NAFSA: Region II

Nafsa Region II Regional Operating Procedures

Procedure I Name and Geographic Region

The name of this organization shall be Region II of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The Region shall be established geographically in accordance with the bylaws of NAFSA and, until properly amended, shall consist of the following area: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Procedure II Purpose

The purpose of this Region shall be to generally advance NAFSA’s mission within its specific geographic area while responding to the needs of its members.

Procedure III Membership of Region and Membership Voting Status

All members of NAFSA within its designated geographic area shall be considered members of the Region, and shall be voting or non-voting members, as provided by NAFSA’s bylaws.

Procedure IV Regional Team Members

Regional Team Definition and Selection of Regional Leaders
The management of the business of this Region shall be vested in a Regional Team consisting of elected and appointed members. Primary responsibility will reside in the Executive Committee which consists of the following members: Chair, Chair-elect, Chair-elect-elect, Immediate Past Chair, and Treasurer.
Eligibility to Serve as a Regional Leader
Any voting member of NAFSA from within this Region shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Regional Team, except that the Chair-elect-elect and the Treasurer shall have served at least two years on a Regional Team prior to taking office.
Procedures for Nominations and Elections
1. Nominating Committee
  At the Annual Regional Business Meeting, a Nominating Committee of no fewer than three and no more than five members shall be elected from among the membership, by nominations from the floor. The Chair-elect shall serve as an ex-officio member. The person receiving the highest vote shall become Chair of the Nominating Committee and shall ensure that a slate of eligible candidates is distributed to the Regional membership at least 30 days in advance of the election.
2. Election of Regional Team Members
  Election of Regional Team Members shall be by written ballot distributed by special mailing (to include electronic mail) to the Regional membership. Ballots will be emailed or sent by regular mail to the membership no later than August 1 and received by August 31. Only those ballots returned by the announced deadline shall be counted. For each office, the nominee receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected.
  
  Ballots shall be counted by the Chair and confirmed by a member of the regional team or a NAFSA member in the local area of the Chair.
3. Term of Office
  The terms of office of all elected and appointed members of the Regional Team shall begin on January 1st following election. All elected and appointed members will attend the Regional Team meeting prior to their assumption of office. Any member of the team may be asked to resign if not fulfilling their duties as described.
  
  Length of terms:
  Chair: One year
  Chair-elect: One year
  Immediate Past Chair: One year
  Treasurer: Three years
4. Vacancies
  Chair: A vacancy in the office of the Chair shall be filled by the Chair-elect, who shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term in addition to serving as Chair for the following year.
  Chair-elect: A vacancy in the office of the Chair-elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
  Chair-elect-elect: A vacancy in the office of the Chair-elect shall be filled by special election among the membership.
  Immediate Past Chair: A vacancy in the office of the Immediate Past Chair shall be filled by a former past chair, if possible.
  Treasurer: A vacancy in the office of Treasurer shall be filled by appointment by the Chair.

Procedure V Duties of Regional Leaders

The leadership team shall be indemnified by the national NAFSA organization.

Chair
The Chair shall preside at all Regional Meetings, shall serve as Regional Conference Chair, shall maintain a record of action items decided by the Executive Committee, and shall otherwise perform the normal duties of a Chair. The Chair will ensure that an annual financial report is submitted to NAFSA and that a yearly audit of regional finances is completed.
Chair-elect
The Chair-elect shall preside in the absence of the Chair at any Regional or Team Meetings, shall chair the Membership Committee, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
Immediate Past Chair
The Immediate Past Chair shall represent this Region in the Regional Affairs Committee of NAFSA, and shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
Treasurer
The Treasurer shall keep the financial records of the region and shall prepare an annual budget to be presented to the Regional Team and approved at the Annual Regional Business Meeting. Any unbudgeted expenditure of more than $150 shall require approval by the Regional Team. The Treasurer shall ensure that an audit of the region’s finances is conducted each year and shall present the audit report to the Chair and to NAFSA in a timely fashion. The Treasurer shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Chair.
Other Regional Team Members
The Chair may assign such duties as are appropriate to other members of the Regional Team.

Procedure VI Pattern of Regional Meetings

Regional Conference
The Region shall schedule an Annual Regional Conference, which shall include an Annual Business Meeting to consider all matters appropriate for this meeting and a meeting of the Regional Team.
Meeting at NAFSA Annual Conference
A regional business meeting shall be conducted at the NAFSA annual conference during the time set aside for Regional Updates.
Other Meetings
Workshops, inter-regional meetings, and other meetings of interest to regional members may be arranged in consultation with the Chair and with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Procedure VII Procedures for Managing Regional Business

Regional Finances
The Region shall manage their funds prudently; maintain appropriate financial records; submit annual financial reports to NAFSA; be subject to audit in a manner prescribed by the Treasurer of NAFSA.
Regional Conference Registration
The Region shall use a third-party conference registration company, chosen by the NAFSA Vice President for Member Relations, to process pre-conference fee collections and, if desired, to process on-site registrations.
Regional Hotel Site Selection Contractor
The Regions shall use a third-party hotel contractor, chosen by the NAFSA Vice President for Member Relations, to select and contract for hotels or conference centers for regional conferences.
Regional Fundraising
Any fundraising by the Regions shall conform to NAFSA’s “Guidelines for Fundraising.”
Regional Communications
Any communications or public representations emanating from a Region shall be clearly identified as such.

Procedure VIII Quorum

At the Annual Business Meeting, the number present shall constitute a quorum. In any mail ballots, the number of returned ballots shall constitute a quorum

Procedure IX Parliamentary authority

The rules contained in A. Sturgis, Code of Parliamentary Procedure shall govern the Region in all matters in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these Bylaws or any of the governing documents of NAFSA.

Procedure X Amendments

These Regional Operating Procedures may be amended by a majority vote of the members present and voting at either the Annual Regional Business Meeting at the Regional Conference or the Business Meeting at the NAFSA Annual Conference; provided that each proposed amendment has been published in a special mailing at least thirty (30) days in advance of the Meeting. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Vice President for Member Relations for review at least 45 days prior to the regional vote.

Approved November 10, 2006 by a vote of Region II membership