austin amft BYLAWS
Table of Contents
ARTICLE I. NAME, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIP
ARTICLE II. PURPOSES
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS POLICIES
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE VII. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
ARTICLE VII. DUES
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE I. NAME, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIP
Section 1. The name of this Organization shall be the Austin Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (Austin AMFT). We are unaffiliated with either the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) or the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (TAMFT). This Organization serves Travis and surrounding counties, i.e., Travis, Williamson, Burnet, Bastrop, Hays, and Blanco.
Section 2. This Organization is responsible to the duly elected Board of Directors (Officers and Board Members) of the Austin AMFT and all rules and orders lawfully made thereunder.
Section 3. The bylaws of this Organization shall be consistent with those of its Board of Directors who serve and represent the members of this Organization and these bylaws shall be approved by the Board of Directors of the Austin AMFT.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSES
Section 1. The purposes for which this Organization is formed are as follows:
(A) To promote the common professional interests of those who are marital and family therapists in Texas.
(B) To fulfill other purposes stated in the Austin AMFT bylaws.
Section 2. To further the objectives of the Austin AMFT Organization, we may provide meetings, clinical presentations, conference events, newsletter publications, and research in the field, as well as educate the membership and the public regarding the Rules of Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists and other relevant activities.
ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The membership of the Austin AMFT shall be divided into two (2) categories:
A) Voting Members: The voting membership shall be composed of Clinical Members and Associate Members.
B) Non-voting Members: The non-voting membership shall be composed of Student Members and Affiliate Members.
Section 2. Membership in the Austin AMFT is voluntary. Membership to the Austin AMFT is contingent upon the payment of dues.
Section 3. Members shall be governed by and abide by the bylaws of the Austin AMFT and all rules and orders lawfully made thereunder.
ARTICLE IV. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors (the “Board”) shall consist of five (5) primary Officers of President, Past President, President-elect, Secretary, and Treasurer, as well as the following Board Members: Program Director, the Public Relations Director, the Outreach Director, the Elections and Engagement Committee, a Member-at-large, and a Student Representative. All members of the Board of Directors shall be members of Austin AMFT in good standing. Any office may be shared by the request of two persons who agree to serve in co-officer status.
Section 2. The President shall be a Clinical Member and serve a term of one (1) year. The President shall be the Chief Officer of the Chapter and of the Board and shall perform such duties as are customary for presiding officers, including making all required appointments with the approval of the Board. The President shall preside over all meetings of the Organization. The President shall succeed to the office of Past President.
Section 3. The President-elect shall be a Clinical Member or Associate with a reasonable expectation of completing Clinical Member status before completion of the one (1) year term. The President-elect shall serve a term of one (1) year and shall succeed to the office of President. In order to succeed in the President’s position, the President-elect must be a Clinical Member. In the absence of the President, the President-elect performs the duty of President, including running the Organization’s board meetings and events.
Section 4. The Past President shall be a Clinical Member and serve a term of one (1) year. The Past President serves as a consultant to the board and serves as an advisor to the Elections and Engagement Committee to recruit potential new members and board members.
Section 5. The Secretary shall serve a term of two (2) years. The Secretary shall keep the records of all business meetings of the Organization and board meetings, shall keep record of meeting minutes and reports as authorized by these bylaws, and shall be responsible for storing and filing all official documentation of the Organization, including federal and state non-profit filings and any other required legal documents. The Secretary shall be in charge of meeting and event attendance and Continuing Education certificates. The Secretary shall oversee the current membership status and periodically report updates to the Board.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall serve a term of two (2) years. The Treasurer shall oversee the management of funds for duly authorized purposes of the Organization, oversee the annual budget, file annual tax reports at both federal and state levels, communicate with the Organization’s financial advisory personnel, and present periodic financial reports and other financial documents required by law. The fiscal year of the Organization shall begin on the first of January.
Section 7. The Program Director shall serve a term of two (2) years. The Program Director shall be responsible for the coordination of the Organization’s Continuing Education (CE) events, this includes selecting speakers, securing location, and submitting marketing materials to the Public Relations Director and Outreach Director for publication.
Section 8. The Public Relations Director shall serve a term of two (2) years. The Public Relations Director shall be responsible for maintaining the chapter’s website and managing the Organization’s electronic newsletter and announcements prior to each event. The Public Relations Director will coordinate activities as appropriate with the Outreach Director and the Program Director.
Section 9. The Outreach Director shall serve a term of two (2) years. The Outreach Director shall be responsible for managing the Organization’s social media and community presence for the purpose of cultivating new members and marketing. The Outreach Director will coordinate activities as appropriate with the Public Relations Director and the Program Director.
Section 10. The Elections and Engagement Committee shall serve a term of two (2) years. The committee is responsible for engaging new and current members at meetings and events, preparing a slate of candidates for open Board of Directors positions, and executing the election process in the fall of each year. The Elections Committee shall prepare a slate of nominees for all elected positions, and shall oversee the elections of such positions as provided in these bylaws and in rules and procedures adopted by the Board for elections.
Section 11. The Member-at-large shall serve a term of one (1) year. The Member-at-large’s duties and responsibilities are to support the Board of Directors where needed, tasks vary according to the needs of the Organization.
Section 12. The Student Representative shall serve a term of one (1) year. The Student Representative shall continue in their position on the board after graduation until the completion of their term as long as they are in good standing within the appropriate membership category. The Student Representative shall serve as a liaison between the Organization and local universities and help organize and promote student-focused membership and events.
ARTICLE V. BOARD OF DIRECTORS POLICIES
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall exercise all powers of the Organization, except as specifically prohibited by these bylaws. The Board of Directors shall be authorized to adopt and publish such policies, procedures, and rules as may be necessary and consistent with these bylaws and to exercise authority over all of the Organization’s business and funds.
Section 2. The President with the approval of the Board shall appoint committees as needed, including designating a chairperson for each committee.
Section 3. The Board of Directors shall meet monthly, with the exception of the months of July and December.
Section 4. At the call of the President, or at the written request of at least three (3) members of the Board of Directors, a special meeting may be called.
Section 5. When voting, a quorum shall consist of no less than one-half of the membership of the Board of Directors at any given time. Each member of the Board of Directors shall be entitled to one (1) vote and must be present to vote.
Section 6. Austin Association for Marriage & Family Therapy asks each serving member of the Board of Directors to adhere to the following Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct in relation to fellow members of the Board of Directors and members of our organization:
A) Inclusivity: We welcome all backgrounds and identities.
B) Consideration: Our decisions affect other people, so each member of the Board of Directors is asked to take that into account when making decisions.
C) Respect: No personal attacks are permitted in any way. Differences of opinion and disagreements are unavoidable. We agree to resolve issues with respect and professionalism.
D) Professionalism: Be kind and courteous to one another, communicate clearly, and use your competence within your area(s) of responsibility as stated in the bylaws.
E) Ethics & Integrity: Each member of the Board of Directors shall act with integrity and honesty.
Section 7. Austin Association for Marriage & Family Therapy asks each serving member of the Board of Directors to perform their duties and responsibilities as stated in these bylaws and adhere to their term limit. However, situations may arise when a member of the Board of Directors is removed prior to the end of the term limit. General circumstances for the removal of a member of the Board of Directors are as follows:
A) Voluntary removal or resignation: A member of the Board of Directors may resign for personal reasons, including but not limited to increasing responsibilities at work, moving away, or feeling that they are not a good fit for the role. The member of the Board of Directors will submit their resignation in writing, electronic or hard copy, to the entire Board. After the resignation, the Secretary will document the resignation in the Board meeting minutes at the next Board meeting, and the member of the Board of Directors’ resignation letter will be maintained with those meeting minutes.
B) Removal by Board policy: A member of the Board of Directors may be removed for negligence of duties or not performing their position’s responsibilities. The member of the Board of Directors is eligible for removal by violating the item above. For a member of the Board of Directors to be removed, a quorum must be reached which is defined in the Austin Association for Marriage & Family Therapy Bylaws as half of the membership of the Board. The remaining members of the Board of Directors will vote. After the vote to remove the member of the Board of Directors, the Secretary will document the results and reason(s) in the Board meeting minutes at the next Board meeting and that will be maintained with those meeting minutes.
C) Removal for misconduct: A member of the Board of Directors may be removed for misconduct, defined as follows: creating an environment of abuse or division incidents that decrease trust, creating a harassing environment, not adhering to the Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct, or making vocal statements that are at odds with the missions of the organization. In order for a member of the Board of Directors to be removed, a quorum must be reached, which is defined in these bylaws as half of the membership of the Board. The remaining members of the Board of Directors will vote. After the vote to remove the member, the Secretary will document the results and reason(s) in the Board meeting minutes at the next Board meeting and that will be maintained with those meeting minutes.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The annual meeting of the membership shall be held at a date and location to be determined by the Board.
Section 2. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the President or a majority of the Board.
Section 3. Notice of all annual and special meetings shall be sent by the Board of Directors to all voting members of the Chapter at least 21 days in advance of the meeting. Action at such meetings shall be limited to those agenda items contained in the notice of the meeting.
Section 4. A quorum at all annual and special meetings of the Chapter shall be ten (10) percent of the voting membership of the Chapter, present in person at the meeting, not including the Officers and Directors. No proxies shall be permitted.
ARTICLE VII. Nominations and Elections
Section 1. The nomination and election of all elected positions shall be conducted annually in November. All voting members of the Organization shall have the right to vote in the election which shall be conducted by email ballot. Discrimination in election and nomination procedures on the basis of race, color, creed, gender, age or sexual orientation is forbidden. Candidates who are elected shall assume office on the first day of January following their election and shall hold office for the tenure of their office or until their successors have been elected and qualified.
Section 2. The Elections and Engagement Committee shall prepare a slate containing at least one nominee for each position and shall determine the eligibility and willingness of each nominee to stand for election. The candidate who receives the majority of votes for each office shall be elected. Ballots shall be counted by the Elections and Engagement committee.
Section 3. If an Officer or Board of Directors position is up for election, only one candidate has submitted interest to serve in that position, and the Elections and Engagement Committee has determined eligibility of that candidate, then the Board shall not hold an election process for that position and award that position to the candidate.
Section 4. If any office, other than President, becomes vacant the position may remain vacant or the Board may appoint a successor to serve the remainder of the unexpired term. In the event that the President is unable to complete the current term of office, the President-elect shall assume the presidential duties and office, and the Board shall appoint a new President-elect. In any event, the term of the presidency shall not be for less than two (2) years nor more than three (3) years.
ARTICLE VII. DUES
Section 1. All fees assessed to the members of the Organization are paid on a voluntary basis and shall be advertised as such to the Organization’s membership. Membership is contingent upon payment of dues.
ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS
Section 1. These bylaws may be amended or repealed by a two-thirds vote of the voting members voting by email ballot returned within thirty (30) days of the date by which members can reasonably be presumed to have received the ballot. Amendments may be proposed by the Board on its own initiative, or upon petition by twenty (20) percent of the voting members addressed to the Board. All such proposed amendments shall be presented by the Board to the membership with or without recommendation.
REVISED: 12/15/2023
APPROVED: 03/14/2024