Constitution and Bylaws

Article I – Name of Association

The name of this association shall be the Administrative Professional Association of Western Michigan University (hereafter “the Association”). 

Article II – Purpose of the Association

In order to support the mission and vision of Western Michigan University (hereafter “the University”), the purpose of the Association is to:

Make a positive contribution to the general welfare and operation of the University

• Facilitate a high standard of performance by the professional/administrative staff of the University
• Foster collegiality among professional/administrative staff and between professional/administrative staff and other members of the University community
• Represent the interests and concerns of professional/administrative staff of the University
• Facilitate effective communication between professional/administrative staff and the University administration, other employee groups, and students
• Foster the professional development, recognition, and advancement of its membership

Article III – Membership of the Association

Membership is open to all professional/administrative (salaried/exempt) staff who meet the membership qualifications described in the Association’s Bylaws (hereafter “the Bylaws”). 

Article IV – Officers

The Elected Officers of the Association are the President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer. The manner of selection, terms of office, and duties are set forth in the Bylaws.

Article V – Executive Board

The Executive Board is comprised of the five elected officers, the Serving Past President (i.e., the most recent past president of the Association not serving on the Board in another capacity), and representatives elected by the Active Membership from the administrative divisions of the University as set forth in the Bylaws.

Article VI – Amending the Constitution

Amendments may be proposed to the Executive Board by petition signed by one-quarter of the Active Membership or by resolution of the Executive Board. Notice of at least one week must be given to the Active Membership in writing before an amendment to the Constitution may be voted upon. To be adopted, amendments must be approved by twothirds of ballots received from the Active Membership.

Article VII – Ratification of the Constitution

This Constitution takes effect upon ratification by two-thirds of ballots received from the Active Membership.

Article VIII – Dissolution of the Association

In the event of the dissolution of the Association, the Association’s assets, after financial obligations have been met, will be donated to the Administrative Professional Association (APA) Quasi-Endowment Scholarship Fund, with the intention that the quasi-endowment will continue to provide scholarship opportunities to undergraduate and graduate student children of administrative/professional staff of the University.

Article I – Purpose of the Bylaws

I. The purpose of these Bylaws is to provide the details needed to implement the provisions of the Constitution and to assure the orderly and effective functioning of the Administrative Professional Association of Western Michigan University (hereafter “the Association”). 

Article II – Membership 

II.a. The Active Membership consists of dues-paying eligible employees. 

II.b. Eligibility: 

Active Membership in the Association is open to all professional/administrative (salaried/exempt) staff who are in the staff compensation system (hereafter “APA-eligible employees”). Eligibility may be extended to an employee eligible for membership in another representative employee organization, if a variance is approved by the Association’s Executive Board. 

II.c. Dues:

Membership dues are payable to the Administrative Professional Association, with terms and rates fixed by the Executive Board. 

II.d. Privileges and Benefits of Membership:

The Privileges and Benefits of Active Membership are defined by the Executive Board. They include the right to vote in elections for members of the Executive Board and discounted fees for selected social events.

II.e. Retiree Members:

Active Members on the date of their retirement from the University are eligible for Retiree Member status. Retiree Members do not vote in elections for members of the Executive Board and do not pay membership dues, although they do pay applicable fees for social functions, at the same rate as active members, when applicable.

II.f. Meetings: 

There must be one meeting open to all APA-eligible employees held each year in May, at which the members of the Executive Board are installed. Meetings of the membership are called by the President and must be called by the President upon receipt of a petition signed by one-fifth of the Active Membership. A quorum consists of those present. 

Article III – Executive Board

III.a. Definition and Duties of the Executive Board: 

Executive Board

• Constitutes the principal leadership of the Association and speaks on behalf of the Association to the University administration and other individuals and groups within or outside the University
• Bears the chief responsibility for overseeing the prudent use of the Association’s assets
• Approves written communication addressed to the University administration, whether signed by the President or by the officers, that states a formal position of the Association or makes a formal request on behalf of the Association
• Determines the Association’s membership terms and fees

III.b. Composition of the Executive Board:

The voting members of the Executive Board are the five elected officers (President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer), the Serving Past President (i.e., the most recent past president of the Association not serving on the Board in another capacity), and Voting Representatives (i.e., representatives elected by the Active Membership from the administrative divisions of the University).

III.c. Eligibility:

Active Members of the Association are eligible to serve as members of the Executive Board.

III.d. Terms of Office: 

III.d.1. Officers serve renewable one-year terms commencing with installation at the May membership meeting. Officers may seek reelection.

III.d.2. Voting Representatives serve renewable two-year staggered terms commencing with installation at the May membership meeting. Voting Representatives may seek reelection.

III.e. Composition of the Body of Voting Representatives:

The administrative divisions of the University are defined as any Vice Presidential area with seventy-five or more APA-eligible employees. All Vice Presidential areas with fewer than seventy-five APA-eligible employees will be combined with the departments that report directly to the President. This combined group (considered an administrative division for the purposes of determining representation on the Executive Board) is called “Administrative Affairs.”

Once an area has been determined to be an administrative division, it will remain so unless and until the number of APA-eligible employees drops below fifty, at which time it will be merged into Administrative Affairs. 

Voting Representatives are elected to represent the administrative divisions of the University. The number of representatives per division is determined by the ratio of one representative for every fifty APA-eligible employees, with the number of APAeligible employees rounded up to the nearest fifty. Each division, therefore, will have no fewer than two representatives.

The appropriate number of representatives for each division as well as the number to be elected in a given year is determined by the Nominations and Elections Committee prior to each election.

III.f. Duties of Voting Members of the Executive Board:

III.f.1. President

• Serves as chair of the Executive Board and presides over meetings of the Board and the membership
• Serves as the Association’s principal spokesperson, communicating decisions of the Executive Board to the University administration and to other parties as directed by the Board
• Organizes and attends regular meetings with the University administration
• Calls meetings of the membership and of the Executive Board
• Establishes ad hoc committees, subject to the majority approval of the Board
• Appoints chairs of standing and ad hoc committees, subject to the majority approval of the Board
• Appoints or recommends representatives to University committees
• Creates and terminates, subject to the majority approval of the Board, ex-officio positions on the Board
• Appoints and removes from office, subject to the majority approval of the Board, individuals from ex-officio positions on the Board 

III.f.2. Vice President

• Coordinates the work of standing and ad hoc committees
• Carries out the duties of President in the President’s absence
• Performs other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board
• Attends regular meetings with the University administration

III.f.3. Corresponding Secretary

• Prepares and distributes the agenda for each Executive Board meeting, each Membership meeting, and each meeting of the officers with the University administration
• Secures venues for meetings of the membership and of the Executive Board, as well as meetings of the officers with the University administration
• Presides over meetings of the Board or the membership in the absence of the President and Vice President
• Performs other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board 
• Attends regular meetings with the University administration

III.f.4. Recording Secretary

• Prepares and distributes minutes, including a record of attendance, of meetings of the Executive Board and the membership for approval by the Board and arranges for the distribution of approved minutes to the membership
• Deposits in the University Archives copies of all approved agendas and minutes from the preceding twelve months in May of each year
• Presides over meetings of the Board or the Membership in the absence of the President, Vice President, and Corresponding Secretary
• Performs other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board
• Attends regular meetings with the University administration 

III.f.5. Treasurer

• Records and deposits all money received by the Association
• Disburses all monies owed by the Association as directed by the Executive Board
• Submits a monthly financial report to the Executive Board
• Presides over meetings of the Board or the membership in the absence of the President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, and Recording Secretary
• Performs other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board
• Attends regular meetings with the University administration

III.f.6. Serving Past President

• Serves as the chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee
• Performs other duties as directed by the President or the Executive Board
• May attend meetings with the University administration

III.f.7. Voting Representatives

• Communicate the concerns of APA-eligible employees in their division to the Executive Board
• Perform other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board

III.g. Non-Voting Participants:

III.g.1. Others, including chairs of standing and ad hoc committees who are not otherwise serving on the Executive Board, may be invited to attend meetings of the Board, customarily to give reports concerning the activities of their committees.

III.g.2. Ex-officio participants, such as a Parliamentarian appointed by the President with the majority approval of the Board, may be invited to attend meetings of the Board.

III.h. Elections: A slate of candidates for the Executive Board is presented by the Nominations and Elections Committee based on nominations from the membership, and provision must be made for write-in candidates for each Executive Board position. Members of the Executive Board are elected by secret ballot prior to the May membership meeting.

III.i. Vacancies: In the case of death, resignation from the Board, or removal from office of a voting member, the Board will appoint a replacement for the remainder of the term. When filling the vacated term of the President, first consideration will be given to the Vice President. When filling vacated terms of other officer positions, first consideration is to be given to current Voting Representatives. When filling vacancies in Voting Representative positions, every effort is to be made to respect the intention of representation of the administrative divisions.

III.j. Removal of Officers: To remove an officer for cause, a petition stating the reason for removal must be signed by at least one-third of the Association’s Active Membership or one-half of the Executive Board and submitted to the Executive Board. The Past President shall arrange for a vote, by secret ballot, of the Active Membership within fifteen days. A two-thirds majority of ballots received are required to remove an officer.

III.k. Removal of Voting Representatives: To remove a Voting Representative for cause, a petition stating the reason for removal must be signed by at least one-third of the Active Membership of the representative’s administrative division or one-half of the Executive Board and submitted to the Executive Board. The Past President shall arrange for a vote, by secret ballot, of the Active Membership of the representative’s administrative division within fifteen days. A twothirds majority of ballots received are required to remove a Voting Representative.

III.l. Meetings: The Executive Board customarily meets once each month. Additional meetings may be called by the President and must be called by the President upon the request of a majority of Executive Board members.

III.m. A quorum consists of a simple majority of current Executive Board members. 

Article IV – Standing Committees

IV.a. The standing committees of the Association serve the interests and needs of the Association and report to the Executive Board. They are:

• Awards and Recognition Committee
• Membership Committee
• Nominations and Elections Committee

IV.b. Chairs of standing committees are appointed to renewable one-year terms by the President, subject to the majority approval of the Executive Board.

IV.c. Members of standing committees are appointed by the committee’s chair.

IV.d. Duties of the Standing Committees:

IV.d.1. Awards and Recognition Committee

• Administers the Association’s awards programs, selecting the recipients
• Administers the Association’s scholarship fund
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board

IV.d.2. Membership Committee

• Compiles and maintains lists of APA-eligible employees
• Develops strategies to encourage Active Membership
• Maintains a list of Active and Retiree Members
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board

IV.d.3. Nominations and Elections Committee

• Solicits nominations for elected positions
• Prepares slates of candidates for annual elections
• Oversees elections and tallies results, reporting to the Executive Board
• Performs other duties as assigned by the President or the Executive Board

Article V – Ad Hoc Committees

V.a. Ad hoc committees are established by the President, subject to the majority approval of the Executive Board.

V.b. Chairs of ad hoc committees are appointed to renewable one-year terms by the President, subject to the majority approval of the Executive Board.

V.c. Members of ad hoc committees are appointed by the committee’s chair.

V.d. Duties of ad hoc committees are assigned by the President or the Executive Board.

Article VI – Parliamentary Procedure

VI. Robert’s Rules of Order, most recent edition, govern proceedings of the meetings of the Executive Board and the membership. 

Article VII – Amending the Bylaws

VII. Amendments to the Bylaws may be proposed to the Executive Board by petition signed by one-quarter of the Active Membership or by resolution of the Executive Board. Notice of at least one week must be given to the Active Membership in writing before an amendment to the Bylaws may be voted upon. To be adopted, amendments must be approved by two-thirds of ballots received from the Active Membership.

Article VIII – Ratification of the Bylaws

VIII. These Bylaws take effect upon ratification by two-thirds of ballots received from the Active Membership.