Treasurer shall be the financial officer of the Organization and have responsibility for oversight of the funds and investments of the Organization. The Treasurer will prepare an annual budget, provide an account of all transactions and the financial condition of the Organization at all meetings of the Board of Directors, and shall maintain liability insurance for the Organization as directed by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall be elected in even numbered years.

Article VI: Other Elected Members of the Board of Directors

6.1 Other elected members of the Board of Directors shall include chairpersons of standing committees (Membership, Professional Development, Education) and the student member. Each other elected member shall provide a report to the Board of Directors at the time of the annual Membership meeting. Each Committee Chairperson may, as desired or at the direction of the Board of Directors, recruit members of the Organization to serve as a committee to help with the responsibilities of the office. Chairpersons of the standing committees shall be elected to a two-year term and may be reelected for one additional term.

6.2 The Membership Chairperson shall be responsible for maintaining the membership records of the Organization, foster the recruitment of new members and the retention of continuing members, and implement publication of the Membership Directory. The Membership Chairperson shall be elected in odd numbered years.

6.3 The Professional Development Chairperson shall oversee the publication of the availability of, the solicitation of nominations for, and the awarding of the Organization's research grants, Howard Harris Award, and other annual awards. The Professional Development Chairperson shall maintain the criteria for all awards as approved by the Board of Directors, shall recommend to the Board of Directors individuals to receive the awards (except the President's Award). The other annual awards are: Miriam Clubok Award, Lenore McNeer Award, President's Awards, Outstanding Contribution by a Human Service Organization or Program Award, and Outstanding Human Service Student Award. The Professional Development Chairperson shall be elected in even numbered years.

6.4 The Education Chairperson shall oversee the updating and publication of Organization brochures, respond to requests for information from Members and from the human services profession at large, and oversee the publication of the availability of, the solicitation of nominations for, and the awarding of the David C. Maloney Scholarship(s). The Education Chairperson shall maintain the criteria for the David C. Maloney Scholarship(s) and recommend recipients to the Board of Directors. The Education Chairperson shall be elected in odd numbered years.

6.5 The Student Representative is chosen by the regional in which the annual conference is held and begins service at the beginning of the conference and/or board meeting attendant to that conference. S/he serves on the board for one year and shall represent the needs and wishes of student members of the Organization.

Article VII: Regional Representatives on the Board of Directors

7.1 Each affiliated region of the Organization chooses one Representative to serve on the Board of Directors for no more than two consecutive two year terms. Regional Representatives are liaisons between the Organization and their regions, working to strengthen both the region and the Organization through collaboration and cooperation.

Article VIII: Appointed Member of the Board of Directors

8.1 The Appointed Members are the editor(s) of the Organization's newsletter, The LINK; the editor(s) of the Organization's journal, Human Service Education; and the Web Development Chairperson.

8.2 The editor(s) of The LINK shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors for as long as mutually agreed. Responsibilities are to ensure that The LINK is produced and made available to the membership quarterly, in months determined by the Board of Directors, and to report annually to the Board of Directors and the Membership.

8.2 The editor(s) of Human Service Education shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors for as long as mutually agreed. Responsibilities are to ensure that Human Service Education is produced at least once per year and to report annually to the Board of Directors and the Membership.

8.3 The Web Development Chairperson shall serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors for as long as mutually agreed. The Chairperson shall oversee the process of determining the content and appearance of the site, recommending to the Board which links to establish, and serve as the liaison with the agency that maintains the site.

Article IX: The Executive Committee

9.1 The Executive Committee shall be composed of the elected Officers of the Organization and shall meet at the request of the President. A quorum is a majority of members in attendance. The Executive Committee may manage the activities and affairs of the Organization. The President shall report in writing to the Board of Directors, within thirty days, any action taken by the Executive Committee. Meetings may be held and decisions made both in person and by technological means.

Article X: Elections

10.1 The immediate Past-president will act as the chairperson of the elections committee. Each region will recommend one person to serve on the nominating committee. The Chairperson will identify four of those nominated to serve on the committee. The Additional nominees will serve as alternates on the nominating committee.

Article XI: Amendments

11.1 These By Laws may be amended or repealed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members voting whether present or by proxy as described in 2.4. Proposed changes to the By Laws must be made available to Members at least 30 days in advance of any vote to change.

*As approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting of NOHS in Seattle, Washington, October, 1991, and revised and approved at the Annual Meeting of NOHS in Nashville, Tennessee, October, 2003. Amendment to Section 4.2 approved by the membership January 2005.