Region VIII Bylaws – NCURA International Region (Region VIII)

02/12/2024

I. NAME

These Bylaws, formulated in accordance with The National Council of University Research Administrators Bylaws, shall govern the operation of the International Region of the National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA). Within NCURA, the organization may also be referred to as Region VIII.

II. MEMBERSHIP

Membership is determined by being a member in good standing of NCURA. The types of membership offered include Regular Member, Associate Member and Emeritus Member as defined in the NCURA By-Laws. Regular membership in Region VIII is further determined by geographic location as designated by the National Organization. Membership entitles an individual to the rights and privileges of membership in accordance with the National Bylaws and Administrative Policies.

III. OFFICERS

The region shall be governed by the elected officers: Chair, Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Treasurer-Elect and Immediate Past Chair. Each Officer shall be a member of NCURA and of Region VIII and will collectively serve as the Regional Executive Committee (the “Executive Committee”).
The terms of office for each officer shall be as follows, beginning January 1:
a. Chair: one year
b. Chair-Elect: one year of the year following the election. When an incumbent Chair’s term ends, the Chair-Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of Chair
c. Immediate Past Chair: one year
d. Treasurer: two years (in odd-numbered years)
e. Treasurer-Elect: one year (in even-numbered years). When the Treasurer’s term ends, the Treasurer-Elect shall automatically succeed to the office of Treasurer
f. Secretary: two years (in even-numbered years)
Duties of the officers are specified in the Region’s Administrative Policies.
Election procedures shall be as prescribed in Article V.

IV. REGION COMMITTEES

Advisory Committee
The Region VIII Advisory Committee shall advise the Chair on regional business, support the development of strategies for regional activities, and serve as a general sounding board for the Chair and the Executive Committee.

Executive Committee
The Executive Committee will develop the strategy, operationalise and run the region on a day-to-day level and shall advise the Chair on regional business, develop regional activities, evaluate regional issues, and serve as the region’s governing body and shall control and direct the affairs of the region. It shall determine the region’s policies and actively support the mission and goals of the regional membership.

Other Regional Committees
The Chair, in concurrence with the Advisory and the Executive Committees, may appoint members of the Region in good standing to ad hoc committees as needed from time-to-time to serve regional functions and perform tasks to facilitate regional activities. No terms of office for such Committees are specified, but it is understood that such Committees are disbanded upon completion of their charge unless continued or reconstituted by the incoming Chair or the wishes of the membership.

V. ELECTIONS

Election of the Chair-elect shall occur every year. Election of the Treasurer-Elect, Secretary, and Region VIII Advisory Board At-Large Members shall occur in odd-numbered years. Election of a regional member to the National Board of Directors shall occur in odd-numbered years. An individual may not serve concurrently as an elected National Officer or Board Member and as a Regional Officer.

On or before September, the Chair shall forward a list of nominees to the National Organization for electronic balloting. In the event that not at least one qualified nominee has not been identified for each position, the Chair may request to extend the nomination period with the approval of the Executive Committee.
10 business days after the Region VIII membership receives the electronic ballot, the election is declared closed. After the election is closed, the National Organization sends the results to the Chair as soon as possible. The Chair then informs the Executive Committee, and the record is retained for audit. The Chair will notify all candidates of the results. The Chair will also report the results to the National Council’s Executive Director and to the Region membership.

In the event of a tie for a particular position receiving the same number of votes, the candidates receiving the equal number of votes shall engage in a runoff election and a new ballot shall be sent to each member of the Region, after which the same procedure as set forth above shall be followed.

If the two candidates in such a runoff election receive the same number of votes then the tie shall be broken by a vote of the Advisory and Executive Committees.
Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Committee to bring forth a recall election. Such removal shall be declared in effect if two-thirds (2/3) of ballots cast by the membership are affirmative following the processes set forth above.

VI. MEETINGS

The Region will hold a business meeting at the Annual Meeting for the purpose of conducting regional business, informing the membership of the Region’s financial status and discussing other relevant regional matters.

Other regional meetings shall be held subject to the discretion of the Regional Officers.

VII. FINANCES

Regional activities shall be based on the region’s budget. Other financial considerations shall be recommended to the Executive Committee and endorsed by the Chair and Treasurer in consultation with the Executive Committee. Funds available to Region VIII shall be accounted for and reported to the membership by the Treasurer at least annually and to the National Council as required.

VIII. DUES

No dues, over and above those of the National Council membership, shall be assessed on Regional members.

IX. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

No part of these bylaws, interpretations thereof or amendments thereto, shall be valid if they conflict with the National Council Bylaws. Region VIII Bylaws shall be amended automatically when required to ensure compatibility with the National Council Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
The Executive Committee shall have the responsibility of interpreting the language of the Bylaws and shall rule on any question of policy involving the interpretation of this document. The decision of a majority of the Executive Committee shall be considered final.
Amendment of the Bylaws may be recommended by the Officers or upon petition by 5% of the membership. The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of ballots cast, provided that the proposed amendments have been presented to the Region VIII membership at least 15 days prior to that election. Upon the close of the voting period, the proposed changes shall be declared immediately effective if the majority voting cast an affirmative vote.

X. DISSOLUTION

The region may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority vote of the total regional membership at any time. In that event, all assets and records shall be transferred to NCURA for disposition as NCURA sees fit.