About KACE

The purpose of this not-for-profit association is to bring together students, educators, and employers with an interest in (1) the formal integration of a student’s academic study with work experience and (2) the student’s ultimate career employment.

The specific association objectives are:

1. To enhance understanding of the significance and value of the cooperative plan of education and its relationship to career development and ultimately career employment.
2. To promote the continued development and refinement of the practices and procedures utilized in cooperative education, career development, and career employment through research and the active interchange of ideas, information, and experiences.
3. To encourage the utilization of the cooperative education plan and career development services by students, educators, and employers.

Section 1. Membership is open to all individuals and organizations who are interested in furthering the principles of cooperative education, internships, career planning, job search planning, and employment of postsecondary students and alumni.

Section 2. An employer, educator, or student may elect to join the association as an individual or an institutional member. The Board of Directors will determine the amount for membership dues for both individual and institutional membership.

Section 3. A member is defined as one who has been formally accepted for membership to this association and whose dues are current. Continuing membership is validated by the payment of annual dues. The membership term runs from fall conference to fall conference.

Section 4. Voting at meetings of the association is limited to association members possessing a paid-up status.

Section 5. Membership may be transferred to a successor in the same position upon written request by the successor.

Section 6. Upon action of the board, life membership may be offered to persons who have been members of the association a minimum of three years and have permanently retired from the field.

Section 7. Applicants and members will endorse and abide by the “Ethical Standards and Procedural Guidelines in Educational Placement” of the American Association for Employment in Education and/or “Principles for Professional Conduct for Career Services and Employment Professionals” as set forth by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Section 1. The association is governed by an elected eleven-member board. The board consists of five officers and six directors and takes office following the conclusion of the annual meeting during which the board has been elected.

Section 2. The officers of the association are the president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, and immediate past president.

Section 3. The duties of the officers and directors are defined in the bylaws.

Section 4. Terms of officers and directors:
a. The president serves a term of one year and the following year serves on the board as the immediate past president.
b. The president-elect serves a term of one year and then assumes the office of president the following year.
c. The secretary is elected for a one-year term.
d. The treasurer is elected for a two-year term.
e. The past president serves a term of one year following a term as president.
f. Directors are elected for two-year terms. The terms are staggered so that three directors are elected each year.

Section 5. If any member of the board is unable to fulfill his or her elected tenure of office, a replacement appointment will be determined with a simple majority of the remaining board members. When possible, selection will be made from the slate of previous nominees who were not elected. Replacement appointees will serve for the remaining term of office for which the vacancy occurred.

Section 6. Six members of the board, of which two must be officers, constitute a quorum at board meetings.

Section 1. The past president of the association chairs the nominating committee and appoints its members with the approval of the board. This committee selects and presents a slate of officers and directors to the association for consideration. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at the time of the election.

Section 2. The officers and board of directors of the association are elected at the annual business meeting of the association.

Section 1. The members of the association will meet at least annually at the time and place to be determined by the board to conduct business and to elect officers and directors.

Section 2. The board will meet at least twice yearly at the annual membership meeting(s) and at other suitable times.

Section 3. Other meetings may be called by the president or by a majority of the board or a majority of members of the association.

Section 4. Robert’s Rules of Order are the official rules of order at all meetings.

The standing committees of the association are membership, program, nominating, website and communications, research and innovation, long-range planning, audit, and awards and scholarship.

The fiscal year of this association will extend from November 1 through October 31.

In the event of the dissolution of the association, all assets and properties which remain after the discharge of the association’s liabilities will be used and distributed by vote of the membership for one or more of the purposes set forth in Article II and will be used or distributed for no other purpose whatever.

Section 1. This constitution may be amended by a vote of two-thirds majority of the members present at any regular business meeting or called meeting.

Section 2. Proposed amendments or revisions of this constitution will be submitted to the membership in writing at least thirty days before the meeting.

The president will:

1. serve as chair of the board, call and preside at all meetings of the association, and enforce and abide by the provisions of the constitution of the association.
2. serve as ex officio member of all standing committees.
3. appoint, with the approval of the board, the chair of the audit committee.
4. appoint, with the approval of the board, all ad hoc committees and serve as ex officio member of all ad hoc committees.
   The president-elect will:
5. have a minimum one year membership in KACE and have served on at least one committee.
6. perform all duties of the president in the absence of or at the request of the president, and will fill the unexpired term of the office of the president should it become vacant.
7. serve as chair of the program committee for the annual conference(s) of the association.
8. perform other duties as requested in working with various officers and standing committees.

The immediate past president will:

1. serve as a member of the board for the year following service as president of the association.
2. serve as chair of the nominating committee of the association for the year following service as president of the association.
3. assist the president in an advisory capacity to maintain continuity from one group of officers to the next.
4. review the constitution and bylaws to determine need for change and/or updating.
   a. ensure that recommended changes to the constitution and/or bylaws are submitted to the board and to the general membership as provided by the constitution and bylaws.
   b. update the constitution and/or bylaws as needed and provide the membership with an updated copy via the association’s website.
5. act as liaison with government, administrative, and legislative bodies informing the membership of existing and pending legislation and other issues affecting the association on the national, state, and local levels.

The secretary will:

1. prepare and distribute official minutes of all board and association meetings.
2. handle correspondence, reports, invitations, and notifications as deemed appropriate.
3. maintain permanent records and historical materials of the association.

The treasurer will:

1. maintain all funds of the association and report on the financial status of the association at all business meetings, board meetings, and as requested by the president.
2. deposit funds in bank account(s); reconcile bank statements; and make disbursements upon presentation of committee budgets, bills, and
   approved receipts.
3. coordinate membership receipts with membership chair.
4. coordinate conference receipts with the conference registration person.
5. complete and file federal tax forms and quarterly reports and maintain non-profit status.
6. submit year-end financial report and records for audit as specified by the board.
7. submit a budget to the board for the succeeding year’s operation.

The directors will serve as chairs of the standing committees during their term of office.

Standing committees are membership, program, nominating, website and communications, research and innovation, long-range planning, audit, and awards and scholarship. The chair of each committee will appoint committee members.

In selecting committee members, representation from the various categories of membership (employer, cooperative education professional, internship professional, career development professional, student), type of organization represented (public and private institutions Including community and technical colleges, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations) as well as gender, race, and geographical representation, should be considered.

The membership committee will:

1. compile, publish, distribute, and maintain an accurate list of paid members with their current mailing addresses.
2. initiate procedures and programs to recruit prospective members and to promote membership growth.
3. collect dues and coordinate membership receipts with the treasurer.
4. bill all members through invoices immediately after the fall conference if they have not paid their annual dues.

The program committee, which is chaired by the president-elect of the association, will:

1. plan, coordinate, and carry out arrangements for the annual meeting(s) of the association and other meetings, workshops, seminars, etc., as
   approved by the board.
2. survey the membership for ideas and suggestions for programming to ensure that the needs of all interested groups are met and that all members have a voice in the programs sponsored by the association.
3. prepare a tentative program for distribution to the membership promoting the conference(s) and informing them of topics to be presented.
4. prepare a final conference program for distribution at the meeting (s).
5. establish registration procedures and carry them out at all conferences.
6. finalize association requirements with hotel as meeting time approaches, including meeting rooms, accommodations, seating formats,
   audio visual requirements, meal and break food requirements, and billing arrangements.
7. work with conference participants and hotel staff during the conference(s) to ensure smooth delivery of services.
8. ensure that an evaluation is prepared, distributed, collected, and compiled for each meeting, workshop, conference, seminar, etc.
9. coordinate conference receipts and disbursements with the treasurer.
10. submit a final written financial report of receipts and disbursements for the conference(s) to the board.

The nominating committee, which is chaired by the immediate past president, will:

1. survey membership by letter, phone, e-mail, or newsletter sixty days before the annual business meeting for input regarding nominees for officers and directors.
2. develop a slate of candidates for each open position from current members suggested by the membership and based on the candidates’ past committee work and interest in or potential for success in the position. In selecting the slate, representation from the various categories of membership (employer, cooperative education professional, internship professional, career development professional), type of organization represented (public and private institutions including community and technical colleges, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations) as well as gender, race, and geographical representation, should be considered.
3. contact nominees selected to determine their interest and gain their permission before presenting their names for nomination at the business meeting.
4. publicize the names of nominees before the annual election through the association newsletter or some other vehicle.
5. develop and prepare ballots, allowing room for candidates nominated from the floor.
6. collect and count ballots and announce election results at the annual business meeting.
7. retain names of all candidates considered for nomination for use in the event an elected officer or director is unable to serve a full term of office.

The website and communications committee will:

1. have an elected webmaster who will manage the association website and who will hold a director position on the board.
2. coordinate association public relations efforts by overseeing the development of publicity materials and informational materials, news releases, a presence on appropriate social networking sites, etc, to raise the profile of the association and its purposes and to provide communication between members.
3. publish and distribute the association newsletter at least twice a year.
4. participate in the development and pricing of printed materials such as membership promotion or conference program publications in conjunction with other appropriate committees.

The research and innovation committee will:

1. review proposals and grant monetary awards for research and innovation in the field.
2. review existing guidelines for the awarding of the research and innovation grant.
3. submit to the board any recommendations for changes in the guidelines.
4. prepare a copy of the guidelines for distribution to the membership.
5. survey membership for research and innovations proposals.
6. collect and evaluate proposals and determine grant recipients.
7. arrange for grant presentation at the award ceremonies.
8. conduct surveys at the direction of the board or membership.

The long-range planning committee will:

1. investigate sites for association meeting(s) at least two years before the event(s). Have a contract for the event a year in advance.
2. provide the membership with an opportunity to make recommendations regarding meeting sites, accommodations, etc.
3. prepare information regarding hotel accommodations, rates, and dates for presentation to the board and the general membership.
4. choose and recommend to the board and membership for their approval, the hotel and accommodations best suited for each meeting.
5. meet on an ongoing basis with the conference program committee to provide input into conference planning and to obtain information on site and program requirements.
6. when approved by the board, relay the association’s requirements to the hotel and contract for chosen site. Investigate and reserve necessary meeting and sleeping rooms.

The audit committee will:

1. be lead by a chairperson appointed by the association president; the chair will not be a voting member of the board.
2. audit the financial records of the association annually.
3. submit a report to the president within 90 days of the close of the fiscal year which ends October 31.

The awards and scholarship committee will:

1. review existing guidelines for the selection of recipients.
2. submit to the board any recommendations for changes in the guidelines.
3. prepare a copy of the guidelines for distribution to the membership.
4. survey membership for recommendations for award and scholarship recipients and provide relevant criteria for use in making recommendations.
5. collect and evaluate recommendations and determine recipients.
6. arrange for plaques and awards for presentation at the annual conference.

These bylaws may be amended or revised by a vote of two-thirds majority of the board members present at any regular or called meeting or via electronic ballot. They may also be amended by a majority vote of the general membership present at any regular or called meeting.

Proposed amendments or revisions of these bylaws will be submitted to the members of the board and/or membership in writing at least 30 days before the meeting.