Bylaws of The Virginia School Counselor Association
Adopted by Membership 1977
Revised by Executive Board 1992, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2024 & Adopted by Membership
ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSES:
I. Section 1. Name.
The name of the Association shall be the Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA), a chartered state chapter of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
I. Section 2. Purpose.
The purpose of the association shall be:
a. To foster a close personal and professional relationship among school.
counselors and with counselors in other settings.
b. To advance the profession of counseling in order to maximize the educational, academic, college and career readiness, and social/emotional growth of each individual.
c. To improve the standards of school counseling and the relationships with other student services for students in elementary, middle/junior high/secondary, and post-secondary settings.
d. To assume an active role in helping the public to understand and improve the named school counseling services.
e. To develop, implement, and/or foster interest in college and career development programs.
f. To publish outcome-based, educational and professional materials.
ARTICLE II: MEMBERSHIP:
II. Section 1. Types of Membership.
This Association shall include seven types of membership: Professional, Regular, First Year Professional, Retired, Emeritus, Student and Affiliate.
II. Section 2. Requirements of Membership.
In order to qualify for one of the seven types of membership, an individual must meet the following requirements for the membership being sought.
a. Professional Membership. A Professional Member must be employed as a school counselor, or otherwise must devote at least 50 percent of the time in activities related to school counseling whether directly or in a supervisory capacity. A Professional Member must hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum of 30 semester hours, or equivalent of graduate credit in courses related to counseling and must be employed in school counselor related activities. The member must hold a school counselor or guidance certificate or license, if such certificate is available from those states where the member is employed. Any person who has attained status as a Professional Member shall retain that status for all purposes. Any such person shall not be eligible for an elected office of the Association if the election occurs more than two years after any such person discontinues employment or supervisory activity in school counseling.
b. Regular Membership. A Regular Member shall be employed as a counselor, or otherwise must devote at least 50 percent of the time in activities related to counseling whether directly or in a supervisory capacity, and hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum of 15 semester hours or equivalent, of graduate credit in courses related to counseling.
c. First Year Professional. A school counselor or school counseling professor in their first year of employment.
d. Retired Membership. A retired member is any individual who has retired from the school counseling profession.
e. Emeritus Membership. Emeritus Members, as voted by the Board of Directors, shall enjoy all privileges of membership but shall be exempt from the payment of dues. (i) A person has been a member for at least 20 years and has attained age 65 (ii). A person has served as VSCA President (prior to 2018) or Chair of the Board of Directors (iii) A person is currently representing School Counselors at the Virginia Department of Education.
f. Student Membership. A Student Member must be engaged in a planned program of school counselor education designed to result in a degree or certification as a school counselor. No person shall be eligible to be or continue as a Student Member who is otherwise eligible to become a Professional Member or Regular Member.
g. Affiliate Membership. Any person interested in counseling, not eligible for any other type of membership, may become an Affiliate Member.
II. Section 3. Counselor Defined.
The term “School Counselor” wherever used herein, shall include persons engaged for the requisite periods of study or employment at any level of education or employment related to school counseling.
II. Section 4. Dues. Dues shall be set by the Board of Directors for all categories of membership.
II. Section 5. Rights and Privileges.
Professional, Regular, Retired, Emeritus, and Student Members shall be eligible to vote, indicate motions of parliamentary proceeding, and shall be eligible for committee membership, committee leadership, elective office or appointment to the Board.
II. Section 6. Severance of Membership.
a. A member may be dropped from membership for any conduct that tends to injure the Association, or adversely affect its reputation, or which violates principles stated in the VSCA Bylaws. The Board of Directors shall consider any charges made over the signature of six VSCA members who are in good standing. A member shall be permitted to resign from membership, whether the charges are true, subject, however, to the right of any accused member to file an appeal to and have a hearing before the Board of Directors, whose decision shall be final.
b. A member may be dropped from membership for failure to pay dues.
II. Section 7. Statement of Nondiscrimination
The Virginia School Counselor Association does not knowingly engage in or support activities that discriminate on any basis as addressed in federal guidelines and ASCA’s Ethical Standards for School Counselors.
ARTICLE III: BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
III. Section 1. Board of Directors.
a. The Board of Directors shall conduct governance of VSCA but shall not take any action contrary to Bylaws adopted by the membership.
b. The Board of Directors shall create policies and procedures to carry out the mission of VSCA.
c. The Board of Directors shall direct and manage the general administration and executive functions of the association.
d. The voting members of The Board of Directors shall consist of nine Directors as determined by the voting membership.
e. The Chair of the Board shall be an elected Director on the Board of Directors who is selected by the members of the Board of Directors to serve a one-year term as Chair of the Board.
f. The Assistant Chair of the Board shall be an elected Director of the Board of Directors who is selected by the members of the Board of Directors to serve a one-year term to assist the Chair of the Board and to serve as the Chair of the Board in the Chair’s absence.
III. Section 2. Duties and Terms of Office.
a. The Chair of the Board and the Assistant Chair of the Board will be elected annually by the members of the Board of Directors who are returning in the following year and by the newly elected Directors prior to the start of the fiscal year.
b. Elections for the Chair of the Board and the Assistant Chair of the Board will be scheduled by the current Chair of the Board and will be conducted in a closed meeting of the nine elected members of the Board of Directors.
c. Directors shall be elected by the VSCA membership to serve a three-year term to take actions or to make decisions on behalf of the members in accordance with VSCA policies and procedures that address Governance.
d. The number of Directors who shall be elected by the VSCA membership each year will be determined by the number of Directors who are completing a three-year term and in order to maintain nine members of the Board of Directors.
e. Directors shall not serve more than two consecutive terms on the Board of Directors.
f. Secretarial duties will be rotated among currently elected board members.
g. The term of office for any elected Director shall coincide with the fiscal year of VSCA.
h. Directors must be school counselors, faculty in a school counselor education program, or a recently retired aforementioned position for no less than three years.
i. Directors must be members of VSCA.
j. The Virginia Department of Education School Counseling representative shall be a non-voting, ex-officio member of the Board of Directors.
III. Section 3. Meetings.
The Chair of the Board of Directors of the Association shall call meetings as are deemed necessary to carry on the business of the Association.
a. The Board of Directors shall meet at least once per year. Such meetings may be held in person or via an electronic medium in which all individuals can hear one another. Meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chair of the Board or by majority vote of the Board.
b. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the voting members of the Board of Directors.
c. Each member of the Board of Directors shall have one vote. Decisions of the Board of Directors shall be made by a simple majority vote except in cases involving issues that require a membership vote.
d. Directors are required to attend all Board of Directors meetings and other functions in accordance with VSCA policies and procedures.
III. Section 4. Vacancies.
If a vacancy occurs in any office elected by the members, the Chair shall recommend to the Board of Directors the name of at least two qualified replacements. The Board of Directors shall appoint the replacement with a majority vote from the Chair’s recommendations to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
III. Section 5. Compensation.
Members of the Board of Directors shall not receive any compensation for services, but their necessary expenses shall be paid in accordance with the VSCA Financial Policies and Procedures Handbook.
ARTICLE IV: NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS:
IV. Section 1. Candidate Qualifications.
a. The Directors shall be elected annually through a general election by the VSCA membership.
b. Candidates must be current VSCA members.
c. Directors must be school counselors, faculty in a school counselor education program, or a recently retired aforementioned position.
d. Candidates whose eligibility changes at any time during the election process must notify the committee on Nominations & Elections.
e. Candidates must have at least three years of experience in the school counseling profession.
IV. Section 2. Nominations and Elections.
a. The slate of qualified candidates will be presented by a committee on Nominations & Elections for a yes or no vote. Once the slate is approved by the Board of Directors, the Nominations & Elections Committee will present the slate to the VSCA membership for a vote. The three candidates with the highest number of votes will be the new members of the Board of Directors.
b. If any elected candidate should be unable to assume office prior to the beginning of VSCA’s fiscal year, the candidate with the next highest number of votes in the election shall be asked to serve in the vacant position.
ARTICLE V: ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AND DUTIES:
V. Section 1: Treasurer.
a. Finance Manager/Treasurer shall be contracted by the Board of Directors annually.
b. The roles and responsibilities of the Finance Manager/Treasurer shall be defined and carried out in accordance with the VSCA Financial Policies & Procedures Handbook and Scope of Services, subject to the provisions of its Bylaws, policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Directors.
V. Section 2: Committee Chairs.
Committees shall be established to accomplish specific tasks within specific timeframes in accordance with the Governing Policies & Procedures as adopted by the Board of Directors. These committees shall carry out the work of VSCA.
a. Committee Chairs shall be appointed by the Executive Director, or in the absence of the Executive Director, the Board of Directors, and serve one-year terms.
b. Committee Chairs may serve consecutive terms.
c. Committee Chairs may be removed at any time by the Board of Directors if the Board determines it to be in the best interest of the Association.
V. Section 3: Additional Appointments.
The Board of Directors may create other positions as needed to accomplish the work of the association in accordance with the current Bylaws and Governing Policies & Procedures.
ARTICLE VI: BUSINESS AFFAIRS OF THE ASSOCIATION
VI. Section 1. Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year shall be from July 1st until June 30th.
VI. Section 2. Property of the Association.
In the event the Association should be dissolved, none of its property shall be distributed to any of the members. Instead, all of its property shall be transferred to such organization(s) as the Board of Directors shall determine to have purposes and activities most nearly consonant with those of the Association, provided, however, that such organization(s) shall be exempt under Section 501-C(6) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding provisions of the Internal Revenue Laws.
VI. Section 3. Membership Year.
The membership year shall run one year from the member’s date of registration.
VI. Section 4. Financial Policies.
VSCA will abide by the policies in the Financial Policies and Procedures handbook as approved by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VII: ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT OF Bylaws:
VII. Section 1. Amendment and Adoption.
These Bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the membership after submission of the proposed amendment by either of the following methods: a. An amendment shall be proposed in writing to the Board of Directors not less than 90 days prior to the annual meeting of the membership. Copies of amendments proposed under the provision of the foregoing paragraph shall be made available electronically to the membership within 30 days. b. An amendment first proposed at any Board of Directors meeting shall be voted upon by electronic ballot after 60 days following the date of proposal. The Board of Directors’ written recommendation shall accompany such a ballot.
VII. Section 2. Publication.
The Bylaws of the Association shall be published in their entirety every three years and shall be available to any member upon request.
ARTICLE VIII: INDEMNIFICATION:
VSCA Association indemnities each governing board member from all judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement, and reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, actually, and necessarily incurred or imposed as a result of such actions or proceedings or an appeal therein, imposed upon or asserted against him or her by reason of being or having been such an officer and acting within the scope of his or her official duties, but only when the determination shall have been made judicially or in the manner hereinafter provided in good faith for the purpose when he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the association, and in the case of criminal action or proceedings upon a finding that or if a quorum under is not obtained with due diligence upon the opinion in writing of independent legal counsel, that the governing board member has met the foregoing applicable standard of conduct if the undergoing determinations to be made by the governing board it may rely as to all questions of law on the advice of independent council.
Revised August 2009
Approved by Board 10/31/09
Approved by VSCA Membership 1/15/10
Revised with ASCA input 5/25/10
Approved by ASCA Delegate Assembly 6/20/10
Revised by VSCA Membership 4/27/12
Revised by VSCA Membership 11/20/14
Revised by VSCA Membership 11/18/16
Revised by VSCA Membership 3/15/18
Revised by VSCA Membership 6/12/24
