Article I
Name, Principal Office, Purposes and Restrictions
1.01 Name. The name of the Association shall
be the California Community Colleges Student Financial Aid Administrators
Association, a California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation
(“Association”).
1.02 Principal Office. The Executive Board shall determine
the location of the principal office of the Association, provided
that until the Executive Board otherwise determines the principal
office shall change each year to the county of the institution
in which the Treasurer is employed.
- 1.03 Purposes. The purposes of the Association
include:
- To advance the profession of California community colleges
student financial aid administration (“the profession”)
through conferences, workshops and other related activities
and services.
- To advance the profession though cooperative efforts in
developing effective student financial aid programs that will
enhance student access to the California community colleges.
- To advance the profession by facilitating communication
between members of the profession, government agencies, and
private and community organizations.
- 1.04 Restrictions. All policies and activities
of the Association shall be consistent with:
- Applicable federal, state and local anti-trust and trade
regulation laws;
- Applicable tax-exemption requirements, including the requirements
that the Association not be organized for profit and that
no part of its net earnings are used for the benefit of any
private individual; and,
- All other legal requirements, including the California
Nonprofit Corporation Law under which law this Association
is incorporated and to which its operations are subject.
Article II
Members
2.01 Membership Qualifications. There shall be
three classes of members: Associate, Active and Lifetime.
2.02 Active Membership. Active Membership shall be limited
to practicing student financial aid administrators and staff at
California Community Colleges/Districts or the California Community
College Chancellor’s Office. Each active member shall be
entitled to one vote on all matters that come before the Association
and to hold office on the Executive Board.
2.03 Associate Membership. Associate membership
shall include representatives of Community College Student Services
Offices such as Educational Opportunity Programs and Services
Offices, Admissions and Records Offices, Counseling, Disabled
Student Programs and Services, or other educational institutions
and government agencies, foundations, private and community organizations
interested in financial aid matters and persons in an institution
of postsecondary education. Associate members are eligible to
serve on Association committees. An Associate member shall not
be entitled to vote and may not serve as an officer of the Association.
2.04 Lifetime Membership. The Executive Board
may award Lifetime membership to any person. Lifetime Member dues
for the recipient of this honor shall be waived. A Lifetime Member
is entitled to all the rights and privileges of an Associate membership
in the Association.
2.05 Termination. A membership shall be suspended or terminated
whenever the Executive Board, or a committee or person authorized
by the Executive Board, in good faith determines that any of the
following events have occurred: (a) resignation of member; (b)
expiration of the period of membership, unless the membership
is renewed on the renewal terms fixed by the Executive Board;
or (c) an occurrence of any event that renders a member ineligible
for active membership.
2.06 Discipline. Any member of the Association may be dropped
from membership by action of the Executive Board for just cause
after being afforded an opportunity to be heard by a committee
appointed by the President.
2.07 Member Obligation to Follow Association Rules. Each
member of this Association agrees to be bound by these Bylaws
and any amendments thereto, and by the lawful actions of the Executive
Board of voting members of the Association.
2.08 Member Liability. No member of the Association shall
be personally liable for any of the debts or obligations of the
Association.
2.09 Restricted Use of Association Name. No member of the
Association may use the Association’s name or their membership
in the Association in the sale or promotion of goods or services.
Article III
Dues
3.01 Dues. The Executive Board shall set dues
and fees, make assessments and set the terms of payment after
a vote by the Association membership.
3.02 Refunds. No dues will be refunded.
Article IV
Executive Board
4.01 Executive Board. The Executive Board is
the governing body of the Association and has authority and is
responsible for the supervision, control, and direction of the
Association.
4.02 Composition. The Executive Board consists of seventeen
persons who shall be the seven officers and ten Regional Coordinators.
4.03 Election and Term of Office. Each Executive Board
member shall serve a one-year term, commencing January 1 and ending
on December 31, with the exception of the Treasurer-Elect who
shall serve a two-year term (one year as Treasurer-Elect, then
one year as Treasurer).
4.04 Meetings. The Executive Board shall meet at least annually
at the time and place it selects. The presence of more than 50%
of the Executive Board constitutes a quorum.
Article V
Officers
5.01 Officers. The officers of the Association
include: President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Secretary,
Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect and Past-President. shall comprise
the Executive Committee.
5.02 Qualification. Officers must Active members.
5.03 Election and Term of Office. Officers are elected by
written or electronic ballot as provided in these Bylaws. Each
officer shall serve a one-year term, commencing January 1 and
ending on December 31, with the exception of the Treasurer-Elect,
who shall serve a two-year term. The regional coordinators shall
be elected by their respective regions to serve a two-year term.
The odd numbered regions shall elect a new representative during
the odd numbered years, and the even numbered regions during the
even numbered years. A special nomination and election shall be
held during February and March 2007 to elect the first Treasurer-Elect
who will serve the remainder of 2007 as Treasurer-Elect, then
serve as Treasurer for 2008.
5.04 Duties. The officers perform those duties that are
usual to their positions and which are assigned by the Executive
Board, including those duties set forth in position descriptions,
for each officer as adopted by the Executive Board. The President
shall preside at all meetings of the Association and the Executive
Board; the President-Elect shall preside in the absence of the
President. The Treasurer is the financial officer of the Association.
5.05 Removal. An officer may be removed, for cause, by
majority vote of the Executive Board. Members of the Executive
Board whose status changes from a voting to a non-voting status
must vacate their office and will lose their membership on the
Executive Board.
5.06 Compensation. Officers do not receive compensation
for their services. However they may receive reimbursement for
their expenses to the extent that the Association is able to fund.
Article VI
Election of Officers
6.01 Nomination and Elections Committee. The
Nomination and Elections Committee shall consist of the Past-President
who shall serve as Chair, President-Elect, one Regional Coordinator
from the northern region and one Regional Coordinator from the
southern region as designated by the Chair.
6.02 Nominating Process. The Committee shall solicit nominations
for each office from the voting membership and shall designate
a ballot slate which includes two nominees for each office. The
nominations for President-Elect and Vice-President shall be from
opposite (northern or southern) regions of the state, and shall
alternate between north and south each year. The Committee shall
make known its procedures to the voting membership at the time
nominations are solicited.
6.03 Election. The election shall be conducted by written
or electronic ballot in accordance with the California Nonprofit
Corporation Law. A quorum for this purpose shall be the number
of votes cast. A candidate who receives a majority of the votes
shall be elected.
Article VII
Regional Coordinators
7.01 Regional Coordinators. A Regional Coordinator
shall represent each of the Regions, including: Region I, Region
II, Region III, Region IV, Region V, Region VI, Region VII , Region
VIII, Region IX, and Region X.
7.02 Qualification. Regional Coordinators shall be Active members.
7.03 Selections and Term of Office. Each Region
shall elect one of its members to serve as Regional Coordinator
to serve for a two-year term commencing January 1 and ending December
31. The current Regional Coordinator will be responsible for ensuring
the election of a new Regional Coordinator by September 15 in
their second year of office. Odd-numbered regions shall elect
a new coordinator during odd numbered years and even-numbered
regions shall elect a new coordinator during even numbered years.
7.04 Duties. Regional Coordinators shall attend all Executive
Board meetings and serve as liaison between the Executive Board
and members of the Region. In addition, Regional Coordinators
shall schedule, plan and conduct meetings and training activities
for their Regions and transmit information on financial aid issues
and Association matters to Region members, shall serve on Committees
as assigned, and shall perform other duties as assigned by and
through the President.
7.05 Vacancies. If a vacancy occurs, the Region shall elect
another Regional Coordinator to fill the remaining portion of
the term.
7.06 Compensation. Regional Coordinators do not receive
compensation for their services. However, they may receive reimbursement
for authorized expenses to the extent that the Association is
able to fund.
Article VIII
Vacancies
8.01 Vacancies. A vacancy occurring in any office
of the Executive Board other than that of the President, Past-President
or the President-Elect, shall be filled by the appointment of
the Executive Board until the installation of the next elected
Executive Board. An affirmative vote of a majority of the entire
Executive Board, which may be conducted by written or electronic
ballot, shall be necessary to fill such a vacancy.
8.02 Such appointment shall not prejudice the election of
the incumbent to a regular term of office.
8.03 If a vacancy occurs for the office of President, the
position will be assumed by the President-Elect, and will serve
the remainder of his or her own term as President.
8.04 A vacancy in the office of President-Elect may be filled
by a vote of the membership through either the annual election
or a special election to be determined by the Executive Board.
8.05 A vacancy in the office of Past-President shall be
filled by the appointment of the previous immediate Past-President
or the most recent Past-President.
Article IX
Membership Meetings
9.01 Annual Membership Meeting. The Association
shall hold an annual meeting of the membership at a location and
on the date that the Executive Board determines.
9.02 Special Meetings. The President, the Executive Board
or five percent or more of the voting members may call a special
meeting of the Association membership. If a special meeting is
called, by members as authorized by these Bylaws, the request
for the meeting shall be submitted in writing or by electronic
notice to the Secretary specifying the general nature of the business
proposed to be transacted.
9.03 Notice. The Board must give Association members reasonable
notice of all annual and special meetings. The notice must include
a description of the business to be discussed and must be given
at least ten days before the meeting.
9.04 Voting. The presence of thirty-five percent of the
voting membership constitutes a quorum. A majority of members
where a quorum is present is necessary to make a decision except
where some other number is required by law. Proxy voting is not
permitted. Written and electronic voting is permitted as specified
in the California Nonprofit Corporation Law.
Article X
Committees, Auditors and General Counsel, Rules, Bonding, and
Disbursement
10.01 Committees. The Executive Committee shall
consist of the officers of the Association and shall have the
full authority of the Executive Board between meetings of the
Executive Board, provided that it shall report all of its actions
to the Executive Board at the next meeting of the Executive Board.
The following committees are deemed standing committees and members
will be appointed each year: Conference Committee, Scholarship
Committee, Training Committee and Newsletter Committee. The President
may appoint other committees as necessary. The Association shall
have such committees as determined by the Executive Board to meet
the goals of the Association. These committees shall act in an
advisory capacity to the Executive Board and committee membership
is for the duration of the Executive Board that made the appointment.
10.02 Auditors and General Counsel. Auditors and General
Counsel are appointed by the Executive Committee.
10.03 Rules. The Executive Board may establish rules that
are consistent with these Bylaws for the policies, procedures,
and programs of the Association.
10.04 Bonding. All individuals with significant financial
responsibility on behalf of the Association, including individuals
authorized to sign checks, shall be bonded within appropriate
limits as determined by the Executive Board.
10.05 Disbursements. The President, Past-President, or Treasurer
is vested with the authority to disburse funds of the Association.
Article XI
Indemnification and Insurance
11.01 Indemnification. To the fullest extent
permitted by the law, the Association shall indemnify and hold
harmless any and all agents against all claims to which they may
be subjected by reason of any alleged or actual action or in action
in the performance of their duties performed in good faith on
behalf of the Association. “Agent” for this purpose
shall include officers, and Regional Coordinators.
11.02 Insurance. The Association shall have the right to
purchase and maintain insurance to the full extent permitted by
the law on behalf of its agents against any liability asserted
against or incurred by the agent in such capacity arising out
of the agent’s status as such.
Article XII
Amendment of Bylaws
12.01 Amendment by Executive Board. These Bylaws
may be amended by a majority vote of the Executive Board provided
that amendments to the Bylaws by the Executive Board may not materially
and adversely affect the rights of members or change the authorized
number of Officers.
12.02 Amendment by the Voting Membership. These Bylaws may
be amended by a majority affirmative vote of the association’s
voting members, provided that each amendment shall have been proposed
in writing to the Secretary of the Executive Board by a petition
of five percent of the members of the association. The members
must approve changes to the Bylaws that materially and adversely
affect the rights of members or change the authorized number of
Officers.
Article XIII
Interpretation
13.01 Interpretation. These Bylaws are subject to the
California Nonprofit Corporation Law and must be interpreted so
as to conform to that law, as it is interpreted and amended from
time to time.
