Bylaws

Name: Rocky Mountain Writing Centers Association

Mission Statement
The Rocky Mountain Writing Centers Association provides support, encourages scholarship, and promotes community among writing center professionals. Our primary commitment is to serve writing tutoring programs in our region while inviting participation from colleagues nationally and internationally. We define writing centers broadly, acknowledging the intersections of writing, reading, and academic support in the various institutional settings in which this work occurs.

Membership
Association membership will include directors, staff, and those associated with writing tutoring programs at all levels of public and private education within all or parts of the states of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Executive Board

President
President-elect
Secretary
Treasurer 		Webmaster
Conference host/facilitator
Executive board
Outreach Coordinator

Terms
All positions are three-year terms except conference host, which is one year. Both secretary/treasurer and webmaster are renewable. Terms will begin and end at the spring annual meeting.

Election/nomination process
Candidates will be nominated via e-mail one month preceding the spring conference board meeting and will culminate in an electronic election two-weeks prior to the spring conference/meeting.  All board members will be able to vote via e-mail, online forum, or mail prior to the Rocky Mountain Peer Tutoring Conference.  Transition of terms of service will begin at the spring conference. 

In case of a board vacancy that does not coincide with a regularly scheduled election, the Executive Board is authorized to fill such vacancies with a nomination and vote via e-mail or at the next Executive Board meeting.  Such nominations and elections will be in force until the next regularly scheduled election.

Duties/Responsibilities of Officers

President

  1. Officially represent and express the viewpoints of the association.
  2. Call and conduct general meetings.
  3. Call special meetings as necessary.
  4. Appoint all committees with approval of the Executive Board.
  5. Represent RMWCA at writing conferences and meetings when possible.
  6. Serve as regional representative to IWCA.

President-elect

   7.   Assume the duties of the president in the president’s absence.
   8.   Undertake responsibilities as delegated by the president.
   9.   Issue a call for nominations and develop a slate of nominees for board positions.

Secretary

 10.   Keep contact list current.
 11.   Produce a newsletter two times a year, online preferred.
 12.   Keep minutes of all meetings and maintain an archive of all official business.
 13.   Assume other responsibilities as requested by the president.

Treasurer

 14.   Hold and disburse funds on the order of the Executive Board.
 15.   Receive organization dues and maintain financial and membership records.
 16.   Submit an annual financial report to the membership at or before the regional conference.

Webmaster

 17.   Establish and maintain a website and develop means of electronic communication for the region.

Conference host/facilitator

 18.   Plan and host an annual regional conference.
 19.   Act as facilitator to the next conference host.

Executive Board

 20.   Attend association meetings and/or participate in electronic board meetings.
 21.   Serve on committees as requested.
 22.   Vote on association issues.
 23.   Removal of an officer (lack of confidence vote or otherwise) is by a majority vote of those the Board
         of Directors members present and voting.

Eligibility of Board of Directors Members and Executive Officers

 24.   The Board of Directors includes immediate heads [supervisors/directors] of association   
         organizations.
 25.   Executive Officers must have been association members for two years. Board of Directors members
         become members as soon as they assume administrative responsibility of a program.  

Quorum and Voting

Passage of a motion or resolution shall require a majority vote of those present and voting.

Dues/Finances

Dues will be determined by the officers and executive board.  Dues and funds will be used for supporting conferences, communication, and other projects as determined by the officers and the board. 

Dissolution

In the event that this organization is dissolved, any remaining funds will be donated to the IWCA.

Change in Bylaws

Changes in this constitution shall be made by the Executive Board with a two-thirds majority of those voting. Changes must be sent in writing to the president at least two months before business meetings.

Conference Guidelines

Conference shall be self-sustaining.
Registration costs should be kept at a minimum so as many members as possible can participate.
Conference will remain tutor-centered (by, for, and of the tutors), with a director conference on the Friday of conference weekend and tutor conference on Saturday of the same weekend. The conference will be open to any and all participants from surrounding regions.

Authority

The association officers and board have authority over association business and not over individual centers and programs.

IWCA Membership

Membership in IWCA is encouraged for all RMWCA members and required for elected officers.

Amended April 2008
Boise, ID
Amended March 2006
Provo, UT