Alaska Psychological Association
Constitution and Bylaws (July 2006)

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Article I NAME

The name of this organization shall be the Alaska Psychological Association (The Association). The appropriate abbreviation is AK-PA. The Board of Directors (BOD) of the Association shall consist of the officers of the Association plus the Representative to the APA Council of Representatives, the Continuing Education Coordinator, the six Members-At-Large, the Diversity Delegate, and the Webmaster. The Executive Committee of the BOD shall consist of the Association President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

Article II PURPOSE

The purpose of this Association shall be:

A. To advance psychology as a science, as a profession, and as a means of promoting human health and welfare.

B. To work with state, community, civic, educational, and religious groups in promoting human health and welfare.

C. To foster and maintain high standards of practice in the field of psychology.

D. To make available to the public information regarding psychology as a science and a profession.

E. To represent the scientific and professional interests of psychologists in Alaska to the American Psychological Association (APA).

Article III MEMBERSHIP

A. Definition

The association shall consist of Members and Affiliates. Members are individuals who meet the requirements for membership and shall have the right to vote and hold office; Affiliates are individuals who do not meet the requirements for membership and do not have the right to vote or hold office. The intent of the differentiation is to provide for and to encourage active participation in AK-PA by those who are not members.

1. Professional qualifications for membership status shall be as follows:

a. Fellow or Member status in the American Psychological Association (APA); OR

b. Licensure as a psychologist or a psychological associate by the State of Alaska; OR

c. Holder of a doctoral degree based in part upon a psychological dissertation or its equivalent conferred by a graduate school accredited by any regional accrediting agency recognized by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, and is primarily engaged in study or professional work that is psychological in nature; OR

d. Holder of a masters degree in psychology or counseling conferred by a graduate school accredited by any regional accrediting agency recognized by the American Association of College Registrars and Admissions Officers, and is primarily engaged in study or professional work that is psychological in nature

e. AND Adherence to the practices defined in the most recent edition of the APA Ethical Standards for Psychologists;

f. AND Payment of the appropriate annual dues.

g. The requirements for membership status may be waived in special cases by the Executive Committee for persons who have clearly proven themselves to be competent in the field of psychology.

2. Qualifications for Affiliate status shall be as follows:

a. Any interested individual not qualifying for membership may become an Affiliate as defined in Article III of this Constitution;

b. AND payment of appropriate annual dues

B. Privileges

1. Only Members with a doctoral degree may be elected President or Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator of the Association. Only Members with a doctoral degree may be elected to the position of AK-PA representative to the APA Council of Representatives. All Members may be elected or appointed to any other association office.

2. Any Member may be appointed chair of a committee.

3. Affiliates may attend all meetings but may not: (a) vote, (b) hold office, or (c) serve as standing committee chairs.

4. All Members and Affiliates are encouraged to attend and participate in both general membership and BOD meetings. Members are privileged to vote at elections and on issues brought before the general membership at a general membership meeting or by a ballot mailed to the Members. However, only those serving on the BOD may vote at BOD meetings.

C. Termination of Membership or Affiliate status

When a question of unprofessional or unethical activity by a Member arises, the Board of Directors, through its Ethics Committee, shall accumulate facts of the matter and determine whether disciplinary action (which can include termination of membership) shall be taken.

Article IV DUES

A. The BOD shall determine the amount of annual dues and invoke special assessments in cases of fiscal emergency.

Article V OFFICERS

A. Identification

1. The officers of the Association shall be President, President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee.

2. All officers of the Association must be active members in good standing at the time of their election to office.

3. Only Members in good standing and with a doctoral degree may be candidates for President, AK-PA Representative to the APA Council of Representatives, and Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator.

4. Association Members and Affiliates in good standing may be candidates for all other offices.

5. The term of office of President, President-Elect, Past-President, Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator, and Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator-Elect shall be one year. With the approval of the BOD and President-Elect, the President may agree to serve a second year. The term of office of Secretary and Treasurer shall be two years. Terms of office shall begin at 12:01am on August 16th.

B. Duties

1. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the Association, to act as chairperson of the BOD, and to exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Association.

2. In the event of the absence of the President, it shall be the duty of the President-Elect to assume and perform the duties of the President. Furthermore, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of the positions of Secretary or Treasurer should they be absent. The President-Elect shall succeed the President at the termination of the President's term of office.

3. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Association to make a record of all meetings of the Association and of the BOD.

4. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer of the Association to keep custody of all funds of the Association and to deposit them in the name of the Association in the bank or banks designated by the BOD, and to collect dues and other monies due the Association. The Treasurer shall have the duty of keeping a complete record of all funds received and paid out and shall report thereon to the AK-PA BOD upon request.

5. The Past President shall serve as chair of the Nominating Committee.

C. Replacement

In case of death, disability, or resignation of any of the officers of the Association or Members-at-Large of the BOD, the Executive Committee shall either appoint a successor to serve until the next regular election.

Article VI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A. The BOD of the Association shall consist of the officers of the Association (i.e., President, President-Elect, Past-President, Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator, Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer) plus the Representative to the APA Council of Representatives, the Continuing Education Coordinator, six Members-at-Large, Diversity Delegate, and Webmaster. At the discretion of the President a separate State Advocacy Coordinator may be appointed as a voting member of the BOD.

B. The Members-at-Large of the BOD shall be elected by the Members of the Association and each shall serve for a term of two years. Members-at-Large must be Members of the Association in good standing at the time of the election.

C. The BOD shall have general supervision over the affairs of the Association and shall have supervision over the election of officers as defined in Article VIII.

D. Meetings of the BOD, including electronic meetings, shall be held at any time upon the call of the President or any other two officers (i.e., President-Elect, Past-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator or Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator-Elect). A simple majority (51%) of the BOD membership shall constitute a quorum. Good faith effort must be made to contact all BOD members.

E. The Executive Committee, with the approval of the BOD shall appoint an Executive Director to execute the decisions of the BOD. The Executive Director shall not be a voting member of the BOD and will have an annual performance evaluation.

F. The Continuing Education Coordinator will be appointed by the President, be approved by the BOD, and serve for a three year term.

G. The Diversity Delegate will be appointed by the President, be approved by the BOD, and serve for a three year term.

H. The Webmaster will be appointed by the President, be approved by the BOD, and serve for a two year term.

I. Residency: Members of the BOD shall physically reside and work in the State of Alaska for the majority of the calendar year.

J. A member of the BOD may be removed for cause with a majority vote of the BOD or by a petition of 2/3 of the membership, or because of more than two unexcused absences (prior notification to the Executive Director or President constitutes an excused absence).

K. At the discretion of the Executive Committee, Members who have active positions in the American Psychological Association (APA) may be invited to be voting members of the BOD.

Article VII ELECTIONS

A. The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Past President, will present a slate of candidates to the BOD for approval. Nominations may also be submitted by mail or telephone to the Executive Director. Write-in candidates are also permitted. The Representative to the APA Council of Representatives will be elected according to APA policy.

B. Elections shall be decided by a majority of votes cast by ballot mailed to Members of the Association.

1. In the event that no candidate receives the majority of the votes cast for the office of President-Elect, Federal/State Advocacy Coordinator-Elect, Secretary, or Treasurer a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the most votes shall be held.

2. For Members-at-Large, those candidates receiving the most votes will fill the available positions in the order of the number of votes received.

Article VIII TERMS OF OFFICE

A. The President’s term is one year (with an option to serve two years).

B. The President-Elect’s term is one year (with an option to serve two years).

C. The Treasurer’s term is two years.

D. The Secretary’s term is two years.

E. The Members-At-Large term is two years.

Article IX COMMITTEES

A. The BOD shall have (1) an Ethics Committee and (2) a Nominating Committee at all times, and shall appoint and dismiss other committees as needed.

B. The President shall appoint Committee Chairs. Committee Chairs will serve for the duration of the term of the appointing president or for the length of the identified need for the committee's existence, whichever is shorter. (Note: The Chair of the Nominating Committee is the immediate Past-President.)

Article X MEETINGS

The Association shall hold at least one general membership meeting during the fall of each calendar year, the specific time and place of which shall be designated by the BOD. Any meeting of the general membership shall be publicized to the membership at least thirty days in advance.

Article XI FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS

A. The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on January 1.

B. The BOD shall approve a provisional annual budget by the November board meeting and a finalized annual budget at the monthly board meeting immediately following notification from APA of grant status.

C. Expenditures outside the scope of the approved budget shall be made only upon approval by the BOD.

Article XII PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

The rules contained in the most current edition of Keesey’s Modern Parliamentary Procedure shall govern the business meetings of the Association on all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

Article XIII AMENDMENTS

A. An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed by the BOD or by a petition of ten percent of the current membership presented to the BOD.

B. An amendment may be adopted by a majority vote of the Members voting on a ballot mailed to the membership
which shall describe the amendment. Ballots must be returned within one month of the mailing date in order to
be counted.

Approved / July 2006