Conference Bylaws

This Organization shall be named the Western Association of Veterans Education Specialists (W. A. V. E. S. ) hereafter referred to in these bylaws as the Association.

The purpose of the Association shall be to:

Section 1. Promote high professional standards, policies, and ethical practices among members.

Section 2. Serve the needs and interests of veterans, faculties, and administrators in the member institutions.

Section 3. Represent the mutual interests of the membership on matters coming before the membership.

Section 4. Provide a forum to facilitate the interchange of ideas and information.

Section 5. Foster communication and cooperation between all concerned and interested institutions and agencies on matters affecting the education of veterans and other eligible persons.

Section 6. Provide advisory, liaison, and coordinating services regarding educational programs affecting in-service military personnel.

The Association shall have, subject to limitation as contained herein these By-Laws.

Section 1. Membership shall consist of educational institutions of higher learning and those offering non-college degree programs engaged in the administration of veteran’s education benefits.

Section 2. Authorized representatives from institutions of higher learning and non- college degree schools shall be eligible for membership.

Section 3. Each designated institution or school having full membership in good standing shall be entitled to cast one vote.

Section 4. Annual dues for membership shall be established by the Executive Board during the annual conference. (Set $100.00 to run July 1 – June 30)

Section 5. Full membership status in good standing shall be acknowledged when the dues are received and receipted by the Association treasurer.

Section 6. Only certifying officials of members in good standing shall be entitled to hold office in the Association.

Section 7. Any active board members in good standing as well as any past member in an active advisory role shall have their conference registration waived.

Section 1. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, two Members-at-Large, one from an institution of higher learning and one from a non-college degree school and the immediate Past President.

Section 2. The term of appointment for all elected officers shall be for a period of two years or until their successors are elected. Their term of office shall begin at the close of the annual conference during which they are elected.

Section 3. The officers of the Association shall perform their duties as generally defined in Robert’s Rules Of Order Newly Revised, and more specifically defined in these By-Laws.

Section 4. In the event that the office of the President becomes vacant, the First Vice President shall become President.The Executive Board will then appoint a new First Vice President to serve out the term. If other positions (as defined in Section 1) become vacant, an interim appointment to serve out the term shall also be made by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Duties of Officers:

A. President. The duties of the President shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Serve as chief Executive Officer of the Association;
2. Convene and preside at all annual conferences;
3. Be the official spokesperson and/or representative of the Association at all activities and functions in which the Association is involved;
4. Insure that the purposes and objective of the Association as stated in the By-Laws, is adhered to, and that the business of the Association is properly conducted. Serve as liaison between the Association membership and other interest groups, such as Veterans Affairs Regional Processing Offices and individual State Approving Agencies.

B. First Vice President. The duties of the First Vice President shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Serve as liaison between the Executive Board and the local arrangements committee;
2. Perform additional duties as assigned by the President;
3. In the absence of the President shall perform the duties of the President when necessary.

C. Second Vice President. The duties of the Second Vice President shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. In the absence of the President and First Vice President shall perform the duties of the President and First Vice President when necessary.
2. Serve as Chairman of the Membership Committee

D. Secretary. The duties of this office shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Record all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board and distribute the minutes to the membership;
2. Maintain files and reports of all committees;
3. Edit and distribute an Association newsletter, the frequency of which shall be determined by the Executive Board.

E. Treasurer: The duties of this office shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Accept and deposit all monies received and record such, to pay all expenses incurred by the Association and record such, to prepare an interim Treasurer’s report for annual meetings, and to prepare an annual financial report;
2. Notify the membership of the amount of annual dues; the receipt of such dues and maintenance of an official membership roll or directory for publication and distribution;
3. Prepare an annual budget for recommendation to the incoming Executive Board;
4. Maintain with the bank of record a current financial status of the Association, monitor tax laws, requirements, and regulations, and make appropriate filing for purposes of taxation;
5. Shall prepare financial status reports required of the Association by non-profit corporation law, the Internal Revenue Service, and/or any tax laws under which the Association secured any measure of this tax exempt status.
6. Shall have an audit of all Association financial reports, to be performed by an independent audit team, at the closing of each year. The Treasurer shall submit said records along with the audit report to the Association within thirty (30) days of the beginning of each year.

F. Members-at-Large. The duties of these offices shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Attend all meetings of the Executive Board;
2. Perform duties as are appropriate to the Association.
3. Serve on the Nomination and Election Committee.

G. Immediate Past President. The duties of these offices shall include but not be limited to the following:

1. Serve on the Executive Board as a non-voting, ex-officio member;
2. Serve as an advisor to the president and the Board,
3. Serve as Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

Section 1. The Annual Conference of this Association shall be held at a time and place designated by the Executive Board to conduct business of the Association, to include:

A. Election of officers of the Association

B. Provide for changes in the By-Laws of the Association;

C. Provide a forum to facilitate the interchange of ideas and information;

D. Provide workshops designed to improve upon the standards, policies and practices of the individual members in the conduct of their duties;

E. Conduct other such business of the Association as is timely and necessary.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall meet in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the Association, and at other such times and places as the Board may designate.

Section 3. Committees shall meet at the Annual Conference, and at other such times as may be called by the Chair with the concurrence of the President of the Association.

Section 1. This body shall consist of the President, the First Vice-President, the Second Vice President, Secretary, the Treasurer, Members-at-Large and the Immediate Past President.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall conduct the affairs of the Association between its annual conferences’s. The Board shall be subject to orders of the Association and none of its acts shall conflict with the action taken by the Association.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall meet at least once annually. That meeting shall be in conjunction with the Annual Conference of the Association, and at other such times and places as designated by the President.

Section 4. An Executive Board member may be reimbursed for trips or expenses incurred on behalf of the Association to attend a mid-year Board Meeting, subject to full Board approval, available funds, and proper receipts.

Section 1. Committees may be created and dissolved at the pleasure of the Executive Committee and/or the General Membership. Committees can be dissolved by the Chairperson of each committee, Executive Committee, and/or the General Membership of the Association.

Section 2. Committees may consist of the following:

• Nominations and Elections Committee
• Governmental Relations Committee
• Finance Committee
• Conference Planning Committee
• Constitution Committee
• Membership Committee
• Newsletter Committee

Section 3. In addition to the above Committees, the President shall have authority to appoint other such Special Committees as the need arises.

A. Nominations and Election
B. The Nomination and Elections Committee shall consist of the Past President and the Members-at-Large.

C. The purpose of the Nominations and elections Committee is to present a slate of officers to be voted upon by the eligible membership during election years.

D. Governmental relations Committee – To meet periodically with officials of the Department of Veteran Affairs and State Approving Agencies to discuss matters of mutual concern.

E. Conference Planning Committee

• A. To make all arrangements for the annual conference, including but not limited to accommodations, invitations to guests, and extra curricular activities;
• B. To develop the conference agenda and program in cooperation with the President;
• C. To make tentative arrangements for the succeeding Annual Conference;
• D. To review and make recommendations on all bids received from succeeding conferences to the membership at the Annual Conference.

D. Finance Committee – To review the financial records of the Association at all Annual Conferences;

E. Bylaws Committee – To review the present Constitution and prepare the presentation to the membership any amendments and/or revisions which the committee determines necessary either to clarify existing language or to rectify present omissions.

F. Membership Committee

• A. To encourage each educational institution engaged in the administration of Veteran Educational Benefits to maintain adequate representation in the Association and to encourage active participation of all members of the Association.
• B. To contact those institutions currently inactive to determine the reasons for this inactivity and any possible assistance the Association may give to facilitate participation in the Association.

G. Newsletter Committee – To prepare a newsletter to be distributed to the general membership in a timely basis as determined by the Executive Board.

H. Nominations and Election

Section 1. The Nomination and Elections Committee shall consist of the Past President and the Members-at-Large.

Section 2. During the election year, the Nominations and elections Committee shall present a slate of officers to be voted upon by the eligible membership at the Association’s Annual Conference.

Section 1. The principles contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Association unless they are inconsistent with this document and any special prescriptions of order the Association may adopt from time to time.

Section 2. A quorum is required to conduct the business of the Association at a general membership meeting. A quorum is defined as a simple majority of the voting members in attendance. Once a quorum is declared established, it shall remain in affect for the remainder of the general membership meeting.

Section 3. A quorum of the Executive Board is required to conduct a meeting of the Executive Board. A quorum for the purpose of an Executive Board meeting is defined as the presence of the simple majority of the members of the Executive Board. Once a quorum has been established, it shall remain in effect for the remainder of the Executive Board Meeting.

Section 4. Formal motions made at regular meetings of either the general membership or the Executive Board shall require an affirmative vote of a simple majority.

Section 1. These articles may be amended at the Annual Conference of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the paid membership present.

Section 2. All proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Constitution Committee for final drafting at least 60 days prior to the Annual Conference whereupon they shall be distributed to the membership at least 30 days prior to the Annual Conference.