Constitution & Bylaws

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ACADEMIC ADVISORS FOR ATHLETICS (N4A)
CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

Intercollegiate athletics places unusual demands on student-athletes. Athletic and academic interests compete for the student-athlete’s time, energy, and attention.  The N4A believes that colleges and universities can and must provide the opportunities for participants to be successful students and fulfilled athletes.

Article 1.  Name

This organization shall be known as the National Association of Academic Advisors for Athletics (N4A).

Article 2.  Purpose
 
The purpose of this organization shall be:

1. To provide support, leadership and direction to its members endeavors; to cultivate and improve the opportunities for academic success for student-athletes in universities and colleges by providing informed, competent, and holistic advising;
2. To enhance communication between the academic and athletic communities while serving as a liaison between those communities;
3. To continue to elevate the status of this profession and develop leadership within the organization.

Article 3.  Membership

1. Professional Member:  Any person whose purpose is to assist student-athletes in pursuit of their educational goals and who holds a position at an educational institution may become a voting member of this organization. Only professional members with a paid membership will be considered in good standing and therefore can be nominated to serve on committees or hold national offices in the N4A.  A professional member serving on a committee who does not keep membership intact will be removed from his/her position by the Executive Committee.  In extraordinary cases, the Executive Committee may ask non-professional members to serve on committees on an ad-hoc basis.
2. Affiliate Members:  Individuals with related interests may become affiliate members without voting privileges.
3. Student Members:  Any student whose purpose is to assist student-athletes in pursuit of their educational goals may become a non-voting member of this organization.
4. All members agree to uphold and to further the stated purposes of this Association.
5. An annual membership fee structure shall be prescribed by the Board of Directors.
6. Members are delegated to a region by state and can vote or hold office in their designated region only effective September 1, 2008.

Article 4.  Officers

4.1  Elected Officers at the annual meeting shall be:

President
Assumed by President-Elect at Annual Meeting.
Term:  One Year (Voting)

President-Elect
Elected at Annual Meeting
Term:  One Year (Voting)

Past President
Assumed by outgoing President
Term:  One Year (Voting)

Regional Director (5)           
Elected by the members of the Region. Election conducted either at the Annual or Region Meeting, or by alternate method prior to Annual Meeting. Region 1 and 3 elect in even-numbered years. Region 2, 4, and 5 elect in odd-numbered years.
Term:  Two Years  (Voting)

4.2 Ex-Officio Board Members Appointed by the President (any may serve consecutive terms) shall be:

Convention Planner
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term
ending in even-numbered years. (Non-Voting)
Term:  Two Years

Program Planner
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term
ending in even-numbered years. (Non-Voting)
Term:  Two Years

Parliamentarian
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term ending in odd-numbered years. (Non-Voting)
Term:  Two Years

Historian
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term ending in odd-numbered years. Term: Two Years

Director-At-Large (2)
Director must be and remain an N4A member in good standing. Director At-Large I initial term expires June 2007, then appointed to terms ending in odd-number years. Director At-Large II initial term expires June 2008, then appointed to terms ending in even-numbered years.
Term:  Two Years (Voting)

Chair, Past Presidents’
Advisory Committee
Appointed by the President
Term: Two years (Non-Voting)

4.3  Officers Elected within a Division by committee chairs shall be:

Director, Professional Development Division
Elected by Chairs of the committees within Division.
Director must have chaired one of the committees within Division and currently be and remain an N4A member in good standing. Initial term expires June 2007, then elected to terms ending in odd-number years.
Term:  Two Years  (Voting)

Director, Student-Athlete Development Division
Elected by Chairs of the committees within Division.
Director must have chaired one of the committees within Division and currently be and remain an N4A member in good standing. Initial term expires June 2007, then elected to terms ending in odd-number years.
Term:  Two Years (Voting)

Director, Membership Services Division
Elected by Chairs of the committees within Division.  
Director must have chaired one of the committees within Division and currently be and remain an N4A member in good standing. Initial term expires June 2008, then elected to terms ending in even-number years.
Term:  Two Years (Voting)

Note - Job descriptions of Officer positions and responsibilities can be found in the N4A Executive Board Manual.

Article 5. Committees

There shall be a Board of Directors comprised of President, President-Elect, Past President, Directors-At-Large (2), Division Directors (3) and Regional Directors (5).  Non-voting members include the Executive Director, Parliamentarian, Convention Planner, Convention Program Planner, Historian, and Chair of the Past Presidents’ Advisory Council (PPAC).

The oversight of the N4A finances shall be conducted by a Finance Committee comprised of the President-Elect (chair), President, Past-President, and an elected representative from each Region.  Region representatives will be elected to a three-year term with Region 1 and 4 terms ending in 2009, Region 2 and 5 ending in 2008, and Region 3 ending in 2010.

There shall be an Executive Committee comprised of President, Past-President, and President-Elect.

There shall be a Past Presidents’ Advisory Council (PPAC) comprised of Past Presidents still active in the profession and N4A members in good standing who choose to be a member of the committee.

Article 6. Meetings

There shall be an Annual Meeting of the general membership at a time and place designated by the Board of Directors.  There shall be semi-annual meetings of the Board of Directors which shall take place approximately six months prior to the Annual Meeting at a location designated by the President.  The other two Board of Directors’ meetings shall be held immediately preceding and following the Annual Meeting.

Article 7.  Additional Appointments by President but not members of the Board of Directors

Editor of the Academic Athletic Journal
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term ending in odd-numbered years. Position is part of Publications, Communications Committee within the Membership Services Division.
Term: Two Years

Editor of the N4A Newsletter
Position is part of Publications, Communications Committee within the Membership Services Division.
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term ending in even-numbered years. Newsletter editor works with Executive Director.
Term: Two Years

Historian
Appointed by the President at Annual Meeting with term ending in odd-numbered years. Position is part of Publications, Communications Committee within the Membership Services Division.
Term: Two Years

Article 8. Amendments

This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds vote of professional members in good standing either by absentee ballot or at the Annual Meeting.  No amendment shall be voted upon without written notification to the professional members at least one month in advance of the vote.

BY-LAWS

Article 1.  Duties of Officers

1.1       The President shall: chair the Executive Committee; preside at all meetings of the membership and of the Board of Directors; perform all such duties required for the office; preside over the mid-year meeting of the Board of Directors.

1.2       The President-Elect shall: chair the Finance Committee, exercise all the functions of the office of the President in the absence of the President; work with the Director of Membership Services; serve as a member of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Nomination Committee; succeed the President as prescribed in the Constitution.
           
1.3       Director, Professional Development Division shall: oversee committee research on prevalent topics of professional development and the needs of members in regards to advancement; supervise committee publication of material and communication information about professional development programs y other N4A community; oversee activities involving strategic planning for the organization; coordinate committee efforts to develop model practices for members to expand their industry knowledge and skill base; support committees’ development of relationships internal and external to the organization resulting in increased opportunities for members to engage in professional development activities; assist with collection of material for the virtual resource room.

1.4       Director, Student-Athlete Development Division shall: investigate and participate in the committees’ legislative efforts regarding student-athlete welfare to include, but not be limited to, ethnic concerns, life skills, recognition, sexual identity and preference, learning enhancement, and two-year colleges; support committee’s development of communication lines across N4A and representative institutions to monitor concerns on behalf of student-athlete health, wellness, and safety; spearhead committee implementation of programs to benefit student-athlete well being.

1.5       Director, Membership Services Division shall: oversee committee’s orientation activities for new and continuing members; coordinate the committee’s review of national legislative proposals and communicate information to members; supervise committee planning and execution of regional conferences and oversee professional communication materials for the organization (speaks to supervision of journal and newsletter editors).

1.6       Director At-Large (2) is: designed to allow the Executive Committee the ability and flexibility to appoint a board member who can address a unique need for the organization at any particular time.  Such needs might be in the areas of fund raising, budgeting, sponsorships, legislative experience, or any problem solving or leadership area of the Executive Committee’s choosing.  Directors-at-large would serve staggered two-year terms.

1.7       The Regional Directors shall:  serve as advisors to the President; act as liaisons between the Executive Committee and the general membership of their respective regions; serve on the Nominating Committee.  Individual regions may adopt specific job descriptions respective to regional needs.

1.8     The Parliamentarian shall: see that all meetings are conducted in good order; maintain a current copy of Constitution and Bylaws; update and prepare amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws; present changes at the mid-year meeting; submit changes in writing to the membership at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting.

1.9    The Convention Planner shall:  visit and research convention sites suggested by individual regions; negotiate hotel contracts in consultation with the Board of Directors;  select food and beverages and coordinate all social functions; coordinate Mid-Year Board of Directors Meeting including securing  hotel arrangements and food and beverage.

1.10    The Convention Program Planner shall:  coordinate the program for the Annual Meeting specifically securing speakers, soliciting and reviewing proposals from the membership, printing the program, arranging for meeting rooms and audio-visual equipment, visiting convention site with Convention Planner, to ensure that the Annual Meeting is of the highest quality and benefit for the membership.

1.11     The Immediate Past-President shall:  solicit nominations and coordinate the awards process for the Association; assist in maintaining an historical account of the Association; and serve on the Finance Committee, and as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

1.12     The Editor(s) of the Academic Athletic Journal shall:  be responsible for managing the manuscript review process; coordinate publication of the journal when available with the National Office for publication as available; maintain a library of past issues.

1.13     The Editor(s) of the N4A Newsletter shall:  be responsible for its publication three times each year; maintain a library of past issues.

1.14     The Historian shall: be responsible for recording the minutes of the mid-year meeting and all business meetings held at the national convention; assist the Executive Director in archiving the Association’s historical documents.

1.15     The Chair of the Past Presidents’ Advisory Council (PPAC) shall advise the President upon request.

Article 2.  Voting

2.1       The following Board of Directors’ members will have official voting privileges at the mid-year and annual meetings:  President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, five (5) Regional Directors, three (3) Division Directors, two (2) Directors-At-Large.

2.2       The Executive Committee (President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President) may,
when necessary, approve actions which do not require the vote of the entire Board of Directors.

Article 3.  Committees

3.1     The Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the Regional Directors and the President-Elect, with the latter serving as chairperson.

3.2     The National Conference Committee for the Annual Meeting shall be appointed by the President and chaired by the President-Elect.  Committee membership shall include a representative from each region.

3.3     Committees are aligned under the following Divisions:
1) Professional Development: Research, Strategic Planning, Model Practices.  
2) Student-Athlete Development: Ethnic Concerns, Life Skills, Student-Athlete Recognition,
LGBTA, Learning Concerns Enhancement, Two-Year Colleges.
3) Membership Services: Membership and Orientation, Legislative Services, Regional Conference Planning, Publication and Communications.

3.4     Other committees may be established by the Executive Committee as deemed necessary.

Article 4.  Election of Officers

The nominating committee shall:  prepare a slate of candidates which will be presented in writing to the membership at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting.  No person may be nominated for office who has been an Association member for fewer than three years.  A professional member may place a name in nomination for an elected office from the floor at the Annual Meeting.  All professional members will have the opportunity to vote for elected offices: (1) those in attendance by completing and submitting their ballot at the Annual Meeting, (2) those not in attendance by absentee ballot requested by the National Office at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the National Convention in order to be counted in the final vote tabulation.  No person may hold two elected offices simultaneously.  Officers in elected positions may not succeed themselves.  However, officers in appointed positions may do so.  Officers may be removed from office for cause by unanimous vote of the other officers on the Board of Directors.  The Board of Directors shall make appointments to fill any uncompleted terms until the next general election. 

Article 5.  Term of Membership

Annual membership commences in two cycles: September 1 – August 31 OR March 1-February 28.

Article 6.  Regions

There shall be five regions with designation by state first by conference affiliation and second by state. Regions may be realigned and new conferences designated to regions by Executive Committee action.

Article 7.  Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the professional members present at the Annual Meeting.  No amendment shall be voted upon without written notification to the professional members at least one month in advance of the vote.

Article 8.  Constitutional Authority

The authority of this Constitution and Bylaws shall be Robert’s Rules of Order.

N4A Board of Directors Organization Chart

2008 Voter Guide

Constitution and By-Laws 2008

Revision History

Revised Constitution Adopted January 9, 1983
Updated: June 1, 1988
Amended: January 6, 1990
Amended: January 4, 1991
Amended: June 17, 1993
Amended: June 9, 1994
Amended: June 15, 1995
Amended: June 13, 1996 - Article 3.2 (Deleted Institutional Membership Category) Amended: June 23, 1997
Amended: June 13, 1999
Amended: June 24, 2000
Amended: June, 2001
Amended: June, 2003
Amended: June, 2006
Amended: June, 2007
Amended: May, 2008