SCASFAA By Laws
Article I - NAME
The name of the association is the South Carolina Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, Inc.
The principal office of the Association, a nonprofit organization, shall be in the State of South Carolina.
Section 1 – Categories of Membership. The membership of the Association shall be composed of the following categories:
1. Active Members. The active membership of the Association shall be composed of persons associated with post-secondary educational institutions, government agencies, foundations and private community organizations chartered within the State of South Carolina who are directly involved with the not-for-profit administration of student aid programs.
2. Affiliate Members. Affiliate members shall be all other persons who are interested in the support of student financial aid.
3. Honorary Members. Honorary nonpaying membership may be conferred upon persons by the Executive Board.
4. Lifetime Members. Lifetime nonpaying membership may be conferred upon person retiring from the profession by the Executive Board.
Section 2 – Membership Dues. Active and affiliate membership in the Association and a continuance of such membership shall be contingent upon the payment of annual dues in accordance with Article IV of the Bylaws. Membership is individual rather than institutional and is not transferable from one individual to another. Category of membership shall be changed at such time as an individual's status qualifies a member for such change.
Section 3 – Membership Applications and Annual Renewals. Application for membership shall be made to the Membership Committee. Approval for membership in the Association and any and all renewals shall rest with the Executive Board. Any denial of membership may be appealed.
Section 4 – Voting Eligibility and Member Rights and Responsibilities. All members are entitled to attend and have voice at all meetings of the Association.
1. Active members shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the Association and shall be able to run for office and chair committees. Votes shall be cast by the eligible member or proxy identified to the Executive Board by the voting member, or by electronic mail or survey ballot in the event ballot is conducted electronically.
2. Affiliate members shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the Association and shall be able to chair committees and, if domiciled within the borders of the state of South Carolina, shall be able to run for and serve in all offices of the Association with the exceptions of President-Elect and President. Votes shall be cast by the eligible member or proxy identified to the Executive Board by the voting member, or by electronic mail or survey ballot in the event ballot is conducted electronically..
3. Honorary, and lifetime members may serve on committees of the Association and shall be entitled to vote at all meetings of the Association, but shall not be entitled to run for office or chair committees. Votes shall be cast by the eligible member or proxy identified to the Executive Board by the voting member, or by electronic mail or survey ballot in the event ballot is conducted electronically..
Section 5 – Termination of Membership. Membership in the Association may be terminated for nonpayment of dues, for failure to support the purposes and policies of the Association or by action of the Executive Board, with our without case, with the opportunity to appeal.
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall be from July 1 to June 30.
Section 2. Income shall be derived from membership dues and such other sources as the Executive Board may approve.
Section 3. Dues shall be assessed and collected in such amounts and in such manner as may be prescribed by the Executive Board. Any proposal to increase the dues of the Association shall be circulated in writing to all members of the Association affected by such proposal at least (30) days before the vote is cast by the membership.
Section 4. The financial records of the Association shall be reviewed at the conclusion of each of the Association's fiscal years in the manner prescribed by the Executive Board.
Article V - EXECUTIVE BOARD AND OFFICERS
The administrative responsibility of the Association shall be vested in an Executive Board, consisting of its officers and immediate past-president.
Section 1 – Officers. The officers of this Association shall be President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, and a Member-at-Large. The members of the Executive Board will be bonded at the expense of the Association, according to what is determined by the annual insurance policy held by the Association.
Section 2 – Election and Terms of Office. Nominations for candidates for officers of this Association shall be solicited prior to the Annual Business Meeting. Election results shall be announced to the full membership upon conclusion of the election. The President-Elect shall serve one year in that position, a second year as President, and a third year as Immediate Past-President. The Vice President and Member-at-Large shall serve for one year. The Treasurer-Elect shall serve one year in that position, and a second year as Treasurer. Secretary shall serve for two years with each position's election occurring in alternating years. All terms of office shall coincide with the fiscal year of the Association.
Section 3 – Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy in the President's office, the President-Elect shall succeed to that office without prejudice to his/her term of office as President. In the event of a vacancy in the President-Elect’s office, the position will be filled by the Executive Board from either the Vice President, the current President in a second term, or a past President. In the event the offices of President and President-Elect become vacant, the Vice President shall assume the office of President for the remainder of the term. In the event of a vacancy in the Treasurer’s office, the Treasurer-elect shall succeed to that office without prejudice to his/her term of office as Treasurer. Other vacancies will be filled, for the remainder of the term, by the President with approval of the Executive Board.
Article VI - DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1 – President. The President shall preside at all meeting of the Association; shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Board; shall appoint all chairpersons of committees, unless otherwise designated; and, shall be a member ex-officio of all committees. He/She shall submit an Annual Report to the Association.
Section 2 – President-Elect. The President-Elect shall perform all duties of the President in his/her absence, or at his/her request; shall serve as Parliamentarian; shall be the coordinator of special projects; shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Association; and shall in all ways prepare for his/her term of office.
Section 3 – Vice President. The Vice President shall coordinate training activities of the Association. He/She shall be responsible for all training programs of the Association, including workshops for new aid officers and advanced level training conducted by the Association. In addition, the Vice President shall serve as chairperson of the Professional Development Committee and shall coordinate, as necessary, training activities conducted within the state by other organizations.
Section 4 – Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for the official minutes and records of the meeting of the Association and the Executive Board and shall notify the members of any regularly-scheduled meeting at least two weeks prior to such meetings.
Section 5 – Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving and disbursing all monies of the Association under policies approved by the Executive Board, and shall keep adequate and appropriate records of such receipts and disbursements; shall serve as Chair of the Budget Committee; shall submit to the membership statements concerning dues; shall on receipt of dues from approved members, issue receipts to the Association; shall submit a duly-reviewed Annual Report to the Association and shall perform such other duties as the office may require. He/She shall turn all records over to his/her elected successor within 30 days after the close of the fiscal year.
Section 6 – Treasurer-Elect. The Treasurer-Elect shall assist the Treasurer with duties of the position; shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Association; and shall in all ways prepare for his/her term of office.
Section 7 – Member-at-Large. The Member-at-Large shall Chair the Membership Committee; shall submit to the membership statements concerning dues; and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Association.
Section 1. Meetings of the Association shall be held on such dates and in such locations as the Executive Board shall determine.
1. All meetings shall be announced in writing to all members at least thirty (30) days in advance.
2. The Active Members present at any meeting of the Association shall constitute a quorum.
3. An annual meeting of the Association's membership shall be held during the fiscal year of the Association, for the purpose of transacting all business which may be brought before the meeting.
Section 2. Meeting of the Executive Board shall be held at the call of the President or a majority of the Executive Board. A majority of the current Executive Board membership shall constitute a quorum.
Article VIII - EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall provide advice and counsel to the President and may, in emergency situations, act on behalf of the Association, which action shall be subject to ratification at the next meeting of the Association.
Unless otherwise specified, a majority vote is required to approve any action of any unit of the Association. Vote may be taken in any meeting at which a quorum prevails, or conducted electronically, in which case the number voting must be equivalent to or exceed that required for a quorum.
Article X - DISSOLUTION OR FINAL LIQUIDATION
Dissolution or final liquidation of the Association shall take place and the distribution of assets shall proceed as provided in Article V of the Association's Constitution.
Article XI - SHARES OF STOCK, DIVIDENDS, AND CERTAIN LOANS PROHIBITED
Association shall not authorize or issue shares of stock, not obtain any dividend, nor make any loans to its members or officers.
Article XII - LIMITATION ON ACTIVITIES
The Association shall not be operated for profit (except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay any reasonable compensation for service rendered to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its purposes as set forth in Article III of the Constitution). The Association shall not directly or indirectly participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any provisions in these Bylaws or in the Association's Constitution, the Association shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as an organization described in Code Section 501(c)(3), (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue laws). No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to have provisions of Section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue laws) apply with respect to such activities.
Article XIII - PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution, these Bylaws or any special rules of order the Association may adopt.
These rules can be found at the Official Robert's Rules of Order Website: http://www.robertsrules.com/
These Bylaws may be amended or revised upon recommendation of the Executive Board, by two-thirds majority vote of members attending the Annual Business Meeting, or by two-thirds majority vote of those returning ballots within two weeks of the electronic transmission date of votes conducted electronically.