About MSHA

Bylaws

Table of Contents

Article I – Name

Article II – Objectives

Article III – Membership

Article IV – Dues

Article V – Officers

Article VI – Executive Board

Article VII – Meetings

Article VIII – Committees

Article IX – Parliamentary Authority

Article X – Amendments

Article XI – Code of Ethics

Article XII – Nondiscrimination Statement

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Incorporated.

Article II – Objectives

  1. To act on behalf of the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology in Mississippi.
  2. To advocate for persons with communicative disorders.
  3. To promote high standards of qualifications and ethical practice.
  4. To provide continuing education.

Article III – Membership

  1. There shall be four categories of membership: member, associate member, student member, and life member.
  2. Members must hold a graduate degree in speech-language pathology, audiology, or speech and hearing sciences or a graduate degree and present evidence of active research, interest, and performance in the field of human communication development or disorders. Members and Lifetime Members have the right to vote and to be an officer.
  3. Associate members must hold a bachelor’s degree in communicative sciences and disorders. Associate members are unable to vote or be an officer.
  4. Student members must be enrolled in a degree program with major emphasis in speech-language pathology and/or audiology, pay student dues, and may not vote or be an officer.
  5. Members who have attained the age of 65; and have been a full member for at least 10 consecutive years or have been a full member for at least 20 cumulative years may receive Life membership by written request to the Executive Board. Life members are exempt from dues and have the right to vote and to be an officer.
  6. Membership may be suspended by the Executive Board for non-payment of dues and may be suspended or revoked for violations of the Code of Ethics as determined by the Executive Board and the Ethics Committee.
  7. By virtue of membership, members agree to abide by the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association Code of Ethics.

Article IV – Dues

  1. The amount of the dues shall be set by the Executive Board.
  2. Dues are to be paid in accordance with membership rates detailed in the Policy and Procedures. Membership will expire one calendar year from the join/renewal date.

Article V – Officers

  1. The officers shall be President, President-Elect, Past President, Vice President: Continuing Education, Vice President: School Issues, Vice President: Public Relations and Marketing, Vice President: Healthcare, Vice President: Audiology, and Vice President: Finance.
  2. All officers shall be full or lifetime members of the Association.
  3. Nominations for office shall be made during the call for nominations period or at the business meeting during the Annual Continuing Education Conference.
  4. Officers shall be elected by a simple majority vote within 30 days of the Annual Conference.
  5. Officers-elect shall take office the first of January following their election.
  6. An individual may not serve more than two full terms consecutively in a particular office, even if one or both terms were by appointment.
  7. President
  8. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and shall preside at all Association business meetings and Executive Board meetings.
  9. The President may call business meetings and Executive Board meetings as needed.
  10. The President shall serve one year or until a successor is elected.
  11. The President shall appoint a Secretary, as needed, for meetings of the Association.
  12. President-Elect
  13. The President-Elect shall preside at all meetings of the Association in the absence of the President.
  14. The President-Elect shall become President in the event of the President’s resignation or inability to serve.
  15. The President-Elect shall assist the Convention Chair with Convention planning duties.
  16. Vice President: Continuing Education
  17. The Vice President: Continuing Education shall maintain the Association Continuing Education records.
  18. The Vice President: Continuing Education shall become President if the President-Elect, having become President because of a vacancy, resigns or is unable to serve as President.
  19. The Vice President: Continuing Education shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  20. Vice President: School Issues
  21. The Vice President: School Issues shall coordinate all Association committees and activities related to speech-language pathology and audiology services in the schools.
  22. The Vice President: School Issues shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  23. The Vice President: School Issues shall serve as an ex officio member of any Association committee whose activities may relate to speech-language-hearing services in schools.
  24. Vice President: Healthcare
  25. The Vice President: Healthcare shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  26. The Vice President: Healthcare shall coordinate all Association committees related to Healthcare.
  27. The Vice President: Healthcare shall serve as an ex officio member of any Association committee whose activities may relate to speech-language-hearing healthcare services.
  28. Vice President: Finance
  29. The Vice President: Finance shall be responsible for the financial operation in areas not designated for the management firm in the Financial Policy. Specific duties of the Vice President: Finance are given in the Financial Policy, chief among them being:
  30. The Vice President: Finance shall notify the Executive Board at its next meeting of any actual or likely budget overrun and provide a recommendation for appropriate adjustments in the budget, if necessary.
  31. The Vice President: Finance shall submit a report to the Executive Board at each meeting summarizing the status of Association investments and any changes to those investments since the previous meeting.
  32. The Vice President: Finance shall submit a proposed budget to the Executive Board prior to the final Executive Board meeting of each fiscal year.
  33. The Vice President: Finance shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  34. Vice President: Public Relations and Marketing
  35. The Vice President: Public Relations and Marketing shall be responsible for the public relations of the Association.
  36. The Vice President: Public Relations and Marketing shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  37. Vice President: Audiology
  38. The Vice President: Audiology shall coordinate all Association committees and activities related to audiology.
  39. The Vice President: Audiology shall monitor and coach all Association committees and activities related to audiology.
  40. The Vice President: Audiology shall serve three years or until a successor is elected.
  41. The Vice President: Audiology shall serve as an ex officio member of any Association committee whose activities may relate to audiology services.
  42. Past President
  43. The Past President shall serve as Chair of the Nominations Committee, as advisor to the President, and in other capacities as assigned by the President.
  44. The Past President shall serve one year. If for any reason the Past President resigns, the President may appoint a replacement, who has served as a previous president, for the completion of the one-year term.
  45. Vacancies in Offices
  46. In the event of removal, resignation, or other situation that causes a vacancy in an elected office, the President will appoint a full or lifetime member to fulfill the term.
  47. Removal from Office
  48. An officer may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the remaining members of the Executive Board, when the Board has documented either of the following:
  49. The officer does not or cannot perform duties.
  50. The officer, through spoken or written words or actions, brings discredit to the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association and/or the profession.
  51. Documentation shall consist of notes, records, exchange of letters or other such material which demonstrates that the officer did not perform duties; and documentation that the officer was provided with constructive criticism and an opportunity to improve performance; and subsequent similar evidence that improvement was not demonstrated to the Association and/or to the professions.

Article VI – Executive Board

  1. The officers of the Association shall comprise the Executive Board.
  2. The officers shall be authorized to conduct the business of the Association, to make decisions regarding the operations of the Association, and to approve expenditures, with the approval of the President.
  3. The Executive Board shall meet quarterly and at other times as called by the President.
  4. A quorum for Executive Board meetings shall be two-thirds of the Executive Board.
  5. The Executive Board shall maintain a policies and procedures manual.

Article VII – Meetings

There shall be a membership business meeting during the Annual Continuing Education Conference.

  1. Additional business meetings may be called by the President subject to approval by a majority of the Executive Board.
  2. A quorum at a business meeting shall consist of the voting members present.
  3. Any item requiring a vote by the members shall carry by a simple majority.

Article VIII – Committees

  1. Standing Committees of the Association
  2. Standing Committees of the Association shall be: Nominations, Honors, Ethics, Conference, Membership, and Legislative.
  3. The chairperson of each standing committee shall be appointed by the President subject to approval by a majority of the Executive Board.
  4. The term of a committee chairperson shall be one year, but appointment can be renewed through the above process.
  5. A chairperson can select persons to serve on the committee.
  6. A chairperson must submit a report of the committee’s activity periodically to the Executive Board.
  7. Ad Hoc Committees
  8. Ad hoc committees may be created by the President for a specific objective and time. The ad hoc committees remain for the term of the president who created the committee.
  9. The process of appointments and the duties are those of standing committees.
  10. One non-voting Public Member may be added to the Executive Board at the discretion of the President.
  11. The Public Member shall represent the consumers of speech-language pathology and audiology services.
  12. The duties of the Public Member shall be determined by the Board at the time of need.
  13. The Public Member shall serve a one-, two- or three-year term determined by the Board with no more than one term reappointment equal to the first term of appointment.

Article IX – Parliamentary Authority

  1. The Parliamentary authority for meetings of the Association and Board shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
  2. The President shall appoint a Parliamentarian for each meeting of the Association.

Article X – Amendments

  1. Amendments may be proposed by members who are in good standing to vote or by the Executive Board through a majority vote.
  2. Amendments must be submitted in writing to the Executive Board sixty days prior to the business meeting held during the Annual Continuing Education Conference, or at any time should revisions be warranted.
  3. The member proposing an amendment may participate in the Executive Board’s discussion of the proposal.
  4. Amendments approved by the Executive Board shall be submitted to the membership for approval.
  5. Proposed amendments approved by the Executive Board must be published at least thirty days prior to the business meeting held during the Annual Continuing Education Conference or will be posted online at least 30 days prior to the vote.
  6. Adoption of amendments shall be by a two-thirds affirmative count of the ballots cast in a vote that is held at least 30 days following the membership vote.

Article XI – Code of Ethics

The Code of Ethics adopted by the Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall be the current Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Article XII – Nondiscrimination Statement

The Mississippi Speech-Language-Hearing Association shall not discriminate on the basis of race,

national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identification, sex, sexual orientation, or handicapping

condition. All programs and activities of the Association shall be conducted in furtherance of this policy.

Approved January 2020