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Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
Article VIII
Article IX
Article X
Article XI
Article XII
Article XIII
Michigan Therapeutic Recreation Association
BY-LAWS
The name of this organization is the Michigan Therapeutic Recreation Association, hereinafter called MTRA or the Association. MTRA is an Affiliate Chapter of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association. The geographic region included in MTRA is primarily the entire State of Michigan.The MTRA was established to further the objectives of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association by serving as an advocate for therapeutic recreation in order to promote the health and well being of the public through service, education, research, and the development of standards. The By-laws and operation of this Chapter will not be in conflict with By-laws of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association.Section 1
Membership Classes: The Association shall have one membership class: Individual Member
A. Individual members shall be: 1) professionals or 2) paraprofessionals as determined by their certification through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, (NCTRC), 3) associate members, 4) supporting members and 5) student members.
Section 2
Qualifications: Individual Member
A. Professional member is an individual who holds current certification as a CTRS with the NCTRC.
B. Paraprofessional member is an individual who holds current certification as a CTRA with the NCTRC.
C. Associate member is an individual employed full time or part time in the field of therapeutic recreation who is not certified with NCTRC.
D. Supporting member is an individual interested in assisting the Association in reaching its mission.
E. Student member is an individual currently enrolled in a therapeutic recreation education program or a recreation program with a specialization in therapeutic recreation.
Section 3
Members in Good Standing
A. Individual Members: An individual who meets the qualifications for membership as defined in Section 2, has paid the appropriate dues, and agrees to uphold the standards and ethics of this Association, is a member in good standing.
Section 4
Rights and Privileges of Members in Good Standing:
A. Individual Member: All members shall receive regular membership services including publications and reduced fees at MTRA sponsored conferences. Professional, paraprofessional, associate and student members may vote, chair and serve on committees, Professional, paraprofessional and associate members may serve on the Board of Directors of the Association. Student members may serve on the Board of Directors as student member-at-large. Supporting members shall receive all services of the Association but have no voting rights. The offices of President, President-elect, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association shall be reserved for professional members only.
Section 5
Dues:
The Board of Directors of the MTRA shall determine the dues structure of the Association. The membership period will be one year from the date the membership dues are receipted by the Treasurer of the Association.
Section 6
Termination of Membership:Membership in the Association shall be terminated for the following reasons:
A. For nonpayment of dues after sixty days of delinquency. Membership may be reinstated by payment of dues.
B. For failure to meet any of the membership qualifications as delineated in Article III, Sections 1 and 2.
C. Upon written request of the Member.
D. For gross breaches of ethical conduct as determined by the MTRA Board of Directors.
Section 1
Officers Listed:The officers of the Association shall be President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, four Members-At-Large and one Student Member-At-Large.
Section 2
Qualifications:
The President, President-elect, Secretary and Treasurer shall be Professional Members of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), and shall be elected by the voting members of the Association. The four Member-At-Large seats shall be members of ATRA and shall be elected by the voting members of the Association from the four defined geographic regions. In the event a geographic region does not have a member interested in running for their Member-At-Large seat, then that seat will be awarded to the Member-At-Large candidate that received the most votes, but did not win a seat in their region. The Student Member-At-Large shall be a member of ATRA and shall be elected by the voting members of the Association.
Section 3
Duties:
A. The President of the Association shall guide and direct the organization in its policy-making and management functions. He/she shall perform all duties cited in the By-laws and other usual duties as cited in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
B. The President-elect of the Association will serve as President in the absence of the President and shall perform all duties as cited in the By-laws and other usual duties as cited in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
C. The Secretary and Treasurer shall perform all duties as cited in the By-laws and other usual duties as cited in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
D. The Four Members-At-Large shall participate in deliberation on Association matters, contribute to formulating decisions, assist in carrying out recommended actions and monitor and report on committee work as required and other usual duties as cited in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
E. The Student Member-At-Large shall participate in deliberation on Association matters, contribute to formulating decisions, assist in carrying out recommended actions and monitor and report on committee work as required and other usual duties as cited in Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
Section 4
Term of Office:
A. The President-elect shall hold office for one year and at the conclusion of the one year will automatically become the President of the Association for the next year. Elections are held annually.
B. The Secretary, Treasurer, and four Member-At-Large seats shall hold office for a two-year term, after which time they may be elected for an additional two-year term. The Secretary and two Member-At-Large seats (Regions 1 & 4) are elected for odd calendar years. The Treasurer and two Member-At-Large seats (Regions 2 & 3) are elected for even calendar years.
C. The Student Member-At-Large seat is a one-year term. The Student Member-At-Large may serve a second term if elected.
Section 5
Unexpired Terms:
The Board of Directors shall be empowered to fill vacancies among the Board for the remainder of the unexpired term.
Section 1
Composition:
The Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board, shall include the President, President-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, four Members-At-Large and one Student Member-At-Large.
Section 2
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Board shall supervise and direct the affairs of the Association, shall determine its policies or changes therein within the limits of the By-laws, and shall actively prosecute its purposes. It may adopt such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable.
Section 3
Meetings of the Board:
There shall be two regular meetings of the Board each year. Additional meetings may be called by the President and a minimum of seven days notice is required.
Section 4
Quorum for a Board Meeting:
The presence of a majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for a Board Meeting.
Section 1
Nominations Committee:
The Board shall appoint a committee chairperson for nominations and elections in accordance with the By-laws of the Association and Roberts Rules of Order, Revised.
Section 2
Nominations:
The nominations chairperson shall solicit nominations for positions to be filled from all members of the Association. Each candidate shall confirm his/her intent to serve if elected. Nominations will be finalized at least ninety days prior to the expiration of appropriate terms of office on the Board.
Section 3
Elections:
The slate and ballot shall be mailed to all voting members in good standing at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the appropriate terms of office on the Board. The ballot shall provide each voting member the option of write-in candidate for each office, if prior consent from the candidate has been received.
The four Member-At-Large seats shall be elected by the Voting Members in their designated geographic regions. In the event a geographic region does not have a Voting Member interested in running for a seat on the Board, the next highest vote total in the Member-At-Large election, that did not win a seat on the Board, will be declared the winner.
The candidates receiving the highest majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. In the event of a tie, the seat will be filled through an election by the Board. The Nominations and Elections Chair will notify each candidate of their status immediately following the tabulation of the ballots.
Section 1
Standing Committees:
The Board shall establish standing and special committees to further the work of the Association. All members of the Association are eligible to chair or serve on committees.
Regional Associations may exist in the State. The State is divided into four geographic regions for Association purposes. The regional groups may or may not use the four geographic regions as their geographic borders.
Each regional association must have By-laws Funds distributed by MTRA to a regional association must meet all IRS and State of Michigan legal requirements.
The Association shall develop formal and informal liaisons with other organizations whose purposes are consistent with the purposes of the Association and when such collaboration will benefit the Association and its members.
There shall be an annual meeting of the Association. Notices must be mailed to all members at least 30 days prior to the meeting.
Special Meetings:
Additional meetings of the Association can be called by the Board with 30 days written notice to the Association members.
Quorum:
Voting members present at a duly called meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Meeting Sites:
Every attempt will be made to have the meetings in a central location. Locations may be alternated to assure maximum participation by the Members.
Roberts Rules of Order, Revised shall govern the Association in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these By-laws and any special rules of order that the Association may adopt.
Amendments to the By-laws may be made by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of all voting members present at any duly called meeting, with at thirty (30) days prior notification of the intended modifications.
No part of the net earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit or, or be distributed to, its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the Association shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation of services rendered and to make payments of distributions in furtherance of the purpose set forth in Article II hereof. The Association shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried out by an association exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(C) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
Upon dissolution of the Association, the Board shall, after paying for all liabilities, dispose of the assets of the Association to organizations operating exclusively for charitable, educational, religious or scientific purposes, and shall, at that time, qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section 501 (C) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as the Board shall determine.8/92
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