Constitution & Bylaws

Download the Bylaws as a PDF

• MACCA Constitution

  (August 2019)

  The Constitution of the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association

  An Association for Career Development Professionals

  ARTICLE I

  The name of this organization is the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association, Inc., An Association for Career Development Professionals; it shall also be known under its acronym "MACCA".

  ARTICLE II

  Purposes

  The purposes of the Association are:

• To increase the effectiveness of career development activities by fostering an exchange of ideas and information among individuals responsible for said activities;
• To encourage professional approaches to career development in various contexts (e.g. education, government, private practice, business, industry and non- profit organizations); these approaches will be fostered by workshops, conferences, study and on- going use of research findings;
• To pursue the development and furtherance of standards and ethical procedures in career development ;
• To aid in providing the means of a continuous evaluative procedures and maintenance of high professional standards in career development ;
• To assist in obtaining the support of administrators and executives in education, government, private practice, business, industry, and non-profit organizations, for the furtherance of effective career development of all persons.

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• ARTICLE III

  Membership

  Membership in this Association shall consist of individuals interested and involved in issues of career development and the job/internship search process from the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and The District of Columbia

  ARTICLE IV

  Leadership Cabinet and Board of Directors

  There shall be Leadership Cabinet and Board of Directors, consisting of individuals who are eligible MACCA members, whose major responsibility is the control and management of the affairs of the Association as defined in the Bylaws.

  Leadership Cabinet officers shall be:

• President
• Vice President/President-Elect
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Immediate Past President

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• Elected Board of Directors shall be:

• Annual Conference Chair/Co-Chairs
• State Members-At-Large

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• Appointed Board of Directors may include, but not be limited to:

• Registration Chair
• Membership Chair
• Publicity & Marketing Chair
• Professional Certification Chair
• Technology Chair
• Standing Committee Chairs

ARTICLE V

The Association shall hold at least one business meeting each fiscal year. The fiscal year shall be defined as January 1 - December 31.  The Leadership Cabinet and Board of Directors shall be notified at that time of any outstanding debts and the state of the Treasurer’s accounts.

Special meetings of the Association may be called by the President or upon request to the President by at least one-third of the Members. The Secretary via distribution of notices to the membership shall publicize such special meetings at least 30 days in advance of the date of the meeting, stating the purpose of the meeting. No other business except that for which the special meeting was called shall be transacted at any special meeting so called into session.

ARTICLE VI

Dues shall be recommended and approved by the Leadership Cabinet and Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII

Amendments

Members present at the Annual Business Meeting may vote to make amendments or revisions to the constitution, provided that all renewing members have been advised in writing of the proposed amendment(s) at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. A simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the amendment(s) shall be required for passage. Changes to the constitution may also be made prior to the Annual Business Meeting through polling or e-mailing the MACCA membership. A thirty day notice is required prior to any mail/e-mail vote and a simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the amendment (s) shall be required for passage.

MACCA Bylaws
(revised July, 2019; approved September 2019)

ARTICLE I

Membership

The membership of the Association shall consist of those individuals as written in Article III in the Constitution.

ARTICLE II

Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors

Section 1

The Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors shall have administrative responsibilities for all policies and practices of the Association including budgetary matters.

The Leadership Cabinet (elected) shall be made up of:

The Board of Directors (elected) shall be:

The Board of Directors appointed positions may include, but not be limited to: 

Section 2

The President, Vice President/President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-at-Large shall be elected by the membership at the Annual Business Meeting. The Secretary, Treasurer, and Members-At-Large may be re-elected to serve additional terms to assist with training, or if members are not available to fulfill the positions. All terms begin January 1 following the Annual Conference elections and end December 31^st of the appropriate year for a particular office’s term length.   

In the event a Member-at-Large is not able to fulfill the two-year commitment, additional Members-at-Large can be elected at the Annual Business Meeting.

The immediate Past-President shall chair the Nominations Committee and continue as a Leadership Cabinet Member for a term of one year; thus when someone is elected Vice President/President-Elect, that person commits to three (3) years of service (one as Vice President/President-Elect, one as President, and one as Immediate Past-President).

The following positions shall be appointed by the President to serve one year terms as Chairs of the named committees:  Annual Conference; Awards; Evaluations; Historian; MACCA Matters; Membership; New Professionals/Graduate Students; Nominations; Professional Certifications; Publicity & Marketing; Registration; and Technology.

The President may also convene ad hoc committees on an as needed basis.

Section 3

Each member of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors shall be entitled to one vote relative to the implementation of administrative policy. In case of a tie vote, the President shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 4

If the President should vacate said office, the Vice President/President-Elect shall complete the unexpired term.

Section 5

If a position held by a member of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors is vacated for any reason, the Leadership Cabinet shall have the power to appoint a successor to serve the unexpired term. The President has the power to make an interim appointment to fill the vacated position until the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors is able to meet. The terms of Board of Director members may be extended by the sitting MACCA President.

Section 6

An internal audit of the financial books of the Association shall be conducted at the close of the fiscal year (January 1 - December 31). The audit shall be conducted by an ad hoc committee consisting of the President, Treasurer, Secretary or Vice President/President-Elect, and one other Board of Directors member appointed by the President. This audit shall take place within six weeks of the close of the previous Association fiscal year. The audit can be done either in person or electronically.

Section 7

The President or Vice President, and a simple majority of the other members of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of any of the Board’s meetings.

 Section 8

The Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors should be composed of members from as many states in the MACCA region, as specified in the Constitution, as possible.

ARTICLE III

Cabinet, Board, and Committees

Section 1

Elected Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors

The President shall have served as a Vice President/President-Elect during the previous year.  She/he shall set the agenda for all meetings, with the assistance of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors. She/he shall preside at all meetings of the Association, act as Chairperson of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors, be a member ex officio of all appointed and ad hoc  committees, work closely with all Conference/Summit Chairs, administer the business of the Association between regular meetings, and exercise authority consistent with these By-Laws.  The President shall also negotiate and sign all facility contracts for service.  (3-year commitment:  One Year as Vice President/President-Elect, One Year as President, and One Year as Immediate Past President).

The Vice President/President-Elect shall have served as a member of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors. He/she shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence, disability, or at the President’s request. If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice President/President-Elect shall become President until the next annual election. The Vice President /President-Elect will supervise, direct, and maintain ongoing communication with Chairs of all Standing committees, as well as among the other members of the Leadership Cabinet of the Association (President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Immediate Past President). Coordinating the June Summit is the direct responsibility of the Vice President/President-Elect, unless another member(s) of the Board of Directors has an interest in coordinating it; if so, the Vice President/President-Elect will supervise, direct, and maintain ongoing communication with that Chair(s). The Vice President/President-Elect will fulfill other duties as delegated by the President and/or the Leadership Cabinet. The Vice President/President-Elect will succeed to the Presidency of the Association in the following year. (One Year as Vice President/President-Elect, One Year as President, and One Year as Immediate Past President.)                

The Secretaryshall keep all official minutes of the business meetings of the Association.  The Secretary shall handle correspondence and assist the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors as needed. (Two Year Term). 

The Treasurershall be provide general financial oversight, planning, budgeting, record keeping and reporting for receipts and expenditures of the Association, serving in a “watchdog role” over all aspects of financial management of the Association.  She/he shall serve as an information and reference point of contact for the President and other committee chairs:  clarifying financial implications of proposals; confirming legal requirements; and providing insight on financial forecasting.  She/he works with the Conference Chair(s) and Summit Chair(s) in establishing budgets in accordance with this forecasting and with a goal of making a profit. She/he collaborates with the Membership Chair in determining membership dues and the Registration Chair in proposing registration fees for events.  She/he shall prepare financial reports for meetings and present a yearly financial statement to the membership at the Annual Conference Business Meeting.  In addition, the Treasurer prepares financial statements and documents for the contracted accountant throughout the year and for the annual audit. (Two Year Term).  

Members-At-Large are elected and shall have responsibility for promoting the Association and events to colleagues within their state, contributing to the website and/or publications, and supporting opportunities for MACCA networking within their states.  Members-At-Large are required to participate in and/or chair at least one committee per year during their two year term and to attend a minimum of “one-half plus one” of the scheduled Leadership Cabinet & Board of Director meetings.  The states represented by MACCA (Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia) may have up to two Members-At-Large each. (Two Year Term). 

Section 2

Board of Directors Appointed Positions

Annual Conference Chair/Co-Chairs shall coordinate all activities related to the Annual Conference in direct collaboration with the Leadership Cabinet & the Board of Directors.  She/he/they collect(s) and compile(s) all pertinent conference programming ideas and present(s) reports and updates to the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors.  She/he/they generates correspondence and negotiates with potential program presenters and participants assuring “adherence” to the conference theme (as selected and approved by the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors.  The Chair(s) establish(es) a conference budget in accordance to the Treasurer’s forecasting with a goal of making a profit, and provides information to the President and Treasurer for use in contract negotiations and arrangements with the resort/conference center. The President shall negotiate and sign all facility contracts for services. The Chair(s) also collaborates with the Professional Certification Chair in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet. The Chair(s) maintain(s) ongoing contact with Conference sub-Committee Chairs and other Committees as needed. The Chair(s) will assist The Conference Volunteer Chair in recruiting volunteers by reaching out to other MACCA members via the Board of Directors.  (One Year Term).

Awards Chairshall identify potential MACCA recipients for annual awards by maintaining communication with the President and others who may nominate members for recognition.

Evaluation Chairshall be responsible for developing, promoting awareness of, and distributing surveys via email including links to online evaluations and completing a summary report after the conference.  The Chair also collaborates with the Professional Certification Chair in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet. She/he may also be called upon to occasionally conduct other surveys.

Historian(s) shall maintain an accurate and current record of events and news at the Association conferences, seminars or other activities.

MACCA Matters newsletter Editor(s) shall write, edit and coordinate all activities related to publishing and distributing the Association newsletter at least twice (2) times each year. 

Membership Chairshall be responsible for encouraging eligible persons to become members of MACCA, collaborating with the Registration Chair in maintaining an up-to-date database, editing and distributing the New Member Packet, and welcoming new members – including hosting the New Member Reception at the Annual Conference. (Two year Term). 

New Professionals & Graduate Student Chair shall assist in the recruitment of new professionals and graduate student members to the Association.  She/he identifies and addresses issues of particular concern to new professionals and graduate student members of MACCA.

Nominations Chair(Immediate Past President) shall conduct nominations and election procedures as directed Under Article VIII of the MACCA Bylaws. She/he facilitates communication among officers and other members to identify potential nominees for each new slate of elected positions The Chair keeps records of which positions will become open during a coming term and contacts those who are recommended for nomination to check if a particular member is willing to fulfill the role if they are elected. Once a slate of nominees is confirmed, the Chair sends out ballots through email and on the website of open positions. Before the Annual Conference, she/he compiles the membership ballots and prepares an election ballot to be distributed to the membership at the Annual Conference Business Meeting.

Professional Certification Chair serves as MACCA’s liaison to NBCC (National Board of Career Counselors) in coordinating all aspects leading to the provision of clock hours for professional development activities.  She/he develops and a detailed timeline of steps needed in this process and ensures that the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors follows this process. She/he completes provider paperwork and collaborates with the Chairs of the Annual Conference, the Summit, Publicity & Marketing, Technology, Evaluation, Registration, and others (as identified) in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet for final determination.

Publicity & Marketing Chairhas oversight of the Association’s Marketing Plan, coordinating with other individuals as needed, including but not limited to:  Members-at-Large; Technology (website updates, blogs, promotion of events, and social media); Registration (events); Professional Certification; and Annual Conference/June Summit Chair(s), to identify, create (if needed), and coordinate publicity to members and to targeted constituents.  She/he shall coordinate the shared maintenance of a marketing list, updating annually.  The Chair also collaborates with the Professional Certification Chair in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet. (Two Year Term) 

Registration Chairshall be responsible for developing a database of MACCA events, and Conference/Summit attendees coordinating with the Treasurer.  She/he proposes membership dues and Annual Conference/June Summit registration fees in collaboration with the Treasurer and Annual Conference/June Summit Chair(s). The Chair also collaborates with the Professional Certification Chair in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet. (Two Year Term)

Technology Chair coordinates all activities related to the online presence of MACCA including coordinating website updates and branding, compliance, and maintenance. The Chair also collaborates with the Professional Certification Chair in the timely preparation of materials needed for submission of the NBCC packet. Additionally, she/he works closely with the Chairs of Publicity & Marketing, Membership, Annual Conference/June Summit and the Treasurer.  (Two year term, preferred)

Section 3

Annual Conference-Specific Chairs:

Conference Volunteer Chair shall be responsible for determining the type of service or services needed for the Annual Fall Conference, the number of volunteers needed to complete the task(s), and the approximate time of day services are needed. The Annual Conference Chair(s) will assist by reaching out to other MACCA members via the Board of Directors for volunteers.   The Volunteer Chair will coordinate the efforts of the volunteers available and outline, as closely as possible, the services needed by the other committees.

Conference Exhibitors & Sponsors Chair shall solicit exhibitors and/or sponsors for the Annual Conference and have responsibility assisting with the planning and arrangement of the exhibition space.

Conference Hospitality Chair shall promote events and activities that enhance the educational and networking experiences of the Annual Conference. Hospitality volunteers are responsible for planning and hosting activities such as receptions, recreational and cultural activities, and tours.

ARTICLE IV

Removal of Board Members

Members of the Leadership Cabinet and Board of Director may be removed from their office if it is determined that they are not fulfilling their duties or have shown a breach of ethics according to our profession. The member in question will have the chance to present his/her case to the Leadership Cabinet if he/she feels that the removal is unfair. After all avenues are pursued, a two-thirds vote of the Leadership Cabinet is needed for removal.

ARTICLE V

Dues

Section 1

Dues shall be recommended and approved by the Leadership Cabinet and the Board of Directors.

Section 2

Membership in MACCA shall be continuous on a regular basis.  The Fiscal year of MACCA shall be January 1 to December 31.

Section 3

Types and Qualifications of Membership Dues are as follows:

Regular Membership is for any person whose designated responsibilities are in line with those qualifications in Article III of the Constitution. Student Membership is for any person who is enrolled full-time at an accredited graduate school in the field of counseling or a closely related profession. Lifetime Membership is awarded by the organization to special individuals allowing annual membership dues to be waived.

ARTICLE VI

Funds

Section 1

The Association shall maintain a general operating fund in a bank which shall be selected by the Treasurer and subject to the approval of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors.

Section 2

The general operating fund shall be under the supervision of the Treasurer who will be responsible for its administration, including all matters relative to receipts and disbursements, and the maintenance of adequate records.

Section 3

In the event of termination or dissolution of this Association, its remaining assets, if any, shall be distributed to (and only to), one or more of the organizations described in number 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future U.S. Internal Revenue Laws).

ARTICLE VII

Meetings and Elections

Section 1

A quorum must be present to carry on the Annual Business Meeting and elections of the Association. A simple majority of the eligible voters attending the Annual Business Meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Section 2

The Association shall meet annually to conduct business and elections. The Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors shall select the time of year, site, and date of said meeting.

Section 3

The first annual meeting of the newly elected Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors (both elected and appointed) shall be held within 90 days of the close of the annual conference. Special meetings of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors may be held at such times and places needed, at the call of the President, or on written request of three or more members of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors addressed to the President.

Section 4

The elected officers of the Association shall be confirmed at the Annual Business Meeting.

Section 5

All scheduled meetings of the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors are open to members in good standing.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Amendments to the Constitution shall be recommended by the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors and voted upon by the membership as follows:

Section 1

Members present at the Annual Business Meeting may vote to make amendments or revisions to the Constitution, provided that all renewing members have been advised in writing of the proposed amendment(s) at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. A simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the amendment(s) shall be required for passage. Changes to the Constitution may also be made prior to the Annual Business Meeting through polling or e-mailing the MACCA membership. A thirty (30) day notice is required prior to any mail/e-mail vote and a simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the amendment (s) shall be required for passage.

Section 2

The result of the voting shall be recorded by the Secretary and reported to the Leadership Cabinet & Board of Directors at its next meeting. The Amendments approved shall become effective at this time.

Section 3

Members present at the Annual Business Meeting may vote to make amendments or revisions to the Bylaws, provided that all renewing members have been advised in writing of the proposed Bylaw(s) at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Business Meeting. A simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the Bylaw(s) shall be required for passage. Changes to the Bylaws may also be made prior to the Annual Business Meeting through polling or e-mailing the MACCA membership. A thirty day notice is required prior to any mail/e-mail vote and a simple majority of the votes cast in favor of the Bylaw(s) shall be required for passage.

ARTICLE IX

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, affectional/sexual orientation, religion, or disability in any of its policies, procedures, or practices. This nondiscrimination policy covers membership and participation in Association programs and activities including but not limited to conferences, publications, and educational.