SHHSA BYLAWS

BY‑LAWS FOR ASPA'S

SECTION ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

 

Article I. Name and Purpose

 

Section 1. Name: The section shall be known as the ASPA Section on Health and Human Services Administration (SHHSA).The SHHSA succeeds the Section on Human Resources Administration.

 

Section 2. Purpose.  The SHHSA is organized for the professional and educational purposes of: exclusively charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now in effect or as may hereafter be amended ("Code").  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such purposes include the following:

 

(a) Advancing the science, processes, and art of public administration.

(b) Advancing the equality of opportunity of all persons through public administration.

 

In furtherance of its exclusively charitable and educational purposes, the Section shall have all general powers of an unincorporated association, together with the power to solicit and accept grants and contributions for such purposes.

 

Section 3. Specific Purpose: Within the broader purposes of ASPA, the SHHSA seeks to foster the development of knowledge, understanding and practice in the fields of health and human services administration and to foster professional growth and communication among academics and practitioners in these fields. Fields of health and human services administration share a common and unique focus on improving the quality of life through patient‑ or client‑centered policies and service transactions. The SHHSA seeks to pursue its purposes by:

 

a. Conducting programs, research and other activities;

b. Encouraging academic programs that combine sound theoretical foundations with practical applications in real health and human service environments;

c. Providing forums for exchange and dissemination of ideas, knowledge and information among academics, agencies and practitioners involved in planning, administering and evaluating health and human services policies, programs and services;

d. Fostering development of global working networks among academics, agencies and practitioners;

e. Fostering adoption of information technology in health and human services administration;

f. Encouraging the development of new knowledge and in health and human services administration;

g. Identifying specific areas for development of new knowledge and supporting work in these areas:

h. Being a conduit for ideas, knowledge and information about health and human services administration to the ASPA membership, to related organizations and to the public‑at‑large;

i. Encouraging students to select the fields of health and human services administration, encouraging students thereof in their studies, and mentoring graduate students and young faculty in these fields;

j. Encouraging public service practitioners to supplement their professional degrees with health and human services administration graduate education.

 

 

Article II. Membership

 

Section 1. Members. Membership in SHHSA shall consist of all persons who select the section and pay the annual section dues along with their annual ASPA dues.

 

Section 2. Rights of Members. Members in SHHSA shall have the right to hold office in the section, to vote on official business of the section, to receive publications of the section,

to participate in all activities of the section; to receive benefits and opportunities that become available to the section.

 

Section 3. Membership Meetings. The annual membership meeting of the section will be held in conjunction with the annual national conference of ASPA. The annual meeting date and

time will be included in the printed program of the ASPA annual conference. Additional meetings may be held elsewhere at other times of the year as directed by the chairperson.

 

Section 4. Annual Dues. Annual dues of the SHHSA will be set by the Executive Committee, subject to approval by the ASPA National Council, and shall remain in effect until changed.

Annual dues are payable with the annual ASPA dues.

 

Article III. Officers and Responsibilities

 

Section 1. Elective Officers. Elective officers of SHHSA shall be the chairperson, chairperson‑elect, immediate past chair‑person and six members. The terms of the chairperson and chairperson‑elect, who automatically succeeds the chairperson, shall be two years. The six members shall serve three year staggered terms. These elective officers shall constitute the Executive Committee of the section.

Any vacancies on the Executive Committee of less than one year shall be filled for the unexpired term of office by appointment of the Executive Committee.

If a member of the Executive Committee misses three consecutive meetings, that member's Executive Committee membership status is subject to review by the Executive Committee.

 

Section 2‑ Ex‑officio Executive Committee Members. The ASPA executive director or designate shall serve as an ex‑officio member of the SHHSA Executive Committee.

 

Section 3. Appointments. In consultation with the Executive Committee, the chairperson appoints a newsletter editor, conference coordinators, regional and chapter liaisons, committee and task force chairpersons, and other officers as may be needed to accomplish section business. With approval of the Executive Committee, the chairperson may appoint a secretary and treasurer for the Section. These officers may be selected from Executive Committee members or from among section members outside the Executive Committee.

 

Section 4. Officers’ Duties. The Chairperson is responsible for providing leadership to the section; representing the section; chairing the Executive Committee; setting and presiding at

section meetings; signing correspondence; supervising planning and implementation of section programs and budgets.

The Chairperson‑elect works with the chairperson in preparation for assuming the role of chairperson; accepts responsibilities as requested by the chairperson; represents the chairperson when necessary.

The immediate past‑Chairperson provides advice and support to the chairperson, providing the continuity needed to ensure smooth and orderly transitions; accepts responsibilities as requested by the chairperson; represents the chairperson when necessary.

The Executive Committee is responsible for performance and functioning of the SHHSA. Among its duties are determining section dues, subject to approval by the ASPA National Council; approving section programs and budgets; setting and documenting meetings; organizing and implementing program sessions, workshops, membership campaigns; drafting positions on issues of relevance to the section; preparing and distributing section brochures; producing newsletters and other publications; accepting donations, grants and contracts for the section, consistent with ASPA policies; maintaining meeting and financial records; implementing section activities; accepting other duties as may be delegated to it by the SHHSA membership. Executive Committee decisions will be taken by majority vote. In case of tie, the

chairperson's vote shall prevail.

 

Section 5. Executive Committee Meetings. The SHHSA Executive Committee shall meet annually at each ASPA National conference and at such other times as called for and conveniently arranged by the chairperson. Funding for all meetings will be limited to amounts budgeted unless special additional funds are made available from other sources.

 

Artic1e IV. E1ections

 

Section 1. Voting Rights. All SHHSA members shall have the right to be nominated to, and vote for, SHHSA elective offices.

 

Section 2. Election and Voting Procedures. Election procedures are as follows:

a. The chair accepts nominations at any time from any SHHSA member desiring to hold Section office. Nominees will be submitted to the nominating committee for consideration in the next election cycle. Deadline for receipt of self‑ or peer‑nominees is

February 1 of each calendar year. The nominating process consists of a formal statement by the nominee of interest and wi11ingness to serve and signatures of fifteen (15) or more active SHHSA members.

b. In election years, the chairperson appoints a nominating committee of three members in January, or six months prior to the annual Section meeting held at the ASPA national conference, whichever comes first;

c. The nominating committee accepts chair‑held nominations and solicits additional nominations, confirming the willingness of nominees to serve;

d. The nominating committee mails the slate of candidates and ballots to section members by first class mail by March 15, or four months prior to the designated Section meeting, whichever comes first;

e. The nominating committee accepts ballots from section members until April 30 or three months before the annual Section meeting at the ASPA national conference, whichever comes first;

f. The nominating committee counts ballots and notifies the current chair and new officers by May 15 or two months prior to the ASPA annual meeting, whichever comes first;

g. New officers are announced and assume office at the annual Section meeting during the ASPA national conference.

 

Article V. Programs and Activities

 

Section 1. Programs.  Programs and activities of the SHHSA shall be those selected by or with the approval of the Executive Committee either directly by committee vote or indirectly through chair or committee delegated authority. Programs and activities include, but are not limited to, sponsorship of panels at ASPA national and regional meetings, participation in local ASPA chapter activities, sponsorship of a journal and publication of a newsletter for section members, formal fact finding or commentaries on legislative, implementation and evaluation issues relevant to SHHSA interests, support for forums and exchanges among health and human services academicians, advocates and practitioners.

 

Section 2. Activities.  No substantial part of the activities of the Section shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as otherwise permitted by

Section 501(h) of the Code), and the Section shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements concerning) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Section shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on:

 

(a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, or

(b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Code.

 

Article VI. Finance and Administration

 

Section 1. Grants and Contracts. The ASPA National Council is responsible for approving, receiving and auditing grants and contracts solicited by SHHSA. A negotiated charge appropriate to the services provided by ASPA may be applied to grants or contracts.

 

Section 2. Accounting. As a tax‑exempt non‑profit educational organization, ASPA is authorized to receive and disburse revenues for the programs and activities sponsored by SHHSA. SHHSA dues, fees and other revenues shall be collected and allocated quarterly to SHHSA by the ASPA executive director.

The section may elect to maintain its own checking and saving accounts and financial records and be responsible for all financial transactions. In this case, it shall follow such

accounting procedures as may be specified by ASPA's Finance and Administration Committee and shall furnish an annual audit report to the National Council.

The section may elect to purchase financial services from the ASPA National Office. The fee shall consist of a flat rate levied equally on each section plus a per transaction charge.

Rates and charges for the following fiscal year shall be determined by the ASPA executive director and announced at the annual ASPA national meeting. Under the purchased services arrangement, the ASPA executive director shall maintain separate accounting records for SHHSA and shall provide reports at intervals agreed upon by the ASPA executive director and chairperson.

            No part of the net earnings of the Section shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to any director or officer of the Section, or any other private person, except that the Section shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered to or for the Section and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth herein above.

 

Section 3. Change in Accounting Option. The SHHSA may change accounting systems by vote of the Executive Committee. Notice of change must be communicated to the ASPA national office at least two months prior to the fiscal year in which it will take effect.

 

Section 4. Administrative Responsibilities. The SHHSA shall be responsible for the selection, support and implementation of its programs and activities.

The ASPA executive director shall be responsible for providing SHHSA with current membership rosters and labels, ASPA handbooks and membership brochures, application forms, ASPA officers newsletters, membership reports and other pertinent information.

The ASPA executive director shall organize workshops on section administration and development.

The ASPA executive director shall provide coordination and linkage between SHHSA and other ASPA organizational components.

 

Section 5. Purchase of Administrative Services. Other services purchased by the SHHSA from the ASPA national office shall be charged to the SHHSA on the basis of costs negotiated

between the ASPA executive director and the SHHSA chairperson.

 

Section 6. Dissolution of Section. In the event of dissolution or final liquidation of the Section, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the liabilities and obligations of the Section and for necessary expenses thereof, all of the remaining assets and property of the Section shall be distributed to the American Society for Public Administration provided it remains organized and operated exclusively for charitable or educational purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, and if not, to an organization which does so qualify.  In no event shall any of such assets or property be distributed to any director or officer or to any private individual.

 

Section 7.  Fiscal Year.  The fiscal year of the Section shall end in the month of (December).  The employer identification number [i.e., “EIN” or “TIN” - taxpayer identification number of the section] assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to this Section is: 52-1204053

 

 

Article VII. Amendments

 

Section 1. Substantive Changes. Substantive changes in this Charter and By‑laws may be suggested by any section member in writing to the chairperson to be considered at the annual Section meeting held in conjunction with the ASPA national conference. By‑law changes may be approved by majority vote of those attending the annual Section meeting at the ASPA national conference or by section membership through mail ballot. Consistent with inclusion of this Section in the group federal income tax exemption ruling of the American Society for Public Administration (identified by the Internal Revenue Service as Group Exemption Number 3155), all amendments to the Section Charter which may be made from time to time shall be submitted to the American Society for Public Administration for its approval.