Articles of Organization

The Articles of Organization below were most recently revised in December 2021.

PREAMBLE

The National Association of State Student Council Executive Directors (NASSCED) is dedicated to building and supporting strong state Student Council Associations through the professional development of its members.

ARTICLE I ‑ NAME

The name of this unincorporated, voluntary association shall be the National Association of State Student Council Executive Directors (NASSCED).

ARTICLE II ‑ PURPOSES

Section A: To provide a forum for executive directors of state student council associations to discuss issues of common concern to student councils throughout the United States.

Section B: To provide an opportunity for executive directors of state student council associations to develop policies and recommendations which are consistent with the aims of the association, improve student leadership development, and provide direction to state associations.

Section C: To provide resources for executive directors of state student council associations which enhance their ability to serve the needs of their state associations.

Section D: To encourage and facilitate the development of mutually supportive and beneficial partnerships with like-minded organizations which provide opportunities and/or support for leadership development.

Section E: To collaborate with individuals and/or organizations in the development of programs and activities that benefit students, student councils and student council state associations.

ARTICLE III ‑ MEMBERSHIP

Clarification: This is an association of individual members, not associations. Individuals may qualify for membership in one of the following categories:

Section A: Regular
Individuals that meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible for REGULAR membership in the association, with the right to vote, hold office and participate in any activities of the association contingent upon full payment of annual dues:

Is recognized by title as an EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR or similar title of a state/regional/national Student Council Association or organization.

Is directly responsible for the development of the STUDENT COUNCIL convention and/or leadership conference/workshop for their state/region;

If a person does not CLEARLY meet at least one of the above criteria, an appeal may be made to the NASSCED Board of Directors for clarification. The decision of that board will be final.

Section B: Lifetime
Upon recommendation by the association’s Board of Directors, individuals may be granted non‑voting membership in the association by a two‑thirds vote of those present and voting at a regular meeting of the State Executive Directors. Lifetime members are not eligible to hold office and not required to pay dues.

ARTICLE IV ‑ GOVERNANCE

Section A: Board of Directors
The affairs of the association shall be governed by a Board of Directors whose voting members are elected by regions at the annual Winter Meeting of the association. The regions of this association shall be defined as follows:

Region 1 – CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT
Region 2 – DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA
Region 3 – DC. KY, NC, SC, TN, VA
Region 4 – MI, MN, ND, SD, WI, WY
Region 5 – IA, IL, IN, NE, OW, WV
Region 6 – AR, AZ, CO, KS, MO, NM, OK
Region 7 – AK, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA
Region 8 – AL, GA, FL, LA, MS, PR, TX

Voting members elected to the Board of Directors shall serve a term of two years, with odd‑numbered regions electing their representatives in odd‑numbered years; and even numbered regions electing their members in even‑numbered years. Individual regions may set their own limitations on the number of consecutive terms a voting member elected from their region may serve on the Board of Directors. A vacancy on the Board of Directors shall be filled by special election to complete an unexpired term as soon as possible by vote of the members in the region with the vacancy.

Section B: Officers
Following the regional elections the Board of Directors shall, by majority vote, annually elect a President and Vice President from among the voting members elected or continuing to represent their respective regions.

The President-elect, with majority approval from the newly elected members of the Board of Directors, may annually appoint current members in good standing of the association to serve in the following roles:

Secretary
Treasurer
Webmaster
Special Committee Chairpersons

The same individual may be appointed to serve in more than one of the above roles. All members appointed by the President-elect to serve in one or more of the above roles shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the Board of Directors, unless they have been elected by or are continuing to represent their respective regions.

There shall be no limit on the number of years a member can be appointed to serve in one or more of the above ex-officio positions. The Webmaster and Special Committee Chairpersons may be Lifetime Members, and in such case their positions shall not be considered Offices as stated in the Third Article.

There shall also be a Past President position which shall be assumed by the President at the end of his/her tenure for a one‑year term. The Past President shall be a non-voting member of the Board of Directors, unless still serving a term as the elected representative of his/her respective region in which case he/she shall retain his/her voting rights as defined in Section A of this Article.

Section C: Members
At regular or special meetings of the association, members shall have the opportunity to:

Review decisions made by the Board of Directors; and
Support, amend, revise or veto those decisions by a majority of those members present and voting.

ARTICLE V ‑ RESPONSIBILITIES

Section A: Board of Directors
The Board of Directors shall meet as required to fulfill the following responsibilities:

plan the agenda for all association meetings and programs.
present recommendations for action by the voting membership of the association.
fulfill the purposes of the association.
serve as liaison between the members of the association and like-minded organizations that provide opportunities and/or support for leadership development.

Section B: Officers
The officers of the association shall assume the following responsibilities upon election to office:

1. President ‑ The President shall:

Preside over the meetings of the Board of Directors and the general membership meetings of the association.
Undertake other activities, as necessary, to represent the interests of the association, Board of Directors and the members of the association.

2. Vice-President ‑ The Vice-President shall:

Preside over association meetings in the absence of the President.
Assume the office of President upon his or her resignation from, or incapacity to serve in, that office. In this case a new Vice President shall be elected from within the current Board of Directors; any position vacated as a result will be appointed by the new President with approval of the Board of Directors.
Undertake other activities as directed by the President or the Board of Directors.

3. Secretary ‑ The Secretary shall:

Record the minutes of all meetings and provide copies to all members.
Act as historian for the association.
Preside over association meetings in the absence of the President and the Vice President.
Undertake other activities as directed by the President or Board of Directors.

4. Treasurer ‑ The Treasurer shall:

Receive all monies and pay all expenses that are authorized by the Board of Directors.
Maintain an association checking and savings account in an institution agreed upon by the Board of Directors.
Make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding investment programs.
Prepare a working budget draft for the Board of Directors prior to each fiscal year.
Undertake other activities as directed by the President or the Board of Directors.

5. Past President ‑ The Past President shall:

Provide continuity to the operations of the Association.
Offer a smooth transition as new officers assume responsibilities associated with their positions.
Offer advice and provide historical perspective to the President on current matters of discussion and/or business at hand.

ARTICLE VI ‑ MEETINGS

Section A: Number
The association shall meet annually at a date and place as determined by majority vote of those members present and voting. The Board of Directors may schedule additional or special meetings of the association.

Section B: Site Selection
The Board of Directors shall determine and publish guidelines regarding the process of site selection, timelines for submission of site proposals, and arrangements for the annual meeting as defined in Section A above.

ARTICLE VII ‑ PROXY

Section A: Regular members may designate a representative(s) to vote for the member at any meeting of the association by:

submitting a written statement to a member of the Board of Directors indicating the inability to attend the meeting;
providing a Board of Directors member with the name of the person who will exercise the proxy‑voting rights; and
the representative(s) shall be from the state(s) involved.

ARTICLE VIII ‑ FISCAL YEAR, MEMBERSHIP YEAR, ANNUAL DUES

Section A: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the association shall be from July 1 through June 30.

Section B: Membership Year
The membership year shall be the same as the fiscal year.

Section C: Annual Dues
The Board of Directors shall set the annual dues prior to the fiscal year.

ARTICLE IX ‑ AMENDMENTS

Section A:
These Articles of Organization may be amended by a two‑thirds vote of the members present and a voting at a regular meeting of the association. All proposed changes shall be in writing and copies distributed or made available to the membership 30 days prior to the vote. Whenever possible, the Board of Directors shall review any proposed changes and make recommendations to the membership in advance of the vote on the proposal(s).

ARTICLE X ‑ QUORUM: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Section A: Quorum
Fifty‑one percent of the voting membership shall constitute a quorum.

Section B: Parliamentary Authority
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly‑Revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for all other matters.

ARTICLE XI ‑ DISSOLUTION

Section A: Upon the dissolution of the association, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the association, dispose of all of the assets of the association exclusively for the purposes of the association.

ARTICLE XII – HISTORY

These Articles of Organization were approved on June 25, 1986, replacing the undated Constitution and Bylaws of the association. Since that time they have been updated as follows:

January 1996
December 2010 (Articles I, II)
June 2011 (Article III)
December 2012 (Articles IV, V)
December 2013 (Preamble, Articles IV, VI, XI, XII)
December 2018 (Articles II, III, IV, V, VI)
December 2021 (Article III