TENNESSEE SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

A Branch of the American School Counselor Association

 

Article I Name and Purpose

Section 1. Name

The name of the association shall be the Tennessee School Counselor Association.

 

Section 2. Affiliation

Tennessee School Counselor Association is a division of the Tennessee Counseling Association and a branch of the American School Counselor Association. It shall manifest autonomy in the conduct of its affairs but shall be organized and operated at all times in compliance with the By-Laws of both TCA and ASCA. 

 

Section 3. Purpose

(a) To unite in one organization all persons engaged or interested in any phase of school counseling in Tennessee. (b) To maintain and improve professional standards in the field of school counseling in Tennessee.

(c) To coordinate school counseling activities in Tennessee.

(d) To disseminate information and focus public attention on legislation in any way affecting counseling at the school level in Tennessee.

(e) To serve as an agency for information pertinent to school counselors.

(t) To cooperate with the chapters and divisions of the Tennessee Counseling Association on any matters pertinent to counseling concerns.

(g) To serve as an agency of the American School Counselor Association to both members and non- members in Tennessee.

(h) To inform and to further the objectives of the organization's goals.

(i) To insure that there shall be no discrimination against any individual in this organization on the basis of race, color, creed, handicap, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, or age, and to urge individuals and groups outside the organization to pursue the same policy.

 

 

Article II Membership and Dues

Section 1. Eligibility

(a) Any person who is engaged in or interested in school counseling in Tennessee is eligible to become a member.

(b) Membership in the local chapter and the state level of the Tennessee Counseling Association is required for affiliation in TSCA which is a division of the TCA.

(c) While membership in the American Counseling Association and the American School Counselor Association is not required, all counselors are strongly urged to join these national groups.

 

Section 2. Types of Membership

(a) Professional Membership - Individuals engaged or interested in school counseling on any level shall be eligible for membership.

(b) Student Membership - Any student at the college level having interest in the area of human services and school counseling shall be eligible to become a student member of TSCA with all the privileges of individual membership. They must be endorsed by a college professor. Student membership fees will be one half the regular memberships. (c) Retired Persons Membership - Any active member upon retirement is eligible for membership in the Association as a retired member. Membership fees will be one half regular memberships.

(d) Honorary Membership - Individuals manifesting an interest in and support for the Association through promotion of specific programs and philosophy that are in keeping with the stated purposes of the Tennessee School Counselor Association shall be considered for honorary membership. Honorary members are not eligible to vote or hold - office and are exempt from the payment of dues. Honorary membership must be approved by all five elected officers.

 

Section 3. Voting

Each bonafide member shall have voting privileges in official elections of the Association.

 

Section 4. Membership Year

Membership is continuous for twelve months from receipt of membership dues.

 

Section 5. Dues

Membership dues shall be determined by a recommendation of the members present at the TCA's LDC in the Summer. It must be approved by the Executive Council of TCA.

 

 

ARTICLE III - Governing Board

Section 1. Composition

The Governing Board of TSCA shall be composed of the following voting members: the officers of the Association - (President, President-Elect, President-Elect-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer), the immediate Past-President, the Vice- Presidents, and Committee Chairs.

 

Section 2. Meetings

(a) The Governing Board shall hold meetings scheduled at the same times as the TCA's Executive Council. Special meetings may be held at the call of the President. (b) The voting members present at TSCA Governing Board meetings shall comprise the quorum for conducting business.

 

 

ARTICLE IV - Appointed Committees and Vice-Presidents

            Section 1. Appointments

All appointments to committees and vice-presidencies shall be made or authorized by the President.

 

Section 2. Standing Committees

(a) Membership Committee- It shall be responsible for actively engaging in the reenlistment of former members and encouraging prospective members. It shall also be responsible for appropriate membership records.

(b) Ethics Committee- It shall be responsible for keeping abreast of the ethical standards of both TCA and ASCAand ensuring that TSCA members are kept informed of them.

(c) By-Laws Committee - It shall be responsible for keeping the Association's By-Laws current with those ofTCA and ASCA.

(d) Legislative / Licensure Committee- It shall be responsible for keeping the membership informed of appropriate legislation, public hearings, etc. in compliance with the TCA handbook.

 

Section 3. Vice Presidents

There shall be four Vice Presidents representing the four levels of school counselors: Elementary, Junior / Middle, Secondary, and Post-Secondary. These positions are filled by appointment of the President.

 

 

ARTICLE V - Officers of the Association

Section 1. Officers

Officers shall be a President, a President-Elect, a President-Elect-Elect, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

 

Section 2. Eligibility

All elected officers of the Tennessee School Counselor Association shall be members in good standing of the Tennessee Counseling Association. The President and President-Elect or any other voting member attending ASCA Delegate Assembly must also be members in good standing of the ASCA.

 

Section 3. Nomination and Election

(a) The immediate past-president will be responsible for asking for and receiving nominations. They must be received and announced at the annual business meeting held during TCA's annual conference in November.

(b) The election will be held at the annual business meeting after a report of nominations. Nominations shall be accepted from the floor. Election shall be my majority vote of the membership present at the annual business meeting.

 

Section 4. Term of Office

The President and President-Elect shall serve terms of one year. Assumption of offices, with the exception of the President Elect-Elect, shall take place on July I and shall not succeed themselves except that the President-Elect succeeding to the office of President before expiration of the term, shall serve a full term in addition to serving the unexpired term of the President who was replaced. The Secretary shall have a term of two years and shall not be able to succeed him or herself. The Treasurer shall serve a term of two years and shall not be able to succeed him or herself.  The position of President shall be filled by persons from each grand division of the state: East, Middle, and West, in that order. The President-Elect-Elect shall assume office immediately upon November's election serving in said capacity until July 1 and the assumption of office of President-Elect.

 

Section 5. Duties of Officers

(a) The President is responsible for the efficient functioning of the Association and for coordinating all facets of the Association's work. The President is responsible for maintaining appropriate relationships with the other divisions and with TCA. The president appoints all chairs and the Vice-Presidents. The President serves on the TCA's Governing Board, and the President is a member ex-officio of all committees and task forces. The President will serve as a delegate to the Delegate Assembly of the American School Counselor Association.

(b) The President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President. The President-Elect has the responsibility for planning the annual luncheon at the Fall conference of TCA. The President-Elect also serves as a delegate to the Delegate Assembly of ASCA.

(c) The President-Elect-Elect shall perform duties as designated by the President, and shall perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of both the President and President-Elect.

(d) The Secretary is responsible for making an accurate and concise record of business transacted by the organization. A copy of the minutes of each meeting shall be submitted to all officers.

(e) The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping a record of all monetary transactions of the Tennessee School Counselor Association. A financial report shall be presented to the membership at the annual business meeting. The President shall arrange a review at the close of the Treasurer's term.

 

 

ARTICLE VI- Meetings

Section 1. Meetings

The annual business meeting of the Tennessee School Counselor Association will be held during the TCA's annual conference. The time and place will be announced to the membership in the Fall newsletter.

 

 

ARTICLE VII - Expenses

Section 1. Normal Expenses

The Treasurer shall be authorized to pay the costs of the budget expenses, upon approval of the President.

 

Section 2. National Convention