By –Laws of the Connecticut Association for

Counselor Education and Supervision

A Division of the

Connecticut Counseling Association

Revised 1999, 2012

ARTICLE I

NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1. Name. The name of this Association shall be the Connecticut Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.

Section 2. Affiliation. This Association is organized and governed in accordance with the By-Laws of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), the By-Laws of the American Counseling Association and the By-Laws of the Connecticut Counseling Association (CCA).

Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of the Association, in accordance with the purposes of ACES, shall be:

a. To strengthen counselor education and supervision in the State of Connecticut

b. To provide improved communication among members of the Association.

c. To advance knowledge and develop skills which relate to all aspects of the profession of counseling and the supervision of counselors

d. To assist in improving the competencies of members and of those counselors and prospective counselors who members teach and/or supervise.

e. To encourage research and evaluation related to the education and supervision of counselors.

f. To promote high standards of ethics and professional conduct among all professional counseling practitioners in Connecticut.

ARTICLE II

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Types of Membership. Membership shall be of one type: individual.

There shall be five types of individual membership: professional, regular, emeritus, retired and student.

Section 2. Eligibility for Privileges of Membership.

a. Professional members shall hold a master’s degree or higher in counseling or a closely related field from a college or university that was accredited by one of the regional accrediting bodies recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation when the degree was awarded.

b. Regular members shall include persons whose interests and activities are consistent with those of the Association, but who are not qualified for Professional membership.

c. Emeritus members (suggestion was made to change to professional, but will no longer be consistent with CCA by-laws) who, having reached the age of sixty-five (65), having been a member of at least five (5) years of the Association, a current member in good standing at the time of submission of a completed application form, and maintains said membership until a decision is made by the Executive Board, may request Emeritus membership under qualifications established by the Governing Council. Emeritus membership is granted to an individual by a vote of the Governing Council. Emeritus members shall be exempt from the payment of dues to the Association, but shall retain all the rights and privileges of dues paying members.

d. Retired members shall be retired in their professional career and have been members of the Association for the immediate five successive years before retirement. A member not reaching the age of 65 upon retirement shall pay the same dues as student members. Having reached the age of 65, a retired member may seek Emeritus status as outlined in Article II Section 2c.

e. Student members shall be attending an accredited master’s level graduate counseling program (changed to reflect the changes to CCA’s by-laws).

f. Members of all types shall agree to abide by the American Counseling Association’s ethical standards.

g. Procedure: Any person desiring to become a member of the Association shall make application to the Membership Chairperson and/or Association President who shall notify the applicant of the action taken on the application.

h. Special Membership: The Governing Council shall prescribe and establish criteria for special membership in the Association consistent with the By-Laws of the Association provided, however, that no person shall be deprived of any privileges heretofore granted.

Section 2. Dues.

a. The Governing Council of the Association shall determine the dues for members, according to mutually agreed upon policies and procedures established by CCA and the Association.

b. Method of Assessment. Dues of the Association may be assessed in an amount to be determined by a majority of members of the Association present and voting at a meeting that has been announced to the membership no less than one month in advance of the scheduled date.

Section 3. Severance of Membership

a.  A member may be dropped from membership for any conduct that tends to injure the Association or to adversely affect its reputation, or that is contrary to or destructive of its objectives according to the By-Laws and code of ethics of the American Counseling Association. Any charges of such conduct shall be referred to the Connecticut Counseling Association Committee on Ethics for further deliberation.

b. An Association member, in accordance with CCA bylaws, will be considered lapsed for the non-payment of dues as of the last day of the month of renewal. A lapsed member may not hold a CACES elected office or any other leadership positions (e.g., Committee Chair). Furthermore, CACES elected officers and Committee Chairpersons must maintain membership in CCA.

ARTICLE III

MEETINGS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1. Official Business Year. The official business year of the Association shall be the same as that for the Connecticut Counseling Association, July 1-June 30.

a. The Executive Committee shall meet no less than four times each year as scheduled by the Association President. This schedule is distributed by September 1 every fiscal year either by email or CCA website posting. Meeting reminders are sent by email two weeks prior to each of the scheduled meetings. Agendas are sent with the notification reminder.

b. A quorum shall consist of at least one-quarter of the voting members of the Executive Committee.

c. A General Meeting shall be held at the annual CCA Conference, at which time elections for CACES officers are carried out.

d. The membership shall be notified of the election through a newsletter and/or an electronic announcement. Members not in attendance at the conference may request a mail or email ballot.

Section 2. Additional Meetings. The President may, with the approval of the Executive Committee, call meetings of the Association when necessary or desirable but in no case shall there be less than one scheduled and announced meeting during the business year.

ARTICLE IV

OFFICERS

Section 1. Association Officers. The officers of the Association shall be a President, President- elect, an Immediate Past President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

Section 2. Qualifications of Officers. Elected officers must be voting members of the Connecticut Counseling Association and the National Association for Counselor Education and Supervision.

Section 3. Duties of the President. The duties of the President shall be the following:

a. To serve as the chief executive officer of the Association and chairperson of the Executive Committee.

b. To preside at all Executive Board and general meetings.

c.  To appoint chairpersons and members of all committees unless otherwise specifically provided by these By-Laws.

d. To represent the Association at the meetings of the Connecticut Counseling Association and at other professional meetings and send division report prior to meeting according to CCA guidelines.

e.  To file an annual Division report with the President and Executive Director of CCA no later than June 30th of the current fiscal year.

f. To transmit to the Association President and Executive Director names of its officers no later than July 15th of the new fiscal year, or as they are elected/appointed.

g. To file a copy of their current By-Laws and proposed budget annually with the CCA President, By-Laws Chair and Executive Director.

Section 4. Duties of the President- Elect. The President- elect shall act as President at all Association or Executive Board meetings in the absence of the President. The President- elect shall succeed to the presidency at the expiration of his/her term of President-elect.

Shall oversee CACES events at annual CCA conference.

Section 5. Duties of the Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President shall serve as a consultant to the President and Executive Committee, shall prepare a slate of officer nominees for the subsequent fiscal year by March 1.

Section 6. Duties of the Secretary. The Secretary shall take minutes and keep the records of the current activities of the Association and its Executive Board. Minutes shall be distributed no later than 14 days after the closure of an official meeting.

Section 7. Duties of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:

a. Keep the financial books for the Association.

b. Develop a budget that shall be presented and approved at an Executive Board meeting prior to the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.

c. Make a financial report at each meeting of the Association.

d. File an annual financial report with the CCA Treasurer no later than July 15th of the new fiscal year.

e. Authorize expenditures in collaboration with the President elect, President, or Immediate Past President.

f. Deposit and dispense funds.

g. Authorize and facilitate appointment of President or President’s designee to serve as acting Treasurer in his/her absence.

h. Audit the Associations finances at least every five years.

i. Dispense a stipend to the President for registration to official ACES, NARACES, ACA or CCA conference, not to exceed $300 and only if adequate finances are available.

j. Ensure that IRS documents are submitted and maintained in accordance with tax law.

ARTICLE V

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. Official Slate of Nominees – The Immediate Past President in consultation with the Executive Committee shall prepare an official slate of nominees for the positions of President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and for the President when necessary. The Past President and Executive Committee should take into consideration the individual’s qualifications for the office, geographical location, fields of interest, and consent of the proposed nominee.

Section 2. Ballots and Election. Ballots will be distributed at the annual CCA conference and/or by electronic communication to the Association. The slate should contain at least one name but no more than three and a space for a write-in. A plurality vote of members voting shall constitute election to office. A report of the election results shall be made to the membership at the next meeting of the Association.

Section 3. Assumption of Duties. Officers so elected will assume the duties of their office at the beginning of the next fiscal year of the Association.

Section 4. Vacancies.  In case of a 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 a vacancy in any of the other offices, the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy until the next regular election.

Section 5. Term of Office. All officers shall serve for one year. Officers may succeed themselves at the discretion of the Executive Board and vote of the membership.

ARTICLE VI

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. Composition. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, President-elect, Immediate Past President, the Secretary and the Treasurer.

Section 2. Purpose of the Committee. The Executive Committee shall, with the consent of the Executive Board, serve as a board for proposing policies, and be the agency through which the general administrative and executive functions of the Association shall be carried out. It shall conduct, manage, and control the business of the Association between official meetings of the Association.

The Executive Committee shall from time to time prescribe methods and procedures for authorizing the expenditure and the accounting for all funds of the Association. It shall also annually report on and review programs, and expenditures and any proposals of new policies.

ARTICLE VII

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Composition. The Executive Board shall be composed of the members of the Executive Committee, one representative from each counselor education program in the state and one alternate representative from each counselor education program, six representatives who coordinate counseling services and/or who supervise counselors in professional settings (with balanced representation, two members from school counseling programs and two members from agency/community counseling services), one representative from the Connecticut School Counseling Association(CSCA), one representative from the Connecticut Mental Health Counseling Association (CMHCA), one counseling doctoral student, one representative from the State Department of Education who coordinates guidance and counseling services for the State of Connecticut and one representative from the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health.

Section 2. Selection of Board of Members. Representatives from counselor education programs and the Connecticut State Department of Education shall be appointed by the organization they represent. All other representatives shall be appointed by the CACES President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Purpose of the Board. The Board shall serve in an advisory capacity to CACES, and specifically to the CACES Executive Committee on matters related to Article 1, Section 3, Purpose.

ARTICLE VIII

COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing Committees. Standing committees may be established by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Work of the Committees. The work of any standing Committee shall be determined at the time it is established.

Section 3. Special Committees. Special Committees may be authorized by the Association or by the Executive Committee with the approval of the Executive Board. Such committees shall continue for no more than two years unless otherwise specified in the motions establishing such committees.

Section 4. Chairpersons. Chairpersons of all committees shall be named by the President and serve for a period of one year, but may be appointed to succeed themselves for an additional year.

ARTICLE IX

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Section 1. Governance. The By-Laws of the Connecticut Counseling Association shall govern the proceedings of this Association not otherwise specified in these By-Laws.

Section 2. Executive Committee Meetings. A majority of the membership of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for conducting business of that committee.

Section 3. Executive Board Meetings. A majority of the membership of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for conducting business at no less than four scheduled meetings during the official business year.

Section 4. Parliamentary Authority. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern proceedings of all formal CACES meetings.

ARTICLE X

AMMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendments. Amendments to these By-Laws must be approved by two- thirds of the members voting in the annual election of officers.

Section 2. Emergency Cases. In case of an emergency, the Executive Committee, with the approval of the Executive Board may submit a proposed amendment to the membership for a separate electronic vote. Thirty days after distributing the proposed amendment, the polls shall be closed and the votes counted by the Executive Committee. If passed by two-thirds of the members voting, the Amendment shall take effect.

ARTICLE XI

NON-DISCRIMINATION

Section 1. Non-Discrimination: There shall be no discrimination against any individual on the bases of ethnic group, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and/or disability with regard to membership or any form of participation in this Association.

ARTICLE XII

ACTIVITIES AND DISSOLUTION

Section 1. Dissolution of the Association. Upon the dissolution of the Association, the officers shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Association, dispose of all the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association, and/or contribute the remaining assets to such organizations operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes, as shall at the time qualify as determined by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XIII

INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. Indemnification from Civil or Criminal Action. The Association shall indemnify each member of the Executive Board composed of the elected and appointed officers as enumerated in Article VI Section 1 of the By-Laws and chairperson or persons of standing committees and special committees as indicated in Article VII Sections 1 and 3 of the By-Laws for the defense of civil or criminal action or proceedings as hereinafter provided and not withstanding provision in the By-Laws, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Section 2. Indemnification from Financial Obligation.

a. The Association shall indemnify each of its directors and 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 therein, imposed upon or asserted against him or her by reason of being or having been such a director or 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 the best interests of the Association and, in the case of criminal action or proceeding had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.

b. This indemnification shall be made only if the Association shall be advised by its Executive Board acting (1) by quorum consisting of Executive Board members who are not parties to such section or proceedings upon a finding that, or (2) if a quorum under (1) is not obtainable with due diligence, upon the opinion in writing of independent legal counsel that the Executive Board or office has met the foregoing applicable standard of conduct. If the undergoing determination is to be made by the Executive Board, it may rely as to all questions of law on the advice of independent legal counsel.

c. Every reference herein to a member of the Executive 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. The right of indemnification herein provided shall be in addition to any and all rights to which any member or officer of the Association might otherwise be entitled and the provisions hereof shall neither impair nor adversely affect such rights.

ARTICLE XIV

NON-PERFORMANCE OF OFFICER DUTIES

Section 1. Removal. An officer may be removed for the non-performance of duties.

Section 2. Severance of Membership. If an officer of the Association is dropped from membership for ethical violations or non-renewal of membership, this person shall be automatically removed as an officer.

Section 3. Procedures for Removal. Written petition of five members of the Governing Council shall set in motion the following process:

a. The member is informed of the complaint by the President.

b. A hearing is conducted by an Ad Hoc Committee consisting of the Immediate Past President as Chair and five additional members selected by the Governing Council.

c. The Committee recommends action to the full Governing Council.

4. The Governing Council acts on the recommendation