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ASSOCIATION FOR GERONTOLOGY IN HIGHER EDUCATION (AGHE)
a unit of
THE GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
BY LAWS
Index to Articles and Sections
ARTICLE I: Name, Purpose and Mission
Section 1. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, hereafter in these By-laws referred to as the “Association,” a unit of the Gerontological Society of America, hereafter in these By-laws referred to as the “Society.”
The purpose of the Association is to advance gerontology and geriatrics education in academic institutions.
AGHE's mission is to provide leadership and support of gerontology and geriatric education faculty and students in educational institutions.
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ARTICLE II: Membership
Section 1. General Membership
Institutions of higher education with a demonstrated interest in initiating, developing, expanding, and improving education, research, and training programs in gerontology and geriatrics shall be eligible for one membership each. There are six categories of General Membership:
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Universities;
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Professional Schools;
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Four-Year Colleges;
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Two-Year Colleges;
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Educational Affiliates; and
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International Affiliates.
The educational affiliate category is available only to accredited academic institutions, with gerontological/geriatric educators and/or course offerings in aging, but without a formal gerontological or geriatric program. [A formal program is defined as: (a) one offering a degree, certificate, concentration, specialization, emphasis, or minor in gerontology or (b) one identified as a research and/or clinical training center in gerontology/geriatrics.]
Consortia, which have been members of the Association prior to March 1, 1986, shall retain their general membership status.
Section 2. Other Affiliate Memberships
There are two categories of Other Affiliate Memberships: Organizational Affiliates and Sustaining Affiliates.
(a) Organizational Affiliate Members.
(b) Sustaining Affiliate Members. Institutions or organizations interested in supporting the development of gerontology/geriatrics in higher education may be eligible for membership as non-voting Sustaining Affiliates or as voting Sustaining Affiliates if they meet the criteria for general membership institutions as stated in ARTICLE II, Section 1.
Section 3. Election to Membership
An eligible institution or organization may apply for membership by written application to the Association.
Section 4. Representation
1) Each Association member in good standing and meeting General Membership criteria shall designate the following:
A representative to the Association, an individual it employs to represent it at meetings of the Association and to receive notices from the Association. Representatives from the General Membership category in Section 1 of this ARTICLE, hereafter referred to as “institutional representatives” in these By-laws, have voting privileges as the agent of the institution.
2) Each Association member in good standing may designate the following:
a. Alternate Institutional Representative: employed by the institution, acts on behalf of the institution in the absence of the Institutional Representative. The Alternate Representative assumes institutional voting privileges when so designated by the Institutional Representative per ARTICLE VII, section 4.
b. Public Policy Representative: employed by the institution, obtains AGHE public policy information from the AGHE Public Policy Committee or AGHE Office and may act as the institutional liaison of information for national, state and local policies on aging.
c. Student Institutional Representative: a student in good standing enrolled at the institution and acts in the capacity of representative of students of said institution; assisting with communication between the Institutional Representative, the faculty, and AGHE. [A student institutional representative is eligible to apply for the position of 'Student Representative to the Executive Committee' (ARTICLE VI, Section 1. d)]
d. Affiliate Representatives: individuals internal (faculty/staff) and external (members of community-based organizations) to the institution that are eligible to receive AGHE related reports and notices to facilitate distribution of said information.
3) Each Organizational and Sustaining Affiliate member NOT meeting the criteria for general membership institutuions as stated in ARTICLE II, Section 1 shall designate the following:
a. A representative to the Association: an individual it employs to represent the organization at meetings of the Association and to receive notices from the Association. Representatives in these By-laws do not have Association voting privilages as an agent of the orghanization.
b. Affiliate Representatives: individuals employed by the organization or affiliate member institution in either full time or part time capacity that are eligible to receive AGHE related reports, public policy information, and notices to facilitate distribution of said information.
Section 5. Suspension
An Association member may be suspended for a period or expelled for cause such as violation of any of the By-laws.
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ARTICLE III: Dues
Section 1. Annual Dues
Periodically the Finance Committee shall review the amount of annual dues payable to the Association by its members and make recommendations for changes to the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Payment of Dues
Dues shall be payable on the first day of July each year.
Section 3. Termination of Membership
When any member fails to pay its dues for a period of four months from the due date, it shall be notified of its delinquent status. Termination of membership shall occur if payment is not received prior to the last day of December of the year in question. Former members wishing reinstatement within the current year shall so notify the Chairperson of the Membership Committee by letter. Former members wishing to be reinstated after the end of the current fiscal year shall reapply in the manner provided in ARTICLE II, Section 4.
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ARTICLE IV: Elected Officers and Members-at-Large
Section 1. Number and Eligibility
Elected members of the Executive Committee shall include the officers and five Members-at-Large.
Section 2. Duties of Officers
All officers shall assume their offices on the final day of the Association's annual educational leadership conference/meeting of the year that follows the election. The duties and powers of the officers of the Association shall be as follows:
(a) President.
(b) President-Elect.
(c) Immediate Past-President. The Immediate Past-President shall serve as an official voting member of the Executive Committee for a one-year term, immediately following his/her term as President. During this term of office, he/she shall serve as Chairperson of the Nominations Committee, the committee responsible for identifying candidates for the annual election of the Association. The Immediate Past-President shall assist the President as necessary in matters relating to the prosperity and welfare of the Association and shall represent the Association as a voting member of the Council of the Society.
(d) Treasurer.
(e) Secretary.
Section 3. Duties of Members-at-Large
The five Members-at-Large shall serve staggered two-year terms with two elected in the odd numbered years and three elected in the even numbered years. Members-at-Large shall serve as voting members of the Executive Committee and as Chairpersons of one or more of the Association’s committees. In the capacity of chairperson, they shall facilitate their respective committee’s (s’) setting an annual agenda/goals and its productivity regarding quality outcomes and services. Additionally, they shall serve as members of one or more of the following committees: Finance; Long-Range Planning; Personnel; Committee on Committees; and/or annual meeting Site Selection.
Section 4. Method of Election
A Nominations Committee shall present to the member institutions of record in the Association an annual slate of candidates for office.
(a) Composition of Committee. The Nominations Committee shall consist of the Chair, who is either the President-Elect or the Immediate Past-President, and two to four additional members.
(b)
The final ballot shall be prepared by the Nominations Committee, in conjunction with the Association’s staff, and distributed to all institutional representatives of member institutions and submitted to the Nominations Committee at least 45 days in advance of the voting deadline.
In the event of a tie vote among candidates for any elective position, the elected members of the Executive Committee shall decide the winner by casting secret ballots either electronically or by US mail prior to the scheduled announcement of election results.
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ARTICLE V: Executive Committee
Section 1. Composition of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall include the elected officers (i.e., President, President-Elect or Immediate Past-President, Treasurer, and Secretary), the five elected Members-at-Large, and members appointed by the President, including a student representative. Appointed members of the Executive Committee serve renewable one-year terms at the discretion of the President. All members of the Executive Committee must be employed by, or enrolled at, an Association member and be members of the Society. The elected and appointed members shall constitute the voting membership of the Executive Committee unless stated otherwise in these By-laws. At all times, there shall be more elected than appointed members on the Executive Committee.
The President shall appoint the Chairs of standing and support committees of the Association from members of the Executive Committee unless otherwise stated in these By-laws.
Designee appointments to the Executive Committee (e.g., Program Chair Designee, Local Arrangements Chair Designee, and Student Representative Designee) shall be non-voting members of the Executive Committee. The President may invite an older adult with expert knowledge and/or experience related to the activities of one or more of the Association’s committees or the theme of the upcoming annual leadership conference to participate in aspects of an Executive Committee meeting; this person is not a voting member of the Executive Committee.
Section 2. Duties of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall: (a) hold meetings at such times and places as deemed proper; (b) report to the Association the admission of new members and the termination or suspension of members; (c) recommend the amount of membership dues; (d) promote and carry out activities related to the educational mission of the Association and the Society; (e) conduct fund-raising activities for the Association; (f) manage and disburse the funds of the Association; (g) print and circulate documents and publish articles; (h) conduct correspondence and communicate with other organizations; (i) designate agents (e.g., consultants, contractors); (j) design and implement such other measures as it deems proper and expedient to promote the objectives of the Association and to best protect the interests and welfare of the membership; and (k) carry out the directives of the membership. Additionally, Executive Committee members, chairing committees of the Association, shall serve and represent the Association as voting members of those same committees of the Society.
Section 3. Meetings of the Executive Committee
Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held periodically at such times and places as mutually agreed upon by the members. Notice of meetings shall be mailed to the last recorded address (postal and electronic) of each Executive Committee member at least 10 days before the date of the meeting. Meetings of selected members of the Executive Committee may be held at the discretion of the President to advance the work of the Association in an efficient and expeditious manner provided that all members of the Executive Committee are given notice of such meetings at least 10 days in advance and are permitted to attend any such meetings at their own expense. The President may, if necessary, issue a call for a special meeting of the Executive Committee and only five days notice shall be required for such special meetings.
Section 4. Quorum
A simple majority of the voting members of the Executive Committee or members selected for a meeting shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the absence of the President and the President-Elect or Immediate Past-President, the quorum present may select another officer or Member-at-Large to preside over the meeting.
Section 5. Absence
Should any member of the Executive Committee be absent from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee, the member shall state an acceptable reason for the absence. If this information is not provided or is found to be unacceptable, the President may declare this member’s seat on the Executive Committee vacant and may proceed to fill the vacancy in accordance with ARTICLE V, Section 6.
Section 6. Vacancies
Whenever a vacancy occurs from among elected members of the Executive Committee as a result of death, resignation, or other cause, the position shall be filled without undue delay by a simple majority vote of the remaining elected membersof the Executive Committee. The election shall be held via secret ballot within 60 days after the occurrence of the vacancy. The person elected shall hold office until the next regularly scheduled election.
Section 7. Removal of Members of the Executive Committee
Any elected member of the Executive Committee may be removed for cause at any time by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the designated institutional representatives of the member institutions present at any special meeting of the Association called for that purpose. Any appointed member of the Executive Committee may be removed for cause at the discretion of the President. Vacancies so created shall be filled in accordance with ARTICLE V, Section 6.
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ARTICLE VI: Committees and Task Forces
Section 1. Committees and Task Forces
The activities of the Association shall be organized around and take place through its committees and task forces.
(a) Standing Committees. The standing committees of the Association shall be those directly related to its mission, long-term health and success, and day-to-day operations. The standing committees shall be Academic Program Development, Advancement, Annual Meeting Program, Committee on Committees, Finance, Long-Range Planning, Membership, Nominations, Personnel, Public Policy, Publications, and the Student Committee.
(b) Support Committees. The support committees of the Association shall be those that enhance and support the mission of the Association. Examples of support committees include the Annual Meeting Local Arrangements, Annual Meeting Site Selection, Awards, Faculty Development, Fellow Selection, Geriatric Education, and Past-Presidents. Unless otherwise stated in these By-laws, the President shall appoint the chairpersons of support committees from elected officers, Members-at-Large, and appointments to the Executive Committee. Chairpersons must be employed by Association members and be members of the Society to be eligible to serve in this capacity. The term of appointment shall be for one (1) year although a chairperson may serve for two or more consecutive terms at the discretion of the President.
(c) Ad Hoc Committees and Task Forces. The President may appoint ad hoc committees and task forces as appropriate to the mission and needs of the Association. Ad hoc committees, by intent, shall be tightly focused and time-limited to one year or less. Task forces shall be created to focus on substantive issues or initiatives that transcend the purview of standing and support committees and shall be time-limited to three years or less although they are renewable upon recommendation of the Executive Committee. The President shall appoint the chairpersons of ad hoc committees unless stated otherwise in these By-laws; their terms of appointment shall be at the discretion of the President.
(d) Student Committee. The Student Committee is open to all gerontology and geriatrics students and works to promote professional opportunities for students and to foster student involvement in the Association. This committee is chaired by the Student Representative to the Executive Committee. Each year the AGHE President, in consultation with the AGHE Director, and Student Representative to the Executive Committee (current and in-coming), shall appoint a new Student Representative Designee from among nominees submitted by the Student Committee and faculty from AGHE-member institutions. After one year in office, the Student Representative Designee shall assume the position of Student Representative.
(e) Sub-Committees.
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