Bylaws

The Bylaws of the Virginia Career Development Association guide the ongoing practices and procedures for VCDA.

The VCDA Bylaws were revised in November 2009 to include a general membership category to allow membership of individuals who do not have a graduate degree in counseling.

For more information on membership, please contact us at virginiacareerdevelopment@gmail.com.

BYLAWS

Virginia Career Development Association, A Division of the National Career Development Association and the Virginia Counselors Association

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. Name

The name of this Association shall be the Virginia Career Development Association (VCDA), a Division of the National Career Development Association (NCDA), and a Division of the Virginia Counselors Association (VCA) – (hereafter referred to as VCDA or as the Association).

Section 2. Affiliation

This Association is organized and governed in accordance with the Laws of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) – a Division of the American Counseling Association (ACA), and the VCA and shall be subject to those provisions of NCDA and VCA which apply to their Divisions.

Section 3. Purpose

The purpose of VCDA shall be to promote a greater understanding of the meaning of work and vocation, and career, to promote and foster career development over the life span, and to establish and improve the standards of professional service in the field of career development in Virginia.

ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Types of Membership

All members of VCDA must be members of VCA. Membership in VCDA shall be regular, emeritus and student.

Regular membership shall be for those holding VCA and VCDA membership consistent with the types of membership permitted by VCA, currently identified as

  • Professional Members
  • Regular Members
  • Emeritus
  • Graduate Student Members

Section 2. Procedure For Membership

A regular, emeritus and student applicant for VCA membership shall direct the combined applications to the VCA Executive Board for approval. The Board will then forward the application to the VCDA

President. All prospective memberships and renewed memberships shall be processed through the Membership Director of VCA, according to the procedures established by VCA. Non-NCDA members may not vote for national officers or for representatives to the NCDA Delegate Assembly.

Section 3. Voting

  1. All members of VCDA shall be entitled to vote for VCDA Board members and other official business of VCDA at General Meetings, and hold office in VCDA.
  2. Official votes at VCDA Board meetings will only be cast by elected officers. Only an elected member of the Executive Board may move and second an official motion at a VCDA meeting.
  3. Appointed Committee Chairs can initiate and contribute to the discussion at Board meetings, but may not officially cast a ballot.

ARTICLE III: VCDA OFFICERS

Section 1. Officers and their terms

  1. The Officers of VCDA and the length of their term of office shall be:
  • President (1 year)
  • Immediate Past President (1 Year)
  • President Elect (1 Year)
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Directors‐at‐Large: Professional Development
  • Director‐at‐Large: Membership
  1. The officers of VCDA shall be a President, the immediate Past President, president-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, two Directors-at-large, and appointed chairpersons. This shall be the Executive Board.
  2. The term of office for any elected officer of VCDA shall begin on July 1 following the election and shall continue for the specified length of the term, a term of one year or until a successor takes office, except for the Directors-at-large who shall serve for a term of two years and the Secretary and Treasurer who shall serve for a term of two years each and to be elected on alternate years.
  3. All elected members of the VCDA Board must be members of NCDA

Section 2. Nominations, and Election, and Succession of Officers

Elections shall take place for President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer and Directors-at-large, and shall be conducted by secret ballot, either through an online electronic process, or through a mailed process. They shall be elected as follows:

  1. Nominations and Elections Committee shall be appointed by the President.
  2. The nominating committee shall nominate one or more VCDA members for each office.
  3. A space on the ballot will be provided for write-in candidate names for each office.
  4. The candidates receiving a majority of the votes of the ballots returned shall be considered elected. If a candidate does not have a majority of the votes cast, a run-off election will be conducted as soon as possible after the election between the two top vote-getters.ny Bartolot10/25/08 10:40 AM
  5. A President-Elect shall be elected on a yearly basis, and continue to the role of President in the second year, and to the role of Immediate Past-President in the third year.
  6. The election for the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be during alternating years, and the election for the Directors-at-Large shall also be on alternating years.
  7. All elections shall be organized by the Chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee no later than April 15, and due notice shall be given to the members of the Association about the process and the candidates running for office.
  8. Ballots shall be setup electronically or sent by mail to members. They shall be submitted electronically, and they will be returned to the Nominations and Elections Chair by an anonymous electronic or paper process.
  9. At a physical or “virtual” meeting of the Nominations and Elections Committee, at a meeting of the Nominations and Elections Committee all such envelopes shall be unsealed, the ballots shall be tallied, and the results certified to the President of the Association as soon as possible.
  10. Candidates shall be notified of the election results by the VCDA President as soon as possible.
  11. Elected officers shall take office July 1. The secretary shall be elected on even numbered years and the treasurer on odd numbered years.
  12. In the event the office of President becomes vacant before the end of the term, the President-elect shall succeed to this office and complete that term plus the normal term in office.
  13. In the event of the resignation, incapacity or death of an elected officer the President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, or the two Directors-at-large, the Board of Directors shall have the authority to appoint a person to succeed to the office and complete the term of office.

Section 3. Duties of Officers

  1. During the term of office the President shall:
  1. Serve as presiding officer at Board meetings and General Meetings of the Association;
  2. Serve as a member of the VCA Board of Directors;
  3. Appoint all necessary committees, and perform such duties as are normally incident to the office;
  4. Immediately following the VCDA elections, the President will forward to the NCDA Coordinator of State Divisions the names and addresses of the officers and board members of VCDA, and submit whatever appropriate reporting is requested by NCDA, one month prior to the annual meeting of NCDA, the President of VCDA shall transmit to the NCDA Coordinator of State Divisions a report of the VCDA activities, the number of division members and their type of membership, and the names of the delegates to the NCDA Delegate Assembly at the ACA Convention.
  1. The Immediate Past-President shall be a member of the Executive Board and serve as a chairperson of the nominations and elections committee.
  2. The President-elect shall
  1. Be the Chair of the Conference Committee and the chairperson of the program committee,
  2. Assist the President in administering the duties of that office, and
  3. Succeed to the presidency on July 1st or when the office of president becomes vacant.
  1. The Secretary shall:
  1. Keep the records and minutes of the meetings of VCDA and its Executive Board; and
  2. Perform such other duties incidental to the office.
  1. The Treasurer shall:
  1. Be responsible for the maintenance of any assets and shall submit a timely report to the Board at regular Board meetings, as well as a complete fiscal report at the annual meeting of the Association;
  2. Advise the Board about the fiscal implications of Board decisions, and
  3. Perform such other duties incidental to the office.
  1. The Directors-at-large and appointed committee chairpersons shall assist the Executive Board in the direction and operation of the organization, incidental to their elected or appointed offices, as delineated in the standing rules of the organization.

Article IV: Business of the Association

Section 1. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of VCDA shall be July 1 to June 30.

Section 2. Dues

Annual dues shall be determined by vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting providing the membership has been notified of the proposed change at least fifteen days in advance of the meeting.

Section 3. Parliamentary Rules

The parliamentary order for meetings of VCDA shall be Robert’s Rules of Order (revised).

Section 4. Quorum

An annual meeting of the VCDA members will be called by the VCDA Board on an annual basis, at a time and place determined by the Board, and duly communicated to the membership. A quorum for conducting business at a general meeting for VCDA shall be those in attendance at the annual meeting, or any other meeting, duly called by the Executive Board, in which members have been notified fifteen (15) days in advance.

Article V: Dissolution of the Association

Should VCDA fail to meet for two consecutive annual meetings at VCA Conventions, or any other time established by the Board, it shall be dissolved and any assets held by the Treasurer shall become assets of VCA.

Article VI: Committees of the Association

Committees of VCDA, both standing and special committees, may be appointed by the President to promote the purpose and objectives of the Association.

Article VII: Amendments of Bylaws

Section 1. Amendment

These Bylaws may be amended by a majority of those voting at a meeting of this association, providing the members have been notified of the proposed change or changes fifteen (15) days in advance of the meeting.

Section 2. Bylaw Changes

Any changes in the Bylaws must be approved by the NCDA Byaws Committee before becoming effective.

Article VIII: Representation at the NCDA Delegate Assembly

A delegate or delegates to the NCDA Delegate Assembly as provided for by NCDA, shall be a member of the Executive Board, or a member designated by the President and must be a NCDA member.

Revised January 1998 AFM

Revised March 2009 (ESB & SAD)

Attachments