(Revised April 2020)
MISSION
Alabama AHEAD is a state affiliate of the international Association on Higher Education and Disability. Alabama AHEAD is committed to the principles of equal access and full participation of students with disabilities in postsecondary education, and promotes excellence in the provision of accessibility services through professional development and support.
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Alabama Association on Higher Education and Disability (Alabama AHEAD, thereafter referred to as the “Association”.
ARTICLE II: STRUCTURE
The Association is created as a professional organization directed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will be composed of elected officers whose responsibility will be to carry out the mission of the Association through written policy, the execution of fiduciary responsibility, and the ongoing support and development of the organization and its members.
ARTICLE III: PURPOSE
The purpose of the Association is to provide high quality professional development and networking opportunities for postsecondary disability service providers in Alabama, specifically serving as a primary source of expertise and best practice for information on disability awareness, postsecondary disability legislation, disability rights and responsibilities, and other related information as it relates to postsecondary settings.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open and available to any person or organization interested in furthering the purpose of the Association, according to membership categories as established by the Board of Directors and contained in the Bylaws with rights and responsibilities contained therein. The Association is an equal opportunity organization and does not discriminate in membership with regards to any protected class.
Section 1: Categories of Membership (see Appendix A for category descriptions)
Section 2: Membership Year.
The Membership Year shall run from October first (1) through September thirtieth (30). Any membership dues not paid by January first will result in termination of that membership.)
ARTICLE V: MEETINGS OF MEMBERS
An annual meeting of the Members of the Association will be held in conjunction with an Annual Conference. Additional meetings may be called as deemed necessary to conduct business.
A. A quorum of the membership, for conducting business, will be constituted by a majority present. Input of the Members, including actions requiring a vote, may be solicited by email.
B. Meetings of the membership can be held virtually as appropriate.
ARTICLE VI: OFFICERS
Eligibility.
No person shall be a member-elected officer who is not an active member. No two persons who are employees of or members appointed by the same institution or agency shall be elected to office in the same year unless approved by the board.
Removal.
Any officer elected by members or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed by majority vote by the Board of Directors whenever in its judgment the best interest of the organization would be served thereby.
Vacancies.
In the event of a vacancy, the Board will fill the position as needed in the method of original selection.
Officers.
President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary/Historian
Terms
President and President Elect elections and appointments will occur in the odd years. The Secretary and Treasurer election and appointments will occur in the even years.
Nomination of Officers, Election Procedure.
There shall be established, as a special committee, a Nomination and Election Committee, consisting of three or more members chaired by an individual selected by the Nominations Chair(s), to make annual recommendations. Elections will be completed via electronic ballot in February, preparations for elections would then begin in December of the previous year.
ARTICLE VII: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. General Powers.
The affairs of the organization shall be managed by its Board of Directors, except for functions and powers reserved to the members.
Section 2. Number, Tenure, Composition, and Qualification.
The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Board, At-Large Members and Committee Chairs. The Executive Board consists of the President, President-Elect, Secretary/Historian, and Treasurer. The remaining members include Nominations Chair(s), Technology Chair(s), Membership Chair(s), Marketing and Promotions Chair(s) and four (4) At-large Members. Members-at-large will serve a one-year term and will be elected and/or appointed by the Board, not the greater membership. Chair positions will be elected by the membership to serve a one-year term. There is an option to self-nominate for additional terms. Efforts should be made to see that the Board of Directors represents all types of institutions for higher education as well as rehabilitation and other related professional agencies. Any person qualified to be a member of Alabama AHEAD shall qualify to be a member of the Board of Directors.
Section 3. Meetings.
The Executive Board, consisting of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary/Historian will meet quarterly to review chapter business. All members of the Executive Board should be in attendance, and all members of the Board of Directors are welcome to attend.
The full Board of Directors will meet quarterly to review chapter business. Meetings will be held in October, January, April, and July, with additional meeting as needed.
ARTICLE VIII: COMMITTEES
The Board of Directors may designate and appoint one or more committees. No committee shall have the authority of the Board of Directors. The committee works at the pleasure of the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IX: FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the organization shall begin on the first day of October and end on the last day of September each year.
ARTICLE X: DUES
Dues are to be set by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE XI: RULES OF ORDER
Robert’s Rules of Order Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for all proceedings of the members, the Board and all committees.
ARTICLE XII: AMENDMENTS OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Amendment by Members.
These Bylaws may be altered, amended or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted, only by a majority vote of the members of the organization in accordance with this Article.
Section 2. Proposals for Amendment.
Proposals for amendment, alteration, repeal or restatement of these Bylaws, or for adoption of new Bylaws, may be initiated by resolution of the Board of Directors by unanimous resolution or consent of a standing committee, or by any professional member.
Section 3. Voting Process.
Any changes to the bylaws will be sent to membership. Members have 15 days to vote and decisions will be based on a majority of votes received.
ARTICLE XIII: DISSOLUTION
Upon the dissolution of the Association, the assets of the Association, after provision is made for payment of all of the liabilities of the organization, are to be distributed to such organization whose primary purpose shall be the promotion of the interests of students with disabilities in higher education, as the then Board of Directors shall by resolution appoint.
ARTICLE XIV: LIABILITY OF DIRECTORS
The Directors of the Association shall be immune from liability to the organization or its members to the fullest extent permitted by law.
ARTICLE XV: ACCESSIBILITY
The Association shall hold all meetings, conferences, programs, activities, and social gatherings in places that are physically accessible to persons with disabilities. Registration forms for all Association activities shall include a notice that individuals with disabilities should request in advance any disability-related accommodations needed to make the meeting or activity accessible. Reasonable accommodations that are requested in a timely manner will be provided. All Association written materials and publications shall be made available in an alternate format as requested by person with a disability. All web-based content and activities shall meet Section 508/WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility standards. The Association website will contain a statement inviting those with disabilities who may have difficulty accessing the web content to contact the webmaster for assistance.
ARTICLE XVI: ETHICS
Alabama Ahead will follow the ethical standards set forth by national AHEAD. (See Appendix C)
Appendix A
Categories of Membership
A. Individual:
Individual membership is open to any person whose designated employment responsibility is to enhance postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities (SWD), as well as those with professional or personal interest in postsecondary educational opportunities for SWD. Individual members are entitled to one (1) vote, and are eligible to hold office.
B. Institutional:
Institutional membership is open to any institution of higher education in the state of Alabama. Membership paid by your institution covers up to two (2) professionals employed by your university. Institutional Members shall be entitled to appoint two individual members who shall pay no individual membership fees. Institutional members may add additional individual members at per person fee as set by the Board. Institutions should list all individuals who are to be included in the membership at the time the application is submitted. The designated Institutional members are each entitled to one (1) vote, and are eligible to hold office.
C. Student:
Student membership shall be any person enrolled in a higher education program who has an interest in promoting the purposes of Alabama AHEAD. Membership within this organization provides the opportunity to network with professionals within the field. Student members are not eligible to vote or hold office, but are eligible for all member benefits as outlined on the membership benefits section of this site.
Appendix B
PRESIDENT.
The President is responsible for the management and leadership of the chapter. The President chairs the Board of Directors and presides over meetings of the chapter, may appoint committees or Board members-at-large, and represents the interests of AL AHEAD to AHEAD. S/he acts as the primary liaison with the chapter’s constituents and oversees the AL AHEAD listserv. The President will ensure that orders and resolutions of the Board or voted by the membership are carried out. The President will represent the chapter at meetings or membership calls of AHEAD, including AHEAD conferences for which the President may receive a stipend from the chapter. The President may appoint a proxy from the Executive Board to represent the chapter in his/her place if necessary. The President is also responsible for managing the chapter’s email account and networking with other AHEAD affiliates and professional organizations in related disciplines or fields.
PRESIDENT ELECT/PROGRAM CHAIR.
The President Elect works closely with the President to review and propose revisions to AL AHEAD By-Laws, strategic plans or other documents and to learn about the operations of the chapter and may preside over meetings in the absence of the President. The President Elect assists in overseeing Committee operations and may perform other duties as delegated by the President. As chair of the Program Committee, the President Elect is responsible for planning and executing chapter workshops and conferences, and may appoint Program Committee members from the Board of Directors or AL AHEAD membership to assist in program planning. The President Elect performs other duties and assists with special projects as delegated by the President.
TREASURER.
The Treasurer maintains all financial records of AL AHEAD and oversees fiscal planning for the chapter. The Treasurer shall receive and deposit all monies of AL AHEAD and disburse funds as directed by the Board, sign any checks and pay all bills, keep proper records of financial accounts, and prepare a statement of income and expenditures to be presented to the Board during quarterly meetings, and/or as requested. The Treasurer may perform other duties as delegated by the President.
SECRETARY/HISTORIAN.
The Secretary is responsible for keeping the minutes of each official chapter and Board meeting, including the recording of votes, decisions and actions. As the Historian, the Secretary also maintains and stores all AL AHEAD records electronically to ensure chapter history is preserved and can easily be accessed by other Executive Board members. The Secretary will gather documents and photographs to be maintained in records and may perform other duties as delegated by the President.
MARKETING CHAIR.
The Marketing Chair will evaluate, update and design AL AHEAD marketing materials as necessary, including brochures, workshop or conference flyers or advertisements, AL AHEAD logo, or other items such as stationery and promotional materials. The Marketing Chair will also manage AL AHEAD social media accounts. The Marketing Chair may work with the Executive Board to appoint committee members to assist with duties, and will work closely with the Program Chair on event promotions, the Treasurer on costs associated with designing or printing necessary materials, and the Membership Chair on promoting the annual membership drive.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIR.
The Membership Chair is responsible for corresponding with current and prospective AL AHEAD members, receiving applications for new and renewal memberships, coordinating the annual membership drive, and maintaining a current and accurate membership roster and contact list. The Membership Chair may work with the Executive Board to appoint committee members to assist with duties, and will work closely with the Marketing Chair on promotions for the annual membership drive, the Technology Chair to provide membership updates for the website, the Treasurer on collecting and depositing membership fees, and the President to provide a membership report at bi-annual meetings.
NOMINATIONS CHAIR.
The Nominations Chair oversees the election of Board members, assists with orientation of new Board members to their roles, and may appoint Nominations Committee members from the Board of Directors or AL AHEAD membership to assist with the receipt and review of nominations.
TECHNOLOGY CHAIR.
The Technology Chair is responsible for overseeing all AL AHEAD technology needs, including platforms used during Board meetings, programs, or events, and will serve as web master to update and maintain AL AHEAD website content. The Technology Chair may work with the Executive Board to appoint committee members to assist with duties, and will work closely with the Membership Chair to update membership information available online; the President to address any technology issues regarding chapter meetings, or the AL AHEAD listserv or email account; the Treasurer on costs associated with web hosting; and the Secretary to coordinate electronic storage of records.
MEMBERS AT LARGE.
Members at Large may be elected and/or appointed by the Board, not the greater membership. Members at Large can be appointed by the President as necessary to assist with special projects. Members at Large attend Board meetings to provide input and support for the operations of AL AHEAD, and are also voting members of the Board. Members at Large may assist Committee Chairs with duties in the areas of Marketing, Membership, Nominations, Programming, or Technology. Members at Large may also assist with projects related to AL AHEAD newsletters and correspondence, receiving and coordinating accommodation requests for AL AHEAD events, and other duties as delegated.
Appendix C
AHEAD Code of Ethics
We agree that these principles are the Code of Ethics for postsecondary disability service providers. As professionals, we are responsible for upholding, supporting, and advancing these ideas whenever possible. Members of AHEAD agree to monitor themselves and their peers in accordance with the spirit and provisions of this code, as delineated by the following principles:
1. Postsecondary disability service providers are committed to facilitating the highest levels of educational excellence and potential quality of life for postsecondary students with disabilities.
2. Postsecondary disability service providers strive to achieve and maintain the highest levels of competence and integrity in all areas of assistance to adult students with disabilities. This support is guided by the consistent use of objective, professional judgment in all areas, especially when addressing the confidential nature of the student’s disability.
3. Postsecondary disability service providers continually participate in professional activities and educational opportunities designed to strengthen the personal, educational, and vocational quality of life for students with disabilities. This includes the on-going development of strategies, skills, research, and knowledge pertinent to the highest quality of disability service delivery whenever and wherever it occurs.
4. Postsecondary disability service providers carry out their responsibilities in accordance with AHEAD professional standards and policy guidelines for adult students with disabilities. When certified, licensed, or affiliated with other professionals or organizations, they comply with those professional guidelines as well.
5. Postsecondary service providers are actively engaged in supporting and clarifying institutional, state, provincial, and federal laws, policies, and procedures applicable to the service delivery to students with disabilities. Compliance implies that professionals will not condone or participate in any unethical or illegal acts discussed within these guidelines.
July 1996;APRIL 2020 (SCL)