Bylaws Draft

The NAPCN Steering Committee has been hard at work drafting a set of governing bylaws designed to help keep the network running smoothly and effectively. These bylaws, developed carefully over the course of two years and the result of ongoing discussions about the future of NAPCN, mark an effort to insure that NAPCN continues to operate long term.

With many of the organization's initial founders retiring or turning over the reigns to the "next generation," it seems important to lay out some basic governing rules so that those who inherit the organization have a framework from which to build and operate.

At this summer's Vancouver conference, the Steering Committee decided to solicit feedback from the entire NAPCN membership regarding the draft bylaws, which are included as an insert with this newsletter issue.

Please take a few minutes to read the draft and then feel free to email any suggestions or comments to Jonathan Raskin at raskinj@newpaltz.edu. Deadline for submission of comments is December 31.  Comments and suggestions will be considered by the Steering Committee and incorporated into a final draft of the bylaws.

This draft will then be published in an upcoming issue of the newsletter and voted on by the entire NAPCN membership.  The Steering Committee really values member feedback, so we hope to hear from you.

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NORTH AMERICAN PERSONAL CONSTRUCT NETWORK

 BYLAWS

Draft March, 2002
[REVISED JULY, 2002]
[REVISED OCTOBER, 2002]

Article I
NAME

The name of this organization shall be: North American Personal Construct Network (NAPCN).
 

Article II
PURPOSE

The purpose of this organization shall be to encourage the development of research and practice broadly defined as “constructivist” within psychology and related human sciences. This includes, but is not limited to, areas such as personal construct psychology, social constructionism, radical constructivism, cognitive constructivism, narrative psychology, and phenomenological psychology. Constructivist approaches are defined as those that emphasize the role of human meaning making and the centrality of these invented meanings in understanding human functioning.
 

Article III
MEMBERSHIP

Section 1:

The organization shall have two types of membership: Members and Students.

Section 2:

a. Individuals can join NAPCN by submitting a membership application form and fee to the organization’s treasurer.
b. Individuals who are presently enrolled as students in an academic program can join as Student Members and pay a lower fee than Members.

Section 3:

Members and Student Members of NAPCN can vote in NAPCN elections. Members can hold all positions except Student Member-at-Large. Student Members can serve only as Student Members-at-Large or as Newsletter Editor.
 
 

Article IV
OFFICERS AND STEERING COMMITTEE

Section 1:

The Steering Committee shall consist of both elected NAPCN officers (President, President-elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, 3 Members-At-Large), and appointed NAPCN officers (Newsletter Editor, Conference Organizer, and 2 Student Members-at-Large).

Section 2:

The President of NAPCN shall preside at all NAPCN meetings. This person shall serve as NAPCN’s governing executive officer. In the event of the President’s death, resignation,  absence or inability to serve, the President’s duties shall pass successively to the President-elect, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.

Section 3:

a. The election of officers and other members of the Steering Committee shall be conducted by mailed ballot.
b. Nominations will be solicited by mail in the spring (May) issue of the NAPCN newsletter.
c. Only self-nominations will be accepted. Those self-nominating will mail their nominations to the Secretary. The Secretary must receive all nominations by the last day of June.
d. The official ballot shall be mailed to all dues paying members in February and must be returned by April 1. The winter (January) issue of the NAPCN newsletter will include candidate statements.
 
 

Article V
DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND STEERING COMMITTEE

Section 1 (President):

a. The President shall have all duties usually ascribed to a presiding officer by a standard manual of parliamentary procedure.
b. The President shall be empowered to appoint appropriate representatives and liaisons to committees conducting NAPCN business.
c. The President shall be empowered to establish and appoint committees of a temporary nature that are important to the President’s functions as executive officer.

Section 2 (President-elect):

The President-elect shall act in place of the President whenever the latter is unable to carry out his or her assigned duties.

Section 3 (Immediate Past President):

The immediate Past President shall oversee elections, coordinating the selection of candidates for the upcoming election.

Section 4 (Secretary):

a. The Secretary shall keep appropriate records of NAPCN business, including the taking of minutes at official meetings and maintaining a permanent file of business transacted. The Secretary shall distribute preliminary drafts of such minutes to members of the Steering Committee and make sure that such minutes are published in the organization’s newsletter.
b. The Secretary shall arrange for the preparation of NAPCN stationary.
c. The Secretary shall annually obtain a copy of the most recent NAPCN membership data from the Treasurer.
d. The Secretary shall receive and tally election ballots.

Section 5 (Treasurer):

a. The Treasurer shall be in charge of all financial matters and shall receive membership dues.  The Treasurer shall disperse funds at the discretion of the Steering Committee.
b. The Treasurer shall report at regular intervals to the Steering Committee on the financial status of NAPCN.
c. The Treasurer shall prepare a financial report for the Steering Committee, to be reviewed at the business meeting held at each NAPCN conference.
d. The Treasurer shall maintain a complete list of NAPCN member names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses; this shall be turned over to the Secretary and maintained as a NAPCN Directory.
e. The Treasurer shall mail out election ballots.

Section 6:

a. The Steering Committee shall act as a deliberative body on all issues involving the governance of NAPCN and shall conduct the business of the organization between biennial meetings. When major issues of policy arise, the Steering Committee shall make necessary interim decisions in the periods between biennial meetings.
b.  Exceptions to the responsibilities of the Steering Committee shall be where power is delegated otherwise in these Bylaws either to an officer, a committee, or to the membership.
 
 

Article VI
NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS, AND TERMS OF OFFICE

Section 1:

a. The President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large will be elected. The terms of office shall be as follows:
President: two years
  President-elect: two years
  Immediate Past President: two years
  Secretary: four years, not to be elected the same year as Treasurer
  Treasurer: four years, not to be elected the same year as Secretary
  Members-at-Large: two years
  Student Members-at-Large: two years
b. Members of the Steering Committee shall make nominations for Student Members-at-Large, the Conference Organizer, and the Newsletter Editor. The President shall choose from among these nominees and appoint holders of these positions to two-year terms.

Section 2:

a. The immediate Past President shall solicit a slate of candidates for each office.
b. The immediate Past President shall send out a request for nominations for all offices in which vacancies will occur by way of a direct letter to all NAPCN members in the Spring issue of the Newsletter.
c. Any NAPCN member in good standing who self-nominates for a position will be placed on the ballot; to be in good-standing, the member must be current in his or her dues.
d. If two nominees do not self-nominate for each position, then the Steering Committee will be charged with recruiting additional nominees. Only after a substantial effort to recruit additional candidates fails shall the final ballot include uncontested candidates.

Section 3:

Both members and student-members can vote in elections.

Section 4:

Election to office shall be by plurality of the votes cast.

Section 5:

a. The Steering Committee is empowered to fill a vacancy caused by resignation, failure to assume office, or death. The member so elected by the Steering Committee shall complete the term of office of the individual whose place this person was selected to fill. Missing two consecutive meetings of the Steering Committee or failing to be involved in ongoing Steering Committee email deliberations may be taken as a failure to assume the duties of office.
b. The special procedures for filling a vacancy in the office of President is outlined in Article IV, Section 2 of these Bylaws. Power may be vested in the highest-ranking officer to fill an existing vacancy by appointment if filling the vacancy is deemed urgent, pending approval of the Steering Committee, by mail, telephone, or electronic ballot.
 

Article VII
BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

Section 1:

a. NAPCN shall hold a biennial conference meeting.
b. The Steering Committee shall meet at the biennial conference, as well as communicate regularly at other times.
c. A business meeting shall be scheduled during the biennial conference, which shall be open to the entire membership.

Section 2:

a. The biennial conference shall include a program of scientific, philosophic, and professional papers, symposia, invited addresses, continuing education workshops, and other features to be arranged by the Conference Organizer, assisted by the Steering Committee.
b.  In addition to the biennial conference, NAPCN may maintain a Hospitality Suite at annual American Psychological Association Conventions in which small thematic meetings, colloquy, conversation hours, discussion hours, and social events shall be scheduled.

Article VIII
QUORUM

Section 1:

Half of the members of the Steering Committee, convened, shall constitute a quorum. No proxy votes shall be accepted.

Section 2:

Five percent of the voting members of NAPCN shall constitute a quorum at any meeting in which business is transacted. No proxy shall be acceptable at such meetings.

Article IX
FINANCES

Section 1:

Dues of Members and Student Members shall be determined by the Steering Committee.

Section 2:

The Treasurer shall present a financial report at the biennial member’s business meeting. The President may appoint an Auditing Committee to audit the financial records of the organization.

Article X
STEERING COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

Section 1

The Steering Committee shall be responsible for the following areas:

a. Membership: The Steering Committee is charged with launching membership drives, recruiting new members, and maintaining accurate records of the membership.
b. NAPCN Conference: The Steering Committee will assist the Conference Organizer in planning the Biennial Conference.
c. Election: The Steering Committee shall insure that nominations for offices are completed in a timely fashion. The immediate Past-President shall be charged with overseeing the nominations process.
d. Awards:The Steering Committee shall select the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Student Paper Award at each biennial conference.

Section 2:

All members of NAPCN shall be eligible to serve on the Steering Committee. Student members can only serve as Student Members-at-Large.

Article XI
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The Parliamentary Authority for the Division shall be Roberts’ Rules of Order (Latest Revision), unless specifically superseded in some areas by provisions of these Bylaws.

Article XII
AMENDMENTS

Section 1:

Five NAPCN members in good standing may propose amendments to these Bylaws. If approved by the Steering Committee, such amendment proposals and revisions shall be distributed via the newsletter with a due date for returning ballots clearly indicated.

Section 2:

The Steering Committee may propose amendments to and/or revisions of these Bylaws to the membership at any time such revisions or amendments become necessary. Such amendment proposals and revisions shall be distributed via the newsletter with a due date for returning ballots clearly indicated.

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