ARTICLE I

Name

The name of this organization will be the Tennessee College Public Relations Association or TCPRA. 

ARTICLE II

Purpose

Section I. The purpose of this organization is to promote the cause of higher education through the development of the professional practice of public relations and related functions in all facets of higher education in Tennessee.

Section II. The organization will provide:
– programs of continuing education and professional development for its members.
– Assistance to members in creating an increased understanding of the value of public relations in their institutions
– A forum for the mutual exchange of ideas, materials and technologies
– A voice for higher education in the state and region

ARTICLE III

Meetings

Section I. Time of Meetings: An annual business meeting of the members of the Association shall take place during the spring of each year.

Section II. Place of Meetings: The annual meeting of members of the Association shall be held at a location to be determined by the Executive Committee of the Association.

Section III. Notice of Meetings: Advance notice of the time and place of meetings shall be given by written notice of the Secretary and sent to al members of the association. 

Section IV. Quorum: For the purpose of conducting business, all voting member present shall constitute a quorum.

Section V. Voting: Voting shall be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order. Each member institution shall have one vote. The voting representative shall be designated by the institution.

ARTICLE IV

Membership

Section 1. Membership in the Association shall be open to any Tennessee college, university, or 2-year college. Any individual employed on a member institution’s public relations or public information staff or related area, or public information or public relations personnel of state governmental educational agencies is eligible to affiliate with the Association.

Section II. Associate membership in the Association may be held by any interested student of a Tennessee college, university, or 2-year college who is in public relations, journalism, broadcasting, communications, or advertising, or by any professional employee of a Tennessee university, college or 2-year college. Associate members shall have no power of voting in the Association.

Section III. Affiliate membership may be held by individuals and organizations supportive of the Association.

Section IV. No representative, other than the president, or the president’s designee, may speak of behalf of the Association.

ARTICLE V

Board of Directors

Section I. General Powers: The Executive Committee, composed of all officers and members of the Board of Directors, may delegate all the powers granted by this Association and may delegate such powers to members of the Association as it sees fit. Directors shall be members of the Association.

Section II. Number of Directors: There shall be no more than seven directors. Directors shall be appointed annually by the president. An appropriate mix of representation from public systems of higher education and their member institution, independent institutions of higher education, and the state coordinating agency. The immediate past president of the Association shall serve as an ex-officio director for one year. Terms of the directors shall begin with the annual meeting. Members of the Board of Directors may be reappointed. 

Section III. Approval of Directors: the directors shall be approved at the annual meeting of the members of the Association by an affirmative vote of the majority of the membership of the Association in attendance or a mail vote can be taken if concluded within 30 days of the annual meeting.

Section IV. Time of Meeting: There shall be a meeting of the Executive Committee held during the annual meeting of the Association and at such times as the President may call.

Section V. Quorum: A majority shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Committee.

Section VI. Vacancies: Vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be filled by appointment by the President of the Association.

ARTICLE VI

Committees

Section I. The President shall appoint standing committees.

Section II. The Communications Committee shall plan and implement a communications program for members via the organization’s Web site and other communication venues and will be chaired by the secretary of the organization.

Section III. The Conference Planning and Activities Committee shall plan, implement, and coordinate conferences, seminars, and other special activities approved by the Executive Committee.

Section IV. The Nomination and Membership Committee shall recommend various appointments and plan and implement annual membership efforts among the institutions of higher education in Tennessee. The committee shall submit a slate of nominees to the membership by mail, or comparable technology, prior to the annual business meeting at which appropriate elections will take place. A mail ballot may be conducted upon direction of the president within 30 days of the annual business meeting. 

Section V. The Professional Recognition Awards Committee. Complete awards information is located at http://www.TCPRA.org.

Section VI. The president shall appoint Committees as need dictates.

ARTICLE VII

Officers

Section I. General: There shall be four (4) officers of the Association, a president, vice president/president elect, a secretary and a treasurer. An officer shall be representative of the member institutions. 

Section II. Term of Office: Each officer will serve a two-year term.

Section III. Duties of the President: The President of the Association shall be the executive head of the Association and, as such, any delegate such of his/her authority as he sees fit to other officers and representatives of the Association. He/she shall be endowed with such discretionary powers as are required for the Association to run in an orderly manner an such other duties as are incident to his/her office.

Section IV. Duties of the Vice President/President-elect: The Vice President/President-elect of the Association shall act in an advisory capacity to the President and in the absence of the President, shall perform the duties of the president. This position will also oversee the awards submissions and judging of those submissions for our annual awards competition held during the spring conference.

Section V. Duties of the Secretary: The Secretary shall oversee the record-keeping of the Association. The Secretary shall also keep the minutes of all official meetings of the officers and the board of Directors and shall also serve as the chair of the communications committee.

Section VI. Duties of the Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for collecting dues and maintaining all financial records of the Association. The Treasurer shall present a written detailed report of income and expenditures at each meeting of the Executive Committee an annual summary at the annual business meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

Execution of Instruments
Deposition of Association Funds

Section I. Signing of Instruments: All official documents of the association, such as the by-laws, certificates and membership, and minutes of meetings, shall be signed by the president and secretary of the association. All other legal instruments, with the exception of those later listed in this article which may be signed otherwise, shall be signed in like manner.

Section II. Deposits: The officers of the Association shall select depositories for the funds of the Association, and the president and the treasurer of the Association shall have the power to co-sign checks and drafts for the Association. 

Section III. TCPRA Student Scholarship: TCPRA will provide a $500 check to the institution that hosts one of our two yearly conferences. These represent the TCPRA sponsored student scholarship to be awarded to a communications/PR student attending the hosting school. Representatives of the hosting organization have full authority in the selection process as well as how the funds can be used by the recipient. The scholarship is to be presented to the student or representative from the hosting school at some time during the conference.

ARTICLE IX

Dues

Section I. Annual dues for membership in the Association shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

Section II. Annual dues of all members are due and payable by February 28 of each fiscal year.

Section III. No representative to the Association may participate in the annual meeting without advance payment of institutional dues. 

ARTICLE X

Offices

Section I. The offices of the Association shall be located at a place designed by the executive committee.

ARTICLE XI

Amendments

Section I. Amendments: These by-laws may be amended by a simple majority vote of the member institutions in attendance at the annual business meeting or such special general meeting that might be called by the presidents.