Adopted 23 September 2000
Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators
By-Laws
I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Virginia Association of Criminal Justice Educators, hereafter referred to as VACJE.
II. Purpose: The purposes for which VACJE is organizes are:
A. To raise professional standards in Criminal Justice Education;
B. To recruit more academically and professionally trained persons into the Criminal Justice field;
C. To develop a Criminal Justice education curriculum at both the college and university levels, and also, in other recognized educational institutions, such as Police Training Academies, Correctional Training Academies, etc;
D. To study the possibilities of full utilization of community resources in the Criminal Justice field;
E. To search continually for new techniques and programs to assist Criminal Justice education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
III. Members
A. Regular membership in VACJE shall be open to all persons who engage in the teaching, training, or administration of education or training programs in the field of Criminal Justice or who are administrators of criminal justice agencies or organizations.
B. There shall be three additional categories of membership.
1. Honorary life members, who may, in honor of their retirement and in recognition of at least 10 years service to VACJE be appointed as such by a majority of the members at a regular meeting of the membership. Honorary life members shall not be required to pay dues.
2. Life members, who have paid in no more than 3 consecutive annual installments a sum to be determined from time to time by the board.
3. Institutions and organizations who deliver or receive criminal justice education or training.
C. Voting: Each member whose dues for the current year have been paid is entitled to one vote in any election, referendum, or membership meeting. Each institutional or organizational member shall appoint one person to carry its vote. No voting by proxy shall be permitted. Ballots shall be mailed to the business address on file for each member.
D. Dues: Membership dues shall be at such rate or rates, schedule or formula as may be prescribed by the board of directors from time to time.
E. Termination: Any member may be expelled by a two-thirds vote of the board of directors at a regularly scheduled meeting, for conduct prejudicial to the aims or repute of the VACJE, after due notice and opportunity to be heard by the board.
IV. Meetings
A. Timely notice of the location and time of meetings of the membership of VACJE, both annual and special, shall be provided to the membership.
B. The Annual Meeting shall be held in the fall of each year, unless circumstances require the board to do otherwise.
C. Special meetings of VACJE may be called by the president; by the board; or by one-tenth of the membership, upon 14 days written notice to the members, stating the purpose of the meeting.
D. At meetings of the members, twenty-five percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum, and a majority of votes shall prevail.
V. The Board of Directors
A. The board shall consist of the immediate past president, president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and not more than four directors-at-large.
B. The board shall set policy, evaluate operations, monitor finances, and have responsibility for long-range planning.
C. No public statement of policy by any member, representative, committee, group, volunteer, employee, director, or officer shall be binding upon, or constitute an expression of, the policy of the VACJE unless approved or ratified by a majority of the directors.
D. Unless otherwise ordered by the board, regular meetings of the board shall be held at least twice each year. Special meetings of the board may be called by the president and shall be called upon the written request of three directors, with at least forty-eight hours written notice having been given.
E. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum, and except as otherwise herein stated, a majority of those present (physically or virtually) and voting shall prevail. No proxy votes shall be permitted.
VI. Election of the Board
A. Upon receipt of the nominating committee report, the president shall immediately distribute to al members in good standing the names of these nominees and make provision for additional write-in names. Two weeks fro the date of distribution shall be allowed for the return of ballots to the chair of the nominating committee. The returned ballots shall be tabulated by the nominating committee. The nominees who receive the most votes shall be elected, until all vacancies have been filled. The nominating committee shall certify the results to the president and a public announcement of newly-elected officers and directors shall be made as soon as appropriate.
B. Each director at-large shall be elected by the membership for a two year term. Each year, two of the four director-at-large positions shall be filled by election. Each director-at-large and officer elected to a full term shall assume office at the conclusion of the annual meeting immediately following his election.
C. Vacancies
1. The board shall declare vacant any office or director-at-large position if that officer or director-at-large has been absent from two consecutive board meetings, except that absences may be excused by vote of a majority of the board.
2. Recommendations for filling board vacancies shall be made by nominating committee. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by the board of directors by a majority vote at any regular board meeting.
D. Upon completing four years of service as a director-at-large, an individual shall be ineligible to serve as a director-at-large for the following year.
E. Individuals who are not current in dues payment shall not be eligible for election, and when directors or other officers are not current they shall be removed from office and a vacancy declared within 30 days of the dues becoming due.
VII. Officers
A. The officers of the VACJE shall be a president, a vice president, an immediate past president, a secretary, and a treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws.
B. The officers shall be elected by ballot of the membership at or prior to its annual meeting, to serve for one year (two years in the case of the secretary and treasurer) or until their successors are elected, and their terms of office shall begin at the close of the aforementioned annual meeting.
C. No member shall hold more than one position on the board at a time.
D. The president of the board shall serve as the executive head of the VACJE, and shall preside at all meetings of the membership and the board. The president shall be ex-officio a member of all VACJE committees.
E. The vice president shall serve as president-elect and as program chair. In the absence of the president, the vice president shall exercise the functions of the president.
F. The immediate past president shall assist the president in such duties as may be mutually agreed upon and shall chair and recruit members for the nominating committee.
G. The treasurer shall maintain the roll of membership. The treasurer also shall oversee receipt and proper disbursement of all funds by the VACJE. Such funds shall be kept on deposit in financial institutions approved by the board. Checks shall be signed by any two of the following: president, vice president, and treasurer. Checks drawn for less than $100 require only the signature of one of those aforementioned.
H. The secretary shall keep a formal record of each meeting and provide same promptly and in electronic form to the webmaster.
VIII. Standing Committees
A. A program committee shall be chaired by the vice president, who shall, with the assistance of the board, recruit additional members. The program committee shall plan, publicize, and run the annual meeting and all other meetings of VACJE except as shall be provided by the board.
B. A Nominating committee composed of three members and chaired by the immediate past president shall be appointed by the president and approved by the board promptly after each annual meeting.
1. It shall be the duty of the nominating committee to recruit and gain the consent of candidates for the board and for offices within the board, as well as for appointments and nominations made by the board to external groups.
2. Every reasonable effort shall be made to recruit candidates who within the preceding three years have participated actively in VACJE meetings and projects, and to recruit a sufficient number of candidates to give the membership a choice at the time of election.
3. The nominating committee shall solicit nominations (including self-nominations) from the membership.
4. The nominating committee shall also present to the board for its approval the names of candidates to fill unexpired terms.
5. The nominating committee shall make its recommendations regarding a board openings no later than 31 March of each year; shall provide those recommendations in electronic form to the webmaster, report at the annual meeting on the outcome of elections; shall make its recommendation for replacements to fill unexpired terms within 30 days of the boards declaration that the position is vacant; and in a timely manner for external nominations and appointments.
C. The communications committee shall be chaired by the webmaster, who shall be appointed by the president with the consent of the board. That individual, and such others as he/she may recruit, shall assume responsibility for virtual communications materials and methods employed by VACJE and its constituent bodies.
D. Such other committees, standing, ad hoc, special, or advisory, shall be appointed by the president as the board or president shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the VACJE. Each standing committee shall have a chair appointed by the president and shall report at the annual meeting on its activities during the preceding year.
E. The term of membership on any committee is one year, and is renewable except as otherwise specified.
IX. Finances
A. The VACJEs fiscal year shall close on 30 August.
B. The accounts of the VACJE shall be audited annually by two members appointed by the president with the consent of the board. The audit report shall be presented to the membership at the annual meeting.
X. Parliamentary Authority
A. The rules contained in the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the VACJE in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the VACJE may adopt.
XI. Amendment of Bylaws
These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the membership by a two-thirds vote of those present and eligible, provided that the amendment has been recommended by the board and subsequently distributed to the membership at least 30 days prior to the membership meeting.
XII. Dissolution
The VACJE shall use its funds only to accomplish the objects and purposes specified in these bylaws. On dissolution of the VACJE, any funds remaining shall be distributed to one or more regularly organized and qualified charitable, educational, scientific, or philanthropic organizations to be selected by the board of directors.
