01/21/2020

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.  PURPOSE

In conformity with the National Council, the purpose of the Region is exclusively educational and assists individuals with professional interests in the administration of sponsored programs (research, education, and training) primarily at colleges and universities by:

  1. Promoting the development of more effective policies and procedures relative to the administration of sponsored programs to assure the achievement of the maximum potential in academic programs;
  2. Providing a forum through regional meetings and internet platforms for the discussion and exchange of information and experiences related to sponsored programs in colleges and universities;
  3. Providing for the dissemination of current information and the exchange of views on mutual concerns; and
  4. Promoting the development of college and university research administration and the administration of other sponsored programs as a professional field, and stimulating personal growth of the Regional members of the Council.

III. 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.

IV. OFFICERS

  1. The region shall be governed by the elected officers: Chair, Chair-elect, Secretary, Treasurer, 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.
  2. The term of office of the Chair shall be one year, beginning January 1. The term of office of the Chair-elect shall be one year beginning January 1 of the year following election. The Chair-elect in office when an incumbent Chair’s term ends shall automatically succeed to the office of Chair.
  3. The region shall select a Regionally-elected Representative to the NCURA National Board, who the Chair may invite to Regional Executive Committee meetings in a non-voting capacity to share information on National Board issues.  The Regional NCURA Board Member shall serve a term of office as specified in the NCURA Bylaws. Term begins the following January 1, concurrent with the installation of the new NCURA Board of Directors.
  4. Duties of the officers are specified in the Region’s Administrative Policies.
  5. Election procedures shall be as prescribed in Article VI.

 V. COMMITTEES

  1. Region VIII Advisory Board – The Region VIII Advisory Board will set the strategy of the region.
  2. Regional Executive Committee -The Regional Executive Committee will operationalise and the region on a day-to-day level and shall advise the Chair on regional business, develop strategies for regional activities, evaluate regional issues, and serve as a general sounding board for the Chair and the membership.
  3. Other Regional Committees
    1. The Region VIII Advisory Board and the Executive Committee may create committees as required. The Chair may appoint members, as appropriate and in good standing, on an as-needed basis to assist and-or perform tasks to facilitate regional business and activities.
    2. The Chair may appoint members of the Region in good standing to ad hoc committees as needed from time-to-time to serve regional functions. 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.

VI. ELECTIONS

  1. 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, with the successful candidates serving a two-year term effective January 1 of the following even-numbered year. An individual may not serve concurrently as an elected National Officer or Board Member and as a Regional Officer.
  2. Upon verification of each candidate’s willingness to serve, the Nominating Committee shall certify to the Chair a slate of two candidates for each office or Board seat.
  3. On or before October 1 in the year of election, the Chair shall forward, via the National Office, an electronic ballot of two candidates for each open position to each member of the Region. No later than thirty (30) days following the distribution of the ballots, the election shall be declared closed, the results reviewed by the Regional Executive Committee, and the record 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.
  4. In the event that the two candidates for a particular position receive the same number of votes, the candidates receiving equal number of votes shall engage in a runoff election and a new ballot shall be sent to each member of the Region. The Nominating Committee shall conduct the runoff election following the same procedures specified for the first balloting except that the Chair shall forward a ballot to each member of the Region as soon as possible after the determination that a runoff election is required. Fifteen days (15) following the distribution of ballots, the election shall be declared closed. 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 Regional Executive Committee.
  5. Any officer may be removed by a two-thirds vote of regional members in a recall election, provided that at least one third of the total membership casts ballots in such recall election. The Nominating Committee must hold a recall election within sixty days of receipt by the Regional Executive Committee of a petition bearing the legitimate signatures of at least ten percent of the regional membership using one of the processes listed in this section for regular or run-off elections.

VII. MEETINGS

  1. There Region will hold a Regional Meeting in odd numbered years.
  2. The Region will hold business meetings at the Annual Meeting and the biennial Regional Meeting, for the purpose of conducting regional business, informing the membership of the Region’s financial status and discussing other relevant regional matters.
  3. Other meetings of the Region shall be held subject to the discretion of the Regional Officers and the Regional Advisory Board at any time during the year.

VIII. DUES

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

IX. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

  1. No part of these bylaws, or interpretations thereof or amendments thereto, shall be valid if they are in 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.
  2. Amendment of the Bylaws may be recommended by the Officers or upon petition by 5% of the membership. The By-Laws may be amended by a majority vote of the members voting in any Regional election, either in person or via electronic means, provided that the proposed amendments have been submitted to the full membership in writing or on-line at least twenty days prior to that election. Upon close of the voting period, the proposed changes shall be declared immediately effective if the majority voting cast an affirmative vote.
  3. The Regional Executive Committee shall have the responsibility of interpreting the language of the By-Laws and shall rule on any question of policy involving the interpretation of this document.  The decision of a majority of the Regional Executive Committee shall be considered final.

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.