Bylaws

The name of this association shall be Indiana University Bloomington Academic Advising Council. The official acronym of the Council shall be IUBAAC.

The Indiana University Bloomington Academic Advising Council’s mission is to promote professional academic advising at Indiana University Bloomington. To this end, IUBAAC shall advocate on behalf of IUB professional academic advisors at all campus levels. IUBAAC is a forum for the discussion, debate, and exchange of ideas regarding professional academic advisors and advising practice on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. In addition, IUBAAC is dedicated to supporting its constituency and fostering their professional growth areas that impact the intellectual, developmental, personal, and vocational needs of students.

IUBAAC allies with various institutions of higher education and professional organizations that support the profession of advising, academic advisors, and the students they serve.

Section 4.01     Equal Opportunity

Membership and opportunities for leadership shall be open to all individuals meeting eligibility requirements. IUBAAC aims to respect and elevate the voices of its members. Therefore, there shall be no discrimination on the basis of religion, age, race, color, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, disability, marital status, language, culture, socioeconomic status, or background.

Section 4.02     Eligibility

1. IUBAAC membership shall be open to Indiana University Bloomington employees for whom professional academic advising is their primary official duty. These employee categories include:

   1. Full-time, appointed professional academic advisors to undergraduate and graduate students

   2. Part-time, appointed professional academic advisors to undergraduate and graduate students

   3. Hourly, temporary academic advisors to undergraduate and graduate students, including graduate students working in advising roles

   4. Graduate students engaged in graduate advising practicums

   5. Academic advising administrators

2. Subscribing to the IUBAAC listserv does not constitute membership.

3. Faculty, undergraduate students, and staff whose professional duties do not include advising are not eligible for membership.

4. The Membership Committee can recommend individuals who do not meet standard membership criteria to the Steering Committee for approval. Such persons must have a professional role at IUB in which academic advising is a significant part of their official duties. The Steering Committee can approve or disapprove such membership through a live or electronic vote.

Section 4.03      Membership Privileges & Restrictions

Section 5.01       Parliamentary Authority

Unless otherwise stated within these bylaws or special rules of order adopted by IUBAAC, the most current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern parliamentary procedure, meeting conduct, and voting protocols.

Section 5.02       IUBAAC Quorums

1. A quorum for meetings of the Steering Committee requires a simple majority (more than 50%) of the current committee members to be present.
   
   
2. When a question is placed before the full IUBAAC membership for decision via remote balloting (e.g. elections, amendments, referenda), no minimum number of voting members is required for a quorum. All votes properly submitted during the designated voting period will be counted.

Section 5.03       Voting Procedures

1. The voting procedures outlined in Section 5.03 shall apply to all instances of voting throughout these bylaws unless otherwise expressly stated.
   
   
2. Live Voting in the Steering Committee
   
   
   1. A quorum must be reached in order to hold a live vote on official IUBAAC business during meetings of the Steering Committee.
      
      
   2. An outcome is official when a simple majority of votes indicates the same preference.
      
      
3. Electronic Ballots in the Steering Committee
   
   
   1. When the Steering Committee makes a decision through electronic ballot, the Executive Board will distribute the ballot and voting instructions to Steering Committee members no fewer than 5 business days before ballot submissions are due.
      
      
   2. A simple majority of Steering Committee members must submit ballots by the due date for their votes to be counted.
      
      
   3. If fewer than a simple majority of Steering Committee members submit ballots by the due date, the due date may be extended. The Executive Board will notify the Steering Committee of the extension no fewer than 5 business days before the revised due date.
      
      
   4. Incomplete or improperly submitted ballots will not be counted.
      
      
   5. If, by the end of the revised due date, a simple majority of ballots have still not been submitted, then the decision will be determined through ballots submitted.
      
      
   6. If a simple majority of Steering Committee members submit ballots by the designated due date (including an extended due date), the Executive Board may proceed with counting votes.
      
      
   7. An outcome is official when a simple majority of submissions indicate the same preference.
      
      
4. Electronic Ballots in the IUBAAC Membership
   
   
   1. When the IUBAAC Membership makes a decision through electronic ballot, the Executive Board will distribute the ballot and voting instructions to the IUBAAC Membership no fewer than 10 business days before ballot submissions are due.
      
      
   2. No minimum number of submissions are required.
      
      
   3. Incomplete or improperly submitted ballots will not be counted.
      
      
   4. An outcome is official when a simple majority of submissions indicate the same preference.

IUBAAC shall have both a Fall Business Meeting and a Spring Conference. The annual Fall business meeting shall be held between August 1st and December 31st. The annual IUBAAC Spring Conference shall be held between January 1st and May 31st. Additional meetings may be called by the Steering Committee. 

Section 7.01     Positions, Eligibility, and Tenure of the Executive Board

1. The officers of the Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
   
   
2. Candidates for executive office must be IUBAAC members who hold a full-time appointed position in which professional academic advising is their primary official duty. This may include both student-facing advisors and advising administrators.
   
   
3. Each executive officer position shall be occupied by a single person.
   
   
4. Each officer shall serve for a term of two academic years. The President and Secretary shall serve their term concurrently, as shall the Vice President and Treasurer.
   
   
5. Terms commence on July 1st of each year.

Section 7.02     Election of Officers

1. The President and Secretary shall be elected during even-numbered years and the Vice President and Treasurer shall be elected during odd-numbered years.
   
   
2. Elections shall be held no later than April 30th of each year.
   
   
3. During the fall semester, the IUBAAC President shall inform membership of the officer positions due for election and shall poll the membership for nominations.
   
   
4. Members may self-nominate or nominate other IUBAAC members. An individual nominated by others must agree in writing to be a candidate for the position.
   
   
5. The President shall present all nominations to the Steering Committee for approval. The Steering Committee shall base approval on each candidate’s experience, support of IUBAAC and its mission, and ability to contribute to the organization. Candidacy approval shall be granted by Steering Committee vote. 
   
   
6. Should vacant officer positions be without a candidate, the Steering Committee shall solicit and appoint a candidate from the membership.
   
   
7. Voting may be conducted and completed by electronic ballot over the course of 7 to 14 days, with ballots distributed to the membership.
   
   
8. Results of the election process shall be announced to the membership by the President within a week of the election closing.
   
   
9. In the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be held by electronic ballot.
   
   
10. Run-off elections will be held over a period of 7 to 14 days. Results of the run-off election process shall be announced to the membership by a member of the acting Executive Board within a week of the election closing.
    
    
11. Ties not resolved by a run-off election shall be broken by a simple majority vote of the Steering Committee members present at the meeting of discussion directly following the failed run-off.

Section 7.03     Duties and Responsibilities of Officers

1. President
   
   
   1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Council and Steering Committee.
      
      
   2. The President shall oversee all Council activities and functions.
      
      
   3. The President serves as a spokesperson and representative of the Council for campus committees, campus events, and at state/national conferences.
      
      
   4. The President may call special meetings of the Steering Committee.
      
      
   5. The President may appoint ad-hoc committees as needed.
      
      
   6. The President serves as an ex officio member of all standing and ad-hoc committees.
      
      
   7. The President shall reach out to the coordinator for each academic advising unit to request that they designate a representative to the Committee each academic year by July 1st.
      
      
   8. The President may delegate some of the above responsibilities to the other IUBAAC Executive Board members without approval of the Steering Committee.
      
      
   9. The President may appoint special office positions as defined in Article VII during their term to address immediate or ongoing needs of the organization.
      
      
   10. The President shall write an annual report of the organization and present it to the Steering Committee during the final Steering Committee meeting of the academic year.
       
       
   11. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President, without prejudice to the ensuing term of office.
       
       
2. Vice President
   
   
   1. The Vice President shall be responsible for prompting annual updates to Standard Operating Procedures documents for the Executive Board, Steering Committee, and Standing Committees.
      
      
   2. The Vice President shall convene and coordinate the annual Bylaws Review.
      
      
   3. In the absence or temporary inability of the President to perform their duties, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President. While so doing, the Vice President shall have all of the powers and restrictions of the office of the President.
      
      
   4. The Vice President shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the President and/or the Steering Committee.
      
      
   5. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice President, the President, with the approval of the Steering Committee, shall appoint a replacement who shall complete the term of office.
      
      
   6. The Vice President shall serve as an ex officio member of the Advocacy Committee.
      
      
3. Secretary
   
   
   1. The Secretary shall send notices of meetings as directed by the President.
      
      
   2. The Secretary shall record, distribute to the membership, and maintain an electronic file of the minutes of the meetings of the Council and its Steering Committee.
      
      
   3. The Secretary shall maintain IUBAAC server spaces and electronic documents.
      
      
   4. The Secretary shall maintain and monitor the IUBAAC email account.
      
      
   5. In the event of a vacancy in the office of the Secretary, the Steering Committee shall appoint a replacement who shall complete the term of office.
      
      
   6. The Secretary shall serve as an ex officio member of the Membership Committee and Communications & Public Relations Committee.
      
      
4. Treasurer
   
   
   1. The Treasurer shall monitor all IUBAAC funds.
      
      
   2. The Treasurer shall be responsible for knowing and adhering to university guidelines and self-training on transactional platforms governing institutional funds.
      
      
   3. The Treasurer shall maintain a register accounting for all receipts and disbursements.
      
      
   4. The fiscal year shall be from July 1st to June 30th.
      
      
   5. The Treasurer shall present the approved budget and standing account balance at the first Steering Committee meeting of the academic year.
      
      
   6. The Treasurer shall collect Standing Committee budget proposals for the following academic year no later than November 15th. The Treasurer shall then prepare a comprehensive budget proposal for the following academic year to present to the Steering Committee for review, deliberation, revisions, and approval by December 1st.
      
      
   7. The Treasurer shall write the annual report of Council funds and submit the report to the President no later than April 15th.
      
      
   8. In the event of a vacancy in the office of Treasurer, the President, with the approval of the Steering Committee, shall appoint a replacement who shall complete the term of office.
      
      
   9. The Treasurer shall serve as an ex officio member of the Professional Development Committee.

Section 7.04  Removal of an Officer

Officers may be removed from their position by a vote of the Steering Committee. Officers removed by the Steering Committee may, upon written request, have their removal confirmed or reversed by a vote of the IUBAAC membership.

Section 8.01     Definition & Eligibility

1. The President may appoint up to three additional officers to the Executive Board to serve in various capacities as needed.

2. Appointed officers serve as members of the Steering Committee like other members of the Executive Board.

3. Candidates for president-appointed office must be IUBAAC members who hold a full-time appointed position in which professional academic advising is their primary official duty. This may include both student-facing advisors and advising administrators.

Section 8.02     Creation of President-Appointed Officer Positions

1. Any officer appointed to the Executive Board by the President must have a title, role, and defined function.

2. These appointed roles may be created at any moment during the President’s term.

3. All members of the Executive Board must approve the creation of a President-appointed officer position.

4. No more than three individuals may be appointed to the Executive Board by the President. The Steering Committee must approve additional Executive Board appointments over the three-person maximum.

Section 8.03     Tenure and Removal of President-Appointed Officer Positions

1. The existence of president-appointed officer positions shall automatically terminate upon the expiration of the term of office of the President who created said position.

2. Appointed officers may be removed from their positions at any time by a vote of the Steering Committee.

3. Appointed officers removed by the Steering Committee may, upon written request, have their removal confirmed or reversed by a vote of the IUBAAC membership.

Section 9.01     Composition & Eligibility

1. The Steering Committee shall comprise the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, president-appointed officers, the Chairs of Standing and Ad-Hoc Committees, and one representative from each of the following academic advising units to be appointed by the given unit:

   1. 21st Century Scholars

   2. Athletics Academic Services

   3. College of Arts and Sciences

   4. Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design

   5. Groups Scholars Program

   6. Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies

   7. Health Professions & Prelaw Advising

   8. Hudson and Holland Scholars Program

   9. Hutton Honors College

   10. Jacobs School of Music

   11. Kelley School of Business

   12. Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering

   13. Media School

   14. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs

   15. Education Abroad

   16. School of Education

   17. School of Nursing

   18. School of Public Health-Bloomington

   19. School of Social Work

   20. Advising and Major Exploration Services

2. The Steering Committee shall review unit representation each academic year and may approve additional units for Steering Committee representation by vote, with any such changes made to Section 9.01 Composition during the annual bylaws review.

3. The Steering Committee may remove a unit from the list of those approved for Steering Committee representation by vote, with any such changes made to Section 9.01 Composition during the annual bylaws review.

4. The President shall reach out to the coordinator for each academic advising unit to request that they designate a representative to the Committee each academic year by July 1st. Steering Committee Representatives must be IUBAAC members who hold a full-time appointed position in which professional academic advising is their primary official duty. This may include both student-facing advisors and advising administrators.

Section 9.02     Tenure

1. A new Steering Committee shall be established each academic year by August 1st for the term of one academic year.
   
   
2. The Steering Committee will be on recess in the months of June and July unless IUBAAC Executive Board elections are ongoing.
   
   
3. The Steering Committee shall meet at least once a month from September 1st through May 31st but may call additional meetings throughout the academic year.

Section 9.03     Powers and Responsibilities

1. The Steering Committee shall be the governing body for all actions and activities of IUBAAC.
   
   
2. The Steering Committee shall supervise the activities of the Standing Committees and Ad-Hoc Committees.
   
   
3. The Steering Committee is responsible for maintaining the financial well-being of the organization.
   
   
4. The Steering Committee shall share the approved budget with the membership during the Fall Business Meeting.
   
   
5. The Steering Committee is responsible for maintaining a balanced budget that ensures the financial health of the organization and falls in line with institutional fiscal policies.
   
   
6. The Executive Board and Steering Committee shall review and propose revisions to the annual budget during the first Steering Committee meeting of the academic year. The Steering Committee shall approve any revisions no later than the second Steering Committee meeting of the academic year.
   
   
7. The Steering Committee shall review the Treasurer’s budget proposal for the following academic year and approve revisions no later than December 15th.
   
   
8. The Steering Committee shall determine the annual source(s) of income for IUBAAC.
   
   
9. The Steering Committee must approve all contracts and/or other agreements obligating the organization.
   
   
10. The Steering Committee may authorize variations in budgeted expenditures as necessary to fulfill the Steering Committee’s goals.

Section 10.01     Composition & Eligibility

1. The Standing Committees shall consist of volunteers from the IUBAAC membership at large.
   
   
2. The Standing Committees shall be convened by the first Steering Committee meeting of each academic year, and a Chair or Co-Chairs shall be elected from the committee members each academic year. Initial meetings of each Standing Committee shall be called by the Chair(s). In the event that a chair has not been established, the initial meeting may be called by the President.
   
   
3. Standing Committee Chairs must be IUBAAC members who hold a full-time appointed position in which professional academic advising is their primary official duty. This may include both student-facing advisors and advising administrators.  Standing Committee membership is open to all IUBAAC members.
   
   
4. Each Standing Committee Chair shall serve for one academic year. In the event that a Chair steps down or is no longer able to serve their Standing Committee, a new Chair shall be elected by Committee
   
   
5. Each Standing Committee Chair shall serve as a member of the Steering Committee for the duration of their term as Chair.

Section 10.02     Nature of Standing Committees

IUBAAC shall include the following Standing Committees: Professional Development, Communications & Public Relations, Membership, and Advocacy.

1. Professional Development Committee
   The responsibilities for this committee include but are not limited to: planning, conducting, and supervising the professional development activities of IUBAAC in a manner that contributes to the ongoing development and professional status of the membership.
   
   
   1. Conferences
   2. Workshops
   3. Brown bag lunches
   4. Seminars/webinars
   5. The Treasurer shall serve as an ex officio member of the Professional Development Committee.
      
      
2. Communications & Public Relations Committee
   The responsibilities for this committee include but are not limited to: the coordination of activities that communicate issues, ideas, and information to the membership.
   
   
   1. Website maintenance
   2. External communications to the campus and public regarding IUBAAC activities, awards, etc. (i.e., IUBAAC Newsletter, IU Homepages, Press Releases to IDS, etc.)
   3. The Secretary shall serve as an ex officio member of the Communications & Public Relations Committee
      
      
3. Membership Committee
   The responsibilities for this committee include but are not limited to:
    
   1. The recruitment and retention of members
   2. If applicable, sending annual membership renewals and collecting the corresponding membership fees
   3. Maintaining membership records
   4. IUBAAC listserv maintenance
   5. Conducting a fair and equitable nomination process for all IUBAAC awards
   6. The Secretary shall be an ex officio member of the Membership Committee
      
      
4. Advocacy Committee
   The responsibilities of this committee include, but are not limited to identifying key concerns of advisors across campus, working with advisors and university leadership to offer recommendations to address those concerns, and advocating for equity and the well-being of advisors and the advising profession at IUB. Some of the ways in which the committee will execute these responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 
   
   
   1. Developing an annual IUBAAC report on the state of the advising profession on the IU Bloomington campus
   2. Creating and circulating an annual survey to the IUBAAC membership to capture both emergent and long-standing needs and concerns of advisors. 
   3. Supporting IUBAAC's efforts to foster and maintain relationships with professional advising organizations and key campus stakeholders.
   4. Working with other IUBAAC committees to address emerging campus issues that impact the advising profession and openly advance advisor interests.
   5. The Vice President shall serve as an ex officio member of the Advocacy Committee.

Section 10.03     Responsibilities

1. Each Standing Committee shall perform such functions as prescribed above.
   
   
2. Each Standing Committee shall prepare an annual budget proposal for the following year within the first months of the academic year. The Chair shall submit this proposal to the Treasurer no later than November 15th.
   
   
3. Each Standing Committee shall prepare an annual report to be submitted to the President no later than April 15th.
   
   
4. Each Standing Committee Chair shall be responsible for reporting its ongoing activities to the President.

1. Ad Hoc Committees may be established by vote of the Steering Committee to carry out IUBAAC projects and initiatives as needed.

2. Each Ad Hoc Committee must have a written charge, stating their purpose, procedures, and estimated duration to complete their work.

3. Ad Hoc Committees will dissolve upon the completion of its purpose(s) or by vote of the Steering Committee.

1. Bloomington Advising Leadership Council comprises Directors, Associate Directors, and other key leaders in IUB undergraduate academic advising units.

2. By annual invitation of the Bloomington Advising Leadership Council Executive Committee, four representatives of IUBAAC may be invited to hold seats on the Bloomington Advising Leadership Council each academic year. These representatives shall include the President, the Vice President, and two additional members who serve IUBAAC as a unit representative on the Steering Committee or as a member of a Standing Committee or Ad-Hoc Committee.

3. Steering Committee members, including Executive Officers and Chairs of Standing Committees and Ad Hoc Committees, may self-nominate or nominate other members of the Steering Committee, Standing Committees, or Ad Hoc Committees to serve as representatives to the Bloomington Advising Leadership Council. An individual nominated by others must indicate in writing whether they accept or decline their nomination.

4. The President shall call for nominations before the first Steering Committee meeting of the academic year.

5. A Steering Committee vote shall be conducted by electronic ballot after the first Steering Committee meeting of the academic year, with representatives confirmed before the second Steering Committee meeting of the academic year.

6. The two nominees receiving the most votes shall serve as representatives to the Bloomington Advising Leadership Council for the duration of the academic year.

7. In case of a vacancy in a nominated representative position, the President shall appoint another representative from the Executive Board, Steering Committee, Standing Committees, or Ad Hoc Committees. The individual must agree to their appointment.

Section 13.01  Annual Bylaws Review

1. The Vice President shall coordinate an annual Bylaws Review.

2. This group, composed of the Vice President and Steering Committee volunteers, shall review the bylaws and write a report indicating proposed revisions. If there are no proposed revisions, the report may indicate that no changes are recommended.

3. The Vice President shall present the report to the Steering Committee to approve, disapprove, or approve after additional revision.

4. The entire review process, including the Steering Committee’s approval or disapproval of any proposed revisions, shall be completed by April 30th.

5. Any changes approved by the Steering Committee shall be put before the IUBAAC membership in writing for a ratification vote by June 1st.

Section13.02  Individually Proposed Amendments

1. Individual IUBAAC members may propose bylaw amendments at any point in the academic year.

2. Individually proposed changes must be submitted to the Vice President in writing, including the signatures of five IUBAAC members and an explanation for the proposed changes.

3. The Vice President shall present the proposed amendments to the Steering Committee to review for approval or disapproval at the next Steering Committee meeting.

Section 13.03  Ratification Procedures

1. Whether proposed during Annual Bylaw Review or an individual IUBAAC member, any proposed change must be approved by a Steering Committee vote. After Steering Committee approval, the President shall distribute an electronic ballot to the IUBAAC membership within 30 days.

2. IUBAAC members shall have 14 days to review proposed amendments and vote.

3. The President shall notify IUBAAC membership of the outcome of the vote within 14 days.

4. The Communications & Public Relations Committee shall post amendments to the IUBAAC website within 30 days.

Upon dissolution of IUBAAC, the Steering Committee shall provide for the payment of all debts and claims against the Council, and for the transfer of all remaining funds and property to Indiana University.