Bylaws of the Association of Higher Education and Disability in North Carolina (NC AHEAD)

Adopted 1994
Amended: March 2014; March 2015; July 2021

ARTICLE I. Names & Affiliation

Section 1.  The name of this organization shall be the North Carolina Association on Higher Education and Disability 'NC AHEAD'.)

Section 2. NC AHEAD is the state affiliate of the Association on Higher Education and Disability; individuals must not hold dual memberships but are encouraged to join the national organization.

ARTICLE II. Purpose and Goals

Section 1.  Purpose NC AHEAD is a professional organization whose purpose is to promote communication among professionals in postsecondary education in order to improve the development and implementation of services to persons with disabilities.

Section 2. Goals

  1. Provide a professional network for facilitating communication and collaboration among NC service providers in higher education.
  2. Provide professional development opportunities and educational resources to enhance expertise, competencies and professional communities.
  3. Promote the further expansion of disability rights and equal opportunities to improve the development and implementation of services offered by NC service providers.

ARTICLE III. Membership

Section 1.  Eligibility for Membership.  Any person actively employed in the area of disability services/resources at an institution of higher education.

Section  2. Categories of Membership. NC AHEAD shall have three (3) classes of membership. Each membership category shall pay annual dues as established in accordance with these By-laws, shall have one (1) vote on all matters in which members are entitled to vote, shall be eligible to hold office and have access to the list-serve. Membership Categories are:

  1. Professional (Individual Professional or Individual Institution)
  2. Institutional (5 Members or Institutional Large (10 Members);
  3. Additional Professional

The privileges of membership entitle the member to:

  1. Vote;
  2. Hold NC AHEAD Board of Director position;
  3. Participate in meetings and professional development opportunities;
  4. Access the listserve hosted by NC AHEAD for requesting technical assistance from other Disability Service Providers;
  5. Represented institution’s students are eligible for NC AHEAD student scholarships;
  6. Eligibility for awards and professional scholarships.

Section 2.a. Professional Membership.  A Professional Member shall be any person working in higher education to enhance educational opportunities for persons with disabilities.

  1. Individual Professional:  A professional paying with personal funds and therefore the membership belongs to the individual.
  2. Individual Institution:  A professional paying with institutional funds and therefore the membership belongs to the institution.

Section 2.b. Institutional Membership.  An Institutional Membership will be offered to any institution of higher education in the state of North Carolina and will provide for a specific number of persons from the same institution to be members of the organization in any given year and includes an applicable number of free  Fall conference attendee/s. The membership is not transferable in any specific year, but may change yearly when annual dues are paid. 

  1. Institutional :  Five (5) persons with one (1) free fall conference attendee.
  2. Institutional Large: Ten (10) persons with two (2) free fall conference attendees.

Section 4.  Discontinuation of Membership.  Any member may be removed, by majority vote of the Board of Directors at a designated meeting called for that purpose.  The Board of Directors shall document and communicate the cause(es) for such removal to the member and for Board records.  Removal of any member by the Board of Directors must be in judgment of the best interests of the organization.

Section 5.  Transfer of Membership. Institutions can transfer or reassign Individual Institution and Institutional Memberships. Individual Professional memberships are not transferable or assignable.

ARTICLE  IV. Organizational Structure

Section 1.  General Powers.  The affairs of the organization shall be managed by its Board of Directors, except for functions and powers reserved to the members.

Section 1.a.  Executive Officers  The officers of the organization shall consist of a President, a President-Elect, a Secretary/Membership Officer, Past President (year after presidency)  and Treasurer.

Section 1.b. Supporting Officers. Supporting officers shall consist of three (3) Members at large Officers: one (1) representing 4-year public colleges, one (1) representing 4-year private colleges, and one (1) representing community colleges; and Nominations/Awards Officer.

Section 2. Records The Board of Directors will keep correct records of account and minutes of the proceedings of its members and Board of Directors.  Pertinent records of the organization may upon reasonable written notice to the custodian thereof, be inspected by any member, or an agent or attorney, for any proper purpose and at any reasonable time.

Section 3. Standard Operating Procedures The organization will keep and adhere to standard operational procedures related to officer responsibilities and organization processes.

Section 4. Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the organization shall begin on the first day of July and end on the last day of June in each year. 

Section 5. Business Meetings Business Meetings of the organization’s members shall be held at the Fall and Spring conference each year or at other times as called by the President, or Executive Director designee.

Section 6. Voting Matters voted on by the membership is conducted via electronic ballot. Matters voted on by the Board of Directors is conducted during meetings and a majority is required.

  1. Board of Directors Voting: Bylaws; Awards and Scholarships; Organizational operations and finances.
  2. Membership Voting: election of the Board of Directors

ARTICLE V. Board of Directors

Section 1. President The President will be the primary executive officer of the organization and in general supervise and have oversight of all of the business and affairs of the organization for a two year term. 

Section 2. President-Elect  The President Elect will serve a one year term with the expectation of moving into the President role for two years and one additional year as Past President. In the absence of the President or in the event of an inability to serve, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President.

Section 3. Treasurer  The Treasurer will serve a two year term and shall be responsible for all funds and shall maintain and report the receipts and expenditures as well as maintain membership records and conference attendance records.

Section 4. Secretary/Membership Officer  The Secretary/Membership Officer will serve a one year term. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the members and the Board of Directors; assure that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these By-laws and standard operating procedures, and will be responsible for all official correspondence of the organization. As Membership Officer, they will manage membership in coordination with the Treasurer.

Section 5. Nominations/Awards Officer The Nominations/Awards Officer will serve a one year term and is responsible for coordinating all nominations and voting for the Board of Directors, awards and scholarships.

Section 6. Member-at- Large Supporting Officer role with a one year term. It is the responsibility of the Member-at-Large to maintain communication and serve as liaison among their representative educational division to support membership and networking efforts.

Section 7. Past-President Upon completion of the term as President, the President shall become Past President and serve one year as mentor to the incoming President; guiding, assisting and supporting through organizational processes. During the one year term, in the absence of the President or in the event of an inability to serve, the Past President shall perform the duties of the President.

Section 8.  Nomination of Officers - Election Procedure The Nominations/Awards Officer shall receive nominations from the membership for the names of possible candidates to be placed on the nomination ballot for any open positions of the Executive Office and Supporting Officers for contention at the end of the annual term.  No person nominated and accepted as a candidate shall be placed in nomination for another office during the current election.  

Section 9.  Removal of Officer  Any officer may be removed, by majority vote of the Board of Directors at a designated meeting called for that purpose.  The Board of Directors shall document and communicate the cause(es) for such removal to the officer and for Board records.  Removal of any officer by the Board of Directors must be  in judgment of the best interests of the organization.

Section 10. Board Vacancies  In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, if a President-Elect, the President-Elect shall assume the duties of President.  In the event of a vacancy of President-Elect or any other officer, the Board of Director Executive Officers  would meet and determine the appropriate election process.

ARTICLE VI. Non-Profit Status

Section 1Purpose  The purposes for which NC AHEAD is organized are exclusively educational within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law.  Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, this organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue law.

Section 2Income  Income shall be derived from the dues, gifts, contributions, and such other sources as the Board of Directors may approve, consistent with the purpose of the organization and exemption under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Whenever any notice is required to be given under the provisions of the North Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Code or under the provisions of these by-laws, a notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, shall be deemed equivalent to the giving of such notice.

Section 3Dissolution  The organization may be dissolved at any time by the written consent of not less than two-thirds (2/3) of the members.  After payment of all debts and liabilities of the organization, its property and assets shall be donated to other organizations or causes to be voted on by the majority of the members.  Selected organizations or causes must comply with the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code, or the assets so shall be distributed to the Federal, state or local government for a public purpose.  Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the country in which the principal office of the organization is then located, exclusively for such purposes.

Section 4Interest  The interest of any member in the property of the organization ceases with the termination of their membership.

Section 5.  Conflict of Interest No member of the NC AHEAD Board of Directors shall derive any personal profit or gain, directly or indirectly, by reason of his or her participation in NC AHEAD. Each individual shall disclose to NC AHEAD any personal interest which they may have in any matter pending before the organization and shall refrain from participation in any decision on such matter. Any member of NC AHEAD’s Board of Directors shall refrain from obtaining any list of NC AHEAD clients for personal or private solicitation purposes at any time during the term of their affiliation.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS

Section  1. These By-laws may be amended only by a majority vote of the Board of Directors following a thirty (30) day written notice and opportunity for discussion by membership of proposed changes.