MSCA Bylaws
MSCA Bylaws
MICHIGAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION BYLAWS
(Revised October 2020)
ARTICLE I
NAME, MISSION AND PURPOSE
Section 1. Name. The name of the Association shall be the Michigan School Counselor Association (MSCA), a state division of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
Section 2. Mission. The mission of the Michigan School Counselor Association is to actively promote excellence in professional school counseling by strengthening the identity and competencies of professional school counselors so that they may more effectively serve their students, school communities, and families.
Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of the Association shall be to:
A. Strengthen the beliefs, skills, and knowledge of school counselors to develop programsthat directly align with the needs of ALL students in the areas of academic, career, and social-emotional development.
B. Empower school counselors to be leaders and change agents who advocate for equitable and accessible services for ALL students.
C. Equip school counselors with the tools and resources to advocate for the appropriaterole of a school counselor so they can better serve their students.
D. Create a strong network of support amongst membership through collaboration and sharing of best practices.
E. Develop leadership capacity in which the role of a school counselor is exemplified through the implementation of a comprehensive program that supports student success.
F. Maximize the support provided to membership by remaining current on professional trends and best practices.
G. Serve as the representative body for school counselors at the state level.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Types of Memberships. This Association shall include four types of membership: Professional, Retired, Student, and Affiliate.
Section 2. Requirements of Membership. In order to qualify for one of the four types of membership, an individual must meet the following requirements for the membership being sought:
A. Professional Membership. Professional members must hold a master’s degree or higher in counseling and meet one or more of the following requirements: be credentialed as a school counselor or counselor educator in a post-secondary institution.
B. Retired Membership. Upon retirement, professional members are eligible for retired membership status and shall be entitled to reduced annual dues.
C. Student Membership. Graduate students who are pursuing a Masters degree in the area of school counseling may become student members. Student members shall be entitled to reduced annual dues.
D. Affiliate Membership. Individuals interested in counseling and/or related fields, not eligible for any other type of membership, may become Affiliate members.
Section 3. Dues. Dues shall be set by the Governing Board for all categories of members.
Section 4. Rights and Privileges. Professional, Retired, Student, and Affiliate members may vote on matters coming before the Association, as deemed appropriate by the Governing Board. Only Professional and Retired members shall be eligible to hold elective office in the Association. President-Elect, President, and Immediate Past President must be members of ASCA in order to serve as members of the ASCA Delegate Assembly. All categories of membership may be appointed to the Governing Board.
Section 5. Severance of Membership.
A. A member may be dropped from membership for any conduct that tends to injure the Association or adversely affects its reputation, or that is contrary to or destructive of its mission according to the Bylaws and the most recent edition of the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
B. A member shall be dropped from membership for nonpayment of dues.
Section 6. Nondiscrimination.
A. The Michigan School Counselor Association does not knowingly engage in or support activities that discriminate on any basis as addressed in the most recent edition of the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
ARTICLE III.
OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers and Terms of Office.
A. The officers of the Association shall be the President, President-Elect or Immediate Past President, four level Vice Presidents, four level Representatives, Treasurer, and Secretary, and shall constitute a twelve (12) member Executive Committee.
B. All officers of the Association, except the Secretary and Treasurer, shall be elected at large from among eligible members of the Association.
C. The term of President is a two-year term.
D. The term of President-Elect, is a one-year term and must meet one of the following two prerequisites for nomination to the position of President-Elect:
a. Served on the board for two consecutive years
b. Served in the role of at least one of the following positions: Conference Chair, Legislative Chair, Level VP The President-Elect shall automatically become President of the Association one year after commencement of the term as President-Elect, or upon resignation or other incapacity of the President. In the event a President-Elect shall resign or be unable to complete the term, or the President’s unexpired term, the Immediate Past President shall assume the position of President until the Governing Board appoints a qualified member to fill any such vacancy.
E. The Immediate Past President shall serve for one year, following the expiration of the term as President.
F. The Secretary and Treasurer, with the approval of the Governing Board, shall be appointed by the President-Elect in the spring preceding the term of presidency, and shall serve a term concurrent with that individual’s presidency. The terms of office may be consecutive based upon the discretion of the President-Elect.
G. There shall be four (4) Representatives elected each year: elementary school (including preschool), middle and/or junior high school, high school, and counselor educator or supervisor. A representative elected shall be employed as a counselor in the work setting to be represented at the time of appointment. Representatives shall be elected for a two-year term ascending to the Vice-Presidency of that level in the second year.
H. An elected officer shall not be a candidate for reelection to the same office.
I. The term of office for any elected office shall coincide with the fiscal year of the Association (July1-June 30) or until a successor is elected.
Section 2. Nominations and Elections of Officers.
A. To be eligible for any elective office, an individual must be a Professional or Retired member of MSCA.
B. During the MSCA Annual Conference, the Nominations and Elections Committee shall issue a call to all members of the Association for nomination of officers for the following year. Announcement of nomination procedure and appropriate forms will be published.
C. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall determine the eligibility of and select from the nominees for placement on the elections ballot.
D. Information related to each nominee will be published. The four level Representatives shall be elected annually by electronically transmitted ballot prior to the end of the school year. The President-Elect shall be elected biannually in odd years by electronically transmitted ballot. Ballots shall be counted electronically and confirmed by the Nominations and Elections Committee. All elected officers shall be notified by the Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee of their selection.
E. If any officer elected should be unable to assume office by the beginning of the Association’s fiscal year or to complete the term of that office, the next ranking candidate in the election shall be asked to assume that position. The Governing Board shall have the authority to fill any vacancy for which there are no other provisions.
Section 3. Duties of Officers.
A. The President shall serve as the presiding officer of MSCA. The President shall perform the necessary duties to fulfill the vision and purpose of the Association. Additional duties consist of, but are not limited to, the following: oversee committee work, provide a centralized voice for the association, and serve as a delegate to the ASCA Delegate
Assembly. The President shall perform the duties customary to that office and additional duties as directed by the Governing Board.
B. The President-Elect shall perform duties as directed by the Governing Board and shall serve as a delegate to the ASCA Delegate Assembly. In the spring preceding the term of presidency, the President-Elect, with the approval of the Governing Board, shall appoint the standing committee chairs, the secretary, and the treasurer to serve a two-year term
concurrent with that individual’s presidency. The President-Elect shall serve on the Budget Committee. In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President.
C. The immediate Past-President shall perform such duties as directed by the Governing Board and shall serve as a delegate to the ASCA Delegate Assembly.
D. The level Vice-Presidents and Representatives of the Association shall be responsible specifically for strengthening the support for their respective levels by remaining current on professional trends and best practices, as well as representing their levels in board decisions and actions. The level Representatives should also commit to providing
networking opportunities to expand collaboration, networking, and professional learning for members.
E. The level Representatives shall serve on the Nominations and Elections Committee.
F. The Secretary shall record official proceedings of the Executive Committee and the Governing Board, maintain the records of the Association and perform such other duties as are incidental to this office.
G. The Treasurer shall receive all money belonging to the Association, keep an account of all receipts and expenditures, present in writing a financial report at each Governing Board meeting and at the end of each fiscal year, serve on the Budget Committee and perform other duties as directed by the Governing Board.
H. All officers shall be familiar with the responsibilities listed in these bylaws and in their respective job descriptions.
I. All officers shall report their progress in writing to the Governing Board at each meeting and shall submit a written annual report to the Governing Board at the last meeting of the fiscal year.
J. All MSCA Governing Board members shall be members of MSCA.
K. The President, Immediate Past President, and President-Elect must be professional members of ASCA.
Section 4. Removal from Office. Any officer may be removed from office for cause, by a two-thirds majority vote of the Governing Board.
Section 5. Compensation and Expenses of Officers. Officers shall not receive any compensation for services. Expenses incurred by officers may be reimbursed as provided by the budget of the Association.
ARTICLE IV
COMMITTEES
Section 1. Committees. The committees of the Association shall consist of such standing and special committees as may be determined by the Governing Board and those listed in these bylaws. The President-Elect, with the approval of the Governing Board, shall appoint the standing committee chairs in the spring preceding the term of presidency to serve a two-year term concurrent with that individual’s presidency. The President, with the approval of the Governing Board, shall appoint special committees.
Section 2. Standing Committees. The standing committees shall be:
A. Bylaws. The Bylaws Committee shall consist of members who have served, or are currently serving in the role of President-Elect or President. The committee will review the bylaws of the Association annually and make recommendations concerning revisions to the Governing Board.
B. Ethics. The Ethics Committee shall review the most recent edition of the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors annually and assist the membership in understanding ethical practices. At least one member must hold the ASCA Ethical Specialist credential.
C. Membership. The Membership Committee shall organize and implement methods and techniques to increase and retain the membership of the Association.
D. Nominations and Election. The Nominations and Elections Committee shall follow the guidelines for selecting officers of the Association in accordance with Article III, Section 2 of these bylaws.
E. Professional Recognition and Awards. The Professional Recognition and Awards Committee shall select and present all regular and special awards of the Association, which includes, but are not limited to: Administrator of the Year, Legislator(s) of the Year, School Counselor of the Year, and Clay Scholarship.
F. Outreach. The Outreach Committee will periodically survey the needs of professional school counselors, will make recommendations for meeting member needs, and will communicate the benefits and services provided to members of the Association.
G. Social Justice. The Social Justice Committee shall raise awareness of current social justice and equity concerns by providing updated resources and information regarding equity-focused training opportunities.
H. Public Policy and Legislation. The Public Policy and Legislative Committee shall
participate in meetings with policymakers when legislative topics are being discussed that impact the profession of school counseling. Committee members may be asked to represent the Association around relative legislative and policy topics.
I. Interprofessional Relations. The Interprofessional Relations Committee shall advance the profession of school counseling by advocating for the appropriate utilization of school counselors through relationships with professional education associations and other stakeholder organizations that are in alignment with the strategic plan of the Association.
J. College and Career Planning. The College and Career Planning Committee shall update the Association about PK-12 current trends in career development and in post-secondary career planning options for students, including technical training, apprenticeship programs, college, and military.
K. Media. The Media Committee shall access and utilize communication platforms to inform members of current trends and updates within the profession and Association. The committee will also coordinate/collaborate the maintenance of the MSCA website.
L. Professional Development. The Professional Development Committee shall provide school counselor specific professional learning opportunities and resources to promote school counselor professional growth in formats such as webinars, seminars, collaborative events, book studies, and/or conferences.
M. Conference Committee. A sub-committee shall be established to organize and coordinate the annual fall conference. The committee will be led by a designated Conference Chair and/or Co-Chairs
N. Comprehensive School Counseling. The School Counseling Committee shall develop, support, and train school counselors in the Comprehensive School Counseling Program endorsed by the Association. The committee shall provide additional support and resources to school counselors pursuing the RAMP designation.
O. Finance. The Finance Committee shall develop an initial operating budget for consideration, revision, and eventual adoption by the Governing Board, implement the operation of the budget by monitoring income and expenditures, and make fiscal recommendations to the Governing Board.
Section 3. Special Committees. Special committees may be created to address the goals of the Association and in response to ongoing planning and the critical needs of the membership.
Section 4. Responsibilities of Committee Chairs.
A. All committee chairs shall be familiar with the responsibilities listed in these bylaws and in their respective job descriptions.
B. All committee chairs shall report their progress in writing to the Governing Board at each meeting and shall submit a written annual report to the Governing Council at the last meeting of the fiscal year.
Section 5. Removal from Office. Any committee chair may be removed from office, for cause, by a two thirds majority vote of the Governing Board.
Section 6. Compensation and Expenses of Committee Chairs. Committee chairs shall not receive any compensation for services. Expenses incurred by committee chairs may be reimbursed as provided by the budget of the Association.
ARTICLE V
GOVERNING BOARD
Section 1. Composition. All elected and appointed officers and chairpersons will make up the Governing Board.
Section 2. Powers and Functions of the Governing Board. The Governing Board shall:
A. Establish policies as stated within the bylaws and amendments to govern the affairs of the Association.
B. Formulate operational policies appropriate for executive action and direct the execution thereof.
C. Act on the reports of the officers and committee chairs.
D. Adopt and amend the bylaws.
E. Exercise such other powers and functions as may be necessary or desirable in the best interests of the Association, not in conflict with the bylaws.
F. Be responsible for identifying issues and establishing priorities pertinent to the Association.
G. Establish broad, long-term professional directions for the Association.
H. Uphold the purpose of the Association by active participation and implementation.
Section 3. Voting Rights and Responsibilities. One of the primary functions of the Governing Board is to vote on matters that impact the Association and/or the school counseling profession. Topics that constitute a board vote should
consist of, but are not limited to, the following:
A. Legislative policies and practices
B. Financial matters (exceeding 5% of total savings)
C. Collaborative partnerships
D. Initiatives that require abundant time and resources from Governing Board
E. Other, as indicated by the President
Section 4. Meetings of the Governing Board.
A. A minimum of four (4) Governing Board business meetings will be held annually. Attendance at these meetings may be virtual or face-to-face at the discretion of the President of the Association or appointed designee.
B. A strategic planning and visioning retreat will be held each summer at the discretion of the President.
C. The President of the Association shall preside at meetings of the Governing Board and, in the President’s absence, the President-Elect or Immediate Past President shall preside.
Section 5. Expectations of Governing Board Members.
A. Must attend at least 75% of MSCA Board Meetings and annual board functions, such as Association conferences, (in-person or virtual). If a board member does not meet minimum attendance requirements, the following process must be followed:
a. Discussion about board participation with President
b. Self-evaluation and personal reflection of board participation
c. A vote must be constituted to decide continued membership on the board
B. Uphold a professional reputation that positively represents MSCA
ARTICLE VI
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. Composition. The Executive Committee shall consist of the officers of the Association.
Section 2. Power and Functions of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Association, as needed, for the Governing Board during the intervals between its meetings.
Section 3. Meetings of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall meet at the discretion of the President.
ARTICLE VII
PUBLICATIONS
Section 1. Publications. The official publication of the Association shall be communicated through the ASCA newsletter, in which board members and President will contribute state-specific articles. Any other publications of the Association shall be decided upon by the Governing Board.
ARTICLE VIII
BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Association shall be July 1-June 30.
Section 2. MSCA Annual Meeting. The President of the Association shall call an annual business meeting of the Association each year during the fall conference.
ARTICLE IX
ASCA DELEGATE ASSEMBLY
Section 1. ASCA Delegate Assembly. The President and the President-Elect or Immediate Past President shall be delegates to the ASCA Delegate Assembly. Other delegates may be chosen from the members of the Governing Board. Delegates must be professional members of ASCA.
ARTICLE X
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 1. The Association shall indemnify each member of the Governing Board and each of its officers, as described in Article VI for the defense of civil or criminal actions or proceedings as hereinafter provided and, notwithstanding any provision in these Bylaws, in a manner and to the extent permitted by applicable law.
Section 2. The Association shall indemnify each of its officers, as aforesaid, from and against any and all judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement, and reasonable expenses, including attorney’s fees, actually and necessarily incurred or imposed as a result of such action or proceedings, or an appeal therin, imposed upon or asserted against him or her by reason of being or having been such officer and acting within the scope of his or her official duties, but only when the determination shall have been made judicially or in the manner hereinafter provided that he or she acted in good faith for the purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be in MSCA’s best interests and, in the case of criminal action or proceeding, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. This indemnification shall be made only if the Association shall be advised by its Governing Board acting (1) by quorum consisting of Governing Board members who are not parties to such section or proceedings upon a finding that, or (2) if counsel that, the Governing Board or officer has met the foregoing applicable standard of conduct. If the undergoing determination is to be made by the Governing Board, it may rely as to all questions of law on the advice of independent legal counsel.
Section 3. Every reference herein to a member of the Governing Board or officer of the Association shall include every member and officer thereof or former member and officer thereof. This indemnification shall apply to all judgments, fines, amounts in settlement, and reasonable expenses described above whenever arising allowable as above-stated. The right of indemnification herein provided shall be in addition to any and all rights to which any MSCA member or officer might otherwise be entitled and the provisions hereof shall neither impair nor adversely affect such rights.
ARTICLE XI
ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Revisions, Amendments and Adoption. These bylaws may be revised and/oramended by a majority vote of the Governing Board as provided in this section.
A. Bylaws are reviewed annually by the Bylaw Committee. Revisions should be reviewed and adopted by a majority vote of the Governing Board.
B. An amendment shall be proposed in writing to the Bylaws Committee by the Governing Board or over the signature of fifty members in good standing not less than thirty days prior to any regularly scheduled meeting of the Governing Board.
C. Copies of amendments proposed under the provisions of the foregoing paragraph shall be mailed electronically to members of the Governing Board not less than 30 days prior to any meeting of the Governing Board.
Section 2. Publication. The bylaws of this Association shall be published in their entirety from time to time and shall be available to any member upon request.
ARTICLE XII
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Section 1. Parliamentary Authority. The business of the Association shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order except where otherwise specified in these bylaws.
Revised: October 23, 2020
Adopted by Governing Board: December 8, 2020
Bylaws Committee: Terri Tchorzynski, President; Judy Williams, Immediate Past President;
Tony Warren, Past President
Revised: July 27, 2003
Adopted by Governing Board: September 19, 2003
Amended: March 3, 2005
Revised: May 15, 2015
Adopted by Governing Board: September 11, 2015