♦ Bylaws of the Western Association ♦

for Counselor Education and Supervision

(A Regional Division of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision)

Adopted 1994

Article I:  Name and Purpose

Section 1.  Name:

The name of this Association shall be the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (WACES), a regional section of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), a division of the American Counseling Association (ACA).

Section 2.  Affiliation:

This Association is autonomous in the conduct of its affairs, and is organized and governed in accordance with the Bylaws of ACES and the Bylaws of ACA.

Section 3.  Purpose:

The purpose of the Association in accordance with the Bylaws of ACES, shall be to advance counselor education and counselor supervision. It shall provide a communication vehicle for members of the Association, advance knowledge and skills in fields related to all levels of counselor education and counselor supervision, and improve competencies for members, their students and supervisees. WACES shall be a potent force toward improving guidance, counseling, and student personnel services in all settings of society.

Section 4.  Dissolution:

In the event of dissolution or final liquidation of the Association, the Executive Council shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the lawful debts and liabilities of the Association, distribute all the assets of the Association to one or more of the following categories of recipients as the Executive Council of the Association shall determine:

(a)   a non-profit organization or organization which may have been created to succeed the Association, as long as such organization or each of such organizations shall then qualify as a governmental unit under section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or as an organization exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(a) of such Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of such Code; and/or

(b)   a non-profit organization or organizations having similar aims and objects as the Association and which may be selected as an appropriate recipient of such assets, as long as such organization or each of such organizations shall then qualify as a governmental unit under section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 or as an organization exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(a) of such Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of such Code.

       No part of the net earnings, gains, or assets of the Association shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its directors, officers, other private individuals, or organizations organized and operated for a profit (except that the Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes as hereinabove stated). No substantial part of the activities of the Association shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall be empowered to make the election authorized under section 501(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. The Association shall not 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 other provision herein, the Association shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on:

(1)   by an organization exempt from federal income taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of such Code,

(2)   by an organization described in sections 509(a)(1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (as the case may be), and/or

(3)   by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under sections 170(c)(2), 2055(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954. References herein to sections of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended, are to provisions of such Code as those provisions are now enacted or to corresponding provisions of any future United States internal revenue law.

Article II:  Membership

Section 1.  Types of Membership:

This Association shall consist of three types of membership: regular, student, and retired. Special memberships may be established by vote of the membership upon recommendation of the Executive Council.

Section 2.  Privileges of Membership:

(a)   Regular members shall have all the rights and privileges normally accorded members of a scientific, educational and professional association including the right to vote and hold elective office.

(b)   Student members shall have all the rights and privileges accorded regular members as long as they meet the criteria the Association prescribes for student membership.

(c)   Retired members shall be exempt from annual dues and shall maintain all the privileges of regular members.

Section 3:  Requirements for Membership:

(a)        To be eligible for regular membership, a person must meet the requirements of sub-section (b) of this section and:

(1)   be on the faculty of or affiliated with a college or university and be regularly engaged in the professional preparation of professional counselors or student personnel workers; or

(2)   be regularly engaged in performing the duties of a local, state or national supervisor of guidance, counseling, or student personnel services, or in performing the duties of professional assistant to such supervisors; or

(3)   be otherwise regularly engaged in professional leadership, consultation, and coordination of state qualified counselors or other student personnel services professionals. The term "regularly engaged" shall mean that the specified professional activity constitutes a significant and continuing aspect of the individual's professional work.

(b)   In addition to meeting the requirements of sub-section (a) of this section, a person to be eligible for regular membership must be a recipient of a graduate degree conferred by an accredited graduate school based in part upon coursework providing preparation for performing the duties in sub-section (a) of this section.

(c)   To be eligible for student membership, a person shall be actively enrolled in a graduate program leading to a graduate degree as described in (b) above.

(d)   A regular member may retain this status s long as the member maintains continuous membership in WACES. Any regular member whose membership is severed in accordance with Section 5 of this article and who applies for reinstatement as a regular member shall be required to meet, at the time of the member's reinstatement, the then existing requirements.

Section 4.  Membership Procedures:

The Executive Council shall prescribe the forms and procedures to be used in approving applications for membership in accordance with policies established by WACES.

Section 5.  Severance of Membership:

(a)   Failure to pay dues as prescribed by the Association shall be interpreted as withdrawal from membership. Reinstatement shall be by renewed application.

(b)   Any member may be dropped from membership for any conduct that tends to injure the Association or to affect its reputation adversely, or that is contrary to or destructive of its objectives according to the Bylaws and Code of Ethics of the Association. Complaints brought against members shall be processed according to the ACA Bylaws and the ACA Ethics Committee Policy and Procedure for Processing Complaints of Ethical Violations.

Article III:  Meetings of the Association

Section 1.  Business Year:

The official business year of the Association shall extend from July 1 through June 30.

Section 2.  Annual Meeting:

An annual business meeting of the Association shall be held at a time and place to be determined by the Executive Council. When possible, a central location which can accommodate the convention shall be selected for its accessibility to the membership. The annual meeting must be held at least two months before the ACES annual meeting.

Section 3.  Special Sessions:

The President may, with the approval of the Executive Council, call additional meetings of the Association.

Article IV:  The Executive Council

Section 1.  Functions of the Executive Council:

The Executive Council shall be the agency through which the general administrative and executive functions of the Association shall be carried out. It shall perform the responsibilities assigned to it by these Bylaws and shall conduct, manage, and control the business of the Association between annual meetings of the Association, and report its actions to the membership. It shall be responsible for appointing successors when elected officers cannot complete their terms, as defined in these Bylaws.

Section 2.  Membership of the Council:

The Executive Council shall be comprised of the Association President (who shall vote only in the case of a tie), Past-President, President-Elect, President-Elect-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, 7 state presidents, or their representatives as voting members. The President may invite additional ex-officio members (e.g., Newsletter Editor) as needed.

Section 3.  Meetings of the Executive Council:

The Executive Council shall meet each year at the annual WACES Convention or ACES Convention and during the year as needed. The Executive Council shall conduct at least one business meeting with the membership during the annual WACES Convention or ACES Convention to deliberate Association concerns.

Section 4.  Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee shall consist of the Association President, Past-President, President-Elect, President-Elect-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. This committee shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Executive Council, and shall carry out the duties of the Executive Council when time, distances and/or finances make meetings of the Executive Council impractical.

Article V:  Officers

Section 1.  Officers:

The officers of the Association shall be the President, Past-President, President-Elect, President-Elect-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Elected officials shall serve a term of one year with the exceptions of Secretary and Treasurer which shall serve staggered, two-year terms.

Section 2.  The President:

The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and Chair of the Executive Council. The President shall appoint chairs and members of all committees unless otherwise specifically provided for in these Bylaws or by motion establishing such committees. The President shall appoint the Newsletter Editor of the Association as a nonvoting member of the Executive Council. The President shall hold ex-officio membership on all committees, and shall serve as the official or at-large representative to people or groups outside of the Association. The President shall report annually to the Executive Council, ACES Delegate Assembly, and the Association members regarding the business of the Association and other items of concern to the members.

Section 3.  The Past-President:

The immediate Past-President shall serve as advisor to the President. S/he shall serve as Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee and the Awards Committee, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 4.  The President-Elect:

The President-Elect shall act as President at all Association or Executive Council meetings in the absence of the President. S/he shall succeed to the Presidency at the expiration of the term as President-Elect. The President-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Annual Convention held during the year that s/he is President-Elect, shall coordinate the procedure for designating the Outstanding Program Award, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 5.  The President-Elect-Elect:

The President-Elect-Elect shall act as President at all Association or Executive Council meetings in the absence of the President and President-Elect. S/he shall succeed to the office of President-Elect at the expiration of the term as President-Elect-Elect. The President-Elect-Elect shall serve as Chair of the Annual Convention which will be held during the year s/he is President-Elect, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 6.  The Secretary:

The Secretary shall keep the records of the current activities of the Association and the Executive Council, shall serve as Association archivist, shall, in coordination with the Association Treasurer, maintain the official membership roster, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

Section 7.  The Treasurer:

The Treasurer shall have custody of all the funds and other properties belonging to the organization, shall deposit all funds of the Association into such bank or banks as the Executive Council may direct, shall have the authority to sign checks and drafts on behalf of the Association for the disbursement of funds for duly authorized purposes, shall assist the Association Secretary in maintaining the official membership roster, and shall perform such other duties as assigned by the President.

Article VI:  Committees

Section 1.  Standing Committees:

There shall be standing committees of the Association as follows:

(a)   Nominations and Elections Committee

(b)   Membership Committee

(c)   Graduate Student Committee

(d)   Awards Committee

Section 2.  Committee Functions:

The functions of the standing committees shall be as follows:

(a)   The Nominations and Elections Committee shall be responsible for carrying out nominations and elections procedures in accordance with these Bylaws. This committee shall be chaired by the immediate Past-President.

(b)   The Membership Committee shall actively promote membership, recruitment and retention in the Association, and shall coordinate membership activities with the Association Secretary.

(c)   The Graduate Student Committee shall actively promote the involvement and interests of graduate students in the Association. The chair of this committee shall coordinate activities with the chair of the ACES Graduate Student Committee. The Association President shall appoint the chair of this committee.

(d)   The Awards Committee shall solicit nominations for the awards which shall be presented at the WACES or ACES annual convention. The committee chair shall present the recommendations to the Executive Committee for approval. The Awards Committee shall be chaired by the immediate Past-President.

Section 3.  Special Committees:

Special Committees may be authorized by the Association or by the Executive Council. Such committees shall continue for not more than two years unless otherwise specified in the motions establishing such committees.

Section 4.  Interest Networks:

Interest networks may be authorized by the Executive Council. Such networks identified by professional interest areas shall be as long as there is need and may be deactivated by the Executive Council.

Section 5.  Terms of Chairs:

Chairs of all committees and interest networks shall serve for a period of one year, but may be reappointed to succeed themselves unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws.

Article VII:  Dues

Section 1.  Dues:

In addition to the allocation received from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), the Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision shall assess additional annual dues as set by the Executive Council in accordance with these Bylaws.

Section 2.  Dues Increase:

Annual membership dues may be increased after consideration by the Executive Council and a majority vote of the members present at the open business meeting conducted by the Executive Council at the annual meeting of the Association.

Article VIII:  Election of Officers

Section 1.  Nominees:

The Nominations and Elections Committee shall prepare an official slate of nominees for each position of WACES President-Elect-Elect (1-year term), Secretary (2-year term) and Treasurer (2-year term). Nominations for ACES and ACA officers shall also be prepared. The Committee shall secure each nominee's consent prior to presenting the slate to the membership. A call for nominations shall be in the Association newsletter prior to the annual meeting.

Section 2.  Presentation of the Slate:

The slate of nominations prepared by the Nominations and Elections Committee shall be presented to the membership during the annual business meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the annual business meeting. Each nominee's consent must be secured prior to nomination. A motion from the floor shall be required to close the nominations.

Section 3.  Voting:

Voting shall be by secret, mailed or emailed ballot (using appropriate technology to ensure confidentiality), and election will be determined by a plurality of those voting. Ballots must be postmarked within 45 days of mailing. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall designate an Association member to receive and count the ballots, and then report results to the President within 15 days after the postmarked deadline.

Section 4.  Assumption of Duties:

Elected officers shall assume the duties of their offices on July 1 following their elections.

Section 5.  Vacancies in Unexpired Terms:

In case of vacancy in the office of President, the President-Elect shall succeed to the President's unexpired term and continue through the term for which elected. In case of vacancy in the office of President-Elect, the President-Elect-Elect shall succeed to the President-Elect's unexpired term and continue through the term for which elected. In case of a vacancy in any of the other offices, the President shall appoint person(s) to fill the unexpired term(s).

Article IX:  Conduct of Business

Section 1.  Special Proceedings:

The Bylaws of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) shall govern the proceedings of this Association not otherwise specified in these Bylaws.

Section 2.  Quorum:

A quorum for conducting business at scheduled business meetings of the Association shall be determined as those who are present at the annual business meeting of the Association. A quorum for conducting business of the Executive Council shall be determined as a majority of the authorized elected/appointed officers present.

Section 3.  Voting:

Each Association member shall be entitled to one vote. The President of the Association shall vote only in the case of a tie.

Section 4.  Resolutions:

Any WACES member may submit a resolution for vote during the annual business meeting. Resolutions may be brought to the membership through the Executive Council or they may be submitted directly from the floor.

Article X:  Awards

Section 1.  Purpose:

The Western Association for Counselor Education and Supervision shall regularly recognize and honor achievements and contributions to the Association and to the counseling profession. WACES Awards shall be traditionally presented at the annual fall convention.

Section 2.  Nomination Procedure:

A nomination for a WACES award shall be made in the form of a letter from the nominator to the chair of the Awards Committee. The letter shall specify clearly the award for which the person is being nominated and indicate reasons why the individual is deserving of the award. Additional support material and at least two letters of recommendation from WACES members shall be included.

Section 3.  WACES Award Criteria:

(a)   WACES Professional Service Award shall honor outstanding service to WACES and/or to the cause of counselor education and supervision that is of regional and national importance to the profession.

(b)   WACES Professional Leadership Award shall honor excellence in leadership of an officer, committee person, or other leader or major contributor to the WACES professional association at a national, regional, or state level.

(c)   WACES Research Award shall honor significant research in counseling, counselor education, and/or counselor supervision.

(d)   WACES Publication Award shall honor a significant publishing effort related to counseling, counselor education, and/or counselor supervision.

(e)   WACES Outstanding Mentor Award shall honor an individual who has been a significant mentor to graduate students, emerging professionals, educators, and/or supervisors.

(f)    WACES Innovative Counselor Education Program Award shall honor an outstanding, innovative, or unique counselor education program in the western region.

(g)   WACES Outstanding Graduate Student Award shall honor a student who has provided outstanding leadership and/or service to the profession or to WACES. Involvement may have been state, regional, and/or national, and must be directly relevant to the advancement of the profession or WACES.

(h)   WACES Special Recognition Award shall honor individuals (WACES members and nonmembers) who have promoted and supported the counseling profession.

Article XI:  Bylaws

Section 1.  Amendments:

Amendments to the Bylaws shall be made at the annual business meeting of the Association by an affirmative vote of the membership as determined in Article IX, Sections 2 and 3, of these Bylaws. Proposals to amend these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the President of the Association at least twenty-four hours before a vote is taken so that the President may provide copies of the proposed amendment(s) to members at the annual business meeting.

Section 2.  Emergency Amendments:

In case of an emergency, the Executive Council shall submit a proposed amendment to the membership for a mail or email vote. Twenty days after mailing the proposed amendment to the membership, the polls shall be closed and the votes counted by the Secretary. If passed by a majority of the members voting, the amendment shall go into effect immediately.

Section 3.  Revisions:

Revisions of the Bylaws shall be made by a special committee appointed by the Association President. At least 30 days prior to the annual business meeting, the proposed revisions shall be sent to all Association members. The proposed revisions shall be acted upon by the Association by the affirmative vote of the membership as defined in Article IX, Sections 2 and 3, of these Bylaws.