Article I. Acronym and Definitions

1.   The name of this association shall be the Academic Counselors Association. The official acronym of this association shall be ACA.

2.   A quorum is a simple majority of members present or ballots cast.

3.   All votes are ratified by a simple majority of votes cast in person, by proxy, or electronically.

Article II. Purpose

The Academic Counselors Association was created as a forum for sharing ideas and exchanging information related to the delivery of advising services at The University of Texas at Austin. A primary goal is to provide its members with opportunities for professional development and peer support, ultimately building a network of resources to enhance the student experience in college. Equally important is the representation and promotion of the interests of academic advising within the larger university community.

Article III. Membership and Dues

Section 1. There shall be no discrimination for reasons of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, age, disability, citizenship, veteran status, and genetic information.

Section 2. Types of Membership

1. Eligibility

"Membership shall be open to staff, counselors, currently enrolled graduate students, faculty members, and administrators at The University of Texas at Austin." Members must be eligible to participate as outlined by the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of the Vice President for Business Affairs, and agree to abide by the rules and regulations of the university. Individuals shall become members in good standing upon payment of dues.

2. Rights of Membership

Members in good standing shall be eligible to vote, hold office and attend meetings of the association, and are entitled to all the services and benefits provided by the association.  Graduate student members in good standing shall be eligible to vote and attend meetings of the association, and are entitled to all the services and benefits provided by the association.

Section 3. Dues

The establishment of dues shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee and shall be administered in accordance with the rules and regulations regarding accounting as set forth by the Office of the Dean of Students. Any change in the dues shall require a vote of the membership. Deadline for dues may be set by the treasurer, but typically payments are due within 30 days upon receiving invoice after filling out membership application. Members joining after the beginning of the academic year shall pay dues within one month of joining and will be considered in good standing for the remainder of the membership year.

Article IV. Affiliation

The Academic Counselors Association at The University of Texas at Austin will be affiliated with the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and support NACADA’s Core Values of Academic Advising.

Article V. Meetings of Membership

Section 1. The membership shall meet at scheduled times as determined by the calendar devised by the Executive Committee. The membership year shall run from August to July. Special interest meetings of the membership shall be held with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The Vice-President(s) is responsible for the preparation of the agenda with the advice and approval of the Executive Committee. Individual members shall submit agenda items to the Executive Committee in advance of the meeting.

Article VI. Member-sanctioned Activities

All actions that require official consensus of ACA shall be presented to the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Article VII. Standing Committees

Executive Committee

ACA Advisory Council

Nominations Committee

Professional Development Day Committee

Awards and Recognition Committee

ROAD Committee

POD Program

Social Committee

Other Committees

Section 1. Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of ACA comprises the President, President-Elect, Vice-President, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect, Secretary, Historian and Communications Coordinator. Any of these positions may be shared by no more than two members, if they so chose to run as a team. These offices shall be elected by a vote of the membership and will be installed no later than June for a term of one year and ending at the close of the following membership year. A member may not hold the same office for more than three years consecutively. The President of ACA shall be the Chair of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee shall have full authority over the affairs of ACA between its meetings, shall represent ACA to the University, shall make recommendations to ACA, shall perform any duties stated in the by-laws and shall act as directed by ACA.

A. President – Provides the agenda for and facilitates Executive Committee meetings to plan and discuss upcoming projects and events; represents ACA on standing university committees and on other committees as called upon by the university community; involves members in committees and delegates responsibilities. Keeps lists of objectives and establishes regular meeting times for ACA in consultation with the Executive Committee. Assists in program planning and fund-raising; represents ACA when the occasion arises. Ensures that accounts are cleared and provides a written year-end report, including a financial report compiled by the treasurer, to the membership. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

B. President-Elect – in absence of the President or at the request of the President, performs the President’s duties.shall be elected for the term of one year to observe the administration of the association. At the end of that term, the President-Elect shall automatically become the President for a term of one year. Represents ACA on standing university committees with the President as appropriate to maintain continuity. Chairs the ACA Advisory Council. Coordinates transition period between outgoing and incoming Executive Committee members between June and August. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

C. Vice President – runs the general ACA meetings. Serves as program chairperson for ACA: conducts membership survey regarding ACA projects, programs and social events; reserves rooms, sets dates, agenda and program content for meetings in consultation with the President; recruits sponsors to provide refreshments for general meetings. Coordinates regular meetings and assists chairpersons of committees. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

D. Treasurer – maintains account for organization and sets access as needed: makes deposits and writes checks for reimbursements and payments through the bank; maintains accurate banking records of all events sponsored by ACA. With input from Executive Committee, creates and distributes budgets for Committees. Registers ACA with the Office of Student Activities and Leadership Development and the Vice-President of Business Affairs. Renews NACADA membership annually. Must be ex officio member of all committees involving money, is the point person for fundraising efforts, and has voting rights on all issues regarding ACA funds. Produces a financial report for the membership. Keeps ACA roster updated and distributed. Delegates duties to Treasurer-Elect as appropriate.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

E. Treasurer-Elect – shall be elected for the term of one year to observe the administration of the treasury.  At the end of that term, the Treasurer-Elect shall automatically become the Treasurer for the term of one year. Is a standing member on the Professional Development Day Committee and handles all funds and invoices for the event. Works with the Social Committee on special projects (including, but not limited to, promotional items). Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

F. Secretary – records and distributes minutes of each general ACA meeting to membership; carries on correspondence as necessary. Secretary shall be Chair of Nominations Committee and is responsible for administering the election process of new officers. Co-owner of ACA e-mail distribution list. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

G. Historian – keeps photos and records of ACA events documenting annual projects and programs. Highlights individuals and programs from colleges/schools and departments for recognition at ACA meetings. Coordinates activities to welcome new members to ACA. Is responsible for ACA’s inventory of materials and equipment and/or digitizing appropriate resources for posterity. Along with Communications Coordinator, maintains lists of Executive Committee members, chairs of committees, and winners of awards. Must be member of at least one other standing committee with the exception of Advisory Council. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

H. Communications Coordinator – serves as the official press agent for ACA. Coordinates all press releases, website information, social media, communication technologies used by the organization (such as Microsoft Teams) and e-mail correspondence with the public. Must be ex officio member of any committee involving web redesign, public relations, etc. Co-owner of ACA e-mail distribution list.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 2. ACA Advisory Council

The ACA Advisory Council comprises a cross-section of the ACA general membership and additional non-members at the President’s discretion. The President-Elect, in consultation with the outgoing ACA President, shall appoint council members to serve a 2-year term to begin on August 1 of the academic year. This council shall contain no fewer than ten (10) members, each from different units on campus. The outgoing ACA President will automatically be appointed for a one-year term on the Advisory Council. The charge of the ACA Advisory Council shall be to provide advice and feedback to the ACA Executive Committee and the ACA general membership. The ACA Advisory Council shall take proactive measures to review trends in the academic advising profession and their impact on the University of Texas community. All proposals from the ACA Advisory Council must go to the ACA Executive Committee for approval, which will then decide what action(s) should be taken.

Section 3. Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee oversees nominations for, and election of, ACA officers and committee chairs. The Nominations Committee will solicit nominations from the ACA membership for officer and chair positions listed in Article VII. If there are no nominations for one or more positions, the Nominations Committee will solicit members directly for those positions. The Nominations Committee sends election ballots to voting members, tallies the ballots received, ratifies the elections and reports on election results to current President. The Secretary shall be the Chair of the Nominations Committee. Committee Planning documentation must be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 4. Professional Development Day Committee

The Professional Development Day Committee plans ACA’s annual Professional Development Day event. A member of the Vick Advising Excellence Office will be an ex officio chair of the committee, with an option to choose a co-chair from the other committee members. Interested volunteers shall make up the membership of the Professional Development Day Committee. The Treasurer-Elect should be a member of the Professional Development Day Committee. A post-event report should be submitted to the Vice Presidents to be shared with the Executive Committee. Committee Planning documentation must be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 5. Awards and Recognition Committee

The Awards and Recognition Committee meets as needed to oversee, nominate, and/or award professional development and student scholarships, ACA advising awards and NACADA award nominations. This committee should contain no fewer than ten (10) members from different units on campus, with no more than two (2) members from the same unit. The Treasurer will be an ad-hoc member of the Awards and Recognition Committee when monies are being distributed. Committee Planning documentation must be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 6. ROAD Committee

The ROAD Committee generates, sponsors, coordinates, and serves as a clearinghouse for professional development opportunities for advising and student affairs professionals on campus. It promotes the benefits of professional development for all advising professionals. A member of the Vick Advising Excellence Office will be an ex officio chair of the committee, with an option to choose a co-chair from the other committee members. Interested volunteers shall make up the membership of the committees. Committee Planning documentation must be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 7. POD Program Committee

The Mentor Program Committee supplements professional training by connecting new ACA members with experienced ACA members. This program provides a support system and encourages involvement in ACA, NACADA and other professional development opportunities. Interested volunteers shall make up the membership of the committees. Committee Planning documentation must be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities.  Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor.

Section 8. Social Committee

Coordinates socials and events such as Advisor Appreciation, Membership mixers, and the annual Holiday Party. Organizes fundraising efforts with Awards and Recognition Committee Chair and Treasurer to solicit funds for ACA Scholarships and other ACA related items. The chair of the Social Committee shall be chosen by vote, by appointment of the membership or by the President. Interested volunteers shall make up the membership of the committees. Committee Planning documentation should be submitted to Executive Committee prior to committee activities. Provides orientation for, and turns over all materials to, successor

Section 9. All other committees shall be ad hoc and, as such, be formed by ACA membership when such need arises. The chair of each committee shall be chosen by vote, by appointment of the active membership or by the President. Interested volunteers shall make up the membership of the committees.

Section 10: Unfilled Committee Positions

If a committee chairship of any of the constitutionally required committees goes unfilled due to lack of volunteers, the function of the committee will be suspended until an ACA member volunteers as chair. This chair cannot be a current ACA Executive Board member or a chair of another committee to ensure no one person is overburdened with ACA expectations. All committees must have a minimum of 5 committee members, including the chair, made up of active ACA dues paying members, to be a standing committee. Should a committee not have 5 members, they may petition the executive committee for standing committee status. 

Committee chairs must designate a co-chair (or chair-elect) from the other members of the committee, who will take over operations of the committee if the chair leaves mid-term. If a committee goes below 5 members, they must make an announcement at the next ACA meeting to begin recruiting new members. Once a committee gets standing in a year, it will continue functioning for the duration of the calendar year even if it drops below 5 total members. The committees that must be chaired and filled every year are: Award & Recognition Committee; Professional Development Day Committee; and Social Committee

Article VIII. Amendments

Any proposed amendment(s) to the by-laws of ACA shall be made available to the membership electronically and/or at a regularly scheduled meeting at least thirty (30) days before a vote is taken on the proposed amendment. Voting on by-laws may be done as a single vote to approve all changes or as multiple votes on individual or groups of changes. This will be at the discretion of the current Executive Committee at the time of the proposed changes. At any time, a member of ACA may propose an amendment to the Secretary. The Executive Committee will then constitute a By-laws Committee on an ad-hoc basis to review proposed amendments. By-laws shall be reviewed at least once every four (4) years to ensure that they remain current with the changing university environment. The next required review should happen during the 2025-2026 year. If amendments are deemed necessary, the Executive Board will initiate the process for amending the by-laws.