By-Laws: Virginia Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling

Article I: Name, Affiliation, and Purposes

Section 1. Name and Affiliations

The name of the organization shall be the Virginia Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (VA-ASERVIC), a state branch of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC), and a state division of the Virginia Counseling Association (VCA). VA-ASERVIC shall here-in after be referred to as the Association.

Section 2. Purposes

The purposes of the Association shall be: a. To further the stated purposes of ASERVIC and VCA and to explore issues of Spirituality as related to the issues and concerns of our clients and the practice of professional counseling. b. To serve as a resource for the counseling profession in developing competence to address spiritual, ethical, and religious issues, within the context of an increasingly multicultural society. c. To provide state leadership in moral and social justice issues within the practice of professional counseling. d. To contribute to the development of professional counseling in private, religious, and public institutions.

 

Article II: Membership Section 1 – Types of Membership

Voting membership shall be individuals members of three types: a. Professional/Regular/New Professional members, those working part-time or full-time as professional counselors. b. Retired members, those no longer working as professional counselors. c. Student members, those enrolled in a planned program leading to a professional degree in counseling or closely related field and not yet working as a professional counselor.

Section 2. Eligibility

Any member of VCA may be a member of this association.

Section 3. Procedure

Application for membership shall be made through the Director of Member Services & Operations of VCA.

Section 4. Dues

The dues and dues year for members of the Association shall be decided by the executive board of the Association and fall within the established guideline approved by the executive board of VCA.

Section 5. Members in Good Standing

Members shall be considered in good standing whose dues are paid and who support the purposes of the Association.

 

Article III: Executive Board Section 1 – Composition.

The Executive Board of the Association shall include: a. The Elected Officers; which shall be the President, President Elect, immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer of the Association. b. Chairpersons of standing committees or special committees appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Board as needed to conduct the business of the Association.

Section 2. Powers and Functions

a. To establish policies and govern the affairs of the Association. b. To reflect upon and act upon concerns of the general membership. c. To approve an annual budget. d. To adopt and amend Association By-Laws. e. To initiate and sponsor activities of the Association that further the stated purposes of the Association.

Section 3. Meetings

a. The Executive Board shall meet and conduct an annual meeting at the VCA Annual Conference open to all members. b. The President shall preside at meetings of the Executive Board. c. Additional meetings may be called by the President or a majority of the Elected Officers by notifying all members of the Association. d. A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of those present at a meeting following at least seven days written notice sent to all members of the Association. e. Each member in Good Standing of the Association in attendance shall have a vote on matters before the Board. Section 4 – Terms of Office and Duties. a. All Elected Officers shall be members in Good Standing of the Association and serve a one year term of office. b. The President shall be chief executive officer of the Association, represent the Association at all official functions, act as liaison to ASERVIC and VCA, and appoint Committee Chairpersons needed to carry out the business of the Association. c. The President Elect shall act as the President at all Association functions in the absence of the President and succeed to the Presidency at the end of his/her term of office as President Elect or in the event the Presidency is vacated before normal elections. d. The Secretary shall keep minutes of All Association meetings, maintain a records of Association business, and accomplish written correspondence as needed. e. The Treasurer shall direct the collection and disbursement of funds on behalf of the Association, maintain financial records as needed and prepare an annual budget for review and approval by the Executive Board.

 

Article IV: Operating Procedures Section 1 – Rules of Order

Roberts Rules of Order, Revised (by Henry Martin Robert) shall govern proceedings of all bodies of the Association unless otherwise specified in the Association By-Laws.

Section 2. By Laws Amendments

Amendments may be proposed to the Executive Board in writing by a By-Laws Committee and adopted after a mailed ballot to all members has been given thirty (30) days to be returned and a majority of those returned approve the amendment.

Section 3. Election of Officers

a. The Past President shall chair the Election Committee.

b. All members in Good Standing are eligible to hold office providing they are also members in Good Standing of ASERVIC.

c. Ballots for Elected positions will be mailed at least thirty (30) days prior to the VCA Annual Conference and be due by the Annual Meeting of the Association at which time election will take place.

d. Outgoing officers will prepare a package of information for incoming officers to effect smooth transition.

Section 4. Severable or Transferable Interest and Disposal of Property

No member shall have any severable or transferable interest in the property of the Association. Upon dissolution of the Association, none of its property shall be distributed to any member and all such property shall be distributed to such other organization(s) as the Board shall determine to have purposes and activities most nearly consonant with those of the Association, provided that it also be a non-profit entity.