CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of the organization shall be the TENNESSEE ASSOCIATION OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS, and may be abbreviated as TASP or referred to as TN TRIO.


ARTICLE II - PRINCIPAL OFFICE

Section 1. The principal office of the Association, a nonprofit association incorporated under the laws of the state of Tennessee, shall be in the city of Knoxville.

Section 2. The Association may have such other offices at such suitable place or places within the state of Tennessee as may be designated from time to time by the Executive Board of the Association.


ARTICLE III - PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the Tennessee Association of Special Programs, (hereinafter referred to as TASP or the Association) shall be to bring together those persons who have an active interest in or who are professionally involved in broadening accessibility to and success in formal post-secondary education.

The Association shall seek to accomplish its purpose by:

1. Gathering, evaluating, and disseminating information that may be of mutual benefit to each program, and to the community served by the program(s)

2. Serving as a body through which technical assistance related to program activities is made available to each program in its efforts to communicate with and serve the local community, and

3. Engaging in the specific and general coordination of efforts with other organizations and persons having purposes supportive of, or in harmony with, the purpose of the Association.



ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Types of Membership in TASP shall be of three types:

a) Active Professional,

b) Associate,

c) Institutional.

Section 2. Active Professional Membership:

a) Active Professional Membership is available to those persons who are engaged full- time in the administration or general operation of Federally funded TRIO programs located within the State of Tennessee.

b) In order to be accepted for Active Professional Membership, the person must have paid the annual dues of TASP and otherwise have qualified under the provisions of Article lV, Section 2a.

c) Each Active Professional member is entitled to one vote and is eligible to hold office as delineated in Article VI of this Constitution.

Section 3. Associate Membership:

a) Associate Membership is available to those persons who do not qualify for Active Professional Membership under Article IV, Section 2a.

b) In order to be accepted for Associate Membership, the person must have paid the annual dues of TASP.

c) Each Associate Member is entitled to one vote, is not eligible to hold elective office, but is eligible for committee appointments.

Section 4. Institutional Membership:

a) Institutional Membership is available to all TRIO projects located within the State of Tennessee.

b) In order to be accepted for Institutional Membership, each project (or institution when it is the site of more than one TRIO program), must have paid the annual institutional dues in the amount established by the TASP Executive Board.


ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. Authority:

There shall be an Executive Board of TASP which shall have full authority to conduct the affairs of the Association in the interim between annual meetings of the Association.

Section 2. Composition:

The Executive Board shall be composed of the Association president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, the immediate past president (for the first year after leaving office), and three Active Professional members appointed by the president who represent each of the three Grand Divisions of the State.

Section 3. Meetings:

a) The Executive Board shall meet three times each year (fall, winter, and spring) at times to be determined by the Board.

b) The Fall meeting shall be designated as the Annual Meeting of the Association.


ARTICLE Vl - OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

Section 1. Officers:

The officers of the Association shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. All officers shall be elected by electronic mail ballot prior to the annual conference of the SOUTHEASTERN ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM PERSONNEL (SAEOPP).

Section 2. Tenure:

The term for officers shall be two years. The term of office shall begin at the conclusion of the next called business meeting of the Association following the election.

Section 3. Elections:

a) At least ninety (90) days prior to the annual meeting of the Southeastern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, during the last year of the officers’ tenure, each TASP member, in good standing, shall be asked to submit the name and resume concerning one person recommended for each elective office to be filled. From this pool of potential nominees, the Nominating Committee shall develop a ballot listing no more than two persons for each office. A biographical brochure indicating the qualifications of nominees and the ballot shall be sent to all members of record. A date of return of ballots shall be set which will permit the results to be announced at the annual meeting of SAEOPP.

b) The candidates for elective office shall be elected by a majority vote.

c) Candidates for President and Vice President must have a minimum of two (2) years as an Active Professional Member before assuming office.

Section 4. Duties of Officers:

a) The President shall be the chief elected officer of the Association and shall preside at all meetings of TASP. The President shall, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, make all appointments to both standing and special committees. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall serve as the TASP member to the SAEOPP Board of Directors.

b) The Vice President shall serve with the same powers and authority of the President in the event that the President becomes incapacitated or resigns. Incapacitation shall be determined by the Executive Board. The President may designate the Vice President as an ex-officio member of any standing or special committee of the Association. The Vice President shall serve as the TASP representative to the SAEOPP Conference Committee.

c) The Secretary shall have both recording and correspondence responsibilities and shall be responsible for maintaining up-to-date records concerning membership status. The Secretary shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Membership Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the Secretary to incorporate quarterly reports of the Treasurer into the official records of the Association.

d) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and disbursements of all funds in accordance with fiscal policies established by the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall maintain appropriate and adequate financial records and shall be prepared, at any time, on direction of the Executive Board to surrender such records and monies to the Executive Board or the succeeding Treasurer. The Treasurer shall submit quarterly reports to the membership, submit an audited report at the annual meeting, and shall be under such bond as may be determined by the Executive Board.

Section 5. Vacancy:

In the event of a vacancy in the office of the President, the Vice President shall assume the office. A vacancy of any other office shall be filled by the Executive Board until a special election can be held at the next regular scheduled meeting of the Association.


Article VII - ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING

Section 1. Authority, Time and Place of Meeting:

The governing body of the Association shall be all voting members of TASP in good standing which shall meet annually. The time and place of the annual meeting shall be determined by the Executive Board based on the recommendation of the Conference Planning Committee.

Section 2. Membership and Voting Eligibility:

a) Both Active Professional and Associate members are eligible to participate and vote in Association meetings as stipulated in Article IV of this constitution.

b) The Membership Committee shall certify all eligible voting members.

c) The President, with the consent of the Executive Board, may call a special meeting(s)of the Association provided that fifteen (15) days advance notice is provided the membership.


ARTICLE VIII - COMMITTEES

Section 1. Appointment of Committees:

Except in those cases delineated elsewhere in this Constitution, the President shall name such standing and special committees as may be needed to conduct the activities of TASP.

Appointments shall be for one year with an option for re-appointment.

Section 2. Standing Committees:

The Association shall have the following standing committees which shall be established as per the provisions of Article VI, Section 4a of this Constitution.

a) Conference:

The Conference Committee shall be responsible for planning and coordinating the annual conference including such activities as selecting a site, specifying a theme, arranging for speakers and guests, registration, exhibits, hospitality, evaluation, and other activities as necessary.

b) Finance:

The Finance Committee shall provide guidance and direction to the Treasurer in preparing the annual budget, auditing the books annually and other matters relative to fiscal operations. The Treasurer shall be an ex-officio member of this committee.

c) Membership:

The Membership Committee shall promote membership in the Association, receive all membership applications, maintain accurate mailing lists of all TASP members, and provide accurate membership rosters to the Treasurer and SAEOPP Conference Committee.

d) Nominating:

The Nominating Committee shall be responsible for executing and monitoring the annual election of officers as stated in Article VI, Section 3 of this Constitution.

Section 3. Special Committees:

Task-oriented special committees shall be established by the Executive Board. Such committees shall operate within the purposes and objectives of TASP, shall be specifically charged, and shall be automatically dismissed upon completion of task.


ARTICLE IX - FINANCE

Section 1. The fiscal year of the Association shall be October 1 through September 30 inclusive.

Section 2. Financial support shall be derived from individual and institutional annual dues, conference and workshop proceeds, and other activities approved by the Executive Board.

Section 3. Membership dues shall be payable on October 1 and become delinquent on October 30 of each year, with delinquent status resulting in loss of membership rights and privileges. Annual dues and conference registration fees will be established by the Executive Board.

Section 4. Institutional dues shall be payable on October 1 of each year.


ARTICLE X - LIMITATION ON ACTIVITIES

SECTION 1.

The Association is organized and shall be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meanings of Sections 170(c )(2)(B), 501(c )(3), 2055(a), 2522(1)(2) of the Internal Revenue code. No part of the net earnings of The Association shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its directors, officers, or other private individuals or organizations organized and operated for a profit (except that The Association shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes hereinafter stated). No substantial part of the activities of The Association shall be the conducting of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and The Association shall not participate in or intervene in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, The Association shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by:

(a) an organization exempt from federal income taxation under Section 505(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501(c )(3) of such code;

(b) an organization described in Section 509(a) (1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code as the case may be;

(c) an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170c(2) or 2552(1)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code.


ARTICLE XI-DISSOLUTION OR FINAL LIQUIDATION

Section 1.

On dissolution or final liquidation of the Association, the Executive Board shall (after paying or making provisions to pay all debts, obligations, and liabilities) make adequate provisions to transfer, convey, or distribute all remaining assets of The Association to one or more of the following categories of recipients, as determined by the Executive Board upon a majority vote:

(a) A non-profit organization or organizations, which may have been created to succeed The Association, as long as such organization or each of such organizations shall then qualify as an organization exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of such Code as an organization described in section 170(c)(2) and501(c)3 of such code.

(b) A non-profit organization or organizations having similar aims and objectives as The Association and which may be selected as an appropriate recipient of such assets as long as such organization or each of such organizations shall then qualify as an organization exempt from taxation under section 501 (a) of such Code as an organization described in section 170(c)(2) and501(c)3 of such code.


ARTICLE XII- RULES OF ORDER

Section 1. Roberts Rules of Order (Revised Edition) shall be the parliamentary authority for all proceedings of the Association, unless otherwise specified in the Constitution.

Section 2. The President shall appoint a parliamentarian to each business meeting of the Association.


ARTILE XIII - CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Proposals to amend this Constitution shall be initiated by the Executive Board, unanimous recommendation of a standing committee, or by any one member qualifying for membership under Article IV, Section 2 and 3. Copy of a proposed amendment shall be certified to the Secretary at least forty five (45) days before action is expected. The Secretary shall make such certified proposed amendment(s) available to the membership at least thirty (30) days before expected action and no vote shall be taken until at least thirty (30) days after copies have been made available to the total membership of record.

Section 2. The Constitution shall be amended by: (1) a duly called meeting of the membership, or (2) by electronic mail. In the first instance, a two-thirds affirmative vote of those registered and eligible members at such a meeting is required in order to pass a proposed amendment. If done by electronic mail, a two-thirds affirmative vote of all eligible members of record is required.

Section 3. The President, in conjunction with the TASP Executive Board, is authorized to make non-substantive changes to the TASP Constitution and approved TASP documents, as necessary for such purposes as name or title changes, correcting typographical errors and cross-references and updating citations.


ARTICLE XIV- IMPLEMENTATION

The Constitution shall go into effect as per decision and schedule of the ratifying vote.