Constitution & Bylaws

The name of this organization shall be “Texas University and College Counseling Directors Association”, referred to herein as TUCCDA.

TUCCDA shall serve as the professional organization for directors of counseling centers in institutions of higher education (IHE) in the state of Texas to consider, discuss, and plan matters which affect college students and the operation of mental health services on campus.

Additionally, TUCCDA promotes adherence to the highest standard of professional practice and provides members with continuing professional education that contributes to the administration and delivery of effective mental health services in IHEs.

Section 1 - Institutional Members: Institutional Membership is limited to IHE’s with a counseling center that provides confidential mental health counseling and developmental counseling to college students per state mental health laws and professional ethical guidelines. Each eligible counseling center may designate only one director as its representative member.

At an institution where there is more than one center, multiple directors can be designated from one institution if: 1) neither counseling center director reports to the other, 2) each counseling center provides services to students; and 3) separate dues are paid for each center. Membership shall consist only of those counseling center directors whose dues are current.

Section 2: Emeritus Members: Emeritus Members are individuals who have held member or officer positions in TUCCDA, are no longer regular members due to retirement or departure from the position of Director, and have paid emeritus dues. While Emeritus members may be employed as consultants to provide expertise on specific topics (e.g., research, training, etc.), they may not serve in a direct or indirect supervisory role over the counseling center director or staff nor be employed as a counselor at a college counseling center. Emeritus members hold all the rights and responsibilities of regular members of TUCCDA with the exception of not being allowed to vote as the institutional representative.

A member Director may invite one administrator on their staff who serves in a Clinical Director/Coordinator or other Assistant or Associate Director capacity to join them in attendance of programs/conferences offered by TUCCDA.

Section 1: The annual membership dues of institutional members and emeritus members shall be payable online or, by check after requesting an invoice from the treasurer. Dues shall be considered institutional rather than individual with the exception of emeritus members. The fiscal year shall be from January 1 through December 31. Although members may join at any time of the year, renewal dues will be collected December 1-March 1. All dues must be paid prior to attending the annual spring conference. Dues shall be used for organizational expenses as approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 2: New members: New members admitted to the Association shall pay the full dues for the current fiscal year of the Association.

Section 3: Additional assessments: All other assessments shall be determined by a majority of those voting members present at any announced Association meeting.

Section 4: Failure to Pay Dues: Non-payment of dues by March 1st of each year shall constitute resignation from the Association and removal from the listserv. Members of any category who have resigned from the Association by reason of nonpayment of dues and assessments are eligible for re-admission to the Association upon the same condition as new members.

Section 1: Provisions of government: TUCCDA's decisions shall be made at its official meetings by the majority of the voting members. Between meetings, decision shall be made by the Executive Committee or by email/online voting approved by the majority of those who cast a ballot.

Section 2: Officers: The officers of TUCCDA shall consist of the President, President Elect, Immediate Past President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chair, Coordinator of Continuing Education, and Conference Planning Chair. All officers, other than the President and Immediate Past President, are elected. The person who served as President Elect for the immediately preceding year shall automatically become the President. The person who served as President for the immediately preceding year shall automatically become Immediate Past President. The President, President Elect, Past President and Conference Planning Chair are all one year terms. The Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chair, and Coordinator of Continuing Education are two year terms. The terms for the Secretary and Treasurer are staggered. Likewise the terms for the Membership Chair and Coordinator of Continuing Education are staggered.

Liaison Officers shall be named for the following professional organizations: Texas Psychological Association, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Social Workers, Texas State Board of Examiners of Licensed Professional Counselors, and Texas Counseling Association. Liaisons may be appointed by the President and do not have term limits.

Section 3: The Executive Committee: The President, President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Chair, Conference Planning Chair and Immediate Past President shall constitute the Executive Committee.

Section 4: Duties: The duties of each office shall be inclusive, but not limited to, the following:

The President shall call and preside over meetings and elections, shall oversee the work of other officers and committees and be the representative of the Association. The president shall be responsible for setting the agenda and approving decisions for the annual conference.

The President Elect shall preside in the absence of the President, assist the President in the work of the Association, as needed, and become the President should the President vacate that office during a term of office. The President Elect shall be responsible for all aspects related to continuing education speakers for the annual conference including but not limited to recruitment, communication, travel, and the submission of receipts to the treasurer for payment.

The Secretary shall keep minutes of meetings and send out the minutes and other items of interest to the membership. The Secretary shall also initiate, coordinate, and maintain correspondence to and with external agencies pertaining to issues and concerns germane to the Association and its membership.

The Treasurer or treasurer’s designee shall be responsible for the maintenance of the website which shall include the online payment process for membership dues, conference registration and other activities for which members pay a fee for participation. The treasurer shall collect online payments and send out invoices as requested by members. The treasurer shall assume basic accounting responsibilities such as paying Association bills and maintaining an accurate balance of the Associations debits and credits, and shall provide an annual report for the Association at the annual meeting. The treasurer shall submit IRS Form 990-N Postcard each year to maintain Tax Exempt Organization status. The treasury shall be deposited and maintained in an Association determined bank account.

The Membership Chair shall maintain an updated list of the membership by collecting information annual regarding names, addresses, telephone numbers, and email. The Membership Chair is also responsible for keeping the TUCCDA listserv up-to-date.

The Coordinator of Continuing Education shall issue continuing education documentation to conference attendees and maintain an updated file of all necessary continuing education documents and records as provided by the Association.

The Conference Planning Chair shall work with the President and the other members of the Executive Committee to plan the TUCCDA conference for that year. This could include dinner arrangements, extra conference activities, and hotel and transportation logistics.

Liaison Officers shall initiate, coordinate, and communicate information to and from TUCCDA and their respective liaison organizations.

Section 5: Committees: The President shall create ad hoc committees, as needed.

Section 6: Meetings: The Executive Committee shall make decisions about meeting times and determine the issues to be discussed. An annual meeting of the TUCCDA membership shall be held each spring. The Executive Committee may make decisions to hold additional meetings beyond the annual spring meeting.

Section 7: Elections: Elections shall be held annually during the spring meeting; newly elected officers shall assume the duties of the office immediately. Only members whose dues have been paid for that year may vote. Each institution has one vote, cast by the designee in attendance.

Section 8: Resignations: Any officer may resign effective upon giving written notice to the President unless the notice specifies a later time for the effectiveness of such resignation.

Section 9: Filing vacancies: Vacancies may be filled by approval of the Executive Committee. A person selected to fill a vacancy shall hold office until the next election of officers by the Association membership.

Section 10: Removal: Executive Committee officers may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Executive Committee with cause and in accordance with the laws of the state of Texas and the rules of practice outlined by relevant state licensing boards. In the case of removal from office of an officer "for cause," the Executive Committee shall hold a meeting with the officer to discuss the evidence that led to the decision to remove the person from office, either severe neglect of duty which caused serious harm to the Association, and/or unethical conduct, and/or psychological impairment. All meetings of this nature shall be held in private, and any complaints, evidence, or other matters considered in such hearings shall remain confidential.

Section 11: Rules of Procedure: Ordinary consensus shall be used for all matters.

Section 12: Review of Constitution and Bylaws: The Constitution and Bylaws shall be reviewed every 5 years, beginning in 2020. Any proposed changes resulting from this review will be discussed and voted on at the annual meeting of that year.

All proposed amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be referred to the Executive Committee for review and distribution to the membership at least 30 days prior to the vote. The proposed amendment(s) shall be read, discussed, and voted upon by e-mail or other electronic means or at a general meeting. A two-thirds majority of the members participating in the voting by returning ballots shall be required for passage.

Upon and in the event of dissolution or financial liquidation of the Association, the Executive Committee shall, after payment or making provision for payment of all liabilities of the Association, dispose of all the assets of the Association exclusively for the purposes of the Association. The Executive Committee shall divide all such funds among organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes and who shall, at the time, qualify as an exempt organization under Section 501(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).